3rd Bass: Steppin’ to the A.M.
From: The Cactus Album [Def Jam, 1989]

Banbarra: Shack Up
From: Shack Up single [Atco, 1976]

James Brown: Stoned to the Bone
From: The Payback [Polydor, 1974]

Gary Wright: Can’t Find the Judge
From: The Dreamweaver [Warner Bros, 1975]

Pink Floyd: Time
From: The Dark Side of the Moon [EMI, 1973]

Kool and the Gang: Mother Earth
From: Spirit of the Boogie [De-Lite, 1975]

Spoonie Gee: Spoonin’ Rap
From: Single [Sugar Hill, 1980]

Beastie Boys: Time to Get Ill
From: Licensed to Ill [Def Jam, 1986]

I know that I promised you all that another Anatomy of a Sample post was right around the corner about two months ago, but good things always come to those who wait.  Today’s Anatomy of a Sample focuses on the standout track from one of the best rap albums to come out of the Def Jam stable in the late 80’s.  The act, song and album in question are 3rd Bass with “Steppin’ to the A.M.” from The Cactus Album.  With the Bomb Squad’s versatile samples and exemplary production alone,  this record was destined to be one for the ages.  But these two Mc’s had the skills to pay the bills and then some, with a witty repartee and hard-hitting rhymes that would go on to influence the next generation of independent hip-hop.

However, due to a lackluster second effort called Derilects of Dialect, the group would fade into obscurity, only to reappear on the scene as solo artists in the coming years.  Even though they never achieved the same level of recognition that other white hip-hop acts such as the Beastie Boys, and House of Pain were given on a regular basis, The Cactus Album would prove to stand the test of time.   In fact, as I reached for my cassette tape of The Cactus Album the other day,  a sense of nostalgia rushed over me that took me right back to the day that I first heard this album.

Today, I will be analyzing the samples that were used to create the slamming track “Steppin’ To the A.M” on the pioneering first record from 3rd Bass.  This one gets started immediately with a horn stab taken from the two second mark of James Brown’s “Stone to the Bone”. This sample has been slowed down and the tone has been changed to disguise it’s origin, but it appears several times in the track.  There is a sample of woman’s voice at the one second mark that says “At the sound of the tone the time will be 12 a.m.”.  I was at a loss when trying to locate the sample for this one, but I’m thinking that it could be a person who provided a voiceover for the track, instead of an actual sample.  At the six second mark, a melange of bells and chimes are taken from the twenty second mark of Pink Floyd’s “Time”.

Then, at the ten second mark, the first sign of a drum beat and bassline enter the picture as the ten second mark of Banbarra’s “Shack Up” is sampled to great effect.  It appears that this has been slowed down considerably, as the pace of the original track is much more uptempo than the beat on “Steppin’ to the A.M.”  It took repeated listens to figure this one out, as the Bomb Squad  have expertly crafted this sample to mask its identity.  Coming in at the same time as the Banbarra sample are the high hats from the opening bars of Slick Rick’s “Lick the Balls”.

Next, as MC Serch begins to deliver his first verse on the track, the twenty second mark of Gary Wright’s “Can’t Find the Judge is sampled to add more complexity to the bassline.  After the first verse, the horns from the five second mark of Kool and the Gang’s “Mother Earth” are sampled at the fifty-seven second point of the track.  This horn sample will also appear at the 2:02 and 2:58 point of the track. Directly after the horn sample is a montage of samples taken from Hip hop tracks that feature the word “time”.   First, is the Beastie Boys “What’s the time” mantra taken from “Time to Get Ill”. Then, it samples the lines “Time to Get Stupid” from Public Enemy’s Raise the Roof, followed by the lines “Kickin’ till the A.M.  from Big Daddy Kane’s “Raw”.  One of the samples that is not present in the first group of “time” samples is the :07 mark of Spoonie Gee’s “Two for the time” lyric taken from Spoonin’ Rap.  This makes it’s first appearance at the 2:06 part of the track, and then later appears at the 4:26 mark of the track.  There is a spacey synthesizer sample that plays in the background of these montages, but I can’t for the life of me figure out what it is.

At the 3:17 point of the song, the high hats from the Slick Rick sample are the only thing left in the mix.  But after a few more seconds, the bassline from “Can’t Find the Judge” enters, and it is much easier to identify it with everything else absent from the mix. The song closes out with numerous horn stabs from the “Stoned to the Bone” sample juxtaposed with the time-themed samples from Beastie Boys, Big Daddy Kane, Public Enemy and Spoonie Gee.

I hope you have enjoyed this edition of Anatomy of a Sample, and I look forward to bringing you more of these in the future.

Please send me any requests for hip-hop songs that you would like to see featured on Anatomy of a Sample, and I will do my best to make it happen.

Bobby Boyd Congress: Straight Ahead
From: S/T [Okapi, 1971]

Fire: Flames
From: Could You Understand Me [Estrella Rockera, 1973

Yuya Uchida and the Flowers: Intruder
From: Challenge [Sony, 2007]

Petalouda: What You Can Do In Your Life
From: V/A- Psych Funk 101 [World Psychedelic Funk Classics, 2009]

The Deviants: Fire In the City
From: Disposable [101 Distribution, 2009]

Neoton: Nora
From: V/A- Well Hung: Funk Rock Eruptions from Beneath Communist Hungary, Vol.1 [ Finders Keepers, 2009]

I know it’s already been close to two weeks since we kicked off the New Year, but I wanted to wish you all a Happy New Year. Here’s to more scores of wax in 2010 that will make your head spin. I realize I haven’t been posting very often on here, but I’ve been spending most of my time listening to new and old tunes.  You may recall that I posted a compilation of Funk From All Over the World earlier in the year.  The tunes that I am presenting to you today are the second part to this ongoing series of psychedelic funk relics from all over the world.  I have to warn you ahead of time that these tunes are so addictive that you might start to shake when you haven’t received your daily funk intake.  

Instead of inundating you with an in-depth analysis of these tracks, I will present you with quick takes on each track.  The music will undoubtedly speak for itself. 

Let’s bring in the new year with a double-shot espresso of funk that will have you reaching for the repeat button on your stereo.

First off is a slammin’ funk monster from the Bobby Boyd Congress called “Straight Ahead”.  This track is the deep funk that gets under your skin and makes you feel dirty afterwards.  The next track called “Flames” is from a Yugoslavian psych rock band called Fire.  This is the longest track of the bunch at 9:00, and it features numerous breaks that have been used in old-school joints that aren’t coming to my mind right now. If any of you recognize where these breaks have been used, please don’t hesitate to share the wealth.  This is a fuzz-inflected psych rock behemoth that literally pummels your mind.  Next is Yuya Uchida and the Flowers’ “Intruder” which features a funky psych backdrop coupled with hair raising vocals that are reminiscent of Casa Nostra.  

Petalouda’s “What You Can Do in Your Life” is one of the most amazing tracks I have heard in quite some time.  It starts with a deceiving slow tempo and then builds up to a midtempo groover with vocals that recall Grace Slick singing in Greek.  After this, I felt that The Deviants ”Fire In the City”  fit this mix perfectly with a groovy 70’s sound that seems  like something that Madlib would sample on one of his Beat Konducta compilations.  Last but definitely not least is the fantastic track called “Nora” from the Well Hung compilation.  It has a couple drum breaks in it with groovin’ organ and a latin tinged sound that gets you moving.  Phew… I’m sweating right now as I listen to these funky, funky jams.

The next Anatomy of a Sample is on deck, but for now enjoy these funky jams.

Squarepusher:  Don’t Go Plastic, Ill Descent and Shin Triad
From: Music is Rotted One Note [Warp, 1998]

Before I dive into the subject matter of this week’s post, I would like to personally thank Junior and Chuck for making the switch over to Wordpress without any major issues occurring.   I apologize that I have been missing in action lately, but life has been smacking me around like a red-headed step child.  I hope to get my bearings and post on a more regular basis, but I am unable to commit to any sort of schedule at this point.  Thanks go out to the rest of the crew for bringing the serious funk while I was gone.  Here’s to continuing the legacy of Ear Fuzz on Wordpress.

Today’s post focuses on electro-jazz, a style of music that juxtaposes elements of jazz fusion, funk and soul.  In the late 90’s, electronic acts and jazz musicians began marching to the same drummer, as numerous like-minded acts started  releasing records all over the globe.  I know the name electro-jazz or nu-jazz makes a lot of people cringe, but aside from a few big names like St. Germain and Jazzanova, there is an abundance of great stuff to be found in this genre.

One of my first discoveries of Electro-jazz was the album Music is Rotted One Note by UK electronic act Squarepusher.   This  is essentially the brainchild of Tom Jenkinson who combined vintage  samplers and sequencers with organic intrumentation to achieve a fascinating reinterpretation of the sound Miles Davis mastered on Bitches Brew.  Even though I was merely a jazz novice when I first discovered this record, I couldn’t help but notice the similarities between Squarepusher and most of the 70’s fusion like Miles, Weather Report, Mahavishnu Orchestra, etc.  The entire album is not in the jazz-fusion vein however, as it incorporates musique concrete, ambient electronic passages and aural  transmissions from another world.

I am featuring three songs from the album that encapsulate the feel of it as a whole, with two of them sounding like they could have easily been on any Miles Davis album from the fusion era.  Keep in mind that the only instruments used on this record are sequencers, synthesizers, percussion and rhodes piano.

The second track on the record “Don’t Go Plastic” starts out with cymbal splashes and the sound of rhodes piano bubbling under the surface like molten lava.  It slowly builds with percussion that seems to be spliced from different takes, while the rhodes glides through the song like it has wings.  At about the two minute mark, their is a percussive break that is seemingly computer-generated, and then a sinister piano melody plays for a couple bars.  After a brief but impressive drum solo,  a solo kicks in that is like no other.  It is hard to tell whether this solo was achieved through the various sequencers and pedals that are the usual M.O. for Squarepusher, but it sounds to me like a piano is being played underwater while the rest of the band is riding the groove.

“Ill Descent” captures the essence of ambient rock bands like Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze while simultaneously managing to experiment with textures and sound that pull from jazz and avant garde music.  If I had thought of this song when I was compiling my triumvirate of space music comps, it would have fit like a glove.

The last track is a short burst of creative energy that opens with scattershot drumming and electronic sound waves only to switch gears completely into a cacophonous, funky slab of goodness that is just too good to pass up.  The rumbling bassline from Digital Underground’s classic hip-hop track “The Humpty Dance” is the most obvious influence on this track.

This concludes my overview of Squarepusher’s 1998 classic Music For Rotted One Note.  I welcome any comments about other Electro-jazz bands that you guys are digging right now.

Famous L. Renfroe: Introduction, Children, Believe, It’s So
From: Children [Fat Possum, 2008]

Last week while chatting with a friend after a concert, he asked me and another friend if we’d heard of a blues-gospel artist named Famous L. Renfroe. The answer to his question was undoubtedly written all over our faces. He started to wax poetic about how great this artist was, and that it was the “holy grail” of gospel music. He even started to sing various parts of one of the songs, illustrating his point that the backup singers on this record were definitely the real deal. While I am only a casual acquaintance with this person, I couldn’t help but notice his boundless enthusiasm for the music. I figured that locating a copy of this record would definitely be in my best interest, so I began my search online to see if I could possibly find some sample mp3’s out there.

After searching for an hour, I decided to call it a night and start fresh the next day with an uncluttered brain. While I believe that it’s more about the journey than the destination, I was eager to hear this music that was so highly praised by my friend. I started exploring different avenues, like going to blogs that focus on gospel and funk records, but I eventually scored when I performed a random search on Soulseek and found a person who had the entire Famous L. Renfroe album available to download. Good things definitely come to those who wait!

I was already familiar with the Good God! A Gospel Funk Hymnal compilation that was released on Numero Group in 2006, but I could never be prepared for the magical gospel sounds of Famous L. Renfroe’s Children. Legend has it that these songs were first recorded in 1969, and they were shelved for unknown reasons. I can only guess that it was something to do with its lack of commercial potential, but all it takes is one listen to these gems for you to realize that Famous L. Renfore could have been bigger than Al Green or Sam Cooke.

“Introduction” gets the proceedings started on the right foot with a funky guitar riff, and then the tempo of the track steadily builds as the call and response backup vocals add weight to the unstoppable groove established by the rhythm section. The slow rhythm of “Children” features more of a classic gospel sound with soulful vocals that remind you of classic singers like Otis Redding or Percy Sledge. One of the most amazing things about this song is that the vocals are only accompanied by bass and guitar, and they are placed prominently up front so the listener can hear every nuance of the voices.

On”Believe,” Renfroe and the band effortlessly move into the gritty funk sound that has been showcased on countless Now Again compilations like Texas Funk and Numero Group’s Local Custom’s: Downriver Revival. This song really locks into a low-down groove with fantastic finger-snappin’ chicken-scratch guitar backing up Renfroe’s laid-back but soulful vocal delivery. I believe that “It’s So” is the sole instrumental featured on this record, but it still packs a powerful punch by laying inventive guitar licks over the top of a funky rhythm section.
Whether or not Famous L. Renfroe recorded this album in 1969 seems to be irrelevant. What is important to remember is that the music contained within is pure, unadulterated gospel-funk that keeps you coming back for more.
As far as I can tell this album is available through the Fat Possum website, so make sure to purchase a copy if you are truly into this.

Main Source: Just Hangin’ Out
From: Breaking Atoms [Capitol, 1991]

Gwen McCrae: 90% of Me Is You
From: Rockin’ Chair [Cat, 1975]

Sister Nancy: Bam Bam
From: One, Two [Techniques, 1982]

Skull Snaps: I Turn My Back On Love
From: Skull Snaps [GSF, 1973]

Ike and Tina Turner: Bold Soul Sister
From: Hunter [Blue Thumb, 1969]

Mike Bloomfield/Al Kooper/Steven Stills: Season of the Witch
From: Super Session [Columbia, 1968]

While the blistering sun is warming the asphalt in Portland today, I thought I would take the opportunity to bless your ears with a sample breakdown from Main Source’s Breaking Atoms.

This record first dropped in the summer of 1991, right about the time when real hip-hop was being replaced by braggadocio and bling. The rhyming and production skills on this record are practically unparalleled in the history of hip-hop, with the dense, layered production enhancing the creative rhymes of Producer/MC Large Professor. Main Source went on to make one last attempt at stardom with the ill-fated Fuck What You Think in 1994, but Breaking Atoms is the one that sticks in my mind as a true classic.

The opening drum break is skillfully lifted from the 1:44 mark of Skull Snaps’ gritty “I Turn My Back on Love”. Shortly after this intro break, the main groove of the track is spliced from the seven second mark of Gwen McCrae’s soulful “90 % of Me Is You.” While the groove is flowing, the laid-back horns taken from the three second mark of Sister Nancy’s “Bam Bam” create a relaxing vibe that is perfect for summer evenings. At around the 1:21 mark of “Just Hangin Out”, a playful vocal part from the thirty-nine second mark of “Bam Bam” acts as a bridge from the main groove. Ike and Tina Turner’s “Bold Soul Sister” and Mike Bloomfield’s “Season of the Witch were also sampled on this track, but I can’t for the life of me figure out which parts of these songs were sampled. If any of you crate-diggers and vinyl enthusiasts have any thoughts about where these samples came from, please enlighten me.

This concludes the Anatomy of a Sample for Main Source’s “Just Hangin Out”. I hope you guys have enjoyed this episode, and I would love to hear about the summer joints you were bumpin’ in 1991.