Source: Fuente: http://savagesaints.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-sensational-guitars-of-dan-and-dale.html
You aren’t going to believe this one. In 1966 kids were going wild over ABC’s “Batman” television show. A New Jersey toy company wanted to cash in on the craze and rip off kids by releasing an album called “Batman and Robin.” This slab of vinyl had nothing to do with the t.v. show even though it was chock full of tunes like “The Penguin Chase,” “Robin’s Theme,” “Batmobile Wheels,” “Flight of the Batman” and “The Bat Cave.”
Here is the unbelievable part: Producer Tom Wilson hired Sun Ra and several members of his immortal Arkestra (including supposedly John Gilmore, Marshall Allen and Pat Patrick) to collaborate with members of the New York-based rock and blues band, The Blues Project (best known as Al Kooper’s band even though he wasn’t an original member) and record the sides as The Sensational Guitars of Dan and Dale. Why is this unbelievable? Because Sun Ra, the otherworldly jazz composer, band leader and musician, was better known for bringing Outer Space and big band-tinged compositions into the experimental frenzy and fun of free jazz.
The album features twelve songs – ten instrumentals and two songs with vocals. It’s obvious that this was a quickie – something they churned out in a day or two. The rfiffs are simple and repetitive and many of the tunes consist of the Arkestra horns turning out recycled classical melodies (like Tchaikovsky’s “Fifth Symphony,” Prokofiev and Chopin) so they wouldn’t have to pay licensing fees.
“Batman and Robin” features pretty traditional instrumentation, especially for a Sun Ra session, of organ, guitar, bass, drums and horns. The album is pretty dang groovy actually. Because it is a record for kids, you won’t find any atonal experiments or any of Sun Ra’s infamous counter melodies layered over big band-like melodies here. It actually sounds like a Southern R&B instrumental combo in the vein as Booker T. & the MGs. Even though the riffs are simple, there is a surprisingly joyful aspect to the playing. It’s obvious they had fun at the sessions. It is also obvious that Sun Ra did in fact play on part of the album as you can tell by the organ blast at the beginning of the album’s first song, “Batman Theme.”
The real star of the record is the uncredited guitar player – it could be The Blues Project’s Danny Kalb or it might not be him. The “Sensational Guitars” is actually it pretty apt title because I imagine the album sounds like what would happen if Steve Cropper was given free reign to rip fractured, Yardbirds-like solos over every one of Booker T.’s song.
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Traducción Automática:
No vas a creer esto. En 1966, los niños se volvían locos por el programa de televisión "Batman" de ABC. Una compañía de juguetes de Nueva Jersey quería sacar provecho de la locura y robar a los niños lanzando un álbum llamado "Batman and Robin". Esta placa de vinilo no tenía nada que ver con la televisión. mostrar a pesar de que estaba lleno de canciones como "The Penguin Chase", "Robin's Theme", "Batmobile Wheels", "Flight of the Batman" y "The Bat Cave".
Aquí está la parte increíble: el productor Tom Wilson contrató a Sun Ra y varios miembros de su inmortal Arkestra (incluidos supuestamente John Gilmore, Marshall Allen y Pat Patrick) para colaborar con miembros de la banda de rock y blues de Nueva York, The Blues Project ( mejor conocido como la banda de Al Kooper, aunque no era un miembro original) y graba los lados como The Sensational Guitars of Dan and Dale. ¿Por qué es esto increíble? Porque Sun Ra, el compositor de jazz de otro mundo, líder de la banda y músico, fue más conocido por incorporar Outer Space y composiciones de grandes bandas en el frenesí experimental y la diversión del jazz libre.
El álbum presenta doce canciones, diez instrumentales y dos canciones con voz. Es obvio que esto fue rápido, algo que produjeron en uno o dos días. Los rfiffs son simples y repetitivos, y muchas de las melodías consisten en los cuernos de Arkestra que producen melodías clásicas recicladas (como "Fifth Symphony" de Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev y Chopin), por lo que no tendrían que pagar tarifas de licencia.
"Batman and Robin" presenta una instrumentación bastante tradicional, especialmente para una sesión de Sun Ra, de órgano, guitarra, bajo, batería y bocinas. El álbum es bastante bueno en realidad. Debido a que es un disco para niños, no encontrarás experimentos atonales ni ninguna de las famosas melodías de Sun Ra en capas sobre grandes melodías similares a bandas aquí. En realidad, suena como un combo instrumental de R&B del sur en la vena como Booker T. & the MGs. A pesar de que los riffs son simples, hay un aspecto sorprendentemente alegre en el juego. Es obvio que se divirtieron en las sesiones. También es obvio que, de hecho, Sun Ra tocó en parte del álbum, como se puede ver en la explosión del órgano al principio de la primera canción del álbum, "Batman Theme".
La verdadera estrella del disco es el guitarrista sin acreditar, podría ser Danny Kalb de The Blues Project o no ser él. Las "guitarras sensacionales" en realidad son un título bastante apropiado porque imagino que el álbum suena como lo que sucedería si a Steve Cropper le dieran rienda suelta para romper los solos de Yarbirds, fracturados, sobre cada una de las canciones de Booker T.
Tracklist:
1 - Batman Theme - 2:16
2 - Batman's Batmorang - 2:52
3 - Batman And Robin Over The Roofs - 6:50
4 - The Penguin Chase - 2:43
5 - Flight Of The Batman - 2:09
6 - Joker Is Wild - 1:58
7 - Robin's Theme - 3:05
8 - Penguin's Umbrella - 3:05
9 - Batman And Robin Swing - 2:42
10 - Batmobile Wheels - 2:08
11 - The Riddler's Retreat - 2:12
12 - The Bat Cave - 2:47
Credits:
Baritone Saxophone [Uncredited] – Pat Patrick (tracks: A1, A2, A3, B4)
Drums [Uncredited] – Roy Blumenfeld
Electric Bass [Uncredited] – Andy Kulberg
Electric Guitar [Uncredited] – Al Kooper (tracks: A5), Danny Kalb, Steve Katz
Harmonica [Uncredited] – Danny Kalb (tracks: A6)
Organ [Hammond, Uncredited] – Sun Ra (tracks: A1, A3, B1, B4)
Organ [Uncredited] – Al Kooper (tracks: A4, A6)
Tenor Saxophone [Uncredited] – John Gilmore (tracks: A1, A2, A3, A5, B4, B5)
Trombone [Uncredited] – Tom McIntosh (tracks: A1, A2, A3, B4)
Trumpet [Uncredited] – Jimmy Owens (tracks: A1, A2, A3, B4)
There is also an unidentified tenor saxophone on A1, A2, A3, B4, a female vocalist on B1 and several female vocalists on A1.
Detailed Information about the participating musicians from "The Earthly Recordings Of Sun Ra (2nd Edition)" by Prof. Robert L. Campbell and Christopher Trent (Cadence Jazz Books ISBN 1-881993-35-3).
Recorded by Tifton Rec. US 1966.
Label: Tifton – 78002
Released: 1966
Genre: Jazz, Rock, Stage & Screen
Style: Surf, Theme, Soundtrack
OK, you got me! Gotta check this out.
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Muchísimas gracias :)
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