Summertime Vibrations

Mighty Ryeders: Evil Vibrations and Help Us Spread The Message
From: Help Us Spread The Message [Sun Glo, 1978]

So apologies for not posting recently, a holiday and heavy work schedule resulted in probably my longest break between posts in the near on three years I've been doing this shit (doesn't time fly etc etc). While I steady the workload and get back on top of things I thought I'd get in the mood with a couple of songs that fit perfectly to the current sweltering temperatures.

There are certain albums in my collection that only really work when the sun is shining and the temperature is hot, Mighty Ryeders 1978 work, Help Us Spread The Message, definitely falls into that category, tunes that entertain in the winter suddenly transform into glistening greats to be played long and hard.

Coming in right at the end of funk's dominance and the emergence of disco the Mighty Ryeders straddle the change well, bringing a disco vibe to their live instrument tracks but maintaining the soul and heart of the funk era.

No points for spotting the sample on Evil Vibrations but the track would be a classic without the De La link, it's high energy vocals and thumping instrumentation crying out to be played loud out of the car, your house, your office or any other place where music is played (heat. not. make. brain. work. so. good.)

While the huge majority of the album is in the vein of Evil Vibrations (and very good it is too) the band could spin a more thoughtful line as well as displayed on the title track of this album. More rooted in soul than disco the song ably displays the band's vocal abilities and musicianship and is a nice way to unwind after the melting activities of a summers day.

Summery Soul For A Winter's Day

The Staple Singers: Let's Do It Againand Chase
From: Let's Do It Again [Curtom, 1975]

Man, I woke up early this morning to find it bitterly cold and snowing outside. After trudging through this and the biting wind I then had to go through the process of almost losing an eye about five times from fools who use their umbrellas as offensive weapons. All this just to go to work.

After this excellent start to the day I needed a certified mood improver and what better way to brighten my world than some smoothed out seventies summery soul from the Curtom label courtesy of The Staple Singers and Curtis Mayfield.

Composed as the soundtrack to Let's Do It Again, Bill Cosby's follow up movie to Uptown Saturday Night, Mayfield's production offers up a funky blend of soul from the gospel quartet.

The title song from the album, Let's Do It Again, was a massive track for the Staple Singers, bagging them a number 1 and one of their biggest hits of a 50 year career. What propels this track above many similar songs of the time is the power present in Mavis Staple's voice, there's a raw edge to her vocals that adds that extra oomph to Mayfield's reliably great production. The album version is longer than those offered on many compilations giving you an extra minute or two of pleasure.

Chase, an instrumental piece from the album, is credited to Mayfield and his band and bears all the hallmarks of a piece from his more famous soundtrack compositions with blazing trumpets and smooth strings over lush percussion. Put this on and it can be summer in your head even while your fingers and toes are turning blue from the cold.

I would type more but my fingers have just gone numb. Thank god for the funk on a day like today.

Bump 'N' Hustle Music

Tommy Stewart: Bump And Hustle Music and Riding High
From: Tommy Stewart (Abraxas, 1976)

Keeping the summer spirit alive with some D.I.S.C.O. today. Like many Hip Hop/Soul/Breaks nerds I've never been the biggest fan of the disco genre, normally of the opinion that it's good funk gone wrong. However, when it's done right it's as funky as anything out there and one album that manages this is Tommy Stewart's self-titled opus from 1976.

A relative flop on release, the album's classic Bump and Hustle Music was rediscovered by UK DJs in the 1980s and played to death on the dancefloors. As news of the album's quality spread and with demand well outweighing supply the album was finally rereleased by Ubiquity in 2003 and I'm pleased to confirm that it matches up to the high quality set by it's most famous track.

I couldn't really post about this album without putting up the track itself could I so here it is. Bump and Hustle Music is a dancefloor killer, designed to make you go and strut your stuff no matter how badly coordinated you are. Stewart has stated in interviews that this was in fact a last minute jam by the band and if there is truth behind the legend then hats off to them for pulling something like this out of the bag. Featuring Isaac Hayes backing singers Hot Buttered Soul on vocals this is much closer to the feel of funk than to disco with a slow groove and dirty edge.

The second track, Riding High, is more of an uplifting dance record. Ignoring the disco breakdowns this track could have been released happily in 1988 so close is it in style to early house music with it's soaring strings and strong female vocals. However, what appeals to me most about both of these and what sets it apart from the standard disco or house music you hear being rotated is the production aspect with the horns, drums etc all being played live rather than being added with synths at a later date giving the record a rawer, funkier sound.

Before dismissing this, give it a listen and see what disco can do in the right hands.

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..........

Machine Gun Funk

The Commodores: Machine Gun and Gonna Blow Your Mind
From: Machine Gun (Motown, 1974)

Hey, remember when the Commodores were a lean mean funk machine? Shit, me neither, but thanks to the wonder of modern technology I can now bring you the magic of The Commodores first released album, Machine Gun, a quality piece of 70's funk by a band blissfully ignorant of their ballad strewn future. Seriously, I strongly recommend listening to these tracks before crying out in disgust at my choice of artist.

Formed in a casual manner at the end of the 60's as a way to pick up girls (surely the number one reason behind starting any band), The Commodores struck gold when they auditioned successfully to be the support group for the Jackson 5's 1971 tour. Soon after they were signed to Motown records as part of it's attempt to keep up with the rising trend for funk outfits and the rest, as they say, is history.

Machine Gun was their hit record of the album, introducing the world to their sound. One of those songs that everybody recognizes as soon as it starts but few seem to know who it's by, it's perfect for getting in that summertime mood with its skating-extremely-close-to-the-edge-of-cheese keyboards layered over a simple but supremely funky riff. Don't try to deny how much fun this track is.

Gonna Blow Your Mind is a more serious effort. Less poppy than Machine Gun it's a choice cut of the kind of dirty funk The Commodores did so well in the early stage of their career. Lots of subtle touches on the production add to the overall flavor and there's a drum breakdown halfway through that leads to a brilliant headnodder of a second half. Full of squelching bass and synth keyboards, it's the perfect song to play to anyone questioning the truth that once upon a time the Commodores oozed funk from every pore.