The Janet Lawson Quintet - The Janet Lawson Quintet (1980)

My last post will be what is, in my opinion, a truly sublime album, as Janet Lawson may well be one of my favorite jazz singers. She's got a free scatting style that's reminiscent of 70s work by singers like Flora Purim, Jackie Cain, or Monika Linges: very breezy, in a mode that works perfectly with her loosely swinging combo —which has a definite fusion bent!
The record's really great all the way through – with piano modally grooving along with Janet's vocals – sax and flute twisting into the mix, inflecting the lyrics with just the right hint of jazzy riffing. Titles include the airy "Sunday Afternoon", "So High", "Nothing Like You", "You Promised", and a great reading of Chick Corea's "Shazam".

Don't miss this one guys!

Enjoy it!
Greg

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Burton Inc. - L.A. Will Make You Pay $$$ (1977)

Hey, crisis or not, I guess we would be happy to pay if LA's always this funky! Burton Inc step out here with a wealth of great underground club tracks and deep modern soul – one that's equal part dancefloor groove, uptempo funk, and soulful singing – electric keys dancing underneath righteous female vocals – and a sound that's slightly more righteous than most grooves from the time!
Tracks include the eponymous track, the moving 'Groovin' At The Nightclub', the snapping number 'Who You Gonna Get' and the mighty 'See What You Made Me Do'.

Enjoy it!
Greg

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Eddie Gale - Black Rhythm Happening (1969)

Quoted from AMG: Trumpeter Eddie Gale's second Blue Note outing as a leader is one of the most adventurous recordings to come out of the 1960s. 'Black Rhythm Happening' picks up where 'Ghetto Music'left off, in that it takes the soul and free jazz elements of his debut and adds to them the sound of the church in all its guises -- from joyous call and response celebration on the title track (and album opener), to the mournful funeral sounds of "Song of Will," — all thanks to the Eddie Gale Singers. Elsewhere, wild smatterings of hard and post-bop ("Ghetto Love Night") and angular modal music ("Ghetto Summertime"), turn the jazz paradigm of the era inside out, simultaneously admitting everything in a coherent, wonderfully ambitious whole. The album closes with "Look at Teyonda," a sprawling exercise in the deep melding of African and Latin folk musics with the folk-blues, flamenco, and jazz rhythms. 'Black Rhythm Happening' is a timeless, breathtaking recording, one that sounds as forward-thinking and militant in the 21st century as it did in 1969.

Enjoy it!
Greg

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Cesar Mariano & CIA - Sao Paulo, Brasil (1977)

A fantastic bit of funky fusion from Brazil — Keyboardist Cesar Mariano leads the group through a set of tight choppy electric tunes that easily rank with the best work on American 70s labels, like CTI or Kudu, but with some excellent additional touches that take the work to a whole new level!
Electric keyboards mix with acoustic bass and piano – for a groove that's both funky, but also touched with strong elements of Brazilian jazz. Includes the cool funky track "Metropole", the break cut "Fabrica", and the mellow groover "Imigrantes" – as well as the tunes "Metro", "Litoral", and the uniquely growing number "Futebol De Bar".

Enjoy it!
Greg

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Sylvia Striplin - Give Me Your Love (1981)

Amazing! This lost Roy Ayers-produced gem from the early 80s has not only been one of the biggest sample records of all time, but it's also become one of the holy grails of the groovy record collecting scene! It's a stellar bit of jazzy soul tracks with the same production vibe that's characterized Roy's best work, but it's made all the more sublime thanks to Sylvia Striplin's beautifully fragile and soulful vocals, which sound a bit like Minnie Riperton's.
The record's got arrangements by Sylvia, Roy, and James Bedford (who also recorded for Uno Melodic), and it includes classics like "Give Me Your Love", "You Can't Turn Me Away", "Look Towards The Sky", "All Alone", and a great cover of Roy Ayers' "Searchin".


Enjoy it!
Greg

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Charles Sherell - For Sweet People From Sweet Charles (1974)

A supremely fantastic album, and one that's always woefully overlooked in discussions of James Brown's incredible People label! Sweet Charles, Charles Sherell, was a great lost soul vocalist who had a voice that was warm and mellow, with a sweetness that was often missing from James' singing – but which sounded great with his arrangements and production. Fred Wesley and Dave Matthews arranged this one and only album, and the record's a great blend of sweet soul tracks, funky numbers, and other stellar grooves. There's a killer version of "Soul Man", that begins with a very tasty break; the monster "Yes, It's You", which has a sweetly sliding intro that's ripe for sampling; the righteous political "Why Can't I Be Treated Like A Man"'; and lots of other nice ones too!

Enjoy it!
Greg

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Gary Bartz NTU Troop - Uhuru (1971)

An essential record from Gary Bartz – one of two albums he cut with Andy Bey, and the killer group he was calling his NTU Troop! Andy's vocals are incredible – light years ahead of anything he did with his sisters, and similar to those he laid down on his own solo album for Atlantic, and on Blue Note sides with Horace Silver – a righteous mix of jazz and soul, with a burning intensity that makes the political themes of the tracks come out strongly. The album includes one of Andy's all time classics – the original 7 minute version of "Celestial Blues", plus the fantastically grooving "Uhuru Sasa" – as well as the cuts "The Planets", and "Blue (A Folk Tale)". And Gary Bartz is of course pretty great too – dropping in these angular reed lines that really give the record an edge, and which sound totally great next to Bey's vocals!

Enjoy it!
And Merry Christmas to you all!
Greg

Manzel - Midnight Theme (1977)

The never-before released full album from keyboardist Manzel Bush – the legendary 70s funk figure well-remembered for his classic break tracks! As a whole, the album's a masterpiece of spacey keyboards and funky drums – funkier than just about any other record one can think of from the late 70s!
The set was recently put together by Manzel in collaboration with Kenny Dope, and many of the tracks feature new mixes by Kenny & The Undercover Brother – done in such a way that really respects the original grooves of the tunes, and which only sweetens them a bit in the right places, or brings out the funky drums even more. Every cut is a stone monster – and the quality of the set is amazing – with obscure cuts that sound every bit as wonderful as the more famous sample tracks like "Space Funk" or "Midnight Theme". Titles include "Jump Street", "Sugar Dreams", "Long Way Home", "Just For You", "It's Over Now", "The Party", "Vera Cruz", "Space Funk", "Midnight Theme", and "Evil Wicked Mean & Nasty".



Enjoy it!
Greg

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Fathers' Children - Father's Children (1979)

The Wayne Henderson-produced self-titled LP by this little-kown LA band is like a lost soul album from the height of Fantasy Records —think Side Effect, Pleasure, or Sweet Talks. It features a tight keyboard and brass-driven streak of songs, at the crossroads between jazzy late 70s soul and the early iterations of 80s Funk.
It is most remembered by groovers worlwide for the rare groove anthem 'You Can Get It' and the mellower 'Hollywood Dreaming', but it also includes other tasty nuggets such as 'Dance To It' or 'Shine On'.


Enjoy it!
Greg

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Raices - Raices (1975)

Hailed by Mister Gilles Peterson as one of the best latin fusion albums of all-time, this 1975 release by Raices is indeed a killer batch of spiritual and funky latin-jazz that deserves a high praise. Mixing strong jazzy playing, a great New York-produced sound, and a gift for energetic shifts within the compositions, it stands as one of the better lost gems of the era —with that disrespect for fixed categories which makes adventurous music so fantastic.
Includes the self-explicit 'Bluegarian Funk Dance', the great 'Lenguas', 'Bamboo' and the soulful 'Parallax'.

Enjoy it!
Greg

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Johnny Robinson - Memphis High (1970)

An under-recognised output of the legendary Hi Studios in Memphis, produced by Willie Mitchell, this album is a real gem of firing southern soul. Johnny Robinson, an Alabama native, made the switch to secular singing a few years prior to this recording, and echoes of the very best soul singers of this era can be heard in his extremely heartfelt, passionate singing. The production has this typical southern raw and soulful quality, and be it swinging ballads such as 'We Are Going To Make It' or 'Slip Away', or groovy numbers such as 'Kansas City' or 'Funky Feet', you're in for a treat.
What a cover, too!

Enjoy it!
Greg

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Linda Williams - City Living (1979)

A killer bit of modern soul – one of the standout classics from the best years of Arista! Richard Evans produced and arranged this excellent set of smooth soul grooves for Linda Williams. Linda plays keyboards and sings, and the album was recorded in 2 different sessions – one in LA, and one in Chicago. The album's got a nice jazzy sound, with a similar feel to the Breakwater LPs on Arista at the time. Linda's voice is as wonderful on this set as on anything we've heard from her, and with her depth of talents on the piano & keys, and on the songwriting tip, she's a real creative force at the top of her game here! Tracks include "No Love, No Where, Without You", "Oh Honey", "Loving You Forever", and the great groover "Elevate Our Minds", which is worth the price of the record alone!

Enjoy it!
Greg

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Brother Jack McDuff and David Newman - Double Barrelled Soul (1968)

One of the more open-ended sessions that Brother Jack cut for Atlantic – with less of the tight larger soul arrangements that the label usually saddled him with, and that makes for a great, groovy LP! David Newman plays a variety of saxes, and the group also includes a young Melvin Sparks on guitar. Tracks are longish, and the album includes the magnificent originals "Duffin 'Round", "Esperanto", and "More Head" – as well as stunning versions of "Sunny" and "But It's Alright"!

Enjoy it!
Greg

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Don Thompson - Fanny Brown (1977)

Don Thompson's only known LP on Brunswick is a rather unique funky ode to love and booty-shaking, with a sense of the beat that's totally compelling. Don's sound is rich and full, with fuzzy keyboards and clean drums, horn breaks so funky that they have to be heard. His raw masculine voice does the rest on this essential LP of late 1970s funky soul. Most noteworthy are the joyful floorfillers 'Hang Loose' and the title track, as well as the great 'Please Don't Make Yourself At Home'.

Enjoy it!
Greg

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Lee Fields - Let's Talk It Over (1977)

Lee Fields, one of the great criminally under appreciated funky geniuses of the 70s carved this pounding, raw funk classic that finds the man at the peak of his powers! Lee is absolutely on fire on all these tracks, with a Godfather like delivery that will knock you out of your chair, whether with a fiery funk howl, or a smooth, soulful glide on the occasional ballad. His backing musicians perform tons of hot drums, propulsive percussion, and some driving conga work that steers things into an afro funk groove on several of the tunes.
Includes the titles 'Let's Dance', 'Mighty Mighty Love', and the 2-parts number 'Everybody Gonna Give Their Thing Away'.

Enjoy it!
Greg

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Mandrake Som - O...,Amigo (1977)

One of Brazil's finest percussionist, Mandrake Som, released this rare Italian-only album in 1977. It is a perfect follow-up to his previous bossa-jazz killer 'Sombossa', bringing even further the fusion between brazilian percussion-heavy music and jazz.
All in all it is a real groovy gem that deserves to be better known, and it includes great covers of 'Mulher Rendeira' or the timeless 'Dindi', plus original compositions such as the title track, 'Estrada do Sol' or 'Disparada'.

Enjoy it!
Greg

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Azar Lawrence - People Moving (1976)

An excellent bit of spacey funky jazz from sax player Azar Lawrence, and one of the great earlier productions by Skip Scarborough, with a feel that's very similar to Gary Bartz's work with Larry Mizell! Azar plays a mix of funk and spiritual soul jazz – and he's got some great electric backing by Patrice Rushen, Paul Jackson, Harvey Mason, Mtume, and Lee Ritenour.
The whole thing's got a great Fantasy Records funk groove – and includes many nice titles like "Theme For A New Day", "Kickin Back", "Canticle For The Universe", "Gratitude" and a great take on Scarborough's "Can't Hide Love".

Enjoy it!
Greg

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Vince Andrews - Love Oh Love (1982)

Although 1980s jazz is usually not my cup of tea, this firing session by Vince Andrews is a noteworthy exception. Singer Jeannette Williams truly shines on the numbers she's featured in, and the polished sound doesn't go in the way of the progressive approach, with a lot of groovy playing going on, and a snapping jazzy organ to back things up.
The leader and writer of most of the tunes is saxophonist Vince Andrews, who plays with ease and is heard in fine form on 'The One Who Needs You' or 'Vibrating with Vince'.

Enjoy it!
Greg

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Rhythm Machine - Rhythm Machine (1976)

A fantastic independent LP of funky soul, this self-titled album by Rhythm Machine is fulled of little nuggets that will tickle your groove-loving ears. Hailing from Indianapolis, the group was made of members Meride Williams and Donald Harris on saxophones, Hopie Bronson on keyboards, James Boone (bass guitar/lead vocals), Robert Dycus (drums), Maurice Puckett (guitar), and Dennis McNeil on conga.
The collective writing and arrangements have a great mid-70s feel, with lots of space, and a great warm sound that's a perfect balance between fully organic sound and the right bits of electric keyboards in the mix.
Includes 'You Got Action, You Got Me", 'Everybody's Chippin' and the great longer piece 'Thought My Love Was Fine'.

Enjoy it!
Greg

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greg kahn

welcome to my dear friends from all parts of the world

Joe Bataan - Afrofilipino (1975)

A key piece of latin funk, though not such a famous piece of Mr Bataan's discography, 'Afrofilipino' pays tribute to his origins while pushing ahead the boogaloo/soul formula that made his breakthrough with Fania in the 1960s.
Bataan's first album on the newly-formed Salsoul label (a phrase he was instrumental in coining), this record contains a healthy dose of organ/keyboard- filled latin funk, with a rather unique sound. The hit single back in the days was his great pre-disco cover of Gil Scott-Heron 'The Bottle' (re-titled 'La Botella'), while the title track, 'Women Don't Want To Love Me' and the epic 2-part song 'What Good Is A Castle' are all high points of the genre.

Enjoy it!
Greg

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Tyrone Thomas & The Whole Darn Family - Has Arrived (1976)

For those still unaware, this is one of the classic independent underground funk LPs of the 1970s! The Whole Darn Family were a seven-piece band (augmented by a six-piece horn section) from Richmond, Virginia, featuring the production and writing skills of August Moon and lead vocalist Tyrone Thomas.
The tunes here range from driving soul sounds as in "You Know That You Lied" to more complex numbers like "Fly Away Love Bird," which exhibits Joel Smither's lovely flute. The oft-sampled, seven-minute instrumental "Seven Minutes of Funk" is funk-fused with jazz elements, accented by Steve Carey's synthesizer, Woody Hughes' emphatic bass playing, Tommy Bryant and Kenny Mimms' sweet guitar licks, and Thomas' steady drumming. A funky "Ain't Nothing to Do," unleashes a rock guitar punctuated by O. T. Young's conga beats and keyboardist Clinton Smith's solid playing, while the teary "I'm Hurt" has a strong Al Green/Otis Redding vibe.

Enjoy it!
Greg

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Frank Strazzeri - After The Rain (1977)

Funky keyboard work from Frank Strazzeri– a player who's really stretching out here in the 70s, with a massively cosmic vibe you'd never have guessed from his earlier work! Strazzeri had recorded and played heavily around the LA scene by the time of this mid 70s release – but none of his other work was as wonderfully soulful as this!
Frank's working here on moog and electric piano – in a group that includes Sam Most on tenor, Bobby Shew on trumpet, and Don Alias on percussion – grooving with Frank in a gently funky way that's got a heck of a lot of soul, and which makes for some nice extended tunes with an amazing sonic architecture. Titles include "After The Rain", "Rush Hour", "Philadelphia Flyer", the splendid "Cloudburst", and "The Third Eye".

Enjoy it!
Greg

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Kellee Patterson - Kellee (1977)

Kellee Patterson's amazing first album for the Shadybrook label – a total killer all the way through, and much harder and heavier than any of her later sides for the label! The record's got a nice jazzy vibe that's a good bridge between her earlier work on Black Jazz, and her later, straighter soul material – a dose of funk in all the right places, and a touch of spiritual leanings too – really put together with a wonderful feel that sets the album apart from much other work of the time.
Includes a sublime breakbeat version of "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby" – with killer drums, and an excellent monologue at the beginning – plus a great cover of Grover Washington's "Mister Magic", with some interesting vocals. Other titles include "Time To Space", "What You Don't Know", and "I Love Music". Gene Russell handled production and arrangements, too!

Enjoy it!
Greg

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Viva Brasil - Viva Brasil (1980)

A killer album of breezy bossa-fied jazz from the West Coast! Viva Brasil worked for many years as part of the underground Brazilian scene in San Francisco - home to smaller combos similar to themseves, and bigger names who often recorded on Fantasy Records.
There's a full album's worth of great cuts here, all with the cool breezy west coast Brazilian feel that was the group's trademark style, including the massive club track "Skindo-Le-Le".
Whilst partly electric, the core sound is like a floating acoustic one with jazzy influences, often with Ruben Moura's vocals to the fore. Joe Henderson guest stars on the track "Iemanja", and the LP includes the tracks "O Bode", Jocafi's evergreen "Voce Abusou", Bosco and Blanc's brilliant "Ronco Da Cuica" and "Menina Danada".

Enjoy it!
Greg

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Stone Alliance - Stone Alliance (1976)

The first album by Stone Alliance, in their most famous line-up, the one that featured the great saxophonist Steve Grossman alongside historic members Don Alias and Gene Perla; and it's a treasure of quite adventurous yet surprisingly accessible music.

The unusual trio setting makes for an innovative use of the instruments, and bold compositions by the group, mixing hard funky jazz, latin and afro elements, with a minimal sense of the groove that transcends musical barriers.

The record also includes a killer version of a Stevie Wonder-penned favorite, 'Creepin', that is well worth a listen.



Enjoy it!

Greg



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Chocolate Milk - Chocolate Milk (1976)

The second album of hard funky soul by this great New Orleans band – and it's one of their best! The record's got great production by Allen Toussaint and Marshall Sehorn, and a nice rolling funk groove that never lets up.

Loads of great deep funky cuts, including "Never Ever Do Without You", "Running Away", "Pluck It", and the slowjam 'How About Love'. One of their two truly great LPs!



Enjoy it!

Greg



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West Coast Revival - West Coast Revival (1973)

Let me make up for that (too) long absence with a rare gem of an album, the self-titled effort from Cali-based 'West Coast Revival'. Not much is known about this great vocal trio apart from the musical legacy they carved on this LP, a blend of fantastic vocal harmonies and raw, sunshine-drenched soul, sometimes not unlike their Chicago contemporaries Rasputin's Stash.

The arrangements are especially worth a close listen with a very strong interplay between the singers themselves, and the band. Includes the indie soul masterpiece 'My Mind Is At Ease', plus 'Feelin' Alright' and 'Familiar Places'. A killer!



As usual, the link is in the comments...



Enjoy it!

Greg



William Bowers - Soundtrack #2

Another one from Already Dead Tapes, a bit different than anything else I've ever had on here; this one is an ambient album. The songs leave you in an almost brain-dead state, clearing the mind of all but subconscious thought. Your breathing slows; you float. It's like a soundtrack to cloudwatching; but hey, the label describes it better than I ever could:

William Bowers works primarily in synthesizer, tape, piano, and musique concrete to form a very desolate, cold ambiance. Drawing heavy influence from composers such as Basinski, David Lynch, Philip Glass, and Silas Ciarán, Bowers focuses on mood and atmosphere versus technical composition.

Already Dead Tapes, from their catalog that I've heard so far, has been squeezing out awesome experimental noise/rock/whathaveyou, but being relatively new, I'm getting excited to see what else they'll have to offer in the future. You can listen and download it from here:

Streets of Rage - EDQ

It's been a long time since I really enjoyed a new hardcore/punk band playing an old-school style, the last one coming to mind is maybe Surf Nazis Must Die. Maybe.... Streets of Rage are fitting into that category of long-lost raw energy, ladies n' gents. Sounding like a sort of cross between old Descendents and Flag of Democracy, they bring back nostalgic memories of hanging out in front of Cumberland Farms getting slushies and Hot Pockets and just plain not giving a fuck.

All the songs are real short and energetic, with subject matter ranging from blowing a chance with a cute girl to looking to the future, and other Milo-esque rants. When I hear music like this, I just can't help thinking back to a time of my life where every weekend was an adventure, a road trip, and an excuse to abuse our freedom as minors (cuz we're all 18 eventually).

trickettyTRACKS:
1. No Ablo
2. I'm Gone
3. EDQ
4. AOEII
5. Dunno Yet, Maybe
6. Smmer
7. Nu Jazz

All there is left to say about it is fucking think back to high school, and get it hear, ya here?

bbigpigg - Phantom Photography EP

bbigpigg out of Brooklyn, NY is a noise-rock band, and they're just fine with that. They remind one of Arab on Radar, AIDS Wolf, and Child Abuse, with swinging lazer-guitars and fat bass, constantly colliding with each other, with only a mid-tempo drumset to hold it together. Sprinkled atop is what I can only describe as "that faded jeans' megaphone sound" type vocals, shouting out prose and speculation on the like of everyone's angsty problems. You know, trees, sex dolls, and the like.

"in my dreams i use my arms and legs again like i used to live. i remember when pissy sheets was the worst of my problems. then i lost control of my limbs"
"Harry Eastlack"

bbigpigg seems to go for the more danceable approach in their realm of sound while still upholding the standard abrasiveness that you might come to expect from self-proclaimed noise-rockers. I feel as though the album goes on for way longer than its just-short-of-16-minutes existence, making for a nice lengthy groove to move to. They had a very nice press kit, too... Check out thar EP for free download folks, you can get it here!

Divorce Party - Astrocongertion Oporium

It's about due time that my motivational lapse has come to an end. I suck, I know, sorry guys...Divorce Party had asked me to review their first demo way back sometime in 2010 (I believe) and now, halfway through this wondrous year, I am getting off my lazy ass (figuratively speaking, of course) and finally gettin' this shit public, yo.

I'm actually glad that I waited, in one way at least, for this group of Michigan-ites pull together even better recordings than on the last one. Taking dancey rock forms and blending it with hard electronics and synth sounds, the songs chirp and bend jaggedly, more spasm than song at times.

Every song feels like it's trying to rip itself apart. Evey claustrophobic note takes you further into their racing rhythm, leaving very little room to breathe. And to top it off, the entire EP is only about 10 minutes long. Having never seen these guys live, I can only imagine, but I feel like their live performance might be on par with a Red Bull-induced heart attack. Wicked awesome, dood! (and other Boston-bro terminology).

Check them out if you're into the likes of DD/MM/YYYY and Gay Beast, but also if pulling into new areas of sound happens to be your thing. You know what? Just give 'em a listen and like it.

you can download both of their EPs here:

Genie Brown - A Woman Alone (1973)

A wonderful independent 1970s female soul album by the little-known Genie Brown, whose bold portrait on the cover might be considered a somewhat truthful echo of the determined tone of her singing.

Like many such productions the theme is true and respectful love, honest relationships, and here the raspy voice of Genie is acutely backed up by great musicianship. The sound is full, rich but raw, orchestrated with nice brass and guitar and just a touch of strings —which caught the ear of New York DJ extraordinaire Nicky Siano who made her track 'Can't Stop Talking' a staple of his legendary club The Gallery.

The album also includes the tracks 'You and Me', 'My First Night Alone Without You' and 'Let Me Stand in Your Shadow'.


Enjoy it!

Greg


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Both Worlds - Don'tcha Hide It (1974)

Tripped out fusiony funk – with lots of great solo work! These guys have kind of a jazz rock approach (hence the "both worlds" name) – one that makes for some tight bass and drum work, lots of choppy guitar, and spacey keyboards interlaced with some funkier horn solos.

The production is raw, which gives the record much more of an edge than you'd expect from a group like this; and even the sweeter vocal numbers come off with an strong indie feeling. Includes the massive horn-heavy jazz dance tune "Coming On Strong", plus the cuts "Solide", "Don'tcha Hide It", "Stop Turn Around", "Leavin Them Days", "It's Love", and a fantastic cover of "Freedom Jazz Dance".


Enjoy it!

Greg


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Tony Aiken & Future 2000 - Unity Sing It Shout It (1976)

A mindblower! Tony Aiken & Future 2000 were an obscure mid 70s group from New York -- all players skilled in the burgeoning club scene of the time, but who also had their roots in Caribbean music -- coming together for this unique record in a festive blend of early disco and funky styles!

The record's got a great home-grown feel -- a warm ensemble effort that's got equal parts soul and groove -- and which bubbles over with personal touches that really make the tracks stand out from the pack. Quoting the liner notes 'Unity speaks for itself in a world that's slowly pulling apart we all need to stop and think 'Unity' not just for one but for everyone 'Unity''. Includes the side-long jammer "Unity Sing It Shout It", plus the funky disco classic "Better Days", the soulful cuts "She Loves Me", "Good Things", and the great instrumental "Time Tunnel".


Enjoy it!

Greg


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Melvyn Price - Rhythm and Blues (1974)

A lost bit of 70s soul jazz and global funk percussion from conguero & trombonist Melvyn Price – an incredible set of heavily rhythmic grooves recorded in Stockholm in 1974 – originally a private press effort, rediscovered a few years back by Wax Poetics Records!

Melvyn grew up outside of Detroit, and he cut his teeth with the freeform Afrikan Folk Ensemble before relocating to Sweden in the 60s, where he thrived in the country's healthy and creative jazz scene. He's joined by a great group of international players who bring diverse flavors to the overall sound, with Latin and African styles of percussion from Price, Jon Dill and Luis Agudo, drums by Gunnar Nyberg and Fredrik Noren, piano by Bjorn Wolff, fluidly jazzy tenor sax from Ed Epstein, and bass by Guy Roellinger, whose work here often sounds like the stuff of funky 70s soundtracks. The rhythms are absolutely impeccable – with the conga and percussion as the driving force of the sound! Titles include "Voodoo Love Dance", "Toward Brazil", "Behind Kungstradgarden", "Happiness Is. . .", "Five O'Clock Traffic" and "Last Train".


Enjoy it!

Greg


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Sheila Landis and Her Bandits of Bebop -Guess I'll Call It Love (1981)

A great session of groovy jazz vocals, with a light breezy finish by Sheila Landis and her band! The set was recorded in Michigan – but it's got a flowing groove that feels like the best of the San Francisco scene at the time, lightly dancing vocals with a hip edge, in the mode that Mark Murphy was using a lot at the time. The group is tight in a small combo mode – with a mixture of acoustic piano and Fender Rhodes, plus just the right amount of guitar and saxes to give the tunes a bit of flourish.

The album's filled with great original tunes – including "Love Robs Your Reason", "Where You Gonna Put Your Blues?", "There's Never Enough There For Me", "Lonely Wine", and "Guess I'll Call It Love" – plus the wonderful groover "Parenthe-Seizure", which you'll recognize from its appearance on a few compilations here and there.


Enjoy it!

Greg


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Pucho & the Latin Soul Brothers - Jungle Fire! (1969)

One of my favorite albums by this funky Latin combo! The record differs from some of their earlier Prestige albums in that the tracks are longer, more instrumental, and have a hard fuzzy electric groove. The band jams hard in a way that's more like some of the funk combos of the early 70s, than the Latin groups from which they came — and the results of this mix are wonderful!

Includes two funky numbers written by Sonny Phillips – "The Spokerman" and "Jamilah" – plus a great extended cover of "Cloud Nine", and the amazing break cut "Got Myself A Good Man". Great horn work from the funky Pazant Brothers, plus Seldon Powell, who also plays flute and tenor on the album – and other jazz funk stars on the album include Bernard Purdie, Billy Butler, and Neal Creque, Pucho's right hand man!


Enjoy it!

Greg


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Pucho & The Latin Soul Brothers - Heat! (1968)

Yet another title with an exclamation mark, and one of Pucho's greatest albums ever! This one really gets all the elements right – from Latin jazz, to boogaloo soul, to some of that funkiness that was creeping into the group's work at the time.

The fantastic Pazant Brothers (Eddie & Al) are on sax and trumpet (respectively), and the set also features some vocals by Jackie Soul on a few cuts. Includes some great Latin Jazz tracks like "Heat!" and the amazing "Psychedelic Pucho" (with an organ hook that won't let go), plus other great Latin soul cuts, like "Payin' Dues" and "Let Love Find You". Neal Creque's on piano, and the whole thing kicks booty!


Enjoy it!

Greg


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Eero Koivistoinen Music Society - Wahoo! (1972)

Funky funky Finland! Don't be put off by the long name, or the overuse of vowels in the title – because this album's a killer batch of funky jazz, filled with loads of choppy sax riffs, sweet Fender Rhodes licks, and plenty of heavy drums. The record's got a hard fusion groove – and all the tracks are long instrumentals served up with plenty of power, and plenty of ferocity!

The set was recorded in Finland in 1972, but it feels more like some killer studio jam from the west coast – played by by a very tight bunch of funky jazz musicians who weren't afraid to go over the top. Titles include "Hot C", "7 Up", "6 Down", "Suite 19", and "Wahoo!".


Enjoy it!

Greg


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Leny Andrade - Estamos Ai (1965)

Beautiful bossa – and one of Leny Andrade's best albums! The record was recorded way back in 1965, when Leny was starting her career, years before she went onto become one of Brazil's most famous jazz singers. She's working here with Deodato, who did a beautiful set of jazzy arrangements that work perfectly with Leny's rich voice – warm and airy, with a sweetly skipping quality throughout!

The whole thing's really jazzy and wonderful Рwithout any of the heavier styles of Leny's later work Рand titles include "Tema Feliz", "Samba De Rei", "A Resposta", "Banzo", "Clich̩", "Samba Em Paris", and "Coisa Nuvem".


Enjoy it!

Greg


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Young-Holt Unlimited - Young-Holt Unlimited Plays Superfly (1973)

Fantastic stuff as Young and Holt lay down a monster set of grooves from Curtis Mayfield's Superfly soundtrack (all the good ones – like "Freddie's Dead", "Give Me Your Love", "Pusher Man", and "Superfly"). They also get into some funky tracks of their own (like "Hey Pancho" and "Mystical Man"), and do a super-dope cover of "People Make the World Go Round".

The album's nice and stripped down – perhaps closest to their Oh Girl LP on Atlantic in feel, with loads of cool electric piano by Ken Chaney, laid out over the group's harder funky grooves. An essential bit of early G-funk!


Enjoy it!

Greg


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Evelyn 'Champagne' King - Smooth Talk (1977)

Wonderfully smooth soul from Evelyn Champagne King – one of her real standouts from the early days, before her disco fame, and a tremendous collaboration with producer/arranger T Life! The sound here is upbeat and catchy, but never too poppy – done with a hint of that groove that King would hit more famously in the 80s, but served up here with a deeper sense of warmth, and a slightly more laidback feel.

King is classy without being cloying – just like a sip of the right sort of champagne – and T Life's backings often have a slight undercurrent of funk. Titles include the club classic "Shame" – but the best numbers for me are the slower, more soulful "Smooth Talk", "Til I Come Off The Road", "Nobody Knows", "We're Going To A Party", and "The Show Is Over". My personal favorite though would be the album version of her disco hit 'I Don't Know If It's Right', a heartbreaking rendering of a wonderful song that would unfortunately be speeded up and remixed for dancefloor purposes in its more famous incarnation.


Enjoy it!

Greg


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Moacir Santos - Saudade (1974)

Some sunny sounds for these dreary winter days with this killer album of brazilian jazz-funk! This is one of the rare Blue Note gems from Brazilian arranger/composer Moacir Santos – an album of incredible warmth and charm, with a sound that's hardly been duplicated again!

Santos is usually best known for his early bossa arrangements in the 60s, but here he's working in the US – hitting a sweet LA groove that mixes his earlier Brazilian styles with breezy touches from 70s jazz – done in a great mix of acoustic and electric instrumentation that sparkles tremendously throughout! The rhythms alone are worth the price of admission – complicated, compelling, but always grooving straight ahead – far different than both the usual sound of Brazilian jazz and Blue Note at the time, and a unique hybrid that's certainly one of Santos' finest moments on record. A few tracks feature vocals as well, done in a nicely reserved mode that fits in perfectly with the instrumentation of the tunes – and titles include a wonderful version of the song "Kathy", recorded previously as an instrumental by Horace Silver – plus "Off & On", "Amphibious", "Early Morning Love", "Suk Cha", "The City Of LA", and "Haply-Happy".


Enjoy it!

Greg


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Forget the Times - Escape from the Planet of Llamas

Out of Kalamazoo, MI, come these folks, dubbing themselves FORGET THE TIMES, wielding their swaying rhythms of broken guitar melodies and jazzy swagger. At times completely chaotic, other times slightly more relaxed (slightly), but all the while a feeling of panic and confusion soaks the songs. For free improv, jazz influenced noise rock, these guys is hip.

Escape from the Planet of Llamas was released on cassette by Already Dead, a recently new tape and vinyl label also based out of Kalamazoo, MI, co-run by Sean Hartman of this very band. The first two songs, 'Early Morning Rabbit Hole' and 'Ponchos and Python Boots,' fully let the listener know what they're in for; the tight spasms of three layered guitars and a lone drummer, all attacking each other for control over the bystanders' ears. This in turn moved onto the epic 12 minute jam, 'Beau Soleil Moon Frye,' and the most frantic song on the album, 'Flying V Gtr Made Of Real Live Honking Geese.' Every now and then you can catch a glimpse of some of their influences, namely U.S. Maple or Captain Beefheart for the off-kilter songs and harmony. A great part of me hears some Gorge Trio thrown in there, with the improv jams of a constructed nature.

The album plays out like a post-apocalyptic landscape, constantly mutating and adapting itself to destroy us. But the beauty is, you can listen to the entire thing on their bandcamp, RIGHT NOW! And you can download it for $1, or for free in the link below. Or get a hard copy through the mail from Already Dead Tapes, go to their website for more info. Keep an eye out for these guys, they'll be on tour, you can see their schedule on their bandcamp.

Moisture Throne - DEEP


Here is one great little album/song from the two Cruiser pals, but what a huge difference. Encompassing everything epic, tropical, progressive and amazing, this roughly 25 minute track will make your ears spin. However, the only thing that this group has in common with Cruiser is the drummer, whereas the guitarist has moved over to play bass. They are joined by two friends, one joining in on guitar, the other sporting a shiny new keyboard, and all joining in on vocals.

This has been one of the biggest surprises to come my way in some time, further restoring the faith that not everyone has dried up. Check out and download the track here, at moisturethrone.blogspot.com. I really wish there were some way to describe this band, and the only word that comes to mind are 'cosmic.'

I vote this, on a scale from 1 to 10, a "Super Whoa."