Bobby Williams

Listen/Download Bobby Williams – Let’s Jam

Greetings all

The end of the week is here, and so is your weekly helping of the Funky16Corners Radio Show. I come to you every Friday night at 9PM on Viva Radio, spinning the best in funk, soul, jazz and rare groove, all on original vinyl. If you can’t be there at airtime, you can subscribe to the show as a podcast in iTune, or grab an MP3 here at the blog.

In other news, the Funky16Corners 2013 Allnighter and Pledge Drive will be arriving at the end of the month. I have many of your old favorites lined up, as well as some very cool new names bringing mixes to the table. I also have a cool premium on the way for folks that donate this year. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for news!

The tune I bring you today is a very groovy, very gritty slab of Florida funk.

Originally released in the US (on the Normar label) as by Bobby Williams and the Mar Kings, what you see before you is the contemporaneous (within a couple of years) release on the UK Contempo-Raries imprint (with the name truncated).

This is the Florida-based Bobby Williams (as in ‘Funky Superfly’) as opposed to the New Orleans-based Bobby Williams (as in ‘Boogaloo Mardi Gras’).

This Bobby Williams laid down a series of excellent 45s through the years for labels like Lu-Pine, Sure Shot, Duplex and R&R, ranging from storming Northern Soul (‘I’ve Only Got Myself To Blame’), blazing funk (‘Funky Superfly’ and today’s selection) to smooth, late night soul (‘You Need Love Like I Do’).

His funky stuff – like most of the ish from the early 70s – is heavily influenced by the mighty Godfather of Soul (Williams’ ‘Let’s Work A While’ is a barely disguised reworking of ‘Give It Up Or Turn It A Loose’), and ‘Let’s Jam’ is no exception.

Though the overall sound isn’t too James Brown-y (especially the instrumental side of things) Bobby’s vocal, and the call and response action (including a tip of the hat to Isaac Hayes) definitely owes a debt to JB.

The bass guitar (BIIIIG BASS!) , wah wah guitar and horns whip up a mighty racket, and Bobby is working very, very hard.

This is one I think you’re gonna want to spin a bunch of times, until you have gotten all the way (not half way) down.

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

Keep the faith

Larry

 

 

*The LP version of ‘Love Potion Number 9’ sounds like the same band but the 45 labels I’ve seen don’t provide a credit in that regard
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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.