Winston Turner – Take It Easy
Winston Turner – Love In The Cemetery
Winston Turner – It Was A Very Good Year
{Update, this one didn’t go on Ebay, so I took it up to Groove Merchant and traded it pretty much straight up for this!}
Got a few additional pictures up for this one because it’s currently on auction over at Ebay. I don’t run into too much original Jamaican vinyl these days, so when I saw this at a local record store, I just had to pick it up. From what I’ve been able to gather, Winston Turner was a trumpet player from JA, and this record was the debut release for him and his group, which also featured Roland Ashby (Piano/Organ), Boysie Williams (Bass), Joe Graham (Drums) and Tony DaCoata (Vocals) in 1967. I’m not sure if the group cut a second record, but this one is quite a rarity.
For the most part the music here is what I’d term “supper jazz,” instrumental versions of popular tunes, including in this set “It Was A Very Good Year,” “Monday, Monday,” “El Cid,” and “Don’t Make Me Over.” What separates this record from similar “recorded at Hotel lounge” albums is the sound. The record has this deep sound, which is best experienced on a very loud sound system or in really good headphones. On the tracks mentioned above when Turner’s trumpet plays, it comes through so clean you can really feel the notes.
Though Turner’s trumpet isn’t heard on it, “Take It Easy” is the best example of what I’m talking about. Everything sounds gigantic, especially those rock steady drums. As much as I like Hopeton Lewis’ version of this track, I’d put this one just slightly behind Prince Buster’s live and wild rendition with the added “have some fish & chips with a cup of tea” lyric (unfortunately, those brilliant lines are only to be had on Prince Buster’s version), just because of that great sound of the drums. The band also plays with great spirit on the two Calypso tracks here, “Obeah Wedding” and “Love In The Cemetery”.
Aside from the music, another reason this is a great collectible and rare record is the original sleeve. As you can tell from the pics below, Federal was a record label that really cared about its consumers and wanted to make sure they took proper care of both their records and turntables.
That level of attention is something that is sorely missing in our current digital times, but that is after all the reason we keep digging for original vinyl.
Cheers,
Michael
that's a great picture of my friend Winston, we went to the same school in Jamaica, we were in the school band together and I can remember the clarity and stacata playing of his trumpet, I still keep in touch, ( any chance of hearing the music? Ron Knight.
Hello Ron,
What a nice little personal story and connection to Winston. Thanks for sharing it. I generally only keep music up on my blog for a month, but since you asked, I'll put up the three songs I originally posted for a couple months.
Cheers,
Michael
From: Richard Fletcher
Mr. Knight;
I am a music historian who would like to contact Winston Turner.
Sincerely,
Richard Fletcher
Richard, I know Winston.
Lucky to have recently scored this record autographed!!!
Well played and well done!
I have had the pleasure of playing Bass with Winston Turner and His Spectrum Band back in the early eighties at the Burkley Beach Hotel now known as The Ambience Hotel in Runaway Bay St. Ann Jamaica. A Very Excellent Trumpeter and Musician. We still keep in touch today.