The Natural Four: Why Should We Stop Now, I Thought You Were Mine and Going In Circles
Taken from the album Good Vibes on ABC (1970)

Aah. Back in the blogosphere. It’s almost like coming home… Almost.

But being that I’m still in Mama Afreaka for another four and a bit months (zoinks), I finally decided to bite the bullet and start posting in absentia. With a little help from the worldwide web (emphasis on worldwide), an old friend named Ebay, and my dear brother–known to most as the good Captain–I should be able to lace y’all with the more-than-occasional assault of blazing fire. Which brings me to today…

I’ve been trying for almost a year to get my hands on this album, the first and only LP recorded by the seminal line-up of the Natural Four, before their reconstitution and move to Curtom. The year is 1970 and these are the glory days for N.F. They had a charted hit (“Why Should We Stop Now”), a killer lead tenor in Chris James and a group dymanic rich in harmony and orchestration. But beyond the first couple singles, the album flopped, and none of their future efforts (even with Leroy Hutson at the helm) could capture the start-to-finish glory of this first record. This is a truly wonderful soul album.

And the fact that I am now only able to appreciate it via digital proxy (African internet+Ebay dorking+shipping to the Captain’s Brooklyn digs=this post) makes it a bit of a tease. I mean, how much do you want to hold that turn-of-the-decade album art it your hands? How bad do you want to hear the needle drop on its Near Minty waxen surface? Watch the needle head undulate over the subtle imperfections waiting for that first rumble of a bass drum… Horns! Bass! Strings! PIANO!

Appreciation is the name of the game, friends. This is sweet sticky soul at its best. Live and direct from Africa.

Third World All Stars : Repatriation Remedy, Rebel Rock
and Soothing In The Mind
all taken from the album “Rebel Rock” on Third World (1976)

Stumbled upon a little stash of reggae records on my lunch break yesterday. This instrumental roots LP was one of the ones I took home. The others will probably make an appearance here in the near future- Royals?? Dandy?? Audrey?? Some great discoveries for me.

The Third World All Stars lineup includes trombonist Rico Rodriguez (when that name caught my eye I knew I had to snag it) and Eddie ‘Tan Tan’ Thorton on trumpet. Rebel Rock fills a surprisingly small niche in the world of Jamaican music – consistant, jazzy reggae with simple, clean arrangements and nice production (although I’m not a fan of the somewhat grating effect they put on Rico’s trombone during “Soothing”). The soloing is compelling enough that I don’t miss having a soulful vocalist here. I have to admit though, one of my first thoughts after hearing “Remedy” was how perfect this song would be in a mash-up (uh-oh). Bottom line, I need to find more albums like this. Absolutely the perfect soundtrack to summertime laziness.

Danny Cox : Hot Down In Chile
taken from the album “Feel So Good” on Casablanca (1974)

Maze ft. Frankie Beverly : Time Is On My Side
taken from their self-titled album on Captiol (1977)

Jimmy Castor Bunch : Potential
taken from the album “Butt Of Course…” on Atlantic (1974)

Parliament : The Motor-Booty Affair
taken from the album “Motor Booty Affair” on Casablanca (1978)

Sometimes I have to remind myself to return to the basics. I look back on the days when I was just starting to search for dancefloor firecrackers, and although I didn’t know much about the breadth of the world’s musical pyrotechnics, I could tell what was fun to dance to. Funk provided a perfect starting point. The motivation behind the music may be quite straightforward- feel good, get loose, laugh a little- but the syncopated interplay between the different sounds reflects a complexity uncomprehendible. Jagged ups and downs pull the song in different directions at once. Guitar darts away from clavinet while both twist and bend through the manipulations of a bobbing foot pedal. Whether the singer is speaking about South American politics or a bootylicious femme, there’s an equal sense of humor and intense urgency. Goofy, absurd, cartoonish voices lead into epic screeches and grunts delivered from the bottom of the belly where rawness resides. To me, funk was never simply the soundtrack to Soultrain and blaxploitation films; it always held the potential for transcendence. Listening to some of my old favorites today (check the breakdown at the end of Motor-Booty!) I’m reminded of just how close I can get to heaven on Earth.

West African Cosmos : Emeraude
taken from their self-titled album on Marginal / CBS (1976)

Sombory-Jazz : Nananina and
Quintette Guineenne : Douga
taken from the album “Musique Sans Paroles” on Syliphone (1974)

I’m pulling out some of my rare-ish business today. None of these songs have been reissued, compiled or even bootlegged to my knowledge. This is the kinda music that I might normally be a be hesitant to post (even I get a bit protective/possessive sometimes), but lucky for you I’m feeling particularly generous. On Monday, when I arrived at the radio station to host my weekly show, I found two bags with my name on them- FILLED with great records from around the world. African, Brazilian, Arabic, Japanese… All donated by an anonymous music lover! If you’re out there reading this, shoot me an e-mail so I can properly thank you. For the rest of you, enjoy this music that I spent more that a few minutes looking for, and spent more than a few dollars acquiring. And give some of your favorite songs to a friend to keep up the good Karma.

I don’t know much about the Senegalese fronted West African Cosmos, but there’s a bit of personelle info here at the bottom of the page. Another song on this album, “Wuye Wuye”, was compiled on the Strut collection Club Africa 2. Fuzz guitar, rhodes piano, and echoed out vocals work really well together.

I am also short on info about this Musique Sans Paroles (“music without words”, I think) collection. Featuring a wide range of instrumental music, from traditional songs to more cutting edge wah-wah afro-fusion tunes, it sounds like a syliphone library album that may have been marketed towards film/TV/radio producers. There’s really no information on the groups featured here except little credits on the label, so if you know more than me please share the wealth.

Joe Bataan : What Good Is A Castle (Parts 1 & 2)
taken from the album “Riot!” on Fania (1968)

Zap Pow : Sunshine People
taken from the 12″ on Wham-Pac (1980)

Cheif Stephen Osita Osadebe : Egwu Ani
taken from the album “Osadebe In 80’s” on Polygram (1980)

I blame Summer for my lack of posts. It’s awfully hard to sit in front of my computer (in my very hot and stuffy office/studio) when it’s a sunny 88 degree day and there are three free concerts to choose from and my friends are in town and there’s a BBQ grill getting hot and an astro-pop waiting to stick to my tongue. That’s why I’ve been negligent. Everything is slowing down here in New York. Fine by me. Time to let the tempo drop as the songs stretch out and simmer a while. I’ll post some more music soon, but I’ve been giving priority to swimming and snoozing in the park.

Joe Bataan you should really know by now. But if somehow you’ve missed his music, I suggest you go out immediately and pick up his entire catalogue. Seriously, no duds (except maybe his album called “II” from ’81). “What Good…” is a soul song that really captures the feeling of hot New York City nights with people on the streets and mini-drama unfolding everywhere – for me at least.

Zap-Pow, fronted by singer Beres Hammond, brings us this perfect summer bounce tune (with the extended dub in the middle for maximal chilling). Can’t resist that hook can you?

And what heat wave would be complete without a bit of Juju/Highlife? Slinky percussion and watery guitar licks turn a muggy afternoon into a pleasant delirious trance. I’m not sure about the rest of Osadebe’s catalogue, but this recent aquisition has stayed on my turntable all week. I know the trumpet sounds a little off-key when it first comes in, but give it a minute, the player finds the pocket four bars in.

***UPDATE – LINKS HAVE BEEN FIXED!***

Grupo Los Yoyi : El Fino
taken from the compilation “Si, Para Usted” on Waxing Deep (2006)

Silvestre Y Sus Guantanameros : Silbando
taken from the compilation “Gozalo!” on Vampisoul (2007)

Jay Mitchell : Goombay Bump
taken from the compilation “Grand Bahama Goombay” on Numero Group (2007)

Sapan Jagmohan : Meri Aakhon Mein
taken from the compilation “Sitar Beat Vol.1” on Guerrilla Reissues (2007)

The Brothers Hawk : Tweedle-Dee Tweedle-Dum
taken from the compilation “Teen Dance Music From China And Malaysia” on Thrift Score (2007)

Vainica Doble : Dime Felix
taken from the compilation “Folk Is Not A Four Letter Word Vol.2” on Delay 68 (2006)

It’s fun (for me at least) to think about the collective work of fiending record junkies, scouring the world over, stepping into foreign and often uncomfortable situations in search of forgotten memories, fueled merely by the dream of bringing someone else’s art back into the light – or revealing it to a world that never heard it in the first place. I suppose it would be sacrilegious to compare this obsessive archeology to the global advancement of medical sciences, but music freaks also seek a cure. We want a prescription to escape the mundane, an old sound that will help us hear better, an understanding of the paths of rhythms that will help us make sense of our own peculiar ticks. That being said, here’s a bunch of songs that I didn’t have to work hard to unearth. Thankfully, other people did the digging for us!

A very brief synopsis of what’s here, and the great albums they are culled from:

-As I mentioned a while ago, there’s a whole world of revolutionary Cuban funk that I am basically unaware of. That’s why I’m so thankful for Dan Zacks, and his weekly radio show, and all the work that he put into this high caliber collection. If this mellow fusion funk from Grupo Los Yoyi doesn’t get you hype enough, then check out Irakere’s “Bacalao Con Pan” for a more dancefloor focussed cut.

–VAMPISOUL. and more VAMPISOUL. Who are these cats? And why was I not in Peru in the 60’s???

-Yet again, Numero Group come correct with a retrospective of diverse material from a little known label- this time the Bahamaian GBI. For me, funky architect Jay Mitchell is the real revelation here, contributing 5 of the 16 songs, all of them BANGIN. I get such a funny mental image when he asks “come streak with me”, prolly not what he meant though. One of the songs on the comp, a heavy bottomed rocksteady tune by The Mustangs, was featured here a long, long time ago.

-Sitar Beat on CD. Makes me feel a little silly for buying all those 12″ EPs, but hey, glad to have it all consolidated in one place. I used to love dropping this Sapan Jagmohan track into sets. Unsuspecting heads that were bobbing to the funk would always turn around in shock or tilt suddenly when the beat falls out and the hindi vocals breeze in.

-Thrift Score is the name of the record label. Kinda says it all. This is definitely some bootleg, recorded off of vinyl type release, but I’m not complaining. Who woulda known that kids in Malaysia were going crazy over… Wild West soundtrack music?!? And other cool sounds, as exhibited here by The Brothers Hawk.

–Andy Votel pulled out the stunning selection of trippy folk psych sounds on Folk Is Not… Honestly, I didn’t think I liked folk music that much until I listened to this. With devastatingly good selections from all over the world, and an artist line-up that includes only one name I’ve ever heard of, Votel is clearly putting in work. Someone promote this crazy cat to surgeon general already so we can have a phonic-freakout routine implemented in public schools everywhere.