Mining the Audio Motherlode, Volume 185

Give the Drummer Some's
Favorite Downloads from the MP3 Blogosphere

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I've been scouring the blogs for nearly four years, searching for great free music to share in this weekly column. Take four minutes and drop a little something in the virtual tip jar, below, as a way of showing appreciation for this volunteer effort. Thank you.

 

    
Earl Freeman/Universal Jazz Symphonette  ~  Soundcraft 75: Fantasy for Orchestra
(Blog: 9 Grey Chairs)

Freeman Fantasy
"It's a large ensemble—nearly 30 players and is not a high fidelity recording by any stretch of the imagination. The church acoustics, the size of the ensemble, the collective free-form style of musical approach all combine to produce a sonic result that I can best describe in one word as—dense. Musically—on first blush, it's chaotic. If you've just spent a morning listening to and loving Alan Silva's Lunar Surface, followed by Dave Burrell's Echo—then this is record you might like to put on next. Only this one is not as well recorded as those 2. The keen ear, or subsequent listening, will reveal that it's not necessarily 40 minutes of mad chaos - that there is movement here, there are dynamics, there are some themes of sorts, and that there is solo playing (where audible) of a high caliber. Opening with a swirling trio of flutes and spare percussion, additional instruments are applied in successive layers like paint until the whole ensemble is all in - a vast melange of sound. Then after a hushed intermezzo at around the 5 minute mark, the music builds again and things begin in earnest.  The technique is repeated again, punctuating solos from trumpet, tenor saxophones and violin…."  (Description, from a typically generous and thoughtful post, by Serviceton)

Various  ~  You and Me on a Country Jamboree
(Blog: You & Me on a Country Jamboree)

Trenchtown Twang
An earlier incarnation of the reggae blog You & Me on a Jamboree posted this  killer compilation of "country" tracks back in 2007. Compiled by DJ CanutoLion, most of these singles never appeared on LP.

Bonus: When you're done devouring this, sing your ears into Volume 2.

 

Cissé Abdoulaye & Les Vautours  ~  Les Vautours
(Blog: Oro)

"The Man with the Guitar"
"This excellent album, recorded in 1978 by the Burkinabe singer and his band "Les Vautours" (The Vultures), is rare. The label Tropiques Satel always reserve good surprises. Here is an interview with Abdoulaye Cissé found on lefaso.net

 'I started music very young, when I went to school in Koudougou in 1962. I already had a guitar that my uncle gave me. My father was a Republican Guard and I had the opportunity to see many bands. I am not a griot and I'm not allowed to sing. I was the only one to be interested by music and my family finally understood me. I recorded my first 7 inches in 1974 and my first album in 1978 in Benin. Outside of music, I was trained for teaching. I came out as a teacher in 1968 and did 12 years in the field, in the bush as they say...'"  (Description by Oro)

 

Piero Umiliani ~  Orgasmo (soundtrack)
(Blog: Raider of the Lost Ark)

All About the O
The whole soundtrack is worth it for the single recording "Just Tell Me," by Wess & the Airedales.

If you dig Wess & the Airedales (and you will), go here.

 

 

Archimedes Badkar & Afro 70  ~  Bado Kidogo
(Blog: AfroCubanLatinJazz)

Swedish Jazz Orchestra Slays More Afro Pop
"Archimedes Badkar is a Swedish progressive band who released three albums during the 70's. The fourth, and final from 1979, "Bado Kidago" ("not yet" in Swahili) is a joint effort with three Tanzanian musicians from the group Afro 70: guitarist/vocalist Patrick Pama Balisidya, and percussionist/vocalists Dick Unga and Sophie Nzuki-Balisidya. Archimedes Badkar, at this stage, was comprised of the Adolfsson brothers (Tommy and Jorgen on trumpet and reeds, respectively), Per Tjernberg (percussion), Krister Bjernelind (bass), drummer Bengt Berger, multi-reedist/pianist Christer Bothen, and pianist Brynn Settles. The collaboration with Afro 70 (five of the LPs six tracks) is less experimental than their previous efforts, but perfect for our selection of worldwide African pop grooves, funk breaks and inspired solos. Think Osibisa meets Jabula with even more percussionism."  (Description by Djouls, at Paris DJs)

The first three Archimedes Badkar records were shared way back in Motherlode #18. (The links are, not surprisingly, dead.)

 

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Comments

[pamella najera]

The technique is repeated again, punctuating solos from trumpet, tenor saxophones and violin.