Wild Weekend Vol. 17

All geared up for the sweet seventeen edition of Wild Weekend? Good. The ghost in the iPod has made its choices, and diversity´s the word once again. Some reggae, some jazz, a weird cover and a lovely tribute. Plus a very recent track from a band called Great Divide and an oldie from the Captain himself. "What's the meaning of this? Poor Harry, I guess..."

Been awhile since we enjoyed any Don Van Vliet magic around here, so I´m glad the lovely Harry Irene - a duo that lived in the green and ran a canteen - came up today. Whistling galore. Meanwhile on the island of Jamaica, a young Peter Tosh describes just what will happen on judgement day to people puttin´ other people down. The rocks will be melting, the sea will be boiling and there´s nowhere to run to really. All that and more in a pointy Lee Perry production.

Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band - Harry Irene MP3

Peter Tosh & The Wailers - Downpresser MP3

Time for Wreckless Eric now, the self-proclaimed Donovan Of Trash, saluting British producer Joe Meek in style. Meek´s Tin Pan Alley was a homestudio in a simple London flat. As Eric sings: "On the second floor of number 304, above a handbag store..." A beautiful tribute to a legendary eccentric. And talking ´bout eccentrics, next up is Eugene Chadbourne, who was fond of playing freepunk versions of classic rock songs on an electric rake. I saw him live once with his band Shockabilly and I´m still a bit flabbergasted. Something tells me you´ve never heard a Creedence song butchered quite like this.

Wreckless Eric - Joe Meek MP3

Shockabilly - Born On The Bayou MP3

Here´s something new I just got in. Great Divide is obviously inspired by Songs In The Key Of Life-era Stevie Wonder, with maybe a touch of Little Feat thrown in. A bit too slick for me after a couple of plays, but these guys just might go far. You decide. And we´ve come to the end of another Wild Weekend with the soothing sounds of pianist supreme Sonny Clark. Cool struttin, baby... Philly Joe Jones shuffles behind the drums and Jackie McLean shines on the alto sax. The sound of jazz perfection, dig?

Great Divide - Fleetwood MP3

Sonny Clark - Cool Struttin´ MP3

Sunshine

I always like it when a cover version differs radically from the original, and that just happens to be the case here. A young Bob Marley recorded his Sun Is Shining in the early seventies under the productional guidance of the one and only Lee Scratch Perry. It´s not Robert Nesta´s best song by far, but still very agreeable, with special thanks to Peter Tosh playing a subtle melodica.

And then it´s time to shine for the Japanese duo of turntablist DJ Krush and trumpeter Toshinori Kondo. Find the superb, Miles-goes-triphop interpretation of Sun Is Shining on their stunning ´99 collaboration Ki-Oku. Now catch them rays.

Bob Marley & The Wailers - Sun Is Shining MP3

DJ Krush & Toshinori Kondo - Sun Is Shining MP3