Acting, Thinking, Feeling

This review is for the 2013, 3 CD set by THE STARK REALITY. This is the restored and remastered tracks from the original tapes. Unlike past reissues, this set collects all the known music recorded by this group. Included (with correct lower case letters) is the complete "discovers Hoagy Carmichael's Music Shop", "roller coaster ride", and "acting, thinking, feeling" albums. There's a 52 page booklet that's attached to the inside of one (of two) of the (stiff cardboard) bill-fold style CD holders. There's an essay on the music along with some great photos of Monty Stark as a young boy. There's also information and photos of the band members. Also included is recording information for each album. Each disc fits inside a paper slip case for protection from scratches, and slips inside a side slot. Everything fits into a stiff cardboard slipcase-with cool color graphics. The sound (using headphones) is very good-clean and open with no apparent harshness. All in all, a very nice presentation.For something a little different, you might want to check this out. The band consists of Monty Stark-vibes/voice, Phil Morrison-bass, John Abercrombie-guitar, and Vinnie Johnson-drums. Is this a jazz album? No, not strictly. There's also elements of funk and rock, mixed in with jazz underpinnings. At times you can hear just a bit of psychedelia mixed in, which gives this music even more of an identity. Abercrombie's guitar is oftentimes fuzzed out, other times he sounds reminiscent of his later electric work for the ECM label. The electric bass is prominent-laying down a funky base (listen to "Grandfather's Clock") for both Stark and Abercrombie. And talking about Stark-his vibes (also sometimes fuzzed out) are a combination of jazz and something else that can't be exactly defined. But (and here's the weird thing) it all seems to work. Even the vocals have that funky feel to them. Let's face it-you're talking about Hoagy Carmichael tunes after all. This music will put a smile on your face. And that's not a put down or an excuse because the music isn't all that great. The music is great-the smile is extra.Included in this collection are the first known recordings by this band (cut for radio), the bigger band pieces, and the Carmichael album in full. This music was recorded in the late 60's/1970 when jazz was changing and fans were open to different sounds and different approaches to music. As I said previously, this is hard to define. It's jazz, it's funk, it's psychedelic, and it's Carmichael's songs on one album. The bigger band album incorporates several horns, a couple of bass players, a couple of percussionists, and a few other instruments. The music is reminiscent of late 60's big band arrangements-or perhaps something by Mingus-or some other forward thinking composer. The arrangements are seemingly loose but are written out-the twists and turns of the music are too sharp for free-jazz (or whatever you want to label it), and are quite energetic. At times I'm also reminded of some of Bill Dixon's more energetic compositions from the 1980's or 90's, or sometimes a bit of Sun Ra. The music changes from big band style charts("on being black") to something pretty funky ("new world generation"), which keeps the interest up. Several hearings will reward listeners with a better understanding of what's going on, and a deeper enjoyment of the music.Obviously this isn't for everyone. The Hoagy Carmichael kid's songs will put off some, the vocal parts (which are well done) will put others off, and the whole jazz/funk/psych label will make others think twice. I have a sneaking suspicion that this will be met with excitement only by people who are already familiar with THE STARK REALITY. John Abercrombie fans will like hearing him early in his career, and Stark's fuzzed vibes are jazz and something else at the same time. The funky rhythms laid down by Morrison and Johnson keep things moving, and the arrangements are well thought out. No matter if it's the small band or the larger ensemble, this is something unique-as opposed to "weird", which it isn't. Check it out if you want something off the usual path. It'll grow on you.

There's nothing to say about this group that hasn't already been said... I just feel proud to have been a child when children's music like this was being made. Between this and Bruce Haack and Esther Nelson's Dimension 5 records, you've got enough interplanetarily bizarre, imagine-the-looks-on-the-little-ones'-faces Sixties kids' records to keep you and the brood occupied for a good while.So all I can add is thank you Hoagy Carmichael and Monty Stark (double R.I.P.) for having lived to bring this music into the world, thank you to all the other guys who were in this band, thank you to Now Again for putting this together... and if you're wondering WTF I am talking about, you're on the page of quite possibly the funkiest music ever made by human beings on this planet, and you should purchase it immediately if not sooner if not yesterday. That these guys were essentially the house band on a children's TV show just takes it over the top.

I seem to find something like this every few months. There is an incredible wealth of unexplored territory on the boundary of jazz/rock/pop before it devolved into overwrought and repetitive funk. This one adds some really fun psych elements into the fusion mix. Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys 3rd era Soft Machine or similar music in that vein.

The music is EXCELLENT but the vocals are terrible. I think if it was just an instrumental recording it would be much better. I don't understand how come Monty thought his voice was good, sometimes he is out of tune. In my opinion being a good composer and having a lot of creativity doesn't mean you can be good at everything, in this case singing.

The music is top notch, the sound is phenomenal. I own an original vinyl copy of THE STARK REALITY DISCOVERS HOAGY CARMICHAEL's MUSIC SHOP, and I have to say the sound on this anthology is much better!!! The liner notes, photos, and overall presentation are worth the price alone (by the way, this set was reasonably priced). Thanks to NOW AGAIN RECORDS for another job well done!!!!!!!

If you like Miles( Electric Period).Soft Machine,Sun RA,Julian Preister ( Love,Love).Herbie Hancock ( 69 - 77.All his groups).Etc...this is for you

Oh Yeh

Super compilation...takes a while to work through it but great stuff!

To say this is a great classic funk album would simply be the understatement of the century.This treasure trove of Rock, Jazz, Classical and yes some funk elements is a superb and very musically entertaining listen that any prog rock or experimental music seekers should love and cherish without any issues at all.It's a bunch of music wrapped around some childrens style stories but what you get is one of the most exciting recordings I've heard in a long time.This superb package provides the complete 'Hoagy Carmichaels Music Shop' and an extra album of previously unreleased bonus tracks which are all greatfully received.Sadly the amazing lineup of 'The Stark Reality' was short lived and it's a darn shame as I would have loved to see where they went next with there rather unique take on music.If there's any negatives at all to add, it would probably be the disgracefully cheap recording equipment in particular the microphones these amazing artists were provided but even that doesn't detract from the great array of experimental music that I found myself not being able to stop listening to.There are some albums where you really only appreciate a couple of tracks and the rest does nothing for you, but The Stark Reality recordings take you to other dimensions and like a fabulous book that keeps you turning those pages as fast as you can wanting more, 'The Stark Reality' keeps your ears excited from beginning to end and you find yourself wanting to listen to every part of the album. I've purchased it on Vinyl as well as this collection as it's that good and I'm hoping I'll get a bit more information to listen to on the analogue vinyl transfer to the CD's which are good but the audiophile in me wanted more. This is a superb value album package as to give you an idea, 'Hoagy Carmichaels Music shop' comes in at an entire 3 LP's worth of music so it was a double CD package to fit that album and then topped off with the bonus tracks no doubt covering everything the 'The Stark Reality' laid down in the recording studio. A treasure trove for the collector and current fan of this amazing group but unburied treasure waiting to be discovered by a new generation.Just be warned, your going to want more of this brilliance but alas....... this is all there is. (IF YOU KNOW OF MORE PLEASE LET ME KNOW.)Put it on and get ready for a great musical adventure. It's pure musical heaven.

Heard a track by them on BBC radio 6. And to think this music was for a Kids' programme! Trully excellent stuff.

この素晴らしい再発(発掘)を星一つの訳が無かろうが！ボックスの装丁はともかくとして、一つずつの装丁は丁寧な作りでリイシュー、ディスカバリーものの究極な気がします。音の内容はファンクでサイケでフリーでソウルなものが好きな人は大好物なはずです。わたしはcdもlpも購入致しました！