Albert Whelan

Some scratchy old 78's dubbed to minidisc here courtesy of Angel Radio who kindly sent me these when I was searching for novelty songs a few years back. There have been a few versions of Barnacle BIll The Sailor and this is one of the best despite the pops and crackles.

"Albert Whelan, Florrie Forde, and Billy Williams were the three most famous Australians who graced the stage of the British Music Hall. Born in Melbourne, Whelan first made a name for himself entertaining the miners in the goldfields of Western Australia. Emigrating to Britain, he debuted as a “scarecrow” dancer at the Empire Theatre, Leicester Square, but his versatile talents soon led him to singing and piano playing. Whelan invented the “signature tune,” and always came on stage whistling a waltz from Die Lustige Brüder [The Jolly Brothers]. Music Hall historian W. Macqueen-Pope (1950, 374) describes Whelan as having “an individual style which defies imitation, because it comes from his own inherent talent; he has, too, that perfect clarity of diction which was such a feature of Music Hall."

You can find a CD of Albert Whelan at Windyridge Records.


Albert Whelan - Barnacle Bill The Sailor

Albert Whelan - In My Bell Bottom Trousers

Albert Whelan - Oh Sailor Behave

Albert Whelan - We All Go Oo Ha Ha Together


These SendSpace files are available for seven days or until exhausted.

Max Wall

Somebody reminded me of the genius that was Max Wall the other day when directed to a certain video clip of his eccentric dancing on You Tube. I just had to find this track he did of a Ian Dury song and another called "Me & My Tune" from the 50's by the sound of it.

"Wall made his stage début at the age of 14, as an acrobatic dancer, in pantomime, but is best remembered for his ludicrously attired and hilariously strutting Professor Wallofski. This creation notably influenced John Cleese, who has acknowledged Max Wall's influence on the creation of his own Ministry of Silly Walks sketch for Monty Python. After appearing in many musicals and stage comedies in the 1930s his career went into decline, and he was reduced to working in obscure nightclubs.
Wall re-emerged when producers and directors rediscovered his comic talents, along with the expressive power of his tragic clown face and of the distinctive sad falling cadences of his voice. He secured television appearances, and having attracted Beckett's attention, he won parts in Waiting for Godot and Krapp's Last Tape. In 1966 he appeared as Père Ubu in Jarry's Ubu Roi, whilst in 1972 he toured with Mott the Hoople on their "Rock n' Roll Circus tour", gaining a new audience."

Discover more about Max Wall HERE.


Max Wall - Me And My Tune


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Bend It ! 91

A strange compilation from the 90's -full of odd football inspired songs and audio snippets. I think also the Exotica label produced several of these over the years and also dabbled in Beatles covers. There is a list of artists who appear on the CD which includes Brian Glover, Geoffrey Boycott, Michael Palin, Sophia Loren, Bruce Forsyth and Michael Caine. I must admit I listened through it a couple of times but never heard any of them!

Exotica Records also plans compilations of the worst songs ever and another about Manchester United.

Peter Osgood & Chelsea 70 - Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep

MSV Duisburg - Zebra Twist

Gracie Fields - Pass Shoot Goal

Unknown - Football Calypso 1953


These SendSpace files are available for seven days or until exhausted.

George Melly 1926 - 2007

Sad news of the death of George Melly today who was 80. I have a couple of his LP's but sadly unable to upload the tracks I wanted due to gadget failure. He is fondly remembered for his singing, his love of surrealism and dada and eccentric costumes. He also wrote three very funny autobiographies about his life in the navy and the art and jazz worlds.

Wikipedia says-

"He was born in Liverpool and was educated at Stowe public school, where he discovered his interest in modern art, jazz and blues and started coming to terms with his sexuality. This period of his life is described in Scouse Mouse, a volume of his autobiography.
He joined the Royal Navy at the end of the Second World War because, as he quipped to the recruiting officer, the uniforms were 'so much nicer'. As he related in his autobiography, Rum, Bum and Concertina, he was crestfallen to discover that he would not be sent to a ship and was thus denied the "bell-bottom" uniform he desired. Instead he received desk duty and wore the other Navy uniform, described as "the dreaded fore-and-aft". Later, however, he did see ship duty. He never saw active combat, but was almost court-martialled for distributing anarchist literature."

Discover more about George Melly HERE.


George Melly - Masculine Women, Feminine Men


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Ken Dodd

We have just booked tickets to see Ken in the summer so quite excited by the prospect as it's something we've always wanted to do as he's always been a big favourite of ours since his radio shows and TV shows of the 60's and 70's.

"Ken Dodd was Born on the 8th November 1927,
In an old Farm House on the outskirts of Liverpool. A Village called, Knottyash.

Son of a Coal Merchant, Arthur Dodd and his loving Mother, Sarah Dodd.
He went to the Knottyash School, and sang in the local church choir of St. Johns Church, Knottyash. At the age of Seven, was dared by his School chums to ride his bike with his eyes shut..... And he did. For about 10 feet and the bike hit the kerb. As did the young Doddy, open mouthed onto the tarmac. Resulting in his Famous Teeth you see today.
It was around this time he became interested in showbiz. After seeing an advert in a comic, " Fool Your Teachers, Amaze Your Friends - Send 6d in Stamps and Become a Ventriloquist ! " And he Promptly sent off for the book. Not long after, His Father bought him a Ventriloquist's dummy and Doddy called it Charlie Brown. He started entertaining at the local orphanage, then at various other local community functions.

At 14yrs. He Left the High Holt Grammar School, and went into his Dad's Coal business. Though by his early 20's had branched out on his own. Selling Pots, Pans, and Brushes. And invented his own version of Softsoap for the Liverpool Housewives. He worked hard by day, selling his wares round the streets of Liverpool. And by night, became a regular and very popular performer on ' The Club's ' Circuit as " Professor Yaffle Chuckabutty. Operatic Tenor and Sausage-Knotter.

He Got his big break at the age of 27. In September 1954 he apeared at the Nottingham Playhouse.
A nervous young man, he sat in a local Milk Bar for most of the Afternoon going over and over his lines before going to the theatre. Although he can't remember much of the actual act of that night. He did recal.,, " Well at least they didn't boo me off. " But there wasn't much fear of that, as Dodd's act went from strength to strength. Eventually Topping the bill at Blackpool in 1958 ! "

Discover more about Ken Dodd HERE.

These tracks taken from old cassette of The Good Old Days on BBC TV from the 70's which recreated the victorian music hall broadcast from the City Of Varieties in Leeds.

Ken Dodd - Ha Ha/ My Heart And I

Ken Dodd - Nicky Nacky Noo


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Sack Trick

A strange CD I found at Crewe flea market a few years back. It reminds me of Black Sabbath crossed with Monty Python and the Bonzos! I was attracted by the masked bunnies on the cover I must admit. The whole thing has a glorious home-made feel to it and it's on theiur own Sack Trick label. Its still available along with more recent offerings which you can check out at their amusing website.

Wikipedia says-

"Sack Trick began when Chris Dale, Alex Dickson and Alessandro Elena (A.K.A Sponder), the founding members of the band, played with Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson on his solo Balls to Picasso tour. After the tour, Alex and Bruce wrote Bruce's next solo album, titled Skunkworks. Chris Dale co-wrote Innerspace, which featured on the album, as well as writing two songs, I'm in a band with an Italian drummer and Americans are Behind. Bruce encouraged Chris to write more, and decided to include Chris's songs as B-sides to Back from the edge, the only single from the Skunkworks album. The tracks were also included on the second disc of the 2005 "Expanded Edition" of the album. After the Skunkworks tour, the band split. Bruce went on to make his Accident of Birth album, while Chris continued writing and formed Sack Trick with Alex and Alessandro.
Sack Trick played their first gig on 12th May 1998, at HQ's in London, England. The lineup was Chris Dale (bass), Jef Streatfield (guitar), Robin Guy (drums), Jem Davis (keyboards). Since then, the lineup has undergone changes for nearly every gig the band has played, bringing in talent from all over the UK, including members of bands such as Rachel Stamp, Skunk Anansie and Rainbow, and even a gig featuring Bruce Dickinson on vocals."


Sack Trick - Hiring Camels

Sack Trick - Maialino

Sack Trick - Shoelaces


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Frankie Howard

Oooh no missus! Yes, getting desperate for uploads now and plumbing the depths of my CD collection as the ripping fascility is still beyond me at the moment (if anyone has a Sony CD recorder perhaps they could give me some tips on how to make it record from an analog source ). The CD is on the Tring label from 1995 and contains some awful disco tracks with Frankie "Ooohing" and "Oh No Missusing" through them but other tracks are from an earlier period where he duets with Margaret Rutherford ( Nymphs and Shepherds ) and sings a version of Three Little Fishes that was played alot on Childrens Favourites on the radio in the 50's and 60's.

Wikipedia says-

"Howerd was born the son of a soldier in York, England, in 1917 (not 1922 as he later claimed). He was "lightly" educated at Shooters Hill Grammar School (later to become Eaglesfield School) in Eltham, London. His early hopes of becoming a serious actor were dashed when he failed an audition for RADA. He got into entertaining during his wartime stint in the army. Despite suffering from appalling stage fright he continued to work after the war, beginning his professional career in the summer of 1946 in a touring show called For the Fun of It.
He soon started working in radio, making his debut at the start of December 1946 on the BBC Variety Bandbox programme with a number of other ex-servicemen. His fame built steadily throughout the late 1940s and early 1950s (aided by material written by Eric Sykes, Galton and Simpson and Johnny Speight). In 1954, he made his screen debut opposite Petula Clark in The Runaway Bus, which had been written for his specific comic talents, but he never became a major film presence. When he began experimenting with different formats and contexts, including stage farces, Shakespearean comedy roles, and television sitcoms, he began to fall out of fashion. After suffering a nervous breakdown at the start of the 1960s, he began to recover his old popularity, initially with a season at Peter Cook's satirical Establishment Club in Soho. He was boosted further by success on That Was The Week That Was (TW3) in 1963 and on stage with A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1963–65), which led into regular television work. He was awarded an OBE in 1977."


Frankie Howard - Three Little Fishes

Frankie Howard - Song & Dance Man

Frankie Howard - Nymph's & Shepherds


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Carson Robison

My CD recorder is busted at the moment so can't upload any vinyl just now, so here's a couple of CD tracks from some 78's at the Country & Western Music Archive. I remember him best from his song "The Runaway Train" that was constantly featured on Children's Favourites on the radio during the 50's and 60's.

Wikipedia says-

"Carson Jay Robison (August 4, 1890 - March 24, 1957) was an American country music singer and songwriter. He was also known as Charles Robison.
Born Carson Jay Robison in Oswego, KS. His first professional job was as a singer and whistler at radio station WDAF (Kansas City, MO). In 1924 he moved to New York City and was signed to his first recording contract with Victor Records. From 1928 to 1931 he teamed with Frank Luther and recorded songs. In 1932, he started his own band and continued touring and recording through the 1930s and 1940s. In the late 1940s and early 1950s he appeared on the Grand Ole Opry.
Although he played country music for most of his career, he is also remembered for writing "Barnacle Bill The Sailor" with music composed by Frank Luther.
Carson Robison died in 1957 in Poughkeepsie, NY and was posthumously inducted into Country Music Hall of Fame in 1971."


Carson Robison - Cross Eyed Sue

Carson Robison - Peg Leg Jack

Carson Robison - The Bum Song


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Cab Calloway

I can't remember if I've mentioned Cab before but here's a few tracks from a cheap CD. I expect you can find compilations still of all his big hits like "Minnie The Moocher" and "Honey Dripper" etc. He also did some great soundtracks for early Betty Boop cartoons with the Fleischer Brothers in which they "rotoscoped" him into the film doing some crazy dance routine where he changes into a walrus!

"Cab Calloway was born Cabell Calloway III in a middle-class family in Rochester, New York, and raised primarily in Baltimore, Maryland. His father, Cabell Calloway II, was a lawyer, and his mother Martha Eulalia Reed was a teacher and church organist. His parents recognized their son's musical talent, and he began private voice lessons in 1922. He continued to study music and voice throughout his formal schooling. Despite his parents' and vocal teachers' disapproval of jazz, Calloway began frequenting and eventually performing in many of Baltimore's jazz clubs, where he was mentored by drummer Chick Webb and pianist Johnny Jones.
After graduating from high school Cab joined his older sister, Blanche, in a touring production of the popular black musical revue Plantation Days (Blanche Calloway herself would become an accomplished bandleader before her brother did, and Cab would often credit his inspiration to enter show business to her). Cab attended Lincoln University, PA , and left in 1930 without graduating.
When the tour ended in Chicago in the fall, Cab decided to remain in Chicago with his sister, who had an established career as a jazz singer in that city. His parents had hopes of their son becoming a lawyer like his father, so Calloway enrolled in Crane College.
His main interest, however, was in singing and entertaining, and he spent most of his nights at the Dreamland Cafe and the Sunset Cafe, performing as a drummer, singer and emcee.
At the Sunset Cafe he met and performed with Louis Armstrong who taught him to sing in the "scat" style."

Discover more about Cab Calloway HERE.


Cab Calloway - Nagasaki

Cab Calloway - Hoy Hoy

Cab Calloway - Jumpin' Jive

Cab Calloway - A Chicken Ain't Nothing But A Bird


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Red Ingle

This isn't from a boot sale or charity shop but a tape someone sent me a few years back and a favourite of mine. Red played saxaphone with the Spike Jones band for many years before going solo (thats him on the left ).

"He was born Ernest Jansen Ingle in Toledo, Ohio on November 7, 1906. Ingle came to music early, being taught the rudiments of the violin at age five by family friend Fritz Kreisler. He stayed with the instrument until he reached the age of 13, at which time he started playing the saxophone, the predominant instrument for the rest of his life. Two years later, Ingle was playing his first professional job as a member of Al Amato's band. By his late teens, Ingle was touring steadily with the Jean Goldkette Orchestra, sharing the bandstand with future jazz legends Bix Beiderbecke and Frankie Trumbauer. After a bandleading stint at Chicago's Merry Gardens Ballroom and a brief tenure under bandleader Maurice Sherman, Ingle and his tenor sax joined up with Ted Weems in 1931. The teaming was good for both men, lasting into the following decade with Ingle contributing comedy vocals to several Weems recordings, including "Jelly Bean," "Tain't So," "Sittin' Up Waitin' for You," and "The Man from the South." The boy singer for the band, Perry Como, would later recall Ingle as 'one of the most talented men I've ever met.'"

Here's Red and Jo Stafford doing a live version of their million selling hit "Tim-Tayshun" on You Tube.

Find out more about Red Ingle HERE.


Red Ingle - Tim-Tayshun

Red Ingle - For Sentimental Reasons

Red Ingle - Song Of Indians

Red Ingle - Oh! Nick-O-Deemo


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Calypso Carnival

Scouring the archives I thought I had uploaded this one before but I couldn't find it so here it is. It was released in 60's on the Melodisc label inthe U.K. The blurb on the back of the 10" sleeve proclaims -

"In this album you not only have Calypsos in different, colourful and contrasting styles from Trinidad's leading calypsonians in The Lion's "COME PUNKSIE", a contsant favourite to George Browne, The Roving "trooperdor" singing "The Single Man", an old Jewish melody - to the Mighty Terror expressing in "Chinese Children" grave predicament with seriousness and feeling which is undoubtedly felt by many today.
Perhaps it was at this stage Meloldisc Records Ltd. decided to give "Calypso Carnival" a fuller Federal Caribbean flavour and leaving Trinidad to the South they proceeded North to Jamaica for haunting mentos by Tony Johnson and Eric Hayden - the former giving his advice and opinion on the Smarter Sex. Leaving Jamaica they go to Haiti for the Calypso Merangue "Stone Cold Man" by the Charmer. This is the current craze in the Caribbean, Norht and South America. In this you will note strong French influence, but unlike the French in "Sone Cold Man" the blame is on the wife. "

Discover more about calypso HERE.


Lord Kitchener - Big Toe

George Browne - Single Man

Eric Hayden - Give Her The No.1

The Lion - Come Punksie


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Joe Brown

Another boot sale find from a couple of weeks ago. This is on the cheapo Marble Arch label from the 60's.


"Joe’s early professional musical career included playing guitar with Johnny Cash, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran and appearing with Bill Haley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard & Chuck Berry, whilst Brian Epstein who promoted some of Joe's shows in the North West of England in the early days gave the opening slot a few times to a young band which he was then interested in working with called The Beatles.
Joe formed his own group Joe Brown & The Bruvvers in 1960 and had numerous top ten chart entries, the best known of which Picture Of You reaching the magical Number One slot and staying months on the chart.
In the early seventies he formed the acclaimed "Browns Home Brew" which included his late wife Vicki and Joe Fagin, their music was a mixture of Country Rock and Gospel. The band toured the college and rock Club circuit and had two albums released by Vertigo records.
Joe has starred in six major motion pictures, among which are numbered What A Crazy World, Three Hats For Lisa, Spike Milligan Meets Joe Brown and Mona Lisa with Bob Hoskins."

Discover more about Joe Brown HERE.


Joe Brown - Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone

Joe Brown - You Can't Lie To A Liar


These SendSpace files are available for seven days or until exhausted.

Little Feat

I've had this white label LP since the late 70's which I found in a junk shop in Stepney. I was a Little Feat fan at the time so amazed it turned out to be a concert by them. I assumed it to be taken from a radio show as the audience sounded quite small and intimate. Today I found out where it was from. It was recorded in New York at Ultrasonic Studios ( WLIR) in Septemeber 1974. I know this because the whole thing , and hundreds of other concerts are kept at the Internet Archive.

Wikipedia says-

"The band was formed by songwriter, singer and guitarist Lowell George and keyboard player Bill Payne, whom George had met when George was a member of Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention. Payne had auditioned for the Mothers, but had not joined. They were backed by former Mothers' bassist Roy Estrada and drummer Richie Hayward from George's previous band, The Factory. The name of the band came from a comment made by Mothers' drummer Jimmy Carl Black about Lowell's literally "little feet." The spelling of "feat" was a nod to The Beatles.
There are three legends about the genesis of Little Feat. One has it that George showed Frank Zappa his song Willin, and that Zappa fired him from The Mothers, because he felt that George was too talented to merely be a member of his band, and told him he ought to go away and form his own band. The second version has Zappa firing him for playing a 15 minute guitar solo - with his amplifier off! The third version says that Zappa fired him because Willin contains drug references ("weed, whites and wine"). Ironically, when Willin was recorded for the first, eponymous Little Feat album, George had hurt his hand and could not play the song's slide part, so Ry Cooder sat in and played the part. This was one reason why Willin' was re-recorded and included on their second album Sailin' Shoes. Sailin' Shoes was also the first Little Feat album to include cover art by Neon Park, who had painted the cover for Zappa's Weasels Ripped My Flesh."

Discover more about Little Feat HERE.


Little Feat - Rock 'N' Roll Doctor

Little Feat - Two Trains

Little Feat - Oh, Atlanta


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Big Al Davies

A song , Frascati Halloween, from Big Al's long awaited CD. Animated by Ron Bookless.

Les Quatre Etoiles ( The 4 Stars )

A West African supergroup based in France where this record was made in the 80's I would guess. On the Melodie (Tangent) label.

"Les Quatre Etoiles is the Soukous musical group consisting of the Congolese musicians, Bopol Mansiamina, Wuta Mayi, Syran Mbenza and Nyboma.
Their album, Sangonini, was produced by the renowned African music producer Ibrahim Sylla. The song "Doly", from Sangoni, enjoyed worldwide popularity, reaching no. 3 in the Colombian music charts. The song "Papy Sodolo", has been covered by Tabu Ley Rochereau, another African musician of note. Another song, "Sangonini", produced in Paris and released in 1993, has also been popular.
Les Quatre Etoiles has also released the albums Adama Coly and Souffrance, as well as Live in London, a recording of their performance in the UK capital.
Their polished renditions begin in the Soukous tradition, with a slow, harmonious introduction; this then breaks out, again as in the Soukous tradition, into a fast-paced chorus known as the 'sebene' with resonating, repeated electric guitar rhythms in the background, interwoven with a choice assortment of African percussion instruments accompanied by orchestras.
Each of the four members of Les Quatre Etoiles have long established individual musical careers."

Listen to and buy Les Quatre Etoiles HERE.


Les Quatre Etoiles - The 4 Stars

Les Quatre Etoiles - Ba Relations


These SendSpace files are available for seven days our until exhausted.

Butlins Flexidisc

I have a few of these promo flexidiscs I've picked up over the years and most are pretty awful and this is no exception! But I thought I would share it with you so you realise how lucky you are I dont upload this sort of thing all the time! I expect in some circles they are incredibly collectable for their social historical relevance or in a kitsch ironic way. Hazel found this one back in 1985 in Swindon. The sleeve is useful for writing letters on the back of. On it hazel has written "hope you like the record - keep it so I can hear it." I did and here it is.

Find out more about Butlins HERE.


Blazing Billy & The Butlins Boogie Band - Summertime Special


This SendSpace file is available for seven days or until exhausted.

King Fighter

Another old calypso LP from the archives found many years ago in Cheshire Street market, just off Brick Lane. This rarity is on the National label and released in the 60's one imagines though no date on the record. It comes without a sleeve so had to search the internet to find it. What a great sleeve it was too!

"King Fighter (Shurland Wilson) (March 10, 1928 - December 12, 1999)

Born in Victoria Village, on the east coast of Guyana, Wilson got his name, King Fighter, because he was a boxer known for his fancy footwork. Fighter started out as a fisherman, then a boxer, before becoming a calypso singer. He started out singing boleros and love songs before switching to calypsos.

One of his main influences was the Guyanese vaudeville singer Bill Rogers. As for calypso, his favorites were Kitch and Melody and he started singing in Guiana. However, he left and moved to Trinidad because he couldn't make a living in his native country as either a boxer or a singer.

He came to Trinidad in the Fifties and was an active performer, primarily in the OYB tent until the 1980s. He first appeared in Trinidad with fellow Guyanese calypsonian Lord Coffee in 1955 and quickly rose to be a very successful calypso singer. He was a finalist for 1957 monarchy out of the Young Brigade with Smart Woman and Dhalpourie (Indian Wedding). He was singing both his Why BG Don't Want to Federate and Animal Beauty Contest that year. He was recorded extensively on a large of record labels in the Fifties and Sixties on records issued both in British Guiana, Trinidad and in England."

Discover more about King Fighter HERE.


King Fighter - Wash The Plate

King Fighter - Senorita Cindy

King Fighter - Quarkey

King Fighter - Peace

King Fighter - They Want Me

King Fighter - Beat Me

King Fighter - Lovely Country

King Fighter - You Does Come Too Soon

King Fighter - Dollar Bill

King Fighter - Envy




These SendSpace files are available for seven days or until exhausted.

SWAPATORIUM: Musical Highlights From R.K. Films

Sam Sklair

A curious LP I found today in the Age Concern charity shop for 75p. It's a mixture of traditional "kwela" South African township jive and big band brass in the style of Bert Kaempfert. Indeed, one of the tunes here is an old Kaempfert hit "Swingin' Safari" . It's on the RCA Victor label - released in 1968. Other big hits of the 50's and 60's have been given the trad/big band treatment including "Zambesi" which Eddie Calvert made popular in the U.K. and "Wimoweh" which has been in and out of the charts in various guises for the last forty years or more.

Very little found on the internet about Sklair so will quote the short blurb on the back of the LP sleeve which says-

"Composer-instrumentalist-arranger-conductor. Born in England, he has lived in South Africa for many years. He has long been interested in the music and rhythms of Africa, and has written musical scores for many film, radio and television documentaries. He is today looked upon as one of the country's foremost authorities on the subject of African music. This, allied to his many other talents, makes him the one person equipped to have undertaken a record such as this. In addition to arranging and conducting this happy blend of Africa and the West, sam himself plays all the African instruments on this record."

Sam Sklair - Swingin' Safari

Sam Sklair - Zambesi

Sam Sklair - Meadowlands

Sam Sklair - Gumboot Dance


These SendSpace files are available for seven days or until exhausted.

Orch. Carte Blanche Du Zaire

Not many boot sales around yet so forced to dig deep into the archive for this one on the Flambeau label (1985)- Printed and designed in Nigeria it says but the music is very much the soukous we know and love from Zaire (formerly the Belgium Congo ).

Not much info. gleaned on the interent about Orch. Carte Blanche so here is a brief description I found of the early soukous scene in the Congo-

"During the 1950s, when they experienced rapid urbanization and a relatively booming economy, the two French-speaking colonies of the Congo area (capitals in Brazzaville and Kinshasa) witnessed the birth of an African version of the Cuban rumba played by small American-style orchestras (called "kasongo", "kirikiri" or "soukous") with a touch of jazz and of local attitudes: Joseph "Grand Kalle" Kabasselleh's African Jazz (that counted on vocalist Tabu Ley, guitarist "Docteur" Nico Kasanda, saxophonist Manu Dibango), Jean-Serge Essous' O.K.Jazz (featuring the young Franco), Orchestre Bella Bella, etc. Each orchestra became famous for one or more "dances" that they invented. So soukous (as Ley dubbed it in 1966) is actually a history of dances, rather than one monolithic genre (Ley's definition originally applied only to a frenzied version of rumba). A guitarist named Jimmy Elenga introduced "animation": instructions yelled to the crowd in order to direct their dances. Animation eventually became part of the dance, delivering both the identity of the dance, the (ethnic) identity of the band and a (more or less subtle) sociopolitical message. As dictators seized power in both Congos, musicians emigrated to other African countries, to Europe and to the USA, thus spreading soukous around the world, while in Zaire (Congo Kinshasa) soukous bands were used for Maoist-style propaganda purposes ("l'animation politique")."


Orch. Carte Blanche Du Zaire - Mauna Kindou (edit)

Orch. Carte Blanche Du Zaire - Umba (edit)


These SendSpace files are available for seven days or until exhausted.

Durium Dance Band

A rather unusaul disc from the dusty vaults of my collection now - a Durium label "flexidisc" that seems to be made of cardboard coated with some kind of plastic. It enjoyed a brief popularity in the inter war years and sometimes sold at news stands and kiosks for a few pence. They were amazingly bendy and not as fragile as the heavier shellac 78's but sadly curled up aftera few plays and never really caught on. Being one sided, two tracks had to be squeezed onto one side which didnt help the sound quality much. This disc is rather worn and the second track has a nasty jump half way through. Also as you can see I had to employ a novel way of weighing down the centre with a roll of sticky tape, the middle was apt to rise up the spindle and distort the sound even further!


Here is a quote from Time Magazine in 1937-

"On news stands in Springfield, Mass., and Hartford, Conn., last week, there appeared for sale an article which set many a passer-by to wondering. It was a phonograph record, not black but brown; no thicker, scarcely any heavier, than a stiff piece of paper; and it bore the name of an unknown corporation called Durium Products.
Durium is the recent invention of Dr. Hal Trueman Beans, Professor of Chemistry at Columbia University. It is a synthetic resin, somewhat like bakelite. In its original form it is a liquid composition the color of varnish which when exposed to heat becomes so solid that dropping or mild whacks will do it no harm. Like varnish too it can be spread with a brush but there the resemblance stops. Durium hardens so quickly that phonograph records, which are pressed from metal disks, can be stamped on it with the speed of a printing press. The manufacture of records is the first commercial use to which durium has been put, and so cheaply was it accomplished that first ones were offered at 15¢ apiece."


Durium Dance Band - Back Again To Happy Go Lucky Days


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