Fields – Same (1971)

Fields was a progressive rock band formed in 1971 by Andrew McCulloch and Graham Field, and also containing Alan Barry. McCulloch had previously been a member of King Crimson, but left due to musical differences. Field had founded Rare Bird, and Barry was a member of Dowlands with Giles Brothers (1962-1963).

They only recorded one eponymous album in 1971, and one single from the album, “A Friend of Mine”, in 1973. According to Field, CBS management changed and “the new faces did not want to know us”, so the group disbanded. Field had the rights to the name Rare Bird, and returned to working in that area and in television themes. McCulloch went on to become a founder member of Greenslade. Barry went on to become a founder member of King Harry.

French single

A trio formed from diverse musicians from other groups such as KING CRIMSON and RARE BIRD, which managed one sole album. FIELDS is named after Graham Field, founding member of RARE BIRD and was responsible for many of the better tracks of the first two albums. After his departure RARE BIRD will change sound rather drastically veering towards a faster tempo rock with funky grooves. As for FIELDS, this is a keyboard-led trio with bassist Alan Barry singing but also playing guitars (although very discreet) but also adding some Mellotron lines. Rounding up that trio is Andy Mc McCullough who had played on KC’s “Lizard” album and we will find him holding the drums stool for GREENSLADE later that year.

RARE BIRD fans and 70’s prog completist will enjoy FIELDS. (by Hugues Chantraine)

Quickly, Fields was Rare Bird’s main keyboard man Graham Field’s first (last?) post-Bird project. Bringing at least a little of the early Rare Bird vibe along for the ride, albeit with one keyboardist rather than two, bassist/guitarist/composer/vocalist Alan Barry and drummer Andy McCulloch (between stints in Crimson and Greenslade) shore up the incredibly full sound for a very unique and melodic prog album.

Field and McCulloch shine like you’d expect, but it’s Barry who impresses the most here. His pitch-perfect tenor sails over all these great songs and provides a real nice mechanism for exploiting these beautiful melodies. I’d love to know whatever became of Alan Barry after such a powerful performance here. Barry’s previous stints as session man for Gordon Haskell’s It Is and It Isn’t album and as part of one the Giles brothers’ pre-GG&F bands are pretty much all I can find on this guy’s skimpy resume.

Like another well known keyboard-based 3-piece band, Refugee, Fields only managed this one album before imploding. It’s been long out of print but worthy of a search for all keyboard-obsessed melodic, yet heavy prog nuts out there – you know who you are! (by Steven)

German single

Personnel:
Alan Barry (bass, guitar, vocals)
Graham Field (keyboards)
Andrew McCulloch (drums, percussion)

Tracklist:
01. A Friend Of Mine (Field) 4.31
02. While The Sun Still Shines (Field) 3.18
03. Not So Good (Friend) 3.12
04. Three Minstrels (Barry/Field) 4.31
05. Slow Susan (Field) 3.46
06. Over And Over Again (Field) 5.55
07. Feeling Free (Field) 3:12
08. Fair-Haired Lady (Batty) 3.00
09. A Place To Lay My Head (Field) 4.25
10. The Eagle (Barry/Field) 5.24

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Chicken Shack – Imagination Lady (1972)

Imagination Lady is the fifth studio album by the blues band Chicken Shack, released in 1972 on the Deram record Label.

Imagination Lady is much in the same tradition as the great British bluesmen Alexis Korner and John Mayall, Webb’s revolving-door personnel landed the band several notable members, including: John Almond (tenor/alto sax), Hughie Flint (drums), and Christine Perfect (keyboards/vocals). For this album, Webb (guitar/vocals) gathered a trio consisting of himself, future Gods and Jethro Tull member John Glascock (bass), and Paul Hancox (drums). Enthusiasts of the more traditional 40 Blue Fingers, Freshly Packed and Ready to Serve and OK Ken albums have been quick to dismiss the latter-era band, often citing the whole over amplified power metal trip as detracting from their blues origins.

While certainly valid assessments, the power trio featured on Imagination Lady brings more than sheer volume to this release. As with the previous Chicken Shack long-players, this disc features several Webb originals augmented with some well-chosen cover tunes. The album opens with a ferocious cover of B.B. King’s “Crying Won’t Help You.” This version is highlighted by Glascock’s thrashing basslines and Webb’s wah-wah driven lead guitar and gin-soaked vocals. In a style akin to the Faces or even some of the rowdier moments from the Peter Green-led Fleetwood Mac, this trio grinds out the blues with a decidedly English edge. The folkie “If I Were a Carpenter” is speared with searing electric guitar leads that rip throughout the likewise spirited contributions from Glascock and Hancox. The tune is also afforded an unexpected sensitivity that contrasts well between the all-out sonic onslaught of the chorus and the restrained polyrhythms of the verses. In regards to original material, “Daughter of the Hillside” is without a doubt Webb’s most impressive contribution to the album. It is arguably the strongest side on the disc. This straight-ahead rocker is an ideal trio effort with equal contributions from all three recalling the intense instrumentality of Cream or early Led Zeppelin. With so much potential, it’s unfortunate that the 11-minute epic “Telling Your Fortune” — which is nothing more than a 12-bar blues platform for solos from Webb and Hancox — is so erratic. In an ironic contrast, the closing number “The Loser” is upbeat and almost pop-oriented, again displaying the immense strength of this short-lived incarnation of Chicken Shack. (by Lindsay Planer)

Chicken Shack were chief beneficiaries of the 1968 Brit blues boom, but the sales graph was flatlining by the time of 1972’s Imagination Lady. Shame, really: some of us will strip to the waist, grease up and wrestle for the right to proclaim it the worthiest thing they ever did. Wildcard guitarist and sole constant Stan Webb had commandeered drummer Paul Hancox and bassist John Glascock to create a brawny blues-rock trio with the pedal constantly to the metal – and the transfusion of new blood duly created a rampaging ogre.

Listen to them, positively steaming in with Crying Won’t Help You Now: lack of blues feel is more than compensated for with unruly, unpolished, first-take excitement. Hancox in particular – recommended by John Bonham – is a flailing Tasmanian devil in the Philthy Animal Taylor mould. The insane phased drum solo in Telling Your Fortune perhaps indulges the man a tad too far – but you try stopping him.

Thrillingly, the band lunge at If I Were A Carpenter like pub drunks: it’s a Vanilla Fudge-style, taste-free disembowelment, and all the better for it. Truthfully, Imagination Lady is closer in spirit and execution to May Blitz than Fleetwood Mac, in the grand tradition of fractious, E-major wah-wah sludge-rock. (by record collector)

For me is this album a masterpiece of heavy blues rock !

Personnel:
John Glascock (bass)
Paul Hancox (drums)
Stan Webb (guitar, vocals)

Tracklist:
01. Crying Won’t Help You Now (King) 5.10
02. Daughter Of The Hillside (Webb) 3.53
03. If I Were A Carpenter (Hardin) 6.35
04. Going Down (Nix) 3.33
05. Poor Boy (Webb) 5.11
06. Telling Your Fortune (Webb) 11.11
07. The Loser (Webb) 2.32

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The Strawbs – In Concert At The Paris Theatre London (1971)

This concert is known to be the last with Rick Wakeman on keyboard, before he joined Yes, replacing Tony Kaye. Not a bad thing he left I must say, since he’s often totally out of subject with his progressive-epic approach of keyboards, more Keith Emerson than Matthew Fisher. Recorded one year after the Queen Elizabeth Hall concert that gave the Antiques and Curios album, it shows how the band grew confident, often not for the best, some versions being quite weak. Others are great such as “The Shepherd’s Song”. But it’s clear that the band was going away from his folk roots, and it’s no surprise Tony Hooper was living his last months with the band. All in all, an unavoidable addition to any Strawbs collection. (by dkandroughmix-forgottensongs.blogspot)

This is maybe not the best period of The Strawbs … but even in this difficult Phase (you know Rick Wakeman leave the band to join Yes 1), it´s a superb album from a real great band !

Personnel:
Dave Cousins (vocals, guitar, banjo, dulcimer)
John Ford (bass, vocals)
Tony Hooper (guitar, vocals)
Richard Hudson (drums, Percussion, vocals)
Rock Wakeman (keyboards)

Tracklist:
01. Hangman And The Papist 4.19
02. Martin Luther King’s Dream 3.00
03, A Glimpse Of Heaven 4.00
04. Witchwood 3.13
05. In Amongst The Roses 4.17
06. R.M.W. 5.06
07. Flower And The Young Man 5.11
08. Fingertips 5.56
09. The Shepherd’s Song 4.52
10. When You Wore A Tulip 2.08
11. Sheep 11.18

All Songs written by Dave Cousins

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Ry Cooder – Cotati (1987)

Even without releasing the covers album, Bop Till You Drop, in 1979, Ry Cooder was already  a formidable musician steeped in the blues with a Tex-Mex feel. His ’70s albums such as Into The Purple Valley, Boomer’s Story, Paradise And Lunch and Chicken Skin Music are classics but Bop Till You Drop, the first major-label digitally recorded album of pop music, put Cooder right in the spotlight.

Just as we are now pondering if the physical media (CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays) is coming to an end, at that time, the Bop Till You Drop CD – just as Dire Straits’ Brothers In Arms – was used to showcase the format and CD players.

Alongside his solo albums, Cooder also worked on soundtracks such as The Long Riders, The Border and brought the slide to a new artistic level on Paris, Texas. This wasn’t the rollicking slide of the Allman Brothers at Fillmore East but slide which put an achingly haunting spell on the listener. Then, A Meeting By The River with Vishwa Mohan Bhatt in 1993 and, more importantly, Buena Vista Social Club in 1997, saw Cooder being hailed as a music archivist. While Cooder turned to his staples of bluesy and rock & roll tunes when he played live, it’d be interesting to see him tour with his soundtracks once in while.

Thanks to easyed for sharing a show (and artwork) on Dime which took place before World Music discovered Ry Cooder.

easyed noted:

A few days later, this same lineup performed at The Catalyst in Santa Cruz, CA, a performance which was filmed for commercial release by Les Blank. Rumor has it that Ry didn’t like the film [Let’s Have A Ball], and it was never released, although I have seen it in circulation.

The autographs on the CD art are real. Ry autographed a couple of compact discs for me outside the Sweetwater in Mill Valley, CA in 1987 and on one of them conveniently added the year! He had his son, at the time maybe 14 years old, with him, who asked about the compact discs, “Dad, what are those?” to which Ry replied something along the lines of “Those are compact discs, son. They’ll be obsolete in a couple years.”

The venue for this show was The Cotati Cabaret in Cotati, CA. It was a small club that held about 300 people. Cotati is a small town located about an hour north of San Francisco. The Cabaret was an outgrowth of another venue that had been across the street called The Inn of The Beginning, a resurrected version of which has since ‘risen from the ashes’ once or twice since the ’80s. Cotati is next to Sonoma State University, which was called Granola State University back in the days. SSU is where the great recording of Old & In The Way with Ramblin’ Jack Elliott opening was made in 1973.

Click on the highlighted tracks to download the MP3s (224 kbps). As far as we can ascertain, these tracks have never been officially released on CD.

Recorded live at the Cotati Cabaret, Cotati, CA; March 23, 1987.
Excellent soundboard.

The Ry Cooder Band in 1987

Personnel:

George Bohannon (trombone)

Jorge Calderon (bass)
Ry Cooder (guitar, vocals)
Miguel Cruz (percussion)
Steve Douglas (saxophone)
Terry Evans (vocals)
Willie Greene Jr. (vocals)
Flaco Jimenez (accordian)
Bobby King (vocals)
Jim Keltner (drums)
Arnold McCuller (vocals)
Van Dyke Parks (Keyboards)

Tracklist:

01. Showtime (unknown) 2.13
02. Little Sister (Pomus/Shuman) 3.47
03. Smack Dab In The Middle (Calhoun) 1.09
04. Let’s Have A Ball (Bunn) 6.45
05. Go On Home Girl (Alexander) 7.40
06. Ay Te Dejo Déjo En San Antonio (Traditional) 4.40
07. He’ll Have To Go (A. Allison/J. Allison) 6.17
08. Jesus On The Mainline (Traditional) 8.09
09. Dark End Of The Street (Moman/Penn) 6.52
10. Atombomb (unknown)
11. Teeny Weeny Bit I Don’t Want Much (Gordon) 7.28
12. One Meatball (Zaret/Singer) 7.23
13. Maria Elena (Barcelata/Russell) 6.03

14. If Walls Could Talk (Miller) 9.52
15. The Very Thing That Makes You Rich Makes Me Poor (Bailey) 8.05
16. Crazy ‘Bout An Automobile (Emerson) 6.55
17. Chain Gang (Cooke) 6.45
18. Down In Hollywood (Cooder/Drummond) 13.55
19. Good Night Irene (Ledbetter) 6.57

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The Victoria Police Pipe Band – Live In Concert In Ireland (1993)

And now let us here some very old fashioned music:

The Victoria Police Pipe Band is a former Grade One World Pipe Band Championship-winning pipe band based in Melbourne, Australia. The band still operates today, though with reduced numbers and not competitively, after a controversial decision in 2000 to reshape it.

As of today, the Victoria Police Pipe Band is the only Australian band in history to have attained the title of World Pipe Band Champion. It is Australia’s most successful pipe band, having obtained three third-place results at the Worlds in years directly prior to its win in 1998. The band has also released a number of recordings, which are internationally popular.

The band was started in 1936, with generous funding from Mr W.E. McPherson (hence the McPherson tartan), by a small group of full-time police officers. For some fifty years following this, there is little noted in the history of the band and it is assumed that it continued on much in the way it had, filling its ranks with police who performed part-time.

The Victoria Police Pipe Band in 1936

However, in 1987, the band formally began its pursuit of the Worlds title. It recruited Pipe Major Nat Russell from the Royal Ulster Constabulary of Northern Ireland and received funding from the state government, with which it competed in Grade Two Australian competitions. One year later, the band attained the title of Australian Grade Two Champions and achieved third place in the August World Pipe Band Championships for the same grade. This earned the band’s regrading to Grade One.

Buoyed by its success, Victoria Police Pipe Band spent the next decade dominating Australian competition, claiming six consecutive grade one titles locally whilst continuing to compete internationally. In 1992, 1994 and 1997 the band claimed third places at the Worlds, this time in Grade One.

After some minor adjustments by then Drum Sergeant Harold Gillespie and Pipe Major Nat Russell, the Victoria Police Pipe Band was crowned World Champions at Glasgow in 1998.

In October 2000, the band’s competing days were over as it reformed. It now mostly performs at official functions, as well as for charities and schools. (by wikipedia)

Victoria Police Concert Band promo photo circa 1989

If you like the sounds of the Bagpipes (like I do !) … than you should don´t miss this album …

What a great sound … liste for example to “Highland Cathedral” or “Belfast Child (with great vocals by D. Jowsey !!!)

Personnel:

Tracklist:
01. Hornpipes: Uphold the Right / Ronda Blair 3.39
02. March, Strathspey, and Reel: Lord Alexander Kennedy / Atholl Cummers / Mrs. MacPherson of Inveran 5.14
03. 6/8 Jigs: Troy’s Wedding / The Hen’s March / Alan MacPherson of Mosspark / Glasgow Police Pipers 4.20
04. Hornpipe, Strathspeys, and Reels: Maxville via Satellite / A.A. Cameron / The Caledonian Society of London / Quick Waltz 4.28
05. 2/4 Marches: Tom Wilson / Clan MacRae Society 4.07
06. Hornpipe, Strathspeys, and Reels: Acoustic Barbarians / J.F. MacKenzie / Smith’s a Gallant Fireman / Christie MacLeod / John Keith Laing / Acoustic Barbarians 3.44
07. Waltz, Reel, and Jig: The Country Girl and the Hungarian Fiddler / Bass Face / The Changeling 2.58
08. Quartet: Hornpipes and Jigs: The Blair Highlanders / Ernie’s Impact / Emma Street Exodus / The Techno Fiend 3,55
09. Hornpipes and Reels: Acid Piper / The Bulgarian Bandit / Adrian’s Obsession  3:04
10. Pipe Solo: The Mad Hornpipe / Annette’s Chatter / Bronni’s Blue Brozzi / Jean’s Fancy 4.02
11. Duet: Going Home 3.05
12. Solo Piper: Highland Cathedral 3.47
13. Solo Piper: Suite: Murray’s Fancy 8.28
14. Belfast Child / Airlie’s Big Day / Belfast Child 6.26
15. Pipe Trio: The Hellbound Train 5.43
16. Medley: Daryl Boyle / Murray’s Fancy / The Dirty Lough / Reverie / Helen Young / Mrs. Donald McPherson / Shovel Tongue / Megalomania 6.27

All songs are Traditionals

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Piero Odorici feat. Steve Ellington – Panarea (1996)

Piero Odorici represents one among the most clever new european Jazz’s young talent. Born in Bologna (Italy) in 1962 , he had his first approches with saxophone when he was ten years old . After classical studies he improved his jazz technique under the Sal Nistico and Steve Grossman’s guide, two between the most great modern Jazz’s saxophone players, and took part to workshops with Mal Waldron, Barry Herris and Joe Handerson. Piero Odorici began early his professional career having the opportunity to perform as member and as sideman of several european and foreign groups with tours in all the word (Italy, France, Germany, Greece, Finland, Canada….) and appear in radio and TV shows.

Among various collaborations : Ray Mantilla, Ben Riley, George Cables, Jimmy Cobb, Cedar Walton, Billy Higgins, Sal Nistico, Steve Grossman, Slide Hampton, Eddy Henderson, Red Rodney, Lee Konitz, Joe Lovano, Steve Lacy, Jack Walrath, Elliot Zigmund, Gloria Gaynor, Steve Ellington, Steve Gadd, Jack McDuff, Mingus Big Band, Luciano Pavarotti, George Michael and many other. In May 2000 Odorici makes an american tour with an own band playing in famouses Clubs in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, etc. with Ray Mantilla & George Cables Quartet. He took part to numerous important Festivals like Umbria Jazz (Italy), Grande Parade du Jazz (Nice-F), Pori Jazz Festival (Finland), Salonicco Jazz (Greece), Porretta Soul Festival (Italy), Pavarotti and Friends 2000 (Italy). He recorded with : Jack McDuff, Steve Grossman, Ray Mantilla, Jack Walrath, Steve Ellington, Eddie Henderson, George Michael, Luciano Pavarotti and some other.

Here´s an early Album by Piero Odorici featuring Steve Ellington:

Bradford Steven “Steve” Ellington (July 26, 1941, Atlanta – March 22, 2013, Montgomery, Alabama) was an American jazz drummer.

Ellington picked up drums when he was four years old and played with Ray Charles when he was nine. In the latter half of the 1950s he played with Charles Brown, George Adams, and Duke Pearson. He studied for one year at the New England Conservatory of Music in 1961-1962, where he played with Sam Rivers, then worked with June Christy, Joe Castro, and Hampton Hawes. He began playing with Roland Kirk in 1964, with whom he would perform and record through 1970; aside from Kirk, he played as a sideman himself with Jackie McLean, Chet Baker, Stanley Turrentine, and Mose Allison. Concomitantly, he led his own band in 1965-1966, whose sidemen were Woody Shaw, Walter Davis, Jr., Wilbur Ware, and C. Sharpe.

In the 1970s Ellington worked with Billy Eckstine, Brick Jazz Funk Fusion, Hampton Hawes, Art Farmer, Freddy Cole, Freddie Hubbard, Ike Isaacs, Maxine Sullivan, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, and Dan Wall. He returned to work with Rivers in the period 1980-1982, played with Sonny Stitt and Dave Holland, then put together a new ensemble of his own, which was active from 1985 to 1990. He was the drummer for Michel Petrucciani’s trio from 1988 to 1990, and in the 1990s worked with Hal Galper, Steve Grossman, James Moody, and Johnny Griffin. (by wikipedia)

And we can hear a real superb jazz-Album … I guess this Album is a must for every Jazz-fan !

Personnel:
Marc Abraham (bass)
Paolo Birro (piano)
Steve Ellington (drums)
Piero Odorici (saxophone)

Tracklist:
01. Detour (Abrams) 4.38
02. To Ela (Odorici) 7.34
03. É Preciso Perdoar (Jobim) 5.23
04. All God’s Chillun Got Rhythm (Kahn) 3.00
05. Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye (Porter) 6.44
06. Beatrice (Rivers) 6.05
07. Neon (Birro) 5.53
08. Panarea (Odorici) 7.08
09. Luise (Abrams) 5.44
10. All God’s Chillun Got Rhythm (Kahn) 3.41

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Harvey Mandel – Righteous (1969)

Harvey Mandel (born March 11, 1945, in Detroit, Michigan, United States) is an American guitarist known for his innovative approach to electric guitar playing. A professional at twenty, he played with Charlie Musselwhite, Canned Heat, The Rolling Stones, and John Mayall before starting a solo career. Mandel is one of the first rock guitarists to use two-handed fretboard tapping. Mandel was born in Detroit, Michigan but grew up in Morton Grove, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.

His first record was the album Stand Back! Here Comes Charley Musselwhite’s Southside Band in 1966 with Charlie Musselwhite. Described in 1997’s Legends of Rock Guitar as a “legendary” album, it was influential in bridging the gap between blues and rock and roll, with Mandel’s “relentless fuzztone, feedback-edged solos, and unusual syncopated phrasing.”

He relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area, performing often at a club called The Matrix, where local favorites like Jerry Garcia or Elvin Bishop would sit in and jam. He then met up with pioneering San Francisco disc jockey and producer Abe ‘Voco’ Kesh (Abe Keshishian), who signed Mandel to Philips Records and produced his first solo album, Cristo Redentor in 1968. Mandel recorded with Barry Goldberg on a bootleg from Cherry Records and recorded with Graham Bond. He cut two more solo LPs for Philips, Righteous (1969) and Games Guitars Play (1970), followed by three more solo albums for the independent record label Janus in the early 1970s, which included Baby Batter. (by Wikipedia)

And this is his second solo-album for Philips Records:

Not as consistent as his debut, due to the presence of a few pedestrian blues-rock numbers. The better tracks, though, show Mandel continuing to expand his horizons with imagination, particularly on the cuts with string and horn arrangements by noted jazz arranger Shorty Rogers. Harvey’s workout on Nat Adderley’s “Jive Samba” is probably his best solo performance, and an obvious touchstone for the Latin-rock hybrid of Carlos Santana (whose own debut came out the same year); on the other side of the coin, “Boo-Bee-Doo” is one of his sharpest and snazziest straight blues-rockers. (by Richie Unterberger)

As Mr. Ärmel wrote in this blog a year ago: “One of the most underrated guitar players ever.” …

Harvey Mandel with Bob Hite (Canned Heat), 1970

Personnel:
Duane Hitchings (organ)
Eddie Hoh (drums)
Harvey Mandel (guitar)
Art Stavro (bass)
+
John Audino (trumpet on 07.)
Mike Barone (trombone on 07.)
Buddy Childers (trumpet on 07.)
Gene Cipriano (saxophone on 07.)
Stan Fishelson (trumpet on 07.)
Victor Feldman (vibraphone on 07.)
Plas Johnson (saxophone on 07.)
Pete Jolly (piano)
Bob Jones (guitar on 02., 05. drums, vocals on 04. + 09.)
Richard Leith (trombone on 07.)
Lew McCreary (trombone on 07.)
Ollie Mitchell (trumpet on 07.)
Pete Myers (trombone on 07.)
Jack Nimitz (saxophone on 07.)
Earl Palmer (percussion on 02., drums on 07.)
Bill Perkins (saxophone on 07.)
Howard Roberts (guitar on 07.)
Ernie Watts (saxophone on 07.)
Bob West (bass on 07.)

Tracklist:

01. Righteous (Mandel) 3.22
02. Jive Samba (Adderley) 5.56
03. Love Of Life (Mandel/Jones) 3.14
04. Poontang (Jones) 3.54
05. Just A Hair More (Mandel) 3.39
06. Summer Sequence (Burns) 4.12
07. Short’s Stuff (Rogers) 7.19
08. Boo-Bee-Doo (Hitchings) 3.55
09. Campus Blues (Mandel) 4.43

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Various Artists – Moulin Rouge (OST (2002)

Moulin Rouge!  is a 2001 Australian–American jukebox musical romantic comedy film directed, produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. It tells the story of a young English poet/writer, Christian (Ewan McGregor), who falls in love with the star of the Moulin Rouge, cabaret actress and courtesan Satine (Nicole Kidman). It uses the musical setting of the Montmartre Quarter of Paris, France.

At the 74th Academy Awards, the film was nominated for eight Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actress for Nicole Kidman, winning two: for Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design. It was the first musical nominated for Best Picture in 10 years, following Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (1991). (by wikipedia)

 

The story:

The year is 1899, and Christian, a young English writer, has come to Paris to follow the Bohemian revolution taking hold of the city’s drug and prostitute infested underworld. And nowhere is the thrill of the underworld more alive than at the Moulin Rouge, a night club where the rich and poor men alike come to be entertained by the dancers, but things take a wicked turn for Christian as he starts a deadly love affair with the star courtesan of the club, Satine. But her affections are also coveted by the club’s patron: the Duke. A dangerous love triangle ensues as Satine and Christian attempt to fight all odds to stay together but a force that not even love can conquer is taking its toll on Satine… (by imdb.com)

Moulin Rouge! Music from Baz Luhrmann’s Film is a soundtrack album to Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 film Moulin Rouge!. It was released on May 8, 2001. The album features most of the songs featured in the film. However, some of the songs are alternate versions and there are two or three major songs that are left off. The original film versions and extra songs were featured on the second soundtrack.

The soundtrack consists almost entirely of cover versions—”Come What May”, composed by David Baerwald and Kevin Gilbert, is the only original song on the album. The opening track, “Nature Boy”, is performed by David Bowie, though in the film the song is performed by actor John Leguizamo as the character Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Originally by American singer-songwriter Eden Ahbez, the song is reprised as the last song on the soundtrack with performances by Bowie and Massive Attack, along with a dialogue by Nicole Kidman.

“Lady Marmalade”, written by Bob Crewe and Kenny Nolan, was made famous in the 1970s by the girl group Labelle. The song contains the sexually-suggestive lyric “Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir?”, which translates to “Do you want to sleep with me tonight?” Labelle’s version of the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2003. The version for the soundtrack is performed by Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Mýa, and Pink, with production and additional vocal credits by Missy Elliott. The song was well-received, topping the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States and earning a Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals[9][10] (see here for additional information about the Moulin Rouge! version, including additional chart positions and awards).

“Because We Can” is credited to Norman Cook, with performance and production credits given to his stage name Fatboy Slim. The song contains portions of “Zidler’s Rap”, performed in the film by Jim Broadbent as the character Harold Zidler, and has been called the “‘Can Can’ for the next generation”. “Sparkling Diamonds” is performed by Kidman, Broadbent, Caroline O’Connor, Natalie Mendoza and Lara Mulcahy. The song is a medley featuring “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend”, written by Jule Styne and Leo Robin and introduced by Carol Channing in the Broadway production of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1949), and “Material Girl” by Madonna. “Rhythm of the Night” was a hit single made famous in 1985 by the American R&B group DeBarge. The track reached number one on the Billboard Hot R&B chart and number three on the Billboard Hot 100, and is said to have “jumpstarted” the career of songwriter Diane Warren. The soundtrack version is performed by Valeria, and includes a dialogue by Kidman. (by wikipedia)

At the very least, director Baz Luhrmann has created something different here. His modern-day musical weaves new cover versions of songs from the past three decades into one story about a brothel in turn of the century Paris. Its an odd combination to begin with, and the soundtrack itself bounces back and forth between very hip, modern tracks from artists at the top of their game and big Broadway-style ballads from the cast of the film. Some of the most well-respected names in music signed on for the project, including Beck, Bono, Timbaland, and David Bowie. Fatboy Slim created a “Can Can” for the next generation with “Because We Can,” and Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Pink, and Mya teamed up for a surefire hit with their naughtier version of Patti Labelle’s “Lady Marmalade.” In stark contrast to these edgy tracks, the album spends the rest of its time on love songs from Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman. They perform big-voiced, orchestra-backed versions of sentimental favorites like Elton John’s “Your Song.” The “Elephant Love Medley” strings together some of pop’s sappiest hits, including “Up Where We Belong,” “One More Night,” and “I Will Always Love You.” Perhaps to many people’s surprise, Kidman and McGregor can really sing, and maybe in a different environment it would be easier to take these songs seriously, but standing here outside the context of the film and next to Beck covering David Bowie, they seem more comic than creative. (by Brad Kohlenstein)

Tracklist:
01. David Bowie: Nature Boy (Ahbez) 3.25
02. Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Mýa and P!nk: Lady Marmalade (Crewe/Nolan) 4.25
03. Fatboy Slim: Because We Can (Cook) 3.27
04. Nicole Kidman, Jim Broadbent, Lara Mulcahy, Caroline O’Connor and Natalie Mendoza: Sparkling Diamonds (Brown/Rans) 2.52
05. Valeria: Rhythm Of The Night (Warren) 3.49
06. Ewan McGregor and Alessandro Safina:  Your Song (John/Taupin)  3:40
07. Bono, Gavin Friday and Maurice Seezer:  Children of the Revolution (Bolan) 2.59
08. Nicole Kidman: One Day I’ll Fly Away (Sample/Jennings) 3.18
09. Beck: Diamond Dogs (Bowie) 4.34
10. Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor and Jamie Allen: Elephant Love Medley (  4:13
11. Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor: Come What May (Baerwald) 4.48
12. José Feliciano, Ewan McGregor and Jacek Koman: El Tango de Roxanne (Sting) 4.42
13. Rufus Wainwright: Complainte de la Butte (Pepin/Wainwright) 3.07
14. John Leguizamo, Nicole Kidman, Joe Leguabe and Alka Yagnik: Hindi Sad Diamonds (  3:28
15. David Bowie and Massive Attack: Nature Boy (Ahbez) 4.23

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Various Artists – Un Ponte Sullo Stretto Dalla Sicilia Con Amore (1989)

Back from sicilian … I had very interesting 10 days … and I found some rare and really nice recordings from this island:

Sicily has always been very rich of folk songs, ditties, serenades, lullabies, Christmas carols. Every event in life was sung by the people. As regards folk dance, there are bridal ones as “chiavu”, dancing in circles (diavulecchiu), tarantellas as the “puliciusa” and “fasola”.
Sicilia

The instruments typical of Sicilian folk music are the scacciapensieri – in metal, similar to a horseshoe – which is called, according to the area, mariolu, marranzanu or ngannalaruni, the azzarinu (a percussion instrument), the friscalettu (flute-beak), tammurinu (big tambourine), ciarabedda (bagpipes).

Historically, the Sicilian literary tradition joined with orally transmitted song and folk music, absorbing the contributions of all people who trod the Sicilian soil and inheriting the traditions of the Greek “melos”, the Arabic maqam, the Byzantine hymn, the love songs of the troubadours, the classical polyphony of the 16th century. (by italyheritage.com)

Sicily’s historical connections lie not primarily with mainland Italy, but with the ancient Greeks, Arab and Spanish cultures. The result has been a diverse and unique fusion of musical elements on the island. American musicologist Alan Lomax made some historic recordings of Sicilian traditional music in the 20th century, including lullabies, dance music, festival music, epic storytelling and religious music. The Siciliana, a slow and lilting Italian style of music in triple meter, is loosely but not definitively associated with Sicily since the 1600s.

Single “Mafia” by  Dino Zullo

Sicily is home to several different types of folk music instruments, many of which can also be found in other parts of Southern Italy. The Sicilian ciaramedda is a type of Italian Zampogna (Bagpipe) that has two equal length chanters and from two to three drones. All the pipes use single cane reeds made from Arundo donax. Also made out of Arundo donax is a small end-blown flute called a friscaletto or friscalettu. The jaw harp, known in Sicilian as “marranzanu” is heavily associated with Sicilian folk music. Since its invention in the early 19th century the Organetto, a diatonic folk accordion is also prevalent in traditional Sicilian music. Percussion instruments include tambourines and other frame drums as well as the “cupa cupa”, a unique-sounding friction drum. (by wikipedia)

And here´s a sampler with some of the best sicilian folkmusic … this album was original released in 1972 by RCA Records …

Original frontcover from 1972

… and it´s full of more or less sentimental melodies – and these melodies … like Fado music … touched my Soul … very deeply …

And so it´s time to explore another piece  of World Music … this time from a real great Island with a real thrilling history !

Enjoy the sound, the mood, the music …

Tracklist:
01. Melo Caruso: Vitti na crozza (Traditional) 2.48
02. Melo Caruso: Ciuri ciuri (Traditional) 1.59
03. Friscalettu Greco: La grotta di Ulisse (Traditional) 2.36
04. Dino Zullo: Mafia (Modugno) 5.14
05. Friscalettu Giuffrida:  Tarantella ‘a carrittera (Giuffrida) 2.31
06. C. Micheli: Lu me sceccu (Traditional) 2.53
07. Bruno: Taurmina (Di Mauro) 2.37
08. Dino Zullo + Pancrazio Vinciguerra: Assolo di marranzanu e quartata (Traditional) 1.08
09. Alfio Marletta: La pampina di l’aliva (Traditional) 2.01
10. Cettina Viscuso: Si maritau Rosa (Traditional) 2.38
11. Melo Caruso: Cifolata (Curreri) 2.39
12. Melo Caruso + F. Caminiti: La campagnola (Traditional) 3.04
13. Luciano de Salvo: Sicilia bedda (Sasso/Cali) 2.13
14. Cristofero Viscuso: Mi votu e mi rivotu (Traditional) 2.44
15. Bruno: E vui durmiti ancora (Grasso/Cali) 5.04
16. Melo Caruso: Mennuli in festa (Di Mauro) 3.36

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Melo Caruso

On the road again …

I will spent my holidays in Sicily …. for 10 days ….

I wish all readers of this blog a very good time … and … of course … I will continue with this blog when I´m back home again … bye, bye ….