Kate
Last Songs Played
Posts
Lately, my life is filled with coincidences. Sometimes I get lucky and these moments of serendipity revolve around music. This year I have been exploring the catalog of the band Osibisa, and as always, discovering that the connections between me and the music go beyond a simple appreciation of their sound.
Begun in 1969, with a sound they describe as "criss-cross rhythms that explode with happiness", Osibisa's core crew consisted of three highlife musicians from Ghana and three Caribbean musicians as well as the Nigerian percussionist and sax player, Lasisi Amao. After falling for Osibisa's first two albums, I visited my parents and discovered a trove of their albums, all mysteriously signed by someone named "Loughty".
I should have known. When I asked my dad about the records he said "Osibisa? Of course! I used to host a radio show with Loughty (Lasisi Amao)." Just when I think I can out-cool my dad, he brings me right back down to earth. Damn.
Fans included Art Garfunkel (who covered the song "Woyaya") and George Clinton, who had this to say about the band: "Osibisa was like Funkadelic back in the '70's... the difference between the two bands is Funkadelic took you to the Mothership and Osibisa took you to the Motherland." With album covers by Roger Dean and their first two albums produced by Tony Visconti, Osibisa melded Western space-rock explorations with African jazz and funk. My current favorite Osibisa album is their second, "Woyaya", and it was incredibly hard to figure out which song to share. I settled on the following, "Survival", for Loughty's wild vocal intro and the obvious joy and fun expressed here:
Here they are live in the UK, 1974:
I know it's been a while since i've made a post. I've been busy, yes, but i've also been overwhelmed by all this wonderful new (and old) music and unsure how to fit it all into one post. But i'll sure as hell try!
First up, Nicky Hopkins' 1973 album, The Tin Man Was a Dreamer. Hopkins was a piano and organ player who had a hand in some of the greatest albums of all time. He began his career with Screaming Lord Sutch's Savages, and subsequently played one everything from The Who's My Generation to the Stones Exile on Main Street. The Tin Man Was a Dreamer is full of catchy, piano-driven songs that take full advantage of the all-star band Hopkins put together for this recording: George Harrison, Mick Taylor and my favorite Plastic Ono Band member, Klaus Voorman.
Their 2005 debut album, The Debt Collection, has been in constant rotation this month. It sounds like a bunch of rowdy Victorian kids got lost at a circus. Laptop-ukulele-piano-glitch-folk is the best genre description I can come up with. Check out the list of collaborators on their upcoming album: Danger Mouse, Van Dyke Parks and John Cale! I can't wait. Listen to more here: http://www.myspace.com/theshortwaveset
I've also been jamming to the 1972 album by Syreeta Wright, simply titled Syreeta. Known initially for her songwriting and collaborations with former husband, Stevie Wonder, Syreeta came into her own with this incredible record, featuring Stevie, as well as Minnie Riperton and Deniece Williams. The combination of her powerful and sweet voice with some superfunky arrangements makes this a must-have album for anyone who has an interest in 70's soul and funk.
Lastly, by appointment to her majesty, The Queen, Sir Richard Bishop. Of course, being Sir Richard Bishop, the Queen in question is in fact the Hindu goddess Kali. Probably known best for his work in the Sun City Girls, Bishop's solo guitar albums are likely to take you on an around the world tour of styles, from ragas to Robbie Basho-esque folk and desperate country picking. His newest album, called "While My Guitar Violently Bleeds" consists of three intensely different songs, each longer than the next. If there is anyone whose music could lead me into a trance state, it is Bishop. He manages to achieve both intense violence and utter stillness and peace with each song, almost a melding of Nels Cline and Ravi Shankar.
You can download two songs from Bishop's 1998 album, Salvador Kali, here: http://www.revenantrecords.com/index.php?section=mp3s and more from his personal site here: http://www.sirrichardbishop.net/audiovideo.htm
Damn, i've only made it through four artists. I'll be back...
Comments
Suddenly everyones barraging MOG with amazing music, my list of things to make me poor has doubled in the past 48 hrs. I'm not complaining though. Thanks Kate.
A most copious post, if I may say so. As with any galore of good things, you tend to go for the familiar. So I'd like to say that I'm looking forward to listening to what The Shortwave Set will do with John Cale (one of my favourite rock silver foxes). Like Dachmo, I wish I could have 76-hour days to listen to all the trove of Moggers such as yourself Kate ;)
Someone's finally taken up the mantle of The Band. Introducing The Felice Brothers...
Three brothers from upstate New York create songs that invoke dusty back roads, Dylan songs heard through a swinging screen door and the bittersweet feeling of dying summer light.
Usually I shy away from artists that wear their influences so prominently, but not this time. From heart-wrenching tales of drug abuse (Rockefeller Druglaw Blues) to breaking hearts (Going Going Gone ), The Felice Brothers manage to draw from their musical forebears while remaining lyrically centered in 2007. I can't stop listening to this record- it's exactly what I want from American music right now- the outlaw sound of border towns and rainy days spent with whiskey and old records. Go catch a show by these boys, currently touring America for the first time in their '87 school bus.
More songs and tour info here: http://www.myspace.com/thefelicebrothers You can buy their album, Tonight At the Arizona, on vinyl (comes with the CD as well!) from Rough Trade or Amazon UK.
Comments
You can find it in the U.S. from the fine folks at CDBABY.com and listen to two minute snippets of each song...
My Trusted MOGs (10 of 610)
My Digital Music Collection
MOGs That Trust Me (8 of 662)
MOG Meter
Comments
Wild Stuff. Nice find too. You got me OMCD'd.
But then, equality in coolness is the coolest thing of all.
very nice music. you might like this one too. Momo Wandel Soumah "Matchowe" (musique du monde) from Guinee
Wow, exu, thanks! Momo Wandel Soumah looks incredible. "African Swing"- hell yes!