This one came out last fall. Numero Group has released a lot of soul and funk that was previously beyond obscure; some had not been released at all, while the other tracks the Numero Group has dug up were so rare, few collectors were even aware of them. Their collections culled from studios in Columbus, Chicago, and Detroit have brought a generous helping of funky new nuggets to current fans of the genre. The music on their compilations is easy to enjoy, and one doesn't have to be obsessed with rarity or recording studios to enjoy the grooves spread through the Numero Group's c.d.'s. With this in mind, that one doesn't have to be a connoisseur to enjoy Numero Group releases, one certainly doesn't have to be an evangelical Christian or even religious to dig the rich, thick soul on Good God! A Gospel Funk Hymnal.
The music on this collection was recorded between 1968 and 1980. The disc runs just under an hour, but the 18 tracks on here are so enjoyable the length of the c.d. is less of an issue than collections that are short and padded with tracks the consumer is certain to have in their collection already. This is one compilation that is highly unlikely to contain anything the listener already owns.
As the liner notes mention, funky gospel was not a movement within either funk or gospel artists, but many gospel acts had the odd slice of funk in their repertoire. One studio in Ecorse, Michigan yielded no less than three heavy sides of funk on this c.d. from as many acts. Detroit's 20 singer plus one manic drummer ensemble the Voices of Conquest round out the south Michigan contingent on here.
The starter, "Jesus Rhapsody (Part 1)" by Preacher and the Saints sounds like an early seventies Curtis Mayfield track, with Edwin Starr singing. The low budget, somewhat muddy but ever funky mix between the vocals and music sets the tone for the rest of this disc. It is followed by a gospel take-off of Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" called "Bad Situation", with new words that would have fit right in on Stevie's original.
"God Been Good To Me" sounds like the late sixties Temptations backed by Sly and the Family Stone. This is the first of the Ecorse Michigan songs recorded at Revival Studios and unearthed for this release. The next one is a Sam and Dave style shouter "I Thank The Lord". There are a few other obvious inspirations coming from well known soul hits, like "Shaky Ground" (check the Modulations'"This Old World Is Going Down") and "Love and Happiness" laid the ground work for "Childhood Days" by the Universal Jubileers. James Brown's singing style is naturally emulated on a few cuts, which makes sense given the gospel fervour James Brown injects into his own rather secular minded songs.
Detroit's Voices of Conquest's drummer Benjamin Wilson pounds away in His name, while the choir's haunting delivery of "O Yes My Lord" is reminiscent of Missa Luba, the Congolese opera, which must have been one of the first non-Miriam Makeba African music albums that sold well across Europe and North America. An intense slow-burner called "Jesus Will Help Me" by the Gospel Comforters follows.
Trevor Dandy's "Is There Any Love" features a spare keyboard arrangement in the spirit of Timmy Thomas' 1972 hit "Why Can't We Live Together?" which keeps with the low budget sound of this whole album.
A dose of fire, brimstone and rolling percussion wrap up the c.d. The song features a lonely Satan, in Hell of course, reminiscing about how popular the place used to be. The parties, the hedonism... LaVice and Company sound quite fond of the whole scene. This track apparently comes from a musical performed in a church basement. For some reason, neither LaVice nor his company double checked their spelling, but the song "Thoughs Were The Days" (sic) is a great, final dab of murky soul that ends the collection on a questionable high note- if people are no longer going to Hell en masse, as the song laments, are things not expected to have improved on Earth? Regardless of what theological arguments one might bring to the table, the music absolutely kicks on this disc. There are a couple of soulful gospel compilations that have come out in the last couple of years, but Good God! A Gospel Funk Hymnal easily sounds the most raw. This one is highly recommended, regardless of one's religious beliefs or doubts.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Review; Antibalas - Security (Anti)
The new Antibalas album is ready for release, although the band seems to be waiting a little longer before sending out their latest missive to the world. The seven tracks on Security run for about 55 minutes. It could perhaps have used a little trimming, at least on some of the slower, more atmospheric tracks on here, but overall this is a strong addition to Antibalas' discography. On their new outing, Antibalas have signed with the Anti-label which teamed them up with producer John McEntire. The 12 piece band spent a month recording the album in Chicago last year, and they continue to live up to their self-designation as an Afrobeat Orchestra. Celebrity producers certainly can't guarantee success no matter how much they change a band's sound to something deemed more accessible. Despite being concerned about Antibalas' sound getting watered down to something like Stereolab with horns, John McEntire let Antibalas do their thing. Some cuts sound a little soft for a 12 piece band that has rocked concert stages everywhere for hours on end, but Antibalas are still pumping out Afrobeat sounds like few bands can. The c.d. is funky, the arrangements spare, and the smoothness comes naturally on Security.
The first track, "Beaten Metal" has a rather symphonic sounding introduction, with a single horn heralding the first movement. The instrumental develops slowly, with the percussion slowly building before the bass and guitar creep in. Keyboard player Victor Axelrod gradually takes over until he duels the horns for space by the end of the tune.
The second song, "Filibuster XXX" finds Amayo singing about typical Antibalas fare, which has a catchy 'tic tack toe' motif, but the Dick Cheney reference will date this song the way Reagan songs characterize so much 1980's punk music.
"Sanctuary" has the band returning to their Fela Kuti-inspired roots, with a brooding introduction featuring a relentless bass line punctuated by blasts of brass. Amayo doesn't start singing for some six minutes, but then belts out the words about heading for the hills. The fourth track does bring us near Stereolab-territory, with its soft, ephemeral arrangement combined with the most subdued vocals on the disc. Antibalas return to the Afrobeat style at which they excel for much of the disc, combining it with the almost classical style horns of "Beaten Metal" on the instrumental "I.C.E." The brooding stops abruptly, and the band kicks back into Afrobeat mode for the last part. The final track "Age" concludes Security on a jazz tip which end the disc on a particularly mellow note for Antibalas.
This c.d. certainly sounds like the band is looking to expand its sonic horizons beyond Afrobeat, funk or the Latin sounds they have been laying down for a few years now. Antibalas live dates later this year should be interesting if they decide to test their more subdued new jams on the road. They have great stamina on stage and can be counted upon to put on an excellent show, so watch for tour dates if you like Fela Kuti-inspired extended Afrobeat jams.
The first track, "Beaten Metal" has a rather symphonic sounding introduction, with a single horn heralding the first movement. The instrumental develops slowly, with the percussion slowly building before the bass and guitar creep in. Keyboard player Victor Axelrod gradually takes over until he duels the horns for space by the end of the tune.
The second song, "Filibuster XXX" finds Amayo singing about typical Antibalas fare, which has a catchy 'tic tack toe' motif, but the Dick Cheney reference will date this song the way Reagan songs characterize so much 1980's punk music.
"Sanctuary" has the band returning to their Fela Kuti-inspired roots, with a brooding introduction featuring a relentless bass line punctuated by blasts of brass. Amayo doesn't start singing for some six minutes, but then belts out the words about heading for the hills. The fourth track does bring us near Stereolab-territory, with its soft, ephemeral arrangement combined with the most subdued vocals on the disc. Antibalas return to the Afrobeat style at which they excel for much of the disc, combining it with the almost classical style horns of "Beaten Metal" on the instrumental "I.C.E." The brooding stops abruptly, and the band kicks back into Afrobeat mode for the last part. The final track "Age" concludes Security on a jazz tip which end the disc on a particularly mellow note for Antibalas.
This c.d. certainly sounds like the band is looking to expand its sonic horizons beyond Afrobeat, funk or the Latin sounds they have been laying down for a few years now. Antibalas live dates later this year should be interesting if they decide to test their more subdued new jams on the road. They have great stamina on stage and can be counted upon to put on an excellent show, so watch for tour dates if you like Fela Kuti-inspired extended Afrobeat jams.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
New Reissue; Mustafa Ozkent ve Orkestrasi; Genclik ile Elele
This Turkish album first came out in 1973. The zany cover art (a monkey messing around with a reel to reel tape recorder) suggests this is a lighthearted endeavour, but the album contains some serious funk that holds its own against the relentless grooves of American funk gods like the Meters. Despite this release being so funky, this decidedly western-sounding record never strays too far from Mustafa Ozkent's Anatolian musical heritage. The guitar player started performing in Ankara in 1960 and was a well respected musician by the time this record came out. It apparently didn't sell particularly well, but Andy Votel at the Finders Keepers label was sufficiently knocked out by a copy he found that his label has recently reissued this lost slice of Eastern funk.
The record is just over half an hour long and there are no extras on this package. Ten brief instrumentals cram as much funk as possible into a half hour on wax. From the opening cut, the upbeat, almost Surf-like "Uskudar", through merciless drum breaks on tunes like "Dolana" and the pounding percussion throughout the record, the funk comes on relentlessly. Psychedelic guitar licks abound, but they never hide the Turkish roots of Mustafa Ozkent's music. The bubbling organ playing through out the record sometimes comes close, infusing a sixties Go-Go feel to the record, but Ozkent manages to gel east and west like few musicians. The last track fades out during a pounding drum solo, leaving any funk fan hungry for more. This album is well worth checking out.
The record is just over half an hour long and there are no extras on this package. Ten brief instrumentals cram as much funk as possible into a half hour on wax. From the opening cut, the upbeat, almost Surf-like "Uskudar", through merciless drum breaks on tunes like "Dolana" and the pounding percussion throughout the record, the funk comes on relentlessly. Psychedelic guitar licks abound, but they never hide the Turkish roots of Mustafa Ozkent's music. The bubbling organ playing through out the record sometimes comes close, infusing a sixties Go-Go feel to the record, but Ozkent manages to gel east and west like few musicians. The last track fades out during a pounding drum solo, leaving any funk fan hungry for more. This album is well worth checking out.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Review; Various Artists; New Testament of Funk Volume 5 (Unique Records)
This is the fifth volume in a series started in 1999 by the Dusseldorf-based Unique club label. The twelve tracks on here run for almost an hour, with the majority of the songs on here being released for the first time ever and three others having only been available in limited vinyl pressings until now.
Few new funk acts can pull off that classic American soul sound, especially now that quality vocals are all but an afterthought on most new recordings. The music on here sounds pretty slick, and as funky as it sometimes gets (the "Apache"-inspired Soul Snatchers' "Sniffin' and Scratchin'" comes to mind), it seems soul singing is almost a thing of the past.
The tracks on The New Testament of Funk Volume 5 all sound pretty smooth and tight, and some are particularly derivative, hook-by-hook. The first song starts off as a run through of "Thank You For Letting Me Be Myself" with a chant of "Burning Down The House" in the background. Curtis Mayfield's "Move On Up" provides much of the inspiration for another song, "You'll Never Know What You Can Do". The use, or re-use of such well known samples and riffs works better on the Malente song "For The Revolution", whose hook comes from a Doors song.
The songs all work well enough as background music for any party filled with groovy people, but it's hard to imagine someone packing a dance floor with anything from this collection. Bandura's "Lost Luggage" and Tim Wood's "Birdy Nam Nam" are examples of music on here that sounds like it was recorded specifically not to be turned up too loud.
The strongest cuts besides the Soul Snatchers instrumental are Boca 45's soul-shouter "Makes No Sense" the Sweet Vandals' "Do It Right". Naturally, they are also the best vocal performances on the collection. The Go-Go Hammond organ on the latter track suggest the Sweet Vandals are one of the most promising acts on the Unique label. This compilation seems like it was geared to be played in restaurants at least as much as in any dance club or party; if that's your thing, it is sure to please. Folks who like their funk harder and deeper will probably not be overwhelmed by this one.
Few new funk acts can pull off that classic American soul sound, especially now that quality vocals are all but an afterthought on most new recordings. The music on here sounds pretty slick, and as funky as it sometimes gets (the "Apache"-inspired Soul Snatchers' "Sniffin' and Scratchin'" comes to mind), it seems soul singing is almost a thing of the past.
The tracks on The New Testament of Funk Volume 5 all sound pretty smooth and tight, and some are particularly derivative, hook-by-hook. The first song starts off as a run through of "Thank You For Letting Me Be Myself" with a chant of "Burning Down The House" in the background. Curtis Mayfield's "Move On Up" provides much of the inspiration for another song, "You'll Never Know What You Can Do". The use, or re-use of such well known samples and riffs works better on the Malente song "For The Revolution", whose hook comes from a Doors song.
The songs all work well enough as background music for any party filled with groovy people, but it's hard to imagine someone packing a dance floor with anything from this collection. Bandura's "Lost Luggage" and Tim Wood's "Birdy Nam Nam" are examples of music on here that sounds like it was recorded specifically not to be turned up too loud.
The strongest cuts besides the Soul Snatchers instrumental are Boca 45's soul-shouter "Makes No Sense" the Sweet Vandals' "Do It Right". Naturally, they are also the best vocal performances on the collection. The Go-Go Hammond organ on the latter track suggest the Sweet Vandals are one of the most promising acts on the Unique label. This compilation seems like it was geared to be played in restaurants at least as much as in any dance club or party; if that's your thing, it is sure to please. Folks who like their funk harder and deeper will probably not be overwhelmed by this one.
Review- Ultimate Brazilian Breaks and Beats (Murge Discos) -Compilation l.p.
This is a hot collection of Brazilian funk. Named after a mountain in Rio de Janeiro, the Sugarloaf Gangsters put this record out, and they apparently limited the record to 1000 copies. Whether it's samba like ("Batucada Tropical" by Brasil Tropical), Tropicalia, or Bossa Nova flavoured (like "Sultana" from the Aquarius Band), the music is jumping and every cut on this record is funky. Some tracks are definitely more American flavoured than others. There is the "Kool and the Gang" cover (the instrumental by the band of the same name), along with the cut "Big Splash" by Sos, which is clearly influenced by The Meters.
The opening song sounds like a "God Made Me Funky" era Headhunters jam, until the Portuguese vocals and background party sounds kick in. "The King's Bounce" is described as a supremely rare B-side from the Free Som Orchestra, and it's one of the more bass-heavy tracks on this collection.
The raunchy funk classic "Jungle Fever" is featured here, but more likely for it's rarity; this cover doesn't top the original, but it's a credible rendition which kicks off the second side of the record. The final non-"bonus" cut on the record is "Melo Do Mao Branca", a mid-tempo dance-floor groove, complete with telephone calls and sirens, along with those casual outbursts of laughter that pop up on many Brazilian dance records.
There are three bonus cuts all credited to 'Unknown' which seems a little suspicious in and of itself, but they at least bump the record's duration to a shade over forty minutes. The first bonus track is an instrumental, disco-fied variation of "Mas Que Nada", titled "Disco Chuva" on here. This version is highlighted by some pounding drums. The second is a brief snippet that's catchy enough but happens too fast, at 22 seconds. The final 90 second 'Bonus Track' (titled simply "Guitarra" on the record, even though the keyboards are at least as prominent here) sounds like a funky t.v. show theme that Banda Black Rio or early Azimuth might have put out.
Notwithstanding the needless gaps in the information availed with this compilation, Ultimate Brazilian Breaks and Beats' is a seriously funky record.
The opening song sounds like a "God Made Me Funky" era Headhunters jam, until the Portuguese vocals and background party sounds kick in. "The King's Bounce" is described as a supremely rare B-side from the Free Som Orchestra, and it's one of the more bass-heavy tracks on this collection.
The raunchy funk classic "Jungle Fever" is featured here, but more likely for it's rarity; this cover doesn't top the original, but it's a credible rendition which kicks off the second side of the record. The final non-"bonus" cut on the record is "Melo Do Mao Branca", a mid-tempo dance-floor groove, complete with telephone calls and sirens, along with those casual outbursts of laughter that pop up on many Brazilian dance records.
There are three bonus cuts all credited to 'Unknown' which seems a little suspicious in and of itself, but they at least bump the record's duration to a shade over forty minutes. The first bonus track is an instrumental, disco-fied variation of "Mas Que Nada", titled "Disco Chuva" on here. This version is highlighted by some pounding drums. The second is a brief snippet that's catchy enough but happens too fast, at 22 seconds. The final 90 second 'Bonus Track' (titled simply "Guitarra" on the record, even though the keyboards are at least as prominent here) sounds like a funky t.v. show theme that Banda Black Rio or early Azimuth might have put out.
Notwithstanding the needless gaps in the information availed with this compilation, Ultimate Brazilian Breaks and Beats' is a seriously funky record.
Studio One Rarities Volume 2- C.D. compilation
This is an excellent mix of popular songs by legendary toasters like Dennis Alcapone and rarities alike. The old Trojan collection "Dee Jay's Choice" started the tradition of compiling work by various deejays singing over other artists' records, often referred to as "sing-jaying". This disc features more from Clement "Coxsonne" Dodd's enormous stable of talent, and features hard to find songs by the likes of Jah Jesco and Little Joe along with rare pictures and an essay by English reggae expert Steve Barrow.
All the tracks on here are strong, making this an appealing collection for serious reggae fans and newbies alike. They also left the legendary U-Roy off of this compilation, as if to reinforce the rarity element here. This makes "Studio One D.J's -Volume 2" a particularly successful Soul Jazz collection; the label's releases are often short (this one being no exception, running at a little over an hour for a c.d. or double album), which can be infuriating when contemplating a promising new Soul Jazz release, which is padded with material easily found elsewhere. With Trojan practically giving away their enormous back catalogue in the form of really cheap box sets, it is hard for a premium priced label like Soul Jazz to justify putting out tracks like "Phoenix City" for the hundredth time on any of their compilations. This collection also uses a decent variety of musical backing tracks; they are a healthy mix of familiar seventies 'riddims' and older ska sounds punctuated by some lively horns on cuts like Jah Jesco's "West Gone Black".
Prince Jazzbo's "Crab Walking" and Lone Ranger's "Keep Coming A' The Dance" are both extended versions. The former is an upbeat number about dancing to upbeat tunes, using the well known "Skylarking" record, including its chorus, in this re-take. It is edited to include the instrumental version before the vocals return for the last two minutes of the song. Lone Ranger's second cut on this disc, "Keep On Coming a the Dance" ends this compilation. It too is edited to segue into itself. Given the plethora of available tunes for these collections, and in light of "Studio One D.J.'s Volume 2" clocking in at less than sixty-five minutes, Soul Jazz ought to add a few more songs to these releases. It's an excellent package, but it would be easy to make it better; about twenty- five percent better, for running time, would be great.
This is an excellent mix of popular songs by legendary toasters like Dennis Alcapone and rarities alike. The old Trojan collection "Dee Jay's Choice" started the tradition of compiling work by various deejays singing over other artists' records, often referred to as "sing-jaying". This disc features more from Clement "Coxsonne" Dodd's enormous stable of talent, and features hard to find songs by the likes of Jah Jesco and Little Joe along with rare pictures and an essay by English reggae expert Steve Barrow.
All the tracks on here are strong, making this an appealing collection for serious reggae fans and newbies alike. They also left the legendary U-Roy off of this compilation, as if to reinforce the rarity element here. This makes "Studio One D.J's -Volume 2" a particularly successful Soul Jazz collection; the label's releases are often short (this one being no exception, running at a little over an hour for a c.d. or double album), which can be infuriating when contemplating a promising new Soul Jazz release, which is padded with material easily found elsewhere. With Trojan practically giving away their enormous back catalogue in the form of really cheap box sets, it is hard for a premium priced label like Soul Jazz to justify putting out tracks like "Phoenix City" for the hundredth time on any of their compilations. This collection also uses a decent variety of musical backing tracks; they are a healthy mix of familiar seventies 'riddims' and older ska sounds punctuated by some lively horns on cuts like Jah Jesco's "West Gone Black".
Prince Jazzbo's "Crab Walking" and Lone Ranger's "Keep Coming A' The Dance" are both extended versions. The former is an upbeat number about dancing to upbeat tunes, using the well known "Skylarking" record, including its chorus, in this re-take. It is edited to include the instrumental version before the vocals return for the last two minutes of the song. Lone Ranger's second cut on this disc, "Keep On Coming a the Dance" ends this compilation. It too is edited to segue into itself. Given the plethora of available tunes for these collections, and in light of "Studio One D.J.'s Volume 2" clocking in at less than sixty-five minutes, Soul Jazz ought to add a few more songs to these releases. It's an excellent package, but it would be easy to make it better; about twenty- five percent better, for running time, would be great.
El Michels Affair- Cream B/w Glaciers of Ice -7" Single (Now and Again Records)
El Michels Affair- "Cream" B/w "Glaciers of Ice" - 7" Single (Now and Again Records)
This is a funky pair of instrumental covers from saxophone player Leon Michels' band. Based in Brooklyn along with everyone else keeping classic funk alive these days, El Michel's Affair have been around for a few years. More recently, they teamed up with Wu Tang Clan, adding a deeper funk dynamic to the 'Clan and apparently improving their live appearances according to people who have witnessed the pairing in action on stage.
The A-side, "Cream", is a slow, simple but brooding jam highlighted by some tasteful keyboard licks.In fact, horns practically take a back seat on both of these jams. The bass line is a little heavier on the "Glaciers of Ice" B-side. It's a little faster than the A-side too, but the murky, almost trance-like sound of both these cuts must have knocked out the Wu Tang guys. This single is definitely worth grabbing whether you dig funk or if you're a hip hop head. Let's see who's the first to slap their own rap on one of these tracks.
This is a funky pair of instrumental covers from saxophone player Leon Michels' band. Based in Brooklyn along with everyone else keeping classic funk alive these days, El Michel's Affair have been around for a few years. More recently, they teamed up with Wu Tang Clan, adding a deeper funk dynamic to the 'Clan and apparently improving their live appearances according to people who have witnessed the pairing in action on stage.
The A-side, "Cream", is a slow, simple but brooding jam highlighted by some tasteful keyboard licks.In fact, horns practically take a back seat on both of these jams. The bass line is a little heavier on the "Glaciers of Ice" B-side. It's a little faster than the A-side too, but the murky, almost trance-like sound of both these cuts must have knocked out the Wu Tang guys. This single is definitely worth grabbing whether you dig funk or if you're a hip hop head. Let's see who's the first to slap their own rap on one of these tracks.
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