|
|
 The story of the Kashmere Stage Band is already one of the best I’ve ever known: an all-Black group from Kashmere High School in Houston stuns the world in the 1970s by literally being awarded the title of America’s best high school band. In the process, the KSG recorded a slew of incredible singles and albums that helped sustain its legacy even after their legendary teacher/bandleader Conrad O. Johnson abruptly retired in the late 1970s.
However, the KSG story goes beyond just the handful of holy grail records they left behind. This [...]
Continue reading KASHMERE STILL ROCKS THE STAGE
 
John Legend and The Roots: Our Generation
Raphael Saadiq: It’s a Shame
Both from Levi’s Pioneer Sessions
These two come from Levi’s “Pioneer Sessions” series where they ask different artists to cover the songs that influenced them. Cool idea though, in my opinion, with uneven results. I really didn’t think the Legend/Roots’ cover of Ernie Hines’ “Our Generation” worked here. I’m always on the fence with Legend’s vocals – sometimes he does a great job with it, other times, it doesn’t quite work and alas, I feel like [...]
Continue reading JOHN LEGEND AND RAPHAEL SAADIQ: COVERING CLASSICS
(Editor’s Intro: I wanted to pull out two posts from a year ago in honor of the first anniversary of MJ’s death. Can’t believe it’s been a year already. –O.W.)
(Originally written 6/26/09)
From the time he was 10 Michael Jackson grew up in front of the world – first wonderfully, then weirdly, then woefully. His death at just 50 is hard to quite process. A tragedy? Yes but I’m not sure if it’s any more tragic than the grotesque implosion of the rest of his life. I thought Hua had it exactly right: “Different [...]
Continue reading M-J-5+1
The Staple Singers: Let’s Do It Again
From Let’s Do It Again OST (Curtom, 1975)
(Editor’s Intro: David runs one of my favorite audioblogs, Nerdtorious. He had a great summer songs post on his own site last summer and he seemed an obvious choice to invite for my series this year. For whatever reason, he leans towards latter summer jams and this one is a classic in the vein. –O.W.) “Let’s Do It Again” opens the film’s soundtrack, but for me, it nicely closes out summer. This 1975 Bill Cosby / Sidney Poitier film, the second [...]
Continue reading SUMMER SONGS 2010: DAVID MA
Leo’s Sunshipp: Give Me the Sunshine
From We Need Each Other (Lyons, 1978)
(Editor’s Intro: Jamie Strong is one of the main staffers at Stones Throw Records but in L.A., he’s probably even better known for running THE summer party series, here in the city: The Do-Over. Held every Sunday during the summer, the Do-Over has drawn the best DJs and crowds for a party that begins in the afternoon and grooves into the night. He seemed like an obvious person to ask for a summer song contribution and here he is, appropriately enough, [...]
Continue reading SUMMER SONGS 2010: JAMIE STRONG
The Kashmere Stage Band doc, Thunder Soul is screening this Saturday (as part of the LA Film Fest) at Ford Amphitheater and as an added bonus there’ll be a performance by the band. If you’re in L.A. (and uh, not going to the Sharon Jones show), you should definitely try to haul it out for this one.
Here’s a short PBS interview with the doc’s director:
The Bar-Kays: Street Walker
Jiving Round
From Gotta Groove (Stax, 1969)
I surprised myself when I realized that not only had I never written about this Bar-Kays album but I hadn’t even digitized a single song off of it. That’s only strange given that it ranks at the very top of my favorite Stax/Volt albums; along with the Mar-Keys’ Great Memphis Sound, I can’t imagine two more essential albums of funk-influenced soul instrumentals to emerge off the vaunted label.
What’s truly striking about several of the Bar-Kays’ songs is how f—-ing heavy [...]
Continue reading THE BAR-KAYS: FUNKY THANGS
|
gigs No gigs currently scheduled. I am available for private parties such as weddings, et. al. |
chatter