Fans of The Free Design’s songwriting might enjoy these early (mid 60s) Chris Dedrick compostions for saxophone quartet. His uncle Rusty Dedrick has a few cuts on it as well. The rich harmonies and chords that later shaped the Free Design vocal arrangements are here fully formed yet more angular in nature. There’s no date on the cover or record but it seems to pre-date other sax quartets like Rova. It kind of reminds me of David Amram’s music for Pull My Daisy.

"Sensitivity"

New Orleans based label Seven B is definitely something of a mixed bag & can usually be categorised as 45s Eddie Bo was involved with & ones that he had no part of. Finding 45s on this label will either land you with unbearably cheesy country, slightly more tolerable piano instrumentals or some of the best soul & funk sounds ever. Many of the best 45s on the label had a helping hand from Eddie Bo & one of these Little Buck tracks ("Little Boy Blue") recycles the same backing track as Eddie Bo & Inez Cheatham's "Lover & A Friend". Despite the undeniable quality of Little Buck's two 45s for the Seven B label he released little else under his own name at the time (there is a rumored 3rd Little Buck 45 on the label so if someone actually owns one with "Hurt In My Heart"/"True Love So Rare" on it speak up). Little Buck seems to have got his start with Huey Smith's Clowns where he is featured on their "You Got Too" 45 on Instant which is well worth hearing too. Enjoy these two great examples of early 70s NO funk.

Little Boy Blue

Everybody's Love

Here's an interesting record from a bygone era. Not only were Auckland's Zodiac Records one of the biggest local independent labels of the 50s & 60s, as an aspiring musician you could also use their facilities to cut your own record. This 45 was recorded on the 5th of October 1955 in immediately pre-rock & roll New Zealand. It very much sounds in the vein of the popular country music style of the time, but in a more basic way.

Neither Oliver Spinetto or Harry Francis were professional musicians to my knowledge & this is the only record they made. I am guessing that they booked the Zodiac studios one day, went in there with 2 songs & an acoustic guitar & got possibly a handful of 45s for their money.

The A side of the 45 features the vocals of both men singing the slow waltz "Let The Rest Of The World Go By" & the flipside has Harry Francis singing the uptempo "I'm Hanged If They're Going To Hang Me". The only accompaniment is the guitar but I don't know which of the men are playing it.

I don't know anything of Harry Francis but Oliver Spinetto was the manager of the Tairua Caravan Park & also a commercial fisherman. He used to sing at family events but drowned in uncertain circumstances in the early 70s. The record & background info are courtesy of his niece Heather.

Let The Rest Of The World Go By

I'm Hanged If They're Going To Hang Me

I’ve got myself lost in this Lp more than once…Perhaps it’s a romantic thing but I do seem to conjure up a sense of sophistication when I listen to French jazz…It seems even the cover has a touch more panache than comparable releases…?  Soul of Africa is a very listenable spiritual outing, which I’ve come to really dig. There’s plenty going on rhythmically to hypnotise the soul, the track included here is Garvey’s Strut. This track is one of several that would have been appropriate for inclusion here…

"Garvey's Strutt"

Featuring the Jef Gilson Big Band recorded at the Salle Gaveau concert hall (Hence the title) The track Modalite Pour Mimi is a swinging, piece that features some great blowing over a lovely rhythm. The whole band seem absorbed in this groove which sounds unmistakably French. There is also a vocal version of this on a Decca EP that I’m very keen to track down if anybody can help?

"Modalite Pour Mimi"