Survive November with Sun Ra Arkestra, Springsteen, and Heshoo Beshoo
Do You Have Election Fatigue, Too?
I’m Jason Boucher, and welcome to Nocturnal, a weekly newsletter about sound + music where I highlight some of the best new music and streaming video. I’ll be dispensing related links about music and film news that I hope you dig. I don’t know about you, but I get excited for new records, reissues, soundtracks, and live music—so I’m sharing with you! My hope is this newsletter increases awareness of the extraordinary music & art communities all over the world, even if it’s just a smidgen. Questions? jason.boucher@icloud.com
Let’s begin…
Have you heard of the Downtown Music Gallery in New York City? They’re located in the lower east side of New York City near the Manhattan Bridge and they’re open, but you can also order online or through their Discogs page. Take a gander at DMG and see what Bruce and his amazing staff have curated for you. I’ve been to many record stores and not only is this place one of my favorites, Bruce has so much knowledge and he’s one of the friendliest guys you’ll ever meet.
No matter what genre of music is our favorite or where we’re located, independent record stores need our support now more than ever. Going forward, I’ll post a photo of an independent record store every week to bring some much needed attention to these local gems. #SupportYourLocalRecordStore
🎧 What I’m Listening To This Week
Heshoo Beshoo Group Armitage Road (We Are Busy Bodies)
Originally released in 1970, South Africa’s Heshoo Beshoo Group blend the many sounds of jazz with Afro Jazz sounds on their only studio album. The album cover was inspired by Abbey Road and the album was a commentary of the social conditions in South Africa during Apartheid. Heshoo Beshoo Group was a creation of Henry Sithole, with his brother Stanley, guitarist Cyril Magubane, bassist Ernest Mothle and drummer Nelson Magwaza.
The album had a limited released in South Africa and France. It has long been a coveted release of collectors and jazz enthusiasts alike. The album has been remastered from a pristine copy of the French release, with updated artwork that pays tribute to the original imagery and text. - We Are Busy Bodies
Limited to 1500 Copies or buy the digital release here.
Sun Ra Arkestra Swirling (Strut Records)
Marshall Allen leads the Sun Ra Arkestra on this new release. Allen, a member of the Sun Ra Arkestra since 1958 and its leader since 1993 when Sun Ra left the planet. Allen is a tremendous alto saxophone player but he’s also quite the conductor and has put together some truly inspirational, and spiritual pieces played by some of the most talented jazz musicians on Earth. This is the first studio album in twenty years for the Sun Ra Arkestra and I couldn’t be more excited to hear their latest concoction of big band jazz and the avant-garde. Vocals by Tara Middleton and Dave Davis. No one else makes this genre sound so good. Available on LP, CD, and digital release.
Bruce Springsteen Letter To You (Columbia Records)
I can’t believe this is Bruce Springsteen’s 20th studio album. I remember as a kid going to the local mall or record store with my dad to buy the latest Springsteen album, then go home and make a copy on cassette so we could enjoy it in the car. I began listening to Bruce when I was 7 and my first album experience was The River in 1980. I have always had a soft spot for the boss—he’s my Elvis. Fast forward 40 years and Letter To You is released with The E Street Band, which last recorded with Springsteen in 2014. The opening track, One Minute You’re Here, is one of my favorites—it’s sorrowful lyrics, gentle acoustic guitar, piano, and Bruce’s signature voice make this track ever-lasting. Get ready though, because the album gets more upbeat from there with Letter to You, Burnin’ Train, Ghosts, and more. Put simply, it’s just a great rock n’ roll album with one of the best rock bands ever assembled backing one of America’s best songwriters. Available on LP, CD, and digital.
🎙 My Interview with Kevin Cormier
KC is an old friend and someone I trust when it comes to music. He and I DJ’d at WUNH many moons ago and I’m wicked glad we still chat and share Instagram memes. Listen, as he and I discuss record collecting, first record purchases, college radio’s influence on our taste in music, and what it was like to work in a record store.
This Reading List
The Watch List
Nocturnal: A Sound + Music Experience is delivered fresh each Tuesday evening through an ominous freeform cloud featuring hubbub from then and now. Listen live Tuesdays at 8pm EST on WSCA, or the next day via Mixcloud.
The October 27th episode is all about Halloween. Here’s the playlist:
Maurice Burkhart “At The Devil’s Ball”
Henry Hall “Hush, Hush, Hush (Here Comes the Boogie Man)”
Bing Crosby & Boris Karloff “The Halloween Song”
Al Donohue “Jeepers Creepers”
Prairie Ramblers “Ghost In The Graveyard (Album Version)”
Anton LaVey “Satan Takes a Holiday (Instrumental)”
Johnny Otis “Castin’ My Spell”
LaVern Baker “Voodoo Vodoo”
Rudy Vallee & His Connecticut Yankees “With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm”
Kip Tyler “She’s My Witch”
Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs “Haunted House”
Sharkey Todd “The Cool Ghoul”
The Vulcans / Colonel Elliott & The Lunatics “Dracula”
Misfits “Halloween”
The Cramps “Human Fly”
Albert Elias “King Kong”
Pasquale & The Lunar-tiks “Moon Madness”
Bobby McFadden and Dor “The Mummy”
The Revels “Dead Man’s Stroll”
The Swingin’ Neckbreakers “No Costume, No Candy”
Bob And Jerry “Ghost Satellite”
Billy Riley “Flying Saucer Rock & Roll”
The Charts “Ooba Gooba”
David Seville “Witch Doctor”
The Deadly Ones “Monster Surfing Time”
Dicky Doo and the Donts “Flip Top Box”
Electro-Tones “Ghost Train”
Hugh Barrett & The Victors “There Was a Fungus Among Us”
The Five Jones Boys “Mr Ghost Goes to Town”
Kay Martin and Her Bodyguards “Swamp Girl”
Moses Longpiece “Slide her under the door”
The Ran-Dells “Martian Hop”
Ronnie Isle “Wicked”
Screamin’ Jay Hawkins “I Put a Spell on You”
Southern Culture On the Skids “Sinister Purpose”
John Zacherle “Dinner with Drac”
Sheb Wooley “Purple People Eater”
The Symbols “Do The Zombie”
Jackie Morningstar “Rockin’ In the Graveyard”
Ken Nordine “Strollin’ Spooks”
See you next week… VOTE! - JB