Hello GO People. Here we are with the third installment of The GO Mechanism, aired on September 25, 2021. We have been getting good numbers at the Luxuria Musics and they have asked for another GO. Here ’tis! Please keep in mind that the ‘G’ is for groove and the ‘O’ is for o’rooney. This GO Mechanism will have plenty of both…
During the second hour of The GO Mechanism, light will be shined on an artist, an album, a song, or whatever needs to be discussed at the moment. This part of The GO Mechanism shall be called the Science Corner. This edition of the Science Corner will feature the song “Caravan.” We have three good versions of it lined up for you, including the original 1936 version recorded by Barney Bigard & His Jazzopators—a musical ensemble made up of members of Duke Ellington’s Famous Orchestra—including the Duke. Barney Bigard played several reed instruments when recording with Ellington but mostly soloed on the clarinet, on which he is featured on this recording. Juan Tizol, who wrote the song, plays the melody on trombone. In order to show how musicians approach “Caravan” in different ways, The GO Mechanism will also feature Sandy Nelson’s version from the Sixties and Cassandra Wilson’s from 2008. We here at the GO Mechanism will most likely present a version of “Caravan” in every episode. If you have a favorite version of “Caravan,” feel free to note it in the comments section below.
The Johnny Guitar Watson track is interesting. It was recorded during Watson’s disco/funk phase of the seventies and eighties and issued as a B-side of the soul ballad “Love Jones” and on the LP of the same name around 1980. “Asante” is clearly an attempt at Afro-Beat and he does a great job of it. These are the kinds of oddities that The GO Mechanism hopes to seek out and present to its listeners.
The GO Mechanims will now blow its own horn (sort of) with a track by The Fleshtones featuring Lenny Kaye. It comes from the Yep Roc LP Brooklyn Solution which was produced by one of The GO Mechanism principals. Don’t know if you can really call it ‘producing,’ as all he did was suggest Lenny and The Fleshtones record together, plus he provided chocolate chip cookies at the sessions. He really wasn’t needed—The Fleshtones are pretty good at producing themselves. The boss “Twine”-like vibe of “Solution Number One” makes it a natural for The GO Mechanism.
“Mirza” is a song written and first performed by Nino Ferrer—an Italian-born singer who was very popular in Europe—especially France—during the Sixties and Seventies. The song was popular enough to have been covered several times, in several languages, including Arabic. The version presented by The GO Mechanism was recorded by unnamed studio musicians and released on an EP that was some sort of premium for a French pasta company! It is our favorite version because it has such a fabulous swing to it.
“Pago Pago Drums” by Ivi Pele & the Royal Samoans is one of the greatest records of all time. It features everything that makes for a special record: folks banging on shit and screaming! Rarely is such an excellent example of “banging on shit and screaming” ever presented to a radio audience, yet here it is, courtesy of The GO Mechanism.
You’re welcome.
“Waltz for a Pig” was released as a B-side to The Who’s 1966 “Substitute” single and credited as “The Who Orchestra” on some releases, or “The Who” on others. Apparently, due to legal action regarding the producer Shel Talmy, “Substitute” was issued several times, first with “Circles” (also called “Instant Party”) as the B-side. The Who’s then-manager Robert Stigwood decided to clear up the mess by placing a different track on the B-side, “Waltz for a Pig” (which was actually by another band he managed, The Graham Bond Organization). According to rumor, the “pig” in the title is supposed to be a dig at Talmy, who produced some fabulous early records by The Who. “Waltz” was said to have been written by Organization drummer Ginger Baker using the pseudonym, Harry Butcher. Also—probably due to the Stigwood connection—this is was issued in America on Atco. Stigwood had a connection at Atco, as other bands he managed—Bee Gees, Cream—also issued their records on Atco in the U.S.
Malvina Reynolds is mostly remembered as the writer of the song “Little Boxes,” an early Sixties folkie favorite made famous by Pete Seeger. She didn’t exactly record prolifically. Her first album was released in 1960, her second, called Malvina Reynolds Sings The Truth, came out in 1967; she was 66 when she recorded it. There are several fine tracks on this second record, including “The New Restaurant.” We may hear more from her on future GO Mechanisms.
“Eat That Chicken” comes from the Charles Mingus album, Oh Yeah, on which the great bass player and composer plays piano and sings. As a bonus, Roland Kirk is the tenor saxophone player.
For some reason, the music composed for the TV show “Peyton Place” is left off of Randy Newman’s official discography. An album of this all-instrumental music was released on Epic Records around 1966. Before he became the prolific songwriter he was becoming at the time, perhaps he also harbored dreams of being a composer of soundtracks like his three uncles, Alfred, Lionel and Emil. Of course, several years later Newman composed for several films. The GO Mechanism is happy to remind it’s listeners that Randy Newman once made some pretty swingin’ watusi records!
During the Sixties, Japan spawned some fabulous rock ’n’ roll bands. One of the best was Takeshi Terauchi & the Bunnys. Takeshi Terauchi—known as “Terry” to gringos—was a great guitarist. His work is featured on this outstanding version of “Ghost Riders in the Sky.” He died in June of this year and the GO Mechanism’s Science Corner may feature him on a future program.
The JP’s is an instrumental band from Finland and this track on its album Do You See What I See. The CD was given to The GO Mechanism staff by the drummer, Jaane Haavisto, who was also in Laika & the Cosmonauts.
After “Goin’ to a Happening” by Tommy Neal, there is a bit of dialog from the movie Shadow of a Doubt. Very heavy.
The last song is “My Dream Island” by The El Tempos, a doo wop/R&B vocal group from Chicago. Some how, this non-hit made its way to Jamaica where it was covered a coupled times by The Wailers with Bunny Wailer singing lead. Bunny Wailer also recorded it a couple times after he left The Wailers. Plus, Marcia Griffiths and Third World also cut versions. I’m sure there are other versions out there—The GO Mechanism would like to know about them in order to possibly present them on a future show.
Here is the complete track listing for the Third GO Mechanism program:
Earl Bostic—Lester Leaps In (King)
Elmo Hope—Abdullah (Blue Note)
Dave Davani Four—Jive Samba (Parlophone; UK)
Roger Simand—Mary Mary (Gala/RCA Victor; Canada)
Tito Rodriguez—Theme from The Magnificent Seven (United Artists)
Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson—Asante Sama (DJM)
Nina Simone—See Line Woman (Philips)
Miles Davis—Seven Steps to Heaven (Columbia)
tv theme—Gigantor
John Simon—Desert Moog Music (Boogaloo Omnibus Loop) (Columbia)
The New Happiness—Good Vibrations (Columbia)
The Fleshtones with Lenny Kaye—Solution Number One (Yep-Roc)
The Isley Brothers—Who’s That Lady (United Artists)
James Moody’s Modernists—Tropicana (Blue Note)
Perez Prado—En La Mar Hustle (Orfeon, Mexico)
Lyn Taitt—Out on a Funky Trip (Randy’s)
??—Mirza (Super Discotheque; France)
Ivi Pele & the Royal Samoans—Pago Pago Drums (49th State)
Graham Bond Organization—Waltz for a Pig (Atco)
Lennie Hibbert—Lights (Studio One; Jamaica)
Les Yper Sound—Jericho Jerk (Limelight)
Lito Barrientos y su Oquesta—Cumbia en Do Menor (Discos Fuentes; Colombia)
Lord Flea & His Calypsonians—Calypso Be-Bop (Capitol)
Malvina Reynolds—The New Restaurant (Columbia)
Big Jay McNeely—The Goof (Federal)
Sandy Nelson—Caravan (Imperial)
Barney Bigard & His Jazzopators—Caravan (Variety)
Cassandra Wilson—Caravan (Blue Note)
Charles Mingus—Eat That Chicken (Atlantic)
Archie Shepp—Mama Too Tight (Impulse)
Tommy Neal—Going to a Happening (Vocalian; UK)
Randy Newman Orchestra—Strong (Epic)
Young Guitar Red—Red Hot Red (Formal)
Tami Lynn—Never No More (Cotillion)
Tempo 70—El Galleton (Mericana)
Terry & the Bunnys—Ghost Riders in the Sky (King; Japan)
The JP’s—My People Soul People (Texicalli; Finland)
Les & Larry Elgart & Orcheststra—The Garbage (Columbia)
Roland Kirk—Walk on By (Limelight)
Latin Playboys—Mr. Wobble from End of Violence soundtrack
Curtis Mayfield—Freddie’s Dead (Boogaloo Omnibus Edit) (Curtom)
The El Tempos—My Dream Island (Vee Jay)
Bonzo Dog Band—Slush (United Artists)
Bed music under “Science Corner” is the intro to “Caravan” by Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus and Max Roach from their album Money Jungle in an exclusive Boogaloo Omnibus loop.
Poetry:
Al Young—Lester Leaps In
Erica Jong—Ode to My Shoes
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This GO Mechanism is now available right here in the Boogaloo Bag…
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