Comments (0)

By Larry, November 10, 2019 12:34 pm

Show #491 Originally broadcast 11/04/2019

Roger and the Gypsies – Pass the Hatchet (Seven B)
Sons of Champlin – Fat City (Verve/Trident)
Righteous Brothers Band – Rat Race (Verve)
Betty Everett – I Can’t Hear You (VeeJay)

Gene Waiters – Shake and Shingaling Pt1 (Fairmount)
Dee Dee Warwick – Monday Monday (Mercury)
Homer Banks – A Lot of Love (Minit)
Young Holt Unlimited – California Montage (Brunswick)

Velvelettes – Lonely Girl Am I (VIP)
Eyes of Blue – Heart Trouble (Deram)
Watts 103rd St Rhythm Band – Brown Sugar (WB)
Vicky Gomez – Boys Are a Dime a Dozen (ABC/Paramount)
Four Larks – Groovin’ at the Go Go (Tower)
Gloria Jones – Heartbeat Pt1 (Uptown)

Johnny Jones and the King Casuals – Soul Poppin’ (Brunswick)
Fabulous Emotions – Number One Fool (Tamboo)
Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band – (I Gotta) Hold On to My Love (Picadilly)
Marvelettes – I’ll Keep Holding On (Tamla)

 ______________________________________________________

Greetings all

This week’s Funky16Corners Radio Show is a recap of selections from my sets at the Keystone State Soul Weekender, in Lancaster, PA. There are lots of prime dance floor soul selections.

So dig it, make sure to tune in, and I’ll see you all next week.

Also, make sure to follow Funky16Corners on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Keep the faith

Larry

________________________________________________

If you dig what we do here or over at Funky16Corners, please consider clicking on the Patreon link and throwing something into the yearly operating budget! Do it and we’ll send you some groovy Funky16Corners Radio Network (and related) stickers!

_______________________________________________

Comments (0)

By Larry, March 15, 2016 11:46 am

Packed and ready to roll

In the midst of Set 1

Our Host Gene Meredith on the wheels of steel

___________________________________________

Larry Grogan Set 1 (Mixed Bag)
Falcons – I’m a Fool (I Must Love You) (Big Wheel)
Jewels – Opportunity (Dimension)
Vicki Gomez – Boys Are a Dime a Dozen (ABC/Paramount)
Eldridge Holmes – Emperor Jones (ALON)
Tangeers – This Empty Place (Scepter)
Mad Lads – No Time Is Better Than Right Now (Volt)
Spellbinders – A Little On the Blue Side (Columbia)
Sims Twins – A Losing Battle (Omen)
ZZ Hill – Don’t Make Promises (Kent)
JC Davis – Fezneckie (Chess)
Tommy Tucker – Long Tall Shorty (Checker)
Barbara Lynn – I’m a Good Woman (Tribe)
Gentleman June Gardner – It’s Gonna Rain (Emarcy)
Sam Cooke – Shake (RCA)
Billy Davis – Stanky Get Funky (Cobblestone)
Pop-Ups – Lurking (HBR)
Johnny Otis Show – Keep the Faith Pt1 (Eldo)
Supremes – Love Is Like an Itching In My Heart (Motown)

Listen/Download -Funky16Corners SSSC Set 1 – 101MB Mixed Mp3/192K

Larry Grogan Set 2 (Dancers)
Precisions – If This Is Love (I’d Rather Be Lonely) (Drew)
Benny Gordon and the Soul Brothers – I’m Gonna Give Her All the Love I’ve Got (Wand)
Taj Mahal – A Lot of Love (Columbia)
Marketts – Stirring Up Some Soul (WB)
Corvairs – Ain’t No Soul Left In These Old Shoes (Columbia)
Theresa Lindsay – I’ll Bet You (Golden World)
Incredibles – I Can’t Get Over Losing Your Love (Audio Arts)
Dorothy Berry – Shindig City (Planetary)
Mary Love – Lay This Burden Down (Modern)
Trade Martin – Moanin’ (RCA)
Soul City – Everybody Dance Now (Good Time)
Younghearts – A Little Togetherness (Soultown)
Eddie Floyd – Big Bird (Stax)

Listen/Download -Funky16Corners SSSC Set 2 – 75MB Mixed Mp3/192K

Greetings all.

This past weekend I had the honor of guesting at the Steel Stax Soul Club at Porter’s Pub in Easton, PA.

It was  a little bit of a ride, so we packed up all the Corners in the van and headed West for a little soul spinning (me) and R&R (all of us).

Steel Stax Soul Club is the brainchild of longtime DJ/collector and scooter expert Gene Meredith, who I first met more than 30 years ago back in the mod/garage days of the Dive.

I am always game to get out there and lay down some Northern Soul heat on the decks, and SSSC gave me that opportunity in spades.

I was able to record almost all of the night (you can dig Gene’s sets on his Mixcloud page) including both of my sets. The first set is a mixed bag (including some sweet, and slightly slower stuff) and the second set is all high octane dancers.

It was a great time, with much good music, and a bunch of new additions to my want list. I hope to make it back there to spin again some time in the future.

I hope you dig it (make sure to check out Gene’s sets, too) , and I’ll see you all on Friday.

Keep the Faith

Larry

  _______________________________________________________________________________

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.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

Comments (0)

By Larry, November 13, 2014 12:02 pm

Oh, yes…

Brothers Two – Boogaloo Soul Party (Crimson)
Roy Lee Johnson – Boogaloo #3 (Josie)
Barbara Lynn – Club A Go Go (Tribe)
Norman T Washington – Jumping Jack Flash (Pama)
Eyes of Blue – Heart Trouble (Deram)
Lil Bob and the Lollipops – I Got Loaded (La Louisianne)
Wayne Cochran – Goin’ back to Miami (Mercury)
Chet Poison Ivey and His Fabulous Avengers – Shake a Poo Poo (TRC)
Willie Tell and the Overtures – Soul Ranger (Chess)
Interpretations – Snap Out (Bell)
Syl Johnson – Different Strokes (Twilight)
Mad Men – African Twist Pt1 (Gamble)
Sir Lattimore Brown – Shake and Vibrate (SS7)
Georgie Woods – Potato Salad Pt1 (Fat Back)
Jerry Lee Lewis – Shotgun Man (Smash)
Jeanne & the Darlings – Soul Girl (Volt)

Listen/Download – F16C Soul Club Presents – Spindletop A-Go-Go 71MB/256K Mixed MP3

_____________________________________________________________________

Greetings all.

Time to close out the week.

First, a reminder that you should open your ears and fill them with the latest broadcast of the Funky16Corners Radio Show, appearing this and every Friday night at 9PM on Viva Radio. Should you be unable to dig at airtime, you can always subscribe to the show as a podcast in iTunes, listen on your mobile device through the TuneIn app, or download an MP3 here at the blog.

Today, I’m digging back into the archives to bring you a favorite live set of mine, recorded back in 2011 at Botanica in NYC.

This is a hard charging set of soul and funky soul burners meant for you to get your groove on to, so let the ones and zeros fly, roll back the carpet, loosen your  wig, kick off your high heel sneakers and dance.

I’ll see y’all on Monday.

Keep the faith

Larry

_________________________________________________________________________________________

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).

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

Comments (3)

By Larry, April 20, 2014 11:21 am

The good stuff…

Roger & the Gypsies – Pass the Hatchet Pt1 (Seven B)
Eddie Bo and Inez Cheatham – Lover and a Friend (Capitol)
Eddie Bo – Hook and Sling Pt1 (Scram)
Chuck Carbo – Can I Be Your Squeeze (Canyon)

Listen/Download Dust & Grooves Party Set: A Taste of the Bo-Sound

The listening party (Eilon Paz on the floor, DJ Bongohead on the right)

The massive sound system brought in for the occasion

DJ Pat James Longo bringing the heat

The assembled multitudes soaking in the sounds

Yours truly behind the decks
(thanks to Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus for snapping the pic)

Eddie and Inez under the needle

DJ Rebecca Birmingham

All photos by Larry Grogan/Funky16Corners

Greetings all

I hope the new week and the onset of spring (at last) finds you all well.

This Saturday I was very proud to participate in the opening party for the Dust & Grooves book (which I just happen to appear in, alongside over one hundred other wax wranglers).

The work of photographer Eilon Paz (with production coordination by may man Jamison Harvey, aka DJ Prestige of Fleamarket Funk), Dust & Grooves started out as a photo site, and over the years evolved into a book project that encompassed a world tour.

The party was held at the Powerhouse Arena in Brooklyn, NY, right underneath the Manhattan Bridge.

There was a listening party (Quincy Jones‘ ‘Walking In Space’), sets by 20 of the NY area’s finest DJs and even some live music.

If you haven’t seen the book, it is truly a thing to behold. A huge, beautifully designed and printed collection of photographs and interviews with people deep inside the vinyl culture, including DJs, collectors, historian/archivists, and label owners.

This post includes my set from the show (we were each allotted 10 minute sets, so I devoted mine to the sounds of Eddie Bo, just like my original photo set/interview on the Dust & Grooves site).

I’m also including some pics from the event (above).

I got to meet some Facebook friends in person, and made some new friends as well.

It was a real gas, and something I was very happy to be a part of.

Dig it all, and I’ll see you on Wednesday.

Keep the faith

Larry

_________________________________________________________________________________________

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).

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

Comments (0)

By Larry, January 10, 2014 11:54 am

Connie T Empress Set , Friars Club 01/07/14
Philly Dog Mar-Keys (Stax)
Soul Sister, Brown Sugar- Sam & Dave (Atlantic)
In The Basement Part 1- Etta James & Sugar Pie DeSanto )Cadet)
Hear Say-Soul Children (Stax)
A Dime A Dozen-Carla Thomas (Stax)
I Used To Cry Mercy, Mercy-Lamplighters (Gusto reissue)
Toe Hold-Wilson Pickett (Atlantic)(“David said he had no idea WP had ever done this! so I played it.“)
Soul Girl-Jeanne & The Darlings (Volt)
I Could Never Be Satisfied Pt 1 – Sir Mack Rice (ATCO)
Ya Ya-Tamiko Jones (A&M)
Snatchin’ Back-Calvin Arnold (Venture)
Love Bug Got A Bear Hug-Melvin Davis (Mala)
Let Me Be Your Boy-Wilson Pickett (Verve)
Formula of Love – William Bell (Stax)
Fall In Love With Me-Bettye Swann (Money)
Say You-The Monitors (V.I.P.)
Oh, I’ve Been Blessed-Bobby Taylor (V.I.P.)
Late Shadows-Nicki Lee (Dade)
You Can’t Miss What you Can’t Measure-Clarence Carter (Atlantic)
Love Bones-Johnny Taylor (Stax)
Loving Material-The Charmels (Volt)
I Found Out-The Astors (Stax)
Baby Make Your Own Sweet Music-The Bandwagon (Epic)
Do The Whoopie-SugarPie Di Santo (Brunswick)
I can Take Care of Myself – Gene Chandler (Constellation)
Sleep Good Tonight-Sam & Dave (Stax)

Listen/Download Connie T Empress’s Set: Friars Club NYC 01/07/14 78MB/256K Mixed MP3

Greetings all

I hope you all dug my account of this week’s amazing Friars Club experience with the legendary David Porter.

What I am privileged to bring you today is the complete set spun that night by the mighty Connie T Empress.

For the few of you that won’t know her name, Connie T Empress was one of the founders of the legendary Empire State Soul Club. Starting in 1987 and lasting well into the 90s, Connie, along with W. Lee and Jeff the Chef spun the finest in rare soul for audiences all over New York City.

The Empress feeling the groove!

Though I missed out on the ESSC experience, I was lucky enough to spin alongside Connie when she joined the ranks of the Asbury Park 45 Sessions back in 2007, spinning with our crew for a few years.

She is that rarest of soul DJ, in that she’s no mere trainspotter/collector, but rather a dyed in the wool fan who feels the music as much as the dancers on the floor (she’s usually moving and grooving behind the decks at the same time).

Her enthusiasm is obvious and contagious, and I always relish the opportunity to share the turntables with her. It never fails that I come away from one of her sets with a number of sides added to my want list, and this evening was no exception.

ESSC Reunion: Connie T Empress and W. Lee!

What you get here is a little over an hour of solid senders, engineered for the dance floor, all groovy.

A brief technical note; as I mentioned with my set, there were some problems with the mixer, with some bleed through from channel to channel, but certainly not enough to keep such a tasty set under wraps. Fortunately, Connie did not experience the drop-out I did during my set, so you get this mix in stereo!

As always, I hope you dig it, and I’ll see you all on Monday.

Keep the faith

Larry

________________________________________________________________________________________

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).

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

Comments (4)

By Larry, January 8, 2014 12:42 pm

Funky16Corners Set, Friars Club 01/07/14
Sam and Dave – May I Baby (Stax)
Astors – Candy (Stax)
Booker T and the MGs – Boot-Leg (Stax)
Homer Banks – 60 Minutes of Your Love (Minit)
The Packers – Soul Time, Part1 (Tangerine)
Timmy Thomas – Whole Lotta Shaking Going On (Goldwax)
Willie Mitchell – That Driving Beat (Hi)
Ike and Tina Turner – Good Bye, So Long (Modern)
Ray Charles – I Don’t Need No Doctor (ABC/Paramount)
Tommy Tucker – Long Tall Shorty (Checker)
Jimmy Robins – I Can’t Please You (Jerhart)
Jimmy Hughes – Neighbor Neighbor (Fame)
Rodge Martin – Lovin’ Machine (Bragg)
Mickey Murray – Shout Bamalama (SSS Intl)
Sugar Pie DeSanto – Go Go Power (Checker)
Johnny Otis – Keep the Faith Pt1 (Eldo)
The Megatons – Shimmy Shimmy Walk Pt1 (Dodge)
Rex Garvin and the Mighty Cravers – I Gotta Go Now (Up On the Floor Now) (Like)

Listen/Download Funky16Corners Set: Friars Club NYC 01/07/14 78MB/256K Mixed MP3

Greetings all

I come to you today, completely exhausted but very happy.

Last night I had the very great pleasure of taking part in an evening honoring the mighty Memphis soul legend David Porter.

Organized by Keenan Popwell as part of the ongoing ‘Take My Tuesdays, Please’ series at the Friars Club in New York City, the Conversation with David Porter was a stellar evening indeed.

ESSC’s W.Lee Interviews the mighty David Porter

Popwell himself got things rolling on the turntables, followed by an hour long interview – conducted by Empire State Soul Club legend W. Lee – and then an audience Q&A session.

Keenan Popwell manning the decks

Following the discussion (during which I happened to be seated next to TV’s Paul Shaffer!), yours truly and the mighty Connie T Empress laid down a couple of hours of solid soul that had some of the New York area’s heaviest music heads shaking it on the dance floor.

Yours Truly, relaxing between selections…

Connie T Empress making with the wax!

The assembled multitudes and the ceremonial “cutting of the rug”!

Earlier in the evening the DJs had the opportunity to dine with Mr Porter and his family and friends in the Friars dining room.

It would be an understatement indeed to say that David Porter is the personification of the old sobriquet “gentleman and a scholar”.

He was warm, engaging and more than willing to entertain our collective music hound questions, sharing stories about his songs, colleagues like Isaac Hayes and Otis Redding (he considered both musical geniuses with a remarkable talent for “head arrangements”), Al Jackson Jr. (and his ability to find “the pocket”), the Stax studio and his most recent project, the music education charity, The Consortium MMT.

It was an honor to shake the hand of the man who co-wrote some of the greatest soul songs of all time, a privilege to ask him about the creation of some of them and a bonus to discover how humble and genuine a man he is.

I started my set on the mellower side with a couple of songwriting and production (in the case of Homer Banks, both) credits from Mr. Porter’s catalog, but quickly threw a little grease on the fire with some other Memphis faves and a grab bag of Southern soul and R&B faves from my record box*.

Despite the fact that there was record-breaking cold outside, it was a spectacular evening that few that were present will ever forget.

I hope you dig the sounds, and I’ll see you all on Friday.

Keep the faith

Larry

*The mixer was misbehaving periodically, causing some drop-out in one channel,so I mixed my set down to mono

________________________________________________________________________________________

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).

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

Comments (0)

By Larry, December 5, 2013 11:47 am

Funky16Corners Set List – Botanica 12/04/13

Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes – Get Out (and Let Me Cry) (Landa)
Theresa Lindsey – Daddy-O (Golden World)
Ted Taylor – (Love Is Like A) Ramblin’ Rose (Okeh)
Delores Hall – Good Lovin’ Man (Keymen)
Shirelles – Last Minute Miracle (Scepter)
Homer Banks – 60 Minutes of Your Love (Minit)
Four Larks – Groovin’ At the Go Go (Tower)
Jimmy Hanna and the Dynamics – Leaving Here (Seafair/Bolo)
Lee Garrett – I Can’t Break the Habit (Harthon)
Otis Clay – I Got To Find A Way (One-Derful)
Wynder K Frog – Dancing Frog (UA)
Eyes of Blue – Heart Trouble (Deram)
The Soul City – Everybody Dance Now (Goodtime)
Mary Wells – Can’t You See (You’re Losing Me) (Atco)
Jimmy Holiday – The New Breed (Diplomacy)
G. Davis and R. Tyler – Hold On Help Is On the Way (Parlo)
Joann and Troy – Who Do You Love (Atlantic)
The Olympics – Mine Exclusively (Mirwood)
Bobby Hollaway – Cornbread Hog Maws and Chitterlins (Smash)
Warren Lee – Star Revue (Deesu)
Rubaiyats – Omar Khayyam (Sansu)
Betty Lavette – I Feel Good All Over (Calla)
The Performers – I Can’t Stop You (Mirwood)
Irma Thomas – What Are You Trying To Do (Imperial)
Roger and the Gypsies – Pass the Hatchet Pt1 (Seven B)
Gene Waiters – Shake and Shingaling Pt1 (Fairmount)
The Eldorados – The New Breed (Port)
Albert Collins – Cookin’ Catfish (20th Century Fox)
Bob and Earl – Harlem Shuffle (Marc)
Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band – (I Gotta) Hold On To My Love (Picadilly)
The Chitlins – Sugar Woman (Pala)
Jeanne and the Darlings – Soul Girl (Volt)
Wayne Cochran – Going Back to Miami (Mercury)
Danny White – Cracked Up Over You (Decca)

Trading one for one with Mr Finewine

Billy Davis – Stanky Get Funky (Cobblestone)
Little Bob and the Lollipops – I Got Loaded (La Louisianne)
Harvey – Any Way You Wanta (Tri Phi)
BJ and the Profits – It’s Gonna Rain Outside (Uptown)
Scatman Crothers- Golly Zonk! (It’s Scat Man!) (HBR)
Ross D Wylie – Do the Uptight (A&M)
Dinah Washington – Soulville (Roulette)
Rex Garvin and the Mighty Cravers – I Gotta Go Now (Out On the Floor) (Like)
Richie Barrett – Some Other Guy (Atlantic)

Listen/Download Funky16Corners Presents: A Fat Stack O’45s Mixed MP3 147MB/256KB

Greetings all

The end of the week is coming on fast, so I’ll remind you that the Funky16Corners Radio Show will be returning to the airwaves of the interwebs Friday night at 9PM on Viva Radio. If you cannot join me at airtime, you can always keep up with the show by subscribing to it as a podcast in iTunes.

Mr Finewine cues up another killer!

This past Wednesday I had the privilege of joining Matt ‘Mr Finewine’ Weingarden at his regular weekly shindig at Botanica in New York City.

Thanks to a variety of difficulties – most of which have been covered in this space – I haven’t been able to get out and spin soul 45s for more than two years, and I was eager to get back on the decks.

It turned out to be a very groovy affair indeed, with some heavy record people – including Connie T. Empress of the Empire City Soul Club (and Asbury Park 45 Sessions) and my man Keenan Popwell falling by to soak up the sounds.

Connie T. Empress and Keenan Popwell rap about wax.

I also got to meet some new folks (Monk One was in the house), and sample a couple of glasses of sparkling ginger beer (I had to drive back to NJ…).

The only bummer was, once we got ready to toss some platters on the decks, my trusty digital recorder decided not to cooperate, and would not fire up, preventing me from recording my set live.

Somebody’s got a frowny face… (I’m probably thinking about the drive home).

Not one to let a little technology rain on my parade, I sat down this morning (after not quite enough sleep) and typed up my set list, then moved over to my turntables and mixer to recreate my set.

I was on the decks for about an hour and twenty minutes, and then Matt and I closed out the night by trading off, 45 for 45. Though I did not recreate that part of the evening, I listed the 45s I played above.

Mr Finewine was an exceptionally gracious host, and I really had a gas. Hopefully I’ll be getting back into the city to spin some more in the coming year. I will of course keep you apprised of any upcoming dates.

I hope you dig the sounds, and I’ll see you all on Monday.

Now I’m gonna take me a nap…

Keep the faith

Larry

___________________________________________________________________________________________

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).

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

Comments (0)

By Larry, December 9, 2012 3:32 pm

Funky16Corners @ Spindletop – Early Set 1/10/11

Playlist

Listen/Download 80MB/256kb Mixed MP3

Greetings all.

As you all know, I spend as much (or more) time listening to the mixes I put together for Funky16Corners than anyone.

This has everything to do with the fact that all of the content here on the blog has to pass my own “ear test” before you hear it, so the mixes/posts reflect what I’m digging at any given point.

Though – due to circumstances beyond my control -I haven’t played out in more than a year, 2011 was an especially cool/busy time in that respect.

Between stints at Master Groove and Spindletop, and guest spots at Subway Soul (all NYC), Wooly Bully and Sweet Exorcist (both in Mass) I had plenty of opportunities to spin vinyl for groovy people.

The Spindletop night (at Botanica) was an especially cool night (while it lasted) because I had an exceptional amount of freedom in the styles of music I could spin as well as providing an opportunity to play especially long sets.

Back in January of last year, I had a chance to play almost three full hours of soul jazz 45s, and I decided to get things started with a slow-to-midtempo set.

The results – which you see before you (again) – ended up being one of my favorite sets* of the last few years, and I’ve cued it up on the iPod several times since then.

I decided that I’d re-post it for those that might have missed it the first time out.

I hope you dig it, and I’ll see you all on Wednesday.

Keep the faith

Larry

*As mentioned when this was originally posted, the line-out on the house mixer was not functioning, so I spun and rerecorded this set live on my decks at home the following day.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

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).

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

Comments (14)

By Larry, December 27, 2011 7:58 pm

On the scene at Subway Soul

Willis Wooten – Your Love Is Indescribably Delicious (Virtue)
Bobby Doyle – River Deep Mountain High (WB)
Etta James and Sugar Pie DeSanto – In The Basement (Checker)
Barbara Lynn – Club a Go Go (Tribe)
Billy Butler – Right Track (Okeh)
Impacts – Thunder Chicken (Marmaduke)
Idris Muhammad – Express Yourself (Prestige)
Lavell Kamma and the Afro Soul Revue – Soft Soul (Tupelo Sound)
Sam Dees – Lonely For You Baby (Soul City)
Spellbinders – Help Me Get Myself Back Together Again (Columbia)
Jimmy Ruffin – 96 Tears (Soul)
Ella Fitzgerald – Savoy Truffle (Reprise)
Ray Bryant – Up Above the Rock (Cadet)
Mac Rebennack – The Point (AFO)
Della Reese – It Was a Very Good Year (ABC)
LaVern Baker – Batman to the Rescue (Brunswick)
Norman T Washington – Jumping Jack Flash (Pama)
Rivingtons – Pop Your Corn Pt1 (RCA)
Upsetters – Down Home (ABC)
Vernon Garrett and Marie Franklin – Second To None (Venture)
Curly Moore – Soul Train (Hot Line)
Dobie Gray – Out On the Floor (Charger)
Eyes of Blue – Heart Trouble (Deram)
Washington Smith – Fat Cat (Okeh)
Gene West – In the Ghetto (Original Sound)
Candido – Jingo (Salsoul)
Touch – Love Hangover (Breaking Down) (Brunswick)
Gene Ammons – Son of a Preacherman (Prestige)

Listen/Download – F16C Radio v.95 – 2011 Year In Review – 140MB Mixed MP3

Greetings all.

The end of the year is upon us, and so, as it has been in many years past, is the Funky16Corners Year In Review mix.

This assemblage of the finest individual tracks from this space over the last calendar year has become a tradition in which we sweep up around the Funky16Corners Blogcasting Nerve Center and Record Vault (Funk and Soul Division) and piece together a puzzle of sorts that once assembled (correctly) should give a picture of where my head – and my crates – were at over the last year.

And what a year it’s been.

If you’d sat me down last December and laid out the coming year in front of me, I would have laughed, filled with excitement and then probably crawled under the nearest table in search of shelter.

The year got off to a great start with the beginning of my residency at Spindletop @ Botanica in NYC. Over the course of the next eight months I had the opportunity to spin pretty much whatever I felt like (within certain tasteful guidelines) and it was a blast.

Botanica was a very chill location, with some very cool people, and despite the whole thing crashing down in a somewhat bittersweet pile of ashes, I would say that it was on the whole a very positive experience.

You all know that there is nothing I love better than spinning the music I love for an appreciative audience, and I had many very groovy opportunities to do so this year.

In addition to Spindletop, I was honored to get a chance to participate in one of the last Subway Soul nights, alongside Phast Phreddie, Girlsoul and Jumpy. It was a serious gas, where I got to spin some of my Northern Soul faves and hear the other selectors whip some heat on the ones and twos (I left with a slightly inflated want list that night).

The real treat of the year, though was spinning at Elliott and Jonna’s wedding down in Philly, which was an amazing experience.

Great people into great music with the extra added benefit of some delicious food. I can think of no better way to spend a summer night.

There was also the ongoing pleasure of doing the Funky16Corners Radio Show, which has really been a gas this year. If you haven’t yet tuned in, you can join the party every Friday night at 9PM on Viva Radio, or pick up the show as an MP3 over the weekend (they’re all archived here at the blog, too).

I also got to spin records at a couple of local autism fundraising events which was especially rewarding for reasons very close to my heart.

Speaking of things close to my heart, 2011 was also the year that my wife was diagnosed with leukemia, an event that has verily turned our world inside out.

Though some superficial things have remained on a somewhat even keel, the axis on which my family’s life spins was shaken to its core this fall, and we have all learned to look at the world through slightly different eyes.

Things are on a solid, progressive track as far as my wife’s health is concerned, and we have many reasons to be optimistic, which doesn’t change the fact that no matter how sunny things look ahead of us, there’s always that shadow in the rear view mirror.

I have to make note of the fact that the readers of this blog have been extraordinarily supportive during this crisis, and that has been heartwarming and very much appreciated.

When I take a look at this playlist, it occurs to me that although there are some old faves and some longtime want list items finally bagged, there are also many, many new discoveries that came into my ears and then my crates over the past year, and that is the main reason that the Funky16Corners train stays on the rails.

It has always been my hope that those of you that stop by here on the reg are discovering something new and groovy, but also that you realize that this is a journey of discovery for me as well.

Big ups go out to fellow selectors like Tony C, Tarik Thornton, M-Fasis, Agent 45 and Midnite Cowbwoy for hepping me to cool stuff that I hadn’t heard before, all of which I passed on to you good people through the blog.

I will continue to do so.

I have no idea what 2012 holds for me, since things have really taken on a day-to-day vibe these last few months.

My main hope is that everyone here at home base stays healthy and happy.

Aside from that, I only hope that the next year brings some new sounds my way, and hopefully the opportunity to spread the love, whether through the blog, or in person as a DJ.

Either way, the very least any of us can do is follow that basic prescription in the Funky16Corners logo:

Keep the Faith.

See you next week (make sure to tune in to the Funky16Corners Radio Show Friday night at 9PM on Viva Radio for the Year End Funk and Soul Dance Party!)

Peace

Larry

Also, make sure that you check out the POAC link below (click on the logo), in regard to the April 2nd walk.

If you want one of the new Funky16Corners stickers (free, of course) click here for info.

Check out the Funky16Corners Store at Cafe Press

PS Head over to Iron Leg for some very tasty UK Folk Rock.

Comments (0)

By Larry, August 31, 2011 6:16 pm

The Royalettes

Listen/Download – The Royalettes – Out of Sight Out of Mind

Greetings all.

I have returned unexpectedly to bring some news, as well as some music.

I just learned that I’ll be spinning some tunes during the annual Point Pleasant Lions Seafood 5K and 1 Mile FUN Run/Walk on Saturday, September 17th in Pt Pleasant Beach, NJ. The run benefits the JT Foundation for Autism Awareness and runs right before the Seafood Fest (which starts at 10AM). I’ll be spinning all of the funk soul and disco you’d expect, so if you’re in the area, come on down and run, sit and watch people run while listening to music, or get your groove on before hunting down some delicious seafood. It’s a great cause and there’ll be good music, good people and good food, so what else do you need to know?

As mentioned last Monday (before we were knocked on our asses by the deaths of Jerry Leiber and Nick Ashford) , with the sweet, soulful reggae of Ken Boothe and his take on the Royalettes ‘It’s Gonna Take a Miracle’I was reminded that I had the most excellent flip side of that very Royalettes record sitting in the to-be-blogged vault, ready and raring to go.

I don’t recall where I first heard ‘Out of Sight Out of Mind’, but I suspect it was via a friend’s Facebook post, and I knew as soon as I heard it that I had to have a copy for my record box.

We last discussed the Royalettes in this space roughly two years ago, right after I scored myself a copy of their brilliant cover of Barbara Banks’ ‘River of Tears’ (1967).

‘Out of Sight Out of Mind’ came out in 1965 on the flipside of the group’s biggest hit, the Teddy Randazzo-penned ‘It’s Gonna Take a Miracle’. The record hit the R&B Top 40 and just missed the Pop Top 40 (#41?!?).

The Royalettes hailed from Baltimore, MD, and recorded their earliest 45s for Chancellor and Warner Brothers before signing with MGM where they had a run of two LPs and nine 45s.

While ‘It’s Gonna Take a Miracle’ is a soul ballad classic, ‘Out of Sight Out of Mind’ is a powerful, fast-moving dance floor killer with a slightly dark edge to it.

The group trades off call and response vocals, over a forceful rhythm track, punctuated with a rumbling horn section (the trombones are nuts) and a sharp guitar solo.

If you have the opportunity, slap on the headphones and crank up the volume. There’s a crazy rhythm guitar track scratching around underneath all the power that’s really interesting.

It’s not unusual to have a ballad backed with an upbeat dancer, but is exceedingly rare to have both sides rise to such a high level of quality.

The Royalettes would have one more minor hit in 1965, and would eventually part ways with MGM in 1966, moving on to Roulette for that one last, incredible single (‘River of Tears’ you can hear the Royalettes version in the mix F16C Soul Club Presents – Funky16Corners Live at Master Groove 9/19/10 ).

There are a couple of comps of their stuff out there, one exclusively MGM material, as well as a singles comp that appears to include the indispensible ‘River of Tears’.

I hope you dig the tunes, and I’ll be back on Monday with a most excellent guest mix that I know you’ll all dig!

Make sure to tune into Friday’s edition of the Funky16Corners Radio Show over at Viva Radio, and I’ll see you all on Monday.

Peace

Larry

Also, make sure that you check out the POAC link below (click on the logo). It’s a fantastic organization that provides services to our local autism community, with education and recreational events, and any contribution you could make would be greatly appreciated.

If you want one of the new Funky16Corners stickers (free, of course) click here for info.

Check out the Funky16Corners Store at Cafe Press

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

Comments (2)

By Larry, August 28, 2011 3:32 pm

Set List

Felice Taylor – Under the Influence of Love (Mustang)
Frankie Valli – You’re Gonna (Hurt Yourself) (Smash)
Four Larks – Grooving at the Go Go (Tower)
Broadways – You Just Don’t Know (MGM)
Volcanos – (It’s Against) The Laws of Love (Inst) (Arctic)
Bob Brady and the Conchords – Everybody’s Going to the Love In (Chariot)
Jean Wells – With My Love and What You Got (Calla)
Danny White – Natural Soul Brother (SSS Intl)
The Contours – Just a Little Misunderstanding (Gordy) (Fade out)
Timmy Willis – Mr Soul Satisfaction (Sidra)
Clydie King – Bout Love (Lizard)
Producers – Love Is Amazing (Huff Puff)
Pat Lewis – Look at What I Almost Missed (Solid Hit)
Poets – She Blew a Good Thing (Symbol)
Chuck Jackson – Good Things Come To Those Who Wait (Wand)

Listen/Download – Funky16Corners – Soul Satisfaction – Recorded Live at Subway Soul Club 4/2011

Greetings all.

I hope that all of you are well, and that everyone in the path of Hurricane Irene is safe.

I was supposed to be traveling this week, meeting up with some friends and doing some family sightseeing and merry-making, but then the ominous specter of the hurricane popped up on the radar (with us folks here in NJ sitting right in the middle of things) so all plans were shelved, supplies were procured and hatches were battened.

The Funky16Corners Blogcasting Nerve Center and Record Vault is located relatively close to the ocean so the fam and I were on alert.

As it turns out, we were extraordinarily lucky. Aside from some big tree limbs down (I had to fire up the chainsaw) and 7+ inches of rain we did pretty well. The same cannot be said for those a few miles closer to the ocean who got hammered last night, with substantial flooding, destroyed boardwalks and severe wind damage.

We’re keeping our fingers crossed that everyone gets through this with as little hassle as possible.

The fam and I decided that once the storm passed, assuming that all was well, we would spend our pre-allocated vacation time traveling close to home, but since I’m going to try to relax, I decided to stick with my original (blogging) plan and post up some live DJ action.

If you recall, I guested at the storied Subway Soul Club in New York City back in April and I had a blast. I originally posted my second set from that night.

What you’re seeing, hearing, downloading today is the usable parts of my first and fourth sets, edited together (not really much editing at all, just simple cut and paste) to make one tasty 35 minute collection of (mostly) Northern Soul.

There are a bunch of things that haven’t yet appeared at Funky16Corners, but surely will (with individual write-ups) in the future.

I hope you all dig the sounds, remember to tune into the Funky16Corners Radio Show this Friday at 9PM over at Viva Radio, and then pick up the MP3 here on Saturday.

See you all next week.

Peace

Larry

Also, make sure that you check out the POAC link below (click on the logo). It’s a fantastic organization that provides services to our local autism community, with education and recreational events, and any contribution you could make would be greatly appreciated.

If you want one of the new Funky16Corners stickers (free, of course) click here for info.

Check out the Funky16Corners Store at Cafe Press

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

Comments (4)

By Larry, August 2, 2011 11:33 am

Richard Berry

Listen/Download – Richard Berry and the Pharaohs – Have Love Will Travel

Greetings all.

I hope all is well in your little corner of the interwebs, as well as whatever connection any of us has to the “real” (less so every day) world.

As referenced in Monday’s post, this has been an exceptionally busy couple of weeks for yours truly as well as a fantastic example the old saw about how life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.

The Funky16Corners fam had quite a bit of planning (and travel) already penciled in on the calendar, and then a death in the family ended up sending us a few hundred miles in the opposite direction.

Fortunately the week ended on a big up note, with the Funky16Corners Mobile Sound System rolling into Philly to provide the musical entertainment for a wedding party.

I’ve spun many a night, but never before in celebration of someone’s nuptials, and it was a stone gas.

This probably has to do with the fact that the loving couple put together quite a wingding. In addition to requesting a soundtrack of the finest in funk and soul (me again) with a concentration of the sounds of the Big Easy (you know how I roll), the people were very cool (there were even a couple of Funky16Corners fans in the crowd) and the food was spectacular.

It’s always nice to be a part of a happy occasion (usually as a partygoer) but spinning records (there were more than a few people who were stunned to see vinyl being used) and seeing folks get down to stuff like Roger and the Gypsies and Professor Longhair was – in the words of my old man – “something else”.

If anyone else out there decides to get hitched and wants to hear music like that, you know where to find me.

That said, I pulled out a grip of “love” related 45s on Saturday night (on account of what else are you celebrating at a wedding??) but didn’t get around to spinning today’s selection, which is more a reflection of the fact that I went in loaded for bear than anything to do with the quality of the music in the grooves, which is – as usual – quite high.

However, it would have been groovy for two reasons, not the least of which is the fact that I use a spin on the title for the motto on the back of my DJ business cards (as seen directly below this sentence).

You see, if you haven’t heard the OG version of Richard Berry’s ‘Have Love Will Travel’ (which is something that can also be said about his original ‘Louie Louie’, featured here a few years back) you have almost certainly heard the song covered by folks like the might PNW garage gods the Sonics, Paul Revere and the Raiders, The Black Keys, Thee Headcoatees, and Central Jersey’s own Bruce Springsteen.

Released in 1960 (the title is a tip of the hat to Richard Boone’s TV cowboy Paladin aka ‘Have Gun Will Travel’), and like ‘Louie Louie’ doomed to see success only in the hands of others (though in this case not much more) the original ‘Have Love Will Travel’ is a tightly swinging bit of West Coast R&B by Berry and his Pharaohs.

Opening with the “bow bow bow bow” of the bass singer and pushed along by a hard-hitting snare drum and piano, ‘Have Love…’ sees (hears?) Berry’s stellar lead sailing on top of the tight harmonies of the Pharaohs. Once heard – or danced to – it is immediately obvious why this record became an anthem of sorts.

It was already a killer, but like ‘Louie Louie’ it was ripe for seismic reinterpretations by disaffected, snotty, testosterone fueled headbangers, fired up enough to convince their audience that the title was not in fact an idle threat.

The record is sought after by both the Mod and Northern Soul crowd because it kicks all kinds of ass while retaining a stylish, dare I say soulful veneer lost in most of the later interpretations.

Not too long ago I got into a small interwebs shouting match with some thickheaded garage purist who insisted that in the case of ‘Louie Louie’ Richard Berry had been consistently outdone by most of his coverers. This goon had the poor taste to try to serve me a dish of cold “Paul Revere and the Raiders did the best version”, which I promptly sent back to the kitchen with a note that said something to the effect of “pull your head out of your ass”.

I am of the opinion that if you have any taste at all for black music, once you’ve heard Richard Berry’s originals there’s really no going back.

Those that know me (or have happened upon my other blog Iron Leg) know that I have a definite taste for (and strong roots in) garage rock (the fuzzy 60s kind) but I’m smart enough to know the real thing when it falls into my ears, and Richard Berry and the Pharaohs were/are that real thing. All following versions are reinterpretations on a theme, and that theme has strong, deep roots in R&B that are not coming out no matter how hard some pageboyed, Beatle-booted stooge yanks on them.

If today’s story had a moral, it has something to do with knowing the value of those roots and paying respect to the people that cultivated them in the first place.

So there.

Bow bow bow bow, bow bow bow, bow bow bow….

Peace

Larry

Also, make sure that you check out the POAC link below (click on the logo). It’s a fantastic organization that provides services to our local autism community, with education and recreational events, and any contribution you could make would be greatly appreciated.

If you want one of the new Funky16Corners stickers (free, of course) click here for info.

Check out the Funky16Corners Store at Cafe Press

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.