In a bizarre twist of fate, Al Jarnow, whose films we featured on NUM031 Celestial Navigations: The Short Films of Al Jarnow, returns to Sesame Street for the first time in 25 years this week. Though his films have remained in circulation on the program for decades, “3 Primary Colors”–made with viral video phenom band OK Go, marks his return to the style of experimental, educational stop-motion animation he helped pioneer on the program and other Children’s Television Workshop shows in the 1970s.

For more of his classic work from Sesame Street & 3-2-1 Contact that you grew up watching check out our DVD that also includes, his heady avant-garde independent films, a documentary about his creative process, video playlists for children and adults alike, and a 60 page book that not only goes over Al’s career but also the NYC underground film community of the 60s and 70s.

A perfect companion piece to the immersive I Travel Alone (March ’12), Love Apple was a presumably undocumented chapter in Lou Ragland’s recording career. But when a rehearsal tape from 1978 turned up in the Boddie archives, we knew that the two were destined to share shelf space. Below is a needle drop of some of the record’s most brilliant moments—the choice nugs, if you will. There are three ladies singing their hearts out, Lou Ragland on guitar, and Tony Roberson on drums (No bass—like the White Stripes!) These six songs, in their entirety, will go on sale February 28th, a full month before their bandleader’s dedicated release.

While going through an old projects folder, I (Ken) happened upon a handful of correspondence from our very own Rob Sevier as we struggled to find our footing in those first two years. A few prescient bits of that correspondence follow.

We briefly flirted with the idea of licensing major label catalog, Rob was less than enthusiastic:

From: Rob Sevier

Subject: Re: WEA List

Date: February 23, 2004 12:26:18 AM CST

To: Ken Shipley

These lists are like fucking dollar bins. Here are the meager possibilities:

Elektra
KILROY, PAT LIGHT OF DAY EK 7311
NOONAN, STEVE STEVE NOONAN EK 74017
ST. JOHN, BRIDGET ASK ME NO QUESTIONS EK 9101
ST. JOHN, BRIDGET SONGS FOR THE GENTLE MAN EK 74104

Warner
VALLE, MARCOS BRAZILIANCE 1654

Atlantic
ALEXANDER, HAROLD RAW ROOT
FINCH GLORY OF THE INNER FORCE ATL SD 36124 (if this is the band I think it is.)
RASPUTIN’S STASH RASPUTIN’S STASH ATL SD 9046

You may have discovered some difficulty in acquiring the handful of singles issued by R. Jose William’s New Directions label, even if you happen to dwell in the District of Columbia where they were theoretically distributed. Distribution problems will hamper you no longer… East Coast Connection’s “Summer In The Parks” and Promise’s “I’m Not Ready For Love”, alongside 17 other songs emerging out of Jose Williams’ production laboratory, will be available at your local record vendor and played by any discerning disc jockey in your town.

A Red Black and Green Production is a unique presentation of soul recordings between 1971 and 1975 that emerged from the fecund Washington D.C. soul scene. They are not linked because they were distributed by the same record label or feature the same artist, or recorded at the same studio, or even pressed at the same plant. They are linked because the same magician established their sound. R. Jose Williams moved from studio to studio and label to label, but his brilliant skills were the only necessary ingredient in the extraordinary recordings he produced. 041 Eccentric Soul: A Red Black Green Production is the missing link between the greatest sessions produced in America’s capitol city.

Late last year we issued a press release about a new direction Numero was going in: The 1990s. Alright, it didn’t explicitly say that, but it was implied in the content. On May 8th 2012 we’ll be reissuing the near-complete works of the seminal “slowcore” pioneers Codeine, and we’ll be setting a new standard for the modern reissue as a result. Their three albums for Seattle’s Sub Pop label, 1990′s Frigid Stars LP, 1992′s Barely Real, and 1994′s The White Birch, have been given the full Numero treatment, in a package that rivals our Boddie box.

All three double albums will be sold separately, or you can buy them together as the deluxe box set: When I See The Sun. We’ll be announcing a pre-order for the box shortly, and the first 500 will come with a bonus 45. Watch this spot for details.

The contents:

Frigid Stars LP
A
1. D
2. Gravel Bed
3. Pick Up Song
4. 3 Angels
5. New Year’s

B
1. Second Chance
2. Cave-In
3. Cigarette Machine
4. Old Things
5. Pea

C
1 Castle (SOS Demo)
2 Skeletons (SOS Demo)
3 Three Angels (SOS Demo)
4 Corner Store (SOS Demo)
5 Summer Dresses (SOS Demo)

D
1 Pea (Acoustic)
2 Second Chance (Demo)
3 Pickup Song (Demo)
4 Cave-In (Demo)
5 Kitchen (SOS Demo)

Barely Real
A
1. Realize
2. Jr
3. Barely Real

B
1. Hard To Find
2. W.
3. Promise Of Love

C
1 JR (Dessau Demo)
2 Hydroplane (Live)
3 Wird (Dessau Demo)
4 I Wonder (Dessau Demo)

D
1 Tom (Dessau Demo)
2 A l’Ombre de Nous
3 Cracked in Two
4 Realize (Alternate take)
5 Broken-Hearted Wine

The White Birch
A
1. Sea
2. Loss Leader
3. Vacancy
4. Kitchen Light
5. Washed Up

B
1. Tom
2. Ides
3. Wird
4. Smoking Room

C
1 Median (Peel Session)
2 Loss Leader (Peel Session)
3 Sure Looks That Way (Peel Session)
4 D (Live)

D
1 Atmosphere
2 Something New
3 Ides (Demo)
4 Smoking Room (Demo)

Additionally, a CD of the same material will accompany each album, packaged in a manner that is respectful of the object—not just thrown in as an afterthought.

Lastly, the band has announced a handful of dates to support the re-release of their catalog.After that, they go back in the box for another 20 years. Three dates have been confirmed, with another dozen or so club gigs to follow:

May 26 London – All Tomorrow’s Parties
June 1 Barcelona – Primavera
June 8 Porto, Portugal – Primavera Porto

Check out the SF Weekly article.

Released back in 2007,  The ABCs of Kid Soul was damned by the general perception that we had just released a novelty record. Five years later, the lack of support from the Dr. Demento show proves otherwise. Instead, it continues to haunt the listener, and as their kids grow older (or are born in the first place) it resonates more and more. Ryan Foley from the SF Weekly shares some of his meditations on the phenomena that we researched and presented in our most eccentric non-Eccentric Soul release.

“I think we’re all familiar with how it works: You were that great swimmer in high school and you went to state. But then you never went any further with it. You just moved on, tried to avoid being disappointed. It was all about maintaining a good perspective on things.”

In addition to bringing Syl Johnson to Los Angeles for his first show there in over 30 years (BTW: it’s almost sold out, so if you want to go, jump on those tickets now), Numero is immersing ourselves fully in the Southern California experience and throwing a film premiere. Sorta.

The first film by acclaimed director Andy Davis (Under Siege, The Fugitive, Holes), Stony Island follows the rise of a fictional working Chicago showband at the close of the ’70s. Shot entirely in Chicago—largely without permits—the film features a legion of classic Chicago players, including Gene Barge, Phil Upchurch, Larry Ball, Richie Davis, Tennyson Stephens, Ronnie Barron, and a young Susanna Hoffs, alongside Dennis Franz and Rae Dawn Chong.

We’ve been talking to Andy about reissuing the film for years, but have never come to any kind of accord. He has graciously allowed us to screen the original 35MM print for the first time in Los Angeles in over 30 years. Our friends at Cinefamily are co-hosting at their Silent Movie Theater.

The details:

Stony Island

February 10th
10:30PM
The Silent Movie Theater
611 N Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles, CA

Additionally, Andy Davis will be doing a director’s Q&A, and Numero will DJ on the Cinefamily patio for a few hours after. The theater only holds 150 people, and there will not be a second show. If you want to go, it would be best to secure your tickets now.

Still not convinced? Watch this trailer from 1978:

On Numero’s very first release, Eccentric Soul: The Capsoul Label, label owner Bill Moss told of his musical meeting with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. [citation needed]:

“I had the pleasure of meeting Doctor King. What’d I say? Sock it to ‘em Soul Brother! He was down in Alabama doing his thing. Do it again! Sock it to ‘em Soul Brother!“

Solid advice, from one Soul Brother to another. In reverence of Martin Luther King Jr., Numero is offering a free download of this occasion-appropriate tune from our catalog.

Click here to download “Sock It To ‘Em Soul Brother” by Bill Moss, FREE. 

On Saturday, January 28th, Eula Cooper will join the scores of soul luminaries to have played Brooklyn’s celebrated Dig Deeper party. Cooper was featured prominently on the cover of Eccentric Soul: The Tragar and Note Labels , and is sure to play a host of hits, originally minted on these robust Atlanta labels.  For fans of soul records and the artists that recorded them, Dig Deeper is a must, should you find yourself residing in—or just visiting—New York City. To avoid getting left out in the cold (like numerous New Years Eve revelers), order your tickets here.

Eula Cooper backed by Meah Pace & the MAP Legends

January 28, 2012 @ Southpaw

125 5th Ave, Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY

$12 adv / $15 doors

If your feelings for this would be best expressed on Facebook, there’s a link for that, too.