Javād Ma'roufi -- Golden Dreams & Other Romantic Melodies (Iran, 197x / SARLP-500)

  

"Javad Maroufi (جواد معروفی)  was born in Tehran in 1919. He was one of the first musicians who chose to perform Persian music on the piano. Piano and violin were brought to Persia during the reign of the Qajar King Nassereddin-Shah. In the beginning, these instruments could only be found in the royal palaces and the homes of the nobility. Qolamreza Salar Moazez, Motamedolmolk Yahyaian, and Mahmoud Mofakham were among the first musicians who introduced the piano in Persia. Alinaqi Vaziri taught piano in his music school, and later, prominent musicians like Moshirhomayoun Shahrdar, Hossein Ostovar, Morteza Mahjoubi, and Javad Maroufi were the ones who were admired by the lovers of this instrument and by ordinary people. Maroufi was the son of Moussa Maroufi, a renowned player of the tar. Mousa was the best student of Darvish Khan and Alinaqi Vaziri. He paid special attention to his son Javad’s musical education. After completing elementary school, Javad Maroufi attended Alinaqi Vaziri's School of Music. He started with the tar, but turned to the piano after a few years. Maroufi graduated from Vaziri’s School of Music in 1932. He went on to receive a diploma from the Tehran Conservatory, where he studied Western music. He believed that, in order to be able to play Persian music on the piano, one should also master the techniques of Western music. Maroufi began working at Radio Iran when it was established in 1941. He collaborated closely with the great Rouhollah Khaleghi as a piano soloist, as well as an arranger of works of other composers. He taught piano, music theory, and solfege at the School of National Music for many years. He also composed many original works for piano solo. Maroufi passed away in 1994." (Rouhollah Khaleghi Artistic Center)

Here's a much needed re-rip of this wistful, yet contemplative, solo set of Persian piano compositions by Javād Ma'roufi. Golden Dreams is a longtime personal favorite from my collection, highly recommended, we'll say, for any other homeless wanderers who've found solace in the sounds of Tsegue Maryam Guebrou. Romantic regional piano solos; Bartok's Romanian Folk Dances, as another example, are slowly becoming a strong fascination, here. Do any discerning readers out there have further recommendations? 

Javād Ma'roufi -- Golden Dreams & Other Romantic Melodies (Iran, 197x / SARLP-500)

Flac + 320

Side A

1. Prelude no. 1

2. Prelude no. 2

3. Prelude no. 3

4. Prelude no. 4

5. Prelude no. 5

Side B

1. Jila

2. Golden Dreams

3. Kou Kou

4. Fantasie on Armenian Theme

5. Fantasie on La Minor

Lumerians - Hartzine Mix

I fully endorse this slamming soundcloud mix put together for Hands In The Dark by Marc Meltzer of Lumerians. Heavy jams, kids. You might catch a couple of choice tracks sourced from Ghost-Capital, if you're listening close. (Sorry, no tracklist just yet) Dig it! 

Les Grands Colombias Du Peuple & Stanley Murphy -‎– Dans Becheke Pi (Côte d’Ivoire, 1982)

Another great LP graciously lent to GC by one Mr.Jason Urick. This fresh set of Ivoirienne funk was recorded at Studio JBZ in Abidjan, 1982. Haven't found much of anything in the way of group or artist bios, but more fine sounds from Stanley Murphy & Les Grands can be enjoyed at the always outstanding Oro blog. 

Les Grands Colombias Du Peuple & Stanley Murphy  -‎– Dans Becheke Pi (Côte d’Ivoire, 1982) 

Flac & 320

*Musique Mondiale, Mond 0020

Side A

1 Saint A Tout A L'Heure 

2 Gnipa Gnileu 

Side B

1 Becheke Pi 

2 Zapin

Waynell Jones -- The Chicken Song & Jaybird Boogie (1984 *High Water 424)

'High Water Recording Company is proud to introduce the first record by Waynell Jones, an artist with a truly distinctive sound. His music is downhome blues flavored with country and wester, modern rhythm and blues, and old-time songster material. It is a sound forged by years of performing music for a living on the streets of his home town of Henderson, Tennessee, playing for every kind of audience, black and white, young and old. Waynell was born in 1926 near Henderseon in rural Chester County and had lived there and in nearby Humboldt, Tennessee, his entire life. All of his thirty-nine aunts and uncles played instruments, and by the age of fifteen Waynell was playing guitar. He played for house parties and country picnics before becoming a street musician. For the past eighteen years he has been employed at Freed-Hardeman College in Henderson and now plays blues mostly for students and at special programs at the college. He is also the guitarist for the Gospel Travelers, a local community singing group. His years of performing in the community and at the college have made him one of Henderson's best known and best loved citizens. Both songs on this record are ones that he put together himself. "Jaybird Boogie" is the first song he ever made up. He was sitting on a country store porch playing his guitar, and the owner offered him a soft drink if he would make up a piece called "jaybird Boogie." When Waynell finished, the man gave him a whole case of drinks!' (David Evans, cover notes)

Waynell Jones -- The Chicken Song & Jaybird Boogie (1984 *High Water 424)

Flac + 320

Produced by Dr. David Evans for the High Water Recording Company at Memphis State University in Memphis, TN. 

Exuma -- Exuma II (1970 *Mercury SR 61314) Flac + 320

"Exuma, the Obeah Man, was born in Cat Island, Bahamas and christened as Tony McKay; he grew up through Canaan Lane off Shirley Street, Nassau, Bahamas. Drawing on the traditional Bahamian folk songs, the infectious beat of Junkanoo, ring play, myths and linguistic idioma, Exuma, through his musical recordings, performances and paintings, has promoted Bahamian heritage and extended Bahamian music throughout the world moreso than any other contemporary Bahamian recording artist." (Nina Simone Database)

Righteous Afro-Bahamian songwriter Macfarlane Gregory Anthony Mackey, aka Exuma, sang it with depth. At times, he comes on like a man possessed, defiantly exorcising himself. His earliest work is an unreal melange of heavy folk dirges, pounding junkanoo ruckus, and the groaning incantations of mythically just, voudoun enlivened cataclysms of spiritual and material oppressions in our brave new world. Proper chant down Babylon vibes. Exuma's records have long been a staple of the countless hauntologically-minded and/or whateverly freak-folked RSS electroducts we've been privy too for years, now. I know I've dropped him here, before. This is my flac rip of Exuma II. Baal destroys me. Some contend that this record's uneven. Mayhaps its more of a for madmen only kind of thing. Nahmean? Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. Paz.

Exuma -- Exuma II (1970 *Mercury SR 61314)

Flac + 320

Side 1

1.  Damn Fool 
2.  Baal 
3.  Paul Simon Nontooth 
4.  Fire In The Hole 

Side 2
1.  A Place Called Earth 
2. We Got To Go 
3.  African Rhythm 
4.  Zandoo

Chaitanya Hari Deuter, Govindas, Deva Renu, Nivedano & Rupesh : Basho's Pond (Rajneesh Music, 1985)

"Between sounds of music there are gaps of silence. The authentic music consists not of sounds, but of the gaps. Sounds come and go; those gaps remain. And music can make you aware of those gaps more beautifully than anything else; hence I have to say that music comes next to silence. But it is possible even the musician may not be aware of it, unless his music is his meditation too. Then, soon, the shift from sounds to silence." (Bagwan Shree Rajneesh, aka Osho)

“From Basho’s Pond, past Rajneesh Mandir, winding through downtown Rajneeshpuram, and out to the airport were people. People dressed in red, playing musical instruments, singing, dancing, waving goodbye to their Master. The faces! The faces! Musicians followed the car all the way to the airport, some running all the way carrying their Brazilian drums. I saw faces of people who years before had been dull, and now were transformed, shiny and alive. Osho sat and namasted His people for the last time in Rajneeshpuram.” (excerpt from Diamond Days With Osho, by Ma Prem Shunyo)

Pan-Asian instrumental new age steppers, featuring our man Deuter, himself, in full-tilt metaphysical enlightenment mode. A woodwound percussive medley for us Tomorrow People. Ecstatic-dancing to Pure Moods/Tubular Bells is admittedly  something of the vibe, here, but...And blame it on personal Rajneesh fascination; I've been dropping into Basho's Pond here lately, a bit more than I might even like to admit. These tracks were all recorded during live Satsang celebrations at the now-infamous Rajneeshpuram in eastern Oregon, late 1985. A "cult favorite", if you will. 



Chaitanya Hari Deuter, Govindas, Deva Renu, Nivedano & Rupesh : Basho's Pond (Rajneesh Music, 1985)

Flac + 320

Watch Rajaneeshpuram on PBS. See more from Oregon Experience.

Olivia Tremor Control : Opera House EPs (1996) + Black Swan Network : The Late Music (1997)

Another freshly ripped installment of late-90's artifacts culled from the remains of my long-lost, recently found, cd collection from mine own younger days. These two drops offer up some of the weirder long-form, lo-fi concrete experimentations out of the OTC camp. Out-of-print rarities, both.

Bill Doss, RIP.

The highfalutin lo-fi interactivity that Olivia Tremor Control first explored with the ambient bonus disc included on early pressings of Dusk at Cubist Castle reached its apex with the vinyl version of "The Opera House." A quadraphonic odyssey spread across two 7"s, each featuring the titular psych-pop nugget that leads off Cubist Castle backed with differing musique concrète experiments clocking in at just under 15 minutes apiece, the presentation allows for listeners to create unique songs by playing back the records simultaneously in various temporal combinations and RPM speeds. Similar in conception to the Flaming Lips' Zaireeka, "The Opera House" requires three turntables for maximum mindf*ck action, but the extra effort is worth it. Like those old "Choose Your Own Adventure" books on which kids of the '80s grew up, the paths and possibilities "The Opera House" lays out are endlessly labyrinthine and completely immersive. (Jason Ankeny, Allmusic)
 

 

Olivia Tremor Control : Opera House EPs A+B(Blue Rose Record Company, 1996)

Flac + 320

BRRC10112A

1. The Opera House 3:15

2. Black Swan Radar (With Capillary Radar) 14:55

3. The Opera House 3:15

4. Black Swan Radar (With Enveloping Bicycle Folds) 14:55

5. Black Swan Radar (With Capillary Radar + Enveloping Bicycle Folds) *Ghost-Capital Edit: Tracks 2 & 4 combined. Soundcloud audio sample above)

""The Late Music, was born out of a small message hidden in the liner notes of The Olivia Tremor Control's Music from the Unrealized Film Script, Dusk at Cubist Castle, requesting that people submit recordings of dream descriptions to the band. The album consisted of seven untitled pieces incorporating the submissions with different other ambient sounds and musical fragments. (Wikipedia)

Black Swan Network : The Late Music (Camera Obscura, 1997)

Flac + 320

CAM003CD

7 Tracks, all Untitled.

Amps For Christ -- Circuits (Vermiform, 1999) *Flac + 320

"Circuits was originally released in 1999 on the Vermiform label. It was well received, even charting on CMJ. Comprised of stellar originals, Scottish, English and North American folk songs and Child ballads, biblical lore, and choice pop folk cover tunes, Circuits is singular in its approach. Heavily referencing Steeleye Span and Pentangle’s moves in working with songs of the British Isles, as well as Jean Ritchie and North American Appalachian songlines in general, as well as DIY nosenik modalities, AFC uniquely adds to the history of these songlines. This reissue puts Circuits on vinyl for the first time as a deluxe double LP with a gatefold cover and a full bonus side of unreleased material . Circuits includes AFC collaborator Tara Tavi (ex-Blue Silk Sutures, Bastard Noise, Savage Republic, currently of Auto Da Fe) who plays yangqin (Chinese hammer dulcimer) and sings. Former Man Is The Bastard drummer Joel Connell plays tablas and percussion." (Turned Word)

From the archives; A freshly ripped Flac / 320 offering of the very best album by Amps for Christ. Woefully out of print for years, now, Circuits was recently remastered by the superlative Timothy Stollenwerk for a fancy new double LP reissue (its first time on wax!) by Turned Word / Water Wing, and featuring a full side of primo bonus material. I highly recommend you snatch one up, while the gettin' is still good. This rip, though, is straight from the original cd, which is one of the very few plastic discs I kept around after my college daze. I'm basically re-upping this because it still appears to be OOP in any digital format. If anyone from AFC, Vermiform, et al, wants this masterpiece back down, please just say the word -- Your wish is my command. Paz.

Amps For Christ -- Circuits (Vermiform, 1999)

Flac + 320

*full scans included.

VMFM 51CD

XMAS DELIGHTS - The only listenable Christmas compilation...ever! (a Moahaha re-gift)

Just in time to spread the yuletide cheer; an immaculate Christmas reshare from RYM's discerning Moahaha, friend of flawless tastes. In a genre that tends heavily toward mediocre schmaltz, XMAS DELIGHTS is packed with more than a few of my very favorite things. Yes, Virginia, there is a brilliant Santa comp. 

"Well, I for one have never came across a listenable one that wasn't made by myself. As everyone else genuinely interested in music I generally despise this "genre", but every year I make some sort of Christmas-comp. And for a short period in December I really love spinning the 3-4 hour worth of  standout songs I've discovered throughout the years. So I figured I might as well collect and share about 2x45 minute long set for the holidays at my favorite place in blogland too. First half (Santa) is primarely lighthearted secular joy for your Christmas parties or whatever. And the second half (Jesus) a little more contemplative filled with seasonal folksongs, sentimental oldies and heartfelt religious tunes. I know it won't be your favorite album ever, but I'm only aiming for it to become you favorite Christmas compilation. So with this Moahaha wishes you all a Merry Christmas!"

XMAS DELIGHTS

 A: Santa side

1 The Philistines Jr. - Santa Was Seen

2 Asakawa Maki – Zenkasha No N'Mas

3 Elisa Gabbai – Winter in Canada

4 The Soulful Strings – Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies

5 Floral Pops 70 – Jingle Bells

6 Mystic Monks - Swinging Bells

7 Twice As Much feat. Vashti Bunyan - The Coldest Night of the Year

8 Dean Martin – The Things We Did Last Summer

9 Julie London – I'd Like You For Christmas

10 Kate Bush – December Will Be Magic Again

11 The Swingle Singers – Christmas Medley

12 The Torero Band – Once in Royal Davids City

13 Indo Jazzmen – Variations On a Christmas Theme

14 The Carpenters – O Come, O Come Emmanuel    


B: Jesus side

1 Lois Lynn – Every Christmas We Know

2 Peter, Paul & Mary - A'Soalin'

3 Joan Baez – The Little Drummer Boy

4 Don Amson – Shepherd Boy

5 The De Castro Singers - Snowbound for Christmas

6 Monica Lewis – The Christmas Song

7 Bing Crosby – Do You Hear What I Hear

8 Dinah Shore – The Coventry Carol

9 Fred Lowery – Silent Night

10 Shirley Collins – Down in Yon Forest

11 Bert Jansch – In the Bleak Midwinter

12 Ron Goodwin – The Christmas Tree

13 Mary Mayo – A King Without a Crown

14 The Retreat Singers – Virgin Mary Had a One Son

15 Steeleye Span – Gaudete

16 Unknown - Christmas Bells (1919)

...all in various bitrates and soundquality from various sources 

Les Griots (w/ Serge Franklin) -- Ouagadougou, Afrique: Exotissimo Vol. 8 (Pathé Marconi / EMI, 1975)

On repeat. This Serge Franklin  seems to be something of a grandmaster OG in the ethnographic forgery game. 'Exotissimo' is right, no? Really though, this is a stunning record. Haven't found much, however, by way of biography for Les Griots, but, it'd be reasonable to assume that the group would've hailed originally from Burkina Faso. The dimensions of the rhythms & sounds here are truly exquisite. Heavy grooves. And, these mid 70's sessions, recorded in Paris, are subtlely realized; deep, resonant and spare. An hour or so of poking around the web has me reasonably convinced me that Loulendo is most likely Jean Loulendo. That's mostly it, although he does seems to show up as in author in worldcat. I've had even less luck with Dolo, who's also credited with an arrangement on this album. Anyone else know more? Enjoy.

Les Griots (w/ Serge Franklin) -- Ouagadougou, Afrique: Exotissimo Vol. 8 (Pathé Marconi / EMI, 1975) 

Flac + 320

Side 1

1. Messe Noire (Franklin)

2. Mama Me Mwana (Trad, arrgt. Loulendo)

Side 2

1. Sumama

2. Liwa Wetche *Chant (Trad, arrgt. Loulendo)

3. Morgen *Chant (Trad, arrgt. Dolo)

4. Danse du Fleuve (Franklin)

5. Danse de Filles su Sable (Franklin)

6. Kio Kio *Chant (Franklin)

Biet-Het Vol 1 : A Cheesy Trip Through the Dutch-Belgian Sixties Youth Provo and...Yes..Eating Culture! (Distortions, 1998)

"Who ever listens through these thirty songs objectively will despair and ask: "What on earth went wrong with Dutch popular music after these unprecedented peak years?" (And let's not forget the Belgian contributions to this compilation!) The pure, raw productions, the textual and musical originality and the amazing emotional charge of these records create a gap with contemporary Dutch music which, in meters, surpasses the boundaries of the universe easily. these are the young and passionate singing their hearts out! This CD contains the essence of all of Dutch society of the sixties. Who ever listens...will personally experience the sixties retroactively." (Drs J. Pate, from the liner notes)

Hyperbole aside, this out of print CD comp of rocking Dutch-Belgian garage psych rave-ups is chock full of fuzzy freakbeat, goofy one-offs, a few sweet vegetables, and one righteous cover of the Kinks' Don't You Fret. It rules. Let's just say its "Solid as a Rock!" Enjoy...

 

Biet-Het Vol 1 : A Cheesy Trip Through the Dutch-Belgian Sixties Youth Provo and...Yes..Eating Culture! (Distortions, 1997) *320kbps mp3

1. The Mokum Beat Five - Trouw Nooit (Never Marry) (Delta '66
2. The Eurfians - Waaro (Imperial '66)
3. The Jokers - Zet Die TV Af! (That TV Sale!)
4. The Fallouts - De Vlieg (The Fly) (Funckler '66)
5. Peter J. Muller - Links De Kinks (Delta '66)
6. Bob Bouber - Ik Wil Me Donalduckie (I want me Donalduckie) (Phillips '68)
7. Eddy Dyan & The Saints - Lady Sex
8. Ronnie & The Ronnies - Daar In De Wildernis (There in the bush) (Delta '66)
9. NV Groep 65 - Tanger (Delta '66)
10. Ruud Knolraap & The Sweet Vegetable - Sperciebonen
11. Ernie Bender & The Robbins - Cleopatra (Phillips '66)
12. The Clungels - Dat Had Ik Nog Nooit Gedaan (That I had never done) (Artone '66)
13. Aart Brouwer - Hé Pssst (Phillips '63)
14. In Istanboel
15. Hardstikke Dood
16. Hugo De Groot - Ze Nemen Me Eindelijk Mee (the Dutch version of They're coming to take me away haha) (Havoc '66)
17. De Fouryo's - Surf-City (Decca '63)
18. Tony Light - Laat Me Gaan (Me lets go) (Atrone '68)
19. De Clichee-Mannetjes - Lekker Legbad (Nice Legbad) (Omega '66)
20. The Mokum Beat Five - Wat Scheel Je Nou (What squint-eyed you nou?) (Delta '66)
21. Het Pocomania - Peterselie (Parsley) (Fontanna '68)
22. The Eurfians - Opa's Beat (Imperial '66)
23. Ruud Knolraap & The Sweet Vegetable - Geurige Gouden Tinten (Fragrant gouden at)
24. The Sparklings - Ach Barst! (Ah go to hell) (CNR '66)
25. Het - Spat Niet Met Pap (Do not splash with porridge) (Fontana '66)
26. Freddy Scot & The Condors - Kom Maar Hier (RCA '64)
27. Peter J. Muller - Beter Langharig Dan Kortzichtig (Better long-haired than short-sighted) (Delta '66)
28. Johnny Lion - Wees Niet Bang (Phillips '66)
29. Ronnie Schutte - Ze Zegge (Them say) (Delta '66)

The Neon Vernacular - Halloween Show

NeonVernacular_HalloweenMix by Theneonvernacular on Mixcloud

The Neon Vernacular's Halloween radio broadcast. Our show, hosted by Ladybug and me, streams live on http://praradio.org, every Sunday 6-8pm Pacific Time. Occassionally, we'll post episodes to our MixCloud account.