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By Larry, December 18, 2016 12:25 pm

The Staple Singers

Greetings all.

I thought we’d get our holiday festivities underway this year with a lovely two-sider from the mighty Staple Singers.

Originally recorded at part of their 1962 LP ‘The 25th Day of December’, ‘There Was a Star’ and ‘The Virgin Mary Had One Son’ were also released as a 45 that same year.

I have gone on in this space before about the pure, elemental power of the Staple Singers records, combining their group harmonies, Mavis’s soaring, explosive voice, and Pops’ Delta-rooted guitar playing into a thing of pure beauty.

‘There Was a Star’, written by Pops, and William Westbrook (though the 45 lists a third composer with the last name of ‘Rice’ but I haven’t been able to find out who that is, and most other sources only list the two writers), features a great lead by Mavis and call-and-response harmonies by Pops, Pervis and Cleotha. The backing is very spare, mainly Pops guitar, drums and a very judiciously applied organ popping in now and then.

‘The Virgin Mary Had One Son’ is a slow, almost mournful traditional song delivered with Mavis in the lead and group harmony over a bed of Pops vibrato guitar and drawn out organ notes. I haven’t been able to find any information about the source of the song, but it was also covered around the same time by Bob Gibson and Joan Baez together, and by Baez solo.

The 45 is a great microcosm of the earlier Staples sound, and like everything they ever recorded, a pure pleasure to listen to.

So dig it, and I’ll be back on Wednesday with something by Freddy King.

Keep the faith

Larry

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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).

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

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By Larry, November 13, 2016 9:16 am

G.L. Crockett

Listen/Download – G.L. Crockett – Every Hour, Every Day MP3

Greetings all.

I hope that the new week finds you all well.

The record you see before you this fine day is something I picked up at a record show a long time ago, thanks to the presence of ‘It’s a Man Down There’, a Top 10 R&B hit in 1965 and an iteration of the Sonny Boy Williamson song ‘One Way Out’ that was redone to great success by the Allman Brothers a few years later.

While that particular track is a very groovy, very mellow Jimmy Reed-esque number with that juke joint drive, it is the flipside of the 45 that we gather to discuss.

‘Every Hour, Every Day’ is one of those records, like Tommy Tucker’s ‘Long Tall Shorty’ that takes a little time before it hits its stride, but when it does it is something else indeed.

‘Every Hour, Every Day’, which makes the most of a spare, almost rudimentary backing and rough hewn (very live sounding) production almost sounds like it’s being cranked to life like an old jalopy, but when it gets rolling it is a thing of beauty.

G.L. Crockett’s history is short, and comes to a sudden end a few years after his very short discography. He came to Chicago from Mississippi, and apparently had himself a hard-driving/hard drinking lifestyle, and he died of a cerebral hemorrhage in 1967.

‘Every Hour, Every Day’ resides in the rarified zone where blues, R&B and soul dwell together, never settling firmly in any of them, yet transcending all of them.

Though the production style is similar to the A side, the feel of the record is marked by an unusual beauty. The backing vocals (sounding like one bass and one falsetto) complement Crockett’s voice which comes across like a very fine grade of sandpaper. The band, guitar, bass, drums and a very prominent tambourine, is stellar and the combination of instruments and voice is very nearly hypnotic.

I can imagine you might be tempted to slip this into a mid-tempo set, but I think that everyone would eventually stop dancing so they could concentrate on the music.

I think you’ll find yourself giving this one repeated listens.

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

Keep the faith

Larry

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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.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

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By Larry, September 29, 2016 11:36 am

Buddy Guy

Listen/Download – Buddy Guy – Buddy’s Groove MP3

Greetings all.

Since the end of the week is approaching, I will remind you once again that the Funky16Corners Radio Show drops each and every Friday with the best in funk, soul, jazz and rare groove, all on original vinyl. You cans ubscribe to the show as a podcast in iTunes, listen on your mobile device via the TuneIn app, check it out on Mixcloud, or grab yourself an MP3 right here in the Radio Show archive.

We close out the week with something very groovy, and very soulful (and even a little bit funky) from the mighty guitar slinger Buddy Guy.

If you have even a passing familiarity with modern blues you know the name Buddy Guy, on his own, or in partnership with harp burner Junior Wells.

Though Guy is often associated with Chicago, he came up in Louisiana, before moving to Chitown in 1957.

Guy is younger than the first wave of Chicago bluesmen (he was born in 1936 and laid down his first sides in the late 50s for Artistic.

He worked as a solo, with Junior Wells and as a sideman for a wide variety of people including Muddy Waters, Koko Taylor, and Big Mama Thornton.

He was also respected by, and a big influence on several generations of blues and rock guitarists, including Hendrix, Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughn.

‘Buddy’s Groove’, which was originally included on the 1968 Chess LP ‘I Left My Blues in San Francisco’ sees Buddy stretching out a little bit, crossing over to the soul side of the street.

The tune, written and produced by Gene Barge has Buddy wailing on vocals and guitar, with backing from piano, saxophone, bass and drums. The drummer (not sure who) even gets to work it out with a nice long drumbreak!

What I find especially cool about this record is that while it appears to be a shot at hitting the pop charts (which, sadly it did not) it works 100%. At no point do I find myself rolling my eyes at any obvious sell-out moves. Buddy is on point the whole time and there’s nothing here that doesn’t sound completely organic.

There are other soulful tracks (though nothing quite this funky) on the album, right alongside plenty of straight blues, and there is plenty of evidence on his Vanguard and Chess sides that he was capable of that and much more (even jazz, check out his version of Bobby Timmons ‘Moanin’).

Buddy Guy was also an excellent singer, as evidenced by smoking, soulful R&B like ‘I Dig Your Wig’.

Guy is an artist that is considered a giant of the blues today, but I suspect that most people have little knowledge of his 1960s recording, which are essential. There is a great two-disc collection of his Chess studio recording that ought to be a part of everyone’s library.

That said, I hope you dig the tune, and I’ll see you 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.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

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By Larry, September 15, 2016 11:56 am

Floyd Morris

Listen/Download – Floyd Morris – A Mellow Mood MP3

Greetings all.

The end of the week is here, and so is the Funky16Corners Radio Show, which drops each and every Friday with the finest in funk, soul, jazz and rare groove all on original vinyl. You can subscribe to the show as a podcast in iTunes, listen on your mobile device via the TuneIn app, check it out on Mixcloud or grab yourself an MP3 right here at the blog.

We close out the week with a very groovy bit of Chitown soul butting right up against funk.

As a certified Hammond nut, I have been picking up Floyd Morris records for years.

He was a Chicago-based piano and organ player, who came up playing in a group with Johnny Pate, and went on to play keyboards on a grip of classic-era soul and funk records in the Windy City.

Oddly enough, it’s supposedly Morris who plays the piano solo on ‘Soulful Strut’ (credited to Young/Holt, but, despite their incredible catalog, they do not play on their signature hit).

Today’s selection, ‘A Mellow Mood’ was released on Bill Sheppard’s BBS label in 1968 and is one of the coolest instrumental 45s to come out of Chicago (and that’s saying a LOT).

Morris is featured on piano, backed by an absolutely thumping bass and drums (which sound like they were lifted from Dorothy Ashby’s ‘Soul Vibrations’) and a great, chanking rhythm guitar (which gets louder in the mix closer to the end of the record), with Morris soloing over the proceedings. Plus, it was co-written by Andre Williams!

While the record isn’t quite out-and-out funk, it is certainly funky, and with a raw enough vibe that you could drop it into a funk 45 set and no one would blink.

It is groovy, relatively inexpensive, and the kind of 45 you want to spin repeatedly.

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.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

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By Larry, September 4, 2016 9:43 am

Major Lance

Listen/Download – Major Lance – Mama Didn’t Know MP3

Greetings all.

Welcome to another week here where the corners are funky and the music mellow as a cello.

Today’s selection is yet another one of those object lessons in flipping over your 45s.

I was goin through a box of wax and I pulled out Major Lance’s best known number, ‘The Monkey Time’, the first of a long string of hits that started in 1963, making him one of the finest exponents of classic-era Chicago soul.

That 45 was the work of a veritable dream team, with writing by Curtis Mayfield, arranging by Johnny Pate, and production by Carl Davis.

Now, when I took the disc out, I realized that I had no idea what was on the flip, so I flipped it over (naturally) to discover another Curtis Mayfield song, ‘Mama Didn’t Know’.

The title didn’t ring any bells, but as soon as I put under the needle, I realized that what I was hearing was an ‘answer’ record to Jan Bradley’s big hit (from earlier the same year) ‘Mama Didn’t Lie’, also – coincidentally – composed by the mighty Mr Mayfield.

Curtis, genius that he was, manages to ‘answer’ the other record, while dancing around the original melody, yet not getting too close, which is what a perfect answer record is supposed to do.

It helps that the team behind Bradley’s record gave it an entirely different sound, less polished than the Mayfield/Pate/Davis triumvirate, so Lance’s number never gives off rip-off vibes.

It may not be a monumental or essential disc, but it is proof, yet again of the amazing well of talent available in Chicago during the 60s.

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

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

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By Larry, July 17, 2016 11:19 am

Here Comes Pigmeat!

Listen/Download -Pigmeat Markham – The Hip Judge MP3

Greetings all.

It’s summer. We’re all hot and sweaty. We sit stupefied, watching the droplets of humidity run down the outside of our beer, swatting flies away.

What better time to strip the gears with something funky?

If you’re anywhere pre-middle age, it’s unlikely that the name Pigmeat Markham will ring a bell.

He was born near the beginning of the last century, and started in show business right around the end of World War One, but he managed to put his name – and his growl – on the 45 you see before you today, in 1968.

Dewey ‘Pigmeat’ Markham was a comedian who got his start in the vaudeville era and was a very popular comedianon the chitlin circuit, plying his trade for almost exclusively black audiences for most of his career.

It was only in 1968, when Sammy Davis Jr went on Laugh-In and worked it out to one of Markham’s best known routines, ‘Here Come the Judge!’ that Pigmeat (momentarily) broke through to a much wider audience.

As far as I can tell, Markham first recorded the routine in the early 60s for Chess, but had been doing it on stage for years.

Sammy made the routine viral (by 1968 standards) and there was a veritable ‘Judge’ craze, with a grip of records (funk, soul and pop), all kinds of ephemera, and last but not least, the resurgence of the career of Pigmeat Markham.

Chess put some of their finest to work,and before you know it, ole Pig (64 years old!) was trampling the charts, his ‘Here Comes the Judge’ making it to the R&B Top 5, Pop Top 20 in the US and the UK!

His follow up single (the record you see before you today) found him in the studio with Gene Barge, working it out on songs written by Maurice Dollison (aka Cash McCall), Maurice McCallister of the Radiants, and Barge.

‘The Hip Judge’ features grooving bass, tight drums, saxophone, and Pigmeat’s ‘singing’. The extent of the singing isn’t too far removed from your average Jerry-O record, reduced to comedic interjections and interaction with the backing singers.

That said, the 45 is quite funky and an excellent entry into the ‘Funky Judge’ discography.

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

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

Comments (1)

By Larry, July 14, 2016 10:53 am

Fred Hughes

Listen/Download -Fred Hughes – Can’t Make It Without You MP3

Greetings all.

The end of the week is here and so is the Funky16Corners Radio Show, coming to you each and every Friday with the best in funk, soul, jazz and rare groove, all on original vinyl. You can dig the show as a podcast in iTunes, listen on your mobile device via the TuneIn app, check it out on Mixcloud, or grab an MP3 right here at the blog.

The record I bring you today yet more evidence of the importance of Chicago soul.

Fred Hughes is best known for his big 1965 hit ‘Oo Wee Baby, I Love You’ (a big fave here at Funky16Corners). He recorded for a couple of (mostly Chicago-based) labels in the 60s, including Vee-Jay, Cadet, Wand and Brunswick, racking up a few more R&B hits in 1968 and 1969.

The tune I bring you today was – aside from some minor local Chitown airplay for the flipside – ignored at the time, but is one of the best things he ever did.

‘Can’t Make It Without You’ was assembled by a Chicago soul all-star team. Written by Richard Parker (who wrote ‘Oo Wee Baby, I Love You’ as well as ‘Just Like the Weather’ for Nolan Chance and ‘The Bird’ for the Dutones), produced by Gerald Sims, who had produced sides for the Artistics, Major Lance, Walter Jackson and Otis Leavill among others, ‘Can’t Make It Without’ you is a slow-building masterpiece of moody soul. The arrangement comes on gradually, with some beautiful vibes and string accents, and a great vocal by Hughes, who is joined by female backing singers in the chorus.

There are some echoes of his big hit, but not enough to take away from the greatness of this record.

The flipside, ‘Come Home Little Darlin’ is also excellent.

As far as I can tell, Hughes’ work has never been compiled in one place, which is a damn shame. Hopefully someone out there will get on the stick and put it together.

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

Keep the faith

Larry

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PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

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By Larry, June 19, 2016 11:25 am

Larry Grogan – Kings

Artistics – So Much Love In My Heart (Okeh)
Millionaires – A Rather Hip Shing (Philips)
Volcanos- You’re Number One (Arctic)
Sims Twins – A Losing Battle (Omen)
Spirit of St Louis – Wait Until Tomorrow (Philips)
Eddie Purrell – The Spoiler (Volt)
The Spellbinders – A Little On the Blue Side (Columbia)
Bobby Bland – Shoes (Duke)
Bull and the Matadors – Move With the Groove (Toddlin’ Town)
Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers – It’s Growing (Gordy)
Billy Leonard – Tell Me Do You Love Me (Fairmount)
George Guess – No Matter What (Pearl Harbor)
Olympics – Baby Do the Philly Dog (Mirwood)
Benny Gordon and the Soul Brothers – I’m Gonna Give Her All the Love I Got (Wand)
Marketts – Stirrin’ Up Some Soul (WB)
Trade Martin – Moanin’ (RCA)
Bobby Newton – Do the Whip (Mercury)
The Groovers – I Got To Go Now (Up On the Floor) (Groovy)

Listen/Download – Larry Grogan – Kings 103MB Mixed MP3

Greetings all 

Welcome back to the Funky16Corners 2016, Allnighter/Pledge Drive.

Today I give you the final mix of this year’s Allnighter, the complementary/second half of this years mix from yours truly, ‘Kings’.

This is an hour of the finest male soul 45s – all dancers – from the classic era. You get soul from Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Los Angeles, St Louis, Memphis and Houston, all with the sounds to put some pep in your step.

Make sure to spin this one with the ‘Queens’ mix posted on 6/5 for the full effect.

I want to thank all the selectors that participated this year for putting together these great mixes, as well as everyone that donated.

If you haven’t donated, please click on the Paypal link and drop something in the bucket to help cover the 2016 operating costs.

Don’t forget to click that Paypal button and donate, and we’ll be back later in the week with some more of the soul and funk goodness you’ve come to expect from Funky16Corners!

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Your donations help to keep Funky16Corners up and running, with the blog, Funky16Corners Radio Show podcast and hundreds of hours of archived mixes.

Everyone that donates will get the new 2016 Funky16Corners badge and bumpersticker, with which you can adorn the garment and flat surface of your choosing.

Also, everyone that donates will be entered into a drawing to win a copy of the new 45 by the M-Tet!

So pull down the ones and zeros, dig deep and Keep the Faith!

___________________________

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 (1)

By Larry, June 5, 2016 11:33 am

Funky16Corners Presents: Queens
Vicki Gomez – Boys Are a Dime a Dozen (ABC/Paramount)
Rita and the Tiaras – Gone With the Wind Is My Love (Dore)
Apollas – Mr Creator (WB)
Clara Ward – The Right Track (Verve)
Gloria Jones – Heartbeat Pt1 (Uptown)
Sandy Wynns – Love Belongs To Everyone (Champion)
Tina Britt – The Real Thing (Eastern)
Brenda Lee – Dancing In the Street (Decca)
Candy and the Kisses – Keep On Searching (Scepter)
Dorothy Berry – Shindig City (Planetary)
Marie Queenie Lyons – Drown In My Own Tears (Deluxe)
Mirettes – Now That I Found You Baby (Mirwood)
Bobbettes – Tighten Up Your Own Home (Mayhew)
Funky Sisters – Soul Woman (Aurora)
Ella Fitzgerald – These Boots Are Made For Walkin’ (Salle)
Sari and the Shalimars – No Reason To Doubt My Love (Veep)
Judy Clay – Sister Pitiful (Atlantic)
Lesley Gore – Take Good Care (Of My Heart) (Mercury)
Barry St John – Cry Like a Baby (GRT)

Listen/Download – Funky16Corners Presents: Queens 86MB Mixed MP3

Greetings all and welcome to the 2016 Funky16Corners Allnighter/Pledge Drive!

This is the time of year where I and some of the finest selectors I know create some brand new mixes and post them here in the hope that you will all show your appreciation by clicking on the Paypal link and tossing something into the hat to help cover our yearly operating budget. This is the 10th Anniversary of the Pledge Drive and the 6th year of the Allnighter format.

This year’s line-up includes mixes from Asbury Park 45 sessions alums DJ Prestige, DJ Prime Mundo, DJ Bluewater, Vincent the Soul Chef, my man in the UK Ben Gibson, Tarik Thornton, HeavySoulBrutha Dave B, Chris Lujan of the M-Tet and the Dirty Dirty Podcast, DJ RP of Funkdefy Ohio and yours truly book-ending the whole thing.

The mixes this year are uniformly excellent, with sounds ranging from funk 45s, to Northern Soul, sweet soul, reggae, modern funk instros, soul jazz and everything in between.

We’ll be posting a mix each weekday for the next few weeks.

___________________________

Your donations help to keep Funky16Corners up and running, with the blog, Funky16Corners Radio Show podcast and hundreds of hours of archived mixes.

Everyone that donates will get the new 2016 Funky16Corners badge and bumper sticker, with which you can adorn the garment and flat surface of your choosing.

So pull down the ones and zeros, dig deep and Keep the Faith!

__________________________________________________________________

We’re going to get things started (and eventually finished) with a two-part mix by yours truly, entitled Queens & Kings. These are each an hour long and feature an hour of danceable soul, first by the ladies, and then by the fellas.
I’ve picked up a lot of outstanding stuff in the past year, including some of my personal Northern Soul grails, a couple of unexpected things (from people you wouldn’t expect, naturally) and lots of other groovy sounds!

So dig it, and we’ll be back tomorrow with DJ Prime Mundo!

___________________________

Keep the faith

Larry

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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.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

Comments (1)

By Larry, April 5, 2016 11:39 am

Listen/Download – The Majestic Choir and the Soul Stirrers – Why Am I Treated So Bad MP3

Greetings all.

I hope the middle of the week finds you all well.

The tune I bring you today is a favorite of mine (which has appeared here –on the blog or the podcast – in other versions by the Staple Singers (Pop Staples wrote the song), the Sweet Inspirations, Bobby Powell, the Wildare Express and Brian Auger Trinity).

Not only is it a very groovy song on its own – sonic – merits, but also because it has a certain genre flexibility and depth that made it a standard, but in several different settings.

Originally recorded by the Staple Singers in 1965, the song was a perfect distillation of the group’s unique mixture of blues, soul and gospel, bringing with it an explicit civil rights message that couldn’t have been more timely. The Staples even took another – more modern/soul – run at the tune a few years later, with Larry Williams at the board.

The version I bring you today was recorded in 1967 (released in 1968) combining the voices of Harold Smith’s Majestic Choir (who had done a few gospel albums for Checker) and the legendary Soul Stirrers (who were also recording for Checker at the time).

Sounding as if it were recorded 100% live in the studio, their version of ‘Why Am I Treated So Bad’ manages to come on with a soulful edge, due in large part to the funky backing band and the tight harmonies.

Interestingly enough, Checker appears to have been reaching for a soul/gospel crossover with the Majestic Choir (starting with a 1967 45 including versions of ‘People get Ready’ and ‘What the World Needs Now’) that predates the breakthrough of the Edwin Hawkins Singers by two years.

I dig this version a lot, and I hope you do too.

See you 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 (1)

By Larry, February 11, 2016 1:16 pm

Mamie Galore and Dee Irwin

Listen/Download – Dee Irwin and Mamie Galore – Day Tripper MP3

Greetings all.

The end of the week is nigh, and so then is the Funky16Corners Radio Show podcast, coming to you each and every week with the best in funk, soul, jazz and rare groove, all on original vinyl. You can subscribe to the show as a podcast in iTunes (really the best way to keep abreast), listen on your mobile device via the TuneIn app, listen on Mixcloud, or grab an MP3 right here at Funky16Corners.com.

The record I bring you today is yet another fine disc in the long-running saga of Big Dee Irwin.

Irwin (or Ervin, or Erwin) was one of those 1960s soul cats who doesn’t seem to have left much of a ‘footprint’, until you start digging and realize that he was all over the place as a singer, songwriter and producer.

The fact that he recorded under a few different names, and in duets with Little Eva and Mamie Galore (like with today’s selection) makes it hard to nail down the breadth of his discography without some work.

His real name was DiFosco Irwin (though the actual spelling of his last name is in dispute) and he hailed from New York City. He recorded with the Pastels in the 1950s, and had his first success in 1963 with Little Eva, doing a duet of ‘Swing on a Star’.

He went on to record for a variety of labels including Dimension, Fairmount, Phil LA of Soul, Cub, Imperial, Hotlanta and Roxbury from the early 60s on into the disco era of the late 70s.

Along the way he worked with Monk Higgins, writing and producing for artists like Andy Butler, Gloria Jones and Blue Mitchell.

The track I bring you today is his 1968 duet with Mamie Galore (they made three 45s for Imperial in 1968 and 1969) on the Beatles’ ‘Day Tripper’.

The song, which was a favorite of soul singers (I have to have at least half a dozen covers) is done well by Irwin and Galore, backed with a subtly funky and stylish arrangement (dig the nicely applied string section).

Despite the sort of underground ubiquity that marks his career and the quality of his work, Irwin doesn’t seem to have hit the R&B charts at all during his prime.

He really ought to be better known, and it would be cool for an outfit like Sundazed to put together a career retrospective.

I hope you dig the tune, 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.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

Comments (3)

By Larry, January 26, 2016 12:02 pm

Curtis Mayfield

Listen/Download – Curtis Mayfield – We’re a Winner (Live) MP3

Greetings all.

What say we sail through the middle of the week on the breezes of the mighty Curtis Mayfield.

Curtis is one of the true giants of soul music, as performer, songwriter, producer, and talent scout, first with the Impressions in the 60s, and then on to a stellar solo career in the 70s (and beyond).

Way back when, I worked with an older dude named Gene, who always dug that I – a longhaired white kid – was into soul and jazz. He would regularly bring in records from his stacks for me to check out. One of the ones that made a big impression (no pun intended…) was 1971’s ‘Curtis Live’.

Recorded with a small band at the New York City night club the Bitter End, the set included a number of Impressions classics and a couple of his more current tunes, all delivered in a mellow, almost conversational tone.

This reworking of the Impressions 1967 epic ‘We’re a Winner’ was issued as the b-side to ‘Get Down’ (from the ‘Roots’ LP). It has a relaxed, funky swing to it, and Curtis takes the time in the middle of the song to monologue about the censorship troubles the record had the first time around (namechecking Jet magazine!), and laying out the positive civil rights message of the song in no uncertain terms.

It’s always a pleasure to hear Curtis deliver any of his songs in that smoothest of voices, and if you get a chance to grab a copy of ‘Curtis Live!’, do so, since it is a pleasure from start to finish.

I hope you dig the tune, 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.