Strut Records are to release the latest in their Information Inspiration series this week. And it's Jimi Tenor and Tony Allen. Oh joy. I'm hoping this to be absolute stormer. I love Jimi Tenor who I've been a fan of since he signed to Warp back in the day. He's back recording for the Finnish label Sahko these days, though his releases aren't the bleepy tracks you'd expect from Sähkö Recordings if you had your head buried in techno in the early 90s. These days Jimi records with his band Kabu Kabu. Tony Allen is of course the more than legendary drummer from Fela Kuti's band. See him in action here.
Excellent news. I've been waiting for this one. Volume 1 of Analog Africa's compilations of Benin's Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou was a superb collection of the bands more lo-fi recordings. Volume 2 promises to be a collection from their more polished recordings for the Albarika Store label. Will be interesting to hear this. I really like the grittiness of the first one, so this should be interesting. Read the official lowdown here. Release Date is October 26th, 2009.
Now that's what I call a night out. A bizarre hybrid of 80s fashion and Detroit techno. 80s music so not sure why it should seem odd. Ahh life before glow sticks, that's it, the world was a better place. Some good groovers here. Somehow I think I wouldn't get this reaction if I played this in Sherborne. Sometimes a town's just too small.
I've had a great time being puzzled, amazed, over and underwhelmed by Captain Beefheart's output. But ultimately fallen in love with it. He may not sit that comfortably with the rest of the music on this blog, but there again I don't think he sits comfortably in most places! Here's a documentary narrated by John Peel from 1997, so if you are a fan and haven't seen it, enjoy. If you've never heard of him, meet one of popular music's genuine eccentric and genuine unique voices. A master.
Incidentally I read the guitarist Zoot Horn Rollo's memoir of being in The Magic Band, Lunar Notes, and all in all it didn't sound like he was a happy bunny about it all, verging on the bitter. A good insight into that strange world though. When Beefheart locked them all away to detune their minds from the conventional for the album Trout Mask Replica, some blues guitarists popped in and played some wild guitar. Why can't you play like that pondered Beefheart. Zoot Horn Rollo reminded him that they used to until Beefheart got his hands on them. I lent that book to a taxi driver Magic Band fan I got talking to about Beefheart on the way home one night and completely forgot about it. He posted it in my letterbox over a year later. Respect.
After mastering the dancing from previous posts, it's only fair to brush up on your disco dancing skills. And who better to give you pointers than these two masters of the art from the world disco dancing epicenter, Finland. Clear some space on the floor and give it a whirl. Look out for them at the next Dimitri From Paris gig.
Strut have released the follow up to their excellent 2002 compilation Black Rio. Focusing on Brazilian music influenced by American soul and funk, the first compilation was a classic and one of my favourite Brazilian compilations. Strut release lots of great albums and compilations, and to get a taste they are giving away a free sampler available here. Well worth checking out. Have a look here and get a free MP3.
Growing up I learned piano, played in the local brass band and graduated to playing trumpet in the local schools jazz orchestra, a kind of swing band. But despite all that, I never found music that I really liked, found my own. That's until I read about LFO and then Nightmares On Wax in the magazine Music Technology. Twiddlings on my Casio keyboard paid off then. I used to walk my dog, good old Fudge, with my walkman on loud, listening to the LFO and Nightmares On Wax albums everyday. I knew every bleep and bloop. I followed the records Warp released religiously, it introduced me into a whole new world. One of the cassettes I had was Sabres of Paradise's Sabresonic. I never got into that one as much as the others, I was used to the bleeps. Wanting a knew album, I repackaged the Sabres album into a newer box and tried to fob it off in the St Helens Our Price records as new to get something else. I got found out. Sent out with the tail between my legs. Shameful. But not the end of the world. This is monsiour Andrew Wetherall with his Sabres of Paradise from 1994. Trippy. And this tune I love.
Shuggie Otis is the son of rhythm and blues musician and bandleader Johnny Otis. Somewhat of a guitar prodigy, his professional career began at the age of 12. He performed on various artists albums before releasing his solo efforts, which there are sadly not as many as there should be. Between 1969 and 1974 he produced four solo albums, the masterpiece of which was the classic Inspiration Information, one of my favourites. As I mentioned in an earlier post. Even if you aren't familiar with Shuggie, you may well be familiar with Strawberry Letter 23 originally released on Freedom Flight from 1971,which was covered by the Brothers Johnson and included in the Jackie Brown soundtrack. Inspiration Information was re-released on David Byrne's Luaka Bop label in 2001 with some bonus tracks. Since releasing these albums in the early 70s he has pretty much withdrawn from the music scene, although records bits and bobs now and then.
Anyway, here is Shuggie's Bootie Cooler from the album Here Comes Shuggie Otis, released in 1970. Bit of a blurry video, but well worth it for the dancing. Those of you who have mastered James Brown's Robot from last week can now try these moves. Happy days.
Nowadays a night out isn't a night out without doing the robot on the dancefloor. So you can master it like me, get the tips from the master, the one, the only, the hardest working man in showbusiness, Mr Peeeeeeeeeeeter Crouch. Aka James Brown.
Been really getting into this album recently. The best of the Strut Inspiration Information series I've heard so far. If you like the Éthiopiques series, you'll like this too. If you're in London be a good night at the club night too. Mulatu Ashtake was at Glastonbury which must have been pretty cool I reckon. Struggling to find coverage on the BBC past Lady Gaga's outfits. Not overly complaining. Incidentally, don't know if the name of the series is supposed to relate to the super chilled Shuggie Otis album of the same name, which is an all time favourite of mine. Anyway, here's a video of them live recently in London, enjoy.
Jools Holland interviews the madly prolific Lee Scratch Perry from 1985. Got to love his toaster on the railings. Been playing The Upsetters version of Leaving On a Jet Plane and Melting Pot and they always go down well. Wonder what on earth his sound engineer thinks about during his day at work? Not sure if Paul Young is singing about revolution though.
In a week where another great from the Motown cannon left us, here's a video of the late great genius of Marvin Gaye in full flow. Check out the highly influential James Jamerson on bass.
Bit of a spurt to get the blog going, some good links for you today. In the meantime, I better find out what's going on with Hugh's laptop I promised to fix ages ago, salut!
Analog Africa are definately one of my favourite labels in the reissuing game at the moment. plus they are nice folk as they have some free album length mixes on their website. Check them out here and here.
Here's a video that went with their African Scream Contest compilation, these guys got style.
Soundway Records have released the follow up to their excellent Panama! compilation. It's another brilliant selection of Panamanian music from the 60s and 70s and I can't recommend it enough. You can get a free mp3 mix here.
