CD Duration: 50.47 / Year: 2014
Great new CD containing sixteen James Bond Themes, played on Wersi’s Helios W2S & Spectra CD700 Golden Gate (with bass and drums from a Yamaha Tyros 2).
You Only Live Twice
A View To A Kill
Diamonds Are Forever
From Russia With Love
The Man With The Golden Gun
Nobody Does It Better
Goldfinger
Live And Let Die
For Your Eyes Only
We Have All The Time In The World (from “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”)
Skyfall
Thunderball
The Living Daylights
License To Kill
All Time High
James Bond Theme
Latest from John Kyffin
Organ and Keyboard Cavalcade Review by Ian King
As mentioned last issue, this is the new CD from John Kyffin. I hinted at the theme last time by dropping the title, “I’ve Been Expecting You”. I hope this wasn’t too cryptic and you got the fact that this is a CD crammed full of James Bond themes. As (nearly) always, this CD is recorded on Wersi’s Helios W2S & Spectra CD700 Golden Gate, with bass and drums from a Yamaha Tyros 2.
Now I think most people would agree that the James Bond themes are of great quality, but there are a few exceptions. Some of the not-so-good ones have been left off this CD, but there are a couple from the likes of Duran Duran and a-ha which haven’t. However, even these do sound a hell of a lot better on here than they did on the originals (in my humble opinion).
The CD starts with a bang, or rather a gong, and an excellent version of “You Only Live Twice” with orchestral and Wersi arrangement. Duran Duran’s effort next and “A View To A Kill” which has all the orchestral hits of the original but with Simon Le Bon’s vocal replaced with a Wersi (…result!). “From Russia With Love” next before we hear one which doesn’t usually make it on to organ CDs, “The Man With The Golden Gun”, recorded by Lulu and taken from the ONLY Bond film I’ve ever seen at the cinema, when I was about eight.
Carly Simon’s beautiful “Nobody Does It Better” next which was probably the best combination of movie and theme from Roger Moore’s ‘era’, followed by possibly the best from Sean Connery’s and “Goldfinger”. The classic “Live And Let Die” next, which has made it to quite a few CDs, but this is a great version with all the tempo changes and orchestral fireworks. Sheena Easton’s underrated “For Your Eyes Only” next which is really pretty as a keyboard piece. Louis Armstrong’s “We Have All The Time In The World” next.
Now comes my favourite and also the most recent, Adele’s gorgeous “Skyfall”. It starts softly, but we’re then into the soaring chorus and the magnificent Wersi-Sound underpinned with a haunting portamento mono-synth lead. This one really is a cracker (in a box of other crackers). A semi-forgotten theme next and “Thunderball” recorded by Tom Jones. Norway’s favourite a-ha next and “The Living Daylights”. The theme to Octopussy, “License To Kill” by Gladys Knight next, followed by another lovely tune and Rita Coolidge’s “All Time High”, before we sign off with the main James Bond Theme.
I’d really like to say this is my favourite John Kyffin CD, but with such a prolific output and so many great titles, I don’t think I can. With the excellent “Golden Girls” CD released a few months ago, I can’t even say it’s my favourite of his from 2014. which is a great shame as it beats the socks off most of the competition at the moment. However, it is a fabulous CD and is probably in my top three of the nineteen releases we currently stock (so far).
There’s a great shot of John on the back of the CD too which is sure to raise a smile. He’s playing the villain with the fluffy white cat being replaced by a mini keyboard.
Review by Ian King from Organ and Keyboard Cavalcade Magazine.