DEC 19/ 4 THINGS TO SCOPE

 RON HARDY/ THE JACKSONS/ LIVING TOGETHER/ RON HARDY TRIBUTE EDIT/ YOUTUBE

As is the case with a lot of Ron Hardy's mixes and edits, when exactly this was done is a matter of debate (tho probably 87-88). A shadowy figure at best, Ron's sets at Chicago club The Music Box in the 1980's were, by all accounts, epic nights and mornings of non-stop high volume mania. His reel to reel tape edits are legendary for their liquid extensions of mood and dubbed out psychedelic wooze. Taking dance floor orientated tracks and extending them far beyond what was originally intended mark him out as one of the premier late 20th century sonic explorers. Ron and fellow Chicago DJ Frankie Knuckles were the pioneers in what became known across the globe as house music, and while Frank's style was a somewhat more urbane soulfulness (no slur at all on him, he was a flat out genius in his own right), Hardy's riotous mixes and blending of pretty well any genre or record available stood him out far from the rest of the pack.  Do yourself an extreme solid and check out his Music Box mixes online and get lost in the creative madness he extolled.

Which brings us to this track. A gem in its own right, this Gamble and Huff production from 1976 is a tuneful slice of disco-soul that stands on its own as a dance floor filler, no doubt. But by pitching the record slower and editing certain sections into dreamy loops, Ron discovers a universe unto itself, a hedonistic playground that has a drowsy quality shared with some of Ron's other epic overhauls of the same period (his demolition/ rebuild of Isaac Hayes' I Can't Turn Around and First Choice's Let No Man Put Asunder's hypnotic loop canvas being prime examples). The effect here is of being caught in the pulse of a slow strobe while sparks shower down around you. Druggy as hell and proud of it, this temporal dislocation is deeply psychedelic and an artist creating at full height of his powers. Hardy passed away in 1992 from Aids-related complications and, as always, it would have been cool to hear/see where he would have taken his craft. But be glad for the treasures he left. He is one of my favorite creative artists of all time, and his love of music and experimentation shine on and inspire endlessly.

EPOQUE SELECTOR/ LOST MY SELF/ LOOKING GLASS 7"/ BEING RECORDS 2024

Max Turnbull of TO's funk/ post-most-things collective Badge Epoque Ensemble graces us all with a super limited run of self released 7''s on his Being private press label. Definitely of a piece with the Badge output, these two tracks (Lost My Self featuring Mandy Christ on vox and Looking Glass with Jane INC on vocals) hit on both counts. Hard drums, sneaky bass runs and dripped guitar combine with the vocals to set some heavy action. Looking Glass has a smoky downtown car exhaust vibe and coils nicely. Lost My Self is an up tempo stormer with strut that announces itself with a head nod and groove to spare. The tracks here get me in the headspace of Roberta Flack, Quiet Fire-era (which I've been on for a minute as of late), refracted thru some upfront drum action (the drums RIP). Best 7 inch in awhile round these parts, most def. Check it out below, though physical is sold out I believe. Demand a repress.

Playing in CALGARY/ EDMONTON late January FYI. Check B.E.E. for dates!

Lost My Self bw/ Looking Glass | Époque Selector | BÉING RECORDS

PURE LAND STARS/ TREMBLING UNDER THE SPECTRAL BODIES/ CARDINAL FUZZ/ CENTRIPETAL FORCE/ 2023

Had this one for a bit and put it back on after moving a bunch of records around. What a great listen! Ash-Ra meets Richard Pinhas-ish soundscapes that trickle and burble into a very agreeable sonic stew. Sharing members with one of my fav groups of recent times, White Manna, these northern California folks can put out a galactic stall with aplomb, and are up there with anyone doing similar stuff these days. Bucolic wanderings mesh with avant-leaning guitar/ piano/ sax workouts really make for an exciting road trip into lands both near and far. A very under-rated gem of a record this is. Give yourself the gift of HEAD LOVE this season and check out some at the link below. If you know, you know. Right?

Trembling Under The Spectral Bodies | Pure Land Stars

ALICE COLTRANE/ TRANSFIGURATION/ WARNER BROS/ 1978

One of the more heartening developments in the record reissue game is the continuing presence of Alice Coltrane's catalog being made available for all to rediscover and reckon with. Various labels have put out studio and live documents from an artist who was deeply misunderstood for decades, partly due to (for good and ill) the John Coltrane legacy and also the fact that her music was seemingly just too far ahead of its time and there needed to be space for it to gather steam and acceptance. Which is pretty well a load of horse shit, because once you engage with it and go for the ride, it's the most giving and honest music one could ever hope to encounter. This double LP set here, recorded live at Schoenberg Hall at UCLA in 1978, is a trio recording with JC alumni Reggie Workman on bass and legend Roy Haynes on drums. The seven tracks played here hum with interplay and vibrancy on a very deep level and pair well with the recent Impulse issue of the 1971 Carnegie Hall concert released earlier this year. But what really does it for me is the track Prema that's on the second side here. It's all amazing stuff on display, but Prema is flat out gonzoid brilliance on its own level. Not actually a true "live" performance, the string section heard was overdubbed on in the studio some time after the concert. I have not many words to write on it, maybe because it is so beautiful and such a rich and awe-inspiring piece of music, that to defile it with too many words is kinda besides the point. Suffice it to say that for me, the whole of history and existence, hope and sadness seems to flow through it. A "blues" track of the highest order. It's here below to listen to.

HAPPY HOLIDAZE ALL!