Sheila Hancock/ Sydney Carter

A rather battered and bruised LP I found today at the local Age UK shop for 50p. On the Transatlantic label from 1962 and features the songs of Sydney Carter sung by him and Sheila Hancock the well known actress. A curious mix of folk song and cabaret with musicians such as Stephen J. Sedley on guitar and lute, Ralph Trainer on guitar banjo and recorder, Roger Hellyer on bassoon and Joy Silman on drums tambourine, dustbin lid and assorted sound effects. Wikipedia says - "Sheila Hancock was born in Blackgang on the Isle of Wight, the daughter of Ivy Louise (née Woodward) and Enrico Cameron Hancock, who was a publican. Her sister Billie is nine years older (and worked as a variety artist until retiring to Antibes in 2003 at the age of 79). After wartime evacuation, Hancock attended Dartford County Grammar School and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. [edit]Theatre She worked in repertory during the 1950s and made her West End debut in 1958, replacing Joan Sims in the play Breath of Spring. She then appeared in Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop production of Make Me An Offer in 1959, and her other early West End appearances included the revue One Over the Eight with Kenneth Williams in 1961, and starring in Rattle of a Simple Man in 1962. In 1965, she made her Broadway debut in Entertaining Mr Sloane. In 1978, she played Miss Hannigan in the original London cast of the musical Annie and two years later, she played Mrs Lovett in the original London production of the musical Sweeney Todd. She appeared in The Winter's Tale, Titus Andronicus and A Delicate Balance for the Royal Shakespeare Company. At the National Theatre she appeared in The Cherry Orchard and The Duchess of Malfi. She also directed A Midsummer Night's Dream for the RSC on tour and was the first female director at the National, with The Critic. In 2006, she played the role of Fraulein Schneider in the West End revival of the musical Cabaret at the Lyric Theatre. She won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role In A Musical. In 2009, she spent over a year playing Mother Superior in Sister Act the Musical at the London Palladium." Wikipedia says of Sydney Carter - "Sydney Bertram Carter (6 May 1915 – 13 March 2004) was an English poet, songwriter, folk musician, born in Camden Town, London. He is best known for the song "Lord of the Dance" (1967), set to the tune of the American Shaker song "Simple Gifts", and the song "The Crow on the Cradle", adapted from an old folk song. Other notable songs include "Julian of Norwich", "One More Step Along the World I Go", "When I Needed a Neighbour", "Friday Morning", "Every Star Shall Sing a Carol", "The Youth of the Heart" and "Down Below". He studied at Montem St Primary school in Finsbury Park, Christ's Hospital school in Horsham, West Sussex and Balliol College, Oxford, graduating in history in 1936. A committed pacifist, Carter joined the Friends' Ambulance Unit on the outbreak of World War II and served in Egypt, Palestine and Greece. He worked as a lyricist for Donald Swann's revues and musicals in the 1950s and in 1962, produced an album "Putting out the Dustbin" with Sheila Hancock, with the song "Last Cigarette" on failing to give up smoking that became a minor hit." Hancock/Carter - Side One. Hancock/Carter - Side Two

Akendengue

An LP on the CBS label from 1983 I've had for some time. Not sure where I found it. The rhythms seem rather wayward at first but they definitely grow on you after a one or two listens. So much going on here but well worth investigating further. Wikipdeia says - "Pierre-Claver Akendengué (born April 25, 1943) is a musician and composer of Gabon. In 1997, he received his country's "Prix d'excellence" at the Africa Music awards in Libreville, honoring his body of work. He also serves as a cultural advisor for the government of Gabon. Born on the island of Awuta, which is located just off the coast from Port-Gentil, Akendengué went to school in Port-Gentil, then studied psychology at the University of Caen in France during the 1960s. While in France, he met singer Mireille, who encouraged his musical interests. In 1974, Akendengué recorded his first album, Nandipo, consisted of songs of his own composition, sung in French and Nkomi, accompanied by guitar, women choir, bass and the percussion of Nana Vasconcelos. He later set to music poems by P. E. Mondjegou, such as "Le Chant du Coupeur d'Okoumé" ("The Song of the Okoumé Cutter"). Returning to Gabon, he studied solfeggio and plainchant at a Catholic college, and presented spectacles showcasing traditional Gabonese forms in a concert setting. In 1986, he received a doctorate from the University of Paris for his study of religion and education among the Nkomi."

Akendengue - Side Two

A British Sampler

A nostalgic journey in sound around the UK from the chimes of Big Ben to She's A Lassie From Lancashire.On the BBC label from 1969. The blurb on the back says - "All kinds of music are represented on this disc - from true folk music and traditional tunes centuries old to the latest creations from Merseyside and Swinging London. Many of the numbers have been specially recorded for a "A British Sampler", others are from the BBC archives and from BTA's sound library, and one or two have been created electronically by the BBC Radiophonic Workshop." A British Sampler - Side One

George Burns

Another of my Llandudno charity shop finds. A live double album from 1974 on the DJM label. Introduced by Jack Benny ( his last recording ). An amusing amalgam of old songs and patter and biography. George talks about his early days of vaudeville and all the different names he used and acts he belonged to. Wikipedia says - "Naftaly (later called Nathan) Birnbaum was the ninth of 12 children born to Louis and Dorah (née Bluth) Birnbaum, Jewish immigrants who had come to the United States from Romania. Burns was also an active member of the First Roumanian-American congregation. His father was a substitute cantor at the local synagogue but usually worked as a coat presser. During the influenza epidemic of 1903, Lippe Birnbaum contracted the flu and died at the age of 47. Nattie (as he was then called) went to work to help support the family, shining shoes, running errands, and selling newspapers. When he landed a job as a syrup maker in a local candy shop at age seven, he was "discovered," as he recalled long after: “ We were all about the same age, six and seven, and when we were bored making syrup, we used to practice singing harmony in the basement. One day our letter carrier came down to the basement. His name was Lou Farley. Feingold was his real name, but he changed it to Farley. He wanted the whole world to sing harmony. He came down to the basement once to deliver a letter and heard the four of us kids singing harmony. He liked our style, so we sang a couple more songs for him. Then we looked up at the head of the stairs and saw three or four people listening to us and smiling. In fact, they threw down a couple of pennies. So I said to the kids I was working with, 'no more chocolate syrup. It's show business from now on'. We called ourselves the Pee-Wee Quartet. We started out singing on ferryboats, in saloons, in brothels, and on street corners. We'd put our hats down for donations. Sometimes the customers threw something in the hats. Sometimes they took something out of the hats. Sometimes they took the hats. ” Burns quit school in the fourth grade to go into show business full-time. Like many performers of his generation, he tried practically anything he could to entertain, including working with a trained seal, trick roller skating, teaching dance, singing, and adagio dancing in small-time vaudeville. During these years, he began smoking cigars and later in his older years was characteristically known as doing shows and puffing on his cigar. He adopted the stage name by which he would be known for the rest of his life. He claimed in a few interviews that the idea of the name originated from the fact that two star major league players (George H. Burns and George J. Burns, unrelated) were playing major league baseball at the time. Both men achieved over 2000 major league hits and hold some major league records. Burns also was reported to have taken the name George from his brother Izzy (who hated his own name so he changed it to "George"), and the Burns from the Burns Brothers Coal Company (he used to steal coal from their truck). He normally partnered with a girl, sometimes in an adagio dance routine, sometimes comic patter. Though he had an apparent flair for comedy, he never quite clicked with any of his partners, until he met a young Irish Catholic lady in 1923. "And all of a sudden," he said famously in later years "the audience realized I had a talent. They were right. I did have a talent—and I was married to her for 38 years." George Burns - Side One

Aberconway - Sounds Beautiful

Just back from North Wales. Found this EP in a charity shop for 50p. Made in 1975 on the Pad Records label. Gives a nice flavour of holidays by the sea which hasn't changed much since those days. The Punch & Judy man is still there , as is the Llandudno Town Band which plays on the prom every Monday night during the Summer - weather permitting. Contributors are - Deganwy Primary School, Llandudno Town Band, Staff of British Rail, Maelgyn Male Voice Choir, Professor Codman, The "Tonnau" Choir, Lechwadd Slate Quarries, Trefriw Woollen Mills, Robin James Jones (harp) and cast of "Showtime" at the Arcadia Theatre. Sounds Beautiful - Side One Sounds Beautiful - Side Two

Kenneth Horne

A 10" LP I found today at a boot sale. On the Concert Hall record label from 1962. Kenneth Horne is better remembered as the amusing a genial host of radio's Round The Horne which featured Kenneth Williams, Hugh Paddick and Betty Marsden etc. in the 60's. Interesting to hear him here narrating this tale set to the music of Prokofiev which I always thought was tinged with a certain undefinable melancholy. One can't help thinking - any minute now Rambling Syd Rumpo will appear to spoil the mood and regale us with a Swoggler's Nadgering Song! Wikipedia says - "Kenneth Horne (27 February 1907 – 14 February 1969) was an English comedian and businessman. The son of a clergyman and politician, he combined a successful business career with regular broadcasting for the BBC. His first hit series, Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh, written with his co-star Richard Murdoch, arose out of his wartime service as an officer in the Royal Air Force. Ill health forced him to choose between commerce and show business after 1958, and, choosing the latter, he made two further popular radio series, Beyond Our Ken (1958–1964) and Round the Horne (1965–1968) Charles Kenneth Horne was the seventh and youngest child of Charles Silvester Horne and his wife, the Hon. Katherine neé Cozens-Hardy. Silvester Horne was a Congregationalist minister, Liberal MP for Ipswich, and powerful orator. His maternal grandfather was Herbert Cozens-Hardy, the Liberal MP for North Norfolk who became both the Master of the Rolls and Baron Cozens-Hardy on 1 July 1914. Horne was educated at a preparatory school in Shrewsbury, followed by St George's School, Harpenden and the London School of Economics. His tutors at the LSE included Hugh Dalton and Stephen Leacock. Horne was dissatisfied there, and through the generosity of an uncle, Austin Pilkington of the Pilkington glassmaking family of St Helens, he was enabled to go instead to Magdalene College, Cambridge. He represented the university at tennis, partnering Bunny Austin, but was academically undistinguished and so neglectful of his studies that he was sent down in 1927. Austin Pilkington was aggrieved at Horne's failure to make the most of the opportunity he had provided, and he decided against offering him a post in the family firm. However, through his contacts within the industry, he secured for the young Horne an interview with the Triplex Safety Glass Company at King's Norton, a district of Birmingham. Horne's sporting record commended him to the manager of the Triplex factory, and he was taken on as a management trainee on a very modest salary. In 1930, despite his unimpressive finances, he married Lady Mary Pelham-Clinton-Hope, daughter of the 8th Duke of Newcastle. The marriage was happy at first, but they were sexually incompatible. His wife left him and returned to her family home. The marriage was annulled in 1933 on the grounds of non-consummation, although the two remained on friendly terms thereafter. When Horne's first marriage was dissolved, he was sought out by a former girlfriend, Joan Burgess, daughter of a neighbour at King's Norton. Unlike his first wife, she had much in common with him, including a liking for squash, tennis and golf and for dancing. A month before her 21st birthday they were married, in September 1936." Peter & The Wolf - Side One. Peter & The Wolf - Side Two

No Trees In The Street

A flexidisc I found in the Oxfam shop in Crewe today. The old dear behind the counter was trying to peel the record off the card until I stopped her! She thought there was something inside. O how we laughed! It proved quite tricky to play as the corners are all turned up and even weighted with coins it still jumped about as you can hear. The object is far more exciting than the actual sound as basically it's just a audio trailer for a very dull British film of the 50's but does have a certain element of fun attached. Not bad for 29 pence.

No Trees ON The Street - Trailer

Poems & Pints

Pretty mediocre collection of poetry, sketches and songs from a pub in Rogerstone, Gwent in Wales. Probably helps if you are Welsh and slightly tipsy. The crowd here are obviously enjoying it. Based on a popular BBC TV programme from the 70's which I vaguely remember avoiding. Includes such names as Max Boyce, Mari Griffith, Neil Lewis and John Luce, Philip Madoc and Triban. Poems & Pints - Side Two.

Texas Kitty (re-up)

Jim in Basingstoke sent this cassette to me recently. Its a rare copy of a 10" LP on the Philips label from the late 50's early 60's that he was sent many years ago and he has been wanting to hear more of Texas Kitty but the internet does not tell us much. The only image I could find is of an EP. called "Texas Kitty" that was put out about the same time and contains some of the same tracks. Luckily a Dutch friend Jan managed to track down a short biography on a dutch website. Her real name was Kitty Prins. "She was born in Groningen, The Netherlands. She was not only a singer, but a professional painter as well. However her carreer in our country never really got from the ground. She was more succesfull in Vlaanderen (the Dutch speaking part of Belgium). She also had a fan-club in South Africa and she had contacts with the Country Music Assocation in the VS, where she perfromed in the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. After being seriously disappointed in The Netherland by people breaking contracts and so on, she decided to move to Vlaanderen permanently. Untill 1981 she presented a country show on Belgian radio. The last years of her life she spent painting. The website isn't clear about her birth and death date (1900-1900?)." Thanks for that Jan. Texas Kitty - Just A Bit Of Lovin'. Texas Kitty - New Mule Skinner Blues. Texas Kitty - My Sweetheart Ain't Around. Texas Kitty - Mule Train Yodel Blues. Texas Kitty - My Love For You Texas Kitty - After Dark Texas Kitty - I Don't Care Texas Kitty - My Old Grey Car

Super Calypso Hits Vol. 1

I've had a couple of requests for this one again as the old files have been deleted for some reason. A late period compilation of calypso from the West Indies on the Camille label in Barbados from 1973. Wikipedia says of Lord Melody - "Melody was born Fitzroy Alexander at San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago, raised at an orphanage in Port of Spain, and met Alwyn Roberts (soon to become better known as Lord Kitchener) after moving to Arima while still in his teens. Roberts took him under his wing and they returned to Port of Spain, where Lord Kitchener became the leading calypso star, with Melody one of his main challengers. His popularity increased locally when Lord Kitchener emigrated to England in 1947. Melody began singing in the calypso tents in the mid 1940s and was one of the leaders of the Young Brigade tent during the 1950s and early 1960s.He also regularly toured the Caribbean. His early successes included "Berlin on a Donkey", mocking Adolf Hitler, and "Boo Boo Man". In 1954 he won Trinidad's Calypso King title with "Second Spring", and he was signed to the American Emory Cook's record label, Cook Records, in 1956. He was one of six calypsonians who were chosen to sing for Princess Margaret at the Governor's House during her visit to Trinidad in 1956; the others were Sir Galba, Mighty Dictator, Mighty Spitfire, Mighty Panther, and Lord Viper. Melody went on to compose a number of other songs that poked fun at his own appearance, such as "Creature from the Black Lagoon". His first known album was "Calypso Fiesta - Limbo In Trinidad" which was released in 1956 on Vitadisc records and was a 78RPM shellac 10" containing 8 songs including his popular Mama Look A Boo Boo. Another release "Calypso Carnival 1958" was released on Balisier records in 1958. It was a split release - the first side contained 6 Lord Melody songs (some of which didn't appear elsewhere), and the second side was composed of instrumental tracks by Cyril Diaz (whose band usually backed Melody on his recordings). Cook Records released some live tracks featuring him on their albums Jump Up Carnival and Calypso Kings And Pink Gin in 1957, which led to him recording a full album for the label the next year. His first album on cook records, Lord Melody Sings Calypso, was released in 1958, with a second album, Again! released the following year. He frequently sparred in song with the Mighty Sparrow. Rivalry between Melody and the Mighty Sparrow was recorded in the calypsos "Ten to One is Murder" and "Cowboy Sparrow". The humorous rivalry between the two calypsonians was immensely popular with audiences. Melody's third album "Calypso Through The Looking Glass" was released in 1960 and featured the infamous "Belmont Jackass" in which Melody berates Sparrow's wife. Another one of Melody's recordings, "Wau, Wau" (more commonly known as "Shame & Scandal"), became an international hit in 1962 and was recorded in the U.S., Europe and Australia. The song was a version of a song originally recorded by Sir Lancelot in 1943 with new verses written by Melody. This subsequently became the most widely known version of the song and his version was covered by The Wailers with Peter Tosh on lead vocal." Super Calypso Hits - Side One. Super Calypso Hits - Side Two.

Reggae Special

Various artists reggae LP from late 60's I would guess. Wikipedia says of Coxsone label- "Clement Seymour "Sir Coxsone" Dodd, CD (Kingston, Jamaica, January 26, 1932 – May 5, 2004) was a Jamaican record producer who was influential in the development of ska and reggae in the 1950s, 1960s and beyond. He received his nickname "Coxsone" at school: because of his teenage talent as a cricketer, his friends compared him to Alec Coxon, a member of the 1940s Yorkshire County Cricket Club team. Dodd used to play records to the customers in his parents' shop. During a spell in the American South he became familiar with the rhythm and blues music popular there at the time. In 1954, back in Jamaica, he set up the Downbeat Sound System, being the owner of an amplifier, a turntable, and some US records, which he would import from New Orleans and Miami. With the success of his sound system, and in a competitive environment, Dodd would make trips through the US looking for new tunes to attract the Jamaican public. Dodd opened five different sound systems, each playing every night. To run his sound systems, Dodd appointed people such as Lee "Scratch" Perry, who was Dodd's right hand man during his early career, U-Roy and Prince Buster. When the R&B craze ended in the United States, Dodd and his rivals were forced to begin recording their own Jamaican music in order to meet the local demand for new music. Initially these recordings were exclusively for a particular sound system but the records quickly developed into an industry in their own right. In 1959 he founded a record company called World Disc. 1962 he produced the Jazz record I cover the water front on the Port-O-Jam label, two of the musicians who played on the album, Roland Alphonso and Don Drummond became founding members of the Skatalites one year later. In 1963 he opened Studio One on Brentford Road, Kingston. It was the first black-owned recording studio in Jamaica (see 1963 in music). He held regular Sunday evening auditions in search of new talent, and it was here that Dodd auditioned Bob Marley, singing as a part of The Wailing Wailers. He gave the group a five-year exclusive contract, paying them £20 for each song they recorded; for a time, Marley slept in a back room of the studio. The Marley-penned song "Simmer Down", a Dodd production, went to number one in Jamaica in February 1964. However, he became notorious for rarely paying the band the money they were owed for the record sales, and as a result the group were living in relative poverty despite being household names in Jamaica. This eventually became their catalyst for leaving the label. During the late 1960s and 1970s, the 'Studio One sound' was synonymous with the sound of ska, rocksteady and reggae, and Dodd attracted some of the best of Jamaican talent to his stable during this time, including Burning Spear, Ras Michael, Delroy Wilson, Horace Andy and Sugar Minott. He continued to be active in the music industry into his seventies, and on May 1, 2004 Kingston's Brentford Road was renamed Studio One Boulevard in a ceremony which paid tribute to his accomplishments as a producer. He died suddenly of a heart attack four days later while working at Studio One.[2] Dodd was posthumously awarded the Order of Distinction, in the rank of Commander on October 15, 2007, for service to the Jamaica music industry." Tracks are as follows - !. Sould & Inspiration - The Hamlins 2. Rocking Time - Roy & Enid 3. Scorcia - The Sound Dimensions 4. Pressure & Slide - The Jennors 5. Reggae For Days - Roy & Enid 6. Music Like Dirt - The Lyrics. Reggae Special - Side Two

Soul Brothers

I thought I had featured the Soul Brothers before but a quick look in the archive seems to suggest I haven't. So here's a nice instrumental Ska LP on the Coxsone label from 1967. "The Soul Brothers bridged the gap between Ska and the arrival of Rocksteady mixing it all up with Funk, Jazz and Latin styles. The Soul Brothers recorded at Studio One between 1965-1967. This was the transitionary period between Ska and Rocksteady where the music was a mixture of Funk, Latin and Jazz sometimes with a reminder of Ska and the hint of Rocksteady. The previous era of Ska had been dominated by the Skatalites. The Skatalites were made up of Don Drummond, Roland Alphonso, Jackie Mittoo, Johnny Moore, Lloyd Knibbs, Lloyd Brevett, Tommy McCook, Ernest Ranglin and Lester Sterling. Formed in 1963, The Skatalites were the first in-house band at Studio One and created scores of classic hits such as "Guns of Navaronne", "Man in the Street", "El Pussy Cat" and many more. Unfortunately the strong personalities in the group meant that The Skatalites stayed together for less than two years. It was also around this time that the mentally unwell Don Drummond was arrested for the murder of his girlfriend, the dancer Margerita. In August 1965, barely a week after the demise of the original Skatalites, The Soul Brothers (featuring ex-Skatalites members Jackie Mittoo, Roland Alphonso, Johnny Moore and Lloyd Brevitt) were up and running as the new house band at Studio One. Other members in this group included Wallin Cameron (guitar) and Bunny Williams (drums). This release could just as easily have been called Rolando Alphonso and The Soul Brothers or just The Soul Brothers as the group were essentially a collective, releasing material under their own name or under a nominal leader (usually Jackie Mittoo or Rolando Alphonso). The group line-up changed over time with Bobby Ellis (trumpet), Bryan Atkinson (bass), Dennis Campbell (Sax), Harry Haughton (guitarist) and Joe Isaacs (drummer) replacing various members alongside the ever present Jackie Mittoo. The Soul Brothers mix of musical styles is described as Ska, Jump-Up and Soul sounds." Tracks are as follows - 1. Lawman 2, The Fiddler 3. Something Else 4. P. Cafe 5. Wakie Wakie ^. Instant Jerk Soul Bros - Side One

Charlie Gillett - UB40/Joe Lung (Re-Up)

Two more Undercurrents radio shows from 1981 with Charlie's guests being UB40 and Joe Lung. Both talking about the independent music scene at the time. UB40 , who's debut album was high in the charts chat about their influences and how they got started and play music from The Clash and Gregory Issacs etc. as well as featuring tracks from "Signing Off" which they made in a bedroom studio in Birmingham.
Joe Lung , a DJ played records in clubs like the Marquee and Moonlight and his selection of platters includes The Dancing Did and The Delta 5 etc.

Wikipedia says of UB40 -

"The band members began as friends who knew each other from various schools across Birmingham. The name "UB40" was selected in reference to the document issued to people claiming unemployment benefit from the UK government's Department of Health and Social Security (DHSS) at the time of the band's formation. The designation UB40 stood for Unemployment Benefit, Form 40.

Brian Travers saved up and bought his first saxophone whilst working as an electrical apprentice for NG Bailey. leaving after a few years to become a founding member of UB40 alongside Jimmy Brown, Earl Falconer and Ali Campbell.

Before some of them could play their instruments, Ali Campbell and Brian Travers travelled around Birmingham promoting the band, putting up UB40 posters. The band purchased its first instruments from Woodroffe's Musical Instruments with £4,000 in compensation money that Campbell, who would become the lead singer, received after a bar fight during his seventeenth birthday celebration.

Their sound was created and honed through many long jam sessions at various locations in Birmingham. Their first gig took place on 9 February 1979 at The Hare & Hounds Pub in Kings Heath, Birmingham for a friend's birthday party.

UB40 caught their first break when Chrissie Hynde heard their John Peel session and gave them an opportunity as a support act to her band, The Pretenders. UB40's first single, "King"/"Food for Thought" was released on Graduate Records, a local independent label run by David Virr. It reached No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart.

Their first album was titled Signing Off, as the band were signing off from or closing their claim on the unemployment benefit. It was recorded in a bedsit in Birmingham and was produced by Bob Lamb. Norman Hassan said of the recording: "If you stripped my track down, you could hear the birds in the background." This is because his tracks were recorded outside in the garden. Signing Off was released on 29 August 1980, and entered the UK Albums Chart on 2 October 1980. It reached as high as No. 2 in the UK and spent 71 weeks in total on the chart. Signing Off is now a Platinum album."Charlie Gillett - UB40 Pt. 1 Charlie Gillett - UB40 Pt. 2.Charlie Gillett - Joe Lung Pt. 1.Charlie Gillett - Joe Jung Pt. 2

Oliver De Coque

Nice high-life LP on the Olumo records label from 1980. Wikipedia says - "Oliver De Coque is a well known name in Nigeria as well as the Nigerian music circle. Though many[who?] believe he was not a Nigerian owing to his popular name which has a French leaning, he had started music with Ekpili at the age of 17. Oliver De Coque was from Ezinifite, Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State. Oliver's real and full name is Oliver Sunday Akanite. Oliver de Coque was a prolific guitarist who popularised the "Ogene" dance inspiring style of Nigerian highlife, and recorded no fewer than 73 albums in his lifetime. Some of his major hits include "Biri Ka Mbiri, and "identity" remixed in a hiphop style by his son Safin de coque Oliver played on the Prince Nico Mbarga's evergreen album "Sweet Mother." Tracks are - 1. Identity 2. Nwa Bu Ife Ukwu OLiver De Coque - Side Two

Todd Rhodes

Mostly instrumental R&B Lp on the Contact Record label from Denmark - a compilation of tracks from the 50's. "Todd Rhodes (August 31, 1900 – June 4, 1965)[1] was an American pianist and arranger and was an early influence in jazz and later on in R&B. He was born Todd Washington Rhodes, in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Rhodes attended both the Springfield School of Music and the Erie Conservatory, studying as pianist and songwriter. In the early 1920s he played with Benny Carter, Coleman Hawkins, Fats Waller, Rex Stewart, Doc Cheatham, and Don Redman in McKinney's Cotton Pickers, a jazz group. Rhodes lived and played in Detroit in the 1930s. In the late 1940s he started his own group, Todd Rhodes and His Toddlers, and started doing more R&B arrangements. With his Toddlers, he recorded "Your Daddy's Doggin' Around" and "Your Mouth Got a Hole In It." Rhodes also worked with Hank Ballard, The Chocolate Dandies and Wynonie Harris. He featured African American female lead singers, such as Connie Allen, who recorded "Rocket 69" in 1951. After she left the band in early 1952, her position was taken by LaVern Baker. Rhodes died in June 1965 in Detroit, at the age of 64." Todd Rhodes - Side One

Maitre Gazonga

Wonderful LP of soukous from central Africa. Recorded in Paris on the Tangent label in the 80's. Wikipedia says - "Born in 1948 in Chad and died on 1 st April 2006 in N'Djamena , Master Gazonga whose real name is Saleh Ahmat Rougalta is undoubtedly singer Chad best known through his country. He is also in Africa after MC Solaar Barely reaching his twenties, Saleh Ahmat had to discover his love for music. He entered the group International Chalal he was a founding member. He recorded his first album Golden Africa in Abidjan in 1984 . He skirted other singers like Manu Dibango , Tiken Jah Fakoly , etc.. Saleh Ahmat just felt a headache that worsened thereafter. He was transported to the "Pavilion of urgency" of the Hopital General de Reference National (HGRN) Capital ndjamenoise . The Master's death coincides with the date of April Fools (1 st April), which is why most of his fans did not believe the news of his death. Gazonga master and his group Chalal had found a way to tour around the Chad while being properly paid a . Gazonga knowing that in rural areas people are often poor, have no money but still want to have fun, the group gave concerts for several months in all regions of Chad, where villagers could pay with that 'they had: the sorghum , the rice , the dried fish , and chicken , the beans ... And the concerts were very successful as well. And while the band went from village to village, two trucks were making round trips to the capital N'Djamena , to sell at the market recovered some of the goods, the other being given directly to the families of musicians. The money collected was able to pay salaries and the profits they could repeat the rest of the year and record some new songs." Tracks are as follows - !. Les Jaloux Saboteurs 2. Koysse Maitre Gazonga - Side One

Celestine Ukwu

Celestine Ukwu - Side One.

A Nigerian LP on the Philips label I've had for a number of years, originally bought at Cheshire Street in the East End of London I think. Delightful ju ju music with xylophone and jazzy brass section. "Born in 1940, Celestine was educated musically by his uncle who taught him how to read music and play harmonium. His grandmother was a folk musician and dancer and his father, who worked as a coal miner, was a popular local performer of igede, ikpa and ode music. His mother was lead singer for a women's dance troupe. After Catholic primary school, where he excelled in drama and music, Celestine went to teacher training school for two years, dropping out in 1960 to join Mike Ejeagha's group as vocalist and maraca player. But he soon left to join a group led by Mr Picolo who were going to tour the Congo. Thus an early exposure to Congolese music had a huge impact on his own musical formation. On his return to Nigeria he briefly joined a group called African Baby Party. Three months later he moved to Maiduguri and formed Freedom Jazz Band, but then he moved to Zaria and formed The Republic Knights with Charles Jebba. But he moved again, to Onitsha, where he fronted the Niger City Starlighters. With this formation he made his debut recordings, and scored hits with "No Condition is Permanent," "Artificial Beauty," "Appolonia," and "Ije Enu." This latter song sold 200,000 copies in 3 months. After nine months he decided to start anew and with the help of Matthias Okafor who owned the Frontline Hotel, Onitsha, and who rented instruments for him, Ukwu was able to start Celestine Ukwu & His Music Royals of Nigeria in April 1962. The band was a huge success for five years. In 1967 the Biafran War broke out and the non-Biafran members of the band fled, while Ukwu recorded "Hail Biafra!" and did his bit to boost morale during the strife. In addition to singing he also played drums and vibraphone on his recordings. The band toured neighbouring countries and even went to West Germany. In 1972 students at the University of Nigeria renamed his band the Philosophers National. In 1977 at the age of 37, Ukwu died in a car wreck." Biography courtesy of www.musikifan.com Tracks are - 1. Ejim Nke Onye 2. Ima Echi

Anarkali

LP I bought in a library sale many years ago. Film soundtrack on the EMI label from 1953.

Features the beautiful voice of Lata Mangeshkar. Wikipedia says - " Anarkali (Hindi: अनारकली, Urdu: اناركلی) is a 1953 film based on the historical legend of the Mughal emperor Jahangir. As per the legend Jahangir revolted against his father Akbar over his love for a common girl called Anarkali. It was the top grossing Hindi film in the year of its release, and one of the biggest Hindi film hits in its decade. Another film on the same theme was Mughal-e-Azam, made in 1960, which was again a major commercial and critical hit." Anarkali - Side One.

Sunny Ade & His African Beats

This Nigerian LP on the African Songs label from 1974 is shared with Sunny Ade's African beats and Apola Sounds by Idowu Animasahun. The sleeve notes say -"The story of Sunny Ade and African Beats dates back a number of years. within this short period of time, however, the African beats has made tremendous impact and completely revolutionised the trend of ju ju music in the country.... The music is called African Beats and the dance style is more recently christened Synchro System Movement." No mention the songs on here so one must assume they are well known hits of the time and need no explaination among the faithful fans of Sunny Ade. Discover more about King Sunny Ade HERE. King Sunny Ade - Nigeria's Sounds Of The Moment

Saturday Night At Flannagans

This LP from the boot sale was inside the wrong sleeve so picked this one from Ebay - not sure it's right but will have to do. It's no great shakes as a sing-along record with boozy pub crown led by Bernard Bedford - whoever he might be? Not much gleaned from the internet. A short extract here to give you some idea of how it sounds. I have fond memories of the TV show from Leeds Varieties in the 60's and 70's which sounded similar to this but somehow better. I suppose it was the injection of humour by the likes of Ken Dodd and Billy Dainty etc. that lifted above the normal mire of pub sing-along and into the realms of the affectionate re-creation of the Victorian Music Hall. Flannagans - Side Two.