Rajah That's What's Com'n Rajah Records 1990

Rajah That's What's Com'n Rajah Records 1990 NO CAT#

First look at this and you see the crudely drawn KC skyline so you know it's local, then it just becomes figuring out what it is. Given Rajah's front cover photo, I initially though modern soul, here's a lady trying to show off her pipes. But, review of the backside, she's wearing a hair-net and indicates that her EP features the Strickly Deaf Posse. Turn back over to the front-side and now it seems she may be trying to evoke the B-Girl style with that hat, so it might be hip-hop.

Either way, it's got the possibility of being really bad or really good. Taking out the record you'll see it's from 1990, which is late-era vinyl and a time when modern soul was basically done, it's got to be hip-hop still stuck in the 80's. Review of the backside you'll see that Rajah states, "This album is dedicated to My Heavenly Father for whom my life will reflect his greatness." Now it could be really bad religious hip-hop or stuck in a time loop modern soul and religious. It's also obvious that Rajah failed horribly if she intended this to be an album, it's 2 songs with an instrumental version added of the title track. Without actually listening to it, things are stating to sound horrible.

That's a hair net, right?

Listening to it, it's not religious, it's a hip-hop/soul hybrid sound that was trying to gain a foothold in the late-80s and early 90's. The title track is actually titled, "Good Lov'n That's What's Com'n", which apparently couldn't fit on the front cover finds Rajah switching between rapping and singing throughout. She's speaking to her targeted man talking about how she'll be the best woman for him. Yet to be mentioned is that her name, Rajah, is almost hidden on the front and the back. To get the artist name, you have to rely on the production and producer credits as the scribble signature on the front and the label are hard to decipher. As a lame trademark, Rajah, samples a terribly obvious Middle-Eastern chord progression, the same you hear in any movie soundtrack that has a Middle Eastern scene, whether that be Disney's Aladdin or Raiders of the Lost Ark, it's that hokey snake charmer theme.

The second side features an unneeded instrumental of "Good Lov'n That's What's Com'n", although it features the rap verses. The second track, "We Don't Know How It Happend", is lover's lament sappiness. The title is kind of clever though with the misspelling of Happened being Happend. But, the track is pretty much garbage, slow moving plastic beats with Rajah crying over a break-up.

John Bayley Minstrel of the Morning... Lifetime Records 1976

John Bayley Minstrel of the Morning... Lifetime Records 1976 CAT# 2001

When I first found this I sent a photo to a friend who stated, "That cover is a constant source of conversation and inspiration." The same LP sits among some other framed LPs my friend has displayed. Looking at it, how could it not want to start a conversation? There's just so much going on in this cover. Where to even start? Is that a living room? Where'd you get that sweet tiger? What's up with the white lady and her kid? Is that John Bayley's girlfriend/wife? And dude, where did you score the killer threads?

The backside notes indicate Bayley was heavily influenced by the Jesus Music scene of the 70s, or trying to fit into it. However, the tunes are fairly secular, unless you group songs about "love" into a religious setting. Even when Bayley tries to be religious, it's a bit off. The song "It's Good To See You," states, "I've laid a thousand women, but come back to see you." So he tries to find the Jesus scene, but you can tell, the dude just likes to write tunes.

And, his tunes are a bit all over the place. If it had to be labeled, outsider folk would be the best term. However, there's elements of Indian music, jazz, singer/songwriter, rock, and a lot of reggae floating throughout. It's an interesting work and far better than most "outsider folk" private albums you'd come across. There's a fair amount of experimentation throughout the LP. Also clever, Bayley filled out the sound remarkably well with only a few players. He plays a host of guitars and does his own lead and background vocals. There's limited synth, but he found some guys to do some violins and wind instruments in addition to recording with a drummer.

The LP was also recorded in the Cavern in Independence, Missouri. Lifetime Records (Bayley's private label) shows an Independence as well, but could just as easily be a Kansas City guy. If you YouTube him, you'll find he's channeling George Clinton's fashion sense and playing experimental gospel music over in Colorado now-a-days.

Going Home Alone

The Dillards Tribute to the American Duck Poppy 1973

The Dillards Tribute to the American Duck Poppy 1973 CAT# PP-LA175-F

Looking at the back of this LP, the first thing you'll notice is that there is really only one Dilllard in the Dillards on this LP. However, Independence, Missouri native, Dean Webb was still going strong with the band.

It's not a very strong LP, but, it's not terrible. The band was continuing to try come up with a nice mixture of pop/rock and bluegrass, like a more homespun version of the country-rock genre. They win some, they lose some, but their harmonies remained great.

In addition to the band minus a Dillard, there are quite a few guest spots throughout the album, most noticeably, John Hartford on fiddle. Outside of some decent players, the band goes down some odd paths here in there, the experimentation can be interesting.

Music is Music (ignore the incorrect album cover)

The Grand Poo-Bah Beaner Band It Must Be A Breakdown Rising Star Records 1976

The Grand Poo-Bah Beaner Band It Must Be A Breakdown Rising Star Records 1976 CAT# RS 3301/D-1027

Can't be too sure where these guys are from, but all indications support that the Grand Poo-Bah Beaner Band was from Salina, Kansas, as they seemed to be playing shows there in the late-70's per the Salina Journal. However, they may have just had a following in Salina and could just as easily be from KC or nearby. The album was recorded in Independence, Missouri, at Shapple Wood studios, a studio that would become Chapman and engineers had ties to the now legendary Cavern Studios.

Regardless of where the Grand Poo-Bah Beaner Band is from, this is a fantastic piece of local bluegrass. Fast-paced and tons of energy. It fits alongside other Missouri artists such as the Dillards and John Hartford. Unlike those artists, however, the Grand Poo-Bah Bearner Band wasn't much for original songs as only one song by the guitarist is found on the album. It appears the group was just doing this for the joy of playing, not concerned with taking outside of their locale.

That said, it's a solid selection of traditional songs and progressive covers. They bluegrass up "Friend of the Devil" by the Grateful Dead which may seem surprising at first, but considering Jerry Garcia was heavily involved in traditional music isn't that much of a stretch. They do a Dillard's tune and a solid cover of Dylan's "I Shall Be Released." They even cover the New Grass Revival with "Cold Sailor". They go to the roots with the Carter Family's "Foggy Mountaintop" and Bill Monroe's "Fire On the Mountain." They stay traditional with other covers like "House of the Rising Sun" and "Reuben's Ridge."

All the covers won't make this a collector's album by any means...nevermind, no one cares about bluegrass. But overall, it's worth a listen due to the quality and musicianship.

The Dillards Roots and Branches Anthem 1972

The Dillards Roots and Branches Anthem 1972 CAT #ANS 5901

It's a bit of stretch to throw the Dillards into this blog, but the connections to Kansas City are there. The band is from Salem, Missouri which is 4 hours East of Kansas City. However, the Dillard brothers worked extensively with Bonner Springs native and Byrd, Gene Clark. The album Dillard & Clark is a tough one to track down and well worth it if you can find it. Further, mandolin player Dean Webb, was from Independence, MO. Overall, just including them for the association with Clark and the proximity, oh, and they're awesome. If I could, I'd also include John Hartford, but haven't figured out how to get him in here...he's undeniably from St. Louis.

Put out in 1972, Roots and Branches, is a bit more polished than the band's earlier work which was released by Elektra. Their early LPs focused on roots driven bluegrass with great vocal harmonies. After leaving Elektra, the band attempted a more commercial sound on this LP. The harmonies are still there, the roots feel is still there, but there are elements of the laid-back California country-rock scene that was prevalent at the time. Still, this is pretty far away from the Eagles. You'll hear similar harmonies, but you have to remember it was the Dillards who first influenced bands like the Eagles; these guys were just trying to cash in on the scene they helped start.

Highlights on the LP include the fuzzed out lead track, "Redbone Hound." The Shel Silverstien cover of "Last Morning," is light, airy, and rural. The rollicking feel of "Get on the Road" can sound a bit disingenuous, but, it's a nice attempt at putting some more rock into the band's countrified sound. The must-hear moment on the LP though is vocal rendition of "Man of Constant Sorrow", with all it's hillbilly harmonies.

Redbone Hound

Tuffy Williams Tuffy Tuff Stuff Records 1982

Tuffy Williams Tuffy Tuff Stuff Records 1982 TS-1982-6

Some pretty boring private press country going on here.  Looking at the cover, I was hoping for cheeseball. lounge stuff at best.  And, while this does have a plethora of long winded, piano based ballads that could easily grace a lounge album, it's all pretty boring.

Had it been a bunch of covers, I would have passed.  But, Tuffy of Independence, MO, pens most his tracks, of the ten featured tracks, all but two are his own.  With private press stuff, that's what I look for; originals.  You never know what you might come across.  If you got the means and desire to put out a record on your own, there's usually at least one good track.

With this, maybe there is a standout track, but I'm not hearing it.  There is a song about fishing and stuff; it's got a guitar solo, or, there's some good piano runs on the cover of "Bad Moon Rising," maybe those are the money shots, I don't know.  The country is MOR, the ballads you can skip.  To it's benefit, it is far more routed in traditional country that what Nashville was doing in the 1980's.  Tuffy's piano gives slight western swing feel, so it's not a total train wreck.

Honestly, though, the best part about this record is the presentation.  For one, Tuffy named his label, Tuff Stuff Records...How you gonna mess with that?  Second, the home of Tuff Stuff Records is liste at 10917 Winner Road, in Independence.  C'mon, Winner Road?  That's legit.

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