Spotlight: Lani Hall - SWEET BIRD (SP-4617)

[Captain Bacardi]

Lani Hall
SWEET BIRD
A&M SP-4617

Released 1976

Format: Vinyl/8-Track/Cassette

Produced by Herb Alpert

Arranged by Michel Colombier, Herb Alpert and Lani Hall

Orchestrated by Michel Colombier

Songs:

• 1. Send In The Clowns (Stephen Sondheim) - 2:21
  2. That's When Miracles Occur (Andy Pratt) - 3:07
  3. Early Mornin' Strangers (Barry Manilow/Hal David) - 3:40
  4. Mr. Blue (Misty Blue) (Michael Franks) - 3:29
  5. Too Many Mornings (Bill Quateman) - 4:40
  6. At The Ballet (Marvin Hamlisch/Edward Kleban) - 6:27
  7. The Moon Is All Alone (Like Me) (Michel Colombier/Lani Hall/Elizabeth Colombier) - 3:22
  8. Dolphins Lullaby (Rick Roberts) - 4:17
  9. Sweet Bird (Joni Mitchell) - 2:53

Musicians:
Lani Hall - Vocals
Michel Colombier - Keyboards
Larry Carlton - Guitar
Lee Ritenour - Guitar
Dennis Budimir - Guitar
Chuck Domanico - Bass
Stanley Clarke - Bass (1)
Jim Keltner - Drums, Percussion
Milt Holland - Percussion
Herb Alpert - Trumpet (2, 4)
Michael Boddicker - Synthesizer Program
Bruce Swedien - Microphone

STRINGS:

Violins: Erno Neufeld, Israel Baker, David Frisina, Jacob Krachmalnick, Jerome Reisler, Mari Tsumura, Wilbert Nuttycombe, George Kast, Stanley Plummer, Alfred Lustgarten, Marvin Limonick, Nathan Ross, Shari Zippert, Gerald Vinci, Irving Geller, Sheldon Sanov, Samuel Boghossian
Viola: Gareth Nuttycombe, Marilyn Baker, Virginia Majewski, Allan Harshman, Pamela Goldsmith, Robert Ostrowsky
Cello: Edgar Lustgarten, Kathleen Lustgarten, Jacqueline Lustgarten, Frederick Seykora
Harp: Gayle Levant
Bass: Arnie Egilsson, Buell Neidlinger

HORNS:

Trumpet: Bobby Shew, John Audino, Anthony Terran
Trombone: Lew McCreary, Charles Loper
French Horn: Vincent DeRosa, David Duke, Robert Henderson
Oboe: Earle Dumler
Woodwinds: Lanny Morgan
Flute: Clifford Shank, Jerome Richardson

Contractor: Jules Chaiken

Recorded at A&M Recording Studios, Hollywood, California
Engineered by Steve Mitchell
Assistant Engineer: John Beverly Jones
Remix Engineers: Herb Alpert and Steve Mitchell
Mastering Engineer: Bernie Grundman

Art Direction: Roland Young
Design: Chuck Beeson
Cover Photo: Dick Zimmerman

This album is for my best friend, my husband, my lover. Thank you for your love and belief, and for always being "you".

Thanks for your warmth and support:
Mary, Peter and Richard
Michel - Leah - Steve and Bev - Irene
Thank you "Aria" for new feelings and directions.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Mike Blakesley]

This is my favorite Lani Hall album cover.

It has some great songs too - the opening "Send in the Clowns" takes that song in a slightly funky new direction. And Michel Colombier's "The Moon Is All Alone (Like Me)" is pretty offbeat. I wish more of the album was like those two songs.

 

[Harry]

I like a lot of the tunes on SWEET BIRD, but one that snuck up on me when I wasn't expecting it was "Dolphin's Lullaby". As I listened to this album, early favorites were "Send in The Clowns", "Early Morning Strangers" and even "At The Ballet."

The verse part of "Dolphin's Lullaby" is full of weird effects and doesn't grab me at all, but when the chorus kicks in, it's all over for me. I can't play that one loud enough - odd for a "lullaby."

Harry

 

[Captain Bacardi]

First off, I'm surprised that there seems to be quite a few who haven't heard this album - you are certainly missing out on a good one.

When I first got this album, I was a little hesitant when I saw "Send In The Clowns" was leading it off. I had only heard the slow dirge versions (was it Judy Collins who had the hit?), but here it comes across quite funky with Stanley Clarke's bass kicking it off. My favorite song is "That's When Miracles Occur", where Lani is in fine form. The only oddity for me is "At The Ballet". I have to be in a certain mood to listen to it. "The Moon Is All Alone" is another favorite.

I bought this album the day it came out and I remember when I went to pay for the album the clerk at the register just said "Wow, she's beautiful". He had never heard of Lani before. I went back to the same store a few days later and he had this album playing in the store with the LP cover prominently displayed. I think I made a fan that day.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Rudy]

Count me among those who have not heard this album. It never occurred to me to check for her albums in the stores back in the day, and good luck finding used copies today!

I'd be interested to see what she does with "Mr. Blue", as I'm a big fan of Michael Franks.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I remember having trouble making a cassette dub of "Send in the Clowns." I wanted to use the song on a Lani compilation I was making, but my system kept recording the "S" sounds with a SHHH sound, even though it sounded good over the speakers. I never could figure it out -- tried recording the song at lower volume, raised and lowered the tonearm weight...nothing worked. I finally made the tape without that song.

 

[Dave]

It was, to me, obviously easy to say "Never Heard This One", when I really did... In fact, my first copy was a Still-Sealed one going for $3.99 w/ a $4.99 price sticker beneath it...

The funky opener, "Send In The Clowns" is good and I also love the way it's driven by the bass of Stanley Clarke (too bad that there aren't more like this one)...

"That's When Miracles Occur", to me, seems to be too conservative and sounds like Lani and Herb were really playing it safe... --Playing it TOO safe I should say...! I guess it's because I prefer the Andy Pratt original, which no one else can touch...

And frankly, I can't remember if it was "At The Ballet" or "The Moon Is All Alone" or "Dolphins Lullabye", which I like/dislike, on Side 2...

A mixed bag of obscurities by well-known artists like Barry Manilow in "Early Morning Strangers" and "Sweet Bird" by Joni Mitchell...

And of course ANYTHING by Bill Quateman is OBSCURE, especially in the oft-covered "Too Many Mornings"...

A bit of a let down, after enjoying Lani's first two, so this is one LP which I must have had for quite a short time, then, to have long-forgotten...



Dave

 

[Harry]

I had missed out on this one originally too, only getting it as I filled in the missing pieces after hanging out here at A&M Corner. I'd gathered a few of Lani's albums and singles at the radio station, but missed this one, ALBANY PARK and BLUSH from her main English releases. The "hits" of course were always around on the CLASSICS and COLLECTIBLES discs.

Now that I have the album, I can't imagine a time without it.

Harry