Ray Charles – Live

This is another record I inherited from my friend Bob Bob(ala). I’ve posted so many of his old records already that I think he needs his own tag. I confess that when I first looked at Ray Charles Live (1973, recorded in ’58 and ’59) I thought it was a decent addition to the collection, but didn’t expect it to rock my world. I was wrong. I’ve played this entire double album many times since I got it a few years back.

Ray Charles can tear the roof off any place and in a variety of styles. There is everything here from some swinging hard bop jazz instrumentals to classic blues soul numbers like “The Right Time.” In fact, there are two recordings of that song on here and it’s still not enough for me. When the Raylette Marjorie Hendricks starts screaming “BAAAY-BAAAYeee” repeatedly I get the goosebumps. The excellent notes inside the gatefold cover describe her singing as “powerful soulfulness-bordering-on-hysteria.” It doesn’t get any better than that for me.

King Crimson — Larks’ Tongues in Aspic

• Artist: King Crimson
• Title: Larks’ Tongues in Aspic
• Year: 1973
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 2006 – A gift from Keith.
• Keeper: Yes

Today is a “K” day. Even though I’m playing 7-inches this time through I decided to go with King Crimson’s LP “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic” because:

1. my good friend Keith just bought this for me on eBay
2. this K-day is also for K-eith, his wife K-erah and their un-alliteratively-named son Max
3. and I get to postpone writing about another Kajagoogoo record

I don’t know much about King Crimson, but this one is Keith’s favorite. I like it too, and was surprised how “progressive”, in a good way, this record was and is. My favorite cuts are the title tracks that bookend the album. After a few minutes of almost ambient noodling the opening track slams you with a metallic riff in 7/8 time signature. I like surprises. Except for the vocals, in some ways this album reminds me a lot of the Gamalon record I’ve already logged here. But Gamalon came along over a decade later.

Did Gorillaz really sample the laugh at the end of “Easy Money”?

Charlie Parker — History Of Jazz

• Artist: Charlie Parker
• Title: History Of Jazz
• Year: 1973
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 2005 – Inherited from my friend Bob Bobala.
• Keeper: Yes

It’s Charlie Parker. What else can I say? Maybe that this is the isn’t the best recording or pressing, but it’s decent. Perfect music for when it’s time to chill, or when the parents are over for dinner, or when I’m staring at the fish tank, or when I’m not sure what I should be doing, or when…