musicology #0622

ChristmasComing #15

Hadda Brooks – White Christmas


Can’t believe that I haven’t already laid it down on themusicologist over the last 4 years..!! For me the BEST version of this Irving Berlin penned classic courtesy of the MAJESTIC Hadda ‘Queen Of The Boogie’ Brooks.

LISTEN TUNE…

musicology #0619

ChristmasComing #12

Otis Redding – Merry Christmas Baby


Sticking with the 60′s Soul festivities with this cut from none other than the legendary ‘Big O’.. I’m led to believe that this one was released in 1968?? which would make it a year after he ‘boarded the train’ to the pearly gates..if it was then it would have be synoymous with themusicologist as I was born in the month of December, in the year of the Earth Monkey whilst revolution filled the air. Having already laid Otis’ majestic rendition of Irving Berlin’s ‘White Christmas’ down two years ago I’m very happy to be bringing this version of Lou Baxter and Johnny Moore’s Rhythm & Blues Christmas classic ‘Merry Christmas Baby’ to the festive table..First recorded by the Three? Blazers, (Johnny Moore, his brother Oscar, Charles Brown, Eddie Williams), in 1947.

Listen Tune….

musicology #0617

ChristmasComing #10

The Voices – Santa Claus Boogie


Sticking with the Rhythm & Blues selection…Hold this piece from the ‘golden age’ courtesy of Vocal Group The Voices.

musicology #0616

ChristmasComing #9

The Nic Nacs – Gonna Have A Merry Xmas


Moving out of the festive sounds of Jamaica and into this majestic slice of West Coast Rhythm and Blues/Doo Wop/Vocal Group Christmas action from the Nic Nacs, fronted in the finest style by the vocal talents of Mickey Champion who has been working it since being ‘discovered’ by the Legendary band leader Johnny Otis in L.A back in the mists of time…BOSS tune.

musicology #0613

ChristmasComing #6

Gatemouth Moore – Christmas Blues


Today’s cut is courtesy of little known prewar blues icon, powerhouse singer and influential composer Arnold Dwight “Gatemouth” Moore, who turned his back on the world of ‘popular’ music in the late 40′s to serve as a minister, (preceeding the host of Gospel singers who went the ‘other way’ in the years that followed). Superb downtempo festive cut from the man whose nom de plume was a reference to the strength of his voice.

musicology #0607

Blues’N'Rhythm #2

Joe Turner & Pete Johnson – Roll ‘Em Pete


As important as Sam Cooke was to Soul, Big Joe took Jump, Boogie Woogie, Blues and Rhythm rolled them all up into a package and fathered Rock & Roll. Of course there were others who contributed, (Louis Jordan, Count Basie, Amos Milburn, Wynonnie Harris to name but 4), and as with all ‘Popular’ music no one person was responsible but as Doc Pomus is quoted to have said “Rock & Roll would never have happened without him…and as previously mentioned on themusicologist the dynamic duo’s late 40′s cut ‘Rocket 88 Boogie’ was the ‘inspiration’ behind Ike Turner’s seminal ‘Rocket 88′, a tune that has long been canonised into Rock and Roll history..

Today’s cut was recorded in the Big Apple on December 30th 1938…I’ll repeat that 1938 and released on a Columbia 78, which I was planning on laying down here but in truth it’s a piece scratchy !! so instead it’s the (top quality 24 bit), remastered version that certainly does the original justice….I can only imagine what it would have been like to witness these two in action back in Kansas City in the 1930′s a musical hotbed that kicked every bit as hard as Chicago, New Orleans and New York…Roll ‘Em Pete….

musicology #0599

Flow #18

The Showmen – The Owl Sees You


Today’s cut is In memory of another Soul man who has left us…General Norman Johnson..whose voice rose to prominence first as Lead for the Showmen and then Chairman Of The Board. This was one of their, (unreleased), demo’s sent to Joe Banashak whose Minit label ranks high on themusicologist’s list of supreme Rhythm & Blues/Soul labels. Why this marrow trembler went unreleased is beyond me…Norman Johnson Rest In Peace…gone but never forgotten.

musicology #580

mOareEssentials #3

(The Spidells – Find Out What’s Happening)


Busy designing today so bit late with the 3rd instalment of the mOare selection…also I’m in the kitchen rustling up the evening meal, (Bangers & Mash), so It will have to be hit and run today while I’m running…Hold this TOP RANKING slice of Rhythm & Blues by the Spidells, (Lee Roy Cunningham, Wallace Brown, Billy Lockridge and Michael Young)..later covered by Elvis Presley, Nancy Sinatra and others. No prizes for guessing which one themusicologist favours. BIG Mod/ern/ist cut.

musicology #575

Essential Cuts #5

(Little Esther Phillips – Mojo Hannah)


Fuck the words…hold this ESSENTIAL, (1964), Rhythm & Blues cut from one of the GREAT female vocalists.

musicology #567

Down The Road Apiece #3

(The Filthy Six – Get Carter)


Continuing with the Vintage @ Goodwood story…(can’t believe it was a week ago !!), Saturday morning after a few hours kip, (had the breakfast call at 8:30), I crept back up to the site at around 11am and drifted around on my ‘jacks’ without much purpose until I caught a mesmerising sound floating on the breeze that compelled me to investigate further. The music was so tightly woven together it was almost like one sound…harmony. Not blowing my own trumpet but I have heard a LOT of what I consider to be superb, and I try not to use that, (or any other), word lightly, music over the years and this was no exception. The location was the ‘Soul Stage’, (curated by Eddie Piller), the scene of much of the weekends entertainment as far as I was concerned and, as is often the case I allowed my ears to be my guide….The band on stage were playing what I like to call a blend of ‘Rhythm & Jazz’ in the mould of such luminaries as Grant Green, Wes Montgomery, George Benson, Eddie Harris etc. My initial interest was in the guitar playing and my intention was to just give it a listen and then float off and take in the rest of the festival but the ‘Six were SO good that I couldn’t leave until the end of their set.

Quality music does that for me..once It starts I just can’t walk away until it’s finished.  It was truly inspirational made even better in that I wasn’t expecting it. Basically it set the tone for the rest of the weekend which just got better and better. To finish the story later in the day I caught up with Eddie and raved about what I had just witnessed and found out that he had just released their set on his Acid Jazz Label. I kid you not ‘The Filthy Six’ are Quality with a capital Q. So in memory of my ‘discovery’ I’m laying this one on you which KICKS from start to finish.

The Tune is a rendition of the theme tune from seminal, cult English film ‘Get Carter’ which is particularly serendipitous for me as it was the first film I composed an alternative soundtrack for many moons ago when cutting and pasting film dialogue and combining it with alternative musicology was NOT done on the computer…since then I have composed alternative soundtracks for The Good Bad & The Ugly, Quadrophenia, 12 Angry Man and The Hustler and it’s about time I got another one together…

The Filthy Six are Nick Etwell, Mark Brown, Nigel Price, Pete Whittaker, Dean Drury and Graham Fox and I’m looking forward to catching them at Soul, Soul, Soul a G Spot event next week, (Sep 3rd), at ‘home’ in Soho, (London)

Listen Tune…..

musicology #563

Tales From The Underground #5

Googie Rene Combo – Smokey Joe’s La La


Superb 1966 Rhythm & Blues instrumental and well known mod stomper from West Coast cats The Googie Rene Combo. Son of songwriter Leon Rene, Rafael Leon ‘Googie’ Rene was a suberb instrumentalist who led a combo full of legendary musicians that at various times included Plas Johnson, Rene Hall, Johnny Guitar Watson and Earl Palmer…

Special request to ‘Jumbo’…Hold tight.

musicology #557

Shake It Up & Go #4

(Inez & Charlie Foxx – Hurt By Love)


Continuing with the Shake selection that I threw down last weekend. 1964, (New York), cut on Juggy Murray’s Symbol label.

musicology #556

Shake It Up & Go #3

(Tony Clarke – Ain’t Love Good Ain’t Love Proud)

Massive Rhythm &Blues cut from the majestic Tony Clark. 1964 cut on the US Chess Label. He who feels it knows it. Authentic love is hard to find..if it comes knocking make sure you open the door and let it walk right in.

Now it’s a big, bright world when a guy meets a girl,
Don’t you know when a their lips meet,
Don’t you know that they taste so sweet,
Don’t you know it’s a good, good feeling,
That sets your heart a reeling,
Everybody now clap your hands come on children, stomp your feet,
Come on now..hail out loud,
Ain’t love good ain’t love proud,
Ain’t love good ain’t love proud,
Play the song now,

Now it’s a sheer delight,
To have your heart on fire,
‘Cause the pretty young thing,
Say’s your her one desire,
Don’t you know that it,
Makes you move, it makes you get on the groove,
Everybody now clap them hands,
Come on children, stomp them feet,
Come on ya’ll hail out loud,
Ain’t love good ain’t love proud,

It’s a big, bright world when a guy meets a girl,
Don’t you know when a their lips meet,
Don’t you know that they got to taste so sweet,
Don’t you know it’s a good, good feeling,
And it starts your heart a reeling,
Everybody now clap them hands come on children, stomp your feet,
Come on now..hail out loud,
Ain’t love good ain’t love proud,
Ain’t love good ain’t love proud,
Come on now,
Play the music…

musicology #555

Shake It Up & Go #2

(Ike & Tina Turner – Tina’s Dilemma)

Part two of the ‘Shake’ selection that I played on Saturday night. Big Rhythm & Blues cut courtesy of the Trailblazing Ike Turner, featuring Tina on vocals and, I imagine, the Iketttes on backup.

I remember when I laid down a tribute to Ike on themusicologist to mark his passing I found myself in dialogue with some who felt it was their duty to remind me of his treatment of Tina and pour scorn on the man for his behaviour. I replied that themusicologist is a page for honouring music and passing judgement on peoples ‘business’ holds absolutely no interest for me. Personally I have never laid a hand on a woman or bullied anyone but I have seen the results of it for myself and knew the couple very well and I remember asking her, (as I found it impossible to comprehend), why she stayed to which she replied wholeheartedly that she loved him….who was I to argue.

45 on Juggy Murray’s Sue Label released in the pivotal year of 1962, (important year for mod/ernists)

Listen Tune…

musicology #506

CoversWeek2 #3

(Solomon Burke – Maggies Farm)

bit later than expected on yesterday’s George Benson cut so I’m laying today’s slice of the covers pie down early…before I get sidetracked with my load. Cat still has my tongue a piece so without further delay hold Solomon Burke’s Rhythm & Blues version of Bob Dylan’s protest song. Especially poignant in the 21st Century as ‘Maggie’s Farm’ is well on the way to selling us into a desolate future full of debt, fear and loathing. Watch the ride, make sure you wear your seatbelt and brace yourself for the crash…heading our way sometime over the next 2/3 years.

musicology #474

2LegendsClash II #10

(Dinah Washington – Journey’s End)

So just leaves Dinah to wrap up this session..beautiful duet with vocal group supreme The Ravens who along with The Mills brothers and The Orioles set the tone for the Doo Wop explosion that followed.

musicology #459

TheManWithTheBag #9

(Amos Milburn – Let’s Make Christmas Merry Baby)

Intended on breaking the mould today and throwing the cut early?, (unless of course you’re in NYC, LA, ‘Chi’ or pretty much any State in America), but as Robert Burns wrote:

“The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men
Gang aft agley,
An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,
For promis’d joy!”

So stick that in yer pipes and smoke it !! while we slide into this cut from one of the great Rhythm & Blues pioneers Amos Milburn who, (along with Louis Jordan), had a major impact on the transition from swing to Rhythm & Blues in the mid 1940′s. recorded in 1949 for Eddie & Leo Mesner’s powerhouse Aladdin label, (the home of West Coast Rhythm & Blues).

musicology #458

TheManWithTheBag #8

(The Meditation Singers – What The World Needs For Christmas)

Playing catch up these last couple days !!.  (just noticed that yesterday’s cut was missing from the music box !!!), themusicologist’s ‘drum’ is a bit of a 2 n’ 8, (but my head’s not, even though I had a tooth pulled today). Christmas is in full swing. Presents under the tree for the youts them. Nothing but the seasonal sounds playing day and night..Attended our beautiful daughters Carol service last night, (she’s in the choir), and needless to say it was BOSS. Oh yeah and the snow fell today. Don’t know how long it will last but we are all dreaming of a white one this year.

Must confess that it feels a bit strange this year but of course that’s only natural after sharing the preceeding 21 years in a deep and, at least for me, meaningful relationship but, again, such is life. My experience is that it’s not what happens to you along the way it’s how you roll with it. So with that in mind hold this cut from the majestic Meditation Singers. Formed by none other than Della Reese in 1947 members have included Earnestine Rundless, Lillian Mitchell, Marie Waters, Cassietta George and James Cleveland. Della moved on in 1953 and was replaced by Earnestine’s adopted teenage daughter Laura Lee Rundless. This piece was recorded for and released on Chess/Checker. Haven’t got the LP at hand, (in storage), so can’t remember the recording date but if memory serves me right it was 1969. One thing is for sure though…It’s TOP RANKING.

LISTEN TUNE..

musicology #413

Terry Callier #5

(Terry Callier – If I Could Make You Change Your Mind)

Later than intended but very important that the right message is communicated on this day and who better to ask for help than the poetic genius ‘Pegausus’ (Terry Callier). Right time, right place….

By the way the lines are far too intricate to read between regarding the message just know that this is quite possibly the most important cut themusicologist has ever laid down. To the recipient I MUST say that empathy is crushing my soul. Hold these lyrics in your heart.

Now we are only standing up in here,
To ease away the doubt and fear,
That might lead us back to love,
The story of our life unwinds,
We can read between the lines,
That might lead us back to love,
And if we,
Can agree,
What is real and what is fantasy,
Think how close,
We will be,
We can match the music with our harmony,
If I could make you change your mind,
Come walk with me through the bright sunshine,
What will it take to make you change your mind?,
We are searching for the rainbows end,
If we see the light my friend,
That might lead us back to love,
Sweet love,
I have just begun to realise,
Maybe if we compromise,
That might lead us back to love,
And if we,
Can agree,
What is real and what is fantasy,
Think how close,
We will be,
And we can match the music with our harmony,
If I can make you change your mind,
Come walk with me through the bright sunshine,
What will it take to make you change your mind?,

If I could make you change your mind,
Come walk with me through the bright sunshine babe,
What will it take to make you change your mind?,

Wanna make you change,
Change your mind,
I Wanna make you change,
Come on and change your mind girl hey,
Wanna make you change,
Honey change your mind,
Wanna make you change,
Wanna make you change,
Change Your mind,

He say hey, hey, hey baby change your mind alright,
I said hey, hey, hey baby change your mind woooahh,
He said hey, hey, hey baby change your mind
hey, hey, hey baby change your mind
I said hey, hey, hey baby change your mind woooahh,
Hey, hey, hey baby change your mind
Woooooooahhhhhhh
I got to make you change girl yeah.

musicology #407

Catharsis #5

(India Arie – Slow Down)

Working the Tees yesterday and couldnt find the time and space to throw down a slice of the Cathartic Pie. Listening to and learning from music ALL day though so was most definately In Training for themusicologist and today’s artist will always hold special memories for me due to her part in helping me navigate the roughest and rockiest road I have ever stumbled down. India Arie EPITOMIZES catharsis for me and is one of the most inspirational artists I have ever had the pleasure to connect with and to.

With that in mind hold this cut from one of the GREAT sets. For themusicologist rarely does a whole set hit the bullseye but this one, (Voyage to India), certainly does.

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