Tag Archives: rock

Music Documentaries – Ginger and Sixto and Their South African Connections

Two critically acclaimed rock music documentaries hit the screen in 2012, raising the profile of important musicians of years gone by – both with ties to South Africa.

Jay Bulger won the 2012 South by Southwest Film Festival Grand Prize for “Beware of Mr. Baker” about the life of rock drum innovator and legend Ginger Baker.   Bulger lived at Baker’s ranch in South Africa for months, interviewing him for the movie. Check out the trailer and then watch Baker play with Nigerian musicians, a phase of Baker’s life chronicled in the movie.

Malik Bendjelloul’s “Searching for Sugar Man” won numerous awards in 2012 and is nominated for a 2013 Oscar. The documentary follows two South Africans who set out to investigate what became of Sixto Rodriguez, an obscure American folk singer from Detroit whose songs became anthemic among whites involved in South Africa’s anti-apartheid movement.

See the film trailer (you have to click through to YouTube?) then listen to the tune that inspired the movie title from Rodriguez’s first album.

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Allen Stone and Daryl Hall Bring Blue-eyed Soul

The buzz about Seattle blue-eyed soul singer Allen Stone is growing by the day.  He’s just been signed by Dave Matthews’ ATO records, and he’s been making the late night TV circuit.  Enjoy the living room performance of “Unaware” from his 2012 self-titled CD, then watch him perform with blue-eyed soul icon Daryl Hall on Hall’s web series “Live at Daryl’s House” (the link will take you to episode 59, then pull up “Celebrate Tonight” from the menu).

http://www.livefromdarylshouse.com/currentep.html?ep_id=74

And if you’d like to hear what Daryl was doing in his 20’s, listen to “Sara Smile” from the 1975 album “Daryl Hall and John Oates”.

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John Mayer, Joni Mitchell and Neil Young – Solo and Acoustic

The opening track on John Mayer’s folk-tinged 2012 album “Born and Raised” is titled “Queen of California”.  The lyrics reference “Looking for the sun that Neil Young hung / After the gold rush of 1971”.  And hoping “there’s another color waiting for me” he recalls that “Joni wrote ‘Blue’ in a house by the sea”.  Let John set it up for you, then catch a 1970 performance of “California” from Joni Mitchell’s 4th album “Blue”.

Neil Young certainly has plenty in his catalog since “After the Gold Rush”, but his next album “Harvest” contained his only #1 song “Heart of Gold”.  Hang in there while he fiddles around with his harmonicas.

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Counting Crows and Big Star – The Ballad of El Goodo

In 2012 Counting Crows released “Underwater Sunshine”, a CD of covers. Among the tracks is “The Ballad of El Goodo”, a beautiful song that originally appeared on Big Star’s “#1 Record” in 1972.   While never achieving great commercial success, Big Star is remembered for the songwriting of Alex Chilton and Chris Bell, for Alex’s vocals, and for its influence on many artists in the years that followed.

You may have noticed the reference to the Box Tops in the Big Star video. Alex Chilton sang on the Box Tops’ chart-topping hit “The Letter” in 1967 at age 16.  Notice how his raspy style mellowed over the next 5 years.  And enjoy those American Bandstand dancers!

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Shakin’ with Jack White and Little Willie John

Jack White’s first solo effort “Blunderbuss” is on most everyone’s list of the best albums of 2012 – it’s certainly tops on ours.   And no track is more fun than his cover of “I’m Shakin'”.  The song was a hit for Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Little Willie John, and was written by Rudy Toombs, an R&B songwriter from the 50s.  Enjoy Jack’s video (the only thing better than Jack White is two Jack Whites) and check out the pure vocals and simple sax line of Little Willie John’s version circa 1960.

You can catch all of “Blunderbuss” on YouTube.  The title track isn’t a bad place to start.

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