Eddie Warner - L'Illustration Musicale

Eddie Warner: Devil's Anvil and Brutas Drums
From: Le Jazzbeat - Vol 2 (Phantom, 2004)

While sounding like a new wave arthouse movement, L'Illustration Musicale was actually nothing more fancy than a French library label, brought into being in the 60's by Jazz pianist Eddie Warner to provide the requisite funk for film and tv soundtracks.

However, as the many gems produced by the BBC Radiophonic recordings have proved, never judge a book by it's cover as the music that was produced by Eddie during this period is a cutting edge blend of funk and electronic experimentation. What Warner's tracks had in particular though was a sense of fun that is perhaps missing from more contemporary funk - an ability to make you nod your head and smile at the same time.

Long the desire of beathunters, some of the best of this music is now available on the compilation album Le Jazzbeat - Vol 2 and I've got up two funky french zingers for your listening pleasure.

Devil's Anvil kicks in straight away with an absolute killer of a headnodding break quickly coupled with a cheeky bassline, a harpsichord(!) and then tops all this with a guitar riff of pure sci-fi dimensions. You really can't believe that he could fit so much into a track that barely lasts two minutes.

Brutas Drums is perhaps the most aptly named track ever, offering, as it does, pure unadulterated drums of extreme high quality coupled with the most simple of organ accompaniments. This track really is all about the drums and what drumming it is. Eddie once again avoids any chance of the track outstaying it's welcome by wrapping it up within two minutes.