Black Gold

Pat Kelly - If It Don't Work Out

2011-05-15T18:56:00.000-07:00

There are two genres of forty-fives in which there are an abundance in NYC: Latin (Tico, Fania, Uptite, etc..) and Jamaican (ska, rocksteady, reggae, dub and so forth). Although North American Soul and Funk are what I primarily search out I'd be a fool not to take advantage of the massive wealth of Jamaican records that made their way to New York. I found this one today in Bed Stuy for three dollars. I bought it because I was familiar with a reggae version of "The Dark End of the Street" that Pat Kelly recorded. Luckily I wasn't disappointed. Kelly's voice is so seductive, especially on the track I'm posting. Like a Jamaican Sam Cooke or something, so smooth and controlled.

Hope this helps you all mellow out before another work-week.

B(o)-Sides: Marilyn Barbarin - "Believe Me"

2011-05-01T19:05:00.000-07:00

A consequence of life are constant distractions and disruptions. I've been experiencing a substantial amount of both as of recently, mostly do to work but also some heavier issues. So once again I apologize and to make it up to you I'm going to share a song with y'all that's a constant source of comfort for me.

Everyone knows Eddie Bo for penning and recording some of the finest funk tunes ever and some are privy to the fact that the flip sides of those records contain some very very sweet and deep ballads. The record I bring you today is one of his most sought after and for the good reason, the track "Reborn" is the most off-the-wall slightly gospel-tinged funk tracks you'll ever hear. It's the reason why the record is worth a good deal of money. The flip though, the side I'm posting, is a strangely melancholic sounding ballad with Marilyn Barbarin delivering a tremendous vocal performance on top of it all. If there was ever a song to fall in love with this is in. Perfect soundtrack for cool spring evenings. Hope you enjoy. I'll try and be a little more attentive to the blog.

Jimmy & Eddie - Stop Think It Over

2011-03-02T18:12:00.001-08:00

Sorry for the delay again, the proverbial pipeline of life has sent a substantial amount of bullshit my way. I'm not going to share my burdens with all of you for the sake of privacy and because that's not why you come here. You come here for good tunes.

I found this slab of Chicago funk at a record fair this past weekend along with a VERY nice stack of some heavy hitters i've been after for a while, all for an excellent price. I'm posting this up as a request I received via Facebook and also because I really like the tune. I'm not really sure about the details regarding who Jimmy and Eddie are, I only know that the record is a Chicago record. That soulful scream at the beginning of the song is a heavy one.

I'm also going to use today's post to speak about the dog my girlfriend and I are currently fostering. There's a little website up for her to tell her story and collect donations here. She's an extremely sweet dog and if you can help out at all it would definitely help her cause.

Thanks again for reading y'all. See you soon.

Emanuel Lasky - "I Need Somebody"

2011-02-18T07:37:00.000-08:00

My girl and I went out to dinner last night for a postponed Valentines Day date. She also took me to my favorite local record spot and bought me some records. This is one of them. She's been working on her out food-centric blog called Hammy On Rye.

Emanuel Lasky - "I Need Somebody"

Lowell Fulsom - "Funky Broadway"

2011-02-15T18:45:00.000-08:00

Seems like I've been digging up quite a bit of covers lately. Today is no exception. I present you with an absolutely bombastic cover of the Dyke & The Blazers funk classic "Funky Broadway." The original is noted as being the first song to include "Funky" in the title. It's also one of the original funk tunes, on the same page as "Cold Sweat," that paved the way for things funk that succeeded it.

The original, however classic and wonderful in its own right, can't hold a candle to Lowell's version. The original sentiment is kept but Lowell adds just enough to put it over the top. Some noticeable differences include: more prominent roll of the organ, dirtier and more raw production qualities specifically the tremendous amount of reverb on the drums and guitar tone, Lowell's blues-inflected voice that has a more grizzled quality compared to Christian's, and finally a CLASS horn arrangement that is slightly more sophisticated than the original. Info I've turned out indicates a 1970 release date on Lowell's version, which allowed a three year period for funk to develop and room for improvement on proto-funk songs for whomever should take on the task. I think you get that I really really like this version. Hope y'all dig, I'll see you soon!

The Staple Singers - "Why? (Am I Treated So Bad)

2011-02-13T16:50:00.000-08:00

This one's for Black History Month. It's also for Mavis Staples who won a Grammy tonight. Congrats Mavis!

One of my all time favorites.

Gary and The Top Ten - "Think Nothing About It" b/w "Bootleg"

2011-02-12T21:11:00.000-08:00

Here's what I know about this record: the A-side is a cover of a Curtis Mayfield penned tune originally performed by Gene Chandler, the b-side is a cover of a Booker T & The M.G.s tune. The label was based in Alabama and apparently produced by someone named Rick Moman. That's about it. I can't find much else about the group or the label. I do suspect that Rick Moman is either Chips Moman, Rick Hall, or the two of them had something to do with this record. What for sure I can't really say. Oh the other thing I know is, "Bootleg" is comprable to the original and slowly winning a spot as my favorite and "Think Nothing About It" absolutely destroys the original. Sorry Gene but those female vocal harmonies, the gentle organ, and the tremolo laden lead guitar push this version into the number one slot. An absolute low-rider anthem. If anyone has some info on the record please let me know.

*Also, something fishy is going on with my receiver which is why the recording of "Think Nothing..." gets a little wonky. I'm going to attempt to re-do it tomorrow. Hope you can deal. See y'all soon.

Gary Griffin & The Top Ten - "Think Nothing About It"

Gary Griffin & The Top Ten - "Bootleg"

*FIXED!

Hugh Roy with Tommy McCook & the Supersonics - Flashing My Whip

2011-02-06T17:10:00.001-08:00

This post marks a first for the blog and a new chapter in my unquenchable quest for new music and records. I've now begun the slow and wallet-crushing descent into buying rocksteady 45s. I've always been a fringe fan of the genre: I've owned a copy of The Harder They Come soundtrack for a long time and have regularly co-opted Toots and The Maytals as a summertime staple. Upon a recent trip to New Orleans I visited my favorite record store there (and in the entire United States of America out of all the ones I've been to). It's called Domino Sound Record Shack and it is an absolute imperative if you should ever find yourself in New Orleans. They carry an expansive selection of soul, funk, punk, metal, and rock 45s and LPs but their real bread and butter is Jamaican records. Owner Matt's knowledge of rocksteady, ska, reggae, dub, etc, etc is kind of overwhelming but fortunately he is a ridiculously humble dude who is willing to help you out if you're a lost puppy in the wide world of Jamaican music. Did I mention that his prices are RIDICULOUS, deals to be had all over the place. Alright, so that was my plug for a record store that has my unwavering support. Digressions aside, Matt hooked me up with a tape he made called "Prince Pauper's Rocksteady Revue" and the tune I'm posting today happened to be on it. After the first listen I became obsessed, and I really truly mean OBSESSED, with the song. Obviously as a consequence I had to find the record. Lucky for me it's relatively easy to track down and not very expensive (in the ten dollar range).

I'm by no means knowledge on the genre or the record so I'm just going to link you to the wikipedia post about Hugh Roy. I do however know that "Flashing My Whip" is an absolutely celebration of life. I could listen to this song on repeat and be in completely bliss. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do. See y'all soon with more selections from my collection.

Two new sets from The Lost and Found

2011-02-06T08:59:00.000-08:00

Hey y'all. I uploaded two new mixes from my last two visits to The Lost and Found sessions. I started using Mixcloud but if you want the files for download just contact me and I'll gladly send them to you. I'm going to post up a record later tonight. Hope you enjoy.

Dj Hambone @ The Last Lost And Found Session. by Joe Cristando on Mixcloud

Dj Hambone @ The Lost And Found 1.18.11 by Joe Cristando on Mixcloud

Deloris Riley - Hey, Boy!

2011-02-03T17:23:00.000-08:00

I'M BACK! I've temporarily rigged it so I can make posts again, I don't know how long it will last but hopefully until I can afford to buy a new computer or get my broken one fixed.

To make up for my prolonged absence I'm bringing you a true rarity. Rare in the record collecting world is a subjective concept: some base it on monetary value and others base it on whether a record or song is truly scarce. I believe this Deloris Riley record is a true rarity as it I've never seen another copy of it, don't know anyone else that has it, and to my knowledge, it's never been sold on eBay.

It's a totally killer New Orleans funk track, I'm guessing '70 here. Publishing rites belong to none other than Joe Banashak. I can't find any information other than that. I don't know who Deloris Riley was/is or if she had any other records and I don't know who Justin James was/is. Regardless, the song is an all out, low-down, filthy, wah-infected funk jam. Deloris' voice is killer too!

Hope y'all enjoy. I'll try and be back tomorrow with another tune.

Crescents - "That's All She Left Me" & "Here You Come Again"

2010-12-19T08:33:00.001-08:00

I'm sitting here at my desk finishing the last bit of coffee and writing this post while simultaneously putting off all of the Christmas shopping I need to accomplish today. You may ask why I'm torturing myself in this manner. Well, the record I'm posting is just too good to hold onto any longer. It's also kind of a mystery to me so I'm hoping to gain some information from y'all.

This is obviously a New Orleans record: it's on Watch, both songs are written by Earl King, both songs are arranged by Big Wardell, and the group is call Crescents. I want to know if this is the same group that released a record on Seven B, my instincts tell me it is. However I can't seem to find any information on them. Regardless both sides are stunning. While I love the upbeat dancer "That's All She Left Me," the ballad is jaw-dropping. Whoever the McMillan Sisters are, they are quite talented.

Hope you dig these sides and I hope you haven't left yourself in a last-minute shopping predicament like I have done.

Crescents - "That's All She Left Me"

Crescents & McMillan Sisters - "Here You Come Again"

Ray Charles - "I Don't Need No Doctor"

2010-12-18T05:52:00.000-08:00

I'm about to bust out of the concrete jungle and do a lil hiking. Once in a while a man needs to get back to nature. Before I do so I'm going to bring you a stormy little number from Mr. Ray Charles.

The last time Ben and I DJed he played this track and I immediately came to the booth to inquire. He told me it was a Ray Charles record. "No shit," I said. A week later I was flipping through a large and unruly stack of unsorted/uncleaned 45s I have and found the very same record. "No shit," I said. Although it's a little crispy sounding I don't really mind. Ray kills it on this number. Co-written by J. Armstead, a female Chicago based singer/songwriter who we've seen on here before. This is one of Ray's fiercest tunes that features the stormiest of rhythms and a top-notch horn arrangement. Come on, you know you're dancing ten seconds into it. Ray has got you hooked and now you need a little of his medicine.

Dee Clark - It's Raining

2010-12-12T18:48:00.000-08:00

Well, It hasn't stopped raining all day in New York. I hate the rain, under any circumstance. Obviously I understand its value but I can't help but feel great contempt for days like today where lethargy reigns. It does however give me a topical excuse to post this tune.

Dee Clark was a soul singer out of Chicago who record for Vee-Jay and later Constellation. The song however is a New Orleans tune, penned by Naomi Neville (not Leville) and originally performed, exceptionally, by Irma Thomas. Although the original is by far my favorite I really like Dee Clark's version. It's a different take on the song but still retains the intended sentiment.

I hope none of y'all are battling the elements but if you are may this song provide some comfort.

Joey Gilmore - "Do It To Me One More Time"

2010-12-09T19:12:00.000-08:00

This is my favorite kind of record: relatively cheap (under the ten dollar mark) and completely killer. I haven't been able to try this out on the dance floor yet but I have a feeling it'll kill em. Such an interesting song that combines elements of funk, blues and employs latin influenced rhythm. It's got gritty organ, piano, and Joey has a spectacular voice to boot.

As far as I could gather Joey Gilmore is a Florida based blues guitarist who is still active. Here is a link to his myspace page: Joey Gilmore Blues Band. I hope he doesn't mind me posting this because the people need to hear this song! The flip to this record is pretty exceptional too so I might post that up eventually.

See you in a minute!

Lewis Clark - "I Need You Baby"

2010-11-27T21:01:00.000-08:00

First off, Ben Carey and I are at it again this coming Saturday at Lulu's in Greenpoint. We'll be spinning our finest soul, funk and r&B dusties from 10 PM to 4 AM. I posted the flyer and I advise you come if you're in NYC.

Some of the independent labels from the sixties and seventies that weren't exclusively soul or funk labels but sometimes released soul and funk records can be really hit or miss. Most of the records you actually find on Brent are terrible. They're either bad pop, silly novelty songs or just other random stuff. The one I'm posting today is an except.

Sir Shambling did an excellent and comprehensive write up on Mr. Clark HERE, so I'm not going to really bother going into biographical information that's been covered with considerable depth.

I will say though that this song, actually the B-side to his first major hit, is a complete ripper through and through. I will be playing this on Saturday just in case you wanted to hear it REALLY loud.

Lewis Clark - "I Need You Baby"

Baby Huey & The Babysitters - "'Mighty' 'Mighty' Children (Unite Yourself This Hour)" Pt 1 & 2

2010-11-22T19:32:00.001-08:00

Picked this up over the weekend on a digging trip to Baltimore.

Donny Hathaway arrangement + Curtis Mayfield production & song + Baby Huey's voice = GOOD VIBES. This is the kind of the record you play at a house party.

For some reason part two has the band's introduction as opposed to part one. I don't know if this is intentional or a pressing mixup. Either way, this record is such a party jammer. It's even got a positive message we can all get behind and it even references a turkey dinner (what up Thanksgiving).

Baby Huey & The Babysitters - "'Mighty' 'Mighty' Children (Unite Yourself This Hour) - Pt 1

Baby Huey & The Babysitters - "'Mighty' 'Mighty' Children (Unite Yourself This Hour) - Pt 2

Mary Ann Fisher - "Give"

2010-11-16T19:53:00.000-08:00

I'm bringing you a late night special today. This song is best enjoyed with the lights turned down low, maybe a girl or boy to sway with. I first heard this tune on a mix DJ Bluewater did. I listened to the song on repeat for a week straight and resolved myself to finding a copy. They don't turn up often but fortunately when they do they're cheap.

Fisher is best known as a one time member of The Raeletts, and for her duets with Ray Charles. This track though melts my heart every time. Hope you enjoy it.

Folkways selections: Mississippi John Hurt - "Monday Morning Blues" & Clarence Ashley & Doc Watson "Dark Holler"

2010-11-08T20:02:00.001-08:00

Huge news! I have internet in my apartment! After six months of self-inflicted internet deprivation we finally caved and got the cable guy over here. I have to admit that having dependable access to the internet is a luxury I'm not too fond of living without.

Today I'm switching things up a little bit. Since I never really laid out any rules for this blog I'm switching over to LP format and changing genres but still bringing y'all something unique and difficult to find. I'm only really setup for the 45 format so I don't have a scanner that'll fit LPs, an iPhone photo will have to do. This record is one of my favorites out of my entire collection. I'm a huge fan of early American folk music and thus a huge fan of the original Folkways compilations. In terms of packaging and creating records as a whole product (meaning equal attention to art, layout, and content) Folkways were way ahead of their time. Usually you can find the compilations in original format for pretty cheap and they're ALWAYS worth picking up. There's a lot of interesting comps of field recordings, Afghani folk music, early American folk, Russian folk, you name it and there's a good chance they've documented it. Anyway, this one is one of my favorites. It's aptly titled "The Friends of Old Time Music," and it features a variety of early American folk musicians ranging from finger-style blues, to banjo heavy folk and so on. It also happens to feature two songs from one of my all time favorite musicians, Mississippi John Hurt. If you're not familiar with the man you need to make yourself familiar. A pioneer in the finger-picking style of blues, he possessed the greatest natural sense of rhythm and melody. He created complex, full sounding, pieces just using his fingers and his ol' guitar. "Monday Morning Blues" is one of his blues dirges that make me want to crawl up inside myself and never come out. His voice is particularly haunting on this track.

The next track is from South Appalachian banjo-folk pioneers Clarence Ashley and Doc Watson. Ashley is known for his very distinctive style of picking appropriately called clawhammer because of the way it looks when the person is using it. To be honest this song haunts me constantly. It's otherworldly with it's minor key tuning and Ashley's crooning narrative.

I think the narratives told in the early folk songs are an often under-appreciated part of American history. There's so many incredible stories told in the lyrics of these songs, as well as in the lives of the musicians. They come from a place and time in America that is almost completely diminished but fortunately can be revisited in some small way but listening and appreciating these mostly forgotten songs. Sorry to get nostalgic on y'all but I have that tendency come Autumn. Hope you dig these.

Mississippi John Hurt - "Monday Morning Blues"

Clarence Ashley & Doc Watson - "Dark Holler"

The Devils - "The X-sorcist" & "Hip Hug-Her"

2010-10-31T10:45:00.001-07:00

Happy Halloween! Here's a spooky, weird, and funky track from Mr. JB. I'm posting the flip because it's just too good.

The Devils - "The X-sorcist"

The Devils - "Hip Hug-Her"

Gene Chandler "After The Laughter (Here Comes The Tears)" & Wendy Rene "After Laughter"

2010-10-28T14:30:00.001-07:00

I apologize for the delay between the previous post and today's post. My work schedule and the fact that I still don't have internet in my apartment often makes it difficult to find the time to get to the coffee shop before they close. Anyway, I'm still here and to make it up to y'all I'm coming with two records today. Two very tasty records and an exciting announcement. First the news-- Ben Carey (co-creator of Hot Pants MN) and myself have teamed up to start a new, hopefully, monthly party in Brooklyn. For the time being we're tentatively calling it After The Laughter but it's possible that might be the permanent moniker. The information for the first party is on the flyer I posted above. Please come out if you're local, if we get enough support it'll be easier for use to convince the spot to allow us to keep throwing parties.

Now onto the tunes. These two records couldn't have any less to do with each other other than sharing similarly named song titles. Gene's song is a positively classy Northern record with a beat made for stomping around. Wendy's is heartbreaking ballad with her stunning vocals as a focal point. I believe it's honestly one of the finest vocal performances in the Soul canon. I don't know why some Stax 45s that look PRISTINE yet sound kind of crappy but this happens to be one. I'd also just like to point out a fun little fact about yours truly. The very very first piece of music I bought with my own money was Wu-Tang's Enter The 36 Chambers. My mom gave me twenty bucks one day when I went to the mall with a couple of friends and I bought the album on cassette from the wall. I remember playing that tape all day long, everyday. The reason I'm mentioning this story is because they sampled "After Laughter" on their song "Tearz". I still love Wu-Tang's take on the Stax classic and the more informed twenty-five year old me now has a profound appreciation for Wendy Rene's original.

Hope y'all enjoy the tunes and I hope to see some of you at the party next weekend.

Wendy Rene - "After Laughter"

Gene Chandler - "After The Laughter (Here Comes The Tears)"

The Magictones - "I've Changed"

2010-10-17T15:14:00.001-07:00

Alright, back on the Detroit tip! As I said two posts ago I've been digging hard on Detroit sounds, particularly Revilot/Westbound releases. Awhile back Larry Grogan posted a killer version of "Good Old Music" by a Detroit group called The Magictones. I remember listening to it and initially filing it to the back of my brain as often happens due to an overload in media-consumption. Later when I met Larry when he spun one sunday at Fat Buddha he showed me the record and my memory was jogged, then he played the record and I lost my mind. As a result I went on a hunt for other Magictones records and found this one for a little bit of scratch on the ol' eBay. Well worth it.

Tremendous groove on this one with just enough attitude. Hope ya dig it.

Sunny & The Sunliners - "The Thing"

2010-10-15T15:46:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite things about hunting for Soul music (including funk, jazz-funk, boo-ga-loo, northern soul, sweet soul, and all the other offshoots) is that there is literally just an endless amount of recorded material, really good material, out there. Throughout the sixties and seventies there was a seemingly unlimited amount of artists working and recording, some on major labels and some on microcosmic independent labels. So just when you think that you've uncovered every little niche of the genre, not necessarily discovering every artist or record in that niche but just as a whole, another door opens up and there's a whole different Thing going on that you had no idea existed. It's kind of like a giant puzzle and it's what holds my attention and keeps me interested (something that's NOT EASY to do) in discovering what else is out there.

The primary way of finding these new doors is through networking and meeting new people. Since everyone has a different ear, and more importantly since everyone comes from a completely unique cultural background, each person is bound to have a different experience with the music. Sooooooo, getting to today's song and how this all relates. In New Orleans I meet Justin "Rambo" Salinas through my friend Tarik. Naturally Justin and I had a lot to talk about since we both have a profound love for Soul and records. He kept talking about a musician from his native state of Texas, Sunny Ozuna. I had never heard of Sunny before but Justin spoke with great passion about him and his music. This caught my attention since it seemed I had found out about a new little niche. After coming back from New Orleans I turned this record up by Sunny & The Sunliners, and it blew me away.

"The Thing" is a tremendous instrumental workout that's part boo-ga-loo, part jazz and part funk. Throw that all together and you have an incredibly killer tune that's sure to get the people moving. The song moves along driven by a groovy rythym comprised of an organ, the bass, guitar and drums. Around that static rythym is where the magic happens: a few HUGE horn breaks and horn lines, and a seemingly improvisational jazz-like trade off between the trumpet and sax. Man, this song is just plain cool.

I'm sending this out to Rambo Salinas. He's currently hosting an all-nighter weekender for the three year anniversary of his hot-as-hell Hot Pants party in Minneapolis. I wish I could have made it out for that but I'll have to celebrate on my own with this record.

Solomon Burke - Down in the Valley

2010-10-10T15:04:00.000-07:00

I'm sure a good majority of you have heard the sad news of Solomon Burke's passing this morning. If you're unfamiliar with Dr. Burke (as he liked to call himself), he was one of the pioneer Soul singers of the 1960's and is largely responsible for the mainstream/crossover success of the genre. In my opinion he was the most versatile of all his peers, he could utilize his sweet voice in any number of ways: from deep baritone to screaming falsetto. He certainly stands out among the plethora of Soul Singers working his era, mostly due to his severe talent and also due to his larger-than-life personality. I suggest reading Peter Guralnick's Sweet Soul Music: Rhythm and Blues and the Southern Dream of Freedom, as Big Sol plays a primary role in the book and a crucial link between all other working entertainers. There are amazing stories about Sol outwitting, and ultimately performer to, a large gathering of KKK members and duping the promoter of The Apollo into allowing Burke "full concessions." Those are abstract summaries of the stories he tells in the book but it's definitely worth it to read them in full.

Now, on to the tune. "Down in the Valley," was co-written by Burke and Bert Berns in 1962 and was later, more famously, covered by Otis Redding on Otis Blue. As much as I love the Otis version it has nothing on the original. Burke displays his supreme grasp over his craft in this sweet blend of Country and Soul that he was most known for. The lyrics are exceptional, and the metaphorically biblical undertones are not to be overlooked (he was a working preacher after all). Just sit back and appreciate Burke's true artform so rarely found in modern times.

Rest in peace, Big Sol.

Darrell Banks - "I've Got That Feelin'"

2010-10-06T14:57:00.000-07:00

I'm going to be M.I.A. for a little while, or more accurately my computer is going to be M.I.A. for a little while. There's a huge gaping crack across the LCD screen of my lap top as I type this. Of course it's not covered under Applecare's bogus protection policy and it will probably cost a small fortune but the silver beauty shall rise again. I figured I'd get a post in before it goes off to be repaired.

I've been digging hard on the sounds of Revilot lately, specifically the early releases from The Parliaments. I went searching through my stash and came up with this one, which although it isn't a Revilot release it was recorded at the Revilot studios and features one of Detroit's most talented singers. Unfortunately Darrell Banks was cut down by a Detroit police officer at the young age of 35. "I've Got That Feelin'" is a serious booty-shaker with a terrific Northern sound. Love the bass on this track.

Hope y'all dig it and I'll see you as soon as my computer is returned to me.

DJ Hambone (aka Me) live set from Lost & Found 09/28/2010

2010-10-03T11:23:00.000-07:00

Here's my set from Lost and Found this past Tuesday. Almost everything on here came from my trip to New Orleans. Hope you dig these tunes. Internet connection my apartment is non-existant so I'm posting this from the local coffee shop. Unfortunately I can't recall what two of the records I played are and those are marked with question marks. As soon as I get home I'll look them up and fill in the blanks. I'll be back soon with some more featured 45s. Be well!

Mary Jane Hooper - I've Got Reasons (Power Pac)
Willard Burton & The Funky Four - Funky In Here (Capitol)
Betty Harris - Ride Your Pony (Sansu)
Honey & The Bees - Why Do You Want To Hurt The One You Love (Arctic)
Billy McGregor - Fall Down On My Knees (Flash)
Evie Sands - You've Got Me Uptight (Blue Cat)
The Enchanting Enchanters - Boss Action (BenMoKeith)
James Rivers - Let's Live (Eight Ball)
Charlene P.M. - Loving You (FW)
Lee Moses - Got That Will (Maple Leaf)
Bobby Rush - Done Got Me Good PT. 2 (Sedgrick)
???
Chris Kenner - All Night Rambler Pt. 1 (Instant)
Charles Mintz - Give a Man a Break (Uplook)
Ernie Hines - Were Gonna Party (USA Records)
Tommy Ridgley - I Want Some Money Baby (Johen)
Bobby McClure - Love's Coming Down (Klondike)
Eddie Bo - Can You Handle It (Bo-Sound)
Cody Black - Going Going Gone (Ram Brock)
Mel Hueston - Double Confusion (Chanson)
???
Diamond Joe - Hurry Back To Me (Sansu)
Doug Anderson - Hey Mama Here Comes The Preacher (Janus)

Tommy Ridgley - "I Want Some Money Baby"

2010-09-26T20:07:00.000-07:00

Ladies and gentlemen, I have returned from an absolutely euphoric trip to New Orleans. I'm going to keep this post kind of short only because tomorrow marks my return to the work week and I need some substantial rest. During my five day stay in the lovely Crescent City I made some new friends, spent quality time with my father, ate ridiculously good food, and partook in the most insane digging session(s) I've ever experience. I have to send a huge shout out to my boys Tarik Thornton and Rambo Salinas. I'll have more anecdotal content regarding those two in subsequent posts. To say that I picked up some heat is an understatement. A lot of it will be featured on here at some point but if you're really eager to hear a majority of it I'll be spinning exclusively what I picked up in NoLA at Savalas this Tuesday (9/26/2010) with the Lost and Found crew. I go on at 11 for a full hour of 45 goodness.

As for the tune of the day I'm coming at you with a tremendous track from Tommy Ridgley written by Sir Edwin J. Bocage and produced by Big Q (Wardall Quezergue). This might be my favorite non-funk Eddie Bo related track. The combination of absolutely stellar songwriting from Bo, a huge vocal performance from Ridgley, and a massive sounding production from Wardell make this track one you probably won't ever forget. Wardell is known for his liberal use of horn arrangements and the horns on this jam sound thundering. Back to work tomorrow to make that paper and this is the perfect song. Dig it friends. I'm posting the flyer again for Savalas for anyone who's interested. Be well.

Tommy Ridgley - "I Want Some Money Baby"

The Megatons - "Shimmy, Shimmy Walk PT. 1 & 2"

2010-09-19T17:23:00.001-07:00

Howdy friends. Thought I'd make a quick post before I headed out to see Larry Grogan (Mr. Funky16Corners) DJ in Manhattan. I'm posting up two sides of extremely smokey and dangerously blazing R&B. Here's some biographical information about the group take from Rockabilly Hall:

After Rita Records , Riley established Nita Records followed by Mojo Records and for the latter in 1960, he released 'Fast Livin'/Hill Country Music' under the name of Skip Wiley. May 1961 saw his versions of 'Teenage Letter/Flip Flop and Fly' on Home Of The Blues (#233) but Billy is adamant that he cut these sides earlier. Later that year, he and his band (Pat O'Neil on bass, James Van Eaton on drums, Jimmy Wilson on organ and Martin Willis on sax) went to the Pepper Sound Studio in Memphis and recorded the instrumentals 'Shimmy Shimmy Walk Parts 1 and 2" which were released under the name of The Megatons on the Dodge label (#808) out of Ferriday, Louisiana. This disc was subsequently issued on Checker 1005 and made position #88 on the Billboard charts in January 1962.

PT. 1 is a total burner complete with some serious ripping on the organ. PT. 2 slows it down a bit, just a tad bit, and gets just a little more serious. Both sides are bombs. The main premise is cutting it a little close to Roy Orbison's "Candy Man," which came out just a year earlier. In my opinion though The Megaton's sides are way more raw, dirty, and filthy just the way R&B should always be. Hope you go beat up some socs after listening to this one.

The Megatons - "Shimmy, Shimmy Walk PT. 1"

The Megatons - "Shimmy, Shimmy Walk PT. 2"

James Brown - "Jimmy Mack"

2010-09-18T14:05:00.000-07:00

It's a beautiful Saturday here in New York City and fortunately for me I have the day off. Unfortunately for my woman she has to work, so I'm dedicating this post to her. She works as a chef in a pretty popular restaurant in Manhattan and her number one passion in life is food. Let me tell you from experience, she can cook damn good. She's started her own food blog where she talks about restaurants that we've eaten at. You can check it out here, Hammy On Rye

Anyway, I was going to post a food related side today but decided to go with a very cool cover of her all time favorite soul classic, "Jimmy Mack" originally recorded by Martha & The Vandellas. Since that's a little too obvious, as it is an extremely accesible tune but one worth checking out if you haven't heard it, I'm going to post James Brown's cover of the Motown classic. The cover is actually an instrumental and features JB flexing his chops on the Hammond B3. I love the rawness of this version, it's totally stripped down to the absolute basics while retaining the charm of the original.

Hope y'all dig this one. I'll try and get a post in before I bounce to the Crescent City but I can't make a guarantee.

The Volcanos - Storm Warning

2010-09-17T16:49:00.000-07:00

So, I was going to post this yesterday but didn't really have a chance. The coincidence of posting this song yesterday and the events that transpired in my neighborhood would have been uncanny. For those of you that don't know, a "tornado" or at least a very violent storm ripped through Brooklyn and Queens last night. Massive trees were ripped out of their roots, Wyckoff General Hospital (which is two blocks from my apartment) experienced tremendous damage, cars were crushed, and all around my neighborhood is the cathartic aftermath of a kind of storm that frankly I'm, and I'm sure most New Yorkers, are just not accustomed to. Luckily there's been only one reported death, not to say that one lady's life is irrelevant or undeserving of attention but thankfully and miracously no one else was killed. An event like that is a very raw reminder that were at the very fickle mercy of the earth and anything can happen at any given time.

As for the tune I'm posting, it's a whole different brand of storminess. A classic slab of Philly Northern sound chock full of xylophone and stupendous group harmonies. That drum fill at the very begining is a signal of what's to come: a moody and unstoppable track propelled by thundering drums.

Hope y'all dig this one and I hope all my fellow New Yorkers and New Jersey-ians are safe.

Lee Dorsey - A Lover Was Born.

2010-09-12T19:34:00.001-07:00

Quick little news for ya'll. I'm heading down to New Orleans for Ponderosa Stomp and to celebrate my pop's 50th birthday. Going to be on the hunt for some serious platters again. If any of ya'll are going to be down there holler at me and maybe we can say what's up. I might even get a table to sell some stuff at the record fair.

First Lee Dorsey record I'm posting was the first on my want list for a while now. The first time I heard this tune I was in my buddy Tim's car and it came on his ipod. At first it sounded like a Chuck Berry or Marty McFly standard then those drums came in and I think I literally said "Holy shit" out loud. I immediately resolved myself to finding a copy, and for a while it was one of the only Lee Dorsey Amy 45s I didn't have, but I discovered that tracking this one down was a little tricky. It almost never pops up on eBay, I didn't find it when I was in New Orleans, and had never seen it anywhere out digging. Today all my dreams came true when I pulled it out of a gentleman's box at DJ Shakey's 45 only fair. Satisfaction is mine.

This may be an obvious one for some of you but that doesn't take away from how ridiculously PERFECT this track is. In my opinion it's Lee Dorsey's finest and certainly one of Toussaint's best. Hope y'all dig this one as hard as I do.

J. Hines & The Fellows - "Victory Strut"

2010-09-06T09:08:00.000-07:00

Happy Holiday to all my fellow citizens of the United States of America out there and to those of you not celebrating Labor Day I hope today finds you all in good health. For my fellow New Yorkers, I hope you're all enjoying this ridiculously perfect weather we are having.

Instead of trying to assert any kind of small knowledge I have about today's song I'm just going to direct you to this article of amazing breadth on Soul Detective, Case Three: J. Hines.

"Victory Strut" is the perfect tune to compliment a day like today, it's celebratory and victorious sounding (as the title would lead you to believe). Hope you dig it. Be well.

Roy Lee Johnson "Cheer Up Daddy's Coming Home." A little Muscle Shoals produced deep soul action.

2010-09-01T20:48:00.000-07:00

This evening's post was inspired by my completion of Peter Guralnick's Sweet Soul Music. The book details the Soul movement in the deep south of the United States. Guralnick highlights the musical movement and its participants as well as drawing a strong parallel to the vast social and economical changes the country faced through out the 1960's. I really enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone who's a fan of the music detailed in the contents. Although I'm a fan of the work I had a major gripe with it: where the fuck was any inclusion or even slightest mention of what was going on in New Orleans during the same time. There's Stax, Fame, American, Atlantic, all the major players but not once in Toussaint or Lee Dorsey's names mentioned. It seems kind of questionable, and maybe slightly biased, to leave out such large players. That small discrepancy aside the book is actually a really good read and Guralnick's writing is always enjoyable.

Getting to the tune of the day. I'm bringing you what I believe to be a near perfect deep soul ballad that stands up with the heaviest hitters ("Dark End of the Street" and "When a Man Loves a Woman" to name two as examples) but isn't talked about nearly as much. I got this record for 3 bucks because I was familiar with Johnson's other work, namely his killer tune "Boogaloo #3" on Josie, and was floored when I put the needle down on this side. This is one of those songs that completely moves my soul. Perfect arpeggiated rhythm guitar, sweet lilting organ, heartbreaking horn arrangements, and a vocal performance by Johnson that is nothing short of stunning. Top all of those ingredients off with the classic Rick Hall touch and you have one of the best representations of a very deep, sweet soul ballad. It's really hard to get the needle off this one. Hope y'all dig it.

The beginning of the eBay sell-off!

2010-08-30T06:08:00.000-07:00

Here's a link to my eBay store: Slash.Your.Face I've begun listing some 45s including funk, northern soul, some r&b, and even rockabilly. There's only a couple up now but I'll be gradually adding more and more. There's some really great stuff going up that you can probably snag for really cheap. Here's some label scans to entice you.

Funky Friday (Nights): Jo Armstead - I've Been Turned On

2010-08-27T20:26:00.001-07:00

As promised in yesterday's post I'm bringing you that funk. Today's tune is a stormy number from the fiercely independent woman Jo Armstead. The record today was written, recorded, released, and published by Ms. Armstead. That's pretty impressive considering it was released in 1968. The song is a total funk ripper with a Northern feel to it via the sweet strings. I really dig this one hard and hope y'all are feeling it as much as I am.

Keep an eye out for the upcoming 45 sale. Enjoy the weekend, friends.

...but when we walk down the street he never holds my hand.

2010-08-26T19:06:00.000-07:00

Much like today's selection I'm going to keep it short and sweet. I whipped up an earlier side from The Turner's for y'all. This one came out in '64 and actually charted on the US pop charts, just two releases before the behemoth "River Deep, Mountain High." The track kicks off with an absolutely raw and blazing drum beat with some gospel-esque hand clapping overlapping. The song has a total gospel feel to it, mostly due to the choir-esque female backups. I love how raw the song is, there's barely any instrumentation on the entire track and the whole song relies heavily on the beat and Tina's stellar vocal capabilities.

Hope y'all dig this one. I'll be back tomorrow with something slightly more funky. Also coming soon I'll be having a big 45 sale on eBay. So scrounge up some loose change, I'll have some good buys for you.

Funky DJ: Live set from my first DJing experience!

2010-08-21T18:11:00.000-07:00

Hello friends! I'm back with a special little surprise. This past Tuesday I went down to the Lost & Found Soul Night @ Savalas in Williamsburg to spin an hour of 45s. I was invited by Jared (JBX) from Big City Records, he's one of the fellows running the night for the past five years. Each week he, Chris, and DJ Boogieman spin their records and then there is a guest or two who gets to spin for an hour or so each. I shared the the guest spotlight with Tariq, an extremely amiable dude who hails from New Orleans and who subsequently dropped some serious bombs. I was a little nervous about the whole thing but that was quickly calmed by the supportive nature of the the event. Seriously, I can't recall an atmosphere and a group of people as supportive as Jared and the Lost and Found crew. It's a good feeling to know there are people out there who are willing to give you a chance and not just scoff at some new cat or pull the pretentious card that the city of New York seems to hand out to ever douche bag that comes along. Digression aside, the whole experience was uplifting, informative, supportive, and just downright fun as hell. Playing your favorite songs loud as hell for some strangers and friends (shout outs to my girl Steph, Kev, R. Samis, and Brittany for coming to watch and hear) to hear is an enriching experience.

Fortunately they record all the sets at Lost & Found and I got a copy from Jared yesterday. I'm posting up an mp3 of my set, recorded live with all original 45s spun by yours truly. Some of the songs maybe obvious and overdone but it's all shit I truly love and wanted to share with others. I hope y'all like my selections. Peace to y'all.

Tracklist:

Roger & The Gypsies - Pass The Hatchet Pt. 1 - Seven B
Lou Courtney - Rubber Neckin' (Chick Check'n) - Verve
Seeds of Life - The Whole Things Pt. 1 - Sedgrick
The Gaturs - Hunk of Funk - Gatur
Chuck Carbo - Can I Be Your Squeeze? - Fireball
Hank Ballard - How You Gonna Get Respect (When You Haven't Cut Your Process Yet?) - King
Hank & Claude Carbo - Fox In A Miniskirt - Castle Records
Joe Tex - You're Right, Ray Charles - Dial
Jay Dee Bryant - Get It - Enjoy
G.L. Crockett - Watch My 32 - 4 Brothers
Eddie Bo - Hook and Sling Pt. 1 - Scram
Marvelle & The Blue Mats - The Dance Called The Motion - Dynamic Sound Records
Roy Ward - Horse With A Freeze Pt. 3 - Seven B
Obie Plenty - Beef Stew - Verve
The Moon People - Land of Love - Speed
Lee Dorsey - Give It Up - Amy
Professor Longhair - Big Chief Pt. 1 - Watch
Irma Thomas - We Won't Be In Your Way Anymore - Canyon
Oliver Morgan - The La La Man - Seven B
The Dapps ft. Alfred Ellis - There Was a Time - King
The Endeavors - I Know You Don't Want Me - Stop
The Meters - Ease Back - Josie
Solomon Burke - Get Out My Life Woman - Atlantic
Dyke and The Blazers - Let a Woman be a Woman - Original Sound
Gunga Din - Crabcakes - Valise

********** THE LINK FOR THIS HAS BEEN FIXED. HAD A LITTLE BANDWITH ISSUE ************

...you wouldn't have made my tears fall like drops of rain.

2010-08-16T18:02:00.000-07:00

The sky broke over New York City this evening and the rains came down. A lethargic fog settled in over the city today giving the untamable metropolis a subdued quality. I enjoy rainy late-summer days like today, they allow me to take a moment to slow down (it also helps that I had the day off) and enjoy life at a somewhat slower pace.

Since everything has to relate to music for me, or else I might not be able to function on a comprehensible level, I went into my collection looking for something to match the mood of the day. Here's what I found: Big Maybelle's "I Don't Want to Cry."

Big Maybelle was born Mabel Louise Smith in Jackson, TN. She recorded for King, O'Keh, Savoy, Chess, RoJac, and Brunswick. With a discography spanning from the late forties up until the early seventies (she passed away in 1972) Big Maybelle dipped her fingers into gospel, blues, soul, and funk.

The slow ballad arrangement on this track is definitely exceptional. The horn arrangements are so good, perfect even, as they drag along with a somber feeling. The piano is simple but works so well to give you the feeling of rain drops falling. But what's the most splendid thing about the track, like all of Big Maybelle's tracks, is her voice. Have you ever heard a voice so rich and robust? It's simply unforgettable and heart-wrenching. It's hard to say that I can think of many other voices as tremendous as hers.

Hope y'all dig it.

Funky Fridays: Edd Henry - "Two Heads Are Better Than One" b/w "Soul Socking Time Baby

2010-08-13T16:33:00.000-07:00

Hello to all my friends out there. On this lovely August Friday I'm bringing you a seriously cool funk two-sider to punctuate your week with. It's not often you find a 45 with two equally hot sides so instead of making the choice to showcase one I'm doing both!

Edd Henry is a somewhat mysterious character to me. I know that he was/is from Detroit and was working outside the Motown circle. He's got a handful of singles popular in the Northern Soul scene, particularly the monstrous tune "Crooked Woman." Other than those facts I can't really find much biographical information about him.

The A-Side, "Two Heads Are Better Than One," is super groove heavy track with some killer horn arrangements. If you notice on the label the track features a "taste of Memphis funk." That, my friends, is referring to Jo Bridges who shares songwriting credits on the tune. Jo Bridges was a late-era Stax writer who was responsible for co-penning some of Rufus Thomas' funkiest tracks. Also more recently Bridges wrote a hit song, "Teenage Love Affair," for Alicia Keys. That taste of Memphis funk makes this tune a truly killer funk tune.

The B-Side features a track titled "Soul Socking Time Baby (SSTB)," which is noticeably different from the A-side. That's probably due to the fact that Jo Bridges is not featured on this side. It's slightly more gritty, the guitar tone and riff in particular. Also the use of bongos makes the song just that much more killer. I'm not sure but I might be leaning more towards this track for my favorite but make no mistake both are exceptional lessons in groovy funk. What I actually like the most about this song is the inspirational message in the lyrics. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing I love more than a silly dance craze or lyrics with comedic value but I also enjoy a thought-provoking set of lyrics. My favorite line is "Soul is love and faith within yourself that you got for your fellow man," I think that is such a poignant definition of what Soul can represent.

Y'all enjoy your weekends, much love.

"Two Heads Are Better Than One"

"Soul Socking Time Baby (SSTB)"

Let yo'self be free, give all your love to me.

2010-08-11T19:17:00.000-07:00

Here's a very slick number from Bill Johnson on the Jocida label. Bill Johnson comes from the duo, Sam and BIll. This is one of his few solo sides. From what I can tell there are only two other releases on Jocida. Whatever the story is the song is killer.

It's the kind of song you except to hear in a smoke filled dive bar just before a fight, or a dance, or something dramatic is about to happen. Bill's smooth vocals are pretty reserved until he belts out a soulful scream at the end of the song. I love the piano in this song, it carries the tune along quit nicely.

Hope ya dig it. Let me know if you have more info about this record.

Post swap: Ana from The Singing Bones!

2010-08-10T09:07:00.000-07:00

Today Ana from The Singing Bones and I are swapping posts, here's what she has to say:

I'm in New York! [not really]. Joe and I just thought it would be fun to switch places today.

I consider NYC to be my third home. I went to school there, lived one street south of 125th on the west side. Absolutely, the city broadened my horizons, but ya know at the same time, parts of it really did feel like home. I doubt most folks know this, but there's an inner city New Orleans accent which sounds quite a lot like Brooklynese.

Anyway, I meant to post a "New York record" today, but truth is, I had a hard time finding exactly what I wanted. So, instead I've got something on a Chicago label. Make sense? I didn't think so.

Although this 45 is credited solely to Wylie Dixon, it's actually the first recording by the duo Simtec & Wylie.....issued a year before the partnership 'officially' began.

These guys are totally fascinating. Wylie Dixon came from a hard-core gospel background [the Highway QC's!!!] and then formed a band called Wylie Dixon and The Big Wheels [which included James Carr!!!].

Simtec Simmons was a pioneer of the drum machine, putting out records under the names, Simtec and The Mechanical Monster, and...Computer and The Little Fooler [probably my fave band name ever].

Together, Dixon and Simmons formed a great Sam and Dave type duo, ultimately issuing 10 or 12 singles and an album. And then, when they broke up, the band continued on as the great, Southside Movement [!!!].

Seriously, it's like you can't buy anything associated with these artists, together or separately, that isn't, at the least, very very interesting.

Enjoy

Make sure you head over to Ana's blog, The Singing Bones, to check out the my post as well as all the killer tunes she has to offer.

I can't stop, what about you baby?

2010-08-05T21:20:00.000-07:00

I'm not feeling completely up to the weather so I'm going to keep it brief today. Here goes...

I found this recently at one of my local digging spots in a pile tucked away that was obviously a stack of records someone was contemplating buying but ultimately decided not to. Sucks for them... All the record needed was a little cleaning and love and I got it sound pretty damn good, and considering it was a measly quarter. Now for some info on the group.

The Notations: group from Chicago featuring Clifford Curry. "I Can't Stop:" killer upbeat number with smooth as hell guitars and stellar horn lines. I love the horns on this one. Dig this track, friends!

Baby, I've given you everything I've had to give and now I'm gonna live.

2010-08-02T05:47:00.000-07:00

I was holding on to this one for a rainy day, or until a moment in time that felt appropriate. Well that moment is upon us friends! In honor of Dean Parrish's upcoming Brooklyn performance at Southpaw I'm posting one of the most tremendous Northern Soul anthems I've ever heard: "I'm On My Way" by the one and only Mr. Parrish.

This is one of those soul songs that is so grandiose that it literally takes ten or fifteen listens to even begin to comprehend how massive of a song it really is. Another song, for example, is Frank Wilson's "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)." These kinds of songs to me represent the perfection of class and style, they recall a time when being a performer meant actually possessing a respectable talent.

"I'm On My Way" is too impressive to properly describe with words so it's best to just listen, on repeat, until you find yourself shouting the words at the top of your lungs. I hope you enjoy this one because it's definitely one of my favorites. Also, check out the flyer I'm posting at the bottom of the post for Dean Parrish's upcoming show and if you live in New York definitely come out.

Funky Fridays: G.L. Crockett - "Watch My 32"

2010-07-30T19:38:00.000-07:00

It's the end of the work week, for most at least, and we all need to get just a tiny bit funky to prepare for the weekend. I'm bringing you a ominous little slab of funk that I picked up in NoLA (thanks NoLA). The artist is G.L. Crockett, short lived singer whose discography spans just four 45s. The song is "Watch My 32," a promissory message from Crockett that you better not forget about him and his 32. The lyrics are an explicit response to some of his contemporaries: J.R. Walker and The Sharpees.

This song is so damn killer and I don't understand how it isn't talked about more frequently and why it doesn't really go for any serious dollars. The song literally starts out with a blast, immediately you're shot in the head with the drums and a blaring sax solo. The guitar immediately falls in with a staccato-laden riff that is nothing short of hypnotizing, this continues as the song evolves around the riff all the while G.L. croons his cautionary note to watch your back. There's a haunting quality to G.L.'s voice that hovers of the song like a ghost. I'm a huge fan of this one and I hope y'all can dig it too. Enjoy the week and I'll be back soon with some more jams.

Please tell me so before I go crazy

2010-07-28T19:01:00.000-07:00

Hello mis amigos, como estan? Been meaning to post this one for a while now. I'm trying to keep the posts regular and quality so I hope you're all following me here. If you dig what I'm doing on here please feel free to drop a comment or subscribe to the blog.

Here's a cut from Little Jerry Williams aka Jerry Williams aka Swamp Dogg coming straight out of 1966 on Calla. It's a nice little Northern Soul heater. I really dig how the chord progressions in the verses are ascending and the bridge and choruses descend, it creates a nice little bit of dynamic tension in the song. The horn charts in the bridge are kind of somber sounding and at times the song seems a little melancholic. Some nice guitar work going on in there too if you pay attention.

Hope you guys enjoy it, be well.

Two-for-Tuesday: Two Covers- from Truman Thomas

2010-07-27T07:48:00.000-07:00

Like the aliteration in today's title? Me too. First thing's first, this post goes out to my buddy Kevin who is so graciously allowing my woman and I to steal his newly set up internets. Also I got the scanner workin' so I can continue providing you with tasty scans of the labels.

Today's post brings you two superb covers done by organist expert Truman Thomas. According to Mr. Funky16Corners Thomas is a Texas native who got his start playing in Jackie Wilson's band and eventually set off on his own to drop some great funky sides.

I bought this record because I'm always intrigued when I find a song that intersects two unlikely genres/artists (i.e. a soul player covering a rock song and vice versa). With The Band being one of my all time favorites I found it absolutely necessary to own this record. The Band themselves crossed over and combined so many different genres and styles of music, hell they even wrote a couple straight up funk songs, "Up On Cripple Creek" and "King Harvest (Has Surely Come)" just to name two. Thomas' cover of "The Weight" is just such an awesome take on the song. It has everything you could ask for: electric piano, organ, blazing-treble-induced guitar work that would make Robbie Robertson sweat a little bit, some blaring horns for good measure, and very tastefully implement soul-sister backups to compliment Truman's work on the keys. I'm in love with this version.

The second cover is less surprising, a fantastic version of Edwin Starr's "Twenty-Five Miles." Thomas' version stays pretty close to the original with the only major difference of the substitution of Starr's vocals for Thomas' blazing work on the organ. He definitely shows his chops on this one and it makes for an excellent version of the song. Again, I like the tasteful use of backup singers to accent Thomas' playing and to keep a little something of the original in the cover. Two great tracks.

Be good my friends.

Truman Thomas - "The Weight"

Truman Thomas - "Twenty-Five Miles"

Two-for-Tuesday: Bobby Moore & The Rhythm Aces featuring Chico - "Try My Love" & "Go Ahead and Burn"

2010-07-20T11:00:00.000-07:00

First off I went to express my deep grief upon hearing the news regarding the loss of original Big Star bassist Andy Hummel, and only four months after Alex Chilton passed away. Big Star's influence over rock and roll often goes unspoken but it's undeniably substantial. The band's influence on my life has been larger and more important than any other single musician or band. Another terrible loss.

On a more upbeat (literally) note I'm bringing you two smokin' tunes coming straight out of 1966 from Bobby Moore & The Rhythm Aces featuring Chico. The group released a plethora of quality singles, with "Hey Mr DJ" often being considered the pinnacle of their discography. I beg to differ though as I present you with today's two-sider with the tracks "Try My Love Again" and "Go Ahead and Burn."

I don't care what you tell me, "Try My Love Again" is a reggae song. Everything about the track boasts the characteristics of mid-to-late 60's reggae, the only difference is Bobby Moore & The Rhythm Aces were from Georgia and not Jamaica. I happen to think this is an outstanding tune and could have probably fit somewhere on "The Harder They Come" soundtrack. I love the completely off beat drums at a minute into the track. Great tune

The other side is just as killer. A very funky dance track called "Go Ahead and Burn." The song churns about in a slow and smokey way with very minimal instrumentation and vocals. This two-sider is a great example of the band's ability to slip in-and-out of different styles while still maintaining a vibe that's all their own.

"Try My Love Again"

"Go Ahead and Burn"

Jay Berliner - "Stickball"

2010-07-18T20:30:00.000-07:00

Hello all! It's still hot and disgusting in New York today so today's post is for all my fellow men and women who've been suffering through the stifling heat of the city. Hopefully you have some way to stay cool, or if not you've enjoyed yourself a nice cool beverage, a beer preferably, and found a slight reprieve from sweating like a dog.

Days like yesterday (I meant to post this yesterday but the stolen internet would not cooperate) fulfill my romanticized idea of what summer in the big city should be like: kids busting open hydrants and getting into other forms of mischief, ice cream men making their rounds peddling their cool treats, loud raucous music blasting from cars and apartment windows, and pickup games of basketball, baseball, and stickball. I have the perfect song for these days: Jay Berliner's "Stickball." If anyone would be able to create a song to provide a soundtrack of sorts for days like this it's Jay Berliner. Brooklyn native and guitarist extraordinaire. This track oozes and sweats tough swagger. The guitar tone on this song is killer and Berliner's playing is phenomenal. He totally rips it apart on this one. I don't know what's up with that bit reduction effect towards the end of the song but it works really well. Totally funky track to compliment the totally funky heat of the summer.

What's even cooler about this very particular copy is that it's marked with a sharpie with the name "Flowers." Flowers stands for Grandmaster Flowers, Brooklyn native and very early and influential pioneer of Hip-Hop. Google the name and see what comes up, the man practically gave birth to DJ culture and is often credited as one of the first DJ's to create mixes by playing different records sequentially effectively giving birth to the mix as we know it today. He opened for James Brown at Yankee Stadium and often threw block parties on the streets of Brooklyn where he would spin records, like the one today, and provide a killer soundtrack to some summer bashes. I have a handful of 45s that belonged to him and I love the history correlated with them in addition to the original music. Here's a live recording of a mix that Grandmaster Flowers did in 1979. Hope y'all dig the tune and the history.

You turned a breeze into a hurricane.

2010-07-15T19:38:00.002-07:00

I think we need to cool things down in here (and in NYC) after the other day's post. I have just the thing: a funky tune from Chicago's Ruby Andrews called "You Ole Boo Boo You." Out of all the 45's I have of Andrews this track is my favorite. This one was released later in her career, in '71 I believe, and is without a doubt the best representation of her talent as a singer. The track is a lot funkier than her earlier releases, some of which are Northern Soul favorites.

The music backing Andrews has some serious swagger, it's just plain badass. At first I though that horn accenting on the chorus was a sax but I'm 99% sure it's a harmonica. It has to be. I love the fact that a harmonica was implemented on such a funky tune, it adds a slight bluesy vibe to the song that takes it to an even higher level of badassness. I definitely dig this one, hope ya'll do too.

Back with a serious bang: Marvelle & The Blue Mats "The Dance Called The Motion"

2010-07-12T18:16:00.001-07:00

I'm back, kind of at least. Still working on getting the apartment together between working two jobs and trying to continue my lifestyle as a man of leisure at least part time. I've rigged it so I can temporarily make posts using stolen internet from a unknown and generous neighbor of mine and unfortunately I've been forced to revert back to using the camera on my computer to take pictures of the records until I get a scanner rigged. Most importantly though my method of converting records to mp3s is the same and excellent as always.

I'm coming back with a serious heater. This track isn't any particularly un-charted territory and a quick google search will reveal a handful of blogs, forums and mixes featuring the track. All that doesn't change how out of control the song is. There are funk songs that make you want to dance and then there are funk songs that make you want to dance so hard you bust through the floor, this happens to be one of those. The song starts with a monster drum break and a exuberant count from Marvelle until it explodes into a tremendous groove lead by a genius sax line. The sax solo mid way through the song is amazing and the drummer playing like crazy on the ride cymbal, so damn awesome. The record consistently fetches some serious dough on eBay, lucky for me I found this copy, which other than the label is in absolutely dead mint condition, for real real cheap while in New Orleans. Hope ya'll dig this one.

America, sweet America.

2010-07-04T11:57:00.000-07:00

Here's a post to tithe you over until I get settled into the apartment. The move is coming along decently. I've also been reminded of how much moving all of your stuff sucks, it's probably my least favorite thing to do. Anyway, I should be up and running soon enough with lots and lots of amazing records from my trip to New Orleans.

Here's one from Ray Charles today in honor of my country's independence. Beautiful song, beautiful country, and a beautiful day. Light some fireworks and drink some beer.

And we gonna second line, we gonna have a good time time time.

2010-06-20T18:46:00.000-07:00

Goin' to New Orleans, BRB. Sadly I regret to inform you there will probably be no posts for another week and possibly up to two weeks. I'm taking a trip to NoLA and then moving my girlfriend's stuff as well as my own into our new apartment in Bushwick. Things will be a little hectic for a bit. Good news is I plan on procuring tons and tons of records in New Orleans and Richmond, most of which will sooner or later make it to this blog for all y'alls listening pleasure.

In honor of my journey I bring you two sides from an Earl King cut that I happen to absolutely love. According to The Singing Bones these songs were from a session that involved Earl, Allen Toussaint and The Meters (how's that for some a-game shit). The session was originally slated to go to LP but wound up being ditched with only a handful of singles ever being released. Fortunately this is one of them. These should do the trick and compel you to clap your hands and dance like an uninhibited maniac. Zigaboo's drumming alone, whoooooooooooooooo hot damn. Hope y'all like these two and I'll catch you when I return and I shall return.

Earl King - Street Parade Pt. 1

Earl King - Street Parade Pt. 2

A good woman yeah, to stand by my side.

2010-06-16T19:42:00.000-07:00

I feel slightly embarrassed that I've yet to feature any PENN-OLDHAM tunes on here. I've been kind of avoiding it because all the ones I love seem obvious at times and although I'm not trying to be obscure for the sake of any kind of pretentiousness I just prefer to feature songs that are less accesible.

For those who aren't familiar with who Dan Penn and Spencer Oldham are it's very likely you're familiar with some of the songs they've written. The songwriting duo are responsible for some of the most exemplary songs in the American pop music songbook, some which include but are certainly not limited to: "Dark End of the Street" (actually Chips Moman and Penn but I'm including anything that one or the other or both have credit for), "Do Right Woman" (again Moman & Penn), "Cry Like a Baby," and "I'm Your Puppet" just to name a couple. The two, collectively and individually, helped define the Muscle Shoals sound and to me represent the absolute best in American Soul music, hell the studio they did their best work in was Chip Moman's American Sound Studio in Memphis.

Spencer Wiggins seems to have been lost for the most part in the flurry of Memphis singers during the golden age. Comparatively you don't hear his name too often despite his capabilities as a singer that are equal to or rival the best of his contemporaries. This song is a perfect example. Even in the year of its release, 1967, it failed to make charts although Laura Lee's version on Chess hit the charts as well as Solomon Burke's. His performance is just as good as any James Carr had to offer and yet somehow his name has been lost over the years.

I hope ya'll like this one.

Black Gold Presents: FIlthy Funky Broadway Mix!!!

2010-06-14T17:19:00.000-07:00

Arthur Conley - Funky Street - ATCO
Lee Dorsey - Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley - Polydor
Dyke and The Blazers - Funky Broadway Part 1 - Original Sound
The Bar-Kays - Copy Kat - Volt
Bobby Byrd - Never Get Enough - Brownstone
Joe Tex - Cat's Got Her Tongue - Dial
The Da-Kars - Shot In The Dark - Josie
The Dapps featuring Alfred Ellis - There Was A Time - King
Milton Marlon - Here I Yam - Soul-Po-Tion Records
Lonnie Youngblood - African Twist Part 1 - Loma
Wilson Pickett - Funky Factory - Atlantic
The Maskman & The Agents - One Eye Open - Dynamo
Lou Courtney - Rubber Neckin' (Chick Check'N) - Verve

Alright so I've missed posts the past couple days but only because I've been occupied with work and gearin' up for my trip to New Orleans. I've also been working on this mix or at least compiling in my head songs I want to put together as well as a loosely defined concept, "Filthy Funky Broadway" which is basically just some low-down dirty raw funk tunes. I also recently received an invitation to guest DJ at the weekly Lost and Found Soul/Funk night @ Savalas in Brooklyn so this mix is kind of an exercise for that even though that isn't happening until August 17th. If you're in the NY area and don't have anything to do on a tuesday night y'all should come.

Arthur Conley was Otis Redding's protege of sorts, Otis wrote and produced a handful of his material and even started a label (Jotis) where he released a couple of Arthur's 45s. This has got to be the funkiest of all his songs.

Next up is an amazing Lee Dorsey track with a KILLER drum break intro. The song is written and produced by Allen Toussaint and there's no way in hell the backing band is anyone but The Meters. That's a recipe for some tasty New Orleans funk.

The following track is a lowdown funk tune by Dyke and The Blazers which according to wikipedia maybe the first funk single with the actual word "Funky" in the title, an accolade well deserved. The concept for the mix comes from a lyric in this track.

"Soul Finger"? Nah, "Copy Kat". I much prefer this tune to The Bar-Kays more known hit. Both songs feature little kids yelling and screaming, a concept that I think works well especially with "Copy Kat" which has a more aggressive sound.

Bobby Byrd will probably always be known as James Brown's right hand man for the majority of his career but he certainly was no second fiddle. This track is a perfect example of a killer exercise in JamesBrownian funk. Byrd kills it on this one.

I honestly laugh on occasion at Joe Tex's infusion of ridiculous theatrics in his songs, this one cracks me up the most, right next to the song "Looking For My Pig." Don't get it wrong though, even though the little kitten noises he makes are hilarious and the lyrics are hysterical the song is killer with some SERIOUS drum breaks.

I don't know much about this band, The Da-Kars. I bought the record because it was on Josie and the A-side is a cover of "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay." I was seriously happy when I heard the B-Side, a tight-knit funk track with amazing horn lines.

"There Was a Time" is without a doubt one of my favorite JB related tunes. The energy of this track is basically unmatched by any other JB tracks. That first drum count of each measure with the bass drum slammin' so hard is one of the heaviest things ever and Pee Wee Ellis playing his ass off the entire song knocks you right down. Who plays drums on this one? Anyone know?

I didn't know who Milton Marlin was when I bought this one and I still don't. I do know that the song is called "Here I Yam" and its credit goes to Bobby Marchan and it was released in 1972, all three of those clues informed me that this is probably going to be something funky. I was correct.

I'll pretty much buy any 45 when the A-side is "Something blah blah Part 1" and the B-side is "Something blah blah Part 2." It's almost always a sure bet and 99.9% of the time you'll get something killer. This one is no exception to that rule. I have a couple of Lonnie Youngblood records but none are as funky as this one. "Swahili," I love it.

I don't think there's any era of Wilson Pickett's career that I don't actively celebrate. Just when I think I've found ever single he's released I uncover one I don't have. I found this one recently and it instantly became one of my favorites. The fuzz guitar track on the song works so well and the gospel-esque backup singers add a nice little touch.

Love the drum break intro for this track. The Maskman's brand of silly storytelling funk is always enjoyable. The Maskman, Harmon Bethea, wore a Lone Ranger mask when he performed, can't really mess with that.

First of all, I can't hear this song and not be reminded by the bass intro of "The Warning" by Black Sabbath. It's the same bass line and the tone is surprisingly similar. The song rules on that fact alone, that I can make a comparison between Lou Courtney and Sabbath. Lou's career isn't as extensive as his contemporaries but every single track I've ever heard of his is superior to almost all other's doing the same the as him at the same time. The man knew how to create a seriously dirty sounding groove.

Hope ya'll enjoy this mix. PLEASE leave feedback and comments and love or hate and suggestions.

2010-06-09T18:18:00.000-07:00

Recently I've accepted a job in a retail store thus beginning my first delve into the wide world of retail. What is it about people with money who feel they have permission to treat other people like shit? My frustration with these kinds of people stemmed today's post.

Here's two sides from classic Texas garage/proto-punk outfit Kit and The Outlaws. I'm posting both sides because each is equally killer and I couldn't really decide. The A-side is the W. Pickett cover and although singer Jerry Colwell is not even close to duplicating Pickett's vocals they instill a different kind of urgency into an already urgent song. The guitar track is drenched in some classic 60's fuzz and the song is played in youthful zest, probably because it was performed by a group of youths. The B-side, written by Kit, is positively a angst-ridden youth anthem of the highest caliber. Although it's no Cro-Mag's "Don't Tread on Me" it's still a ripper especially considering it was written in the 60's. Instead of giving a history lesson that I don't know too much about I'll just direct you to an extensive well-written one done at garagehangover.com. Enjoy the tunes buds.

"Midnight Hour"

"Don't Tread On Me"

Words have been used to describe the trees.

2010-06-05T19:44:00.000-07:00

Been feelin' a Northern Soul vibe allll day and so I'm just going to go with that instinct and put up a tasty burner.
Today's side is from Northern Soul staple Tommy Hunt. Originally he did time in The Flamingos and then eventually moved onto a pretty extensive solo career with records on Dynamo, Scepter, Atlantic, Capitol, and Polydor throughout the 60's and 70's. He became a huge favorite at the Wigan Casino and accepted into the Northern Soul canon. This one is from 1967 and is sure to get you movin'.

Funky Fridays! Clean up your own backyard, leave mine alone.

2010-06-04T19:38:00.000-07:00

I officially declare Fridays Funky Friday here at Black Gold. I can do that because it's my blog and it's all at my discretion!

Here's one from Leon Haywood, a man with an extremely prolific yet sometimes understated career. This one is in honor of the ridiculously hot day we had in New York City today, which is a sure sign that summer is here. What's indicative of summer? BBQ's. What must you do to prepare for hosting BBQ get togethers? Clean up your yard. Listen to Leon, he knows.

Shout outs to Larry G. @ Funky16corners for mowing his lawn today. If you haven't been to f16c yet then you're missing out. www.funky16corners.com

Viva el verano!

Sometimes it's tough, sometimes it's rough. JB Two-fer Thursday

2010-06-03T18:13:00.000-07:00

There are two sides to the man we know as James Brown: there's his bad as hell funky side and his sweet n' soulful side. With this single piece of plastic we symbolically get the duality of JB. One side is a hard hitting tight-groove funk instrumental, "The Drunk," and the other side is probably one of my all time favorite JB songs and one of the most soulful songs I've heard to date, "A Man Has Got to Go Back to the Crossroads." For me the song is near perfect: the arpeggiated guitar, the subtle and sweet strings, the dynamic shift between the quiet verses and heavy as hell choruses with horns blaring and above all JB's untouchable vocal performance. You should probably question your humanity if this song doesn't affect you even a teeny-tiny bit. I think the philosophy embodied in this ballad applies to the state of mankind collectively now more than ever. Sometimes we need to go back and rethink where we've been to figure out where we are going.
I got this record from a chill dude in Richmond named Lenny aka Chew La Rock, he's hooked me up a couple times so he deserves a shout out.

"A Man Has Got to Go Back to the Crossroads"

"The Drunk"

In other words, darling I love ya

2010-06-02T18:48:00.000-07:00

It's a beautiful night and the feeling of the impending summer affects the air. I'm tired so I don't really have much to say. This might be an "obvious" song but nonetheless a soulful one. There are a few reasons why I love this record: 1) both sides A & B are equally killer, 2) this song was recorded by Chips Moman which means it was recorded at American Sound Studio (responsible for some of my all time favorite songs, 3) The organ on the track (duh), 4) Bobby KILLS it on this one from his debut solo LP. Check it out, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

p.s. Sorry for the quality. The record was a quarter, what the hell else can you buy for a quarter.

It's a groovy groovy thing, the call of the wild

2010-06-01T17:57:00.000-07:00

Been sittin' on this one for minute. I picked this up just based on the fact it's arranged and produced by Allen Toussaint and the song shares its name with one of my favorite books, I had no idea who Dan Patrick was when I purchased the record for $3.00. The reason for not putting this song up sooner is because I was trying to find some, any, information on who Dan Patrick was or is. I turned up absolutely nothing. No copies of the record have turned up on eBay since I purchased this one, no blogs (as far as I know) have ever featured this track, and there is absolutely no information about the record other than it was released in 1967. I wish I knew more because this song rips so unbelievably hard. Kind of odd for a Toussaint production, no? If any of my readers (do I have readers?) have some leads please post 'em up.

Goodbye baby, I hope to see you again.

2010-05-31T07:26:00.000-07:00

In honor of Memorial Day I dedicate today's post to all veterans and active members of the military. Both of my grandfathers served in WWII, my great grandfather in WWI, my cousin in Iraq, and my best bud during peacetime. All share one thing in common along with everyone else that has ever served this country: sacrifice. Those who gave their lives: ultimate sacrifice. I don't glorify or condone war or violence but I do however understand it as somewhat of a "necessary evil" and I respect those people who were/are willing to give what they've got to defend Truth. Even if their government isn't always a practitioner of Truth the concept of it and everything it represents never changes.

The track today is a cover of The Valadiers - "Greetings (This Is Uncle Sam)" done superbly by The Monitors. I happen to think this song is pure genius. An amazing take on the love ballad. The "Hut. Two, three, four" vocal harmonies are ridiculously creative as well as the drill sergent chewing someone out. Even though it seems like just a pop song it expresses sacrifice, something that anyone that has served the country experienced. I apologize in advance for the pops in the beginning, they go away after a bit.

Also I leave you with one of my favorite war/war memorial poems:

"Facing It" by Yusef Komunyakaa

My black face fades,
hiding inside the black granite.
I said I wouldn't,
dammit: No tears.
I'm stone. I'm flesh.
My clouded reflection eyes me
like a bird of prey, the profile of night
slanted against morning. I turn
this way--the stone lets me go.
I turn that way--I'm inside
the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
again, depending on the light
to make a difference.
I go down the 58,022 names,
half-expecting to find
my own in letters like smoke.
I touch the name Andrew Johnson;
I see the booby trap's white flash.
Names shimmer on a woman's blouse
but when she walks away
the names stay on the wall.
Brushstrokes flash, a red bird's
wings cutting across my stare.
The sky. A plane in the sky.
A white vet's image floats
closer to me, then his pale eyes
look through mine. I'm a window.
He's lost his right arm
inside the stone. In the black mirror
a woman's trying to erase names:
No, she's brushing a boy's hair.

Should I pass on by?

2010-05-30T16:44:00.000-07:00

In approximately three weeks I will be embarking on a trip to the big bad and mighty city of New Orleans. Last year I made a sort of pilgrimage to Memphis and it turned out to be a highly influential and inspirational trip, ultimately changing the way I contextualize my country's history in the present. I learned to stop looking at history, and monumental historical events, as an abstract thing far removed from the present world I live in and started to understand the history (I'm defining history as all encompassing here and not just limited to important moments in time that shaped our nation) as a constant thing that is simultaneously in the past as well as existing in the present. Does that make sense? Probably not but It does to me. Enough with the philosophical digression--I'm going to fucking New Orleans and I'm stoked. I plan to dig for records, eat everything in sight (excluding mutant BP-seafood) and absorb every little bit of the culture, both "touristy" and "authentic," as I possibly can. I hope the trip is as monumental as my Memphis trip.

In honor of my upcoming trip I bring you a delicious little treat by one of NoLA's most profound characters: Eddie Bo aka Edwin Bocage. I absolutely love this tune for it's sweet composition and Inell's desperate vocal performance. She absolutely kills it on this one. And tell me you're not losing it when the organ subtly comes in at around 1:28 and just kind of dances around for the remainder of the song. Stellar track. In an interview with Eddie Bo from Issue 08 of Wax Poetics he is quoted as saying, "But this girl was dangerous, Inell Young. I didn't find out what she was doing until late, late in the game. I didn't know. She drugged herself out. I had no idea. She passed on before James." One gets the idea that her talent was certainly never fully realized but we can catch a glimpse at her soul and where it may have lead her with this track.

I never laugh when jokes are told

2010-05-28T17:04:00.000-07:00

I'm now in the process of retroactively going through records I've bought within the past couple months and giving them really good listens. I found this one in my boxes today when I was filing away other, newer, purchases and I couldn't believe it slipped past me.

I really can't find much info on Jerry Jackson other than he has a fairly stout selection of Northern Soul sides, some of which go for some serious loot (I got this for a dollar but I'm not really sure what it goes for since no copies have popped up on CF, eBay, or popsike). If anyone could provide some more substantial information on Mr. Jackson please leave it in a comment.

Anyway, this song rips really hard. It's definitely rooted in a classic No. Soul sound but there is some funky elements creeping in: a raw sounding production, lots of abrupt stops and starts, and some pretty funky sounding drums. I love this one, hope ya'll enjoy it.

You know it hurts to lose

2010-05-24T18:35:00.000-07:00

I picked this up during a recent trip to Richmond along with a massive amount of quality quality stuff, which I've only gone through about a quarter of at this point. This is my favorite out of what I have gone through already and I felt the need to digitize and put up on the interwebs.

Sterling Harrison is actually a Richmond native who moved to NYC at some point. Although never gaining any major commercial success he released a handful of 45s and an LP that fetches some serious digits. This being the only piece of his output I have/have heard I'm definitely a fan based on it. It's a seriously smooth funk track with some delicious Hammond B3 that carries the rhythm quite well. The backup singers are solid. The guitar is twangy and raucous. Finally, Harrison's voice tops it all off with his blend of soulful, and at times raspy, vocals. It's a solid tune. The song is credited to Joe Richardson who played guitar in The Shirelles, if it's the same Joe Richardson. Pretty sweet. Hope you enjoy.

My papa says I look like a fool!

2010-05-22T06:14:00.000-07:00

An epic event is occurring next week: I'm graduating from college. Now I won't say exactly how long I've been working on obtaining a bachelors but I graduated from high school seven years ago so that may give you a rough idea. What are my plans following graduation? To continue working on this blog, work full time and in one years time I will attend graduate school to get an MFA in creative writing. Do I feel any different knowing that I'm receiving an official document stating that I'm a learn-ed man? No. But according to Solomon Burke that's ok!

Today I give you a rippin' little number from Big Sol that starts with a nice Gospel call and response and then breaks into a energetic blast that last less than two minutes. Come on everyone, do the stupidity with me!

Brother, come here quick-quick-bring that funky lickin' stick.

2010-05-12T19:02:00.000-07:00

James Baldwin once said in his essay "Many Thousands Gone" from Notes of a Native Son, "It is only in his music, which Americans are able to admire because a protective sentimentality limits their understanding of it, that the Negro in America has been able to tell his story. It is a story which has yet to be told and which no American is prepared to hear."
Well sometimes music has the incredible power to pervade our "protective sentimentality" and sometimes music is the best and most universally understood way of telling a story: stories of love, heartbreak, violence, hate, and despair. All music is a story in one way or another: the most obvious is storytelling through lyrics. Sometimes lyrics are unnecessary and the best way to tell a story is via pure visceral expression through an instrument.

Today's post I bring you a song from Maceo Parker's LP on People titled "Us!!" First some quick biographical information. Maceo was James Brown's go to sax player and played on nearly every major hit he released through the mid to late 60's. He has also played with Parliament and Prince: quite a resume. The song I bring you today is from his second solo record released in '74 on People. I'm just going to let this one speak for yourself and hope that it affects you as deeply as it does to me.

Record Karma

2010-05-11T11:53:00.001-07:00

A little while ago I was digging through a few boxes of 45s at a local flea market. I was pulling quality stuff out of every box. While on my second or third box I noticed two notoriously shameless characters hovering over me: the grandpa and grandson, as I call them. I've seen the two of them before at some local record fairs, the grandfather makes the kid dig through tons and tons of records while "teaching" him about labels and artists although he's not really teaching him anything because the kid is obviously disinterested in a stack of dusty old pieces of plastics. I'm all for teaching the young ones about quality music but forcing them to slave in boxes of records for you is a different story but I digress, proper parenting (or grandparenting) is not in my interests today. Although they've never done anything to me personally, other than hog up rows and rows of 45s without letting anyone else get in, I still found them annoying. This all changed the day I I was digging at the flea market when the kid reached into the box I was digging in and pulled out a stack to flip through and in the process pulled out a couple Bobby Byrd 45s on Brownstone, ones I've been looking for. Him being a kid and probably not understanding record etiquette I didn't say anything. I was pretty annoyed and frustrated but I just moved onto the next box and pulled this out in the first stack I picked up:

I think that's a pretty safe example of record karma. Practice fair digging techniques and the vinyl gods will be kind to you.

Anyway, this song has been covered by tons of blogs already (Funky16Corners being the biggest advocate of the record) so I don't really have much to say about the song that hasn't been said already. Regardless it's still the most rippin'-out-of-fucking-control funk tunes there is.

For all the mamas!

2010-05-09T08:08:00.000-07:00

I'll seize any chance for a topical post and with today being Mothers Day I'm bring two jams for all the madres. Patriarchal society? Nah, lets celebrate all the matriarchs because it's from them we learn to be loving, strong, good people.

John as a boy with his mummy Julia.

First up is the gut wrenchingly regretful "Mother" by John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. It's no secret that John struggled with the loss of his mother and often channeled his inner conflict through his music: this song being the most confrontational and honest. The elegiac nature of this song is enough to make anyone want to go give their mother, and/or father, a big hug.

Next up is a tune written by Curtis Mayfield that applies the old adage "Mother knows best" to a slow and smooooth pop number. Jan Bradley had a slew of releases on Chess, although I think due to contractual restrictions was only able to work with Curtis for a handful of singles. She now resides in Chicago and is a mother and grandmother. Much respect to strong women like Jan.

Ayúdame! Cash McCall - "S.O.S."

2010-04-29T07:46:00.000-07:00

Yo necisito trabajo. I need help finding a job since my job search has produced not one single call back. Anyone in the New York City area know of some jobs, any job, please get in touch!

The song I bring you today is another man's (Cash McCall) desperation in the form of a powerful Soul/Gospel ballad. The music and composition is exemplary, featuring a rolling guitar riff, some sweet organ, and horns that build gradually until punctuating the song with an amazing horn line. The highlight is Cash's vocals which are mostly a Gosepl-esque spoken word style with a few soulful screams interspersed. You can taste the despair in his voice when he souls out words and phrases. Amazing stuff.

I can't find too much info on Cash other than he lived in Chicago and did some time in the Gospel Soulbirds, which apparently featured Otis Clay as well, and had a single on One-derful called "Earth Worm." Eventually he became a session guitarist at Chess, which is when this single came out. He had an LP on Paula in '73 called "Omega." That's an oversimplified version of this man's life and it's best to just let the song do the talking...

Dave "Baby" Cortez - (Do It) The Funky Dance

2010-04-20T16:11:00.001-07:00

Found this digging around and bought it expecting a tune similar to "Baby's" other body of work, "The Happy Organ Song" and "Rinky Dink," which were both pretty big hits when they dropped. This track is a whole different ball game compared to his earlier tunes, it possesses a deeeeeeep groove and funky rhythm that is very different from the other tunes. Dave is known mostly for his organ abilities and this song is no different in that regard but that's where the similarities end. The song is so laid back and so chill, I can't help but picture some Cholo dudes rolling through chicago in a '65 Impala. Enjoy the song and nice weather (if you're in NY).

Percy Sledge "Too Many Rivers to Cross (Jimmy Cliff)"

2010-04-18T18:26:00.000-07:00

Just got back from a digging mission/helping girlfriend move mission in Richmond, VA. Being that two of my all time favorite record stores are in Richmond it was imperative I did some digging. I came up with the most amount of superb records in the one week I was down there than I have in months. One of the best gems I found is the B-side of the 45 I bring you today, which is Percy Sledge doing a version of Jimmy Cliff's classic "Many River to Cross." Ironically this was the cheapest record I purchase ($1.00) and it is my favorite out of the whole stack I brought back with me. I found it while flipping through some 45's and saw the song title and thought to myself that it couldn't be the same as the Cliff song and then I saw the credit which reads "Jimmy Cliff" and my investigation was finished right then and there. I listened to the entire song on the store's listening turntables. The Jimmy Cliff version is, in my opinion, the best song on theThe Harder They Come soundtrack, which is probably the case because it's more of a soul/gospel song than a reggae song. So we have one of my all time favorite American Soul singers, and more importantly the voice that was responsible for bringing raw unfiltered Black Soul music to White mainstream America (See: "When a Man Loves a Woman") doing a version of a soulful tune written by one of the most prominent Jamaican Reggae musicians who was responsible for bringing Jamaican Reggae and Ska to a larger audience (See; the film and the soundtrack The Harder They Come. You know it has to be good.

P.S. Sorry for the poor picture, my digital camera sucks and the camera on my laptop is actually better (although still shitty)
P.P.S. I know the track is a little noisy but it was only a buck and honestly I would have paid a buck just to know this version existed.

Italian American Soul singer...wut?

2010-04-11T17:07:00.000-07:00

As an Italian American I feel proud to share this with you all. I acquired this killer Dean Parrish 45 in a collection of some Northern Soul bonzers I bought. This is by far my favorite out of that lot of records and has gained consistant spins since it found its way into my boxes. Parrish had a couple of minor hits, this probably being the most minor of them all from information I've gathered, but is noted from having his track "I'm on My Way" to be the last record spun at the Wigan Casino.

The track I have up is "Skate PT. 1." First of all the actual label design for Boom might be my favorite of all time, simple and creative. The track itself is a bomb with a heavy beat, a piano track that moves the song along with a comfortable speed and a bass line that absolutely bounces. The call and response part of the song is my favorite along side the drum breaks. I hope you dig this one. If anyone has any other Dean Parrish 45's they'd be willing to part with please get in touch.

Grab Life by the Horns

2010-04-07T20:26:00.001-07:00

Isaac Hayes and Dave Porter will forever hold a spot in my heart as one of my all time favorite songwriting teams. They've churned out over 200 singles, some of which were monster hits ("Soul Man," "When Somethings Wrong With My Baby," and "B-A-B-Y" just to name a few). I thought I had heard almost every Stax-era Sam and Dave track until I uncovered this scorcher of a B-side the other day while doing a little local digging. This 45, "Born Again" b/w "Get It," was apparently the last single that Hayes and Porter turned out at the Stax studios. Going out with a bang is an understatement here. The song "Get It" has all the marks of a Hayes and Porter classic (memorable horn melodies, jangley guitar rhythms, hard staccato piano line, and Sam and Dave's trademark howls to top it all off). There are a few things that stood out to me on this track: First is the epic horn break in the middle of the song and the ascending build up that follows, it comes out of nowhere but fits perfectly and Second is the completely fuzzed out solo at the end that had to be the work of Hayes. This kind of guitar work is atypical of Hayes and Porter's Stax era work but it completely and totally rips. The track has so much energy, hope you dig it.

Hank Jacobs - So Far Away/Monkey Hips and Rice

2010-02-23T13:33:00.000-08:00

From the crates I bring you this jam. It possesses everything I think epitomizes a perfect rhythm and blues instrumental rager: high energy forward moving beat, an organ that perfectly accents the guitars, absolutely wild piano playing, and of course sparse vocals that are encourage the band to keep it moving. A great track. This is the surprisingly the B-side, that A-side is good but not as good as this one.

2010-02-13T12:13:00.000-08:00

Tired of being forced to listen to an egotistical singer impress his pompous idealism on you while his supporting band gets overshadowed? Well fear not because I've created a new series of mixes titled "Satan's Fingers," which are going to be compilations of some of the greatest instrumental songs ever written. Vol. 1 is geared to inspire you to break a bottle over the next hipster's head you come across. Grab your chains, grab your bats, these are-- Satan's Fingers!!!

1. Motorhead - Instro
2. John Cameron - Motorcycle Mayhem
3. Davie Allan and the Arrows - Apache '65
4. Blues Creation - Brain Buster
5. Link Wray - Deuces Wild
6. Mar-Keys - Bo-Time
7. Booker T and the M.G.s - Green Onions
8. Don Julian and the Larks - Just Tryin' To Make It
9. Eddie Kirk - The Hawg, Part One
10. Meat Puppets - Milo, Sorghum and Maize
11. Gollywogs (CCR) - Instrumental, No. 1
12. Infest - Fetch The Pliers
13. The Zakary Thaks - Face to Face
14. Jack Nitzsche - The Lonely Surfer

Satan's Fingers Vol. 1

With A Little Help From My Friends...

2009-09-20T16:46:00.000-07:00

No, not The Beatles version or the Joe Cocker version popularized by the television series "The Wonder Years." This is the Steve Cropper version. Cropper, for those who don't know, is one of America's greatest unsung heroes. He's mostly known for his work at the infamous Stax studios and his membership in the Stax house band, Booker T and the M.G.s. Cropper however did have a solo record on the Volt label, Stax's imprint, which came out in 1969. The title of the record and the first song on the A-side is a cover of The Beatles hit song "With A Little Help From My Friends," a masterfully written song composed by Lennon and McCartney together. Cropper's version is all instrumental in which his fuzzed out guitar replaces Ringo's vocals and mimics the vocal melody perfectly, a tragic sounding organ, played by Booker T, underlines Cropper's amazing guitar work, and a distinctive Stax sounding horn section just for a little soulful flavor . This version is by far my favorite out of all the vast renditions of The Beatles classic, mainly because Cropper instills something in this already amazing song that The Beatles could only dream of, pure soul and intense desperation. Surprisingly this song, or any other songs from this record, aren't readily available on youtube so I'm making it available. If anyone wants me to rip the rest of the record just let me know and I'll be happy to do so. I hope you enjoy this version as much as I do.

Steve Cropper - "With a Little Help from My Friends"

Iron horse is life

2009-09-09T03:49:00.000-07:00

teenage kicks

2009-08-01T11:43:00.000-07:00

here's some photos we took with some diana cameras, the first three are mine the rest are stephanies.

savage servants!

2009-07-31T16:00:00.001-07:00

Lack OR Expedit?

2009-07-22T18:38:00.000-07:00

So I've finally moved into my bedroom which is basically the size of my old one bedroom apartment. I'm not joking when I say this room is large and in charge. I have a bedroom with a closet, then attached to my room is a large office with a huge walk in closet. The only piece of furniture I haven't decided on is a bookcase.

Here is the situation:
I own lots of comics, and my record collection is growing. I have a pretty large graphic novel/trade collection as well as numerous books in general. I need a lot of space for these items. I also want a fish tank, because I think fish are pretty. My record player is going to have it's own table dedicated to that, but I do have a cd player I'd like to put on my book case.

So......the Lack?

Or the Expedit?

I feel like the Lack is a better idea because there is so much open space.

What do you think?

2009-07-19T11:53:00.000-07:00

Went to Ipanema for dinner last night, got the smoked gouda sandwhich with sweet potato fries. It was killer.

Went to Comfort this morning for brunch. I got the eggs with sausage cheese and tomatoes and some sweet potato hash. Stephanie got the eggs with shallots onions and cheese also with sweet potato hash and we split a side of cheese grits. Easily the best brunch I've ever had. Afterwords we hit up Velocity comics and picked up some rags.

hey dickhead..

2009-07-08T15:49:00.000-07:00

i'm stuck.

i don't ever want to not be having fun.

2009-07-07T15:06:00.000-07:00

'

some instantfilm flicks from a trip out to Montauk earlier this summer.

2009-07-04T09:34:00.001-07:00

America... fuckkk yeaaa

2009-07-03T06:55:00.001-07:00

What America is all about: Capitalism, boobs, and blowing shit up.

2009-07-02T18:36:00.001-07:00

joe has turned this into whiny blog usa, so we're gonna change the pace for a minute.....

MEXICAN FOOD IS SO GOOD. i had a taco, a chicken burrito, rice and beans tonight at Mexico Restaurant with danielle and budon. holy shit, i could eat this stuff everyday for the rest of my life.

i want to know...

2009-07-02T18:20:00.001-07:00

have you ever seen the rain? I HAVE and I wish this shit would end.

just kidding...

2009-06-30T19:05:00.000-07:00

today fucking sucked.

this sums it up:

the sun comes out to play!

2009-06-30T05:05:00.000-07:00

looks like a decent day today, it's about goddamn time...

FINALLY

new contributor to introduce

2009-06-29T20:19:00.000-07:00

i'd like to introduce a new contributor, stephanie d. she's my number one partner in crime, my girl, and my best friend. she also has really good taste in everything so i'm sure she'll have some good stuff to put on here.

also here is a jam by the zombies, grab your baby and hold her tight.

testing testing 1 2 3

2009-06-29T19:21:00.001-07:00

oh hello

country-punk-as-fuck

2009-06-29T16:18:00.000-07:00

gram parsons, total hero.

you can never go fast enough...

2009-06-28T20:03:00.000-07:00

total classic.

Monday Soul - Monkeys Be Damned

2009-04-20T08:44:00.000-07:00

Every Monday I'm going to try and put some some Soul jams in the hopes that they maybe to make the shittiest day of the week a little more enjoyable. Today I have two singles;

The A side of the Sam & Dave jam is an Eddie Floyd/Steve Cropper collabo and it's a killer. The B side ("This Is Your World") is a soulful ballad about man's submission under the tender love of a woman.

Sam & Dave - "You Don't Know What You Mean To Me" b/w "This Is Your World"

The A side of the Joe Tex 45 is a horn-filled, upbeat advisory about importance of a solid foundation in all relationships. The B side is about monkeys... not really. It's about not letting one bad egg spoil the rest. Monkeys be damned.

Joe Tex - "Build Your Love (On A Solid Foundation)" b/w "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show"

Romance From Down Under.

2009-04-19T15:36:00.000-07:00

This was at the request of Timothy Paul, and it's a good one. The Scientists are one of the best things to come out of Australia (see also; The Saints and Victims). The band has a rather extensive catalog of releases, but this one, their first single, is the gold cup winner.

Before I talk about the music I'd like to talk about the sleeve for this record as it is probably my favorite design for cover, and back cover, art. All I can really say is in the form of a question -- have you ever seen anything as fucking cool as this shit?

Onto the music...

A Side includes the song "Frantic Romantic" and there's not much I can really say about this one other than it maybe one of the most well written rock/pop songs in the history of rock. The riff that opens the song seamlessly carries the song to the end. It is honestly one of my favorite riffs ever, it's so simply but unbelievably infectious. The chorus is the perfect manifestation of raging teenage hormones, "I'm a frantic romantic in a romantic world" as Kim Salmon boldly testifies, is something everyone can relate to at some point. The solo in the song sings all on it's own, it fits so flawlessly into the song that it almost seems like another chorus. This song will leave you humming along for days, so good.

B Side is the jam "Shake (Together Tonight)". This song is undeniably punk, it's basically two chords the whole damn but it doesn't matter because the hooks are so damn good. Another primal rock anthem pleading for some hot shaking and if you possess any kind of human spark you'll find yourself tapping along to the song or possibly in an all out dance fest.

I love this record.

The Scientists - "Frantic Romantic" b/w "Shake (Together Tonight)"

Power poppin' pills.

2009-04-16T08:47:00.002-07:00

I picked this record up on a whim during a trip to Double Decker recently. I knew nothing about the band, song or record but there were a few factors that drew me to making the purchase (which I paid I think close to $40 dollars for, although I just saw that this was reissued like a week ago or something oh well); 1. The bright dayglo decidedly 80's looking sleeve, they don't make 'em as obnoxious as this anymore 2. The incredibly cute girl on the cover sporting the microphone (I'm a dude, sue me) and finally 3. A songwriting credit to Paul Collins (The Nerves, The Beat, Paul Collins Beat, and ultimate purveyor of power pop). Luckily this purchase was not in vain as these two songs absolutely rip.

Side A is a teenage girl's lament about wanting a boy to come over because she has "itchy hot pants." Singer Marcy Marcs knows exactly what she wants and she is not afraid to go after it. The music sounds like a Paul Collins jam and like most of his other songs it blazes through in just under 2 minutes. The song has some massive hooks and an infectious vocal melody that'll leave you singing for days

Side B is yet another song where Marcy declares her desire and willingness to commit herself to obtaining what she wants. This jam comes in staccatoed bursts and has some basic punk hooks and riffs, it's not as memorable as the A side but it's definitely up to par and rips just as hard.

Mn'M's - "I'm Tired" b/w "Knock Knock Knock"

All you young lovers out there...

2009-04-14T18:21:00.000-07:00

James Carr may not be as well known as his contemporaries, Solomon Burke and Otis Redding to name a few, his vocal talent has just as much soul as the aforementioned. His first full length record, "You Got My Mind Messed Up", is one of the most sweat filled, soul-packed records and a personal favorite of mine. Although I don't own a copy of the LP, copies go for around $100 dollars usually, I do have a 45 with two songs that are great examples of some of the best Soul music the south had to offer. I picked this up in Memphis and it's received multiple spins, perfect for a sunny spring day.

James Carr - "A Message to Young Lovers" b/w "Life Turned Her That Way" 45

Ladys Love Joe Tex!

2009-04-14T14:04:00.000-07:00

This is the first post, hopefully of many more, so the vinyl rip may not be the best as it's the first time I've done it and I need to do some trial and error to get it right. I'm using the line out of my receiver and recording/cutting with garage band. If anyone has any good tips to get it sounding quality with garage band let me know. All mp3's are going to be 320 KBS with VBR to try and preserve the quality of the record (although we all know it can never match the true quality and sound of the vinyl).

OK, onto the tunes. This is a compilation I picked up for $5 dollars at Goner Records during my recent road trip to Memphis. It's called Murray the K Presents and all the songs are live. Side A of the record is not really worth noting, it contains songs from Vanilla Fudge, Bee Gees, Rascals, Janis Ian and The Blues Project and all are forgettable performances at best. The B Side of the record is another story and the reason I risked my 5 dollars on this investment. The artists on the B side are as follows; Joe Tex, The Shangri-LA's, The Royalettes, Deon Jackson.

The two Joe Tex songs are unreal, because of two factors; his performance, which is top notch, and the reaction from the teenage girls in the crowd. The girls absolutely lose their minds before, during and after his performance--it's awesome. The Shangri-LA's song "I Can Never Go Home Any More", which apparently live material from them is scarace, is another grade A performance. Lastly The Royalettes and Deon Jackson songs are pretty damn good, although I didn't know much about either artist going into the purchase.

I don't have a scanner that is big enough for LP covers so pictures from my digital camera will have to do.

and finally the link for the tunes; Murray the K Presents