The coolest,
funkiest, and most soulful set ever issued by Chakachas – a record that's way
different than most of their Latin-based music – with a strong American funk
vibe all the way through! There's still lots of percussion in the mix, but it's
often used in ways that echo more of a pan-global and African approach – plenty
of congas at the bottom, next to some riffing guitars, sweet reed lines, and
some occasional strong soulful vocals. The cut "Jungle Fever" isn't
on here, but the whole album definitely feels like that one – with that killer
sense of spacing and percussion that makes the group really funky on that hit.
Titles include the killer "Stories", plus "Oye Mi",
"Bantu", "Love Love Love", "Oye Mi Guaguaco",
"Soledad", and "By The Way". ~ Dusty Groove
OHIO PLAYERS
– THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION
The first
collection we've ever seen to truly get at all the genius of the Ohio Players –
not just their big hits of the mid 70s, but also their trippy early work, and a
range of later projects too! The package features 44 tracks on 3CDs – and draws
from every label the group worked with – Capitol, Westbound, Mercury, and
Arista – plus other labels that also issued solo projects too! Styles include
the heavy funk that you'll know from the group – both the fuzzy style of their
start, and the tighter grooves that made them a crossover hit during the disco
generation – but there's also a lot more going on, too – and the package also
reminds us that the group could have a great way with a mellow tune too. The
notes do a great job of telling the group's full story – and titles include
"Pleasure", "Find Someone To Love", "Here Today &
Gone Tomorrow", "Granny's Funky Rolls Royce", "Fopp
(single)", "Happy Holidays (part 1)", "Food Stams Y'All",
"Jive Turkey", "Sleep Talk", "Climax",
"Funky Worm", "Varee Is Love", "Magic Trick",
"Funk O Nots", "Everybody Up", "Take Da Funk Off
Fly", "Skinny", "Try A Little Tenderness",
"Kiss", "Born To Hustle", "Sitting On The Dock Of The
Bay", "Contradiction", "Merry Go Round", "Body
Vibes", "Ohio", "Good Luck Charm", "I Want To Be
Free (single)", "Sweet Sticky Thing", "Fire",
"Skin Tight", "Don't Say Goodbye", and "Players
Balling". ~ Dusty Groove
CAESAR
FRAZIER - INSTINCT
The first
album in many years from Caesar Frazier – the organist you might know from his
early 70s funk classics on Westbound Records – still very much at the top of
his game in this small combo set! Frazier's very well-recorded here – given the
care and respect that we love from the Doodlin label and its handling of
Hammond organ giants – and Caesar's deft work on the keys is heard in the
company of Lyle Link on tenor and soprano sax, Jacques Lesure on guitar, and
Leon Joyce on drums – a nice tight combo who really give the organ plenty of
room to groove! Frazier has a more standard organ jazz vibe here than on his
earlier records – almost a return to roots that he never put on any other album
– served up on titles that include "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise",
"Night In Tunisia", "Street Of Dreams", "You will
Know", "Thieves In The Temple", "Don't Misunderstand",
and two versions of "Purposeful", one that stretches out past the 12
minute mark! ~ Dusty Groove
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