Somehow you did Ms. Longet the favor — but your readers none — by not mentioning her voice. Which was damn near invisible. About five octaves shy of Dionne Warwick. That you mentioned the production instead says it all. Caveat emptor. Even in a bargain bin.
:) similar to Birkin, yes. But neither could hold a candle to Gilberto who also had the advantage of a sustained recording career to become a more accomplished vocalist if never a varied stylist. Not that she necessarily needed to be with the quality of the musicians she worked with. There was no color to Longet’s voice. Or Birkin’s. Only accent. They were singers the way Richard Burton was. Now Phoebe Snow, that’s a worthy investment for more than you likely paid.
Funny how that whole A&M MOR vibe was another victim of 1968. And how shrewd they were going to the Island deal when Longet, the Sandpipers, and Montez lost their appeal. And CTI in its own brief way.
Charlie Rich made some great music for RCA before he got pigeonholed into hard country. Same for Epic before he got swamped by strings. His work on Hi is also exceptional, as was his last album for Sire. Snow's debut is everything you say it is and I understand why none of her other albums could touch it but it really promised big things. And Franks is a delight, a light touch with thoughts that tickle you if you engage with it beyond a nice thing to play while making dinner. I can't say I know Longet, but based on your description, I feel I need to...
You might enjoy the story I wrote about Charlie Rich for Oxford American. It was inspired by my discovering the Hi Records album and I ended up going to Memphis to meet the woman who produced it.
It was from Jerry Wexler's autobiography that I first learned there was more to Charlie Rich than "Behind Closed Doors" (which there's nothing really "wrong" with).
I am now extremely excited to visit my local record store
Somehow you did Ms. Longet the favor — but your readers none — by not mentioning her voice. Which was damn near invisible. About five octaves shy of Dionne Warwick. That you mentioned the production instead says it all. Caveat emptor. Even in a bargain bin.
I mentioned her voice in comparison to Astrud Gilberto and Jane Birkin. Some people like that breathy chanteuse vocal, others don’t.
:) similar to Birkin, yes. But neither could hold a candle to Gilberto who also had the advantage of a sustained recording career to become a more accomplished vocalist if never a varied stylist. Not that she necessarily needed to be with the quality of the musicians she worked with. There was no color to Longet’s voice. Or Birkin’s. Only accent. They were singers the way Richard Burton was. Now Phoebe Snow, that’s a worthy investment for more than you likely paid.
I’m not looking to her for deep musical truths or acrobatic prowess but I dig the vibe.
Funny how that whole A&M MOR vibe was another victim of 1968. And how shrewd they were going to the Island deal when Longet, the Sandpipers, and Montez lost their appeal. And CTI in its own brief way.
A fun bin run. Thank you. Love the Persuasions. Saw them live in Portsmouth NH back in the 80s on a double bill with David Bromberg
Claudine Longet?? You are absolutely killing me. Joe, you scoundrel. I am now going over to listen.
Amazing recording and ultra creepy cover photo.
https://youtu.be/C5Z3Ua3rLhk?si=qEN-pnk09gaeMHgG
As I recall, and I may be misremembering, Paul Simon helped get Phoebe Snow's first record made (as John Mellencamp James McMurtry's).
I love that you have Phoebe Snow's record in your list. And Michael Franks's (but for me the album would be "The Art of Tea": every cut is so good.
Charlie Rich made some great music for RCA before he got pigeonholed into hard country. Same for Epic before he got swamped by strings. His work on Hi is also exceptional, as was his last album for Sire. Snow's debut is everything you say it is and I understand why none of her other albums could touch it but it really promised big things. And Franks is a delight, a light touch with thoughts that tickle you if you engage with it beyond a nice thing to play while making dinner. I can't say I know Longet, but based on your description, I feel I need to...
You might enjoy the story I wrote about Charlie Rich for Oxford American. It was inspired by my discovering the Hi Records album and I ended up going to Memphis to meet the woman who produced it.
It was from Jerry Wexler's autobiography that I first learned there was more to Charlie Rich than "Behind Closed Doors" (which there's nothing really "wrong" with).