Episode 37

     If you listened to this morning’s show, you already know that the two songs at the end of the first hour were played in tribute to the legendary producer and arranger Arif Mardin, who died on 25 June at the age of 74. The cause was pancreatic cancer. His importance for the careers of a number of notable performers—among them Aretha Franklin, Donny Hathaway, the Bee Gees and even Norah Jones—is immeasurable. His passing is even more tinged with sadness since, just last week, the Culture and Tourism Ministry of his native Turkey awarded him its Culture and Art Achievement Award. He was obviously unable to attend the ceremony. An informative précis of his background, his education, and the musicians whose careers he nurtured over nearly 40 years in the recording industry can be found in Billboard’s online obituary.
     Otherwise, I think this morning’s show was quite good and nicely varied. Thinking about Arif Mardin obviously put me in the mood to explore tunes with great arrangements: I’m thinking especially of the work of Thom Bell, who co-wrote, produced and arranged the Stylistics track on this morning’s show. In addition to the Stylistics and the two Mardin-associated tracks, there was a lot more classic R&B on offer this week, as well as more electronic items alongside the pretty, pretty songs that you have perhaps come to expect from ECI. A glance over the playlist should make clear just how eclectic a mix there was. Whenever the station starts webcasting (if it does so before I stop doing my show: I’m close to deciding an end date), those of you in the wider world may actually get to do more than read these lists. I certainly hope so.
     (By the way, if you were wondering, there are no typos for the second hour: James Brown did indeed record a version of Kurt Weill’s “September Song.” As I said on the air, the personnel on the recording are an even more unexpected crew: Imagine JB singing to the accompaniment of the Louie Bellson Big Band, playing arrangements written by Oliver Nelson.... Yeah, it’s that out ... and that good.)

• 12:00–1:00 a.m.:
• Vetiver, “Double,” To Find Me Gone, DiCristina
• Pale Saints, “Time Thief,” The Comforts of Madness, 4AD
• Mobius Band, “Radio Coup,” The Loving Sounds of Static, Ghostly International
• Sia, “Sea Shells,” Colour the Small One, Astralwerks
• Can, “Mushroom,” Tago Mago, Spoon
• The Czars, “Roger’s Song,” The Ugly People vs. the Beautiful People, Bella Union
• Mazzy Star, “Five String Serenade,” So Tonight That I Might See, Capitol
• Grandaddy, “Where I’m Anymore,” Just Like the Fambly Cat, V2
• AOKI Takamasa and Tujiko Noriko, “Fly -Variation-,” 28, Fat Cat
• Aretha Franklin, “Baby, Baby, Baby,” I Never Loved a Man the Way That I Love You, Atlantic
• Donny Hathaway, “A Song for You,” Donny Hathaway, Atlantic

• 1:00–2:00 a.m.:
• James Brown, “September Song,” Soul on Top, Verve
• Spring Heel Jack, “Bells 2,” Busy Curious Thirsty, Trade 2
• Sonic Youth, “Beauty Lies in the Eye,” Sister, SST
• Seu Jorge, “Fiore de la Città,” Cru, Wrasse
• The Stylistics, “Children of the Night,” Round 2, Amherst
• Various Artists, “Canon (Part 2),” Weird Nightmare: Meditations on Mingus, Columbia
• Public Enemy, “Night of the Living Baseheads,” It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, Def Jam
• Mojave 3, “Big Star Baby,” Puzzles Like You, 4AD
• Kraftwerk, “Elektro Kardiogramm,” Tour de France Soundtracks, Astralwerks
• Mogwai, “Travel Is Dangerous,” Mr. Beast, Matador
• Boards of Canada, “Turquoise Hexagon Sun,” Music Has the Right to Children, Warp
• Me’shell Ndegéocello, “Love Song #2,” Comfort Woman, Maverick

• 2:00–3:00 a.m.:
• Tim Buckley, “Anonymous Proposition,” Lorca, Elektra
• Low, “Transmission,” Transmission EP, Vernon Yard
• Murder Inc., “Mania,” Murder Inc., Futurist
• Tears for Fears, “The Prisoner,” The Hurting, Mercury
• The Specials, “Rat Race,” More Specials, Two Tone
• The Clash, “The Guns of Brixton,” London Calling, Epic
• The Auteurs, “Bailed Out,” New Wave, Caroline
• Seekonk, “Powerout,” Pinkwood, North East Indie
• Slint, “Darlene,” Tweez, Touch and Go
• Chocolate Genius, “It’s Going Wrong,” Black Yankee Rock, Commotion
• Bark Psychosis, “A Street Scene,” Hex, Caroline
• Cocteau Twins, “Pandora (For Cindy),” Treasure, 4AD