10.26.2011
KDVS Record Swap 10/30
10.10.2011
Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered
Ansell Wyatt & the Cook Recording Orchestra Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered 45 (Cook, 1962)
A very nice song here! Early Calypso from Trinidad on one of the best labels of the time. I've written about Cook before, it was sort of a Caribbean obsessed Folkways (and now owned by the Smithsonian), which released some fantastic records in the 1960s. One of those records is this one by Ansell Wyatt, one of the kings of Calypso guitar. Wyatt had a long career, however much of it was playing tourist hotels, bars, and such - which was pretty much the fate of most Calypso musicians. I'd give you the flipside of this single but it is trashed.
10.06.2011
Harlem Nocturne
Rusty Geis Harlem Nocturne b/w Danny Boy 45 (Down Home)
If you are a long time follower of this blog, the name Rusty Geis might ring a bell. Back in August 2006, I wrote a short review of this single in a rundown of 45s I'd picked up. At the time I was a bit critical about Geis's playing style - I thought that while he blew his horn hard, he didn't go far enough or he went two far, that he was stuck in a stylistic middle ground. Five years later I think that I was full of shit. His style is fine. It give the songs a bite. I also wrote that "Danny Boy" was the unexpected star in this single and I still think so. Great version. Funny thing is that I almost passed on this because there was a version of "Danny Boy" on it. Because it was a buck, I figured any version of "Harlem Nocturne" is worth picking up for one greenback. Good call.
10.03.2011
There Ain't No Age For Rock And Roll
The Veterans There Ain't No Age For Rock And Roll 45 (Best Seller, 1979)
Crap alert! Crap alert! The Veterans protest for rock & roll acceptance of seniors is not only one of the shittiest songs I've heard but it pretty much makes the case against the aged having anything to do with the music. Seriously, if I was in Forever Young I'd track these two Belgians down and gum them to death. Read somewhere that this not only made the charts in Europe but hit #6 in Australia. Good on ya, my Aussie friends. Rumor has it that Gus Roan and Marc Malyster the oldsters behind this thing had an early single commenting on the jogging craze, but I've yet to track it down.
