May 2012
8 posts
May 23rd
May 22nd
May 18th
May 17th
May 16th
Roger Troutman Is A Virtuoso
I-Crates Piece #3 - “Voicebox Virtuoso: The Life and Death of Roger Troutman” - I am very happy to report that I have been published for a third time in the ever expanding I-Crates Universe.  Originally this was supposed to be in their April theme of the Music Industry, but due to the genius of Roger Troutman it went into the esteemed Virtuoso issue.  I thought it was more apt for...
May 11th
May 4th
May 2nd
April 2012
7 posts
Apr 28th
Apr 27th
Apr 22nd
Apr 14th
Apr 12th
Apr 4th
1 note
Apr 2nd
2 notes
March 2012
7 posts
Mar 23rd
Mar 21st
4 notes
Mar 16th
3 notes
iCrates Post #2
I have another posting on iCrates Magazine!  This time its an article about the one and only Wesley Willis for the Vocal Issue.  This write up was very personal to me because it involved the experience I had with Wesley.  I was fortunate enough to see him perform live four different times at four different locations.  Thanks to Harmony Pillon for the awesome illustration, but I we would like to...
Mar 11th
NC Beard & Moustache Competition
The First Annual Beard & Moustache Club Statewide Compeition Saturday, March 10th @ The Blind Tiger 8pm  $25 to compete, $10 to spectate w/ DJ Bonzani & The Tremors - This is a big deal!  This is the first of what will hopefully become an annual competition showcasing the best beards in the state.  I’ll be DJing the event with Greensboro’s rock-a-billy band The Tremors...
Mar 9th
Mar 9th
Mar 8th
Mar 1st
1 note
February 2012
6 posts
Feb 28th
2 notes
Published in iCrates Magazine
Today is a big day for me.  It’s the first time I’ve truly been published!  Check out iCrates Magazine to see my piece on Hugh Masekela’s 1968 S/T album.  iCrates is an amazing international (based out of Berlin) on-line magazine dedicated to all things great about vinyl.  This is the first of what will hopefully be monthly pieces I’ll be writing.  Each month the magazine focuses on a...
Feb 10th
Jimmy Castor "It's Just Begun"
Artist: The Jimmy Castor Bunch Album: “It’s Just Begun” Year of Release: 1972 Label: RCA I Bought This Record From: Jerome @ North Plaza Flea Market Come Hear this Record Live @ CFBG’s Record/Art Co-Op on Saturday, February 11th @ 8 pm in preparation for the J Dilla Lounge Show - This review is way overdue.  Funk Legend Jimmy Castor died on Monday, January 16th at the age of 71.  If Jimmy...
Feb 10th
ListenJimmy Castor Bunch “Bad”
Feb 10th
Gong "You"
Artist: Gong Album: You Year of Release: 1974 Label: Virgin I Bought This Record From: Pawn Shop, Randleman  Come Hear this Record live at CFBG’s Record/Art Co-Op on Wednesday, February 8, 2012 beginning @ 6pm.  - At first listen to Gong I sort of lost interest as I thought it was random prog noodling and aimless 70’s new age art rock, and apparently I’m not the only one....
Feb 7th
January 2012
5 posts
Chico Hamilton "The Dealer"
Artist: Chico Hamilton  Album: “The Dealer”  Year of Release: 1966 Label: Impulse I Bought This Record From: Fall 2011 Carrboro Record Fair Come Hear This Record Live at CFBG’s Record Co-Op (930 S. Chapman Street) on Wednesday, February 1st @ 6 pm - I first came across this record about five years ago when I was in Little Rock, Arkansas.  The guy wanted $12 for...
Jan 31st
CFBG's Grand Opening 1/28/12
This Saturday, January 28th CFBG’s Record/Art Co-Op Grand Opening  @ CFBG’s (930 S. Chapman Street) 11 am - 9 pm  - This is it!  The Official Grand Opening Event for CFBG’s Records.  We’ll have hundreds of new records from labels like Dischord Records, Stones Throw Records, Numero Group, Fat Beats, Drag City Records, Matador Records, Merge Records, Secretly Canadian, K Records, Kill Rock...
Jan 24th
Gotham "Pass the Butter"
Artist: Gotham  Album: “Pass the Butter”  Year of Release: 1972 Label: Natural Resources I Bought This Record From: Dynasty Furniture & Antiques, Winston Come Hear This Record Live at CFBG’s Record/Art Co-Op (930 S. Chapman St) on Wednesday, January 11th @ 5pm   - I would really like for someone to tell me what is going on with this cover.  As far as I can tell...
Jan 9th
Old Skool Game Night @ The Blind Tiger
Game Night @ The Blind Tiger Starting, Monday January 9th w/ DJ Bonzani & Fun Games Galore! - Yes starting this Monday the Blind Tiger (1819 Spring Garden Street) will be hosting a weekly game night!  There will be ping pong, Cornhole, and board games from the 1960’s through the 1990’s.  Admission is free, $1 off all drinks, and yours truly on the wheels.  I’ll be...
Jan 8th
Ernest Tubb "Blue Christmas"
Artist: Ernest Tubb  Album: Blue Christmas Year of Release: 1964 Label: Decca Records I Bought This Record From: A guy I met in Buchanan, VA  Not Actually Playing This Record at CFBG’s, due to its sadness  - Actually just going to do a quick review of this rather common country christmas album.  I won’t be playing this record live at CFBG’s because it’s more for...
Jan 6th
December 2011
5 posts
Top Albums of 2011
With the upcoming holiday season I think this will probably be my last blog post of 2011, and with that why not do the inevitable, top 10 list of new releases from this past year?  While I would love to list the many vinyl discoveries I’ve made of old artists this year, that is what I’ll save for future blog posts.  For now I am going to list new albums that really made an impression...
Dec 21st
ListenHere is audio from the song “Heal Me”...
Dec 20th
Cargoe "S/T"
Artist: Cargoe Album: S/T Year of Release: 1972 Label: Ardent I Bought This Record From: Rural Hall Thrift, Rural Hall Come Hear This Record Live at CFBG’s Record & Art Co-Op (930 S. Chapman Street) on Friday, December 16, 2011 @ 5pm - I need to work on my quick judgments; especially with albums.  Note to self: Just because you’re not feeling the first couple of tracks...
Dec 15th
The !!!! Beat
- With the mod looking font you would expect this to be about some late 60’s garage bands, but you would be mistaken.  The !!!! Beat was a Nashville based R&B Blues performance television show that lasted for one season in 1966.  Hosted by what seems to be a sloshed Bill “Hoss” Allen is one of the original Soul Train archetypes.  It was one of the only shows of the...
Dec 13th
Hanson "Now Hear This"
Artist: Hanson  Album: “Now Hear This”  Year of Release: 1973 Label: Manticore I Bought This Record From: Rural Hall Thrift Store, Rural Hall Come Hear This Record Live at CFBG Record & Art Co-Op on Friday, December 9th @ 5pm  - As you can see I’ve added a little something more interactive to the blog.  As mentioned in the last post, CFBG Record & Art Co-Op is now...
Dec 8th
1 note
November 2011
9 posts
Mad River "S/T"
Artist: Mad River Album: S/T Year of Release: 1968 Label: Edsel  I Bought This Record From: Estate Antiques, Bedford VA  - Sorry about the lack of blog posts recently.  I was out of town for Thanksgiving, but more importantly I’ve been busy working on getting a new Record venture together.  Starting this Monday, December 5th CFBG’s (located at 930 S. Chapman Street in...
Nov 30th
These Are the Breaks
Artist: Various Artists Album: These Are The Breaks Year of Release: 2011 Label: Ubiquity Records - I first of all want to Thank the supremely funky label, Ubiquity Records, for following my blog.  During my 10+ years reviewing cd’s at WUAG I was always excited when a package from Ubiquity Records arrived.  Unlike most funk labels that just do reissues, Ubiquity is one of the premiere...
Nov 19th
Jellyroll "S/T"
Artist: Jellyroll Album: S/T Year of Release: 1971 Label: Kapp Records  I Bought This Record From: Woodlawn Records, Spartanburg  - I normally do these reviews after I listen to the album, but for this one I’m doing it while I listen to it.  There is not much known about this Chicago 7 piece group.  This is the only album they released and if you look it up, there’s not much you...
Nov 18th
Hugh Masekela "Masekela"
Artist: Hugh Masekela Album: “Masekela”  Year of Release: 1968 Label: Uni Records I Bought This Record From: Cooks Flea Market, Winston Salem - I probably can’t say much more than this detailed blog post gives you, but I would like to echo the rave reviews this album deserves.  Hugh can really be a bit hit or miss for me.  A lot his albums feature plenty of covers of...
Nov 15th
Isis "S/T"
Artist: Isis Album: S/T Year of Release: 1974 Label: Buddah Records I Bought This Record From: The One and Only Harley Lyles - 70’s Funk Rock is a genre that too often gets overlooked.  So when you add 8 talented females to a group that exemplifies the genre you are for sure to be overlooked.  I’ve been getting into funk rock a lot lately with bands like Tower of Power,...
Nov 15th
Sonny Rollins "East Broadway Rundown"
Artist: Sonny Rollins Album: “East Broadway Rundown” Year of Release: 1966 Date of Recording: May 9, 1966 Label: Impulse I Bought This Record From: Acid Alex, Greensboro - I included the date of the recording above as I love Impulse’s gift of giving us the date that these amazing records were made.  You can simply envision the setting.  Everything was changing in the...
Nov 10th
Kyle "Times That Try A Man's Soul"
Artist: Kyle Album: “Times That Try A Man’s Soul” Year of Release: 1971 Label: Paramount I Bought This Record From: Duke 2011 Fall Record Fair - The album title and photo of being in front of the unemployment office captures a lot.  It captures what many of us feel and what many of us (including yours truly) are experiencing during these rough economic times.  I picked...
Nov 9th
Freddie Scott "Are You Lonely For Me?"
Artist: Freddie Scott Album: “Are You Lonely For Me?” Year of Release: 1967 Label: Shout Records I Bought This Record From: The one and only Harley Lyles - The album title is often followed by the word, “Baby,” as that’s what the chorus repeats in the famous single from this soul nugget.  I was very excited when I saw this album actually I’ve never seen...
Nov 4th
Bobby Womack "B.W. Goes C. and W.
Artist: Bobby Womack Album: B.W. Goes C. and W. Year of Release: 1976 Label: United Records I Bought This Record From: The one and only Harley Lyles - When I first saw this album cover I was just realizing my love of Bobby Womack, about five years ago.  Learning that he dipped into the short lived phenomenon of black country soul was news to me.  What is Soul Country you ask?  It is a...
Nov 1st
October 2011
28 posts
Brother Jack McDuff "Screamin"
Artist: Brother Jack McDuff Album “Screamin” Year of Release: 1962 Label: Prestige I Bought This Record From: Disco B - My account on the Nearly Free Speech blog has expired.  Not sure if it will come back but for now updates will be on Tumblr.  I have a lot of posts coming for the week, I promise.  For now let the always electric Brother Jack McDuff hold you over.  I’ve...
Oct 31st
Black Christmas
- It’s October and you know how the horror film nerds come out and rejoice.  This is the time of year you get to see top 50 countdowns to the most horrific films, as in the case with many websites as well.   I am one of those nerds, but I’m also one of those who sometimes can’t handle the true horror films, so often times I look at these lists and tell myself one day I...
Oct 12th
Jerry Washington "Right Here Is Where You Belong"
Artist: Jerry Washington Album: “Right Here is Where You Belong” Year of Release: 1973 Label: Excello I Bought This Record From: Cooks Flea Market, Winston Salem - When I picked this record up I thought for sure it would be some electric blues since it was released on the great blues label Excello Records (home to Slim Harpo, Lazy Lester and more).  What I soon discovered by...
Oct 12th