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Art Farmer, The Many Faces of Art Farmer, Scepter Records, 1964
My copy (as you can see from the images) is an UpFront records reissue from the 70s, retitled as just Art Farmer. UpFront was a sublabel of Springboard International out of New Jersey, which reissued lots of compilation jazz and blues records from artists originally released on other labels (some are advertised on the rear…
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Billy Strings, Renewal, 2021 on Rounder
I first heard of Billy Strings because he started showing up in YouTube recommended videos next to lots of other performers I follow – sometimes actually duetting with them, other times just at the same festivals or similar stages. Seems like the classic word-of-mouth artist, making it by spending his time on the festival circuit,…
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Johnnie Frierson, Have You Been Good To Yourself, 2016 on Light in the Attic
Took a flyer on this one at a $10 sale at Vinyl Destination in Lowell, based on my appreciation of other Light in the Attic reissues – it’s really a wonderful collection. Call it lo-fi gospel with some almost spoken word production. Frierson originally put these recordings out on home-produced cassettes in the 1990s but…
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Boogaloo Joe Jones, No Way!, 1971 on Prestige
Jones is joined by Grover Washington, Jr, Sonny Phillips, Butch Cornell, Jimmy Lewis, and Bernard Purdie. Recording by Rudy Van Gelder with Bob Porter. Great early seventies soul/jazz fusion. My copy is the Vinyl Me, Please reissue in the Classics track from 2022, via Craft Recordings (CR00476).
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Preservation Hall Jazz Band at the Cabot, December 2nd 2024
I’ve long been a fan of Preservation Hall – a New Orleans institution dedicated to protect, preserve, and perpetuate traditional jazz. The full Preservation Hall Jazz Band is some 60 members strong, currently, but this sextet is out touring a Creole Christmas celebration. (upcoming dates). Left to right, that’s Clint Maedgen on saxophone and vocals…
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Willie Nelson, Always On My Mind, 1982 on Columbia.
I had always thought that “Always on My Mind” was a much older song than 1982 – and it turns out it is. It was recorded by Brenda Lee in 1972 – but Willie’s take didn’t come out until 1982. The album also includes Willie’s takes on “Do Right, Do Right Woman,” “A Whiter Shade…
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Leonard Cohen, Songs of Leonard Cohen, 1968 on Columbia
You don’t often find Leonard Cohen LPs in record stores as people tend to hold on to them to the end. Even if you haven’t had a turntable in years you’re reluctant to give these up. Cohen is one of those artists I came to a bit later in life but feels like he’s always…
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Dawes, Misadventures of Doomscroller, 2022 on Rounder
I’m a huge fan of Dawes going back to Nothing is Wrong in 2011 and look forward to everything they put out. (They’re also playing the Cabot Theater in December). There’s more long-form instrumental work here – two tracks clocking in at 9 minutes plus. Those longer, proggier songs may be to distract you from…
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Savages, Adore Life, 2016 on Matador
Sophomore LP from English post-punk band fronted by Gemma Thompson (guitar) and Jehnny Beth (vocals), with Ay?e Hassan (bass) and Fay Milton (drums). Love the post-punk revival sound here but they’re no tribute act – this is vibrant compelling and modern. Unfortunately they’ve not released any new music since 2017. Found this copy at Vinyl…
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Billy Bragg, Brewing Up With Billy Bragg, 1984 on CD Presents
Billy Bragg’s sophomore full length, subtitled “a puckish satire on contemporary mores.” This was released on Go! Discs in the UK but David Ferguson‘s CD Presents in the US. CD Presents started as a promotions company organizing West Coast shows for PiL. My copy, which I found at Academy Records in New York, includes a…
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Doug Sahm, Groover’s Paradise, 1974 on Warner Bros
Doug Sahm’s quite an interesting figure I knew little about until Vinyl Me Please introduced me to this LP. He was a founding member of the Sir Douglas Quintet (formed in San Antonio but named to suggest they were part of the British invasion, like The Buckinghams), who moved out to California and were part…
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Wilson Pickett, Hey Jude, 1969 on Atlantic
Recorded at Fame studios in Muscle Shoals Alabama with a band that included Duane Allman as well as Jerry Jemmott and Roger Hawkins. It’s a classic late 60s Atlantic record with tinge of what would become southern rock. In addition to the title Beatles cover, there’s also “Born to Be Wild” and songs by Hayes/Porter…
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Lilli Lewis, Americana, 2021 Self-Released
Feels oddly appropriate to post this one the week of Thanksgiving – Lilli Lewis’ Americana, which is as much an assertion as title – claiming the right to her music as Americana: When Lewis was featured in the Americana Music Association’s virtual “Black Equity in Americana: A Conversation” live-stream, she stated: “Black artists and black…
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Benjamin Booker, Self-Titled, 2014 on ATO Records
Wonderful debut full-length on ATO from New Orleans based blues / soul guitarist/singer/songwriter Booker. Recorded (analog) at the Bomb Shelter (Nashville) and produced by Andrija Tokic who worked with Alabama Shakes and Hurray for the Riff Raff. My copy via Vinyl Destination in Lowell MA
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Elvis Costello & The Attractions, Almost Blue, 1981 on Columbia
Recorded in Nashville, this is Costello’s covers album of country greats – including Hank Williams and George Jones. I love Costello in his Americana / roots / country incarnations, and I love cover records, so this is among my favorites from him. My copy via Academy Records in New York City.
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The Oscar Peterson Trio, In a Mellow Mood, 1973 on MPS-BASF
This 2xLP set is actually a reissue of The Way I Really Play and Mellow Mood, which were volumes III and V of the Exclusively For My Friends series. Makes it very confusing when I’m in a record store and trying to determine whether I’ve completed the series or not. (I have not – still…
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Nancy Sinatra, How Does That Grab You?, 1966 on Reprise
Another Lee Hazlewood produced mid-sixties Nancy Sinatra record – this was the followup to Boots – on Reprise. It didn’t do as well as Boots, but did reach #41 on the Billboard charts in the US and #17 in the UK. Arrangements by Billy Strange (who also arranged Boots). There’s some parts of this followup…
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Steve Earle, Townes: The Basics, 2021 on New West
As the back cover explains, the album Townes (a collection of Townes Van Zandt covers) was released in 2009 – but this LP collects the solo guitar and vocal tracks Earle originally recorded. This was issued as a bonus CD – The Basics – along with the CD release of Townes, but then issued for…