This record has been out for a while, but I only got a chance to hear it during our recent fundraiser at KCRW. Siblings Kitty, Daisy & Lewis clearly favor 1950s vintage sounds, but have some interesting song choices, including a version of Canned Heat’s “Going Up The Country.” The song I’ve chosen is my favorite from the record, “Honolulu Rock-A Roll-A.”
As an added treat, here’s their recent session on Morning Becomes Eclectic at KCRW. Highly recommended viewing…
Many thanks to all of you who supported the station during our recent fundraiser. We raised a pretty penny for KCRW and have close to 20,000 subscribers to thank for it. Lots of new music this week and more funky tunes than normal. A call from O-Dub of Soul-Sides.com in the first hour may have influenced that, but hopefully you don’t mind. (more…)
Los Bravos – Rudi’s In Love
Los Kifers – El Sol Es Una Droga
Los Roberts – El Saltamontes
This second volume builds on the deep sounds from vol. 1 and, for my money, exceeds the original volume, a feat fairly rare in the reissue game. Vampi Soul has for years been digging up obscured artists from Spain and Latin America, but they’ve really out done themselves with this series, with extensive notes on each of the artists on the comp and pictures of each of the LPs / 45s. That in itself will be a great help to collectors, crate diggers and DJs who love to play soul sounds from around the world. (more…)
It’s been a couple weeks since we started doing Gris-Gris at La Cita. Soul Marcosa has now joined me as a co-resident for the night and we have a stellar line-up of guest DJs for the next month or so:
August 16th: Clifton aka Soft Touch (Funky Sole / Underground / Sonic)
August 23rd: Alberto Sol (Soul Syndicate)
August 30th: Mathieu Schreyer aka Mr. French (KCRW / Tuesdays @ Bar Marmont)
September 6th: Music Man Miles (Breakestra / Funky Sole / Root Down)
September 13th: Greg Belson (SoulSide)
September 20th: Renato (Supercuts / Funky Sole)
September 27th: O-dub (Soul-sides.com / Boogaloo[la])
Above is our latest flyer, designed by Soul Marcosa. So far, we remain a hidden gem downtown in Los Angeles, a perfect spot to come and chill on the back patio, kick back at the loooong bar, or groove out on the dance floor.
I hope you’ll join us one of these Sundays and come dance to the best mix of soulful, funky and rockin’ sounds in all the land…
It’s fundraising week here at KCRW and even though we don’t get phone volunteers or snazzy premiums for the midnight shows, I feel compelled to do my part to raise money for this station. So, I’ve put together a show which features a number of CDs that are available within 4-packs put together by the “stars” of KCRW, including Jason Bentley, Tom Schnabel, Anne Litt, Henry Rollins and Chris Douridas. If you can, please support KCRW, you can do so online right here. (more…)
Generally, I like to choose brand new releases or reissues for my Heavy Rotation feature, but today is our 5th wedding anniversary and posting this would be what is most truthful to the concept of “Heavy Rotation.” This record (originally released in 1955 and Hartman’s debut as a leader) has been in heavy rotation for our entire relationship and it’s also been a frequent addition in the soundtrack to our dreams virtually every night. It’s in especially heavy rotation today on our anniversary. This track simply says it all…
It took me a little while to jump on the Phoenix bandwagon, but it’s hard not to like this band, great melodies, fun punchy electro rhythms, English lyrics for all the Yankees to sing, but with slightly French phrasing, so it still cooler than any “regular” American could sing. In fact their sound can be so enticing, that you might not pay attention to the lyrics. Case in point, is “Countdown.” The first 4 or 5 times I listened to this song, I was pretty convinced that it was all about sweet remembrance of youth, perhaps youthful discretions or other reckless behavior that just seems right when you’re young and oh so wrong once you turn 30. (more…)
Billy Harper – Priestess
Billy Harper – Calvary
Billy Harper – Illumination (excerpt)
A little earlier I reviewed the Spiritual Jazz collection on this blog and this record by saxophonist Billy Harper definitely exemplifies that style of music. Harper is one of my favorite living saxophone players, with an extremely full and warm tone, in a post-Coltrane style while also marking out his own territory as a soloist for some 40 years now, beginning most prominently with Max Roach. (more…)
Been away for a week, Jason Kramer filled in for me last week, and it was very nice to be back with you on KCRW. Started off with a classic from Dr. John and the new name (“Ju Ju” was spoken for already…) for my brand new Sunday weekly dance party here in Los Angeles at La Cita, “Gris-Gris”! (more…)
Portland Cello Project feat. Thao – Beat (Health, Life and Fire)
New release from venerable indie label Kill Rock Stars matches this rather lovely group of cellists with two very fine indie-folksters, Thao and Justin Power. Here’s their reworking of Thao’s “Beat (Health Life & Fire),” one of my favorite songs of 2008.
For the second time in as many years, a musical dream of mine has come true. In 2008, I learned that there were instrumental versions of the records that David Axelrod recorded with the Electric Prunes. I was nothing short of amazed. This collection of recordings from the legendary 24-Carat Black tops that find significantly.
Some 35 years after it was recorded, the Numero Group has dug up the long lost recordings for the second album by 24-Carat Black. The 6 songs on this collection aptly titled Gone: The Promises of Yesterday are very much in the spirit of the debut, sonically, but not thematically. While some of the members in the group had changed, the core returns, Dale Warren, Princess Hearn and a seriously funky drummer Tyrone Steels. Based on the songs on this collection, it appears that band-leader Dale Warren was interested in presenting another concept record, but instead of one focused on the urban condition, he was broadening his scope to focus on love. (more…)
The Purpose – Dustcracks, Bugs and Roaches
The Purpose – Give In
The Purpose – Life of Love
Picked up this endearingly scratchy record maybe a month ago in San Diego at a spot that O-dub of Soul-sides recommended, B.A.O. Records (as in By Appointment Only). I’m particularly drawn to integrated groups from the 60s and the look of the group plus the fact that the lead singer’s name is John John McDuffy, the guitarist’s name is “Fluffer” and the drummer goes by “Chocolate” pretty much sold me without even listening.
I had my portable turntable with me that day, so I WAS able to check out the sounds as well, cause after all, you shouldn’t judge records just by their covers. The Purpose played what could be described as a mix between urban blues and soul…along with a far too apparent deep love of nursery rhymes. Seriously. (more…)
