The A&M CTi Records

[Rudy]

I didn't take the shrink fully off of the recent arrivals here either--I'm waiting to put in an order for some LP sleeves to store them in. Especially the foil cover of the one Nat Adderley album.

And while I hate to dig through boxes in storage, I really want to find the Paul Desmond From The Hot Afternoon that I had. The AM+ version is such a good sounding record!

 

[JOv2]

in an order for some LP sleeves to store them in

Last year, I finally broke down and stepped up to "archival" type sleeves (for all the LPs I consider "first call").

Paul Desmond From The Hot Afternoon that I had. The AM+ version is such a good sounding record!

Agreed! That was a really good production. Never had the A+M version, but those that I have (and had) were all very quiet.

 

[Rudy]

Last year, I finally broke down and stepped up to "archival" type sleeves (for all the LPs I consider "first call").

I know, I really need to step that up myself. I will probably get mostly 12-5/8" square sleeves (snug fit), but will probably get 100 or so 12-3/4" square sleeves for the double sets and some of the thicker 180g pressings. My problem is when I get multiple copies, then find a sealed copy (or a "best" copy from used ones) and then can't remember which one was the best. The problem, too, is that a good portion of the LPs are still stored in boxes in the basement. We were only supposed to stay here a year or two, and we just passed the ten year mark four months ago. Thing is, with all my CDs, SACDs and video ripped to a server, I no longer need to have the CDs out, and I'm just getting things ready to put the remainder of them in storage and reclaim all the wall space from the CD racks so I can get some more units to store the LPs.

 

[JOv2]

My problem is when I get multiple copies

Though I very much wanted to have 1 sealed LP + 1 opened LP, I decided about 40 years ago that I would only have one copy of each title. (Still, the thought of a showcase of sealed LPs would be something to behold! Sealed CDs are more akin to office supplies but sealed LPs are surely majestic...😵

Oh, you work off of a server. Interesting. Don't think I could manage that as I need to hold that LP jacket in my hands (in its archival sleeve, of course) and stare hypnotically at the A&M logo spinning...

 

[JOv2]

Finally found an affordable (used, of course) CD version of Giblet Gravy (FEB 1968), which was recorded and released prior to Shapes of Things to Come.

 

[Bobberman]

Finally found an affordable (used, of course) CD version of Giblet Gravy (FEB 1968), which was recorded and released prior to Shapes of Things to Come.

Its a Great album I bought a download version of this album a few months ago and well worth the money

 

[JOv2]

Its a Great album I bought a download version of this album a few months ago and well worth the money

Thanks, Bobberman! I spun it once and liked it straightaway...now, there's only one '60s Benson left to acquire: the elusive CD version of Goodies (NOV1968 -- which means it was cut a few weeks after Shape of Things to Come). According to Discogs, it was only issued once on CD in Japan; and you know what that means...$ XXX.00, which is wayy over my budget.

 

[lj]

Here's a minor point in the category of trivia. I just played my original vinyl albums from the 1970s, that is Airto "Fingers" and Deodato "Prelude" and I noticed the correct abbreviation of Creed Taylor Incorportated on their record jackets, that is, CTI all in upper case. This forum has shown CTi with the letter I in lower case. That is apparently wrong.

 

[Harry]

If you look at any of the A&M CTi albums, there's clearly a dot over the "i", with the top horizontal part of the "T" crossing into the empty part of the "i".

Once Creed left A&M, the logo changed a bit with the dot then missing from the "i".

 

[lj]

If you look at any of the A&M CTi albums, there's clearly a dot over the "i", with the top horizontal part of the "T" crossing into the empty part of the "i".

Once Creed left A&M, the logo changed a bit with the dot then missing from the "i"

Thanks for pointing out the difference.

 

[Rudy]

Yeah, the logo has shifted a bit over the years. Not a huge deal I guess. 😉

 

[Steven J. Gross]

To me, these are some the greatest jazz albums ever. The essence of it.

 

[Michael Hagerty]

To me, these are some the greatest jazz albums ever. The essence of it.

Creed took heat from jazz purists at the time, but I think the world has caught up with CTi. Just last week, the music director at our jazz station (I work for the NPR news station in town) put a CTi playlist up on social media. It leaned a bit more toward post-A&M CTI, but there was still a track or two from the beginning.

 

[Steven J. Gross]

Some of the greatest. Typo

 

[Moritat]

I have almost all of the A&M CTI jazz lps and most were purchased when they were released. I think for true jazz fans, the best jazz album on A&M is "We And The Sea" by Tamba 4. (The follow up lp "Samba Blim" was a boring disappointment with short uninteresting tunes, but I loved the Pete Turner cover). Other excellent lps on this series would be "Glory Of Love" by Herbie Mann & "Down Here On The Ground" by Wes Montgomery. The Nat Adderley lps are also top notch. One tune worth pointing out is "Bachianas Brasileiras #5" from the "Soul Flutes" lp. Just a great cover of a great classical piece. The only A&M jazz lps I picked up in recent years are sealed copies of the Tamika Jones & Richard Barbary lps. I think Creed Taylor and Pete Turner did a great job in putting this series together for A&M. It was innovative, cool, well packaged commercial jazz.

 

[Harry]

One tune worth pointing out is "Bachianas Brasileiras #5" from the "Soul Flutes" lp. Just a great cover of a great classical piece.

That's a favorite of mine too, and appears on the Jackie & Roy TIME AND LOVE on a CTi after Creed left A&M.

 

[JOv2]

I think Creed Taylor and Pete Turner did a great job in putting this series together for A&M. It was innovative, cool, well packaged commercial jazz.

Agreed. Those covers were memorable visual statements that really pushed the colour envelope in some cases. I was tempted as a child from the inner sleeves and finally in 7th or 8th grade I bought Jobim / Wave.

Funny thing about it all: as a sophomore in college once I heard Cannonball Adderley / Presenting Cannonball I quickly turned away from CTi and Verve to focus 100% on jazz free of pop concessions as it were; starting in the early '80s Prestige, Riverside, Blue Note, impulse! LPs from the '50s and '60s filled a musical void and sent me on a muse-journey that I follow to this day. It would take over 20 years to rediscover and re-appreciate the A&M/CTi releases -- though, to be frank, with a handful of exceptions I think of it as pop music; but, man, if all pop music was at this caliber ...!

 

[Rudy]

Creed took heat from jazz purists at the time, but I think the world has caught up with CTi. Just last week, the music director at our jazz station (I work for the NPR news station in town) put a CTi playlist up on social media. It leaned a bit more toward post-A&M CTI, but there was still a track or two from the beginning.

I can understand the leaning towards later CTi records--the label actually had a sonic identity at that point.

I don't feel that overall, the A&M era was all that strong compared to what CTi released once the label left A&M.

There were some great albums in there, but it feels as though Creed Taylor was trying to find a specific and unique style and finally tapped into that formula just as the A&M era came to an end. Stonebone was a clear signpost for the future--I hear more of the "soul jazz" style in this one than on most other A&M-era records, and this style continued and grew when CTi was on its own (where jazz could take on soul, funk and Brazilian overtones and still offer a "family sound" through the production and occasional orchestral or brass flourishes). There would have been no Deodato "Also Sprach Zarathustra" without Stonebone and its contemporaries, in other words. The "lite jazz" of some of the A&M-era records just never had a market. And the Richard Barbary and Tamiko Jones records almost felt experimental, testing whether or not CTi and soul music had a future together (they didn't), although the soul stylings of the day would be filtered into future CTi releases.

The 4-CD set The Cool Revolution does a good job of assembling the CTi sound in one place. It might not have all the best tracks or our personal favorites, but it does summon up the essence of what CTi became.

 

[JOv2]

Stonebone was a clear signpost for the future--I hear more of the "soul jazz" style in this one than on most other A&M-era records

Interesting assessment. I would have thought Benson's LPs were more representative of where CTi was wanting to go in the early '70s -- if only because Stonebone had no orchestral overdubs, which was unusual for A&M/CTi, and because it didn't bring the curtain down after 2:45 and 16 bars of solos. Nevertheless, I do see your point: about 2 years ago I picked up those first 4 Joe Farrell CTis...man, I kick myself for passing on those back in the '80s!

 

[Rudy]

The track timing--that's another good point about Stonebone as it's another point that breaks the A&M mold. There are some CTi albums with two long tracks per side (Freddie Hubbard's Red Clay and a few others), or at least one or two lengthy tracks on the album. Or like the Lonnie Smith Mama Wailer (on the Kudu label) where side two is one long track, and the same with Freddie Hubbard's "Straight Life" (from the album with the same title) and "Impressions" on the Stanley Turrentine Sugar.

Interesting side note--all four are Blue Note alumni.

Both of the Quincy Jones titles point in the same direction as Stonebone, especially Gula Matari with its extended pieces and Q's leanings toward pop and soul at the time. Benson's Abbey Road also breaks the A&M tradition by letting him stretch more on the tunes. These were also late in the run at A&M.

That's why these late A&M-era albums feel as though Taylor was finally finding his groove and getting out of the pop-orchestral-jazz mode of the earlier A&M albums, save for Jobim's album where A&M got yesterday's table scraps and CTi ended with the main course.

 

[Rudy]

FYI--I've been doing some housecleaning here in the jazz area, cleaning up some multiple threads. And I've been on a rip lately, doing needle drops of some recordings which have never appeared digitally.

At this moment, I have uploaded four videos of albums which have never seen a digital reissue--the albums by Tamiko Jones, Richard Barbary and Artie Butler have been uploaded, as well as the J&K Betwixt & Between album. They are available under their CTI AOTW entries in this section.

 

[Rudy]

Both of the Quincy Jones titles point in the same direction as Stonebone, especially Gula Matari with its extended pieces and Q's leanings toward pop and soul at the time.

The more I've been listening to the Kudu albums, Quincy would have been a perfect fit for that label, as that is where Creed directed the jazz that leaned more heavily into soul and funk. And based on the Esther Phillips songs, especially "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes" (which was an R&B and dance club hit), even The Dude would have fit in there as well. But given the implosion of CTI, it was a good move for Quincy to stay at A&M.

 

[JOv2]

The more I've been listening to the Kudu albums, Quincy would have been a perfect fit for that label, as that is where Creed directed the jazz that leaned more heavily into soul and funk. And based on the Esther Phillips songs, especially "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes" (which was an R&B and dance club hit), even The Dude would have fit in there as well. But given the implosion of CTI, it was a good move for Quincy to stay at A&M.

Rudy, so what do you think of Smackwater Jack ('71)?

 

[Rudy]

Rudy, so what do you think of Smackwater Jack ('71)?

I haven't really played it much--just a few times through, but it's been a good listen. I'm partial to You've Got It Bad Girl, especially side one, as it is a great downtempo soul album...and "The Streetbeater" on side two of course is a classic that most of the TV-watching public already knows. 😁 (And it's a good theme for my driveway/backyard, given the hoopties I work on! 🤣)

 

[Michael Hagerty]

Rudy, so what do you think of Smackwater Jack ('71)?

I wasn't asked, but I'll jump in and say that I got over my initial disappointment that this wasn't a jazz album in the WALKING IN SPACE/GULA MATARI vein and found that I really liked his version of Marvin Gaye's "What's Goin' On", which got tons of airplay on KBCA-FM in L.A.