Intelligent Life On Planet Rock
Coming up next on Now Hear This
We put together the monthly "Now Hear This" CDs by pooling our prejudices. Mark likes pretty much anything he first heard in a pub, Andrew goes for edgy Northerners and anything with a synthesiser on, Rob suggests the latest in a seemingly endless stream of Scandinavians, a disproportionate number of whom are girls. My weaknesses are for anything where I can't understand the lyrics and most things French. The new CD, which will be with you round about Valentine's Day, features Magnet, Gabriella Cilmi, Mountain Goats, Shelby Lynne, Beach House, Ticklah, Oh Laura, Phil Campbell, the Autumn Defense, Monade, Sarabeth Tuckek, Luther Russell and these three.
I was introduced to Justin Adams (not Hawkins as I've been calling him round the office) just recently, though his album came out a few months back. He's the guitarist with Robert Plant, he produced the last album by Tinariwen and on this album he collaborates with Gambian Griot Juldeh Camara to not so much explore the common roots of the blues and West African music as have a hell of a good time. He's on tour in March and May.
My French girlfriend for this month is Emily Loizeau. Pretty video.
And here's my new best buddy Toumani Diabate back a yard in Bamako, Mali, demonstrating the basics of how to play the kora. You can pick up the rest yourself.
Wouldn't now be a good time to subscribe?
Oh Laura
Please put me out of my misery and tell me what the Oh Laura track is!!!
Rob Fitzpatrick gave them a great write up on his blog in December and I have been listening to their stuff ever since. 'Black & Blue' is a brilliant track.
wait until you hear
Release Me! Oh blimey...
It's "Fine Line"
Does that help?
Toumani Diabate
The man is a genius - I envy your trip to Mali. His acoustic stuff is phenomenal. I was playing New Ancient Strings in my office a while back. A colleague walked in and said to me; "why are you playing Japanese harp music?" The guy was surprised to hear what he thought was melody driven music from Africa, without a single drum.
Toumani Diabate
Well, I think you'll like his new one, "the Mande Variations".
Toumani Diabate
That's a great clip... I love the way he starts off slowly... I'm thinking "Hmm, maybe I could manage that with some practice" and then he says "Now I'll improvise" and a great flurry of notes flow out that make me think "I think I'll stick to guitar!"
What a fabulous musician he is.
Mountain goats!
Can you tell me the name of the Mountain Goats track? Thanks!
Toumani & Livingston Studios
It may seem an unlikely spot but Livingston Studios has been based in Wood Green, bordering beautiful Alexandra Palace for almost 50 years. REM did indeed work on their 1985 album, actually entitled "Fables Of The Reconstruction" with Jerry Boys and Joe Boyd at Livingston.
It began as a facility for recording talking books for the blind. It was known as The Old Church Hall and was in fact a Mission Hall until the late 1940's. In 1966 its owner further developed the studios to encompass its folk, and now pop music, recording portfolio, originally recording such artistes as Pentangle, Ian Matthews and Russ Ballard.
Many greats have made records there from Bjork's "Debut" album some years ago, to its latest offering from the new kids on the block; Joe Lean & The Jing Jang Jong . Perhaps most renowned for being involved with the mixing of the world famous "Buena Vista Social Club", album which was produced by Ry Cooder , and engineered by Jerry Boys ( Level 42/ Everything But The Girl /Vashti Bunyan/The Stones!), for Nick Gold's World Circuit label. It is a thriving commercial complex and one of the few remaining studios involved in training young Audio Engineers today. With its large recording areas and amazing acoustics, it's become the first choice for many record makers including Marius De Vries of "Titanic" fame and legendary Dub Reggae artist and producer Dennis Bovell.
Livingston has played host to Shakira, George Michael, Ali Farka Toure, Jamie Cullum, Manic Street Preachers, John Martyn, Orchestra Baobab, The Libertines, Rolf Harris, Ibrahim Ferrer, Youssou N'Dour, Del Amitri, Kate Rusby, Ry Cooder, Lou Rhodes, Bush and The Lightning Seeds amongst others and is often seen on TV as a studio backdrop most recently for BBC3's "Singing With The Enemy" and for many Jazz and Rock videos.
Apparently, the Toumani record was made over three evenings with the support of many local curry houses!