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 JIMMY BRYANT |
 JOHN KONGOS |
 JIMMY WEBB |
 ALBERT LEE |
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VARIOUS ARTISTS The British Invasion 1963-1967 (Hip-O)
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HAIR Broadway Deluxe Collector's Edition (Victor)
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JIMMY
BRYANT
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JOHN
KONGOS Kongos (Collector's Choice)
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VARIOUS
ARTISTS The Songs Of Jimmy Webb (Raven)
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ALBERT
LEE That's All Right Mama (Castle / Sanctuary)
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Celebrating
40 years since the arrival of The Beatles to American shores, the Hip-O
/ UMG release of The British Invasion 1963-1967 digs deep
into the vaults of the Universal Music axis, while also providing some
cross-references of considerable merit. Boasting several Lennon &
McCartney productions of Billy J.Kramer With The Dakotas,
Peter & Gordon, The Silkie and The Beatles themselves
(an early Polydor vault cover of “Ain’t She Sweet”),
the triple CD set goes on to literally plumb the Universal vaults with
British Invasion hits from The Who, The Troggs, Los
Bravos, Cat Stevens, Spencer Davis Group, Dusty
Springfield, The Zombies, Tom Jones, The Walker
Brothers, Wayne Fontana, The Moody Blues, Procol
Harum and much more. The inclusion of stellar artists from a variety
of record labels like The Kinks, The Move, The Hollies,
The Yardbirds, Donovan and even Freddie & The Dreamers—along
with excellent CD sound, unique packaging and a 45 page CD booklet—makes
The British Invasion 1963-1967 a collection well worth checking
out. For fans who can’t seem to get enough of a good thing, Universal
have simultaneously released 20th Century Masters / Millennium
Collections from two certified British Invasion legends. Featuring
eleven tracks a piece, both The Best Of The Troggs and
The Best Of Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders are telling
reminders that the best pop music of the 20th Century happened in the
mid ‘60s. 
BMG
and Victor reissued the great 1968 pop musical Hair complete
with 24/96 digital mastering, rare recording session photos and bonus
tracks. This original Broadway Cast album CD release on the RCA / BMG
Victor imprint is supported with a bonus CD consisting of the first
ever CD reissue of the entire 1967 Off-Broadway cast recording of Hair,
along with three bonus tracks and an audio interview with original
Hair music composer, and a true American musical genius, Galt
MacDermot—who also played electric piano on the Broadway soundtrack
alongside musicians like Idris Muhammad (drums) and Steve
Gillette and Alan Fontaine (on guitars). Spawning such evergreen
pop hits like, “Aquarius”, “Let The Sunshine In”,
“Easy To Be Hard”, “Good Morning Starshine” and
of course the title track—complete with nudity and drug references—which
was taken to top of the pop world on a 1969 45rpm by The Cowsills!,
Hair went on to become a highlight of the ‘67-68 season
and predictably, won the 1968 Grammy for best original cast album. Victor’s
2003 Broadway Deluxe Collector's Edition of Hair features
excellent repackaging along with a 31 page booklet that recaptures the
sights and sounds of the late ‘60s Hair phenomenon. 
The
story goes that back in 1950 Leo Fender gave Georgia-bred guitarist
Jimmy Bryant the still unnamed Fender Telecaster and the rest is history.
Together with pedal steel partner, Speedy West, guitarist Bryant
eventually took his rightful place alongside the best country-jazz guitar
greats of the 20th Century. Critically wounded in Germany during WWII,
Bryant recovered with the aid of a Stella guitar and a new found love
for Belgian gypsy-jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. The complete history
behind how Bryant, aided by Speedy West, helped revolutionize instrumental
guitar-based country jazz is superbly scoped out in Frettin’
Fingers: The Lightening Guitar Of Jimmy Bryant. The 75
track 3 CD retrospective compiles
and distills
the wealth of music Bryant recorded in the ‘50s for Capitol and
Imperial Records back in the ‘60s. Although he passed away back
in September 1980, Bryant’s massive innovative guitar talent and
compositional techniques remains a huge influence on younger players
today. In their usual fashion, Sundazed has turned Frettin’
Fingers into the definitive compendium on the life and times of
the man guitar fans still often refer to as ‘the fastest guitar
in the country.’ 
Although
this album was reissued in Europe several times over the past two decades,
the Collector’s Choice CD release of Kongos marks
it’s first ever reissue in the U.S. since it’s 1971 Lp release
on Elektra Records. Simply put, John Kongos was one of the great musical
discoveries of the year 1971. A South African pop genius, Kongos struck
gold several times earlier in the ‘60s with a range of releases
including his ‘69 album classic, Confusions About A Goldfish,
yet with the simply titled nine track Kongos album he delivered
a series of powerful right hooks that could not be ignored by pop mavens.
Kicking off with the burning rock anthem, “Tokoloshe Man”,
the South Africa native proved he could be just as pop savvy as Cat
Stevens, David Bowie and Elton John—all rolled into one! Having
Elton’s producer Gus Dudgeon at the helm—along with
classic EJ sidemen like guitar ace Caleb Quaye and drummer Roger
Pope—added to the musical majesty. Although Mr. K sadly drifted
off the musical radar after the unfortunate oversight of Kongos,
the Kongos legacy lives on and thanks to the reissue experts at
Collector’s Choice, we’re finally able to relive one of the
great album classics from the magical year of 1971. For their Kongos
reissue, CC has wisely chosen to utilize Elektra’s original
Lp packaging. Properly reissued with new liner notes and without peripheral
bonus tracks, Kongos revisits a vital musical legacy—just
as it happened in 1971—from start to finish. 
Down
under in Australia, Raven Records keeps cutting CD reissue classics.
Most notably in late 2003, Raven released a cool double CD set entitled
The Songs Of Jimmy Webb: Tunesmith. One of the greatest songwriters
of the ‘60s, Webb will forever be linked with his best songs like
“MacArthur Park” (featured here in the original 1968 version
by Richard Harris), “Galveston” (by Glen Campbell),
“Up, Up And Away” (by 5th Dimension) “P.F. Sloan”
(by The Association). These classic originals along with so many
more favorites and curios are collected on Raven’s 46 track, 150
minute double CD Webb retrospective. Other artists appearing here include
Brooklyn Bridge, Paul Revere & The Raiders, The
Four Tops, Art Garfunkel, Strawberry Children (featuring
Webb on lead vocals), Arlo Guthrie, The Temptation...so
much more and even alt-rockers R.E.M., who offer a fine
rocking version of “Wichita Lineman”. Extensive liner notes
by Glenn A. Baker puts the icing on this expertly conceived Jimmy
Webb song anthology. 
Featuring
a pair of collectible singles and an array of guitar-flecked rockabilly
rave-ups, That’s All Right Mama is a fine showcase of some
late ‘60s music from guitar icon Albert Lee. Subtitled The
Country Fever & Black Claw Sessions, the 27 track
CD on Castle documents Lee’s ascent into one of the prime movers
and guitar shakers on the worldwide country rock stage of the ‘60s.
The future founder of his band Heads, Hands & Feet, Lee was inspired
early on by Everly Bros. and Ricky Nelson guitarist James Burton. It
was during that critical mid ‘60s period that saw the ascent of
country rock pioneers like Mike Nesmith (of The Monkees), John Sebastian
(Lovin’ Spoonful) and Steve Stills (Buffalo Springfield) that Lee
began refining his unique guitar approach to country, R&B and rockabilly
psychedelia. There’s no doubt among those in the know that Lee
remains one of the greatest guitarists to ever emerge from the U.K.
and 27 great reasons why are to be found on the 2003 Sanctuary / Castle
release of That’s All Right Mama. Of particular note here
is the inclusion, in original order from start to finish, of Lee’s
outstanding 1969 Derek Lawrence-produced album, Country
Fever. With Lee appearing on every track here, the entire
CD compilation is heavily influenced by Sweetheart Of The Rodeo-era
Byrds and features a number of Lee originals and cool Lee covers of
classics composed by Bob Dylan and Lee’s other heroes, The Band.
The CD’s superb liner notes and excellent package artwork sheds
further light on Albert Lee’s guitar legacy.