Listen in on Lefty Frizzell's 50s demo sessions

We're remembering Lefty Frizell on his birthday with a selection of his rare demo recordings. Check 'em out. 

Tracks

                                   1...Backdoor Boogie

(1.00)                      2...Believe Me (It's True)

(2.49)                      3...Blue Yodel # 6 (She Left Me This Mornin')

(4.13)                      4...Don't Stay Away (Till Love Grows Cold) Take 1

(5.31)                      5...Don't Stay Away (Till Love Grows Cold) Take 2

(6.48)                      6...Every Little Thing Rolled Into One

(8.01)                      7...Forever (And Always)

(9.37)                      8...If You're Ever Lonely Darlin'

(11.52)                    9...If You've Got The Money

(14.22)                  10...I Just Can't Live That Fast Anymore (Demo Take 1)

(15.00)                  11...I Just Can't Live That Fast Anymore (Demo Take 2)

(15.39)                  12...I Love You A Thousand Ways

(18.39)                  13...I Love You Mostly

(20.02)                  14...I Love You So

(21.30)                  15...I'm Yours If You Want Me

(25.01)                  16...I Won't Be Good For Nothin' (Version 1)

(26.03)                  17...I Won't Be Good For Nothin' (Version 2)

(26.56)                  18...I Won't Be Good For Nothin' (Version 3)

(27.48)                  19...Just Little Things Like That

(29.43)                  20...Lost Love Blues

(33.42)                  21...My Little Her And Him

(35.25)                  22...Please Be Mine, Dear Blue Eyes

(38.49)                  23...Why Didn't You Tell Me 

                                       That Our Love Was Wrong (Take 1)

(40.01)                  24...Why Didn't You Tell Me

                                       That Our Love Was Wrong (Take 2)

(41.10)                  25...You Have Never Been Known To Be Wrong

(43.21)                  26...You're The Reason Why I'm In Misery

Happy Birthday Allyson Baker!

Celebrating Allyson Baker's birthday with two Dirty Ghosts performances, playing "Duchess" with Hugh Cornwell and more.  

Watch Herb Alpert's interview with Bob Costas from 1989

Since Herb Alpert of Tijuana Brass and A&M Records fame is turning 88 today, here's a 1989 interview and a 1967 BBC special. 

One For The Weekend: Timmy's Organism

Timmy's Organism rocks The Baby G on April 13. Check out "Fly Your Red Flag" off their new Lone Lizard album below.

Here's the scoop...

Element 115 is a mysterious, superheavy element that has 115 protons in its nucleus. It is said in the UFO community to be the power source for dimension bending alien spacecraft. It is also found in the tone of Timmy Vulgar’s gravity defying riffs. 

To describe Timmy’s Organism as heavy, is as fundamental in concept to our human existence as the drone of blood pumping in beat to our hearts. Guitarist & singer Vulgar, bassist Jeff “Giant’ Fournier, and Scott Dunk on drums, plug into a tradition as hallowed as Ron Asheton’s fuzz pedal on The Stooges's first album or Lemmy’s low end hypnosis on Hawkwind's Doremi. But Timmy’s Organism is more. They are their own thing. 

The new LP Lone Lizard is as confounding, twisted, solid, and heavily out-of-this-world as any sonic offering in the last 300 years . . . as if all the previous Organism records, and those of Vulgar’s past groups Clone Defects, Human Eye, and Epileptix never existed… or have always existed. 

Timeless is the rhythm. The musicianship and sense of arrangement on Lone Lizard is jazz-esque in its double-commitment to loose precision. Lyrically, the record ranges from "Peyote Moments" surreal truths: "Like the ancient ways of the secyalapoid . . . bring me back to the desert where the serpents lie in the sun. Telling their fibs into my ears, I will not hear!" to the naked-to-the-bone vulnerability of "Tracy Trouble": "My heart melting continues, I just wanted a sober kiss. Like our young love days! But the dealer stole you away! . . . You chased the dragon to the stars, please come back into my arms." 

Few bands have a discography that includes labels Sacred Bones, In the Red, Third Man Records, Goner, Hozac, and Total Punk. Pick up your headphones, plug into the jack, press play, and let this dimension’s premier and only acid punk space glam power trio make you feel like the first time over and again. – Chet Weise 

Watch Timmy's video for "Fly Your Red Flag" below. Get a copy of Lone Lizard via Bandcamp right here. 

LONE LIZARD TOUR 2023

Thur 4/6-Detroit - Smalls / Thu 4/13 - Toronto the Baby G / Fri 4/14 - Pittsburgh - The Government Center / Sat 4/15 - New York - TV Eye / Sun 4/16 - DC - Runaway / Mon 4/17 - Richmond - Cobra Cabana DJ night / Tue 4/18 - Richmond - Fuzzy Cactus / Wed 4/19 - Durham - Rubies / Thu 4/20 - Atlanta - EARL / Fri 4/21 - Nashville - DARKMTTR / Sat 4/22 - New Orleans - Siberia /  Sun 4/23 - Austin - 13th Floor / Mon 4/24 - Denton TX - Rubber Gloves / Tue 4/25 - Oklahoma City - Grand Royale / Wed 4/26 - Kansas City - MiniBar / Thu 4/27 - Madison, WI - Mickey's / Fri 4/28 - Green Bay - Lyric Room / Sat 4/29 - Chicago - Cole's Bar / Mon 5/1 - Indianapolis - The Melody Inn / Tue 5/2 - St Louis - Sinkhole / Wed 5/3 - Louisville - Kaiju / Thu 5/4 - Cincinnati - MOTR Pub / Fri 5/5 - Columbus- Cafe Bourbon Street / Sat 5/6 - Cleveland - Dunlaps

Happy Birthday Harold Burrage!

Remembering Chicago R&B great Harold Burrage (shown working with pal Otis Clay) with a couple of jukebox classics!

April March & Staplin preview collaborative album with "Parti avec le Soleil"

April March Meets Staplin will be out on vinyl for Record Store Day, April 22. Listen to "Parti avec le Soleil" below.

Here's the scoop... 

April March went to France to record her latest studio album April March Meets Staplin (out May 5th via Velvetica Music) in collaboration with the French duo of Norman Langolff and Arno Van Colen better known as Staplin. Fans of April March will recall that she previously appeared on the Staplin track "Celluloïd" (listen below) off their 2020 debut album Neon Shades (Velvetica Music). Along for the ride this time is drummer Toby Dammit (Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, The Residents, Iggy Pop) whose pounding is featured on the lead track "Parti avec le Soleil" cut during a rainy afternoon in Normandie. 

The album was recorded at Quasar Studio in Rouen, France, mixed by John McEntire at Soma Electronic Music Studios in Gladstone, Oregon and mastered by Warren Defever (see His Name Is Alive) at Third Man Mastering in Detroit. April March Meets Staplin will be available on vinyl in limited numbers for Record Store Day, April 22 followed by a full release on May 5th. Have a listen following the album track list below.  

April March – April March Meets Staplin (Velvetica Music)

1. Ton Rayon Vert 

2. Alfie Solomons' Hush 

3. Les Fleurs Invisibles 

4. Palomino Rich Man 

5. Ombres 

6. Parti Avec Le Soleil 

7. Lay Down Snow White 

8. Villain's Whisper 

9. Get Wild Elevator Man 

10. L'Horizon 

11. Natalie 

12. Underneath The Wind 

13. Guy B.

 

Have a slice of "Homemade Pie" with Johnny Dowd

Since it's Johnny Dowd's birthday today, we're enjoying Rik Van Iersel's video for Johnny's "Homemade Pie." Get the CD here.

One For World Piano Day: Matthew Shipp Trio

Adventurous pianist Matthew Shipp recorded Prism with William Parker & Whit Dickey back in 1993 but you can still get it.

Here's the scoop...

Pianist Matthew Shipp recorded Prism with William Parker and Whit Dickey at NYC's Roulette Studio on March 26, 1993 by Jim Staley. Produced by noted punk rock and free jazz enthusiast Johan Kugelberg, the two track album was co-released by the Netherlands-based Brinkman Records and ectoplasm in 1996 with a fantastic sleeve created by JD King. 175 returns sat in storage for years until they were given to Esp-Disk' to sell for Mr. Shipp. Get a copy via Bandcamp right here. 

Happy Birthday Astrud Gilberto!

Celebrating Astrud Gilberto's birthday with a '62 performance backed by the Pim Jacobs Trio with Ruud Brink & Dom Um Romão. 

Midweek Mixdown: Andy Votel's Şimdi Şimdi Turkish psych selection

Finders Keepers boss Andy Votel recently did a Syrian/Turkish relief fundraiser then replayed his vintage Anatolian psych set here. 

Cub Koda vs. Kid Thomas

Way back in 1984, Cub Koda did a fine job of wailing through the Kid Thomas TRC gem "Rockin' This Joint To-Nite" from 1960.

Happy Birthday Renaldo Domino!

Celebrating the birthday of Windy City soul great Renaldo Domino with a few performances worth checking. 

B-Side Wins Again: John Hill

Composer/producer John Hill snuck the whumpin' instro stomp "Get It" on the flip of the much less exciting "Bug Eyes" in 1967.

Happy Birthday Charles Stepney!

Remembering Chicago producer/arranger Charles Stepney with Brian Ashby's four-part Out Of The Shadows documentary. 

The Flatlanders perform as part of ACL's Hall Of Fame salute to Joe Ely

Joe Ely was joined by his Flatlanders pals Jimmie Dale Gilmore & Butch Hancock for "I Had My Hopes Up High" 

Marshall Crenshaw is working on a film about producer Tom Wilson

Marshall Crenshaw is doing a documentary about Tom Wilson who produced recordings by Bob Dylan, Sun Ra, The Velvet Underground and others

 

Writes Marshall Crenshaw...

Producer Tom Wilson, whose name is on lots of records by Bob Dylan, The Velvet Underground, Simon & Garfunkel,  The Mothers Of Invention, Eric Burdon and The Animals, et. al., was also an important producer of Modern Jazz, and an important discoverer of jazz talent, starting with the establishment of his own Transition Records label in 1955. Here are a few examples thereof!...

I put this list together for private consumption, but have been encouraged to take it public, so here goes!.. Hopefully you can listen to these great sounds on some decent speakers or headphones.

Cheers,

MC

Check out Marshall Crenshaw's Tom Wilson jazz recordings playlist right here (track list below). 

Read a New York Times Magazine interview with Tom Wilson from Sept. 29, 1968 over here. And a brief profile on Tom Wilson by Michael Cocoran from 2015 right here.  

TRACKS:

Perry Robinson- Farmer Alfalfa - (Perry Robinson; clarinet, Kenny Barron; piano,  Henry Grimes; bass, Paul Motian; drums) from “Funk Dumpling”- Savoy LP (1962)

Herbie Mann- African Suite, Bedouin Pt. 1 (Herbie Mann; flute,  Johnny Rae; vibraphone, Bob Corwin; piano, Jack Six; bass, Carlos “Patata” Valdes; congas, Jose Mangual; bongos) from “Herbie Mann’s African Suite”- United Artists LP (1959)

Walt Dickerson- Bacon and Eggs - (Walt Dickerson; vibraphone, Sun Ra; piano, Bob Cunningham; bass, Roger Blank; drums) from “Impressions of ’A Patch Of Blue’”- MGM LP (1965)

Bill Hardman- Capers - (Bill Hardman; trumpet, Sonny Red; alto saxophone, Ronnie Matthews; piano, Bob Cunningham; bass, Jimmy Cobb; drums) from “Saying Something”- Savoy LP (1962) 

Sun Ra- Where Is Tomorrow? - (Sun Ra; piano, Bernard McKinney; trombone, euphonium, Marshall Allen; alto sax, flute, John Gilmore; tenor sax, bass clarinet, Pat Patrick; bass saxophone, Willie Jones; drums, Leah Ananda; conga) from “The Futuristic Sounds of Sun Ra”- Savoy LP (1961)

Cecil Taylor/John Coltrane- Just Friends - (Cecil Taylor; piano, Kenny Dorham; trumpet, John Coltrane; tenor saxophone, Chuck Israels; bass, Louis Hayes; drums) from “Hard Driving Jazz”- United Artists LP (1959), reissued in 1963 as “Coltrane Time”  

Hugh Masekela- Unhlanhia - (Hugh Masekela; cornet, Hal Dotson; bass, Larry Willis; piano, Henry Jenkins; drums) from “The Americanization of Ooga Booga”- MGM LP (1966)

Donald Byrd- El Sino - (Donald Byrd; trumpet, Joe Gordon; trumpet, Horace Silver; piano, Doug Watkins; bass, Art Blakey; drums) from “Byrd’s Eye View”- Transition LP (1956)

Curtis Fuller- I Wonder Where Our Love Has Gone - (Curtis Fuller; trombone, Lee Morgan; trumpet, Hank Mobley; tenor saxophone, Tommy Flanagan; piano, Paul Chambers; bass, Elvin Jones; drums, Benny Golson; arranger) from “Sliding Easy”- United Artists LP (1959)

Cecil Taylor- Little Lees - (Cecil Taylor; piano, Buell Neidlinger; bass, Denis Charles; drums, Bill Barron; tenor saxophone, Ted Curson; trumpet) from “Love For Sale”- United Artists LP (1959)

Art Farmer- Stella By Starlight - (Art Farmer; trumpet, Lee Morgan; trumpet, Ernie Royal; trumpet, Julius Watkins; French horn, Jimmy Cleveland; trombone, Curtis Fuller; trombone, James Haughton; baritone horn, Don Butterfield; tuba, Percy Heath; bass, Philly Joe Jones; drums, Benny Golson; arranger and conductor)

from “Brass Shout”- United Artists LP (1959)

Eddie Harris- Hip Hoppin’ - (Eddie Harris; tenor saxophone, Warren Stephens; guitar, Melvin Jackson; bass, Bucky Taylor; drums, unidentified organist) from “Cool Sax, Warm Heart”- Columbia LP (1964) 

Cecil Taylor- Aure - (Cecil Taylor; piano, Buell Neidlinger; bass, Denis Charles; drums) from “Jazz Advance”- Transition LP (1956)

Sun Ra and His Arkestra- Future - (Sun Ra; piano, Art Hoyle; trumpet, percussion, Dave Young; trumpet, percussion, Julian Priester; trombone, percussion, James Scales; alto saxophone, John Gilmore; tenor saxophone, percussion, Pat Patrick; baritone saxophone, percussion, Richard Evans; bass, Wilbur Green; Fender bass, percussion, Robert Barry; drums, Jim Herndon; tympani) from “Jazz by Sun Ra”- Transition LP (1957)

Happy Birthday Elton John!

Celebrating Elton John's birthday with some demo versions of Nick Drake's compositions recorded circa 1970.  

Ian Blurton turns up on expanded version of New Age Doom's Lee Perry remix project

New Age Doom's Remix The Universe (Extended Edition) includes Ian Blurton's update of Lee Perry's "Conquer The Sin"

Here's the scoop...

We Are Busy Bodies has just released Remix The Universe (Extended Edition), a digital-only compendium of new perspectives on The Upsetter’s final collaborative album, 2021’s acclaimed Lee “Scratch” Perry’s Guide to the Universe by New Age Doom. 

The original version of Remix The Universe – released back in January – featured reimagined versions of the Lee Perry recordings by artists from the post-hardcore, experimental hip hop, indie rock, EDM and ambient spheres. From the dancefloor-ready groove of South Africa’s BLK JKS, to the head-banging fuzz-dub of Quicksand, and Nick Reinhart’s experimental exploration, the 12-track vinyl album, presented as one continuous set, sizzles across 44 minutes of new music. The newly expanded digital version adds five more tracks, including "Conquer The Sin (Repenter's Version)" contributed by Ian Blurton. 

Check out the entire Remix The Universe (Extended Edition) on Bandcamp right here. 

You can catch Ian Blurton's Future Now at The Bovine in Toronto with Bonnie Trash and Sex Cat on April 8th. 

Happy Birthday Billy Stewart!

Remembering the great Billy Stewart, gone far too soon in 1970 at the age of 32. Here are a few of his classics.

One For The Weekend: Nikki Lane w/ Dropkick Murphys

For those recovering from St. Paddy's Day, here's Nikki Lane singing "Never Git Drunk No More" with Dropkick Murphys. 

Happy Birthday Sticks McGhee!

Raising a glass to Knoxville-born guitar great Sticks McGhee on his birthday with a couple of jukebox gems. 

Whaddya mean you don't know the Fabulous Fugitives

Check out The Fabulous Fugitives' Memphis funk classic "What The World Needs Today" followed by a vintage performance clip.

That time Modern Minds played U of Alberta's Lister Hall in 1981

Celebrating Moe Berg's birthday with the final performance of his power pop band Modern Minds at Lister Hall on Feb 7, 1981.

Happy Birthday Melvin Sparks!

Remembering guitar great Melvin Sparks on his birthday with a trio performance shot weeks before his passing in 2011.  

Toronto MC D-Sisive reconnects with Muneshine for The Blue Boat

D-Sisive's new 6-track Blue Boat EP was produced with longtime collaborator Muneshine for headphone listening.

Here's the scoop from D-Sisive...

I'm proud of all of my releases. Well...the ones from 2008 and onwards [haha]. But this one? THIS...ONE? Yikes.

The story behind The Blue Boat has been living in my head for 32 years. I can still vividly remember standing at Tony's bedside completely overwhelmed by the experience. I didn't fully process what was happening, but it impacted me major. Every now and then, something would trigger a memory of Tony, and I'd be right back in his apartment on Northcliffe Blvd.

Once I started releasing more introspective-type music, Tony went from a memory to a story I had to tell. But the moment had to be perfect. And after everything I've been through over the past 8 years - it can't get any more perfect than now.

The Blue Boat isn't a conventional EP. It's unlike anything I've ever released. This is in a league of its own. It's not Hip-Hop. It's not background music at a party. The Blue Boat requires commitment, and is best experienced via headphones. You need to close your eyes, and really take the story in. Feel the words and music. I know that's a lot to ask, but I believe this story is very powerful, and has potential to shift the world.

I pray The Blue Boat gets the attention I believe it deserves, and I pray you love it as much as I do. The idea of Tony is in all of us, and it's our responsibility to make sure we don't fade out like he did.

I want to thank my brother, Muneshine, for bringing this to life with me. None of this could be done without you. I believe our lives will change as soon as this is unleashed.

I also want to thank YOU. Because without you, I'd be rapping to the walls, and this would all be pointless. I truly mean it.

I love you.

Derek 

Check out D-Sisive's latest,  The Blue Boat via Bandcamp right here. For further D-Sisive listening, visit Urbnet over here. 

Happy Birthday Son House!

Remembering blues legend Son House with footage from a 1969 performance, a throwdown with Buddy Guy and more.  

A postcard from a rock 'n' roll friend, Robert Forster

Recently, The Go-Betweens' Robert Forster visited Abbey Road Studios and shared his thoughts about it.

Greetings from the Day A Dream Fulfilled.

I’m back at my London hotel having spent the day at Abbey Road. In the studios and in the canteen.

Yesterday I arrived back from Oxford. Tomorrow is my London.show. So Sunday was free in my schedule, and the remastering of two of my Ninities albums, to be reissued by the wonderful Needle Mythology label was suddenly slotted in today - the remastering to be done at Abbey Road. My first ever visit to the studio.

It began at 9. 08am when I got into the cab and said to the driver,‘ Abbey Road please.’ He said yes knowing exactly where I wanted to go. The early Sunday morning swing through the empty streets of Regents Park to the studio.

A miracle, or something rare, I was told. Studios 1, 2 and 3, were empty - Did I want a tour before we went to the mastering suite on the top floor? 

Yes please.

Of course the absolute highlight was studio 2. The glass-windowed control room high above the studio. To walk down the stairs JohnPaulGeorgeRingo walked down all through the Sixties. To stand in the room and just know what happened here. The Cathedral of Rock And Roll. The piano lid on the famed ‘Mrs Mills’ piano lifted, where Paul pounded out Lady Madonna and others, and yes I managed a few chords on the old brown stained keys. I’d reached the Source.

I must add I am not a Beatles nut. My admiration for them growing through the years. And I prefer their early work - I Saw Her Standing There, Love Me Do and I Want To Hold Your Hand. But standing in that room was very moving.

Then upstairs to master my albums. The cloak of magic on me the whole time.

So I sit in my hotel room a little stunned and energised, recounting my day thus far.

Fond Regards

Robert

Listen to Diana Panton sing "They Say It's Spring"

Well, they say it's spring today, so here's Diana Panton reprising the Blossom Dearie classic followed by Blossom's 1958 version.

Happy Birthday Sister Rosetta Tharpe!

Remembering hymn shouting guitar slinger deluxe Sister Rosetta Tharpe on her birthday with a few performances after a short doc.

R.I.P. British beat poet/novelist Royston Ellis, 1941-2023

Sadly, Royston Ellis – who inspired The Beatles' "Paperback Writer" has passed away at the age of 82. Watch a reading with The Shadows and Living For Kicks.

The Royston Ellis books Gone Man Squared, Big Time, Sweet Ebony and Maldives Adventure are available here. 

The No Ones (Scott McCauhey & Peter Buck) release My Best Evil Friend on March 31

The No Ones get vocal assists from The Bangles' Debbi Peterson, Teenage Fanclub's Norman Blake and Death Cab's Ben Gibbard. 

Here's the scoop...

"No one is defined as nobody. An example of no one is how you would describe who is in an empty house. Not one person, nobody. The logical negation of someone." 

OK, that makes sense. The No Ones are also defined as "not a single person" and that's fine too. In this case there are but four No Ones, and you can put them all in one room, though not very often at the same time. They are, alphabetically: 

Peter Buck - R.E.M., Minus 5, Filthy Friends, Baseball Project, Luke Haines, etc. Countless songs -- you can only hope to contain them! Double-LPs and pizza. Hound Dog Taylor, Raspberries and Sault. Warm weather and walking. Made three amazing and fucked-up solo albums that are available only in an alternate analog world. 

Arne Kjelsrud Mathisen - I Was A King, Rural Tapes, etc. Drums, keyboards, percussion, vocals, etc. Arne played the controversial piano solo on "Turn Again" from first No Ones long-player. He loves forest green, his Korg MS-10, Can, and Raymond Scott. Rural Tapes (solo/collaborative instrumental project) release 2nd album Inner Space Music November 2022. 

Scott McCaughey - Young Fresh Fellows, The Minus 5, R.E.M., Baseball Project, Filthy Friends, etc. Primary lyricist, plus bass, keyboards, guitars and vocals. He enjoys coffee in his spare time, and dreams of Neil Young and Irma Thomas fronting Sun Ra's Arkestra, with Nice As Fuck opening. Casablanca and The Florida Project are required viewing. Scott The Hoople is his solo side-career. 

Frode Strømstad - I Was A King, Rider, etc. Master of melodies as well as guitars, capos, chords, and vocal cords. He parties down with GBV and Elf Power. I Was A King releases its 8th album Follow Me Home in September 2022. 

So, making music comes naturally to this band, despite the obstacles. Conceived above the Arctic Circle, split by thousands of miles, and compounded by ridiculous schedules and pandemics... Thirty-plus songs later and we have My Best Evil Friend (out March 31 via Yep Roc Records), the band's third release and follow-up to 2020's exceptional (by definition) The Great Lost No Ones Album. 

My Best Evil Friend was realized in the way it was required, bouncing tracks back and forth from studios in Norway to the Dungeon Of Horror in Portland, Oregon, with a few other helpful home-recorders. Arne and Frode were able to track live guitars and drums together in Oslo, which somehow gives the vibe of a combo rockin' a high school gym -- owing much to the engineering work of Bård Ingebrigtsen, who also did the final mixes. 

Whereas Great Lost Album was imagined as being discovered in 2054 by a retro-hipster-scribe in Mojo ("The Last Magazine"), the latest is a blurry tribute to our own LP collections and memories, the artists that populate our turntables, and those that continue to inspire us. Not exactly in linear or transparent ways, but you'll find shadows of Plastic Ono Band, Joe Tex, Sugar Pie de Santo, Nick Lowe, beat poet Michael McClure, Blind Tom, Pamela Polland, Dean Martin, and on and on. There are even outright paeans to George Harrison, Jenny Lewis, and Phil Ochs, among others. And once again the quartet has enlisted contributions from generous friends, through the voices of Debbi Peterson (Bangles), Norman Blake (Teenage Fan Club), Ben Gibbard (Death Cab For Cutie), as well as 'lead bass' from Camper Van Beethoven's Victor Krummenacher, and strings from Marin Ballemo Bakke. 

With a 2020 tour of Norway repeatedly Covid-canceled, as well as lost appearances at Roskilde and other festivals, you might think it makes sense to hang it up. Well, it does, but that's not the way it works. When downtime is forced upon you, the committed musician just turns it into more songs, more records, more life. The No Ones still hope to meet you all in person, but for now, let's hope that My Best Evil Friend can at least pull you into their orbit, like a beacon from RKO.  – Robert Stove, The Electric Bird Digest, THE Quarterly Magazines for Amateur Electrobirds 

Get a copy of The NoOnes' My Best Evil Friend via Bandcamp right here. Listen to the first three tracks shared from the new album, "304 Molino Way." "Phil Ochs Is Dead" and "Song For George" 

That time The Plugz backed Dylan on Late Night with David Letterman

Check out Bob Dylan doing "Don't Start Me Talkin'" & "Jokerman" with L.A. punk crew The Plugz back in 1984. 

Happy Birthday Buster Harding!

Remembering Canadian composer/arranger Buster Harding with a few gems cut by Dizzy, Billie, Artie, Teddy, Ernie and others. 

Jorge Ben covers comp Tudo Ben gets vinyl release... finally!

The 25-track Tudo Ben collection – originally released on CD in 2008 – has now been issued by Mr. Bongo as a 2LP vinyl package.

Here's the scoop from Mr. Bongo...

Jorge Ben is surely one of the world’s greatest all-round musical artists. He is internationally renowned and vastly influential as a vocalist, musician, performer and phenomenal songwriter. Famed for penning ‘Taj Mahal’, which was the source for Rod Stewart’s ‘Do You Think I’m Sexy?’, and also ‘Mas Que Nada’, one of Brazil’s most iconic anthems, Jorge Ben is a powerful musical force. A simple glance at his impressive back catalogue reveals a master of his craft, with a depth and quality that is seldom paralleled. 

For 'Tudo Ben' we take a side-step, focusing on Jorge Ben’s songs that have been performed by other artists. Complied by Mr Bongo, Greg Caz and Sean Marquand, this collection features the Brazilian legends Elza Soares, Claudette Soares, and Wilson Simonal, alongside prodigious artists such as Marijô, Os Brazoes, and Doris Monteiro to name but a few. The selection covers a wide range of genres including samba, bossa nova, MPB and batucada workouts. Many of the songs featured have become staples in Mr Bongo DJ sets over the years and are some of our most loved classics. As with many of history’s great songwriters, Jorge Ben’s songs transcend genres and styles, they can be covered and reinterpreted, yet the quality of the writing holds up to the standard of the original. 

In the dark days of the mid to late 2000s when the end of vinyl seemed inevitable, Mr Bongo released 'Tudo Ben' on CD only. Years later, we finally get to put this right and present it for the first time on vinyl with alternative artwork by Mr Krum.

Writes co-compiler Greg Caz... 

"About 15 years ago I put together a compilation of assorted artists doing Jorge Ben songs for the Mr. Bongo label. The basic idea was that Jorge was so prolific that he gave away countless songs to other artists that he never recorded himself, so rounding up as many of them in one place was a no-brainer. It came out pretty cool despite the inability to use anything that was on Universal (so no Philips or Polydor tracks). I wrote extensive liners for each track and the comp came out…on CD only. I screamed and yelled and stomped my feet until they agreed to put it on vinyl too…just now, 15 years later. Patience pays off, I guess. Sadly, they went the cheap route and left out my liner notes (oh, the humanity!) but having these 25 tracks in one 2LP package is better than not having that option at all. So here it is." – Greg Caz

Tudo Ben: Jorge Ben Covered

1. Salinas - Tenha Fé, Pois Amanhã Um Lindo Dia Vai Nascer / 2. Elza Soares - Pulo, Pulo / 3. Sonia Santos – Speed / 4. Osmar Milito - Rita Jeep / 5. Wilson Simonal – Zazueira / 6. Osmar Milito - Quem Mandou / 7. Doris Monteiro - Se Você Quiser Mas Sem Bronquear / 8. Wilson Simonal - Que Pena / 9. Osmar Milito - Morre O Burro, Fica O Homem / 10. Os Originais do Samba - Lá Vem Salgueiro / 11. Os Brazões - Carolina, Carol Bela / 12. Wilson Simonal - Crioula / 13. Claudette Soares - Êles Querem É Amar / 14. Os Incríveis - Vendedor De Bananas / 15. Wilson Simonal - Brasil, Eu Fico / 16. Cyro Aguiar - Rei Do Maracatu / 17. Wilson Simonal - Resposta / 18. Elza Soares - Mas Que Nada / 19. Wilson Simonal - País Tropical / 20. Os Originais do Samba - Cadê Tereza / 21. Marijô - Fio Maravilha / 22. Os Originais do Samba - Tenha Fé, Pois Amanhã Um Lindo Dia Vai Nascer / 23. Os Brazões - Que Maravilha / 24. Os Mutreteiros Grilados - Cosa Nostra / 25. Os Originais do Samba - Falador Passa Mal

Get a copy of Mr. Bongo's “Tudo Ben: Jorge Ben Covered” via Bandcamp right here. Have a listen below followed by a Jorge Ben performance of a number of his classics from 1972.

R.I.P. Parliament/Funkadelic vocalist Fuzzy Haskins, 1941-2023

Sadly, Parliament/Funkadelic vocalist Clarence "Fuzzy" Haskins has passed away at 81. He'll be greatly missed.

Happy Birthday Bill Frisell

Celebrating the birthday of guitarist Bill Frisell with an interview, a few performance clips and a 1997 Dutch documentary.