Grant Green (1935-1979) was a jazz guitarist and composer who recorded prolifically, and almost exclusively, for Blue Note Records as both a leader and a sideman. Green performed hard bop, soul jazz, bebop and Latin-tinged vibes while often doing so in an organ trio setting. His sound was immediately recognizable as he avoided chord structures and played single notes with the midrange maxed out to achieve his signature sound that was described as “lithe, loose, punchy, slightly bluesy and righteously groovy”.
The Too Much Iron in the Fire set from Trojan showcases a slew of lost tracks from Roderick “Blackbeard” Sinclair’s (Tappa Zukie’s older brother) studio in Kingston, JA; which, throughout the mid- to late-70s, cut supremely-heavy roots and dub vibrations. I purchased this disc back in the summer of 2004 when it dropped and vibed on it for a few years until some motherfucker broke into my car, ganked my stereo, and subsequently took off with Disc 1 from this set as it was inside the player at the time. To this day, I have yet to find anybody sharing this gem. I have Disc 2 already, but the fire is really contained in the first set. Web searching here and there has never turned up anything (at least nothing free). If I lived in NYC, I could just check it out at the New York Public Library (word!), but I don’t. So, if anyone out there has this record, send it over!
As requested, more Fela Kuti for Robel’s and your ears. The first LP is Perambulator whose cover credits the record to “The Black President Chief Priest Fela Anikulapo Kuti and the Egypt 80 Band”; however, it’s not really an Egypt 80 record since both sides were actually recorded back in 1977, when Fela still had his Afrika 70 band.
“Perambulator”first appeared in 1978 as the B-side to the French issue of Shuffering and Shmiling; “Frustration” (a.k.a. “Frustration of My Lady”) was set to be the B-side to 1977’s I Go Shout Plenty LP, which Decca ended up not releasing. “Frustration” is a re-recording of “My Lady’s Frustration,” the number Fela composed at the piano at Sandra Smith’s (Sandra Izsadore) house in Los Angeles back in 1969 when he resolved to ’stop fooling around’ and write ‘AFRICAN music’. Upon meeting in 1969, Smith would go on to become Fela’s lover, friend, and teacher; introducing him to The Autobiography of Malcolm X and opening his eyes to Black conciousness. The rest is history. - with comb & razor
The second LP, Original Sufferhead, released in 1981, stands as the first release from Fela’s new Egypt 80 band. The album makes criticism of the lack of basic necessities for African citizens, despite a wealth at the time from oil deposits.
This visually dramatic special illustrates the planet’s fragile state entirely from a birds-eye view in stunning high definition. With spectacular aerial views from more than 50 countries, viewers will see the extent of human impact on our landscapes. And not a moment too soon: In the past 50 years –a single lifetime — the Earth has been more radically changed than by all previous generations of humanity.
Nice piece on Karriem Riggins, drummer extraordinaire who dabbles equally in the world of jazz as he does in the world of hip-hop, via the East Bay Express. Well written and laced with information that I never knew about the man.
Madlib & J.Rocc recently took over Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide which airs weekly on BBC Radio 1. The full show streams below will be up for a week or so. Once they’re down, you can feast on Madlib’s part of the show via Stones Throw Podcast #47. Yeah yeah.
Eighteenth Street Lounge (ESL) Music have recently dropped a few albums to add to their already stellar catalog. Among the treats are Federico Aubele’s newest and most personal album yet, Amatoria. Inspired by the classic and passionate sounds of bolero and Argentinian tango, Aubele infuses his distinctive Spanish guitar sound with sultry vocals and subtle electronic beats to create a unique collage of intimate love songs.
Nickodemus - Sun People; ESL, 2009 (Still searching!)
Ocote Soul Sounds and Adrian Quesada, leaders of Anitbalas and Grupo Fantasma respectively, serve up more delights for your ears on their third full-length titled Coconut Rock.Vibe on their previous works here.
O.S.S. and Adrian Quesada - Coconut Rock; ESL, 2009 (Still searching!)
Chris Joss spinning more of his distinct style on the cleverly-titled Sticks. A sonic journey through the Asian sub-continent. Filled out by a lush tapestry of ethereal sitars, rubber-funk bass, cheeky organ riffs, snappy drum kicks and smoky atmospherics.
Ancient Astronauts dish out super-ecclectic bangers featuring a variety of new sonic collaborators including Bootie Brown and Imani of legendary hip-hop group The Pharcyde, Azeem, Tippa Irie, Bajka, Phat Old Mamas, Ulf Stricker, Raashan Ahmad and Entropik. We Are To Answer is a block-rockin’ boom-bappin’ sonic tour-de-force.
Ancient Astronauts - We Are To Answer; ESL, 2009 (Still searching!)
Of course I gotta conclude by saying ‘Fuck You’ to eMusic’s policy of discontinuing service to Thailand which effectively eliminated heaps of records from making their way to my ears. Toss these platters into that pile as well since they’re all available as I write this. Guess they’ll come free of charge. Eventually.
As per a request from Robel in the Netherlands, here’s Fela’s Underground System whose title track starts off with rhythms that are far faster and more urgent than those on most of Fela’s characteristically lengthy tracks. If that sounds like a marginal quality upon which to judge a song as a standout, well, something like a much faster and played-as-though-we-mean-it tempo really does help to differentiate it from the singer’s generally similar output of the 1970s and 80s. The backup singers also come in quickly with infectious chants, prior to a typical Fela lyric observing the difficulty in enacting positive political change in Africa. Hearing them sing in tandem with Fela instead of doing call-response patterns, as they do during much of the 28-minute cut, also makes for a refreshing variation. “Pansa Pansa,” at a mere (for Fela) 17 minutes, also gets your attention more than his average effort, with rapid propulsive beats and sprinkles of slightly dissonant jazzy piano. This 2001 reissue adds an extended version of “Confusion Break Bones” from his 1990 album, O.D.O.O.
Follow the links below for a healthy serving of Fela’s discography. Archive #1 features 18 albums of his work. Archive #2 features many others in addition to a wealth of other quality albums (Fela links are working, not all others are though). Essential research.
Music Is the Weapon may be short, but it’s essential viewing for Fela fans. Filmed in 1982, the 53-minute documentary captures the late Nigerian musician/activist at his peak. For the uninitiated, it’s hard to explain–in mere words–how one man could so successfully mate the sexuality of James Brown with the righteous politics of Bob Marley and sinuous sounds of Miles Davis. Fela drew as much inspiration for his “Afrobeat” from Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X as he did from funk, reggae, and jazz. Music Is the Weapon features interviews along with previously unreleased versions of “ITT”, “Power Show”, “Army Arrangement” and a live version of “Authority Stealing”. A controversial figure throughout his life, Fela is described as both “superstar” and “man of the people.” This short, but potent document ably explores that dichotomy. - Kathleen C. Fennessy
Fela!, the musical that the New York Times called “A Show That Melts Walls,” is scheduled to come to Broadway where it will be hosted by the Eugene O’Neill Theater.
The show about Afrobeat musician and activist Fela Anikulapo Kuti won strong reviews when it played 37 Arts in an extended run last summer, and this spring it went on to pick up legit kudos including a Lucille Lortel for musical and an Obie for thespian Sahr Ngaujah, who originated the role of Kuti and returns to play the part.
The plot follows not only Fela’s musical career - in which he combined jazz, funk and African traditions to become a pioneer in world music - but also his personal life and work as an activist opposing the corrupt military government of post-colonial Nigeria.
Conceived by Bill T. Jones, Jim Lewis and Steve Hendel with a score, comprising Fela’s tunes, performed by Brooklyn band Antibalas, led by Aaron Johnson.
Fela! begins previews Oct. 19 ahead of a Nov. 23 opening.
The SA-RA Creative Partners is a trio of accomplished musicians, producers and trendsetters, comprised of Om’Mas Keith, Taz Arnold and Shafiq Husayn. On their musical quest they have dazzled with amazing productions, collections, mixes and remixes.
On Nuclear Evolution: The Age of Love, The SA-RA Creative Partners blend next-level production with a unique and unconstrained blend of street wit, tall stories, and intergalactic sounds. Musical, adventurous, and even more evolved than anything they’ve done before, Nuclear Evolution also shows a controlled, polished, and in-the-pocket side to their work. It is an album on which SRCP further prove that they are a musical force to be reckoned with.
The funk on this compilation is contemporary but the message of funk is as old as humanity itself. Funk as Tramp Records sees it is a vibrant and viable music that was born from a transformative period in American history - the sound of the growing pains of a young country. Contemporary Funk gathers inspired bands from today whose hearts still beat for funk’s timeless truth, and connects them with this rich legacy of American music.
Today, the rhythm and earnestness of true funk can be found in all corners of the World, and this compilation is evidence that the innocence and purity of the original message remains strong. Affectation and phoniness can’t seem to take hold in funk as long as the unenlightened or uninitiated players aren’t trying to wah-wah their way through one-dimensional cartoon-like clichés. Afro wigs and ‘booty’ references only help to reinforce racist stereotypes and obstruct funk from realizing it’s true potential as an uplifting music for all the people of the world.
Contemporary Funk assembles bands which hearts beat for the original, raw soul sound they want to keep alive in its original form. The Sugarman 3, whose former musicians are now members of the famous Dap-Kings (of Sharon Jones fame) are included just as Will Holland (Quantic Soul Orchestra). Also Finlands no.1 funk band, the Soul Investigators (of Nicole Willis fame) are to be found within some more heavy acts. However, the aim was to focus on new bands on the scene such as Derobert & the Half-Truths, The Funk Revolution or The Ben Martin Trio, to name a few. Original funk music lives on in the 21st century and‚ Contemporary Funk is a great proof for that.
Previously-unreleased work from the Budos Band — recorded a few years back in Brooklyn, and finally seeing the light of day on this sweet vinyl-only EP! The grooves here are wonderful — and show the group really picking up a lot of global elements in their funk — some key Ethiopian lines in the horn passages and keyboards, mixed with deeper American elements in the rhythms — all wrapped up with the kind of perfect production that’s always made the Daptone label one of the most trusted imprints we know for deep funk! Stunning throughout — and why the hell they didn’t release this stuff years back is beyond us — but we’re more than happy to have it now. - Dusty Groove
This Film Is Not Yet Ratedis an independent documentary film about the Motion Picture Association of America’s (MPAA) rating system and its effect on American culture. The film discusses disparities the filmmaker sees in ratings and feedback: between Hollywood and independent films, between homosexual and heterosexual sexual situations, between male and female sexual depictions, and between violence and sexual content.
As it turns out, Kirby Dick’s eye-opening documentary isn’t rated. When he submitted it to the MPAA, they slapped it with an NC-17 (though he had always intended to release it unrated). This is fitting since he sheds much-needed light on the inner workings of a secretive organization that wields great power over the movies the public gets to see (since most mainstream media won’t touch the dreaded NC-17). It’s just as well since This Film Is Not Yet Rated focuses on the more controversial films of the past three decades.
Aside from the stories of filmmakers who have tussled with the MPAA, Dick hires a private investigator to determine who sits on the board, since this information isn’t in the public domain. With her assistance, he solves the mystery. Though frequently humorous, This Film Is Not Yet Rated should be required viewing for serious film fans, because the MPAA doesn’t just affect what gets seen - but what gets made.
Less than a year after the acclaimed Ghost Rock, NOMO have completed its
spirited sister album recorded during the Ghost Rock sessions and tours. Invisible Cities is informed by their ceaseless travelling, and visits to
places both real and unreal. The sonic empire of NOMO is expanding; busting
up genres and musical borders with astonishing results. With a theme stolen
from Italian novelist Italo Calvino, each tune on Invisible Cities is a
little world of its own, dense with rhythm and timbre. Hot horns blaze
through intersecting lines, heavy percussion drives the band down winding
streets, the bass rumbles in some subterranean corridor. The sounds come from far reaching points, not from a fixed place on a globe, but from an area of the human spirit; one that is joyous, open and in motion.
Like Ghost Rock, Invisible Cities reaches into new places both sonically and
emotionally, and pulls up some real bangers: The title tracks horns are
drenched in Echoplex and its driving beat is straight from the swamp. “Bumbo”, Moondogs best tune, gets a NOMO island makeover, with a set of antique fire extinguishers clanging away in a 21st century steel drum style. “Crescent” is a shimmering silver stream of electric kalimbas, with handclaps and bamboo flutes giving the tune a more delicate feel than NOMO has offered up on previous albums. Giving “Elijah” a listen, its immediately apparent that this is stirring spiritual jazz of a higher order; the tune was written as a lament for one of bandleader Elliot Bergmans childhood friends. Warren Defevers immaculate production work creates a space where the music can grow, develop, layer on top of itself, and reveal this band in artful new ways.
Lee Fields is a bona-fide, 100%, unadulterated, pure, gut-bucket soul singer. While the crate-digging funk and soul community bestowed “legendary” status upon him due to his undeniably solid series of rare 7″ singles (and one LP) recorded and released on his own independent labels in the 70s, he’s never been one to sit in a dusty corner. New York label/production team Truth & Soul, are ready to bring him to light with a brand new album of beat-heavy, deep soul ballads that will show soul-revivalists the world over what real soul is.
When Truth & Soul rose from Soul Fire’s ashes in 2004, the first mission of label owners/producers Jeff Silverman and Leon Michels, was to record a sweet soul record that would be modeled after the near perfect formula that bands like The Moments, The Delfonics, and The Stylistics had created. But with a decidedly modern bend.
Four years later and Lee Fields & The Expressions have successfully created a unique and personal sound that can hold court with the bands they set out to emulate. However, what they’ve created in the process goes beyond just a carbon copy of a sweet soul music from the 60’s and early 70’s. The formula has remained the same but the style has been adapted for the ears of youngsters whose experiences with soul began with Amy, not Al, Otis and Marvin. Thirty years of retrospection has colored this cross-generational melding of the minds. It sounds odd on paper, but the results are classic: hip hop-reared record collectors come full circle to produce an album of beautiful soul music with one of the progenitors who made it all possible.
While in New York working on material for an upcoming album with Truth & Soul, Aloe Blacc took on the additional task of remixing the title track off the upcoming Lee Fields & the Expressions album. As politically charged as the original, “Truth, Deception, & Lies” is not just good music, but a bona-fide, unfeigned, rap proclamation.
Fela Anikulapo Kuti is generally credited as the “inventor” of Afrobeat, and his contributions-as a catalyst, bandleader and lyricist-were indeed crucial. But the credit needs to be shared with Allen, Kuti’s drummer from 1964 - 1980, who created Afrobeat’s signature, lazily insistent rhythms, and who played on all the classic Afrika 70 albums. Kuti once said that Allen played “like four drummers,” and indeed, Allen’s rhythms fuse four distinct drum traditions-highlife, soul/funk, jazz and traditional West African roots. Without Allen, Afrobeat might never have happened. So important had his role been, that when he left Afrika 70, Kuti broke the band up, forming Egypt 80 a few months later.
Allen, who’s been based in Paris since the mid ’80s, had a quiet ’90s, but moved up a gear towards the end of the decade. Secret Agent is his fifth album as leader since 1999, and follows the magisterial Lagos No Shaking from 2006. In the last couple of years, Allen has also been one-quarter of the boundary busting super group The Good, The Bad & The Queen, alongside vocalist Damon Albarn, bassist Paul Simonon and guitarist Simon Tong.
Raw and uncut, foursquare in the roots Afrobeat tradition, Secret Agent has all the ingredients that combine to make the style so special. Fat, full-throated, hard riffing horns, nagging tenor guitars, jazz- and funk-informed saxophone and trumpet solos, effervescent chicken-shack keyboards, lyrics rich in folk metaphors and proverbs-some of which confront state corruption and oppression, Kuti’s most frequent targets, still alive and toxic in Nigeria today-call and response vocals, and, of course, energising everything around it, Allen’s magnificent drumming.
A couple of laid-back, late-night tracks provide balladic respite. Elsewhere Allen drives the music on, straight as an arrow, but without recourse to simple time-keeping, working almost elliptically, in a loose-limbed ragged shuffle, nudging and bumping round the edges, drawing the cross-rhythms into one irresistible forward motion.
Somehow, Afrobeat sounds as relevant in 2009 as it did back in Fela Kuti’s heyday. Its catholic blend of jazz and funk with traditional African rhythms, and its socially engaged lyrics (purposefully sung in Broken English by Kuti to communicate across indigenous linguistic barriers), was the sound of shanty towns across West Africa in the 1970s. Today it also speaks of and to growing, polyglot, inner city diasporas in Europe and North America. It could be that Afrobeat is about to begin another spell in the global spotlight. If so, Tony Allen, with this compelling debut release on the World Circuit label - home of the globally successful Buena Vista Social Club - is ready for it. - All About Jazz
New Mighty Mos wax is on the streets. Stones Throw camp is all over it. Jackson Bros. flavas show up throughout, G.A.M. is featured on and produced “Roses”, and an unearthed Dilla beat gets the royal treatment in conjunction with Kweli. Not fully digested at this point, but the initial listen had my brainwaves peakin’ and my auditory senses crushed. The album is chock full o’ standouts, but, last night, “Revelations” and “Casa Bey” got the heavy re-spins. Heavy re-spins! Dis here wax ah pure fyah fe di hi-fi. Get wid it.
Gave this an initial listen last night. I was right about one thing; there are plenty of tracks on here that rip the first single to shreds. Need a few more listens, but the tracks that got a couple re-spins were “Up to No Good”, “I Ain’t Worried”, and “Liberty and Freedom”. Love that Vic Ruggerio is back with the boys also. A welcomed surprise. Not even partially digested at this point, but I know already that this one’ll be in heavy roatation for a while.
Victor Rice, currently residing in Sao Paulo, has been an integral part of the NYC ska and reggae scene since 1990. As a bassist he has recorded and/or played with the Stubborn All-Stars, Scofflaws, New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble, The Toasters, Desmond Dekker, and Laurel Aitken among many others. As a producer he has worked with the Skatalites, The Slackers, The Adjusters, The Articles, Rocker T, Skavoovie and the Epitones, The Pietasters, Dr. Ring Ding and the Senior All-Stars and many more.
At Version City is his debut effort as a solo artist and the culmination of his work from 1997-99 at that studio. It is the result of many sessions over that period of time and features a who’s who of the NYC ska scene at the beginnings of the traditional revival. Take a listen to Strikkly Vikkly’s massive dub vibes recorded inna fine retro stylee.
It’s back home for me to Phang Nga, Thailand. Should be rainy season, however the weather has been anything but that since I got back. Gorgeous skies with sparse showers here and there. The seas are a different story as the monsoons are turning the normally tranquil waters into breakers everywhere (not pictured below). It’s a ghost town around here; vacant beaches and streets with no tourists (…how I like it). Friendly locals brought a smile to my face when they were asking why I haven’t been around recently. Well, the grind begins again for me. Starting the new job tomorrow, a welcomed change to return home to. Check for some updates when I get the opportunity. Guidance.
I’m on the road for a little while exploring the regions of Laos and Thailand. It’ll be back to Phang Nga for work at the beginning of next month. Look for some updates once I return, however they might be slow coming since I am starting a new job, don’t have Internet at my house, and I am constantly hella busy. Keep checking back though. theGoLdBricK.net is ever-evolving. Guidance.
Stumbled across a new blog today which looks hella stella. Someone out there is dropping mad nice vinyl-only releases. He chose an awfully difficult name to remember for his Web address: mmaarriioomyvinyl.blogspot.com, but I suppose you can just bookmark it and forget it. Whatever just keep those killer releases coming. Hope these links aren’t broken by the time I make it home.
This guy has another killer site, that dates back further, with an even more confusing Web address: mmaarriiooooiirraamm.blogspot.com. I think this must be the same as Listen Up to What’s on my iPod that I used to visit a long time ago. Hadn’t been there in a long time. Good vibes contained within. Check ‘em.
Tru Thoughts is about to drop the first installment of their 2009 Shapes series. These discs are your above -average label samplers as they contain not just tracks from their catalog releases, but exclusive tracks, remixes and re-edits as well. Don’t know what the highlight is yet since I haven’t downloaded it, but, for sure, the most anticipated listen is Quantic and His Combo Barbaro’s “Arianita” from their forthcoming Traditions in Transition album. I’ll be getting this one once I’m back home.
In order to bring new sounds to the dancefloor and hip listeners to Ubiquity’s Latin-jazz releases, they asked some of their favorite club-music producers to deliver tunes reflecting their influence and interest in Afro-Cuban, Brazilian and Latin jazz. The material collect resulted in three full-lengths of goodness. Stellar vibes throughout.
Ricky-Tick Records is a Helsinki-based record label, founded in 2003, that aims to release top-notch jazz, concentrating in dancefloor, soul, garage and Latin-jazz releases. I only recently discovered the gems in their discography and I have to say the label has the golden touch of dropping nothing but scorchers with each pressing. Enjoy an offering of sample platters to whet your appetite. I can’t find a few releases of theirs, but, actually, the catalog doesn’t run too much deeper than what is presented here. Ricky-Tick is my pick for an upstart label that’s hella sick.
Recorded during the summer of ‘97 at King Bravo’s Authentic Studios in Newark, NJ; Tommy McCook and Friends - The Authentic Ska Sound brings together the legendary Skatalites tenor-sax player, a small core of Skatalites members, ‘The Sledge’ from The Toasters, and, on vocals, King Bravo and Lord Tanamo. The resulting output is a ska and rocksteady record of the highest caliber. Lloyd Brevett’s heavy bass riddims laced with Lynn Taitt’s outstanding guitar leads and killer horn arrangements from a few Alpha Boys School-trained masters.
Contained within are the last recordings of this phenomenal horn player since he passed away in May ‘98, a few months after its release. I was sad to learn of the news at the time and even more saddened, and shocked, by the fact that he passed away ten minutes from my house in Stone Mtn., Georgia where he had been living for years. If only I had known…
This platter comes highly recommended as a document of class tunes blended perfectly in a way that has allowed it to remain timeless. Now clap your hands and stomp your feet ’cause this happens to be a Tommy McCook treat.
Cedric ‘Im’ Brooks’ is arguably the most innovative saxophone players in all of reggae music. His stunning fusion of jazz, Afro-beat, funk and Latin with reggae sets him apart as a true pioneer, radically altering the limits and expectations of what reggae music could sound like. Born in Jamaica, Cedric Brooks toured Caribbean hotels and clubs with various big bands and combos in the 1960’s.
All the time, however, his own musical horizons - especially the breakthrough of new jazz - grew increasingly distant from the constrained, commercial music he had to play.
So when the chance came to visit America, Brooks eagerly accepted the opportunity. It was there that he became awe-struck by the music and vibes of jazz legend Sun Ra and Sonny Rollins. He was on the point of joining Sun Ra when the birth of his second daughter necessitated his return to Jamaica. Despite reggae being in full swing on the island, Cedric took up Sun Ra’s challenge by moving beyond reggae’s rocksteady beat by experimenting with free jazz and poetry, African robes and dancers. And so he formed his group The Light of Saba, taking leads from Hugh Masekela and Fela Kuti creating a multi-cultural ‘world music’ way ahead of its time.
The Light of Saba collects 18 of Cedric Brooks’ most exhilarating tracks blending African and US, Cuban and other West Indian influences - calypso and funk, rhumba, jazz bebop, nyabinghi and even ’70s disco - on top of a foundation of sunny, warm reggae music. All the originals go for big bucks & are impossible to find. If you’ve never heard of Cedric Brooks before, then get ready to experience reggae in ways you never thought possible. Simply brilliant.
As mentioned in the post below, this past week saw me fall into the well of sickness with no rope out. Until yesterday that is. I’m improving as I write this thanks to that wonderful chemical structure below, known as Azithromycin.
I also mentioned that the doctor prescribed an initial antibiotic that didn’t do anything and when I went for a checkup he just switched the medicine for no charge. Gonna find that practice many places?
How bout this one. When I went back today to get another checkup and to inform him that the second medicine was working, he said “Great! Your throat is terrible, so you’ll need another box of the antibiotics for 6 days instead of 3.” Okay, no problem, I replied. And how much is the cost? “Nothing. Get well soon.”, he said. Really?, I asked. “Really! Take care.”
Well, that one left me a bit floored honestly. Any readers live in a place where a doctor would do that same thing? I’m doubting it.
Miserable. 4 days of a body temperature of 40.4˚C (104.72˚F). The highest fever I’ve ever had inclusive of teeth-chattering cold spells helped with layers of clothing, then drenched clothes from uncontrollable sweating, inability to balance, periods of delusions and slight hallucinations, and an overall feeling of what the fuck is happening to my body. As if that doesn’t royally suck enough, I was diagnosed with severe tonsillitis (my throat looks like it’s filled with cotton balls) also preventing me from being able to swallow. Consuming food - impossible. Consuming liquids - painful as a motherfucker. My natural saliva process - inoperative. Two days of antibiotics and the doctor said nothing changed. It’s a new antibiotic for the next 24 hours and if nothing changes it’s to the hospital for IV treatments for two days. Fuck me.
On another note, I’m seeing real patterns in life in Thailand. Things operate cyclically and not in a voluntary manner. There is something higher taking place. Started my job here in Phang Nga, worked one day, then ended up in the hospital for a week. Quit the same job on Tuesday, exactly one year to the day from when the program I started was initiated and here I am possibly headed to the hospital again. What the hell? (…that’s not the only example)
One more thing, the health care system in Thailand is one of best perks of living here. All the treatments, injections and two antibiotics, cost me $14.00. For the antibiotic that wasn’t effective, the doctor said to just bring them back and he gave me the new pills for free. Not to mention, he reopended his shop after hours to assist me, then found out my landlord is his good friend and secretly called her, after which she showed up at my house with soup and snacks (none of which I could consume, but it’s the thought that counts). There is a different view about medicine in Thailand. It’s this crazy idea of putting healing patients above making a profit. I can think of one country that needs to figure that out.
Lastly, the swine flu jokes came left and right on this one. The retort. Impossible: The One Nero nah consume the filth of pork. “And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcase.” Deuteronomy 14:8
Buju has been sending chills down my spine for the past week with his latest release, Rasta Got Soul. Technically, it’s not his latest recording as it was recorded circa 2004/2005, yet, sadly!, never saw the light of day until now. Brimming with massive tunes (and a couple throwaways) filled with a substance of righteousness. In a complete change from his previous album, Too Bad, which saw him turn the clocks back to his early days of rugged dancehall; he’s back in the roots-reggae vein and I couldn’t be more thankful. This platter is proving to be highly relevant inna dis here time and shows zero signs of leaving my turntable for a long time. For a lengthy and well-written review, check Ras Achis’ blog.
Never heard this jam that dropped back in 2007. Not sure what happened on that one. Definitely a killer outta the Ghetto Youths camp. Check the killer video for the original edit. Check the download link for two versions. One featuring Buju dropping his ‘Ganja Farmer’ verse at the end. The other featuring Snoop Dogg dropping a verse on a hip hop version. Wicked.
Once Upon A Time At King Tubby’s captures, from start to finish, the full story of the most well known, and certainly the wittiest, of all the wars of words that the highly-competitive Kingston recording scene ever produced. I-Roy and Prince Jazzbo were the principal players aided and abetted along the way by an assorted bunch of onlookers and minor characters who all helped the drama to unfold. Bunny ‘Striker’ Lee was the catalyst that started this particular schism and the producer of all but one of the tracks.
Ever the entrepreneur ‘Striker’ hit the musical jackpot once again as he goaded both artists into making records that went ‘straight to the head’. What had begun as a joke grew into an entire series of seven inch singles that set the Jamaican recording scene alight in the mid seventies. All but one of the tracks on this set were voiced and mixed at King Tubby’s Waterhouse studio; I Roy voiced ‘Padlock’ at Channel One “because the competition a get so crabbit” and this gave veteran vocalist Derrick Morgan an opportunity to enter the fray. Johnny Clarke, Dirty Harry and Prince Far I also make cameo appearances.
Musical feuds and ‘head’ games are nothing new in Jamaican music, but this album is probably the first album to compile all the tracks from one of the best examples of ‘feuds’ that ever happened. Chock full of some of the wittiest put downs ever released.
P. S. I’m on the lookout for Sounds and Pressure Vol.6. Some sites say it was released in January, but there is nothing on the Pressure Sounds site about it which leaves me confused. I have most of the cuts, but I need the U-Roy “Linger You Linger” 12-inch which is contained within. Hook me up if you got these vibrations.
When DJ Kentaro was asked, by Pressure Sounds (PS), if he would be interested in this project, he was immediately positive and enthusiastic as he nearly became a reggae-soundsystem selector before starting to move towards hip hop and dance music.
Tuff Cuts is a unique album with a strong leaning towards a more dub and instrumental track selection which PS felt would be a lot tougher for Kentaro to mix. It’s the first time PS had undertaken such a project and the results speak for themselves. Massive!
Easy Star All-Stars, the band behind the Dub Side of the Moon and Radiodread albums, return with an incredible reggae re-imagining of The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s album. The album features their usual attention to detail and the band is joined by Steel Pulse, Matisyahu, Michael Rose, Luciano, U Roy, Ranking Roger, Max Romeo, The Mighty Diamonds, among others. You’re not second guessing this one are you?
Early-80s dancehall album artwork from Wilfred Limonious. A collection of his works was found while browsing You & Me on a Jamboree!, and these two stuck out as being quite hilarious. He’s definitely most known for his Stalag 17-18-19 album cover. Classic slackness from the Rub-a-Dub era.
J. Rocc has his own blog. What the fuck? Should have been on this one since it debuted in October of last year. Well, from ‘The Funky President’ comes the Stoney Jackson blog offering incredibly-dope rare mixes for those who support the Beat Junkies sound. Looks like it is updated every now and again which is fine with me. Any offerings are appreciated and there’s a nice collection of treats already. Feast on Jaylib’s first live performance as an appetizer. Then get the rest of the platters.
I checked out Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide All Winners show to get a taste of some new Quantic and His Combo Bárbaro material. The track “The Dreaming Mind Part 1″ was excellent, but, the track following it monumentally blew it away.
What ended up happening was that once the Quantic track concluded, I had my brainwaves demolished by Mos Def’s “Quiet Dog” track which is absolutely filthy. I think I played this song a dozen times last night and it’ll likely receive the same when I get home from work.
Actually, I guess I’m late on this once since it dropped back in January, but that’s how it goes when you have highly-limited Web surfing time. If you missed out also, get it now!
Late last year, Ubiquity Records was approached by the mysterious Misled Children about another project from Clutchy Hopkins, the man they claim to represent. A vintage Caribbean tracksuit jacket was found in the office fridge, and written in permanent marker on the inside right arm was a request for a meeting where they would “get another piece of the Clutchy Hopkins puzzle”.
Cutting a long story short, they recently acquired a bag 2-inch reels that contained the dusty, dubbed out Clutchy Hopkins tracks on this LP. Take a pinch of Hopkins deep musical madness and add a sunshine-blessed dubbed-out twist, and that is Music is My Medicine.
Read the full story of how this album, and an accompanying journal, ended up in Ubiquity’s hands.
Clutchy Hopkins music is just flat out ill. The beats that come out of his records are on a next level. What is so bizarre is the lack of information concerning his identity. Guesses about his identity have included the Beastie Boys, Money Mark, Shawn Lee, Madlib, Rick Rok, Peanut Butter Wolf, Cut Chemist, DJ Shadow, and others. I used to think it was definitely Shawn Lee, but I gotta say I really have no clue whatsoever.
Either this whole thing is true, making Cluthcy Hopkins the Jandek of beats, or Ubiquity has crafted an incredibly secretive, intricate, and overall puzzling marketing scheme inclusive of the cooperation of numerous individuals who all seem to speak genuinely of having encountered him, but simply lack any knowledge about him. You gotta figure it’s the latter, but you question it ’cause Ubiquity has done such a thorough job with it all.
Well, so be it. I’d love to know who this guy really is or, if it’s not an alias, what his story is really all about. The most important thing is that his grooves keep getting distributed. They never fail to leave me saying “Damn that was nasty!”
Check out the Clutchy Hopkins - Walking Backwards DVD for some short testimonials about encounters with this enigma. Also, check out this footage of Clutchy mashin’ it up with Dudley Perkins on a 15-second snippet.
Flashing Echo charts the development of Dub, from its origins, up until the close of its heyday in the late seventies by bringing together many of the most ground-breaking and influential Dub recordings from the seventies, performed by some of the best known session groups and produced by such luminaries as Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Edward ‘Bunny’ Lee, Winston ‘Niney’ Holness and Linval (Huh? No nickname?) Thompson. This isn’t just a collection of some of the most wonderful Dub ever created; it’s also a musical history lesson! Run come mi selecta, school inna session!
On the crest of a burgeoning worldwide wave of interest in the lesser-tapped sources of music from the Caribbean, Latin America and Africa; Quantic and His Combo Bárbaro are leading the charge. The debut album, Tradition In Transition (due out on July 6th via Tru Thoughts), and upcoming live tour of selected spots in Europe and America throughout August and September, will see this international cast of acclaimed musical creators fusing those rediscovered psychedelic, experimental and rhythmically rich sounds of the past with deep funk and soul elements, giving life to an explosive sonic snapshot of the eclectic and ever-evolving musical landscape of the Americas.
As a sneak peak into Quantic’s world, enjoy the trailer for the forthcoming Mochilla/Sonido del Valle production which was shot in the Colombian cities of Cali and Buenaventura. The film is based on the making of Tradition In Transition which features the talents of Will ‘Quantic’ Holland, Alfredito Linares, Nidia Gongora, Freddy Colorado, Arthur Verocai, Joao Comanche Gomes and Malcolm Catto.
Incredibly anxious doesn’t half describe my feeling towards hearing this platter. Counting the days…
Did you watch the trailer above for the new Quantic and His Combo Bárbaro album? Lovin’ every second, but hating that it was too short? Need more vibes to quench your fix?
Well, satisfy your mind with new material from Quantic and His Combo Bárbaro via radio shows worldwide. Once you grab ‘em, you can chop ‘em up to single out the individual tracks, if you care to do so.
Quantic and His Combo Bárbaro - “Wandering Star” (Portishead cover/Non-LP track) taken from the Black Gold 7″; Tru Thoughts, 2009
Interview discussing a range of topics including Quantic’s move to Columbia, life and the music scene there, the making of Tradition in Transition, exposing unheard music in Latin America, the use of computers in DJing, and what’s for breakfast.
Cubeecraft creates templates for papercraft toys which are free to download. The toys feature interlocking tabs for construction (no need for tape or glue). The toys are designed to be printed onto a sheet of standard 8 1/2 X 11 or A4 letter paper. Simply print, cut and fold your model into a paper toy.
The Daktaris were an Afrobeat group on the New York-based funk revival label Desco, recording compact, Fela Kuti-style grooves that sounded as though they’d come straight out of 1970s Nigeria. At first, Desco did nothing to discourage that perception, packaging their 1998 album Soul Explosion to look like an authentic African collector’s dream, and even giving some of the band members Nigerian aliases.
But in reality, the Daktaris were Brooklyn-based studio musicians, many of them white, many of whom had already been assembled by Desco heads Gabriel Roth and Phillipe Lehman as the label’s house band, the Soul Providers. Besieged by inquiries about the music’s origins and demand for a Daktaris tour, Roth and Lehman soon acknowledged the hoax, but given the quality of the album, the backlash wasn’t enormously great. There was no follow-up to the Daktaris’ initial session, but some of the members formed a new Afrobeat revivalist group called Antibalas in the spring of 1998. The output from that ensemble carried on the sounds heard here in an immensely authentic way.
Peter Franklin of Abidjan Musique described the group by saying, “The Daktaris are a well-disciplined army of two hundred African bull elephants marching relentlessly up your business to the beat from Funky Drummer.” Sounds like a suitable description to me. Now get the disc and let the rhythm take you away.
African Roots showcases the songwriting ability of the legendary Skatalites bassist, Lloyd Brevett. This LP was released in 1975 and saw the reformation of The Skatalites who had not played together for over 10 years at the time of its recording. The sessions took place at Aquarius, Federal, and Treasure Isle studios with the mixing taking place at King Tubby’s. The resulting output is simply phenomenal. Heavy instrumental roots riddims persist throughout laced with killer percussion elements and the sweet melodies that only the Skatalites horn section can deliver. Enough with the chatter, it’s time to spin this platter.
July 4, 2009 
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