Melting Pot - Uncovering Bright Moments Across the Musical Spectrum -

Of all the songs it was my pleasure to play on Sunday for the Wardell Quezergue tribute, it is this one that sticks in my mind the most of all. I’m always amazed at the extraordinary quality of “previoulsy unissued” tracks. This is something that was likely recorded in 1971 and might have been heard only a few times until it was finally reissued on this 2006 collection by Grapevine, the title of which refers back to the chorus of this sweet soul song. In some ways I can understand why a song like this wouldn’t have been issued in the 1970s. It doesn’t sound quite like a finished song. More like a demo, with a largely stripped down sound out of step with many of the lush orchestrations already making their way into the sweet soul sound of the time. Additionally, the quality is not top notch, it’s clear that the source had begun to deteriorate over the years, but still thank God this song made it through the years and someone had the good sense to release it even with the imperfections.

There are so many things to love in this song, that stripped down sound and that slight bounce to the beat, the flat out fantastic lyrics and singing. I keep thinking that this must be a cover, no song this good, could be an original and be almost completely lost to time, but I can’t find another song with that “Strung Out, Wrapped Up, Chained & Bound” chorus. Beyond the fantastic chorus, there’s just a great sentiment throughout and when the lead sings the line, “You’re just the missing piece of the puzzle to make my life complete” with that falsetto on “complete,” my heart just melts.

One of the biggest drawbacks of getting music digitally these days is the lack of all the information from liner notes and the like, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s not a lot of info about this group. The sound reminds me of the Penny & the Quarters lost soul gem “You & Me” that Numero unearthed and Ryan Gosling immortalized in Blue Valentine. That kind of exposure eventually led to Numero tracking down the group’s members. I doubt there will be a similar story for the Magnificent Four, but I still wanted to do my part and bring this exceptional bit of sweet soul to as many people as I can for as long as I can.

September 19, 2011 Radio

Breakdown: September 18th on KPFK’s Melting Pot…Wardell Quezergue Tribute in 2nd Hour

Still a little in disbelief that I actually played the Game of Thrones parody song “Damn It Feels Good To Be A Lannister” to start the show, but what can I say, I love that show and was really pulling for Tyrion Lannister aka Peter Dinklage to win an Emmy for the role, and lo and behold he won! So, looks like the song is correct. The rest of the first hour features a lot of new music, brand new Wild Flag (featuring Mary Timony from Helium and Carrie & Janet from Sleater Kinney), Atlas Sound, Robin Hannibal of Quadron, AM & Shawn Lee, Staff Benda Bilili, and a few other choice cuts before we paid tribute to Wardell Quezergue in the whole second hour. This was actually one of the most difficult tributes I’ve done, just because Qeuzergue was involved with so many records, sometimes listed under his full name, sometimes as DC Wardell, The Big Q and several other aliases. Also, since a lot of his work was arranging it didn’t always turn up on the printed labels, but I think I was able to choose the 20+ best tracks from his catalog, including some of the biggest songs he was associated with “Mr. Big Stuff,” “Groove Me” and “Misty Blue” plus some truly dynamite soul numbers that most people don’t know about, like personal favorites from Smokey Johnson, Robert Parker and Gus “The Groove” Lewis. Quezergue tribute begins right at the beginning of the second hour, enjoy the tunes and say a prayer from “the Teacher”…

Melting Pot on KPFK #56: First Hour
Melting Pot on KPFK #56: Second Hour

Playlist: 9-18-2011

{opening theme} Booker T & the MGs – Melting Pot – 7” (Stax)

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Connor Shields & Teague Case – Damn It Feels Good To Be A Lannister – Single (Youtube)
Corinithian Singers – Why? (It’s A Shame) – Boddie Recording Co. (Numero)
Hawthorne Headhunters – Teleport – Myriad Of Now (Plug Research)
Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou – Egni Miton? Nin Mi Na Wa Gbin – The 1st Album / Funky Rob Way (Analog Africa)

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Googoosh – Pishkesh – Googoosh (Finders Keepers)
AM & Shawn Lee – City Boy – Celestial Electric (ESL)
Robin Hannibal – Transit – Bobby EP (Plug research)
Atlas Sound – Te Amo – Parallax (4ad)
Astrobal – Message from Kobe8 – Poetry & Science Fiction (Plug Research)

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Wild Flag – Endless Talk – Wild Flag (Merge)
Sebadoh – Junk Bonds – Smash Your Head On The Punk Rock (Sub Pop)
Staff Benda Bilili – Avramandole – Tres Tres Fort (Crammed Discs)
Ajit Singh feat. Asha Bhosle – Main Akeli Raat Jawan – Sitar Beat Vol. 2 (Guerilla Reissues)
Superstar Quamallah & Deqawn – Manhattan Reflections – Talkin’ All That Jazz (Brick)
Wardell & the Sultans – Dance Time – 7” (Imperial)

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Royal Dukes of Rhythm – The Flirt – Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye: The Frisco Records Story (Ace)

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Royal Dukes of Rhythm – My Heavy Load – Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye: The Frisco Records Story (Ace)
Wardell & the Sultans – I’m Broke – 7” (Imperial)
Earl King – Trick Bag – 7” (Imperial)
The Dixie Cups – Iko Iko – Iko Iko (Red Bird)
Professor Longhair – Big Chief Pt. 1 – 7” (Watch)
Gentleman June Gardner – Hot Seat – Bustin’ Out (Emarcy)

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Jean Knight – Mr. Big Stuff – Mr. Big Stuff (Stax)
Robert Parker – Let’s Go Baby (Where The Action Is) – 7” (NOLA)
Smokey Johnson – I Can’t Help It – 7” (NOLA)
Bonnie & Sheila – You Keep Me Hanging On – 7” (King)
The Unemployed – They Won’t Let Me – 7” (Cotillion)
The Gaturs – Yeah You’re Right, You Know You’re Right – 7” (Gatur)

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Ruben Bell – Superjock – 7” (Alarm)
Irma Thomas – She’s Taken My Part – 7” (Cotillion)
Gus Lewis – Let The Groove Move You – 7” (Tou-sea)
Robert Parker – Get Ta Steppin’ – 7” (Island)
Jean Knight – Do Me – 7” (Stax)
Gentleman June Gardner – It’s Gonna Rain – 7” (Emarcy)

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King Floyd – Groove Me – 7” (Chimneyville)
Dorothy Moore – Misty Blue – Misty Blue (Malaco)
Charles “Soul” Brown – Standing On The Outside – 7” (NOLA)
The Magnificent Four – You’ve Got Me – Strung Out: The Malaco Sessions (Grapevine)

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{closing theme} Smokey Johnson – It Ain’t My Fault Pt. 1 – 7” (NOLA)

September 12, 2011 Dig Deep

Dig Deep: John Klemmer – Blowin’ Gold – Cadet Concept (1969)

John Klemmer – Free Soul
John Klemmer – My Heart Sings
John Klemmer – Children Of The Earth Flames

I’m not sure exactly why, but it took me what seemed like FOREVER to track down another copy of this LP. I’d originally come across a copy at Groove Merchant in 1999 and parted ways with that copy during my big sell-off in 2004. Pretty much that entire time I’d been digging for another copy, only finding the cheapo budget reissue, but never this version. Eventually I just had to stalk Ebay to try and find a decently priced copy which I recently did. I don’t think this is a particularly rare record, but over the last 6+ years I never saw another copy. While it may not be super rare, and lord knows I’ve seen seemingly every other record Klemmer record in bins across the country, it is a super good LP, and that might be part of the reason you don’t see it around too often.

Like a lot of LPs on the Cadet Concept record label from this period of time, Blowin’ Gold straddles a number of scenes with an eye on hippie-fied consumers. It features a couple of well-known covers (“Hey Jude” and Hendrix’s “Third Stone From The Sun”) and a rather lovely sign of things to come in the ballad “My Love Has Butterfly Wings”, but it’s the psychedelic tracks that kept me on the lookout for this LP for so long. In addition to Klemmer on Saxophone, this record features a crack rhythm section with Phil Upchurch on bass and Morris Jennings on drums, Richard Thompson on some very game piano and organ throughout and a true under-rated master, Pete Cosey on electric guitar. Cosey just about takes over on the über-heavy “My Heart Sings” even with his guitar pushed down in the mix. With the drums and organ pounding away, Klemmer skwaking out his notes, Cosey’s guitar still screams out of the right side of the speakers in all kinds of fuzzy distorion, at times not even sounding like a guitar, but more like an additional skronking saxophone. Soooooooooooo very heavy, I can almost forgive him for the truly silly 1960s spoken introduction.

Speaking of heavy, “Free Soul” is such a bad ass jam. It seems like a pretty conventional soul-jazz number for about 10 seconds, then Klemmer lets loose with those epic trilling notes that just sound like a great Hip-Hop break while at the same time sounding like no one would put that passage in a break (well, maybe the ending more so than the horn part). Without a doubt one of my all-time favorite left-field funk jazz tracks, especially at the end when everything falls away and we’re left with those ominous keyboard tones from Thompson. Klemmer’s playing is probably at it’s best here, another track that reminds me a bit more of Rahsaan Roland Kirk, as Klemmer lays out layers of notes, occassionally mumbling, shouting or screaming around and through his sax.

Now that I think of it, it’s funny, but when I hear “Children Of The Earth Flames” I don’t see Klemmer at all, instead in my mind I literally see Rahsaan playing this tune. I know that Klemmer’s playing gets compared to ‘Trane’s all the time, but here he seems more inspired by Rahsaan and Eddie Harris, especially with the electric effects on his horn. The playing at the start of this song sounds almost like two separate horns playing in tandem, which is likely while it immediately reminds me of Rahsaan, along with it’s off the wall funkiness.

I’ve never been able to get into Klemmer’s other work, after the aural freakouts of this LP they all just seem too pedestrian. This is one of those records that is so good, you wish there was more of this sound. Knowing what I know about recording techniques around this time, it’s actually very likely that there’s a reel-to-reel full of alt-takes and unreleased tracks just sweating away in some Chicago basement. Until someone discorvers them, I’m just thankful that I was able to get reunited with this album.

Cheers,

Michael

September 10, 2011 Ephemera

In Heavy Rotation: Quantic – The Best Of Quantic – Tru Thoughts

Quantic – Cuidad Del Swing

I’m not sure that I agree with the title “Best Of” for this collection of music from the first 10 years of recordings from Will Holland aka Quantic. It’s not that the music on the collection isn’t fantastic. Much of it is (as a “Best Of” I think they could have condensed the best of the best tracks into a single disc, but that’s just me), but Quantic is a very young musician. In the last several years he’s released some of his best work (particularly Tradition In Transition with his Combo Barbaro) and it’s very likely that his best is yet to come…if that’s the case, will they just have Vol. 2 in another 5 – 10 years? Or will it be, “The Even Better Best” of Quantic? No matter what, as long as Holland keeps releasing stellar tracks like I’ll keep listening and playing his music, and so should you.

September 8, 2011 Ephemera

Five for Mr. Wardell Quezergue…R.I.P.

An under-rated though very appreciated (for those who know) legend passed away recently, Wardell Quezergue, one of several architects of the New Orleans soul sound, passed at 81. I’m in the process of planning a big tribute set for the Sept. 18th show when Melting Pot returns to the KPFK airwaves, but for the time being here’s 5 of my favorite Quezergue related songs, a couple of which I only had the faintest hint he was involved in until recently.

Smokey Johnson – I Can’t Help It

This isn’t just one of my favorite Quezergue related productions, it’s one of my single favorite soul instrumentals of ALL-TIME!!! There’s probably not a single song that I love to finger snap and soul clap on the beat to than this one with those the drum patterns and that rhythm…lord that rhythm! Just pure magic to dance to.

Robert Parker – Barefootin’

One of the breeziest NOLA soul songs, the first big hit on Quezergue’s NOLA label. I’m more partial to the flipside “Where The Action Is” but y’all already know that and it’s real hard to deny what a joy it is dance to this gem.

Dorothy Moore – Misty Blue

I’ve heard this song literally hundreds of times, it’s one of my faves and one of my wife’s all-time favorites, but I only just realized that the gorgeous arrangement that, along with Moore’s great vocals, lifts this one into legendary status was arrainged by none of other than Mr. Q.

King Floyd – Groove Me

It’s UNBELIEVABLE to me that ANYONE would hear this song and think, “Yeah, we’re gonna pass…” but that’s exactly what Atlantic Records did on this single, so Quezergue and gang put it out on their record label Chimneyville and it promptly became a big-time hit and later on Atlantic came crawling back. This one is from a pretty legendary session at Malaco studios in Alabama that also yielded Jean Knight’s “Mr. Big Stuff” maybe the biggest song Quezergue ever had a hand in. “Groove Me” is another all-time favorite of my, just a total smile inducing soul song with some of the best sentiments around love you’ll find in an upbeat mover of a song.

Smokey Johnson – It Ain’t My Fault

Another Smokey Johnson instrumental, with it’s opening drum lines, it just screams second line, the piano melody is a New Orleans staple, and one that’s been sampled a few times which Quezergue only recently got a settlement around. So much soul…Thank you Teacher!

September 6, 2011 Ephemera

Giveaway: Nacional Records Night feat. Ana Tijoux, Los Amigos Invisbles and Bostich+Fussible @ the Music Box September 9th!!!

{Congrats to the winner Dalia P!!!}

Nacional records, one of the best independent labels focus on Latin Alternative music is holding a showcase here in LA at the Music Box on Friday, September 9th. Featured on the stage will be Bostich + Fussible of the Nortec Collective, Los Amigos Invisibles and one of the best MCs in any language Ana Tijoux! If you want a chance to win tickets e-mail me at michael[at]meltingpotblog.com by 12noon Friday!!!

Ana Tijoux

Los Amigos Invisbles

Bostich+Fussible

September 4, 2011 Radio

Breakdown: September 4th on KPFK’s Melting Pot

Been looking forward to this show for a while, first “regular” version of Melting Pot in almost a whole month. Lots and lots and lots of new music, including new tunes from Dum Dum Girls, Atlas Sound, Headnodic, Veronica Falls, Total Babe, 9th Wonder feat. Phonte and then a bunch of amazing reissues, Googoosh out of Iran, Ilaiyaraaja out of India, Funky Rob out of Ghana and Zdenez Liska out of Czech Republic. It’s gonna be a couple weeks til we have another show, because next week there is a 9/11 10th Anniversary special going on all day, so enjoy this one until Sept. 18th!

Melting Pot on KPFK #55: First Hour
Melting Pot on KPFK #55: Second Hour

Playlist: 09-04-2011

{opening theme} Booker T & the MGs – Melting Pot – Melting Pot (Stax)

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The Minutemen – This Ain’t No Picnic – Double Nickels On The Dime (SST)
Veronica Falls – Bad Feeling – 7” (Slumberland)
Pollyn – Ay Ya Ya Ya (Forever In My Hands) – Living In Patterns (Self-released)
Os Ritmistas – Samba De Pacto – Oi! A Nova Musica Brasileira! (Mais Um Discos)
The Stepkids – Shadows On Behalf – The Stepkids (Stones Throw)

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Los Ecos – La Fuga Del Bandido – Peligro…Ritmo Explosivo (FTA)
Ilaiyaraaja – Ponnana Neram feat. S. Janaki – Solla Solla (B-Music/Finders Keepers)
Dum Dum Girls – Bedroom Eyes – Only In Dreams (Sub Pop)
Real Estate – Out Of Tune – 7” (True Panther)
Low – Over The Ocean – The Curtain Hits The Cast (Vernon Yard)

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A.C. Jones & the Atomic Aces – Oh Baby – Boddie Recording Co.: Cleveland Ohio (Numero)
The Bandana Splits – My Love – Mr. Sam Presents The Bandana Splits (Boy Scout)
Hunx & His Punx – Bad Boy – Too Young To Fall In Love (Hardly Art)
Serge Gainsbourg – Black And White – Comic Strip (Polydor)
Chain & the Gang – For Practical Purposes (I Love You) – Music’s Not For Everyone (K Records)
Quantic – New Morning – The Best Of Quantic (Tru Thoughts)

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Googoosh – Shekayat – Googoosh (Finders Keepers/B-Music)
9th Wonder feat. Phonte & Median – Band Practice Pt. 2 – The Wonder Years (It’s A Wonderful World)
Stevie Wonder – Hey Love – Down To Earth (Motown)
Devon Williams – Revelations – Euphoria (Slumberland)
Total Babe – You’ll See – Daytrotter Sessions (Daytrotter.com)

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Atlas Sound – Terra Incognita – Parallax (4ad)
Zdenek Liska – Aquatic Babicak – Mala Morska Vila (B-Music/Finders Keepers)
Amon Tobin – Lost & Found – Isam (Ninja Tune)
Robin Hannibal –Voltaire – Bobby EP (Plug Research)

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Headnodic – Dirty Diamonds – Red Line Radio (Brick)
Rob – More – Funky Rob Way/1st Album (Analog Africa)
AM & Shawn Lee – Promises Are Never Far From Lies – Celestial Electric (ESL)
Katalyst feat. Stephanie McKay – Day Into Night – Deep Impressions (BBE)

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{closing theme} Dungen – C. Visar Vagen – Tio Batar (Kemado)

September 2, 2011 Dig Deep

Dig Deep: The Racket Squad – Corners Of Your Mind – Jubilee (1969)

The Racket Squad – You Turn Me On
The Racket Squad – Suburban Life
The Racket Squad – Sweet Little Smoke

School started again this week, which means all my free time has been sucked away. But I still wanted to

RacketSquad2 — I wonder where I can find a pair of groovy diamond shaped glasses like the dude on the left???

throw something up here for this week’s Dig Deep and here it is. Picked up this LP at Records LA a couple of weeks ago just before my birthday. The Racket Squad released a couple of LPs in the late 1960s, with this one being the 2nd, I’m pretty sure they were originally from the Pittsburgh area. Corners Of Your Mind is a solid psych LP, most of the songs are originals, with a couple of covers, a decent take on Hendrix’s “Little Wing” and a super solid cover of “Get Out My Life Woman.” There’s a totally silly Popeye influenced reprise of “Woman” but other than that everything on here is solid, nice production on the drums, which tend to be hanging out in the left channel, as well as good sound on the organ and guitars. “You Turn Me On” and “Sweet Little Smoke” are suitably psychedelic with slower tempos and distinctly 60s lyrics like “Sweet Little Smoke please set me free, let me sail out on a marshmellow sea…” I especially dig the way the last two minutes of “Smoke” flows with the bass, tambourine and drums along with the wordless “La La La” singing. “Suburban Life” is a bit harder, with a beat that sounds a bit like “Jungle Fever” from the Chakachas and some nice fuzzy guitar.

This is also a good time to mention that Scott of Records LA is opening up a second location, Records @ the Last Bookstore, September 8th!!! Go on and franchise that Funky, baby!!!

September 1, 2011 Ephemera

In Heavy Rotation: Orchestre Poly Rythmo De Cotonou-Dahomey / Rob – The 1st Album / Funky Rob Way – Analog Africa

Rob – More

Probably the next several weeks worth of Heavy Rotation will be devoted to all these exceptional reissues that just came my way recently. This one is a split-release between the legendary Orchestre Poly-Rythmo and Ghanian “Funky” Rob Raindorf. Both sides of the split are heavy duty African funk, I’ll highlight something from Funky Rob, just cause he (and the band put together by Amponsah Rockson) were completely new to me. “Funky” Rob is an apt title cause the music is seriously funky, with Rob’s contribution mostly being a few shouts and choice lines. Of the 5 tracks here, “More” is the one I find the most fascinating, clearly inspired by The JB’s “Blow Your Head,” without sounding anything remotely like a cover of that song…Funky Rob Indeed!

August 29, 2011 Radio

Be Our Guest: DJ Lengua on KPFK’s Melting Pot

{There’s a couple of chances to catch DJ Lengua this week as Mas Exitos invades the Echo for Dub Club Meets Mas Exitos, Wednesday Aug. 31st and Mas Exitos returns to the Verdugo Bar (and every 1st Thursday) this Thursday Sept. 1st!!!}

Fantastic guest set from DJ Lengua of the Mas Exitos crew. For the past several years I’ve been digging on the music that Lengua creates, a mix of classic 1960s/70s Cumbia with latin and funk break beats. He’s now got two albums under his belt on one of my favorite indie labels, Club Unicornio (also home to Roger Mas and Chicano Batman!). For some time he’s been one of the resident DJs for Mas Exitos spinning underground, rare and gritty latin wax. His set for us is perfect for the hazy summer Sunday afternoon it broadcast on, laid back latin rhythms with lots of twangy twangy guitar. Many of the instrumentals, like this multi-colored piece of vinyl from Los Beltons, were actually meant to played at 45 rpm, but at 33 rpms they sound extra nice. Check the breakdown from this show for a bit of an interview which unfortunately got cut too short cause we ran out of time, but I guarantee Lengua will be back in the future to play and discuss more music.

Guest DJ Set from DJ Lengua on KPFK’s Melting Pot

August 29, 2011 Radio

Breakdown: August 28th on KPFK’s Melting Pot

Can’t express to you how great it was to be back at KPFK hosting Melting Pot this week. It had been 2 weeks since my last show and I was jonesing to play you some tunes. Had to pay tribute to one of my all-time heroes MLK, on the 48th anniversary of his “I Have A Dream” speech, so the show starts off with that speech in full. So many times people just focus on the closing, but there’s a lot going on in this speech given in 1963 at the March on Washington. Rest of the first hour features music that I’ve picked up in the last couple of weeks, being in the Bay Area and around LA for our anniversary and my birthday. Some nice choice cuts, a couple of which have already made their way here and most (and a few more I didn’t get to play) will be making their way here soon. Second hour belongs to DJ Lengua who gives us almost 45 minutes of seriously laid back and extra tight cumbia tracks. We have a far too short conversation about his style as a DJ and musician. He’ll definitely be coming back to Melting Pot some time in the near future, so much music, much more to discuss, just not enough time this time around. Enjoy!

Melting Pot on KPFK #54: First Hour
Melting Pot on KPFK #54: Second Hour

Playlist: 08-28-2011

{opening theme} Boris Gardiner – Melting Pot – Is What’s Happening (Dynamic)

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Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – I Have A Dream – I Have A Dream (20th Century Fox)

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Ice Water Slim & the 4th Floor – Dream On, Dream On – 7” (Hawk Sound)
Novella Nelson – Long Road Home – Novella Nelson (Arcana)
Wanderlea – Que Besteira – Feito Gente (Polydor)
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble – War – 10” (Self-released)
Archie Shepp – Attica Blues – Attica Blues (Impulse)
Joe Henderson – Fire – The Elements (Milestone)

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Gloria Taylor – Born A Woman – 7” (King Soul)
Ike & Tina Turner – Bold Soul Sister – The Hunter (Blue Thumb)
The Racket Squad – Get Out Of My Life Woman – Corners Of Your Mind (Jubilee)
The Counts – Bills – What’s Up Front That Counts (Westbound)
Dizzy Gillespie – Getting’ Down – Sweet Soul (Gateway)

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Guest DJ Set from DJ Lengua

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DJ Lengua – Selections From DJ Lengua – DJ Lengua (Club Unicornio)
DJ Lengua – Sampu – Cruzando (Club Unicornio)

August 27, 2011 Dig Deep

Dig Deep: Wanderlea – Feito Gente – Polydor (1975)

Wanderlea – Que Besteira
Wanderlea – Verdes Varandas
Wanderlea – Ginga Mandiga

Here’s another record picked up during my recent trip to the Bay Area, in this case from Groove Merchant. I don’t know much about Wanderlea except she hosted a TV show with Roberto & Erasmo Carlos in the 1960s called Jovem Guarda. I’ve heard a couple of songs from her, both of which were pretty fantastic mid-1970s productions, so when I ran across this LP, recorded live in 1975, I had enough smarts to check it out on the turntable.

As soon as the opening notes of “Que Besteria” started to play I knew I had a winner and would be sharing it here soon enough. I love how the funk just rolls out of that opening, with the punchy drums, rumbling bass and organ. There’s almost too much funk going on as the song moves past the opening verses, but I do dig that sound. “Verdes Varandas” is one of two bluesy tracks on this LP, this one with a more epic bring down the house kind of feel as it moves along. “Ginga Mandiga” has a more Brazilian percussive feel to the funk. For a live LP the album is mastered in a way where the audience almost doesn’t get in the way, which for us DJ types is always a most welcome thing.

Cheers,

Michael

August 25, 2011 Ephemera

Giveaway: Charles Bradley @ the Echoplex Sunday August 28th!!!

{Congrats to winners Richard C. and Alex M.!!!}

Yes, it sucks that Sunset Junction has been canceled. But look on the brightside, if it hadn’t I would have tickets to go see Charles Bradley (just recently reviewed here!) at the Echoplex on Sunday night!!! I’ve said quite a bit about Bradley’s talent as a soul singer, as a live performer, he’s also quite a talent. Imagine if in the 1980s James Brown had decided to bring back super heavy funk and had the band to back him…that gives you an idea of what a Charles Bradley concert might just be like. You have a chance to see him live at the Echoplex courtesy of Melting Pot if you win the tickets…e-mail me at michael[at]meltingpotblog.com by 12noon Saturday for your chance!!!

Here’s a taste of what you’ll be seeing, several songs recorded from a performance in France:

And here’s the very slick video for “The World” from Mr. Bradley & the Menahan Street Band: