28 June 2015

Rudi Don't Fail - The World's Oldest Teenager





Rudi Action Protrudi was born in Washington D.C. but like myself, he spent his formative years in the heart of Pennsylvania. At the age of 12, after seeing The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show, rock 'n' roll became his life. By the age of 14 Rudi had formed his first band, King Arthur's Quart.

He continued to play in local PA bands until 1976 when an audition for the Dead Boys provided him the opportunity to play bass with them at CBGBs. Although Rudi never became a Dead Boy, the New York experience led him to start a new band, Tina Peel with then girlfriend/live-in partner, Deb O'Nair. They moved to New York in 1977 & there their serious music careers started.


Tina Peel – More Than Just Good Looks 7", Limp Records Limp002, 1978.
decryption codes in comments

Side A –
Pyjama Party
Punk Rock Janitor

Side B –
Girl Talk
Fabian Lips

Here Tina Peel is: Rudi Protrudi – lead vocals & guitar; Deb O'Nair – vocals & organ; Rowdy Doody -  vocals & bass; & Jackson Plug – drums.



Rudi has said that Tina Peel was heavily influenced by The Monkees, Cryan' Shames, 1910 Fruitgum Company, & the Dave Clark 5. It was also the first band that Rudi assumed the role of frontman. Tina Peel became a popular NYC attraction headlining the major clubs of the time (Hurrah, Irving Plaza, Ritz, CBGBs), as well as appearing on several television shows including the cult favorite The Uncle Floyd Show. Although the band was courted by several major labels, they broke up when Rudi & Deb O'Nair formed The Fuzztones in 1980.

The Fuzztones' first studio LP Lysergic Emanations was released in 1985 & was a gold record hit.

The band previously released a live album with the legendary Screamin' Jay Hawkins in 1984.

Screamin’ Jay Hawkins & the Fuzztones – Live 12” mini-album,
Midnight Records MIRLP114, 1984.

Side 1 –
Alligator Wine
I Put a Spell on You

Side 2 –
It’s That Time Again
Constipation Blues

Musicians: Screamin' Jay Hawkins – vocals & piano; Rudi Protrudi – guitar & harmonica; Elan Portnoy – guitar; Deb O’Nair – organ; Michael Jay – bass; & Ira Elliot – drums.

The Fuzztones – Nine Months Later 12" EP, Music Maniac Records MM013, 1988.

Side 1 –
Nine Months Later
Girl, You Captivate Me

Side 2 –
Cheyenne Rider
The Greatest Lover in the World

Here The Fuzztones are: Rudi Protrudi – lead vocals, harmonica, & lead guitar; Jordan Tarlow – guitar; Jason Savall – organ; John Carlucci – bass; & ‘Mad’ Mike Czekaj – vocals & drums.





Another Rudi project, Link Protrudi & the Jaymen was set up as a tribute to Link Wray & the Raymen. This instrumental combo covered Link Wray classics like "Mr. Guitar", "Rumble", "Jack the Ripper", & "Rawhide" while contributing Link approved tunes like "Chicken Choke", "Avalanche", "Backfire", & "Psyclone".


Link Protrudi & the Jaymen – Drive it Home!, Music Maniac Records MM009, 1987.

Side One –
Avalanche
Backfire
Chicken Choke
The Stroll
Slinky
Mr. Guitar
Commanche
No Stopping

Side Two –
Orbit
Rawhide
Bodacious
Hanky Panky
Psyclone
Bandito
Chaquita
Rumble

Link Protrudi & the Jaymen are: Rudi 'Link' Protrudi – guitar; Michael Jay – bass; & 'Mad' Mike Czekaj – drums with Gordon Spaeth & Jon Weiss – saxophone & DebNair & Wendy Wild – percussion & yelps.



Rudi has also had a fertile solo career. His solo releases are more country than garage fuzz.

Rudi Protrudi – It’s a White Trash Thing, Music Maniac Records MMCD069, 1993.

 Tracklist –

L.S.D. Made a Wreck of Me
Fist City (Loretta Lynn cover)
Hotter Than She’s Ever Been
The First Mrs. Jones
Beersighted
Funnel of Love (Wanda Jackson cover)
Uncle Eef
Red Georgia Clay
(It’s a) White Trash Thing
Don’t Shake Hands with the Devil
Bedsprings & Wedding Rings
Psycho
Stalking After Midnight
Cold Hard Facts of Life (Porter Wagoner cover)
Slow Ridin’
Train to Satanville
Coffee, Coffee, Coffee

White Trash: Rudi Protrudi – lead vocals & guitar, organ, piano, & bass; Florida Slim – backing vocals & spoken intro ("Uncle Eef"), guitar & acoustic guitar; Chaz Smith – steel pedal guitar; Steve Neal – upright bass; Byron Reynolds – drums.


Tracklist –
1-2-5
Bad News Travels Fast
Johnson in Headlock
Gotta Get Some
Ward 81
Jack the Ripper
Action Speaks Louder Than Words
Highway 69
13 Women
Be a Caveman
In Heat
Brand New Man
She's Wicked
Strychnine

Rudi Protrudi with Lana Loveland featuring The Sextress is a CD tribute to The Fuzztones including 14 tracks from the IN SEX WE FUZZ European tour. Limited to 250 copies, sold out.


Here's a bonus groove from Lana w/ Rudi...

Lana Loveland – Order to Love, Groovie Records GROO0028LP, 2011.

Side A –
Black Glove
Missing Illusions
Theater of Dreams
Nervous People
Paranoia

Side B –
Missing Link
Waiting
Silence Everywhere
Bandit
Constant Furs

Lana Loveland - vocals & organ (as Jojo B.); Lenny Svilar – guitar;  Rudi Protrudi -  bass (as Slowey Thomsen); & Alex Tenas – drums (as Captain Schmidt).

Fuzz On,



Time for Some Darkjazz



The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble – Self-titled, Planet Mu ZIQ141CD, 2006.
decryption code in comments

Tracklist –

The Nothing Changes
Pearls for Swine
Adaptation of the Koto Song (Dave Brubeck cover)
Lobby
Parallel Corners
Rivers of Congo
Solomon’s Curse
Amygdhala
Guernican Perspectives
Vegas
March of the Swine

Enjoy,

27 June 2015

Chasing Their Tails



David J. – Blue Moods Turning Tail 12" 45 EP, Glass Records GLAEP101, 1985.

This Side –
Night of the Silver Veil
The Conjurer’s Hand
Ship of Fools

Other Side –
4 Hours

Enjoy,

26 June 2015

The Botanical Roots of the Brotherhood of Dub





If you haven’t been reading The Brotherhood of Dub story cycle over at Siblingshot on the Bleachers blog, then you've really been missing out on something spectacular. Get your asses over there now & start reading "fucking felled by torpor" & work your way up to the top.




After I quoted some Black Uhuru lyrics from "Anthem", Ib replied that he had never really listened to Anthem what with the Grammy prize for a whitewashed version (Island remixed the album for US & UK release because they perceived the original version released in 83 in Jamaica would not sit well with whiter ears & this remixed version in fact won the Grammy). He said he would like to hear the original version. I’ll comment on that elsewhere.

Here is my contribution & source of my inspiration (if not my quote). Unreleased until 2004 in a special 4CD set, Dub Uhuru.

Black Uhuru – Anthem (original Dub), Island Records, 2004.
decryption codes & such in comments

All track previously unreleased.

Tracklist –
What is Life (Dub mix)
Try It  (Dub mix)
Black Uhuru Anthem (Dub mix)
Botanical Roots (Dub mix)
Somebody’s Watching You (Dub mix)
Bull in the Pen (Dub mix)
Elements (Dub mix)

Down with the Ministry,

21 June 2015

Crank Up the Hi-Fi...It's Dub Time



Five volumes of 21st Century Dub 
(even thought the first one is from 1999) --- forward thinking artists, no doubt.

Various – Hi-Fidelity Dub Sessions: Chapter One, Guidance Recordings GDRC571, 1999.
decryption codes in comments

Tracklist –

The Emperor's New Clothes - Haunted Music
Dual Tone - Dub Massacre
Seven Dub - Rock It Tonight (Dub mix)
Small World - Livin' Dub
Uptight Productions - Get Uptight Man
Waldeck - Dreaming
Dual Tone - Atom (Dub Massacre 2)
Alex Cortiz - Room 505
Dual Tone - Reign Dub
The Butch Cassidy Sound System - Coming Storm
Grant Phabao - Andub Head Yudu




Tracklist –

Kieser Velten - Dubolition
Dubaphonic - Babylon Insight
Uptight Sound System - Righteous Dub
GCORP Meets Bobby Blue - Liberation Dub
Jah Warrior - Herbsman Anthem
Indian Ropeman - 66 Meters (Lower the Tone edit)
DZihan & Kamien - Ay Ay Ay
Tosca - Chocolate Elvis
Rootical Sound - Horny Dub
DJ Spooky The Subliminal Kid - Strykly Turntable Eyzd, Umm
Hughie Izachaar - Jungle Feva (Metics vocal mix)
I:Cube - Le Dub



Various – Hi-Fidelity Dub Sessions: Volume Three, Guidance Recordings GDRC578, 2001.

Tracklist –

Cotton Belly - Tempest Dub
Blue Train - Give I Strength
Tosca - Annanas
Bacuzz - Sunday's Child
Boozoo Bajou - Divers
Nick Holder - Moments in Dub
Wicked Beat Sound System - Be Humble
Stereotype & Soothsayer - Dub Club Track
Daddy Ous - Tou Le Monde
DJ Krush - On the Dubble
Sonic Boom - The Dub & the Restless
Stryke - Ain't No Sunshine



Various – Hi-Fidelity Dub Sessions: Chapter 4, Guidance Recordings GDRC580, 2002.

Tracklist –

Reggae Disco Rockers featuring Horace Andy – Baby
See-I – Why Not Tonight
Ticklah – Queen Dub
Roots Combination – Wicked a Go Dub It
Cutty Ranks – The Stopper (Richard Dorfmeister’s Full Moon 6 live Dub)
International Observer – London
Daddy Ous – Hard like a Rock (Groove Corporation Dub remix)
Groove Armada – Superstylin’
Smith & Mighty – B-line fi Blow
Sola Rosa – Don’t Leave Home
Boozoo Bajou – Bakar
Tosca – Orozco (Dubphonic remix)
Tosca – Honey (Supatone Dub remix)



Various – Hi-Fidelity Dub Sessions: Chapter 5, Guidance Recordings GDRC583, 2003.

Tracklist –

The Butch Cassidy Sound System – Brothers & Sisters (the original Dub)
Thievery Corporation – The Richest Man in Babylon (GCORP Dub remix)
Inspector Ital – Ainu Dub
Western Roots – Bogus Buddy
Ralph Myerz & the Jack Herren Band – Savannah
Binder & Krieglstein – Wir Wissen Nicht (Shantel’s Bucovina Dub remix)
Stereotyp – My Sound
B & B International – Them (Phobos Peepl Dubplate remix)
Sola Rosa – Sleepwalker
Joël – Won’t Take No (Giorgio’s Lights Out Dub remix)
B & B International – Up!
Patchworks – Steve McQueen

Brukout,

Which Led to This...



At some strange moment in my past I got it into my brain that I wanted to get all of the releases on the infamous Nurse With Wound list (from Chance Meeting on a Dissecting Table of a Sewing Machine and an Umbrella 1979). That's a list of 290-something releases. I’ve got a NWWlist folder & a special record shelf section, both crammed with alumni of NWWlist.

Decided I'd pass on a few. These are at the suggestion of Steven Stapleton & Co. (John Fothergill & Heman Pathak) so whatcha think???
 

Twenty Sixty Six And Then - Reflections on the Future,
United Artists UAS293141, 1973.
decryption codes in comments

Side 1 –
At Home
Autumn
Butterking

Side 2 –
Reflections on the Future
How Would You Feel


The Deep Freeze Mice - My Geraniums are Bulletproof,
Mole Embalming Records MOLE1, 1979.

Side One –
Minstral Radio Yoghurt
I Vote Conservative (Cos I’m in Love with You)
Emile Zola
Phylis is a Protozoa
Embalming Fluid Future
I Met a Man who Spoke like an UCCA Form

Side Two –
The Octagonal Rabbit Surplus

Calling Big Nurse Ratched, NWW…

20 June 2015

Dead Moon Walking



Hartbeat! #11, 1990.

Dead Moon – Walking on My Grave
La Secta – Sweat Browny


Dead Moon – Clouds of Dawn 7” EP, Subway Records SuB92/10, 1992 
(included in "Medicine & Therapy" 'zine).

Side 1 –
Unknown Passage
Kicked Out – Kicked In

Side 2 –
A Miss of You
Clouds of Dawn

Dead Moon – Day After Day / It’s Okay 7”, Tombstone Records T52, 1993.

Side A –
Day After Day

Side B –
It’s Okay

Dead Moon – Ricochet / Running Out of Time, Sympathy for the Record Industry 
SFTRI276, 1994.

Side A –
Ricochet

Side B –
Running Out of Time

Meet you on the Dead side of the Moon,

18 June 2015

A Song Wrapped in an Enigma Wrapped in a Variation, too



In September 2008 I posted up Enigma record label sampler The Enigma Variations from 1985. At one time I had both 1 & 2 but Variations 2 had somehow fallen down the rabbit hole.

I finally came across a pristine unsullied unopened virginal copy just the other day. A friend of NSS by the name of Christopher reminded me a few years back that both our searches had gone unfulfilled, so this one's for him. I told him I'd post it up this weekend, but after so long, I couldn't wait.

Enigma began in 1982 & Variations 1 came out in '85. This one is from '87, so their stable of artists had grown & changed. On these two slabs you get everything from Mojo Nixon to Don Dixon. Dead Milkmen to Agent Orange. Even Peter Hamill givin' it the Scott Walker lite.

In my opinion, side three is the strongest, partially because most of the material was previously unreleased (except for a hard-to-find version of "Drill" by Wire). The strongest track is from that side, Agent Orange's "Bite the Hand That Feeds (Part II) remix" (= or > the original).

Ripped from fresh 28-yr old vinyl at 48000 / 320Kbps on my newly tuned-up turntable with new cartridge.

Various – The Enigma Variations 2 gatefold 2xLP, Enigma Records SQBB73247, 1987.

Side One –

Burn Down the Malls – Mojo Nixon / Skid Roper - from Get Out of My Way
Colors – T.S.O.L. - from Revenge
The Thing That Only Eats Hippies – The Dead Milkmen - from Eat Your Paisley
Fire in the Rain – Agent Orange - from This is the Voice
Man Bites Dog – Plan 9 - from Sea Hunt
Ahead – Wire - from The Ideal Copy

Side Two –

Praying Mantis – Don Dixon - from Most of the Girls Like to Dance but Only Some of the Boys Like To
Why – Wednesday Week - from What We Had
Erica’s Word – Game Theory - from Big Shot Chronicles
Rainy Taxi – Jon St. James - from Fast Impressions
Too Many of My Yesterdays – Peter Hammill - from As Close as This

Side Three –

Ship of Fools – Plan 9 - previously unreleased
Stupid Maryann – The Dead Milkmen - previously unreleased
Amsterdam Dog Shit Blues – Mojo Nixon / Skid Roper - previously unreleased
Best Friends – T.S.O.L. - previously unreleased
Bite the Hand That Feeds (Part II) remix - previously unreleased version
Drill – Wire - from Snakedrill 12" mini-LP

Side Four –

That Train – Wednesday Week - previously unreleased
Shark Pretty – Game Theory - from Distortion 12" EP
Why (Wednesday Week cover) – Don Dixon - B-side of Praying Mantis 7" single
Pleasure Dog – SSQ - previously unreleased
Painting by Numbers – Peter Hammill - from Skin

Enjoy,

17 Pygmies in the Tall Grass...for Ib

Re-uploaded by request 09/21/2024
 
 

17 Pygmies – Welcome, Great Jones CCD6003, 1988.
decryption code in comments

Tracklist –

Welcome
Drunkard
Cyclops
Plethora
Spike’s Finale
Reek of Life
Horsegums
Gorgo & Bolo
Picaroon Circus
Visions Before Slumber
Harlin
Bluestones
From Theo
Chase
Kristalnacht
Sunflowers
Crossing the River
Amentia
Last Year

Enjoy,

14 June 2015

A Product of Fullerton, CA



Null & Void – Montage Morte 12" 45rpm, Vitamin Records VIT002, 1982.

Side A –
Motorcycle Song
Party Filled with Thieves
Revlina

Side B –
New Life
Japanese Forest
I Fell Down

Enjoy,

If You Don’t Know Why, Then Bye-bye



UPDATE: After posting this I saw Ornette Coleman: Last Word over at Jazz World. Check it Out.



Recipient of both the Miles Davis Award & Lifetime Achievement Grammy,
 Ornette Coleman tried to liberate one of the freest yet most restrictive musickal forms.
The Shape of Jazz to Come.
For this he is...
THE MAN of FREE JAZZ!



Ornette Coleman – The Empty Foxhole, Blue Note BST84246, 1968.
all decryption codes in comments

Side 1 –
Good Old Days
The Empty Foxhole
Sound Gravitation

Side 2 –
Freeway Express
Faithful
Zig Zag


Ornette Coleman – Of Human Feelings, Antilles AN2001, 1982.

Side 1 –
Sleep Talk
Jump Street
Him & Her
Air Ship

Side 2 –
What is the Name of that Song?
Job Mob
Love Words
Times Square

RIP Freedom Fighter,

Livin' & Dyin' in Dub



Various – Dub Essential Volume T’ree

Creation Dub – King Tubby - Creation Dub 1973-77
Life is not Easy Dub – The Upsetters - Arkology Reel I Dub Organiser
Upful Living – Augustus Pablo Meets the Upsetters - At the Black Ark (1974-78)
Livin’ Dub – Small World - Hi-Fidelity Dub Sessions Chapter One
For the Future – Bim Sherman - Haunting Ground
Garden of Life (Disco mix) – The Heptones - Party Time (deluxe edition)
Youth Man – Niney the Observer Allstars - The Observer Allstars at King Tubby’s
Elixir of Life – Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry & Adrian Sherwood - Dub Setter
Faith Healer – Mark Stewart - Metatron
Livin’ in the Jungle – Mikey Dread - Obsession
A Living Dub – Errol Brown - Dub Over Dub: 27 Track Dub Extravaganza
Future – Kool Roots - Earth & Stone
Undying Dub – Wackies Rhythm Force - African Roots Act 1
Live & Love – Sir Coxsone Sound - King of the Dub Rock Parts 1 & 2
Live Good – Leroy ‘Horsemouth’ Wallace - Original Armageddon Dub
The Meaning of Life – Leroy Smart - Well Cha’rged Channel One

Dub Massacre – Dual Tone – Hi-Fidelity Dub Sessions Chapter One
Murder – Noah House of Dread - Heart
Lawless Society Version – Wailing Souls – Well Cha’rged Channel One
Brain Smashing Dub – Linton Kwesi Johnson – LKJ in Dub
Walking Razor – Phil Pratt & the Sunshot Band – Dial M for Murder
Stepping Razor – Mad Professor – Who Knows the Secret of the Master Tape
Fatal Dub – Sheriff Lindo & The Hammer – Ten Dubs that Shook the World
Crime Wave – Lee Perry & the Upsetters – King Tubby Meets the Upsetters at the Grass Roots of Dub
Shotgun Skank – Roots Underground – Tribesman Assault
‘Copper’ Bullet – Fat Man Riddim Section – Bald Head Justice
Full Metal Jacket – Liquid Stranger – The Intergalactic Slapstick
Empty Gun – The Roots Radics – Roots Splashdown
Ballistic Affair Version – Sly & the Revolutionaries – Maxfield Avenue Breakdown
Murder We – The Bug featuring Ricky Ranking – London Zoo
Bomb Ye Dub – Bullwackies All Stars – Free for All Dub
Wicked Man – King Tubby’s – In the House of Vocal & Dub
Boulevard de la Mort – Alpha Blondy & the Wailers - Jérusalem
Wake the Dead – Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry – Rise Again

No yeyewata,

13 June 2015

More Fiah Forward



Bobby Kalphat – The War is On Dub Style, Phill Pratt SSLP1007, 1978-1981???
decryption code in comments

Side A –
The War is On
Danger Zone
Easy Street Special
Dancing Kid

Side B –
The Good, the Bad, & the Brave
I’m Back
Feel the Beat
Earth Movement

Yah no rest mon here,

Wanna Get Lucky



Been re-watching (& re-membering) the 1959 – 1960 Blake Edwards TV drama Mr. Lucky.



The pilot, "The Magnificent Bribe" has Lucky & Andamo running a successful casino in Andamo's homeland, the South American Banana Republic island nation of Chobolobo (un-named until episode 2). Although they must pay a weekly bribe of $1000 (late 50s $$$) to the country's corrupt president (played by Nehemiah Persoff), they are still rolling in the dough as is said. Unknown to Lucky, Andamo decides to aid an anti-government revolutionary group. He uses Lucky's yacht, Fortuna, to smuggle guns to the revolutionaries & helps a beautiful female assassin (played by Ziva Rodann) get into position to kill the president. When Andamo’s role in the uprising is uncovered, he & Lucky are forced to flee the island. The episode ends with Lucky & Andamo escaping in a small boat with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

In the second episode, "They Shall Not Pass", Joe 'Mr. Lucky' Adams & Andamo arrive by freighter at an unnamed American port city. They meet up with a notorious conman & the two help save his life. Lucky wins enough money in a crap game to buy another yacht along with a truck full of gambling equipment. He renames the yacht Fortuna II ( 'Fortuna the Second' ). They anchor her outside the three-mile limit to operate as a floating casino. This leads to the episodic adventures that follow.

In episode 16, "The Brain Picker" Mr. Lucky decides Fortuna II will no longer be a gambling ship but will instead become a Private Member, ultra-fine dining restaurant & night club. Thus it remains to the end.

The show had some cool aspects of vagueness. Mr. Lucky's name is never really revealed other than his Joe Adams freighter false identity. The port city where Lucky & Andamo operate is never mentioned by name although various episodes give conflicting clues as to its identity. The city's police cars (black & white four-door 1959 Plymouth sedans) are marked simply "POLICE", not with any city's name or seal.

An a really cool personal item to me was that Mr. Lucky drove a 1960 Chrysler New Yorker convertible, the exact same car my father owned at the time (though a sedan not a convertible).



All this rambling TV talk is leading to this fantastic soundtrack by none other than the great Henry Mancini. You can probably find this elsewhere, but I ripped this personally from the better sounding of two copies of this record I own at 320Kbps.


Henry Mancini – Music from "Mr. Lucky", RCA Victor Living Stereo series, 1960.
decryption code in comments

Side 1 –

Mr. Lucky
My Friend Andamo
Softly
March of the Cue Balls
Lightly Latin
Tipsy

Side 2 –
Floating Pad
One Eyed Cat
Night Flower
Chime Time
Blue Satin
That’s it & That’s All

Do ya feel Lucky, punk?





10 June 2015

Up to My Neck in It




Side A –
Wade in the Water
Side B –
Ain’t That Peculiar

Imitating Ib,

tHE fLAMEs aRE bIG iN mANCHESTER aGAIN



bIG fLAME – Two Kan Guru 10" 45, Ron Johnson Records RERON8, 1986.

Face A –

Sink
Sometimes
Man of Few Syllables

Face B –

Saragasso
All the Irish (Must go to Heaven)
¡Cuba!

Enjoy

Echoes of the Forest

Re-uploaded by request 04/18/2014.
 

During the Musick around the World journey, while in Central African Republic, I posted up some Ba-Benjellé  Pygmie traditional music recorded by amateur musicologist Louis Sarno. I mentioned two books on the Ellipsis Arts label that contained CDs of more of this music: Echoes of the Forest: Music of the Central African Pygmies & Bayaka: The Extraordinary Music of the Ba-Benjellé Pygmies. Regular NSS visitor, commenter, & fellow Bay Arean roberth queried back in April if I had either. I have Echoes but it took me until now to find it. My books are filed even worse than my vinyl.




Well, Rocket Horton – King of Appliances, this one's for you.

This collection, which calls attention to a people currently engaged in a battle against extinction, preserves forever the rarely heard & surprisingly accessible rhythms of the songs of the Ba-Benjellé Pygmies.

This CD is packaged in a beautiful 64 page full color hard-cover book filled with pictures, cultural information, poems, musical insight & conversations with outsiders who have lived with these people & recorded their music. I am sad to say that the company that originally put this out is no longer in business & this project is out of print. I have included scans of the book itself.

The 18 tracks on the CD were recorded between the 50s to the 90s by Colin Turnbull, Jean-Pierre Hallet, & Louis Sarno.

For the Pygmies of the Ituri rainforest in Central Africa, music is as much a part of their lives as waking, eating, & breathing; their vocal-based music resonating in exquisite harmony with the environment. Through the eyes & ears of these three extraordinary men, Echoes of the Forest reveals an intimate portrait of perhaps the most culturally musical people on earth.




Colin Turnbull's anthropological work in the late 50s through the 60s revolutionized Western thinking about Pygmy culture. His field notes & recordings of Pygmy music are among the first & the finest.




Jean-Pierre Hallet grew up at the edge of the Ituri & was befriended by the Efe Pygmies as a child. Through The Pygmy Fund, he has helped them stand firm against forces encroaching upon their forest homeland.




New Jersey native Louis Sarno heard a Pygmy song on the radio & his life changed forever. A one-way ticket took him to Central Africa where some thirty years later, he still lives & records.

In his own words, Sarno sez:

"They wanted to show me more than they usually show outsiders. In exchange, they demanded I give my life...I think it is a fair exchange."
 

Echoes of the Forest: Music of the Central African Pygmies, Ellipsis Arts 4020, 1995.
decryption code in comments

Tracklist –
Men's Elephant - Hunting Song
Girls' Echo Song
Peipa (Girl's Initiation)
Honey-Gathering Song
Women's Wedding Song
Net-Hunting Song
Méli-é
Bow-Harp & Vocal
Ikobi (Gathering Song-version 1)
Ikobi (version 2)
One-string Violin
Lote (notched flute)
Sanza (plucked Idiophone, or 'thumb piano')
Birth Celebration
Geedal
Mangissa
Ejengi Ceremony
Makuse (Music to bring luck to a hunting camp)

Enjoy,