What You're Not Listening To

A strange and new personal journey for me, and by request of this program's biggest fan, Janet, who is the chairperson of Octocon in Ireland.

Some time ago, I was asked to produce a program featuring Anime music for a very special event happening in Ireland this year, Octocon. The program came by request of Janet Ní Ghúilleabháin, who just happens to be this program's biggest fan.

Here's the challenge: I really know nothing about Anime at all. So, over the last several months, in hoping to relaunch this program after a 10 month absence, I got some pointers from her and my sister-in-arms, Coral Mallow, about where to start.

The cast from Sailor Moon, 1991

I don't know if I know anything more about Anime than I did three months ago. So, instead of the normal historical intro that precedes these programs traditionally, I have decided to just wing it, based upon the research and rabbit holes I kept falling into as time went on. This program isn't meant to be authoritative or the defining word on music from this media, but rather an odd trip into what I discovered.

I did have the good sense to ask Coral a series of questions that I kept running into as time went on. I will be reading her wonderful responses here, attempting not to sound too much like an idiot, but hey, the night is still young...

Film poster from the film Akira, 1988.

Q: Can you tell me about the concept of "the chosen one"? It seems in stark contrast to characters in Western media, who rise to the occasion, so to speak, and have some sort of Socratic idealism.

A: Many of the Japanese story structures come from the Journey to the West , a Chinese tale. This is why we have so many teams of people facilitating the journey of a single protagonist. The modern Voltron adaption is literally this is space (and damn good too). Buddhism is a huge influence. 

I personally feel that the idea runs parallel to superheroes in that ordinary people want to be extraordinary (you are so much more than you know, the power of friendship, and let's give a heavy nod to all Christian influence of savior here) and extraordinary people want to be either normal or villians (You should not get above your station, with great power comes great responsibility, it is all a lie why can't you people see that..etc...).

"What is the Anime that is the Sgt. Pepper of the genre? That is, which piece of Anime art is the one that changed the rules and people are still dissecting/arguing over decades later?"Coral Mallow: "Akira".

Q: Travis recently watched a series of the Wolverine from the X-Men that was done in Anime fashion. Do you believe this is a step forward or a step back?

A: Step back mostly cause they blew it on the character and story. But the adoption of anime style is not even a new trick to try and get cross genre engagement. A better success would be Warren Ellis' adaptation of Castlevania on Netflix.

Astroboy, 1963.

Q: Have streaming services enhanced or diminished what Anime is and can be?

A: More like they have given access to and provided legitimization for funding of projects outside of Japan and Korea such as the American manga Rwby. Anime is about storytelling and therefore like with all manner of story there is no medium that is unsuitable, there is only what medium will reach an audience.

Most modern anime viewers struggle with original 1970's and 1980's anime because they seem so coarse in animation and voice acting as well as depict social aspects that are problematic even by today's&nbs...

Revisiting the late 60's to early 70's religious phenomenon in popular music.

Starting in the late 1960's and really starting to take hold by the early 1970's was a new type of popular music that previously was verboten on commercial music stations: alternately entitles Jesus Rock or God Rock, a wave of religious-themed songs hit the airwaves that proved tremendously popular. Even heavy rock acts picked up on this, with the juggernaut of all classic rock radio tracks, Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" becoming the cornerstone of their catalogue during this period. 

Roberta Flack, 1970. Courtesy of Credit: Jack Robinson/Hulton Archive/Getty Images.

It coincided with two major religious movements in North America: that of the Hare Krishnas and evangelical Christians, the latter referred to the time as Jesus People or Jesus Freaks. It is also worth noting that many people who originally self-identified as hippies also joined this movement, creating a strange type hybrid cosmic consciousness with mainstream Christianity. Interestingly, some of the composers and performers of these songs about Jesus were members of the Jewish faith as well.

Ocean, 1970. Courtesy of Jeff Jones.

"I’ve gotten letters from funeral directors telling me that it's their second-most-requested song to play at memorial services, next to 'Danny Boy'."Norman Greenbaum on his track "spirit in the sky"

Pacific Gas and Electric, 1970. Courtesy of Columbia Records.

In hindsight, it tells of the feeling and mood of Western culture, particularly in the U.S., a nation seemingly coming apart at the seems with homegrown terrorism a weekly occurrence in major cities, the assassination of major Civil Rights Leaders and the ongoing war in Vietnam. This show does not include straight ahead Christian Rock and Pop acts who solely recorded in that genre, such as Larry Norman or Keith Green, but instead illustrates that people were looking for something new, and it was reflected in the popular culture of the day. 

First Part

* Spirit In The Sky, Norman Greenbaum, 1969, Spirit In The Sky* Put Your Hand In The Hand, Ocean, 1971, Put Your Hand In The Hand* My Sweet Lord, George Harrison, 1970, All Things Must Pass* Day By Day, Godspell Cast, 1973, Godspell film soundtrack* Jesus, Queen, 1973, Queen* Signs, Five Man Electrical Band, 1971, Good-Byes & Butterflies* Shambala, Three Dog Night, 1973, Cyan

Second Part

* Oh Happy Day, Edwin Hawkins Singers (full-length LP version), recorded 1967/single release 1969, Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord* I Don't Know How To Love Him, Yvonne Elliman, recorded 1970/single release 1971, Jesus Christ Superstar original London stage soundtrack* Jesus Is Just Alright, The Doobie Brothers, 1972, Toulouse Street* I Told Jesus, Roberta Flack, 1969, First Take* After Forever, Black Sabbath, 1971, Master of Reality* Hallelujah, Sweathog, 1972, Hallelujah

Finale

* Are You Ready?, Pacific Gas and Electric, 1970, Are You Ready?

Love to you all.

Ben “Daddy Ben Bear” Brown Jr. Host, Show Producer, Webmaster, Audio Engineer, Researcher, Videographer and Writer

Instagram: brownjr.benTwitter: @BenBrownJuniorLinkedIn: benbrownjuniorDesign Site: ...

A little over thirty years ago, a wave of British Rock and Roll dance artists led a brief but amazing music scene based in Northern England. #madchester #baggy

Several decades ago, a small but eventually highly influential music scene was brewing in the northern English city of Manchester,, just slightly northeast of the famous town of Liverpool. Isolated somewhat from London, where the majority of new music trends initially gestate in England, a new breed of Rock-oriented dance music was taking hold.

A Map of the U.K. and Ireland illustrating the geographic location of Manchester. Courtesy of http://www.worldeasyguides.com

This scene was a merging of the dual burgeoning acid house and alternative rock movements in England. There had been a growing British Rock base in England that was based there, featuring such acts as the Smiths and New Order, as well as featuring the base of the now-famous Hacienda Club, owned by Manchester-based label Factory Records.

The Stone Roses, 1989, photo by Steve Double.

The big change, however, was the introduction of psychedelic drugs into the scene in 1987, most notably MDMA (a.k.a. ecstasy or molly), with an effect on that scene much like LSD was in San Francisco in the 1960's. Fashion also seemed to go into reverse as well, with thrift store finds being the hot item of the moment. The music scene would eventually be called Madchester, and for artists who were outside the geographic area who utilized the sound, the term Baggy was used, in reference to the type of somewhat sloppy and ill-fitting clothing people in the scene would wear.

The Happy Mondays, circa 1988, courtesy of the BBC.

Though the scene was short-lived and never truly caught on outside of the U.K., it opened up the door to a flood of other alternative, dance and British Rock acts that would come to dominate the airwaves from the early to mid-1990's. These tracks are presented in a continuous order, much like a playlist on any given night at one of the more progressive clubs featuring this music.

808 State, from a U.S. promotional piece from New York dance label Tommy Boy Records, 1989.

Why would I pick this music scene to spotlight? If you were a teenager when they were new, you are in Generation X, the next big group to personally deal with Alzheimer's disease. The older you get, the more prone you are to be afflicted. There are no known cures, only treatments. However, research strongly suggests that dancing, by using the brain's neuroplasticity and increased oxygen intake, may stave it off. Dancing is incredible because it requires no special skills or equipment. And, it may also help stave off some of those extra holiday pounds you may gain this holiday season.

Madchester Playlist

* She Bangs The Drums, The Stone Roses* Come Home (original), James* Fine Time, New Order* Pacific State, 808 State* This Is How It Feels, Inspiral Carpets* The Sun Rising, The Beloved* The Only One I Know, The Charlatans (a.k.a. The Charlatans U.K.)* Move Any Mountain, The Shamen* Info Freako, Jesus Jones* Step On, Happy Mondays* What Can You Do For Me, Utah Saints* Voodoo Ray, A Guy Called Gerald* Shall We Take A Trip?, Northside* Can You Dig It?, The Mock Turtles* Unbelievable, EMF

Love to you all.

Ben “Daddy Ben Bear” Brown Jr. Host, Show Producer, Webmaster, Audio Engineer, Researcher, Videographer and Writer

Instagram: brownjr.benTwitter: @BenBrownJuniorLinkedIn:...

Just days before the third annual World AIDS Day in 1991, 30 years ago, one of Rock's most iconic front men, Freddy Mercury, died of the disease. This show revisits the time just prior to their worldwide success, when they were breaking out of the Glam Rock ghetto into becoming legendary. #AIDS #WAD2021 #HIV #LGBTQ #HardRock #GuitarRock #GlamRock #1970s

Prior to their 1975 classic “Bohemian Rhapsody”, Queen were part of a wave of early 1970’s British groups often associated with Glam Rock. However, their music drew on a wider variety of influences than most, and their initial sound drew much inspiration from the heavy rock acts of the day, due in no small part to guitarist Brian May’s fondness for Jeff Beck and Jimi Hendrix. May, a physics student, even built his own guitar, nicknamed the “Red Special”, from a hundred year-old fireplace with the help of his father. 

The band met in college: May and drummer Roger Taylor were previously in a group called Smile that recorded a few tracks with their friend Tim Staffell that went nowhere, and the group disbanded. However, one of Smile’s biggest fans was man named Farrokh Bulsara, another student who originally hailed from Zanzibar. Bulsara changed his named professionally to Freddie Mercury, and the guys recruited bassist John Deacon to join their fledgling group. Naming themselves Queen, they released their first studio album in 1973.

Cover of Queen II. clockwise from left: John Deacon, Brian May, Roger Taylor and Freddie Mercury. 1974, photo by Mick Rock.

Their second album, simply titled Queen II, gave the group their first British hit, and they slowly built their reputation as a live act. But it wasn't until their third release, Sheer Heart Attack, that the band would start a path to the mainstream success in both their native U.K. and at the time, most importantly, in the U.S., they so desperately wanted.

“We do play to our audience. It's very important. You can't create music in a vacuum.”Brian May, guitarist and vocalist

They had planned a live release in 1975, but held off to work on A Night At The Opera, named after a Marx Brothers film that would contain their career-defining release, "Bohemian Rhapsody". Their sound would evolve dramatically from the harder rock they had now developed into being a commercial powerhouse for a time, even becoming one of the biggest music acts in the world by 1980.

Mercury was always the focal point for the band, and he lapped up the admiration greatly. Even after the band went into a more commercial sound in their second and final decade, the group focused on their audiences that were much more welcoming to this new sound, including fans in Eastern Europe and South America.

Cover of Sheer Heart Attack, 1974. Photo by Mick Rock.

It had been rumored for some time that Mercury had been ill, as witnessed by his lack of touring after 1986 and his appearance in the band's recent videos. After what was a comeback album for them critically and commercially, Innuendo in 1991, Mercury died in the last week of November, right after the U.S. holiday Thanksgiving of that year, only publicly revealing he had the disease the day before his passing, which ironically, was just a half a week away from what was the third annual World AIDS Day event that year.

Cover of the debut album by Queen, 1973. Photo by Richard Gray.

Notably, Mercury was the the first person of celebrity from the Middle East to disclose his status and die from the disease. Always remember: fight AIDS, not people with AIDS.

First Part

* Brighton Rock, 1974, Sheer Heart Attack* The Loser In The End, 1974,

For my final show of Rocktober 2021 on it's final day, Halloween, another act, much like the first three featured this year, that laid the foundation for their respective sub-genre of Rock and Roll: Glam Metal. Today we revisit the first decade of band that just won't die, Motley Crue. #glammetal #hairmetal #heavymetal #motleycrue

Where were you 40 years ago? For myself, I was an awkward teenager who never believed he would fit in, and maybe I still don't. I was living in Los Angeles, and as much as I liked Pop, R&B, New Wave and mainstream rock, there was something afoot in the streets that was calling my name: Heavy Metal. I latched onto it quickly, and without even knowing it initially, was about to be immersed in the next wave of heavy rock acts that would come to rule the decade, bands that were alternately called Hair Metal or Glam Metal.

At the epicenter of all of this was a group of four guys: Nikki Sixx, Tommy Lee, Vince Neil (a friend of Lee's from high school) and an older man, Bob Deal, soon to be known as Mick Mars. Staring their professional career on April Fool's Day 1981, they realized they were about to hit on a unique sound, one that drew from metal, 70's glam rock groups like Sweet and Power Pop bands like Cheap Trick. They also embraced a high heels, flash clothing and make-up look that also drew heavily and equally from S&M and androgynous glitter rock, replete with mega-volume hair.

Cover of Vince Neil's crotch for Too Fast For Love, 1981. Photo by Michael Pinter, and meant to evoke Sticky Fingers by The Rolling Stones a decade earlier. Courtesy of Motley Records.

Motley Crue, 1984. (l-r) Nikki Sixx, Vince Neil, Mick Mars and Tommy Lee. Photo by Neil Zlozower, courtesy of Atlas.

It was loud, fast, crude and often times, ridiculous, the way that all great rock and roll was and is. They released their debut single. "Stick To Your Guns" and debut album, Too Fast For Love, on a label they formed themselves, Leathur Records. The men would name themselves Motley Crue, even placing umlauts above two of the vowels like the ones used in Lowenbrau beer, a favorite of the group at the time.

Original cover of Shout At The Devil, 1983. The band purposely baited the press with images that they knew would cause controversy, including this star, which many in the mainstream link to Satanism. Cover art by Bob Defrin, courtesy of Motley Records.

Truly hated by critics and despised by conservatives, including then-Senator Al Gore's wife Tipper of the Parents Resource Music Center, the band were signed to a major label, a first for this sub-genre, and purposely went about making a name for themselves touring, even causing a series of publicity stunts that got their name in the press.

Cover of Theatre of Pain, 1985. Courtesy of Motley Records.

By the time of their second album, Shout at The Devil, the band were now opening for Ozzy Osbourne, getting regular rotation on MTV and selling records by the millions, being fueled not by traditional promotion from their label, but simply by word of mouth. They kept their names in the papers, but now instead of publicity stunts, it was for all the wrong reasons.

Motley Crue's principle songwriter and bassist, Nikki Sixx, performing live at the US Festival, Devore, CA, on 29 May 1983. Neil Zlozower.

By 1985, the band had a top ten Billboard LP, Theatre of Pain and were arena rock headliners, but of course, in true VH1 Behind The Music fashion, the band started to wear themselves down with excessive drug use and infighting. They were disappointed musically by the time of their 1987 LP, the mega-selling Girls, Girls, Girls, and Sixx actually briefly died from an overdose.

For our third show for Rocktober 2021, a band that seemed to do something only The Beatles did a decade prior: absorb all of their influences so well as to create their unique but highly recognizable sound that proved the leading light of a new form of Rock and Roll in the late 70's and early 80's, American band Blondie. #blondie #newwave #debbieharry #altrock #CBGB

Blondie are an American rock and roll group that formed in 1974, taking their name from the catcalling truck drivers would yell at the band's frontwoman. Centered around the core of vocalist Debbie Harry and her husband, Chris Stein, Blondie were originally a cult band and one of the many critical favorites of the CBGB’s music scene. They eventually became one of the biggest bands in the world by 1980, and easily the biggest success story ever to come out of the 1970’s club scene in New York City. 

Blondie in 1977. Left to right: Gary Valentine, Clem Burke, Debbie Harry, Chris Stein, and Jimmy Destri. Photo courtesy of Private Stock Records.

Their first album was on indie Private Stock records. Harry would go on to state that being on an independent didn't hold the cache it does today; it simply meant you didn't get paid. The band had saved up enough money to buy back their masters, and then signed with Chrysalis Records and were paired with one of the biggest producers of the decade, Mike Chapman, who was responsible for a slew of hits by British glam rock act Sweet. With the bands third album, Parallel Lines in late 1978, they would start a series of platinum recordings, including four #1 hits on the Billboard chart.

Cover to the Hardest Part single, 1979. Norman Seeff – photography and design, Billy Bass – art direction and John Van Hamersveld – typography and design. Courtesy of Chrysalis Records.

Their sound was a mix of 60’s pop, rock and roll, island music, the then emerging New Wave and American punk. Most of all, it reminded people why they loved Rock and Roll since the 1950’s: It was fun, and you could dance to it. They eventually also included disco and hip hop into the mix, and their unique, anything goes attitude still makes them sound fresh today. After 1982, the band broke up for over a decade and a half due to infighting, drug use, tax problems and poor ticket sales and declining album performances with The Hunter LP. Debbie Harry had an on-again, off-again solo career that took a back seat to her caring for her ill partner.

First Part

* The Hardest Part, 1979, Eat To The Beat* One Way Or Another, 1978, Parallel Lines* Rip Her To Shreds, 1976, Blondie* The Thin Line (demo), 1975, The Platinum Collection* The Tide is High, 1980, Autoamerican* Atomic, 1979, Eat To The Beat* Here's Looking At You, 1980, Autoamerican

Second Part

* Call Me, 1980, American Gigolo soundtrack* Heart Of Glass (remix), 1978, 12" single A-side* X Offender (single mix), 1976, "In The Flesh" B-side* Island of Lost Souls, 1982, The Hunter* Detroit 442, 1977, Plastic Letters* The Attack of the Giant Ants, 1976, Blondie

Finale

* Rapture, 1980, Autoamerican

Love to you all.

Ben “Daddy Ben Bear” Brown Jr. Host, Show Producer, Webmaster, Audio Engineer, Researcher, Videographer and Writer

Instagram: brownjr.benTwitter: @BenBrownJuniorLinkedIn: benbrownjuniorDesign Site: 

Our second program for Rocktober features a band that achieved some mainstream success in the U.S., but remain a cult favorite and one of the most influential acts that would spawn not only the New Wave of British Heavy Metal but also the American Thrash Movement, English and German heavy rock/metal act UFO. #UFOband #heavymetal #hardrock #1970s #guitarrock

One of the hardest working bands of the 1970's, UFO were a group that coulda/shoulda/woulda, especially considering they helped lay the foundation of the heavy metal explosion that would follow in the next decade. Named one of television channel VH1's 100 greatest hard rocks acts in history, their eventual start as a boogie-based, blues-influenced space rock saw them through various line-ups until they literally invented the harder, sharper twin guitar attack that borrowed from the MC5 and became even more laser-focused.

Pete Way (l) and Michael Schenker of UFO, performing live in London in 1977. Photo by Fin Costello.

Their first two albums, Titled UFO1 in 1970 and UFO2 in 1971, saw them coming out of a heavier space rock genre of their contemporaries, such as Hawkwind. The key change in this band from London, consisting of the core band of drummer Andy Parker, bassist Pete Way and vocalist Phil Mogg, was the change in guitarists from Mick Bolton to Michael Schenker, an 18 year old guitar prodigy from Germany who happened to be in a group UFO toured with, The Scorpions.

Cover of Lighds Out, UFO, 1977. Design and photography by Hipgnosis, courtesy of UMG.

The band released new material annually and toured constantly, opening for a who's-who of arena rock acts of the era, including KISS, Rush, AC/DC, Journey, Thin Lizzy among countless others. After steadily slowly building their fan base, they hit pay dirt with Lights Out in 1977, considered by critics to be their crowning achievement and remains their best-selling release, even scoring their only U.S. charting single, "Too Hot To Handle" that year.

Undated photo- circa-mid1970's, of Phil Mogg of UFO, performing live. Photographer unknown.

Sadly, infighting amongst the group, including Mogg's constant belittling of Schenker's very thick German dialect of English, caused the latter to leave as they scored their highest-charting release in the U.K. and another U.S. top 40 LP, the live Strangers In The Night in 1978. Schenker's increasing alcohol intake during this time, while he battled with depression, also was a contributing factor.

Cover of No Heavy Petting, UFO, 1976. Cover design and photography by Hipgnosis, courtesy of UMG.

Schenker would briefly go back to The Scorpions for their breaktrhough U.S. release, Lovedrive, then go on to form MSG, The Michael Schenker Group, shortly after; Pete Way would play with Waysted, Fastway and Ozzy Osbourne, and died from injuries sustained in an accident in 2020. UFO still records and tours to this day, using a variety of line-ups, with even Schenker and Way returning to the fold a few years back for a type of "reunion" album. As one of the leading lights of 70's Euro-Metal, UFO may not be household names, but much like in our last program about The Velvet Underground, made their mark in the countless acts influenced by them and spawned in their wake.

First Part

* Too Hot To Handle, 1977, Lights Out* Rock Bottom, 1974, Phenomenon* Prince Kajuku, 1971, UFO2: One Hour Space Rock* Out in The Street, 1975, Force It* C'mon Everybody (live), 1973, German television program Art* Natural Thing, 1976, No Heavy Petting* Lights Out, 1977, Lights Out

Second Part

* Doctor, Doctor, 1974, Phenomenon* Pack It Up And Go, 1978,

For my first program for Rocktober 2021, an audio primer for the very first documentary of one of the most important bands of the latter half of the 20th century, The Velvet Underground, directed by Portlander Todd Haynes and broadcasting on October 15th on Apple TV.

The Velvet Underground are a band you have heard of, if not exactly heard. When you do hear them, it is usually in passing, or one of two tracks from the catalogue that are favorites of whomever is presenting them. Often, you hear about their their story in terms that have nothing to do with the music or their greatness: Andy Warhol, The 1960's, Avant Garde, banana peel, etc.

The Velvet Underground, 1969: (l-r) Doug Yule, Lou Reed, Maureen Tucker and Sterling Morrison. Photographer unknown, courtesy of UMG.

Originally calling themselves The Warlocks and The Falling Spikes (the latter a reference to using heroin intravenously), they adopted their now famous name after finding a book in the street by journalist Michael Leigh, which detailed the so-called deviant sexual behaviors of white suburbanites. They were a band that definitely broke the mold on many fronts, even with their line-ups: most of the members, like founder Lou Reed, were from or living in New York. Experimental musician John Cale and former model Nico were the exceptions, from Wales and Germany, respectively. Adding to this was that their "drummer" was a woman, Maureen Tucker; she played a partial kit, and did this standing up.

"I wanted to write the great American novel, but I also liked Rock and Roll."Lou Reed

The decade they formed in and released most of their material in, the 1960's, saw a seismic shift in demographics that would forever alter their musical style. Thanks to the growth of the suburbs and the Second Great Migration by Blacks, older eastern and Midwestern cities like Chicago and New York started to decay and fall apart, while places like California would flourish. If Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys invented the concept of California as being a magical paradise, then Lou Reed documented the fall of New York just as perfectly.

John Cale, 1967, in New York City. Photographer unknown, courtesy of Getty Images.

Their sometimes abrasive sound would make them truly fringe artists during their brief lifetime, which initially included just four studio albums (a fifth one called Squeeze in 1973 without Reed is discounted by all involved), and on a great many touring dates they were lucky if 20 people would show up to see them. Much of this was due to the subject matter of their songs, which, even for so-called "progressive" radio, was too much to handle: heroin, methamphetamines, drag queens, transsexuals, prostitutes, fellatio, orgies, etc. Radio refused to play them and only a handful of truly underground stations emerging on the FM dial would, and critics did not know what to make of them.

Nico, 1967, in Monterrey, California. Photo by Elaine Mayes.

All Music, founded in 1991 and the premier guide to all things music on the internet, ranks them at #5 among all artists in terms of influence. The joke, coined by Brian Eno, goes something like this: The Velvet Underground only sold 100 albums, but those 100 people went on to form bands of their own. These eleven songs were chosen as a representation of the sounds, subject matter and characters that made the Velvet Underground the premier 1960's New York bohemian icons they would indelibly become.

First Part

* Rock & Roll (full-length version), 1970, Loaded ("Fully Loaded" version)* Lady Godiva's Operation, 1968, White Light/White Heat* I'm Waiting For The Man, 1967, The Velvet Underground and Nico* Stephanie Says,

Although a month late, celebrating the wonderful milestone of the 75th birthday of Baby Boy, Ronald Smith, of Portland, OR, with a series of vintage tracks that all revolve around color. #blackmusic #birthday #blackveterans

This program was supposed to come out a month ago, on a very special and truly unique milestone: the 75th birthday of Baby Boy, aka Ron Smith, who was my co-host for my series of Black Message tracks last year.

Ron Smith with a signed, numbered copy of the Ace of Spades PDX 2021 International Jazz Day event poster. Taken 29 August by yours truly.

Instead of a standard playlist of songs (how Spotify), I decided that this occasion needed something that would be personal. Among his many achievements, Mr. Smith is a Vietnam-era veteran, serving in the Air Force as a Staff Sgt. in Minot, North Dakota, and was a crew chief for B-52 bombers servicing the NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) to prevent potential attacks from enemy forces. He also happens to be a person of color, and a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

Undated photo of the B-52, nicknamed the "flying fortress", a plane that Mr. Smith was responsible for maintaining with his crew for U.S. defense during the late 1960's. Courtesy of the U.S. Air Force.

It was the latter that drove the selections in this program, with each being performed by a person or persons of color and all revolving around different colors, particularly those in the most recent iteration of the Pride flag, meant to be more inclusive that the standard ranbow and reflecting more diversity in our community.

The Progress Pride Flag. Illustration by yours truly.

Happy belated birthday Baby Boy. I hope this show brings a smile to your face and truly celebrates your life as a gay, Black veteran and all-around wonderful person. I know my life would be much different without you, and I am grateful I had the opportunity to share your milestone.

First Part

* Charlie Brown, 1958, The Coasters, 45RPM single A-side* Mood Indigo, 1958, Nina Simone, Little Girl Blue* Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You, 1970, Wilson Pickett, Wilson Pickett in Philadelphia* Pink Champagne, 1950. Joe Liggins and His Honeydrippers, 78RPM single A-side* And Black Is Beautiful, 1968, Nickie Lee, 45RPM single A-side* The Yellow Dog Blues, 1925, Bessie Smith, 78RPM single A-side* Girl (Why You Wanna make Me Blue), 1964, The Temptations, The Temptin' Temptations* Purple Rain Drops, 1965, Little Stevie Wonder, "Uptight (Everything's Alright) single B-side* Sweet Rhode Island Red, 1974. Ike and Tina Turner, Sweet Rhode Island Red

Second Part

* White Lines (Don't Don't Do It), 1983, Grandmaster & Melle Mel, 12" single A-side* Rainbow, 1963, Gene Chandler, 45RPM single A-side* Band of Gold, 1970, Freda Payne, Band of Gold* Orange Colored Sky, 1950, Nat "King Cole", 78RPM single A-side

Finale

* Silver Cycles, recorded 1968/released 1969, Eddie Harris, Silver Cycles

Love to you all.

Ben “Daddy Ben Bear” Brown Jr. Host, Show Producer, Webmaster, Audio Engineer, Researcher, Videographer and Writer

Instagram: brownjr.benTwitter: @BenBrownJuniorLinkedIn: benbrownjuniorDesign Site: aospdx.com

For Hispanic Heritage Month 2021, looking at the Chapters series of albums Impulse Records last major star recorded for the label during the mid 1970's, as well as his truly iconic connection to a Jim Henson character. #latinjazz #gatobarbieri #muppets #jazzfusion

When we talk about Latin Jazz, it simply isn't just Jazz music from Latin American countries. Traditionally, it was divided into two main subgroups: Afro-Cuban Jazz, which finds its distinctive voice from Caribbean countries and is incredibly rhythmic, and Afro-Brazilian Jazz, which finds its distinct voice in mainland South America, where Bossa Nova is a prime example.

Gato Barbieri, circa mid-1970's. Photo courtesy of Michael Ochs archives, photographer unknown.

By the late 1960's, however, a new type of Latin Jazz started to emerge on the western coast of South America: one that used Jazz Fusion and Avant-Garde elements, sometimes combined with more indigenous instruments. One of the musicians leading this charge was Leandro Barbieri, known by his nickname "Gato", which is Spanish for cat. It seemed Barbieri used to scamper between clubs quite often, like a cat, in the early days of his professional career in his native Argentina in the 1950's.

Barbieri moved to Europe in the early 1960's, notably playing with trumpeter Don Cherry. After being exposed to John Coltrane's later, more Avant-Garde Jazz recordings, he retooled his sound dramatically. He rose to prominence on the wave of the Jazz Fusion movement of the late 60's and early 70's on the labels Flying Dutchman, also home to Gil Scott-Heron, and Impulse, which was the last label Coltrane recorded for. Often, in addition to recordings released by him as a leader, he would also work as a sideman on other projects.

Barbieri on the cover of the first of the Chapter albums, of which he would release four in the series. Courtesy of Impulse/UMG.

Barbieri composed and performed on the soundtrack to the highly controversial film The Last Tango In Paris, which exposed him to a much wider audience. After this, Barbieri released a series of albums on Impulse entitled Latin America in four chapters that proved highly successful. His biggest hit would be on the A&M label with the track "Europa", which was written by a former rocker turned Jazz Fusion artist who also happened to be highly influenced by John Coltrane, Carlos Santana.

Sadly, after Barbieri's wife, Michelle, died in the 1980's, he withdrew from recording and performing for about a decade and a half. He would occasionally record some solo material in his later years, preferring it seemed to once again play as a sideman. He died in 2016, at the age of 83, after a bout of pneumonia, in New York City.

The Muppet character Zoot, designed by Bonnie Erickson and built by Dave Goelz, released in 1975, and based upon Gato Barbieri. Photo courtesy Jim Henson/Disney.

And, for those wondering, the character Zoot from the Muppets, who plays in the Electric Band featured on the television program The Muppet Show and all but one of the Muppet films, was based upon Barbieri. The Beatles, by contrast, were made into wax figures at Madame Tussauds; you tell me which is cooler.

First Part

* Encuentros, 1973, Chapter One: Latin America* Juana Azurduy, 1974, Chapter Two: Hasta Siempre* Lluvia Azul, 1974, Chapter Three: Viva Emiliano Zapata

Finale

* Milonga Triste, 1975, Chapter Four: Alive in New York

Ben “Daddy Ben Bear” Brown Jr. Host, Show Producer, Webmaster, Audio Engineer, Researcher, Videographer and Writer

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