Ndikho Xaba and the Natives – S.T.
Named after a collection of William Blake poems, Song of Innocence is the debut solo album by Capitol Records’ multi-talented musician, producer, composer, arranger David Axelrod. The album follows a string of successful releases with The Electric Prunes’ Mass in F Minor and Release of an Oath and is very much a continuation of the baroque, psychedelic, orchestral, jazz fusion sound explored on those albums. The session musicians especially shine here, including The Wrecking Crew’s keyboardist and conductor Don Randi, guitarist Al Casey, bassist Carol Kaye, and drummer Earl Palmer. Like many of Axelrod’s works, tracks from the album would later be sampled by numerous hip-hop acts including J Dilla, Lil Wayne, Joey Bada$$, Pete Rock, and more.
Recommended – Full Listen
Tags: Drum Break / Essential Listening / Samples
Tracklist:
A1 Urizen
A2 Holy Thursday
A3 The Smile
A4 A Dream
B1 Song Of Innocence
B2 Merlin’s Prophecy
B3 The Mental Traveler
Credits:
Composed By, Arranged By, Producer – David Axelrod
Conductor – Don Randi
Engineer [Recording] – Joe Polito
Performer – Al Casey (2), Allen Di Rienzo*, Alvin Dinkin, Anne Goodman, Arnold Belnick, Arthur Maebe*, Benjamin Barrett, Bobby Bruce, Carol Kaye, Douglas Davis, Earl Palmer, Freddie Hill, Gareth Nuttycombe, Gary Coleman, Gene Estes, Harold Schneier, Harry Bluestone, Harry Hyams, Henry Roth, Henry Sigismonti, Howard Roberts, Jack Shulman, Leonard Malarsky, Lew McCreary, Marshall Sosson, Myron Sandler, Nathan Ross, Ollie Mitchel*, Pete Wyant, Raphael Kramer, Richard Leith, Sid Sharp*, Tibor Zelig, Tony Terran, Vincent de Rosa*, Bill Hinshaw*
