Breezin’ with Gabor, Bobby and Sammy…

By , November 20, 2014 12:24 pm

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Gabor Szabo and Bobby Womack

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Listen/Download – Gabor Szabo and Bobby Womack – Breezin’ MP3

Listen/Downoad – Sammy Gordon and the Hiphuggers – Breezin’ MP3

 

 

Greetings all

The end of the week is here,and so I must remind you to tune into the Funky16Corners Radio Show on Viva Radio, Friday night at 9PM. If you can’t dig in at airtime, make sure to subscribe to the show as a podcast in iTunes (or anywhere else you get your Pods handled) or grab an MP3 here at the blog.

Today’s selections can be filed in the ‘roots of familiar songs’ section of your brain.

If you’re over 40 (or otherwise well-listened) I suspect that you already know George Benson’s 1976 hit ‘Breezin’’, which in addition to regular airplay seemed for the longest time to be the background instro of choice on all kinds of TV shows. It was, in many ways, the ultimate, smooth jazz instro of its time.

What I didn’t know until many years after its initial release, was that the song ‘Breezin’ had deep, and very interesting roots.

Back in 1970, in the midst of his long, itinerant and occasionally very successful career, Bobby Womack ended up in the studio with Gabor Szabo.

Womack provided half the songs, and much of the rhythm guitar on Szabo’s 1971 LP ‘High Contrast’*.

One of those songs – used as the LPs opening track – was ‘Breezin’.

The Szabo/Womack version is mellow, but sports a nice, fat bottom as well, and some tasty soloing from the always dependable Gabor (a big fave hereabouts).

The second version of the song you’ll hear today (which I originally posted when Bobby passed away, back in June) came into my crates in a kind of roundabout way.

I already had a couple of 45s by Sammy Gordon and the Hiphuggers in my crates when I found their version of ‘Breezin’ (previously featured here when Mr Womack passed away) about five years ago.

The thing is, I didn’t know it was the famous song until I got it home, picking it up simply because it was Sammy.

The SG and the HH version of ‘Breezin’ (from 1972) is by far my fave,and I suspect it’ll be yours as well.

The drums and bass are heavy, and the intro is as tasty a piece of head-nodding funk as you’re likely to turn up.

The overall vibe maintains the sweetness of the melody, but those drums keep punching through the mix.

It’s a killer 45, and despite a couple of price spikes in the past, not too hard to come by these days.

I hope you dig the compare/contrast action, and I’ll see you all on Monday.

Keep the faith

Larry

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 *Interestingly, Womack is listed as a co-leader on the LP and 45 labels, but not on the album cover

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Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.

Also, make sure that you check out the links below to the Be The Match Foundation and POAC (click on the logos for more info).

 

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PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

2 Responses to “Breezin’ with Gabor, Bobby and Sammy…”

  1. jb says:

    Thanks for continuing my musical education, sir. I knew there were other versions of “Breezin'” but had never pursued them. Thanks a lot.

  2. Aaron says:

    This was an amazing listen!

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