Babatunde Lea and Phenomena

Babatunde Lea and Phenomena.

Levels of Conciousness.

Theresa : 1979.

A killer tune from from this widely available cd. Thailand Stick includes special guests Julian Priester and Eddie Henderson among others. Highly recommended.

Smiley Winters

Smiley Winters : Smiley Etc.

Arhoolie 8004/5.

Recorded at Sierra Sound Studios, Berkeley, California. March 1969.

The final, and possibly finest instalment from G.Raf. For now anyway, apparently there's more where this came from. Maybe some generous comments could make all the difference.

This is power jazz @ 200mph. Born in St Louis, and father of ten, William Richard takes charge of this heavy session. Connected to many of the Bay area jazz giants including Phaorah Sanders, John Handy and Roy Porter to name a few. He is joined by Bert Wilson on Sax, Barbara Donald Trumpet and Chris Amberger on Bass. It's a double lp, so there'll be 2 files. Check out "Two Trains" Dynamite !

Howard Hanger Trio

Howard Hanger Trio : A Child is Born.

Stereo. Trav Label.

More obscure bible friendly business via the vaults of G.Raf again. Originals, carols, contemporary folk songs and cover versions combine to produce an album with a distinctly dark undertone.

The album is produced by TRAV, (Television, Radio and Audio-Visual Division) of the Presbyterian Church of the United States.

Rare, and recommended.

Enjoy, then give thanks and praises to G.Raf.

Oliver Nelson Orchestra

Oliver Nelson Orchestra.

Impressions of Phaedra.

1962 United Artists. Monaural UAJ 14019

Another super-rare special provided by G.Raf. Carried out some google research, but to little avail. For me, the first track, Phaedra Love theme is just superb and far to short. Ripped from the mono vinyl @ 320.

Some info about the film:

Phaedra was a 1962 motion picture directed by Jules Dassin as a vehicle for his wife Melina Mercouri, after her world-wide hit Never on Sunday.

The film was the fourth collaboration between Dassin and Mercouri, who took the title role. Greek writer Margarita Lymberaki adapted Euripides'Hippolytus into a melodrama concerning the rich society of ship owners and their families, but still containing some of the tragic elements of the ancient drama. The film is set in Paris, London, and especially on the Greek island of Hydra.

Phaedra, second wife of shipping tycoon Thanos (Raf Vallone), falls in love with her husband's son from his first marriage, Alexis (Anthony Perkins). The love is doomed from the very beginning but they are unable to control their feelings.

The movie hit the cinemas in 1962, was a hit in Europe, but a box-office failure in the USA. Although Mercouri and Perkins became friends during the filming, the magazines, and especially Esquire magazine, attacked the film, because of Perkins's vulnerability. Phaedra was the first of several films that teamed Perkins with notable older female stars.

The music was created by Mikis Theodorakis. In the soundtrack, Melina Mercouri sang two songs. The first one was written by Nikos Gatsos, a major Greek poet, and was sung by Mercouri and Perkins after their love scene in Paris. The other one was heard in the film as the main love theme. Both of the songs are popular in Greece and they have been performed by hundreds of singers and actors.

Belair

Belair

Relax, You're soaking in it. pp 1980.

More super rare, private press business out of California via the vaults of G.Raf. Eddie Guthman on basses, Tucker Crosby on Guitars, David Balakrishnan -violin, Frederic Wetterau -Flute and saxes and Michael Belair in Guitar. This one leans towards the folk/jazz side of things and as always is highly recommended.

Much more to follow, so show G.raf some love

The Forefront

The Forefront : Incantation.

AFI Records, Chicago.

1973.

Trumpets Trumpets Trumpets !!

Big Brass ...

Breaks all over the options on this track, Frump Trump. Another private press affair out of Chicago. Bobby Lewis, George Bean, Art Hoyle, Russ Iverson, Rufus Reid and Jerry Coleman make the line-up.

Bob Mover

Bob Mover featuring Tom Harrell.

On the Move.

Choice.

As so often seems to happen, someone points you in the direction of an album, and you just gotta have a copy. This time, it's that man Quimsy who highlighted this little gem (many thanks) a month or 2 ago. So i got on e-bay and cherry-picked up a copy for peanuts. Tom Harrell and Mike Nock are in there, together with Jay Clayton of Byron Morris's Blow thru you Mind fame.

Shit track title, top tune.