Stanley Turrentine - Spooky

ORIGINATION 45
LAST LISTENED TO in the past fortnight
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT ok
RATING

Stanley Turrentine was a sax player on Blue Note records when he recorded this with a big band in 1968. It is a cracking version of the pop hit that manages to transform the tune into something similar to a cop show tune. It's got all the correct ingredients for the genre: big, driving beats, large brass section and a hard-blown lead instrument.

This was, in fact, the first version of this song that i heard and it was many year before i realised that there were even words to it! I first knew it from a Blue Note compilation called 'Lost Grooves' but was lucky enough to spot the original 45 release on a trip to London a few years back. Up to the early 90s it was the only release the track was given.

I've tried finding other Turrentine material from the period, but none of it sounds like this, which explains why it was only ever put out on single. Most of it was, unfortunately, not very good easy listening and has never been played again.