Cordon Bleu (album)
Encyclopedia
Cordon Bleu is the third album by the Dutch
symphonic rock
group Solution
. It was released in 1975
on Elton John
's label Rocket Records
.
in Monmouth
, Wales
, Cordon Bleu saw the main quartet of Willem Ennes, Tom Barlage, Guus Willemse and Hans Waterman complemented by Chiel Pos and Frankie Fish. Pos contributed acoustic guitar to "Last Detail" and tenor sax
to "Third Line" and "Whirligig", while Fish co-wrote the lyrics and also added backing vocals.
Like its predecessor Divergence
(1972), Cordon Bleu mixed long instrumental pieces ("Chappaqua" and "Whirligig") with shorter vocal songs which also featured instrumental passages ("Third Line", "Last Detail" and "Black Pearl"). "A Song for You" is the shortest song on the album, and is a more conventional pop song
. This was released as a single
in Europe, with an edited version of "Chappaqua" as the B-side. "Chappaqua" was issued as an A-side in its own right in some territories (backed by "Whirligig"), and was a B-side again to "Give Some More" in 1977/78.
Produced by Elton John's producer Gus Dudgeon
, the album had a crisper sound than Solution
and Divergence. This trend was continued on the following album Fully Interlocking
(1977), also produced by Dudgeon.
Cordon Bleu charted in the Netherlands
on 20 December 1975, reaching #18 and spending 11 weeks on the chart.
First released on vinyl and cassette
, it was later reissued by CBS
in 1980 and on Compact Disc
in 1988. In 2006, "Chappaqua", "Whirligig" and "Third Line" were included on the compilation The Ultimate Collection, with versions of the other three tracks featured on the live disc.
Produced by Gus Dudgeon.
Recorded at Rockfield Studios
in Wales.
Engineers: Pat Moran & Phil Dunne.
Remixed at Marquee Studios in London.
Engineers: Steve Holroyd & Gus Dudgeon.
Sleeve design & photography by Hipgnosis
Lettering by Richard Evans.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
symphonic rock
Symphonic rock
Symphonic rock is a sub-genre of progressive rock. Since early in progressive rock's history, the term has been used sometimes to distinguish more classically influenced progressive rock from the more psychedelic and experimental forms of progressive rock....
group Solution
Solution (band)
Solution were a Dutch progressive rock band that existed from 1970 to 1983, during which time they released six studio albums and one live album...
. It was released in 1975
1975 in music
-January–April:*January 2 - New York City U.S. District Court Judge Richard Owen rules that former Beatle John Lennon and his lawyers can have access to Department of Immigration files pertaining to his deportation case....
on Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
's label Rocket Records
Rocket Records
The Rocket Record Company was a record label founded by Elton John, with Bernie Taupin, Gus Dudgeon and Steve Brown among others, in 1972. The name is from the hit, "Rocket Man"...
.
History
Recorded at Rockfield StudiosRockfield Studios
Rockfield Studios, near Monmouth in Wales and just outside the village of Rockfield, Monmouthshire are where many of British rock music’s most successful recordings have been made.-History:...
in Monmouth
Monmouth
Monmouth is a town in southeast Wales and traditional county town of the historic county of Monmouthshire. It is situated close to the border with England, where the River Monnow meets the River Wye with bridges over both....
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, Cordon Bleu saw the main quartet of Willem Ennes, Tom Barlage, Guus Willemse and Hans Waterman complemented by Chiel Pos and Frankie Fish. Pos contributed acoustic guitar to "Last Detail" and tenor sax
Tenor saxophone
The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
to "Third Line" and "Whirligig", while Fish co-wrote the lyrics and also added backing vocals.
Like its predecessor Divergence
Divergence (album)
Divergence is the second album by the Dutch symphonic rock group Solution. It was released in 1972 on the EMI subsidiary Harvest Records.-History:This album is among the most progressive by the group...
(1972), Cordon Bleu mixed long instrumental pieces ("Chappaqua" and "Whirligig") with shorter vocal songs which also featured instrumental passages ("Third Line", "Last Detail" and "Black Pearl"). "A Song for You" is the shortest song on the album, and is a more conventional pop song
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
. This was released as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
in Europe, with an edited version of "Chappaqua" as the B-side. "Chappaqua" was issued as an A-side in its own right in some territories (backed by "Whirligig"), and was a B-side again to "Give Some More" in 1977/78.
Produced by Elton John's producer Gus Dudgeon
Gus Dudgeon
Angus Boyd Dudgeon , most commonly known as Gus Dudgeon was an English record producer, most notable for production of many of Elton John's recordings.-Early career:...
, the album had a crisper sound than Solution
Solution (album)
Solution is the first album by the Dutch symphonic rock group Solution. It was released in 1971 on the Decca label.-History:It is the only Solution album to feature original vocalist and bassist Peter van der Sande, who was replaced by Guus Willemse around the time of the LP release. Van der Sande...
and Divergence. This trend was continued on the following album Fully Interlocking
Fully Interlocking
Fully Interlocking is the fourth album by the Dutch symphonic rock group Solution. It was released in 1977 on Rocket Records. The line "Fully interlocking" appears on jigsaw puzzle boxes, as referenced on the album cover.-History:...
(1977), also produced by Dudgeon.
Cordon Bleu charted in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
on 20 December 1975, reaching #18 and spending 11 weeks on the chart.
First released on vinyl and cassette
Compact Cassette
The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
, it was later reissued by CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
in 1980 and on Compact Disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
in 1988. In 2006, "Chappaqua", "Whirligig" and "Third Line" were included on the compilation The Ultimate Collection, with versions of the other three tracks featured on the live disc.
Track listing
- "Chappaqua" (10:33)
- Music by Tom, Willem & Hans
- "Third Line Part 1" (1:38)
- Music by Tom, Willem & Guus
- Words by Michiel & Frankie
- "Part 2" (5:44)
- Music by Tom, Willem & Hans
- "A Song for You" (3:53)
- Music by Guus
- Words by Guus & Frankie
- "Whirligig" (9:00)
- Music by Tom, Willem & Guus
- "Last Detail Part 1" (2:48)
- Music by Tom, Willem & Guus
- Words by Michiel & Frankie
- "Part 2" (2:41)
- Music by Tom, Willem, Hans & Guus
- "Black Pearl Part 1" (1:14)
- Music by Tom, Guus & Michiel
- Words by Frankie
- "Part 2" (5:01)
- Music by Tom & Willem
Personnel
- Tom Barlage – alto saxAlto saxophoneThe alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
, soprano saxSoprano saxophoneThe soprano saxophone is a variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument, invented in 1840. The soprano is the third smallest member of the saxophone family, which consists of the soprillo, sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass, contrabass and tubax.A transposing instrument pitched in...
, flute, percussion - Willem Ennes – electric pianoElectric pianoAn electric piano is an electric musical instrument.Electric pianos produce sounds mechanically and the sounds are turned into electrical signals by pickups. Unlike a synthesizer, the electric piano is not an electronic instrument, but electro-mechanical. The earliest electric pianos were invented...
, acoustic piano, organ, Elka Rhapsody - Guus Willemse – bass guitar, lead vocals, electric guitar
- Hans Waterman – drums
- All backing vocals by Tom, Guus and Frankie Fish.
- Michiel Pos - additional tenor saxophone on "Third Line" and "Whirligig" and acoustic guitar on "Last Detail"
Produced by Gus Dudgeon.
Recorded at Rockfield Studios
Rockfield Studios
Rockfield Studios, near Monmouth in Wales and just outside the village of Rockfield, Monmouthshire are where many of British rock music’s most successful recordings have been made.-History:...
in Wales.
Engineers: Pat Moran & Phil Dunne.
Remixed at Marquee Studios in London.
Engineers: Steve Holroyd & Gus Dudgeon.
Sleeve design & photography by Hipgnosis
Hipgnosis
Hipgnosis was a British art design group that specialized in creating cover art for the albums of rock musicians and bands, most notably Pink Floyd, T.Rex, The Pretty Things, UFO, 10cc, Bad Company, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Scorpions, Yes, The Alan Parsons Project, Genesis, Peter Gabriel, ELO and XTC...
Lettering by Richard Evans.