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musicology #112
2008-03-08 16:51:00
sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #35 (Wailers - Rude Boy) penultimate slice of musicology on the six/six/six and one from Jamaica’s most famous vocal group, The Wailers. Not sure whether this had a UK release at the time? the one we are hearing is taken from the Coxsone Import 45. But with a title like ‘Rude Boy’ it wouldn’t have got much promotion on these English shores. As we all know the Wailers went on, (certainley Marley anyway), to become a household name. Jackie Mittoo on the other hand didn’t receive anywhere near the recognition that he deserved for all the musicology he brought to each and every Studio1 session from 1963 up to his emigration to Canada in 1969? which is, unfortunately, an all too common story when it comes to the cats who  played the instruments. Arranger, Piano player session leader and all round musicologist it would have been Jackie, (as much as any single artist), that drove the music towards the Spaghetti Western influ...

musicology #111
2008-03-07 10:52:00
sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #34 (Karl Bryan & The Afrokats - Money Generator) no post yesterday…got caught up in too much ‘he say she say’ which took the wind out of themusicologists sails so couldn’t find the enthusiasm and motivation to invest the time, emotion and energy required for posting so thought it best to let yesterday go. it’s a hard life and no mistake when you have to fight every inch of the way…it’s relentless and you can’t let your guard down for a minute and when you do there’s always someone ready with a metaphorical, (or if you’re really unlucky a physical), snaking jab, right hook, ‘glasgow kiss’ or a good old kick in the bollocks to remind you of the ’struggle’. anyway enough of that…just wanted to let youse know where themusicologist is ‘at’ and why I left you ’swinging’ yesterday. Todays cut finds Jackie Mittoo keeping not only keepin...

musicology #110
2008-03-05 17:17:00
sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #33 (Cout Ossie & The Cyclones - Meditation) words can’t do this one justice so I’ll leave it up to Count Ossie, Jackie Mitto and Leroy Sibbles to converse with you.

musicology #109
2008-03-04 19:20:00
sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #32 (Bob Andy - Feeling Soul) Donat Roy Mittoo was born in Kingston, (on March 3rd 1948), and grew up around music as language. a child prodigy it was Clement Seymour Dodd, (Studio1 Boss), who presented him with the opportunity as a teenager (16 !!), to not only supervise the sessions at his newly formed Brentford Road Studio but also be a founder member of the legendary Skatalites….. So let’s get that clear, Jackie Mittoo, (at the age of 16), joined some of the cream of Jamaican musicologists to heaed the greatest instrumental group to come out of Jamaica, as well as supervise the recording sessions at the birth of Studio1. as that sinks in hold this next cut..it’s a Bob Andy classic from around 1969 I would imagine but it’s got Jackie all over it, (organist, arranger, musicologist), the only other backing musician I can be sure of identifying would be Leroy Sibbles playing bass..

musicology #108
2008-03-03 15:27:00
sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #31 (Jackie Mittoo - Juice Box) final week of the six/six/six…and themusicologist would like to take this opportunity to let you know how much I have appreciated your support..last month, (and last week), set new records on themusicologist for ‘viewers/listeners’ which is encouraging. it means a lot to me to know that you are feeling the selection. just as Soul would have taken an alternative route without Sam Cooke and Curtis Mayfield..the musical arts of Jamaica wouldn’t sound like they do without this next ‘artist’ whose skills as arranger, composer, player of instruments and ‘eye of the needle’ at the legendary Studio1 are well known to all who listen to Jamaican music. many a great singer, song writer and instrumentalist has sprung from Jamaica’s well of musicologists but Jackie Mittoo’s contribution to developing the music known now as ‘Reggae’, (a one size fits all labe...

musicology #107
2008-03-01 06:40:00
sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #30 (Paul Weller - Above the Clouds) this final cut from the Paul Weller selection is taken from a concert recorded at Sheperd’s Bush Empire, June 2nd 2002, at which I had the greatest musical experience of my life. the memory is so fresh I can touch it….my eldest child, (and she was only six), had been in hospital with a life threatening condition since late December and it was killing me. By chance a friend I hold very dear had been providing Paul Weller, (and Steve White), with some of the best threads around at that time and asked us, (me and the suc mo massive), if we fancied going to see them in concert at the Empire..as distressed as I was, and not having played much Weller over the preceeding couple of years, we had it and words can’t do it justice. as the evening unfolded grown men were standing, as if at a cup final, belting out the words to all of the songs, tears in eyes..it was very moving and it was during this per...

musicology #106
2008-02-29 17:56:00
sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #29 (The Style Council - With Everything To Lose) penultimate slice from the Paul Weller tribute selection and the second of two from his time spent in the Style Council, (the Humble Pie years), along with Mick Talbot formaly of, (relatively unknown), UKPressure band the Merton Parkas and ‘keeping time’ the young Steve White, (didnt the Pie have an unknown young drummer?), not suggesting that this was the way he planned it..just another example of synchronicity I suppose. this cut taken from the album..Our Favourite Shop, (not only a great album but, for me, one of the best LP covers of all time !!), reminds me of having just left school and going on holiday in what was then called Yugoslavia. this album was the soundtrack for that holiday and the few months that surrounded it, (memories are made of this), there are at least six pieces on the album that could have been the final choice and there’s nothing between them so I just p...

musicology #105
2008-02-28 14:57:00
sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #28 (The Jam - Start) If themusicologist could slow time down and make a week last a month it might be enough to do the six/six/six artists justice…as already mentioned it’s a challenge to select such a small number of tunes from such great catalogues of work. Take the Jam as an example, for me, there’s at least 20 cuts that deserve an outing on themusicologist and to whittle those down to 2 … well, lets just say that it’s as tough as old boots. on this album, (Sound Affects), there’s five cuts here that I would like to, (and probably will over the years), throw down on themusicologist as well as another five albums, (+ singles), to ‘choose’ from so what strategy am I going to employ? … none. just going to throw ‘em as I feel ‘em. this 1980 selection I remember from me days as a young blade, at the start of the teenage years when I was spending a lot of time knocking about the Wes...

musicology #104
2008-02-27 18:47:00
sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #27 (Paul Weller - The Strange Museum) part three of the Paul Weller tribute and one from the man as solo artist. as with all the six/six/six artists it’s nigh on impossible to choose six cuts from many. such is the quality of their musicology. but six it is so it’s two from Paul Wellers time spent in the Jam, two from the Style Council selection and two from the man as solo artist and as such is a challenge and no mistake..I was ‘chewing some fat’ the other day about the Sam Cooke tribute and the ones that I had left out…to be honest what I’m trying not to do is play their most well known slices..in the hope that cats explore/reconvene a musical relationship with the artists featured for themselves… this next one is taken from his 1992 work entitled Paul Weller with strong support from Steve White whose groove is tighter than the space between a rock and a hard place. Steve White always deserves a lot of...

musicology #103
2008-02-26 19:44:00
sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #26 (The Style Council - My Ever Changing Moods) strange how Paul Weller and Curtis Mayfield are back to back on the six/six/six.. I know Paul Weller is a Curtis, (and Stevie Marriott), fan..maybe thats part of the reason why I feel such a connection to his music? (that and his obvious qualities as as a songwriter, singer, performer and all round musicologist). I was only a very young child when Weller first came into my life but the message got through loud and clear and helped me with the confidence to believe in myself and follow my own path. the only two message carriers in my life have been music and my dear grandad..both of which always had/have my undivided attention. when either spoke I was always listening. that wasn’t a conscious decision, it was just something that, (fortunately for me), happened and I am deeply greatful to them both, (Farve….you’re always in my thoughts and feelings) anyway, back to the music..sliding...

musicology #97
2008-02-19 15:12:00
sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #20 (Curtis Mayfield - Hard Times) one of the tunes that convinced me to ‘play-out’ back in London’s Rare Groove days of 1985/6, utilising Curtis as messenger for how it felt growing up on the streets of London at the time. back then Curtis didn’t figure too tough on the capitals wheels of steel, James Brown, (and related), was the DJ’s choice, (along with a host of others), Curtis didn’t get much of a look in as he wasn’t considered danceable..obviously he was very highly regarded but was mainly enjoyed at home in moments of contemplation. taken from his 1975 critique ‘There’s No Place Like America Today’ the spoken intro has been added by themusicologist to provide an insight on and from the man himself.

musicology #96
2008-02-18 10:02:00
sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #19 (Curtis Mayfield - Mighty Mighty Spade & Whitey) this week it’s all about the king … Curtis Mayfield. the cat was first introduced to me as a 2 year old in 1971 and the two albums that are burned into my consciousness are Curtis and the album this cut is taken from..Curtis Live. my dad, (respect is always due), was a BIG Curtis fan and was responsible for introducing me to music that has always been a constant source of inspiration. along with Bobby Womack, Bill Withers and Marvin Gaye, Curtis ran ‘tings down in Circus Street. there were many others who made an apearance but, (subjectively), these three are an integral part of themusicologist’s upbringing. lyrics as hard as nails, music as tough as old boots and vocals full of integrity. I could do four different Curtis sets, producer, songwriter, singer and inspiration, such has been his impact on music. without Curtis Soul would have travelled a different path as...

musicology #95
2008-02-16 19:11:00
sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #18 (Alton Ellis & Eddie Perkins - My Heaven) last of the Alton selection..and it’s this one from the earliest days of Jamaican musicology…recorded for none other than Clement Seymour Dodd. The second of his two cuts with Eddie Perkins as the duo Alton & Eddie from 1959, (cut three weeks after his first recording ‘Muriel’) Alton..thank you for the music. p.s next week it’s the turn of themusicologists first musical icon..Curtis Mayfield.

musicology #94
2008-02-15 18:34:00
sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #17 (Alton Ellis - Sun Of Man) I was out last Saturday night celebrating what I sincerely hope is the start of something BIG for a valued friend who deserves all the success that comes his way. the cat is a constant source of inspiration and I would like to thank him for his support and for showing a way to navigate through these troubled times. I mention this because it was much later on in the ‘wee wee hours’ of said night while kicking back at a pals house that I attempted to put on a Studio1 compilation, (The soul of Studio1, I think?), that was laying around…But there was one person, (not the man above I hasten to add), who objected with words to the effect of: “not Reggae…anything but Reggae, I can’t deal with it…just not tuned in to it” I was tempted to get all Socratic on the unit and challenge him on what he actually meant by those words…but in the spirit of the evening, I let it g...

musicology #93
2008-02-14 19:13:00
sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #16 (Alton Ellis - I’m Still In Love) a piece of Valentines day musicology delivered by Mr Soul of Jamaica…Alton Ellis. if it sounds familiar but you can’t quite place it this is the original cut to Trinity’s top ranking Saturday night special ‘Three Peice Suit’ which in turn spawned the more well known cut by Althea & Donna ..’Uptown Top Ranking’

musicology #92
2008-02-13 18:25:00
sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #15 (Alton Ellis - Hurting Me) next piece from Mr Ellis…yet another Brentford Road, (Studio1), diamond. one from out of the top drawer..with what sounds like the Heptones on backing vocals..definately Leroy Sibbles on the ‘four string’ delivering the essential bassline vibes. Studio1, (and Leroy Sibbles in particular), pioneered the bass as an essential reggae ingredient. before him the bass was almost inaudible..maybe it was due to the fact that not only was Leroy Sibbles an all round musicologist in charge of arrangement, production, (after Jackie Mittoo left for Canada), and vocal duties but he was also resident bass player at the peak of the Studio1 sound. stands to reason that he would favour the bass drenched approach, (although the ‘ganja’ must have had something to do with it too !!), anyway hold this top ranking cut sung by Alton with all the soul a man can muster…no wonder he was known as Mr Soul Of J...

musicology #91
2008-02-12 14:11:00
sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #14 (Alton Ellis - You Make Me Happy) day two of the Alton selection is a piece from the early 70’s cut for Jamaica’s dominant production house, Coxsone Dodd’s Studio1. After a succesfull spell at rival Duke Reid’s Treasure Isle singing rocksteady classics Alton returned to Studio1, (I imagine), as the sweet and heavy sounds coming out of Brentford Road at that time were second to none, (Treasure Isle was also on it’s last legs) With musicologists such as Jackie Mitto and Leroy Sibbles, (to name but two), at the controls the Studio1 sound had evolved into something special as well as unique and no studio could contest Dodd’s during this period. (it would take Channel 1, structured on the Studio1 sound, to try and wrest control from Coxsone in the mid 70’s), Alton and Coxsone collaborated successfully at the birth of the Jamaican music industry in 1959 and although there would have been no love lost due to t...

musicology #90
2008-02-11 15:18:00
sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #13 (Alton Ellis - If I Could Rule This World) this week it’s the turn of ‘Mr Soul of Jamaica’, the legendary Kingstonian..Alton Ellis. foundation reggae artist who has been recording authentic Jamaican music since the late 1950’s !! starting out his recording career with Coxsone, (Dodd), before he had set up Studio1, Alton Ellis has been at the forefront of Jamaican music for almost half a century and stands as tall as any other artist Jamaica has produced. name checked by most, if not all, of the Jamaican singers that followed as an inspiration, Alton recorded and worked with all the major players of the Ska, Rocksteady and Reggae periods..musicians, producers, engineers..have all been touched by the mans qualities. you don’t come by the name ‘Mr Soul’ for nothing…(checkback to the first of the six/six/six artists..Sam, (Mr Soul), Cooke. musicology #75-83) setting the tone for the coming week of Ja...

musicology #89
2008-02-09 19:26:00
sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #12 (Humble Pie Feat Steve Marriott - I Need A Star In My Life) final cut from brother Steve Marriott…difficult choice to make. luckily the man was prolific so there’s enough to choose from but still…tough. I’m going for a cut taken from the posthumously released and highly recommended ‘Scrubbers Sessions’ released by Tim Hinkley in tribute to Steve. signing off this weeks six/six/six with with a quote from Tim.. “I came back from Steve’s funeral with Bobby Tench, I told him I had this album in my tape storage room..we put it on and it sounded great, it was then that I realised this album really should come out…this record was very special to Steve and if nothing else, it stands as a tribute to his enormous talent”. lyrics Don Stevie … lyrics …

musicology #88
2008-02-08 23:28:00
sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #11 (Humble Pie Feat Steve Marriott - Strange Days) penultimate piece of musicology magic from Mr Marriott and friends…can’t believe it’s gone so quick. one of the many things I ‘love’ about the geezahh is his obvious dedication and commitment to communicating using the ‘universal language’. Not only as a vocalist or musician, (could, and did, play most of them), but also as a performer. most people can sing, (some can play instruments), but what seperates the legends from the rest of us is how they deliver…Steve Marriott delivers as good as anyone and deserves to be ranked in the uppermost branches of the musical tree so that the sun can shine on him from morning to night.. hold this piece of 1971 Rock, Rhythm&Blues from one of the great English bands..Humble Pie .. telling it like it is…quality piece of musicology. a Glyn Jones/Humble Pie production..lyrics courtesy of Steve Marriott.

musicology #87
2008-02-07 23:54:00
sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #10 (Small Faces - All Or Nothing) couldnt throw down a Steve Marriott tribute without laying down the piece that kick started my appreciation of the brothers vocal and soulful qualities. while not prolific in their collaborative output there’s no denying the Small Faces impact on contempory music and this one gets into the tribute for two reasons 1:Mod anthem 2: brings back memories of being 11/12 and 13 years old as a second generation Mod .. ahhhhhh .. music brings back so many memories.. so without further words hold this piece from the Mod band with the Mod classic, pinpointing the evolution and metamorphosis in the autumn of 1966 from American Rhythm & Blues to English Rock & Blues… strangely, (or probobly not), one that my kids enjoy and sing along to just as another Mod revival begins to take shape in 2008

musicology #86
2008-02-06 20:57:00
sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #9 (Steve Marriott - Help Me Through The Day) What / Who Is Mod? … for themusicologist there are only a handful of cats who can lay claim to the title. one of them is Steve Marriott … Why? because he lived life to the full, often at the extremes, always on the vanguard and didn’t compromise his personal values. Selfish? .. probably, Obsessed…almost definately, Dedicated….100% Not suggesting that these qualities are the only, (or even most important), Mod credentials but if you dig deep enough they are, in themusicologist’s opinion ones that are ever present….another vital ingredient would be the love of Soul, Blues, Rhythm & Blues…without this you can’t be Mod !! the aim is still to let the music do the talking and believe me I’m trying but the six/six/six is inspiring themusicologist to ‘nail me colours to the mast‘ .. hold this cut from his solo album, simply title...

musicology #85
2008-02-05 19:59:00
sixartist,sixtune,sixweekspecial #8 (Humble Pie feat Steve Marriott - Desperation) Round two of the Stevie Marriott selection finds the man dissilusioned with fame and looking for some ‘greener grass’, (in my experience a very common Mod trait), first and foremost the young man craved, and deserved, respect as a musician/performer/vocalist which was not possible, in his opinion, with the Small Faces as they were viewed as a bit of a pop/novelty band at the time. His passion for music far outweighed his desire for fame, although as a street rat on a paltry ‘bobby moore’ a week with a healthy appetite borne out of the only authentic 60’s revolution, (the consumer one), he needed some ‘reddies in the bin‘ This cut, (a Steppenwolf cover written by John Kay), is taken from the 1969 album As Safe As Yesterday Is, the first recorded outing with the band he put together for Peter Frampton…Humble Pie. consisting of Jerry Shirley on Drums, Gr...

musicology #84
2008-02-04 21:53:00
sixartist,sixtune,sixweekspecial #7 (Small Faces feat Steve Marriott - Afterglow) this week it’s all about the legend known as Steve Marriott. Small Faces/Humble Pie/Packet Of Three/Official Receivers front man who’s musical, vocal and performing talents were ten times larger than his physical stature. Following in the footsteps of original London Boy Joe Brown it was ‘little Stevie’, (together with the rest of the Small Faces), that put an authentic London sound on the musical map. This cut, (one of Steves personal favourites), is taken from the ground breaking LP Ogdens ‘ Nut Gone‘ Flake named in deference to the rolling tobacco, (Ogdens Flake) favoured by the band for wrapping spliffs that after smoking guaranteed your ‘nut’ was gone. Who else but the Small Faces used the London Vernacular?…pure Mod. Proud of their culture and Cockney heritage As with the previous ‘tribute’ themusicologist aims to let the music...

musicology #83
2008-02-03 21:25:00
sixartist,sixtune,sixweekspecial #6 (Sam Cooke - A Change Is Going To Come had to be this one to finish up the Sam Cooke tribute. one from themusicologist’s top10 tunes of all time, regardless of genre… another quote from the excellent book about Sam Cooke, (Dream Boogie), by Peter Guralnick “He had given Rene Hall the ‘civil rights’ song he had played for J.W (Alexander), with no specific instructions other than to provide it with the kind of instrumentation and orchestration that it demanded. Rene was in no doubt as to the momentousness of the charge. “I wanted it to be the greatest thing in my life……..” ’nuff said…

musicology #82
2008-02-02 17:57:00
sixartist,sixtune,sixweekspecial #5 (Sam Cooke - Bring It On Home To Me) if anyone needed reminding or convincing why the Lion is called Mr Soul hold this one from 1963 taken from what is possibly the best live album of all time. bold shout I know and I’m sure many could offer alternatives but whatever your subjective feelings about it…if you don’t own it..and you want one piece of Sam Cooke musicology ‘wrapped round yer vaults’…buy it…and even though the recording couldn’t possibly do the performance real justice for those of us that weren’t there its the best there is. a quote from the Sam Cooke book by Peter Guralnick about the show “Upstairs there was a balcony with tables for the patrons and a small office in which the recording engineers, Bob Simpson and Tony Salvatore, set up their equipment. They monitored the sound at a fairly desultory teenage matinee, then adjusted the microphone placement for the first even...

musicology #81
2008-02-01 14:11:00
sixartist,sixtune,sixweekspecial #4 (Sam Cooke - Driftin’ Blues) had to bite the bullet, wipe my hard drive and reinstall Windows yesterday so wasn’t able to ‘throw down’. Back in the hot seat now..with the techno issues done and dusted. out of the bonus cuts and back into the original tribute selection… this cut taken from his 1963 album ‘Mr Soul’ finds the man paying his own tribute to foundation vocalist Charles Brown, (a major influence for Sam, Ray Charles, Bobby Bland and a host of singers that followed), with a heartfelt rendition of Brown’s 1946 classic ‘Driftin’ Blues.

musicology #80
2008-01-30 19:36:00
sixartist,sixtune,sixweekspecial Sam Cooke Bonus #3 (Sam Cooke - Nobody Wants You When  You’re Down & Out) I know there are many out there wh o will be relating to and feeling this. no doubt that globally things are ’coming on top&rsquo ; for the man on the street and while the rich get richer “the little that the poor man  got it shall be taken away” ‘Boom And Bust’ baby&helli p;crash and burn .. my advice….fiddle this one while Rome burns. song written by Jimmy Cox, recorded for Sam’s 1961 album ’My Kind Of Blues” (Hugo & Luigi production)

musicology #79
2008-01-29 17:01:00
sixartist,sixtune,sixweekspecial Sam Cooke Bonus #2 (Sam Cooke w/ The Soul Stirrers - Were You There) even though Soul sprung from the well of gospel, (evident with the wealth of singers that sprung out of this tradition), there were certain ingredients that not many shared. only two artists, (of this period), managed to make the transition and shape the ‘new sound’. Sam Cooke and Clyde McPhatter before him. But only Sam stepped out of the gospel limelight to cast his long shadow over popular music in such a way. the greatest singers share the ability to communicate and deliver the message to all people regardless of personal beliefs and musical preference and this one taken from his final Soul Stirrers recording session in 1957 is an example of this special quality…not being a christian doesn’t stop me from feeling it deeply.