today & Janis Ian

Just a quick one after the last one..which ended up with 8 songs on it.

Not much blogging recently - been hard times for everyone recently and a lot of grieving going on.

As Odysseus said 'Bear up, my heart.  You had worse to endure before this..'

I hope this is the worst of it for all you hep cats out there, there is still time for a sunny summer.

Not here and now though because the song I wanted to stick on here I heard for the first time in ages today and i sung it though the humid airless sky as i was forced to leave a very cherished friend...

Janis Eddy Fink (born 1951) changed her name at 13 to Janis Ian which also how old she was when she wrote and sang the infamous 'Society's Child (Baby I've Been Thinking),' about an interracial romance. She was signed to Atlantic at age 14 and this song was released 3 times between 1965 and 1967 finally becoming successful on its third release.  The song's lyrical content was too taboo for some radio stations, and they withdrew or banned it from their playlists.  She received death threats over it and apparently, a radio station in Atlanta was burned down after they played it. 

'Society's Child'

http://www.zshare.net/audio/617366008d8b9f61/

Very interesting, eh? But this isn't the song I wanted to include.  It may be commercial (it won a grammy in 1975 and I think it was her biggest hit in the States) but its incredible. She sounds so so sad. BEAR!

Still touring now and writing science fiction novels in the meantime this is..

'At Seventeen'

http://www.zshare.net/audio/617366422572108f/

Gregory Isaacs

A superstar of reggae with one of the finest most expressive voices which I love so so much, Gregory Anthony Isaacs was born in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1951, to Lester Isaacs and Enid Murray.  He started out as an electrician and cabinet maker with music as an ambition. In his teens, like many before him, he started his singing career working with a number of producers and entering various local talent competitions.  His recording career began in the late sixties with 'Another Heartache' for singer/producer Winston Sinclair. The record didn't do well and in 1969 he formed a group called The Concords with Penro Bramwell. They recorded a few 45s for (producer) Rupie Edwards. Again, success didn't follow so he became a solo artist and soon afterwards, started his own label, assisted by friend Errol Dunkley, around 1970/1971.  That was the beginning of the legendary African Museum record label. 

 

1971, 'Look Before You Leap'

http://www.zshare.net/audio/61676956af5cd73c/

1972, 'My Only Lover'

http://www.zshare.net/audio/617285874b70c238/

In 1972, Errol Dunkley went his own way and Isaacs continued with African Museum without him.  To finance recordings for the label, Gregory recorded for other producers, having a string of hits from ballads to roots reggae, including this one from 1974. For Alvin "GG" Ranglin at Duke Reid's Treasure Isle Studio....the first Jamaican no.1 single.  Its so good it always just gets me right there y'know?

'Love is Overdue'

http://www.zshare.net/audio/616417983c91d0c6/

In 1978 Gregory signed to Virgin offshoot, Front Line Records, releasing 'Cool Ruler' and 'Soon Forward' (amazing albums) but as they didn't do as well as expected, he didn't stay with them long despite the fact they are now considered to be some of his best work.  From 'Soon Forward'..

'Lonely Girl'

 http://www.zshare.net/audio/616419579a947837/

In 1981, he moved to Charisma Records (well, their offshoot Pre) and released 'More Gregory' which is one of those albums which has amazing tracks but not the consistency of some of his others. Such a shame! You know, that mix of diamonds and glass. He also produced a lot of this album himself.  From 'More Gregory'

'If I Don't Have You' 

http://www.zshare.net/audio/61641906af05df41/

'Hush Darling'

  http://www.zshare.net/audio/61641889183d4e40/

In 1982 he signed to Island and released the record that broke him through to a wider audience (although it wasn't a chart hit) and because what Simply Red did to it was so horrible, I have to include it here. From the album Night Nurse.

'Night Nurse'

http://www.zshare.net/audio/6164183666e6feca/

Around this time, Gregory got into a little trouble in Kingston which ended up in him having to serve a six-month prison sentence in Kingston in 1982 for possession of unlicensed firearms He claimed he had the weapons for protection...then it was discovered that this was his 27th arrest, that he'd become involved in drug dealing and was addicted to crack cocaine...but he'd pretty much lost me by here anyway. He continued to make loads of music but his drug addiction affected his voice. Most of his teeth fell out.  

So for the last Isaacs song I am going to include on here for now I am going back to 1975 and his cover of Ken Boothe's

 'Crying Over You'

http://www.zshare.net/audio/616418442d805c31/

(what a dude!!! *sigh*....)

The Slickers

The sun is coming up and I have company...the lovely Lucy and John and I are about to play a game of gin rummy before we retire. But there is time for a song. Always. Particularly one like this.

The Slickers are a mysterious bunch. jamaican rocksteady group late 60s early 70s. Everything about them is conjecture. Someone said so and so was in it....rumour and contradiction. The first Slickers single was reportedly by the Pioneers.

But whoever they were and whatever they did they made beautiful music.

One of these days when you hear a voice say come, who you going to run to? 

Good question.

http://www.zshare.net/audio/608292011342422e/

Stand By Me

From Playing For Change: Peace Through Music

"..a film that explores our connections in a world overwhelmed with division. Through the process of making this film we traveled around the world and discovered that music opens the door to a place where we can come together as a human race. Music helps us to persevere through struggles and celebrate our differences which changes the world into a more peaceful place"

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2539741