Jan & Dean — Blog City

Jan & Dean’s long lost psychedelic pop album Carnival of Sound is finally seeing the official light of day — in unprecedented sound quality from Rhino Handmade.

Gone are the days when listeners have to rely on bootlegs from poor quality acetates to experience this lost treasure. There is no such thing as a good bootleg of Carnival of Sound. Until now, almost no one has heard this music from the original master tapes, or in the quality presented on the new Rhino release.

Produced by Jan Berry between 1966 and 1968, Carnival of Sound features music the Jan & Dean leader had started recording before his crippling 1966 auto accident — tracks that Jan returned to the studio to finish after he was released from the hospital. A number of cuts on the album were also recorded entirely after the crash.

As with Jan’s pre-accident productions for Jan & Dean, Carnival of Sound was recorded in the Hollywood studio system. It features the famous Wrecking Crew of musicians and A-list studio singers, including Glen Campbell, Ron Hicklin, and Tom Bahler.

This is what Jan Berry was up to in the studio while Brian Wilson was working on Smile, Wild Honey, and Friends with the Beach Boys.

This era of Jan Berry’s recording career was completely ignored in the 1978 Jan & Dean film biography Deadman’s Curve, and was also noteably absent from Paul Morantz’s 1974 Rolling Stone article on which the movie was loosely based.

The liner notes — written by Mark Moore, Domenic Priore, and producer Andrew Sandoval — place the album in its proper historical context with an essay and a detailed chronology.

The album debuts in February. Join the Rhino Listening Party and order your copy today.

Release Formats:

CD Edition — 29 tracks featuring mono, stereo, and alternate takes. Plus a 32-page booklet with extensive liner notes.

Deluxe Edition — CD plus a 10-track vinyl LP (mono) with a gorgeous hardbound gatefold jacket and extensive liner notes.

Order from Rhino Handmade

Carnival of Sound Website

Jan & Dean Message Board

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“Relatively few people today appreciate the talents of the late Jan Berry, a gifted composer, producer, and arranger whose musical vision guided all of Jan & Dean’s 1959-66 recordings . . .

Rather than revisit Jan & Dean’s biggest hits, Parkes and Moore decided to dig deeper into the dynamic duo’s catalog as well as some of Berry’s outside productions . . .

Of particular interest is the inclusion of material Berry was working on in 1967 and 1968 (post-accident) for a projected LP for Warner Bros. to be called Carnival of Sound, including the lovely, sitar-laced pop-psych title track . . .

The bonus tracks include some priceless “Audio Montage” segments sourced from Jan’s personal archive, including hilarious extended studio chatter from sessions by Jan & Arnie (1958) and Jan & Dean (1964), and, best of all, excerpts from one of Berry’s KJAN “broadcasts” . . .

Packaged with copious track-by-track liners and lots of rare photos, Encomium In Memoriam Vol. 1 is a passionate, fan-fueled project of the most dedicated kind, and given the limited budget it is well executed . . .

The producers’ stated goal was to “inspire listeners to re-examine the original recordings” and to “inspire you to  dig deeper into Jan & Dean’s eclectic catalog, and Jan Berry’s solo material.” In that case, mission accomplished.”

Ugly Things Magazine — #29
January 2010

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Jan Berry
Encomium In Memorian Vol. 1 (CMP)

This loving tribute was originally dreamed of as a collaboration between Berry and enough strings and brass and musical geniuses to give his complex arrangements of classic Jan & Dean hits, many that Berry based on classical music, the full orchestral treatment they deserved.

Berry’s passing and budgetary restraints reigned that in, but using humbler, but incredibly talented and motivated performers (with a few ringers, P. F. Sloan included) Jan & Dean gems are redone in lush, loving, and excellent performances.

But for fans of Jan the absolute selling point is the bonus tracks. [Jan] as a young man used to make tapes for a friend and some of his faux DJ patter is included, as is a tape of an older [Jan] telling tales. But the lowest common demoninator selling point of this is an audio montage of Jan & Dean cursing like sailors between takes at recording sessions. I would drop some f-bombs to demonstrate how awesome this is, but I’m intimidated by these professional profaniteers so I’ll just say it’s freaking great!

Flamin’ Waymon Timbsdayle
Roctober Magazine #47
Fall 2009

(Originally Posted September 30, 2009)

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The year 1959 was a momentous one for Jan Berry. At the age of 18, the Bel Air Baron with a rebellious spirit was gaining traction in the fast lane. After a year with Arnie Ginsburg (as Jan & Arnie), Jan stepped into a new partnership with old friend Dean Torrence, and Jan & Dean were on their way as national hit-makers and pop culture icons. Jan also started college at UCLA that year, later entering the California College of Medicine. As a student, Jan would live a second life as a successful songwriter, record producer, and artist. Jan & Dean hit the Top 10 right out of the gate in 1959, and progressed through the early and mid-Sixties with an impressive run on the charts—iconic songs that still define youth, relationships, and summer lovin’ fun for multiple generations.

Jan’s story is a hallmark of Hollywood tragedy. A golden boy makes good, loses nearly everything, then fights his way back. The infamous auto accident on April 12, 1966 hurled Jan into a dark world of brain dysfunction—a story arc that dominated Jan’s biography for the rest of his life, robbing attention from the music and from his talents as an arranger and producer. Yet he returned to the studio in 1967, and recorded new material through the 1970s and beyond. As the band MC5 said, “Kick out the jams, motherfuckers!”

When the film Deadman’s Curve aired in 1978, the floodgates opened and Jan & Dean caught a new wave. Baby Boomers remembered earlier years, and legions of new fans emerged. “Phase II”—summer tours on the nostalgia circuit—was defined in large measure by Jan’s return to the stage after the accident. If Jan could get up there, after partial recovery, defying the odds and delivering (and if Dean was there to help make it happen) people wanted to see it. They wanted to see music’s Laurel & Hardy laughing and joking like the old days. Even more, they wanted to see Jan perform “Dead Man’s Curve”—“the last thing I remember, Doc”—and trip on the irony (and tragedy) of the whole thing. Ultimately, it was a triumph; because Jan & Dean, through good and bad, spent the better part of a quarter-century (1978-2004) giving fans of all ages what they wanted.

In 2009, five years after Jan’s untimely death, we’re celebrating Jan & Dean’s 50th Anniversary. That’s a big one. It still seems strange for friends and fans to look onstage and not see Jan standing next to his longtime partner. But the music is timeless, the spirit continues, and the band plays on.

It’s fitting that Jan’s legendary post-accident project for Jan & Dean, Carnival of Sound, will see its first official release during their Golden Anniversary. In 1967, Jan called these recordings “the most bitchen records I have ever made . . . so dig that, baby!” It brings us back to Jan’s first interest, the studio, and reminds us that Jan & Dean’s story is still being told . . . and there’s much more to come.

Mark A. Moore
September 2009

Friday, September 11, 2009

(Originally Posted September 11, 2009)

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Back from New York City . . .

Dave Marsh and I had a blast putting together the new two-hour Jan & Dean episode of “Kick Out the Jams.”

The show will be a mixture of music and talk. We recorded the interview in Eminem’s “Shade 45″ studio at Sirius. The producer was Jim Rotolo and the engineer was Morgan Hahn.

It airs on Sunday, June 21 — the first day of summer . . . Sirius Channel 29, “The Loft,” XM 50 . . . 10:00 a.m. to Noon ET (Replay at 12:00 a.m. Wednesday/Tuesday night).

In other news . . .

I hung out in Manhattan today with my Los Angeles pal Domenic Priore. We talked shop in Central Park (and had espresso at the Russian Tea Room on 57th St.)

Last night I walked from 57th down Broadway to Times Square . . . Talk about a Carnival of Sound.

Some very cool stuff on the horizon that Jan & Dean fans will be pleased with . . .

Mark M.

(Originally Posted June 13, 2009)

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Co-producer Mark Moore will be in New York City June 12 for an appearance on Kick Out the Jams, a popular Sirius Satellite Radio program hosted by legendary music journalist and author Dave Marsh. The two-hour show, on Jan & Dean, will air later in June.

Dave Marsh co-founded the influential CREEM Magazine in 1969. As a music critic and editor, he’s written for Newsday, Rolling Stone, Playboy, and many other publications.

A best-selling and Grammy Award-winning author, Marsh’s many books include Born to Run and Glory Days (biographies of Bruce Springsteen), Louie Louie, and The Heart of Rock and Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made.

In 1983, Marsh started Rock & Roll Confidential, an industry insider newsletter that’s now known as Rock & Rap Confidential. Their mantra? “We accept no advertising so we are free to tell the truth about what’s going on in music. We promote every style of music.”

In 1971, Marsh was still at CREEM Magazine when he wrote “An Analytical Study” for Jan & Dean’s Anthology LP. This lengthy article was the first important journalistic piece written about the duo after Jan Berry’s career-ending automobile accident in 1966. The album was also the first major Jan & Dean compilation of the post-accident era.

Kick Out the Jams airs on The Loft, Channel 29 (eclectic rock music) — Sundays, 10:00 a.m.-Noon ET, and is rebroadcast on Wednesdays at midnight ET.

From Sirius: “Kick Out The Jams with Dave Marsh is based at the intersection of music and politics. Dave tells stories, interviews music figures and others, takes calls from listeners, intertwines politics and plays some really cool records.” — (Originally Posyed May 27, 2009)

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GOLDMINEMAG.COM

How strange it is that it takes a tribute album, of all things, to reveal the true artistry of Jan Berry, a primary architect of the West Coast sound who just may have been Brian Wilson’s equal as a songwriter and arranger.

The funny little ditties about little old ladies, cars, girls and superheroes that Jan & Dean spun into “beach music” gold were undeniably catchy, but perhaps they prevented some from taking Berry seriously as an artist. However, beneath the goofy humor was a complex, rich sonic environment — the product of Berry’s sublime arrangements and production.

Conceived while Berry was still alive — and the detailed liner notes say he was excited about the project’s possibilities — this lush, fully realized 23-track tribute was put together by producers Cameron Michael Parks and Mark A. Moore, as well as associate producers Alan Boyd and David Beard, using Berry’s personal archive of musical scores. And all involved — including guests like P.F. Sloan, Jill Gibson and David Marks among others — take great pains not to trample over Berry’s legacy, their orchestral flair and great reverence for the source material ensuring this was done right.

Swaddled in mellifluous harmonies and warm horns, “Dead Man’s Curve” and “I Found A Girl” — with its snappy, uptempo gait — are simply magical reworkings, while the instrumental “‘B’ Gas Rickshaw,” ignited by a drag-racing intro, surprises with its cinematic scope, sweeping strings and charming playfulness. “Ace Of Hearts” and “When It’s Over” swoon with heavy, delicious melodrama, without feeling insincere or heavy-handed, and “Carnival Of Sound” is vibrant and exotic, fulfilling Berry’s original psychedelic vision and offering ample evidence of his ability to change with the times.

With most tribute albums, it’s hard to tell if the artists are participating only to further their own careers. Or, rather, it’s painfully apparent that that’s exactly what they’re there for. On Encomium In Memoriam: Vol. 1 — Jan Berry of Jan & Dean, there is no room for such vanity. Each piece is meticulously crafted and gorgeously fleshed out; even the incidental scraps — from the harpsichord musings of “Bat No. 4” and “Bat No. 1” to the parade of found sounds that is “Filet of Droll (Part 2)” — seem to be carefully thought out to reveal Berry’s entertaining court-jester personality. Truly, this was somebody’s labor of love.

Peter Lindblad
Goldmine Magazine
April 10, 2009 Issue

PDF Version From Magazine

(Originally Posted March 25, 2009)

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LUXURIAMUSIC.COM

On March 18, 2009, producer Gene Sculatti spun a couple of cuts from Encomium on his radio show, Atomic Cocktail (Vic Tripp).

The songs were “Ace of Hearts” and “Fan Tan.”

But let’s step back and remember that Gene was writing about Jan Berry and Jan & Dean in the early ’70s. During the “Surf Revival” period, Gene co-wrote an important piece for Phonograph Record Magazine:“A California Saga: The Revival of Coastal Consciousness,” by Gene Sculatti, Ken Barnes, and Greg Shaw. (Vol. 3, No. 10, May 1973). This article features some astute observations about Jan & Dean — a mere seven years after Jan’s 1966 auto accident.

We should also note that Phonograph Record was edited by Martin R. Cerf.

When Creem Magazine’s Dave Marsh wrote the famous liner notes for Jan & Dean’s Anthology album in 1971, it was Cerf who wrote a post script about Marsh himself in that same package.

Stay tuned for some cool radio news regarding Dave Marsh and Jan & Dean . . .

In the meantime, here are a few quotes from Gene Sculatti’s March 18 show on Luxuriamusic.com:

“Live from the world famous Action House out on the Strip. We invite you once again to stir it up with the most combustible show on the radio. Atomic Cocktail, with your resident mixologist, yours truly. Vic Tripp here, to blow your mind, clean up your face, and tear your playhouse down . . .

“All right. Time now for something special. Mark Moore and Cameron Michael Parkes have just issued Encomium. This is the very first. It’s Volume One of a Jan Berry tribute album. And it’s a real beauty, and I mean it. Performing on it you
have P. F. Sloan, among others . . .

Jill Gibson, David Marks, Don Grady, is on here. Probyn Gregory from Bri-Fi’s [Brian Wilson's] band. A lot of other people who have contributed to this thing. This absoslutely killer song was an outside project of Jan’s. This was written by Jan Berry with Gary Zekley and Vic Diaz. From Encomium, “Ace of Hearts.” Listen! . . .

“All right. Our final set starts with another track from the Jan Berry tribute album, which we spun a little earlier . . .

This is a little bit later than the last one we played. This is a 1967 Jan song, redone here by the great Don Grady of Yellow Balloon and My Three Sons fame singing the lead on it. Let’s dig “Fan Tan” . . .”

(Originally Posted March 20, 2009)

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ARTIEKORNFELD-WOODSTOCK.COM

“I will probably call 32 times today. The Jan Tribute made a tear or two come to these eyes that have seen soooo much.”

Artie Kornfeld
Co-Writer of “Dead Man’s Curve”

2009 is a big year for our friend, Artie. It’s the 40th Anniversary of Woodstock, and a number of projects are in the works.

Barbara Koppel is producing a brand new documentary that will air on VH1 in August . . . and a new DVD set on the Woodstock film (which won an Academy Award for Best Documentary in 1970) will also be out in August.

The Woodstock DVD will feature many extras; and Artie says that he and co-producer Michael Lang were blown away by the new treatment of the film.

Adam Pally will portray Artie in director Ang Lee’s new comedy, Taking Woodstock, due out this summer. It’s a film about Elliott Tiber’s role in helping the Woodstock producers secure Max Yasgur’s farm for the concert in 1969.

To cap everything off, Artie is putting the finishing touches on his new memoir, Spirit of the Woodstock Nation. The book covers Artie’s life and career leading up to Woodstock and its aftermath.

Encomium co-producer Mark Moore has read a draft of the manuscript, and is assisting Artie with the editorial process. — (Originally Posted March 9, 2009)

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GENESCULATTI.COM — DJ Gene Sculatti (Vic Tripp) will play a track from Encomium on his radio show Atomic Cocktail — from Luxuriamusic.com.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009
6:00-7:00 p.m. (Pacific) . . . 9:00-10:00 p.m. (Eastern).

Tune in online . . .

Gene is a rock journalist and veteran writer for Mojo, Crawdaddy, Creem, and the Los Angeles Times.

Gene has also worked for Warner Bros. Records, Billboard magazine, and Ice magazine.

His published books include The Catalog of Cool and 100 Best Selling Albums of the ’60s.

Gene’s liner notes include albums by Madonna, Frank Sinatra, the Beach Boys, Harper’s Bizarre, Leslie Gore, Jimi Hendrix, and many others. — (Originally Posted February 10, 2009)

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