In Celebration Of The Vibraslap

A while back we featured more cow bell, today we look at another elusive percussive instrument – the vibraslap. I’ve had one of these jewels since the mid 1980s and used it on the B side of the single by The Game – “Twist the Knife.” I’ve also had an opportunity to use it in a Christmas cantata at church. Although I mentioned the vibraslap in a previous post, here’s a more in-depth look at this marvelous instrument. A little vibraslap goes a long way – and today, we celebrate this Latin Percussion® favorite.

The Lemon Pipers – Green Tamborine

Its bubblegum, its psychedelic – its two pop genres in one. I love this record and it has everything – a wild string track, an electric sitar, a triangle, an African drum, tape echo, and of course a vibra slap. It was the only top ten hit for the Lemon Pipers. The song peaked at #1 in February 1968.

Aerosmith - Sweet Emotion

“Sweet Emotion,” Aerosmith’s first hit single, peaked at #36 in 1975 and appeared on the ever popular “Toys in the Attic” LP. The intro of the song is the only place where the vibraslap is used three or four times. The intro is rather interesting as there is an interplay between a bass marimba, two tracks of guitars using a talk box, and of course vibraslap.

Ozzy Osbourne – Crazy Train

Ozzy’s first post Black Sabbath hit was the anthemic 80s rock tune “Crazy Train.” It features the guitar wizardry of the late Randy Rhodes and of course, vibraslap (it is only used once on the intro). The ringtone of “Crazy Train” was certified double platinum because of 25 million downloads. Head of bat, anyone?

Vibraslap Lessons

Of course, I just whet your appetite with a few vibraslap songs. Your mission, if you decide to accept it, is to buy a vibraslap and play it. If you need the basics, see the accompanying videos by Aaron Bland.

Nightnoise: Night In That Land

Back in 1987, I took a job with WWNR 620 AM in Beckley, WV as its operations manager. The station had been floundering for several years as numerous AM stations were and the station had one of the more unique programming combinations in our part of the state. From 12 midnight to 6:00 PM, the station ran an Adult Contemporary format; however, from 6:00 PM to midnight we were Urban Contemporary with Stew Wynne, a popular club disc-jockey hosting the night time format.

While Stew’s show was extremely popular, he could not fight against some of the inherent problems that plagued our signal. First of all, it was AM – and even though we were running AM Stereo – very few had AM Stereo receivers and electrical interference always degraded the audio. Add to this, the station had a four tower directional array that pointed the signal from a cow-patty laden field north of the city back to town.

The directional signal and the reduction in power at sundown from 1000 watts to 250 Watts made the signal difficult to receive even at the downtown studios - let alone to the thousands of homes in the area. Adding insult to injury, the copper in the antennae ground system was an occasional target of scrap metal thieves. When this occurred, it destroyed the ground wave signal that is necessary for a strong amplitude modulated radio signal.

While Stew did well at nights, it never translated into much income for the station. In addition, the bifurcation of formats caused the station to be unable to carry an audience from one format to the next – and hence overnight and mornings suffered the greatest in the ratings.

Shortly after I arrived, Stew’s tenure with the station was drawing to a close as he was on a kidney transplant list. Following one unsuccessful transplant, he needed a new kidney and he went back on the waiting list. Stew never came back to work and following his release from the hospital, he concentrated on his club DJ business. He lived nearly 19 years following the second transplant.

Since Stew had left the station, his audience followed suit. While others, notably Martin Staunton (yes – that Martin Staunton), kept the format alive for a while, it began to flounder as much as our AC format during the day. I made the suggestion that we fill a need in the market by switching the entire format to oldies. This was a successful move for the station as it filled a niche in the market. Gone was the station’s AC reporting status and we moved into another era.

During the brief time I was programming the AC portion of the station (Stew did his own programming), we got on the mailing list for Windham Hill Records – first with LPs and later with CDs. We never played any of these recordings anyway and since they were destined to the trash heap, I procured all that came into the station. At the time, I was getting into the music of George Winston, Michael Hedges, Mark Isham, Mike Marshall, Alex de Grassi, Shadowfax and others that were being funneled my way thanks to the record company.

One of the groups that was signed to the label was an eclectic new age band called Nightnoise. The band was heavily influenced by Celtic music and I loved their sound. I hadn’t thought about them in ages, but a couple of weekends ago, I heard one of their recordings on Fiona Ritchie’s NPR show, The Thistle and Shamrock. While I couldn’t secure the song she featured, our traditional Tuesday selection is a Celtic inspired tune entitled “Night in That Land.”

Willie Nelson: American Tune

Happy Fourth of July – er – Fifth of July as today is the legal observance for America’s Independence Day holiday. I had to find a song that was both a cover and fitting of the holiday. In honor of our nation’s 234th birthday, I am featuring Willie Nelson’s interpretation of Paul Simon’s “American Tune.” Paul Simon adds acoustic guitar to this live performance during Willie Nelson’s 60th birthday concert from 1993.

Originally appearing on Simon’s second LP “There Goes Rhymin’ Simon,” the single peaked at #35 on the Billboard charts in 1973. Written and recorded during the Watergate era, it was a song that looked at the shape of America at that time. Although the situation is different today, things still can be improved. I’m not unhappy with our country per se; I feel disillusioned with the direction she has taken. Still, I wouldn’t live anywhere else. Happy Independence Day (observed).

Lyrics

Many's the time I've been mistaken, and many times confused
Yes and I've often felt forsaken, and certainly misused
Ah but I'm alright, I'm alright, I'm just weary to my bones
Still you don't expect to be bright and bon-vivant
So far away from home, so far away from home

And I don't know a soul who's not been battered
I don't have a friend who feels at ease
I don't know a dream that's not been shattered or driven to its knees
But it's alright, it's alright, for we lived so well, so long
Still, when I think of the road we're traveling on
I wonder what's gone wrong, I can't help it I wonder what's gone wrong

And I dreamed I was dying, I dreamed that my soul rose unexpectedly
And looking back down at me, smiled reassuringly
And I dreamed I was flying, and high up above my eyes could clearly see
The statue of liberty, sailing away to sea, and I dreamed I was flying

But we come on a ship they called Mayflower
We come on a ship that sailed the moon
We come in the ages' most uncertain hours and sing an American tune
And it's alright, oh it's alright, it's alright, you can be forever blessed
Still tomorrow's gonna be another working day and I'm trying to get some rest
That's all I'm trying, to get some rest

Marshall Tucker Band: My Jesus Told Me So

I remember hearing the Marshall Tucker Band during my first year of college (1973-74) when they performed on Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert. “Can’t You See,” from their debut LP was one of my favorite Marshall Tucker songs and it received a modicum of airplay; however, it was not the single from the LP.

That distinction belongs to today’s Spiritual Sunday selection: “My Jesus Told Me So.” Unfortunately, this single never charted; however, the album peaked at #29 in the US – so plenty of people had the opportunity to hear this tune.

Lyrics

I guess I'm traveling, my last mile
Don't feel like, I've got a place to go
Just been here thinkin',
if I got somethin' in this
life to show

Chorus-
But I go through life the best way
And when people ask me how I know
I just tell them my Jesus, told me so
I just tell them my Jesus, told me so

You hear a lot of stories
About the life you're supposed to live
All the sins you've done
The good Lord will forgive

Chorus

Bridge
Maybe I'm wrong
Nobody knows for sure
But I live my life the old gospel way

Well I guess, I'll soon be dying
Just like a river, somewhere it stops to flow
But I know I'm right about life
And when people ask me how I know
I just tell them my Jesus, told me so
I just tell them my Jesus, told me so

I just tell them my Jesus, told me so
He's the only one who really knows
I just tell them my Jesus, told me so
He's the only one who really knows
I just tell them my Jesus, told me so
I'm gonna look 'em in the eye
And tell 'em Lord my Jesus told me so

Traffic: John Barleycorn Must Die (LP)

Back in 1968, Dave Mason left Traffic after the second of his three stints with the band. While he appears on seven of the cuts on the “Traffic” LP, he never finished out the album. This was reminiscent of his actions with the first LP. Traffic officially disbanded and leader Steve Winwood went to join Blind Faith with Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker from Cream and Ric Grech from Family.

With the absence of a band and new material, Island Records compiled some studio and live recordings for the issue of 1969’s “Last Exit” LP; the album was released in the US under the United Artist label under a different cover. After the break-up of Blind Faith, Stevie Winwood began working on a solo album. Desiring to record with those of like musical tastes, Winwood invited percussionist Jim Capaldi and Chris Wood or woodwinds to join him in yet another incarnation of Traffic.

The result was the most popular Traffic LP – “John Barleycorn Must Die.” While the title cut is a traditional tune that we had previously featured as a Traditional Tuesday song, the remainder of the album is influenced by jazz and blues. For my feature today, I am going to concentrate on Side 1 of the album and discuss the virtues of these three songs. At the end, I’ll provide a link to a YouTube playlist of the entire LP.

Glad

I had many of the cuts from this LP before actually purchasing the album as WDVE’s Jim Roach used to play three hours of one artist, and one Sunday night he played Traffic. I remember sitting down at my mother’s piano and attempting to learn the piano parts to this classic jazz influenced instrumental that is appropriately titled “Glad.”

The song features no guitars and some of the leads that are guitar like are from Chris Wood’s electric saxophone through a wah-wah pedal. Wood also plays percussion, flute and I believe baritone and alto saxes.

Steve Winwood adds a Hammond organ to his piano and percussion, while Jim Capaldi hands down the backbeat and percussion. Since the percussive instruments are not identified, it is impossible to tell who is playing what; however, someone (probably Capaldi) is playing the congas.

Freedom Rider

This fourth Traffic LP is unique in that it only contains six cuts – three to a side because of their individual length. The credits for “Freedom Rider” is the same as the previous cut; however, Winwood sings. Chris Wood appears to be playing at times an alto and tenor saxes played in the lower registers and has a fantastic flute solo in the middle of the song that reminds me of Hubert Laws’ playing.

Empty Pages

Less jazz influenced as were the two previous tunes, it marks the first use of electric bass on the LP – played by multi-instrumentalist Steve Winwood. His electric piano solo (either an RMI or a Hohner) is reminiscent of runs heard by Brian Auger and his Oblivion Express. Both Winwood and Wood are playing Hammond organs. Calpaldi handles all of percussive duties on this recording.

The Entire LP

On side 2, Steve Winwood plays guitar on “Stranger to Himself” and “John Barleycorn Must Die.”

Smiley Lewis: I Hear You Knocking

Many of us remember the hit version of “I Hear You Knocking” that was recorded and released by Dave Edmunds in 1970. It was a number 1 hit in the UK and topped the US charts at #4. Released originally only as a single flipped with an instrumental tribute to Bill Black’s Combo called “Black Bill,” Edmunds debut LP “Rockpile” with the two songs wasn’t released until 1972. In his original, Edmunds evokes the names of numerous rock musicians including “Smiley Lewis” who recorded the original in 1955.

The Original

In 1954, Dave Bartholomew and Pearl King penned “I hear you Knocking” and Smiley Lewis was the first to record the song. Released on the Imperial imprint, Lewis’s version went to the #2 spot on the Billboard R&B Charts. Huey “Piano” Smith is tickling the ivories on this version. For some reason, Pearl King's name was omitted on the original label for this song and only credited Dave Bartholomew.

Gale Storm’s Cover

As with many R&B artist who were shunned by mainstream radio, white artists would often find R&B hits and tone them down a notch and have national hits with these records. Actress Gale Storm did just that in 1955 when she recorded “I hear you knocking.” It’s somewhat lame when compared to Lewis’ original.

Dave Edumunds single release

I remember buying this single as the album was not yet released – it took two years for that to happen. I read somewhere (Circus magazine perhaps) that Dave played all of the instruments on this tune (including the drums), but had someone else play the piano on the C7 chord that appears sparsely in the tune. I remember thinking that this was hilarious at the time. During the instrumental break, Dave evokes the names of several past rockers, I am unable to decipher the first name; however, the others include Fats Domino, Smiley Lewis, Chuck Berry, Huey Smith, and Bob Dylan in order.

The vocals on the tune are processed to sound like they are coming through a small antique speaker with a tin element – the rest of the production sounds like a typical AM mix from 1970.

Ray LaMontagne: Trouble

Today’s TV Thursday song was used in a Traveler’s Insurance commercial and features the raspy voice of New England native, Ray LaMontange. Recorded and released in 2004, “Trouble” was the title cut of his debut LP.

It is said that LaMontange was awakened by his clock radio by a Stephen Stills’ song “Treetop Flyer.” After purchasing the “Stills Alone” CD, he decided to quit his job at the shoe factory and dedicate his life to pursuit of a musical career. I believe it was a wise decision.

Traveler’s Insurance Commercial

Stephen Stills: Treetop Flyer