Sights seen on afternoon spent driving through the hills behind my house over the mountains to Mae Nam, on to Plai Laem, Laem Samrong and Choeng Mon in the northeastern area of Koh Samui, returning south past Koh Matlang and Chaweng back to Coral Cove before hitting home in Lamai.
Exploring Koh Samui
May 16, 2012
Lost in the Crates #45
May 15, 2012
Menahan Street Band
May 12, 2012
Here’s a couple of 7-inches from the mighty Menahan Street Band which feature four non-LP cuts to satisfy your soul. Drop that needle!
Menahan Street Band – “The Wolf” b/w “Bushwick Lullaby”; Dunham, 2009
Menahan Street Band – “The Crossing” b/w “Every Day a Dream”; Dunham, 2011
The Funk Ark
May 10, 2012
With a superb sophomore effort, High Noon, to follow up their exceptionally-nice debut set, From the Rooftops, The Funk Ark, from Washington D.C., USA, showcase their all-encompassing sound with roots in, what else,…Funk! Shades of Afrobeat blend with bits of Latin and are all held together with a undeniable groove.
Founder, composer and pianist of the group, Will Rast, sums up the ethos of the crew quite nicely by saying “Funk seems simple, but it takes an almost spiritual dedication to the music to play it well. When we’re playing at our best, the music becomes greater than the sum of its parts. What we do requires each player to contribute a small, but integral, part of the whole; when we all lock into the groove, it becomes a sort of meditation.”
I suggest you listen for yourself just how nicely they contribute to the overall sound and just how perfectly they can lock in to a groove.
The Funk Ark - From the Rooftops; ESL, 2011
The Funk Ark – High Noon; ESL, 2012
Jungle By Night
May 7, 2012
Jungle By Night is a 9-piece outfit, consisting of 15-22 year olds hailing from Amsterdam, Netherlands, who deliver an absolutely brilliant recording of Afrobeat- and Jazz-influenced vibes that hit on every cylinder. Two platters are on offer including the debut 7-inch, featuring two exclusive sides, as well as what the band has called their “mini-album”, a one-take studio recording session, with all cuts laid down live, which they put out as a precursor to their debut release, Hidden, which dropped early last month. Impressive!
My ears desperately want to hear the gems contained on their latest effort, so if you happen to have the goods, hook me up immediately! It’d be much appreciated!
Jungle By Night – Jungle By Night; Kindred Spirits; 2011
Jungle By Night – “E.T.” b/w “Get Busy”; Kindred Spirits; 2010
Fiesta!
May 5, 2012
Lord Echo – Melodies and More
May 3, 2012
Been lovin’ the Lord Echo (aka Mike Fabulous from New Zealand) record since hearing him a couple of years back. Killer blend of Funk, Dub, Latin and Disco vibes. Late last year, he also dropped a 7″ on Bastard Jazz which continues the smooth sounds featured on the full length. Dig it!
Lord Echo – Melodies; Economy, 2010
Lord Echo and His Melodies – “Things I Like To Do” b/w “Long Time No See” 7-inch; Bastard Jazz, 2011
Samsara
April 30, 2012
To my incredible delight, the trailer for Samsara was made available last week. In the days since, seeing the moving images as opposed to the still frames, has done exactly what I knew it’d do…given me goose bumps…over and over and over. Completely mesmerized! The anticipation for the full length to reach my eyes is boiling over!
When Rhythm Was King
April 30, 2012
When Rhythm Was King is a compilation of crucial riddims, deep bass lines and the silky smooth sounds of Jamaica’s premier Reggae vocalists. The tracks on this compilation feature songs that are the rhythmic foundation for countless versions of classic Reggae and Dancehall hits. It’s loaded with alternate and extended mixes and serves up a stellar batch of original singles from the Studio One vaults.
Various Artists – When Rhythm was King; Heartbeat, 2007
Ray Lugo – We Walk Around Like This
April 28, 2012
Ray Lugo, founder of Kokolo Afrobeat Orchestra, Ray Lugo and the Boogaloo Destroyers and Ray Lugo’s L.E.S. Express, delivers his long-awaited solo debut. Packed full of a variety of jams ranging from Funk to Soul to Dub to Afrobeat to Hip-Hop, this one has been on the turntable for the past couple of weeks or so. We’re also treated to a couple of edits of the tracks from two L.E.S. Express 7-inches that dropped a couple of years back. The originals of “Love Me Good (feat. Roxie Ray)” and “I Dream of Bahia (feat. Elani)” remain incredible tunes and the edits spice them up even more. Another killer set of tunes from the funky brain of Ray Lugo. Dig it!
Ray Lugo – We Walk Around Like This; Jazz & Milk, 2012
The Sugarman 3 – What the World Needs Now
April 26, 2012
Holy awesomeness! After a decade of dormancy, The Sugarman 3 finally drop another album on us. Written and tracked over four days, this one is filled with funky vibes that’ll have you itchin’ for more. Don’t hesitate as this crew has never written anything that won’t have you tappin’ your feet and noddin’ your head!
The Sugarman 3 – What the World Needs Now; Daptone, 2012
Spiritual Jazz Vol. 2: Esoteric, Modal and Deep Jazz from the European Underground 1960-78
April 25, 2012
As the ‘60s progressed, cultural and political revolutions occurred both in the U.S. and in Europe. Jazz was both a victim and a savior, with radical developments in the music occurring in both continents. In the U.S., artists took control of their own musical destiny as small labels broke away from the mainstream, expressing new and creative visions of freedom and peace against a backdrop of civil unrest, repression and war. Check the first volume of this series if you’ve been sleeping.
In ‘60s Europe, the jazz community forged ahead with a different revolution; that of breaking away from mere emulation of their American counterparts. A distinctive, European jazz sound began to develop that combined traditional music from across Europe and around the world with the creative freedom so abundant in American jazz. Over time, the most forward-thinking creative talents of the post-Coltrane European jazz generation crafted and nurtured sophisticated and multifaceted styles of Jazz that were as radical as they were beautiful, giving modern Jazz a characteristically European flavor.
A heady mix indeed; stirring Jazz overtures with orchestra and choir, festival performances recorded live from the grassy heartlands of central Europe, modal montages inspired by pilgrimages to Asia and Africa, experiments in rhythm and sound where modern Jazz meets traditional Balkan and Flamenco Folk music. This is Spiritual Jazz – European style.
Fool’s Gold
April 22, 2012
Fool’s Gold is a Los Angeles collective that weaves together Western pop aesthetics with African rhythms and melodies. Guitar, drums, piano, saxophones, flute, ewe, gungon, djembe, bells, claves, kashishi, rattles, chekere, gourds and an oversized tambourine combine to create a distinct sound complemented by stellar vocals and harmonies sung in Hebrew. A thoroughly delightful blend of sounds that should not be overlooked.
Fool’s Gold – Self-Titled; IAmSound, 2009
Caine’s Arcade
April 20, 2012
You should do yourself a favor and watch Caine’s Arcade. It is fantastic!
Evil Stig
April 19, 2012
I picked up this now out-of-print album in the Fall of 1995 and the emotion that pours out of this live set has been sending chills down my spine ever since. Evil Stig (which is Gits Live, as in “give”, backwards) was a group formed following the tragic death of Mia Zapata, lead singer of The Gits, who was brutally raped and murder in the summer of 1993 in Seattle, WA.
Joan Jett teamed up with the remaining members of the group for benefit shows in Seattle, Vancouver, L.A. and NYC. The response was overwhelming and the band ended up going on a nationwide tour with all proceeds going toward the investigation. It took a decade to do so, but it finally paid off when the rapist and killer was connected to the crime through DNA and sentenced to prison. Sad in every way, but touching to see how many people supported the cause, how it raised awareness of crimes against women and how it spawned anti-violence programs, such as Home Alive, in various major cities.
Evil Stig - Evil Stig; Warner, 1995
