Primal Sky First CD Salutes Knights of the Sea
RECORD REVIEW
What could be more hip than to be in a lounge with surfers? That is what Tim Smith hopes to convey with the release of the first CD album by his group, Primal Sky. And, indeed, the 13 track album is a loosely defined genre of “surf” or maybe Latin. In any event it is a compilation of songs that Smith has written—except one track by Sol Lake and a couple of other songs that were collaborations with John Smith and Erik Velasquez. The album was recorded over several years at Painted Sky Studios in Los Osos, home to a number of the musicians in the various sessions. If you are looking for that after-the-beach album for the patio party, this is the one to grab.
The album is unique in its drive to combine various mixing technologies that are both old and new with music that I found could be traced to the 1940s. In fact, Smith, a former agent/promoter of such luminaries as Rod Stewart, Hall and Oates and Clay Aikens, takes credit for pulling “Tijuana Brass” trumpeter Herb Alpert out of an artistic slump—but not out of a financial slump it is to be presumed as Alpert was highly successful as founder of A&M Records. In this album the “presence” of Herb Alpert is more than a little evident. And, Smith tips his hat to Henry Mancini’s writing and arrangements as well.
“Son of the Sea”, with trumpeter Robert Alberts is more than a little Alpert. Combined with Dave Becker on Sax, Tim Novoa on drums and Smith on guitar (he is on all tracks but one) and a background by vocalist Karen Dunn, is, well, cool. The track ends with a small clip of the sound of the sea.
The title song of the album, “Caballero Del Mar” adds cellist Bob Liepman and bassist Fred Murray but with John Smith vocalizing. The Mancini-like arrangement provides a colorful sound that recalls the image of South America of the past, long past, in a salute to the gentlemen of the sea or sea knights, the surfers that made the California myth, and promotes their Central California home-base. Additional musicians who contributed to the CD include Julie Beaver, Tyson Leonard, violin; Kristin Duchame, bass; Jennings Jacobsen, drums; Jorge J. Morales, Erik Velasquez, Rebecca Leyva, John Smith, Mello Mel, Stephanie Davies vocals; Robbi Longley, Tony Balbinot, guitar; Gino Gamboa and Stewart Salamanca, percussion; Fred Murray, bass; Patrick Reynods, trumpet; and Cuaeahtenoc, pan flute.
Other good tracks include the opening “Senusal Dream” that offers a bright opening;”Rola La Ola” with Andy Cantu’s accordion and the closing number, “Waves Beneath the Rain” which had its introduction in the surf documentary, “Riding the Waves”.
Get out the tiki torches, stir up a pineapple daiquiri, grab this CD for a great party background CD. The CD can be ordered through CDBaby.com as MP3 tracks, an MP3 album or a CD-R copy.
By Bill Peters
Enjoy a video sample from the CD “Caballero Del Mar” by Primal Sky
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