November 2013 Reviews

[Nick Danger]

And now for my insanely late review. All apologies and all that. I've tried twice to get this done and both times got inadvertently logged off the site and lost everything I'd written. And such prose! Alas, it will have to live on in my memory.

You were my first mixee for Mix Club and I'm glad you liked most of it. Choosing tracks for people you don't know is a challenge. Everything pretty much comes from my cd collection as I rarely download any music.


1) What would happen if War made a record with Terry Kath era Chicago? I don't have a clue but I bet it would sound like this. It has an almost Mardi Gras Indian feel to it. Think of the Wild Magnolias. It does break down into a lengthy and rocking solo section with heavier riffing and mucho soloing before a brief reprise of the verse chorus section from the front. I'm very curious about who this might be.

This is the late 60's/70's funk band Mandrill with "Fencewalk." They never made it very big but you probably know the name.

2) The first of several tracks here where I can (I'm pretty sure) name the artist but don't know the song. This pretty much has to be Buddy Guy. What an incredible guitarist.It's no wonder he wielded the influence he did on Hendrix and others in the 60s. This man can really play. At least that's what I'd say if this really is Buddy Guy.

This is indeed Buddy Guy with "She's Out There Somewhere." It's probably my favorite Buddy Guy track.

3) One of my favorite songs ever. The Flying Burrito Brothers' Hot Burrito #1. A beautiful and beautifully sung track that has gotten me through some tough times. A fine choice.

One of my favorites too.

4) Again, I'm sure this has to be Lee Dorsey but I don't know this track. It has a more 70s funk thang going on than his early hits and I'd guess that there is more than one of the Meters playing on this track. It just goes to show you that you can never own too many Lee Dorsey records.

It is Lee Dorsey with "When The Bills Paid." Written by Allen Toussaint and from Dorsey's Tourssaint produced 1970 album Yes We Can. The Meters are the musicians on the track/album.

5) I recognized Carlos Santana's tone almost immediately on this instrumental medley. I don't recognize much of this but I know he breaks into George Benson's Breezin' at one point. This one doesn't really do much for me.

It is Santana from their live album Sacred Fire: Live In South America. Track is "Samba Pa Ti." I second guessed myself on this choice and rightfully so it turns out.

6) A few years ago I would have quickly dismissed this sort of thing but I've found myself getting more into the likes of Townes Van Zandt and Jimmie Dale Gilmore and the like. This is one such troubadour with an acoustic guitar and voice in a small room and while it's not something I'd put on Friday night before leaving for a party it would sound just fine on a Sunday morning as accompaniment to The NY Times crossword and several cups of coffee. It's the small things as I get older.

Your ear is hard to fool. It is TVZ with "The Quicksilver Daydreams Of Maria." I don't like everything he did but this is a favorite. Every time I hear this I'm whistling the simple melody for the rest of the day.

7) Here we go again. It's gotta be John Lee Hooker but I don't know the song. He had more power with just an acoustic guitar than many bands with Marshall stacks could muster in an entire tour. This is tremendous. And I need more John Lee Hooker in the racks.

Right again, it's John Lee with "Hobo Blues." One of my favorite Blues track.

8) This is an amazing find. I know the song (Temptation's 'Bout To Get Me) from the Knight Brothers original. I listened to this track a great many times before the penny dropped - this is The Rascals! One of my favorite bands from my youth and a band I just saw live a few weeks back and fell in love with all over again. I know the singles and some album tracks but not this. Thanks so much to the mixer for hipping me to this version. It's an instant favorite.

You're right, it's the Rascals off their album See. I am also a big Rascals fans and for all the great cuts they did this is one of their best IMO. Great singing, great arrangement, great song!

9) Lucinda Williams doing Robert Johnson's Ramblin' On My Mind. I know this from the studio version.This is a live version and it is smokin' hot. Lucinda is an amazing talent.

Right again, it's Lucinda from a live date in 1981. William Hyatt on guitar and Champ Hood on fiddle playing with her.

10) Cheesy fuzz guitar and a chick singer doing ESL vocals. I don't really like this but I have to admit that the
hook -

Send me a postcard, darling
Send me a postcard, now

gets stuck in my head every time I hear this. Shocking Blue, maybe?

What an ear, yes it's Shocking Blue. This was a hit in the Netherlands but not the U.S.

11) One of my favorite rock hits from the past decade or so - Jet doing Are You Gonna Be My Girl? A great riff, snarly vocals and a hook that you can beat with a stick and it still comes out hummable. What's not to love?

Thought you might have missed this one. I love it too.

12) Is this Gene Pitney? A very operatic, Orbison-esque big, big ballad. I know and mostly love Pitney's hits but don't know this. It's really grown on me with each listen. At least that's what I'd say if this were Gene Pitney.

It is Gene. I am a Gene Pitney fanboy and have all his 60's output. He didn't really make any great albums but there are a lot of good tracks scattered among them.

13) Yeah, baby. Smokey understands. Is this Motown's greatest artist? You could make that argument and win. More Love is an astonishing lyric. And the track - it's worth the price of admission just to hear the string arrangement. I went on a Smokey & the Miracles binge several Fridays ago and it sounded soooo good. Smokey understands...

Right again, of course. This was one of their more minor hits but a really good one.

14) Live Kinks from their 80 stadium days. I love this song (Victoria) but would prefer the studio version to this.

I'm the reverse, I like this version better.

15) The opening riff put me in mind of Thelonius Monk but it soon takes a turn to one of the craziest piano workouts I've ever heard. A little Boogie Woogie, a little barrelhouse and very jazzy at all times. The playing is so fast and so precise that it almost makes me dizzy. Who is this?

This is Art Tatum with "Tiger Rag." I've also got almost every note Tatum played. Just one of the best pianists ever, Jazz or otherwise. Listening to Tatum will humble any piano player.

16) Some sort of pre Prog Beatles damaged string laden pop. It's very pretty and well produced and I feel like I probably own this but can't place it. The song is a bit slight so it doesn't completely hold me but I'm curious to know if I own this and have forgotten it.

This is "Sing Little Bird Sing" by the Left Banke. I read about your attachment to "Walk Away Renee" in the Desert Island Discs and wanted to include one of their cuts. They have 8 or 10 really good songs.

17) A rocked up Peter Gunn theme. Seems like it might be a Brian Setzer solo jam or something. Probably not him but it is an interesting take.

This is Roy Buchanan, a name I'm sure you know. Roy always makes the underrated guitarist lists.

18) And speaking of The Meters! What a great, great band. At nearly eleven minutes long it gives everyone a chance to stretch out and play. And I have to say that Leo Nocentelli is one under rated guitar player. Everything they do seems so seamless and they make it sound so easy. It sure ain't easy to be this funky or this tight. They have few equals.

The Meters with "It Ain't No Use." It's one of my favorite Meters songs. I'm not usually a fan of long songs but this one is an exception.

Thanks for the kind review for this first timer. I am not surprised you figured out so many voices. As a first time mixer I was probably trying to please and entertain you more than challenge you. I should have cut out a couple and made it shorter too. It was a lot of fun to make.

Tracklist-
1. Fencewalk - Mandrill
2. She's Out There Somewhere - Buddy Guy
3. Hot Burrito No. 1 - The Flying Burrito Brothers
4. When The Bills Paid - Lee Dorsey
5. Samba Pa Ti - Santana
6. The Quicksilver Daydreams of Maria - Townes Van Zandt
7. Hobo Blues - John Lee Hooker
8. Temptation's Bout To Get Me - The Rascals
9. Ramblin' On My Mind - Lucinda Williams
10. Send Me A Postcard - Shocking Blue
11. Are You Gonna Be My Girl - Jet
12. I'm Gonna Be Strong - Gene Pitney
13. More Love - Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
14. Victoria - The Kinks
15. Tiger Rag - Art Tatum
16. Sing Little Bird Sing - The Left Banke
17. Peter Gunn - Roy Buchanan
18. It Ain't No Use - The Meters

[TG]

You were my first mixee for Mix Club and I'm glad you liked most of it. Choosing tracks for people you don't know is a challenge. Everything pretty much comes from my cd collection as I rarely download any music.

This is the late 60's/70's funk band Mandrill with "Fencewalk." They never made it very big but you probably know the name.

I caught Mandrill once at a club in Hollywood - I guess I wasn't dressed warm enough. Okay, that's not true. I just wanted to steal that joke. I do remember them and will likely check them out further. This was an interesting song.

It is Lee Dorsey with "When The Bills Paid." Written by Allen Toussaint and from Dorsey's Tourssaint produced 1970 album Yes We Can. The Meters are the musicians on the track/album.

I have the 45 of Yes We Can but have never heard the LP. I need to remedy that.

Your ear is hard to fool. It is TVZ with "The Quicksilver Daydreams Of Maria." I don't like everything he did but this is a favorite. Every time I hear this I'm whistling the simple melody for the rest of the day.

I didn't know that this was TVZ but thought it was someone like that. I need to resurrect an old thread about how to buy TVZ and start doing just that.

You're right, it's the Rascals off their album See. I am also a big Rascals fans and for all the great cuts they did this is one of their best IMO. Great singing, great arrangement, great song!

I can't thank you enough for including this track. It is such a great find. Is there anything better than finding a great, unheard track by a favorite band?


This is Art Tatum with "Tiger Rag." I've also got almost every note Tatum played. Just one of the best pianists ever, Jazz or otherwise. Listening to Tatum will humble any piano player.

As I said; this piano playing is dizzying. Listening to Tatum should humble almost anyone who plays any instrument.

This is "Sing Little Bird Sing" by the Left Banke. I read about your attachment to "Walk Away Renee" in the Desert Island Discs and wanted to include one of their cuts. They have 8 or 10 really good songs.

So, I do own this. I knew it was familiar. If I had a dollar for every time I found out I already owned something from a Mix Club CD I could make it rain.


Thanks for the kind review for this first timer. I am not surprised you figured out so many voices. As a first time mixer I was probably trying to please and entertain you more than challenge you. I should have cut out a couple and made it shorter too. It was a lot of fun to make.


A fine, fine mix for a first timer or a veteran. Making mixes for those whose tastes we don't really know can be daunting but you pulled off one of the finer mixes I've received. Thanks so much.

[Walk In My Shadow]

I was your mixer this month but got your name very late as someone else dropped out. I had to put it together quickly and noticed that bluesy material might just work fine. I am little bummed that you already knew so much of it. I'll have to dig waaay deeper next time.


You did a great great mix and it's the mix that counts, not how many I know.


06. I’m not too fond of Capt Beefheart but here he at least delivers a normal song.

I'm surprised you sussed out that this was the Captain. Knowing it's him I would, of course, recognize the voice but if I didn't know I'm not sure I would.

For years I was a member of a music quiz team (called Fab Four but that wasn't my idea). I've trained myself on recognizing voices


07. Slide blues, fairly standard format. Sounds like a hole in my pocket. Not so special.

I like this a lot. L.A.'s own Top Jimmy - one the blues beltingest white boys I've ever seen. His (and his band The Rhythm Pigs') Monday night residency at Hollywood's long gone Cathay de Grande club were something to behold. They are still spoken of in reverent tones by those who witnessed them. That he lived as long as he did was more amazing than that he died so young. [/i]

Something to look out for.

08. Slow bass and harmonica start it off. Also standard stuff but no idea who this is.

Canned Heat doing some more pretty extraordinary white boy blues. A cover of Sonny Boy Williamson's Nine Below Zero. This has a real ring of authenticity to me.

That's a surprise. Must look beyond the obvious Heat stuff.



12. It’s not Nick Lowe but still a good time little swing number. Curious who this is. Great.

A Cajun Swamp Pop "super group" called L'il Band of Gold. This is a cover of John Fred and the Playboy Band's Shirley. I saw these guys live several years ago in a nearly empty club but they still came out and played for the few of us who were there as though it was a full house. It took a long while to get the CD but it was worth the wait.

Great song, don't know the band at all.


14. This guy has got the right voice for this song. Gravelly but light on it. Ain’t nobody home is surely the title but I don’t know the artist. Great song though.

Sterling Harrison from his CD of several years ago called South of the Snooty Fox. He had a regular gig at a club down in the 'hood south of Downtown L.A. I don't remember the name of the club but it didn't matter. All you had to do was get on the correct street and it was in the building that was south of the Snooty Fox - a motel with an enormous, garish sign that you could see for blocks in either direction. And it is called Ain't Nobody Home.

Best discovery for me in this mix.


15. I’m a fan from his time with the Hollywood Blue Flames. It’s Michael ‘Hollywood Fats’ Mann with a swinging blues outro.

I'm shocked that you would recognize this. Very few do. And Hollywood Fats was another hellacious white blues boy from L.A. I guess we've had a few of them. I used to see him around town playing with likes of The Blasters and James Harman. The man could really wail - and does on this cover of Gatemouth Brown's Okie Dokie Stomp.

I'm flattered but I do love Hollywood Fats. I think I sort of got onto him via the Blasters.


I'm glad you enjoyed it even though there was very little new to you.

Again, don't worry about that. I'm actually jealous of you because you've seen many of these live and I didn't. But I wish I did. I only have their records to enjoy.