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Crate digging and interesting obscurities |
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js ![]() Forum Admin Group ![]() ![]() Site admin Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Location: Memphis Status: Offline Points: 34714 |
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Sly5thAve (Sylvester Uzoma Onyejiaka) is another current artist influenced by the sounds of thrift store exotica. Although an orchestral tribute to Dr Dre may not seem like a great idea at first, Sly really makes this one work with his mix of hip-hop beats and cool retro orchestrations that recall Isaac Hayes and David Axelrod.
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Edited by snobb - 22 Sep 2020 at 10:56pm |
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js ![]() Forum Admin Group ![]() ![]() Site admin Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Location: Memphis Status: Offline Points: 34714 |
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For those interested in Herbie Hancock's Sextet and its many spin-off groups, here is one more associated album that is often overlooked and forgotten, Pete Yellin's "Dance of Allegra".
Review: Listen: ![]() Edited by js - 04 May 2020 at 9:47pm |
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dreadpirateroberts ![]() Forum Admin Group ![]() ![]() Joined: 06 Jul 2011 Location: AU Status: Offline Points: 1836 |
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Awesome, will definitely check this out :)
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We are men of action. Lies do not become us.
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js ![]() Forum Admin Group ![]() ![]() Site admin Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Location: Memphis Status: Offline Points: 34714 |
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Osibisa "Super Fly T.N.T." (OST)
The soundtrack to the first "Superfly" movie by Curtis Mayfield was a critical success and is still considered one of the top OSTs of all time. The soundtrack to the second movie, by Osibissa, is just as good if not better, yet it slipped by barely noticed at all. The reason for this was that the movie itself was a flop, so the soundtrack faded into obscurity. This OST deserves a second chance, here we find a dynamic and creative mix of African fusion, 70s prog rock and jazz with all sorts of psychedelic and exotic fairy dust sprinkled on top. Most Osibissa albums are great, but this one may be their best. Review:
Listen: ![]() Edited by js - 13 Jul 2020 at 12:20pm |
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dreadpirateroberts ![]() Forum Admin Group ![]() ![]() Joined: 06 Jul 2011 Location: AU Status: Offline Points: 1836 |
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Added to my list to check out, sounds great!
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We are men of action. Lies do not become us.
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js ![]() Forum Admin Group ![]() ![]() Site admin Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Location: Memphis Status: Offline Points: 34714 |
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Its hard to get much information on saxophonist Charles Williams, who also went by C.I. Williams. He recorded three albums as a leader in the early 70s, plus one more in 2007, and also worked as a sideman on a few albums while working as a music teacher in Queens. The fact that he did not get a chance to record more often is a crime because this guy can play. His favored ax is the alto on which he displays influences from Charlie Parker, Cannonball Adderly, Stanley Turrentine and Eddie Harris. "Stickball" is his third and final album from the 70s, and it is a somewhat commercial affair as many of the tracks are covers of the soul hits of the day, but its the way that Charles arranges and plays these songs that make this a great album. There is some excellent backing on here from Cornell Dupree on guitar and Don Pullen on organ, plus many other performers as well. Ernie Wilkins provides excellent orchestral arrangements on some tracks. ![]() Edited by snobb - 22 Sep 2020 at 10:58pm |
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dreadpirateroberts ![]() Forum Admin Group ![]() ![]() Joined: 06 Jul 2011 Location: AU Status: Offline Points: 1836 |
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I still have to hear those other albums, but I found the same thing when trying to search for extra info.
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We are men of action. Lies do not become us.
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js ![]() Forum Admin Group ![]() ![]() Site admin Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Location: Memphis Status: Offline Points: 34714 |
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That album in 2007 only happened because Hamie Bluiett pushed the record label. Williams is just another mega talent who didn't get recorded as often as he should have.
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js ![]() Forum Admin Group ![]() ![]() Site admin Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Location: Memphis Status: Offline Points: 34714 |
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Calibro 35 is a long running Italian group that recreates classic Italian soundtracks, and also composes original music in that style. Early albums leaned towards Farfisa organs and surf guitar, but later album go more in a funk jazz direction.
One of their best recent albums is "Decade", which features a small orchestra. This one is recommended for fans of David Axelrod and Isaac Hayes: Listen: ![]() Also recommended is "S.P.A.C.E.", on which the band goes more psychedelic recalling the first couple Funkadelic albums, or the Bar Kays work with Hayes on the soundtrack to "Shaft". Listen: ![]() "Live from Space" is a live version of the above album: Listen: ![]() Edited by js - 14 Oct 2020 at 8:32pm |
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js ![]() Forum Admin Group ![]() ![]() Site admin Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Location: Memphis Status: Offline Points: 34714 |
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Although well known in Mexico, Tino Contreras is much less recognized in jazz oriented markets in the US and Europe. The recent re-release of his 2011 compilation, "El Jazz Mexicano de Tino Contreras", may change that as it has been getting decent promotion from western jazz publications. The original albums that feature the tracks on this comp are not always easy to find, so we can consider ourselves lucky that this artist is getting a another go round.
Tino's music is very eclectic, but it often uses hot Afro-Cuban jazz as a starting point. From there Tino may mix in some psychedelia, exotica, classical choir vocals, gritty urban hard bop, odd-metered modern jazz and much more. Although there is some appealing kitsch to his music at times, this element never takes away from the fact that Tino and his crew are always playing top notch highly rhythmic jazz music.
Listen: ![]() Edited by js - 25 Sep 2020 at 11:18am |
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js ![]() Forum Admin Group ![]() ![]() Site admin Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Location: Memphis Status: Offline Points: 34714 |
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Eddie Harris' "is It In" is known to some collectors of funk/RnB exotica and early electronica, but in case you haven't checked this one out yet, you can read an analytical review and listen to the album by clicking the links below.
Review: Listen: ![]() Edited by js - 02 Oct 2020 at 11:44am |
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js ![]() Forum Admin Group ![]() ![]() Site admin Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Location: Memphis Status: Offline Points: 34714 |
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Claudia Lennear was a powerhouse female vocalist who sang backup for Ike and Tina Turner, and later Leon Russell, Humble Pie, Joe Cocker and others. Much like the artists she worked with, Claudia could get funky, but she could also rock out with the best of them. The record industry is very hard on black performers who want to rock, much less female ones. Claudia should have been a superstar, but instead she only got to release one album, "Whew", and its a classic. ![]() Edited by snobb - 08 Nov 2020 at 10:53pm |
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js ![]() Forum Admin Group ![]() ![]() Site admin Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Location: Memphis Status: Offline Points: 34714 |
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James Plunky Branch is a saxophonist who started his career leading the Afrocentric free jazz group, Juju. Over the next couple years Juju became Oneness of Juju with their musical direction leaning more towards fusion and funk jazz. When inexpensive home recording tools hit the market, James self-released a series of hit and miss RnB CDs under the names Plunky and Oneness, or just Plunky. When 2000 arrived, Plunky upped his game and started releasing well produced radio freindly RnB and smooth jazz. Over the years, his concerts, many of them in Europe, always displayed the history of his career, often leaning towards jazz funk jams, rather than his more commercial output. There is not one particular album that really best captures Plunky's talents, and that is why the compilation "Oneness of Juju - African Rhythms 1970-1982" is the best way to explore his music. This compilation does a great job of bringing out the best in this sometimes inconsistent artist. It doesn't hurt that some of the tracks are pulled from Plunky's work with African drummer Okyerema Asante on Asante's albums. Listen: ![]() Edited by snobb - 26 Nov 2020 at 10:58pm |
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js ![]() Forum Admin Group ![]() ![]() Site admin Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Location: Memphis Status: Offline Points: 34714 |
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Les McCann "Layers"
Les McCann is mostly know for his gospel flavored soul jazz, but in the early 70s he made some detours into the world of analog synthesizer drenched exotica and psychedelia.
Review: Listen: ![]() Edited by js - 28 Dec 2020 at 7:14am |
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js ![]() Forum Admin Group ![]() ![]() Site admin Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Location: Memphis Status: Offline Points: 34714 |
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One more from Les McCann's excursion into psychedelia is "Invitation to Openness". Yusef Lateef guests on this one and is apparently very influential as much of this record sounds like a Lateef outing.
Reviews: ![]() Edited by js - 10 Jan 2021 at 9:32pm |
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js ![]() Forum Admin Group ![]() ![]() Site admin Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Location: Memphis Status: Offline Points: 34714 |
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Cinevox has just released an amazing collection of Italian soundtrack music. Click on the link below and you will find nine lengthy samples of some of the tracks. ![]() Edited by snobb - 27 Jan 2021 at 10:35pm |
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js ![]() Forum Admin Group ![]() ![]() Site admin Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Location: Memphis Status: Offline Points: 34714 |
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DJ Spooky and Dave Lombardo "Drums of Death" Clumsy attempts to weld hip-hop to metal produced some of the worst music ever in the 90s, the unlistenable limp bizkit for example. Thats why it may come as a surprise that this album that combines DJ Spooky with famed thrash drummer Dave Lombardo is way better than expected and then some. Dave supplies a variety of rhythms, but often with that enthusiastic 'metal overkill' that can be annoying in the wrong hands, but it works so perfectly and ironically at the same time on this one. DJ Spooky comes through with some of the best music of his career. It doesn't hurt that Chuck D guests on several tracks sounding as strong as ever. Gary Nestler, Vernon Reid and Jack Dangers guest on guitars. This album is an unlikely classic that a lot of people probably missed. Listen: ![]() Edited by snobb - 31 Jan 2021 at 3:06am |
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js ![]() Forum Admin Group ![]() ![]() Site admin Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Location: Memphis Status: Offline Points: 34714 |
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Recorded back in 1971, Marvin Gaye's instrumental "Funky Nation" is finally being released as a single album, and it was well worth the wait. These tracks are dyn-o-mite early 70s rare groove featuring all-star musicians such as Ray Parker Jr, Wah Wah Watson and Michael Henderson, before they went on to work with the likes of Herbie Hancock and Miles Davis.
Listen up: ![]() Edited by js - 02 Mar 2021 at 7:38pm |
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js ![]() Forum Admin Group ![]() ![]() Site admin Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Location: Memphis Status: Offline Points: 34714 |
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Piano Conclave "Palais Anthology"
We all know how the fusion fad ended up, with highly commercial recordings featuring bland predictable performances geared toward deriving cash from pop, rock and RnB fans, but that wasn't necessarily how it all started. Case in point, this recording ("Palais Anthology"), features high octane performances from no less than six of Europe's best fusion keyboardists supported by the ace rhythm section of Alphonse Mouzon and John Lee. The performances on here are crackling hot with bursting at the seams creative energy. The keyboardists gleefully plug into whatever electronic gizmos they can get their hands on as they apply their fiery bebop chops to stacks of new fangled keyboards. Early experimental fusion does not get much better than this.
Listen: ![]() Edited by snobb - 06 Apr 2021 at 7:09am |
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js ![]() Forum Admin Group ![]() ![]() Site admin Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Location: Memphis Status: Offline Points: 34714 |
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A couple years after psychedelia hit the rock scene, it also hit the jazz scene. Not everything that came from that was good, and there are plenty of cheezy albums to attest to that, but one of the best albums to come from the psychedelic jazz scene was Herbie Mann's "Stone Flute".
Review:
Edited by js - 14 Apr 2021 at 7:48pm |
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