11 Dec 2009, Comments (1)

The Headstones – 24 Hours Everyday (Pharaoh) 1966

Author: michael selman
kenny and the kasuals

McAllen, Texas brings us The Headstones, a group of infinite talent in the fuzz/garage genre, who only brought us sadly two singles. These four tracks are real monsters, for this band with such small recorded material, comes up when ever Texas garage is mentioned. The group recorded for Pharaoh Records, a two track recording studio, owned by Jimmy Nicholls, which happened to be in McAllen as well. The group finally broke up in 1968 after the lead vocalist was busted for marijuana possession and sentenced to one year in prison. Today I bring you the flip of this charting disc “Wish She Were Mine.” I personally enjoy the slow rougher garage track “24 Hours (Everyday).” I found this early scan with only four of the six members shown, however being such a great shot thought I would include it as well.

impact scan

I have been looking for anything by this group, and have come up short because of a large price tag, over and over again, either at the record convention or on the bay. This track I actually found at a garage sale in Austin not long ago. I have the dreaded feeling, after realizing that rereleases are in print, that this press must be one of the many represses. G45 ranks the original single at number 60 in the rarest of rare garage singles. The site claims that there are only 7 known remaining copies. Unless I received the best deal of all time, this is a rerelease. I mainly think this because all of the original Pharaoh’s releases list the record call numbers in the middle of the label, where my press has the call numbers closer to the left. Now that I am done playing record geek, Enjoy.

kennykasualsband

LISTEN: The Headstones – 24 Hours (Everyday)

10 Dec 2009, Comments (0)

James K-Nine-Live it Up (Federal 1973)

Author: alex larotta
jamesknine45

Today’s menu: Face-melting ghetto funk from the most musical of American cities, the big ol’ Crescent City aka New Orleans, Louisiana. To step out of my recent coverage of Texas artists and records, I wanted to shed some attention on Mr. James K-Nine and his little ditty, “Live It Up” on Federal Records. Originally released on the local Nawlins-based Hot Hit Records in 1973, it was later picked up by Federal for regional distribution. Admittedly, not much information on James or of his recording catalog, but I can tell you in fine print under the song title reads the name “Bocage”. ‘Nuff said. Bocage, known to most others as the one and only Eddie Bo (R.I.P.), the pianist/composer/recording artist/producer, carries writing and production credit to this here 45 single. Mr. Bo often doubled as producer and arranger for a host of recording groups, putting his magic touch on ryththm and blues standards by incorporating funky backbeats, psych-tinged guitar licks and rockin’ piano chords, effectively reinventing the sounds of the Crescent City throughout his thorough recording career.

I caught this song in a dj mix I heard sometime ago, unbeknownst to me that it was part of the elusive and far-reaching catalog of Eddie Bo, I was immediately drawn to the overall tightness and impeccable in-the-pocket funk drumming in the rhythm. Good Gawd! Like many of Mr. Bo’s funkier side of things, the drums have a special warm and crispy attribute, accompanied by the bubbly thick low-end bass creating that uniquely ‘Bo’ sound. Vampisoul has an excellent reissue of Eddie Bo’s catalog and production credits, you can check out “In The Pocket With Eddie Bo” here, and check out Funky 16 Corners great homage to Mr. Bo here. Overall it’s a pretty simple track, I don’t generally get to play it out all too often, but I was ecstatic when I was came across this record recently at the Austin Record Convention. Since I couldn’t find any photos of James K-Nine, I’ll give photo props to producer/arranger Eddie Bo.

eddiebo

LISTEN: James K-Nine-Live It Up

4 Dec 2009, Comments (0)

S.J. and the Crossroads – Ooh-Poo-Pah-Doo (SALMAR) 1966

Author: michael selman
kennykasualsband

A garage rock group, which mainly recorded and performed covers from Beaumont, Texas, S.J. and the Crossroads, were exceptional at recording tunes with a lone star signature sound. Of the small amount of information remaining about this group, I was able to find an interview with the original lead singer Sam Messina. In this interview Messina has problems coming to grips with the idea that his band fit the garage/punk sound. After listening to S.J. and the Crossroads snarling vocals and rough instrumentation, a garage image is unveiled.

impact scan

Today I bring you one of a slew of monster 45’s by The Crossroads, which is a Jesse Hill cover of Ooh Poo Pah Doo. This single was recorded in Jones Studio in Houston; the group wanted a live feel for the track so they overdubbed background voices at the beginning of the track. The band supposedly was saying the word “Rhubarb,” over and over again, however the listener is unable to decipher this from the track.

kennykasualsband

The group consisted of six Italian guys from Beaumont. Mike Daleo on guitar, Phillip Battaglia on bass, Johnny Serio on lead guitar, Sam Giglio on keys, Sam Messina on vocals and S.J. Serio on drums. The group recorded on the Salmar Label out of Beaumont, which was created for the Crossroads. The name was selected because S.J.’s and Jonny’s father Sal Serio, who was the group’s manager and their mother’s name was Mary forming SALMAR Records.

kennykasualsband

LISTEN: S.J. and the Crossroads – Ooh-Poo-Pah-Doo

4 Dec 2009, Comments (9)

Little Joe and The Embers-Soul Finger (1969 Discos Jesna)

Author: alex larotta
littlejoe45

Today’s post features some classic brown-eyed soul born and brewed here in our beloved Lone Star State. Little Joe, born Joe Martinez in Houston, TX, started his first band with The Embers in early 1961. Throughout the 60’s and early 70’s, there were two Little Joe’s of Texas and they were often billed together at events, concerts and shows as the “Two Little Joe’s of Texas”. The Little Joe featured in today’s post is Little Joe Martinez, cousin to the late great Tejano music legend, Rocky Gil of Rocky Gil and The Bishops fame. The other ‘Little Joe’ is Joe Hernandez, notable for his recordings with Little Joe and The Latinaires and Little Joe Y La Familia, some of which may be heard on Jazzman Gerald’s illustrious Texas Funk compilation, which can be found and purchased here. Released by Discos Jesna in Houston, Little Joe’s rendition of The Bar-Kays classic “Soul Finger” skews lightly on the vibrato horn work of the original and misses the children’s screaming of the title name, but still holds strong as a bonafied Texas soul burner.

Recorded and distributed by Discos Jesna of Houston, TX, Soul Finger was one of the first records produced by Natcho and Jesse (hence “Jesna”) Garza, two brothers who opened their small-time record label from their two-car garage in North Houston in the early 60’s. Little Joe and The Ember’s first recording of “Me Piden” topped the Texas Chicano music charts at # 1 for six straight weeks, it was also their first #1 record produced in their studio. Little Joe was also a vital character in the Houston Chicano music scene, he was friend to legendary producer & label owner Huey Mueax, and was involved with the distribution of spanish/country crossover hit, “Before The next Teardrop Falls”, recorded and produced by Huey’s Tear Drop Records, considered to be their biggest selling record by Texas music legend Freddie Fender. Little Joe continued to perform throughout the 80’s and 90’s under various band names and is widely recognized for his enormous contributions to Tejano music, playing with everyone from Selena’s father’s band Los Dinos to Sunny Ozuna to Selena herself, amongst a host of Chicano Texan music icons. Without a doubt, Little Joe Martinez is an integral part of Texas music and heritage. You can check out more of Little Joe’s resplendent music catalog here, and find out more on the formative years of the Tejano music culture on PBS’s wonderful Latin Music USA documentary series here.

Lastly, I would like to personally thank Little Joe Martinez for all his help and guidance on the information and photos for this week’s post, gracias por todo hermano!

LittleJoeTheEmbers1961001 littlejoeembers

LISTEN: Little Joe and The Embers-Soul Finger

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