GEOFFREY ORYEMA (ABO #385)

GEOFFREY ORYEMA
SON OF THE WIND

Geoffrey Oryema (born April 16, 1953) is an internationally renowned Ugandan musician. In 1977, at the age of 24 and at the height of Idi Amin's power, Oryema was smuggled across the Ugandan border in the trunk of a car, after the death of his father, Erinayo Wilson Oryema, who was a cabinet minister, beginning a life in exile. Today his songs keep alive the languages of his youth - Swahili and Acholi and return to the lost country - the 'clear green land' of Uganda.
Oryema earned his international reputation following the release of his second album, Beat the Border. He has collaborated with, amongst others, Peter Gabriel. Gabriel's record label, Real World, helped with the first three of Oryema's albums, until his move to Sony International, a label established in France where Oryema resides since his exile. Besides his two native languagues mentioned earlier, he also sings in English and French.

My GEOFFREY ORYEMA List
1 - Exile (1990)
2 - Beat the Border (1994)
3 - Spirit (2000)
4 - Night to Night (1997)
5 - Words (2004)

RIYL:
Youssou N'Dour, Ismaël Lô, Ayub Ogada

GIL SCOTT-HERON (ABO #384)

GIL SCOTT-HERON
WILL NOT BE TELEVISED

Gil Scott-Heron (born April 1, 1949) is an American poet, musician, and author known primarily for his late 1970s and early 1980s work as a spoken word performer and his collaborative soul works with musician Brian Jackson. His collaborative efforts with Jackson featured a musical fusion of jazz, blues and soul music, as well as lyrical content concerning social and political issues of the time, delivered in both rapping and melismatic vocal styles by Scott-Heron. The music of these albums, most notably Pieces of a Man and Winter in America in the early 1970s, influenced and helped engender later African-American music genres such as hip hop and neo soul. Scott-Heron's recording work is often associated with black militant activism and has received much critical acclaim for one of his most well-known compositions "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised". On his influence, Allmusic wrote "Scott-Heron's unique proto-rap style influenced a generation of hip-hop artists".

My GIL SCOTT-HERON Top Three
1 - Pieces of a Man (1971)
2 - Winter in America (1974)
3 - It's Your World (1976)

My GIL SCOTT-HERON Bottom Three
1 - Moving Target (1982)
2 - 1980 (1980)
3 - Real Eyes (1980)

RIYL:
The Last Poets, Sly & the Family Stone, The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy

GURU'S JAZZMATAZZ (ABO #383)

FEEL THE MUSIC by
GURU'S JAZZMATAZZ

Ex-Gangstarr's Guru died not so long ago. While I'm not that fond of the work of his original band, I find his Jazzmatazz series to be quite appealing. Indeed, it was a bold move to mix real jazz with hip-hop when the first volume was released and since the album was of good quality, it pleased be then and still does now. Sure the sequels haven't all been of that caliber but, on every one of them, I found enough quality to decide that project was worth compiling for Baistophe's Black Month.
So, here's a tribute to Guru with what I consider the finest of the Jazzmatazz Series. Enjoy.

RIYL :
US3, Digable Planets, Dream Warriors

ME'SHELL NGEDEOCELLO (ABO #382)

ME'SHELL NDEGEOCELLO
IN TRANSIT

For those who only know her most famous singles, Me'Shell Ngedéocello may appear as a relatively common r'n'b artist. That is a huge mistake and a dire misunderstanding of this one of a kind artist. Me'Shell has so many faces she may very well be a mirrorball-image of what quality modern black music should sound like. On top of the soul/hip-hop thingy, which she does pretty damn well, this lady has proven to be a versatile and curious composer that can handle rock, folk, jazz just as well as she does with soul and hip-hop. Of course, not all of her eight albums are of the same quality but every one of them has moments of grace that can seldom be found with any other artist in today's black music scene. In that, one can easily compare her to Nina Simone whom also could touch about every musical genre she wanted and make it her own. I bet you Me'Shell will have a long and productive career and will continue to amaze and surprise us. This 2 hours compilation tries to be an introduction to her unique world. Enjoy.

My ME'SHELL NDEGEOCELLO Top 3
1 - Bitter (1999)
2 - The World Made Me the Man of My Dreams (2007)
3 - Peace Beyond Passion (1996)

RIYL:
Erykah Badu, Nina Simone, Joan Armatrading

This Is My Last Goodbye

I know, I know things that happen are sometimes hard to live but there are some decision to be made.

Today was my round to post a Baistophe and I didn't really feel like doing it. In fact, it's been several weeks, several months that I had become a bit tired of that. Not that today I don't like Baistophing. In the contrary, I still live it, but it has taken so much parts in my life that I had to stop one day. I had already told to my dear friend SFP that I wanted to progressively stop my contribution to the blog from september, but today, I feel so empty, so powerless that I can't go on without risking anything within my health or my family's.

Baistophe has taken so much place in my life that I had to react before becoming a no-life.

Because I love much more my wife and daughter than music and this pretty good blog, my choice has been very easy to make.

SFP has told me that if I gave up, he'd stop too. I hope he won't because between me and he, he was the most talented. I really hope he'll go on and maybe hope that some of our friends, one-time contributor, will become full time member. This blog deserves it.

Laws are going against illegal downloads. I'm deeply for those laws because artists deserve to be paid for the work they've been doing. But keep on downloading those forgotten artists because industry is killing our common musical history by deleting them from their catalog.

So do what you want, but be sure you are true to those you love, be they famous or not.

Thank you all to you kind words during those 2 and half years of Baistophe. Regarding our first posts, I am just amazed of how we have evoluated... and we have evoluated thanks to your support. I won't forget that at all.

This was my last goodbye

A TRIBUTE TO BLOOD ON THE TRACKS (VAC #047)

A TRIBUTE TO BOB DYLAN’S
BLOOD ON THE TRACKS

Second installment of our Bob Dylan covers series, Blood on the Tracks was a tricky one. Almost every track has several versions to choose from, which was good, but too many of them were “by-the-book” replicas and, while they may have sounded good, they were of little interest. We decided it was more interesting to find versions which brought a little something different Dylan’s compositions. We hope you’ll agree on that and will enjoy the result, I know I do.
See you soon for Volume 3.

KILLING JOKE (ABO #381)

KILLING JOKE
THE JOKE’S ON YOU

There are not many bands like Killing Joke. Lead by frontman extraordinaire Jaz Coleman, the band has now more than 30 years of age yet manages to remain something fresh, energetic and constantly evolving.
Starting as a post-punk act, they succeeded to adapt their trademark sound in time, slowly turning (except for a “poppier” gap in the mid/late 80s, that is) into something more aggressive, infusing a bit of metal and industrial into their music.
Now, back with their original line-up, they’re set to release a new album in September. It was more than time to try to resume their prolific quality career and Magnu took a job that wasn’t as easy as it seems for his first collaboration at Baistophe. Let him be thanked and enjoy “The Joke’s on You”.

Magnu’s KILLING JOKE List
1 - Pandemonium (1994)
2 - Extremities, Dirt & Various Repressed Emotions (1990)
3 - Revelations (1982)
4 - Killing Joke (1980)
5 - Democracy (1996)
6 - What'sTHIS for (1981)
7 - Hosannas From The Basements of Hell (2006)
8 - Fire Dances (1983)
9 - Killing Joke (2003)
10 - Night Time (1985)
11 - Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (1986)
12 - Outside The Gate (1988)

RIYL:
Nine Inch Nails, New Model Army, Bauhaus

PARADISE LOST (ABO #380)

PARADISE LOST
HAVEN

Starting as a Death/Doom Metal band in the late 80s, no one could have ever expected the evolution which affected Paradise Lost’s sound. Culminating on the Host album (their seventh album, released in 1999) where the band sounds kind of like a metal version of Depeche Mode. Alas, their metal fan base didn’t like it and the band was forced to return to something a tad more traditional on their following albums producing some quality melodic Gothic Metal.
This compilation (with a track list crafted by Baker) sums up the great musical adventure Paradise Lost’s career has been up to “Faith Divides Us – Death Unites Us” (released in 2009). Enjoy the ride.

My PARADISE LOST Top Three
1 – Host (1999)
2 – One Second (1997)
3 – Draconian Times (1995)

My PARADISE LOST Bottom Three
1 – Lost Paradise (1990)
2 – Symbol of Life (2002)
3 – In Requiem (2007)

RIYL:
Katatonia, My Dying Bride, Type O Negative

XII (VAC#046)

VARIOUS ARTISTS

XII

It's been an evidence for us who like to make thematic Baistophes (numbered VAC as Various Artists Compilations) to make a special VAC dealing with the 12 zodiac signs. It could have been also easy to compile if I didn't struggled for strict titles who only ARE those signs, banning whatever include those in a complete centense.

You know what? It also would have been very easy if each and every sign would have been well represented. For instance, Cancer has got very few song represented. For many others it has been a reel drama to chose one version and not the other. Finally, the song I kept are those you see here and you will be able to listen to. I tried not to make too agressive transition AND keeping the good order of your horoscope...

HUMBLE PIE (ABO#379)

THE DELIGHTFUL

HUMBLE PIE

(1969-2002)

It's been a long time since I haven't listened to Humble Pie early when I began this Baistophe. I didn't remember how heavy was their rock. One of the very best Hard Rock act in the 70s with Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple, for sure!

in 1969, Steve Marriott was already a star with his previous band, The Small Faces. Peter Frampton, at the guitar became famous after he left the band with his solo love LP "Comes Alive". In between, Humble Pie recorded what is their most essential songs. Unfortunately, they only became famous for a restricted audience who wanted more than the two bands I wrote lines before.

My Humble Pie TOP3 :

1. Humble Pie (1970)

2. Rock On (1971)

3. As Safe As Yesterday Is (1969)

My Humble Pie Bottom3 :

1. On To Victory (1980)

2. Back On Track (2002)

3. Thunderbox (1974)