Folk 359 Items

75 Dollar Bill, a project by CHE Chen and Rick Brown present Wood / Metal / Plastic / Pattern / Rhythm / Rock. "Che's interest in the Arabic modes of Mauritanian music has marked our sound quite a bit but I have brought some things, too. The plywood crate I play is a big factor, defining, by its positive qualities (a nice warm 'boom' sound) as well as by its simplicity, what we're likely to do in the percussion realm. Wood / Metal / Plastic / Pattern / Rhythm/ Rock, this new record, differs quite a bit from the previous one, notably in the rhythmic 'tone.' Wooden Bag (2015) was all forward momentum, stomping and shaking, but the new record explores a long-standing interest of mine: odd and 'compound' meters. In most of my previous musical activities, I've convinced my partners to delve into this, but in 75 Dollar Bill it has just felt natural and I believe Che's modal investigations and melodic/harmonic tendencies enhance (and are enhanced by) this combination. The current record differs from the last in another big way: reinforcements! Over our few years together, Che and I have frequently had friends play with us at some of our gigs. There have been all sorts of permutations of instruments and some great friends/players who don't all appear on this record but here we are lucky to have a bunch of them: Cheryl Kingan (of THE Scene IS Now) on baritone and alto saxes, Andrew Lafkas (of Todd Capp's Mystery Train) on contrabass, Karen Waltuch (of Zeke & Karen) on viola, Rolyn HU (of True Primes) on trumpet and Carey Balch (of Knoxville's Give Thanks) on floor tom. 75 Dollar Bill's plans for the future involve much more playing with these friends and others in bigger and smaller combos—as well as me and Che stripped back to the core guitar and crate duo. For the present, though, please enjoy Wood/Metal/Plastic/ Pattern/Rhythm/Rock."

Part 2 of the Abdoul El Omari trilogy. For the first time on vinyl.

Part 3 of the Abdoul El Omari trilogy. For the first time on vinyl.

Aby Ngana Diop was the most famous taasukat in Dakar, Senegal in the 1980s and 1990s. Taasu is a Wolof-language poetic style, usually performed by women griots over frenetic drum patterns, with an aggressive verbal flow thought to presage rap. Her only album Liital was groundbreaking in the history of Senegalese music because it was the first commercial recording to feature a traditional female taasukat performing to the modern accompaniment of mbalax, Senegal’s quintessential pop genre.

After a few years of searching for Ms. Diop’s family members—she passed away from a heartattack in 1997—it took another year to get the release sorted it out but I’m happy to report this is all square with her family in Dakar (thanks to the help of a friendly professor from Boston who also contributed excellent liner notes).

Unreleased early Algerian synth electronic by Ahmed Malek, compiled and co-produced by Flako

In the early 1980s, Ahmed Malek was already in his 50s , when he discovered synthesizers and electronic music for himself and started to experiment with sounds. The result was a mixture of ambient synth music, field recordings he made in Cuba and a wide variation of different sound experiments that he also presented as different avanguarde music festivals in Cuba and the US. None of it was ever released but we got a huge box of master tapes from his family and we're happy to present this different side of Ahmed Malek's music. It was compiled and co-produced by Flako, a fan of early electronic and synth music. This is not a remix album though, Flako's aim was to create an album out of 2 hours of material that sounds like it might have if Mr. Malek would have finished it himself before of his death. Fully approved and licensed from the artists family.

The album comes with an informative booklet with liner notes, an interview with Flako regarding his approach towards the production and unseen photos. We will also release a third album by Ahmed Malek which will be more in the vein again of the music he is known for and this album will also be previously unreleased.

White vinyl. Original inner sleeve. Tiny wear.

CD comes in a soft case, instead of the original crystal case.
All booklets included.

Vinyl with a couple of light scuffs

CD comes in a soft case, instead of the original crystal case.
All booklets included.

With bonus 7". Very close to NM. Original inner sleeve.

A collection of 4-minute tales written to provide listeners with insight into the inner workings of failed ambitions & sef-destruction

Sealed copy with a bent corner!