Digitized from the original vinyl, released in 1970 on Uni Records.
Format: Mp3
Bit Rate - 320 Kbps
ALBUM INFO:
Produced by Bobby Scott & Harry Palmer (Tom Morgan, Executive Producer)
Engineered By: Elvin Campbell
Recorded At: MCA Studios, 57th Street, New York, New York, March 1970
Album Cover: Fred Marcellino
TRACK LISTING:
The King, The Queen & The Joker / Open His Head - Where’s Jack Was / Oh, Sweet Music / Lonely Sparrow / Joey’s Party / No More Masterpieces / Like An Ocean / Seventh Avenue / Annabelle Lee / Cincinnati / Morton Street Pier / Takin’ A Holiday
THE PLAYERS:
Orville Stoeber – Lyrics, Music, Vocals, Guitars
Harry Palmer – Guitar
Ray Barrett – Keyboards
George Duvivier - Bass
\WEBSITE(S):
REVIEW:
By Yours Truly
This album is one of the treasures of my record collection. I don't recall when or where I bought it but there was something about it at the time that made me bring it home. It’s been played to death since 1970 which is why I recently got on Ebay and just by chance happened to find someone with a "new" copy for sale at a reasonable price. After a couple weeks to complete the transaction I opened the cellophane wrap and put it on the turntable to make the Mp3 version. I'm pretty sure that this "new" copy isn't entirely new, although I could be wrong, but nevertheless it's in a heckuva lot better shape than my original copy.
Over the years I searched thru record bins in the hopes of finding a second album by Orville but never even found another copy of this one let alone another. Since I got online back in the mid 90's I've done occasional searches for him, never having any luck until just a couple weeks ago when I typed his name in Google and a brand new website popped up! I was elated and spent the next hour or so rummaging thru the whole site. To my surprise and pleasure Orville had seem to come from whereever he'd been hiding the last 35 years or so, back to the world of music. Listed there on his website were two new albums that he'd put out in the last several years. Since this discovery I've been trying to secure copies of both, but not having a charge card or a decent music stores around here is making it difficult. I was so happy to rediscover him that I sent him a short Email explaining my reasons for having to write and to my pleasant surprise he wrote back the next day. As much as I'd like to write again and ask some questions about the songs on "Songs" I've held off, not wanting to be a pest. I'd love to know what he's been doing for all these years past but it's not likely he'd be open to telling his life's story to a Stranger.
At any rate.....I could do a short dissertation on each of the tunes included here, but I don't have that much time and no one would probably read it anyhow so let me just say that you need to give this piece of art a listen. It's not hard to hear the brilliance and the soul of these “simple” acoustic guitar driven songs. Each one is a jewel within itself. Orville’s guitar work and voice are both expertly used tools to make these songs shine. I could ramble on about the songs in this collection, but the best suggestion I could make is to listen to this album with no distractions and see if any of the songs here strike a chord with you. That’s really the most important thing that can happen between the performer and the listener, the connection.
Let me know what you think, good or bad, if you have the time.
CONTACT:
READ THIS for more information on this album.