John Wendland's Posts


John Wendland's Photo I'm the host of Memphis to Manchester, a fun-filled and action packed three hours of soul, R&B, country and other great music each Thursday morning on KDHX from 7:00 to 10:00 am Central. I'm also a musician and songwriter with the band Rough Shop. Visit me on Myspace and Facebook.

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Memphis to Manchester’s top 15 reissues of 2011

Listed below are 15 of my favorite compilations and/or reissues from 2011. So much to choose from. I believe any of the following will provide hours of rewarding listening.

1. Ray Charles – “Singular Genius – The Complete ABC Singles” (Concord)

Every a & b side from his singles recorded with ABC-Paramount. This reasonably priced 5-CD set includes 106 tracks and comes with a 48-page liner notes booklet. Singular genius, indeed.

2. Various Artists  – “The Fame Studios Story: 1961-1973″ (Kent)

This 3-CD set features recordings from various artists recorded at Muscle Shoals from 1961-1973. Absolutely no filler on this collection of not often heard singles, hits & deeper tracks. Packaged with a beautifully put-together hardback book.

3. Various Artists – “This May Be My Last Time Singing: Raw African-American Gospel on 45RPM 1957-1982″ (Tompkins Square)

Flat-out terrific 3-CD compilation featuring 72 rare independent gospel 45 tracks. The intensity of some of these performances will blow you away.

4. Mickey Newbury  – “An American Trilogy” (Saint Cecilia Knows)

This collection consists of his trilogy of albums  from 1969-1973 – Looks Like Rain, Frisco Mabel Joy & Heaven Help The Child – plus an extra disc of demos, rarities & unreleased tracks.

5. Various Artists - “Sweet Inspiration: The Songs of Dan Penn & Spooner” Oldham (Ace)

Featuring songs written by Dan Penn & Spooner Oldham recorded by artists such as Charlie Rich, Etta James, Sandy Posey, The Box Tops, James Carr, Dionne Warwick & Barbara Lynn. This is just a single-disc compilation so it only contains a fraction of the songs written by one of the finest pair of soul music songwriters ever but these soul, country and pop versions of their songs serve as a really satisfying introduction.

6. Willie Wright  – “Telling the Truth” (The Numero Group)

Willie Wright was from Bayland, MS & later moved to Massachusetts. In 1977, he recorded this release & 1,000 copies were pressed. This soul-folk masterpiece remained buried in obscurity until unearthed by The Numero Group. One of the musical surprises  for me in 2011. Reminds me, somewhat, of Van Morrison’s ‘Astral Weeks’ album.

7. Charlie Rich  – “It Ain’t Gonna Be That Way: The Complete Smash Sessions” (Ace)

29-track, single-disc compilation of all the tracks he recorded for the Smash label in the 60s. Soul, country, rock & pop and it’s pretty great. Even includes an excellent rockin’ Christmas song as an added bonus.

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Posted by | January 2, 2012 | Music | Comment 

Favorite Compilations of 2009

KDHX DJs were asked to compile a list of their favorite ten releases of 2009. I decided to take it one step further and compile a list of my favorite ten compilations of 2009. Hey, somebody might be interested. Anyway, here goes……..

1. Light: On The South Side – The Numero Group

This gets my vote for the most beautifully-packaged compilation of 2009. This set consists of a hardcover book with LP-sized vintage black & white photos chronicling the night life on the south side of Chicago for the period of 1975-77 and a two-LP set of blues & soul (most of which I’ve never heard) emanating from those south side clubs. Throw in the usual detailed liner notes you get with a release by The Numero Group and include an introduction for the photo book written by Nick Hornby and you end up with the compilation of the year. Not inexpensive but something that will be treasured for years to come.

2. Can You Dig It? The Music & Politics of Black Action Films: 1968-75 – Soul Jazz (UK)

You’re not likely to find a better collection of music from so-called “blaxploitation” films than this 2-CD, 34-track set. Sure, it has the tracks you would expect (Theme From Shaft, Freddie’s Dead) but then it goes way deeper than that and I can guarantee there are plenty of tracks that you are not likely to have heard before. Those familiar with the Soul Jazz label know how well they do reissues from a sound & liner-note standpoint and they go even further this time by including a a 100-page booklet, mini-film poster cards and stickers.

3. Respect: Aretha’s Influences & Inspiration – Ace (UK)

This terrific 24-track compilation takes R&B, soul and gospel tracks recorded by various artists from the period of 1948-1972 that had an influence on and inspired the music of Aretha Franklin. Includes tracks such as “To Be Young, Gifted And Black” by Nina Simone, “Respect” by Otis Redding, “The House That Jack Built” by Thelma Jones, “Sit Down And Cry” by Jean Wells, “Soulville” by Dinah Washington, “Try A Little Tenderness” by Little Miss Cornshucks, “Prove It” by Mary Wheeler, “Let Me Me In your Life” by Bill Withers, “The Day Is Past And Gone” by Clara Ward, “Today I Sing The Blues” by Helen Humes and so much more.

4. Where The Action is! – Los Angeles Nuggets 1965-68 – Rhino

This latest installment of the Nuggets compilations put out by Rhino consists of 4-CDs and 101 tracks of pop, rock, folk-rock, country-rock & psychedelic music focused on the Southern California music scene from 1965-1968. This package does a great job of introducing us to many  lesser-known acts and mixing them with rare tracks by well-known acts like The Byrds, Love, The Doors, The Beach Boys, Buffalo Springfield, Captain Beefheart, The Mama & The Papas, Lowell George & The Monkees. Lots of gems on this that will be included in future installments of Memphis To Manchester.

5. Blues, Blues Christmas, Vol. 2 – Document

Alright, this was, by far, the best Christmas music compilation of 2009 and one of the best compilations of any kind that I came across. 2-CDs and 44-tracks of some of the finest blues, jazz, street-sermons, gospel, doo-wop & boogie-woogie Christmas and holiday music that you are likely to hear.  This set includes songs recorded between 1925-55 and ranges from the reverent to the risque. Not your everyday Christmas music set, that’s for sure. Flat-out terrific.

Read the rest of the list after the jump.

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Posted by | January 1, 2010 | Culture, Music | Comment 

Memphis to Manchester Best of 2009

2009 was not that different from past years in that I was completely immersed in music. The main problem in trying to present a radio program like Memphis to Manchester (which airs every Thursday, 7 to 10 a.m. CT on 88.1 and streaming at KDHX.org), a show one hopes make listeners feel something – exhilaration, anger, joy, sorrow, sexiness, humor, groove or some combination, thereof – is that you realize that the more music one becomes exposed to, the more one realizes how much more there is out there to discover.

It’s a rewarding journey, something I’ve never grown tired of, but I find myself just as often going back to discover artists and musical styles I’ve missed than I do to find new artists. This is my longwinded way of saying that I’ve only heard a small fraction of artists’ new 2009 releases that I’ve intended to hear.

The amount of music being produced is so vast that I won’t even pretend to say that I can produce a list of top 10 2009 releases which doesn’t omit or overlook so many worthwhile releases that came out in 2009.

My criteria for the releases I’ve heard that made my top 10 list is simple – if I think I will still care about and be moved by the release ten years from now, it will be considered for my top 10. I’ll let the critics debate the merits & impact of a band like Animal Collective, for instance. Music is so subjective. But I do think the Allen Toussaint release (my choice for best release of the year) or the melody of a Neko Case song like “Magpie To The Morning” will still resonate to me years from now while I’m not convinced that a band like Animal Collective will. I might be wrong. Who knows? And my top 10 release if prepared a week from now would probably differ from this list. Nothing scientific going on here.

Top 10 Albums of 2009

  1. Allen Toussaint – The Bright Mississippi – Nonesuch
  2. Buddy & Julie Miller – Written In Chalk – New West
  3. Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career – 4AD
  4. Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens – What Have You Done, My Brother? – Daptone
  5. Leonard Cohen – Live In London – Columbia
  6. Neko Case – Middle Cyclone – Anti-
  7. Visqueen – Message To Garcia – Local 638
  8. Chuck Prophet – Let Freedom Ring – Yep Roc
  9. The Swell Season – Strict Joy – Anti-
  10. Grace Basement – Gunmetal Gray – Undertow

More Best of 2009 after the jump.

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Posted by | December 31, 2009 | Music | 2 Comments 

Scrooge Converted: Recitation and Music for the Holiday

Photo by Sara Finke

This Christmas Eve morning on Memphis to Manchester on 88.1 I had the pleasure of airing a recitation from A Christmas Carol, featuring the voice of Anne Tkach and the guitar of Andy Ploof (who are my band mates in Rough Shop). It’s pretty special, so I wanted to share it with online followers of KDHX.

My thanks to Anne and Andy (and fellow KDHX programmer Roy Kasten for recording the piece), and happiest of holiday wishes to you and yours.

“Scrooge Converted” (Anne Tkach and Andy Ploof)

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Posted by | December 24, 2009 | Culture, KDHX | Comment 

Favorite Reissues Of 2008

2008 was a great year on the reissue front. Like my list of favorite compilations of 2008, I’m barely making a dent when talking about standouts among all the releases that came out. Hey, you do what you can…..

1. Bob Dylan: Tell Tale Signs – The Bootleg Series: Vol. 8 – Columbia

This really isn’t a reissue since almost every track on the 2-CD (or 3-CD ridiculously priced deluxe version) set has not been previously released. But seeing as how I left it off my list of Top 10 new releases and my list of favorite 2008 compilations, I had to put it somewhere because it is another tremendous release by one of our greatest artists. Tell Tale Signs features unreleased recordings and alternate versions of studio sessions & unreleased live performances from the last two decades. Songs like Most Of The Time and Mississippi are completely different and are, usually, as impressive as the versions found on his studio albums. And it’s Dylan so one can expect to hear the usual number of previously recorded songs omitted from studio albums that are as good as or surpass most of the songs found on the original studio releases.

2. The Complete Motown Singles, Vol. 9: 1969 – Hip-O Select/Motown

Like esteemed writer and blogger David Cantwell has said, “these aren’t just collections, they are family heirlooms.” Pricey, yes. But wonderfully packaged and with great sound. This 6-CD, 148-track, 42-artist collection contains every A & B side of every Motown single released in 1969. The Motown catalog speaks for itself. People will still be listening to some of these recordings a hundred years from now.

3. Talkin’ About Ike: The Essential Works Of Ike Turner – Vol. 1: You Sure Could Do – P-Vine

Terrific release featuring 50s recordings by various artists that feature Ike Turner on guitar and/or as a producer. Artists such as Howlin’ Wolf, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Richard Berry, Betty Everett, and Otis Rush are all represented here. Sure, you probably won’t be able to read the liner notes because they are in Japanese but the song lyrics are all in English.

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Posted by | January 12, 2009 | Music | 3 Comments 

Favorite Compilations Of 2008

There have been a number of top 10 favorite releases for 2008 posted by KDHX DJs. I thought I’d try something different and share some of my favorite compilations that were put out in 2008. I’m only scratching the surface here but that’s the nature of Top 10 lists, anyway. Or, in this case, a Top 7 list. Suffice it to say that I think any one of these compilations yield an overabundance of musical gems.

1. Take Me to the River: A Southern Soul Story 1961-1977 – Kent UK

If there is a better introduction and retrospective to southern soul than this 3-CD compilation, I sure haven’t heard it. Southern soul classics mixed with rarities and accompanied with a 72-page hardcover booklet. It’s done by the folks at Kent UK so it’s a given that the sound and packaging is topnotch.

2. Oxford American 10th Anniversary Southern Music CDs – Oxford American

Every year, Oxford American magazine puts out an issue devoted to southern music. The latest issue (with Jerry Lee Lewis on the cover) is their 10th anniversary and comes with two CDs of music tangentially related to southern music. These CDs include a myriad of different artists and musical genres from recordings spanning over seventy years. So much wonderful music on here and quite a bit from artists I have never heard before. Then when you factor in the magazine, itself, with music writing by the likes of writers such as Peter Guralnick, what are you waiting for? Available at fine booksellers near you.

3. The Wire: And All the Pieces Matter — Five Years of Music from The Wire – Nonesuch

This compilation perfectly intersperses music tracks with dialogue from five years of the finest television series ever made. This compilation manages to capture the essence of the show which is not an easy task. Artists ranging from Jesse Winchester, Tom Waits, & The Pogues to DJ Technics, Lafayette Gilchrist, & Blind Boys of Alabama are sequenced in a way where it all makes sense. Most of the snippets of dialogue included, however, are not likely to be FCC-approved anytime, soon.

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Posted by | January 10, 2009 | Music | 1 Comment