Obscure 45rpm artifact on a one-off label – the artist remains mysterious, originally from Detroit, apparently he later relocated to the Southwest. An anthem of sorts, the rough-hewn yet melodic folk sound of ‘Magic Wand’ oddly foreshadows the sound of early 90s bedroom-four-trackers. Listen
Unique ‘afro-synth’ 45 out of Detroit on the Natural label – engineered by Detroit bluesman Bobo Jenkins – likely at his own studio on Joy Road. Jenkins had a long history in the Detroit music scene – stretching back to ‘Democrat Blues’ on Chess (1954). By the 70′s he was producing artists for his own [...]
Utterly obscure 45rpm single featuring jazz organist Larry Young – released on a local New Jersey label – undated, but presumably from his early 70′s ‘Lawrence of Newark’ phase – once dubbed ‘The Coltrane of the Organ’ – Larry Young is fairly well known as far as cult jazz figures go – this recording however, [...]
Off-the-wall (yet very catchy) mix of Hank Williams & Yma Sumac – another obscure title produced at the Fenton studio in Grand Rapids – in my private mindgarden this is a deep funk floorfiller. [Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Obscure acid rock stomper from Grand Rapids Michigan: fuzzy dual guitar shredding and psychedelic Leslie speaker vocals are backed by clattering drums & shaker action. An imaginative friend of mine once wrote that this group was likely “aiming for Cream, but ended up with something hipper, a band likely to appear on a 1968 bill [...]