We haven't had any Tsonga Disco up here for a while so, to make up for it, here is a bumper batch from assorted old friends.
"Tambai" - Peta Teanet
"Kerendwana" - General Muzka
"Jikavonunu" - Madlaks
"Macka 50/50" - Penny Penny
"Xisola Hosi" - Conny Chauke
"Sathani" - Joe Shirimani
"Vakonwana" - The Black Force
"Makula" - Loaf Boy
If you like all that - and I know you do - you have probably already got the great Shangaan Electro album on Honest Jon's. But if not, what are you waiting for?
That's it from me for the next ten days or so as I'm off on my hols tomorrow. Watch out Antwerp, Cologne and all places in between. We may make a little detour into the Netherlands, but I doubt we'll get as far as Amsterdam where these boys come from. But then they'll probably be in London or New York City.
Friday, 30 July 2010
Thursday, 29 July 2010
Kinkiness
Advance notice for all you Tsonga Disco fans out there - we will be bringing you a bumper batch of goodies tomorrow. In the meantime, for no particular reason, here are a couple of tracks from "Pearls In The Snow", a 1999 tribute to the songs of Kinky Friedman.
The album features luminaries such as Willie Nelson, Tom Waits and Dwight Yoakum, and overall it is a bit of a cracker. Here are my two favourites.
"Autograph" - Delbert McClinton
"Lady Yesterday" - Marty Stuart
And in a further "no particular reason" moment, here are Noosha and the boys. If you can spot the Van Morrison and Ronnie Lane influences in this, perhaps you could let me know. And as for The Herd...
The album features luminaries such as Willie Nelson, Tom Waits and Dwight Yoakum, and overall it is a bit of a cracker. Here are my two favourites.
"Autograph" - Delbert McClinton
"Lady Yesterday" - Marty Stuart
And in a further "no particular reason" moment, here are Noosha and the boys. If you can spot the Van Morrison and Ronnie Lane influences in this, perhaps you could let me know. And as for The Herd...
Monday, 26 July 2010
No More Cookin'
At one point during last week's Otis Gibbs gig at the Sheep Walk, we were encouraged to shout "F*** Off, Ramblin' Steve" at our host, which we did with gusto. I wish we hadn't now because it appears he has taken us at a word.
All the "What's Cookin'" regulars were no doubt as stunned as I was to get an e-mail from Steve and Ali yesterday saying that after seven years of running the club they were knackered and, as a result, next Saturday's show will be the last one at the Sheep Walk. It was not entirely clear whether this means it will be the last ever "What's Cookin'" or just the last of the regular nights at the Sheep Walk, but either way it is going to leave a massive hole in the East London music scene. This is the worst thing to happen since Barry left the Borderline.
Unfortunately I can't be there on Saturday as I will be doing some rambling of my own, but I am sure they will go out in style. Steve and Ali, thanks for all the great nights, and come back soon.
"That's What I Call Cookin'" - Carolyn Martin (from "Cookin' With Carolyn", 2010)
"Steve's Last Ramble" - Steve Earle (from "Transcendental Blues", 2000)
Apart from Otis, probably the best gig I saw there was Pete Molinari late last year. Here he is.
All the "What's Cookin'" regulars were no doubt as stunned as I was to get an e-mail from Steve and Ali yesterday saying that after seven years of running the club they were knackered and, as a result, next Saturday's show will be the last one at the Sheep Walk. It was not entirely clear whether this means it will be the last ever "What's Cookin'" or just the last of the regular nights at the Sheep Walk, but either way it is going to leave a massive hole in the East London music scene. This is the worst thing to happen since Barry left the Borderline.
Unfortunately I can't be there on Saturday as I will be doing some rambling of my own, but I am sure they will go out in style. Steve and Ali, thanks for all the great nights, and come back soon.
"That's What I Call Cookin'" - Carolyn Martin (from "Cookin' With Carolyn", 2010)
"Steve's Last Ramble" - Steve Earle (from "Transcendental Blues", 2000)
Apart from Otis, probably the best gig I saw there was Pete Molinari late last year. Here he is.
Sunday, 25 July 2010
Tales Of The Unexpected
You lot are very broad-minded about music, and you will have noticed that the more you listen to the more you start hearing similarities between styles and artists that should have nothing in common.
Even allowing for that, I was taken completely by surprise when I heard this track from South Sulawesi in Indonesia (on a Smithsonian album called "Discovering Indonesia") which really reminded me of a certain type of raw-voiced English female folk singer like Lal Waterson and Anne Briggs. Compare and contrast.
"Kemayoran" - Grup Bamba Puang
"Hills Of Greenmor" - Anne Briggs
And very much in the same vein:
Even allowing for that, I was taken completely by surprise when I heard this track from South Sulawesi in Indonesia (on a Smithsonian album called "Discovering Indonesia") which really reminded me of a certain type of raw-voiced English female folk singer like Lal Waterson and Anne Briggs. Compare and contrast.
"Kemayoran" - Grup Bamba Puang
"Hills Of Greenmor" - Anne Briggs
And very much in the same vein:
Saturday, 24 July 2010
Sparrow On Saturday
It has been another lovely Summer's day here in London. And who better to keep the sunshine mood going than the greatest Calypsonian of all time, Mighty Sparrow.
"Jane" - Mighty Sparrow
"Drunk And Disorderly" - Mighty Sparrow
"English Diplomacy" - Mighty Sparrow
"Yuh Go Break Meh Pogo Stick" - Mighty Sparrow
Some claim there is some innuendo involved in that last one. I don't see it myself.
As a bonus for those of you who like modern banging noises, here is a remake of his standard "Mr Walker". It's not a patch on the original but it's not bad.
"Mr. Walker" - Mighty Sparrow & Keegan Taylor
"Jane" - Mighty Sparrow
"Drunk And Disorderly" - Mighty Sparrow
"English Diplomacy" - Mighty Sparrow
"Yuh Go Break Meh Pogo Stick" - Mighty Sparrow
Some claim there is some innuendo involved in that last one. I don't see it myself.
As a bonus for those of you who like modern banging noises, here is a remake of his standard "Mr Walker". It's not a patch on the original but it's not bad.
"Mr. Walker" - Mighty Sparrow & Keegan Taylor
Thursday, 22 July 2010
Uncle Briscoe's Boy
We were gigging again last night. This time it was off to Leytonstone for "What's Cookin'" and another opportunity to see the mighty Otis Gibbs upstairs at the Sheep Walk. The pocket-sized Steve Earle was in fine form.
I have seen Otis three times in the last twelve months, twice at the Sheep Walk and once at the Borderline. While he deserves a huge audience, I think he is best enjoyed in a smaller venue (there were 80-100 people there last night and you couldn't have got many more in) because he can really work that room.
It was another great evening, climaxing as usual with an unamplified rendition of "Karlov Most", performed while strolling round the room smiling benignly. He finished the song standing next to me and gave me a wink at the end. One mild criticism is that he could do with updating some of the patter - I think I know it almost off by heart now. But it is really very good patter, and who wouldn't want to hear the tale of Uncle Briscoe and the infant Otis again.
"Murder At The Read House" - Otis Gibbs (from "One Day Our Whispers", 2004)
"The Farmer Is The Man" - Otis Gibbs (from "Song Of America", Various Artists, 2007)
"Caroline" - Otis Gibbs (from "Grandpa Walked A Picketline", 2009)
For the clip, you may want to skip through to about 0:45 when Otis gets going.
I have seen Otis three times in the last twelve months, twice at the Sheep Walk and once at the Borderline. While he deserves a huge audience, I think he is best enjoyed in a smaller venue (there were 80-100 people there last night and you couldn't have got many more in) because he can really work that room.
It was another great evening, climaxing as usual with an unamplified rendition of "Karlov Most", performed while strolling round the room smiling benignly. He finished the song standing next to me and gave me a wink at the end. One mild criticism is that he could do with updating some of the patter - I think I know it almost off by heart now. But it is really very good patter, and who wouldn't want to hear the tale of Uncle Briscoe and the infant Otis again.
"Murder At The Read House" - Otis Gibbs (from "One Day Our Whispers", 2004)
"The Farmer Is The Man" - Otis Gibbs (from "Song Of America", Various Artists, 2007)
"Caroline" - Otis Gibbs (from "Grandpa Walked A Picketline", 2009)
For the clip, you may want to skip through to about 0:45 when Otis gets going.
Tuesday, 20 July 2010
Festival Brazil
What a great weekend. The extended Goggins family gathered on Saturday for my cousin's wedding, and then reconvened again on Sunday lunchtime for a barbeque before seeing the happy couple off on their honeymoon. At the barbeque some of the younger Goggi realised they were able to clamber up the inside of the ten foot high garden hedge, leading to surreal sights like this one.
Keeping up the surrealism, I then headed off to the South Bank to meet up with Mr F for a concert by Os Mutantes. The Festival Hall was barely half full but 80% of those who were there were Brazilians and their enthusiasm more than made up for the empty seats.
I only know a few Os Mutantes tracks so most of what we heard was new to me, but I enjoyed most of it very much. Some parts were a bit more AOR than I had expected. There was one extended Santana-style workout followed by a power ballad that had all the Brazilans singing along. I can only assume that after the early experimental for which they are known in the UK they went a bit more mainstream, with greater commercial success - the Jefferson Airplane to Starship transition, if you like. But overall, very good.
The gig was part of the South Bank's Festival Brazil season. I don't have any Os Mutantes for you but, in the same spirit as the South Bank, here is a mini-festival of Brazilan music.
"Venha Dormir Em Casa" - Tim Maia
"Nhem Nhem Nhem"- Totonho & Os Cabra
"Tao Longe De Mim" - Os Brazoes
"Mentira" - Marcos Valle
"Danado De Bom" - Luiz Gonzaga
"Berenice" - Jorge Ben
Somewhat implausibly, the Ossies paid tribute to the ground-breaking work of Sergio Mendes. Stuff like this.
Keeping up the surrealism, I then headed off to the South Bank to meet up with Mr F for a concert by Os Mutantes. The Festival Hall was barely half full but 80% of those who were there were Brazilians and their enthusiasm more than made up for the empty seats.
I only know a few Os Mutantes tracks so most of what we heard was new to me, but I enjoyed most of it very much. Some parts were a bit more AOR than I had expected. There was one extended Santana-style workout followed by a power ballad that had all the Brazilans singing along. I can only assume that after the early experimental for which they are known in the UK they went a bit more mainstream, with greater commercial success - the Jefferson Airplane to Starship transition, if you like. But overall, very good.
The gig was part of the South Bank's Festival Brazil season. I don't have any Os Mutantes for you but, in the same spirit as the South Bank, here is a mini-festival of Brazilan music.
"Venha Dormir Em Casa" - Tim Maia
"Nhem Nhem Nhem"- Totonho & Os Cabra
"Tao Longe De Mim" - Os Brazoes
"Mentira" - Marcos Valle
"Danado De Bom" - Luiz Gonzaga
"Berenice" - Jorge Ben
Somewhat implausibly, the Ossies paid tribute to the ground-breaking work of Sergio Mendes. Stuff like this.
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