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…

Victor Rice : Monster Sound and Portu-Bomb
Captain’s Crate EXCLUSIVES! Recorded live a couple of months ago at Studio BPM in Brooklyn

Last night marked the monthly return of DUB NIGHT at Studio BPM, one of the illest underground venues in BK. Dr. Israel alongside the Dub Nomads with my boy DRM spinning 45’s (just back from his first national tour). The custom crates delivered massive bass, and I decided I definitely need one of these for my next live performance.

These songs I’m putting up today come from the live sessions with dub guru Victor Rice that took place during Dub Night a few months back. Victor set up his reel to reel, his mixing board, and proceeded to mix live dubs direct from reels of music that were recorded with reggae bands around the world. “Portu-Bomb” features a Brazilian combo (I believe from Sao Paulo), grooving about as hard as I’ve ever heard from any South American reggae stylists. Victor has done production and engineering for the likes of The Slackers and the Toasters among many others, and definitely knows how to hold an enourmous spliff in his lips while freaking the mixing board. I actually don’t know the names of the songs or the bands who made the sounds, but I figure that’s not really as important in the land of VERSIONS. You can also hear the occaisional vocals from dee jay Treasure Don (I’m pretty sure that’s his name).

Nice it up, and check back here for info on the next DUB NIGHT – night – night -night – night…

Turntable Lab picked up The Gumbo Funk E.P. -JEAH! cop that shiz and help support your everloving Captain.

Also, the mix I made for Futureboogie.com is finally up in our Loose Tapes section. It’s called the Radio Freedom Mix. ill vibes.

Hugh Masekela : Kaa Ye Oya
taken from the album “Introducing Hezoleh Soundz” on Blue Thumb (1973)

Hugh Masekela : Night In Tunisia
taken from the album “I Am Not Afraid” on Blue Thumb (1974)

Somewhat slept on, these two records are pretty easy to find and HIGHLY rewarding. Hugh Masekela, a South African jazz legend, gives special thanks to Fela on the Hedzoleh liner notes and it’s pretty clear why. Recorded in Fela’s EMI studio in Lagos, Nigeria, the whole album is a major break from most of his other work. Masekela put out plenty of other funky and signifigant records, but none that follow in Fela’s footsteps so blatantly. The tracks are all long drawn out grooves, generally sung in African languages (not sure which ones) rather than English, and the rhythm section is derived from the same native 6/8 bounce that made up Juju and Fiji music (even though Hedzoleh is from Ghana, not Nigeria). The mood here is definitely more subdued than most of Fela’s work, but the trouble-making politics and trance-inducing song structures are definitely right in line with the newly formed Afro-beat mode. The songs I’m giving you don’t highlight Masekela’s rebelious side as clearly, but song’s like “When”, “African Secret Society”, & “Stimela” (which was used in the recent Amandla! documentary) show that Hugh was certainly no puppet to the industry.

Hugh met Fela in 1970 when he was on tour with his wife Miriam Makeba in Guinea. It was Fela who introduced him to the Ghanian group Hedzoleh. Some of those same musicians accompanied him for the “I Am Not Afraid” album, and “The Boys Doin It” (1975) which has “Mama” and a couple other good Afro-funk tunes on it. The man is still putting out records too. I haven’t heard the latest, but I think it’s pretty safe to say that it won’t be on the same level as this material. Do we really have to get old?

E.P. update- you can now find the wax at Groove Distribution online (yeah!).