Friday Reggae # 31

Rush I some booze.

Tappa Zukie - 'Rush I Some Dub' (1976)

Blog

Torquay seafront, Monday

A strange few days of storms and, for the moment, calm; thundering to Devon under vast Constable skies to see my Mum in hospital and look after my Dad, not in the best of mental health and not coping well on his own. Back and forths to the hospital, making sure he ate something, throwing out all the food in the fridge with Best Before dates of faded memory.  If you have elderly relatives, you'll know the score. She's home now at least, struggling to navigate a paper bag-full of medication and Doing Too Much given two days ago she had three blood transfusions. It's a worry.

Thank you, Sir Richard, for this one - in the dark last night somewhere on the M4 between Bristol and Reading, me and a service station coffee and the blue light of my dashboard.

Richard Hawley - 'Don't Get Hung Up In Your Soul' (2009)

The Smiling Hour

From the pen of Tony 'Crossroads Theme' Hatch; Britain's Burt Bacharach, or the 70s Simon Cowell.

A davyh vinyl rip (crackles!) from the original Capitol LP.

Love that cover shot!

What would you say to a little drink?

Peggy Lee - 'Call Me' (1966)

Re-Make/Re-Model

Mojo Filter writes...

"Just a little tribute to the great electronic adventurer himself. I'm up for trying for those ultra-blue harmonic feedback-type fequencies that seem to come out of the shpeeeker. VEry Bluely in mine eareyes. L.O.V.E, love !!"

Yes.

I L.O.V.E. the way this blisses out/extends the frustratingly short but genius original whilst staying true to its spirit - a fine, fine piece of work that I'm sure Mr Eno likes.

Brian Eno - 'Another Green World (The Blue Realm remix)' (2011)

The Smiling Hour

Blue-blooded Blue Note, companeros - 100% proof.

I shall require a beverage.

Thelonious Monk - 'Straight, No Chaser' (1951)

Yet Never Blossom

Here are four minutes in which legendary Young Marble Giant/Weekender Alison Statton, practically a patron saint of these pages, sings a melancholy melody over woozy synth, ambient noise and a plucked lute? uke? from Spike. It's Basil Kirchin's 'I Start Counting' for the Rough Trade generation, probably.

I love it.

Alison Statton & Spike - 'The Seed Remains' (1997)

Nu Jazz Tuesday

I hadn't heard of Two Banks Of Four until yesterday and hadn't heard their music until today.

'I think this will be right up your street' writes glen grainger, whose splendid musical choices may also be sampled here.

And do you know what, given they're kinda mid-period Working Week meets Koop via St Germain, he's right, so right.

glen, you spoil us - thank you.

Two Banks Of Four - 'One Day' (2003)
Two Banks Of Four - 'Unclaimed' (2003)

[vocalist - Valerie Etienne]

5

This has been a blog on the internets for five of your Earth years. It's a long time, it's no time at all, it's flown by, it seems like forever.

I'd never have imagined I'd stick with it so long.

I've posted whatever I've been listening to and written about whatever I've been doing, thinking or feeling -  most of it stuff of little consequence - and you've kept dropping in, and I'm chuffed. I've said before and still maintain - your comments are the very best thing about this.

And thank you, fellow bloggers, for the music - there's been so much of it.....so many trails you've set me off on, so many previously unheard records I've taken entirely to my heart and now could not live without.

And when I've been blue you've made me laugh and when I've disappeared up my own arse (which I may well be currently doing) you have pulled me out (hmm, attractive image).

That's What - as the very great Burt Bacharach once said, or was it Carole Bayer Sager - Friends Are For.

Thank you.

Lograremos un gran final
No nos moveran
Sabiendo que vamos a vencer
Y venceremos
Y venceremos
Y venceremos...

Working Week - 'Venceremos (We Will Win) (jazz dance special 12" edition)' (1984).

Bert Jansch (3rd Nov 1943 – 5th Oct 2011)

"Playing with Bert was like a long walk through the woods. Mysterious, ancient & natural. Leaves would fall but the sun could come out too" - Johnny Marr.

Bert Jansch - 'Running From Home' (1965)

Blog

Looking to avoid the cost of Mr Dyno-Rod, I spent most of yesterday morning trying to unblock our drain. Unsuccessfully.

I have a bruised and swollen forearm from trying to reach down the bloody thing and still imagine I can smell its vomity-oily smell, despite the two showers and bath I’ve had since.

Mid-work today I ran out of printer toner and have spent and hour and a half trawling round local shops looking for a replacement. They haven’t got one right now, but they can order one in.

There’s only cheese for lunch.

My life is impossibly glamorous.  

This calls for 80s indie.

The Flatmates – ‘Heaven Knows (Tranquiliser Mix)’ (1988)