Ken Nordine ‎– "Word Jazz" (Dot Records) 1957

'A somewhat new medium', it says on the cover. Was this the start of 'Rap'? There's certainly a beatnik vibe to these comforting mono monologues,and after all, 'Rap', was a hipster term for talking.
Yeah I know, us 'Honkys' are alway misapropriating Black Culture and claiming it for the supreme white race.I'm still looking for that KKK rap record,I'm sure it exists.However, I suppose I could slag, John Coltrane off for using a Belgian instrument, but I won't be so petty. We are Humans all, and Humans are responsible for Rap music......for their eternal shame.I'm proud to say it had fuck all to do with me.I can comfortably claim 'Nicht Schuldig' in the Nuremburg Rap Trials for crimes against music, fashion and culture in general, which ocurred in the mid to late 2050's......does this groovy concept come under Retro-Futurism or Alternative Histories?
Would you let a Rapper into your Nuclear Bunker,or hermatically sealed anti-Virus pod? Be it Vanilla Ice or Ice-T?...the answer is NO FUCKING WAY.Would sooner have a dose of anthrax or Radiation Sickness before I allowed even a basball cap anywhere near me during the nuclear winter.
Lots of actors started talking,rather than singing over some hip music from the mid to late (nineteen)fifties onwards,and i guess there were similar star vehicles before Nordine,but Ken gets the plaudits.
Nordines smooth voice flows like hot chocolate sauce over a waffle,and his intonation gives these charming stories a slightly surreal edge,all layered over the Fred Katz Group's cartoon jazz.
Among the laid back vibes and cigarette commercial narration, there lies some astute observations about Human culture and behaviour of the naked ape.Above all,and its not something I refer to very often on this blog, its entertaining?

Tracklist:

A1 What Time Is It? 3:48
A2 My Baby 2:36
A3 Sound Museum 7:09
A4 The Vidiot 5:30
B1 Roger 5:05
B2 Hunger Is From 3:47
B3 Looks Like It's Going To Rain 3:27
B4 Flibberty Jib 4:42

DOWNLOAD the word you cool Katz HERE!