Saturday, June 29, 2013

PCore live



Our slot at Galatos before Drab Doo Riffs was a lot of fun, thanks to everyone who came along. If you couldn't make it, we had some friends filming it. Check it above. The Picassos gonna do another show soon.

Ring The Alarm playlist, June 29



Latisha - I'm every woman
Cedric Im Brooks - Africa
Cutty Ranks - Who say me dun
Family choice - Reggae beat goes on
International observer - London dub
Daddy Ous - Like a rock - Groove corp remix
Linton  Kwesi Johnson - Victorious dub
Prince Jammy - Hold them in dub
Chaka Demus and Pilers - The boom
Pat Rhoden - Living for the city
Stevie Wonder - As
Mr Scruff - Get a move on
Wabine - Sail on
Claude Papesch - Trini baby
Prince Tui Teka - Let's stay together
Mark Williams - Love the one you're with
Orange juice - Rip it dub - Dicky Trisco edit
Yoshi Horikawa - Wandering - Rough fields remix
Owiny Sigoma band - Owiny techno
Fat Freddys Drop - Mother mother
Candi Staton - Do your diuty - Pep Braddock refix
Platinum pied pipers - Stay with me
Caroline Lacaze - L'etrange
Mountain - Long red

Friday, June 28, 2013

Hackney Colliery Band vs Goldie



"Finally, the new HCB album is almost upon us, and the first taster features another unexpected cover in the shape of Goldie's 90's soulful d&b classic, "Inner City Life".

The response to their unexpected cover versions and twisted originals has been incredible, with huge amounts of radio play from the likes of Craig Charles and Huey Morgan, and with their covers of "Africa" and "No Diggity" fast becoming club staples for hip hop DJs like Mr. Thing and Questlove.

On the flip is another firing original from the band. "Hitched" is an intense and furious Balkan flavoured bomb that's sure to be a festival favourite this summer. Single out July 8 (digital/7" vinyl) on WahWah45s.

On July 8th the Hackney Colliery Band will be hosting a very special show and Hackney Colliery BBQ at Sutton House in Hackney.

Not only will there be a full show from the band but you can have the specially commissioned Hackney Colliery Banger for dinner and drink locally brewed beer too! Come see them launch there new single and begin the countdown to the incredible forthcoming album with a massive celebration of all things Hackney."

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Butch dubs



A collection of new dubs, unreleased dubs and deleted vinyl only b-sides. For currently available vinyl & cd's with worldwide shipping, check out www.butchcassidysoundsystem.com

Feel the pain

Me old mate Johnnie Pain sadly won't be in town this Friday to hold down the bass for Hallelujah Picassos (playing before Drab Doo Riffs at Galatos), but we have the very talented Mr Darryn Harkness in to hold down the bass.

BUT Mr Pain does have an awesome new track up from his musical outfit Pains People, for free too. Have a listen.... delightfully spooky.

Jazz Joustin'

"We at Millennium Jazz Music are very happy to announce the one year anniversary of the Jazz Jousters. Together, the collective have been creating some amazing albums at a very impressive work rate since ‘Almost Blue’ in June 2012, and we’re completely happy with their success. So in true Millennium Jazz style, we have taken this opportunity to celebrate the achievement and mark the occasion with a Milestone."

Name your price, give it a spin...

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Film Fest music picks

The NZ International Film Festival recently announced its lineup for Auckland's film festival, kicking off July 18. You've already heard about the live performance by the band Goblin, performing the soundtrack for Dario Argento's classic horror film Supiria.

You can see the full list of music documentaries (on Big Star, The National, Ornette Coleman) at the Film Festival's site. Tickets go on sale this Friday.

Here's a few highlights.



A BAND CALLED DEATH
“Less about punk than family and brotherhood and believing in what you create enough to not compromise and never throw it away.” — Jay Seaver, eFilmCritic.com

Detroit black punk band from 1974. How freaking awesome does that sound?





TWENTY FEET FROM STARDOM
NZIFF: A rousing music-filled portrait of some of the great backup singers of American pop, rock and R&B, with appreciations from Mick Jagger, Stevie Wonder, Sting and more. “An unexpectedly moving, often joyous triumph.” — Indiewire





CHARLES BRADLEY: SOUL OF AMERICA
Intimate and rousing musical portrait of the R&B singer who went from James Brown impersonator to acclaimed Daptone/Dunham recording artist in his own right at age 62. “A Superfunky good time.” — Twitch

Yeah, I've posted this trailer before, but please go watch it again, cos Charles Bradley is the real deal. I have it on good authority that this film will move you to tears. Can't wait to see it.




SHEEN OF GOLD
Doco about incredible and hugely influential 90s NZ outfit The Skeptics. This is the band that influenced Shihad into evolving into a halfway interesting rock band. World premiere, 6pm at Skycity, Saturday August 3rd.

“All the good music is made by outsiders, whether they come from Liverpool, Seattle or… Palmerston North.” — Roger Shepherd
From the NZIFF: Director Simon Ogston continues his excavations of underground Kiwi rock, with a tribute to one of New Zealand's most influential and eclectic rock bands of the 80s: the incomparable Skeptics. Improbably originating from small-town, late-70s Palmerston North, they began as a cacophonous high school punk band. "

Bassist Nick Roughan admits their earliest recordings ‘should stay dead and buried’, but with charismatic frontman David D’Ath, Skeptics soon gained a cult following and outgrew their provincial roots. Wellington beckoned, as well as a new spare, electronic sound.

Ogston compiles interviews with all surviving band members and a wealth of rare archival footage, including Skeptics’ controversial ‘AFFCO’ video – which cut too close to the bone for TVNZ – and their remarkable, emotional final live performance at Auckland's Gluepot in July 1990.

D’Ath died just months later following a short battle with leukemia. His death signaled a premature end for the band but not their music, which will shortly see a long overdue re-release. — Michael McDonnell


Then there's Utu Redux. Greatest Maori western ever. Programs out now, or download the pdf from NZIFF

Monday, June 24, 2013

This Friday - Picasso core, live


We're playing support for the fabulous Drab Doo Riffs, so it will only be a short set. But it will be fun. 

Playing times...

David Saunders W/ Street Chant - 9:00

Orchestra of Spheres - 10:00

Hallelujah Picassos - 10:45

The Drab Doo-Riffs - 11:30

With Dirtbag DJs in between

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Tie it on



Okay, Horndogz is an awful name for a group, but this tune is so damn soulful, I'm gonna give 'em a pass for a minute. Out on 45/CD/digital thru Uptone Records. It's been out for a minute, and will be included on a new album that's on the way later this year.

""... For a long time they have been itching for a musical project highlighting the horns, they adopt this name in order to tell their «canine horn stories». HornDogz was born...."

Ring The Alarm playlist, June 22


Rose Royce - Do your dance
Bobby Womack - You're welcome, stop on by - Beaten space probe edit
Billy Preston - It's my pleasure
Fatback band - Street dance - Todd Terje rekutt
Nile Rodgers - Land of the good groove
Azymuth - Estrada dos deuses - Recloose re-edit
Concept Neuf - The path - Sofrito edit
Mantronix -Who is it?
Fat Freddy's Drop - Never moving
Tall black guy - I feel good (James Brown flip up)
Electric wire hustle - Perception
Lord Echo - Wang east
Augustus Pablo - Dub organiser
Prince Jammy - BQE dub
Dennis Brown  - Silhouettes
Love unlimited orchestra - Strange games and things
Sylvia - Pussycat
Lee Dorsey - Working in a coalmine
Don't pity me - Joanie Sommers
Watts 103rd st rhythm band - The joker
War - Cisco kid
Gene Dudley Group - When the gorilla get grip
Rare earth - Big John is my name
Wilson Pickett - Born to be wild
Troublefunk - Drop the bomb
Kraftwerk - The model
Hackney colliery band - Inner city life

Mixed Jawns



"Small Professor's first release after a busy 2012 is a collection of instrumentals from released-in-2012 rap joints and vintage, not-heard-until now productions (hence the title). Eschewing a cohesive vibe in favor of a very random and diverse one, all the different sounds and flavors somehow come together a potent mix...from the folksy guitars of "Apple pie" to the Vince Garaldi ode "Charlie brown", there's something for everyone.

As an added bonus, all the song titles double as drink names..apparently ."James brown" is titled as such because it makes you feel good...just like "Mixed Jawns" does. That last line might have been corny, but "Mixed Jawns" is not. Ok, sorry, that's enough."

Nice collection of beats from Small Professor, extra points for writing a funny press blurb...

Friday, June 21, 2013

Ten cents



From Digital Music News: "China has 1.4 billion people. And less than $100 million in annual music revenues...

Let this be a stunning statistical warning for all ye who dare enter the Chinese music market. Because even if you manage to crack into China politically, you'll have an incredibly difficult time selling stuff once you're in.    

Here's a topline look at just how few Chinese people are actually buying music. In fact, the per-capita spend on music is a paltry 10 cents, according to a breakdown by global industry group IFPI. Compare that to per-capita spends of $14.30 in the US, and $34.70 in Japan (which could soon be the largest music market in the world).

Welcome to the land of near-zero intellectual property protection. While IP at least remains a testy battleground in the US, most stuff is cracked, cloned, or otherwise compromised in China. Indeed, it's surprising that 10 cents of anything music-related is being sold..." Read more here.

Aotearoa Reggae Allstars


"As part of the 2013 Matariki programming, Māori Television has commissioned a one hour music special following an exclusive collaboration of Aotearoa REGGAE ALLSTARS to celebrate Matariki and showcase a brand new remake of Herbs classic ‘Sensitive to a Smile’. All sale proceeds for the single ($1.79 per single) will go to the ‘Mana Ririki’ charity which advocates for violence free whānau.

The documentary will screen on Māori Television Friday 21 June, 9:30pm. Participating in the collaboration are some of Aotearoas hottest talent including Che Fu, Ria Hall, House of Shem, Sons of Zion, Tomorrow People, 1814, Katchafire, Swiss, NRG Rising, Foundation, Tasty Brown, Chad Chambers,  and Majic Paora. 

Don’t miss this 1-hour music extravaganza featuring some of New Zealands biggest Reggae Stars. The track will be released on iTunes on Friday. To pre-order, go to iTunes."

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Talking book

Auckland City Harbour News. Click to enlarge

I've done a ton of interviews in the past few weeks about my book, highly enjoyable. Was chatting with Chip on BaseFM, Max on BFM, Charlotte on KiwiFM, Nick D on GeorgeFM, Murry on Radio Ponsonby, and the folk on Caffeine and Aspirin on Radio Active.

Had a great time on TV's U-Live with Connor and Eli, charming young lads.

Here's an interview I did with RadioLive's Wallace Chapman - Wallace and I used to co-host an arts show on BFM called the Culture Bunker, back in the day. Top bloke.

Made it into the Ponsonby News, Sunday Star Times, NZ Herald's Timeout, and the Auckland City Harbour News. Hoorah! Got a copy yet? It's only $20. Buy it here...

Ponsonby News -click to enlarge

Dobie Blaze blowing wind


ADDED: There's a great interview with Fat Freddy's Drop in today's NZ Herald Timeout by Lydia Jenkin, read it in full here.The band talk about their new recording setup in Kilbirnie, Wellington, apparently it once was a vinyl pressing plant.

FFD's Mu says of their 14 years together that  "I have no regrets and I've loved the journey. It's been a great learning curve. If we'd gone with a major record company we would have lost too much control. I also believe we would have been done and dusted by now. We're in it for the long game, and the majors don't know that game."

Crate Diggers - Young Guru



"When people say 'how many records are in your collection', I say you actually sat down and counted? Who has time to do that? I have four kids, I don't have time to count my records..." Young Guru

Catching Flies


Catching Flies is a 22 year old London producer who just dropped an ep called The Long Journey Home - his debut ep dropped Oct 2012. Also did a very tangential remix of Jill Scott's Golden, which has been getting radio play from Gilles Peterson. Particularly like the sax that comes wading in on Stay Forever, in amongst all the bleeps and blips.

EP is available on iTunes, Bandcamp, Amazon & all other online stores.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Blackbird takes flight



Fat Freddys Drop release their third album Blackbird, on Friday. To celebrate, they're live streaming their London album launch show via Youtube on Wednesday June 26, from 8pm GMT (that's Thursday June 27, 7am in NZ) . The video will be repeated at 8pm NZT that night.

"We're off to Europe to release our new album …and to help NZ & the rest of the world be a part of this, we've gone & hired a humungus satellite dish so that we can broadcast live our Album Release Show in London.

So no hard feelings please …our Aotearoa fans! Its just too hard to compete in NZ with the wit & intellect of Daniel Bedingfield & the NZ X Factor. Jokes aside, Europe has become our home away from home. We are performing to huge audiences over there & it just keeps growing each year.

Get up early! Crack some champagne … and party with the Freddys! Take the day off maybe & keep charging!

Chur !
Mu …"

The official Blackbird release dates are: New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Germany  - 21 June / UK, France - 24 June / USA - 9 July.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Mo betta read



This sounds like awesome reading - need it!

Mo’ Meta Blues: The World According to Questlove
by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and Ben Greenman (Grand Central Publishing)

"Sometimes, you can tell a book by its cover. David Cowles’ Questlove-centric riff on Milton Glaser’s famous 1966 Bob Dylan poster is awesome, and the book by the big-haired, multi-talented Roots drummer backs it up.

Writing in a conversational style, Questlove — who says he started playing drums at 2 — explains his childhood (and everything that followed) like this: “If you take an inner city ghetto where there’s crime and violence and drugs — and there was all that around us all the time — the last thing you think you’re going to find is a family that’s teaching its afro’d four-year-old son the difference between Carole King’s original ‘It’s Too Late’ and the Isley Brothers’ version, which is this ten-and-a-half-minute blues-rock epic that opens up side two of their 1972 album “Brother, Brother, Brother.”

Via NYPost Required Reading.

ADDED Some reviews on the book, via Amazon...

"Attention White Girls: Stop reading about vampires and read what Questlove has to say instead. Mo' Meta Blues is a magical kaleidoscope about a high concept, low maintenance genius named Ahmir. Like him, it's smart, funny, sweet and in a thousand places at once. Read it or rot on your vine."
- Amy Poehler

"Questlove is an artistic giant and spiritual genius whose roots go back to Curtis Mayfield and so many others. This book is a gem to read and a joy to feel! Don't miss it!"
- Dr Cornel West

Kompa Funk


From WahWah45s: "On moving to Canada from his original home of Haïti, pianist and singer/songwriter Henri-Pierre Noel brought with him much of the tropical island's influences.

Henri is an incredibly versatile musican who uses the piano in a very percussive and syncopated way, almost like a drum. This particular technique naturally brings disco and afro-jazz elements into his unique brand of "Kompa Funk".

In 2012, Wah Wah 45s re-mastered and re-issued Henri-Pierre Noel's debut LP from 1979, "Piano", to huge critical acclaim.

Whilst doing so, Canadian producer Moonstarr discovered a couple of previously unreleased cuts recorded in the same session way back when. Henri-Pierre Noel's versions of the the Walter Murphy disco classic "A Fifth Of Beethoven" and the soul/jazz standard "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" are fire for the dance floor filled to the brim with the man's trademark keys, funky bass and afro flavoured percussion.

These exclusive recordings (out July 1st) are sure to start many a party this (northern) summer, and set the scene perfectly for Henri's UK visit this July – the highlight surely being a full London show at The Jazz Cafe on Saturday July 13th!"

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Don and Stevie



Stevie live on Soultrain, with the late Don Cornelius, mashed over some Lightning head, kinda dig it...

Ring The Alarm playlist, June 15

 

A handful of tunes up today as tribute to Big Matt, who passed away on this day 6 years ago. Wicked DJ, fine, fine man. Much love to his family and friends.

Carlton Shoes -  Love me forever
Michigan and Smiley - Rubadub style
Skatalites - El pusssycat ska
Dennis Brown - No man is an island
Ernest Ranglin - Surfin
Bob Marley and the wailers - Simmer down
Brentford allstars - Greedy G
Lennie Hibbert - Vilage soul
Jackie Mittoo - Hot milk
Specials - Message to you, Rudy
Dexys - Geno
Nightmares on wax -70s 80s - Scientist mix 1
Henry and the revolutionaries - Jumping
Papa Levi  -Mi god mi king
Gwen Guthrie - Ticket to ride
JStar - Musictime
Common - Come close -Boozoo bajou remix
Aim - Just passin through
Ballistic Bros - Prophecy reveal
Dukie and Fitchie - Midnight marauders - Mu's triple 5 steppa dub
Latinaotearoa - Fuego mi corazon
Hypnotic brass ensemble - Spotttie
Jackie Stoudemire -Invisible wind - Shoes edit
New York community choir - Express yourself - Butch le butch edit
Criminal element orchestra - Put the needle on the record
George Clinton - Do fries go with that shake

Friday, June 14, 2013

Close to this


Newie out now from K7, with a guest spot from Joe Dukie (Fat Freddys Drop)...

" With his new CLOSE project, Will Saul has created the kind of album that lodges itself effortlessly in the brain. Collaborating with an incredible group of musicians including Fink, Scuba, Appleblim, Joe Dukie of Fat Freddy's Drop, Charlene Soraia and others, Saul has placed melody and mood at the forefront, and created a wonderful listening experience, front to back. This is the soundtrack to our summer, easily.

In addition to the double LP, CD and download of the album Get Close, the K7 web store will have an exclusive yellow vinyl version of the new single "My Way" feat Joe Dukie, limited to 100 copies...

"With a patient backbeat, shuffling piano and bass, and Dukie's soulful vocal take congealing to create something smoky and intoxicating in its own right. is undoubtedly one of the most earwormy, pleasurably spiralling dance singles of the year." - Pitchfork


Listen to more mixes of My Way over at Soundcloud.

Do the bluebeat

Max Cryer and his amazing pants, alongside Dinah Lee and Millie Small, from Playdate mag, 1966

Chris Bourke has a great interview over on his Bluesmoke blog with 60s Kiwi popstar Dinah Lee. The original interview is from 1986, and was published in defunct fashion mag Cha Cha, one of the influential titles from the publishing house of M Cammick.

Dig that pic of Dinah with Max Cryer, and Millie Small, singer of ska hit My Boy Lollipop. That's the kiwi/ska connection right there, y'all. Dinah played shows alongside Millie.


Chris Bourke: Where did you get your material from? ‘Reet Petite’ and so on …

Dinah Lee: That was an old Jackie Wilson song, but I found it on some album by … I can’t remember, it was so long ago … it was some girl singer doing it.

‘Don’t You Know Yockomo’ was an early R&B hit as well, by New Orleans’ singer Huey Smith. Were you listening to those R&B records in the early 60s?


Oh yeah – into all that, cos it was sort of the Motown thing, and even before that there were your black singers like Jackie Wilson and Sam Cooke and even Little Richard. There were lots of little coffee clubs in Auckland that people used to go to hear this music. Places like the Beatle Inn, the Shiralee, the Top Twenty … there was a jazz venue near Queen Street there, the Montmartre – I used to go in there and sing pop with a jazz band. Just piano, with slap bass and drums, and I’d sing, oh, Dusty Springfield stuff. So I had all that grounding.

I used to do ‘Yockomo’, ‘Reet Petite’, all those numbers, with Max Merritt and the Meteors and the Invaders even before I recorded them. We did shows all around New Zealand in the 60s with, like, Peter Posa, Lou and Simon – all these people. I don’t know if you hear of them any more … Bill and Boyd, the Howard Morrison Quartet, of course. All those people, all the time. And then I did my own shows, and shows with PJ Proby and Little Millie. [Millie Small pictured above with Dinah Lee and Max Cryer, from Playdate magazine, 1966.]

She had ‘My Boy Lollipop’ – ‘Blue Beat’ is like an early reggae song too …


Yeah, Jamaican ska.

Where did you pick that up?

The record company [Viking] got that one for me and we just did it as we felt it should be done. Funnily enough in Australia reggae is quite big now, yet this was in the 60s when reggae wasn’t known. It’s quite unusual isn’t ‘it, how we got into reggae. I don’t know who produced that one; I’m just trying to remember … (shakes head). No, it’s just so long ago.

There’s a reggae group here called the All Nighters, and a couple of years ago they did a big show up at the Tivoli and they wanted me to do ‘Blue Beat’ with them. It was great. They all loved it, because they said, “Well, you’re one of the original reggae people we know of.” You know, I never really got into reggae after that..."

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Last beats


Easy listening supremo James Last got beats, you know that, right? From UK's Mr Munch, hat tip to Alan P for the link...

"Recorded in May 2013 this project started out as an EP but soon grew to be a mini LP with 9 tracks and 1 remix. The original concept was to use only the music of James Last and every loop, kick, snare and bass line is sampled from one of James Last's many albums....."

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

New Danse Macabre



Danse Macabre did a reunion gig last month, with another 80s Akld outfit, Penknife Glides. They also got picked up to do one of Radio 95BFM's In Session recordings at Roundhead Studio, and took the opportunity to record some songs they'd written but left unrecorded back in the day. Here's one of those tracks, Memento, with a brief introduction from the band on their history, and the song.

Previous blog: Daniel Barnes reviewed Danse Macabre's 2005 reunion show, held to celebrate the reissue of their EP and album on CD/digital (iTunes ).

Their music is well worth investigating, it has aged very well. That can be credited to the band's stellar songwriting and performance, but also the outstanding production. Both the EP and album were produced by Trevor Reekie for Reaction Records, Mandrill Studio's inhouse label.

The label also released Satellite Spies, the Mockers, Knightshade, Car Crash Set, and Marginal Era, the latter two both produced by Reekie. Reaction Records back catalog has recently been reissued on digital, check Amplifier for more.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

EWH new album tracklisting


Electric Wire Hustle just posted a brief Vine clip via Twitter of them rehearsing with new drummer Thomas Pridgen (ex Mars Volta), and also revealed the tracklisting for their new album, Love can prevail/Blackwater...

Record Kicks Ten


Italian label Record Kicks has dropped some gems over the years - probably the most well known of them is the fantastic take from Baby Charles on I bet you look good on the dancefloor (Arctic Monkeys), twisting it into a monster soul shaker. If you're unfamiliar with the label, this is a great place to start.

"After 109 releases of which 90 also on vinyl format, 51 international artists released and over 40,000 7” vinyl pressed, it’s time to celebrate our 10th anniversary! From deep funk to (northern) soul, afrobeat, dancefloor jazz and rocksteady, what you hold in your hands is a collection of Record Kicks hits filled up with many exclusive contributions that will give you a full spectrum of the sounds we love.

Amongst the exclusive tracks, you’ll find new jazzy instrumental stormers by Detroit deep funk outfit Third Coast Kings, UK funk titans The Baker Brothers and Sydney premier afrobeat combo The Liberators.

Nick Pride & The Pimptones are back with a brand new soul single that anticipates their forthcoming LP expected on RK for the end of the year and last but not least, recorded in Kingston and produced in Buenos Aires by Mario Siperman (Los Fabulous Cadilllac); the brand new single since years by Lee Scratch Perry’s soulful queen Susan Cadogan together with mod reggae kings The Crabs Corporation.

In the collection are also new singles by Hannah Williams & the Tastemakers and Dojo Cuts and label’s evergreens like Nostalgia 77/The New Mastersounds, Gizelle Smith/TM Juke, Lack Of Afro/Kokolo, Baby Charles, just to name a few."

Monday, June 10, 2013

New SJD video. Delightfully bent

RIP Murray McNabb


Well respected Auckland jazz musician Murray McNabb passed away yesterday morning, Sunday, 9th June.

"Auckland composer/jazz pianist Murray McNabb has been at the forefront of NZ jazz for over four decades. A master of the cinematic soundscape, McNabb has scored for television and film and was a member of seminal jazz-fusion groups Dr. Tree, Space Case, Modern Times and Band R." - from the Sarang Bang label, whom he worked with recently, recording alongside the likes of Gianmarco Liguori and Kim Paterson. His band had a regular spot at High st club Cause Celebre in the 1990s.

Reviewing McNabb's 2009 album Astral Surfers, Graham Reid noted "Long-established Auckland keyboard player Murray McNabb is a man whose career has been fascinating to follow. From his days in the jazz-rock fusion band Dr Tree in the early 70s, through Space Case in the 80s and some terrific albums under his own name or with New York musicians (some of which appeared only on cassette if I recall), McNabb has often taken the path less travelled. Any new McNabb album should always command serious attention..."

McNabb also composed for the screen, collaborating with Murray Grindlay. From NZonScreen's bio on Grindlay...

"In 1994 Grindlay teamed with musical colleague Murray McNabb to compose for another Kiwi classic: Once Were Warriors. Grindlay had worked previously with Warriors director Lee Tamahori on noted ad campaigns for Fernleaf butter and the Commonwealth Games.

Grindlay and McNabb won a NZ Film and Television award that year for best film score, and they were invited back to work on Communicado's next stab at an international hit: inter-racial romance Broken English. The two Murrays supplied a spare, moody, percussion-heavy soundtrack, coloured with vocals by jazz and jingle singer Andrea Cook.

The pair reconvened to provide the soundtrack for Warriors sequel What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?, but despite protestations from director Ian Mune, their completed soundtrack was replaced by the work of Australian composer David Hirschfelder. On television, the two Murrays have composed for the religiously-themed The Chosen, and orchestrated colonial bodice-ripper Greenstone..."




Sarang Bang have McNabb's 1990 album Song For The Dreamweaver recorded in New York available online, here's the liner notes written by McNabb...

A Kiwi Bites the Apple

"I first met Ron and Adam in the early 80's when they toured N.Z. with the Dave Liebman group.  Then later I recorded and toured with Ron and Brazilian trumpeter Claudio Roditi for N.Z. Jazz group "Space Case".

Actually, I knew Ron's music well from records with Mike Nock's "Fourth Way" and Charles Lloyd with Keith Jarrett in the late 60's. More recently he's been with Dave Leibman and Richie Bierach. Adam has been with John Schofield and Mike Brecker - heavy company.

When I decided to take the big trip to New York, it seemed like a good idea to make a record and Ron was the natural person to contact.  We had a two hour rehearsal my second day there and then visited the studio.  There was Eddie Henderson, Victor Lewis and Cecil McCee, so I knew I had come to the right place. The next day we recorded 10 originals in 8 hours.

The rest of the trip was a Jazz fan's Nirvana as, with my wife and N.Y. Navigator Edwina Thorn, we made a continual tour of New York clubs, meeting and hearing so many musicians who I have been listening to and reading about for thirty years from the other side of the world..." - Murray McNabb.


From CJC Creative Jazz Club's newsletter/website...

RIP Murray McNabb 1947-2013
"It's with sadness that we note the passing of Murray McNabb yesterday. He stood out as a singularly talented pianist and composer, walking his own path in the NZ jazz scene. Our thoughts are with his family and friends...

...Murray will be remembered fondly by the musicians who had the privilege to play with him, and those who his music inspired. For my part, seeing his Band R lineup with my uncle on guitar at an impressionable age showed me that music of that quality didn't come just on records, and inspired me to become a musician myself. We will update our page with details of his memorial here once they are available."
- Ben McNicoll, For Creative Jazz Club Aotearoa

From NZ Herald notices, June 11, 2013: "McNABB, Murray. Passed away on 9th June 2013. Loved partner of Koula, and father of Andrew, Kane and Byron. A service will be held at the Romaleigh Funeral Home, 31 Ocean View Road, Northcote on Thursday 13th June at 1:00pm. In lieu of flowers donations please to the Cancer Society of New Zealand, P. O. Box 1724, Shortland Street, Auckland."

From the NZ Herald guestbook on that notice: "My dear mate Murray passed away on the 9 June 2013. Friends for 50 years since I went looking for the boy who wrote Monk on the wall at Mt Albert Grammar school. So many musical ventures together over the years. Conspirators in the true sense of the word:- 'to breathe the spirit together'. Will always be in our hearts and together forever in our music. Our love and sympathy to Koula and his sons." - Frank and Rosie Gibson, and family.

ADDED Tuesday 11 June: Graham Reid speaks to Radio NZ about McNabb's life and times, noting that he had been diagnosed with cancer a year ago. Reid interviewed McNabb a few weeks ago for a feature in the Listener, and a longer piece which will appear online. Well worth a listen.



ADDED 13 June: Murray McNabb profile – the extended version, from The Listener.
Graham has posted the extended version of his interview with McNabb, joined by his longtime musical collaborator Frank Gibson, done a few weeks before his passing. A shorter version due to be published in The Listener this week.

ADDED 5 Jan 2014: Sarang Bang Records to release last recording by Murray McNabb via Sunday Star Times...

"[the] label now plans to release a series of vinyl records culled from the huge archive of McNabb's unreleased jazz recordings stretching to the 1960s.

The first album, slated for release early this year, was recorded in the months before McNabb's death and features McNabb on piano and keyboards, alongside drummer Frank Gibson and guitarist Neil Watson.

Sarang Bang Records founder Gianmarco Liguori said the final recording session for the album, entitled Every Day Is a Beautiful Day, was only days before McNabb's death.

"Frank picked Murray up from the hospice to record the last track, and he had all the IV equipment and his morphine pump and everything - he was almost gone. But once he got behind the keyboard, he was alive. He knew he had a few days to live. You can hear it in the music."

Listen:
Murray McNabb interview and performance, from kiwi jazz radio show Off The Record, hosted by Tony Hopkins, produced by Andrew Dubber.
2007 interview: RNZ's Trevor Reekie spoke to Dr Tree original members Frank Gibson Jnr, Murray McNabb and Martin Winch about the the seeds of NZ jazz-rock and the rebirth of Dr Tree... listen here
Murray McNabb performing "Cosmic Protrusion" from Gianmarco Liguori's 'Duga 3' (download)
Murray McNabb's music at Amplifier.co.nz.
Murray McNabb discography credits at Discogs.com

Picasso core live

via Cheese On Toast... "THE DRAB DOO RIFFS have revealed this promotional video for their latest EP “Aquatic Ape Theory” and details of the EP Release Party.

The party to celebrate the EP release is being held on 28 June 2013 at Galatos Theatre in Auckland and will feature special guests Hallelujah Picassos, Orchestra Of Spheres, David Saunders and friends, and Dirtbag DJs.



The press release for the EP reads:

“Aquatic Ape Theory” is The Drab Doo-Riffs’ brand new 10 inch vinyl only concept EP. Featuring such favourites as Telsa Girl and Do The Cat, as well as previously unheard-of material, “Aquatic Ape Theory” explores the origin and destination of the human syndrome and related topics to a perilous ‘surf noir’ soundtrack that will set your teeth rattling.

Recorded and mixed at York Street and Montage studios on equipment designed by 20th Century audio electronics genius Rupert Neve, The Drab Doo-Riffs have flouted the most basic rules of rhythm, harmony, and sound engineering to bring you these 7.5 startling numbers inspired by, amongst other things, Nikola Tesla, Catullus, Daleks, cats, and the lessons drawn from the example of our Simian brethren."

$10 door sales. $20 records at the door. June 28th at Galatos theatre. Special B-Card pre-sale packages (ticket to the release party & vinyl EP) available from the Bfm offices from now!

Saturday, June 08, 2013

Ring The Alarm playlist, BaseFM, June 8


Sandoz - King dread
African brothers - Righteous kingdom
Beverly rd allstars - Murder she wrote
The Specials - Do the dog
Quantic soul orchestra - Raw ingredients - Nostalgia77 remix
The playboys - Bumpin bus stop pt 1
Helene Smith - You got to be a man
The peacemakers -Dont push your luck
Candi Staton - When you wake up tomorrow
Adi Dick - The message
Olmecha supreme - life muscle
Che Fu - Get up stand up
Beenieman and Devonte - Imagination
Albarosie - Sound killa
Footsie - Highgrade no bush - dub
Jah Batta - Informa
Keith Lawrence feat Rodney P - Style and fashion
The Impellers - Do what I wanna do
Ann Peebles - If this is heaven
Esther Phillips - Justified
Charles Wright - Doin what comes naturally
Amrals Trinidad cavaliers steel band - 90% of me is you
Hugh Masekela - Don't go lose it baby - dub version
Unversal robot band - Dance and shake your tambourine
Gloria Gaynor - Casanova Brown
The Family  -Susannah's pyjamas
James Brown - Blind man can see it

Friday, June 07, 2013

Calypsoul 70 on wax!


This killer comp came out a while back on Strut, got a ton of great tunes, including a steel drum version of 90% of me is you (listen below). Love it. Out on limited edition vinyl.

"For this month's webshop exclusive, we're releasing the first ever vinyl edition of a Strut favourite. CALYPSOUL 70 revisits the 1970s period when pan bands, Calypsonians and local island combos from across the Caribbean were fusing their island sounds with US R'n'B and funk, echoing the strong social messages of the US black American Civil Rights leaders and, in the case of several islands, celebrating independence.

Tracks range from heavy tropical funk by The Revolution Of St Vincent and Magic Circle Express, big band street march blasts by The Hondells and Clarence Curvan and hard percussive message music from Lancelot Layne. Packed full of rare tracks, this is a killer comp, compiled by Duncan Brooker, that digs deep.

This exclusive webshop issue is initially available in 180g vinyl (100 copies only) and comes with a bonus CD of the full album." Buy it here



Impellers instrumentals, remixes



New release from Brighton funksters The Impellers, following up their dynamite debut album This Is Not A Drill with the instrumentals (including their Ting Tings cover) and a few remixes by Clear, sample the mad driving rhythm of that one above.  Out on German label Legere Recordings.


New Colm K


Brand new bizz from Bastard Jazz, from Ireland's own Colm K. Check it!

"Bastard Jazz is proud to present The Love EP from Cork, Ireland based DJ and producer Colm K. Colm, a 2004 graduate of the Red Bull Music Academy, has been making waves for a few years now with his debut, Basics 12” for Bastard Jazz, a 7” and a 10” released on sublabel BSTRD Boots (the latter of which is sold out and regularly changes hands for upwards of $50 on eBay), and recently shared billing with Mr. Scruff on a Hypnotic Brass Ensemble remix 12” on Choice Cuts.

Here on The Love EP, Colm’s musical vision has truly matured on a fully realised 12” that draws on such disparate influences as Herbie Hancock, 80’s boogie, J-Dilla, vintage House music, Floating Points and Q-Tip productions."

Thursday, June 06, 2013

Scribe starts own record label


Via MaiFm, free download of a tune from the new label set up by Scribe, Red Corner Records. Check it here.

Red Corner Records - ‘Famous’

"Red Corner Records is dedicated to the progression of the underground Christchurch rap scene, and the art of hip hop not conforming to standard templates of how music is packaged. Everything from the artists, producers and engineers are Cantabrian. 

This Christchurch label is fully independant and self-funded, consisting of five solo MCs handpicked by Scribe and his founding partner Kyle ‘Sirkuss’ Hallett. This first single ‘Famous’ is from Red Corner download album ‘Life In The Red Zone’, and is about the dream to be a rapper from six different MCs perspectives. 

In order of appearance the artists are Scribe, Big Sima, Frost Naughty, Horra, Sammy Gallows, Godmode & Sirkuss, and is produced by Christchurch based producer and protegee of Beat Master 10aciouss - Danny Leslie."

Cratediggers: Egon

Upper Hutt Posse – Against The Flow



Upper Hutt Posse – Against The Flow (1989, Southside Records)
"Classic: Kerry Buchanan takes a second look at classic hiphop albums" -  this was a regular feature in Back2Basics magazine under editor Phil Bell (DJ Sir-Vere) - this one is from Sept/Oct 2005 issue. Kerry is one of our finest writers when it comes to hiphop, this is a fantastic read.

"If the Bible teaches us one thing, it is that there is a genesis to all things, that there exists an original source that generates and produces change and influence. In this case I'm talking about a musical form and culture that we now inhabit and live in like a second skin. I'm talking about Hip Hop. Many of you have grown up with and become accustomed to it as if it ain't no thing, as if it has always existed.

Back In the day there was funk; our mother who nurtured us, there was reggae; that spoke to us in a language we intuitively understood. Both came from elsewhere but also from within us; the links with black culture reside within our genes. Its power and ability to influence and control popular culture is tantamount to how we are living now. When Hip Hop first seeped into our consciousness back in the late 70s (Fatback Band, Sugarhill, Prelude) it seemed like a giant arising from slumber ready to take on the world. As the 80s lumbered on, filled with the most inane white music ever produced,

Hip Hop seemed like a saviour and every release from Tommy Boy, Afrika Bambaataa, Soul Sonic Force and Kurtis Blow was devoured like a holy sacrament. Most of us just got the records, some of us became DJs and the bold ones started to make their own form of Hip Hop.

Down in Wellington, Upper Hutt, there was a collective of sorts hanging around making music, Reggae, with a full band. The main cat was Dean Hapeta (enshrined later as D Word) on vocals and keyboards, Matt (M.C. Wiya) Hapeta on bass, Darryl (DLT) Thomson on drums, Aaron (Blue Dread) Thomson on vocals/guitar, and an extended whanau of other players. Of major old school importance was DJ Rhys B who hangs heavy in our Hip Hop history. Once drum machines, turntables, and programming were introduced, Bennett (M.C. Beware) Pomana, and Teremoana Rapley, joined to form the 'posse from the Hutt'. 



All this was happening around 1985-1987 The posse wrote material with a Hip Hop feel, influenced by Afro-American culture. But they also made the revolutionary jump in placing that culture within their own Maori culture. Hip Hop during this time was a many-headed beast. Pop styles abounded mingling with the forthright politics of ants like Public Enemy with gangsta, frontin' on the horizon. The Posse looked to the ideologies of struggle found in the revolutionary texts of the Black Panthers (anyone who thinks they are Hip Hop should read Bobby Seale's 'Seize The Time') and found them within it. 

Looking at the history of colonialist imperialism in Aotearoa, they produced their amazing first single 'E Tu' in 1988. Here we have a reinterpretation of history, a narrative that goes against the hegemonic teachings of Pakeha ideology. 'E Tu' promotes the concept of racial pride; instead of the European as the subject of history, the posse project Maori as the important factor. 

Strong and prideful, they spit lines of protest and action ''There's a lot of people who think they're tough today/ But chiefs like Te Rauparaha would a blown dem away/ Hone Heke he expressed his disgust by cutting down the flagpole, huh/pakeha killed Maori inna Matawhero so Te Kooti exacted it in slaughter/ Yes the Maori battalion inna world war two, staunch on the battlefield."

Fantastic stuff that put politics and cultural pride in command. Here the themes of resistance, perception, and investigation are formulated and remain throughout the Posse's work up to the present day, set against a musical bed of Hip Hop with DLT scratching and the bass pumping.

The Against the Flow album that followed, through the Southside label (1989) was and still is a stone classic, important for being our original Hip Hop release and even more important for the number of great tracks that established the sound of Hip Hop, Aotearoa style.

There are the pop drops that certainly carry an American feel. The energetic 'Do it Like This' with that KC and the Sunshine Band sample, the Hip Hop slide of 'That's the Beat' and the hymn to sports culture in 'Basketball'. There are the staunch political tracks that became their defining element in the monumental 'Dedicated ('check the history, check the pain, this ain't no game') the come correct attitude of 'Clockin' the time' and the call to arms of the title track with it's coda of ''Enough is enough, times up, it's our time."





There is another element that makes the Posse's work so important; the use of rhymes set against sung choruses, something we hear a lot today. It's the use of R&B, of slow jam elements that make a lot of these tracks. Check the feel of 'Trust' and especially the great 'Stormy Weather', which uses Teremoana's soul-tinged voice to wonderful effect. What I'm trying to say here is that the Posse was a soul band as much as Hip Hop or a politically conscious act.

All round, it's one of Aotearoa's finest albums and it really doesn't get the props it should. It's important not just for being the first of its kind or Its sharp political observations but because it features truly great songs. Dean Hapeta is a fine songwriter as his solo work as Te Kupu and continued work with U.H.P demonstrates.

The latest album Legacy is a continuation of Against The Flow in thought and content. He will never give up the fight and neither he should.

This continuation of struggle was put into perspective recently when I spoke to DLT who said about his photo in last months issue ''You should have just said f*** Hip Hop." Always the combative attitude, always clockin' the time, always against the flow.

Tuesday, June 04, 2013

Sharon Jones has bile-duct cancer, new album delayed

photo: youaintnopicasso.com

From Daptone Records...A Message From Sharon Jones

"Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings regret to announce that plans to tour and release their upcoming album in 2013 have been postponed.

Give The People What They Want will NOT be released on Aug 6, 2013 as previously scheduled.

Sharon Jones has been diagnosed with stage-one bile duct cancer, which has fortunately been discovered early and has not spread. It is expected that the immediate proposed surgical solution will lead to a full recovery, but because of its invasive and complex nature, will necessitate a rather lengthy convalescence.

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings will be back before you know it, with a new release date and rescheduled tours worldwide.

Sharon would like her fans to know that she is anxious to get back on her feet, and that she is “down, but not out!”

“Over the last few weeks I haven’t felt good and I didn’t know what was going on. We sadly had to cancel shows while I went through a series of tests and short hospital stays.   We just found out that I have a stage-one tumour on my bile duct.  Luckily we caught it really early and fast and the doctors say it’s operable and curable! 

I will be having surgery very soon and will have to rest and recover.  I’ll be staying in touch and keeping my fans and friends updated on my progress.  I’m looking forward to getting back on the road to give the people what they want!”  - Sharon Jones                           

Without a doubt



Found a copy of this video on VHS and digitised it at the weekend. Check Che's fly dancing...

READ: Che Fu - 2 B S.Pacific revisited (2005 interview about making that album)

Monday, June 03, 2013

Mr Bradley talks. You listen



Charles Bradley talks about his music and his new album, Victim of Love. I need to see that documentary about him damn soon.

Sunday, June 02, 2013

James Hunter Six



Coming soon on Daptone Records, the new album from James Hunter... "Daptone Records is very proud to have the opportunity to release what we think is one of the year's most soulful albums. For his first new album in five years, Minute By Minute, British soul man, James Hunter, teamed with our own, Gabriel Roth (Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings / Daptone Records Co-owner) for a horn-fueled blast of deep soul and R&B."

Marta Ren and the Groovelets



Brand new act recently signed on with Record Kicks: MARTA REN & The GROOVELVETS "2 Kinds of Men" / "Summer's Gone (Didn't Swim)" ltd edition 45, or digital download. Release: 3rd June 2013. Pre-order here: recordkicks.bandcamp.com