*main riff*

This is quite an interesting video. I've seen people who have filled in the lyrics before, but I've never seen someone actually try to make conversation.  This kid does a pretty good job of talking you through this fuzzed out prog gem, complete with Nirvana shout out and Jonas Brothers beef. In all fairness it's a 7 minute epic with an instrumental interlude in the middle so there's a lot of dead air.

Song #216: King Crimson - 21st Century Schizoid Man

Blondie

Song #216: Blondie - Heart of Glass

LeBronukah

Today is the day that the world's best basketball player chooses his next home. I'm hoping for a New York revival, but the chances are looking slim. The real question is, does LeBron James leave Cleveland (and it's eternal losing ways) for a new market, and if so which generation of young kids get to idolize him and which get to hate him. Also will Clevelanders burn their own city down if King James jumps ship. My bet is yes. Better look out.

Song #215: The Band - Look Out Cleveland

Heat Wave

Two record breaking days in a row here in the city. Two consecutive triple-digit days and maybe more on the way. We are officially in the middle of a Heat Wave.


Song #214: Martha Reeves and the Vandellas - Heat Wave

213

From Wikipedia:

North American area code 213 is a California telephone area code which was one of California's original three area codes created in October 1947. It has historically been associated with Southern California and Los Angeles.

For all intensive purposes, it could be better associated with three of the Best of the West Coast Rappers, Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg (they are related, I'm not kidding) and Warren G.

Song #213: 213 - Groupie Luv

Mo Fro

A perfectly hot long weekend ends with a perfectly hot afro.


Song #212: Susan Cadogan - Hurt So Good

Independence Day

Song #211: Elliott Smith - Independence Day

BONUS LIVE VERSION: Just so you can see what playing this complex virtuosic guitar melody looks like,  here is a live version from 2000 at one of the classic music venues in the city, Town Hall.

Kermit Krossover

Little known fact: Kermit Ruffins, who was featured so awesomely in yesterday's post by Ben, contributed his swingin' sounds to one of my favorite albums, Blind Melon's Soup. Recorded down in N'awlins where Shannon met his maker just a few short months later, Kermit did the Big Easy Brass intro and outro. Listen to his work here at the beginning of the first track Galaxie. I read a great self-published book of interviews by a Melonhead by the name of Scott Prato called A Devil on One Shoulder and an Angel on the Other: The Story of Shannon Hoon and Blind Melon. It is an amazing read that covers the recording of this underrated masterpiece, as well as the entire story in detail of my absolute favorite band.

Shannon in NOLA

Buy this book... Trust me.

Song #210: Blind Melon - Galaxie

BBQ Swingin' with Benitals

I smell a new cooking/music show.... Right before the long holiday weekend, here's another post from friend of the site, Ben(itals).

For anyone smart/well-off enough to have HBO, hopefully you've been watching David Simon's new show, Treme, named for the historically significant Tremé neighborhood in New Orleans. Set in months post Katrina, the show follows several characters' lives as the city's people struggle to rebuild their infrastructure and culture. A huge part of New Orleans' culture, and thankfully a huge part of the show, is music. Many of the show's principals are musicians, and right from opening credits, every episode is packed with classic Big Easy sounds.

Let me do you a favor, it's pronounced Tre-may

Until a few months ago, N'awlins had skirted my musical radar. I explored some Zydeco (thanks to a one Matthew J.), which was great, but not as much the booming, brassy, driving sounds that characterize the repertoire of much of the city's musicians. Treme has plenty. From parades to airport bands to funerals, the music is an integral part of the city, and the show. The producers go out of their way to make it authentic, and big cameos by the likes of Dr. John and Elvis Costello make that apparent. After becoming fascinated with the new genre, I started poking around the ol' internets for more. I began to see familiar faces, aside from the celebrities I had already recognized. It turns out, the show features many hometown New Orleans musicians, some of whom have sustained roles and appearances episode to episode.

One man in particular stands out to me. Kermit Ruffins is a local trumpet player, who although being fairly well known in the jazz/swing/brass community, I did not recognize by sight or name. He has a fairly prominent role in Treme playing himself, and is featured in many of the show's musical interludes. With his permanent grin and raspy, memorable voice, he's a natural character, as well as a fantastic player, and a joy to watch on the screen, blowing or otherwise.

Kermit started playing trumpet in the 8th grade at his school in the 9th ward of Orleans Parish, Louisiana, and started the Rebirth Brass Band while still in high school in the 6th ward. He has since moved on from the Brass Band to the Barbecue Swingers, a tradition jazz quintet he founded in 1992. They are well known for hosting concerts at which Kermit will even cook and serve food to the guests. He and the Swingers still play every Thursday night at Vaughan's Bar, a popular venue in New Orleans. If I didn't like him enough already, Ruffins has said he loves drinking Bud Light, and says Amsterdam is his second favorite place to perform outside of the Big Easy. Kermit describes his style as "New Orleans traditional jazz." It's "hard swingin', real dancable," it's loud, vibrant and upbeat. I can (and sometimes do) listen to it all day. New Orleans has always been on my "list," but I'm going to make a serious effort get there in the near future, maybe catch the next Mardi Gras. I'm a little embarrassed that a city as rich in unique musical talent and culture has escaped me for so long. Check out these two tracks, the first of which is straight out of episode 5 of Treme. The second is off a 2005's Rebirth Brass Band album, featuring Ruffins, who hadn't played with the band in years, called Throwback. If you don't want to spend the next 3 weeks spinning nothing but loud, horn centric, slammin' tracks, don't bother listening to these....




Song #209: Kermit Ruffins and the Rebirth Brass Band - Mr. Big Stuff
(cant play the song?)

I'll Be Underground

This morning at the train station a group of soul singers were cranking out this Spinners Classic. It's been stuck in my head ever since.

Song #208: The Spinners - I'll Be Around

Cash Wednesday (Part III)

Song #207: Johnny Cash - San Quentin

Watching Paint

Song #206: Rilo Kiley - Paint's Peeling

Vuvuzella

South Africa is getting a lot of attention right now because of the world cup, so I wanted to show a side of it rarely seen. I have listened to the Algoriddim podcast before, but I was not aware of their more, real life endeavors. In this video they haul a huge Sound System through South Africa to one of my favorite songs by The Paragons, a group that was one of Bob Andy's first Reggae gigs. 

Song #205: The Paragons - Riding on a High and Windy Day

Rap Sumo

Let's hear you rap before you brag about the Ice. It still took this guy almost a full minute to get his "stacks" out of his pocket, I'm not sure whether it has to do with his weight or the lack of funds, but the ratio is definitely off. Regardless I'm glad I met you Ceddybu, but you still have ways to go until you eclipse the other Rap Sumo, Big Pun. 

Song #204: Big Pun - You Ain't a Killer