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By Larry, January 2, 2011 4:59 pm

Dean Courtney

Listen/Download – Dean Courtney – We Have a Good Thing

Greetings all, and Happy New Year

How’s about we get the Funky16Corners juggernaut rolling again with a very tasty bit of Northern Soul?

Before we get started I have to let you know that our sister blog, Iron Leg, where the sounds of 60s garage, psyche and pop are discussed returns to new posts today, so head on over there for a searing garage punk cover of a classic soul 45.

Also very important to note, I’ll be taking part in the Spindletop night with DJ Perry Lane next Monday night, beginning at 10PM at Botanica, 47 East Houston Street (between Mulberry and Mott)  in New York City. They have a very groovy thing going there so come on down to soak up the Hammond 45s, soul jazz and other swinging sounds.

I have to begin by admitting that within my Northern Soul infatuation, there was a time when somewhere, locked deep in my mind, I conflated the existence of two separate singers, Dean Parrish, and Dean Courtney into one person.

This is not to say that I ever had any evidence that this was in fact the case, but rather my dilapidated, overworked mind (I think it has poorly lit hallways like an abandoned building) took two people with the same first name, who were both soul singers, and stapled them together (though I suppose mixing him up with Lou Courtney would have made more sense).

This probably had something to do with the fact that both of these singers made records that are verily worshipped on the Northern scene.

That silliness out of the way, Dean Courtney’s ‘We Have a Good Thing’ is without question a fantastic record.

Courtney was an Alabama native who did most of his recording in New York City for RCA and MGM.
‘We Have a Good Thing’ was the top side of his first RCA 45 in 1966.

One of the things that drew me into Northern Soul is the fact that so many of the records, while ostensibly ‘soul’ sides, also have a serious pop underpinning. This is part and parcel of the Motown-worship that inspired the creation of so many of them, and yet another painful reminder of the uncertainty of the marketplace when you consider how many of the classics of the genre were utter commercial failures (thus the rarity).

According to Dave Ferguson’s comprehensive overview of the career of arranger Jimmy Wisner (in the March 2007 issue of There’s That Beat), ‘We Have a Good Thing’ was co-written by Dean Courtney, despite being credited solely to John T. Mack.

The arrangement by Wisner is the epitome of stylish, danceable soul. Opening with rock solid drums, and marked by a descending rhythm guitar line, Courtney delivers the verse in a velvety tenor. The melody is filled with hooks, and the addition of backing harmonies, restrained strings and vibes fleshes things out nicely.

Despite it’s 1966 release date, ‘We Have a Good Thing’ didn’t enter the Northern canon until the mid-70s.

I also have to note that this 45 also has the greatest span between physical appearance and actual playability of any record I own (and I have a grip of water damaged 45s from a certain Philadelphia basement). Fortunately there was a nice scan of the 45 in ‘There’s That Beat’ that allowed me to get the label info.

Courtney still performs today, and has traveled to the UK for appearances on the Northern scene.

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

Peace

Larry

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Check out the Funky16Corners Store at Cafe Press

PS Head over to Iron Leg for a garage cover of a soul classic

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By Larry, December 21, 2010 12:19 pm

Merry Christmas, Godfather!

Listen/Download – James Brown – It’s Christmas Time Pt1

Greetings all.

I hope everyone that is in the Christmas groove, is ready for the holiday.

It behooves me to mention that if you find yourself snuggled up in front of a roaring internet this Friday night at 9PM, you might tune in to Viva Radio and dig the Funky16Corners Radio Christmas Special, featuring an hour of the finest funk and soul in the holiday spirit.

The tune I bring you today is fitting for a couple of reasons.

I remember the Christmas day for years ago when I heard that the mighty James Brown had that very morning slipped the surly bonds of earth and passed on into the great, funky beyond.

James Brown was a towering figure in the history of soul music, and especially important (so much so as to have been indispensable) in the development of funk.

Funky16Corners marked his passing then, and we do so again this year with one of the more mellow, sentimental numbers from his catalog.

‘It’s Christmas Time Pt1’ was released in 1969, and is notable for its subdued, almost hymn-like vibe.
Recorded at the peak of his funky powers, the song sees the Godfather of Soul working in a ballad style, backed only by guitar, bass, organ and the sparest of drums.

So much holiday funk and soul is in an upbeat, often humorous style, it’s nice to hear one of the giants take it at a mellow pace.

I hope you dig it, raise a glass of egg-nog in memory of Soul Brother Number One, and that you all have a great Christmas weekend.

I’m taking the rest of the week off to be festive, but I’ll be back next week with a year-end wrap up mix.

Peace

Larry

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

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By Larry, December 19, 2010 4:47 pm

Harvey Averne

Listen/Download – Harvey Averne Band – Let’s Get It Together This Christmas

Greetings all.

Christmas week has finally arrived, and so, as is the custom, have some funky and soulful holiday 45s.

I managed to get in a nice dig/hang this weekend down at the world famous Asbury Lanes where I managed to grab some excellent records (both the 45 and LP varieties) and meet up with some of my old mod scene compadres (Mr Luther and Mick) as well as AP45 Sessions’ very own DJ Prime Mundo. It was a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

I’ve made mention of the fact that I have never been a big collector of holiday music, Don’t get me wrong – I dig the jingle bells and the ho ho ho and what not – but with rare exception (generally the records that I feature here around Christmas time) I don’t go out of my way to add this kind of stuff to my record box.

Occasionally – as is the case with the Soulful Strings Christmas LP – such a record dovetails nicely with an existing obsession. Sometimes, as was the case with Clarence Carter’s ‘Backdoor Santa’, we might be talking about a record that kicks ass solidly despite the fact that it’s aimed at a Yuletide audience.

This week I’ll be bringing you two great holiday selections (Monday and Wednesday) and then taking the rest of the week off to enjoy the holiday with the fam.

I wouldn’t leave you hanging though, so make sure you tune into the Funky16Corners Radio Show this Friday at 9PM, Christmas Eve for the first annual Funky16Corners Radio Christmas Special, for an hour of the coolest funk and soul sounds for the holiday. You’ll hear the Soulful Strings, Clarence Carter, James Brown and many, many more.

The tune I bring you today is nice but of funky Latin soul by the mighty Harvey Averne.

Averne was – like his bandmate and fellow Latin music legend Larry Harlow – a non-Hispanic (both men were Jewish) who played a big role in the history of the storied Fania label.

Averne, a vibraphonist, got his start under the name Arvito and his Latin Orchestra, playing during the 50s mambo craze, eventually taking over a band that included Harlow on piano.

He had a great deal of success as a musician (and in the construction business) but had probably his most important role as the mad behind the day to day operations of Fania.

Hired by label owner Jerry Masucci, Averne worked at Fania as musician, producer (of Ray Barretto’s ‘Acid’ LP among many other classics) and A&R man.

Oddly enough, his first record, among them the boogaloo classics ‘The Micro Mini’ and ‘You’re No Good’ were released on the Atlantic label, with Averne eventually having a bunch if stuff released on Fania and its Uptite subsidiary.

The tune I bring you today ‘Let’s Get It Together This Christmas’ is a funky mover, with the punchy bass, the jingling jingle bells, and an upbeat message for the season.

I haven’t been able to nail down a release date, but the catalog number would suggest something in the area of 1969 or 1970.

The flip side is a an otherwise groovy version of ‘The Christmas Song’, marred by the ‘contributions’ of a barking dog (who gets credit on the label!).

‘Let’s Get It Together This Christmas’ was also included on the excellent ‘In The Christmas Groove’ comp.

I hope you dig the tune, and I’ll be back with something mellow on Wednesday.

Peace

Larry

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

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By Larry, December 16, 2010 12:24 pm

The Kelly Brothers performing on The Beat

Listen/Download – The Kelly Brothers – Crystal Blue Persuasion

Greetings all.

It’s the end of another week, and I’ve been a busy fella.

I’ll assume that some of you already know this, but the Funky16Corners blog was preceded, or more accurately grew out of the Funky16Corners web zine. I published the first issue online in 2000, after 15 years of doing paper fanzines on a variety of topics.

Though my web skills were rudimentary at best, I thought it would be cool to be able to write about funk and soul, include color pictures, and have it all up on the interwebs where anyone with a computer and access, anywhere in the world could check it out.

I did thirteen issues of the web zine before switching over to the blog format, and though I haven’t updated the site in almost five years, I maintained it so that people could access the various articles and discographies.

Unfortunately, due to some poor planning on my part, and switching/upgrading computers a few times since then, I did not have access to the site I had built. In fact, when I finally resurrected the old computer where I thought I had it stored, I realized that what I had was an older, incomplete version of the zine that was missing the last three issues.

What I wanted to do was get the files and upload them to the same server where I keep the blog.
This turned out to be quite the production, since I had to download the three missing issues (and all the attending artwork) from one server, weave them together with the files I had, and then upload the whole shebang. This involved work that was both painfully complicated and monotonous, but since I have no one to blame but myself for the mess it had become, I can’t really complain.

That all said, the move is finally complete. For those of you that were linked to www.funky16corners.net , aside from a few minor cosmetic changes, the transition should be flawless. If you haven’t been to the webzine, you can click on the link in the sidebar and check it out. Once you’re there, make sure to click on the ‘Archived Issues’ link to access all the older content.

Be forewarned that there are a couple of pages with formatting problems that I’ll have to correct over the coming weeks, but nothing that should prevent you from reading it.

I will be updating some of the articles for both factual and cosmetic reasons, and may even generate some new, long-form content.

I would also at some point like to redo the entire look of the site, so that you don’t have to deal with the existing colored type on black background theme, but like everything else, that will have to be added to the to-do list, and will be taken care of as time allows.

I should also take this opportunity to remind you all that this Friday night at 9PM you should fall by Viva Radio to check out the latest installment of the Funky16Corners Radio Show. This week (12/17) is an all Philly Funk 45 special, and next week (12/24) is the first annual Funky16Corners Radio Show Christmas special, featuring all kinds of groovy funk and soul in the holiday spirit.

Next week I’ll be posting a couple of nice Christmas 45s, so make sure to stop by for that.

The tune I bring you today is a very nice cover of a very well known song, by a group that until recently I knew nothing about.

I can’t recall where I first heard the Kelly Brothers version of ‘Crystal Blue Persuasion’, but I do know that I dug it because I went in search of my own copy. That search ended earlier this year when I did a DJ set at the Washington DC Record Fair and found a mint copy sitting in a box between two extremely rare (and well out of my price range) soul 45s.

The Kelly Brothers got their start recording gospel in the mid-50s. Between 1956 and 1962 they recorded gospel for the VeeJay, Nashboro and Federal labels. They changed their name to the King Pins, and switched to recording secular soul in 1963, remaining with Federal.

They moved to the Sims label from 1964 to 1967, eventually landing at Excello, which is where they recorded today’s selection in 1969.

The original recording of the tune by Tommy James and the Shondells was a huge hit earlier in 1969.

The Kelly Brothers were hardly alone in their migration between the sacred and the profane. Countless soul artists got their start singing and recording gospel, and there were other artists – the Staple Singers come to mind – that passed back and forth between the genres.

The brothers (Curtis, Andrew and Robert Kelly) along with TC Lee and Offie Reese put the powerful harmonies they learned in church to good use during their soul period. There’s a great video them performing their 1966 Sims 45 ‘I’m Falling In Love Again’ on the Nashville-based TV show The Beat.

The group’s version of ‘Crystal Blue Persuasion’ adds a great soulful edge to the pop classic, with the rhythm guitar and piano playing off of each other, horns, organ and some powerful drumming as well. I love the way the Kelly Brothers kick up the tempo and lay on the harmony. I’ve always enjoyed the Tommy James original (one of the first songs I remember really well from my childhood) but it seems anemic in comparison to this version.

Interestingly, the song has long been rumored to have a religious underpinning, though a glance at the lyrics reveals that there is at least as much late 60s hippie vibe in the mix.

There’s also a great comp of the Kelly Brothers soulful stuff from their time at the Sims label at Amazon.

I hope you dig the tune, and I’ll see you all next week for the holiday festivities.

Peace

Larry

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

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By Larry, December 14, 2010 2:51 pm

Calender

Listen/Download – Calender – Hypertension Pt1
Listen/Download – Calender – Hypertension Pt2

Greetings all.

The tune I bring you today is a little bit of stylish, late period New Jersey funk.

Back about a year or so ago, when I pulled this 45 out of a box at a record show, I grabbed it because the label was familiar (and from NJ).

I’d never heard of the group, but I figured (as I often do) that all signs pointed to ‘cool’, and the price was right, so I took it home.

When I finally got a chance to put it on the turntable I was pleased.

Though the group, Calender, was a complete mystery, the song ‘Hypertension Pts 1&2’ turned out to be an extremely cool number from the era when funk was on a speeding train to Disco City.

This is not to say that the tune itself is actually disco, but that it comes from a period where the artists and producers were clearly less interested in crafting a short, one-sided 45 statement than they were in stretching things out so that the dancers might have some time to get down.

Since the group name and song title led only to various sites concerned with high blood pressure, I decided to search on some of the names on the label, which turned up some interesting info.

The tune was written and produced by Paul Kyser, a Jersey City, NJ based record man who had his biggest successes with Jimmy Briscoe and the Little Beavers, a teenaged funk band from Baltimore, MD who had a number of hits in the mid-70s.

Kyser had his own label, Kyser Records in the 60s, recording Robby Lawson among others. He also worked with the Soul Generation, Super Disco Band, and Rhyze (formerly known as the Nu Sound Express, who recorded two excellent funk 45s for Silver Dollar), who had a minor hit with the tune ‘Just How Sweet Is Your Love’ in 1980.

‘Hypertension’ is a great slice of sophisticated, string laden funk in the style of B.T. Express. There’s more than enough real musicianship in the grooves, but enough grooves in the playing to get people out on the dance floor. The production and arrangement by Kyser is perfect; smooth but never slick. There are bits of synthesizer here and there, but they never overpower the band. Make sure to stick around for Part 2, which features some great flute work.

The group included two sets of brothers, John and Michael Barbee and Gerry and Hurley Fair, as well as Stanley Haygood, William Jones and Donna Ahjuder, and recorded this 45 (in 1975) and an LP called ‘It’s a Monster’ for Pi Kapp in 1976 with all songs either written or co-written by the group, Kyser and his frequent writing partner Leon Stuckey.

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

Peace

Larry

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

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By Larry, December 9, 2010 2:46 pm

Isaac Redd Holt & Eldee Young

Listen/Download – Young-Holt Unlimited – Horoscope

Greetings all.

I hope the end of the week finds you well.

It’s been a busy one hereabouts, with the kids, and the errands and Hanukkah ending and Christmas coming and jeebus knows what else going on.

This is the part of Friday’s post where I pause for my regularly scheduled reminder that the Funky16Corners Radio Show will be airing, as is the custom, Friday night at 9PM. There will be some old favorites, a couple of new arrivals and some groovy stuff out of the archives, so if you have your ears pointed at the interwebs this Friday night, make sure to point the browser of your choice at Viva Radio and tune in. If you are otherwise occupied, you can always come by the blog over the weekend and pull down the ones and zeros, since every single episode of the Funky16Corners Radio Show is promptly digimatized and posted at the blog after it airs.

I thought I had the whole week planned out, but when I sat down to write today’s post, I had a change of heart, and went back into the to-be-blogged folder to see what tickled my fancy. After some deliberation, I saw that I had no less than three very groovy tracks from the Young-Holt organization waiting to go, all funky, all very groovy.

This of course opened up a whole new can of worms, since I didn’t want to post all three at the same time. Despite all stories to the contrary, the Funky16Corners record vault is not six stories deep with an endless supply of vinyl, and things need to be parceled out gradually.

I gave the matter some consideration, and settled upon the 45 you see before you today, Young-Holt Unlimited’s ‘Horoscope’.

I don’t recall where I came across this disc, or where I first heard it.

It’s entirely possible that I bought it sight unheard, since I’ve come to the conclusion that Young-Holt are verily the gift that keeps on giving. They were not only prolific, but their catalog – like the many petals of the lotus – unfolds to reveal more and more funky 45s at every turn.

Here you have two journeyman jazz cats – pianist Eldee Young and drummer Isaac Redd Holt – who made their bones with the mighty Ramsey Lewis, with the 1965 hit ‘The In Crowd’ (currently being used in TV ads in furtherance of the execrable Ashton Kutcher industry). They parlayed it into their own career, eventually hitting the charts with one of the best loved soul instrumentals of the 60s, ‘Soulful Strut’ (ironically, a record they are rumored not to have actually played on).

Over the course of the next decade they would go on to release ten albums (for Brunswick, Cotillion and Paula) and over a dozen singles, all taking the concept of soul jazz and flipping the formula. The music they would create would prove to be commercial (if not commercially successful) while still substantial, formulaic without being boring and much more soulful than that of a lot of their similarly labeled contemporaries.

I always find it odd that for a group that was obviously selling a lot of records, Young-Holt Unlimited didn’t really have much in the way of chart success. ‘Soulful Strut’ was a Pop and R&B hit in 1968, but they would only hit the R&B chart two other times, earlier in 1968 with ‘Wack Wack’ and barely scraping the Top 50 with ‘Just a Melody’ n 1969.

Yet the more I dig, especially into their later Cotillion and Paula periods (1970 to 1975) the more quality stuff I discover.

Today’s selection hails from 1969, at the very end of their time with the Brunswick label, just before their move to Cotillion.

‘Horoscope’ features funky piano and bright horns, and a shouted run (credited, hysterically as ‘Narration by Isaac Holt’) through the zodiac, hitting on all the signs, ex.Virgo (‘The virgin! Ha ha, you gotta be kidding!’), as well as timely references to the Age of Aquarius and Hair (“and NO CLOTHES!!”).

The tune was written by Young, Holt and their pianist at the time, Ken Chaney (who replaced Hysear Don Walker when the group morphed from the Young Holt Trio into Young Holt Unlimited).

They’ve appeared here a bunch of times, with individual tracks and in mixes, as long as I keep digging their stuff they’ll continue to do so.

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

Peace

Larry

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

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By Larry, December 7, 2010 2:03 pm

The Oneness of Juju

Listen/Download – Oneness of Juju – African Rhythms Pt1
Listen/Download – Oneness of Juju – African Rhythms Pt2

Greetings all.
I don’t know about where you folks live, but things got awfully cold, awfully quickly around here.

It’s nothing like the weird snow-fucking that our friends in the UK are getting, but cold enough that I have to make sure the little corners are all bundled up when they trot out the door, and I might add, at the point where I am contemplating putting the fireplace into use.

I’m also perched by the mailbox waiting for a couple of exceptional vinyl acquisitions to arrive, one of them taking its sweet time (apparently) swimming here from the EU. I was lucky enough to grab a couple of longtime want list items at reasonable prices, so as soon as they fall through the mail slot, and I get them digimatized, you’ll see them here and hear them on the Funky16Corners Radio Show.

Speaking of seemingly unobtainable items, allow me to take you back a little over a year to March of 2009, when my man DJ Prestige and I packed up the Funky16Corners-mobile and headed down to DC and RVA to do our DJ thing, and naturally get in some out of town digging.

While we were in DC, the mighty DJ Birdman took us to a couple of sweet spots, one of which yielded two copies of the 1975 LP by Oneness of Juju (one each for Prestige and Birdman). I was pissed I hadn’t found it first (who wouldn’t be?), but happy to see my buddies make such a good score.

Flash forward a bit to my next trip down to DC in July of last year where I did a couple of gigs with Birdman (including an allnighter at Marvin), around which were scheduled even more digs. Part of our trip involved a run down to Richmond, which included a stop at the storied Plan 9 record store.

As expected, there was a veritable sea of vinyl to be perused, but I had been instructed to inquire of the man behind the counter whether or not he might have some of the “good stuff” held off to the side.

Now, as any seasoned digger will tell you, not every record store is likely to have a box or two of special stuff set aside, and among those that do, some of the special stuff isn’t all that special, it’s just expensive.

So, having already grabbed an armload of 45s and LPs, I asked to see the good stuff, and spent the next half hour or so checking it out on the store turntable.

Though there was a lot of interesting stuff, not much of it was grabbing me, until I got to the bottom of the stack and saw something that set my Spidey sense a-tingling, that being a 45 of the Oneness of Juju performing ‘African Rhythms’.

I had heard, and dug this tune on a CD comp of Afro-funk a few years before, and knew the band had a Richmond connection, but I don’t think I expected a copy of the 45 to fall into my sweaty hands.

After a bit of haggling (which didn’t amount to much, since I’m such a shitty haggler) I added the 45* to my keeper stack and took it home.

The group has it’s roots in mid-60s New York City, where saxophonist Plunky Nkabinde (aka J. Plunky Branch), a native of Richmond, VA went to college, met bassist/singer Ken Shabala and formed a band called the Soul Syndicate.

In the late 60s, the pair moved to San Francisco and joined Ndikho Xaba (one of many South African expatrites who came to the US to make music in the 60s) in the group Ndikho and the Natives.

Two years later, along with vibist Lon Moshe they left and formed the avant garde group Juju.

Over the next few years Juju recorded a few albums of Afro jazz (one for Strata East), eventually moving to Richmond, VA in 1974.

The group reconstituted, physically (with personnel changes) and artistically (with a much funkier vibe) and was rechristened as the Oneness of Juju. They became a big draw in and around Washington, DC, playing with many of the big local acts, as well as touring artists.

The Oneness of Juju recorded their eponymous LP (on the Black Fire label), which included ‘African Rhythms’ in 1975, and featuring their new vocalist Lady Eka-Ete.

The 45 edit of ‘African Rhythms’ opens with a tight breakbeat** (courtesy of another Richmond native, Ronnie Toler). The bass, guitar and saxophone weave in and out of the percussion before that band starts to chant the title of the song.

Over the course of more than seven minutes, you get a real taste of the unique combination of sounds that the Oneness of Juju could produce. Not only do you get a tune with enough contemporary funk energy to get people out onto the dance floor, but there is also the jazz edge the band brought with them from their previous incarnation.

The next 30 years saw the group become a free-flowing entity, morphing in both personnel and style, always led by Plunky, who in addition to performing also taught music in public schools and at the university level, as well as traveling to Africa. They recorded as Plunky and Oneness, as well as providing backing on Plunky’s numerous solo recordings.

They really represent a remarkable bit of musical history (which can be read in much greater detail at their web site) that would probably make an incredible book.

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

Peace

Larry

*Despite its visually pristine condition, the 45 has some background noise which is especially obvious during the beginning and end of each side. My apologies for the crackle…

**The record was sampled by Quasimoto among others

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By Larry, December 2, 2010 12:33 pm

The Sweet Delights

Listen/Download – The Sweet Delights – Baby Be Mine
Listen/Download – Delights Orchestra – Paul’s Midnight Ride

Greetings all.

The end of the week is upon us, and despite a couple of stumbling blocks (like my weak back), it went pretty fast.

Chanukah celebrations are underway (the Funky16Corners Compound is a multi-cultural thang where we light both the menorah and the Christmas tree) and everybody is tired but happy.

Before we get started I should mention that tomorrow night the Funky16Corners Radio Show on Viva internet radio arrives on the interwebs at 9PM and will be filled, as usual, with the best in funk, soul, jazz, rare groove and disco for your eager ears.

I should also remind you that the new Funky16Corners stickers are now available to one and all if you send a self-addressed, stamped envelope (unstamped if you are outside of the USA) to Funky16Corners, c/o Grogan, 80 New Brunswick Ave, Brick, NJ 08724.

The tunes I bring you today come from both sides of a single 45 that has had a place in my Philly crates for what might be described as a long-ass time.

I always dug it, and was intrigued by it (more on that in a minute) but it is also safe to say that I as mystified by it as well.

The artists listed on the disc are the Sweet Delights (vocal side) and the Delights Orchestra (instrumental).
When I found this one, I already had another 45 by the Delights Orchestra (also on Atco), ‘King of the Horse’ b/w ‘Do Your Thing’, both sides of which have appeared in Funky16Corners Radio podcasts.

I grabbed that disc initially because it was quite obviously an attempt to cash in on the ‘Horse’ craze started by Cliff Nobles and Company in 1968. Check out Funky16Corners Radio v.22 – Horse Power for a look at a bunch of discs on the same tip.

That said, it was probably a year or so later that I found today’s 45s during a search in the wilds of the intertubes. When the disc fell through the mail slot and I gave it a spin I was pleasantly surprised to discover the vocal side of the 45.

Unfortunately I was unable to turn up any information on the group, assuming – due both to the similar sound, and the familiar names of Frank Virtue and Johnny Stiles (post-Harthon) on the label – that what I was hearing was yet another iteration of the stalwart Philly rhythm section that played on so many amazing records over the years.

I had no inkling whatsoever that the Sweet Delights were anything but an anonymous group of singers assembled for the session.

However, sometimes – like a frozen mammoth exposed by a receding glacier – if you wait long enough, all will be revealed.

During a perusal of an old back issue of Billboard magazine, I happened upon an ad for new releases on the Atco label that included the image of the Sweet Delights you see at the top of this post.

That was a nice surprise, and it spurred me on to dig a little deeper.

When I did – thanks to an article at the Classic Urban Harmony web site (which includes a much nicer picture of the group) – I discovered that one of the co-writers of ‘Baby Be Mine’, Eddie Edgehill had a long history in Philadelphia doowop groups like the Valentines and the Del Knights, eventually going on to form and record the Sweet Delights (which included his wife Geri Edgehill, Betty Allen, Valerie Brown, Grace Montgomery Allison and the group’s sole male member, and the other co-writer of the song, Albert Byrd).*

The Sweet Delights 45 was released in 1968, with the Delights Orchestra two-sider coming in 1969. ‘Baby Be Mine’ is a fast moving soul/funk tune that bears a passing resemblance to Jackie Wilson’s ‘Higher and Higher’.

Oddly, it was the instrumental side of the 45 that gained some traction on the radio, which is probably why the Sweet Delights are pictured in the ad, but the text is promoting the Delight’s Orchestra.

There’s also an interesting footnote in regard to ‘Paul’s Midnight Ride’. I found a post on the Numero Group (issuers of many amazing compilations) blog about the track (‘Paul’s Midnight Ride’) being lifted and re-used on two other 45s, one by DJ Tim Jacob in Wichita, Kansas, and the other by Sonorose ‘Gay Poppa’ Rutledge in Shreveport, Louisiana (though if you listen to the sound samples provided at the blog, both records sound exactly the same, with the same vocal laid over the ‘Paul’s Midnight Ride’ track). How this track made it’s way onto these records is anyone’s guess, but I’m willing to bet that the ‘borrowing’ was not officially sanctioned by the track’s creators (none of whom are seem to be credited on the labels).

Interesting, and a long way to travel for an obscure soul track.

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

Peace

Larry

*For some reason ‘Paul’s Midnight Ride’, basically the instrumental bed of ‘Baby Be Mine’ is credited on the 45 to Frank Virtue, Johnny Stiles and arranger Bobby Martin

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By Larry, November 30, 2010 4:02 pm

James Brown – tickling the ivorys (or whatever organ keys were made out of)

Listen/Download – The Poets – Devil’s Den Pt1
Listen/Download – The Poets – Devil’s Den Pt2

Greetings all.

How – as they say on the streets – is it hanging?

I am, once again, nursing a bad back, which is a fucking hoot.

It’s not really all that tragic. I’ve known people who have real, serious problems with their back (like my Pop) who make my problems look insignificant, but it is uncomfortable, and inconvenient, so to paraphrase the man we come to discuss today, ‘Let a man come in and do the “Oh shit my back hurts”.

Before we get rolling, I should note that the all new, all fabulous Funky16Corners stickers have arrived. If you wish to obtain one, and you live in the US, send me a self addressed stamped envelope (to Funky16Corners c/o Grogan, 80 New Brunswick Ave, Brick, NJ 08724 USA) and I’ll shoot one your way. If you live elsewhere in the universe, send me a self addressed envelope (I’ll cover the postage since I don’t want to get into any crazy stuff with postal coupons or foreign currency) and you’ll get one too. You folks have all been so groovy with your continued support of the Funky16Corners organization, it’s the least I can do.

The 45 I bring you today is another one of those records I knew of for many years before it and I came together at a record show.

I mean, how can you not be intrigued by a record by the Poets, named ‘Devil’s Den’?

I was, and when I pulled it out of a big box of cheap 45s, and saw the James Brown-y markings on the label, my interest was further piqued and I took it home.

At first listen, I was a tiny bit confused, since for some reason I recalled hearing that ‘Devil’s Den’ was a funk 45 (perhaps someone making a JB conflation), which it is not, but since it is an old school organ burner, I dug it all the more.

Some years back I did a longer piece about James Brown’s dalliance with the Hammond organ (you can read it here), but at the time I had no idea that the Poets 45 was part of the legacy.

I use the word ‘dalliance’, because the Hammond was clearly a sideline for JB, and just as clearly, while his playing had a certain loose charm, he was no virtuoso.

That said, given the right material, the mighty Mr. Brown was able to make the gigantic box of wood and wires sing, and ‘Devil’s Den’ is an example of such a piece.

Recorded in 1963 (a few years prior to his organ sojourn at the Smash label), ‘Devil’s Den’, had its labels not carried the writing and producing credits to James Brown, might not indicate that the Godfather of Soul had any involvement, were it not for a telltale scream at the 1:08 mark in part one, and a few interjections after that point.

The tune is a slow swinging blues with a beefy horn chart that has a serious late night, smoky bar feel to it. The backing band is the Famous Flames, and on some reissues the song is credited to the JB pseudonym ‘Ted Wright’.

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

Peace

Larry

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By Larry, November 21, 2010 3:03 pm

Funky16Corners Radio v.90 – Soul In Harmony

Playlist

Listen/Download 110MB/256kb Mixed MP3

Download 81MB Zip File

Thanksgiving week is here (at least in the US), and this year I have lots to be thankful for, as well as lots to do.

I’ve decided to drop this mix today, and pretty much take the rest of the week off.

There will be a new episode of the Funky16Corners Radio Show on Viva radio this Friday at 9PM, so make sure you check that out, should you be passed out next to the internet, in a turkey and pie induced food coma.

Funky16Corners Radio v.90 – Soul In Harmony is one of those mixes that has been cooking (in my head, anyway) for a long time.

I’m not sure how much it has been visible here on the blog (anyone have time lapse footage of the last five years?), but my tastes – often spurred on by a periodic excavation in my record room – are always evolving.

Back in the day, when I first started to collect soul 45s, it was all about the rough and ready Southern sound, fast moving and loud.

It would be years before I really started to examine soul ballads, and then I started to dig into funk, and then Northern Soul, then to disco and on and on, hopefully ad infinitum.

The latest spike on the evolutionary time-line popped up sometime in the last year, spurred on by the sounds of sweet soul.

The AM radio of my youth was filled with bands like the Chi-Lites, the Stylistics, Blue Magic and others, and to be honest, it all struck me as a little mushy, but then again I was 10 years old.

As I got older, and started to listen and dig, ever deeper into the sounds of soul, I discovered a fair amount of sweeter, soul harmony stuff, often on the B-sides of more upbeat, aggressive records, and as is often the case, despite the comparative ‘lightness’ of some of these records, I was drawn in by what always grabs me, that being good songs.

The first record in this style that really knocked me out was the Intruder’s ‘A Love That’s Real’ still one of my favorite records.

Thanks to both geographic proximity and the quality of the music, I’ve collected Philly soul for a long time, and one thing the cats in Philly knew how to create was solid harmony soul. Almost a third of the records I put into this mix are by Philly groups, another third from Detroit or Chicago, and the rest spread over the map (including one by my Jersey Shore homeboys the Broadways).

The importance of tight harmony singing has been a hallmark of black music, from the Mills Brothers and the Ink Spots in the 30s and 40s, countless groups in the 50s and of course everything in this mix, from the classic soul era.

There’s really something special about harmony singing. Done well, it’s not just an accidental meshing of random voices, but rather an aural tapestry woven from perfectly complementary elements.

The ‘classic’ soulful blend, with a tenor, or sometimes baritone lead, a bass and often someone capable of singing in falsetto provides a basic sound, but when some (or all) of these roles are filled by extraordinary singers the end result is something magical.

All of the songs in this mix hail from between 1966 and 1970, a period when a certain maturity and creative growth was on the rise in soul music, when the finest groups intersected with great writers and producers to make music of increasing sophistication and depth.

Though there is a general stylistic thread running through this mix, the tempos vary between pure balladry, upbeat, danceable soul and slightly rougher edged sounds.

There are a few songs that have appeared here before, but when I started assembling the playlist, I knew that they had to be included.

Things get started with the truly amazing ‘I Don’t Know How To Say I Love You (Don’t Walk Away)’ by the mighty Superlatives. I have sung the praises of this record before, but it certainly can’t hurt to hear it again. The combination of sweet vocals, heavy drums and that stellar arrangement are truly amazing.

The Broadways, without any question the greatest soul group to come out of the Jersey Shore recorded two solid 45s for MGM. Their ‘You Just Don’t Know’ is a staple of my Northern Soul sets, and while ‘Sweet and Heavenly Melody’ also packs a driving beat, it has a lushness to it (how about those strings) that sets it apart.

I don’t know much about the Hesitations. I’ve seen their records – often packed with covers – for years, but only bought on for the first time a few months ago. ‘Stay In My Corner’ is a marvel, with the singers alternating leads over dynamic backing vocals.

The Ethics recorded a series of excellent 45s for Philadelphia’s Vent label in the late 60s, including the Northern classic ‘Look at Me Now’. ‘Think About Tomorrow’ is a much slower, much sweeter, falsetto-led ballad that was clearly tailored to reflect the sounds that Gamble and Huff were creating at the same time.

One of the rougher sounding, yet oddly pretty songs in this mix is ‘I’ll Be Loving You’ by the Soul Brothers Six. The flipside of the classic ‘Some Kind of Wonderful’, ‘I’ll Be Loving You’ features what is, in comparison to most of the records in this mix, remarkably spare instrumentation, with rhythm guitar, thumping bass, drums and tambourine, all sounding like it was recorded in one take. The real star here, aside from John Ellison’s wonderful lead vocal, is the second guitar, which has a kind of chiming overtone to it that from a distance sounds like vibraphone accents. The more I listen to this one the more I love it.

The next cut is by the Blue Notes (as in Harold Melvin and…). Right before they began their run of hits with Philadelphia International, the group recorded two 45s for the Uni label. ‘Never Gonna Leave You’ (from 1969) was the B-side of the funky ‘Hot Thrills and Cold Chills’. The 45 was reissued a few years later, no doubt to capitalize on the success of their PI hits.

‘I’ll Make It Up To You’ by the Magictones is the bottom half of one of the truly great Detroit soul 45s (the A-side being their epic cover of the Parliaments’ ‘Good Ole Music’). Much like the Superlatives record (also released on Westbound), the Magictones juxtapose their harmonies with a heavy background, including some tasty electric sitar.

Though they’re best known for their early, doowop sides, Little Anthony and the Imperials recorded well into the classic soul era, including and excellent run of 45s for the Veep label between 1966 and 1969. ‘It’s Not the Same’ which features Anthony Gourdine’s unmistakable falsetto, and a classy arrangement (in which the Imperials are often doubled by female backing singers), bears a slight (but not overpowering) similarity to ‘Goin’ Out of My Head’ (also from 1966).

Speaking of Philadephia soul, there are few groups who were as successful – artistically and on the charts – as the mighty Intruders. ‘Everyday Is a Holiday’ (from 1969) is a great showcase for their unique harmonies and a muscular production and arrangement by Gamble and Huff. Listen closely to the bass and drums (almost funky), as well as the horns and staccato piano accents in the verse.

Chicago’s Artistics were reliable hitmakers for the Brunswick label in the late 60s. ‘What Happened’ is another record that seems to run on the outskirts of funk, as well as displaying the influence of the Temptations.

Another group with solid roots in the doowop era, that also made some great soul records was the Platters. Though they had few (if any) original members by the time they recorded ‘Sweet Sweet Lovin’ in 1967.
Featuring a great lead vocal by Sonny Turner, ‘Sweet Sweet Lovin’ is typical of the kind of upbeat, danceable soul the group was making in this period.

We head back to the City of Brotherly Love with the Ambassadors. One of the truly great Philly bands of the late 60s and early 70s, the Ambassadors recorded some excellent 45s for Atlantic before moving on to Arctic records where they would record several outstanding 45s and an LP. They were adept a certain brand of funky soul, best displayed on 1969s ‘A.W.O.L.’.

When I wrote about the Precisions ‘You’ll Soon Be Gone’ back in 2008, I compare the sound of the record with a lot of the later period stuff that the Parliaments recorded for Revilot (it probably featured a lot of the same musicians. It has a much harder sound than their other Drew 45s.

Chicago’s Radiants recorded some of my favorite soul 45s of the 60s. By the time they recorded ‘I’m Glad I’m the Loser’, their lead vocalist Maurice McAlister had departed. I’m not sure who’s singing lead on this one, but he tears it up.

The Originals recorded a string of great records for Motown in the late 60s, their biggest hit being 1969s ‘Baby, I’m For Real’. ‘Love Is a Wonder’ is a brilliant bit of late 60s Motown, mixing tight, tight harmonies and a powerful arrangement. The lead vocalist sounds like someone Daryl Hall probably spent a lot of time listening to.

Another great tune that bears a passing resemblance to a previous success is the Intrigues ‘I’m Gonna Love You’. The Philadelphia group hit the charts in the summer of 1969 with ‘In A Moment’, a song with a similar vibe and arrangement to the tune in this mix. They recorded a number of cool 45s for the Yew label and hit the R&B (and occasionally Pop) charts a few times between 1969 and 1971.

If you’re a regular visitor to Funky16Corners, you’ll already know that the mighty Volcanos are one of my all time favorite soul groups. Led by singer Gene Faith (born Eugene Jones), the Volcanos recorded some of the finest soul singles to come out of Philadephia in the 1960s for the Arctic and Harthon labels. They had the instrumental backing of the core of the famed Philly rhythm section and material from some of the best songwriters around. ‘You’re Number One’ is a bright, fast moving dancer with lots of sweet background harmony lifting Faith’s lead. Many of the Volcanos went on to form the core of the Trammps who went on to much success in the 70s.

The Vontastics (who took their name from Chicago’s black radio powerhouse WVON) recorded a couple of truly amazing 45s for a variety of Chitown labels (mostly St. Lawrence) between 1965 and 1969. ‘You Can Work It Out’ sports a stylish arrangement (dig those horns!) and some razor sharp vocals in a song that sounds like a tip of the hat to the Miracles ‘Shop Around’.

I first heard the Unifics a few years back when I scored a copy of their monumental 45 ‘It’s a Groovy World. A product of Washington, D.C.’s Howard University (like Roberta Flack and the Blackbyrds) the Unifics hit the charts a few times in 1968 and 1969, their biggest hit being ‘Court of Love’. They recorded some 45s and an excellent LP for the Kapp label under the guidance of songwriter and producer Guy Draper. The amazing ‘Which One Should I Choose’ was co-written by Draper, lead singer Al Johnson and yet another Howard alumni, the mighty Donny Hathaway (who also plays piano on the track).

The Formations were another Philadelphia group with a Northern Soul classic – ‘At the Top of the Stairs’ – to their credit. ‘Love’s Not Only For The Heart’ shows a harder edged side of the group that went on to perform and record as the Corner Boys (for Neptune), the Silent Majority (for Hot Wax) and Hot Ice (for Atlantic).

The next track is a personal favorite of mine. One of my earliest ‘cool’ Philly 45 scores, the Producers 45 (on Gamble and Huff’s short lived Huff Puff label) is a very solid two sider. ‘Love Is Amazing’ (the only tune in this mix with a female lead, provided by Mikki Farrow) is one of those records that should have been a substantial hit, yet never really (as far as I can tell) made a dent anywhere, even in Philly). It does have it’s partisans in the UK, but remains (unjustly) obscure.

The Parliaments, led by George Clinton are best known as the group that started the Parliament/Funkadelic empire, but recorded some of the finest soul 45s to come out of Detroit in the 60s. ‘Time’ (from 1968) was the upbeat flipside of the psyched out breakbeats of ‘Good Ole Music’.

The Four Sonics – another Detroit group – had connections to Nolan Strong and the Diablos. The unusual, bass-heavy vocals of ‘It Takes Two’ (not the Marvin Gaye song) appeared on the B-side of their epic version of Dusty Springfield’s ‘You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me’.

I recounted the tale of the Masqueraders in this space not too long ago, but I couldn’t very well do a mix dedicated to soul harmony without including their incredible ‘I Don’t Want Nobody To Lead Me On’. A group of Texans, who relocated first to Detroit, and then ended up recording their best stuff in Memphis, the Masqueraders ought to be much better known. This song was also covered by the Dynamics.

This edition of Funky16Corners Radio closes out with the only white group in the mix, Pennsylvania’s Magnificent Men. ‘Peace Of Mind’, written by lead singer Dave Bupp and trumpeter Buddy King, which hit the R&B charts in 1966 is an outstanding example of the influence of Curtis Mayfield specifically, and Chicago soul in general. Bupp has been quoted as saying that the song was written with Walter Jackson in mind, and it’s not hard to imagine the master balladeer doing a fine version of the song. The Magnificent Men were one of the few white soul harmony groups to have success with black audiences in the 60s, though there must have been something in the water in Pennsylvania, with folks like Len Barry, Billy Harner and the Temptones (featuring a young Daryl Hall).

As always, I hope you dig the sounds, and have yourselves a great Thanksgiving.

Peace

Larry

NOTE: This past weekend I installed software that allows users who view the blog via a handheld (iPhone, Android, Blackberry etc) to see a new theme that allows easier navigation in the small screen size. If you have one of these devices, check it out and let me know what you think.

Thanks – Larry

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By Larry, November 18, 2010 3:54 pm

Toots and the Maytals

Listen/Download – The Maytals – 54-46 Was My Number

Greetings all.

I sit here at the heart of the Funky16Corners Record Vault and Podcasting Nerve Center, while the biting winds of autumn howl outside the window.

I was outside waiting for the littlest Corner to get off the bus, and I was reveling in the cool breeze, bright blue sky and wave upon wave of bright yellow and red leaves blowing around the neighborhood, digging the fall-ness of it all, though dreading that the leaves must eventually be removed, lest the neighbors soil themselves in a rage.

Such is life in the suburbs, where one side of the walls is wailing leaf blowers, and the other is heaps of warming vinyl, providing protection from the elements.

It behooves me to pause here and remind you all that this Friday night at 9PM you should all gather around your computers for warmth for another episode of the Funky16Corners Radio Show on Viva internet radio. I promise you that if funk and soul is your bag, then you will not be disappointed (on account of that’s how we roll).

I will now return to our regularly scheduled post and unleash a killer record for your delectation.

It’s reggae time again (thanks go out to my youngest sister for the inspiration).

If you are not hep to the mighty Toots Hibbert and his faithful Maytals, then I have something for you that will surely be a nice surprise.

I’ll spare you my usual reggae = soul boilerplate*, since of all the soulful singers from that particular genre, none is more so than Toots Hibbert.

Back in the olden days, when I was first becoming wise to the sounds of Jamaica via the Two Tone-rs, the name Toots and the Maytals was one frequently invoked by those in the know. Their songs were covered by the likes of the Clash (Pressure Drop) and the Specials (Monkey Man) among others**.

My first exposure to their music was via comps of ska originals, but the record that really pulled me in was their 1980 live album.

Recorded at the Hammersmith Palais in London, ‘Toots and the Maytals Live’ is as ass-kicking a reggae album as you’re ever likely to hear, with the band at the top of their game, feeding off of the energy of an audience that was clearly in love with their music.

It was on that album that I first heard the song ’54-46 Was My Number’. The tale of Toots being framed and jailed for possession of the lowly collie weed***.

It is a remarkable bit of stomping, danceable skinhead reggae, one of Toots finest, and an all around masterpiece of Island soul.

The original version was released in 1969 on Beverlys (in Jamaica) and Pyramid and Trojan (in the UK), and as far as I can tell did not have a contemporary US release.

Which is where today’s 45 (credited only to the Maytals) comes into play.

Despite some diligent searching I have not been able to find out how this song (and no accompanying LP) got issued as a 45 by Leon Russell and Denny Cordell’s Shelter Records.

Founded in 1970, Shelter had a discography that tilted heavily in the direction of gospel-tinged roots rock (Russell) , blues (Freddy King), pop (Phoebe Snow’s ‘Poetry Man’, probably the label’s biggest hit) and by the mid-70s the proto-New Wave/power pop of Dwight Twilley and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

As far as I can tell, aside from this hard to find 45 (in 1972) , and a two-sider of Funky Kingston and Pressure Drop (which I’ve never seen a copy of) a year later, Shelter never released another reggae 45 or LP in their decade-plus history.

Though I haven’t turned up any specific info on how Toots and the Maytals hooked up with Shelter, my best guess is that is has something to do with Denny Cordell.

Cordell, who hailed from the UK got his start working for Chris Blackwell at Island Records in the mid-60s, and was certainly exposed to the sounds of Jamaica. Whether bringing Toots and the Maytals to Shelter was his idea of a way to test the waters for further reggae releases on the label (which never materialized) I can’t say for sure, but Island would release the ‘Funky Kingston’ LP (an amalgam of tracks released a few years earlier in Jamaica) in 1973, in the US.

Either way, it is indeed a mighty record, and as an object, an unusual footnote to the history of reggae in the US.

Dig it, and I will join you all again on Monday.

Peace

Larry

*Laid out in detail a number of times previously

** 54-46 Was My Number was later covered by Sublime

***Based no doubt on Hibbert’s actual arrest and jailing in 1966

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By Larry, November 16, 2010 3:22 pm

Popcorn Wylie blasts off in his leisure suit…

Listen/Download – Richard ‘Popcorn’ Wylie – Funky Rubber Band

Greetings all.

The middle of the week is upon us, and in response to the cold, gray skies, falling leaves and various and sundry major and minor irritants, I come to you with something upbeat and funky so that we may all be warmed (at least spiritually) and forward motion may be maintained.

Before we get started, some news, that being that all of the mix archives have been updated, with 14 mixes in the Soul Club, 28 episodes of the Funky16Corners Radio Show, another 14 in the Guest Mix Archive (haven’t done one of those in a while), and 96 mixes in the Funky16Corners Radio Podcast Archive. That’s 152 mixes stacked neatly awaiting delivery to the pleasure centers of your fevered brains.

If you haven’t heard them all, and you need something to do…

Today’s selection is another entry in a relatively small, yet not insignificant dance craze movement, centered around the lowly rubber band.

Naturally, the assumption here is that the rubber band in question is not the object, but rather a dance named after it.

Over the years, I have found ‘Rubber Band’ 45s by the mighty Eddie Bo (under his own name with the Soul Finders and under the rubric of Curley Moore and the Kool Ones), the mighty Meters and Atlanta DJ Alley Pat.

I’m sure there must be some others that I have yet to hear and/or excavate, but they currently escape me.

The record I bring you today is 1971’s ‘Funky Rubber Band’ by the legendary Richard ‘Popcorn’ Wylie.
Wylie, a Detroit pianist, singer and arranger was an important part of the early years of Motown as a recording artist (with Popcorn and the Mohawks), arranger and pianist and leader for a time of the Motortown Review.

Though his own discography is fairly short for a cat who worked all through the 60s and 70s, the more you dig, the more you discover he was a very busy man.

He left Motown in the early 60s, recording a number of 45s under his own name for Epic, and working as a producer/arranger for artists like Edwin Starr and JJ Barnes on labels like Ric-Tic and Golden World.

He also founded the short-lived, but legendary Soul Hawk label, where he recorded Jimmy Soul Clark, the New Holidays (who Wylie also produced for Westbound), Eric and the Vikings and the Mighty Lovers among others.

Among his freelance work were recordings with the Fabulous Counts (producing the classic ‘Jan Jan’), Jerry-O (he co-wrote ‘Funky Football’), Jamo Thomas (he co-wrote ‘I Spy (For the FBI)’) and co-writing the Northern Soul classic ‘With This Ring’ for the Platters.

Following his last Epic 45 in 1964, he only recorded sporadically under his own name through the 60s, laying down 45s for the Karen and Carla labels in 1968, and then ‘Funky Rubber Band’ for Motown’s SOUL subsidiary in 1971.

‘Funky Rubber Band’ without any question delivers on the ‘funky’ part of the title, as well as the classic ‘dance craze’ framework in that the lyrics are composed largely of dance step instructions. You also get funky guitar, Wylie’s own clavinet, hard hitting drums and a tight horn section.

It’s a very solid – and affordable – funk 45.

Wylie had a revival of sorts in the 80s and 90s when he discovered his popularity with the Northern Soul crowd in the UK.

I hope you dig it, and I’ll be back on Friday with something groovy.

Peace

Larry

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