Donnie Elbert - Stop In The Name Of Love

Soulful LP from Donnie Elbert, released on Trip in 1974 but I recall reading that it was recorded a few years earlier.

Heard It Thru The Grapevine


We've Got A Good Thing Going


If You Were My Woman


The material consists almost entirely of Motown covers. It's not bad though, most def worth the download.

1. Introduction
2. Stop In The Name Of Love
3. Never Can Say Goodbye
4. I Wanna Be Where You Are
5. My Cherie Amour
6. Heard It Thru The Grapevine
7. We've Got A Good Thing Going
8. The Way You Do The Things You Do
9. If You Were My Woman

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Merl Saunders & Jerry Garcia - Live At Keystone

Live double-LP released on Fantasy in 1973. If The Other Merl Saunders record I posted was mainly a funk record, this one is more versatile, mixing southern soul songs (Like a Road), some kind of free organ jazz (Space), blues, Bob Dylan and Jimmy Cliff covers and, yes, some funk.

Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers


Space


It's No Use


The group consists of Merl Saunders on keyboards, Jerry Garcia on guitar, Bill Vitt on drums and John Kahn on bass, plus David Grisman makes an appearence on mandolin.

1. Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers
2. Positively 4th Street
3. The Harder They Come
4. It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry
5. Space
6. It's No Use
7. That's All Right Mama
8. My Funny Valentine
9. Someday Baby
10. Like a Road

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Irakere - Live In Sweden

Irakere was a band from Cuba who performed a mixture of afro-funk, jazz and latin music. They started out in the 70's but this record was recorded in 1980 during a live performance in Sweden, released in 1981 on A Disc.

15 Minutos


Valle De Picadura


Chucho Valdés is band leader and plays keyboards (quite a lot of rhodes here), Carlos Del Puerto plays bass and sings, Enrique Piá plays drums and afro-cuban instruments, Jorge Alfonso plays congas and afro-cuban instruments, Oscar Valdés plays afro-cuban instruments and sings, Carlos Emilio Morales plays guitars, Jorge Varona plays trumpet, flugelhorn and sings, Arturo Sandoval plays trumpet, flugelhorn, trombone and sings and Carlos Averhoff plays saxophones and flutes.

1. Aguanile Bonko
2. 15 Minutos
3. Juan 1600
4. Iya
5. Valle De Picadura
6. Tres Dias
7. Irakere

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Carolyn Franklin - Baby Dynamite

Funky soul grooves from Arethas sister. Her first album, released on RCA in 1969. Arranged and conducted by Horace Ott, produced by Buzz Willis.

What Cha' Gonna Do


I Can't Love Without You


There I Go (Se per te c'e' soltano quell 'uomo)


Soulful shit. And some really gritty grooves aswell. Make sure you check this out if you haven't heard it.

1. Reality
2. It's True I'm Gonna Miss You
3. What Cha' Gonna Do
4. I Don't Want To Loose You
5. Boxer
6. I Can't Love Without You
7. What Now My Love
8. Alone
9. There I Go (Se per te c'e' soltano quell 'uomo)
10. On a Back Street
11. More Than Ever Before

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Joe Thomas - Ebony Godfather

This record is the definition of funky flute. Released on the Today label in 1972. No info on the other players.

Chitlins And Cuchifritos


Every Brother Ain't A Brother


Love


Chitlins And Cuchifritos is a classic track that is made up of a funk groove with Thomas blowing all over it. Even though all tracks on this record is nice, these three are the ones that stand out for me.

1. Talk To Me
2. Chitlins And Cuchifritos
3. Ebony Godfather
4. Fancy Fanny
5. Be Anything Be Mine
6. Every Brother Ain't A Brother
7. Sundown Express
8. Love

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Richard ''Groove'' Holmes - Six Million Dollar Man

Organ funk from the mighty Groove Holmes. Released in 1975 on the Flying Dutchman label. Players include David Walker, Chuck Rainey, Tom Scott, Oscar Brashear and many others (see back cover for full detail).

Dumpy Mama


Mama's Groove


Oliver Nelson conjures up some sweet 70's grooves for Groove to groove to. Them two examples should be enough to convince you, right?

1. Disc-O-Mite
2. Salsa De Alma
3. Once Is Not Enough
4. Dumpy Mama
5. Six Million Dollar Man
6. Double Scale
7. 125th St. And 7th Ave
8. Mama's Groove

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David Porter - Sweat & Love

Great 70's soul from the man most known for his days as Isaac Hayes songwriting partner. He released a couple of solo records on Stax after the golden years of the Hayes-Porter team had ended. This one is from 1973, his last one, I think.

Somebody Owns A Piece Of My Rock


Somebody Owns A Piece Of My Rock is my favourite track here but it isn't the only good one. Didn't Know Love Was So Good is great aswell, it kinda reminds me of Across 110th Street by Bobby Womack. Funny Money has a nice flute groove to it.

1. Didn't Know Love Was So Good
2. Somebody Owns A Piece Of My Rock
3. (Seems Like) The One You Can't Have all By Yourself
4. All The Way
5. Funny Money
6. I Can Live With My Conscience
7. This Song Has No Title
8. Long As You're The One Somebody In The World
9. Falling Out, Falling In

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Universal Jones - Vol. 1

A nice funky album by Universal Jones who never released a second volume. Released on MGM/Verve in 1972. If you look to the far left on the cover you'll see every beat diggers favourite funk/folk singer Eugene McDaniels, who is a major contributer to this album. Mc D is listed as producer, lead vocalist, writer and acoustic guitar player, Sister Charlotte is the female lead vocalist, Maurice McKinley is on drums, Bob Woos is on guitars and bass, Leon Pendarvis is arranging and conducting the set aswell as playing bass and electric piano. There's additional musicians listed on the back cover.

Tuesday Morning

River

Listen to the mellow groove of Tuesday Morning for a taste. River sounds like something straight from one of Eugenes solo albums from the early 70's. It's got that folky feel. There are three more good funk tunes, some more soulful ones and then there's the 10-minute jazz-funk tune Hello To The Wind.

1. We All Know A Lot Of Things But It Don't Never Show
2. Takin' Care Of Business
3. Feeling That Glow
4. Tuesday Morning
5. Good Love Man
6. Hello To The Wind
7. River
8. Sidewalk Man

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The Nite-Liters - Instrumental Directions

A classic funk record. Mostly soul/funk instrumentals, but there's also some nice soulful vocals on Respect to the Other Man and (Them) Changes. Released on RCA in 1972, produced by Harvey Fuqua.

(Them) Changes preview

Respect to the Other Man preview

1. Theme From Shaft
2. Brand X
3. (Them) Changes
4. Respect to the Other Man
5. Cherish Every Precious Moment
6. Afro-Strut
7. Medley; MacArthur Park-What's Going On-Fuqua's Theme
8. I've Got Dreams to Remember
9. Wichita Lineman
10. Bakers Instant

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Black Music: Betty Davis

I've got something new for todays post. In december of 1973 the first issue of a brittish music magazine called Black Music hit the shelves. Lucky for me, my dad picked it up. He also bought a ton of other issues of above mentioned magazine. This is an article on Betty Davis from the november issue of 1974. If this is appreciated I can easily put up more articles like this (Herbie Hancock, Gil-Scott Heron, The Blackbyrds, The Meters).