COVER LOVER
THE ORIGINAL LP SCX 6116 (1966) STEREO

Cover Lover (Cameron)
Waiting for Herbert (Cameron)
The Jester (Cameron)
Ballad of a Middlesized Gentleman (Cameron)
The Loneliest Monk (Cameron; Monk)
Helen of Troyland (Cameron)
Boffin and Ping (Cameron; Heatley)
Walk Small (Cameron)
Benny South Street (Cameron; Heatley)
Here are the Blues (Cameron)
Set 'em Up Joe (Cameron)
You Owe Me (Cameron)

WARM AND GENTLE
THE ORIGINAL LP TWO 197 (1968) STEREO

Warm and Gentle (Cameron)
Let's Go to San Francisco (Carter; Lewis)
When Lights are Low (Kahn; Koehler; Fiorito)
Here, There and Everywhere (Lennon; McCartney)
You'd Be So Nice to Come Home to (Porter)
Silence is Golden (Crewe; Gaudio)
Mexico (Sand and Foam) (Leitch)
Till There Was You (Willson)
Feed the Birds (Tuppence a Bag) (R & R Sherman)
Autumn Leaves (Kosma; Mercer; Parsons; Prevert)
Once There Was You (Cameron)
Summertime (G & I Gershwin; Heyward)

The multi-talented composer-arranger-pianist John Cameron is the subject of this release, which compiles two albums he recorded for EMI in the late 1960s. The intriguingly titled Cover Lover' (1966) finds John playing piano and singing on twelve of his original compositions, accompanied by an all-star line-up that includes Ronnie Ross (alto/baritone sax, bass clarinet), Spike Heatley (bass), Tony Carr (drums), Art Ellefson (tenor sax) and Ray Swinfield (flute). The music is very much in the modern, swinging school of jazz, as it was in the late '60s, while Warm and Gentle' (1968) has jazz as one of its influences but is not jazz per se. Instead it features an alluring blend of lush orchestration and bossa nova elements combined with John Cameron's distinctive brand of arranging, in a programme that contains versions of well-known pop numbers alongside Cameron originals.
Remastered from the original stereo analogue tapes.

"My old mate Mr G. Kilverhall is a walking book of jazz facts. An ex-promoter, he has booked a lot of the big jazz stars of yesteryear, Brits and Americans going back to the 70s. When I read out the list of the CDs Vocalion have re-issued, he ticked off more than half of them that he owns on the original vinyl, referring to the stickers on many from his local record store in Hounslow, Memrydiscs (sic), and told me they cost him thirty two and sixpence each! Among them are the John Cameron albums that feature in this re-issue series on one disc. Cameron's day job was as conductor and studio arranger for TV shows and films, such as 'Twenty Four Hours,' the theme for the films 'Kes' and the Ken Loach classic 'Poor Cow.' In 1969, he formed a quartet and cut an album 'Off Centre' for Decca's Deram imprint, with Cameron on piano, and two regulars of the Bill Le sage Quartet from the legendary Bulls Head at Barnes days Harold McNair on flute and Tony Carr on drums. The bassist was a new kid on the block, who would later make his name in the folk world: Danny Thompson. Recorded for EMI in 1966, 'Cover Lover' has John singing and playing on 12 of his own originals. An all-star line-up around him of Ronnie Ross, Spike Heatley, Tony Carr, Art Ellefson and, Ray Swinfield. In the modern swinging school of jazz, right for its time of the late 60s, while Warm and Gentle (68) had a jazz influence running through it - conducted by jazz star Bill Le Sage - but was not really a jazz album. Very easy listening, which is in vogue right now with the youngsters (I do sound old, eh?) and chill out club set. It features an alluring blend of lush orchestration, Bossa Nova elements, combined with John's distinctive brand of arranging. The tracks include his version of well known pop songs of the time, with some classy Cameron originals. Well worth a listen."
Simon Redley, www.bluesandsoul.com

CDSML 8478