The first time I ever heard the Kora I was blown away. It was a mystic polyrhythmic journey somewhere between a harp and guitar. I couldn’t wait to hear more. One of the artists I found was Lalo Kéba Dramé.

Born in 1929 in Kwinella, a village in The Gambia, Lalo spent much of his adult life in Senegal and Guinea Bissau. It was there where he impressed audiences with his magical playing, so much so that he was invited by President Jawara to perform in England.

His 1976 album Lalo Keba Drame Et Sa Cora is one of the greatest examples of the Gambian style of kora music I’ve ever heard. “Hamaba” is one of my favorite recordings from that record, and towards the end of the song it truly feels like he is using all 21 strings.
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It was written that on the day of his death he woke up and asked his wife to bring him his Kora. After playing his favorite songs, he called her back over and whispered in her ear once more, followed by a prayer, and then he went to sleep and never woke up again.

Hip hop and rap music have always been about the latest and greatest, especially in the early days. Relevancy is deemed not by decades or years, but by months or even weeks. Grandmaster Flash, who is considered a pioneer of Hip Hop, was one such casualty.

​After the Furious Five broke up, Flash signed with Elektra records. It was his first time working for a major label and the pressure was on. With the help of Rahiem, The Kidd Creole, and producer Gavin Christopher, Flash and crew felt they had a smash record, and it might have been, if released a couple of years earlier, before artists like Run-DMC and Just Ice helped usher in the “golden age.”

“Larry’s Dance Theme” was one of my favorites from that record. It’s an old school electro track and their tribute to breakdancers. This extended vocal version is the B side from their 12 inch single “Girls Love The Way He Spins” and is a fond memory of mine.  

Few bands from 1978 are still in existence, especially punk rock bands, and yet one of the pioneers of the “street punk” hardcore movement are still touring today. GBH (originally known as Charged GBH) were formed in 1978 by lead singer Colin Abrahall, bassist Sean McCarthy, guitarist Colin Blyth, and drummer Andrew Williams. They are from Birmingham England, a working class town and hotbed of culture and musical talent, the home of Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Led Zeppelin, The Moody Blues, The Move, ELO, UB40, Duran Duran, The Beat and hundreds of other notable musicians.
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“City Baby Attacked By Rats” is the title track from their first full length album released in 1982 on Clay Records. It’s gritty, hyper fast, and doesn’t take hostages. It’s also surprising that this hardcore punk rock album made it to #17 on the UK Album Charts, a feat that would take the United States record buying public twelve more years to accomplish. 

Mint Julep is the moniker for the very talented married couple Keith and Hollie Kenniff. Both have been recording for a while under various names, but like any one superhero they’re even more powerful when working together.

“Black Maps” is the first single from their upcoming album In a Deep and Dreamless Sleep (available March 19, 2021 on Western Vinyl). It’s reverb and magic, long coastal drives, or a gentle kiss before sleep.
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https://westernvinyl.com/artists/mint-julep.php