Lee "Scratch" Perry - Cutting Razor: Rare Cuts From the Black Ark

Let's face it, reggae fans now have good reason to be wary when it comes to the mining ofLee "Scratch" Perry's Black Ark studio tapes. While it is beyond speculation that the vast majority of the work done there was innovative and top-shelf, there's also been a slew of it that either was or wasn't released before for a reason (i.e., it sucked). In all of the Upsetters' singles collections and "rare tapes from the Black Arc years, various labels have made dodgy claims as to the historical worth and aesthetic quality of some of the material. One notorious collection features one disc of solid work and another of absolute filler. This set from Rounder's Heartbeat imprint has Scratch's stamp of approval for release -- not something everybody else can claim. Here are 17 tracks from the heyday of the Black Ark by artists like Junior Murvin, Max Romeo, the Heptones, Perry and his Upsetters, U-Roy, Time Unlimited, and others. Twelve of the cuts here are previously unreleased, and virtually everything here is killer dread reggae from the music's most creative period. The set opens with "Cutting Razor" by Junior Byles and the Versatiles, a version of Joe Higgs' "Steppin' Razor," made an anthem by the late Peter Tosh. Given that this is from 1973, the year Black Ark opened, it still has within it some of the soul and R&B feel that reggae was emerging from, but Scratch did everything he could to make it raw, and as a result the cut is thoroughly believable in the delivery of Byles. Another winner is the lovers rock of Junior Murvin's "Let's Fall in Love" and the steamy dread croon of "Mister Craven" from his unreleased second album. If this doesn't make the final connection that Murvin was theFrankie Lymon of reggae, nothing will. Murvin's voice is so sweet, soulful, and seductive it's infectious. (Hopefully Heartbeat or Trojan or somebody will get this record to the CD mastering plant in a hurry if this cut is any indication of what we've been missing for 30 years.) The Upsetters' rocksteady "Righteous Judgment" is pure instrumental groove; it walks the line between reggae and ska in such a way it drifts, floats, and weaves but never defines itself; it's a gorgeous moment. U-Roy's "Yama Khy" was issued as a single, but this is an alternate mix that is more raw; full of children chanting throughout, it is more of a groover than the released version. The doo wop choruses enter like specters from the edges of Scratch's mix and wind around U-Roy and the kids. Of the previously issued material, here we also hear the benefit of the Ark operating at Perry's full capacity behind the boards:the Heptones' glorious "Sufferer's Time," an early example of the dark, political dread reggae that was brewing, and Leo Graham's (Glasdford Manning) nearly forgotten and mislabeled classic "Black Candle." Time Unlimited's "Judgement," which closes the album, and "Staring," its second track, reveal that Junior Delgado was still very much in the transition period from being an R&B-styled singer. But Perry's mark is all over the vocal phrasing, delaying those last syllables as they bleed into the next line, and the rhythm used was copied by all of Perry's competitors at the time. In sum, this is a very worthy compilation of some of reggae's true obscurities; they add further musical proof to Perry's legend, and as tracks stand up on their own as amazing music three decades after the fact.

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Abigail Sin Plays Frank Zappa

Abigail Sin (born 1992) is a Singaporean pianist. She was hailed by TIME Magazine as one of Asia's small wonders and a bona fide prodigy when she was ten years old. By the age of eleven, she attained her Licentiate of the Royal School of Music (LRSM) in Piano Performance.
In January 2005, Sin won first prize at the Virginia Waring International Junior Piano Competition in Palm Desert, California. Later in the year, she won another prize at the 17th Ibiza International Piano Competition in Spain in the Young Pianist category for contestants 16 years old and under. In 2006, she recorded Abigail Sin Plays Frank Zappa and was accepted into the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (Singapore). Sin is the youngest student there

Como Toca la pebeta!.

The Young Lions - The Young Lions

Irvin Shaw wrote the novel The Young Lions from which this all star post-to-hard bop all-star band took their name, launching the moniker of a generation of Wynton Marsalis-led followers in the '80s. Wayne Shorter on tenor sax, Frank Strozier on alto sax, Lee Morgan on trumpet, Bobby Timmons on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and either Louis Hayes or Albert "Tootie" Heath (sic as "Tuttie") on drums comprise the original Lions, a one-shot band who set the standard for the Blue Note-Riverside-based players who would follow in their path. There's a true democratic, shared value and responsibility evident in every sonic phase of this recording, but it is Shorter who wrote all the material. His "Seeds of Sin" is a sweet, swinging shuffle full of original harmonic thought. "Scourin'" (sic as "Scourn'") displays a head-nodding swing inspired by quarter-note walking bass courtesy of the unflappable Cranshaw, and wondrous sax-trumpet unity. Timmons' huge, funky piano chords lead to all three horns strutting joyously in melodic agreement during "Fat Lady"; the solos perfectly display the individualism of Shorter's piquant tenor, Morgan's brash trumpet, and Strozier's slightly strained alto before a brief trading of fours with the unidentified drummer. Shorter's tenor is up front, with Morgan on the second melody and Strozier following along for the tightly structured "Peaches & Cream," which is not a team effort until the very last note. Over 11 ½ minutes, "That's Right" proffers an easy, bluesy 12-bar swing in a jam vehicle, with Timmons as pied piper, the horns shouting out in unison, chord punctuations from the pianist, and doo wop accents for the solos. Morgan uses a mute, and Shorter's tenor is fluid as a country stream. There are three alternate takes: A fourth try of "Seeds" is five seconds longer and not only sweet, but a little sour; on a third rendition of "Scourin'," the 35-second bass intro is omitted as Shorter's tenor digs right in and less unison is evident; and with an extra 24 seconds, the third taping of "Fat Lady" only differs in solo content. This is a classic, and one every modern jazz fan should have. The liner notes, written by Cannonball Adderley, are also priceless; they discuss the "glorification of mediocrity," a rip on Dick Clark, country-pop, comformity, and railing against modern jazz naysayers. The notes also include other poignant observations that still ring true today. Interesting reading, ultimately interesting music.

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Chet Baker / Art Pepper - THE ROUTE

This 1989 CD issue compiles all known sides cut during a July 26, 1956, session led by Chet Baker (trumpet) and Art Pepper (alto sax). Keen-eyed enthusiasts will note that this particular date occurred during a remarkable week -- July 23 through July 31 -- of sessions held at the behest of Pacific Jazz label owner and session producer Dick Bock at the Forum Theater in Los Angeles. The recordings made during this week not only inform The Route, but three other long-players as well: Lets Get Lost (The Best of Chet Baker Sings), Chet Baker and Crew, and Chet Baker Quintet at the Forum Theatre. Likewise, these were the first sides cut by Baker since returning from his triumphant and extended stay in Europe. The Route compiles all 11 tracks by the sextet featuring Richie Kamuca (tenor sax), Pete Jolly (piano), Leroy Vinnegar (bass), and Stan Levey (drums) in support of Baker andPepper. Bock had no immediate plans to use these recordings for any one album; that is to say he incorporated the tracks throughout various compilations released on Pacific Jazz. Three months later, however, Baker and Pepper did record with completely different personnel for the expressed purpose of issuing what would become known as Playboys and alternately Picture of Heath. Perhaps encouraged by the swinging interaction on Pepper's "Tynan Time" and "Minor Yours," both tracks were featured at this session as well as during the Picture of Heath collaboration. There are a few unexpected moments of sheer brilliance spread throughout, such as the Baker-penned title track, which contains supple and nicely contrasting solos from Kamuca and Vinnegar -- whose solid pendulum accuracy swings all through this collection. The Route is recommended for completists as well as curious consumers wishing to expand their knowledge of the light and airy rhythms that typify the cool West Coast jazz scene of the mid-'50s.

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ZAPPA 2010 QUE QUERÉS QUE TE DIGA?

FRANK ZAPPA - Hammersmith Odeon (2010) Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, electric guitarist, record producer, and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, electronic, orchestral, and musique concrete works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed album covers. Zappa produced almost all of the more than 60 albums he released with the band Mothers of Invention and as a solo artist. Zappa was a highly productive and prolific artist and he gained widespread critical acclaim. Many of his albums are considered essential in rock and jazz history. He is regarded as one of the most original guitarists and composers of his time. He also remains a major influence on musicians and composers. He had some commercial success, particularly in Europe, and for most of his career was able to work as an independent artist. Zappa was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. - wikipedia Three discs of material from the Hammersmith Odeon in London, 1978.

DISC 1: 01. Convocation - The Purple Lagoon 02. Dancin' Fool 03. Peaches En Regalia 04. The Torture Never Stops 05. Tryin' To Grow A Chin 06. City Of Tiny Lites 07. Baby Snakes 08. Pound For A Brown DISC 2: 01. I Have Been In You 02. Flakes 03. Broken Hearts Are For Assholes 04. Punky's Whips 05. Titties 'n Beer 06. Audience Participation 07. The Black Page #2 08. Jones Crusher 09. The Little House I Used To Live In DISC 3: 01. Dong Work For Yuda 02. Bobby Brown 03. Envelopes 04. Terry Firma 05. Disco Boy 06. King Kong 07. Watermelon In Easter Hay (Prequel) 08. Dinah-Moe Humm 09. Camarillo Brillo 10. Muffin Man 11. Black Napkins 12. San Ber'dino

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