Black Sheep – A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing – Mercury, 1991.
🎤 ⚒️:
90’s Hip Hop that brings me back to turning 18, from the Native Tongues no less, but this is not the best of the Native Tongues out there. It’s more often crass and sophomoric. The primary hit “The Choice is Yours” is still raw and feels great now, but the meat of the album has much less appeal. I also only recall really being interested into one other song by the Black Sheep, from the Brand New Heavies album where they backed up various Rap groups. I don’t think the Black Sheep really continued for much longer, although they maybe had a follow albums? “The Choice is Yours”
Overall = 4.7 (10) – Maybe the least of the Native Tongues, but it has several good songs on the album. Get It!
Cutty Ranks – The Stopper – Profile, 1991.
🇯🇲 🎤 ⚒️🕺🏿:
Dancehall Reggae and from a matching time period as the Black Sheep, I tracked this recording down later. In the early 90’s, and before, during High School, I was as into Hip Hop and Reggae, as I was into Rock, Blues and Jazz (which I was just starting to get into, ’91 was the year I got my first saxophone). A lot of Dancehall Reggae, and Rap, are single oriented and the albums aren’t always complete, this one is thin beyond the title track too. “The Stopper” I love the Stop Time in this song.
Overall = 4.8 (10) – Great title tune, a lot of filler on the album.Get it!
June Carter Cash – Wildwood Flower – Dalton, 2003.
🇺🇸📣🏙️ 📝🗝️⌛️ 🐴🌳🌾⛪️:
A collection of recordings and excerpts from a movie about the Carter family filmed in 2002. It is unique as it is an audio-biography of songs and stories from Mrs. Carter’s life telling the tale, before she passed. That is a beautiful creation to celebrate an American Icon with a seven decade career captured in song and anecdote. “Storms Are On the Ocean”
Overall = 7.8 (10) – An aural history!Get it!
Claire Austin – Sings When Your Lover Has Gone/Sings the Blues with Kid Ory – Contemporary, 1955/1954.
🗣️🎺:
I like the second album, on the second half of this disc, a lot more! The first “side” presents Mrs. Austin in Billie Holiday-like role, the second as a Classic Blues shouter and that with Kid Ory is much more enjoyable. Mrs. Austin is solid on the first half, it’s just not her bag, but Trad Jazz is. ”The World is Jazz Crazy”
Overall = 4.2 (10) – Mostly for the second album.Get It!
Vladimir Ashkenazy – Scriabin Piano Sonatas – Decca, 1975/1978/1987.
🎼🇷🇺🎹:
A few decades ago, when I worked at a CD shop, a co-worker had paid $20 out of pocket for a vast Classical collection of CDs, clearly stolen and in booklets/sleeves – the store wouldn’t purchase them for both reasons. The seller was upset about the refusal and my co-worker, recognizing it was a personal collection, figured paying a small amount to claim the CDs and then if someone came in looking for their collection he would just give it to them. A year or so later nothing happened and he offered it to me because he thought I would at least listen to them. Which I did, the collection was both piano and Lieder focused, focuses which are favored by my ear as well – though plenty of symphonies were nestled in there too. A little toast to whomever the original owner was, the collection has enhanced my knowledge and appreciation of Classical music. “Piano Sonata in G-Sharp Minor Op. 19, No. 2, “Sonata Fantasy” – 1. Andante”
Overall = 5.4 (10) – At turns vibrant, or dark, and powerfully performed.Get it!
Hadda Brooks – That’s My Desire: The Modern Recordings – Virgin, 1994.
🗣️🎹🦠 :
Mrs. Brooks sings a little like Dinah Washington, but can also bang the keys in a Boogie Woogie style. At some point she was titled “The Queen of the Boogie”, but I think the popular possibilities of her voice commandeered most of her career. Nice recording, a bit of a Missing Link between Boogie and R&B with a heavy drape of Jazz. “That’s My Desire”
Overall = 4.2 (10) – Good for a morning rise. Get it!
Dr. Seuss – Yertle the Turtle & Other Stories – RCA/Special Music, 1996.
🎥🫃🏽:
Marvin Miller featured here, with Marty Gold providing the music. I know that Dr. Seuss has seen some mixed feelings lately, and fairly, but Yertle the Turtle is both a story I remember my Mother reading me as a child and also an accurate perspective on current day America, as well as several other countries around the World. Seuss’ legacy can handle both accurate criticism and also influence on how children begin to act like humans. The YouTube versions of the story aren’t savable to YouTube Playlists so I put the link in the title.
Overall = 3.7 – (10) – Nice to have something that remembers my Mother too me, but I’m surprised that the Seuss empire allowed for such a simple representation of itself, the narrator is ok, the music basic.Get it!
Blackalicious – Blazing Arrow – MCA, 2002.
🎤؎:
Apparently Blackalicious is still rolling. I don’t think they ever reached major popular success, but I’m glad that they are still active. They have a Native Tongues vibe and I have always leaned into twisting lyricism and transformational beats and samples. Solid, but not incredibly memorable. “Release” feat. Saul Williams this song(s) is though!
Overall = 5.1 – (10) – Solid experimental Hip Hop. Get it!
VA – Calypsoul 70: Caribbean Soul & Calypso Crossover 1969-1979– Strut, 2008.
🇹🇹 ✺ ⚒️🔈✊🏿:
A good party mix. I initially thought this would be Reggae/Caribbean covers of American Soul tunes, but was happily surprised at a collection of weird originals inspired by Soul, Funk and Calypso. It’s continuously grooving, with splashes of electronica and occasional vocals. Each song has a somewhat strange take (Red Light Woman? Some scripture?)? All the songs are made by pretty obscure bands too, so the best kind of collection. Magic Circle Express – “Magic Fever”
Overall = 5.4 – (10) – Fun ride! Get it!
Chaino/Kirby Allen – Africana & Beyond – Bacchus Archives, 1959.
🌎 🐠 🧀:
Offensive stuff! This type of Exotica, appropriated, impressions of “Jungle Music”, replete with scat-like fake languages and grunting, is the legacy of a type of a form of Minstrelsy and should be remembered. Chaino, born in Philadelphia, raised in Chicago, a Bongo player seems beloved by his fans and authentically received, but who was doing a “bit” and unfortunately a bit through Kirby Allen’s racist lens. “Johannesburg Blues” this isn’t even particularly well played, there is a rhythmic breakdown in the second half and the ideas feel half formed.
Overall = .5 – (10) – I keep it, just to remember it exists. File under Fake-African. Get it!
VA – The Baluchi Ensemble of Karachi – Love Songs and Trance Hymns – Shanachie, 1996.
🌎🇮🇷✺:
The Baloch, or Baluch, people are a stateless, Nomadic culture in the Middle East. The liners speculate that the Baluch may have been proto-gypsy, the music here displays elements for the diverse areas that they inhabit. The ensemble backs up several different singers and the liners also describe that the musical traditions and songs are well documented and preserved. It is a little trance-y and also really difficult to find proper information on the recording beyond the liner notes. I assume being stateless brings a level of difficulty in currently representing ones culture, with the Baluch being minorities in various states and also migratory. Can’t find any song on YouTube either. The music is good, the trance element I enjoy and find similar to some other musics from the region.
Overall = 4.7 – (10) – I found the search for the recording itself to be interesting, the music I’m happy to have examples of. Get it!
Chico Buarque – Constrecao – Polygram, 1971.
🌎🇧🇷 ♛📀 📝 🃁 📣🔮 🗝️⌛️:
Mr. Buarque seems to be the least known of the late 60’s/70’s Brazilian stars, in the U.S.. It’s a shame because he has dropped a few masterpieces over the years. This album being his crowning achievement, a conceptual album and I’m sure a reaction to The Beatles and more specifically “A Day in the Life”. It’s an immersive concept album, with deep themes that are constantly twisted and reimagined. I return to this album a lot, an all time favorite. My only complaint is at 30 minutes it’s too short! “Construção”
Overall = 10 (10) – Recommended! Get it!$$$
& Chico Buarque – Universal, 1978.
🌎🇧🇷 📣🔮 🗝️⌛️:
Most Popular Brazilian artists have multiple self titled albums, in addition to a few collections/greatest hits and live recordings that are also self titled. You need to refer to these albums by title, and date, to be clear. I thought this was a greatest hits album when I got it and only bought it because I rarely see any Buarque recordings in the wild. I was pleasantly surprised that its a strong album with great songs on it. The album is also referred to as Samambaia and is very political, with the song I chose being censored by the Brazilian government. This is not as musically adventurous as his early 70’s music but very enjoyable. “Cálice” & “Pedaço De Mim”
Overall = 7.6 (10) – Powerful artistic statements. Get It!
Batacumbele – En Aquellos Tiempos – Disco Hit, 1983.
🌎🇵🇷 🪘💃🏽:
A Puerto Rican Folkloric Group, but influenced by classic 70’s groups and Modern Pop music + modern instrumentation, featuring keyboards and electric bass. It is too thin sounding, I am not sure if its because of the time period, but this sound does not envelope you as most Fania Salsa recordings do. The music is challenging and complex, it mixes some Popular music ideas into its blend, but it never quite gets me there. The root elements are different than most of the other Caribbean music I have listened to so far in ItS, which makes it more interesting to me. “El Ma’ Chévere”
Overall = 4.6 (10) – Good, but I wonder if a quality remaster would make it come to life.Get it!
& In Concert: Live at the University of Puerto Rico – Montuno, 1988.
🌎🇵🇷 🎟️ 🪘💃🏽:
There is a weird blend of late 80’s Pop + Caribbean musical diaspora on this album that lurches back and forth between me being excited by the possibilities and totally disliking it. The live recording doesn’t really effect the sound recording issues from the prior disc. Overall I find this a group excellent musicians who are experimenting with mixing modern and traditional styles, usually a recipe for success in my book, but none of this music fires me up as much as classic Salsa and Cuban music.“May Day Muevete”
Overall = 3.4 (10) – Maybe further from the sweet spot.Get It!
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra – 1930 – Classics, 1991.
Beyond Category ❂ 🪄 🎺🏌🏿♂️:
Chronological releases everything an artist recorded and these Ellington collections are expansive, a lot of the material is “Pop” material with vocalists and confectionary lyrics. Swing was the Popular Music of its day, but these are often novelty songs that are directly aiming for a Popular hit. The band is excellent, so even these songs are are of interest, but things like “Accordion Joe” featuring Cornell Smelser, are more interesting historically than for the Ellington Band. “The Mooche”, “My Gal is Good for Nothing But Love” & “Double Check Stomp”
Overall = 5.3 (10) – A couple of classic tracks, and lots of filler. Get it!
& 1930-1931 – Classics, 1991.
Beyond Category❂ 🪄 🎺🏌🏿♂️:
This includes more Pop songs with vocals (& occasionally uncomfortable lyrics) then the prior disc, there are a few classics – with multiple versions of most of the songs. I am not the biggest fan of multiple takes, or in this case different versions of the same song, unless they are significant in their differences or shed light on the artist’s process. There are a lot of “the complete” reissues which alter the original album scope to put 4 versions of a song in a row, which also annoys me. There is an art to curating a set, or album, of music and I like to hear that storytelling quality. Regardless Ellington is someone I want all of his music, but I enjoy these less than the collections which focus on his career with a discerning historical eye, less Pop, more Ellington and more of the masterful design. “Rockin in Rhythm”
Overall = 4.9 (10) – More filler than classics. Get it!
Miles Davis – Live at the High Hat – Jazz Door, 1955/1991.
(Selim Sivad) 🎟️ 🪄🎺🎶:
It’s nice to have early live Miles and from an interesting moment in history. He sounds great, yet the rare aspect is that he is recorded as a visiting leader with a local group in Boston. The guest leader/local pick up band happens all the time, but not necessarily the recording opportunity. Miles’ success would really preclude him touring in that manner after this recording. He does guest on a few other artist’s recordings, but Miles isn’t really a “guest” after 1955. The group is solid, but also not up to the level of the studio musicians on Miles’ recordings who recorded these songs. A lot of the magic is how Miles compels those around him to perform and thrive on his recordings. He was a master at bringing out the best and editing ideas into finely honed masterpieces. This recording doesn’t really arrive at that overall greatness because it was a short term situation, but it is a nice chance to hear Miles stretching out. “Dig”
Overall = 5.1 (10) – Decent, ok recording quality, but it pales in comparison to his studio albums of the time.Get it!
Prince – Controversy – WB, 1981.
The Purple Patch Ƥ𖫪 🫧🦄🫦 ⚒️ 🏋🏽
I think I enjoy other Prince albums more, but love the title song endlessly. There is a spareness to the album sound, clean Funk and some dirty moans, which gives way to more layering in future albums. It’s very cohesive and listenable, but maybe Prince’s big ideas aren’t quite big enough yet? “Controversy”. Not included on the playlist, but “Jack You Off” is hardcore Funktry laden with synths and early Rock guitar sounds, nasty.
Overall = 6.3 (10) – Classic! Get it!
Found Sounds 