I just picked up Vince Charles' Caribbean Christmas CD here in Japan (!) and am giving it a spin as I cruise the net...
Admittedly, I'm partial to "keyboard or tuned percussion" (marimba, vibes, steel drum, etc), but this one is really pretty good. I've tried other steel drum recordings and, given the nature of the accent and decay of the instrument in play the recordings have been less than truly representative of what the instrument sounds like. Not so on this one!
A couple other observations: On "The Christmas Song" who is that playing the guitar (with a mellow solo to boot)??? None other than fellow TJB alumni John Pisano! The back cover art is by Neil Diamond -- Mr Charles was a member of Mr Diamond's travelling and recording band in the years after Herb Alpert disbanded the TJB for the second time).
I believe this is still available from Oglio Records... Go ahead and order it -- Mr Charles' heirs would surely like that!
--Mr Bill
Admittedly, I'm partial to "keyboard or tuned percussion" (marimba, vibes, steel drum, etc), but this one is really pretty good. I've tried other steel drum recordings and, given the nature of the accent and decay of the instrument in play the recordings have been less than truly representative of what the instrument sounds like. Not so on this one!
A couple other observations: On "The Christmas Song" who is that playing the guitar (with a mellow solo to boot)??? None other than fellow TJB alumni John Pisano! The back cover art is by Neil Diamond -- Mr Charles was a member of Mr Diamond's travelling and recording band in the years after Herb Alpert disbanded the TJB for the second time).
I believe this is still available from Oglio Records... Go ahead and order it -- Mr Charles' heirs would surely like that!
--Mr Bill
