THINGS GONNA GET BETTER: STREET FUNK AND JAZZ GROOVES
1970-1977
Plenty of street funk and just a bit of jazz here – all
served up in the kind of killer funky collection we've always loved from the
BGP label! As with some of their other gems, this set goes way beyond the
obvious – and digs deep to not just feature rare singles and album tracks, but
also include some never-issued recordings from the same period – which makes
the set every bit as important for collectors of vintage 45s as it is for
newcomers just looking to get a funky taste! There's a hard, deep vibe to most
of these tracks – definitely some of the righteous message promised by the
cover and title, but also just some plain old funky elements too – served up
with lots of sinister guitar lines, heavy drums, and a mix of instrumental
riffing and hard soul vocals. Titles include a special instrumental DJ edit of
"A Joyful Process" by Funkadelic – plus "Dose Of Soul" by
Chet Ivey & His Fabulous Avengers, "Do It" by Billy Sha Rae,
"Music For The Brothers" by The Solicitors, "What's The Matter
With The World" by Dave Hamilton, "Chains" by Blacks &
blues, "Things Gonna Get Better" by Clarence Coulter, "Whatcha
See Is Whatcha Get" by Pretty Purdie & The Playboys, "One Man's
Loss" by Vernon Garrett, "125th Street & 7th Ave" by Richard
Groove Holmes, "Mucho Macho" by Macho, "Push On Jesse
Jackson" by The Pace Setters, "Shorty The Pimp" by Don Julian, and
"Payin Dues" by Ruby Delicious. ~ Dusty Groove
ANENON - PETROL
The cover's got a fuzzy picture of a tenor on the front, and
the sound here has some nicely fuzzy currents to match – a compelling blend of
jazz music with almost a larger sense of sonic space – a bit like a small combo
trying to perform their version of Disintegration Loops! The core sound comes
from Brian Allen Simon – who plays the tenor on the front, but also adds in
Fender Rhodes, Polysix, and a bit of laptop work too – alongside additional
violin from Yvette Holzwarth, bass clarinet from Max Kaplan, and drums from Jon
Kyle Mohr – musicians who seem more of the larger soundscape of Simon's
electronics than core members of the quartet. The approach is quite unique –
almost jazz electronica, although without all the lameness that term might
invoke – and titles include "Body", "Lumina",
"CXP", "Mouth", "Hinoki", "Machines",
and "Petrol". ~ Dusty Groove
MAYA – JAZZ A GO GO
Jazz a go go, and Paris a go go too – as singer Maya served
up a wonderful tribute to female French pop of the late 60s – done at a level
that's mostly jazz-based at the core, but which often hits all the right groovy
rhythms to fit the tunes! Most of the lyrics here are in French – although
there are a few English language tunes too – and the cool combo in the back
uses a cool mix of piano, organ, guitar, flute, tenor, and accordion in
shifting ways – all to illuminate the tunes with the right sort of rhythms and
instrumental touches, as Maya steps back for modes that recall older work by
singers like France Gall, Christiane Legrand, Nicole Croisille, and Francoise
Hardy. Titles include "Jazz A Gogo", "Comment T Dire Adieu",
"I Will Wait For You", "Paroles Paroles", "L'Amour
C'Est Pour Rien", and "Les Champs Elysees". (HQ Hi Quality CD
pressing.) ~ Dusty Groove
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