A Tribute To Curtis Mayfield

 

Last year in autumn Cologne's WDR Big Band and the WDR Funkhausorchestra made a tribute concert in honor to the music of Curtis Mayfield. He was one of the leading figures in the civil rights movement who also conveyed a great social message with his music. Many of his songs are monuments to the soul and funk of the seventies. I have to admit that I'm not a big fan of orchestral sound, but this concert is a highlight of musical quality. All the musicians involved are in a class of their own and a sound experience in itself. Treat yourself to an hour and enjoy well-known songs in an extraordinary guise.

Monday's Long Song

 

Another release by Martin Jenkins aka Pye Corner Audio and another spooky electronic excursion into his space. A steady beat is the floor for some improvisation with synths. Not the worst way to start into another week.

These Immortal Souls

 

Sometimes it takes re-issues to remember a band that I listened ages ago. This happened when I got the news that the albums by Australian post-punk band These Immortal Souls was released a few days ago. Formed in 1987 in London from the ruins of Crime And The City Solution, an another underrated band by Rowland S. Howard they brought us back an almost impossible combination of blues and punk. I remember their first album was on heavy rotation in the gothic scene back then. And I have to admit that that I liked their music in these days but wasn't a huge fan of them. But listening to the albums decades later I can got aware that they were more than a post-punk epigone.  Howard is croaking the lyrics Cave-stylish but his guitar is sharper than many others and their influences are massive. On These Immortal Souls it sounds like the Doors had a session with Bowie. Not the music for every day but ace from time to time.

These Immortal Souls - Marry Me (Lie! Lie!)

These Immortal Souls - These Immortal Souls

These Immortal Souls - Blood And Sand`She Said

These Immortal Souls - The King Of Kalifornia

Fly Like An Eagle

 

Steve Miller, a West-Coast blues guitarist from San Francisco released his ninth album Fly Like An Eagle back in 1976 and was one of those albums older friends of mine raved about almost 50 years ago. I remember when I was the first time in a hippie pub in my home town for one of my first pints this album was the soundtrack for more than one hour. I have to admit that I didn't knew the artist and his combination of country blues and psychedelic sounds fascinated and impressed me. This album was one of my first bought long players and I grabbed out a few days ago and the music is still fascinating to me and not only for sentimental moods. Steve Miller was one of these artists late hippies and not born punks could agree. Of course he stole some riffs from British bands like Free from All Right Now on Rocking Me but this doesn't really matter because it sounded like a song by himself.

Monday's Long Song

 

In 2010 The Orb released Metallic Spheres, a collaboration with Pink Floyd's guitarist David Gilmour born during a charity session. There is only one song on each side and a superb fusion of ambient and old style psychedelic guitar. It was an album that is played in many chilled out bars when I was in Asia these days. Last year a remix of this album was released and shows the beauty of this collaboration once again. For me a perfect start into the week.

The Orb & David Gilmour - Round Side: Seamless Solar Spheres Of Affection (Round Side)

Sasha

 

VfB Stuttgart supporters have not exactly been spoilt in recent years. Several relegations to the second division were well deserved - as was the immediate promotion to the Bundesliga. Otherwise, our capacity for suffering was tested as we regularly found ourselves in the lowest regions of the table. At the end of last season, we escaped another relegation by the skin of our teeth. It is all the more astonishing that we are now level on points with Bayern Munich and will almost certainly play internationally next season. Many people realised that this team has potential, but the fact that it can translate its strengths into winning games amazes me almost every weekend. We will see where this journey will take us. 

Another newcomer released a new single last week. Uche Yara is a 21-year-old musician and producer from Austria with Nigerian roots who currently lives in Berlin. Her music sounds like a psychedelic trip accompanied by Far Eastern folklore, guitar solos and a dark, pounding beat. Uche Yara impressively demonstrates her vocal range here. And now we also know that she can rap. An impressive pop song and one should follow the further development of this artist.

Piano Man

 

In the late 70s, when everything was centred around punk and new wave, a friend offered me a ticket for a concert whose musician I didn't know and of whom I hadn't heard a song until then. As admission was relatively cheap and I had nothing better to do, I went with him. Until then I was more than suspicious of a singer/songwriter, but after this concert I had a completely different view. Billy Joel completely won me over in those two hours. Outstanding songs with intelligent lyrics, perfectly arranged and performed with such intensity are something I have rarely experienced before or since. And I'm surprised that I didn't give him and his songs, which have accompanied me for decades, a place in this little corner of the internet sooner.