MATERIAL — One Down (1982) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

One Down marked a distinct shift in sound for Material, the avant-garde downtown pickup group organized around bassist Bill Laswell and keyboardist Michael Beinhorn. The edgy experimentalism that characterized earlier efforts like Temporary Music and Memory Serves is downplayed here in favor of funk and disco tunes delivered with a minimum of weirdness. Sure, it sounds dated but that doesn't make it less attractive. Laswell is a master of funk bass, and with guests like drummer Yogi Horton, guitarist Nile Rodgers and singers Nona Hendryx and Whitney Houston (just before she became a superstar on her own), he didn't really have much chance to go wrong. Highlights include"Take a Chance" and the strutting "I'm the One"; if you want something a little more challenging, check out Archie Shepp's squalling sax solo on the Houston vehicle "Memories." This is straight-ahead turn-of-the-80s funk at its old-fashioned best from the folks you'd have least suspected of harboring such sympathies. Rick Anderson
Tracklist
 1    Take A Chance 4:33
Backing Vocals [Chœurs] – B.J. Nelson
Backing Vocals [Chœurs], Vocals [Chants] – Nona Hendryx
Drums [Batterie] – J.T. Lewis
Guitar – Nicky Skopelitis
Percussion – Nicky Marrero
Written-By – B. Laswell, M. Beinhorn
2    I'm The One 5:27
Backing Vocals [Chœurs], Vocals [Chants] – R. Bernard Fowler
Bongos – Daniel Ponce
Drums [Batterie] – Tony Thompson
Electric Piano [Yamaha CP-70 B Electronic Grand Piano] – Raymond Jones
Guitar – Nile Rodgers
Written-By – R.B. Fowler, B. Laswell, M. Beinhorn
3    Time Out 4:58
Drums [Batterie] – J.T. Lewis
Guitar – Fred Frith
Snare [Caisse Claire] – Nicky Marrero
Written-By – B. Laswell, M. Beinhorn, T.L. Le
4    Let Me Have It All 5:27
Backing Vocals [Chœurs] – B.J. Nelson, Nona Hendryx
Drums [Batterie] – Yogi Horton
Guitar – Ronnie Drayton
Vocals [Chants] – Noris Night
Written-By – S. Stewart
5    Come Down 4:45
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Olivier Lake
Drums [Batterie] – Tony Thompson
Guitar – Nile Rodgers
Vocals [Chants], Backing Vocals [Chœurs] – R. Bernard Fowler
Written-By – R.B. Fowler, B. Laswell, M. Beinhorn
6    Holding On 4:46
Drums [Batterie] – J.T. Lewis
Guitar – Nicky Skopelitis, Ronnie Drayton
Percussion – Nicky Marrero
Vocals [Chants], Backing Vocals [Chœurs] – B.J. Nelson
Written-By – B. Laswell, B. Eno, M. Beinhorn
7    Memories 4:03
Drums [Batterie] – Yogi Horton
Electric Piano [Yamaha CP-70 B Electronic Grand Piano] – Raymond Jones
Engineer – Robert Musso
Tenor Saxophone – Archie Shepp
Vocals [Vocaux] – Whitney Houston
Written-By – H. Hopper
8    Don't Lose Control 4:21
Bongos – Daniel Ponce
Drums [Batterie] – Tony Thompson
Guitar – Nicky Skopelitis
Voice – Jean Karakos, Nicky Skopelitis, Thi-Linh Le
Written-By – B. Laswell, M. Beinhorn
9    Busting Out 8:04
Bass – Bill Laswell
Drums [Batterie] – Fred Maher
Guitar – Ronnie Drayton
Synthesizer – Michael Beinhorn
Vocals [Chant] – Nona Hendryx
Written-By – B. Laswell, F. Maher, M. Beinhorn

DEREK BAILEY / GEORGE LEWIS / JOHN ZORN - Yankees (1982-1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

A collective improvisation by Derek Bailey on acoustic and electric guitars, George Lewis on trombone, and John Zorn on alto and soprano saxes, clarinets, and game calls. Subtle, droll, hilarious takes on the trivia of baseball sounds: Lewis speaks through the trombone "ball one, ball one...." There are snippets of a slipping and sliding version of "Take Me out to the Ball Game" and so on. Sections are titled "City City City," "The Legend of Enos Slaughter," "Who's on First," followed by "On Golden Pond," a tongue-in-cheek tone poem of the flora and fauna and mosquitoes. "The Warning Track" is about a very tiny railroad system . by "Blue" Gene Tyranny
Tracklist :
1     City City City 8:29
Derek Bailey / George Lewis / John Zorn
2     The Legend of Enos Slaughter 9:27
Derek Bailey / George Lewis / John Zorn
3     Who's on First? 3:15
Derek Bailey / George Lewis / John Zorn
4     On Golden Pond 17:49
Derek Bailey / George Lewis / John Zorn
5     The Warning Track 5:27
Derek Bailey / George Lewis / John Zorn
Credits :
Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar – Derek Bailey
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Clarinet, Reeds [Game Calls] – John Zorn
Trombone – George Lewis

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN — Devotion (1970) Two Version (1984, Celluloid – CELD5010) + (1992, Metrotone Records – 7 72656-2) APE (image+.cue), lossless & FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This album is from a pivotal moment in McLaughlin's history. This was just after he left Miles' group, but before Mahavishnu Orchestra started, and the music captures this moment perfectly. McLaughlin's technique had not progressed to "Mahavishnu" perfection yet, but the music has the in-your-face rock drive of the Mahavishnu Orchestra. This recording date grew out of sessions Alan Douglas put together, featuring McLaughlin and Larry Young jamming with Jimi Hendrix and Buddy Miles (Billy Rich was the bass player). McLaughlin sounded timid next to Hendrix (none of the material with Hendrix has been officially released), but really comes to life on Devotion. This is arguably one of the finest acid rock albums of all time. McLaughlin is on fire, using fuzzboxes and phasers, over Larry Young's swirling Hammond B-3, with Billy Rich and Buddy Miles as the rock-solid rhythm section. If you think that McLaughlin's solo at the end of "Right Off" (from A Tribute to Jack Johnson) is one of the high points of his career, then this is the album for you. Soon after this album was recorded, McLaughlin holed up, practiced like crazy, and re-emerged as "Mahavishnu" John McLaughlin, with both a new sound and a new band. Documenting the period just before that transition, Devotion is a complete anomaly in his catalog, as well as one of his finest achievements. Sean Westergaard  
Tracklist :
1 Marbles 4:11
 John McLaughlin
2 Siren 5:40
 John McLaughlin
3 Don't Let The Dragon Eat Your Mother 5:14
 John McLaughlin
4 Purpose Of When 4:41
 John McLaughlin
5 Dragon Song 4:11
 John McLaughlin
6 Devotion 11:23
 John McLaughlin
Credits :
Bass – Billy Rich
Drums, Percussion – Buddy Miles
Electric Piano, Organ – Larry Young
Guitar – John McLaughlin