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By Larry, July 7, 2013 8:27 pm

The Royalettes

Listen/Download – The Royalettes – River of Tears

Greetings all.

The next couple of weeks will be jam packed with events here at Funky16Corners central, so I’ll be republishing some of my favorite tunes from the Funky16Corners Archives. I hope you dig the sounds, and I’ll be back soon.

Larry

Originally Posted 12/06/2009

>>Greetings all.

Here’s hoping that everyone had themselves a nice weekend.

I’m trying to get enthusiastic about the multi-holiday season (we celebrate both Chanukah and Christmas here at the Funky16Corners ranch), but I’m having a hard time. I think that the older I get, the more I become like Charlie Brown, feeling assaulted by the rampant commercialism associated with the holidays and wishing that things could be dialed back a few notches.

Fortunately I have two small children who really do get excited when this time of year rolls around, so I can still appreciate it vicariously.

The tune I bring you today was the big score from my DC digs this past summer. Though it’s not a terribly rare record, the fact that it’s an ass kicker of superior quality placed it miles ahead of everything else I grabbed that weekend.

As posted here last year, Barbara Banks’ ‘River of Tears’ is one of my all time favorite soul 45s, and a record that I chased for a long time, finally bringing it down by throwing a large wad of cash at it. It was a classic because in addition to the fact that it’s a killer performance, it’s an even better song (co-written by Banks herself).

Back in the day when I was first looking for that 45, I discovered in my research that the tune had been covered by the Royalettes. My interest was piqued, but for some reason I never went in search of their version.

The Royalettes, who hailed from Baltimore recorded several singles for Chancellor and MGM between 1963 and 1966, eventually waxing two full LPs for the latter label.

Fast forward a few years to this past summer, when DJ Birdman was kind enough to take to around to his DC/Maryland digging spots, and while flipping through a box of soul 45s, what do I find but a copy of the Royalettes’ version of ‘River of Tears’. I was surprised to learn that like Barbara Banks original, the Royalettes’ cover was produced and arranged by Herb Bernstein. I put the record in my keeper stack and continued to dig, pulling out a handful of nice funk and soul stuff.

When I was done digging, I walked over to the store’s turntable, put on the headphones, dropped the needle on the record and just about blew my mind.

DRUMS?!?!

As you’ll hear when you pull down the ones and zeros, the Royalettes version opens with a huge, monstrous drum break that sounds like it was recorded inside Carlsbad Caverns! The Royalettes drop in with some tight harmonies, and the rest of the arrangement mirrors the Banks OG fairly closely (bass, vibes etc) but the pounding drums remain fairly high in the mix for the entire record.

It’s interesting to hear the song (what a fantastic melody!) delivered by a group as opposed to a solo voice, but the production on the Royalettes version of the song is a drastic departure from the original. Where the OG is a masterpiece of subtlety, with all the disparate layers sharing the sonic space evenly, the Royalettes cover is explosive. Taken at a slightly more deliberate pace, Bernstein tooks the opportunity to open the record up, adding all kinds of space between the instruments and voices and layering on just a touch of funk.

Recorded in 1967, ‘River of Tears’ was the Royalettes sole 45 for Roulette, and their last 45 overall.

It’s a really incredible record, and I hope you like it as much as I do.

I’ll be back on Wednesday with something cool.<<

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 (10)

By Larry, May 26, 2013 1:01 pm

Greetings all.

Welcome to the 2013 Funky16Corners Allnighter and Pledge Drive.

Those of you that fall by F16C on the reg will already be familiar with our yearly do, in which I ask some of the finest selectors I know to dip into their crates and put together mixes (from a wide variety of styles, but always soulful) for your listening pleasure.

This being the interwebs, with the selectors coming to you from points all over the map (NJ, New Zealand, NY, UK, Ohio, Minnesota), and all of you good people spread even further afield, we get together for this virtual “Allnighter” (in the tradition of the great soul clubs the world over) once a year.

There are two basic reasons for this, both equally important.

First and foremost, we try to raise some dough (via Paypal donation, see links below) to fund the server costs associated with keeping Funky16Corners (and Iron Leg) up and running. This includes the regular, thrice-weekly blog posts, as well as the Podcast, Soul Club, Guest Mix and Radio Show Archives (collectively holding well over 200 mixes of all kinds).

Second, is of course the fact that music – to paraphrase Willie the Shake – is the food of life, and so we assemble here to play on.

Blogging is for many – creators and readers alike – a transitory thing, but for the selectors here, and for many of the people that stop by here on a regular basis, music, especially soul, funk and jazz is life. These are no mere “collectors’. The mix-makers that you see here (and in all the previous years) have devoted a tremendous amount of time (not to mention,resources) to studying the sounds you will soon hear pouring out of your speakers.

Just the other day I saw someone bemoaning the overuse of the word “curating”, but I assure you that it applies to the work of every one of the people involved in this enterprise.

We all collect these sounds because we love them, but we have also all spent time sharing them, on blogs, and more importantly in live venues because we want to spread the word.

When I approach my fellow DJs to put together mixes for the Allnighter, I do so with complete confidence that they will select to impress, and impress they have.

What you here is roughly eight-and-a-half hours (in nine mixes) of the finest in funk, soul, latin, rocksteady, blues, disco, and Northern, put together by some of the best in the biz.

Funky16Corners is – and always has been – a not-for-profit enterprise. I have never taken ads here at the site and hopefully never will.

What I ask, is that if you dig what we do here, and you have the resources to do so, please throw a couple of bucks our way to keep the machine running for another year.

Everyone that donates five dollars or more will receive a Funky16Corners 2013 Allnighter Badge, F16C sticker, and one of our Keep Calm and Stay Funky stickers as well.

The Funky16Corners Blog will enter its 10th year of existence this year and though I’d probably still be at it if no one was paying attention, it’s much cooler doing it for folks like you!

So, I’ll offer you my thanks once again, and hopefully we’ll all be together again this time next year for more of the same.

Keep the Faith
Larry

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Click here to donate to Funky16Corners!

NOTE: It has been brought to my attention that the donation button has been experiencing technical difficulties. If you can’t get it to work, you can always log into Paypal and send the money to this address:

funky16corners@lycos.com

Thanks

Larry

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The Soul City – Everybody Dance Now (Goodtime)
Ross D Wyllie – Do the Uptight (A&M)
Popular Five – Little Bitty Pretty One (Minit)
Chuck Jackson and Maxine Brown – Can’t Let You Out of My Sight (Wand)
The Naked Truth – The Shingaling Thing (RCA)
Brenda Lee – Time and Time Again (Decca)
Derek Martin – Sly Girl (Tuba)
Shirelles – No Doubt About It (Scepter)
Robert Walker and the Soul Strings – The Blizzard (RCA)
The Trends – The Soul Clap (ABC)
The Tempests – Would You Believe (Smash)
Robert John – Raindrops, Love and Sunshine (A&M)
Kim Weston – Helpless (Gordy)
Earl Cosby – Ooh Honey Baby (Mirwood)
Four Pennies – You’re a Gas With Your Trash (Brunswick)
Ray Charles – I Don’t Need No Doctor (ABC)
Jo Armstead – I Feel an Urge (Giant)
Soul Sisters – Good Time Tonight (Sue)
OV Wright – Baby Mine (Goldwax)
The Velvelettes – He Was Really Saying Something (VIP)
Ronnie Love – Chills and Fever (Dot)
Little Caesar and the Empires – Everybody Dance Now (Inst) (Cameo/Parkway)

‘Everybody Dance Now’ is just under an hour of top shelf, hard charging Northern Soul, including some old faves as well as a grip of recently excavated heat that I think you’ll dig (and a couple of surprises too!).

Listen/Download Funky16Corners – Everybody Dance Now!
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Tony C: Feeling Good F16C Pledge drive 2013
Jean Dushon-Feeling good-Cadet
Merced Blue Notes-Whole lotta nothing-Tri Phi
Junior Wells-I’m gonna cramp your style-Bright Star
The Marvels-Forget about that mess-Sensation
Buddy Ace-Baby please don’t go-Duke
Buddy Greco-Twistin’ to the blues-Coronet
JJ Barnes-Won’t you let me in-Rich
The Charmaines-I idolise you-Kent
Joe Simon-Troubles-Hush
The Young Holt Trio-Ain’t there something that money can’t buy-Brunswick
Sonny Raye-Whip it on me-Jetstream
Pearl Woods-Sippin’ sorrow-Charge
BB King-16 tons-Crown
Ricardo Ray-Nitty Gritty-Alegre
Jack Constanzo-Evil ways-Discomoda
Willie Bobo-Be’s that way-Tico
Charlie Palmieri-Uptight-Atlantic
Tito Ramos-Big T-Cotique
The Beginning Of The End-Come down baby-Alston
The Soul Creations-Funky jive-GES
Tommy Wills-KC drive-Juke
Spanky Wilson-You-Mothers
Big Ella-It takes a lot of loving-Lo Lo
Eddie Parker-I need a true love-Triple ‘B’ Records

Tony Crampton is a UK based DJ/Collector whose mixes should be immediately familiar to readers of Funky16Corners. He has excellent taste, and gets frequent shout-outs here at F16C for records that he first put me onto.

Listen/Download Tony C: Feeling Good
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Kris Holmes – Greenville and Beyond

Slim Willis – I Say That
Little Eddie – There’ll Be A Day
Virgil Griffin – If You Can’t Go
The Trademarques – I Can Set You Free
Chick Willis – My Bowlegged Woman
Heavenly Kings Singers – If You Wake Up In The Morning
Vikki Styles – Mark My Words
The Premiers – Funky Monkey
The Perails – Boss Walk
The Cherries – You Know You Gonna Need Me
Vicki Williams – Your Love Makes Me Stay
L. Johnson Jr. – You Gotta Have Soul
W. Williams & Sonny Wash – Don’t Lie To Me Lover
Spencer Jackson Family – Bring Back Peace To The World
Johnny Littlejohn – Can’t Be Still
Johnny Nix – Matchbox
Pops Porter – Baby Put Your Legs Upside The Wall
Willie Buck – Get Down & Disco To The Blues
Bobby Williams – Soul Party
Ervin Little – Teach Me How To Boogaloo

Kris Holmes ‘Greenville and Beyond’ mix is an extension of the website he created to track the wide variety of records associated with several Greenville, Mississippi labels and their Chicago connections. Kris is one of the premier DJ/Collectors in New Zealand, rocking it in live venues and on his show the Sunday Shuffle on Radio Ponsonby (which can be heard Saturday nights here in the US). He has exquisite taste, and has been a big influence on new additions to the crates here at Funky16Corners.

Listen/Download Kris Holmes – Greenville and Beyond
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Reaching Onward – A FleamarketFunk.com All 45 Excursion
Studio G’s Beat Group – Hi Bird/ Licorice Soul
Quantic and His Combo Barbaro – Enyere Kumbara/ Tru Thoughts
Lonnie liston Smith & The Cosmic Echoes – Goddess of Love/ Flying Dutchman
Big Pimp Jones – The Smokeout/ Recordbreakin’
Hard Proof – Dragon/ Kept Records
The Jive Turkeys – No Answer/ Colemine
Yambu – Sunny/ Motuno
The T.M.G.’s – Agravation/ Funk 45
The DT6 – Don’t Doubt Me/ Starla
East L.A. Carpool – Linda Chicana/ GRC
Victor Green – The Ghetto/ Rejoint
Sir Ali Bengal – ABX (Instrumental)/ Our Label Records
Banda União Black – Yeah Yeah Yeah/ Vampi Soul

A Word from DJ Prestige

“Once again I’m honored to put together a guest mix for Larry at Funky 16 Corners. Today I’ve dug into my collection of 45s and pulled out a bunch of sides that I built around the intro from Sun-Ra. For the most part, these 45s represent a lot of the future of Funk, Soul, and who will be carrying on the torch of funky music in general in the years to come playing right along side a few older tracks that lend themselves nicely to this mix. Record labels like Colemine, who offer up The Jive Turkeys, Kept, who give us the Afro Beat of Hard Proof out of Austin, TX, The DT6 on Starla coming out of Scotland, Big Pimp Jones from Philly on Recordbreakin’, Our Records Label and Sir Ali Bengal out of Germany, and Quantic out of the UK represent a small amount of artists doing it like they did in the late 60’s and early 70’s. Some of these limited edition 7″s will be the sought after 45s in years to come. They’re recorded in the same manner as the originators, and each band lends it unique sound to the time line of music. I’ve also included some older sides such as Lonnie Liston Smith & The Cosmic Echoes, a Disco Soul cover of “Sunny” by Yambu, a Latin influenced Donnie Hathaway cover from Victor Green, some Psychedelic Library Hammond Funk from Studio G’s Beat Group, as well as some West Coast Lowrider Soul with East L.A. Carpool. Each one of these bands, no matter if it the present day or the past has been reaching outward to put out good music, and that’s what I want to do with this mix. Please enjoy. DJ Prestige, Flea Market Funk 2013″

Listen/Download DJ Prestige: Reaching Onward
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Tarik Thornton: TCB
James Black and the Southern University Stage Band- Ole Wine ( Intro)- Whit
Oliver Morgan- Roll Call- Seven B
Gene Chandler- Soul Hootenany Part 1- Constellation
Temptations- Girl, Why You Wanna Make Me Blue- Gordy
Little Eva- Get Ready/Uptight- Spring
Seven Souls – I Still Love You- Okeh
Natural Four-I Thought you Were Mine – ABC
Claude Huey- Drifting – M.I.O.B
Richard Brown- Sweet & Kind- SteeleTown
Gino Washington- What Can A Man Do- Washpan
Charles Brimmer- This Feeling in My Heart- Broadmoor
The Pearls – Shooting High- Lamp
The Symphonic Four- Who Do You Think Your Fooling Part II- Sudan
Bob & Gene- It’s Not What You Know It’s Who You Know
Aaron Neville- Hercules- Mercury
Willie Joe – Funny Thing- Pure Black Soul
Detroit Emeralds- You’re Getting Too Smart- Westbound
Eddie Floyd- Stealing Love- Stax
The 13th Amendment – The Stretch – Slave
James Brown – I’ll Go Crazy – King

Tarik Thornton is a New Orleans native who has relocated to the Midwest. He has worked as part of a number of top DJ crews, and guested at some of the hottest nights around the country. He is always digging, and never fails to bring the heat.

Listen/Download Tarik Thornton – TCB
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Prime Mundo: Positive/Negative – A Live Mixtape
alzo & udine – c’mon and join us (mercury)
jim ford – i wanta make her love me (sundown)
truth – i can’t go on (roulette)
southside movement – i’ve been watching you (20th century)
stevie wonder – i was made to love her (tamla)
trapeze – what is a woman’s role (threshold)
bo diddley – go for broke (chess)
yardbirds – baby what’s wrong (sire)
fiesta dance party – summertime (fiesta)
jesse morrison – tell me, can you feel it (a-bet)
edwin starr – easin’ in (motown)
charles spurling – popcorn charlie (king)
the watts 103rd street rhythm band – 65 bars and a taste of soul (warner bros)
gilberto sextet – yes i will part 1 (tico)
albert collins – thaw out (blue thumb)
jerry maccain – juicy lucy (jewel)
charlie earland – sing a simple song (prestige)
aluar horns (nonesuch)
mongo santamaria – fingers (vaya)

DJ Prime Mundo is one of the OG Asbury Park 45 Sessions crew. He’s got a spectacular ear for the finest in funk, soul and jazz his turntable skills are next level. No matter how much you think you know, you will always find  something new to dig in his mixes.

Listen/Download DJ Prime Mundo – Positive/Negative
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DJ Bluewater Presents: Turn To This Sound
The Vibrators – I’m Depending On You
Alton Ellis – The Preacher
Roland Alphonso – How Soon
The Fugitives – Cantelope Rock
The Maytals – Bim Today Bam Tomorrow
Roy Shirley – The Prophet
Prince Buster’s All Stars – All In My Mind
The Gaylads – Joy In The Morning
The Uniques – My Woman’s Love
The Modifies – Death In The Arena
Slim Smith – Burning Desire
Glen Adams – Mighty Organ
The Dee Set – I Know A Place
Max Romeo – She’s But A Little Girl
Roy Shirley – Don’t Be Afraid
The Gladiators – Fling It Gimme
Sound Dimension – More Scorcher
Tony Brevett – Don’t Get Weary
The Ethiopians – Selah
The Rulers – Let My People Go
Lee Perry – Whup Whop Man
Teddy King & Prince Buster – Mexican Divorce
Derrick Morgan – Too Bad
The Soul Brothers – Windell
Ken Boothe & Norma Frazer – Give Me The Right

DJ Bluewater is another member of the Asbury Park 45 Sessions crew. He is as deep into the rocksteady 45 game as he is with funk and soul. He has been contributing mixes to the Funky16Corners Pledge Drives since the beginning.

Listen/Download DJ Bluewater – Turn To This Sound

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Funkdefy: Take Time To Know Her
Roy “C” – I Found-A-Man In My Bed – Pan Records
The Esquires – Listen To Me – Bunky Records
Tony Fox – Do It To It – Calla Records
The Soul Sisters – Think About The Good Times – Sue Records
Bobby Lewis – Tossin’ and Turnin’ – Beltone
Charles Spurling – Popcorn Charlie – King
William Alexander, Jr. and the Dukes – Give Me One More Chance – Aphrodisiac
Mary Jane Hooper – That’s How Strong Love Is – World Pacific Audition Records
Harvey Scales – What’s Good For You (Don’t Have to be Good to You) – Stax Records
Jay Dee Bryant – Get It (Come On and Get It) – Enjoy Records
Johnnie Taylor – Take Care Of Your Homework – Stax
J. J. Jackson – But It’s Alright – Calla Records
Otis Redding – Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag (Live) – ATCO Records
Tony Clarke – Ghetto Man – Chicory Records
Don Gardner – My Baby Likes To Boogaloo – Tru-Glo-Town
Dyke And The Blazers – Funky Bull Pt. 1 – Original Sound
George Torrence & The Naturals – Lickin’ Stick – Shout
Billy Stewart – Summertime – Chess
Percy Sledge – Take Time To Know Her – Atlantic

A Word from DJ RP

FUNKDEFY, located in Columbus Ohio, is the longest running Funk-N-Soul dance party of Central Ohio. Founded in 2004, the Crew is an ensemble group of crate diggers and beat battlers. Not only have they been throwing monthly all vinyl dance parties, but in years past introduced live Soul to Columbus, heating up the city with their combination of dance parties on wax mixed with some incredible live bands, including The Dynamites featuring Charles Walker, The Budos Band and Eli “Paperboy” Reed & The True Loves. The following contribution was put together by founder DJ RP for your audio pleasure. You can hear other mixes of theirs on Soundcloud and see updates about them on Facebook. The crew hopes you will become part of, and a friend of, the funky collective.

Listen/Download Funkdefy – Take Time To Know Her
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F16C Presents: Are You Ready For This
Jackson Sisters – I Believe In Miracles (Prophecy)
Brothers – Are You Ready For This (RCA)
Papa John Creach – Joyce (Tom Moulton Mix) (Buddah)
Johnny Hammond Smith – Los Conquistadores Chocolates (Milestone)
Eddie Kendricks – Going Up In Smoke (Tamla)
Muscle Shoals Horns – Breakdown (Bang)
Charles Mann – Do It Again (ABC)
Touch – Love Hangover (Breaking Down) (Brunswick)
Lyn Collins – Rock Me Again & Again & Again & Again & Again & Again (People)
JBs – All Aboard the Funky Soul Train (Polydor)
Silvetti – Spring Rain (Salsoul)
Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes – Bad Luck (Tom Moulton Remix) (Philadelphia International)
Ray Charles – Compared to What (Atlantic)

‘Are You Ready For This’ includes all manner of funky disco, disco-y funk, and even a couple of similarly inclined tunes from the Northern Soul canon. Mostly 45s, a couple of 12’s and an LP track here and there.

Listen/Download Funky16Corners – Are You Ready For This?
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Click Here To Donate to Funky16Corners

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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).

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.

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By Larry, April 11, 2013 12:28 pm

Earl Cosby aka Jackie Lee aka Earl Nelson

Listen/Download Earl Cosby – Ooh Honey Baby

Greetings all

The end of the week is here, and that means it’s Funky16Corners Radio Show time again. We take to the airwaves of the interwebs every Friday night at 9PM on Viva Radio. If your ears aren’t available then, you can always subscribe to the show as a podcast in iTunes, or grab an MP3 out of the archive here at the blog.

The tune I bring you today is yet another example of the talents of the mighty Earl Nelson, aka Jackie Lee, aka Earl Cosby.

While I have never gotten to the bottom of why Nelson recorded in so many guises during the 60s, I can say with confidence that the sounds he made were always very groovy.

If West Coast Northern Soul is your bag, you already know that Nelson recorded certified classics as part of Bob and Earl (‘Harlem Shuffle’) and as Jackie Lee (‘The Duck’).

The tune I bring you today is a fairy recent addition to my crates. I knew of the Earl Nelson recordings for years, but only found a copy of this particular 45 in the last few months.

‘Ooh Honey Baby’ b/w ‘Land of 1000 Dances’ was released in 1965 on the storied Mira label, then again (with the sides reversed, on Mirwood this time) in 1966.

Despite the record’s obvious charms – it’s a hard charging dance floor killer – it failed to make a mark on the charts either time. It’s got all the hallmarks of top quality Northern Soul, from the driving beat, vibes, classy horns and hooks a plenty.

Released under the name Jackie Lee, ‘The Duck’ was a Top 10 R&B hit in 1965, and it’s possible that the ‘Earl Cosby’ persona fell by the wayside as a result.

That said, both side of this disc are excellent, and well worth seeking out to add to your crates.

I hope you dig the sounds, and I’ll be back 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 1, 2013 7:53 pm

Funky16Corners Presents: Light It Up for World Autism Awareness Day

Kool and the Gang – Who’s Gonna Take the Weight (Deelight)
Sir Joe Quaterman and Free Soul – I Got So Much Trouble In My Mind (GSF)
Aretha Franklin – Save Me (Atlantic)
Marvelettes – I’ll Keep Holding On (Tamla)
Ikettes – Don’t Feel Sorry For Me (Modern)
Donald Height- Life Is Free (You Can Be What You Wanna Be) (Hurdy Gurdy)
Lyn Collins – Things Got To Get Better (Get Together) (People)
Lee Dorsey – Who’s Gonna Help Brother Get Further (Polydor)
Johnny Otis Show – Keep the Faith Pt1 (Eldo)
James Brown – Get Up Get Into It Get Involved (King)
Isley Brothers – Fight the Power (T-Neck)
Billy Butler – Right Track (Okeh)
Etta James – I’m So Glad (Chess)
Gladys Knight and the Pips – Thank You (Fallettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) (Motown)

Listen/Download -Funky16Corners Presents Light It Up for World Autism Awareness Day – 80MB Mixed MP3/256K

Greetings all.

The mix you see before you – though it contains music that should be familiar to readers of Funky16Corners – is a departure of sorts.

I’ve been writing the Funky16Corners blog for almost a decade. Over the years, in addition to the music and the history behind it, I’ve written (to varying degrees) about the events of my life.

Though I haven’t gone into great detail on the subject, I have made references in the past to that fact that autism has made an impact on our family (in case you were wondering about that link in the sidebar…).

Both of our sons – now 6 and 9 – have a diagnosis on the autism spectrum, and as a result, I have – for the last four years – been a stay-at-home-dad.

Even though being a single-income household comes with its own challenges, having a full-time parent at home to coordinate multiple therapies, meetings and the various and sundry unplanned/unexpected challenges that come with having children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) made a tremendous amount of sense.

Back in 2008, when our sons were initially diagnosed, we had already spent a considerable amount of time dealing with issues that we did not understand.

When we finally managed to weather the batteries of tests, doctor visits and paperwork, and identified the issues at hand, we found ourselves at the end of one journey and the beginning of much longer one.

A diagnosis of autism is a singularly difficult thing for any parent to deal with.

I recall at the time feeling a mixture of relief, in that we finally had a framework to deal with the problems our sons had been having, but also trepidation about finding ways to deal with them going forward.

What kinds of therapies would the boys need, and how would we arrange for them?

How would we work with the professionals in our local schools to make sure that they got the proper education?

As daunting as these questions might seem, they were just the beginning.

The next few years were like navigating an especially challenging maze, in which every turn could reveal either a new way forward – with opportunities to educate ourselves about how to do the best for our children – or another dead end where we would have to push aside our disappointment, regroup and reset the course.

The biggest challenge that every parent of an ASD child has to meet, is when you realize that there are no easy answers. This is the point when it becomes apparent that most progress will be incremental at best, and that you’re dealing with the “long game”.

It has always seemed appropriate to me that one of the public symbols of autism has been the puzzle piece.

Not only does it represent the unique nature of every child, but also that once a parent – or any family member – has begun to deal with the emotional and practical ramifications of an autism diagnosis (and there are many), they have to begin to assemble what amounts to a huge puzzle, laid out before them.

Aside from the obvious things like therapy and school, there are all of the underlying issues that have to be dealt with, such as insurance, work (and time away from it), socialization, and behavioral training inside and outside the home.

In many of these things our family has been extraordinarily lucky.

We were able to get both of our sons diagnosed fairly early – which in the case of our youngest, who was experiencing developmental delays, was incredibly important – and we were fortunate enough to have health insurance.

Though some families can take this kind of foundation for granted, many cannot.

Parents often struggle to find treatment for their children. If and when they do, they are often met with a new set of hurdles, whether complications with insurance, uncooperative/poorly prepared school districts, and/or friends and family that do not fully grasp the nature of the problem.

I mention all of this because April 2nd is World Autism Awareness Day.

This is a day first set aside by the United Nations in 1989 to spread the word about Autism spectrum disorders, the children and families that deal with them every day, and the organizations that study them and work toward a cure.

The mix above is in my own small way an attempt to convey an impression of the struggles, joys and rewards of raising children with autism.

While there aren’t – as far as I know – any soul or funk songs that deal directly with issues of autism, there are certainly a wide variety of tunes that deal with the palette of emotions that children with ASD and their families encounter every single day.

One need only look to the titles of the songs in the playlist above to get a feeling for what kinds of things we go through in our lives.

Parents need to deal with assessment (Who’s Gonna Take the Weight), emotional turmoil (I Got So Much Trouble In My Mind), self pity (Save Me), perseverance (I’ll Keep On Holding On), strength (Don’t Feel Sorry For Me), possibility (Life Is Free You Can Be What You Want To Be), optimism (Things Got To Get Better), reaching out for help (Who’s Gonna Help Brother Get Further), steadfastness (Keep The Faith), doing what you can to spread the word (Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved), taking on the system when necessary (Fight the Power), assuring yourself that you’re doing the right things (Right Track), taking the time to cherish your kids in their uniqueness (I’m So Glad) and in the end, being thankful for what you’ve got (Thank You Fallettinme Be Mice Elf Agin).

I became a fan of soul music so many years ago, and eventually started writing about it because I find it to be uniquely powerful and transcendent. Though it’s true about any good music, soul music has touched me, and many of the people that read Funky16Corners deeply.

My feelings about great records, and spinning them, are that the best of them carry in their grooves a sort of magic.

Whether it’s that a song effects the listener specifically, i.e. connects them to a memory, or in a general sense where their emotions are stirred and they feel compelled to get up and dance, when I dip into my record box and pull out a particularly powerful 45 (or post one here at the blog, or on the radio show) I get to facilitate that process.

Having children is one of the most amazing, challenging, sometimes frustrating, but always rewarding experiences I can imagine.

Raising children with ASD is all of that amplified significantly.

And, oddly enough, this experience has given me (and continues to give me) a deeper appreciation for the power of music, in how it affects me, and my children as well.

I hope you take the time to follow the link to Autism Speaks, and if this is all unfamiliar to you, maybe take a little time to read up on your read ups.

If you know someone with ASD in their family, see what you can do to help.

Until we meet again

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 28, 2013 10:30 pm

The Spellbinders

Listen/Download – Spellbinders – Help Me (Get Myself Back Together Again)

Greetings all.

For the next week or so, while the F16C fam get in a well deserved bit of rest and relaxation, I’ll be republishing some of my favorite tunes from the Funky16Corners Archives. I hope you dig the sounds, and I’ll be back soon.

Don’t forget to tune in to the Funky16Corners Radio Show, Friday night at 9PM on Viva Radio!

Larry

Originally posted 04/14/2011

My acquisition of the Spellbinders ‘Help Me (Get Myself Back Together Again)’ is yet another one of those twisted tales that winds its way back to the big mountain of 45s that came into my life lo these many years ago.

I’ve gone on about it many times, so I’ll keep it short. My father-in-law, while out scouting for antiques happened upon a huge stash of 45s, called and asked if I wanted them (naturally I said yes) and then brought them down to our house.

When they got here I was stunned by the sheer quantity (several thousand), and my wife and I spent the better part of a summer going through them, pulling out the stuff I knew was good, culling the stuff I knew was bad, and trying to figure out the difference on everything else.

Thanks to the huge amount of records, this proved to be an inexact science, and in addition to several boxes of the good stuff, I ended up with a couple of hundred things that at least looked interesting (or too interesting to throw out) and I’ve been picking at those ever since.

Every once in a while, when I have a little time on my hands I head back into those boxes, and recently such a trip resulted in one of the great ‘how the hell did I miss this?’ moments.

I must have given the Spellbinders 45 a spin at some point (since I had it filed as ‘soul’) but I suspect that I only listened to the other side (‘Danny Boy’), since it did not make a significant impression on me, which, had I listened to today’s selection, would not have been the case (am I making any sense here?).

That said, when I did drop the needle on ‘Help Me (Get Myself back Together Again)’ I was immediately drawn in by the wonderful intro, with the bass, vibes and percussion, followed immediately by the drums bringing in the pounding four on the floor beat. The rest of the record is pure Northern Soul genius, combining a great song, stellar arrangement and production (by Van McCoy) and fantastic vocals by the group.

What little I’ve been able to find out about the Spellbinders is that they were only together for a few years, recording a handful of 45s and an LP for Columbia (and one 45 for Date), with ‘Help Me…’ being issued as a non-LP 45 in 1966.

The group also had New Jersey roots, which is always a cool thing (for me) to find out.

I’m just thankful now that this 45 didn’t languish for another few years, or get sucked back into the vinyl maelstrom forever.

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 (5)

By Larry, March 3, 2013 11:51 am

The Magnificent Men

Listen/Download The Magnificent Men – Peace of Mind

Listen/Download The Magnificent Men – Just Walk In My Shoes

Greetings all

The tracks I bring you today are a perfect example of how you can hear about a group, circle them warily for years – suspecting lameness – and then finally giving in and discovering how wrong you really were.

I do not recall when I first heard of the Magnificent Men, but I suspect that I saw one of their albums while digging in the NJ/PA area, where their vinyl is plentiful.

Back in the day, what I saw was a bunch of straight-looking white dudes recording soul music, something which set off my (poorly calibrated) bullshit detector, and in the absence of a portable turntable, remained dollar-bin flotsam and jetsam.

Then – as these things often go – a few years back someone whose taste I trust posted a track by the group, and my large ears finally unfurled to the goodness of the Magnificent Men.

Had I dug a little bit, I would have realized that the Magnificent Men, formed as the Del-Chords, hailed from the unlikely soul music hotbed of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (the Emperors, Intentions, the Soulville label).

Led by vocalist Dave Bupp, the Magnificent Men were a lot more than your run of the mill “R&B-influenced” white band of which there were so many at the time.

They were first and foremost self-contained, i.e. vocalists/musicians capable of writing and performing their own (excellent) material.

They played many of the best known black venues of the day (including the Uptown in Philly and the Apollo in NYC).

Between 1966 and 1970 (by which time their sound had changed considerably) the Magnificent Men recorded three albums for Capitol and one for Mercury.

The first two, ‘The Magnificent Men’ and ‘The Magnificent Men: Live’ are the ones to look out for.

The tracks I bring you today come from that first, self-titled LP.

The first track, the original ‘Peace of Mind’ is one of the great blue-eyed soul tracks of the 60s, a great harmony showcase for the group.

Dave Bupp has said that ‘Peace of Mind’ was written with Walter Jackson in mind. Considering how evocative the record is of the Carl Davis/Okeh sound, this makes a tremendous amount of sense.

Though ‘Peace of Mind’ wasn’t a hit, its high quality is testified to by the number of cover versions of the tune. There are versions by Skip Jackson (on Capitol), Jerry Butler (Mercury), The Players (Minit), and the Royal Five (Arctic) – all of which can be heard on Youtube.

The second song – ‘Just Walk In My Shoes’ – was a recorded by Gladys Knight and the Pips in 1966 and is rightly hailed as a classic of dance floor soul.

Written by sisters Kay and Helen Lewis – two jazz/pop singers who also wrote tunes for Marvin Gaye, the Miracles and Edwin Starr, as well as recording a pair of their own 45s for the VIP label – ‘Just Walk In My Shoes’ is delivered with a lot of verve by the Magnificent Men, and I think it stands up well next to the original.

Oddly enough, as well-remembered as the Magnificent Men are (especially amongst soul fans), they seem to have made their mark mostly as a live act. Their chart impact was minimal, and almost exclusively in the mid-Atlantic region. They never hit the R&B charts (at least nationally).

They had the good fortune to have had their album arranged/conducted by Horace Ott and Sonny Sanders, and I think their music holds up remarkably well.

All of the Magnificent Men albums can be picked up on iTunes, and – if you’re digging in the Northeast, anyway, most of their vinyl is fairly easy to come by.

I hope you dig the tunes 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.
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, February 5, 2013 3:23 pm

Franki Valli being held aloft by the Four Seasons (and himself, oddly enough)

Listen/Download Frankie Valli – (You’re Gonna) Hurt Yourself

Greetings all

If you were surprised when you showed up at Funky16Corners and saw Frankie Valli’s mug staring back at you, you really oughtn’t to have, since he popped up here with the Four Seasons and the mighty ‘Beggin’ a few years back.

The tune I bring you today is for a variety of reasons a big favorite of mine, but mainly because it was hiding in my crates for years before I discovered it.

Way, waayyy back, many a year ago, I picked up the 45 containing this gem because I had been informed that it had an organ instrumental on it called ‘Night Hawk’, credited to the Valli Boys.

As organ instrumentals go, it was kind of uninspiring (groovy, but light years outside of the ‘hammond burner’ belt), which is why it went into the crates and gathered dust for a few years.

So, as I entered one of those stretches where outside record digging is precluded due to lack of funds or free time, I pulled out a bunch of record boxes and started doing a little bit of internal re-digging, i.e. looking for things unjustly ignored the first time around, a method by which many, many interesting records have made their way onto the blog.

I pulled out a stack of 45s, went through them, and managed to harvest a grip of excellent stuff, including some instrumentals, ballads, and a couple of stellar examples of Northern Soul, of which today’s selection was one.

‘(You’re Gonna) Hurt Yourself’ was released in 1966, and eventually included on the LP “The Four Seasons Present Frankie Valli Solo” which compiled many of his previous solo 45s (including the original version of ‘The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore’) as well as new material like the huge hit ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You’.

Ironically, ‘(You’re Gonna) Hurt Yourself’ isn’t even considered the big Northern Soul cut off of that album, that honor being reserved for ‘You’re Ready Now’ which is at #96 in Kev Roberts’ ‘Northern Soul Top 500’ and actually charted in the UK in 1970 due to its popularity on the dance floors over there.

It is my humble opinion that ‘(You’re Gonna) Hurt Yourself’ is the superior record.

Written by Bob Crewe and Charlie Calello, ‘(You’re Gonna) Hurt Yourself’ features plenty of hooks, a stylish arrangement (listen closely for the electric piano bubbling under everything) and a great beat for the dance floor.

Valli’s vocal is excellent, staying away from his famous falsetto and settling into a style no doubt engineered to separate his solo work from the Four Season’s records.

I whipped this one on the folks at Subway Soul a few years back, and it was met with great pleasure by the dancers there.

It’s a great record and as our friends on the other side of the Atlantic say, ought to be cheap as chips.

I hope you dig it, and I’ll be back 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 (1)

By Larry, January 29, 2013 11:44 am

Listen/Download Al Kent – Where Do I Go From Here

Greetings all

Once you’ve spent a lot of time listening to, and reading about soul and funk music, you become aware of the fact that sometimes, record labels, by virtue of the creative people involved can be depended on for a certain level of quality.

This is more evident in labels with smaller runs that had less opportunity to dilute their overall power with dozens of substandard or off-genre releases (i.e. no back alley detours into country, rock or crooners).

Sometimes, as in the case of Sansu records (one of the few labels through which I have become infected with the completest virus), you’re digging on the artistic vision of a singular talent, in that case Mr Allen Toussaint, who wrote, produced and arranged the vast majority of the catalog.

In the case of Detroit’s storied Ric-Tic/Golden World labels, the vision is spread out a little bit wider, encompassing the talents of label owners Ed Wingate and Joanne Bratton, producer/arrangers like Mike Terry, the instrumental talents of the Funk Brothers (and associated studio guns) and writer/performers like Al Kent.

Kent (born Al Hamilton), who had recorded in the late 50s with his brothers as the Nite Caps for Groove, then went on to make solo sides for labels like Checker, Wizard and Baritone before hooking up with Wingate’s various labels in the mid-60s (and, among other things, co-writing ‘Stop Her On Sight S.O.S.’ for Edwin Starr).

Stepping back to my original point, the sounds on Detroit labels like Ric-Tic and Golden World are so good, that I will often grab any disc I do not know on the labels whenever I find them, which is what I did with the record you see before you today.

Oddly, it was the instrumental side of this 45 ‘You’ve Got To Pay the Price’ that was a hit, grazing the R&B Top 20 in 1967, and becoming a Northern Soul standard of sorts*.

I dug that tune when I heard it, but it’s the side I’m posting today that really grew on me.

‘Where Do I Go From Here’ is one of those amazing records that gives off waves of Detroit-ness from its every groove.

Masterfully arranged by Mike Terry (when is he getting his boxed set??), with vibes, sweeping strings, bass and guitar (Dennis Coffey), and with a righteous vocal by Kent, ‘Where Do I Go from Here’ is just about perfect.

It is richly detailed and fully realized without passing into overkill, propulsive enough to dance to but with lots to listen for as well, it should have been a hit.

Al Kent went on to do some work for Motown after Berry Gordy bought out the entire Ric-Tic organization in 1968.

The tune was also recorded by the Four Tops (produced by Kent) but remained unreleased until ‘Lost Without You: Motown Lost & Found (1963-1970)’.

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

Keep the faith

Larry

*It was also recorded in a vocal version by Gloria Taylor for the Silver Fox label in 1969
___________________________________________________________________________________________

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 (2)

By Larry, January 17, 2013 11:55 am

Miss Maxine Brown

Listen/Download Maxine Brown – One In a Million

Greetings all

I’d like to welcome you all to the beginning of the post-work, pre-weekend festivities here at the Corners.

First off, I must remind you that the Funky16Corners Radio Show will hit the airwaves (as it does every Friday night at 9PM) of the interwebs on Viva Radio. If you cannot join me at airtime, you can always subscribe to the show as a podcast in iTunes or grab an MP3 over at the blog.

Today’s selection is a long time favorite, and proof positive that you should NEVER limit your vinyl collecting to 45s.

Some time back I was out at the Asbury Lanes Garage Sale, and happened upon a copy of Maxine Brown’s Greatest Hits.
I already had a coulple of her 45s, including at least one duet with Chuck Jackson, and there were a lot of songs on the LP that I didn’t recognize, so I grabbed it, paid the man and took it home.

It was only when I sat down and started doing the required needle-drops that I first happened upon the song you see before you today, ‘One In a Million’.

To say that ‘One In a Million’ is an absolutely brilliant slice of sophisticated, city soul, with tempo and hooks enough to grab the most jaded soulie, I would still be selling it short.

This – as the kids say – is the shit.

Miss Brown is in rare form, and the track is just perfection, from the backing vocals, to the drums and bass, every bit of it is right on the money sonny.

The song was written by Rudy Clark, who co-wrote ‘Good Loving’ for the Olympics, and wrote ‘It’s In His Kiss’ for Betty Everett and ‘Got My Mind Set On You’ for James Ray.

I love love love this record, and only wish now that I had it on 45 as well, a form in which it is much more expensive (in the 50-60 dollar range).

That said, as your physician, I recommend that you put this one on repeat, grab your honey and cut you a piece of rug.

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 (0)

By Larry, November 11, 2012 12:01 pm

Billy Preston

Listen/Download Billy Preston – Billy’s Bag

Greetings all

I hope that all is well in your corner of the world and that you’re all ready to hit the ground running this week.

The mighty Billy Preston has appeared in this space a few times before, including earlier this year with his Hammond instrumental ‘Greazee Pts 1&2’.

The track Ibring you today has dropped here as part of mix, but I only managed to score a copy of the 45 a few weeks back.

When I posted a list of my finds from the Allentown all-45 show, a friend requested that I post ‘Billy’s Bag’, so here it is.

Released in 1965 on the VeeJay label, ‘Billy’s Bag’ didn’t hit the charts in the US or the UK (where it was released on Sue) but it was a seminal record on the Mod Soul scene in the UK.

‘Mod Soul’ may be – from the outside – an amorphous concept, but I wouldn’t by lying if I said it was the driving force behind my listening for a long time.

As an collective genre,it encompassed soul jazz, R&B, uptempo blues, soul (of all varieties), and especially Hammond groovers (which fall inside all of the previously mentioned subgenres).

The sound was a huge part of the Mod lifestyle, as well as going on to inform much of the finest music to come out of the UK in the mid-60s.

Thanks to my own exposure to the Mod aesthetic – of which I was mostly an observer – Mod soul had a huge influence on the way I dig music, and I enjoy nothing better that spinning records for a crowd that shares that appreciation.

Preston spent the mid-60s as part of Ray Charles’s roadshow, and the flipsides of both of his VeeJay 45s were instrumental versions of Charles tunes (Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying and Drown In My Own Tears).

Without a doubt my all-time favorite cut by Preston, ‘Billy’s Bag’ is fast enough for the dance floor and has more than enough Hammond organ heat for the organ groove fan in me. The conga/cowbell percussion breaks are especially cool.

I really dig how Preston works the piano in the background as well.

‘Billy’s Bag’ made its mark on the Northern scene as well.

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 (8)

By Larry, November 8, 2012 2:22 pm

Ted Taylor – Love Is Like a Ramblin’ Rose (Okeh)
Stereos – I Feel Soul a Comin’ (Cadet)
Benny Gordon and the Soul Brothers – I Can’t Turn You Loose (RCA)
Choker Campbell and his 16 Piece Band – Wild One (Motown)
Joe Jeffrey Group – My Pledge of Love (Wand)
The Contours – First I Look at the Purse (Gordy)
Derek Martin – Sly Girl (Tuba)
Exciters – Blowing Up My Mind (RCA)
Ferris Wheel – Number One Guy (Philips)
Carl Carlton – Hold On To What You Got (Big Beat)
Ella Fitzgerald – Get Ready (Reprise)
High Keys – Living a Lie (Verve)
Dobie Gray – Out On the Floor (Charger)
Ronnie Dyson – Fever (Columbia)
Shirelles – No Doubt About It (Scepter)
The Tams – Trouble Maker (ABC)
Garnet Mimms – Prove It To Me (UA)
Marvelle and the Blue Mats – Mellow Man (Dynamic Sound)
Billy Butler – Boston Monkey (Okeh)

Listen/Download -Funky16Corners Presents Out On the Floor – 86MB Mixed Mp3/256K

Greetings all.

I hope all is well on your end.

It’s the end of the week again, so that means it’s Funky16Corners Radio Show time, this (and every) Friday night at 9PM on Viva Radio. You can also come by this very spot on the weekend and pick yourself up an MP3 version of the show, or more than 100 previous episodes in the archive.
__________________________________________________________________________________________

I come to you this day a happy/relieved man.

The election is finally over, and by and large the results were ones that I would consider not only positive but encouraging.

I realize that not everyone agrees with that assessment, but I have also come to see that having stated my peace, there’s not much I can do about that.

I’m certainly not going to worry about it either.

There are those on the fringes that start with the violent rhetoric, but my suspicion is that they have neither the courage nor the wherewithal to follow through on their angry, anonymous threats.

The vast majority of the population will either get back to work in furtherance of their agenda, or will likely ignore the political scene until whipped once again into a fever pitch for the mid-terms.

I’m going to savor this all a little bit, and then go back to staying informed, a little less on edge that I have been for the past few months.

The other good news is, that this week marks the eighth anniversary of the founding of the Funky16Corners blog.

It was back in early November of 2004 that I made the leap from the Funky16Corners web zine (est. 2000) and decided to continue whipping the sounds and words on you all in a slightly more economical form.

There have been redirections (Blogger to WordPress to self-hosted WordPress) and a few minor policy changes (the unfortunate removal of the zip files) but there have also been improvements as well (like the Funky16Corners Radio Show and its archive).

Either way, the flow of music and history continues in force, and my passion for both remains as strong as ever.

My thanks goes out to all of you that have participated in the conversation along the way (readers and fellow bloggers), some of whom have become friends.

With any luck, we’ll all be celebrating these anniversaries for years to come.

The slogan of the Funky16Corners blog – borrowed from the Northern Soul movement in the UK – is ‘Keep the Faith’. These are words to live by, not only as a dedicated soul fan, but as someone with an eye on improving the world, in any way possible.

I “keep the faith” here by preaching and spreading the gospel of good music, not only to help keep it alive, but to remind as many people as possible of the importance of its transformative nature.

2012 has been an especially trying time in our house on a very deep, very frightening level.

The other day my son asked me what was most important to me in the world and I answered that family was number one, but music was next.

All great music is “soul” music in the broad sense because that’s where it hits you. It gets deep inside your brain and has the power to move your emotions (in many directions) and often enough, move your physical body, whether simply nodding your head, tapping your feet or lifting you out of your seat to dance.

If there is a guiding force behind Funky16Corners – the blog, or when I’m lucky enough to get out and spin records – that is it.

And that it shall stay.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

What you see before you is a new mix (previewed on Mixcloud a while back) composed of 45 solid minutes of dancers, most in the Northern Soul style.

There are lots of groovy 45s, a couple of unjustly ignored b-sides and an album track here and there.

A couple of these tracks have seen the light of day in this space individually, and a couple more may do so in the future.

Either way, they all ought to make you get up out of your seat and outon the floor (thanks Dobie!).

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

Keep the faith

Larry

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).

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, October 23, 2012 12:14 pm

Eddie Holman

Listen/Download Eddie Holman – I Surrender

Greetings all

Welcome to the mid-point of another week.

I figured that as long as we spent some time on Monday with a Northern Soul classic from the City of Brotherly Love, that we ought to do it again today.

I have gone on the record many times in the past about my admiration for the talents of the mighty Eddie Holman.

Though Holman is best known for his huge 1969 hit ‘Hey There Lonely Girl’, when you sit down and rap with soulies about the man the story becomes a lot longer and more interesting.

Holman recorded a grip of absolutely wonderful 45s before he signed with ABC at the end of the 60s, including Northern Soul classics like ‘Eddie’s My Name’ and ‘Stay Mine for Heaven’s Sake’ as well as epic ballads like ‘I Cry 1,000 Tears’ for labels like Cameo/Parkway and Bell, many under the aegis of the House of Harthon.

Holman was possessed of one of the most amazing voices of the classic soul era, as comfortable in a soaring tenor as he was in his more famous falsetto.

The song I bring you today comes from early in his ABC period, appearing on the b-side of his first 45 for that label in 1969.

‘I Surrender’ is unusual – at least for Holman’s tenure at ABC – in that it was an upbeat dancer in an otherwise ballad-heavy catalog.

Delivered (mostly) in Holman’s falsetto, the song has a stylish, horn and string-laden arrangement.

The song never charted in the US or the UK, but over the years it became a favorite on Northern Soul dance floors, so much so that the 45 is one of the more expensive discs he ever did, second only to ‘Eddie’s My Name’.

‘I Surrender’ was also issued in the UK on the Action label.

I hope you dig the tune, and I’ll be back 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).

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.