Mark Wonder Northwest Reggae 2007

With the Northwest World Reggae Festival 2008 just over a week away I thought I would post some vid's from last year to tempt you just in case you were thinking of passing it up. The clip below is Mark Wonder being supported by The Escort Service Band, J. Ross Parelli, Lambsbread on trombone (The Instigators), James on sax (Reeble Jar). I apologize for forgetting the other back-up singers name.

More Blues Vids : Freddie King

If you don't know who Freddie King is, well you should. And if you like ripping blues guitar licks that will just melt you, then watch these vids, and be thankful for the advance of technology that puts stuff like this on you tube, easily available and for free. Take your history lesson, and wonder why music today just does not seem to have the same passionate soul as it once did. And give a big up to Freddie for rocking so hard!

Jesse "The Lone Cat" Fuller

I was just talking about Jesse Fuller the other day with a friend while playing a song of his on guitar on the porch. Today while poking around watching video's on YouTube I came across a few great Jesse Fuller clips that I thought would be great to share.

Jesse was an original one man band, starting his music career in the 50's when work became scarce after World War II. He penned many notable songs such as Monkey and the Engineer and Beat It On Down The Line, as well as playing a reportoire collected from years of travel across the country working different jobs since he left his birthplace down south in Georgia. Don't forget to check out the other youtube links below the embedded video. They are from a 1968 concert and are a must see!

San Francisco Bay Blues

Red River Blues 1968

John Henry 1968

Jesse Fuller Wikipedia

Sound of the City

I have been listening to a lot of old school reggae from the 70's lately. I have found lots of cool stuff that is so hard to get thanks to the internet and blogs. I would like to give a shout out to the folks over at Jah School for providing this track in one of there 7" packs a while back. The track here is Sound of the City by Joe Higgs and Jimmy Cliff, released in 1978. The late seventies were definitely a special time for reggae as this tune will attest.

Joe Higgs & Jimmy Cliff - Sound of the City

A Tribe Called Quest and the A Milli Sample

While I was reading some forums this morning I ran across some interesting information on the sample source for the popular Lil' Wayne track A Milli. And that information reminded me of a great version of one of my favorite hip hop tracks, which just happens to be hard to find for a lot of people. The track I am talking about is a remix of A Tribe Called Quest's I Left My Wallet in El Segundo by Norman Cook aka Fatboy Slim. It was released on a 12" along with a couple other remixes of the same track by him. This is the infamous Vampire Mix. Most people can only find this mix on the ATCQ cd Hit's, Rarities, and Remixes.



ATCQ - I Left My Wallet In El Segundo (Vampire Mix)



The dancehall sample used at the beginning of the track was slowed way down and repeated over and over in the new song by Lil' Wayne and produced by Bangladesh. I particularly love when hip hop samples it self.

Lafa Taylor and others at 3rd Annual Tayberry Jam - Reggae on the Mountain

I have been meaning to post up a track from Lafa Taylor's cd Different. This weekends festival, The 3rd Annual Tayberry Jam - Reggae on the Mountain, outside of Cottage Grove Oregon, gives me the perfect opportunity to do so. Lafa will be playing there on Saturday evening along with Clinton Fearon, Jah Sun, Prezident Brown, and many more. It will be a great opportunity to see some great music at a great venue, Cougar Mountain. The Festival is three days with lots of bands all day everyday as well as many spoken word presentations.

Back to Lafa Taylor. He is a multi talented MC, Electronic Wizard, and Beatboxer. His CD Different has been out for a while now and should be in your collection. He mixes hip hop and reggae and often collaborates with Marv Ellis, another extraordinary MC from Eugene. You can pick up his music at his website www.lafataylor.com, as well as lots of other info and some free downloads and bunch of videos. Below is a video of the track Rolling Dough off of the Different CD.


And here is a track that you can download from his website:

Lafa Taylor - Making Love

When You Play Dancehall

There have been a lot of mixes of the popular track Mad Again by the South Rakka's Crew. The EP has been a solid seller and if you don't have a copy go check them out. They have been responsible for a number of famous rhythms over the past years, most notably the Coolie Dance. Although Mad Again is a great track as are its many remixes, I felt that more of the EP could use some shine. Here are a couple more of the tracks that I like a lot. But generally the whole thing should be in the collection.

South Rakkas Kid Foreigner - Hotter Than Them (extended mix)




South Rakkas Sandy Smith ft. Geefus - When You Play Dancehall

Anti-Funk

Betty Davis is a goddess of funk. The one time partner with Mile Davis changed the game with sexuality and funk. This song from her debut album has been posted on a lot of blogs, but I noticed that both Merl Saunders, and Pete Sears both played keyboards on it, as well as Larry Graham on bass. I love this whole album and it is a must have for anyone who likes good music. I have been trying to get my brother to give me his copy in exchange for all those records he "borrowed" when I went away to college (wink,wink).


Betty Davis - Anti-Love Song

O' Whadda Bam Bam

Ah One, Two of my favorite early dance hall tracks. They've also been sample fodder for a hip hop track or two. Anyway, first up is Bam Bam. The song just kills it whenever, wherever, dancehall classic. Next, is Transport Connection, another dancehall classic. They were both ripped from the same album, a reissue of Sister Nancy - One, Two. Bam Bamm is on the famous Stalag Riddim

Sister Nancy - Bam Bam (Stalag Riddim)



Sister Nancy - Transport Connection

Oregon Country Fair 2008

It's Oregon Country Fair time again. The annual festival of culture and crafts and lots of hippy fun happens next weekend. Always a good time and rejuvenating experience to refresh the synapse's and recharge the spirit to trod back in to the world of confusion with some hope and joy! See ya'll there, and if you can't make it you know we will be thinking of you. Peace!

Holy Ghost Post

OK, so I am still feeling bad about the Bar-Kay's post (the low bit-rate's) and feel I they deserve their due. After all they are one of my favorite funk bands ever. Yesterday I finally got back to ripping some vinyl. With the Bar-Kay's still on my mind I ripped these gem's from this bootleg 12 inch I've been spinning with. The first is the real monster, and one that never fails to get a response from a crowd that likes some seriously deep funk, Holy Ghost. The b-side is named Monster, and is a much jazzier funk number, good for the beginning of the night or end of the night jams.

The Bar-Kay's - Holy Ghost (special 12" mix)



The Bar-Kay's - Monster (special 12" mix)

Summer Madness in the Summertime

Here is a couple classics for that summertime feeling. The first, Summer Madness, from Kool & The Gang, found on both the Light of Worlds LP 1974 and the Love And Understanding LP 1976.



Kool & The Gang Summer - Summer Madness



Summer Madness was the foundation for our next jam by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince classic hip hop single, Summertime(released 1991).



Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince - Summertime (DJ Jazzy Jeff Mix)



And a bonus:


And remember this (from back when MTV actually had music)?