What surprises me most about these minor soft rock hits is how many were country crossover hits. I haven't had these discs long and I'm still listening to them with a cheesy teenager grin on my face. I remembered almost every track and, even though I hadn't heard some of them in 30+ years, was able to sing along with many of them. I didn't recognize the titles or artists, but that didn't mean I had forgotten the music. When I finally received the discs, I found I was wrong about not recognizing the songs. I'm too embarrassed to tell you how much I spent on these 5 discs, but let's just say it was quite a bit more than I normally pay for used CDs. The discs are long out of print which makes them collectable which makes them a little pricey. Curiosity piqued, I ordered the discs anyway. Looking over the track lists on these discs, I saw a few songs that I hadn't heard since they were on the radio (e.g., Rubert Holmes' Him on volume 2) but I didn't recognize most of the song titles.
A series titled "Radio Daze" is perfectly named they're discs I could have compiled (although I probably would have included some Chilliwack). I still love radio, but back then I was in a committed relationship with it. I even recorded Casey Kasem's AT40 every week straight from radio to cassette. high science fair was about how AM radios/airwaves work (won 6th place). I listened to the radio so much that, at the time, I seriously considered a career in radio. Music in this series was on the radio when I was in 8th and 9th grades when my bedside Marantz clock radio was my most faithful friend. These compilations focus on one- and two-hit wonders and lesser-known adult contemporary and crossover songs. That simple action started an expensive 5 month quest to purchase all 5 discs. I had never heard of this series, so I clicked on the link. In addition to this solo CD, I picked up solo CDs from other Spyro Gyra veterans Jay Beckenstein, Jeremy Wall, and Dave Samuels. Personal Memory Associated with this CD:This CD was acquired about 10 years ago when I was trying to find suitable smooth jazz for background music at work. Tracks: The best tracks here are Mood Swing, Front Seat Reservation, and a cover of Minnie Riperton's Loving You. Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart Tracks from this album pop up every now and then on an iTunes shuffle, but I never specifically seek out this CD for listening. So, although the musicians are top notch (especially Jon Faddis), the writing isn't that great and Schuman focuses more fast technical runs than melodic solos. That normally wouldn't be a problem except that the band was in a bad slump around the time of this release. The result, as you can probably guess, sounds very much like a SG release. This is a very brief (39 minute) debut solo effort from the group's co-leader and keyboardist which was produced by the group's other co-leader, saxophonist Jay Beckenstein. Longtime readers of this blog know of my 30+ year love affair with the smooth jazz group Spyro Gyra. Ever since I first heard the song, the chorus will repeat itself in my head when things aren't going my way.
Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I discovered Reality Used To Be A Friend Of Mine when it appeared in the horrid 1992 movie Encino Man, starring Brendan Fraser, Sean Astin, and Pauly Shore. The dance collaboration with DJ Todd Terry, Shake, is so out of character for this group and for this album I can't ever decide if I like it or not.
Also good are To Serenade A Rainbow, Even After I Die, and Beautiful. Running a close second is the #1 hit Set Adrift On Memory Bliss which smartly samples the great Spandau Ballet song True (you should also seek out the Richie Rich Mix of the song). Tracks: I usually listen to this one top-to-bottom, but my favorite track is Reality Used To Be A Friend Of Mine. Peak on Billboard's R&B albums chart: #29 Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #48 I enjoy it and I'm definitely not a hip-hop guy (or would this music be considered post-hip-hop?).
Prince Be moves so smoothly between singing and speech that you won't even notice the switch. The duo was definitely more interested in making a genre-redefining artistic statement than selling records which is a good thing since, unfortunately, their music never sold like it probably should have. Dawn went the other way, making otherworldly soundscapes that were more melodic and less percussive while having gnostically spiritual, troubled lyrics. How could I pass that up? Turns out it was a dollar well-spent. About 10 years ago, I found this disc in the clearance bin for $1.