Two by Milt Matthews Inc
Milt Matthews
Listen/Download – Milt Matthews Inc – It Ain’t Your Fault MP3
Listen/Download – Milt Matthews Inc – Little Green Apples MP3
Greetings all.
The end of the week is nigh, and so then in this week’s episode of the Funky16Corners Radio Show podcast. We come to you every week here at Funky16Corners.com and once a month at SoulGuyRadio.com with the best in funk, soul, jazz and rare groove, all on original vinyl.
I have a very special episode for you this week (and for the next two weeks as well) first of a three-part look at the History of Allen Toussaint, covering everything from his earliest solo recordings, through the early days on New Orleans R&B, the Sansu years and on into the funky sounds of the late 60s and early 70s. All told it comes to over four hours of the finest sounds that Allen Toussaint was associated with as artist, composer, producer and/or arranger. I think you’ll dig it!
You can subscribe to the show as a podcast in iTunes, listen on your mobile device via the TuneIn app, or grab an MP3 right here in the archive.
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The tunes I bring you today are a couple of my favorite songs from an overall excellent album by Milt Matthews Inc.
Milt Matthews was born in North Carolina, but relocated to Washington, DC in the mid-60s, where he worked as a session guitarist and songwriter.
His 1970 debut LP – from which this tune hails – is an outstanding example of the intersection of soul, folk and funk, which was bubbling up into the zeitgeist at the time.
Matthews spends the album working out all manner of mellow grooves, sounding like a soulful singer-songwriter in the Bill Withers/Lou Bond tradition, but with a solid, funky underpinning.
‘It Ain’t Your Fault’ is one of the more upbeat tunes on the album, mixing jazzy lead guitar with organ and nice, solid rhythm section locked into the groove.
Matthews talent as a vocalist is well-displayed in his version of the O.C. Smith ‘Little Green Apples’. Here we have a song that I thought I never needed to hear again, yet Matthews takes it and really digs in, playing with the tempo and delivering an epic reading of the song that clocks in at over eight minutes. It’s rare to hear someone get their hands on a ‘standard’ and really do something interesting and new with it, and Matthews really makes the song his own.
If you dig these tracks, try and get your hands on a copy of the album, which is excellent from start to finish.
Oddly enough, Matthews second LP ‘For the People’ moves in a more psych-rock direction and is sought out by collectors of the genre.
Matthews went on to later record disco and gospel.
I hope you dig the tunes, and I’ll see you all on Monday.
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).
Themocracy
Hi Larry, where’s the link to the AT mix?
Do you mean the radio show? Click on the ‘Radio Show’ link in the header, or subscribe in iTunes.
Thanks for Milt Matthews inc, I loved both songs so i bought the record, good pick, thank you Larry