Jim Photoglo / Photoglo (1980)

本日もAORの傑作アルバムを紹介いたします。
Jim Photogloが1980年発表した1stアルバム」"PHOTOGLO"です。
発売当時(1980)タワー・レコードでジャケットを見て、すぐ購入。ジャケット表は真っ黒にPHOTOGLOのロゴが、裏面はもろAORを連想させるPHOTOGLOの全身写真で、内容を期待させるものとなっていました。
この1stの後、1981年には"Fool In Love With You"を、1983年には"The Thin Man"と立て続けにアルバムを発表いたしましたが、その後10年を経過し4thアルバムの"Passage"を発表するものの、既にAOR全盛期も過ぎ、また、前3作に比べ、内容的にもパっとしなく、忘れられた存在になっていたと思います。
ここ日本では、1stと2ndがCD化されましたが、結局3rdはCD化されておらず、この3rdのCD化を私も含め心待ちにしているAORファンの方も結構おられると思います。

Photoglo (1980) (10 tracks) 34:44
01 We Were Meant To Be Lovers 03:42
Acoustic Guitar – Fred Tackett
Backing Vocals – Brian Neary, Jim Photoglo, Tony Dancy
Bass – Dennis Belfield
Drums, Percussion – Willy Ornellas*
Electric Guitar – George Marinelli, Jr.*
Electric Piano – Bill Cuomo
Orchestrated By, Synthesizer [String] – Brian Neary
02 The Best That I Can Be 03:34
Acoustic Guitar – Fred Tackett
Backing Vocals – Brian Neary, Jim Photoglo
Bass – Dennis Belfield
Drums – Ed Greene (2)
Electric Guitar – George Marinelli, Jr.*
Electric Piano – Bill Meyers
Harp – Gayle Levant
Orchestrated By – Gene Page
Piano [Acoustic] – Bill Cuomo, Brian Neary
Synthesizer – Brian Neary
03 20th Century Fool 03:49
Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin – Fred Tackett
Backing Vocals – Brian Neary, Jim Photoglo
Bass – Dennis Belfield
Drums – Ed Greene (2)
Electric Guitar – George Marinelli, Jr.*
Percussion – Dirk Dalton
04 Steal Away 02:57
Bass – Dennis Belfield
Drums – Willy Ornellas*
Electric Guitar – George Marinelli, Jr.*
Keyboards – Billy Cuomo*
Percussion – Brian Neary, Jim Photoglo
05 Beg Borrow Or Steal 03:55
Backing Vocals – Brian Neary, Jack Carrone, Jim Photoglo, Joe Kelly*, Maxayne Lewis*
Bass – Dennis Belfield
Drums, Percussion – Willy Ornellas*
Electric Guitar – George Marinelli, Jr.*, Joe Kelly*
Electric Piano – Brian Whitcomb
06 When Love Is Gone 02:55
Acoustic Guitar – Fred Tackett
Arranged By [& Melody Adaptation] – Brian Neary
Backing Vocals – Brian Neary, Jim Photoglo, Lisa Soble
Bass – Dennis Belfield
Drums – Ed Greene (2)
Electric Guitar – George Marinelli, Jr.*
Keyboards – Bill Cuomo
Orchestrated By – Gene Page
Written-By – Michael Morgan (3), Steve Nelson (5)
07 I Don't Want To Be In This Movie 03:16
Backing Vocals – Brian Neary, Jim Photoglo, Lisa Soble
Bass – Dennis Belfield
Drums, Percussion – Willy Ornellas*
Electric Guitar – George Marinelli, Jr.*, Johnny Staccato
Electric Piano, Synthesizer – Bill Cuomo
Synthesizer – Dirk Dalton
08 Faded Blue 03:20
Acoustic Guitar – Fred Tackett, Jim Photoglo
Arranged By [String Quartet] – David Campbell
Backing Vocals – Brian Neary, Maxayne Lewis*
09 Young Girl 04:02
Backing Vocals – Brian Neary, Jim Photoglo
Bass – Dennis Belfield
Electric Guitar – George Marinelli, Jr.*
Keyboards – Bill Cuomo, Dirk Dalton
10 Don't Be Afraid To Love Somebody 03:14
Backing Vocals – Brian Neary, Dennis Belfield, Jim Photoglo, Maxayne Lewis*
Bass – Dennis Belfield
Drums – Willy Ornellas*
Electric Guitar – George Marinelli, Jr.*
Electric Piano, Clavinet – James Calire*

彼のベスト作は、本日紹介する1stの"PHOTOGLO"だと私は思っております。
当時、針を落としていくと、１曲目から期待どおりのAOR。２曲目の"THE BEST THAT I CAN BE"の名バラードに酔いしれながら３曲目・４曲目と聴いていくうちに、５曲目の"BEG BORROW OR STEAL"を聴いたとたん鳥肌物という感じでした。この曲は何度も何度も、針がすり切れるほど聴き込みましたっけ。

私のお店に在庫がございます。
既に廃盤のようですが、国内盤・新品未開封品で、価格は、3,500円です。
なお、価格は今後変更となることがあります。
また、品切れの際はご容赦願います。