VARIOUS

Het is tekenend voor het enorme talent van producer, arrangeur en songschrijver Jack Nitzsche dat Ace een derde deel aan de Producer’s Series wijdt aan hem. Lukte het op de – overigens stuk voor stuk warm aanbevolen – eerdere delen niet om ook aandacht te schenken aan zijn werk met Phil Spector, hier is de rechtenkwestie opgelost. En dus zijn op Night Walker ook nummers de Ronettes, Crystals en Darlene Love te vinden. Alleen Is This What I Get For Loving You van de Ronettes rechtvaardigt de aanschaf van deze compilatie, en dan hebben we het nog niet eens gehad over Expecting To Fly (Buffalo Springfield) en Just Your Friends (Mink DeVille). Maar elk van de zesentwintig nummers is juweeltje, van bekend tot vrijwel vergeten.

When Mick Patrick and I had the idea, 10 years ago, of saluting the career of Jack Nitzsche by putting together “Hearing Is Believing: The Jack Nitzsche Story”, a CD to showcase every facet of this great all-rounder’s talent, we didn’t dream it would start a Producer Series which would grow to comprises 20 compilations, and counting. It’s only fitting Nitzsche should have been the one to get the ball rolling, given he was without peer in everything he applied his talents to.

So prolific was Nitzsche that further volumes were a formality. It’s been eight years since “Hard Workin’ Man: The Jack Nitzsche Story Volume 2” was released. We’re happy to say several selections that were not licensable for previous volumes now are – notably tracks by the Ronettes, the Crystals, the Alley Cats and Darlene Love from Phil Spector’s Philles label, the Buffalo Springfield masterpiece ‘Expecting To Fly’ and Merry Clayton’s ‘Poor White Hound Dog’ from Nitzsche’s Performance soundtrack.

Our collection starts with C.C. Adcock’s blistering version of ‘Castin’ My Spell’ from Nitzsche’s final session as producer and ends with Preston Epps’ ‘Bongo Bongo Bongo’, the first record to display his name under the title. In between there are examples of his work as a vocal and instrumental artist, as a writer for films and as the ultimate arranger of the three-minute pop song. There are collectable sides from his early days (Billy Storm, Vince Howard, Ramona King), rarities from big names (the Everly Brothers, Righteous Brothers, Lou Christie), long-admired fan favourites (Hale & the Hushabyes, MFQ, Satisfactions) and prime examples of his latter-day productions (Mink Deville, Michelle Phillips).

14 years after Nitzsche’s death his reputation continues to grow. If you want to know why, “Night Walker: The Jack Nitzsche Story Volume 3” provides the perfect answer.

track listing
1. CASTIN' MY SPELL - C.C. Adcock
2. POOR WHITE HOUND DOG - Jack Nitzsche, Vocal By Merry Clayton
3. A LONG WAY TO BE HAPPY - Darlene Love
4. NIGHT TIME GIRL - The Modern Folk Quintet
5. EXPECTING TO FLY - Buffalo Springfield
6. IF MY CAR COULD ONLY TALK - Lou Christie
7. NIGHT WALKER - Jack Nitzsche
8. EVERY WINDOW IN THE CITY - Jerry Cole
9. LITTLE BOY - The Crystals
10. JUST YOUR FRIENDS - Mink DeVille
11. LOUIE LOUIE - Honey Ltd.
12. LOWER CALIFORNIA - Jack Nitzsche
13. IS THIS WHAT I GET FOR LOVING YOU - The
Ronettes
14. COME SOFTLY TO ME - The Fleetwoods
15. JUNE IS AS COLD AS DECEMBER - Everly Brothers
16. DADDY YOU JUST GOTTA LET HIM IN - The Satisfactions
17. TRY TO FORGET HIM - Jackie DeShannon
18. EDUCATED FOOL - Billy Storm
19. WHAT ABOUT YOU - Ramona King
20. PUDDIN N' TAIN - The Alley Cats
21. VICTIM OF ROMANCE - Michelle Phillips
22. YES SIR, THAT'S MY BABY - Hale & The Hushabyes
23. THE WAYWARD WIND - Vince Howard & The Vin-ettes
24. I STILL LOVE YOU - The Righteous Brothers
25. HERE I STAND - The Rip Chords
26. BONGO BONGO BONGO - Preston Epps