Andy Bey : Celestial Blues, You Should’ve Seen The Way I Made Love To You, and Tune Up
all taken from the album “Experience & Judgement” on Atlantic (1974)

For the past three years I’ve been practicing yoga. I have to give credit here to a certain lovable partner of mine (who happens to be a yoga teacher) for pushing me into it at first. But at this point, I don’t see myself ever stopping. Part of the reason why it was so easy to embrace “yogic” teachings and philosophy is because it falls right in line with what I had already basically come to understand about the world since about 5th grade. I’m not trying to sound like a kiddie guru here, it’s just that the fundamentals are really simple. For me, at least, it’s about not harming others, not harming yourself, and working hard to be your absolute best– liberated, content, and healthy. Just makes sense, don’t it?

It definitely made sense to Andy Bey. This album is nearly a soundtrack to the Yoga Sutras. But funkdafied, and not in sanskrit. Amidst the bass slaps, synth swells and sparse snare snaps, Bey’s voice undulates with spiritually driven individuality. Listening to his unearthly moans, I can see why the cover artist decided to put Saturn’s rings around his monkish dome. His lyrics speak about vegetarianism, meditation, difficult physical postures, and the resulting increased “concentration– waves and waves of positive vibration”. And yes, it is a good thing for lovemaking too. ; )

Freedom : Ayibobo and Voodoo Land
taken from the album “1804 Liberation” on Freedom Recordz (2004)

I’m running around like crazy right now getting ready for a trip to Puerto Rico, but I wanted to leave you all with a little something before I’m neck deep in latin records again. Soulful and stirring new music from a conscious Haitian visionary. The whole album hits with a nice mixture of Bone Thugs, Wyclef, and MC Solar. Read more about Christopher Laroche aka Freedom and get some free mixtape tracks on his official website. And Check out this website for some song translations.

Also, congratulations to the Vikter Duplaix CD winners: Amye Hommel, John-Paul Marin, and Guy Ship. It might take a little minute before you get them, so please be patient. A lot of other folks wrote in with the right answer (Axis Music Group), but these guys beat you to it. Thanks for all the kind feedback too, I always appreciate it!

Vikter Duplaix : Nothing Like Your Touch
taken from the album “Bold & Beautiful” on BBE (2006)

Owusu & Hannibal : Blue Jay
taken from the album “Living With…” on Ubiquity (2006)

New music from a soulful Philly man who’s been doing it for a minute. Clear, fluid production from cats like James Poyser helps me come to terms with the revival of the synth. This track sounds like it’s slowly bubbling. Steamy sex in a science lab. And of course, Mr. Duplaix’s vocals are sounding as smooth and effortless as ever. The kind folks over at Giant Step, who first hipped me to this track, have been gracious enough to offer several copies of Vikter’s new CD Bold & Beautiful to giveaway to you lovely readers. Be one of the first to answer this question (NOT in the COMMENTS section) and you’ll have a nice little musical package on it’s way:

What’s the name of the music production group that Vikter helped start?

send answers via e-mail to: charlie@bywayof.net

And, then there’s this new album from some Danish doods who were entirely off my radar until a couple days ago. The record is a truly unique amalgamation of elements: retro 80’s drum sounds, crunchy Detroit bass synths, swelling string and vocal harmonies, and super-swingin’ broken-ass beats. There’s a track called “Delirium” that sounds, at least instrumentally, like a tribute to the late great Dilla. Definitely some Spacek influence here as well. The end product, however, shows they’ve got their own thing going on– in the shifting arrangements and creative organic touches. I think it’s safe to say I’m gonna be listening to this one quite a bit.

Bobby Cruz con Ricardo Ray : Get It All
taken from the album the album “Amor En La Escuela” Vaya (1974)

Jaime Delgado Aparicio y su Orquesta : 57th Street
Enrique Lynch y su Conjunto : Oye Como Va
both taken from the collection “Puros Exitos” on Sono Radio (197?)

Grupo Folklorico y Experimental Nuevayorquino : Trompeta N Curero
taken from the album “Lo Dice Todo” on Mericana/Salsoul (1976)

The random nature of what turns up at the flea market is at least half of the appeal. Sure, you can go on e-bay and type in exactly what you’re looking for again and again until it pops up. You can post “wants” lists, you can ask at every record store you see, or… you can take a sunny stroll through the flea market, stopping at sidewalk sales along the way, and find brilliant things you never knew you wanted.

Entirely deserving of at least several posts all unto themselves, Bobby Cruz and Ricardo aka “Richie” Ray have been known to throw in a little funky flavor here and there, but I didn’t know they had anything like this break-laden gem in their catalogue. Mostly an album of moody ballads (some of which are quite nice), I was hoping to find maybe an uptempo salsa track or a jala-jala throwback. But “Get It All” is way more than I could have anticipated: fuzz guitar, tambourine, cowbell breakbeat, “let it all hang out” lyrics, screams, and the real kicker– a switch into spanish at the end! At $2, I was more than willing to test the odds. Jackpot.

Then there’s a couple Peruvian (I think, judging by the Sono Radio label) grooves. “57th Street” sounds like a standard of some type, but I can’t place it. Latin jazz with what reminds me of a young Idris Muhammed on drum kit. Enrique Lynch is a name that I actually knew to look out for. However, given the scarcity of his records in these northern-hemispheric parts of the globe, I don’t tend to keep him in mind. I like his version of the Tito Puente classic. He’s clearly ripping off Santana in every way, but somehow this version is a little more latin groove and less rock ‘n’ roll (again, no diss to Santana). It’s probably that guiro that I love so much. Trombone solo is a nice touch too.

And finally, some real roots music from a group I hold in very high regard. If the cover doesn’t rope you in, then knowledge of this masterpiece surely would. Listening to this helps me prep for the Candela Art & Music Festival that I’m going to again this year. “Pa’ Puerto Rico yo me voy!”

Djavan : Maria Das Mercedes
taken from the album “Flor De Lis” on Som Livre (orig. 1976)

Djavan : Serrado
taken from the album “Faltando Um Pedaco” on EMI (orig. 1978)

Djavan : Aquele Um
taken from the album “Agua” on EMI (1983)

It’s a pretty rare thing to be in the presence of people who inspire us. Sure, we might visit an old grade-school teacher who made an impact on us, or perhaps there’s an opportunity to see an author speak at a bookstore, but in general, those people who we admire on the grander scale – the real heroes of our imagination – tend to be out of reach. I imagine that distance actually magnifies the effect that these people have on our insides. The giddiness of seeing a performer we obsess over on stage, right before our very eyes, would perhaps be lessenend if we were to spend any real amount of time with them. No one wants to realize that their own personal “Genius” may also be sleazy, washed up, and just downright unlikable.

Then again, there are special moments when we come into direct contact with those seemingly untouchable characters, and in the flesh they somehow manage to surpass our grandiose expectations. That happened to me this past Thursday night. Spinning records to the ordinarily appreciative crowd at my weekly gig– in walks one Seu Jorge. Dude has been one of my favorite artists for more than a minute. Seeing him live in prospect park this past July was definitely the peak of my summer concert experience. My first reaction? I dropped Djavan. Seu, a man who doesn’t shy away from gyration, FLIPPED. I proceeded to go on a pretty heavy Brazilian trip, and he kept on flipping. We got to kick it at closing– the man danced non-stop for long enough to make me thirsty at least twice– and, although his English is limited, he expressed profuse appreciation for the music (in particular the Djavan). As you can imagine, I was high as a kite. Now, I figure you all should check out this same Brazilian samba-soulster that made Seu shake dreads.

And check this out: looks like I’m running for local office in a town that I’ve never been to.

Connie Price & The Keystones : Sticks & Stones and Fuzz And Them
taken from the album “Wildflowers” on Now Again (2004)

Radio Citizen : Everything (Ft. Bajka) and Night Part I
taken from the album “Berlin Serengeti” Ubiquity (2006)

Not enough people understand the importance of making moody music that grooves. Must funk be flamboyant? Certainly not (no offense to Bootsy or Jimmy Castor). Nor should we presume that moody music, the vision inducing tincture of dark alleys and cold winds, must embody the softness of the spot where it hits us. When I’m alone and brooding at 2am, as I am right now, I like some backbeat to my mental movie theater. Dimly lit and suspenseful, these tunes still manage to satiate my drummer’s tick.

These tracks from Wildflowers supposedly came out back in 2004, but they’re new to me. If I’m understanding the liner notes correctly, I think that the band includes members of L.A. Carnival and Stark Reality among other notables (like Dan Ubick from Breakestra). That would make sense due to their Los Angeles location and Stone’s Throw affiliation. Nice work fellas. Thanks for helping my vision turn to noir.

Ever since copping the HVW8: Music Is My Art collection, I’ve been spinning album opener “The Hop” on a regular basis. The rest of the record is no less infectious and inspiring. German producer Niko Schabel brings a very organic and jazzy swing to the project. Globetrotting vocalist Bajka has a proper swagger to match. Here’s what Ubiquity has to say.