Kathleen Loves Music

“Now is the time…”

So begins Allen Toussaint’s inspiring and rocking remake of his composition that gave The Pointer Sisters their first pop hit, and Lee Dorsey a heck of a catalog track. I’ve loved every version of this song, and while I was never a huge fan of Toussaint’s solo recordings, with he’s got me cold. (Turn this one up loud.)

And it’s even more incredible when you realize Arrayit[/media] was recorded days after the 67 year old Toussaint was found after everything he had –his home, his studio, his arrangements…everything in his life– were destroyed in Hurricane Katrina.

My wife was so moved by Irma Thomas’ performance and addition to the lyrics on that she began trying to line up the record company to put out a music video that could be used to draw attention to the plight of the hurricane victims (Ms. Thomas had just finished mortage payments on her club before the [Read more…]

Since the death of disco at the end of the 70s the state of R&B has been completely, stultifyingly, boring. The singers are OK, the grooves are nice, but the songs…basically, they stink. I can’t think of more than a handful of tracks that could come within lightyears of the hip-hop of the same period, no less the great black pop of the last 40 or 50 years.

And then there’s Blackstreet’s No Diggity.

Blackstreet’s Teddy Riley first became famous as the innovator of New Jack Swing (the marriage of soul and hip-hop). He produced it’s biggest hit (the unbelievable My Prerogative) but I never really warmed to his own work in Guy; kinda dull.

There’s nothing I can tell you about Blackstreet. It seems they had some urban hits, but the only one that poked it head above the index line was No Diggity in 1996. A rap intro by Dr. Dre, a memorable [Read more…]

Jason Forrest >War Photograher

This (mainly) instrumental CD is easily my favorite new music of the year.

I’m mainly focused on music of my youth in this blog, and I’m notoriously resistant to anything called “new music.” But we discovered Jason in the second episode of Channel Frederator, in a music video created by Joel Trussell. Immediately, Jason’s sales spiked and we had to find out why. Kevin bought the album and shared it with me, and poof, I’m in love.

Hip hop production techniques, hard rock guitar, and the corniest Blood, Sweat & Tears sample, what more could you ask for?

Jason Forrest >War Photograher