🎵 AotW AOTW: Perry Botkin, Jr. - PORTS (SP-4639)

[LPJim]

Perry Botkin, Jr.
PORTS
A&M SP-4639

Produced by Perry Botkin, Jr. and Charles H. Stern

TRACKS:

1. The Lovers (Herb Alpert) - 3:06
2. Lady Ice (Perry Botkin, Jr.) - 4:23
3. Don't Believe The Laughter (Perry Botkin, Jr./Gil Garfield) - 2:54
4. Low Tide (Perry Botkin, Jr.) - 2:51
5. Eternal Sunrise (Perry Botkin, Jr./Gil Garfield) - 3:07
6. Looking For Home (Perry Botkin, Jr.) - 2:57
7. Nadia's Theme/Bless The Beasts And Children (Perry Botkin, Jr./Barry DeVorzon) - 3:12
8. Bridges (Travessia) (Milton Nascimento/Fernando Brant) - 3:00
9. You've Gone Away (Perry Botkin, Jr.) - 3:19
10. Ports (Perry Botkin, Jr.) - 2:34
11. Gymnopedies #1 (Erik Satie) - 2:52

MUSICIANS:

Perry Botkin, Jr. - Keyboards
Larry Muhoberac - Keyboards
Mike Melvoin - Keyboards
Bud Shank - Alto Sax and Flute
Jim Keltner - Drums
Harvey Mason - Drums
Max Bennett - Bass
Wilton Felder - Bass
Anthony Jackson - Bass
Lee Ritenour - Guitar
Dennis Budimir - Guitar
Robin Ford - Guitar
Tommy Morgan - Harmonica
Gayle Levant - Harp
James Getzoff - Concert Master
Roger Farris - Music Copyist

Recorded, Mixed and Mastered at A&M Recording Studios, Hollywood, California
Recording Engineer: Roger Young
Mastering Engineer: Bernie Grundman
Art Direction: Roland Young
Album Design: Chuck Beeson
Cover Painting: Joe Garnett
Photography: Mark Hanauer

All musical arrangements and orchestrations by Perry Botkin, Jr.

For more information visit his official site:

www.perrybotkin.com/main.htm

JB

 

[Captain Bacardi]

I added some additional info for this album.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[LPJim]

Thank you very much. This is one I do not own. Wonder if Herb or anyone else recorded "The Lovers?"
JB

 

[Captain Bacardi]

Not that I know of. Of course, "The Lovers" was the love theme from the TV movie "Aspen" which came out at this time. I remember noticing the movie when it was on TV back then, but I never watched it. It's never been on DVD either as far as I can tell.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Captain Bacardi]

I'm not sure why Herb Alpert hasn't recorded "The Lovers" (or maybe he has and it's just in the can somewhere), but the song is a perfect fit for his trumpet. He wrote it so he should've recorded it. It reminds me of his collaboration with Jim Brickman's "Rendezvous".

The rest of this album is basically a pop orchestra showcase, and it's not all that bad. Botkin does a nice job on Milton Nascimento's "Bridges". The album ends on Erik Satie's "Gymnopedies", which should be familiar to any Blood Sweat & Tears fan (this song opened and closed BS&T's self-titled second album). The late Bud Shank gets some small bits on alto and flute on a few tunes as well. Overall, a pretty decent album.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Dave]

The album ends on Erik Satie's "Gymnopedies", which should be familiar to any Blood Sweat & Tears fan (this song opened and closed BS&T's self-titled second album)

Capt. Bacardi

Which just before having that Blood, Sweat & Tears LP around that time, (and I only borrowed it from the junior high school library for "You've Made Me So Very Happy" and "Spinning Wheel") I believe I'd first become familiar with Satie's "Gymnopedies" (Which B, S & T coined as "Variations of a Theme by Erik Satie") here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2LH-ckG0qk&feature=related​

--A Benny Hill skit, on which once you get past the antics of the comedy, the song does play at the end...



Dave

 

[JMK]

One of my favorite orchestrators/arrangers, and a very nice guy. If you can track down the 1968 album THE COLLAGE on Mercury/Smash, it sports some wonderful Botkin orchestrations. Unfortunately Perry doesn't remember much about the record--I've always been curious who the singers were.

 

[Dave]

A finely finished product... The tons of musicians and time and space needed at A&M Lot for this paid off in the next-best masterpiece to Perry Botkin Jr.'s arrangements for other artists, ie. Ed Ames, Bobby Gentry, Barbra Streisand, Rod McKuen, Harry Nilsson...

What I like best and can put in best detail are the first two songs:

"The Lovers" is a perfect song for the end of a rough day and to have on a sun deck with a Mai Tai... And the Herb Alpert credit as writer sparks my curiosity as to where and when he recorded it (and if we'll ever get to hear it)...

"Lady Ice" is a curiosity; the credit to GE (General Electric) leads me to believe that it was used in a commercial? (The appliance aficionado in me wants to know!) And my favorite, here... What seems to be the Tango, complete with splashes of synthesizer solos, the heavily-chorded Robben Ford guitar and the leaden Anthony Jackson bass... And hearing it on a cassette in the car helped me make it through early morning stop-and-go traffic after being tired from working a Midnight Shift and before having a cup of coffee or tea by my side... (Yeh, almost fell asleep at the wheel, and prevented it just in time)...

And bought me a fiddle to try to play those violin parts just like Jimmy Getzoff (who is still alive & well according to "a good source")...



Dave

 

[Dave]

If you can track down the 1968 album THE COLLAGE on Mercury/Smash, it sports some wonderful Botkin orchestrations. I've always been curious who the singers were.

US Soft Rock/Psych quartet (Two men, two girls) produced in LA by Steve Douglas with Perry Botkin, Jr. & Bill Chadwick... Songs written by Roger Nichols, Curt Boettcher, Addrissi Brothers, The Stone Poneys...

1. Lookin At A Baby 2. Driftin' 3. Rainy Blue Memory Day 4. Anyday's A Sunday Afternoon 5. My Mind's At Ease 6. Virginia Day's Ragtime Memories 7. Can Go? 8. She's Just Laughin' At Me 9. Ragged Clown 10. Would You Like To Go?​

Dave inkshield:

 

[Dave]

Awwwww, man, I never thought I would find "The Lovers" (or ANY Perry, other than "YOUNG & RESTLESS") on YouTube!

Man, I definitely need to relax w/ a cocktail during this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09O6CgaoMVo&feature=related​

Dave

 

[Harry]

I must have missed this thread way back when, and I'd never known of the Herb Alpert-composed track that's featured on this album. Stumbling upon it this morning, I tracked down an even cleaner recording of the song on YouTube from someone in Japan.



Pretty song and arrangement.

Harry

 

[Bobberman]

I never knew of this until now but now i want this album. ( this would blend perfectly with the nadias theme album.) Thanks for sharing the song Harry i agree with you it is a pretty song ( i play this kind of music on my weekly radio show all the time.)