I find walking and perusing the CD bins to be 2 of my better ways to think and let go of my daily stress. Digging through the crates really refocuses my mind. Life has been high stress lately and I am feeling old and unable to exercise recently because of foot and shoulder issues – also age, I’m feeling OLD! Walking has been a constant in my life, often practical, but involves some of my best thinking time. Today I figured let’s get out of the life routines, get some exercise and try to get my mind off my troubles.
I took a long walk over to Long in the Tooth Records. Immediately I had a handful of deep, real, self reflections. I wanted to complete the experience by writing about the music I find/hunt for at the shop as well as the walk itself. After a record store hit I generally listen to the 1st track of each recording and read the liner notes. This trip in particularly had a lot of unknown commodities. I usually hunt without any predetermined goal and my want lists are more for avoiding buying something I already have. I do have several categories in mind but shopping used is fulfilling in a different way than finding something you are already looking for, it’s about discovering what I want. Occasional those 2 perspectives arrive in the same moment. This trip was heavy on musics from around the World. I am usually avoiding Music collections, trying to find the original albums, particularly imports and from everywhere – traditional, Popular or a hybrid/fusion of cultures.
This walk was needed. I have been hovering over life concerns for weeks and my morning was a parallel of chores & Daddy-ing. Back in Boston, 30 something years ago, I would regularly walk 5-7 miles home. The main buses stopped their schedule by 10pm and alternate routes involved several transfers and took me miles out of the way. So I would tromp home sober, drunk-ass, hitchhike and get picked up by friends or creeps. Sometimes with company, mostly alone with my busy thoughts. I would choose different paths for short cuts or variety and I was excited when I got lost and discovered a different path.
On this walk I stuck to the Philly side streets. I’m not feeling particularly social and the South st. & Rittenhouse masses had no appeal. I saw drying Christmas Trees waiting for trash day. 7 women wearing fashionable coats that look like bathrobes…
I walked on earth, brick and cobble, past Waverly gardens and across from Halloween. My thoughts were just about being real with myself, recognizing the things that bother me, embracing rootlessness while lamenting the lack of connections in my life. I wonder how those things work together? My family relationships do feel rather solid right now (everything else, not so much). My relationship with my Daughter, Ruby, is always the best thing in my life, but watching a little family tool around on Delancey st. brought up some things. They were playful, adapting their path as needed. The little boy asked “to play in the street” it all was sweet, them passing time together. Spending time together as a family. I miss that for Ru and I realize I’ve been trying to rebuild my broken family in my own, in the communities I am ensnarled in: work, bands, friendships etc. And mostly it continues not to work out. Though my Daddy-Daughter unit is superior.
I also believe the grand pause in my creative/performing/composing life is exposing the deeper dissatisfaction with these areas of my life. It is time to get back to that. So to feed that fire, the sound of the unknown. The sounds of the World. The sound of a walk.
Charlie Palmieri – Latin Bugalu, 1968, Atlantic 8166 – “Mambo Show” Great Cover! And I’m always on the look out for late 60’s and 70’s Salsa and Latin Music. I particularly enjoy recordings like this which blend with Popular or Jazz styles. Delivers on my expectations.
Gazoline feat. Pier Rosier – Zouk Obsession, 1990, Shanachie – “Carrement News” – Not what I was expecting. The Afro-beat, Calypso-ish sounds are there but also a heavy does of 90’s production. The plucky solo is where its at though.
Mily Clemente – Madagascar, 1999, Playa Sound – “Zaho Tsy Hiala” – This is a collection but in the World Music arena that is sometimes the only way to find the music at all. And this is excellent Afro Pop from Madagascar. The modern synthesizer & production element blends better here than in the Gazoline track which it felt dropped into the mix not mixed into the mix. By 1999 World Music usually means to me traditional cultural music with Popular Music influences and production.
The Gyuto Monks – Freedom Chants from the Roof of the World, 1989, Rykodisc – “Yamantaka” – Tibetan Monks and I believe a recollect some advertisement for the album and the concerts that this was recorded at. This is traditional, and meant to actually heal through chant, but there is popular musical support as well on the last track: Philip Glass, Mickey Hart and Kitaro. Rykodisc is almost always worth a listen and this track is 27 minutes long, so feel free to save it for healing times. Trippy too!
Toure Kunda – Natalia, 1985, Celluloid N.Y. – “Toure Kunda” – Produced by Bill Laswell and the first song is self titled promising possibilities. Classic Afro Pop but also heavily influenced by the Pop side of things. The actual album recording is not on YouTube but a live promotional performance is. Rewards!
The Eddie Higgins Trio/Hubert Laws – Soulero/Laws’ Cause, 1966/1969, Atlantic 1446/1508, Collectibles 6618 (reissue – “Tango Africaine”/“No More”— One of those weird Collectibles 2-fers where its debatable that the albums will compliment each other. I was leaning more towards the Eddie Higgins because of a recent fascination with Soul Jazz merging and my own frequent neglect of those classics. For me I debated the Jazz content over listening from the Soul/Juke box point of hearing. Because the material seemed less “serious” I overlooked that the focus was on feel, rhythmic vibe and the Popular music of its time. So its been a review of that deaf spot in my collection. The Laws album has a large and excellent band so that was a throw in! These recordings do kind of fit together, the Laws is more intriguing and varied.
The Karelian Folk Ensemble – Ingrian Folk Songs, 1997, Gadfly – “Korvessa Kuusen Juurella” – Initial I thought this was Carillon music for bells and had no idea where Ingrian people existed. The song title means “Beneath Spruce Bows” and this is different and surprising. The music is Finnish and Russian regionally. But this sounds like a snatch from a Gospel Spiritual looped with String accompaniment. Lovely. And I love the cover art work.
Arvo Part – I Am the True Vine, 1999, harmonia mundi – “Bogorditse Djevo” – I have been recently enjoying Arvo Part’s vocal music which is why this was chosen.
Stephane Grappelli/Hank Jones – London Meeting, 1987, String – “These Foolish Things” – Not the 1st song on the recording, Youtube didn’t have that. But two reliable cats and Hank Jones is consistently wonderful regardless of the playing scenario trio, ensemble, accompanying a singer, duet etc.
Kronos Quartet/Terry Riley/Wu Man – The Cusp of Magic, 2007 Elektra Nonesuch – “The Cusp of Magic” pt. I – Apparently Wu Man is over at Swarthmore College. This is 1 of 2 recordings from this haul that feature the Pipa. I’ve been interested in terry Riley of late so it seemed like a good bet.
Flora Molton/Eleanor Ellis – Gospel, 1987/1993, Ocora – “Pharaoh Got My People” – Two. unknown to me, Female Gospel singers is a must buy. Flora was a D.C. street musician which also inspired interest.
Shankar – Raga Aberi, 1995, Music of the World – “Raga Aberi – track 1” – Shankar using his double violin! I think the entire album consists of variations on Raga Aberi. Other Shankar recordings from this time period have been mind blowing.
Odean Pope Trio – Inspired by Cis, 2010, CIMP – “Off My Back” – Not available on YouTube. Odean is my mentor and a huge influence. CIMP recordings are hard to find. Cis, Odean’s wife, was also hugely important to my development. Thus a necessary purchase.
Bud Powell Trio – Bouncing with Bud, 1990, Delmark – “Rifftide” – Later period Bud, but he sounds great here. Also featuring a 15?! year old NHOP.
Randy Weston – Khepera, 1998, Polydor – “Creation” – Also late period Randy, but his Verve recordings are all of high distinction. Great band interesting concept tracking the early Shang people who traveled to China from Africa and the relationships between the cultures.
Lee Wiley – Music of Manhatten 1951, Uptown Records – “Street of Dreams” – I am always interested in vocals and how singers interpret songs, I don’t really know Lee Wiley yet. Also I have grabbed a few “sound of the city, NYC” type song collections lately, so I’m keeping that theme active.
Kai Winding & JJ Johnson – Nuf Said, 1957, Bethlehem – “Out of This World” – 2 Master bone heads going at it. Swinging and sliding as anticipated.
Dard Bhare – Geet, 1988, CBS Gramophone – “Mera Pyar Mujh Se Rootha” Suresh Wadkar & Anuradha – A compilation of Hindi Film Music. This is great though I don’t understand the big picture of where these recordings are from, but I like the sounds. Great cover too, maybe from one of the films?
Abdel Aziz el Mubarak – Straight From the Heart, 1989, World Circuit – “ Ya A’Asaal” – In part I grabbed this because of the Accordion on the cover. I’ve been deep in Brazilian, Cajun and African use of Accordion lately. This is more great Afro Pop with a wonderful flow.
The Mighty Duke – Calypso, Ah Duke, Ah King, Ah Pope or This Bumsy is Mine, ?, Kisskidee – “This Bumsy is Mine” – Don’t know the Mighty Duke, but this is bright Calypso music with a little humorous sexual innuendo and bravado. I’m here for that.
Zusaan Kali Fasteau – Worlds Beyond Words, 1987, Flying Note – “Spiritual Kinship” – Zusaan was a musical traveler similar to Tony Scott both with an ear for Spirituality and Wind instruments. And this has Rashied Ali on it, which is heavy. This recording seems self released or at least very independent. She is the kind of self reliant weirdo I appreciate.
Manitas de Plata – Ole, 1963, Vanguard Classics, USA – “Song of Sara” – I’ve been finding Flamenco musicians who success obviously didn’t reach the U.S.. But as with all of these styles of Music there are many performers who didn’t find the right moment to arrive Popularly, but they are still bad asses.
Raca Negra – Banda Raca Negra 5, ?, Som Livre – “Seu Amor Ja Terminou” – Som Livre recordings are usually pretty safe but this cover has potential fail all over it – wrong time period, standard band photo, looks aimed at an audience but in the uncomfortable teens manner that late 80’s early 90’s covers often look. This is underwhelming Pop music from Brazil.
Well, only a 2 mile walk each way, but the songs journeyed around the entire globe. There were a few trends the Pipa, Afro Pop, cultural fusions, spirituality and some classic Jazz recordings but mostly this is all over the place. No real home runs or stinkers, though I did mistakenly replace Mingus “East Coasting” which I thought was lost, but is happily sitting in the Mingus area of my collection. Hope you enjoyed the vast playlist.
Found Sounds 