Category Archives: Al Kooper

2014/09/23

Blood, Sweat & Tears Critically Acclaimed Debut Album ‘Child Is Father To The Man’ To Be Reissued On 5.1 Multichannel Hybrid SACD By Audio Fidelity

By glassonyonpr

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For Immediate Release

Blood, Sweat & Tears Critically Acclaimed Debut Album ‘Child Is Father To The Man’ To Be Reissued On 5.1 Multichannel Hybrid SACD By Audio Fidelity

“A brilliant work…Al Kooper’s finest!”

Camarillo, CA – Exploding onto the scene as a band determined only to expand the boundaries of popular music, Blood, Sweat & Tears immediately made their mark as virtuoso players with an important vision and statement. Calling on Rock, R&B, Jazz and even Classical influences, the band, led by Al Kooper, made what remains one of the truly inspired, groundbreaking records of the late ’60s. Now much to the excitement of BS&T and Al Kooper fans worldwide, Marshall Blonstein’s Audio Fidelity is reissuing the band’s critically acclaimed debut album ‘Child Is Father To The Man’ on 5.1 Multichannel Hybrid SACD!

The album, released in 1968, introduced the idea of the big band to rock and roll and paved the way for such groups as Chicago. ‘Child Is Father To The Man’ peaked at #47 on Billboard’s chart. “I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know” and “I Can’t Quit Her” generated airplay on progressive rock radio.

This is the sound of a group of virtuosos enjoying itself in the newly open possibilities of pop music… the eclectic post-Sgt. Pepper era, a time when you could borrow styles from Greenwich Village contemporary folk to San Francisco acid rock and mix them into what seemed to have the potential to become a new American musical form.

“..among Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.”

Tracks
1- Overture
2- I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know
3- Morning Glory
4- My Days Are Numbered
5- Without Her
6- Just One Smile
7- I Can’t Quit Her
8- Meagan’s Gypsy Eyes
9- Somethin’ Goin’ On
10-House in the Country
11-The Modern Adventures of Plato, Diogenes and Freud
12- So Much Love/Underture

Produced by John Simon
Multichannel recording Produced by Al Kooper

Multichannel SACD 5.1 mix: Al Kooper at The Magic Shop NYC
Multichannel SACD 5.1 mastering: Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering Studios
Stereo CD and SACD mastering: Steve Hoffman at Stephen Marsh Mastering

For more information: http://www.audiofidelity.net

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Leave a comment | posted in Al Kooper, Press Release, SACD, Sweat & Tears

2014/09/04

Music Tried and True Interview with Al Kooper

By glassonyonpr

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Al Kooper Interview: ‘Super Session’ Remastered & Kooper Uncovers New Music In Column
September 2, 2014

By Ray Shasho
-Interviewed July 2nd 2014

Singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist AL KOOPER continues to relish an incredible life of music. Although these days it’s mostly through his weekly online column for The Morton Report entitled ‘New Music for Old People’
Kooper reveals…
“This column is like the title says – its intention is to fill the gap for those of us who were satiated musically in the ’60s and then searched desperately as we aged for music we could relate to and get the same buzz from nowadays. iTunes was the answer for me in 2003 and I have been following the new releases every Tuesday ever since I realized there was an endless stream of music I could enjoy there. The reason I am writing this column is to make sure others don’t miss this. These are not top ten items; but they SHOULD be!”

Kooper is also excited about the re-release of the classic ‘Super Session’ album featuring Al Kooper-Mike Bloomfield-Stephen Stills. The album is re-mastered with the latest (Hybrid Multichannel SACD) technology. The package includes new liner notes written by Al Kooper that tells the story of the Super Session album and the new 5.1 Multichannel mix. The 5.1 mix by Al Kooper with mastering by Bob Ludwig was never released and yet it has acquired some fame from industry insiders familiar with the Multichannel mix with comments like “excellent” and “it deserves to be heard.”The new mastering of the Stereo tracks for new SACD Stereo and CD Stereo audio are by mastering engineer Steve Hoffman. -The official release of ‘Super Session’ on amazon.com is -September 9th.

AL KOOPER: had a life changing undertaking technologically and musically after receiving a Webcor reel to reel tape recorder as a Bat Mitzvah gift in 1957.Born in Brooklyn and growing up in Queens, New York … Kooper began his incredible music career as a fourteen year old guitarist with The Royal Teens (“Short Shorts” #3 U.S. Hit in 1958).

In 1960, Kooper joined the songwriting team of Bob Brass and Irwin Levine and wrote “This Diamond Ring” (#1 U.S. Hit in 1965) for Gary Lewis & the Playboys. At 21, Kooper moved to Greenwich Village and began a momentous relationship with Bob Dylan. He performed and recorded with Dylan including adding his classic Hammond organ riffs on “Like a Rolling Stone” (#2 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Hit in 1965). During those recording sessions, Kooper met Michael Bloomfield.

For the rest of the bio and the interview, please visit the Music Tried and True website!

Leave a comment | posted in Al Kooper, Press Release

2014/07/31

Herald de Paris Interview with Al Kooper

By glassonyonpr

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Rock Icon Al Kooper, Super Sessions 5.1

By Al Carlos Hernandez on July 30, 2014

HOLLYWOOD (Herald de Paris) – In a career that spans fifty years, Al Kooper has managed to turn up at key points in the last five decades. He is often referred to as the “Zelig” or “Forrest Gump” of rock.

Herald De Paris had the opportunity to speak the man, the myth, the legend, Al Kooper.

He said, “I guess they called me Forrest Gump, I think because I was involved in so many situations in a small time period.”

As far as his influences are concerned, Al says, “I don’t think anyone was influenced by me in the beginning, I started in 1958. I didn’t have that much to offer until 1965.”

Kooper started out as a guitar player but quickly became known as a keyboard player, as Al explains, “Because I played the organ on ‘Like a Rolling Stone’”. He is well known for his organ playing on Bob Dylan’s “Like A Rolling Stone.” He played off and on with Dylan for many years, both live and in the studio.

In 1958 Kooper began his professional career as guitarist in The Royal Teens (“Short Shorts”). He reinvented himself into a Tin Pan Alley songwriter with cuts such as “This Diamond Ring” by Gary Lewis and the Playboys. He also went on to write for artists such as Gene Pitney, Keely Smith, Carmen MacRae, Pat Boone, Freddie Cannon, Lulu, Lorraine Ellison, Donnie Hathaway and was later sampled by The Beastie Boys, Jay-Z, The Pharcyde, and Alchemist to name but a few.

In the mid-sixties Al was a member of The Blues Project and then founded Blood Sweat & Tears, remaining only for their debut album Child Is Father to the Man.

Regarding Blood Sweat & Tears he said,” I just had become a pretty good arranger by then and wanted to add a horn section to new songs that I had written that called out for them.”

For the rest of the interview, please visit the Herald de Paris website!

Leave a comment | posted in Al Kooper, Interview, Super Session