Remembering Black Eyed Sceva
I’ve never been a huge fan of a lot of what been called “Christian Music.” I don’t listen to Christian radio stations. I don’t follow Contemporary Christian Music. In fact, I have often wondered: “Why "Christian" Music Is Often So Bad.”
But there have always been exceptions. For example, I highly recommend you spend some time with my playlist Joyful Sounds: An Introduction to Sacred Steel. And, during college, there were a handful of bands who openly identified as “Christian Artists” (whatever that means) and incorporated their faith into their music without diluting either. Bands like Five O’Clock People, Plankeye, Poor Old Lu, Soulfood 76 and others. But, my favorite band of that time is by far Black Eyed Sceva (later known as Model Engine).
I still remember the first time I heard the group’s first album Way Before The Flood. I was in college and also serving as a volunteer Jr. High youth group leader. I had just found out that a longtime girlfriend had cheated on me and I remember sitting in the back of a car as we drove a couple of hours North for a Jr. High weekend winter retreat when my friend put that cassette.
I also remember buying Model Engine’s The Lean Year’s Tradition the same time I bought Bob Dylan’s Time Out of Mind at the old Zia Records location at 7th Avenue and Indian School. I was lucky enough to see the band several times in both incarnations and am happy to report that they were a terrific live band on top of everything else.
Your Google-Fu skills are probably better than mine but here are the three videos I could find on Youtube. The two were part of a promotional video that I’m pretty sure I had and included both the tour video and the live “Mudhouse” video. The other one is (to my knowledge,) the band’s only official music video and it is for one of their best-known tracks: “Justified.”
Enjoy!
And please let me know if you have other videos not included here (or audio recordings!).
Ani DiFranco: Sessions at West 54th
Another gem from the Sessions at West 54th vaults. Listings say that Tricky was also on this episode but I can’t find video of that. This was Season one with Host Chris Douridas and aired 12/13/97.
Sorry, no setlist. Maybe you know it?
Enjoy.
Liz Phair Live at Sessions At West 54th
Here’s Liz Phair live for Sessions at West 54th. Sorry, I don’t have a setlist for this one, do you? It was with host David Byrne which means that it was Season 02. This one originally aired 10/11/98. The video intro says that the Lounge Lizards also appeared on this episode but I couldn’t find that video. Please let me know if you come across it.
Oh, and Ronald Vaughan really wants us all to know who uploaded the video. We should thank him.
Enjoy.
PJ Harvey at Sessions At West 54th
PJ Harvey live for Sessions at West 54th with host David Byrne. 11/10/98.
Setlist:
Catherine
Civil War Correspondent
Taut My Beautiful Leah
I Think I'm a Mother
Is This Desire?
Meshell Ndegeocello: Sessions at West 54th
Today we return to the Sessions at West 54th archives. Meshell Ndegeocello live for Sessions at West 54th. Season 01 with host Chris Douridas (09/13/97).
Setlist:
Step in to the Projects
The Way
Ecclesiastes - Free my Heart
God Shiva
Players:
Meshell Ndegeocello - bass/keys/vocals,
Gene Lake - drums,
David Dyson - bass,
Federico Gonzalez Pena - Keys,
Allen Cato - guitar/vocals,
Byron Jackson - vocals,
Alfredo Mojica - percussion
The Upsetter: The Life and Music of Lee Scratch Perry
I have made no secret of my love for Dub music. And you can’t love Dub music without reckoning with Lee “Scratch” Perry.
Yesterday we watched the
Today we’re watching another documentary about Perry. This one narrated by Benicio Del Toro. The Upsetter: The Life and Music of Lee Scratch Perry.
Enjoy.
Lee Scratch Perry's Visions of Paradise
I have this personal website compartmentalized because I realize that not every one of my friends is interested in exactly the same set of things that I am. And that’s not only “OK”, it’s beautiful.
However, I think everyone should love Lee “Scratch” Perry. If you’re not familiar with this brilliant artist, I suggest you get familiar with Google.
And I also suggest starting with this off-beat documentary: Lee Scratch Perry's Vision of Paradise | True Godfather of Reggae.
Fulu Miziki Kinshasa Music Warriors
This is one of the best things I’ve seen in a long time. Someone on Twitter posted a link to the live video for the song“Quarantine time with Warrior music” (which I have included below) and I was hooked.
Back when I was doing the Global Elite Music Radio Podcast Supershow, this definitely would have been featured prominently. Enjoy these three videos and do some digging on your own. Lots to discover.
“Fulu Miziki is a collective of artists who comes straight from a future where humans have reconciled with mother earth and with themselves. This multidisciplinary collective of artists is based in the heart of the Congolese capital city Kinshasa and was founded by Pisko Crane. For several years now, it’s founder Pisko has spent an amount of time conceptualizing an orchestra made from objects found in the trash, constantly changing instruments, always in search of new sounds.
Couples of years ago, Pisko Crane joined efforts with performing artist Aicha Mena Kanieba who, with Le Meilleur, DeBoul, La Roche, Padou, Sekelembele, and Tche Tche formed the Eco-Afro-Futuristic punk ensemble Fulu Miziki. Making our own performance costumes, masks and instruments is essential to their approach of Fulu Miziki’s musical ideology. Their unique sound supports a pan-African message of artistic liberation, peace and a severe look at the ecological situation of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the whole world. For Fulu everything can be recovered and re-enchanted.”
Joe Henry Live At Sessions at West 54th
Joe Henry live for Sessions at West 54th, season 02 with an introduction by Billy Bob Thornton pretending to be Joe Henry. Sadly there is more Billy Bob than actual Joe and music on this but the two songs featured are great. Have you seen the full set anywhere around?
Setlist:
“Like She Was A Hammer”
“Great Lake”
Miles Davis :: Night Music With David Sanborn
“October 18, 1989
Chelsea Studios, New York City, New York
Miles Davis (tpt); Kenny Garrett (fl -1, as -2, 3); David Sanborn (as -1, 3); Joe "Foley" McCreary (g -1, 3); Adam Holzman (synth); Marcus Miller (el-b -1, 3, fretless el-b -2); Ricky Wellman (d); Don Alias (perc -1, 3)
Sellist:
Tutu
Mr. Pastorius
Hannibal
TV broadcast by NBC-TV: Night Music with David Sanborn”
Mike Oldfield 'Tubular Bells' Live at the BBC 1973
“Tubular Bells Live Performance on BBC TV
"BBC TV 2nd House Performance": live-in-the-studio performance for the BBC, filmed on 30 November 1973, originally broadcast on BBC2 on 1 December, with a cast including Oldfield, his brother Terry (flute), Fred Frith (and other members of Henry Cow), Steve Hillage, Pierre Moerlen, Tom Newman, Mike Ratledge, Mick Taylor, Karl Jenkins and others. It includes a new part for oboe.
This has been released on the Elements DVD and is on the 2009 reissue of Tubular Bells
Music copyright Mike Oldfield. Video copyright BBC.”
Mathias Eick Live at JazzBaltica 2015
“Jazz trumpeter Mathias Eick offers a different, modern view of jazz: wide, expansive pieces inspired by dreamy melodies, to which the violinist Erlend Viken contributes his own voice. Viken is one of the most distinguished folk musicians in Norway and will expand the colorful range of expression of the band by adding an individual facet.”
Cast:
Mathias Eick tp | Andreas Ulvo p | Erlend Viken vl | Audun Erlien b | Torstein Lofthus dr
www.jazzbaltica.de
Setlist:
Midwest // 00:00
Band Introductions // 06:06
Hem // 07:35
March // 13:20
At Sea // 19:55
Dakota // 27:04
Violin Solo // 36:03
Lost // 38:18
November // 45:00
Oslo (Encore) // 51:31
Huun‐Huur‐Tu Live at KEXP
Oh man, this is so good.
From Episode 19 of the Global Elite Music Radio Podcast Supershow:
“Huun-Huur-Tu are a music group from Tuva, a republic of Russia located right on the border of Mongolia and Russia. Huun-Huur-Tu is internationally known for their throat-singing, also known as “over-tone” singing. The singer produces “both the note (drone) and the drone's overtone(s), thus producing two or three notes simultaneously.”
“KEXP presents Huun‐Huur‐Tu performing live in the KEXP studio. Recorded August 15, 2017.”
Setlist:
Chyraa-Khoor (Yellow Pacer)
Konguroi (Sixty Horses in My Herd)
Odugen Taiga
Aa-Shuu Dekei-oo
Other Details:
Host: DJ Rhythma
Audio Engineer: Kevin Suggs
Cameras: Jim Beckmann, Alaia D'Alessandro & Justin Wilmore
Editor: Justin Wilmore
Like Huun-Huur-Tu on Facebook
Purchase Huun-Huur-Tu’s music on Amazon
Listen to ““Chyraa-Khoor” by Huun-Huur-Tu on Episode 19 of the Global Elite Music Radio Podcast Supershow or on the Holiday at the Sea music playlist Apothecary of Wonders.
Medeski Martin and Wood with DJ Logic Live: Sessions At West 54th
I still have this show on VHS.
I don’t have a VHS player.
Technically this doesn’t fall in the “I had this show via tape trading” category that a lot of things I post. I recorded this on to VHS directly from my faithful local PBS station. I remember watching it.
I don’t know if you remember, but Sessions at West 54th was a New York variation of Austin City Limits. Originally hosted by KCRW’s Chris Douridas, David Byrne took over hosting duties beginning of the second season while John Hiatt hosted the third season. Yes, PBS is that cool.
Enjoy:
I never took the time to write down a setlist but the Wikipedia blurb for this episode of the show (Season Two Episode 06 originally aired 08/14/98) lists:
Wiggly's Way
Coconut Boogaloo
Latin Shuffle
Enjoy.
The Smiths, Top Of The Pops (1983 - 1985)
“Top of The Pops performances ranging from '83 to '85 are now available on The Smiths' official YouTube Channel. 'Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now', 'William, It Was Really Nothing', 'How Soon Is Now?' and 'This Charming Man' are all available to watch now.”
“This Charming Man” (Live on Top of The Pops '83)
“Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now” (Live on Top of The Pops '84)
“William, It Was Really Nothing (Live on Top of The Pops '84)
“How Soon is Now?” (Live on Top of The Pops '85)
The band also recently released several remastered official music videos:
Ramsay Midwood Live At Sam's Town Point
Holiday at the Sea favorite Ramsay Midwood recently posted a four-song set to help raise money to keep Sam’s Town Point going.
“4 songs and some chatter...and a chance to fund a bar and some musicians you might like... “
Faran Ensemble Live
Israel’s Faran Ensemble live “Mezrab recording from 2015-04-22.”
I first heard Faran Ensemble while looking for music for the Global Elite Music Radio Podcast Supershow and their track “Reflection” appeared on Episode 03.
I couldn’t find a setlist for this show but there was some commentary on the video’s page which is included below.
Enjoy.
“The Faran Ensemble was formed in 2009 by three musicians sharing similar musical vibes and values, who decided to embark together on a spiritual quest. Their journey, expressed in music and sound, reflects the beauty of nature, travelling through different sceneries, from the clean and quiet desert to luscious green hills, sometimes even passing through the hectic noise of the city.
Their instruments belong to the ancient traditions of the east, allowing the musicians to combine mystical sounds with modern influences. In their music, Mediterranean landscapes weave an enchanted soundscape, a magic carpet to take the listener on a voyage to faraway lands.
The ensemble’s name, Faran, refers to Wadi Faran, a dry desert riverbed which in winter fills with water and life and in summer is silent and pristine. The Faran crosses three countries, but ignores all artificial human borders.”
The Paradise Bangkok Molam International Band
So much to tell you about here.
Music-loving, like life, is a journey of learning and exploration. I recently posted a live session by Sarathy Korwar and friends for a site called The Boiler Room. I featured Korwar’s track “"Bismillah" from his 2016 album Day To Day on Episode 08 of The Global Elite Music Radio Podcast Supershow.
I had not heard of The Boiler Room before this but I have since become quite enamored. Their Facebook “About” section says:
“Boiler Room televises underground music as it happens from around the world to a massive online community. By doing so, we create windows into scenes and sounds from every corner of the globe, connecting millions of music heads with the specific music they love. This communal participation has redrawn the map for underground culture and proven that mass audiences now subscribe to alternative choice.”
And that’s a vision I can get behind.
I recently came across a 2016 live set from The Paradise Bangkok Molam International Band. I featured the band’s Thai band’s song "Lai Wua (Chasing the Cow)" from their 2016 album Planet Lam on Episode 11 of The Global Elite Music Radio Podcast Supershow.
There is a link on the video’s Youtube page that says: “TRACKLIST & DOWNLOAD HERE” but the link doesn’t go to anything and the video’s page at the Boiler Room page doesn’t include a setlist so if you have that information it would be greatly appreciated. Though not knowing the song titles (or words for that matter) doesn’t inhibit the global choogle.