Monthly Archives: May 2009

Hank Crawford – Wildflower

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Download or Listen to Hank Crawford – Wildflower from the Kudu Lp

Well I’m back in the saddle again. I trust everyone’s holiday weekend (here in the States) was a good one. I got some relaxing in for sure, and even a small amount of record digging. Today i wanted to get a bit on the mellow tip. I have been feeling more Jazz than anything as of late, so I figured, why not some Soul Jazz? Here’s a fave of mine, Hank Crawford and “Wildflower” from 1973 on Kudu Records.

Hank Crawford was born Bennie Ross Crawford in 1934 in Memphis, Tennessee. He had early Blues influences while playing the piano, but would switch to the alto saxophone when his father brought him one home from his stint in the Army. Influenced early by players like Earl Bostic and Louis Jordan, Crawford had some great musicians as his peers growing up. He would go to school with players like Booker Little and George Coleman. After graduation he’d aplay alongside future stars such as Ike Turner, BB King, and Bobby Bland. Crawford went to Tennessee State University, where he played alto and baritone saxophone, as well as studied music theory and composition. He was a member of the Tennessee State Jazz Collegians and even had a rock and roll band called Little Hanks and the Rhythm Kings (did Ike Turner and the Kings of Rhythm borrow or was it vice versa?). Crawfood hooked up with Ray Charles in the late 50′s and stayed with him until 1963 (where he was eventually the band’s musical director). He went solo in 1963, but by that time had been recording for Atlantic for quite some time while with Charles. He did so until 1970, when he would hook up with Creed Taylor and Kudu Records. This is of course my favorite period of Crawford. This groovy, fusion type of funky jazz had the sound and a lot of the players to keep the groove moving. He stayed until 82 then moved to Milestone, where he hooked up with greats like Melvin Sparks and Jimmy McGriff to continue to put out quality music. He passed away earlier this year.

I picked this Lp up sealed but with some water damage on the cheap. I love Kudu, and I try to get whatever I can on the label. The vinyl was mint, so I said wtf. I dig Hank Crawford, so to me, because it was him, and the great line up he had, it couldn’t be passed up. With Crawford on alto sax, Richard Tee on Piano/ Organ, Idris Muhammad on Drums, Bob Cranshaw on Bass, and Percussion by Ralph MacDonald (among others), plus arrangements by Bob James, this is a no brainer. Starting out slowly, and building up to a nice pace, Crawford wails some smoothness, while Muhammad keeps it moving on the drums. What I like most though, is the work of Richard Tee. His piano sound to me is what stands out the most. If you’re looking for hard hitting Jazz Funk here folks, I’m sad to say this isn’t the track. However, it’s a great example of some of Crawford’s Soul Jazz, and when paired up with Creed Taylor and Bob James, shows his progression from straight ahead Jazz in the Atlantic years, to experimental Soul Jazz in this period. Crawford would continue to work as a sideman, arranger, composer, and bandleader for the rest of his life. This song was sampled by Kanye and Tupac among others. Like I said, it’s not his best work, but I dig the vibe. I hope you will too. Keep Diggin’!

PS:
Don’t forget this!

Lou Donaldson – Say It Loud

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Download or Listen to Lou Donaldson – Say It Loud from the Blue Note Records Lp Say It Loud

It’s hard to believe that it’s the beginning of another Summer. Today is the official kick off. I don’t get many weekends off, so I’m taking advantage of it. I will be DJing tonight and tomorrow here in Asbury Park, but then will be doing the reverse Memorial Day thing, getting away from the Jersey shore. I have to take advantage of this stuff while I can. However, I thought I’d leave you with some Lou Donaldson and a cover of JB. Please enjoy his version of “Say It Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud” from 1968 off of the Blue Note Records Say It Loud. Have a safe and enjoyable weekend.

Syl Johnson – I’m Yours

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Download or Listen to Syl Johnson – I’m Yours from the Hi Records 45

I took a Friday off because I was sick. I don’t know if it’s all the gigs or something going around, but it had the best of me. This past weekend was a busy one, I DJed both Friday and Saturday (Three times on Saturday). Shout out to the Tri-City Arts tour for booking Jack the Ripper and I to spin Funk and Soul 45′s during the afternoon, and to the Langosta Lounge for booking me at night. Good things definitely ahead this Summer. Since I had the Sunday off, I figured I’d hit up the Asbury Lanes Record Swap and Garage Sale. Many of the usual suspects were there, and I picked up a handful of interesting stuff. One of the records I chose for today. Here’s Syl Johnson with “I’m Yours” from 1974 on Hi Records.

Born Sylvester Thompson in 1936 in Holly Springs, Mississippi, Syl Johnson got his start in Blues before he went on to success with Soul. Syl lived next to Magic Sam in Chicago (his brother was also Mac Johnson, bass player to Sam), and older brother Jimmy Johnson was a Bluesman as well. Before he was a Soul singer, he played guitar and also harmonica with players such as Magic Sam, Billy Boy Arnold, Junior Wells, Elmore James, Jimmy Reed, Willie Dixon, Howlin’ Wolf, Shakey Jake, and others. His first solo efforts were with King Records subsidiary Federal, before switching over to Chicago label Twilight (later Twinight). This is where he would release the start of the Soul he was known for. His first hit “Come On Sock It To Me” in 1967, was a taste of things to come. Records such as “Different Strokes”, “Is It Because I’m Black”, “Concrete Reservation”, “Dresses Too Short” and others solidified him as a Soul giant, not only singing, but producing as well. He would also produce acts such as the Notations and the Radiants. Johnson’s collaborated with super producer Willie Mitchell and his Hi Rhythm Section: Charles Hodges (keyboards), Mabon “Teenie” Hodges (guitar), Leroy Hodges (bass), and Al Jackson, Jr. or Howard Grimes (drums), first on Dresses, then on songs like “Back for Your Taste of Love” and “Let Yourself Go”. Mitchell was producing Al Green, and Johnson is sometimes compared to Green, not only because they had the same producer, but by their voices as well. Green would have more hits, but Johnson could still keep up music wise. After Johnson stopped with Hi Records, he disappeared to run a chain of fish restaurants in the Chicago area (not before releasing soem stuff on his own Shamba label), and making a comeback mid-nineties on Delmark.

I’m Yours sounds eerily like Al Green to me, but don’t let it fool you, it’s Syl Johnson through and through. From the opening organ riff, Johnson croons his way, professing his love and giving more ways that Paul Simon on why he’s the man for the job. This record was recorded in Memphis, as most if not all of the Hi stuff was, and it’s got the patented Mitchell sound. FMF recommends this, and if you can score it for a buck like I did, well then that’s even better. See you midweek. Keep Diggin’!

Asbury Lanes Record Swap Scores:

45′s:
Syl Johnson – I’m Yours/ Hi
Tamiko Jones and Herbie Mann – Day Tripper/ Atlantic
The T-Bones – No Matter What Shape Your Stomach Is In/ Underground
Gloria (Rosebud) Black – Double Dealing Dude/ Jody
Effie Smith – Harper Valley PTA Gossip/ Eee Cee

Lp’s
Howard Tate – S/T / Atlantic
Lou Donaldson – Say It Loud/ Blue Note

Eddie Senay – Ain’t No Sunshine

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Download or listen to Eddie Senay – Ain’t No Sunshine from the Sussex Records 45

Here we find ourselves midweek in some stuff and while I was getting records ready for a new exclusive mix for West Coast style mavens/ football historians Bumpy Pitch, I came across this record. The mix I’m doing for BP is going to be for the Football Lifestyle: Birds, Booze, and Good Music. You know, the way Georgie “The Boy from Belfast” Best used to play his games on and off the pitch. If you’re confused, Google some highlights when he played for United, and then Google highlights again when he was a much older man, playing for the San Jose Earthquakes here in the States. The guy still had it. I’m excited to do this mix, and it will only be available through Bumpy Pitch. More details to follow. Until then, here’s Eddie Senay with “Ain’t No Sunshine” from 1972 on Sussex Records.

Other than hailing from Detroit, MI, there isn’t much out there in regards to Mr. Senay’s background that I could dig up. He did release two records for Sussex in 1972, Hot Thang and Step By Step. Both are definitely quite good, and as a guitarist, he’s very Grant Green-esque. This is not to say that Mr. Senay did not move towards some fuzzy, blaxploitation guitar styles now and again. The man knew his way around a guitar, whether it be a clean, Jazz style or the aforementioned fuzz. His interpretation of the Bill Withers classic is definitely funky. The beat is a head nodder (plenty of percussion), and Eddie holds it down just fine on guitar. Rudy Robinson is on keyboards and Funk Brother Eddie “Bongo” Brown is killing it on percussion, along with what I can only assume are some of Detroit’s finest session guys behind him (if anyone knows feel free to e mail me). What I find interesting is that this particular Promo 45 is a double sider of “Ain’t No Sunshine” and the other release of this side had “Hot Thang” on it. It also says from the forthcoming Lp: “Just Feeling It” (SXBS 7013), which is Hot Thang. Maybe they were confused on what Lp title to use. You can’t go wrong with Eddie Senay. Keep Diggin’!

Clarence Reid – Funky Party

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Download or Listen To Clarence Reid – Funky Party from the Alston Records 45

Greetings to the Flea Market Funk family. After a much needed vacation and some rest, I return refreshed and ready to bring back some Funk for you. I never left the Niagara and Niagara-on-the-Lake section of Ontario to travel to Toronto, but I still had a great time any way. There weren’t too many records to be found ( I looked around!), but the rest again was much needed. I’ll see you T dot O soon enough. I have a big Summer schedule DJing until September, and plenty of digging to do, so I’m excited about that as always. What we have here is a great Funk piece out of Florida. The original Dirty Man Blowfly aka Clarence Reid and “Funky Party” on Alston Records from 1974.

Born on February 14, 1945 (fitting for his X-Rated love serenades decades later) in Cochran, GA, one of 18 children decided that that many kids was too much, picking cotton in the family business stunk, and he needed to get out of dodge. Before he ran away to Florida though, he was always making up raunchy songs to sing in the fields, which would prompt his Grandma to say “I don’t know why those little white girls like you! You ain’t no better than a nasty ol’ blowfly!”. The origin of something to come.  While working in a restaurant Reid, his raunchy songs continued.  He would soon hook up with Willie Clarke and go see Miami music mogul Henry Stone.  Stone took both of them under his wing, and guided them in the music business.  They repayed him with hit records.  They discovered a 12 year old Betty Wright, penned her 1968 hit“Girls Can’t Do What the Guys Do”, and didn’t look back.  In 1969 the team churned out “Nobody But You Babe” for Reid, and then came the string of hits for Betty Wright: “Clean Up Woman,” “Baby Sitter,” and “Let Me Be Your Lovemaker”, among the others for Gwen McCrae, J.P Robinson, Timmy Thomas, and Paulette Reeves.  Reid was integral in helping bassist Richard Finch and Henry Wayne Casey (or K.C. for short) to Stone and helping htem get involved at TK Records.  KC and the Sunshine band went on to stardom after this.  Going underground during the 70′s, Reid would emerge as Mister Nasty aka Blow Fly on Stone’s Weird World Record Label.  Things haven’t been the same since.  Reid continues to tour as Blow Fly, slaying audiences worldwide.

Close your eyes. This is not Shaft. It may sound like it. Reid borrows a bit from Isaac Hayes (ok, maybe more than a bit). The horn stabs and the wah wah guitar definitely, if anything, pay homage to the baddest, shut your mouth, I’m just talkin’ about Shaft rhythm. This side is a funky party, and I can see the soon to be Blow Fly hangin’ out with his ladies, makin’ moves, and doin’ his thang. Pick it up if you can find it, you dig? It’s good to be back here at FMF. Keep Diggin’!


One of my fave Blow Fly pics….


Promo ATCO Poster