kenny weir

Interesting list, Allen. Considering some of the inclusions are, to me, a little surprising, I'm interested in your views on The Penguins.

Yeah, it was a shocker. Clueless is a word that comes to mind.

I'm not about to defend these sorts of practices ... But I'm familiar with this world from my newspaper career, so know that this sort of thing is SOP. As entertainment editor of a major newspaper, I went through countless lunch-time* footsies with record companies and promoters, never IIRC promising coverage in return for ad space bought; more it was in return for access to the artists and preference for future interviews etc etc. It may seem to some of you to be splitting hairs, but favours were never done that involved favourable reviews. They were and are sacrosanct. That seems to be the case here - the mag was not, as far as I can tell, promising a favourable review in return for expenditure on ads. That's how it was in my world, anyway. I'm sure the mileage varies elsewhere. And that REALLY would stink. *They always paid, oh yes ...

Good question! Larry Goldings Trio - As One. Pretty mellow, but they do a fine Time Of The Season. John Patton - Mosaic Select, disc 3 Pat Martino - Live At Yoshi's Grant Green - Live At The Lighthouse Catalyst - The Funkiest Band You Never Heard Sun Ra - The Night Of The Purple Moon John Patton - Let 'Em Roll Karry Young - Of Love And Peace

Could be that the programming and approach taken may be more of a selling point to the average Archeophone fan/customer, rather than hardcore jazz nuts who have some, much or all of the tunes already.

I'm glad I've got the Riverside box. FWIW, I can think of no other set where the alternative takes are so richly rewarding or essential.

Addressed here: For mine, the spoken word tracks truly stuff the whole thing up. What were they thinking? If included, they should have been put together - separately. It's all well and good to be ambitious, but in this case little thought seems to have been given to those wanting to play the set on a regular basis. I have found myself already reaching for other sets on which I have the tracks. This one'll be gathering dust before too long ...

You say this ... but then you again talk about what didn't happen: I'm a cynic about the WC, the Olympics, the political and geographical absurdities of international cricket and much more. Sufficiently cynical in fact - yet still a fan - to not indulge in wishful thinking. Sport - along with food, music and my son - is my main forms of delight and joy in the world, so I'll be damned if I'll let a general all-round lack of perfection and sainthoods spoil it. But then, disgruntlement could also constitute a form of enjoyment. Of course I'm going to talk about what didn't happen in the WC, that's one of the reasons I, like my old friend Sir Alex, found it disappointing, very little did happen. Even if you go into it with low expectations of what you're going to see it doesn't mean you don't hope that you're proved wrong. It's still the WC. I think if you're a sports fan and you don't indulge in wishful thinking you're not really a sports fan, I would think having unrealistic fantasies about what your team can achieve is possibly the very essence of being a fan. I should know, I'm a Liverpool fan and still think they're going to win the league in my lifetime. I think that being New Zealand's chief cheerleader may have clouded your opinion/judgement of this particular WC. But it could have been a lot worse I suppose, you might have been Slovakia's chief cheerleader, it was their first WC as well, but they actually won a game. Oh, and just as an FYI, I am completely gruntled, always have been, always will be. Oz met my expectations. Oddly, they got exactly the same results as last time - W, L, D. But the thrashing at the hands of the Germans did for them. NZ exceeded my expectations. Looky here, I have sports fans wild dreams just like everyone else. But in terms of the WC, with soccer not being the dominant code in either NZ or Oz, you'd be silly not keep some perspective. More than 200 teams aspire to WC finals status; only 32 get there. So that's pretty bloody good going, right there. And I actually enjoy the rollercoaster qualifying process more. Yours cordially and in mutual gruntlement!

Yes, another wun rolls by. Never see 18 again. It's terrible.

Yeah, my CV got ... HP Lovecraft, who himself got Mary Shelley. Kenny's job prognosis - very dark and grim. Nightmarish, even ...

OK, this is silly ... maybe Wallace is, like, a default position for jazz forum blatherings. So I'm gonna drop some HP Lovecraft on them. Result: Mary Shelley So I'm gonna drop some James Joyce on them. Result: James Joyce. So I'm gonna drop some Karl Rove on them. Result: Stephen King (No, I didn't make that last one up ...)

I wouldn't necessarily see it as a complimet. Three samples submitted: I got Kurt Vonnegut once, David Foster Wallace three times. Ha bloody ha.

Your whole online persona is devoted to getting into scraps with people. Please don't feign indignation when it happens.

You say this ... but then you again talk about what didn't happen: I'm a cynic about the WC, the Olympics, the political and geographical absurdities of international cricket and much more. Sufficiently cynical in fact - yet still a fan - to not indulge in wishful thinking. Sport - along with food, music and my son - is my main forms of delight and joy in the world, so I'll be damned if I'll let a general all-round lack of perfection and sainthoods spoil it. But then, disgruntlement could also constitute a form of enjoyment.

Overachieved? Oh, absolutely - that's the point. They were widely expected to be cannon fodder and worse for all three teams they met. That turned out not to be the case. They were competitive. Didn't win a game. BFD. If you don't want to share in the goodwill that has been extended to them by all and sundry, that's fine, too. But there's plenty of people who consider them a thumbs-up story from a tournament sorely lacking in them. Kiwi Kenny I don't think it has anything to do with not having any goodwill for them, the only team I had no goodwill for was France, for obvious reasons. The problem I have with the World Cup in general is not so much the competition itself, its the people who watch it thinking it's the best the game can offer. It's not, in fact, it is probably at least as much, if not more about promoting the game in areas where football is not the number one sport, N.Z., Japan and the USA would be good examples. So with that in mind the whole N.Z. thing was sucessful as there will probably be a few more kids there playing football in the next few years. However as the true All Whites fan that you are, you would of course be aware of the teams N.Z. had to beat to get to the W.C. Finals in the first place, countries with even less professional players than they have. From a purely footballing point of view, there are 3 maybe 4 teams I would have rather seen in the W.C. than the Kiwis, Russia, Croatia, Ireland of course, that could have possibly provided far more entertaining games and still had the potential for the whole "I didn't see that result coming/upset factor". The problem with FIFA and the WC in general is they want to make sure that everybody gets a go, so that even the fat kid gets to score a goal. N.Z. were the fat kid. For me a real thumbs up story would have been an African team getting maybe as far the semis, further than they did get anyway, with an African coach, not an overpaid white coach their Federations brought in just after they qualified. Hell, I certainly don't think the WC is the best the game has to offer. In reflecting on the WC, I'd rather base it on what happened ... rather than what maybe should've happened. And hey, the fat kid behaved with poise and decorum that some of the hot shots couldn't even get close to.

I agree. For me sheer quality and brilliance comes and goes, and generally I prefer Jimmy Forrest over John Coltrane. I'm into drama which is why, when it comes to English soccer, I prefer the championship and the scrabble to avoid the drop from EPL to the multi-multi-millionaires at the top. In that context, the NZ/Italy game was as good as anything @ WC '10

Overachieved? Oh, absolutely - that's the point. They were widely expected to be cannon fodder and worse for all three teams they met. That turned out not to be the case. They were competitive. Didn't win a game. BFD. If you don't want to share in the goodwill that has been extended to them by all and sundry, that's fine, too. But there's plenty of people who consider them a thumbs-up story from a tournament sorely lacking in them. Kiwi Kenny

That's true. But for a country of 3 million people, with players who have day jobs and where rugby union is the national religion, it's quite an achievement. "Kiwi" Kenny

Recently, a colleague lent me a couple of '60s/'70s Mexican wrestling movies, starring Santo and The Blue Demon. Man, that's stuff is about as cool as movies get in the world of Kenny & Bennie. Very strong on the whole Catholic voodoo vampire bloodsucking type of schtick. Anyone heard any of the many Augie Myers albums out there?

:tup for that one! Continuing in the "forefathers of Tex-Mex" realm, I'd also recommend this for its "oddball entertainment" value: http://www.swapacd.com/cd/album/44001-on+the+road+with+rocknroll The CD seems to OOP but donwloads exist. And maybe secondhand copies of that CD aren't that elusive ... Finally, since somebody mentioned "Jazz In Mexico", here is a historical nod in that direction: http://www.freshsoundrecords.com/jazz_in_mexico_the_legendary_1954_sessions_vol.1-cd-3787.html http://www.freshsoundrecords.com/jazz_in_mexico_the_legendary_1954_sessions_vol.2-cd-3786.html There's a track by Mando & The Chili Peppers - a very cool South Of The Border - on this 2cd: The Best of Golden Crest: 48 Tall Cool Ones I'll keep an eye out for the album - I didn't know it'd been done by Ace. Great cover! Jump blues meets corridos: This was in my Arhoolie cart, but I ditched it - sounded a little too sloppy for mine. Still on the "maybe" list. Oh man - that looks like a cool gig, nice old theatre! Yummo! They sound like the Iguanas.

No, Kenny, I am not surprised but cannot really contibute much there. I do enjoy what Adolph Hofner sings in Czech (not only on the Arhoolie reissues but also on what has since been reissued among his Decca and Sarg recordings) but have never gone beyond that (yet ... ). BTW, some interesting tracks (that complement other more widely available reissues) are found on this recent reissue: http://www.venerablemusic.com/catalog/TitleDetails.asp?TitleID=14832 Again, I remember marvelling at the variety of reissues in the field of German-Bohemian (etc.) immigrants' music that Arhoolie had in their early 80s catalog, and no doubt this has been expanded in the CD era. But somehow it all was (and is) a bit too ... well, "esoteric" for me, and as you only can buy so much (and I am running out of storage shelf space FAST anyway ) this category has never made it to anywhere near the top of my buying priorities. As I have only tipped the iceberg of early Tex-Mex music so far, example, there will be more to check out there before I expand relentlessly into other historical "ethnic" music. Yeah well, my interest in such matters will no doubt fall WAY short of my interest in Tex-Mex matters. However, I don't see it so much as as "historical 'ethnic' music" as just more "Texas music". And as someone who also recognises 1. You can only buy so much (let alone find time to listen to it); and 2. as someone who also has storage issues ... all I can say is thanks a bunch, pal, for linking me up to another fascinating website. Ka-ching! ***** One of the great gigs of my life was seeing the Texas Troubadours at Jimmy's in New Orleans. How about it? A supergroup that really was super. There was some funny stuff going, on though. After Freddy and Flaco has taken a number of vocals, Sahm snarled something along the lines of "Hey now, it's time for the white boys to have a turn." I'd like to think there was humour involved, but it sure didn't seem like it at the time. I tried to engage Sahm in conversation during the break, and he more or less told me to get lost. (Support slot was taken by the Bluerunners, who were doing a very fine job of combining zydeco and punkish guitar grunge at the time ...) Another super hot gig: Flaco at the Continental Ballroom here in Melbourne, supported by our very own Dancehall Racketeers. The Contintental is a great old, cheesy, gorgeous weddding venue. AFAIK, it's never been used for a similar gig before or since. ****** One title that's already caught my eye at the Venerable site - Redd Harper: Remember The Alimony. Ha! Very cool!

Yes, Steve, good guidelines. I instinctively knew that about corridos, but went for the Mexican Revolution set any way - the price was just too good and I was/am fascinated. But, as you say, the backings don't vary much and the rhythm component doesn't seem as important, as the songs are very much about the lyrics. Whereas the female duets, above, are all heart songs and there is quite a bit of variety in the backings. And the voices are so lovely and, yes, eloquent, not understanding Spanish is no biggie. And having written the above reviews this morning, I'm stewing quinces and playing the mariachi discs just for the pleasure of it. Given this is my first exposure to genuine mariachi, it's really quite Twilight Zonish how perfectly at home I feel with it. Anthologies are the way to go, for sure. Given our mutual tastes, you'll no doubt be unsurprised I'm also eyeing up a few German/Czech-tinged albums, First step, of course, would getting the Arhoolie Adolf Hofner stuff again, but beyond that I've checked out the likes of ...

Thanks! Checking 'em out now ... Not sure I'm much different, but it's great to have some of it around again!

In the years before I turned my ears almost exclusively to jazz for a decade, Tex-Mex was always part of my listening mix. Sure, I wasn’t as deep into to it as New Orleans music of many genres, swamp pop and blues, cajun and zydeco, but it fitted nicely into my passionate interest in most things to do with Gulf Coast music. I had, maybe, about a dozen or so albums – some conjunto anthologies on Rounder, some Steve Jordan and so on. I suspect I’m not alone in having a ready-made empathy for this kind of music. Surely it goes with the territory when you’ve spent time digging, at various times, the Sir Douglas Quintet, the Texas Tornadoes, the Iguanas of New Orleans, Los Lobos and so on. As well, some of the early western swing outfits – Milton Brown and the Tune Wranglers come to mind – also were quite happy to tap into this musical vein. Anyway, recently this became for me an itch that needed to be scratched. After casing out a number of albums at my usual outlet, cdconnection, I signed on to the Arhoolie site. What a pleasure that was! Delivery time to Australia was as fast as I can recall, the system they have for listening to samples is easily the best and quickest I have come across, and they currently have a deal whereby if you order more than three items you get 20% off the whole order. Fantastic – that basically paid for the postage on the seven sets I ordered! I’ll be wanting to pursue this avenue at least a little bit further – suggestions welcome. I suspect anthologies are the go for me, as is Texas music as opposed that of Mexico. Am I right in presuming that Arhoolie pretty much has a lock on this field? In the meantime, it’s just a terrific blast to have this stuff bouncing off the walls again! Various artists - The Soulful Women Duets Of South Texas Oh man, this is the business! I was just about to order one several Arhoolie Lydia Mendoza CDs, when I plumped for this instead. Her sisters are one of six sibling outfits that contribute to the 24 tracks. There’s a nice mix here – from some more traditional-sounding sides to some that are quite urbane, featuring suave percussion and tasty saxophone parts. But it’s the voices that are the thing – a simply wonderful cascade that reminds me nothing other than the Louvins or Delmores. Translations are provided for most tunes, but as the songs are concerned exclusively with affairs of the heart, they’re hardly necessary. Freddy Fender - Canciones De Mi Barrio Much of this was already familiar to me, from having it on a Flyright vinyl album back in the day. It still sounds fantastic! Of the tracks that were unfamiliar to me, a number are of a more traditional kind. Nice, but hardly essential – although I’m happy to listen to Freddy’s voice any old time. But the heart of the matter are Freddy’s Spanish-language takes on tunes such as There’s Something On Your Mind, Since I Met You Baby, I Hear You Knocking and so on. All done in a soulful, simple way, often with Freddy’s guitar throwing off sparks in the process. It’s these cuts, to my mind, that put Freddy right up there in the swamp pop hall of fame – even if, like Jimmy Donley, he hails from outside South Louisiana. El Ciego Melquiades - San Antonio House Party According to Chris Strachwitz’s notes, this is a bit of throwback. At a time (’35-’49) when the influence of accordian was growing in south Texas, Melquiades played fiddle straight-up and simple. This is all instrumental music, so a whole CD of it is a lot. But imbibed in smallish amounts, its charm is undeniable. It has a stateliness that makes it quite different in feel from any of the other fiddle music with which I familiar: old-time, jazz, western swing and so on. Mariachi Coculense de Cirilo Marmolejo - Mexico's Pioneer Mariachis - Vol.1 (1926 – 1936) Mariachi Tapatio de Jose Marmolejo - Mexico's Pioneer Mariachis - Vol.2 Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan - Their First Recordings: 1937-1947 – Vol.3 To tell you the truth, even when, in years past, I had Tex-Mex and/or Mexican music around, I never even considered mariachi, saddled as I’ve no doubt been with all the usual negative baggage that attends the music. These three albums have changed all that. Not that I have much of an idea what I’m listening to! Going by the Arhoolie site, there’s a lot of depth in mariachi, and lot of variety in terms of regional variations. The notes to all these discs – by Jonathan Clark – make fascinating reading. From what I can gather, in these early days of the music’s history – or, more to the point , the early days of its recorded history – the bands were almost exclusively fronted by violins, with trumpet only gradually making its mark. The result here is exquisite, the collegiate violins providing a backdrop for some beautiful-sounding solo trumpets, where they are used at all. To my ears, Mariachi Vargas are clearly the most accomplished of the three outfits. I believe they’re the big cheese of the mariachi world, and the ones who recorded and toured with Linda Rondstadt. Translations are provided, but are hardly necessary to enjoyment of the music, particularly the musicians’ ability to generate terrific momentum – and without drums, just like so much of the jazz, western swing and hillbilly boogie that I love. There is a fourth release in this series - Cuarteto Coculense - The Very First Recorded Mariachis: 1908-1909 – that sounds too crusty even for me! I don’t know if need much or any more mariachi in my life, but I’m very glad to have these three. And I’d be happy to hear tips and opinions of fellow board members. I was real excited about getting this amazing four-disc set – great price, great booklet, cool music. So if I am little disappointed, the blame is none but my own. The problem for non-Spanish speakers is that the four discs – devoted, respectively, to Outlaws and Revolutionaries, Pancho Villa, Local Revolutionary Figures, and Post Revolutionary Corrdios and Narratives – are all story songs. And not just story songs – but story songs with long and quite detailed narratives, ones that frequently took up both sides of a 78. So while it’s quite possible to enjoy the music without understanding the Spanish lyrics, to gain maximum benefit will require detailed study of the booklet and its translations – and probably a better working knowledge of the Mexican Revolution than I currently possess! I suspect this box’s time is yet to come for me.