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Sunday 27 February 2011

A Message from Jean-Jacques Perrey

Honorary Moon Lord, Dana Countryman, has just been to Switzerland to visit his friend, hero and musical partner (and patron saint of Project Moonbase), Jean-Jacques Perrey. While he was there, Dana filmed Jean-Jacques giving a message of thanks to his fans following his recent 82nd birthday:

For more information about Jean-Jacques Perrey, we heartily recommend a visit to Dana's official website.

PMB020 Lullaby of Georgeland: George Shearing, Toots Thielemans, Cal Tjader, Jon Brooks, Dim Dim, Ray Davies, Classic Steel

This year has not been a great year for legends of the jazz, soundtrack and retro-futuristic worlds. The latest loss to planet Earth is Sir George Shearing who sadly left us on 14 February.

We at the Moonbase are big fans of the sound of latin jazz and Sir George was one of the greatest practitioners of the art. His quintet also featured two of our other favourite musicians, namely Baron Jean "Toots" Thielemans (harmonica, guitar, whistling) and Cal Tjader (vibes). So on this week's bumper edition of the show we pay tribute to Sir George by hearing music by the great man himself as well as music by Toots and Cal.

We also have a couple of tracks from the latest release by Jon Brooks (aka The Advisory Circle), more jazz flute, some humouristique Belgian pop from Dim Dim and we peak far too early by starting the show with an extraordinary slice of Classic Steel.

As well as the music, MC Zirconium tells us this week that making your way in the world today takes everything you've got. Taking a break from all your worries sure would help a lot. Wouldn't you like to get away? Sometimes you want to get away. Where everybody knows your name - and we know your name and where you live.

UPDATE: This episode is featured in Tom Robinson's pickofthepods.

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The Music
1.Neal & Massy Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra: Also Sprach Zarathrustra from In ConcertBuy on AmazonIn Concert - Neal & Massy Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra
2.Ray Davies: Shaft from Golden Hour of Button Down Brass
3.George Shearing: The World Is A Ghetto from The Way We Are
3.Jon Brooks: Carnacki Theme One from Music For Thomas CarnackiBuy
4.Dim Dim: Flit from KiwiBuy on AmazonKiwi - Dim Dim
5.Toots Thielemans: Wilsamba from Aquarela Do BrasilBuy on AmazonAquarela Do Brasil - Elis Regina & Toots Thielemans
6.George Shearing: Caravan from Latin Verve SoundsBuy on AmazonLatin Verve Sounds - Masters At Work
7.Jon Brooks: The Samaa Ritual from Music For Thomas CarnackiBuy
8.Herbie Mann: Harlem Nocturne from Latin FeverBuy on AmazonLatin Fever - Herbie Mann
9.Cal Tjader: Lullaby of Birdland from Black OrchidBuy on Amazon

The Unnecessary News

Tuesday 22 February 2011

Cosmic Communist Constructions Photographed

We at Project Moonbase say "Oh dear me, no" to communism but "Oh golly, yes!" to Cosmic Commie Concrete. Yes communism is a filthy habit but somehow despite the oppression, rotten cars and interminable queuing, a few brave souls managed to create some of the most brutal, space-aged, constructivist concrete confections ever, ever, ever. It's architecture, but not as we know it.

Photographer Frederic Chaubin shows us 90 buildings across fourteen former Soviet Republics. In what can only be described as "a book full of pictures."

CCCP: Cosmic Communist Constructions Photographed
CCCP: Cosmic Communist Constructions Photographed [Hardcover]

Sunday 20 February 2011

PMB019 Funky Germans Rocking Thailand with Caterina Valente, Peter Herbolzheimer, Sroeng Santi, US Navy Steel Band, Laetitia Sadier

On this week's distinctly rock-flavoured show we have some more examples of Luk Krung and Luk Thung from the latest Finders Keepers compilation, Thai? Dai! We also have a couple of selections from the recently released second volume in the Funky Fräuleins series as well as another slice of Classic Steel. But perhaps most excitingly of all, we have - for one week only - a return of The Herb! Yes, we've been digging through the lunar archives and have managed to find a Peter Herbolzheimer track from the mid-70s that was never released on vinyl but which has popped up on a tasty compilation of "krauty schlager wonders" (we're allowed to say that because that's how this German compilation describes itself).

For this edition of the podcast, MC Zirconium advises that you have a bucket of iced water at the ready.

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The Music
1.Sroeng Santi: Kuen Kuen Lueng Lueng (Iron Man) from Thai! Dai?Buy on AmazonThai! Dai? - Various Artists
2.Caterina Valente: I Dig Rock And Roll Music from Funky Fräuleins Vol. 2Buy on Amazon
3.Peter Herbolzheimer: Rock-O-Mobile from German Funk FieberBuy on Amazon
4.US Navy Steel Band: Overture to William Tell from Steel AppealBuy on AmazonSteel Appeal - US Navy Steel Band
5.The Loved Drones vs Laetitia Sadier: ContactFree
6.???: Machine Gum from Wall You Need Is LoveFree
7.Fiona Silver: Help from Complete Beatles on UkuleleFree
8.Jane Weaver/The Focus Group/Susan Christie: A Circle And A Star (Part 2) from The Watch Bird Alluminate
9.Plearn Promdan: Kosok Tee Det from Thai! Dai?Buy on AmazonThai! Dai? - Various Artists
10.Heidelinde Weis: Der Supermann from Funky Fräuleins Vol. 2Buy on Amazon
The Unnecessary News

Friday 11 February 2011

PMB018 Sun, Sea, Samba and Sergio the Septuagenarian

On the show this week we celebrate the recent birthday of the newly-septuagenarian sovereign of sunny samba, Sergio Mendes. Expect lots of tunes by Sergio: from his early 60s Sextet through to his futuristically-named Brasil 66 and Brasil 77. We also have some tunes by musicians associated with Sergio Mendes and close with an extraordinary slice of Luk Krung from Thailand (which has nothing whatsoever to do with Sergio Mendes).

MC Zirconium advises that in order to best enjoy this week's show you'll need a factory-produced braided shock cord, a full body harness (combining a sit harness and a chest harness) and large drop.

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The Music

1.Alan Lorber Orchestra: Mas Que Nada from Lotus PalaceBuy on AmazonThe Lotus Palace - Alan Lorber-21st Century Orchestra
2.Art Van Damme: Wave from Swinging the Accordion On MPSBuy on AmazonArt Van Damme - Swinging the Accordion On MPS - Art Damme
3.Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66: Constant Rain (Chove Chuva) from EquinoxBuy on AmazonEquinox - Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66
4.Marcos Valle: Campina Grande from Jet-SambaBuy on AmazonJet-Samba - Marcos Valle
5.Herbie Mann w/The Sergio Mendes Sextet: Groovy Samba from Latin FeverBuy on AmazonLatin Fever - Herbie Mann
6.Sergio Mendes: Ponteio from Sergio Mendes' Favorite ThingsBuy on AmazonSergio Mendes' Favorite Things - Sergio Mendes
7.Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66: After Sunrise from Four SiderBuy on AmazonThe Anthology - Sergio Mendes
8.Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66: For What It's Worth from Four SiderBuy on AmazonThe Anthology - Sergio Mendes
9.Jalwal, Annie & Geerasak: Klug Tum La from Thai! Dai?Buy on AmazonThai! Dai? - Various Artists


The Unnecessary News