Chris Wood - Vulcan 2008

Traffic’s late multi-instrumentalist Chris Wood worked on a solo album in the 1970s that eventually got shelved. After his death in ’83, the original recordings gathered dust in his sister’s house until this 2008 release. Fans of Traffic will not be surprised by the light, jazzy vibe of Wood’s solo work, replete with his trademark flute and other woodwinds. AMG.

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Black, Estrada & Pini - Hamburger Midnight 2002

Hamburger Midnight represents the recording and performing reunion of Jimmy Carl Black and Roy Estrada, in other words a grafting of roots from the original Mothers of Invention. While Black has been actively playing music ever since he started in the '50s, Estrada apparently laid off the bass for quite a few years, some of which he spent incarcerated. The third member of the triumvirate that created this recording is Mike Pini, a British bluesman who has been active since the mid-'60s. Unfortunately, the cover of the record doesn't mention any of their names above and beyond the B.E.P. acronym; those in-the-know will figure out the deal from the cartoon drawing on the front, but that won't help the many unfamiliar listeners who would find this CD appealing. The first bite of this Hamburger Midnight is tasty: a cover version of the neglected Cream tune "Politician" that is incorrectly listed as "Political Man" in the credits. Pini shows he is able to provide electric guitar with the kind of strong psychedelic edge associated with Eric Clapton's Cream and Blind Faith days. Elsewhere, many of the same guitarists who appealed to Clapton also seem to be providing inspiration for Pini, includingFreddie King and Hubert Sumlin. Some of these references come off as a bit arbitrary, however, such as a cover of the King instrumental "Hideaway." Musicians as good as the ones involved here can play this type of material all night, but not every track here is as sublime as a medley of two Howlin' Wolfsongs in which a superb mix, Pini's tasty licks, and Black's awesome vocal stand up alongside the original recording. "On the Road Again," a hit for Canned Heat that was based on the Skip Jamessong style, is a great choice, sped up slightly and again mixed with natty style. The title tune is presented as some kind of a trippy medley in which conversation, crowd and street noises, and a stoned singalong of "Don't Bogart That Joint" turn up. More of this kind of silliness might have livened up the proceedings, particularly in moments when such a heavy dose of blues-rock gets boring. "Enron Blues" closes the album so perfectly it leaves regret in its wake, regret that Black and Estradadidn't get into more sarcastic political material, as it suits the jamming and is altogether more lively than the classic covers. Pini's original numbers also expand the harmonies and mood in a positive way, but wind up being a bit too different, standing out like something stranded that doesn't quite fit in. AMG.

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Kate Wolf - Poet's Heart 1985

Although she was a significant presence on the folk scene between the late '70s and mid-'80s, it's difficult to categorize Kate Wolf as a folk performer (though that is ultimately the broad category that suits her best). Although she largely employed acoustic instrumentation, she really owed more to the contemporary singer/songwriter movement than folk-based traditions. While it's easy to imagine her music appealing to fans of, say, Joni Mitchell, she never made the slightest impact on the rock audience, and barely drew from rock elements at all in her own work. Her music also had a strong country flavor, though not of the Nashville variety. Her fusion of country, folk, and singer/songwriter influences helped point the way for later country-folk-pop performers such as Nanci Griffith and Mary-Chapin Carpenter.

The appeal of Wolf's music is broad -- folk, pop, and rootsy country fans can all find something to like -- yet elusive. Her songs are not necessarily immediately striking upon first listen, and her body of work, if taken more than an album at a time, can justifiably be described as rather heterogenous. Her style is one that tends to grow on listeners over time, as Wolf is not about flash. Her songs, characterized by a strong narrative thread, are about the ebbs and flow of adult life, in terms that are neither overly sentimental nor mundane. She describes family, romance, and the rural life of her native Northern California with fine (though not studious) detail, projecting a sort of reserved sensitivity with her lower-than-average vocals. Hers is a voice of wisdom, comfort, and independence. If those aren't the most exciting things around, there are few other performers who convey such consistent warmth and dignity, making listeners she never met personally feel as if they were hearing letters from a friend.

Wolf didn't get her recording career going until the mid-'70s, by which time she was well into her thirties. Prior to emerging as a solo artist, she had headed the band Wildwood Flower (who backed her on her first two albums), and organized folk concerts and festivals in Northern California. Very much a self-starter, her first two albums were released on her own Owl label; thereafter, her catalog was handled by Kaleidoscope.

Over the next few years, Wolf built a strong following on the folk circuit with a series of fairly similar but remarkably consistent albums. Her recordings always benefited from first-rate instrumental support from various small bands; guitarist Nina Gerber was her most important associate in this regard. She was still at her peak when her life was tragically cut short by leukemia in 1986.
Rhino Records has reissued all of Wolf's albums on CD; in addition to the five studio discs, there are several collections of live and previously unreleased material. It's a bit much all in one gulp for most listeners, though there is an undisputed audience for her more marginal work. Neophytes are advised to start with the two-CD Gold in California set, a career-spanning retrospective of some of her best songs.

Wolf's final studio album found her continuing to capably explore pretty much the same musical territory she always had, perhaps with a slightly heavier heart and somewhat more acute lyricism. She was still looking for new ways to modify her core approach, making imaginative use of dobro and steel guitar player Mike Auldridge, and Celtic harpist Kim Robertson. Thanks to B. AMG.

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Baba Zula - Kökler (Roots) 2006

A decade and an inch has passed since BaBa Zula set out on their journey to make modern music influenced by ?vintage? traditions, instruments and recording techniques. Over the years BaBa Zula have been so focused on experimenting with new sounds and influences that their albums often featured many guest performers, but on ?Roots? only the core members of the BaBa Zula family, such as vocalist Brenna MacCrimmon, can be heard.

BaBa Zula have a new perspective on their trademark sound ?oriental dub? courtesy of the group?s first trip to Japan. Together with a Japanese sound engineer that they befriended on that trip, BaBa Zula work Far Eastern techniques into their music which also references early African-American bluesman, psychedelia, Jamaican Nyabinghi and Dub. ?Roots? also possesses the analog, authentic rock?n roll sound BaBa Zula grew up listening to in the late-60s, courtesy of cult-favorite Turkish producer Mehmet Ate?. By using the most symbolic instruments of Turkish culture, the wooden spoons and the saz - an instrument that stands out as the first and only Turkish instrument that has been electrified - BaBa Zula?s roots serve as the foundation for their experimentation.
Roots is full of fun, excitement, vigor, eccentricities, oddities and tradition?just like Istanbul, BaBa Zula's hometown.

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Bruce Piephoff - Slaughterhouse 2002

Another good link from B., give it a listen and enjoy! It is no secret that North America is full of great folk songwriters, with the well-established big names greatly outnumbered by so-called local artists whose performances within particular regions have garnered them loyal followings of one sort or another. Bruce Piephoff has been recording and performing, mostly out of Greensboro, NC, for several decades. While there was always a standard of quality to his work, his songwriting as well as production expertise just seems to be getting better and better. This may just be his best, a generous and indeed walloping serving of his material. There are 20 songs here, only a few of them less than full-length ditties. The disc's title is just as much North Carolina as many of the other references; after all, this is the state with the pork industry that pollutes river, lake, and ocean alike and the chicken processing plant whose workers were burned alive because the fire exit door was chained shut. "They've Turned out the Light at the End of the Tunnel" would be the song one might reach for when faced with such calamities, and it's one of this songwriter's best, laced with a droll point of view that is a pretty good defense against depression.Piephoff's musicianship, including guitar strumming and harmonica, works perfectly for these songs. He gets excellent backup from players such as Scott Manring on a variety of strings, including National Steel guitar and fiddler Kirk Sutphin. While the first moments of the record evoke Bob Dylan, Piephoffsoon goes his own way, effortlessly bringing to mind many roots influences from country and blues manifestations. The light vocal harmonies with singer and keyboardist Claire Holley give some of the songs an unusual appeal. While he sings about many subjects, he reserves the folk artist's right to get downright regional and pretty specific: "When Terry Barry Ran for Mayor" is a real slice of Greensboro life based on the exploits of a local eccentric. While some listeners may assume this means the material is aimed at a limited audience, in reality it means this a songwriter who is really doing his job. Of particular note is the relationship between his voice and his lyrics. He manages a sense of relaxation with the former which is of constant benefit in a genre where some performers simply try too hard. With his lyrics he shifts from the obscure to the clear, from telling to hinting, all with an admirably natural grace. AMG. 

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Missy Burgess - Lemon Pie 2008

"Ottawa’s Missy Burgess is as credible a blues interpreter as she is a singer/songwriter. Here Burgess covers Robert Johnson’s suggestive “Come On In My Kitchen”, catches the moodiness of Jann Arden’s “It Looks Like Rain”, and delivers a rich, bittersweet take on her own lovelorn “Blue Sweater”. Front and centre, right where they belong, are Burgess’ direct, smoky vocals, sometimes reminiscent of her old pal Penny Lang’s. Exquisite playing. Good tunes and monstrous production from James Stephens. Willie P. Bennett can be found playing harmonica on this gem of a CD. Pick it up now!" - Pat Langston (Ottawa Citizen, Jan. 12/08)

Growing up in a large family had its benefits. You could train yourself to live in a different land even though chaos was all around you. As a young teen, Missy would climb into her brother's tree house and imagine herself singing late at night in some obscure small room in New York City and walking the streets alone as she thought all musicians did. By the time she was 15 years old she had heard all her father's jazz and big band albums over and over and had attended numerous concerts where her brother, Michael sang beautiful Gregorian chant with St. Michael's Choir School in downtown Toronto. She loved music, and belonged to many church choirs, but it took on new meaning when her father brought home a record of Fats Waller because it introduced a sound for her that made her want to sing. She bought a guitar and liked spending hours learning how to play it. But it took many years of living before Missy finally realized the need to take music seriously. Since 1996 Missy has performed on main stages from The National Arts Centre in Ottawa to Boston's Regent Theatre to The Angola Prison for Women in Louisiana.She has recorded 2 albums. Pour Me a Song features veteran folk singer Penny Lang as a guest singer. Her latest album Lemon Pie features the late Willie P. Bennett as a guest back up singer and harmonica player. As well Lemon Pie features the virtuoso guitar playing of Vince Half hide along with the wonderful sax of Petr Cancura. Website: Missyburgess.com! Thanks to B.

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The Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies - Magnolia 1996

The Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies' second album, Magnolia, isn't markedly different from their first -- it is still unapologetic classic rock, complete with hoarse, bluesy vocals and driving guitar riffs. While the songs aren't as consistent as those on its predecessor, the band sounds tighter than before, due to their endless touring. So it's a draw as to which record is better -- if you want tunes, go to the first, but the more accomplished musicianship on Magnolia suggests that Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies' best days are still ahead of them. AMG.

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Barclay James Harvest - Victims Of Circumstance 1984

A competent collection of lightweight '80s rock. The simple arrangement of opening track "Sideshow" is helped by the use of guest backing vocalists, and the title track is one of BJH's better efforts from this period. The weakest link is in the keyboards, which unfortunately are also front and center in the recording. Bias Boshell creates some pleasant atmospherics, but Wolstenholme's shoes are just too big to fill. AMG.

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Bakithi Kumalo - Change 2008

Bakithi Kumalo is a South African bassist, composer and vocalist who has worked with a wide variety of diverse artists including Gloria Estefan, Herbie Hancock, Chaka Khan, Harry Belafonte, Cyndi Lauper and Paul Simon. Kumalo is most known for his fretless bass playing on Paul Simon's 1986 album Graceland, in particular the bass run on "You Can Call Me Al". Kumalo has toured regularly with Simon since then. He was born in the Soweto township of Johannesburg surrounded by relatives who loved music and actively performed, and got his first job at the age of 7 filling in for his uncle's bass player.

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Ian Tyson - Eighteen Inches of rain 1994

Another B.Link, enjoy! He had been absent from the States for a while following the dissolution of Ian & Sylvia, but he certainly hadn't been idle -- Ian Tyson was quite a success in Canada, and Vanguard, a label he had been associated with previously, took a chance on repeating that success here. Eighteen Inches of Rain was part of Tyson's "Cowboy Culture" series (Vanguard also reissued Cowboyography), and it's a damn fine collection of songs about contemporary cowboys, ranchers, and just plain folks, beautifully performed and sung, elegantly designed, and equipped with excellent lyrics. Many cuts are above the run of country music -- songs like "Horsethief Moon" and "Rodeo Road" are songs that transcend boundaries. AMG.

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Kimberly M'Carver - Breathe the moonlight 1990

M'Carver uses Stuart Duncan, Jeff White, Jerry Douglas, Roy Huskey Jr, and Dennis M'Carver as backup. "Whistle Down the Wind" and "My Way Back Home to You" are exceptional. Highly recommended. Thanks B. AMG.

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Acoustic Ladyland - Living With A Tiger 2009

The London-based Acoustic Ladyland formed in 2001 and released Camouflage in 2004, a primarily acoustic collection of jazz reworkings of Jimi Hendrix covers. Led by vocalist/saxophonist/arranger Pete Wareham (Polar Bear), the band eventually strayed from the classic rock trappings of its moniker with the following year's Last Chance Disco, a collection of originals that found the group breaking free from the more traditional aspects of the genre, resulting in a BBC Jazz Award for Best Band of 2005. Skinny Grin arrived on V2 Records in late 2006, followed by Living with a Tiger in 2009. AMG. 

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Barão Vermelho - Álbum 1996

The first Brazilian rock band, Barão Vermelho deserves the title because while Blitz was the first to make success in the style concocted in the '80s in Brazil, Blitz was a pop band with pinches of rock, while Barão Vermelho had a visceral rock approach from the beginning. Barão Vermelho began as a school friends' experiment. Maurício Augusto Carvalho de Barros (keyboard) and Flávio Augusto Goffi Marquezini (drummer) used to play Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones covers at Barros' father's garage around 1980. Guitarist Roberto Frejat joined the duo soon before bassist André Palmeira Cunha (Dé). As they needed a vocalist, they tried the novice Leo Jayme, who was after a lighter pop band, nominating Agenor Miranda Araújo Neto for the position. As Cazuza, the new singer/composer would propel Barão Vermelho's performances and depart for a successful solo career. His being son of the artistic director for a major label (Som Livre) helped a lot in that. Joining forces with Frejat, the duo wrote almost all of their material, which was presented in a show at the Morro da Urca, opening for the funk artist Sandra Sá (now Sandra de Sá). The show was a fiasco, but the demo tape used to show the repertory was heard by the rock critic Ezequiel Neves, who loved the sound. Neves persuaded Som Livre producer Guto Graça Mello, and they recorded the first LP by Barão Vermelho(the name taken from a Peanuts comic), Barão Vermelho. Released in September, 1982, the album didn't gain the public's interest. Barão Vermelho 2 (1983) also didn't sell, but then the group drew the attention of two important MPB artists: Caetano Veloso, who sang "Todo Amor Que Houver Nessa Vida" (Cazuza/Frejat, from the first album), and Ney Matogrosso, who recorded "Pro Dia Nascer Feliz" (Cazuza/Frejat, from the second album), scoring a hit with it. Immediately the label recorded a single with the band performing the song, which had an even bigger success. In the following year, the film Bete Balanço (Lael Rodrigues) included the theme song written by Cazuza/Frejat and performed by the band, which also appeared in that film. A typical youth movie, it hit the target, attracting 1.4 million spectators. It prepared the setting for the mainstream appropriation of Brazilian rock in its first visceral edition. Maior Abandonado was the biggest success of the band, including the title track and "Bete Balanço." The popularity of the film and the band could be seen during the Festival Bete Balanço de Rock, where Lobão & Os Ronaldos, Celso Blues Boy, Titãs, Brylho, and Metralhatxeca, along with the Barão, performed the film's soundtrack live. In January, 1985, the Barão performed twice in the historic first edition of the Rock in Rio festival. In late July, Cazuza departed for his solo career, tired of sharing. With the forthcoming fourth album cancelled by the defection, Frejat took the vocalist position, recording "Torre de Babel" for a TV Globo special. The song, scoring a hit, opened the way for the Declare Guerra (Som Livre, 1986) album which had a collaboration with Cazuza in "Um Dia Na Vida," "Maioridade," and "Que o Deus Venha." With bad distribution, the album didn't take off and precipitated the departure of the band to a new label, WEA, where they recorded the lighter Rock'n Geral (1987). In February 1988, Maurício Barros left the band, and guitarist Fernando Magalhães and percussionist Peninha (Paulo Pizziali) joined the group, recording Carnaval, a return to hard rock. The hit of the album was "Pense e Dance." On the album tour, in June 1989, the live album Barão ao Vivo was recorded in the DamaXoc nightclub amidst massive publicity. In 1990, the group performed in the II Rock in Rio festival, when the inevitable departure of the bassist Dé was felt by the audience due to his ironic attitude. The bass in the new album Na Calada da Noite was recorded by Dadi (formerly of A Cor do Som), but the fact was only made public in May, when the album was already done -- which, maybe inadvertently did justice to the album's title. The release of the new album coincided with the death by AIDS of Cazuza, on July 7th. One of its songs, "O Poeta Está Vivo," referred to a poet being alive still. In 1996, the group scored another hit with "Malandragem, Dá Um Tempo," by the sambista Moreira da Silva. The other CDs by the band include Supermercados da Vida (1992, WEA), Carne Crua (1994, WEA), and Álbum, (1996, WEA). AMG.

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