Monthly Archives: July 2009

NJ Funk Band Alert: Shimmytang

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It’s Friday, and you know what that means: bring on the weekend! I had something planned for today but when I found out that a new Funk band here in the Asbury Park, NJ area was having a record release party, I bumped it and figured I’d let you guys know about them. It’s good to mix it up once and a while, and remember that a lot of these artists that I profile started out a lot like this band. They played music they loved, and 30 to 40 years later, got rediscovered by a certain crowd, and voila!, became popular. I’m gonna predict that this band aren’t gonna have to wait that amount of time to become popular around these parts. Ladies and Gentleman, meet the greasy grooves of Shimmytang.

Shimmytang are a new band as a group, but not as musicians. Based out of Red Bank, NJ these five guys are veterans of the circuit and studio and know how to pick true Funk songs to cover. I haven’t heard a band do as cool as songs as this since the last time I went to a Soul Strut party to DJ in Brooklyn. Before the DJ sets, The Otis Funkmeyer Band played. They were doing covers of “Hicky Burr” and other instrumentals while other bands ideas of covers were merely P-Funk. Not that P-Funk is bad, it’s just that these guys dug deeper. So does Shimmytang. Their choice of music to cover is interesting, and while most people who don’t read his blog might think that they’re originals, those in the know will jump up and give out a big JB “Good God!”. It’s refreshing to see a newer band, doing songs that are number one, good, and number two, a bit obscure. The best thing is that they do them well. They run the gamut from Curtis Mayfield to to Bobby Byrd to Rufus Thomas and then some. My favorite cut is the opening one, a cover of Don Gardner’s “My Baby Likes To Boogaloo”. I was sold from the first note, and the rest really was a no brainer. Shimmytang’s lineup is: Rob Barone (lead vocals, guitar), David Hollander (tenor/baritone saxophone), Jim Liakas (drums, percussion, lead vocals), Chris McKenna (electric piano/ hammond/ clavinet), and John Noll (bass/ backing vocals/ percussion/ additional guitar). In fact, it was recorded at Noll’s Retromedia Studio in Red Bank, NJ. Like I said earlier, it’s definitely a breath of fresh air to listen to their music. I haven’t give anything this much rotation since the Lee Fields record came out. Shimmytang is in good company. If you’re in the area on Saturday night (unfortunately I have to DJ), their record release party will be at the Brighton Bar in Long Branch on Saturday August 1. Learn more about the band here. Hoping to do a show with these guys in the near future. Keep Diggin’!

Buy or download the S/T Shimmytang on Headshop Records here.

Little Milton – Friend of Mine

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Download or Listen to Little Milton – Friend of Mine from the Glades Records 45

Well, the midweek is finally upon us, and I have some good news. The relaunch of DJ Prestige Dot Com is on. Give it a try and tell me what you think. I wanted to kind of stream line it, as I spend most of my time here writing about records. I also needed an outlet for my vigorous DJ schedule, so I figured why the hell not. My man Eric Richardson from ER Design hooked me up. I’m happy with the outcome, and like I said, I’d love to hear your comments on it. Ok, today we have some Funk with roots in the Blues, on one of my favorite labels out of the Sunshine State, Glades. Here’s Little Milton with “Friend of Mine” on Glades Records from 1976.

James Milton “Little Milton” Campbell, Jr. (later dropping the James) was born in Mississippi in 1934. He learned the guitar by the age of 12 and became a street musician. Discovered by Ike Turner (who was at the time a scout for Sun Records), and was signed in ’53, but with no hits or a significant style, was off the famous label by ’54. He had a brief stint on Meteor in ’57, and then headed on to St. Louis, MO. In St. Louis he got to be friendly with DJ Bob Lyons, who would partner up with him in Bobbin Records. “I’m A Lonely Man”, despite being on a small indie label, sold more than 60,000 copies. Milton would recruit artists like Fontella Bass and Albert King in the Bobbin stable before grabbing the attention of Chess for distribution. Little Milton moved to the Chess owned Checker in 1961, where he would finally come into his own. His biggest hit, in 1965, was associated with the Civil Rights Movement, “We’re Gonna Make It.” The catchy “Grits Ain’t Groceries,” “Who’s Cheating Who?,” and a few other hits were landed by the now Soul/Blues artist. The end of the ’60′s saw Chess fold after the death of owner Leonard Chess, and Milton moved over to Soul Powerhouse Stax in 1971. He released songs like “Annie Mae’s Cafe,” “That’s What Love Will Make You Do,” “Walkin’ the Back Streets and Cryin’,”and “Little Bluebird,” which expanded his signature sound by adding horns (very Staxish). Again though, Stax went bankrupt in 1975 and he moved to Glades, the empire that Henry Stone built. At the time there were Disco or Disco Funk records being put out on that label (as well as a massive amount of Disco on TK), so his records definitely stood out. This very side had a bit of success, but again another label went out of business. Milton recorded a bit in the ’80′s, for Malaco, and went on to put out a series of records on there. He would eventually be inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. Little Milton passed away in 2005 from complications of a stroke.

“Friend of Mine” could be a song that could happen to any of us. Listen to the lyrics, and tell me different. I’m not sure if Milton is pulling this from personal experience, but his Bluesy Soul weaves that tales very well. A killer bass line that gives way to some scratchy guitar and some horns (maybe borrowed from his Stax days?) I can see why a side like this stood out in 1976 on Glades. While everyone else was donning bell bottom polyester suits, Milton was bringing that Blues sound out. It may have been with a small twist, but like LL he was doin’ it and doin’ it well. See you at the end of the week. Keep Diggin’!

If you’re down in DC this weekend, make sure you check out Funky 16 Corners invading DC!


Tasty Beats: East Meets West Edition Recap

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I’m writing today a tired man. Saturday July 25th was one of the best DJ parties I have thrown in a while. Everyone’s throwing them these days, you see it in every city. In my city, no one is doing 4 turntables at once, with 2 DJ’s spinning for four hours continuously. It had to be done, so I did it. DJ Un-G has been a DJ collaborator with me for at least 10 years, the bad part, is that he now lives in Los Angeles, CA. So how do you rehearse something like this? Truth, is, we didn’t. We talked about it in theory over the phone after I initially had the idea, but the trick would be to make it appear seamless for four hours. From the first needle drop to the last tune of the night, it went off quite well. There were a few mishaps, but all in all the night was great. When you’re playing 4 turntables at once, you have to pay a lot of attention the whole time, what songs your partner is playing and really choose your next ones wisely. We played just about four hours without a break, and from Funk to Soul to Classic Hip Hop to Reggae to Rock and beyond, it was all mixed it in. I have to honestly say, it was some of the most fun I’ve had DJing in a bit. Check out the photos, fun was had by all, from the crowd to the DJ’s. See you midweek with some dusty goodness. Keep Diggin’!

Check Out the Pics Below:


The set up.

Put them up!

Do it to the crowd.

This is what 4 hours of straight DJing does to you..wtf am I up to?

Un-G in deep concentration.

The one the only Un-G!

Effie Smith – Harper Valley PTA Gossip

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Download or Listen to Effie Smith – Harper Valley PTA Gossip from the Eee Cee Records 45

Happy Friday everyone. This is going to be a shorter post, as I am trying hard to get things together for tomorrow’s Tasty Beats: East Meets West Edition at the Annex. I have a very special guest, DJ UN-G (my old buddy), from Los Angeles, joining me on 4 turntables for some fun. Here’s a record a picked up at an Asbury Lanes Flea Market/ Record Swap off of the 45 Killer. Check out Effie Smith and “Harper Valley PTA Gossip” on Eee Cee Records out of New York City.

Effie Smith was an American singer/ comedienne who’s career spanned three decades from the 1940′s up until the 1970′s. Born in Oklahoma in 1914, a start with Lionel Hampton’s Orchestra in the 30′s led to a marriage with John L. Criner. Criner was involved with movies and a comedian himself. He was responsible for the California based Royal Record Company that had the G&G and Gem labels under their umbrella. It’s here that Smith’s solo career (after a stint with Benny Carter’s Orchestra) started, with the help of Johnny Otis. She moved around from Aladdin to Miltone to Vita (with a vocal group called The Squires), before doing sides for Decca, Shade and Spot and Specialty. Smith’s career, while long, didn’t garnish a lot of attention as far as commercial success with the charts. It wasn’t until some 20 years later that two sides “Dial That Telephone” and this side, would catch anyone’s attention. Smith, in later life was employed by Stax Records as a promo person. She would die from caner in 1977. Smith son Fred Smith was a producer and song writer, mainly for the Olympics, as well as other movie songwriting gigs.

“Harper Valley PTA Gossip” was an answer record to the Mary Jane Hooper side “Harper Valley PTA”. While Smith’s vocals are more Moms Mabley than Marva Whitney (or Mary Jane Hooper), she was the original gossip girl (“Now I don’t like to talk but….”). The back beat, and wailing Hammond in the back more than make up for Effie’s banter about the Harper Valley hypocrites. I would have been a bit more satisfied if the flip contained the instrumental, because it really smokes. Have a great weekend. Hope to see you on Saturday. Keep Diggin’!

Booker T. & the MG’s – Home Grown

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Download or Listen to Booker T. & the MG’s – Home Grown from the Stax Records 45

I originally had some Sweet Soul (more like heartbreak Soul to accompany my luck with women), but decided to shift gears and go with something a bit more positive. I am going to do a mix in the near future of just Sweet Soul, because as I looked for this record I realized I have a grip of Soul records I haven’t put on a mix yet. That’s another thing on the FMF list that has to be done. Here’s a a band that I was introduced to as a small child through my father, and as I got older my liking grew into admiration and utmost respect for all these musicians. Here is Booker T. & the MG’s with “Home Grown” on Stax Records from 1963.

The name Booker T. and the MG’s is synonymous with Memphis Soul, Southern Soul, Stax Records, and a whole new movement of music in the 1960′s. One of the first racial integrated bands, their sound was one of a kind, and forged the way for many to come. They were the house band for Stax and their sound was lent to many records. Maybe you’ve heard records they were on (sometimes as a whole band, but mostly as individual players) such as: “Soul Man”, “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long”, and “Try a Little Tenderness”, among many others. From their humble start at Sun Records as a backing band to their Stax Records studio days, Stax European tours, to the Beatles infatuation with the band, Booker T. and the MG’s are one of the baddest bands ever. I can remember my father coming home from Vietnam when I was very young and bringing back a Panasonic hi-fi stereo with a turntable, and tons of records. One was the Best of Booker T. and the MG’s, a record I still have today. It was a bootleg, and I can say that because the inside of the record cover was actually a Led Zeppelin Lp cover. I hope to go into some more in depth info on this band at a later date, as I have plenty of material to cover. I may just do a whole week of these guys, I dig them so much.

“Home Grown” has the slow rolling feel of their smash hit (and the song they are most noted for) “Green Onions”. The guitar work of Steve Cropper is killer as Booker T.’s organ floats along while Lewie Stienberg’s bass stays in the pocket with Al Jackson’s drums. No Donald Duck Dunne on bass ’til 1965, but either way the band is in fine shape on “Home Grown”. If a DJ put this record on, you would instantly recognize the sound, the sound of Memphis. I highly recommend the book Soulsville, USA by Rob Bowman on Shirmar Trade Books. It’s extensive, has small print, but totally worth it. If you want to hear the real deal about Stax, Memphis, and the Memphis Sound, that’s the book to get. I’ll be back Friday with some more dusty treats. Keep Diggin’!

Edwin Starr – Agent Double O-Soul

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Download or Listen to Edwin Starr – Agent Double O-Soul from the Ric Tic Records 45

Good Monday morning to all of the FMF Family. It’s been a long weekend here, and I apologize for no Friday post, but I was working on my website. soon DJ Prestige Dot Com will be streamlined, lots of new photos, a rotating mix page, and lots of other goodies. Also a big shout out to Larry Grogan from Funky 16 Corners for a speedy recovery this week. Until then, what I have here is a good old slice of Soul. I couldn’t resist putting one of my favorite all time Soul songs on here. Get into the groove y’all with Edwin Starr and “Agent Double O-Soul” from Ric Tic Records in 1965.

Born Charles Edwin Hatcher in 1942 in Nashville, Tennessee, Edwin Starr moved away to Cleveland, Ohio. He formed the Doo Wop group The Future Tones in 1957. Moving to the Big D (not Dallas), Detroit in the 60′s, he started his career on the Ric Tic label, the very label this 1965 45 is on. Other artists on the label included JJ Barnes, The San Remo Golden Strings, Andre Williams, Fantastic Four, Flaming Embers and others. He then switched to Motown when they bought up Ric Tic. A couple of minor hits gave way to “25 Miles” in 1969, before the most notable of his career (and originally written by Norman Whitfield and Barret Strong for the Temptations, but deemed a bit too aggressive for them), the soon to be Vietnam anthem “War” was rerecorded in 1969. Starr moved to England in 1973, where he released the sequel to the James Brown themed Black Caesar Soundtrack, the soundtrack to Hell Up In Harlem in 1974. He had another single, “Easin’ In” (which was reissued on the Pulp Fusion Series) The Disco sensation was in full swing and Starr embraced it soon after that. He would go on to record for such labels as Avatar, Calibre, 10 Records, Century, and again Motown. In the 80′s he recorded for Virgin, and was sampled by various UK acts (Cookie Crew for one), and teamed up with Utah Saints for a remake of his “Funky Music Sho’ Nuff Turns Me On” and Three Amigos for “25 Miles”. He got on Ian Levine’s Motown revival label Motor City in the late 80-’s/ early 90′s, and released and wrote a handful of singles. Edwin Starr died of a heart attack in 2003.

“Agent Double O-Soul”, a take from a James Bond cue, was a soon to be Northern Soul classic. With the heavy drums and even heavier harmonizing, Starr croons his tale of international Soul mystery from start to finish. I particularly dig the lines: “At my job I work real hard/ I’m on the go/ rain, sleet, or snow.” He did work hard, as Double-O Soul or not. He was writing, performing, and producing music right up until his death. Edwin Starr has been covered many times, and a hometown musician, he’s unknown in Asbury Park, Bruce Springsteen, (I keed, I keed) has been known to do his own take on Starr’s “War”. See you midweek. Also, if you’re in the Asbury Park area this coming Saturday, I’m doing a show with an old DJ friend from LA on 4 turntables, should be a blast. It’s free so come on out for the fun. Keep Diggin!

Gene Dozier and the Brotherhood – A Hunk of Funk

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Download or Listen to Gene Dozier and the Brotherhood – A Hunk of Funk from the Minit Records 45

It’s midweek here at FMF, and I dug a bit deeper today. I had something else on deck and decided to change it the last minute. I’ve come to realize that my ever growing record collection needs another Expedit to get all these extra piles of Lps off the floor. I’ve got the room, so I just need to hunker down a bit and get it done. Today’s 7″ comes from s tash a bought a while ago, but can’t exactly remember where. I dig this record a lot, and I hope you will too. Here’s Gene Dozier and the Brotherhood with “Hunk of Funk” from the Minit Records 45.

Ugene Lloyd Dozier aka Gene Dozier aka Billy Jackson led a great musical life and successful career. With 19+ Gold records for a variety of bands and genres, Dozier started with Cameo in Philadelphia before relocating to Detroit to hopefully write for Motown. He ended up do some writing for a few artists (not for the famous label unfortunately). He released out this side on the great Minit Records out of New Orleans (but by this time they had relocated to CA, see the following). Minit was a hot bed of talent, with artists such as Alan Touissant, Jesse Hill, Ernie K. Doe, Aaaron Neville, Jimmy McCracklin, Bobby Womack, Tina Britt, and more. Of course they were bought by Imperial/ Liberty and then were based out of California eventually (allegedly some say after Touissant left for the Army and there were no more hits coming out), but the Minit discography is pretty damn impressive none the less. Dozier and the Brotherhood released this gem of a 45, which is off of the 1968 Lp Blues Power. The record was chock full of funky covers, most notably James Brown’s “Cold Sweat” and others like “Watermelon Man”. Dozier had keyboard and piano duties on this record, but he was a multi-talented player. When I say player I can include arranger and composer in his career. The man made and was involved with hits in the 60′s, 70′s, 80′s, and 90′s with bands and performers such as Dusty Springfield, Lakeside, Shalimar, the SOS Band, Minnie Ripperton, the O’Jays and others. Later on in life, Gene Dozier would found Renaissance records in Providence, Rhode Island. Dozier would die in 2007.

“A Hunk of Funk” starts out with a great little drum break coupled with some guitar work, and the piano genius of Dozier. The Brotherhood of Funk had a hot horn section (and with a name like that, how couldn’t they?) The beat is steady throughout, with some definite kick ass guitar that keeps your head nodding throughout. Not the heaviest funk, but a hunk of it as the title suggests. I’ll see you before the weekend with some new sides to quench your thirst. Until then, Keep Diggin’.

JJ Jackson with the Greatest Little Soul Band in the World – Fat, Black, and Together

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Download or Listen to JJ Jackson with the Greatest Little Soul Band in the World – Fat, Black, and Together from the Congress 45

Happy Monday! I hope everyone is doing great on the start of this work week. I wanna give a shout out to everyone who came out to see me spin on Saturday night at the Annex in Asbury Park. It turned into a proper Dance Party and we all had a good time. I’ve got good news as well: My old DJ partner, DJ Un-G will be in town in two weeks and is going to join me at the Annex to spin. Here’s the twist: 4 turntables, 2 DJ’s, no rehearsal. We’re going for broke from 9-1:30, which should be a lot of fun. I’m working on the flyer, and it’s going to be free, so if you’re in the area, by all means stop by and enjoy the music. This record fell into my hands after an all day long digging session with DJ Prime-Mundo in a private residence. That haul yielded a good many 45′s, this one included. Let’s jump into JJ Jackson with the Greatest Little Soul Band in the World and “Fat, Black, and Together” on Congress Records from 1969.

Jerome Louis Jackson, aka JJ Jackson was born in 1941 in the Bronx, New York. He originally started out writing songs for people like Jimmy McGriff, the Shangrila’s, and Jimmy Witherspoon among others (also the Pretty Things “Come See Me”). Not only was he a writer and composer, but JJ was quite the singer. A rival of Otis Redding, this 300 lb. belter had a hit in 1966 with “But It’s Alright”, which actually charted both in 1966 and 1969. Jackson has put out sides out on Loma, Perception, Calla, Altantic, MCA, and RCA. Jackson has had quite a career, on both sides of the music industry. It’s very clear that he knew how to work the industry, because if you check out his discography, he’s all over the place with writing and composing credits. Good for him. For me, I am a fan of the Calla side “I Dig Girls”, which I’ve played out and have included on past mixes.

“Fat, Black, and Together”, of course was arranged and sung by Jackson (who played piano and percussion as well), and featured Dick Morrissey on tenor sax, John Marshall on baritone sax, Roy Edwards and Stu Hamer on Trumpets, Terry Smith on Electric Guitar. The original Overweight Lover (before Heavy D) tells his story through this song. Jackson pleads his case is this slice of Soul. Apparently, this record was a bit more experimental than his straight ahead Soul stuff, check out the fuzzy guitars throughout. It’s definitely a monster of a song either way. This was a side I definitely recommend, and is not a hard side to come by. This particular 45 came in a Recordvelope from Ohoes, NY. It’s a thick, cardboard sleeve stamped “Recordvelope”, a first in that area for me. Seems like they would try anything, even stacking unsleeved records together in a plastic case, to make money on 45′s in the past. I hope this Soul explosion got your day started off right. See you midweek, Keep Diggin’!

Jimmy McGriff – I’ve Got A Woman Part 1

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Download or Listen to Jimmy McGriff – I’ve Got A Woman Part 1 from the Jell Records 45

I have no idea where the week went, but I figured I’d end the week out with an artist I really dig. He is no stranger to Flea Market Funk, and a definite favorite artist of mine. In fact, I pick up everything I come across, cheesy or not. I originally posted something on McGriff here, so for a bit of background on the man, check that out. This particular record I picked up at the annual Ocean Grove Flea Market this Summer. It’s not really known for it’s vinyl. Number one, it’s more sausage trucks and crafts more than music. Number two, the guys who have the records, think that the Classic Rock they have is priceless. Riiiight. This record was unsleeved, and when I tried to sleeve it up he told me it was a dollar extra! Uh, Ok Mister-it’s-90-degrees-out-and-your-vinyl-is-melting. Thankfully, I rescued this side from Jimmy McGriff, a cover of Ray Charles’ “I’ve Got A Woman Part 1″, on Newark, N.J.’s own Jell Records..

Jimmy McGriff was a lot of things: multi-talented instrument player, former soldier, former police officer, a pioneer in Soul Jazz, and forever the experimentalist in the area of the Hammond B-3. He was one of Philly’s finest Jazz musicians right up until his death from multiple sclerosis in 2008. It is unfortunate that even though he was so close, I never got to see him live. “I’ve Got A Woman Part 1″ starts off with that great Hammond sound, slowly, then McGriff busts through it like he was a guy in Pamplona running with the bulls. This side cooks people! It’s a great cover that I’m sure Ray Charles would have approved of. This is definitely a side that I’m sure McGriff busted out while playing in one of the many West Side of Asbury Park, NJ clubs during the 50′s and 60′s. There were over 40 in the prime of that time! This side goes out to my man Pat James Longo, aka Primitive Sound System, who’s going to be a guest at the August 14th Asbury Park 45 Sessions. We were speaking on how we can’t pass up McGriff sides. I’ll see you next week, have a great weekend. Keep Diggin’!

The Soul Buttercups – Once In My Life

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Download or Listen to The Soul Buttercups – Once In My Life from the Premier Records Lp Solid Soul

Unfortunately, I have to make this review a bit short this midweek. I’ve got some personal stuff to deal with that sucks, but unfortunately has to be dealt with. You know I always make it a point to get the music out, so I will try my best to keep it coming on a regular basis as usual, but excuse me if I’m a bit inconsistent at time. I do apologize, but sometimes the real world gets in the way of the blog world. It’s unavoidable. I picked up this record while camping a few years ago in Pennsylvania. I always like to find a good cover record, and this whole Lp was nothing but covers. I have been thinking lately that when I get my two mixes out of the way that I’m working on I will be doing an all cover mix, which will be interesting. I have amassed a lot of cover records in my record digging career. This particular record Solid Soul is amazing. Here’s a Stevie Wonder cover of “Once In My Life” by the Soul Buttercups on Premier Records.

This entire record was something that I couldn’t dig up much info on. I can assume that the Soul Buttercups were a studio band out of NYC, who just did covers. The Premier Record label itself put out a boatload of “cheapo” records it appears. They all seem to be covers of popular tunes. From Movie Themes to Soundtracks to Love Songs to Country and Western Million Sellers, Premier had it all covered. They even did kid’s records and a Beer Hall album. This is the kind of record I love to find. It has a lot of character. Maybe these musicians were really just trying to make a buck in NYC in the late 60′s and early 70′s by doing studio cuts, covers of the popular Funk and Soul sides of the day. Maybe they were members of other bands that played the circuit and did this on the side? This is something hopefully someone has some information on. If you do, I’d love to pass it along to the FMF readers. I will hopefully see you all on Friday with some more goodness. Keep Diggin’!

Johnny Osbourne – Fraudie

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Download or Listen to Johnny Osbourne – Fraudie from the Brown Sugar 45

After an extra day off because of the holiday, FMF is back. I’m sunburned, full of food, and ready to bring some Summer vibes to you. What better than to bring some Dancehall Reggae on a Monday morning? This time I have a side I picked up on my tour of DC and Richmond back in March. It’s a great side on Brown Sugar (that looks a lot like Brownstone) straight out of JA, from Johnny Osbourne, “Fraudie”.

Born Errol Osbourne in Kingston, Jamaica (Jonestown to be exact) in 1948, Johnny Osbourne has become well known through out the Jamaican music community as the Godfather of Jamaican Dancehall. Recording for the Wildcats in 1967, the manager Winston Riley would go on to finance a series of recordings at Coxsone Dodd’s Studio One. One full length came out of that session, Come Back Darling. However, upon completion of the record, Osbourne would emigrate to Toronto, Canada to be with his family. He recorded a few records with the Soul/ Reggae group Ishan people. See Light in the Attic’s release: Toronto to Jamaica for an interesting story on Canadian/ Jamaican Reggae relations. This would last until 1979, where he would return to JA. Upon his return to Jamaica he would hook up with Dodd once again and record a few sides, “Forgive Them” and “Jealousy, Heartache And Pain”, and his 79-80 recording sessions made it to a full length, Truth and Rights. His vocal style made him a popular and in demand vocalist in JA, recording for King (back then Prince) Jammy, Bobby Digital (not the RZA), and others. Johnny’s laid back dancehall style, to me is most prevalent in his side “No Ice Cream Sound”, a fave of mine. His song “Buddy Bye”, which he is most well known for not just because of the Sleng Teng Riddim, and was remixed years later by Kenny Dope who laced it with 90′s Hip Hop samples and kept it open so the audience could shout: “Who-a-ooooo”, etc. His vibrant, soulful voice continues to be a force today, and with a catalog of hits, he has earned the name the Godfather of Dancehall.

“Fraudie”, an upbeat side, at first listen, to me sounds like a faster version of “Ring the Alarm”. Obviously not the same riddim, but Osbourne is answering those who called him “Yardie” as opposed to knowing his name. Yardie refers to someone who was a resident or occupant of the government built yards in Trenchtown after Hurricane Charlie. These lower financial areas were built around a central courtyard with a communal cooking area. Gang activity followed, and those key characters to come out of the Tenemant Yards, whether they liked it or not, were called Yardies. Emigration to Britain gave birth to further Yardie culture, which spread violence and the drug trade throughout London. The Version of this tune kills it as well, so keep a look out for it. Props to DJ Birdman for selling me this. Enjoy this slice of Jamaica on the Monday morning (and pay no mind to the slight skip on the outro). Keep Diggin’!

Spanky Wilson – Little Things Mean A Lot

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Spanky on stage with Quantic

Download or Listen to Spanky Wilson – Little Things Mean A Lot from the Mothers Records & Snarf Company 45

It’s midweek here at Flea market Funk and with a holiday approaching, it is going to be nice to have a day off. So much in fact I might get out to do some digging on Friday. I have to DJ Friday and Saturday nights, but having the day off (hopefully minus the rain) will be a good thing. I got a great response on the Don Gardner track, one that I have been sitting on for a while, but killer nonetheless. My man John Noll from Retromedia Studios informed me that his new band, Shimmytang will be performing that, along with a boatload of REAL Funk and Soul songs in the Greater Tri-State area soon. Gonna try to get them for the 4th and Kingsley Soul Club. This should be fun. Now I’m gonna get serious. This is one serious record by a very serious Soul Sister. Here’s Spanky Wilson with “Little Things Mean A Lot” on Mothers Records & Snarf Company.

Born in Philadelphia, PA (man these posts this week have a Philly theme, purely coincidental!), Wilson emerged on the music scene in the 1960′s. She lived in Pittsburgh until 1967 before locating to Los Angeles until 1985. After ’85 she would settle in Paris, France. Influenced by Nat King Cole, Louis Jordan, and Eddie Jefferson, she deveoped her unique vocal style. During her long career, she has shared the stage with many of Jazz’s royalty including Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff, Nat Adderley, and Willie Bobo among others. She also performed with the likes of Marvin Gaye and Sammy Davis, Jr. Wilson has even collaborated with super soundtrack maestro Lalo Shifrin for a cut on the Kelly’s Heroes Soundtrack. Her relentless touring of the Jazz Festival circuit led her all over the world. She’s released on Mother’s Records and Snarf Company ( “Spankin’ Brand New”, “Doin It”), Westbound (“Shake Your Head”), Eastbound and Big Blue. As of late, she has hooked up with powerhouse DJ/ Producer Quantic (and the Quantic Soul Orchestra) to put out a few sides and a full length, I’m Thankful. This collaboration has been really well received, here in the States and abroad. The woman still has it, what can I say?

The piano riff starts and Spanky Wilson’s voice just makes you melt. Her cooing and carrying on (in a good way) of what’s really important get your attention. It’s not the expensive things, you see. It’s the little things, a smile, a loving touch, and I really think she is on to something. I especially like how it’s just the piano, drums (barely) and Wilson’s great voice throughout. It’s simple, but if there was a lot going on, I think it would really be too busy and less effective. This collaboration with producer/ arranger HB Barnum and his label are killer. Despite being a Jazz vocal singer, Wilson knows how to belt out some Sweet Soul. It just goes to show you how versatile she really is. Dig this side, it’s a good one. I’ll see you Friday, maybe with some more Philly stuff, who knows? Keep Diggin’!