O Life, O Light–O Death, O Dark: Best Records of This Riven Year, January 1st to May 29th

Odds and Ends:

  1. So long, rock and roller.

2. So long, wild chanteuse.

3. Keep on growin’ and goin’, Hillbilly Dalai Lama.

4. Look out, Brother Ayler.

5. Miranda Maestra.

Extra Credit: Match this TV theme song with the album below on which it appears.

New Music 
(bolded items are new to the list):

  1. 75 Dollar Bill: Social Music at Troost, Volume 3–Other People’s Music(Black Editions Group)
  2. Rosalia: MOTOMAMI(Columbia)
  3. Tanya TagaqTongues (Six Shooter) 
  4. Ricky Ford: The Wailing Sounds of Ricky Ford—Paul’s Scene (Whaling City Sounds)
  5. Stro Elliot & James Brown: Black & Loud—James Brown Reimagined(Polydor)
  6. Miranda Lambert: Palomino (Vanner)
  7. Willie Nelson: A Beautiful Time (Sony)
  8. Superchunk: Wild Loneliness(Merge)
  9. Gonora Sounds: Hard Times Never Kill(Phantom Limb)
  10. Wet Leg: Wet Leg(Domino)
  11. Amber Mark:Three Dimensions Deep(PMR / Interscope) 
  12. Etran de L’AirAgadez(Sahel Sounds)
  13. Billy Woods: Aethiope(Backwoodz Studios)
  14. Morgan Wade: Reckless (Deluxe) (Ladylike) 
  15. Lady Wray: Piece of Me(Big Crown)
  16. Bob Vylan: Bob Vylan Presents The Price of Life(Ghost Theatre)
  17. Mark Lomax II: Prismatic Refractions, Volume I(self-released)
  18. ensemble 0: Music Nuvulosa (Sub Rosa)
  19. Anna von HausswoolffLive at Montreaux Jazz Festival (Southern Lord) 
  20. Various Artists: Lespri Ka—New Directions in Gwoka Music from Guadeloupe(Time Capsule Sounds) 
  21. Ches Smith: Interpret It Well(Pyroclastic)
  22. Jinx Lennon: Pet Rent(Septic Tiger)
  23. Freakons: Freakons(Fluff & Gravy)
  24. Daniel Villareal: Panama ’77 (International Anthem)
  25. Joy Guidry:Radical Acceptance (Whited Sepulchre)
  26. Kehlani: blue water road (TSNMI/Atlantic)
  27. Javon Jackson & Nikki Giovanni: The Gospel According to Nikki Giovanni(Solid Jackson) 
  28. Oumou Sangare: Timbuktu (World Circuit Limited)
  29. Kendrick Lamar: Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers (pgLang/Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath/Interscope)
  30. OGJB: Ode to O(TUM) (Note: Band name – O = Oliver Lake, G = Graham Haynes, J = Joe Fonda, B = Barry Altschul / Title – O = Ornette) 
  31. Andrew Cyrille, William Parker, and Enrico Rava: Two Blues for Cecil (TUM) 
  32. Luke Stewart’s Silt TrioThe Bottom (Cuneiform) 
  33. Tyler Mitchell: Dancing Shadows (featuring Marshall Allen) (Mahakala Music)
  34. Nduduzo Makhathini: In the Spirit of Ntu (Universal)
  35. Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few: Lift Every Voice (Division 81 Records)
  36. Priscilla BlockWelcome to the Block Party(InDent)
  37. Anitta: Versions of Me (Warner)
  38. Carl Stone: Wat Dong Moon Lek (Unseen Worlds)
  39. Mitski: Laurel Hell(Dead Oceans)
  40. Immanuel Wilkins: The 7th Hand (Blue Note) 
  41. David Murray Brave New World Trio: Seriana Promethea (Intakt)
  42. Fulu MizikiNgbaka (EP)
  43. Leikeli47: Shape Up (Hardcover/RCA)
  44. Hurray for The Riff Raff: Life on Earth(Nonesuch)
  45. Rokia Koné and Jacknife Lee: Bamanan (3D Family)
  46. Tomas Fujiwara: Triple Double (Firehouse 12)
  47. Ibibio Sound Machine: Electricity (Merge)
  48. Zoh Amba: O Life, O Light, Volume 1 (577 Records)
  49. Kahil El’Zabar Quartet: A Time for Healing (Spirit Muse)
  50. Pastor Champion: I Just Want to Be a Good Man(Luaka Bop)
  51. Pusha T:It’s Almost Dry (G.O.O.D. Music/Def Jam)
  52. Elza Soares: Elza Ao Vivo No Municipal (Deck)
  53. SAULT: AIR (Forever Living Originals)
  54. Nilufer Yanya: Painless (ATO)
  55. Satoko Fujii and Joe Fonda: Thread of Light(Fundacja Słuchaj)
  56. Charli XCX: Crash(Atlantic)
  57. Pete Malinverni:  On the Town—Pete Malinverni Plays Leonard Bernstein (Planet Arts) 
  58. David Friend & Jerome Begin: Post-(New Amsterdam)
  59. Dedicated Men of Zion: The Devil Don’t Like It(Bible & Tire)
  60. Space AfrikaHonest Labour(Dais)
  61. Charlotte Adigery & Bolis Pupul: Topical Dancer (DeeWee)
  62. Earl Sweatshirt: Sick! (Tan Cressida / Warner) 
  63. Belle & Sebastian: A Bit of Previous (Matador)
  64. Big Thief: Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You(4AD)
  65. Tee Grizzley: Half Tee Half Beast(self-released)
  66. Hoodoo Gurus: Chariot of The Gods(Big Time Photographic Recordings)
  67. Natsuki TamuraSummer Tree(Libra)
  68. (D)ivo: Perelman, Berne, Malaby, Carter(Mahakala Music)
  69. Spoon:Lucifer on the Sofa(Matador)
  70. Manel Fortia: Despertar(Segell Microscopi/Altafonte)
  71. Ray Wylie Hubbard: Co-Starring Too(Big Machine)
  72. Keith Oxman: This One’s for Joey (Capri)
  73. Marta Sanchez: SAAM (Spanish American Art Museum) (Whirlwind)
  74. Earthgang: Ghetto Gods (Dreamville/Interscope)
  75. Mavis Staples & Levon Helm: Carry Me Home (Anti-)

Archival Digs:

  1. Los Golden Boys: Cumbia de Juventud (Mississippi Records)
  2. Albert Ayler: Revelations—The Complete ORTF 1970 Fondation Maeght Recordings(Elemental)
  3. Albert Ayler: La Cave Live 1966 (Ezz-Thetics) 
  4. Various Artists: Cumbia Sabrosa—Tropical Sound System Bangers From The Discos Fuentes Vaults 1961-1981 (Rocafort Records)
  5. Son House: Forever on My Mind (Easy Eye Sound)
  6. Lavender Country:Blackberry Rose and Other Songs & Sorrows (Don Giovanni)
  7. Hermeto Pascoal: Hermeto (Far Out Recordings)
  8. Sun Ra: Sun Ra Arkestra Meets Salah Ragab in Egypt(Strut)
  9. Cecil Taylor:The Complete Legendary Live Return Concert at the Town Hall (Oblivion)
  10. Norma Tanega: Studio and Demo Recordings, 1964-1971 (Anthology)
  11. Irma Thomas: New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 1976 (Good Time)
  12. Afrika Negra: Antologia, Volume 1 (Bongo Joe)
  13. Various Artists:Summer of Soul(Legacy)
  14. Ann Peebles and the Hi Rhythm Section: Live in Memphis (Memphis International)
  15. Neil Young: Carnegie Hall 1970 (Reprise) 

Canasta Soundtracks (May 31st, 2018, Excelsior Springs, MO)

Little to say other than, to my ear, we chose well today when needing some music behind our morning reading, our multiple hands of Canasta, and our lollygagging around during our final vacation day at the historic (and inexpensive) Elms Hotel.

Morning: I told Nicole she could pick any great album ever released and I could probably find it and stream it from my phone. Her response?

“Too much pressure! You always do this to me when I’m trying to practice my Spanish!”

“Yeah, but you always wanna be asked before I play something!”

“Dammit, you’re right–something Colombian, then–”

Afternoon: we decided to resume our Canastathon. I had briefly assumed a lead, but, partially due to my enthusiasm for playing wild cards and her tendency to hold them back, she has dominated throughout. This time, she had an immediate answer when I made a soundtrack request:

https://youtu.be/9fo7ONfJ6GU

I piggybacked on that with this:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEwRDx2iYQleCQn5gPw05dOYL3hfbYUCp

Evening: after some swimming and poolside lounging and reading, we returned to the room for a maple syrup Old Fashioned (her) and a Main Root ginger beer and bourbon (me), and four hands of Canasta. Nicole’s defenses were weakened so I took matters into my own hands with possibly the greatest record of all-time, and two reasonable follow-ups:

https://youtu.be/hptJcHPuzfg

Unfortunately, the above didn’t help my luck (I’m 2000 points down), but they certainly established a mood.

Short-shrift Division:

Fiercest desert blues in awhile.