Sleeping pills
It all depends on the week.
Sometimes you’re chugging along and it seems that every time you turn your perfectly-shaped head there’s another library being named for you, another director who wants you for their picture, or just another good-looking friend who wants to raise a toast to you. You're at the top of your game and, dammit, it shows.
And sometimes, like this week, it’s just you in your boxer shorts, a handful of pills, and the test patterns on TV.
1. Parker McDougal, Foxxy Minor (M and M)
The sound of your next downward spiral. This dark bop obscurity helps me hit rock bottom every time. McDougal was a Chicago tenor saxophonist who recorded for the hipster label M&M. (See the fantastic Red Saunders Research for the full story on M&M and other indie Chicago R&B/jazz labels.)
“Foxxy Minor” was recorded in 1960.
Yeah, see you in rehab, buddy.
2. Henry Glover & His Quartet, Sassy's Dream (King)
Henry Glover distinguished himself behind-the-scenes at the legendary King records as a talented producer, songwriter, and A&R (Artists & Repertoire) guy. And, on this lovely 50’s downer, he steps briefly from the shadows to play piano.
There's serendipity here in the combination of title ("Sassy's Dream") and atmosphere (yes, dreamy). Dreamy... verging on chemical torpor. While it’s unlikely that Glover recorded this as a drug song, it's still fun reading all sorts of illicit messages into it. It just makes "Sassy's Dream" seem that much more darkly evocative, somehow.
3. Bob Bain’s All Stars, Black Beauty (Montclare)
“Black Beauty” is an old street name for amphetamine and, for once, I’m sure that the song title was a coincidence. The song is, in fact, the opposite of amphetamine. And, while “Black Beauty” is slightly less bleak by this week’s standards, it still slows to a crawl, and threatens to dissolve entirely.
This is ether music of the finest order. Bob Bain, a jazzy guitarist and longtime LA studio musician, is here heard along with Plas Johnson, another prolific LA studio heavy, famous for his saxophone work on “The Pink Panther” theme. Plas’s horn line, which manages to keep its head above the lull of the organ, verily whispers, “Go ahead, friend. Treat yourself. You deserve the opportunity to drink yourself into a stupor at 3:45 am. It’s time to live.”
“Black Beauty” was recorded in Los Angeles in the early- to mid-60’s.
Sometimes you’re chugging along and it seems that every time you turn your perfectly-shaped head there’s another library being named for you, another director who wants you for their picture, or just another good-looking friend who wants to raise a toast to you. You're at the top of your game and, dammit, it shows.
And sometimes, like this week, it’s just you in your boxer shorts, a handful of pills, and the test patterns on TV.
1. Parker McDougal, Foxxy Minor (M and M)The sound of your next downward spiral. This dark bop obscurity helps me hit rock bottom every time. McDougal was a Chicago tenor saxophonist who recorded for the hipster label M&M. (See the fantastic Red Saunders Research for the full story on M&M and other indie Chicago R&B/jazz labels.)
“Foxxy Minor” was recorded in 1960.
Yeah, see you in rehab, buddy.
2. Henry Glover & His Quartet, Sassy's Dream (King)Henry Glover distinguished himself behind-the-scenes at the legendary King records as a talented producer, songwriter, and A&R (Artists & Repertoire) guy. And, on this lovely 50’s downer, he steps briefly from the shadows to play piano.
There's serendipity here in the combination of title ("Sassy's Dream") and atmosphere (yes, dreamy). Dreamy... verging on chemical torpor. While it’s unlikely that Glover recorded this as a drug song, it's still fun reading all sorts of illicit messages into it. It just makes "Sassy's Dream" seem that much more darkly evocative, somehow.
3. Bob Bain’s All Stars, Black Beauty (Montclare)“Black Beauty” is an old street name for amphetamine and, for once, I’m sure that the song title was a coincidence. The song is, in fact, the opposite of amphetamine. And, while “Black Beauty” is slightly less bleak by this week’s standards, it still slows to a crawl, and threatens to dissolve entirely.
This is ether music of the finest order. Bob Bain, a jazzy guitarist and longtime LA studio musician, is here heard along with Plas Johnson, another prolific LA studio heavy, famous for his saxophone work on “The Pink Panther” theme. Plas’s horn line, which manages to keep its head above the lull of the organ, verily whispers, “Go ahead, friend. Treat yourself. You deserve the opportunity to drink yourself into a stupor at 3:45 am. It’s time to live.”
“Black Beauty” was recorded in Los Angeles in the early- to mid-60’s.
Labels: Jazz Obscura
posted by DJ Little Danny at 8:30 AM
6 Comments:
Everyove took this amazing stuff and had no comments,even a "thanks" to Little Danny for this share,is an ungrateful idiot to say no more.
Speechless man.Thanks,Merci,Danke etc.
Thanks for your kind words, xenophanis - and your concern! Don't worry, I LOVE the comments but understand that not everyone will leave them; I'm glad people are reading Office Naps, though.
These slow, dreamy jazz 45's are my favorite week of Office Weeks, by the way.
THANK YOU!!!!
Insert clever cryptic comment here...
Have been looking over the site, pondering (torturing myself) over where to leave a comment. Finally decided on “Sleeping Pills”. While many of the other entries represent music genres that I know and love this week represents best what I have grown to love about your site: the chance exposure to something unknown that instantly becomes a favorite.
Played these three pieces on repeat the Monday you posted them (until asked by coworkers to stop!)
Thank you so much for all of the hard work you have put into this project.
Will keep my eyes and ears open for all the great things that are sure to come….
DJ Palindrome
This is still my favorite week of Office Naps, too; you have good tastes, DJ P! You may also count yourself amongst the earliest readers of Office Naps, a fact which will pay for you eventually, I'm sure. Thanks for your kind words.
-DJLD
Perfect for late winter in Maine... these three pretty much sum up the feel of never-ending slush and grey. Thanks for your efforts- the site if great. Ben
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