Although the name David Sanborn might not ring any bells for you, he's been wailing on his saxophone for over forty years now, as session musician, band member, and band leader. He's played jazz, he's played pop, he's played blues. And in January he released his latest album, Only Everything. On it he pays homage to two musicians he appreciates: Ray Charles, who Sanborn covers a few times on the album( Hallelujah I Love Her So, with James Taylor singing - listen to it below, and Let The Good Times Roll, which Joss Stone does a wonderful job interpreting), and Hank Crawford, who played with Charles in the 50's and 60's as his saxophone player (a cover of his song The Peeper opens the album up).
While Sanborn might be a player who's flown low under the radar, his playing is not to be missed. Whether it's the slow burning sultriness of Only Everything (For Genevieve) or the melancholy Baby Won't You Please Come Home. The swinging lines of The Peeper to the dark Blues In The Night. Then, if you want to switch things up a bit, check out his collaboration with Guru on the 4th volume of his Jazzmatazz series below.
So if Salvador Santana's last name makes you wonder, the answer is yes, he's Carlos Santana's son. Now that we've got that out of the way, let's move on to why Keyboard City, his latest album, is one that you absolutely need to pick up a copy of. It came out earlier this month, and I've been bumping this album ever since. As you might guess from the album's title, Salvador's instruments of choice are keyboards of every size, color, and persuasion, and you'll hear them forming a variety of influences. One thing I really appreciate about the album though is that it's not all about his playing, it's simply one element (albeit an almost always present one) of a total sound that switches it up at every corner.
The best way to describe the album's overall feel is to say it sports a Latin keyboard funk, while employing a wide range of instrumentation in support. The album opens with We Got Somethin', and that's certainly the case. It's got a line of horns punching in the hooks that's catchy as heck. From there, Don't Even Care sports a punchy snyth line that's got a serious Chromeo feel to it. That synth line continues with almost toy-like glee in the next one, Under the Sun. Over it all Salvador lays dome vocals that are direct, catchy, and sing-a-longable. Skip up to the title track, and you'll find some mellow vocoder work flowing, and then to This Day (Belongs to You) and you'll find a cut that's got a Curtis Mayfield vibe going on.
Altogether, Salvador's skills remind me a lot of another experimental keyboarder I wrote about last August, Robert Glasper, and one of his stated influences, Herbie Hancock. Keyboard City has got an unpredictable edge to it that pushes the lines of what you'd expect.
Here's the latest from MISB favorite Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. The video above is a live take for their cover of Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit, of which they recorded a version for the Almost Alice Soundtrack (the soundtrack for the new upcoming Alice In Wonderland movie). In addition, rumor has it they'll be releasing a new album on June 8th as well.
If you haven't checked it yet, british trip hop forefathers Massive Attack's 5th album, Heligoland, hit shelves a few weeks ago. It's a dark listening experience for certain, with a cast of guest vocalists providing the voice to the group's gloom induced futuristic beats. As if that wasn't enough though, the band just announced a limited run of tour dates here in the States in support of the album. While not a lot to pick from, it's the first time in four years that you'll be able to see them spin their stuff live on stage. Music and dates below for your pleasure.
May 7 Toronto, ONT - Sound Academy 9 Toronto, ONT - Sound Academy 11 New York, NY - Terminal 5 12 New York, NY - Terminal 5 18 Los Angeles, CA - Wiltern Theater 19 Los Angeles, CA - Wiltern Theater 25 San Francisco, CA - Warfield Theater 27 San Franciscos, CA - Warfield Theater 30 George, WA - Sasquatch Festival
I know that Valentines Day is well past, but that doesn't mean that you can't listen to the Valentine EP put out by Pittsburgh band Boca Chica. It's five songs of delicately lush aural caresses that ease into your ears and gently rest there. While the instrumentation sets the tone of the EP, it's the vocals of Hallie Pritts that make these songs irresistible. Listening to her voice instantly made me think of another songstress whose voice I fell in love with almost instantaneously, Simone White - who I wrote about several years ago but who released a newer album, Yakiimo, late last year that I completely slipped on writing about. The voices are so similar that I double checked to see if White was in fact the voice of Boca Chica.
As you might have guessed based on the posting extravaganza tonight, I'm working my way through an email inbox that is bursting at the seams. That's one of the problems with going away for a few days: I come back to an inbox with a few hundred emails to open, read, and listen to. On the flip-side, I'm almost guaranteed to find something that works for my ears. One such song that auditoraly appealed to me was a song from vosotros (who you might remember me writing about last September). It's a delicately beautiful number with some lovely strings, soft vocals that whisper hints of Billie Holiday, the complementary and equally soft hiss and hint of vinyl, and it's the first of five songs that assembled together, will form an EP of their own. Listen below, download for free, and keep your eyes open for the remaining four songs, as I'll be sure to try and share them.
I've written about R&B diva Ledisi a few times (here, here, and here), but just caught word about the video for the second single from her last album, Turn Me Loose. While I'm not so sure about the new hair-do, the song is a slow burner that cooks. Watch it above then look into the album proper.
So I made it back from my trip to Chicago in one piece and finally have a few spare minutes for a post. As could be expected, I did half of what I planned and came home twice as tired as I was before I went on vacation! I did hit my number one priority though: Dusty Groove, TWICE as a matter of fact. There was just SO much to dig through there. If you ever get a chance, definitely check it out, especially the bargain bins right at the front of the store full of LPs and 45's. I came home with only two big ones (a 12" single for The Jones Girls' floor filler You're Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else and funk group Mandrill's third album Composite Truth - both for 99 cents a piece), but with a huge pile of 45's (too many to list at a ridiculous 25 cents a piece, but I guarantee you'll spot some in upcoming Sunday Souls).
One of the new singles that I didn't pick up, but which I had waiting for me here at home was the new 7" from Daptone Records: the 3 Titans. I'll be perfectly straight with you, when I first heard/saw this trio of 5th grade rappers, the first thing that came to mind was the bass-ackward frontin' pair Kris Kross. There are a couple notable points to this new mini-slab of vinyl. First, it's the first release to be recorded at the newly designed and built Daptone recording studios. Second, it's got the Menahan Street Band providing the instrumental muscle behind the boys' rhymes, guaranteeing some fresh, original beats. Third, it's damn good.
So today is my final day in Chicago, and here's a final song for you before my return. It's from the great boogie-woogie pianist Meade "Lux" Lewis and really rollicks. Hopefully my trip has been just as much fun. Look for an update from me real-time sometime over the next few days.
This is it folks, the final stretch of the great Chicago trip. Here's some Sunday Soul to help bring it to a close. My plane lands at midnight tonight, so don't expect much out of me early on this week!
Chicago, Chicago, well there's assholes everywhere Chicago, Chicago, where you're 15 pints from all your cares Where your wallet's like a sieve And that's where all of the gangsters live Chicago, Chicago, is where we can afford to live
So day 2 of Chicago and I'm hoping that I had more pints last night than met assholes. Today's plan is to hit the Art Institute of Chicago, maybe do some more record browsing given the opportunity.
So, I'm totally writing this in the past, and from here on out, my plans for the weekend are guestimates as they haven't happened yet. As of one minute ago, I should have touched down at O'Hare airport, but everyone knows that flying in and out of Chicago is as unpredictable as Amy Winehouse showing up for a show. While I've never really been in Chicago besides the airport, I feel like I somewhat know the city as I've seen The Blues Brothers umpteen number of times. Honestly, quite possibly my favorite movie of all time. I've mentioned in before in these pages, but I could never recommend it too highly. With a killer soundtrack and guest appearances out the wazoo, the movie is incredible.
Today's plan is to hit Dusty Groove and then catch some great funky tunes being spun at rodan. In Chicago tonight? Meet me there. I'll be the cat in the Hawaiian print shirt and 4 cameras around my neck (totally just kidding).
Chicago, Chicago that toddling town Chicago, Chicago I'll show you around I bet your bottom dollar you'll have some fun in Chicago, Chicago the town that Billy Sunday couldn't shut down
On State Street that great street I'd just like to say They do things you won't see on Broadway You'll have the time, the time of your life I saw a man who danced with his wife In Chicago, Chicago my home town
So tomorrow I'm heading to Chicago, AKA the Windy City, AKA Chi-town for a little R & R. While there I'm planning on hitting up a few spots, including the brick and mortar store front for online record store #1 Dusty Groove and the old Chess Records building, currently being lovingly maintained by the Blues Heaven Foundation. Of course I'm not gonna leave all you out in the cold (although I'm sure I'LL be cold in Chicago), so keep your eyes open this weekend for some appropriately themed music. I'll kick it off a day early with some Sinatra. Here's hoping you're right Frank!
everything's so good now everything's so right oh how i'd love to write a love song well love is on my side but i'd rather stay with you babe stay the night walking through the park losing time
but late at night when i wake up with you on my mind i need a song to thank the stars that you are mine
So on January 8th Elvis would have celebrated his 75th birthday (or he DID celebrate it, depending on who you ask). To commemorate the occasion, Sony Records put together a 4 disc compendium of hit singles, deep album tracks, live performances, and rarities, one hundred songs in total. Now everyone knows who the King was, and everyone and their mother probably has heard Hound Dog more times than you can count, so you might scoff at the idea of needing another collection of his songs. Well, that's where you're wrong.
Sure, you'll find the before-mentioned Hound Dog, along with other well worn standards such as Blue Suede Shoes, Don't Be Cruel, Love Me Tender, All Shook Up, Jailhouse Rock and his cover of the Nine Inch Nails' song Hurt (OK, maybe not the last one). But you'll also find some lesser played gems like his first demo acetate that he made at Sun Records as a gift for his mother in 1953 (My Happiness) and other songs that never were released as singles and therefor got buried under the mountains of hits he had. The tracks are arranged in strict chronological order of recording dates over the course of Disc 1 (1953-1957), Disc 2 (1958-1962), Disc 3 (1963-1969), and Disc 4 (1970-1977), and show the progression of Elvis from his rockabilly beginnings at Sun studios to movie star to the overweight, tabloid news creating celebrity at the end of his life. Besides the four disc set, there is also a one disc offering for those who want a distilled version.
While big hits collections abound and can be easily had, this collection offers something else: a mixture of the comfortable with the obscure, a more well rounded package of music that will present a more complete picture of Elvis' catalog.
now when i met you baby i was a dying man you made my life worth living girl you made me what i am
my happiness was imprisoned but you came and set it free now look, look, look, look, look at here baby at what your love has done for me and i said love oh love love is all right
it gets so in your body it puts you in a groove it puts music in your heart and it makes you want to move it makes a weak man strong and a blind, a blind man see now look, look, look, look, look at here baby at what your love has done for me and i said love oh love, oh love it's all right
i've got your heartache buried somewhere beneath piles of clothes that i took out to show that i'm not going anywhere
dry these tired things on the line fall into my arms and say you'll be mine i've got your heartache and you've got my love my love to stay
and anybody gonna tell you that a girl is so hard to catch but so good to have when your world is going up and down and spinning round
Here's a little number from Brooklynite singer/songwriter Lisa Jaeggi's debut album Oh Lady You Shot Me. Much like this song, the album has got a soft acoustic touch to it with enough emotion behind it to pack some power.
I'll admit that I'm pretty much a sucker when it comes to boy/girl duos. The interplay between the two, depending on how good it is, will determine just how much I love whatever it is that they are singing. That being said, I'm REALLY enjoying The Here and Now, the debut album from Nashville pair Sam Brooker and Ruby Amanfu (who, coincidentally connecting to my last week of African music posts, is from Ghana), otherwise know as Sam & Ruby.
Typically, although I usually enjoy all paired duos, I'll tend to favor one singer over the other. I'll honestly say that's not the case here. I absolutely love the combination of voices here and they intermesh and compliment each other wonderfully. Their vocals, combined with instrumental backdrops that pull upon country, pop, and soul influences, giving a strongly emotional fabric that doesn't come on too strong, makes music that's simply charming.
The songs that they sing, every last track of the twelve here, deal with relationships, which caters to the two singers dynamics perfectly. Whether it's dealing with the uncertainties of taking a leap of love (What Do I Do Now), daydreaming about the one you love (Too Much), accepting that a relationship isn't strong enough (More), not letting go of someone pushing you away (Won't Let You Go), the wondrous complexities of love (Ain't Love Somethin'), of a handful of other situations that nearly every one of us can connect with, both good and bad, the album is all about dealing with emotions we face and hold in our hearts.
So for the past some-odd days I've been throwing up some African music inspired by the latest issue of Wax Poetics. Amazingly, I'm not out of new stuff yet. In fact, today I've got an advance track from a compilation that's due out in a couple of weeks. When African music comes up, typically it's the sounds of West Africa that spring to mind, led by Fela Kuti at the forefront of course. Truth be told though, there is a whole lot more to the continent's music than Highlife and Afrobeat though. Travel down to the southern tip of Africa and you'll experience a whole different sound.
That sound had a small chance to shine back in 1986. Any of you remember Paul Simon's Graceland album and tour? While You Can Call Me Al didn't exactly exemplify African music at its finest, Simon worked with South African artists that he ended up bringing all over to play with him. Unfortunately, listeners quickly tired of the South African vibes, and we're left with the memory of Paul and Chevy Chase bantering back and forth in the video.
Strut Records is planning on releasing a three volume series named Next Stop...Soweto which hopes to right this. Volume 1, which is the album that's soon coming out, pulls together tracks that explore the township jive sound. Volumes 2 and 3, which will be released over the spring and summer of this year, cover rare SA soul, funk & Hammond R&B and the country’s rich jazz scene. If you listen come to the table expecting it to sound like the Nigerian music most people are familiar with (if they're familiar with any African music), you'll be in for a surprise. Try out Kuya Hanjwa below to experience it for yourself and then check out the album's site to stream more of it
I dropped a couple of tracks from old skool electro-hip hop artists Vinyl Life back in September. Check out what they do with the classic techno track Energy Flash. Looking for some dance moves? Watch the video above and learn the centipede, the king Tut, the wave, and some other moves that will make you the king of the floor at the next wedding you go to.
How could I fire off a bunch of African music posts without touching on the great Fela Kuti? Back in November you might remember me mentioning how Knitting Factory Records was planning on re-issuing all of Kuti's catalog over the next year and a half. To start it off they released the compilation teaser The Best of the Black President, and now the first batch of re-issues is here and ready for you.
It's being called the "Chop 'N Quench" batch and it contains nine albums released between 1969 and 1974 and represent the birth, development, and early refinement of his Afrobeat sound. All of them are remastered, packaged in original artwork, and in some cases albums are doubled up on one CD. While many of these albums proudly exclaim Afrobeat in all its brilliance, it's really interesting to listen to some of Kuti's earlier work, especially on Koola Lobitos / The '69 L.A. Sessions, which is one of the doubled up albums and possibly the most distinct of the group.
Koola Lobitos (also the name of his first band) shares unreleased sides recorded between 1964 and 1968 that clearly show the first few steps of his development, and the L.A. Sessions document some of his first output after coming to the United States and becoming aware of the black rights movement. First, and most obviously, the tracks here are different than his later work in that they're short and direct. Secondly, you'll find distinct influences shining through. Whether it's the native Highlife music of Nigeria which I wrote about the other day on songs like Highlife Time (coincidentally also the name of one of the comps I wrote about!) and Omuti Tide, to the jazzy trumpet solos of Laise Lairo and Wayo, to the stirrings of fierce independence on Viva Nigeria, to the slow cooking reggae Lover, to the James Brown induced Funky Horn. All the ingredients are here for what would be forever known as Afrobeat.
I could go on and on about the other albums here, but it's Fela Kuti, you know it's hot. To sweeten the deal a bit Knitting Factory Records has set up a Fela store with all sorts of package deals on all nine of the albums in a few different formats. I would HIGHLY recommend checking it out as the prices are pretty good and you can get your hands on some other goodies as well such as Fela: This Bitch of a Life, the authorized bio of Kuti, and limited edition, numbered Best of the Black President album cover screen prints.
I know it's a rather tenuous link, but with my recent posting of African music, I figured I'd keep it going for Sunday Soul, so here's AFRIKA Bambaataa with the Godfather of Soul James Brown singing about peace, unity, love and having fun.
For those of you not hitting the town tonight and looking for something to watch on TV, look no further than VH1. At 9:30 PM, they'll be premiering Soul Train: The Hippest Trip In America, the newest episode in their Rock Docs series. Soul Train was the soul/funk/R&B/blues answer to shows like American Bandstand, and for 1,100 episodes would showcase not only the hottest acts, but the hippest dance moves that would be sure to hit the clubs after being seen on the show. In fact, the show holds the record for the longest first-run series in syndication history, as it ran for 35 years. Yeah, 35 years. Insane, right? If you take a look at the line-ups that the show featured, you'll be blown away (find them here if you're curious).
Fast forward to February 6th, 2010, and you'll be able to watch a documentary shining a light onto the history of the monumental series. It's scored by Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson of The Roots, so you know that even if you're just listening to the music it's gonna be off the hook. Along with original footage will be commentary by artists such as Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Sly Stone, Clive Davis, Smokey Robinson, Snoop Dogg, and others. Put it all together, and it"s gonna be 90 minutes of television that you won't want to miss.
To get your earbuds yearning, here are a few of the songs that were featured on the very first episode back in October of 1971.
"The story of West African Highlife is partly the story of West African independence itself. From Highlife's early roots in church music, sea shanties, and military brass bands to the orchestra podiums, backstreet nightclubs and concert halls of Lagos, Accra, Benin City, Freetown and elsewhere, Highlife charted the growing confidence of a proud and gifted people casting off the shackles of empire: a people truly ready to live the highlife."
-from the liner notes for Highlife Time
So as I was saying on Wednesday, I just got the latest issue of Wax Poetics, and it's titled the Africa issue. It's got me all jazzed up to share some albums with you that I've been listening to. To kick off my African odyssey I shared a modern Nigerian musician yesterday named Nneka. Today I'm going to stay in the same neighborhood but take a trip back in time to the late 60's and 70's, when Highlife could be heard in the dance halls of West Africa.
The term Highlife has become somewhat of a catch all phrase for two different styles of music that were being listened to: high class dance bands played for the elite and guitar driven tunes which made the rounds amongst the "commoners." In both cases the music pulled from two different worlds: the European big bands and brass bands of imperial subjugation and the native traditional sounds and instruments. With independence gained, many of the countries of West Africa reclaimed and reinvented their own sounds, including Highlife. And as cultural and musical independence gained momentum, a shift toward Africanism flourished in the music as well.
SO, to get to the music that you can listen to, there are two incredible compilations that collect songs from this period which deserve your attention if you're interested in exploring more than just Fela Kuti's Afro-beat. Obviously, trying to summarize over a decade's worth of music from an entire country, never mind a corner of a continent, is well-nigh impossible, but Ghana Special and Highlife Time make the effort, both being double disc releases. Amazingly, although the two comps share some artists, there's not a single track repeated between the two. Each of them separately is a satisfying hunk of Afro-goodness, but put the two together and you have a massive collection of tunes that offer a dizzying array of sounds, styles, and textures. Compared to Fela's sharp edged and twistingly evolving Afro-beat, you'll find the songs here typically more celebratory in tone and much briefer for the most part.
To give you an idea of the diversity represented, check out a track from each below. The first, Aaya Lolo, comes from Ghana Special and displays some funky-as-all-get-out organ work. The second, Joromi, comes from Highlife Times and carries a more traditional Afro-influenced feel to it. Either comp is worth your coin, and both include liner notes that are sure to educate you.
So yesterday I FINALLY got the latest issue of Wax Poetics in the mail, and it's devoted to Africa with Fela Kuti on one cover and Tony Allen on the other (could you imagine any other poster boys for African music?). While I haven't cracked either cover open yet, it's got me all excited to share a basketful of African music that's been gracing my speakers lately. To start off the safari is Nneka, a Nigerian singer who has since moved to Germany, and who has been making music for the last five years. Her latest release, Concrete Jungle, her first album for US shelves, just came out this week but has been in heavy rotation in my house for a few weeks now.
While much of the album is shaped around Nneka's homeland of Nigeria, but it certainly isn't what one would think of as a stereotypical African music album. You'll feel African rhythms more heavily in some songs such as Africans and From Africa 2 U, but you'll also find some island beats a la Bob Marley in Come With Me as well as reggae painted tracks like Kangpie. Listening to other parts of the album also made me of an album I wrote about almost a year, Terry Lynn's Kingstonlogic 2.0, although perhaps a bit more melodic and not quite as in your face of sharp edged. Another contemporary comparison which seems apt is with Erykah Badu. Any way you cut it, it's an enjoyable mix of African roots, Caribbean spices, and hip hop beats that brings African music into the 21st century.
Below you'll find The Uncomfortable Truth, the album's second track, and probably most single-friendly number. Take it as an entry drug into the rest of the album and be prepared to go deeper as you explore. The second comes from her first full length album (from which the new album actually pulls some tracks from).
If you haven't heard the news, Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings are on the verge of releasing their latest album, I Learned the Hard Way. The OTHER big news item about them is that they're playing the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem on Friday, April 30th. Talk about a show of the year...I can almost guarantee this will be one for the short list. Anyway, check out Sharon singing with a new found guilty pleasure of mine, Michael Buble, above.
