Candi Carley – “Sweet City Woman”

The Sleeve:

The Liner/Sleeve Notes:
“About The Artist
 Young, beautiful and blessed with an incomparable musical talent, Candi Carley has inspired a fantastic loyalty among her admirers. When Candi is at the console she and the music are one. The technical listener and the toe-taooers are equally immersed in the melody. Her performances are vibrant with warmth, humor and a sensitivity which allows her to touch the heart of the audience.
 With complete fidelity to the music she plays, Candi has that special quality that is unique. It is possible that her blindness is partially responsible, for Candi uses music and the organ as a means of communication. If that is a reasonably accurate assumption, her message comes across clearly, “I love you all”. She is most generous and gracious to her audience by making herself available to them following each performance.
 Candi never rests on her laurels. She is at work constantly augmenting her repetoire and improving her technique. Older listeners are pleased to hear their favorites of the 30′s and 40′s. Teens and young adults happily listen to Candi play their favorites of the 80′s and children are delighted to hear Small World and nursery rhymes.
 Candi has been a featured organist at The Great American Wind Machine Restaurant in Resdeda, California since 1976.
 About The Instrument
 This is the second record album that Candi has recorded on the San Gabriel Civic Auditorium pipe organ. It is a Wurlitzer Style 260 with 3 manuals, 15 ranks of pipes, several tonal percussions and a variety of toy counter sound effects.
 This organ was orginally installed in the Albee Theatre in Brooklyn, New York in 1924. It was donated to the city of San Gabriel , California in 1968. Members of the Los Angeles Chaper of the American Theatre Organ Society restored the organ to “like new” condition, added a Posthorn and installed it in the auditorium’s existing pipe chambers. The LATOS maintains this mighty Wurlitzer.
 “There’s an exuberance in Candi’s arrangements and peformance that words can quite describe.”
 (Stu Green for THEATRE ORGAN MAGAZINE. 10/78)
 “Candi’s arrangements are full of grace notes and vivid touches. Her technique is flawless… a definite standout among theatre organ release.” (Review of album entitled “CANDI”.)
 (Jim Aikin for CONTEMPORARY KEYBOARD. (2/79)
 “Registrations and arrangements are beautifully done.”
 (THE CONSOLE. 8/78)
 “Her deft fingerwork and adroit pedalwork–often with both feet–puts the massive instrument in its place. (from the article entitled “The Most Unforgettable Person I Have Ever Known by Bob Hill)
 “It’s great to hear an artist that doesn’t emulate some musical spectre from the past.”
 (Lenny Norman for KEYBOARD WORLD MAGAZINE. 1/80)
 “One of the most artisically played and well recieved concerts ever heard on the Los Angeles Wiltern Theatres 4m/37r Kimball.”
 (Bob Turman for THE CONSOLE. 5/78)
 “…I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I haven’t been similarly thrilled since the first time I heard Buddy Cole.”
 (Fred Herrold, after listening to Candi’s album entitled “JUST FOR YOU”.)”

Personal Review:
Well the reviews from the liner notes pretty much give the most in depth reviews better than I could give. I can still however give you my own little review. The album opens with a organ instrumental cover of the Stampeders’ “Sweet City Woman” which is a definite strong point on the record, ’cause it’s one of those songs that everyone knows. Like, you know it because it’s on the radio so much. It’s then followed by the track, “Can You Read My Mind?” – which is another organ instrumental, but that is because all of the songs on the album are organ instrumentals. The song is a slower song, not that interesting – but hey, Candi is better at playing the organ than I am. She does provide an amazing array of skills at the organ. I do love how it picks up about halfway through, it’s a decent track, just too slow for me. It’s then followed by Dolly Parton’s “9 To 5″ which has to be my favorite track on this record, though, it would most likely be better with vocals, of course. (but hey, I’ll provide them!). After that comes the song, “Willow Will You Weep for Me” – and by this point, I’m wondering what Candi would sound like as a singer? It’s one of those mysteries of recording collecting that I’ll never figure out. The song is kind of unbearably slow, and continuous too. While I listen, let me tell you how tedious and how long it took to copy out all those liner notes, like worst thing ever. After that comes the final track of the album, the “Fats Walker Medley” – which opens with “Keepin’ Out of Mischief Now“, then followed by “Ain’t Misbehavin’” and “Honeysuckle Rose” – instead of individually reviewing each section of the medley (solely because I cannot tell when each section changes) I’ll review the medley as a whole. It’s an okay way to end the A-Side, nothing overly fancy, but pretty neat organ playing. Candi is really talented. Anyways, that’s it for the A-Side.

The B-Side opens with the track “Sweet and Lovely” – and most of these songs remind me of songs you’d hear in early movies (1920’s – 1940’s) – and it’s not a bad thing, it’s just not my thing. I wonder if the other instruments on this album (drums and cymbals) are done by Candi and her organ, or by an actual backing band? And is that a trumpet I hear? Next up is the “Hoedown Medley” – and much like the previous medley, I’m gonna list the sections and review the album as a whole. So, it starts off with the “Orange Blossom Special“, then goes into the “Wabash Cannonball” (Wabash is a really odd word.), followed by “Turkey in the Straw” (How did that get there?) – then “Chicken Reel“, “Oh Susanna“, “Old Folks at Home” (Why’d you leave them there?), and ends with “Dixie” – it’s not that bad at all, it’s a pretty decent track, not much to complain about except the fact I absolutely loathe non-vocal tracks. Candi preforms extremely well. It reminds me of old cartoons. Next comes the slower track, “The Masquerade is Over” (but not this album! Jokes, of course. It’s really not that bad.) it’s long, and dull. Not overly interesting. Then comes the song “New York, New York” – isn’t that a Frank Sinatra track? I’m sure it is. Hey now, this isn’t that bad! The album closes with the track “Remember” – it’s a slow song, and well, it’s not overly interesting. Candi plays well, and is very, very talented – this just isn’t my type of album.

Anyways, Candi is still out there doing her thing.

Interesting Facts:

It’s signed in Braille?
“luv ya -, candi”

Track Listing:
A1 – Sweet City Woman
A2 – Can You Read My Mind?
A3 – 9 to 5
A4 – Willow Weep For Me
A5 – Fats Waller Medley
i – Keepin’ Out of Mischief Now
ii – Ain’t Misbehavin’
iii – Honeysuckle Rose

B1 – Sweet and Lovely
B2 – Hoedown Medley
i – Orange Blossom Special
ii – Wabash Cannonball
iii – Turkey in the Straw
iv – Chicken Reel
v – Oh Susana
vi – Old Folks at Home
vii – Dixie
B3 – The Masquerade is Over
B4 – New York, New York
B5 – Remember

Label:
Minx Record Company.

Catalog Number:
KM 7067

Studio Musicians & Other Album Credits:
Director – Gordon Kibbee
Recording Engineer – Richard C. Simonton
Jacket Design – Marie Kibbee
Jacket Notes – Charlotte Olson
Cover Photo – Constance Constant Comments
Hair Stylist – Hiroko Matsushita
Organ Technician – Harold Donze

Other Albums I Own by Candi Carley:
Candi
Just for You

Released:
1980

Related Vinyls:

Mike Williams – “Pleasing You” Suede – “Easily Suede” Paul Young – “The Secret of Association” George H. Jenner – “Fingers Four Touch On Sounds”