some REALLY GOOD online radio

[Yakov]

not related to swing
http://www.kexp.org
but it's a REALLY GOOD station

[dana]

That *is* a good station AND, and and and, they have an automatically updated playlist with song/artist/album/label, which is just so phenomenally super.

[LazyP]

http://www.boombasticradio.com

It's THE radiostation out there. The best mix I've ever heard. Jazz,blues, reagge, hip hop etc. All the best stuff from all genres, no crap.

[djstarr]

not related to swing
http://www.kexp.org
but it's a REALLY GOOD station

Another benefit of living in Seattle - that's been the local kick-ass station here for a long time; it was formally KCMU, a non-profit station out of University of Washington; a couple of years ago Paul Allen [who I'm sure all of you know as Bill Gates' Microsoft co-founder] invested heavily in the station and linked it to the Experience Music Project, Seattle's music museum, which Paul Allen founded. They changed the call letters to kexp for Experience, but the format remains unchanged.

John in the morning is awesome! It's what I listen to every morning.

And suprisingly enough Yakov, your post *is* related to swing - Amanda Wilde, who is KEXP's regular afternoon DJ, just took over "Swing Years and Beyond", the Saturday night big-band music night [due to the founder of the show committing suicide - very sad story].

I have been so impressed with what a great job Amanda is doing - that show is also broadcast on the radio http://www.kuow.org Saturday nights 7 p.m. to midnight Pacific time.

[Yakov]

http://www.kuow.org/swing_years.asp

i'm digging that playlist! too bad the show's on at the same time as prarie companion

http://www.boombasticradio.com

whoa, they're playing the song with the hook that was stolen for "gangster paradise"!

(it's "pastime paradise" by ray barretto)

[Nate Dogg]

http://www.kuow.org/swing_years.asp

i'm digging that playlist! too bad the show's on at the same time as prarie companion

http://www.boombasticradio.com

whoa, they're playing the song with the hook that was stolen for "gangster paradise"!

(it's "pastime paradise" by ray barretto)

Stolen from Stevie Wonder...

Actually, I think Coolio got permission and Stevie made a ton off of the Coolie remake.

I am interested in hearing Ray Barretto's interpretation.

For those who are interested, the AMG write-up on Pastime Paradise.

Pastime Paradise
Composed By Stevie Wonder
Performed By Wonder, Stevie
Length 3:36
Appears On Songs in the Key of Life [1976]


AMG REVIEW: One of the most successful songs on Songs in the Key of Life, “Pastime Paradise” is one of Stevie Wonder’s best known compositions, due in the most part to its use in the massive hit by Coolio, ”Gangster’s Paradise”. Indeed, although the rap remake may be the better song, there’s much to commend in Wonder’sm original version. It’s one of the first records that uses synth strings that actually sound like synth strings, to revolutionary effect. The minimalist arrangement is very successful, as is the lyrics social commentary which, for a soul record, are especially profound. Wonder’s keyboard playing is, as always, a joy. — Thomas Ward

[nocturne]

if you ask me, the best online radio is at !K7 (http://k7.com/features/k7radio.shtml)
and Compost (http://www.compost-records.com/sections ... /radio.htm)

[shortyjul]

I spend most of my time working at a place with the local crappy lite pop station piped in to all the examination rooms. I guess the labotomy-esque quality has a soothing effect on the patients.

Today Andy sent me the link to KEXP. I am at my desk tonight working on charts and LOVING the programming. I just glanced at the clock to notice it is almost 2 am, but the music has kicked butt since 9. Riz is kicking ass and taking names.

[djstarr]

Yeah, I should get off my butt and go hear Riz live sometime - I think he has a weekly gig downtown...

[Yakov]

when i said 'stole' i was talking about plagarism. that's different from whether or not the original composer got paid. it's a thing i don't like about these songs, they take an old great song, change some of the words, add a canned beat, and presto! a hit. (cough) hard knock life (cough) it's the laziest way to write a song.

[Nate Dogg]

when i said 'stole' i was talking about plagarism. that's different from whether or not the original composer got paid. it's a thing i don't like about these songs, they take an old great song, change some of the words, add a canned beat, and presto! a hit. (cough) hard knock life (cough) it's the laziest way to write a song.

Plagarism implies that there was some sort of theft/deception to defraud the orginal composer. Stevie Wonder is listed as one of the writers of "Gangsta Paradise." I don't think he was ever not credited (see the Gilbert O'Sullivan vs Biz Markie case for an example of where the rapper did try to steal a song, Vanilla Ice/Queen is another example, plenty more out there).

It is sad that most people have no knowledge of song composers and the original versions. Sometimes, it seems like every hit rap song is mostly sampled from other songs. That being said, it is a bit rough to use words like "stole" and "theft" when they are legitimately licensed. Coolio covered the Stevie Wonder song with significant changes. That is how I see it.

If you go back to the swing era, many songs were covers. So, I think appreciation of the original artist/composer has been an issue for a long time. It just has evolved to what we have today (the quickest way to make a hip hop hit is to rework a previous hit).

Coolio himself is sort of a joke, he got upset when Weird Al reworked Gangsta Paradise, I think he forgot that his biggest hit was written by Stevie Wonder, not himself.

I don't think Stevie Wonder ever was too offended, he added "Pastime Paradise" to his set lists and started getting fat royalty checks.

[djstarr]

Coolio himself is sort of a joke, he got upset when Weird Al reworked Gangsta Paradise, I think he forgot that his biggest hit was written by Stevie Wonder, not himself.

this is really off topic, but I've been following Celebrity Poker Showdown -- the episode with Coolio was really really funny - he bet hard to get him thrown out first, then spent the whole time in the loser's lounge on the phone.

[Yakov]

If you go back to the swing era, many songs were covers....It just has evolved to what we have today (the quickest way to make a hip hop hit is to rework a previous hit).

Hm, good point, I never thought of it that way. Not to mention how much reworking without credit was going on all throughout the swing era and even moreso throughout the bop era. For example, "Moten Swing" is a riff on "I Found A New Baby." There are tons of examples from bop, like how "Cherokee" by Ray Noble became "Ko-Ko" by Charlie Parker. And probably 60% of swing tunes are based on "I've Got Rhythm." I just wish rappers seemed to be more conscious of this kind of history.

I'm not terribly familiar with Vanilla Ice... are you talking about that bass line thing? His bass line really was different, and the idea of owning something as basic as that bass line... personally I would side with him in that dispute...

[Nate Dogg]

I'm not terribly familiar with Vanilla Ice... are you talking about that bass line thing? His bass line really was different, and the idea of owning something as basic as that bass line... personally I would side with him in that dispute...

A few years Back VH1 had a Behind the Music episode on Vanilla Ice. They had interview with him explaining how the Queen song and Ice, Ice Baby were totally different songs. They added in the excerpts of the song to show how full of it he was. It was hilarious.

[julius]

A lot of the indignation over using stuff in hip hop is because the original music is sampled, not just played in a song. There's a qualitative difference between playing someone else's riff in your song and actually lifting portions of the original track and putting it into your own.

I personally don't really care that much. Music is about making a sound rhythmically. If the sound happens to be a 2 second bass line from some other song, OK, go nuts, just give credit where it's due (and pay yer royalties!)