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Moonbeam Levels
After easing into the new year with a home-based episode of Moonbeam Levels, the plan was to come to the Sister Midnight FM studio with a special guest in tow for February. One of Lewisham’s greatest success stories who has ventured far and wide in his pursuit of a sound to call his own. But it wasn’t to be, so I had to pivot at the last minute.
I’ve been listening to a lot of Jill Scott recently as a new album is here. In particular, one disc of live music that I have obsessed over since its release in 2001. It got me thinking about how often I prefer to reach for live renditions of songs. Wondering which artists can hold a crowd better than others, or seeing who’s most willing to deviate from studio recordings.
I thought, why not share a couple of hours’ worth of the ones I always come back to? Unfortunately, most of my live tracks are on CD, which we don’t use in the studio, so this is more of a limited sampler culled from whatever I could get my hands on quickly. The focus is soul, jazz, rhythm and blues, which are at the core of my being.
But, hey, I am a man of many moods and sounds. Why not make this a series? Expect me to stretch out much further in volume two – from BB King, Gil Scott Heron and Erykah Badu to Toumani Diabate, Majid Bekkas and Hermeto Pascoal.
For now, enjoy this testimony to some awe-inspiring moments of human connection.
And do send me some of your favourites, either to [at]amarofpatel on IG or in the comments section.
Back on SMFM on 2 March at 2pm GMT. Subscribers, I’ll get the show out to you soon after.
Laters,
Amar
*****
JACO PASTORIUS – Jaco’s Solo/SlangA mesmeric solo performance from the maverick genius while on stage at Santa Barbara County Bowl during Joni Mitchell’s Shadows & Light tour in 1979. Jaco was her musical director at the time, wrestling with a few demons and prone to tyrannical episodes from what I’ve read. But who else could coax these vibrations from their fretless bass? Space Echo working overtime here.
DWELE – Red Clay Revisited (live at Maida Vale, 2004)Recorded at Maida Vale in Summer 2003 for Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide show in front of a studio audience, this after-dark broadcast remains one of the greatest radio sessions I’ve ever experienced ‘live’. Just a magical atmosphere, a star ascending, beguiling his audience, musicianship to the fore. This one is a riff on Freddie Hubbard’s original composition ‘Red Clay’, featuring the great Roy Hargrove on trumpet who is dearly missed (and let me tell you why). Dwele G we need you back, sir. Something’s off in the world.
PRINCE – 17 Days (piano and a mic version) [NPG/Warner]You can’t do a live music special and not include the artist who raised the bar highest night after night on copious tours. And then did it again just hours later at one of his infamous afterparties. Sometimes, all it took was a bluesy solo guitar interlude to send me. Most of my top selections are on CD so I’ve cheated a little bit and included this studio rendition. But it might as well be live because the way he gives goosebumps by summoning such visceral energy on his own, drip-feeding the track as he kick-drums on the piano, is all about being the moment.
ARETHA FRANKLIN – Wholy Holy [Atlantic]On Amazing Grace, the biggest-selling gospel record of all time, we hear the Queen of Soul taking it back to her church roots as she stirs the crowd to shiver-inducing, hand-to-the-heavens glory, backed by Cornell Dupree on guitar, Chuck Rainey on bass, Bernard Purdie on drums and the 30-strong Southern California Community Choir led by mentor Reverend James Cleveland. Their cover of ‘Wholy Holy’ (from Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On) is where the concert became a truly transcendent for me. There is perhaps no greater testament to the power of faith and communion through voice than this landmark. You must watch the documentary.
DONNY HATHAWAY – I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know (live, 1971) [Atlantic]My favourite vocalist of all time. The intensity and sincerity Donny Hathaway could radiate through his voice struck me from day one. These Songs For You Live, a compilation of performances that flows like one concert, is one of his first albums I bought. I wrote about the other one here. Such a wonderful group of musicians backing him including Phil Upchurch and Cornell Dupree again on guitar, Willie Weeks on bass and Fred White (later of Earth, Wind & Fire) on drums.
BILL WITHERS – Grandma’s Hands (live at Carnegie Hall, 1973) [Sussex]This is the other live album I played obsessively as a young adult, always beaming at the rapport Uncle Bill had with his audience. That alone was worth listening to on repeat. But when you throw in storytelling like the intro to Grandma’s Hands’, his simply yet profound lyricism and the quality of the musicianship around him (most evident on a rousing ‘Harlem/Cold Baloney’), this set will stand the test of time and be aspired to by artists for generations to come.
D’ANGELO & THE SOULTRONICS – One Mo Gin (live in LA, 2000)From day one, D’s integrity was sky-high. The intention was to make art. For the son and grandson of Pentecostal preachers, catching the spirit and moving people were birthright and vocation – from the pulpit side to the stage. Just listen to this extended rendition of ‘One Mo Gin’ from 2000 in LA. The artist in deep meditation as a vocalist, pouring over each line, oblivious to the lustfulness of the crowd just inches away from him. The way this Voodoo staple is extended and indulged in is pure ecstasy. I wrote a lengthy reflection and created a words-and-music special for my man here.
MAXWELL – This Woman’s Work (live on MTV Unplugged, 1997) [Columbia]Originally written by Kate Bush for her album The Sensual World and used before that in a film called She’s Having A Baby, ‘This Woman’s Work’ was turned inside out by Maxwell and his band on MTV Unplugged in 1997. It’s surely in the running for best cover of all time. Bush imagined a man waiting for his wife to give birth and “being left on their own in a big way”. He has to grow up suddenly and release he could be a better human being. Maxwell expands the emotional scope of the track to place the man in an even more vulnerable place, perhaps contemplating the loss of someone important, and trying to convey their pain through a fragile falsetto. The concert is a fun watch. An urban hang suite, for real. So is this on BET.
ODETTA – All The Pretty Horses (live at Carnegie Hall, 1960) [Vanguard]Odetta, who was a big inspiration to Bob Dylan and Joan Baez in the 50s, forged her own path in American folk music by incorporating blues and spirituals into her repertoire. And by delivering deeply resounding performances like this captivating set at Carnegie Hall. Gently propelled by bassist Bill Lee (father of Spike), you can hear the unique timbre of her voice stretching across aisles, ocean and ages. Sombre yet dignified, this live version of ‘All The Pretty Horses’ from the Odetta at the Gate of Horn LP featured on the first edition of my Singers, Songs & Strings series from around 2010.
PARLIAMENT FUNKADELIC – Mothership Connection/Swing Down Sweet Chariot (live on P-Funk Earth Tour, Houston Summit, 1976)One of those live experiences that probably would have changed your life. Seeing The Mothership land as Glen Goins takes it to church, I’d have come out believing anything was possible. George Clinton and his Parliament Funkadelic all-stars were on a mission “to save a dying world from a funkless hell”, taking black music places it had never gone before (Sun Ra not withstanding perhaps). Extraterrestrial brothers mining outer space for that uncut funk. I could study the p-funk universe at length. The different characters, the wild fashion, Pedro Bell’s artwork and liner notes… My philosophy eternal: “free your mind and your ass will follow.” Put documentary One Nation Under A Groove on your watchlist.
THE ROOTS – Proceed (Live at Elysée Montmatre, Paris, 1999) [MCA]My expectations of hip-hop were transformed by this all-the-way-live recording of The Roots in Paris. The musicality and jazz chops each instrumentalist brought to beats and rhymes. I’d never heard anything like it before. Bass vibrating in the pit of the stomach, keys making the skin tingle, hi-hats fizzing through the air… The showstopper on here is probably Jill Scott’s performance on ‘You Got Me’, but it’s the arrangement and raw sonics of ‘Proceed’ that still get be buzzing.
JILL SCOTT – Love Rain Suite (live at DAR Constitution Hall, Washington, 2001) [Hidden Beach]Speaking of which… My inspiration for doing this show can still go toe to toe with anyone on any stage. I am a huge fan of her first album and was fortunate to see her perform it live in London a couple of years ago. Poet first, singer second, she puts so much of herself into each song, each performance, that’s why the bond is so strong. And Jill loves flipping originals. My first experience of that was her 826+ double CD. This version of secret track ‘Love Rain’, recorded in Washington during her Words & Sounds tour, just soars and soars, then twists and turns into a whole other movement. You better get in line for those To Whom This May Concern gig tickets.
MAZE – You (live at Saenger Theatre, New Orleans, 1980) [Capitol]Singing along to Uncle Frankie – I have many soul uncs – feels so good. This tune is among the band’s most cherished and has soundtracked many a cookout and kitchen bop since its debut in 1977. Maze had a special relationship with New Orleans, going on to headline the Essence Fest there for more than 20 years and closing the Congo Square stage at Jazz Fest for 11 consecutive years. When it came time to record a live album in 1980, there was only one city in the running. ‘You’ is a contrite declaration of love for someone who loves you “through thick and thin” and, as such, will always be a meaningful one to get down to. Watch the full live performance for Ron Smith’s joyous solo. And check Maze forerunners Raw Soul doing their “whole thing” on YouTube (thanks, Questlove).
BEMBE SEGUE – Mother of the Future (live at Jazz Café, London, 2006) [Expansion]Bembe has been an in-demand vocalist and writer for several producers who pioneered what became known as the West London sound, spanning broken beat to nu-jazz and bruk. The likes of IG Culture, Dego, Bugz in the Attic and Mark De Clive-Lowe. A spiritual jazz classic originally written byCarlos Garnett and supercharged byNorman Connors, ‘Mother of the Future’ was dialled up even more by Bembe and an unknown group of musicians, becoming a tuff workout for the dancers to come alive to.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amarofpatel.substack.com
View all episodes
By Amar PatelAfter easing into the new year with a home-based episode of Moonbeam Levels, the plan was to come to the Sister Midnight FM studio with a special guest in tow for February. One of Lewisham’s greatest success stories who has ventured far and wide in his pursuit of a sound to call his own. But it wasn’t to be, so I had to pivot at the last minute.
I’ve been listening to a lot of Jill Scott recently as a new album is here. In particular, one disc of live music that I have obsessed over since its release in 2001. It got me thinking about how often I prefer to reach for live renditions of songs. Wondering which artists can hold a crowd better than others, or seeing who’s most willing to deviate from studio recordings.
I thought, why not share a couple of hours’ worth of the ones I always come back to? Unfortunately, most of my live tracks are on CD, which we don’t use in the studio, so this is more of a limited sampler culled from whatever I could get my hands on quickly. The focus is soul, jazz, rhythm and blues, which are at the core of my being.
But, hey, I am a man of many moods and sounds. Why not make this a series? Expect me to stretch out much further in volume two – from BB King, Gil Scott Heron and Erykah Badu to Toumani Diabate, Majid Bekkas and Hermeto Pascoal.
For now, enjoy this testimony to some awe-inspiring moments of human connection.
And do send me some of your favourites, either to [at]amarofpatel on IG or in the comments section.
Back on SMFM on 2 March at 2pm GMT. Subscribers, I’ll get the show out to you soon after.
Laters,
Amar
*****
JACO PASTORIUS – Jaco’s Solo/SlangA mesmeric solo performance from the maverick genius while on stage at Santa Barbara County Bowl during Joni Mitchell’s Shadows & Light tour in 1979. Jaco was her musical director at the time, wrestling with a few demons and prone to tyrannical episodes from what I’ve read. But who else could coax these vibrations from their fretless bass? Space Echo working overtime here.
DWELE – Red Clay Revisited (live at Maida Vale, 2004)Recorded at Maida Vale in Summer 2003 for Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide show in front of a studio audience, this after-dark broadcast remains one of the greatest radio sessions I’ve ever experienced ‘live’. Just a magical atmosphere, a star ascending, beguiling his audience, musicianship to the fore. This one is a riff on Freddie Hubbard’s original composition ‘Red Clay’, featuring the great Roy Hargrove on trumpet who is dearly missed (and let me tell you why). Dwele G we need you back, sir. Something’s off in the world.
PRINCE – 17 Days (piano and a mic version) [NPG/Warner]You can’t do a live music special and not include the artist who raised the bar highest night after night on copious tours. And then did it again just hours later at one of his infamous afterparties. Sometimes, all it took was a bluesy solo guitar interlude to send me. Most of my top selections are on CD so I’ve cheated a little bit and included this studio rendition. But it might as well be live because the way he gives goosebumps by summoning such visceral energy on his own, drip-feeding the track as he kick-drums on the piano, is all about being the moment.
ARETHA FRANKLIN – Wholy Holy [Atlantic]On Amazing Grace, the biggest-selling gospel record of all time, we hear the Queen of Soul taking it back to her church roots as she stirs the crowd to shiver-inducing, hand-to-the-heavens glory, backed by Cornell Dupree on guitar, Chuck Rainey on bass, Bernard Purdie on drums and the 30-strong Southern California Community Choir led by mentor Reverend James Cleveland. Their cover of ‘Wholy Holy’ (from Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On) is where the concert became a truly transcendent for me. There is perhaps no greater testament to the power of faith and communion through voice than this landmark. You must watch the documentary.
DONNY HATHAWAY – I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know (live, 1971) [Atlantic]My favourite vocalist of all time. The intensity and sincerity Donny Hathaway could radiate through his voice struck me from day one. These Songs For You Live, a compilation of performances that flows like one concert, is one of his first albums I bought. I wrote about the other one here. Such a wonderful group of musicians backing him including Phil Upchurch and Cornell Dupree again on guitar, Willie Weeks on bass and Fred White (later of Earth, Wind & Fire) on drums.
BILL WITHERS – Grandma’s Hands (live at Carnegie Hall, 1973) [Sussex]This is the other live album I played obsessively as a young adult, always beaming at the rapport Uncle Bill had with his audience. That alone was worth listening to on repeat. But when you throw in storytelling like the intro to Grandma’s Hands’, his simply yet profound lyricism and the quality of the musicianship around him (most evident on a rousing ‘Harlem/Cold Baloney’), this set will stand the test of time and be aspired to by artists for generations to come.
D’ANGELO & THE SOULTRONICS – One Mo Gin (live in LA, 2000)From day one, D’s integrity was sky-high. The intention was to make art. For the son and grandson of Pentecostal preachers, catching the spirit and moving people were birthright and vocation – from the pulpit side to the stage. Just listen to this extended rendition of ‘One Mo Gin’ from 2000 in LA. The artist in deep meditation as a vocalist, pouring over each line, oblivious to the lustfulness of the crowd just inches away from him. The way this Voodoo staple is extended and indulged in is pure ecstasy. I wrote a lengthy reflection and created a words-and-music special for my man here.
MAXWELL – This Woman’s Work (live on MTV Unplugged, 1997) [Columbia]Originally written by Kate Bush for her album The Sensual World and used before that in a film called She’s Having A Baby, ‘This Woman’s Work’ was turned inside out by Maxwell and his band on MTV Unplugged in 1997. It’s surely in the running for best cover of all time. Bush imagined a man waiting for his wife to give birth and “being left on their own in a big way”. He has to grow up suddenly and release he could be a better human being. Maxwell expands the emotional scope of the track to place the man in an even more vulnerable place, perhaps contemplating the loss of someone important, and trying to convey their pain through a fragile falsetto. The concert is a fun watch. An urban hang suite, for real. So is this on BET.
ODETTA – All The Pretty Horses (live at Carnegie Hall, 1960) [Vanguard]Odetta, who was a big inspiration to Bob Dylan and Joan Baez in the 50s, forged her own path in American folk music by incorporating blues and spirituals into her repertoire. And by delivering deeply resounding performances like this captivating set at Carnegie Hall. Gently propelled by bassist Bill Lee (father of Spike), you can hear the unique timbre of her voice stretching across aisles, ocean and ages. Sombre yet dignified, this live version of ‘All The Pretty Horses’ from the Odetta at the Gate of Horn LP featured on the first edition of my Singers, Songs & Strings series from around 2010.
PARLIAMENT FUNKADELIC – Mothership Connection/Swing Down Sweet Chariot (live on P-Funk Earth Tour, Houston Summit, 1976)One of those live experiences that probably would have changed your life. Seeing The Mothership land as Glen Goins takes it to church, I’d have come out believing anything was possible. George Clinton and his Parliament Funkadelic all-stars were on a mission “to save a dying world from a funkless hell”, taking black music places it had never gone before (Sun Ra not withstanding perhaps). Extraterrestrial brothers mining outer space for that uncut funk. I could study the p-funk universe at length. The different characters, the wild fashion, Pedro Bell’s artwork and liner notes… My philosophy eternal: “free your mind and your ass will follow.” Put documentary One Nation Under A Groove on your watchlist.
THE ROOTS – Proceed (Live at Elysée Montmatre, Paris, 1999) [MCA]My expectations of hip-hop were transformed by this all-the-way-live recording of The Roots in Paris. The musicality and jazz chops each instrumentalist brought to beats and rhymes. I’d never heard anything like it before. Bass vibrating in the pit of the stomach, keys making the skin tingle, hi-hats fizzing through the air… The showstopper on here is probably Jill Scott’s performance on ‘You Got Me’, but it’s the arrangement and raw sonics of ‘Proceed’ that still get be buzzing.
JILL SCOTT – Love Rain Suite (live at DAR Constitution Hall, Washington, 2001) [Hidden Beach]Speaking of which… My inspiration for doing this show can still go toe to toe with anyone on any stage. I am a huge fan of her first album and was fortunate to see her perform it live in London a couple of years ago. Poet first, singer second, she puts so much of herself into each song, each performance, that’s why the bond is so strong. And Jill loves flipping originals. My first experience of that was her 826+ double CD. This version of secret track ‘Love Rain’, recorded in Washington during her Words & Sounds tour, just soars and soars, then twists and turns into a whole other movement. You better get in line for those To Whom This May Concern gig tickets.
MAZE – You (live at Saenger Theatre, New Orleans, 1980) [Capitol]Singing along to Uncle Frankie – I have many soul uncs – feels so good. This tune is among the band’s most cherished and has soundtracked many a cookout and kitchen bop since its debut in 1977. Maze had a special relationship with New Orleans, going on to headline the Essence Fest there for more than 20 years and closing the Congo Square stage at Jazz Fest for 11 consecutive years. When it came time to record a live album in 1980, there was only one city in the running. ‘You’ is a contrite declaration of love for someone who loves you “through thick and thin” and, as such, will always be a meaningful one to get down to. Watch the full live performance for Ron Smith’s joyous solo. And check Maze forerunners Raw Soul doing their “whole thing” on YouTube (thanks, Questlove).
BEMBE SEGUE – Mother of the Future (live at Jazz Café, London, 2006) [Expansion]Bembe has been an in-demand vocalist and writer for several producers who pioneered what became known as the West London sound, spanning broken beat to nu-jazz and bruk. The likes of IG Culture, Dego, Bugz in the Attic and Mark De Clive-Lowe. A spiritual jazz classic originally written byCarlos Garnett and supercharged byNorman Connors, ‘Mother of the Future’ was dialled up even more by Bembe and an unknown group of musicians, becoming a tuff workout for the dancers to come alive to.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amarofpatel.substack.com