Steve Stevens "FLAMENCO A GO GO" What a guitarist! and what a recording!! https://youtu.be/RJUyv-WBYdM |
Ok, I’m going to give you all the greatest most obscure band almost in history that was unbelievable! No one here has mentioned them so far, so here goes. And the answer is....Jade Warrior! The absolute best album of theirs imho is Kites. Then followed by Waves and then Floating World. A few years back some of the members that remain alive put together a new album called NOW. Which is also just phenomenal! This is late night headphone music or really good with romantic partner. This band was backed by Steve Winwood for a while. They never made it mainstream, but what they created was from another world. This is very sophisticated instrumental (by and large) music. Here’s a link to Waves, for some reason Kites is not on youtube, nor is Now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVwfBvVU1HI In my whole life I’ve met maybe 3-people that were on to them. Great post, btw! +1 for Return to Forever, MusicMagic. Saw them do this in concert and was rapturous. RIP Chick Correa! Also, and less obscure album that doesn’t get nearly enough credit is Pink Floyd’s Obscured by Clouds. Sublime! |
How about the Strawbs. Several IMHO questionable albums but many greats also. Start with "Grave New World", "From the Witchwood", or "Hero and Heroine" to start. One more quickly comes to mind. Black Mountains "In the Future" which happens to be a superb recording also. All of these best with lights out. |
In 1971 I saw this new band on UCLA’s campus (for free) called Earth Wind and Fire. I enjoyed the sound and I went out and bought their self titled album. It sounds great especially a tune called “Bad Tune”. This one is almost impossible to find, “Carnival Sketches” by jazz trumpeter Gene Shaw. The album is a little reminiscent of Sketches of Spain by Miles. It’s from the early 60’s and it was very popular among my listening group. |
Like a Lay's potato chip, you can't have just one: Steelism / ism (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNQav9TIdF0) Laid Back Country Picker (only physical, no streaming, but you can sample at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3KkF8jwyIg) JP Harris / I'll Keep Calling (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWXmKyjMSLU) |
Great thread, I'll be re-visiting this for a long time...great stuff here. My "obscure" addition to this list has to be Root Boy Slim & the Sex Change Band. An enigma if there ever was one. Root Boy was discovered on DC radio by Donald Fagen and their debut album was produced by Gary Katz! You'd never guess with titles like In Jail in Jacksonville, When My Jones Come Down, & their "hit", Boogie 'til You Puke, that you'd be listening to a Yale graduate who was frat brothers w/ George W. Bush! Insane lyrics that could never be made up - they were LIVED. After you get a smile from the stories, you realize how good the band is also. After his death in 1993, guitarist Ernie Lancaster stated, "Although Root Boy was only 48, he lived the life of a 200 year old man." Check them out if you can. +1 for John Frusciante, Tonio K., & Poe |
Funny how many of these "obscure" albums I have, and have totally forgotten nice to be reminded of Flim and BB’s, and Root Boy Slim. So let me suggest a couple more: Tonio K - Life in the Foodchain. Detroit - Detroit (really Mitch Ryder) the "Detroit Medley" is on the album. Otis Redding - Complete and Unbelievable - The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul Ry Cooder - Jazz Ry Cooder - Chicken Skin Music Ry Cooder - Bop Till You Drop (the first digitally recorded album which came out on CD and not on vinyl) |
All right, this artist may not be obscure to some of you, but I believe the album will be: St. Giles Cripplegate by Jack Nitzsche with The London Symphony Orchestra. Neil Young fans will recognize the name Jack Nitzsche from the Harvest album, upon which Nitzsche plays piano and produces a couple of songs. I already knew of him from his work with Phil Spector, for whom he arranged and orchestrated (think of "River Deep, Mountain High"). He was also a songwriter, having written (with Sonny Bono) for example "Needles & Pins", a big hit for The Searchers. He also played piano on a lot of mid-to-late 60's Rolling Stones albums, and then briefly joined Crazy Horse after completing Harvest, playing piano on and producing their great s/t debut album. Jack got into scoring movies in the 1970's, including Performance and The Exorcist. He also produced some great albums, including Graham Parker's Squeezing Out Sparks and a few for Willy DeVille (a great singer). St. Giles Cripplegate is 20th Century Classical music, released in 1972 on The Initial Recording Company in England and on Warner Brothers Records in the U.S.A. It was produced by Elliot Mazer, Neil Young's manager. Good luck finding a copy! The only one's I've ever seen are the UK and USA's I have (one of each, with very different covers). |
trentmemphis, I like that album too. I would also add to this list White's "Transnormal Skiperoo." Have you seen the terrific music documentary he made called "Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus"? This look into Southern culture and music is very interesting. Among the musical groups featured is Sixteen Horsepower; I would include there album "Low Estate" on this list as well. |
At least semi "obscure" Haken "The Mountain" If you're into prog, this is easily one of my best finds within the last 10 years or so.(released in 2013) Very solid musically and sonically!!! The two previous albums are very good also. This band ROCKS!🍻😎https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCWIYnEdiEjg4Jpar_IoxeWv9D1cE0h0X |
Check out The Floating Men. They were a Nashville based bar band that played clubs all over the Southeast from the early 90’s to 2000’s https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjBiuNz3NWBTTQcNzeOxjrw/join |
Ian Dury and the Blockheads "New Boots and Panties": one of punk's cutting edge figures with a talented band that can actually play some musical punk. The Tubes "What Do You Want From Live": highly underrated musicians playing some great, fun party music in a very well-done live recording of a great set recorded at London's Hammersmith Odeon. Some excellent musicianship and.......Fee Waybill. Who doesn't love Fee!?!?!? Way ahead of their time with their highly choreographed and theatric stage show. Al DiMeola, John McLaughlin and Paco DeLucia "Friday Night in San Francisco": this was the absolute pinnacle of acoustic guitar performance when recorded in 1981 from three of the world's absolute finest players. Woody Shaw "In My Own Sweet Way": reportedly mastered at 24 bit resolution in 1987, a very well-recorded piece of work from a highly underrated jazz trumpeter. Danny Gatton and Joey DeFrancesco "Relentless": an absolute master class on what happens when you pair the Master of the Telecaster with the hottest, new B3 player on the planet. Blues, jazz, swing.....it's all there. Charlie Haden "The Montreal Tapes (with Don Cherry and Ed Blackwell)": sublime live jazz with excellent production values. BoDeans "Joe Dirt Car": another well-recorded live set of Americana music that is solid all the way through - there are no bad songs here. A great "Saturday afternoon" collection of music to crank up and cut through. I saw this band at the American Music Festival in Winter Park, Colorado in July of 1994 perform much of this music. Still one of the most memorable live sets I've ever seen (along with the Neville Brothers at the same festival). |
@hartf36 - The Tubes - "What Do You Want From Live" and BoDeans - "Joe Dirt Car" are indeed great live albums from two completely different kinds of bands, but both at that top of their game at the time of these recordings. I saw the tubes within a year of the recoding of this record. Fantastic show! I had an opportunity to see BoDeans around the time of their live recording, but passed. After hearing the live record, I really regret not going....... |
+ 2 BOBDG2000 Anyone who cares a whit about Steely Dan owes it to themselves to hear Root Boy Slim & His Sex Change Band....demented, freak-frat lyrics backed by a pro-level band. e.g...from "He's Not Too Old For You" Those lonely lonely nights that I keep adding to 30, 31, 32 The years come the years go But I know I know I'm not too old for you... (backed by honey sweet female backing vocalists cooing "He's not too old for you...") Not remotely PC....will offend all sensible people.... |
I like that album too. I would also add to this list White's "Transnormal Skiperoo." I like Transnormal, too, as well as No Such Place. But Substrate is magical for me. I can still remember the first time I listened to the cd, sitting in the parking lot at work in my Honda Accord. I was immediately, totally absorbed by it. I've listened to Searching, but haven't seen the film. I'll give Sixteen Horsepower a listen, thanks. |
Matt Bianco https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU4H87kjl90 |
Storyville - A Piece of Your Soul This band is from Austin and features the rhythm section from the late Stevie Ray Vaughan along with 2 FANTASTIC guitarists and a black albino Vocalist who's voice is superb. I first saw them on Austin City Limits. They have 3 albums which are all very good IMO. Hard to say which is best. (1) Storyville - Good Day For The Blues - YouTube |
Fun thread, 1111aart, thanks!...however, one for this bunch is (enter....) Francois Couperin - (TIDAL) French Baroque w/Italian influences..fun Kate & Anna McGarrigle - Canadian sisters with pinpoint harmony Don Juan DeMarco - movie soundtrack ..stay with it.. lovely mastering John Prine - Bruised Orange MQA ..the vinyl is terrif Anne Sophie-Mutter - Carmen Fantasie MQA ..DG 4D sonics Bob Dylan - Slow Train Coming ..lovely Mark Knopfler guitar work Hank Williams III - Lovesick, Broke & Driftin' .. yep, III, grt vocal timing Mighty Sam McClain - Give It Up to Love .. blues with s o n i c s Oscar Peterson - Oscar in Paris (double) .. height of powers and sonics |