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Wonderful Sammy from his years at Reprise – and a beautiful album cut in collaboration with arranger Marty Paich! Marty had a swinging, jazzy style that always brought out the best in Sam – even on an album of fuller, mellower tracks such as these. The title hit is done by Sammy in a heartfelt style that showed that he could be every bit the pop crooner as some of his contemporaries, and the album follows in a similar mode – but also throws in some more upbeat numbers that keep things fresh and grooving. Titles include "Song From Two For The Seesaw", "We Kiss In A Shadow", "Love Is The Tender Trap", "Back In Your Own Back Yard", "There Was A Tavern In The Town", and "Falling In Love With Love".

One of our favorite Sammy Davis Jr albums ever – filled with gems! There's really a wide scope here, but all the material's great – from the haunting title tune "Lonely Is The Name", to the sunshine pop of "Don't Take Your Time", an amazing cover of the Roger Nichols tune – to the bouncy "Up Up & Away", sung with an echo of "The Goin's Great" – to the groovy "Shake Shake Shake", which is almost a soul tune – to the finger-snapping "All That Jazz", and remakes of "The Good Life", "We'll Be Together Again", and "Every Time We Say Goodbye". The Sammy D genius was never larger!

One of the harder to find Sammy records, and one of the best! Sammy takes Mel Torme's drippy "California Suite", an extended work about how great California is – and he turns it into an extended chat between Sammy and a friend in a bar in New York City, with twists and turns that are way jazzier, and way hipper than Mel's version, which features a whiny woman playing the part of the New Yorker. Side two of the record features some great sensitive versions of Mel Torme tunes – like "Welcome To The Club", "A Stranger Called The Blues", and "Willow Road". Arrangements by Marty Paich, too – one of Mel's best arrangers!

A pretty great record from Sammy – one that has a groovier feel than most of his other work from the time! The cover has Sammy hanging out with a bunch of hippies, and that feel is certainly carried through to the music – arranged by Billy Strange and George Rhodes, with bouncy production by Jimmy Bowen that takes Sam way past his years at Reprise. Kicks off with a great version of "Spinning Wheel", and includes the tracks "You Better Sit Down Kids", "For Once In My Life", "You've Made Me So Very Happy", and "In The Ghetto".

One of our favorite albums by Sammy Davis Jr ever – a real lost treasure from his early years at Reprise! The record's got a jazzy,s winging style that's really great – and features the tasty hit "Bee Bom", a scatting masterpiece that's one of Sammy's best tunes ever – plus some other lively numbers, all given the beautiful Sammy D spin! Includes a stellar take on "I Married An Angel", plus "Guys & Dolls", "Come On Strong", "Make Someone Happy", and "Some Days Everything Goes Wrong".

A tribute the great Sammy Davis Jr – but a record that stands equally well as a tribute to the rich musical partnership between pianist Harold Mabern and tenorist Eric Alexander! The pair together have this bright, sparkling sound that never fails to please us – and it's one that's just perfect for this set of tunes from the Sammy D songbook – the kind of upbeat, positive numbers that really set him apart from other singers of his generation – handled here by Mabern and Alexander with a definite soulful swing! Of course, the remaining group members also help things move nicely – bassist John Webber and drummer Joe Farnsworth – both of whom are frequent partners of Mabern and Eric. Titles include "The People Tree", "Hey There", "As Long As She Needs Me", "I've Gotta Be Me", "Mr Lucky", and "Night Song".

Robot Rock n Roll issue featuring a lavishly illustrated encyclopedia of hundreds of robot records/bands/etc. Interviews with Captured! By Robots, Gilbert and George (The Singing Sculpture), Arthur Lee Maye (1950s R&B/Baseball star), Blowfly, The Troggs, Snoop Dogg, The Syndicate of Sound, Richard and the Young Lions, Rocket From The Crypt, Archer Prewitt, Andy Starr and Junior Brown. Plus Bubblegum, Martin & Lewis, Shrimpenstein (written by Dominic Priore), Crispy Ambulance, Sammy Davis, Jr., Art Fein's 1950s Chicago memories, Bryan Gregory obituary, lots of comics, reviews and more.

Epic DJ Fontana (elvis presley's 50s-70s drummer) interview. The (pre-industrial) Wax Trax Records story – including the saga of the Jonny iii (Wax Trax house band). Czech prog-gods Plastic People Of the Universe interviewed. Little Richard is Jewish! 1950s country star Marvin Rainwater interviewed. The return, and self-destruction, of the Misfits. Flaming Lips interview. Don "Sugarcane" Harris obituary. Screaming Jay Hawkins obituary. David Lee Roth comix. 1960s psychedelic comic books explored. Interview with Gregg Gellar, master compilation producer, focusing on his "Sammy Davis Jr.-Yes I Can" box set, as well as the ins and outs of comp production. Plus Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Chuck Berry, rock & wrestling, comix and Jerry Lewis and Sammy Davis Jr. as you've always imagined them!

An epic interview and reassessment of Vanilla Ice. R&b diva/legend Sugar Pie Desanto (the female James Brown) speaks. 10 second Patti Smith interview. Jersey garage-kings the Swingin' Neckbreakers interviewed. Albert Ayler murder conspiracy theories...in comix form! Strawberry Shortcake records...a lost cult. The Wix records story (a woman rockabilly fanatic puts out some messed up albums by Ray Smith, Wayne Worley and the Worleybirds and Wayne Keeling). Plus G.G. Allin, Ted Nugent, Sammy Davis Jr.

New wave opera space elf Klaus Nomi (Bowie collaborator), remembered by friends and fans. The story of Sylvester ("Mighty Real", "Do Ya Wanna Funk"), with listeners guide, bibliography and amazing fotos. Esquerita centerfold. Chicago r&b eccentric Bo Dudley interviewed. Mayo "Red Crayola" Thompson talks at length. Shonen Knife interviewed. Acid jazz legends Pharaohs tell it like it is. Sammy Davis Jr. Chili mix reviewed by Mark Robinson. Plus: Eazy E, Fountains of Wayne, eight shining Shebrews, Ricky Wilson, Queen, Peter Allen, Liberace.

Sammy sings soul – not Sammy Davis Jr, but this ultra-hip Japanese singer from the early 70s – a female vocalist who works here with great backings from the Freedom Unity ensemble! The tunes are all numbers from American and British sources of the 50s and 60s – tunes you'd know from versions on labels like Stax or Atlantic, but redone here with some really groovy new inflections – including cool arrangements from Freedom Unity, with a nice blend of strings and soulful jazz elements – including some especially great keyboards and reeds on some numbers! Sammy sings in English, but with this unusual accent that really transforms the tunes – and titles include versions of "Hey Jude", "I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl", "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know", "Summertime", "What Am I Living For", "House Of The Rising Sun", and "Nobody's Fault But Mine".

No music – and as far as we can tell, the whole album's lifted from bits that appeared in the hit TV show. Not that that's a problem, though, as Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, Rob Reiner, and crew never fail to please. Bits include "Breasts", "Archie & Maude", "Archie In Jail", "The Elevator", and "Sammy's Visit", featuring Sammy Davis Jr!

Whopping big issue of this, one of our favorite music mags of all time! This volume's an "update" issue, in which the Roctober staff and contributors write whole new articles on artists and subjects they've covered in past issues. There's plenty here to interest Dusty Groove fans – including work on Jerry Butler, Charles Wright & The 103 Street Watts Rhythm Band, Andre Williams, The Treniers, Sammy Davis Jr., and even Fela Kuti! 150 pages, with lots and lots of great writing!