Terry Callier (May 24 1945 - Oct 28 2012)

Heading back home from a big family blow-out lunch in deepest Country - first a train then, (occasional?) rain falling, a wait at the bus stop and in the back seat downstairs, never my favourite, an idle Twitter-noodle, to pass the time; to learn - this...

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Terry Callier -  'I'd Rather Be With You' (1973)

The Smiling Hour

Friday!

Half Term hols!

Vinyl-ripped rhythm & blues!

My shout!

Take it Esther!

Little Esther (Esther Phillips) - 'T'Ain't Whatcha Say It's Whatcha Do' (1956)

Midweek Groove

Something sparky for a gloomy Wednesday.

Vocals from 5:46 by producers the Mizell Brothers, who also sang on Bobbi Humphrey's splendid 'Harlem River Drive' which I tweeted earlier.

As well as producing groovy fusion records for Blue Note, Larry Mizell once worked as an electrical engineer and performed testing and reliability work on the Lunar Module for the Apollo space programme, fact fans.

Donald Byrd - 'Lansana's Priestess' (1973)

The Smiling Hour

It's been one hell of a week.

I shall require a beverage.

And some vinyl-ripped rhythm and blues (you'll like this one).

I do hope someone is going to the bar?

Otis Smith - 'You're So Good Looking' (1959)

Personal Message

The greatest Françoise Hardy song you've (probably) never heard.

Hello autumn.

Françoise Hardy - 'Message Personnel' (1973)

Smoke With Fire

The eldest daughter and I enjoyed Smoke Fairies (KCLSU, Tuesday). They sure can sing and play geetar, those gals (could maybe do with a sparkier tune now and then, but still...).

We also liked support band Bear's Den, not least because they had printed their own E.P sleeves with potatoes; not so much the overly shouty Tom Williams & The Boat.

It was a strange but lovely thing to be watching all this at the alma mater, in the hall we used for student discos and productions nearly thirty years ago - and with her ladyship, at her first proper 'gig'; by far the youngest person there (13, but don't tell), and right in front of the stage.

Life stuff eh?

She's going to see Green Day with her friends at the Emirates Stadium next summer, which'll be a bit different, I imagine.

Smoke Fairies - 'She Sells Sanctuary' (2012)

[The Cult!]

Soft Soul Sunday

Now We Are Six

A Soft Southern Jessie

Never mind your Twitters and your Spotifys and your Mixclouds, it were all fields round here six years ago.

And, with notable exceptions, your "mp3 blogs" mostly blethered on about 'indie' (younger readers, ask a grown up): I'd be chuffed if I've played even the teensiest part in helping to change that a tad.

There needed to be more reggae - and pop and soul and disco and funk and hip hop and jazz and Krautrock and country and post-punk and Eno and Sinatra and, er, Elizabethan choral music - in the blogosphere. And more foolish bar-talk and less standing around in black trying to look cool.

So here's to you, companeros, near and far: for your kindness and your comments and your.....friendship; and for the many, many splendid records you've played me in return.

My life is the better for this, and you.

So 'it it!

The Clash - 'Hitsville U.K' (1980)