Archive for the ‘Crate Diggin’’ Category
February 8th, 2010 | 1 Comment »
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Beyond Belief
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Shabby Doll
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Man Out Of Time
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Almost Blue
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Released in 1982
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Elvis Costello is a great all-around songwriter. His work features creative and catchy melodies, deftly honors a range of musical genres, and delivers lyrics that can be both narrative and poetic.
Imperial Bedroom is among his better LPs. Elvis’s artistic restlessness often results in his albums lacking in cohesion. But Imperial Bedroom succeeds due to its diversity and craft; no wonder it is regarded as one of Elvis’s best.
Released in 1982 — his seventh album in five years — Elvis teamed up with a new producer, Geoff Emerick. Emerick was an engineer on many of The Beatles’ later records (the first track he engineered was “Tomorrow Never Knows”), and his influence on Elvis Costello & The Attractions’ sound is clear.
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August 29th, 2009 | No Comments »
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If You’ve Got It, Flaunt It (Part 1)
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Do What You Wanna
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Uhuru
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Album: Another Voyage (1969)
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Ramsey Lewis is a bad-ass keys player and you’ve probably never heard of him. With 80 albums and three Grammy Awards to his credit, that’s a crying shame. Don’t feel guilty, though; he’s still touring, and you’ll be blown away by all the progressive music he’s given to the world.
I’m proud to say I have a bunch of Ramsey’s records. I’m trying to remember where I picked up this Crate Diggin’ gem, Another Voyage. I’m pretty sure it was the first Ramsey Lewis record I owned and that it was recommended to me by Cool Chris at San Francisco’s legendary Groove Merchant record store. Living around the block from one of the world’s foremost vinyl palaces wasn’t easy on my wallet. But I have no regrets.
Though the LP is credited to “The Ramsey Lewis Trio,” the other two cats deserve their props. Rhythm sections came and went, but at the time of Another Voyage, Ramsey was playing with some serious talent. Cleveland Eaton remains one of the jazz world’s most revered double bassists and was a member of The Ramsey Lewis Trio from 1966-1974. Maurice White joined Ramsey as his percussionist in 1966; Another Voyage was Maurice’s last album with Ramsey before he created a little outfit called Earth, Wind and Fire.
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July 29th, 2009 | No Comments »
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Get A Hold
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1nce Again (w/Tammy Lucas)
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Keeping It Moving
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Album: Beats, Rhymes & Life (1996)
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I’ll admit Beats, Rhymes & Life isn’t A Tribe Called Quest’s best album. Of the five original LP’s they released, I’d say it ranks around fourth. So why select this one over Peoples’ Instinctive Travels & the Paths of Rhythm, The Low End Theory, or Midnight Marauders?
Like other entries in the Crate Diggin’ feature, Beats, Rhymes & Life is a slept-on LP. Though none of the tracks is among the upper echelon of the Tribe’s best tracks (e.g. “Youthful Expression” “Check The Rhime,” “Electric Relaxation”, the list goes on and on), there are a few gems on Beats, Rhymes & Life that I still enjoy hearing. Ultimately, A Tribe Called Quest’s lesser tracks are still better than most rappers’ greatest hits.
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March 9th, 2009 | No Comments »
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Wishing On A Star
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Do Your Dance
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Album: In Full Bloom (1977)
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About six months ago, the music world lost Norman Whitfield. Whitfield was one of the driving forces behind the Motown label, writing and producing a jaw-dropping litany of hits including “I Heard It Through The Grapevine,” “Papa Was A Rolling Stone,” “Smiling Faces Sometimes,” and “War (What Is It Good For).” After leaving Motown in the early 70s, Whitfield stole some of the label’s underused assets and started his own eponymous shingle.
Whitfield Records biggest success was the 1976 soundtrack album for Car Wash, with the title track, “I Can’t Get Next To You,” and “I’m Going Down” representing on the singles charts. Their follow-up record, In Full Bloom didn’t include a hit as infectious as “Car Wash,” but still produced a few memorable tracks.
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February 16th, 2009 | 2 Comments »
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People Say
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Just Kissed My Baby
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Africa
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Album: Rejuvenation (1974)
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Though it’s not the most popular of The Meters’ records (I would guess it’s a tossup between Look-Ka Py Py and Fire On The Bayou), 1974′s Rejuvenation captures the transition from The Meters’ early, tight funk days to their later, jam-band incarnation.
Though The Meters haven’t released a studio album in the past 30 years, they continue to tour with some permutation of the original lineup. I’ve had the privilege of seeing them live on many occasions during the mid-1990s, and it is impossible not to seriously get down at a Meters show.
Though my perception of The Meters is rooted in their live performances, that’s a limited perspective, and there is no greater testament to this than the volumes of artists who have recorded with, covered, or sampled The Meters over the years: Paul McCartney, Labelle (The Meters were the studio band for “Lady Marmalade”), The Grateful Dead, A Tribe Called Quest, and many others.
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