old 45
? / stanton
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not much info can be found on ray frazier - nevertheless what an awesome funk track. the label, stanton, was run out of california, and features one of atleast two recordings by this artist. cheers to a.k. over at soulshower for background on the label.
blue note trip - saturday night (compilation)
1968 / blue note
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what is it about blue note tonight? brilliant version of the ol' standard (there's also a great elvis version on the funky 15 jukebox). not sure where the original recording of this track comes from, but definitely check out blue note trip [saturday night/sunday morning], which has this and many more from the great jazz label. also keep an eye out for the upcoming patti drew compilation, workin' on a groovy thing.
alive
1970 / blue note
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another blue note joint (in fact, lou donaldson introduced grant green to the label), green is one of the great, unsung jazz guitarists. i love everything about this track - the sprinkling of latin percussion, the keyboard and sax solos, the howls of delight by the musicians as they get their groove on. awesome.
everything i do is funky
1970 / blue note
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i regard this as donaldson's best album, accompanied with the usual funky suspects idris muhammed, melvin sparks, lonnie smith and blue mitchell. one of the great jazz alto saxophonists, I found this quote by him...aww brother, yes - i dig...hope you enjoy the track.
"I don't care what kind of style a group plays as long as they settle into a groove where the rhythm keeps building instead of changing around. It's like the way an African hits a drum. He hits it a certain way, and after a period of time, you feel it more than you did when he first started. He's playing the same thing, but the quality is different -- it's settled into a groove. It's like settin' tobacco in a pipe. You put some heat on it and make it expand. After a while, it's there. It's tight."
flamingo serenade
1959 / end records
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after reminiscing with a friend, i had to go diggin for this doo wap treat. though not the original (that was dick powell in 1934), i think it's the best version - a veritable soul classic. so lay back, close your eyes, and think ponytails, diners and old chevrolets...
why can't we be friends?
1975 / avenue records
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an old-skool favorite of mine...i love this track. it's been sampled quite a bit, most notably by the beasties on "slow ride" from licensed to ill. it also features in the cinematic cheech & chong classic, up in smoke. ah yeah.
