Medina Records

Fascinating one this. The backing track is a reworking of Jack Hammer’s ‘Swim‘ (also produced by Miki Dallon). No idea if these were recorded around the same time as each other, ‘Swim’ was issued in 1971 and ‘Dial My Number’ in 1976, although it does sound earlier. I suspect this was an unreleased track they decided to issue as a b-side (anyone with any additional information feel free to share). Either way it’s a storming slice of funky rock that demands 11 on your volume control.

Mike Berry – Dial My Number

I first heard this earlier in the year via a mix over at VG+ (cheers Al). Funky big band jazz is something I need to explore a lot more of, there’s something about those punchy horns and that big funk groove that rarely fails to satisfy and this track definitely delivers on both fronts. Featuring a sixteen man horn section (including a Alan Skidmore tenor solo), two drummers, two keyboard players, two bassists; what more could you need?

Oh and if you need tips for similar (I know I do) then here would be a good place to start. Enjoy.

Barone-Burghardt Orchestra – Bumper Thumper

Loving this footage of the Wurlitzer Sideman which is supposedly the worlds first drum machine created in 1959.

Wallifornia Soul from Laid Back on Vimeo.

As I mentioned before there have been a fair few vinyl related videos cropping up online of late but few (if any) are as fascinating and inspiring as Belgian vinyl maven Jean Roger who details several decades of digging. Superbly put together by the Laid Back crew (I hope there’s more like this coming); be sure to check out their superb radio player and check out JR playing records and being interviewed (in Belgian) on Laid Back radio.

Heavy psych rock cover of a track originally by Manfred Mann Chapter Three (it opens their debut album). As good as the original is the Rainbow Family really knock it out of the park delivering a huge version of the track. No idea who they were though (anyone?).

Rainbow Family – Travellin’ Lady

If you’re British and of a certain age this track will bring on a flood of nostalgia. Originally a KPM library track (from KPM1253 – The Reggae Album) it was used for several years as The Gallery music on British children’s show Take Hart. In many ways it’s a sister track to the equally sublime ‘Left Bank Two‘ by The Noveltones which was the theme music to Take Hart and prior to that The Gallery music from Take Hart’s parent show Vision On.

Thankfully ‘Marguerite’ didn’t remain hidden away on a hard to find library LP and was released as a single which makes it so much easier to wallow in the near perfection of Bob Morgan’s clarinets and lilting reggae.

Bob Morgan And Steppin’ Out – Marguerite

Oh I made a YouTube video for it too. As I say, if you British and of a certain age…

Doug E Fresh’s shirt burnt my retina’s out!!