wind me up with your voodoo plan

"Drumbago, Roland Alphonso, Tommy McCook, Baba Brooks, Lloyd Brevitt, there was another guy they called 'Blues' he was a bass player. We had a guy called Campbell, and Stanley Ribbs, Karl Bryan he played Alto, Lester Sterling, Cluet Johnson. We were all good friends. Don Drummonds was another one. I was close to Lester Sterling and Roland Alphonso. Lester came through Vere Johns. Richard Ace was another one. Theo Beckford, he's never got much recognition. There is another guy like that, who played on a lot of recordings Richard Ace. I don't think I can remember hearing Richard Ace's named mentioned. All of the Toots and the Maytals he played on them, he played keyboards on those.

Were there other people playing harmonica at all?

"In the studio, no. There was a guy I cannot remember if he recorded, but he was a blind guy and his name was Lenny. After me came another blind guy Roy Richards. The only person who I know who played on recordings was myself and Roy Richards."

And you taught Roy Richards?

"No, I did not."

Charley Organaire

Popular Jamaican musician Leroy 'Roy' Richards died on Friday at his St Ann's Bay home.

The pioneer, born in 1941, has contributed much to the Jamaican music industry being a multi-talented artist who not only played the harmonica but was an accomplished singer and drummer. After getting his big break on the Vere Johns Opportunity Hour Talent Series - a weekly show stagged at various theatres across the island in the late 1950s - he was introduced to the recording industry by the late Sir Coxsone Dodd of Studio One.

However in later years he served as a part of music legend Bryon Lee's backing band. He has also worked with a number of female acts including Enid Cumberland (from the duo Keith & Enid). His well known tracks include Veitnam and Contact on harmonica and Freedoms Blues.

jamaicaobserver.com 4/28/07

Voo Doo Man keeps coming up lately and seeing as Roy died last year around this time (May actually) I thought I'd toss up all the Roy Richards single tracks I had, but l've been out of the game of late (troubles don't you know) and I'll be if the mighty mighty Sidewalk Doctor didn't beat me to it and I'm glad he did (go, seek, amazing selections there). Anyway, I trimmed down the cuts so we didn't double up (except in the case of "Rub-A-Dub/Rubber Dub", the Juju copy was a little cleaner so consider it an upgrade) and included a couple of dub versions that might have slipped in previous posts here but, uh, yeah...

Styles run gamut as Roy was in the game for all the crucial periods but of particular note here, the "Freedom Blues (remix)" has lots of harmonica and horns as opposed to the guitar licks featured on the regular version and the dub mix of this is absolutely insane. The instrumentation on "I Mean It" is pretty special too (violin).
All from singles, give thanks to Jah(n).


Dub Thrills (2:40)
Roy Richards (Blank Ja 7" WIRL BL 3449-1)

Freedom Blues (remix) (3:17)
Roy Richards (Coxsone 7")

Freedom Dub (remix) (3:15)
Roy & Sound Dimension (Coxsone 7")

Voo Doo Man (3:30)
Roy Richards (Coxsone 7" CS 10080A)

Voo Doo Ver. (3:20)
Roy & The New Establishment (Coxsone 7" CS 10080B)

I Mean It (2:35)
Roy & Tiny (Coxsone 7" FC 2410)

Natrual Love (3:07)
Roy Richards (Coxsone 7" SC 159A)

Natrual Dub (3:24)
Roy Richards & Brentford Disco Set (Coxsone 7" SC 159B)

Freedom (Ver.) 3:19
Roy & Dillinger Forward 7" CN 2851B

Go Your Way (2:31)
Roy & Annette (Forward 7" FC 2421)

Fat Dog (2:57)
Roy & The Invaders (Ironside 7" FCD 7728A)

Rub A Dub (2:47)
Roy Richards (Studio 1 7")

Warm And Tender Ska (2:54)
Roy Richards (Studio 1 7")

See See Rider (2:56)
Roy Richards Winro 7" (CN 2422A)

See See Version (2:58)
Roy & Sound Dimension (Winro 7" CN 2422B)


I Mean It


Voo Doo Man


Freedom Dub (remix)

frequency distribution band with merit soused rookie

I felt this translation too good not to share.

"Away them the spell , when are were supreme , seeing are were subject. Oooooooom. Nowadays them already late happen shaman or léčitelem. As forth as right-hand secondhand Klapzuba : won't shift jacket , under kterém jsem wintrily. Relaxaci mislaying within roce 1979 schoolteacher jogy George White-headed boy , student syntax within AMU Vlastislav Mazy plus Charles Babuljakto jsem self ). Herein roce to stal George mým schoolteachers jogy plus bude jím , while budu self , he plus joga. Them what now he , whoa within svých www aspect (music.taxoft.cz) cake plus particularly version frequency distribution band. WITHIN wrap up while ( plus nevím , while by what when might shift ) production Relaxaci schoolteacher jogy George White-headed boy , musical setter Vlastislav Mazy plus Charles Babuljakto jsem self ). Odehráli are same much concert plus their numerousness within ultimate aviator thin now intenzivně , that already whoever subsequent bude to stilly a-major probability ultimate so long as are yet the yea ultimate neodehráli. George White-headed boy them etnomuzikolog folklorista tantrik , publisher journal " kiss ", member suite " aliquot quaternion Extatic transaction must ", reviewer , however to begin with well in tune rookie. Vlastislav Mazy them professor etnomuzikologie , musical setter , sportsman within všechny musical instruments , scientist , octuple sire , sub-editor , voyager , mustard sci fi , however to begin with merit soused rookie.

Czech ethno-warriors begun in 1979 and working a slightly softer side from regional kindred off-spring Atman . Several CD releases though not sure how "available" they are, the most recent being from 2002.
Slightly more info here:Vlastislav Matoušek and Jiří Mazánka


Relaxace
Relaxace ep
Panton 810353-73111988 7 inch (1988)

Tempus Perfectum (6:33)
Gamelani Jdou (2:59)
Vecerni Narez (4:10)

bonus tracks:
Cooking From The Haft (10:16)
from Czech Koan CD (1996)

Kirtan For Krishna (6:50)
from Kadael CD (1993)


Vecerni Narez

Bongo Man pt. 2

More Coxsone produced sides provided by Jah(n). A/B's where available (the versions of many are here ) and a few of these have been comped and available in "higher" fidelity on Studio One's Root's series but included here for completeness sake.

Six Pence (2:39)
Brentford All Stars

This Population (3:06)
The Burning Spear

Burn Collie (1:59)
Cliff Stewart

Brimstone & Fire (2:09)
Clifton Gibbs & The Selected Few

Time To Sow (2:51)
Count Lasher

Maintenance (3:15)
Count Lasher

Version In A Babylon (2:38)
The Gladiators Band

Darling Dear (2:31)
Horace Andy

Cherry Pie (2:56)
Hubert Lee

Girl In Is Mind (3:03)
Hubert Lee

Sweet Caroline (3:09)
Hubert Lee

When You Dance (2:56)
Hubert Lee

Jah Jah Way (2:49)
Jackie Bernard

Dancing (Ver.) (2:59)
Lee & The New Establishment

Gun Court (2:19)
Little Joe

Where It's At (2:56)
Lloyd Forest

Darling (Ver.) (2:31)
The New Establishment

Fire Version (2:08)
The New Establishment

Jehovah (2:43)
The Nightingales

Crime Don't Pay (3:18)
Prince Jazzbo

School (2:34)
Prince Jazzbo

Glory For I (2:29)
The Prospectors

Maintenance


School

metallurgy or music

"Three years ago a twenty-one year old youth was grappling with the finer points of Metallurgical Engineering at a university in Madhya Pradesh. In spite of the academic regimen, he managed to put in a couple of hours everyday at the sitar while many wondered which of the two vocations, metallurgy or music, would finally claim him. He was very good at both and obviously the loss of one field would be the gain of the other. His sensational sitar debut in Calcutta in 1976 had left critics, connoisseurs and audiences alike raving about the Discovery of the Era. A star, they knew, had been born, and surely not to be snatched away by the world of metallurgy. However all was well that ended well. The youth chose music as his first love and forsook a stellar career in Metullurgical Engineering, but not before a first class first in that subject. Budhaditya Mukherjee had come home to Indian Classical Music and he aims to stay there.

He was born to Nilima and Bimalendu Mukherjee in December 1955 and played his first tentative strokes on the sitar at the age of six. " I had a small tarafdar sitar made for him at the intial stages", said his father, Chief Engineer of Mines and Quarries, Bhilai, and a reputed sitarist himself who had some training under the great Ustad Enayat Khan. "Music is a part of life in our family - it's as natural for a boy to play...or walk or talk. At first he did not show much interest, but he suddenly started getting serious about sitar playing at the age of ten and he gave his first recital in 1968."

What distinguishes Budhaditya from contemporary sitarists is the discipline with which he develops the melodic patterns following the scriptural concepts, and the dexterity with which he controls the fretboard of his instrument, weaving the most complicated patterns, systematically and aesthetically interlinked.

Listening to this album, his second on HMV is a profoundly moving experience." ~ liner notes

Budhaditya Mukherjee
Sabir Khan : tabla
ESCD2619 LP 1980

Raga Bhimpalasi (alap and gat - trital) 20:59
Raga Mishra Khamaj (gat, vilambat and drut - trital) 22:03


Raga Mishra Khamaj


and don't miss Henry's offering

an ethereal duet

click image for more nice photos

"The duet (Jugalbandi) presented in this album is unique - the violin, which is known as the Queen of Instruments is a perfect foil to the Sarod, which is the most dominant and powerful Instrument of North India, making it a matchless combination of sounds, as is the virtuosic and musical mastery of the two maestros, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Dr. L. Subramaniam." ~ liner notes

Ali Akbar Khan & Dr. L. Subramaniam
Ethereal Duet LP
Ganesh Records 4002 1976 (?)

Raga: Jog (Natai)
Tala: Teen tal (16 beat cycle)

KV on the VK

In Carnatic music, shifts and oscillations are more common than the discrete fingered pitches of jantas . Most pitches in Western classical music are of the discrete type, and oscillations are less various, represented chiefly by vibrato. In some fiddle styles, the player remains entirely in first position, thus eliminating shifts. And the ornaments of the Persian classical style, while profuse as in Carnatic melody, consist mostly of trills, grace notes, and arpeggiated figures--all discrete pitches--rather than the sinuous slides and oscillations of the South Indian style (Zonis 1973:109,114).
****
Of the three classes of Carnatic ornaments, gamaka (deflections) involve motions which are exploited least in Western classical technique. These motions generally do not involve outright shifts of position. Here the thumb stays in position on the violin neck, though it may well move from side to side, or slip further underneath the neck at times. The fact that the thumb remains basically in place provides a feeling of security in the hold, and this in turn frees the player for other movements of the hand. ~ more

Kunnakkudi Vaidhyanathan
Violin LP 1977

Vinaayagaa (6:13)
Enthavedu (3:54)
Vallinaayagane (10:17)
Thani Aavarthanam (7:19)
English Note (3:13)
Thenmanakkum (4:36)
Maalai Vanna Maalai (2:04)
Yerumayil (Thiruppagazh) (2:12)


Vinaayagaa

moving Forward

All Night Dub (2:43)
Brentford Disco Band -Forward 7"

Freedom (Ver.) (3:19)
Roy & Dillinger -Forward 7" CN 2851B

Freedom Theme (2:41)
Sound Dimension -Forward 7" CN 3032A

Freedom Theme Pt.2 (2:47)
Sound Dimension -Forward 7" CN 3032B

Go Your Way (2:31)
Roy & Annette -Forward 7" FC 2421

In Cold Blood Pt.1 (2:18)
In Cold Blood Pt.2 (2:36)
Pablove Black -Forward 7" CN 3070A/B

Jamie Part 1 (3:14)
Jamie Part 2 (3:06)
Pablove Black & Sound Dimension -Forward 7" CN 2988A/B

Killer Man Jaro (3:12)
Dillinger -Forward 7" CN 2851A

Love Is A Treasure (7:59)
Freddie McKay & Created Soul Defenders -Forward 12"

Natty Kung Fu (3:02)
Dillinger Forward 7" JR 7947

Rock All Night (2:43)
Billy Cole Forward 7"

Stop The War (2:47)
Version 2 (2:47)
Dillinger Forward 7" CN 3534A/B

You Found Heaven (3:34)
Devon Russell Forward 7" CN 2712A

You Found (Dub) (3:54)
Disco Vill Forward 7" CN 2712B

Young At Heart (8:28)
The Silvertones Forward 12"

Thanks and praises to Jah(n)

You Found (Dub)

Version 2

Music opens the doors of Paradise

"Have you ever given a thought to the culture and civilization that made the Turkish Empire possible and enabled the Turks to sustain it for eight centuries at the crossroads of the continents? There is an old Turkish proverb that says: "Music opens the doors of Paradise". Let us open the gates of Turkey for you with this LP album of authentic Turkish Folk Music interpreted by a selected group of artists, reflecting the lively spirit of the people that live along the coastline of Turkey's Black Sea, along the banks of the Bosphorus, on the shores of the Aegean, the rural Central and Eastern Turkey.

The most striking characteristic of Turkish music is, that it is monophonic. This is a special characteristic that, when divorced from it's monophonic context, it is bound to loose all its original and attractive distinction. In this music it is also the tonal system which is entirely different from that of Western music having the octave divided into 24 unequal intervals. It is not harmonized and when you listen carefully, you will find new heights of expression in edless quest of variations, in new combinations of tunes and innovations of rhythm. The various rhythms are marked by a series of beats upon an instrument called a Timbal, a small drum, struck in the centre or to one tone side; and a different sound is produced according to the exact point at which it is struck, giving a wide range between clarity and muffled effect. Those who have lived among the inhabitants of rural Turkey know their love of music and dancing. Each district has its own characteristic dances and tunes; but there is a common thread that runs through all of them, because the different tunes are only variations of a musical form with the addition of regional characteristics in the construction. The themes are usually such as deeds of valour, reciprocated or unrequited love or just plain lighthearted folk dance music like No. 1 on A-Side of this LP the "Karsilama" in 9/8 time. No. 2 "Iki Telli" featuring a two stringed violin. Among the Lute like instruments is the Ud as heard on No. 3 "Arap Oyouno (Arabian Dance)". No. 4 is a "Cifte Telli" of slower tempo and No. 5 another "Karasilama" in 9/8 tempo and the "Cifti Telli" on No. 6 featuring the Ud.

On the B-Side No. 1 is the "Hidjai Tsifte", a rhythmic dance and No. 2 another "Cifte Telli". No. 3 again 9/8 time, a "Karsilama". Two wooden spoons command the rhythm like the sounds of castanettes in No. 4 "Suznak". No. 5 "Sultani Zeibek (Sultan's Dance)" and the concluding selection of the "Huzum Pesreyi", No. 6.

Try to understand Turkish Folk Music, you will enjoy it and - it may get under your skin.

~ "Hillcroft" liner notes

Istanbul At Sunset
Native Turkish Orchestra
Standard LP-412 LP
(also as "More Music for Belly Dancing"; Standard/Colonial LP-912)

Karsilama
Iki Telli
Arap Oyounou
Karsilama (2)
Cifti Telli
Cifti Telli (2)
Hidjaz Cifte
Cifti Telli (3)
Karsilama (3)
Suznak
Soultani Zeibek
Huzam Pesreyi


Karsilama

Cifti Telli (3)

people of the outside

"The coming of the prophet Mohammed provided an impetus and direction to the hitherto disunited tribes of Arabia and started them on an incredible march of foreign conquest and conversion. The victories of the Mussulmen, or Moslems, carried them throughout the Near East to Istanbul, and across the entire width of North Africa; and still farther, across the Strait of Gibraltar into Spain and up to the very boundaries of France. For a while the faith of Mohammed threatened to engulf the Christian world, but the French victory at Poitiers in 732 permanently checked their forward expansion, and the Mussulmen withdrew to Spain.

It was in Spain in the land of Andaluz that this forward contingent of Arabs established itself for the next seven centuries. Content at last to settle and enjoy the fruits of their conquests, the Arabs created in Andaluz a remarkable civilization. The dry barren aspect of the land was changed to fertile greenness as Arabic science and engineering created elaborate system of waterworks, and Arabic architectural skill filled the landscape with lacy palaces and mosques. While Europe floudered in the relative dimness of mediaeval times, Andaluz' universities fostered the Arabic sciences of mathematics and medicine, as well as the arts of poetry, literature and music.

The music which the Arabs had brought with them, underwent its greatest development in Andaluz. The methods of composition and performance we formalized, composition both of music and accompanying verse was profuse, and the number and quality of the instruments was increased and improved. The voice was an integral part of the music: thus the great importance of poetry. This poetry dealt with all subjects: war, the feats of great warriors, the glories of the sultans, love, and religion. There was no division, however, of secular and sacred music; for the Mussulman had a place in all kinds of songs for his religion, pausing frequently to interpolate religious reflections, or perhaps whole verses or even pages of the Koran. The complex Arabic verse was rigidly balanced in metre and rhythm. It was at this time that the four main voices of the orchestra were established. These four principle voices of instruments were the rebab, a two or four stringed instrument played in the fashion of a guitar, the tahr, a form of tambourine, the darboukha, a small drum, and the leeyahrah, a bamboo flute. All other Arabic instruments are variations of these types. To this day, the Arabic word corresponding to our term orchestra means "quartet", even though a performing ensemble may include up to thirteen instruments.

The standard composition was written to fill 24 hours of continuous playing. This 24 hour period was then broken down into 4 different subdivisions: what might best be described as songs and introductions. Modern listeners and performers lack the stamina of their predecessors, and the Andaluz music heard today is simply excerpts; what we call a piece is usually and introduction and song, or part of a song, taken from one of these monumental works.

Brilliant as this culture was, prosperity corrupted its strength and dynastic dissension weakened its defenses against the growing power of the Spanish kingdoms to the North. The century-long offensive of the Spaniards reached its successful climax under the leadership of the Catholic monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, who captured Granada in 1492, thereby depriving the Mussulmen of their last great stronghold in Andaluz. Africa became the refuge of the Andaluz Arabs and they fled to all parts of Northern Africa carrying with them remnants of their great culture..

Algiers was a receptive haven for the music and musicians of Andaluz. The city developed into a musical center attracting students from all parts of the Moslem world. From Algiers the influence spread into Morocco, principally to the cities of Fez, Tetuan and Casablanca (Dar Beyda). Gradually the music of Andaluz became the music of all of North Africa. The ensuing generations of musicians however, were less interested in composing than preserving. The Andaluz system of musical notation was neglected (though not forgotten) and the music and poetry handed down father to son fashion. It has only been in the last century that this great tradition has broken down somewhat and modern music taken over. As might be expected, this development has occurred primarily in the cities. But the "people of the outside," those wandering tribes of Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco, better known as Bedouins, have all faithfully preserved the music of Andaluz. What innovations they may have made have been involuntary rather than deliberate. Should memory fail at a certain point, the singer-musician does not hesitate to fill in the missing verses with words of his own invention. Thus the formal strict metre of the original poetry has broken down into more of less free verse.

Though the poetry may have been altered in some cases, the music itself can be said to have remained almost completely unchanged. The general frame of the subject matter if also unaltered: whether the music deals with love or war, humor or grief, men's frailties of Allah's power, it is always with reference to the golden and yet remembered days of Andaluz."

~ Mouncef Saheb-Ettaba (liner notes)

Bedouin Tribal Songs From Oran Vol. 2
sung by Sheik Mohamed Relizani
Westminster WL 5353 LP 1955

Larsam Halkouni (6:37)
Ram'guett Taous (6:37)
Djeumaa Ou Elaid (6:40)
Lla Maroua y Aaoud El Khbar (6:37)
Besbabek y Galbi (6:39)
Hob Elghram (6:34)
Mazel Khatri Yaacheq (6:42)
Na Nsibouch Kilbghina (6:25)


Djeumaa Ou Elaid

Trains and Tracks

"...As the age of the steam engine was coming to an end, the age of Hank Snow came along to take us back anytime we like to the shining rails of yesterday. Train songs, more than any other kind, are important in country music. These songs tell of a hard working, happy, free people on the move.
It was Hank Snow who carried the heart and sound of the steam era over into the 50's, 60's and 70's. It was Hank Snow who inspired me to sing those songs twenty years ago, and it's Hank Snow that I'm listening to this morning, bending a critical ear to this record , then giving it an affirmative nod, cause if that's the way Hank Snow does it, then that's the way it ought to be done.
It is through an appreciation of Hank Snow that I learned to appreciate other railroad song singers. And to this day Hank Snow remains ta standard of excellence if you want a comparison for any country for folk artist.
As June just put it, "Hank Snow sings just exactly like himself."

~ Johnny Cash (Monday morning, Jan 25 1971)

Hank Snow
Tracks and Trains LP (1971)

Duquesne, Pennsylvania 2:03
Fire Ball Mail 2:08
Canadian Pacific 3:15
I'm Movin' In 2:59
Folsom Prison Blues 2:53
That Same Old Dotted Line 2:47
Casey Jones Was His Name 2:15
Wabash Cannon Ball 2:32
The Train My Woman's On 2:02
The Engineer's Child 3:36
Lonely Train 3:11