Joseph Baneth Allen's Blog, page 75

October 10, 2022

A World Away

Just finished listening to "A World Away" by 2002, released by Galactic Playground Music.
"A World Away" is a bit of a departure for 2002 usual style of instrumental music to tell a story, "A World Away" combines vocals along with instrumental music cosmic love story, of kindred spirits traveling together through many times and many worlds, becoming lost and separated from one another, and before being finally reunited.
My favorite tracks on this CD are: "The Stars Will Guide Us," "The Space Between," "Butterfly," "Stars and Moon," and "Dream of Life."
Strongly Recommended.
Five Stars.






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Published on October 10, 2022 12:44 Tags: a-world-away

"The Adventures of Harry Nile - The Hour of My Death & Other Mysteries."

Just finished listening to "The Adventures of Harry Nile - The Hour of My Death & Other Mysteries."
Created by Jim French, "The Adventures of Harry Nile" has the distinction of being the longest running audio detective series that aired on the radio waves. First airing back on January 1, 1976 with about an hour-long episode that introduced the down-on-his luck former cop who ultimately sets up shop as a private detective, it had an initial two year run before going on a 12-year hiatus before returning to the air back in 1990, deftly picking up where the show initially ended.
Like many private eyes, Harry started out as a cop. As a rookie on the Chicago police force, Harry was recruited by the department’s Internal Affairs. We find out that Harry’s real last name is actually Niletti; he changed it before he joined the force to protect his family from potential coercion or retaliation by the Mob.
Yet when his beautiful blues-singer wife is killed in a nightclub shooting, Harry goes into a major tailspin. He resigns from the police force after exposing corruption at a Chicago precinct. After piling up substantial gambling debts, he hits rock-bottom and agrees to travel to L.A. to do a “little favor” for the holder of his markers, a Windy City crime boss. The “little favor” involves the murder of a rival crime boss. He manages not to do the deed and ends up staying on the West Coast, working as a private eye, first in Los Angeles, and later, in Seattle.
Jim French, who created and wrote a vast majority of the Harry Nile scripts, used his knowledge of Los Angeles and Seattle as they were in the 1940’s and 50’s to paint rich period backgrounds that are historically accurate and add interest and flavor to his stories.
Phil Harper, the actor who originally played Harry, was quoted in an interview that he drew on his remembrances of some of the great radio detectives as inspiration for his portrayal. “I drew some of my character’s rumbly voice from Howard Duff who played Sam Spade and from an actor who played Johnny Dollar, possibly Edmond O’Brien, on the radio,” Harper said.
Harper's portrayal of Harry Nile helped the show gain a cult status.
While a lot of information about Jim French Productions can be found online, I do wish that Radio Spirits would invest the time and money to include booklets in their releases of Jim French Productions collections.
My favorite episodes in this collection in this collection are: "The Case of the Baffled Ballerina," "Blues for Maggie Brown," "The Dollar Value of Death," The Case of the Sinister Minister," "The Hour of My Death," "The Case of the Ten-Story Tombstone," "Funeral At Midnight," and "My Kid, The Cop."
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!



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Published on October 10, 2022 11:32

"The Adventures of Harry Nile - Black Widow & Other Mysteries

Just finished listening to "The Adventures of Harry Nile - Black Widow & Other Mysteries.
Created by Jim French, "The Adventures of Harry Nile" has the distinction of being the longest running audio detective series that aired on the radio waves. First airing back on January 1, 1976 with about an hour-long episode that introduced the down-on-his luck former cop who ultimately sets up shop as a private detective, it had an initial two year run before going on a 12-year hiatus before returning to the air back in 1990, deftly picking up where the show initially ended.
Like many private eyes, Harry started out as a cop. As a rookie on the Chicago police force, Harry was recruited by the department’s Internal Affairs. We find out that Harry’s real last name is actually Niletti; he changed it before he joined the force to protect his family from potential coercion or retaliation by the Mob.
Yet when his beautiful blues-singer wife is killed in a nightclub shooting, Harry goes into a major tailspin. He resigns from the police force after exposing corruption at a Chicago precinct. After piling up substantial gambling debts, he hits rock-bottom and agrees to travel to L.A. to do a “little favor” for the holder of his markers, a Windy City crime boss. The “little favor” involves the murder of a rival crime boss. He manages not to do the deed and ends up staying on the West Coast, working as a private eye, first in Los Angeles, and later, in Seattle.
Jim French, who created and wrote a vast majority of the Harry Nile scripts, used his knowledge of Los Angeles and Seattle as they were in the 1940’s and 50’s to paint rich period backgrounds that are historically accurate and add interest and flavor to his stories.
Phil Harper, the actor who originally played Harry, was quoted in an interview that he drew on his remembrances of some of the great radio detectives as inspiration for his portrayal. “I drew some of my character’s rumbly voice from Howard Duff who played Sam Spade and from an actor who played Johnny Dollar, possibly Edmond O’Brien, on the radio,” Harper said.
Harper's portrayal of Harry Nile helped the show gain a cult status.
Of particular interest in this collection is that it starts off with the last show from the original run, "The Case of the Lisping Lover" that aired back on June 13, 1978, and the first 20 episodes from when the show returned back on the air in 1991 with the episode, "Favor For A Friend," on December 16, 1990.
While a lot of information about Jim French Productions can be found online, I do wish that Radio Spirits would invest the time and money to include booklets in their releases of Jim French Productions collections.
My favorite episodes in this collection in this collection are: "The Case of the Lisping Lover," "Favor For A Friend," "Maybe There is A Santa Claus," "Mr. Fixer," "Blood Ties," "Sticky Fingers," "Crime In A Bottle," "Floater," and The Case of The Exeter Audition."
HIGHLY RECOMMENED!
TEN STARS!











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Published on October 10, 2022 11:24

"Sherlock Holmes - The Game is Afoot"

Just finished listening to "Sherlock Holmes - The Game is Afoot" released by Radio Spirits.
During Radio's Golden Age, it was common to create shows based on popular movies of the day and hire the original actors who starred on the silver screen to reprise their roles. Such of the case of actors Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce when they reprised their roles of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.
While Basil Rathbone came to despise being typecast in the role of literature's greatest detective and tried to leave Sherlock Holmes behind, he is still considered to the the epitome of the character and to many is "the Sherlock Holmes" because his portrayal is spot on timeless in the role. Likewise with Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson.
This collection of episodes from the original radio series staring Bruce and Rathbone is 10 episodes based Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic Sherlock Holmes stories.
My favorite episodes in this collection are: "The Great Gondolfo," "The Case of the Accidental Murderess," "Christmas Eve Show," "The Manor House Case," and "Murder by Moonlight."
Highly Recommended!
Ten Stars!


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Published on October 10, 2022 10:55

Fairy Tales

Just finished listening to "Fairy Tales" by David Arkenstone, released by Green Hill Music.
With a Celtic flair that incorporates traditional instruments, Arkenstone weaves an original musical tapestry that takes listeners on a journey of long ago and far away to a simpler time where it was easy to slip inbetween the veil that separated the mortal realms from those of Fairy.
My favorite tracks on this CD are: "Midsommar Stars," "Call of the Fae," "Festival of Lupercalia," "Hope Springs," and "Legends and Limericks."
Highly Recommended!
Ten Stars!





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Published on October 10, 2022 10:15 Tags: fairy-tales

"K-9 Audio Annual"

Just finished listening to "K-9 Audio Annual" released by BBC Audio.
Selected from various Doctor Who and K-9 annuals from World Distributors from the 1980s and onward, the "K-9 Audio Annual" is a collection of narrated adventures featuring K-9 in his various incarnations alongside Sarah Jane Smith, Aunt Lavinia,, Brendan, the Fourth Doctor, and Romana. It's interesting to note that all the outings with Sarah Jane and K-9 are similarly styled after the failed pilot featuring the two.
Alternately narrated by Bonnie Langford - who played Mel - the last companion of the Sixth Doctor - and John Leeson, who originally voiced K-9, along with Dan Starkey and Geoffrey Beevers, the seven stories in this audio annual are either adapted from comic adventures the annuals and/or the short stories that are also in the annuals. [Note: personally, I find the older annuals from World Distributors better since they are more comprehensive with their story telling.] Each narrator does a superb job in bringing each tale to life and each story does adhere to the established cannon of Classic Doctor.
My favorite episodes in this collection are: "The Monster of Lock Crag," "The Shourd of Azaroth," "Light Fantastic," and "Reluctant Warriors."
Strongly Recommended!
Five Stars!








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Published on October 10, 2022 09:59 Tags: k-9-audio-annual

October 9, 2022

"Artefact"

Just finished listening to "Artefact" by John Agebjorin and Mikael Ogren released by Spotted Peccary Music.
To the best of my knowledge, this is the second original release of music based on one of the late Arthur C. Clarke's novel - this time the inspiration was "Rendezvous With Rama."
Agebjorn and Ogren have created a brilliant unofficial soundtrack for Clarke's multiple award winning novel by using vintage synthesizers for some of their compositions.
My favorite tracks on this CD are: "Flight Over The Sea," "The Hall of Crystals," "Space Travel," Passing The Gates," and "Final Sight."
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!







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Published on October 09, 2022 20:13 Tags: artefact

"Jim French Productions - The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Ripper Inheritance"

Just finished listening to "Jim French Productions - The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Ripper Inheritance" released by Radio Spirits.
Now as frequent readers of my reviews here on Facebook and other Social Media Sites know, I am a firm believer in fair and full disclosure whenever I have a connection with a book, movie, music CD, and or audio drama. While I have never met or talked with Lawrence Albert, who portrays Dr. Watson in Jim French Productions audio adaptations of the classic Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and in "The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes."
Now while information about this series can be obtained on the Internet, I do wish that Radio Spirits would include a booklet detailing the history of Jim French Productions, highlighting the production team and writers that created this and other audio drama series that aired and were released by Jim French Productions. Granted, these are not audio productions from Radio's Golden Age, but the history does deserve to be preserved and passed on as well. Plus, if the power ever goes out, the Internet goes bye-bye.
My favorite episodes in this collection are: "The Margate Deception," "The Winterbourne Phantom," "The Moriaty Resurrection," "The Dreadnaught Papers," "The Blackmailer of Lancaster Gate," "The Ripper Inheritance," and "The Singular Affair of The Star of Tibet."
Sadly, I think this collection is no longer available in CD form. It's not available on Radio Spirit's website.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!











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Published on October 09, 2022 18:12

"Jim French Productions - The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Deadly Tradition and Other Mysteries"

Just finished listening to "Jim French Productions - The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Deadly Tradition and Other Mysteries" released by Radio Spirits.
Now as frequent readers of my reviews here on Facebook and other Social Media Sites know, I am a firm believer in fair and full disclosure whenever I have a connection with a book, movie, music CD, and or audio drama. While I have never met or talked with Lawrence Albert, who portrays Dr. Watson in Jim French Productions audio adaptations of the classic Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and in "The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes."
Now while information about this series can be obtained on the Internet, I do wish that Radio Spirits would include a booklet detailing the history of Jim French Productions, highlighting the production team and writers that created this and other audio drama series that aired and were released by Jim French Productions. Granted, these are not audio productions from Radio's Golden Age, but the history does deserve to be preserved and passed on as well. Plus, if the power ever goes out, the Internet goes bye-bye.
My favorite episodes in this collection are: "The Addleton Tragedy," "The Ferrer's Engine, " "A Case of Unfinished Business,," "The Singular Affair at Sissinghurst Castle," "The Abernetty Transactions," and "The Elusive Mr. Phillimore."
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!




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Published on October 09, 2022 16:32

October 8, 2022

"Jim French Productions The Classic Adventures of Sherlock Holmes"

Just finished listening to "Jim French Productions The Classic Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" released by Radio Spirits.
Now as frequent readers of my reviews here on Facebook and other Social Media Sites know, I am a firm believer in fair and full disclosure whenever I have a connection with a book, movie, music CD, and or audio drama. While I have never met or talked with Lawrence Albert, who portrays Dr. Watson in Jim French Productions audio adaptations of the classic Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and in "The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes."
Now while information about this series can be obtained on the Internet, I do wish that Radio Spirits would include a booklet detailing the history of Jim French Productions, highlighting the production team and writers that created this and other audio drama series that aired and were released by Jim French Productions. Granted, these are not audio productions from Radio's Golden Age, but the history does deserve to be preserved and passed on as well. Plus, if the power ever goes out, the Internet goes bye-bye.
My favorite episodes from this faithful audio adaptations of Doyle's tales of Sherlock Holmes stories are: "The Sussex Vampire," "The Problem of Thor Bridge,' "A Scandal In Bohemia," "The Missing Three Quarter," "The Six Napoleons," and "The Second Stain."
Another great outing of Sherlock Homes and Dr. Watson from Jim French Productions!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!







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Published on October 08, 2022 11:06