🎵 AotW AOTW: Les McCann - THE MAN (SP-4718)

[Captain Bacardi]

Les McCann
THE MAN
A&M SP-4718

Released 1978
Peaked at #31 on the Jazz Albums chart (1978)

Format: Vinyl/8-Track/Cassette

Produced, Conducted and Orchestrated by Paul Riser
Executive Producer: Herb Alpert

Songs:

• 1. Just The Way You Are (Billy Joel) - 6:31
  2. Flow With The Feeling (Steve Haberman) - 4:43
  3. The Blue Dot (Les McCann) - 6:29
  4. How Can You (Live Without Love) (Zane Grey/Len Ron Hanks) - 4:16
  5. You Think You're Something Mr. Man (Rev. B/Les McCann) - 4:37
  6. I'm Always Waiting, Waiting For You (Rev. B/Les McCann) - 4:34
  7. Para Ti, Para Mi (Les McCann) - 9:14
  
  Arranged by Paul Riser and Les McCann

Musicians:
Les McCann - Keyboards and Vocals, Fender Rhodes Piano, ARP Synthesizer, Roland MP700 Electric Piano, Acoustic Piano and Clavinet
Richard Tee - Acoustic Piano (4, 5)
Nicholas Kirgo - Lead Electric and Acoustic Guitars (1, 2, 7)
Steaurt Liebig - Rhythm Electric Guitar and Rhythm Acoustic Guitar (7)
Tim May - Electric Guitar (1, 2, 4)
James Rowser - Bass
Eddie Watkins - Bass
Kevin Johnson - Drums
Elmira Collins - Percussion
Gary Coleman - Percussion
Trumpets: Steve Madaio, Walter Johnson, Oliver Mitchell
Trombones: George Bohanon, Lew McCreary
French Horns: Vincent DeRosa, David Duke, Arthur Maebe
Woodwinds: Ernie Watts, Bill Green, Sheridan Stokes, John Heitman
String Section: Harry Bluestone (leader) and His Fabulous L.A. Strings

Recorded at A&M Recording Studios, Hollywood and Kendun Recorders, Burbank
Engineered by Barney Perkins
Assisted by Ellis Sorkin and Joe Laux
Mixed by Barney Perkins, Les McCann and Paul Riser at Kendun Recorders
Mastered by Bernie Grundman at A&M Recording Studios, Hollywood, California
Management: Bernard & Steckler Co.

Art Direction: Roland Young
Design: Roland Young/Grafis
Photography: Mark Hanauer
Liner Notes: Les McCann

It always surprises me when an artist the magnitude of Les McCann finds it hard to break through to a larger audience. Is it the fault of the record company? Or is it that one special tune or record yet to be recorded? I don't know the answer, but I do feel that Les has always had those magical ingredients that spell Greatness.

The man is Musical
The man is Original
The man is Whimsical
I'm a fan of....The Man....Les McCann....
- Herb Alpert



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Captain Bacardi]

This is a different twist for Les McCann. It seems A&M was trying to turn McCann into a pop star instead of his usual funky-jazz style. It's not neccesarily all that bad - he does a very hip version of Billy Joel's "Just The Way You Are", and there's some nice guitar work on "Flow With The Feeling". There's only two instrumental tracks here - a laid-back "Blue Dot" and the quasi-Brazilian "Para Ti, Para Mi", which has some nice interplay between McCann and guitarist Nicholas Kirgo. But a lot of this album suffers from over-production IMHO. The obligatory discofied "Mr. Man" and the overly sapped "I'm Always Waiting..." are examples. It's not a terrible album, but it's not all that great, either. 2 stars.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Dave]

Eh, McCann for the Cocktail lounge crowd... Though the remake of Billy Joel's "Just The Way You Are" is not as anti-septic as one may think and it's almost this album's only redeeming quality... Though "Para Ti, Para Mi" gets this outing into a fairly lively, upwardly direction, while "Mr. Man" sends this LP down the other way...

A fairly worthwhile and experimental mood-music piece... However, this one was also relatively hard to stay awake during except at least, during the few fairly fast numbers...



Dave