The Jimmy Castor Bunch

Artist: The Jimmy Castor Bunch (feat. The Everything Man)

LP: Butt of Course...

Song: "Bertha Butt Boogie"

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Song: "Let's Party Now"

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This 1974 LP by The Jimmy Castor Bunch is one of the neat things I found at Culture Clash Records in Toledo, Ohio on my road trip last summer. The multi-talented Castor, aka. "The Everything Man," builds here on themes presented in his 1972 top-ten hit "Troglodyte," where a caveman with dancin' in his veins picks up Bertha (one of the voluptuous Butt sisters) at the local lake and they boogie-oogie-oogie on down the beach. (See video clip below for further details.) The fun now continues as Bertha rises from the stump where she's been taking a breather and introduces the "Bertha Butt Boogie," which draws everyone in the neighborhood together and gives Jimmy Castor and his Bunch a #16 hit on the singles charts in the process. The song's storyline has been outlined on the back of the record sleeve in a colorful comic strip conceptualized by John Pruitt (the producer, not the porn star). You can read about funky singer-songwriter-sax player Jimmy Castor on Wikipedia here, and go here to visit his official website, where you'll find an extensive biography, discography, some music clips, and info on upcoming Jimmy Castor appearances.

The Jimmy Castor Bunch on YouTube:

[ "Troglodyte" ]

 [ Jimmy Castor ]

James White

Artist: James White

LP: A Christmas Record

Song: "Christmas With Satan"

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There's another cute little elfin man who dresses in red, travels the globe giving people things, and who also keeps track of who's been naughty and who's been nice, but he's never been assigned his own holiday. That's right, I'm talking about Satan, and James White of James White and The Blacks (aka. singer/songwriter/saxophonist James Chance [aka. James Siegfried] of Milwaukee, Wisconsin) invites us to spend a little time with the fellow this holiday season. You can read about James White, who's been a key figure in the New York music scene since the punk/no wave movement of late 1970s, on Wikipedia here, and go here to read about ZE Records, who released this brilliant various-artists holiday variety pack back in 1982.

[ James White / James Chance ]

Satoru Oda and His Group With Strings

Artist: Satoru Oda and His Group With Strings

LP: Nostalgias of Japan

Song: "Rain on Jogashima"

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Jogashima is a remote, rocky little island off the southern tip of the Miura Peninsula, just a few miles south of Tokyo. With its lovely views, strange rock formations, and labyrinth of caves, Jogashima makes a tranquil getaway from the bustle of the big city—I'm sure it's especially lovely when it rains. Information and photos of Jogashima Island can be found on the Moé Passion blog here. There's not much info about Japanese saxophone player Satoru Oda on the web, but according to the video below, Oda was still blowin' his phone for audiences as recently as February of 2009.

Satoru Oda and His Group Without Strings on YouTube:

[ "Fly Me to the Moon" ]

 

 

 

Raf Ravenscroft

Artist: Raf Ravenscroft

LP: 7" single

Song: "Maxine"

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Here's a sad song from saxophone player Raf Ravenscroft about a man searching in vain for his lost love—a woman by the decidedly non-musical name of "Maxine," who evidently ran off with one of the Zale brothers. Due to the quantity and placement of cords connected to the handset in the picture above, it would seem that the artist had never closely examined the workings of a telephone before. But a quick web search hints that the nonsensical sleeve for the 1985 "Maxine" single was likely designed according to Ravenscroft's explicit instruction, and is just another manifestation of his fetish for the spiraling, glistening glossiness of rubbery red phone cords.

Juarez e seu Conjunto

Artist: Juarez e seu Conjunto

LP: Bossa Nova Nos "States"

Song: "Direi Depois"

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Here's a neat 1962 bossa nova record from Juarez e seu Conjunto, led by saxophone player Juarez Assis de Araújo. I picked this one up here in Seattle sometime last year, but according to the stains on the cover, this exact same copy was previously featured on the Loronix blog based in Rio de Janeiro! The stamp on the back of the record seems to indicate that the copy was once owned by a Toni Julius Berger at Rio de Janeiro's Discos Hi-Fi on Av. Copacabana:

The extensive liner notes (in Portuguese) from the back of the LP are included below, and you can read a little about Juarez Araújo here and here.

 

  

[ Juarez Assis de Araújo: October 7, 1930 — October 5, 2003 ]

Washington State Youth Choir w/ Vernard Johnson

Artist: Washington State Youth Choir w/ Vernard Johnson

LP: Give Up to God
Song: "My Testimony"
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Song: "I Trust In God"
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Have you ever heard someone minister the word of God with a saxophone? If not, you're in for a treat today. Vernard Johnson spreads the gospel with his instrument while also giving his personal testimony (with his voice) in "My Testimony," then he ministers some more on sax with the Washington State Youth Choir in the spirited "I Trust In God"—featuring the vocal quartet of Mary L. Dennis, Francelle Ramsey, Carolyn Sopher and Susan Barrett. Sadly, the Washington State Youth Choir seems to have gone the way of the Coleman Dock clock tower on Seattle's historic waterfront (meaning that the choir no longer exists, not that they were hit by a boat and fell into the Puget Sound). The Washington State Youth Choir is pictured standing next to the Seattle Center Science Pavilion on the campus of the 1962 Seattle World's Fair. As you can see, the pavilion is still there today, just a few blocks from where I'm sitting now. If anyone pictured on the LP cover is reading this, I'd love to hear about some of your favorite experiences with the choir and what you're up to nowadays. Here are liner notes from the back of this terrific record:

The Washington State Youth Choir was organized ten
years ago by Ronelle McGraw, a fine young man who
is a musician, composer and a devoted director.

The Choir is made up of a group of dedicated young people
who have accepted holiness as their way of life. It is with
great pleasure that the Washington State Youth Choir
presents Brother Vernard Johnson to the
Evergreen State, Washington.

July, 1971, the W.S.Y.C. attended the International Youth
congress of the Church of God in Christ which was held
in San Francisco, California. During this meeting Brother
Johnson ministered nightly with his saxophone. As he played
the saxophone, the power of the spirit of God was upon
him so greatly that the musical sounds seemingly became
words, and the words became alive and penetrated the
hearts of every soul in the building. There were thousands
of people there and before he had finished playing, every-
one, not just many but I venture to say; everyone in the
auditorium was standing giving vent to the spirit of God.

Our producer, Elder Jerry R. Ramsey was there and was
so impressed that he immediately went to Elder T.L.
Westbrook, State Youth President for the Churches of
God in Christ in the State of Washington to discuss
possibilities of bringing Brother Johnson to Washington
for a concert and possible recording with the choir. Elder
Westbrook was impressed also and felt that Brother Johnson
could be an inspiration to the choir. At this point Elder Ramsey
extended the invitation to him and he so readily accepted.

After returning to Washington; together with Elder
Westbrook and choir director Ronelle McGraw, Elder
Ramsey began to make plans to bring Brother Johnson
to the beautiful State of Washington.

The Choir members were also enthusiastic about his coming
and worked sacrificially to prepare for him. When Brother
Johnson arrived at the Seattle-Tacoma Airport there was
a group of young people waiting to greet him and to take
him to Tacoma, Washington where he was greeted
by fifty or more choir members.

Scarcely a day passes that someone does not mention
the name Vernard Johnson. His conduct, charm, wisdom
and humility was so captivating that he left an indelible
impression upon everyone he came in contact with.

Vernard is presently studying towards a Masters Degree
in religious music at Southwestern Baptist Theological
Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas.

The W.S.Y.C. extends special thanks to:
State Youth President, Elder T.L. Westbrook
State Youth Chairlady, Miss. Doretha O'Brien
State Bishop, T.J. Kinlow
State Supervisor, Gertrude Young
Assistant Bishop, Superintendant R.E. Altheimer
All State Officials and Pastors for their support in
helping us produce this album.

We invite you to hear and enjoy this, their
second long play album...

Hope your hearts will be challenged to "Give Up To God."