Music To Bump To

Bernard Wright: Master Rocker and Just Chillin' Out
From: 'Nard (GRP, 1981)

You don't get many Lowriders on the streets of London. But if I ever did manage to tour the smoggy streets bumping in a big ol' Chevy the soundtrack I'd choose for the experience would have to be Bernard Wright's 'Nard.

Made when Wright was just 18 years old the album is full of summertime grooves and seems designed for the g-funk sampling it has since been subjected to, consisting of an endless supply of funky basslines and headnodding riffs. Despite the quality of this album and the follow up, Funky Beat, Wright never achieved the fame that seemed destined for him. Still, better late than never the album is now rightly recognized as a quality piece of funk.

The album opens with the extremely funky Master Rocker. With it's use of live instruments, Wright's music is rooted in the style of the seventies than the electronic synth sound popular at the time. However this track shows Wright still knew how to use the technology of the day to his advantage, the whispering female vocals making the track simultaneously funky and sexy. Check out the keyboards that come in on the breakdown at two minutes in as well, so damn tight.

Just Chillin' Out is another piece of superb summertime funk, wearing it's Parliament influences openly. Starting with the rawest of basslines the song lulls you into appearing little more than a party style groove before the keyboards come in and the chorus ties the whole thing up perfectly. The kind of song that manages to make a perfectly crafted piece of funk sound like a casual jam, this is once again supremely tight music.

Now all I need is that lowrider..........