Bellshill Bands - Jewel Scheme

 

I think it is safe to say that we are rapidly approaching the end of this series

Martin John Henry has appeared here before  in this series with De Rosa. He has also appeared on the Blog on other occasions as a solo artist and as part of the duo Henry and Fleetwood

Here from 2024 on Gargleblast Records he is joined on the eponymous Jewel Scheme album by Allan Carroll and Chris Connick.

The band are named after a housing estate in the Orbiston area of Bellshill. Such estates are known as Schemes in Scotland. The Jewel Scheme includes Sapphire Road, Diamond Street, Emerald Terrace, Amethyst Avenue, Amber Terrace, Agate Terrace and Cornelian Terrace. Let's face it , this is what you come here for.

Here is some info on the band and album courtesy of The Skinny

And here is some music.

Jewel Scheme -You're Not Wrong

Jewel Scheme - Spectral Index

As things stand there will be at least one more entry in this series

Songs From The Burst Chair

 

On Sunday night I was busily typing away when I suddenly found myself at a jaunty angle.

A bolt on my chair had sheered causing somewhat of a malfunction. I am now using one of the dining chairs until such times as I can procure a suitable replacement from a charity shop.

In the meantime it has given me the inspiration to post some chair related songs

I didn't have as many as I thought but here are a few for you to deposit your derrière on

Cake -Italian Leather Sofa

The Band - Rocking Chair

The Normal - Warm Leatherette

Wet Leg - Chaise Longue

Soup Dragons - Man About Town With Chair

Johnny Cash - The Mercy Seat

Dolly Parton R.I.P.

 

I was coming in from the recycling when Mrs CC called me in to the living room with the sad news that Dolly Parton had died at the age of 80.

It was perhaps not too surprising as she had stepped back recently due to illnesses. Also, she was probably still mourning the death of her husband Carl Dean.

She was the undisputed queen of Country Music. While she often portrayed herself as a dumb blonde she was anything but. She also never shirked from her desperately poor childhood.

Wiki lists her occupations as Singer-Songwriter, Musician, Actress, Philanthropist and (Shrewd) Business Woman. I added the shrewd given her setting up of the Dollywood theme park and Restaurants

The philanthropist reference is down to the Dolly Parton Imagination Library providing millions of free books to children.

Then obviously there is the music. I must admit that I wasn't a fan of all of her songs, but she wrote and sang some absolute classics such as the three below.

A tiny pocket rocket but nobody's fool. What a talent.The best of America.

Rest easy Dolly.

Dolly Parton - Jolene

Dolly Parton - Coat of Many Colors

Dolly Parton - Down From Dover

Blog Country 149 - Mali

 

I'm happy to say that sourcing music from Mali, a landlocked country in West Africa,  has been the easiest one since Blog Country 115 Jamaica. This is primarily because I have a few albums featuring Malian artists and a sufficient number to save me digging in to the Sahel Sounds Samplers on Bandcamp

Khayem and Ernie are far more informative when it comes to the great music from this Country. 

Some Desert Blues to start with I think courtesy of Tinariwen is a collective of Tuareg musicians from the Sahara region of Northern Mali. From their 2006 album Aman Iman (Water is Life) on the Independiente label here is Awa Didgen

Next we have Kasse Mady Diabete  who was a Malian singer, musician and griot. His soft and particular voice with deep undertones – an atypical characteristic for a griot – earned him the nickname "The golden voice of Mali" From his 2008 album Manden Djeli Kan here is the opening track  Bandja.

Salif Keita often known as The Golden Voice of Africa is a member of the Keita royal family of Mali. From his 2002 album Moffou I give you Moussolou

From Global A Go-Go a 2007 Uncut album celebrating 20 Years of World Music we have Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba (featuring Lobi Traore) with Banani which is taken from the Out/Here album Banani

We conclude with Songhoy Blues a desert blues band from Timbuktu who have enjoyed international recognition. From their 2017 album Resistance on the Transgressive label we have Bamaka.

Rest assured that Blog Country 150 is going to be considerably harder.

Tinariwen - Awa Didjen

Kasse Mady Diabete - Bandja

Salif Keita - Moussolou

Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba (ft Lobi Traori) - Banani

Songhoy Blues - Bamaka

The Tower

 

 2026 Charity Shop Purchases #28 - James Edwyn & the Borrowed Band

Like many other artists Glasgow based James Edwyn & the Borrowed Band first crossed my radar courtesy of Last Night From Glasgow.

Although, in my opinion, they were not that heavily promoted, I picked up High Fences (2017) and Highlights of The Low Nights (2022) .With their Americana feel they were right up my street.

I was therefore pretty chuffed when I picked up a CD in Oxfam of their 2014 debut album The Tower on the Dead Records Collective label. After two or three listens I'm coming round to thinking that it is the pick of the bunch

There is an excellent review by Rudie Humphrey on the Glasgow Americana Blabber 'n' Smoke site

I thought that was all that they had released but I have just discovered courtesy of Bandcamp that they released a 7 track digital album Before We Go in 2020. It has been duly purchased.

Hopefully there will be more soon and I will get an opportunity to see them live.

James Edwyn & the Borrowed Band - On Meeting The Man In The Suit

James Edwyn & the Borrowed Band - The Last Waltz

The Bottle Let Me Down - Songs For Bumpy Wagon Rides

 

It shows how much I was immersed in Bloodshot Records  when I picked up 2002's The Bottle Let Me Down - Songs For Bumpy Wagon Rides here. It is essentially a children's album and I don't have kids. Oh oh -is that Social Services at the door?

In my defence here are some quotes from critics:

The rare album that kids, parents and music snobs will all appreciate - Times Record News

Pleasing to both the pint sized and pint drinking listener - Harp Magazine

A must for everyone who had a childhood and/or likes music. There is not a lame track on the disc - Chicago Arts and Entertainment.

I think that I might be in the clear

As you can see from the link above giving details of the tracks there are an impressive array of Bloodshot artists and guests participating and clearly having enormous fun

Those of you with Grand Kids, you know what to do

It is not one that a play very often, if at all. But given the participating it surely merits  the 48th place in the Sunday 50 Americana Compilations series.

Tune in next Sunday for the penultimate entry

The Cornell Hurd Band - Don't Wipe Your Face On Your Shirt

The Handsome Family - Snowball

Jane Baxter Miller - On Top Of Spaghetti

Saturday Shuffle 158

 

As you can see today's cover star is Dion.

I was unaware that Mr Di Mucci had been the first artist to cover the song Abraham, Martin and John written by Dick Holler in 1968. My money, and maybe yours, would have been on Marvin Gaye.

The name Curtis Ousley may not ring many bells, King Curtis on the other hand ..,  Here he is with some Memphis Soul Stew.

From Memphis Soul Stew to a Splendid Scottish Racket we conclude with The Hedrons and Be My Friend.

Friends , shall we reassemble next Saturday for SS 159?

Dion - Abraham, Martin and John

King Curtis - Memphis Soul Stew

The Hedrons - Be My Friend