Alice Cooper & Peter Calo

ALICE COOPER

BRUTAL PLANET
http://www.spun.com/music/product-detail.jsp?id=917296

DRAGONTOWN (Bonus Disc)
http://www.spun.com/music/product-detail.jsp?id=2184792

SNAKES & DEAD BABIES
http://www.spun.com/music/product-detail.jsp?id=777295

BRUTAL PLANET single disc
http://www.spun.com/music/product-detail.jsp?id=1008708



PETER CALO

Cape Anne
http://www.spun.com/music/product-detail.jsp?id=912417
Peter Calo: Cape Ann

Reviews:
Peter Calo's delightful instrumental album,Cape Ann, was recorded in between his work on tworecords by Carly Simon, 1994's Letters Never Sent and1997's Film Noir. Simon says "What a joy and what afind!" about her guitarist in the accompanyingbooklet, and for fans who go all the way back to his1982 jazz group Bellvista's four-song EP, The Painter,or 1983's Spoonerism by the Peter Calo Band, this is aunique and exciting setting for Calo. The virtuosoguitarist brings forth creative bursts and ideas over14 titles, many in the four-minute range. Outside ofsounds from his own voice as an instrument onCandlelight or Bob Patton's soprano sax on track four,Pashka, the CD is filled with bright, lightly playedguitar improvisations. Each melody has its owndistinct character and is very pleasant. The Devil'sGame and Early Sunday Bells of Summer clock in at oneminute and 55 seconds and one minute and 57 seconds,respectively, the former acting as a nice bridgebetween longer essays, while Early Sunday Bells ofSummer brings the CD to a close. A photo of Calo onthe rocks of Cape Ann with the water behind himreflects the easy mood of this new age/jazz soloinstrumental album. Very pleasant. ~ Joe Viglione, AllMusic Guide

Cowboy Song
http://www.spun.com/music/product-detail.jsp?id=2107505
Peter Calo: Cowboy Song

Reviews: Peter Calo is known as both a jazz performerand session man, but on Cowboy Song ("ContemporaryArrangements of Songs From the American West") heturns his attention to traditional songs of theAmerican frontier. The liner notes explain that theartist was inspired by the composition Red RiverValley, with its theme of parted lovers. Calo foundmany of these tunes in a book published in 1910 byUniversity of Texas professor John Lomax, as well asin poet Carl Sandburg's collection {-The AmericanSongbag}. What he's created is an extraordinary13-track collection of new interpretations of timelessmelodies. Both ambitious and commendable, the artistflavors these renditions with his impeccable timing,sparse but eloquent instrumentation, and a sense ofadventure. Shenandoah starts the album off, followedby a medley of I Ride an Ol' Paint/St. JamesInfirmary. These are the performances with the mostjazz influence, but things get decidedly more Old Westwith A Cowboy's Lament, featuring Antoine Silverman'svery nice violin work. Calo essays his thoughts onmuch of the material in the liner notes, and theeight-page booklet is very detailed. The musiciansattack this material as if it is their own, and that'sthe beauty of Cowboy Song -- sincere reworking ofmusic, much of which came from a time before taperecorders. In probably the same fashion as classicalmusic has floated down the rivers of time, so too RedRiver Valley is reborn with cello, violin, and Calo'sacoustic guitar. The Old Chisholm Trail gets a slinky,eerie treatment, with Mike Harvey's vocals and whatsounds like wah-wah meets slide guitar. The guitaristcalls these "songs of the cowboys, the way I hear themnow," and his vision is itself as exciting a find asthe old sheet music that inspired him. The almostinstrumental of Hank Williams I'm So Lonesome I CouldCry is a far cry from B.J. Thomas. Mike Harvey addsonly dashes of vocal sound, blending it in with theelectric guitars and violin. Home on the Range playslike Jimi Hendrix doing an acoustic version of hisclassic Star Spangled Banner, while Calo's jazz rootsinvade the country picking of Oh, Dem Golden Slippers.The Streets of Laredo, Yellow Rose of Texas, JesseJames, and other selections get the treatment, and itis most enjoyable. There are lyrics to nine of thesongs and even a bibliography. A really different kindof project worthy of attention. ~ Joe Viglione, AllMusic Guide

Peaceful Easy Feeling
http://www.spun.com/music/product-detail.jsp?id=2237611
Label: North Star Music

Reviews:
Multi-instrumentalist Peter Calo is afamiliar name to fans of Carly Simon, Linda Eder, andcontemporary film soundtracks, here putting hisenergies into no vocal takes on a dozen songs madefamous by the Eagles, just as his Here Comes the Sundisc on the same label, Rhode Island's North StarRecords, is an "instrumental tribute to the Beatles."It's a far cry from the smooth jazz/rock of his PCBunit which performed in Boston two decades prior tothis in 1983, the artist moving into a RogerWilliams/Ferrante & Teicher/Perry Botkin Jr. area withthis work. Calo plays piano, banjo, lap steel,guitars, and additional string and percussionprogramming with appearances by Anja Wood on cello,Clint deGanon on drums, and other players all layingback and letting the popular melodies take centerstage. They succeed at supplying a pleasant andentertaining backdrop without going overboard. That'sthe dilemma for fans of Calo's work as on many of thesongs he has to be technician rather than innovator.They do embrace One of These Nights and create ahaunting work which pulls away from the pack, thestrings taking the place of the Eagles' backing vocalswith the guitars bringing the copyright to a differenttime and place. Hotel California gets a lovely Spanishfeel as does, naturally, Tequila Sunrise. These tracksshow the most improvisation and because of that standout to those who have followed Calo's work. Lyin'Eyes, Desperado, Peaceful Easy Feeling, and New Kid inTown are more by-the-book -- soothing to listen to butsticking to the program as the Eagles' own performanceon Best of My Love does. The band's success came fromkeeping it all very simple and what is interestinghere is a virtuoso like Calo holding back. It's alovely work that will appeal to many, though fanswould be more interested in the guitarist putting moreof his creative spark into the mix as he did on hisintrospective and very satisfying Cowboy Song album. ~Joe Viglione, All Music Guide =====




Rock Journalist - Writer/Singer Joe Viglione
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