V/A : The Heart of Mexico -- Exciting Musica Tipica, Recorded in Mexico (Gene Norman Presents, 1961)

"The Music in this album represents The Heart of Mexico in all its facets...With all its color and sensitivity! The Bright Mariachi, with its highly emotional and fun-loving sound...The romantic and sentimental music of the Trio, whose soft strumming guitars speak of love and serenades in the night: as well as the gaiety and spontaneity of the piquant rhythm of the Jarocho groups...All this music, in its most sincere form, unadulterated, honest and clear as the azure skies under which it was born, gives us the most accurate insight into...The Heart of Mexico." (Back cover)

This 1961 Gene Norman comp offers up a fine selection of live-recorded performances from a healthy handful of excellent Mexican combos. Vinyl rip by yours truly. Enjoy! 



V/A : The Heart of Mexico -- Exciting Musica Tipica, Recorded in Mexico (Gene Norman Presents, 1961) 320 mp3 + Flac

Side A

1. La Rondalla de Tijuana - Guadalajara
2. San Martin Trio - Las Alteñitas
3. La Gloria Quintet - La Malagueña
4. Maricela y Mariachi Corral - Ay! Jalisco, No Te Rajes
5. Ensueño Trio - Cuando Vuelva a Tu Lado
6. Mariachi Corral - La Cecilia

Side B

1. Quarteto Boca del Rio - El Cascabel
2. La Rondalla de Tijuana - Rayando el Sol
3. Maricela y Mariachi Corral- Me He de Comer Esa Tuna
4. Los Pajaritos Trio - La Adelita
5. Mariachi Corral - Cocula
6. La Rondalla de Tijuana - Cancion Mixteca

Ustad Vilayat Khan -- The Supreme Genius of Ustad Vilayat Khan (1968 - HMV/EMI India, EASD-1332)

"Born at Gouripur (now in East Pakistan [Bangladesh] )in 1924 in a family with a great musical tradition, Vilayat Khan is sixth in an unbroken line of maestros going back to the Mughal period. His father, the late Ustad Inayat Khan, still remembered as one of the greatest sitarists of all time, initiated young Vilayat in the art of Sitar playting, though this guidance was lost to Vilayat at the early age of thirteen due to the death of his father. Dedication and discipline, however, carried him through and to such heights that at a relatively young age his virtuosity was recognized not only in India but abroad also. He has played to appreciative audiences in UK, Europe, USSR, East Africa and Afghanistan. Just as Sartre's rejection of the Nobel Prize created a storm in European intellectual circles, Vilayat Khan's polite but firm refusal of a Sangeet Natak Akademi award created a sensation among musical circles in India three years ago."

(From the cover notes)

"A creative genius like Vilayat was not content with mere presentation of his parent baaz. He remodelled the Sitar in many ways like removing the second gourd, changing the strings and tuning system. His technical contribution, exquisitely attuned to the various gradations of Raga delineation, elucidative in practical exposition, has become a reference point for the art of perfect Sitar playing...

For his magnificent solos, his immemorial duets, Ustad Vilayat Khan will live on in the hearts of millions for time immemorial, as the Shahenshah of Sitar. "   (Obituary, ITC Sangeet Resarch Academy)

"Fans and media alike liked to play up Vilayat Khan's rivalry with and animosity towards Ravi Shankar. However, in calmer moments Vilayat would admit there was not much to it. His animosity for the politics and institutions of India's cultural life was another matter. In 1964 and 1968, respectively, he was awarded the Padma Shri andPadma Bhushan awards – India's fourth and third highest civilian honours for service to the nation – but refused to accept them, declaring the committee musically incompetent to judge him." (Wikipedia, Controversy)

Ustad Vilayat Khan -- The Supreme Genius of Ustad Vilayat Khan (1968 - HMV/EMI India, EASD-1332)

320mp3 + Flac

Sitar-Raga : Darbari Kanada

Side A: Alap & Jhala

Side B: Gat In Teentaal

Tabla: Shankar Ghosh

Animal Collective : Centipede Radio Transmission 3

Ghost Capital is stoked to go on-air as one of today's guests on Animal Collective's Centipede Radio Transmission 3, hosted by Avey Tare. Atlas Sound and The Blackouts are this week's other guests. The show starts in about 30 minutes. Listen Up!

Via FACT: The third episode of Animal Collective’s Centipede Radio will be broadcast live via radio.myanimalhome.net this Sunday night / Today at 9pm EST (6pm Pacific).

This week’s show is hosted by the band’s Avey Tare, following episodes helmed by Panda Bear and Deakin (both archived and available to stream on the site). It will feature guest DJ mixes from Atlas Sound, The Blackouts and Ghost Capital.

Animal Collective Radio is a collaboration between the band, their label Domino and The Creators Project, designed to promote their new album, Centipede Hz, which us due out on September 3. You can stream the last show, which featured Haunted Graffiti and more, here. 

Atsumasa Nakabayashi Trio - Melody of Japan (Denon, ALS-4049) 中林淳真ギター三重奏団 - 日本のメロディ

"Atsumasa Nakabayashi was born in Tokyo in 1927. He began his musical studies in Japan, with the teacher Yasumasa Obara, and perfected the technique and interpretation of the guitar in Spain under the leadership of Narciso Yepes and Jose Luis Gonzalez. In 1958 he won the 1st. Prize of the International Guitar Competition in Tokyo, and was awarded by the Ambassador of Spain. In 1964 he appeared at Carnegie Hall in New York, as the first Japanese guitarist to hold this site. Invited by the Department of Cultural Affairs of Cuba, gave recitals in Havana and Santiago de Cuba. In 1984 he won the 1st. Composition Competition Prize Morishige Takei held annually in Tokyo for his suite "Dance No. 1". (Source)

A lovely survey of classic Japanese melodies arranged & performed by Nakabayashi's excellent guitar trio. Release date currently unknown. I was also unable to find the tracklist (in Japanese or English) transcribed anywhere, online. Japanese speakers, your assistance with this would be greatly appreciated. Is my observation correct that a Nakabayashi CD of the same name; 日本のメロディ, seems to have an entirely different tracklist? Enjoy!

Atsumasa Nakabayashi Trio - Melody of Japan (Denon, ALS-4049)

320 mp3 + Flac

"Nippon No Merodei"