The 2:17 One Note Vacation

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Relax.

Friday Grooves

For the past few months I've been seriously getting back into my vinyl, mainly lost and forgotten instumentals. Here's a few gems, focusing on the keyboard, to get you chilled out and ready for the weekend. Grab yourself a cocktail and relax...

First up, is a sweet little vibe from La Ragazza Dalla Pelle di Luna, a 1971 collection of Italian soundtracks, Laguna Tropicale by Piero Umiliani.

Next, we got Money Mark's totally bitchin' Pinto's New Car from his very cool 1995 Mark's Keyboard Repair lp.

As you may or may not know, Money Mark brought the soul and funk to the Beastie Boys' Check Your Head and Ill Communication lps. Both albums demonstrated his influence, with his thick, all over the place funky organ. On his own, Money Mark creates music that is quite similar to the instrumental tracks on the two Beastie albums, although a bit grittier and jazzier. The album as a whole, has a funky fresh Jimmy Smith vibe meets lo-fi, indie rock along with variations of '60s soul-jazz. An absolute must have for anyone looking to create the ultimate Tiki Room Pub vibe.

And finally, some groovy French Pop circa 1967 Aven des Oreilles from Monique Thurbert. This is from Ultra Chicks Vol.3, Baby Pop! And yeah, all three volumes are just as sweet as this track...

Turn it up and enjoy.

Have a great weekend.

Michael

Don't Monkey With Tarzan!

Monday. Here's an awesome little tune to set the tone and get your week started right. If anybody wants to mess with you today simply say the magic words: Don't Monkey With Tarzan!
Enjoy,
Migwell

I Can Be Nothing But Nothing But Trouble

John Dufilho Video 02: I Can Be Nothing But Trouble.

40 Years Of A Charlie Brown Christmas

Commentator John Moe is 37 years old, so he's never known a time when A Charlie Brown Christmas wasn't on television. But when he went to show it to his son for the first time, 5-year-old Charlie just thought it was strange, but he did have some great questions.

Check out A Charlie Brown Christmas' and a New Generation.

Be safe and be smart!

Happy New Year Y'all

This aired on NPR's All Things Considered, December 19, 2005

We Love The Beatles!

Please give a warm welcome to The Vernons Girls singing their heartfelt, soon to be forgotten We Love The Beatles! From The Sixties Explosion, a compilation of 8 ball sixties tracks.

And prepare yourself for I Wanna Hold Your Hand by the amazing Enoch Light and His Orchestra!

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!

Migwell

'Ello Beatle People!

I don't know about y'all, but this whole iPod/iTunes phenomenon thing is taking me back to the days when I first truly started to get into music. Besides the fact that it's now possible to locate, retrieve and play anything from my collection by simply typing in a few key words (providing that everything is tagged from the get-go!) and the awesomely simple but genius shuffle option, the magic button that turns my mountain of all things audio into a personal "This Is Your Life" jukebox, the iPod is taking me back to the days when I would listen to an album, start to finish, with headphones on, escape and truly experience the concept of stereophonic hi-fi listening.

Albums like Queen' A Night At The Opera, Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon, Beach Boys' Pet Sounds and obviously any Beatles album, starting with Rubber Soul, come to mind as what I call headphone albums. Everyone's both heard and heard of these albums but sadly, few people have ever really listened to them.

If your version of Magical Mystery Tour is a downloaded copy from Kazaa and you've only listened to it via your computer speakers at work, please, don't tell me you're a huge fan of the fab four. Not only are you missing the experience and soul of what I'm talking about, (not to mention stealing music!) you've never really "heard" the Beatles at all. Granted, when the Beatles we're still together and the first time most of us heard their music is was either via a crappy radio or a sub-par turntable, which worked for me - I rather hear a any Beatles song over a mono transistor than most of the kaka that's coming out today, but there is so much going on with George Martin's production and the genius of the boys themselves that it's possible to hear something you've missed or never heard before every time you throw on a Beatles album!

Getting back into to headphone listening has turned my library of stuff into a whole new world of music. A world of left and right panning, nuance and subtlety that's both lost and ignored in today's world of free crappy downloads, computer speakers and quantity over quality. As much as I dig a mono surf song coming out of a single speaker while sitting on the beach drinking a cold one, that same song, in all it's high fidelity glory on some sweet home speakers or headphones transports me to another world. They're both music to my ears.

Anyway, here's the forth and fifth Beatles Christmas recordings I promised. Do yourself a favor and check these out with some decent headphones or speakers. No talking! Just listen to them all the way through and appreciate them for what they are, gifts to their fans (albeit some what obligatory) and you're sure to get a deeper insight and understanding of the fact that sure, the Beatles were f-ing genius, but damn, they were some trippy, interesting and wicked funny dudes!

If you've never heard these before (Lucky!) you're in for a real treat. Both of these are like a Beatles Goon Show meets Monty Python. And they only get better each passing year and a drink or two...

Relax, experience and enjoy!

First, make yourself comfortable and enjoy the genius of The Beatles Fourth Christmas Record Pantomime: Everywhere It's Christmas. Recorded: November 25, 1966. Released: December 16, 1966 (Lyntone LYN 1145)

Next is The Beatles Fifth Christmas Record Christmas Time Is Here Again! Recorded: November 28, 1967. Released: December 15, 1967 (Lyntone LYN 1360)

The last two'll be up soon, go put your headphones back on and listen to Pantomime again!

O-U-T spells out,

Migwell

Fab Four Your Stockings!

Ok ya'll, here's some more trippy fun stuff, as promised, from John, Paul, George and Ringo. Starting in 1963, the Beatles began recording and releasing special 6-7 minute Christmas 7 inch flexidisc singles, (these look like singles, only they're thinner and made of plastic).

These are the second and third in a series of Beatles Christmas recordings made exclusively for the members of their official fan club. I'm sure these will all be release in some official capacity at some point, but for now, these records are pretty rare and difficult to get hold of.

First, I know you'll dig Another Beatles Christmas Record Recorded on October 26, 1964, and relased December 18, 1964 (Lyntone LYN 757).

Next is The Beatles Third Christmas Recorded on November 8, 1965 and released December 17, 1965 (Lyntone LYN 948.

And, if you're good, I'll have the other four of the seven up soon. Now, back to my Christmas coffee.

Merry Kringle,

Migwell

Merry Christmas!

No matter how you say it, and wherever you're from, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Any feedback regarding whether or not y'all want me to continue this next year or not is greatly appreciated. A quick and simple Yup or Nope in the comments section is all it takes!

Enjoy! Kahuna Christmas Twenty Five. Our most recent find and latest favorite Christmas tune is from the Roy Meyer Swingers: It's The Holiday Season. And finally, Monsueir Maurice Chevalier,along with everybody at our house, wishes you a Joyeaux Noel with his superb version Jolly Old St. Nicholas!

Kahuna Christmas #24

Christmas Eve in San Antonio.

Today: Sunny, with a high around 74. North northwest winds between 15 and 20 mph. Tonight: Clear, with a low around 41. Northwest winds between 5 and 10 mph.

Ah, Christmas in South Texas. Tonight will be perfect for a fire and a nice quiet evening at home. I've been a little under the weather and have yet to go shopping. But, as they say, if it wasn't for the last minute, nothing would ever get done, right?

I'll have some Beatles goodies for your stockings tomorrow... Until then, here's Kahuna Christmas Twenty Four, plus a few more to get you into the True Spririt of the Season. The Living Trio with Christmas Medley #9. And the Roy Meyer Swingers', along with everybody at our house, want to Wish You A Merry Christmas!

Happy Birthday Ringo!

Sir Ringo is 6 today! Check out this 1964 ode to Ringo from 3 Blonde Mice: Ringo Bells Yeah Yeah Yeah!

Kahuna Christmas #23

Wow. Another Friday is upon us and Christmas Day is only two days away. I really need to get shopping! Here's a twangy number you might not have yet. Crank this up while you sip your toddy looking for a parking space at The Mall: Kahuna Christmas Twenty Three

These next two tracks are from two of my four Christmas albums I've got by The Three Suns. Carol Of The Birds sounds like audio straight outta Harry Potter's Goblet of Fire, while their version of Winter Wonderland reminds me that by the time Santa gets all the way down to Texas, he's gonna want a beer and a tamale, hold the milk and cookies!

And speaking of Mr. Potter... he's another request for Miss Brette Moss Grieder. I'll have that song up shortly so check back.