KENNY LOGGINS – Back To Avalon [Japan miniLP remastered] Out Of Print

Requested by many, here’s the hard to find KENNY LOGGINS‘ album “Back To Avalon” in its last Japanese Edition, the only remaster available but completely sold out. It’s funny; you can get it in any bargain bin for $3, but used copies of this remaster are being sold for over $150.

By the time when “Back To Avalon” (1988) was done, Kenny Loggins had become the sultan of soundtracks. Albums seem to be just an afterthought, not much more than a sideline to his main stock-in-trade.
All his successes in recent years have come with songs recorded for movie projects. A partial list includes the title track from Footloose, ‘I’m Alright’ from the film Caddyshack, ‘Danger Zone’ from Top Gun and ‘Meet Me Half Way’ from Over The Top.

Apparently having studio time booked to record ‘Nobody’s Fool’ (the theme for Caddyshack II, which is included here), Loggins and his recording label decided to go ahead and knock off an album.
This LP should be the ’80s record comprising the most extensive ‘who’s who’ line up of the legendary ’80s LA Session musicians.

ALL are here; drummers Pat Mastelotto, Mike Baird and John Robinson, guitarists Dann Huff and Tim Pierce, Jai Winding on keys, Michael McDonald on keys and vocals, Luis Conte doing percussion, Jeff Pescetto, Richard Page, Mickey Thomas, Tata Vega and countless more on backing vocals, etc.

Of course, production is top notch including guru Peter Wolf (Starship), Dennis Lambert, Patrick Leonard, Mr. Mister’s Richard Page, the great Richie Zito, even cult producer Giorgio Moroder in the hit ‘Meet Me Half Way’ from the Over The Top soundtrack, also included into the CD as bonus track.

“Back To Avalon” is the more rock&pop sounding album from Loggins, something, at places, like what Richard Marx would do in his debut disc. Sure, Loggins still wields an enormously limber and rangy voice.
There’s a velvety collaboration with Michael McDonald (in the past Loggins and McDonald co-wrote the pop classic What a Fool Believes) in ‘She’s Dangerous’, a superb melody in ‘True Confessions’ (co-written by Martin Briley), and a really nice arrangements for ‘Isabella’s Eyes’.
I also really like the cool, jumpy reworking of Tell Him, the 1962 The Exciters hit — Loggins transposes it to ‘Tell Her’.

Is this “Back To Avalon – Japanese Edition remastered” worth the $150?
To fans of this album – for many, one of the best ’80s recordings – and overall ’80s lovers, the answer is yes.
The remaster has enhanced the already superb production value, everything feels vital, defined.
Very, very hard to find, this version needs a re-print as soon as possible.

You’ve seen it first here, at 0dayrox

Sony Music Japan ～ 【SICP-2285】
[Cardboard Sleeve miniLP] [Limited Release]

01 – Nobody’s Fool (Theme from Caddyshack II)
02 – I’m Gonna Miss You
03 – Tell Her
04 – One Woman
05 – Back To Avalon
06 – She’s Dangerous
07 – True Confessions
08 – Hope For The Runaway
09 – Isabella’s Eyes
10 – Blue On Blue
11 – Meet Me Half Way (Over The Top soundtrack)

Kenny Loggins – Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards
Pat Mastelotto – Drums
Mike Baird – Drums
John “4 Daddman” Robinson – Drums
Mickey Curry – Drums
Jonathan Moffett – Drums
Dann Huff – Guitar, Instrumentation
Tim Pierce – Guitar
Brian Banks – Guitar, Synthesizer
Steve Ferris – Guitar
Robert F. McRae – Guitar
David Williams – Guitar
Anthony Marinelli – Synthesizer, Guitar
John Pierce – Bass
Arthur Barrow – Bass, Synthesizer
Jai Winding – Piano
Michael McDonald – Keyboards, Vocals
Kim Bullard – Keyboards, Programming
Gary Chang – Keyboards, Synclavier, Synths
Claude Gaudette – Keyboards, Programming
Steve George – Keyboards, Vocals
Terry Wilson – Synthesizer
Luis Conte – Percussion
Gary Grant – Tenor saxophone
Dan Higgins – Tenor saxophone
Jerry Hey – Horn Arrangements
Patrick Leonard – Keyboards, Programming, Producer
Giorgio Moroder – Producer, Synthesizer
Richard Page – Producer, Background vocals
Peter Wolf – Bass, Drums, Keyboards, Producer
Richie Zito – Guitar, Producer
Jeff Pescetto, Grace Slick, Mickey Thomas, Tata Vega, Maxine Anderson, Donny Baldwin, Merry Clayton, Carol Dennis, Siedah Garrett, Jim Gilstrap, Tampa Lann – Background vocals

Out of Print
www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/SICP-2285
.