40th anniversary.

It went quite unnoticed, but Serge Gainsbourg's "Histoire de Melody Nelson" just celebrated its 40th anniversary. Issued in 1971, the album is now cult. I will not blab too much about it, as everything has already been said. 

Just like for other great albums of the music history, a deluxe reissue is now available in the crates. Die-hard fans might look into it, as it includes the original album and alternate takes on both CD and LP, and also a DVD of vintage videos and documentaries. 

Let's hope it will also be released either on CD or LP, as the whole package costs around 80 euros right now...

And just now, the French TV is broadcasting a documentary about Gainsbourg, explaining how successful he was as a songwriter, but how unfortunate he was as a singer... Yeah, believe it, his solo albums sold poorly back then. Our parents had a bad taste...

And by the way, if the current crisis left more than a few dollars in your pocket, maybe you could consider bidding on Tony Frank's original photographies from the Melody Nelson sessions.

France's biggest record collection (probably).

Radio France is an institution. It's the counterpart of the British Broadcoasting Corporation, only maybe less influential worldwide. 

In France, we like archiving. Well, we love it. For instance, for each book or magazine printed in France or imported into the country, two copies must be archived at the National Library ; that's what we call the "dépôt légal" (or legal deposit, in a tentative translation). Although such an obligation also exists for recordings, I'm not sure it's really implemented, except maybe by major companies and big labels, which face 75000 € fines if they don't comply. It seems to only apply to physical recordings, leaving a huge part of musical creation out of the radar, without even mentioning that the internet makes notions like "national territory" and "importation" totally irrelevant. 

However, though the BNF (National Library) record collection must be the biggest in France and one of the biggest in the world with over a million references, it must be really difficult to access. At least they don't advertise about it. 

Radio France does. They recently let the media know about the 450 000 vinyls sitting in a Parisian warehouse. The collection grew so big that it could no more be housed inside the Maison de la Radio and had to move to a new location. 

Overall, what makes this collection unique is that these records are scrupulously documented ; what's not said in the liner notes is known anyway : session musicians, uncredited producers or designers, etc., every actor of the making of a record is searched. This must be a monumental workload, but how interesting ! I let you imagine the value of such a collection, considering most of these recordings are original issues. 

In addition to that, 700 CD's (a sign of the time) are acquired every month. 

In order to make this huge collection live (most of the records are sitting still, almost dying there), Radio France recently started inviting an artist, on a monthly basis, to review his own career and pick records to broadcast. Here's an example with jazz legend (and fluent French speaker) Archie Shepp. Don't miss the video of the show, in which you can see this giant literally walking inside the Radio France record collection.  

For now, this collection is not open to the public (even though it's supposed to be a public service), for obvious reasons, but the director says he's thinking of something to make it accessible. Still, it's good to keep dreams alive... 

re-startin' somethin'.

People, here is a video of Camille covering "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" in the TV show "Taratata". 

This first sentence calls for some explanation : Camille is a French singer, using all kinds of forgotten singing techniques, such as humming, oversampling, even beatboxing and others that I can't name. She's often referred as the "Frenck Björk".
"Taratata" is a French TV show, broadcasting live music. It was first aired in 1993.
"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" is... well, it's the first track of "Thriller". 

Camille's interpretation is very minimalist, using a fist and the palm of the hand to make a beat, and receiving a little help from an upright bass, a violin and a piano. Enjoy, it's kinda cool. 

CAMILLE : Wanna be startin' somethin'
TARATATA N°401 (Diff. France 2 le 14/10/11)

Asian records are a must.

Using the excellent "LP Cover Lover" as a starting point, I stumbled upon this awesome web page titled "60's & 70's Asian Pop Record Covers". 

To make it plain and simple, it's like wandering in a museum of record covers from Singapore and other South-East Asian countries. It's like a huge wall and it's beautiful. The owner of the website even states that he owns the vinyls shown there, which makes me jealous. 

See, it's almost impossible to cop records like these ones over the web... it's really frustrating. All you can do to only have a chance to get some is travelling to these places and be lucky enough to be in the right spot at the right time. 

Call me weird, but I love these covers. The style is just timeless, childish, but at the same time the design seems very important and entirely part of the creation. 

In the same vein, Madrotter is the work of a Dutch guy living in Indonesia ; this way, he's able to stack countless original local records (and cassette tapes !). And he's kind enough to share them with us, poor people stuck in less funky parts of the world.

While I'm waiting to go to *somewhere else* and do some serious diggin, I'll just keep contemplating and enjoying the contributions these guys have posted on the web.   

Vinylmania.

As I'm writing, French-German TV channel Arte is broadcasting a documentary titled "Vinylmania", by Paolo Campana. The director travelled many countries, and met a lof ot interesting actors of the vinyl renaissance. He interviewed crazy collectors, musicians, producers, designers, music addicts...

It's impressive to acknowledge the various profiles of vinyl lovers : some are not so careful with their records, preferring collecting to selecting, others are pure ayatollah of the order.

I don't think one should be envious of so many crates and boxes... the essence of it should be to collect and to select at the same time. Just like you can't really listen to the 100 000 mp3 files you store on your hard drive, you can't really listen to 100 000 vinyls.
Nonetheless, this kind of initiative (the movie) is very welcome, and I enjoyed the tone of the film, never arrogant or pretentious, but rather educational. 

There will be various reruns of the show, but it's already possible to watch it on the Arte website.

the return of the cassette tape.

It's like a ground swell. And it's getting bigger and bigger. Worldwide. The vinyl is no more the only old format that's gaining popularity among the younger generations. Now, it's the turn of the cassette tape, also/known/as the compact cassette. 

It started with die-hard fans of the tape. Then a Facebook group appeared. Then small labels and bands declared their love for the cassette. Today, beatmakers, among other music lovers, are praising their love for it. 

Those who grew up with these little plastic cases already know why the cassette is back on the market : more than the nostalgic and melancholic factor (but, let's be frank, it plays a big role), the tape is (was ?) cheap, convenient, quite small and solid, it allows easy copying (though analogic, that means not exact) and various lenghts according to your need. Remember the time when you were making mixtapes after mixtapes, compiling your favorite tracks for yourself, for your friends, or for your girlfriends. Well, this time could be on-going and not over. 

To the music industry, it was like a pocket book to the book industry, back when the most popular formats of music were the vinyl and the cassette tape (the 8-track tape and other cartridge-based formats never reached a high level of success worldwide). These two formats were sided, which doesn't seem convenient for some people but which favours thorough listeners.  

It's needless to say I'm very happy with this come-back, even though it forces me to search for a new player, or to simply go into the attic and undust a old one. Or I could just buy these new devices such as the Ion tape converter. Anyway, fortunately, I kept all my old tapes and inherited my parents', which comprise treasures of world music. 

But of course, one must be aware that the cassette tape is not a "perfect" format, in term of sound quality, the main drawback (some say it's a quality) being its classic hiss. It doesn't stand all the tribulations, as it can be affected by moisture, humidity, water, fire (of course), or simply time. 

But it provides a different feeling, reminding what analog was, when pushing the "play" button really meant something.

Edit : make your own cassette tapes stickers ! Kinda dope, there's a .pdf file to download. And a nice initiative, street art-oriented, the Mixtape sticker. 

records convention review : Bordeaux (France).

The Bordeaux records convention took place last weekend near the site of Bordeaux Lac. It lasted two days, and hosted a bunch of stands in a small hangar furnished with inadequate chandeliers.

On the scale of records conventions, I guess it was a small one, judging by the pictures I saw on the website of the upcoming Utrecht convention, which looks like a collector's dream (lots of records) and nightmare (too many records) at the same time. 

Sellers came from various places in France (Plexus Records from Poitiers, Octopus Music from Nantes etc.), and even Great Britain. Some guys were new to the process of selling records, others were well organized. There were the usual stands of fanclubs, the type of stands you can avoid to save some time. I didn't check the CD stands either. It already took me two days to go through the most interesting vinyl crates, so I had to select. With more time, I would have checked the CD's, as CD crates are generally simpler to look through than vinyl boxes.
The 45s' fanatics must have found their happiness in there, as there were plenty of stands full of EP's and singles. Then again, 45s crates are even messier than LPs' ; even though I'm aware they hold highly potential treasures in terms of grooves, breaks and more generally good vibes, going through those 45s crates requires both time and listening possibilities. Both things I lacked.

However, there were a lot of interesting records especially in the world music sections, and not especially expensive. That was the nice surprise. The last reissues were there, as well as original issues.

After spending two days in the records, getting stressed by time and frustrated by the lack of listening spots, I took a resolution : I gotta buy a portable turntable. So... Vestax, Numark, Ion, or Crosley ?

A few of the records I purchased, mostly from nice guys and in vintage editions :

- Onra - 1.0.8.
- Gal Costa - Gal Costa
- Serge Gainsbourg - Anna
- Paul Mauriat - Rhythm & Blues
- Michel Polnareff - Polnareff's
- Gilberto Gil - Gilberto Gil
- Quincy Jones - I Heard That !!
- Paul Piot - Dance And Mood Music Vol. 16
- Baris Manço - Dünden Bugüne
- Johnny Dean - Further Repercussions
- Alain Goraguer - J'Irai Cracher Sur Vos Tombes EP
- ...

Overall, it was a nice human-sized event, that allowed everyone to make precious additions to their collections. The Bordeaux convention is a bi-annual event, taking place in March and October, so mark your calendars. 

soul food.

In order to celebrate the World Pasta Day, here's a beat-tape by akabrownsugar, called "Noodles" (.zip file). Each song title refers to a kind of pasta, from various countries, like India, Italy (of course), Japan, China, Korea, and even Austria. 

It's not new at all, as it was made available on the web late in 2008. 12 tracks, 23 minutes long. 

soleil rare 14 - champs-élysées.

This is for those who don't know much about French music. Let's dive in with past and present giants.

Serge Gainsbourg - Valse De Melody.

The godfather of French pop music, here with his best album. This is truly a masterpiece, composed by Serge and arranged by Jean-Claude Vannier. A pregnant Jane Birkin is on the cover, playing Melody.

This song starts with the classic words "le soleil est rare, et le bonheur aussi", which clearly inspired the name of this blog.

Georges Brassens - Le Gorille.

Georges Brassens hailed from Sète, Southern France. He is famous for critisizing the politicians, using deep metaphors. This song, "Le Gorille" is supposed to be aimed at French former president, Charles de Gaulle.

He's also known for his unique use of the acoustic guitar, which was generally the only instrument backing him while singing, with his raw southern accent. Classic French. 

Francis Cabrel - La Dame De Haute-Savoie.

Another guy from the southern part of France, another icon of French music. With a mix of folk and rock, and complex lyrics, Francis Cabrel emerged in the 1970's. This song, "La Dame De Haute-Savoie", opens his third album "Fragile", released in 1980. It became one of his most famous hits and settled Cabrel's seat in the musical landscape.

Most of Cabrel's songs are supported by guitars. He started his career with a rather heavy sound, but adapted his style around the turn of the 2000's, prefering a light, simple acoustic sound.  

Alain Bashung - Dehors.

Alain Bashung died a few years ago, and it really devastated the whole French music industry. Since Gainsbourg died, the seat of French music godfather had been vacant, but Bashung recently took it, after guys like Polnareff failed to express interest in it. Unlike many other French icons, Bahsung enjoyed apotheosis while living, setting a record in award-winning. 

At the end of his career (and his life), he was suffering from cancer, but recorded his best album, "Bleu Pétrole", and toured across France. 

"Dehors" is featured on "Fantaisie Militaire", released in 1998, in which Bashung experimented new directions, such as drum&bass. A nice introduction to his universe. 

Jane Birkin - Les Capotes Anglaises.

Gainsbourg's touch is everywhere in this track, in this album, and overall in Jane Birkin's career. Let's be clear, Birkin lacks almost everything a singer should have. Except charm. Her voice is so weak that she can't even diversify the feelings in her songs. So, instead of making her voice relevant, Serge gave her unique lyrics. About condoms. Typical.

Mylène Farmer - California.

Mylène Farmer is a ghost, a sort of French Lady Gaga, only 20 years earlier. Her fans are nerds, and they are plenty. But Mylène remains a mystery. She runs away from the press, from the paparazzi, and even moved to the U.S. in order to stop being bothered.

Like Birkin, she can only whisper, as her voice isn't her main asset.

Sébastien Tellier - L'Amour Et La Violence.

My favourite weirdo. Be aware, this track will come back soon on "le soleil est rare". Just enjoy this piano. And... well, the lyrics are weird. Getting back soon. 

Françoise Hardy - Oh Oh Chéri.

As an icon in the "yé-yé" years during the 1960's, Françoise Hardy could export her talents. Now she's a star in Japan for example, and she's a well-known astrologist. Yeah... She's also a longtime soulmate of fellow "yé-yé" wonderkid Jacques Dutronc.

This song is pretty simple, childish, and perfectly sums up the spirit of the "yé-yé". If you find it pretty stupid, just consider it a little taste of Françoise Hardy. Her career proved that she is a talented musician.

Michel Polnareff - Lettre A France.

Caution : the sound is loud at first, kind of in a Spector's wall of sound way. Then it's nothing but sweet. Before Farmer, Polnareff has been a revolution in the French music industry, surrounding himself with mystery, chosing to live abroad, and making rare appearances. Though, he remained a well esteemed musician, delivering cult albums and soundtracks.  

This track was released in 1977, as Polnareff started living in California ; he expressed his feelings towards his home country. The song is among the famous ones of Polnareff's. 

record huntin.

Stones Throw is a crazy label. Their last idea is to "lose" boxes full of records across the country (USA, of course... it would be interesting ot make it an international quest), starting with their own California. 

Though the idea may not be totally new, it will certainly stimulate an authentic hunt.

Fetch your GPS. 

soleil rare 13 - be real black for me.

Before getting into some more eclectic (and sometimes strange) stuff, here's a new selection of soul music. 

Donny Hathaway - A Song For You. 

Born in Chicago, raised in St. Louis, Donny Hathaway still is arguably one of the biggest talent in soul music. His warm voice, his game on the keys, his arranging skills, and overall his ability to sing about various topics got him a spot in the heart (and the record collection) of any black music lover. 

Taken from his "Donny Hathaway" album, "A Song For You" bears Donny's signature, with its piano introduction, and Donny's way of singing love with melancholy and almost sadness. No drums or percussions here, but light flutes and acoustic bass instead. Anyway, don't forget that this song is a cover of a Leon Russell's creation from 1970. The next year, Donny took it to another level on his own album.  

And like Prince said : "Donny's Hathaway's 'Song 4 U' ain't the same without you here"...  

Isaac Hayes - One Woman. 

First of all, one of the most famous cover art of soul music. This "Hot Buttered Soul" is an absolute landmark in music, showcasing Isaac Hayes' talent in just 4 tracks. Mr. Hayes was indeed an adept of long format songs. 

Backed by The Bar-Kays, Isaac Hayes helped expanding the fame of the Stax sound, at a time when the label could have collapsed. In 1969, Stax's biggest asset, Otis Redding, had died, and the whole catalog had been lost to Atlantic Records. The label had to start everything back from scratch, and released 27 albums in a few months span. Among these, "Hot Buttered Soul" by a then-underappreciated session player and songwriter, Isaac Hayes. Hayes' touch, made of unusual orchestrations, was already very clear in this album. "One Woman" is pretty restrained, but still, it's a masterpiece. 

O.V. Wright - Mirror Of My Soul. 

He may not enjoy the same kind of fame as Al Green, Marvin Gaye or Barry White but O.V. Wright definitely has a strong fanbase. Some even call him the greatest deep-soul singer ever. The guy undoubtly has incredible skills, and a necessary asset in soul music : a voice. THE voice.  Unfortunately, like Donny Hathaway, he died too soon. 

"Mirror Of My Soul" was featured on his last album "We're Still Together", produced by his long-time mentor Willie Mitchell. Strangely, the song sounds like it was recorded during the golden era of the 1960's, and does not suffer from disco influence or anything like that. It's raw, it's warm, it's black, it's O.V. The fact that the music sounds like a Al Green's song is no surprise : they were on the same label, Hi Records, which fought with Stax for the domination on Memphis. So, expect violins, horns, hard snares and a O.V. at his best.    

The Gap Band - Yearning For Your Love. 

A few bands experienced a good transition from their soul/funk period into the disco era. The Gap Band (for Greenwood, Archer and Pine Street Band) did. A track like "Yearning For Your Love" proved that they stay true to themselves, providing a sound that's not very "commercial", not highly danceable. A sound that's not obvious. Something creative. 

The production emphasizes the guitars, the bass and the drums, and of course, Charlie Wilson's melodious voice. 

Some 13 years after its release, a young guy had this song sampled for its own game-breaking album. 

Black Ivory - You And I. 

Ok, you got your fix of deep-down voices. Now, here's some high-pitched one, with Black Ivory's Leroy Burgess. Hailing from Harlem, the band had a few hits through the 1970's and 1980's, thanks to Burgess' talent and ability to compose in different genres like soul, funk, disco, boogie... 

There's no denying the intro of "You And I" is catchy. The rest is just pure soulful music. Mellowness, memorable lyrics, and here you go with a timeless classic. 

Sampled by Q-Tip for "Gettin' Up" and Madlib for "Understanding (Comprehension)". 

Smokey Robinson - I'm In The Mood For Love. 

Ok, crappy cover. It's because it's not vintage. This album was released in 2006. Still, Smokey Robinson still sounds like a young man. After all, he is the sugar man, and he's seen it all, since his period among The Miracles, since his years at the top of Motown's hierarchy. 

Here, he just let the talent speak for itself, over a cover of "I'm In The Mood For Love", a classic popular song dating from 1935, combined with the jazzy instrumentation of James Moody, composed in 1949.

Considering the time of the recording, expect clean production, so for the average soul lover, it might lack rawness ; still, Smokey does provide emotions on this one. It's like a whisper in your ear. Crooning style. 

Lou Rawls - Trade Winds. 

Those were the glory days for Philadelphia International and for Gamble & Huff. The producing duo made a great move by adding Lou Rawls to their roster. Indeed, Lou Rawls was already a praised singer (he received compliments from Frank Sinatra for his singing skills) and scored big albums for the Philly-based label. In this pre-disco era, Lou Rawls helped Philadelphia International solidifying their base. Once again, it might lack the original rawness of soul music, but Mr. Rawls brought something else to the table. He acted like a bridge between jazz vocalists and soul singers. 

"Trade Winds" was featured on the "Let's Clean Up The Ghetto" album, by the Philadelphia International All Stars. Although the album was naturally produced by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, "Trade Winds" was written by Ralph MacDonald ("Where Is The Love ?", "Just The Two Of Us") and William Salter. A cuddle from Lou. 

Badder Than Evil - Child Of Tomorrow. 

The main guy in Badder Than Evil also wrote the music for "Twin Peaks" and "Mulholland Drive". Yeah. Badder Than Evil is a "fake" band, supposedly made of Andy Badale and Al Elias. Well, if Al Elias does exist, Andy Badale is really Angelo Badalamenti, a white composer who probably thought it would be better to wear a suitable name for a Blaxploitation movie. I guess he was right. 

Released on Buddah Records in 1973, the soundtrack for "Gordon's War" featured several tracks by the pair. Actually, the vocals on this track belong to soul singer Barbara Mason, who was part of the Buddah Records roster at the time, and who provided a powerful performance, matching the high level of composition of the song. 

Sam Cooke - A Change Is Gonna Come. 

Truly one of the most beautiful voice ever, one of the most charming singer ever. Like Donny Hathaway, Sam Cooke died at 33, just when he decided to take his career to another level. This "Ain't That Good News" album was his last studio album before he was shot to death, in 1964. In this album, Sam Cooke took the road towards activism ; as a matter of fact, the Civil Rights Movement is the topic of "A Change Is Gonna Come". It constituted a major turn in Sam's career, as he was previously seen as only a polished pop singer. Unfortunately, his death prevented him from taking this change further. 

The legend says Sam Cooke wrote this song after hearing Bob Dylan's "Blowin In The Wind", a protest song that was written by a white man. The music, arranged by Rene Hall, is pretty far from the standards of soul music, but add to the mourning feeling with its extensive use of horns and chords. It's grandiose, soulful and gives you shivers.  

Roberta Flack - Let Them Talk. 

Ok, a last sweet before heading to bed. Though Roberta Flack was Donny Hathaway's soulmate, she didn't hired him for "Quiet Fire". Which is strange, since she worked with him before on "Chapter Two", and after on "Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway". Here, she replaced him with Joel Dorn as producer.

This sweet effort features Roberta on the piano, backed by a sexy saxophone, vibes, and quiet drums and bass. It's Roberta Flack at her best, gentle, sweet. 

Notice that the album features some of the greatest musicians of the period (Hubert Laws, Ron Carter, Bernard Purdie, Deodato - as an arranger -, Ralph MacDonald, etc.). 

Now you're ready for bed. 

You know where to find the link. 

Red Bull Music Academy.

The Red Bull Music Academy is on again, in Madrid this year. 

Counting among its alumni almost 700 musicians and/or music lovers from all over the world, the RBMA is clearly a strange but welcome intiative, a modern patronage, a disinterested sponsorship. 

It seems to provide a cool environment for developing one's creativity, thanks to a daily collaboration between musicians with various backgrounds, and also thanks to the prestigious lecturers who come to discuss their art, most of the time in front of a worshipping, selected, crowd. 

Just take a look at the alumni list, and be amazed : Aloe Blacc, Baris K, DZA, Débruit, Flying Lotus, Hudson Mohawke, Jneiro Jarel, Kissey Asplund, Mr. Hudson, Onra, Pursuit Grooves, Samiyam, Sammy Bananas, just to name a few I know. 

The rules to get a spot inside the Academy are pretty simple, and everyone gets a chance. But before, during and after the class, one requirement : be creative.

Edit : the videos of the lectures are available to watch online. Lecturers include, so far, people like MF Doom, Erykah Badu and Tom Zé. Needless to say they are very interesting about things like the creative process and the music industry. 

Muro Stoned.

Self-proclamed "King Of Diggin'", DJ Muro doesn't only dig into old records. He also mixes tasty hip hop compilations. While his compatriot DJ Mitsu The Beats was compiling tracks from the BBE discography (well, he also compiled Stones Throw and Blue Note, just like... Muro), Muro was mixing records from the Stones Throw catalog. That was back in 2004. The Japan-only promo mix CD featured classics of the Californian label, as well as more confidential songs by the likes of Dooley O, Mr. Magic, or The Highlighters. 

Today, it's 2011, and Muro is releasing a second volume of "Muro Stoned". Once again, it's a Japan-only CD release. The mix hosts a lot of Dâm-Funk, a bit of MED, J. Rocc, a pre-major Mayer Hawthorne, as well as a post-rap Aloe Blacc, Dilla and Lord Quas. 

Notice the artwork, that reproduces the latest covers of the Beat Konducta's LPs by Jeff Jank. This could become a graphic theme... not the best you've seen, but whatever. 

I forgot to say : both Muro and Mitsu are legendary DJ's, highly skilled, with great tastes and a real passion for music. By the way, check this video by Spine TV, where Muro browses through his huge record collection. 

gettin the 2Pac treatment.

That's kind of what is happening to J Dilla. Indeed, since James Yancey passed away, several albums, compilations, reissues and other projects, authorized or not, got released. Frankly, I don't really know what to think about it, but I feel uncomfortable somehow. I was pleased with the legacy Jay Dee left us. It is meant to stay in the history of music the exact way he wanted it. 

Of course, this post was motivated by the announcement of the future release of "The Rebirth Of Detroit" in 2012. The goal of the project is to let rappers from the Mo-town express themselves over "new" instrumentals from the MPC master. 

Don't get me wrong : I'm not saying this will be a bad project ; I haven't heard anything of it. But I would like this posthumous frenzy to be more reasonable. Go back to your record collection, listen to the music Dilla released himself and be surprised again. 

You can hate me now. 

still missin you Mehdi.

This is a public service announcement for French readers : run to your favorite newsstand and buy the latest issue of Snatch Magazine. They released DJ Mehdi's ultimate interview, 20 pages of stories about his career, which he started as a teenage rapstar, only to become an icon of electro music. 

The strange thing is that the interview was conducted in June, a few weeks only before Mehdi died. This is the first time I read so much about Mehdi's life and career... fans should of course get this issue. 

Still about Mehdi, his dear friend A-Trak released a mini-mix as a tribute, available on Soundcloud. He also included this track in his October issue of "Fool's Gold Radio", his monthly mix. 

You know what to do. 

soleil rare 12 - global warming.

Bert Kaempfert - Noted Arrival.

How surprising. A German composer performing a Spanish guitar melody on a soundtrack. Composed for the "A Man Could Get Killed" movie in 1966, this is a nice example of Bert Kaempfert's versatility and eclectism. 

The soundtrack and the movie feature the original melody of "Strangers In The Night", and wear one of the most beautiful cover ever.  

Joe Harriott & John Mayer Double Quintet - Gana.

Joe Harriott was Jamaican. Yeah, I know, it does not sound like it. This track here showcases one of Harriott's innovations, the jazz fusions. With assistance from John Mayer, an India-born British composer, Harriott reunited five jazz musicians with five Indian musicians and made three albums of "indo-jazz" fusions in the second half of the 1960's. Don't expect improvisation on the jazzy side, as it sounds closer to what we nowadays labelled under easy-listening. But the traditional elements of Indian music are there : tablas, sitars etc. The result sounds fresh. 

Piero Umiliani - Commandos.

This is movie scoring legend Piero Umiliani delivering the percussions fury for your listening pleasure. This is not a very elaborate track, but it provides tension... it's like the soundtrack of a car chase. Furious indeed. 

If you know about Piero Umiliani's work, do not miss this "Guerre Et Destruction 1" album, which is a music library, as it will certainly widen your perception of the master's legacy. 

Baris Manço & Kurtulan Ekspres - Sari Cizmeli Mehmet Aga.

Does this man still needs an introduction ? Baris Manço is THE icon of Turkish progressive music. Baris started his professional career in Western Europe, singing in various languages. When he returned in Turkey, he founded Kurtalan Ekspres, his own backing band. Together, they recorded the classic "2023". In 1979, they released the album "Yeni Bir Gun". 

This track is all Baris : psych weird synth sounds, traditional folk influences, catchy sung gimmicks, powerful choruses. It's needless to say this album, as all albums by Baris are impossible to find in their original form.

Gal Costa - India.

Beware : rarity again. Classic album, both for the music and for the cover (censored when it got released in 1973).  A real goddess of Brazilian music, Gal Costa started her career with the support of Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso. 

The title song is an adaptation of a Paraguayan song, arranged by Rogerio Duprat. What more can I say ? It's beautiful, it's Brazil's finest. 

Peter Makana - Peter's Blues.

This compilation, "Music Was Born In Africa", got released in 1956, in South Africa. The musicians are pretty confidential, and so is Peter Makana. It's hard to find data... 

It's a fine example of African jazz, provided by a groovy flute, a rhythm guitar and exquisite brushes. It's a call for dancing, a track to set a good mood in the room.   

Seyfu Yohannes - Tezeta.

This song will bite your stomach. seyfu Yohannes' voice is a marvel of Ethiopian music. This song showcases all the power of Ethio-jazz ; the horns give you chills, the piano in the back almost sounds off-tune and on top of all this, Seyfu's charisma.

Incidentally, this song launched the Ethiopiques compilation series, and today the world of music lovers is grateful for this discovery. "Tezeta" was originally released by Amha Records in 1970. 

Rap listeners will of course recognize the sample of "The Game" by Common, produced by Kanye West.  

Sachin Dev Burman - Gambler (Title Music).

The Dev Burman dynasty didn't start with the overwhelming Rahul. No, Rahul is Sachin's son. Sachin Dev Burman started his scoring career in 1937, and composed until his death in 1975.

The music for the "Gambler" movie (by the way, the cover is awesome), was composed in 1971. It includes latin elements, such as mariachi-like trumpets, mixed with the legendary Bollywood scoring recipe. A classic of Indian scoring music.  

Sinn Sisamouth - Sat Thee Thuy.

I know you guys underappreciate Cambodian and Asian pop music, but this track will give you a start into it. Sinn Sisamouth was the most popular artist of the pre-Khmers Rouges era, as explained earlier on this blog, so your search for quality Cambodian songs should start here. 

"Sat Thee Thuy" starts with the unbelievable : a drum break. Yeah, Asian got that too. Then come the Cambodian instruments and lots of high-pitched choruses and notes, as you would expect in Asian music. Anyway, give this record a chance, it might convince you there's some heat in Asian vintage pop music. 

You know the deal for the audio.

kebap funk.

This man's name is Mustafa Ozkent. To most of the world, including myself of course, he remained unknown until Finders Keepers (yeah, these guys again) reissued his classical album "Gençlik Ile Elele". Originally released in 1973, this guitar and percussions galore has since then served as a sample fountain, for Oh No! for instance. 

Along with Turkish psych legend Baris Manço, Mustafa Ozkent recently accessed to the legendary stage, mainly thanks to this one album, even if he released others. 

After studying in Belgium, he collaborated with prog (soon-to-be) icons Baris Manço, Okay Temiz, Mogollar (aka The Mogols), 3 Hurel... Until the obscure label Evren approached him and talked him into recording an album with his band, named orchestra for the case. These recording sessions became the masterpiece "Gençlik Ile Elele", on which fellow Turkish guitar prodigy Cahit Oben played. Ozkent also worked as a studio musician, released other solo albums and lately came back composing guitar albums.
Ozkent is known for using guitar of his own design, in order to produce unique sounds and integrate them into funk and psych music. That's part of the reason why Mustafa Ozkent sounded so innovative.
And what about this cover ? Bizarre. Wonderful. Rare. All this leads to... expensive ! Or worse : impossible to find.

Laid Back recently posted a rare audio interview with the Turkish master. Enjoy this special moment. 

Search for the ridiculous YouTube videos for audio clips.

some more chinoiseries...

As announced a few days ago, the French loopdigga Onra is ready to launch the second installment of his Chinese sounds, aka "Chinoiseries Pt. 2". It's a real return to the roots, for several reasons : first, Onra had his biggest hit with "The Anthem", which was featured on the first installment of "Chinoiseries" ; second, since this success, Onra kinda felt like testing other waters, by producing futuristic boogie, remaining classy nonetheless.  

So, through the Irish imprint All City, get ready for 32 beats, crafted from the most obscure Chinese and Vietnamese vinyls. More info on XLR8R, with the video trailer of the release. If only that video could turn into a full documentary... oh, and by the way, there seems to be a lot of vinyls left over there. Excited ? Huh huh.

Oops, I forget to tell you the release date : November 15th. Mark your calendar, and get your local record store to know about it.

Edit : while browsing the Rush Hour website, I realized they posted soundclips of "Chinoiseries Pt. 2". Get (Chinese) funked right now, or cry trying. The verdict so far : head banger. Grab a free track, "A New Dynasty" here. 
And a correction : the video trailer was shot in Bangkok and not in Vietnam. 
Getting excited...


Edit 2 : as announced earlier, "Chinoiseries Pt. 2" will be available on cassette. 

sweet Miriam.

The cool guy at Electric Jive just posted a marvelous article about Miriam Makeba. 

The South African goddess embodied the anti-Apartheid fight during the second half of the 20th century. Her voice crossed the oceans, and you probably heard it once in your life, like in the original version of "Phatha Phatha".

So, what's the goal ? Another compilation ? Another best of ? Not really... Electric Jive made a "list of 25 of [his] favorite least common selections of Miriam Makeba". Errr... yeah, that's a real digger's work. And you can even get your free download daily fix. Nice.

Czechoslovakian jazz.

Jazz did not gained popularity only in America. It also enjoyed a major influence in Eastern Europe. Polish jazz has been under the light for a few decades already. Now it's time to get familiar with jazz from Czecholosvakia. The youngest ones might not know what that country is ; well, it's not anymore, as it splitted in Czech Republic and Slovakia during the 1990's. 

The Blast kid wrote a very interesting article for the Laid-Back website about the development of modern jazz in Czechoslovakia in the late 1940's. And of course, it comes with a mix.

You should also visit his own website, on which he kindly shares his extended knowledge about jazz music, and other black music genres. His record collection seems huge, so don't get jealous. 

still Pretty.

Bernard "Pretty" Purdie is arguably one of the best drummers of all time. His presence has genuinely sprung over jazz, soul, rock and even electronic music through the sampling revolution.

As people need to get educated about Purdie's legacy, here's a video by Gas Face Magazine, titled "Pretty As I Wanna Be" : 

It's a bit short, and you'll have to get over the beatboxing, but still, it's a start in gathering some knowledge about the guy who inspired your favorite rappers, producers and more. 

soleil rare 11 - gotcha.

Philippe Nicaud & Eddie Barclay - Le réveil.

Yeah, Barclay on the track ! Eddie Barclay, the music nabab, playing for his own label-to-be-major. Philippe Nicaud was a comedian, who recorded a few records ; some of them became hard-to-find (as original issues) gems like "Erotico...Nicaud". 

Here Nicaud says a text like if he were acting at the theater, talking to his mistress when waking up. But it's a monologue, only Nicaud, and you'll have to imagine the responses if you understand the French language. 

The music is a slow funky track that becomes of secondary interest after a few seconds. Weird and unexpected, the theme of this compilation. 

Bert Kaempfert and his Orchestra - Zambesi.

I don't really know what's behind the genre called "easy-listening". That's how Bert Kaempfert's music is generally labelled. To me, he's underrated. He was a melody maker, and a decent jazz player and songwriter. Sometimes, he's confused with Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass ; it's true they often use the same formula.

He's the composer of one of the most sung songs in the world, but is unfortunately never credited for it : as a matter of fact, "Strangers In The Night" is his legacy, but was made famous by Sinatra's voice.

The track "Zambesi" is featured on "A Swingin's Safari", an album that was influenced by South African music, released in 1962. Swinging indeed.     

Tom Scott - Baby, I Love You.

Tom Scott is pretty ignored. Well, was. Until the main sample of Pete Rock & CL Smooth's "T.R.O.Y." was identified. Indeed, the horn part was taken from this album. The same saxophone is the main attraction of this "Baby, I Love You", backed by nice chorus shouts. The use of the sitar is a time signature : "The Honeysuckle Breeze" was released in 1967 by Impulse!.

Some funky danceable jazz here. 

BADBADNOTGOOD - Fall In Love.

So far, this is a mp3-only release by BADBADNOTGOOD. As explained earlier on this blog, BBNG is a young Toronto-based trio, with a simple yet exquisite formula : keys, bass, drums. All live. 

This track is of course a cover of Slum Village's song "Fall In Love", originally produced by Jay Dee, off the classic album "Fantastic Vol. 2". Since Dilla died, this song has been heavily remixed as tributes to the master. 

BBNG's interpretation is hypnotic, like most of their tracks. While playing the track, drums addicts will have to be patient, but it's for their own good. The whole thing sounds so fresh, so authentic. Get a decent rapper on this. 

Björk - Aeroplanes.

Björk is a character. Always has been, always will be. The song "Aeroplanes" is taken from her album "Debut", released in 1993. This album was her first work after she left Iceland to settle in London. 

The move to London was a major turn for Björk, as she left her punk period behind her to make what only her knows how to label. 

"Aeroplanes" was actually composed while the singer was still a member of The Sugarcubes, in Iceland. But the track didn't fit with the punk outfit. So, Björk kept it for a future demo. "Aeroplanes" showcases the classic elements of Björk's music : nature sounds, tribal percussions, chimes, and of course her powerful voice. And another weird element : sax. Surprising. A nice introduction to Björk's world. 

Sébastien Tellier - Kissed By You.

This guy is a weirdo. A genuine one. You never know what his next move will be. "Kissed By You" gives you an example of what he's able to do. A very very slow ballad, interrupted by aggressive guitar riffs. What the hell.

Considering his abilities to waste his own tracks and to vary the moods, it's no wonder that his major successes are his movie scores and soundtracks. Because they are dope.

Since the beginning of his career, Tellier has been linked to the finest of the French electro scene. He's notably linked to Air, Mr. Oizo, and the Ed Banger crew. A weird but nice association of horizons.   

Janko Nilovic - Tapatapa.

Back in the days, Janko Nilovic was the godfather of library music. Nowadays, he gives interviews at McDonald's. His influence on today's music is heavily underappreciated : just listen to the track. It starts like a Just Blaze track. And then, everything's there, the beat, the choruses, the guitar solo... "Tapatapa" is from "Supra Pop Impressions", which is among his most wanted and expensive albums. 

The Roland Kovac Set - Genesis.

I don't know much about Roland Kovac, except he's Austrian. 

The song starts like a church song. But next, whoa, it's all psychedelism... just like a Pink Floyd track, with electric guitars under deep wah-wah influence ! Then come the drums, free as a bird, then back to the organ... unreal ! Crazy. Crazy good but crazy nonetheless. And the end ? Just nonsense. You wanted something different ? Gotcha.  

Charlie Winston - Like A Hobo.

I know, if you're a European, you heard it too much a couple of years ago. On TV, radio, in commercials... everywhere, anytime. Still it remains a catchy song, a very famous one, so it was perfectly unexpected here. Charlie Winston put whistling and chanting back in the charts. It became a decent alternative to the "Seven Nation Army" in the stadiums. 

Paul Piot et son Grand Orchestre - L'Amour Et L'Enfer.

This must be the Holy Graal of the library music records. But anyone knows it as it has been sampled by the best and most thorough diggers. The album, recorded for the library label Chappell, contains wonderful melodies coupled with funky drums. A digger's dream. 

Strangely enough, it's hard to find data about Paul Piot ; yet, he backed a lot of bands and singers with his orchestra in the 1950's and 1960's. But I guess the guy stayed in the shadow all his life... his music stays. Priceless (but expensive).   

Link in the comments.