Gal Costa: Cultura E Civilização
From: Gal Costa (Cinema Olympia) [Philips, 1969]
Stone Alliance: Vaya Mulatto
From: S/T [P.M. Records, 1976]
Ballin' Jack: Found a Child
From: S/T [Columbia, 1970]
Ersen: Temek
From: S/T [Finders Kepers, 2008]
Billy Joel & the Hassles: Four O'Clock In the Morning
From: 1968 Sessions [EMI Music, 1974]
Lokonon Andre' & Les Volcans- Mi Kple Dogbekpo
V/A- African Scream Contest: [Analog Africa, 2008]
I apologize to everyone for neglecting Ear Fuzz lately, but I have been dealing with health issues recently that have kept my creative interests at bay. Thanks to Junior and the rest of the Ear Fuzz crew for doing such a great job of maintaining the site during the past two months. I plan on posting more frequently once my health improves. This is a little taster of funky tracks from all over the world that I've been digging lately.
First up is a psychedelic track from Gal Costa entitled "Cultura E Civilização" that takes Brazil's Tropicalia movement and turns it on its ear. This track takes every recording technique employed by the pioneering producers of 60's psychedelic records and puts it into a blender. Gal's off-kilter but sexy vocals are juxtaposed with a dizzying array of blazing fuzz guitar, funky wah-wah, reverb-heavy effects and a rhythm section that is tight and loose at the same time.
I hadn't heard this next track until last week when I was listening to music with one of my friends. He told me that he heard this song called "Vaya Mulatto" by Stone Alliance, and thought that it would be right up my alley. Well, he happened to be dead on with his prediction. From the opening strains of the song, an insistently funky bassline is ignited by what sounds like an army of congo drummers. About a third of the way through the song, the bright emotive sounds of the saxophone push the song to the next level before it changes shape yet again. Two pounding drum kicks signal the drastic tempo change that is about to take place. What happens next can only be described as one of the funkiest breakneck tempos ever to be employed within the context of free jazz. It sounds like the drummer and bass player are trying to emulate what it would sound like if James Brown's rhythm section played with John Coltrane. Killer grooves here!
Ballin' Jack were a one-hit-wonder funk-rock group that formed in 1969 whose founding members went on to play in War and Santana. "Found A Child" is a relatively obscure slice of hip-hop lore featuring funky latin beats and soulful harmonies. I want to see if you guys can guess which part was sampled on this one, and which artist sampled it. If you listened to hip-hop in the late 80's, you will get this right away. Those who don't have the same frame of reference may need some help.
One of the things that made me interested in Ersen was a quote on the outside of the record from Madlib's older brother, Oh No, "Yo Ersen music is ridiculous dope!!!! I'd love to flip this!!!!!" I wouldn't be surprised if Oh No and many other fledgling hip-hop producers do "flip" the sounds of Ersen on their next joint. Most of the tracks on this compilation on Finders Keepers records are chock full of drum breaks that crate diggers seek out in dusty basements.
Ersen is the musical mastermind behind bands such as Mogollar, Kardaslar and Dadaslar who developed the style known as Arabesk or Andalou pop. This style of music succesfully fused prog, psychedelic rock, folk and traditional turkish music to appeal to listeners from all over the world. "Temek" comes crashing through the gates with an amazing drum break that gives way to an infectious violin melody that leads into Ersen's first verse. The song then proceeds at a slapdash pace with vocals interweaved with sprightly violin and drum exercises.
Who would have thought that Billy Joel had a song like this in him? "Four O'Clock In the Morning" is a late-night bluesy shuffle of a song featuring a funky guitar rhythm, cascading piano lines and horns that fade out into the black of night. This song is a far cry from Joel's insipid 80's output, but let's add him to the list of artists such as Steve Winwood and Bob Seger who hit their creative peak in the late 60's. Can you guess which Native Tongues hiphop group sampled this song on their 1994 album?
Last but not least, I am featuring the first track from the astoundingly great album on Analog Africa entitled African Scream Contest. This is the latest slab of underground, psychedelic afro-beat that was recorded in Western Africa during the 70's. "Mi Kple Dogbekpo" is an intoxicating, groove-heavy floorburner that will definitely make you sweat. It encapsulates the most exciting and creative moments from a Fela Kuti song in an easily digestible four minute song. This one is for those of you who dig Fela's funky afro-beat workouts, but who seem to lose interest after the five minute mark of his epic jams.
Hopefully you enjoy these tracks as much as I have enjoyed writing about them.
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