Tuesday, June 29, 2010

It was on a Tuesday somebody touched me


As I've mentioned before, my inner capitalist likes knock-off/cash-in albums. I'm also a fan of the Dean Martin-style "swingin' version." This album delivers some of both.


Sunday, June 27, 2010

Knuckle-dragger, he ain't


Dick Hyman is one of my favorite musicians, based almost entirely off of his Man From O.R.G.A.N. LP that has been such a big part of my life since I can remember. Until the intertube revolution I really didn't know much about him, but it turns out that he's perhaps one of the most prolific musicians of the last 50 years.

While generally recording under his own name, Hyman also found time to moonlight as the second version of ragtime pianist Knuckles O'Toole on a series of LPs for Grand Award records. This 1958 album likely is the work of Hyman, but there remains some ambiguity in the incomplete records (of the data kind) of the day.

Either way, it's a good background for your next speakeasy party.

Knuckles O'Toole (Dick Hyman) - Plays Honky Tonk Piano Volume 3.mp3

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

A Quick One While He's Away (From His Desk)


The cheap ploy by the music blogger - a drive-by comp album posting.

K-Tel - Pure Gold Collection from 1997 - 36 Original Hits! 36 Original Stars! 2 Record Set!

I enjoy K-tel albums on many levels - one of the more interesting is the edits they do to bring the songs down in length so as to fit more tracks per side. There's a track by Flash on an early 70's K-Tel album that clocks in at a nice 2:10. When I got the actual Flash album I was surprised to see that the original track ran well over 15 minutes. That's some fancy editing, especially since they really encapsulated the essence of the song while scrapping about 13 minutes of it (hmm, might be on to something there - pay attention, prog rock bands).

One the other hand, there's the reduced bass response and general lower-level cutting (leading to much surface noise) that allows closer grooves to be cut.

This set is so much like listening to WRJZ or WNOX in the late-70's that I was tempted to apply a slight phasing effect, a brickwall limiter, and a bandpass filter to complete the experience.

No set list - you won't need it.

Pure Gold Collection

Wednesday, June 09, 2010

Chet Atkins, country guitar picker








































I like this EP not just for the included four tunes, which are swell, but for the cover art - that red guitar against that aqua shirt and the black background is very striking. What's perhaps more striking is the blurred picking hand - fingers too fast to be captured on film!

This 1957 7" EP surprised me by playing at 45 RPM and not 33 RPM (as a large number of other 7" EPs do) but since it was put out by RCA of course it would be pressed at 45. (RCA EPA 1-1383)

The title (Chet Atkins: Finger Style Guitar, Vol. 1) promises additional volumes, so I'll keep my eye out for those, now.

Side One:
Swedish Rhapsody
Liza
Side Two:
Petite Waltz
Unchained Melody

Chet Atkins: Finger Style Guitar, Vol. 1

Friday, June 04, 2010

Justice For Henry

The Knox County Sheriff’s Office and the Knox County District Attorney’s Office (Office of the District Attorney General at 865.215.4466) need to know that dragging their feet on the investigation of the brutal beating/murder of Henry Granju is not acceptable.

The chorus says it:

Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul - Justice