Desmond Dekker – This Is Desmond Dekker (Trojan)

Desmond Dekker (July 16, 1941 – May 25, 2006) was a Jamaican ska and reggae singer and songwriter

Together with his backing group, The Aces (consisting of Wilson James and Easton Barrington Howard), he had one of the first international Jamaican hits with “Israelites”. Other hits include “007 (Shanty Town)” (1967) and “It Miek” (1969). Before the ascent of Bob Marley, Dekker was one of the most popular musicians within Jamaica, and one of the best-known musicians outside it.

Here´s his classic album “This Is Desmond Dekkar”:

Desmond Dekker – This Is Desmond Dekkar

(192 kbps, front cover included)

Syl Johnson – Back For A Taste Of Your Love

A rollicking vocalist and gifted harmonica player, Syl Johnson has forged a career in both blues and soul. The brother of bassist Mac Thompson and guitarist/vocalist Jimmy Johnson, Syl Johnson sang and played with blues artists Magic Sam, Billy Boy Arnold, and Junior Wells in the ’50s before recording with Jimmy Reed for Vee-Jay in 1959. He made his solo debut that same year with Federal. Johnson toured with Howlin’ Wolf from late 1959 until 1962, when Willie Mitchell signed him to Hi Records.

Johnson recorded for both Twilight and Hi in the late ’60s and early ’70s, clicking with the dance/novelty cut “Come on Sock It to Me” and crackling message track “Is It Because I’m Black?” He had his biggest hit with “Take Me to the River” in 1975, reaching number seven on the R&B charts. Johnson later recorded for Shama and Boardwalk. He reappeared on a collaboration with his brother Jimmy in the summer of 2002, humorously titled “Two Johnsons Are Better Than One”.

Here´s one of Syl’s Hi LPs, and one in which he moves his hard Chicago soul groove over to Willie Mitchell’s production style, which has a bit more of a mellow tip to it. Syl wrote a number of the tracks, and the titles include “I’m Yours”, “Feelin’ Frisky”, “I Hate I Walked Away”, and “The Love You Left Behind”.

No link.

Desmond Dekker – This Is Desmond Dekker (Trojan)

Desmond Dekker (July 16, 1941 – May 25, 2006) was a Jamaican ska and reggae singer and songwriter

Together with his backing group, The Aces (consisting of Wilson James and Easton Barrington Howard), he had one of the first international Jamaican hits with “Israelites”. Other hits include “007 (Shanty Town)” (1967) and “It Miek” (1969). Before the ascent of Bob Marley, Dekker was one of the most popular musicians within Jamaica, and one of the best-known musicians outside it.

Here´s his classic album “This Is Desmond Dekkar”:

Desmond Dekker – This Is Desmond Dekkar

(192 kbps, front cover included)

Syl Johnson – Back For A Taste Of Your Love

A rollicking vocalist and gifted harmonica player, Syl Johnson has forged a career in both blues and soul. The brother of bassist Mac Thompson and guitarist/vocalist Jimmy Johnson, Syl Johnson sang and played with blues artists Magic Sam, Billy Boy Arnold, and Junior Wells in the ’50s before recording with Jimmy Reed for Vee-Jay in 1959. He made his solo debut that same year with Federal. Johnson toured with Howlin’ Wolf from late 1959 until 1962, when Willie Mitchell signed him to Hi Records.

Johnson recorded for both Twilight and Hi in the late ’60s and early ’70s, clicking with the dance/novelty cut “Come on Sock It to Me” and crackling message track “Is It Because I’m Black?” He had his biggest hit with “Take Me to the River” in 1975, reaching number seven on the R&B charts. Johnson later recorded for Shama and Boardwalk. He reappeared on a collaboration with his brother Jimmy in the summer of 2002, humorously titled “Two Johnsons Are Better Than One”.

Here´s one of Syl’s Hi LPs, and one in which he moves his hard Chicago soul groove over to Willie Mitchell’s production style, which has a bit more of a mellow tip to it. Syl wrote a number of the tracks, and the titles include “I’m Yours”, “Feelin’ Frisky”, “I Hate I Walked Away”, and “The Love You Left Behind”.

No link.

Richie Havens – Something Else Again

As a little thank you for all the nice comments related to the earlier Richie Havens postings, here´s one more of his albums: “Something Else Again”.

The sound here is more keyboard-heavy than its predecessor “Mixed Bag”, but Richie Havens continues in a similar vein with his distinctive smoky voice and thumb-fretted open-tuned guitar.

“No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed” and “Don’t Listen to Me” are propelled by Warren Bernhardt’s percussive electric piano, while “Inside of Him” and “Sugarplums” are pretty ballads featuring the flute of Jeremy Steig. “The Klan” and “Run Shaker Life” are cut from the same mold as “Handsome Johnny,” the Woodstock show-stopper from “Mixed Bag”. The melody of “New City” has attractive, expansive intervals, and “From the Prison” is an intense piece of balladry built around a riff on the guitar’s bass strings. Finally, the title track is seven-and-a-half minutes of sitar, flute, tamboura, and tabla, very much of its time, when George Harrison’s interest in Ravi Shankar led many musicians to experiment with Indian instruments, rhythms, and melodies. This cut could be the soundtrack to a flower-power dance in the park or an incense-laced gathering around a hookah beneath posters and black lights.

No link.

Holy Modal Rounders feat. Peter Stampfel – The Moray Eels Eat The Holy Modal Rounders

Some weeks ago the zero crew had the chance to experience a weird live gig by Peter Stampfel in a small venue. Remembering this great evening, here´s a classic Holy Modaly Rounders album featuring Peter Stampfel.

In the mid- to late ’60s you couldn’t get much further underground in the ever-expanding world of rock music than the Fugs — unless of course you were one of the Holy Modal Rounders, i.e. folk musicians Peter Stampfel and Steve Weber. The Rounders started out in the same early-’60s New York folk and jug scene as Ed Sanders and Tuli Kupferberg, and had crossed paths numerous times. Stampfel and Weber will be eternally remembered for “Bird Song,” which was prominently featured in both the movie Easy Rider and its soundtrack. It’s also the opening cut on “The Moray Eels Eat the Holy Modal Rounders”, an album way beyond anything else considered to be “far out” at the time. Unabashed in its own eccentricity, this set is similar to their 1967 ESP release “Indian War Whoop” in that it combines acoustic traditional American folk, blues, and hillbilly music regurgitated by crazed folkie acidheads experimenting with electric instruments. Following the disc’s release, Stampfel said this album reflected producer Frazier Mohawk’s musical taste more so than the band’s. The Modal duo are assisted, in this case, by playwright Sam Shepard on tambourine, Richard Tyler on piano, and John Wesley Annis on bass and drums. As good luck would have it, the Water label unleashed this CD on the public for the first time in 2002 with two previously unreleased bonus tracks. Absolutely essential.
(Thanks to Bone Money Blog for the description)

Holy Modal Rounders feat. Peter Stampfle – The Moray Eels Eat The Holy Modal Rounders
(192 kbps)

Richie Havens – Something Else Again

As a little thank you for all the nice comments related to the earlier Richie Havens postings, here´s one more of his albums: “Something Else Again”.

The sound here is more keyboard-heavy than its predecessor “Mixed Bag”, but Richie Havens continues in a similar vein with his distinctive smoky voice and thumb-fretted open-tuned guitar.

“No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed” and “Don’t Listen to Me” are propelled by Warren Bernhardt’s percussive electric piano, while “Inside of Him” and “Sugarplums” are pretty ballads featuring the flute of Jeremy Steig. “The Klan” and “Run Shaker Life” are cut from the same mold as “Handsome Johnny,” the Woodstock show-stopper from “Mixed Bag”. The melody of “New City” has attractive, expansive intervals, and “From the Prison” is an intense piece of balladry built around a riff on the guitar’s bass strings. Finally, the title track is seven-and-a-half minutes of sitar, flute, tamboura, and tabla, very much of its time, when George Harrison’s interest in Ravi Shankar led many musicians to experiment with Indian instruments, rhythms, and melodies. This cut could be the soundtrack to a flower-power dance in the park or an incense-laced gathering around a hookah beneath posters and black lights.

No link.

Holy Modal Rounders feat. Peter Stampfel – The Moray Eels Eat The Holy Modal Rounders

Some weeks ago the zero crew had the chance to experience a weird live gig by Peter Stampfel in a small venue. Remembering this great evening, here´s a classic Holy Modaly Rounders album featuring Peter Stampfel.

In the mid- to late ’60s you couldn’t get much further underground in the ever-expanding world of rock music than the Fugs — unless of course you were one of the Holy Modal Rounders, i.e. folk musicians Peter Stampfel and Steve Weber. The Rounders started out in the same early-’60s New York folk and jug scene as Ed Sanders and Tuli Kupferberg, and had crossed paths numerous times. Stampfel and Weber will be eternally remembered for “Bird Song,” which was prominently featured in both the movie Easy Rider and its soundtrack. It’s also the opening cut on “The Moray Eels Eat the Holy Modal Rounders”, an album way beyond anything else considered to be “far out” at the time. Unabashed in its own eccentricity, this set is similar to their 1967 ESP release “Indian War Whoop” in that it combines acoustic traditional American folk, blues, and hillbilly music regurgitated by crazed folkie acidheads experimenting with electric instruments. Following the disc’s release, Stampfel said this album reflected producer Frazier Mohawk’s musical taste more so than the band’s. The Modal duo are assisted, in this case, by playwright Sam Shepard on tambourine, Richard Tyler on piano, and John Wesley Annis on bass and drums. As good luck would have it, the Water label unleashed this CD on the public for the first time in 2002 with two previously unreleased bonus tracks. Absolutely essential.
(Thanks to Bone Money Blog for the description)

Holy Modal Rounders feat. Peter Stampfle – The Moray Eels Eat The Holy Modal Rounders
(192 kbps)

Palestine – Music of the Intifada (1989)

In our post 9-11 world, one can’t imagine a major label issuing a (great) compilation called “Palestine: Music of the Intifada”.
Yet in 1989 that’s exactly with Virgin Records did.

From the linernotes:

“Music of the Intifada is a popular celebration of the current struggle. It points out issues and symbols central to the Palestinian resistance such as the people, the land and freedom. Not only does it summarize Palestinian aspirations but also it reflects the radical social changes that are being brought about by the daily struggle against occupation.”

The tracks in arabic language were recorded in 1988 in West Berlin.

01 Sabaya Al Intifada – Min Al Mukhayyam Toulad Al Ru’aya
02 In A’d Rifaki – Al Raba’yye
03 In A’d Rifaki – Al Kassam Al Filistini
04 Al-Amal Ashabi – Jirah Lan Tamout
05 Abnaa El-Balad – Ajrass Al Intisar
06 Palestinian Student Karmel Group – Al Intifada Was Jabal Al Thawra
07 In A’d Rifaki – Kulluna Fil Tareeq
08 Palestinian Student Karmel Group – Watani Laysa Hakiba
09 Muhiddine Al Bagdadi – Al Fajir
10 Sabaya Al Intifada – Jabal Al Zaytoun
11 Al-Amal Ashabi – Bism Ilhurriya
12 Sabaya Al Intifada – Ummi Al Habiba
13 Muhiddine Al Bagdadi – Al Hegran
14 In A’d Rifaki – In A’d Rifaki

Palestine – Music Of The Intifada (1989)

Palestine – Music of the Intifada (1989)

In our post 9-11 world, one can’t imagine a major label issuing a (great) compilation called “Palestine: Music of the Intifada”.
Yet in 1989 that’s exactly with Virgin Records did.

From the linernotes:

“Music of the Intifada is a popular celebration of the current struggle. It points out issues and symbols central to the Palestinian resistance such as the people, the land and freedom. Not only does it summarize Palestinian aspirations but also it reflects the radical social changes that are being brought about by the daily struggle against occupation.”

The tracks in arabic language were recorded in 1988 in West Berlin.

01 Sabaya Al Intifada – Min Al Mukhayyam Toulad Al Ru’aya
02 In A’d Rifaki – Al Raba’yye
03 In A’d Rifaki – Al Kassam Al Filistini
04 Al-Amal Ashabi – Jirah Lan Tamout
05 Abnaa El-Balad – Ajrass Al Intisar
06 Palestinian Student Karmel Group – Al Intifada Was Jabal Al Thawra
07 In A’d Rifaki – Kulluna Fil Tareeq
08 Palestinian Student Karmel Group – Watani Laysa Hakiba
09 Muhiddine Al Bagdadi – Al Fajir
10 Sabaya Al Intifada – Jabal Al Zaytoun
11 Al-Amal Ashabi – Bism Ilhurriya
12 Sabaya Al Intifada – Ummi Al Habiba
13 Muhiddine Al Bagdadi – Al Hegran
14 In A’d Rifaki – In A’d Rifaki

Palestine – Music Of The Intifada (1989)