I’ll be honest here, I did not know much about Marcus Miller before I decided to write this piece. I only knew him as the bass player for Miles Davis. Let’s see what Wikipedia has to say:
… a jazz musician, composer and producer, perhaps best known as a bass guitarist with Miles Davis, Luther Vandross and David Sanborn. Miller is classically trained as a clarinetist, and also plays bass clarinet, keyboard, saxophone, and guitar, and is a capable singer.
Well hot damn! He’s won a Grammy for his solo efforts and has played with a veritable “who’s who” of Jazz and Blues musicians. I stumbled upon his latest release while browsing through my Miles Davis links. It immediately grabbed me with it’s raga-inspired lead off track “Blast” and held me down tight delivering funk, soul and some of the tightest bass licks I’ve heard. Here’s a sample of the soulful side of this record featuring the beautiful Corinne Bailey Rae covering the 1977 Deniece Williams track “Free”.
Marcus Miller (feat. Corinne Bailey Rae) – Free (MP3)
Buy: Free (I highly suggest checking your local jazz/soul shop first!)
Link: Official Site | MySpace
There’s just something about Alice Smith. I’ll admit it, I dug this one out of the pile of CD’s marked “Must Listen To Again” and I’m kicking myself for having slept on it for so long. With comparisons ranging from Patty LaBelle to Fiona Apple to Billie Holiday the one common factor is the presence of soul. There is something so honest in her phrasing and delivery, no smoke, no mirrors. It’s almost as if you are sitting in the corner of the vocal booth, just soaking in every corner of her four-octave voice. I’ve packed this post with two of my favorite tracks. Here’s just a little lyrical taste of “Dream”…
When I wake up in the morning time
I like to see you sleeping by my side
I think about the nights we had before
Wanna give you this and more
Let you know I truly adore you
I’ll tell ya, she had me at “Let you know I truly adore you”. I’m a fan, give a listen and you will be too.
Pete and I must have had a cross country mind meld, as I swear the post you are about to read was started on my laptop late Friday night.
My first exposure to Chuck Brown came earlier this year in the way of an interview with Mike Scott (Prince, Justin Timberlake) in Guitar Player magazine. While the good Rev. Scott gave utmost props to his former band leader he also spoke in great detail about “The Godfather of Go-Go” and how he shaped his sound growing up in D.C. I ran out and picked up “The Best of Chuck Brown” and immediately understood how. Take equal parts funk and Latin music, mix in a dash of soul and new jack swing (way before it’s time) and you’ve got the recipe for yet more break-filled music to move your rump.
Check out a handful of tracks, and if you don’t tap your foot, nod your head and wiggle in your chair upon listening, check your pulse!
Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers – It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing) (mp3)
Chuck Brown – The Love Theme From “The Godfather” (mp3)
Bonus Video!!
Here’s Chuck’s performance (With his band The Soul Searchers) of “We Need Some Money” from the 1986 movie Good To Go.
I’ve been reading up on the latest happenings of Jazzie B. and Soul II Soul. It’s good to see that Jazzie is still going strong as a DJ around London. I really enjoyed the club / R&B groove of their first two U.S. releases, Keep on Movin’ and Vol. II: 1990 - A New Decade. Here’s the biggest hit from Vol. II…
Hello friends, your friendly neighborhood Gonzo here, checking in with some music for your soul.
Nearly a month ago, a friend whom is well aware of my tastes asked me if I’d heard Ryan Shaw. He said that he’d heard him on an NPR feature, and proceeded to rave about Shaw’s voice. As a testament, he informed me that Shaw opens his concerts with an a capella excerpt from the Sam Cooke classic, “A Change is Gonna Come.” Needless to say, I was intrigued. That day I went to Shaw’s MySpace page, and liked what I heard. His voice is incredibly strong, and it’s clear to see why he takes to performing Sam Cooke tunes. I finally got around to hearing the album, and I have to say, I’m pleased.
This isn’t neosoul, it’s an unabashed throwback to the golden era of soul in the 1960s. The album is a mixed bag of originals and covers, including Motown, Ashford and Simpson, Wilson Pickett and more. The disc is definitely worth picking up for soul heads. I will admit that I await Shaw’s artistic development with trepidation. While This is Ryan Shaw is a great disc, I’m not sure how long he can sustain my interest with this particular flavor. I’m reminded of how much I loved Jurassic 5’s first two releases, so explicitly throwing back to old school hip hop a la Sugarhill Records. Yet they failed to progress past that point, and I lost interest by their third album. Hopefully Shaw doesn’t meet the same fate, but develops more of his own compositions and style, and builds upon rather than simply recaptures classic soul music. In the meantime, enjoy his rendition of “I’ll Be Satisfied,” and mosey on over to his Myspace page for more.
Soel is Pascal Ohs, a Paris born and bred trumpeter and composer who’s a member of popular European group St. Germain. Memento is his first solo effort, where he pays homage to the American R&B, classic soul and jazz that he digs so immensely. What he have in this tune is a very obvious tribute to the Barry Whites and Isaac Hayeses of the world. Soel, you rascal!
I’ve always loved the Stones version of “Harlem Shuffle” (and the video above, particularly the fine female dancing with Mick - rarrrr - feel like I’m 16 again). Silly thing is, I don’t think I had heard another version of it until recently (courtesy again of Sirius). It turned out to be the original version too, performed by Bob & Earl. The twosome, Bob Relf and Earl Nelson, wrote and recorded the song in 1963. It was later performed by the Righteous Brothers, Johnny & Edgar Winter, Booker T. & the M.G.’s, and of course the Stones on 1986’s Dirty Work.
So check out the original version. It’s interesting to note the similarities between the original and the Stones versions. You’ll notice Mick Jagger borrowed a lot of the same tones, groans, and moans from the Bob & Earl version.
Bob & Earl: Harlem Shuffle (mp3) - I got mine on iTunes from this compilation called Sweet Soul Music.
Listen Here:
I’ve still a looong way to go with my Booker T. & the M.G.’s education. As one of the tightest rhythm sections you could shake stick at, they were the Stax label’s house band for many years back in the 60’s. This 2003 release took a look at some of their unreleased sessions between 1965 and 1968. One of them is their own take on “Harlem Shuffle”.
Dec. 25th Update: With the passing of James Brown on this Christmas Day, I’m reposting this show. I don’t have time right now to link up all the individual songs below, but if you go here you can download the songs. Or, if you want the whole show in a RAR file, click here (it’s right around 50 MB).
Today’s R&B, soul, hip-hop, and music scene overall would be a vastly different place without James Brown. His influence is immeasurable. Where would Prince’s live show have been without the signature James Brown splits and mic stand tricks?
So we cruise back to the year 1973, and across the pond to Switzerland, to listen in on a James Brown show. The JB’s featuring Maceo Parker had just played an opening set, and then on came James.
James Brown
Live in Switzerland, 1973 (exact city & date unknown)
“Avalanche of Funk”
01 Intro
02 Get On The Good Foot
03 Soul Power
04 Make It Funky
05 Bewildered
06 Super Ad
07 Try Me
08 Hot Pants
09 Sex Machine
10 I’ve Got A Bag Of My Own
11 It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World
12 Please Please Please
13 I Can’t Stand Myself
14 Cold Sweat
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and 
. Here’s the biggest hit from Vol. II…
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