Outsider entertainment

For myself, the attractive aspect of collecting outsider music is the unpredictability of what is stamped into the grooves (or encoded on those new fangled silver discs). Imagine a Cracker Jack box of eccentricity and sincerity.

First up, Abner Jay's "One Man Band" [Subliminal Sounds]:

"For over fifty years Abner was a one-band, hambone and bone player. Except for the six string banjo he also played the old swamp style guitar, harmonica, bass drum, cymbals and sang, all at the same time." (from the liner notes).

Last of the old style minstrel performers, Jay sang songs of social commentary interspersed with raunchy jokes. The set include tunes about Vietnam, cocaine, the hard life of the working man and treacherous women. Folk-art blues best sums it up. Wonderful stuff.

The music Tangela Tricoli [Angela Masson] was on my "must buy" list after hearing a few of her songs on the Incorrect Music and Songs in the Key of Z collections.

"Jet Lady" [Arf! Arf! Records] is a deluxe reissue of her 1982 album. Tricoli is a genuine polymath who flew jets, ran for Mayor of Los Angeles, hosted a cable access show and was most likely the inspiration for Lisa Kudrow's character on "Friends". So what have you accomplished?

Songs about being a Jet Lady, shopping, stinky poodles, glorious mornings and several references to cheese. It's naive and very, very charming. I did mention that this is deluxe reissue and it is that: the booklet contains a lengthy interview with Ms Tricoli and also included is almost a hour's worth of video: The Best of Tangela Tonight, Jet Lady Unplugged and television commercials from her Mayoral campaign. Guaranteed to bring a smile to your face.