JOHNNY MATHIS - SO NICE / JOHNNY MATHIS SINGSThe last two albums Johnny Mathis made for Mercury, and the last of five Mercury album pairings released by Real Gone Music, So Nice & Sings marked the singer’s continued evolution towards the “cover” album format where he would sing the pop, stage and screen hits of the day instead of creating themed albums. For example, the centerpiece of So Nice (which hit #50 on the 1966 charts) was a three-song set from the then current Broadway smash Man of La Mancha. And Johnny Mathis Sings—which reached #103 on the 1967 album charts-- took its material from such disparate sources as the songwriting team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David (“Always Something There to Remind Me”), smash ‘60s films like Doctor Zhivago and High Time, the Broadway musical The Roar of the Greasepaint and the Beatles (“Eleanor Rigby”). Both albums make their CD debut, newly remastered by Mark Wilder at Battery Studios and featuring liner notes written by Jim Ritz featuring exclusive quotes from Johnny Mathis.
GENE HARRIS - GENE HARRIS/THE THREE SOUNDS / GENE HARRIS OF THE THREE SOUNDSThe last three Real Gone releases for December stem from a new partnership with Dusty Groove, the famed Chicago retailer known for its deep and knowledgeable selection of soul, jazz, funk, hip hop and world releases. And all three hail from the legendary Blue Note label, with CD debuts all around; the first, from soul jazz guru Gene Harris, presents two albums taken from his early-‘70s peak. 1971’s Gene Harris/The Three Sounds is easily one of the hippest and funkiest records Harris made with his group the Three Sounds. Arrangements are by Monk Higgins – but the sound is even heavier than the Higgins/Harris work of the late 60s – and quite different than the straight trio material of their roots. Meanwhile, 1972’s Gene Harris of the Three Sounds has him stepping away from his previous trio and really shining as the lead man on the record. The session features Harris with some righteous work on acoustic keys, but getting a sweet electric vibe from Wade Marcus, who handles all the backings on the date. A wonderfully soulful pairing, with notes by Pat Thomas.
BOBBI HUMPHREY - DIG THISDiscovered by Dizzy Gillespie, jazz flautist Bobbi Humphrey broke through a lot of barriers during her stint at the Blue Note label, where she was among the first female instrumentalists signed to the imprint and where she pioneered a highly influential brand of jazz-funk fusion. Dig This, her second album for the label, puts Bobbi’s flute out front of great arrangements from Alphonse Mouzon, Horace Ott, and Wade Marcus – all of whom give the record a feel that’s plenty rich, yet lean enough to let the Humphrey’s sweet flute solos really take off. Real Gone’s releases includes the original 1972 album art, with notes by Pat Thomas.