GUYS IN DISGUISE - Guys In Disguise (1994)

Requested in "REQUEST & FILL CORNER" section...

Now we have here a rarity, as far I know only released in Norway back in 1994 and deleted since. GUYS IN DISGUISE was the project of keyboardist Dag Kolsrud, previously known in Scandinavia as part of pop-rockers One 2 Many which had some singles ranking all over European charts.
Kolsrud teamed up with singer Carsten Loly, guitarist Stein Bull-Hansen and a bunch of Norwegian session musicians to record "Guys In Disguise" self-titled - and only - album.

The overall sound of "Guys In Disguise" reminds me David Foster projects and at places Mr. Mister, a Westcoast with a poppy feel and some Hi-Tech elements. On some tunes, they have an unmistakable European flavor, akin Lava / Rolf Graf.
Perhaps some of you have heard Guys In Disguise's "One Goal" (track 6), an anthem composed for the 1994 Winter Olympics celebrated in Norway. The song also was used by Ferrari on the institutional video to celebrate their Formula 1 World Championship in 2000 (in the hands of Michael Schumacher).



Although "Guys In Disguise" does not much for me, it's a nice record with some cool melodies. Production & Mix is handled by Dag Kolsrud, absolutely pristine and clear.
An extremely rare CD, much sought after by collectors of all genres.
RARE.

01 - Going Nowhere
02 - Roxy
03 - No Worries
04 - I Need You Now
05 - Long Rainy Summer
06 - One Goal
07 - Feeling Like A Fool
08 - Feel Free
09 - Dixie
10 - Fire On Ice

Carsten Loly: vocals
Stein Bull-Hansen: guitars
Dag Kolsrud: keyboards, programming
Kim Ojstod, Per Hillestand: drums
Kjell Solom, Bjorn Kjellemyr: bass


Guys In Disguise (1994)
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BODY ELECTRIC - Body Electric + Two Worlds EP [remastered reissue] (1984)

Requested in "REQUEST & FILL CORNER" section...

Founded by two talented cats from the Canadian musical scene, BODY ELECTRIC was a great band pretty unknown by AOR fans.
Keyboardist Bob Buckley (born in UK) and David Sinclair (guitar, vocals) were part of Straight Lines, a really nice AOR act which released two LP on a major label in the early '80s. The band split soon but both decided to stay together for a new project.

They called Frank Ludwig (ex-Trooper, Union) as lead vocalist, and Body Electric born. With Sinclair handling guitars & bass, and guests such as ex- Straight Lines bandmate Daryl Burgess, Doug Edwards (Skylark) and talented Marc LaFrance, the band recorded their self-titled debut released through Attic Records in 1984.

"Body Electric" is an album of pure keyboard-laden songs in a light AOR / synth-rock&pop style with a melodic sound and the typically pristine Canadian production. The LP was pretty successful with "Don't Take Me For A Fool" (my favorite), "Somewhere in Time" and "Stop The Music" released as singles.
Although in my opinion the band's finest hour arrived with their second full length album '87s Walking Through Walls (more hi-tech), "Body Electric" includes some stupendous tracks with excellent arrangements, as the awesome opener "The More Things Change".



"Body Electric" never was released on CD until 2007 when Canadian label Unidisc remastered the album from the master tapes.
But the real find here is the inclusion of the band's rare vinyl EP "Two Worlds", appeared in 1985.
For the EP, Sinclair switched to full lead vocals, and with the production of Bill Henderson (Chilliwack) and engineered by mega-man Bob Rock (Bon Jovi, Motley Crue), this is a pure mid-Eighties unknown AOR gem.
Just check the super-chorus of "All Through the Night", the elegant "Two Worlds", the mysterious "Crime of Passion" (love that atmosphere!) or the velvety ballad "Don't Look Back".



This "Body Electric" reissue is pure gold. The Unidisc Records remaster is excellent, and as plus there's the great "Two Worlds" EP.
A collectors piece (now out of print) and a great addition to your AOR cluster.


01 - The more things change
02 - Stop the music
03 - Judy's in her room
04 - Living two lives
05 - Midnight madness
06 - Somewhere in time
07 - Don't take me for a fool
08 - It's gonna hurt
09 - One step back
10 - You can't take it with you
11 - Do you think they can tell (Bonus)
12 - All through the night (Bonus)
13 - Two worlds (Bonus)
14 - Crime of passion (Bonus)
15 - Don't Look Back (Bonus)

tracks 11-15 from the 1985 EP Two Worlds

David Sinclair - guitar, bass, lead vocals 11-15
Bob Buckley - keyboards
Frank Ludwig - lead vocals, keyboards
Brian Newcombe - bass 11-15
Ross Friesen - drums
Daryl Burgess (Straight Lines) - percussion
Doug Edwards (Skylark) - guest guitar
Ken Chalmers - guest guitar
Marc LaFrance - guest vocals




BODY ELECTRIC - Body Electric + Two Worlds EP [remastered reissue]
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KADOMATSU T's SONGS FROM L.A. - The Ballad Covers Collection (2004)

Requested in "REQUEST & FILL CORNER" section...

Japanese multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and orchestrator Toshiki Kadomatsu has been very popular in Asia since the early '80s creating music for other artists and recording his own albums in a Westcoast / AOR / Pop style, with many American musicians as session players.
During the '90s, and due the musical climate in the US, top artists from the genre found refugee in the Japanese market, always eager for delicate sounds and melodies.

Then Kadomatsu had the idea to re-work his most popular Japanese songs to be performed by US musicians, and moved to California to record this "KADOMATSU T's SONGS FROM L.A. - The Ballad Covers Collection" after the other volume including more poppy songs, previously featured here on the blog.
The best L.A. session cats were part of the project, including superb guitarists Jay Graydon & Michael Landau, alongside other monsters like Brett Raymond, Gino Vannelli, Tom Keane, Abraham Laboriel and more.



As on the previous volume the vocalists involved are top notch too: again Joseph Williams (Toto), Chicago's Jason Scheff and the great Tommy Funderburk, but now featuring the likes of Richard Page (Mr. Mister) and talented Brett Raymond doing lead vocals apart of playing keyboards and programming.
All singers did the lyric adaptation to English language and Kadomatsu the arrangements to fit the new versions. As you could imagine, this is a bunch of excellent material spotlessly clean produced and rich in smooth melodies all over.
Delicious CD only released in Japan, now out of print.


01 - Gino Vanelli - Still I'm In Love With You
02 - Michael North - Midnight Girl
03 - Jessica Sheely - You're My Only Shinin' Star
04 - Richard Page - Desire
05 - Lea Herman - August Rain
06 - Jason Scheff - Distance
07 - Henry Kapono - It's Hard to Say Good-Bye
08 - Presley Tucker - Mermaid Princess
09 - Brett Raymond - Let Me Say...
10 - Tommy Funderburk - Ramp In

Jay Graydon: Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Michael Landau: Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Toshi Onikuza: Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Tak Akimoto: Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Grant Geissman, Abraham Laboriel: Acoustic Guitars
John H. Wayne, Jim Stout: Bass
Todd Sorensen: Drums
Gino Vannelli: Piano
Brett Raymond: Keyboards & Programming
Tom Keane: Keyboards
Michael Binikos, Tak Akimoto: Keyboards, Programming
Marco Tessier: Programming
Richard Beaudette: Sax
Larry Lunetta, Andy Suzuki, Alex Ailes: Horns
Jason Scheff, Joseph Williams, Marilyn Martin, Tom Keane, Margaret Linn, Mary Linn, Michael North: Background vocals


KADOMATSU T's SONGS FROM L.A. Ballad Covers Collection
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KADOMATSU T's SONGS FROM L.A. - The Pop Covers Collection (2004)

Requested in "REQUEST & FILL CORNER" section...

Japanese multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and orchestrator Toshiki Kadomatsu has been very popular in Asia since the early '80s creating music for other artists and recording his own albums in a Westcoast / AOR / Pop style, with many American musicians as session players.
During the '90s, and due the musical climate in the US, top artists from the genre found refugee in the Japanese market, always eager for delicate sounds and melodies.

Then Kadomatsu had the idea to re-work his most popular Japanese songs to be performed by US musicians, and moved to California to record this "KADOMATSU T's SONGS FROM L.A. - The Pop Covers Collection", and another volume but focused on ballads.
The best L.A. session cats were part of the project, including superb guitarists Michael Landau and Tim Pierce, alongside other monsters like Brett Raymond, CJ Vanston, Tom Keane, Vinnie Colaiuta, Abraham Laboriel and more.
And the vocalists involved are top notch too: Joseph Williams (Toto), Starship's Mickey Thomas, Mike Reno (Loverboy), Chicago's Jason Scheff, the great Tommy Funderburk... just to name some.



All singers did the lyric adaptation to English language and Kadomatsu the arrangements to fit the new versions.
As you could imagine, this is a bunch of excellent material spotlessly clean produced and rich in smooth melodies all over.
Delicious CD only released in Japan, now out of print.


01 - Kadomatsu T - Sea Line
02 - Jason Scheff - I Don't Want Let You Go Again
03 - Mickey Thomas - Never Touch Again
04 - Tommy Funderburk - Take It Away
05 - Will Champlin - City Nights
06 - Joseph Williams - Secret Lover
07 - Patrice Rushen - Take Me Far Away
08 - Buzz Feiten - After 5 Crash
09 - Pauline Wilson - Summer Babe
10 - Mike Reno - Can't You See

Michael Landau: Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Tim Pierce: Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Ray Fuller: Electric Guitar
Grant Geissman: Acoustic Guitars
Brett Raymond: Keyboards, Programming
CJ Vanston: Keyboards, Programming
Tom Keane: Keyboards, Programming
Mark Portmann: Keyboards
Tom Washington: Piano
John Pena, Abraham Laboriel, Leland Sklar: Bass
Curt Bisquera, Abraham Laboriel Jr.: Drums
Vinnie Colaiuta: Drums, Percussion
Andy Suzuki: Tenor Sax
Wayne Bergeron. Larry Lunetta, Alex Ailes: Horns
Jason Scheff, Joseph Williams, Bernie Barlow, Bill Champlin, Tamara Champlin: Background Vocals


KADOMATSU T's SONGS FROM L.A. Pop Covers Collection
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