Midweek Mixdown: Africa Gone Funkee

Subtitled "70's African, Afrobeat, Funk, Soul Music," Rocafort's Africa Gone Funkee collection covers it all.

Remembering jazz bassist Henry Grimes on his birthday

Remembering versatile Philadelphia-born jazz bassist and violinist Henry Grimes with a short doc and some performances.

Little Ann's soul gem "Deep Shadows" gets new 7-inch reissue

Timmion's new 7-inch release of Little Ann's soul gem Deeper Shadows is backed with "Deeper Shadows" by The Third Degree.

Here's the scoop from Timmion Records...

Little Ann's ‘Deep Shadows’ b/w ‘Deeper Shadows’ 7” vinyl single is now available for pre-order! Release date: November 13th, 2026! 

“Little” Ann Bridgeforth left this plane in 2003, several years before the song that would become her most revered, found its audience. “Deep Shadows” is a soul boulder of epic proportions, a stark depiction of longing and claustrophobic isolation if there ever was one.

The song was recorded along with a bunch of other soul gems by Dave Hamilton and Darrell Goolsby in late 1960s Detroit just to be buried unreleased in a box for decades to come. It wasn’t until 1998, when Ace released it for the first time on CD and its reputation has grown exponentially since, the tune’s snappy drums, vibes and wailing vocals getting sampled for example by Madlib (check out "DBZ" by Your Old Droog with Method Man & Denzil Curry produced by Madlib), Grand Puba (listen to "Think Of U" below), Loyle Carner and dozens of other beatheads.

Back in 2009, Timmion compiled all of Ann’s canned output on an album and now releases the song on a 7” backed with a new version “Deeper Shadows.” The treatment flips Ann’s vocals to hit a different beat from the original, pasting them over an unreleased backing track from UK session group The Third Degree. Miraculously, this potion works delivering a fresh interpretation of Ann’s masterpiece. The two vastly different renditions of deep soul heaven are now available on vinyl for you to spin.  

Pre-order Little Ann's "Deep Shadows" b/w "Deeper Shadows" single from Timmion via Bandcamp right here. Have a listen to "Deep Shadows" below. 

Happy Birthday Lindy Morrison!

Raising a glass to the amazing Lindy Morrison with her crazy cool drumming on the Go-Betweens' "Cattle & Cane"

R.I.P. Detroit techno pioneer Juan Atkins, 1962-2026

Sadly, Detroit techno innovator Juan Atkins (Model 500, Cybotron, Infiniti) has passed away. He'll be greatly missed. 

Watch Patti Smith perform "People Have The Power" at St. Mark's Church

On the eve of a US election, Patti Smith offered a timely reminder that "People Have The Power," see it here. Watch Patti in Spain below. 

Buck Owens & The Buckaroos "lost" live Las Vegas recording resurfaces

Top marks to the Sundazed art dept for delivering a period-perfect sleeve for Buck Owens' "At The Mint" Las Vegas 1968 LP.

Buck Owens and the Buckaroos – At The Mint, Las Vegas 1968

• UNRELEASED LIVE SHOW TAKEN FROM THE ORIGINAL REELS!
• LINER NOTES FROM GRAMMY NOMINATED BUCK EXPERT RANDY POE!
• ON YOUR CHOICE OF PREMIUM IRP BLACK VINYL OR CD!
• THE CD INCLUDES 4 BONUS TRACKS!

In ‘68 it happened in Vegas

And until now, it stayed in Vegas!

Buck’s 1968 lost live album recorded at The Mint Hotel & Casino not only failed to chart; it failed to exist – until now. Along with Buckaroos Don Rich, Doyle Holly, Tom Brumley and Jerry Wiggins, Buck and the gang romp through hits and deeper cuts all from the long lost original Capitol reels! 

This album just might hold the record for length of time between recording and release. Sure, there have been plenty of live recordings made that weren’t released until decades later (Exhibit A: Chet Baker), but how many albums that were on a major label’s release schedule for 1968 are still waiting to be heard? 

One of the decisions made about Buck Owens & the Buckaroos at the Mint has been to leave it rawer than Capitol Records originally planned back in ’68. 

Rather than make the kind of edits Ralph Emery refers to in his warm-up monologue, Sundazed takes the listener “behind the scenes” aurally, including comments from Ralph and Buck that would surely have been edited out. In fact, as funny as Doyle Holly is on this release, it’s highly unlikely Capitol would have  allowed Doyle’s “We can’t say ‘hell’ or anything” line to survive 

The crowds at the Mint got to experience the true artist – the Boss of Bakersfield who pre-dated the bumpkin in the backwards-worn overalls sitting on a bale of hay. In March of 1968, the man was at the absolute peak of his musical powers. 

He was indeed, in the words of emcee Ralph Emery, “America’s #1 country music singer – Buck Owens.”

Get a copy of Buck Owens & The Buckaroos – At The Mint, Las Vegas 1968 from Sundazed right here here. Check out the tracklisting below. 

Buck Owens & The Buckaroos – At The Mint, Las Vegas 1968 

Ralph Emery Introduction and Overview • Buckaroo • How Long Will My Baby Be Gone  • X-Lax & LSD (comedy)  • Cryin’ Time  • Your Tender Loving Care • Act Naturally • Love’s Gonna Live • Here • Together Again • Sam’s Place • Everybody Needs Somebody • People From NY (comedy) • Under Your Spell Again • Above And Beyond (The Call Of Love) • Excuse Me, I Think I Have A Heartache • Fool Around With Me • Hello Trouble •Truck Drivin’ Man • Outro • Happy Times Are Here Again • I’ve Got A Tiger By The Tail •Open Up Your Heart (and Let My Love Come In) •Don Rich Introduction • Orange Blossom Special (ft. Don Rich) • Tom Brumley Introduction • Steel Guitar Polka (ft. Tom Brumley) • Second Fiddle • Sweet Rosie Jones • People Like You Introduction • It Takes People Like You To Make People Like Me • Welfare Line Introduction • Waitin’ In Your Welfare Line • Ralph Emery Closer • Buck’s Polka Introduction* • Buck’s Polka* • Sally Was Ol Girl* • Ralph Emery Outro*

*CD Only