Ear Drums: Heavy Percussion

The Har-You Percussion Group: Welcome To The Party
From: The Har-You Percussion Group [Oro, 1969]

Ramon Morris: First Come, First Served
From: Sweet Sister Funk [Groove Merchant, 1973]

Niagara: Kattarh
From: S.U.B. [United Artists, 1970]

Joe Chambers: Gazelle Suite
From: The Almoravid [Muse, 1974]

As summer has made the occasional coy appearance over the last month I’ve been focusing almost entirely on sweet soul and, as previously mentioned, rap compilations. In all this trawling through the collection I’ve consistently rediscovered stunning instrumental percussion led tracks that I’ve put aside for another day. If, like me, you’re experiencing the lethargy that only August can bring then this seems like the perfect time to unleash this on the blog.

Before going any further it’s worth mentioning that, although I’ve only posted one song from each, none of the albums featured here could ever be considered a one tracker, I highly recommend checking them all out if you ever get the chance (which is admittedly far more likely for some than others).

So, back to basics and on with the music. Four instrumental tracks from different genres, different years, all tied together by the outstanding way they make you want to lose it for just a moment on the dancefloor, the living room carpet, your train carriage etc etc.

First up, appropriately enough, Is The Har-You Percussion Group’s Welcome To The Party off their self titled 1969 album. An absolute classic burning salsa number this teases the audience for nigh on two minutes of the running time, building up and dropping back to the bass line before really kicking in with handclaps, bongos, and the kitchen sink. I have next to no natural rhythm but even I want to shake my hips to this.

Next up some jazz funk from Ramon Morris. I’m not the biggest fan of this genre but First Come, First Served is one of the outstanding examples for me personally. Mixing the obligatory groove with some exemplary playing from Morris this track breaks out of just following the percussion allowing the listener room to breathe and appreciate the artistry on display. I know everyone always gets excited by the funk of the title track but for me at least I always liked the clean crisp sound on offer here.

Niagara’s Kattarh is little more than an extended groove but what a groove! Featuring a rolling bass, wah wah and percussion the band take the basic structure and constantly introduce new sounds and variations into the mix, ensuring that the five minutes never become a repetitive dancing exercise. Hypnotic yes, Repetitive, no.

On start up Joe Chambers’ Gazelle Suite of his much wanted, little owned, album The Almoravid sounds like the odd one out. Light piano chords and scattering hi hats, while pretty, do not a dancefloor track make. However, at the one minute mark the track finds its groove as drums and bass kick into gear and the tune starts sounding very much like a prototype drum and bass record. Veering off from ever getting stuck in a rut but never losing the beat the rhythm hits its height two thirds of the way through and then slowly and wonderfully falls apart again. An outstanding track, if only 10% of the modern dance music I bought had this amount of drumming quality and ingenuity I would be a very happy man.

There you go, I’ve got another ten or so I could have posted up but lets not overdo it to earlier in the month eh? Enjoy.