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Essential “Heat”: Canned Heat: Four Albums; Conversation with Skip Taylor; Sidebar: Rediscovering the Blues

September 28, 2015 by Bill Hart

Introduction I’m fascinated by that “turning point” in popular music in the mid- ‘60s, when mainstream music was transformed from sonic pablum to electric rock, folk and blues. Of course, the Beatles (and others from the first British invasion) had a huge, irreversible influence, but other things were stirring Stateside, including a reconnection with rural blues. No band had more involvement in this transformation than Canned Heat. Members of Canned Heat were deep blues enthusiasts involved directly or indirectly in the rediscovery, with others, of such legendary, forgotten... Read More

Filed Under: Features

SIDEBAR- Rediscovering the Blues

September 28, 2015 by Bill Hart

  The history of the blues revival is just as fascinating and almost as confusing as the history of some of the early blues players. There were a number of key figures involved in the effort to locate the surviving players and their pursuits were often beset by misdirection, sometimes inadvertent, sometimes deliberate and occasionally hilarious.   Dick Waterman, Phil Spiro and Nick Perls finally located Son House in Rochester, New York after searching fruitlessly in the South. House, who influenced Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson, apparently had no idea that his early work was so... Read More

Filed Under: Features

Going Up the Country: A Look at Classic Canned Heat

August 31, 2015 by Bill Hart

I knew as much about Canned Heat as the average listener back in the day; I was familiar with their “hits” and had some sense of their serious devotion to historical blues. I always enjoyed their filmed performances, including their appearance at Woodstock. But, digging deeper into their catalog of records released during their heyday proved to be a revelation. These guys were an odd mix of highly talented blues aficionados fluent in all the varieties of blues, from delta and rural stuff, to the more eclectic jazz-based “traditional” blues to the harder, grittier urban sounds; but... Read More

Filed Under: Features

ON THE TRAIL OF: ELMORE JAMES & SUNNYLAND

August 24, 2015 by Bill Hart

    “Sunnyland,” by Elmore James, is a blues track that has been part of my DNA since I first heard it in around 1970. What I didn’t know, until quite recently, is that this song –that I’ve known and loved for 45 years –wasn’t the original “Sunnyland” recorded by Elmore James, but a later cut, recorded in New Orleans in 1961. This version, which is far more distorted and raw sounding than the original, remained unreleased until the end of that decade. It first appeared on a compilation released in 1969 in the UK by Blue Horizon entitled To Know a Man.... Read More

Filed Under: Features

Interview with Bob Koester-Founder of Delmark Records

August 14, 2015 by Bill Hart

    I had the privilege of writing an essay on Hoodoo Man Blues for the National Recording Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress. (You can find the text of the essay here, along with a link to the National Registry where it is officially published). Bob Koester, the founder of Delmark Records (which released Hoodoo Man Blues) and producer of the album, was gracious enough to provide a first-hand account in that essay. (His views lent a far more authentic and interesting voice than any third-hand account I could write fifty years after the fact). Koester is a virtual encyclopedia of... Read More

Filed Under: Features

LP Sleeves, Jackets and Care

August 11, 2015 by Bill Hart

    Veteran LP collectors might regard what follows as overkill, or even contrary to their practice or experience. So I offer this photo-essay of various ways to handle, package and manage LPs after they have been properly cleaned, along with some cautionary notes and guidelines, recognizing that there are many ways to approach the subject and a few “absolutes,” mainly having to do with the fact that some plastics used for outer jacket and inner sleeves, particularly PVC, are known to interact with vinyl records, and should be avoided. You can pick and choose your own method... Read More

Filed Under: Cleaning - Care, Features

Chris Whitley- A Brief Retrospective

July 27, 2015 by Bill Hart

I’m haunted by Chris Whitley. We’ve had our share of gifted musicians— far too many to recount here– who died young, leaving a legacy of recordings that are honored today through reissues, deluxe boxed sets and retrospectives (in word and film). Labels can effectively mine a catalog, make a profit where little was had at the time of original release and in the process, keep the music alive for new generations of fans. For various reasons, Chris Whitley doesn’t yet benefit from that kind of visibility. His work really deserves greater recognition and a revival. There have been... Read More

Filed Under: Features, Records

Collectability, Sonics and “Essential” Records- Comparing Notes with Jeff Gold, Owner of Recordmecca

July 22, 2015 by Bill Hart

I originally reached out to Jeff Gold, the owner of Recordmecca, to talk about label histories; Jeff began his career as the first employee at the legendary Rhino Records store in Los Angeles, was at A&M from 1981 through 1990 and later, at Warner Brothers for nine years. He’s also had more than a few moments of fame: he’s the guy who found t­hose early Bob Dylan acetates from the late ‘60s- a discovery that not only proved to be of enormous value as artifacts, but provided an inside look at Dylan’s creative process during one of the artist’s many “transitional” periods-... Read More

Filed Under: Features

National Recording Registry -Are You Experienced

July 17, 2015 by Bill Hart

I recently received an invitation to contribute an essay to the National Recording Registry. The Registry, maintained by the National Recording Preservation Board of the U.S. Library of Congress, chooses certain recordings each year that reflect the richness of the American recorded sound heritage, to preserve that legacy for future generations. There were many great […]

Filed Under: Features, In Brief

Jethro Tull-Aqualung- Vinyl Shoot-Out

June 26, 2015 by Bill Hart

In my lead-up to this piece, I mentioned that I often accumulate more vinyl pressings of problematic recordings in search of a good sounding copy; Jethro Tull’s Aqualung is a good example. Some of the quirks in this recording were deliberate, e.g. the “Tannoy” effect (a/k/a the “telephone burble”) on the vocal parts of title track, which is a clever effect; but most copies seem to lack clarity or bass and there is considerable track to track variability in the sound quality. Some of it apparently had to do with adjusting to the acoustics of the large room the band recorded... Read More

Filed Under: Features, Records

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In Brief:

Milt Ward Virgo Reissue Coming from Frederiksberg

Although I don't have all the details yet, I have learned that Frederiksberg Records, a small, eclectic label from New York, is in the process of reissuing the hard to find (and even harder to pay for) jazz obscurity, Milt Ward and Virgo Spectrum. You can find out more by keeping tabs on Frederiksberg's Bandcamp page, https://frederiksbergrecords.bandcamp.com   I'm told there is a bootleg out there so be careful. Frederiksberg is doing this project with the participation of the family of Milt Ward, which is to be applauded. Hopefully, this will give more access to a great jazz record at a reasonable price. The Roots album reissue from Frederiksberg (which is sold out on vinyl on the Frederiksberg Records bandcamp site) still appears to be available through some online retailers as a pre-order, so that's another one to jump on now if you can find it-- the original is extremely pricey and … [Read More...]

Clem Snide- Forever Just Beyond

Clem Snide- Forever Just Beyond With a name derived from a character in the same literary work as the band name so famously identified with the Walter Becker-Donald Fagen duo, Clem Snide has an extensive discography, typically cataloged as “alt country.” This latest release is the work of one of its founding members, Eef Barzelay, who was responsible for much of the songwriting and singing. According to his bio, Barzelay suffered some serious bumps in the road during the last decade, including a failing marriage and financial ruin. At the same time, he learned that Scott Avett was a fan and they found inspiration in each other, leading to this album- a collaboration of artistry where Avett and Barzelay share some writing credits and Avett produces. The result is a fresh, upbeat set of tunes that are appealing in their simplicity and refreshing in their sincerity. The band is first tier … [Read More...]

Muriel Grossmann- Reverence

Muriel Grossmann- Reverence Muriel Grossmann continues her quest for musical ascension on Reverence, which was released on vinyl in early December, 2019 on the RR Gems label as a 2 LP set. The compositions are Grossmann’s, and the band is much the same as the group of seasoned musicians with whom she has worked for some time (and detailed in the review of her Golden Rule), but for one notable exception: the addition of a keyboard player who brings that rich, woody Hammond B-3 sound to a series of compositions devoted to Africa. In some ways, Ms. Grossmann’s exploration of the roots of jazz deliberately eschews any superficial attempt to make African music. Instead, she draws inspiration from its influences, which are wide ranging and deep—you can hear rhythm and blues sounds mixed with more traditional African instrumentation and polyrhythms and come away with something that is both … [Read More...]

Stylus Life- StylusTimer

Stylus Life- StylusTimer Stylus life is a recurring question in audio discussions. Some serious attention was devoted to the subject here, in Mike Bodell’s “The Finish Line for Your Phono Stylus.” That article examined the issue from a number of perspectives, including early studies, claims by cartridge manufacturers and real-life experiences by users. It also generated a long, interesting thread on the Steve Hoffman forum that is worthwhile to read. The Hoffman thread also generated an experiment by Ray Parkhurst who documented the wear of a new stylus under certain controlled conditions, which included a microscopic examination of the stylus at various time intervals over long hours of repeated play. See https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/the-finish-line-for-your-phono-cartridge-stylus-wear-by-mike-bodell.842572/#post-21292730.   Whether you lean toward more optimistic … [Read More...]

Incoming! (More Interesting Records)

Incoming! (More Interesting Records)  An "interesting record" to me offers something unexpected, whether it is a fresh take on a recognized genre, or something that opens a new way of experiencing instruments in combination. It does not have to be "strange" or challenging to listen to; in fact, I'm a sucker for a good melodic hook and enjoy technical prowess as much as anybody, but there has got to be something "more"-- an intangible that differentiates the record from the millions of others to which we all have access.   As mentioned in a recent editorial, a lot of records come in and not all get written up. It’s not an editorial decision or any reflection of the music or sonics; I only have so much time, and I tend not to write short blurbs, but longer (some may say ‘too long’) reviews. My “incoming” piles continue to grow as I publish. This series of short capsules is meant to … [Read More...]

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