LAURIE JOHNSON

Happy New Year! 

CHICAGO

The countdown begins...

MANU DIBANGO

 

Classic Dibango!

GARY SLOANE & CLONE

 

 From one of the best re-releases of the year on the ever reliable Finders Keepers.

EMERALD WEB

 

Flights of fancy with Emerald Web.

 



MAGGI PAYNE

Taken from the non-stop rollick 'Ahh-Ahh - Music for Ed Tannenbaum's Technological Feets, 1984-87.'

DOCTOR ROCKIT

 

Take it away, Matthew...

ROHAN DELANO

 

First heard this on Richard Sen's compilation of UK Acid, 'This Ain't Chicago.' Eye opening.

JOE SMOOTH

 

Jackin' with Joe.

BROTHOMSTATES

 

Wasn't too into his Autechre-apeing Warp output. This tune (released on Arcola) heads straight for the floor. Seismic shift around the 5 minute mark.

MAZE

 

The Maze boys are laying on the charm here. Nice slow jam. Admittedly not that slow.

JANKO NILOVIC

 

Great album cover! Fresh from the MONTPARNASSE 2000 library.

RAH BAND

 

Middlesbrough's finest.

MARVIN GAYE

 

Just allow me this.

DONNY HATHAWAY

 

I assure you that this is pretty much the final Christmas themed track I will post in 2012. By and large.

PENTANGLE

Nothing says wet, westcountry Christmas quite like Pentangle.

 



COCTEAU TWINS & HAROLD BUDD

 

The Cocteau's are the quintessential band to see you through the festive season. A beautiful and thoughtful soundtrack to a general feeling of lethargy and indigestion. 

JOHNNY HATES JAZZ

 

I imagine Johnny's secret garden probably has a really impressive sculpted rhododendron as a centrepiece.

LOVE UNLIMITED ORCHESTRA

 

The Love Unlimited Orchestra & Webster Lewis know how to get down.

JEAN-LUC PONTY

 

Jean-Luc Ponty becomes the first artist to be featured twice on LC. Can't resist this transcendental Stevie W cover.

PAUL MARTIN

 

"Les yeux orange..." Many thanks to my sister for helping me source this beauty. As sampled by KZA on 'Le Troublant Acid.'

BOB JAMES

Magic Bob getting all Wonka.

NANCY SINATRA

JULIAN LENNON

Chip off the ol' block.

HELEN

This track has it all.

LOGIC SYSTEM

Hideki Matsutake's symphony for artificial intelligence.

1619 BAD ASS BAND

Bad Ass by name, not especially bad ass by nature.

THE DOVERS

It's still relatively tricky to get hold of any Dovers recordings. It's a shame as the tunes are mini masterpieces.

BLOW MONKEYS

I'm a sucker for heavily orchestrated sopshisto-pop, particularly when it's as emotional as this. Call up your bros and have dance/hug.

GINO SOCCIO

While we're on the theme of charming Italo hits...

RYAN PARIS

The instrumental version of this huge Italo hit is full of charm. Look at Ryan's winning smile!

TIM MAIA

Tim Maia's in reflective mode here, propping up the bar. Cracking harmonica in this one.

AL USHER

Inventive nu-balearic wizardry created by Ewan Pearson's compadre.

RAGNAR GRIPPE

Swedish electronic/progressive hero!

HARLEQUINS FOURS

Mood setter.

NICK STRAKER BAND

A long overdue slice of boogie disco.

DORIS MONTEIRO

Doris has got the X Factor in my opinion. Way more than Leona.

GENESIS

This is genuinely the only Genesis song I know. I may venture further if there's more like this.

ROBERT AIKI AUBREY LOWE

Slowly evolving meditative piece from the Rob Lowe of Lichens.

JOHN MARTYN

I've been giving a lot of attention to John Martyn's 'Inside Out' and 'One World' recordings recently. Quite off the wall and adventurous stuff, lots of wailing guitars. I heard him sound-checking back at university and was quite staggered by how big his sound was for someone who until that point I always thought to be a fairly twee, Cecil Sharp House type. No diss intended. Here are some tunes:

BRIGHTBLACK MORNING LIGHT

How do BBML sound so constantly stoooned? 

AZOTO

"Let us rejoice!"

NEIL ARDLEY

Not only did Neil Ardley compose slick jazz-fusion instrumentals, he also wrote over 100 books. Immerse yourself for 28 minutes. 

PETER TOSH

I'm a big fan of end-o'-yr lists and I've been mulling over a few musical bits and pieces that I've enjoyed over the past few months. I can't really remember what I was listening to back in January-April 2012 (I imagine it was the slightly disappointing Brandy & Monica comeback single) although this blog will help in that respect from now on. Anyways, this remix by Secret Circuit (Eddie Ruscha et al) got me hot under the collar this summer. Other bits and pieces to come as and when I remember them.

METRO

From the NU Groove stable, touched by the magic hands of the brothers Burrell.

I NOMADI

I Nomadi have been gigging for as long as the Stones. However, I'm certain that they wouldn't charge £900 ticket entry to hear this woozy as fuck tune live despite the fact that it would sound phenomenal. 

MICHEL LEGRAND

I've just returned from a wholly rejuvenating couple of days in Paris. Smooth city!

ANNE PIGALLE

Something a bit off about this one. Compelling all the same.

CAROLINE LOEB

Caroline's breezy hit, 1986.

JEAN-CLAUDE VANNIER

Hip track from one of Gainsbourg's arrangers and co-conspirators. His 'L'Enfant Assassin Des Mouches' is a bona fide psych/musique concrete/orchestral masterpiece. 

DAVE BRUBECK

Sad to hear of the passing of an enormously influential jazz pianist and composer. His 1964 LP 'Jazz Impressions of Japan' is an absolute gem.

CULTS PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE

This has had some time to sink in now. Definitely one of the best re-releases of the year. Cults were a Scottish percussion group who won a number of rosettes and trophies in the late 1970s. They made a record to hand out at performances around the country and at festivals in Europe from which the track below is taken. Nice Martin Denny vibe on this one. Featuring percussion superstar, Dame Evelyn Glennie! 

GIULIANO SORGINI

Taken from the 1974 soundtrack to 'Zoo Folle'; a film I haven't actually seen, nor do I know much about Giuliano himself. The music he made for the film does not sound like a distressed chimp in a rusty cage. Quite the reverse in fact. 

WOO

The Woo bros 1989 LP 'It's Cosy Inside' has been re-released on Drag City. It's very pretty indeed.

IMAGINATION

Leee John's non-stop magic. Every Imagination album cover is a mini adventure. Source them all if you haven't already.

RACHEL SWEET

Sweet edit by hip guy, Lexx. Recorded when she was only 16. Sweet!

LINDA DI FRANCO

Bliss in song form. 

PSYCHIC ILLS

Magic Juan.

JOE HENDERSON & ALICE COLTRANE

Something to clear away the cobwebs. Taken from their classic 'Elements' collaboration, 1973.

THE MUSIC MAKERS

Organ, harp and vibraphone! Philadelphia, 1972

CAPTAIN BEEFHEART

I like it when Don's sentimental. 

EDEN AHBEZ

The perfect soundtrack for looking up at a cold, moonlit sky. Eden apparently wrote the jazz standard 'Nature Boy' while living under one of the 'L's on the Hollywood hillside. 

BLUE PHANTOM

Introspective, Italian psych from '71. Not to be confused with all-girl metallers, Phantom Blue. Though both groups output was admittedly extremely similar in tone and subtlety. 

LUIZ BONFA

Supremely influential Brazilian guitarist - I'm surprised I haven't featured Luiz already.

JAMES VINCENT

"Space traveller goin' home, space traveller all alone."

THE GRID

Here's Internasjonal boss Prins Thomas' sensitive remix of a slow-build, balearic beauty.

MEL'ISA MORGAN

Mesm'rising Mel'isa, 1986.

GAYLE ADAMS

Thanks to Rebekah for hooking me up with this fierce jam.

BEING BORINGS

Nice cut from Kenji Takimi's Crue-L label remixed by Eric Duncan. Great way to start the week! 

OPHIUCUS

Omnipotent cosmic prog taken from Ophiucus' 1971 LP.

BEE GEES

Very sexy re-work of a very sexy Bee Gees tune by Cole Medina.

LOREZ ALEXANDRIA

Beatnik vibe. Reminds me a little of the slightly off-kilter soul jazz Art Ensemble of Chicago made with Fontella Bass on 'Les Stances a Sophie.'

DEXTER WANSEL

I've chosen three tracks from Dexter Wansel's 1979 LP 'Time Is Slipping Away' as it felt callous not to. Each track features in my boudoir-disco top ten. The purple silk dressing-gown that Dexter is wearing on the cover obviously helps elbow some of the competition out of the way. 

And at number one:

400 BLOWS

Brief dalliance with post-punk on LC. Funky bunch.

HENRI TEXIER

Henri was in cahoots with jazz radical Don Cherry (father of jazz radicals Eagle Eye and Neneh) during the sixties. Minimalist meditation for double bass. Nice to hear the Oud hovering over the fug. 

PLUSTWO

Dancing 'round the sun-loungers on Rimini beach.

DAVID PRITCHARD

Epic nocturnal adventure influenced by Stockhausen and Weather Report. Features Nash the Slash on "volitile violin." Serious fact: According to the liner notes Pritchard was the first Canadian to sign to Island Records!

BREAKOUT

Tadeusz Nalepa is on seriously sultry form here.

LEO KOTTKE

Leo Kottke's discography is filled with masterful fret-work and thoughtful compositions. 'Ice Miner' has a quiet simplicity which is enormously powerful and sums up all the best components of his sound.

ICHISAN

Nicely paced Nu-Italo via Slovenia.

DIANA PEQUENO

Rio flamenco? Rio flamenco!

52ND STREET

Whip-crack Factory disco. A tune Paul Morley could get down to at a wedding.

DAVE BROCK

Hawkwind's head honcho driving full-pelt towards the horizon.

CLAUDE DENJEAN

A synthesizer line sweeter than thousands of Harry Nilssons'.

GARY LOW

 For some reason the exquisitely named Luis Romano Peris Belmonte changed his name to Gary Low.  Considering he made his trade in creating sun-kissed Italo tracks like 'Equador' you have to question his thinking. But what's in a name? I dig this track.

PHILIPPE LAURENT

Taken from the expertly compiled Minimal Wave Tapes. Heard this on Noise In My Head last week and thought "Crikey! What's this?" Evidently I had overlooked Philippe's contribution first time around. Alongside the Hard Corps tracks, this menacing electro sizzler has to be one of the standouts.

JAMES MASON

I'd be quite content if this groove went far beyond the 11 minute mark. 

RICARDO DONOSO

And one from 2012. I have really been enjoying the rippling synth work of Ricardo Donoso's Assimilating the Shadow. Like Tangerine Dream playing Berghain (although I'm not entirely sure what I mean by that). This one sounds really good on headphones. 

MY BLOODY VALENTINE

According to Kevin Shields there should be a new MBV album by the end of the year. Bam! Loved the re-masters, love the band.

MARK ISHAM

Playful, thumb piano-style electronics taken from Isham's 1983 solo debut.

LATA MANGESHKAR

Calls to mind a clear, starry night. There's magic in this music. Taken from the 1956 Bollywood movie, Taj. Happy Diwali!

VIRNA LINDT

Splash about with Virna.

PALAIS SCHAUMBURG

Palais Schaumburg's debut has recently been re-released - you should give it a listen. This track doesn't feature but it's the track I like most. The band itself was positively brimming with talent as Holger Hiller, Thomas Fehlmann & F.M Einheit all went on great electronic adventures after the bands' demise.  

FLYING JAZZ QUEENS

The Flying Jazz Queens were a South African mbaqanga jive combo functioning in the fifties and sixties, and fierce (but friendly) rivals of the slightly more famous Dark City Sisters. The band names suggest that (music aside) the Flying Jazz Queens were the Noel Coward to the Dark City Sisters' Lord Buckley. It's lovely to hear this colourful music while looking out the window on a drizzle-spattered London.