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From '50s NYC clubland, a Yma Sumac-inspired version of "Babalu" by jazz/calypso singer Phyllis Branch.
Author Archives: Little Danny
Blue Flame: a new mix
I put together a new mix for my Dutch compadre Cortez for the fifth anniversary of his fabulous Club Cortez blog. You can find it there now. Club Cortez has been around as long as Office Naps. Cortez’s tastes in … Continue reading
The desert, part three
Another variation this week on an all-time favorite Office Naps theme. Its mystery and romance has provoked more than its share of paeans over the ages, but musical impressions of the desert’s expanse and mysterious beauty reached some sort of … Continue reading
Have guitar will travel
Much has been made of the classic Bo Diddley beat, the now-clichéd shave-and-a-haircut rhythm. Popularized by Diddley, the beat’s place in rock ‘n’ roll was staked when his eponymous 1955 debut for Checker Records turned into a surprise success. Affirmed … Continue reading
Walt Bolen’s Lion Hunt
A great pleasure to hear recently from keyboardist Walt Bolen, who filled me in on the backstory behind his organ-led R&B exotica instrumental “Lion Hunt” (Pick-A-Hit 101, which I first wrote about at this ancient post), as well as some … Continue reading
The sea, part two
This week, a second part to one of my all-time favorite posts. As before, tremolo guitar, dreamy tempos and loads of echo chamber drama carry the day. There’s something of a desert island mini-theme this time around, too, though the … Continue reading
It’s your voodoo working
This week Office Naps surveys some R&B favorites from the early ‘60s. There’s no tight conceptual theme, though these selections share some sensibilities. They mine the arrangements and robust, minor-key melodies of compositions like “Fever,” “St. James Infirmary” or “Summertime.” … Continue reading
The bop that got left behind
It’s easy to forget how obscure, how underground bebop remained after its first flower in New York City in the ‘40s, and how rarely, even a decade later, it was recorded (and to a lesser degree, played) beyond New York … Continue reading
I owe it all to the 45rpm record
Office Naps is officially five years old. Thank you, dear reader, for all of your support, stories and positive feedback over the years!
