Claude Bolling "Big piano" Philips, 196?

I found this one about a week ago and to be frank, i was reluctant to take this album back home when i first saw it. Claude Bolling was linked in my record collector's memories to lousy Boogie Woogie/Ragtime records or dull soundtracks. Of course i heard a couple of tracks here and there that were ok, i even heard some which were really good, but i never heard a record by him that stands a high level of quality from the beginning of side one to the end of side two...ho, how i was wrong...
Quite certainly labelled "Twist" and released to cash in the "Twist" craze of the early 60's, what we have here is an excellent Rhythm and Blues instrumental LP with chorus and orchestra. All the tracks except one were written by Ray Charles or were part of his songbook.
My favorite track ? Well, let's say the "Cha-Cha Twist" version of "One mint julep" or maybe the cheap version of the more than famous "What'd i say"...no, i'm quite sure that it's the only original track "Preachin' Charles", no...sorry, i can't make a satisfying choice. I think i really, really like this record, that's why i've decided to make it the first ever LP to be share on this blog.

...More to come, see you soon !


The zip file contains high resolution cover scans and tracks encoded at 192 kbps

Big piano