Round two of this Winter fund-drive was today on Melting Pot, many thanks to everyone who supported the show and KPFK this time around! I’ll be choosing a winner for the big sweepstakes in the coming weeks as the fundraiser comes to an end. We won’t be on the air next Sunday, so until then, I hope you enjoy the sounds, and if you happen to pledge online (via the kpfk website) be sure to let me know that you did so, so I can include you in the “Best of 2011” sweepstakes! See you in a couple weeks on the air and again, thank you to Morgan Rhodes for coming in to pitch with me and big thanks to all of who support KPFK and allow for me to produce this show on it’s airwaves!
This was another discovery over at Adrian Younge’s ArtForm Studio. Part of what drives many DJs to dig in the crates is the chance that they’ll find something especially cool that they’ve never seen or heard before. That feeling of discovery is one of the reasons DJs dig and dig and dig deeper as their collections and knowledge expand. At this point in the game, after almost 20 years of digging for vinyl, it’s pretty rare that I get surprised with material from a label as well known as Blue Note. In all that time however I’d never run into this LP from Duke Pearson. So I had the initial shock of not recognizing the cover and then a bit of double shock once I put the needle on the title track of this record, “The Phantom.”
The Phantom is a slinky bit of dark soulful jazz, with a sly groove that hits right from the beginning courtesy of the rhythm section featuring Bob Cranshaw and Mickey Roker. Things largely stay in the pocket throughout it’s entire 10 minutes, with solos from Pearson and Bobby Hutcherson as well as bits of flute floating in from time to time, but it’s the subtle peaks and valleys that happen throughout that build a bit of tension without altering the rhythm. Not sure how I’ve managed to never come across this one over the years, but I’m seriously glad I’ve got a copy now.
Many of the other songs seem to be based on other compositions, even though the Nat Hentoff penned liner notes don’t mention other people’s work as inspiration. “Bunda Amerela” has “Take The A-Train” all over it, but the Brazilian style perhaps obscures it enough for some. “Say You’re Mine” leads off like an alternate version of “Cantaloupe Island” before going in some different places, all with a very rainy day kind of vibe. “The Moana Surf” reminds me quite a lot of several songs from Baden Powell at the start and features a nice percussion breakdown with Roker and congalero Potato Valdez. It would have been interesting to have had a conversation with Pearson about Sampling especially on this album, but alas that will only happen in my dreams, which is pretty much where beautiful music like this belongs.
All week long my wife and I have been listening to these classic recordings from the Fania All Stars. Originally released on two separate “Live At the Cheetah” LPs, the music is collected together along with the DVD of the film Our Latin Thing (Nuestra Cosa). I’d seen bits and pieces of the film over the years, but never got a chance to see the whole thing until this set arrived just ahead of our fundraiser. It’s a really fascinating document, less a concert movie than almost stream of consciousness film-making. Though the performances are what draw you in, it’s the scenes on the streets of New York that stick with you, whether it’s the street party featuring Larry Harlow’s Orchestra, Ray Barretto yelling out “Tamarindo” as he gets a tasty treat and even serves some up, A santeria ritual, or just regular folk singing and dancing with mountains of style. Definitely one of the highlights of my current fundraiser package. On this 40th Anniversary edition they include a couple of bonus tracks, including Ray Barretto’s “Cocinando” the mid-tempo latin groover that starts off the film…speaking of which, if you’ve never seen the film, here’s a taste of how everything begins:
I’ve done my share of fundraising shows over my radio career. This one was definitely one of the best I’ve put together. There’s some truly fantastic music available this time around, from the packs I’ve mentioned to tickets. After almost 2 years of hosting this show on KPFK, this particular fundraiser seems like the one where everything comes together. One of the rare occassions where I hope you actually enjoy listening to the fundraising breaks, because there we’re adding in so much more information about these particular releases and why they are so important. We’ll be raising funds again next Sunday, and I’ve got to figure out a way to top how fantastic this show was, but with all this material, I’ll be able to find a way. To get where we need to, we don’t need much support, just 10 to 20 people for my show, but the support is absolutely vital for KPFK, Pacifica and Melting Pot Radio.
It’s time once again to raise funds on KPFK. This time around I have perhaps the best set of music I’ve been able to offer listeners of the program…a special 5 pack of music for $150 that features the following releases:
Soundtrack For A Revolution: Music of the Civil Rights Movement (Blacksmith Music)
Listen, Whitey: The Sounds of Black Power 1967-1974 (Light In The Attic)
Our Latin Thing (Nuestra Cosa): 40th Anniversary Edition 2CD + DVD (Fania)
Adrian Younge & Venice Dawn – Something About April (Wax Poetics)
Ana Tijoux – La Bala (Nacional)
Additionally, I have this exceptional bonus pack, that you can add on to any pledge over $100, so you can grab the above 5 CDs, and then get another 4 CDs for the EXACT same pledge!!! There are only 10 of these, and they’ll only be available during my show, so don’t sleep!!!
Finally, just for listeners of my show there’s a special sweepstakes, one that we will hopefully keep doing every time for our first drive of each new year, the “Best of 2011” sweepstakes. One lucky KPFK supporter is going to win TWENTY of my favorite releases from 2011 + a $100 gift certificate to Amoeba Music in Hollywood. Included in this set are releases from The Echocentrics, Headnodic, Real Estate, Shabazz Palaces, Charles Bradley & the Menahan Street Band, Algodon Egipcio, Mike James Kirkland, Quantic, Ocote Soul Sounds, Dum Dum Girls and many more! Every single person who pledges during my show will be entered into this sweepstakes, whether you pledge $1, $100 or $1000!!! So please, spread the word, tune in and tell your friends to support KPFK and Melting Pot this month!
First time around I had this LP, I remember getting it at Fantasyland Records in Atlanta. I’d just started really getting into collecting vinyl and was starting to seek out all the vinyl spots around the city. Being a fan of Funkadelic and knowing that they recorded on the Westbound label, I picked up this record but remember being a little disappointed by it when I got home. Months later when I was doing Soul Kitchen (which now is a weekly show, used to be a monthly thing in my day), I’d thrown this into my crate as something I hadn’t played before and actually gave the various cuts a better listen. Whatever weak feelings I had dropped away once I heard the drum break on “You’re Getting A Little Too Smart” which remains one of my all-time favorites.
It wasn’t until several years later that I tracked down a copy of “Funky Worm” from the Ohio Players on 45 and recognized the same drum break leading off the song (the LP version of “Funky Worm” is a breakless wonder).
This leads me to believe that the Ohio Players were backing up the Detroit Emeralds. Judging from the sound of I’m In Love With You, this seems possible. From the sound of the horns to the drums on other tracks, such as “Watcha Gonna Wear Tomorrow” and “So Long”, it sure seems like it could be the Ohio Players. What’s really funny is that the 45 version of “You’re Getting A Little Too Smart” does NOT have the drum break on it!
This is the kind of stuff that just drives DJs absolutely crazy. For the life of me, I can’t understand why labels would take out the breaks on some recordings. I could understand coming up with radio versions of tracks, but a lot of times the break is only a few extra seconds, but man do those extra seconds make a difference. In this case, one is a bit slower than the other, this Emeralds’ LP version also is a lot longer than the “Funky Worm” 45 version…either way I suppose we all win.
A true soul legend will grace us here in LA on Saturday, February 11th. Syl Johnson will be dropping into Funky Sole at the Echo to perform backed up by the mighty Breakestra, sure to be a legendary night you won’t want to miss. If you want a chance to attend courtesy of Melting Pot, make sure to send an e-mail by 12Noon this Friday to michael[at]meltingpotblog.com!!! By the way, just in case you missed it, you should definitely check out Oliver Wang’s recent interview with Syl on his podcast “The Sidebar.”
Syl Johnson – Different Strokes
Syl Johnson – Is It Because I’m Black?
Syl Johnson – The Love You Left Behind
And just in case you needed a reminder on just how funky Breakestra can get (and how funky, Funky Sole, actually is) here you go:
La Bala is the new album from Ana Tijoux who made a nice splash with her prior record, one of my faves from a couple years back 1977. This new album builds on all the promise in that record, broadening the variety of sounds and samples that Ana flows and sings over. At times the beat and flow are forceful, almost martial in their character, (particularly on the first couple of tracks, “La Bala” and “Shock”) while at other times there is a greater sense of intimacy and depth of emotion on display (such as on “Mi Mitad,” “Quizas” or “Sacar La Voz”). The range that Tijoux displays is something that is unfortunately far too rare in American Hip-Hop. “Quizas” is my favorite track, mixing Ana’s spanish flow about the possibilities of reconnection with an old friend over a mellow beat anchored by piano that picks up into almost Mizell Bros. territory when the English chorus comes in. La Bala is a truly exceptional album from one of the best MCs making music right now, definitely an early fave for 2012.
{If you’re in LA, you CANNOT miss the upcoming show Homage at Exchange LA on Feb. 23rd featuring Adrian Younge & Venice Dawn with William Hart of the Delfonics, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble with Phil Cohran, Theo Parrish and DJ Spinna!!!}
Multi-instrumentalist, DJ, producer, film editor, Salon and Record Store proprietor and all around renaissance man Adrian Younge was our guest this week for a DJ set and interview we recorded at KPFK. Adrian is perhaps best known for the soundtrack to the Blaxploitation Revival film Black Dynamite, at least until the release of his latest project, Venice Dawn and their fantastic LP Something About April. He rolled into KPFK with a full crate of vinyl and spun a set that went into a number of unexpected places. During the interview we talked about his approach as a DJ and musician, the curious musical creation “The Selene,” the process and concept behind the new record and upcoming projects from the soon to be released collaboration with William Hart of the Delfonics to the highly anticipated Black Dynamite cartoon on Adult Swim and the possibility of Black Dynamite 2!!!
Selections:
Adrian Younge & Venice Dawn – Two Hearts Combine
Bobby Caldwell – Open Your Eyes
Bernard Wright – Haboglabotribin’
David Sancious – Prelude #3
Lobo – Running Deer
Iron Butterfly – Her Favorite Style
Lonnie Liston Smith – Space Lady
George Benson – Ain’t No Sunshine
New Birth – Honeybee
The Checkmates – Aquarius
Shaft Cover Band – Bumby’s Lament
Adrian Younge – Black Dynamite/Jimmy’s Dead
Nancy Wilson – Ain’t No Sunshine
Los Angeles Negros – Tanto Adios
Giorgio Carnini – Ninna Nanna
Nancy Sinatra – Bang Bang
Adrian Younge & Venice Dawn – Something About April
Even though I’m a big sports fan, I didn’t mind hositng the show on Super Bowl Sunday yesterday. If I hadn’t done the show, I wouldn’t have been able to pay tribute to Don Cornelius or been able to bring in Adrian Younge for a guest DJ set and interview. I recently just said quite a lot on Don Cornelius, but what I wanted to do in the tribute was to give some of the flavor of the show, especially in those early truly groundbreaking days. So you hear a little bit of the Soul Train Gang talking to the artists, incredible performances exclusively done for the show from James Brown, Bill Withers and Aretha Franklin and can hear the soul clap and party atmosphere of the Soul Train Line as Graham Central Station’s “Release Yourself” plays in the background. Most of all you hear Don Cornelius’ voice and his signature closing wishing us all “Love, Peace and Soul.”
The whole second hour is given over to an amazing guest DJ set mixed live at the station earlier in the week by Adrian Younge, who also sits in to discuss his new album Something About April (Separate Post Coming). In between there’s also a few new tunes, from Lee Fields, Ana Tijoux, The One & Nines as well as classic material from Syl Johnson, Rebirth and J Dilla (celebrate Dilla Day, his birthday on the 7th, by playing your favorite Dilla tunes). Next week it’s fundraising time and we’ll have a pretty cool music sweepstakes for my show, until then enjoy this week’s show.
{opening theme} Booker T & the Mgs – Melting Pot – 7” (Stax)
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Don Cornelius Tribute Set:
James Brown – Super Bad – Best of Soul Train DVD (Time Life)
Bill Withers – Use Me – Best of Soul Train DVD (Time Life)
Graham Central Station – Release Yourself – Best of Soul Train DVD (Time Life)
Aretha Franklin – Rock Steady – Best of Soul Train DVD (Time Life)
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Syl Johnson – Different Strokes – 7” (Twilight)
The One and Nines – Make It Easy – 7” (Cotter)
Lee Fields & the Expressions – Faithful Man – Faithful Man (Truth & Soul)
Ana Tijoux – El Rey Solo – La Bala (Nacional)
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Boogaloo Assassins – No No No – Single (Self-released)
Rebirth Brass Band – Let’s Go Get ‘Em – Rebirth of New Orleans (Basin Street)
Sureshot Symphony Solution feat. The Mighty Pope – Mr. Fortune & Fame – 7” (Self-released)
J Dilla – Anti-American Graffiti/Geek Down – Donuts (Stones Throw)
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Adrian Younge – Guest DJ Set & Interview – Recorded Live At KPFK (KPFK Archives)
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Adrian Younge & Venice Dawn – It’s Me – Something About April (Wax Poetics)
Legendary broadcaster Don Cornelius passed away earlier this week. I’m not sure there’s a way to adequately measure the impact of Don Cornelius and his creation Soul Train on post-1960s culture. Soul Train currently reigns as the longest running “first-run” show, broadcast continuously from 1971 to 2006, 35 full years, documenting so much American cultural history during that time that it boggles the mind. Personally, I spent most of my youth watching Soul Train on Saturday mornings and afternoons, I’m pretty sure most of my sensibilities as a dancer came to me from watching the show, as was the case for millions of people watching the “Soul Train Gang” and later “The Soul Train Dancers” do their thing.
Growing up in the 1980s, I only really knew the 1980s version of Soul Train. It wasn’t until years later that I discovered the absolute treasure trove of material from the show in the early 1970s. My wife and I were visiting some of my family in Atlanta, up late at night (which wasn’t late at night for us, since we were still on west coast time) when flipping through the channels we happened upon a live performance from Al Green. The experience was shocking for me, both because the performance was so amazing and because I hadn’t had any idea just how good the early Soul Train was. When you look at the list of all the artists who made their way down to the show, many of them playing live, it’s just extraordinary, just so much dynamite soul.
What also was fascinating about the show was just the simple fact of representation, by which I mean, Soul train didn’t try to do too much, it just showed the artists and the people getting down as they were. The dancers were mostly just local kids with serious style. They weren’t professionals, though many of them became professionals. When artists came on, these regular black folks got to ask the kind of questions regular people would have loved to have asked their heroes. When you think about the kinds of images that American culture often used to represent Black culture, what Soul Train did to humanize and normalize blackness is nothing short of revolutionary. That’s why I’m thankful to have grown up when I did, to see the show when it ran, and that now so many of those classic episodes are much more readily available. Below are some of my favorite moments from what’s available online. Thank you Don Cornelius and all the Soul Train gang…may you rest in love, peace and soul!
Honorable Mention: Afro-Sheen Commercials
As Questlove makes note, the Soul Train gang produced these spots and as corny as they may seem, it’s pretty special considering how rare it would have been in 1972 to have had ANY representations of black people in advertising, and to have these commercials highlight blackness from our own perspective is again, nothing short of revolutionary.
5. Sly & the Family Stone – Dance To The Music / I Want To Take You Higher
Everybody knows how much I love Sly, and seeing him in this space, with what looks like his band from the Small Talk era (mentioned already as my favorite Sly Stone LP), cooking with some serious gas is like a dream come true. Amazing…
4. Stevie Wonder Serenades Soul Train:
Just about the most heart warming thing you’ll ever see from one of the most heart warming musicians of all-time.
3. Al Green with his arm in sling performing in 1974:
This is that performance I mentioned, that my wife and I saw late at night in Atlanta a number of years back. Transcendent to say the least…
2. James Brown on Soul Train:
This clip is a collection of the many times that James Brown performed on Soul Train. I especially love when during “Super Bad” a dancer jumps up on stage to get funky, surprising James so much that you can literally see it in his face.
1. Don Cornelius on the Soul Train Line:
Perhaps the only time that Don Cornelius got down on the Soul Train line, to James Brown no less and with Mary Wilson as a dance partner…absolutely priceless
This past week I had the good fortune of spending time with Adrian Younge over at KPFK as he dropped by to do a guest DJ set and interview (post coming soon). I’d forgotten that Adrian owned the Artform Studio in LA, and that I’d never gotten a chance to pay it a visit. Artform is 1/2 record store, 1/2 barbershop/hair salon but all soul and a great reflection of the man who runs it.
While thumbing through the stacks I ran into this record from La Reservacion India, a group I’m guessing is from Mexico (solely because the record was made in Mexico and they cover “Cielito Lindo”). As is often the case with latin LPs from this period of time I expected a bunch of rancheras and maybe if I was lucky one slightly rockin’ or funky song. To my surprise, there were NO rancheras at all on this album, instead it was full of classic 70s latin rock crooning with a super snappy drummer and big washes of organ. Really solid material from track to track (though no clean breaks) that reminds me so much of Chicano Batman, I wonder if Bardo and the boys have this record in their collection. Nice to have yet another spot to dig for quality sounds in the city of Los Angeles.
Pretty rare that I get packages that I haven’t asked for at KPFK, even rarer that those packages include vinyl. So when I got a few 7″‘s from Brooklyn’s Cotter Records, I was pretty gassed. The One & Nines are a big group (11 peeps!) from the New Jersey area who play a nice mix of roadhouse Rock’n’Roll and Soul. They get firmly in the pocket on “Make It Easy” a nice gritty bit of modern soul showcasing Vera Sousa’s sultry singing and a super dirty (musically speaking) breakdown with the guitar and background voices that gets even dirtier late in the song when everybody joins in. That sound is so good it really makes me wish they had released an instrumental of this too. Judging from the band’s website it looks like they are working on a full-length LP for release sometime in 2012. If even half of it is as good as “Make It Easy” you’re gonna be hearing a lot of The One & Nines this year on Melting Pot.
