LOS SHAKERS - ADORABLE LOLA

(originally posted 1/25/10)

Los Shakers were from Uruguay, and brothers Hugo and Osvaldo abandoned a budding successful career in jazz when they heard the Beatles. These guys were YOUNG when they started (they were teens when they became professional jazz musicians) and the original lineup released three INCREDIBLE albums and a handful of singles (this is one of their non-LP tracks). Their 1968 album (which is essentially an answer to the Beatles Sgt Pepper LP) titled "La Conferencia Secreta Del Toto's Bar" is simply the best relatively unknown rock n roll (although it incorporates strong South American elements and even a few jazzy passages) album of the sixties. I would argue 'til I'm blue in the face about that! Los Shakers took a strong Beatles influence and didn't merely copy, but used their love for the Beatles to unlock their own creativity.

Beatle-esque harmonies over a tropicalia sound; it doesn't get any better than 'Adorable Lola".

from 1968...

BARBARA LYNN - MELLOW FEELING (part 1)

(originally posted 3/18/09)

Barbara Lynn is certainly no stranger to this blog!

Seems as though I have featured more of her singles on this blog than any other artist. No way for me to hide how much I love her.

I am very happy to say that after a long period of either being outbid on ebay for it (and also thinking GASP do I really want to pay THAT MUCH for this record????) I'm now the proud owner of this 45 that is said there are about 20 known copies of. It's NEVER been reissued or included on any comps (I'd like to fix that- if anyone who produces reissues is reading, please email me. I would love to see this get reissued somehow). (Update - I provided a dub of my copy that was used on the Jazzman compilation).

Of course, just because something is RARE doesn't mean I want to listen to it! This infectious record absolutely slays me!

This record was cut after Barbara Lynn moved to L.A and was comfortably settled into motherhood and only gigging locally, occasionally. There was a LONG period (about 5 years) where she didn't record anything, and there was a gap of another 4 years or so after this.

from 1979...

BARBARA LYNN - MELLOW FEELING (PART 1)