February's Picks

1. FREDDIE ROACH-"Brown Sugar"
From his 1964 LP of the same number this number is a smoking duet between Freddie's Hammond and sax player Joe Henderson (rounded out by Eddie Wright on guitar and Clarence Johnson on drums) and ranks up there in my top 10 Hammond jazz instrumentals.

http://youtu.be/DjSaJzr0p9Q?list=PL4CAFF50CBC3FB337

2. THE BECKET QUINTET-"No Correspondence"
Having spent most of my life looking across the sea musically I will be the first to admit that I have a lot to learn about 60's music in my own country. These cats were from New Mexico and I have known this track for ages but only recently learned who it was!

http://youtu.be/wufQ999CopM

3. SAM COOKE-"Yeah Man"
Show of hands, who here knows where Arthur Conley's hit "Sweet Soul Music" was nicked from?  The answer is the track above and though Otis Redding and Arthur came up with better lyrics have a listen and try to decide which one is best.

http://youtu.be/HdkvVlzj5DU

4. DAVID BOWIE-"Speed Of Life"
My 60's Bowie fascination  might be #1 out all of  the man's catalog but the Berlin period comes in at #2 and this instrumental from "Low" has always been a fave. I can't put my finger on it but I'd hazard a guess that it's the melody that hooks me.

http://youtu.be/Hkyp6HCqrs4

5. THE BIRDWATCHERS-"Mary Mary"
More American 60's garage sounds, this one I knew and knew who performed it as someone put it on a cassette for me nearly three decades ago.  I'd honestly forgotten it until last week when I saw it on 45cat.com! Far more poppy than most U.S. records of it's genre, but that's not terribly surprising as The Zombies were apparently huge in the state of Florida where these guys hailed from and the influence shows.

http://youtu.be/WZ_5hRM8Ehc

6. JACQUES DUTRONC-"Je Suis Content"
The closest Jacques Dutronc ever got to psychedelia in my estimation is this number from his 3rd LP (French Disques Vogue CLD 727 1968). His first 3 LP's are all worth seeking out and are all oddly untitled! From it's tabla tapping intro and fuzz guitar  Jacques sounds bored before it gets trippy and everything gets phlanged out .  Psycheagalic?!

http://youtu.be/DlV2wOOHwtE

7. GARY WALKER & THE RAIN-"Whatever Happened To Happy"
We talked about these guys ultra rare 1968 Japanese LP here way back.  This track is far more pop psych than most of the harder stuff on the album and has a certain odd melancholy cheeriness to it and I find myself singing the chorus to myself often.

http://youtu.be/30F9WO42yQQ

8. THE CHORDS FIVE-"Some People"
I only recently learned that this number was a Graham Gouldman composition, which is never bad with me as far as 60's tunes go! From 1969 on the short lived Jay Boy label (home to loads of U.S. soul artists and the odd reggae tune) these guys were the subject of one of those great rock n' roll myths that they were The Smoke. Not true. A brilliant slice of pop with some slight freakbeat tinges.

http://youtu.be/5Z5axhhX60Y

9. DEE DEE WARWICK-"Gotta Get A Hold Of Myself"
I recently was turned onto this number on a post on a FB mod group I belong to.  I had previously only known The Zombies cover, which they presumably picked up when touring the States in a package tour with Dee Dee Warwick! The Zombies version is a lot punchier by Dee Dee's is so damned emotive it's equally amazing!!

http://youtu.be/6zMR4hAtdK8

10. LESLIE GORE-"California Nights"
Leslie Gore R.I.P. This will always be my fave # by her and reminds me of California in the late 80's, where all of the best looking mod girls always were (and I'm certain still are...).