Hope Springs Eternal

Apologies for the lack of posts recently - some damn annoying broadband issues that, I'm assured, will be sorted soon. It's given me some time to think about what to post though, so look out for some new themed slexions this weekend (fingers crossed).

Much love.

Max Roach - Garvey's Ghost

Imposing power music. The war drums are sounding and Eric Dolphy is blowing. Feel it.

Max Roach - Garvey's Ghost - Percussion Bitter Sweet - 1961

Chick Corea & Return To Forever - You're Everything

This whole album has an interesting sound with tempos that don't normally sit with the kinds of instruments and tunes featured. It's a great line up. Stanley Clarke on bass, Joe Farrell on reeds, Airto on percussion and the instantly recognisable Flora Purim singing. The song I've chosen is the opener. Don't get too lulled by the opening - it starts to take off after 2 minutes and there's a mad rush to the finish.

Chick Corea & Return To Forever - You're Everything - Light As A Feather - 1972

Alice Coltrane - Turiya & Ramakrishna

This is my favourite track from the late great Alice Coltrane. 8 minutes 21 seconds of meditative calm with blue notes and shuffling percussion aplenty but strangely no harp or horns. Turiya, according to Alice in the liner notes is "a state of consciousness — the high state of Nirvana, the goal of human life". Ramakrishna, I've learned, was a 19th Century Bengali who taught the oneness of existence; the divinity of all living beings; the unity of God and the harmony of religions. Stoned teenagers dig it too.

Alice Coltrane - Turiya and Ramakrishna - Ptah the El Daoud - 1970

I Hate I Walked Away / We Made It

Bad sampling just steals a riff and makes a fast buck off someone else's talent. Good sampling takes something, cuts it up, stretches it, reinterprets it and makes something new. Something that does justice to both the new track and the old. I was listening to tunes from Syl Johnson's Back For A Taste Of Your Love album (available at Dust2Dust) and the opening bars of the track I Hate I Walked Away just seemed so familiar. I couldn't work out why I knew them until after the 8th bar when, instead of Syl's words, I wanted to sing along "We Made It". I quickly found the tune I wanted, listened, and yes, there was the sample. But not just taken unadulterated. No. Pitched up, just the strings looped a little early to add a jump and then at the bridge a loop of that 8th bar. Nice work by Carlos “Six July” Broady. Compare and contrast, enjoy the sample game and appreciate what I can't believe is the first Hip Hop tune on this blog.

Syl Johnson - I Hate I Walked Away - Back For A Taste Of Your Love - 1971
Ghostface Killah - We Made It - Supreme Clientele - 2000

Mr Fingers - Introduction

I first stumbled across this album at my then girlfriend's sister's house in Stockholm. I was looking for something to listen to while they caught up and was very surprised to see Mr Fingers in among the Groove Armada and Air. The words Larry Heard didn't mean anything to her and apparently it belonged to an old boyfriend. She didn't understand my excitement. Larry's crystal keys and Robert Owens soothing soul now just sound like Sweden to me - clean design, clean living, smooth and untroubled.

Mr Fingers - Alright - Introduction - 1992
Mr Fingers - We Can Work It Out - Introduction - 1992
Mr Fingers - On A Corner Called Jazz - Introduction - 1992

Gabor Szabo - An Evening In The Country

A nice bit of Bob James produced guitar from the Magyar Maestro Gabor Szabo that isn't in the slightest bit macho. That is, of course, unless you think the title is a pun (much like in Hamlet when the Prince asks Ophelia: "Do you think I meant country matters?").

Gabor Szabo - An Evening In The Country - Macho - 1975