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.