Hosted by Light In the Attic staffers, this podcast tells the stories behind Light in the Attic releases. Episodes center around interviews with musicians, musi...
Crashin' From Passion: The Swan Song of Betty Davis
Betty had just entered an L.A. studio to record her fifth and final album but was reeling from a series of setbacks. Looking for a fresh start, Davis relocated to Hollywood to focus on songwriting. Before long, she found funding for her next project, and with renewed vigor, Davis reunited with former Funk House guitarist Carlos Morales and industry veterans, fusion drummer Alphonse Mouzon and session bassist Chuck Rainey. Old friends Anita and Bonnie Pointer (The Pointer Sisters) and Patryce “Choc’let” Banks joined Davis on vocals as did Motown legend Martha Reeves. The resulting album, Crashin' From Passion, was Betty's most musically diverse, blending elements of reggae and calypso, jazz, dark synth-pop, and even disco. Equally exploratory are Davis’ vocals as she trades in her signature sass and snarls for more nuanced stylings. Among the album’s few funk tracks is “Quintessence of Hip,” in which Davis hails musicians like Bob Dylan, Billie Holiday, Stevie Wonder, and John Coltrane, while deftly integrating elements of their work. The song also offers a moment of stark vulnerability, as she sings, “Isn’t rich? Isn’t it queer? Losing my timing so late in my career.” It would prove to be a prophetic line in the months to follow.More on Crashin' From Passion at lightintheattic.net
--------
30:31
Ukrainian Sonic Archives
Liner Notes is a co-production of Light in the Attic and Ruinous Media. Edited and Mixed by Chris Duryee and Joe Plummer.2xLP, CD, & Digital available at lightintheattic.net
--------
30:33
Dreamin' Wild with Donnie & Joe Emerson
Pacific Northwest isolation mixed with wide-eyed ambition, a strong sense of family, and the gift of music proved to be quite the combination for teenage brothers Donnie and Joe Emerson. Originally released in 1979, Dreamin’ Wild is the sonic vision of the talented Emerson boys, recorded in a family-built home studio in rural Washington State. Situated in the unlikely blink-and-you-missed-it town of Fruitland and far removed from the late 1970s punk movement and the larger disco boom, Donnie and Joe tilled their own musical soil, channeling bedroom pop jams, raw funk, and yacht rock.Spurred on by their high school’s music program, Donnie and Joe received a further push from their lifelong farmer father, who drew up a contract stating that he’d support his sons lofty ambitions with their very own recording studio as long as they focused on original material, sage advice for a man with zero experience in the music business. After taking out a second mortgage to help cover costs, Don Sr. also built his children a 300-capacity concert hall (dubbed Camp Jammin’) replete with ticket booth, stage, and fully functioning snack bar. The only problem was that the projected audience never quite materialized, despite a prime time TV profile entitled “The Rock And Roll Farmers” from nearby Spokane, Washington. Even the Emerson brothers' school pals were nonplussed at their privately pressed long player, hand-distributed to local music stores but not quite so far as Seattle, five hours away from their rural home. Somewhat dejected by the muted response but never surrendering, both Donnie and Joe continued down a musical path and are still active as performers today.Be sure to also check out the short documentary, The Rock-n-Roll Farmers: Donnie & Joe Emerson.
--------
35:45
Pete Jolly’s Seasons with The Wrecking Crew’s Chuck Berghofer
Organic, electric, freeform. Pete Jolly's Seasons is an unsung masterpiece of ensemble groove and stellar musicianship, equally unsurpassed and inspired in its quiet excellence. Recorded in 1970, Seasons never had significant commercial success upon its release but has since amassed a cult following, leading collectors to pay top dollar for copies of the rare record, whose tracks would eventually be sampled by Cypress Hill, Jay Dee, & Busta Rhymes. Legendary Bassist Chuck Berghofer (The Wrecking Crew) not only plays on Seasons but was also a close friend of Pete Jolly. In this episode of Light in the Attic's Liner Notes, we hear from Chuck Berghofer himself along with music journalist & liner notes writer Dave Segal (The Stranger) to discuss the making of this improvisational masterpiece and celebrate the visionary talent of West Coast jazz keyboardist Pete Jolly.
Liner Notes is a co-production of Light in the Attic and Ruinous Media.
Edited and Mixed by Chris Duryee and Joe Plummer.
Hosted by Light In the Attic staffers, this podcast tells the stories behind Light in the Attic releases. Episodes center around interviews with musicians, music industry creatives, and other interesting characters within the Light In the Attic community. You will hear music and liner notes from LITA releases and get to know the people making your records.
UK