Curtis Mayfield revisited with some exceptionally sublime flute and drum work. This obscure folk-funk nugget was originally released on his "Lack Of Education" LP before being rediscovered and reissued by the fine gents at Jazzman Records. It's a deceptively mellow groover, but a damn catchy single all the same. Enjoy.
Don't ask me to explain what makes soul music so great. Like the best things in life that transcend description soul is something that needs to be experienced to be understood. I love all genres of music, and I love all sizes and rpms of various vinyl, but there's just something magical about listening to a soul record that brings everything home.
Taken from Gal Costa's 1969 self-titled LP, "Baby" is the perfect antidote for a chilly winter's day. This song fills me with an absolute sense of warmth and serenity. Beautiful, mesmerizing and psychedelic are all words that spring to mind. The whole record stands as a definitive masterpiece of Tropicalia. And, although it was released forty years ago this December, still makes for one helluva Christmas escape record.
Do yourself a favor and listen to the original album track before skipping to the accompanying video.
This 45 captured my attention not only for its extended title, but also for its fetching ebay price of nearly $1,000. "Deloris is Back (To Blow Your Mind) with Jerome and His Band" has one of the funkiest, most primal drum grooves on vinyl. That's an even more impressive feat if you're to believe Deloris when she wails that her drummer is only thirteen years old! It's three minutes of simple reel-to-reel recording technology, but therein lies the charm behind the most expensive mp3 file in my collection. Enjoy!
This is called funkin' about.
Funk is in your brainbox, funk is in your feet.
Funk is on your table, funk is good enough to eat.
Funk should be your staple diet, funk won't make you fat.
Funk will make all your friends say that you're a funky cat.
Sock some to your sister, give some to your ma.
Lay funk on your granny, sneak some to your pa.
Politicians give us funk, funk is what they spread.
Me I think funks just one place, funk belongs in bed.
Funk is good for China, funk is best for Siam.
Funk is ambisextrous, funks for a woman and for a man.
Funk will make you feel okay, funk will make you high.
Don't be slow when funks about, come on lets funk you and I.
Now you know where funk is at, now don't just stand and stare.
Move about with a funky smile that the whole world know ya been there.
Not only was Grady Tate one bad-ass baritone and a world class jazz drummer, he was also the jivey voice behind many of my favorite Schoolhouse Rock songs. Naughty Number Nine anyone? That early cartoon exposure makes Tate my gateway vocalist into jazz appreciation. I'm not talking about regular boring jazz ( I consider most jazz esoterically bland). I'm specifically referring to "Soul Jazz" which is an entirely different kind of groovy beast. That's jazz more along the same caliber lines as Lou Rawls and Arthur Prysock. "I Can Deliver" is taken from Grady's third and final solo effort, 1969's "After The Long Drive Home". Enjoy!
