Friday happy hour w/Sam "ALL JAM" - '70's soul

[sammyperez]

:P Hey, what's up everybody? Another cool Friday night @ Larry Holmes Ringside this past weekend. I got in a mood and went with it; Straight '70's soul hits. Man did it sound good. People really seemed to enjoy the vibes this music was bringing during happy hour. Here were just some of the hits I spun:

Stick up - The Honey Cone
Band of Gold - Freda Payne
Funky Nassau - The Beginning of the End
I got ya - Joe Tex
Funky President - James Brown
Peace pipe - B.T. Express
Mr. Big Stuff - Jean Knight
Clean up woman - Betty Wright
Scorpio - Dennis Coffey & The Electric Guitar Band
I'll take you there - The Staple Singers
Funky stuff - Kool & The Gang
Whatcha see, is whatcha get - The Dramatics

Very soulful and very funky! 8) On the cool-out, laid-back side I played:

Suavecito - Malo
Be thankful for what you got - William DeVaughn
Why can't we live together - Timmy Thomas
Pillow Talk - Sylvia
What's going on - Marvin Gaye

As you can see, there were some definite messages flowing in some of these songs regarding our present day situation.
Hope these bring nothing but positive memories for y'all. As always your comments are welcome. Till next time...

Easy,

Sam "ALL JAM"

P.S. - May God Bless those on the front lines!

[jazz_pilgrim]

Souns like you had a real ball last Friday, Sammy! What a truly great list you put together there! :D Really really good!

Some absolute 70's classics out of the top drawer including Beginning Of The End. That was one of the earliest I disco records I remember and it still sounds mighty fresh'n'funky to me!

I love Mr Big Stuff by Ms Knight, as you well know, And interestingly enough, I always thought the 1984 rap version by Heavy D and the Boyz was pretty decent as well! It is not often that I can say that a rap record is as good as a Stax original!!

Band Of Gold was a reasonable hit over here - a tune I used to love. And Discodisk, was that one big up in the Northern Clubs? I seem to remember it was .... Great call on that one, Sammy...

Clean Up Woman is , to me, one of those seminal 70T's soul classics - one of the very very best!

And you still had time to play Funky Stuff - one of the best funk records known to man!! :lol:

Oh yes, and I've got that Dramatics track on a Stax 12-inch EP somewhere. Great memories on that one ....

On the chill-out side, you have mentioned the Malo track before. And the others speak for themselves. Especially that Marvin Gaye track. From the best Soul LP there ever was.

You really excelled yourself Sammy. What was the reaction from the crowd to your set?

And finally, tell me - did you get round to playing some FBI like you said you were going to? And if so, which tracks?

:D

[sammyperez]

Oh man, how could I forget. :-? I also played a couple of tracks on the mellow tip from a rare but soulful band from London called FBI (Funky Bands Inc.) The two tracks I played were some real gems entitled 'Talkin' about love' and 'Love, love, love'. I have to credit none other than the Jazz Pilgrim himself for turning me onto this this rare but very soulful CD. Thanks Jazz for this music and for your grand knowledge of great soul, funky music. :) Does anyone else know about the FBI? If not I suggest you get up on it. By the way Jazz, you'll be happy to know the people at the Ringside seem to really enjoy The FBI along with the soul set I was into.

Easy,

Sam "ALL JAM"

[DISCODISK]

great sounds sammy and so so soulful :P all of those records were part of growing up for me!
re your comments about messages flowing in some of these songs,isnt it incredible how marvins whats going on album is as relevent today as it was 30 odd years ago.on sunday a strange thing happened to me the weather is so good here i headed off to the beach for a couple of hours grabbing half a dozen c.ds at random on the way when i got there the first one i pulled out was the best of hot wax and invictus records[a really early c.d release from the mid 80s] i stuck it on, the player was on random play and the first song to come on was "bring the boys home" freda payne that great vietnam song i found that really strange.there was a debate on the radio today should records with messages like this be played on radio at this time it was mixed opinions but really more towards no.
america [especially black america] always expressed these historical events through music, scores of anti vietnam songs were recorded some people would be surprised at just how many, most were on really obscure labels and didnt sell at all,but at least they tried to get their point across, times have changed.on a lighter note space travel was well covered too i was listening to one the other night "countdown" denise lasalle those lyrics do make me smile "im fed up with two timin earthmen,ive heard theres a man on the moon,right now theres no competition if i dont get there soon im doomed"!
re freda payne JAZZ no that didnt relly get played up north but i think more records like that should. did you ever see the different version on inferno and champagne 12"[also on invictus unconquered c.d] thats quite nice.BTW jazz you are very quiet of late!
and SAMMY i still have a record to post you its been in a mailer in my hallway since september :o i trip over it EVERY day,you were going to give me your address :roll: :lol:

[jazz_pilgrim]

Delighted you managed to play a couple of FBI tunes as well, Sammy. And I am even more pleased that you like this band that I have been harping on about over the past three months or so! Looks like that we are keeping the Trans-atlantic "Special relationship" alive and kickin'! :lol:

And discodisk - it looks like that maybe, just maybe, I have discovered the next Northern monster to hit the floors! Freda Payne and Band Of Gold! :lol: What do you think?

I have been quiet recently - I've been extremely busy at work - real crazy - but I have been at least been keeping in touch with the posts on the Board! And I have been educating Sammy about some real good British funk!! :lol:

And as to whether people should dig out the politicized meaningful tunes or not in these troubled times - then the answer from me must be an definite YES. I mean, that Marvin Gaye LP still stuns me with its meaning and depth - and that is after 30 years! I don't know that Freda Payne track you mentioned, Discodisk, biut I have certainly been digging out some of Lonnie Liston Smith's mid Seventies stuff over the past few days ..... one disco dancer I liked that had a message was Howard Kenney - Save Some For The Children out on Warner Bros in 1978 - do you recall that one?

[QUINNY]

Sammy: Your list reminds me of what I played in my early years as a DJ. Funkin' Marvellous!! :lol:
Band of Gold was much more than a reasonable hit in the UK, it was a monster (#1 pop if memory serves).
Funky Nassau, Funky Stuff, Scorpio, Mr. Big Stuff, Clean Up Woman, I Got'cha......bring it on, BRING IT ON!! Bet you even played African Music Machine - Black Water Gold.

[jazz_pilgrim]

Was Band Of Gold really a #1 pop hit? WOW! I didn't realize that! Amazing! But I think I was in my rock phase at the time - and probably didn't appreciate good soul music during those years! :oops: !

And, sadly, that will probably bugger up my chances of making the next Northern Soul discovery. Oh well, guess I'll have to keep on trying... :(

[sammyperez]

First and foremost, Discodisk my sincerest apologies. You're right I appreciated the fact that you got that Temps 12" for me and never followed up on it. I promise I will do so sometime today. I am supposed to send someone a 'Switch' LP and have procrastinated on that. Thanks again. As for your comments, it looks as though I hit it big in Britain as Discodisk, Jazz and Quinny all are digging the Soul hits I played last Friday. Maybe I should take my show on the road and head to Londontown and meet some 'West End Girls'. :lol:

Quinny, the only 'Black Water Gold' I have is the one from The Sunshine Band from '81. I don't know African Music Machine, but it sounds interesting. One African tune I did hit on Friday that I did not list is 'Big Blow' by Manu Dibango. One of Jazz Pilgrim's personal favorites if i'm not mistaken.

Finally, two things on the war and music. First, Jazz can attest to a conversation we had last week about how Marvin Gaye's 'What's going on' LP is as significant today as it was thirty years ago. Incredible how we all think alike. Second, I believe that radio stations should not shy away from playing songs such as 'Bring the boys' home' and 'Band of Gold'. The songs were made for a reason. They were played then so why shouldn't they be played now. You already know I'll play them.

Easy,

Sam "ALL JAM"

[QUINNY]

Sammy: I'm not sure of the roots of African Music Machine, so couldn't testify to it being African. It WAS probably the best funk record of its year '71 or '72 from memory. If you like infectious, joyful, uptempo funk, with jazzy overtones this would be right up your street.
You played Big Blow but didn't list it? One of my all time top 25 tunes. Forget Soul Makossa (Afrique's version was far better), Big Blow was the real deal, and absolutely huge with UK audiences.

[jazz_pilgrim]

You are absolutely right, Sammy. Like Quinny, I am a great fan of Big Blow. No coincidence that it was from that magical year, 1977!! It is my favourite Manu Dibango tune, and as Quinny wrote, it was huge in the UK discos - I have very good memories of that one.

I also agree with you, Quinny, that Soul Makossa was only OK.

However, I really liked his Sun Explosion in 1978 - not as big as Big Blow but still "murder on the dancefloor"!

What else did you play that night, Sammy? It sounds like the best night you ever did to me!!!

:D

[sammyperez]

Well I guess I have to apologize again to Quinny and Jazz. I did not know 'Big Blow' was such a huge hit in the UK. By the way Quinny, I have Afrique's version of Soul Makoosa on a 7". I agree that it may have been better than Manu Dibango's version. Jazz, some of the other tracks I remember playing last Friday that I did not list were:

Once you get started - Rufus w/Chaka Khan
Time is movin' - The BlackByrds
Disco Lady - Johnnie Taylor
Rock your baby - George McCrae
Use me - Bill Withers
We live in Brooklyn - Roy Ayers
Soul Searchin' - The Average White Band
Love to the world - L.T.D.

As you can see by all these songs and the ones previously listed, they are not only soulful and funky, but none of them are hard to listen to. I definitely had a good time playing last week. :D

Easy,

Sam "ALL JAM"

[zeca azevedo]

Heys guys,

SAM, great play list you made my man! I'm a HUGE fan of HOT WAX/INVICTUS/MUSIC MERCHANT stuff (I said it before on this FORUM). QUINNY is absolutely right, BAND OF GOLD was a huge hit, not only in BRITAIN, but around the world as well. I really don't know why such a wonderful record is somewhat forgotten today - it is one of the best pop soul songs of the 70's in my opinion. And DISCODISK, you've mentioned BRING THE BOYS HOME - I was listening to this song last week and thinking the same way as you about it - how appropriate this song is for these hard times we're livin'. This is a protest song that is also beautiful - I'd love to hear it on radios AND PARTIES again! Come on, DJs, do your job right!!!

About SOUL MAKOSSA: my favorite version is the original one (by MANU DIBANGO), but AFRIQUE's version is fine too.

Peace,

zeca azevedo

[jazz_pilgrim]

Some of your extra tracks were brilliant as well, Sammy!

Rufus's Once You Get Started is my favourite track by Ms Khan, and is one of the best tracks I haven't got!

I know that Roy Ayers track is special for you - I think you know by now that I kinda like Roy Ayers as well! His mid Seventies fusion period, like that of Donald Byrd's, was very exciting!

I haven't heard Disco Lady in a long time - I always had a lot of respect for Johnnie Taylor - he always stuck to his roots.

There is something about the arrangement of the instrumentation in George McCrae's Rock Your Baby that still gets me time after time. It has a lazy Florida-sun feel to it, and yet that lead guitar riff keeps thing moving along just fine! A truly wonderful record!

How are you gonna beat that next time??

:)

[Greg Wilson]

'Rufusized', the album that featues 'Once You Get Started' was one of my favourite LP's of the 70's, and is still something I regularly listen to. To my ears Chaka never sounded better than on tracks like 'Stop On By', 'Your Smile' and 'Please Pardon Me (You Remind Me Of A Friend)'.

The album is something of a hidden classic, which has never quite got the acclaim I feel it deserves.

I also love the sleeve, Chaka looks so happy, especially on that photo where she's falling back on the bed.

[Greg Wilson]

Oh, BTW, nice vibes Sammy.

[jazz_pilgrim]

Greg,

I agree with your comments on that Rufus track. Unfortunately I don't know the other tracks from the LP.

I grew up in Kent, and I remember that track being immensely (and deservedly so) massive with the crowd I used to hang around with .... back in the day .....

:)

[Funky Dude]

Hey Sammy, GREAT lists you have there. I'm familiar with most of the songs on there because I've got most of them on MP3 when I was on a MP3 download frenzy when Audio Galaxy was still alive.

Rufus/Chaka Khan's "Once You Get Started" is a TOP TRACK! :D One of my top favourite 1974 disco songs, I even have the Soul Train video clip of that song :D .

Dennis Coffey's "Scorpio" is another top track, I LOVED the percussion/bass part with the background sound of funky party goers having fun which goes for 2 minutes starting about a minute in the song and the scratchin guitar kicks in. GREAT song :D .

William DeVaughn's "Be Thankful For What You Got" is a fantastic track, very nice piece of funky soul :D , great to listen to when sittin back and relaxing.

The Blackbyrd's "Time Is Movin'" is one of MANY GREAT tracks that band has recorded, this is one of my top favourites :D .

Beginning Of The End's "Funky Nassau", I loved the bit where there is just the drum beat, then comes the bass, then comes the guitar, then comes the horns, I LOVE it when funk bands do that in their songs 8) :D !

GREAT lists, keep 'em up mate! :D

__________________________
Australia mate! The land of gettin down! Down under that is! :D

[Greg Wilson]

Jazz_Pilgrim: e-mail me at electrofunkroots@yahoo.co.uk with your address and I'd be more than happy to send you a copy of 'Rufusized'. If you haven't heard the tracks I mentioned above (and the rest of those on the album), you're in for a real treat!

[jazz_pilgrim]

Some comments:

Cheers for that Greg - you're on!

I shall e-mail you my address.... if you give me a list of your wants etc and I will do my best to dig something out for you!!

Funky - as regards your comments on Funky Nassau - you're RIGHT ON TARGET!! That record is so just damn funky!! When I got into the disco sound, that was still played a lot in the clubs and, as from my days as a 16-year old, I have many fond memories of that one!! :D

It took me ages to pick up Be Thankful. I finally bought it on a CD compilation last year. And that was after having an original copy of the LP in my hand when I was out in Germany in 81/82. Four measly Deutschmarks it cost! And I didn't buy it! What an idiot! :x

Interesting to note, I picked up book called Soul On CD last year and under the entry for William DeVaughn, it explains what the lyrics of the song actually are and what they mean!! Willaim DeVaughn was a very devout mormon and this tune was intended as a very religous statement on his views of the world in 1974! Shame he made only that one LP.....

[sammyperez]

Thanks for the comments on the lists gentleman. :P

Greg I agree with you on 'Rufusized', an underplayed, underappreciated LP. Thanks for willing to record it for my man Jazz. Believe me when I tell you, he will repay you ten fold with some classic material himself. I know first hand; Where do you think I got The FBI from.

FunkyDude, I am so happy to hear these tracks hit home with you down under. I'm especially happy to hear that 'Time is movin' by The Blackbyrds is one of your favorites; Me too. For some reason it doesn't get the same recognition as some of their other material.

This response is similar to the one I got when I played alot of this '70's soul stuff. I think I may have to go diggin' in the crates for some more for next Friday night's happy hour. Hmmmm..., let's see :roll:

Easy,

Sam "ALL JAM"