Philip Lynott - Old Town

A real classic from Lynott's second and last solo album.




Old Town
Philip Lynott
from The Philip Lynott Album (1982)

John Fogerty - Vanz Kant Danz

How about some weekend Synth-Swamp?




Vanz Kant Danz
John Fogerty
from Centerfield (1985)

Willie Colon & Hector Lavoe - Guajira Ven

It's a cold, wet, grey, miserable day... time for salsa!




Guajira Ven
Willie Colon & Hector Lavoe
from Lo Mato (1973)

Chalawa - Jamming

ice cold.




Jamming
Chalawa
from Exodus Dub (1977)

Cassiano - Onda

perfection.




Onda
Cassiano
from Cuban Soul - 18 Kilates (1976)

Ya Rayah

Ya Rayah (يا الرايح) is a song written and recorded around 1973 by the Algerian Chaabi singer, Dahmane el Harrachi. Its lyrics speak of the pain and longing involved in emigrating from ones native homeland to a foreign and strange country.

Whilst El Harrachi was referring to leaving his native Algeria for France, the universal appeal of his words have seen the song covered by many artists of different nationalities. Here's a pick of some of my favourites...

Goran Bregovic's arrangement for Greek singer George Dalaras, fellow Algerian Rachid Taha's famous adaptation from 1998, as well as a brilliant interpretation by the Israeli group, Orchestre Andalou D'Israel.



Ya Rayah
Dahmane El Harrachi
from Le Chaabi - Volume I (1973)




Ki An Se Thelo
George Dalaras with Goran Bregovic
from Thessaloniki - Yannena with Two Canvas Shoes (1997)






Ya Rayah
Rachid Taha
from Diwan (1998)




Ya Rayah
Orchestre Andalou D'Israel with Emil Zirhan
from Maghreb I (2000)

Prince - Rockhard In A Funky Place

"I just hate to see an erection go to waste..."




Rockhard In A Funky Place
Prince
from Black Album (1987)

Ed Motta

I'll be honest in saying that's it's extremely rare for me to find a modern-day singer-songwriter that really excites me, but Ed Motta certainly belongs to that elite few. He is famously the nephew of the legendary Brazilian singer Tim Maia, although a consistently solid output of music between 1990 to the present day has made Ed Motta well and truly an artist in his own right. Motta's music draws influence from acts as diverse as Steely Dan, Donny Hathaway, John Coltrane as well as Brazilian greats like Moacir Santos and of course Maia and the rich MPB tradition. His long-player output tends to fluctuate in genre, with some albums being heavily jazz-based and others more in the vein of a soulful-pop sound. I am going to focus on the pop side of Motta's music here; partly because its more accessible, but also because I really just want to give you a taster. His albums are pretty much all worth getting hold of, and so I urge you to check them out!

I have included music here from three of Ed Motta's albums of the past decade including his latest release Piquenique, the title track of which was my probably favourite song of 2009.


Dez Mais Um Amor
Assim, Assim
from As Segundas Intenções Do Manual Practico (2000)





Tem Espaço Na Van
Coincidência
from Poptical (2003)





Minha Vida Toda Com Você
Piquenique
from Piquenique (2009)

Sylvester

This sends a shiver down my spine every time I hear it! Two amazing voices here: The late Sylvester and one half of Two Tons O' Fun, Martha Wash.




Medley: Could It Be Magic/A Song For You
Sylvester
from Living Proof (1979)