Customer Reviews

Jack of Diamonds

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Jack Of Diamonds is the second release in the ongoing "Papa John Phillips Presents" album series, following last year's acclaimed reissue of his 1970 debut solo album, John, The Wolfking Of L.A.

After the release of Wolfking, Phillips worked on a number of diverse film and record projects, including sessions for a second solo album, which he recorded intermittently in 1972 and 1973. Although that album was never completed, Jack of Diamonds contains an approximation of what it might have been.

The unreleased 13-song album, plus five bonus tracks, have been assembled into a new, never-before-heard compilation from original session recordings that were recently located.

The second solo album was a major departure from the country-rock of Wolfking and pop sound of The Mamas & The Papas, pushing a more urban, gritty, jazz-rock style (suggestive of later work by Steely Dan), reflective of time spent in New York with members of Andy Warhol's Factory. One of these songs, "Me And My Uncle," was informally passed along to the Grateful Dead and became a staple of their live shows for decades.

The album features a stellar group of musicians from the era, including members of The Crusaders (Wilton Felder, Larry Carlton and Joe Sample), Jim Gordon (Traffic, Derek and the Dominos), Van Dyke Parks (The Beach Boys' Smile album), Alan Estes (The Mothers Of Invention) and Mamas & Papas stalwarts, Hal Blaine and Joe Osborn.

Included as bonus tracks are songs from some of the other projects John was working on between 1970 and 1973, including songs intended for the final Mamas & Papas' studio album, People Like Us, the soundtrack to the Robert Altman film Phillips co-produced with Lou Adler, Brewster McCloud, and an original film and theater project called Space (Man On The Moon), produced by Andy Warhol.

All tracks are previously unreleased, except "Last Of The Unnatural Acts" and "First And Last Thing You Do," which are from the rare Brewster McCloud soundtrack.

As a longtime M&P fan, I have been very impressed with recent re-issues of previous material from the group, as well as solo material from John, Denny, Cass and Michelle. This one, however, threw me for a loop. I had no idea much of this material even existed. Once again, Varese Sarabande did a phenonmenal job with production value and great packaging. The company also states this is part of an ongoing series of John Phillips archive releases. YEAH!!!!!

The latest release from the John Phillips archives offers a mixed bag,with the album full of disparate musical styles,from '70s jazz rock,folk and countrified sounds.As a cohesive album,"Jack of Diamonds" doesn't really hold together:however,if the listener embraces the cobbled together nature of the project,there are enough gems to please the Phillips fan.Songs such as "Mister Blue","Black Broadway" and "Chinatown" really highlight the musical stretch John was attempting,while some of the later tunes are more reminiscent of Phillips' earlier work.The bonus tracks include one terrific song "Last of the Unnatural Acts",which wouldn't be out of place on "Wolfking of LA",and two superfluous Mamas and Papas outtakes(what was the point?).Overall,this album is a good not great listen,and is recommended to the more hardcore John Phillips fan:for others interested in exploring his work,I'd recommend(highly!)"Wolfking of LA" as a starting point.

Not too pleased with this album. Four listenable tunes including two versions of "Me and My Uncle" - GREAT LYRICS