seeline

I haven't heard Ghetto Calypso (or Heart Mountain, come to that!), but I think Myra's explorations into other styles (Indian classical being one) have given her music a new focus, intensity and - maybe - sense of purpose. (Not being her, or knowing her, I'm not about to presume to know what she's actually thinking. ) I think that's true for most folks who want to take their music to a new place - that your ears need to be open, as well as your mind and heart. Just my .02-worth on the matter....

Hmm... I've needed to consistently listen to jazz plus other kinds of music since I was very young (got started on jazz via my mom's large collection of jazz LPs and penchant for playing them when she was doing housework, etc.). But a steady diet of jazz only has never worked for me, and as an adult, I've found that my passion for playing music has taken me very far away from anything that could be considered as "jazz," in a narrow sense, at least. (Though all of the instruments I've been working with can be incorporated into jazz; some have been, most haven't.) For the past 9+ years, I've been pretty focused on many different kinds of Brazilian music, with (more and more) an emphasis on African music as well. But just yesterday I pulled out a CD of plainsong by Byrd and other English composers of that period, and man - I needed to hear that! So, much as I do love jazz, I find myself spending relatively little time listening to it, and when I do, I seem to be increasingly focused on older recordings. (True of other styles as well.)

Seconded, papsrus!

I think I'd just work with the "ignore" function that's built into the board software, pollock - seriously. It can help a lot. (No offense to anyone intended, BTW....) BTW, I really like your namesake's work! The National Gallery of Art (D.C.) has a section of their site devoted to him - probably the best online presentation on him that I've seen.

Looks good - what label is this on?

There's lots of great stuff on eMusic.com - in the Fantasy catalog. One of my favorites was recorded at the Shrine Auditorium on the 50s (only one mike, though!) and features Joe May, Albertina Walker and the Caravans, the Pilgrim Travelers, Dorothy Love Coates & the Original Gospel Harmonettes, and *many* more. My fave cut is a long medley by Coates and her group - such powerful stuff, and so beautifully phrased/sung! Given the way Concord is "handling" all that back catalog, I'd recommend grabbing some discs before it's too late... the title is The Great 1955 Shrine Concert, and for some weird reason, it's listed under "various artists" only. (Not easy to find when searching on artists' names.)

There's a lot more gospel on YouTube - I found tons of good videos some months back by clicking on links to "related videos"... And yes, Inez Andrews was something else! Now if only someone would get some Dorothy Love Coates uploaded... (I can dream, can't I? ) Edit: African music fans might wat to do searches over there on "gospel" + [add name of country]. There's everything from Ghanian pop gospel to Ethiopian Orthodox sacred songs (I'm hooked on the latter!)

Okay, you've converted me, from now on I'm "banjo_on_my_knee" and live in Alabama. You must be from Skopje, then - homeboy! http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=n2UJp3vN-y0 Edit: I *love* their style! (Heard them live around the time the clip was originally broadcast.)

I've only used my real name online for publication. Aliases are kinda fun when you get to choose them yourself. Signed, Agent 99 [shoe phones, anyone?]

There are indeed, 7/4. (I'm not kidding.) As for all these confoundedly confusing usernames, just call me Agent 99 and we'll be fine. posing with own shoe phone!

Agreed completely, papsrus. In fact, the supposed "hostility" here is... a myth. It's a pretty friendly place. But, as papsrus said, you do have to be able to roll with the occasional threads on 50s TV game shows and the like.

pollock, I believe I do know who you are... because I read the post you're saying you made. I have to say, there wasn't any need to go there, especially given the fact that you've got the "ignore user" function available over there. (Here, too - you can even block private messages from specific users if you want to.) That said, welcome - I hope you can add some positive input here. Cheers, clave [aka various other usernames]

So would I! Believe it or not, I didn't know who she was until I read a novel a few years back where "Fujiyama Mama" comes into the plot...

fRoots is definitely quirky, but the quality of the writing (and features) is far, far higher than is the case with most mags that cover the same - or similar - territory. The editor is married to a woman from Madagascar (a singer from the group Tarika), so there's actually a ton of good info. about Malagasy music available on the fRoots site, including discographies with lots of rare recordings, etc. As for what Bev's said about the way things are approached, I have to agree, but a lot of their enthusiasms are contagious, and some highly knowledgeable people have been writing for them over the years. Definitely worth looking into! I haven't heard the ngoni quartet album as yet, but want to buy a copy. Sometimes - and only sometimes - non-African producers are tuned into recording/producing things that African musicians would *like* to release for the local market, but really can't, due to market demands. I think this album might be one of those. (Some of Toumani Diabate's recordings definitely fall into that category as well.) Info. on Justin Adams here.

I think everyone buys from used CD shops, artists very much included. They know that a certain percentage of discs are going to end up there, or at least, in my experience, most do. Here's a story (true) for you about throw-away music... A press person [works for a label that will remain nameless] told me about a trip they made to another city. During the trip, they had a dinner meeting with a couple of journalists. One offered to drive the press person back to their hotel, and the press person said "OK." While on the way there, the driver asked if the press person would mind taking a brief detour. The press person said no - and the driver promptly pulled into an alley. Of course, the press person wondered what was going on. The driver said "I want you to see something," and then pulled the trunk latch. Then both of them got out of the car and walked to the trunk - which was absolutely overflowing with promo CDs in Jiffy mailing bags. The driver had parked next to a dumpster, and for the next 20 minutes or so he proceeded to methodically rip open each package, scan the contents quickly - and then either toss the disc back in the trunk, or into the dumpster. The vast majority of the discs that had been in the trunk ended up in the dumpster. The press person was amazed, and yet - they also saw the sense in what this journalist was doing. - Having gotten promo copies of discs for a good number of years, I can say that this story rings *very* true to me.

That's a very nice LP - used to have a copy of my own. Tadd's work is (I think) unjustly neglected/overlooked.

Having grown up in the country, I can't remember a time when the selection of music on the radio *wasn't* limited! Cable TV/FM helped, but still... the selection was/is minuscule, compared to what you can find on both AM and FM in most major cities, and in many smaller ones, too. Going to Philadelphia or NYC (when I was younger) was fun for the record shopping alone! Jazz, classical (etc.) LPs couldn't easily be found in the better record shops where I lived, and you special-ordered what you wanted, or went to the city to buy it.

Back in the early-mid 1990s, The Washington Post used to publish an "Ask an Expert" column in its Sunday Magazine. One week, they asked an RIAA rep about the best record stores in the D.C. area. At the time, there were two outstanding independent, family-owned stores. One specialized in classical music, and had an incredibly deep selection of back catalog material, mainly from European specialist labels. The other store was/is more generalized, but had a similar investment in jazz and "world music." Without missing a beat, the RIAA rep said "The Tower Records store on Pennsylvania Avenue." She went on to talk about the deep catalog there. You can imagine, I think, how the people at the small shops felt. (And that was in the days when there were still quite a few independent retailers in the area.) So when the industry people complain about sales, well... I think they have themselves to blame. Edited to add: stories like this one tell it all. (About artists and estates of artists suing UMG for unpaid back royalties.)

thanks, Chris - your kind words are really appreciated!

This has never made any sense to me. And the majors are sitting on treasure troves of "niche" material that a lot of people would love to be able to hear. An acquaintance of mine spent some time in the EMI Brasil vaults a number of years back, and was just stunned by all the top-notch material that deserves release, but has been more or less allowed to decay on the shelf. (I don't mean to imply that the originals are disintegrating; more like they've been ignored and forgotten and/or are perceived to be of little worth.) When I mentioned a Brazilian music blog where several highly respected artists have contributed rips (from vinyl) of extremely rare, o.p. material - one of the reasons they did that was to allow people to be able to hear some of the great (even unique) material that the majors in Brazil are refusing to reissue. These artists felt (in at least one case) that specific albums were/are hugely important - but that the music and its creators have been unjustly neglected due to label concern re. not being able to make any profits from potential reissue of this material. The sheer unfairness (and shortsightedness) of companies holding back on issuing some of these albums has literally contributed to a skewed view of Brazilian musical and cultural history. so... maybe the people who sent these files to be posted were doing something that's technically illegal, but that pales in comparison to the way the record companies have selectively ignored these artists and their work. So where's the moral high ground there? i personally believe it's with the people who, by making the music available again, are actually lobbying for it to be reissued. (and I feel grateful to them for making it possible to listen to these recordings, after them being off the market for years and years...)

I'd like to add my own thanks to everyone for keeping the door open here. it's much appreciated!

wordsandsounds, it would be one thing if Mike had been above-board in his own conduct on this, but - all the personal slams against me (and others, like Onyabirri) have made it an untenable situation. I'm not meaning to muddy the waters - these problems aren't going to go away all by themselves. Talking things through is crucial - sadly, that's the exact opposite of what's been done. Things have been allowed to fester. I have addressed these things in my attempts at correspondence with Mike, but have received no replies, and don't expect to, this late in the game. Marc Meyers was the guiding light - in so many ways, the board at its best was a reflection of what he did, and what he and Mike R. chose to build there. perhaps the material at this link would help explain where I'm coming from - point #7 especially. Truthfully, I have doubts as to whether any of these issues will be resolved. It's a very sad situation, to my way of thinking.

"The other part" isn't being addressed, as far as I can tell.

Chris, although i won't join you in your characterization of any of the mods, the "virtual duct tape" thing is (I feel) off the charts. Of course, since the remark was made to me, then seconded by a mod, I'm not exactly without prejudice in the matter. But I do find that (and many other recent remarks) to be appallingly rude and (I kind of hate to use this word; it's so loaded) disrespectful of people who've been supportive of the board and site.

Aggie, thanks - though I've actually been talking about both legal and illegal downloads! So Bev's got the high ground here, but not me.