Comments (1)

By Larry, March 27, 2016 10:35 am

Chuck Wood

Listen/Download – Chuck Wood – Seven Days Is Too Long MP3

Greetings all.

I thought we’d get the week started with an honest to goodness Northern Soul anthem.

Naturally, there’s a story to go along with this one, which will stand as a testimony to my occasional obliviousness and the nature of luck.

Many, many years ago, before my wife and I were blessed with our kids, she used to accompany on the occasional digging expedition.

I would usually provide her with a basic criteria as to what kind of stuff I was looking for, and she would dig through the crates with me.

Over the years she managed to pull a couple of real winners, and today’s selection is one of them.

Now when she saw the title ‘Soul Shingaling’ (the flipside of this 45), the alarms went off and she handed it to me. Though I’d never heard of Chuck Wood, I couldn’t in good conscience pass up a 45 with that title, so I put it in the keeper pile and gave it a home in my crates.

Now, at the time, though I was a fan of the Northern Soul “sound”, I didn’t know much of the canon, so it was a few years until I flipped over ‘Soul Shingaling’ and discovered just how good ‘Seven Days Is Too Long’ is.

Recorded in 1967, ‘Seven Days Is Too Long’ was actually a minor regional hit on the East Coast, especially in Philadelphia (I scored my copy on the outskirts of that city), but was pretty much all the success that Chuck Wood ever had.

That was until the record was rediscovered by the UK soul crowd, who embraced the record, making it a huge Northern Soul hit, getting it reissued (it had seen an original 1967 pressing in the UK on the Big T label) twice, in 1971 on Mojo and then in 1975 on Pye.

The record’s Northern Soul popularity should come as no surprise, since its bright, poppy hooks and driving pace and anthemic chorus sound tailor-made for those dance floors.

There’s not much in the way of information about Wood himself out there, which is odd considering the popularity of the record (I was lucky enough to find the picture above in a book on Northern Soul).

The song was covered in 1980 by Dexys Midnight Runners.

It’s a fantastic record and I hope you dig it as much as I do.

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.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

Comments (1)

By Larry, April 2, 2015 10:19 am

The Les James Trio

Listen/Download The Les James Trio – Joe’s Thing

Greetings all

The end of the week is here, and I should remind you all the the Funky16Corners Radio Show comes to you each and every Friday night at 9PM on Viva Radio. If you cannot be there at airtime, you can always subscribe to the show as a podcast in iTunes, listen on your mobile device via the TuneIn app, or grab an MP3 out of the archive right here at the blog.

The fam and I are doing some Spring-breaking, so here’s something from the archives to keep you ears warm until Monday – Larry

_________________________________________________

Originally posted November, 2012

I often find myself running out of steam by the end of the week.

You know how it is.

Truth be told, I have discovered that the remedy to such a lull is not – as might be expected – a solid and powerful boot in the ass,  but rather something subtly powerful.

Enough of a push to restore momentum, but nothing too sudden.

It is in furtherance of this idea that I have dipped into the crates and whipped out something that just might do the trick.

A while back, I was perusing the interwebs in search of some tasty vinyl to add to my record box, when I happened upon an auction for an unfamiliar, but very interesting looking record.

The disc in question was a mid-70s joint by a crew called the Les James Trio out of the Rocky Mountain metropolis of Denver, CO.

Now, I know that “Denver jazz’ doesn’t light any fire in your ears – unless you are a Paul Quinichette aficionado – but this auction came with a tantalizing soundclip.

So tantalizing in fact that I chased this record down like a lion after a juicy springbok, landed it and devoured it forthwith, if by “devour” it is meant to be understood as recording and digimatizing said record for the delectation of you good people.

There’s not much out there about Les James, other than a few links that suggest that he was something of a local institution in Denver, and the liner notes to the album which intimate that he might have hailed from Eastern Europe and made his way west, piano in tow.

The tune I bring you today – he one that made me covet the album so fiercely – is entitled ‘Joe’s Thing’, written by and named for James’ bassist Joe Lopez.

Much like the record that I brought you all on Monday, the things that happen on this record in regard to the alchemy of bass and drums is truly something to behold.

‘Joe’s Thing’ is in no way a “funk” record, but it is immediately obvious once the ones and zeros start to flow that is is monumentally funky, in a way guaranteed to make you sit up, notice, and groove, all at the same time.

Unlike so many self-released combos (Century was a famous “press your own”outfit out of California) the Les James Trio was actually a pretty tight unit. James was an excellent pianist, Lopez a shit-hot bassist and the drummer (listed only as Jo Jo) does his part admirably.

‘Joe’s Thing’ is a groover’s treasure because it starts out with a mighty riff, and then returns to the well a number of times, including a couple of phased drum breaks.

This is a banger – a subtle one – but a banger nonetheless.

You can send your thank you notes via the comments below.

You’re most welcome.

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, March 8, 2015 11:05 am

Ike and Tina Turner

Greetings all.

I hope the new week finds you all well.

The record you see before you is yet another testament to the idea that playing the long game, i.e. waiting until the time is right to strike, is essential to bagging the white whales that haunt the record collector’s soul.

Ike and Tina Turner’s version of ‘Dust My Broom’ (first recorded by Robert Johnson in 1937 – though with earlier roots than that – but popularized by Elmore James in 1952) is a very popular 45 on the Northern Soul and mod scenes, and as a result the competition for copies is often fierce. While at its hottest it’s not crazy expensive (running between 60 and 100 dollars), copies get snapped up quickly.

So, I held off for a long time, hoping that I’d find myself a copy in the “real world” (y’know, outside in the sun, where record hounds fear to tread), but this strategy bore no fruit.

Then, one day it pops up on Ebay, looking a little rough, graded a little low, but I knew (and trusted) the seller, so I put in my bid, sat back and waited to be outbid yet again.

Imagine my surprise when the auction ended – with yours truly as the winner – leaving me with what the kids (I don’t know what kids, but humor me…) call an eight-dollar-hollar*!

Eight lowly, wrinkled smackeroos. Ain’t that a bitch?

Ike and Tina’s 1966 version of ‘Dust My Broom’ dispenses with the age-old tempo/structure (just imagine that famous Elmore James guitar vamp) rebuilding the tune on an aggressive 4/4 frame, with Tina and the Ikettes trading lines while the band (including, believe it or not, what sounds like an electric harpsichord!) charging hard behind them.

It’s not hard to understand how this became such a popular dance floor record, even if it met with almost complete
commercial indifference when it was released.

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

Keep the faith

Larry

 * I mean, the label’s a bit rough, but I don’t play the labels, if you know what I mean…

_________________________________________________________________________________________

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 13, 2015 10:39 am

Greetings all.

The middle of the week is upon us, so I thought I’d smooth us all over the hump with some tasty library/sample source sounds.

I don’t recall when I became aware of guitarist Clive Hicks’ ‘Look Hear’, but when I did it immediately lit up multiple pleasure centers in the brain.

The first thing – is that ‘Look Hear’ is the sample source for one ofmy favorite hip hop joints, ‘What’s Golden’ by Jurassic 5 from their 2002 LP ‘Power In Numbers’. There’s something special about hearing a sample well-flipped, that also manages to stand on its own.

‘Look Hear’ is such a sample.

I haven’t been able to track down much info on Clive Hicks, other than that he was a UK-based studio guitarist who recorded a number of sessions for the KPM and Bruton library music houses, as well as sessions for the likes of Elton John.

‘Look Hear’ was released in 1973 on KPM 1121/Fusion, alongside pieces by Brian Bennett and Alan Hawkshaw among others.

The tune seems to be aiming for Zep-like heaviness, but also manages to work in some of that band’s underlying funk as well.

The guitar takes the lead but this one is all about the organ and the drums.

It is a very groovy one indeed. I hope you dig it, 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.

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, September 4, 2014 4:00 pm

Ray Barretto

Listen/Download Ray Barretto – Mercy Mercy Baby

Listen/Download Urban Dance Squad – A Deeper Shade of Soul

Greetings all

The end of the week is finally here, so that means it’s time to hoist your antenna, fire up the radiola and twist the knobs until the dulcet tones of the Funky16Corners Radio Show come spilling out of the speakers. This can be experienced every Friday night at 9PM on Viva Radio, and you can also subscribe to the show as a podcast in iTunes, or grab and MP3 here at Funky16Corners.

I have posted many a tune by the mighty Ray Barretto in this space over the years, including a couple from the album you see before you today.

You could ascribe this to laziness or lack of imagination on my part, or you could come correct and deal with the fact that Barretto’s 1968 opus ‘Acid’ is one of the greatest albums in the history not only of Latin soul, but music in general.

I mean, honestly…’Soul Drummers’, ‘A Deeper Shade of Soul’ and today’s selection, ‘Mercy Mercy Baby’ on the same LP??

Barretto was on fire, laying down ‘Hard Hands’, ‘Acid’, ‘Together’ and ‘Barretto Power’ all between 1968 and 1971, working the boogaloo/Latin soul/funk vibe as well as crafting more traditional sounds.

‘Mercy Mercy Baby’ opens with rolling bass and piano, before a tasty horn section joins in, along with the master’s congas, and vocals by Jimmy Sabater and Willie Torres.

It’s a great one for the dance floor, and ought to have folks singing along with the band.

I also have a bit of a bonus track for you today.

I have to be honest when I tell you that the first time I ever heard Ray Barretto, wasn’t on one of his records, but through a sample.

Back in 1989, I picked up the first album by the Dutch group Urban Dance Squad, having heard and dug the cut ‘Deeper Shade of Soul’ (probably via MTV, so there’s that…).

It was an early days mixture of live band, rap and turntablism, with a mellow, stoner vibe that I dug then, and still dig today.

It wasn’t until a few years later, when my man Haim passed on the CD reissue of ‘Acid’ that I realized that ‘Deeper Shade of Soul’ was built on a Barretto sample, and having dug the source and the source-erer, I dug it all the more.

Flash forward to earlier this year, and while out a-digging, what do I find but a 45 issue of the UDS tune, and I figured, since I was whipping a little Barretto on you to close out the week, I’d toss the Urban Dance Squad into the pot to thicken the stew, as it were.

So, dig that, 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 (0)

By Larry, June 19, 2014 11:18 am

DJ Bluewater – For the Cause
The Ethiopians – Headache
Al & The Vibrators – Check Up
Errol Dunkley – Love Another
Alton Ellis – Trying To Reach My Goal
John Holt – I’m Your Man
Bongo Herman – Dew of Herman
Prince Buster All Stars – The First Time I Met You
The Kingstonians – Kiss A Little Finger
King Stitt – I and I
The Maytals – Sweet And Dandy
Prince Buster – Closer Together
Ewan & The Soulcats – Keep It Moving
The Ethiopians – Promises
Delano Stewart – Stay A Little Bit Longer
The Melodians – Say Darling Say
Roland Alphonso – Peyton Place
Higgs & Wilson – Don’t Mind Me
Cynthia Richards – Foolish Fool
Roland Alphonso – Psycho Rhythmic
The Carib Beats – Munster’s Ska
The Gladiators – Re Arrange
Glen Adams – Miss Whiney
Freddy McKay – Love Is A Treasure
Vin Gordon – Vin’s Beat
Ernest Ranglin – Come Get Me

Listen/Download Funky16Corners Presents: DJ Bluewater – For the Cause

NOTE: Today’s mix is another oustanding collection of Jamaican sounds by my old Asbury Park 45 Sessions cohort DJ Bluewater.

Bluewater is always scouring the bins for the finest in rocksteady and reggae, and his mixes are always packed with heat.

‘For the Cause’ is no exception.

I hope you dig it, and I’ll be back on Monday with the last mix in the series.

Larry

____________________________________________________________________________________________
Contest!

Anyone that donates today to the Allnighter/Pledge Drive will (in addition to getting the badge and stickers) be entered into a random drawing for a copy of the Fantastic Voyage 2-CD collection ‘Youths Boogie: Jamaican R&B and the Birth of Ska’.
This is a very groovy comp of island sounds from 1959-1962 with a who’s who of future ska, rock steady and reggae stars like Laurel Aitken, Roland Alfonso, Owen Gray, Jackie Edwards and many more!
There will be more drawings over the next week for CDs by Fantastic Voyage, and 45s from Cultures of Soul!

___________________________________________________________________________

The winner of the Cultures of Soul Emanuel Taylor 45 is Ryan Bricker !
___________________________________________________________________________

Greetings all

Welcome to the 2014 edition of the Funky16Corners Allnighter/Pledge Drive.

This is the ninth annual Pledge Drive, and the fifth Allnighter.

If you haven’t experienced the Allnighter/Pledge Drive, it can be explained as thus: once a year, the Funky16Corners Blog, your home for the best in funk, soul, jazz and rare groove vinyl for almost 10 years comes to you with hand outstretched, asking for donations to offset the operating expenses of the web site.

The Funky16Corners ‘operation’ (as it is) included the Funky16Corners and Iron Leg blogs, the mix archives for both (containing well over 200 mixes), and the Funky16Corners Radio Show/Podcast (another 200+ files available for download, or through subscription in iTunes).

The money raised during the pledge drive goes to pay for the server space and fees associated with hosting the whole megillah.

As has been attested to many times in the past, Funky16Corners has humble beginnings, starting out on the old (free) Blogger service, moving to WordPress, and then to self-hosted WordPress. The move to paid hosting was necessitated by increased bandwidth usage, as well as the need for a place to store all the mixes (and eventually the radio show episodes).

The Allnighter/Pledge Drive is a once-yearly occurrence, in which yours truly, and some of the finest selectors out there whip up new mixes for your delectation.

In past years, I have posted all of the mixes in a single post, and left it up for a week.

This year, the quality and quantity of the mixes spurred me on to try something a little different, i.e. posting a new mix each weekday for a period of just over two weeks. This way, each selector gets their moment in the spotlight, and the mixes get spaced out so that the listeners don’t suffer from mix-fatigue.

Each day, you’ll get a fantastic mix (there really are some amazing ones this year) from one of my favorite DJs, many of whom have participated in the Allnighter before, as well as a couple of great new contributors.

So, if you dig what we do here at Funky16Corners, click on the Paypal link and toss some cash into the barrel.

Contributors will receive a 2014 Allnighter badge, as well as some stickers from the archive (as long as they last).

This year I will also be drawing the names of contributors at random for groovy swag, including CDs and 45s from Cultures of Soul, and CDs from Light in the Attic and Secret Stash.

So, dig the sounds for the next couple of weeks, and make sure you stop back on a daily basis to pick up new mixes and contribute for a chance to win some cool stuff.

Thanks, and as always,

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, June 15, 2014 11:43 am

Tarik Thornton – Pure Black Soul
Dyke & The Blazers – Black Boy (Original)
Black on White Affair- Bold Soul Sister, Bold Soul Brother (Topaz)
5 Miles Out- Super Sweet Girl Of Mine
Gloria Soul & The Hot Grits- Satisfy My Hunger (Golden Records)
Herculoids – Get Back (Herculoids)
James Brown – Soul Pride Parts 1 & 2 (King)
J.N. Thorp Elem. School Band – The Ghetto (Private Press)
Gil Scott-Heron – The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (Flying Dutchman)
Chico & Buddy – Can You Dig It (Tayster)
The Techniques IV- Project Song (Jasino)
Thin Lizzy – Showdown (Vertigo)
Ricky Lance – Lay The Cash On The Line (City Lights)
Nite Line – Fly (HU-DU Records)
Lynn Williams – Is It Possible (Dade)
Tyrone Davis – Are You Serious (High Rise)
King Ernest Baker – That’s When I Woke Up (Supreme)
The Impressions – That’s What Mama Say- (ABC/ Paramount)
The C.O.D.S- I’ll Come Running Back To You (Kellmac)
The Exits – Under The Street Lamp (Gemini)
Donald Jenkins & The Delighters- Music Revolution
Willie Tee- Swivel Your Hips (Gatur)

Listen/Download Funky16Corners Presents: Tarik Thornton – Pure Black Soul

NOTE: Hey everybody!
Welcome to a new week in the Funky16Corners 2014 Allnighter/Pledge Drive.

I am very proud indeed to get this week off to a bang with a new mix by my man Tarik Thornton.

Tarik has deep crates and excellent taste and always combines the two to great effect.

‘Pure Black Soul’ includes some deep, deep cuts, touching on the funky, the sweet and all points in between for an hour of pure listening pleasure.

Dig it, and I’ll see you tomorrow!

Larry

___________________________________________________________________________
Contest!

Anyone that donates today to the Allnighter/Pledge Drive will (in addition to getting the badge and stickers) be entered into a random drawing for a copy of the new Secret Stash CD by Sonny Knight and his Fabulous Lakers. This is an outstanding collection of funk and soul from a longtime Minnesota soul shouter who is just now getting his moment in the spotlight.
There will be more drawings over the next few weeks for CDs by Cultures of Soul, Light In the Attic and 45s from Cultures of Soul!

___________________________________________________________________________

The winner of Friday’s Cultures of Soul Roy Roberts 45 is Randy Sherman!
___________________________________________________________________________

Greetings all

Welcome to the 2014 edition of the Funky16Corners Allnighter/Pledge Drive.

This is the ninth annual Pledge Drive, and the fifth Allnighter.

If you haven’t experienced the Allnighter/Pledge Drive, it can be explained as thus: once a year, the Funky16Corners Blog, your home for the best in funk, soul, jazz and rare groove vinyl for almost 10 years comes to you with hand outstretched, asking for donations to offset the operating expenses of the web site.

The Funky16Corners ‘operation’ (as it is) included the Funky16Corners and Iron Leg blogs, the mix archives for both (containing well over 200 mixes), and the Funky16Corners Radio Show/Podcast (another 200+ files available for download, or through subscription in iTunes).

The money raised during the pledge drive goes to pay for the server space and fees associated with hosting the whole megillah.

As has been attested to many times in the past, Funky16Corners has humble beginnings, starting out on the old (free) Blogger service, moving to WordPress, and then to self-hosted WordPress. The move to paid hosting was necessitated by increased bandwidth usage, as well as the need for a place to store all the mixes (and eventually the radio show episodes).

The Allnighter/Pledge Drive is a once-yearly occurrence, in which yours truly, and some of the finest selectors out there whip up new mixes for your delectation.

In past years, I have posted all of the mixes in a single post, and left it up for a week.

This year, the quality and quantity of the mixes spurred me on to try something a little different, i.e. posting a new mix each weekday for a period of just over two weeks. This way, each selector gets their moment in the spotlight, and the mixes get spaced out so that the listeners don’t suffer from mix-fatigue.

Each day, you’ll get a fantastic mix (there really are some amazing ones this year) from one of my favorite DJs, many of whom have participated in the Allnighter before, as well as a couple of great new contributors.

So, if you dig what we do here at Funky16Corners, click on the Paypal link and toss some cash into the barrel.

Contributors will receive a 2014 Allnighter badge, as well as some stickers from the archive (as long as they last).

This year I will also be drawing the names of contributors at random for groovy swag, including CDs and 45s from Cultures of Soul, and CDs from Light in the Attic and Secret Stash.

So, dig the sounds for the next couple of weeks, and make sure you stop back on a daily basis to pick up new mixes and contribute for a chance to win some cool stuff.

Thanks, and as always,

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, June 12, 2014 11:18 am

Prime Mundo – Soundset
rudy ray moore – put your weight on it [generation int.] wilson pickett – baby call on me [double l] meters – just kissed my baby [soul jazz] dave and ansell collins – that girl [big tree] hector rivera – drown my heart [barry] fatback band – njia walk [perception] the people’s choice – hot wire [grandland] bo diddley – ooh baby [checker] jackie verdell – hush [peacock] bobby moore’s rhythm aces – try my love again [checker] junior parker – lover to friend [blue rock] billy fury – what do you think you’re doing of [decca] jaynetts – sally go ’round the roses [tuff] b bumble and the stingers – nautilus [rendezvous] roy ayers – i can’t help myself [polydor] trevor dandy – is there any love [numero] dennis brown – black magic woman [sun shot] roscoe shelton – you got to roll with the punch [sound stage] jesse boone and the astros – no particular one [sunburst] sly and the family stone – remember who you are [warner bros.]

Listen/Download Funky16Corners Presents: DJ Prime Mundo – Soundset

NOTE: Today’s mix is from another Asbury Park 45 Sessions hitter, this time from my man DJ Prime Mundo.

Prime is another one of those guys that always has a surprise up his sleeve. His taste is unfuckwithable, and he is well versed in funk, soul, jazz, reggae and rock.

When you strap yourself in with a DJ Prime Mundo mix you know you’re in for an exciting ride

.
He is a master chef out in the real world, and applies the same level of craft when on the turntables.

We have six more new mixes coming, starting on Monday with the mighty Tarik Thornton. You will not want to miss it!

If this is the first you’re seeing of the 2014 Allnighter, make sure to scroll back for mixes by M-Fasis, Tony C, DJ Prestige, Kris Holmes and Funky16Corners!

See you next week.

Larry

___________________________________________________________________________
Contest!

Anyone that donates today to the Allnighter/Pledge Drive will (in addition to getting the badge and stickers) be entered into a random drawing for a copy of the Cultures of Soul 45 reissue of two very solid tracks by Roy Roberts, ‘So Much In Love’ (upbeat Northern Soul) and ‘You Move Me’ (Gritty, mid-tempo funk).
There will be more drawings over the next few weeks for CDs by Cultures of Soul, Light In the Attic and Secret Stash, and 45s from Cultures of Soul!

___________________________________________________________________________

The winner of yesterday’s drawing for The Wheedle’s Groove II CD is Manual Records and Comics!

____________________________________________________________________________

Greetings all

Welcome to the 2014 edition of the Funky16Corners Allnighter/Pledge Drive.

This is the ninth annual Pledge Drive, and the fifth Allnighter.

If you haven’t experienced the Allnighter/Pledge Drive, it can be explained as thus: once a year, the Funky16Corners Blog, your home for the best in funk, soul, jazz and rare groove vinyl for almost 10 years comes to you with hand outstretched, asking for donations to offset the operating expenses of the web site.

The Funky16Corners ‘operation’ (as it is) included the Funky16Corners and Iron Leg blogs, the mix archives for both (containing well over 200 mixes), and the Funky16Corners Radio Show/Podcast (another 200+ files available for download, or through subscription in iTunes).

The money raised during the pledge drive goes to pay for the server space and fees associated with hosting the whole megillah.

As has been attested to many times in the past, Funky16Corners has humble beginnings, starting out on the old (free) Blogger service, moving to WordPress, and then to self-hosted WordPress. The move to paid hosting was necessitated by increased bandwidth usage, as well as the need for a place to store all the mixes (and eventually the radio show episodes).

The Allnighter/Pledge Drive is a once-yearly occurrence, in which yours truly, and some of the finest selectors out there whip up new mixes for your delectation.

In past years, I have posted all of the mixes in a single post, and left it up for a week.

This year, the quality and quantity of the mixes spurred me on to try something a little different, i.e. posting a new mix each weekday for a period of just over two weeks. This way, each selector gets their moment in the spotlight, and the mixes get spaced out so that the listeners don’t suffer from mix-fatigue.

Each day, you’ll get a fantastic mix (there really are some amazing ones this year) from one of my favorite DJs, many of whom have participated in the Allnighter before, as well as a couple of great new contributors.

So, if you dig what we do here at Funky16Corners, click on the Paypal link and toss some cash into the barrel.

Contributors will receive a 2014 Allnighter badge, as well as some stickers from the archive (as long as they last).

This year I will also be drawing the names of contributors at random for groovy swag, including CDs and 45s from Cultures of Soul, and CDs from Light in the Attic and Secret Stash.

So, dig the sounds for the next couple of weeks, and make sure you stop back on a daily basis to pick up new mixes and contribute for a chance to win some cool stuff.

Thanks, and as always,

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, June 11, 2014 11:02 am

M-Fasis – Summer Rocks
intro- ‘Bad words/Evil people’-Skin Valley (Stax),
‘Comment’-Les Mcann (Atlantic)
1- ‘Freedom’-Love Song (Good News)
2- ‘Summer in the City’-Quincy Jones (A&M)
3-‘Hook & Sling’-Eddie Bo (Scram)
4-‘Filthy McNasty’-Filthy McNasty (FM)
5-‘Hand Clapping Song’-Meters (Josie)
6-‘Minus/Plus’-Smith (Dunhill)
7-‘Bring It On Down To Me’-Bobby Franklin’s Insanity (Thomas)
8-‘Psychedelic Soul’-Chylds (Warner Bros.)
9-‘Don’t Mess With The Press’-Mick Paladin & The Power of the Press
10-‘When I’m a Kid’-Demis Roussos (MGM)
11-‘Bad’-Jimmy Castor Bunch (Kinetic)
12-‘Get Off the Streets Y’all’-Eric & The Vikings (Soulhawk)
13-‘Let’s Start 2 Dance Again’-Bohannon feat. Dr. Perri Johnson (Phase 2)
14-‘Evil Love’-Thee Midnighters (Chattahoochee)
15-‘Hey Joyce’-Lou Courtney (Popside)
16-‘Whatever You Do, Do It Good’-Gene Williams (Forte)
17-‘Mandolay’-La Flavor (Sweet City)
18-‘Hot Foxy Woman’-Six Feet Under (LeCam)
19-‘Ha Pasado Solo Un Mes’-Sylvana Di Lorenzo (RCA)
20-‘Affetmenseni’-Edip Akbayram Dostlar (Burçplakçilik)
21-‘Stones of Years’- Emerson Lake & Palmer (Atlantic)
22-‘Serengeti Bonus Beat’-The Whitefield Brothers (M. Whitefield)
23-‘Double Navaho’-Express Rising (Memphix)
24-‘Summer Sounds’-Sunshine Machine w/ Philadelphia Rhythm Section (Mascot)
25-outro

Listen/Download Funky16Corners Presents: M-Fasis – Summer Rocks

NOTE: Today’s mix is another great contribution from an Asbury Park 45 Sessions alumnus, the mighty M-Fasis.
M-Fasis – recently relocated to the desert from NJ, is one of those cats that always surprises me with unusual and interesting selections.
He is a tireless digger with outstanding taste with his ear attuned to sounds outside of the traditional funk and soul world.
‘Summer Rocks’ is classic M-Fasis, filled with satisfying twists and turns.
Slap on the headphones and pour this one into your ears.
See you tomorrow,
Larry

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Contest!

Anyone that donates today to the Allnighter/Pledge Drive will (in addition to getting the badge and stickers) be entered into a random drawing for a copy of the second volume of the Wheedle’s Groove comp from Light In the Attic Records.

Compiled by the mighty DJ Supreme La Rock, Wheedle’s Groove II features another great collection of vintage and rare Seattle-area funk, modern soul and boogie.

There will be more drawings over the next few weeks for CDs by Cultures of Soul, Light In the Attic and Secret Stash, and 45s from Cultures of Soul!

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The winner of yesterday’s drawing for M-Tet 45 is George Myers!

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Greetings all

Welcome to the 2014 edition of the Funky16Corners Allnighter/Pledge Drive.

This is the ninth annual Pledge Drive, and the fifth Allnighter.

If you haven’t experienced the Allnighter/Pledge Drive, it can be explained as thus: once a year, the Funky16Corners Blog, your home for the best in funk, soul, jazz and rare groove vinyl for almost 10 years comes to you with hand outstretched, asking for donations to offset the operating expenses of the web site.

The Funky16Corners ‘operation’ (as it is) included the Funky16Corners and Iron Leg blogs, the mix archives for both (containing well over 200 mixes), and the Funky16Corners Radio Show/Podcast (another 200+ files available for download, or through subscription in iTunes).

The money raised during the pledge drive goes to pay for the server space and fees associated with hosting the whole megillah.

As has been attested to many times in the past, Funky16Corners has humble beginnings, starting out on the old (free) Blogger service, moving to WordPress, and then to self-hosted WordPress. The move to paid hosting was necessitated by increased bandwidth usage, as well as the need for a place to store all the mixes (and eventually the radio show episodes).

The Allnighter/Pledge Drive is a once-yearly occurrence, in which yours truly, and some of the finest selectors out there whip up new mixes for your delectation.

In past years, I have posted all of the mixes in a single post, and left it up for a week.

This year, the quality and quantity of the mixes spurred me on to try something a little different, i.e. posting a new mix each weekday for a period of just over two weeks. This way, each selector gets their moment in the spotlight, and the mixes get spaced out so that the listeners don’t suffer from mix-fatigue.

Each day, you’ll get a fantastic mix (there really are some amazing ones this year) from one of my favorite DJs, many of whom have participated in the Allnighter before, as well as a couple of great new contributors.

So, if you dig what we do here at Funky16Corners, click on the Paypal link and toss some cash into the barrel.

Contributors will receive a 2014 Allnighter badge, as well as some stickers from the archive (as long as they last).

This year I will also be drawing the names of contributors at random for groovy swag, including CDs and 45s from Cultures of Soul, and CDs from Light in the Attic and Secret Stash.

So, dig the sounds for the next couple of weeks, and make sure you stop back on a daily basis to pick up new mixes and contribute for a chance to win some cool stuff.

Thanks, and as always,

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.

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

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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.

Comments (0)

By Larry, November 24, 2013 1:07 pm

Cover of the Jackson Sisters LP

Listen/Download The Jackson Sisters – I Believe In Miracles

Greetings all

The new week is upon us, and in the spirit of getting things off to a banging start, I thought I’d whip a little dynamite on you.

Last year, whilst I was nearing the end of a very fruitful vinyl dig out in Pittsburgh, I realized that the store in question had a box of pricier items propped up on the front counter.

Not one to let an opportunity such as this pass me by, I set my stack o’wax down, and started digging anew.

I ended up pulling another dozen or so discs out of that box, including the gem you see before you this very day.

I do not recall where I first encountered the Jackson Sisters ‘I Believe In Miracles’ but I can almost say with certainty that I knew the record’s label before I ever heard the song.

Back when I used to frequent a certain funk/soul/hip hop oriented message board, ‘finds’ lists used to be be one of my favorite things to peruse, always with amix of wonder and jealousy.

The Jackson Sisters 45 of ‘I Believe In Miracles’ used to pop up now and then (it is not a common 45) and the very groovy Prophesy Records label found itself a niche in my memory.

When I finally got around to actually hearing the record, I was blown away.

‘I Believe In Miracles’ is that perfect mixture of funk and disco, combined with an actual, catchy song (as opposed to the stand-alone groove of so many discs of the era).

First recorded by Mark Capanni, and co-written by Capanni and Bobby Taylor, ‘I Believe In Miracles’ was a much mellower affair in it’s original form.

The Jackson Sisters – Jacqueline, Lyn, Pat, Rae and Gennie – who hailed from Compton, CA but operated out of Detroit recorded one album (for the Tiger Lily label) and a few 45s in the early 70s.

‘I Believe In Miracles’ made it inside the R&B Top 100 in September of 1973, but dropped off the charts, and that was all she wrote for the Jackson Sisters….

Until the mid-80s, when ‘I Believe In Miracles’ was rescucitated as an anthem on the UK Rare Groove scene and made it back onto the UK charts.

The record, arranged by Gene Page is a masterpiece of dance floor engineering, with some hard-hitting drums (listen to those snare hits!), clavinet, and just enough horns and strings to class up the joint (but not too much).

‘I Believe In Miracles’ has a remarkable amount of kick to it (I’m posting the slightly more muscular mono version) and it’s hard to imagine anyone managing to stay in their seat when the needle hits the grooves (check out the way the song – another version – was used in the film ‘Cemetery Junction’).

The Jackson Sisters recording went on to be sampled a number of times, and the song was covered in 1992 by the UK group The Pasadenas.

The Mark Capanni 45 is exceedingly rare and sells for several hundred (sometimes over 1,000) dollars. It has been reissued by Jazzman in the UK and even that 45 can be pricey.

The Jackson Sisters OG runs around 200USD, especially version you see above, the vinyl promo issue with the stereo and mono mixes.

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

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, August 18, 2013 2:46 pm

Effie Smith

Listen/Download Effie Smith – Teenage World Pts 1&2

Listen/Download Effie Smith – Harper Valley PTA Gossip

Greetings all

I hope the new week finds you well.

The tunes I bring you today are artifacts of (the end of) a time when an artist could settle themselves in a niche and ride it for all it was worth.

I picked up Effie Smith’s ‘Harper Valley PTA Gossip’ years ago (pre-portable) and when I got it home I was pleasantly surprised to discover a sassy old lady engaged in a telephone conversation. The rap was based (see title…) on Jeannie C Riley’s 1968 mega-hit ‘Harper Valley PTA’, and it was groovy in an ‘Aunt Esther goes funky’ way.

Flash forward about half a decade, and I’m down in DC spinning (and digging, natch) at a record show and what do I turn up but a whole album of Effie Smith telephone raps!

The thought of a performer working a gag so thoroughly hasn’t been in vogue since the crest of the Bill Seluga ‘You Can Call me Ray’ wave, and I had to admire her persistence.

As it turns out, Effie Smith had been working it out in the world of jazz and R&B since the 1930s (?!?), working with Lionel Hampton, Benny Carter and Johnny Otis.

It is important to note that Effie was also mother to the one and only producer/songwriter Fred Smith, a very familiar name to fans of LA soul.

The first track I bring you today will be familiar to those of you that listen to the Funky16Corners Radio Show, from my use of a drop from ‘Teenage World Pts 1&2’ (1965). The voice of the husband was provided by Effie’s real life spouse,  John Criner.

The second track is the aforementioned ‘Harper Valley PTA Gossip’, which grazed the R&B Top 40 in November of 1968.

Effie Smith passed away in 1977 at the age of 63.

I hope you dig the tracks, and I’ll see you all 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.
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.