Mulatu Astatke & Menelik Wossenatchew, “Fikratchin” MP3
- story Sam Hockley-Smith
When they get home, most dudes probably change form their work suits into some sweats and a dingy t-shirt, but we could see Mulatu Astatke just immediately changing into another suit. It’s all about being cool 100% of the time, and his music—of which there is a lot to hear—is the perfect soundtrack for that lifestyle. “Fikratchin” has gone mostly unreleased in the US, but pops up on Strut’s awesome Mulatu Astatke primer New York-Addis-London: The Story of Ethio Jazz 1965-1975, it’s moody and minimal, not much more than a stoic bassline and burbling piano, but it still sounds completely vital today.
Download: Mulatu Astatke & Menelik Wossenatchew, “Fikratchin”
Freeload: Mor Thiam, “Ayo Ayo Nene” MP3
- story THE FADER
From Egon’s blog of Madlib’s European Tour:
Meanwhile, we got to browse through Gerald’s frighteningly diversified collection and peep the entire Mor Thiam album alongside Mehr Pooya’s Iranian album – including his 10 minute cover of Dennis Coffey’s “Scorpio.” Madlib ended up with one of his most wanted albums – Stefano Torrossi’s “Feelings,” and I ended up in the same place I was last year – with the Mor Thiam album on hold, and not a trade closer to getting Akon’s dad’s debut in my greedy palms.
While it is mindboggling to imagine how rare and expensive Madlib or Egon’s most wanted records actually are, they were kind enough to post up this classic song by Papa Thiam from the brand new and totally excellent Spiritual Jazz: Esoteric, Modal and Deep Jazz from the Undergound, 1968-77. We highly recommend this comp for those times when officemates/roommates/random grumps are wild salty. Dilute the salt with powerful positive vibery!
Download: Mor Thiam, “Ayo Ayo Nene” (via GvsB)
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posted on May 29, 2009 in MP3 / STREAMS tags Akon, Egon, freeload, jazz, Madlib, Mor Thiam, Stones Throw
Schnipper’s Slept On
- story THE FADER
Each Tuesday, FADER editor Matthew Schnipper highlights an underappreciated recent release he thinks we need to know about. This week it’s John Coltrane’s Live at Birdland. Yeah, this is totally not a recent release but let me live. You get a little SXSW wrap up so can we meet in the middle? Check this completely insane rendition of “Alabama” that will make you bummed you were not alive in 1963 (and if you were, why were you not watching this? You have no excuses. OK I am pretty sure my dad is the only person who was born in 1963 that might read this. Dad, you were 16, that was old enough. What is your excuse? Oh, right you don’t have one. Buy Live at Birdland and read Schnipper’s thoughts on it after the jump.
Schnipper’s Slept On
- story THE FADER
Each Tuesday, FADER editor Matthew Schnipper highlights an underappreciated recent release he thinks we need to know about. This week it’s William Parker and Hamid Drake’s Summer Snow. Listen to “Sky” from the album below, buy Summer Snow here and read about it after the jump.
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posted on Aug 12, 2008 in SLEPT ON tags Hamid Drake, jazz, Olympics, synchronized diving, William Parker
FADER TV: Soiled Mattress & The Springs Blow Up
- story THE FADER
Awhile back we hit up downtown jazzers Soiled Mattress and the Springs to see if they would make some kind of cool video for us. They were totally into it, and worked for awhile on it—presumably because they were really busy with stuff like going on tour with No Age. Well, wait no more because last night they hit us off with this video that reminded us that they are awesome and also made us think about the dangers of fire (it’s hot). It’s actually a little sad, because the band has decided to call it quits after their final show at The Yard next to the Gowanus Canal this Saturday (where they’ll be playing with Soft Circle, Crystal Antlers, High Places, Abe Vigoda and about 100 other bands.) Drummer Aviram Cohen and keyboardist Peter Schuette are continuing on as Silk Flowers along with Ethan Swan of Car Clutch, and we imagine Matthew Thurber will probably keep doing what he’s doing, which is hanging out with Picturebox dudes and making crazy art and comics. Check out the massive lineup for the all day event at The Yard after the jump. Whew. We feel like we just mapped out every band ever in a single blog post.
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posted on Jul 10, 2008 in MUSIC INTERVIEWS SHOW tags experimental, jazz, Soiled Mattress and the Springs
Shirley Clarke’s Ornette Coleman: Made In America
- story THE FADER
Shirley Clarke is clowning the fuck out of everyone who thinks they are cool. Unfortunately she is no longer living. To preserve her legacy, Downtown Brooklyn’s BAM will be showing her last film Ornette: Made In America Monday and Tuesday. Released in 1985, the film captures Coleman at his weird video game and electric guitars phase, harmolodic hum and buzz. Kind of the Max Headroom of jazz. Two geniuses, one film. Check this video of Coleman playing “Dancing In Your Head” around that time. And, yeah, maybe the electric bass is a little corny but this morning we listened to Danity Kane and talked about how maybe they weren’t so bad, so just remember that music has changed.
Video: Soiled Mattress And The Springs, “Jackpot”
- story THE FADER
This video, by musical anomalies Soiled Mattress and the Springs could be taken right from an episode of 3-2-1 Contact, only instead of learning about like, ice cream or phosphorous we get to learn about gambling, basketball, and water aerobics.
