Aurgasm

It’s been unseasonably warm in the Northeast and the dry air necessitates humidifiers which then inevitably lead me to mimicking some deep toking. All in all, the perfect ambiance to absorb some new new reggae and dub CDs my roommate Adam just acquired. I heard this tune snaking out of his room just an hour ago. Oddly enough, it’s not from his CDs, but rather playing from the theme of the 80’s series “The Secret Life Of Machines” (recommended!). This is basically a roots reggae cover of the Dave Brubek Quartet classic “Take Five”. While Brubek’s name is usually attached to the tune, it’s genius was actually conceived by writer Paul Desmond, who was one of my first posts on Aurgasm.

I came home from work grumpy and needed something upbeat. A track I couldn’t ignore. A clever hook I couldn’t help but smile at. Some percussion to make me nod my head and tap my fingers. I found exactly what I needed in Koop’s “Come to Me”. Horns. Cymbals. Hand claps. Classy, seductive vocals. It’s really just jazz, but it’s smooth and clean. When you tire of the syrupy sweetness, “Drum Rhythm A” is a crisp palate cleanser. Both these tracks glide off the new release Koop Islands.

What the nascent polish jazz group Muzykoterapia has already mastered is bringing the fun and dynamicism of live music to the studio, while maintaining a modicum of post-production that keeps your brain as busy as your body. In “Haunting Love”, vocalist Iza Kowalewska dominates a vamping piano, slathering on a sultry flavor while each rimshot bitchslaps your pleasure center. Raising the energy level, the MZT remix of Roman Two sets a fire in the lounge hall and expects your sweat to extinguish the flames.

Mara Carlyle has good and talented friends: her husband Andy is in Plaid and they both are friends with Matthew Herbert. Mara has tried many genres, singing with Plaid (who helped with the final touches of her debut album) and the Matthew Herbert Big Band project, Jamie Lidell and Dani Siciliano. She plays the piano, the saw, made jazzy ukulele cover of Lidell’s “Game for Fools” and in one of the interviews talks about her first DJing experiences. The Lovely (2004) is a mixture of jazz elements, classical styles, folk and electronica.

I don’t want to be too self-congratulatory, but I have heard that David Byrne reads Aurgasm and Nic Harcourt (of KCRW) frequents mp3 blogs. But it’s really unknown what use mp3 blogs have been, or will be, to the music industry at large. Let’s assume for a moment that producers follow mp3 blogs as much as they crate dig in their search of the next great sample. Follow me down this path, will you…

uk pop ← new orleans jazz
If you didn’t already hear, Lily Allen is ‘the next big thing’. Music geeks have been pushing her, wanting her songs will blow up in the US mainstream for a while. She’s definitely got the appeal potential: crisp and fun production underneath her own gritty urban storytelling. Her track “Knock ‘Em Out” was released as a B-side, but is now getting as much attention as her released singles.
Lily Allen – Knock ‘Em Out from Alright, Still (2006)
If you’ve been with Aurgasm for a while, that opening that forms the basis for the track might sound a little familiar. In December 2004 I shared a track by New Orleans pianist Professor Longhair. Take a listen:
Professor Longhair – Big Chief (1964)

cuban mambo → chicago hip hop
Around the same time, a little more south, a Cuban vocalist by the name of La Lupe was gaining notoriety for her energetic live show and, quite franky, her near-insanity. Before joining Tito Puente’s tour, her fan-base included Pablo Picasso, Jean-Paul Sartre and novelist Ernest Hemingway, who called her act, “the art of frenzy.” Last October, I dubbed her song “Fever” as an mp3 gem in The Link List.
La Lupe – Fever (1961)
Chicago’s Rhymefest is best known for penning Kanye’s Grammy-winning single “Jesus Walks”, but you’ll hear that La Lupe track repurposed in this new single off his LP.
Rhymefest – Fever from Blue Collar (2006)

Romance ain’t my thing, but even I’m susceptible to the charms of a romantic comedy. Hard to say if its the beautiful people, happy endings, extravagant lifestyles or playful dialogue that pique my interest, but for sure, the well-crafted soundtracks that accompany these movies make them easier to love. I discovered Madeleine Peyroux in the credits of 2005’s Monster-in-Law, but her warm, Billie Holiday vocal style makes her a soundtrack favorite. The two songs below from her LP Careless Love glisten with All-American nostalgia and romance.

I met Dennis Rollins last summer at the Edinburgh Fringe, after catching his phenomenal live show at the Baby Belly, deep in the South Bridge vaults. He has a beautiful enthusiasm about him, a real exuberance that gives away his love for what he does– and it comes out in his music, too, which is all smiles and energetic riffs. But he does soft and tender, too, and his cover of ‘Fast Car’ is as calm and thoughtful as you might expect.

Yeah, it’s Dizzy Gillespie, and yeah, it’s not exactly original to associate the waggling piano and ballsy horns of his mamboish jazz with summer— but if this doesn’t make you want to pop on some shades and go to a barbecue, you are broken. And when the party’s winding down, grass swaying warm, greeny-gray in the melting sky, switch to Willie Bobo and float a frisbee over to the host (he’s tired of cooking hot dogs). Talkin’ Verve is a limited run compilation, but worth snapping up if you’re low on Verve catalogue items.

The smoky vocal mysticism of Norah Jones and Natalie Merchant. Unique and developed songwriting ability. This young woman, Sonya Kitchell, has created a calm sound of maturity that you wouldn’t expect from a sixteen year-old. Yes, she’s sixteen. Not to let that be the novelty that propels her popularity–her talent alone can do that plenty. (Alas, the selling point of the talented Matisyahu was his novel cultural juxtaposition, not his firebrand musicianship. :-/) “Train”, from her upcoming album, chugs along fueled by a strummy guitar and Sonya’s full voice. Look for this one in your local Starbucks in a few months.
Young girl with an old soul.

Mr. Frank Sinatra once said that Lou Rawls had “the classiest singing and silkiest chops in the singing game.” High praise, but well deserved. Rawls hailed from Chigago where he was high school buddies with soul giant Sam Cooke; they later collaborated on “Bring It On Home To Me” which you can grab at Soul Shower. (If you’re looking for a treat, you can hear Lou and Will Ferrell in a one-on-one scat attack on the Anchorman DVD commentary.) The track below, “In The Evening When The Sun Goes Down” is a live recording of a finger-snapping mix of great jazz-blues and conversational improv. First heard it on WICN and knew I had to share it – never thought Lou’s passing would be the final impetus. He will be missed.
Smooth, classy elegance with an charming vocal personality.