FEATURING…
Tim Timebomb • James Brown • Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings • Bhi Bhiman • Merle Haggard & The Strangers • Red Simpson • El Vez • Johnathan Rice & Courtney Marie Andrews • Shame • No Parents • Loretta Lynn • Walter Martin • Nerf Herder • Ronnie Spector & Darlene Love • Cheap Trick • My Dick • Alice Bag • Gruff Rhys • John & Yoko & The Plastic Ono Band
Read More
FEATURING…
Dude York • El Vez • Los Straitjackets • Jacob Miller • Barrington Levy & Trinity • Elle King & Ronnie Spector • Buck Owens • John Prine • Ry Cooder • David Bazan • John Wesley Harding • Bob Dylan • Dean Martin • Loretta Lynn • JD McPherson • Walter Martin with Kat Edmonson • Lisa Prank & Seattle's Little Helpers • Charly Bliss • Louis Armstrong •The Dollyrots
Read More
FEATURING…
The Ronettes • Daniel Johnston • El Vez • Stan Kenton • Pedro The Lion • Best Coast • Wavves • Jingle Cats • Henry Rollins • William Shatner • Dude York • Ella Jenkins • Spike Jones & His City Slickers • Anna Stange • Keith Richards • Ringo Starr • Loretta Lynn • Boys Choir Of Harlem • Louis Armstrong • Khruangbin • The Polyphonic Spree
Read MoreFEATURING…
Billie Eilish • Fea • Juana Molina • Neon Indian • Grupo Fantasma • Myrlin • Las Cafeteras • Los Tigres del Norte • La Santa Cecilia • Public Enemy • Denzel Curry • Rage Agaisnt the Machine • Slowkiss • Ana Tjioux • Alex Anwandter • The Clash
Read MoreFEATURING…
Parquet Courts • Ezra Furman • Art Brut • Alex Lahey • Remember Sports • Lisa Prank • Charli XCX & Troye Sivan • Justin Timberlake • Local H • Duffy • Led Zeppelin • Sonic Youth • Tart • Monica LaPlante • Fea • Joel Jerome
Read MoreFEATURING…
Hank Williams • The Dead Milkmen • Tart • Radiohead • Nirvana • Smashing Pumpkins • Los Shain’s • Cookie Monster • Tom Waits • Grapetooth • The Crystalites • Crudo Pimento • The Black Lips • The Moldy Peaches • Wimps • Dead Kennedys
Read MoreFEATURING…
The Shaggs • The Moldy Peaches • Tom Waits • The Hives • Lagwagon • Steven Wright • The Sonics • Peach Kelli Pop • Shannon and the Clams • White Mystery • Beatallica • Pickin’ On Series • Link Wray & The Wraymen • The Subsonics • Los Protones • Jan & Dean • The B-52’s • Grandaddy • Luis “Vivi” Hernandez
Read MorePaul Moody and The Revelators live at WholesomeStudio.
Read MoreMambo Pa'Chango
Even in the context of 1940s and early 1950s Afro Cuban music history, Alberto Iznaga seems virtually forgotten. He led what he called "Su Orquesta Siboney" in NYC for many years, and he made many records for major American labels as well as for much smaller labels specializing in latin music and mambo. This side for Decca from 1950 is one hot mambo and it notes Chango/Shango an Orisha! It was written by Obdulio Morales, who researched Afro Cuban traditions, and was as well a pianist and composer. Too bad there does not seem to be any Iznaga collections, because much of his output was very jazz, quite sophisticated, and very strong!
Read MoreLlorá
Chano Pozo's Llora was initially recorded by the famous Orquesta Casino de la Playa, in 1946, with Cascarita singing and Perez Prado leading the band. Before the 1940s ended, and perhaps while Pozo was still alive (he died 12/03/48) it was recorded by Jose Curbelo in the US with Tito Rodriguez singing. Curbelo had come to the US in 1939 and he bounced around from the better paying, latin hotel bands (including Xavier Cugat's band) until he formed his own. Many future latin stars worked in his band, including Tito Puente and of course, the singer and band leader Tito Rodriguez!
Read MoreRINKY DINK
The late 1950s and early 1960s rock scene in the Pacific Northwest was in some ways extraordinary. Most of the bands were influenced by great r&b and r&b tinged jazz, and many of them were very influenced by the Bill Doggett sound and approach, which always included organ and tenor sax. This goes for Paul Revere and the Raiders. Though some of their earliest music shows surf aspects (Orbit, their cover of Moon Dawg) The Raiders also covered the organ and sax thing, doing Allnight Long (Joe Houston, Rusty Bryant), Night Train, and this cover of a Baby Cortez big hit. It might not have the slinky qualities of the original, but whoever the sax player is, he had a strong go at sounding like early King Curtis, especially after the two minute mark. And seriously, it could BE Mark Lindsay! Cut in 1963 for the Sande label, for which the band recorded Louie Louie before it was picked up by Columbia.
Read MoreEchale Tierra Y Tápala
Myrta Silva began her singing career before she was a teen. She wrote a song that Daniel Santos had a hit with when she was 15. By 1947 she was recording with the orchestra of Julio Gutierrez and soon she was known as 'the queen of the guaracha'. And so we have a very lively guaracha on tap, with some mambo touches-flourishes and a great piano solo either from Gutierrez himself or perhaps his favorite other pianist, Peruchin!
Read MoreTake Me Back (Destination 635)
Chicago rock group The Flock, when they were on Columbia in 1969, were very much a jazzy fusion of rock and minor classical strains via violinist Jerry Goodman. Goodman did not join and record with the band until their 45 on U.S.A. in mid 1968. The earlier 45s reveal a band capable of some exacting, uptown soul, and sometimes they sounded like a cross of The Spiral Staircase and the more updated aspects of The Four Seasons. This side is a good example. It is really tight pop-rock-soul, with excellent horns, and no violin at all!
Read MoreDynamo A
While in Paris Don Byas continued to play and record with Peanuts Holland and Billy Taylor, and in January of 1947, he waxed this bebop gem. Everyone plays and makes this slice of bebop quite juicy! It should be pointed out that this tune is, by any other name Dizzy Atmosphere, and was actually first done by Dizzy Gillespie as Dynamo A and the original Byas 78 gave Gillespie credit.
Read MoreLook What You've Done
For a time, the band Smokestack Lightnin' was popular at the Whiskey A Go Go in L.A. Taking the group name from a Howlin' Wolf song, they did feature blues, blues rock and some gnarly psyche. Their earlierst 45s were done in 1967 before they got signed to Bell. From the end of 1968 to the start of 1970 the band cut four 45s and an album. Much of their material is very good, in part because of producer Bones Howe and also because singer Ronnie Darling's raspy voice handles the material very well. This track is from their second 45 and once the organ enters, it gives off an early scent of The Doors. The guitar solo is also quite sharp and edgy. Perhaps their most commercial release was their last, a version of the Delaney Bramlett gem, Hello, L.A., Bye-Bye Birmingham, but it came out at the same time as the one by Blue Cheer.
Read MoreBongo Riff
On the same day that Dizzy Gillespie and his orchestra were recording Manteca, a milestone in Afro Cuban jazz and bop, Stan Kenton was recording Pete Rugolo's Bongo Riff. This was December 22, 1947. Other latin influenced tracks were cut by Kenton's orchestra the day before and a few earlier in the year. Bongo Riff is certainly brisk, aggressive jazz and shows some knowledge of guaracha--though I cannot think of one Cuban band that played anything this fast in the 1940s--and the mambo, too. It has some affinities with Manteca, though not that many, and it's themes are not as thoroughly developed. It is, however, a steamer and a step in an interesting direction for the coming together of two musical traditions.
Read MoreI Fooled You This Time
After his huge Duke of Earl hit, Gene Chandler remained a consistent hit maker into the 1970s, and he was also an important figure in the Chicago soul scene. This record made #3 on the Billboard r&b chart in 1966. it is great, well sung, and beautifully arranged by Gerald Sims.
Read MoreFEATURING…
Eagulls • British Sea Power • Pixies • Voodoo Glow Skulls • Wolf Parade • Head Wound City • Robert Johnson • Skip James • Dávila 666 • Sleater-Kinney • Nine Inch Nails • Las Feas • Los Peyotes • Danny & The Nightmares • The Rolling Stones • Joey Ramone • The Electric Prunes • Jay Reatard
Read MoreI'm On Fire
Phil Seymour and Dwight Twilley knew each other in Tulsa, but decided they wanted to make music and be discovered in Memphis. They eventually contacted Ray Harris, a former Sun artist, and Harris introduced the them to rockabilly. Back in Tulsa they met and recorded with U.K. producer Denny Cordell; he had started Shelter Records with Leon Russell. Their initial 45 was recorded in 1974 and released in 1975. Hitting #16, it would prove to be the biggest hit for the Dwight Twilley Band. A second 45 and an album followed in 1976 and still with Shetler, they also had an album through Arista in 1977. Seymour would depart in 1978, and quite sadly, pass away in 1993. The Twilley Band made great rockabilly (in part because of guitarist Bill Pitcock IV) and fantastic pop. Their vocals might suggest the Everlys and Lou Christie, but their arrangements and delivery is indeed unique and special. I was lucky to have seen this band three times and they were killer!
Read More
