Ruth Brown, 1928-2006

Goodbye, Ruth.

"Miss Rhythm." "The Girl With a Tear In Her Voice." "The House That Ruth Built." "R+B=Ruth Brown." "Motormouth Maybelle." The incomparable Ruth Brown has died. This compelling song from an unusual orchestrated session showcases Brown's unique combination of earthiness and sophistication.

Jimmy LaFave- Girl From the North Country

Snowed under.

Jerry Jeff Walker is threatening legal action related to what seems to be a terrific tribute album. Maybe there's more to the story, but it seems that Walker is behaving badly. Jimmy LaFave is one of the many Texans contributing to the project. As evidenced here, LaFave is perhaps the world's top interpreter of Bob Dylan. He's also a noteworthy songwriter. It's most unfortunate that LaFave hasn't been able to garner a national following. This out-of-print CD is available for $50.00 at Amazon.

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I've long been obsessed with The Hold Steady, so I was thrilled to uncover this new video of a recent in-store performance.

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I have a new infatuation. My pal Shannon pointed me to Leslie Hall yesterday. (The videos are where it's at.) I may be the last person in the world to get hip to this dynamo, but I'm pleased to have finally found room on the bandwagon. You know I'll be sporting my gem sweater with pride when I see Hall perform in a couple weeks.

Wes Montgomery- The Fox

Escaped.

I didn't "get" Wes Montgomery for the longest time. I knew that jazz fans idolized the guitarist, but his work always struck me as dry and soulless. Only when I discovered his commerical recordings- derided by purists as exploitive sellouts- did I begin to connect to Montgomery's individuality. This out-of-print 1967 Creed Taylor production is my favorite.

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I didn't realize it until after the fact, but There Stands the Glass recently turned one year old. In my first twelve months I posted 263 times and never featured the same artist twice. I only focused on titles available on Amazon's top 20,000 a handful of times- either at the request of a record label or when a prominent artist died (Wilson Pickett and Buck Owens come to mind.) In addition to providing me with endless entertainment, I've met many incredible people through this site. Furthermore, I've only had one less than ideal experience with a record label. As a hobby, it sure beats collecting stamps. Thanks for checking in.

Jim Lauderdale- My Last Request

The dance is over.

Perseverance pays. Jim Lauderdale has been kicking around for years and only lately is he being widely recognized as one of country music's great talents. This weeper closes his out-of-print 1991 debut album. You might be wondering about that white strip of paper across the cover. Reprise stapled a bounce-back card to the CD insert. Among the questions: "What music television shows do you watch regularly?" The choices include Nashville Now, Hee Haw and Arsenio Hall.

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Peter Hammill completely blew my impressionable pubescent mind with Nadir's Big Chance. It was the perfect bridge between prog and punk. A fan made a pretty good video of one of its most notable songs here.

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I spend a lot of time in retail stores for one of my jobs. And the Christmas music kicked in this week. Most of the selections are so obvious, predictable and played out that when I heard a few songs yesterday from a Jethro Tull album I didn't even know existed I considered it an early present. And I don't even care for Tull. Lord help me.

Rickie Lee Jones- Rebel Rebel

It's a lost cause.

The timing seems right for a Rickie Lee Jones revival. Cat Power, Jolie Holland and Damien Rice are among the new generation of artists that are clearly influenced by Jones. The beatnik chick just signed with New West. While not my favorite song on the overlooked Traffic From Paradise from 1993, Jones' Bowie cover with Brian Setzer on guitar is the best song not included on her three disc retrospective.

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I handled the new Zune MP3 player at a retailer today. Like others have reported, it's big and thick (bad) but boasts a large screen (good). While I didn't dislike the Zune's feel, it lacks the oddly satisfying sense of touch offered by iPods.

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My review of Sunday's Black Label Society concert is here.

The Heart Attacks- Eyes

Eyes closed.

The new Hellbound and Heartless by The Heart Attacks is sleaze rock of the highest order. It's been a great year for fans of the New York Dolls and this Lars Frederiksen production only adds to their good fortune.

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My review of Saturday's Rise Against, Thursday, Circa Survive and Billy Talent show is here.

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Gerald Levert has died.

Womack & Womack- MPB (Missing Person's Bureau)

M.I.A.

I annoyed at least one reader of Shot of Rhythm by suggesting that John Legend might be in the (my word) "cheesy" tradition of Lionel Ritchie. While thinking about other '80s soul artists in the love ballad tradition I was reminded of the wonderful Conscience by Womack & Womack. If you're reading this, you probably know that Cecil is Bobby's brother and that his wife Linda is Sam Cooke's daughter. They lived up to that musical legacy for a while. And look- Legend has "P.D.A." and the Womacks have "M.P.B."

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Here's a stunning deep soul obscurity by Joe Perkins.

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Does anyone outside of Kansas City remember the Rainmakers? Here they are at the pinnacle of their popularity.

Tommy Jarrell- Tempie Roll Down Your Bangs

Tempie's gone.

Tommy Jarrell was among the old amateur Southern musicians "discovered" by musicologists in the '60s. Venerable County Records arranges many of his well-recorded sessions thematically. Volume 3 focuses on the "banjer." I don't understand the business about the mole in this song (is it a political statement, a sexual reference or just an underdog sentiment?), but I'm smart enough to recognize brilliance when I hear it.

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This brief Alan Lomax promo spot features a few seconds of Jarrell doing his thing. The shape singers at the opening of this clip are also remarkable.

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I'm all too familiar with what will be forever known as "The Faith Hill" expression. I evoke that reaction with disarming frequency.

From Bubblegum To Sky- 24 Hours In Your Deep Blue Jeans

Time's up.

I'm a sucker for the sweet power pop issued by Eenie Meenie Records. I have nothing against Hinder, Diddy and JoJo, but this song from 2004's Nothing Sadder Than Lonely Queen is what a pop single sounds like in my little fantasy world.

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After seeing Lori McKenna join Faith Hill on the star's reading of her song "Stealing Kisses" on Monday's CMA show, I planned to feature McKenna in this space. I was surprised to find that McKenna's releases are near the top of Amazon's sales chart, disallowing me to showcase them here. Good for her. My backup plan was to spotlight good ol' George Strait, who was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Yet all kazillion of Mr. Reliable's albums are also in Amazon's top 20,000. I love Strait as much as the next guy, but given the fact that his work is kind of interchangeable, it's remarkable that his legions of fans still feel the need to continue buying his extensive catalog.

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My review of last night's Tech N9ne show is here.

Peabo Bryson- Love Walked Out On Me

Walked out.

Have you seen the television infomercial for this Time-Life collection of soul ballads? It features fantastic video clips of crooners like Smokey, Luther, Gladys and Lionel. Perhaps best of all, the celebrity spokesman hawking the product is Peabo Bryson. It's great TV. Bryson has a solid new hits collection, but it doesn't feature this ballad from his 1978 debut album. All the stops are pulled out here.

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Rose Tattoo and (Australian) X bassist Ian Rilen has died.

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I feel obligated to watch the Country Music Awards tonight. I wish I could list the performances I'm looking forward to seeing, but...

Mardo- Bombs Over Broadway

Exploded.

I love rock'n'roll. I don't mean the smarts of The Hold Steady, or the pioneering work of Carl Perkins, although I dearly love those, too. I'm referring instead to unironic mainstream rock exemplified by early Aerosmith. I was truly thrilled to see the top dogs in the genre, Buckcherry, last week. But their show wasn't nearly as good as Mardo's sweat-soaked performance in a local club a couple months ago. Sure, "Bombs Over Broadway" rips riffs from Bon Jovi, Mott the Hoople and Def Leppard, but try to suspend your critical faculties and embrace the rock. There's a reason I'm posting this on a Friday. More Mardo is here.

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I know very little about the late South African vocalist Lebo Mathosa. This site offers an intriguing Euro-pop song from the striking woman's former band. She died in a car accident last month.

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I saw Ozomatli for the second time last night. You could easily make the case for them being the world's best party band.

Prince- Sex

The party is over.

Prince in Vegas? It makes perfect sense. The thought of a $125 cover takes my breathe away, but I suppose money has a different currency in Vegas. I've never spent anywhere near that much on a show, but the chance to catch Prince in a small room is tempting. I've seen him five times, I think, and he's only been truly great on two of those occasions. Fittingly, it'd a gamble. This is a great b-side from '89.

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Read about Kansas City's goth-country act In the Pines here. Their MySpace page is here.

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I'm really feeling Kenny Lattimore and Chante Moore's Covered/Uncovered. The first disc is loaded with superb Quiet Storm sounds. It's too bad that its insidious software coding will keep me from buying it.

Tarika- Allo Cheri

Goodbye.

I've been under Tarika's spell for over a decade. The forward-thinking Madagascar roots band is never less than delightful. On this playful song from 2001's Soul Makassar, Rasoanaivo Hanitrarivo turns down an offer to move to North America. "I wouldn't want to be fat," she sings.

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I know everyone's desperate to know how I'd vote in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ballot. In this order, I'd go with R.E.M., Joe Tex, Chic, the Stooges and Patti Smith. That means that the Ronettes, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Van Halen and the Dave Clark Five would miss the cut.

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If I dismissed my self-imposed rules that limit my postings to the esoteric, this blog might resemble Shot of Rhythm. He and I share the same penchangt for populist musics.

Junior Byles- Got the Tip

Bad tip.

You may be familiar with reggae star's Junior Byles' biggest hit "Curly Locks." This superlative collection has three versions, including the one you know. "Got the Tip," also recorded in the early '70s, references "Curly Locks" in its first line before addressing a myriad of topics, including gambling at the track. Yes, it's the spiritual predecessor to The Hold Steady's "Chips Ahoy!" Even though Lee Perry's splicing is pretty sloppy at this juncture, this stuff is the greatest.

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I call out Jolie Holland here. I appreciate the mighty Motorhead here. And in the category of defying expectations, James Blunt's live show really impressed me. My confession is here.

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"One Day At a Time" no more. Songwriter Marijohn Wilkin has died. So has Brazilian arranger Rogerio Duprat.

Big Joe Turner- Cherry Red

The fun is over.

I finally got around to reading Kansas City Jazz: From Ragtime To Bebop, and I highly recommend it. Needless to say, Joe Turner is among the dozens of remarkable characters the book examines. The "Singing Bartender" is well past his glory days on this relaxed 1971 French date. It's delightful nonetheless. That's Milt Buckner on piano, Slam Stewart on bass and fellow Kansas Citian Jo Jones on drums.

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Brace yourselves for this revelation, indie rock purists. I saw James Blunt cover this Pixies classic last week. And you know what? I liked it! "Woo-ooo!"

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St. Louis' Vintage Vinyl records reported in their weekly email list that a former associate of mine, Bob Shoenfeld, died recently. Bob was the founder an owner of Nighthawk Records , a wonderful label best known for releasing excellent roots reggae and traditional folk blues titles. I didn't particularly care for Bob, but I never questioned his dedication to the music he loved.

Egberto Gismonti- Danca No. 2

The dance is over.

One of the most intriguing concert bills I've attended in recent years paired experimental Brazilian guitarist Egberto Gismonti with several masters of Indian classical music. I didn't really know what to expect musically or socially. As I walked toward a downtown music hall I was stunned to see thousands of geeky suburban people (of which I'm one) lined up at the venue. "Dag," I thought, "World music has really caught on." It turned out that there was a Barenaked Ladies concert in the larger auditorium of the same building. During the lengthy show's intermissions the lobby of the old theater was a riot of Indian intellectuals and Brazilian funlovers in soccer jerseys, all of whom were complaining about the dull roar seeping through the walls from the Canadian rock band's show. This 1991 ECM release showcases Gismonti's manic guitar work in intricately arranged settings. Tellingly, "Danca No. 2" is the shortest track on the album.

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Kansas City is bracing for a new sensory assault by Techn9ne. Download the new single "Bout Ta Bubble" here (warning- there's a skit and some hype at the end of the track). The hyphy-influenced song sounds for all the world like a hit.

Cordero- Maria Elisa

The girl is gone.

On paper, Cordero's En Este Momento should have been my favorite release of 2005. It had so much going for it- a girl singing in Spanish, a horn section, an intriguing genre-bending fusion and a tasteful record label. Alas, it's just not as good as I'd hoped. A typical track, "Maria Elisa" is pretty good, but it could have been so much more.

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It's been over five years since I set foot inside the Mutual Musicians Foundation in Kansas City. It's increasingly difficult for me to be out past two in the morning for their wee-hour jam sessions. I'm weak that way. Now with the news that the venue will have no fuel available to keep me going, there's even less incentive to attend.

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I haven't been in a strip joint in a long time, either. But now I'm tempted. Lemmy Kilmister was on a local radio station this morning promoting this weekend's Motorhead gig. He told the DJ that he'd be for a couple days ahead of the show and asked for guidance on local strip joints. The idea of sitting in a den of sin next to Lemmy holds enormous appeal to me. I wonder if I should try the Shady Lady, Bazookas or Temptations first...

Antonio Carlos Jobim- Sucedeu Assim

Go get this gem.

I’ve seen next to no attention paid to one of 2006's most significant releases. Antonio Carlos Jobim’s Inedito (The Unknown) was recorded in 1987 and until now had never been released in North America. The Brazilian giant was sixty years old with nothing left to prove and the sessions are refreshingly relaxed. Jobim revisits a few big hits like “Wave” and “Garota de Ipanema” and offers a few new selections. Several songs swoon decidedly into lounge mode, but even in its cheesiest moments Inedito is impossibly groovy. Jobim mostly employs conventionally attractive voices, such as the wonderful Danilo Caymmi but he plays unaccompanied on this wistful track. It’s so intimate that his breathing becomes a second instrument. Many such moments are captured on Inedito's seventy minutes of sheer beauty.

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After seeing The Afterparty perform Friday night, I wrote that their music sounds as if the Rolling Stones had retired to Nashville thirty years ago. Translating my own code, I'm suggesting that their decadent, druggy country-blues are well worth further investigation.

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"Healing," the single from soul giant Kelly Price's new gospel album, moves me. Follow the link for genuine spiritual comfort.

June Tabor- Number Two Top Seam

It's collapsed.

Worst album cover ever? While the London vista is wonderful, the attire and expressions of June Tabor and Martin Simpson make A Cut Above a genuine contender for that dubious title. To be fair, it was 1980. "Number Two Top Seam" is a tragic ballad about a horrific disaster. Tabor may lack the vast range and pure musicality of other Celtic vocalists, but none sing with more emotional resonance. This is timeless brilliance.

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My review of Saturday's night's Andre Williams concert is here.

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Sandy West, drummer for the Runaways, has died.

The Gadjits- One Stones Throw From a Riot

No more stones.

I've previously confessed my devotion to the Phillips brothers. Sandwiched between their ska days and their current incarnation as contenders for the punk rock champion belt held by Green Day, they went through a Maximum R&B phase. This mighty blast from 2002 would have pleased Joe Strummer.

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Speaking of honest bands with true rock'n'roll hearts, The Hold Steady made a video for "Chips Ahoy!" It's mildly amusing, and I trust that they'll do the right thing and not give faces to Holly, Charlemagne and the other characters in their epic song cycle.

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New Order's Power, Corruption & Lies had an incalculable impact on me when I bought it as a new release in 1983. I'm really put off when I hear its opening track, "Age of Consent," in the trailer for the new film Marie Antoinette. It's just not right.