Fever Tree

Artist: Fever Tree

LP: Fever Tree

Song: "Man Who Paints the Pictures"

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Here's a neat record I found while rummaging through my collection earlier this week. This short-lived psychedelic rock band from Houston, Texas was known as The Bostwick Vines before changing their name after Rob Landes joined the group. You can read about Fever Tree on Wikipedia here and search online to find this Fever Tree LP and another for sale together on one CD.

Modern Talking

Artist: Modern Talking

LP: 7" single

Song: "Brother Louie"

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Formed in 1984 and comprised of sexy hunks Dieter Bohlen and Thomas Anders, Modern Talking became known as one of Germany's most successful pop duos! You can read about them here. I picked up their "You Can Win If You Want" 7" single while on vacation in Munich with my mom back in 1985, but I found their "Brother Louie" single last Friday at the Fremont Antique Mall just a mile or so from my house. In the picture on the "Brother Louie" back cover, Dieter and Tom kinda' remind me of Blair and Jo from "The Facts of Life."

[ Blair & Jo — The Facts of Life ]

[ Dieter & Thomas — Modern Talking ]

Porter Wagoner

Artist: Porter Wagoner

LP: Soul of a Convict and Other Great Prison Songs

Song: "The Snakes Crawl At Night"

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We've all heard the rumors that "the snakes crawl at night" amongst the libidinous all-male populations of America's prison system, that "when the sun goes down, the snakes will play," but I was surprised to find out someone had actually written a song about it. This 1967 Porter Wagoner record that includes this and other prison songs was something I found at the Goodwill Thrift Store in Colville, WA on my way back to Seattle. I pulled into town at around 9am, so figured I'd visit a locally-owned cafe or diner downtown to get some coffee and food. After finding no such place, I asked the friendly thrift store cashier where I could find a good breakfast diner in Colville. She excitedly informed me that the best and most affordable breakfast in town was at Arby's. Go here if you'd like to see more pictures from my trip.

Born in West Plains, Missouri in August of 1927, Porter Wagoner had a long and successful career in country music, which included singing lots of duets with Dolly Parton. If Porter hadn't passed away a few years ago, he'd be celebrating his 83rd birthday tomorrow! You can read all about the life and career of Porter Wagoner here, see his New York Times obituary here and find the liner notes for his "Soul of a Convict and Other Great Prison Songs" LP below, along with a photo of Porter doing time in jail. All I know is, if those guys were my cell mates, there would definitely be a few friendly words, some music mixed with understanding... and when the sun went down the snakes would play.

[ Porter Wagoner: August 12, 1927 — October 28, 2007 ]

Joselito

Artist: Joselito

LP: El Triunfador Joselito, Vol. III

Song: "Arbolea"

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I'm back from my trip to Washington's northeast wooded wilderness, where there weren't many chances for record-hunting. I did, however, manage to sniff out some vinyl in the little logging town of Colville. This Joselito LP was something I found at the Habitat For Humanity Thrift Store on Main Street. Fortunately it was in decent shape, since 90% of the records they offer had evidently been tied behind a leaky cement mixer and dragged through town before being priced and put on shelves.

Born in Beas de Degura, Spain in February of 1943, José Jiménez Fernández (aka. Joselito) was nicknamed "The Little Nightingale" for his lovely fluttery voice, and also because it was the title of his first film. He went on to appear in a number of movies in both Spain and Mexico, including "Aventuras de Joselito y Pulgarcito," in which some of the songs from this record appear. Unfortunately, Joselito eventually grew up, his voice changed and his popularity faded by the end of the 1960s. He reportedly went on to become a heroin addict, found work as a mercenary in Africa and was arrested in 1990 for trafficking drugs and guns. According to his biography on IMDB here, Joselito now lives in Valencia and is clean and sober! You can read more about the life and career of Spain's "Little Nightingale" on Wikipedia here.

Conjunto TNT

Artist: Conjunto TNT

LP: Peligro Explosivos

Song: "Eso"

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Here's a neat song from an old various artists record from Argentina featuring a bunch of wonderful Latin-American groups and singers... plus Neil Sedaka. I don't know what country Conjunto TNT is originally from, so if anyone reading this has an idea, please speak up. What I do know is that their music is dynamite! I'll be leaving in a few hours to go camping in the Colville National Forest, but thought I should pop online to post this before I go. I'm not much of an outdoorsman and figure there's about a 50/50 chance I'll be eaten by bears.

Jimmy McGriff

Artist: Jimmy McGriff

LP: I've Got a Woman

Song: "I've Got a Woman"

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My friend Edwardo and I like to meet for breakfast on weekends at Easy Street Cafe in West Seattle, which is attached to Easy Street Records. They've got terrific food at decent prices and the service is great; I highly recommend it if you're ever up in my neck of the woods. After stuffing an Easy Street breakfast burrito, some hash browns, bacon and lots of coffee into my system, I usually try to work off some of those calories by rummaging through the "new arrivals" section of the used vinyl. This wonderfully swingin' 1963 Jimmy McGriff LP is one of the things I unearthed at Easy Street this past Saturday. McGriff, who was good friends with Jimmy Smith, had a long and prolific career in music, interrupted briefly in 1972 when he retired for a while to start a horse farm in Connecticut. You can read all about Jimmy McGriff and see his complete discography here, find his obituary in The New York Times here, and the "I've Got a Woman" liner notes are included below.

 [ Jimmy McGriff: April 3, 1936 — May 24, 2008 ]

The Waikiki Boys

Artist: The Waikiki Boys

LP: Hawaiian Holiday

Song: "South Sea Island Magic"

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It's the middle of the week and I could really use a magic carpet of sound to wing me away to wonderful Waikiki right about now. I wasn't able to find any pictures of The Waikiki Boys on the internet, but I did turn up this and this and this (and of course this), so I guess the hunt wasn't a total waste of time. You can take your own extended Hawaiian Holiday by picking up a copy of the Waikiki Boys' LP for $10 here.

Jacques Yvart

Artist: Jacques Yvart

LP: Chansons Insulaires

Song: "Le Jeune Homme et la Mer"

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This lovely French song that translates into English as "The Young Man and the Sea" is a nice soundtrack for this cold and foggy July morning in Seattle. Though Jacques Yvart occasionally sings in Esperanto, details about the singer on Wikipedia can be found only in French and English languages. You can go here to become Jacques Yvart's friend on MySpace and hear more of his pretty songs, then visit his official website here to learn about his upcoming shows. Some drawings, photos and a treasure map from his 1974 "Chansons Insulaires" LP are included below.

Leo Diamond

Artist: Leo Diamond

LP: Hi-Fi Harmonica

Song: "Hindustan"

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Not to be confused with the first diamond ever certified to be visibly brighter, the harmonica-playing Leo Diamond worked with Borrah Minnevitch's Harmonica Rascals before starting his own trio known as The Solidaires. Diamond dazzled audiences with appearances in several Hollywood movies before launching a sparkling solo career, through which he championed the harmonica as a diverse and exciting instrument worthy of accompanying an orchestra. You can learn more about Leo Diamond on the Space Age Pop website here and find the informative liner notes from the back of Diamond's "Hi-Fi Harmonica" LP below.

[ Leo Diamond: June 29, 1915 — September 15, 1966 ]