What music are you listening to

[GDCarrington]

The Elegant Sounds of the Royalettes

[shm]

Toni Braxton - Secrets

[GDCarrington]

Johnny "Guitar" Watson: A Real Mother For Ya




"Reinvention" could just as easily have been Johnny "Guitar" Watson's middle name. The multi-talented performer parlayed his stunning guitar skills into a vaunted reputation as one of the hottest blues axemen on the West Coast during the 1950s. But that admirable trait wasn't paying the bills as the 1970s rolled in. So he totally changed his image to that of a pimp-styled funkster, enjoying more popularity than ever before for his down-and-dirty R&B smashes "A Real Mother for Ya" and "Superman Lover."

Watson's roots resided within the fertile blues scene of Houston. As a teen, he played with fellow Texas future greats Albert Collins and Johnny Copeland. But he left Houston for Los Angeles when he was only 15 years old. Back then, Watson's main instrument was piano; that's what he played with Chuck Higgins' band when the saxist cut "Motorhead Baby" for Combo in 1952 (Watson also handled vocal duties).

He was listed as Young John Watson when he signed with Federal in 1953. His first sides for the King subsidiary found him still tinkling the ivories, but by 1954, when he dreamed up the absolutely astonishing instrumental "Space Guitar," the youth had switched over to guitar. "Space Guitar" ranks with the greatest achievements of its era -- Watson's blistering rapid-fire attack, done without the aid of a pick, presages futuristic effects that rock guitarists still hadn't mastered another 15 years down the line.

Watson moved over to the Bihari Brothers' RPM label in 1955 and waxed some of the toughest upbeat blues of their time frame (usually under saxist Maxwell Davis's supervision). "Hot Little Mama," "Too Tired," and "Oh Baby" scorched the strings with their blazing attack; "Someone Cares for Me" was a churchy Ray Charles-styled slow-dragger, and "Three Hours Past Midnight" cut bone-deep with its outrageous guitar work and laid-back vocal (Watson's cool phrasing as a singer was scarcely less distinctive than his playing). He scored his first hit in 1955 for RPM with a note-perfect cover of New Orleanian Earl King's two-chord swamp ballad "Those Lonely Lonely Nights."

Though he cut a demo version of the tune while at RPM, Watson's first released version of "Gangster of Love" emerged in 1957 on Keen. Singles for Class ("One Kiss"), Goth, Arvee (the rocking introduction "Johnny Guitar"), and Escort preceded a hookup with Johnny Otis at King during the early '60s. He recut "Gangster" for King, reaching a few more listeners this time, and dented the R&B charts again in 1962 with his impassioned, violin-enriched blues ballad "Cuttin' In."

Never content to remain in one stylistic bag for long, Watson landed at Chess just long enough to cut a jazz album in 1964 that placed him back behind the 88s. Along with longtime pal Larry Williams, Watson rocked England in 1965 (their dynamic repartee was captured for posterity by British Decca). Their partnership lasted stateside through several singles and an LP for OKeh; among their achievements as a duo was the first vocal hit on "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" in 1967 (predating the Buckinghams by a few months).

Little had been heard of this musical chameleon before he returned decked out in funk threads during the mid-'70s. He hit with "I Don't Want to Be a Lone Ranger" for Fantasy before putting together an incredible run at DJM Records paced by "A Real Mother for Ya" in 1977 and an updated "Gangster of Love" the next year.

After a typically clever "Strike on Computers" nicked the R&B lists in 1984, Watson again seemed to fall off the planet. But counting this remarkable performer out was always a mistake. Bow Wow, his 1994 album for Al Bell's Bellmark logo, returned him to prominence and earned a Grammy nomination for best contemporary blues album, even though its contents were pure old-school funk. Sadly, in the midst of a truly heartwarming comeback campaign, Watson passed away while touring Japan in 1996. - Bill Dahl Allmusic.com

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/johnn...6438/biography

[GDCarrington]

Kaleidoscope World - Swing Out Sister

[GDCarrington]

A couple of different versions of the same song.


ACE - How Long

[GDCarrington]

A couple of different versions of the same song.


ACE - How Long

[The Knize]

various versions of Dylan's To Ramona. He seems to change the words around,

[The Provost]

What a great, underappreciated rock band.

[GDCarrington]

Stan Ridgway - Live! 1989 the Ancient Town of Frankfurt @ the Batschkapp Club

[Amir]

Brad Mehldau, among the more terrific living jazz innovators - EVER!

He mixes standards, echoes of Bill Evans, with covers from the Beatles to Radiohead.

His trio albums/CDs are like conversations between Mehldau (on piano) with the drummer and bass.

And, he has solo albums of original works that are as thick as anything Brahms did in the 1850's-60's

[GDCarrington]

Stan Ridgway - Songs That Made This Country Great

[cvac]

Let's see:

Buddy Holly- complete 3xCD

Wipers - box set

Wes Montgomery - Movin' Along

Thelonious Monk - Monk's Music

Art Blakey - Night in Tunisia

Mickey Newbury - American Trilogy 4xCD

Japan - Tin Drum

Replacements - Hootenanny, Pleased to Meet Me

Naked Raygun - Throb Throb, All Rise

Chameleons - SOTB 2012 Abbey Road Remaster

Avengers - 2xCD reissue

Apartments - evening visits


Other stuff too, but those are some recent buys/listens

[GDCarrington]

Nina Simone - House of the Rising Sun

[GDCarrington]

Nat King Cole 4 CD Box Set

[shm]

Ace of Base - Happy Nation

[GDCarrington]

[size=x-large]Gary Bartz - Music Is My Sanctuary[/size]



Released:1977
Genre:Funk / Soul, Jazz
Style:Jazz-Funk

Arranged By -- Gary Bartz (tracks: 1, 2, 6), Larry Mizell (tracks: 3, 4, 5)
Bass -- Curtis Robinson, Jr., Welton Gite
Co-producer -- Gary Bartz, James Carter (2)
Drums -- Howard King, James Gadson, Nate Neblett
Executive Producer -- Larkin Arnold
Guitar -- David T. Walker, John Rowin, Juewett Bostick, Wa Wa Watson*
Keyboards, Vocals -- Larry Mizell
Mastered By -- Ron McMaster
Percussion -- Bill Summers, Mtume*
Piano -- George Cables
Producer -- Larry Mizell & Fonce Mizell
Reissue Producer -- Michael Cuscuna
Saxophone [Alto, Soprano], Piano, Electric Piano, Synthesizer, Vocals -- Gary Bartz
Trumpet -- Eddie Henderson, Ray Brown (2)
Vocals -- Sigidi, Syreeta Wright*

Notes▼
Produced by Larry Mizell and Fonce Mizell for Sky High Productions, Inc.
Originally released in 1977
Manufactured and distributed by Capitol Records, Inc.

Credits▼
Arranged By -- Gary Bartz, Larry Mizell
Executive Producer -- Larkin Arnold
Producer -- Larry Mizell & Fonce Mizell

[GDCarrington]

Nick Drake - Digital Box Set



Released: Aug 2010 Label: Island Records

The five-disc Digital Box Set collects most of Nick Drake's music currently available: his three immaculate studios (Five Leaves Left, Bryter Layter and Pink Moon), plus the slightly less vital rarities compilations Time of No Reply and Family Tree. It's an awful lot of music for the casual fan. Then again, does a casual Nick Drake fan even exist? It seems as if just about everybody who has been exposed to his music flips for it. So much so that Drake has gone from cult artist to one of the most beloved singer-songwriters of the early 1970s. What a transformation.
- Justin Farrar

[nff]

curently mixing.

an older mix.

[wrinkles2]

I have grown up with (and love) traditional country music, Ihave branched out to bluegrass, folk, and a little bit of the new country.
One of my favorite country folk artists is Gordon Lightfoot;I frequently listen to his songs.
Since I listen to everything he does, I don't have aspecific album cover to post.
Here, however, is a picture of him.
I don't think it is a recent one; it's probably a few yearsold.

[GDCarrington]

Was Not Was - What Up Dog