Bob James's album "Heads" released in 1977, marked his debut with CBS and was the first album under his newly established Tappan Zee label.
The album's title, "Heads" refers to the nickname for a five-cent coin, which is aptly illustrated by the 50 yen coin prominently displayed on the cover—a nod to the Japanese market. This album, the fifth leader album by Bob James, kicks off with the title track composed by James himself. The intro's familiar-sounding drums are none other than Steve Gadd's, reminiscent of Paul Simon's "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" from the 1975 album "Still Crazy After All These Years."
The second track, a cover of Boz Scaggs' "We're All Alone" is almost a completely different song, sampling mainly the chorus. It's famously sampled by Lona i Webber's "Insert" The third track on side A is another cover, this time of Peter Frampton's "I'm In You" Side B opens with "Night Crawler" a Bob James original and a popular choice for sampling. Notably, the first to sample this track was Yuji Ohno's band, You & The Explosion Band, using it for the "Lupin III" soundtrack song "Magnum Dance" Track B2, "You Are So Beautiful" is a remake of Joe Cocker's classic, which was also covered by Kelly Patterson in her second album.
The album's most sampled track is B3, "One Loving Night" originally a classical piece composed by Henry Purcell.
ボブ・ジェームス先生がCBSに移籍、タッパン・ジー立ち上げ第一弾となる1977年リリースアルバム「ヘッズ」
当時の日本の相場ですと、ジャケットに50円玉が堂々と映し出されている感じですが、そもそも何故「ヘッズ」なのか。本作はボブ先生の通算5枚目のリーダー作で、ヘッズは5セントの愛称です。
初っ端はそのタイトル曲で(ボブ)先生の作曲。イントロで"なんか聴いたことのあるドラムだな～"って思ったら、
ポール・サイモン「Still Crazy After All These Years」('75)に収録されている「恋人と別れる50の方法」そっくり。って思ったらやはりスティーブ・ガッドでした。
Boz Scaggs「We're All Alone」カヴァーのA2。ていうか、ほとんどサビをサンプリングしただけの別の曲といった趣で、
Lona i Webber「Insert」ネタ。A3もカヴァーで、
Peter Frampton「I'm In You」をピック。
先生作曲のB1「Night Crawler」は本作のサンプリング人気曲。この曲を一早くサンプリングしたのは他でもない、大野雄二バンド
You & The Explosion Bandで、ルバンの挿入歌
「Magnum Dance」ネタ。B2「You Are So Beautiful」は
ケリー・パターソンの2ndアルバムでも取り上げていた
Joe Cocker「You Are So Beautiful」カヴァー。ていうかリメイク。そして栄えあるサンプリング人気一位がB3「One Loving Night」で、ちなみにオリジナルはヘンリー・パーセル作曲によるクラシック曲でス。
Bob James – Heads '77 Tappan ZeeA1.
HeadsA2.
We're All AloneA3.
I'm In YouB1.
Night CrawlerB2.
You Are So BeautifulB3.
One Loving NightCredit;
Bass - Gary King
Cello - Alan Shulman, Charles McCracken, Jonathan Abramowitz
Clarinet [Bass], Flute [Alto], Oboe, Saxophone [Alto] - Phil Bodner
Concertmaster - David Nadien
Drums - Andy Newmark & Steve Gadd
Engineer [Assistant] - Doug Epstein, Jay Borden, Michael Braver
Engineer [Recording] - Joe Jorgensen
English Horn, Flute, Saxophone [Baritone], Oboe, Recorder
[Sopranino] - George Marge
French Horn - Brooks Tillotson, Jim Buffington, Peter Gordon
Guitar - Eric Gale, Steve Khan
Harp - Gloria Agostini
Keyboards - Bob James
Percussion - Ralph MacDonald
Producer - Bob James
Programmed By [Synthesizers] - Ed Walsh
Saxophone [Alto, Tenor], Flute [Alto] - Gerry Niewood
Saxophone [Alto] - David Sanborn
Saxophone [Tenor, Soprano] - Michael Brecker
Saxophone [Tenor], Clarinet, Flute - Eddie Daniels
Trombone - David Taylor, Tom Mitchell, Wayne Andre
Trumpet, Flugelhorn - John Frosk, Jon Faddis, Lew Soloff,
Marvin Stamm & Randy Brecker
Vibraphone - Michael Mainieri
Viola - Al Brown, Manny Vardi, Lamar Alsop
Violin - Barry Finclair, Diana Halprin, Harold Kohon,
Harry Cykman, John Pintavalle, Marvin Morganstern,
Matthew Raimondi, Max Ellen, Max Pollikoff & Paul Gershman
「Night Crawler」サンプリング例
・
MC Eiht「Streiht Up Menace (Remix)」・
Mic Geronimo「Wherever You Are」・
Supernatural「Cosmic Slop」・
The Demigodz「The Godz Must Be Crazy」・
Guru feat. Common and Bob James「State of Clarity」「One Loving Night」サンプリング例
・Lost Boyz, Redman, A+ & Canibus「Beasts From The East」
・
DJ Clue feat. Nature「Exclusive New Shit」・
MC Eiht「Holla」・
Sniper「Un Inédit」・
DJ Shocca feat. Club Dogo「Rendez Vous Col Delirio」・
Phrase feat. Mystro「Here Now」・
Termanology「Motion Picture」・
Apathy & Celph Titled「Naturally Nasty」・
Scred Connexion「B.E.Z.B.A.R.」・Mike Gao「Loving Night」
- その他のボブ・ジェームス作品 -・
Bob James「Two」('75 CTI)
