Rocking Highlanders

One great discovery often leads to another--after looking for more info about 40s band the Cats and the Fiddle (see below), I found out that guitarist Tiny Grimes had spent a few years performing with the group. I recognized Tiny Grimes' name from early Charlie Parker records, but did NOT know of his work with tenor man Red Prysock in a band called "The Rocking Highlanders" (found on BeBop Wino). If the idea of a group of musicians from Harlem playing R & B while wearing matching kilts and tam o'shanters does not fill you with unspeakable joy, then there's really nothing for you here. I think that pretty much sums up what this blog is all about.

Puppetry for the Smart Set

, originally uploaded by heavily bandaged man.

The Cats and the Fiddle

It amazes me of the wonderful things that have somehow eluded me, despite my advanced age. CB Vocal Groups had the Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross I was looking for as well as a multitude of other vocal rarities. One look at this cover of "The Cats and the Fiddle" and I knew this was the one I had to go for first--I guessed (correctly) it was going to be a cross of the King Cole Trio, Harlem Hamfats, and the Mills Brothers. High spirited jivey vocals, and tight ensemble work--and despite a lifetime of looking for stuff like this I swear I've never heard of them before. What other gems are out there for me to discover?

Mingus Moves

I woke up with Mingus' "Opus 4" from Mingus Moves on my mind....and couldn't locate my copy of it. Thankfully, I found it at Yes To Jazz. And of course since I owned this on vinyl when it first came out, I have a free pass forever to download as needed--but you, however, need to feel guilty about taking bread out of the mouth of Sue Mingus (don't ever read her bio or you may loathe her as much as I do) for not paying full price for the album if you download it. Evil person!

This album came out right about the time I saw Mingus' band in a crappy school cafeteria at what used to be Sangamon State University in Springfield IL (now University of Illinois Springfield). I didn't know any jazz fans and rode along from Macomb IL with people I had never met, which of course could have meant I could have just as easily ended up murdered in Colchester IL as at my destination, but of course those sorts of things never cross our minds when we're on our way to an amazing concert.

Dannie Richmond, Don Pullen, George Adams, Jack Walrath--and Mingus himself still in good form. When I saw him play just a few years later, he had a backup bassist and was propping himself up against the wall when he was actually able to play. What an amazing talent he was, and I was so lucky to have been able to see him play those 3 times.

Spiral Pig Shaver

I always find the most interesting things while searching for something else. No, I'm lying, I was actually doing a search for "spiral pig shaver".

Here is the description:

ZBM-II type spiral pig shaver is the advanced equipment of the pig shaver in the domestic market. The inner of this machine consist of ? U? shape of board to avoid hurting and breaking the body of the pig. Different sizes of pigs can enter into the inner because of the wide space into it .The proceeds can be controlled by machine systems and two roller which leaded by two reduced- speed machine can shave the skin fast .This equipment is suitable to the slaughtering factory with big output.
(Remark; pigs ought to scald hair before shaving and keep 3minutes in 60-65 degree centigrade water or steam)

So next time you notice that your pork rinds are as smooth as a baby's bee-hind, you can thank the tireless R & D department at Spiral Pig Shaver, Inc.

Here is the actual link to pig abattoir equipment, and if I thought people found this blog with weird keywords before, this should push it over the edge.....

Honey, Need a Cool Beverage?

Our correspondent Bryan has graciously donated tons of vintage 1960s Library music to this blog in the past, and he's come through for us yet again with a new collection entitled Domesticated Western World. The composer is this group has the delightful moniker "Ib Glindemann" which exponentially adds to the experience (for me, at least).

For Bryan's previous contributions of library music, click on "library music" or "Capitol Production music" in the quick search on the right.

Honey, Need a Cool Beverage?, originally uploaded by baikinange.

More, more, more Scatman

I love when people share their finds with me.....my Scatman Crothers post below inspired a message from Franklin Mint, who posted the motherlode of Scatman music last month. I'm loving the 3 78s he posted most of all.