Tags: funk

8 Oct 2009, Comments (0)

Pretty Purdie-Soul Drums (Date 1968)

Author: alex larotta
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To pick one track from “The World’s Most Recorded Drummer” is quite the daunting task, considering the massive catalog of session credits and genre crossovers from the early years of rhythm and blues to jazz, rock, funk, pop, and beyond. But Soul Drums from Bernard “Pretty” Purdie’s landmark eponymous album seems to perfectly exhibit Pretty’s phenomenal heavy funk drumming and highlight his signature Purdie Shuffle, so I thought it might be prudent to showcase this fine slab of funked up beat-heavy boogaloo. Not to mention, Soul Drums features some of my personal favorite drum breaks EVER, flared with a truly unique spacey psych reverb thrown on for good measure. Released on Columbia’s soul subsidiary Date Records in early ‘68, Soul Drums received warm reception at the time of its release, but it wasn’t until years later it garnered wider attention amongst break collectors and sample-based producers, perhaps most notably by the Dust Brothers use of the intro break on Beck’s sample-heavy crossover success, Odelay.

Born in Elkton, Maryland in 1939, Bernard began drumming at the tender age of 6 and embarked on his lifelong career as a premier session player and eventual solo recording artist. After moving to New York shortly after high school, Bernard went on to catch the ears of record producers and blazed a movement in popular rhythm, incorporating the funk backbeat with his imitable shuffle that is still studied and copied to this day. Soul Drums has received recent attention due to Sony’s decision to re-release this masterpiece some 40 years after it’s initial release, jam packed with lost goodies from the original session days which includes 8 unreleased tracks that were part of a supposed sophomore release that never saw the light of day until now. Purty was also the backing drummer for the recent rendition of Hair the Musical, which seems only fitting that the one of the architects of groove-pocketed drumming fill in for Galt McDermott’s renown funky composition, truly a most appropriate fit. You can listen to and purchase the newly expanded Soul Drums re-release here.

His drums can be heard on the who’s who in popular music from The Beatles, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Steely Dan (if you don’t have Aja, get it now!), Lou Donaldson, and even 80’s pop icons Hall and Oates to name just a few of the 3,000 or so albums that tender his credits. If you do the math, Pretty practically lived in recording studios throughout the bulk of his unfuckwithable career. I could only imagine how he schooled legions of recording engineers on how to really mic a drum kit, must’ve been pretty intimidating to work with his learned hands.

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LISTEN: Pretty Purdie-Soul Drums

1 Oct 2009, Comments (0)

Carol Jones- Don’t Destroy Me (Mutt 1968)

Author: alex larotta
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Drums and horns. Heavy, raw, and mixed upfront and drenched in distortive compression, it’s true lo-fi gritty soul at it’s best! Carol Jones’s “Don’t Destroy Me” is a marvelous piece of the ever-impressive catalog of Motor City soul. Released on Mutt Records, a small, independent soul and pop label located in the western suburban banks of Detroit (in the back of the owner’s bail bond business to be exact), Don’t Destroy Me stands seemingly defiant of the popularized Motown signature, especially for a Detroit soul recording. And seeing how Mutt didn’t have any viable avenues for national distribution (or international for that matter), Carol Jones likely lived out her short-lived career on the Detroit club circuit.

And interesting side note, arranger Aaron Neal and producer Scott Bray did in fact release various versions of this sweet funk-tinged soul shaker, one of which is a model of the string-heavy and more melodic Detroit soul sound. Apparently that version is a bit more rare than this particular one, featuring Ms. Jones’ searing vocals mixed in the front and de-emphasis of the backbeat and horn section. According to some Internet gossip, there had been some interest in reissuing the Mutt catalog, but as reported by the son of the label owner, all of the master tapes had been destroyed in a devastating studio fire.

Though I couldn’t find much on Ms. Jones and her should’ve-been career, it is interesting to note that Mutt did have a wide array of repertoire and genre throughout their short-lived activity. Label-mates Jake Wade and the Soul Searchers issued their instrumental deep funk burner “Searching For Soul” on Mutt, check out Flea Market Funk’s great post on that here. And there were quite a few soulers, funkers, and rockers that released a slew of singles, but as far as I can tell, no full lengths of any sort.

Without further ado, hope you enjoy this weeks’ savory portion of raw soul, this one makes my heart flutter.

LISTEN: Carol Jones-Don’t Destroy Me

24 Sep 2009, Comments (2)

The Americans of ‘72-The Cancer Stick Pt. 1 (Libra 1972)

Author: alex larotta
Americans72-1

Greetings, I’d like to note that this weeks post is a special tribute to an old friend of mine who is embarking on his lifelong mission of bootin’ his smoking habit to the curb. I thought this funky slab of anti-cigarette declamation might be pertinent to his courageous and indomitable cause. Godspeed Swifty, kick that crap for the both of us!

The Americans of ’72 of hometown Houston, TX, started their recording career years prior as the Americans of ’68 on Skipper Lee Frazier’s Ovide label, releasing a solitary 7″ with the plug side entitled “Baby Baby Baby”. Arguably the best (most confusing too?) band name reinvention EVER, these fellas recorded under the Americans of ’68, Americans of ‘70, Americans of ’71, and the Americans of ’72 in accordance with the change of each respective year. The above-mentioned track and a handful of their releases can be heard on Tuff City’s stellar Houston funk compilation entitled “Funky Funky Houston”, which can be found here.

After their brief activity with Ovide, the band made a switch to the much smaller Houston-based Libra label, which is presumed to be under the ownership of the group due to the fact that their only releases and artist repertoire were that of the Americans. Yet under Libra, the Americans were able to reach widespread domestic and international distribution through New York-based Bell Records (as seen on my copy above). Interesting sidenote, the original release on Libra was recorded and distributed in 1971 under the group name The Americans of ‘71. But by the time Bell readied this soul shattering horn-and-drum heavy 45 for global distribution it was already 1972, hence the name change on the Bell release as The Americans of ‘72.

Our highlighted feature today is The Cancer Stick Pt 1, a funky witty ditty devoted to the Americans own rhythm backbone, drummer Sugar Bear. To whom, according to Americans vocalist Chester Orndorff, “just puffs and puffs not knowing enough’s enough!”. Layered on a steadfast 4/4 drum pattern, palatable horn stabs, and a top-heavy bongo intimation, Orndorff’s vocals tell the story of Sugar Bear’s ill fated vice and warns against the harms of tobacco to an almost lecturing degree (with some quite humorous and dramatic coughing and hacking throughout the bridge). Coming in under three minutes, The Cancer Stick is undoubtedly the best way to sweat out your nicotine cravings on the dance floor. If only more PSA’s could be as funky and groove filled as this one…

And a special thanks and recognition to Houston music specialist and deejay Brett Koshkin for this weeks post, keepin the Bayou City alive and breathing!

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LISTEN: The Americans of ‘72-The Cancer Stick Pt. 1

17 Sep 2009, Comments (5)

The Mighty Gospel Giants-Lift Jesus (Minit 1970)

Author: alex larotta
the mighty gospel giants

Greetings humble readers, today’s selection is a fine piece of gospel funk conceived and orchestrated by heavyweght gospel group The Mighty Gospel Giants. I picked up this copy of The Mighty Gospel Giants full length LP “Let There Be Peace” on a recent dig while visiting my folks in Houston at a near by thrift shop, sitting lonely in a dusty stack of unloved lounge and Lawrence Welk styled big band records. The featured cut, Lift Jesus, is a nice amalgamation of funky gospel soul, released on the Minit gospel label in 1970. Lift Jesus features a searing B3 organ and a snare heavy drum pattern leading the rhythm at a steady mid tempo pace layered on a mouthful of fervent tamborine shakes.

Bandleader Bishop Charles Edward Cook, who sadly passed away in January of this year, provided the lovely shout-singing gospel vocals carried by the backups of his fellow Giants. Lucky for us, The Mighty Gospel Giants cut a handful of excellent soul-tinged gospel records throughout their expansive recording career. The Giants garnered their chops performing within New York’s burgeoning gospel quartet scene during the late 1950’s and continued to successfully record and perform throughout the 60’s and early 70’s, even releasing material on Gospel and Soul label giants Savoy and Veep amongst a few others before moving to Minit for their late career releases. Though I wasn’t able to find finer details about the group’s career and apparent regional popularity, I did find that legendary jazz producer George Butler produced this particular record sometime during his heavy production heyday at Blue Note, Columbia, and United Artists. Mr. Butler, well known as a heavy weight producer in early bebop and the later jazz fusion movement, put his magic touch on this record to put a funky twist on the traditional Gospel arrangement. Enjoy!

the mighty gospel giants

LISTEN: The Mighty Gospel Giants – Lift Jesus

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