Comments (6)

By Larry, June 26, 2011 4:01 pm

In black and white, like the keys, dig?

Dee Felice Trio – There Was a Time (King)
Don Randi – Taxman (Reprise)
New London Rhythm and Blues Band – Soul Man (Vocalion)
Ramsey Lewis – African Boogaloo Twist (Cadet)
Roy Meriwether Trio – What’s the Buzz (Notes of Gold)
Overton Berry Trio – Guacamolean Shuffle (Jaro)
Gene Harris – Green River (Blue Note)
Johnny Watson – Hold On I’m Coming (Okeh)
Mr Jim and the Rhythm Machine – Mrs Robinson (Date)
Junior Mance – Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin (Atlantic)
Cha Cha Hogan – Grit Gitter (Soulville)
The Stokes – Crystal Ball (Alon)
Allen Toussaint – HandsChristianAnderson (Bell)
The Music Company – The Word (Mirwood)
Mary Lou Williams – The Credo (Mary)
Backyard Heavies – Expo 83 (Scepter)
Ray Bryant – Up Above the Rock (Cadet)

Listen/Download – F16C Radio v.94 – The Living Piano – 86MB/256K Mixed MP3

Listen/Download – F16C Radio v.94 – The Living Piano – 63MB ZIP File

Head on over to the Funky16Corners Radio Podcast Archive to Check This One Out

Greetings all.

As mentioned previously, this is a Funky16Corners vacation week, but I love you mugs so much that I couldn’t very well decamp without leaving something to keep your ears busy while I was away.

The mix I bring you this week is something that had been percolating in my fevered brain for a long time, and was finally spurred on to fruition by the recent passing of Mr. Ray Bryant.

Though we have covered the piano before (see Funky16Corners Radio v.81) it was recordings of the electric variety thereof.

Having been brought up in a house with a master of the acoustic piano (that would be my Pop), I have always wanted to assemble my fave funky and soulful acoustic piano tracks, and so you have it (the mix, that is…).

Most of the numbers in this mix will be familiar to longtime followers of the Funky16Corners blog, whether via appearances in previous mixes, or having appeared by themselves at some point.

There are a number of previously unheard/unposted numbers as well, so dig those too.

Though the electric piano is the version of the instrument generally associated with funk and soul (mainly due to the electrification of music in general during the era in question) there were a number of recording artists – many of them rooted in jazz – who took the old-style acoustic piano, a massive conglomeration of wood, wires and ivory, and managed to wring a little funk out of it.

Though I love electric piano, there’s something special about the way a real piano resonates, especially when it’s played by someone that really knows the instrument.

Some of the recordings in question go back to the earliest days of my crate digging and blogging, including the Mary Lou Williams and Cha Cha Hogan 45s, where others are fairly recent acquisitions.

There are a couple of unusual tracks in the mix, in particular Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson’s one-off piano instrumental 45 for the Okeh label.

You also get a couple of tracks featuring Allen Toussaint, first with his early group the Stokes (dig ‘Soda Pop’s not so subtle variation on ‘Fortune Teller’) and a rare solo 45 (Hands Christian Anderson).

Mr Jim of ‘Mr Jim and the Rhythm Machine’ (with the swinging version of ‘Mrs Robinson’) is Philly area composer/arranger/keyboardist Jimmy Wisner who recorded a couple of 45s under this name for the Date and Wizdom label.

There are also a couple of anonymous pianists working it out here, including whoever tickled the ivories for the New London Rhythm and Blues Band (likely a UK studio musician) and the pianist for the Music Company, an LA studio group that recorded an album of Beatle covers for the Mirwood label in 1966.

Of the known jazz heavies in the mix, you get to choose from the likes of Mary Lou Williams, Don Randi, Gene Harris, Ramsey Lewis, Roy Meriwether, and Overton Berry, and the man we eulogized just this past week, Ray Bryant.

Having given it a number of spins, I can attest to the fact that it’s a lot of fun to listen to and I hope you dig it.

See you next week.

Peace

Larry

Also, make sure that you check out the POAC link below (click on the logo), in regard to the April 2nd walk.

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 for some very tasty UK Folk Rock.

Comments (9)

By Larry, June 21, 2011 12:29 pm

Ray Bryant

Listen/Download – Ray Bryant – Up Above the Rock

Listen/Download – Ray Bryant – Quizas Quizas Quizas

Listen/Download – Ray Bryant – Soundray

Listen/Download – Ray Bryant – Stick With It

Greetings all.

I hope the middle of the week finds you all well.

As promised, I’m going to take a little time to pay tribute to the soulful genius of one of my favorite pianists, the mighty Ray Bryant.

Bryant, who passed on June 2nd was one of the mainstays of soul jazz piano in the 50s, 60s and 70s.

As has been mentioned in this space several times, I have strong feelings about the term ‘soul jazz’, in that so little of the music labeled as such really fits the bill in any meaningful way.

There are veritable mountains of wax with jazzers wading into more popular waters, especially in the 60s, but a jazzbo with a pop cover does not soul jazz make (especially since the style came into being organically).

The truth is, that where many – often purely in the interest of keeping their heads above water (and away from a day job) – jazz musicians took to a more “accessible” style in the 60s, many of them had no real aptitude for it, making for much of the bland and uninspired sounds that so many crate diggers are referring to when they badmouth the style.

The real heart of the sound – as is the case in vocal soul music – can be traced to gospel, wherein jazz and soul intersect on a giant (and wholly imaginary) venn diagram.

As the 50s became the 60s, many jazz musicians (with a concentration on organists, guitarists and saxophonists) while still stretching out on post-bop and modal jazz, began to experiment with gospel and R&B at the same time that those styles were evolving into what would become soul music.

By the early 60s, countless organ (and piano, guitar, sax, vibes and all of the possible combinations and permutations possible) combos were coming out of inner city clubs and into recording studios for labels like Prestige, Blue Note, Argo, Riverside and countless smaller independents and compressing the aforementioned mixtures into 45 sized, jukebox friendly slices.

As the popularity (and sales figures) of straight jazz began to decline, jazz musicians concentrated more on soul and pop jazz, hoping to cross over enough to put a little bread in their pockets. While many of these musicians were merely attempting to cash in, some of them found that they had a natural affinity (whether via age or inclination) for these sounds and found ways to innovate and make them swing.

One of the finest of these was Mr. Ray Bryant.

Bryant came up in Philadelphia (his brother Tommy was a bassist) and played alongside many of the giants of the bebop and hard bop eras.

He started recording under his own name in the 50s, and even found some pop success with his 1960 hit ‘Madison Time’.

The tracks featured today all come from Bryant’s tenure with the Cadet label between 1966 and 1969. He recorded seven albums for Cadet in those years, all a mix of original material, jazz standards and pop and soul cover material. He recorded in small and large group settings, often with the production assistance of none other than Richard Evans.

I’ve included tracks from his two final albums for the label in the 60s (he would return for one more in 1974), ‘Up Above the Rock’ (1968) and ‘Sound Ray’ (1969).

The title track of ‘Up Above the Rock’ is a shade over three minutes of pure brilliance, with a stunning Grady Tate breakbeat that makes it the most sought after (and expensive) of his albums. The mix you’re hearing today is from the album. The 45 mix is a little bit hotter, with the drums and the handclaps higher in the mix (check it out on Youtube).

The group is the trio of Bryant on piano, Ron Carter on bass and Tate on drums, augmented by Snookie Young on fluegelhorn and Dobbie Hiques on trumpet. The track sounds light years ahead of its time. No matter how many times I hear it, I expect someone to start rapping as soon as the piano comes in. If you listen to the way Kool G Rap and DJ Polo flipped it (barely) for ‘On the Run’, it’s not too far removed from the original. It’s about as funky as acoustic piano records get, and a great showcase for Bryant’s heavy, straightforward sound. It’s one of those records that I have to listen to multiple times in a sitting.

The other track from ‘Up Above the Rock’ is Bryant’s cover of Osvaldo Farres’ ‘Quizas Quizas Quizas’. The recording here is taken from my 45 and while still somewhat funky, has a much looser, more swinging feel to it. It was also sampled (with a little more subtlety) by Queen Latifah on ‘I Can’t Understand’.

The two remaining tracks are both from the 1969 ‘Sound Ray’ album. A trio session, recorded with Jimmy Rowser on bass and Harold White on drums, ‘Sound Ray’ is another funky session, produced again by Richard Evans. The album sees Bryant stretching out a little more, but still keeping things locked in the groove.

The title track is a hard charging tour de force (I love the opening duet with the bass and drums) with some wonderful keyboard work by Bryant.

‘Stick With It’ is a much more subdued affair, that sounds like a rebuilt version of Horace Silver’s ‘Song For My Father’ (which, oddly enough was also covered on the album).

Ray Bryant would go on to record for Atlantic, Pablo and EmArcy (among many others) through the 70s, 80s and 90s with his last album being a live, solo set recorded at Rutgers University in 2004.

He was a giant, and will be missed.

See you on Friday.

Peace

Larry

Also, make sure that you check out the POAC link below (click on the logo). It’s a fantastic organization that provides services to our local autism community, with education and recr events, and any contribution you could make would be greatly appreciated.

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 (4)

By Larry, June 16, 2011 10:19 am

Mr Don Covay

Listen/Download – Don Covay – Money (That’s What I Want)

Greetings all.

I was going to do a post about the late Ray Bryant today, but I’m postponing it until next week (It’ll be worth the wait).

I know that it’s all just a part of the vast randomness of the universe, but it always seems to me that these soul, funk and jazz cats fall in rapid succession, as if they were all sitting waiting for the bus to the great beyond and got on at the same time.

The really sad thing is that what we are ultimately dealing with is the natural movement of the classic generation of soul and funk performers (precious few of the earlier generation of jazz and R&B performers are still with us) into their later years.

That said, we’ll just keep on keeping on, paying tribute to the known and the unknown so that the sounds they made are not forgotten.

I should also remind you that the Funky16Corners Radio Show returns to the airwaves of the interwebs this Friday night at 9PM on Viva Radio. It’s the perfect soundtrack for your summer, with all kinds of groovy funk, soul, jazz and rare groove with which to enjoy the icy cocktail of your choosing.

The tune I bring you today is some solid, ass-kicking funk from an artist whose songs are (sadly) better known than he is.

I first heard Don Covay’s version of ‘Money’ a few years back while spinning alongside M-Fasis and DJ Bluewater at the late, lamented Master Groove in NYC. As soon as the needle hit the record my ears perked up and started vibrating and I was all ‘What the hell is that?” followed immediately with “Where Can I Get Me One?”

It was a long time before I finally found a copy, and as is often the case, because I was patient the gods of vinyl brought me my very own copy for the cost of one crumpled, green dollar.

Now if the only thing Don Covay ever did in his life and career was to write and record ‘Sookie Sookie’ – one of the ur documents of funk and soul, a record so mighty as to be imprinted in the DNA of any human to ever dirty their fingers pawing through vinyl or stomp upon a soulful dance floor – he’d deserve eternal fame, but he’s also the dude that laid down ‘Mercy Mercy’, ‘See Saw’ and ‘Chain of Fools’ sang with the Soul Clan and much much more.

This record, the one right here, this is the shit.

The opening alone, in which Don appears to have a snootful of rocket sauce and manages to momentarily out-James Brown the Godfather, is a mindbender, but then he and his band set themselves on fire and it’s almost a full minute before you realize that this funky tornado is in fact a cover of the old Barrett Strong chestnut.

Like the young George Foreman, this record is heavy, yet also fast and dangerous and ought to have a place in the traveling record box of anyone who brings the funk to the people.

Dig it you must.

See you on Monday.

Peace

Larry

Also, make sure that you check out the POAC link below (click on the logo). It’s a fantastic organization that provides services to our local autism community, with education and recr events, and any contribution you could make would be greatly appreciated.

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 (4)

By Larry, June 14, 2011 11:06 am

Odell Brown and the Organizers (above)
A recent shot of Odell Brown (below)

The Sounds of Odell Brown

Odell Brown and the Organizers – No More Water In the Well (Cadet) from Ducky
Odell Brown and the Organizers – Baby You Just Don’t Know (Cadet) from Mellow Yellow
Odell Brown and the Organizers – Think About It (Cadet) Cadet 45 5624B
Odell Brown and the Organizers – Mas Que Nada (Cadet) from Mellow Yellow
Odell Brown and the Organizers – Ducky (Cadet) from Ducky
Odell Brown and the Organizers – Raising the Roof (Cadet) from Raising the Roof
Odell Brown and the Organizers – Day Tripper (Cadet) from Raising the Roof
Odell Brown and the Organizers – The Thing (Cadet) from Raising the Roof
Odell Brown and the Organizers – The Weight (Cadet) Cadet 45 5624A
Odell Brown – Hard To Handle (Cadet) from Odell Brown Plays Otis Redding
Odell Brown – Respect (Cadet) from Odell Brown Plays Otis Redding
Odell Brown – Nitty Gritty (Cadet) from Free Delivery
Odell Brown – Free Delivery (Cadet) from Free Delivery

Listen/Download – Odell Brown Tribute Mix 97MB/256K Mixed MP3

Greetings all.

As I mentioned on Monday, this week will be devoted entirely to obits/remembrances of musicians who either passed on during the pledge drive, or who’s passing I became aware of during that time.

Monday saw a tribute (starting with an incorrect picture) to the mighty Benny Spellman, and today I bring you something a little bit special to give you an idea of how much I dig the music of the great Odell Brown.

I first became aware of Odell Brown and the Organizers back in the day when my man Haim hepped me to their single ‘No More Water In the Well’. I grabbed a copy and promptly fell in love with the group’s sound.

You all know I’m an incurable Hammond nut, but I’m also a huge jazz fan, and the music of Odell Brown (with and without his band) satisfied both needs quite nicely.

I’ve gone on in this space many times about soul jazz, and how rare it is to find an artist who really brought that particular fusion to purity. Odell Brown was one of those cats.

Born in Louisville, KY, Brown went to Tennessee State A&M before being drafted in 1960. Following his stint in the Army, he moved to Chicago and formed Odell Brown and the Organizers with musicians he’d first connected with in college, Artee ‘Duke’ Payne and Tommy Purvis (tenor sax), Curtis Prince (drums) and Master Henry Gibson (congas).

Indeed he was…

Between 1966 and 1970 Brown recorded three albums with the Organizers (Raising the Roof, Mellow Yellow and Ducky), as well as two solo albums (Odell Brown Plays Otis Redding and Free Delivery). He recorded one more solo album for the Paula label in 1971.

Brown spent the 70s working as a studio musician and musical director for artists like Minnie Riperton, Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye, with whom he eventually co-wrote the mega-hit ‘Sexual Healing’.

He spent much of the 80s battling severe depression, but settled in Minnesota and returned to playing and recording in the 90s.

The albums he recorded with the Organizers, all produced by the legendary Richard Evans are some of the finest material released on the Cadet label in the 60s, and while hard to find (the 45s not so much) are all worth picking up.

His solo albums, minus the twin sax attack of the Organizers, operate at a slightly more soulful frequency, and while also hard to find, are definitely worth whatever it takes to acquire them.

The fact that most of the Cadet catalog remains out of print (particularly Richard Evans projects like the Soulful Strings) is nothing less than a crime.

What I’ve included in this tribute mix (available only as a mixed MP3, no zip file) are my favorite tracks from the Organizers albums and both of Brown’s Cadet solo LPs (I have yet to find a copy of the Paula album).

Hopefully this will serve as an introduction for those unfamiliar with Odell Brown, and maybe pack a few surprises for those in the know.

I hope you dig the sounds, and I’ll be back on Friday.

Peace

Larry

Also, make sure that you check out the POAC link below (click on the logo). It’s a fantastic organization that provides services to our local autism community, with education and recr events, and any contribution you could make would be greatly appreciated.

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 (4)

By Larry, June 5, 2011 4:59 pm

Apologies to the soulies, heh heh…

Greetings all, and welcome to the 2011, Funky16Corners Soul Club/Grogan Casino Allnighter..

This is – as it has been since 2006 – time for yours truly to once again open up the yearly Funky16Corners Pledge Drive, in which we ask that if you dig what goes on hereabouts, with the blog(s), radio show, mixes etc, that you click on the donation link and drop a little something in the basket.

Click Here To Donate

Your donations help to pay for the server space where the blog, all of the graphics and well over 100 mixes (a number that is expanding all the time) reside, as well as upkeep on the equipment used to run the whole non-profit (is there a better phrase to describe an operation that runs at a perpetual loss?) shebang.

As always, I’m aware that times are tough, and getting tougher all the time, so if you can’t swing it, that’s cool too. However, every little bit helps, so even a couple of bucks will help things along.

The readers of Funky16Corners have always been very cool over the seven year history of the blog (as well as the years preceding that at the web zine), generous with their knowledge and vocal in their appreciation and once again I’d like to thank you all.

Funky16Corners has always been an ad-free space (and that includes needless plugs for crap that none of you (or me) is going to listen to) and will always remain that way.

Now, I can’t very well come to you with hand outstretched unless I have something to offer you for your trouble. With that in mind, I bring you the second annual Allnighter, in which I gather together some of my favorite DJs and ask them to contribute mixes.

This year we have a stellar line-up, including my man Tarik Thornton (Hot Pants Crew MPLS), Tony C, DJ Prime Mundo (Asbury Park 45 Sessions), DJ Bluewater (Master Groove, Asbury Park 45 Sessions), and my mighty brother in blogging Vincent the Soul Chef (Fufu Stew), as well as two new mixes by yours truly.

Each of these cats is very, very serious about digging and spinning vinyl heat and when you get the chance to sink your ears into the mixes they’ve contributed you will (as I was when I first heard them) be very happy.

There’s a very nice stylistic breadth to this year’s Allnighter, with deep soul, Northern Soul, rock steady, funk and disco with a connoisseur’s mix of rarities and classics.

This year I’m also posting something cool over at Iron Leg, with a few hours of garage and freakbeat recorded live a few weeks back (by me, natch)  at Spindletop @ Botanica in NYC, so if those are sounds you dig too, make sure to pull down those ones and zeros as well.

That said, click the Paypal link, and then scroll down the page slowly, soaking up all the mixes as you go.

Click Here To Donate

Peace

Larry

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Funky16Corners 2011 Allnighter!

Funky16Corners – I’m Satisfied
San Remo Golden Strings – I’m Satisfied (Ric Tic)
Jr Walker and the All Stars – Come see About Me (Soul)
Parliaments – Look at What I Almost Missed (Revilot)
O’Jays – I Dig Your Act (Bell)
Lee Williams and the Cymbals – Everything About You That I Love (Carnival)
Al Kent – You Got To Pay The Price (Ric Tic)
Major Lance – Gotta Get Away (Okeh)
Shorty Long – Sing What You Wanna (Soul)
Bunny Sigler – Sunny Sunday (Cameo/Parkway)
Jackie Lee – Bring It Home (Keyman)
Gene Chandler and Barbara Acklin – From the Teacher to the Preacher (Brunswick)
Chuck Jackson – Good Things Come to Those Who Wait (Wand)
Precisions – Why Girl (Drew)
John Willams and the Tick Tocks – Do Me Like You Do Me (Sansu)
Eddie Floyd – Big Bird (Stax)
Vibrations – Pick Me (Okeh)
Buena Vistas – Hot Shot (Swan)
Performers – I Can’t Stop You (Mirwood)
Dreams – They Call me Jesse James (DC Sound)
Len Barry – I Struck It Rich (Decca)
Ambassadors – I’m So Proud Of My Baby (Atlantic)

Listen/Download – Funky16Corners – I’m Satisfied / 96MB Mixed MP3

NOTE: I’ve been digging a lot of mid-tempo Northern Soul lately, and this is a mix of my faves. – LG

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DJ Bluewater – That Steady Beat

Ken Parker – Change Is Gonna Come
Delroy Wilson – I’m The One Who Loves You
Rocky & The Heptones – Falling In Love
Carlton & His Shoes – Happy Land
Alton Ellis & The Flames – Cry Tough
Lloyd & Glen – Jezebel –
Phyllis Dillon – Don’t Stay Away
Cecille Campbell – Breaking Up
The Soul Vendors – Frozen Soul
The Soul Vendors – To Sir With Love
Prince Buster & The All Stars – The Punishment
The Maytals – Watermelon Man
Derrick Morgan – First Taste Of Love
The Untouchables – Tighten Up
The Jailbreakers – Chatty Chatty
Delano Stewart – That’s Life
Norma Fraser – The First Cut Is The Deepest
King Rocky – The King Is Back
The Ethiopians – He’s Not A Rebel
The Uniques – Watch This Sound

Listen/Download – DJ Bluewater – That Steady Beat / 120MB Mixed MP3

NOTE: DJ Bluewater has gotten deep into the rock steady sound in the last few years

and this mix is filled with goodness! – LG

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DJ Tarik Thornton – Louisiana Sun

Willie Tee – Dedication To You ( Atlantic)
The Festivals – You Got The Makings of A Lover (Smash)
The Impressions – Man Oh Man ( ABC- Paramount)
Dennis Lee & Notables – Sunday Afternoon ( Jenmark)
Bernard Drake – I’ve Been Untrue ( La Louisianne)
Ollie & The Nightingales- I Got A Sure Thing (Stax)
Jo Armstead – There’s Not Too many More (Giant)
The Passions – I Can See My Way Through (Tower)
The Moovers – One Little Dance (Brent)
The ElectroStats – Setting the Mood ( Three Oaks)
The Supreme – Stoned Love (Tamla)

Clifton White – Are You Ready (Anla)
Dell Mack – You Can’t Judge a Book by Its Cover ( Gold Band)
Eddie Giles – Soul Feeling Pt. 1- ( Murco )
Debanaires – Feel Alright – (WBS)
O.D Williams – Moving Out Of Your Life – (Bare- Bar)
New Birth – I Can Understand it (RCA)
Johnny Williams – Breaking Point – (Twinight)
Johnny Otis Show – Watts Breakaway (Epic)
Gus (The Groove) Lewis – Let The Groove Move You – (Tou- Sea)
Lee Dorsey – Funky Four Corners (Amy)
Big Daddy Rucker – Just Do Your Thing – (GME)
Reggie Sadler – Raggedy Bag – (Aquarius)
Bonus Track : Jackie Harris & The Exciters – Get Funky, Sweat A Little Bit (Black&Proud)

Listen/Download – DJ Tarik Thornton – Louisiana Sun / 85MB Mixed MP3

A Note from Tarik:

So when Larry asked me to do this mix indeed I was honored! Larry and the Soul Chef are the guys who are responsible for inspiring me to get back to digging after taking a 10 year hiatus. I’ve been on a life rollercoaster over the last few years and this has become one of my most profound ways of expressing myself. Honestly, It took me a while to figure out a concept for this one. Always trying to be diverse I created a nice blend of Sweet Soul and Funk this time around. Both are actually sets I did live at KFAI in Minneapolis last week. After listening to them I decided to take the time to tighten them up, then added a bit more soul . The outcome, a sweet selection of songs dedicated to all the people that have taken the time to check out my work over the last year, but also in particular a very special young lady. The “B “side a tight groove of some killer funk selections that will keep you moving. Enjoy ! You can find some of my other mixes at www.mixcloud.com/8KC

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DJ Prime Mundo – Kentucky Fried Prime

curtis mayfield – tripping out (rso)
one g plus three – summertime (paramount)
billy guy – if you want to get ahead, shake a leg (verve)
the soul patrol – saigon strut (shamley)
don downing – thread and needle (roadshow)
gary toms empire – drive my car (pickwick)
bo kirkland & ruth davis – we got the recipe (claridge)
stan ivory – check it out (tese)
le roy – easy livin’ (dream machine)
chick willis – stoop down baby (la val)
billy strange – jaws (gnp crescendo)
the masqueraders – brotherhood (bell)
hummingbird – trouble maker (a&m)
ernie andrews – something (phil l.a. of soul)

Listen/Download – DJ Prime Mundo – Kentucky Fried Prime / 61MB Mixed MP3

Note: One of the OG Asbury Park 45 Sessions DJs, Prime Mundo has extremely deep crates and extremely good taste. He’s one of my favorite DJs, and this mix should tell you why. – LG

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Vincent the Soul Chef – Back to the Corner

I Just Want To Celebrate-Rare Earth (Rare Earth)
Ride Sally Ride-Dennis Coffey and the Detroit Guitar Band (Sussex)
Runaway People-Dyke & The Blazers (Original Sound)
You Met Your Match-Stevie Wonder (Tamla)
Your Love Is Indescribably Delicious-Willis Wooten (Virtue)
Mister Magic-Grover Washington Jr. (Kudu)
Heaven Is There To Guide Us-The Glass House (Invictus)
I Got You Babe-Etta James (Chess)
Vista Vista-Lee Dorsey (Amy)
Funky Boo Ga Loo-Jerry O (Shout)
Do Your Thing-Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band (Warner)
Good Times-Kool & The Gang (De Lite)
Take Me To the River-Fessor Funk (Roxbury)
Let Me Lay My Funk On You-Poison (Roulette)
Keep on Dancin’ (Vocal)-Alvin Cash (Toddlin’ Town)
The Whatchamacalit-The Burning Emotions (Bang)
Country John-Allen Toussaint (Reprise)
Paint Me-Ohio Players (Westbound)
I Turned You On-Isley Brothers (T Neck)
Soul Sister- Allen Toussaint (Reprise)
Baby I Love You-Aretha Franklin (Atlantic)
Nobody’s Fault But Mine-Otis Redding (Atco)
Cook Out-King Curtis & The Kingpins (Atco)
The Court Room-Clarence Carter (Atlantic)
Funky Drummer Pt. 2-James Brown (King)
Make It Funky Pt. 4-James Brown (Polydor)
Hey Ruby Shut Your Mouth-Ruby & The Party Gang (Law Ton)

Listen/Download – Vincent the Soul Chef – Back to the Corner / 104MB Mixed MP3

NOTE: Vincent the Soul Chef is not only a top-notch DJ, but he’s a serious digger with diverse tastes that are reflected in his mixes. After I heard this I headed out to look for a few of the cuts right away… – LG

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Tony C – Dance the Jerk!

Doc Bagby-Mr Hippy-Tifton
Merced Blue Notes-Rufus-Accent
Horace Bailey-Cool Monkey-Delene
Larry Williams-Strange-Sue
Barry’Barefoot’ Beefus-Barefoot Beefus-Loma
Tommy & The Charms-I know what you want-Hollywood
Nathaniel Kelly-Do the jerk-Jubilee
Jay Dee Bryant-Get it-Enjoy
The Pacers-You’ll never know-Razorback
The Magics-Lets Boogaloo-R.F.A
Lou Johnson-Rock me baby-Cotillion
Eddie Simpson-Stone Soul Sister-Back Beat
Vickie Anderson-I love you-Smash
Alder Ray Mathis-Take me baby-Jetstar
Jackie Thompson-Got to right the wrongs-Columbia
Lonette-Stop-M.S
Boogie Kings-Do em’ all-Pic
Charles Hodges-Charles Shingaling-Alto
Little Flint-Pain-Beast
Sammy Lee-It hurts me-Rampart
Jay Jordan-If it wasn’t for love-Verve
The Fantastic Four-Pinpoint it down-Soul
Lovemasters-Pushin and pull-Jacklyn
Timmie Williams-Competition-Bell
Big Maybelle-I can’t wait any longer-Rojac
Trudy Johnson-You’re no good-Capitol

Listen/Download – Tony C – Dance the Jerk! / 62MB Mixed MP3

NOTE: Tony C has done guest mixes for Funky16Corners in the past, and he is always turning me on to new stuff. Great taste and deep crates, once again a dynamic combination.  – LG

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Funky16Corners – Honey Trippin’
BT Express – Express (Scepter)
Louie Ramirez – Do It Any Way You Wanna (Cotique)
Cymande – Anthracite (Janus)
Virtue Orchestra – High Horse IV (Virtue)
Mystic Moods – Honey Trippin’ (Soundbird)
KC and the Sunshine Band – Let It Go (TK)
Instant Funk – Philly Jump (TSOP)
Jay Berliner – Getting the Message (Mainstream)
Love Child’s Afro Cuban Blues Band – Love and Death in G and A (Roulette)
Gene Faith – Lowdown Melody (Virtue)
Doc Severinson – Soul Makossa (RCA)
Soul Searchers – Boogie Up the Nation Pt2 (Polydor)
Philly Sound – Waitin’ For the Rain (Phil LA of Soul)
Mongo Santamaria – What You Don’t Know (Vaya)
Philadelphia Society – 100 South of Broad Street (American)
Larry Page Orchestra – Erotic Soul (London)
Roy Ayers Ubiquity – Virgo Red (Polydor)
Barrett Strong – Stand Up and Cheer For the Preacher (INST) (Epic)

Listen/Download – Funky16Corners – Honey Trippin’ / 110MB Mixed MP3

NOTE: This is one of those mixes that had its start in a single cut, and took form slowly as I stockpiled complementary cuts. I like it a lot, and I hope you dig it too. – LG

____________________________________________________________________

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Also, make sure that you check out the POAC link below (click on the logo). It’s a fantastic organization that provides services to our local autism community, with education and recr events, and any contribution you could make would be greatly appreciated.

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 (5)

By Larry, June 2, 2011 10:00 am

Listen/Download – Melting Pot – Kool and the Gang

Greetings all.

I got a shitstackof stuff on the agenda today, so I’m going to make this as short and sweet as possible.

First, a word from our sponsor, i.e. me, in the way of a reminder about the Funky16Corners Radio Show which hits the air this and every Friday night at 9PM on Viva Radio. It is always a very groovy scene and if you dig the best in funk, soul, jazz and rare groove – all on vinyl – you should fall by.

Also, the 2011 Funky16Corners Pledge Drive begins this coming Monday 6/6, with a grip of outstanding new mixes from some of my (and your) favorite selectors. There’s gonna be funk, soul (Northern and othern), disco, rock steady and much more for you to pull down the ones and zeros while you toss a couple of buck into the till to help pay for the yearly upkeep of this massive undertaking.

That said, let’s get the weekend started with some hard charging funk.

Today’s selection is right, tight and outta sight, with the wocka-wocka guitar, the organ and naturally the crazy horn section going buckwild.

The band in question is one of the many funky rock groups that seemed to be popping up everywhere like mushrooms in the late 60s and early 70s, in this case going by the name Melting Pot.

I don’t know for sure where they hailed from, but since they were part of Phil Walden’s stable, my first guess would be somewhere in Georgia or the surrounding area.

They recorded at least one LP and a pair of 45s for the short-lived Ampex label in 1970 and 1971, and today’s selection is especially interesting because of its provenance.

If you hadn’t already figured it out (perhaps having had the initial diggers reaction to this 45, i.e. ‘I did not know Kool and the Gang covered ‘Melting Pot’…) , the song ‘Kool and the Gang’ is in fact a cover of the song of the same name by the band of the same name, that of course also being the funkiest of all New jersey bands, the mighty Kool and the Gang.

The original recording of ‘Kool and the Gang’ was a minor hit during the summer of 1969, which is probably where Melting Pot picked it up. Melting Pot lay the cover down at about twice the speed of the original.

I haven’t heard any of their vocal tracks, but descriptions I’ve read seem to indicate that Melting Pot were operating in a Blood Sweat and Tears-y vein.

That said, this is most definitely a burner, the perfect accompaniment for the blazing hot weather we’re dealing with all of a sudden.

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

Peace

Larry

Also, make sure that you check out the POAC link below (click on the logo). It’s a fantastic organization that provides services to our local autism community, with education and recr events, and any contribution you could make would be greatly appreciated.

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 (5)

By Larry, May 28, 2011 9:22 am

Gil Scott-Heron RIP

Listen/Download – Gil Scott-Heron – The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

Greetings all.

It was last night that rumors, and eventually confirmation of the passing of the mighty Gil Scott-Heron appeared.

In a word, Gil Scott-Heron was deep.

I first became aware of him when I was in high school and saw Scott-Heron and his band performing their funky strike against apartheid ‘Johannesburg’ on Saturday Night Live.

A few years later he was part of the M.U.S.E. No Nukes concerts at Madison Square Garden (unfortunately not on the night I attended) where he laid down ‘We Almost Lost Detroit’, which appeared in the film of the concerts.

Years later, when I was deeper in the funk and soul game, I was lucky enough to find a copy of his very first album, ‘Small Talk at 125th and Lenox’.

The Gil Scott Heron of 1970 was a much different artist than he would become. His early work was largely spoken word, more the sound of a revolutionary poet than the deeply soulful singer he would evolve into.

‘Small Talk at 125th and Lenox’, featured the track I bring you today, the original version of ‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’, a landmark spoken word piece that stands as a stark, verbal blow against the America of 1970, touching on race, politics, war, popular culture and a death of the spirit brought on by television.

It is powerful stuff, in large part because of Scott-Heron’s delivering the text with his deep, sonorous voice over a backing composed only of percussion.

Scott-Heron, who was born in Chicago but raised in Tennessee got his start as an author, writing two novels before the beginning of his recording career.

He met his frequent musical partner Brian Jackson while at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania.

After ‘Small Talk at 125th and Lenox’, Scott-Heron’s record became progressively more musical, though since he was always as much a writer as a musician, they never lost their poetic edge, and as such he became a hugely important influence on the world of rap.

His later years were plagued with drug troubles (and subsequently imprisonment) and failing health. He was able to record a final album ‘I’m New Here’ in 2010, and though the many shadows of his life were present in the periphery, the old, strong Gil Scott-Heron was still there.

He passed yesterday at the age of 62.

He will be missed, deeply.

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

You will not be able to stay home, brother.
You will not be able to plug in, turn on and cop out.
You will not be able to lose yourself on skag and ,
Skip out for beer during commercials,
Because the revolution will not be televised.

The revolution will not be televised.
The revolution will not be brought to you by Xerox
In 4 parts without commercial interruptions.
The revolution will not show you pictures of Nixon
blowing a bugle and leading a charge by John
Mitchell, General Abrams and Mendell Rivers to eat
hog maws confiscated from a Harlem sanctuary.
The revolution will not be televised.

The revolution will not be brought to you by the
Schaefer Award Theatre and will not star Natalie
Woods and Steve McQueen or Bullwinkle and Julia.
The revolution will not give your mouth sex appeal.
The revolution will not get rid of the nubs.
The revolution will not make you look five pounds
thinner, the revolution will not be televised, Brother.

There will be no pictures of you and Willie May
pushing that shopping cart down the block on the dead run,
or trying to slide that color television into a stolen ambulance.
NBC will not be able predict the winner at 8:32
or report from 29 districts.
The revolution will not be televised.

There will be no pictures of pigs shooting down
brothers on the instant replay.
There will be no pictures of pigs shooting down
brothers in the instant replay.
There will be no pictures of Whitney Young being
run out of Harlem on a rail with a brand new process.
There will be no slow motion or still lifes of Roy
Wilkins strolling through Watts in a Red, Black and
Green liberation jumpsuit that he had been saving
For just the right occasion.

Green Acres, The Beverly Hillbillies, and Hooterville
Junction will no longer be so goddamned relevant, and
women will not care if Dick finally screwed
Jane on Search for Tomorrow because Black people
will be in the street looking for a brighter day.
The revolution will not be televised.

There will be no highlights on the eleven o’clock
news and no pictures of hairy armed women
liberationists and Jackie Onassis blowing her nose.
The theme song will not be written by Jim Webb,
Or Francis Scott Key, nor sung by Glen Campbell, Tom
Jones, Johnny Cash, or Englebert Humperdink.
The revolution will not be televised.

The revolution will not be right back after a message
bbout a white tornado, white lightning, or white people.
You will not have to worry about a dove in your
bedroom, a tiger in your tank, or the giant in your toilet bowl.
The revolution will not go better with Coke.
The revolution will not fight the germs that may cause bad breath.
The revolution will put you in the driver’s seat.

The revolution will not be televised, will not be televised,
not be televised, will not be televised.
The revolution will be no re-run brothers;
The revolution will be live.

Peace

Larry

Also, make sure that you check out the POAC link below (click on the logo). It’s a fantastic organization that provides services to our local autism community, with education and recr events, and any contribution you could make would be greatly appreciated.

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 (3)

By Larry, May 17, 2011 11:40 am

Mr John Alexander Veliotes

Listen/Download – Shuggie Otis – Ice Cold Daydream

Greetings all.

I’m sitting here, looking out the windows of the Funky16Corners Blogcasting Nerve Center and Record Vault, looking at yet another grey, wet spring day and finding some small consolation in the fact that at least it’s not also freezing out.

So far the spring has been a huge letdown, with any sunshine or warmth generally coinciding with other responsibilities that preclude outdoor recreation. I know it will probably resolve itself and I’ll be bitching about the heat before long, but it’s just a drag.

Blaarrrghhh….

There…now that I have that out of my system, I should mention that next Monday, 5/23 I’ll be taking my 45 box back up to Spindletop @ Botanica to join my man Perry Lane for some of the most excellent sounds you’ve come to expect from that night. I have some interesting things in mind, so if you’re in the neighborhood drop by and grab yourself a barstool and something cold to drink so that you might soak up the vinyl goodness.

It’s also looking like the acquisition of some crucial equipment is in the offing, that should make the Funky16Corners Mobile Sound System (for all your soulful and funky needs) complete, so if you have a shindig coming up for which the addition of the best in funk, soul, jazz and rare groove would serve as the complement to the proceedings, drop me a line.

That said, the tune I bring you today is something upbeat and very groovy from the mighty Shuggie Otis.

Shuggie is a very interesting cat indeed. Son of Johnny, talented guitarist, songwriter and performer, Shuggie Otis was performing and recording at his father’s side from his very early teens, playing guitar on funky jams like ‘Watts Breakaway’ and ‘Country Girl’ (as well as stuff like Preston Love’s ‘Cool-Aid’) before heading into the studio and recording two of the great lost classics of the 70s, ‘Freedom Flight’ in 1971 and ‘Inspiration Information’ in 1974 (in actuality his third and fourth solo albums, his earlier stuff being mainly blues).

Though these records didn’t make much of dent in the public consciousness at the time,  the Brothers Johnson’s faithful cover of Shuggie’s ‘Strawberry Letter 23’ hit big on both the R&B and Pop charts in 1977, putting a little cash in Shuggie’s wallet.

Shuggie was all but forgotten when, in 2001 David Byrne’s Luaka Bop label reissued ‘Inspiration Information’ (with several tracks from ‘Freedom Flight’, including today’s selection), restoring him in the public consciousness, at least to the point where he became a respected cult figure.

At the time the hype machine was going full blast, with various and sundry alt-world figures hailing Shuggie as the great lost genius, and his music as some kind of ‘whole new thing’ that the world had missed the first time around.

While these albums are very cool, and evidence of a serious talent, the sounds on them are not without precedent. The early 70s was full of genre splicing/crossing artists (especially Sly Stone), mixing the same basic ingredients in different ways.

This isn’t to take anything away from Shuggie’s talent, or the quality of these two albums especially, which are both very cool, but rather an indicator that if they are new to you, they should be ingested with the hype pushed to the side.

‘Ice Cold Daydream’ was the flipside of Shuggie’s original version of ‘Strawberry Letter 23’ in 1971, and it’s a great example of the stew he was cooking, mixing funk, soul and rock sounds.

The tune rolls over a stop/start rhythm with a percolating Hammond organ running underneath, jumping repeatedly to an uptempo section with some groovy fuzz guitar. You can hear bits of Sly, Jimi Hendrix and Curtis Mayfield, but never so much that Shuggie’s vision is obscured.

Currently, of the two albums in question, only ‘Freedom Flight’ is available on iTunes, though you can get ‘Inspiration Information’ (which is out of print) fairly cheaply. Both ‘Freedom Flight’ and ‘Inspiration Information’ have also been reissued on vinyl as well.

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

Peace

Larry

Also, make sure that you check out the POAC link below (click on the logo). It’s a fantastic organization that provides services to our local autism community, with education and recr events, and any contribution you could make would be greatly appreciated.

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 (1)

By Larry, May 15, 2011 4:39 pm

Sam Butera

Listen/Download – Sam Butera – Love Bandit

Greetings all.

I hope that your world is just as groovy as can be.

I’m coming off a very busy, yet oddly relaxing weekend.

The fam and I managed to hit up a great barbecue where we hung with some very old, end very excellent friends, and I was working on the new annex to the Funky16Corners Blogcasting Nerve Center and Record Vault family of fine interwebs products.

What am I speaking of you ask???

Well, since I’ve been having so much fun doing the weekly Funky16Corners Radio Show over at Viva Radio, and then archiving the shows here at the blog, I got the itch to expand upon the theme.

Initially the thought was to do something like a second, shorter edition of the Funky16Corners Radio Show, to be posted here.

That still may happen, but ultimately I took a different tack, and worked up a show based on the goings on at the other blog in the Funky16Corners family, that being Iron Leg.

Iron Leg – if you haven’t been there – is where I rap about music from the same general time period that I cover here (60s/70s), but the concentration is not on funk and soul, but rather pop and rock, covering garage punk, psychedelia, sunshine pop and the like.

I know that many of the folks that fall by Funky16Corners will not necessarily find those sounds to their liking, but I also know that a lot of you are like me, i.e. musically omnivorous – where all good music is worth hearing – and will dig at least some of what I post at Iron Leg.

That said, the Iron Leg Radio Show will be posted once a month (for now), and since it is not bound by the same time constraints as the Funky16Corners show, will generally in and around 90 minutes (though this inaugural episode runs over two hours).

If this sounds like a bag you might find yourself in, motor on over to Iron Leg to check out the playlist, and if that tickles your fancy, pull down the ones and zeros and give it a listen.

I think you’ll dig it.

Now, here at Funky16Corners, I figured I’d open things up this week with something interesting, so adjust your reading glasses and your earholes and get yourself some Sam Butera.

I’ve covered the late, great Mr. Butera here a number of times, mainly in his capacity as the bandleader for the equally late, also great Louis Prima.

Though Prima and Butera are mainly known for a very swinging variety of jump jazz (the very root of rock and roll), as the years wore on, and stylistic relevance outpaced their old sound, Prima and the Witnesses – the backing band usually billed as ‘Sam Butera and …’ – recorded some funky stuff, usually for Prima’s custom label.

Though billed as ‘Love Bandit’, what you’re actually hearing here is a funky reworking of Johnny Guitar Watson’s R&B classic ‘Gangster of Love’ (though the Cadets also recorded the song in 1956 with the ‘Love Bandit’ title).

Interestingly, though Butera and the Cadets before him used the same basic set of lyrics as Watson, neither one uses his tune.

Butera’s version takes the song at a funky, sock soul pace and Sam plays up the humorous aspect of the lyrics with a band that I assume has to be the Witnesses and some female backing singers.

The arranger Maxwell Davis and the producer Bill Lazerus both spent a lot of years working at Modern Records on records by folks like Lowell Fulsom and BB King.

I have no hard data on when this was released, but I have seen a discography for the Coliseum label – which features some jazz artists like Count Basie and others that look like studio orchestras covering pop hits – with material that would seem to place this in the range of 1966 or 1967. This is only an educated guess, so if any of you good folks know for sure, and I’m wrong, please let me know.

Anyhoo, I hope you dig it, and I’ll be back on Wednesday with something cool.

Peace

Larry

Also, make sure that you check out the POAC link below (click on the logo). It’s a fantastic organization that provides services to our local autism community, with education and recr events, and any contribution you could make would be greatly appreciated.

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 (4)

By Larry, May 12, 2011 3:27 pm

Charles Mann

Listen/Download – Charles Mann – Do It Again

Greetings all, and welcome to the end of the week.

All is well – relatively speaking – with nothing overtly positive to report, but nothing horrifying either, so I’ll just remain tied to the mast and hope the boat stays on course.

This is of course the part of the week where I remind you that the Funky16Corners Radio Show is about due for its weekly eruption over at Viva Radio, with all of the groovy sounds you have – as a connoisseur of the finer things in soul – become accustomed to. Friday night at 9PM is the time, followed over the weekend by the appearance of the MP3 version thereof over at the blog, where you can pull down the ones and zeros at your leisure.

The number I bring you today is another very groovy cover version (making it a clean sweep this week) of one of my all time favorite groups, that being Steely Dan.

The song in question is their 1972 hit ‘Do It Again’, and the covering artiste is Charles Mann.

I first heard this take on the song via a forum post on the interwebs, and as a huge fan of the Dan, and of interesting cover versions in general, I set out to find a copy of my own.

I’d never heard of Charles Mann before, and I have to admit that despite some searching I still don’t know much.

He recorded his version of ‘Do It Again’ in 1973 for the ABC label with a collection of Philly all-stars, including Bobby Eli (under an alias), Norman Harris, Earl Young, Ronnie Baker and Vince Montana (pretty much the heart of the MFSB crew), with background vocal support from Bunny Sigler (among others).

Tracking down information on Mann proved difficult because there’s a prominent swamp pop singer of the same name (who happens to be white), and because it would appear that aside from this album for ABC and some disco 12”s for the LA label, the soulful Mr Mann didn’t leave much of a trail.

His cover of ‘Do It Again’ ramps up the tempo and fleshes out the arrangement considerably) with the Philly heads adding a healthy dose of danceability to the song. The intro is ripe for sampling/looping and Mann’s vocal is excellent.

The record has that great, Philly-based pre-disco funk vibe, and the guitar work (there are two great solos, one with fuzz and one without) is superb.

Mann recorded three 45s for ABC, and oddly enough ‘Do It Again’ doesn’t appear to have had a domestic release on 45 (though it did come out in Europe). It is possible that since Steely Dan was also on ABC, the label didn’t want to have competing versions on the singles charts.

It’s also unusual because there aren’t a lot of vocal covers of Steely Dan material out there, though I’ve found a number of instrumental versions of their material (by Woody Herman who did a whole album of it, and Herbie Mann). If you’re game to hear something unusual, check out the cover by Waylon Jennings.

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

Peace

Larry

Also, make sure that you check out the POAC link below (click on the logo). It’s a fantastic organization that provides services to our local autism community, with education and recr events, and any contribution you could make would be greatly appreciated.

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 (6)

By Larry, May 1, 2011 5:35 pm

DJ Andujar and Funky16Corners @ Sweet Exorcist @ The Peoples Pint 4/22

Studebaker Hawk (above), D.J. Andujar (below)

Listen/Download – Studebaker Hawk @ Sweet Exorcist 4/22/11

Studebaker Hawk Set List
Dave Valentin – Sidra’s Dream (GRP)
Phantom Slasher – Furry Whiplash (Noid)
Pia Zadora – The Clapping Song (Elektra)
Marsha Hunt – (Oh, No! Not) The Beast Day (n/a)
Gypsy Lane – Show Me How To Groove (Drive)
The Love Machine – Sex-O-Sonic (London Records)

Listen/Download – Funky16Corners @ Sweet Exorcist Set 2 4/22/11

Funky16Corners @ Sweet Exorcist Set 2

Nanette Workman – Lady Marmalade (Pasha)
Lynda Lyndell – What a Man (Volt)
Rufus Thomas – Funky Penguin Pt1 (Stax)
Lou Courtney – Hey Joyce (Popside)
James Brown – Get On the Good Foot (Polydor)
Chuck Carbo – Can I Be Your Squeeze (Canyon)
Gene Chandler – In My Body’s House (Chess)
Marva Whitney – It’s My Thing (King)
Eddie Bo & Inez Cheatham – Lover and a Friend (Capitol)
Willie Tell and the Overtures – Kick Back (Chess)
King Curtis – Pop Corn Willy (Atco)

Listen/Download – DJ Andujar & Studebaker Hawk @ Sweet Exorcist 4/22/11

DJ Andujar @ Sweet Exorcist Set 1

James Brown…I Got Tha Feelin (45)
Dyke & the Blazers…Let a Woman… (45)
Ivo Meirelles & Funk N Lata…Baile Funky (make it funky) (LP)
Lou Toby & his Heavies…Heavy Steppin (45)
Lyn Collins…Think (45)
Toots & Maytalls…Funky Kingston (LP)

Studebaker Hawk Set List

Williams Brothers – I Feel Good (New Birth Records)
Kabbala – Ashewo Aro (Red Flame)
Panama – Long Train Runnin’ (Pathé Marconi EMI)
Dorothy Morrison – All God’s Children Got Soul (Elektra)

Listen/Download – DJ Andujar Set 2 @ Sweet Exorcist 4/22/11

Greyboy with Sharon Jones & Quantic…Got To Be A Love (Paul Nice rmx) (12″)
Gizelle Smith…June (LP)
Clarence Reid…Masterpiece (45)
Charles Wright & Watts 103rd…What Can You Bring Me (45)
Orchestra Baobab…Kelen Ati Leen (45)
Ripple…Funky Song (45)
Bob Marley…Could You Be Loved (12″)
Gwen McCrae…Rockin Chair (45)

Greetings all.

I hope the new week finds you well.

Things are finally starting to settle down here in the Funky16Corners Blogcasting Nerve Center and Record Vault after the busiest month of DJ activity I’ve seen in a long, long time.

We already covered my appearance at the Subway Soul Club, and today’s post will tell the tale of my journey to the great state of Massachusetts for a pair of very groovy nights.

I’d like to get started though by telling you how I spent my weekend, which dovetails nicely with everything else and kind of puts a cap on things.

As has been related in this space before, for a couple of vary important reasons (those being our sons) our family is involved with POAC (Parents of Autistic Children, you can follow the link at the bottom of this or any other recent post).
POAC organized a dodgeball tournament, and they asked me to come out and spin some records during the festivities, which is how I spent my Saturday (with Miles acting as my roadie).

I packed up the decks and mixer in my new road case (I think I’m going to stop referring to it as a coffin, which is slightly morbid nomenclature and has to be explained every single time I use it in conversation), packed up a case of funk and disco 45s, filled the record bag with albums and 12”s, and headed over to the local rec center.

Despite years of DJing, this is the first time I took the old Funky16Corners Sound System on the road, and it was a resounding success (even if I forgot to bring a surge protector and an extension cord, but the audio gods look out for the foolish and forgetful, and I was covered).

It was a gas (including a bunch of high school kids singing along with ‘Pass the Hatchet’ which I’m 100% certain they’d never heard before), and despite a couple of close calls, wherein the dodge balls inadvertently came in contact with the sound system (but never the turntables, thankfully), things went swimmingly.

The trip to Massachusetts was similarly excellent.

A few months back my man DJ Andujar got in touch as asked if I might be interested in coming up his way to do his (and Studebaker Hawk’s) night in Greenfield, MA (Sweet Exorcist), followed by a Saturday in Northampton, MA with Snack Attack and DJ Cashman (Wooly Bully).

I checked the calendar and discovered that the dates in question intersected with the Funky16Corners family spring break, so arrangements were made to wrap the two nights into our vacation.

We’d been up to Northampton last year (for vinyl and yarn digging) and found the area to our liking, so the wife and I were both psyched about a return trip.

The Monday before the gigs I phoned in to DJ Andujar’s Radio Clandestino Show on WMUA-FM, and did an interview, which he was kind enough to record, and which I’ll post here for your listening pleasure.

Download/Listen: DJ Andujar Interviews Larry Grogan/Funky16Corners on WMUA-FM, UMASS Amherst, 4/18/11

Sweet Exorcist is held at a very groovy joint called the People’s Pint in Greenfield, MA, and I have to tell you, if you’re in the area, and crave some excellent food and drink, this is the place for you. I’m a ginger beer fanatic, and the People’s Pint makes their own, as well as house made cola, root beer, and a few varieties of regular beer (I tried the oatmeal stout and was very pleased).

The records started spinning around 10PM, and the night was a gas. Both DJ Andujar and Studebaker Hawk brought the heat (as you’ll hear when you pull down the ones and zeros) and I did my level best not to disappoint.

The peeps were dancing, the vinyl was spinning and a good time was had by all. Many thanks to the DJs (and the staff at the People’s Pint) for a great night.

The following night I was on my own (my wife was with the little Corners) and I packed up the record box and headed over to Northampton for Wooly Bully at the Basement.

Yours truly staring intently at the PA system @ the Basement, somehow sensing impending failure…

Run by Snack Attack and DJ Cashman, Wooly Bully runs a little more in the 60s soul direction, and I’d packed a grip of Northern and 60s dance floor soul for the occasion. The Basement is a small room in the back of a building, but by the time the music got started it was packed to the rafters with party people who never stopped dancing until the lights came on and the door guy ushered them out into the night at closing time.

Hazy cellphone pics of the Basment

(Top) Billy Butler on the decks

(Bottom) Imagine these people plus about 100 more revelers, packed like soulful sardines

The place was a madhouse, and much good music was spun and danced to.

Unfortunately – and this was the only sour note of the whole trip – my recordings from the Basement were unusable. The levels were set too high and the recordings were distorted. There were other technical issues (the PA system overheated at one point) but they were all surmountable.  Hopefully, if I make a return visit during the summer, I can remedy the situation and bring back a couple of sets by Snack Attack and DJ Cashman, who both rocked the house.

Today I’ll be trying something new, which is basically posting sets by everyone who spun at Sweet Exorcist. I won’t be posting my first set, since there was a problem with a ground wire and there’s an annoying buzz that cuts into the music at a number of points.

It’s interesting to hear the different sensibilities of three DJs, all funky, but coming at the sound from different angles.
My assessment of a quality night is one where I walk away from the evening with new records added to my want list, and Sweet Exorcist definitely fit the bill.

I hope you dig the sounds, and I’ll be back later in the week with something cool.

Peace

Larry

Also, make sure that you check out the POAC link below (click on the logo). It’s a fantastic organization that provides services to our local autism community, with education and recr events, and any contribution you could make would be greatly appreciated.

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 (0)

By Larry, April 28, 2011 12:01 pm

King Curtis

Listen/Download – King Curtis – Pop Corn Willy
Listen/Download – King Curtis – Patty Cake (Valdez In the Country)

Greetings all.

I hope the end of the week finds you all robust, rosy cheeked and filled to the gills with soul.

I am – as usual – up to my substantial ass in alligators, with an exceptionally busy vacation followed immediately with an equally jam packed week.

I will save my recap of my DJ gigs in Massachusetts (which were a gas) for next week, but I did want to fill out this week’s posting with a very recent acquisition, that has (and this should come as no surprise) an interesting story attached to it.

The first part of our family vacation was occupied with an ongoing, very important errand, and as a result, when an opportunity opened up to do a little on-the-road 45 digging, I was both surprised and very pleased.

I hit a spot in upstate NY, that has – like many record stores that I haunt on the reg – seemed like a case of diminishing returns, i.e., the more I go back, the less there is to look through.

This time out was a different story, and by the time I had worked my way through the soul and funk section I had built up a nice stack of 45s to peruse, including some new (to me) stuff, one longtime want list item, 45 versions of things I previously had only on LP, as well as a couple of nice items for the trade box.

Among the new things was a King Curtis 45 with two tracks that were both previously unknown to me.

The one that caught my eye was ‘Pop Corn Willy’, which seemed – thanks to the mention of the funky snack food in the title – to be part and parcel of the 1969 dance craze.

Once I got it to the listening station, my suspicions were confirmed. It was extremely funky, and fast moving, and I gave it a spin when I took to the decks in Northampton, MA.

‘Pop Corn Willy’ is one of those cheap 45s that would likely be worth a nice chunk of change if it were rarer.

I gave the other side a brief needle drop, but since it didn’t grab me right away, I didn’t give it much thought.

When we finally returned home, and I got all my ducks in a row – including the acquisition of a brand new DJ coffin (not something you bury a DJ in, but rather a road case for two turntables and a mixer) – I sat down to digimatize the new records so that I might include them in next week’s edition of the Funky16Corners Radio Show (which by the way will air, on schedule, this Friday evening at 9PM on Viva Radio), I decided to give the King Curtis flipside a closer listen, and it’s a good thing I did too.

When I put the needle on the record, the song coming out of the speakers was pleasant enough, but after about 20 seconds it started to sound oddly familiar, and by the time the chorus rolled around I realized that although the song was titled ‘Patty Cake’, what I was actually hearing was a version of one of my favorite Donny Hathaway tunes, ‘Valdez In the Country’.

I’d first heard the song in a cover by the Soulful Strings, then by Hathaway himself, and eventually in a smoking version by Cold Blood.

The thing that bugged me though, was why it had been recorded by Mr Ousley under a different title.

As it turns out, this may very well have been the initial waxing of this composition. Hathaway himself (credited here, oddly as ‘Don Hathaway’) wouldn’t record it until 1973 on his ‘Extensions of a Man’ LP, after the Soulful Strings, Cold Blood, Nite Liters and Black Sugar (it would later be covered by George Benson).

As it turns out, the keyboardist on this session (recorded in August of 1969) was none other than Hathaway himself*, which would explain where King Curtis got his hands on the song. I don’t know for sure, but it’s possible that Curtis changed the title (the song would only appear on a non-LP 45) in an effort to keep it simple for the juke boxes and the dance floor. It’s also possible that it had yet to take on the ‘Valdez…’ title (I’ve never been able to discover the origin or significance of the title), though the Soulful Strings version, also recorded in 1969 carried the longer title.

That all said, it’s a great song (one of my favorite instrumentals), and I hope you dig it.

Have a great weekend, and I’ll see you all on Monday.

Peace

Larry

*Interestingly, Hathaway also plays on (as well as produced and arranged) the Cold Blood version, and may very well have had something to do with the Soulful Strings version as well. He was clearly proud of the composition and did a lot to get it out there.

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