36 years in the making

November 19, 2013 5:29 PM

Ry Cooder and Corridos Famosos: Live "From this rich catalog, Cooder cherry-picked only a dozen songs to include on Live but they’re fairly representative of his eclectic oeuvre. His picks also feature plenty of his guitar playing, which will please fans who felt (as I sometimes did) that his recent albums were a bit stingy with his greatest asset. " "The shows also were a family affair. The Corridos Famosos include Ry’s son Joachim on drums, Joachim’s wife Juliet Commagere on vocals, and her brother Robert Francis on bass, as well as an old friend and collaborator, Flaco Jimenez, the Tejano accordionist who was at Cooder’s side when he played this venue 34 years earlier. Terry Evans, another veteran of the 1977 shows, handles backup vocals, along with Arnold McCuller, filling in for Cooder’s other longtime singing partner Bobby King." Don't miss the clip at the end of the review.

New Yorker: New Yorker Ry Cooder, Live Again

Vigilante Man

The Dark End of the Street - Terry Evans, Arnold McCuller and Flaco Jiménez - oh man

Volver Volver featuring daughter in law Juliette Commagere

El Corrido de Jesse James

posted by madamjujujive (16 comments total)

"See, I went downtown to the voting room
'Cause I wanted to get my voting done soon
The man said, "We're gonna have to do a little checking on you"
Come back a little later and said, "Well, Buddy, you know, your vote just can't go through
Says you been dead, ten years back. We're sure not gonna take a vote off a dead red cat""-

"One Cat, One Vote, One Beer."

Thank you, Ry Cooder! Cannot wait to make my way through this FPP -- many thanks, madamjujujive!
posted by MonkeyToes at 5:39 PM on November 19, 2013 [1 favorite]

Ry Cooder has never gotten his proper respect. (For instance, how many people know he wrote the intro riff to Honky Tonk Woman?) So many reviews I've read over the years, for example, have spent as much time bitching about his singing chops as praising his guitar playing.

Oh, well, haters gonna hate. More Ry Cooder is great, in my book. Thanks for the links.

(His singing has gotten better over the years, btw.)
posted by Benny Andajetz at 5:53 PM on November 19, 2013

There ain't nothing wrong with Ry's singing. Love the man. I think I've got nearly every album he's put out. I'll have to check this out.
posted by jgaiser at 6:11 PM on November 19, 2013

(Slightly off topic anecdote: I kissed that man, Flaco. Great night when he played the Radcliffe Arms in Oxford, back in '86, I think it was. One of the best gigs I ever went to and only about 80 of us, courtesy of local bar owner and promoter Bob Moore. Happy days!)
posted by dash_slot- at 6:24 PM on November 19, 2013 [1 favorite]

Great story, dash_slot. I had listened to and liked Ry Cooder but was not yet in disciple territory and then I dated a guy whose favorite album was Chicken Skin Music. It knocked my socks off, I'd never heard anything like it - I loved Flaco. I couldn't interest any of my other friends in it, everyone thought it was strange. (!!!) It still remains one of my favorite compilations. So thank you, Eamonn, wherever you are for introducing me to Cooder's Chicken Skin Music and his fabulous collaboration with Flaco Jiménez.

So pleased to see that Ry's son and daughter in law are carrying on the musical tradition.
posted by madamjujujive at 6:39 PM on November 19, 2013 [2 favorites]

And I couldn't be happier than to share this little room on the blue tonight with some other Ry aficionados.
posted by madamjujujive at 6:42 PM on November 19, 2013 [3 favorites]

Wow, thanks for this: Ry Cooder/ Vishwa Mohan Bhatt's A meeting by the river is one of my all time favourites.
posted by dhruva at 7:43 PM on November 19, 2013

Tim Buckley . Ry Cooder . Tim Buckley . Ry Cooder . Tim Buckley . Ry Cooder
perseverating, sorry
posted by de at 8:15 PM on November 19, 2013

Why Don't You Try Me?
posted by Mister Bijou at 9:43 PM on November 19, 2013 [1 favorite]

Vigilante Man
posted by Mister Bijou at 9:50 PM on November 19, 2013

Thanks for the post. I'd probably have missed this entirely, otherwise.
posted by Goofyy at 5:17 AM on November 20, 2013

"Goodnight Irene" (live, 1977).
posted by MonkeyToes at 6:26 AM on November 20, 2013

oh my. its a fiesta here in rio. Woke up. Read this and fired up spotify
and the lady and I have been rocking out for the last hour
Thank you mmjj. * Blows kisses*
posted by adamvasco at 7:01 AM on November 20, 2013 [1 favorite]

Just to add to the joy of my day I had completely forgotten about Jammin with Edward with Nicky Hopkins and a couple of other guys you might know and which includes the wonderful Edward's Thrump Up.
posted by adamvasco at 8:49 AM on November 20, 2013

I love me some Ry.

I have spent much time completely obsessed by every nuance of some of his cuts, like Maria Elena. Well, pretty much all of Boomer's Story.

The essence of a true musician, such great ears and touch
posted by C.A.S. at 9:53 AM on November 20, 2013

I went to both shows. Neener neener.
posted by wellvis at 10:42 AM on November 20, 2013 [1 favorite]