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Consecutive Compendium of Culture – Operatic pop, Old school hip hop, Orchestral jazz, Outlaw Country, Outsider Music – Oi! Open out oodles of optimum offerings

by 81 Comments

Oh joy!
Once again, another OP inviting all sorts of favourite cultural clippage, this time with the theme ‘O’

So, step through Georgia O’Keefe’s magnificent O, and let’s gOOOOOO!

First from me is O Superman (the beginnning of my infatuation) -:

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Comments

  3. O Waly Waly

    Benjamin Britten on the piano and Peter Pearce singing.
    Enough alliteration, already!
    This version was used at the end of Terence Davies’ film Distant Voices, Still Lives. My favourite ever British film.

  6. Ohio Penitentiary 511 Jazz Ensemble – “Hard Luck Soul” (1971)

    Here’s an unusual and remarkable record – and a good’un, too.

    There have been quite a few albums recorded by artists at prisons – Johnny Cash’s famous two come to mind. But there haven’t been too many albums made by INMATES in prisons.

    I’ll let the Jazzman site take up the story for a bit:

    “Band leader Reynard Birtha was originally from North Carolina, where he played in a band called ‘The Outer Limits’ before getting into a scrape with the law and being incarcerated by the local Sheriff’s office. During a stint on a Southern style road gang he escaped and ended up in Cincinnati, and through a mutual passion for music he met fellow musician Logan Rollins, nephew of jazz legend Sonny Rollins. They became friends and jammed at local clubs before both ended up in the State penitentiary, for reasons not entirely clear. At the time it was customary for musicians to visit the prison and give concerts, especially during the Christmas period. Reynard remembers renowned musicians such as Art Blakey and Kai Winding giving recitals at the prison. These visits were not only a source of entertainment for the prisoners, but they were also a source of inspiration for musicians like Reynard. He and Logan formed the 511 Jazz Ensemble, incorporating the remnants of the prison Pit Band. Reynard recalls that “the number 511 was the PO box address of the prison, and we would perform in the yard during every holiday, while the prisoners marched around and got their food”.

    Both Reynard and Logan had been to music conservatory and could read, write and arrange music as well as play in any musical key, unlike most of the rest of the band, which gave rise to difficulties in keeping the project going. However, with their enthusiasm and perseverance came success, when the visiting Ohio State University Band were so impressed after jamming with the inmates that they returned to make a record. Funding was put forward by a wealthy club owner and his conglomerates from Columbus, microphones and studio equipment were brought in from the outside and the recordings were made in the auditorium of the prison chapel.”

    The album was put out as a modest private pressing of only a couple of hundred copies or something, and was more or less unknown until Jazzman re-released it a few years ago. If you’re a jazzer, it’s well worth a listen. A lot of fun. It was the only record that the Ohio Penitentiary 511 Jazz Ensemble ever made, as the band’s two leading lights were released shortly thereafter.

  14. Soul Jazz Records confirmed their excellent taste by reissuing all 4 of New Jersey Latin funksters Ocho’s albums. All are good, Numero Tres the album from which this cover of JBs Hot Pants Road is taken, smokes from start to finish.

  17. Only Ones – Another Girl Another Planet

    Yes, I know just about everyone knows this track, and there are plenty of other worthy Only Ones tunes, but just listen to it …

    F***ing Superb!

  21. Hazel O’Connor – Eighth Day

    Featuring the bloke from Quadrophenia and The Bill on Guitar, Sam Lowry (Brazil) on Saxophone, and Gary Tibbs on Bass. They were managed by Jimmy Cooper after he crashed his Scooter and returned to life in London.
    (or maybe the film wasn’t a documentary?)

  31. Ólafur Arnalds, from Iceland.

    (Ljósid) The last letter of the title is a weird backwards 6 looking thing with a stroke through the top bit, which I can’t find to replicate. I’ve decided it’s a lower-case D for our purposes.

    I can’t figure out how this accompanying clip was filmed, but it’s very interesting.

  38. Don Was and Sweet Pea Atkinson reinterpret Hank Williams. With the able assistance of Herbie Hancock.

    (Orquestra Was – Forever’s a Long, Long Time)

      • All I know is that they are/were from the Democratic Republic of Congo, or Zaire as it used to be called. This track is from the 70s and it’s on one of the many compilations of African music that I own (“Afro-Rock Vol.1” to be precise).
        I’m pretty sure the liner notes have something to say about who they were, but my CD library is in absolute chaos these days, so I wouldn’t even know where to begin looking for it! Sorry!

  47. Ayub Ogada

    The Kenyan nyatiti player and vocalist Ayub Ogada made a wonderful album for Real World records about 25 years ago, called “En Mana Kuoyo”.
    After that, he was below the radar for a long while, until reappearing earlier this year with a new album “Kodhi” made with Englishamn Trevor Warren. I must get around to buying it soon.

    Anyway, “En Mana Kuoyo” has had many, many plays over the years here at duco Towers. Here’s why…

    • “Rain is coming” – as I just confirmed on Google, is the title of a song I player many nights to my daughter as a good night lullaby, @duco01 – I saw Ayub Ogada at Morecambe WOMAD many years ago and he was riveting, just him, his ankle bells, his lyre and his voice.
      Thanks for posting.

    • Very interesting. Despite having a Kenyan sister-in-law and having visited the country many times, I’ve had very little exposure to Kenyan music, despite best efforts. As ever, my musical education comes from an Afterworder living in Sweden!

  51. I sort of overlooked the new Wire album a bit as I bought a few other things at the same time, but have caught up with it over the last couple of weeks and it’s really rather good. Especially this:

    (“Octopus” – Wire)

  53. ‘O’
    The film O is nowhere near as bad as it sounds on paper: Josh Harnett in a teen high school movie based on Othello (same story but in a modern setting, its dialogue completely unrelated to Shakespeare). It’s quite dark and violent. Not amazing, but worth watching. 3 stars from me.

  56. Faces – Ooh La La

    Lead vocal by Ronnie Wood.
    Two versions were recorded, one with Rod and one with Ronnie.
    The producer preferred Ronnie’s take, and Rod had to wait until 1998 to have his voice on a commercially released version (on covers album When We Were The New Boys)

  57. This is the only track of Olav Brekke Mathieson’s that I know. It was on a free CD on the front of Jockey Slut magazine, and it is a lovely little bit of Norwegian cosmic house. I think the dialogue is all from Futurama

  63. Thanks to everyone who posted on this thread. I’ve been away on holiday since I started it, so haven’t had the time yet to listen to ask the offerings, but I will.

    I’ll be inviting you to take the ‘P’ when I’m back in Bonn – probably on Saturday.

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