Music for Swedish Jazz Lovers

Date
August 3, 2014

Miracler
Paul Rhodes

Location
London

And we're back
After a brief summer respite, the Prodge is back on its feet and ready for some groovy fog-clearing tunes. I'm thrilled to welcome back Mr. Paul Rhodes, who in Dec. 2012 created a hot freshman mix, From the Mouths of Innocents, which featured a bunch of stuff that was new to the 3MPM. Today he does it again—iTunes was all 'Whuhhh?' as I typed in new guy after new guy in the Artist box. Thanks, Paul, and thanks in advance to those who will comment on this in a timely manner so we can get back on schedule. Enjoy some M4SJL, friends! 

Things you said about From the Mouths of Innocents:
No one was kidding when they said we were in for a treat. This mix is loaded with such lovely songs, all sounding from far away and long ago.    /    More than half of these bands / musicians are unfamiliar to me, but all the songs are new. The Sam Cooke and Soul Stirrers song makes me miss him all the more. Appletree theatre - oh my! And the Great Lake Swimmers' song is heartbreaking.    /    Thank you Paul, we are lucky to have you amongst us in the 3mpm prodge!    /    Listen, I've known Paul since well before the turn of the century, and let me tell you, you're in for a treat, as I have been all these years. The thing is, I just trust his impeccable taste. If Paul told me to go buy the new Sarah Brightman Christmas collection, I'd buy it (though I'd quickly schedule elective dental surgery to put off the purchase as long as possible).    /    From the title I got excited. Temple of the Dog reference? Right in step with the grunge bender I've been on. So a quick scan of the liner notes ... hmm. Okay, noted, that was just me. But MARILLION?! Yeah. That totally trumps TotD. And the Fish/Phil comparision can get filed under 'Six Degrees of Kate Bush'. Thanks Paul!    /    Nice one-two opening Gene Clarky punch with the Sadies and the Rough Riders. Saw Great Lake Swimmers in Ann Arbor last year. Great show. Marillon is a band whose albums I saw for many years in the bins, but never actually heard. Yeah, there's some Collins in there, but I like the "Wind and Wuthering" era, which this seems lifted from. The Appletree Theater track may be my favorite - dang, 45 years old, but sounds like it could've been laid down a couple of hours ago. Cheers Paul. Thanks for joining up.    /    This is a great mix. Cosmic Rough Riders hooked me right in. The Percy Sledge cut is an moving classic. And Marillion, WOW. What a wonderful surprise. Sam Cooke is delightful, always. Thank you, Paul.    /    Wow. It includes a prog rock song, but NO Zero 7. And yet this mix will STILL get you laid. Well done, sir!    /    A very fine mix indeed! Standouts for me were the pair of opening numbers, the Percy Sledge, and the Appletree Theatre. Marrillion is a band that I'd seen referenced all over but hadn't actually heard until now-- some nice proggy goodness for sure (and sounded much more Genesis than solo PC to me, fwiw).     /   What a lovely mix. So much mellow prettiness! And all new to my ears. Thank you. Thank you.     /    I am really enjoying this Cosmic Rough Riders song. Your mix has been popping up a bunch this week on my shuffle and I'm really getting to realize the degree to which it is quite the layered mix! Some subtle seduction in here, indeed.... (See! Doug was right!)

Liner Notes by PR

 “Buried treasure”. “Long lost classic”. “Never before on CD!” The search for the song I heard once long ago, gathered together here for the first time!

Is it just me or are those marketing words irresistible? Many of these lost classics turn out to be anything but, deserving of their spot in obscurity. Yet most contain some form of buried treasure. The question is, do these tracks hang together. I’ll leave that question with you.

Jan Johansson died young but leaves a small but cultish popular legacy. It also starts things on the necessary smooth note, if you get my drift?

Little Willie John’s long lost 1966 is rather a curate’s egg, but this one was apparently popular at Northern Soul nights on Wigan Pier. Another early death to fuel the cultist’s interest.

James Grant doesn’t really fit, as this Scot is simply obscure, not lost. This stately song from 1998 sums up my worldview in many ways!

Jim Croce is a guilty pleasure of mine; after being exposed to his music at an impressionable age. Having tracked down an out of print 1975 LP “The Faces I’ve Been” my favourite track was this one song by Jim’s guitarist. Imagine my delight when his sister somehow persuaded a record company to reissue not only his sole 1970 LP but also this collection of demos; and Mary.

Gene Clark needs no introductions, but his music is un-deservedly under-appreciated. This is from a lovely album of demos for one of his finest, White Light.

Kathy Smith seemingly produced one album in 1968 then disappeared from view. A period piece to be sure, but a giddy pleasure.

Step forward the Monks. My friend spent serious money on this re-issue and this is the only track I was taken with.

David was also responsible for discovering Edgar Jones Jones, a Liverpudlian who sounds like he could be Garnet Mimms. Now sadly in obscurity, as the costs of keeping his soulful band on the road were too great.

Stuck in traffic for hours, bridges closed and crawling through central London at 1am. Not the most auspicious circumstances to be introduced to a new entry to the ‘long lost’ performers list. The Mighty Joe Young was the highpoint in that 12 hour journey with a number that recalls Shuggie Otis and others that took a soulful take on the blues.

Eclection are another one album wonder from the sixties. The singer Georg Kajanus had enviably exotic parentage and this lovely long lost single make for an enticing package

Emily is an American in Paris who released just one ‘psych-folk’ classic before becoming an under the radar songwriter for others. Like Eclection this is all about period feel.

The White Plains appear to have been popular, so their presence here is questionable. However, they are very obscure in the UK, and this nursery rhyme type song standout. A Rhodes family favourite.

Chris TT is a Brighton based performer who had a go at translating some classic AA Milne to music, but it continues the nursery rhyme theme.

John Phillips’ reissued 1970 album Wolfking of LA was my soundtrack throughout 2007 and Elvis considered this for a single. A shame he passed as it is a rollicking way to conclude, and for me Jim Burton’s guitar playing is simply heaven-sent.

Thank you for helping these songs escape ignominious obscurity!

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