Youtubin': John Fahey, "Red Pony"

I post this video on some social media platform I'd say, oh, every 6 months. It gives me that dose of prime Fahey I need to get through the day. Hope it lights a fire for you.

Max Roach - Percussion Bitter Sweet (1961, Impulse)

Damn, did I see some good jazz tonight... Players working with one another, listening, a mix of individuals styles always contributing to the sound of the whole, rhythm... if you get a chance, see this group when they come to your town.

Jazz is ______:

- Touch, the patience/audacity to work against the beat of the rhythm section, until you burst into sync with arpeggio runs on that sweet sounding hollowbody

- Big ringing McCoy Tyner chords filling it out on baby grand

- The delicacy and deliberation (and wrist control!) on the kit

- Walking bass

- Those BIG open notes jutting out of the trumpet pointed triumphantly at the ceiling/sky

- Green leather boots, polka-dot pocket squares, and a nearly brimless hat 

Going off this rush, I share with you one of my favorite all-around jazz records, one I started thinking of during the evening (probably because of the hand drums on "Garvey's Ghost," a tune that always blows me away thanks to the late, inimitable Ms. Abbey Lincoln). Chances are you know it already, but if not, give it a spin, it'll have you from the start.This is a powerful stuff, with taste at every turn, and the flooring runs of Eric Dolphy on whatever he chooses to blow into at the time. 

A shot of Abbey, just 'cause:

"Garvey's Ghost":

Here

Twofer D.B. Thursday: David Borden & Mother Mallard: "Anatidae" (Cuneiform, 1985) and "Migration" (Cuneiform, 1988)

[The title should read: Twofer D.B. Thursday: David Borden & Mother Mallard: "Anatidae" (Cuneiform, 1985) and "Migration" (Cuneiform, 1988)

Sadly, this post cannot (yet) be a twofer, because I went back and listened to my rip of "Anatidae" and some serious bitcrushing pops up on the second side - not sure how that happened. Also, it's no longer Thursday. I'll re-rip and post the first record soon.]

So, yes, this summer I've been pretty quiet/absent from this blog (though I've been doing a lot of pilfering from other's pages - thanks!)... but now I have a lot of recorded vinyl and mp3s floating somewhere on my hard drive just waiting to be shared. Stay tuned.

In light of this, thought I'd share two somewhat recent finds with you, both by David Borden and his (New) Mother Mallard (Band). Maybe you, like me, heard about Mr. Borden through his being repped by Oneohtrix Point Never, Laurel Halo, etc. (here's the tracks to prove it, though I've not had the pleasure), maybe you knew him already, the important thing is to check these out. Definite Michael Nyman or Steve Roach/Reich (take your pick - less moody than the first) - wave-y synth soundscapes and repetitive rhythms, female vocals riding on top... my kind of classical ;)

"Anatidae" features the guitar stylings of Mr. David Torn (heads up to a certain opium hum-an out there...)

More info on Mr. Borden is here.

Also, this comic strip is a way better promo than mine...

Here ("Migration")

Side A:

1. Trains I (maybe the worst synth timbre I've ever heard on this and "Trains II" - can you spot it?)

2. The Continuing Story of Counterpoint, Part IV

Side B: 

1. Dick Twardzik

2. Enfield in Summer

3. trains II

Nostalgia of Island Mix - please enjoy.

Nostalgia of Island Mix by Rsmclaughlin0 on Mixcloud

Testpattern - Après-Midi (Yen Records, 1982)

So, as sometimes happens in this anonymous exchange we know as file sharing / music blogging, I get a little greedy, sucking up all there is to listen to without providing anything in return. If there's anything my apprenticeship in P2P / torrent file sharing should have taught me (or that one Beatles song), it's that you've got to give a little to get a little. Rest assured, I've been here, but behind the scenes, checking my sidebar links daily to see what you've served up... (premature P.S.: I promise I've got a summer mix coming out that will doubt feature plenty of your featureds, just 'cause...)

So how do I try and repay this debt? By shamelessly re-posting something from YING YANGS blog. I should say, it would be rather difficult for me to do otherwise, as I'm still across the Atlantic with no recording equipment to rip records (or money to buy records, for that matter...etc.,etc.). Plus, really, who cares? This is all just a preamble, I'm sure the fine folks at that blog don't care that I reflect their awesomeness by re-posting this gem, which is probably the album I've listened to the most all summer.

Why? 

1. It continues my obsession with the Japanese - Francophone synth-pop connection (if only superficially; if I remember correctly, no french lyrics, lots of english). 

2. This is one of the great Yen Records releases I've been able to dig up online, apparently the group's only full-length, produced by the boys of YMO themselves, Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi. Subheading: Why great?

2 bis. Talk about your eclecticism via synth-pop! From all out ambient numbers reminiscent of fellow J-synth heads Inoyama Land ("Ocean Liner") to chilly new-wave songs ("Souvenir Glace" - OK, fine, at least 1 song en français) to bouncy arpeggiators recalling Harmonia's 1st album's 1st track ("Ring Dance") - OK, I'll stop gushing, just give it a spin...

As it's Friday...

Enjoy!

(Real P.S.: featuring a remix of "Modern Living" that, franchement, I like better than the original...)