John Cale - Mercenaries (Ready For War) / Rosegarden Funeral Of Sores (Single, 1980)

Originally posted in March 2014:

On all channels threatening news about Russia´s military intervention in Crimea... Hope there is a chance to de-escalete the situation. Maybe John Cale´s "Mercenaries (Ready For War)" is the fitting single for this dangerous situation. 

Back in January 1980, with a nightmare awakening in Afghanistan, Thatcher getting comfortable at Downing Street, Reagan waiting to be inaugurated, and decades of mercenary-assisted bloodshed in Africa, John Cale released a topical single that he'd been playing live for a year or so. A rocking little ditty with prescient and sinister artwork, "Mercenaries (Ready for War)" was a studio recording of the lead-off track of the previous month's live LP of new material, Sabotage/Live.
The sleeve lists "Mercenaries" as being the same live version from the Sabotage album but it is actually a studio version exclusive to this single. It has not been re released since the master tapes have been lost!       

"Mercenaries are usless, disunited, unfaithful
They have nothing more to keep them in a battle
Other than a meager wage
Which is just about enough to make them wanna kill for you
But never enough to make them wanna die for ya
I’m just another soldier boy
I’m just another soldier boy
Looking for work
Looking for work
Looking for work

My rifle is my friend
My rifle is my friend
I clean my rifle everyday
I clean my rifle everyday
That’s why my rifle is my friend

Ready for war, ready for war
Ready for war, ready for war
Ready for war, ready for war
Ready for war, ready for war

Did some work in Zaire, the jolly old Belgian Congo
Went back to Geneva to get paid
Back there in Geneva, that’s were the money grows
That’s were the money grows, that’s were the money flows

They didn’t wanna pay me
They didn’t wanna pay me, but they did
Try to separate me from my money
is try to separate me from my life

Ready for war, ready for war
Ready for war, ready for war
Ready for war, ready for war
Ready for war, ready for war

Let’s go to Moscow, let’s go to Moscow
Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go to Moscow
Fight a backdoor to the Kremlin
Push it down and walk on in

5000 feet and closing
Target visibility one nine
4000 feet and closing
Target visibility two six
3000 feet and closing
Target visibility seven nine
2000 feet and closing
Visibility one ten
1000 feet and closing
Visibility seven four
500 feet and closing
Target visibility zero!

Ready for war, ready for war
You better be ready for war
Ready for war, ready for war
Are you ready for war
Ready for war, ready for war"

John Cale - Mercenaries / Rosegarden Funeral Of Sores (Single)
(320 kbps, cover art included)

Mercedes Sosa - Disco De Oro aka Gracias A La Vida (1975)

The driving force behind the nueva canción movement, singer Mercedes Sosa was born and raised in Tucumán, Argentina, beginning her performing career at age 15 after taking top honors in a radio station amateur competition. A rich, expressive vocalist and a gifted interpreter, Sosa was dubbed "the voice of the silent majority" for her choice of overtly political material, and alongside artists including Violeta Parra and Atahualpa Yupanqui, she spearheaded the rise of the so-called "nueva canción" movement, which heralded the emergence of protest music across Argentina and Chile during the '60s.

The movement was crippled in 1973 by the CIA-sponsored coup which ousted democratically elected Chilean President Salvador Allende; with her repertoire of songs championing human rights and democracy, Sosa was viewed as a serious threat by the military regime which assumed power, and in 1975 she was arrested during a live performance which also resulted in the incarceration of many audience members.

Death threats forced her to leave Argentina in 1979, and she remained in exile for three years, finally returning with a triumphant comeback performance in February 1982. Sosa recorded prolifically in the years to follow. In fall 2000, Sosa won a Grammy for Best Folk Album for Misa Criolla at the first annual Latin Grammy Awards, and again in 2003 and 2006 for Acústico and Corazón Libre, respectively. On October 4, 2009, after receiving multiple Grammy nominations for the album, Cantora, Mercedes Sosa passed away after a long battle with kidney disease. President Kilcher ordered three days of national mourning in her beloved Buenos Aires, culminating in a public funeral procession from the National Congress building to La Chacarita cemetery.   

This compilation was released as "Disco De Oro" in 1975 and re-released in 1995 as "Gracias A La Vida".

Tracklist:

1	Si Se Calla El Cantor
2	Canción Para Mi América
3	Duerme Negrito
4	Hermano
5	Te Recuerdo Amanda
6	Gracias A la Vida
7	La Chacarera Del 55
8	El Jardin de la Republica
9	Canción Del Derrumbe Indio
10	Zamba Para No Morir
11	Canción Con Todos
12	Alfonsina y El Mar

   
Mercedes Sosa - Disco Del Oro aka Gracias A La Vida (1975)       
(256 kbps, cover art included)

Gil Scott-Heron - Free Will (1972)

Gil Scott-Heron's third album is split down the middle, the first side being a purely musical experience with a full band (including flutist Hubert Laws and drummer Pretty Purdie), the second functioning more as a live rap session with collaborator Brian Jackson on flute and a few friends on percussion.

For side one, although he's overly tentative on the ballad "The Middle of Your Day," Scott-Heron excels on the title track and the third song, "The Get Out of the Ghetto Blues," one of his best, best-known performances. The second side is more of an impromptu performance, with Scott-Heron often explaining his tracks by way of introduction ("No Knock" referred to a new police policy whereby knocking was no longer required before entering a house, "And Then He Wrote Meditations" being Scott-Heron's tribute to John Coltrane).

His first exploration of pure music-making, "Free Will" functions as one of Scott-Heron's most visceral performance, displaying a maturing artist who still draws on the raw feeling of his youth.

Gil Scott-Heron - Free Will (1972)
(192 kbps, front cover inlcuded)

Checkpoint Charlie – Grüß Gott mit hellem Klang (1970)

Checkpoint Charlie were a German politico-prog-rock meets theatre outfit mostly active during the 1970's and early 1980's. Colleagues of "Floh De Cologne" and "Ton Steine Scherben", but with a very different approach, Checkpoint Charlie were much more angst and proto-punk in a way. Their debut LP is well-known as one of the most challengingly angry records of Krautrock. After that they refined their style along similar lines to Oktober on their next 3 albums.    

"Grüß Gott mit hellem Klang" was their debut, released in 1970, later reissued in the 1980s and the 1990s with 300 copies each.
The front cover gives the name as "Checkpoint Charlie", while the back cover says "Checkpoint Charly" and the labels have "Checkpointcharlie" (see included album art).

Tracklist:                          

Nancartan
Jesus
Geschichte von Herrn Müller I
Geschichte von Herrn Müller II
Das arme Waisenkind

Checkpoint Charlie – Grüß Gott mit hellem Klang (1970)
(ca. 192 kbps, cover art included)

Ostzonensuppenwürfelmachenkrebs - Leichte Teile, Kleiner Rock

Having formed in 1986, the band with that absurd sounding name – borrowed from the headline of a German tabloid ("East German Stock Cubes Give You Cancer") – released their “Für Zuhause” LP on L´AGE D´OR in 1990 which still is considered as one of the most important German releases of the 90’s.

On their first two releases, the formation around singer, songwriter and guitarist Carsten Hellberg sang in English, then they stopped singing altogether, and in the end in German. The usual process of finding the right language and its implementation as regards the lyrics likewise applied to the music of this band – affectionately also known as the SuWüs (short for "Suppenwürfel"). At the beginning it was something like offbeat, non-classifiable folk core rock (from A as in Amon Düül to Z as in Zappa, there seemed to be a bit of everything in it) which, despite the vast range of styles, depicted incredible homogeneity.

On their last triumphant release, “Leichte Teile, kleiner Rock” (1998), the SuWüs discover groove and continue to impress with their intellectual and also very private lyrics without coming across as smart-arses. It’s so easy: regaining speech. Organizing the vocals and instrumentation more compactly. Formulating more succinctly. Bringing on an indie prog rock smasher as if one were half nuts, and picking up anything from King Crimson to Built to Spill or whatever you happen to find along the way. History speaks.

Tracklist:

1 Von Haus aus allein 4:01

2 Scheint gut 4:34

3 Respekt vor dem eigenen Hau 4:25

4 Leonard 1:05

5 Traumgestalter 2:44

6 Drei 3:39

7 Wort auf 3:44

8 Andere Baustelle, ähnlicher Auftrag 3:54

9 Geschichte spricht 4:09

10 Doch 2:58

11 Anfang im Ende 4:54

Ostzonensuppenwürfelmachenkrebs - Leichte Teile, Kleiner Rock

(320 kbps, cover art included)

Eric Burdon - Declares "War" (1970)

The debut effort by Eric Burdon and War was an erratic effort that hinted at more potential than it actually delivered. Three of the five tunes are meandering blues-jazz-psychedelic jams, two of which, "Tobacco Road" and "Blues for Memphis Slim," chug along for nearly 15 minutes. 

These showcase the then-unknown War's funky fusion, and Burdon's still-impressive vocals, but suffer from a lack of focus and substance. "Spill the Wine," on the other hand, is inarguably the greatest moment of the Burdon-fronted lineup. Not only was this goofy funk, shaggy-dog story one of the most truly inspired off-the-wall hit singles of all time, it was War's first smash -- and Eric Burdon's last. The odd closing track, a short piece of avant-garde sentimentality called "You're No Stranger," was deleted from re-releases of this album for years.


Tracklist:
Side 1:

1. "The Vision of Rassan" - 7:40
   1. "Dedication"" – 2:33
   2. "Roll on Kirk" – 5:07
2. "Tobacco Road" - 13:44
   1. "Tobacco Road" (John D. Loudermilk) – 3:47
   2. "I Have a Dream" – 6:39
   3. "Tobacco Road" (Loudermilk) – 3:58

Side 2:

1. "Spill the Wine" – 4:38
2. "Blues for Memphis Slim" - 13:30 (individual times not accurate)
   1. "Birth" – 1:31
   2. "Mother Earth" (Peter Chatman) – 2:46
   3. "Mr. Charlie" – 3:05
   4. "Danish Pastry" – 3:18
   5. "Mother Earth" (Chatman) – 2:28
3. "You're No Stranger" (Thomas C Carter) – 1:55

Eric Burdon - Declares "War" (1970)
(320 kbsp, cover art included)

VA - A canção política (1998)

Music has a unique power. But why and how can music develop such an energy that public articulation of protest is almost unthinkable without it?

"A canção política" is a fine compilation of "Música popular brasileira" with a political perspective of freedom in politics, music, and lifestyle.


Tracklist:

01 - Elis Regina - O Bêbado E A Equilibrista
(João Bosco - Aldir Blanc)
02 - Gilberto Gil - Não Chore Mais
(B. Vicent - vs: Gilberto Gil)
03 - Gonzaguinha - É
(Gonzaguinha)
04 - Sérgio Ricardo - Calabouço
(Sérgio Ricardo)
05 - Gilberto Gil - Nos Barracos Da Cidade
(Liminha - Gilberto Gil)
06 - Chico Buarque - O Que Será (À flor da pele)
(Chico Buarque)
07 - Maria Bethânia - Carcará
(João do Vale - José Candido)
08 - Elis Regina - Como Nossos Pais
(Belchior)
09 - Sérgio Ricardo - Antonio Das Mortes
(Sérgio Ricardo - Glauber Rocha)
10 - Chico Buarque - Gota D'Água
(Chico Buarque)

VA - A canção política (1998)
(320 kbps, cover art included)

The Bush Chemists - Dub Outernational (1996)

Formed in 1993 as an offshoot project to Centry, the dub/reggae outfit the Bush Chemists has issued several albums and EPs since 1996's, including Dub Outernational, Money Run Tings, Dubs From Zion Valley, In Dub: Light Up Your Chalice, and Dub Fire Blazing. Part of the U.K. roots and dub scene, the band often works from member Dougie Wardrop's home studio -- combining modern sounds with more authentic reggae sounds. A prolific recording outfit, the Chemists released Raw Raw Dub on Roir Records in 2005.

"Dub Outernational" is the first domestic U.S. release from U.K. dub specialists Bush Chemists. The entire album was recorded in member Dougie Wardrop's attic, and the music could be best described as a combination of futuristic sounds with a classic reggae production. Essentially a compilation of remixed favorites from past releases (they've done albums for the Conscious Sounds, Universal Egg, and Centry labels over the years), "Dub Outernational" is appealing to both the newcomer and the longtime fan. Each track slides into the next, almost playing like a continuous hour-long composition -- "Show Them the Way" is a work of spirituality, while "Dub Exploitation," "Roots, Rock, Reggae," and the title track are all slinky, liquid-sounding dubs.


Tracklist:

1 Dub Exploitation 3:20

2 Got To Be Conscious 4:00

3 Show Them The Way 3:45

4 Give Thanks & Praise 3:39

5 Let Us Know Dub 3:28

6 Teaching Of Love 3:56

7 Survival Dub 3:39

8 Armagideon Dub 3:47

9 Cultural Dub 3:51

10 Dub Outernational 3:43

11 Searching Dub 3:47

12 Watchful Dub 3:59

13 Pure & Clean 4:30

14 Roots, Rock, Reggae 3:54

15 Righteous Dub 3:44

The Bush Chemists - Dub Outernational (1996)

(320 kbps, cover art included)

Theodore Bikel - Sings Jewish Folk Songs (1958)

A talented folksinger and actor, Theodore Bikel carved out his place in the modern entertainment industry as a renaissance man. For over 50 years, Bikel left his mark on film, the stage, and the arts, from his supporting role in The African Queen in 1951 to his appearance at the 1960 Newport Folk Festival to his appointment to the National Council for the Arts in 1977. Although he was born in Austria, he lived in Israel, England, and the United States and spoke five languages. Bikel recorded for Elektra, Columbia, and Reprise, published Folksongs & Footnotes, and served as a vice president of the American Jewish Congress.               

Bikel was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1924, but his family fled to Palestine in 1938, where they became British subjects. Bikel wanted to study language and become a teacher, so he worked at a communal farm to help pay expenses. Drawn to the theater, however, he left the farm in 1943 to study at the Hamimah Theater in Tel Aviv. Later, Bikel and four other actors formed the Tel Aviv Chamber Theater. In 1946, he left Israel to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. While in England, he also began to take a serious interest in folk music and learn the guitar. In 1947, Bikel's acting skills were noticed by Sir Laurence Olivier, leading to a part in the London production of A Streetcar Named Desire.
By the early '50s, Bikel began to play Russian officers and German sailors in English and American films and in 1955, he moved to New York City. The move also coincided with the beginning of a career in folk music. He signed with Elektra Records in the mid-'50s and recorded Israeli Folk Songs in 1955. He became a co-founder of the Newport Folk Festival and performed at the event in 1960. Bikel's repertoire proved uniquely eclectic, including songs from Russia, Eastern Europe, and Israel. He played hundreds of dates in United States, from the Rainbow & Stars in New York to the Boarding House in San Francisco, and traveled broadly, performing in New Zealand, Australia, and throughout Europe.
  Over the next 40 years, Bikel continued his dual career in film and folk music. He received parts in The Russians Are Coming in 1966, See You in the Morning in 1989, and Shadow Conspiracy in 1997. He recorded "Songs of the Earth" for Elektra in 1967, "A New Day" on Reprise in 1970, and "A Taste of Passover" for Rounder in 1998. Bikel also involved himself in a number of political activities. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter appointed Bikel to the National Council for the Arts, a position he retained until 1982. He also served with the Associated Actors and Artistes of America, Americans for the Arts, and the American Jewish Congress. In 1992, Bikel received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Hartford.

Tracklist:
                           

A1	Der Rebe Elimelech
A2	De Yontevdike Teyg
A3	Sha Shtil
A4	Di Ban
A5	Kum AherDo Filozof
A6	Di Mezinke
A7	A Sundenyu
A8	Achtsig Er Un Zibetsik Zi
B1	Di Name Iz Gegangen
B2	Margaritkelech
B3	Mu Asapru
B4	Lomir Zich Iberbeten
B5	Homentashn
B6	A Chazn Oyf Shabes
B7	Reyzl
B8	Tumbalalayka

Theodore Bikel - Sings Jewish Folk Songs (1958)
(256 kbps, cover art included)

Ilse Scheer - Lieder und Gedichte von Bertolt Brecht

With a big thank you to Berni from Austria we present you a recording of Brecht songs and poems by the great austrian theatre actress and director Ilse Scheer.

Scheer was one of the founders of the legendary "Komödianten" in Vienna, Austria. She went to Berlin at the beginning of the 70s and together with Otto Zonschitz founded the "Theatermanufaktur" at the Hallesches Ufer. She died in the year 2007 in Berlin.

This excellent production was released in 1971 on the german Pläne label. The music was composed by Hanns Eisler, Ilse Scheer was accompanied by Rudolf Stodola.

Tracklist:

01. Gegen Verführung
02. Als ich vor Jahren…
03. Lied des Händlers
04. Ich sehe dies System…
05. Die Ballade vom Wasserrad
06. Schwierigkeit des Regierens
07. Bittet den Anstreicher…
08. Die Hoffenden
09. Wiegenlied
10. Gegen die Objektiven
11. Über die Gewalt
12. An die Nachgeborenen
13. Ja, wenn die Kinder Kinder blieben
14. Die Verbesserung des Regimes
15. Die Geschäfte des Kapitalismus
16. Ein Pferd klagt an
17. Wenn die Untat kommt
18. Die Sendlinge
19. Mein Bruder war ein Flieger
20. General, dein Tank
21. Im Gefängnis zu singen
22. Lob der Dialektik
23. Aber als er zur Wand ging…
24. An die Gleichgeschalteten
25. Der Wolf ist zum Huhn gekommen (Musik:Peter Fischer)
26. Gleichnis des Buddha vom brennenden Haus
27. Solidaritätslied

Ilse Scheer - Lieder und Gedichte von Bertolt Brecht

(192 kbps, front cover included)

Thank you, Berni!

João Gilberto ‎– João Gilberto (1961)

João Gilberto Prado Pereira de Oliveira, known as João Gilberto (Portuguese: [10 June 1931 – 6 July 2019), was a Brazilian singer, songwriter, and guitarist, who was a pioneer of the musical genre of bossa nova in the late 1950s. Around the world he was often called "father of bossa nova"; in his native Brazil, he was referred to as "O Mito" ("The Legend").

Gilberto's first recordings were released in Brazil as two-song, 78-rpm singles between 1951 and 1959. In the 1960s Brazilian singles evolved to the "double compact" format, and Gilberto released some EPs in this new format, which carried four songs on a 45-rpm record. In 1956, he returned to Rio and struck up old acquaintances, most significantly with Antônio Carlos Jobim, who was by then working as a composer, producer, and arranger with Odeon Records. Jobim was impressed with Gilberto's new style of guitar playing and set about finding a suitable song to pitch the style to Odeon management.

"João Gilberto" is a bossa nova album by João Gilberto, originally released in Brazil as a vinyl LP in 1961.


Tracklist:

A1Samba Da Minha Terra2:19
A2O Barquinho2:28
A3Bolinha De Papel1:15
A4Saudade De Bahia2:16
A5A Primeira Vez1:50
A6O Amor Em Paz2:19
B1Você E Eu2:28
B2Trenzinho (Trem De Ferro)1:48
B3Coisa Mais Linda2:48
B4Presente De Natal1:50
B5Insensatez2:22
B6Este Seu Olhar2:11


João Gilberto ‎– João Gilberto (1961)
(320 kbps, cover art included)

Jesse Fuller - Frisco Bound

`Frisco Bound' stems from two sessions held seven years apart. The first sixteen tracks were waxed in 1955 for the tiny Cavalier logo, while the remaining six, from a 1962 album on Harry Oster's Folklyric imprint, include his best-known song, the poignant rag-derived `San Francisco Bay Blues.'

“Jesse `Lone Cat' Fuller was a Bay Area folk & blues singer who died in 1976. In his long career he hoboed, acted in movies, sang on the street, shined shoes, and owned a hot dog stand at a movie studio. He's best remembered though as the author of `San Francisco Bay Blues,' and for his unusual performance as a one-man band playing blues, spirituals, children's songs, railroad songs, waltzes and jazz. He invented the ingenious `footdella' to play bass, set up washboards, cymbals, kazoos and harmonicas that, along with his 12-string, accompanied him in his one man show. All these are demonstrated on the reissue of 18 favorites plus four previously unreleased cuts from 1955 and six from 1962. It's an historic album full of his fun music and unique style.”
(Phil Hanson — Victory Review)

Tracklist:

1. Leavin' Memphis, Frisco Bound
2. Got A Date At Half Past Eight
3. Hump In My Back
4. Flavor In My Cream
5. Finger Twister
6. I'm Going To Sit Down At The Welcome Tab
6. Just Like A Ship On The Deep Blue Sea
7. Cincinnati Bules
8. Just A Closer Walk With Thee
9. Motherless Children
10. Amazing Grace
11. Hark From The Tomb
12. As Long As I Can Feel The Spirit
14. Together Let Us Live
15. Memphis Boogie
16. Footdella Stomp
17. Crazy About A Woman
18. 99 Years
19. Stranger's Blues
20. Bill Bailey Won't You Please Come Home
21. Preacher Lowdown
22. San Francisco Bay Blues

Jesse Fuller - Frisco Bound
(320 kbps, cover art included)

Zupfgeigenhansel - Kein schöner Land (Musikant, 1983)

Zupfgeigenhansel was a German folk duo, one of the most successful groups to emerge on the German folk scene in the 1970s. It consisted of Erich Schmeckenbecher and Thomas Friz. The group was named after the collection of folk songs of the same name, which was published in 1909.

The group started playing in folk-clubs, mainly in southern Germany, in 1974. They then started appearing on the radio programme Liederladen of the Südwestfunk broadcasting station. They released their first album, Volkslieder I for the Pläne record company in 1976, and later in the year their second album, Volkslieder II. In 1978 they received the award of "Artists of the Year" in one of the categories of the German Phonoakademie. The texts of their folk songs reflect the stories of the "simple" people of the past century, whether about love, trouble, courage, pride, disdain of leaders and priests, or resistance to the military. They disbanded in 1985.

The album "Kein schöner Land" was recorded during July / September 1983 at Conny's Studio, Neunkirchen-Wolperath, and released on the Musikant label.

Tracklist:
01. Neues Wanderlied
02. Nehmt Abschied
03. Fun wos lebt a jid
04. Gesang der Edellatscher.mp3
05. Zogen einst fünf wilde Schwäne
06. Muß i denn
07. Lügenlied
08. Nargaritkes
09. Lindenballade
10. Ein schönes Land
11. Dire-gelt (bonus track)
12. Tsen Brider (bonus track)

Zupfgeigenhansel - Kein schöner Land (Musikant 1983)
(192 kbps, cover art included)

David Peel & The Lower East Side - Have A Marijuana

David Peel was, and still is, a street musician and political activist from the Lower East Side of New York City. With a collection of friends who became his bandmates and who were eponymously called the Lower East Side, he recorded two groundbreaking albums of social reflections, urban tales, and hippie mythology for Elektra Records.

The first, entitled "Have a Marijuana", was released in 1968. The second, "The American Revolution", was released in 1970. Both were just exactly as you would think they would be from their album titles: Musical Counterculture Manifestos Presented With Guitars and Grins. Fugs parallels are hard to avoid in his pre-punk erratic jug band fashion.

Here´s "Have A Marijuana" to celebrate his wonderful, far out gig here in town some years ago:

David Peel & The Lower East Side - Have A Marijuana
(192 kbps, front cover included)


Review onallmusic.com:

"At first, second and third listen the debut record by New York street musician and John Lennon protégé David Peel seems pretty ridiculous. Recorded live on the streets of New York, the production is patchy, yielding more of a "recorded live in someone's bathroom" vibe than anything else. Then there's the lyrics, all of which are juvenile, dated and delivered in an erratic Tiny Tim-meets-Cheech & Chong style. But somewhere around the fourth or fifth listen Peel and his merry band of misfits begin to grow on you. By the six or seventh spin songs like "I Do My Bawling in the Bathroom" and "I Like Marijuana," with their dumber than dumb choruses and out of tune folk-rock progressions, actually become charming. Perhaps it's because Peel, a marginal figure born to be a cultural relic, is a much more interesting, exciting and entertaining '60s icon than all the overblown, bloated characters like David Crosby and Grace Slick. Unlike them, Peel never came in from off the streets. In fact, he can still be found singing these songs in New York's Tompkins Square Park to this day. And while that's mildly pathetic, it's also heartening. When he sings about smoking some grass and getting harassed by lame cops (the topic of just about every track) you tend to believe him."

Zupfgeigenhnasel - Andre, die das Land so sehr nicht liebten (Musikant, 1985)

The last joint work of Zupfgeigenhansel has become a concept album with brilliant textual documents of the Austrian poet and writer Theodor Kramer, who had to flee from the Nazis. 

It is - at least for those who like intelligent German folk music - an absolute masterpiece. The poems of Theodor Kramer are absolutely high quality and the musical interpretation can only be described as awesome. The title track is outstanding, a simple but very catchy tune with meaningful lyrics.

Tracklist:

01. Dass es noch möglich ist
02. Pfingsten für zwei alte Leute
03. Die Kamille
04. Fronleichnam
05. Wir kommen noch wie sonst zusammen
06. Trinklied vorm Abgang
07. Kino nach Tisch
08. Es ist schön
09. Schlaflied vom Rand der Welt
10. Ein Krampenschlag vor Tag
11. Beim Stromwirt
12. Andre, die das Land so sehr nicht liebten

Zupfgeigenhansel - Andre, die das Land so sehr nicht liebten (Musikant, 1985)
(320 kbps, cover art included)

Mercedes Sosa - Hasta La Victoria (1972)

Honored all over the world as "The Voice of Latin America" and revered in her native Argentina as "a symbol of life and freedom", Mercedes Sosa, more than 50 years after her début, remains an inspiring artist. Sosa was also widely known for her message of peace, international integration, defense of human rights and artistic and personal integrity.

After humble beginnings growing up in San Miguel de Tucuman, Mercedes Sosa spearheaded a traditional music and dance movement with her husband called Nuevo Cancionero which declared the materialization of protest music across Argentina and Chile. She served as a political figure of sorts by speaking out for the poor Argentines against military dictatorship and oppressive conditions.

Tracklist:

01 - Balderrama

02 - Campana de palo

03 - Canto vital

04 - Cruzando por la ciudad

05 - El violín de Becho

06 - Hasta la victoria

07 - Hombre en el tiempo

08 - Juancito caminador

09 - La arenosa

10 - La pobrecita

11 - Los hermanos

12 - Plegaria a un labrador

Mercedes Sosa - Hasta La Victoria (1972)
(256 kbps, front cover included)

Annie Anxiety - Barbed Wire Halo (1981)

Annie Anxiety is a chanteuse/lyricist, multimedia artist and post-modern cabaret queen with a long, illustrious and eclectic recording career. Born in New York with no intention of a career in the arts, she pursued numerous jobs, crisscrossed the continent, and generally earned her poetic license until she found herself on stage at the legendary ‘Max’s Kansas City’, fronting the atonal, savage dance-rhythmed Asexuals at the sneak-in-the-back-door age of 16. After meeting Steve Ignorant from the band Crass on her doorstep a year later, she visited the United Kingdom for 2 weeks and stayed for over a decade. Through the years and numerous collaborations (Wolfgang Press, Crass, the ON-U Sound stable, Kid Congo Powers, Current 93, Nurse With Wound, the late Bim Sherman, Coil, Fini Tribe, Collapsed Lung, and many fine others) she refused to be restricted by labels and genres and continues to span the spectrum from jazz, reggae & hip-hop to torch and avant-garde.

"Barbed Wire Halo" was Annie's début record and was another beautifully designed release on the Crass label, the cover composed of very artistic, black and white photography by Eve Libertine. The actual two songs on the record, however, were 'difficult' to say the least and even though this may have meant they were simply ahead of their time, it still meant they failed to appeal to a good many people.

Tracklist:

A Hello Horror
B Cyanide Tears


Annie Anxiety - Barbed Wire Halo (1981)
(ca. 256 kbps, cover art included)

Charles Mingus - Oh Yeah (1962)

After several sessions with Columbia and Candid, Charles Mingus briefly returned to Atlantic and cut the freewheeling "Oh Yeah", which has to rank as the wildest of all his classic albums. Mingus plays no bass whatsoever, hiring Doug Watkins to fill in while he accompanies the group on piano and contributes bluesy vocals to several tracks (while shouting encouragement on nearly all of them).

Mingus had always had a bizarre sense of humor, as expressed in some of his song titles and arranging devices, but "Oh Yeah" often gets downright warped. That's partly because Mingus is freed up to vocalize more often, but it's also due to the presence of mad genius Roland Kirk. His chemistry with Mingus is fantastically explosive, which makes sense -- both were encyclopedias of jazz tradition, but given over to oddball modernist experimentation. It's a shame Kirk only spent three months with the band, because his solo interpretations are such symbiotic reflections of Mingus' intent as a composer. Look no further than "Hog Callin' Blues," a stomping "Haitian Fight Song" descendant where Kirk honks and roars the blues like a man possessed. Mingus' vocal selections radiate the same dementia, whether it's the stream-of-consciousness blues couplets on "Devil Woman," the dark-humored modern-day spiritual "Oh Lord Don't Let Them Drop That Atomic Bomb on Me," or the dadaist stride piano bounce of "Eat That Chicken," a nod to Fats Waller's comic novelties. Elsewhere, "Passions of a Man" sounds almost like musique concrète, while "Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am" nicks some Monk angularity and "Ecclusiastics" adds some testifying shouts and a chorale-like theme to Mingus' gospel-jazz hybrid. 

"Oh Yeah" is probably the most offbeat Mingus album ever, and that's what makes it so vital. [Some reissues add three bonus tracks from the session, first released on "Tonight at Noon".]


Tracklist:

"Hog Callin' Blues" – 7:27
"Devil Woman" – 9:42
"Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am" – 4:43
"Ecclusiastics" – 6:59
"Oh Lord Don't Let Them Drop That Atomic Bomb on Me" – 5:43
"Eat That Chicken" – 4:38
"Passions of a Man" – 4:56

The 1999 Rhino CD reissue included three additional tracks recorded at the same session (and previously released on "Tonight at Noon" in 1965):

"'Old' Blues for Walt's Torin" – 7:58
"Peggy's Blue Skylight" – 9:49
"Invisible Lady" – 4:48

Charles Mingus - Oh Yeah (1962)

(192 kbps, cover art included)

VA - Essential Dub (Roir)

Dub lovers since they began operations in the early 80s, New York City's ROIR label focuses on the next wave and fringe of the genre for the most part, which means their Essential Dub collection spends a lot of time off the island of Jamaica and plenty of time with friends of mega producer Bill Laswell, spliff-smoking Brits, and part-time dubbers like the Bad Brains. Even with all the genre blending and globe trotting, this 2007 sampler hangs together thanks to ROIR's commitment to all things deep and smoky. There's nothing too slick or too stylish in a Buddha Bar style, and even if the collection works great as background music, it's just as strong when it comes to active listening. The Bush Chemists and Twilight Circus show how Europeans can get especially spacy with their dub; Laswell, Badawi, and Doctor Israel display how dense and dank modern NYC dub can be. While the Bad Brains and the Terrorists present the sound of punks chilling out on the JA sound. Ras Michael and Niney the Observer offer the true Jamaican sound, while great tracks from both the Dub Trio and 10 Ft. Ganja Plant show how strong the U.S. dub scene is in 2007. While it would be easy for the veteran to complain about what's missing ROIR cuts from the Ruts D.C., Jah Works, Roots Tonic, and Lee Scratch Perry would have really earned that Essential on the cover. This teaser is meant to be the newbie's gateway drug, and on that level, it succeeds. --Amg

I wasn t gonna review this, cuz compilations tend to lack the elevational continuum that can build when you sink at leisure into a single dubster s aesthetic. But after putting it on, I just couldn t argue with the way it plays as an album, despite the wide range of practitioners: Oku Onudra, Ras Michael, Dub Trio, Bush Chemists, Bad Brains, Twilight Circus, Bill Laswell, Dr. Israel, Niney, Alpha and Omega, and more. It may be a sampler disc, but whoever selected and sequenced the tracks oughta get a raise. --Metal Jazz


Tracklist:

A1 – Oku Onuora - Dub Out 4:50

A2 – Ras Michael - Truth And Right 5:24

A3 – Niney The Observer - Acoustic Dub 2:54

A4 – The Bush Chemists - East Of Jaro 3:55

A5 – Bad Brains - Leaving Babylon 4:08

A6 – Twilight Circus - Bassie Dub I 2:15

A7 – Bill Laswell - Space-Time Paradox 6:19

B1 – Dr. Israel - Sensimellia 3:40

B2 – Dub Trio - Drive By Dub 4:12

B3 – Alpha & Omega - Africa/Ethiopia 3:49

B4 – Terrorists  - Anittoo 4:12

B5 – Badawi - Turbo Auto Drive 4:06

B6 – Phase Selector Sound - Jackson Park 4:50

B7 – 10 Ft. Ganja Plant - New Day 4:55


VA - Essential Dub (Roir)
(320 kbps, cover art included)

Willem Breuker - Baal Brecht Breuker (1973)

The Willem Breuker Kollektief is a musical snake that can shed its skin at the drop of a hat. The group moves effortlessly from swing rhythms reminiscent of Stan Kenton, to tributes to spaghetti western composer Ennio Morricone, to stately tangos by Kurt Weill, to Philip Glass-style minimalist pieces, to arrangements worthy of 1930s musicals sung by Breuker himself, into honkin’ free jazz improvisations. All the Kollektief’s records are full of such musical surprises. But throughout its explorations, the group maintains its own musical personality. Part of that personality is its sense of humor. You never know when a solemn Glass ostinato will be interrupted by the burp of a tuba or an aria by a gargling diva.

Tenor saxophonist Willem Breuker was born in Amsterdam, Holland on November 4, 1944, during the last days of the Second World War. As a school boy he took up the clarinet, then the soprano sax, and in the early 1960s fell under the spell of Ornette Coleman’s music. He achieved a small measure of notoriety in the Netherlands in 1966 while he was leading a 23 piece ensemble at the Loosdrecht Jazz Competition. During the performance he pointedly dedicated one of his compositions to a student who had been killed not long before in a demonstration. The gesture came at a time when lines were being drawn increasingly between old and young, and between conservative, liberal and radical. It was also shocking because until then, no Dutch musician had overtly aligned his art with politics.

Social upheaval was sweeping Europe like the rest of the world. At the same time a remarkable flowering was occurring in European jazz. Among the musicians getting started then were saxist Evan Parker and guitarist Derek Bailey in Britain, saxist Peter Brötzmann and pianist Alex von Schlippenbach in Germany, drummer Han Bennink in Holland. And the music was often fierce, in your face jazz, like nothing ever heard before, fired on by the student protests sweeping the continent, that reached a high point when Brötzmann’s earth-shattering improv LP Machine Gun was recorded in the revolutionary month of May 1968.

Willem Breuker was a member of the all-star ensemble that played on Machine Gun, and he composed one of the three pieces that appeared on the album. Although he proved himself a formidable improviser, Breuker soon began moving away from free jazz to concentrate on composing and playing in a more structured accessible framework. Not that he ever gave up improvisational playing; but henceforth his outpourings would take pla”ce against the backdrop of carefully arranged charts written for the Kollektief.

Breuker met Han Bennink in 1966 and together with pianist Misha Mengelberg, they formed the Instant Composer’s Pool (ICP). It was with the ICP that Breuker’s ideas about doing music collectively began. The ICP fell apart in 1973 following disagreements between members. Breuker left and formed the Kollektief. “It’s pretty an achronistic,” Breuker told Mike Zwerin of the International Herald Tribune, “a holdover from my socialist days in Amsterdam in the ’60s and ’70s.” Whatever its roots, the Kollektief served a number of purposes. For one thing it suited Breuker’s style of composition. As he developed, he found his music becoming more complex than the average jazz combo could handle. “I write too many notes,” Breuker explained to Greg Baise of the Metro Times, “I cannot play my music with three or four musicians. I need more musicians."

This album features music from the play "Baal" by Bertold Brecht, it was recorded October 15, 16, 17 & 23, 1973 in Baarn, Holland. The LP was packed in a jute-bag with a 'BVHaast' tag.        

Tracklist:

A1	Ouverture : Het Koraal Van Baal	4:21
A2	Lethe	3:03
A3	Als De Zachte Bleke Zomer	2:09
A4	Orge	2:18
A5	Ochtyosaurus	2:08
A6	De Spaanse Vlieg	1:30
A7	Poenduet	4:16
B1	Evelyn Roe I / Heeft Een Meisje Blanke Dijen / Evelyn Roe II	5:57
B2	Ik Begin Een Nieuw Leven	2:43
B3	Lied Van Het Verdronken Meisje	2:55
B4	Pas Heb Ik Nog Een Meisje Ontmoet	0:50
B5	Mijn Hart Is Troebel	1:15
B6	Ziek Van De Zon	1:39
B7	Slotkoraal	5:15

Willem Breuker - Baal Brecht Breuker (1973)
(320 kbps, cover art included)

Dog Faced Hermanns - Human Fly / Everyday A Timebomb (1991)

An extraordinary group from the '80s underground punk scene, Dog Faced Hermans' work parallels their Dutch counterparts, the Ex, and they draw their sound from a great degree of ingenuity, taking their inspiration from Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band, Au Pairs, and the Slits. 

Their sound is explosive, funky, and accomplished -- at moments as delicate and improvisational as Sonic Youth, at others as hard as Gang of Four or the Pop Group. Melodies can sound almost folky in parts and, in fact, this album features an extraordinary rendering of "John Henry" wedged between two of their standouts: "Binding System" and "Beautiful." 

Fans of the proto-punk sound of groups such Crass, the Ex, and Kletka Red -- who expand the punk rock pallet to incorporate the approaches of free improvisation, avant rock, folk, and even psychedelia -- should check out this exceptionally innovative group. Needless to say, "Humans Fly" is a great album, though the uninitiated are advised to check out the outstanding "Those Deep Buds", which appeared in the '90s on Jello Biafra's Alternative Tentacles label.


Tracklist:

1 How Much Vegetation Have You Got? 2:21
2 Mary Houdini 1:56
3 Balloon Girl 2:39
4 Cactus 4:17
5 Incineration 2:43
6 Big Pot 3:22
7 The Rain It Raineth 2:12
8 El Doggo Speaks 8:36
9 Catbrain Walk 5:37
10 Bella Ciao 3:58
11 New Shoots 3:49
12 Scottish Block 4:05
13 Binding System 3:37
14 John Henry 4:59
15 Beautyful 6:16
16 Frock 3:19
17 Live Action 5:52

1 to 8 recorded at at Planet, Edinburgh, winter 1987
9 recorded at Makka, Cambridge, winter 1986
10 recorded at at Planet, Edinburgh, spring 1988
11-17 recorded at Chamber, Edinburgh, winter 1989

Dog Faced Hermanns - Human Fly / Everyday A Timebomb (1991)

(192 kbps, cover art included)

Die Erde - kch kch kch (1989)

The "Hamburger Schule" (School of Hamburg) was a German underground music-movement that started in the late 1980s and was still active till around the mid-1990s, encompassing elements from punk, grunge and experimental pop, and featuring intelligent and often political lyrics. It established new grounds for the use of German language in pop music.

As the name indicates, the movement was initially carried by Hamburg based bands like Cpt. Kirk &., Kolossale Jugend, Die Sterne, Huah!, Ostzonensuppenwürfelmachenkrebs, Tocotronic or Die Erde. Their music didn't necessarily sound similar, but was characterised by lyrics in German language (not a given in Germany) that gave voice to social criticism and were based on post-modern theory.

His drug death in 1996 didn't make Tobias Gruben, the "Die Erde" singer, a legend such as Kurt Cobain or Ian Curtis. Nevertheless he contributed a real underground-jewel with this album in 1989. A class mate of Nick Cave and Einstürzende Neubauten, Gruben's "Die Erde" should not be missed! Increadible cover-versions of "Hard Rain" and "Woodstock"... - Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell turned inside out!

Tracklist:

01. Hassle
02. Hard Rain
03. Woodstock
04. Vater
05. Killmetal
06. Ruined Tune
07. Party
08. Graben

Die Erde - kch kch kch (1989)
(320 kbps, cover art included)

Mississippi John Hurt ‎– "Satisfied...... Live"

Mississippi John Hurt was an early country blues legend whose warm, amiable sound and longevity also made him a major figure during the '60s blues revival.

This concert has a hand-recorded sound about it, but nonetheless Hurt's playing and singing are well-captured and up to his usual high standards. There's no information as to where and when this was recorded, and there's not much to recommend "Satisfied" over other live Hurt records (if you can even find it), but it's still John Hurt, and even this mediocre record is proof that he never played a bad note.


Tracklist:
1 Candy Man
2 My Creole Belle
3 Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor
4 Shake That Thing
5 I'm Satisfied
6 Salty Dog
7 Nobody's Business But Mine
8 The Angels Laid Him Away
9 Casey Jones (Talkin' Casey)
10 Baby, What's Wrong With You?
11 Lonesome Blues

Mississippi John Hurt ‎– "Satisfied...... Live"

(320 kbps, cover art included)

Die Erde - Live. Loft/Loft

The Hamburger Schule (German for "School of Hamburg") was a musical current in Germany during the end of the 1980s and early 1990s, encompassing elements from punk, grunge and experimental pop, and featuring intelligent and often political lyrics. It established new grounds for the use of German language in pop music.

As the name indicates, the movement was initially carried by Hamburg based bands like Cpt. Kirk &., Kolossale Jugend, Die Erde, Die Sterne, Ostzonensuppenwürfelmachenkrebs, Blumfeld, Tocotronic and Huah! Their music didn't necessarily sound similar, but was characterised by lyrics in German language (not a given in Germany) that gave voice to social criticism and were based on post-modern theory.

Consequently it was lauded by the leftist press (especially Spex magazine). The artists themselves didn't initially perceive these similarities to be particularly important and denied the existence of a homogeneous movement. However, social links and political cooperations suggest that it wasn't unreasonable to view it as that.

Furthermore the term Hamburger Schule is obviously a pun on the so called "Frankfurt School" ("Frankfurter Schule") which is a school of neo-Marxist social theory, social research, and philosophy, centered at the Institute for Social Research (Institut für Sozialforschung) of the University of Frankfurt am Main in Germany.

Tracklist:                                                       

1	Eis	4:18
2	9 Jahre	5:39
3	Mit Dir	5:23
4	Leben den Lebenden	5:07
5	Halbe Woche	4:48
6	Heimkehr	4:49
7	Laub	4:58
8	Vater	6:56
9	Deborah	4:18
10	Hassle	4:05
11	Party	4:13

Die Erde - Live. Loft/Berlin
(256 kbps, front & back cover included)

Gemischtes & grosses Frauenorchester Köln - Mittags koch ich aber nicht (Trikont, 1979)

"In der Werbung Puppen, Arbeit in Leichtlohngruppen. Wir sind stets nur Objekt, schlank sei die Hüfte, groß dafür die Brüste, auch wenn die Psyche verreckt. Frauen, zerreißt eure Ketten, Schluss mit Objekt sein in Betten. Frauen, gemeinsam sind wir stark." (Songtext)

"Mittags koch ich aber nicht" is an album which emerged from the west german women movement. It was released in 1979 on "Trikont - Unsere Stimme".

The founding of "Gemischtes & grosses Frauenorchester Köln" was a result of an article in an alternative magazine ("Kölner Stadtrevue"), in which two women called for establishing a female music group. As a result 20 women volunteered - women who wanted to make songs dealing with everyday life, women's policy, censorship, environmental degradation, etc.: Riot Grrrls of the first hour!

Gemischtes & grosses Frauenorchester Köln - Mittags koch ich aber nicht (vinyl rip)
(192 kbps, cover art included)

Mahalia Jackson - In The Upper Room

Supported by Mildred Falls, the Southern Harmonaires and the Melody Echoes (the two vocal groups are on different tracks), Mahalia Jackson turns in a typically rousing effort with "In the Upper Room".

All of the songs are classic spirituals and sacred songs, and while this was recorded a little later in her career, Jackson nonetheless sings with an incendiary passion that rivals her classic '40s recordings. Anyone looking to round out their Mahalia Jackson collection should look here, as "In the Upper Room" is one of her finest latter-day efforts.    

Mahalia Jackson - In The Upper Room
(256 kbps, cover art included)

VA - Lost In The Stars - The Music Of Kurt Weill (1985)

Not to be confused with Sony's 1997 soundtrack release, "September Songs: The Music of Kurt Weill" which was inspired by this 1985 CD on A&M, and co-produced by visionary Hal Willner, "Lost in the Stars: The Music of Kurt Weill" indeed contains the "eclectic updates of Kurt Weill's distinctive German theater music" with help from Sting, Marianne Faithfull, John Zorn, Lou Reed, Carla Bley, Tom Waits, Charlie Haden, and more.

This deep and complex work contains a 12-page booklet chock-full of information condensed into tiny, tiny print. Did the onset of compact discs hold this elaborate project back? If it were released on vinyl à la "Jesus Christ Superstar" , would it have reached a wider audience? With such diverse artists as Peanut Butter Conspiracy keyboardist Ralph Shuckett, Van Dyke Parks, and Aaron Neville, it's literally a cast of thousands. Coming on the heels of new wave as techno and trance were taking more of a hold this extensive presentation may have been a bit too heady for audiences embracing the simplicity of power pop and punk. You expect Marianne Faithfull to hit a home run, and she does on "Ballad of the Soldier's Wife," with some help from Chris Spedding, while superstar Sting is at his underground finest performing a creepy "Mack the Knife," a place his original fans wanted him to stay. Surprisingly, it is Lou Reed who, along with Ms. Faithfull, walks away with the "Oscar" here. Reed's outside appearances on soundtracks and tribute projects is hit or miss, working best when he gets to put together "My Love Is Chemical" for the film White Nights or a "Little Sister" from the "Get Crazy" soundtrack, disappointing when "Soul Man" for the film of the same name goes nowhere. "September Song" by Lou Reed is such a standout that its almost five minutes get extended to seven plus, as it becomes the title track to the aforementioned film this CD project inspired.

Henry Threadgill's controlled cacophony on "The Great Hall" is everything Brian Eno's Portsmouth Sinfonia aspired to be. Had Eno taken that ensemble in this direction, they may have had a chance. Todd Rundgren and Gary Windo sound like Trevor Horn let loose in the studio to have some '80s fun, while Aaron Neville, Mark Bingham, and Johnny Adams are the antithesis of this track that follows them.

Sounds and ideas from over a century of music cascade across the 67 minutes and 34 seconds of this CD. Both breathtaking and pretentious, there is so much to discover and contemplate that at the end of the day, "Lost in the Stars" gets a thumbs up. Interesting to note that in 1998, Marianne Faithfull would release a disc, "The Seven Deadly Sins", featuring her performing music by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill. For that great artist, this type of material is a perfect fit.          

VA - Lost In The Stars - The Music Of Kurt Weill (1985)
(320 kbps, cover art included)

Billie Holiday & The Ellingtonians - Complete Recordings 1935 - 1937

Billie Holiday's recordings from the '30s are not only historically important documentation of the development of the Holiday art and style.

They also constitute the most important body of "small-group" jazz recordings of the swing age. In historical importance, they stand proudly beside the efforts of Benny Goodman, Count Basie and Duke Ellington. Billie sang for the Count Basie Orchestra during 1937-1938 (she made her Apollo Theater debut with the Orchestra) and the majority of her recordings feature Basie sidemen, the most important of whom is Lester Young.

These recordings are interesting because they feature Duke Ellington sidemen: Barney Bigard, Cootie Williams, Harry Carney, Johnny Hodges. Also of interest is the first track, "Big City Blues". This piece is from a short film called Symphony in Black from 1935. It represents the only extant example of both the Ellington Orchestra and Billie Holiday at their '30s peak performing together.

Tracklist:
1. Big City Blues
2. These N' That N' Those
3. You Let Me Down
4. Spreadin' Rhythm Around
5. It's Like Reaching For The Moon
6. These Foolish Things
7. I Cried For You
8. Guess Who
9. Easy To Love
10. With Thee I Swing
11. The Way You Look Tonight
12. Who Loves You
13. Pennies From Heaven
14. That's Life I Guess
15. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
16. Carelessly
17. How Could You
18. Moanin' Low
19. Sun Showers
20. Sun Showers - Louis Armstrong
21. Yours and Mine
22. Yours and Mine - Louis Armstrong
23. I'll Get By
24. Mean To Me

Billie Holiday & The Ellingtonians - Complete Recordings 1935 - 1937
(320 kbps, cover art included)