Monthly Archives: April 2009

DJ Bluewater – Sound Broker

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Today I’ll keep this short and sweet. I have a lot going on this week, I’m not gonna lie. In fact, I leave on Friday for a much needed vacation. There won’t be any posts for about a week or so, but before I took off, I figured I’d show some love for one of my DJ partners and buddies, DJ Bluewater. He always comes up with innovative mixes, and is known for his deeeeep crates. Stop by and show him some love, will you? I’ll see you in a week or so. Keep Diggin’!

**PS: If anyone knows any good record stores in Toronto, please pass them along to me. Cheers-

Sound Broker Track List

Soul Excitement – Stay Together
Lefties Soul Connection – Code 99
Kings Go Forth – Now We’re Gone
Funkshone – Purification Pt. 1
The Polyversal Souls – Sad Nile
The Collegiates – Red Beans And Rice
Toni And The Showmen – Try My Love
Marva Whitney – Unwind Yourself
Eddie Bo & Inez Cheatham – Lover & A Friend
Spanky Wilson – Kissing My Love
The Dirte Four – On The Move
James K Nine – Live It Up
Toby Cooper & Brick Street – The Guru
Byard Lancaster – US
Honey & The Bees – Baby, Do That Thng
El Michels Affair – Musings To Myself
Slim Willis Band – I Say That
Bill Moses & The Celestials – Everything Is Going To Be Alright
Little Beaver – Do Right Man
Sidney Owens – Sputnik

DJ Bluewater – Sound Broker Mix

Mongo Santamaria – Sofrito

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Mongo!


Neil Creque, Jazz Funk Legend.

Download or Listen to Mongo Santamaria – Sofrito from the Vaya Records 45

It’s the end of the week here at FMF, but the beginning of the weekend. I’ll be DJing tonight @ Mattison Park in Asbury Park, and on Sunday at the Annex here in AP for The Taste of Asbury from 1-5. Should be a good time. To end out the week, I thought I’d go back to a guy I did some stuff on a while ago. He’s another artist that I always pick up records by no matter what. This would be none other than Mongo Santamaria. You can read that review here, which contains a lot of bio and other information. Since it’s Friday and the weather is getting nicer, I figured I’d hit you off with “Sofrito” on Vaya Records from 1976.

This record has definitely been dissed a bit as and characterized as an overall let down. Mongo was starting to mess with the keyboard/ synthesizer and while some may call it muzak or elevator music, you judge for yourself. This side was written by Neal Creque, an accomplished Jazz/ Funk keyboard player, who passed away in the late 80′s. I disagree, and think the tune is a perfect track to start off the warm weather here with. Enjoy your weekend and if you’re in the area on Sunday, come check out some great food and of course some hot music I’ll be spinning. Keep Diggin’!

James Brown – Hot (I Need To Be Loved Loved Loved Loved)

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Download or Listen to James Brown – Hot (I Need To Be Loved Loved Loved Loved) from the Polydor 45

Good midweek to you all out there. Today’s post is going to be a bit on the short side, but it’s for a great reason. I have some great news that I’ll be breaking in the next couple of weeks. Until then, here’s a side I have been sitting on for quite a while. I almost included it on the last mix I did, but I’m glad I didn’t. I’ve just spoken with Dunny from Bumpy Pitch and The Original Winger and there is going to be a collaboration between the two and Flea Market Funk, so I’m thinking of including it on that. Some East Coast Funk and Soul for the left coast if you will, an exclusive mix to be put out in the near future. You can expect all the Funk and Soul plus a great helping of football culture throughout the mix itself. Stay tuned for that. Which now brings me to the side at hand: James Brown and “Hot (I Need To Be Loved Loved Loved Loved)” from 1975 on Polydor Records. This is the first appearance from the Godfather himself here at Flea Market Funk. It’s not because I don’t love him, it’s just that I wanted to try to focus on a lot of other stuff that you can get your hands on. Respect due to JB.

This particular record, has always caused a bit of a stir. Who stole it from who? At first listen it sounds a lot like David Bowie’s “Fame” which was released in 1975. JB’s discography lists “Hot” as being released earlier in 1975. It seems that guitarist Carlos Alomar clears things up a bit. He briefly played with James Brown first at the Apollo Theater around 1968. On tour one night he drifted and missed his cue when JB said “Hit It”. Next week when his paycheck came in, there was $50 missing. The way JB handled the situation without telling him his mistake wasn’t for him and he moved on to greener pastures. Imagine just moving on from James Brown! The veteran guitar player eventually landed with Bowie, and can be heard playing the riff from “Fame” on the Dick Cavet Show in 1974 in the video below. This was way before JB put out “Hot”. The Thin White Duke must have been flattered for the hardest working man in show biz to have sampled (or stole) from him. Either way, the riff is tough and if the Godfather thinks so, it’s ok with me (but the stealing isn’t). See you Friday. FMF will be off week after next, so if any of you Toronto people want to point a guy in the direction of some record stores in the T Dot O, I will be in that vicinity from the 2nd to the 6th. Keep Diggin’!

Lee Rogers – Sex Appeal

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Download or Listen to Lee Rogers – Sex Appeal from the Diamond Jim 45

Good Monday morning to the fam. I hope wherever you were it was sunny, warm and enjoyable. I want to shout out SF over at The Offside Rules for setting up a personal tour for myself, Dunny over at Bumpy Pitch, and Trey from Real Salt Lake of the new Red Bull Arena. See below for a pic of the progress. Football is alive and well in Harrison, NJ, and I don’t mean the one you kick field goals for. But I digress, as I’m still dreaming about the Portuguese food I had in the Ironbound section of Newark. Let’s get into some psychedelic Soul out of the Motor City. Here’s Lee Rogers and “Sex Appeal” on Diamond Jim Records.

Born Lee Rogers Crayton in 1939 in Mississippi, then relocating to Detroit, Michigan at age three, Lee Rogers was later known as the Prince of Detroit. Starting off as alot of Soul/ Funk singers did in the 60′s, Rogers sang in church and crooned Doo Wop on street corners in the early days. He had a unique voice, and some say that Marvin Gaye modeled his whole act after him when he saw him perform at Detroit’s Twenty Grand Club several times a week in the 60′s. Around 1959, he was a member of The Peppermints, who included Jesse Greer and Duke Browner. It was here he hooked up with legendary Detroit producer Mike Hanks (who was sadly murdered in 1970) on the HOB label. The Peppermints would become the Barons (who also recorded on Carmen Murphy’s Soul label, later sold to Berry Gordy). Getting full credit on “While the Cat’s Away” with the Barons, his first solo 45 would be “Troubles”. Let’s not forget the Detroit successful “Walk on By” on the MAH label. Hank’s D-Town Record was born after 1962 and helped launch Rogers solo career. His “Sad Affair” was released, but was challenged and beat out by Marvin Gaye’s “You’re A Wondeful One”. It would be a few years later that Rogers would find success in ” Want You To Have Everything”, and eventually rode the coat tails of that hit and toured. His next release was “You’re The Cream of The Crop”, which did not even come close to making the splash “Everything” did. Meanwhile the guy who copied his style (Marvin Gaye) was experiencing great success over at Tamla. His 1965 sides “Boss Love” and “You Won’t Have To Wait Until Xmas” didn’t fare any better, and it was shortly after that that D-Town went belly up. His last release on D-Town, “Go-Go Girl” became one of his better known records. From D-Town he switched to Wheelsville, and put out sides “Love & War” ( which came out in ’66) and the B-side, “How Are You Fixed For Love” got put out again re-released with song, “Cracked Up Over You.” He would also do some recording with Hi Records Willie Mitchell, and release “Sock Some Love Power To Me,” on Premium Stuff. “I Need Your Love,” backed with “Jack The Playboy” were the last few on Premium Stuff before he switched to the Diamond Jim label and put out this side and “If I Could Stay Away” for Jim Riley. It was short lived as Riley was shot and killed in front of Club Mozambique in Watts in 1972. His next move was to start his own label, Soul Wheel, where he put out one side “Love Bandit”. This and his move to Los Angeles was short lived as a car accident put him in the hospital for a few months at a time and with one kidney. He was tried out at the West Coast Motown that didn’t work and then his try at another label (D-Town on the West Coast) died on the vine. The glory days with Mike Hanks were no longer, and only remained by name. The 80′s brought out few releases (“Roller Skates”) before Rogers would pass on in 1990.

“Sex Appeal” is a straight up psychedelic sexy Soul. The burning, fuzzy guitar and heavy drums make this not just a tribute to a sexy woman (cue up the Timmy Thomas 45 on Glades), but reiterate the fact that Lee Rogers was the Prince of Detroit. Hands down. Marvin Gaye may have captured the world, but if you listen hard, the man Marvin supposedly wanted to be like was no joke. Find this 45 if you can, because you won’t be sorry. See you midweek. Keep Diggin’!


This stadium is going to be unbelievable. Get your season tix now.

King Tubby & the Aggrovators – Straight To Andy’s Head

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Download or Listen To King Tubby & the Aggrovators – Straight To Andy’s Head from the Jackpot 45

It’s been raining here for quite a while, and you know what, it sucks. I need to get my mind to some sunshine, preferably a nice island. How about Jamaica? I thought since I was in that frame of mind, why not pull out a few JA sides I scored on the last digging trip? I got more than a handful, and this particular side I really dug. In fact I’ve been doing some reading as of late, The Trojan Records Story, and it got me into even more of a Reggae mood. Here’s King Tubby & the Aggrovators with “Straight To Andy’s Head” on Bunny Lee’s Jackpot Records. Notice the hand stamped title. Gotta love 45′s from JA.

Born Osbourne Ruddock in 1941 in Kingston, Jamaica, King Tubby is mainly responsible for the Dub sound of Reggae music and the inventor of the remix of records. His early expertise was that of a radio repairman and sound engineer. Tubby, who ran a radio and television repair shop in Kingston, would build large scale amplifiers for the various Sound Systems around Kingston. The combination of the weather and sabotage by rival Sound systems on each other kept him in business. His reputation preceded him, and for a brief moment in time, he ran a short lived pirate radio station (playing ska and rhythm and blues records) before the police almost caught up to him. King Tubby’s Hometown Hi Fi eventually was formed, but not before he went to work for Duke Reid at his Treasure Isle Studios as a disc cutter. Here is where he perfected and invented the remix, and where Dub would be born. These remixes brought Tubby a lot of popularity in Jamaica, so much he would go on to open his studio. His Hi Fi set up was the first to employ separate tweeter boxes. He would also go on to introduce a reverb unit, which helped put out “specials” (acetates) of the Tubby Sound. Although most of the music Tubby was putting out was not his riddims per se, he mixed dub sides for the likes of Lee Perry for Justice and Upsetter, Augustus Pablo for Hot Stuff and Rockers Labels, Glen Brown’s Pantomine, and Bunny Lee’s Jackpot label among others. His studio had a variety of old and new equipment, all working together to create his signature sound. At this time Tubby had acquired a four track recorder, which let him do even more. His mastering of controlling each precise sound (adding more bass or more drums, subtracting vocals), could and would transform the original record into something new. As I mentioned earlier, it was the birthplace of dub. Not only did his new “versions’ of songs catch on with the record buying masses, they became popular in the sound systems, as the people who couldn’t afford dub plates could play them and have their deejays toast over them. King Tubby was not just the master, he was the teacher as well. With young bucks Prince (later King) Jammy and Scientist ,who eventually became the successor to Tubby’s throne after his death at the controls, the Tubby sound went on to even higher levels. King Tubby went on to mix, and create Dub music until the late 70′s. He slowed down in the 80′s, building a new studio, and fostering the new breed in Scientist and Jammy as well as the management of his Firehouse, Taurus, and Waterhouse labels. Unfortunately, King Tubby was shot and killed outside of his home in 1989. While the murder was never solved, it was said that robbery was the motive. Despite his death, the Tubby Sound has lived on through the release of many of his works, plus the legacy he left behind and knowledge he taught the Dub producers of today.

Typical Tubby production, this side is full of guitar, that bobs and weaves out of the riddim. All the while heavy drum and bass keep it moving. It resembles the original, which is Johnny Clark “Left with a Broken Heart”, in riddim alone. Tubby deconstructs it pretty well. I love that you can hear some of the vocals sneak out, even though they are a bit muffled. I picture Tubby behind that board and him pushing buttons and sliding home made knobs on the Fisher reverb. Word has it he did so many modifications that they renamed it King Tubby & Fisher. I like his style. Keep Diggin’!

“Yes, Tubbs, Madness-the people dem like it!”- Bunny Lee

***BONUS: Here is a sound board recording from 1975 of Tubby’s Hometown Hi Fi

Dick Hyman and the Group – Respect

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Download or Listen to Dick Hyman and the Group – Respect from the Command Records 45

Well, it’s Monday Morning and I figured I’d throw in a short post. I apologize for not getting in to too much depth, but I had a long, long weekend, and a funky cover will have to do. I can remember initially hearing about Dick Hyman through the Beastie Boys off of Ill Communication: “I’m Electric Like Dick Hyman, I Guess You’d Expect To Catch The Crew Rhymin’ “. Now if he was good enough for the Beasties ( I was, and still am a huge fan ), it was good enough for me. Here we are some almost 20 years later, and I have this little piece of goodness. Here’s Dick Hyman and the Group with “Respect” on Command Records.

Born in 1927 in New York, NY, Hyman is an all around virtuoso of Jazz piano. He has played as artist, composer, arranger and conductor throughout his long career in Jazz. Whether it was live compositions, orchestral pieces, film scores and beyond, Hyman has done it. He was one of the first people to record on the Moog synthesizer, so you can see why the Beasties and other diggers like me are so interested in his funky sides. Most likely this kind of thing was really not appreciated or approved of by his Jazz peers (kind of like Miles switching to weird Rock stuff a la On the Corner, but not at that large of a scale). Hyman was a notable sideman, and longtime leader of such programs as Jazz in July series at New York’s 92nd Street Y, and he annual Oregon Festival of American Music. As mentioned before, he did film scores, many for Woody Allen films, and was a leader at the Hollywood Bowl for a show called The Movie Music of Woody Allen. The man is so versatile he can go from movie scores to ballet performance music, to Jazz Combo to orchestra pieces and back. With over 100 recors under his belt, the guy is a giant. That being said, you know he had some respect for the Funk. It may have just been an experiment by Hyman on a new instrument, but for diggers like myself, it’s pay dirt. I’m not saying everything Hyman does is funky by any stretch of the imagination. I have to pick and choose my battles here. However, his cover of Otis Redding’s “Respect” is a keeper. The piano dueling with the organ is fuel enough, but let’s not forget the big drum break, a huge plus. Funky….yeah! Enjoy this piano genius take on some Soul. Keep Diggin’!

**This side was included on FMF Vol. 33, Down Home Soul

Flea Market Funk x Parkdale Funk

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I have been trying to catch up on some mixes, so this is a little project I had in the can for a while. I can’t pass up doing a new one, and even without the latest acquisitions, I have more than enough material to throw down a few Jazz, Soul, or Raw Funk and Soul Mixes. There will be some Reggae involved in the near future as well. According to the poll from the weekend’s post, so far people want more Raw Funk and Soul, but the voting isn’t over yet. It will be closed soon, so make sure you get your vote in. I thank everyone for voting and giving me feedback here at FMF. It always means so much. Let’s get down to business.

When I got contacted a few months ago by Double K over at Parkdale Funk to do a guest mix to help relaunch the new and improved Parkdale Funk, I couldn’t say no. I love what he’s doing in the T dot O, and why wouldn’t I? We all do it for the same reason: the love of the music! This mix may be a little different than you’re used to here at Flea Market Funk, but the underlying feel is still funky all the way through. Go on over to Pardale Funk and pick it up HERE!

Keep Diggin’!

Grant Green – I Want To Hold Your Hand

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Download or Listen To Grant Green – I Want To Hold Your Hand from the Blue Note 45

Good Monday morning to the Flea Market Funk fam…I have some good things coming up this week that I think you’ll be interested in. First off, on Wednesday I have a guest mix for none other than Double K over at Parkdale Funk. It’s another FMF joint, but I threw in a little bit of some different stuff to shake things up a bit. I’m excited for everyone to hear it. Secondly, I have the date for the next Asbury Park 45 Sessions. Due to scheduling conflicts (I know it sucks), it will be Friday June 12th over at the Asbury Lanes. You might be able to get your 45 fix beforehand though, as Jack the Ripper and I are going to try some 45 antics over at the Annex possibly in May. Stay tuned.

Today, since it’s pouring here, and I was in the mood for some mellow Jazz, I turned to my old friend Grant Green. He’s doing a cover of some obscure band from Liverpool called the Beatles. I did a previous post of Grant covering James Brown here, so go there to get more bio info. Today is just the goods. Enjoy Grant Green and players Hank Mobley, Larry Young, and Elvin Jones with “I Want To Hold Your Hand” on Blue Note Records. See you Wednesday with more goodness. Keep Diggin’.

Down Home Soul: Raw Funk and Soul That Feels Good – FMF Vol. 33

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Download or Listen to Down Home Soul: Raw Funk and Soul That Feels Good – FMF Vol. 33

Sometimes when it rains, it pours. In the case of FMF mixes, it’s pouring right now. I have an overflow of records to get to, and I’m gonna just keep putting out mixes until I can’t any more. I want to reiterate that these are all original mixes. This means no mp3′s, no cds, it’s strictly vinyl. They’re original records and all on 45 when noted. I want to preserve this music, especially on vinyl. I’m not saying I don’t dig an mp3 when I’m on the go, but for Flea Market Funk and the blog, we keep it all vinyl. Shout out to the cats that are truly preserving the vinyl and keeping this music alive. You know who you are.

Now back to Volume 33. This mix has a variety of Funk and Funky Soul, plus a sprinkling of the sweet stuff. I like how it starts out heavy (and who would have known that Dick Hyman had such good drum breaks!), and eventually mellows out towards the end, until Carolyn Franklin brings it back up a bit. I had to close with a cover of Marvin Gaye, because he would have been 70 yesterday. He is sorely missed. I’m toying with the idea of doing an all Sweet Soul mix, so let me know what you all think. Take the poll down below and tell me what kind of mix you would like to see in the future here at FMF. I have a few ideas, and I’d like to hear what you have to say about it. Please enjoy some Down Home Soul: Raw Funk and Soul That Feels Good.

Down Home Soul: Raw Funk and Soul That Feels Good – FMF Vol. 33 Tracklist

Foxy – Trouble/ Double Shot
Johnny Jones & the King Casuals – Soul Poppin’/ Brunswick
Dick Hyman – Respect/ Command
John Ellison – Funky Funky Way of Makin’ Love/ Phil L.A. of Soul
Spencer Wiggins – Soul City U.S.A./ Goldwax
Dennis Coffey & the Detroit Guitar Band – Taurus/ Sussex
The Esquires – You Say/ Bunky’s Pick
The Magics – Let’s Boogaloo/ RFA Records
Black Ivory – Surrender/ Today
Soul Runners – Charley/ Mo Soul
Spanky Wilson – Little Things Mean A Lot/ Mother’s Records
Sisters Love – Ring Once/ A & M
Carolyn Franklin – Reality/ RCA
Sonny Richards & the Panics – Stubborn Kind Of Fellow/ Roulette

Keep Diggin’!

***PS: The photo used on the cover was at a small market in North Carolina that I took while on tour a few years back. It had the worst toilet I’ve ever seen, and the photo will be featured on a new mix with myself and Jack the Ripper aptly entitled: Hot Shit. Please stay tuned for that.

Harvey Scales – I Wanna Do It

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Harvey Scales and the Seven Sounds Photo Courtesy of Wisonsinology

Download or Listen to Harvey Scales – I Wanna Do It from the Stax Records 45

Fresh of some dance record company Funk, I bring you a record by a guy I never come across in the field. There is a good reason for that. Most of his records kill it. When they are that good, prices go sky high. That’s ok though, it’s a buyers market in today’s economy, and you can get some harder to find records at reasonable prices these days. Fortunately, I was able to dig this up in the field cheap, so that’s a bonus for me (and you). Here’s Harvey Scales with “I Wanna Do It” on Stax Records.

Born in Arkansas, but raised in Milwaukee, WI, Harvey Scales is a legend in the Badger State. He started in music at 15 at a school called North Division in Milwaukee. Scales performed in a group called the Playboys circa 1959-60 against future superstar Al Jarreau, who was in a similar Doo Wop group called the Sophisticants. Scales also performed in the Esquires (who would later record one of my fave 45′s “Get On Up”) and teamed up with pal Al Vance and formed The Seven Sounds in the early sixties. He put out records such as “The Clock” as Harvey (with another band backing him up and who he also sang with, Birdlegs) and “Glamour Girl” with the Seven Sounds. The Seven Sounds members included: Ben Petrie (Baritone Sax), Rollo Onstead (Tenor Sax) Monty Smith (trumpet/ keyboard), Al Vance (Bass), Rudy Jacobs (Guitar), Billy Stonewall (Drums) Lee Brown (Vocals). He also sang with Birdlegs (and Pauline) who put out records on Wisconsin Record label Cuca. Scales was the first Black R & B artist in Wisconsin (along with the Packers). Their main gigs were the many colleges of Wisconsin and clubs of Chicago, but eventually hit the East Coast college circuit as well. He’d play with (and as a rival of) Baby Huey and the Baby Sitters, Ike and Tina Turner, and Bobby Bland. From the Cuca label he moved to Magic Touch (which was originally an named after an upholstery place) with Lenny LeCour, where they would put out some really great sides: “Get Down/ Love-itis” (the latter rerecorded by J.Geils Band), and “Broadway Freeze” were two stand outs. He would go on to record for Chess (which he’d say were his greatest sessions). “The Yoke” and “The Funky Football” were on Chess, and a whole slew of stuff that supposedly didn’t get released. Meanwhile, he did some sides for Stax, and this was one of them. He also recorded for Cadet in the mid 70′s, “Leave It for the Trashmen”, and then moved on to Casablanca on the strength of his relationship with his Stax collaborator Johnny Taylor. This led to his hit “Disco Lady”, loosely based on a song called “Groove On Sexy Lady” written by Scales (and performed backed by the Seven Sounds). “Disco Lady” became a huge hit and the first ever platinum record. On that strength, his move to Casablanca churned out a few Lps, Confidential Affair and Hot Foot: A Funque Dizsco Opera. Scales continued to tour and also write for artists like Soul Children, Marilyn McCoo, Tyrone Davis, ZZ Hill, and the Dramatics among others. He was active in music in the 80′s and 90′s, and as of late played a Wax Poetic event at South Paw in Brooklyn, where he was rediscovered and appreciated by a whole new audience.

Scales would say that this record was the strongest side (the B Side) rather than the A side “What’s Good for You (Don’t Have to Be Good to You)”. This 45 I have has the flip on both. Whether it was or not, to me, it’s a stone cold groove. This wah wah guitar and drums that are unfuckable with (look that up internet junkies). Scales wants some of that Funky Thang, but when he asks the bass to funk up the place because it ain’t no disgrace, you know the man is serious as a heart attack. Shout out to Bob Abrahamian of Chicago’s WHPK 88.5FM Sittin’ In the Park radio show for a dope interview he did with Scales a while back. This record is a great side and I say find it, please! Keep Diggin’!

Here’s some video shot by a Cool Hands Luke @ the Five Spot of Harvey Scales live show: