BALDRY LONG JOHN - CD GOOD TO BE ALIVE

Popis - GOOD TO BE ALIVE:
"It is hard to believe that one of Baldry's best albums has remained unreleased this long; but here it is on CD for the first time. Probably one of Long John's least known records, particularly in North America. Arguments can be made that this record is one of LJB's best, and it's a personal favorite of John's. Quite a career for Baldry: He sang with Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated, with whom he recorded the first British blues album in 1962, "R&B from the Marquee." In 1963, Baldry joined the Cyril Davies R&B All Stars with Nicky Hopkins playing piano. He took over in 1964, and the group became Long John Baldry and his Hoochie Coochie Men featuring Rod Stewart on vocals. Long John Baldry became a regular fixture on Sunday nights at Eel Pie Island from then onwards, fronting a series of bands. The Hoochie Coochie Men became Steampacket with Baldry and Stewart as male vocalists, Julie Driscoll as the female vocalist and Brian Auger on Hammond organ. After Steampacket broke up in 1966, Baldry formed Bluesology featuring Elton John on keyboards and Elton Dean, later of Soft Machine, and Caleb Quaye on guitar. In 1967 John Baldry made a break with the blues, releasing the number-one pop ballad "Let The Heartaches Begin." A less successful album of the same name was produced in 1968 (NPL 18208 Pye Records), followed by the hit Olympic theme song "Mexico." Returning to his musical roots, Baldry made the blues-rock album It Ain't Easy (WS 1921 Warner Bros, 1971), co-produced by Rod Stewart and Elton John. The album, featuring the song "Don't Try to Lay No Boogie Woogie on the King of Rock 'n' Roll," was well received in the US but failed to gain an audience in the UK. Baldry's next albums, "Everything Stops for Tea" (WB 46 160 Warner Bros, 1972) (also produced by Stewart and John) and "Good to Be Alive" (GML 1005 Casablanca Records, 1973), were considered artistically strong but suffered disappointing sales."