Brilliant. I listened to it this morning.
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Brilliant. I listened to it this morning.
...Marvin Gaye:
"...the "Trouble Man" film score was one of my loveliest projects and one of the great sleepers of all our time. I'll probably be dead and gone before I get the probable acclaim from the "Trouble Man" album, musical track, that I feel I should get..."
:)
How right Marvin was concerning to his comment about him being dead before his Trouble Man project being fully appreciated. Some of the best works of art and literature were not fully acclaimed till many years after the passing of their makers. Marvin is in good company in this regard. Now that all the parts of his masterpiece have been brought together, future generations will be able to be in awe of the musical legacy he left behind.
There seems to be some text missing in the booklet. I was reading the main essay and it trailed off...and didn't continue. "Less than a year after its release, Trouble...."
Harry & the gang really outdid themselves here. Bravo, fellas!
The liner notes mention the score is actually recreated from the original master session. Wow... I'd have been happy if the mono tape from Motown had been simply transfered, but the sound is phenomenal!
Speaking of the score... I am wondering if track 1 [[the theme) is sourced from the mono. I have only listened in the car so far, but noticed the quality seemed to greatly improve as of track 2. I can only assume that since the rest of the disc is instrumental and the theme is a vocal, that the masters for Marvin's vocals do not exist. [[I was happy with track 1, then my jaw nearly hit the ground at track 2!)
The only thing I would have done differently is in the packaging. I was hoping to have the gatefold form the original LP recreated! :)
Oh, and is there anywhere that Andrew Flory's essay is reprinted in full? There seems to be a part missing when you turn to the last page of it, as it reads:
"Less than a year after its release, Trouble
--------------
In the context of what was quickly becoming an outdated genre, it is important to remember Gaye's achievements as a blaxploitation composer..."
Two things:
The booklet - four words are missing, dammit: "... Man was largely forgotten." [I am looking into a physical fix.]
The comment above, "Speaking of the score... I am wondering if track 1 [[the theme) is sourced from the mono.": Yes, the original theme that opens the film and Disc 2 exists only on the actual four-track mono film reel; Marvin changed the vocals on the recording session reel and therefore what he did expressly for the film opening is gone. Everything else except the original LP master was newly mixed for this project. I neglected to add a disclaimer re track 1 in the booklet.
By the way, if we had used the entire score from the mono reel, you would have heard more lousy fidelity, level dips for dialogue [[but no dialogue) and all kinds of other issues. BIG kudos to Andy Flory and John Morales for putting the puzzle pieces together there.
Thanks for the four missing words Harry! [[Were you already aware of this?)
Andy & John did a phenomenal job. It sounds cleaner than most recent recordings. The notes on how the original, released soundtrack was assembled from edits of the score & overdubbed shows what a truly outstanding piece of work this is. T Plays It Cool alone can be seen as ahead of its time by several years, as Marvin essentially sampled his own work and made a straight up all-time JAM. The re-finished puzzle is indeed a fascinating work.
I don't know if you recall this Harry, but a decade ago on the old board I asked what may be the possibility of an expanded edition of this soundtrack, with the score in the film being different. You mentioned that it was apparently lost. I don't know if that was what seemed to be at the time or if it was a way of keeping a future project under wraps, but a decade of hope has been met and exceeded. A huge "thank you" to you and your team. If I'm ever at an event where I am in your company, I owe you a drink and a toast for all the work you do.
John
PS. I am now curious as to what extras Andy & John may have found in those tapes that weren't correct for this project. If I know anything about John he would have had a little fun with some extended mixes... LOL
Before I get "unplugged" for the holiday, let me say thanks everyone for their feedback.
Interesting that 10 years ago I said it was all "lost." That was all we knew at the time. I couldn't have known the dozen or so lightly annotated multi-track reels would eventually make sense. That it was possible to deconstruct and reconstruct the score. Or that the film would ever be issued on DVD, providing a template to Disc 2. That the extraordinarily helpful music department at 20th Century Studios would find a reference mix. That I would connect with key contributors Trevor Lawrence and Dale Oehler. That I would work with Chris Tomson, Andy Flory and John Morales, particularly Flory, who sat with the music for months - in his spare time! - to actively get us to the finish line.
On the booklet: the end-of-page cut-off was noticed too late. After 10 years of off-and-on toil, I HATE there's this mistake.
P.S. Any extras, if you can call them that, are just variations on the themes that are already on this edition.
Note to Harry;
I finally received my copy of the expanded "Trouble Man" CD set Friday and contrary to what is often stated about art forms, that "less is more,"more" in this case, is never too much! I sense your disappointment about the four missing words on one of the essays. However, as an avid reader of the notes in this set, there is just SO much to absorb, and from so many sources, it is easy to see how this tiny slip up could have happened. I have noted that there is just enough space in the booklet for me to hand letter the four missing words.
I also would like to point out that it was inspired of you to ask Joni Mitchell to add some of her thoughts in the booklet. Her live version of Trouble Man on youtube is well worth seeking out.
Marvin stated that three things in life that were certainties - taxes, death and trouble. I would like to add his "truth" in another certainty. Thank your for this labor of love!
Thank you. The team thanks you.
Joni:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4S8SgNy11eI
I also love Rickie Lee Jones' version of "Trouble Man."
Rickie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE2siM-OQko
And T.I.'s new album uses "Trouble Man" as an inspiration.
^ I wonder how many covers Trouble Man got! :o
Marvin would've been instantly PROUD. :)
...here's the expanded ...Expanded Edition ...cover...!
Attachment 5659
:)
That Stanley Turrentine record is fantastic. Outside of the Marvin cover there [[on the expanded cd) is a phenomenal rendition of Donny Hathaway's "Harlem Dawn."
...one day I might even get to see the film...!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K5IEqmrUio
:)
Now, I *had* to watch it for this project. If you don't have to...
Then again, might as well close the loop and round out the experience.
Give me James Bond anyday lol
Just a quick shout to all of the SDF folks who have chimed in about this release. Harry and I worked long and hard to make this happen [[with an amazing team), and it is great to see so many of you excited about this often-neglected Marvin project. Sorry again about the missing words from the liner notes. Let's hope we can somehow get that fixed. It was really an honor to work with such an amazing set of tapes. Let's hope we have made Marvin proud. In the end, it is all about his legacy.
Andrew Flory
Thank YOU Andrew, for all the work you put in here.
When at the table on Thanksgiving and they asked me what I am thankful for, the 1st thing that popped in my head was "The Marvin Gaye Trouble Man Expanded Edition CD Set."
That got a laugh. :)
...honest man ...we're in luck...!!
...here’s ...TROUBLE MAN ...the Movie...!
......yes ...the film's a bit naff ...and terribly dated now ....but great to see what inspired Marvin's masterful score ...and how his tracks were used in the film ...enjoy!
...part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOz8H0QX4rM
...part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-mnfWeBFzo
...part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tiJKF-mxxI
...part 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltMIjVbQLJU
...part 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dRRt55DNUk
...part 6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXKiKBCGXGw
...part 7
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Gzwse6zuLw
...part 8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPlt_UjMgA8
...part 9
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2agZTtTQ7oU
...part 10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2BER-rmDBg
:)
Check out my man Andy Flory [[aka "lefty") here:
http://www.rockhall.com/event/americ...es-andy-flory/
[QUOTE=hwume;132246]Two things:
The booklet - four words are missing, dammit: "... Man was largely forgotten." [I am looking into a physical fix.]
>>>>
This is hardly solace for those trying to actually read those words, but today someone pointed out to me that the missing four words - "... Man was largely forgotten." - is indeed printed in the booklet, at the top of the next page. The printer mistakenly printed black type on a black background instead of the k.o. [[knockout) white everywhere else.
Harry, thanks for this set in advance. I plan to pick it up in the next few weeks.
FOR ONLY UK
Marvin Gaye Trouble Man expanded edition
Ordered 19th November, now shipped by Amazon...
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Friday, February 01, 2013
My combined Amazon Uk order of Marvin&Mary says dispatching soon...
Finally!:)
...I've been playing this set virtually every day since Christmas ...mainly CD2 ...as I wanted to 'learn' all the new tracks I'd never heard before ...and what a joy they all are ...!
...but tracks 14 to 22 CD1 are a revelation too ...totally fascinating how Marvin's played around with his original LP film score...!
...thank you Harry ...and all involved in this fabulous project ...I'm sure I'll enjoy listening to this new set ...for the next 40 years ...or until my dying day ...fab-u-lous!!!
:)