🎷 AotW: Horizon Ben Sidran - THE CAT AND THE HAT (SP-741)

[Captain Bacardi]

Ben Sidran
THE CAT AND THE HAT
A&M/Horizon SP-741

Released 1979

Format: Vinyl/8-Track/Cassette/CD

Produced by Mike Mainieri and Ben Sidran for Bulldog Productions, Inc.

Songs:

• 1. Hi-Fly (Randy Weston) - 4:58
  2. Ask Me Now (Ben Sidran/Thelonius Monk) - 4:08
  3. Like Sonny (John Coltrane) - 4:43
  4. Give It To The Kids (Mike Mainieri/Ben Sidran) - 4:26
  5. Minority (Ben Sidran/Gigi Gryce) - 3:32
  6. Blue Daniel (Ben Sidran/Frank Rosolino) - 3:53
  7. Ballin' The Jack (C. Smith/Ben Sidran) - 4:25
  8. Girl Talk (Ben Sidran/Neal Hefti) - 3:12
  9. Seven Steps To Heaven (Ben Sidran/Victor Feldman) - 4:11
  
  Arranged and Conducted by Mike Mainieri

Musicians:
Ben Sidran - Vocals, Acoustic Piano, Yamaha Electric Grand, Synthesizers, Fender Rhodes (9)
Mike Mainieri - Vibes, Synthesizers, Fender Rhodes
Steve Gadd - Drums
Abraham Laboriel - Bass
Lee Ritenour - Guitar
Paulinho Da Costa - Percussion
Buzzy Feiten - Guitar solo (7)
Michael Brecker - Tenor Sax solo (1, 4, 5)
Joe Henderson - Tenor Sax solo (9)
Tom Harrell - Trumpet solo (6)
Don Grolnick - Organ (4)
Tom Scott - Tenor Sax and Flute
Pete Christlieb - Tenor Sax and Flute
Jim Horn - Baritone Sax and Flute
Dick "Slyde" Hyde - Trombone
Gary Grant - Trumpet
Jerry Hey - Trumpet
Background Vocals: Frank Lloyd, Luther Van Dross, Gordon Gordy, Mike Finnegan, Max Gronanthal, Trisha Campbell, Craig Davis, Claude Brooks, Gerard Randell
Synthesizer Programs: Susan Ciani and Ian Underwood

Recorded and Mixed by Al Schmitt
Recorded at The Sound Labs, Hollywood with Linda Tyler; Capitol Records, Hollywood with Don Henderson; Crimson Studios, Santa Monica with Terry Becker and Hank Cicalo; The Power Station, New York with The Staff; Sound Mixers, New York with William Wittman.

Mastered at The Mastering Lab, Hollywood by Mike Reese.
Production Assistance: Noel Newbolt and Christine Martin
Head Head: Tommy Li Puma

Art Direction: Roland Young
Album Design: Chuck Beeson
Cover Photo: Barry Feinstein
Inner Sleeve Photo: Bonnie Schiffman
Liner Notes: Michael Cuscuna

Dedicated to the memory of Blue Mitchell, Frank Rosolino and Eddie Jefferson, without whose innovations this album would not have been possible.


Note: This was the final jazz album of the Horizon series.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Dave]

Whether recorded on a street corner just before daybreak, in a Minneapolis synagogue, or in any mainstream recording studio on either "right" or "left" coast, Sidran's almost-talkative singing style much in the vein of Michael Franks and his equally polished keyboard style always takes a "center stage"...

A unique merger of a personal outlook and a moderately socially-conscious theme... (Like on "Minority" and "Give It To The Kids")

The resurrected & updated Monk tune and revised & revisited Coltrane track are gems, and the moody "Blue Daniel" is also touching, while "Girl Talk" also sports a very unique warmth and charm... "Hi Fly" and "Seven Steps To Heaven" are uplifting bookends to this highlighted Ben Classic...!



Dave

 

[audiofile]

I didn't like this one too much.

 

[Captain Bacardi]

This is an interesting little album. Ben Sidran is not the greatest singer, certainly not in the same company as Sinatra or Bennett. But there's this little hipness about the way he phrases the lyrics. In many ways, this album is kind of a funky version of what Dave Frishberg does, and for the most part it works well, once you get past the dorky opener "Hi-Fly". Michael Brecker supplies some searing sax work on "Minority", while Tom Harrell provides a nifty trumpet solo on Frank Rosolino's "Blue Daniel" (I'm a little surprised there wasn't a trombone solo, though). My favorite track is the swinging "Seven Steps To Heaven", with Joe Henderson making the guest appearance. This was a great way to end the jazz series on Horizon. 4 stars.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Rudy]

I haven't heard this yet--is it any good? I have three of his titles on the Magenta label (which was a jazz division of Windham Hill back when A&M distributed it): On The Cool Side, On The Live Side, and one that followed. An acquired taste at best. The live album was decent and had a couple of guest appearances on it (Steve Miller on guitar/vocals for a couple of tracks, and IIRC Phil Woods on another one or two).

 

[Captain Bacardi]

I always considered Sidran a funky Dave Frishberg as far as vocals go. There's some good stuff on this album once you get past the opening tune, which for me is horrible. My favorite tracks include Frank Rosolino's "Blue Daniel", where Michael Brecker plays a dynamite solo, and "Seven Steps To Heaven", which is a grooving swinger. I wouldn't say it's all wonderful, but there's enough goodies to make it worthwhile.

 

[Rudy]

They certainly threw the whole battalion of L.A. studio talent at this album! Sometimes it is a case of "too many cooks" when that happens. I may have to give this one a shot if I can find a clean vinyl copy of it.

 

[Captain Bacardi]

I lucked out and found the CD for about $5 at a record show a few years back.