Canciones de Amor

Some music becomes dated in almost no time, sounding passe or quaint within a few years, or even months. Some escapes that fate and continues to delight listeners generations removed from its origins. The music of Mexican (and Puerto Rican) trio Los Panchos is certainly in the class of music that remains compelling and appealing decades after its recording. Founded in New York in the 1940s, the group recorded extensively and has performed all over the world. The lineup has changed over the years, but the group, now based in Vera Cruz, continues to tour and many of their classic recordings remain available. The three guitars and the the beautiful harmony singing have always defined the romantic sound of Los Panchos and the collection Canciones de Amor is an excellent showcase for that sound. Featuring songs from great songwriters like Augustin Lara and Jose Alfredo Jimenez, this collection features recordings from the 1940s through the 1970s. Classic, enduring popular music.

Elvis at Stax

These seventies recordings give listeners a chance to revisit the 70s Elvis with some of his best recordings of that period. This 3-CD box set is a 40th anniversary chronicle of a dozen nights that Presley spent at Stax Recording Studios in his hometown of Memphis in July and December 1973. Whatever your feeling about late-period Elvis, these important recordings represent a clear view of what Elvis sang when he was directing his own career. Historically significant and lots of fun.

Pokey LaFarge

Pokey LaFarge is one of those players who's steeped in the past, but ready to offer something new and fun. With the vintage clothes and cool old guitars, one might be forgiven for thinking this a revival act, one where classic old material is recycled for a new audience. LaFarge loves the vintage sounds of swing, blues, ragtime and country, but he's writing original songs with a contemporary sensibility. The overwhelming feeling here is fun, though, and this music is meant to make you smile and get your foot tapping. Jazzy guitar chords, an upright bass, cool harmonica and the occasional horns propel this very appealing exploration of traditional styles. Check this one out.

The Soul Years

The Best of Bobby Womack: The Soul Years collects important recordings the great guitarist, vocalist and songwriter made between 1968 and 1974. Any fan of soul or R&B of the period will enjoy this. The tunes bridge the distance between gritty Southern Soul (Wilson Picket) and the later more socially conscious work of artists like Curtis Mayfield. It foresees, at moments, the smoother sound of the later seventies, but remains powerful and emotional music that is distinctly Soul. Earlier songs like "Across 110th St." (featured in Tarrantino's Jackie Brown) may be better than some of the surprising covers (although California Dreamin' isn't bad) but everything here is worth a listen.

Desfado

Fado music is a genre of Portuguese song that traces back at least to the 1820s or 1830s. In common with the blues and other traditional music forms, Fado expresses feelings of sadness and difficulty, but the music itself can feel redemptive and affirming. Ana Moura is a contemporary practictioner of Fado and her recent recording Desfado, will help listeners to understand the continuing appeal of this music. Moura's voice is rich and warm and the mostly acoustic (guitar) accompaniment is perfect. For those who enjoy traditional singers from Dolores Keane to Cesaria Evora, Ana Moura's music will be an exciting discovery. A special treat among the beautiful Portuguese language songs is Joni Mitchell's haunting A Case Of You. Don't miss this.

The One: The Life and Music of James Brown

RJ Smith's The One: The Life and Music of James Brown  is a sensitive and comprehensive look at the complex life and career of one of popular music's most influential performers. The singer enjoyed great success during his life, sold millions of records and had a reputation as an amazing and moving performer. Beginning with Brown's early life, Smith shows the difficulties that led to the songer's troubled childhood and youthful incarceration. He also illustrates how Brown's will and forceful personality kept him focused on success even while often preventing him from enjoying it. The book moves beyond standard music biography when the author contextualizes Brown's dancing and emotionally intense stage shows in shamanic ritual and pentacostal religious experience. Peopled with characters as diverse as Bootsy Collins and Rev. Al Sharpton, he book is a fun, sad and ultimately insightful look at the vicissitudes of race and fame from the chitlin circuit to the world's greatest stages, and a close examination of one of the most troubled and celebratory figures in popular music. A first rate biography.

Recordings of interest:
40th Anniversary Collection     James Brown
CD of JB II: Cold Sweat and Other Soul Classics     James Brown
Live at the Apollo     James Brown
Say It Live and Loud: 8/26/1868     James Brown
In the Jungle Groove     James Brown
T.A.M.I. Show (DVD) various artists incl. James Brown

Sky Dog

Recently added to the library's collection:

"Duane Allman was one of the defining musicians of our era, rated second only to Jimi Hendrix in Rolling Stone's list of rock's 100 greatest guitarists. A founding member, with his brother Gregg, of the Allman Brothers Band, Duane was also active as a session musician, and as a member of the all-star Derek and the Dominos. This seven CD set, produced by Duane's daughter Galadrielle Allman and esteemed reissue producer Bill Levenson, shows the full breadth and depth of Duane's work, from early recordings (with Gregg) in bands such as The Escorts, Allman Joys and Hour Glass; to his studio work with Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Boz Scaggs, Delaney & Bonnie, Ronnie Hawkins and many others; to a live jam session with the Grateful Dead. The set includes several unreleased performances, many classic Allman Brothers songs, and a collector's cache of rare singles and long out-of-print album tracks. Also included are a 72 page book with essays by Scott Schindler and Galadrielle Allman, and many rare photographs." - amazon.com

Lindi Ortega

Cigarettes & Truckstops

Lindi Ortega

I'm gonna board this greyhound and ride it all the way down to L.A.
You see I'm missin' you like crazy and I can't stand to be so far away
Cigarettes and truckstops remind me of you when I pass them by
And my mama always told me "hold on to the good things that you find"

So I guess I gotta tell ya that I'm comin' out to meet you
That I really gotta see you one more time,
I'd rather have you still beside me
Than have you always runnin' through my mind
Oh look out California, I'm comin' for my lover's heart tonight

In Evanston, Wyoming I kissed you underneath a painted sky
We were travellin' like gypsies, singin' to each other in the night
From highway to hotel room and every place we stopped at in between
Oh I'd hear Dolly singin': you and I were islands in the stream

So I guess I gotta tell ya that I'm comin' out to meet you
That I really gotta see you one more time
I'd rather have you still beside me
Than have you always runnin' through my mind
Oh look out California, I'm comin' for my lover's heart tonight

Miles Live in Europe

Volume two of Columbia's Miles Davis Bootleg Series is this Live in Europe 1969. Recorded in Paris, Berlin and Stockholm, this set features one of Miles' greatest bands: Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, Dave Holland and Jack DeJohnette. 1969 was the year of Davis' Bitches Brew, and although that recording features different personnel, listeners familiar with that recording will have an idea what to expect: bold, impovisatory jazz that was thrilling in its freedom and intensity, and that remains challenging and untamed forty years later. This is modern art, anxious to break with the past, frustrate expectations, challenge all assumptions, willing to question what jazz or even music ultimately is. If you're into free jazz, or any of the later Miles stuff, this is wonderful and exhilerating music. If tradition, swing and melody are your thing, proceed with caution. (includes a DVD of a concert in Germany)

Dwight Yoakum

Dwight's newest CD, his first in seven years, is 3 Pears, and is a fine offering for admirers of his neo- traditional hard country. This record makes more obvious what Yoakum fans have known for awhile, though: Dwight's music owes as much to rock as country, and is ultimately just good music. Dwight's written or co-written everything here except the classic country raveup Dim Lights,Thick Smoke and his songwriting has never been better. This is country, for sure, but not the watered-down pop white bread country many people find so cloying. Dwight's music is fresh and soulful and weaves strands of classic rock, soul and country into a very satisfying blend that anyone who likes good songwriting and electrified Americana should enjoy.

Garcia/Saunders Box Set

Keystone Companions, by Jerry Garcia and Merle Saunders, contains a complete two-night stand at Berkeley's Keystone Theater from July 10 and 11, 1973. Over the years the Grateful Dead guitarist embarked on a number of side projects, and this was one of the best. Predating the Jerry Garcia band, and joining Garcia with Saunders, a keyboardist of wide taste and experience, this show features Garcia's guitar in a set list that includes blues, rockabilly, jazz, funk, Broadway and Motown. It's great to hear a younger Garcia at the height of his musical arc playing in such a relaxed and varied context. Even (and perhaps especially) those not steeped in the music of the Grateful Dead will enjoy this pleasant stroll through the duo's favorite songs and styles.

kEEP tHE bEAT

There's a great new compilation of hits and favorites from former 2 Tone stars The English Beat. The Birmingham band, a punky, second-wave ska powerhouse, was both popular and influential. Along with Madness, The Specials and The Selecter, the English Beat's music, multicultural vibe and even their look shaped a whole scene on both sides of the Atlantic that got people shaking it down to dance-friendly, socially conscious party music. This disc contains some of the best known tunes by the group, including "Mirror In The Bathroom," "Twist and Crawl," "Can't Get Used To Losing You," and "Hands Off...She's Mine." This music, from the late seventies and early eighties, remains fresh and fun. UB40 and other bands took this music farther commercially, but few made it more fun. Of particlular interest to fans of Third Wave Ska like Sublime and No Doubt.
Keep The Beat: The Very Best Of The English Beat
Also of Interest:
The Singles Collection - The Specials
BBC Sessions - The Specials
One Step Beyond - Madness
The Collection - Bad Manners

Playing The Blues

Blues guitarist Buddy Guy looks back on his life in his new memoir, When I Left Home: My Story. I love biographies of musicians and the first thing I noticed about this one was the sound the words made, the rhythm of the spoken voice, in this case the Southern-tinged voice of a working man, a musican, and a survivor. The reader is allowed to feel as if he or she is listening to an interesting older man talk about life and reflect on experiences of joy, loss and endurance. Buddy takes the reader back to his rural childhood, his earliest exposure to music, the ambition that drove him to Chicago, and the ups and downs of a bluesman who spent his nights in front of ecstatic audiences and his days driving a tow truck. Along the way there is much about Chess Records, Buddy's mentors, his successes, his business ventures and his family. Always there is the wise and reflective tone of a man who's lived a life full of music, struggle and triumph. A first rate autobiography.
Related Recordings:
Buddy's Blues                                   Buddy Guy
Blues Singer                                      Buddy Guy
Damn Right I've Got The Blues          Buddy Guy
The Very Best of Buddy Guy             Buddy Guy
Chicago Boss Guitars                        Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, Magic Sam
Bring 'Em In                                      Buddy Guy
Skin Deep                                         Buddy Guy
Living Proof                                      Buddy Guy
Hoodoo Man Blues                           Junior Wells, Buddy Guy

Sure Enough Country

Here's a fun one, a two-CD collection of classic country tunes which includes hits from some of the great country stars of the past. It's called The Only Classic Country Collection You'll Ever Need, and disc one achieves the coveted "All Killer, No Filler" status with Ernest Tubb's "Walking The Floor Over You," Patsy Cline's "Walkin' After Midnight," Lefty Frizell's "If You've got Money, I've Got the Time," and even Ray Charles' classic take of Buck Owens'"Cryin' Time." Filled out with songs by Kitty Wells, Hank Williams, George Jones, Johnny Cash and Hank Snow, you've got a great country playlist right here. Disc two is almost as good: Roger Miller, Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn, Waylon Jennings and several other great singers are included. Some listeners might not feel that Crystal Gayle and Kenny Rogers fit in with this company, but that's really in the ear of the beholder. This CD sounds like the jukebox in an old country dive (or a retro-hip dive) and is perfect when the mood calls for real country.

Black Music Month

Black Music Month, now called African American Music Appreciation Month, is announced in a proclamation from the president of the United States. The entire procalmation is available on http://www.whitehouse.gov/, and this year's statement begins with the words: "As a long-cherished piece of American culture, music offer a vibrant soundtrack to the story of our people and our Union. At times when words alone could not bring us together, we have found in melodies and choruses the universal truths of our shared humanity. African-American musicians have left an indelible mark on this tradition, and during African-American Music Appreciation Month, we pay special tribute to their extraordinary contributions." A lot of media outlets have published articles about this special celebration and some have even recommended music to listen to. The Huffington Post ran an article identifying ten black artists they believe are currently redefining the music industry: Rihanna, Drake, Beyonce, Kanye, Jay-Z, Usher, Nicki Minaj, Chris Brown, Jennifer Hudson and Lil Wayne. The library has recordings by all of them, along with hundreds of other innovative and influential African-American musicans. Other resources include books about African American musicians and musical styles including Blues, Soul, Gospel, Hip-Hop, and Jazz. Stop by the library this month to learn about and listen to some great American music.

My Cross To Bear

My Cross To Bear is the title of Gregg Allman's recent memoir and the story of the musician's lonely childhood, loss of his beloved brother, his string of divorces and the decades lost to drugs and alcohol justify the title's evocation of struggle and pain. The book does include the mandatory sex, drugs and rock & roll anecdotes associated with the rock star memoir, and they're generally amusing. The guys in the Allman Brothers Band took their music as seriously as their excess and definitely had some great times. Fans of the band will read about the rise and fall and rise of the storied group, along with accounts of great shows at the Beacon Theater, the stunning success of the "Fillmore" and "Brothers and Sisters" recordings, as well as the tragic deaths, imprisonments and betrayals that darken their history. Mr. Allman comes across as a lonely, somewhat unsophisticated man whose only true love was the music that sustained him through his difficult life. Whatever wisdom he has achieved is expressed in a few tired affirmations and worn aphorisms. His life may not have been all glamor and success but he did live to tell about it and seems to enjoy sharing the memories he retains. A fine telling of a familiar, but still compelling, tale.

The library owns many of the recordings discussed in the book.

Different kind of guitar hero

A lot has been written since the passing of Arthel "Doc" Watson about his influence, his amazing guitar playing and his role in popularizing traditional American music. Ash Grove club owner Ed Pearl is quoted in the LA Times as saying, "Doc was by far the best traditional artist I ever met at talking openly about his people, and just having a casual conversation with an audience...he was among the most versatile and un-self-conscious bringers of Southern white culture to the Ash Grove possible, and he did that right from the beginning." If you haven't heard Doc's music, or haven't heard it lately, pick up one of his recordings next time you're in the library. His music will continue to resonate with listeners attuned to the purity and authenticity of great traditional music.

Sweet Soul Music

The Sweet Soul Music series has proven a surprising local favorite in the library's cd collection. These cds from the premier reissue label Bear Family Records, based in Germany, collect the original recordings that defined this classic American music style. Mixing the well known (Mary Wells, Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye) with the more obscure but equally significant (Don Covay, Slim Harpo, The Elgins) these beautifully annotated and illustrated compilations tell the story of the performers and producers who fused Southern Gospel, R&B, and even Country music into what came to be known as Soul. The library owns volumes from the set that represent each year from 1963 through 1969. Also of interest is the three-cd set Take Me To The River: A Southern Soul Story, 1961-1977. This collection is somewhat parallel in purpose to the Sweet Soul Music series, but sticks to recordings made in the South. It, too, is a mix of the hits and commercial misses that are now judged to have been the most definitive recordings in the history of Soul. In Europe, where American Blues, Country, Jazz, and Soul are still greatly admired, this set won MOJO magazine's Best Compilation Award for 2009. A national treasure.

Mountain Music

Before Ralph Stanley was featured on the "O Brother Where Art Thou" soundtrack, and before he was the grand old man of bluegrass, he was part of an innovative and influential band with his brother Carter. In the 1940s the Stanley Brothers began to record the rural music, pioneered by Bill Monroe and others, that would come to be known as bluegrass. From Charles K. Wolfe's liner notes: "Though dozens of young bands were doing their best to emulate the new sound, it would be the Stanley Brothers who would take it to its next stage of development. [It was] a style that at once harkened back to the mountain music of the past, and looked forward with innovative harmonies and haunting new songs." The haunting ballads and gospel songs which make up The Complete Columbia Stanley Brothers continue to define this style of music and their echoes are heard in the work of contemporary artists like Alison Krauss as well as revivalists like Old and In The Way. Old sounds that remain vital - and fun. Stop in the library's Media department for this and an array of other important recordings, both historical and contemporary.

New Orleans Style

Singer, pianist, arranger, producer and New Orleans voodoo king Dr. John has a new recording (Locked Down) that harkens back to some of his spooky/funky earlier work. Produced by the Black Keys' Dan Auerbach (who has in turn been produced by Danger Mouse), the record sizzles with organ, funky guitar licks, layers of percussion and Dr. John's inimitable vocal style. An ideal antidote to bland, generic, mass-produced pop music, this mashup of blues, rock, New Orleans rhythm and electro grooves will not be found in the frozen aisle of your chain grocery store. A spicy stew indeed.