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From its first vinyl issue in

1974, Paradise And Lunch has
been a terrifi c-sounding piece
of work. With the dynamic
duo of Lanny Waronker and
Russ Titelman behind the desk,
that’s hardly surprising. Happily,
every successive incarnation
seems to have maintained and,
in some cases, enhanced that
original high standard. respected Isao Kikuchi [Reprise
STEVE PROCTOR ORIGINAL VINYL (1974) WPCR-12693]. Coming a full

20 years after the fi rst Japanese
Cooder famously was the fi rst
rock artist to record a digital CD edition, it does represent
Cooder onstage at the McGlohon Theater, Charlotte, North Carolina album with 1979’s Bop Til You a noticeable improvement in
ìin 2015 and (below) jazz pianist Earl Hines pictured in 1947 Drop, which was laid down on the sound, particularly in bass
a 3M digital machine, but he response and soundstaging.
time, but I loved The Valentinos’ makes a virtue of his distinctive was equally famously not a fan
version so much that I wouldn’t wobbly vocal, here inserted into a of digital recording, which he SPEAKERS CORNER LP (2016)
touch it until I realised that it was radically more ‘South Of The Border’ Remastered by Kevin Gray
almost like a reggae song, so that treatment, where it’s heard dripping at Pallas in Germany, this
was my excuse for doing that’. with sentimentality. 180g reissue on Speakers
The album’s big fi nish comes Corner [Reprise MS 2179] was
SLIPPERY SOLO with the ragtimey stride of ‘Ditty enthusiastically received by
Side 2 opens with the medley Wah Ditty’, featuring revered jazz reviewers who praised it as a
‘Fool For A Cigarette/Feelin’ Good’, pianist Earl ‘Fatha’ Hines perfectly superb job with crisp, warm
which artfully combines a track by complementing Cooder’s bouncy and realistic instrumental
Memphis cabdriver-cum-songwriter string work. This happy combination sounds without any noticeable
Sidney Bailey with a feelgood came about by chance, as Cooder technological interference.
mid ’60s song by revealed in 1983.
bluesman JB Lenoir, ‘Discerning ‘I heard he was in felt lacked warmth. Happily, MOFI LP (2017)
which leads in to town, and I thought the original vinyl Paradise In 2017, hot on the heels of
another feelgood music critics “How can I lose?”, And Lunch [Reprise MS 2179] the Speakers Corner LP came
vibe in ‘If Walls so I called him up. displays warmth aplenty, this much anticipated MoFi
Could Talk’, with a “got” the album He wasn’t doing as well as admirable sonic limited edition remaster [MFSL
slippery, spiky solo – anything that day clarity, definition and stereo 1-449]. This was remastered

a standout even by immediately’ so, although he placement. It was also released from the original master tapes
Cooder’s standards. didn’t know me, I on cassette [M5 2179]. by Krieg Wunderlich and came
As if to prove that nothing is asked him to come down, and he in a special static and dust free
beyond his scope, Cooder next said he had a song we could play, FIRST CD (1987) inner and heavy duty sleeve. It
tackles ‘Mexican Divorce’, a Burt which was “Ditty Wah Ditty”. He was The album first popped up on too garnered ecstatic reviews

Bacharach-Bob Hilliard composition fine, an agreeable guy, and it was CD in Japan, in 1987 on the
WILLIAM GOTTLEIB Drifters. The Drifters rendered the never did hardly any more recording, [32XD-792]. It
first recorded in 1962 by The
just one of those crazy things – we

Reprise imprint
song in their smooth soul-pop style,
but that was lucky, it was correct
was considered by
and a good idea, which you have
but Cooder’s interpretation
every now and again.’ some to have been
just a shade on
Released by Reprise Records the ‘dull’ side. The
on June the 8th, 1974, the album first US CD edition

limped to a rather unimpressive [Reprise 2179-2],
No 167 on the Billboard 200 pressed by the
Albums Chart in the US, and made Specialty Records
no impact whatsoever in the UK. Corp, Pennsylvania, was not
Luckily, chart success alone significantly better in terms with fulsome praise for its

has never been the barometer of sonic quality. Subsequent ‘dead-quiet surfaces, superb
by which Cooder is measured. reissues have been better transient response, front-to-
Discerning music critics ‘got’ received however. back soundstaging’, etc.
Paradise And Lunch immediately
and praised it, and despite its REMASTERED CD (2007) MOFI SACD (2017)
poor showing on the charts, it Once again the land of the Simultaneous with the MFSL
went on to become his most rising sun stole a march on the 180g vinyl came the label’s
successful album up to that US, with this paper-sleeved SACD version [UDSACD 2159],
time, going gold in Holland, and mini album replica, remastered which has been hailed as
earning a Grammy in Germany. by Warner-Pioneer’s widely ‘vibrant’ by Cooder fans.

DECEMBER 2020 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 89