The Corporation – India
The Corporation – I Want To Get Out Of My Grave
The Corporation – Smile

I first ran into a copy of this record over at Groove Merchant, listened to it dug the hell out of it, but inexplicably put it back. I think at the time I thought it might have been a second or third press and not worth the price. After doing some research on Capitol record labels, and running into it again at Bagatelle in Long Beach, I quickly snatched up this bit of psychedelic rock.

Though i’d always been into psych, I only recently (in the last 4 years) started actively digging for it. Aside from looking for particular labels or records that you know are solid, I find that looking at the line-up of the group will often lead you towards records that fit your own sensibilities. For me, I tend to look for rock groups that feature a brass section and an organist. If there’s a flute player, all the better, at least if it’s before 1972…The Corporation fit this checklist and then some, six member group led by the Kondos Brothers, couple guitars, organ player, flute and even trombone.

It’s the drums that make this record, coming from Nicholas Kondos, just a great funky and punchy sound throughout. Though I like the overall sound, their group harmonizing was a bit grating initially, though it’s grown on me recently. That sound is evident on the two vocal tracks I’ve provided here, “I Want To Get Out Of My Grave” and “Smile”. The real winner however is their version of Trane’s “India,” a 19 minute monster that takes up the entire second side and sounds almost like an outtake from the first Axelrod/Electric Prunes sessions. The song features solos on fuzzy guitar, banging organ, flutey flute and a bass/drums duet that has multiple breaks for days and days…

Cheers,

Michael

A True Legend...Norman Lear

This was truly an honor, absolutely one of my favorite moments in my 16 years in radio, just spending even just a little bit of time with Norman Lear, a true legend and the creative force behind All In The Family, The Jeffersons, Sanford & Son, Maude, Good Times, or essentially every great television show from the mid 1970s and early 1980s. Archie Bunker was such an exceptional character that I couldn’t even watch All In The Family without getting angry, just thinking about the REAL Archie Bunker’s out there. This is our session together, great stories for several great songs. Enjoy.

1. Barbara Cook: Ain’t Love Easy
2. Danny Kaye: Anatole of Paris
3. Kate Smith: The White Cliffs of Dover
4. Frank Sinatra: I Wonder Who’s Kissing Her Now
5. Playing for Change: War/No More Trouble

Man…I’ve been getting seriously delinquent on these posts…Grading papers and midterms from my academic work has been taking a lot out of me lately.  This was a pretty solid show though.  Begins with some tracks inspired by the recent exhibit at the Huntington, Central Ave. and Beyond: The Harlem Renaissance in Los Angeles and the show we did at KCRW on the exhibit for Politics of Culture. Right at the beginning a classic collaboration between Charles Mingus & Langston Hughes into an underground classic from Phil Choran (who I was surprised to see in a picture from the 40s at the exhibit while he was in the Sultans of Swing).  I’ll likely highlight that record from Phil Cohran pretty soon.  New music from People Under The Stairs, Rose Melberg of the Softies, Natural Self, Dam-Funk, the Atlas Sound and more. Enjoy it while you can, until the enxt one gets added online…

Langston Hughes & Charles Mingus – Blues Montage – Weary Blues
Philip Cohran & the Artistic Heritage Ensemble – The Minstrel – Philip Cohran & the Artistic Heritage Ensemble
Shawn Lee & Clutchy Hopkins – 70 MPH Isn’t Fast Enough To Get Out of Nebraska – Fascinating Fingers

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Breakestra – Lowdown Stank – Dusk Till Dawn
King Hannibal – The Truth Shall Make You Free – 7”
Del The Funky Homosapien & tame One – Flashback – Parallel Uni-verses

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Natural Self – Midnight Sun – My Heart Beats Like A Drum
Anthony Valadez – Drips of Sound – Audio/Visual
Roy Ayers Ubiquity – We Live In Brooklyn, Baby – He’s Coming
Jimi Tenor & Tony Allen – Cella’s Walk – Inspiration Information, vol. 4

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Atlas Sound – Quick Canal feat. Laetitia Sadier – Logos
Neu – Fur Immer – Neu! 2

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Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou – Koutome – Vol. 2: Echos Hypnotiques
The Slits – Cry Baby – Trapped Animal
Ken Boothe – Puppet On A String – You’re No Good
Air – Night Hunter – Love 2

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Dam-Funk – Come On Outside – Toeachhizown
The Moments – Sexy Mama – 7”
Massive Attack – Pray For Rain – Splitting The Atom ep
The Black seeds – Send A Message – Solid Ground

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The Dutchess & the Duke – Sunrise/Sunset – Sunset/Sunrise
Nick Cave & Warren Ellis – The Rider Song – White Lunar
Leonard Cohen – Bird on The Wire – Live at the Isla of Wight 1970
Build An Ark – Fun’s Theme – Love Part 1
Rose Melberg – Look Skyward – Homemade Ship

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James Brown & the Famous Flames – Prisoner of Love / It May Be The Last Time – Live At the Garden
Mulatu Astatke – Yegelle Tezeta – New York-Addis-London: The Story of Ethio Jazz 1965-1975
People Under The Stairs – DQMOT – Carried Away

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Little Dragon – Fortune – Machine Dreams
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros – Black Water – Live on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic
It Runs Too Low
DJ Shadow – Six Days – Private Press

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