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Patsy Cline's 1961 "Showcase" album includes this classic.
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Urban75 Album of the Year 1961
- Thread starter belboid
- Start date
Of the two Gary Davis albums this year I would definitely go for A Little More Faith over Say No to the Devil. Especially if you're into that dextrous guitar.
However the title track to Say No to the Devil is really great. I've taken to singing it to people whenever they get naughty.
However the title track to Say No to the Devil is really great. I've taken to singing it to people whenever they get naughty.
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The Marcels - Blue Moon (1961) another doo wop classic
Spandex
A crazy bulbous punchbag of sound
1961 was the year of the pachanga dance craze in New York.
Pachanga originated in Cuba in the mid/late 50s, but came to the US with musicians leaving Cuba during and after the revolution. Castro's government was tepid in its support for dance bands - most socialist policy makers viewed party music as escapist, a form of ideological diversionism and false consciousness, but they also recognised that Cubans loved dance bands and that restrictive policies could potentially foster a negative or puritanical image of the new state. Many musicians didn't hang around to find out which way things would go.
In 1961 it was the big sound in dancehalls like El Morocco and the Palladium in NYC, with musicians such as Johnny Pacheco, Eddie Palmieri, Mongo Santamaria and Ray Barretto all playing on the scene. Those would all go on to be big names in the salsa explosion later in the decade. Even Tito Puente got in on the act with a pachanga album that year.
Here's some dancers at the Palladium in 1961:
There's quite a few pachanga albums, or albums with pachanga tunes on, in '61, such as:
Pacheco Y Su Charanga Con Elliot Romero – Pacheco Y Su Charanga
Kako Y Su Combo – Kako Y Su Combo Gigante
Bobby Montez His Chorus & Orchestra – Pachanga Y Cha Cha Cha
Mongo Santamaria Orchestra – Arriba-La Pachanga
Pachanga originated in Cuba in the mid/late 50s, but came to the US with musicians leaving Cuba during and after the revolution. Castro's government was tepid in its support for dance bands - most socialist policy makers viewed party music as escapist, a form of ideological diversionism and false consciousness, but they also recognised that Cubans loved dance bands and that restrictive policies could potentially foster a negative or puritanical image of the new state. Many musicians didn't hang around to find out which way things would go.
In 1961 it was the big sound in dancehalls like El Morocco and the Palladium in NYC, with musicians such as Johnny Pacheco, Eddie Palmieri, Mongo Santamaria and Ray Barretto all playing on the scene. Those would all go on to be big names in the salsa explosion later in the decade. Even Tito Puente got in on the act with a pachanga album that year.
Here's some dancers at the Palladium in 1961:
There's quite a few pachanga albums, or albums with pachanga tunes on, in '61, such as:
Pacheco Y Su Charanga Con Elliot Romero – Pacheco Y Su Charanga
Kako Y Su Combo – Kako Y Su Combo Gigante
Bobby Montez His Chorus & Orchestra – Pachanga Y Cha Cha Cha
Mongo Santamaria Orchestra – Arriba-La Pachanga
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Del Shannon - Runaway
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On the more experimental/electronic side - Oskar Sala + Remi Gassmann - Five improvisations on magnetic tape + electronics ballet
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Remi Gassmann / Oskar Sala - Electronics / Five Improvisations On Magnetic Tape
Explore songs, recommendations, and other album details for Electronics / Five Improvisations On Magnetic Tape by Remi Gassmann / Oskar Sala. Compare different versions and buy them all on Discogs.
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That, the BB King, the Gary Davis and the Big Joe Williams are probably my favourite blues albums of this year, but I've a few more to listen to.
I don't love his singing, but the guitar really hits. If only there was a no-vocals version...
Let's make my 10,000th post something worthwhile. Favourite blues albums of 1961.
In terms of albums I think this is the first year that we're getting several real quality blues albums. Obviously there were plenty of great non album releases prior to 1961 and a few great albums. The blues was never really about albums, some of the greats such as Elmore James and Little Walter never recorded an LP (as far as I can tell). But we're getting some releases suited to the LP format from Lightnin' Hopkins, Lonnie Johnson and Willie Dixon/Memphis Slim in particular.
I got into the blues in my late teens and it's something that sticks with you. The original fascination with the origins of rock 'n' roll / rock and that tasty 12 bar formula gave way to the realisation that so much got lost in the translation. A lot of blues sounds out of tune, messy... like something that needs cleaning up. But that's the way it's meant. One of the best cases in point is Big Joe Williams. This is not the avant garde, this is a guy who made a living playing in juke joints and barn dances and yet he has this jangly 9 string (6 string/12 string hybrid) where every singly note seems to clash with every other note. This gnarl and character to the sound.
Big Bill Broonzy and The Bill Broonzy Story. This is a really crisp recording. Guitar is good as expected but it might be the best example of his singing that I've heard. Songs interspersed with spoken word from Big Bill talking about the history etc., which is interesting but I wish there was less of it. The other Big Bill album of the year (Last Session Part 1) doesn't hit home quite as well IMO.
As mentioned above there's BB King's My Kind of Blues. I think he's really on top form here.
Two Freddy King albums this year. Let's Hide and Dance Away is decent enough but it's not a particularly exciting package. But Freddy King Sings is sparser and consequently has more feeling and the guitar tone is really something on this. That bite to it.
I'm going to pick Furry Lewis's Back on My Feet Again album as my favourite of the two from this year. Old man at this point and a very classic country sound. Soft thump and slide and story telling.
Another old fella, Lonnie Johnson with Losing Game stands in sharp contrast to Furry Lewis making this jazzy, modern sounding album, just Lonnie singing plus guitar or piano. This is less about the mournful high notes or gnarly bends and more about tapping into a rich seam of blues/jazz balladry. He did a couple of OK albums in 1960 but this is an absolute stunner. Beautiful recording.
The roughest and rawest of the four Lightnin' Hopkins albums this year is Sings the Blues. The New York one is interesting and the one with Sonny Terry works very well, but I want this bite to the guitar and I don't mind the rough recording at all. Hopkins could be like a friendly old easy going uncle but here there's a bit of roar in the guitar.
Make that a part 1.
In terms of albums I think this is the first year that we're getting several real quality blues albums. Obviously there were plenty of great non album releases prior to 1961 and a few great albums. The blues was never really about albums, some of the greats such as Elmore James and Little Walter never recorded an LP (as far as I can tell). But we're getting some releases suited to the LP format from Lightnin' Hopkins, Lonnie Johnson and Willie Dixon/Memphis Slim in particular.
I got into the blues in my late teens and it's something that sticks with you. The original fascination with the origins of rock 'n' roll / rock and that tasty 12 bar formula gave way to the realisation that so much got lost in the translation. A lot of blues sounds out of tune, messy... like something that needs cleaning up. But that's the way it's meant. One of the best cases in point is Big Joe Williams. This is not the avant garde, this is a guy who made a living playing in juke joints and barn dances and yet he has this jangly 9 string (6 string/12 string hybrid) where every singly note seems to clash with every other note. This gnarl and character to the sound.
Big Bill Broonzy and The Bill Broonzy Story. This is a really crisp recording. Guitar is good as expected but it might be the best example of his singing that I've heard. Songs interspersed with spoken word from Big Bill talking about the history etc., which is interesting but I wish there was less of it. The other Big Bill album of the year (Last Session Part 1) doesn't hit home quite as well IMO.
As mentioned above there's BB King's My Kind of Blues. I think he's really on top form here.
Two Freddy King albums this year. Let's Hide and Dance Away is decent enough but it's not a particularly exciting package. But Freddy King Sings is sparser and consequently has more feeling and the guitar tone is really something on this. That bite to it.
I'm going to pick Furry Lewis's Back on My Feet Again album as my favourite of the two from this year. Old man at this point and a very classic country sound. Soft thump and slide and story telling.
Another old fella, Lonnie Johnson with Losing Game stands in sharp contrast to Furry Lewis making this jazzy, modern sounding album, just Lonnie singing plus guitar or piano. This is less about the mournful high notes or gnarly bends and more about tapping into a rich seam of blues/jazz balladry. He did a couple of OK albums in 1960 but this is an absolute stunner. Beautiful recording.
The roughest and rawest of the four Lightnin' Hopkins albums this year is Sings the Blues. The New York one is interesting and the one with Sonny Terry works very well, but I want this bite to the guitar and I don't mind the rough recording at all. Hopkins could be like a friendly old easy going uncle but here there's a bit of roar in the guitar.
Make that a part 1.
1961 blues part 2!
One of my favourite albums of 1960 was Willie's Blues by Willie Dixon and Memphis Slim. Willie Dixon is best known as the key Chicago blues songwriter but he was a bassist and singer as well. He really jazzes it up with Memphis Slim on piano on these albums. Short songs are the staple of blues and most popular music, but that can get tiring on an LP. Here they do rambling easy going jazz jams and it makes for a good long listen. 1961's Blues Every Which Way is as good as the 1960 album, even if it doesn't have Al Ashby on sax this time it's got some really powerful songs and the fluidity of Slim's piano allows him to respond. It will break you.
Already mentioned albums by Robert Pete Williams and Rev. Gary Davis up thread. Both as close to must listens as anything in this category.
Slim Harpo's Sings Raining in my Heart is a real Chicago style slow rock out. It may not be quite my favourite of the year, but I feel I should mention it as it feels three or four years ahead of its time. Like the Yardbirds before the Yardbirds.
Of course as mentioned above Ida Cox's Blues for Rampart Street. Really wasn't expecting any revival of this old vaudeville style making it onto an LP in 1961, but there you go. Just reiterate this one though. These are far from formulaic renditions.
There's several others that are really great as well. Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, Pink Anderson, K.C. Douglas, just perhaps not quite making the "I'm definitely going to return to this" mark.
Edit: Nearly forgot John Lee Hooker's two albums. Plays and Sings the Blues is good, but the one I'd go for is The Folk Lore of John Lee Hooker which is a live album. Well recorded and intimate and at the height of his powers.
One of my favourite albums of 1960 was Willie's Blues by Willie Dixon and Memphis Slim. Willie Dixon is best known as the key Chicago blues songwriter but he was a bassist and singer as well. He really jazzes it up with Memphis Slim on piano on these albums. Short songs are the staple of blues and most popular music, but that can get tiring on an LP. Here they do rambling easy going jazz jams and it makes for a good long listen. 1961's Blues Every Which Way is as good as the 1960 album, even if it doesn't have Al Ashby on sax this time it's got some really powerful songs and the fluidity of Slim's piano allows him to respond. It will break you.
Already mentioned albums by Robert Pete Williams and Rev. Gary Davis up thread. Both as close to must listens as anything in this category.
Slim Harpo's Sings Raining in my Heart is a real Chicago style slow rock out. It may not be quite my favourite of the year, but I feel I should mention it as it feels three or four years ahead of its time. Like the Yardbirds before the Yardbirds.
Of course as mentioned above Ida Cox's Blues for Rampart Street. Really wasn't expecting any revival of this old vaudeville style making it onto an LP in 1961, but there you go. Just reiterate this one though. These are far from formulaic renditions.
There's several others that are really great as well. Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, Pink Anderson, K.C. Douglas, just perhaps not quite making the "I'm definitely going to return to this" mark.
Edit: Nearly forgot John Lee Hooker's two albums. Plays and Sings the Blues is good, but the one I'd go for is The Folk Lore of John Lee Hooker which is a live album. Well recorded and intimate and at the height of his powers.
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andysays
Love and solidarity
No Africa/Brass?
Unless I've got the year wrong, that's probably pushing Ole Coltrane into second place for me...
andysays
Love and solidarity
1961 was also when Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane was released, although it was recorded in 1957
OOps yes, I did listen to Africa/Brass as well, forgot it somehow! Yes the first side at least is very interesting. Probably my second favourite of the year.
I think of the Monk + Trane album as more of a Monk album. I prefer it to all the Trane albums but I'm more into Monk anyway.
There's also a Milt Jackson and John Coltrane album. Milt Jackson being out of the Modern Jazz Quartet so I was looking forward to that one, but it turned out to be a bit disappointing.
