🎵 AotW AOTW: Seawind - SEAWIND (SP-4824)

[Captain Bacardi]

Seawind
SEAWIND
A&M SP-4824

Released 1980

Format: Vinyl/8-Track/Cassette

Produced by George Duke for George Duke Enterprises

Songs:

• 1. What Cha Doin' (Bob Wilson/Mark Vieha) - 4:35
  2. The Two Of Us (Bob Wilson/Mark Vieha) - 3:49
  3. Love Him, Love Her (Bob Wilson) - 3:26
  4. Everything Needs Love (Bob Wilson) - 5:46
  5. Shout (Bob Wilson/Larry Williams) - 4:26
  6. Still In Love (Ken Wild/Bunny Hull) - 3:53
  7. Pra Vose (Bud Nuanez) - 4:16
  8. I Need Your Love (Bob Wilson) - 3:54
  9. Long, Long Time (Bob Wilson) - 3:58
  
  Horn Arrangements by Seawind
  String Arrangements by Bill Reichenbach and Jerry Hey
  Concertmaster - Sid Sharp

Musicians:
Pauline Wilson - Vocals
Bob Wilson - Drums, Percussion
Bud Nuanez - Guitars
Kim Hutchcroft - Woodwinds
Larry Williams - Keyboards, Woodwinds
Ken Wild - Bass
Gary Herbig - Woodwinds
Jerry Hey - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Bill Reichenbach - Trombones
Paulinho Da Costa - Percussion
Airto - Percussion
Roalnd Bautista - Guitar
George Duke - Keyboards
Background Vocals: Pauline Wilson, Josie James, Lynn Davis, Carl Carlwell (Co-lead vocal on #2), George Duke, Greg Walker

Recorded at Westlake Studios, Le Gonks West, Sound Labs, Sunset Sound and United Western Studios
Engineered by Tommy Vicari
Assistant Engineer - Erik Zobler
Intro to "Everything Needs Love" Engineered by Kevin Clark
Mixed at Fantasy Studios, Studio "D", Berkley, California by Tommy Vicari
Assisted by Wally Buck
Mastered at Allen Zentz by Brian Gardner

Art Direction: Chuck Beeson
Illustration: Chris Hopkins, Willardson and White



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Dave]

A bit of a pedestrian, but highly skillful Funk outing with still more than a hint of Jazz... Still good material and fine playing, with hooks a'plenty from the horns and the strings are also a nice touch... A vocal turn by Pauline Wilson and the background vocals help give this substance without any sign of being intrusive, though Jazz at this time was faced with the challenge of becoming docile Pop and somehow this album could along with its R&B trappings could easily fall in that category...



Dave

 

[Captain Bacardi]

I've always found this to be a rather annoying album. For the most part it's filled with that nauseating, goody-two-shoes "Up With People" feel that drives me up a wall. It's a typical George Duke production, filled with funky grooves but little else in substance. There's not enough of any horn action to keep my interests up. Only the instrumental feature "Pra Vose", with a nice guitar and piano solo, has enough spunk to make this record interesting, and is the only real reason to get this album. "What Cha Doin'" did get some airplay in its day, but it sounds dated today. A pretty forgettable album. 1 & 1/2 stars.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[JMAR5]

I am looking forward to their reunion CD coming out soon. I think Pauline Wilson is one of the most underrated jazz singer's out there today. She is really brilliant with her phrasing and she really has a talent to bend notes and make a song her very own. I would love to hear more from her than some of the so-called current jazz vocalists out there today.

 

[Captain Bacardi]

I think Pauline Wilson is one of the most underrated jazz singer's out there today.

When has she ever sung jazz? Certainly not on any of the A&M recordings.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[jazzdre]

Captain, I hate to disagree with you, but Seawind WAS a jazz ensemble, albeit a pop-oriented one. They were in the same league as Spyro Gyra, The Crusaders, The Jeff Lorber Fusion, etc.Their musicianship was tight, their notes were clean and precise(a little TOO clean for me sometimes), and they did improvise on a few of their numbers.

What JMAR5 is basically saying is that given the fact that Seawind was, like I stated above, a jazz group, this certainly must mean that Pauline was/still is a jazz singer, with pop inflections. She made an excellent album in the early 90s for a small Japanese run label, that was called INTUITION, that was pretty much in the vein of what Seawind would have recorded had they stayed together in the 1990s, but also admittedly more 'adult-contemporary' than the pop jazz that they were noted for.

To dismiss her as not being a jazz singer, is to me, to dismiss Anita Baker, Sade, Dianne Reeves, Angela Bofill, Dinah Washington, Gino Vannelli, Jon Lucien, even Steely Dan for not being jazz singers because they record 'pop' music. To me, the above noted singers ARE jazz singers, albeit pop-oriented ones. (or they've been embraced by the pop loving world a bit more readily than other singers/musicians)

I haven't heard this particular Seawind album, except for two cuts that were played on the radio, but I have two of their albums in my collection. From what hear, their sound was pretty much what was typical of what passed for pop-jazz in the 70s.They weren't that prolific(they made about-what, six albums altogether?), and I believe the last two they did for A&M, which was LIGHT THE LIGHT, and this album that is being reviewed. Then they broke up.However, how small their body of work, it was still enjoyable. But that's MY opinion.

 

[Dave]

And to me, Seawind will always be The Seawind Horns...!!!

Dave

 

[Captain Bacardi]

What JMAR5 is basically saying is that given the fact that Seawind was, like I stated above, a jazz group, this certainly must mean that Pauline was/still is a jazz singer, with pop inflections.

Sorry, but I don't buy that line of thinking. Seawind was marketed as a jazz group, and at times they certainly did do the pop-jazz thing a la Spyro Gyra and the others you mention. But does that automatically make Wilson a jazz singer? Not in my book - at least not in the two albums that were released on A&M, which was my point.

To dismiss her as not being a jazz singer, is to me, to dismiss Anita Baker, Sade, Dianne Reeves, Angela Bofill, Dinah Washington, Gino Vannelli, Jon Lucien, even Steely Dan for not being jazz singers because they record 'pop' music.

With the exception of Reeves and Washington I would dismiss these as jazz singers. That doesn't mean I don't like them, mind you. Most of these artists' music was incredibly good (although I never could get into Bofill at all). They're talented and very artistic, but I've never heard them them actually sing in a true jazz setting (although I think Baker did some kind of standards album - not 100% sure about that). And until they do put themselves in a true jazz setting and demostrate that they can deal with improvisation I will always consider them as very good pop singers, not jazzers.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[A&Mguyfromwayback]

I remember playing in jazz and jazz-fusion bands in the 70s and 80s, and especially for female singers in their choice of repertoire, Seawind and Angela Bofill were the big influences. Later on Anita Baker and Sade would fill those niches.....the truth is, Capt. Bacardi is right, none of these artists are jazz, but at least on their first two albums on CTI (which are far superior to the A&M releases - sorry), Seawind ventured into some fairly deep jazz territory. Incredible musicians all - the Seawind horns have gotten their due more than Pauline and the very underrated Bob Wilson (as a drummer and composer)....

 

[JMAR5]

I think Pauline Wilson is one of the most underrated jazz singer's out there today.

When has she ever sung jazz? Certainly not on any of the A&M recordings.



Capt. Bacardi

She was part of SEAWIND, as the lead singer and they were signed to an A&M affiliated label. The band was a jazz/fusion band, therefore she sang jazz. Most recently she has had 2 solo albums and one of them TRIBUTE is a jazz album. I would put her in the same category as Flora Purim, who IMO is also a jazz/fusion singer.

 

[JMAR5]

What JMAR5 is basically saying is that given the fact that Seawind was, like I stated above, a jazz group, this certainly must mean that Pauline was/still is a jazz singer, with pop inflections.

Sorry, but I don't buy that line of thinking. Seawind was marketed as a jazz group, and at times they certainly did do the pop-jazz thing a la Spyro Gyra and the others you mention. But does that automatically make Wilson a jazz singer? Not in my book - at least not in the two albums that were released on A&M, which was my point.

To dismiss her as not being a jazz singer, is to me, to dismiss Anita Baker, Sade, Dianne Reeves, Angela Bofill, Dinah Washington, Gino Vannelli, Jon Lucien, even Steely Dan for not being jazz singers because they record 'pop' music.

With the exception of Reeves and Washington I would dismiss these as jazz singers. That doesn't mean I don't like them, mind you. Most of these artists' music was incredibly good (although I never could get into Bofill at all). They're talented and very artistic, but I've never heard them them actually sing in a true jazz setting (although I think Baker did some kind of standards album - not 100% sure about that). And until they do put themselves in a true jazz setting and demostrate that they can deal with improvisation I will always consider them as very good pop singers, not jazzers.



Capt. Bacardi

Captain,

I totally respect your opinion and I have seen this debate many times before as to what defines a jazz singer and who are the true jazz singers.
I understand where you are coming from, but once again I think the main thing that can define a jazz singer is how they phrase lyrics and if they style the song in their own unique fashion, therefore changing the structure of the song. It's basically the same thing a jazz musician does when he/her improvises on a song. I would also agree with the above poster that many of those artists are jazz singers, with the exception of Sade, and have mainly recorded in the R&B/Pop genres, but when in concert or at various times have sung jazz. A perfect example of this would be Nancy Wilson. Through out the 80's and 90's, Wilson only recorded Pop/R&B albums, but in concert she would only sing jazz with a trio backing her up. It has been said before that a jazz singer can sing anything including Pop, but a Pop singer can not sing jazz.

I have heard Gino, Bofill, Patti Austin all sing jazz and they are quite good at it.

 

[Mr Bill]

<moderators standing by with firehoses>

--Mr Bill

 

[Rudy]

This album was all over WJZZ, our local contemporary jazz station, when it came out. In fact, they played the entire album one evening after midnight, which prompted me to buy. I like it for what it is but, I agree it sounds dated.

 

[A&Mguyfromwayback]

If you're going to be exact about it, then most of these artists and this music should be referred to as pop music with jazz overtones and not the other way around....but most people have phases - an artist's career may have periods that are more pop and periods that are more jazz. Certainly Steely Dan, Seawind, Patti Austin, and a lot of these others would fit with that description. Plus we'll NEVER actually agree on the definition of jazz, so let's not even try....!!!!

 

[JMAR5]

If you're going to be exact about it, then most of these artists and this music should be referred to as pop music with jazz overtones and not the other way around....but most people have phases - an artist's career may have periods that are more pop and periods that are more jazz. Certainly Steely Dan, Seawind, Patti Austin, and a lot of these others would fit with that description. Plus we'll NEVER actually agree on the definition of jazz, so let's not even try....!!!!

Thank you

 

[A&Mguyfromwayback]

And by the way, Patti Austin CAN truly sing jazz (straight swing-style jazz, that is) - her Ella album is fantastic. She's one of those singers in my book who basically can do anything....

but meanwhile, back to Seawind - two items of interest: I know they're putting out a reunion CD after all these many years....does anyone know the release date? And who does Pauline pay 'tribute' to on TRIBUTE? What's the style of music (here I go, opening that can up again....).

 

[Mike]

I have the Pauline Wilson Tribute CD.

It’s a respectable, and yet forgettable album. She performs some nice jazzy/bluesy covers and all is well; however, it wasn’t remarkable enough to stay in my over crowded CD rack and it now resides in a box in the closet with a bunch of other CDs that were good but not great.

Track list for the CD.

1. Rio de Janeiro Blue
2. Good Morning Heartache
3. Never Let Me Go
4. Sentimental Mood
5. When I Fall in Love
6. Nearness of You
7. I Want to Be Around
8. Someone to Watch Over Me
9. Dindi

Mike

 

[Mike]

A&Mguy asked: And who does Pauline pay 'tribute' to on TRIBUTE?

So, I dug my copy out of the closet and this is what it says in the liner notes:

"Tribute" is a thank you to the singers of these songs and to many others who've influenced my career. These hits have become timeless and I hope they will be an inspiration to you as well. Enjoy the music!

Pauline has a website: www.paulinewilson.net

All the best,
Mike

 

[JMAR5]

I have the Pauline Wilson Tribute CD.

It’s a respectable, and yet forgettable album. She performs some nice jazzy/bluesy covers and all is well; however, it wasn’t remarkable enough to stay in my over crowded CD rack and it now resides in a box in the closet with a bunch of other CDs that were good but not great.

Track list for the CD.

1. Rio de Janeiro Blue
2. Good Morning Heartache
3. Never Let Me Go
4. Sentimental Mood
5. When I Fall in Love
6. Nearness of You
7. I Want to Be Around
8. Someone to Watch Over Me
9. Dindi

Mike

With the likes of people like Carmen McRae and Anita O’Day,
I would agree that it’s not one of the best vocal jazz albums out there, but with that said I think Pauline is much better than some of the contemporaries out there today. IMO, this CD outshines anything Diana Krall or the pseudo jazz singer Natalie Cole has put out. As a matter of fact, I think Pauline does a brilliant job on both *Dindi* and *The Nearness of You* and they are probably in the top 2 or 3 of my favorite versions of those two songs. Pauline has really good phrasing and her timing is spot on. I know that it’s all in taste and each of us have our own favorites, but to *me* Pauline is one of my favorite singers along with other **current** artists such as Diane Schuur, Dianne Reeves, Nnenna Freelon, Michael Buble, Gino Vannelli, DeeDee Bridgewater, Kurt Elling, Miss Nancy Wilson and Angela Bofill.

 

[Mike]

Personally, I think that the stand out track on the Tribute CD is "I Wanna Be Around". This is a song that requires some maturity to sing with a Sinatra like believability and that’s what Pauline brings to the table on this one. This is not a goody-two-shoes song, it’s all about a person seeking to gloat over an ex-lovers heart break. I can easily imagine Pauline telling the boys in the band that there won’t be any pussyfooting around on this number because she really throws down on this song and the musicians are right behind her all the way.

Just check out these lyrics:

I Wanna Be Around
Words and Music by Sadie Vimmerstedt and Johnny Mercer

I wanna be around to pick up the pieces
When somebody breaks your heart
Some somebody twice as smart as I

A somebody who will swear to be true
As you used to do with me
Who'll leave you to learn
That mis'ry loves company, wait and see

I mean, I wanna be around to see how he does it
When he breaks your heart to bits
Let's see if the puzzle fits so fine

And that's when I'll discover that revenge is sweet
As I sit there applaudin' from a front-row seat
When somebody breaks your heart
Like you, like you broke mine

 

[A&Mguyfromwayback]

Another digression, but it's such a great story - this (from a website called thinkingland.com, but verified in Johnny mercer's biography and other places) is the story behind the song "I Wanna Be Around":

I Wanna Be Around ~ Lyrics

I heard a story the other day...and found it so charming that I had to share it with others. This is the story of the birth of the classic song, I Wanna Be Around, made popular by Tony Bennett. The only place I could find the story online was on the Johnny Mercer Educational Archives site. The story was posted on a discussion board by the daughter of the woman who co-wrote the song with Mr. Mercer.

The following are Joan Clarke's words...

"I Wanna Be Around has a fantastic story connected with it. My late mom, Sadie Vimmerstedt wrote a note to Johnny Mercer -- our favorite composer of all time -- when Frank Sinatra was divorcing Nancy to marry Ava Gardner. We were all heartbroken because we knew that Ava would eventually crush poor old Frankie's heart --- which she did.
Mom felt that Nancy would be saying 'I wanna be around to pick up the pieces when somebody breaks your heart'.

"The envelope read only 'Johnny Mercer song writer NYC'. Guess what? He received it and immediately wrote to her saying he loved the idea, and would add the remaining lyrics and would compose the music which I understand he does not do too often as he is a word smith.

"He wrote her a few years later and asked her to watch the very first Johnny Carson show, Oct. 3l, l962 and Tony Bennett would introduce their song that night. What excitement and hysteria!!!!!! Tony thanked Sadie V. For giving him a follow up hit to San Francisco and he has been thanking us ever since......due to Johnny's integrity and honesty, Sadie was able to travel to Europe and Hawaii several times on her royalty checks.

"We met J.M. in N.Y. at an ASCAP meeting and you would think that was the highlight of his life meeting Sadie. Tony was also there that night and sang their song. I get carried away when I start talking about dear sweet John. Recently attended the celeration of new Johnny Mercer archives at GSU and also celebration of his 90th b.d. met so many of his relatives and friends including Margaret Whiting and her husband Jack Wrangler and they all knew about Sadie, the little old lady from Youngstown, Ohio and Johnny -- even Mandy, Johnny's daughter. I am sorry to have taken up so much space but he is hard to quit talking about."

 

[Mike]

That's a great story, A&Mguy, thanks for sharing.

Mike

 

[Rudy]

If you're going to be exact about it, then most of these artists and this music should be referred to as pop music with jazz overtones and not the other way around...

Agreed. WJZZ played a lot more of "fusion" and contemporary jazz back then (think of late 70s through early 80s), and I think I even heard the first track (or first two) on this album via WLBS, which was a funk/R&B (formerly disco) station. So, it didn't stand out since WJZZ played Stanley Clarke and George Duke, Lenny White, etc. Didn't register as jazz with me at the time (was surprised to find it in the jazz bin), and still doesn't. But like I said, I wasn't about to complain about an album I liked.