Now-Again Records officially sanctioned release, this is the definitive reissue of The Stark Reality’s Discovers The Hoagy Carmichael’s Music Shop from 1970, a heavily improvised reinvention of a 1958 children's album, now cut directly from the master tapes by Bernie Grundman and presented as an archival reissue, in a replica of its original gatefold package.

• All Analog Cut By Bernie Grundman
• Cut directly from the Original Master Tapes
• Extensive over-sized booklet with rare photos
• New liner notes and annotations
• Replica of Original Gatefold Cover
• Pressed at RTI, USA

The story of The Stark Reality's Discovers The Hoagy Carmichael's Music Shop begins in Boston the late 1960s, with a wild jazz -- as psychedelic as they were modal, as funky as they were swinging -- band based in Boston landing a deal with Ahmad Jamal's nascent AJP imprint after the legendary jazz pianist heard their demo recordings.

They had been tasked by the great American songsmith Hoagy Carmichael's son, Hoagy Bix Carmichael, to create interpretations of the elder Carmichael's children songs for a Mr. Rogers-themed show that the younger Carmichael was producing for local PBS affiliate WGBH.

The quartet -- Monty Stark on vibes, Phil Morrison on bass, Vinnie Johnson on drums and a very young John Abercrombie on fuzz guitar -- recorded an album that flopped upon its initial release and went on to become one of -- as Mojo Magazine noted -- 'the most prized 'funk' artifacts of all time... a project that allies Hendrix-stoned guitars, heavily-fuzzed vibraphone and Bitches Brew rhythms...' Now-Again Records, who has kept the Stark Reality's music in print since 2002, presents the definitive reissue of The Stark Reality's Discovers The Hoagy Carmichael's Music Shop.

Musicians:

Monty Stark (Vibes & Voice)
Phil Morrison (Bass)
Vinnie Johnson (Drums)
John Abercrombie (Guitar)

Track Listing:

A1 Merry Go Round
A2 Junkman’s Song
A3 Thirty Days Hath September
A4 The Whale
A5 The Old Prospector
B1 Grandfather Clock
B2 Cooking
B3 Shooting Stars
B4 Rocket Ship
C1 Dreams
C2 Blue Pillow
C3 Swing High
C4 Clouds
C5 Traveling
D1 Bustin’ Out Of Doors
D2 Comrades
D3 All You Need To Make Music

Click here to listen to samples on YouTube.com ♫