Blogerantz

I'm going to find a way to give you the music I want you to listen to!

2010-02-03T14:18:00.002-05:00

I have always made tapes for people so that I could introduce them to new music. My efforts to distribute stuff anonymously have failed, possibly because it's not legal, but I'm not really sure, and it certainly doesn't matter. The point is that I will very shortly be providing temporary links to music upon request to music that either strikes my fancy or used to be available at this blog (see category list). You can send me a request by using the email in my profile.

Let's see if we can make this work.

Wow - that's not good

2009-11-28T21:43:00.002-05:00

Looks like the entire music collection from this site has been erased my server! How fucked up is that? I was just talking to someone about how I should be backing that up!

I'll have to take this opportunity to go back to the drawing board.

Mike Rutherford - Smallcreep's Day (1980) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-11-03T14:55:00.003-05:00

This is just a great all-around album. It is not a prog masterpiece, despite the 24 minute suite that takes up the first 'side' of the lp. But it is also not a pure pop exercise, like much of the Genesis and Mike & The Mechanics music that came later. I find it somewhat amusing that, for his first solo effort, Rutherford really played it safe. His only other solo effort, 1982's Acting Very Strange is a bit more out there.

Where Smallcreep's Day really excels is in the warm and comfortable feeling that pervades Duke and A Curious Feeling. The fact that Collins had not yet come into his own as a superstar is meaningful. A solo album was not an act of defiance, but merely a vacation. And that happy and comfortable feeling really comes across on this selection. The guitars and keyboards are expertly layered. They don't do much in the way of amazing acrobatics, but that's because the emphasis is on the song and the the soloing. Simon Phillips on drums and Marris Pert (from Brand X) provide enough imaginative texture to remind you of the artist's prog roots. And the presence of Anthony Phillips only enhances the pastoral feel of REALLY old Genesis.

This is a record you will like on the first listen. The more your listen, the more you will discover about the lush production. I don't think there was ever an expectation of touring, so this is true 'studio' music. It's refreshing that Rutherford doesn't hide the ball or pull lots of tricks. He gives you what he's got, in clear and convincing tones.

All tracks written by Mike Rutherford.

"Smallcreep's Day" (Total Time 24:38)

I. Between the Tick & the Tock – 3:59

II. Working In Line – 3:07

III. After Hours – 1:45

IV. Cats and Rats (In This Neighbourhood) – 4:50

V. Smallcreep Alone – 1:33

VI. Out Into the Daylight – 3:49

VII. At the End of the Day – 5:35

"Moonshine" – 6:23
"Time and Time Again" – 4:52
"Romani" – 5:25
"Every Road" – 4:13
"Overnight Job" – 5:43

Personnel

Ant Phillips – keyboards
Noel McCalla – vocals
Simon Phillips – drums
Morris Pert – percussion
Mike Rutherford – guitars, basses

The link is in the comments.

Give me forty-three minutes and twenty seconds: Mixtape 01 is here

2009-09-27T21:23:00.003-04:00

This is a project I have been thinking about ever since I started to collect the incredible mixes available over at ParisDJs. And while those folks have mad performance skills behind the turntable, I have had to settle for a very deliberate (and slow) process of compilation and tweaking using Apple Logic 8. I am, however quite pleased with the overall sequence, levels and imaging of the music. I’ve only taken liberties to enliven some of the older recordings and keep overall volume constant.

The good folks at ParisDJs present their mixes as a single file, and I’ve done the same here. In selecting these tracks, the only unifying theme was to have ‘all killer, no filler’, and hopefully to present you with things you mostly have not heard. The selections span forty years and come from numerous styles (Jazz, Prog, Rock, Electronica, etc.) and regions (Canada, Brazil, France, India, UK, US, Poland, Sweden). Future mixes will be more focused by genre and/or artist. There are definitely Zappa and Tangerine Dream mixes in the pipeline.

Feel free to stream over at mpomy.com (Hostrocket has hooked me up with LOTS of bandwith) or download and enjoy at your leisure. Two of these titles are found on full length items posted at Blogerantz, so I’ve included the links. Here’s what we got:

1. Invocation/nonsense – Mpomy (2009)
2. 10538 Overture – Electric Light Orchestra (from The Electric Light Orchestra (No Answer) 1971)
3. Get Your Snack On – Amon Tobin (from Supermodified 2000)
4. Hummin’ – Cannonball Adderley (from The Country Preacher 1969)
5. Willie – Cat Power (from FM broadcast of Cat Power & the Memphis Rhythm Band, Berlin June 11, 2006)
6. Malandro Quando Vaza – The Ipanemas (from the collection Gilles Peterson Brazilika 2009)
7. Transfert – Sylbat (from Mara 2008)
8. Sunrise – SBB (from Iron Curtain 2009)
9. On and On – Gungfly (from Please Be Quiet 2009)
10. Pasanana’s Love – Trilok Gurtu (from broadcast (?) of North Sea Jazz Festival, July 2002)
11. High Water (For Charley Patton) – Bob Dylan (from the collection Tell Tale Signs 2008, but the recording is from 2003)

As always, your feedback is appreciated.

Here's the link: Stick it in yer earhole!

James Booker with Jerry Garcia - Palo Alto Rehersals (1976) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-09-18T09:02:00.003-04:00

This is a nice, clear sounding recording of two monstrous talents jamming together. I don't know the story of these shows, other than that in 1976 James Booker got to Palo Alto to play a few gigs with Jerry Garcia and his band. And while Jerry obviously has a lot of respect for Booker's other-worldly boogie woogie, there are moments of disconnect - like when, after playing the song 'Classified' for about 9 minutes during these rehearsals (during which the title of the song is repeated numerous times in the refrain) Garcia says, "What do you call that?" Huh? You're jamming with James Booker and you don't know that song?

But it should all be forgiven for the opportunity to hear these two, not only jamming, but also sharing ideas during this unique rehearsal tape. Booker teaches as he plays, and Garcia is tastefully restrained until the right moment. I have a decent recording of on of the live shows which followed this rehearsal, and I will post that sometime, but the practice is even more fun as they work out the arrangements and jam in a more relaxed atmosphere.

Tico Tico (piano)
Tico Tico (organ)
Don't Try To Be Your Brother's Keeper
Don't Try To Be Your Brother's Keeper
Something You've Got
Something You've Got
Just A Closer Walk With Thee
Irene Goodnight
United, Our Thing Will Stand
Classified
Right Back Together (intro)
Right Back Together

The link is in the comments.

Steve Hackett - SHRP 09 (1983) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-09-13T00:46:00.004-04:00

Some live Hackett, as I'm trying to emphasize the strengths of my collection. The SHRP (Steve Hackett Remastering Project) group does a nice job, and this is one of the best. I'm not sure if this is an opening act, festival slot, or just an incomplete show, but a lot of the live Hackett you find from this area is short like this - under an hour. But in that time, you have, not only exceptional sound quality, but pretty much everything you want to hear. If nothing else, Hackett understands (and this seems to have always been the case) what his audience wants, and he gives it to them.

The high points are, well, ... they're all high points. Narnia is nice, because that pretty much dropped out of the set a year or two later. The Steppes, as always, hits like a ton of bricks. This is basically my favorite Hackett song because it takes the genius of what he's doing at the end of Supper's Ready (w/ Genesis) and makes a whole song out of it. Also, Hackett knows that the Moog Taurus bass pedals can never (and I mean NEVER) be too loud. When this instrument is used correctly (go to a Musical Box show and you will see how that sounds) it can disintegrate the fillings in your teeth and rearrange internal organs.

Grand Casino - Montreux - July 13, 1980

Steve Hackett - Guitars
Dik Cadbury - Bass
Peter Hicks - Vocals
Nick Magnus - Keyboards
John Hacckett - Vocals / Flute / Bass pedals
John Shearer - Drums / percussion

1. Slogans 05:24
2. Every Day 07:49
3. Spectral Mornings 06:33
4. Time To Get Out 03:52
5. The Steppes 06:35
6. Narnia 04:48
7. Acoustic Set 04:47
8. Jacuzzi 05:37
9. A Tower Struck Down 05:03
10. Clocks 03:00

The link is in the comments.

Genesis - AV02 (1983) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-09-10T21:47:00.004-04:00

This one is for Phil. Apparently, he's not going to be able to play drums anymore as a result of his long-standing back injury. Well, I don't quite know what to say about that, but a lot of people have come back from a lot worse conditions, so don't necessarily count him out just yet. In the meantime, I want to celebrate an incredible career behind the kit and otherwheres.

This is THE bootleg from the 'Mama' tour. It may be 26 years ago, but it sounds like it was yesterday. In fact, it sounds better than that. It sounds like you are there. It is certainly a better sounding recording than any sanctioned live record the band has ever released.

After all that praise, it should be noted that this is not a perfect selection. The 'Mama' tour had highlights galore, and they are pretty much all here - but it also featured some of Genesis worst material ever. 'That's All' is simply a terrible song. The 'Turn It On Again' medley is nothing short of embarrassing. And while 'Afterglow' retains a lot of its emotion and punch, this tour is an example of Phil pushing the vocal too far for the finale - it ends up detracting from the song's beautiful simplicity.

But the good parts are SOOOOOO good. 'Home By The Sea' and 'Second Home', the whole 'In The Cage' medley and 'Los Endos' - these songs arguably never sounded better live. And with the extraordinary A++ sound quality of this recording, those moments shine even brighter.

November 26, 1983 - The Spectrum - Philadelphia, PA (Pre-FM)

1.1 Dodo / Lurker 07:51
1.2 That's All 04:46
1.3 Abacab 09:06
1.4 Mama 07:20
1.5 Keep It Dark 05:33
1.6 Home By The Sea 05:16
1.7 Second Home By The Sea 06:47
2.1 In The Cage / Cinema Show / In That Quiet Earth / Slippermen 14:29
2.2 Afterglow 04:34
2.3 Drum Duet 03:08
2.4 Los Endos 06:26
2.5 Turn It On Again 09:03
2.6 Misunderstanding 04:02
2.7 Illegal Alien 05:30

The link is in the comments.

Albert King - Jammed Together (1969) (mp3, 320kbps)

2009-09-08T20:49:00.003-04:00

Have I mentioned how much I love Albert King? Have I mentioned how he's THE guy that put it all together for me? How, when I heard his playing, it was like everything in the whole world all of the sudden made sense? Have I mentioned that before? I guess I kinda have, but I'm doing it again!

This is a great set because it matches big Albert with the soulful voice and vibrato guitar of Pops Staples (of the Staples Singers) and the rock solid fundamentals of ("HIT IT") Steve Cropper. This is more than an Albert King record - this is a Stax record. And it is all good.

What'd I Say
Tupelo
Opus De Soul
Baby What You Want Me To Do
Big Bird
Homer's Theme
Trashy Dog
Don't Turn Your Heater Down
Water
Knock On Wood

The link is in the comments.

Frank Zappa - Swiss Cheese At The Festhalle Basel (1974) (mp3, c. 256kbps - vbr)

2009-08-31T15:45:00.003-04:00

Brilliant recording from a great era. The cover recalls Roxy & Elswhere, which is a great record to start with if you don't know Frank's music. Roxy runs about 68 minutes. This monster weighs in at a considerably more portly 2-1/2 hours, and it's 'all killer, no filler'. It may lose a few points, through no fault of its own, for being just after Jean-Luc Ponty left the band, but the sheer mass of material on this recording more than makes up for it. Also, with Jean-Luc out of the band, I have a theory that Frank felt more comfortable and more in charge.

Some of this material may be heard on the 'You Can't Do that On Stage Anymore' series, but, rather than a compilation of snippets from throughout the career, you get the whole concert (and then some). The filler material is also high quality, making for a nice, beefy package.

Frank Zappa - Swiss Cheese at the Festhalle Basel in 1974

This recording is a digital copy of the Frank Zappa CD bootlegrecord Swiss Cheese at the Festhalle Basel in 1974.
Label: FZ BA 01/02

Swiss Cheese at the Festivalhalle Basel in 1974 (2 CD)

* Festhalle Mustermesse, Basel, Switzerland, 01-Oct-1974 (early show)
* Harrisburg, 07-Nov-1974
* Capitol Theater, Passiac, 08-Nov-1974

Label: FZ BA 01/02
Sound quality: very good soundboard

Musicians: Frank Zappa, Ruth Underwood, Napoleon Murphy Brock, Chester Thompson, Tom Fowler and George Duke

1. Tush Tush Tush Incl. Band Introduction (02:15)
2. Stink-Foot (07:06)
3. Inca Roads (13:13)
4. Cosmik Debris (12:38)
5. Approximate Version One (01:21)
6. Approximate Version Two (01:06)
7. Approximate Version Three (00:43)
8. Approximate Whole Version (04:21)
9. Preamble Chesters Gorilla (01:39)
10. Florentine Pogen (09:49)
11. Preamble Incl. Tuning (01:27)
12. Penguin in Bondage (08:15)
13. T'Mershi Duween (03:52)
14. Dog Meat (06:36)
15. Preamble Stupid Fucking Song (01:25)

16. Camarillo Brillo (06:29)
17. Preamble Oh No, I Don't Believe It (00:50)
18. Oh No (01:33)
19. Son of Orange County (06:01)
20. Trouble Every Day (07:09)
21. Dog Breath Variations / Uncle Meat (02:36)
22. Building a Girl (01:45)
23. Preamble Love Song (00:50)
24. Florentine Pogen (08:07)
25. Montana (07:00)
26. The Hook (Dupree's Paradise) (26:23)
27. Ruthie-Ruthie (02:16) [Berry/Zappa/Brock] [same recording as on Stage #1]
28. Smell My Beard (05:08) [may or may not be as on Stage #4]

* Tracks 1-20 live at the Festhalle Mustermesse in Basel, Switzerland, 01-Oct-1974 (early show).
* Tracks 21-26 live in Harrisburg 07-Nov-1974.
* Tracks 27-28 live at the Capitol Theater, Passiac, 08-Nov-1974.

The link is in the comments.

Jimi Hendrix and Larry Young - Record Plant Session (1969) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-08-28T16:24:00.003-04:00

I was looking through the archive and found that this recording didn't sound nearly as bad as I remembered. It's pretty rough, but well worth it to hear the meeting of these two giants. Obviously, Larry Young did not have the same impact on music as Jimi, but his feel in Lifetime and on John McLaughlin's Devotion make him a natural for a jam with Jimi. This set is from the Record Plant Studios in New York City, May 14, 1969. Mitch Mitchell is on drums and Billy Cox plays bass.

Livin at the Burwood
Jam in E
Theme in D
Theme in D Jam
Jam in Gb
Jam in Gb cont'd
World Traveler
World Traveler (reprise)
My Brother's Dead
Livin at the Burwood (edit)

The link is in the comments.

Stanley Clarke - Tower Theater (1978) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-08-26T22:32:00.004-04:00

Here is an absolutely stellar recording of Stanley Clarke at the height of his powers, playing a show to a home town audience on New Year's Day. Could a fusion-head ask for anything better? I don't know who all we're hearing in the band, but I'm pretty sure it's Ray Gomez on guitar and Gerry Brown on drums. Beyond that, it's really anyone's guess. I know it's not David Sancious or Peter Robinson on keys because the piano solo is labeled as 'Mike's Solo'. Also, there are an assortment of horns and wind which make it a great set.

Overture
Silly Putty
School Days
Quiet Afternoon
The Magician
The Magician (cont'd)
Song To John
Confirmation
Solo
Dayride
Mike Solo
unknown
Lopsy Lu

The link is in the comments.

Spock's Beard - Live at Whiskey and NEARFest (1999) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-08-25T21:37:00.005-04:00

I originally got this set because I desperately wanted to hear the Beard's version of Genesis' Squonk. So many years later, I can easily say that is the worst song in the bunch. I was not able to get into this band right away. I knew they were big fans of 'old' Genesis and I also knew there was a big Gentle Giant thing going on. Even though I wasn't well-versed in the ways of Gentle Giant, Genesis was about the best thing in the world, so I hung in there. What I discovered was the genius of Neal Morse. What a fascinating guy. He can crank out the 30 minute epics without even breaking a sweat. He split the band in 2002 after finding that his commitment to Jesus Christ would not allow him to be in 'rock bands' anymore. Yet, since that date, he has proceeded to make music that is even more amazing and inspirational. You may not agree with his evangelical message, but there is no arguing with the authority and sincerity of his songwriting gift. I truly believ that he has been called by God (whatever that means) to make progressive rock. I know it sounds crazy, but when you listen to ? and Sola Scriptura, its easy to understand that this man is not like the rest of us. In this so-called Christian period, he is making the best music of his life.

But back in 1999, he was just the front man of a prog rock outfit from LA. This is what that band sounded like at the height of their powers. When these recordings were made, Spock's Beard was moving forward and moving up and there was no limit to what they imagined was possible. This quintet attacked their compositions and set a new standard for 'difficult' music that was also highly emotional and moving. This set included the favorites 'Doorway', 'June' and 'Waste Away' as well as the early epick 'The Light' from their first album of the same name. But it is the too often forgotten pieces such as 'Skin' and 'Walking on the Wind' that make this a special collection.

Don't worry about the Genesis cover. That's not what it's all about. Instead, check out a great band that worked its ass off to become a big deal in a music scene that probably wanted nothing to do with prog. In the most improbable place and time, Spock's Beard created amazing songs.

"Introduction" – 1:01
"In the Mouth of Madness" – 5:00
"Gibberish" – 4:40
"Skin" – 4:14
"Go the Way You Go" – 13:27
"The Distance to the Sun" – 5:19
"Crack the Big Sky" – 9:50
"The Doorway" – 14:04
"The Light" – 20:13
"June" – 3:48
"Waste Away" – 5:04
"Squonk" – 3:33
"Walking on the Wind" – 10:01

The link is in the comments.

Yezda Urfa - Boris (1975) (mp3, 128kbps)

2009-08-19T16:06:00.004-04:00

For those of you not familiar with this 'demo' it is outrageous. This is over-the-top prog perpetrated by some American students who could burn on their respective instruments. By the time these compositions were written and recorded, these guys had a pretty fair chance to listen to all the Yes and Gentle Giant they could get their ears on. When it came time to make their own foray into the genre, the mandate was do everything that everyone else was doing, just more so. They wanted to make the most over-the-top prog album that had ever been heard, and when you hear this, you may well think they succeeded.

There is so much ornamentation and trickery, it literally made my head spin. Concepts such as succintness, brevity, compactness, stripped down - these ideas just didn't enter the picture. I don't know what's more amazing, that they didn't get signed or that the record is so good. So many people criticize prog for its excesses, and, to a great extent, I think there is some validity to those criticisms. But for this one-off novelty piece (there is actually another album out there that I have not heard), I just cast aside all insecurity and enjoy the noise.

1. Boris And His 3 Verses, including Flow Guides Aren't My Bag (11:00)
2. Texas Armadillo (1:48)
3. 3, Almost 4, 6 Yea (8:46)
4. Tuta In The Moya & Tyreczimmage (10:50)
5. Three Tons Of Fresh Thyroid Glands (10:20)

Total Time: 42:44

Line-up / Musicians

- Brad Christoff / percussion, all sorts
- Phil Kimbrough / keyboards, synthesizers, mandolin, wind instruments
- Mark Tippins / guitars, banjo, vocals
- Marc Miller / bass
- Rick Rodenbaugh / vocals

The link is in the comments.

PInk Floyd - Interstellar Fillmore (1970) (aac, 128kbps)

2009-08-16T10:58:00.003-04:00

The era of wide open psychedlic improv is coming to an end. It will soon give way to more composed pieces like Atom Heart Mother, Echoes, and finally Dark Side of The Moon. But on this lovely-sounding stereo soundboard from nearly four decades ago, that old black magic is alive and well, from the 20 minute-plus version of 'Saucerful of Secrets' (from about twelve minutes for the studio version) to the 2nd encore of Barret-era favorite 'Interstellar Overdrive'. This is the real deal. Shows like this established the groundwork for tremendous popularity in the States and mammoth record sales world-wide.

But back then, with Barret recently excused, and newboy Gilmour still trying to find his place, Pink Floyd was a ball of energy, boundless, sometimes formless, and always fearless.

Fillmore West, San Fransico, CA
April 29, 1970

Granchester Meadows
Astronomy Domine
Cymbaline
Atom Heart Mother
Embryo
Green Is The Colour
Careful With That Axe Eugene
Set The Controls for the Heart of the Sun
A Saucerful of Secrets
Interstellar Overdrive

Gilmour, Mason, Waters, Wright

The link is in the comments.

Booker T. and The MG's - Melting Pot (1971) (aac, 128 kbps)

2009-08-09T18:44:00.004-04:00

After spending a few years making hits with really short instrumentals, this album marked a more experimental turn for the legendary Memphis quartet. This appears to have been the twelfth lp, even though they were less than ten yeqars removed from the legendary debut 'Green Onions'. These guys were prolific!

So much of the magic on this record comes from the drums. Al Jackson, Jr. was more than just a talented player. He brought so much atmosphere and dynamics that the other members of the band can just make everything very simple and understated. Th result is nothing less than extraordinary. Listen to what he does on the ride cymbal on 'Back Home' during the break down. The mood becomes almost silent so that the slightest guitar line or piano riff will speak volumes. Also, the effort at innovation was present with the Manhattan Transfer-esque singing that appears on the second half of the record. At the first, I was put off by these strange noises, but now I appreciate how they accentuate the organ solo in an almost Zappa-like fashion.

Jackson was the house drummer for Stax and appeared on a variety of other records, including material by guitar god Albert King. He was described by MG's guitarist Steve Cropper as "the greatest drummer to ever walk the earth", and based on the playing on this record, it's not hard to see how someone would think that. Thus was the tragedy that much greater when Jackson was murdered in his home on October 1, 1975.

A few MG's records came after this one, but this finds the band at its peak. Understated and powerful. Conveying more emotion with fewer notes and innovating all the time. No band could do more with less.

"Melting Pot" - 8:15
"Back Home" - 4:40
"Chicken Pox" - 3:26
"Fuquawi" - 3:40
"Kinda Easy Like" - 8:43
"Hi Ride" - 2:36
"L.A. Jazz Song" - 4:18
"Sunny Monday" - 4:35

The link is in the comments.

Johnny "Guitar" Watson - Ain't That A Bitch (1976) (aac 256kbps)

2009-08-08T22:16:00.005-04:00

Johnny "Guitar" Watson is one of the great unsung heroes of music. About an artist such as Watson, I like to say the following: He did all his own stunts. He could sing, write and play guitar. And from the very beginning, he had style. Not just the clothes, although he excelled in the sartorial department until the time of his death in 1996. But, even early on, he was a wildman with the guitar and vocals. he wrote humorous lyrics and did outrageous things with his voice and axe. Such techniques and innovations drew the attention of Frank Zappa, who owes much of his antics and lyric writing to the style created by Watson.

In the 70's, Watson changed from Texas blues to LA funk, and the results were just as extraordinary. This lp starts presents itself as a humorous outing, from the cover and title to the song names. But don't be fooled. This is a serious funk band with a man who runs a tight ship calling the shots.

I Need It (4:46)
I Want to Ta-Ta You Baby (5:49)
Superman Lover (5:44) (Reynaldo Rey)
Ain't That a Bitch (5:02)
Since I Met You Baby (3:30)
We're No Exception (4:18)
Won't You Forgive Me Baby (5:17)

Johnny "Guitar" Watson - organ, synthesizer, bass, guitar, piano, conga, drums, keyboards and vocals
Paul Dunmall- saxophone
Bruce Fowler - trombone, horn
Peter Martin - trumpet
Tommy Robertson - trombone
Emry Thomas - drums, backing vocals

The link is in the comments.

Ronnie Earl - Searchin' Live (1988) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-08-04T11:03:00.005-04:00

Ronnie Earl is one of the great blues guitarists of any age, religion, color or creed. The fact that he's a white boy who was born Jewish, well, that certainly speaks to my experience. But none of this really matters when you get there, in front of those high-powered pre-CBS Fender Super Reverbs, and that red Strat is plugged straight in - no bullshit. And the amps are cranked and the sweat is coming down his forehead in torrents, and he grits his teeth and squeezes his eyes shut and kneels down real low and picks it so soft and so quiet that audience yells for more, but he just raises a single finger to his lips, and all the pain and the poetry just pours forth. It's an amazing performance that runs the full spectrum of energy and emotion, but the showmanship is never undertaken for its own sake. It is only done in faithful service to the almighty blues.

I don't have a lot of details about this show, but it seems to be from 1988, when he toured the Soul Searching lp. You should clearly be listening to his studio and live releases, but more importantly - GO SEE HIM PLAY. It sounds something like this:

Scorchin' Intro
Alabama
Rigo Park Blues
Dat Dere
Still Soul Searchin
Beautiful Child
Silly By You
band intros
[unknown]

The link is in the comments.

Cato Salsa Experience - A Good Tip For A Good Time (2002) (mp3, 192kbps)

2009-07-28T21:52:00.002-04:00

I'm delighted by all the great music that comes from Scandinavia. I don't know if it's the climate, the excellent fish, the progressive politics or what, but I'm starting to see a pattern developing and I like it. This band was not part of my recent (within the past two years) conscious effort to experiment with international music. On the contrary, I discovered this record very much by accident. I had just gotten my first iPod and was wholesale copying music from my brother-in-law's iTunes account. Seein as I'm currently enjoying the company of his family (although he himself is detained by work), I figured now was as good a time as ever to share the rockin' little record.

How do I describe this? Wikipedia says 'indie garage rock', but I really don't have a clue what that means. Anything that is not major-label is indie, I guess. But the garage aspect makes sense. There's a delightful cheapness to the sound of the instruments and the arrangements are simple, straightforward, and in your face. The subject of the vocals (which are sung in English) are about partying and general sexyness ('Time To Freak Out', 'High Heeled Leather Boots'), so the shit is fun. The songs are short and the organ gives a nice retro vibe. I just love the high energy.

I've read comparisons between the White Stripes and The Strokes, which were all having more success at about the same time, but I never really got to know those bands. I never really got to know this one either, and the organization now seems to be a bit dormant, but this record has never failed to bring a smile to my face.

1. Listen To Me Daddy'O
2. So, The Circus Is Back In Town
3. M.F.
4. Lucky Girl
5. I Can Give You Anything
6. Deadbeat
7. Move On
8. High Heeled Leather Boots
9. Time To Freak Out!
10. Tanquaray
11. Albert Bones Electric Meal
12. Got Soul If You Want It (bonus track)

The link is in the comments.

Joe Zawinul - Concerto Retitled (1976) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-07-23T20:43:00.003-04:00

Don't let the date in the title fool you - this is a compilation of acoustic jazz recorded by the master between 1965 and 1970. One reviewer commented that it appears to have been hurriedly assembled to cash in on Zawinul's rising star at the height of Weather Report's popularity. Whatever the case, I found it to be a refreshing listen that shows Zawinul's strong love of Duke Ellington. He only plays the acoustic piano, which is such a difference from Weather Report and the Syndicate and everything else that was the halmark of his later carrier. Before he started to boogie woogie on that Fender Rhodes with Cannonball Adderley, he was an intense student of classical and jazz. This compilation, though perhaps lacking a bit in the coherence of a studio album, gives another feel for a remarkable talent.

1. From Vienna With Love (4:27)
2. My One And Only Love (3:50)
3. Riverbed (5:08)
4. Concerto Retitled (5:30)
5. Del Sasser (4:45)
6. Sharon's Waltz (5:03)
7. His Last Journey (4:37)
8. In A Silent Way (4:47)

Line-up / Musicians
Bass - Miroslav Vitous , Richard Davis , Walter Booker
Bass, Piano - Sam Jones
Cello - Kermit Moore
Drums - Freddie Waits , Louis Hayes , Roy McCurdy
Flute - George Davis
Melodica - Jack DeJohnette
Percussion - Billy Hart , David Lee , Joe Chambers , Warren Smith
Piano - Joe Zawinul
Piano, Electric Piano - Herbie Hancock
Saxophone [Baritono] - Pepper Adams
Saxophone [Tenor] - Joe Henderson , William Fisher
Trumpet - Blue Mitchell , Jimmy Owens
Viola - Alfred Brown , Selwart Clarke , Theodore Israel

The link is in the comments.

Genesis - Evil Jams From The Waiting Room (1975) (mp3, 256kbps)

2009-07-23T08:58:00.005-04:00

More Genesis improv music. This time, we've got a compilation of Waiting Room jams, also sometimes referred to as Evil Jam. In the narrative sequence of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, the hero Rael is, at the beginning of the second half (lp side 3), led out of a Chamber of 32 Doors by a blind woman called Lilywhite Lilith. From that moment, the tale becomes particularly twisted. Rael has a close call with Mr. Death, enjoys sexual relations with 3 female snakes, which, in turn, causes him to be transformed into a hideous monster. The only way to change back into his old self is to have his penis removed. Now, that's fun for the whole family!

All of this insanity is ushered in by a stop in the Waiting Room. The second song on the second disc is a noise jam that, as the legend goes, was performed at Headley Grange during a storm. Just at the moment of a giant crash of thunder. All the lights went out and the band transformed from a noise jam to a triumphant melodic march. Mike Rutherford holds the rhythm on mild fuzz bass while the other four members push each other over the edge as the exercise becomes more and more feverish. The problem with this legend is that, if the lights went out, how could they still have power for the array of electronic instruments and toys?

While there may be no good answer to that quandary, the truth is that The Waiting Room is a very special piece of music. It was performed live every night on the tour to support 'The Lamb', and, unlike any Genesis music up to that time, it was different at every performance. The same enterprising fan who prepared the Headley Jams I recently posted gives us this gem and it is a gem. On the noisy parts, every item of electronic and percussive trickery is employed to bring about the most unnerving atmosphere possible. And when it's time for 'all change', we get to hear the sublime soloing of Banks and Hackett as they reach higher and higher without sacrificing the deliberate emphasis that makes every note valuable. For a band that didn't improv, they do a fine job and here are the recordings to prove it.

Headley Grange 1 (7:16)
Headley Grange 2 (9:14)
Phoenix (3:48)
Dijon (3:39)
Nurenburg (4:51)
Saarbrucken (4:48)
Munich (5:21)
Groningen (5:35)
Wembley (6:20)
Southampton (6:05)
Liverpool (5:08)
Edinburgh (4:37)
Manchester (5:08)
Rheims (4:29)

All songs written, performed and arranged by Banks, Collins, Gabriel, Hackett and Rutherford

The link is in the comments.

Isotope - Golden Section (1975) (mp3, 320kbps)

2009-07-21T21:06:00.003-04:00

I've been loving this record lately. Think of what Weather Report would have sounded like if, in the normal course of their work, there was a very strong guitar presence, a presence very much along the lines of John McLaughlin in the Mahavishnu era. Now, the absence of guitar in Weather Report is a big [art of what makes it so special for that era. Everybody was playing guitar. Everybody was bringing the big solos, complete with frenetic drums and complex arrangements. Weather Report was refreshing becuase everything had a more organic feel. It's eve hard to tell, at times, when a solo ends and another begins.

So, now we go back to post-Bitches Brew England. Soft Machine has set the pace for Jazz-rock on that side of the UK, but even though Isotope features a Soft Machine alum on bass, this band is firmly in the tradition of the early American fusion. What makes Isotope so special for me is the sympatico relationship between band founder Gary Boyle on guitar and keyboardist Laurence Scott. There are no turf wars being played out on dueling solos, as we hear ad nauseum on the Mahavishnu recordings. Instead, the quick, fusion-y twists and turns are carved out of a Rhodes-enriched grooviness that clearly calls to mind Mysterious Traveler-era Weather Report. In short, there is a lot of generosity flowing between the two principal soloists. The result is a very satisfying listening experience.

This recording is a compilation of live work performed in '74 and '75. The mix of improv and arrangement is what you'd expect from a fusion band of this period, but the composition and vibe is something different. These artists may have been copying their contempoaries, but don't let that stop you from enjoying something that is, at once, very familiar, yet totally different.

Illusion (4:03)
Rangoon Creeper (4:43)
Attila (6:03)
Spanish Sun (9:48)
Crunch Cake (5:22)
Mr. M's Picture (6:50)
Frog (5:16)
Attila (6:10)
Spanish Sun (6:47)
Lily Kong (1:36)
Edorian (3:12)
Golden Section (5:38)
Illusion (4:04)

Personnel: Gary Boyle: guitar; Hugh Hopper: bass; Nigel Morris: drums; Laurence Scott: keyboards; Aureo de Souza: percussion (1-6).

The link is in the comments.

Flaming Lips - Stockholm (2006) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-07-19T20:52:00.003-04:00

Now we go from the last post, where sound quality is somewhat sacrificed for sheer rareness and the unique content, to this absolutely pristine, broadcast quality, release quality, I-mean-sparkling quality show from the Flaming Lips. By the way, Flaming Lips - ... prog band. Sorry, there's nothing you can do about it. Prog from Oklahoma. Mmmmm... that's good flyover state prog.

The version of War Pigs at the end is fine, but the real highlights come from their own catalog. 'Do You Realize' and 'Race for the Prize' are rightfully beloved. 'Morning of the Magician', Vein of Stars' and 'The Spark That Bled' are the classic F'Lips (prog) sound. I get the impression this band could just crank this material out if there wasn't that agitated (highly caffeinated) need to keep coming up with new ideas and new sounds. And "W.A.N.D." and "Yeah Yeah Yeah" both rock mightily.

I wonder if these guys will ever get around to releasing the next record. They are coming around this summer, and I think Cousin Steven will do a good job of not letting me cheese out. In honor of that, here's this:

1. Introduction
2. Race for the Prize
3. Free Radicals
4. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt.1
5. Vein of Stars (Introduction)
6. Vein of Stars
7. Yeah Yeah Yeah Song...
8. In the Morning of the Magicians
9. The W.A.N.D.
10. The Spark That Bled
11. Do You Realize??
12. War Pigs

Band Line Up:

Wayne Coyne – lead vocals, guitar, keyboards, theremin, bass.
Michael Ivins – bass, keyboards, backing vocals.
Steven Drozd – guitar, drums, percussion, keyboards, bass, backing vocals.
Kliph Scurlock - drums, percussion

The link is in the comments.

Genesis - The Jams Played Down at Headley (1974) (mp3, 256kbps)

2009-07-17T22:32:00.006-04:00

Between August and November 1974, Genesis worked out the musical portions for what would become their magnum opus the Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. They were mostly without the input of Peter Gabriel, who was detained as a result of difficulties accompanying his young wife's pregnancy. Much of the sessions took place at Headley Grange where they lived and worked and wrote together. The final product, we all know, is an amazing work of music. But the jams from which those songs arose give an amazing glimpse of what happens when Banks, Rutherford, Collins and Hackett set about throwing things against the wall to see what would stick.

While I have known that the jams exist for some time, it was not until another fan took the time to compile much of the raw material into discreet tracks that I really had the opportunity to listen to and enjoy this amazing body of work. The quality is not perfect, by any means, but geting to hear this group of musicians noodling and jamming at this period in their career (or at any period, really) is so special and so unique, that it is more than worth the effort. Remember, these are studio recordings, so there is no crowd noise or distance marring the sound. It simply sounds old and un-produced.

The compiler has given titles to the jams, but also invited the listener to come up with his/her own titles. you can hear some of the themes that eventually ended up on the record, but the magical moments are those that are entirely unique, from right off the cutting room floor, if you will.

Fly Away (11:06)
Uncaged (11:42)
(Don't Be) Touchy (4:32)
Unjangled (10:02)
Space Time (3:27)
Sectioned (14:23)
The Gorge (4:51)
Deja Vu (9:40)
Portamento (1:33)
Slippertime (7:25)

The link is in the comments.

HR Bigband Featuring Mike Clark - A Funky Tribute to Headhunters (2009) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-07-15T23:17:00.005-04:00

Under the category of old guys who still got it, this is Mike Clark, who, at 68 years young, is still burning it up behind the kit. Not that 68 is really that old, but I just hope I'm a fraction that funk when I'm his age.

This is a loving tribute to one of the most popular Jazz albums of all time, although the set consists of more than just music from Headhunters. The recording is positively glossy and right off the radio. It's actually almost too glossy, but listen hard. The band is banging through their charts and Clark is positively dynamite on drums. The music sounds fresh in this big band context, just as it worked well for Zawinul on the Brown Street recording.

I don't know the names of any other musicians, but the guitar and keyboards and horns are prominently featured, as they should be with this set of music. Just because people play in a bigband doesn't mean they can improvise with passion and sincerity.

Loft Funk
People Music
Spider
Sun Touch
Actual Proof
overdub
Swamp Thing > Chameleon
Butterfly
Sly
Hang Up Your Hangups

This is about two hours of music. The link is in the comments.

Genesis - Live at London (1976) (mp3, 128kbps)

2009-07-12T22:13:00.003-04:00

In 1976, Peter Gabriel had left Genesis at the very moment that things started to look like they were going to break in favor of that band. He had lead them to the promised land, but, apparently, couldn't go in with them. This was cause for concern. The band did not want to miss out on the opportunity. Keyboardist Tony Banks clearly sensed that they could get to the next level, and he secretly relished the thought of becoming the boss after Gabriel departed. Various singers were auditioned, but it soon became clear that the solution to this problem would have to come from within the organization - Phil Collins.

And while Collins went on to multi-platinum success, he was terribly insecure about taking over as front man. Gabriel had a mysterious rapport with the audience. He was other-worldly with his outrageous stories and mind-blowing costumes. There was no expectation that Phil would attempt that same shtick. His workingman's roots led to an entirely different front man persona.

But Phil was a perfectionsist, and he was acutely aware of his contribution to this beast thus far. One of the most remarkable aspects of Gabriel-era Genesis is the interplay between Collins and Banks during the longer instrumental passages. Although these are described by the fanboys as keyboard 'solos', they are, in fact, very composed passages that happen to feature the keyboard. But with Collins, Banks was very generous and Collins' work during those keyboard solos is some of the most fearsome drumming this side of Art Blakey.

So, how do you protect that legacy? It's no problem in the studio, thanks to the miracle of multi-track recording. But what about the tour? Genesis had just cemented its reputation as an extraordinary live act - even in America. Now they had a great album ('Trick of the Tail') and the best way to sell that sucker was to go out on the road and make some noise. Without Gabriel's outrageous costumes, all focus would be on the music and the new singer. Collins would not be able to play drums the whole time. His parts are simply too complex to sing the whole show from behind the kit. Plus, he was expected to be out front - that was still Genesis. So they would need a touring drummer. But, how do you make sure that in the heat of a live performance, with all that adrenaline flowing, when there is no margin for error, that it's going to be all the right notes played as if 'off-the-cuff'?

Simple. You hire Bill Bruford.

June 10, 1976
Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK

GASP 014

1-01. (cut) Dance On A Volcano 6:01
1-02. The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway 5:15
1-03. Fly On A Winshield 2:46
1-04. The Carpet Crawlers 5:27
1-05. The Cinema Show 12:28
1-06. Robbery Assault and Battery 7:22
1-07. White Mountain 7:22
1-08. Firth of Fifth 9:35
1-09. Entangled 7:45
1-10. Squonk 6:42

2-01. Supper's Ready 25:29
2-02. I Know What I Like 6:18
2-03. Los Endos 7:50
2-04. It/Watcher Of The Skies 6:17

The link is in the comments.

S.B.B. - Welcome (1979) (mp3, vbr)

2009-07-09T22:06:00.002-04:00

This is the SBB record I'm listening too most lately. It comes out near the end of their first, long period. After 1980, the band didn't really exist for quite a long time. Since the mid-90's, they've been in comeback/reunion mode. But it's hard to be cynical when they're so good. And the new record, Iron Curtain, actually finds this group of old men covering some new and interesting ground.

But this record is mostly about the shorter, composed efforts, getting away from the more purely improvised efforts of the early 70's. And when songs are the focus, some powerful sounds emerge. The composition style is really different, but also very confident - it reminds me of Steve Hackett. The production values are great, expecially considering the era. the sound is balanced and dramatic - I think that is due in part to this being a three person band with a very strong central figure; Skrzek played bass, all keys, vocals and lots of writing. He is one of the great unsung geniuses of prog.

1. Walkin' Around The Stormy Bay (6:30)
2. Loneliness (5:25)
3. Why No Peace (6:04)
4. Welcome Warm Nights And Days (3:02)
5. Rainbow Man (3:38)
6. How I Can Begin (7:00)
7. Last Man At The Station (9'29)

Bonus tracks (CD):
8. Rainbow Man (long version) (5:05)
9. Last Man At The Station (short version) (6:26)
10. Deszcz kroplisty, deszcz ulewny (4:02)
11. Tuż nad kanałem Ulgi (4:41)
12. 30 stopni w cieniu (5:26)
13. Przy okazji (6:39)
14. Mechaniczna skakanka (5:04)

Total time without bonuses: 41:08
Total time with bonuses: 78:31

Line-up / Musicians

- Jozef Skrzek / bass, piano, Moog, vocals
- Antymos Apostolis / guitar
- Jerzy Piotrowski / percussion

The link is in the comments.

Duke Ellington - In Sweden (1973) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-07-06T21:02:00.003-04:00

A fantastic set from the later era, this one is special because of the presence of Ms. Alice Babs as a guest on the later part of the set. Her vocal performances may not be well known in the States, but she brings an added dimension and vitality to this show.

Rockin' In Rhythm
Creole Love Call
Caravan
In Duplicate
Take The A Train
Satin Doll
Serenade To Sweden
Checkered Hat

Spacemen
Jeep's Blues
There's Something About Me
Somebody Cares
I'm Beginning To See The Light
Take The A Train
Encore: St. Louis Blues
Encore: Tiger Rag

The link is in the comments.

Bob Dylan - In The Summertime (1981) (aac, 128kbps)

2009-07-05T07:06:00.003-04:00

As promised here a couple months ago, I am now posting a 'must-have' bootleg from Dylan's Christian period. The year is 1981. He is on tour with a large band, including multiple guitars and keyboards and the obligatory gospel choir. He was later married to one of the singers for six years, but this post and this concert are not about the vagaries of Dylan's private life. Instead, we find Dylan just hitting 40, but still fighting, still trying to do something amazing, and still searching.

By the time of this concert, I imagine some of the shock at his religious conersion had worn off. there could have been a tendency for the artist to loose his edge, but, instead, the music is better than ever. He sounds like he's settled in with a band that he can work with and a new sound for his old music that keeps him fresh and interest. As always, its audience and critics be damned!

The quality of this recording is stellar, and even with all that crazy Jesus music, it's still a great listen for any fan. This is a big set, complete with bonus material.

Drammenhalle, Drammen, Norway July 10, 1981
Bonus: Rainbow Music Hall, Denver January 22, 1980

Tracks:

The Times
Gotta Serve Somebody
I Believe In You
Like A Rolling Stone
Man Gave Names To All The Animals
Girl Of The North Country
Ballad Of A Thin Man
In The Summertime
Slow Train
Let's Begin Again
Lenny Bruce
Mr Tambourine Man
Just Like A Woman
Forever Young
Jesus Is The One
Heart Of Mine
When You Gonna Wake Up?
In The Garden
Blowin' In The Wind
It Ain't Me, Babe
Knockin' On Heaven's Door
*****Bonus tracks*****
When He Returns
Man Gave Names To All The Animals
Precious Angel
Slow Train
Gonna Change My Way Of Thinking
Do Right To Me, Baby
Solid Rock
Saving Grace

The link is in the comments.

Aimee Mann - Hultsfred Festival (2001) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-06-29T15:38:00.005-04:00

Aimee Mann is tough. She didn't like the record industry and what it wanted to do to her art. She wanted to do it her way. She had a vision of her music and nothing and no one was going to stop her from making that vision a reality. She came out with a record called 'Whatever' and it was great. She came out with another record called 'I'm With Stupid' and it was brilliant! She was an indie hit. The she came out with a record called 'Bachelor No. 2' AND she wrote additional music for the film Magnolia. The movie, and, more importantly, the music put her on top of the world. She had respect, career, loving husband, sales, fans, legacy... and that's where it all seems to have gone wrong.

Em and I saw her in 2002 when she was on tour for 'Lost In Space'. That record is not bad, but it feels like it was rushed out as a set of stuff that got left off the last two releases. And that is OK, except that the concert sucked.

I don't make that statement lightly. I want so much to like this artist, and so much of her output is SO good, but not lately. There was no fire, no passion, no sweat. Just going through the motions. That is the fastest way to make me lose interest in your performance. If you don't care, why should I? And we were right up front. We wanted so badly to like this show. Here was someone who had just hit the top of her game. We waited in line, got up front at The Theater of the Living Arts, and she put up a dud. You wouldn't know it from the 'xpn disciples who were generally pleased with the lackluster performance, but the fact remains that this was not a strong show.

AND she was hating on Phil Collins - a guy who, instead of bitching about how life was so cruel to him, got up on top of it and became the busiest man in rock and roll. How many records did that guy produce in the eighties? How many guest spots? How many records did Genesis sell? How many records did Phil sell on his own? But she figured she could get away with, because Phil Collins doesn't get played on the same radio stations that think nothing but unicorns and rainbows come out of Aimee Mann's ass. Sorry, cupcake, but compared to old, bald Phil, you ain't done nothing in your little career.

Which brings us to this particular show. Three months before 9/11, everything was abit different. Back then, Mann's shtick about showin' the man that she could be the best pop songwriter and do it on her terms was still a vital story line. Despite her youthful appearance, there was a world-weariness that carried a lot of weight. 'Look what I've been through. I'm a beaten and bruised, but you still can't stop me!' It sounds like that determination was very present in this performance, and the song selection is just great. This is from a radio show, so the quality is primo as well. Listen to this great show and tell me the hell happened to Aimee Mann. She used to be a badass. Now she's a lightweight.

Hultsfred Festival, Sweden 6-15-01

One
Choice in the Matter
Sugarcoated
How Am I Different
Save Me
That's Just What You Are
Red Vines
Susan
Ghost World
Long Shot
Calling it Quits
Wise Up
Deathly
Fourth of July
The Other Side Of The Telescope
Driving With One Hand
Jimmy Hoffa
You Could Make A Killing
Choice in the Matter
Voices Carry

The concert is only the first 13 tracks. The rest of the music is b-sides and alternate versions.

The link is in the comments.

Squarepusher - Shinjuku Liquid Room (1997) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-06-26T16:00:00.003-04:00

This is pretty much the moment when everything changed. The good news was that Tom Jenkinson was going to be able to pursue his chosen career and actually make some money doing it. The bad news was that he was going to be a celebrity. It seems there was always a strong level of interest in his 'sound' in Japan, but it was his extraordinary performance style that closed the deal. There were DJ's and there were knob twiddlers, but there was nothing like Squarpusher. YouTube has two videos from this performance; Beep Street and Cooper's World. they apear to have beenbroadcast on MTV, but I'm thinking that wasn't in the USA. As a result of the Hard Normal Daddy lp, Squarepusher became a major label (Sony) artist in Japan.

Things changed big time after the popularity set in, and the music of revolt came next. But before that awkward period of exploration, there was this rebirth of fusion, mated with the most cutting edge technology, and an artist who refused to be defined by any boundry. YouTube may have the two videos, but with this recording your ears get the whole show. Enjoy!

Shinjuku Liquid Room
Tokyo, Japan
July 24, 1997

intro 2:14
The Swifty 5:33
Coopers World 5:15
Beep Street 6:55
EZ Boogie 8:20
Journey to Reedham 6:39
Full Rinse 2:41
Massif (Stay Strong) 6:19
Anirog Da 1:12
Chin Hippy 3:24
Come On My Selector 3:41
The Body Builder 3:19
Dimotane Co. 4:38
encore 7:02

The link is in the comments

Squarepusher - Bowery Ballroom, NYC (2003) (mp3, 128kbps)

2009-06-24T22:17:00.000-04:00

UPDATE: We're coming down the home stretch of Squarepusher's installment of 'Artist of The Week'. Before I post the amazing '97 recording from the Shinjuko Liquid Room, I'm reposting this delicious recording made by yours truly.

When I first heard Squarepusher in 1997 it blew my mind. I was driving back from an unfortunate errand in Queens (don't ask) and I hoped to console myself with some good, under-the-radar, you're-not-going-to-hear-that-on-the-radio-outside-NYC, type music. I have no idea what station I had picked up, but the music proved to be Male Pill Pt. 13 from Hard Normal Daddy. If you don't own this record, stop reading and go buy it now. NOW!! The dj described the artist as the Squarepushers, but I was eventually fortunate enough to find a knowledgeable record store clerk somewhere in Philadelphia.

Flash forward six years to the summer of 2003. this is my recording of a show I attended alone at the Bowery Ballroom. This tape was made under constant threat of discovery, but it still came out great. This is from a tour in support of Ultravisitor, represents a rare States-side performance, and finds the artist in his typically hyper and destructive mood. I'm not sure that being at the concerts is all that fun (it is an aural assault), but in the comfort of your own home, you can now listen to the modern-day mad scientist, dialing knobs, flipping switches, stomping pedals, clicking his mouse button and, most importantly, shredding on his bass guitar with synth hook-up.

The magic act is impressive to see, but it tends to get a bit loud for those in attendance. With this set, you get more than a flavor of one night's work - very good work indeed.

I'm pleased with how this turned out. I used an active stereo mic (not sure of the model) and ran that into the portable MD recorder. There really hasn't been any retouching. I was lucky that there is little or no distortion or clipping. Despite the volume in the room (or perhaps because of it) all the sounds are clear in the mix. If you don't know anything about Squarepusher, please remember that the vast majority of the sounds you hear are being triggered, live, by means of synth bass. It is astonishing, to say the least.

1. Do You Know Squarepusher (5:26)
2. Dimotane Co. (8:14)
3. Ultravisitor (7:13)
4. Tetra-Scync (8:42)
5. I Fulcrum -> Come On My Selector (9:04)

Chaos A.D. - Buzz Caner (1998) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-06-21T06:21:00.000-04:00

This is being reposted for my 'Artist of the Week' exhibit about Squarepusher. This record is not on ebay or iTunes, and the cheapest one on Amazon is over $100 (for a CD)! It's probably worth it.

Not for the faint of heart. You'll notice that the label says Squarepusher, and that's who it is, performing under the alias Chaos A.D. I believe a lot of this is culled from his early recording that predate the Warp releases - all of which are phenomenal and worthy of your hard-earned discretionary income. This is less jazz-fusion and more straight-up dance/electronica. You can still hear a lot of the trademark Squarepusher tricks, but this music is a little more of an explorations, instead of an experiment. Does that make any sense?

As with most music, the best way to understand it is to simply listen. Some of this is a bit hard to digest - the obnoxious streak (that I find endearing) is present today (listen to the ep 'Numbers Lucent') and it was present back then. Proceed with caution.

Thin Life (5:20)
Mess Head (7:06)
Bioslate (6:35)
Generation Shit (3:10)
Dreaded Pestilence (6+:22)
Mind War Electro (9:00)
Friend Track (3:54)
Psultan Part 1 (5:17)
Theme From Cumberland Wrestling (4:39)
Male Pill Part 6 (6:51)
Up The Gary (6:21)
Dave's Safety Lamp (6:12)

The link is in the comments.

Squarepusher - Breezeblock Show (2004) (mp3 128kbps)

2009-06-19T22:41:00.004-04:00

The difference between Squarepusher in 1996, when Feed Me Wierd Things was recorded, and within just a few months after Hard Normal Daddy was released - it was night and day. He was completely unknown one minute, and the next he was an insider/enfant terrible, a prohet for popular musicians. The very composition of modern music changed, to a great extent, because of the efforts of very un-cool tech heads who spent a lot of time on their own.

I don't think Squarepusher ever wanted to be 'the next big thing.' I find that his music became harder to listen to after 1998's 'Big Loda' compilation. It was a collection of the stuff that didn't make it on the two major works of the period: 'Feed Me...' and 'Hard Normal..." But after those three brilliant outings, the music becomes dark, almost oppositional. 'Music Is Rotted One Note,' 'Selection 16,' 'Maximum Priest EP', 'Budakahn Mindphone' and 'Do You Know Squarepusher' were all released between '98 and '02, and for those looking for the next 'Hard Normal Daddy', it's just not there. He is intentionally challenging his audience with something new, and the result is not always listenable.

But in 2004, 'Ultravisitor' came out, a LONG record with songs that formed a beginning, middle and end to this longer work. Compared to the exploration of the previous five years, this record sounded extremely determined, totally cohesive. He was now incorporating the noise and chaos right into the synth-driven composition. The technology allwed for a sonically more diverse live program and, indeed, portions of the album were culled from the live performaces of the year before. He succeded in bringing all the styles he had worked on and all the sounds he invented and re-invented together in one new sound. No longer was there a 'Squarepusher Theme' (from Feed Me Weird things) or 'My Fucking Sound' (from Do You Know Squarepusher?). Now it was just Squarepusher.

Another huge difference was the artist's attitude toward his audience. The album cover says it all, close up head shot of Tom Jenkinson. No more hiding behind the abstract graphic imagery and dangerous seclusion. As they say in the movies, "Now it's just you and me, sport." He even did some promotion.

Which brings us to this recording. It is a, roughy, 25 minute piece of music, presented by the BBC as one track. It was recorded live by Squarepusher in the BBC studio for the Breezblock program on BBC radio. Around the time of broadcast, the track was also made available for download. It is a beautiful, massive, and completely new work that is presented to the listener in the context of 'Ultravisitor' and that sound, but it is also its own composition, and not merely a live version of music from the record. How much pre-production goes into a work such as this is known only to the musician, but to my ear, it sounds like a lot. This is consistent with recent statements about what Squarepusher might play at upcoming festival performances this summer. He said it depended on how much he could get done before the performance.

This is not for everyone, and it's certainly not background music. It is, however, a very close approximation of what the live performance was like, presented in broadcast quality, at a time when Squarepusher came forth from transition and began to present, with all the delacacy of a chainsaw, another new sound.

The link is in the comments.

Squarepusher - Feed Me Weird Things (1996) (mp3, 128kbps)

2009-06-18T22:36:00.004-04:00

I'm riding a strong wave of Squarepusher love right now, AND he just announced what the next project will be. So the second 'Artist of the Week' in my irregular series (started with Wayne Shorter), is Tom Jenkinson, a/k/a Squarepusher.

What better place to begin than with the very first record? Normally, I have no wish to deprive the artist of record sales, but this essential title does not really seem to be for sale. Not on iTunes and not on Amazon, other than for $80+ used. So, forget that.

This was not the first Squarepusher record I got my hands on. That was, of course, 'Hard Normal Daddy'. I always say the same thing about that record: If you don't have it, stop what you are doing and go get it. Stop reading this blog. Stop playing with your computer or phone. Go get the record. You will NOT be sorry. There are certain defining records in any genre, records that achieve the nexus of (a) unique creativity, (b) broad appeal in their time, and (c) lasting impact on other music. Hard Normal Daddy hits all three. It took the traditional idea of jazz and jazz fusion instrumentals from the 60's and 70's and connected it to rave and dance music in almost the exact same way rap and hip-hop connected to funk and r'n'b from the same era.

Feed Me Wierd Things retains fewer of the traditional elements. Yes, this is a 'long player', a full length record, as opposed to being a vinyl 12-inch stuffed into an anonymous white sleeve - DJ style. What this record firmly establishes is the painstaking and meticulous approach to rhythm and percussion that was not previously present in electronic music.

'His beats are made,' said Bono. And this record is where that begins. In earlier electronic music, the driving drum beats were loops which freed up the DJ/producer/musician/rapper to layer on his or her own, without the need of a live drum set. Also, the mechanical sound of the drum machine served as an anchor, thudding away in a constant beat - louder, really, than any other part of the music.

Squarepusher comes along and thinks, 'Those beats can be just as loud and driving, but they don't have to be the same over and over again." That fits with what a jazz drummer does with a rhythm; play around it and let it swing and it can keep the beat without repeating. The downside is getting a machine to recreate the nuance of human spontenaity would take someone who was willing to put in untold hours, secluding himself from the world in order to create process his music until it is just so; going drum stroke by drum stroke with everything programmed and perfect. Tom Jenkinson is the human/ghost in the machine.

Whether you are talking about the near chaotic blerps and schbleps of 'North Circular', or the cool, almost classical guitar feel of 'Squarepusher Theme', or the unrelenting killer melody that frames a drum frenzy on 'Theme From Ernest Borgnine' - those beats are mad. The following record may have been the one that broke through, but it is this first outing that introduces the noisy/obnoxious/avant garde streak in a man who is, technically and otherwise, a real musical genius.

"Squarepusher Theme" – 6:20
"Tundra" – 7:55
"The Swifty" – 5:20
"Dimotane Co." – 4:54
"Smedley's Melody" – 2:33
"Windscale 2" – 6:35
"North Circular" – 6:08
"Goodnight Jade" – 2:45
"Theme from Ernest Borgnine" – 7:55
"U.F.O.'s Over Leytonstone" – 6:39
"Kodack" – 7:14
"Future Gibbon" – 2:18

The link is in the comments.

The Police - Gateshead Festival (1982) (160kbps)

2009-06-17T15:12:00.002-04:00

This wasn't quite the end, not quite time to pass the baton to Bono and the boys, but on this day in 1982, U2 showed they could go toe to toe with the big boys. And the biggest boys back then were The Police. Andy Summers made a decision to go minimal. Stewart Copeland could play anything, but was lucky and smart not to get stuck in an aging prog or fusion act. And Sting? Well, I think Sting is a huge wanker and now he just sucks. But back then, he had what it took to be a sincere and agile front-man who actually played an instrument. It wasn't Sting and The Police. back then, he was just another guy working his ass off to make his band the biggest thing in the world. By the time Synchronicity came out (the year after this show), that goal had been achieved.

July 31, 1982

CD1: (46:07)
01. Message In A Bottle (4:18)
02. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic (4:13)
03. Walking On The Moon (5:04)
04. Spirits In The Material World (3:26)
05. Hungry For You (J'aurais Toujours Faim De Toi) (3:13)
06. When The World Is Running Down (3:53)
07. The Bed's Too Big Without You (4:59)
08. De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da (5:57)
09. Demolition Man (5:31)
10. Shadows In The Rain (5:28)

CD2: (42:15)
01. Driven To Tears (3:22)
02. Bring On The Night (5:42)
03. One World (Not Three) (4:16)
04. Invisible Sun (4:29)
05. Roxanne (5:56)
06. Don't Stand So Close To Me (3:28)
07. Can't Stand Losing You / Reggatta de Blanc / Be My Girl, Sally (7:44)
08. So Lonely (7:14)

The link is in the comments

Van Halen - Goldenwest Ballroom (1976) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-06-17T14:52:00.003-04:00

The Golden West Ballroom appears to have little significance outside of the fact that is was the scene of this concert in 1976. It was our Great Nation's two hundredth birthday; punk didn't exist yet; Prog Rock and Jazz Fusion were still riding high, but showing some signs of aging; Miles Davis was in self-imposed exile from music. And this quartet from Los Angeles was getting ready to change everything about how we understand that ephemeral phrase: ROCK AND ROLL!!

I only wish there were a bit more bass in teh recording, but it's still a killer.

On Fire 2:35
Show Your Love 4:37
Last Child 4:27
Tush 3:05
The Rover 6:19
Let's Get Rockin' 3:11
Ice Cream Man 5:12
Last Night 3:52
Eruption 3:09
We Die Young 3:36
Somebody Get Me A Doctor 4:47
Babe Don't Leave Me Alone 4:14
Let Me Swim In Your Ocean 1:40
She's The Woman 3:23

Total Time - 54:07

The link is in the comments.

Decemberists - KCRW (2009) (mp3, 256kbps)

2009-06-07T16:59:00.003-04:00

They put on quite a show at the Tower Theater in Upper Darby, PA last night. Em and I are still recovering. Feel free to check out my thoughts on the show at mpomy.com or at the brand-spankin' new fretbuzz.net. It's the same post, but there's now an effort to make some collaborative music blogging happen, so I'm double posting everything.

So, as part of the promotion for their new album, The Hazards of Love, the band stopped off at KCRW and played some of the highlights from the record. This is no substitute for seeing the action go down live and in person, but it at least provide a glimpse of the tasty output presently coming forth forth from this highly ereudite indie rock outfit.

KCRW Radio FM Broadcast
Santa Monica, California.
Source: FM Broadcast

Live In Studio Session @ Time Of Broadcast

AIRED: Friday, May 15, 2009

01.(=Intro=)
02.The Hazards of Love 1
03.Won't Want for Love
04.The Hazards of Love 2
05.(=Interview=)
06.The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid
07.The Queen's Rebuke
08.The Rake's Song
09.(=Outro=)

Colin Meloy - Guitar, Vox
Chris Funk - Guitar, Mandolin, Vox
Jenny Conlee - Piano, Organ
Nate Query - Bass
John Moen - Drums, Vox
Becky Stark - Vox
Shara Worden - Guitar, Vox

The link is in the comments.

Fish - Tales From The Big Bus (1998) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-06-05T14:13:00.002-04:00

Well, we're going to see The Decemberists tomorrow night, and I really don't know anything about them, so it's been a steep education curve over the past few days. The band is fronted and master-mind-ed Collin Meloy, who in his earnestness and eccentricity reminds me of the Fish. The music is different and, of course, Fish is older and has been sloggin away at this rock singer thing for low these many years. But the showmanship and the just-ever-so-slightly-out-of-kilter charisma - Fish has really got it. We'll see what Mr. Meloy looks like tomorrow night and report over at Mpomy HQ.

But to keep things moving at the music blog, and seeing as this title is pretty much out of circulation, here is a fine example of the 1989 Sunsets on Empire Tour. This was the first tour I saw Fish, though not in Koln. But this is the same band and roughly the same set and its a real corker! Enjoy the extended medleys, broken up by Fish's amazing stories of life on the road, badgers and everything else.

CD1 (64:05)
01. Perception of Johnny Punter (11.41) [Dick/Wilson]
02. What Colour is God? (07.21) [Dick/Wilson]
03. Family Business (06.24) [Dick/Simmonds/Lindes]
04. Mr. 1470 (05.32) [Dick/Paterson/Boult]
05. Jungle Ride (08.15) [Dick/Boult]
06. Medley (20.25):
(i) Assassing [Dick/Rothery/Kelly/Trewavas/Mosley]
(ii) Credo [Dick/Simmonds/Boult/Usher]
(iii) Tongues [Dick/Simmonds/Boult/Usher]
(iv) Fugazi [Dick/Rothery/Kelly/Mosley/Trewavas]
(v) White Feather [Dick/Rothery/Kelly/Trewavas/Mosley]

CD2 (50:17)
07. Cliché (08.35) [Dick/Simmonds/Lindes]
08. Brother 52 (06.08) [Dick/Wilson]
09. Lucky (20.14) [Dick/Simmonds/Boult]
10. Internal Exile [Dick/Simmonds/Boult]
11. The Company (08.48) [Dick/Simmonds]

The link is in the comments.

B. B. King - Toronto Forum (1978) (mp3, 128kbps)

2009-06-04T15:54:00.003-04:00

Time for a little blues. If you know nothing else about the blues, you probably know BB King. He's been around a long time, he's extremely well-spoken and respectful - not like all those other scary blues musicians! We can debate the climate of racism during which this artist reached tremendous success till the cows come home.

Oh yeah, one other thing. He's an absolutely filthy guitar player. And that's the real reason he got to where he got. BB took the basic idea of the single note blues that T-Bone Walker really established, and he just made made it so down and dirty and nasty that you can't resist. Just listen and tell me that you disagree.

A big reason that BB has been able to keep it going so long is that he's also a hell of a showman. Even in this recording, you can hear him working the audience and using that energy to get the band into a higher plane of performance. It's so good you can taste it!

1. Caledonia 4:30
2. Night Life 6:35
3. Walking Dr. Bill 4:55
4. monlogue> 3:44
5. Instrumental 6:23
6. Why I Sing The Blues 5:32
7. Never Make Your Move Too Soon 6:16
8. The Thrill Is Gone 6:06
9. outro 1:30

The link is in the comments.

Steve Hackett - Highly Strung (1983) (mp3, vbr)

2009-06-01T21:08:00.004-04:00

I usually try not to post something that can readily be obtained through other means. I'll probably earn myself a cease and desist letter for this one. But it was definitely time for some pure prog after all that Wayne Shorter. Not because they're so different, but because they're (also) so similar. The painstaking compositional aspect of those Wayne records from the 80's depends on every note being in the right place. That's just like lots of prog rock! How Wayne was able to do that in a predominantly improvisational format (i.e. Jazz) is beyond me and a testament to his substantial genius.

But back to Mr. Hackett. I'm not saying this particular prog rock masterpiece embodies all those strange and wonderful qualities. On the contrary, Highly Strung is a bit of a romp. Hackett flexes his substantial guitar muscles on the first three tracks, all of which feature his beautiful, harmonic soloing. He then lays it on even thicker with 'Group Therapy' and the aptly titled 'Hackett to Pieces'.

Two things come to mind with this collection of music, especially after listening to all that Wayne Shorter. The first is that Hackett is producing with a much smaller budget. The overall musical impression of the record is just a little more chintzy. I don't know how else to say it. With Wayne's solo records, I feel like there is a beautiful and shimmering quality to the production. As with the composition, everything is just right, and cost is no object.

The second difference, for me at least, is that this music does not seem to be influenced by the popular music of the day, or by any context. Talk about no compromise! It's something that's always been one of Hackett's most admirable qualities. He simply plays what he hears in his head. No one knows where it comes from. Take, for example, the bonus track 'Guitar Boogie'. Ladies and gentleman, this is not blues. I don't care how much the artist tries to tell you different. Calling that song blues is like calling Keith Richards a classical musician. It's just wrong. But that's how Hackett hears it, and, god knows, he can play the shit out of that guitar, so why not?

"Camino Royale" (Hackett, Magnus) – 5:28
"Cell 151" (Hackett) – 6:26
"Always Somewhere Else" (Hackett) – 4:02
"Walking Through Walls" (Hackett) – 3:48
"Give It Away" (Hackett) – 4:08
"Weightless" (Hackett) – 3:31
"Group Therapy" (Hackett) – 5:47
"India Rubber Man" (Hackett) – 2:31
"Hackett to Pieces" (Hackett, Magnus) – 2:40

2007 Remaster Bonus Tracks
10. "Guitar Boogie" - 2:12 11. "Walking Through Walls (Single Edit)" - 5:55 12. "Time Lapse at Milton Keynes" - 3:52

John Acock – keyboards
Steve Hackett - guitars, vocals
Chris Lawrence – contrabass
Nick Magnus - keyboards, devices
Ian Mosley – drums
Nigel Warren-Green – cello

The link is in the comments.

Miles Davis - Dark Magus (1974) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-05-28T22:18:00.004-04:00

Tatu is for me the best recording of the Pete Cosey era. Miles has gone through all his keyboardists. Herbie Hancock, Chic Corea, Kieth Jarrett, Joe Zawinul. He tries little known Cedric Lawsin and then it's no keyboard player. From 1972 to his 1975 exile from music that lasted 6 years, the keboard player in the Miles Davis band was Miles Davis. At 48 years of age, the hard living has clearly caught up with him, but its just as clear that he is unble to stop composing, playing and performing. The keyboard gave him a physically less taxing way to be part of the jam.

But when that trumpet comes forth, oh my! Let me set this up for you on Tatu, the first song on the second disc. No keyboard player, but three guitarists and two saxophones, and drums, and percussion. Nine people on stage at Carnegie Hall, no setlist, no songs. Miles is doing a lot of conducting throughout the performance, composing even as the thing proceeds.

So, Tatu starts with a fairly safe funk riff that Miles introduces on the organ. It's picked up by the guitar and bass, and we get guitar solos trading with Miles' absolutely wicked organ work. Pete Cosey urges him on with soaring and warped effects of his own. Miles is ready to let this jam simmer until around 8:20, when he breaks it down and we get dueling sax solos. Up until this point, it's pretty standard fare for this era. Strong elements of the music on 'Pangea', 'In Concert: Philharmonic' and 'Agarta' are present here. But when the sax solos begin, the three guitars go to a totally different feel. The comping is slow and the chords have a major feel. Henderson's bass stays in a similar groove with offsets, stops and starts, all orchestrated by the bandleader in real time. Miles might be too hurtin' to play much trumpet, but he's feeling the music tonight.

At about 10:26, Henderson picks up on the minimal feel and starts to just lay down the root note, over and over again. The drone effect gives beautiful emphasis to the saxes and guitars. After more than thirteen minutes, we still haven't heard the trumpet once.

Things begin to really devolve around the end of the sax solos. Miles signals change with the keyboard, but it doesn't take. The soloist is having a hard time letting go. But at 15:09, he's rescued by the rhythm guitar of Reggie Lucas. And now it sounds like the Rolling Stones, switching out of that soft major mode and playing some blues! The bass threatens to switch back to what we started with sixteen minutes ago. But oh, what's that? Miles has his horn.

Now this band has to deliver. They have to make way and roll out the red carpet with a groove so tasty, because they probably don't know when this opportunity will come again. He comes into the ring somewhat tentative, but making his intentions clear. Then he's conducting again and getting ready to take flight. The wah-wah pedal and the echo can't hide the obvious pain and difficulty he's having - they just make it louder. This is evil live.

At 18:51 it's time to run back to the safety of the keyboard. It appears that the song is over, but, even if the trumpet solo took a lot out of him (also - you always leave them wanting more!), he's still in the music. So now its back and forth with the rel heavy stuff, led by Miles' atonal assaults on the organ. But in a moment he'll stop with a completely innocuous little riff, something you would hear Zawinul play. In the spirit of a World-Music vibe, we get a finger piano solo. It sounds almost like a toy, and yet it usher's in the big finish.

Miles is in charge all the way. There are no more stops. No more conducting. Now it's time to really see what this band can do. Set up the groove and write the song while you play it. The organ does not play any set progression, it just plays the song, like it was always that way. Starting at 21:35, you have some of the best Miles Davis music ever recorded, and probably some of the most unknown. When that horn comes back for the last time, he doesn't sound pained, he sounds like a prize fighter bouncing around the ring and pumping his fists before the fight. And his band rejoices.

This is hard music, to be sure. And there are no flashy sidemen. That six years without making music had to have been a dark time for Miles. Taking him away from music is like taking music away from music. How could either exist? But through this music, you get to experience the horror of that slide as its happening, while never leaving the relative safety of your own home.

March 30, 1974
Carnegie Hall, New York City

Moja 25:23
Wili 25:02
Tatu 25:21
Nne 25:30

Pete Cosey – guitar
Miles Davis – organ, trumpet
Al Foster – drums
Dominique Gaumont – guitar
Michael Henderson – bass
Azar Lawrence – tenor saxophone
Dave Liebman – flute, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone
Reggie Lucas – guitar
Teo Macero – producer
James Mtume – percussion

The link is in the comments

Wayne Shorter - High Life (1995) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-05-26T20:31:00.000-04:00

UPDATE: As a little post script to Wayne Shorter week, here's a re-post of the one that got me thinking that, hey, this guy is a bona fide genius!

Uncompromising. Every single note has to be in the exact right place. This is painstaking composition, all for the greater good of the song. The result is a set of compositions that seem to float in the air, darting and dodging with the delicacy of a butterfly. But Wayne doesn't sting like a bee, not here at least. Instead, his moments of improvisation come forth with such power that they soar above the beatiful cloud that is creared by all those notes.

This is a beautiful recording, but suffers a bit from Marcus Miller's production. These compositions would hold up perfectly well in an acoustic format, but the production makes it a bit glossier than it needs to be. So please, wade through that and be patient. Wayne is always worth it!

1. Children Of The Night 7:24
2. At The Fair 7:30
3. Maya 5:12
4. On The Milky Way Express 5:35
5. Pandora Awakened 6:19
6. Virgo Rising 6:46
7. High Life 6:28
8. Midnight In Carlotta's Hair 5:54
9. Black Swan (In Memory Of Susan Portlynn Romeo) 5:54

Wayne Shorter
Rachel Z: Piano, Synthesizer
David Gilmore: Guitar
Lenny Castro: Percussion
Airto Moreira: Percussion
Munyungo Jackson: Percussion
Kevin Ricard: Percussion
Will Calhoun: Drums
Terri Lyne Carrington: Drums
Marcus Miller: Producer

The link is in the comments.

Wayne Shorter - Joy Rider (1988) (aac, 256kbps)

2009-05-22T14:26:00.003-04:00

We're coming down the homestretch for these crazy albums. This one, again, not well loved by the critics, is perhaps the most powerful of the era. 'Over Shadow Hill Way' and the title track both made it onto the acclaimed Beyond The Sound Barrier, and everybody loves that album (including me)! Is it possible that people heard that so-called contemporary jazz production and just gave up on these records? I think it's more than possible. It is the same formula he'd used on the last two, and I find the results to be similarly stunning. After spending a lifetime in the improv business, Wayne embraced the technology (just like his old partner Zawinul did) but then went off into the inner space of painstaking composition. 'Cathay' and 'Causeways' are the two unsung heroes of this record. They show that atmosphere and composition can go together - if you know your music! In an era when all music was getting more and more stripped down, Wayne took his time and made something that was not necessarily 'of the moment'. Peerhaps that's why, when I listen to this strange and beautiful music now, I find it to be absolutely timeless.

Joy Ryder
Cathay
Over Shadown Hill Way
Anathem
Causeways
Daredevil
Someplace Called "Where"

All Compositions by Wayne Shorter

Recorded in Los Angeles, CA, 1988

Personnel:

Wayne Shorter: tenor, and soprano saxophone
Patrice Rushen: piano, synthesizer
Geri Allen: piano, synthesizer
Herbie Hancock: synthesizer
Nathan East: electric bass
Darryl Jones: electric bass
Terri Lyne Carrington: drums
Frank Colon: percussion
Dianne Reeves: vocals (7)

The link is in the comments.

Wayne Shorter - Phantom Navigator (1986) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-05-20T20:17:00.005-04:00

1986. Genesis have hits galore with 'Invisible Touch'. Peter Gabriel hits one out of the park with 'So'. Dire Straits are touring every corner of the globe in support of 'Brothers In Arms'. All of these albums were HUGE commercial successes by established artists, but none of them are sell-outs (If you disagree with that description, feel free to comment or get your own blog!). And these records have withstood the test of time. Twenty-three years later, I have a moment of thinking that old saying "the masses are asses" might be wrong.

And then I hear a record like 'Phantom Navigator'. The Wikipedia entry has nothing more than track listing and personnel. Allmusic features the following sentence in the review:

Nothing wrong with electronics per se; it's just that Wayne's compositions in that idiom are weak, the endlessly undulating melodic lines go nowhere and have nothing fresh to say.

There are no fewer than fourteen musicians scattered throughout the recording, and it seems like half of them are playing synthesizers. But something has happened. It started with Atlantis and its continuing here. The layering of melody over melody and the ever-changing flow of each song - it's all so carefully composed. People lamented the end of Wayne's career as an improvisational artist. But instead of stretching out his solos, the improv comes out in fits and bursts. And against the backdrop of such painstaking composition, the solos come charging out with such beautiful force. This is especially true on the experimental 'Yamanja', featuring Wayne on a furious lyricon solo. The overarching feeling is that every note must be in its right place and the song would not work unles each and every note were placed and played just so.

The other thing I would advise all the haters is that he's playing these songs now with his vaunted quartet. 'Forbidden Plan-It' and 'Flagships' are part of the current band's repertoire, in addition to other songs from this much maligned period of output. So, let's not hear about how he can't compose in a certain 'idiom' Whether it's with the Imani Winds at Carnegie Hall, an orchestra at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, or with a rotating cast of fusion all-stars, as on this record. These songs are exceptional.

Here's the info:

"Condition Red" - 5:08
"Mahogany Bird" - 6:10
"Remote Control" - 7:55
"Yamanja" - 6:28
"Forbidden, Plan-It!" - 6:09
"Flagships" - 6:35

All Compositions by Wayne Shorter

Recorded in Los Angeles, CA, 1986

Personnel:

Wayne Shorter - alto, baritone, tenor, and soprano saxophones, lyricon, vocals
Chick Corea - piano
Jeff Bova - synthesizer
Jim Beard - synthesizer
Mitchel Forman - synthsizer
Stu Goldberg - synthsizer, electric piano,
John Patitucci - bass
Alphonso Johnson - bass
Gary Willis - electric bass
Tom Brechtlein - drums
Jimmy Bralower - drums, percussion programming
Bill Summers - percussion, drum programming
Scott Roberts - percussion, drum programming
Ana Maria Shorter - vocals
Gregor Goldberg - vocals

The link is in the comments.

Wayne Shorter - Atlantis (1985) (aac, 256kbps)

2009-05-19T14:32:00.004-04:00

Starting in the mid-60's, Wayne Shorter became a prolific solo artist. He had won a lot of recognition and success as the sax-man and musical director for the beloved Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers. I have always thought that Shorter's stint with Blakey (how about 18 recordings in five years!?!) was exactly the place to start if you wanted to introduce a music fan to the broad concept of jazz. Thanks in large part to Shorter's vast technical ability and passionate performances, this music (to my ears, anyway) is jazz. It's all here - bop, and big band, to fusion and rock 'n' roll. I can hear the whole gamut in those Messengers records. Get 'Ugetsu' and tell me if you think I'm wrong.

So Wayne's becoming a big star. It's 1964 and he starts recording all kinds of solo records with big-name side men. He is also asked to join the second great Miles Davis Quintet - taking over the assignment previously held by John Coltrane.

In 1967, two things happen that change the landscape of jazz and, indeed all music. Coltrane dies at the age of 40 and Miles Davis introduces an electric piano into his combo. Immediately, everyone looks to Shorter to become the new Coltrane. The pressure must have been unbelievable. And all of this is against the background of the Summer of Love, the war in Viet Nam, Jimi Hendrix and political and cultural upheaval. Miles goes supersonic with Bitches Brew and Shorter's solo albums become very improvised and edgy.

But there's something missing. When I listen to these records (Schizophrenia, Super Nova and Moto Grosso Feio), I hear a passionate search, but it doesn't quite come together. Even the album titles tell you that something strange is going on with this artist! I think it very likely that one day I will feel differently, but, to a certain extent, the proof is in the pudding. Unlike Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, John McLaughlin, Tony Williams, Herbie Hancock and so many others, Shorter did not go right out and set the world on fire with his post-Miles solo career.

Instead, he partnered up with Zawinul for Weather Report and spent the next fifteen years in one of the greatest bands of all time. The story of Weather Report should be told another day, but for now, suffice to say, this collaboration was a high-water mark for all parties involved. Creative freedom and commercial success.

Which brings us to the solo records from after Weather Report, the first of which is posted here. This is roughly classified as 'contemporary jazz', whatever that is, but the more important aspect is the new voice that is emerging. While the production may sound a bit dated, the level of complexity in the composition and arrangement is insane. the improvs are carved out of a sonic landscape that gets more and more detailed with every listen. this music is rich and dense. It keeps changing, and, for a kid raised on rock 'n' roll, it was very difficult to get my head around. This is not easy listening. It's harder than opera.

But it marks a new beginning for one of the greatest and most under-appreciated artists in the history of American music. These strange solo albums - complete with their guitars, synths and drum machines - provide the compositions for so much of what Shorter does now. At 75 years of age, he is leading his acoustic (sax, piano, drums bass), 'post-bop' quartet around the planet, exploring (always exploring) new sounds and directions. Even now, as ever, he is at the top of his game. This record marks a beginning, of sorts, where a great part of that climb began.

Endangered Species" - 4:47
"The Three Marias" - 5:48
"The Last Silk Hat" - 5:25
"When You Dream" - 4:28
"Who Goes There!" - 5:29
"Atlantis" - 4:34
"Shere Khan, the Tiger" - 2:15
"Criancas" - 3:40
"On the Eve of Departure" - 5:55

The link is in the comments.

Brian Eno - Here Come The Warm Jets (1973) (aac, 128kbps)

2009-05-19T09:41:00.000-04:00

Whenever a new U2 record comes out, I can't help but think of Brian Eno. Oh sure, he's influenced an entire universe of musicians beyond the boys from Dublin, but when I hear their music created since The Unforgettable Fire, I hear Eno. Sometimes that is because he is present for the recordings, but more it is his love of simplicity. Even when he is not sprinkling his influence, Eno's perfectly simple and achingly beautiful chord progressions are still there.

This record is where it really begins. Eno has been active in Roxy Music, but he hasn't had a chance to run the show yet. Keep in mind, the traditional idea of being a 'musician' didn't apply to Eno. He doesn't have natural ability as a vocalist. His technical skills are limited on the seemingly endless number of musical instruments he has access to. And this is 1973! Punk is not really in sight just yet. But there's Eno, making it cool to kind of bang on the instruments. More importantly, he's making it more accessible.

Even though prog and fusion are really just becoming a dominant force in popular music, Eno is moving on to the next thing - not so much because he's a visionary (although he clearly is), but rather because he couldn't really play with those guys. The genius of Eno's early carrier was his ability (out of necessity) to take a player of extraordinary technical skill like Fripp out of his comfort zone. The result will often be something unexpected.

Eno always knew that you can say more with less. But he doesn't sacrifice drama and melody. You can hear on monster hits like 'With Or Without You' and 'Bad'. And for the first time, you could hear it here.

1. "Needles in the Camel's Eye" (Eno, Phil Manzanera) 3:11
2. "The Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch" 3:04
3. "Baby's on Fire" 5:19
4. "Cindy Tells Me" (Eno, Manzanera) 3:25
5. "Driving Me Backwards" 5:12
6. "On Some Faraway Beach" (Eno, Manzanera) 4:36
7. "Blank Frank" (Eno, Robert Fripp) 3:37
8. "Dead Finks Don't Talk" (arr. Paul Thompson, Busta Jones, Nick Judd, Eno) 4:19
9. "Some of Them Are Old" 5:11
10. "Here Come the Warm Jets" 4:04

The link is in the comments.

Update: Thanks to Anonymous for pointing out a dead link. This should work now.

Genesis - Complete BBC Sessions (1970-1972) (mp3, 256kbps)

2009-05-15T22:10:00.006-04:00

What can I say? I'm nothing, if not predictable. The funny thing is that this music is so fundamental and influential to prog, that many folks are tired of it and have been so since the mid-80s. I though it was just Marillion, but countless other bands were being lumped into that 'just like Genesis' category. God knows what those critics would say now.

But I wasn't listening to Marillion in the 80's. I was listening to the blues and Bob Dylan and Neil Young. The progiest things I had heard were 'Nights in White Satin' and 'Lucky Man'. But I didn't know that was prog or what prog was or even that those songs should be considered in the same category with these songs. I had no context, so I just listened to what was there.

Remember, this is early. This is before the flower mask of 'Supper's Ready' or the leather jacket of 'The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway'. The men performing this music were 20-22 years old. What were you doing when you were that age?

1.01 Shepherd (Nightride, 22 February 1970)
1.02 Pacidy (Nightride, 22 February 1970)
1.03 Let Us Now Make Love (Nightride, 22 February 1970)
1.04 Stagnation (Nightride, 22 February 1970)
1.05 Looking For Someone (Nightride, 22 February 1970)
1.06 The Musical Box (Sounds Of The Seventies, 10 May 1971)
1.07 Stagnation (Sounds Of The Seventies, 10 May 1971)
1.08 The Return Of The Giant Hogweed (Sounds Of The Seventies, 09 January 1972)
1.09 Harold The Barrel (Sounds Of The Seventies, 09 January 1972)
1.10 The Fountain Of Salmacis (Sounds Of The Seventies, 09 January 1972)
1.11 Harlequin (Sounds Of The Seventies, 09 January 1972)
1.12 Harold The Barrel (Mix #2) (Sounds Of The Seventies, 09 January 1972)
2.01 The Fountain Of Salmacis (In Concert, 02 March 1972)
2.02 The Musical Box (In Concert, 02 March 1972)
2.03 The Return Of The Giant Hogweed (In Concert, 02 March 1972)
2.04 Twilight Alehouse (Top Gear, 25 September 1972)
2.05 Watcher Of The Skies (Top Gear, 25 September 1972)
2.06 Get'em Out By Friday (Top Gear, 25 September 1972)

The link is in the comments

Bob Dylan - Satisfied Man (1976) (mp3, 128kbps)

2009-05-11T16:29:00.003-04:00

Time for a little Bob. His new record is great, so you should just go out and get that right now. Indeed, he seems a bit more 'satisfied' now than he was 33 tears ago when this concert was performed. Some people love the 'Rolling Thunder Review' and some people, not so much. There's some horrendous Joan Baez sprinkled in here, but that might apeal to some people. Roger McGuinn makes an appearance too.

This tour finds Dylan at the peak of his second great career arc. he had come out of hiding in the early part of the decade, got divorced and recorded his masterpiece 'Blood on the Tracks'. After that came Desire, which is even better. The recording of that record was a serendipitous experience. Dylan was literally pulling people in off the street to record, regardless of experience or musical ability. Somehow it all worked out. The album is stellar.

Which brings us to The Rolling Thunder Review. I think Mr. Dylan was flushed with the success of the record and embarked on an anti-tour. He mixed in some of the old political stuff, surrounded himself with a bunch of old friends (musical and not) and took the whole circus out on the road to play smaller venues with as little notice as possible. The experiment didn't quite work perfectly, as the music is, at times, rough and meandering. The violin never stops, which can get a bit grating, and Dylan insisted on painting his face white for reasons that are still not well-understood.

But with all the craziness, you still have some remarkable music, because that's what tends to happen with Dylan at all stages of his career. Keep in mind that when this faze wrapped up, he became a born again Christian and created some of the best and most controversial music of his career. Live version sof that will be posted in the future.

So, almost as always, we find Dylan in transition. He made his comeback with two phenomenal records and then tried to break some rules with this tour. When that didn't pan out, he set off a bomb with the born-again thing. Ballsy? That's what Bob is all about.

Bob's Boots rates this as an 8-1/2 out of ten, and I thinks that's probably right. It is an old recording and has some typical bootleg anomalies, but it still gives you a glimpse at the kind of tour that will never be repeated by a big-time rock star.

Palace Theater, Waterbury, CT Nov.11, 1975

Hard Rain
Romance In Durango
Isis
Blowin' In The Wind
Water Is Wide
I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine
Never Let Me Go (J.C. Scott)
I Shall Be Released
Simple Twist Of Fate
Oh Sister
Hurricane
One More Cup Of Coffee
Sara
Just Like A Woman
Knockin' On Heaven's Door
This Land Is Your Land (W.Guthrie)

The link is in the comments.

Herbie Mann - Push Push (1971) (mp3, 320kbps)

2009-05-07T11:57:00.004-04:00

Outstanding groove. Awsome chops. Killer chest hair. A different kind of fusion - Jazz flute meets Duane Allman in Memphis. Lots of ingredients, but it all comes out just right. Mann had a special knack for putting the right people in the right places to suit the musical vision. His idea of mixing a Stax-style Memphis groove with the improv of jazz... well, it just worked. This is the best example, but there are plenty of others that you should check out from this same era. Other guests on this release include Al Jackson, Jr. and Donald Duck Dunn - both from Booker T. and the M.G.s.

Push Push
What's Going On
Spirit In The Dark
Man's Hope
If
Never Can Say Goodbye
What'd I Say
Funky Nassau (CD Bonus Track)

The link is in the comments.

Pink Floyd - Meddler (1971) (m4a, 128 kbps)

2009-05-04T12:02:00.004-04:00

Bootlegs like this are the reason I love music. Pink was like my security blanket when I was younger. If I were Linus from the Peanuts, Floyd was my blue luvvy. This performance has been put out is so many different incarnations that I'm not sure what version this one is. All I know is that the sound is outstanding (esp. for the age of the performance), and the performance is that of a band that is getting ready to change he world in just a few moments.

Fat Old Sun 15:35
One Of These Days 6:57
Echoes 26:23
Embryo 10:32
Blues 5:24

The John Peel Show, BBC Radio
Recorded live at the Paris Cinema, London September 30, 1971

Waters, Wright, Mason, Gilmour

The link is in the comments.

Trilok Gurtu - North Sea Jazz Fest (2002) (mp3, 128kbps)

2009-04-26T15:30:00.002-04:00

This stuff is so good, I don't even know what to say. You can read my comments on Trilok as I believe his work relates to Weather Report and Zawinul here, and there's another download here. This recording seems to be radio quality. I've tried to up the levels so that it's listenable in context of other recordings. Check out the furious drum solo at the end of Peace of the Five Elements. This isn't 'world music' or 'jazz' or 'rock' or 'fusion' - its all of that, but so much more. This is music transcended with the enduring energy and eternal spirit of love.

North Sea Jazz Festival - Netherlands
July 13, 2002

Jhulelal
Peace of the Five Elements
Africa Con India
Pasanana's Love
Dance With My Lover
intriduction
God Rhythm

The link is in the comments

Weather Report - Solarizations (1973) (aac, 128kbps)

2009-04-17T09:52:00.004-04:00

The jam is simply tremendous. When I have some time, I will have to ruminate on how great this band was. Here are some brief thoughts.

Weather Report is, perhaps most famous for their output from the late 70's. At that time, Shorter and Zawinul had established a successful touring and recording method that mixed beautiful melody with other-worldly improvisation, almost always founded in the grooves that these two men help creat on 'In A Silent Way' where they first worked together. In the late 70's, Jaco Pastorius became a superstar sideman and Weather Report had a big hit with Zawinul's 'Birdland'. This is before all that; before Jaco and before radio-friendy hits which, inadvertantly, gave way to smooth jazz and easy listening, without ever having the quality of either.

When I finally discovered earlier Weather Report, two things struck me right away. I have never forgotten these two aspect of the music. they relate as much to me as they do to the band's aspirations and accomplishments. They are (1) that this was one fo svseral 'first' generation fusion bands that spun off directly from Miles Davis' In A Silent Way and Bitches Brew (Others included 'Return to Forever', 'Mahavishnu Orchestra', and 'Headhunters'), and (2) there was no guitar, not even rhythm guitar. Armed with these two thoughts, I began to delve into the pre-Jaco era.

This is a bootleg that I puchased (!?!) before such things were widely available. The sound quality is superior, as this was undoubtedly a radio show at some point. I have given you the song list as it appears on the CD package. These titles are not correct, but there is so much improvisation, that I understand how the mistakes were made. I think the first song is mostly 'Nubian Sundance', second is 'Freezing Fire', I think, third is a drum solo with some melody from 'Scarlet Woman', and last is 'Boogie Woogie Waltz.' I have also seen some comments that suggest the date and venue are incorrectly marked also. While this is certainly possible, it does not matter. The jam is so hot, you won't really care what the songs are called. Despite the other labelling issues, the lineup appears to be accurate. Here's the info from the CD:

Weather Report
Philadelphia, PA 12/8/74

01. Mysterious Traveller [sic.] 13:07
02. American Tango [sic.] 13:00
03. Nubian Sundance [sic.] 11:57
04. Black Thorn Rose [sic.] 16:34

Joe Zawinul : keyboards
Wayne Shorter : saxophones
Alphonso Johnson : bass
Chester Thompson : drums
Dom Um Romao : percussion

The link is in the comments.

Genesis - As Good As Gold (1980) (mp3, 128kbps)

2009-04-15T14:24:00.004-04:00

While it may be more of a Wind & Wuthering-type day (cold and rainy), I'm still upset about the loss of Harry Kalas. My first thought was to post a little blues, but then I though about listening to Genesis - Duke when I was eight years old. I had not formed any kind of sophisticated musical pallette at that time, but I knew I liked this album. That was a good thing, becuase my Dad (apparently not knowing this was big-time prog) played this record over and over at high volume. I especially remember loving 'Heathaze' and 'Duchess', the latter of which is included on this glorious bootleg. Like the voice of Harry Kalas calling the Phillies, the sound of that record was a great comfort to me from long ago.

This is the London Lyceum, May 7, 1980. Genesis were busy finding out that they could conquer the world, play prog and make a gazillion dollars with hits like 'Turn It On Again' and 'Misunderstanding.' These were happy times. Everyone was contributing as much as they wanted. Collins was more and more comfortable as the front man and Tony was not yet threatened by Collins' success. All three members were getting their solo careers going and they clearly sensed that the skt was the limit. Given what happened over the next 6 years, they undoubtedly underestimated their commercial potential.

This show was prepeed for the radio, and I'm sure some portion of it went out over the air, but this is the WHOLE show in pre-FM format. That means no ads, no DJ's, no interruptions, just pure music. It's a great set, but mainly because ther album they were touring was so good. they were getting away from some of the more cumbersome prog-o-sourus tunes from the early cretaceous (70's), but there are still a few teases from the Gabriel days.

Deep In the Motherlode 6:17
Dancing With The Moonlit Knight (intro) 1:49
Carpet Crawlers 5:38
Squonk 7:37
One For the Vine 15:06
Behind The Lines 5:22
Duchess 6:48
Guide Vocal 1:39
Turn It On Again 4:43
Duke's Travels 7:15
Duke's End 4:32
Say It's Alright Joe 7:52
The Lady Lies 9:21
Ripples 13:06
In The Cage / Slipperman 8:36
Afterglow 4:40
Follow You, Follow Me 4:42
Dance On A Volcano 4:41
Drum Duet 0:51
Los Endos 7:22
I Know What I Like 10:16
The Knife 3:59

Banks, Rutherford, Collins, Thompson & Steurmer

The link is in the comments.

Miles Davis - Two Miles Live (1971) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-04-12T16:55:00.005-04:00

I purchased this one (!!) in a shop in Greenwich Village that probably doesn't exist anymore. It's a doozie, in part because there are no song dividers. Track 1 is 52 minutes and Track 2 is 49 minutes. It also happens to represent an especially inspired performance of Miles' band as they stormed across Europe in 1971.

The band had existed in very much this format before the trip to Europe, but Jack DeJohnette was not able to make the tour. As a result, the far inferior Leon Chancellor got the dream call to tour with Miles. Amazingly, he more than rose to the occasion. Keith Jarrett brought his beautiful boogie-woogie, and Gary Bartz and Michael Henderson showed they could keep up and even add their own special talents to the jam. But it is Miles, directing traffic, changing it up, conducting with his horn, on and off the wah-wah pedal, he is strong and he is in charge. Almost all shows from this tour were broadcast, so there are some fine examples of what this combo could do, but the sound quality on this release is noticeably better than the others.

Compare this recording to the official releases Complete Celler Door and Live/Evil, both of which feature Dejohnette on drums and the wonderfully destabilizing guitar of John McLaughlin. Unlike the jagged genius of those sessions, this recording give us a polished, platinum stilletto.

Disc One: 52.11
Band Warming Up
Directions (J. Zawinul) 15:09
Theme stated at 3:58, 4:57.
Honky Tonk (M. Davis) 13:04
What I Say (M. Davis) 16:42
Sanctuary (W. Shorter-M. Davis) 3:05

Disc Two: 48.57
It's About That Time (M. Davis) 17:36
Yesternow (M. Davis) 14:27
Funky Tonk (M. Davis) 19:30
Sanctuary (W. Shorter-M. Davis) (closing theme) 1:14

Miles Davis - Trumpet
Gary Bartz - Soprano & Alto Saxes
Keith Jarrett - El Piano, Organ
Michael Henderson - El Bass
Ndugu Leon Chancler - Drums
Charles Don Alias - Percussion
James Mtume Foreman - Percussion

The link is in the comments.

Cannonball Adderley - Bordeaux (1969) (mp3, 256kbps)

2009-04-10T10:06:00.004-04:00

When you compare this pristine FM bootleg to my earlier Cannonball post, it's hard to believe that the music was all performed in the same year! That was the genius of this underrated musician and band leader. On this recording, the same five piece band sounds so much more kie the Cannonball Adderley who appeared on the landmark Miles Davis record 'Kind Of Blue', rather than the smoldering boogie-woogie of The Country Preacher. Zawinul does evetually make his way to the Fender Rhodes, but the mood has already been set.

Enjoy this more 'classic' sounding jazz from a great innovator who, even at the moment he played this concert, stood at the crossroads of what had been jazz and what jazz would become.

The Cannonball Adderley Quintet
Cannonball Adderley
Recorded Friday, March 14, 1969

Bordeaux, France

ORTF Radio Recording

Personnel: Nat Adderley (cornet); Julian "Cannonball" Adderley (alto sax); Joe Zawinul (keyboards); Victor Gaskin (bass); Roy McCurdy (drums).

The Scavenger [9:00] Joe Zawinul
Manha de Carnival [7:20] Luis Bonfa/ C.Jobim
Work Song [9:05] Nat Adderley
Somewhere [4:50] Leonard Bernstein & Stephen Sondheim
Experience in E [11:10] Joe Zawinul & William Fischer
Why Am I Treated So Bad? [7:30] Roebuck Staples
Blue N' Boogie [8:30] John "Dizzy" Gillespie & Frank Paparelli

The link is in the comments.

John McLaughlin - Extrapolation (1969) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-04-04T10:53:00.003-04:00

This is a beautiful 'Jazz' record that captures an extremely talented guitarist at a moment when he is searching for the right fit, the right band, the right sound, the right influence. There are four John McLaughlin records between 1969 and 1970. This was the first of that string and his first solo recording overall. The same year this record was recorded, McLaughlin played with Miles Davis on 'In A Silent Way'. The following year they collaborated on 'Bitches Brew'. The year after that they did Jack Johnson. Of the our actual McLaughlin records, two are jazz, one is Indian-influenced acoustic and the last is a rock-psychedelic tribute to Jimi Hendrix - 'Devotion'.

This record is far from the ferocity that would be such a big part of McLaughlin's sound in the 70's. These pieces, however, draw a nice early portrait of the artist as a composer. The band is tight and the sound is spare, at times sparse.

"Extrapolation" – 2:57
"It's Funny" – 4:25
"Arjen's Bag" – 4:25
"Pete the Poet" – 5:00
"This Is for Us to Share" – 3:30
"Spectrum" – 2:45
"Binky's Beam" – 7:05 (This track is often incorrectly listed as "Binky's Dream")
"Really You Know" – 4:25
"Two for Two" – 3:35
"Peace Piece" – 1:50

John McLaughlin – guitar
Brian Odgers (incorrectly named "Odges" on the album notes) - bass
Tony Oxley – drums
John Surman – baritone and soprano saxophones

The link is in the comments.

Squeeze - Price Center, San Diego (1993) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-04-01T10:49:00.003-04:00

We just saw Tilbrook last night at World Cafe Live. Check out my contemporaneous comments from the show. The man can sing, write and play the shit out of that guitar. This show features Difford and Tilbrook, along with the amazing Paul Carrack. I guess at the time it was called 'new wave' but now it just sounds like great rock music played by passionate artists who were (and in Tilbrook's case, still are) wholly committed to doing something extraordinary. I think this is from a radio broadcst, so quality is pretty good. It's a bit on the quiet side, but I jacked it up a bit so only minimal adjustments will be needed while you're listening.

intro (0:20)
Cool For Cats (3:24)
Third Rail (3:27)
Loving You Tonight (5:00)
Pullin Mussels (4:00)
Everything In The World (4:27)
Annie Get Your Gun (4:15)
How Long (4:33)
Can't Buy Me Love (2:14)
Some Fantastic Place (5:08)
Take Me I'm Yours (4:11)
Tempted (4:14)
Hourglass (4:08)

The link is in the comments.

µ-Ziq - Tango N' Vectif (1993) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-03-29T20:18:00.004-04:00

µ-Ziq is one of the performing and recording names associated with electronic musician Mike Paradinas. I can not believe that this record is now sixteen years old. When this album was released, Frank Zappa was still alive. When this album was released, Bob Dylan's Time Out Of Mind did not yet exist. In 1993 Bill Clinton was president Lenny Kravitz was asking "Are You Gonna Go My Way". The technology needed to make this record is probably a fraction of what is to be found in a current-day cell phone. It is a testament as to what a very determined young man can do at home with a computer, a strong knowledge of music production technology and a simple and, at times, sublime sense of melody.

I came to this record several years after it was recorded, but well before it was repackaged and released as a double CD in 2001. That's porbably worth having, but this is the old one. µ-Ziq got quickly associated with his label boss Aphex Twin, but this music uses the technology to elevate the themes and melodies. That makes the sound pallette at work underneath, so much less conspicuous. Whereas Squarepusher would, in his early works, rabidly draw attention to his considerable ability with instrument and software alike, µ-Ziq does not really care what you think of his ability. The percussion, instrumentation, theme and melody all add up to a sum that is greater than its parts.

It is, at times ambient, at times obnoxious, but the arpeggiator on "µ-Ziq Theme", the soaring melodies of the title track, and the mix of the twitchy with slow drama on "Amenida" are all perfect moments. Go on and enjoy those fat analog synths at the dawn of an electronic age in music that would take others to the top of the charts (The Prodigy '97) and, temporarily at least, take over the styles of hall of famers like Madonna, David Bowie and U2. These DJ's changed everything! µ-Ziq, there from the very beginning, is one fo the very best. This is his first record.

"Tango N' Vectif" – 4:03
"Swan Vesta" – 6:09
"Burnt Sienna" – 8:06
"Iesope" – 5:56
"Auqeam" – 3:58
"Vibes" – 3:54
"µ-Ziq Theme" – 4:36
"The Sonic Fox" – 5:33
"Amenida" – 5:54
"Whale Soup" – 3:22
"Xenith Filigree Anus (edit)" – 5:01
"Die Zweite Heimat" – 5:31
"Phragmal Synthesis, Pt. 3" – 4:49
"Phi*1700(U/V)" – 5:56
"Beatnik No. 2" – 5:36

The link is in the comments.

Genesis - AV01 Empire Pool 4/15/75 (1975) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-03-26T11:55:00.005-04:00

An incomplete live rendering of The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway album, but the quality and performance are so good that the date has become legendary. This is late in the tour, and the band has elevated the intensity. perhaps in anticipation of Peter's departure. The Waiting Room gives you the rare chance to hear these exceptionally disciplined musicians cast off the chains of composition and improvise a bit.

The various versions of this show have been remastered again and again over the years. this version is the latest and the best.

1.1 Watcher Of The Skies 07:43
1.2 Cuckoo Cocoon 02:22
1.3 In The Cage 06:43
1.4 The Grand Parade Of Lifeless Packaging 02:52
1.5 The Story Of Rael Part 1 01:39
1.6 Back In NYC 06:00
1.7 Hairless Heart 02:36
1.8 Counting Out Time 03:50
1.9 The Carpet Crawlers 05:43
1.10 Lilywhite Lilith 02:36
1.11 The Waiting Room 09:35
1.12 Anyway 03:30
1.13 Silent Sorrow In Empty Boats 01:13
1.14 The Colony Of Slippermen 01:53
1.15 Ravine 01:27
1.16 The Light Dies Down On Broadway 03:30
1.17 Riding The Scree 04:41
1.18 Back In NYC (Censored Version) 06:03

Banks, Collins, Gabriel, Hackett and Rutherford - all sounds and compositions

The link is in the comments.

Crowded House - Stage Time (FM Broadcast) (1991) (mp3. 256 kbps)

2009-03-26T11:00:00.000-04:00

UPDATE: this link should be working now. Thanks for pointing out that there was a problem!

This is a great sounding concert from a band at its peak. Thanks to The Lovely Emily (TLE), I have learned the genius of this band. With hits like 'Something So Strong' and 'Weather With You', one might expect this to be more of a pop outfit, but after playing second fiddle to his big brother Tim in Split Enz, Neil Finn was ready to really spread his wings. His guitar playing has always been tremendous and visceral, but in Crowded House, he got to, pretty much, run the show, while working with fantastic musicians and friends at the same time. The result is pure joy and creativity.

Of the varied incarnations of Crowded House, this was my favorite. Tim joined the band to help write and promote the record 'Woodface' and this is the first FM blast from that tour I've heard. The next studio record (Together Alone) is arguably better, but the fun quotient here is higher because of Tim's strong contribution. The brothers always had a great quality for harmonizing.

Then you get Nick Seymour on rock solid bass and visuals, the late Paul Hester on drums and vocals, and Mark Hart - the unassuming Yank who could pretty much do it all (vocals, guitar, keys) really well.

As a guy who grew up listening to Neil Young and Bob Dylan, I'd like to think I have a pretty high standrad for the singer-songwriter routine. It has go to be personal. It has got to be 100% sincere. It has got bring a tear to your eye. And it has got to rock. This band, and this recording, does it all!

October 28, 1991

The Albani Music Club
Winterthur, Switzerland

FM Broadcast

"Stage Time" Silver CDs> EAC> flac

Disc 1:

1. Tall Trees
2. Something So Strong
3. Weather With You
4. Into Temptation
5. There Goes God
6. World Where You Live
7. It's Only Natural
8. All I Ask
9. Don't Dream It's Over
10. Mean To Me

Disc 2:

1. When You Come
2. Chocolate Cake
3. Fall At Your Feet
4. The Same Language As Me
5. Sister Madly
6. How'm I Gonna Sleep
7. I See Red
8. The Weeping Song
9. Better Be Home Soon
10. Throw Your Arms Around Me
11. Four Seasons In One Day

Frank Zappa - The Armadillo (1975) (mp3, 256kbps)

2009-03-22T16:54:00.003-04:00

This just came to me from one of the Genesis sites. Apparently this is Chester Thompson's first gig with Zappa. No Jean-Luc Ponty, but it's still a good set and it's a GREAT recording, lovingly retouched and cleaned and tracked by 'ketcha' - whoever that person is, he or she knows good music!

26-Oct 1973, Armadillo World Headquarters, Austin, TX

2nd Generation (?) soundboard

c. 80 min

Sound quality = A

tuning
Cosmik Debris
Inca Roads
Pygmy Twylyte
The Idiot Bastard Son
Cheepnis
Big Swifty
Dickie's Such An Asshole
Father Oblivion
The Mr. Green Genes Medley

The link is in the comments.

Mike Oldfield - Exposed (1979) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-03-19T15:37:00.004-04:00

I recently got 'Echoes' by the California Guitar Trio. They have a beautiful version of Oldfield's classic (and defining) composition 'Tubular Bells'. It's a loving rendition and it got me thinking of the original. The music was written in 1973 and shot to popularity as part of the Exorcist original motion picture soundtrack. Oldfield may have a love/hate relationship with that theme, because it has so overshadowed everything else he's done. At the same time, it must be nice to be successful. Hopefully he had a decent licensing agreement because, to date, the movie has grossed over $400 million.

I'm not claiming to be an Oldfield fanatic, but at some point in the past, I became curious and picked up this live album. At the time, I was much more interested in bootlegs and live recordings, so I never even got the actual Tubular Bells, or any of the three alternate versions he recorded (not including this one) after the original. That theme must be like an ATM for this guy.

This recording comes from the 1978 tour and it's pretty nice. There is a standard rock band with thirty-some additional musicians to fill out the orchestra and choir. The result is a BIG sound that feels almost like classical music, but dumbed down a bit. The compositions are long and mostly instrumental, and there is a smoothness to this music that is not completely to my liking. The artist is not taking chances and doesn't want to alienate or offend his audience. But, if you can over the fact that he's trying to play it safe, then you will find a very enjoyable 90 plus minutes of music here. I especially like the Longfellow interpretation (the poem is 'Hiawatha') during the first track of Incantations.

So, yes, this is more New Age than Prog, but both large pieces of music are actually quite good and the record does an excellent job of capturing a large ensemble. It's not balls-to-the-wall, but it's very nice and we can't listen to Zappa all the time.

Incantations (parts 1 & 2) (26:30)
Incantations (parts 3 & 4) (20:50)
Tubular Bells (part 1) (28:36)
Tubular Bells (part 2) (11:09)
Guilty (6:22)

The link is in the comments.

Liam Finn - Sound Relief, Melbourne 3-14-09 (2009) (mp3, 256kbps)

2009-03-18T10:25:00.004-04:00

If you love great Pop music and stellar instrumental and vocal ability, go get Liam Finn's record 'I'll Be Lightening'. He's the son of a music legend, performs with E.J. on backing vocals, throws down loops and samples like a true MC and then thrashes his poor drum kit. The live show is intense. This is a flavor of what it sounds like.

Second Chance
Lead Balloon

The link is in the comments.

Cannonball Adderly Quintet - Country Preacher (1969) (mp3, 320kbps)

2009-03-16T21:56:00.005-04:00

I picked this up on vinyl several years ago, not knowing what to expect. I think this was even before I got into Weather Report and Zawinul, who is all over this record. Listening to this again after a little while, I realize how good the whole thing is. Zawinul, of course, is huge and taking up a lot of space with that Fender Rhodes. But the horns come through with an inspired strength of their own. This music sounds like it is being played about 3-5 years before the rest of the world is ready for it.

Introduction by The Reverend Jesse Jackson - Walk Tall (5:30)
Country Preacher (4:30)
Hummin' (6:32)
Oh Babe (4:50)
Afro-Spanish Omlet (15:40)
The Scene (2:01)

Cannonball Adderly (alto sax)

Nat Adderly (coronet)

Joe Zawinul (piano)

Walter Booker (bass)

Roy MacCurdy (drums)

The link is in the comments.

Neil Young - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (1969) (mp3 320kbps)

2009-03-16T13:18:00.000-04:00

I'm having a bit of a Neil Young thing happening. I can't help it. This happens with some frequency. I consider myself a lucky man.

How good is this record? I've been listening to it for over twenty years and I love it more than ever. This is just Shakey's second record as a solo artist and the first of a legendary collaboration with Crazy Horse. The guitar solo for Down By The River is a transformative experience. The production and mastering of this record are so much more confident and unified compared to the previous year's 'Neil Young', which, at times becomes almost experimental. On 'Everybody Knows' Neil is solidfying a lifetime membership in the annals of hard rock with the opening chords of 'Cinnamon Girl'.

This record made me fall in love with great music.

1. "Cinnamon Girl – 2:58
2. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere – 2:26
3. Round & Round (It Won't Be Long) – 5:49
4. Down by the River – 9:13
5. The Losing End (When You're On) – 4:03
6. Running Dry (Requiem for the Rockets) – 5:30
7. Cowgirl in the Sand – 10:06

Should be working now. Sorry about the bad link.

Neil Young - Winterlong (Cincinatti, 1970) (mp3 160kbps)

2009-03-15T22:14:00.000-04:00

Great soundboard recording from 1970, back before the death of Danny Whitten. I actually purchased this at collector show, or maybe even a shop with a flexible view of copyright law. The point is, it was a LONG time ago. It sounds great and the list of songs is everything you could hope for from this era, including a primordial version of Don't Let It Bring You Down. There must have been a reissue at some point, because there's much snazzier art available now, but I've supplied the picture that was on the cover of the Swingin' Pig release that I purchased so many years ago.

Feb 25th 1970 @ The Music Hall Cincinnati
The Swinging Pig TSP-CD-042-2

Disc 1
01 On The Way Home
02 Broken Arrow
03 I Am A Child
04 Helpless
05 Dance Dance Dance
06 Sugar Mountain
07 Don't Let It Bring You Down
08 The Old Laughing Lady
09 The Loner
10 Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

Disc 2
01 Winterlong
02 Come On Baby Let's Go Downtown
03 Wonderin'
04 It Might Have Been
05 Down By The River
06 Cinnamon Girl

Update - link is now working. Sorry about that!

Bob Dylan - Bleeding Shadows (2004) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-03-15T21:47:00.000-04:00

I have been so delighted with Bob Dylan's live performances between the late 90's and the early 00's. This show is more toward the end of that era, with Stu Kimball being swapped into the role that Charlie Sexton had occupied. Rumor is that Charlie had kind of a big mouth and he and Dylan eventually clashed - over something. Kimball had recently joined the band, just a few weeks before this recording. He was tentative and a bit reluctant to do too much. The other guitar continued to be multi-instrumental, jam band guru Larry Campbell, lately tearing it up with Phil Lesh & Friends. Campbell had genuine rapport with Dylan and had remained the last man standing during the turbulence at the end of the Sexton-era. Campbell was established and knew how to do everything just the way Dylan wanted it.

Kimball brought a Texas-Blues style of Strat through Fender Deluxe, no effects, amp all cranked. When I saw it in Wilmington a few weeks before this show, I forgot about not getting to see Charlie Sexton right away. Dylan had them sounding like a blues band!

We're also getting to hear a more relaxed Bob, who has just given up his struggle with the guitar during live shows. It makes me a bit sad, because the image of Dylan with his guitar is so iconic, but the story is that his fingers just couldn't take anymore, whether it be from arthritis, tendonitis or something else. He has now reinvented himself - starting as the old man playing in physical pain, to the child-like trickster, pounding away on his electric piano while twisting, dancing and crouching as he belts it out with what's left of his voice.

So, enjoy the band, the stunning recording, the pile of extras (see below) and some of the greatest rock music ever composed, sung by the man who wrote it.

Estadio Municipal Escribano Castilla
Motril, Spain July 10, 2004

Disc one:
Intro
Maggie's Farm
Tell Me That It Isn't True
Cry A While
Girl Of The North Country (acoustic)
It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)
Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum
Positively 4th Street
Highway 61 Revisited
Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues
A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall
If Dogs Run Free
Honest With Me

Disc two:
Not Dark Yet
Summer Days
encore:
Mr. Tambourine Man (acoustic)
Like A Rolling Stone
All Along The Watchtower
bonus:
It Ain't Me Babe (acoustic) (1)
Get Out Of Denver (2)
Ball And Biscuit (3)
Hazel (4)
God Knows (5)
Joey (6)
Unbelievable (7)
Heartland (w/Willie Nelson and sons) (8)

(1) Riviera Theater, Chicago, Illinois March 6, 2004
(2) State Theater, Detroit, Michigan March 16, 2004
(3) State Theater, Detroit, Michigan March 17, 2004
(4) 9:30 Club, Washington D.C. April 2, 2004
(5) Warner Theater, Washington D.C. April 4, 2004
(6) Holmes Center - ASU Boone, NC April 7, 2004
(7) The Orange Peel, Asheville, NC April 9, 2004
(8) Warner Park, Madison, Wisconsin August 27, 2004

Bob Dylan - piano, harmonica, vocal
Stu kimball - guitar
Larry Campbell - stringed instruments of every type and more
Tany Garnier - bass
George Recile - drums

The link is in the comments.

Update: link should be working now. Let me know if there is a problem. Thanks.

Joe Zawinul - Brown Street (2006) (mp3, 320kbps)

2009-03-13T16:13:00.004-04:00

I generally try not to post something so recent, but Zawinul is way special. This is with a 15-piece big-band and it really enhances the immense power that is a part of every Zawinul performance, even the softest ballad. the version of Boogie Woogie Waltz on here is about the best I've heard, and I've heard a lot.

Go get the latest posthumous release. It's called '75' and I just downloaded it from Amazon and it's another stunner!

Here's the info:

Brown Street (10:59)
In A Silent Way (5:16)
Fast City (9:05)
Badia / Boogie Woogie Waltz (11:46)
Black Market (7:31)
March Of The Lost Children (5:51)
A Remark You Made (8:07)
Nightpassage (6:27)
Procession (9:03)
Carnavalito (10:42)

The link is in the comments.

Sunday All Over The World - Kneeling At The Shrine (1991) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-03-10T13:49:00.005-04:00

Another Fripp collaboration, this time with his wife, pop/avant garde vocalist Toyah Wilcox. This was a nice fix while I was waiting for a new Crimson record to come out. It would still be a few more years until the Crim got back together, but this was a decent album and features some of the Krimson King's signature licks in a more restrained setting. He didn't want to take away from the songs and vocals, which are supposed to be center stage. It's an odd little records, but I've always liked it.

Track Listings
1. Sunday All over the World (4:06)
2. Blood Bruise Tattoo (2:54)
3. Kneeling at the Shrine (5:00)
4. Don't Take It Away (2:30)
5. Transient Joy (4:18)
6. Open Air (3:36)
7. Strange Girls (3:12)
8. If I Were a Man (3:11)
9. Answered with a Smile (3:08)
10. Storm Angel (3:29)
11. Freedom (7:57)

Total Time: 42:21

Line-up/Musicians
- Toyah Willcox / vocals
- Robert Fripp / guitar
- Trey Gunn / stick, vocals
- Paul Beavis / drums, percussion

The link is in the comments.

Cheika Rimitti - The Sidi Monsour Remixes (1995) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-03-10T13:37:00.003-04:00

Featuring Robert Fripp and Flea, this is an album by the grandmother of Raï, a form of Algerian folk music. There is some indication that Cheikha did not know that her music was being subject to 'remix' treatment, but that doesn't take away from the vibe and groove. Is this another "east-meets-west" fusion collaboration? Yes, but it's also very good and somewhat rare.

Mendirch el Haseb (9:46)
Rah Yahki (street mix) (11:10)
Rah Yahki (dune mix) (11:06)
Lillette el Ouihda (19:39)

I believe Fripp and Flea are only on the first and last tracks, but the whole ep is worth checking out. The link is in the comments.

Bob Dylan - Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid (1973) (mp3, 128 kbps)

2009-03-04T21:49:00.005-05:00

If you said to me that you thought this was the best Bob Dylan record out of ALL of the Bob Dylan records ever released, well, I couldn't really argue with what you were saying. Great instrumental work, great vocals, Knockin' on Heaven's Door - this is an all time, must-have.

Main Title Theme (Billy)
Cantina Theme (Workin' for the Law)
Billy 1
Bunkhouse Theme
River Theme
Turkey Chase
Knockin' On Heaven's Door
Final theme
Billy 4
Billy 7

The link is in the comments.

McCoy Tyner - Lugano Jazz Festival (2005) (mp3, 128kbps)

2009-02-28T06:24:00.003-05:00

Another thunderously powerful show from a true master. Whether you're hearing him with a big band, as a trio, or in an an all-star quintet, as here, he always BRINGS it. This is right off the radio, so the quality is basically an A+.

For those of you unfamiliar with Tyner's shtick, this is very much in the feel eraly 60's Coltrane Quartet. This is not avant garde noise exploration. On the contrary, there is beautiful melody and composition that you will like right away. But it is all INTENSE. McCoy has a heavy touch, and even here, at the age of 68, the bop is as hard as ever.

Soulstice (10:19)
Manalyuca (13:02)
Blues On The Corner (9:40)
Angelina (20:16)
Moment's Notice (8:12)
Ballad For Aisha (12:27)

McCoy Tyner - piano
Gary Bart - alto sax
Ravi Coltrane - tenor sax
Charnett Moffett - bass
Eric Gravatt - drums

The link is in the comments.

S.B.B. - Göttingen - Alte Ziegelei Live'77 (released 2004) (mp3, vbr)

2009-02-22T21:52:00.003-05:00

Even today, S.B.B. are all about the 'official' bootleg. That was necessitated by their extraordinary live show. This was a prog band with great musicianship and love for jazz. In the live settings, the songs were more akin to 'heads' around which the band's dynamic mission would take place - S.B.B. equals Search, Build, Break. As far as what I've heard, that was something they did far more successfully live. I guess studio time was a bit expensive for too much 'Search'-ing.

Between 1974 and 1980, this band created a lot of extraordinary music, both in the studio and on the road. We are now enjoying a new wave of live releases from this period, which includes shows from Koln, Marburg, and Nekargamund, all in this special period, all with the band at the height of its powers. There is also a brand, spanking new studio album, which is pretty damn good - 'Iron Curtain'. This will actually be released in the states in a few weeks, and he European version I've heard shows there's still a fire in Józef Skrzek's 60 year old belly.

This one's more essential listening. A little on the early side of when things started to get really good. This is before Piwowar joined, so it's just Antymos on guitar, and he shreds mightily. Józef Skrzek is his usual outrageous self, sort of a mix between Tony Banks and a Polish, bass playing Joe Cocker. Check him out on Youtube for the full effect. You're not exactly dealing with Joe Zawinul here.

1. Ze słowem biegnę do Ciebie - introdukcja
2. Toczy się koło historii
3. Wolność z nami - temat
4. Światłowód
5. W kołysce dłoni Twych (Pretty Face)
6. Follow My Dream (instr.)
7. Follow Our Music - bass solo
8. Odejście - finał
9. Drums solo
10. Freedom With Us
11. Wołanie o brzęk szkła - finał
12. Coda
13. I Want Somebody (bonus track)

Line-up/Musicians
Józef Skrzek / vocals, keyboards, bass, harmonica
Apostolis Antymos / guitar
Jerzy Piotrowski / percussion & drum

The link is in the comments.

Sylbat - Mara (2008) (mp3, 128 kbps)

2009-02-19T13:58:00.006-05:00

New prog from France, and it's tasty. They cite Mahavishnu, King Crimson and Weather Report as influential, and you can hear that, but the band's composition is something different than any of those acts. First of all, there is no keyboard. Instead, there is a prominent electric harp that carries off much of the Zawinul-esque texture. This gives the music, which is groove and jam oriented, an almost Celtic flair that really drew me right in.

The other exciting thing about the band's composition is that the harpist and the guitarist are both young women - that is not something normally associated with prog. Oh sure, we have the tradition of female vocalists going all the way back to Annie Haslam and Rennaissance, but this is an instrumental outfit.

Regardless of gender, the result is a very satisfying groove that varies in dynamics in a way that certainly recalls the legendary collaboration of Zawinul and Shorter. In the same way that those musicians evolved the vision of Miles Davis, Sylbat is looking to, once again, push the envelope with something that is both technically exciting and emotionally engaging. I can't wait to see what they do next.

1. Bull Machine (6:35)
2. Gigue Hantesque (5:29)
3. Magmafrica (7:41)
4. Menn (5:38)
5. Androide (7:12)
6. Transfert (1:02)
7. Tour D'ivoire (6:52)
8. Marche Des Sept Pas (5:27)
9. Valse Des Loups (6:10)
10. Mara (2:17)

Line-up/Musicians
- Clotilde Trouillaud / electroharp
- Patrick Boileau / drums
- Hilaire Rama / bass
- Hélène Brunet / guitar

The link is in the comments.

Albert King - Live Wire/Blues Power (1968) (mp3, 320kbps)

2009-02-13T15:31:00.004-05:00

Let me just put it this way - this is the best blues record of all time. How's that for bold? How's that for extreme? Well, let me, maybe, take it one further - is there a better 36 minutes of guitar in any style, anywhere, ever?

Listen for yourself and decide. That's what I did about twenty-plus years ago when I was just learning to play guitar. I did not decide to like the blues. No one listened to the blues in my house when I was a little boy. I listened to rock and pop and whatever else was on the radio. In the early 80's I discovered Eric Clapton and that started me going backwards to the blues REAL fast. And then I found this record, and it was all over. When I heard, this the hair on the back of my neck stood straight up and I knew that I had been chosen, chosen by the blues.

This isn't the jazzy single-note bounce that BB was doing. This is Texas. This is a six and a half foot giant southpaw with a right-hander's Flying V named Lucy. And he even strung it for a righty and then he just flipped it over. No one had ever done that before. There was no frame of reference for that style. Albert had to reinvent the finger-to-note relationship. A few have tried to replicate the feat, but no one has acheived any notoriety playing this way. Even Jimi Hendrix, who was a lefty playing a right-handed guitar, strung it backwards so it would make sense. Albert King made his own sense.

The result is a stinging, searing solo style that just goes on and on. It's a sound that can peal the paint of your walls, remove the fillings in your teeth and rearrange internal organs. That's Blues Power.

"Watermelon Man" (Herbie Hancock) – 4:04
"Blues Power" (King) – 10:18
"Night Stomp" (Raymond Jackson, King) – 5:49
"Blues At Sunrise" (King) – 8:44
"Please Love Me" (B.B. King, Jules Taub) – 4:01
"Look Out" (King) – 5:20

Albert King – Electric guitar and vocals
Willie James Exon – Guitar
James Washington – Organ
Roosevelt Pointer – Bass
Theotis Morgan – drums

Produced by Al Jackson

The link is in the comments.

Lindsey Buckingham - The Hand That Rocks The Cradle (1992) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-02-10T17:07:00.003-05:00

I've been playing guitar for a few decades and few things make me happier. It takes me back to the innocence of my youth, when we used to ask each other questions like, "Who would you rather be, Superman or Luke Skywalker?" Well, I wouldn't want to be Lindsey, but if there's one guitarist's super powers I would like, it's this guy. I loved the dark curly hair, the custom-made Rick Turner guitars and that unstoppable, God-given talent. He could play, he could sing, he could write, he could produce - he did it all!! And the amazing thing is he's still doing it all as good as ever. Simply put, Lindsey is a monster.

Which brings us to this post. This is a soundboard-quality recording from the tour that supported 1992's Out Of The Cradle. That's a tremendous record which gives a perfect blend of the top-notch pop sensibilities, mixed with a fierce helping of the avant garde. It's an extreme studio record, with tons of overdubs, crazy percussion and dazzling, dizzying guitar. The tour was Lindsey's first as a solo artist and he was clearly tentative, not in his performance (always manic and intense) but in the scope. There were only a handful of dates and I thenk he even played as an opening act. His more recent outings have shown a much more cohesive, band-oriented approach to the live show.

But when I listen back to this perfect sounding show, I'm really taken at how well he pulled it off. The band looked unwieldy on stage (lots of extra guitars and vocals) but the sound is right where it should be. This is a great mix of the solo stuff (focusing on 'Out of the Cradle') and the obligatory Fleetwood Mac standards. His audience will never let him play a show without getting to hear 'Go Your Own Way'. It all comes across beautifully, so PLAY IT LOUD. That's what my Dad did back in the 70's and I've been loving it ever since.

Quality: A Live soundboard recording, unknown date and venue

Big Love
[Go Insane] - missing from this recording
Don't Look Down
The Chain
Trouble
Tusk
You Do or You Don't
I'm So Afraid
Street of Dreams
Never Going Back Again
All My Sorrows
This is the Time
Go Your Own Way
Eyes of the World
Soul Drifter

James Booker - Blues & Ragtime From New Orleans (1976) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-02-08T17:02:00.004-05:00

Here's the other record from the same set of shows as the lp featured below. Just a quick note on the performance. Any bad behavior has been clipped out of this pair, which is fine. You just get sheer virtuosity, encompassing the classical training and the baddest boogie woogie ever. He blends all his considerable skills on these two records.

I also have nice scans of the back of the lp sleeves. If they are wanted, I will make them available.

1. Desitively Bonnaroo / Right Place Wrong Time
2. Tico Tico
3. Wake Up Mr. Moon Man
4. Save Your Love / Lonely Avenue
5. All By Myself / I'm In Love Again / Four Winds / Such A Wonderful Feeling
6. People Get Ready
7. Besame Mucho / Until The Real Thing Comes Along
8. Love Monkey / Feel So Bad
9. Ora
10. Baby Won't You Please Come Home

James Booker - The Piano Prince of New Orleans (1976) (mp3 160kbps)

2009-02-08T10:15:00.005-05:00

What an outstanding treat. I feel like I'm sitting on a gold mine with these two posts. A few years ago the Dime coughed up this gem, indicating that it was a solo piano show by Mr. Booker emanating from a soundboard or FM source. The dates of the shows are October 29th and 30th, 1976. I made mp3 of this show available way back in the days of my comcast.net version of mpomy.com. That relic had 'Jazz and Blues Fridays', which then lead to the 'Prog Listening Group', which it still up and running and has plenty of tasty musical treats.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to figure out how to get the content off of the old comcast.net page. The links are there, but the music is not. Worse still, Googling this show brings up that same old page - with links but no music. I've even had a request for these from some unknown music-lover. I would never have thought this item was so rare, but a quick search revealed zero good sources.

This morning, I finally found my copies of the disks, only having undergone lossless conversion. When I looked for info on these steller performances, I quickly found out why they sound so amazing. Excerpts of the two dates appear to have been released as two live albums in Germany. Good luck trying to get your hands on THAT vinyl!

So here's disc one - 'The Piano Prince of New Orleans'

1. Life
2. One Helluva Nerve
3. United Our Thing Will Stand
4. Slowly But Surely
5. Too Much Blues
6. Junko Partner
7. Classified
8. Stormy Monday
9. Sixty Minute Man / You Talk Too Much
10. Please Send Me Someone to Love

Vangelis - Albedo 0.39 (1976) (mp3, 160kbps)

2009-02-04T22:29:00.003-05:00

This instrumental, analog masterpiece could only have become a charting lp (#18 on UK Charts) in the glorious '70's. The success of this album touched off extraordinary soundtrack success, including an Oscar for Chariots of Fire. The sound pallet and melodic sense that you may recognize from Chariots of Fire is present in this earlier work, but the shorter works, conceived without pictures, is more comfortably in the realm of prog. He certainly gives the drums a good workout in 'Main Sequence', 'Alpha' and both parts of 'Nucleogenesis'. There are no guest musicians at any point on this record, only Vangelis' engineer giving the narration on the title track.

"Pulstar" – 5:45
"Freefall" – 2:20
"Mare Tranquillitatis" – 1:45
"Main Sequence" – 8:15
"Sword of Orion" – 2:05
"Alpha" – 5:45
"Nucleogenesis (Part One)" – 6:15
"Nucleogenesis (Part Two)" – 5:50
"Albedo 0.39" – 4:30

Amon Tobin - Supermodified (2000) (mp3, 128 kbps)

2009-01-30T11:35:00.003-05:00

This is a devastating piece of electronica from a time when the genre was starting to loose some of it's popularity. Squarepusher and The Prodigy had broken through in 1997 and every major artist from U2 to Madonna was hiring a DJ to give their record that modern sound.

Tobin was different. He came from Canada, not England, and he exploited his family's Brazilian roots. He was also shameless about his deep held love of jazz and wanted to bring that sensibility to his electronic music. As a result, the soundscape is very organic. His drum patterns, in particular, give a decent approximation of the real thing, but the rest of the music brings a very heavy vibe that, especially on this record, suggests living machines.

To my ears, this record was the pinnacle. Since Supermodified's release, Tobin has engaged in more experimental pursuits, including music for a video game and a record comprised of found noise. The result is always innovative and forceful. this is NOT a tenative artist. Check it all out if you like this selection, but for me, this one is hard to top.

"Get Your Snack On" – 4:22
"Four Ton Mantis" – 4:45
"Slowly" – 5:37
"Marine Machines" – 5:45
"Golfer vrs Boxer" – 6:17
"Deo" – 6:44
"Precursor" featuring Quadraceptor – 4:39
"Saboteur" – 5:18
"Chocolate Lovely" – 6:03
"Rhino Jockey" – 7:28
"Keepin' It Steel (The Anvil Track)" – 4:29
"Natureland" – 5:48

All music composed, arranged, performed and produced by Amon Tobin.

Miles Davis - Juan les Pins Jazz Fest, Antibes (1969) (mp3, 160 kbps)

2009-01-25T11:45:00.003-05:00

Directions - 6:00
Miles Runs the Voodoo Down - 9:17
Milestones - 13:45
Footprints - 11:44
'Round Midnight - 8:51
It's about That Time - 9:30
Sanctuary - The Theme - 4:53

Miles Davis trumpet
Wayne Shorter soprano & tenor saxophones
Chick Corea electric piano
Dave Holland bass
Jack DeJohnette drums

July 25, 1969 Juan les Pins Jazz Festival, Antibes

Max Roach - Members, Don't Git Weary (1968) (mp3, 128kbps)

2009-01-18T21:23:00.003-05:00

1. Abstrutions
2. Libra
3. Effi
4. Equipoise
5. Members, Don't Git Weary
6. Absolutions

Bass [Electric Bass] - Jymie Merritt
Drums - Max Roach
Piano - Stanley Cowell
Saxophone [Alto] - Gary Bartz
Trumpet - Charles Tolliver
Producer - Joel Dorn

Albert King - I wanna Get Funky (1974) (mp3, 192kbps)

2009-01-18T21:09:00.003-05:00

1. I Wanna Get Funky (Clifton William Smith) – 5:08
2. Playing on Me (Sir Mack Rice) – 3:25
3. Walking the Back Streets and Crying (Sandy Jones) – 6:28
4. 'Til My Back Ain't Got No Bone (Eddie Floyd, Alvertis Isbell) – 7:32
5. Flat Tire (Henry Bush, Booker T. Jones, Albert King) – 4:43
6. I Can't Hear Nothing But the Blues (Henry Bush, Clark) – 4:16
7. Travelin' Man (Albert King) – 2:52
8. Crosscut Saw (R.G. Ford) – 7:45
9. That's What the Blues Is All About (Bobby Patterson, Jerry Strickland) – 3:53

Albert King – Electric guitar and vocals
Donald Kinsey (name on album credits incorrectly spelled as "Donald Kenzie") – Guitar
Memphis Symphony Orchestra – Strings
The Memphis Horns – Horns
The Bar-Kays, The Movement – Rhythm section
Hot Buttered Soul, Henry Bush – Background vocals

Recorded Memphis, TN, 1972

Roy Buchanan - My Father's Place, Roslyn, New York 5/6/78 (AAC/mp4, 128 kbps)

2009-01-08T22:13:00.001-05:00

This is stinging blues from a master of both soaring technique and burning passion on a custom telecaster turned all the way up. Read more about Roy and his unfortunate end, or just sit back in wonder (esp. on 'The Messiah...') as you listen to the greatest unknown guitar player in the world.

1. Soundcheck
2. Just Got Back From New York (Soundcheck)
3. Introduction
4. Further On Up The Road
5. Soul Dressing
6. I'm A Ram/I'm Evil
7. Walkin' Talkin'
8. Baby Won't You Tell Me Wehre You're At
9. Can I Change My Mind
10. Hey Joe/Foxy Lady
11. Slow Down
12. The Messiah Will Come Again
13. Crowd
14. Lonely Days, Lonely Nights
15. Outro

Freddie Hubbard - Red Clay (1970) (mp3, 320kbps)

2008-12-30T14:31:00.003-05:00

Freddie Hubbard was undoubtedly one of the all-time greats. His trumpet playing went in a different direction from Miles, though he did not sacrifice commercial success. His sound was so string and confident. I saw him one in the '90's at a concert on Penn's Landing. It was a hot sunny day and the outdoor event included a special dual (duel) performance by the always natty Wynton Marsalis, and the (then) slightly full-figured Hubbard who wore comfortable slacks or jeans and a JVC Jazz Fest t-shirt from some untold number of years ago. It didn't fit him very well. The duel featured Wynton first, and he was measured yet sublime. For Hubbard's solo, he first played all of the notes from Wynton's solo, then elevated the jam to a whole new direction.

Hubbard's involvement with the CTI label yielded some extraordinary work. He was a confident and purposeful band-leader who knew how to get the most out of a session. In my opinion, Red Clay is his best solo album, but his work with Coltrane, Art Blakey, Eric Dolphy and Herbie Hancock all stand out. He was a giant and he will be missed. Freddie Hubbard: 7 April 1938 – 29 December 2008.

"Red Clay" (Hubbard) - 12:11
"Delphia" (Hubbard) - 7:23
"Suite Sioux" (Hubbard) - 8:38
"The Intrepid Fox" (Hubbard) - 10:45
"Cold Turkey" (John Lennon) - 10:27
"Red Clay" (Hubbard) (alt take) - 18:46

Fish - Vigil In The Wilderness Of Mirrors (1989) (mp3, 320kbps)

2008-12-23T14:31:00.004-05:00

Looks like Fish may be taking some very-well deserved time off. The worry is that he may have a much bigger problem as a result of being on the road so long, performing so many shows, living the rock-star life, and always giving so much of himself to the audience during studio sessions and live performances. One forum has used the term 'cancer-scare', but Fish's own recent statements paint a picture that is much less bleak.

This is his first solo record after leaving Marillion and it's a real killer. He was still young and hungry. These could have all been great Marillion songs. They don't have that extra-Fish-y quality of his later writing, but this transition period represents an exciting time for the artist and some great music.

"Vigil" (Dick/Simmonds) - 8:43
"Big Wedge" (Dick/Simmonds) - 5:19
"State Of Mind" (Dick/Lindes/Simmonds) - 4:42
"The Company" (Dick/Simmonds) - 4:04
"A Gentleman's Excuse Me" (Dick/Simmonds) - 4:15
"The Voyeur (I Like To Watch)" (Dick/Simmonds) - 4:42
"Family Business" (Dick/Lindes/Simmonds) - 5:14
"View From The Hill" (Dick/Gers) - 6:38
"Cliché" (Dick/Lindes/Simmonds) - 7:01

Robert Fripp String Quintet - Soundscape (Tokyo '92) (mp3 160kbps)

2008-12-21T10:35:00.002-05:00

Back in 1992 I was a sophomore in college and starting to discover and develop my musical personality. This period in my life helped to define the kind of music I would want to play and listen to for the rest of my life (so far).

On a whim, a friend and I went to the TLA on South Street to see a Fripp solo show. We knew and liked King Crimson, but there was no King Crimson back then, so this was the best we could do. I knew what Frippertronics were and liked ‘No Pussyfooting’ and ‘Evening Star’. I had never heard of Soundscapes, but I could sort of figure out what that meant. The California Guitar Trio, which I thought was an opening act was a band that may have had one album at most.

So there we were, having no real idea what to expect. Although the attached post is from Tokyo, it is the most reliable indicator of what we heard on South Street that night. Alternating ‘soundscapes’ that traveled the emotional depths of new age and avant garde, to the surf-inflected classical lockstep of the trio, banging through three minute arrangements with ferocity, wit and extreme dexterity.

So there they were, five musicians on stage: a plucky trio conjuring the spirit of Leo Kottke from three acoustic guitars, a tall and swaying touch bass player and the old master himself, with computers, racks, pedals, effects, synths and his guitar. They would watch each other with measured silence when not performing, and then push each other to new heights when all combined. It had a holy air and I said, at the time, I don’t what any of this is, but I know that I really like it.

There is an ‘official’ release from this tour called The Bridge Between. That’s a good name considering that this project takes the listener from a quieter period in Fripp’s career to the reemergence of King Crimson in ’96. That record always sounded too thin to me and lacked the organic beauty – the woody-ness, if you will – of this bootleg I got on Bleeker Street so many years ago. Though not an official release, this is one of the best and most accessible Fripp releases out there. Listen with joy to the performance and sound quality!

Recorded live at TFM Hall, Tokyo, Japan, 11 November 1992.

1. Soundscape
2. Yamanashi Blues
3. Melrose Avenue
4. Kan-On-Power
5. Firescape
6. An Easy way
7. Moving Force
8. Asturias
9. Walk don't run
10. Chromatic fantasy
11. Contrapunctus
12. Eye of the needle
13. Blockhead
14. Hope
15. Urban scape
16. Pipeline
17. Kan-On-Power

Robert Fripp (guitar)
Trey Gunn (stick)
Bert Lams (guitar)
Paul Richards (guitar)
Hedeyo Moriya (guitar)

Brand X - Rated X (Bottom Line, NYC, 1978) (AAC 128kbps)

2008-12-18T14:37:00.003-05:00

Sorry about the cover. I couldn't find a larger jpg online. I'll have to scan mine for a better image that you can all download and enjoy. It's raunchy.

Brand X was the British fusion outfit that grew out of Phil Collins' need to go outside the confines of Genesis, starting in the mid-'70's. They made three great records with Phil, but he soon became too busy to keep up with both Genesis and Brand X. While Phil's star power (such as it was back then) may have helped get Brand X on the map, it was the stellar ability of the other musicians in the band that made it more than just another fusion band from the 70's.

When I first started listening to this band, I was absolutely knocked out by the 'unorthodox' bass playing of Percy Jones. His approach on fretless is pretty avant garde compared to Jaco and some other fretless bass giants. Percy uses a stuttering, sliding, gliding technique that goes in and out of the melody and rhythm. It is amazing and complements the percussion of Morris Pert so perfectly, at times they sound like one instrument on this set.

Percy is absolutely fierce, but often took a back seat to the McLaughlin-inflected guitar pyrotechnics of John Goodsal. On this particular night, Goodsal was under the weather and guitarist Mike Miller came in with a very understated style that, instead of taking up lots of space with showcasing licks and solos, he keeps back and lets the band regulars, especially Percy, go to town on this Halloween show.

One other thing. Phil had moved on by this date, but the drummer on this particular night was the incomparable Mike Clark of 'Headhunters' fame. This band burned righteously.

Brand X - live at the Bottom Line, NYC
October 31, 1978

B/Percy Jones
G/Mike Miller
Key/Peter Robinson
D/Mike Clarke
Per/Morris Pert

1.The Ghost Of Mayfield Lodge (18:05)
2.Earth Dance (14:07)
3.Black Moon (8:46)
4.Nuclear Burn (12:07)
5.Deadly Nightshade (19:53)

Frank Zappa - Piquantique (1973) (aac/m4a 128kbps)

2008-12-10T21:39:00.002-05:00

There is something that fascinates me about the short time Zappa spent working with Jean-luc Ponty. I don't know if he had ever had such a talented musician in his band up to that point. Ian Underwood, who appears on these recordings comes to mind, but more for the number of things he could do well, as opposed to his extraordinary talent on any one instrument. George Duke may be in the same class as Ponty, but he really comes into his own as a bandmember in the next two or three years.

Ponty was not the crazed lunatic that often appeared in The Mothers. he wore an argyle sweater vest. His entry in Waka Jawiki states hat he and Frank did not part as friends, but that it's clear they both benefited from the relationship. Obviously, Ponty went on to huge success as a fusion guy who incorporated a lot of Frank's progressive ideas. But what did Frank get?

There is so much confidence in Ponty's soloing, that I imagine I can almost hear Zappa trying to chase him down. The short solos on RDNZL are a great example.

But it's on Father O'blivion that things really go to another planet. There's plenty of room for fantastic jams and it's clear that Jean-Luc relishes taking the spotlight away from the flamboyant band leader for a soaring melodic journey that finally envelopes the whole band. This whole joyful process begins around the 2:00 minute mark.

The 'march thet eats my starch' takes up a good chuck of the next few minutes after the solo and gives the band a chance to space out. This eventually resolves into nice little boogie with the aid of a few echo units. Again, and almost without warning, Ponty comes out with another face-melter. This insanity starts around the 10:00 minute mark.

Ponty eventually gives way and he and Zappa go back and forth in a twisted tribute to the band that Ponty would soon join. The result, however, sounds nothing like Jerry Goodman or John McLaughlin. Zappa has to wrestle the band back from his 'guest star', but proceeds to put his thing down for only a few measures, at which point it's time to explore the percussion part of the piece. First vibes, then acrobatics from the whole band and then a fine drum solo by Ralph Humphries - one of Frank's most underrated drummers.

The finale is a beautiful statement of the melody, incorporating bits from Gregory Pecry and other stuff floating around the master's head. He's so proud of it, he makes the band play it twice.

This is a transitional moment for Zappa, and it is extremely well-documented in compact, and listenable form. It sounds like a 35 year old bootleg because that's what it is. But it's also a document of some of the finest playing by two renowned musicians who clearly shared a great respect.

1. Kung Fu (02:14)
2. Redunzl (04:25)
3. Dupree's Paradise (11:26)
4. T'Mershi Duween (01:56)
5. Father O'Blivion (20:41)

Live recording from Solliden, Skansen, Stockholm August 21 1973 with the exception of T'Mershi Duween, the location and date of which are unknown.

Frank Zappa (guitar, vocals)
George Duke (keyboards)
Bruce Fowler (trombone)
Tom Fowler (bass)
Ralph Humphrey (drums)
Jean-Luc Ponty (violin)
Ian Underwood (woodwinds)
Ruth Underwood (percussion)

Pink Floyd - In A Neutral Land (12/9/72) - m4a/AAC 128kbps

2008-12-09T14:27:00.003-05:00

Pink Floyd bootlegs were a real onramp for my music collecting. they were readily available and the music was a little different each night. Plus, they worked out new material extensively on the road before going into the studio. There is no better example of this than Dark Side of The Moon. The record is released on March 17, 1973, but the music was performed countless times all during 1972. This was without extra musicians of vocalists (which would come on the '74-'75 tour), so The Great Gig In The Sky was obviously very different. There was also more extended improvisation during On The Run and Any Colour You Like. this was a band either at its peak or very close.

This recording is from the audience, but the quality, while a bit rough around the edges, is still very good to excellent. Everything is clear and the speed (a common affliction among some older recordings) sounds pretty spot-on.

So you've got all of Dark Side, in it's pre-release version; you've got all of Echoes, and a great version at that; and you've got Childhood's End, which was played pretty rarely. There are A LOT of Pink Floyd boots out there and this might be one of the best from their most exciting era.

Trilok Gurtu - Arkeology (2007) (mp3 320kbps)

2008-12-07T23:14:00.004-05:00

You've gotta love Trilok. Born in 1951, the son of professional musicians in Bombay. He is trained by one of the foremost tabla masters and appears to have a promising career as a music professional when he veers off and starts playing jazz. He listened to western fusion and world music, but had no multi-track recorder, so he started playing everything at the same time. This man could play a western drum kit in any style and sound completely convincing. That single instrument however, restrains the pure experience of bringing music into being.

On this record he's challenging himself and the listener yet again, but the context is pastoral, the strings playing a soft portrayal of inner peace. And then there are times when the fury of Gurtu's talent spills over to his band mates and the whole thing starts to elevate a bit. One reviewer accurately states:

While the chamber music resonances are clear enough, there is a fascinating composite vocabulary that emerges with many pieces steeped in a Mediterranean, quasi-folkish sound that is both rousingly danceable and emotively lyrical

Another review describes the outcome in the context of other influences:

Crossing strings and tablas with the Arke String Quartet, their stirring tunes imply Indian, Balkan and Celtic rhythms, in asymmetric time signatures that suit Gurtu right down to the last demisemiquaver.

Many years ago, I was fortunate enough to see him do his magic act, which included a metal pail of water, assorted gongs, beads, necklaces, drums of every size, including western style drumheads closely mic'd for a walloping effect. His instrumentation often includes his own voice in sacred chants of counting and rhythm.

The Arke String Quartet and Trilok have gone their separate ways, but the Italian group's MySpace proudly indicates its recent association with the restless boy from Bombay, who is already seeking new challenges and breaking new ground. This quiet stop on his musical journey is one of the best so far.

Balahto
Nanda (To My Mother)
Kermansah
Dea
Fes
Taranta Suite
Yoragathupaga
Folded Hands
Skopje
Sveva

Grand National - Kicking The National Habit (2004) (mp3 128kbps)

2008-12-06T17:49:00.004-05:00

This is a band I first heard on Pandora. I don't know what song I used to start my 'station' on Pandora that day, but somehow, it lead me to this. This was a classic example of the single ("Talk Amongst Yourselves") sounding nothing like the rest of the record. I was attracted by the single's arpegiated riff and the smooth vocal line. The vocals are great throughout, but the heavy synth sound gives way to something a bit different. The influence of the Police is celebrated throughout, but mixed with a strong dose of electronica and 21st century. So while the rest of the record is quite different, it's also quite good. I especially like 'Playing In The Distance", "Cherry Tree" and "Daylight Goes".

1. Drink to Moving On - 3:23
2. Talk Amongst Yourselves" - 4:29
3. Playing in the Distance" - 4:04
4. Boner - 4:24
5. Peanut Dreams - 3:19
6. Cherry Tree - 3:16
7. Coming Round - 4:24
8. Daylight Goes - 4:06
9. North Sound Off - 3:56
10. Litter Bin - 3:59

Arcana - The Last Wave (1996) (mp3 160kbps)

2008-12-05T23:56:00.004-05:00

When I first heard this record, at the age of 24, it scared the bejebus out of me. I'm still not entirely sure that this is music.

Bill Laswell is a bit troubling to me because he's an artist, but also a big fan. His technichal ability is not really on par with the prowess of Tony Williams. Laswell is a puzzle. He can certainly play, and god knows his heart is in the right place, but he's more of a facilitator, whether as producer or as (here) jam-mate.

Which brings me to Tony Williams - the reason I got this record in the first place. Tony Williams: child podigy, Miles Davis alum, founder of Lifetime (featuring John McLaughlin). He had pretty much done it all leading up to this session. A first ballot hall of famer - no question. And what comes out here is a clear evolution of everything from the bop, the cool, the fusion, the rock, the smooth jazz - it's all played on the same drum kit by the same man - only here, in the last year of his life, Williams is now at the outermost edge of sanity. This is the avant garde.

Derek Bailey appears to have been a man of ferocious vision and ability. His free-jazz approach conjures such a cacophonous mess, that it's hard to tell which end is up. He takes what the other two musicians are doing and he absolutely obliterates the groove. There seems to be no rhyme or reason - just noise. But when I mustered enough criosity to explore the chaos, I saw that there is pattern and melody, albeit twisted unside out. Despite the first impression, these are not the noodlings of a madman. Bailey knew exactly what he was doing.

This record has been known to make some people very uncomfortable. It is atonal throughout. But the ability to inspire such discomfort is exactly what makes it so good. There is poerty and genius, to be sure, but the absolute irreverence, the nauseating, frustraing, unresolved mess followed so close to the date of Williams fatal heart attack that it has a very dark and foreboding feel. Chaotic, tragic, overwrought, and close to death. Proceed with caution.

Oh yeah, Bailey died in London on Christmas Day, 2005. He had been suffering from motor neurone disease.

1. Broken Circle 11:04
2. Cold Blast 8:17
3. The Rattle of Bones 7:57
4. Pearls and Transformation 16:27
5. Tears of Astral Rain 8:06
6. Transplant Wasteland 8:32

Goblin - Suspiria (Soundtrack) (1977) (mp3 256kbps)

2008-12-04T21:02:00.004-05:00

Italian prog by Goblin and classic slasher/horror from genius Dario Argento. Great combination! This is not the remaster and does not have the 'bonus tracks'.

Suspiria – 6:01
Witch – 3:12
Opening To The Sighs – 0:32
Sighs – 5:16
Markos – 4:05
Black Forest – 6:08
Blind Concert – 6:16
Death Valzer – 1:51

S.B.B. - Memento Z Banalnym Tryptykiem (1980) (mp3, vbr)

2008-12-02T16:40:00.004-05:00

This is one of the great all-time prog records. If you don't know the instrumental prowess of S.B.B. (with occasional vocals), you should start here right now. Think of the subtle stylings of Tony Banks on keys with a jazz fusion sensibility that is somewhere between Steely Dan and Mahavishnu. I love this band and I love this record. Here's the info:

1. Moja ziemio wyśniona (My Land Of Dreams) (8:39)
2. Trójkąt radości (The Triangle Of Joy) (7:48)
3. Strategia pulsu (Strategy Of Pulse) (3:29)
4. Memento z banalnym tryptykiem (Memento With A Banal Tryptych) (20:56)

Bonus track (CD):
5. Z których krwi krew moja (10:40)

Total time without bonus: 40:52
Total time with bonus: 51:32

Line-up/Musicians
- Jozef Skrzek / bass, piano, moog, vocals
- Apostolis Antymos / guitar
- Jerzy Piotrowski / percussion

GUESTS:
- Slawomir Piwowar / guitar, bass, clavinet, Fender piano, Handclapping
- Jan Skrzek / Mouth-organ, Handclapping
- Alicja Piwowar & Renata Szybka / Handclapping

John Lee Hooker - Bedroom Boogie (1976) (mp3, 128kbps)

2008-11-30T17:31:00.004-05:00

For some reason I couldn't get this uploaded to my normal hosting, so this is a RapidShare link. Tremendous show - must-have Blues!!

01 - Boom Boom 4:18
02 - Serves Me Right To Suffer 4:19
03 - You Know It Ain't Right 4:07
04 - Hobo Blues 4:20
05 - One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer 4:10
06 - Whiskey And Women 5:40
07 - Crawlin' King Snake 4:12
08 - Boogie Chillen 9:03
09 - You Know I Love You 5:41
10 - Maudie 4:10
11 - Crazy 'bout You Baby 4:43

Bonus:

12 - Boogie Chillen 15:32
13 - I Need Some Money 3:08
14 - Bundle Up And Go 2:13

Bonus Track 12: Jul 15, 1983, Montreux Jazz Festival, Montreux, Switzerland
Bonus Tracks 13 - 14: 1962, Basel, Switzerland, Swiss Radio Broadcast

O Terco - Criaturas Da Noite (1975) (mp3, 128kbps)

2008-11-30T17:12:00.003-05:00

One of the greatest prog records from any country, in any language, in any era. These guys were on the vanguard of Progressive music in Brazil. The mixture of acoustic guitar and pastoral soundscapes with the more aggressive and rhythmic sounds of rock - this record is extremely satisfying from beginning to end. See comments for link.

1. Hey amigo (3:22)
2. Queimada (3:04)
3. Pano de fundo (3:44)
4. Ponto final (4:38)
5. Volte na proxima semana (2:51)
6. Criaturas da noite (3:41)
7. Jogo das pedras (3:25)
8. 1974 (12:27)

Total Time: 37:12

Tangerine Dream - Tangerine Tree Vol. 10 (Newcastle '81) (mp3, 128 kbps)

2008-11-30T11:19:00.004-05:00

Tangrine Dream in 1981. Sequencing, arpeggios, ancient drum machines, fat analog leads - it's all here. This is after the improvisations became a bit more constrained and some beatuiful song-ideas (complete with melody, verse, chorus) began to take shape during the legendary live shows. And there's still a healthy dose of spacing out, for those who love the classics. Quality-wise, this is one of the best and the performance is very satisfying. The link is in the comments. Here's the setlist and other info.

Johannes Schmoelling, Christopher Franke, Edgar Froese
Newcastle City Hall, October 25, 1981

CD1
1. Logos Part One (extended version) 9:53
2. Sobornost (Edinburgh Castle) 7:55
3. Digital Times Suite 15:32
4. Bondy Parade 13:17
46:38

CD2
1. Mojave Plan 26:34
2. Thermal Inversion 11:29
3. Remote Viewing (intro) - Force Majeure (excerpt) - The Price 8:00
4. Kiew Mission (encore) 7:17
5. Choronzon (encore) 10:08
1:03:30

Cat Power - The Black Session (Paris 1-23-08) (mp3, vbr)

2008-11-28T16:58:00.004-05:00

This is a brilliant session. Broadcast quality, excellent song selection and a very 'on' performance from Chan. The link is n the comments.

01. Metal Heart 04:37
02. New York, New York 02:27
03. Ramblin’ (wo)man 03:58
04. Silver Stallion 04:13
05. I Lost Someone 03:15
06. Lord Help the Poor and Needy 03:21
07. Dark End of The Street 04:26
08. Song to Bobby 05:04
09. Naked 03:19
10. Don’t Explain 04:35
11. Aretha, Sing One for me 03:51
12. She’s Got You (bad) 01:20
13. She’s Got You 04:26
14. Live in Bars 03:49

Tony Banks - Bankstatement (1989) (mp3, vbr)

2008-11-27T22:42:00.006-05:00

This record had nothing like the success of Mike and The Mechanics. And don't even mention Phil Collins' solo career. In fact, the album had nothing like success at all, with next to no sales. At the time, you were still making a record like this with the hope of having a single break the top ten. The song chosen, 'Throwback', is clearly the weakest on an otherwise heartfelt and complex 80's prog record. 'Big Man' returns the token Tony vocal. All the other songs are, thankfully, sung be extremely talented guests, including Jayney Klimick and Alistair Gordon. If you can get past some of the pop schmaltz, you will hear the genuis of the man who brought you Firth of Fifth, One For The Vine and Island In The Darkness. There is a thoughtful intensity that really comes out in The Border and The More I Hide It. Thursday The 12th is the instrumental no-brainer to close the record. The link is in the comments. Here's the track listing:

1. Throwback
2. I'll Be Waiting
3. Queen Of Darkness
4. That Night
5. Raincloud
6. The Border
7. Big Man
8. A House Needs A Roof
9. The More I Hide It
10. Diamonds Aren't So Hard (omitted from LP version)
11. Thursday The Twelfth