RADIOPHONIC ODDITIES: AUGUST 2009

(image courtesy Dan McPharlin)

Just in time to help you cool down a bit, as summer slowly winds its way inevitably down, is another volume in the continuously expanding universe that is the Radiophonic Oddities series. So clean out the wax in your ears, pour yourself a cold one, hell...invite the Boss and his wife over. Tell him how much you want that promotion. Tell him unless they make you partner, you walk.

We'll be back sooner than you know with another entry.

"Get ready to feel." -DJ Clarence Duffy

Tracklist:
1-Intro (Hipsters)
2-Fingertips/Little Stevie Wonder
3-Modern Times/Midas Touch
4-Flintstones & Winstons
5-This Is My Country/Little Joe & the Latinaires
6-Black Beauty/Ike Turner & the Kings of Rhythm
7-Algo Mais/Os Mutantes
8-PBR
9-Take A Taxi/Etienne Cap
10-Hey Now Baby/Professor Longhair
11-I Got A Groove/JJ Callier
12-Beavis & Butt-Head/Gin and Juice
13-Cantinflas/Dom Salvador
14-Al's Tune/Kashmere Stage Band
15-Strung Out/Gordon Staples & the Motown Strings
16-Robin Harris Gives the Cops A Piece of His Mind.
17-Rhythm on Rhythm/The Sookie All Stars
18-The Horse/Marvin Holmes & The Uptights
19-Apache Talk/Luiz Bonfá
20-Kerouac.
21-Up Above My Head/Al Green
22-Momma's Gravy (Yum Yum)/Calypso King & The Soul Investigators
23-Carry Me Back to Old Virginny/Ray Charles

Running Time: 54:41

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THE UPSET

Paul Kelly is best known for the soul songs "Stealing in the Name of the Lord", which was a major hit in 1970, and "Hooked, Hogtied & Collared". He also wrote "Personally", which has been widely-covered, and was a hit for soul singer Jackie Moore, as well as country singers Karla Bonoff and Ronnie McDowell. Other songs have been covered by gospel artists, including the Mighty Clouds Of Joy and The Staple Singers.

Kelly was born in Overtown Miami, Florida, the fourth of six siblings. Kelly was brought up by his grandmother. In about 1956, Kelly's brother Henry formed a vocal group, with Paul as lead vocalist. It only lasted a few months, before Henry left Miami to go to college. Paul then formed a group with school friends from 20th Street School — The Spades, later known as The Valadeers. Another member was Jimmy Cherry, who later sang with The Fantastics.

In 1960, Kelly went left the group to go solo, recording the standard, "I'll String Along With You" for Dade Records, which was never released, following a dispute between Kelly and the label. A Miami-based singer/songwriter/producer, Clarence Reid (who would later perform as Blowfly), heard Kelly rehearse and asked him to fill in on lead vocals with his group, The Delmiros, whose lead singer had laryngitis. Kelly recorded a single, "Down With It, Can't Quit It"/"Sooner Or Later", which was released on Selma Records in 1963, under the name Clarence Reid & The Delmiros. Kelly began performing the song live in clubs and became associated with the song. Reid asked him to join The Delmiros on a permanent basis.

Kelly's official debut solo single appeared on the Lloyd label in 1965, and featured the classic soul tune "The Upset (inspired by the surprise boxing victory of Cassius Clay over Sonny Liston.) The track features big, dramatic horn stabs, chunky rhythm guitar, and a compelling, bold arrangement that make it a standout from that era.

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TURN TO ME

Immensely catchy soul courtesy of a group that is pretty much UnGoogleable, "Turn to Me" is propelled by a simple piano line and fantastic vocal harmonies. It is just under 2 minutes of pure, early 60's soul songwriting perfection.

This one's been stuck in my head all week.

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JUST PLAIN FUNK

James Polk comes from one of the most musical of American cities: Austin, Texas. There was and still is stiff competition amongst the numerous bands and musicians in the town, and in 1969 James Polk managed to rustle up some of Austin's finest to create his band The Brothers.

Good enough for James Brown himself to ask them to open for him, they promptly won the local talent contest 2 years in a row! Polk then knew it was time to commit his sound to wax. In the spirit of many other funk 45s, Polk bypassed the local and major record labels to release his music on his own label, Twink Records.

Polk released two singles on Twink: "Power Struggle" and "Just Plain Funk," the latter of which is a loping head-nodding deep funk groove that'll leave you looking to the sky craving an explanation as to why this fantastic band didn't record more like this.

(Courtesy Jazzman Records )

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AMOR BUENOS AIRES

Jorge López Ruiz is a highly respected Argentinian arranger, composer and bassist. He played with a legendary quintet led by Lalo Schifrin in 1956-1957; the featured saxophonist was Gato Barbieri. López Ruiz had also been Schifrin's big band bassist along with Gato. López Ruiz always played with the best musicians in Argentinean jazz.

Originally recorded in 1971 under the LP title Bronca Buenos Aires, it was mysteriously re-released by the Catalyst label as Amor Buenos Aires. While the original album featured spoken word lyrics based on the writings of Jose Tcherkaski, the extremely rare Catalyst pressing interestingly featured only instrumental versions of the same songs.

Dusty Groove's review:

"...A great set [featuring] funky, cinematic big band swing and choral arrangements... featuring arrangements that range from big band with heavy horns and strings and a very late 60s/early 70s soundtrack feel, to intimate solo work from players that include Chivo Borraro on tenor sax and Fernando Gelbard on piano...It's got a lot of sweeping, cinematic funk things going on -- for great kinda early 70s soundtrack
jazz vibe!"

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YO YO

Conceived by label owner Adrian Gibson and made into reality by The Bamboos’ Lance Ferguson, the Black Feeling project is all about taking it back to the source to the music that has inspired, instigated and accompanied many a musical journey over the years. Following a sell out gig at the Jazz Café, band leader Lance rounded up a bunch of fellow minded musicians from the Aussie funk scene to collaborate on a covers album. Consisting of members of The Bamboos, Cookin On 3 Burners and many more guest musicians, listening to the tracks would give even the most discerning pair of ears the impression of a rare, lost-in-time album you would find digging in a Caribbean record shop or American thrift store.

One of the tracks on the record is a cover of a mysterious 45 called "Yo Yo" by the band Richard's People. "Yo Yo" features one of the sickest and most oft-sampled opening drum breaks in funk lore. The fine gentlemen at Funky16Corners did an amazing piece about the 45 in March of 2008 that I won't attempt to summarize.

Below is a killer version of "Yo Yo" by the Alvarado Rodriguez Trio that captures the greasy, raw spirit of the original.

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LIBERTAD @ THE GOODFOOT

Come out and celebrate the 4th by hearing some great tunes by our partner-in-crime, Standing 8.

HEY JOYCE

When Lou Courtney is remembered nowadays, which isn’t too often, he’s usually remembered for early his 70’s smooth soul sound, which was sort of in the realm of Marvin Gaye or Donnie Hathaway. But in the mid-60s he was working a funkier, Staxy boogaloo dance craze style, similar to like Arthur Conley. A one-time member of legendary band The Fifth Dimension, Lou cut an absolute classic with the mega-funky "Hey Joyce."

The opening drum break has made this 45 quite a popular item in recent years.

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