🎵 AotW Classics Dave Lewis LITTLE GREEN THING SP 105

[Harry]

Dave Lewis
LITTLE GREEN THING
A&M SP-105

Tracks:

Side One:
1. Little Green Thing (Dave Lewis) 1:58
2. Fly Me To The Moon (Bart Howard) 2:42
3. Givin' Gas (Dave Lewis) 2:38
4. The Swim Thing (Dave Lewis) 2:48
5. Around The World In Eighty Days (Adamson-Young) 3:02
6. Lip Service (Dave Lewis) 2:28

Side Two:
1. Mr. Clyde (Dave Lewis) 2:05
2. Honky Tonk (Doggett-Shepard-Scott-Butler) 4:18
3. Misty (Garmer-Burke) 2:23
4. Little Joe (Dave Lewis) 1:54
5. I Left My Heart In San Francisco (Cory-Cross) 2:22
6. David's Mood, Part II (Dave Lewis) 2:30

Producer: Jerry Dennon
Arranger: Dave Lewis
Engineer: Kearney Barton
Studio: Audio Recording, Inc., Seattle, Wash.
Album Design: Apple Graphics

Liner Notes:

Seattle, Washington, is definitely not the music capital of the country. And yet from this Northwestern city has come some of today's biggest stars. The Brothers Four, The Fleetwoodsw, Bonnie Guitar, Pat Suzuki, to name a few. Now another, Dave Lewis, joins the list. You hear him now in this his first album.

Dave Lewis has been on the threshold of stardom since he began playing the piano in 1956 while still in high school. He appeared around the Northwest in every top room that could house the overflow crowds that came to hear him. He switched his touch to the organ in 1963 and since that time has developed a distinctive and well-known style. The "Dave Lewis Sound" hit the airways in the summer of 1963 with a record that was to pave the way for his success, "David's Mood" never became a national hit, but did become a legend in the Northwest. It since has been recorded by many people, including a current rendition by "The Kingsmen."

Sharing billing with Dave for the "Dave Lewis Sound" are guitarist Joe Johansen and drummer Dickey Enfield. Both are native Northwesterners. Joe born in Alaska and Dickey in Port Angeles, Washington.

In this album you hear the sounds that rock every room in which Dave appears. From his samsh success with "Little Green Thing" to a rousing arrangement of "Around The World In 80 Days', Dave Lewis and company will "sell you". Dave Lewis pianist, organist, writer, talent. Next on the horizon: star. Listen now then to "The Dave Lewis Sound".
. . . Jerry Dennon, Producer

 

[Captain Bacardi]

As I was putting the A&M jazz releases on an Excel spreadsheet, I realized I missed a couple of albums chronologically, including this one. Being it was the first jazz album on A&M you'd think I would have caught this earlier. My bad. I also missed a couple of Paul Winter albums, so I will get caught up with these then resume where I left off.



Capt. Bacardi
...fumbling the ball online...

 

[Dave]

Found this LP under "Oldies" at one Record Store which I would later work at...

More an R&B Instrumental album than Jazz in any John Coltrane or Miles Davis sense of the genre, but shows some good Organ Improvasions and progressive Sound Ideas which were done with both Original Compositions and Popular Tunes of the day...

Also one of the first A&M LP's to suddenly have non-LP singles, as well...



Dave

 

[Harry]

This has long been one of the early A&M albums that I didn't own. Just this past week, I happened to see a mono copy listed on eBay for 99 cents and no bids. It had a scammy-looking $6 shipping charge, but I figured that a total of $7 for a long-missing piece of a puzzle would be worth it. I bid the 99 cents, and was outbid at the last minute by someone else at $1.04!

Then I saw a another listed: a buy-it-now version in stereo for just a little more money. Since it was allegedly in better shape, I sprang for it. So it's in the mail as we speak here.

Harry

 

[Rudy]

The mono version is actually better the stereo on this album--it sounds like the album was recorded to two-track (Lewis on one side, the other musicians on the other side, nothing center), so it sounds somewhat disjionted. Good thing is, it balances nicely when played back in mono. "David's Mood, Part II", last song on the album, is in fake stereo.

Musically it's not a "barn burner" but is pretty good considering the songs are pretty much in the same "organ trio" format through each song. (And I don't mean liver, pancreas and spleen. ) I believe the local hit from this one was "Around The World In 80 Days"; my favorite here is "Fly Me To The Moon", set to a shuffle beat.

 

[audiofile]

I'm surprised Alpert didn't produce this album, considering it was so early into the life of A&M, and he did most of the producing on the early A&M albums. He was also friends with Lewis and encouraged him to record for the label.

 

[Rudy]

I have a feeling this recording was licensed and released on A&M. It was recorded in Seattle and has nowhere near the A&M sound on it. Could have been that Lewis was between labels at the time, and A&M offered to release it, either purchasing or licensing the masters. IMHO, it is also one of the few early albums that does not "sound" A&M compared to the others. Even McCurn's album, SP-102, has that A&M sound to it.

 

[LPJim]

I think distribution of this album was largely confined to the Northwest, as a copy never turned up in my local racks and I finally snagged one from a Washington State "Goldmine" record dealer.
Not sure I'd call this pure jazz; sort of a hybrid of jazz and R&B.
JB

 

[Rudy]

Not sure I'd call this pure jazz; sort of a hybrid of jazz and R&B.

It sort of reminds me of some of the Lonnie Smith Trio recordings: Hammond organ, guitar, drums. Dr. Smith's two Hendrix tribute recordings from the 90s were pretty good, and actually a bit similar to this one: jazz, but with a lot of rock and soul influences. (John Abercrombie handled guitar duties on the two Hendrix-themed recordings.)

 

[DAN BOLTON]

I don't recall ever seeing this album anywhere...not in central Indiana, at least. This is the first time I've seen a color scan of the cover...surprised that the title isn't in green, but maybe that would bee too "on the nose".

Dan

 

[Captain Bacardi]

This is a neat little album. Nice tasty jazz/R&B instrumentals, lots of shuffles. I really liked the guitar player on this album. Too bad there isn't a listing of personnel. I like the Lewis originals the best, especially "Givin' Gas", "Lip Service" and "David's Mood, Part 2". A lot of this sounds as if it could be played at a cocktail party back in the 60's. Some tunes, such as "Mr. Clyde", even sound as if it could be played on Laugh-In. Too bad Lewis didn't record more for A&M. 4 stars.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Captain Bacardi]

According to the All-Music Guide website, some of Dave Lewis's recordings are available on a compilation called The History Of Northwest Rock, Vol. 1, which was put together by producer Jerry Dennon's Jerden imprint label. I also noticed that Dave Lewis died in 1998.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[audiofile]

For further Dave Lewis listening, check out

It's pretty much the same formula as Little Green Thing, only we know where the tunes come from.

 

[Harry]

Ol' SP 105 arrived in the mail yesterday, so instantly, my collection of early A&M albums became complete up through the first 27. I have LP's and CDs for many of these, just LPs for some, and just CDs for others, but it's complete now through THE PARADE, SP 4127 (that one's on CD only).

The next piece I need obviously is SP 4128, Chris Montez FOOLIN' AROUND, which shouldn't be too difficult to find. When I get that one, I'll be able to jump up to complete through SP 4139, ROGER NICHOLS.

It gets tough for me in the 140's, since I don't have 140 or 141, (Michaels and Minnelli) and I don't have 143 or 144 (Bill Dana and Boyce & Hart), nor 149, MERCHANTS OF DREAM.

I've not counted the strange SP 4100 in this (nor do I own it) - anyone know where it fits in the actual chronology?

Harry
...filling in a long-missing hole, online...

 

[Dave]

I actually had a version of "Lonely Bull" by Lewis on a '45', which was obviously Non-LP, but on A&M as opposed to whatever label the Plays Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass is on... I believe the B-Side was "Dave's Mood, #3", or an album track like "Honky Tonk"; maybe I had TWO non-LP singles by him, which I ordered from an Online dealer off o' GEMM... --I forgot...



Dave

 

[LPJim]

SP 4100 is SAY YOU LOVE ME by Lucille Starr. However several tracks feature her and Bob Regan (Canadian Sweethearts). This is a Canada/UK release, and I'd guess that it came out in 1966. I won a copy in a "Goldmine" magazine auction several years ago.

In 1975 A&M of Canada reissued this and SP 106 by Canadian Sweethearts as a double-album package, SP 99015 with the title "LUCILLE STARR."
This would make a nice CD reissue.

JB

 

[nightcat]

My vote goes to Little Green Thing. Close second would be Lip Service and then Little Joe. I didn't care for David's Mood pt 2 at all. But I guess it was a local hit.

 

[Dave]

It's Jazz..., It's Easy Listening Pop, with a good dollop of R&B...! A nice one-shot and from when Lewis' career was beginning to take off and A&M was finally progressing and adding on new artists...

Too bad there wasn't a follow-up; Dave Lewis recorded another "Mood", or two and "The Lonely Bull" (Yes, the same one as Herb Alpert/TjB) and a few other songs on some '45's...

My copy of this was bought long ago and it was a Mono LP...



Dave

 

[Harry]

I find it interesting that "Apple Graphics", credited with the cover design, chose a blue color scheme for an album called LITTLE GREEN THING.

This was a late acquisition - my last of A&M's first 10 albums. It was rather tough to find. My copy is stereo, and I cannot say that I've listened to more than ten or twenty seconds of it - thus no favorite.

Harry

 

[Mr Bill]

Harry, the "dot" over the "i" in "Thing" is Green. For that reason I always assumed the dot was the "little green thing" to which the title referred.

But you should give it another listen. It's not a bad LP at all. It's organ music so you may feel the urge to put on roller skates. Lewis is no Pete Jolly but this is decent, jazzy, instrumental, R&B...

--Mr. Bill

 

[Harry]

Harry, the "dot" over the "i" in "Thing" is Green. For that reason I always assumed the dot was the "little green thing" to which the title referred.

But you should give it another listen. It's not a bad LP at all. It's organ music so you may feel the urge to put on roller skates. Lewis is no Pete Jolly but this is decent, jazzy, instrumental, R&B...

--Mr. Bill

OK, I get it now. [smacks himself upside the head]

I'd actually like to find the time to digitize both this and the McCurn album - but you know how that goes...

Harry

 

[seashorepiano]

Organ? Jazz? Where can I get this? (Ebay, I know. Just an initial reaction.)

 

[Harry]

Organ? Jazz? Where can I get this? (Ebay, I know. Just an initial reaction.)

Well, if you DO go to eBay and search on "Little Green Thing", be prepared to wade through a lot of women's lingerie...

Harry

 

[audiofile]

I haven't heard this lp, but something tells me that there isn't that much jazz here at all.

I have Lewis's "Plays Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass," and it's tame instrumental easy listening.

 

[Dave]

Well, if you DO go to eBay and search on "Little Green Thing", be prepared to wade through a lot of women's lingerie...

Harry

Yow, if you look under "All Catalogs", then, yeah, what you said is true, Harry...!



Dave

--Wishing that this Board would allow me to elaborate more on another major interest of mine...!