Miles Davis - Star People

I went through quite a rigmarole getting hold of a copy of this. I ordered a copy off Discogs, and received a message from the seller saying they won’t be able send it for a few weeks, because they’re away, is that OK? Well, no. Got a refund and ordered another copy from a different seller. This seller contacts me this morning to say they’re out of town and would I like to come and collect it from his wife, who lives about 20 minutes away. Sure. I drive over and pick it up from a closed down shop. Looking past the wife into the store, it looks like a fucking treasure trove. Just as well they didn’t invite me in for a look, because I’d have left a few dollars lighter.

This album is Davis’ last before the big synth sounds and drum machines which prevailed on his eighties work had fully emerged. It's an album where they use the blues as a reference point throughout.

Two guitarists, John Scofield (his debut with Davis) and Mike Stern (formerly of Blood, Sweat & Tears) slug it out over a rhythm section of bass players, Marcus Miller (in his absolute pomp around this time) and Tom Barney (currently the bass player for The Lion King on Broadway, apparently), Mino Cinélu on percussion, and Al Foster (the John Bonham of jazz). Bill Evans is on here, but had a lot of his solos cut apparently (burn!), and Davis plays his horn and Oberheim synthesizer, sometimes at the same time.

There was an old British sketch comedy show, called The Fast Show, which had a regular feature called 'Jazz Club', which was a very accurate parody of jazz. The opening track on this album, Come Get It, is as close as you will get to Desolate Shore.It’s gone straight into my top ten favourite Miles Davis tunes. Niiice.

Miles Davis - You're Under Arrest

It is commonly said that this album was Davis’ stab at a commercial hit. As if him covering two of the day’s recent pop hits (Human Nature and Time After Time) was ever going to get him into the top ten. I don’t think this is the case, and I'll tell you why.

First off, the usual way for jazz players to score a money-generating crossover hit back in those days was via the dancefloor, hence you get jazz-fusion albums with soul singers added for a couple of tracks, see Wilton Felder (feat. Bobby Womack), Sadao Watanabe (feat. Roberta Flack), Ralph McDonald (feat. Bill Withers) etc, not by recording two instrumentals of slowish-tempo pop hits, slathered in John Scofield’s chorus pedal-laden guitar.

Secondly, no-one has ever said, “We need a pop smash, get John McLaughlin on the phone!” And McLaughlin is all over this album like a twiddly-jazz rash. Sometimes, it’s both him and Scofield. Jazz foot & mouth.

Thirdly, it’s always been part of jazz to take a slab of popular music and do something special with it. Davis has done this before: Porgy and Bess anyone?

Finally, Davis kept both of the covers in his set for the rest of his career, which he would be very unlikely to do if he didn’t value them highly.

So, let’s talk about the covers, shall we? Human Nature, was written by one of Toto and discovered and finessed under Quincy Jones’ keen eye, for inclusion on Thriller which gives it a bit of a ick-factor. However, it is arguably NOT just a Noncey McNonceface song, and it is helpful to untether the song from its most famous singer. Davis’ version of this is just wonderful. I just wish it were longer.

Cyndi Lauper, who wrote and first performed Time After Time, has undergone something of a revision of her status as an artist, so her work is no longer seen as pop drivel, as it largely was at the time, but as something of greater import. That’s fine: times change. However, it’s important to bear in mind that Davis had selected this song from the depths of the low-status, disposable shite pile, where it dwelled at the time.

I'm on my fourth or fifth spin of this album, and I like it a lot.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#music
#MilesDavis
#YoureUnderArrest
#Jazz
#JohnScofield
#JohnMcLaughlin
#CyndiLauper
#HumanNature
#TimeAfterTime
#QuincyJones

Miles Davis - Decoy

Follow my train of thought here if you will. After my Randy Hall post, I watched Miles and Chaka do Human Nature live on you tube, and came to the conclusion that I really should dedicate part of my life to having a proper listen to Davis’ 80s work.

I’ve pulled the Discogs trigger on copies of Star People and The Man With The Horn (featuring Randy Hall, of course) and am actively pursuing a copy of Tutu.

I picked up a couple of his LPs from this period (Decoy and You’re Under Arrest) in the late 80s, secondhand, when, to be honest, the angular rhythms, celestial synth sounds and slap-ping-pop bass that had sounded so new and exciting in 1984 were sounding distinctly old hat by that time and they already seemed like a bit of an error of judgement. Certainly, the person who fucked them off into the second hand record shop thought so.

I’ve played them occasionally, but they've tended to feel a little too much like hard work, especially when there’s so many other of his albums to listen to. But anyway, today’s the day I go balls-deep into Davis’ 80s product.

Allmusic’s review of Decoy is both scathing and quite funny.

There’s some whopping names on this album: Gil Evans, Bill Evans, Al Foster (RIP), and Branford Marsalis (whose soloing is low-key, but breathtaking, and my favourite thing about the album, I think.) But the dominant sounds are John Scofield (guitar), Darryl Jones (bass) and Robert Irving III (synthesizers). Davis’ horn sounds reverby and a bit distant.

I don’t know whether the time is right for this to sound fresh and lovely again, or whether I’ve evolved as a person enough to appreciate it fully, but I fucking loved this from start to finish. I’m now on my second play.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#music
#Jazz
#MilesDavis
#Decoy

John Spithead

2025-06-30 02:03:10

Getting Randy

Randy Hall - I Belong To You

Randy Hall once played with Miles Davis. How do I know this? It’s mentioned first and foremost in everything that has been written about ol’ Randy ever since. Mind you, fair enough – if I’d once collaborated with Miles, I’d have it tattooed on my forehead. And carry a big sign around with me.

I was inspired to drag this one out of the racks of wax by this post, which features Randy’s old band (before he collaborated with Miles Davis). This album comes about 4 years after he collaborated with Miles Davis. It’s produced by Ray Parker Jr, who was schmokin’ hot at the time, what with his Ghostbusters theme and all.

Randy has obviously had his hair done and gone clothes shopping for the cover shoot. Nice to see he made an effort, despite having the bona fides of having worked with Miles Davis.

I remember buying this on US import from JiFS in Chadwell Heath. I reckon it cost seven pounds fifty, just before the price of imports went up to eight quid.

Honestly, musically, I don’t mind it. It’s of an age.

Lyrically, though...fucking hell.

I’ve Been Watching You (Jamie’s Girl) tells the tale of Randy pursuing his best mate’s girlfriend (possibly – but this isn’t mentioned in the lyrics – by telling her that he once collaborated with Miles Davis), before old mate Jamie finds out, offers him outside for fisticuffs, which Randy wins, then gets all gloaty over his double-victory:

Ain't no sense in goin' home, Jamie, I got your girl and gone

A Gentleman is a lesson in non-toxic masculinity which has aged so badly, it could come from the 19th century:

Don’t forget to tip your hat – a gentleman is where it’s at.

Are you listening, Andrew Tate?

Intergenerational relationships are celebrated in a totally modern and non-kink-shaming way on Older Woman, Younger Man:

Its the new thing today, so baby if you’re able, come on and rock my cradle.

With the name Randy Hall sounding like a luxury swingers' club, it's no surprise that things get a bit hot under the collar and the album comes to its sticky climax with I Want To Touch You, essentially a slowjam singalong about finger-banging, which has more sex noises than are required in a song. (Possibly a recording of Randy looking at the sleeve notes of Miles Davis’ The Man With The Horn.)

Oh and in the thanks list on the back cover, the first name after the big G and Randy's fam is ‘Miles’.

I’ve really enjoyed playing this album this morning.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#RandyHall
#IBelongToYou
#MilesDavis
#Boogie
#music
#RayParkerJr

Various Artists - Street Sounds Vol. 1

I dug this out after it came up here.

Back at the beginning of the 1980s, Morgan Khan had a brainwave. Every couple of months he'd have a guess at what were looking to be the biggest dancefloor hits and license eight or so of them for release on his compilations. The kids (of which I was one) lapped them up.

We were so busy lapping that we didn't notice their shitty pressing quality, because that doesn't matter when you are playing them on a Fidelity stereo with a 2 pence piece Blu-tacked to the tone arm to stop it jumping. It was a different age.

Khan expanded this empire into Electro, Jazz, world music and - if I recall correctly - a magazine to take on Echoes and Blues & Soul. A look at the current Street Sounds website, shows they now do beer, clothing and slipmats.

I have quite a few Street Sounds albums, and they are able to transport me back to my youth like no other albums. This one for example perfectly encapsulates the early post-disco period. This came out the year I left school: the Falklands, Thatcher, Carlsberg and Marmite flavour crisps...it wasn't all Crass and Theatre of Hate.

It is an absolute travesty that neither Morgan Khan nor Street Sounds have a Wikipedia entry. If I could be arsed, I'd do something about that.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#music
#StreetSounds
#MorganKhan

John Spithead

2025-06-28 04:53:04

All mine

Inner Life - Moment Of My Life Extended Version 12"

Another Salsoul banger. I think I first heard this on the [https://www.discogs.com/release/112290-Various-Street-Sounds-Edition-1/url]]1982 Street Sounds 1 album.

Jocelyn Brown on lead vocals.

Sneaky Gospel.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#Salsoul
#InnerLife
#JocelynBrown
#ShepPettibone
#Boogie

Randy Hall - I Belong To You

Randy Hall once played with Miles Davis. How do I know this? It’s mentioned first and foremost in everything that has been written about ol’ Randy ever since. Mind you, fair enough – if I’d once collaborated with Miles, I’d have it tattooed on my forehead. And carry a big sign around with me.

I was inspired to drag this one out of the racks of wax by this post, which features Randy’s old band (before he collaborated with Miles Davis). This album comes about 4 years after he collaborated with Miles Davis. It’s produced by Ray Parker Jr, who was schmokin’ hot at the time, what with his Ghostbusters theme and all.

Randy has obviously had his hair done and gone clothes shopping for the cover shoot. Nice to see he made an effort, despite having the bona fides of having worked with Miles Davis.

I remember buying this on US import from JiFS in Chadwell Heath. I reckon it cost seven pounds fifty, just before the price of imports went up to eight quid.

Honestly, musically, I don’t mind it. It’s of an age.

Lyrically, though...fucking hell.

I’ve Been Watching You (Jamie’s Girl) tells the tale of Randy pursuing his best mate’s girlfriend (possibly – but this isn’t mentioned in the lyrics – by telling her that he once collaborated with Miles Davis), before old mate Jamie finds out, offers him outside for fisticuffs, which Randy wins, then gets all gloaty over his double-victory:

Ain't no sense in goin' home, Jamie, I got your girl and gone

A Gentleman is a lesson in non-toxic masculinity which has aged so badly, it could come from the 19th century:

Don’t forget to tip your hat – a gentleman is where it’s at.

Are you listening, Andrew Tate?

Intergenerational relationships are celebrated in a totally modern and non-kink-shaming way on Older Woman, Younger Man:

Its the new thing today, so baby if you’re able, come on and rock my cradle.

With the name Randy Hall sounding like a luxury swingers' club, it's no surprise that things get a bit hot under the collar and the album comes to its sticky climax with I Want To Touch You, essentially a slowjam singalong about finger-banging, which has more sex noises than are required in a song. (Possibly a recording of Randy looking at the sleeve notes of Miles Davis’ The Man With The Horn.)

Oh and in the thanks list on the back cover, the first name after the big G and Randy's fam is ‘Miles’.

I’ve really enjoyed playing this album this morning.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#RandyHall
#IBelongToYou
#MilesDavis
#Boogie
#music
#RayParkerJr

Tinselwig

2025-06-29 01:51:59

Sunday Coffee and Tunes - 29/06/25

Pleasure - Joyous

This is one of those records I'd keep picking up and then putting down cos I knew nothing about it but was drawn to the cover. I love the design of this album art!

I'd first seen it at a record fair years ago and the guy next to me digging said "ohhh that's great album you should get it" when I was checking it out. I didn't have enough money then to take a punt as it wasn't cheap and also wasn't sure about this random advice.

For the last few months I discovered it had been tucked away in one of our local stores which is more known for punk/metal/indie but has a small soul and jazz section. I finally gave it a listen the other week and it's tops! It brings the same "joyous" vibe that Donald Byrds Places and Spaces gives. It has a cast of thousands on it. Starts with an instant party mood lifter and ends with the track Selim which has crazy bass lines. 

This is a rerelease by Jazz Dispensary and one for the We Buy Records podcast bingo- mixed by Kevin Gray, proper inner sleeve, quality pressing, good price point etc.

#nowplaying #nowspinning #vinyl #records #pleasure #jazzfunk #soul #jazz

Flora Purim - Stories To Tell

Friendica has been out of action for a while, so I've got a bit of a backlog of tunes to post. Glad it's back, but I'm going to miss those 503 Service Unavailable messages. It means some of those #NowPlaying tags will be a bit of a lie.

I went onto Discogs over the weekend to have a quick look at what Flora Purim albums I don’t have and discovered that I own this. Turns out it had been mis-filed.

A really decent album. Brazilian-Fusion with the emphasis on the Brazilian. Flora calls back to her work with Chick Corea/Neville Potter’s Scientology-fusion Return To Forever work on the super-angular-funky title track.

It has Earl Klugh listed as guitarist. I’ve got a couple of his albums and they tend to be verrrrry melllllow affairs. I was onto the second side when I thought, “Bloody hell, Earl, you’re going for it a bit.” Turns out Carlos Santana was swapped in for that track.

Looks like I paid $20 for this, probably in Mr V’s in Semaphore. Bargain.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#Music
#FloraPurim
#StoriesToTell
#JazzFusion
#BrazilianFusion

Flora Purim - Open Your Eyes You Can Fly

A prime slice of mid-70's Brazilian-fusion, featuring all the usual suspects, or, as it says under the personnel photo on the inside of the gatefold, 'Flora and some of her associates...'

This album has Flora covering the Chick Corea/Neville Potter Scientology-singalong, Sometime Ago from the Return To Forever album of a couple of years prior.

The sticker on the cover shows I paid $8 for this. I reckon it was from Porthole Records in Port Adelaide in about 2010.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#FloraPurim
#JazzFusion
#BrazilianFusion

John Spithead

2025-05-03 01:26:05

What shall we see, for the first time altogether?

Chick Corea - Return To Forever

This is the album that gave birth to the band Return To Forever. Corea's next album would be Light As A Featherfriendica.world/display/84b6ef… You can see why they might've thought this particular vein might've been worth chiseling away at a bit more.

I picked it up yesterday. Japanese pressing, no obi strip - which the record nerd in me mourns, but the pragmatist in me doesn't mind, because they are a bit of a ball-ache to keep undamaged. Japanese pressings, though, are always beautiful.

I think jazz-fusion must've been quite big in Australia in the 1970s, because second hand record shops often have a good selection. Also, there's always a disproportionate (to my mind) amount of Herbie Mann and Chuck Mangione albums.

Addit. After a few spins, this album is just getting better and better. An amazing piece of work.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#ChickCorea
#ReturnToForever
#JazzFusion

Flora Purim - That's What She Said

Although Milestone label owner Orrin Keepnews is named as producer of this album, its sound is so permeated by George Duke's influence that it sounds like a work-up for his A Brazillian Love Affair album, which came out a year or two later, albeit with Flora's vocals front and centre.

It's got Flora's reply to hubby Airto's Flora OnMy Mind

John Spithead

2025-03-12 08:40:13

Every time I look at you I see that the world was made for you and me.

Airto - Identity

So, we've got Herbie Hancock producing and playing synth, and Wayne Shorter on sax, and the result is a more acoustic Brazilian-fusion and less jazz-fusion than you might expect, although it does have its moments.

Airto is a percussionist of such extraordinary musicality and lightness of touch. So clever.

I count myself lucky to have seen him (and, of course, Flora - the old trouble and strife) twice; once at the Hammersmith Palais and once at Ronnie Scott's in Brum. At the former, the band were really late arriving and it was a Tuesday night or something and we had to leave before the end to catch the last District Line train home. Some mates stayed to the end and came running onto the train just before the doors closed, singing Celebration Suite - the encore. Bastards. The Ronnie Scott's gig was intimate and wonderful.

I picked this album up at Mr V's in Semaphore a few years ago for $20 and haven't played it much. On tonight's playing, I've decided that it's worth committing a bit of time to getting into, so will be playing it more.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#Airto
#Identity

Thought I'd post about podcasts, seeing as they have almost entirely replaced radio as my speech-based listening content.

The Blindboy Podcast
I can’t remember how I came across it, but I was quite an early adopter of this podcast – I think I started listening after the first couple of episodes and it’s been something like seven years now. Blindboy gets a podcast out every week, but I find I'm always a few months behind. I’m always impressed by his ability to come up with new and interesting content. I can’t help thinking that if blokes listened to him instead of Rogan, Peterson and Tate, the world (and masculinity) would be in a much better state.

Saw him live in Sydney, pre-Covid, in the fantastic atmosphere created by a theatre in Sydney full of pissed Irish millennials. That’s the only live podcast I’ve been to.

Chart Music
The podcast that I bump to the top of my playlist as soon as a new episode drops. A panel of three former Melody Maker journalists dissect an episode of Top Of The Pops, right down to the molecular level. It’s not unusual for these podcasts to go on for like 6 hours an episode, but they keep you hooked. Really insightful and very funny. They’ve been far less regular since the tragic early death of one of the regular hosts, Neil Kulkarni, which clearly knocked them all for six.

The Adam Buxton Podcast
I try to avoid posh people as much as possible, to be honest. I make an exception for Adam Buxton, though, which is testament to how good his podcast is. He chooses his guests well and has such an endearing manner that I give a little cheer when it comes on and I hear his intro song
.
We Buy Records
Two record shop owners talk about record selling and buying. What’s not to love about that?

The History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
Andrew Hickey has taken on this mammoth task, talking in-depth about one song per episode, in chronological order, going into the social-political-racial context of each, as well as the writing, recording, musical and business aspects. It’s amazing. I’m currently up to episode 94. This has caused me to have The Boswell Sisters (the podcast’s theme) as a frequent earworm.

Athletico Mince
I had a listed to this early on and didn’t think much of it and left it. Then I was told that you should start listening about episode 8, because that’s when it changes from its originally intended football discussion podcast into a hilarious vehicle for Bob Mortimer’s comedy genius.

Dear Joan and Jericha
This podcast only lasted three seasons, but it remains one of my favourite ever pieces of comedy, in any format. It’s basically Julia Davis and Vicki Pepperdine improvising the roles of two terrible agony aunts. In fact, as a result of writing this, I’ve decided to stick it on my list to listen to again.

Also, special mentions for Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast (RHLSTP!), Running is BS, The Alexei Sayle Podast, All Killa No Filla, Revisionist History and When Saturday Comes - all podcasts that I listen to regularly and enjoy.

Any recommendations are always welcome.

I haven’t made any vinyl posts for a while, because I had a bit of a glut of new records, which I have been getting to know, so I thought I’d make a post about NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts.

Tiny Desk Concerts have become a bit of a staple of my music listening world. I look forward with interest who they have on there and will sometimes give a bit of a listen to stuff I don’t know or catch up on an artist I've lost track of.

I’ve picked a few of my absolute favourites and found they fall into four broad groups:

The Intense Ones
Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah This is a recording of an artist on fire. It’s so exciting to watch. This was also my introduction to flautist Elena Pinderhughes. Unfortunately, both artistes have not lived up to their early potential. Yet.
Lankum Recorded just at the point where things were starting go really mad for them. Foof!

The Classy Ones
Erykah Badu and Chaka Khan Class. They make it all look effortless.

The I Can’t Believe We're On Tiny Desks Ones
Otoboke Beaver Just seem super-gobsmacked that they’re there, but are going to fucking smash it.
Kassa Overall seems to be just having the time of his life.

The Let’s Throw Everything But The Kitchen Sink At It Ones
Yo Gabba Gabbaland! Thundercat. Say no more.
Doechi doing her all-female jazz/hip hop fusion is just fucking awesome. I can’t imagine how much work went into it. It surpasses the album, in my opinion. My all time favourite TDC.

Whilst I was writing this I was thinking of acts that haven't done TDC:
Portishead, Neil Young, Sparks, Amyl & the Sniffers, D'Angelo, Jill Scott, Eliza Carthy, Richard Dawson, The Wiggles, Charlie Parr...

Chick Corea - Return To Forever

This is the album that gave birth to the band Return To Forever. Corea's next album would be Light As A Featherfriendica.world/display/84b6ef… You can see why they might've thought this particular vein might've been worth chiseling away at a bit more.

I picked it up yesterday. Japanese pressing, no obi strip - which the record nerd in me mourns, but the pragmatist in me doesn't mind, because they are a bit of a ball-ache to keep undamaged. Japanese pressings, though, are always beautiful.

I think jazz-fusion must've been quite big in Australia in the 1970s, because second hand record shops often have a good selection. Also, there's always a disproportionate (to my mind) amount of Herbie Mann and Chuck Mangione albums.

Addit. After a few spins, this album is just getting better and better. An amazing piece of work.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#ChickCorea
#ReturnToForever
#JazzFusion

John Spithead

2025-02-27 10:25:20

Floating like a bird am I

Chick Corea and Return to Forever - Light As A Feather

The second RTF album, with Flora Purim on vocals, her husband Airto Moreira on percussion, Stanley Clarke on bass, and Joe Farrell on flute and saxophone, has them gliding through really complex Brazilian-jazz-fusion flavours, without compromising on complexity or losing the groove - a very hard balance to achieve.

It's one hell of an album, even on my rather shitty Australian pressing.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#ChickCorea
#ReturnToForever
#Jazz

Billy Cobham - Spectrum

This was another of yesterday's purchases. I'm playing it quite quietly, because I'm up early, having had a quick easy run to stretch out the old legs ahead of tomorrow's Adelaide Marathon, a run for which I am barely prepared. It's also general election day today, here in Australia, so quite an exciting weekend all round.

Back in the early 80s I used to watch Billy Cobham's Drum Clinic on the telly. The show isn't listed on IMDB. YouTube's got it though. I remember having my mind blown by Cobham explaining time signatures and - if I remember it correctly - playing one time signature with one hand and another time signature with the other. Bloody show off. (I'll sit down and watch the series again when I get time.)

He is such a musical drummer. Hugely influential (apparently a huge influence on Phil Collins, so it's not all good, eh.)

Whenever this album is discussed, Bristolian trip-hoppers Massive Attack get mentioned too, because they had the good taste to sample Stratus for Safe From Harm. I know it's a cliche, but I'm going to mention them too, because it was such a good use of a sample. That Leland Sklar bassline - oof!

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#BillyCobham
#Spectrum
#MassiveAttack
#Stratus
#BillyCobham'sDrumClinic