soul sides

THIS WEEK AT BOOGALOO[L.A.], 8/21 - O-DUB, PHATRICK AND RANI D

2008-08-20T22:58:00.000-07:00

It's DJ O-Dub, joined by special guests: the Bay Area's DJ Phatrick and L.A.'s own Rani D. Two Chinos and a Filipino!

10pm - 2am
Free!

TIME TRAVELING WITH TAJ

2008-08-19T22:53:00.000-07:00

Taj Mahal : Cakewalk Into Town
taken from the album "Recycling The Blues & Other Related Stuff"
on Columbia (1972)

Taj Mahal : Farther On Down The Road
taken from the album "Giant Step" on Columbia (1969)

Taj Mahal : Queen Bee & Salsa de Laventille
taken from the album "Evolution" on Warner Bros (1978)

Taj Mahal : Why Did You Have To Desert Me?
& Clara (St. Kitts Woman)
taken from the album "Mo' Roots" on Columbia (1974)

Taj Mahal : Satisfied 'N Tickled Too, Easy To Love & Misty Morning Ride
taken from the album "Satisfied 'N Tickled Too" on Columbia (1976)

When you fall in love with a song, you mark yourself for life. You can forget about the song, but you won't forget the song. You'll hear it again and experience the type of space-time warping that string theory scientists are still struggling to define. And when you really need a particular piece of music from your past, when a hungry hole of nostalgia or pain rings in your chest like an empty hallway, you have the innate ability to diagnose yourself with the perfect musical prescription. Turning up the volume and traveling on memories is a magic luxury that has carried our ancestors through struggle since the dawn of the lullaby. This week I was in need of comfort, and from some unknown inner dimension, my memory played a melody that collapsed the past into the present and future. I felt my 16 year-old self hearing "Cakewalk Into Town" for the very first time (endless thanks to Chattanooga Hammy Hamilton for that introduction), I could feel the me now, lying on the floor with a little ball of fur named Rosco purring between my fingertips, and I could also see the brightness yet to come. After playing that first Taj LP, I pulled out one after another and continued tripping through past loves. There's so many good tunes, and somehow I'd gone all these years without a single one on MP3!?! Now I've been listening to Taj almost exclusively for a week and I figured I should share my little personal "best of" collection - even though there's lots more to check for.

The music of Taj Mahal is roots and soul. Part Cymande, part Muddy Waters, part (dare I say it) Grateful Dead- entirely it's own entity which fits within no genre. Call me cheesy, call me a hippy, your words will fall flat against the might of what I feel when I listen to his songs. Where else does steel drum and harmonica mix with banjo and flute so naturally? And his voice alone carries some songs- raw and warm like milk out the utter. It hath been taken there. I'm still a country boy at heart and every once in a while I have to let it show. Truth be told, my lil baby brother was even named "Taj" after senor blues himself.

JIMMY MCGRIFF: GIANT OF THE ORGAN

2008-08-14T12:01:00.000-07:00

(Editor's Note: This comes from Matt Rogers, one of the contributing editors at Wax Poetics and someone who I thought could do an excellent retrospective on the late Jimmy McGriff (who we lost earlier this year). With his death, alongside that of Jack McDuff and Jimmy Smith, one of the greatest sets of jazz organists to ever come through are now gone. Rogers pays proper tribute to one of those masters. --O.W.)

Written by Matt Rogers:

this

I've Got A Woman
From I've Got A Woman (Sue, 1962)

Kiko
From Jimmy McGriff at the Organ (Sue 1964)

Jungle Cat
7" (Jell, 196?)

Where It's At
From Where the Action Is (Veep, 1965ish)

Motoring Along
From Step 1 (Solid State, 1968)

Jimmy Smith: Motoring Along
From Home Cookin' (Blue Note, 1958)

Tequila
From Cherry (Solid State, 1966)

I Got the Feelin'
From Honey (Solid State, 1968)

The Worm
From The Worm (Solid State, 1968)

A Thing to Come By, Pt. 2
From A Thing to Come By (Solid State, 1969)

Chris Cross & The Bird Wave
From Electric Funk (Blue Note, 1969)

Ain't It Funky Now
From Soul Sugar (Capitol, 1971)

Jimmy McGriff & Junior Parker: No One Knows (What Goes On When The Door Is Closed)
From Jimmy McGriff & Junior Parker (United Artists, 1971)

Jimmy McGriff & Junior Parker: Drownin' On Dry Land
From Good Things Don't Happen Every Day (Groove Merchant, 1971)

Tiki
From Let's Stay Together (Groove Merchant, 1972)

Jimmy McGriff & "Groove" Holmes: Beans
From Giants of the Organ in Concert (Groove Merchant, 1973)

Jimmy McGriff:The Main Squeeze
From The Main Squeeze (Groove Merchant, 1974)

Stump Juice
From Stump Juice (Groove Merchant, 1975)

Jerry Wexler: 1917 - 2008

It's been a bad week. More to follow.

SNIPPING SIMPLY

2008-08-14T10:14:00.001-07:00

Bill Withers: No Hands, Gramma (Re-edit by Shoes)
Taken from the whitelabel 12" (2008)

Barbara Acklin: I Can't Be Myself (Floorman Re-Edit)
Mp3 taken from here

Chic: I Want Your Love (Re-Edit by Todd Terje)
Taken from a mix cd that a friend gave me... (a few weeks ago)

James Brown: Sayin' It And Doin' It (Sugarloaf Gangsters Mix)
Taken from the album Doin' James on Gamm (2008)

Chaka Khan: Every Little Thing (Barna Soundmachine Edit)
Taken from the whitelabel 12" (2005)

Ralfi Pagan: Didn't Want To Have To Do It (4 Hero Remix)
Taken from the album I Like It Like That: Fania Remixed on Fania (2008)

"Simplify, simplify." --Henry David Thoreau

I've always liked that quote. And let it be known, friends, that as sure as it applies to the great quandries of existentialism, so too with... a proper re-edit.

The beauty of a good re-hashing of somebody else's (hopefully) already realized work is the subtle accentuation of elements already present to form a just-barely-ever-so-slightly-more groovy groove. A more slinky slink. A more rifftastic riff. Likely, but not necessarily limited to the intention of moving a dancefloor more provocatively.

But pay heed re-editors and re-mixers, because often the song itself doesn't need too much work... Your job is to find those few subtle elements and re-establish them as the cornerstones of the whole shebang. All you're looking for is one narrow window--a guitar line, a bass burble, a drum break--and suddenly a 3 minute song becomes 6, a piano spurt becomes a great anticipatory soliloquy... and a dancefloor becomes a temple to your work.

The tracks: These are some of my current favorites in the re-edit department. Some for their obvious potency on a dancefloor (Chaka Khan, James Brown) others for their truly fine interpretations of the originals (Bill Withers, Ralfi Pagan). I do feel a need to emphasize just HOW amazing "Didn't Want To Have To Do It" is... This song for me has been a frickin' revelation. As a long time fan of Mr. Pagan (and 4 Hero, for that matter), this little number absolutely guts me, leaving me panting, sweating and begging for more.

The rest I'll let speak for themselves.

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ALSO. Tonight is BOOGALOO! @ The Short Stop in Echo Park (1455 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles,90004)

For those of you who haven't made it out yet... QUIT SLEEPIN'!!! Thursdays are your weekly chance to get up on joints like these while getting down on the dancefloor. Holler.

ISAAC HAYES: COVER HIM!

2008-08-11T23:02:00.001-07:00

Mighty Voices of Wonder: I Thank the Lord
From Good God! A Gospel Funk Hymnal (Numero Group, 2006)

JoAnn Garrett: Walk On By
From Just a Taste (Chess, 1969)

Joe Bataan: Shaft
From Saint Latin's Day Massacre (Fania, 1972)

Lyn Collins: Do Your Thing
From James Brown's Funky People Pt. 2 (Polydor, 1988)

El Michels Affair: Hung Up On My Baby
From Sounding Out the City (Truth and Soul, 2006)

As promised, a few cover songs of Isaac Hayes tunes and compositions in honor of the late master's catalog. To be honest, it's not quite as easy as you'd think. True, there's a gazillion "Shaft" covers but remember that in Hayes' post-Hot Buttered Soul career, most of his groundbreaking songs were reinterpretations of other people's songs rather than original compositions. That said, in the case of JoAnn Garrett's "Walk On By," it's clear that she's working off of Hayes' epic version rather than playing with the Bacharach/Warwick versions.

We start though with a Hayes/Porter composition, a very striking gospel funk cover of Sam and Dave's "I Thank You" renamed into "I Thank the Lord" by the Mighty Voices of Wonder. The gospel group takes a more lo-fi approach which only makes the opening drums that much rougher. Good god, indeed.

I generally am not a huge fan of the "Shaft" theme regardless of who is performing it but hey, if my man Joe Bataan is going to cover it, I might as well let it shine. This was a surprising hit for him, so much so that Fania came out with a second run of his Sweet Soul LP and put it on there and then released it, again, on Joe's last album for Fania, Saint Latin's Day Massacre. Caliente!

Lyn Collins' incredible cover of "Do Your Thing" (probably the best thing to come off the Shaft soundtrack) actually never was released back in the '70s when it was first recorded. Instead, it found exposure finally in 1988 as part of Polydor's hugely successful James Brown's Funky People series. How successful? Enough so that Collins' long-delayed version found instant fans amongst rap producers, including Dr. Dre who hooked it up lovely for Above the Law's "Another Execution" circa 1990.

"Hung Up On My Baby," from the Tough Guys soundtrack was another hip-hop favorite back in the '90s which no doubt influenced Brooklyn's El Michels Affair to cover the song on their excellent, slept-on 2006 debut (they also did a nice job with "Walk On By" as fans of Soul Sides Vol. 2 already know). I like their take on "Hung Up," - it's cooler, a bit chiller in the cut but still has that classic melody that's so haunting.

Feel free to add your own favorite Hayes covers in the comments.

SUMMER MADNESS

2008-08-11T09:59:00.000-07:00

Curtis Mayfield & The Staple Singers : After Sex
taken from the Soundtrack album "Let's Do It Again" on Curtom (1975)

Bill Conti : Reflections
taken from the soundtrack album "ROCKY" on Capitol (1976)

Kool & The Gang : Summer Madness
taken from the album "Light Of Worlds" on Dee-Lite (1974)

Shuggie Otis : Island Letter
taken from the album "Inspiration Information" on Epic (1974)

Ok, so this is not my official "Summer Songs" post, which is now going to be a dog days affair, but I want to let everyone know that I'm not dead and am still in love with music. I've been going through some pretty heavy stuff lately (basically a divorce, even though we weren't technically married), and working in the studio more than is probably healthy (you'll hear the fruits of labor soon enough), but I'm getting back to the blog for real now. I love this place and the chance to sit down with a lil handful of songs like these ones I picked out today feels highly therapeutic.

I heard Curtis Mayfield's "After Sex" (an old forgotten favorite of mine) yesterday at my friend's spot, and as I lay melting into the wheelchair that he uses as furniture (superior by far to any lazyboy) I realized that the song was expressing the exact the sound inside me right now. I found myself pulling the needle back at least 10 times. Bill Conti's "Reflections" came to mind next, as an extension of the same sentiment. I still remember watching Rocky for the first time (it was a hot Summer day then too) and loving the scene where he's alone in his grimey little apartment and he drops the needle on a record... "Reflections". It wasn't until I later scooped Kool & The Gang's "Light Of Worlds" that I realized Conti was doing what appears to be a pretty blatant knock-off track for the soundtrack (doesn't really take away from my appreciation of it somehow). And then, to complete the vibe, I knew a little Shuggie was necessary. So here's to a peaceful and uplifting moment of inner exploration. We all know the feeling.

ps- R.I.P. Isaac Hayes

ISAAC HAYES: 1942 - 2008

2008-08-10T13:16:00.001-07:00

Like the passing of James Brown, Curtis Mayfield or Ray Charles, it is hard to fully grasp the enormity of what has been lost with this weekend's death of Isaac Hayes. The baritone giant will forever be linked with Shaft, for better or for worse, but as critically and commercially important that was in Hayes' long career, it is just one tiny fragment of his overall contributions to R&B and soul music. Hayes was much more than a singer; he was a composer, a writer, an arranger and producer, as multi-talented as any R&B figure, including contemporaries such as Stevie Wonder or Smokey Robinson.

Remember that before Hayes ever graced his own album covers, he and writing/composing partner David Porter had penned some 200 songs for Stax/Volt Records; theirs was one of the most prolific and important of collaborations. The Hayes/Porter name, like Motown's Holland-Dozier-Holland or Philly Intl's Gamble-Huff, was like a stamp of excellence for most of the singles and albums the credit appeared on. They are best known for Sam and Dave's hits like "Soul Man" and "Hold On, I'm Comin" but my personal favorites were some of the tracks they wrote for Stax/Volt's female artists.

Ruby Johnson: I'll Run Your Hurt Away
From 7" (Volt, 1966).

The Charmels: As Long As I've Got You
From 7" (Volt, 1967)

Both available on The Complete Stax-Volt Singles, Vol. 1

Soul Children: The Sweeter He Is
From S/T (Stax, 1969)

The Emotions: So I Can Love You
From So I Can Love You (Stax, 1969)

When Hayes set out onto his solo career with 1968's Presenting Isaac Hayes, it was a surprising flop and Hayes placed much on the blame on the fact that he hadn't been able to make the album his way (for example, the original version of "Precious, Precious" tops out at over 19 minutes but on the album, it was cut to less than 3. For his next album, Hot Buttered Soul, Al Bell gave Hayes a green-light to do whatever he wanted and thus was born one of the greatest soul albums ever recorded. For those who've heard the single-shortened versions of songs like "Walk On By" and "By the Time I Get To Phoenix," you're still getting good songs but they're removed from the incredible majesty of their album versions - 15+ minute epic songs of orchestral swells and rhythmic thunder. Much has also been made of his innovation on "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" where he monologues for nearly nine minutes before actually getting into the song itself. The device has been turned into gimmick by some (see Alicia Keys on "You Don't Know My Name") but it's better to think of it as part of the same tension/release cycle that was so much a part of Hayes' output in these years.

For those who've heard this again, listen to it again - tune everything else out and just listen to this. Loudly. If you've never heard this before? Hold ya head.

Isaac Hayes: Walk On By (album version)
From Hot Buttered Soul (Stax, 1969)

The next two Hayes albums, The Isaac Hayes Movement and To Be Continued were also cut in similar fashion to Hot Buttered Soul, each song a sonic journey, filled with all kinds of melodic and rhythmic turns and twists. I need to really sit with Movement more but I was enjoying To Be Continued again, earlier today, and the album is as incredible a listening experience as anything he's ever turned out. Here's two-thirds of his B-side medley, including his sublime instrumental, "Ike's Mood I" and a surprising cover of the Righteous Bros.' hit, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling."

This all culminated with 1971's Black Moses, a double album whose title and artwork were more of the label's choosing than Hayes but it's hard to hold back on messianic analogies given how masterfully Hayes can take on half a dozen of other people's songs and then put his permanent stamp on them (Movement was similar in this respect). I've included one of the two "never" songs from the album, his version of Jerry Butler's "Never Gonna Give You Up" (the other was Hayes' cover of the Jackson 5's "Never Can Say Goodbye.")

Isaac Hayes: Ike's Mood I/You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling
From To Be Continued (Enterprise, 1970)

Isaac Hayes: Never Gonna Give You Up
From Black Moses (Stax, 1971)

According to Melvin Van Peebles in an interview I had with him, the filmmaker and blaxploitation visionary was responsible for setting the chain of events in motion that lead to Hayes recording Shaft. Peebles had recorded the soundtrack for his Sweetback's Baadassss Song for Stax, mostly because in those days, Stax head Al Bell was open to taking all kinds of chances, including putting out a soundtrack by a then-unknown Earth, Wind and Fire, for Peebles' independently financed film about sex, drugs and violence in the Black ghetto. When Sweetback turned out to be the most successful independent film of the year, with the soundtrack blowing up as well, MGM decided to change the lead character in Shaft from a white detective to Black and then went to Stax to see if they'd be willing to partner on the soundtrack. Hayes was chosen to head the project and a classic was born.

Personally, if I never heard the theme to Shaft again, it'd be too soon but I've always had a special fondness for the charming beauty of "Ellie's Love Theme." Hayes would go onto record two more blaxploitation soundtracks, for Tough Guys and Truck Turner respectively. None of them had the same impact as Shaft though that's not to say there aren't some concrete-crackin' hits on them, such as Truck Turner's dark "Breakthrough" or Tough Guys' memorable "Hung Up On My Baby."

Isaac Hayes: Ellie's Love Theme
From Shaft OST (Enterprise, 1971)

Isaac Hayes: Breakthrough
From Truck Turner OST (Enterprise, 1974)

I'll be the first to admit, after this point, my familiarity with Hayes' catalog begins to fall off considerably (and for many purists, Hayes' disco-era work is nowhere near as revered), save perhaps for "A Few More Kisses To Go" given the Redman connection. I'll end by saying that, with some artists, Hayes is one of those artists whose work I always respected when he was alive but as is too often the case, you don't realize how truly remarkable someone like he is until he's gone. Having spent much of the afternoon just revisiting his catalog, I'm even more in awe than ever. An incredible man, an incredible loss at age 65.

For more...

Fresh Air's interview with Hayes from 1994
Hayes performing "The Look of Love" at Wattstax.
Hayes...the Chef years

...and maybe I'll whip up a post of the best covers of Hayes' songs...

JOE BATAAN: THE LOST SIDES

2008-08-07T00:45:00.000-07:00

Joe Bataan: Gypsy Woman (original, Futura version) + Latin Soul Square Dance
From Under the Streetlamps: 1967-1972 (Fania, 2008)

I'm very, very proud to announce the new Fania anthology focused on the work of Joe Bataan, Under the Streetlamps. I was fortunate enough to be asked to write the liner notes for the compilation - you can read a teaser here - and as always, it was a pleasure to rap with Joe but also my first opportunity to speak with the great Bobby Marin as well.

I've, er, waxed poetic about Joe on numerous occasions, especially here, so I won't add a great deal (though look for my Side Dishes post this week to go over some of the basics). I do want to bring attention to the two songs above though, both of which are important inclusions on the anthology. The "Gypsy Woman" version here is quite a find since it's never been released previously and very few people have ever heard it before. Futura was Al Santiago's (Alegre) short-lived label and a truly missed opportunity since Santiago recorded both Joe and Willie Colon at a time when no one in the Latin music world had really heard of them but he never capitalized on their potential. This version of "Gypsy Woman" is markedly different from the Fania version; it's quite slower which gives it a very different feel. Maybe it's just familiarity but I think the eventual version is better than this early attempt but just for history's sake, it's cool to hear the first try.

"Latin Soul Square Dance" comes from the opposite end of Joe's Fania career. This was never released as a commercial single (just promo only) and it's from Joe's "lost" Live From San Frantasia album from which the masters are still MIA and may never be found. It would have come out had Joe not finally stepped off of Fania (with whom he was having issues with at the time) and went on to help found Salsoul Records with the Cayre Bros. Again, a really cool track to include since so few people have ever heard it. Enjoy!

PLAYING CATCH-UP

2008-08-07T00:32:00.001-07:00

Been out of town for a bit (shout out to both Big City and Good Records in NYC!) but wanted to quickly catch folks up on some posts you might have missed:

Karen Tongson put together an excellent, eclectic Summer Songs post.
Adam Mansbach also dropped some summer cuts for us, with an appealing mix of hip-hop, jazz and soul.
I wrote about the new Jackson Conti album, plus a revisit of "California Soul" for my new weekly Vibe blog, Side Dishes.

DESPERATE TIMES CALL FOR DESPERATE PLEASURES

2008-07-30T19:48:00.000-07:00

Johnny Johnson: Love Is Blue
Taken from the album Soul Survivor on Bell (1970)

Third Guitar: Lovin' Lies
Taken from the 7" on Rojac

The Parliaments: Your Goodies Are Gone
Taken from the 7" on Revilot

Eddie Holman: Four Walls
Taken from the album I Love You on ABC (1969)

O, wracked wail of heartache. O, plaintive moan of sorrow. How the heart strains!

The selections today are born of the kind anguish that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. The kind where the knees buckle and the heart cramps. The kind that can reduce a grown man to pathetic teary desperation. The kind of abject grief that can drive a guy to the loony bin... or, if fortune prevails, to the recording booth.

Here, we get lucky with the latter.

Leading off with the Johnny Johnson track: um, I mean, WOW. How about this joint. Forget about the folk guitar that gives way to the meanest orchestral onslaught since Beethoven's Fifth. Forget about the Ghostface sample. Forget that this track has been recorded by a bunch of heads. THIS IS THE VERSION. Listen to ol' boy holding that note in the last bar of the song. That, my friends, is suffering.

Third Guitar are best known for making a highly noteworthy appearance on Shadow & Chemist's Brainfreeze, but listen to these cats digging deep on "Lovin' Lies". When was the last time heard such ballistic hand drums, breaks and heavy emoting crammed into a track that clocks in at under two minutes?

Then there's George Clinton in his pre-Funkadelic days cranking out a hard-hitting soul number with the Parliaments (drop the "s", add acid, and you've got one loked out 70 year old with technicolor dreadlocks). A recent flea market find that I can't seem to get enough of.

And lastly, a repeat of one of the first posts put up on this blog. A song that I have ADORED since the moment it entered my life and will likely continue to adore until the day I die. What a shame that Eddie Holman will only ever be remembered for "Hey, There Lonely Girl" because, as far as I'm concerned this is as good as it gets. Wail on, brother man. Wail on.

PICK SIX: HARMONIZE!

2008-07-26T14:42:00.000-07:00

The Notations: It Only Hurts For a Little While
From S/T (Gemigo, 1975)

The Temprees: Explain It To Her Mama
From Lovemen (We Produce, 1972). Also on Best Of.

The Persuaders: Trying Girls Out
From S/T (ATCO, 1973)

The Modulations: Those Were the Best Days of My Life
From It's Rough Out Here (Buddah, 1975)

The Moments: Love on a 2-Way Street
From Not On the Outside, But on the Inside, Strong! (Stang, 197?)

The Montclairs: Dreaming Out of Season
From Dreaming Out of Season (Paula, 1972). Also on Make Up For Lost Time.

Bonus: The Flamingos: Why Can't Susie Go to School With Lucy
From Today (Ronze, 197?)

I'm working backwards here since this was my original, introductory post to the Pick Six series. Note: I'm fond of starting new series that promptly go nowhere so just be warned. The idea behind the series was based around the relative little time I have these days to get more posts up and throwing up six at a time seemed like one way to clear the slate faster. However, it also gave me an opportunity to think of my own music library more thematically, hence each Pick Six post will have some kind of thread that ties all them together. Last time, it was Louie Ramirez and for this post, I was going through a stack of soul records and realized that, of late, I've been acquiring a grip of LPs by R&B groups built around harmonized singing, ala the Chi-Lites or Stylistics.

Most of these groups were influenced by multi-member gospel singing and not surprisingly, many in these groups could trace their musical histories back to gospel singing prior to their R&B excursions. Especially in a city like Chicago, it's not hard to guess that a group like the Notations probably took their inspiration from both gospel as well as The Impressions, whose three-part harmonies were incredibly influential. The Notations were first signed with Twinight but by the 1970s, had shifted over to Curtom (via the Gemigo subsidiary), Curtis Mayfield's label. "It Only Hurts" is one of those sweet soul classics, especially because of that memorable string melody that opens the song. i like the dramatic flourishes throughout the song and the interplay in the quartet's voices (Clifford Curry, LaSalle Matthews, Bobby Thomas, Jimmy Stoud) work well against one another.

The Temprees were a trio out of Memphis, TN, first signed to We Produce, a Stax subsidiary (same label Ernie HInes's "Our Generation" came out on). The three, composed of Jasper Phillips, Harold Scott and Deljuan Calvin, were young - high schoolers - when they first met and there's a charming swagger to them naming their first album Love Men when they probably weren't that many years out of their peachfuzz yet. "Explain It To Her Mama" kicks off with a pounding little breakbeat and then shifts into a rich, mid-tempo ballad that showcases Phillip's falsetto.

The Persuaders' "Trying Girls Out" may be familiar to some of you as the source for the "Girls, Girls, Girls" remix off Jay-Z's The Blueprint and it makes you appreciate how keen an ear Kayne had back in 2001. The original has a sly humor to it - this is no sentimental love song for certain - but even if it is a players' anthem, the Persuaders sure do make it sound sweet. This is from their self-titled album, the follow-up to their hit Thin Line Between Love and Hate, featuring Douglas Scott, brothers Willie and James Holland and Charles Stoghill.

Like the Persuaders, the Modulations were another four-member group, formed in Philadelphia and you can hear that classic "Philly sound" draped onto this nostalgia-suffused track. I'm guessing it's Larry Duncan on falsetto here but surprisingly, it's pretty damn hard to figure out who else was in the group (besides Glenn Lewis). For real: the album credits the musicians by name but not the singers...whoops.

The Moments are arguably the most famous '70s vocal group out of New Jersey though they probably went through enough personnel changes to staff two or three groups. By the time they recorded "Love on a 2-Way Street" their membership could either have been the best known combo, with William Brown, Al Goodman and John Morgan, but it could also have been Mark Greene, Richie Horsley and Morgan). Regardless, the Moments were impressively consistent no matter what the line up and this was one of their classics from the last '60s.

The Montclairs were a short-lived, four man group out of East St. Louis who never really broke it big despite having some serious vocal talent. Signed to Paula for their one and only album, the group was comprised of Phil Perry, Kevin Sanlin, David Frye, and Clifford Williams. "Dreaming Out of Season" was their biggest hit and it's so good, it's a shame the couldn't find the footing to put out even more than they did.

The bonus cut comes from The Flamingos - you remember, of "I Only Have Eyes For You" fame - but this comes from an early '70s album (hence the "Today" part of the title) where the doo-wop group is trying to stay current with, y'know, the kids. The song is obviously funk-influenced (and not sweet soul) but I thought it'd make a fun bonus cut to hear a classic soul harmony group trying on a different genre. Personally, I think the song does ok though for a social consciousness tune (the title is a clear reference to integration), it's overly vague despite sounding pretty obvious.

DEEP COVERS 2: MAS PROFUNDO! (NOW ON CD!)

2008-07-22T20:44:00.001-07:00

I'm proud to announce the official CD launch of Deep Covers 2: Mas Profundo. It's already been available as a digital download from the good folks at East Bay Digital* but is now finally available on CD.

CONTINUE READING...

Orders taken now!

Description: Deep Covers 2: Mas Profundo follows up on two previous covers-related projects: Deep Covers and Soul Sides Vol. 2: The Covers. This time though, I take it international, with 20 songs, all recorded overseas. I tried to balance things by region (otherwise, hell, I could have done an entire CD of reggae covers) but still kept the vibe oriented around soul and funk covers. It's really astounding what one can find out there - this merely scratches the surface! Overall, I was pleased with how this mix turned out, both in terms of song selection as well as sequencing. There will definitely be a DC3 somewhere down the road but for now, enjoy this in all its global glory.

Tracklisting: (by song title, original artist and country of cover)

1. How Deep? Intro/The Message (Cymande, El Salvador)

2. Rainmaker (Sweden, Nilsson)

3. Use Me (Poland, Bill Withers)

4. Breakthrough (Nigeria, Atomic Rooster)

5. Slipping Into Darkness (Sweden, WAR)

6. Tanga Goo Bonk (Philippines, Niteliters)7. I’m Gonna Love You Just a Little More (Jamaica, Barry White)

8. Be My Baby (Jamaica, The Ronettes)

9. Pick Up The Pieces (Brazil, Average White Band)

10. Wicky Wacky (Colombia, The Fatback Band)

11. Different Strokes (Argentina, Syl Johnson)

12. Buzzsaw/In Gadda Da Vida (Malaysia, The Turtles/Iron Butterfly)

13. Found a Child (Peru, Ballinjack)

14. Cardova (Trinidad, The Meters)

15. Never Can Say Goodbye (France, Jackson 5)

16. Groovy Situation (Jamaica, Gene Chandler)

17. Cold Sweat (Brazil, James Brown)

18. Angel of the Morning (Mexico, Evie Sands)

19. I Who Have Nothing (Panama, Ben E. King)

20. Sweet Caroline (Guyana, Neil Diamond)

Bonus:

21. Signed, Sealed, Delivered

22. Hit Or Miss

23. September Song

Order now!

*LAME encoded at 320.

MASH UP POSSE

2008-07-21T09:59:00.001-07:00

Thanks: HHH

DOUBLE SHOT OF DAP

2008-07-17T08:44:00.001-07:00

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings are playing the Hollywood Bowl this Sunday (along with Feist) and I wrote a feature in this week's LA Weekly about the Dap-Kings specifically (no disrespect to Sharon but I had written about her before, everyone writes about her, surprisingly few people write about the Dap-Kings, ergo...). Tickets are still available, beginning at $10. Sure, those are nosebleeders but if you've never been to the HB before, it's a great summer venue.

For those who are really cheap, on Saturday, the Budos Band (which shares members with the Dap-Kings) is performing at the Getty Center for free (well, you still have to pay for parking) as part of their Summer Sessions series.

In honor of the two shows:

Charles Bradley and the Bullets: This Love Ain't Big Enough For the Two of Us
Lee Fields: Could Have Been
Both from Daptone 7" Singles Collection Vol. 2 (Daptone, 2008)

Earlier in the summer, Daptone Records released the second volume of their 7" releases - most of these songs had never been on any format besides 7" vinyl - and that includes Charles Bradley being backed by the Budos Band back when they were called the Bullets. Fierce and funky!

Lee Fields, who's mostly worked with Truth and Soul in recent years, cut a few sides with Daptone in the early 00s, including the included ballad here. Slow and patient, you have to love how this song builds and rests on the strength of Fields' impassioned voice.

Hope to see all you Angelinos this Sat or Sun.

POLY RHYTMO REALNESS

2008-07-15T13:38:00.001-07:00

This is too good for a mere Soul Sights inclusion:

Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou Dahomey: Gbeti Madjro
Edited together by Mario Stahn

First seen at Analog Africa.

PICK SIX: LOUIE LOUIE

2008-07-14T15:33:00.000-07:00

Louie Ramirez: The New Breed
From In the Heart of Spanish Harlem (Mercury, 1967)

The Latin Blues Band: Oye Mi Guaguanco
From Take a Trip Pussycat (Speed, 1968)

Dianne & Carole: The Fuzz
From Feeling the Pain (Speed, 1968)

Kako and His Orchestra: Shingaling Shingaling
From Live It Up (Musicor, 1968)

Jose "Cheo" Feliciano: Esto Es El Guaguanco
From Cheo (Vaya, 1971)

La Crema: Cisco Kid
From El Party Con La Crema (WS Latino, 1973)

Bonus: Beatfanatic: Cookin'
From Adventures in the World of No-Fi Beats (Raw Fusion, 2006)

My most recent Side Dishes was on Latin arranger/composer/musician Louie Ramirez and the recommended Louie's Grooves anthology. I've been wanting to write something on Ramirez for a while and though the Side Dishes post allowed me to riff on some of his work, as the comp's liner notes acknowledge, it just brushes the surface of how deep his catalog can run. I'd suggest folks read that post first and then come back here.

My pick six for Ramirez focuses mostly on albums not already covered by Louie's Grooves, beginning with arguably the easiest of his solo albums to acquire: In the Heart of Spanish Harlem. This was recorded for Mercury; I find that interesting since Mercury didn't have a ton of Latin recordings (that I know of) on the label but I suspect it may have had something to do with producer Richard Marin who was doing some A&R work for labels like Mercury and Verve at the time. Marin's brother Bobby - another Latin soul giant and fellow composer - is on this album as well; he was a frequent collaborator with Ramirez and it's not at all unusual to see them on the same projects together. In fact, for this album, Bobby appears on the cover photo alongside Richard and Louie

I was always struck at how Ramirez was able to work on so many different labels at the same time; not long after that Mercury album, he must have been working with Fania on the Ali Baba LP (several of the songs from that rare title are on Louie's Grooves and then he was also working for Morty Craft's Speed imprint. I wrote about The Latin Blues Band for the Happy Soul Suite piece and I enjoy revisiting it - any Latin album that has Bernard Purdie as your studio drummer is bound to be rather interesting though instead of the funkier fare I could have nodded to, I went with "Oye Mi Guaguanco," a solid piece of classic Cuban style by Ramirez, feat. (I think) Luis Aviles on vocals.

Like the Latin Blues Band, the Dianne and Carole album was also on Speed. Speed packed, in my opinion, the biggest bang for the buck - their catalog wasn't more than a dozen titles or so but what was there was almost all exceptional. This Dianne and Carole album is especially notably since it had one of the few examples of female singers heading a Latin soul album (La Lupe excepted of course). There's very little known about the two singers - their surnames aren't even credited on the album! In any case, "The Fuzz" leads side 2, where 4/5 of the songs are arranged by Ramirez and I suspect that most of the same players from the Latin Blues Band played on here as well.

Not long thereafter, Ramirez was also helping compose, play on (and possible arrange?) for the great Puerto Rican bandleader Kako and his Live It Up album on Musicor. Personally, I've never figured out what separates a shingaling from a boogaloo and "Shingaling Shingaling" certainly displays many of the stylistic characteristics of both. I'm feeling this - and the whole LP is exceptional.

Ramirez was multi-talented as a musician - known to rock both the timbales and vibes - and I wanted to include an example of the latter by including one of his salsa era performances, playing vibes on Cheo Feliciano's classic "Esto Es El Guaguanco." He's a big reason the opening is so memorable and Ramirez comes back to solo towards the second half of the song.

Last in the pick six is this cool lil cover of "Cisco Kid" that Ramirez arranged for the La Crema album, a one-off project that involved him, Bobby Marin and some other familiar folks but in the Latin funk era of the 1970s.

Bonus: As for "Cookin'", that might have been the first time I "heard" any Louie Ramirez song since it liberally borrows from "The New Breed." Slammin' Latin club cut - trust me on this one.

HEAT ALERT

2008-07-10T09:47:00.000-07:00

Stephanie McKay : Jackson Avenue & Oh Yeah
taken from the upcoming album that needs to be OUT!
but if you like this, DEFINITELY check her first release and her myspace with more tunes, videos & tour dates.

Chico Mann : Dilo Como Yo & Zumba Mama
taken from the upcoming album "Analogue Drift" that also needs to be out already!
But check the myspace for more tunes and get that first album

King Khan & The Shrines : Burnin Inside & I Wanna Be A Girl
taken from the new album The Supreme Genius Of... on Vice (2008)

Flying Lotus : Roberta Flack (Ft. Dolly) & Melt!
taken from the new album Los Angeles on Warp (2008)

In the face of too much mediocre blandosia and overhyped saltine steezoni (sorry, I'm not hating for hate's sake, but come on...), here's a hearty helping of freshy-fresh audible produce for your summer mixes. Some of these tunes aren't officially out yet, but as long as a few of you readers catch on and support these artists by picking up their other releases (Stephanie's first album is NECESSARY), then I figure they won't get mad at me for sharing this little taste.

I've been feeling the Estelle album a lot, and a couple of the Aunt Jackie tracks, but honestly, Steph blows these chicks out the water. She smashes the reggae tunes ("Take Me Over"), destroys the retro soul ("Say What You Feel"), and comes with some otherly space-funk for the ears of tomorrow ("Money"). I've had the pleasure of doing a bunch of live shows with her and can testify to her ability to K.O. the crowd too. Like way too many other top-notch underrated artists, she's been bucked around by labels with the usual drama, and thus this masterpiece of an album (which has been DONE for more than a minute) is still not out. It's a total crime how the industry works sometimes, but at least we can support her by copping the first release and can keep spreading the good word until this one is officially released- check for the live shows too!

Chico Mann is no stranger to the Crate. When I posted the Antibalas remix of "Dilo Como Yo" a couple weeks back it reminded me that Chico's (somewhat more danceable) version of the same song should be shared as well. He's got more music to download on his myspace page and an album from a year or so back that's definitely worth checking- but holy greatness, his new album is really gonna knock some heads around! Stay tuned.

King Khan was purchased on the strength of the cover art alone, and it delivered twofold what was hinted at on the packaging. I don't know where they recorded this album of catchy psychedelic garage-rock-soul, but it sounds convincingly like they discovered a wormhole to the year 1968. A thoroughly enjoyable and lively record from the opening chords of "Torture" to the last fuzzy notes in "No Regrets". Highly RECOMMENDED!

Finally I leave you with the beautiful noise poetry of Flying Lotus. This record is abstract and earthy at once. Layered with cosmic dust and static, the album takes shape like a primordial organism from deep space that crash landed alongside the 405 and now shimmers in a blanket of neon steam emitting radioactive waves. Need I say more?

A TRIBE CALLED...KARL HECTOR AND THE MALCOUNS

2008-07-08T15:08:00.000-07:00

Karl Hector and the Malcouns: Rush Hour
From Sahara Swing (Now Again, 2008)

Stones Throw subsidiary Now Again is out to prove that it's not just a reissue label trying to dig up yesteryear's lost gems; it's also out to prove there are still some dope sounds being constructed today. After last year's Heliocentrics release featuring living legend Malcolm Catto bringing together a group to record a trippy freeform jazz/funk odyssey for a sound appropriately entitled “Out There,” the label follows it up with an album of jams rooted in afrobeat rhythms with funk undertones.

Former Poets Of Rhythm guitarist and producer J. Whitefield funks out with Malcouns founders Thomas Myland and Zdenko Curlija along with Karl Hector and a host of others. The results may not have you doing the worm at the discothèque, but don't underestimate this music's headnod factor.

Clocking in at just over 45 minutes, the mostly instrumental disc grooves through world rhythms and nu-funk simmered with a dash of tasty rhythmic seasoning. Throughout the set, intermissions lead us from one course to the next. “Rush Hour,” which leans less on afrobeat and more toward traditional funk, hits you with a swirling organ, steady bass, and tight snares. One section even sounds like killer bees swarming!

Recently I had the pleasure of speaking with Mr. Whitefield about the project which hits record racks on July 8. Following the Stones Throw/Now Again tradition, when purchased from select retailers the album comes with a limited edition Stones Throw 45 featuring non-album tracks.

EL: How did you hook up with the Malcouns?

JW: I met Thomas, their keyboard player, in a teahouse in Izmir, Turkey, while travelling with a theatre group. We were discovering similar musical interests, and a year later he was invited for the first Discern/Define recording sessions back in ‘97 and is playing with the Poets live band and on many of our recording projects since then.

EL: I like the cover artwork. It looks like some kind of African tribal necklace. What was its inspiration?

JW: It is a tribal necklace, but to get specifics as to where exactly it’s from and stuff, you´d have to ask Matt Boyd who did the design… probably the album title gave the overall inspiration as well as the overall musical content plus a love for homemade style cover artwork.

EL: We got a taste of the marriage of funk and afrobeat in "Weiya" from the "In The Raw" LP on Soul Fire. Talk about how that came about and why you wanted to work with afrobeat rhythms more. Did Bo Baral (Poets of Rhythm singer and frequent collaborator) growing up in Africa lead you down that path?

JW: The departure from straight American funk happened already in the mid 90s some years before the Whitefield Brothers sessions with our Pan-Atlantics project. Basically it grew out of interest for more syncopation and polyrhythms. The strong 2 and 4 that dominates contemporary western music doesn’t give enough freedom for rhythmic experiments, and the mothership for all the side projects we are doing is still the Poets of RHYTHM which always demands a strong focus on rhythmic developments.

EL: Is the group doing any promotional spots or shows for the Sahara Swing album?

JW: The live band is ready to hit the stage. We played a couple of shows already with great response, and basically we´re waiting for the album to be released and tour it later this year

EL: Can you talk about some of the influences for the album? There's definitely a Fela Kuti feel on several songs.

JW: Fela definitely has a strong presence in African music, but for us, if at all, his early 70´s work, like Shenshema for example, is more relevant to our stuff as the classic later period where he really developed his formula of afrobeat which is rather epic in form. For this album we mostly tried to transport Mr. Hector’s influences, which are more based in Morocco, Ghana, Mali, and Ethiopia and span from western crossover to the more traditional folkloristic stuff as well.

EL: Over the past few years, Chief Xcel from Blackalicious did a mixtape of Fela songs; other hip hop and R&B acts contributed to a Fela Kuti tribute CD in the Red Hot series; Youssou N'Dour got some attention from the hip hop crowd when he did some work with Wyclef Jean and Canibus toward the end of the 90s. Even today, artists like the Daktaris and Antibalas are getting press. Do you see African music building some steam?

JW: I guess that started with Fela´s death in ´97. All the reissues and tributes got labels and record nerds interested in African music and explore the other west African countries for hidden musical treasures. They turned up loads of amazing stuff and otherwise we maybe would have never heard of people like Poly Rythmo, Ebo Taylor, El Rego and the many more obscure artists that never made a name outside of Africa.

EL: Much of today's current music is made using preprogrammed sounds, synthesizers, and artists collaborating while never being in studio at the same time. Can you talk about how using real instruments and being able to vibe off one another in the studio helps to create a mood for you and your band mates when creating music?

JW: If you regard music and creating music as a form of communication you have to recognise there are very few people who are able to communicate with machines and put soul into them. That’s why we prefer being with musicians in a room and get inspired by each other; that way you can come to results where you sometimes play above what you know, which can happen with machines only if there are errors because they are too predictable - if that makes any sense. I never managed to tell a drum machine to play free.

EL: Have you been working on other projects since we last heard from the Poets of Rhythm and the Whitefield Brothers in 2002?

JW: Most of the studio time was spent on Karl Hector and Whitefield Brothers sessions. Also we’ve been on tour quite a lot and just did some 45s like New Process and Polyversal Souls or the stuff with Bajka and some compilation contributions.

EL: With this project being released on Now Again and the upcoming reissue of the "In The Raw" LP with them as well, do you have any other future projects in the works through them?

JW: After the “In The Raw” reissue, there will be a new Whitefield Brothers album which is even more based around Ethiopian themes and going from there in some Oriental and Asian territories as well. It will also have some vocal guest appearances.