Peak of the Week, V. 162
Track: Reba
Artist: Phish
Recorded Live: Warfield Theater, San Francisco, CA, 4/17/92
Comment: Always been a Reba guy. The good ones can really transport you. Fickstein, hizingtons.
(there’s an almost unforgivable half-second break in the sound at perhaps the worst possible time, but put it behind you…this one’s a gem)
Peak of the Week, V. 161
Track: Repeat After Me
Artist: The Three Sounds
Record: Blue Break Beats - 50 Of The Best
Year: 2007
Comment: These guys were Blue Note standbys back in the day (late 50’s/early 60’s). Gene Harris can play piano…stick with it, he goes to town in the second half.
Peak of the Week, V. 160
Artist: Belinda Bedekovic
Comment: Kinda-comedy kinda-super-peaker first place winner…couldn’t have said it better myself, Blubeskis.
(Source: youtube.com)
Peak of the Week, V. 159
Track: Shakedown Street
Artist: Grateful Dead
Recorded Live: The Spectrum, 4/6/82
Comment: This Jerry/Brent duel and the ensuing guitar solo is hall of fame material. Philly ragers were peakin’ hard, no doubt. Forgive me for cutting out a few minutes of meandering vocals before the duel.
Peak of the Week, V. 158
Track: Cherry Pickin
Artist: The Sugarman 3
Record: Sweet Spot
Year: 2001
Comment: The happy sounds of 60’s-esque jazz-funk guitar hammond stew. Ahhh. Good call, Freebzrd.
Peak of the Week, V. 157
Track: Congoman Chant
Artist: Ernest Ranglin
Record: Below The Bassline
Year: 1996
Comment: Sir Steiningtons in the house. Never really knew about this Jamaican guitar legend. This is a sweet little jazz-reggae hybrid. Idris Muhammad on drums, Ira Coleman holding down the sick bass.
Peak of the Week, V. 156
Track: Mr. Chicken
Artist: The Soul Seven
Record: Cold Heat: Heavy Funk Rarities 1968-1974, Vol. 1
Year: Released 3/22/05
Comment: These guys knew what it meant to funkin’ peak.
“In 1969, at a small historically black school called Bishop College in Dallas, a Band Director, Wendell Sneed, had an idea to assemble six students he led in the school’s Ambassador Marching Band to record some of the hardest-hitting funk songs of all time.” Stones Throw Records
Peak of the Week, V. 155
Track: Limb By Limb (peaxtraction)
Artist: Phish
Recorded Live: St. Louis, MO, 8/28/12
Comment: This might be the best thing I’ve ever heard. Thank you, younger Alex.
Peak of the Week, V. 154
Track: Superfred
Artist: Lettuce w/ Fred Wesley
Record: Outta Here
Year: 2002
Comment: The king. Add a pinch of Fred Wesley and prepare to peak.
Peak of the Week, V. 153
Track: Pigs (Three Different Ones)
Artist: Pink Floyd
Record: Animals
Year: 1977
Comment: Brilliant. I love everything about this tune. Roger Waters’s bass lines are so legit, and every little David Gilmour guitar lick adds tremendous value. Even the cow bell is a peak. It’s an 11 minute commitment capped off by a ripping guitar solo that fades out a little too soon for my taste…
