Shorty Rogers

Artist: Shorty Rogers

LP: Gospel Mission

Song: "Joshua's Saxes"

[ listen ]

Here's one of my favorite records I found in Bellingham when I was there for the turn of the New Year just over four months ago. According to his page on Wikipedia, after performing with the likes of Stan Kenton and Woody Herman, Shorty Rogers hung up his trumpet (and probably his flugelhorn too) in the early 1960s and stopped playing jazz, while he focused on composing and arranging instead (he contributed music to episodes of "Starsky and Hutch" in the show's 4th season). Shorty's "Gospel Mission" LP was released in June of 1963, so it was likely one of his last before a long break (thankfully, he returned to performing in the early 1980s). There's a terrific four-part interview from 1983 with Les Tomkins here, where you'll learn everything you've ever wanted to know about Shorty Rogers but were afraid to ask.

[ Shorty Rogers: April 14, 1924 — November 7, 1994 ]

Hugo Blanco et sa Harpo Indienne

Artist: Hugo Blanco et sa Harpo Indienne

LP: 7" single

Song: "Moliendo Café"

[ listen ]

Though this 7" EP was pressed in France, these four lovely tunes from Venezuelan composer and harpist Hugo Blanco were originally recorded for Pallacio Records in Caracas. "Moliendo Café" means grinding coffee, which is what I'm about to do right now, only my grinder is electric. Though it doesn't have quite the same zing without percussion, there's a lovely harp duet performance video of "Moliendo Café" (most of it, anyway) included here:

Harp players on YouTube:

[ "Moliendo Café" ]

The Panio Brothers

Artist: The Panio Brothers

LP: The Panio Brothers Present Dance Music Ukrainian

Song: "In the Spring"

[ listen ]

Here's a lovely something from Ukraine, by way of Saskatchewan, to help celebrate the onset of springtime in Seattle—which this weekend mostly just meant lots and lots of rain. There isn't much info about John and Vlad Panio on the internet, but I did learn that the talented Canadian brothers received the Ukrainian Musicians Association's Legendary Achievement Award last year, along with another Panio named David. Notes and info from the back of this 1977 LP are included below.

ADN' Ckrystall

Artist: ADN' Ckrystall

LP: Jazz' Mad

Song: "Le Blues de la Fille Aux Jambes de Jeans"

[ listen ]

I was fortunate to find a decent copy of this 1982 French electronic LP for just a couple bucks last year. When a bunch of copies were discovered in some basement in the south of France in 2005, those sold for $60 apiece—as you can see here. You can read about ADN' Ckrystall founder Érick Moncollin here, where you'll learn about his musical influences, see a list of his favorite books and movies, discover what kinds of pets he has, find out what a "Puckie" is, and there's a sexy photo of him there too. Notes and pictures from the back of the record are included below.

The Bill Carter Singers

Artist: The Bill Carter Singers

LP: A Bouquet of Songs From The Bill Carter Singers

Song: "I Stand Amazed"

[ listen ]

Since she handles lead vocals on "I Stand Amazed" and is featured front and center in the photo on the cover, it's a shame Bill's talented wife Vi isn't listed as a member of the group on the back of the record. If The Bill Carter Singers ever come to Seattle, I assure you it's Vi I'll be going to see. (I actually don't know if these guys still perform—but I sent a postcard to their Granger address, so I should find out soon.) Incidentally, when I was a wee tot in the early 1970s, my mother would take me to Granger with her when she substitute-taught at the grade school there. I swear I remember Bill and Vi coming over for dinner.

 [ The Bill Carter Singers, feat. Vi Carter ]

Ulf Lundell

 Artist: Ulf Lundell

LP: Vargmåne

Song: "Jesse James Mötor Kärleken"

[ listen ]

After learning his first guitar chords from his older sister's boyfriend and then later working as a postman while sending his songs to record labels, singer-author-artist-composer Ulf Lundell burst onto the Scandinavian music scene in 1975 with "Vargmåne (Wolf Moon)" and immediately became known as "Sweden's Bob Dylan." You can read more about Ulf Lundell and see his complete discography here, visit his official website here, and find an English translation of the "Jesse James Mötor Kärleken" song lyrics here. I recently discovered another neat picture of Ulf—along with photos of Finn, Wojciech, Roger, Mike, and the other guys—on the album's inside sleeve, so I'll include those here soon.

Maynard Ferguson and His Orchestra

Artist: Maynard Ferguson and His Orchestra

LP: Si! Si!—M.F.

Song: "Si! Si!—M.F."

[ listen ]

Looks like I missed Maynard's birthday—he would have been 83 years old last week if he hadn't passed away back in the summer of 2006. One might blandly suppose that the "M.F." in this album's title track stands for "Maynard Ferguson," but after hearing how this guy blows his crazy horn, it's more like—"Sí! Sí!—Motherfucker!" You can read all about M.F., the talented Canadian trumpeter extraordinaire, on Wikipedia here, find lots of neat photos and other things on his official website here, and the liner notes from the back of Maynard's brilliant 1962 "Sí Sí" LP are included below.

[ Maynard Ferguson: May 4, 1928 — August 23, 2006 ]