the first 12- - - -march 2025- - - -volume 3

“At the risk of sounding woo woo, the stars are back exactly where they were when it started.”

FOR EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN

read the sign where I bought my first cassette tape. My dad gave me a 20 and said, “pick something out.” I stared at the spines, mesmerized by the bold fonts that promised something big. I chose one. My dad said, “well don’t tell me, go ask the counter.”

So I went up and the person working was maybe 16 but still, they were old and definitely judging me (right?) Or was that me looking at me? The bold individual who said I want this one. They had their thing pierced. The eyebrow corner. They even had a key on a lanyard that freed the plastic wrapped life-altering-rectangular-recording by Arrested Development for $14.99 in 1992. The rest is history. 

R.I.P Roy Ayers

Pisces ladies rule the waters 

TRACKLIST - - -

1. Luiz Bonfa & Maria Toledo - Whistle Samba

2. Dick Hyman and “The Group” - (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay

3. Arrested Development - Ease My Mind

4. Astrud Gilberto - Wailing Of The Willow

5. Elvis Costello - Alison

6. Neil Young with CRAZY HORSE - Pardon My Heart

7. Gary Burton - Norwegian Wood

8. Digable Planets - Where I’m From (aural g. ride 12”)

9. Roy Ayers Ubiquity - A Wee Bit

10. Claire Austin - Someone To Watch Over Me

11. Brian Friel - Pisces Lady

12. Courtney Barnett - End of the Day 

the first 12- - - -february 2025- - - -volume 2

“The townspeople all shot him at the same time, so that— you know...”

Here are 12 songs from 12 albums that have been heavenly within a heavy February. The good ol’ groundhog saw its shadow and yet, I’ve got to be grateful for moments with the ones I love. I saw a frozen waterfall and “whooo whooooood” into a cave.

These tracks are supremely spiritual if you listen for it. If there’s a theme to this one it’s doing a lot with a little. A few people, a few microphones, the idea of a good-ass time ripe with earnest-to-godly desire and bereft of the frills & pretensions of fake priests. It sounds like life and its bitter-sweet melody. These are 12 real poets saying it “all” thru some sounds and selected phrases. The raw and real and people being people and playing music together as a means of shelter and survival. Expression amongst oppression. If I had a flag, it would look like a Poloroid collage (left) from a party and sound like Shellshag in the wind. I believe in Rock ’n Roll. Scream it from the mountain. 

 TRACKLIST - -

1. Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here

2. Shellshag - Bridge

3. Roxy Gordon - The Western Edge

4. Mischa Elman - Souvenir

5. Las Cuatro Brujas - La Ronda De La Estrella

6. Yusef Lateef - The Plum Blossom

7. Greyhound - Sand in Your Shoes

8. ESG - Moody (Spaced Out)

9. Dead Moon - Can't Do That

10. Joe Dassin - Katy Cruel

11. Elizabeth Cotton - When I Get Home

12. Melissa Carpenter - Would You Like to Get Some Goats?

the first 12- - - -january 2025- - - -volume 1

“Suddenly, this bird goes flyin into my stream of consciousness.”

The past few years I’ve found joy (and some responsibility) in selecting what album I might play after the confetti settles and it’s the first moment of the newest year. For 2025, it was a dollar copy of The Coasters s/t compilation released on ATCO Records in 1957. What a thrill to immediately time travel. The Coasters sound so alive! Kinda raunchy. Super clever. Mostly fun. This is the first mix of 12 songs from the first 12 records that I listened too in January. Next month will feature 12 songs from 12 records. And so on. Manageable monthly mixes from me to you. This mix was made during a snowstorm in Millfield, Ohio and I’d say overall, it’s hopeful sounding. 

         TRACKLIST -

  1. Bert Jansch - Reynardine

  2. Patty Zeitlin & Marcia German - Spin, Spider, Spin

  3. Penguin Orchestra Cafe - the sound of someone you love who’s going away and it doesn’t matter

  4. Jimmy Cliff - Born to Win

  5. Pharoah Sanders - Pharomba

  6. The Coasters - One Kiss Led to Another

  7. April Stevens - I Want a Lip

  8. Freddie Hubbard - Polar AC

  9. Matt Dennis - That’s How Close I Want To Be To You

  10. Sub Debs - Please Understand

  11. Bobbie Gentry - Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head

  12. Maria Luisa Anido - Asturias (played at 33 instead of the intended 45rpm. Sounded HEAVY to me this way, and beautiful.)