Blues, Film, Soul, Video

Documentary: Spooner Oldham and the Muscle Shoals sound

From Wikipedia:
The Muscle Shoals Sound Studio was formed in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, in 1969 when musicians Barry Beckett (keyboards), Roger Hawkins (drums), Jimmy Johnson (guitar) and David Hood (bass) (called The Swampers) left FAME Studios to create their own studio. The Muscle Shoals Sound Rhythm Section, as they became known, was the first rhythm section to own its own studio and, eventually, its own publishing and production companies. The distinctive accompaniment and arrangements have been heard on a tremendous number of legendary recordings, including those from Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, and the Staple Singers amongst others.

“Spooner Oldham and Muscle Shoals” is a short, no budget, 4-part documentary I shot in celebration of Spooner’s induction into the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame (created by Cory Pennington). The sound is a bit all over the place on the interviews, but it’s a facinating look into one of the most legendary studios.

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Part 4:

Very interesting stuff!

– Hallgeir

Music Calendar, pop, Soul

Today: Bobby Freeman was born in 1940

 

From Wikipedia:

Bobby Freeman (born June 13, 1940) is an African-American soul singer, songwriter, and record producer who recorded for theAutumn Records label in San Francisco, California. He is best known for his 1958 hit “Do You Want To Dance?” and his 1964 Top Tenhit “C’mon and Swim”.  “Do You Want To Dance?” was covered later (as “Do You Wanna Dance”) by Del Shannon, The Beach Boys,Bette Midler, John Lennon, Cliff Richard, The Mamas & The Papas and the Ramones. “C’mon and Swim” was written and produced by twenty-year-old Sylvester Stewart, later known as Sly Stone.

Freeman began his recording career at age 14 with the Romancers who recorded briefly on the Dootone label. At 17, he scored a hit with “Do You Want To Dance?” and appeared on the pop charts with various follow-ups through 1961. In 1964, he was back in the Top Ten with the dance-craze hit “C’mon and Swim”, which reached #5.

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Concert films, Funk, Soul, Video

Soulful performances from Bonnaroo 2012

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings

Today we have picked three performances from this year’s Bonnaroo festival. Three bands that are som funky, so tight, so good that it’s hard to describe it. So just enjoy these videos, they do the artists more justice.

First out is the great Sharon Jones with the fantastic Dap-Kings. They feel retro but really fresh at the same time. I had the pleasure of seeing them in Oslo last year and in a few weeks I’ll see them again, this time at Bergenfest.

He Said (funky as hell!):

Alabama Shakes:


Next band out is the “up and coming” Alabama Shakes. Just as much a rock band as a soul outfit, but this song is soul as good as any!
Last year at this time the Alabama Shakes were only dreaming of playing a packed Bonnaroo tent. The reality at Bonnaroo 2012 was that they rocked the festival just right!

Be Mine:

Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires:

Last but not least we present Charles Bradley and his Extraordinaires. Gonna see them three times the next few months, it’s going to be fantastic.

This band doesn’t care if they’re playing for 5,000 people or just five, Charles Bradley and his companions are in it to perform and completely brings the house down!

Heartaches and Pain:

– Hallgeir

Country, folk

Look out for: Phoebe Hunt

Photo courtesy of Dowellshots

ABOUT (taken from her website):
Singer-songwriter-instrumentalist Phoebe Hunt just can’t stay planted in one spot for long, and that insatiable wanderlust drives everything she does — from mastering myriad musical styles to living the gypsy life of a touring musician.

Sugar:

An Austin-to-Nashville émigré, the gifted Americana-pop artist headed to another musical center, Los Angeles, to record her self-titled debut EP with producer Matt Rollings, who helped create a captivating introduction to her solo work. Propelled by her genre-jumping fiddle, Hunt wraps her sultry voice and sincere lyrics right around listeners’ souls with each song. Leaping easily from country to Western swing to jazz,G ypsy and blues, she also shifts moods from innocent and playful to seductive and intimate in the blink of a beat. But the quality that shines through most of all is her honesty.

A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Hunt spent her college years touring around the Lone Star state with folk trio the Hudsons. After graduation, she hopped in the Belleville Outfit’s van, spending four years touring nationally with the renowned Americana act. She also shared songwriting and lead-vocal credits on two albums.

Hunt spent the past year in Nashville, honing her songwriting skills and touring with Kentuckian cellist and songwriter, Ben Sollee.

Meet Phoebe Hunt, and fall in love…

Her new EP:

 

– Hallgeir

David Bowie, Music Calendar

Today: David Bowie released the “Space Oddity” single in 1969 – 43 years ago

From Wikipedia:

“Space Oddity” is a song written and performed by David Bowie and released as a music single in 1969. It is about the launch of Major Tom, a fictional astronaut; its title alludes to the film 2001: A Space Odyssey, released the previous year. Incidentally, the protagonist of the film is called David Bowman. The lyrics have also been seen to lampoon the failed British space programme. The song appears on the album David Bowie (also known as Space Oddity). The BBC featured the song in its television coverage of the Apollo 11 launch and lunar landing, which took place in the days following the release of the song.

Bowie would later revisit his Major Tom character in the songs “Ashes to Ashes” and “Hallo Spaceboy“. German singer Peter Schilling‘s 1983 hit “Major Tom (Coming Home)” is written as a retelling of the song.

Following recording of a fresh version, the single was rush-released on 11 June 1969 to coincide with the Apollo 11 moon landing. It was promoted via advertisements for the Stylophone, played by Bowie on the record. Although they initially refused to give the song airplay, the BBC played it during their coverage of the Apollo 11 launch and lunar landing. This exposure finally gave Bowie a hit, reaching #5 in the chart. In the U.S, it stalled at 124.

Original video:

Album of the day @ JV:

Other June-11:

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Focusing on Bob Dylan & related music