'Lectric Diaspora » funk

Side 2

avocado kid — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 21:54:09 +0000

My and my soul brotha Brett were talking about how amazing the entire 2nd side of Abbey Road is, and we ended up jamming our way through the whole medley. In honor of that occasion I have a few nice versions to share:

Booker T. & The MGs – Sun-king-mean-mr-mustard-polythene-pam-she-came-in-through-the-bathroom-window-i-want-you-shes-so-heavy

It’s hard to substitute anything for the Beatles’ distinctive vocals, but Booker T’s organ does a decent job filling in, and the arrangements, though straightforward renditions, bring out the soulful/bluesy side of the Beatles’ compositions.

Somewhat incongruously, I also have a take by Bola Sete, who tackles 2 bits of the medley in a twangy, funky, vaguely psychedelic style.

Bola Sete – Polythene Pam/She Came In Through the Bathroom Window

From George Benson we have a very schmaltzy take on Here Comes the Sun that gives way to a groovy I Want You.

George Benson – Here Comes the Sun/I Want You She’s So Heavy

Lastly, Jackie Mittoo’s Wishbone, which, while not exactly a cover, certainly reveals a large shall we say “influence” from Abbey Road.

Jackie Mittoo – Wishbone

The Funky Drummer

avocado kid — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:37:05 +0000

James Brown – The Funky Drummer

James Brown – Funky Drummer (bonus beat reprise)

Grandmaster Flash w/Kurtis Blow

The Pharcyde – Officer

DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – Pump Up the Bass

Eric B. & Rakim – Lyrics of Fury

Ultramagnetic MCs – Give the Drummer Some

Public Enemy – Bring the Noise

Couple More Band Picks

avocado kid — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:44:33 +0000

Fela Kukti – Swegbe & Pako

Fela Kuti – Jeun Ko Ku (chop n quench)

Budos Band – Monkey See Monkey Do

from Andrea:

Untouchable Machine Shop – Machine Shop (pt 1)

Miles Grayson – Stuck In the Mud

Songs From Jay

avocado kid — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 08:49:04 +0000

Fela Kuti – Colonial Mentality

Helene Smith – You Got to Be A Man

R.A.M.P. – The American Promise

Detroit Sex Machines – The Stretch

Latin Playboys – Viva La Raza

Traffic Jam Set 11/08

avocado kid — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:22:36 +0000

Antibalas – Nesta 75

Greyboy Allstars – 2% Body Fat (w/Fred Wesley)

The Daktaris – Super Afro Beat

Blue Rivers & the Maroons – Seven Steps to Power

Mulatu Astatqé – Yèkatit (february)

The Daktaris – Upside-Down

Theme From Don

Fela Kuti – Opposite People

Tommy McCook & the Super Sonics – Wild Bunch

Daktaris – Eltsuhg Ibal Lasiti

Eltsuhg in Dub

avocado kid — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 19:48:48 +0000

For those that like their peanut butter in their chocolate, their dub in their funk, I’ve got a special ‘Lection Day treat for ya. Namely, the Mad Professor remix of the Daktaris’ classic hustle. Sponsored by Iron Lion Scion no less. Enjoy.

Eltsuhg Ibal Lasiti (Mad Professor remix) – Daktaris

Plus, as a bonus, the very nice Ticklah remix of Sharon Jones in rocksteady stylee.

How Long Do I Have To Wait For You (Ticklah remix) – Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings

Soulful Three

avocado kid — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 08:22:12 +0000

In my early 20s, as I grew to love funky soul music, I immersed myself in the 70s output of a mighty triumvirate of singers: Sly, Stevie, and Curtis. Some of the most crucial, creative, timeless music ever recorded.

Of course, this material is pretty well known (as it should be), so rather than rehash it here, I’ll dig a bit into the “crates” for some funky versions.

First up, representing Stevie Wonder, is the very groovy Weldon Irvine. This being 1976, it starts out kinda proto-discoish, but settles into a stepping funk groove with nice horn arrangements and vocals by Don Blackman.

Weldon Irvine – Don’t You Worry Bout A Thing

Lonnie Smith is just as groovy as many of his post-Jimmy Smith peers on the B3, but often more creative and daring. Here he reinvents Sly Stone’s classic “Stand” in a kozmik 17 minute epic jam from 1971, complete with dub effects and weird overdubbing.

Lonnie Smith – Stand

Last, we have Frank Owens doing an instrumental version of “Freddy’s Dead” from 1973. I don’t know too much about this guy, though Dusty Groove notes that Bernard Purdie produced the session and plays on it. A pretty tame treatment of the tune, but with some nice rhodes soloing in place of Curtis Mayfield’s voice. I actually think you can judge it pretty well by the cover in this case.

Frank Owens – Freddy’s Dead

Money Is

avocado kid — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 00:08:53 +0000

Corduroy were the first band that I’m aware of to do the “retro soundtrack to a fake kitschy blaxsploitation/spy movie” thing (though it’s a conceit that many other subsequent groups have employed) with their 1993 album High Havoc. I had the pleasure of seeing Corduroy play live the year this came out, at a small club in Paris. This was at the height of the Acid Jazz era, and I was excited to be wearing my new/vintage Black Panther-style leather jacket and digging the throwback 70s vibe that was just then coming into fashion. It was a great show, though they stuck pretty closely to their album arrangements.

Their 1st album Dad Man Cat is full of funky retro grooviness as well.

One of my favorite tunes from Dad Man Cat is a rockin’ clavinet-driven instrumental called “Money Is.”

Corduroy – Money Is

It turns out, as I discovered some years later, this is actually a Quincy Jones song from his soundtrack to the movie “Dollars” from 1971 (with Warren Beatty and Goldie Hawn).

Quincy’s version had Little Richard singing on it!

Quincy Jones – Money Is

Still later, I obtained Corduroy’s live-in-Japan album Quattro, which was recorded in 1994 but doesn’t seem to have been issued until 2001.

Corduroy – Money Is (live)

Interestingly, on this version they add the vocals back in. Though it works well here, on their later albums they seem to have tried to transform themselves into a more conventional vocal-centered pop band, and the results are considerably less interesting.