***NOTE: The Chandra EP has been reissued on my new Cantor Records imprint. It is vinyl and digital ONLY and can be purchased through Other Music or my web-site (www.cantorrecords.com). The package includes 4 unreleased tracks recorded with the Chandra Dimension as well as a 32-page booklet! *** I have to thank Waxidermy for this [...]
Here’s a recording of an 11th annual concert hosted by the Hollywood Bowl to showcase teenage musicians and singers. The participants are either independent or associated with high schools. There’s your standard horn heavy stage band numbers from Montebello, Dorsey and Pico Rivera High Schools, as well as contributions from folk duos, such as Two [...]
Simply put; this is one of the most amazing and entertaining records I’ve ever heard. It’s a truly fascinating slice of life that does not cease to astonish upon repeated listens, and makes one wish that more things like this had been preserved for the ages. The songs, anecdotes, and a capella gang wars of [...]
“I hear you still buy records, what kind of music do you like?” “Well, lately I’ve been listening to this odd electro-medieval-kiddie record.” ” Oh . . . silly me, I still haven’t said hi to the host yet. Nice to meet you.” Listen
Possibly the most f*cked up album I own. Listen, but don’t say I didn’t warn ‘ya!
I will buy just about any record of kids singing/playing pop songs that I know and like – so, needless to say, I end up buying a lot records like this one. Most of the time they are just totally unremarkable. I won’t say horrible because truly horrible music is as hard to come by [...]
When I Met You is a live recording of an original musical written by students at Avalon Juniour High (Edmonton, Alberta). I bought it because I know some people who went to this school and knew they would get a kick out of it. The majority of the album is exactly what I expected; a [...]
I’m not going to go into the differences between the cultures of Japan and the United States, specifically in the realm of education, but suffice it to say that they’re different. Very different. The Yamaha Music Education System exists to create accomplished musicians at a young age and bring out the full potential of musical [...]
I grew up near Anaheim, CA, which is where Hope High the school for developmentally disable kids that spawned the Hi Hopes is. So, I’m sorta partial to them even though their records are not very good. Well, I mean they are “good” for records of music made by, to use the liner notes’ not [...]
Extraordinary, unusual, original …
For the most part this is an average to below average youth choir/band lp. However, there is a flash of brilliance in their version of “Summer Breeze” – which is absolutely delightful! Reminds me of something off one of those Langley School lp’s. I’d like to tell you more about this record, but liner notes [...]
Colby is a robot who’s programmer input the entire Bible into his memory. When Colby gets excited about a particular verse from the Bible he makes a song out of it.
Absolutely compelling music made by little black school children. I often see this described as a “funk record”, but I feel that is somewhat misleading and probably has some people expecting a Jackson 5/Sylvers type thing, which it isn’t. What we do have here is far more interesting. Just Dupree on piano & the kid’s [...]