Blowing The Fuse

Jazz

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1. Johnny Hodges & his Orchestra - Castle Rock

He was an American-born alto saxophonist who played with Duke Ellington and received lessons from Sidney Bechet and was regarded as one of the all-time greatest saxophonists.

2. Artie Shaw & his Orchestra - Frenesi

Artie Shaw was a well-known clarinetist and big band leader. Throughout his life, he had eight wives, as he was, self-admittedly, a control freak and emotionally abusive. He was also known to be a precision marksman, an excellent flyfisherman, a fiction writer and once even walked away from a million dollar booking contract to pursue the study of advanced mathematics.

3. Sidney Bechet - Runnin’ Wild

A Creole-born, clarinetist from New Orleans, Sidney Bechet was a well-traveled touring musician who completed tours throughout Europe and Russia. He was jailed once in London for assaulting a woman and once in Paris for being involved in a shootout that was rumored to be a duel proposed by Bechet.

4. Tommy Dorsey & his Orchestra Feat. Frank Sinatra - Blue Moon

He was known to hire and fire members of his orchestra according to how he felt, and after leaving his brother Jimmy’s band in the mid-1930’s, Tommy often poached other orchestras for new talent. Frank Sinatra got his start by recording with Dorsey and claimed to have learned breath control by watching Tommy play trombone.

5. Duke Ellington & his Orchestra - El Gato

Regarded as the most prominent jazz pianist, Ellington was part of the Harlem Renaissance and sustained a career as a jazz musician for over 50 years as it transformed from big bands to modern jazz and R&B.

6. Mulatu Astatqé - Mètché Dershé

An Ethiopian music pioneer, Astatqé combined Latin music with jazz to create a new genre, Ethio-Jazz.

7. Lionel Belasco - Miranada

He was raised in Trinidad and played calypso piano for the wealthy locals before recording his first phonograph in 1914. He is known for blending claypso and jazz music in a unique way.

8. Johnny Hartman - That Old Black Magic

Once a member of Dizzy Gillespie’s orchestra, Hartman possessed a deep bass voice that was well suited for jazz. He recorded a hit record with John Coltrane in 1963 but never became well known.

9. Bix Beiderbecke - Jazz Me Blues

Bix was a cornet soloist and pianist who was mostly unknown until after his death at the age of 28. Controversy about how he died still remains, however, alcohol is said to have been at least a partial cause. A neighbor of Bix recounted Beiderbecke’s final moments, saying that he was hysterical and claimed that two Mexicans were hiding beneath his bed with daggers before he collapsed and was pronounced dead in 1931.

10. Billie Holiday - What A Little Moonlight Can Do

Also known as Lady Day, Billie Holiday set the standard for jazz vocals in the 30s and 40s. She was arrested for narcotics possession in 1947 and sent to prison. After her arrest, she remained a popular singer, yet never regained the popularity she once had. in 1959, she was arrested for drug possession while on her deathbed in the hospital and died shortly after.

11. Art Tatum - All God’s Chillun Got Rhythm

Tatum is still regarded as one of the best jazz pianists to have played, both in style and technique. Due to cataracts, he was blind in one eye and had limited vision in the other. This was surgically corrected as a child, however, he was beaten so badly at the age of 20 that his surgical procedures were reversed.

12. Django Reinhardt - I Saw Stars

Born in Belgium to a gypsy family in 1910, Django became interested in playing guitar and developed a new style of jazz guitar. At the age of 18, his caravan went up in flames and he almost lost full use of the third and fourth fingers on his left hand. After the accident he had to relearn how to play guitar, using his third and fourth fingers for chord work only and utilizing only his first two fingers for solo work.

13. Jelly Roll Morton - Tin Roof Blues

Claiming to have invented jazz himself, Jelly Roll definitely played an integral part in it’s development at the very least. He started his career playing in brothels, which is where the name “Jelly Roll” comes from, as jelly roll was black slang for vagina. He was rumored to pimp women on the side and it was knife wounds sustained in a fight that eventually caused his death when a whites-only hospital refused to treat him.

14. Maryam Guebrou - Mother’s Love

She was born in 1923 in Ethiopia to a wealthy family, but because of war and unrest in her country, she spent most of her early years studying music abroad. She is still alive today and lives as a nun in a monastery in Jerusalem where she continues to play piano.

Classic R&B, Rock n’ Roll, Soul

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1. Bo Diddley - Here ‘tis

Born as Ellas Otha Bates, Diddley is known as being an integral part of the transition from blues to rock n’ roll in the 50’s. He was banned from the Ed Sullivan Show for refusing to play the song requested by the producer and playing “Bo Diddley” instead.

2. Lafayettes - Life’s Too Short

A Baltimore band that gained local recognition in the 60’s with this single, yet slipped into obscurity until being featured on the soundtrack for John Waters’ Hairspray in 1988.

3. Barbara George - I’m In A Strain

New Orleans born and bred, George gained success in the early 60’s with a few R&B singles, but ran full speed into amphetamines and alcohol and had largely faded out by 1970.

4. Doris Troy - Whatcha Gonna Do About It?

Born in the Bronx and given the moniker “Mama Soul,” Doris sang back up vocals for Carly Simon, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Nick Drake and others and was signed to The Beatles’ Apple Records in 1969.

5. Jackie Wilson - Lonely Teardrops

Dubbed “The Black Elvis” and “Mr. Excitement,” in his lifetime, Jackie Wilson was shot twice, lost his son to a shooting and lost two of his daughters, leading to him becoming a recluse and drug addicted alcoholic before having a heart attack and collapsing on stage while singing the line “my heart is crying” from this song, leaving him in a coma for the remainder of his life.

6. Eddie Floyd- But It’s All Right

Floyd was a prolific song writer who cranked out jams for Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding and Carla Thomas while maintaining his own recording career on Stax Records.

7. Pat Hervey - Pain

A Canadian, born in Toronto, Hervey started her career as a young girl, appearing on  television shows such as “Country Hoedown” and “Holiday Ranch.”

8. Wilson Pickett - Mercy, Mercy

A well known soul singer, Wilson Pickett’s peak years were in the mid 60’s and eventually led to him being inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame. Pickett was known for being obsessed with guns and in 1993 he was sentenced to 1 year in jail for driving drunk and hitting an 86 year old pedestrian.

9. William Bell - Everybody Loves A Winner

A songwriter and singer on the Stax record label, William Bell’s music has been heavily sampled and used in movie soundtracks.

10. Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers - Why Do Fools Fall In Love?

Frankie Lymon started his career at the age of 12 and had his first hit with The Teenagers at the age of 14. After going solo, Lymon never regained the popularity he once had and died of a heroin overdose in 1968 as a 25 year old.

11. Wendy Rene - What Will Tomorrow Bring?

Rene got her start with The Drapers and eventually started a solo career on Stax records. Wu Tang Clan sampled her song ” After Laughter (Comes Tears)” in their song “Tearz.”

Brazilian Fuzz, Psychedelic and Tropicalia

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1. Gal Costa - Sebastiana

Born in 1945, Gal Costa was introduced to Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso at the age of 18 by two childhood friends. She maintained the friendships and her first performance was alongside the two, for the concert Nós, por exemplo, in 1964.

2. The Youngsters -I Wanna Be Your Man

One of the lesser known bands to come out of the Brazilian psychedelia movement, the British Invasion influence is easily recognizable in this song.

3. Os Brazoes - Tao Longe De Mim

Os Brazoes started as the backing band for Gal Costa during her Tropicalia days, and eventually went on to record the self-titled album from which this track, arguably the standout track on the record, sits.

4. Caetano Veloso - Soy Loco por Tí, América

Along with Gilberto Gil, he was one of the founders of the Tropicalia movement and again, along with Gil, Caetano was exiled to London for two years when the Brazilian government viewed their music and political activism as a threat.

5. Gilberto Gil - Procissão

Well known for incorporating various styles into his song writing, Gil started his career as a Bossa Nova musician and was influenced by street performers in Salvador, where he grew up.

6. Tom Zé - Quero Sambal Meu Bem

Zé was part of the Tropicalia movement, however, he moved away from the spotlight as the Brazilian government started to apply pressure to the artists in the late 60’s and remained in the dark until the 1990’s when he stared recording and performing once again.

7. Os Brazoes - Carolina, Carol Bela

8. Loyce E Os Gnomes - Era Uma Nota De

Hailing from Sao Paulo, circa 1969, Loyce E Os Gnomes, had a more raw and rock & roll sound than most of the artists associated with Tropicalia and Brazilian pop.

9. Jorge Ben - Take It Easy My Brother Charles

He started by playing in night clubs and was eventually discovered by a record executive in one of the small clubs he had been performing in. Along with many other Brazilian musicians, he was greatly influenced by João Gilberto.

10. Gilberto Gil - Bat Macumba

11. Caetano Veloso - Um Canto De Afoxé Para O Bloco De Ilê (Ilê Ayê)

12. Os Mutantes - Quem Tem Medo De Brincar De Amor

A very well known and influential band representing the musical movement in Brazil during the 60’s, Os Mutantes was originally formed by two brothers who went by the name Six Sided Rockers.

13. Celio Balona - Tema De Batman

Composer, vibraphonist, accordion player and all around badass.

Americana, Folk & Early Country

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1. Ron Short w/ Roadside Theater - Garden Is Growing

Hailing from the mountains of Appalachia, much of Ron Short’s songwriting is done in conjunction with screenplays that he produces for his theater company, Roadside Theater.

2. The Dezurik Sisters - The Arizona Yodeller

Mary Jane and Caroline Dezurik were born to a farming family in Minnesota in the early 1900’s. They became known for their unique style of singing and yodeling and appeared as regulars on several Chicago radio shows. Caroline explained the sisters’ development of their singing style saying that the two “listened to the birds and tried to sing with the birds.”

3. Blue Sky Boys - Will You Miss Me When I’m Gone

The Blue Sky Boys were Earl and Bill Bolick, two brothers from Hickory, North Carolina. The two started early singing hymns and gospel and eventually learned to play piano, guitar, banjo and mandolin. They took their name from the nickname of western North Carolina: “Land of the Blue Sky.”

4. Ervin Webb with prisoners - I’m Going Home

A recording collected by Alan Lomax in Mississippi on his “Southern Journey” between 1959 and 1960.

5. Floyd County Ramblers - Step Stone

From Floyd County, Virginia, the Ramblers were a pre-war country outfit that recorded in the 1920’s and 1930’s.

6. Jimmie Rodgers - The Sailor’s Plea

James Charles Rodgers, “The Father of Country Music,” was born in 1897 in Mississippi. After his mother died, Rodgers went to live with his father, a railroad foreman. As a 13 year old, Rodgers organized and embarked upon a couple of traveling shows, only to be brought back home by his father. As a water boy for the railroad, Jimmie honed his guitar skills with the guidance of other rail workers and hobos traveling on the rails. His recording career was cut short when he died of Tuberculosis at the age of 35.

7. Jimmie Davis - Doggone That Train

A Louisiana man, born in 1899 to sharecropper parents, Davis’ family was so poor that he was 9 years old before he had a bed to sleep in. He was well known as a country and gospel singer from the 1930’s to the 1960’s before he became governor of Louisiana. Davis claims to have written “You Are My Sunshine,” however, it is generally believed that he bought the song from another singer, Paul Rice.

8. Jean Ritchie - Pretty Saro

Born in 1922 as the youngest of 14 children, Jean Ritchie is a folk singer and dulcimer player from Kentucky. At 88 years old she is still actively writing and recording songs.

9. Henry Ratcliff - Louisiana

Ratcliff was a prisoner in Mississippi at the time of this Alan Lomax field recording.

10. Lottie Kimbrough (The Kansas City Butterball) - Lost Lover Blues

Lottie was a large woman, hence the “butterball” nickname, born in Kansas City in 1900. She started singing in speakeasys and night clubs in Kansas City and this led to several years of recording. After her music career, little is known about her and it is unknown when and where she died.

11. Garland Brothers And Grinstead - Just Over The River

This track was taken from a collection of early American rural music recorded in the 1920’s and 1930’s. That’s about all I’ve got.

12. The Sons of The Pioneers - Railroad Boomer

Founded in 1933 by Leonard Slye, you may know him as Roy Rodgers, Tim Spencer and Bob Nolan, all cowboy actors as well as musicians. The group is still active today and lay claim as the oldest continually performing musical group.

Gospel & Religious Songs

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1. Elder Charles Beck - Rock & Roll Sermon, pt 1 & pt 2

A singing evangelist that appeared in various tent revivals and “black churches,” in the early 1900’s,  Beck strongly believed that recording was exceedingly important in getting his name established and spreading the gospel. “Rock & Roll Sermon, pt 1 & pt 2” is interesting due to the subject matter of the sermon, the evils of rock & roll, being accompanied by, well, rock & roll. He was born in 1900 in Moblie, Alabama, first appeared on a recording in 1930 and is believed to have died while performing missionary work in Ghana in the early 1970’s.

2. Crumb Brothers- Seat in the Kingdom

A quartet led by a ten year old named Sugar, this song was recorded and released in the 1950’s. The group later changed their name to The Hightower Brothers.

3. Washington Phillips - I Was Born to Preach the Gospel

Phillips made 18 recordings between 1927 and 1929, of which only sixteen remain. The songs are thought to be played on an instrument made by Phillips that sounds similar to a zither, although some believe the instrument to have been a dolceola.

4. Laura Rivers - That’s Alright

Another version of the Crumb Brothers song on this playlist, this track was pulled from a Smithsonian Folkways recording of folk songs, spirituals and children’s games recorded on John’s Island, South Carolina.

5. Betty Mae Fikes - This Little Light of Mine

Born in Selma, Alabama, Fikes grew up singing in church and eventually joined the SNCC Freedom Singers during the Civil Rights movement. When asked about her style of singing, she stated, “I grew up with these songs as a little girl. My mother was a gospel singer and my father was a gigolo. My momma gave me the gospel and my daddy gave me the blues.”

6. Radio Four - Walk Around

The group consisted of Dr. Morgan Babb and his brothers James, Claude, Morgan, George, Ray, Sepheus and Paul and recorded on Tennessee Records in the 1950’s and 60’s.

7. Traveling Echoes - Looking for a Better Place to Live

The group recorded on Jewel Records, a gospel label during the 1960’s and 1970’s based in Shreveport, LA.

8. Bishop Perry Tillis - I Pound a Solid Rock

Born in 1919, Tillis started playing the Chicago blues circuit along with Muddy Waters and Furry Lewis until he had a revelation that convinced him that the blues was devil music. He moved back to Alabama and transferred his focus to gospel while still keeping a style of blues.

9. Two Gospel Keys - I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore

A duo consisting of Mother Sally Jones and Emma Daniels, the two recorded between the late 1940’s and early 1950’s.

10. n/a  - Lord, Hold My Hand While I Run This Race

From a collection of songs from the civil rights movement, this track was recorded between 1960 and 1966 during a church sermon in the south.

11. Viola James & Congregation - Tryin’ To Make Heaven My Home

Stemming from Mississippi, Viola James recorded as a gospel singer in the 1950’s and 1960’s most often with James Shorty and her congregation.

12. Fannie Lou Hamer - Go Tell It On The Mountain

A well known civil rights activist and eventual vice-chair of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, Fannie Lou Hamer, often san Christian hymns such as “Go Tell It On The Mountain” in order to bolster the spirits of other activists.

13. A. Burton & Congregation - God’s Unchanging Hand

From a collection of recordings along Highway 61 in Mississippi.

14. Alabama Christian Movement Choir led by Carlton Reese - 99 1/2 Won’t Do

The Alabama Christian Movement existed in the 1950’s and 1960’s and worked to organize boycotts and to file lawsuits against segregation in Alabama. Carlton Reese, the choir director, adapted the traditional gospel song “99 1/2 Won’t Do” with new lyrics to better fit the civil rights movement.

15. n/a - We Shall Overcome

African Artists

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1. Isaya Mwinamo - Lipa Kodi Ya City Council

A musician and producer from Nairobi, Isaya Mwinamo was a well respected musician, though not not too much is known about him, due to his tendency to keep a low profile.

2. T.O. Jazz - Onam Bebe Basa

T.O. Jazz is well known for his electric Ghana highlife music as well as soulful acoustic songs that he writes. This recording is part the compilation Bokoor Beats, a collection of highlife, afro-beat and afro-rock put together by John Collins.

3. Orchestre Regional De Kayes - Terena

The Kayes orchestra, formed in 1962 after a cultural policy in Mali stipulated that each region should be represented with an orchestra, put forth one recording, producing this track among others in 1970.

4. Tlahoun Gèssèssè - Tchuhetén Betsèmu

A widely recognized Ethiopian singer, Tlahoun Gèssèssè was recognized for his contribution to Ethiopian music and culture as well as the money he had raised to aid famine victims in his country.

5. Bokoor Band - Trouble Man

Another recording from the Bokoor Beats compilation, Bokoor Band was formed by John Collins and Robert Beckley in 1971. The band consisted of between 12 and 14 members and the time Collins spent playing with various local musicians gave rise to Bokoor Studios, where Collins collected recordings of multiple musicians in Ghana.

6. Mulatu Astatqé - Yèkatit

Known as the father of Ethio-Jazz, Mulatu Astatqé studied music in Wales and London before moving to the US and honing his unique style that he referred to as Ethio-jazz, eventually playing with the likes of Duke Ellington, Alemayehu Eshete andTlahoun Gèssèssè.

7. Charlotte Daddah (Dada) - Don’t Let Me Down

“The Girl with the Golden Voice,” best known in the States for this cover of a Beatles hit, Dada hailed from Ghana and started her career with the Uhuru Dance Band in the 60’s.

8. Seyfu Yohannes - Mela Mela

Known as the Ethiopian James Brown, Yohannes made only a few recordings before his death at the age of 26.

9. Mulatu Astatqé - Yègellé Tezeta

10. Bokoor Band - Maya Gari

11. Refugee All Stars - Soda Soap

Made up of six former displaced musicians from Sierra Leone, the group recorded in the 90’s and their record release was accompanied with the release of film documenting their plight.

12. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou - Mi Homlan Dadalé

Still active today, and recording since the 60’s, this afro-beat band from Benin bases much of their song writing on Vodun, or voodoo, rhythms.

Classic R&B and Soul

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1. Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats - Rockett 88

Recorded in 1951 and released by Chess Records, ‘Rocket 88’ is recognized as one of the earliest rock & roll songs. Although the group is actually Ike Turner and the Kings of Rhythm, the song was released by Chess Records as Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats because Brenston sang and was credited for writing the song. Brenston left the band after only one additional recording session, later rejoining four years later with Turner disallowing Brenston to sing “Rocket 88.”

2. James Carr - These Ain’t Raindrops

“These Ain’t Raindrops” was released on Carr’s 1966 Goldwax records release You Got My Mind Messed Up. Carr was born to a Baptist preacher and got his start singing in gospel groups. He worked on an assembly line making tables until he recorded with Goldwax and released You Got My Mind Messed Up.

3. Edd Henry - Your Replacement Is Here

Released through a small Detriot based label called Big Mack, Edd Henry characterizes the many small northern soul artists in the 60’s that recorded with low budget labels such as Big Mack that were never able to produce a radio hit.

4. Kool Blues - I’m Gonna Keep On Loving You

This track was released on another small label, Capsoul, based in Colombus, OH. The label released one LP and a dozen 45’s that garned some regional attention and not too much beyond that.

5. Joe Tex - I Want To (Do Everything For You)

Joe Tex released several hit singles between 1965 and 1975 on Atlantic Records where James Brown was a labelmate. The two began a rivalry when Brown started a romance with Tex’s wife Bea Ford. The song “You Keep Her” was written by Tex in response to Brown’s actions and the rivalry escalated until, in a fit of rage, Brown eventually fired a gun at Tex in a nightclub.

6. O.V. Wright - Poor Boy

Discovered along with James Carr and signed to Goldwax, O.V. Wright is well known for his song “That’s How Strong My Love Is,” which was later covered by Otis Redding and The Rolling Stones. Wright released several more hits until being imprisoned for narcotics possession in the 70’s. His career never recovered after his time served and his drug addiction continued until his death in 1980.

7. Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - (Love Is Like A) Heat Wave

A well known Motown group, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas were recognizable for their songs “Nowhere To Run” and “Dancing In The Street.” Heat Wave was released on Gordy Records in 1963 and became #1 on the Billboard Hot R&B chart.

8. Antennas - Be Yourself

The Antennas formed in 1960 and released “Be Yourself” as a single on Clay records in 1962. The 45 got limited play in Chicago and the group later signed to Boss records and changed their name to The Squires.