Give the Drummer Some's
Favorite Downloads from the MP3 Blogosphere
Formed in the crucible of danger and despair that was the South Bronx of the late '60s, the Ghetto Brothers was a remarkable organization—a gang that chose to stop shooting and go straight. Under the charismatic leadership of idealist and visionary "Yellow Benjy" Melendez, the GBs brokered a gang truce in 1971 (the historic Hoe Avenue Peace Meeting) following the senseless killing of the group's peace counselor Cornell "Black Benjy" Benjamin.
Aside from organizing youth activities and advocating anti-violence, the Beatles-besotted Ghetto Brothers used music to bring positivity to a devastated community. Recorded after the death of Black Benjy, the group's sole LP, Power-Fuerza, is a massively groovy and deeply poignant cultural treasure from a long-gone era in New York. It is also the lead item in this week's Motherlode. Don't dare miss it.
Can't stop, won't stop...
Ghetto Brothers ~ "Power-Fuerza"
(Blog: Resin Hits)
Brothers Gonna Work It Out
"This album contains a message; a message to the world, from the Ghetto Brothers. The Ghetto Brothers, a community organization dedicated to bridging the ever-increasing gap that exists between society and minority groups, believe music to be the common language of the world. Through music, they are able to inform society of the plight of the 'little people' in their quest for recognition. Therefore, the music of the Ghetto Brothers serves as a way of communication. If the Ghetto Brothers' dream comes true, the world will learn that the 'little people' wish to be acknowledged; wish to be properly educated in order for them to pass on their knowledge to their children and proudly inform them about their heritage and culture, and be a functioning part of the growth of America. If the Ghetto Brothers' dream comes true, the 'little people' will be 'little people' no more, and make their own mark in this world. Listen to the Ghetto Brothers…….and take heed." (From the dust jacket of Power-Fuerza [Salsa, 1971])
Trader Horne ~ "Morning Way… Plus"
(Blog: An American Prayer)
Named for John Peel's Nanny
"Well, not necessarily uplifting (though there are moments), but something gentle, occasionally dark, fleetingly creepy and most importantly, worthy of a second listen. Trader Horne’s one and only album, 1970′s Morning Way, is, in fact, worthy of much more than a second listen. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Firstly, this may have been Trader Horne’s lone release, but they were in fact a duo comprising of original Fairport Convention vocalist and one time member of an embryonic King Crimson, Judy Dyble, and Irish folk rock underground ubiquity Jackie McAuley. The conjunction of these musical forces resulted in Morning Way, a pleasingly obscure example of psychedelically informed folk rock." (Jeffman, at Head Full of Snow)
King Ganam ~ "Ridin' the Fiddle"
(Blog: Lonesome Left's Scratchy Attic)
Blame Canada
"Whether it's a Barn-dance in Quebec, a Clam-bake in the Maritimes, a Harvest Festival on the Prairies, or an old-fashioned Hoe-down in Ontario, whenever country folk gather to enjoy themselves, it isn't very long before the crisp country air is ringing with the sound of old-time fiddlin' - the kind of fiddlin' that sets toes a'tappin', and skirts a'whirlin' - the kind that makes you want to "git up n' dance." That's just the brand of fiddlin' you hear when King Ganam lifts his bow. Ameen Ganam is his name but he calls himself "King," and he really is one. Known for his lively, original style of playing, Ganam has a way with a fiddle that can't be matched. His bow whips across those strings about as fast as a fox in a forest fire, and he's got more tricks inside that old fiddle than Houdini had in his trunk. "The King" has written a good many reels, polkas, and jigs himself; five of his own are included in this album, and they all reveal the zestful, elfish way he handles a fiddle and bow." (From the dust jacket of Ridin' the Fiddle [RCA Victor, 1955])
The Speakers ~ "En el Maravilloso Mundo de Ingeson"
(Blog: Creep Scanner)
Naked Savages
"Ingeson was notable for being the first Colombian rock record to use multi channel recording techniques which enabled the band to introduce all kinds of strange sound effects to the record buying public. When the lp was released in 1968 it came in a gatefold edition that included a 12 page full-color booklet with photos of the band by Danilo Vitalini, text, drawings, and even a replica of an acid hit! The album has a very cool lo-fi sound and its only flaw is the out of place Historia De Un Loto Que, a silly blues rocker with sped up alien-like vocals. That being said, the rest of this record is great and as whacked out as any of the early Mutantes records." (Jason, at The Rising Storm)
Hailu Mergia ~ Tche Belew"
(Blog: Holy Warbles)
Ethio Peak
"Why this album contains only one song like “Musical Silt” is ponderous. The rest of the album is enjoyable, equally funky and benign. But “Musical Silt,” the only song from the album ever reissued, is a beast. While some might call it dissonant, it’s beautifully modal, a perfect example of the Ethiopian qenet system tempered by the tuning of the Western instruments the musicians play. And the rhythms; each component of the ensemble plays in their own time signature. “The one,” which most fans of funk music so readily anticipate in a rolling groove, never sounds exactly like you’d expect it. But the song chugs along perfectly – it ends some four minutes in, but you wish it would run for hours. A hypnotic groove fo’ sho’." (Egon, at Now & Again)
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Posted by: Josh | April 27, 2011 at 03:42 PM
I'm assuming that the final "e" in "Trader Horne" is silent.
Posted by: Bob | April 27, 2011 at 09:22 PM