I’ve been making it my business to explore the myriad of free public pools Montreal has on offer. And let me tell you: there are few things that make me feel snobbier than swimming locales and public music. As a Nova Scotian, I simply will not settle for anything less than instant, free, pristine lake and ocean access. And as a self-proclaimed *~megastar~* of music curation, I feel like so many instances of music in public are, at best, lazy. I’m half cheeky, half dead serious about this. Consider this petition I circulated in 2013 to end the ‘infernal broadcast’ of commercial radio outside a farmer’s market in Halifax where I worked:
The petition got some 400+ signatures, yet the commissionaire’s office who ran the music simply refused to meet with me despite multiple inbox and in-person attempts.
Anyways, Montreal has some lovely pools and I’ve been grateful for them. Though each one I’ve been to is outfitted with a really bangin’ bluetooth speaker blaring some form of Top 40, which is not ideal. And of course 1 out of 100 times you get a gem: I heard Outkast’s ‘Ms. Jackson’ at Laurier pool a few days ago. But like... ‘Ms. Jackson’? Not ‘So Fresh, So Clean’? Not even ‘Hey Ya’? Why not make my dreams come true with some ‘Crumblin’ Erb’?
I did see an eight year-old kid totally losing his mind, dancing poolside to Marshmello & The Jonas Brothers and… I get it; that too, brought me a certain joy. I just like to believe that, given the chance, that eight year-old might also pop-and-lock to some pre-crossover gems from the Dungeon Family.
click on the covers to listen or go your own way ~~
Tabu Ley Rochereau - The Voice Of Lightness (1961-1977)
This compilation presents 90 minutes of solid hits culled from the peak years of Tabu Ley Rochereau, an absolutely indispensable and influential vocalist and songwriter of Congolese descent. He’s credited with shifting popular sounds in sub-Saharan Africa during these decades from a slower-paced rumba to the faster paced soukous (from the French seccouse; shock, jolt, or jerk). His vocal stylings manage to cut through any group he plays with while retaining a tender, approachable quality that lend his music an intoxicating feel.
Jennifer Lara - Weekend Loving (1985)
It’s effectively impossible to pick a favorite single song from Studio One, and a pluralized list may run a few feet long. But when musing on such a subject, Jennifer Lara’s 1974 scorcher ‘I Am In Love’ comes immediately to mind. It’s a perfect postcard of sensual obsession. Weekend Loving landed ten years after that cut and represents another era entirely (consider, for instance, that album cover that speaks to a uhh... particular spirit of the times). Probe deeper and you’ll hear Lara laying down jam after jam, combining boogie, dancehall, lovers rock and everything adjacent. Track three, ‘Off The Air’, is about as classic as it gets.
Dream 2 Science - Dream 2 Science (1990)
‘It’s good, but am I ever going to listen to it?’ is a question that has guided a certain signification of music for me over the years. It’s a strong part of what guides me as a collector, both physical and digital. As a curator, on the other hand, I’ve programmed a lot of amazing stuff I wouldn’t throw on while I’m cooking eggs or eating dinner or generally going about my life. To be clear, that’s not a value judgement of any kind. It’s just about preference+lifestyle. For some time now, I’ve been curious about house music. As I delve deeper into this incredibly vital and exciting music, I’m still not really finding space for it in my day-to-day. I’m a pretty calm, slow person who, and this pains me to say it, used to dance. In this way, Dream 2 Science feels like a tiny paradigm shift: I play this while I’m doing the dishes. I put this on and walk around. I bump this late at night, smoking weed and sifting music blogs. I listen to this and imagine a future where I’m out there, swirling in infinity, dancing with all my favorite people, and people I don’t know, and people I’m excited to get to know, and I feel a certain undeniable energy.
Arsenio Rodriguez - Montuneando (1946-50)
Last winter, I had an eye-opening conversation with Angel Bat Dawid that impressed on me the importance of understanding Afro-Cuban music and the cultural contexts surrounding it. I’ve been endeavouring to listen and learn more about those worlds, and in that exploration, I’ve really fallen for the work of Arsenio Rodriguez. I’m not entirely capable yet of explaining the import of his work within the many intersecting musical landscapes, but here is a brief personal backdrop: Rodriguez grew up on a farm that his father, a veteran of the Cuban War Of Independence, tended. At the age of 7, he accidentally prodded a horse with a broom, which prompted the horse to kick, striking him in the head and blinding him. This tragic event led him to forging a bond with Kike, one of his 14 brothers, with whom he began practicing music. Soon, the two started performing within the ceremonial spaces of their community’s Palo Monte rituals, as well as in secular scenarios. In his late teens, the family farmhouse was destroyed by a hurricane, leading Rodriguez to settle in Havana, about two hours northwest of his hometown. There he would immerse himself in club culture, eventually gaining popularity for his interpretation of and unique emphasis within ‘son cubano’, a popular style that blends Spanish and African modes. A deft player, performer, bandleader and vocalist, Rodriguez is also credited with composing 20+ songs that are now considered Cuban standards.
Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour (2018)
I’m just gonna leave this here… reason being: I had my head stuck up an experimental music butt-worm-hole when it came out. So even though basically everyone and their mother’s (and the Grammy’s) were praising its Greatness, I only started listening this summer. Aaaaand it’s perfect! Luv U Kacey 💜
Rosalie Sorrels - If I Could Be The Rain (1967)
Is this a folk record or a field recording of someone looking out over the vistas of life’s experience, wincing and smiling at once? This music doesn’t give me the feeling of being happy or sad, or any of those bullshit binaries, it’s just so REAL. While prepping this issue, I found an article from NPR titled ‘The Difficult, Adventurous, Happy Life of Rosalie Sorrels’, published just after her passing in 2017. In it, the author recounts the first time he met Sorrels and includes this wonderfully evocative nugget:
“...Rosalie cooked one of her amazing meals, everyone traded songs till well after midnight, and the next morning I woke up on the couch to hear her whistling as she swept the kitchen. She was a good whistler, and a great singer — the best description came from her mother, Nancy Stringfellow, who used to cook chicken basted in "Rosalie sauce," so called because "it is made of wine and honey and cayenne, like my Rosalie's voice."
I’m super interested in feedback / dialogue / suggestions. If you have ideas about the newsletter, want to share music with me, have specific questions / requests, don’t hesitate to get in touch. And please: share this newsletter with a pal if you feel so inspired!
Yrs.,
Andrew P.
andrewdanielpatterson [at] gmail [dot] com