Chosen Ones

Despite an old post by Mallachi Mullingan on the subject many moons ago, I think the music of the Abayudaya people of Uganda is worth of another mention. None of the writers of this blog live in Marin yet some of us can share the rare privilege of calling some of this beautiful African music our own without feeling ourselves worthy of 40 lashes. In 1919 the tribal leader of the Abayudaya people, Semi Kakungulu grew fed up with the rapidly encroaching tentacles of Christian missionaries and Islamic leaders. As a reflection of his resentment and deep commitment to the Old Testament, he circumcised his family and called the tribe Jewish. Nowadays the tribe numbers 600 and practices a unique brand of Judaism developed in isolation from any actual Certified Jews. AKA Totally DIY. The music is an awesome reinterpretation of Jewish folk songs with Ugandan tunes and melodies. Also, check out the last song for proof that the spirit of Adonai can compel even the typically soulful High-life synth to take on a charmingly syncopated akwardness.

Adon olam (master of the world)
Hinei ma tov (behold how good it is for brothers to dwell together)
Ali omu yekka (my only one)

All of the songs from Abayudaya: Music from the Jewish People of Uganda GET IT!

Jungle Rot

Sometimes albums seem to come along right in time...to articulate
how it feels to have to work instead of driving off into the sunset,
maybe?

George Brigman - "It's Misery"
George Brigman - "Jungle Rot"
George Brigman - "Worrying"

from the album Jungle Rot, originally released in 1975
on Brigman's own Baltimore-based label, Solid Records.

Filthy Lucre

Is it just me or does Stephon's "Max-Contract" talk paired with discussion of buying out his contract suggest some novel and unavoidable parallels with the Great Rock & Roll Swindle? Getting signed to one record label after another, maxing out and moving on. The Dollar once again proves itself to be ultimate jam, leaving the Lost Potential narrative in the lurch along with the Bad News Bears teamwork myth I love so much. We have a League of Hustlers and Staten Island's Finest has become the genius punk version of our beloved Scarface myth he benefits by existing against society, gaining from its hate as his body renders him increasingly unable to produce work worthy of its love.

Unofficial Video

This is the best

World Wide Glob

Since the beginning of cyber-time the spinning globe animation has been ubiquitous with the global village efficiency of the internet. To celebrate my party-less birthday tomorrow I have assembled a mighty collection of globes, as a present to myself, for you to enjoy and for goodwill in True Panther's battle for global suppremacy as it stretches its candied tentacles further and further around our world next year.

Jimi Hendrix' Birthday!!!!!

....oh wait, never mind. It's not his birthday at all.

Dieman Noba Smoke Tafee

Faithful True Panther readers have heard S.E Rogie's tinny dueling-guitar shuffle before. If you've heard or you haven't, Sooliman is your old Sierra Leonean friend that I insist you let into your house at once. Palm wine is made by tapping the base of a Palm Tree and fermenting the sap. S.E. Rogie's Palm Wine music songs come from laying tuneful frolicking guitars and egg shakers onto tape, letting them ferment on the reels and letting them warble to your heart against all known emotional defenses.

After becoming the most King of Palm Wine Guitar in Sierra Leone he casually toured elementary and high schools in Liberia and the US with his African Folk and Culture Show before moving back to Sierrra Leone to record an album called "Dead Men Don't Smoke Marijuana" mere months before his own death. Truly fortified! These songs are relics from the beginning of his career, egg-shell shufflers that evoke westerners like Buddy Holly and Kevin Ayers while staying true to the wise spirit sounds of African folk and High Life music. The intermingling guitar melodies, bottle percussion and claves are hypnotically simple and so beautiful!

S.E. Rogie- Toomus Mermereh Nor Good (from Africa Dances)
S.E. Rogie- Do Me Justice (from Palm Wine Guitar Music)
S.E. Rogie- Please Go Easy With Me (from Palm Wine Guitar Music)
S.E. Rogie- My Lovely Elizabeth (from Palm Wine Guitar Music)
S.E. Rogie- I Wish I Was a Cowboy (from Palm Wine Guitar Music)

Post-It Notes!

My Name Is Mudd

In my domestic opinion, living with a graffiti writer and all his friends is muy dificil. Empty beer cans, newspapers and spray paint everywhere, smelly feet, odd hours, ETC. Luckily though, you can't smell a stinky sock over the internets so I've been having no problem at all enjoying my time with S.F's new outpost of art and photography Muddguts.com. Mark's one of the smartest, kindest dudes around the Bay Area and he's done a great job of curating the work of his friends and into a really sweet website. Get it Mark!

Magic Carpet Ride

Alice Coltrane - Going Home (from "Lord of Lords," 1972)

A trippy opus adapted from the gospel hymn "Going Home" and spun into a harp-filled, euphoric crescendo by Alice Coltrane. Sounds like: Terry Riley meets Anton Dvorak at the gates of heaven. These are some of the original lyrics to the spiritual:

            Morning Star lights the way;
            Restless dream all done;
            Shadows gone, break of day,
            Life has just begun.
            Every tear wiped away,
            Pain and sickness gone;
            Wide awake there with Him!
            Peace goes on and on!
            Going home, going home,
            I'll be going home.
            See the Light! See the Sun!
            I'm just going home.

Picking Finger

ATTENTION ATTENTION ATTENTION

I've been working on this project on and off for a couple of months now. This is 10 POWER PACKED MINUTES of ripping, shredding guitar solos. ONLY THE SOLOS. This is just my first draft so please give any and all feedback- in the comments section . I hope to one day work on a much longer full "mixtape" version but this will have to do for now.

Guitar Solos Mix!!!!!!