Nate Dogg - Music and Me (2001)

Last Tuesday, March the 15th, the world has lost a very colourful figure. A person who managed to introduce a new quality to the hip-hop culture by leading a completely new path. His unique approach to music, his great voice and great songs helped forge a whole new identity for the west-coast scene. Along other artists, he was responsible for crafting a unique sound - the G-Funk sound.

Nate was always involved in the west-coast scene. He made guest appearances on dozens of songs, working with artists such as: Xzibit, Ludacris, Dr.Dre, Snoop Dogg, Warren G, Tupac, Tha Dogg Pound, etc. Adding Nate's voice singing that little hook always sweetened up a tune and gave it that one-of-a-kind feeling. These collaborations gave us such great songs as: Ludacris' 'Area Codes', Warren G's 'Regulate' and Dre's 'Deeez Nuuuts', among others.

Apart from that, Nate, with his cousin Snoop Dogg, and Warren G, formed in 2004 the famous trio: 213. The group released only one full album: 'The Hard Way', but it was a hell of a release. It featured such great tracks as: 'Groupie Luv', 'Gotta Find a Way' or 'Mary Jane'. Again, it proved that Nate, with the reinforcement of a couple of friends, can make great music.

As for the 'Music and Me' album...Here, Nate has a leading role, being the main actor for most of the songs and occasionally asking his friends to return the favour and make a guest appearance on his album. Therefore, apart from Nate Dizzle the release showcases a bunch of fantastic artists: Dr.Dre, Kurupt, Xzibit, Ludacris and Snoop Dogg.

'Music and Me', Nate's second solo production, is everything you would expect from a top-notch G-Funk album - 'low-rider' beats with a prominent bassline and rather sparse percussion arrangements, heavily-synthesized melodies, the odd pizzicato string here and there and of course Nate's soulful vocals (occasionally reinforced by female backing vocals). The lyrics are the industry standards, really. However, in my opinion, the album benefited from the guest appearances - guys like Kurupt or Xz drop some seriously sick lines. All in all I believe it's a fantastic album.

If you listen to the songs below, you'll know straight away why it was such a huge blow for black music to lose a quality artist like Nate Dogg. Anyways, I'm sure he's Keeping it G.A.N.G.S.T.A. in a better place now...RIP

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Pat Metheny - Bright Size Life (1976)

I have been introduced to Metheny's music many, many years ago, by my dad, who has been a big fan of Pat since the 70s. I have these distant memories of lying in the back of the car, during what I then considered very long journeys, staring at the passing landscape outside of the windows and listening to Metheny and the crew. So in a way, his music is a soundtrack to my early childhood...and my days, it is some decent music!

Pat Metheny, born in 1954 in Lee's Summit (Missouri) is one of the most prolific jazz guitarists of our time. He's been active since 1974, has released over 40 albums (solo, as 'Pat Metheny'; in various duets, trios, quartets; but also with his 'Pat Metheny Group'), he has received 17 Grammy Awards and has worked with such great artists as: Ornette Coleman, Herbie Hancock, Charlie Haden, John Scofield, Joni Mitchell, Chick Corea and Jaco Pastorius...and it was the collaboration with talented bassist Pastorius that rendered his debut album - 'Bright Size Life'.

Pat and Jaco met each other at the University of Miami and connected with each other immediately. As Pat puts it in the liner notes for Pastorius' 1976 debut album:

"As a young musician who met Jaco in his prime when we were both just starting out, I can only say that my reaction on hearing him for the first time …. was simply one of shock – I had literally not heard anything remotely like it, nor had anyone else at that time…..Our musical relationship was immediate….. We also became really good friends. During the short time that I lived in Miami (near Jaco's home town of Ft. Lauderdale), we played show gigs together and occasionally played at his house…. and spent a lot of time talking about music…"

The two were clearly like-minded individuals, and I think the best proof of that is the fantastic connection and understanding they portray in 'Bright Size Life'. The album is a product of great cooperation between two unique, incredibly talented musicians.

Metheny has managed to develop a style and sound that is impossible to copy. His extensive use of various delay, chorus and reverb effects has helped him forge a sound that is unmistakable - you can smell a Metheny track from miles away. Pat also likes to experiment a lot and push the boundaries of the instrument further and further. He is known to incorporate a 12-string guitar with alternate tunings (you can hear it on 'Bright Size Life's' 'Sirabhorn') and also makes use of a custom-made 42-string Pikasso guitar - check this monster out:

Pastorius, on the other hand, is considered to be a pioneer of the jazz bass guitar. He took it to a new level with his extensive harmonisation and elaborate solos in the higher register. Jaco used a fret-less bass guitar, which opened up plenty of room for innovation and experimentation.

Both musicians are considered to have shaped the way their instruments would since then be used in jazz.

'Bright Size Life' then, is a fantastic collaboration between two great musicians, supported by Bob Moses on drums, who fits in perfectly - not too overwhelming, so as not to dim the main stars of the album, but also adding great value with his cymbal-driven, free-spirited, imaginative solos. Pat and Jaco, on the other hand, work together perfectly - with Jaco at times effortlessly and creatively rounding off Metheny's phrases, and at times seeming to be trailing one step behind Pat and acting as counterpart to weigh out the balance. Both guy's solos are just out of this world - with Metheny giving the tunes a smooth, jazzy edge and Pastorius venturing into incredible figures, which leave me wondering if that guy really plays the bass.

The album features 8 tracks, 7 of which are Metheny's own compositions, and the finale - a Coleman tune brilliantly interpreted by the group. There are fast-paced, post-bop influenced, hard-hitting songs, like: 'Missouri Uncompromised', 'Round Trip/Broadway Blues' and the title track: 'Bright Size Life'. But there are also some deeper and more atmospheric songs like: 'Unity Village' or 'Sirabhorn'. There's a bit of everything really so I'm sure the album will appeal to many people.

Anyways, have a look for yourself. And keep an eye on any new posts on the blog because Pat, with his rich discography, is bound to make an appearance sooner or later!

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Tadeusz Nalepa - Bluesbreakout 1971-1972 (1991)

Somebody once famously stated that: 'If it ain't Mississippi, if it ain't raining and if you ain't sitting on the corner of the street soaking wet, hoping you weren't hungry - it ain't the blues'.
Well I always thought that was true... Until last week, when my good friend proved me wrong by showing me a fantastic album - 'Bluesbreakout' by Tadeusz Nalepa's 'Breakout' band.

Believed it or not, but Tadeusz Nalepa is white, he doesn't come from Mississippi (but from Rzeszów, Poland) and he sure can play the blues! I was really surprised that such fantastic blues music can come from behind the iron curtain.

The album was released in 1991 as a compilation of two of the groups' previous titles - 'Blues' and 'Karate' (1971 and 1972 respectively). The music therefore was recorded in times of deep communism in Poland - when artists where banned from public performances if their hair was too long and when the state treated the Beatles as a symbol of western, imperialistic society's moral decay.

Bearing that in mind, I think the authentic feeling of the music and its uncanny resemblance to American blues is mind-boggling - Western records were really hard to come by at that time. Still, you can hear many influences in Breakout's playing - there's a bit of Clapton, a bit of Robert Johnson a bit of John Mayall etc.etc.

You ask: how come? Well, Nalepa recalls touring Western Europe with his previous band - Blackout - and meeting Eric Burdon, who gave him his guitar and a bunch of tapes with 'black blues music' - Nalepa immediately fell in love with it. Actually, the couple of months of concerts they performed in Holland at that time allowed them to buy some proper equipment - before, they used to manually convert acoustic guitars into electric ones, simply because the latter weren't readily available in the *ekhm* People's Republic of Poland. The Western equipment is the reason why the album sounds a lot better than most other Polish music at that time.

The lyrics sung by Nalepa are in no way worse than the music of Breakout. The person responsible for these great texts is the poet Bogdan Loebl who also used to live in Rzeszów at that time. While the music is clearly inspired by American standards, the lyrics have a unique quality - deep, moving, yet very simple.

So, it turns out you don't have to be a black farmer working in the cotton fields of deep Mississippi to feel the blues. As Howlin' Wolf once said: "When you ain't got no money and can't pay your house rent and can't buy you no food, you damn sure got the blues".

This quote frightingly accurately describes communist Poland... 

...Nalepa just found his Mississipi in Rzeszów.

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Curtis Mayfield - Superfly OST (1972)

This soundtrack to the blaxploitation film by the same name could may well be the soundtrack to a whole decade - the 70s. And who could capture this distinct sound better than Curtis Mayfield? A legend, a pioneer, a ghetto poet - a genius!

Superfly, the film, (directed by Gordon Parks Jr. - the man who brought us Shaft) tells the story of a black drug dealer from Harlem, New York, who goes by the name of 'Youngblood Priest'. Said pusher, tired with the life he lives, decides to quit his successful career and so convinces his partner - Eddie - to organise one last score, earn a lot of dollah and get out of the business. Priest's story serves as a base for depicting, as it usually is with the blaxploitation genre, the gang-ridden streets of the ghetto with its corrupt cops, dodgy pimps, dirty hookers and desperate junkies.

Curtis' soundtrack does pretty much the same thing. He has already been known for his well crafted music with forcible and expressive lyrics from the time he performed with The Impressions quartet during the 60s. The Superfly OST was his third solo release, however, and it didn't show any signs of him losing it!

The album is a soul & funk masterpiece! A mixture of the trademark wah-wah guitar, deep, funky basslines, groovy keys, vivid percussions and a stinging horn section - all topped up with Mayfield's laid-back falsetto. Hell, you even get the odd strings every now and then giving it a disco-ish feeling. The music, however, only serves as a background to Curtis' incisive social commentary of black urban life in the 70s.

Besides the overall damning attitude, the lyrics just sound great and fantastically complement the music:

I'm your mamma, i'm your daddy

I'm that nigga in the alley

I'm your doctor, when in need

Want some coke, have some weed

You know me, i'm your friend

Your main boy, thick and thin

I'm your pusherman

I'm your pusherman

Ain't i clean, bad machine

Super cool, super mean

Feelin' good, for the man

Superfly, here i stand

Secret stash, heavy bread

Baddest bitches, in the bed

I think you can clearly see that Curtis Mayfield inspired and anticipated the whole rap/hip-hop vibe (with it's 'thug life' stories). Well it's no surprise then, that his tracks have been sampled by such great hip-hop artists as:
Pete Rock, Gang Starr, Biggie Smalls, Beastie Boys, Master P, Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Ice-T etc. etc.


I strongly recommend watching the film to get the feeling of the music and the times. But for now, just check this out (definitely watch the first vid - it's an actual excerpt from the film):

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Muddy Waters - The Anthology (1947 - 1972) (2001)

I'm not a big fan of compilation albums, I'd usually rather go for the 'real deal'. But here, I'm very pleased to make an exception. This double disc set is a definite guide to one of the most iconic blues musicians of all time - Muddy Waters. If this name does not ring a bell, then this album is definitely for you.

Released in 2001 by Chess, it contains fifty essential songs Muddy recorded for this premier Chicago blues label. It showcases his biggest releases from 1947 till 1972. So, you pretty much get a cross-section view of Waters' recordings - from the raw, naked, Robert Johnson-influenced solo country-blues style of the 40s to the heavily amplified, energetic, urban Chicago blues that later defined Muddys sound and got him the recognition he deserved.

Anyways, the man's a freakin' legend! He was an inspiration for generations of musicians and I'm sure that if it wasn't for him, bands like The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds or Led Zeppelin would not be what we know them today. Actually, Mick Jagger's group took their name from Waters' 1950 hit song: 'Rollin' Stone' - how's that for tribute?

If you were to list other Muddys songs that were as inspirational as 'Rollin' Stone', the list would be longer than the notorious Maxwell Street in Chicago. Nevertheless, let me name quite a few:  'I Feel Like Going Home', 'Train Fare Home Blues', 'Rollin and Tumblin', 'Got My Mojo Working', 'Long Distance Call', 'I Just Want To Make Love To You', 'Mannish  Boy', etc., etc. If you never heard of Muddy Waters, the two last songs are probably the ones you'd recognize nevertheless. The latter being used in many soundtracks, including Pulp Fiction.

By giving us an overview of Muddys works throughout the years, the compilation also exposes us to the various people Waters was working with. The album showcases such great musicians as: Jimmy Rogers (guitar), Little Walter (harmonica), Sam Lay (drums, who was also the drummer for the Paul Butterfield Blues Band), Willie Dixon (bass, but also a very prolific song writer - he once famously stated that it's no wonder that it's the bassists, who write the most songs  - they just have a lot of time on their hands to think while they're playing), Otis Spann & Sunnyland Slim (both pianists).

Anyways, if you feel like finding out more about Muddy and Chess Records, I'd recommend the 2008 'Cadillac Records' film, starring Adrien Brody (as the Polish immigrant, Leonard Chess, who started the iconic label), Mos Def (as Chuck Berry) and Beyonce Knowles (as Etta James [yep, that's right]).



So, pour yourself a nice glass of bourbon, sit back, relax and enjoy the fantastic sounds of Muddy Waters, the hoochie coochie man!

(love the moment when halfway through the track, Little Walter, after hearing Muddy constantly hollering that he's 'goin' down to New Orleans', shouts out: 'Awww, take me wit'ya man, when you go!', not sure if that was rehearsed or not. Awesome, nonetheless!)

and the unmistakable Family Guy:

 


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B.B. King - Sings Spirituals (1959)

B.B. King....the first thing that pops into your head when you hear this name is: great blues guitarist. That's true - the man can play! I had the pleasure of listening to him live many moons ago and I must agree. The 15 Grammy awards King keeps on his mantelpiece seem to prove he ain't no rookie!

However, the Spirituals album is something completely different. This time B.B. leaves his beloved Lucille (as he calls his Gibson ES-355 electric guitar) in the box and focuses on singing. And boy, he's actually quite good at it!

The album, released on Crown records in 1959, features 10 fantastic gospel songs - among them classics, like 'Precious Lord' and 'Swing Low Sweet Chariot' but also no less than 6 tunes from the repertoire of the 5 Blind Boys of Mississippi group. And, as with gospel, the arrangements are the 'industry standard', so to speak. Electric organs, piano, bass, drums, tons of joyful hand clapping, a fantastic backing choir and B.B.'s powerful, full-bodied voice.

Many blues musicians have flirted with gospel from time to time. However, for King it was not just a passing fling. He grew up singing in a gospel choir at Elkhorn Baptist Church in Kilmichael, USA - so for him, it was back to the roots!

The lyrics, as you might have guessed, are pretty predictable. With songs like 'Jesus Gave Me Water',  'Ole Time Religion', 'Servant's Prayer', 'Army of The Lord'....well, you get the picture. Don't be scared though. Even if, like me, you don't give a rat's ass about the Baby Jesus and the Virgin Mary, I'm sure you'll still be touched - everybody needs some spirituality every now and then. Besides, the lyrics and the general theme of the album give it a sense of authenticity - so yeah, it definitely is the real deal. Praise the Lord! ;)

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tony tiptrip - s'il vous PLAY (2011)

Been kind of busy lately so couldn't really find the time to post new stuff on the blog...but after a long hiatus I'm back with a bang!

This time I've prepared a very special treat - my own mix of some pretty banging soulful house tunes! Inspired by the past half a year I got to spend in Paris, it tries to capture the spirit of these joyful times.

I won't dwell on it too much cause, quite naturally, I'm biased. I'll just give you the tracklist so that you know what you're in for. S'il vous PLAY!




download the mix @ http://www.tonytiptrip.eu




1. Kings of Tomorrow – Make Believe [Defected UK, 2005]

2. DJ Hal – Don’t Give It Up (Lawnchair Generals Mix) [Blockhead Recordings US, 2004]

3. Rithma – Funk Is Still Alive (Joey Youngman Mix) [Om Records US, 2005]

4. Jay-J & Chris Lum - Without Love [Moulton Studios Recordings US, 2003]

5. White Lotus Society – Got It (Live Vocal) [Large Records US, 2007]

6. Tom Gianelli & Martin Ikin - All That I Need (Full Vocal) [Soul Purpose UK, 2004]

7. Kathy Brown – Give It Up [White Label, 2001]

8. Bongoloverz – Spirit Of House (Piano Mix) [Soulfuric Trax US, 2006]

9. Lenny Fontana pres. The Exclusive Club – Thinkin’ About Your Love (Classic Club Mix) [Distance FR, 1999]

10. Soulmagic – Come On Come On (Main Mix) [Soulfuric Deep US, 2005]

11. DJ Circle – Call It A Day (Shik Stylkø Remix) [Realbasic Recordings DE, 2006]

12. JT Donaldson – Trust Me (Broadway & Wilson Remix) [OM Records US, 2004]

13. Julien Jabre – Swimming Places (Original Mix) [Defected UK, 2005]



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