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CL's Favourite Albums - by musicians of colour

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    edited November 2017
    The Isley Brothers album 3+3.....released 1973.
    Includes the full length version of Summer Breeze which has the amazing Ernie Isley guitar solo, which never gets air time on radio stations as it’s tagged on the end and the shorter version fits in better for air time plays........which is really scandalous.
    I’d make a bet that the majority of DJ’s have never even heard the full version......and as such neither has the general public.
    It’s like it doesn’t exist.
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    The Isley Brothers album 3+3.....released 1973.
    Includes the full length version of Summer Breeze which has the amazing Ernie Isley guitar solo, which never gets air time on radio stations as it’s tagged on the end and the shorter version fits in better for air time plays........which is really scandalous.
    I’d make a bet that the majority of DJ’s have never even heard the full version......and as such neither has the general public.
    It’s like it doesn’t exist.

    The single was released with the solo continued on the 'b' side. When I was young and nifty with cassette tapes it was possible to align the two sides together to get the whole thing.
    I wasn't rich enough to buy the whole album poor me, thinking back I might even have borrowed the single to do the recording.
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    seth plum said:

    The Isley Brothers album 3+3.....released 1973.
    Includes the full length version of Summer Breeze which has the amazing Ernie Isley guitar solo, which never gets air time on radio stations as it’s tagged on the end and the shorter version fits in better for air time plays........which is really scandalous.
    I’d make a bet that the majority of DJ’s have never even heard the full version......and as such neither has the general public.
    It’s like it doesn’t exist.

    The single was released with the solo continued on the 'b' side. When I was young and nifty with cassette tapes it was possible to align the two sides together to get the whole thing.
    I wasn't rich enough to buy the whole album poor me, thinking back I might even have borrowed the single to do the recording.
    Interesting seth.
    It’s a fantastic piece of guitar wizardry isn’t it. Sad so many people over the years have never got to hear it......or even know of it’s existence.
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    seth plum said:

    The Isley Brothers album 3+3.....released 1973.
    Includes the full length version of Summer Breeze which has the amazing Ernie Isley guitar solo, which never gets air time on radio stations as it’s tagged on the end and the shorter version fits in better for air time plays........which is really scandalous.
    I’d make a bet that the majority of DJ’s have never even heard the full version......and as such neither has the general public.
    It’s like it doesn’t exist.

    The single was released with the solo continued on the 'b' side. When I was young and nifty with cassette tapes it was possible to align the two sides together to get the whole thing.
    I wasn't rich enough to buy the whole album poor me, thinking back I might even have borrowed the single to do the recording.
    Interesting seth.
    It’s a fantastic piece of guitar wizardry isn’t it. Sad so many people over the years have never got to hear it......or even know of it’s existence.
    Summer Breeze in it's entirety is wonderful, I would describe the guitar solo as beautiful rather than technically 'wizard' but I know what you mean.
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    edited November 2017
    Thank you PaddyP17 for great effort (and such a civilized one too).
    Just one small point.
    I used the term 'pink' to symbolize not only the colour, but the language (English).
    The fact that we are completely ignoring all the great Brazilian musicians (Tom Jobim, Gilberto Gill, Ivan Linz, Milton Nascimento, Caetano Veloso, Chico Buarque, Elis Regina and many others). The fantastic French (and dare I mention Belgian) Chansonairs like Brassense, Brel, Gainsbourg moustaki.
    The irresistible Paolo Conte (Italy) Vladimir Visotzky (Russia) and many others from other languages. All important meaningful artists that had huge influence on people like Elvis Costello, David Byrne, Bowie, or Tom Waits.
    Ah... and it's ok not to understand the lyrics.
    I grew up in a non English speaking country singing "Chelsea is my way" as the opening line to the Beatles' 'We can work it out' and made it my own. If you must, you can google the words but i prefer not to. Like Opera, but thats for another thread...
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    Are you experienced, axis bold as love and electric ladyland by the Jimmy Hendrix experience. Ok, so two thirds white, so I'll throw in the Band of Gypsies album for good measure.

    Most of the black music I have is in soul and funk compilations. The Stax Story boxed set is a good place to start. And many Stevie Wonder albums... Talking book my fave

    Some other good world music names include Femi and Fela Kuti, Ba Sissoko and Akli D.
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    Thank you PaddyP17 for great effort (and such a civilized one too).
    Just one small point.
    I used the term 'pink' to symbolize not only the colour, but the language (English).
    The fact that we are completely ignoring all the great Brazilian musicians (Tom Jobim, Gilberto Gill, Ivan Linz, Milton Nascimento, Caetano Veloso, Chico Buarque, Elis Regina and many others). The fantastic French (and dare I mention Belgian) Chansonairs like Brassense, Brel, Gainsbourg moustaki.
    The irresistible Paolo Conte (Italy) Vladimir Visotzky (Russia) and many others from other languages. All important meaningful artists that had huge influence on people like Elvis Costello, David Byrne, Bowie, or Tom Waits.
    Ah... and it's ok not to understand the lyrics.
    I grew up in a non English speaking country singing "Chelsea is my way" as the opening line to the Beatles' 'We can work it out' and made it my own. If you must, you can google the words but i prefer not to. Like Opera, but thats for another thread...

    That's very true and a very good point re language - Joao Gilberto; Seu Jorge; Raghu Dixit; Edith Piaf... the list will go on!
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    PaddyP17 said:

    Thank you PaddyP17 for great effort (and such a civilized one too).
    Just one small point.
    I used the term 'pink' to symbolize not only the colour, but the language (English).
    The fact that we are completely ignoring all the great Brazilian musicians (Tom Jobim, Gilberto Gill, Ivan Linz, Milton Nascimento, Caetano Veloso, Chico Buarque, Elis Regina and many others). The fantastic French (and dare I mention Belgian) Chansonairs like Brassense, Brel, Gainsbourg moustaki.
    The irresistible Paolo Conte (Italy) Vladimir Visotzky (Russia) and many others from other languages. All important meaningful artists that had huge influence on people like Elvis Costello, David Byrne, Bowie, or Tom Waits.
    Ah... and it's ok not to understand the lyrics.
    I grew up in a non English speaking country singing "Chelsea is my way" as the opening line to the Beatles' 'We can work it out' and made it my own. If you must, you can google the words but i prefer not to. Like Opera, but thats for another thread...

    That's very true and a very good point re language - Joao Gilberto; Seu Jorge; Raghu Dixit; Edith Piaf... the list will go on!
    Shit, mum will kill me for forgetting Piaf...
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    I would listen to these more than any of the albums on the other 'Greatest album' poll.

    The Congos - Heart of the Congos
    Bob Marley - Kaya

    Joe Gibbs - African Dub Chapter 3
    Augustus Pablo - King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown
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    JamesSeed said:

    I would listen to these more than any of the albums on the other 'Greatest album' poll.

    The Congos - Heart of the Congos
    Bob Marley - Kaya

    Joe Gibbs - African Dub Chapter 3
    Augustus Pablo - King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown

    Agree about Heart of the Congo's

    And how could I forget the sound of 1976 Two Sevens Clash by Culture
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    Gil Scott Heron - Pieces of a Man
    Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
    Ritchie Havens - Alarm Clock
    Taj Mahal - Mo Roots
    Stevie Wonder - Innervisions
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    JamesSeed said:

    I would listen to these more than any of the albums on the other 'Greatest album' poll.

    The Congos - Heart of the Congos
    Bob Marley - Kaya

    Joe Gibbs - African Dub Chapter 3
    Augustus Pablo - King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown

    Agree about Heart of the Congo's

    And how could I forget the sound of 1976 Two Sevens Clash by Culture
    Agreed, can’t believe I missed that.
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    edited November 2017

    The Isley Brothers album 3+3.....released 1973.
    Includes the full length version of Summer Breeze which has the amazing Ernie Isley guitar solo, which never gets air time on radio stations as it’s tagged on the end and the shorter version fits in better for air time plays........which is really scandalous.
    I’d make a bet that the majority of DJ’s have never even heard the full version......and as such neither has the general public.
    It’s like it doesn’t exist
    .

    This!
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    stonemuse said:

    JamesSeed said:

    I would listen to these more than any of the albums on the other 'Greatest album' poll.

    The Congos - Heart of the Congos
    Bob Marley - Kaya

    Joe Gibbs - African Dub Chapter 3
    Augustus Pablo - King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown

    Agree about Heart of the Congo's

    And how could I forget the sound of 1976 Two Sevens Clash by Culture
    Agreed, can’t believe I missed that.
    Also reminded me of another one - Forces of Victory by Linton Kwesi Johnson
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    edited November 2017
    Random acknowledgements:

    Purple Rain - Prince and the Revolution
    Catch a Fire - Bob Marley
    Lady in Satin - Billie Holiday
    Songs in the Key of Life - Stevie Wonder
    I Do Not Play No Rock 'n' Roll - Mississippi Fred McDowell
    Kind of Blue - Miles Davis

    A lot of the blues music I know is through compilations such as Muddy Waters' Anthology, so I'd like to give some honourable mentions to Anthology, Robert Johnson's Complete Recordings and The Essential Son House.
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    For today.
    Could easily be another list another time.

    Exodus. Bob Marley and the Wailers.
    Kind of Blue. Miles Davis.
    Off the Wall Michael Jackson.
    Wommat. Youssou N'dour
    Talking Book. Stevie Wonder.

    Hard to comment about my list beyond thinking that if everybody can't get how wonderful these albums are they must be deaf. It still doesn't include the raft of brilliant women singers, and the old blues musicians as well as a whole range from the different styles of Jazz.


    I don't really 'get' the rap style of more modern artists, although the genre seems so popular only an idiot would say there is no merit in it. Probably wrongly I see rap style stuff as a kind of modern type of poetry. I am always pleased to see poetry be so enduring over the ages, and poets tend to get remembered long after others are forgotten.
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    Another classic I forgot

    Bill Withers Live at Carnegie Hall
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    Don't forget 'I talk with the Spirits' by Roland Kirk.
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    Fantastic, an opportunity to heap some praise on some under appreciated Jazz:

    Lee Morgan - Sidewinder
    Art Blakey & James Moody - New Sounds
    Fats Waller - The Last Recordings
    Dexter Gordon - Our Man In Paris
    Herbie Hancock - Inventions & Dimensions

    Practically everyone's praised Marvin Gaye, and quite rightly too. From the world of soul I'd like to add:

    Terence Trent D'Arby - The Hardline According To

    Finally, Jimmy Cliff did some cracking tracks, though to my shame I don't know any of his albums.
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    edited November 2017
    https://youtu.be/o4imiKBwDoc

    Not an album but fusion jazz is big in India. look out for Mehini Dey on bass.
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    Another classic I forgot

    Bill Withers Live at Carnegie Hall

    Live albums are normally excluded from greatest albums lists in the same way greatest hits albums are. Otherwise, 'Bob Marley Live' is a fine album (1975 Lyceum).

    Could do a live albums thread some day?
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    Dela Soul's 3 Feet High and Rising is worth a mention. The album that almost single-handedly ended sampling.
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    Billy Preston.......Album “I wrote a simple song.”
    Released.....1971.
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    I've racked my brains and can't come up with a list of albums.
    My iPod, my precious selection of 2000+ of my favourite hand picked tunes is heavily populated with Motown and Ska, so many great songs.
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    The Harder they Come soundtrack.

    Not one artist but very influential
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    Bit of a curveball but I've been listening to Missa Luba by Les Troubadours du Roi Baudouin. They are basically a choir of Congolese schoolchildren singing the Latin mass and some traditional Congolese songs. Sounds daft, but amazing.

    Anyone who has seen the Lindsay Anderson film "If..." Will know the track Sanctus which featured heavily.
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    McBobbin said:

    Bit of a curveball but I've been listening to Missa Luba by Les Troubadours du Roi Baudouin. They are basically a choir of Congolese schoolchildren singing the Latin mass and some traditional Congolese songs. Sounds daft, but amazing.

    Anyone who has seen the Lindsay Anderson film "If..." Will know the track Sanctus which featured heavily.

    Great album ... and film.
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    edited November 2017
    Musicians of colour - what a mealy-mouthed term, although I sort of get that you want it to include more than just black! But, despite that, how about these albums by non-white great artists -

    TWO SEVENS CLASH by Culture
    THE HOT FIVES AND SEVENS RECORDINGS by Louis Armstrong
    MARCUS GARVEY by Burning Spear
    SHAHEN-SHAH by the incomparable Qawwali singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
    BEST OF OM KALTHOUM by the amazing Egyptian singer (reputedly Bob Dylan's favourite female singer)
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    Nadou said:

    Musicians of colour - what a mealy-mouthed term, although I sort of get that you want it to include more than just black! But, despite that, how about these albums by non-white great artists -

    TWO SEVENS CLASH by Culture
    THE HOT FIVES AND SEVENS RECORDINGS by Louis Armstrong
    MARCUS GARVEY by Burning Spear
    SHAHEN-SHAH by the incomparable Qawwali singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
    OULIDA ELHOUDA by the amazing Egyptian singer, Om Kalsoum (reputedly Bob Dylan's favourite female singer)

    Don't know the last two but will check them out
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    Check out Tareq al Nasser / Rum. Jordanian musician/band but difficult to get any CDs.

    However, available on download.
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