5S5S5S5S5S5S5S5S5S5S5S5S5S5S5S5S

Here are the birthday presents that i got at the 5th Birthday of A Vinyl Affair........

New Age – Stephen Caudel - Wine Dark Sea
Oh man this is as golden as the sunset on the cover. Some epicly 80s moments which would make great backing tracks to infomercials. Cool mellow 80s new age vibes. Second album in this series I’ve fallen for. Is it soo bad It’s good?? Yes!! Subjectively!!

Yma Sumac – Voice of the Xtaby & Inca Taqui, Chants of the Incans
Yma Sumac was played in the house by my mum growing up and we all would try to imitate her alien vocal range. She’s plenty fun. I wouldn’t think I need to explain Yma Sumac. An artist where every superlative about them is truth, not hype or sales. I am sold, and I will search out her entire catalog to buy.

Ether Phillips – For All We Know.
I was pretty sure I didn’t really enjoy Esther Phillips music when I last came across it. This one was on Kudu, so for $2 I thought surely at least one gem? The parts where she is not singing are the best parts, which are very few between.

Iron Butterfly – Evolution (The Best of Iron Butterfly)
Whats an Iron Butterfly? Well, it’s the term given to an options trade that uses four different contracts…. Yawnnn… Tell me about the time when Bart Simpson made the church organist play the 17 minute long In-AGadda-Da-Vida after which she collapsed and died, and who killed it the hardest on Iron Butterfly breaks?

Crackerjack Top 20 Disco Hits
Look past the fact that it’s a top 20 disco hits album not performed by the original artists and put out by Music World. Ok, now take in the cover art, stars, checkers, beaming rays. Then you have Mere. Mere Nihoniho. New Zealand’s very own Maori Disco Champ. Way to go Mere! Doing that crackerjack kanikani. Oh shit what is our NZ disco champ wearing? Are those platform shoes? No.. gumboots!!? Hang on, this album was put together by Skellerup Industries Ltd. The gumboot company. And the name of those very stylish blue red and white gumboots are called ‘crackerjacks’. God defend this free land.

Christchurch's Disco Queen Mere Nihoniho at Caledonian Hall '77 (Photo by Kowalski. Found this image at these folks blog which is also pretty great)

City of Wellington Highland Pipe Band – Pipe Major Frank Mackinnon.
Freebee, as it should be for the condition it was in and also it’s a pipe band, I’m not sure if there’s a market at all for these records as there was somehow at one point. Why do I want this? I got my reasons. Pipe it up!

Bruce Biggs - Let’s Learn Maori
Another freebee. Written and read aloud by Dr Pat W Hohepa and Mrs Ata Pederson. It doesn’t have the book which accompanies the record with the English translations, but that will show up eventually. Ironic that Professor Biggs poorly pronounces Maori in his introduction, but kei te pai, its where the heart is at in every effort. Some interesting phrase selections to learn such as “He ataahua nga kotiro”. For a great podcast which dives into Te Ao Maori check out Taringa.

Eddie Low – The Golden Voice Of
I am searching Eddie’s catalog for something, something different, outstanding, I don’t know… Sadly so far it’s mostly same same. Like other NZ performers at this time, it’s all pretty tame cover songs. There’s an okay version of Joni Mitchell’s Look Both Ways. But nothing really pops on this. I will keep searching.

Baxter & Heenan – Jack Winter’s Dream
James K Baxter play, music by Ashley Heenan the NZSO and a cast of Keywey voice actors. Gold fever dreams, tales of murder, Swagman Jack’s drunk banter, ol timey insults matched equally with poetic phrases “With sheets of love folded I have made our bed…” This albums a deep trip which I haven’t taken all the way yet.

Larry Pruden - New Zealand Composer Edition.
The last time I spent with my dad before he died at age 50 he was sharing his new found enthusiasm for classical music. From a rock’n’roll life to that point where he just wanted to mellow out and listen to Erik Satie. In recent years I’ve been to more NZSO shows than hiphop shows. I don’t know shit about classical and always thinking why these talented orchestras always gotta be playing Mozart and Beethova (H to the Izo) all the time? Surely there’s other composers on the planet? Well there’s this guy Larry Pruden. Soundtracks of “bitter and murderous” histories, of a Maunga and a dedication to the memory of his dad. Pruden is an original, who himself died in his 50s.

Saga of Steam – Stereo Steam Spectacular
There was always going to be a cross over group of train enthusiast and record collectors. Like ol hip hop heads who originally came to appreciate trains through the interest of spray painting on them, as with their interest in collecting records through the hunt for classic breaks.

Rick James – Fire It Up
In the early 80s Rick dated the actor Linda Blair who played the child in the film Exorcist. He later died! [in 2004 at age 54] Coincidence?? I think not! This guy is another conflicting talent where the art is great, but the person not so. Sure, lampoon his drug addiction, but just don’t skip past the fact he landed in jail for some fucked up shit because of it.

Samantha Sang – Emotion
Look at the wash on that cover. This album sounds exactly like the cover looks. Light, soft 80s. The Version of ‘La La La – I Love You’ is a crime. Though her pitch isn’t too far off the Delfonics. This was produced by the BeeGees and their studio team. But don’t buy this. Its garbage. I suspect the sample police would find you if you "borrowed" from this record.

Pieces of a Dream – Self Titled (1981)
Two dollars for some sexy smooth jazzy soul funk you feel in your balls (or ovaries, I can really only speak to my own experience). From an era when people made sweet love albums especially for intimate times. This debut was produced by Grover Washington Jr. These guys have never stopped putting albums out, 22 and counting!

Kool & The Gang – Celebrate!
We’re going to dance and groove all night - Alll night - till the morning light!  ah look guys, I gotta go to bed by 9:30, I got an early start tomorrow. You know, work and shit. The 90s was definitely the hangover of the previous two decades. Maybe listening to this just before getting ready for bed wasn’t the right time for it.

Beach House – Teen Dream.
Mint copy of pure pop heaven at a bargain bin price. So many anthems. I can only speculate why the seller wanted to get rid of this. Either something really really bad must have happened to ruin the album for them or they somehow ended up with two copies.

%0/0%0/0%0/0%0/0%0/0%0/0%0/0%0/0%0/0

Two New Zealand oddities which drew me in by both their cover art and the potential experiences to be had.

The Return and the Elegy – Poems by Alistair Campbell Sound Image and Music by Douglas Lilburn.

‘The Return’ is very very spooky. Mahi Potiki speaks ghostly te reo Maori with voice effects over Lilburn’s minimal spacey soundscapes merged with howling winds and isolated oceans - maybe I’ll let Campbell do the poetry here. I did find one review which wasn’t far off my thoughts on it, and also had the same slightly miffed response to ‘Elegy’. An eccentric record suited for eccentric record collectors. Sadly, Soundcloud wouldn't allow me to upload an excerpt from it.

Sydney R Gordon – Self Hypnosis

Lying on the floor following instructions, getting sleeeepy and sleeeepier. Gordo’s voice is perfect for this. The counting backwards and repetition will have you lost out of body, on a calm lake, in a little boat while the sun warms you without a care in the world. However, some of the very minor discrepancies in his details do detract from the power of hypnosis. Like, if I’m on a boat, on a completely still lake, not a cloud in the sky, why would the boat be gently rocking in the breeze with the noise of lapping waves against the side? Are there waves or is it completely still? Being in the middle of huge lake sleeping on a little boat is kind of a scary thought. What if I wake up and it’s all dark, there’s a storm coming in and I’m now at the remote bush side of the lake, miles away from the little pier where I set off, and I’m only in a T-shirt, getting cold, and I can’t find the second oar!!? It’s at this point I wake up again, hear Gordo’s voice counting backwards once more and my eyes start feeling very heavy.

(.)(.)(.)(.)(.)(.)(.)(.)(.)(.)(.)(.)(.)(.)(.)(.)(.)(.)(.)(.)(.)(.)(.)(.)

First road trip in reverse.
This lot I bought long ago on a cross country road trip. Again, mostly exploring some of those NZ records with both an ethnomusicology approach and an ear from some interesting samples. Some of these you’ve probably skipped over in the past like I did, so let’s have a look see and a listen see…

New Zealand Army Band – Star Brass.
“Oh yeh I saw them play in Wellington they were really great! My mate got us back stage…” and on the story went from my Nana’s husband.. Which I loved. He knew most of the NZ records I picked up before arriving at their house and it’s cool to have some context from fans at that time. Army bands are tight, and there are some solid 70’s renditions on this. Fly Robin Fly is slick A.F! This one’s a keeper. Check out their Soundcloud.




The Band of the Royal New Zealand Navy – Warship (1980). 
The Army did a slightly better job than the Navy, but it was close. I’ll let Graeme’s write up on the back cover review this one: “…While warming the cockles with an ice-cold ale at Mairangi Bay Windsor Park Hotel. That’s right – ice cold beer. It was to be some months later aboard the HMNZS CANTERBURY that I was to discover the therapeutic value of real Navy rum and the quaintly named Moose’s Milk. But I digress… back to the bar… dancing, stomping cheering fans of all ages. By the way ‘hic’ they play music pretty…’hic’ pree.. Hey sweetheart! why don ya come ovr ‘hic’ ere ‘hic’.. they play music.. well pretty too”.

Society Jazzman – Vintage Trad.
You never know when you’ll need to bust out some hardcore homage ol’ timey Trad Jazz to go with your cocktail, hip slang and that cool dance you do switching your hands over your knees. That’s the thing, you will NEVER know when. I’m not sure I’ll hold on to this. They are New Zealand’s leading exponents of the genre, there’s a killer bass sample to be had from it, but… too many records! 

Richard Bonson – O for the wings of a dove.
O indeed. Doesn’t that wonderful boy have the voice of an angel? Such a blessed and tender child. Three times winner of the Auckland Junior Vocal Championship, you know they had to sign this kid and press him on wax for all those adoring booming fan grannies. The slow jams are “How Beautiful Are The Feet” and “Virgin’s Slumber Song” – Hmmm… composed by a foot fetishing priest?

World of the South Pacific – Festival of traditional music.
Hibiscus Records, which I assume is the sub label of Kiwi / Pacific records, has incredible recordings. So many beautiful musical representations from every country in the pacific. Takes me right back to ethnomusicology class when the slightly aggrieved guest lecturer was waiting for a response to the question, ‘what are the three regions of the pacific’. Don’t worry class, I got this.

Max Cryer & The Children – The Best Of Max (Zodiac).
And I quote, “…includes a large measure of warmth, and his polish rubs off on the lusty singing of his children’s backing group”, end quote. You don’t want to be writing that on records for children in this day and age. But these were different times, and the kids kill it with their lusty backing vocals. 

The Cheesman Signers - TV Singalong (1965?).
The photo on this cover is soo blurry hahaha. Cheese-man hahaha. Old times hahahaha. Ohh man good stuff. Everyone signed the back of this album cover! Even the big cheese himself Oswald Cheesman, but he signs it ‘Os Cheesman’. People called him Os. I love this record. ‘In the still of the night’ is a delight.

Eddie Low – The Voice In A Million.
Eddie Low was New Zealand’s answer to all the blind musicians at the time. He’s performed in groups such as The Sundowners (great name!) and the Quintikis’ Show Band. I’m sure his story is amazing, and you can read it on other great websites. This record was released by Joe Brown Enterprises in Mosgiel (near Dunedin), that too could be an interesting story.

How To - Give yourself a stereo check-out.
The guy sounds like a fancier Paul Holmes. Sidebar – Millie!? Poor girl. Kids. Do drugs. Just don’t get tattoos. Maybe don’t do drugs either actually. These records are gold. Not only helpful, but often a little quirky and have weird sounds all over them. Some flirty action between the right and left speakers at one point.

Patrice Rushen – Now (1984).
Saved from the dump at the rare cost of fifty cents, a diamond in the dust. Patrice makes it all, all rhythm, all synthesizers, all vocals and all funky. She is the executive producer. Played ‘Feels so Real’ and ‘Gottta Find IT’ over and over without care for the neighbors. A lounge room dance party. If you see ever this, buy it! I’d pay full album price for this any day.



Jermaine Stewart – Frantic Romantic.
This album doesn’t have the 80s geometric charm and electronic magic as my favourite Finally, but it does have the dry humping anthem ‘We don’t have to take our clothes off’. This album didn’t make the cut for me, so I let it recirculate. I don’t know if Stewart was openly gay at the time, but I presume he never had to spell it out. Hilariously fruity and flamboyant, and I mean that in a loving way. Stewart sadly died of AIDS in 1997 at the young age 39. Even sadder, his grave lay unmarked for 17 years. And the Magic Johnson connection - WHAAAAT?!?!?

Amral’s - Trinidad Cavaliers (1973).
Hot tempo steel drumming. The arranger / composer does not read or write music, but creates it through “Cosmic Inspiration”. All proceeds from sales of this album went toward building a hospital in Trinidad. When purchasing this second hand the proceeds also went to a charity cause. It keeps on giving.

The Foundations - From the Foundations.
The British answer to the Motown groups. Not the answer I was hoping for. They had a better answer to the blues. I don’t know all their catalogue, but there was nothing here that convinced me to hold on to this one, or look any further.

The Temptations – All Directions (1972).
This is not the Temptations as I knew them. If, like me, you thought The Temptations were just smooth dancing suit wearing assembly line pop song singers, this album blows weed smoke all over that conception. ‘Papa Was A Rolling Stone’ is a 12 minute bass heavy wah-wah groove that could be mistaken for a Curtis Mayfield song. The cover is pretty beat up, but fortunately the vinyl plays well. A fly slow burner. What a discovery! (for me).



Shalako Soundtrack.
Soundtracks are a genre in and of themselves. This one didn’t really do much for me to hold on to it, and it has since been put in the right person’s hands. I did watch the trailer, also not for me, Yup.

The Rumour – Land of New Vigour and Zeal
Intriguing concept album which starts with the departure of the pioneers from Europe to New Zealand and ends with their descending generation. It states on the cover “it’s not a history of New Zealand in music” - Don’t worry guys, no one was ever going to mistake it for that. Lyrically, it’s a little corny, like a musical that never made it to stage. Musically, there are some great string arrangements and a lot to like, but it’s all a bit airy fairy. Not a single footnote to anyone the pioneers might have encountered once they got here, but I do have another blog update in the future for the New Zealand musical that does do just that!

The end.

unununununununununununununununun

From the Taita record fair…

Razorwyre – Another Dimension (2012) 
The cover illustration is so dope. I don’t really ever see this album for sale anymore and felt bad for not having copped it earlier to show my support for the homie. We were both outsiders in a small town and each the sole members of our own sub-cultural groups. We had that in common and connected that way. Always respected and appreciated each other’s differences which included musical tastes. This bands got talent for days. New Zealand Speed Metal / Scooby Metal. 117/200.

Suzi Quatro – Self Titled (1973)
I honestly didn’t know much about Suzi Quatro’s music before purchasing this. I had it in my mind she was a 80s/90s pop act, which she kind of was. All I knew was she had been cited and referenced by others I liked who came after her. I’m not a huge ‘Rock’ fan, but she kills it on this album. I played 48 Crash a whole bunch not even knowing it was one of the hits.



Suzi Quatro - The Suzi Quatro Story (1975)
I also got this to further my Quatro education. This ‘best of’ has captured really only a small part of her story, given that it had only been 2 and a bit years since the debut and three albums in total - Plus she would still be big in the 80s. But this was a rocking era of her career. The blues rock stylings / honky tonk with piano is not the best, but SQ’s vocals are so tough you can ride it out and get the housework done in no time. You can’t fault 60s/70s rock acts for (subjectively) sounding bad in the 80s. It was a hard transition to make for many with the new shiny production styles that came with the technology of the time. This 70s compilation are the golden hits.

Paul and Linda McCartney – RAM (1971)
Sir Paul McCartney is probably the only celebrity in the world who actually deserves the royal celebrity treatment. I couldn’t care less about prince William, the other one and their “celebrity” wives. Fellow blogger Dad Burger put me onto ‘Ram On’. This album, like the late Beatles and other McCartney albums to come is a great big medley of songs within songs and call backs. Many masterful arrangements, and Linda is great on backing vocals.

Made during The Beatles divorce, where the legendary writing duo John and Paul were reportedly breaking further apart with little hope of holding together their relationship. This albums’ gatefold design where the record comes out by the fold on the inside creates issues. If it’s an album you love and play a lot, after time it eventually leads to the two halves breaking apart from wear and tear around the fold, serving as a terrible metaphor on a poorly written blog. So to get a v/good copy like this to replace my LP that was split in two, made my day :)

Nancy Wilson / Cannonball Adderley (1961)
Purchased this from a seller’s $1 crate. I was holding it under my arm when another seller inquired about it and asked how much I paid. They took issue saying it was worth more, implying like I ripped the person off. Worth more to who?! I get worked up when some of these record guys start at me on the value of records. You should only hold on to what you personally value. I might re-sell half the records I’ve posted about on dollarbrand, but I aint trying to add a mark-up, I'd just want my money back. Anywayyy…

This IS a good album. Sure, I might’ve even gone as far as paying $4 if I'd heard it prior. I do like Adderley’s jazzy horns. As the jazz folk like to say “if it sounds like Myles Davis but isn’t, then it’s Adderley”. They also say “Chill mannn, $1 is a reasonable price if you really just need to get rid of records you don't listen to, ba-da-doo-dap zap zag, because they take up soo much room in your house and it becomes unhealthy when there’s like stacks and sta…”



Howard Morrison – Getting it all together (1969)
New Zealand’s record bins are filled with Sir Howard Morrison. I flip pass his albums like they were James Last’s or Kamahl’s – that’s no disrespect, but there’s plenty out there if you need. In my travels I have not seen this album. Normally I wouldn’t look twice, but this appealed because it was a live recording from a later time in his career and the graphics depicted him in an Elvis type pose. I envisioned a casino style performance / cabaret with banter between songs. It fulfilled that vision entirely. The back cover write up from the promotor pitches him to be the next big thing like Tom Jones pending his tour to Las Vegas in the coming decade. This would be his last solo album. However, he was, and will always be, the Elvis Presley of Rotorua aka Roto-Vegas. Legend in the game.

The Wonder Years

Jeez Wayne! If it wasn't for the cuz and his commitment to the cause, I would have totally forgotten this blog was a thing!

Since the last time I posted I've had another kid, gotten rid of sooooo many records in exchange for haircuts, and sworn off all record shops.

In saying that, I made a trip to Real Groovy the other day on a business trip and pulled out about 50 records to listen to, panicked - and ended up getting these and regretting them.

Sound Stage 7

I'm always bummed that I am the wrong age to have capitalised on the library record phase. By the time I'd figured out what they were - every 90's hip-hop producer had travelled to Japan and bought them all. So, this is the closest thing I've ever found to one. And, there's some sampleable moments on it. The sucky thing is that I had multiple volumes and bought this one instead of volume 16 which had a sweet disco loop on it. That's what you get for going record shopping on an empty stomach.



Robin Trower - Twice Removed From Yesterday

I have a new criteria for buying records. I usually buy stuff to sample (open drum breaks, solo instruments, funkeee loops), but I've now expanded my tastes to stuff that just sounds good. That looks obvious typing that - but I've found that albums like this were made in an age where drums were recorded so far in front of the mix, guitars were warm and distorted, and everything just sounds cool. I don't think I could sample this, but I could certainly put it on and wear a pair of sunglasses inside at night.



Phoebe Snow - Never Letting Go

There are a few artists whose records I will always buy: The Peddlers, Deodato, Bob James, Phoebe Snow and J.J Cale. The interesting thing about this album is that my Mum is a huge Phoebe Snow fan and has a lot of her albums from the 1970's - but not this one. In fact, I had no idea this album existing. Imagine my surprise to find this album, find that it has amazing orchestration, and a Paul Simon cover. Neat alright.



The Friends of High Distinction - Highly Distinct

I'm not going to lie. I bought this album for the intro, which is the vocalists playing around with the echo function on some piece of outboard equipment that probably cost as much as a house back then. Pretty sweet. But, there are some joyful ditties on this one and it'd be so cool to be given access to the vaults to bring out the stems of this album. The drum sound is so beautiful: The snares are crisp, the kick drums pierce through all the bullshit, and even the toms sound good. These fullas have a great album in Grazin' which has been sampled by (if I'm not mistaken) Salaam Remi and Mark Ronson. Worth a lazy $5 if you see it.





More to come. Thanks for having me.

{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}

The second road trip…
I’m starting at the end and will work my way back to the start with these next few entries. This is the second road trip where I’ve taken time to dig a little along the way. You’ll read about the past trip in a future update. Maybe.

The well has run dry for a lot of what I use to hunt for, so I’ve changed approach. Anything New Zealand, even that which has the potential to be garbage listening, which is against the “restricting the collection size” policy, but still meets the 50c $1 and $2 policies!

My cuz always picked up the religious records to sample and he found soo much gold. Then eventually he found god. I was excited to see what I might find by taking a chance on some of these…

St Paul’s Singers - Harvest of Joy (1975)
This gatefold has incredible design by Don Hatcher. They can sing, there are some sweet songs, but after a while it is all a bit too much intense choir. The thing with NZ religious records is they don’t need a major label to press up and distribute. Their very organisations provide the capital and the distributions. Crowd funding. Minimal joy to be had for what i’m after. But that’s the low stakes pokie machine gamble you take with a $1 record.

The Festival Singers – Self titled (1977)
This one has a some great little moments and a couple of good songs such as Love One Another, Ain’ Got Time To Die and a version of Tama Ngakau Marie, a tune I’m familiar with, but I’m not sure these were the same lyrics as the waiata I know. The arrangements are creative, but again, after a while the choir component becomes a bit intense making the cat run away and the girlfriend disappear into the other room. I will listen to this a few more times, with headphones on.

Youth For Christ – First Place (1968)
YFC are part of an “aggressive bible centred evangelism” movement to fill the “moral vacuum” of the 60s. Sure… let’s see what’s up in NZ. This is as dorky as the youth themselves. The youth pictured (amazing cover photo!) don’t all sing at once, they take turns doing either their little trumpet piece or are like Jan, Peter and Michael who sing ‘I’ll Believe Ever More’ as gay as can be. Many parents were napping in the audience at this concert for sure. My first thought looking at all those innocent ol time youth on the cover was – oh man, I hope they weren’t all molested. But its not a Catholic youth group, so its likely only half were (bro, that’s not even funny). ‘De Gospel Train’ is de true shiner on this record!

Kids of the Kingdom with Annie Herring (1976)
Not New Zealand, but Canadian on the religious label Birdwing. I do like kids singing, and was hoping this would be a cute as it looks. And it is!!  A variety of ages and signing abilities which made me smile and be as excited for the lord as they were told to be.

Scripture In Song Recordings LTD - Prepare Ye The Way Part 1 (1972) Newmarket, Auckland.
I had to spread the listening of these religious records over a few nights in fairness to the household tolerance levels – and my concern that I’d eventually be worn down and succumb to their mighty god. I’ve never known when and how to use the word “Ye”. This record is just okay, a little same samey all ‘ye’ the way through.

Scripture In Song Recording LTD - Love, Joy, Peace (1973) Newmarket, Auckland.
Had a knock on the door this morning while sleeping in. Motherfuckers make me get up and open the door just to hear some “Are you worried about the state of the world and wonder why god doesn’t do anything? Well….blah blah etc” The disappointment of getting out of bed for these bitches was similar to that of this lame ass record. I got peace love and joy sleeping in with my girl. The world’s fine. Chill.

 

Cast of the Mana Arts Festival production – Saultalk (1974)
Foo-weee! Side one track one is KILLER!! I don’t think i’ve ever heard any NZ music with that wild 70s style. Sadly that 30 second intro is as good as it gets, but was still worth the $2 admission. This record is packed with liner notes and you can read in detail about how this sweet rock musical came to be. It involved a kid from Tawa College, and was only ever performed in Porirua Viard College Hall six times with rave reviews from The Evening Post. Then it was pressed up on wax for posterity. And here you are…

 

Alan Gardiner’s Accordion Band - Ole Faithful (1973)
I’ve seen this around a bunch. Great cover with ole faithful by the fire. That-a-boy. Alan Gardiner AKA “Mr Music” apparently was a household name and toured NZ and Aus with his wife (or sister? same last name) and four significantly younger looking accordion playing band mates who look half-heartedly enthused in their photos. It’s a huge medley of popular songs that aren’t bad, but the accordion and organ mono-drone gets tiresome quick.

The New Zealand Maori Theatre Trust Chorus – A Treasure Maori Songs (1966)
An offshoot of the NZ Maori Opera Company, this chorus group sing in an operatic / theatrical style with what the back cover states as “sparkle and enthusiasm”. It is a little weird hearing these tunes sung in this style. I don’t know bout this one. Haere Mai and Me He Manu Rere I’ve enjoyed singing at kapa. Recently I had an intimate experience where King Tuheitia and three others sung Koroki to some colleagues and myself. That was pretty special. The more familiar with waiata I become the more I can appreciate a good performance of them.

Tonga Today – Popular Music of Tonga (1973-75)
This record is soo beautiful from start to finish. Recorded by Richard M. Moyle, a fellow alumni of the University of Auckland Ethnomusicology programme, and put out on the reliable Hibiscus Records label. The recordings are intimate and on location. The song ‘Unga’ is “a light hearted look at human life from an animal’s point of view” and features a dog on the track. Enjoy…




Tchaikowsky – Swan Lake Ballet Suite
This one is for my former ballerina. We’ve been to a few symphony orchestra shows this year, but have not done the Ballet yet. It would make me feel capital C cultured to tick that one off the list. We be all sophisticated and shit.

Aldo Ciccolini – The Piano Music of Erik Satie
The op-shops are stacked with classical, but it always seems to be the same suspects, so it was great to pick this one up. A little sticker on the back shows it was originally purchased at Marbeck’s in Auckland. Some of Satie’s pieces are worthy of a funeral which is the biggest compliment a composer could get.

North Shore Accordion Orchestra – Concert USA (1980)
I was willing to donate 50 cents to the Salvation Army Rotorua to find out what these dweebs were up to. There is a heap of info about this album on the back cover, but here’s the short version which I’m making up based on a listen and a skim read: This group went to the U.S.A in 1979 for a couple of shows to desperately prove to the cool Americans that we’re pretty cool too. Then the group came back to NZ and recorded this album to commemorate that trip so they could then send a copy back to the U.S.A to say “Hey, remember that time we came over and played our accordions for you? … it was just last year... ummm.. no I think that was the Australian accordion group.. yeah I guess they were pretty good. Anyway... we made this for you guys!!” This record is a cute and dorky NZ gem, plus there’s some real loose drumming on one track with a wide open break. Score!

Kiwi Records -Famous Maori Legends. 
Myths and legends are not only great stories they also serve the purpose of handing down important information through generations. Sometimes though they’re not always told correctly or put in the right context. I remember signing a song about Hinemoa and Tutanekai on the bus to Lake Rotorua for a school trip where we visited Mokoia Island. The legend was told to us on the Island. We swam in the cold lake before being able to sit in the hot pool. When packing up to leave the Island, a teacher found a pair of shorts with undies tangled up inside and held them up to everybody to inquire whose they were. We all cracked jokes about them… “eh those are your stink undies.. hahahaha”. Turns out the teacher discovered my mum had written my brother’s name on them and announced it to the whole school. Shame-o’s as!

Do you know what else was shame-os as? The rude ass racist bitchface working at that op shop in Rotorua. Shame on you lady. After being embarrassingly disrespectful to some poor old kuia which led to a heated exchange with the grandson and another bystander, she continued on raving loudly to no one in particular about “some of those murrys are alright, but the rest of them” and “I don’t care if I get in trouble about this, I’m a volunteer, they can’t exactly fire me”.

Peter Cape & Friends – Taumata…
Yehhh… the longest town name in the country is plenty amusing. You know, most Maori place names in Aotearoa are shortened versions of what are generally long descriptions of that place and will often describe a significant ancestor’s relationship to that place as well. Most of us can’t even pronounce the shortened versions correctly. Anyho, Peter and his mates are just old boys playing some funny keywee tunes down at the hall.

Don Ho – Gold

How could I not pick this up? Low-budget independent release looking, it’s got Gothic font and a gold chain. Maybe Wiki could get all the answers about Don Ho, but meh to that… I’ve deducted / assumed that Don Ho sung over midi backing tracks in low-rate Hawaiian clubs and maybe even a dodgy cruise ship or two. Sounds like a slightly drunk Elvis, ready to work the sleaze on some tipsy tourist. The people who purchased this were having a great holiday, wrapped up in the moment, few cocktails downed and Don Ho performing in the background. They decided, just as Don had been suggesting between songs to the small crowd, to purchase the record for a memento of their wonderful time on the Island. When they got home and realised it was pretty bad. It sat in their record shelf un-played until eventually it made its way to the op-shop. And the cycle will continue…

!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!

Moonhop.

I took a somewhat hiatus from digging while living in temporary accommodation for work. I got good at resisting the pull of record shops and had managed to walk past Moonhop a few times without going in. Now I’m settled in a rental which I will regrettably fill it with records knowing full well there will be a time to move again.

Under the guise to get a Reuben sandwich from On-Trays and some Indian sweets from Bikaner (both spots real deal good!) me and my girl took a trip out to Petone and I casually popped into Moonhop for a “quick look.”

Dr Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band - Self Titled
I go go nuts for Kid Creole and the Coconuts. August Darnell is a master producer and composer with lyrics to go. Pre-coconuts, this debut Dr Buzzards record is the fun that just begun. Zoot Suit City in the club!

I knew I wanted to buy this, therefore didn’t listen to it at the shop. If only I did! It has a bad streak of crackle - not the nice warm fire crackle, but an interruption once every rotation. Wasn’t even visible. Woomp womp.



Dr Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band - Meets King Penett
A late 1970s group playing homage to 1940s big band era… now days we have late twenty teens (2015-18) playing homage to the 80s era - i'm all for "old genres"/styles in new contexts. This album has it all.The sounds of the ocean, ocean birds, calypso, disco, French, English, marimbas, Cory Day – “I’ll always have a smile for you”. Now transport yourself.

Roberta Flack – Quiet Fire
Quite fire is such a great name and is perfectly matched for this album. I’m not a music writer and there’s nothing I could say about Robert Flack that hasn’t been said already. I’ll say these things though… Made in the same year as Alice Coltrane’s Journey in Satchidananda. Burnard Purdie and Ralph McDonald. Joel Dorn magic. To love somebody I'm not the guy to argue best mediums for music, but there really is something about hearing this one on vinyl. Like a warm quietly crackling fire (oooo that's good music writing).

Happy to finally have this one alongside others in her catalogue. I don’t think that I’m a completest when it comes to collecting artists I like, but its easy to nearly achieve that when they’re big sellers, consistently good, and now they’re not necessary rare or seem to be in high demand = affordable. Suits me.

Amral's Trinidad Cavaliers Steel Orchestra ‎– Latin In Steel
I scored a beat up copy at the Avondale markets a few years back which was signed by the whole band. I assume they toured here at some point and left a few albums in their wake. This one was cheap, clean and I got a soft spot for the steel drum. Now I have two copies and don’t know which one to keep, clean and playable or rough and signed…or both?

Against my better judgement, I will be back Moonhop.