78 RPM Records

I love the 78 RPM records. I have a small collection of collection of them, but i play them only rarely. One of my brothers has an old-time player and a better collection than I do. Thus, we can go over there and have dance parties during a power blackout. He uses the hand-cranked players!

I recently read this book, DO NOT SELL AT ANY PRICE:

Reading brought me to some good stories of the 78 RPM record collectors. Many of these people were already on my radar, per my collection of very old records, which were digitized and shared on CD, LP and on internet audio.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_Not_Sell_At_Any_Price

Do Not Sell At Any Price: The Resurrection of the 78 rpm Record

The Great 78 Project!

Home

https://archive.org/details/thegreat78project-arsc-2017

https://excavatedshellac.com

https://web.library.yale.edu/cataloging/music/historyof78rpms

https://nationaljazzarchive.org.uk/posts/articles/2021/11/how-the-78-rpm-record-helped-popularise-jazz

There are many genres that are popular on the 78 RPM records: blues, early jazz, country, western and hillbilly songs, world music (from everywhere), dance music, pop music, strange instrumentals, novelty records, spoken words and comedy records and much more!

Jean Dubuffet and Asger Jorn 1961

Artist Jean Dubuffet made some really unusual music. My friend Jacques Karamanoukian used to play some it for me, back in the 1990’s. I’ve been looking for it and researching it a bit.

https://www.soundohm.com/article/asger-jorn-jean-dubuffet

Asger Jorn & Jean Dubuffet: Musique Phénoménale

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Dubuffet

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asger_Jorn

Cuban Music

I enjoy a lot of old music from Cuba and the whole Cuban tradition. I’ve heard a variety of recordings, but I’m especially interested in the Afro-Cuban jazz tradition. Some are from Cubans in exile, and some was recorded in Cuba. Chano Pozo, Mario Bauza and Frank Grillo aka Machito are a few favorites. 

Bebo Valdes and his son Chucho Valdes both have some excellent work as both players and composers. The late Bebo Valdes recorded in the 1950’s and had a revival from 1995 to 2008. Bebo Valdes was also an arranger and bandleader. He was a close friend with Cachao (born Israel López Valdés) who was a major force. Cachao, with his brother Orestes López Valdés developed the Mambo in the late 1930’s, naming a danzon Mambo in 1938.

In 1990, I saw the Mario Bauza Orchestra play at Clark Park in Detroit and took some good photos of that show. Mario Baza started off playing with big bands, mainly those of Chick Webb and Cab Calloway. He played trumpet and other instruments. As an arranger and composer, he did important work with Machito and with Dizzy Gillespie.

I got to see Cachao and his Orchestra play at Hart Plaza. I believe that it was part of the African World Festival series. I went to that with my friend the late Jacques Karamanoukian. Jacques loved Cuban jazz music.

Cuban music is often tied to dance especially the rhumba and the cha-cha-chá. I’m not dancing so much now but I’m still grooving, studying and listening.

Here are some other great Cuban musical artists and bands:

Arturo “Chico” O’Farrill, Pérez Prado, Enrique Jorrín, Mongo Santamaria, Los Van Van, Irakere, pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba and the Buena Vista Social Club.

Some excellent Cuban singers: Benny Moré, Celia Cruz, Ibrahim Ferrer and La Lupe.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afro-Cuban_jazz

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhumba

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tumbao

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Cuba

Benny Moré:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benny_Mor%C3%A9

Bebo Valdés:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bebo_Vald%C3%A9s

Cachao:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cachao

Mario Bauza:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario_Bauz%C3%A1

The Mambo started in Cuban and the sound and style became more popular:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mambo_(music)

I really liked the compilation “Cuban Music 1909-1951” that came out in the year 2000. It was assembled by the late music historian Michael Brooks. 

Also excellent was I AM TIME, a fine 4 CD compilation from 1997, a review:

https://www.elsewhere.co.nz/essentialelsewhere/2144/various-cuba-i-am-time-1999/

Mario Bauzá at Clark Park, Detroit 1990

Music, and other Sounds

Both of my ears hear many things: from across the room or across the table, through headphones or far in the distance. Music is amazing and makes life more pleasant or endurable.

The other sounds are often interesting too: insect or bird song, various animal noises and calls, crashing and smashing, thunder, winds, the splashes of rain, whispers, snoring, varieties of human speech, whistles, squeaks, screeches, roars, laughter. I keep listening. I’m often surprised.

No Names Named

I’m such an extreme “music nut” that I’m practically a musicologist. I’m opinionated. There’s plenty that I ignore or even disdain. I try to be polite about it if asked saying “This music is not to my taste!” I read books and articles about music and music history, and I keep listening. I keep my ears open. I love a lot of music.

I’m not a big classical music guy but I do have a sense of it and know a lot of the greatest hits. I like the moody works, the oddballs and experimenters.

I like a lot of old music, recorded before 1940. This includes world music as well as American music. I like a lot of the popular songs: show tunes for the stage and for the movies. These are often taken up as jazz standards, both vocal and instrumental.

I’m crazy for blues and jazz. These genres cast a wide net and encapsulate a lot of my favorite stuff.

I like a lot of movie soundtrack music, both the songs and orchestrations.

I like much of the classic country and western work from the 1920’s to the 1970’s. I’m more selective as regards the country music of the last fifty years but there are artists and songs that I like. There’s plenty of great work in the folk music tradition as well.

Jump blues, swing and novelty tunes helped spawn the development of early rock ‘n’ roll. I’m really into the major 1950’s rocking recording artists including such genres as doo-wop music and rockabilly. The “girl groups” came to be popular in the 1960’s. I love much of their work as well.

Of course, there’s been a lot of good rock music over the last 70 years. I know what I like and keep discovering new stuff. Genres include punk rock, power pop, garage rock and psychedelic sounds.

Gospel, soul, disco, rhythm and blues have also given us many amazing works and artists. Memphis, Detroit, Chicago and Philadelphia are some of the cities that first come to mind, sites and sources.

I love a lot of music from all over the world: South America, Africa, Europe, China and various far flung places have all produced sounds and songs that I love.

My favorite hip hop music is the early stuff from the 1970’s to the 1990’s. There’s been good to excellent stuff since then but I’m selective. It’s interesting how rap has traveled from New York to the rest of the United States and then around the world. There are rap artists that I like who rap in Spanish, who come from Canada or other countries.

I like experimental music and the whole avant-garde tradition: those who start off as academic and studied and then go somewhere else and (especially) the outsiders, the eccentrics and the tricksters.

Some music serves a purpose. If I’m reading or making some visual art, it’s usually better to have music without words, just the music. If there’s singing, it works better in a language where I don’t understand most of the words. There’s a large variety of music with a great mood and beat, which makes it good for dancing, whether slow or fast. Medium tempo dance music can also cut a good groove. Some of us have favorite music for doing housework or dishes.

People have music they like for exercising. Be careful about wearing headphones out walking, running or biking. If someone honks their horn at you or yells “Watch out!” you want to be able to hear it. Headphones are great, but if you’re not careful about the volume, you could damage your hearing. Some music sounds better when played fairly loud (or very loud) over some good home stereo speakers. I listen to music on vinyl, CD, radio and audio cassette more than I do on streaming it and downloading it.

There’s nothing like a good 78 RPM or 45 RPM dance party or listening party.

I’m sure that I’m forgetting to mention whole genres and types of music that I love or like.

Music! What would we do without it?

Detroit Jazz Greats

This blog returns, after a long absence. I’ll try to post something most months. Thanks for reading. This is part two of two per exploring Detroit music history. This study is connected with a physical exhibit that was briefly on display at the library of the McNichols campus of the University of Detroit Mercy.

From the Lutz Bacher Collection

In the 1920’s McKinney’s Cotton Pickers were huge.  They were a top-notch big band based in Detroit.  They reformed, with some original member Dave Wilborn, in the 1970’s as the New McKinney’s Cotton Pickers.  Wilborn, who sang and played banjo, died during a performance.

Other Detroit Jazz groups have included such bands as Griot Galaxy, the Contemporary Jazz Quintet, the Guerilla Jam Band, the Hot Club of Detroit and the Planet D Nonet. Many other local bands exist that were named after the bandleader and/or band members.

The singer Sippie Wallace moved to Detroit in 1929, in her early 30’s.  She lived here for nearly 50 years.

Born in Detroit:

Tommy Flanagan, Piano

(1930-2001)

Barry Harris, Piano

(1929-2021)

Hugh Lawson, Piano

(1935-1997)

Roland Hanna, Piano

(1932-2002)

Kenny Cox, Piano

(1940-2008)

Bob Seeley

(Born in 1928)

Alice Coltrane, Piano and Harp

(1937-2007)

Dorothy Ashby, Harp

(1932-1986)

Milt Jackson, Vibraphone

(1923-1999)

Curtis Fuller, Trombone

(1932-2021)

Donald Byrd, Trumpet

(1932-2002)

Julius Watkins, French Horn

(1921-1977)

Doug Watkins, Bass

(1934-1962)

Major Holley, Bass

(1924-1990)

Roy Brooks, Drums Etc.

(1938-2005)

Sonny Red, Saxophone

(1932-1981)

Kenny Burrell, Guitar

(Born in 1931)

Frank Isola, Drums

(1925-2004)

Louis Hayes, Drums

(Born in 1937)

James Carter, Saxophone Etc.

(born in 1969)

Regina Carter, Violin

(born in 1966)

Johnny O’Neal, Piano etc.

(Born in 1956)

Wendell Harrison, Saxophone Etc.

(Born in 1942)

Lyman Woodard, Organ

(1942-2009)

Marian Hayden, Bass

(born in 1952)

Faruq Z. Bey (Saxophone)

(1942-2012)

A. Spencer Barefield

(Born in 1953)

Jaribu Shahid, Bass

(born in 1966)

Allan Barnes, Saxophone

(1949-2016)

Kenny Garrett, Saxophone, Flute, Piano Etc.

(born in 1960)

Raised in Detroit:

Yusef Lateef, Saxophone, Flute, Etc.

(1920-2013)

Marcus Belgrave, Trumpet

(1936-2015)

Howard McGhee, Trumpet

(1918-1987)

Paul Chambers, Bass

(1935-1969)

Charles McPherson, Saxophone

(born in 1939)

Lucky Thompson, Saxophone

(1924-2005)

Wardell Grey, Saxophone

(1921-1955)

Terry Pollard, Piano

(1931-2009)

Geri Allen, Piano

(1957-2017)

From Hamtramck:

Bob Zurke, Piano, Etc.

(1912-1944)

From Ferndale:
Ron Carter, Bass

(Born 1937)

From Highland Park:

Pepper Adams, Baritone Saxophone

(1930-1986)

From Saginaw:

Sonny Stitt, Saxophone

(1924-1982)

From Flint:

Betty Carter, Singer

(1929-1998)

She was from Flint but grew up in Detroit.

From Pontiac:
The Jones brothers were all important musicians with long careers.  Hank Jones on piano, Thad Jones on trumpet and Elvin Jones on drums.

Geri Allen, Piano

(1957-2017)

She was from Pontiac but grew up in Detroit.

From Royal Oak and Bloomfield Township:

Brad Felt, Tuba and Euphonium

(1956-2011)

Others related to or connected with Detroit include Jean Goldkette, Joe Henderson, Sam Sanders, Frank Foster, J.R. Monterose, George Benson, Lary Nozero (saxophones), Bud Spangler, Danny Spencer, Francisco Mora Catlett (drums), Pamela Wise (piano), Ron English (guitar), Charles Moore (trumpet) and Phil Ranelin (trombone).  These people spent a lot of time here, sometimes for most of their musical careers.

Planet D Nonet at the DSO Sosnick Courtyard July 7, 2023

Various Musicians and Singers from Detroit

This blog returns, after a long absence. I’ll try to post a few times a year. Thanks for reading.

I did a companion listing of jazz musicians in Detroit. I’ll put that up in this space soon. I did this Fourth Street Fair flyer. I was involved with organizing this fair and often performed there. I’m a performer myself. I’ve done a one-man puppet show since 1987. I’ve been the front man-main singer for the Spaceband since 1998. I was in the Don’t Look Now Jug Band in the 1990’s and the 2000’s.

Born in Detroit

Joe Weaver, Piano-vocals etc.

(1934-2006)

Johnny Bassett, Guitar-vocals etc.

(1935-2012)

Hank Ballard, Singer

(1927-2003)

Cub Koda, Guitar, Singer-Songwriter etc.

(1948-2000)

Suzi Quatro, Guitar, Singer-Songwriter etc.

(Born in 1950)

Dennis Coffey, Guitar

(Born in 1940)

Johnny Trudell, Various Instruments

(1939-2021)

James Jamerson, Bass

(1936-1983)

Johnny “Bee” Badanjek, Drummer

(Born in 1948)

Jim McCarty, Guitar

(Born in 1945)

Bob Seger, Guitar,Singer-Songwriter etc.

(Born in 1945)

Sixto Rodriguez, Guitar, Singer-Songwriter etc.

(1942-2023)

Aaron Ibn Pori Pitts

(1941-2022)

Wayne Kramer, Guitar, Singer-Songwriter etc.

(1948-2024)

Michael Davis, Bass

(1943-2012)

Don Was, Bass etc.

(Born in 1952)

Allee Willis, Songwriter

(1947-2018)

Sylvia Moy, Songwriter

(1938-2017)

Brian and Eddie Holland, Songwriters

(Born in 1941 and in 1939)

Lamont Dozier, Songwriter

(1941-2022)

Nathaniel Mayer, Singer

(1944-2008)

Maruga Booker, Drummer etc.

(Born in 1947)

Florence Ballard, Singer

(1943-1976)

Henry Fambrough, Singer (The Spinners)

(1938-2024)

J.J. Barnes, Singer

(1943-2022)

El DeBarge, Singer-Songwriter etc.

(Born in 1961)

Fernando Saunders, Guitar Bass etc.

(Born in 1975)

James Gurley, Guitar, (Big Brother and the Holding Company)

(1939-2009)

Glenn Frey, Guitar etc.

(1948-2016)

Jack White, Guitar, Singer-Songwriter etc.

(Born in 1975)

Donald Angelo Schwenk aka DAS, Singer-Songwriter etc.

Sufjan Stevens, Singer-Songwriter etc.

(Born in 1975)

Raised in Detroit

Bulee “Slim” Gaillard, Guitar, Singer-Songwriter etc.

(1911-1991)

Aretha Franklin, Singer

(1942-2018)

Little Willie John, Singer

(1937-1968)

Bettye Lavette

(Born in Muskegon, Michigan in 1945)

Otis Williams, Singer

(Born in 1941)

Ivy Jo Hunter, Singer-Songwriter-Producer

(1940-2022)

Sweet Pea Atkinson, Singer

(1925-2020)

Anita Baker, Singer

(Born in 1958)

Billy Davis, Guitar, Singer-Songwriter etc.

(Born in 1938)

Aaliyah, Singer

(1979-2001)

Connected with Detroit

John Lee Hooker, Guitar-vocals etc.

(1917? to 2001)

Eddie Kirkland, Guitar-vocals etc.

(1923-2011)

Jack Scott, Singer

(1936-2019)

Doctor Ross, Guitar-vocals etc.

(1925-1993)

Bobo Jenkins, Guitar-vocals etc.

(1916-1984)

Singer Philippé Wynne

(1941-1984)

Singer Marvin Gaye

(1939-1984)

David Ruffin, Singer

(1939-1984)

Melvin Davis, Singer

(Born in 1942)

Fred “Sonic” Smith, Guitar, Singer-Songwriter etc.

(1948-1994)

Ron Asheton, Guitar, Singer-Songwriter etc.

(1948-2009)

George Clinton

(Born in 1941)

Meg White, Drums etc.

(Born in 1974)

Joel Peterson, Bass etc.

From Saginaw

Stevie Wonder

(Born in 1950)

From Highland Park:
Jackie Wilson

(1934-1988)

From Hamtramck:
Mitch Ryder

(Born in 1945)

From Trenton/ Wyandotte:

Frank Pahl, Special Instruments, Composer etc

(Born in 1958)

From Livonia:
Warren Defever, Musician and Producer etc.

(Born in 1969)

From Oakland Township, Michigan:

Joe Henry, Guitar, Singer-Songwriter etc.

(Born in 1960)

Then there’s:

Barry Gordy, Jr.

(Born in 1929)

David DiChiera, Composer etc.

(1935-2014)

Bands/ Musical Groups from Detroit include the Donays, the Falcons, Nolan Strong and the Diablos, the Capitals, the Midnighters, the Four Tops, the Temptations, the Miracles, Martha and the Vandellas, the Velvelettes, the Supremes, the Funk Brothers, the Spinners, DeBarge, the Contours, the Jones Girls, the Detroit Wheels, Third Power, the Stooges, MC-5, the Frost, Frijid Pink, SRC, the Rockets, the Romantics, the Don’t Look Now Jug Band, The Luddites, the Layabouts, Was (Not Was), Funkadelic, Parliament, the White Stripes, Black Merda, Death, the Dirtbombs, the Detroit Cobras, Destroy All Monsters, Demolition Doll Rods, Adult, Outrageous Cherry, Negative Approach, the Laughing Hyenas, Bootsey X and the Lovemakers, the Mutants, Cinecyde, Electric Six, the Frut, the Gories, the Spaceband and Griot Galaxy.

Techno DJ’s include Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson, Derrick May, Carl Craig, Robert Hood, Latroit, Mike Huckaby and DJ Minx.

Rappers include Eminem, Danny Brown, Lizzo and J Dilla.

Honorable mentions: Larry Gabriel, Jimbo Easter, ? and the Mysterians (Bay City/Saginaw), Timmy Vulgar and Ralph Koziarski.

Sixto Diaz Rodriguez aka Rodriguez passed away during the run of this 2-week long exhibition at the library of the McNichols Campus of the University of Detroit Mercy. This project is dedicated in his memory.

A Playlist for Dangerous Times 2017-2020

If we had a “normal Republican President” it would still be difficult for many of us.  Yet this administration, now one week old, seem to have confused being against the Democrats with being against Democracy.

Art and culture will inspire us, wake us up and move us to action.  Don’t wait for art and music to move you, though.  It’s extremely important to make the right moves in these early stages.   Internet petitions and emails may not have much effect.  Yet  they can’t hurt.  Go back to postal mail.  Piles of letters are more impressive.  Make phone calls.  Go to rallies.  Hit the ground running.  Keep your eyes and ears open.

Talk to people, network, unite, strategize and get to work.  Now’s the Time.

January 29th, 2017

I’ll put out one of these playlists early in the year for the next four years.  I’m sure that there’ll be plenty of new songs and new music that will make the cut.   Some powerful work has not yet been written, performed or recorded.

As for this  year’s list, I’m sure I’ll add to it and refine it throughout 2017.  I’d like to add the release dates next to each song or piece of instrumental music.  This first list will be assembled very quickly, just off the top of my head.

I need to actually get all of these pieces of music together and put them on an actual CD or cassette or in an actual digital file.  Sounds are sound.  Listen up!

1. The Danger Zone by Ray Charles
2. Respect by Aretha Franklin
3. The Fool on the Hill by The Beatles
4. Thin Line Between Love and Hate by The Persuaders
5. Hate is the New Love by The Mekons
6. Now’s the Time by Charlie Parker
7. The Time Has Come Today by The Chambers Brothers
8. Get Up, Stand Up Bob Marley and the Wailers
9. There is Power in a Union by Joe Hill
10. How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live by Blind Alfred Reed
11. This Land is Your Land by Woody Guthrie
12. Winter in America by Gil-Scott Heron
13. Your Cash Ain’t Nothin’ But Trash by The Clovers
14. Lindbergh by Woody Guthrie
15. The Bourgeois Blues by Leadbelly
16. Alabama by John Coltrane
17. The Times They Are A-Changin’ by Bob Dylan
18. Bad Moon Rising by Creedence Clearwater Revival
19. Sign o’ the Times by Prince
20. Fight the Power by The Isley Brothers
21. People Have the Power by Patti Smith
22. (For God’s Sake) Give More Power to the People by The Chi-Lites
23. Fight the Power by Public Enemy
24. Dancin’ In the Street by Martha and the Vandellas
25. You Haven’t Done Nothing by Stevie Wonder
26. It’s After the End of the World by Sun Ra and his Intergalactic Research Archestra
27. The Revolution Will Not Be Televised by Gil-Scott Heron
28. Television, the Drug of the Nation by the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy
29. La Femme Fétal by Digable Planets
30. What’s Going On by Marvin Gaye
31. What the World Needs Now is Love by  Jackie DeShannon
32. Stop this Car Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers
33. Let’s Face the Music and Dance by Fred Astaire
34. A Change is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke
35. Hit the Road Jack by Ray Charles

Notes:  Number 31 What the World Needs Now is Love was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David.  Number 33 was written by Irving Berlin in 1936, A quote from the Mekons’ song Hate is the New Love:  “Everyday is a battle/How we still love the war.”

 

 

Stop This Car, I’m Getting Out!

 

D T

This post will let you in on my creative process.  A lot of my poetry and song lyrics come from playing word games like this.  Sometimes I do so with pen and paper. Sometimes I just work them out in my head. Sometimes I use a dictionary, not this time though. Sometimes, like now, I go totally freestyle.  This list was written very quickly, in 10 or 15 minutes, on November 22, 2016.  My spontaneous mind is often very musical, in its way.

Riffing on the letters D and T, aka DT:

Delirium Tremens

Darn Tootin’

Deep Trouble

Dead Trout

Don’t Torture

Dastardly Trolls

Dangerous Times

Defensive Thinking

Dirty Tricks

Doom Train

Deadly Truths

Damned Tired

Dark Treats

Deliberate Tests

Delusional Theories

Dull Tunes

Dreary Tarantulas

Damaged Things

Doll Tales

Drunken Twerps

Dumb Toys

Deranged  Tomorrows

Dank Tombs

A Postscript:  Here are some runners-up and too the ones that I thought of later including Do Tell, Dog Tricks, Dream Time, Don’t Try, Deadly Toys, Down Time, Defensive Tackle, Deranged Threats and Dopey Theatre.

Gamelan Music of Indonesia

A Gamelan Orchestra, East Java, circa late 1800’s.

I’ve long loved the Gamelan music.

I have a small collection of recordings on vinyl, cassette and CD.  One of my favorites is Music from the Morning of the World, recorded in Bali in 1966.

It’s wild and magical music.  It has its own unique sound and sense of rhythm.  I love the unusual instruments and orchestration as well.  It gets quiet at times.  The mood is slow, delicate and lyrical.  Other times it get quite frenzied and intense.  It’s very high energy.

I’d like to read a book or two about this music.  Then I’d like to listen to a lot of it, just bury myself in it.

Then, after intense study, maybe I’ll revisit this topic.  Someday I hope to follow up this post.

Information:

http://www.balibeyond.com/gamelanhistory.html

http://asianhistory.about.com/od/arthistoryinasia/p/History-of-Gamelan.htm

http://pitchfork.com/thepitch/298-gamelan-electronic-musics-unexpected-indonesian-influence/

The Instruments:

http://homepages.cae.wisc.edu/~jjordan/gamelan/instrum-photo.html

Interesting:

http://www.seasite.niu.edu/indonesian/budaya_bangsa/Gamelan/Main_Page/main_page.htm

https://bibliolore.org/2012/08/22/debussy-and-gamelan/

A selection of Gamelan music out on CD:

http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/category2/8560/a/Gamelan.htm

I’m sure there are also non-CD recordings available, including plenty of downloads.

Robert E. Brown:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_E._Brown

David Lewiston:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Lewiston