18. Pete Rose Affinity -- Summer Hymns (Clemency, 2003) Summer Hymns have a tendency to wallow in light psychedelia and alt-country trappings, almost as if they were Elephant 6ers, but they aren’t. This was my favorite song on their album of last year (and who couldn’t love a song about loving Pete Rose?), but I’ve come around to the opinion that their earlier efforts were better.

19. Rhymes of Goodbye -- Scott Walker (Scott 4, 1969) I know, I know. The man emotes like no other. It’s kind of a shame I separated him from Joe Pernice, but the lord knows both of them revel in minor cruelties done unto them. Anyway, the last three songs have pretended to be alt-country, but aren’t.

19. Red Dust -- Iron & Wine (The Sea & The Rhythm EP, 2003) OK, this is actually an outtake from The Sea & the Rhythm that I found online. I don’t think that it’s actually been released.

20. Air We Breathe -- Dexateens (The Dexateens, 2004) After Iron & Wine’s gentle go-to-hell, I thought this mix needed a kick-start. Meet the Dexateens, Tuscaloosa, AL’s cross between the Stooges and the Bakersfield sound. This is their most trippy track, one repeated twice on the album in different forms. My friend & former bandmate John plays most of the guitars and sings harmony.

21. All of Your Tomorrows Were Decided Today -- Che Arthur (All Your Tomorrows Were Decided Today, 2003) Che is the guitarist for Atombombpocketknife and a great solo artist. He’s also one of my oldest friends and my co-conspirator in a bunch of suck-ass high school bands. Sure, the man loves Bob Mould, but can you blame him?

22. Today is the Day -- Yo La Tengo (Today Is The Day EP, 2003) A rockin’ version of the sweet pop song from their soft-droney Summer Sun

Groovy, mellow, funky, jazzy -- or any combination thereof.

Digable Planets

Ah, this I have. I should unearth it and give it a spin.

Also, Coolbone.

Steph - have you sought out any full length LPs of any music from the mixes that struck your fancy?

I had fun working my way through NPR's basic jazz record library. I don't agree with all of the choices, but the insights are usually very interesting and the clips are great. Start with the biggies: Armstrong, Basie, Ornette, Trane (more than I would have picked, although they tend twoard the more conservative and lyrical Coltrane, which I prefer, to the mega-soloing later Trane, A Love Supreme notwithstanding), Miles, Duke, Monk, Mingus, Bud Powell, Sonny Rollins, Sarah and Billie. Actually that reminds me... I DO have a specific recommendation: Sonny Rollins' Saxophone Colossus. If Max Roach's opening to "St. Thomas" doesn't pull you in I'll be stunned. I adore Sonny's calypsos.

In answer to Teppy...

You know what I think would whet your whistle, musically? I picked up a compilation titled As We Travel which was subtitled: Folk Funk Flavours and Ambient Soul. It's mid seventies funk/soul that's got a loose jazzy groove. Just cherry picking from a bunch of musicians. Here's the link from AMG:

As We Travel

I could burn a copy of that for you.

Joe, avert your eyes. You'd probably also like the Verve Jazz remixed compilations. Unless you hate the idea (and you're enough of a jazz purist that maybe you would). But I like them - they're not all successful but it's a good lean, funky dance groove with jazz over it.

Lots of Trip Hop would probably qualify too, like the first Portishead album Dummy.

Also, the Bossa Nova/Latin Jazz mix I did for the wedding would probably satisfy.

Lots of early seventies soul should work for you too. After you get past Marvin Gaye and Al Green, try an O'Jays or Spinners collection (both Philly bands). Donnie Hathaway, Terry Callier would work for you I think.

Are they like remix-remixes, David? Or just reorgansations of tunes on a new CD?

Thanks, Hayden; I bookmarked those notes, and I'll read through them the next time I listen to the cd.

My pleasure. It was a good way to waste time and now I get to head home in 1/2 an hour.

Verve Remixed

Actual remixes, SA. I think the AMG rating here is too low because this is pretty listenable. It kind of depends on whether you think anybody should even look at "Strange Fruit" crosseyed much less mess with it. Personally I don't think people should be reverent about remixing or doing covers. Either fuck with it seriously or leave it alone.

I think my favorite remix is probably "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby" which really creates a great riff out of half a sample. Dinah Washington's voice is so big that she generally overpowers entire orchestras (I think she's a bit brassy). But she sounds better out in front of this big production.

"Spanish Grease" is good, but then the original Willie Bobo is all about the groove to start with, so that wasn't a big change. "Who Needs Forever" and "Return to Paradise" are also pretty cool. Ditto with "Summertime."

And I'm somebody with a large collection of jazz vocals and have the originals for these people. This doesn't replace the originals - the feel is very different. Chill out moody groove music.

There's also a second volume which I haven't heard: Verve Remixed 2

Personally I don't think people should be reverent about remixing or doing covers. Either fuck with it seriously or leave it alone.

How does Kenny G.'s fucking with Louis Armstrong fit into your world view?