John Martyn - The Tumbler (1968) 24-bit/96kHz
Folk, Psychedelia | 1977 UK re-press | Island ILPS 9091
Following an inauspicious first release for Island, John Martyn's unique brand of acoustic music began to take some sort of shape with the Al Stewart-produced The Tumbler.
Martyn, whose debut was a solo acoustic offering, here employs a second guitar, bass and, most notably, jazz flautist Harold McNair to create his blend of folk, blues and jazz. While his songs show only marginal development from London Conversation, it's his arrangements and, especially, vocals which are the real differences, each becoming increasingly more idiosyncratic. Although nowhere near the calibre of his later recordings, The Tumbler is an important step in Martyn's varied career. Brett Hartenbach, Allmusic.
Track listing:
01. Sing A Song Of Summer
02. The River
03. Goin' Down To Memphis
04. The Gardeners
05. A Day At The Sea
06. Fishin' Blues
09. Winding Boy
10. Fly On Home
11. Knuckeldy Crunch and Slippledee Slee Song
12. Seven Black Roses
Personnel:
John Martyn - Vocals, Guitar
Harold McNair - Flute
Paul Wheeler - Second guitar
Dave Moses - Bass
Produced by Al Stewart
Recorded 11 July 1968 at Regent Sound, Denmark Street, London.
Technicals:
Knosti RCM.
Michell GyroDec full version.
Funk Firm FXR II Tonearm.
Audio Technica AT33PTG/II MC Cartridge.
Harman Kardon HK990 Integrated Amplifier.
Gold Interconnects. E-MU 0204 Audio Interface.
Recording, split and manual de-click with Adobe Audition 3.0.1
Click Repair 3.9.1
Vinyl transfer by son-of-albion, June 2014.