"The Funkiest White Man I Know"

That might seem like a pretty tall order, but when that admonition comes from the likes of one Sly Stone, it can't be too far off the mark.

As far as 'Hard Times' sob stories go, this 69' carbon chunk of funk is more 'Coal Miner's Daughter' (Err..Son) than the typical Metropolitan jag - even if they do share a certain antecedent in the guise of 'Momma's Cornbread'.

"Jim Ford was an American singer-songwriter originally from Johnson County, Kentucky. After living in New Orleans, Ford moved to Los Angeles, and finally settled in Fort Bragg, CA. His music is a mixture of soul, country and folk. His songs have been recorded by numerous artists, including Aretha Franklin, P.J. Proby, Bobby Womack, and The Temptations. Nick Lowe has cited Jim Ford as his biggest musical influence. His most famous song is probably Niki Hoeky, recorded by Aretha Franklin on her album Lady Soul.

After beating a cocaine addiction in 2004, Ford found Jesus and started recording again. He was a recluse at that time, but L-P Anderson of Sweden's Sonic Magazine managed to track him down in his California trailer home in April 2006. Bear Family Records re-released his "Harlan County" album, originally recorded in 1969, with 15 previously unreleased songs and a 40 page booklet as The Sounds of Our Time in early 2007. The success of "The Sounds of Our Time" made the idea of recording new material possible. At times there was talk of using Jim Dickinson as producer and James Burton volunteered to play guitar. A charity gig for Jim was to take place in London , U.K. on May 18, 2008. Nick Lowe was supposed to perform together with Jim Ford in person.. However, Jim Ford was found dead early in the evening of Sunday, November 18, 2007 in his trailer home by the Fort Bragg Sheriff’s department".

Man oh man, from a Yankee perspective that mean ole' 'Mason Dixon Line' is one hard line to tow!

Harlan County - Jim Ford

Mashmakhan!!!

@ the tail end of a merciless weekend record bender comes this firebrand...

Like the succinctly named Boffalongo, the mouthful of Canadian mush known as Mashmakhan certainly doesn't paint itself into any corners. From buzzy psych to baroque poofery, influences abound in the 1970 debut of these enigmatic million-sellers.

Pierre Senecal, Brian Edwards, and Rayburn Blake formed their first band in 1960 as teens and played local Montreal dance halls and perform on the local scene under the band names like the Phantoms, Ray Blake's Combo, and the Dominoes. In 1965 they were still playing together but with the addition of another Montrealer, Gerry Mercer, who stepped in to replace Edwards (who left the band for a short while). When Edwards returned to the band, Mercer stayed on to make it a quartet, and by now they were calling themselves the Triangle and backing up Montreal R&B singer Trevor Payne. They continued in this vein until 1969, when producer Bob Hahn recognized their talent and took them to Toronto, then the music capitol of Canada, and helped them get signed with Columbia Records. The name of the band was changed to Mashmakhan, after a type of drug being peddled by a local dealer, to become more hip with the young people, and the journey began. Pierre Senecal's "As Years Go By" was released as a single in an edited form, and became the group's first hit. The single sold 100,000 copies in Canada, 500,000 copies in the U.S., and over 1,000,000 copies in Japan, which led to a Beatlemania-like tour for the band in the latter country; it received much publicity and made Mashmakhan an international success story. The band followed the hit with two singles, "Gladwyn" and "Days When We Are Free." In 1970 Mashmakhan released its debut self-titled album, containing the three singles in alternate form, to international critical acclaim. Mashmakhan was one of two contributors to the musical score of the 1971 NFB film Epilogue/Fieve and recorded the song "Couldn't Find the Sun" for the movie. Then, for some unknown reason, the bottom fell out. Mashmakhan's second album, The Family, was released in 1971, and bombed; fan support was lost, and despite a couple of good singles, they did not have the right formula to make it back to the top. Although the album did sell well in Japan, the band split up shortly thereafter. ~ Keith Pettipas

For space reason (Compounded by abject laziness) I have cherry-picked some of the heavier tracks off the LP, but with its thick key work and expressive guitar leads, the entire record richly deserves your patronage. Do yourself a favor and grab a copy before it suffers a similar fate as the Gospel According to Zeus - i.e. Gets gobbled up as prime break beat real-estate.

Warning: Don't let the fluffy quality of the tracks fool you. You're about to get punched in the kidneys.

Days When We Are Free - Mashmakhan

Afraid of Losing You - Mashmakhan

I'm a Goofball User & a Chick Abuser!

Heard this one in the company of a certain neighborhood Devil while enroute to Jose Tejas for a beef burrow. As a rule of thumb, anything on the Aladdin imprint is an ace, but this 1954 declaration of laciviousness - in particular - lays it all out on the line.

Courtesy of LouisJordan.com

"The Father of the Rhythm & Blues came out of the blues world of Brinkley, Arkansas, to play in Chick Webb's swing band from 1932 to 1938; he played alto sax and participated in comedy routines.

He began recording for Decca in 1938 with his own Tympany Five, remaining on the label until 1953. He had his first million-seller in 1944 with "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't Ma Baby?" -- having previously attracted attention with "Knock Me A Kiss" and "I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town," the latter a classic Blues.

His second million-seller was "Caldonia (What Makes Your Big Head So Hard?)," followed in 1946 by two million-sellers, "Beware, Brother, Beware" and "Choo Choo Ch 'Boogie," the biggest seller of all.

In all these, he pursued a basic rhythm of Shuffle Boogie, later taken over by early Rock 'n' Roll. As he said, he "made the blues jump," and in so doing, influenced B. B. King, Chuck Berry, and Bill Haley."

Having gyratted off this mortal coil in 75', I like to think Mr. Jordan lived every lyric down to the smallest syllable.

"I can't live right from livin' wrong, but I'll die happy".

I'll Die Happy - Louis Jordan

Uhh Ohh...Get Outa the Car!

Gonna bounce this one off the blue Devil on account of his adoration of the R & B persuasion. This ticket is so greasy that you can fry an egg in it's wake, and it's a good thing too, cause your gonna be doing all the cookin' should the misses get a hold of the pure misogyny inherent within this Treiner's ballad.

"Featuring twin brothers Cliff and Claude Trenier, the Treniers helped link swing music to rock & roll with their brand of hot jump blues in the late '40s and early '50s. To the latter-day listener, their early-'50s singles sound closer to swing than rock; indeed, Cliff and Claude had once sung with the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra. The group did anticipate some crucial elements of rock & roll, though, with their solid, thumping beats, their squealing saxophone solos, and their song titles, such as "Rocking on Sunday Night," "Rockin' Is Our Business," and "It Rocks! It Rolls! It Swings!." The Treniers' brand of swing-cum-R&B was undoubtedly an influence on Bill Haley, who saw them when both acts were playing summer shows in Wildwood, NJ. They had work recorded for OKeh in the early '50s; by the middle of the decade, their sound was more R&B-oriented. Like many early R&B pioneers, they were unable to find success in the rock & roll era, though they appeared in a few of the first rock & roll films".

From the Jump Blues pioneers who brought you 'Poon-Tang', I give you proof that chivalry is not dead, it just don't give a fuck. Don't kill the messenger ladies. Besides...the Devil made me do it!

Get Out of the Car - The Treiners

Mother's Loudermilk

As this album is not suitably quantifiable beyond it's basic folkyness (Certainly not a 'Psychedelic Country album as some would maintain), I shall default to the liner notes for illumination...

"This is an album I've wanted to make for years but have been holding off waiting for the right time. Included in this collection are songs that may be offensive to some, but the majority of people feel this album has been needed for quite a while. Some of these selections have been recorded for as long as three years but "kept in the can" as recording people put it. My close friends know, I have dedicated my life to reaching into the contemporary thinking of the man on the street, pulling out passing moods and opinions and preserving them within the framework of the home-made musical composition. I've tried to use instruments that reflect today. The only place I may have failed is in my vocal performances, but, as he has happened with songs in albums past, younger and more serious singers will pick them up and have hit after hit with them. God gives us these thoughts and the ability to make songs out of them. Like the fruit of the wilderness, he must mean for us to share them as well. My mind's open like the pear limb that hangs over the sidewalk... free for the picking... so help yourself."

- John D. Loudermilk

Now ask yourself, given this rather heady introduction, can you afford not to listen to this?

The first track is a topical little number about a kept woman / love triangle, while the follow-up is a Dylan-esque affirmation of a world "Goin' to Hell on a Sled". Now I don't know about you, but that Sounds like buckets o' fun! Last one down the hill is a rotten egg!!!

More Than He Will Have to Give - John D. Loudermilk

Goin to Hell on A Sled - John D. Loudermilk

July 4th 2008

In memory, and in gratitude for those ancestors of mine who fought in the war of the Revolution:

Joseph Going (Infantry Corporal - Virginia)

Sherwood Going (14th Virginia 1777-1781. Present at the battles of Germantown, Monmoth and the seige of Yorktown)

Moses Going (14th Virginia 1777 - 1781)

Daniel Going (5th Virginia . Present at the battles of Trenton, Germantown, Princeton)

John Goins (3rd Virginia, 5th Virginia, 7th Virginia)

Zephaniah Goins (1779 - 1781. Present at the seige of Yorktown)

William Goyen (3rd South Carolina 1776 - 1781)

Major John 'Buck' Gowen (3rd South Carolina)

James Goyen (1781)

Daniel Goyen (1780)

"If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace."

- Tom Paine, 1776