Mining the Audio Motherlode, Volume 127

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

There are a couple of fantastic blogs I've been meaning to trumpet in this space for weeks now:

Around since May, Tim Abdellah's blissful Moroccan Tape Stash has a wonderful name (somewhat reminiscent of Awesome Tapes From Africa) that may sound like it has a narrow focus. But once you dive into the diverse sounds on offer, you'll soon grasp that the ocean of Moroccan music is wide and deep.

Speaking of deep, another site you should plunge into is Bodega Pop, which posted its first sonic treasure in May 2010. Scouring NYC's outer-borough cornershops the past decade for unusual music, your host Gary is now sharing with one and all the many fruits of his hunting and gathering. Thank you Tim and thank you Gary!

 

Late update:
Last evening on my radio show (here) I played an hour of jazz-besotted Indian music (and Subcontinental-infused jazz), including the only track I could find off Shankar Jaikishan's groovy collaboration Raga Jazz Style ("Raga Todi," which Eastern Eye had posted in 2008). Then late last night, someone (who I imagine heard the show) left a request for this LP at Holy Warbles — the most likely site in the universe where this audiophonic gem might possibly appear. Lo and behold, not six hours later, arrives a magnificent post delivering the whole album, cover scans, session line-up and complete details! Is there a more thrilling blog in this or any other universe than Holy Warbles? Thank you Øשlqæda!

 

 It's fun to share...

 

Bnate Houara  ~  "Bnate Houara"
(Blog: Moroccan Tape Stash)

Women Work It
"Marrakchi old-school women's party music - rollicking call-and-response singing with funky stratified rhythms on a variety of buzzy drums plus a brake drum or tea tray for some metal clang. This sort of group typically has some songs that roll from start to finish in the typical Moroccan 6/8. They have another type that begins in 7/8 and moves to 5/4, with the same melody stretched to fit into the new meter!"  (By Tim Abdellah, at Moroccan Tape Stash)

 

Phương Dung | Khúc Hát ân Tình
(Blog: Bodega Pop)

HBO? No, BHO!
"Every time I've gone to Chicago, and the one time I was in Montreal, I've picked up half a dozen to two dozen Vietnamese CDs, mostly pop music recorded in Vietnam before 1975—though I do have a relatively sizable collection now of Vietnamese rap, all recorded in the States. The pre-'75 stuff rarely disappoints. That said, it also rarely, in the words of my Minneapolis sound poet friend, Erik Belgum, "blows head off." Last weekend, however, I picked up something that definitely BHO."  (By Gary, at Bodega Pop )

 

Shankar Jaikishan  ~  "Raga Jazz Style"
(Blog: Holy Warbles)

Øשlqæda for President
Shankar Jaikishan, also known as S/J, were a duo of composers in the Hindi film industry who collaborated from 1949–1971. Shankar Singh Raghuvanshi was a native of Rajasthan, while Jaikishan Dayabhai Panchal belonged to Bansda, Gujarat. Shankar Jaikishan, along with other artists, wrote 'everlasting' & 'immortal melodies' in the '50s & '60s. Their best melodies are noted for being raga-based & having both lilt and sonority. Shankar Jaikishan made a major contribution toward the development of jazz music in India and the new genre Indo Jazz. Their 1968 album Raga Jazz Style is the earliest Indo Jazz recording in India and the first to be released in stereo. On this album, considered to be one of the most innovative, S/J created 11 songs based on Indian ragas with sitar by Rais Khan.  (From Wikipedia)

 

Various  ~  "God Give Me Light"
(Blog: Ghostcapital)

Sanctafried
"Outstanding 78rpm gospel collection from Herwin Records, featuring knockout performances from a handful of both black and white sanctified singers of the day. As the liner notes say: "Unfortunately, very little is known about the artists in this album." I do know that I recommend it, highly."  (By nicholab, at Ghostcapital)

 

Various  ~  "El Gran Tesoro De La Musica Cubana"
Volumes 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8
(Blog: El Negrito del Batey)

Havana Hold Your Hand
"El 2004 significó para la Egrem la celebración del 40 aniversario de su fundación y el 60 de la inauguración de los legendarios estudios de la calle San Miguel, posteriormente reconocidos como Areito, por donde desfilarían a lo largo de todos estos años lo más valioso de nuestros creadores e intérpretes, enriqueciendo con su arte el patrimonio que atesoran los archivos de esta casa discográfica, que como homenaje a toda esa historia musical, decidió asumir el ambicioso proyecto de conformar una colección capaz de brindar en ocho volúmenes, un amplio panorama de las diversas tendencias, géneros y estilos abordados durante seis décadas por esos músicos que tema a tema lograron construir una monumental obra orgullo de nuestra nacionalidad."  (From the Egrem catalog)

 

Listen to my radio show Give the Drummer Some—Tuesdays 6-7pm, on WFMU and Fridays 9 to noon—on WFMU's web stream Give the Drummer Radio.
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Comments

[Korla]

"Is there a more thrilling blog in this or any other universe than Holy Warbles?" No, there isn't.

[Ghostcapital.blogspot.com]

its a pleasure to find myself in such esteemed company. and, yes, owl is sort of a genius.

[Tim Abdellah]

Ditto on both counts! Glad you're enjoying the Moroccan varieties!

[Holywarbles.blogspot.com]

so much sanctified fire in this weeks motherlode, it's bedazzlin. how fortunate i am to have somehow squirmed my way into this pantheon of paramount blawgfathers at the zero hour. humbled + honored to be part of this kaleidoscopic continuum where everything influences everything & inspiration flows like the sacrament wine. blessings bretheren

[Gary Sullivan]

Thrilled to have Bodegapop included here. It was WFMU DJ Kenneth Goldsmith who first suggested I start a music blog (as opposed to my original idea, a CD label). Tim and Owl are my heros (I don't know the other two blogs, but am about to dig in and discover--thanks!).

[Michael Yahwak]

HAIL the Dung Phương Dung | Khúc Hát ân Tình Blew my head off it is really good, Sort of like A Vietnamese Version of Amy Winehouse, Gee I wonder what happened to this singer over the years. Thanks for the post.

[icastico]

A couple of other blogs I've been digging lately:

http://japan-old-prog.livejournal.com/

http://turkishpunk.blogspot.com/

[icastico]

And, lest I forget:
http://dieordiy.blogspot.com/