Katmandoo

For Gary P.

My daughter recently purchased one of those iPod dock thingiis that amplify your mp3 music. Man that thing makes a racket ... a criminal racket.

Which, although it has nothing to do with anything, brings us to Elisabeth Katmandoo

Well, actually, it's Elisabeth Kontomanou but I can't pronounce that name let alone remember it, so Katmandoo it's gonna be. (Con-tom-a-no?)

This lady's vocals are strong and vibrant, but it's her sense of rhythm that gets to me, she can be in and out of a whole mix of rhythms like it ain't nobody's business, and she pulls it off every time ... flawlessly.

Trouble, though, with this 'Lisbeth lady is that YouTube, which I utilise to "demonstrate my point" on certain musical topics, has like zilch Elisabeth Kontomanou clips that I can track down apart from this 12 second clip below. Well, anything's better 'n nuffin' I guess, but since my friend Gary likes the blues, and I mean like there's a whole world of blues out there like everyone is already aware of, electric, acoustic, avant g... ah forget it, but you see we's Sonic Explorers, bringin' you the best of the rest so God Hisself don't know where we likely t' end up.

Ace of Clubs

In 1965 (thereabouts) I bought one of those cheaper label Ace of Clubs blues compilation records on glorious twelve inch vinyl (no, I wasn't buying bakelite, I'm not really that old). The Ace of Clubs label was a bit obscure t' ordinary folk but all the blues fans knew it well. It's possible you might remember that John Mayall's "The Blues Alone" was first released on Ace of Clubs.

Anyhow, to cut a long rave in half, this blues compilation record had a few tracks of the unforgettable Otis Spann. Till then, I'd never really heard of the man, since then, I never forgot him.

I think you're gonna like this ...

First, the whole 12 seconds of the Kat lady ... followed by Otis Spann.

Jazz Middelheim 2008 - Elisabeth Kontomanou




Otis Spann - T'Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do





Joy to all beings
cha
terrence