- unknown

- unknown

Genre: rock

Rating: 2 stars **

Title:  Shamrock

Company: Blake Company

Catalog: AW #14049
Year: 1977

Country/State: California, US

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: minor ring wear

Available: SOLD

Catalog ID: SOLD 5710

Price: SOLD $150.00

Another tax scam obscurity ...  this one definitely ranks high on the rarity and mystery scales.  As far as I can tell there are no on-line reviews for this one.  Here's the bibliographical info lifted off of the liner notes:

- All five tracks penned by Traversino - Wayne Gunn who I think may have been a recording engineer at Quantum Studios ???

- Self-produced

- Recorded at Don Sciarrotta and Howard Steele's Quantum Recording Studio, Terrance, California

So what's this one sound like?  Well the five "Shamrock" tracks were all instrumentals with the bulk of the collection showcasing a surprisingly likeable jazz-rock feel.  That'll be an instant turnoff to a bunch of folks (and normally I'd be one of them), but that wasn't the case this time out.  You almost got the impression this was some A-list player who need some spare cash to pay off his coke habit, or maybe buy the girlfriend some condo furniture.   Whoever the player was certainly had talent, but was wasting in on this enterprise.

"Shamrock" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Gypsy (instrumental)   (Traversino - Wayne Gunn) - 4:12   rating: *** stars

The lead off effort 'Gypsy' was built on some nice, dirty electric guitar (shades of Jeff 'Skunk' Baxter) giving off kind of  a mid-career Santana-meets- Steely Dan feel,  That's actually an interesting descriptor given that Steely Dan did some of their work at Quantum Studios.  

2.) Shamrock (instrumental)   (Traversino - Wayne Gunn) - 5:25   rating: ** stars

The sax-propelled title track was pretty, but ultimately a little too cocktail jazzy for my tastes. 

3.) Knotty Pines (instrumental)   (Traversino - Wayne Gunn) - 9:27   rating: ** stars

While it suffered from some poor sound quality, 'Knotty Pines' opted for a nice jazz-rock groove with clarinet, electric keyboard, and fuzz guitar solos.  Jeff Beck-meets-mid-'70s Traffic.  Yeah, clocking in at over nine minutes it was a bit on the long side ...    

(side 2)
1.) Midnight (instrumental)   (Traversino - Wayne Gunn) - 5:59   rating: ** stars

Side two opened with the one truly disposable track - 'Midnight'.  Showcasing an anonymous sax player this one was pure lounge act lightweight jazz moves without any redeeming qualities.  Yech and it seemed endless.   

2.) It's Not Forever (instrumental)   (Traversino - Wayne Gunn) - 6:02   rating: ** stars

'It's Not Forever' wasn't exactly a rock-your-sock-off undertaking either.  Imagine something along the lines of mid-1970s Chuck Mangione and you'd get a feel for this one.  The saving grace was that the melody was okay.   

Clearly not that tax scam lost treasure you were hoping for so the price is predicated more by the fact it's a hard-to-score LP, rather than artistic merit ...