Tune of the Week: Miles in Transition

Much is made of the major phases of Miles Davis’ career: his two classic quintets, his modal compositions, his electrified sound. For me, some of the most enjoyable music was the stuff that happened in transition. “Fillles de Kilimanjaro” was a 1968 recording that saw Miles transitioning out of his second classic quintet and into a a more dark and brooding sound that would take him to some extreme places later. While electrified bass and keys hint at the sounds to come, the playing is laid back and subdued. Truly, the calm before the storm. Happy 100th, oh Prince of Darkness!

Tune of the Week: Miles at 100- The First Quintet

The late, great Miles Davis would’ve turned 100 this month. Amongst all the tributes, I feel like his first legendary quintet is getting neglected. Perhaps this is, in larger terms, impossible. Maybe everyone thinks that because of Coltrane’s involvement that this is already well-worn territory. While I do very much appreciate the second quartet and the tensions and textures that their style created, the first’s sheer effortlessness is forever fascinating. I particularly love the “Relaxin’ With” album. There was a decision to leave in false starts and studio chatter, which creates a certain anticipation that is utter satisfied with the burning performances that are subsquently captured, again, seemingly without any effort. Dig!

Tune(s) of the Week: Ooooh Raaaas!

Ras G was a pillar of the LA beat scene in the 00s. Heavily influenced by Sun Ra, Ras’ music took several directions simultaneously. From abstract sample collages to broken beat house to bass-heavy headnodders, Ras kept the buttons pushed on his trusty Roland SP-404. This eight and a half minute EP displays just a few of his styles. RIP Ras G!

Tune of the Week: William Onyeabor

William Onyeabor turned his semolina flour mill business into an opportunity to create synth-powered funk music. He self-released nine albums before devoting his life to religion. In the 2010s David Byrne’s label Luaka Bop made his recordings more widely available. You can read more about him here.

Tune(s) of the Week: RIP Bob Power

Thanks to the above track by A Tribe Called Quest, Bob Power is probably the most known audio engineer in all of Hip Hop. He also worked on one of the more complicated tracks De La Soul ever made:

The whole thing was done on archaic samplers. Bob at one point had the whole thing setup and then changed one thing and ruined it, having to re-do the entire process. The final product took a couple of days.

For the more tech savvy amongst you, here is a great interview with Bob from Tape Op Magazine with lots of great engineering tips.

Rest in Power, Bob!

Tune of the Week: Elaine Radigue RIP

Last week saw the passing of the great Elaine Radigue. She worked in long form with feedback, the Arp 2500, tape and, towards the end of her life, with instruments and musicians. Here’s is her sonic life story, as told by her:

Tune of the Week: Mamman Sani

Mamman Sani was one of the first electronic musicians from Africa, but no one knew until 2013. Sani created his tunes with an Italian made Orla organ. He makes the most with the least, playing looping keyboard patterns along with onboard rhythms. The results are as funky as they are soothing. Big up the incredible Sahal Sounds label for unearthing these gems!

Tune of the Week: RIP Ebo Taylor

Ebo Taylor was a cornerstone Highlife musician from Ghana. He was in London with Fela Kuti n 1962. His tunes from the 60s and 70s are funky and infectious. His legacy will live on through his music. Rest in Power!

Tune of the Week: Interstellar Space

With his final recordings in 1967, John Coltrane set up a framework for avant garde jazz musicians to follow for decades to come. “Interstellar Space” consists of four pieces recorded with Coltrane and drummer Rashied Ali. Both play as hard as possible. The resulting music is intense, forceful and filled with details. You can feel the gravity such as planet within the performance.

Tune of the Week: Curtis Mayfield

When Curtis Mayfield left The impressions he made a big splash with his first album, “Curtis”. Not only did he appear larger than life on the cover, but nearly half of the album was taken up with mini-epics. While “Get On Up” takes most of the fame these days, this tune sets the tone for the album in dramatic fashion. He really seems to be going straight to Motown’s head with the grandiose arrangement and heady political commentary. The fact is that these recordings pre-date “What’s Going On” by a whole year and 56 years later, it all still rings frighteningly true.

Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions were a big influence on Jamaican music, as evident in this cover by Lloyd Charmers in 1975:

Tune(s) of the Week: RIP Sly Dunbar

Sly Dunbar helped create more hits than most people in the entire recording industry have ever. Before getting involved with major artists from across the globe, Sly had his first hit at the tender age of fifteen with what is today still a major party starter. One year earlier, he made his first recording as an Upsetter for producer Lee “Scratch” Perry:

Rest in Power to a true GOAT!

Tune(s) of the Week: Dubs from Tubby's Studio

When King Tubby decided to build his own studio in his home he set up one of the most unique studio setups on the island. His studio served only for recording vocals and mostly for mixing dubs. This environment helped to create a particularly creative space for art of dub. Here are two of the most abstract mixes performed by Tubby’s most renown apprentices: Prince Jammy and Scientist. Jammy nearly takes the drums completely out of the mix and replaces it was long, distorting echoes. I’m not sure what effect Scientist has on those drums, but they sound otherworldly!

Tune of the Week: Dream Baby Dream

Suicide were not only one of the first synth-based bands, but also one of the first bands to adopt the moniker of “punk”. Formed in 1970, the duo of Alan Nova and Martin Rev combined contemporary electronics with a old school rock ‘n’ roll vocal delivery. Being based in a decaying New York City meant that instead of singing “oooh girl oooh” lyrics Vega sang about desperate characters in dire straits. Like the rest of the burgeoning punk rock scene, they performed at seminal venues such as CBGBs and Max’s Kansas City. However, when they hit the road audiences would be confused by the band to the point of inciting violence towards them. History has smiled upon the duo as their influence has helped shape countless alternative artists. This song has often been performed by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band during their arena-sized shows. Dare to dream!

Tune of the Week: Kooler Than Jesus

With all the bullshit going on in the news, let’s take a little break to listen to something fun.

It’s hard to think of many other industrial-dance acts that took themselves less seriously than My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult. There’s enough trash, sleaze and exploitation in the band name alone to make John Waters giggle. This track hit the record store shelves and dance floors in 1989 amid the Satanic Panic. It can still unnerve gullible parents and shake butts! Take a break from the bleak and embrace the absurdity!

Tune of the Week: RIP Ken Downie

Electronic music label Warp’s Artificial Intelligence series of the early 90s proved to be highly influential. It featured albums by the likes of Aphex Twin, Autechre and Richie Hawtin who all continue to be relevant in the present tense.

Many of the acts featured in series starting compilation went under pseudonyms. None were as elusive as the trio collectively known as Black Dog Productions. Their full length contribution to the series, “Bytes”, featured seven aliases over eleven tracks. One moniker, Plaid, broke off to become their own duo while Ken Downie went on as The Black Dog. Initially, Downie’s productions featured esoteric time signatures and world music leanings. Later, with The Black Dog becoming a trio once more, his music took on a much more ambient bent.

You can read more about Downie’s legacy in this more comprehensive article over at CDM.

Of all the artists featured in the Artificial Intelligence series, Ken Downie is a first of the gang to die. Rest in Power, Black Dog.

Tune of the Week: Exiles

More dramatic heaviness from the King Crimson quartet of the mid-70s. The singing tones of David Cross’s violin combined with the mids-heavy bass work by John Wetton creates some sort of sonic alchemy that does it for me every time! The live recordings are truly the best with this band. This one from the official live album USA really gets all the menace and dynamics these four players could achieve. This brand of dark seems appropriate for coming out of the darkness and into the light. See you next year!

Tune of the Week: Christmas in Hawaii

Think warm thoughts this holiday week with Tino Corp (aka Jack Dangers and Ben Stokes)!

Tune of the Week: Plastikman

When people speak of the history of electronic dance music, two midwestern cities pop up: Chicago and Detroit. One for the innovations of acid and house musics and the other for techno. Despite the fact that these two rust belt cities are often rivals on the court or playing field, the two emerging scenes were quite supportive of each other and symbiotic to each other’s development.

Richie Hawtin is a Canadian Detroit techno musician known around the world. For one of his first full lenght endevours Hawtin adopted the alias of Plastikman, which was wholly devoted to the Chicago acid house sound. Based on the same Roland instruments and bare bones production as the Windy City sound, “Sheet One” achieves a maximal impact based on simplicity.

Tune of the Week: RIP Steve Cropper

Steve Cropper is a true US music legend. As a guitarist, band leader and songwriter he was a core element of the hugely influential Memphis label Stax Records. He backed Booker T and Otis Redding in the 60s and The Blues Brothers in the early 80s. Here is talking about just a few of the highlights from his storied career:

Rest in Power, Steve!

Tune of the Week: RIP Jimmy Cliff

Jimmy Cliff was one of the first superstars of Jamaican popular music and definitely the longest living. Rest in Power!