passings
Jerry McCain, singer, songwriter, harmonica player
June 18, 1930-March 28, 2012
These tracks were recorded, in the mid-1950s, as demos in Jerry’s living room in Gadsden, Alabama, using a single microphone and a one-track home tape recorder.
“Geronimo Rock ’n’ Roll”
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“Rock ’n’ Roll Ball”
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“A Cutie Named Judy”
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“Bell In My Heart”
only rock ’n’ roll
The Cramps, live
California State Mental Hospital (Napa), 1978
Erlend Viken, “Storpolsdansen,” live
This guy I stumbled upon the other day, as I do so many things, listening to the radio (Transpacific Sound Paradise, WFMU-FM, Sat., 6-9 p.m. [EST]). His studio performance, and interview, can be heard here.
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lagniappe
random thoughts
Does life become more understandable as you get older—or less?
What better experience for playing with the Velvet Underground, whose mentor, Andy Warhol, once observed “the channels switch, but it’s all television,” than to appear on I’ve Got a Secret?
I’ve Got a Secret (Garry Moore, host; John Cale, guest), 1963
The piece he plays at the end, Vexations, was composed in the early 1890s by Erik Satie.
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lagniappe
MCOTD’s granddog, and muse, Roscoe
what’s new
Let’s pick up where we left off—Mali.
Amadou & Mariam (with Tunde Adibimpe & Kyp Malone [TV on the Radio]), “Wily Kataso,” 2012
career plans for the next life
If none of the other things I’ve mentioned pan out (tap dancer, rubboard player, reggae bassist), I might take a stab at playing guitar in a Malian band.
Salif Keita & Band, live, Germany (Leverkusener), 2010
Part 1
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Part 2
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Part 3
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lagniappe
reading table
a glimpse of moon
over my home village . . .
then clouds—Kobayashi Issa, 1807 (translated from Japanese by David G. Lanoue)
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taking a break
I’m going to take a little break—back soon.
There are all kinds of gospel.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan & Party, “Akhiyan Udeek Diyan,” live
Here, to start off the week, is a thought experiment: imagine what American popular music would sound like without gospel.
The O’Jays, “Love Train”
TV Show (David Letterman), 2006
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Recording & Video, 1973
In the right hands, anything can be gospel.
Stevie Wonder with Eddie Levert (O’Jays), “All I Do”
Memorial Service for singer Gerald Levert (Eddie’s son), 2006
Listening to this is like surfing: the trick is to catch a wave and ride it.
Charles Gayle Trio,* live, New York (Knitting Factory), 1996
Part 1
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Part 2
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Part 3
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Part 4
More? Here.
*Charles Gayle (piano, tenor saxophone), Gerald Benson (bass), Gerald Cleaver (drums).
music clip of the day 