The Good Life: Bruton Music Compilation

This compilation focuses on the sections of the Bruton Music library containing romantic and jazz-orientated music. The accent is very much on elegant, melodic sounds and several of Bruton’s leading composers are featured – Steve Gray, Johnny Pearson, Keith Mansfield, David Lindup, Chris Gunning and Jeremy Lubbock.

Recorded between 1978 and 1985, the material ranges from lush, orchestral easy listening to sophisticated jazz-funk, representing some of the finest music within the Bruton library. Steve Gray’s contributions include the beautiful orchestral grooves of Early Riser, Billowing Sails and Honeymoon and the smooth jazz-funk of Chique and Golden Groove, while Johnny Pearson is featured with the heartfelt Pleasant Pastimes and Marine Drive.

The sultry and atmospheric jazz of Dawn Blues comes from the pen of John Dankworth collaborator David Lindup, and Keith Mansfield provides the characteristically funky Warm Glow.

Nowadays, Chris Gunning is best known as a composer of music for the concert hall, but in the ’70s, television, film, documentary and library music constituted a large part of his output (he wrote the famous Martini advertising jingle 'The Right One'). Here, he contributes the sensuous, Barry White-inspired Fragrance.

British-born Jeremy Lubbock departed for America in 1977 where he has worked with Quincy Jones, Joni Mitchell and David Foster, among many others, but before doing so, he wrote several titles for Bruton Music. Two of the best, Leisure and Hazy Days, are heard here.
 
The 25 titles on this CD illustrate why Bruton Music, quite simply, was leagues ahead of the competition.
 
Contents:
- Matter of Importance (2) (Keith Mansfield): Industrial Power (1978)
- Night Games (Robert Folk): Summer Thoughts (1980)
- Billowing Sails (Steve Gray): The Good Life (1982)
- Early Riser (Steve Gray): Leisure (1978)
- Flying High (Steve Gray): Televisual (1984)
- Vacation (Steve Gray): Vacations (1980)
- Honeymoon (Steve Gray): The Good Life (1982)
- Night Moods (Steve Gray): Blow Out (1980)
- Flying Bird (Steve Gray): The Good Life (1982)
- Leisure (Jeremy Lubbock): Golden Plains (1978)
- Pleasant Pastimes (Johnny Pearson): Pleasant Pastimes (1985)
- Going Places (Steve Gray): Progress (1978)
- Fragrance (Chris Gunning): Fragrance (1978)
- Beverly Hills (Steve Gray): Relax (1979)
- Times Square (Mike Moran): City Limits (1981)
- Francoise (Brian Wade): Soft Illusions (1978)
- Voulez Vous (Chris Gunning): Fragrance (1978)
- Sunshine Drive (Steve Gray): Happiness (1978)
- Marine Drive (Johnny Pearson): Cottage Industry/Safari Rally (1981)
- Golden Groove (Steve Gray): Blow Out (1980)
- Hazy Days (Jeremy Lubbock): Golden Plains (1978)
- Chique (Steve Gray): Blow Out (1980)
- Warm Glow (Keith Mansfield): Leisure (1978)
- Sugar Loaf (Steve Gray): Blow Out (1980)
- Dawn Blues (David Lindup): Small Band Jazz (1979)

Includes an 8-page booklet detailing the history of Bruton Music as well as biographical information and the stories behind the music.

Remastered from the original analogue tapes.
First time on CD.