Revolutionary, But Gangsta

Dead Prez: Heall Yeah (Music Video)
From Revolutionary But Gangsta [Sony, 2004]

My head is still shook from the first time I heard Dead Prez's "Bigger Than Hip Hop." I seriously didn't think they could come tighter than that, but I'll be damned if they didn't do it. I feel like a poser letting something like this pass me by; "Hell Yeah" from their 2004 release Revolutionary But Gangsta, but it's the video that really makes this song a "holy shit" moment for me. The concept/execution is seriously next level as far as I'm concerned. Take a look, let it sink.

Damn.

While I Shower Music

Build An Ark: You Gotta Have Freedom
Peace With Every Step, Plug Research, 2004
Charles May and Annette May Thomas: More Faith Is What It Takes
Songs Our Father Used To Sing, Gospel Truth, 1973

L.A. DJ Carlos Nino creates soul music that Jimmy Carter would smile to while building houses for humanity.

In reaction to 9/11 and Operation Iraqi Freedom, singer Dwight Trible got busy with Nino in 2001 to create a radio concert called, Our Cry For Peace. The concert was a success that a collective of 20 musicians (Build An Ark) made happen. Trombonist Phil Ranelin, trumpeter Rahmlee Michael Davis, and pianist Nick Smith make music that Trible floats over in "You've Gotta Have Freedom" - backup vocals are sick too. Pharoah Sanders would be pleased with Build An Ark's recreation of "You've Gotta Have Freedom" - resurrecting that `60s pro-peace sound is a musical Band-Aid for today's soul.

Today's post-9/11, post-Saddam and post-tsunami world needs music from the likes of Charles May and Annette May Thomas. The brother and sister duo are children to gospel singer, Joe May. In `72 their father was laid to rest and the two made the album, Songs Our Father Used To Sing. Louie Shelton, Wilton Felder and Paul Humphery were cast to help put the album together via Stax executives that released Songs Our Father Used To Sing on their Gospel Truth label in `73.

"More Faith Is What It Takes" and "You've Gotta Have Freedom" bring a righteous ingredient that many of today's releases are missing - embrace that soul.

Nino puts people up on music at Beyond Jazz. Our Cry For Peace, Sound Directions, and Sa-Ra are just a few names on his two-hour playlist.

On A Clear Day

The Peddlers: On A Clear Day
From: Three In A Cell (CBS, 1968)

It dawned on me today that I've now been music blogging for over a year and, looking back on my early posts on Evigan Funk, it amazes me how much my musical knowledge has expanded over the past 12 months.

One of the most satisfying aspects of the increased rate of digging blogging has encouraged in me is discovering the names of, and getting my hands on, tracks that I'd heard many years earlier.

One of the most elusive of these was The Peddler's cover of On A Clear Day that I first heard in a club back in the mid nineties. Having hummed the song to everyone I knew and didn't know over the subsequent years I finally unearthed the track purely by accident on the sixties British jazz/r'n'b group's 1968 album Three In A Cell. You can read more about the group's history here.

There's something about the offset of those heavy heavy drums and organ riff with the crooning vocals of pianist Roy Phillips that gets me every time. This hypnotic mood is rudely broken by a totally astounding and unexpected organ solo that breaks in at the 2 minute mark before the tune recovers its original course, string accompaniment adding to the overall feeling of bliss. This is truly one of the greatest 3am songs I have ever come across. Enjoy, have a happy new year and see you on the other side.........

Driving Me Madlib

The Bees - Chicken Payback (Madlib's Soul Distortion Vocal Mix)
10" - ?? - 2005

Sound Directions - The Horse
from album The Funky Side of Life - Stones Throw - 2005

Madlib drives me nuts. First off, he's crazy prolific and I'm afflicted by the disease of completism. Second, a great deal of his releases come off as half-finished and not fully realized, which is probably partly due to his restless and widespread spirit but also explains the vast quanitity of stuff he is able to release. Just when I think I've excised the desire to track down all of his releases based on disappointments he unleashes something different from his other work and breathtakingly good like these two tracks.

"The Horse" was the lead single from Madlib's most recent (I think...who can keep track) alias as a band. Big punchy drums and a horn group give a sound that is new for the loop-digga who has previously touched on just about everything else. The big funk sound has a great classic sound, and it is a little unclear what's Madlib's sampling work and what is the efforts of the live musicians who sat in on this record. The rest of the Funky Side Of Life album is spread between soul and funk over a wide range of styles for such a short work, and doesn't quite ever meet the high point of "The Horse."

"Chicken Payback" presents even bigger drums in an absolute scorcher of a remix from the Mad one. The Bees are a punk-funk outfit from Liverpool. The vocals here are really just another percussive instrument as the lyrics are non-sensical, Old McDonald style countdown, so the song-writing skill of leaders/founds Aaron & Paul remains unknown but they've got the funk groove clearly defined. So just when I thought I was out Otis pulls me back in, and I'm certainly going to be picking up all of the animal titled heavy funk singles Madlib releases in the future.

Take it back to the mother land

Ebo Taylor Junior & Wuta Wazutu : Mondo Soul Funky
From : Ghana Soundz 2 [Soundway Records, 2004]

There are certain genres of music, that unless you have a six figure income, would be recommended to steer clear of collecting, African vinyl's most certainly fall into this category. Although most of the music is really great the main reason for the high price tag is the rarity.
Digging up an original afro funk or jazz LP is not very likely, kind of like finding a pack of Jolly Rancher's in the Sahara desert, that's all pristine and cube-like and has not melted in to a single, fat sweaty glob, and contains that elusive 'winning ticket' inside the wrapper.
Even if you are lucky enough to actually dig up some original Afro vinyl its more than likely it's condition would have you think the previous owner used the record to play Frisbee with their pet Doberman.

Because of this fact we must all pay our respects to the folks at Soundway Records who have dedicated their time and effort to lovingly reissue all of these impossible to find nuggets through their label. Do yourself a favour and pick up their records while you still can because you is not going to find the originals.

Son of Ebo Taylor, Junior was born into a musically rich family in Ghana. He recorded 'Mondo Soul Funky' in the late 70's, by this time the funk phenomena had well and truly spread the globe and was a big influence on the younger generation of musicians in Ghana. For those that want to know the track was originally released in Ghana on Polydor in 1978 the LP was called 'Gotta Take It Cool'

TCB: We Take Care Of Biz

Park-Like Setting: DFA
Park-Like Setting with Pip Skid, Birdapres, Cadence Weapon, Evil, Gruf and Satchill Paige: Eight Bars Each
From: Craftsmen [Peanuts and Corn Records, 2005]

Indie raps congest the Internet like phlegm in the throats of AIDS patients - no, it's not pretty. Most cats know a friend of a friend of an indie rapper and that makes purchasing a shitty album inevitable.

Like slacks at a dry cleaners, forgettable indie rap albums are pressed on the daily. Don't fret, Park-Like Setting (PLS) ain't homies and their album is not shameful like skippies on the playground. PLS is made up of John Smith, Yy and Peanuts and Corn CEO, mcenroe.

Don't Fuck Around (DFA) is the PSA that PLS tells their audience and with a production that sounds like Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas people will get the idea. mcenroe is the beat conductor for PLS and he serves up a heavy drum pattern with a gang of flutes, guitars, and synths. Lyrically the three rappers dissolve the indie rap stereotype of hugging trees and disowning brand names - DFA or Smitty will punch your grill!

Eight Bars Each has a collaboration with six other rappers making a total of nine rappers working with eight bars. Pip Skid starts the rappin' relay with lyrical authority before passing the mic to Gruf who raps about trees - OK trees are cool only this time. Satchill Paige kills the mic with lyrics that are not his best, yet flow tight with the eight other rappers. mcenroe loops a piano and plays with the BPM to craft an esoteric production that will take a minute to digest.

Peanuts and Corn Records has been and continues to come up on rap radars - don't sleep on them.

A Message From The Ghetto

The Sons Of Truth: Close To Him and I Don't Know Where We're Headed
From: A Message From The Ghetto [Ghetto Truth, 1972]

Hooray it's Christmas week! Actually, I won't bother trying to lie to you, I pretty much detest Christmas and all the stress that goes with it. However, to try and get more in the mood of the celebration of baby Jesus' birthday I present for you some gospel funk.

When performed with love, religious music of any persuasion (be it Gospel/Sufi Soul/Rastafarian/Whatever) has the ability to evoke feelings of a quasi-spiritual nature in even the most devout atheist. Released on the Stax subsidiary label Ghetto Truth, The Sons Of Truth's album Message From The Ghetto is a striking example of gospel music at it's funkiest.

Close To Him is a beautiful slow burner of a track, the raw feeling and love of the vocals laid over an understated organ and drums. When the background harmonies finally come in adding a grandeur to the track it's enough to give me shivers. The ideal song to put on your headphones when you're surrounded by the hubbub of Xmas shoppers.

I Don't Know Where We're Headed is a song more recognisably from the Stax catalogue with a funky riff and tinkling piano accompaniment. Slightly reminiscent of the Temptations seventies output the track even features a drums and bass breakdown into an extended jam. I don't know anything about the lead vocalist but his voice is superb, crafting a mood of celebration over the funky riff.

Gospel records are still not heavily sought after so you should be able to pick up an original of this pretty cheap at the moment, don't miss out.

Take A Little Trip To Me & My Bitch

Notorious BIG: Me & My Bitch (Original Mix)
From: Unreleased (1994)

With the recent Rolling Stone article about the ongoing investigation into Biggie's death and the upcoming Duets album it seemed only appropriate to drop some unreleased music by the great man himself.

Featured on the original promo cassette for Ready To Die, the track Me & My Bitch had to be rerecorded for the album after difficulties with clearance of the original sample of Minnie Riperton's Take A Little Trip. As Digga himself explains:

"The original sample that we used was from a Minnie Riperton song that Stevie Wonder wrote. When they sent it out to him, he was like 'I love the song, but this is cursing. I'm not with it, you can't use it.'So they got Chucky to come in and add some bars here and there and take some bars there. He just had to change up the music so that Big could use it."

However, no music is ever safe from the internet so I present to you today the original version of Me & My Bitch, the sound quality's not the best but it's interesting to hear how the Riperton sample gives the track a more laidback, mellow, feel. Enjoy.

Les Gants Blancs Du Diable

Karl Heinz Schafer:Cardoni
Karl Heinz Schafer & Leonie:Couleurs
From the OST: Les Gants Blancs Du Diable [Eden Roc,1973]

In 1973 Karl Heinz schafer wrote the haunting, yet beautiful soundtrack to the Movie 'Les Gants Blanc Du Diable'. The Film is a French, government conspiracy type thriller, the plot of which revolves around a one eyed gun man who gives up his only eye, causing him to learn to shoot using sound alone. I have not seen the film but with a plot like this Im definetly keen to find a copy, you would have thought it was a comedy, not a thriller, you could easily milk two series on BBC 3 out of the 'blind hit-man' concept. Anyway it gave someone the excuse to make some awesome OST album artwork (check up top) definitely one of my favourite covers.

The LP for the soundtrack is really hard to pick up and normally sells for lots of money, but you can pick up the 45 like I did, this came out at the same time but does not cost so much, it contains two of the best tracks from the LP and also has the dope cover.

The music is some of the best French soundtrack material you will here, up there with 'Melody Nelson' and 'Le Planete Sauvage' except nobody's sampled this, yet. The lady on the back of the cover (up above) is the vocalist to 'Couleurs' Leonie, who's oral talents will leave you hot under the collar. Leonie really does have an incredible voice but aside from this outing, it seems she was involved in very few recordings, I only know of a couple of other 45's that she did. which is a shame because I want to marry her, even though she may look like a bit of a crack addict.

Welcome to Graham Central Station

Graham Central Station: It Ain't No Fun To Me and Hair
From: Graham Central Station (Warners, 1974)

It's covers time again today with Graham Central Station. Formed by Sly & The Family Stone bassist Larry Graham after his split from the band in 1973, this, the first album by Graham Central Station, wears it's Sly Stone influences heavily with meaty hooks and stoned out grooves. However this is by no means a bad thing and it's a shame that the band got sucked into the smoother disco sound on subsequent albums.

Covering Al Green is often a thankless task as you have to do something pretty special to justify messing with the great man's songs. Graham's cover of It Ain't No Fun To Me mixes up the original's style enough to make you take notice, setting his stall out from the very beginning with a raw scream to introduce the track. From there Graham sticks quite closely to the original before finally unleashing the bass we're waiting for halfway through the track and converting the song into a heavy heavy funk monster.

Hair features more bass heavy fun from Graham as the band funks out to some excellently pointless lyrics about the size of Graham's hair (look at it in the picture, it's fucking massive). Once again, Graham appears to grow bored with the melody of the song two thirds of the way through and drops the lyrics in favour of some deep and rolling instrumental funk. If, like me, you have the mother of all head colds, it's the perfect music to blow the mucus away.

Vibes from the Tribe

Phil Ranelin: Vibes from the Tribe
From Vibes From the Tribe [Tribe, 1976]

Phil Ranelin was born in Indianapolis, Indiana where he met and played with guitarist Wes Montgomery at a local club called the Hub Bub. Here, Ranelin had the opportunity to play with other jazz greats like Eddie Harris and Grant Green, until he relocated to Detroit in search of session work. It was here that Ranelin met Wendell Harrison, and together the two formed Tribe, the label where he would record the bulk of his music.

Out of his three Tribe records, there is one that remains ever elusive, Vibes From the Tribe, which is his funkiest album. I remember the first song of his I ever heard was the title track, and I remember going nuts when the meaty drum break kicked in. Originals go for three or four hundred I think, fortunately Hefty Records re-released it as well as its predecessor, The Time is Now. They also put together a Phil Ranelin remix album, featuring contemporary artists like Prefuse 73 and El-P as a way to reach younger audiences. Tracks from that album will be posted next week.

Sweet And Fool Like A Child

Last Exit: Sweet Maryline
From: Operation Heritage [Hutch Production, 1999]

Last Exit: Sweet And Fool Like A Child
From: Funk De Luxe [Hutch Production, 2001]

Last Exit are from France and where put together by arranger Christian Gaubert, Christian's intentions for Last Exit was for them to be a soul funk, kind of pop band. He had been heavily influenced by the new music emerging from the other side of the Atlantic, James Brown, The Jackson 5 etc... This is about as much as I know about the original LP as it has constantly remained impossible to find a copy.

The tracks that I've put up for download are from Last Exit's only release titled 'Last Exit'. They are available on two, now out of print, compilations released by Hutch production's, both of which I highly recommend.

Listening to the vocals in the first track you can clearly tell that Gaubert had been listening to soul bands like the Jackson's. The arrangement of both songs is very complex and equally funky but played in a very sophisticated fashion by, I would presume, some of France's top session musicians. The music has a rich sound with many layers, lush brass, over the top slap bass, manic synths and much more. Last Exit's sound is typical of the black music scene in Europe from the mid to late 70's blending soul, funk, jazz and disco into classy, sophisticated but also funky music. I hope you dig it.

A Means To Be So Free

James Mason: Free and Sweet Power Your Embrace
From: Rhythm Of Life (Chiaroscuro, 1977)

There's something painfully bittersweet about discovering a truly great album and then subsequently discovering that the artist never produced a follow up. Barbara & Ernie's Prelude To had this effect on me and I can now add James Mason's Rhythm Of Life to the list.
One time guitarist and keyboardist to Roy Ayers, Mason's debut and swansong, released in 1977, is an album that steps outside easy genre classification combining as it does Jazz Fusion, Modern Soul and Funk.

I originally knew the track Free due to Attica Blues cover version in the late nineties and while that was by no means bad the original blows it out of the water. Bongo beats underlie a pulsating bassline and spacey synths that charge the track with a real vitality. I love the way the track is stripped down to little more than rhythm and bass with Clarice Taylor delivering superb, yearning, vocals over the top. The backing singers that layer the groove just add to the overall effect.

Sweet Power Your Embrace is undoubtedly the best known cut off the album having featured on a number of compilations but it'd good enough to warrant another run out. A highly funky instrumental for half the track the song ably displays Mason's composition skills merging electronic synths with live instrumentation before the vocals are brought into the mix and the track reaches another level. One of those albums that gets better every time you hear it, don't sleep on this.

Astral Signal

Gene Harris: Losalamitoslatinfunklovesong and Dont Call Me Nigger, Whitey
From: Astral Signal [Blue Note, 1974]

Keeping the latin flavour going on from where maru left off, with that face melting Arthur Verocai LP, I bring forth a couple of tracks from the Gene Harris album Astral Signal. The LP is typical of the mid seventies, Jazz fused with other styles of music, funk, pop, latin etc...

Losalamitoslatinfunklovesong was a regular dj spin of Giles Peterson's many Years ago, It was on his sunday evening slot with kiss fm where I first heard this track, it contains all the right ingredients, some funky wah wah guitar, fat lazy drums and raw fuzzy moog all topped with some angelic lovely la la vocals.

The second song goes deep into moog and funk territory, the anti racist theme to the track is obvious from the title, eh? Gene has skillfully flipped the serious topic of the song alongside a upbeat headonistic party storming tune, enjoy.

For A Rainy Day

Arthur Verocai: Caboclo and Dedicada A Ela
From Arthur Verocai [A&M, 1969]

A recent Soulstrut post, and the fact that it's starting to rain in my neck of the woods has inspired me to post a couple of tracks from this overlooked Brazilian guitarist.

Born Arthur Cortes Verocai in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil in 1945, Verocai studies music with Leo Soares, Darci Villaverde, Nair Barbosa da Silva, Roberto Menescai, and Vilma Graca. Strangers to most I'm sure, but they helped carve one fine guitarist. Verocai began his career as a musician and arranger, scoring music for the theater and orchesta, as well as arranging records for various Brazilian artist.

His 1972 debut took his musical talents even further, creating dreamy arrangements of jazzy soul with hints of funk. "My opportunity came when I was recording this album. I created a rhythmic cell in the acoustic guitar with the harmonic line. I added bass and the non-conventional drums and the percussion with a very smooth orchestration in blocks (four trumpets and a flute) plus the delicate touch of the strings (12 violins, 4 violas and 4 cellos). By 1972 many of the musicians of my generation were feeling the same influences. Because of our exposure to all many musical influences, we put a distance between us and the conventional recording styles. "

The result is quite a remarkable album, one that plays perfectly with a rainy day, or any occaision that calls for ethereal backdrops. I could post the whole album without hesitation, but if I had to pick a couple tracks these might be them. "Caboclo" is a sweet number, simple, yet unforgettable. "Dedicada a Ela" shows Verocai's arranging capabilities, starting slow and sultry before turning into a beautiful jazz piece.

I'm normally not a huge fan of reissues, but for lost gems like these it's hard to resist, and the fact that originals fetch around $500 makes this one a no brainer. If anyone has an OG, holla!

Chicago Jaw Breakers

The Primeridian: Trumpets Of Zion and Yeah, Yeah We Know
From: Da All Nighta (All Natural Inc, 2005)

Hip hop with a message today with music from Chicago duo The Primeridian. Though around on the scene since the mid nineties their new album, Da All Nighta, is only their second long player and their first proper album (the first being a compilation of their recordings between 1995 and 2002). You can find out more about the group on their website.

The Primeridian's long standing relationship with hip hop shows in their tracks with a style reminiscent of early Roots or PUTS. Hip Hop with a message delivered over a jazzy, lush, rich production where care and thought have been put into the music rather than a quick loop over sloppy beats job. This kind of rap is designed to be listened to carefully rather than banged out of cars - proper headphone hip hop.

Trumpets Of Zion, their first single off the album features the kind of blissed out production from Stoney Rock that demands careful listening. Beginning with a chorus of horns the track moves into a richly textured, lush, jazz based groove with drawn strings, trumpets and, best of all, some cowbell. This suits tree and see-me-on's style perfectly creating hypnotic hip hop.

Yeah, Yeah We Know is the track that first grabbed my attention when I put the CD on and it still stands out as a belter. I love a bit of bravado in rap and here the dope rhymes ("I'm a Willy Wonka jawbreaker, who wanna bite?") accompany a soundscape which slowly builds over the length of the track. Beginning with bass heavy beats the track deftly sidesteps the expected jazzy feel to go into a darker territory of heavy and ominous synths. Good stuff.