New Orleans - Domino Sound Records

It's been a while, but things have been cookin' over with all the xitanos, so will try and update with more new music and videos. Anyway, so I took a trip to the south and wasn't sure how the wax situation was going to be in New Orleans, since I had never been around those parts. I knew the live music situation was still happenin, and on the plane ride over I sat next to a French professor who had lived there all her life and recommended some jazz spots, and when I told her I was also into the blues, she informed me that a lot of the blues musicians had left the city after Katrina. I found that ironic. Upon arrival the situation looked grim, all the locals kept saying "ah since Katrina, its hard to find records around here." Not giving up hope (I was IN NO afterall), I kept the jedi senses alert and did some research and made the 2 mile walk to Domino Sound Records. It is in a Caribbean neighborhood (peep Coco Hut for some of the tastiest Jamaican food ever and cheap!), and the owner was a chill white cat who took pride and care of his vinyl. He had a nice section of jazz and soul and even some rare latin and international records with very reasonable prices. The punk section also seemed to be poppin and a nice reggae and hiphop section as well. I came up on some rare jazz originals (chico hamilton on impulse) and some nice int'l 60's gems. Can't wait to go back. Oh and he even has a listening station so you can listen to what you're buying. Definitely check out this spot if you're ever in NO.
I also ended up checking out Louisiana Music Factory (in the french quarter), due to lack of time, but it seems they don't really care about their vinyl too much and care more about their cds. Overpriced and a lot of their records weren't even in that good of condition.

MAGICAL CONNECTION - GABOR SZABO

BLUE THUMB YEAR?
PHOTOGRAPHY/DESIGN : Tom Wilkes & Barry Feinstein, Camouflage Productions

When it comes to Jazz the guitar is not the first instrument that comes to mind. After hearing gabor 4 years ago for the first time (i now have 6 of his albums and still looking for JAZZ RAGA) the guitar holds a unique place for me in Jazz. . Check the picture closely and you'll see they were surely under the influence making some of this music. PEACE
Born in Hungary in 1936, Gabor Szabo began playing guitar when he was 14 and often played in dinner clubs and secret jam sessions while still living in Budapest.
He relocated to the United States in 1956, after serving as a Freedom Fighter in Hungary.
Settling in California, he attended Berkley College between 1958 and 1960.
Daringly different in his approach to jazz, Szabo combined the melodic elements from four continents with his own haunting Gypsylike style, and his compositions which have been credited by American critics as having a profound effect on the jazz idiom have become legendary.
Gabor died on the 26th February,1982 in Budapest, after being hospitalised on his final visit home and shortly before his 46th birthday.

Hugh Masekela (Blue Thumb) '72

These drawings came from Hugh Masekela's '72, "Home Is Where The Music Is" on Blue Thumb, featuring the great Eddie Gomez on Bass. The blend of jazz and African rhythms here are cooked to perfection. The artwork was done by Dumile Feni, one of the greatest African artists of the 20th century.












He is said to have lived a somewhat nomadic existence, having been bornin the US and grown up in South Africa and then later exiled in London during the fire of apartheid.
Throughout he developed a style influenced by a lot of different places, and that's the way Hugh blows the flugelhorn on this one. Heavy heavy hitter. Thank you Ashby Art.