VA - Bluegrass Breakdown - Newport Folk Festival

This recording documents live Newport Folk Festival performances by many of the greatest bluegrass artists of the Sixties, an era in which bluegrass was to see some radical changes. Younger artists were discovering the music with great enthusiasm, and were carrying on the tradition established by the music´s originators with tremendous vitality.

Here can be heard the roots of bluegrass, in the od-timey fiddle styles of Lue Berline, Clayton McMichen and Fiddling Arthur Smith; the bluegrass bands that were legends in their time, Bill Monroe and The Bluegrass Boys, The Stanley Brothers and The Dillards; and of course the next generation, citybillies who eagerly embraced the older styles and embellished them with their own imaginations and talents: Byron Berline, The New York City Ramblers and the Greenbriar Boys.

This album was recorded at the Newport Folk Festival in 1963 - 1965. It ends with "Bluegrass Breakdown", which gives this collection its name, another Bill Monroe original that always left the audience hollering for more.


Tracklist:

1	–Lue Berline And Byron Berline	New Broom
2	–Lue Berline And Byron Berline	Old Logan
3	–Lue Berline And Byron Berline	Crazy Creek
4	–Lue Berline And Byron Berline	Dusty Miller
5	–Stanley Brothers, The	How Mountain Girls Can Love
6	–Stanley Brothers, The	A Man Of Constant Sorrow
7	–Stanley Brothers, The	Big Tildy
8	–Stanley Brothers, The	Orange Blossom Special
9	–Fiddling Arthur Smith	Leather Britches
10	–Fiddling Arthur Smith	Blackberry Blossom
11	–Greenbriar Boys, The	Levee Breakin' Blues
12	–Greenbriar Boys, The	At The End Of A Long Lonley Day
13	–Dillards, The	Old Joe Clark
14	–Dillards, The	Ground Hog
15	–Dillards, The	Banjo In The Hollow
16	–Dillards, The	Polly Vaughn
17	–Dillards, The	Dueling Banjos
18	–Clayton McMichen	Alabama Jubilee
19	–Clayton McMichen	Sourwood Mountain
20	–New York City Ramblers, The	You Better Get Right Little Darlin'
21	–New York City Ramblers, The	I'm Coming Back But I Don't Know When
22	–New York City Ramblers, The	Cedar Hill
23	–New York City Ramblers, The	Tell It To Me
24	–Bill Monroe And The Bluegrass Boys*	Muleskinner Blues
25	–Bill Monroe And The Bluegrass Boys*	Blue Moon Of Kentucky
26	–Bill Monroe And The Bluegrass Boys*	Walls Of Time
27	–Bill Monroe And The Bluegrass Boys*	Somebody Touched Me
28	–Bill Monroe And The Bluegrass Boys*	Bluegrass Breakdown

VA - Bluegrass Breakdown - Newport Folk Festival
(256 kbps, front cover included)

VA - Dance Crasher - Ska To Rock Steady (Trojan)

Probably only of interest to the most diehard reggae fans, "Dance Crasher" traces the Jamaican music scene from fast-paced ska to slower rock steady. These two forms were later to develop into what is now known as reggae. It's a fascinating chronicle with tracks from reggae superstars like the Skatalites, the Maytals, the Ethiopians, and Lee Perry and the Soulettes.

All of the songs were cut between 1962 and 1966, and many such as "Hallelujah," "Doctor Dick" and "Big Bamboo" were produced by the legendary C.S. Dodd, one of Jamaica's early studio pioneers.

Some of the recording quality leaves much to be desired, but it's still a good listen. The most interesting piece is "Shame and Scandal," a hilarious story of Jamaican family life ("your daddy's not your daddy, but your daddy don't know"),  recorded by what was then called Peter Tosh and the Wailers.   

Tracklist:

1. Big Bamboo - Lord Creator

2. Latin Goes Saka - The Skatalites

3. Hallelujah - The Maytals

4. Garden Of Love - Don Drummond

5. Rough And Tough - Stranger Cole

6. Beardman Ska - The Skatalites

7. Shame & Scandal - Peter Tosh & The Wailers

8. Street Corner - The Skatalites

9. Bonanza Ska - Carlos Malcomlm And The Afro Caribs

10. Dance Crasher - Alton Ellis & The Flames

11. Let George Do It - Don Drummond

12. Rudie Bam Bam - The Clarendonians

13. Ska Jam - Tommy McCook & The Supersonics

14. Doctor Dick - Lee Perry & The Soulettes

15. Ball O'Fire - The Skatalites

16. Owe Me No Pay Me - The Ethiopians

17. Independece Ska - Baba Brooks & Band

18. Don't Be A Rude Body - The Rulers

VA - Dance Crasher - Ska To Rock Steady (Trojan)
(256 kbps, front cover included)        

VA - Help Rwanda! African Artists For Africa (1995)

"Help Rwanda! African Artists For Africa" is a charity album supporting "Ärzte ohne Grenzen" ("Doctors Without Borders") and UNHCR.

In 1990, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), a rebel group composed of nearly 500,000 Tutsi refugees, invaded northern Rwanda from their base in Uganda, initiating the Rwandan Civil War. The group condemned the Hutu-dominated government for failing to democratize and confront the problems facing these refugees. Neither side was able to gain a decisive advantage in the war, but by 1992 it had weakened Habyarimana's authority; mass demonstrations forced him into a coalition with the domestic opposition and eventually to sign the 1993 Arusha Accords with the RPF. The cease-fire ended on 6 April 1994 when Habyarimana's plane was shot down near Kigali Airport, killing him. The shooting down of the plane served as the catalyst for the Rwandan genocide, which began within a few hours. Over the course of approximately 100 days, around 800,000[ Tutsi and politically moderate Hutu were killed in well-planned attacks on the orders of the interim government. Many Twa were also killed, despite not being directly targeted.

The Tutsi RPF restarted their offensive, and took control of the country methodically, gaining control of the whole country by mid-July.[ The international response to the genocide was limited, with major powers reluctant to strengthen the already overstretched UN peacekeeping force. When the RPF took over, approximately two million Hutu fled to neighbouring countries, in particular Zaïre, fearing reprisals;[ additionally, the RPF-led army was a key belligerent in the First and Second Congo Wars. Within Rwanda, a period of reconciliation and justice began, with the establishment of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) and the reintroduction of Gacaca, a traditional village court system. Since 2000 Rwanda's economy, tourist numbers, and Human Development Index have grown rapidly; between 2006 and 2011 the poverty rate reduced from 57% to 45%, while life expectancy rose from 46.6 years in 2000 to 59.7 years in 2015.


Tracklist:
1 –Bundhu Boys * Radio Africa 4:05
2 –Four Brothers * Uchandifunga 4:33
3 –Real Sounds * Wende Zako 8:23
4 –Biggie Tembo * Out Of Africa 5:40
5 –Machanic Manyeruke * Kana Vatsvene Vopinda 3:44
6 –Bundhu Boys * Pombi 5:08
7 –Four Brothers * Rudo Chete 4:57
8 –S. E. Rogie * My Lovely Elizabeth 2:59
9 –Machanic Manyeruke * Cain Na Abel 3:32
10 –Biggie Tembo * Punza 5:33
11 –S. E. Rogie * I Wish I Was A Cowboy 3:14
12 –Real Sounds * Dynamos vs. Tornados 13:21


VA - Help Rwanda! African Artists For Africa (1995)
(320 kbps, front cover included)

Alton Ellis & The Heptones - Mr. Ska Bean´a (1980)

One of the first vocalists to enter the Jamaican music business, Alton Ellis was generally revered as the greatest and most soulful singer the country ever produced — that is, until Bob Marley came along. Ellis had his first hit during the ska craze, but made his true lasting mark as the definitive solo singer of the rocksteady era. Sweet, smooth, and deeply emotive, Ellis was equally at home on Jamaican originals or reggae-fied covers of American R&B hits.

This collaboration with the Heptones was produced at Black Ark and Channel One and was released in 1980 on the Cha Cha label.

Tracklist:

A1	Humble Will Stumble
A2	Hard To Be A Lover
A3	Pure Sorrow
A4	Inside My Soul
A5	Loving You
B1	Mr Ska Beana
B2	Bless You
B3	Children Are Crying
B4	Woe Child

Alton Ellis & The Heptones - Mr. Ska Bean´a (1980)

(192 kbps, cover art included)

The Ex - Disturbing Domestic Peace (1980)

Emerging out of Amsterdam's vibrant squat scene in 1979, The Ex – a name chosen for the ease and speed with which it could be spray-painted onto a wall – have for four decades been an entirely self-sustaining musical entity, charting a course through the global underground with a spirit of freedom and radical exploration.

"Disturbing Domestic Peace", The Ex's debut album, appeared mere months after their first single, 1980's "All Corpses Smell The Same". Originally released on the band's own Verrecords (they made up different label names with each record), the LP falls squarely within a punk idiom and, at the same time, shows this influential Dutch group's restless energy. Terrie Ex's guitar serves up vectors of percussive pulse, fraying the edges of the music's squared-off rhythms. Vocalist G.W. Sok – an anarchist Dziga Vertov with a mic – observes, declaims and condemns across a set of interrelated political concerns that would return in Ex-music for years to come.

While The Ex channel the poise and principled attack of Crass or Flux Of Pink Indians, they create a unique declamatory sound all their own – trailing brilliant flashes of color in the wake of punk's monochrome palette. Offering ten songs in only twenty-two minutes, "Disturbing Domestic Peace" lays bare a vivid snapshot of a truly singular band who (at the time) were just finding their feet.

This album comes with free bonus live 7" "Live~Skive" (on Eh Records).

Tracklist:

A1 The Sky Is Blue Again 2:01
A2 Map 1:14
A3 Outlook-Army 0:39
A4 Sucking Pig 1:58
A5 A Sense Of Tumour 4:00
B1 Meanwhile 3:54
B2 Rules 1:41
B3 Squatsong 1:51
B4 Warning-Shot 2:55
B5 New Wars 2:46

Live~Skive:
C1 Introduction
C2 Human Car
D1 Punk
D2 Horse

The Ex - Disturbing Domestic Peace (1980)
(320 kbps, cover art included)

39 Clocks - Subnarcotic (1982)

Here´s another 39 Clocks album: "Subnarcotic" was released in August, 1982 on the german Eigelstein label.

Enjoy it!

Tracks:

Heat Of Violence

Dom (Electricity Elects The Rain)

Psychotic Louie Louie

Past Tense Hope &

Instant Fears On 42nd Street

Virtous Girl

Three Floors Down

Rainy Night Insanities

A Touch Of Rot

Aspetando Godo

Fresh link:

39 Clocks - Subnarcotic (1982)

(256 kbps, front & back cover included)

Violeta Parra - El Folklore De Chile (1957)

Violeta Parra (born October 14, 1917 in San Carlos de Itihue, Chile) was a notable Chilean folklorist and visual artist. She set the basis for Nueva Canción Chilena, a renewal and a reinvention of Chilean folk music. Parra revived the Peña, (now known as La Peña de Los Parra), a community center for the arts and for political activism. Her most renowned song, Gracias a la Vida, was popularized throughout Latin America by Mercedes Sosa and later in the US by Joan Baez. It remains one of the most covered Latin American songs.

From 1949 to 1952 she formed a duo with her sister, Hilda Parra: "Las Hermanas Parra". She had other brothers dedicated to music, as Roberto Parra and Lalo Parra, or poets, as Nicanor Parra.

Violeta Parra committed suicide with a gunshot on February, 5, 1967, in Santiago, because of her depression over the breakup of her relationship with Gilbert Favre.                 

 

After her dead a lot of memorial-events and concerts were hold. She inspired a huge part of Latin-American artist, like Victor Jara and the hole musical-movement of the "Nueva Cancion Chilena", which renewed the chilean folklore.

Tracklist:

La Inhumana
Es Aquí O No Es Aquí
Son Tus Ojos
Parabienes Al Revés
Tres Cuecas Punteadas
Verso Por Saludo
Ausencia
Las Naranjas
El Sacristán
Verso Por La Sagrada Escritura
Viva La Luz De Don Creador
El Bergantín
Verso Por La Niña Muerta
Tres Polkas Antiguas
Verso Por Despedida A Gabriela Mistral
No Habiendo Como La Maire
La Paloma Ingrata

Violeta Parra - El Folklore De Chile

(256 kbps, cover art included)

VA - Singt eener uff´n Hof - Kurt Tucholsky als Kabarettautor

On 10 May 1933, a remarkable act of barbarism, a prelude to the many worse ones that followed, took place in the city of Berlin. Students from the Wilhelm Humboldt University, all of them members of right-wing student organizations, transported books from their university library and from other collections to the Franz Joseph Platz; adjacent to the university. Accompanying their actions with declaimed denunciations of the authors, they proceeded to toss thousands of titles, by writers famous and obscure, foreign and native, into the flames of an already ignited bonfire. The egregiously primitive act lasted for hours, interrupted only by the incantation of Nazi songs and a speech by Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels.

Among the 20,000 volumes hurled into the flames were the writings of Henri Barbusse, Franz Boas, John Dos Passos, Albert Einstein, Lion Feuchtwanger, Friedrich Förster, Sigmund Freud, John Galsworthy, André Gide, Ernst Glaeser, Maxim Gorki, Werner Hegemann, Ernest Hemingway, Erich Kästner, Helen Keller, Alfred Kerr, Jack London, Emil Ludwig, Heinrich Mann, Thomas Mann, Karl Marx, Hugo Preuss, Marcel Proust, Erich Maria Remarque, Walther Rathenau, Margaret Sanger, Arthur Schnitzler, Upton Sinclair, Kurt Tucholsky, Jakob Wassermann, H.G. Wells, Theodor Wolff, Emilé Zola, Arnold Zweig, and Stefan Zweig.

The next day, and in the weeks following, there was a massive reaction in the world press, especially since many other German university towns imitated this infamous act. German newspapers reported in triumph that Germany was beginning to purge itself of the alien and decadent corrupters of the German spirit, while newspapers and magazines abroad, from as far away as China and Japan, responded in surprise and shock. Even then, some knowledgeable journalists recalled the prediction of the poet Heinrich Heine, who had said a century earlier: "Where one burns books, one will soon burn people."

The album "Singt eener uff´n Hof - Kurt Tucholsky als Kabarettautor" features interpretations of Kurt Tucholsky lyrics, recorded between 1920 and 1966., with artists like Paul Graetz, Kate Kühl, Trude Hesterberg, Claire Waldoff and Ernst Busch.

VA - Singt eener uff´n Hof - Kurt Tucholsky als Kabarettautor
(256 kbps, cover art included)

Cornel Campbell - Money (1983)

Perhaps best known for the series of "Gorgon rock" records he cut with legendary producer Bunny Lee, reggae singer Cornel Campbell was born in Jamaica in 1948. As a teen he recorded his first material for Studio One, cutting a series of ska sides both as a solo artist and as one half of a duo with Alan Martin; from 1964 to 1967 Campbell seemingly disappeared from the music business, finally resurfacing as a member of the short-lived rocksteady harmony trio the Uniques. As the decade ended, he helmed the Eternals, scoring a number of Studio One-generated hits including "Queen of the Minstrels" and "Stars," but in 1971 he again went solo after teaming with Lee, a pairing which spotlighted Campbell's distinctive falsetto to stunning effect.

Despite earning acclaim for a self-titled LP issued on Trojan two years later, in 1975 he shifted from the lovers rock sensibility of recent efforts to the more explicitly Rastafarian approach of records like "Natty Dread in a Greenwich Farm" and "Natural Fact," both of which emerged among his biggest hits to date. Later that year, Campbell and Lee also launched "The Gorgon," a boastful smash which yielded a series of hit sequels.

While 1977's "The Investigator" heralded a successful return to lovers rock, Campbell's commercial clout waned in the years to come, and in 1980 he and Lee parted ways; subsequent pairings with producers including Winston Riley, Niney the Observer, and King Tubby failed to re-create the excitement of past sessions. In 2005, his career experienced a renaissance when he joined the German techno-dub team Rhythm & Sound on their single "King in My Empire." In 2013 he teamed the London-based dub band Soothsayers for the album Nothing Can Stop Us, part of the Strut label's collaborative series Inspiration Information.                

"Money" was released in 1983, produced by Delroy Wright and Junjo Lawes, recorded and mixed in Channel One.

Tracklist:

You're My Lady	3:15
Mister D. J.	3:39
Your Love	3:49
Stranger In Love	4:00
Oh Rastaman	3:26
You Need Sympathy	3:56
Don't Try To Break	3:33
Money	3:05

Cornel Campbell - Money (1983)
(192 kbps, front cover included)

Nina Simone - The Amazing Nina Simone (1959)

There is a remarkable amount of variety on this disc, Nina Simone's second recording. Her repertoire ranges from a swinging "Stompin' at the Savoy" and an emotional "It Might as Well Be Spring" to an English folk ballad ("Tomorrow"), spirituals, an R&B song ("You've Been Gone Too Long") and the theme song from the movie "Middle of the Night".

Somehow Simone brings credibility to each of these very different songs. She does not play much piano (just cameos on two songs) and is backed by a subtle orchestra arranged by Bob Mersey that is effective accompanying her vocals. This session finds Nina Simone's voice in top form and with a few exceptions is generally jazz-oriented.                

Tracklist:

01 - Blue Prelude

02 - Children Go Where I Send You
03 - Tomorrow (We Will Meet Once More)
04 - Stompin' at the Savoy
05 - It Might as Well Be Spring
06 - You've Been Gone Too Long
07 - That's Him over There
08 - Chilly Winds Don't Blow
09 - Theme from Middle of the Night
10 - Can't Get Out of This Mood
11 - Willow Weep for Me
12 - Solitaire

Nina Simone - The Amazing Nina Simone (1959)
320 kbps, front cover included)

VA - Get Ready Rocksteady (1967)

Rocksteady is a music genre that originated in Jamaica around 1966. A successor to ska and a precursor to reggae, rocksteady was performed by Jamaican vocal harmony groups such as The Gaylads, The Maytals and The Paragons. The term rocksteady comes from a dance style that was mentioned in the Alton Ellis song "Rock Steady". Dances performed to rocksteady were less energetic than the earlier ska dances.

This album is a compilation containing 15 tracks by 10 different artists, produced by Clement Coxson Dodd. The first two cuts, "Never Love Again" and "My Last Love", are slow soulful vocal numbers by Alton Ellis and The Termites that highlight Jamaica’s love affair with American RnB and doo wop in their delivery and overall feel.

Even better is "Won’t You Come Home Now" by Ken and Delroy, who I believe are Ken Boothe and Delroy Wilson, with its interplay between guitar and piano and the strong vocals.

The second side starts off with an instrumental version of the Beatles’ "Darker Shade Of Black" with plenty of conga work by the Soul Vendors. "Get Ready Rock Steady" by the Soul Agents gets off to a good start with the chorus, but then gets a little long in the tooth. The "Groove To The Beat" is a melodic instrumental called by Keith & Ken.

A1	–Alton Ellis	Never Love Again
A2	–The Termites	My Last Love
A3	–Norma Frazer	Hound Dog
A4	–The Bassies	Big Mistake
A5	–Ken & Delroy	Won't You Come Home Now
A6	–Ken Boothe	Oh Babe
A7	–Soul Vendors	Darker Shade Of Black
B1	–Soul Vendors	Fat Fish
B2	–Pete Young	If You Got Soul
B3	–The Hamlins	Soul And Inspiration
B4	–Soul Agents	Get Ready To Rock Steady
B5	–Keith & Ken	Groove To The Beat
B6	–Sound Dimension	Night Doctor
B7	–The Lyrics	Money Lover

VA - Get Ready Rocksteady (1967)
(320 kbps, cover art included)

Folk Festival At Newport 1959 - Volume 1

The Newport Folk Festival was founded in 1959 by George Wein, who had already established the successful Newport Jazz Festival in Newport, Rhode Island a few years earlier. The festival featured folk, blues, country, and bluegrass musicians and, in its initial run between 1959 and 1970 (there were no festivals in 1961 and 1962), introduced future stars of the commercial folk revival like Joan Baez and Bob Dylan as well as giving old blues and folk performers like Skip James, Mississippi John Hurt, and others a platform to reach a wider audience.

Excerpts from the sleeve notes:

"Irish song and lore were eloquently represented at Newport by TOMMY MAKEM. Steeped in the musical and poetical tradition of the Gael, he is an artist as indigenous to his world as Big Bill Broonzy was to his. He is an actor as well as a singer; the two crafts are juicily fused in the songs. No "prettiness", no pretense in his performance, he reveals himself; and in a larger sense, his verdant heritage. PATRICK CLANCY about whom all this is equally true, is heard here in "Mountain Dew"."

Tracks:

Side One

The Bells of Rhymney - Pete Seeger (Accompanying himself on the 12-string guitar & banjo)
One Grain of Sand & Abiyoyo - Pete Seeger (Accompanying himself on the 12-string guitar & banjo)
Hey Daroma - Martha Schlamme (Accompanied by Frank Hamilton, guitar)
There's a Hole in the Bucket - Martha Schlamme (Accompanied by Frank Hamilton, guitar)
Que Bonita Bandeira - Martha Schlamme (Accompanied by Frank Hamilton, guitar)

Side Two

Lonesome Traveller - Leon Bibb (Accompanied by John Staubeur, guitar, and Eric Weisberg, bass)
Every Night When the Sun Goes In - Leon Bibb (Accompanied by John Staubeur, guitar, and Eric Weisberg, bass)
Times are Getting Hard - Leon Bibb (Accompanied by John Staubeur, guitar, and Eric Weisberg, bass)
Sinner Man - Leon Bibb (Accompanied by John Staubeur, guitar, and Eric Weisberg, bass)
Cobbler's Song - Tom Makem
Mountain Dew - Pat Clancy (Accompanied by Tom Makem on the penny-whistle and Pete Seeger, banjo)
Careless Love - Pete Seeger (Accompanying himself on the banjo)

Folk Festival At Newport 1959 - Volume 1
(192 kbps, front cover included)

Otto Reutter - In 50 Jahres ist alles vorbei

Otto Reutter was born on April 24th in 1870 in a poor Catholic family in Gardelegen, Germany, as a son of the Ex-Ulan Andreas Pfützenreuter who was not at home, visited the Catholic primary school, absolved afterwards an education in and out of Gardelegen as a commercial assistant, ran away after finishing this and went to Berlin, earned money as a Charge at quite simple theaters, tried to be an actor and commedian at little theaters in Berlin.

His father took him away from Berlin and then he ended up being in Karlsruhe, where he joined a group of pub-singers and pub-commedians. In 1895 he dared to have his first performance as a "Salonhumorist", first performance was probably in Bern in Switzerland. In 1896 he got hired for the first time in Berlin, he really convinced the audience with his talent to recite the funny-pointed verses with easy melodies in a kind of spoken song and to be ironically funny even with his appearance. Reutter rose up to a popular star since his first performance in the "Wintergarten-Variete" of the Central-Hotel in Berlin. In the following years Reutter was able to remain on the financial and artistic top of the German little-theater-artists with the help of his huge talent and his hard work.

In 1919 after 30 years of hard work and marked by personal blows Reutter was very tired and he wanted to retire with an account that recorded millions and go back to Gardelegen. Driven on by his own ambition and the need to earn money in insecure times because he was now husband Reutter created his „work of his old times“ from the year 1919 on and by doing this he suffered from indefatigable helplessness. This work consisted of Couplets that were on humor and melancholy, worldly wisdom and mild old-age cheekyness and these Couplets are still part of the German humor for higher demands. Ill and tired of life Reutter died on March 3rd in 1931 in Düsseldorf and was buried in Gardelegen.

Otto Reutter - In 50 Jahres ist alles vorbei (192 kbps)

Colin Wilkie, Shirley Hart, Albert Mangelsdorff, Joki Freund - Wild Goose (1969)

The legendary German trombonist Albert Mangelsdorff began his career in the early '50s in the groups of Hans Koller and Joki Freund, making an appearance at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival as part of the "International Youth Band" (at 30!).

On the atypical Wild Goose, his quintet augmented by brother Emil (alto sax and flute) and Freund (tenor and soprano), all backing the British folk duo of Colin Wilkie and Shirley Hart on four of the former's originals and three traditional folk songs. This folk jazz LP was released on the cult german jazz label MPS. It includes the nice modalish 'Willow And Rue'!

The album was produced by Joachim E. Berendt & Ulrich Olshausen and recorded Febraury 19th at the Tonstudio in Walldorf. Colin Wilkie (vocals, guitar), Shirley Hart (vocals), Günter Lenz (bass) and Ralf Hübner (drums, darbouka, tambourine) were accompanied by the "Jazzensemble des hessischen Rundfunks" with Albert Mangelsdorff, Joki Freund Emils Mangelsdorff and Heinz Sauer.


Tracklist:

A1	Icy Acres	4:07
A2	Fourth Flight	7:00
A3	Snowy Sunday	6:57
B1	Willow And Rue	4:25
B2	Lament	3:28
B3	Ich Armes Maidlein Klag Mich Sehr	6:43
B4	Sweet Primroses	5:05

Colin Wilkie, Shirley Hart, Albert Mangelsdorff, Joki Freund - Wild Goose (1969)
(ca. 224 kbps, cover art included)

VA - Rock Steady Beat - Treasure Isle's Greatest Hits (1967)

Arthur ‘Duke’ Reid (b.1915, Jamaica) had spent ten years as a Kingston policeman when he and his wife Lucille decided to buy The Treasure Isle Liquor Store in Kingston, Jamaica, after winning a substantial Jamaican National lottery. Wanting music to attract customers, the Duke arranged through a sponsorship deal to host his own radio show ‘Treasure Isle Time’. The people would listen to the latest American R&B tunes on 78rpm, interspersed with liquor deals going down at his store. This in time would lead to the starting of his own Sound System, where he could take his liquor to the dances via his Trojan truck. He used a large van to transport this equipment around Jamaica to dance halls and open air events. Due to the nature of the van it became known as the Trojan. With shouts of ‘Here comes the Trojan’, Duke Reid’s now named Trojan Sound System was born. It proved such a success that he was crowned King of Sound and Blues three years in a row 1956, 1957 and 1958. 1958 also saw the store which was out growing itself, move to its legendary premises, 33 Bond Street, as Treasure Isle Recording Studio

Duke Reid was a formidable character in the music business. His guns from his policing days were ever present and always on show, striking a menacing cord. The former champion marksman was notorious for his permanent armament and his 'bad men' who not only attended on his dances but also sabotaged competing sounds. It was also not unheard of for a few rounds to be let off, if the need arose. But it was his extensive knowledge of the R&B tunes,and knowing what the people liked to here that was his real strength. Like Clement "Coxsone" Dodd at Studio One he would travel to America to acquire the latest cuts. But this was proving more difficult due to America’s tastes moving on to Rock & Roll, which was not so popular in Jamaica.

His record production career began in 1959 on the "Trojan " record label, these were on 78's, such as Duke's Cookies and Chuck and Dobby "Cool School". On the Duke Reid label due to demand he issued home made recordings of the USA R & B style music. He formed his own backing band, which backed young singers like Derrick Morgan and Jiving Juniors.

1962 - 1966 was a prolific time at Treasure Isle, the Ska hits kept coming. He worked with artists like Stranger Cole, Techniques and the great Alton Ellis & The Flames. Such was the output that the releases were spread over three labels: Duke Reid's (later Duke Reid Greatest Hits), Dutchess (a name he often used to refer to his wife), and Treasure Isle. His work with Skatalites as a group came to an end after August/September 1965. Don Drummond was arrested on New Years Eve 1965, accused of murdering his girl friend Marguerita. He died in Bellevue, a mental institution in 1969. The Skatalites last gig was a Police Dance at the Runaway Bay Hotel.

1968-1969 saw the beat slowing down and reggae was evolving into Rocksteady and again Duke had his finger on the pulse. Working with the great sax player Tommy McCook & The Supersonics, the hits flowed from the studio. Paragons ‘Wear you to the Ball’, Alton Ellis’ ‘Rock Steady’, Melodians ‘Last train to Expo’ and The Techniques’s rendition of the Curtis Mayfield classic ‘Queen Majesty’ were all big hits of the day. Getting released on Reid’s own labels and in the U.K. Trojan Records (named after his Sound System) which he created with Chris Blackwell and Lee Gopthal from Island Records.

The musical style would change again around 1970, but the ever resourceful Reid would apply his tunes and start a new genre, the DJ Sound. By using his classic backing tracks and interspersing the dubbed vocal along side his Sound System DJ’s rants and raves, his tunes became hits once more.

Duke Reid became seriously ill in 1974 and sadly passed away in early 1975. He left behind a treasure chest full of his music, even today, gems are still to be found.                   

"Most of these sides were originally released as singles in 1966 and 1967, on Treasure Isle in Jamaica and on Doctor Bird, Trojan and Treasure Isle in England. Duke Reid selected them in 1967 to make up his first rocksteady compilation LP which he issued on Treasure Isle LP 101/2."

Tracklist:                           

A1	–A. Ellis	Rock Steady
A2	–The Techniques	You Don't Care
A3	–The Three Tops	It's Raining
A4	–The Jamaicans	Thing You Say You Love
A5	–The Techniques	Oh Babe
A6	–Tommy McCook	Inez
B1	–The Techniques	Out Of Many One
B2	–Justin Hinds	Carry Go Bring Come
B3	–Phyllis Dillon	Perfidia
B4	–The Techniques	Day O
B5	–A. Ellis	Girl Have I Got A Date
B6	–T. McCook	Train To Ska-thederal

According to liner notes:
Track 2 ("You don't care") started life as "You'll want me back" written by Curtis Mayfield and a hit for Major Lance.
Track 5 ("Oh Babe") started life in New Orleans as "Sick and Tired", composed by Chris Kenner in 1957 (and covered by Fats Domino in 1958).
Track 9 ("Perfidia") is best known as a hit instrumental and dates back to 1941, an Alfredo Dominguez composition.
Track 10 ("Day O") is a traditional West Indian melody.
Track 12 ("Train To Ska-Thedral") started life as "Winchester Cathedral", written by Geoff Stephens and a big hit in 1967.           

VA - Rock Steady Beat - Treasure Isle's Greatest Hits (1967)

(256 kbps, cover art included)

Lightnin Hopkins - Mojo Hand (1960)

Sam John "Lightnin'" Hopkins (March 15, 1912 – January 30, 1982) was an American country blues singer, songwriter, guitarist, and occasional pianist, from Centerville, Texas. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him number 71 on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.

The musicologist Robert "Mack" McCormick opined that Hopkins is "the embodiment of the jazz-and-poetry spirit, representing its ancient form in the single creator whose words and music are one act".

This album, recorded for Fire Records, is especially interesting because it casts Hopkins in a more R&B-flavored environment. This obvious effort to get a hit makes for some excellent blues; moody and powerful performances play throughout. There's even a charming novelty Christmas blues, "Santa."

Tracklist:



1 Mojo Hand
2 Coffee For Mama
3 Awful Dreams
4 Black Mare Trot
5 Have You Ever Loved A Woman
6 Glory Be
7 Sometimes She Will
8 Santa
9 Shine On, Moon!
10 Shake That Thing
11 Walk A Long Time
12 Last Night
13 Just Pickin'
14 Bring Me My Shotgun
15 Mojo Hand (Live At 1965 Newport Folk Festival)



Lightnin Hopkins - Mojo Hand (1960)
(320 kbps, cover art included)

Ready Steady Go - Rock Steady (Pama, 1968, vinyl rip)

.Bill Vincent wrote in the original liner notes:

"This album is packed with fourteen tracks of first class SKA type ROCK STEADY numbers, most of which have been in the top ten Ska chart and are now put together to make what to my mind, must be the best R0ck Steady or Blue Beat album ever to be offered to the public at large. If you study the titles and artistes names listed below you will soon be convinced that this is a must for you and like me you will vouch always to make SOUL FOOD your very first meal of the day."


Tracklist:

Lynn Taitt & The Jets - Soul Food
Alton Ellis - My Time Is The Right Time
Clancy All Stars - CN Express
Carlton Alphonso - Where Is This World
Earl St Joseph - Eastern Promise
The Groovers - You Were Meant For Me
Clancy Eccles - What Will You Mama Say
Tommy Mckenzie & His Orchestra - Fiddle Sticks
Monty Morris - Say What You're Saying
Clancy Eccles - The Fight
Ernest Ranglin - Heart Beat
Alton Ellis - The Message
Joyce Bond Show - They Wash
Lloyd Terrel - Bang Bang Lulu

VA - Ready Steady Go - Rock Steady (Pama, 1968)
(192 kbps, cover art included)

VA - In 50 Jahren ist alles vorbei - Originalaufnahmen aus dem alten Wintergarten und seiner Zeit

This is an album with orignal recordings of cabaret artists of the 1920s, 30s and 40s, related to the famous "Alter Wintergarten", a large variety theatre in Berlin-Mitte. The album features artists like Otto Reutter, Rosita Serrano, the Comedian Harmonists, Fritzi Massary, Paul Lincke, Gustav Gründgens, Claire Waldoff, Josephine Baker and Marlene Dietrich.

The Central Hotel opened in the year 1880 in Friedrichstraße. A special attraction for its guests was the “jardin de plaisanterie” or winter garden. Situated in a magnificent glass hall reminiscent of a crystal palace, it covered some 2,000 sq. m. and was unrivalled in quality and size at the time. The guests at the plush hotel delighted in promenading through the garden with its palm trees, evergreen shrubs and creepers, fountains and grottoes. The first concerts were held the same year.

In 1888 the stage was extended and fitted with the large, semicircular apron later regarded as its hallmark. The appropriate technical facilities were installed to allow for performances by acrobats. Both the management of the theatre and the press refered to the Wintergarten for the first time as a variety theatre.

In the year 1895 the Wintergarten scored a world premiere when the Skladanowsky brothers brought the sensational new art of cinematography to the stage.

In 1900 the management was changed and further conversion work was carried out. The famous starry sky was installed in the auditorium, which has already been fitted with a concert shell, main stage and scene bay. The Wintergarten ranked as the best of the 80-odd variety theatres in Berlin at the turn of the century. No new act, no sensation and no great entertainer could afford to ignore the Wintergarten. The theatre played host to many opera and circus stars, the best-known dancing girls, virtuoso performers, the clowns, Grock and Charlie Rivel, the marvellous juggler, Rastelli, and the incredible escape artist, Houdini. Stars, entertainers and muses of every nationality regarded an engagement at the Wintergarten as an honour.

Variety theatre boomed in the Roaring Twenties and the Wintergarten was in its heyday. During these crazy years full of eccentric fashions, demure divas and talented characters it were Claire Waldoff and Otto Reutter, in particular, who leaved their mark on the Wintergarten.

After 56 years of shows and a final performance on 21 June 1944 the Wintergarten was destroyed in a bombing raid. The most spectacular variety theatre Germany has ever known lied in ruins.

The name "Wintergarten" was taken on by a theatre in Potsdamer Strasse in 1992.

VA - In 50 Jahren ist alles vorbei - Originalaufnahmen aus dem alten Wintergarten und seiner Zeit
(256 kbps, cover art included)

Georges Brassens - Nouvelles Chansons - Tromp La Mort (1976)

One of French pop's most poetic songwriters, Georges Brassens was also a highly acclaimed and much-beloved performer in his own right. Not only a brilliant manipulator of language and a feted poet in his own right, Brassens was also renowned for his subversive streak, satirizing religion, class, social conformity, and moral hypocrisy with a wicked glee. 

Yet beneath that surface was a compassionate concern for his fellow man, particularly the disadvantaged and desperate. His personal politics were forged during the Nazi occupation, and while his views on freedom bordered on anarchism, his songs expressed those convictions more subtly than those of his contemporary, Léo Ferré. Though he was a skilled songwriter, Brassens had little formal musical training, and he generally kept things uncomplicated - simple melodies and spare accompaniment from a bass and second guitar. Along with Jacques Brel, he became one of the most unique voices on the French cabaret circuit, and exerted a tremendous influence on many other singers and songwriters of the postwar era. His poetry and lyrics are still studied as part of France's standard educational curriculum.

"Nouvelles Chansons" was the 12th and last original studio album of Brassens. This release is also known as "Don Juan" or "Trompe La Mort".

Tracklist:

A1 Trompe La Mort 4:03
A2 Les Ricochets 4:11
A3 Tempête Dans Un Bénitier 3:36
A4 Le Boulevard Du Temps Qui Passe 2:33
A5 Le Modeste 3:46
A6 Don Juan 3:51
A7 Les Casseuses 3:34
B1 Cupidon S'en Fout 3:37
B2 Montélimar 2:45
B3 Histoire De Faussaire 3:47
B4 La Messe Au Pendu 4:06
B5 Lèche-cocu 3:38
B6 Les Patriotes 2:59
B7 Mélanie 5:46

Georges Brassens - Nouvelles Chansons - Tromp La Mort (1976)

(320 kbps, cover art included)

Sun Ra and his Solar Arkestra - Secrets of the Sun (1962)

Secrets of the Sun is an album by the American Jazz musician Sun Ra and his Solar Arkestra. The album consists of sessions recorded by drummer Tommy "Bugs" Hunter in 1962 at the Choreographer's Workshop in New York City, the Arkestra's regular rehearsal studio. Since they had only recently moved to New York (some decided to stay in Chicago), these are small-group Arkestra recordings. This is an interesting transitional album because you can still hear echoes of the Chicago sound in some of the pieces, but the sound is growing beyond merely "exotic," with percussion playing an increasingly larger role and the pieces starting to sound more amorphous.

 

"The Friendly Galaxy" has the same sort of mysterious vibe as "Ancient Aetheopia," with nice trumpet and piano work as well as John Gilmore on bass clarinet (which he plays on a couple cuts). "Solar Differentials" has a similar but weirder feel because the horns change to "Space Bird Sounds" and Art Jenkins adds some of his distinctive "Space Voice." "Space Aura" is built on a great horn riff, while both Gilmore (again on bass clarinet) and Sun Ra both shine on a stripped-down version of "Love in Outer Space." Things head a bit more out for the last couple tracks, where percussion and reverb start to dominate the sound, as they would on several of the Choreographer Workshop recordings.

 

This is an interesting album for Ra fans because it's such a small band and shows how new ideas were taking hold in the music, not to mention Gilmore's use of bass clarinet, which he stopped playing completely sometime in the '60s. In 2008, "Secrets of the Sun" was reissued by Atavistic with an unreleased 17 minute bonus track.             

 

Tracklist:

1. Friendly Galaxy
2. Solar Differentials
3. Space Aura
4. Love In Outer Space
5. Reflects Motion
6. Solar Symbols

     7. Flight to Mars

Sun Ra and his Solar Arkestra - Secrets of the Sun (1962)
(192 kbps, cover art included)