Meta Roos & Nippe Sylwéns Band - Here We Are Falling In Love Again
(Meta Roos & Nippe Sylwéns Band, 1978)

Meta Roos and Nippe Sylwéns Band must have been the hippest jazz outfit in all of Sweden back in 1978. And not just because of Meta's feathered bangs, which were considered cutting-edge fashion at the time. Or because of these highly-covetable headphones:

There's not a lot of information in English about Meta Roos, unfortunately. All I know is that many years later she would sing the theme song "A World Full Of Life" in the Swedish dubbed version of The Lion King, and provide the voice of the mother weasel in... well, some movie that has a mother weasel. One thing's for sure, though, she definitely never became a street walking woman. (...or did she?)

The mystery is still out on Nippe. Swedish translation sites seem to indicate that either the word nippe or sylwén means "jewelry", from which we can conclude only one of two things: that his ancestors were the makers of fine quality gemstone necklaces, or his parents were a tad kooky in choosing "Jewelry" as the first name for their baby boy. But we mustn't worry ourselves over these petty details when there is music to enjoy. For now let's venture back to 1978 for a cozy evening at the Gyllene Cirkeln jazz club in Stockholm...



 

The Early Works of L.F. Zagalahuchi  

Selections from the early film scores of the reclusive and much under-appreciated composer, L. Florentine Zagalahuchi. Includes themes from such films as The Gold Letter Tower Of Flying Drama (1958), Twilly Blue (1971), Will Be Willing To Be Better Tomorrow (1982), Fat Upsurge IV (1969), and This Being Free, It Is Foppish! (1979). As far as the compilation, there's not a lot of info written on the back of the record, just that it was released by the Czech label Wiptoffa in 1987.

Yukihiro Takahashi - Mood Indigo  (Saravah, 1978)

In the summer of '78 Yukihiro Takahashi went to Paris for two weeks, and he spent the entire time reading the newspaper. Tammy Wynette had just married George Richey, and the Boston College basketball team was in the midst of a point-shaving scandal.

Yuki worried obsessively whether that "gold-digging baka yarou" would treat Tammy right, unlike her previous four husbands, and if his favorite team could ever bounce back from disgrace.

After two agonizing weeks the blues ensued. Yuki washed the newsprint off his fingers and caught the next flight back to Tokyo.

 

Ice - Chic-ee Boom Boom  (7", 1979)

Ice schmice. Any fool with half a brain, a Suzuki trained ear and a rotting tooth can immediately tell this is the Lafayette Afro Rock Band kickin' flappin n' crack-a-jackin at the Mysticon igloo saloon.

 

Bahta G. Hiwot - Tessassategn Eko   (7", 1970)

Bahta Gebre Hiwot began his musical career as a member of the house band at the Ras Hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. For decades this legendary hotel was an essential part of the fabric of Addis Ababa, hosting famous guests including Nelson Mandela and Don Johnson.

The Ras Band formed in 1960, and in addition to Bahta G. Hiwot it included such well-known players as Tefera Mekonnen, Getachew Welde-Selassie, Zewdu Legesse, Lufanesu Spongelatke, and a bunch of other people whose names I can barely spell or pronounce. The band played every Friday night, and under strict house rules all guests had to be impeccably dressed and accompanied by a dapper date. Any man who was considered under-dressed was whisked off to Room 147 and promptly given a tie. Flip-flops were also a big no-no, but many patrons wore them on purpose just to be given the replacement leather loafers, handmade by the Bata Shoe Company in Kenya.

Hiwot (or "Batta-G" to his homies) played with the Ras Band for many years but he managed to record several solo singles, including the charming "Tessassategn Eko", which was arranged by Master Mulatu Astatke and is slated to appear on Ethiopiques Volume 648. All the while he was attending night classes to became an accountant. In fact, he abandoned the music scene completely in 1972 to count garbanzo beans at the Ghion Hotel right up until his retirement.

 

Tincoãs - Banzo  (Escrava Isaura, 1976)

Escrava Isaura was a telenovela produced by the Brazilian television network Rede Globo in 1976. It was based on the novel by the same name, written by Brazilian writer Bernardo Guimarães in 1875.

The story is about a slave girl named Isaura who endures incredible hardships (including being engaged to a hunchbacked dwarf) before she is finally freed to marry her star-crossed lover, Alvaro. Not only was the series a big hit throughout South America, it was a smashing success all over the world, especially in the Eastern Bloc, Africa and China. In fact, it was the first TV series that the Chinese government even allowed to air in which a foreign actress played the main character (Isaura was played by Lucélia Santos). And it was the very first soap opera to air, PERIOD, in the Soviet Union and Poland. It was even broadcast via satellite to the research station in Antarctica. U.S. President Gerald Ford wanted all 45 episodes sent out to Mars, just in case, but the bill was vetoed by Congress.

The series was remade in 2004 but shhhh, we won't talk about that. Just like we won't talk about the fact that some fool is remaking Clash of the Titans and poor Sir Laurence Olivier is spinning in his grave as we speak.

In addition to the astoundingly great track by Tincoãs, the soundtrack (released by Som Livre) includes lovely music by Elizeth Cardoso, Francis Hime, and Dorival Caymmi. Orquestra Som Livre also contributes a nice little piece, accompanied by a chorus of hunchbacked birds who become increasingly wacky as the song goes along.

 

Jeffersonville High School was founded in 1871 in the downtown area of Jeffersonville, Indiana. As one of the largest high schools in the state, it has garnered so many awards and achievements throughout the years that my mind is ready to explode. Its Air Force Junior ROTC program has won countless awards for its color guard. And the boys track team has won a record 38 championships in a row! But it is the Jeffersonville High School Band that has been the most impressive. This legendary band was the training ground for many of the world's leading musicians, writers, comedians, and heiresses -- including Steve Martin on flute, Desmond Dekker on trombone, Paris Hilton on e-flat clarinet, Thomas Wolfe on alto sax, and Russell Simmons on soprano clarinet. If you don't believe me, you can view the full list of famous band members by clicking on the photo below.

Here, have a listen!  And if you're craving a little calypso number, give this one a try.

Note: the sounds you are enjoying today were brought to you by Satan and the Citizens Bank & Trust Company. A full service bank, member FDIC.

Nanette Natal - Lavender Thursday  (Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow, 1969)

I'm not sure if this was recorded before, during, or after Nan's little run-in with Barbara Walters.

Robert Pearson & The Turks - Standard Method for Fairy Chimneys
(Modern Hyponotism, 1973)

Ray Williams - Cosmopolitan London  (It's Been A Long Time, 1978)

This was arranged and produced by the Grenadian-born Ray Williams and 'twas the very first release by Vasko Records. Speaking of cosmopolitan London, I really miss Trebovir Road, and Penywern Road, and the view of Oxford Street while hanging out of the window at midnight. Good luck, good vibes, and keep on, as it says on the back of the record.

Moondance - Moondance  (North Shore Appeal, 1977)

A lot of musicians have recorded albums on the North Shore of Oahu: David Cassidy, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and Pebbles, just to name a few. But none of these folks have remotely captured the "North Shore Sound" (except maybe Pebbles). And yes, there is such a thing as the North Shore Sound, just as there is a Motown Sound, and a Waco Sound. The North Shore Sound is basically the sound of guitars with a strong undercurrent of the sea, the sky, and the wind of the Islands. Those natural elements make all the difference in the world.

Why the name 'Moondance', you ask? Thankfully it had nothing to do with Van Morrison. Instead the name originated on a night when the band was really cookin' at a place called The Proud Peacock in the shabby jungle of Waimea Falls Park. A fine foxy lady called "Moon" waltzed in, and naturally Harry (pictured below on the far right) asked her to dance. Believe it? Believe it!

North Shore Appeal was released on Hula Records in Honolulu. The banana on the cover was courtesy of Bananas, Inc. (yes, that's actually written on the back of the record).

Gökçen Kaynatan & Elektronikleri - Pencerenin Perdesini
(7", 1973)

On a chilly October morning in 1965, Gökçen Kaynatan glanced at his watch for the twentieth time as he waited for his mates to show up for band practice at the Erkek Lisesi gymnasium in Istanbul. The same tired thoughts ran through his mind -- would Orhan have bothered to take a shower within the past week? Would Yuksel have forgotten his bass lines again? Would Mustafa even show up at all or would he claim yet again to have choked on a mulberry at breakfast? In short, Gökçen was fed up. What else could he conclude except that humans were far too lazy, unreliable, and just plain STINKY to collaborate with on a musical basis? And so it came to pass on that fateful autumn morning that the music world became a vastly more exhilarating place, when Gökçen Kaynatan ditched his rock band (The Shadows) and bravely set off on a solo journey into the world of electronic music. Please join me in shouting Şa şa şa!   I'm pretty sure that's turkish for hip hip hurrah.

Haneda Kentarou - All Japan Women's Pro Wrestling Super Fighter's Theme

Featuring champion wrestler Nancy Kumi on the sleeve. Here's one of her exciting matches against Monster Ripper in 1980 (I couldn't resist jazzing it up with the theme music):