Monday, January 30, 2012

RENE COSTY - DANGER, SUSPENSE ET EPROUVETTES





Track 1 - Expectancy
Track 2 - Danger
Track 3 - Alchimie
Track 4 - Ostinato Bass
Track 5 - Like A Magic Dream
Track 6 - Cosmogony
Track 7 - Onirisme
Track 8 - Schizophreny

This Rene Costy album has a very rewarding mix of crime funk, crime jazz and atmospheres that will please those of you who enjoy the band Air. It may only be 8 tracks long but there's plenty of scope for the claustrophobic ( "Alchimie" ), the wistful ( "Like A Magic Dream" ) and the esoteric ( "Schizophreny" ). However, if you are purely looking for a funky trip then head straight to the fab "Danger" and "Ostinato Bass". It really is a great collection and probably ranks up there in the top dozen or so library records in my collection.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

BLUE PHANTOM - DISTORTIONS





Track 1 - Diodo
Track 2 - Metamorphosis
Track 3 - Microchaos
Track 4 - Compression
Track 5 - Equilibrium
Track 6 - Dipnoi
Track 7 - Distillation
Track 8 - Violence
Track 9 - Equivalence
Track 10 - Psycho-nebulous

I first came into contact with Blue Phantom through "Diodo" which was featured on the "Phase 6 Super Stereo" compilation. Here for your pleasure is the original album from which that track was sourced. It's quite an interesting set, there's a distinctive heavy psych rock sound but it is complimented by library and soundtrack-esque moods which are in line with its early 1970's Italian heritage. In fact several of these tracks found their way on to the Jess Franco film "Sinner: Diary of a Nymphomaniac". This was originally released on Spider Records, an offshoot of the Vendette label which was founded by Armando Sciascia. And who is the mastermind behind this collection? Mr. Sciascia himself. It's wild stuff and well worth checking out. Thanks to the original uploader.

Here is an alternative cover that appeared on the U.K release...

Saturday, January 28, 2012

FF015 TV TIME! - RETRO THEME SONGS AND COMMERCIALS




http://www.mirrorcreator.com/files/DJLYC1DU/FF015_-_TV_Time_.zip_links

Track 1 - 20th Century Fox Theme
Track 2 - BBC Medieval Mind Trip
Track 3 - Mr.T Cartoon Theme
Track 4 - Wheel Of Fortune Theme 1975-1983
Track 5 - Victoria Bitter Beer Commercial
Track 6 - TVS Indent 1982-1987
Track 7 - Palisades Amusement Park Commercial
Track 8 - Diet Coke 1983 - First Ever Commercial
Track 9 - Superman/Aquaman Hour Of Adventure Theme
Track 10 - Atlanta Braves Baseball On TBS 1980's
Track 11 - McDonald's McDLT feat. Jason Alexander
Track 12 - Mannix Theme (LP Version)
Track 13 - Marine Boy Theme
Track 14 - Mac Vs PC Commercial
Track 15 - BBC 2010 Election Theme
Track 16 - Magnum P.I Commercial Break
Track 17 - Service Information
Track 18 - ABC's Wide World Of Sports Theme
Track 19 - Shazam Theme 1974
Track 20 - Warner Bros. Pictures Theme
Track 21 - Mario's All Stars Theme
Track 22 - Jack In The Box Mini Sirloin Burgers Commercial (Spanish Version)
Track 23 - McDonald's Big Mac Commercial 1978
Track 24 - WCBS 11pm News 1982
Track 25 - Old People Die PSA
Track 26 - WAYL FM Indent 1981
Track 27 - $10,000 Pyramid Theme
Track 28 - E.T Wants Future Funk Jingle
Track 29 - Universal Pictures Theme
Track 30 - Magnum P.I Theme
Track 31 - Pepsi Generation feat. Michael Jackson
Track 32 - ABC Station Break
Track 33 - Manwich Commercial
Track 34 - The $64,000 Question Theme
Track 35 - The Super Mario Bros. Super Show Theme
Track 36 - ABC Monday Night Football Theme 1970-1975
Track 37 - WFIL Action News 1970
Track 38 - McDonald's Big Mac Commercial 1984
Track 39 - Atlanta Braves Baseball Home Run Music
Track 40 - WGBH Indent
Track 41 - Airwolf Theme 1984-1986
Track 42 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News
Track 43 - Commodore 64 Commercial 1983
Track 44 - Match Game/Hollywood Squares Theme

I've been playing around with this compilation on and off for a couple of months now and even though it's a bit rough around the edges I thought it was time to set it free from my hard drive. Aside from some interesting theme songs and vintage commercials I have included a number of cool indents, station ID's, public service announcements and general weirdness. Highlights include a "medieval" version of "Purple Haze" by Jimi Hendrix and some very funky themes courtesy of Mannix, Wheel Of Fortune, Airwolf and Magnum P.I. On the commercial side of things there is some quality obscurity in the form of a Spanish language Jack In The Box jingle, Diet Coke's first introduction to the public and some truly demented performances on the 1978 Big Mac ad. I had to include "Victoria Bitter" because it is arguably the most iconic commercial ever on Australian television.

My pick of the bunch from the other tracks would be the BBC election coverage music which seems to generate an inexplicable emotional resonance whenever I hear it. When I release a mix it's always good to get some feedback so please take the time to leave a message if you choose to download this. It should be noted that due the variation in age and sources for this material there are differences in sound quality from track to track. I hope you enjoy!

Friday, January 27, 2012

DON JULIAN & THE LARKS - SHORTY THE PIMP SOUNDTRACK




http://www.mediafire.com/?alhsgdg4lscoln7

Track 1 - Shorty The Pimp
Track 2 - Message From A Black Man
Track 3 - Vato's Brew
Track 4 - Schoolin' And Foolin'
Track 5 - Super Slick
Track 6 - Brother What It Is
Track 7 - (Ooh Baby) I Love You
Track 8 - Show And Tell
Track 9 - Check Out Your Mind
Track 10 - (If There's A) Hell Below
Track 11 - Just Tryin' To Make It (Parts 1+2)
Track 12 - A Woman Ain't Nothing But A Stone Trip
Track 13 - Respect Yourself
Track 14 - Inner City Blues
Track 15 - I Love You
Track 16 - My Cherie Amour
Track 17 - The Look Of Love
Track 18 - (What Does It Take To) Win Your Love

This excellent slice of blaxploitation never received a proper release due to the film in question being canned in 1973 but thankfully a collection was put together in 1998 ( incidentally this was the same year Julian passed away ). The music is a satisfying mix of early 70's funk and soul with some pleasant touches of jazz, most noticeably on the aptly titled "Super Slick". A few covers are featured in the mix including tracks original composed by Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder which adds further depth to the collection. It's a great soundtrack for those of us in the southern hemisphere who are enduring a long hot summer but for folks on the other side of the world I hope this thaws you out!

Thursday, January 26, 2012

SHAWN LEE'S PING PONG ORCHESTRA - MOODS AND GROOVES





Track 1 - P Walk
Track 2 - Brighton Rock
Track 3 - Igor's Revenge
Track 4 - The Noose
Track 5 - Windy City
Track 6 - Cha Love
Track 7 - The Chase
Track 8 - Laurel Canyon
Track 9 - Indian Summer
Track 10 - Prog Funk
Track 11 - Electric Tit
Track 12 - Spooky Street
Track 13 - That's Right
Track 14 - Echo Park
Track 15 - Jagger
Track 16 - Ping Pong Song
Track 17 - Westenders
Track 18 - Skunky Funky
Track 19 - Garden Funk
Track 20 - Boogaloo
Track 21 - Theme From Andrex
Track 22 - Praying Mantis
Track 23 - 26
Track 24 - 60's Swinger
Track 25 - Lou's Place

Those of you who have been visiting Funky Frolic for a while will be aware of my adoration for Shawn Lee and this album is another example of his fine work. Lee takes all the best elements of 1970's library music ( breakbeats, deep bass, porn grooves, tripped out electronics etc. ) and then turns out sublime funk fueled nuggets. The hard-as-nails drumming will probably be the first thing that hits you while listening to these tracks but the heavy beats are complimented skillfully by keyboards, guitar, bongos, sitar and a range of other instruments.

Much of the music would be right at home on a sleazy 70's OST from Italy or the U.S, however unlike soundtrack music these pieces are kept super tight with only a couple of tracks going beyond two and a half minutes. Those of you with keen ears will also identify the occasional library sample slipped in along the way ( "Electric Tit" comes to mind ). If you haven't got on the Shawn Lee bandwagon yet then check this record out and jump aboard!

PROGRESS REPORT



Hello again. Just wanted to let you know that I have found replacement links for another 10 of my posts, this leaves about 19 that are still down. Most of those I will need to re-upload myself so it will take some time before they are all active again. Once again, your patience is appreciated.

On another note, a number of people have come to the site recently searching for "Dramatic Funk Themes Vol.3". I've decided not to post it here due to the takedown request I got from Blogger when I put up Vol.2. It is fairly easy to locate if you have a look around ( try Rappamelo ) and believe me it is well worth checking out.

I've got a few nice albums to share in the next week so be sure to come back soon. Cheers from Mr.Craig.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

THE PRICE IS RIGHT - 70'S MUSIC LIBRARY
















http://www.cinefamily.org/sharity/priceisright.zip

Track 1 - Amen, Brother Herbert
Track 2 - Bhen
Track 3 - Brioche
Track 4 - Car Music ('72)
Track 5 - Car Music (Current)
Track 6 - Come On Down ('75)
Track 7 - Deja Vu
Track 8 - Dig We Must
Track 9 - Eric
Track 10 - Jive Walk
Track 11 - Losing Horns
Track 12 - Main Theme
Track 13 - Phaser
Track 14 - Ralph
Track 15 - Robert
Track 16 - Rye Bread 2
Track 17 - Sam
Track 18 - Second Thoughts
Track 19 - Showcase 1
Track 20 - Showcase 2
Track 21 - Splendido!
Track 22 - Spring Waltz
Track 23 - Starcrossed
Track 24 - Tachlen
Track 25 - The Bean Stalker
Track 26 - The Big Banana
Track 27 -  The Cats

This a super, super, super groovy collection of library music featured on The Price Is Right during the 1970's. I'm not sure where the music was originally sourced from or who the composers were but fans of Syd Dale, Alan Moorhouse and James Clarke should be in heaven listening to this. Horns and flutes play a prominent role in most of the tracks and they are underlayed by frenetic drumming and funky wah wah guitar. I dare you to resist the incredible "Starcrossed", "Dig We Must" or "The Bean Stalker" or the more subtle pop charms of "Deja Vu" and "Rye Bread 2". The combination of uptempo British go go grooves and down and dirty U.S funk is what makes the majority of this music so desirable and fun. A compilation truly deserving of 10 out of 10 Frolics!

I found this link over at The Cinefamily but I suspect the original comp was put together by Egg City Radio so props to whoever compiled this awesome selection. I'm sure some of you will be able to identify individual tracks so feel free to leave me a message.

Update - Thanks to those who identified the composer of this music as being Edd Kalehoff.





Tuesday, January 24, 2012

BERNARD FEVRE - COSMOS 2043




Track 1 - Space Team
Track 2 - No.59018
Track 3 - Central Way
Track 4 - Satellite 33
Track 5 - Ronde Interstellaire
Track 6 - Cimes Etenelles
Track 7 - Le Monde Avait 5 Ans
Track 8 - Sunshine On March
Track 9 - Stars Away
Track 10 - Earth Message
Track 11 - 2043
Track 12 - Odysee

This Bernard Fevre record is a little heavier on the atmospherics than "Suspense" giving it the feeling of an early 1980's documentary soundtrack. Obviously the music is quite space orientated and contemplative but the last couple of tracks in particular have a refined grooviness to them. In terms of tempo the music evokes a sensation of floating rather than travelling at warp speed so I suggest sitting back and enjoying the ride.

FILE SHARING & UPLOADING UPDATE




 
Those of us still smarting from the Megaupload shutdown were dealt a further blow today with the announcement that Fileserve and FileSonic have been spooked into disabling their file sharing services. I read a very interesting article over at Forbes.Com yesterday that essentially debunks the argument that the entertainment industry and content creators are suffering hardship due to file sharing. You can read the article here.

While this latest development probably only affects a handful of links at Funky Frolic the most worrying aspect is that there could be much more of this to come. It looks like 2012 is going to be a defining year for the internet and users might be the ones that suffer.

I have re-uploaded a handful of files since yesterday but I also discovered a bunch more Megaupload links in my archives so I still have about 30 that are inactive. Stay patient, I will get to them all eventually. In the meantime I hope you enjoy a second serving of Bernard Fevre which will be posted in an hour or two.

Stay funky.

Monday, January 23, 2012

BERNARD FEVRE - SUSPENSE





Track 1 - Weekee Way
Track 2 - On The Channel
Track 3 - Skeese
Track 4 - Magnetic School
Track 5 - Mister Green
Track 6 - What Happens
Track 7 - Double Dream
Track 8 - Rocal System
Track 9 - Too Much Water
Track 10 - Contemplation Of The Mountains
Track 11 - Path To Tomorrow

It may be painfully short ( 21 minutes in fact ) but this Bernard Fevre album from 1975 still resonates long after the final note has faded. The tracks here exhibit a melting pot of electronics with undercurrents of funk and disco all contained within short, suspense filled compositions. This combination of elements was Fevre's stock in trade and there is an assuredness to the music which demands attention. This, along with the uncluttered nature of these pieces draws the listener in and hooks them. At least that's what happened with me. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.


MOHAWKS INTERVIEW!

Jon from WhoSampled.Com sent me an email a few days ago letting me know that they had done an interview with the Mohawks. Hearing Alan Hawkshaw and Les Hurdle talk about their musical journey is something not to be missed so be sure to check out the video below. WhoSampled looks like an interesting site so give them a visit and support their fine work also. Cheers.


Sunday, January 22, 2012

VIGILANTE! - ROY BUDD CULT FILM SOUNDTRACKS 1971-1977





Track 1 - Main Theme / Goodbye Carter (Bobby Hughes Experience Mix)
Track 2 - "You're A Big Man But You're In Bad Shape"
Track 3 - M15
Track 4 - Black Is Beautiful
Track 5 - Mr. Easy
Track 6 - Jazz It Up (Mitchell & Dewbury Mix)
Track 7 - Love Is A Four Letter Word
Track 8 - Diamond Fortress (Karminsky Experience Mix)
Track 9 - "Suppose I Phone The Police..."
Track 10 - Hanky Panky
Track 11 - Beauty & The Bass (Edit)
Track 12 - M17
Track 13 - "You're A Cop, Ex-Cop"
Track 14 - Diamonds
Track 15 - The Girl In The Car
Track 16 - Jazz Source (Edit)
Track 17 - Livin' Should Be This Way
Track 18 - "It's All Rotten"
Track 19 - Free Tarrant
Track 20 - Theme M8
Track 21 - Hallucinations (Edit)

Here is a fine collection of classic Budd tunes culled from films such as "Get Carter", "Tomorrow Never Comes", "The Black Windmill" and others. I really don't need to say much about the music, it is crime jazz at its finest mixed in with some vocal numbers and dialogue from the movies in question. A few of  the tracks have been given the remix treatment which seems a bit unnecessary but they are done with the up most respect for the original material. While one single album could never do Roy's career justice this is certainly a well selected and entertaining mix of his work. Credit goes to Sleazy Listening for the link.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

BARRY 7'S CONNECTORS VOL.2 - VARIOUS ARTISTS




Track 1 - Rito A Los Angeles / Giuseppe De Luca
Track 2 - Dorian Gray / Giuseppe De Luca
Track 3 - Sisy / Giampiero Boneschi
Track 4 - Dies Irae Psichedelico / Ennio Morricone
Track 5 - Oakum / Giampiero Boneschi
Track 6 - In Un Ricordo / Ennio Morricone
Track 7 - New Situation / Giampiero Boneschi
Track 8 - Saturns Ambush / Giampiero Boneschi
Track 9 - Italamericana Collage / Piero Piccioni
Track 10 - Giallo A Londra / Giuseppe De Luca
Track 11 - Omicidio Per Vocazione / Stefano Torossi
Track 12 - Secondo Rito / Ennio Morricone
Track 13 - Stato Confusionale / Ennio Morricone
Track 14 - Margaret / Giuseppe De Luca
Track 15 - October Fest / Giuseppe De Luca
Track 16 - Iniziazone '72 / Ennio Morricone
Track 17 - Motivi Psichedelici / Daniele Patucchi 

Barry 7's second installment of the Connectors series finds him focusing on rare and unusual delights from Italian composers such as Morricone, De Luca, Torossi and Piccioni. This is no ordinary soundtrack or library collection, the tracks are super rare and in many cases super weird! Take for example "Italamericana Collage" which sounds like three different pieces of music mashed together to create a jazzy, musique concrete nightmare. Torossi provides a typically enjoyable slice of psych tinged crime funk and De Luca's "October Fest" is the musical equivalent of drinking 10 steins of beer. In fact every track on this comp has something unique or weird which makes it stand out. When you combine that with a typically Italian sensibility the result is a must listen collection!

MEGAUPLOAD, SOPA AND THE WORLD WEB WAR
















Firstly I'd like to make some comments about the unpleasantness that happened yesterday. After a 2 year investigation the U.S government shut down Megaupload and made a number of arrests. This kind of action was what we feared might occur if the proposed SOPA legislation passed but it is clear now that the war has already begun. You can find a bit of background regarding recent developments here. I am hoping that in the short term the authorities will be tied up trying to prosecute Megaupload and for now other file sharing sites will be safe. Mediafire just became that much more important...

I'm sure the likes of Mediafire and Rapidshare will see large increases in traffic and this will probably slow the downloading / uploading process. My advice is to not be complacent, if you see an album that might interest you then download it immediately because we don't know what the future will hold. I have replaced about 30 of my Megaupload files with alternative links, I couldn't find alternatives for the rest and will need to re-up them on other file sharing services. This process may take several weeks and I ask you to be patient in the meantime. Unfortunately I may have to decrease the frequency of my posting while I get everything sorted.

A lot of excellent music blogs suffered a major blow yesterday. I hope that in time we will recover and become stronger because I firmly believe our work makes the internet a better place.

Until next time, stay funky.

Friday, January 20, 2012

MEGAUPLOAD REST IN PEACE


















Like many people I have been wondering why I can't get on to Megaupload in the last few hours. The sad news is that they have been shut down by the U.S Government. We seem to be entering a new phase where the internet is much more highly controlled by the powers to be. You can read the article here.

I will endeavour over the next few days to replace my MU links so please bear with me during this period. All the best from Mr.Craig.

BARRY 7'S CONNECTORS - VARIOUS ARTISTS





Track 1 - Erotica No.2 / Jiri Bezant & Jiri Malasek
Track 2 - Catch That Man / Nino Nardini
Track 3 - Dawn Mist / Stringtronics
Track 4 - Weird Sounds No.1 / Georges Teperino & Roger Roger
Track 5 - Amour, Vacances Et Baroque / Paul Guiot & Paul Piot
Track 6 - Preambule No.36 / Paul Bonneau & Yves Lamand
Track 7 - Solar Flares / Sven Libaek
Track 8 - Forgotten World / Anthony King
Track 9 - Quasars / Sven Libaek
Track 10 - Sacred Trip / Doris Hays
Track 11 - Electronic Rhythm / Eric Peters
Track 12 - Univers Sideral / Paul Bonneau
Track 13 - Coconut Coast / Roger Roger
Track 14 - Electro Sounds No.8 / Cecil Leuter & Georges Teperino
Track 15 - Roger Rhythm No.1 / Roger Roger
Track 16 - Hors Phase / Johanna Group
Track 17 - Maladjusted Moogie / Anthony King
Track 18 - Electro-Exotic 1 / John Mathews & John Baker
Track 19 - Preambule No.37 / Paul Bonneau & Yves Lamand
Track 20 - Mobile / Torrie Zito
Track 21 - Merry Go Sound / Gary Bellington

Bary 7's Connectors takes a look at the weirder side of library music with some unusual nuggets courtesy of Anthony King, Roger Roger, Paul Bonneau and others while classics from Sven Libaek and Stringtronics add more depth to the mix. There isn't much continuity between individual tracks however gems such as "Coconut Coast" and "Univers Sideral" make up for that. This is probably a good companion piece to "Nuggets: Luke Vibert's Selection". I will most likely post Volume 2 tomorrow. Enjoy.

TEDDY LASRY - MODERN WAY




















https://rs347tl4.rapidshare.com/#!download|347tl2|184373743|Patchwork44.rar|53103|R~139FA9011FCE559F87455778E126E0E4|0|0

Track 1 - Automation
Track 2 - Cadences
Track 3 - Challenger
Track 4 - Cortina
Track 5 - Downtown
Track 6 - Economy
Track 7 - Highway
Track 8 - In The Gutter
Track 9 - Productivity
Track 10 - Reflection
Track 11 - Rush
Track 12 - Sky
Track 13 - Squaw Valley
Track 14 - Stress
Track 15 - Trafic
Track 16 - Workmen Choir

Wow, this is one of the best library records I've heard in quite a while! I already knew Teddy was a great composer but this stuff is off the charts, combining cool synths with a wickedly groovy jazz funk sound ( think deep bass, wah wah etc. ). There are some fantastic crime funk tracks such as "Squaw Valley", "Cortina" and the hard hitting "Highway", all of which would have been at home on a 1970's cop show soundtrack. This was released in 1979 and while many of his counterparts had fallen head over heels in love with the new electronic toys they had to play with, Teddy didn't let the prevailing trends get in the way of his clear love of everything funky. Even when he does produce an entirely electronic track i.e "Productivity" there is a level of energy that brings it to life and gives it soul.

Oh darn, I just discovered this rip is almost identical to the "Selected Patchwork Tracks" compilation which I posted previously and I've just spent the last hour repeating my work. "Modern Way" actually only has 10 tracks but most of them can be found on the above download so I might just post this anyway in the hopes that a few more people will get turned on to the brilliance of Teddy.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

GUY BOYER & JEAN-YVES GUIHAL - SPORT NEWS



Download here

Track 1 - Basket Ball Rebound
Track 2 - Full Gallop
Track 3 - Motorbike Escape
Track 4 - Golf Driving
Track 5 - Crawl Cross
Track 6 - Sister Kimono
Track 7 - Asymetric Bars
Track 8 - Trempolino Si
Track 9 - Scratch
Track 10 - Crochet
Track 11 - Souffle
Track 12 - Ski Revolution
Track 13 - Football Boots Samba
Track 14 - Speedy Slalom
Track 15 - Formula One
Track 16 - Surfing Duo
Track 17 - Silent Flying
Track 18 - Submarine Control
Track 19 - The Gladiators Entrance
Track 20 - Sparring
Track 21 - Sailing Ship Victory

There are some really fun and interesting synth based tunes on this 1979 release which was put out through Charles Talar Records. The electronic instruments are sometimes teamed with drums and piano with excellent results and being a ( mostly ) sport themed album the tracks are all action and drama orientated. Every piece clocks in under 2 minutes which gives the composers just enough time to flesh out one solid idea and more often than not they succeed. It certainly should be considered a must listen for anyone interested in late 70's, early 80's library music.

Just a couple of notes on this rip....I found it online but was unable to locate the source, whoever did upload it originally didn't do the best of jobs as there are a couple of tracks missing and the individual tracks aren't titled ( although there was a text doc with the names in it  ). Unfortunately I had no way of knowing which tracks were absent so I couldn't use the doc to add titles. Anyway, I decided to re-up it on Mediafire because it took me almost 2 hours to download from 4Shared. Some of the music can be found through YouTube and you could work out a few of the titles from that. Don't let this stop you from checking it out however because there's some very cool stuff contained on this record ( I just sat through 3 back to back listens and was still begging for more! ).

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

CHRIS JOSS - MONOMANIACS VOL.1



https://rs769tl2.rapidshare.com/#!download|769tl5|344954932|Chris_Joss_-_Monomaniacs_Volume_K_1.rar|67830|R~81157B8FBAA567AFEF00417DA243754B|0|0

Track 1 - We Got Some (Part 1+2)
Track 2 - Optical
Track 3 - Kali Flowers
Track 4 - Re-Volt
Track 5 - Ford Mustard Cutter
Track 6 - Keep On Digging
Track 7 - Mo Lovin'
Track 8 - Shafro
Track 9 - Backbeating
Track 10 - Highway 75
Track 11 - Within
Track 12 - Jha Mon

I would loosely describe this Chris Joss release as being uptempo electro funk. One of the most impressive features of the album is that Joss played almost all the instruments himself and is clearly a very talented performer. There are definitely elements of porn groove, blaxploitation and Northern Soul on offer and the way the tracks come together does lead me to make comparisons to another talented multi-instrumentalist Shawn Lee. The album really takes off from "Keep On Digging" onwards with the zenith coming on the frantic breakbeat and organ grooves of "Backbeating". I do wish that some of the tracks had a deeper bass sound but apart from that it's great, well composed music that at the very least demands a good deal of foot tapping.

Monday, January 16, 2012

COKE ESCOVEDO - COMIN' AT YA!




Track 1 - Diamond Dust/Vida
Track 2 - Something So Simple
Track 3 - Stay With Me
Track 4 - Hangin' On
Track 5 - Somebody's Callin'
Track 6 - The Breeze And I
Track 7 - Runaway
Track 8 - I Wouldn't Change A Thing
Track 9 - Backseat
Track 10 - Everything Is Coming Our Way
Track 11 - Fried Neck Bones And Home Fries

Percussionist and one time member of Santana's band, Coke Escovedo released this solo album back in 1976. The music is mainly soulful funk with Latin rhythms and naturally there is some really nice percussion included as well. A few of the tracks wander off into forgettable pop / disco territory but for the most part it's an enjoyable listen. The key piece is "I Wouldn't Change A Thing" which is much loved and much sampled due to the awesome drum break that kicks off the song. That, along with the cool cover art and album title were enough to seal the deal for me. I hope you feel the same way.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

DUSTY FINGERS VOL.17 - VARIOUS ARTISTS




Download here

Track 1 - Hit & Run At The Club / Johnny Pate
Track 2 - A Pungi Nudi (Suite) / Bixio Franco
Track 3 - Keep On Using Me / Bill Moss & The Celestials
Track 4 - Stopover / Laurie Johnson
Track 5 - Es Bleibt Die Sonne / Gerd Michealis-Chor
Track 6 - Na Opak / Henryk Debich
Track 7 - Cat And Mouse In Berlin / Roy Budd
Track 8 - Electrosonics N.4 / Cecil Leuter & George Teperino
Track 9 - Hijack Pt.1 / Laurie Johnson
Track 10 - Blackout / Mike Nock
Track 11 - Life / Down Town Boogie Woogie Band
Track 12 - In Man Get / Kollage Klatte
Track 13 - 4 Tet / Sadi
Track 14 - Last Tango In Paris / Julio Gutierrez
Track 15 - Percussion Vol.1 / Bruton

Some of you may remember that I posted volumes 1 through 10 of Dusty Fingers a while back, here is the most recent release in the series and it's another corker! As always there is a large dose of break heavy rare groove and this edition has a particularly strong crime funk vibe which is most pleasing. Superstars such as Roy Budd, Johnny Pate, Laurie Johnson and Cecil Leuter all have wonderful tracks featured along with some lesser known but equally enjoyable performances by Kollage Klatte and Mike Nock. Dusty Fingers comps are renowned for their drum breaks and this is probably one of the better volumes in that regards. Plus there are the usual spelling errors which seem to be a trademark of the series as well. An excellent collection and highly recommended!

Friday, January 13, 2012

THE FREELANCE BISHOPS - SELF TITLED





Track 1 - Old Town Pump
Track 2 - Bullseye
Track 3 - The Pawtucket Hussle
Track 4 - Mr. McFeeley
Track 5 - Space Invader
Track 6 - Smack My Bishop
Track 7 - Tussin And Crumpets
Track 8 - Smack, Pt.2
Track 9 - Untitled

The Freelance Bishops hail from Massachusetts, U.S.A and this is their debut release from 1999. What you can expect here are danceable jazz / funk workouts with touches of soul and R&B. The stars in my opinion are Stephen Giannaros on sax and Jeremy Parker on keyboard who provide some sensational solos. Overall there aren't too many surprises to be had and I'm sure they would have sounded a lot better live but there's enough going on to keep the listen engaged. I like the cool retro cover art as well.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

I GRES - EXOTIC THEMES FOR FILMS, RADIO & T.V




Download here

Track 1 - Shadow
Track 2 - Hot Dog
Track 3 - Voleur
Track 4 - Moaning
Track 5 - Minor Bossa
Track 6 - To Ramsey
Track 7 - Tropical Balls
Track 8 - Duo Balls
Track 9 - Plancton
Track 10 - Jeannette
Track 11 - Sweet Steel
Track 12 - Yellow Green
Track 13 - To Jean Luc
Track 14 - To Wes

Another highly desirable compilation of library music collected from three different I Gres releases. Their sound is a little more varied than the likes of Cordara Orchestra or Barigozzi Group with each track possessing an entirely unique style. Plenty of funky organ and guitar vibes play their role and "Hot Dog" features some wickedly good drum breaks. The whole album is top notch and you can find some more I Gres on the "Stroboscopica Vol.1" comp. Cometa released a more in depth collection of their work in 2010 under the title "Vol.1-2-3", it comprised 38 tracks and was limited to only 200 CD's.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

ANTIBALAS - WHO IS THIS AMERICA?







Track 1 - Who Is This America Dem Speak Of Today?
Track 2 - Pay Back Africa
Track 3 - Indictment
Track 4 - Big Man
Track 5 - Obanla'e
Track 6 - Elephant
Track 7 - Sister

Here is some heavy duty Afro Beat straight outta Brooklyn, New York! Antibalas ( also known as Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra ) have been performing since 1998 and this is their third studio album which was recorded in 2004. The standard afro sound is on display with steady drumming mixed with blasting horns, organ solos and politically charged vocals. It's easy to get lost in the hypnotic vibe of tracks such as "Elephant" and "Sister" which run for an epic 14 minutes and 19 minutes respectively. There have been a few different versions of this album released and the one I saw on itunes had an extra track called "Paz". I haven't listened to their most recent release yet ( "Security", 2007 ) but after discovering it was was produced by Tortoise band member and well known producer John McEntire I'm sure it would be excellent too.

Monday, January 9, 2012

EGISTO MACCHI - FUTURISSIMO





Track 1 - Chambre Anachronique
Track 2 - Nouvelles Planetes
Track 3 - Appel Spatial
Track 4 - Module Lunaire
Track 5 - Capsule En Panne
Track 6 - Forme Planetaire
Track 7 - Gare Spatiale
Track 8 - Extra-Terrestre
Track 9 - Limite Extreme
Track 10 - Nebuleuses
Track 11 - Bande Radioactive

Violins and electronics combine effortlessly in this disturbing and claustrophobic offering from Egisto Macchi. As the titles indicate, the theme here is space and the results are arguably as good as any science fiction soundtrack you are likely to come across. Sparse blips and beeps are suddenly interrupted by violent orchestral blasts on several occasions but at other times you are left waiting for the attack which never comes. The intensity in these tracks is almost overwhelming. There seems to be a lot of conjecture about the year of release for this record, various sources on the internet have it listed as 1970, 1971, 1972, 1975 and 1979. Even good old reliable Discogs has steered clear, not putting any date on their listing. My gut feeling says that it's from '71 or '72. Many thanks to the original uploader.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

INTERMISSION IMPOSSIBLE - VARIOUS ARTISTS





Track 1 - Two Way Stretch / Ray Davies
Track 2 - Cheyne Walk / Harry Stoneham
Track 3 - Friday's Theme / Bill Hutchinson
Track 4 - Let's Skip / Malcolm Lockyer
Track 5 - Joe's Talk / Stan Foster
Track 6 - See You Soon / Ray Davies
Track 7 - Out Of The Blue / Reed & Wells
Track 8 - Viva Vincente / Ray Davies
Track 9 - Pronto For Paul / Gus Stephens
Track 10 - For Jane / Gus Stephens & The Skymasters
Track 11 - It Takes Nine To Mambo / Syd Dale
Track 12 - Travellers' Joy / Gordon Reed
Track 13 - Little Ridsdale / Clarrie Sampson
Track 14 - Incandescence / Neil Richardson
Track 15 - Soft Satin Nights / Ray Davies
Track 16 - Drop Out / Ray Davies
Track 17 - Let's Go Metric / Eddie Strevens
Track 18 - Softly, Softly / Roberts, Dudan & Paul
Track 19 - Siamla / Stan Foster
Track 20 - Any News / Kenny Powell & The Skymasters
Track 21 - Waltz In Jazztime / Syd Dale
Track 22 - These Foolish Things / Jack Strachey
Track 23 - You Take It From Here / Vivian Ellis
Track 24 - Back To Square One / Malcolm Lockyer
Track 25 - Early Hours / Kenny Powell
Track 26 - Early Riser / Ray Davies
Track 27 - In And Out Of Fashion / Malcolm Lockyer
Track 28 - El Hombre Soul / Winstone & Alderson
Track 29 - The Count's In Town / Pat Dodd
Track 30 - Easy Come, Easy Go / Eddie Strevens & The Skymasters
Track 31 - A Gentle Stroll / Earnest Ponticelli

This enjoyable but rather long compilation was put together by Winchester Hospital Radio and features a large amount of uptempo easy listening and jazzy big band tracks. If you are a fan of Laurie Johnson or the "Music For TV Dinners" compilations then you'll eat this stuff up, while there is no Laurie to be had the likes of Syd Dale and Ray Davies provide many wonderful moments. Some of the quirkier tracks prove to be the most interesting with the standouts being "El Hombre Soul", "It Takes Nine To Mambo" and "Little Risdale". All in all I would have liked a bit more diversity in this collection but there's no doubting the skill of these composers and the quality of the music.

MOUNTAIN MOCHA KILIMANJARO - LIVE PHOTOS

Had a fantastic time at Mountain Mocha Kilimanjaro last night. Had a few drinks, hung out with some beautiful ladies and saw some wicked raw funk. Here are a few photos I took...







Saturday, January 7, 2012

CORDARA ORCHESTRA - THE BEST OF





Track 1 - Tipsy
Track 2 - Distensione
Track 3 - Search
Track 4 - Target
Track 5 - Irony
Track 6 - Misly
Track 7 - Battuta D'Arresto
Track 8 - Target (Album Version)
Track 9 - Perfect
Track 10 - Saguia
Track 11 - Jet Society
Track 12 - Chrisalis
Track 13 - Misly (Album Version)
Track 14 - Hypotesis
Track 15 - Gad-Fly
Track 16 - Trip
Track 17 - Contrasi
Track 18 - Riri

The Cordara Orchestra is another member of the Italian rare groove club along with the likes of the Barigozzi Group, I Gres, I Marc 4, Arawak, Freedom Power, Blue Sharks and Pulsar Music Ltd. Ably led by Carlo Cordara, you will find plenty of the prerequisite organ, piano and flute combined with laid back guitar and restrained drumming. Pleasingly there are a number of tracks that fall into the category of crime jazz with the best examples being "Hypotesis" ( a misspelling of hypothesis I presume ) and the two versions of "Target". The occasional moments of funk such as opening number "Tipsy" are most welcome and add another dimension to this very impressive compilation. You can also find several Cordara Orchestra tracks scattered through the Mo'Plen series which can be found in my compilations section.

Friday, January 6, 2012

MOUNTAIN MOCHA KILIMANJARO - LIVE VIDEOS

Hey folks, I'm super pumped to see Mountain Mocha Kilimanjaro live tomorrow night so I though I'd post some YouTube videos of their fine work. It's my first time posting vids so fingers crossed I do it right! You can download their 2008 debut album here.






WHITE NOISE - ELECTRIC STORM






Track 1 - Love Without Sound
Track 2 - My Game Of Loving
Track 3 - Here Come The Fleas
Track 4 - Firebird
Track 5 - Your Hidden Dreams
Track 6 - The Visitation
Track 7 - The Black Mass: An Electric Storm In Hell

To apologise for my Dr.Who gaffe yesterday, here is a bizarre electronic / psychedelic rock opera created by Delia Derbyshire, Dave Vorhaus, Brian Hodgson and John McDonald. It's certainly difficult music to describe, there's plenty of tape manipulation and interesting effects combined with standard instruments, trippy vocals and occasional high pitched screams of agony. It says something about Vorhaus and Derbyshire that I was actually expecting this to be stranger. From what I gather the first six tracks took over a year to complete and when the label put pressure on them to finish they pumped out "The Black Mass: An Electric Storm In Hell" in one day and it turns out to be the most interesting piece on the album. To get best results listen to this with headphones on.


DAPHNE ORAM - ELECTRONIC SOUND PATTERNS


















http://www.mediafire.com/?kd7n8ga3gfv9k0d

Track 1 - Melodic Group Shapes 1
Track 2 - Melodic Group Shapes 2
Track 3 - Three Single Sounds Taken In Cannon
Track 4 - Rhythmic Variation 1
Track 5 - Rhythmic Variation 2
Track 6 - Ascending And Descending Sequences Of Varying Nature

Description of music from the sleeve notes, thanks to Discogs ...

"Teachers seeking original material have found this new approach exciting and stimulating in their creative work for music, movement and drama. The Sound patterns are intended for children to enjoy and may lead them into movement of dance-like character, or involve them in imaginative situations. People who are interested in sound production may like to know that these sound patterns were created by Daphne Oram at her Electronic Studio in Kent. By using audio generators, many tape recorders, filters, ring modulators and other electronic devices she built up the tone colours, pitched each of the notes separately, gave them duration and dynamics and finally spliced the notes together to obtain the required rhythms and sequences."

Cool stuff, check it out. A similar record in terms of its potential educational use is "Listen Compute Rock Home" by Bruce Haack.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

DAPHNE ORAM - ORAMICS




Part 2 - http://www.mediafire.com/?cgj2kjenm3h

PART 1

Track 1 - Introduction
Track 2 - Power Tools
Track 3 - Bird Of Parallax
Track 4 - In A Jazz Style
Track 5 - Purring Interlude
Track 6 - Contrasts Essconic
Track 7 - Lego Builds It
Track 8 - Pompie Ballet
Track 9 - Intertel
Track 10 - Adwick High School No.1
Track 11 - Look At Oramics
Track 12 - Rotolock
Track 13 - Purple Dust
Track 14 - High Speed Flight
Track 15 - Studio Experiment No.1
Track 16 - Four Aspects
Track 17 - Kia Ora
Track 18 - Dr.Faustus Suite
Track 19 - Adwick High School No.2
Track 20 - Tumblewash
Track 21 - Studio Experiment No.1
Track 22 - Snow

PART 2

Track 1 - Rockets In Ursa Major (Excerpt 1)
Track 2 - Food Preservation
Track 3 - Studio Experiment No.3
Track 4 - Bala
Track 5 - Episode Metallic
Track 6 - Studio Experiment No.4
Track 7 - Adwick High School No.3
Track 8 - Fanfare Of Graphs
Track 9 - Studio Experiment No.5
Track 10 - Brocillande
Track 11 - Mary Had A Little Lamb
Track 12 - Incidental Music For Invasion (Excerpt)
Track 13 - Costain Suite
Track 14 - Rockets In Urs Major (Excerpt 2)
Track 15 - Passacaglia
Track 16 - Missile Away
Track 17 - Pulse Persephone
Track 18 - Adwick High School No.4
Track 19 - Nestea
Track 20 - Rockets In Ursa Major (Excerpt 3)
Track 21 - Conclusion
Track 22 - Studio Jinks

It is probably unfair to compare Daphne Oram to Raymond Scott but it is a good reference point for those who are unfamiliar with her work. Both were pioneering in their use ( and sometimes creation ) of electronic instruments and both worked within the advertising arena for periods of their career. This 2 disc collection of her work presents a confounding mix of musique concrete, orchestral elements, ethnic music and almost every present-day sub genre of electronica. In terms of mood, many of the tracks are incredibly dark and ominous which completely contradicts the image of the smiling woman that greets you on the front cover. What beautiful insanity must have lurked within her mind in order to create such brutal intensity?

As a founding member of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop she was at the forefront of the new and exciting world of electronic music. Oram's greatest inspiration came in 1962 with the creation of her Oramics sound technique ( read more here ) but in terms of popular culture she is probably best know for supplying sound effects for "2001: A Space Odyssey". During the late 1960's and 1970's she continued to work and teach on the subject along with writing the book "An Individual Note Of Music: Sound And Electronics". After two strokes in the 1990's she was forced to retire and sadly passed away in 2003, aged 77.

The other day I read a comment on an electronic music forum that claimed Delia Derbyshire never actually existed and it was nothing but a communist code name. It made me laugh at the time as I thought about the conspiracy theories people come up with but having listened to "Oramics" I think it's entirely possible that Daphne was sent to Earth by aliens on some kind of secret mission. Her creativity was simply other worldly.

I'm posting this album today in part because I wanted to highlight the fact that a 4 LP collection of Oram's work has recently been released, entirely comprised of never heard before music. Ironically it may turn out to be the most important electronic music release of this decade. You can find info about "The Oram Tapes: Volume 1" here. Boomkat are also selling a deluxe 4 LP version of "Oramics" at a reasonable price if you are interested. I might post another one of her records tomorrow.


Wednesday, January 4, 2012

JEAN-PIERRE DECERF - ACCELERATION






Track 1 - Surrounding Seas
Track 2 - Acceleration
Track 3 - Turn Pike Melody
Track 4 - Phillipps 66
Track 5 - South Of The Border
Track 6 - Big Green Espace
Track 7 - Warranty Renown
Track 8 - Renaissance
Track 9 - Power
Track 10 - Monticelli'bar

Patchwork albums certainly did feature some interesting electronic based music and "Acceleration" is one such album. I get the impression listening to these tracks that Decerf was more concerned with producing fully formed, original compositions rather than filling any particular library music niche. The mood is generally upbeat and poppy but there's a slight edge which makes the likes of "Phillipps 66" and "Monticelli'bar" stand out. Tracks 6 and 7 are by Gerard Gesina with "Big Green Espace" exhibiting plenty of early 80's synth goodness. If you've heard "Pulsations" by Decerf then you'll know what to expect with this one. Credit goes to Lunar Atrium for the original upload.

FRANCO MICALIZZI - CHI SEI? SOUNDTRACK





Track 1 - Bargain With The Devil
Track 2 - Jessica's Theme
Track 3 - Dimitry's Theme
Track 4 - Robert's Theme
Track 5 - Jessica's Theme Pt.2
Track 6 - Family's Theme
Track 7 - Bargain With The Devil Pt.2
Track 8 - Flute Sequence
Track 9 - Dimitry's Theme Pt.2
Track 10 - Family's Theme Pt.2

To be honest I was expecting this to be a lot more funky but there are a handful of moments that makes it an interesting soundtrack to listen to. "Family's Theme" has a nice jazz / funk vibe and both of the "Dimitry's Theme" tracks have an excellent drum based progression. The score certainly must have had its fans because it earned a release in several different countries including Canada and Australia ( you can find some of the alternative covers below ). I might warm to this album in time but for now I'll be sticking to Micalizzi's awesome "Violence OST".