The Master Musicians of Joujouka - "Brian Jones Presents The Pipes Of Pan At Joujouka" Vinyl LP

The Master Musicians of Joujouka - Brian Jones Presents The Pipes Of Pan At Joujouka

Vinyl LP, U.S., 1971

Rolling Stones Records

For me, Brian Jones is the musician that made The Rolling Stones be the Stones.  One can argue forever with respect how important he was to the band’s make-up, but to me when he left the band (as well as Andrew Loog Oldham) it became a very much of a different music group.  I might add not as one as interesting, because with Brian Jones you get a sense of exploration as well as adventure.  This album pretty much represents the adventure aspect of Brian and his world. 

Sadly I don’t have this record anymore, but Paul Bowles for Folkways or The Library of Congress, was the first one to record The Master Musicians of Joujouka, which in turn inspired a lot of musicians from the West.  Including Brian Jones who at the time must have been looking for something beyond the world of Mick and Keith.  The music here is hypnotic and rhythm orientated.   Brian went to Joujuka with a two-track portable recording machine to capture the magic, and he did.   When he got back to London, he added some stereo effects and did a re-mix of the album.  Its interesting because it is clearly how a western artist looks at another culture, specifically their music. 

It would be a mistake to see this as only music from this particular tribe, because Brian added his sensibility to the mix as well.  Paul Bowles probably captured the essence that is the Musicians, but Brian Jones with this recording added a footnote of sort.  A footnote that is an entrance to another world.   It is tragic that he died, because i suspect he would explore this sort of music more, as well as matching it with the intensity of the blues.  I believe we lost a visionary with the death of Brian Jones.