Robert Wyatt, 1975 French TV spot...

Robert Wyatt - "Ruth is Stranger than Richard" (Virgin, 1975)

There's something very comforting to me about all the solo albums of Robert Wyatt that I've heard - "Rock Bottom", "Shleep", and this one. While moments of "Team Spirit" recall the tones and quick shifts of Soft Machine Vol. 2 - their high point for me - it seems that (generalizing to the extreme) Wyatt lets his solo songs breathe a little more - or last for a few breaths at a time (see the "Muddy Mouse" variations). We are lulled into the changes, listening and realizing that the progression isn't quite where it was before...

As I write this, I'm listening to the woozy horn section and scattershot drumming of "Song for Che". This mood pops up throughout, I love the sound of it.

Intelligent, tasteful - two adjectives that come to mind while listening.

Here you go...

Michael Rother - "Katzenmusik" (Sky, 1979)

For me, this is a flawless album.

I originally got this from a great blog that has been discontinued, it seems. I think all the links are still live though. Here's the original link.

Stay tuned for a kosmische-themed mix in the next week or so.

Perfection sounds like this:

Here

Two Cool Jazz Ones to Say I'm Sorry: Ron Carter - "Uptown Conversation" (Embryo, 1969) and Keith Jarrett - "Fort Yawuh" (Impulse, 1973)

...because I've been gone, again, for quite a while. But I've got a backlog of vinyl to share. And guess who found a great record shop right around the corner from his house? ;) Thanks, Mono Records, for these two selections.

1.

Man, do I love this album. It's got just about everything, from laid-back, funky moments to full-out exploration on the part of our man Ron. With my main man Herbie on the keys, you can't go wrong. I really enjoy the numbers with Ron, Herbie, and Billy Cobham on the second half, breathtaking! Here's "Little Waltz" from a concert in the '80's, same personnel:

Here's that one...

2.

I've really been getting into ol' Mr. Jarrett lately. When I find a copy, I'll be sure to put up Treasure Island, that's the album for me right now. I love the straightforward, rootsy feeling of some of Keith's piano lines, like something Vince Guaraldi would play (See "De Drums" on side 2). Balance that with some very free interplay with some stalwarts from Ornette Coleman's camp (Dewey Redman and Charlie Haden) and the incomparable drumming of Paul Motian... Can I get some live jazz like this in LA, please?

(This video is a performance from the same period of the Jarrett band. Maybe some of the recordings are the same?)

...and here's this one!

Pre-Taped Imaginary Radio Show

This is a new idea of mine...I want to be able to share a little more directly my record collection with my friends and listeners, so, here's my first mix of my vinyl for anyone to listen to. It's like we're sharing a living room! 

If there's anything you'd like to hear more of, let me know and I'll post it in toto in the future...

Pre-Taped Imaginary Radio Broadcast #1 by Rsmclaughlin0 on Mixcloud

Two for the Cool Out: Eddie Harris - "Silver Cycles (Atlantic, 1969)" & Dorothy Ashby and Frank Wess - "In a Minor Groove (New Jazz, 1958)"

So, I've been away again, and it's been a long week... the news roundup tells me we've got vigilante justice going on in LA, killings of a left-party leader in Tunisia... I feel a need with all this media saturation (and my own life) to take a little breather the best way I know, listening to both sides of an album, a different kind of, more extended experience of medium.

Oh, how I forgot about this one. "Smoke Signals", "Coltrane's View", I'm Gonna Leave You by Yourself", "Silver Cycles" itself... this is one hot slice that was just the right amount of bass and dialogue between horns, voice and drums to convince me (again) that music is our language (allow me to be vague and sweeping, like une vague). Throw some more delay on that delay, Eddie and co.!

Another sizzler, "Little Bit": 

Here

For some reason I thought this was a Harold Land collab., guess I'm confusing it with this, not that that's a problem. To be honest, I don't know what album I've given you, because there are way more tracks here than on the original, and according to discogs, "Alone Together" is missing. But, you do get their rendition of "Moonlight in Vermont", one of the best for my money that I've heard so far. Dorothy always knows how to soothe my aching head with those fingers. 

Here, again!

Oh shit, you already know this, but My Bloody Valentine just jumped out and scared me with a new album.

If you're delaying the inevitable and want to listen to an OK quality stream, go to this Youtube page.

Or stop hesitating and worship at the feet of K. Shields with your credit card...

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!

Bill Evans - Conversations with Myself (Verve, 1963)

(BTW, this is not the cover I have, I just love the extra verbiage :) )

I don't know if I'd call this record "almost psychedelic", which is how my old pal Dr. Jazz at the Baltimore Soundgarden record store described it to me. But I'm sure glad he did, because that was a serious selling point for a heady youth like myself...

What I can say is that if you love Bill Evans' piano work, why wouldn't you want to hear him play three pianos simultaneously through the magic of overdubbing?!?!

Seriously, a beautiful record, in the moment I'm writing this, I'm listening to what's gotta be the highlight for me, the final track, "Sleepin' Bee". I'm not much for the cult of genius (except when I'm hyperbolizing, which is, like, ALL THE TIME), but...you know.

Enjoy.