Search found 462 matches

by Martin Johnson
Fri Oct 16, 2020 5:00 pm
Forum: The Burt Bacharach Forum
Topic: The Great Divide
Replies: 6
Views: 12106

Re: The Great Divide

It must be a breath of fresh air for Bacharach to just occasionally be presented with a lyric which isn't about Love and in this instance it seems to have really inspired him. However, maybe it's just me but I can only make out about 80% of the lyric.
by Martin Johnson
Sat Aug 15, 2020 9:29 am
Forum: The Burt Bacharach Forum
Topic: Irish Times Article
Replies: 5
Views: 7651

Re: Irish Times Article

That Bacharach is still composing at all in his nineties is noteworthy enough, that he's composed songs of the quality of 'With A Voice', 'Bells Of St. Augustine' and 'Blue Umbrella' in the last two years I'd say is nothing short of remarkable. Re Bacharach's impressive longevity, I've done some ch...
by Martin Johnson
Wed Aug 12, 2020 10:26 am
Forum: The Burt Bacharach Forum
Topic: 'Blue Umbrella'..'We Go Way Back'...'Whistling in the Dark' ..'Bacharach / Tashian
Replies: 10
Views: 12234

Re: 'Blue Umbrella'..'We Go Way Back'...'Whistling in the Dark' ..'Bacharach / Tashian

Blair, in referring to 'Bridges' I'm sure you must have meant 'Bells' as in the 'Bells Of St. Augustine'. That's still my particular favourite but I also like at least two of the others.
by Martin Johnson
Wed Jul 22, 2020 2:00 am
Forum: The Burt Bacharach Forum
Topic: 'Midnight Watch' ...new Bacharach / Tashian song.
Replies: 11
Views: 11912

Re: 'Midnight Watch' ...new Bacharach / Tashian song.

I don't think it's that controversial, Blair. Looking at it on purely artistic grounds, I think the partnership with Carole Bayer Sager represents the nadir of Bacharach's career. To my knowledge, no one has yet to record a 'Sings the Songs of Bacharach and Bayer Sager' album and I can't imagine tha...
by Martin Johnson
Thu Jul 09, 2020 2:15 pm
Forum: The Burt Bacharach Forum
Topic: Ennio Morricone 1928 - 2020
Replies: 8
Views: 9142

Re: Ennio Morricone 1928 - 2020

In the last twenty months we've lost composers of the stature of Francis Lai, Michel Legrand, Johnny Mandel and now Ennio Morricone, all utterly irreplaceable.

by Martin Johnson
Fri Jul 03, 2020 5:19 am
Forum: The Burt Bacharach Forum
Topic: Johnny Mandel 1925 - 2020
Replies: 6
Views: 7405

Re: Johnny Mandel 1925 - 2020

His score for the movie 'I Want To Live' from the late 50s was very jazzy and featured baritone sax virtuoso Gerry Mulligan. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=w-icBrcfNhs&list=OLAK5uy_kIHMbw_UNnqUknarOW-yCh4RCuxIC_2wI&index=1 Hearing that score just makes me want to see the movie. I'd almost fo...
by Martin Johnson
Sun Jun 21, 2020 2:43 pm
Forum: The Burt Bacharach Forum
Topic: Put Your Youtube.com Links Here! (if you want)
Replies: 1308
Views: 1248722

Re: Put Your Youtube.com Links Here! (if you want)

We've discussed 'Any Old Time Of The Day' quite a bit on here and the general consensus was that Bacharach didn't put enough emphasis on the "Call me and I'll be there" refrain on the original recording by Dionne Warwick. Stan Getz obviously thought along the same lines because his version...
by Martin Johnson
Sun Jun 14, 2020 12:30 am
Forum: The Burt Bacharach Forum
Topic: 5 new songs by Burt Bacharach & Daniel Tashian
Replies: 13
Views: 23864

Re: 5 new songs by Burt Bacharach & Daniel Tashian

While I was initially put off by the ridiculous "First new music in 15 years" hype surrounding its release, I found the song itself to be immediately attractive and also quite haunting once I'd listened to it a few times.
by Martin Johnson
Mon Jun 01, 2020 10:02 am
Forum: The Burt Bacharach Forum
Topic: First released recording of 'Knowing When To Leave'
Replies: 13
Views: 13974

Re: First released recording of 'Knowing When To Leave'

I forgot to mention in my post that I really enjoyed listening to the wonderfully named Bambi McCormick and her recording of Knowing When To Leave. She sings bang in the middle of the range I like to hear a woman's voice and I hope that more tracks from her album become available on the net, particu...
by Martin Johnson
Sun May 31, 2020 8:04 am
Forum: The Burt Bacharach Forum
Topic: First released recording of 'Knowing When To Leave'
Replies: 13
Views: 13974

Re: First released recording of 'Knowing When To Leave'

I remember the first production of Promises, Promises that I saw was on the London fringe in 1996 and perhaps because the short run was scheduled for August the two overtly Christmassy songs in the score were dropped, so instead of witnessing the wonderful incongruity of Turkey Lurkey Time being per...
by Martin Johnson
Thu Apr 23, 2020 4:31 pm
Forum: The Burt Bacharach Forum
Topic: Two New Rarity Collections, Cont`d
Replies: 6
Views: 8739

Re: Two New Rarity Collections, Cont`d

Here at last is the aforementioned 'A Question Of Love':
by Martin Johnson
Thu Mar 12, 2020 6:13 pm
Forum: The Burt Bacharach Forum
Topic: The Only Laura Nyro Performance You`ll Ever Need
Replies: 9
Views: 23049

Re: The Only Laura Nyro Performance You`ll Ever Need

Personally speaking I'd have been very disappointed to have attended a Laura Nyro show and not heard Wedding Bell Blues, Stoney End, Sweet Blindness, Eli's Comin' and Stoned Soul Picnic.
by Martin Johnson
Mon Feb 17, 2020 10:53 am
Forum: The Burt Bacharach Forum
Topic: Lyle Mays 1953 - 2020
Replies: 1
Views: 3794

Re: Lyle Mays 1953 - 2020

Probably the first time I became aware of Pat Metheny and his work with Lyle Mays was when I heard the hauntingly attractive piece called 'James' in the early 80s. This is still probably their most famous tune and it features brilliant solos by both of them:

by Martin Johnson
Sun Feb 09, 2020 2:14 am
Forum: The Burt Bacharach Forum
Topic: Put Your Youtube.com Links Here! (if you want)
Replies: 1308
Views: 1248722

Re: Put Your Youtube.com Links Here! (if you want)

Blair, with the heavy emphasis on the drums it doesn't sound like a Bacharach arrangement but according to the AllMusic website he's the sole arranger credited for the whole 'The Sensitive Sound' album, most of which was apparently recorded in London. As you say, by the time we get to the late 60s/e...
by Martin Johnson
Sat Feb 08, 2020 6:53 am
Forum: The Burt Bacharach Forum
Topic: Put Your Youtube.com Links Here! (if you want)
Replies: 1308
Views: 1248722

Re: Put Your Youtube.com Links Here! (if you want)

Although Dionne Warwick's single of 'You Can Have Him' is included on this site's 'Hit Records' section as a Bacharach composed song, it was in fact written solely by someone called Bill Cook. However, as Bacharach tended to arrange and orchestrate Dionne's tracks in the mid-60s, regardless of wheth...