Last week was a good one for special vinyl finds. How's this for starters? This classic album from 1973 documented the travels of Sooty, Sweep and Harry Corbett in Sooty's Super-Sonic-Sooty Spug. But it was Sweep who would go super 'sonic' that year when the session he took part in with Herbie Hancock's Mwandishi band appeared as 'Hornets' on the 'Sextant' LP.
This album is 'Not Exchangeable', which prevents me from including it in one of my recycling trips to Record & Tape Exchange, but the thought of doing so would never enter my head. Coincidentally, on the day I bought this I met a guy who works in the shop. With great excitement I told him about this find and he just looked at me with a blank expression. It turned out that he's only 32 yrs-old and had no idea who Sooty was. I thought this was pretty poor considering the musical knowledge the guys in that shop are supposed to have.
Here Sweep proves his singing ability, as if it was ever in doubt.
And here he demonstrates his improvisational skills on that classic Herbie Hancock track. Sooty flew him over to San Francisco in the Spug. His contribution is mainly rhythmical (at 2.42 & 4.45), but there's a rumour that another take exists where he cuts Bennie Maupin to shreds.
I love that album. Its pretty charming all the way through. My personal favourite bit is when Sooty meets the Incas and they try to burn him to death while singing a delightful song.
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