BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS : Sun Is Shining (1978)

Springtime! This song was originally recording in 1971 on "Soul Revolution Part II", but was redone by Marley in 1978 with an updated sound and production.

Song : "Sun Is Shining" by Bob Marley & The Wailers
From the LP "KAYA" (Island) Mar. 23, 1978

LINEUP:
Bob Marley : vocals, guitar
Aston "Family Man" Barrett : bass, percussion
Carlton Barrett : drums, percussion
Tyrone "Organ D" Downie : organ, percussion
Alvin "Seeco" Patterson : percussion
Junior Marvin : lead guitar
Rita Marley, Marcia Griffiths, Judy Mowatt : backing vocals

Link in title.

WEATHER REPORT: Black Market (1976)

This is one of Weather Report's well-known tracks from one of their most popular albums. Lumped as a jazz-fusion band, they combined their jazz background with world music, and in this case, funk and Caribbean rhythms. Much of the unique keyboard sounds were from Joe Zawinul's continued modifications of the synths at his disposal. In this song, he inverted the keyboard voltages on the ARP 2600 "so that the upper portion of the keyboard played the lower sounds and vice versa" (from Weather Report Annotated Discography). What's also interesting is that drummer Chester Thompson plays the first half of the song, and with an edit it switches to Narada Michael Walden for the second half! And overall, an all-star lineup.

Song : "Black Market" by Weather Report

From the LP "Black Market" (Columbia) Apr. 1976

LINEUP :
Joe Zawinul : keyboards

Wayne Shorter : sax, lyricon

Alphonso Johnson : bass

Chester Thompson : drums

Narada Michael Walden : drums

Don Alias : congas and percussion

Alex Acuna : percussion

Link in title. 

THE FLIES : Winter Afternoon (1968)

This UK psych-pop group formed in 1965, released a handful of singles, toured with bands like The Who and Jimi Hendrix, and basically dissolved. However, there was enough extra material recorded to fill a CD for reissue! This is a nice track that features Peter Dunton on vocals (from Neon Pearl). Members of this group went on to form other UK groups Please, and T2.

Song : "Winter Afternoon" by The Flies
From the CD "Complete Collection 1965-1968" (Acme Deluxe); recorded 1968, released 1998

Link in title. 

LOS BRASILIOS : Ritmo D'Amor (1967)

Los Brasilios was a 'faux' Latin group created to cash in on the Latin-jazz trend in the '60s (a la Sergio Mendes) from Design Records. It was unknown who exactly comprised the group, but the album disappeared without a trace. Having said that, there are some entertaining and quirky disposable Latin songs, such as this one.

Here is an interesting rundown of the album : http://www.spaceagepop.com/rc007.htm

Song : "Ritmo D'Amor" by Los Brasilios
From the LP "BRASILIAN BEAT '67 featuring Alberto on the marimbas & " (Design Records) 1967

Get it here : Ritmo D'Amor

THEM CROOKED VULTURES : Gunman (2009)

Starting off the new year with a bang, here's a rocking track from the project of Josh Homme (Queens Of The Stone Age), Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters), and John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin). Does that mean this group is a product of their origins? Not exactly, but it does make a decent rock album.

Song : "Gunman" by Them Crooked Vultures
From the LP "THEM CROOKED VULTURES" (DGG/Interscope) Nov. 16, 2009

LINEUP:
Josh Homme : vocals, guitars
John Paul Jones : bass, keys
Drave Grohl : drums, percussion

Link in title.