Scott Billington, producer extraordinaire of so many top-notch musicians (that typically that don’t get mainstream airplay — well, because they have genuine talent — for example “Gatemouth” Brown and James Booker, two of the GREATS — is writing a monthly “Letter from NOLA” column for Universal Music’s uDiscover website, sharing stories about the musicians he’s worked with (and others),…
I’m very much looking forward to viewing this documentary (first video) on the genius that is Ennio Morricone. At 87 he’s still going strong and is sharp as a whistle. To my mind, he’s the most Wagnerian of 20th Century composers. Beyond the Morricone-Leone collaboration only one other classic collaboration springs to mind and that’s the Herzog-Popol Vuh-(Florian Fricke)…
If I were to choose an album of the year it would be Texas, Texas by Deltaphonic (my other recommendations below). Robert Fontenot as usual gets it (first quote) as does Kevin Quinet (second quote): [T]hese 11 tracks work just fine as road trip music for problem drinkers who like to think of themselves as one step ahead of…
Born on this day . . . see bio big bandJazzLouis Primamusicnew orleansSwingtrumpet
Why were we able to feed and water and medicate this person but not respond to the deeply human needs that he might have . . . — Bill Thomas It’s been a long time coming but I’m now firmly of the view that if I had to lose sight or sound I’d opt for losing the…
George Clinton famously told Hazel to play “like your momma had just died,” and the resulting evocation of melancholy and sorrow doesn’t merely rival Jimi Hendrix’s work, but arguably bests a lot of it. Accompanied by another softer guitar figure providing gentle rhythm for the piece, the end result is simply fantastic, an emotional apocalypse…
This BBC radio programme is far more informative and insightful than all the videoed stuff put together. Bolan unfortunately labored under the teen idol ascription which made many in the day keep quite about their admiration for him. Glad this has all changed. 36 years after Marc Bolan’s death, Paul Sexton presents an updated repeat of…
I have always been of the view that Amy Winehouse was the only female artist that was on Etta James’ plane — the parallels are all too obvious — a profound expression of “love and trouble” experience going back to Billie Holiday. Now that the dust has settled in the four years since Amy’s death I was…
Smokey Johnson, longtime Fats Domino drummer, has died. Jon Cleary, superb N.O. pianist writes: “Smokey playing a simple 12/8 New Orleans groove, check the way he hits the back beat. I’ve played that groove with so many great New Orleans drummers but none of them could make it as mean and tough as Smokey.” Dave BartholomewdrummerFats…
manwithoutqualities 