Al Kooper – Naked Songs (Japanese Edition)
ORDER LIMITED TO ONE ITEM PER CUSTOMER
Al Kooper – Piano (A1-3, A5, B3-5), Organ (A1-2, B3-4), Guitar (A1-2, A4, B4) Synthesizer (A1, A3-5, B1), Arpsichord (B2), Bass (B2)
Backing Vocals - Linda November, Maeretha Stewart, Tasha Thomas, Eileen Gilbert, Patti Austin, Albertine Robinson, Michael Gately, Robert John
Electric bass - John Paul Fetta (A1-2, A4-5, B4), Paul Goddard (A3, B1)
Drums - Junior Hanley (A1-2, A4-5, B4), Robert Nix (A3, B1), Maruga (B2)
Guitar - Charlie Brown (A2, A4), Barry Bailey (A3, B1)
String arrangements - Jimmy Wisner
Written by Al Kooper (A1, A3-A4, B2, B4-5), Don Malone (A2), Annette Peacock (A5), John Prine (B1), Sam Cooke (B3), Irwin Levine (B4)
1 LP, Standard sleeve
Limited edition
Original analog Master tape : YES
Heavy Press : 180g
Record color : black
Speed : 33RPM
Size : 12”
Stereo
Studio
Record Press : unspecified (Japan)
Label : Sony Records
Original Label : Columbia
Recorded in 1972 at Colombia Record Plant Studios, New York, NY and Studio One, Doraville
Engineered by Al Kooper, Charlie Bradley, Don Puluse, Doug Pomeroy, Jerry Watson, Rodney Mills, Wayne Tarnowski
Produced and remixed by Al Kooper
Photography by Fred Lombardi
Originally released in March 2013
Reissued in 2024
Tracks:
Side A:
1. (Be Yourself) Be Real
2. As The Years Go Passing By
3. Jolie
4. Blind Baby
5. Been And Gone
Side B:
1. Sam Stone
2. Peacock Lady
3. Touch The Hem Of His Garnment
4. Where Were You When I Needed You
5. Unrequited
Reviews :
"Naked Songs represents the other end of Al Kooper's early career from I Stand Alone. Where that first album was recorded very gradually at the outset of his solo career, soon after exiting Blood, Sweat & Tears, Naked Songs was a much more cohesive work (cut in New York and Georgia) from the end of his stay at Columbia Records. Ironically, it was a contractually obligated album, but never one to throw away an opportunity, Kooper embraced soul, gospel, blues, pop, and even country music in the course of filling its two sides. Playing his usual array of instruments, including loud, note-bending blues guitar and gospel-tinged organ on "As the Years Go Passing By," he effortlessly switches gears to the smoother pop-soul sound of "Jolie," then straight country with a blues tinge on "Blind Baby." John Prine's grim and uncompromising "Sam Stone" gets an extraordinary performance, but the real surprise is the presence of Sam Cooke's Soul Stirrers-era gospel classic "Touch the Hem of His Garment" -- the latter is one of a pair of Cooke songs (the other is "A Change Is Gonna Come") that one would not expect any white artist to try and cover, much less do well, but Kooper does it justice and then some, and this track alone is worth the price of the album.
The album benefits from the fact that Kooper had spent a good chunk of the prior year working with the Atlanta Rhythm Section (which appears here) as well as discovering Lynyrd Skynyrd. Naked Songs may have been intended mostly to get him out of his Columbia contract, but it proved a highlight of his career as well as his last new recording for four years." AllMusic Review by Bruce Eder
Ratings :
AllMusic : 5 / 5 , Discogs : 4 / 5