Barney Wilen's African Adventure

With the wedding just a couple weeks out I've been narrowing down and perfecting the various wedding playlists. Being a collector and DJ I'm naturally pretty particular about the music that will accompany possibly the most significant ceremony of my life. There will be no ABBA (sorry) and likely nothing else that has ever been featured in a TV commercial or any wedding movies. Jamie pretty much knows what she's getting herself into and for the most part enjoys my musical contributions to our shared life, but I've been intentionally playing her songs that I'm planning on putting on the wedding playlists. These Barney Wilen tunes are some that got strong support from the soon-to-be wife. I love the carefree vibe of these two tunes. They're really unlike anything else I can think of and I wish there was more out there that sounded like this, so if anyone has suggestions, leave em in the comments.

I don't know much about Barney Wilen, other than he's a French saxaphone player who graced many an American jazz leaders' group in the 50s and 60s when American expats were setting up shop in Paris. He then became pretty engrossed with the hippy scene, as evidenced by his "Dear Prof. Leary" album from the late 60s. The album from which these two tunes were pulled was released in 1971 on the French label Saravah, discussed here. The back story goes that Barney and friends spent two years travelling from Tangiers to Dakar and documented their trip musically and with film. The resulting album is a double LP that fetches a pretty penny when it comes up for auction in the original pressing (the image featured below) or the simpler, and less appealing reissue cover. Orgy in Rhythm has the album for download here.

Barney Wilen - Gardenia Devil
Both songs are making the wedding mix, despite the barely noticeable "f" word usage in this one. If it weren't for that I would think it would make a great kid's song. Maybe it still can? I mean I plan on being an open-minded parent and have every intention of raising my child(ren) on african jazz freakouts. You with me Jamie?

Barney Wilen - Zombizar
This one is the stomper. Man, I love this stuff.

Some interesting singles and an apology...

Yeah, I kind of fell off the wagon for a bit there... longer then I would have liked that is for sure. I'm going to have to blame it on the amazing weather we have been receiving here in Portland for the last three weeks. Between the swimming at the river, bike rides, fine wine and the ladies, blogging just kind of slipped through the cracks. No longer though! I am returning refreshed and inspired so stay tuned as I am planning on holding down the fort until the Ambassador can return. Anyways, here are a few more picture sleeve singles I bought from a well traveled dude at a garage sale. They were both manufactured in Spain but certainly not recorded there!


Sociedade Amigos do Mocoto - Mocoto Here's a groovy version of Jorge Ben's "Mocoto." The flip of this album is rather confusingly labeled but it seems to be not another cover but the song "Tributo Ao Sorriso" by Brazilian proggers O Terco but I thought we could all live without that.


Afrikanders - Tamba

Afrikanders - Africa
Outside of Fela, I don't really know a thing about afrobeat... for all I know this could have been recorded in Spain. It kind of gets me though- especially the trippy vocal arrangements and searing high-hat action. You also have to love the way the singer intones the word Africa. Makes me smile every time.

Chico Mann Live in Brooklyn (and NJ tomorrow night!)

To pick up where I left off, a couple weeks ago I had a Saturday full of live music . . . so after leaving The Sweet Divines' show I headed up to Williamsburg where Chico Mann was having a late show at the Lucky Cat. Like The Divines, Chico Mann is a local group, based out of Jersey City, NJ and their live show features Antibalas keyboard player, Victor Axelrod. Marcos "Marquitos" Garcia, the man behind Chico Mann is also the guitar player for Antibalas.

The show was a bit of a let-down, but I don't fault the band. The sound system at Lucky Cat was a bit messed up and they couldn't figure out how to remove the reverb from the backing track they were using for the drum track. You could feel the band's frustration with the situation and that they couldn't kick it like they wanted to due to technical difficulties. I look forward to seeing them sometime soon and they do have a number of shows coming up, in fact at Maxwell's in Hoboken tomorrow night!My man, DJ Rios (Wax Poetics) to spin the opening DJ set.

Here we have one of many solid tracks off of Chico Mann's debut album, Manifest Tone, Vol. 1

Chico Mann - Soul Freedom