Prince Buster almost singlehandedly propelled ska into the international spotlight, although his sleek, visceral and soulful style would have worked in any idiom. But he brilliantly rode atop the sliding ska beats as this new reissue of  pivotal mid-’60s tracks reveals. “Ten Commandments”  sounds like a Jamaican reworking of a Moonglows tune though it carries a Prince Buster credit. However the other cuts mix topical themes and island references in a fresh fashion and often brilliant manner.

Download – “Ten Commandments,” “Is Life Worth Living,” “Wings of a Dove.”

Thomas Mapfumo – African Classics (Sheer Sound)

He’s now a dillusioned exile, but at the height of the apartheid struggle in Zimbabwe Thomas Mapfumo’s chimurenga music espoused fiery messages of uplift and rebellion, balanced by equally furious mbira (thumb piano) solos and layered, non-stop rhythms.  These 14 tunes were cut during his prime period as a performer and international symbol of defiance. But while they are frequently phenomenal, the lack of historical detail and personnel information keep this reissue from being as vital as possible.

Download – “Chiko Chinotinetsa?,” “Nyati,” “Harare,” “Farirai Zimbabwe.”

Oumou Sangare – Seya (World Circuit)

Africa’s reigning songbird is thrilling and inspiring on her latest release,  her wondrous voice bouyant and expressive as she covers topics from the mysteries of romance to the tales of griots and mystery of the creative process. Sangare’s marvelous in any register and musical setting,  while special guests like guitarists Tony Remy or Djelimady Tounkara and multi-instrumentalist Cheick Tidane Secjk add contributions that rival Sangare’s in depth and edge, if not beauty.

Download – “Seya,” ‘Kounadya,” “Donso.”

Seckou Keita Sko – The Silimbo Passage (World Adventures)

Seckou Keita Sko brings a jazz player’s improvisational elan and blues musician’s storytelling flair to this session highlighting his sensational kora playing, augmented by  occasional side trips on the talking drum.  He’s complimented by dashing violinist Sammy Bishai, plus three mighty vocal leads from Binta Suso.  Sko and company weave in and out of songs that tweak traditional Senegalese patterns, expanding and transforming them while also delving into bits and pieces of many other things from rock to jazz and funk.

Download – “Bimo,” “Miniyamba,” “Kanu Foro.”

Ocote Soul Sounds and Adrian Quesada – Coconut Rock (ESL)

Though recorded in Austin, Texas, this ensemble plays originals that blend and sometimes sandwiches a host of  genres, among them Afrobeat, various  Afro-Latin styles, even Tex-Mex and contemporary rock influences. The tunes are powered by charming and/or assertive vocals from Tita Lima and Alex Mallero as well as Adrian Quesada. The songs range from sprawling, rhythm-driven workouts to shorter, tighter shouts and dance-oriented numbers. The disc has plenty of domestic as well as international flavor,  and contains several  irrestible tunes whose lure has no boundaries.

Download – “The Revolt of the Cockroach People,” “Coconut Rock.”

Various Artists – Keep Your Soul: A Tribute to Doug Sahm (Vanguard)

Doug Sahm’s songs encompassed not only the wealth of idioms comprising American vernacular music, but touched on the polygot culture of Texas and the entire Southwest. Sahm’s work is celebrated on this 14-cut tribute date that offers versions of his classic hits plus lesser known numbers and examples of Sahm forays touching on blues, soul, Tex-Mex, Norteno/Ranchero, country and rock.  Assembled guests are just as varied, from Flaco Jimenez and Los Lobos to Delbert McClinton, Dave Alvin and Jimmie Vaughan.

Download – “She’s About A Mover,” “Too Little too Late,” “Dynamite Woman.”

Bebo Valdes & Chucho Valdes – Juntos para Siempre (Sony Latin/Calle 54)

The master Cuban pianist Bebo Valdes and his son Chucho hadn’t made a recording together due to political and family complications until 2007, when they got together for the superb sessions chronicled on this release. The set list ranges from swinging duets and dynamic solo showcases to  explorations of vintage  numbers, swing revisions and reworkings of their originals,  plus modern tunes from Cuban composers. The first joint CD by the Valdes’ keyboard duo proved both a special occasion and recording.

Download – “Descarga Valdes,” “Tea For Two,” “La conga del dentista”

Ben Silverman got the chance Monday to do something most people who’ve failed at something in the manner he did never get: the opportunity to leave on their  own terms and start a new venture.

The former top programmer at NBC, Silverman will now return to what is supposedly his strength, production. He’ll be running a production company in partnership with Barry Diller’s IAC company according to both Variety and The Hollywood Reporter.

NBC’s new chairman is Jeff Gaspin, a longtime ally of NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker. Gaspin now takes over day-to-day operation of not only NBC,  but also its various distribution outlets and Telemundo, its Spainsh-language channel.

It’s actually pretty amazing that the person responsible for such diasters as the new version of Knight Rider and a remake of Robinson Crusoe can still be deemed some sort of television genius.

Apparently taking over a fourth place operation and keeping it squarely in that same place in current network circles is viewed as  miraculous feat, even though company executives had to scramble for anything good to say about the woeful job Silverman did heading the network since 2007.

Silverman is staying around long enough to help his successor handle the debut of NBC’s most controversial program, the five-day-a-week Jay Leno show, which arrives in September. Based on the promos that have been airing this summer, the early episodes look like outtakes from The Tonight Show.

NBC’s tried to put a good face on what’s looking  more and more like a complete fiasco, claiming they won’t be upset if early ratings aren’t good, and that the cost savings they’ll get from having fresh Leno shows on opposite reruns of scripted programs makes it worth the ratings hit they anticipate getting.

They’re also trying to position this as some type of hip alternative, NBC’s version of The Daily Show or some other nonsense. But Jay Leno isn’t Jon Stewart, or even David Letterman.

He’s a reliable performer, decent interviewer, but nothing remotely close to being innovative or groundbreaking. The funny thing is NBC now has two guys in the wrong time slot. Conan O’Brien is actually ideal for a prime-time gig, but (so far) seemingly a bit too hot and edgy for the prototype late-night viewer.

Nightline, riding the Michael Jackson innuendo and allegation train for all its worth, has suddenly emerged as a pivotal player in late-night, something that only adds to NBC’s woes.

Meanwhile, Ben Silverman, the person who specialized in retreads and feeble unscripted fare,while helping develop and break a grand total of zero new hits during his tenure running NBC,  rebrands himself as a production genius. Only in America, or more precisely,  in Hollywood.

Only those who believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny expect awards to be accurate and fair barometers= of talent and quality in any field. Much of the time, they  are  popularity indicators and political citations, with the nomination process overly controlled by the culture guardians. Plus, there are far too many instances where newcomers are placed squarely behind the eight ball in terms of getting a fair shot.

Still, things like Grammys (which I participate in) as well as Oscars and Emmys (which I don’t) are things that help get performers valuable clout and prestige, while also ensuring that writers, directors and producers get a chance to really do the projects they prefer along with those that make them money. That’s why slights and oversights make news, because these exclusions also often are both  damaging and baffling.

This year’s Emmy nominations, which were announced last week, were supposed to be far more inclusive than in any other season. The decision to expand the available slots to a maximum of seven in the major categories seemed the best way to get recognition for worthy shows and performers that had been previously ignored.

But it still didn’t result in Battlestar Galatica getting a Drama series nod. In fact,  not a single cast member from what was a Peabody-winning, superb show even got a nomination. I have nothing but admiration for all those  nominated in the dramatic categories, but it’s tough to swallow the notion not a single cast member from Battlestar deserved a bid.

Likewise, there are many great HBO shows, but Flight of the Conchords doesn’t strike me as one, nor for that matter Big Love. It’s equally puzzling how a hit comedy like CBS’ The Big Bang Theory, arguably the funniest half-hour program on network television last year, didn’t get a nomination. It was far funnier than Weeds or The Office, two trendy programs riding the wave of past season’s performances that were not nearly as good this season.

It is good to see Kristin Chenoweth being recognized for Pushing Daises, and I fervently hope that other producers with equally inspired ideas simply take their work to cable and forget about the least common denominator, demographic obsessed world of network television.

It’s also good to see the double nominations for Chandra Wilson, even if Grey’s Anatomy is way too daytime soap opera at night for me. Holly Hunter is a great actress operating in a not-so-great show (Saving Grace), while Glenn Close, Elisabeth Moss and Kyra Sedgwick are flourishing away from the bottomless pit for great female actors that episodic television has become on the networks.

Next season I’m hoping that The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency gets the nominations both it and its cast deserve, and that The Cleaner begins earning the respect its episodes merit (every bit as good as Breaking Bad and a lot better than The Mentalist). It would also be nice to see Psych recognized in comedy (much funnier at this point than Family Guy) and hopefully Hugh Laurie finally wins an Emmy for House (hate the character, love the portrayal).

Our apologies for taking so long to do the second installment of what’s supposed to be a weekly blog feature. The discs didn’t stop coming. We just hit a snag in finding time to get it done, but we promise to be more vigilant in putting these out, particularly when there are so many fine jazz and blues items available.

Shane Dwight – Gimme Back My Money & Plays The Blues (both Rtist)

One of Music City’s prime guitar warriors, Shane Dwight excels in numerous situations, from story songs and laments to explosive workouts and fiery duels. He explores more idioms on Gimme Back My Money, delving into rock and soul avenues, though he never abandons hard-rocking blues very long. The tune “Ode to Albert” appears twice, with a sizzling live version being among the highlights on Plays The Blues. Whether featured in trio, four or five-piece configurations, Shane Dwight’s playing and singing is consistently stellar, and frequently magnificent.

Download – “Ode to Albert” (both discs), “Gimme Back My Money” and “Don’t Forget My Name” (Gimme Back My Money), “Bad News Morning,” “Don’t “B” Flat” (Plays the Blues).

Chris Potter Underground – Ultrahang (ArtistShare)

Sometimes saxophonist and bass clarinetist Chris Potter’s Undergound takes things far outside, while on other occasions they maintain the groove, operate comfortably in the mainstream, or dip into a fusion mode. Potter’s solos are loose and furious, while Craig Taborn provides slippery and slick choruses on electric piano, guitarist Adam Rogers is alternately funky and reserved, and drummer Nate Smith dominates the bottom end while also ensuring no one misses the absence of a bassist.

Download – “Rumples,” “Boots.”

Kermit Ruffins – Livin’ A Treme’ Life (Basin Street)

Most trumpeters go out of their way to avoid comparisons with Louis Armstrong, but Kermit Ruffins not only welcomes them, he embraces the kinship in style, timbre and approach. His roughouse vocals and slashing trumpet embody the “Pops” sensibility, yet Ruffins is anything but an imitator. He injects plenty of personality and fresh touches into his covers, and the assistance of  steady and dependable players like pianist David Torkanowsky, bassist George Porter Jr., drummer Herlin Riley and many others put the final stamp on a session that celebrates New Orleans’ tradition, yet also has a fresh, modern sound.

Download:  “Didn’t It Ramble,” “Good Morning New Orleans,” “Treme Mardi Gras.”

Allen Toussaint – The Bright Mississippi (Nonesuch)

After decades of penning remarkable and anthemic R&B, blues and rock standards,  piano master Allen Toussaint delivers an instrumental work that’s just as diverse and striking as his compositions. Toussaint stretches out the gospel pieces, extends the blues tunes and stretches out on traditional jazz set pieces and stomps, executing some fancy phrases and nifty turnarounds he learned from the oldtimers who preceded him in the Crescent City clubs. He’s also right at home in distinguished company like the flashy clarinetist Don Byron and trumpet wizard Nicholas Payton.

Download: “St. James Infirmary,” “West End Blues,” “Just A Closer Walk With Thee.”

Chris Pasin – Deteour Ahead (H2O)

Trumpeter Chris Pasin’s disciplined writing and crisp solos, coupled with Steve Slagle’s  instrumental flexibility (alto and soprano sax as well as flute) made them a solid frontline on this mainstream/hard bop set newly reissued from 1987 that featured predominantly original music. The first-rate rhythm section made things easy for the Pasin/Slagle duo, with the trio of pianist Benny Green, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Dannie Richmond not only crafting perfect foundations and settings, but providing their own impressive statements when the opportunity was presented.

Download: “Lost and Found,” “It Doesn’t Matter,” “My Island.”

Duke Robillard -Stomp! The Blues Tonight (Stony Plain)

Robillard’s spry and stately explorations of vintage tunes, swing era numbers and early R&B numbers recall his Roomful of Blues era. The emphasis here is as much on melodic elaboration and rhythmic push as gorgeous sound and nifty fills.  Whether operating behind the smoking and sultry vocals of Sunny Crownover or complimenting the whirling horn lines of longtime saxophone partners Doug James and Rich Lataille, cornetist Al Basile and trombonist Carl Querforth, Duke Robillard’s guitar numbers are smart and joyful.

Download – “Stomp The Blues Tonight,” “Tore Up,” “Three Hours Past Midnight”

Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters – Living In The Light (Stony Plain)

Ronnie Earl’s a fabulous jump and urban blues stylist as well as an equally fine vocalist, but he’s also just as capable doing jazz and R&B numbers, which he shows on his latest release. With organist Dave Limina often adding a ’60s soul flavor to the proceedings, Earl celebrates his heroes,  zips through a torrid cover of two, and spotlights his underrated writing abilities, connecting everything through expert solos and swinging, resourceful statements.  High caliber special guests like Kim Wilson, Dave Kellar, David Maxwell and others join with bassist Jim Mouradian and drummer Lorne Entress on this varied and excellent set.

Download – “S.O.S.,” “Blues For Fathead,” “Blues For The South Side.”

Snooks Eaglin – Baby, You Can Get Your Gun (Hepcat/Black Top)

The Crescent guitar genius Fird “Snooks” Eaglin was a vocal whirlwind and guitar maestro, marvelous in any genre. This 1987 masterpiece, originally cut for Black Top and now reissued courtesy of Hepcat (a Shout! Factory division), has Eaglin cavorting through shuffles, soul, gospel and blues standards. Eaglin could blast away or subtly offer alternative ways of exploring a song, and he was complimented and driven on many songs by tenor saxophonist David Lastie and keyboardist Ron Levy, as well equally delightful rhythm guitar licks from Ronnie Earl on three numbers.  Eaglin briefly enjoyed a period in the limelight during the ’80s, thanks to great releases like this one.

Download – “You Give Me Nothing  But The Blues,” “Profidia,” “Drop The Bomb!”

Roy Rogers – Split Decision (Blind Pig)

It’s been far too many years since flamboyant slide guitarist Roy Rogers had a new disc, and even more since he sounded this fiery and powerful. His licks and solos are intense, the singing relaxed yet explosive, and there’s a great blend of uptempo and mellow numbers.  Besides a strong corps unit with bassist Steve Ehrmann and drummer Billy Lewis, Rogers also incorporates the able contributions of alto and tenor saxophonist George Brooks, pianist/keyboardist Phillip Aaberg, guitarist Ottmar Liebert and multi-instrumentalist Sam Rogers.  He also devotes the session to his own material, with a couple of exciting instrumentals fortifying several top vocal pieces, making this one of Roy Rogers’ finest overall releases.

Download – “Calm Before The Storm,” “River of Tears,” “Rite of Passage.”

This week’s All-Star game and break is the ideal time to look back on the 2009  baseball season, which thus far has provided both ample lows  and  good trends, though those have been overshadowed by continuing steroids controversy.

Perhaps the single biggest piece of positive news is the return of the African American baseball player. Only two years after people were penning columns wondering whether black kids in the United States even knew the sport existed, the percentage of African-Americans has increased to almost 10 from a record low under seven.

Exciting young stars like Tampa Bay’s David Price, Baltimore’s Adam Jones and the Upton brothers in Arizona and Tampa Bay have joined established types like Philly’s Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins, and Milwaukee’s Prince Fielder, Monday’s Home Run Derby winner.

It will never be like it was in the ’50s and ’60s, when all the top young black athletes played baseball rather than AAU basketball or spring football, but at least we’re starting to see tremendous five-tool stars on the baseball diamonds again as well as the football fields and basketball courts.

The presence of these players will also hopefully help recruit little kids to join baseball leagues and spur more adults to participate and finance youth baseball, because that’s the only way to ensure continued African American participation in the sport.

Sadly, the steroids furor continues to engulf baseball, at least from the media standpoint. The Rodriguez and Ramirez fiascos only ensured  there will be tons and tons more columns, books, commentaries and television discussion about performance-enhancing drugs.

The ongoing scandal led Larry Walker, upon his induction into the Canadian Hall of Fame,  to publicly state his unhappiness at playing during this time because he would forever be under suspicion.

has given numerous interviews in both English and Spanish proclaiming his innocence and insisting that he’d pass any and all tests given at any time. It’s a genuine shame, because his career totals have clearly put him in line to join the all-time greats, but now almost every assessment of his record gets qualified by the line “assuming he’s clean.”

Even the oft-injuried Ken Griffey Jr., long deemed the embodiment of the clean player and an example of someone who could have padded their stats and also stayed healthy by using steroids, has gotten some stroid questions.

Many writers and commentators insist no one can be assumed clean any longer, and that it doesn’t matter how many tests you pass, you’re guilty until proven innocent, an impossible and ridiculous standard.

So as the 2009 season heads into the second half, only truly die-hard fans seem to be enjoying themselves. The fantasy types remain obsessed with all types of 21st century markers like on-base percentage and OPS (on base percentage plus slugging percentage).

There are even new stat categories for fielding, and we’re told  such former yardsticks as batting average and fielding percentage don’t mean anything (or at least what they used to mean).

Many former ardent fans are sour on the sport, disillusioned by steroids and disgusted because free agency prevents teams from keeping the same roster year after year.

But there’s still something arresting about baseball for those of us who grew up loving it. Nothing, not steroids or Bud Selig or even clueless management teams running our favorite teams (Atlanta Braves, anyone) will ever make  us stop loving it.

They’ve introduced some of the finest dramas on cable/satellite television throughout their history, including the epic remake of Battlestar Galactica that far surpassed the original version.

But the Sci-Fi Channel  apparently didn’t have a catchy enough trademark or logo to expand its audience among the select demo advertisers prefer, so Tuesday night the rebranded Syfy launches the first new show under this regime,  Warehouse 13.

“We’re looking for an audience a little more female, a little younger, but also something with mass appeal that would be a good companion to Eureka,” Syfy programming executive Mark Stern told USA Today.

Apparently high-quality, thoughtful and well-acted drama doesn’t hook enough of the young, female audience who presumably will find a show like Warehouse 13 as much fun as Gossip Girl or the remake of Melrose Place on the CW.

The good thing about this move is that it brings to the forefront one of television’s best character actors, the venerable Saul Rubinek. At 61, he’s not exactly the youthful stud networks like to have at the center of their programs.

But as the caretaker for a mysterious government repository housing a host of unusual, scary and strange things, Rubinek seems the perfect fit. Another seasoned performer, CCH Pounder, joins him. These two will help balance a show whose two other leads, Eddie McClintock and Joanne Kelly, lack similar profiles or reputations.

Certainly demographic research didn’t begin in the 21st century, and there have been breakdowns based on a host of categories almost since the beginning of television.

But the huge difference between today and even the ‘90s, let alone the ‘50s or ‘60s, is the sheer devotion to these numbers and the decision to  base content and programming decisions more on demographic background than creative input and strategy.

So much contemporary television, particularly on the networks, looks like cut and paste material filled with recognizable archetypes that someone in marketing or research assumes will lure youthful audiences.

Acting ability, experiences, even fitness for the roles, are secondary to looks and age. That certainly cuts a lot of great performers out of the mix, and is also responsible for why so much network television looks a lot more like country clubs and gyms than communities of living people.

Hopefully, this switch from the Sci-Fi Channel to Syfy won’t also mean a shift away from edgy, provocative programming. Though TNT and USA Network also have their catchphrases and marketing slogans, it hasn’t stopped them from introducing some of the best shows available on television this decade.

Perhaps the folks at Syfy will look beyond the trade name, and continue emphasizing quality productions rather than just trying to be hip and contemporary.

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