Curits Mayfield’s I’m So Proud
I’m not sure who out there has VH-1 Classic, but on Friday, they played a great semi-recent Curtis Mayfield club show from somewhere in Europe. Hey how’s that for detail?? (Hey, I tried finding info on the VH-1 Classic web site, but no luck…) He and his band played a sweet version of “I’m So Proud”, one of Curtis’ tunes from his days with the Impressions long ago. He had that audience in the palms of his hands, it seemed everyone was on the edge of getting emotional. *sniff*
I wish I could track down that live version, but I can’t, so here’s the original from the early 60’s.
Listen:
Curtis Mayfield & the Impressions – I’m So Proud(mp3)Buy: The Anthology 1961-1977, Geffen 1992
2024 update: This might be it!
I’ve Stood on the Street Corner – Bruce Cockburn
It’s a dreary, rainy holiday weekend here in the Arizona desert, so I’ll kick it off with something on the mellow side. For some reason or another, Bruce Cockburn – who is well known up north in his home country of Canada – has always remained somewhat of a cult figure here in the U.S. (which is fine by me). The man has been going strong for over three decades, for crying out loud.
These selections come from a Columbia Radio Hour broadcast of Christmas with Cockburn that I taped off the radio back in 1994 (eleven years ago – gasp). “One Day I Walk” has always been one of my BC favorites because of its beauty and hope. The mp3 ends with the introduction of the next song, the “Huron Carol”, so I feel obligated to include that as well. The “Huron Carol” was written by a Jesuit missionary to the Huron Indians in the 1600’s, and is sung in the Huron language. Bruce elaborates on it in the intro… Enjoy!
From the 1994 Columbia Radio Hour broadcast of ‘Christmas with Cockburn’.
“One Day I Walk”
“Huron Carol”
See Bruce’s Official Web Site.
Buy Bruce’s Music on Amazon.Photo credit: Bryan Ledgard, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Discovering Lucky Dube
Here’s another artist I discovered courtesy of my wife, who lived in Seychelles all of her life until that fateful day we met in 2001 while she was visiting Arizona. So she introduced me to Lucky Dube. I said “Lucky Doo-Who?”
Well, Lucky is a very popular South African Reggae singer, popular all across the African continent. He would even hop a plane over to Seychelles to perform. My wife saw him once. Anyhow, here’s a sample of Lucky Dube (pronounced Doo-Bay, not Doobie you stoners).
Lucky Dube – Rasta Man’s Prayer – from ‘Trinity’, 1995, Tabu Records
Buy ‘Trinity’ on Amazon.
See the All Music entry on Lucky Dube.Photo credit: Music Updater Uganda, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Hot off the Presses – Springsteen’s Devils & Dust
Bruce’s new album, Devils & Dust, due out April 26th! {Yahoo News}
Here’s the track list:- Devils & Dust
- All The Way Home
- Reno
- Long Time Comin’
- Black Cowboys
- Maria’s Bed
- Silver Palomino
- Jesus Was an Only Son
- Leah
- The Hitter
- All I’m Thinkin’ About
- Matamoras Banks
I’ll have a tune for you all soon. Just wanted to share what I consider to be fantastic news….
Drinkin’ Em Down with Country Dick
Well, Tuesday has come and gone, and for those of us who need a chuckle to get us through a long week, even at the expense of Ol’ J.C., I offer up the Beat Farmers‘ quite humorous tune: “Are You Drinkin’ With Me Jesus?”. The Beat Farmers formed in San Diego, California in 1983. They were a cult favorite until their untimely demise in 1995, when their charismatic lead singer and band leader Country Dick Montana had a massive heart attack and up & died at a bar in Whistler, British Columbia.
But they left behind some gems, including this song, which starts:
Do you nestle by my barstool
Makin’ me so calm within
Have you touched me with your warmness
Or have I wet myself again?Good stuff. Sacrilege? Blasphemy? Hogwash! This song reaches out to J.C . in a way that would make Mel Gibson proud.
The Beat Farmers – Are You Drinkin’ With Me Jesus? – from Viking Lullabys, 1994, Sector 2
Purchase Beat Farmers music on Amazon.
Read about the Beat Farmers on All Music.
BF Press Release for Viking LullabysIt’s a Madhouse In Here
It was fun being a Prince fanatic in the 80’s. You’d get a great new album every year, and interspersed in there would be his 12″ maxi-single releases. Most would have an extended version of the album track, as well a previously unreleased B-Side (they’ve all since been compiled on to the 3rd CD of his Greatest Hits release from the late 90’s). It was all so original and fresh: “Irresistible Bitch”, “She’s Always in My Hair”, “17 Days”, “Another Lonely Christmas”, to name a few
On top of his own releases, Prince was busy working on his side projects: The Family, Apollonia 6, Sheila E., and Madhouse. Madhouse was made up primarily of Prince and Eric Leeds (Prince’s sax player at the time), with some contribution from Levi Seacer (bass) and Sheila E. (drums). It was basically an outlet for Prince to lay down some of his more jazz and jazz-funk oriented stuff. The first Madhouse album was entitled ‘8’, and the songs were entitled 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. He released ‘6’ as a maxi-single, which included ‘6 (End of the World Mix)’, which I have for you now…
1986, Paisley Park – {The album is out of print, but you can buy it on Amazon for, uhh, $110)
Going South
Today’s selection comes from a an old friend of mine (and a contributor to this site), Ty. After many extended stays in Brazil, he decided to start up a band in the Denver area to try and recreate the Brazilian sound in the Denver/Boulder music scene. If you’re in the Denver area, check out Sambadende.
Ty made a bunch of great Brazilian mix CD’s for me. One of the cuts is this great Sergio Mendes track, “Magalenha”. You’ll see why I like it, precisely at the 0:44 second mark, when the percussion explodes. Turn it up and clear out the area around you. If you have a soul, you will be moved….
From ‘Brasileiro’, 1992, Elektra – {Buy it on Amazon}
RIP Jimmy Smith
Hammondite, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons I didn’t discover Jimmy Smith until within the past year when I pulled out an old Blue Note Jazz Sampler that I had stashed away for years. Jimmy was a master of the Hammond B3 organ, and a pioneer of the organ as a jazz instrument. The sounds this man could put together are nothing short of amazing. I urge everyone to explore Jimmy’s music. Jimmy died on Wednesday at the age of 76 right down the road from me in Scottsdale, Arizona [NYT Obit].
Here’s one of Jimmy’s tunes from the early 70’s that absolutely COOKS…
Jimmy Smith – Sagg Shootin’ His Arrow – from ‘Root Down’, 1972, Verve – {Buy Jimmy Smith on Amazon}
Jesse Johnson’s Just Wanting You
Jesse Johnson left The Time in 1984, right after their success due to their part in ‘Purple Rain’, and their 2 hit singles, “The Bird” and “Jungle Love”. Jesse did alright for himself, releasing a few albums over the years, including 1988’s ‘Every Shade of Love’, which includes this song, “I’m Just Wanting You”. It’s a laid back tune, with Jesse’s guitar at center stage.
Fessin on Fat Tuesday with Professor Longhair
Well Mardi Gras has gone and snuck up on us again. In honor of Fat Tuesday, we need the sounds of Professor Longhair emanating through the blogosphere… “Fess” came up as a New Orleans piano pioneer in the 30’s and 40’s. He has influenced the likes of Dr. John and Fats Domino, and is known for his signature ‘rhumba-boogie’ piano playing style. This tune does it for me all year, but especially now during Mardi Gras, where I will celebrate wildly by going to the fridge for a beer at some point… maybe even two! Watch out… I’m wiiild!! It’s not all beads n’ boobies you know…
From ‘Go to the Mardi Gras’, Wolf Records, 1997BUY
Learn more about Fess on All Music
