AccuRadio Song Of The Day-John Abercrombie

Artist:John Abercrombie

Song:Bo Diddy

Album:Tactics

Guitarist John Abercrombie was a big part in the development of jazz fusion in the 70s. He wasn't as famous as John McLaughlin but he forged his own path. He was born Dec. 16, 1944 in Port Chester, NY but he grew up in Greenwich, CT. The first guitarist he noticed as a child was Mickey Baker of Mickey and Sylvia. He befriended two musicians who played jazz records for him including guitarist Barney Kessel. So when he took guitar lessons, Abercrombie wanted to play like Kessel. After graduating from high school, Abercrombie attended Berklee in Boston. His influences include Jim Hall and Wes Montgomery. He played local clubs with other students and that led to meetings with trumpeter Randy Brecker, his sax player brother Mike Brecker and organist Johnny Hammond Smith. He toured with Smith. After graduating, Abercrombie moved to New York in 1969 and became a session musician. He also formed the jazz rock group Dreams with the Brecker Brothers and drummer Billy Cobham. Dreams split up after three albums. Abercrombie joined Cobham's new band. But he thought the music was more rock than jazz so he left. He met drummer Jack DeJohnette and ECM Records owner Manfred Eicher. He recorded his 1975 debut album Timeless with DeJohnette and pianist Jan Hammer. Then he formed Gateway with DeJohnette and bassist Dave Holland. Abercrombie recorded for ECM for his entire career. This was the beginning of great success that lasted for over 40 years. Bo Diddy is from the 1997 album Tactics with Dan Wall on organ and Adam Nussbaum on drums. Wall wrote Bo Diddy. This trio was Abercrombie's primary band in the 90s. They toured for over a decade. Abercrombie continued to tour and record until he died on Aug. 22, 2017 at age 72. Here's John Abercrombie with Dan Wall and Adam Nussbaum performing Bo Diddy at the 2004 JazzFestival Viersen in Germany.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Freestyle Fellowship

Artist:Freestyle Fellowship

Song:Inner City Boundaries

Album:Inner City Griots

Freestyle Fellowship are a jazz influenced rap group who were on the fringes of the early 90s Los Angeles hip hip when Gangsta Rap was king. One of the things I like about Freestyle Fellowship is they use real jazz musicians playing real instruments instead of sampling everything. All four guys attended high school together in Los Angeles. They were identified only by their nicknames but I like to use real names. They were Edwin "Aceyalone" Hayes Jr., Michael "Myka 9" Troy, Mtulazaji "P.E.A.C.E." Davis and Ornette "Self Jupiter" Glenn. They called themselves MC Aces and changed it to Freestyle Fellowship when Davis joined. They self released the 1991 album To Whom It May Concern in limited quantity. There was enough buzz that they got a record deal with Island's 4th & Broadway label. Inner City Griots was their second album in 1993. A griot is a West African poet. The jazz influence makes them closer to The Last Poets than typical rap groups. And unlike US3, Freestyle Fellowship uses real musicians. The guest rapper on Inner City Boundaries is Glenn "Daddy-O" Bolton of Stetsasonic. The song was co-written by sax and flute player Randall Willis. He was a member of Gerald Wilson's 90s orchestra. This album is available as a digital download. Freestyle Fellowship looked like they were going places when Glenn was incarcerated and they split up. By the time they reunited in 2001, their time had passed. Freestyle Fellowship last recorded in 2011. So I don't think they are active. Here's the video for Inner City Boundaries by Freestyle Fellowship. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Candy Dulfer

Artist:Candy Dulfer

Song:For the Love of You

Album:The Best of Candy Dulfer

Sax player Candy Dulfer has been very successful in the smooth jazz market since the 90s. She was born Sept. 19,1969 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Her father is sax player Hans Dulfer. She started out playing drums at age five and by age seven she was playing alto sax. Influences include Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon and Coleman Hawkins. After playing in her father's group, she played in sax player Rosa King's band. Rosa was an American who lived in Amsterdam. Candy heard David Sanborn play at the North Sea Jazz Festival and he has been her biggest influence. Then she formed her own band Funky Stuff and opened for Madonna in 1987. Prince spotted Candy and called her on stage during a 1988 concert. She also appeared in his video Partyman. Candy also worked with Dave Stewart of The Eurythmics, Van Morrison and Pink Floyd. Candy signed with Ariola in Europe and RCA in the US for her 1990 album Saxuality. She was an immediate success on the jazz charts. For the 1997 album For the Love of You, She switched to N2K Encoded Music in the US. She was still on Ariola in Europe. For most of her career, Candy has collaborated with pianist Thomas Bank. He sings and he also writes and produces. Candy also covered the Isley Brothers classic For the Love of You on the 2001 album Live in Amsterdam featuring Angie Stone. The original version is on this budget comp. After N2K Encoded closed in 2005, Candy recorded for Heads Up until they closed. Her latest album was released on her own label in 2017. It says on her website that she has signed with Mascot Records and is working on a new album with Nile Rodgers. She will tour to support that. Here's Candy Dulfer performing For the Love of You at the 1998 Montreux Jazz Festival. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Alexandra Stan

Artist:Alexandra Stan

Song:Mr. Saxobeat

Album:Saxobeats

Romanian singer Alexandra Stan scored a worldwide hit with the 2011 single Mr. Saxobeat. Though she still has success at home and she has a new album coming out, here in North America Alexandra is a likely one hit wonder which is not unusual when Euro Pop crosses the pond. She was born June 10, 1989 in Constanta, Romania. Her father was a cook on a ship and was away a lot. When his poor health resulted in financial problems, Alexandra worked as a waitress to help her family. Alexandra always wanted to be a singer. She first sang on TV at age 15 and took part in talent contests. She was spotted in 2009 by producers Marcel Prodan and Andrei Nemirschi and signed her to their label Maan Records. Prodan had produced a couple of other artists. Mr. Saxobeat was Alexandra's second single. After topping the Romanian chart, it topped the charts in Germany, Austria, Italy and Slovakia. Then it was picked up in the US by the dance label Ultra Records. It topped the dance chart and reached #21 on the Billboard Hot 100. So the song was a huge hit. I laughed when I listened to it as these guys didn't even use real saxes on the record. Things went south after that as Alexandra wasn't happy with her contract. It resulted in a physical altercation with Prodan. Alexandra went to the hospital. She sued Prodan but lost. But she didn't work with Prodan again. For the 2014 album Unlocked, she signed with the Japanese label Victor and worked with various producers. She released the 2015 single We Wanna with popular Reggaeton artist Daddy Yankee. That's the last time she charted outside Romania. For her upcoming album Rainbows, Alexandra has signed a new deal with Universal Romania. So I expect her to continue to have chart success at home and Japan. But that's about it. Here's the video for Mr. Saxobeat by Alexandra Stan. 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Manon Fiorot vs Jennifer Maia

Here's the match video of Manon Fiorot vs Jennifer Maia from last night's UFC show in Columbus. This fight was at Flyweight. Manon is from Nice, France trained by Aldric Cassata. She was the 2017 IMMAF champ. She has looked great in the UFC. Manon was supposed to fight Jessica Eye three weeks ago. But Jessica got hurt. And instead of bringing in a short notice replacement, the UFC brought in former title contender Jennifer Maia. Jennifer has never changed since I first saw her ten years ago. She's a boxer more interested in going the distance than showing any kind of aggression. So this is why Manon used the side kick a lot. She knew she probably wasn't going to finish Jennifer. But Manon wanted to dominate. And other than a head kick at the end of round two, Jennifer had nothing for Manon. Manon won 30-27. Afterwards Manon called out Katlyn Chookagian. But Katlyn is already booked. How about Alexa Grasso? Manon is quickly becoming a title threat. Enjoy the video! 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Sara McMann vs Karol Rosa

Here's the match video of Sara McMann vs Karol Rosa from last night's UFC show in Columbus. This fight is at Bantamweight. Sara's last loss had her leave Team Alpha Male and open her own gym with her husband. I've never liked her as a fighter as she lacks killer instinct. Karol is 4-0 in the UFC. She trains at PRVT in Brazil. She is mostly a striker. So I don't understand why when Sara took her down in round one she accepted her position and didn't try to get up. Sara didn't do much but she won the round. The same thing happened in round two. After her coach Gailard Parana yelled at her, Karol was a lot better in round three. But she needed a finish and Sara won 29-28. So I thought Karol fought a very stupid fight. Check it out for yourself.

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Alexa Grasso vs Joanne Wood

Here's the match video of Alexa Grasso vs Joanne Wood from last night's UFC show in Columbus. This fight is at Flyweight. Alexa has gone 2-0 since moving up to Flyweight. She trains at Lobo Gym in Guadalajara, Mexico which is owned by her father. She is mainly a striker. Joanne is from Scotland. But she trains with her husband John Wood at Syndicate in Las Vegas. She's a kickboxer. She tends to get off to slow starts. And that's what happens here. Alexa takes her down and finishes her with a rear naked choke. It was the first submission finish for Alexa. Her fights usually go the distance. The finish had more to do with the deterioration of Joanne's skills than anything Alexa did. Could Alexa get a title shot? Maybe if the UFC is doing a show in Mexico. But otherwise no. There are other contenders she could fight. Plus I doubt she could beat Valentina Shevchenko. Enjoy the video!

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-J.J. Johnson

Artist:J.J. Johnson

Song:My Funny Valentine

Album:Proof Positive

J.J. Johnson was an important figure in jazz as he was the first bebop trombone player. So he was not only a tremendous musician but very influential. He was born Jan. 22, 1924 in Indianapolis. After studying piano as a child, Johnson took up the trombone as a teen. He started out in the early 40s with Clarence Love and then Snookum Russell. And it was in Russell's band that Johnson met trumpeter and bebop pioneer Fats Navarro who influenced Johnson to play like Lester Young. Johnson was in Benny Carter's orchestra from 1942-45. While in that band, he was part of the first Jazz at the Philharmonic concert. Though the trombone was a big part of dixieland and swing, it fell out of favor with bebop musicians. With the encouragement of Dizzy Gillespie, Johnson changed all that. He played on Charlie Parker's Dial sessions and with Max Roach, Sonny Stitt and Bud Powell. Johnson first recorded as a leader in 1949. His big break came when Savoy Records producer Ozzie Cadena paired Johnson with Kai Winding as a trombone duo. They were very successful for the next couple of years and this established Johnson as a live draw. Johnson led his own bands through the 60s. His late 50s recordings with Columbia were very successful. This recording of the standard My Funny Valentine is from the 1964 album Proof Positive. Johnson had previously recorded My Funny Valentine with Stan Getz. This album was Johnson's only album on Impulse. GRP released it on CD in 1994 with a bonus track. Musicians are Harold Mabern on piano, Arthur Harper Jr. on bass and Frank Gant on drums. Mabern was a member of the Art Farmer Benny Golson Jazztet. Harper had previously worked with Johnson and Sonny Stitt. Gant was in Ahmad Jamal's band. Johnson moved to Los Angeles in 1966 to become a studio musician. He worked in films and TV. Film scores include Cleopatra Jones and Willie Dynamite. Johnson returned to performing and recording in 1987. He continued to tour until he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2000. Johnson died when he shot himself on Feb. 4, 2001 at age 77. Here's J.J. Johnson performing My Funny Valentine at the 1991 Concord Jazz Festival in Japan. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Score

Artist:The Score

Song:Unstoppable

Album:ATLAS

The Score is an indie band that specializes in anthemic pop songs. The 2016 single Unstoppable is a good example of their music. Lead singer Eddie Anthony is a guitarist from Orange County, CA. He moved to New York where he met jazz pianist Eden Dover. The initial plan was to write and produce for others. And they produced a 2012 EP for The Vampire Diaries star Kat Graham. But they started performing as The Score at New York's Rockwood Music Hall. After moving to Los Angeles in 2015, they posted the song Oh My Love online and it was streamed over a million times. It was especially popular in England. After Oh My Love appeared in the film Alvin and the Chipmunks: Road Trip, The Score signed with Republic Records. They released four EPs. Unstoppable was on the second EP. Then they released the 2017 album ATLAS. Unstoppable appears on the album. The album is available as a digital download and it's also available in a deluxe edition with bonus tracks. Unstoppable appeared in the 2017 film Power Rangers and it was the theme for World Series of Poker. The song was certified Gold. It shows the power of streaming these days as the song was not a chart hit. Guitarist Chris Coombs and drummer Logan Baldwin were added so The Score could tour. The Score released their third album Metamorph last week. They like to release EPs and singles first and compile the popular songs on an album. It's unusual strategy that has worked so far. Here's The Score performing Unstoppable for a virtual reality company. Apparently if you download the appropriate app, the video can be viewed in virtual reality. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Sheena Easton

Artist:Sheena Easton

Song:Sugar Walls

Album:Classic Masters

Sheena Easton was very successful in the 80s. Though it wasn't her biggest hit, the 1984 single Sugar Walls marked a change to a sexier image. And it was the first song that Prince wrote for her. She was pretty wholesome up to that point. She was born Sheena Orr Apr. 27, 1959 in Bellshill, Lanarkshire, Scotland the youngest of six children. Her father died in 1969. Sheena was inspired to become a singer after watching Barbra Streisand in the 1973 film The Way We Were. In the late 70s she went to school during the day and performed with a band in local clubs at night. She married Sandi Easton in 1979. And though the marriage lasted only eight months, she kept the Easton name. Sheena auditioned for the BBC show The Big Time. Show producer Esther Rantzen was planning a documentary chronicling an unknown's rise to pop stardom. Sheena was chosen for this. She signed with EMI and was assigned to producer Christopher Neil. Sheena was followed by cameras in 1980. After the doc aired, the single 9 to 5 was a big hit in England. Capitol changed the title to Morning Train when they released it in the US so there was no confusion with Dolly Parton's 9 to 5. The song topped the charts worldwide. Sheena's other hits included the theme from the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only and a duet with Kenny Rogers We've Got Tonight. For the 1984 album A Private Heaven, Sheena had already worked with her new producer jazz pianist Greg Mathieson. And he brought in his buddies like Lee Ritenour on guitar, Abraham Laboriel on bass, Carlos Vega on drums, Lenny Castro on percussion and Jerry Hey and the Seawind horns. The idea was to aim the album at the dance and R&B market and give Sheena a sexier image. It was very successful. Strut reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Sugar Walls reached #9. Prince wrote Sugar Walls using the pseudonym Alexander Nevermind. The song would have been a bigger hit but many radio stations refused to play it due to suggestive sexual content. Sheena's next album was hampered by corporate delays in EMI. Sheena continued to work with Prince on the duet U Got the Look and the Prince concert film Sign o' the Times. Sheena moved to MCA in 1988. She wasn't as successful there and she got into acting. Sheena last recorded in 2001 but she still tours and does voiceover work in films. This budget comp covers her Capitol recordings. Here's the video for Sugar Walls by Sheena Easton.

The Big Topic in WMMA

UFC review and preview. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Travis Denning

Artist:Travis Denning

Song:After a Few

EP:Beer's Better Cold

Travis Denning topped the Country Airplay chart with the 2019 single After a Few. The only thing that concerns me is he hasn't released an album yet. He was born Dec. 1, 1992 in Warner Robins, GA. Listening to music with his father got Denning to learn to play guitar. He played local clubs as a teen. Denning started writing songs and released a single in 2012. Then he moved to Nashville and scored a publishing deal. After writing hits for Chase Rice and Justin Moore, Denning signed with Mercury Nashville. After his first single charted, Denning's second single After a Few topped the Country Airplay chart and remained on that chart for over a year. The EP Beer's Better Cold was released May 2020. The EP was produced by Jeremy Stover. He has produced Justin Moore and Jack Ingram. Denning wrote After a Few with Justin Weaver and Kelly Archer. This is the biggest hit for both guys. I would have expected Denning to release an album by now. But instead a second EP Dirt Road Down was released. He is on tour promoting it. Denning was a successful songwriter before he got a record deal. I think he'll be OK. The success of After a Few will last for years. Here's the video for After a Few by Travis Denning.

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Io Shirai and Kay Lee Ray vs Dakota Kai and Wendy Choo

Here's the match video of Io Shirai and Kay Lee Ray vs Dakota Kai and Wendy Choo from last night's episode of NXT. This is the final of the women's Dusty Classic. Wendy is Karen Q's new gimmick where she wrestles in pajamas and is trying to sleep. I don't know what Io thinks of this gimmick but Karen did tone it down for this match. The match was very competitive. I think they wanted to show that Dakota and Wendy belonged in this match when they probably didn't. Commentary tried to make a big deal out of Io and KLR being thrown together. But they are true pros and can work with anyone. Dakota and Wendy almost won when they double teamed KLR. But Io came out of nowhere with a missile dropkick to break it up. And that led to the finish and Io's moonsault for the win. Normally the winners of the Dusty Classic get a tag title shot. But I understand one of the Toxic Attraction girls may be injured. So instead Io and KLR will be added to Mandy Rose vs Cora Jade for the NXT Women's Championship at Stand and Deliver. Those two will add a lot to that match. Enjoy the video!

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-George Faith

Artist:George Faith w/Lee "Scratch" Perry and The Upsetters

Song:To Be a Lover (Have Some Mercy)

Album:The Ultimate Collection

This 1977 cover of the William Bell classic To Be a Lover was the only big hit for singer George Faith. It also helped establish producer Lee "Scratch" Perry as a force in Jamaican music. Faith was born Earl George Lawrence in 1946 in Rae Town, Jamaica. He started singing as a child in church and at parties. He was a big fan of Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson. Lawrence was a member of The Enchanters as a teen. He was told he would be better off as a solo act. In the early 70s he recorded as Earl George or George Earl with little success. Meanwhile, Lee "Scratch" Perry had built his Black Ark recording studio in his backyard. He had some success in the music business. But he thought having his own studio would allow him to get to the next level. Lawrence met Perry at his record shop in 1975. As George Earl, he recorded a cover of To Be a Lover in 1976. Perry liked it enough to record a full album with Lawrence. He gave him the name George Faith so people would think he was a new artist. The album was released on Island's Black Swan label. Sly Dunbar, Ernest Ranglin and Boris Gardner were among the musicians who plated on the album. A nine minute remix pf To Be a Lover was very popular. That's the version that appears on this Lee Perry budget comp. Lawrence recorded a second album with Perry. But it was never released because Lawrence recorded with producer Miltant Barry at Trojan Records. That ended Lawrence's days with Perry. Lawrence continued to record as George Faith but he could never repeat the success he had with Perry. He died of cancer in 2003. Here's a video for To Be a Lover (Have Mercy) by George Faith with Lee "Scratch" Perry and The Upsetters.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Crack the Sky

Artist:Crack the Sky

Song:She's a Dancer

Album:Crack Attic (The Best of Crack the Sky)

The 1975 debut album by progressive rock band Crack the Sky was named "debut album of the year" by Rolling Stone. Though this didn't convert to record sales, it did lead to a loyal fanbase. Crack the Sky is still around. Crack the Sky is from Weirton, WV. They were a merger of two area bands Uncle Louie and Sugar. Uncle Louie lead singer John Palumbo and guitarist Rick Witkowski auditioned for Lifesong Records A&R director Terry Minogue. Lifesong was owned by Terry Cashman and Tommy West. They recorded as Cashman & West. Minogue was Cashman's nephew. He convinced his uncle to give them a development deal so a band could be formed. They were to be called Words but that was changed to Crack the Sky. The other members were Joe Macre on bass and Jim Griffiths on guitar from Sugar and Joey D'Amico on drums. Their 1975 debut album was the first release on Lifesong. The album was critically acclaimed by The New York Times and Rolling Stone but there were distribution problems. Copies were ordered but not arriving in stores. It looks like they all went to Baltimore as the album did well there. I bought the album at a used record store which is how I bought music in those days. It's a great album. Palumbo wrote all the songs. The horns on She's a Dancer are by Mike and Randy Brecker and David Sanborn who led The Brecker Bros. Band at the time. Crack the Sky sometimes toured with a horn section. Crack the Sky is available as a digital download. But this 1997 comp from the reissue label Renaissance is also available on CD. Palumbo left Crack the Sky in 1977. The band continued until 1980 and disbanded due to problems with Lifesong. Since then Palumbo has recorded solo and reformed Crack the Sky at times. They released an album last year and continue to tour. Here's Crack the Sky performing She's a Dancer 2009. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Donna Allen

Artist:Donna Allen

Song:Serious

Album:Perfect Timing: Bonus Tracks

For most of her career, Donna Allen has been a backup singer. But she scored a top five R&B hit with the 1986 single Serious. It crossed over to pop. She was born May 15,1958 in Key West, FL. but she grew up in Tampa. A one time Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleader, Donna sang backup for Miami Sound Machine while performing in the bands Hi-Octane, Trama and Maxx. After getting together with producer Lou Pace, Donna signed with 21 Records with PolyGram distribution. Donna knew Pace from his remix and production work with Miami Sound Machine. 21 Records was owned by Golden Earring's manager Fred Haayen. Serious was the first single from the 1986 album Perfect Timing. It reached #5 on the R&B Singles chart and #21 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also reached #8 on the British Singles chart. So that was pretty good. Donna and Pace wrote the song with studio musicians known as The Blitz. They played on the album. They are Emridge Jones on keyboards, Gary King on guitar, Reggie White on bass and Harry King on drums. They also sang backup vocals on the album with the legendary Betty Wright. The male vocalist in the video is not credited but it must be one of the Blitz guys. The vocoder is by Jimmy Magnoli. Subsequent singles did OK on the R&B charts. Perfect Timing was released in 2013 with bonus tracks by the British label Big Break Records which is a subsidiary of Cherry Red. For Donna's 1988 album Heaven on Earth, Pace started his own label Oceana with Atlantic distribution. Donna's cover of the Maze classic Joy and Pain reached #3 on the R&B Singles chart. After that Donna returned to backup singing. She toured with Gloria Estefan for years. Her 1995 single Real from the film The Specialist was a modest dance hit. Donna appeared on the 2013 season of The Voice. She lost in round two. And she self released an album in 2015. Here's the video for Serious by Donna Allen. 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Elise Reed vs Cory McKenna

Here's the match video of Elise Reed vs Cory McKenna from yesterday's UFC show in London. This fight is at Strawweight. Elise fought for Cage Fury before losing her UFC debut at Flyweight. We'll see if she does better at her natural weight. She trains at Kickside in Princeton, NJ. Cory is 22 years old from Wales. She trains at Team Alpha Male in Sacramento. She was on the Contender's Series and won her UFC debut. She had surgery on a torn ligament in her ankle. Fighting at home hyped up Molly McCann. It had the opposite effect on Cory. She seemed to have the UFC jitters. And it's not like Elise is all that effective. She's a striker but nothing special. And she's awful on the ground. But Cory couldn't get her act together until round three. So I scored the first two rounds 10-9 for Elise and the third round 10-9 for Cory. 29-28 for Elise. Two of the judges scored it the same. But the third judge, UFC regular Derek Cleary, scored it 30-27 for Cory. I don't know what he was watching. Elise wins by split decision. Enjoy the video! 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Molly McCann vs Luana Carolina

Here's the match video of Molly McCann vs Luana Carolina from yesterday's UFC show in London. This fight is at Flyweight. Molly is a mediocre fighter who seems to get hyped up when she fights at home. That's how she became a champ in Cage Warriors. Luana is from Sao Paulo, Brazil. She trains at Capital da Luta with former UFC fighter Lucas Martins. She was on the Brazilian Contender's Series. She's 3-1 in the UFC. But I don't think she was ready to fight Molly in England. Both fighters are mainly strikers. Molly landed enough strikes in round one that I thought she might get a finish. But when she didn't I thought she got tired and Luana was better in round two. Molly did win both rounds. She did get a finish in round three with a spinning back elbow that sent Luana to the hospital. Molly claimed in her post match interview that she works on that finish regularly. I don't buy that but it certainly deserved a $50,000 bonus. The question is can she fight like this anywhere but England. Enjoy the video! 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Pink Mountaintops

Artist:Pink Mountaintops

Song:The Second Summer of Love

Album:Get Back

Pink Mountaintops is a solo project from Black Mountain guitarist Stephen McBean. He records solo in the studio and hires musicians to perform live. Black Mountain is a neo psychedelic band from Vancouver. It looks like McBean started Pink Mountaintops for something to do when Black Mountain isn't touring. The music is very similar and he records for the same label Jagjaguwar. McBean first recorded as Pink Mountaintops in 2004. The Second Summer of Love is from the 2014 album Get Back. McBean has released four Pink Mountaintops albums. McBean does everything himself but he does bring in guests like Dinosaur Jr. guitarist J Mascis. This album was nominated for the 2014 Polaris Music Prize. So like I said, McBean seems to record as Pink Mountaintops when Black Mountain isn't touring. McBean announced that a new Pink Mountaintops album will be released May 5 on a new label ATO Records owned by Dave Matthews. I don't know if Black Mountain will be on ATO too. Their 2019 album Destroyer was on the Canadian label Dine Alone. Get Back is available as a budget CD. Black Mountain fans should enjoy Pink Mountaintops too. Here's the video for The Second Summer of Love by Pink Mountaintops.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Craig Campbell

Artist:Craig Campbell

Song:Family Man

Album:Craig Campbell

Fans of neo traditional country music should check out Craig Campbell. After his 2010 single Family Man was a top 20 country hit, he did well until his label closed. He was born Feb. 10, 1979 in Lyons, GA. He lived with his mom after his parents divorced and then she remarried. He learned to play piano in his mom's church. He had a band as a teen and he won local talent contests. Campbell moved to Nashville in 2002. He had a steady gig at The Stage and he recorded demos. Luke Bryan suggested Campbell write his own songs. Campbell met his wife Mindy Ellis and played piano in her band. And he played piano in Tracy Byrd's touring band. Veteran producer Keith Stegall saw Campbell perform at The Stage and signed him to his Bigger Picture label with Atlantic distribution. Stegall is best known for producing Alan Jackson. Bigger Picture was home for Zac Brown Band. Stegall produced the 2010 album Craig Campbell. Campbell wrote most of the album's songs. Family Man was the first single. It reached #14 on the Country Singles chart. Campbell wrote the song with Jon Henderson and Joel Shewmake. It was the first hit for all three. Campbell's 2013 album Never Regret also did well. The single Keep Them Kisses Comin' is his biggest hit to date. I noticed Campbell wrote fewer songs for this album. Then Bigger Picture closed in 2014. He signed with BBR's Red Bow label and released a 2018 EP. His singles were still charting. But then he left BBR in 2019. He has started his own label and released two singles. He is currently on tour. Here's the video for Family Man by Craig Campbell.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Mosaic MSC

Artist:Mosaic MSC

Song:Tremble

Album:Glory & Wonder

The 2017 single Tremble was a big hit on the CCM chart. Mosaic MSC was fairly new at the time. Praise & Worship is a very competitive market and much of the music sounds the same. Mosaic MSC is based out of the Mosaic Church in Los Angeles. The pastor is Erwin McManus. His daughter Mariah McManus Goss is the youth pastor. She and husband Jake Goss started Mosaic MSC. They released the 2015 album MSC (Live from LA) on their own label. That got them a record deal with Essential Worship which is another P&W group. At the time they were distributed by Sony but they have switched to Capitol/EMI. The 2016 album Glory & Wonder did very well in the CCM chart. The single Tremble was a top 20 hit. The songwriting is credited to Mia Fieldes, Hank Bentley, Andres Figueroa and Mariah McManus Goss. Figueroa produced the song and his wife Brooke Figueroa sings lead. Tremble was nominated for two Dove awards and Mosaic MSC was nominated for Best New Artist. The album is available as a digital download. I expect faithful P&W fans to enjoy this. As I have said before, I find a lot of these groups sound the same. But it is a significant and loyal fanbase. Mosaic MSC's latest album Ser Humano was released. It was in Spanish. That's an underserved market for this kind of music. Here's the video for Tremble by Mosaic MSC.

The Big Topic in WMMA

UFC review and preview. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Joyce Sims

Artist:Joyce Sims

Song:All and All

Album:Come Into My Life: The Best of Joyce Sims

Freestyle singer songwriter Joyce Sims scored a couple of dance hits in the late 80s. She also had success in England. She was born Aug. 6, 1959 in Rochester, NY. After studying music in college, she was introduced to Sleeping Bag Records owner Ron Resnick and he signed her. Sleeping Bag specialized in Freestryle dance music. Her 1987 debut album Come Into My Life was produced by veteran producer Kurtis Mantronik. Joyce wrote all the songs. All and All was the first single. It reached #6 on the Dance chart and #16 on the British Singles chart. The third single Come Into My Life reached #7 on the British Singles chart and #10 on the R&B Singles chart. Her 1989 album All About Love didn't do as well. The British label Warlock released both albums as a twofer. They are available as a digital download. Joyce's music has been sampled by hip hop guys, most notably the 2004 single I Wanna Thank Ya by Angie Stone featuring Snoop Dogg. Joyce rerecorded her hits in 2006 and she released an album in 2014. She performs on Freestyle nostalgia shows. Here's Joyce Sims performing All and All on Top Of The Pops 1988. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Sergio Vargas

Artist:Sergio Vargas

Song:La Ventanita

Album:Serie Azul Tropical

Sergio Vargas was a very popular merengue singer in the 90s. The 1992 single La Ventanita was his first big hit. He was born Mar. 15, 1960 in Villa Altagracia, Dominican Republic. He started out singing with the local group La Banda Brava and then the popular merengue artist Dionis Fernandez. Vargas started his own band in 1986 and recorded three albums for the local label Karen Records. He signed with Sony Latin in 1988 and recorded for them his whole career. La Ventanita is from the 1992 album Sergio Vargas. It reached #13 on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart. Vargas was very successful in the 90s. His 1998 single Corazon Encadenado reached #4 on the Hot Latin Songs chart. He had several chart singles. Vargas continued to have success until he was elected to congress in 2006. Apparently he has always been interested in local politics. This budget comp is a good intro to his music. Vargas last recorded in 2011. His website is closed so I think he retired. Latin music fans will enjoy his music. Here's the video for La Ventanita by Sergio Vargas. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Jesse Winchester

Artist:Jesse Winchester

Song:The Brand New Tennessee Waltz

Album:The Best of Jesse Winchester

Singer songwriter Jesse Winchester's career was hampered by his move to Canada to avoid the Vietnam War. That meant he couldn't tour the US. Obviously most record companies won't sign an artist with that restriction. But Winchester did sign and had a long career. The only other draft dodger in music that I recall was Pure Prairie League lead singer Craig Fuller. Winchester was born May 17, 1944 in Bossier City, LA. His family moved to Memphis when he was 12 years old. After Winchester graduated from Williams College in Williamstown, MA in 1966, he received his draft notice and moved to Montreal. He told Rolling Stone in 1977 "I was so offended by someone presuming to tell me who I should kill". Winchester had been in bands since high school. He started writing songs and performing at coffeehouses. He met The Band's Robbie Robertson who got him a record deal with Ampex Records. The Brand New Tennessee Waltz is from Winchester's 1970 debut album Jesse Winchester. Robertson produced with Todd Rundgren. Levon Helm appeared on the album. The album was critically acclaimed. But because Winchester couldn't tour the US, he was unable to promote the album. Plus the audio tape manufacturer Ampex shouldn't have been in the record business in the first place. Rundgren recorded for Albert Grossman's Bearsville label so he got Winchester a deal there. Though Winchester never had commercial success, his songs were recorded by many artists. Nicolette Larson and Michael Martin Murphey were among those who had chart success with his songs. Winchester was the first to record Russell Smith's Third Rate Romance which would become a hit for Smith's band Amazing Rhythm Aces. After Winchester was granted amnesty in 1976, he started touring the US. Winchester remained on Bearsville until 1981. This Rhino comp covers the Bearsville years. Winchester recorded for the Canadian labels Attic and Stony Plain. These albums were released in the US by the bluegrass label Sugar Hill. Stony Plain owns the rights to Winchester's back catalog. Winchester moved to Memphis in 2002. He continued to perform until he was diagnosed with cancer in 2011. His final two albums were recorded for Appleseed. He died on Apr. 11, 2014 at age 69. Here's Jesse Winchester with The O'Kanes performing The Brand New Tennessee Waltz on the Apr. 14, 1990 episode of the TNN show The American Music Shoppe. 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Miranda Maverick vs Sabina Mazo

Here's the match video of Miranda Maverick vs Sabina Mazo from Saturday's UFC show in Las Vegas. This fight is at Flyweight. Both fighters are on two fight losing streaks but Miranda probably has more potential. Miranda now trains at Elevation in Denver. Her coach is former UFC fighter Eliot Marshall. It's obvious he has her spending a lot of time in the weight room. Sabina is from Colombia. She made her name in LFA with striking and head kicks. We haven't seen that in the UFC. After her last loss, she moved from Kings MMA in California all the way to UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Glover Teixeira's gym in Bethel, CT. Sabina is taller but Miranda looks much stronger. And that's how the fight went. Miranda scored three takedowns in round one. And then in round two she won with a rear naked choke. Sabina took a long trip to look that bad. Enjoy the video! 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-J.J. Aldrich vs Gillian Robertson

Here's the match video of J.J. Aldrich vs Gillian Robertson from Saturday's UFC show in Las Vegas. This fight is at Flyweight. J.J. is a striker with very little power. She can win fights only if she keeps an opponent out of range. She trains with Trevor Wittman at Elevation in Denver. Gillian is a wrestler who can win fights if she can close the distance and score takedowns. But her striking isn't good enough to transition to the ground unless her opponent is an idiot. She was born in Niagara Falls, ON. but she grew up in Florida. She has trained with Din Thomas for years, first at ATT and then after he left ATT. Say what you want about J.J.'s fighting style. But she's well trained and is not an idiot. So that's the story of this fight. J.J. works from a distance. And Gillian is reluctant to close the distance though she needs to do that to win the fight. One would think Gillian would have worked on this with Thomas. But you wouldn't know it watching this fight. So J.J. won easily by unanimous decision. It doesn't make me think J.J. can beat better fighters. She uses the same strategy in all her fights. She loses when it doesn't work. So it was a terrible fight and Gillian gave an awful performance. Check out the video for yourself. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Julieta Venegas

Artist:Julieta Venegas f/Anita Tijoux

Song:Eres Para Mi

Album:Realmente Lo Mejor

Julieta Venegas started out as a popular rock singer in the late 90s and then went in a more pop direction and became one of the most popular singers in Mexico. The 2006 single Eres Para Mi is one of her biggest hits from her biggest selling album Limon y Sal. She was born Nov. 24, 1970 in Long Beach, CA but she grew up in Tijuana, Mexico. Her parents are photographers and so is her sister. Julieta studied piano as a child. She also plays guitar and accordion. And she's a songwriter. She was in the successful ska band Tijuana No!. Julieta moved to Mexico City and formed the band La Milagrosa. But when BMG offered her a record deal, she decided to record as a solo artist. Her 1997 debut album Aqui was produced in Los Angeles by Argentine producer Gustavo Santaolalla. She was a rock singer at first and she had some success. With the 2003 album Si, Julieta went in a more pop direction with Argentine producers Cachorro Lopez and Coti Sorokin. The album was certified 2XPlatinum and the single Alga Esta Canbiando topped the Latin Pop chart. The success continued with the 2006 album Limon y Sal also produced by Lopez. The album was a big success in Latin American countries outside Mexico. The album was certified Platinum. Eres Para Mi featuring Chilean rapper Anita Tijoux reached #2 on the Latin Pop chart. Julieta's next album was MTV Unplugged which was also very successful. That's probably the height of her success. This comp is available as a digital download. Limon y Sal is available on CD. Julieta took time off to have a child. And she moved to Argentina. She left Sony in 2013 and has recorded a couple of albums for smaller labels. It looks like she has a new album coming as the 2021 single Lo siento BB:/ was a big hit. But that may be because Bad Bunny appeared on it and he's pretty hot right now. Here's the video for Eres Para Mi by Julieta Venegas featuring Anita Tijoux.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Johnny Clegg & Savuka

Artist:Johnny Clegg & Savuka

Song:Siyayilanda

Album:The Best of Johnny Clegg & Savuka: In My African Dream

Johnny Clegg was an important figure in South African as his group Juluka was a mixed race group while apartheid was still in effect. After they became an international sensation, Juluka co-founder Sipho Mchunu retired and Clegg formed Savuka in 1986. That band wasn't as successful but their music is still worth checking out. The co-leader of Savuka was dancer, percussionist and singer Dudu Zulu. He was also in Juluka. So were guitarist Andy Innes and drummer Derek de Beer. They signed with Capitol Records. Juluka were on Warner Bros. I don't know why Clegg chose to start a new band on a different label. I presume it was out of respect to Mchunu. Strategically Clegg should have kept the Juluka name and remained on Warners. But Savuka did OK. They toured internationally and the Savuka albums were popular in Europe. Siyayilanda is from the 1988 album Shadow Man. This was Savuka's second album on Capitol. After Dudu Zulu was murdered in 1992 while trying to mediate a taxi war, Clegg disbanded Savuka. This comp is available on CD. Of course Savuka's music is similar to Juluka so fans should enjoy both. But they are on different labels and that can be confusing. Clegg has continued to record and tour solo. He reformed Juluka to record and tour in 1996. Due to health problems, Clegg hasn't recorded or toured since 2017. But he did publish a memoir last year. Here's Johnny Clegg & Savuka performing Siyayilanda at the Zenith in Paris. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Bill Carrothers

Artist:Bill Carrothers

Song:A Squirrel's Tale

Album:Duets with Bill Stewart

Pianist Bill Carrothers has recorded as a leader since the 90s. But mostly he is an in demand sideman. He was born July 13, 1964 in Minneapolis. But he grew up in the Michigan peninsula. Carrothers started playing piano in church at age five. Bobby Peterson taught him to play jazz. Carrothers' biggest influence is Oscar Peterson. As a teen he played local clubs. After attending North Texas State, Carrothers moved to New York in 1988. He worked mostly as a sideman in clubs. He didn't record much until the late 90s. He recorded with bassist Scott Colley and trumpeter Dave Douglas. One guy Carrothers has worked with a lot is drummer Bill Stewart. He was on two of Stewart's mid-90s Blue Note albums. A Squirrel's Tale is from the 1999 album Duets with Bill Stewart. It was released on the French label Birdology and then Dreyfus Jazz rereleased it in 2002. Carrothers wrote A Squirrel's Tale and half the songs. The rest are standards. Stewart also recorded A Squirrel's Tale on the 2008 album Home Row on the German label Pirouet. Stewart is also on that album along with bassist Gary Peacock. That album is out of print. But the Duets album is available on CD. Carrothers hasn't recorded as a leader since 2013. He is currently a member of drummer Kevin Brady's band The Kevin Brady Electric Quartet. And he is still a very busy sideman. Here's Bill Carrothers with Bill Stewart performing A Squirrel's Tale at the 1999 Marciac Jazz Festival in Marciac, France. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Chick Corea

Artist:Chick Corea

Song:Royalty

Album:The Vigil

Pianist Chick Corea was one of the all time jazz greats. He was one of the pioneers of fusion music. He led several bands over the years. This band known as The Vigil was his final formal touring band. The purpose of labelling a band was so concert goers would know what they were going to see. Sometimes he would tour solo or with guys like Makoto Ozone or Gary Burton. Of course Corea's best known band was Return to Forever in the 70s. That band was so popular that after it ended, Corea started other bands. He started two in the late 80s when he recorded for GRP. There was the Chick Corea Akoustic Band and the Chick Corea Elektric Band. Both bands toured for several years. Then in 1999 Corea started his own label Stretch Records with Concord distribution and he formed the band Origin. That band only recorded a couple of albums. Then he recorded The Vigil in 2013. When this band toured, they were billed as Chick Corea and the Vigil though it doesn't say that on the album. The musicians are lesser known but excellent. Sax player Tim Garland is from England. He has recorded as a leader since 1997 and was a member of Bill Bruford's Earthworks. Guitarist Charles Altura recorded with Stanley Clarke. Bassist Hadrien Feraud is the son of French musician Gerard Feraud. He has played with John McLaughlin. Drummer Marcus Gilmore is the grandson of legendary drummer Roy Haynes. The song Royalty is dedicated to Haynes. Percussionist Pernell Saturnino appears on three tracks. Stanley Clarke, Ravi Coltrane and Corea's singer wife Gayle Moran all make guest appearances. This album is on Concord as it appears that Corea closed Stretch. Though this band toured for a couple of years, Corea never made a second Vigil album. He did start The Spanish Heart Band for the 2019 album Antidote. Except for Gilmore, the musicians are different. That was Corea's final Concord album. He died on Feb. 9, 2021 at age 79. Here's Chick Corea with Tim Garland on sax, Charles Altura on guitar, Carlitos del Puerto on bass, Marcus Gilmore on drums and Luisito Quintero on percussion performing Royalty at the Blue Note in Milan, Italy Oct. 20, 2015. Several bassists toured with this band including Christian McBride. 

The Big Topic in WMMA

UFC review and preview. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Liars

Artist:Liars

Song:Scissor

Album:Sisterworld: Deluxe Edition

Liars started out as a band but has become a solo project for Angus Andrew. He does bring guys in but I think they are disposable. Except for the strings, Andrew plays all the instruments on the 2010 album Sisterworld. Andrew is from Australia. But he was studying photography at Cal Arts in Los Angeles in 1999 when he met Aaron Hemphill at a local record store where he was working. They started recording together and moved to New York after Andrew graduated. After adding a rhythm section, Liars released the 2001 album They Threw Us All in a Trench and Stuck a Monument on Top themselves. The music was dance punk with drum machines and synthesizers. It did well enough on the New York club scene to get Liars a record deal with the British label Mute. After two EPs, Andrew decided to ditch the drum machines. The rhythm section left and Andrew brought in former Cal Arts classmate Julian Gross for the 2003 EP Atheists, Reconsider and the 2004 album They Were Wrong, So We Drowned. Then they moved to Germany and recorded the 2006 album Drum's Not Dead. Andrew likes to experiment with each album so the sound is different. This was not always critically acclaimed. Scissor is from the 2009 album Sisterworld. The video won Best Music Video at the 2011 Vimeo Festival + Awards. The Deluxe Edition has a bonus CD of remixes by Thom Yorke, Davendra Banhart and others. It's available as a budget CD. Gross left in 2014 and Hemphill left in 2017. The new band is guitarist Cameron Deyell and drummer Lawrence Pike from the band Gold Mice. They do appear on Liars' 2021 album The Apple Drop. So maybe Andrew is compromising his approach as he needs them for tours. Here's the video for Scissor by Liars.

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Io Shirai and Kay Lee Ray vs Kayden Carter and Kacy Catanzaro

Here's the match video of Io Shirai and Kay Lee Ray vs Kayden Carter and Kacy Catanzaro from last night's episode of NXT. This a semi final match for the women's Dusty Classic. They gave these two matches a lot more time than the first round matches. And when Io is given the time to work her magic, it's always worth watching. So this is a pretty good sprint that ends with Io winning with her moonsault. I don't want to give too much detail as I want you to watch the match. Io and KLR will face the oddball team of Wendy Choo and Dakota Kai who won after Toxic Attraction attacked Raquel Gonzalez. Don't be surprised if TA gets involved in the final. Enjoy the video! 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Baby Face Leroy

Artist:Baby Face Leroy

Song:Rollin' and Tumblin' Part 1

Album:Blues Masters Volume 2: Postwar Chicago Blues

Though Baby Face Leroy Foster only recorded a few singles, he was an important figure in the development of the Chicago blues scene and especially the early career of Muddy Waters. Foster was born Feb. 1, 1923 in Algoma, MS. He moved to Chicago in 1945 with Little Walter and pianist Johnny Jones. Foster played with Sunnyland Slim and Sonny Boy Williamson before getting together with Muddy Waters. After playing rhythm guitar on some of Waters' recordings, Waters returned the favor on some 1950 Baby Face Leroy singles for Parkway Records including Rollin' and Tumblin'. The band was Foster, Waters and Little Walter. Waters wrote Rollin' and Tumblin' and he had to record his own version when Leonard Chess found out that he had recorded it with Foster. You can get Rollin' and Tumblin' on this Rhino various artists comp. Foster released four singles for Parkway in the hopes of launching a solo career. But Parkway closed and after a 1951 single for the J.O.B. label, it is said that Foster drank himself to death. He died on May 25, 1958 at age 35. Here's a video for Rollin' and Tumblin' Part 1 by Baby Face Leroy. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Elvis Costello

Artist:Elvis Costello w/Burt Bacharach

Song:I'll Never Fall in Love Again

Album:Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me: Music from the Motion Picture

It is time for yet another discography orphan. It is a song that does not appear as part of an artist's standard discography. This is usually from a film soundtrack like this one by Elvis Costello. In 1998 Costello moved from Warner Bros. to PolyGram which was soon sold to Universal. His first album was a 1998 collaboration album with legendary songwriter Burt Bacharach called Painted From Memory. They had previously recorded God Give Me Strength for the 1996 film Grace of My Heart. The two recorded the album of all new songs and they even toured with a full orchestra. It was Bacharach's first album in 21 years. The song I Still Have That Other Girl won a Grammy. In 1999 Costello recorded a jazz adaptation of Painted From Memory with guitarist Bill Frisell. Costello was a long time Bacharach fan and I guess working with him was a bucket list item. Meanwhile Mike Myers was working on the second Austin Powers film The Spy Who Shagged Me and the soundtrack album with Maverick Records co-owner Guy Oseary. No doubt Oseary was aware that Costello and Bacharach were recording an album. And 60s nostalgia is a big part of the Austin Powers films. He asked Costello and Bacharach to record the Bacharach classic I'll Never Fall in Love Again. And they appeared in the film. Of course the film was a big success and so was the soundtrack album. The big hit from that album was Madonna's Beautiful Stranger which may also be a discography orphan. The album is available as a budget CD. Costello and Bacharach reunited to record three songs on Costello's 2018 album Look Now. So obviously they are good friends which I am sure makes Costello very happy. Here's Elvis Costello with Burt Bacharach performing I'll Never Fall in Love Again from the 1999 film Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Don Cherry

Artist:Don Cherry

Song:Band of Gold

Album:The Best of Don Cherry: The Columbia and Monument Sides

Not to be confused with jazz trumpeter Don Cherry or hockey commentator Don Cherry, this Don Cherry is a now forgotten crooner who had success in the early 50s. The 1955 single Band of Gold was his biggest hit. He was born Jan. 11, 1924 in Wichita Falls, TX. Cherry started out singing in bands led by Jan Garber and then Victor Young. He recorded with Young. During WWII, he served in the US Army Air Forces. Afterwards, Cherry sang with Artie Shaw's band. Then he signed with Decca Records. He scored his first top five hit with the 1950 single Thinking of You. But Cherry's career stalled at Decca. So he moved to Columbia in 1955. Band of Gold was his first single. It reached #4 on the Hit Parade. It was one of several chart singles that Cherry recorded with Ray Conniff. Not to be confused with the Freda Payne soul classic Band of Gold, this Band of Gold was written by Bob Musel and Jack Taylor. Musel was a journalist for United Press International in England. He wrote lyrics in his spare time. Taylor was his frequent songwriting partner. Band of Gold was their biggest hit. Kit Carson recorded Band of Gold first but Cherry's version was the bigger hit. You may have heard Band of Gold in the AMC series Mad Men. Of course Cherry's singing career was killed by Rock 'N' Roll. He left Columbia in 1959. Cherry recorded for Warwick, Roulette and Verve. He had a good run with Monument in the late 60s. This Collector's Choice comp covers Cherry's Columbia and Monument recordings. Like his fellow crooner Johnny Mathis, Cherry was a great golfer. A top ranked amateur golfer, Cherry turned pro in 1962. He played in nine Masters tournaments. Cherry was pals with Willie Nelson and they recorded a couple of albums together in the 90s. He died on Apr. 4, 2018 at age 94. Here's Don Cherry performing Band of Gold on one of those PBS Magic Moments specials. 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Maryna Moroz vs Mariya Agapova

Here's the match video of Maryna Moroz vs Mariya Agapova from last night's UFC show in Las Vegas. This fight is at Flyweight. These two were teammates at American Top Team. But they had a falling out and Maryna badmouthed her on a podcast. Mariya now trains at MMA Masters which is a poor man's ATT. Maryna has been in the UFC since 2015. She is very inconsistent. Plus she hadn't fought since 2020. She pulled out of four fights. But I thought that her beef with Mariya plus she is from the Ukraine and her family is there would motivate her. And sure enough, Maryna won round one with rear naked choke attempts. Mariya was gassed in round two and that led to Maryna winning with a head and arm choke. So a big win for Maryna. As I said, she has been inconsistent. So who knows what she will do in her next fight. Maryna's emotional post match interview is well worth watching. Enjoy the video 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Marina Rodriguez vs Yan Xiaonan

Here's the fight video of Marina Rodriguez vs Yan Xiaonan from last night's UFC show in Las Vegas. Whoever wins this fight could be up for a Strawweight title shot. Marina is from Florianopolis, Brazil. She trains at Thai Brasil. So she is mainly a kickboxer. So is Yan. After her loss to Carla Esparza, Yan decided to move to the US. After speaking to UFC Bantamweight Song Yadong, she went to Team Alpha Male in Sacramento. Because both fighters are strikers, I expected this fight to be close. I scored round one 10-9 for Yan. Round two was even closer but I scored it  10-9 for Yan too. Marina's coach Marcio Malko must have thought she was losing so he really yelled at Marina. She was better in round three. So I scored the fight 29-28 for Yan. One judge scored it the same. But two judges scored the fight 29-28 for Marina. The first two rounds were close. But if Marina had fought in the first two rounds the way she fought in round three, she would have won easily. So I thought she underperformed and that's why Malko yelled at her. She needs to perform better if she gets a title shot. Enjoy the video!

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-No Mercy

Artist:No Mercy

Song:Please Don't Go

Album:No Mercy

No Mercy is a now forgotten boy band that had success with the 1997 album No Mercy and a couple of hit singles. They were formed in Miami by Bronx native Marty Cintron and twin brothers Ariel and Gabriel Hernandez.  German producer Frank Farian saw Cintron perform in Miami and brought him to his studio in Germany. Farian is famous as the guy behind Boney M and infamous as the guy behind Milli Vanilli. With boy bands hot at the time, Farian told Cintron that a group would be the best way to go. Cintron brought the Hernandez twins in. They were dancers who could choreograph a stage act. No Mercy was signed to BMG's German label Hansa. When No Mercy's second single Where Do You Go? was a hit in Europe, Arista picked up No Mercy for the US. Where Do You Go? reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. Please Don't Go reached #21. The album was certified Gold in the US but it was more successful in Europe. No Mercy released a second album More in 1998. It did not do as well. Arista did not release it in the US. Since then No Mercy have released a few singles and a 2007 album. Cintron continues to perform in Europe as No Mercy. Here's the video for Please Don't Go by No Mercy.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Sade

Artist:Sade

Song:Soldier of Love

Album:Soldier of Love

Of course most music fans are familiar with Helen "Sade" Adu's 80s hits like Smooth Operator. But what is remarkable about Sade is that in the fickle music business she has gone on hiatus several times and had success upon her return. Usually if an artist is inactive, he or she is forgotten. Sade went on hiatus after the 1992 album Love Deluxe. Helen divorced her first husband and moved to Jamaica in 1995 to live with record producer Bob Morgan. They had a daughter in 1996. Meanwhile the rest of the band recorded as Sweetback. Guitarist Stuart Matthewman produced Maxwell's first two albums. Sade returned with the 2000 album Lovers Rock. And though there were no hit singles from the album, it was certified Platinum. Sade went on hiatus again. Epic released a live album in 2002. Again, Helen moved back to Jamaica to raise her family. She split with Morgan and moved back to England. The others were living in the US. The album Soldier of Love was released in 2010. Not only was the album certified Platinum, the single Soldier of Love reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100. I don't know if anyone else has had that kind of success after a long hiatus but I can assure you it is unusual. Soldier of Love is available as a budget CD. It is also Sade's latest album. They recorded Flower of the Universe for the 2018 film A Wrinkle in Time and The Big Unknown for the 2018 film Widows. Stuart Matthewman told Rated R&B in 2019 that the band is working on a new album. But they won't rush it and it will be ready when it is ready. Here's the video for Soldier of Love by Sade.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Wardlaw Brothers

Artist:The Wardlaw Brothers

Song:God Has Kept Me

Album:Stand There

Though they have been described in the past as gospel music's answer to Boyz II Men, in recent years The Wardlaw Brothers have started their own label and taken control of their careers. They are from Lyons, GA. Their father Rev. Carl Wardlaw Jr. was pastor at First African Baptist Church in Vidalia, GA. When the family moved to Washington state, the influence of Boyz II Men and Take 6 led to the formation of The Wardlaw Brothers with Tony Wardlaw, Martin Luther "Lute" Wardlaw, Carl Wardlaw II and Rodney "Baby Boy" Wardlaw. They started out recording for small labels and later EMI Gospel. But they now record for their own TWB label so they have greater control.  God Has Kept Me is from the 2018 album Stand There. Lute wrote all the songs and they produced the album. They hired Andre Forbes to produce the music. He has worked with Troy Sneed and Youth For Christ. Dorinda Clark-Cole and Fred Hammond make guest appearances. Gospel fans should check it out. Here's the video for God Has Kept Me by The Wardlaw Brothers.

The Big Topic in WMMA

UFC review and preview. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Louise Massey and The Westerners

Artist:Louise Massey and The Westerners

Song:My Adobe Hacienda

Album:As Good As It Gets: Western Swing

Louise Massey was a pioneer of Western Swing beginning in the 20s. But she had her greatest success when her 1941 single My Adobe Hacienda was rereleased in 1947. She was born Aug. 10, 1902 in Midland. TX but she grew up near Roswell, NM. In 1918, Louise's father Henry Massey started a band with three of his eight children wearing cowboy suits and playing instruments. Louise played piano and sang. She married Milton Mable at age 15 and he joined the band. The other members were Louise's brothers Curt and Allen. As The Massey Five, they had a show on Kansas City radio station KMBC. Henry Massey retired in 1930. He was replaced by accordionist Larry Wellington. Louise took over the band and they became Louise Massey and The Westerners. They had their own radio show on NBC. They recorded for Vocalion. Their best known song at the time was When the White Azaleas Start Blooming. They even appeared in the Tex Ritter film Where the Buffalo Roam. Louise switched to Columbia's Okeh label. My Adobe Hacienda was released in 1941 and it reached #23 on the Hit Parade. After Eddy Howard reached #2 with his 1947 recording of My Adobe Hacienda, Columbia rereleased Louise's recording and it reached #16. Louise wrote the song about her own house. The band split up in the late 40s. Louise retired and moved to Texas. She died on June 20, 1983 at age 81. There is no Louise Massey comp that has My Adobe Hacienda. You can find it on this 2CD various artists comp. In the 60s, Curt Massey was musical director at The Beverly Hillbillies TV show. He sang the theme for Petticoat Junction. Here's a video for My Adobe Hacienda by Louise Massey and The Westerners.