Artists United Against Apartheid - Sun City (1985)

Note: this release was originally purchased as a LP, later replaced by a CD.

I picked up this CD purely for nostalgia's sake and was quickly reminded what a great album it is (well, the first six tracks, at least). The music moves through funk, rock, hip-hop, and jazz without worrying too much about stylistic consistency; it’s less about cohesion and more about in-your-face urgency, which I guess was the point. If you're interested in the album's origin story, there's a great "making of" video available as well as an informative 2021 interview with organizer Steven Van Zandt.

Press of the time:

• Rolling Stone: "The Sun City project is about informing and motivating people. That we can dance while we're organizing is this record's greatest triumph."
• Musician: "If this project works at all, it will make you mad as hell at the way the world works when it comes to racial relations."
• Stereo Review: "I wish this record were better than it is."
• CashBox: "this is one of the most substantial social issue albums compiled."
• Billboard
• Robert Christgau: A-

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: #31
• Billboard R&B: #28
• CashBox: #31
• Rolling Stone: #40

Tracks: The Sun City single is the best "supergroup" charity single ever released, easily besting Do They Know It's Christmas, We Are The World, Hands Across America, etc. It was named the best single of 1985 in the Village Voice's annual Pazz & Jop Critics Poll. (I ranked it slightly lower, #37 for the year.) It's so choice, in fact, that we're treated to two different mixes of the thing. So many good parts: the Miles Davis intro, the aggressive drums, the chanting, and how coolly Lou Reed delivers the line, "Look around the world, baby, it cannot be denied." We're also treated to a wordless Peter Gabriel track that is better than it should be for something created on the spot (No More Apartheid), an attempt to capitalize on the success of the Paul Hardcastle single "19" (Revolutionary Situation), Gil Scott-Heron speaking truth to power (Let Me See Your I.D.), and an all-star jazz group supporting Miles Davis (The Struggle Continues). The only stinker is the last track, Silver And Gold. These days, the subject matter of apartheid is historical, but Scott-Heron's spoken word poetry about having to have papers to prove that you're a citizen continues to be timely, unfortunately.

And they were telling me that when you walk around in South Africa
You gotta carry this little black book with you
Tells everyone whether you're supposed to be in a given area or not
Damn thats about like my life 'cause I got to do that when I go Philly

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I bought the album not long after it was released and it got plenty of playing time in my private(!) dorm room during my sophomore year as an undergrad. Oddly, I don't remember any of my peers ever listening to it or discussing apartheid with me.

More recently, I had a pastor who had grown up in South Africa and immigrated to the US as an adult. An Afrikaner, he would occasionally share stories of growing up during apartheid. They were eye-opening at best, horrifying at worst.

The Blue Nile - A Walk Across The Rooftops (1984)

UK import

An album more about sound than songs. Intimate, beautiful, tasteful, impeccably arranged sound. So the emphasis is squarely on texture and structure seems optional. Nothing grabs you but you can't stop listening. And I mean all that as a compliment because I really dig the musical milieu. Spin this disc while staring out a window and suddenly your life has a budget and a cinematographer. Atmosphere with vocals almost an afterthought. Certainly not the kind of thing I was looking for in 1984, but I'm glad I finally caught up to it decades later.

Press of the time:

• Smash Hits (9 out of 10): "Straight into a league of their own comes a major new talent"
• Rolling Stone: "this shimmering music is not difficult, just sophisticated"
• Spin: "moodily captivating on the A side...but constricted by a painfully languid flip side"
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music (1997): ★★★★

The album is listed in the 2005 book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die with the following quote: "If you are not moved, you may be dead."

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: My initial thought was to simply write "It plays as one long track and when it's over, you want a second helping" but the tracks Tinseltown In The Rain and Stay really do stand out on this one.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: previously recounted here

Previously revisited for the blog:
Peace At Last (1996)
Hats (1989)

The Krayolas - Little Fox (2007)

When I learned of the passing of Augie Meyers earlier this month, I was reminded that I had this 4 track EP sitting on my shelves. Meyers, as a founding member of the legendary San Antonio group the Sir Douglas Quintet, helped invent Tex-Mex roots rock music back in the 1960's. The Krayolas were heavily influenced by SDQ, so this collaboration more than makes sense, it was practically predestined.

With a few clicks, I quickly found an article about the release from the San Antonio alt-weekly, the Current: Fox Force Five. But since the leader of The Krayolas, Hector Saldana, is a friend o' the blog, I simply reached out to him for his memories of Augie Meyers and the story of how this EP came about. So I'll shut up now as we go directly to the source for more info:

Augie Meyers was as pure a musician as they come. He was known for his sound on the Vox Continental combo organ, but he was also excellent and very musical on the accordion, could play rhythm and lead guitar and was downright elegant on the piano. He was also a really good singer.

Augie was a fan of the Krayolas since our teenage years. He had a show or segment on KEXL-FM radio in San Antonio where he spun local records and I remember going over there with our bassist and organ player Barry Smith with our 45 “All I Do Is Try”/”Sometime” – and he played it, which was a big deal. In the mid-1970s, the Krayolas always included “She’s About a Mover” and “Mendocino” in our sets.

“Little Fox” was completely out of the blue. Augie had listened to “Best Riffs Only” – the compilation of our old 45s – and really liked it and the cover artwork. I ran into him, and he told me he had heard it and that he had a demo of a song from the Sir Douglas Quintet days that was never released called “Little Fox.” He said he would play on it and gave me a cassette of a song that didn’t have the word “fox” in it, didn’t have a chorus, had horns and was kind of long. When I mentioned this to Augie after listening to it, he just said, “Make it sound like the Krayolas.” I arranged it. I turned the horn melody into the Rickenbacker 12-string riff, shortened it and wrote a chorus with “Little Fox.”

Augie is the one that took us to Blue Cat Studios. We recorded it live and listened to Take 1, which sounded great but I thought it could be shorter, so I cut a verse and we did it again. It sounded great. I remember during the first playback, I told my brother that I was going to say, “Take it, Augie!” before the organ solo just like Doug Sahm. We laughed. I almost lost my nerve during the take, but I went for it. It’s a cherished memory. We cut a handful of other songs that I had written for the Krayolas. “Little Fox” was originally in English. I asked my mom to write an additional set of Spanish lyrics for it, and that made it perfect.

Augie had so much fun, too. He said we should make an album. That’s how “La Conquistadora” album¹ came about. He played Vox organ, accordion and piano during the sessions. We also made a Christmas video with Augie to my arrangement of the Rudolph song -- “Tex-Mex Rudolph.” Augie played accordion and Vox organ on it. Of course, “Catherine” and “Alex” were soon played on Little Steven’s Underground Garage on SiriusXM channel 21 – and we ended up playing showcases together at SXSW – including the only time Little Steven Van Zandt broadcast from SXSW. Augie came up for a couple of numbers on that one, including the Kinks “Who’ll Be the Next in Line” and “Little Fox.” At our first SXSW, the crowd went nuts when the Krayolas and Augie Meyers tore into the Dave Clark Five’s “Any Way You Want It.”

One of my favorite memories is Augie playing Vox organ with us at my birthday party at a club called The Cove.² We did a lot of fun gigs and recording sessions together. I visited with Augie quite a few times near the end of his life, and I cherish those visits, too. We talked about his childhood and music and the many musicians he loved. On one of my last visits, I played him a mix of the Krayolas newest Christmas song, “Maria Believes in Christmas Again.” He had hoped to play Vox organ on it but it just couldn’t happen. But as he listened to it he was telling me what he would overdub on it when he felt better.

I was there for his last public gigs and helped him on and off the stage. I cherish that so much. We all loved the guy. He remained humble, down to earth and always with a joke at the ready. It’s a huge loss for San Antonio. He was one of the greatest musicians Texas ever produced.

A song I wrote that Augie played Vox organ on called "Exit Salida" is currently in Top 100 Most Played Songs ranking on SiriusXM Outlaw Country. They started playing it in rotation last week in tribute to Augie. The Krayolas and Augie again.

Thanks, Hector. As for the music on this 10 minute CD, check it out for yourselves as the other tracks are quite good as well; I particularly enjoy Rescue Roses. Samples here: https://thekrayolas.com/music/little-fox/

¹La Conquistadora is also on my shelves and will appear here in the future. Check this space.
²The Cove is the one of my favorite eateries and the only combination organic restaurant/bar/car wash/laundromat/live music venue that I'm aware of.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None, but I sure wish I could have been at that SXSW show.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Happy Go Lucky (2022)
Savage Young Krayolas (2020)
Best Riffs Only (2007)

Kevin Eubanks - Guitarist (1983)

Note: this release was originally purchased as a LP, later replaced by a CD.

From the Eubanks website (gently edited for clarity):

His first album as a leader, Guitarist, was released on the Elektra/Musician label when Kevin was 25. It documented a sophisticated, nuanced voice on the instrument and was graced by the presence of some peers who are still performing with him today: tenor saxophonist Ralph Moore (Tonight Show Band member) and Kevin's brother Robin. Kevin’s cousins, the late bassist David Eubanks and the pianist Charles Eubanks, also appeared on the recording, which was so well received that it lead to a seven record recording contract with the GRP label, owned by Dave Grusin and the late Larry Rosen.

Not sure about "sophisticated" and "nuanced," but promotion is promotion. To me, the album is sort of a mixed bag of compositions with lots of flashy technique, but that's what I would expect from someone trying to find his voice. To my ears, he was heavily influenced by Wes Montgomery and I can't say as I blame any guitarist for listening to a lot of Montgomery's work. The playing is better than the writing on the Eubanks originals but he'd get better at both. Guitarist isn't something I come back to often, but we all gotta start somewhere.

Liner notes written by Eubanks himself.

Reviews/ratings:

• Musician: "enterprising, low-key hard bop"
• The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (1999): ★★★★
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: Did not chart
• Billboard Jazz: #32
• Record World Jazz: #14

Tracks: 8 tracks, 4 of them Eubanks originals. My favorite tracks are the two on which Eubanks shines on solo acoustic guitar - the appropriately titled The Novice Bounce and the cover of Miles Davis's Blue In Green. Robin Eubanks shines on his arrangement of Jerome Kern's Yesterdays.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Kenny Dorham - Four Classic Albums (Second Set) (2018)

UK Import

2018 compilation of four albums by trumpeter Kenny Dorham; another quality compilation from the British Avid label. Albums have been remastered and the original liner notes are included. I went looking for the Afro-Cuban album, but when I saw it was included in this compilation of 4 albums for only $12.33, I jumped at it. Three of the four albums were released on the Blue Note label; Jazz Contrasts was released on Riverside. Turns out Dorham is a Texas native and, according to critic Will Friedwald, an “eternally underrated bebop trumpet icon.” All things considered, this set was quite a pleasant discovery.

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AFRO-CUBAN (1957)
7 tracks, 35 minutes

The first four tracks were originally released in 1955 on the 10" Blue Note Modern Jazz Series, shortly before the label discontinued the format. In 1957, it was reissued on LP with additional tracks and new cover art. The latter incarnation is what is represented on this CD. And what a fun CD it is - quality solos from familiar names over "new" Latin grooves fused with the swinging hard bop of the '50s. Sort of taking over where Dizzy Gillespie and Chano Pozo left off.

1957 liner notes written by Leonard Feather.

Dorham - trumpet
Hank Mobley - tenor sax
Cecil Payne - baritone sax
Horace Silver - piano
Art Blakey - drums
Jay Jay Johnson - trombone (tracks 1-4)
Carlos "Patato" Valdes - congas (tracks 1-4)
Oscar Pettiford - bass (tracks 1-4)
Percy Heath - bass (tracks 5-7)

Reviews/ratings:

• Downbeat (1955) (★★★★): "Kenny has rarely sounded as consistently at inventive ease as on this set."
• Billboard (1955) (71 out of 100): "an often exciting brand of jazz"
• CashBox (1957): "Striking jazz performances"
  
• The Penguin Guide to Jazz (5th ed., 2000): ★★★
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★★

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: Of the first 4 tracks, my top picks are Afrodisia and Minor's Holiday. The later-added tracks 5-7 aren't Afro-Cuban, but still enjoyable, particularly K.D.'s Motion.

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'ROUND ABOUT MIDNIGHT AT THE CAFÉ BOHEMIA (1956)
6 tracks, 44 minutes

Recorded on Thursday, May 31, 1956 at the Café Bohemia in Greenwich Village, New York City.

Dorham's melodic soloing is featured throughout this tight live session which contains a nice blend of originals and standards. Plus, the recording provides furthur evidence as to why Kenny burrell is one of my favorite guitarists. Judging by the crowd noise, Cafe Bohemia was quite an intimate setting and man-oh-man would I love to have been there that night.

Blue Note will soon release a 2 CD edition of this album which includes 17 tracks: The Complete 'Round About Midnight At The Cafe Bohemia. And yes, of course I'm considering a purchase.

Original 1956 liner notes written by Leonard Feather.

Dorham - trumpet
J.R. Monterose - tenor sax
Bobby Timmons - piano
Kenny Burrell - guitar
Sam Jones - bass
Arthur Edgehill - drums

Reviews/ratings:

• Downbeat (★★★★): "well constructed, building, personal, emotional, rhythmically secure and of an absorbing consistency of invention at all tempos and moods."
• Billboard (77 out of 100): "there are moments enough of excitement to warrant great interest"
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★★
• The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (1999): ★★★

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: The standards mentioned above are A Night In Tunisia, Autumn In New York, and the title track, which the group handles with a sort of informal sophistication if that makes any sense. The other three are all Dorham originals. All are good, but Mexico City is the star.

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JAZZ CONTRASTS (1957)
6 tracks, 41 minutes

Sonny Rollins is a nice get as a guest artist plus there's a harp providing a novel timbre on a few tracks. Dorham sounds fantastic, Rollins is Rollins, the rhythm section is great, and everything swings.

Original liner notes written by album producer Orrin Keepnews.

Dorham - trumpet
Sonny Rollins - tenor saxophone (tracks 1-2, 4, 6)
Hank Jones - piano
Betty Glamman - harp (tracks 3-5)
Oscar Pettiford - bass
Max Roach - drums

Reviews/ratings:

• DownBeat (★★★★): "This record may not shock anyone, but it is a delightfully listenable, productive representation of jazz on a professional level."
• Billboard (Special Merit Jazz Album): "Package sells itself on the collective and individual excellence of all participants."
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★
• The Penguin Guide to Jazz (9th ed., 2008): ★★★
• The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (1999): ★★★★

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: 3 ballads, 3 up-tempo, no originals. My top cuts are the standards Falling In Love With Love (Hart, Rodgers), I'll Remember April (de Paul, Johnston, Raye), and My Old Flame (Coslow, Johnston).

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WHISTLE STOP (1961)
7 tracks, 39 minutes

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna sit back and enjoy this one while I send you over to the Blue Note website for the hyperbolic lowdown on this release: Doing The Philly Twist: Kenny Dorham's Whistle Stop.

Original 1961 liner notes written by Ira Gitler.

Dorham - trumpet
Hank Mobley - tenor saxophone
Kenny Drew - piano
Paul Chambers - bass
Philly Joe Jones - drums

Reviews/ratings:

• DownBeat (★★★½): "the solos do not live up to the ensembles"
• CashBox: "a neatly tied-up jazz package of tremendous strength."
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★
• The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (1999): ★★★★★

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: 7 Dorham originals. Today, I'm liking Philly Twist, Whistle Stop, and Windmill.

Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense (2024 reissue)

Note: this release was originally purchased as an LP, later replaced by a CD, later supplemented by a homemade "Special Edition" CD-R, finally replaced with this 2 CD + Blu-Ray set. This 18 track set is a far cry from the 9 track LP I purchased back in 1985.

As described on the band's website:

Stop Making Sense is widely regarded as the best concert film of all time. This 2CD/1Blu-Ray disc edition features the complete show on 2-CDs, additional liner notes written by Tina Weymouth, David Byrne, Chris Frantz, and Jerry Harrison as well as photos not previously available with the CD, and the audio mixed in beautiful Dolby Atmos surround sound on the Blu-Ray audio disc. A live "best-of," Stop Making Sense starts strong with the band's hit off their debut album "Psycho Killer," and dives into favorites and deep cuts from "Burning Down the House" and "This Must Be The Place" to "Girlfriend Is Better" and "Heaven." The band also performs' the Tom Tom Club's "Genius Of Love."

Yes, Stop Making Sense is indeed the best concert film of all time and this album has long been my favorite Talking Heads release. I've heard a lot of versions of this music on many formats and I gotta tell ya: the sound on this set is far superior to any previous version and it's not even close. Kudos to Jerry Harrison and E.T. Thorngren for the mix. This new mix really brings out the contributions of the added musicians Bernie Worrell, Alex Weir, and in particular, backing vocalists Lynn Mabry & Ednah Holt. Makes all previous releases (and rereleases) obsolete. 

Press of the time:

• Rolling Stone (★★★★): "a solid artistic statement from a band that's starting to have as much as they've given their listeners."
• Stereo Review: "a great live performance"
• Robert Christgau (B+): a soundtrack, albeit for the finest concert film I've ever seen"
• CashBox: "an electrifying LP"
• Billboard: "sustains remarkable polish"

Original album chart peaks:

• US Billboard Top 200: #41
• Billboard Pop CD: #25
• CashBox: #29
• CashBox CD: #10
• Rolling Stone: #16

Tracks: I don't skip any tracks; my favorites are Found A Job, What A Day That Was, This Must Be The Place (Naïve Melody), Once In A Lifetime, and Take Me To The River.

Blu-Ray: As if the 2 "regular" CDs weren't sounding spectacular enough, this set comes with a Blu-Ray disc containing a Dolby Atmos mix. When Atmos mixes starting appearing, I thought it would be a passing fad, much like other legacy music formats such as DualDisc, DVD Audio, CD+G, CD Video, etc., but I'll admit it has hung around longer than I thought it would. When I came across the first Atmos disc in my collection (Abbey Road), I didn't have a proper playback for the Atmos mix. I've since researched what it would cost to get me set up with a quality system and my fixed income quickly shot down that idea. However, I came up with a decent workaround. I discovered my Sony Xbox Series X is compatible with Atmos discs, so I purchased a wireless gaming headset and - Bob's your uncle - I was all set to enjoy the Atmos mix. And lemmetellya the surround sound is fantastic, especially with lights off and eyes closed. I won't go out of my way to buy Atmos discs, but it's nice to be able to listen to the discs I have.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: When the movie was restored and rereleased in 4K for the film's 40th anniversary, I drove downtown to take it in at one of the local IMAX theaters. I went to the 11 AM screening, so there were only about 5 or 6 of us in the audience. As such, the typical movie theater distractions (talking, phone use, etc.) weren't there and I could focus on the show. It was glorious. My only regrets are 1) they weren't selling Stop Making Sense merch at the theater, and 2) I didn't stay for a second screening.

And, as I've mentioned before, a movie poster has been hanging out above my CDs for many years.

Previously revisited for the blog:

The Best Of (2004)	The Name Of This Band Is Talking Heads (1982)
Little Creatures (1985)	Remain In Light (1980)
Stop Making Sense (1984)	Fear Of Music (1979)
Speaking In Tongues (1983)	Talking Heads: 77 (1977)

Various Artists - Buddha-Bar IV (2002)

Another world beat chill-out compilation from our friends at Buddha Bar. Meant to be heard, but not noticed. For what it's worth, I prefer CD1 to CD2.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks:

CD1: Dinner
	Artist	Title
1	Frédérick Rousseau	La Fille De Pékin
2	Tiber Project	Tibet (A Passage To...)
3	Jade Or	Opium
4	Nitin Sawhney	Moonrise
5	Nash Didan	A Window Of My Dreams
6	Agricantus	Amatevi
7	Manuel Franjo	Tiempo
8	Guadalupe Pineda Con Los Tres Ases	Historia De Un Amor
9	Armen Chakmakian	Distant Lands
10	Nickodemus	Desert Dancer (Zeb's Slow Camel Ride Remix)
11	Flam	Monsoon
12	Tulku	Rahda Ramana
13	Natassa Theodoridou	Tora To Thimithikes
14	Gotan Project	Una Musica Brutal

CD2: Drinks
CD2	Artist	Title
1	outsized	Karma (Extended Mix)
2	Time Passing	Party People
3	Panjabi MC	Mundian To Bach Ke
4	Ishtar	Comme Toi
5	Chris Spheeris	Dancing With The Muse
6	David Visan & Carlos Campos	Irish Coffee
7	Llorca	The Novel Sound
8	Loving Paris	Loco
9	Roland Louis	Percussion's Rhythm (Dimitri From Paris Re-Edit)
10	Dan Lackman's Alliance	Louxor In Vegas
11	Angie Samiou	Agoraki Mou
12	Amr Diab	Aktar Wahed
13	Celia Cruz	Yo Vivire (I Will Survive)
14	Usual Masters	Nocturne In Paris

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: See my first Buddha Bar blog post.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Buddha Lounge (2002)
Buddha-Bar III (2001)