Well, we are certainly currently spoilt for guest mixes here at Diddy Wah. Among other things, Julian Savage is a DJ from Melbourne who now lives in London. Although I didn't know him in Melbourne, there's a good chance I shook my stuff to his grooves sometime, since he played out and about at all the cool spots. As you'll hear on this mix, his taste is broad and deep. Julian resides even closer to my favourite local pub, The Haggerston, than I do, and he'll be joining me behind the decks there tomorrow (Friday) night -- if you're in the area, drop by and say hi.
Here's an extra salty, dry roasted bag of Egyptian exotica, sloppy r’n’b, loco latin & other assorted mania. From way out cats like Ali Baba & Daddy Lo Lo to a tongue-tied Genie, a mumbling dummy and the Wiggling Fool these tunes speak in crazed tongues intoning a mummie’s curse & the gamma goochie. Open sesame, come with me to the casbah, ride the caravan, sneeze in the trees, see a baboon in bamboo, do the zippy zam & tamure, shake it (don’t break it), have a ball as it’s happening all night in the casbah with lamb & ham, twitch & walk, put-ti put-ti, da da goo goo, ca la moochie cu cu manga cha la chunga, there’s a fly on baby’s head... It’s Mixed Nuts!
mp3: Mixed NutsCleopatra Kick - Jack La Forge (Regina)
Obviously a man of regal tastes Jack cooks up this hokum with a waft of Eastern charm & drama
Couscous - Bob AzzamPoor old Bob can’t keep up with his better half’s appetite. Definitely in secular territory here as she combines lamb and ham with the titular carbohydrate.
Abrete Sesamo - Ramon Marquez (Seeco)
Ali Baba y sus cuarenta ladrones dance the cha cha, of course they do.
Cleopatra - Phil Flowers (Josie)
Move your head just like a cobra snake – wasn’t it an asp? No wonder it didn’t take off.
Come With Me to The Casbah - Charles “Chick” Ganimian (East West)
Ganimian strokes his oud in this classic promise of exotic delight
Daddy Lo Lo - Buddy Sarkissian & his Mecca Four With Fred Elias (5 0’Clock)
“Authentic” version with Fred’s violin working the angles either side of a massive breakdown featuring Artie pounding the skins.
Caravan - Chuck “Tequila” Rio (Tequila)
Danny Flores’ (aka Chuck Rio) brooding horn is all over this stellar take on the Duke’s all time exotica standard. Throw in some guitar stings, jazzy, r’n’r drums and Chuck’s gravel coated grunt of the title and what do you have? Perfection? Then again has there ever been a dud version of this tune?
Ali Coochie (Ca La Moochie Cu Cu Manga Cha La Chunga) - Nolan Strong & The Diablos (Fortune)
More crazed novelty this time from golden throat Nolan Strong rubbing his lamp so that the genie can say nonsensical babble. Better be careful what you wish for.
See You Soon Baboon - Dale Hawkins (Checker)
Dale’s first 45 (?). He obviously needed some assistance from Tarzan at this stage of his career.
House of Bamboo - Ray Ellington and his Group (LP only)
Schwinging version of this party fave by the Goon Show’s musical director.
Rocking in the Cocanut Top - Hop Wilson & His Blue Steel Guitar (Goldband)
There was obviously a vacant position for a copy editor at Goldband, but that didn’t stop them putting out top-notch insane rockers like this one. Go Hop, Go!
Loco - Bill Smith Combo (Chess)
Fabulous toe tapper from Texas. If this one doesn’t get you shaking a rug then we are not on the same planet and I don’t want to know you.
A La Salud - Tito Puente (RCA)
Nice mod instro from El Rey. At least he didn’t try and write a melody to fit gesundheit!
One Zippy Zam - Roy Milton (King)
Late one from the jump blues stalwart who still had a little lead left in his pencil.
The Walk - Lue Cazz (Vee Jay)
Stomping version of the McCracklin platter. Jimmy appreciated the effort as he was twiddling the knobs on this one.
Done Done The Slop - Ervin Rucker and the Blues Nighthawks OrchestraThe sloppiest slop to beat all Slops aided by a bunch of enthusiastic back up singers
Tamure - Charley Mauu (His Coconut Uke and Roche’s Tahitians)Tahitian dance craze - the South Seas answer to the twist - led by tribal chief, Hollywood actor and bandleader Charley Mauu.
Cement Mixer (Put-Ti, Put-Ti) - Sal Mayo with the Teo Macero Orchestra (Colombia)
Big band take on the Slim Gaillard classic.
Mumbles Blues - Bobby Lewis (Mercury)
G-g-great mumbler by Bobby that tops the Paul Bascomb OG.
Da Da Goo Goo - Harvey (Chess)
Personal fave about a cool dancin’ kid.
The Dummy - Larry Williams (Specialty)
Like a Hoffman tale done hopped up on speed by a guy who probably was, this tells the touching tale of a guy and his department store gal. Twisted.
Oooh..! It’s Happening Baby - Julio Gutierrez & Los Guajiros (Gema)
Like a lot of the Latin maestro’s (Tito Puente, Eddie and Charlie Palmeiri, et al) who turned their hand to boogaloo to pay the bills Julio does it better than most in this quintessentially sixties sounding floor filler. Groovy, baby!
Let’s Have A Ball - Cecil “El Pajarito” Davis (Dial)
Caribbean (?) flavoured boogaloo shake down from the obscure “Little Birdie”. Check the massive b-boy break.
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction - Ninapinta & His Bongos & Congas (Decca)
Latin percussion workout over the Stones classic. Gives up plenty in my humble opinion.
All Night - Screamin’ Jay Hawkins (Decca)
Party jam done SJH stylee. Never a dull moment.
Mamma Get Your Hammer - Bobby Peterson QuintetInsane take on what was originally a Neopolitan family favourite. Evil intentions.
(You Got The) Gamma Goochie - Gamma Goochie (Himself) (Colpix)
All well and good, but what the hell is Gamma Goochie?
The Wiggling Fool - Jack HammerAll time tassle twirler. Move over Chubby...
Labels: cover version, guest post, instrumental, latin, lounge, rhythm and blues, rock'n'roll