Cumbia, My Lord, Cumbia

A little Mexican cumbia on Saturday night for you, courtesy of Los Angeles Azules.

"Cumbia Candelosa" - Los Angeles Azules

"Piensalo Bien" - Los Angeles Azules

As the Spanish speakers and users of Google Translate among you will know, Los Angeles Azules would be called in English The Blue Angels. Roy Orbison knows one of them.

"Blue Angel" - Roy Orbison

You would also know that "Piensalo Bien" means, roughly, "Well, think about it". Robert Earl Keen expresses a similar sentiment in this track from his excellent album "Gringo Honeymoon". In the title track he honeymoons in... Mexico, of course! We don't just throw this together, you know.

"Think It Over One Time" - Robert Earl Keen

Heavy, Heavy Monster Sounds

I don't often respond to requests, as often the requests are to stop playing that rubbish. But when my friend Emily - a woman of impeccable taste - asked for these first two, I couldn't say no. The third one is by way of a bonus.

"Frankenstein Walk" - Gene "Bowlegs" Miller

"Freak-N-Stein" - Blue Magic

"Look Out, There's A Monster Coming" - The Bonzo Dog Band

Messrs F

My old mate Mister F - who pops up intermittently in these pages - is celebrating a birthday ending in 5 tomorrow. Real name John, he became known as F at school to distinguish him from all the other Johns. The "Mister" was added later to indicate seniority. Here are some more Johns who could rightly style themselves Mister F is they wished to do so.

"Almost Saturday Night" - John Fogerty

"Underpass" - John Foxx

"Chestwig Obsessional Vol 4" - Johnny "Conical" Field

"Judy In Disguise (With Glasses)" - John Fred & The Playboys

"Daydreamer" - John Fullbright

"Angela Jones" - Johnny Ferguson

Happy birthday, Johnny!

Romeo's Tunes

I was working in Paris on Monday and managed to find an hour in my busy schedule for a whistle-stop tour of a few of the African record shops in the area around Chateau-Rouge metro - not remotely long enough to do them justice, but long enough to pick up a few bargains.

Straight off the top of the pile comes Cameroon's own Romeo Dika and his album "Marvellous". I had never previously heard of Romeo, but bought the album because the sleeve-notes said that our friend Elvis Kemayo was involved in some unspecified co-ordination role. It was a lucky hunch as "Marvellous" lives up to its name.

We start, as the album does, with a masterful piece of makossa that is bound to get you dancing, and follow it with the only English language track on the album in which Romeo pays an affectionate - if occasionally unintelligible - tribute to his dear old Mum. I am sure Mrs Dika must be very proud of her boy.

"Teresa" - Romeo Dika

"Lucky Boy" - Romeo Dika

Wayne Smith R.I.P.

Wayne Smith, who died earlier this week aged only 48, is only really known for one record - but what a record. As well as being excellent in its own right, when "Under Mi Sleng Teng" came out in 1985 was the first time a digital rhythm track was used in Jamaica. As such it was hugely influential in the development of dancehall - not always for the better it must be said - and the "riddim" itself has been used many, many times. Here are a few examples.

"Cowboy Style" - Josey Wales

"Call The Police" - John Wayne

"Every Posse" - Tonto Irie

"Mr. Pleasure" - Mad Cobra

To prove that there were other records as well, here is something different from Wayne.

"Time Is A Moment In Space" - Wayne Smith

And if you are wondering why that sounds strangely familiar, it's because it is a cover version of "A Woman In Love" by Barbara Streisand. Oddly there does not seem to be a single decent video of her singing it, so you'll have to settle for this lady from the Greek version of "Stars In Their Eyes".

In A Lather In Java

Inul Daratista is a dangdut singer from East Java. Never having knowingly heard dangdut before I have no idea if she is typical of the style. Judging by her first album "Goyang Inul", which I picked up for £1 up the Holloway Road the other day, I would guess she is from the poppier end of the spectrum. It is not really my cup of tea, to be honest, but see what you think.

"Joget Sama-Sama" - Inul Daratista

"Goyang Gosip" - Inul Daratista

Apparently when the album came out in 2003 she caused a scandal in Indonesia with what was felt by many to be her immodest dress and saucy dance routines. Purely in the interest of research I have checked out a few clips. While not exactly Miley Cyrus with her twerking and tongue waggling - for which we can all give thanks - I can see why a gentleman might get a bit hot and bothered if not used to that sort of thing.

They're So Fine

There was a great compilation called "She's So Fine" released last year. Over the course of 95 tracks it charts the early years of girl groups right up the point where the 50 year rule bites and the company who issued it would have to pay copyright. How else could they price it at £8? If you feel guilty, try to console yourself with the knowledge that in all likelihood none of the women responsible for these great sounds have ever seen a royalty cheque in their lives. So you are indirectly sticking it to The Man! Yeah!

Alongside the likes of the Chiffons, Crystals and Marvelettes there are plenty of more obscure acts. Here are a couple of them, both bearing news of exciting new dance styles.

"Pop, Pop, Pop-Pie" - The Sherrys

 "Waddle, Waddle" - The Bracelets

I am not sure who The Sherrys think they are fooling by spelling it "Pop-Pie", but they are clearly influenced by this old favourite.

"Pop-Eye" - Huey "Piano" Smith & The Clowns

As for The Bracelets, they probably weren't the first, and definitely weren't the last, to encourage us to waddle like a duck.



By God, I love that record!