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By Larry, December 8, 2015 1:50 pm

Listen/Download – Jim Pipkins and the Boss Five – Mr CC MP3

Greetings all.

We’re going to get over the hump this week with a groover, but first, a lesson in why you should always read labels, but then again, not too closely.

‘Mr CC’ by Jim Pipkins and the Boss Five had been on my radar for a long time before I finally scored myself a copy.

It is a fast-moving, mod/jazz dance floor heater, mostly instrumental, save for some shouts outs through the record.

A brief glance at the label reveals that the record company, Emerge (also home to the Northern Soul rarity ‘Every Time’ by Anthony and the Delsonics) had themselves a St Louis, MO address.

Now, St Louis has a long and rich R&B and soul tradition, so if you were to assume that Jim Pipkins and the Boss Five hailed from that great city, you would be forgiven.

Unless that is, you have access to the interwebs and the Googles and such, use of which revealed in short order that the group was a Pacific Northwest conglomeration.

Jim Pipkins had been in a Seattle group called the Gallahads, which evolved into the Boss Five.

The Boss Five were managed by local DJ Chuck Cunningham, aka ‘Mr CC’, and released a couple of 45s, including ‘Mr CC’ in 1965 and ‘Mister Clean ‘67’ on the Norman label.

Apparently Pipkins himself went on to work as a DJ on a number of West Coast stations.

‘Mr CC’ kicks off with a riff that sounds like a fast-moving version of ‘Watermelon Man’ with organ, horns and some groovy, jazzy guitar.

The whole thing’s over in less than two and a half minutes which is a shame because it is very groovy indeed.

I hope you dig it and I’ll see you on Friday.

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 25, 2015 4:02 pm

Mmmmmmmm!

Greetings all!

This collection of food-related mixes first dropped here on Thanksgiving 2011.

I’m going to get in some intensive family time this weekend, so I’ll offer these sounds to hold you over until Monday.

There’s even a turkey song!

Don’t forget to dig into the Funky16Corners Radio Show podcast, dropping this Friday (subscribe in iTunes, listen on TuneIn) , and then keep your ears open for the first Funky16Corners Radio Show on SoulGuyRadio.com coming next week!

Enjoy your Thanksgiving, have a great weekend with your friends and family, and I’ll see you all on Monday.

Keep the faith

Larry

 
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Funky16Corners Radio v.3 – Soul Food (That’s What I Like) Pt1

Track listing

Brother Jack McDuff – Hot Barbecue (Prestige)

 Soul Runners – Chittlin’ Salad Pt1 (MoSoul)

Lionel Hampton – Greasy Greens (GladHamp)

Albert Collins – Cookin’ Catfish (20th Century)

Andre Williams – Rib Tips (Avin)

Maurice Simon & The Pie Men – Sweet Potato Gravy (Carnival)

Mel Brown – Chicken Fat (Impulse)

Lonnie Youngblood – Soul Food (That’s What I Like) (Fairmount)

Prime Mates – Hot Tamales (Sansu)

Just Brothers – Sliced Tomatoes (Music Merchant)

Leon Haywood – Cornbread and Buttermilk (Decca)

Bobby Rush – Chicken Heads (Galaxy)

Booker T & The MGs – Jelly Bread (Stax)

Gentleman June Gardner – Mustard Greens (Blue Rock)

West Siders – Candy Yams (Infinity)

Hank Jacobs – Monkey Hips and Rice (Sue)

George Semper – Collard Greens (Imperial)

Billy Clark & His Orchestra – Hot Gravy (Dynamo)

Listen Download Mixed MP3

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Funky16Corners Radio v.9 – Soul Food Pt2

Playlist

1. Simtec Simmons – Tea Box (Maurci)

2. Johnny Barfield & The Men of S.O.U.L. – Soul Butter (SSS Intl)

3. Ronnie Woods – Sugar Pt2 (Everest)

4. Stan Hunter & Sonny Fortune – Corn Flakes (Prestige)

5. Fabulous Counts – Scrambled Eggs (Moira)

6. Watts 103rd St Rhythm Band – Spreadin Honey (Keymen)

7. Freddie Roach – Brown Sugar (Blue Note)

8. Albert Collins – Sno Cone Pt1 (TCF Hall)

9. Chuck Edwards – Chuck Roast (Rene)

10. Willie Mitchell – Mashed Potatoes (Hi)

11. Booker T & The MGs – Red Beans & Rice (Atlantic)

12. Righteous Brothers Band – Green Onions (Verve)

13. George Semper – Hog Maws & Collard Greens (Imperial)

14. Lee Dorsey – Candy Yam (Amy)

15. Roosevelt Fountain & his Pens of Rhythm – Red Pepper Pt1 (Prince Adams)

16. Bad Boys – Black Olives (Paula)

17. Willie Bobo – Spanish Grease (Verve)

18. American Group – Enchilada Soul (AGP)

DOWNLOAD – 39.3 MB Mixed MP3

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Funky16Corners Radio v.60 – Finger Lickin’ Good!

Funky16Corners Radio v.60 – Finger Lickin’ Good!

Playlist

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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 (4)

By Larry, November 8, 2015 10:49 am

Grant Green

Listen/Download – Grant Green – Sookie Sookie (45 Edit) MP3

Greetings all.

If you haven’t yet ingested your morning coffee, I’d hold off until after you’ve given today’s selection a spin.

I issue such a warning, because the record you see before you, Grant Green’s version of Don Covay’s soul classic ‘Sookie Sookie’ is one of the deepest, funkiest, dancingest, soul jazz grooves ever committed to vinyl.

Grant Green was of course one of the greatest jazz/soul jazz axemen of the 50s, 60s and 70s. He made a grip of classics for Blue Note as both a leader and as one of the label’s more flexible sidemen, and was hip enough that when jazzers started to whip a little soul and funk into the mix, he did it extraordinarily well. So much so that he has appeared here at Funky16Corners a number of times over the years.

‘Sookie Sookie’ – a 45 edit of the 11 minute plus track from the ‘Alive!’ LP, which was recorded in Newark, NJ in 1970 – is one of those records, like the Village Callers’ ‘Hector’ that is just about impossible to listen to without moving in some way, shape or form.

Naturally, any sane person would get up and dance, but head-nodding and foot tapping are also acceptable substitutes.

Featuring Ronnie Foster on organ (just listen to him pumping out the bass on his pedals) , Joseph Armstrong on congas and the mighty Idris Muhammad on drums, ‘Sookie Sookie’ is funky right out of the gate, and only gets funkier as it goes on.

Green plays around a little with the verse, but as soon as the chorus comes up, with a wave of Hammond organ, you know what song it is you’re digging.

The transition from the chorus into Green’s guitar solo (with some nice accents in the background by Willie Bivvens on the vibes) is tasty indeed.

Back in the early 90s, Us3 had themselves a hit when they pretty much lifted the whole song (I think would be unfair to call what they used a “sample”) and rebuilt it as ‘Tukka Yoot’s Riddim’ with toasting by Tukka Yoot (naturally…) over the top.

It is a heavy record, indeed. So get up on your desk and dance.

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 (2)

By Larry, October 29, 2015 10:38 am

Eumir Deodato & Airto Moreira

Listen/Download – Deodato/Airto – Do It Again MP3

Greetings all.

An important programming note!

The end of the week approacheth, and changes are afoot!

The Funky16Corners Radio Show had a home on Viva Radio for nearly seven years. As of this week, that relationship is coming to an end, I will be leaving Viva, and the show will exist purely as a podcast.

I make this change reluctantly, but due to a string of unfortunate technical difficulties the show did not air in its time slot at least twice in a month, and my requests for explanations or guarantees that these problems would be fixed going forward have gone ignored.

As a result, the Funky16Corners Radio Show will continue to drop every week, on Friday. You can subscribe to the show as a podcast in iTunes, listen on your mobile device via the TuneIn app, or click on the link here at the blog and stream or download the episodes.

So stay tuned, keep digging the show, and I will keep you informed of any further developments.

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As a big Steely Dan fan, I can never get enough of cover versions of their songs (a few of which have appeared here before), and the one I bring you today is especially cool.

What you see before you is a 3:30 edit of the original 6:29 track recorded live by Eumir Deodato and Airto Moreira for the 1974 ‘Deodato/Airto In Concert’ LP.

This cut is yet more proof that if you aren’t down with the CTI sound, you are missing out some some of the grooviest, funky (and often smooth) jazz of the early 70s.

The arrangement (aside from its lack of voice) isn’t too far removed from the Steely Dan OG, with an extra layer of Fender Rhodes, plenty of percussion (Rubens Bassini and Gilmore Degap) and nice, heavy horn section.

The hot lead guitar is provided by John Tropea.

Interestingly, though they are billed equally on the cover, Deodato and Airto do not perform together on the record. Airto opened for Deodato at the Felt Forum date from which the performances were taken, and although their tracks are both included on the LP, there is no crossover.

That said, I dig Deodato’s stuff from the period, and this is a great example thereof.

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

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, October 8, 2015 12:43 pm

Dave Pike

Listen/Download – Dave Pike – Sweet Tater Pie MP3

Greetings all.

The end of the week is nigh, and so then is the Funky16Corners Radio Show,which comes to you each and every Friday night at 9PM on Viva Radio. If you can’t be there at airtime, you can keep up with the show by subscribing to the podcast in iTunes, listening on your mobile device via the TuneIn app, or grabbing yourself an MP3 here at the blog.

This has been a rough week for music, with the passing of New Orleans drumming giant Smokey Johnson, singer Billy Joe Royal, and then yesterday the news came down that the mighty Dave Pike had slipped the surly bonds of earth.

If you don’t know (though you should) Pike was one of the pioneers of the groovy side of 60s and 70s soul jazz.

He got his start playing straight ahead jazz with Paul Bley in the late 50s, then moving on for an extended period of time playing in the bands of flautist Herbie Mann (who produced today’s selection), an artist that he was similar to in artistic temperament, if not long term commercial success.

Pike was, as a master of the vibes and the marimba, and explorer in musical styles (amplifying his vibes early on in his career), working (like Mann) all manner of world music sounds into his work as well as healthy doses of soul, funk and even pop.

His late 60s/early 70s) work with the Dave Pike Set alongside guitarist Volker Kriegel included groundbreaking soul jazz and rare groove, sought after by DJs and collectors the world over.

The selection I bring you today is a single, which originally appeared on Pike’s 1966 LP ‘Jazz for the Jet Set’, which featured him exclusively on marimba with a group that also included Herbie Hancock making a rare appearance on organ.

Written by Rodgers Grant (who also penned ‘Yeh Yeh’ for Mongo Santamaria, which went on to be a cornerstone of Georgie Fame’s repertoire), ‘Sweet Tater Pie’ (originally waxed by Mongo in ’63)  is a classic bit of hard-charging, dance-floor-ready soul jazz.

Pike manages to rein in the woodier sound of the marimba, and it’s very cool to hear Herbie working it out on the Hammond. Jimmy Lewis’s bass adds a throbbing undercurrent to the proceedings, helping Grady Tate to keep it in the pocket.

If you dig what you hear, I would highly suggest that you head out and find yourselves some of the Dave Pike Set, especially the ‘Infra-Red’ album, the deep track ‘Mathar’, and my personal fave (of which I wish I owned an OG), his 1969 ‘Got the Feelin’ set, which is a classic.

Pike was a master, and continued to play and record until 2010, when ill health forced his retirement.

I hope you dig the sounds, and that you take the opportunity to head out and dig deeper into the music of Dave Pike.

See you 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).

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

Comments (0)

By Larry, August 18, 2015 11:33 am

Brother Jack McDuff and David Newman

Listen/Download – Brother Jack McDuff Quintet feat. David Newman – But It’s Alright MP3

Greetings all.

I thought we’d get over the hump this week with some of that Hammond organ goodness bubbling up from my crates.

Brother Jack McDuff is one of the true greats of the classic era of soul jazz Hammond (mid-50s to early 70s). He is joined on today’s selection by legendary reedman David ‘Fathead’ Newman, with whom he recorded the 1968 LP ‘Double Barrelled Soul’.

Their version of JJ Jackson’s 1966 hit ‘But It’s Alright’ is – if not a complete deconstruction – a slightly avant garde approach to a familiar soul hit, with just enough edge to catch your ear, but not so much as to leave you shaking your head.

Opening with an odd organ fillagree, the fray is soon joined by the horn section, laying down an unusual, Thelonious Monk-esque riff, over which Brother Jack solos with confidence.

When the song starts out, it might take a new listener a second or two to wrap your ears around what’s going on, but once you do, there’s a funky drive shaft that keeps things moving forward.

While I wouldn’t go as far as to say that this enters Larry Young territory, there is some of that kind of thing at work here, which makes the record work as jazz, as well as a mod jazz groover.

I like it a lot, and I hope you do too.

See you all on Friday.

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, July 26, 2015 12:05 pm

Grant Green

Listen/Download – Grant Green – Ain’t It Funky Now Pt1 MP3

Listen/Download – Grant Green – Ain’t It Funky Now Pt2 MP3

Greetings all.

I thought it would behoove us all to get the week started on one of those heavy (but not too heavy), funky, head-nodding grooves.

Grant Green, six-string ninja, old-school jazzer, new(er) school jazz funker was one of the true greats of the post-bop into soul jazz era and a mainstay of the Blue Note stable, as both leader and sideman.

His sounds have appeared here at Funky16Corners many times over the years, both in highlighted posts and as part of mixes.

Today’s selection is the two-part 45 version of Green’s cover of James Brown’s ‘Ain’t It Funky Now’ that appeared on his 1970 ‘Green Is Beautiful’ LP.

You already know that any Blue Note ish in this vein is going to be good, but there’s something exceptional about this track, that being the drums of the mighty Idris Muhammad.

This is not to say that Mr Green and the rest of the band aren’t in fine form (especially Claude Bartee working it out on what sounds like a Varitone sax), but that the drums are hitting hard and exceptionally funky, and doing so in an almost weirdly relaxed way.

Idris is deep in the groove, and managing to be supremely funky without doing anything flashy. The way he comes back in at around 1:00, and then drops a couple of bombs right before the guitar solo is a thing of beauty.

Emmanuel Riggins keeps things pumping along on the organ, and the percussion, by Candido (on the congas) and Richie Landrum (bongos) is spot on.

This is a very tasty 45, indeed, and I dare you to listen without starting to move.

I hope you dig it, 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 (1)

By Larry, July 23, 2015 3:09 pm

Gene Ammons

Listen/Download – Gene Ammons – Chicago Breakdown MP3

Greetings all.

The end of the week is here, and so then is the Funky16Corners Radio Show, which you can dial up each and every Friday night at 9PM on Viva Radio. If you cannot be there to dig it at airtime, you can subscribe to the show as a podcast in iTunes, listen on your mobile device via the TuneIn app, or grab yourself an MP3 here at the blog.

With the weekend coming up, and the summer heat in the air, what better way to get your groove on than with some sublimely funky soul jazz.

The mighty Gene ‘Jug’ Ammons was not only a master of the genre, but also a second generation legend (his father was the boogie woogie virtuouso Albert Ammons).

Ammons worked as one of the preeminent soul jazz tenor men from 1952 to his untimely death at the age of 49 (from cancer) in 1974.

‘Chicago Breakdown’ was recorded for his 1971 Prestige LP ‘My Way’ with a gang of heavies that included Idris Muhammad on drums, Chuck Rainey on bass, Roland Hanna on electric piano and Ted Dunbar on guitar.

‘Chicago Breakdown’ is credited to the album’s producer/arranger Bill Fischer, and the band lays down a very nice, mid-tempo, but still heavy groove. The bass is especially thick, and Hanna’s keyboard adds flavor all the way through.

I’ll ask you to slap on your headphones and focus in at around :45, where Ammons starts to solo, and Dunbar’s guitar is comping in the deep background (it sounds like he’s across the room) and the interplay between the sax and rhythm guitar is something to behold.

This is as tasty a piece of funky jazz as you’re likely to find on 45, so go out and get you some.

I’ll see you 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).

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

Comments (0)

By Larry, July 9, 2015 11:55 am

Donny Hathaway

Listen/Download – Donny Hathaway – The Ghetto MP3

Greetings all.

The end of the week os upon us, and so I will remind you once again that Friday nights at 9PM is Funky16Corners Radio Show time. You can listen on Viva Radio, or you can subscribe to the show as a podcast in iTunes, listen on your mobile device via the TuneIn app, or grab an MP3 here at the blog.

What better way to wind your way into a sultry summer weekend than with a superior groove from the mighty Donny Hathaway.

Donny Hathaway, was for a long time, more of a name than a sound for me, i.e. I knew who he was, and I saw all the artists that namechecked him as an influence and a giant of soul, but all I ever really knew were is duets with Roberta Flack.

Then, right around the time I started digging into Richard Evans and the Soulful Strings, I started to notice Hathaway’s name in the credits of those albums (his ‘Valdez In the Country’ having become a favorite of mine), as songwriter and keyboardist, and with my curiosity piqued, I started picking up his albums where I could.

Donny Hathaway was the first black singer/songwriter that I “got”, eventually filing him with Bill Withers, and later on guys like Lou Bond. He was a prodigiously talented vocalist, songwriter and performer who – after his tragic death in 1979 – left us with a painfully brief discography.

His first solo album was 1970’s ‘Everything Is Everything’, which mixed his covers of tunes by Ray Charles, Nina Simone and Errol Garner, with his own originals (some in collaboration with Leroy Hutson). The sound of the album mixes straight ahead soul, gospel, and soul jazz (there’s definitely a Les McCann vibe), and Hathaway is joined by many of his Chess/Cadet sessioners like Phil Upchurch and Morris Jennings, as well as heavies like King Curtis (which whom Hathaway had recorded).

‘The Ghetto’, which sits in the middle of side two, is a slow, groovy number led by Hathaway’s voice and electric piano, with drums and Latin percussion keeping things moving. The vocals are (for the first half of the record) little more than a repeated chant of the title, with Donny coming in a little more in the second part.

An edit of the track grazed the R&B Top 20 in the beginning of 1970 (though it wasn’t his first hit, having been preceded by his 1969 duet with June Conquest (as June & Donnie) ‘I Thank You Baby’ which had almost made it into the R&B Top 40.

While it may not be the deepest thing he ever laid down, it’s a very nice groove indeed, and one that I’m sure will have you nodding your head.

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

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Don’t forget the drawing for 2015 Allnighter Donors (open until the end of next week).

The good folks at Secret Stash Records have sent along some very groovy promos as incentives for you good folks to donate to the 2015 Allnighter/Pledge Drive.

We have two pairs of two 2-record sets comprised of rare and unreleased material from the legendary Chicago soul labels Mar-V-Lus and One-Derful Records!

At the end of next week I will randomly select two winners from the list of this year’s donors to receive these incredible prizes. All you need to do (unless you’ve already kicked in, in which case you’re already eligible) is click on the Paypal button and donate at least $5.00USD to be entered for a chance to win.

All the names will go into a hat and one of the little Corners will select the winners, who will be announced in this space on Monday, as well as notified via e-mail.

So get to clicking!

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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 23, 2015 11:04 am

Mickey Fields

Greetings all.

The end of the week is here, and so is the Funky16Corners Radio Show, which comes to you each and every Friday night at 9PM on Viva Radio. If you can’t 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 yourself an MP3 here at the blog.

Today’s selection qualifies as one of the very first funky 45s I ever scored.

‘Cracker Jack’ by Mickey and His Mice was a minor regional (Baltimore/DC) hit in 1970 and as a result is plentiful and cheap on the east coast (and probably everywhere else as well).

Opening with some thick, sticky bass, guitar and back and forth spoken word ish, it soon opens up into a funky organ/sax led instrumental jam.

It’s fun, funky and danceable, and as is so often the case, would be sweated heavily if it were rare, but since it isn’t, it’s neglected.

The backing track was recycled (also on the Marti label) as ‘Doin’ the Crackerjack’ by Changes, a much rarer and more expensive 45.

That said, I had no idea that the Mickey Fields listed on the label was the same guy who recorded an album with Richard ‘Groove’ Holmes (that I already happened to have a copy of!).

By all accounts, Fields had the chops to make it on the national scene, yet chose to remain in Baltimore where he was an important part of the local scene as a leader, sideman and mentor.

The other record I mentioned was ‘The Astonishing Mickey Fields’, a 1969 session. It is mainly a jazz date, but the version of the Doors’ ‘Light My Fire’ is very groovy indeed, and I’m including it here.

I hope you dig the tracks, and I’ll be back on Monday with some more.

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 (1)

By Larry, April 19, 2015 10:39 am

The Souljers (above), The Mixtures (below)

Greetings all.

I hope the new week finds you all well.

Today’s selection is a bit of mystery record.

Not that we don’t know who it is – that would be the Souljers (aka the Soul-Jers) – but that the story attached to the group is composed of little more than loose ends.

What we do know is this, the song ‘Chinese Checkers’ was originally recorded by none other than Booker T and the MGs in 1963 and appeared as the flipside to ‘Plum Nellie’.

The Souljers version of the song was released on the legendary East LA Rampart label in 1966.

As to who the Souljers/Soul-Jers were, I think the cats in the picture above are Delbert Franklin and Phil Tucker, who recorded the ‘Soul-Jers’ 45 ‘Gonna Be a Big Man’ and ‘Crazy Little Things’, which is a soul vocal.

If you do a little digging, it appears that the Souljers ‘Chinese Checkers’ is in fact a re-release of the Mixtures (another Rampart/East LA group) 1963 recording of the song from a few years earlier. In fact, both ‘Chinese Checkers’ and its b-side ‘Poochum’ appeared on two different Mixtures 45s on the Linda label!

Even weirder, is the fact that the label of the Souljers 45 indicates that both tracks were from an album called ‘Move Over Ramsey’, which never appears to have been issued.

How the Mixtures tracks ended up being reissued on Rampart as the Souljers is something of a mystery, though their Linda 45s are listed as Faro productions, and Faro and Rampart were both owned by impresario Eddie Davis, and Delbert Franklin appears to have been a member of both groups as the sax player.

That said, ‘Chinese Checkers’ is a groovy track, following the mellow electric piano groove of the original, and adding in some vocal interjections and handclaps, giving it that ‘live in the studio’ feel.

I hope you dig it, and if you have any info to add that will help unravel the mystery, please let me know.

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 (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

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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

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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.