“Conference of the Birds” is my weekly radio program on WNUR-FM. It airs on Tuesdays from 5-7:30 am Chicago time (UTC-6). And, of course, when technology cooperates, you can just come here for the archives. You can subscribe to the podcast with this URL (click here to subscribe in iTunes).

Calypso, afro-pop, gospel, Bahamas, funk, soul, jazz…

Enjoy!

Listen:

download program (146MB, 2 hrs 40 min)

Artist: “Track” – Album (Label)
Lord Invader: “Fidel Castro” – Calypso Travels (Smithsonian Folkways)
Mighty Sparrow: “Jook for Jook” – Volume 4 (Ice)
Lagos Mozart Orchestra: “Ore Mi Kini Se” – Juju Roots: 1930s-1950s (Rounder)
Black Santiagos: “See Na Meye” – Ignace de Souza: The Great Unknowns (Original)
Bob-Cats: “Rocsy Pie Conti” – Christmas Jive: 78s and 45s from the Archives (Electric Jive)
Oscar Neves: “Mabele” – Angola Soundtrack 2: Hypnosis, Distortions & Other Sonic Innovations 1969-1978 (Analog Africa)
Paulina Alvarez: “El Verdulero” – Cuba: I Am Time (Cantar en Cuba) (Blue Jackel)
Victoria Spivey: “Blood Hound Blues” – Moaning The Blues (Orbis)
Billie Holiday: “They Can’t Take That Away from Me” – Lady Day: The Best of Billie Holiday (Sony)
Silver Leaf Quartet: “Witness for my Lord” – Southern Journey, Vol. 8: Velvet Voices – Eastern Shores Choirs, Quartets, And Colonial Era Music (Rounder)
Rev. Linston Triplett, Jr.: “Jesus is Living Today” – This May Be My Last Time Singing: Raw African-American Gospel on 45RPM, 1957-1982 (Tompkins Square)
Frank Penn: “Gimme Some Skin (Instrumental)” – Cult Cargo: Grand Bahama Goombay (Numero Group)
Funky Nassau: “Look What You Can Get” – 7″ (Drive)
Juju Orchestra: “Funky Nassau” – Bossa Nova Is Not a Crime (Agogo Records)
Junk: “Hey Frenchy” – Kiss My Acid Jazz (Faffco)
Vic Pitts & The Cheaters: “The Trip” – The Lost Tapes (Secret Stash)
Sonny Knight & the Lakers: “Baby, Baby, Baby” – I’m Still Here (Secret Stash)
Medeski, Martin & Wood: “Ziphim” – Voices in the Wilderness (Tzadik)
John Zorn: “Milano Odea” – The Big Gundown: John Zorn Plays the Music of Ennio Morricone (Nonesuch)
Tony Allen: “Nina Lowo” – Secret Agent (Nonesuch)
Super Tentemba Jazz: “Almamy” – Rare Afro & Caribbean Funk Volume 2 (Mokili)
Lee Dorsey: “Everything I Do Gohn Be Funky (From Now On)” – The New Lee Dorsey (Sundazed)
Professor Longhair: “Longhair’s Blues-Rhumba” – New Orleans Piano (Rounder)
The Hesitations: “I’m Not Built That Way” – Pied Piper Presents a New Concept in Detroit Soul (Kent)
Las Malas Amistades: “Por Todos Lados” – Jardin Interior (Honest Jon’s)
Quarteto Em Cy e Tamba Trio: “Vim Da Bahia” – Som Definitivo (Forma)
Hank Mobley: “Dig Dis” – Soul Station (Blue Note)
Sonny Red: “Blues in the Pocket” – Out of the Blue (Blue Note)
John Zorn/George Lewis/Bill Frisell: “Funk in Deep Freeze” – News for Lulu (hat ART)
Vandermark Five Special Edition: “Second Marker” – The Horse Jumps & the Ship is Gone (Not Two)
Fred Anderson/Hamid Drake/Harrison Bankhead: “Timeless” – Timeless (Delmark)
Chicago Trio: “Down n’ the Delta” – Velvet Songs To Baba Fred Anderson (Rogueart)

WNUR Conference of the Birds, 2015-01-06 (complete) [ 2:39:42 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

“Conference of the Birds” is my weekly radio program on WNUR-FM. It airs on Tuesdays from 5-7:30 am Chicago time (UTC-6). And, of course, when technology cooperates, you can just come here for the archives. You can subscribe to the podcast with this URL (click here to subscribe in iTunes).

Much of this week’s show features music that my friend Mike introduced me to while he and his family were visiting before Christmas.

Enjoy!

Listen:

download program (147MB, 2 hrs 40 min)

Artist: “Track” – Album (Label)
The Carter Family: “Crying Holy Unto the Lord” – Can the Circle Be Unbroken? Country Music’s First Family (Legacy)
Mississippi Sheiks: “Things About Coming My Way” – Honey Babe Let the Deal Go Down: The Best of the Mississippi Sheiks (Legacy)
Dickie McBride and the Village Boys: “Tulsa Twist” – Hillbilly Fever, Vol. 1: Legends of Western Swing (Rhino)
McKinney Sisters with Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys: “Will There Be Any Yodeling in Heaven?” – Tiffany Transcriptions, Vol. 10: McKinney Sisters 1946 (Rhino)
The Swan Silvertones: “If You Believe Your God is Dead, Try Mine” – Swan Silvertones Greatest Hits (Liquid 8)
Candi Staton: “The Best Thing You Ever Had” – Candi Staton [Compilation] (Honest Jon’s)
Willie Tee: “Swivel Your Hips” – Teasin’ You (Night Train)
Melvin Van Peebles: “Sweetback’s Theme” – The Complete Stax/Volt Singles, Vol. 2 (Stax)
Sam Cooke: “Soothe Me” – Sam Cooke’s SAR Records Story 1959-1965 (ABKCO )
Ollie and the Nightingales: “Bracing Myself for the Fall” – The Complete Stax/Volt Singles, Vol. 2 (Stax)
The Chi-Lites: “Stoned Out of my Mind” – The Best of The Chi-Lites: One in A Million (Music Club)
The Jackson 5: “Body Language (Do the Love Dance)” – Soulsation! 25th Anniversary Collection (Motown)
Bobby Darin: “Black Coffee” – Mack the Knife (Atco)
Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg: “69 année érotique” – Jane Birkin Serge Gainsbourg (Fontana)
Louis King: “I Remember (How You Made Me Love You)” – Carolina Soul Survey: The Reflection Sound Story (Grapevine)
Seu Jorge: “Mania de Peitao (Jamais Plus Jamais Mix)” – Cru (Wrasse)
Stooges Brass Band: “Bin Laden” – It’s About Time (The Gruve Label)
Son Palenque: “Cumbia Africana” – Son Palenque (Soundway)
El Sexteto Miramar: “Cumbiamba” – Colombia! The Golden Age of Discos Fuentes – The Powerhouse of Colombian Music 1960-76 (Soundway)
Juan Piña Y sus Muchachos: “La Nena” – Diablos Del Ritmo: The Colombian Melting Pot 1975​-​1985 (Analog Africa)
Jimmy Sabater: “Koo It Here Comes the Fuzz” – El Barrio – Latin Funk: Nuyorican Funk 1968-1976 (Fania)
Ariya Afrobeat Arkestra: “Lost in Kinshasa” – Ariya Afrobeat Arkestra (First Word)
The Budos Band: “The Sticks” – Burnt Offering (Daptone Records)
Gilberto Gil & Gal Costa: “Oriente” – Live in London ’71 (Discobertos)
Baden Powell: “Canto de Ossanha” – Tristeza on Guitar (PAUSA)
Rio 65 Trio: “Preciso aprender a ser so” – Rio 65 Trio (Philips)
Marcos Valle: “Nao Tem Nada Nao” – The Essential Marcos Valle (Mr. Bongo)
Chicago Trio: “Jah Music” – Velvet Songs To Baba Fred Anderson (Rogueart)
Mike Reed’s People, Places & Things: “Train Ride” – Second Cities: Volume 1 (482 Music)
Anouar Brahem: “Qurb” – Thimar (ECM)
Andre Jaume: “Guadalquivir” – Le Collier De La Colombe (Palm)
Anthony Braxton Quartet: “No. 40B” – Willisau (Quartet) 1991 (Hat Art)
The Blue Notes: “Eyomzi” – Blue Notes for Johnny (Ogun)
Ornette Coleman: “Una Muy Bonita” – Change of the Century (Atlantic)
Steam: “Non-confirmation” – Real Time (Eighth Day Music)

WNUR Conference of the Birds, 2014-12-30 (complete) [ 2:40:07 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

“Conference of the Birds” is my weekly radio program on WNUR-FM. It airs on Tuesdays from 5-7:30 am Chicago time (UTC-6). And, of course, when technology cooperates, you can just come here for the archives. You can subscribe to the podcast with this URL (click here to subscribe in iTunes).

This show came after we had guests in town for a few days, so I didn’t prepare much, unless you count the Dusty Groove adventure I took with Mike or the other music acquisition of the weekend, some of the fruits of which appear on the show.

Enjoy!

Listen:

download program (143MB, 2 hrs 36 min)

Artist: “Track” – Album (Label)
Billie Holiday: “Mean to Me” – Her Best Recordings: 1935-1942 (Best Of Jazz)
Blossom Dearie: “’Deed I Do” – Blossom Dearie (Verve)
Bessie Smith: “New Orleans Hop Scop Blues” – Empty Bed Blues (Columbia)
Sister Dora Alexander: “Times Done Changed” – Classic Sounds of New Orleans from Smithsonian Folkways (Smithsonian Folkways)
Jelly Roll Morton: “Ungai Hai, the Sign of the Indians” – The Complete Library of Congress Recordings (Rounder)
Uncredited: “Twist and Unemployment” – Zambia ’64: Original Soundtrack Recording (EMI)
Eric Akaeze & his Azagas: “Timber” – Money No Be Sand (1960’s Afro-Lypso / Pidgin Highlife / Afro-Rock / Afro-Soul (Original Music)
Buddy Pipp’s Highlifers: “Ghana Special” – London Is The Place For Me 5 (Latin, Jazz, Calypso & Highlife From Young Black London) (Honest Jon’s)
African Brothers Int’l Band of Ghana: “Medee Beba” – Okwaduo!!! “Wodee Wokoo Na Wonuanom” (Executive)
Caetano Veloso: “Maria Bethânia” – Caetano Veloso (1971) (Polygram)
Gal Costa & Gilberto Gil: “Maria Bethânia / Bota a Mao Nas Cadeiras” – Live In London 1971 (Discobertas)
Audio One: “C” – The Midwest School (Audiographic)
Julius Hemphill: “The Hard Blues” – Coon Bid’ness (Arista)
Edwin Starr: “Easin’ In” – Can You Dig It? The Music And Politics Of Black Action Films 1968-75 (Soul Jazz)
A.A.B.B.: “Pick Up the Pieces One By One” – James Brown’s Funky People 3 (Polydor)
Marlboros: “Why’d You Leave” – Carolina Soul Survey: The Reflection Sound Story (Grapevine)
Candi Staton: “I’ll Drop Everything and Come Running” – Candi Staton (Honest Jon’s)
Al Green: “Hangin’ On” – Explores Your Mind (Hi)
Admiral Dele Obiodun: “Side 1” – Admiral Dele Abiodun & his Top Hitters Band (Olumo)
Chicago Trio (Ernest Dawkins/Hamid Drake/Harrison Bankhead): “Woman of Darfur” – Velvet Songs: To Baba Fred Anderson (Rogue Art)
Don Cherry / Ed Blackwell: “Mutron – Bemsha Swing – Solidarity – Arabian Nightingale” – El Corazón (ECM)
Kahil El’ Zabar Ritual Trio: “Alika Rising” – Alika Rising At Leverkusener Jazztage (Sound Aspects)

WNUR Conference of the Birds, 2014-12-23 (complete) [ 2:36:20 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

“Conference of the Birds” is my weekly radio program on WNUR-FM. It airs on Tuesdays from 5-7:30 am Chicago time (UTC-6). And, of course, when technology cooperates, you can just come here for the archives. You can subscribe to the podcast with this URL (click here to subscribe in iTunes).

Not really a theme, but this show did happen to have three Cole Porter tunes in it, and a pair of songs in honor of FDR. Otherwise, basically more of the same ol’ Conference of the Birds soul/jazz/funk/afro/caribbean thing. I have no clever story to tell!

Enjoy!

Listen:

download program (144MB, 2 hrs 37 min)

Artist: “Track” – Album (Label)
Sly and the Family Stone: “Babies Makin’ Babies” – Fresh (Epic)
Syl Johnson: “I’ve Got the Real Thing” – Jump, Children! Mississippi (Southern Music Issue #13) (Oxford American)
Wilson Pickett: “99 and a Half Won’t Do” – A Man and a Half: the Best of Wilson Pickett (Atlantic)
Impact All Stars: “Ordinary Version Chapter 3” – Forward the Bass: Dub from Randy’s 1972-1975 (Blood and Fire)
Linton Kwesi Johnson: “Want Fi Goh Rave” – In Concert with the Dub Band (Shanachie)
Desmond Dekker: “Warlock” – Rockin’ Steady: The Best of Desmond Dekker (Rhino)
Betty Everett: “Is There a Chance For Me?” – There’ll Come A Time (UNI)
Bill Withers: “Better Off Dead” – Live at Carnegie Hall (Sussex)
Blo: “Native Doctor” – Chapters and Phases: The Complete Albums, 1973-1975 (RPM-Retro)
Karl Hector and the Malcouns: “Rush Hour” – Sahara Swing (Now-Again)
Big Chief Monk Boudreaux & the Golden Eagles: “Katie Mae” – Mr. Stranger Man (Shanachie)
Slim Willis Band: “I Sayed That” – Light: On the South Side: Pepper’s Jukebox (Numero Group)
The Coasters: “Three Cool Cats” – The Definitive Coasters (History of RnB Records)
A.C. Jones & the Atomic Aces: “Give Me Your Love (instrumental)” – Boddie Recording Company: Cleveland, Ohio (Numero Group)
The Coctails: “West Couch Place” – The Early Hi-Ball Years (Carrot Top Records)
Gilberto Gil: “Aquele Abraco” – Gilberto Gil (Cérebro Eletrônico) (Philips)
Siba: “Ariana” – Avante (Mais Um Discos)
Calypso King and the Soul Investigators: “Struggling My Way” – Soul Strike! (Soul Fire)
Lena Horne: “It’s All Right with Me” – Stormy Weather: The Legendary Lena (1941-1958) (RCA Bluebird)
Ella Fitzgerald: “Begin the Beguine” – Sings the Cole Porter Songbook (Verve)
The Attila: “Roosevelt in Trinidad” – Roosevelt In Trinidad: Calypsos Of Events, Places, And Personalities 1933-1939 (Rounder)
Willie Eason: “Franklin D. Roosevelt, A Poor Man’s Friend” – Sacred Steel (Arhoolie)
Mance Lipscomb: “Alabama Bound” – Ash Grove: 12/6/1964 (Concert Vault)
Charles Pierce & his Orchestra: “Sister Kate” – Muggsy A-Z: A Portrait of Muggsy Spanier (Upbeat )
Lloyd Miller & the Heliocentrics: “Fantasia, Part 1” – Lloyd Miller & The Heliocentrics (OST) (Strut)
Bossa 70: “Me Quedo con el Shing-a-Ling” – ¡Gózalo! Bugalú Tropical Vol.3 (Vampi Soul)
Orchestra Super Mazembe: “Mukala Musi” – Giants of East Africa (Earthworks)
Actis Band: “Makeba” – Garibaldi (Leo)
Anthony Brown’s Asian American Jazz Orchestra: “Little Rootie Tootie” – Monk’s Mood (Keeper)
John Coltrane: “I Love You” – Lush Life (Prestige)
Joseph Jarman/Famoudou Don Moye’s Magic Triangle: “Triebhaus Tribal Stomp” – Calypso’s Smile (Southport )
Roy Campbell Pyramid Trio: “Oglala Eclipse” – Ancestral Homeland (No More Records)
Trevor Watts Moire Music Drum Orchestra: “Egugu” – A Wider Embrace (ECM)

WNUR Conference of the Birds, 2014-12-16 (complete) [ 2:37:02 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

“Conference of the Birds” is my weekly radio program on WNUR-FM. It airs on Tuesdays from 5-7:30 am Chicago time (UTC-6). And, of course, when technology cooperates, you can just come here for the archives. You can subscribe to the podcast with this URL (click here to subscribe in iTunes).

This week’s show starts with a nod to a great book I just finished, Roll With It, by Matt Sakakeeny, a Tulane professor and former producer for the excellent American Routes program. It’s an ethnography of New Orleans brass bands, and while it can be academic in parts, it’s actually refreshingly balanced for a book that is probably part of a tenure package. It is (for an academic book) lavishly illustrated by Willie Birch, and there’s some extra interesting stuff on a little website Matt put together for the book, including some youtube videos of bands performing.

Actually, to be honest, the show starts with a song from K Theory radio which I liked, specifically “Wa Ho Ha” from a 1978 reissue from Pazy and the Black Hippies. So I started with a new school afrobeat tune I had in the wings before settling into the brass band thing.

That all was about the first hour of the show, and then just a mix, but looking back, a pretty good one!

Enjoy!

Listen:

download program (129MB, 2 hrs 21 min)

Artist: “Track” – Album (Label)
Pazy And The Black Hippies: “Wa Ho Ha” – Wa Ho Ha (Secret Stash)
Ariya Afrobeat Arkestra: “Turncoat” – Towards Other Worlds (First World)
Babatunde Olatunji: “Takuta” – Soul Makossa (Paramount)
Dirty Dozen Brass Band: “Eyomzi” – Open Up: Whatcha Gonna Do For The Rest Of Your Life? (Columbia)
Soul Rebels: “Uptown Downtown” – No Place Like Home (self-released)
Li’l Rascals Brass Band: “Knock With Me/Rock With Me” – Brass Bands and Mardi Gras Indians (unknown)
Hot 8 Brass Band: “J’isten to Me” – Vibe This! WWOZ on CD Spring 2007 (WWOZ)
Joe Tex: “You’re Right, Ray Charles” – Testifyin': The Essential Joe Tex (Castle Select)
Rebirth Brass Band: “Shake Your Body Down to the Ground” – Feel Like Funkin’ It Up (Rounder)
Afrika Bambaata: “Soul Makossa” – Dark Matter Moving at the Speed of Light (Tommy Boy)
Funk Como Le Gusta: “Balacobaco” – The New Brazilian Music, Vol. 4 (BM&A)
Thu Zahina: “Est Ce Que Olingi Ngai?” – Coup de Chapeau (Retroafric)
Orchestre Veve: “Bilobela” – Vintage Verckys (RetroAfric)
Septeto Nacional de Ignacio Piñeiro: “Echale Salsita” – Cuba, I Am Time, Vol. 3: Bailar con Cuba (Blue Jackel)
Beny More: “Que Bueno Baila Usted” – Cuba, I Am Time, Vol. 3: Bailar con Cuba (Blue Jackel)
Grupo Changüi de Guantanamo: “Laos, Cambodia y Vietnam” – ¡Ahora sí! Llegó el changüí (Corason)
Tradisyon Ka: “Elwa” – Soul Jazz Records Presents Gwo Ka: Music Of Guadeloupe, West Indies (Soul Jazz)
Hollis Watkins: “Oh Freedom” – Voices of the Civil Rights Movement (Smithsonian Folkways)
Pete Seeger: “We Shall Not Be Moved” – Singalong Sanders Theater, 1980 (Smithsonian Folkways)
Doc Watson & Clarence Ashley: “Skillet Good & Greasy” – The Complete Folkways Recordings (Smithsonian Folkways)
Harmonica Frank Floyd: “Shoop-a-Boop-a-Doodler” – The Missing Link (Memphis International)
Eric Boeren: “Peace” – Joy of a Toy (BV Haast)
Steve Lacy: “The Breath” – The Door (Novus)
The Vandermark Five: “East Broadway Rundown” – Six for Rollins (Free Jazz Classics, vol. 3) (Atavistic)
School Days: “Elephantasy” – In Our Times (Okka Disk)

WNUR Conference of the Birds, 2014-12-09 (complete) [ 2:21:07 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

“Conference of the Birds” is my weekly radio program on WNUR-FM. It airs on Tuesdays from 5-7:30 am Chicago time (UTC-6). And, of course, when technology cooperates, you can just come here for the archives. You can subscribe to the podcast with this URL (click here to subscribe in iTunes).

As I was preparing for this week’s show, my Twitter stream erupted with responses to the grand jury decision in the Michael Brown killing case. I found myself drawn to the ever-inspiring music of the civil rights movement for solace.

Before that news came in, I’d been planning on doing a Charles Mingus feature. The Mingus Awareness Project is performing at a benefit for the Les Turner ALS foundation on at Promontory on Sunday, December 7. It seemed like a fine excuse to go deep on music by and for Mingus, which ended up being about the last hour of the show.

Enjoy!

Listen:

download program (141MB, 2 hrs 34 min)

Artist: “Track” – Album (Label)
SNCC Freedom Singers: “We’ll Never Turn Back” – Voices of the Civil Rights Movement (Smithsonian Folkways)
Mass meeting participants, Danville, VA: “We Are Soldiers in the Army” – Voices of the Civil Rights Movement (Smithsonian Folkways)
SNCC Freedom Singers: “Which Side are you On?” – Voices of the Civil Rights Movement (Smithsonian Folkways)
Aretha Franklin: “A Change is Gonna Come” – I Never Loved a Man (Atlantic)
Oliver Nelson: “Freedom Dance” – Afro-American Sketches (Prestige)
Charles Mingus: “Original Faubus Fables” – Charles Mingus presents Charles Mingus (Columbia)
Nina Simone: “I Wish I Knew How It Feels to be Free” – How It Feels to Be Free (Hear Music)
Mahalia Jackson: “Keep Your Hands on the Plow” – Live at Newport 1958 (Columbia)
Birmingham Movement Choir: “I’m On My Way” – Sing for Freedom:Civil Rights Movement Songs (Smithsonian Folkways)
KRS-One: “Sound of Da Police” – Hip Hop Sessions: Classics from Hip Hop’s Holy Grail (Sessions)
Public Enemy: “Power to the People” – Fear of a Black Planet (Def Jam)
Gil Scott-Heron: “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” – The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (Flying Dutchman)
The Coup: “ShoYoAss” – Pick a Bigger Weapon (Epitaph )
Toots & the Maytals: “I Shall Be Free” – Sweet and Dandy (Jet Set)
Count Ossie & the Mystic Revelation of Rastafari: “Let Freedom Reign” – Tales of Mozambique (Culture Press)
Johnny Dyani: “Blame it on the Boers” – Afrika (Steeplechase)
SNCC Freedom Singers: “Keep Your Eyes on the Prize” – Sing for Freedom:Civil Rights Movement Songs (Smithsonian Folkways)
Curtis Mayfield: “We’re a Winner” – Curtis/Live (Curtom )
Matana Roberts: “Libation for Mr. Brown: Bid Em In…” – Coin Coin Chapter One: Gens De Couleur Libres (Constellation)
Charles Mingus: “Hobo Ho” – Let My Children Hear Music (Columbia)
Charles Mingus: “Haitian Fight Song” – The Clown (Atlantic)
Eternal Buzz Brass Band: “Better Get It in Your Soul” – Evolution (Ropeadope)
Territory Band-5: “Untitled Fiction (for Charles Mingus)” – New Horse For The White House (Okka Disk)
Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, Max Roach: “Rem Blues” – Money Jungle (Blue Note)
Charles Mingus: “Mood Indigo” – Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus (Impulse)
Orange, then Blue: “Nostalgia in Times Square” – Orange, then Blue (GM Recordings)
Bert Jansch & John Renbourn: “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat” – After the Dance (Shanachie )
Charles Mingus Sextet with Eric Dolphy: “Jitterbug Waltz” – Cornell 1964 (Blue Note)

WNUR Conference of the Birds, 2014-11-25 (complete) [ 2:33:54 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

“Conference of the Birds” is my weekly radio program on WNUR-FM. It airs on Tuesdays from 5-7:30 am Chicago time (UTC-6). And, of course, when technology cooperates, you can just come here for the archives. You can subscribe to the podcast with this URL (click here to subscribe in iTunes).

A couple of “Taxi Drivers”, a handful of Brazilian music and lots of jazz. This show’s playlist goes on past the end of the recorded archive, since Stephen wasn’t able to make his show and I stayed a little extra. The archive fades out during the String Trio of New York track.

Enjoy!

Listen:

download program (144MB, 2 hrs 37 min)

Artist: “Track” – Album (Label)
Mississippi John Hurt: “Spike Driver Blues” – The Greatest Songsters: Complete Works (1927-1929) (Document)
Charlie Parr: “Hogkill Blues” – 1922 (self-released)
John Kirby: “Keep Smilin’” – John Kirby and his Orchestra 1941-1943 (Classics)
Alick Nkhata: “Taxi Driver” – Shalapo and other Love Songs (Retroafric)
Mlimani Park Orchestra: “Taxi Driver” – Zanzibara 5: Hot In Dar (The Sound of Tanzania 1978-1983) (Buda Musique)
Orchestra les Noirs: “Sikiya Sauce pts 1 & 2” – African Serenades, vol. 35 – Cheeku (Matsuli Music)
Father’s Children: “Phoney People” – Eccentric Soul: A Red Black & Green Production (Numero Group)
Isaar França: “Onda Vem, Onda Vai” – ()
Mavis Staples: “99 and ½” – Eyes on the Prize (Anti-)
Uncredited: “Wade with Me / Wade in the Water” – Movement Soul (ESP Disk)
Marisa Monte: “Para mais ninguém” – Universo ao Meu Redor (EMI Europe)
Márcio Local: “Samba Sem Nenhum Problema” – Says Don Day Don Dree Don Don (Luaka Bop)
Os Lobos: “O Homem de Neanderthal” – Miragem (Top Tape)
Marcia Ball: “That’s Enough of that Stuff” – Doctors, Professors, Kings & Queens (Shout Factory)
Art Neville: “Belle Amie” – His Specialty Recordings 1956 – 58 (Specialty)
The Skatalites: “Herb Man Dub” – 200% Dynamite (Soul Jazz)
The Heptones: “Tripe Girl” – The Meaning of Life: The Best of the Heptones 1966-1976 (Trojan Records)
Poets of Rhythm: “Moira” – Discern / Define (Ninja Tune)
Laba Sosseh & Liwanza Band: “Prepare Candela” – Lassissi présente a formidable Laba Sosseh – Special Liwanza Band (Sacodis)
Sounds of Soweto: “Mama Ndiyalila” – How Long Must we Suffer? (Misereor)
Abdullah Ibrahim: “Calypso Minor” – Cape Town Songs: The Very Best of Abdullah Ibrahim (Nascente)
Dudu Pukwana: “Hidden Spirits” – Black Horse (Black Lion)
Chris McGregor: “Kwa Tebugo” – Sea Breezes: Solo Piano, Live in Durban 1987 (Fledg’ling Records)
Sun Ra: “Soft Talk” – Super-Sonic Jazz (El Saturn Records)
Steve Lacy: “Virgin Jungle” – The Door (Novus)
Sinéad O’Connor: “You Do Something to Me” – Red Hot + Blue ()
Available Jelly: “The Little Pieces – Blee” – Monuments (Ramboy Recordings)
ICP Orchestra: “Criss Cross” – Two Programs: The Icp Orchestra Performs Nichols – Monk (ICP)
Albert Ayler: “Bells” – Love Cry (Impulse)
Ismet Siral and Friends: “Oy” – Creative Music Studio: Archive Selections, Vol. 1 (Innova)
Szilárd Mezei Quintet: “Uncia” – Cerkno (Leo Records)
Kent Carter String Trio: “Our Waltz” – The Willisau Suites (Emanem)
String Trio of New York: “Frozen Ropes” – Faze Phour: A Twenty Year Retrospective (Black Saint)
Nicole Mitchell’s Black Earth Strings: “Crossroads” – Renegades (Delmark)
Paul Giallorenzo’s GitGo: “Roscoe Far I” – Force Majeure (Delmark)
Cat Island Mites and Dicey Doh Singers: “We Bid You Goodnight” – The Bahamas: Islands of Song (Smithsonian Folkways)
Alice Coltrane: “Blue Nile” – Ptah the El Daoud (Impulse)

WNUR Conference of the Birds, 2014-11-18 (most) [ 2:36:58 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

“Conference of the Birds” is my weekly radio program on WNUR-FM. It airs on Tuesdays from 5-7:30 am Chicago time (UTC-6). And, of course, when technology cooperates, you can just come here for the archives. You can subscribe to the podcast with this URL (click here to subscribe in iTunes).

Don’t be startled, there’s no technical difficulty: this week’s show starts with Kathleen’s voice—she’s the host of K Theory Radio and she ended her show this week with a track that seemed like a natural for Conference of the Birds, so I kept it in the archive.

Otherwise, there may be a bit more of a rock vibe in this week’s show than most weeks, but still pretty balanced, I think.

Enjoy!

Listen:

download program (145MB, 2 hrs 38 min)

Artist: “Track” – Album (Label)
Madina: “Ana Mefales” – (Soundcloud)
Arsenio Rodriguez: “Parece Bobo” – La Pachanga (Tico)
Lalo Guerrero y Sus Cinco Lobos: “Chicas Patas Boogie” – Pachuco Boogie (Arhoolie)
Duke Ellington: “Agra” – The Far East Suite (Bluebird)
Makely Ka: “Eu Nao” – The New Brazilian Music Vol. 3 (BM&A)
Ave Sangria: “Geórgia, a carniceira” – Ave Sangria (RCA)
Benny Soebardja and Lizard: “Candle Light” – Those Shocking Shaking Days (Now-Again)
Khalifa Ould Eide & Dimi Mint Abba: “The Tortoise’s Song” – Moorish Music From Mauritania (World Circuit)
Quarteto em Cy e Dorival Caymmi: “Canto Do Obá” – Quarteto Em Cy (EMI)
Jorge Ben: “Chove Chuva” – Samba Esquema Novo (Philips)
Mestre Cupijó e Seu Ritmo: “Cade o Anel” – Siriá (Analog Africa)
Jean Paul “El Troglodita”: “Everything is Gonna Change” – Back to Peru, v. 2 (Vampisoul)
The Zoo: “Where Have all the Good Times Gone?” – Majestic Coal Chute, vol. 3 (dj bylamplight)
Pink Floyd: “Fearless” – Meddle (EMI)
Sly & the Family Stone: “Never Do Your Woman Wrong” – Dance to the Music (Epic)
Dojo Cuts featuring Roxie Ray: “Mama Told Me” – Dojo Cuts (Record Kicks)
Carolina Chocolate Drops: “You Be Illin’” – Leaving Eden (Nonesuch)
Public Enemy: “Pollywanacraka” – Fear of a Black Planet (Def Jam)
Digital Primitives: “Crackle and Pop” – Hum Crackle & Pop (Hopscotch)
Geraldo Pino & the Heartbeats 72: “On the Spot” – Heavy Heavy Heavy (Retroafric)
Donald Byrd: “Weasil” – Blue Break Beats (Blue Note)
Father’s Children: “Linda Movement” – Who’s Gonna Save The World (Numero Group)
The Four Sharps: “My Baby” – Shout, Brother, Shout: 1950’s R&B From The Legendary Trumpet Records Label (Alligator)
The Famous Blue Jay Singers of Birmingham Alabama: “Jesus Met the Woman at the Well” – Jubilation! Black Gospel, vol. 1 (Rhino)
The Trumpeteers: “Gideon and the Sword” – Good News: 100 Gospel Greats (Proper)
McIntosh County Shouters: “Read ‘em, John” – Slave Shout Songs from the Coast of Georgia (Smithsonian Folkways)
Slim Ducket & Pig Norwood: “I Want to Go Where Jesus Is” – How Can I Keep from Singing, v. 1 (Yazoo)
The Avons: “Since I Met You Baby” – Night Train to Nashville: Music City Rhythm & Blues 1945-1970 (Lost Highway)
Headlines: “He’s Looking for a Love (Demo)” – Boddie Recording Company: Cleveland, Ohio (Numero Group)
Huey “Piano” Smith: “Little Liza Jane” – Saturday Night Fish Fry: New Orleans Funk and Soul (Soul Jazz)
Fred Anderson/Hamid Drake: “Louisiana Strut” – Back Together Again (Thrill Jockey)
Chico Freeman: “Two over One” – Beyond the Rain (Contemporary)
Barrage Double Trio: “Polarity (dedicated to Andrew Hill)” – Utility Hitter (Quinnah)
Sonny Rollins: “Asiatic Raes” – Newk’s Time (Blue Note)
Håkon Kornstad / Håvard Wiik: “John S” – The Bad and the Beautiful (Moserobie)

WNUR Conference of the Birds, 2014-11-11 (complete) [ 2:38:05 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

“Conference of the Birds” is my weekly radio program on WNUR-FM. It airs on Tuesdays from 5-7:30 am Chicago time (UTC-6). And, of course, when technology cooperates, you can just come here for the archives. You can subscribe to the podcast with this URL (click here to subscribe in iTunes).

I still really love this Haiti Direct comp and would love pointers to more old school Haitian music like that. Note the not-so-clever pairing of “007” with “I’m the Magnificent,” which sampled it. Plenty of other good stuff this week — what catches your ear?

Enjoy!

Listen:

download program (135MB, 2 hrs 27 min)

Artist: “Track” – Album (Label)
Ibo Combo: “Ti Garçon” – Haiti Direct – Big Band, Mini Jazz & Twoubadou Sounds, 1960-1978 (Strut)
The Fatback Band feat. Johnny King: “Keep On Brother Keep On” – The Sound of Funk 4 (Goldmine )
The Meters: “Just Kissed My Baby” – New Orleans Funk (Soul Jazz)
Jamo Thomas: “I Spy (For the FBI)” – Thomas 303 – 7″ (Thomas )
Desmond Dekker: “007 (Shanty Town)” – Rockin’ Steady: The Best Of Desmond Dekker (Rhino)
Special Ed: “I’m the Magnificent” – Youngest in Charge (Profile)
SDV Swing Band: “Taxi Jive 6 No. 2” – 78 Revolutions Per Minute — Majuba Jazz from Mra to Bra v. 1 (Electric Jive)
Homero y su Combo, Pacho Galan, La Sonora Curro: “Oye Negra” – Cartagena! Curro Fuentes & The Big Band Cumbia and Descarga Sound Of Colombia 1962 – 72 (Soundway)
Voices of Darkness: “Mota Ginya” – Nigeria Disco Funk Special: The Sound of the Underground Lagos Dancefloor 1974-79 (Soundway)
Public Enemy: “Show ‘em Whatcha Got” – It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (Def Jam)
Quantic and his Combo Bárbaro: “I Just Fell In Love Again” – Tradition in Transition (Tru Thoughts)
Staple Singers: “We the People” – Be Altitude: Respect Yourself (Stax)
Mulatu Astatke & the Heliocentrics: “Chik Chikka” – Inspiration Information 3 (Strut)
Bobby Womack: “No Money in my Pocket” – Fly Me to the Moon (Universal)
Wanda Jackson: “Dust on the Bible” – The Party Ain’t Over (Third Man Records)
The Soul Stirrers: “Jesus Gave Me Water” – Jesus Gave Me Water (Specialty)
The Seniorlites: “Lay Down Body” – Wade in the Water, Vol. 2: African-American Congregational Singing (Smithsonian Folkways)
Bernice McClellan & Congregation: “What Do You Think about Jesus? (He’s All Right)” – Sounds of the South: A Musical Journey from the Georgia Sea Islands to the Mississippi Delta (Atlantic)
Def Jef: “Droppin’ Rhymes on Drums” – Just a Poet with a Soul (Delicious Vinyl)
The Budos Band: “Tomahawk” – Burnt Offering (Daptone)
Powerhouse Sound: “Acid Scratch” – Overlap (Laurence Family)
My Baby: “Shameless” – Loves Voodoo! (Embrace)
Roscoe Robinson: “We Got a Good Thing Going” – From Chicago to Shreveport: Deep Soul, Vol. 1 (Fuel)
Loretta Lynn & Conway Twitty: “You’re the Reason (our kids are ugly)” – Honky Tonk Girl: The Loretta Lynn Collection (MCA Nashville)
Willie & Paul: “Khosi” – Umakoti Ka Themba (HMV)
Johnny Dyani: “Portrait of Mosa Gwangwa” – Angolian Cry (Steeplechase)
Chris McGregor: “Mngqusho” – In His Good Time (Ogun)
Mark Helias: “Pacific Rim” – Loopin’ the Cool (Enja)
Digital Primitives: “Intertwined” – Soul Searchin’ (Hopscotch)
Tomeka Reid: “O, Number I (Don Baum)” – Soundtrack to Hairy Who & the Chicago Imagists (Corbett vs Dempsey/Pentimenti)
Tomeka Reid: “Double Take (Sarah Canright)” – Soundtrack to Hairy Who & the Chicago Imagists (Corbett vs Dempsey/Pentimenti)
Philly Joe Jones Big Band Sounds: “Cherokee” – Drums around the World (Riverside)
Oliver Lake Quintet: “245” – Dedicated to Dolphy (Black Saint)
Henry Threadgill Sextett: “The Devil is on the Loose and Dancin’ With a Monkey” – Rag, Bush and All (Novus)
Pachora: “Rebetiki” – Ast (Knitting Factory Works)

WNUR Conference of the Birds, 2014-11-04 (complete) Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

“Conference of the Birds” is my weekly radio program on WNUR-FM. It airs on Tuesdays from 5-7:30 am Chicago time (UTC-5). And, of course, when technology cooperates, you can just come here for the archives. You can subscribe to the podcast with this URL (click here to subscribe in iTunes).

I had travel last weekend, so I had no chance to properly prepare for my show this week. In the moment, I realized that I’d gathered a big of “Halloween Music” including Kogar’s Spooky Spectacular and some in the same vein. So I did an impromptu set from what I had there for the first hour of the show.

After an hour of picking short songs that I didn’t know very well, I needed to slow things down, so to be honest, it slips into a lazyrelaxed set of extended jazz numbers for the rest of the show.

Enjoy!

Listen:

download program (146MB, 2 hrs 39 min)

Artist: “Track” – Album (Label)
Mad Man Jones: “Snake Charmer” – Jukebox Mambo: Rumba and Afro-Latin Accented Rhythm & Blues 1949-1960 (Jazzman)
Duane Eddy: “The Trembler” – Duane Eddy (Capitol)
The Tumblers: “Scream” – S4KM 6416 – 7″ (Pocono)
The Moontrekkers: “Night of the Vampire” – 45-R 4814 – 7″ (Parlophone )
Dan Hinson & the Rigamorticians: “Robbin’ Graves” – Monster Dance Party (Capitol)
The Vampires: “The Creep” – At the Monster Ball (United Artists)
The Big Guys: “Zombie” – PZ 5114 – 7″ (Palette)
The Duponts: “Screamin’ Ball (At Dracula Hall” – R-4060 – 7″ (Roulette Records)
The Madmen: “Haunted” – 6303 – 7″ (Cloister)
The Tarantulas: “Like Spellbound” – Fernwood Rock ‘N’ Roll (Stompertime)
Baron Daemon & the Vampires: “Ghost Guitars” – Hellbound 666 – 7″ (Wavy Gravy)
Lee Kristofferson: “Night of the Werewolf” – Ruff 1 – 7″ (Thrust)
Rene Hall: “Night Fright” – Ultimate Beatnik Collection, Vol. 4 (Red Devil)
The Invictas: “Missing” – 493 – 7″ (20th Century-Fox)
Googie Rene: “The Chiller” – 60s Groovy Freaks, Monsters, & Geeks (Master Classics)
The Ventures: “He Never Came Back” – The Ventures in Space (Dolton)
Frankie Stein & his Ghouls: “Knives & Lovers” – Halloween Nuggets: Monster Sixties A Go-Go (Rockbeat)
The Ted Taylor Four: “Cat’s Eyes” – It’s All Happening Here! (Hallmark)
Jackie Morningstar: “Rockin’ in the Graveyard” – Halloween Garage Rock (Garage Masters)
The Mighty El Dukes: “Frankenstein’s Den” – Golden Groups: The Best of Norton Records, Vol. 1 (Norton)
The Essex: “Cemetery Stomp” – Lost Legends of Surf Guitar, Volume 1: Big Noise From Waimea! (Sundazed)
B. Brock & the Sultans: “Fright” – LB-101 (La Broc)
Tony & the Monstrosities: “Igor’s Lament” – 60s Groovy Freaks, Monsters, & Geeks (Master Classics)
The Contrails: “Mummy Walk (Walking Death)” – Burlesque – 100 Classics (Master Classics)
Ralph Nielsen & the Chancellors: “Scream” – CR-45-1 – 7″ (Crypt Records)
Stone Axe: “Slave of Fear” – Darkscorch Canticles (Numero Group)
William Parker Raining on the Moon: “3 + 3 = Jackie McLean” – Wood Flute Songs: Anthology/Live 2006-2012 (AUM Fidelity)
Chris McGregor: “Burning Bush – Mbizo’s Baby” – Piano Song, Vol. 1 (Musica)
Ethan Iverson/Lee Konitz/Larry Grenadier/Jorge Rossy: “Body and Soul” – Costumes are Mandatory (High Note)
Hanuman Jazz Quartet: “Pottsum” – Soundhousing (Leo)
Scott Fields String Feartet: “Carolina Reaper” – Mostly Stick (Between the Lines)
Bradford/Gjerstad Quartet: “a story about you” – Silver Cornet (Nessa)
Roy Campbell Pyramid: “Communion” – Communion (Silkheart)

WNUR Conference of the Birds, 2014-10-28 (complete) [ 2:38:56 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download