Ray Barretto 1929 – 2006 :
Descarga Criolla
taken from the album “El ‘Ray’ Criollo” on United Artists (1966)

The Soul Drummers
taken from the album “Acid” on Fania (1967)

Hard Hands
taken from the album “Hard Hands” on Fania (1968)

Right On
taken from the album “Barretto Power” on Fania (1972)

Pastime Paradise
taken from the album “La Cuna” on CTI (1981)

Somehow I can’t imagine Ray Barretto “resting in peace”. The man was all about causing a raucous, stirring things up and making it funky. From his younger years in the jazz scene as a session musician (appearing on records with Art Blakey and Lou Donaldson among many others) ’til his more recent efforts, Ray made the conga clap like few others in history have. O-Dub and Jeff Chang have teamed up on a proper homage piece that you can find at Soul-Sides.com. I can’t really add too much in the way of historical significance, but on a personal note, this man is one of the main reasons I got into Latin music in the first place. Being a DJ that relies heavily on afro-latin music, people often wonder what the hell a whiteboy like me is doing digging so deep into salsa. I can always say “Look at Larry and Andy Harlow, look at Symphony Sid, whiteboys have always been into salsa”, but really it has to do with the fact that the music is simply irresistable; that the first time I heard “Soul Drummers” I could barely contain my excitement. Barretto was one of those rare geniuses, regardless of genre or era or location on the planet, that knew how to bang out a rhythm so contagious it’s nearly impossible not to enjoy- my weekly TOQUE sessions are definitely a testament to this. You hit ’em with boogaloo and latin soul, then drop the serious descarga jams, the dancefloor will be moving.

Ray was in it from the early days, shaping the Nuyorican Sound, giving the salsa its sabor picante, consitently putting out records with proud positive messages and thunderous breakbeats. I’m gonna try to finish a Barretto Mixwith Busquelo in the upcoming week, but until then, here’s a few of my favorites (to add to the ones that O-Dub’s already got up).

Paul Humphrey and The Cool Aid Chemists: Detroit and Funky L.A.
Taken from the album Paul Humphrey and The Cool Aid Chemists on Lizard (1971)

MURPHY’S NOTE: Check out Loose Tape for live mixes from the VIA CREW. Also, leave us some feeback, y’all. We don’t do this for nothing but the love. Show love back. Peace.

Now…

With Jay Dee’s death last week, Detroit lost one of the great syncopators it had produced in a very long time. A truly original sound. The father of that hard, soulful boom-bap that became his trademark. In fact, it is possible to say that not since Paul Humphrey had a single artist contributed so much to the rythmic identity of Motor City.

Humphrey, like Dilla, was truly a master of his craft. One of the great session drummers of the sixties and seventies, he worked with everyone from Marvin Gaye to Frank Zappa, Bobby Hutcherson to Steely Dan— the man was everywhere. Motown, Blue Note, it goes on and on. I couldn’t access a single comprehensive listing of his studio work online, mainly because I think it would have crashed my computer.

In these tracks you can begin to see why the man was in such high demand. Hard, fast, crisp like a Vermont morning and, my god, what precision! You can almost hear the metranome asking him to take it easy. As a solo artist he only ever hit the charts with one single, “Cool Aid” (taken from the same album as these), before falling back into the relative obscurity as a background player.

He continued doing studio work through the eighties without too much fanfare, but it wasn’t until just a few years ago that his eminent talent would be highlighted once again (along with James Gadson and Earl Palmer) by the Keeping Time documentary and accompanying discs.

I had prodded and pushed, begged and pleaded, and finally I had given up. But, to my surprise, freshly returned from his trip to South America, here comes… GUEST POST FROM DJ BUSQUELO! Now I’m gonna have to start pushing all over again for another one…

Harold : Busque el Gato
taken from the 7″ single put out by Eveready Batteries (197?)

It feels fitting that my first (and overdue) introduction to the loyal readership of the Captain’s Crate should be a namesake nugget of esoteric fire. Picture this: somewhere between Panama and Venezuela, Union Carbide commissions a guy named Harold to write a little jingle to remind a tropical nation, better known for kidnapping and drug trafficking than for its magnificent birds and friendly people, how to identify their line of Eveready Batteries. Just Look For The Cat (eveready logo has a cat doesn’t it?). 30 or so years later, Harold’s “Gato” makes its way into my trembling paws, and further proves my theorem that the Quest is its own Reward.

Foster Sylvers: Misdemeanor and Hey, Little Girl and Swooperman
Taken from the self-titled album on Pride (1973)

First thing first: I got a brand spankin’ new mix now available to stream or download as you please. Talk about some dangerously suggestive soul music–dig Stone Cold Soul. Find it here.

I got truckloads of love for M.J., even in spite of his–ahem–character deficiencies. But in 1973, in a head to head battle of the mini-titans of soul-pop, I’d have put my bankroll on Foster Sylvers, ten to one… Break beat for break beat, baby afro to baby afro, prepubescent wail to prepubescent wail, Foster delivered the goods time and time again. And while he and his clan never achieved the commercial successes of The Jacksons, the tremendous value of their early body of work is incontrovertible.

These cuts are taken from young Foster’s first solo release, largely written and arranged by his older siblings. “Misdemeanor” is a classic sampler’s delight, used to great effect on D.O.C.’s “It’s Funky Enough”. The steel drum over the break on “Hey, Little Girl” made me giggle like an eight year old with two fruit roll-ups: happy stuff. And my personal jam, “Swooperman”.

Word to M.J.: Don’t mess with F.S.

Henderson & Whitfield : Dancin’ To The Beat
taken from the 12″ on Park Place (1981)

J.R. Funk and The Love Machine : Feel Good, Party Time
taken from the 12″ on Brass (1980)

Ever heard of Henderson & Whitfield? What about J.R. Funk? Didn’t think so. Not many have. Those who, at one point in time (probably 20 years ago), knew these names (and perhaps even loved them?), have now undoubtedly discarded almost all the remnants of importance once dedicated to these groove aficionados. A brief moment of exuberant hedonistic brilliance, and then once again into the ether of the mundane. Maybe J.R. is turning 50 this year, saving up for a trip to the Bahamas. Wherever you are, lost samurai of the skating rinks, we thank you. Your funk is not forgotten.

I may be exaggerating a bit about the obscurity factor, clearly cats as notable as Joey Negro are still down. But in the grand scheme, a spot on a comp is merely a blip on the pop-life screen. This Henderson & Whitfield 12″ is a catch. Gotta love those flying disco space laser sounds: shooting stars above that sticky liquid slap bass groove. The obligatory claps and whistles pierce just as they should, the horn stabs, bongos and clavinet building the overall sound to something that approaches frenzy, but never loses its cool.

As for J.R. Funk, I guess there was another single and an album to accompany “Feel Good”, but definitely he didn’t leave much of a legacy behind. A man of the SYNTH, his sensibilities have definitely come back in style – what with Sa-Ra, Spacek, Outkast, Pharrel and other cats doing their George Clinton appreciation thang. Perhaps we can help him live on in the future by freaking the fat open drum breaks that were captured during his shortlived glimpse at stardom.

BIG NEWS! Do not sleep on the new mix from regular Crate contributor Murphy’s Law: it’s called “Stone Cold Soul” and it’s up in the Loose Tapes section right now! All that new shiz that we love right now plus some oldies, re-edits and remixes for your DOME!

Lou Courtney: Shing-A-Ling
Taken from the album Skate Now on Riverside (1967)

Gloria Jones: Tainted Love
Taken from the 7″ on Champion (1964)

King Floyd: Groov-A-Lin
Taken from the album A Man In Love on Pulsar (1965)

Soul Vibrations: Find A Way
Taken from the 7″ on Vibrant (1973)

Welcome to The Land of 1000 Dances! The late Wilson Pickett, who died last week, pretty much nailed the mood of the mid-sixties with that song title. Everybody had a dance. If you didn’t, you probably weren’t selling many records. The Bump. The Cool Shake. The Lurch. The Loop de Loop. And yes, the Shing-A-Ling.

Included in todays post are few choice dance selections from that golden age of the up-tempo stomper, as well as two other Northern Soul gems, the absolutely essential “Tainted Love” and “Find A Way” (which probably doesn’t technically qualify as a N.S. tune, but honestly, who cares?!).

I am still trying, tooth and nail, to get a 60’s soul night going here in L.A. But, big suprise, L.A. is too cool for earth-shakin’ soul tunes. So I will share them with you. Enjoy…