All Over Now

Just got the sad news that soul singer supreme Bobby Womack died yesterday. He was 70. Amongst many other feats, he wrote and - as a member of the Valentinos - recorded the immortal It's All Over Now, which would be the first British #1 hit for the Stones back in '64. Miss him.

The Valentinos - It's All Over Now
Bobby Womack - Across 110th Street

Never Tired

"You name them hustlers, killers, fiends, ex-cons, I call them cousins, aunts, pops, moms..." Truly fresh voices are a rarity in hiphop these days alas, but Ka's one of the exceptions to that sorry state. Relaxed yet vaguely menacing, his new mini album 1200 B.C. - for sale at his own site only at the mo - is the real deal.

Ka - To Hull And Back

Get Her

Girls in the garage time. It's 1966, and the Boots try to top the Shangri-La's, conjuring up all the melodrama they can possibly find. "No boy is worth the trouble that I'm in..."

The Whyte Boots - Nightmare

Forevermore

The Quartet plays homage to George Gershwin, weaving together Soon, For You, For Me, Forevermore, Love Walked In, and Our Love Is Here To Stay respectively. Great vibes from Milt Jackson and co. Cool's the word.

Modern Jazz Quartet - Gershwin Medley

Island In The Sun

Shame Jamaica didn't qualify for the footy world cup this time around. To make up for that a wee bit, here's a rootsy six pack from the island, about the island. "C'mon and smile..."

Bob Marley & The Wailers - Smile Jamaica/Version
Culture - Down In Jamaica
Joe Gibbs & The Professionals - Down Jamaica Way
Jimmy Cliff - Miss Jamaica
The Gaylads - My Jamaican Girl
The Meditations - Running From Jamaica

Blues Away

Just got the sad news that Horace Silver passed away yesterday. A wonderful pianist and a true hard bop pioneer, Horace Ward Martin Tavares Silva was 85. Miss him.

Horace Silver - Peace

Swinging Lost Paradise

Didn't know the oeuvre of Rip Rig & Panic had finally been released on cd until I stumbled upon a copy of their I Am Cold album in a second-hand store yesterday. Snapped it up in a sec of course. Still the finest postpunk freejazz avant garde prankster hybrid around.

Rip Rig & Panic - You're My Kinda Climate

And by the way, here's where they found their moniker. Gets me hot everytime.

Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Rip, Rig, And Panic

Footlose Men

A long and groovy '75 live version of ye olde Stones chestnut. Mick does his recepshun connecshun shtick to great effect, while Keith sings a ragged second as only he can. Ronnie Wood's the new kid on the block, there's a cameo for Bobby Keys on sax, and that's Billy Preston tickling the ivories. Get what you need.

The Rolling Stones - You Can't Always Get What You Want (live Los Angeles '75)

Feel Like

Saw Graham Parker play live two times before, both a long time ago, and both excellent, but never backed by his original band: the mighty Rumour. That's right: Brinsley Schwarz and Martin Belmont on guitars, Steve Goulding on drums, Andrew Bodnar on bass, and Bob Andrews on keyboards. Now I'm not much of a reunion kinda guy, but I'll gladly make an exception for this legendary lot. Tonight all night all right...

Graham Parker & The Rumour - Pourin' It All Out

Foul White Light

"There's flowers all around his feet, there's flowers in his heart..." The postpunk psychedelica of the Furs' first album definitely stood the test of time. Here's a cool early demo.

Psychedelic Furs - Flowers (demo version)

How It's Been

"Lie there by the fire and watch the evening tire..." Dawn and Will delicately tackle John Denver by way of the Everlys. Hang around some.

Dawn McCarthy & Bonnie Prince Billy - Poems, Prayers And Promises

Much The Same

Ray Stinnett always wanted to have a huge hit record on his hands, and he got it in 1965 as a member of Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs, by playing on the immortal Woolly Bully. After biding his time in a California commune, the man they called Catfish finally got around to recording a solo album in his native Memphis in '71, which unfortunately wasn't released at the time. Thanks to the wonderful label of love Light In The Attic, A Fire Somewhere finally saw the light of day two years ago. Genuine hippie vibes seldom sounded so good.

Ray Stinnett - Salty Haze

Time Is Right

Dug up my two Sneetches albums yesterday and was happy to find their stuff still stands. Pure pop sensibility never goes out of style I guess. Now take that ride.

The Sneetches - What I Know
The Sneetches - In My Car