Audiophile Vinyl

Johnnie Taylor
One Step From The Blues
Stax/Craft CR00803 (180g vinyl)

A dozen perfectly remastered tracks from Taylor’s time at Stax (1967–74) focused on the bluesier side of this soul singer’s output, just as the title declares. Taylor, for my money, ranks with the very best, up there with Pickett, Tate and Wilson. This set shows just how skilled he was away from straight soul belting, as with his big hit ‘Who’s Making Love’. Instead, here you get both mellow and anguished performances which would impress Jimmy Witherspoon. The tracks include his hit ‘Cheaper To Keep Her’, while he delivers a stunning ‘Part Time Love’, first recorded by the similarly named Little Johnny Taylor. Full marks to the wit who used the blue Stax label on the A-side and the yellow on the B-side! KK

Sound Quality: 90%

Katharine Whalen’s Jazz Squad
Let’s Get Lost: Songs Chet Sang
Modern Harmonic MH-8306

This isn’t the first tribute to Chet Baker’s singing output. It’s not even the first to be titled ‘Let’s Get Lost’, after one of his most popular performances. Singer Whalen and her Jazz Squad – Austin Riopel (guitar), Danny Grewen (trombone), and Griffanzo (pianos) – eschewed the obvious numbers (don’t look here for ‘My Funny Valentine’ or ‘There Will Never Be Another You’) so the album is all the more rewarding for it. But the real key to this delightful LP’s appeal is the way it sounds so disarmingly vintage even though recorded just last year. What gear was used isn’t stated, but they performed as a live group in the studio. I think Chet would be proud. KK

Sound Quality: 90%

Jeff Beck
With The Jan Hammer Group Live
Mobile Fidelity MFSL1-547 (180g vinyl)

Assembled from gigs recorded during the tour which took place between June 1976 and February 1977, this album reminds us from the opening tracks why some (including me) consider Beck the greatest guitarist of all time. There are Hammer compositions sharing space with songs from Blow By Blow and Wired, including Beck’s astonishing reworking of The Beatles’ ‘She’s A Woman’, so the mix is democratic in case Hammer interests you more than Beck. You gotta love the note to audiophiles: ‘The stereo spectrum of this album duplicates the stage set-up with guitar positioned center right, keyboards center left, violin right and drums and bass centre’. KK

Sound Quality: 85%

Celia & Johnny
Celia & Johnny
Craft VR00649 (180g vinyl)

Marking its 50th anniversary is this excellent Kevin Gray cut of Celia Cruz’s first collaboration with fellow salsa legend Johnny Pacheco. Released in 1974, it was recognised on its 40th anniversary by the Library of Congress for its National Recording Registry as ‘culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant’. Both Billboard and Rolling Stone list it among their 50 essential Latin or salsa albums, so this is a perfect place to start if you’re intrigued by Craft’s devotion to the genre. As with reggae, the magic of salsa can be found in its rhythm patterns, with vocals hovering over amazing percussion, and punctuated by hot and fast brass. Tasty. KK

Sound Quality: 85%