≤≥≥≤≥≤≥≤≥≤≥≥≤≥≤≥≤≥≤≥≥≤≥≤≥≤≥≤≥≥≤≥≤≥≤≥≤≥≥≤≥≤≥≤≥

Wellington Pt2
 


This is the lot from both Slow Boat and RPM record stores.

My dad used to take me to Slow Boat Records when I was a kid. He would take aaagggees there. One day I too will bore the shit out of my son at that record store haha. Nah I don’t think I ever minded that much. Such a great record store. When I arrived it was like they were expecting me. Aside from the 45s previous posted about, I got the following there:

Etta James – Tuff Lover.
This record is “Taff Only” (in joke). To me, tuff is how tough should be spelt. Even though the record sleeve spells it both ways and can’t make up its mind. Etta James’ records got snatched up real quick right after she died. This particular record is probably not the most desirable, I don’t know, but it is not the usual Etta James you’d think. This sounds like straight outa tin pan allay, the brill factory or whatever shibb. Very early on, very rock’n’roll. It is good. But you know she got better.

Astrud Gilberto – The Shadow Of Your Smile.
“Nobody needs me” she sings in her cutesy voice. As if! Female singers like this almost have me believe them. And it drives me crazy. Firstly, she did not write these songs, and in most cases it was a male who wrote the song. She is merely a runway model for words. Is that too harsh? What does it matter…  she’s pretty sings pretty probably acts pretty and I find it hard to believe that nobody needed her. I need her!

Irma Thomas – Breakaway
This album was just waiting in the shelves for me. Singing songs of longing for me. And then I came along, and now the hurts all gone. I can’t believe my luck in finding this. It is a compilation with like 18 songs jammed on it but I will take any Irma Thomas I can get. She is amazing. You know she got married at 14!! (Is that even legal?) So she had a head start to heartbreak.

Female singers like this make me believe them. Like she is truly singing about me! Ever listen to that Alicia Keys song ‘You Don’t Know My Name’? Well Alicia knew my name. Irma can you please put a ‘Michael’ in one of your songs.

Favourite tracks: It’s Rainin’ and Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand). They are all really great songs. Ruler of My Heart is the best hands down, but sadly it’s not on this compilation.

Dinah Washington – Tears and Laughter
Yeah I got a thing for lady singers. Dinah is one of the best. And with Quincy Jones as the composer / producer, this album was everything I had hoped and expected. The cover art is pretty cool to. One side is sad songs and the other happy. It is raining heavy outside. It’s lonely. I can’t sleep, and this album is the perfect soundtrack.  I made a cool loop/song out of a track I can't find on the net to play you, but Soundcloud wasn't having it.

Nina Simone – Nuff Said!
Recorded live on the evening following the assassination of Martin Luther King. The song Why? (the king of love is dead) was written by bass player Gene Taylor that very day. Nina Simone is one of the greatest of all times. ‘Nuff Said!

Marcia Griffiths – Steppin’
I used to pretty snobby towards ‘80s Reggae. It was not ‘rootsy’ enough or something. I do kinda feel a little like that towards this 1985 release. Very over produced, not very gritty and raw. But, I love Marcia Griffiths and there are a number of songs on here where she shines over all that. The version of Hurtin’ Inside is perfectly sad.

CTI Summer Jazz - at the Hollywood Bowl, Volume Three.
Side A Track One opens with an aeroplane flying overhead then launches into a nice little break intro for the aptly named song Funkfathers. Most of the CTI ‘players’ (am I saying that right Chris ‘players’ haha) are on this album, unfortunately 5 of them are Saxophonists, and there is only one drummer and one percussionist. Still they do their thing. But in conclusion, too much sax and Esther Phillips who sings on 2 of the 5 songs is a female vocalist whom I am not a fan.  “Bring back the aeroplane!” I would have heckled.

Edwin Star – 25 Miles
25 Miles is his best song (then maybe ‘War’). This is not the best album. But 25 miles is enough. Beat Me To The Punch is also great. Annnnd it has this redeeming break which I looped up and played a lil melodica over it just for the sake of doing something with it:




RPM was cool. A reincarnation of Wellington’s Real Groovy. I’m running out of writing power… ummm there I got the other three records:

Q-Tip – Renaissance
Started at 16 now he all grown up. This is what adults sound like when rapping. The man.

Bumpy Knuckles
With a name like that you gotta say it twice “bumpy knuckles baby! bumpy knuckles baby!” LOVE this song. Abe you probably put me on to this back in the day. I’ve misplaced this record but from memory Pete Rock on the A and Alchemist on the B. Who would want to be on production for the B side of this? Not even Alchemist.
Digable Planets – 9th Wonder
Why among all the resurgence of 90s rap styles can no one pull off the cool jazzy styles like these guys? I’m blaming the internet ;)