'The Vulture' - Labi Siffre

[SandraDee]

Discovered this brilliant track by Labi Siffre on one of those fabby 'Capitol Rare' CDs. I never realised the guy did anything so funky! Can anyone tell me what year this came out? It sounds very mid-70s to me.

[visuals]

I'm afraid this is one of those artists that I have always seen around/heard about but never took the chance to get into. If memory serves me right, Wasn't he a braziliian or african composer/writer who did a lot of stuff that wound up in a few b-movies from the 60's/70's? I have heard his material is worth checking out. I always get the name confused with Lalo Shiffrin...another artist whom I have never had the chance to fully get into but have seen the name praised everywhere. What's "The Vulture" like and what songs or other funk artists can it's sound be compared to?

[QUINNY]

I wouldn't get too excited. This record is remarkable solely for the fact that you wouldn't expect Labi Siffre to make anything like it. It's old, old school funk of a lighter persuasion, fairly disjointed at times and much more of a radio toon than a dancefloor one.

It must suddenly be on a few lists, 'cos it was played on the Jonathan Ross show this Saturday [(1st July) JR is on BBC Radio 2 and is a big personality in the UK]. Looks like maybe the musicologists have just 'discovered' it.

The Capitol Rare 3 CD is littered with similar oddities, but there is the odd gem to be found too.

[KoolChris]

I believe Labi Siffre was Nigerian, and moved to London, where he composed and sang, and gained some popularity in gay audiences (he was gay himself). I find most of his work boring, although quality stuff, EXCEPT for "I got the (blues)", which is a MASTERPIECE in 2 quite different parts, a ballad-type intro, followed by a deep, soulful, hypnotic, melancholic, killer, strings and keyboards-dominated following!!! I don't like to cry genius too easily, but this is the ****. It has to be in the top 10 of my favorite tracks EVER!

Labi Siffre has been known for years in the record collectors' world. Original recordings of some LPs he's made are sought after by many, including myself. Prices have become crazy after some of his tracks appeared on a compilation several years ago. If you come across a '70s pressing of anything including "I got the" for a reasonable price, jump on it!!!

[tony98]

I've seen Labi Sifre play a couple of times in the 70's,he was very m.o.r. so The Vulture. is a one off. One other thing he wrote and recorded .the original version of Madness - It must be love.

[Disco Funk]

I haven't listened to this track for a while. I really enjoy 'I Got The'. Eminem sampled the breakdown. I listened to the album, which was released on CD a number of years ago, and thought the other cuts were alright. I have 'I Got The' on some compilations, so that's good enough for me.

Disco Funk