Hard times with the bank account have taken their toll on my favorite hobbies: buying music magazines and scouring the thrift stores for records. But, a little extra dough this month let me splurge a wee bit, picking up Mojo, Uncut and the Oxford American music edition yesterday. (I was surprised to find the OA tucked in the back of the artsy-fartsy rack, having thought they went out of business).

Had a little time to kill this morning — and needed a new alarm clock — so I dropped into the Salarmy. Was just about to give up the hunt, being buried in 101 Strings and bad gospel records, when I struck a vein.

I’m a longtime Seals And Crofts fan, so I was thrilled to find a reasonably clean copy of Year Of Sunday followed by a “gently used” copy of Emmylou’s Quarter Moon In A Ten Cent Town a few notches behind. The next rack over yielded the first Pablo Cruise record, a slightly banged up copy of Gordon Lightfoot’s Old Dan’s Records and Jerry Reed Rides Again. Strangely, there were three mint copies of the first Karla Bonoff record — which I already have on CD. But I don’t have Wild Heart Of The Young, so I took that, as well.

Feeling buff, I dropped by Goodwill, too, but the best I could do there was a copy of Kris and Rita’s Full Moon (but for 51 cents cheaper than the records from Sal’s). They need to be committed digits, after which I drop them over to Sal’s Boutique.

The kid’s were unmoved by Billy Bragg and Wilco’s Mermaid Avenue, Volume II on the commute to school yesterday, though the 8-year old did hum along at one point. Ditto for 461 Ocean Boulevard, mostly because we were all trying to help that same 8-year old cram for his spelling test. But, I during my errand time around town I spent some time with the record, a dandy one indeed. My faves are I Can’t Hold Out and Please Be With Me but, just for kicks, here’s the whole record in order.

Motherless Children
Give Me Strength
Willie And The Hand Jive
Get Ready
I Shot The Sheriff
I Can’t Hold Out
Please Be With Me
Let It Grow
Steady Rollin’ Man
Mainline Florida

If you click “play’ on the first cut and don’t leave the page, you can hear the whole album. Nice!

Namaste,
_/\_
Music Junkie

Whereas our last subject, Russ Kunkel, could be found in the drummer’s chair for just about every southern California rock record of the 1970’s, Jeff Porcaro was more of a moving target. Arguably more a stylistic chameleon than Keltner or Kunkel (or even Gadd), Jeff Porcaro played for a hugely diverse set of musicians. He laid down straight-ahead dance grooves for the likes of Madonna and Bonnie Pointer, played fusion with Steve Lukather and Larry Carlton and supported pop players like Alan O’Day and Leo Sayer. Here are a dozen tracks from my vinyl collection showing him at play.

Al Stewart – Valentina Way (Time Passages, Arista, 1978)

In many cases, Porcaro would play on just a tune or two per album. This is the only Porcaro-driven cut in this set from one of Stewart’s late 70’s records. It has his signature tight snare sound, high-hat swing and triplets around the tom that show up through much of his work.

Steely Dan – Dr. Wu (Katy Lied, MCA, 1975)

Some hard-core Dan-heads say this was the last true Steely Dan record. Save for one cut, Porcaro’s all over it. This is my favorite from that set. Listen to how the China ride cuts through starting with the first chorus, underscoring The Dan’s much-loved Asian vibe.

Seals and Crofts – Baby Blue (Get Closer, Warner Brothers, 1976)

I staunchly stand behind my POV that Seals and Crofts are the most underrated of all the 1970’s singer/songwriter duos: great harmonies, great songwriting and a cool spiritual message. Their stuff was challenging for drummers: it required imagination, a light touch and a sensitivity to the texture of their songwriting. Porcaro nails it on this one.

Rickie Lee Jones – Youngblood (Rickie Lee Jones, Warner Brothers, 1979)

It took some extra research to confirm but it’s accurate: Porcaro’s the guy behind this funky reggae-pop riff. Even if it weren’t documented, the high-hat work gives it away.

England Dan and John Ford Coley – Hollywood Heckle and Jive (Dr. Heckle and Mr. Jive, Big Tree, 1979)

OK, this isn’t Porcaro’s best work but it shows his diversity and has some pretty pointed drum production. Someone got a “wall of sound” instruction book for Christmas, it sounds.

Crosby, Stills and Nash – Since I Met You (Daylight Again, Atlantic, 1982)

This is the only cut featuring Porcaro on this album. I had to listen a few times before I decided to include it; it didn’t strike me as too interesting at first. But, the fact is, without Porcaro driving the train on this one, it would have been even less interesting.

Paul Simon – Train In The Distance (Hearts and Bones, Warner Brothers, 1984)

Back before Paul aged into a shorter version of Mel Brooks, he grabbed Porcaro for his “Hearts and Bones” album. (Gadd must’ve been in rehab.) There’s nothing spectacular about this cut; it just swings along nicely supporting a great Paul Simon story. Nice echo on the snare drum in the chorus.

Joe Cocker – Don’t Forget Me (I Can Stand A Little Rain, A and M, 1973)

Anyone who’s ever picked up a pair of sticks and played for more than 20 minutes knows what it means to play “behind the beat”. They also know how hard it is. Porcaro lays behind the beat just enough to give this tune it’s blues vibe (though Clydie King singing back-up doesn’t hurt). A great tune (witten by Harry Nilsson, I might add.)

Eric Clapton – Forever Man (Behind The Sun, Warner Brothers, 1985)

Disco rock ain’t easy, is it? Porcaro makes it work here on one of the two cuts he supports on this album. It will forever be Clapton’s dark period in my book (even more than his current “archive the blues” kick). But, in the end, I do dig this tune ‘cuz it’s got…rhythm and melody!

Jackson Browne – The Only Child (The Pretender, Elektra, 1972)

Even though I wouldn’t qualify myself as a J. Browne fan, many of his songs are at the heart of what I love..straight-ahead, well-written acoustic rock with a great melody and a great arrangement. This just works right.

Boz Scaggs – Lowdown (Silk Degrees, Columbia, 1978)

I try to avoid the songs you can regularly hear on just about any radio station but there’s no getting around this one. Second only to ‘Rosanna,’ this is a defining groove and it speaks for itself.

Toto – Rosanna ( IV, Columbia, 1982)

Transcribed, analyzed, scrupulously studied and poorly played by 1000’s of drummers from LA to Lhasa, this is his signature groove. ‘Nuff said.

ZIP (69MB): Download

Many thanks to our new friend over at Walkn’ Tha’ Bass for the kind words and the great link. Please check out his site…he has some very cool stuff goin’ on!

Original Recording | November 1994 | Ithaca, NY

Digital Remaster | September 2007 | Brush Prairie, WA

Simon and Garfunkel – Baby Driver
Mark Cohn – 29 Ways
Lyle Lovett – Cryin’ Shame
Eric Clapton – Layla
Neil Young – Long May You Run
Billy Pilgrim – Halfway Home
Van Morrison – Brown Eyed Girl
Eagles – Peaceful Easy Feeling
Bonnie Raitt – Papa Come Quick
David Schwartz – Theme from Northern Exposure
Crash Test Dummies – Afternoons and Coffee Spoons
Flatt and Scruggs – Earl’s Breakdown
Old and In The Way – Old and In The Way
Allman Brothers – Melissa
Joe Cocker – You Are So Beautiful
Peter Himmelman – Impermanent Things
Rascals – Groovin’
Beatles – And I Love Her

<a href=”http://www.fusion45.com/wp-content/uploads/audio/2007/master_5.mp3″>A-Frame Tapes, Volume 2</a>