Bill Withers: I Can’t Write Left Handed
Taken from the album “Live At Carnegie Hall” on Sussex (1973)

Sorry for the delay in posting. We’ve been doing some site upkeep over here. So I’m returning with some real heft. Today’s gonna be a doosy…

What is the anatomy of a superb soul song? For starters I’ll say this: the same elements that build a great rock tune do not apply here; for while those artists will drift sometimes (and successfully so) into the soulful realm, the framework of the music itself rarely supports the kind of delicate, unaffected emoting that R&B not only allows for, but actually encourages.

Certainly to my mind, there seems little question that in the relatively brief histories of both popular rock and popular soul music, the former has benefitted from having an audience more ready (largely because of drugs, no doubt) to embrace a greater level of experimentation, both lyrically and musically. The effect of this can be thrilling, or at least… interesting. (Who doesn’t love a a track with a sitar and a fender rhodes threaded under the vocals of a scrawny white dude singing about catching butterflies?)

Soul music, though, thrives on its unremitting passion. Its yelps, shrieks and, yes, occasionally tears. Sometimes the music over-relies on these things, to the detriment of lyrics that actually enhance the depth and complexity of the vocals. (Sure, there are about a million exceptions to this rule (see earlier post), but bear with me a second…) Even still, there can be little question of the raw power of soul.

Now, with this in mind, ask yourself a question: Why– with soul music being the emotional powerhouse, the pacemaker of conscience, the visceral call-to-arms, that it is– why with all of these qualities in mind, has it not been more successfully employed in the making of great anti-war music?

Good question, right? Obviously, Edwin Starr had that one little song (ha.). And Gil Scott , god bless ‘im, had plenty to say. But name a few others… Anyone? Bueller?

Part of it is, I think, that political soul music consistently turned its focus on the local level: our ghettos, our drugs, our struggle. And considering the origins of the music itself (slavery, repression, etc.), a certain level of afro-centricity should be expected. But, in Vietnam, black folks were dying too. Who would stand up as the voice of reason in a time of massive social discontent? Who would transgress the thickly drawn lines of a racialized country, and perhaps even more racialized music, to address the problems that affected every American?

Enter Bill Withers. In my mind a greater statesman of soul music never lived… (save, maybe, Marvin Gaye). Not the most prolific, the most vocally gifted, or the most musicially original, but, in his subdued delivery and nuanced lyricism, more evocative than virtually any of his peers. He wrote music that made you think. He told stories. And he sang his songs unpretentiously enough that, listening to them today, I feel like Bill’s just sitting down to rap with me for a few minutes before heading off to the grocery store.

This song–the entire record, really– highlights all of those qualities. (If you’ve never heard the whole of this album, BUY IT TODAY. It contends with Donny Hathaway’s live album as best ev-ar. Check the version of “Use Me”.) But it also manages to make a profound topical statement about war and its unspoken casualities, issued with an impossibly understated elegance.

The result makes me weak: The hypnotic piano line. The almost hymn-like vocals. The bluesy guitar flourishes. And all of this made even more amazing by the singer himself, who manages to straddle ever-so-deftly the line between precise individual narrative and large-scale social drama.

This is a real-deal anti-war song, however Bill may have tried to de-politicize it by introduction. And without trying to get too preachy on you, I will say this:

3,054 American Soldiers Dead. 22,951 (officially–riiiight) Wounded. 20,000 more waiting to be deployed…

Freddie Cruger : Over The Ocean ft. Desmond Foster
taken from the album “Soul Search” on Ubiquity/Raw Fusion (2006)

The Knife : Heartbeats
taken from the album “Deep Cuts” on V2 (2005)

Missy Ft. Ciara : Loosecontrol (Beatards RMX)
taken from our first mixtape “The Smoke Off” available NOW!

Some may be familiar with one of my major projects of the moment: Mixtape Riot! For those that don’t know, allow me to give a quick shpeal. It’s a party hosted by us, The BeATaRdS— 2 DJ’s, 4 turntables, and 1.5 MC’s (which means that while we have a frontman, I contribute the occaisional verse as well). We do live remixes with our own beats, and sprinkle in our original songs as well. Sounds a little confusing, but it’s easier to understand if you’re in the crowd. Well, we’ve been rocking shows in the L.E.S. for close to a year now, and we’re finally starting to hit the road… or airstrip, rather. EUROPE, baby! That’s right. We’re about to take Sweden and Norway by storm. Any of you folks over there, HOLLER, and check the myspace page for venue details. Gothenberg on the 18th, Oslo on the 19th, and Stockholm on the 20th. Plus we’re gonna be on Norway’s national hip hop radio station… Tommy T (I think)?!? Still not completely straight on all the details, but we’re definitely gonna be partying, so COME OUT and say wurd.

And here’s some tunes from up in those northern regions that I been feeling as of late. Gonna try to get into the studio with funkmaster Freddie Cruger while we’re over in Stockholm… got my fingers crossed. If you’re not totally convinced by The Knife’s version of Jose Gonzalez’s “Heartbeats”, then check the music video for the full-fledged experience. And yeah, cop our MIXTAPE! Paypal $5 ($8 Int’l) to captainplanet@bywayof.net with yer address attached.

p.s.- I was kindly informed by a reader that it was actually Jose Gonzalez who did the cover version of “Heartbeats”, originally by The Knife. Sorry.

Barbara Lynn: You’ll Lose A Good Thing and Heartbreaking Years
Taken from the album “You’ll Lose A Good Thing” on Jamie (1962)

I’ve been a little blue lately.

You know, sometimes I feel like I’m too young to get all full up with heavy-lidded melancholy like this. I mean, I’m twenty-two. Feels a little early for boo-hoo’ing, right? I should be drinking Dos Equis out of neon plastic party cups at a Senor Frogs just south of the border. I should be getting loopy over Fantasy league football. I should be lamenting–if anything–the bummer of how expensive auto insurance is for a young guy… Not going misty at the first dulcet croon of a break-up song.

But then, this is no ordinary break-up song. Sung by no ordinary soulstress.

Barbara Lynn wasn’t my age when she wrote (I repeat, she wrote) these songs. Nope. In 1962, 22 years-old probably seemed pretty ancient to little Miss Lynn. No Senor Frogs for her. Hell, probably no auto insurance. She was still in high school at the time. A sophmore, I would guess. Just s-i-x-t-e-e-n. Spell it.

And I here I am moping around like a sucker. An old sucker, at that! Query: where does a 16 year-old girl find the depth, not only to write a truly superb sad song, but to sing it so convincingly that a fifty year old man could go woozy just humming along. Query: Where does said girl get her southpaw guitar chops? Her diva’s poise? Where does she get her hair done? I don’t know, but she did it all, this one. And then she disappeared. Until now.

Un-freakin-believable.

Go here to find out more the elusive Barbara Lynn. As for me, I’ll manage.

“Passport” broadcast from 01.01.07 New Year’s Day Hangover Special!

“Passport” broadcast from 12.18.06 Egyptian Jazz, Turkish Breaks…

Every Monday, 8 -9 PM on WNYU 89.1FM
It’s never easy staying on top of this stuff. But better late than never.

Playlist for 01.01.07
Artist (location) — track title — album — (label):
1. Roy Brown (Puerto Rico) — “Mama Yoyo” — Profecia De Urayoan — (Disco Libre)
2. Unknown (China) — “Unknown” — Unknown
3. Jorge Ben (Brazil) — “Oba, La Vem Ela” — Forca Bruta — (Philips)
4. Ok-Oyot System (Kenya/USA) — “Ilando Gima Onge” — Extra Golden — (Thrill Jockey)
5. Orchestre Du Baobab (Senegal) — “Kelen Ati Len” — Kelen Ati Len 7″ — (Soundway)
6. Ricardo Ray & Bobby Cruz (Puerto Rico) — “Donde Esta Mi Negra?” — 1975 — (Vaya)
7. Mario Cavagnaro (Peru) — “Salchicha Con Huevo / Guaguanco Raro” — Cocktail De Exitos — (Sonoradio)
8. Ocho (NYC) — “Hotpants Road” — Tres — (Universal Sound)
9. Sir Victor Uwaifo & His Titibitis (Nigeria) — “Ewere Noyoyo” — Jackpot — (Makossa)
10. Pasteles Verdes (Peru) — “Angelitos Negros” — Recuerdos De Una Noche –(Gema)
11. Selda (Turkey) — “Gine Haber Gelmis” — Selda — (B-Music)

Playlist for 12.18.06
Artist (location) — track title — album — (label):
1. Marku Ribas (Brazil) — “Zamba Ben” — Marku — (Beverly)
2. Mustafa Ozkent (Turkey) — “Dolana” — Genclik Ile Elele — (Finders Keepers)
3. Adiss (Armenia) — “Pajanoum” — Adiss 78 — (Arka)
4. Salah Ragab & The Cairo Jazz Band (Egypt) — “Neveen” — Egyptian Jazz — (Art Yard)
5. Djamel Allam (Algeria) — “Samarkande” — Les Reves Du Vent — (L’Escagot)
6. Toubabou (Canada/W.Africa) — “Yama Nekh” — Le Ble Et Le Mil — (ProgQuebec)
7. Jesus Acosta & The Professionals (Belize) — “Theme From The Godfather” — The Professionals On Tour — (CES)
8. Soulful Dynamics (?) — “Gotomo” — Wildcats — (Decca)
9. Armando Hernandez (Colombia) — “Celos De Amor” — 14 Canonazos Bailables Vol. 21 — (Fuentes)
10. Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers (NYC) — “San Juan 2000” — Yaina — (Right-On)
11. Eba Aka Jerome et le Sanwi Star (Ivory Coast) — “Viliemon” — Trahison — (Papa-Disco)

Ocho : Hot Pants Road
taken from the album “Numero Tres” on UA Latino (1974)

Dave Barker & The Upsetters : Prisoner Of Love
taken from the album “Prisoner Of Love” on Trojan (1970)

Ravi Harris & The Prophets : Gimme Some More/Hot Pants Medley
taken from the album “Funky Sitar Man” on BBE (1997)

James Brown : Give It Up, Turn It Loose (Latin Reconstruction)
taken from a whitelable 12″

Just now emerging from the dizzying vortex of the past 2 weeks– it was family crashing on couches, going broke on presents, eating and drinking too much, partying like mad, and DJ-ing until 9am on New Year’s Day. It was also the death of JB. I’ve already seen a lot of great tributes and heartfelt write-ups about the Godfather. I also spent a good deal of time just watching all the electrifying vintage footage of Soul Brother #1 on youtube.com (this website keeps reminding me, perhaps more than any other single site, that we’ve entered a new era of media). And now, this late in the game, there’s little for me to add. Still, considering all the hours I spent as a young teen bumping James Brown’s music, how he inspired me to make music of my own, how digging his records pulled me into the world of DJing, and even provided the instrumentals for my first freestyles… I owe him RESPECT.

So does much of the world in one way or another. What I wanted to add to the recent outpouring of JB appreciation is a little glimpse at the global reach of his work. The covers and rip-offs are countless. Dudes were jacking his style in Ethiopia, and in Brazil too. So I put together a few tracks that I think demostrate some of the more interesting fusions and mutations of the JB signature sound. From Nuyorican Harlem, to Funky Kingston, all the way to India, JB made waves. I also threw in a recent and mysterious remix that has been a crate staple and continues to work magic on the dancefloor. Definitely the highlight of my DJ gigs this past week was looking out on a seething crowd (there were AFROs bouncing!) getting sweaty and loose with a newly kindled appreciation for hard, popping FUNK. Keep on dancing! Funk will never die!

Sidney Owens & The North South Connection: Sputnik
Taken from the 7″ on Movin’ Up (197?)
Guitar Red: Hard Times
Taken from the 7″ on Mod-Art (1976)
Mitch Mitchell & Gene King: Never Walk Out On You
Taken from the 7″ on Prix (1973)

I’m not for a moment going to pretend like I own any of these records. So let me just stand right up and say it at the outset: I’m posing like I’ve got some serious heavy-hitter wax that is, in fact, only the digital byproduct of having enough time on my hands that I can idly surf the internet hunting around for this stuff.

Some of you may take issue with this–this plundering of others’ bounty. Some may argue that the recycling of already-posted material looted from another blog is a bogus practice. Distastful and crass. And, in general, I’d have to agree. But until some kind of Music Blogger Manifesto outlaws it, and considering that the recycled music in question was lifted from a now 8-month static site, and considering THE SHEER MAGNITUDE OF THE DEVASTATING-NESS OF THESE TUNES… I think exceptions can be made.

The site in question is HERE. The bad news is that the site hasn’t been updated for daaaays. The good news is that the entire archive of the blog is still available for download. (DON’T SLEEP!) And let me tell you, that’s no small thang.

Here’s the little I know: the Mitch Mitchell track was incorporated into the best mix of 2006; and that the Sputnik tune, which borders on un-fugg-witt-able, was written up (albeit rather abstractly) in this issue of Wax Poetics. As for ol’ Guitar Red: prehistoric moog rumblings + early drum machine programming= magic.