FOR SALE ONLY IN EUROPE
George Wright: Three Allen organs, recorded mid to late 1970s
Banda 202005 – Price includes postage
A review of the CD by John M. in Georgia, USA.
With apologies to the Allen Organ Company, accompanied with three cheers...this new body of work from George proves that a musical genius can shine through limited tonal resources, limited technological achievements, limited anything. These recordings are stunning and the mastering and compilation is perfection. The CD is a MUST HAVE for George Wright fans. Isn't it worthwhile to consider what George would think of Allen's new products; it's engineering advancements; digital tremulants? What amazing tracks we might now have, and George would be so pleased...beginning with the namesake GW three and four manual instruments!
We do not need to play "What If?" however. The recording at hand is worth playing over-and-over. It is a guidebook to inventiveness as George plays for-all-the-world as if the instrument at hand is as large as Radio City Music Hall. George did similar amazing things (luckily, they were also recorded and are available from this site) on a small two-manual Wurlitzer at the Rialto Theatre in Pasadena.
This marvelous CD is proof positive that George can never be over-praised when it comes to musicianship. If the Allen (and some of the models were admittedly quite small) was limited, it just challenged the artist even more. He made arithmetic formulas that increased what the listener would hear. He chose repertoire that would work effectively on what he had at hand. I would say the pedagogy one might glean from this recording is almost as important as what George puts down as music--from heartfelt ballads to novelties that pierce outer space. I am so thankful that this CD has been added to George's musical portfolio. It is actually an important and worthwhile compilation.
The first 11 tracks are one complete show (minus adverts!) and the remainder selected tracks from other shows. The playbars are short samples of the audio.
1) Cornflakes (Allen 425)
2) Zigeuner (Allen 425)
3) Moanin' Low (Allen 425)
4) The Bilbao Song (Allen 425)
5) Speak Easy (Allen 425)
6) Harper Valley P.T.A. (Allen 425)
7) Spring Is Here (Allen MDC-30)
8) Guaglione (Allen MDC-30)
9) A Ship Without A Sail (Allen MDC-30)
10) The Gypsy In My Soul (Allen MDC-30)
11) Cast Your Fate to the Wind (Allen MDC-30)
12) This Is All I Ask (Allen MDC-30)
13) When My Sugar Walks Down the Street (Allen MDC-30)
14) All The Things You Are (Allen 620)
15) Ease on Down the Road (Allen 620)
16) It Had To Be You (Allen 620)
17) Impromptu (Allen 620)
18) When Your Lover Has Gone (Allen 620)
19) Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies (Allen 620)
20) My Old Flame (Allen 620)
21) Sweet Lorraine (Allen 620)
22) I'm In The Mood For Love (Allen 620)
23) Mary (What Are You Waiting For?) (Allen 620)
24) Alone Together (Allen 620)
25) The Continental (Allen 620)