Balearic Breakfast | Episode 185 | Balearic Departures...

Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy broadcast the 185th episode of Balearic Breakfast on her Mixcloud and Twitch TV socials on July 23rd 2024.

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About this episode. – This 184th episode of Balearic Breakfast takes us to much higher ground than usual. The first part is very homogeneous, with many of the songs dealing directly or indirectly (musically and philosophically) with departure... The second half of the show sees the whole Family flying up there...

Colleen posted the request line on her socials last Saturday morning, writing us: "Whenever I discovered a lady slipper in the forest as a child, it was a magical event. We were told to never touch these rarely spotted endangered orchids, so I was delighted to see so many on my last walk in the Middlesex Fells near Boston.

And I’m looking forward to your musical contributions to the magical event we create together this coming Tuesday. Please let me know what you would like to hear on Balearic Breakfast on Tuesday from 10am to 12pm on my Mixcloud Live and Twitch TV."

Some of the family members logically requested songs linked to flowers and nature, and we even laughed, as I didn't see that theme coming at all! But we eventually succeeded, as always, in proposing songs with a common theme: leaving Earth to experience new adventures!

Before diving in today's show, let's give our Captain the final words: "This morning’s Balearic Breakfast is now up on my Mixcloud. Today's show features your requests along with new records and some old finds. The show also pays tribute to the late kora master Toumani Diabaté and celebrates the legacy of Larry Levan who would have turned 70 this past weekend. Thanks to all who joined on my Mixcloud Live for the stream and apologies to the Twitch TV users. As that platform didn’t sort out copyright clearances they are redirecting everyone over to Mixcloud and thanks to those that migrated over to join the family all in one happy place.

Listen back to the 185th episode of Balearic Breakfast:

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PLAYLIST

(1999) Toumani Diabate & Ballake Sissoko – Salaman

(1963) Cal Tjader – Black Orchid

(2024) Soul Revivers (ft Ash Walker) – Holding it Down

(2006) The Black Seeds – The Answer

(2011) Brian Protheroe – Pinball (Ashley Beedle Heavy Disco Edit)

(1978) Townes Van Zandt – Brother Flower

(2024) James Alexander Bright – Fall for You

(NOL) Abba – Eagle (Pete Blaker Edit)

(1986) Gwen Guthrie – 7th Heaven (Larry Levan Remix)

(2024) Magic Words – Wabi Soba

(2023) AC Symphony – Windy City Theme

(2024) Odair José – Nunca Mais (Siree Re-Edit)

(1975) CoalKitchen – Chained to the Train of Love

(2020) Mogwaa – Dancing with the Herons

(2024) Flamingo Pier – Mazunte

(2024) Bernardo Pinheiro – Expresso Amor

(2018) Di Melo – A.E.I.O.U.

(1999) Armand Van Helden ft. Roland Clark – Flowerz

(2022) Real Lies – Boss Trick

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THE LISTENING EXPERIENCE

The first two tracks (Salaman and Black Orchid) are real "openers"; they invite to a new voyage, new discoveries, and foreign landscapes through the use of specific instruments, tonalities, and unorthodox soundstage depths and sonic colours.

Two Malian Cora masters, Tumani Diabate and Ballaké Sissoko with Salaman from their 1998 LP New Ancient Strings, which was a tribute to the album that their fathers had recorded together in 1970, as both musicians came from a familial line of griots. Tumani Diabate passed to the next realm after a short illness on Friday at the age of 58. He was the undisputed master of the Kora, the stringed harp that is the most important classical musical instrument in West Africa. He came from a cast of traditional musicians and griots that he could trace back 71 generations. He was also known for mixing ancient traditions with the modern sounds of artists like Jimi Hendrix, Otis Redding, Pink Floyd. Diabate's 1989 debut album released on Joe Boyd's Hannibal label was the first ever solo Kora album. It also introduced him to an international audience and he collaborated with many musicians, including American banjo players to Iranian fiddle players. He did for the Kora what Ravi Shankar did for the Sitar. May Tumani Diabate rest in paradise. – The album (remastered in 2024) was recorded in one night session at the 'Palais des congrès' on September 22nd, 1997 - Mali's Independence Day - (more details here).

Vibraphonist, percussionist, and pianist, Cal Tjader (who played along other greats such as pianist Dave Brubeck) had more of a Latin sound for the most part. But on his 1964 LP, Breeze from the East, he dipped into more quasi-Asian sounds. – The album "Brezze from the east" (with its cover presenting 'The Great Wave of Kanagawa', a woodblock print by Japanese ukiyo-e artist Hokusai, created in late 1831 during the Edo period of Japanese history) was recorded only 3 days following the assasination of John F. Kennedy (November 25th, 1963) and all of its tracks were arranged with bossa, go-go beats ornamented by Asian scales and percussion. Fun fact, this very album is one Tjader disliked as he shared in an interview with Harvey Siders which appeared in the September 8, 1966 edition of Downbeat: "Musically I'd have to say I've done some dumb albums. Like Breeze from the East. Creed would be the first to admit it didn't make it. He tried for a sound, and when I heard it, I went outside and vomited — figuratively, not literally."

I love how Colleen "breaks" the relaxed vibe by playing the solid-sounding Holding it Down just before Black Orchid ends, then followed by The Answer in a tense rhythmic unity... Surprise is a critical element in a mix, and if you know how to use it, as Colleen said, you'll keep your listeners on their toes. These two raggae numbers are slow but open vibers!

The Soul Revivers (which are Nick Manasseh, a DJ and also a record dealer as well and producer, and David Hill, who's also a producer, one of the owners of New Phonic Records), here evoking the spirit of Jackie Meitu with Holding it Down, featuring London keyboard maestro Ash Walker and singer Lynn Gerald. It's their latest 7-inch on the Acid Jazz label and follows their debut album, On the Grove.

The Black Seeds have been releasing records for over two decades and had a hit with their Rocksteady song, One by One, when it was played on the TV series, Breaking Bad. Brett McKenzie from the Kiwi comedy duo, Flight of the Conchords, also used to be a band member of The Black Seeds. So there's another reason to listen to them.

The very cosmic Pinball (Ashley Beedle Heavy Disco Edit) keeps the unexpected in front of our eyes, and though sonically we changed lands a bit, we still have a kinda reggae vibe in there, swiped by the next number in a gentle mix, allowing Brother Flower to really shine! Colleen, in today's show, is all about changing directions, emphasising the show's soul, bringing with Fall for You, a soulful element to the musical kaleidoscope, still keeping a somehow reggae presence. It's all about funkiness and openness, ending this incredible flying moment with an unexpected edit of Abba's Eeagles (the first WOW effect of today's episode!). Can you understand the musical core here while reading these lines?

Brian Protheroe is currently known for narrating the Channel 4 reality show, First Dates. But in 1974, he had a hit single. Starting his career as both an actor and as a member of the early 60s folk group, Folk Blues Incorporated, otherwise known as FBI, he was, in 1973, playing the part of a pop singer in a play called Death On Demand, when a record exec heard that song that Prothero had penned for the show, Pinball. It became a summer hit, and Ashley Beedle did a great heavy disco edit.

Brother Flower, from the late American singer-songwriter-guitarist Townes Van Zandt. Van Zandt had a troubled life, afflicted by mental health difficulties and addiction issues, but he was a renowned songwriter penning the song Poncho and Lefty that Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard made into a 1980s country hit. And the years between 1968 and 1973 were Townes Van Zandt's most prolific and impactful. He released six albums during that time, so it was his true classic era.

James Alexander Bright has a new album coming out called Cool Cool (ed. he was on Gilles Peterson's Brownswood Basement on Juy 25th), on the Athens of the North record label, his third solo album, following Float. He's hosting a listening party, an audience chat tomorrow, and you can find out more on their Bandcamp. – Speaking about his song, "Fall for you", James shared: "You know when you've loved, to love is a magical thing. Whether it's an experience, an object, or a person; we've all loved and lost. The senses, vibration and elements have a wondrous strength and power. Love is the most powerful of all."

Eagle by ABBA opens their 1977 self-titled album. Colleen wrote about it for the magazine, Crack, when they asked her and people like Jarvis Cocker, John Grant, and Smothers for their favorite tune by the Swedish Quartet. This song has a connection with Richard Bach's book, Jonathan Livingston's Seagull – speaking about the song, Björn said: "I was trying to capture the sense of freedom that I got from reading that book" – very, very 70s, and its soaring melodies. Pete Blaker saw Ask Goosh's request and promptly sent over a very special edit.

The next section of the show keeps the unexpected funkiness alive with four songs like no other, beautifully blended by our Captain (although the first one is what I call "a risky mix"): 7th Heaven (Larry Levan Remix)/ Wabi Soba/Windy City Theme/Nunca Mais (Siree Re-Edit)). It still amazes me to hear and experience how Colleen is able to let the show's soul fly freely and reveal itself as it unwinds before our eyes! We're still flying high, aren't we?! And, today, she started the second part of the show earlier as this is the first mini mix of the show, of flying fun times indeed!! 🐦

This past Saturday would have been the 70th birthday of one of the most celebrated DJs of all time, Larry Levan of the Paradise Garage. He was born and raised in New York City and began making dresses for Harlem's long-standing LGBTQ ballroom scene. It was during this time that he met his future best friend, Frankie Knuckles. Levan was introduced to the downtown dance music scene through Colleen's friend and mentor, David Mancuso, and his weekly loft parties. Then both Levan and Knuckles were invited to replace gallery DJ Nicky Siano at the Continental Baths. But it was Levan's run as a resident DJ at the Paradise Garage, from its opening in 1977 to its closing a decade later, that would put Levan into the history books with his DJ technique, his attention to the sound system as mentored himself by David Mancuso, and also his tripped out and dubby remixes. LeVan had a golden ear, and influential radio DJ Frankie Crocker would pick up records that Levan was playing at the Garage, and he would make them into hits on WBLS. When Levan passed away in November 1992, the New York dance community was distraught, and I was hosting a radio show called Soul School at that time, and I had people phoning up with their requests and sharing their memories of the Paradise Garage, and I remember that it just brought tears to my eyes. It was really, really deep. And then David had a mammoth party at the loft, which lasted at least a day and a half. It went into Monday, and Francois K. brought down some reels, and it was just incredibly sentimental, but also very joyous.

From the Brooklyn-based record label Razor and Tape, the new Wabi Soba by Magic Words (producer duo Eli Cohen and Peter Hargarten) already sounds like a Balearic classic with its Spanish guitar.

Dave Lee's AC Orchestra proposing here a very true and respectful cover of the Windy City theme. The 1976 original was by Carl Davis and the Chi Sound Orchestra. Lee released the album Metamorphosis as AC Symphony last year on his own Zed Records imprint. He did a fine job. You can hear his love of the string-heavy disco-funk acts like MFSB, Love Unlimited Orchestra, South Soul Orchestra. – A member of the family (davstod) shared with us on the chat "Huge tune Colleen, totally iconic for every londoner who grew uo listening to Norman Jay's original Rare Groove show on Kiss when it was a pirate station. Dave Lee has done an incredible job on taking the best from Carl Davis and Rodney Franklin tunes - sounded amazing at BBE when he did the LP Launch..."

A rework of Brazilian singer and musician Odair José's 1977 single Nunca Mais. The original was featured in his rock opera O Filho de José Maria, for which he was excommunicated from the Catholic Church.

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Colleen invites us to a free-flying party for the last 50 minutes of the show. Starting with a solid musical part, including Chained to the Train of Love, followed by Dancing with the Herons!

CoalKitchen formed when the San Francisco-based band Devil's Kitchen broke up in the summer of 1970, and at just about the same time, the Carbondale, Illinois-based band Coal Dust was reforming after falling apart, so they got together to jam one day, and without much real planning, just merged the two groups into 'CoalKitchen'. They released one album in 1977 with the very snappy title Thirsty or Not, Choose Your Flavor, which features "Change the Train of Love" that was also released as a single.

Mogwaa, a musician from Seoul, South Korea, has been releasing albums since 2018, including his latest, Translucent, which was released last year. Dancing with the Herons is taken from their 2020 album Turquoise.

The party keeps on grooving with Flamingo PIer's Mazunte, Colleen perfectly mixing the following track, which is the infamous Expresso Amor, followed by the Balearic and slower A.E.I.O.U. What a splendid mix Colleen proposes here! Closing this long mini mix with Flowerz, it seems evident that Colleen plays it risky today!!! And it's fun!!

New Zealand group Flamingo Pier have just touched down in the United States, embarking upon their summer tour, and they will be hitting British shores in August, here with their brand new single, Mazunte.

Brazilian producer Bernardo Pinheiro with Expresso Amor, taken from Barefoot Beats 14, came out last month. Pinheiro is renowned for his great edits of Brazilian obscurities, and he really has great musical arrangements there. – Soundwise, this track is an absolute killer...

A.E.I.O.U., the 2019 single by the legendary Brazilian singer Di Melo was released 40 years after his classic self-titled Samba Soul LP. It was produced by French production combo Cartonet, who were on tour in Brazil and had a few days off in Sao Paulo, so they made that collaboration, and it was released on the French label Favorite Recordings.

Flowerz was released in April 1999 by Armand Van Helden and Roland Clark (on vocals). You can hear that Donald Bird Think Twice sample, and I love how Roland Clark just sounds like Romanthony, a really prince, on that breakdown.

Closing the show with the also open Boss Trick, our Capitain leaves us breathless but absolutely happy and contemplative!

Boss Trick is the 2020 single by the London Duo Real Lies who released two albums, 2015's Real Life and 2022's Lad Ash.