More on Blaxploitation music

[jazz_pilgrim]

This post is a follow-up to some of the debate there has been on the Board ocver the past couple of weeks regarding Blaxploitation influenced music.

Well, on Saturday night, they ran the film "Shaft" on one of our main TV channels. And I watched it - I think for the first time!! I must say - what a great film it was - it's got that really great Seventies atmosphere that we have been talking about !!
I'd give anything just to be ONE MILLIONTH as cool as John Shaft!!

And since we've been debating this music on the Board, I've was browsing through the CD shops in Central London the other night, and I was amazed to see the number of "Blaxploitation" compilation Cds there are out there!! Loads of 'em!! Most of them contain all of the trax that we've been talking about - James Brown, Curtis Mayfield, Isaac Hayes, Bobby Womack, Billy Paul, Esther Phillips ...
I shall certainly be picking a couple of these up!

One or two of these compilations are slightly dubious, for example, one of them contains Alphonse Mouzon with his 1981 jazz-track "By All Means". It is, of course, an excellent track, but is it Blaxploitation??

I'm now in the middle of putting together my next Minidisc compilation. And it's no surprise that it is heavily-influenced by the Blaxploitation era .. So far I've put on

Donny Hathaway - The Best of (CD) incl "The Ghetto"
Marvin Gaye - "What's Going on" - entire LP
Bobby Womack - "!Across 110th Street"
Stylistics - "People Make The World Go Round" (1971)

I've got about half on hour to fill up ...

So, what is the point I am trying to make?
The point is, that thanks to this Board, I have gotten seriously interested in one area of Black Dance music that I knew something about but not an amazing amount. So this has opened up a whole new area to explore and enjoy ..

So Blaxman, Sammyperez and Funky Dude, amongst others ---I OWE YA ONE !!!! :lol:

[Blaxman]

Jazz, dont be surprised! This things happens here everytime! That's why this forum is great and beloved around the world. The same happens to me, I had my knowledgment about disco increased 100 times in here. Fantastic!!!! :grin:

About blaxploitation music, I'm really glad to share my passion with all you mentioned (Sammy, Funky Dude and certainly others).

Which "Shaft" movie are you talkin about? 70's or 2000's movie?

I like both but the 2000's soundtrack CD is very weak in my opinion. :sad:

If you dont know yet, visit http://www.blaxploitation.com - it's really worth to.

Good trip,

Blaxman


_________________
SENHORES DO GROOVE - BRAZIL

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Blaxman on 2002-05-27 09:44 ]</font>

[jazz_pilgrim]

It was the original Seventies film !! It was on very late and I really enjoyed it!! I heard that the remake wasn't as good.

I'll be checkin' out your web link tonight ... (after visiting www. Discomusic.com first of course!!).

See ya later ...

[sirius]

Dear jazz pilgrim!
As I know there three parts of SHAFT, also
I like SUPERFLY, COFFY, CLEOPATRA JONES,
THE MACK and the sleazy-trashy BLACK SHAMPOO.
If you´re little into horror try BLACKULA,
SCREAM BLACKULA SCREAM and BLACKENSTEIN.
Such a big difference to the hiphop-society
nowadays...
Cosmic Love & Kisses From SIRIUS & DARKTUNES

[Blaxman]

On 2002-05-27 11:03, sirius wrote:
...there three parts of SHAFT, also
I like SUPERFLY, COFFY, CLEOPATRA JONES,
THE MACK and the sleazy-trashy BLACK SHAMPOO.
If you´re little into horror try BLACKULA,
SCREAM BLACKULA SCREAM and BLACKENSTEIN.
Such a big difference to the hiphop-society
nowadays...

Sirius, you're right. The original 70's Shaft trilogy is:

-SHAFT
-SHAFT IN AFRIKA
-SHAFT BIG SCORE

BTW, Blacula is a weak movie but its soundtrack is great. Gene Page is the man behind it.

Blaxman

[Mixmachine]

checkout the movie "Across 110th street" out on DVD, the plot doesn't holdup as well as it did when I first saw it(I was 14 )but it's got that 70's feeling and great soundtrack of course.

[zeca azevedo]

:D

[Funky Dude]

Speaking of Shaft, back around late 2000 when the new Shaft movie was hitting the cinemas in Australia, all 3 Shaft movies were aired on free-to-air and the Shaft series was aired on pay TV, so I got the chance to see all of the early Shaft and they were fantastic. Unfortunately with Shaft's Big Score I set the clock timer to tape it but because the other movie ran overtime I missed the last say 5-20 minutes of the movie, DAMN!!! What's worse, none of the local video stores have this movie.

Anyhow I love the soundtracks to these movies especially songs like:
Shaft:
Isaac Hayes - Theme From Shaft/End Theme
Isaac Hayes - Do Your Thing
Shaft's Big Score:
OC Smith - Blowin' Your Mind (Theme)
And there are a few other cool funky tracks but I don't know the titles
Shaft In Africa:
Four Tops - Are You Man Enough (Theme)
Johnny Pate - You Can't Even Walk In The Park
Johnny Pate - Addis

Speaking of "You Can't Even Walk In The Park" by Johnny Pate, I've listened to the record version I've downloaded from Audio Galaxy and I've listened to the movie version when watching it and I notice that the movie version is more faster and has more wah wah in it. I was wondering is there a version of this song on record or CD that is the same as the movie version?

[georgeb]

Blaxpoitation to this fotum!!!!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D
You impessed me favourably.Blaxploitation music was always my favourite style of music.I agree with your lists.My suggestions are a little more "alternative".Try for the O.S.T. from "The taking of Pelham 1,2,3"which is a great jazz-funk blaxpoitation lp(produced by David Shire),"Diamonds" and "fear is the key" produced by Roy Budd,and the track "Nadine" from the O.S.T "Le serpent"by Ennio Morricone(Yes guys it s a real blaxploitation tune)

[georgeb]

Shaft In Africa:
Four Tops - Are You Man Enough (Theme)
Johnny Pate - You Can't Even Walk In The Park
Johnny Pate - Addis




AMAZING SOUNDTRACK FUNKY DUDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am wondering If you have any informations about Black fist O.S.T.Someone told me that is a great blaxploitation soundtrack.I still haven t found a copy.The shopkeapers told me that is very rare(In Greece)

[originalbigm]

I didn't see "Slaughter's Big Rip-Off" (1973) mentioned which in fact I've never seen and don't know if it can still be found in the video stores.James Brown along with Fred Wesley wrote the funky soundtrack for this which produced two great classic early roots disco tracks "Sexy,Sexy,Sexy" and "People Get Up And Drive Your Funky Soul".Also on the soundtrack is a cut entitled "Happy For The Poor" which is in fact a slightly uptempo version of the classic JB's hit "Gimme Some More".Also the late Lyn Collins appears on this soundtrack singing a nice slow ballad " How Long Can I Keep It Up".The movie starred Jim Brown along with Don Stroud.For fans
of the blaxpoitation genre I'd definitely check this one out.

[Jow]

Don't forget Willie Hutch and and his Brother's we're gonna work it out awesome really :D

[Disco Funk]

Other blaxploitation albums or cuts too look out for:

Willie Dynamite OST - JJ Johnson
Together Brothers - Love Unlimited Orchestra
Gordon's War - New Birth, Barbara Mason, and Badder Than Evil
Dolemite
Savage - Don Julian
Theme From Black Belt Jones (I haven't heard the LP) - Dennis Coffey
Three Tough Guys/Truck Turner - Isaac Hayes


Funky non-blaxploitation soundtracks to also check out:

Hanged Man - Bullet
Hell's Belles - Les Baxter
La Planete Sauvage - Alain Gorageur

Here's a website dedicated to the sub-genre:

Blaxploitation

Disco Funk

[jazz_pilgrim]

Thanks for the link! I know quite a few people who will enjoy that website!

[qdearl]

Another great OST is....

"Three the Hard Way" - the Impressions
A Curtis Mayfield Production