Ivor Cutler Ludo CD - Import

Credited to the Ivor Cutler Trio, 1967's Ludo was produced by George Martin and recorded shortly after longtime fan John Lennon cast Cutler as Buster Bloodvessel in the Beatles' ill-fated Magical Mystery Tour film. Backed by bassist Gill Lyons and percussionist Trevor Tompkins, Cutler indulges his taste for trad jazz on tunes like the boogie-woogie "Mud" and the Goon Show-like "Good Morning! How Are You? Shut Up!" and "A Great Grey Grasshopper." Since Martin had produced records by Peter Sellers and the other Goons prior to the Beatles' success, his sensibility matches Cutler's perfectly, making Ludo one of Cutler's very best albums. It's certainly his funniest; the brief "I'm Happy," which continues "and I'll punch the man who says I'm not," and the outstandingly bizarre "A Suck of My Thumb" are probably the goofiest songs the artist ever wrote. Ludo is light on his usual poems and recitations, but the two short stories, "Mary's Drawer" and "The Shapely Balloon," are as funny and clever as any of Cutler's spoken works. ~ Stewart Mason

The only official recording by the Ivor Cutler Trio, this collection of some of Mr. Cutler's best loved songs, poems & stories were recorded in laissez-faire style by George Martin at Abbey Road, as one of the very first Air Productions. Highlighting the celebrated Scottish poet & raconteur's skill as a pianist & arranger as well as his unique way with language, it is one of his best recordings. Having launched Mr. Cutler's film career with a typically enigmatic starring role in the Beatles' film 'Magical Mystery Tour', which made him a film star of some renown, it was inevitable that Parlophone the Beatles' then label, would want a recording by the great man on it's catalogue.2002.

Illustrator: Ivor Cutler.

Arrangers: George Martin; Ivor Cutler.

Personnel: Ivor Cutler (vocals, piano, harmonium, keyboards); Denis Blackham (synthesizer); Trevor Tomkins (drums, percussion).

Recording information: 1967.