Recommended listening - Funk, Soul, Rare Groove, Jazzy Vibes

[sphelan]

Originally Posted by modz1

Tis done Shane..'stickied' too - and a fine addition it is/will be

Power to the people!

[saxman]

Having posted some jazzy funk tunes I can not leave out a couple of great funky jazz tunes. Written by Herbie Hancock and featuring the late great Freddie Hubbard on trumpet. If you want to hear a tenor sax solo that combines being so laid back with having so much attitude then listen to Dexter Gordon on Watermelon Man at 2:45

[sphelan]

Keep em coming saxman...this is so refreshing!

[saxman]

Well, I mistyped Mayfield in my first reply so think it is time for some Curtis.
There is a recording here of Curtis Mayfield talking about the film Superfly and about songwriting. He points out that he gives us hard hitting lyrics when writing about real life issues but he also gives us soft and tender lyrics. So the songs "Superfly" and "Pusherman" should never be listened to as 'Curtis glorifying drug dealing'. In "No Thing On Me ( Cocaine Song )" he tells us;

I'm so glad I've got my own
So glad that I can see
My life's a natural high
The man can't put no thing on me

[saxman]

World renowned jazz educator Jamey Aebersold has a list of "100 Historically Significant Jazz Recordings" which includes Hank Mobley's 1960 album Soul Station. This album is regarded as a great jazz album but the name "Soul Station" says it all - this is Hank in a soulful jazz mood.

Jamey Aebersold;

Often overlooked, perhaps because he wasn't a great innovator in jazz but merely a stellar performer, tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley was at the peak of his powers on Soul Station. Recorded with a superstar quartet including Art Blakey on drums, Paul Chambers on bass, and Wynton Kelly on piano, it was the first album since Mobley's 1955 debut to feature him as a leader without any other accompanying horns. The clean, uncomplicated sound that resulted from that grouping helps make it the best among his albums and a peak moment during a particularly strong period in his career. Mobley has no problem running the show here, and he does it without being flashy or burying the strong work of his sidemen. The solidness of his technique means that he can handle material that is occasionally rhythmically intricate, while still maintaining the kind of easy roundness and warmth displayed by the best players of the swing era.

[modz1]

This thread's rapidly becoming an education

[saxman]

Japanese jazz bassist Teruo Nakamura had an idea.......Lay down a funky beat for seven minutes and get Steve Grossman to jazz funk a superb soprano sax line all the way through. Have John Mosley throw in some jazzy funky trumpet along the way, oh and just in case things start to feel a bit too normal why not have a female vocal appear very briefly to miaaow and say "pussy cat". This track is "Cat" and it is one groovey funky jazzy cat to be sure!
http://myjazzworld.blogspot.com/2007...ising-sun.html

Cat (7:18)
Bass - Teruo Nakamura
Drums - Art Gore
Electric Piano - Harry Whitaker
Guitar, Synthesizer [Arp, Univox Stringman] - Shiro Mori
Saxophone [Soprano], Saxophone [Tenor] - Steve Grossman
Trumpet - John Mosley
Vocals - Pricella Baskervill , Sandy Hewitt

[sureno]

Saxman, just had to say thanks for giving me all these ideas going to go to the 2nd store to dig some of these out for the gig

[saxman]

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship going on with this track. I **love** the funky bass line. I just wish they would let us hear it a bit more. I personally could do without all the funky party chatter.



Back in November last year I posted a message with a youtube vid of a kid playing this great funky bassline;
Best Bassline ever?!!

[saxman]

The album Electric Funk is a superb collection of funky soul with Jimmy McGriff playing the gorgeous Hammond B3. He is joined by a brass section for a big exciting fun funky soul sound.

[saxman]

Staying with the Hammond B3 idea, and getting back to tenor sax man Stanley Turrentine. There are two albums I want to recommend - "Back at the Chicken Shack" and "Midnight Special". Unfortunately I could not find examples of either on Youtube but you can listen to short samples on Amazon;

Back at the Chicken Shack
Midnight Special

I am including a vid from a third album by these two - "Lonesome Road" from the album "The Sermon". The Sermon is more straight jazz than the other two albums but it is still likely to please non jazz fans. "Back at the Chicken Shack" and "Midnight Special" are both very funky, soulful, jazzy and bluesy and should therefore be even more likely to please non jazz fans.

[saxman]

Melvin Jackson was the bass player in the Eddie Harris band in the the late 60s when Eddie was doing some way out funky stuff. The Funky Skull album is outrageously funky and sees Melvin playing his double bass through a series of effects resulting in quacking and miaowing noises. Oh, and on the album cover he looks quite a bit like Howard from the Halifax ads.

[saxman]

Well, that's it from me, I'm all funked out. I mean I couldn't possibly post another funky track now could I? Oh maybe just one more..... The Gaturs - Gator Bait

[saxman]

I just love the laid back funky soul groove of this one. Arranged and produced by the talented Allen Toussaint.

[sphelan]

I've been checking this guy out!

referenced in the Beastie Boys' song lyrics for "Sure Shot" - "...everything I do is funky like Lee Dorsey."