Burning Spear
Burning Spear’s Birthday
Tomorrow is the birthday of reggae musician Winston Rodney who records under the name Burning Spear. He may be best known for his 1975 album Marcus Garvey about the Jamaican activist who died in 1940. Burning Spear is often credited with keeping Garvey’s memory from falling into obscurity by using music to remind Jamaicans about one of their greatest writers and orators.
Burning Spear has released some 30 albums since 1971. His most recent album, Jah Is Real, was released in 2008 and won a Grammy. I’ve only recently come around to really listening to and appreciating this great music, and I’m glad I’ve been paying attention.
Here’s a more recent video performance of the “Marcus Garvey” title track.
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash’s Birthday
Today is the birthday of Johnny Cash.
When I was a kid my parents had an eight-track of Johnny Cash At San Quentin. I loved that record. I had “A Boy Named Sue” memorized early on.
Years later I was re-introduced to Johnny Cash through his series of American recordings. I especially like Unchained. Cash was well into his 60s when he recorded this album, and although his voice was older it was still strong. It contained a few originals, plus songs that been made famous in past years by the likes of Don Gibson, Hank Snow, and The Louvin Brothers. He made a total of six records in the American series; the final album was released posthumously last year.
His recording career spanned more than five decades, and he gave us some incredibly good music.
Here’s a video from San Quentin of “Folsom Prison Blues.”
Next Stop… Soweto
Next Stop… Soweto (compiled 2010)
Strut Records has put out an impressive three-part collection of music from black South Africans during the 1960s and ’70s. My review of two of those volumes, R&B, Funk & Psych Sounds and Jazz in South Africa, is on RootsWorld.
There’s a video trailer put together by Strut which presents some of the music along with still photos of the musicians and album cover art.
Vinicius Cantuária
Vinicius Cantuária & Bill Frisell: Lágrimas Mexicanas (2011)
Vinicius Cantuária is a Brazilian guitarist who has been living in New York City for the past couple of decades making rock, jazz, and bossa nova records and collaborating with the likes of Brad Mehldau, Brian Eno, and David Byrne. I’m knew his name, had heard some of his compositions, and heard him as a backing player on a few records, but most of his work was unfamiliar to me.
On the other hand, Cantuária’s collaborator on this record, Bill Frisell, has been one of my favorite guitarists for years. I think I first heard him with the Julius Hemphill Big Band in the late 1980s. I’ve enjoyed a lot of music from him, and especially liked his album “Disfarmer” which came out in 2009. Cantuária and Frisell have played together in the past, but I seem to have overlooked those records.
This collaboration is an impressive record, based on Latin jazz but expanding on that foundation in interesting ways. Frisell’s recordings often start with jazz, blues, old-time, or even bluegrass as underpinnings for his sonic explorations. On this record, these musicians do the same for Latin jazz. Many of these tunes are based in a rootsy boss nova; sometimes they stay there, and sometimes they move about freely.
The interplay and contrast between Cantuária’s sweet, beautiful singing and Frisell’s raunchy, dissonant guitar provide some of the best musical moments on the record. For example, “El Camino” moves from a sweet lullaby to a psychedelic dreamscape in just over three minutes. “Briga de Namorados” also moves quite dramatically between sonic landscapes, beginning with traditional Latin rhythms, moving into a free, on-the-verge-of-noise electric guitar solo, and closing with an AM radio version of the original melody.
Not every track moves so far so quickly. “Cafezinho” is a joyous carnival-ride of a song. “Forinfas” is a buoyant bounce of a tune with a few winks and smirks along the way. The title track shows off Cantuária’s percussion skills, with some spaghetti western licks from Frisell tossed in for fun.
I am really pleased with the journey this album takes me on, and I’m grateful to Bill Frisell for making me pay attention to Cantuária after all these years.
Here’s a concert video of them playing “Calle 7.”
Yorgis Goiricelaya
Yorgis Goiricelaya: Elegance (2010)
Bassist Yorgis Goiricelaya was born in Cuba, and played piano and bass there and in Costa Rica before moving to Miami a few years ago. He has performed on dozens of recordings led by others; Elegance is his second album as a leader.
This record explores Latin jazz from a number of angles with different ensembles all anchored by Goiricelaya’s bass. Goirecelaya and percussionist Hilario Bell take on most of the arranging duties which leads a smooth transition between songs even when the players change.
There are some very nice textural surprises on this record. Rodolfo Gomez shows off some very nice flute work on “Rompiendo La Rutina” followed by Cuban saxophone legend Paquito D’Rivera on alto. Pianist Orlando Guanche offers up some Stevie Wonder style harmonica on “Delirios.” The horn interplay in Goiricelaya’s original composition “Blue” is extraordinarily well choreographed leading into a flighty alto saxophone solo by Aldo Salvent with great percussive underpinning from Bell on congas along with Goiricelaya’s bass, while Osmany Paredes’s piano solo over ringing cymbals is a highlight of the record. “Juego de Tiempo,” a composition by Bell, features Hammond B3 from keyboardist Kemuel Roig over some funky electric bass work by Goiricelaya.
Amongst the original compositions from Goiricelaya, Bell, Moisés Simons, Ignacio Piñeiro, and other Cuban musicians is a cover of “Teen Town” by Jaco Pastorius. Where Jaco’s version with Weather Report featured his fretless electric bass, Goiricelaya’s arrangement hands the frenetic melody to Gomez and his baritone sax. Hill, Roig, and Goiricelaya provide a great rhythm section for Gomez and his overdubbed horns, and also support a rippling guitar solo from Alfredo Rivero.
Elegance is an exciting, shifting view of Latin jazz which showcases Yorgis Goiricelaya as a band leader, bassist, composer, and arranger. I’ll be watching for more soon from this talented musician whom I have newly discovered.
Here’s a video of the band performing the tune “El Manicero” at an outdoor festival.
Marcus Shelby Orchestra
Marcus Shelby Orchestra: Soul of the Movement (2011)
The subtitle of this record from the Marcus Shelby Orchestra is “Meditations on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” Dr. King personifies the Civil Rights Movement for many of us, representing courage and a belief in a better nation. This new album consists primarily of the anthems from Dr. King’s era along with some inspiring original compositions which together demonstrate the soul of this movement, the soul of this man.
The record begins with “There Is a Balm in Gilead” followed by “Amen,” both traditional spirituals with moving vocals provided by Faye Carole, Kenny Washington, and Jeannine Anderson. “We Shall Overcome,” “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” and “Take My Hand Precious Lord” are also covered here. The gospel parts of this album are very well done with some exceptional arrangements by Shelby and solid vocal work.
I am even more deeply moved by the originals. “Emmett Till (Bobo)” is an homage to the 14-year old African-American who was murdered in Mississippi after speaking to a white woman. The instrumental piece is dark and sparse featuring an emotional saxophone soloist with muted brass adding to the brooding atmosphere.
“Trouble on the Bus (Freedom Rides),” another original instrumental, is about Rosa Parks and other Freedom Riders of all races who challenged the segregation laws by riding buses and sitting where they chose. The piece begins with brass emulating traffic on a busy street. Then Shelby’s bass starts a solid groove followed soon by a flute-led bluesy melody. There’s a lot of dissonance behind the soloists, suggesting the violence, beatings, and imprisonment often faced by these non-violent protesters.
Shelby also offers a beautifully orchestrated version of “Fables of Faubus,” the famous composition by Charles Mingus. Orval Faubus was the governor of Arkansas who ordered the National Guard to stop nine black students from attending Little Rock High School. I hear the reeds offering up a cartoonish cadence for the governor while the brass demonstrate the strength of those courageous teenagers. The piece honors both the spirit of Mingus and the power of the Little Rock Nine.
The highlight of the record is the 11-minute piece “Birmingham (Project C).” Birmingham was the city where Dr. King was jailed for his involvement in a non-violent protest against segregation. Slow, jagged piano lines begin the piece, mingled with freeform percussion work which turns into a piano-driven melody punctuated by bluesy, angular horn lines. Odd time signatures and off-kilter rhythms give way to a melancholy trumpet solo and some pensive baritone saxophone work.
Marcus Shelby has presented us with a great record that expresses musically the heart and soul, the pain and heartbreak, the courage and strength of the Civil Rights Movement. 50 years later, Shelby reminds us that the people, the voices, the songs, and the cause still matter.
Here’s a label-produced video featuring clips from many of the songs on the record. It’s heavy on the gospel numbers, but also feature some stellar solos by saxophonists Gabe Eaton and Howard Wiley.
Bob Marley
Bob Marley’s Birthday
Today is Bob Marley’s birthday; he would have been 66.
Back in the early 1980s I wasn’t listening to much beyond jazz, but in my record collection mixed in with albums by Charles Mingus, Jaco Pastorius, Anthony Braxton, and The Lounge Lizards was Legend, the best-of compilation put together shortly after Bob Marley died.
I’ve come back often to the music of Bob Marley, and have been listening to Uprising a lot in recent days. I especially love “Redemption Song” sung with only an acoustic guitar for accompaniment.
Bob Marley succumbed to cancer in 1981; he was 36 years old.
February 2011
February 2011
Every month I make a list of the recordings I’ve been listening to most often over the past few weeks. Here’s my list for February 2011.
King Sunny Adé: Juju Music (1982) – This was King Sunny’s first major international release, and through it much of the world was introduced to juju music. Here’s a recent video performance of his updated “365 is My Number.”
Rodrigo y Gabriela: 11:11 (2009) – Mexican heavy metal acoustic guitarists from Ireland. Instead of trying to make sense of that description, watch them play Buster Voodoo.
Bassekou Kouyaté & Ngoni Ba: I Speak Fula (2010) – Great music from this master of ngoni, a traditional West African stringed instrument. Guest musicians include Toumani Diabaté on kora and guitarist Vieux Farka Touré. Kouyaté’s wife, Amy Sacko, contributes some great vocals. Here’s a great video of Ngoni Ba.
Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars: Rise & Shine (2010) – Roots reggae and Afropop from a group of musicians who five years ago were refugees from an unimaginably horrible civil war. This is their second record and includes backing from New Orleans musicians Trombone Shorty and members of Bonerama. Here’s a video of Goat Smoke Pipe.
Wylie & The Wild West
Wylie & The Wild West: Raven On The Wind (2011)
Wylie Gustafson comes from my part of the world. He raises cattle and horses (including a horse named “Captain Beefheart”) on ranches in Eastern Washington and Montana. While he has appeared on the cover of Western Horseman magazine, I know him less for his ranching and more for his music. He writes songs about modern cowboy life and about living in the American West. Plus, I’m familiar with a lot of the places he sings about – Almota, Odessa, Dusty. His brand new record is Raven On The Wind.
The first song, “Punchy,” sets the tone for this record. Great kick from the drums, surf guitar riffs, snaking lead guitar, and snarling vocal from Wylie intertwine just right. Lyrics about riatas and quarter horses and dallying and cow dogs suggest the Old West, but the sound is all about now.
Much of Wylie’s earlier work mined the musical styles of the American West including plenty of Western swing, Bakersfield sound, a bit of rockabilly, and some fantastic yodeling. Wylie is, after all, the guy who wrote and performed the famous Yahoo! yodel. Those influences are still here, but this record has a stronger rock component which works really well with Wylie’s voice. Plus there’s some polka. And flamenco. The band moves convincingly through these various styles, and that in and of itself is a characteristic of the West. As Wylie wrote in the liner notes:
I still hang out with some of the toughest ranahans in cowboydom. When I peek into their CD collection, I am always amazed: Jimmy Reed, CCR, Simon and Garfunkel, AC/DC, Bob Marley, the Stones. It’s an ever-eclectic mix of sounds and soul. To me, that is what the West is all about. Out here, to be an individual is the highest calling.
Another highlight of this record is “The Maestro” about a woman who embodies the spirit of the West, of individualism, of eclecticism; I want to call this a love song, but it’s certainly not a sweetness-and-light kind of love. It’s a great blend of both come hither and run away, all set to a musical metaphor.
I haven’t begun to cover everything good about this record. I could go on about the Rolling Stones cover, lyrics contributions by the great cowboy poet Paul Zarzyski, and the wonderful use of the jaw harp.
Wylie has captured the spirit of the West that I know and love. Give his record a spin, and you might understand more about the folks who choose to live out here.
Sound clips are available on Wylie’s website. And just for fun, here are a couple videos of Wylie from a few years back. One is his band playing “Ol Montan” and the other is Wylie teaching folks how to yodel at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering.
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