"Richard Manuel was a whole show unto himself. He was hot. He was about the best singer I'd ever heard; most people said he reminded them of Ray Charles. He'd do those ballads, and the ladies would swoon. To me that became the highlight of our show."--Levon Helm
"He brought a lot of powers and strengths to the group. He brought in gospel music from his church upbringing. Plus, he loved to play and just come up with new things. It was like having a force of nature in the band."--Rick Danko
"Richard not only had the voice, he had this great rhythmic feel..."--Garth Hudson
While Robbie Robertson was their public face and Levon Helm sang all their big hits, there is no doubt that Richard Manuel was the Band’s heart and soul. His tale, though not atypical the annals of rock music, is a sad one: An enormously talented singer and musician, worshiped by fans and peers alike while somehow managing to remain genuinely modest and unassuming, he was nevertheless driven to despair by decades of drink and drug abuse, finally hanging himself in a cheap motel room following a gig early in 1986.
This album, the only one to be released under his name so far, captures an intimate live performance in the town of Saugerties, New York, five months before his death. His voice by now is hoarse and crackly, and the electric piano he plays has an annoyingly sharp sound, but he still manages to put in some absolutely stirring performances. The set includes songs he played with the Band and a bunch of R&B standards (including a few of his idol Ray Charles’ songs). Rick Danko guests on a couple of tracks, providing charmingly sloppy harmonies on “I Shall Be Released” and "Tears of Rage".
Then there’s a touching moment when someone in the audience calls for “Whispering Pines”, his haunting falsetto showcase off of the Band’s self-titled record, to which he chuckles and replies “I don’t know if I can hit that one”. He accepts the request after a bit of goading, but only after asking the audience to hum along if he screws up. The song is probably the highlight of this disk: a bit hoarse, a little off at times, but overflowing with emotion (that last line pretty much sums up the entire set).
While maybe not a great album in itself, this is an essential document, not only of the man’s substantial raw talent but also of his genuine kindness and modesty. If you didn’t know any better, the goofy, self-effacing banter between songs would make you think he were just playing a batch of tunes for a bunch of friends.
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Summer’s winding down, but it looks like we’ve still got plenty of hot smoggy days ahead of us (at least in my neck of the woods). So here’s an appropriate soundtrack, a steaming heap of Brazilian funk courtesy of Jorge Ben.
"Richard Manuel was a whole show unto himself. He was hot. He was about the best singer I'd ever heard; most people said he reminded them of Ray Charles. He'd do those ballads, and the ladies would swoon. To me that became the highlight of our show."--Levon Helm
Roland Kirk was one of the most enigmatic performers of the 60s jazz scene. A blind saxophonist with bizarre dress sense, he very much played the goofball on stage, often handling several instruments at once (including a little flute stuck up his nose) and entertaining his audience with oddball banter. But he took himself and his work seriously, scoffing at being labeled a jazz musician and preferring the term black classical music.
“The Sisters Love released a superb set of soul/funk tracks between 1967-73 including the underground disco classic ‘Give Me Your Love’. ‘Ahead of their time’ is a much used phrase to describe some of the most creative groups and The Sisters Love were most definitely that.”
Here's Q-Tip’s 2002 solo record, a loose and laid-back set of tunes with some heavy jazz and soul overtones. A lot of this reminds me of Prince. It was apparently deemed too uncommercial and never released. This is what Q-Tip had to say about it:
Nostalgia time. I think this is the first hip-hop tape I ever bought. I rediscovered it recently and it still sounds fresh. Just a simple, fun record. The song “Dum Dums” has a sweet Otis Redding sample.
I’m not even sure what to call this. A creepy prog/r&b opera, I guess.
Dense, sludgy hip-hop beats. My favourite album of 2008.
British band from the 60s that played folk songs on acoustic instruments, but with intricate jazzy arrangements. The singer has a pretty voice.
This album was recorded outdoors in the Senegalese singer’s native village. Lots of little ambient sounds creep in - leaves rustling, insects buzzing, the occasional farm animal. Oh, and the music is good too. Acoustic guitars, traditional West African instruments and some really strong singing.
Only four tracks here, and they’re all solid. The first song has a really nice bouncy rhythm. The others are eerie ambient excursions. Headphone music.
Don Cherry’s take on world music. Freaky, spastic, sexy and disorienting are all appropriate adjectives.
This compilation is considered the musical manifesto of the influential Tropicalia movement in Brazil. Some really nice tunes with plenty of wonky orchestration
Amazing roots reggae album produced by Lee Perry. Long, hypnotic tracks with lots of layered rhythms and clattering sounds fading in and out. Good singing too, though the falsetto guy might get annoying after a while.
A lovely little collection of skeletal disco-funk tracks. Songs about oral sex, incest and race relations. The production is stark and minimal – as devoid of colour as the album cover.
A journey into the fractured mind of David Crosby. A messy, murky beast of an album. But quite good. Crosby’s singing is incredible, and he manages to create a mood that is at once soothing and unsettling.
A collection of happy, mildly trippy pop songs from Japan. Very nice.
