Hi everyone,
While there is no news on the new release, I would like to offer the records which may be at least partially new for some of you.
I have compiled 2 CDs of tracks credited to various artists BUT Chris, with Chris appearing as guest musician. Some of these songs are well-known; some are pretty rare; most of them are blues-oriented tunes, while some are more of a pop song.
You may recall the factory bootleg CD with a fan compilation called Chris Rea & Friends, released on Japanese bootleg label Robin Hood Records in 2006 and which was eventually leaked into the torrents. That CD is absolutely brilliant, but contains only 20 songs, 3 of which are ‘not quite there’: Love Letters by Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings features not Chris on slide but Sir George Harrison; ‘Disco’ La Passione and If You Were Me were released as Chris Rea records, so I excluded them from my compilation, while there are twice as many tracks included.
My compilation is big, but still misses 2 more tracks from Tom Robinson’s 1994 Love Over Rage album, ‘Loved’ and ‘Silence’ which also feature Chris on slide. I would be quite thankful if somebody could share these tracks with me. I also would quite appreciate somebody’s sharing mega-rare alternate versions of True to You (Nouvelle Version) and Ceux Qui N’ont Rien (Version Lounge).
I also did not include any tracks from 2003 Jazzee Blue album series, where Chris played almost on each track of albums credited to Sarah Randle, Robert Ahwai and Sylvin Marc. Chris also composed most of those tracks, so these albums are more of a Chris Rea album without Chris’s lead vocals and his lead guitar.
Please note I numbered the opening tracks of each of the 2 CDs as’0’ since they also do not quite fit the range: they are both multi-artist charity singles which only feature one vocal line from Chris and neither of his guitars.
Most of the tracks feature Chris’s trademark slide work on his Pinky Strat, though I suspect Chris also used Gretsch Country Gentlean for semi-acoustic slide on Rhytm Kings tracks and Italia Maranello on Latin Quarter tracks. Sometimes Chris’s guitar plays the major role, while in some songs you can hardly hear it.
There are 2 songs with Chris’s vocals in addition to guitar work (A Clear Day, Do You Believe in Love) and 2 songs where Chris sings but does not play guitar (Early in the Morning, Baby Please Don’t Go). And 3 songs in this compilation are written by Chris (Stone, True to You, Teach Me to Dance), so they are a special kind of cover version featuring the original writer/performer.
Track listing with credits and some liner notes:
CD 1
0. Various Artists – Spirit of the Forest
From 1989 multi-artist charity single produced by Kelly Young
1. David Knopfler – A Clear Day (St. Switsun’s Day)
From 2002 “Wishbones” album, also released as single credited to David Knopfler with Chris Rea
2. Graham Bell – Long Way Down
From 1994 “All the Romances” album
3. Snowy White – Highway to the Sun
From 1994 eponymous album and single credited to Snowy White featuring Chris Rea
4. David Knopfler – Easy Street
From 2004 “Ship of Dreams” album
5. Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings – Every Sixty Seconds
From 1998 “Anyway the Wind Blows” album
Features lead vocals by Beverley Skeete
6. Latin Quarter – Sometimes the Big Fish
From 2014 “Tilt” album
7. Bill Wyman – Visions
From 1982 “Bill Wyman” album
8. Deacon Blue – Love’s Great Fears
From 1986 “Raintown” album
9. Graham Bell – All the Romances
From 1994 “All the Romances” album
10. The Law – Stone
From 1991 “The Law” album
Features lead vocals by Paul Rogers and lead guitar by David Gilmour
Written by Chris Rea, original version with Chris’s vocals released on 1985 “Shamrock Diaries” album
11. Patricia Kaas – Out of the Rain
From 1993 “Je Te Dis Vous” album
12. Johnny Hallyday – True to You (album version)
From 1991 “Ça Ne Change Pas Un Homme” album, also released as single in alternate version
Written by Chris Rea, version with Chris’s vocals released on 1991 “Winter Song” E.P.
13. Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings – Gambler’s Lament
From 2000 “Groovin” E.P, also included in 2011 “Best of Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings” compilation
Features lead vocals by Terry Taylor
14. Vargas Blues Band – Do You Believe in Love?
From 1994 “Blues Latino” album
15. Latin Quarter – Tilt
From 2014 “Tilt” album
16. Sir Elton John – Duets for One
From 1993 “Duets” album
CD 2
0. Band Aid II – Do They Know It’s Christmas?
From 1989 multi-artist charity single produced by Bob Geldof
1. Tom Robinson – Roaring (Days)
From 1994 “Love Over Rage” album
2. Latin Quarter – Fireflies
From 2014 “Tilt” album
3. Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings – Rollin’ & Stumblin’
From 2001 “Double Bill” album
4. David Knopfler – When Will the Crying Stop
From 2004 “Ship of Dreams” album
5. John Mayall – Early in the Morning
From 2001 “Along for the Ride” album
6. Latin Quarter – The Cat
From 2014 “Tilt” album
7. Viktor Lazlo – Tech Me to Dance
From 1991 “My Delicious Poisons” album, also released as single
Written by Chris Rea, version with Chris’s vocals released on 1991 “Auberge” album in Japan
8. Willie and the Poor Boys – Baby Please Don’t Go
From 1985 “Willie and the Poor Boys” multi-artist album produced by Bill Wyman
Also performed live with Chris’s vocals at AIMS Gala in London on 20.02.1988
9. Tom Robinson – (If I Had My) Chance
From 1994 “Love Over Rage” album
10. Graham Bell – Fine Young Girl
From 1994 “All the Romances” album
Features Max Middleton on Fender Rhodes
11. David Knopfler – Sometimes There Are No Words
From 2004 “Ship of Dreams” album
12. Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings – Trust in Me
From 2001 “Double Bill” album
Features lead vocals by Beverley Skeete
13. Patricia Kaas – Ceux Qui N’ont Rien (album version)
From 1993 “Je Te Dis Vous” album, also released as single in 2 alternate versions
14. Graham Bell – The Way I Am
From 1994 “All the Romances” album
I can easily share a copy of this compilation, please contact me on my mail:
andrew-fischer@yandex.ru
TO BART: ALL THE ABOVEMENTIONED RECORDS ARE OFFICIAL; I GOT THEM ALL LEGALLY, JUST PUT THEM TOGETHER AND WISH TO SHARE. THIS IS NOT A BOOTLEG RECORDING AND I DO NOT MAKE IT FREE TO DOWNLOAD BY ANYONE, I GIVE A PRIVATE LINK ON REQUEST.
best regards
Andrey