BOSTON ROCK COLUMN - 8/95 Issue
GOOD TO YOUR EARHOLE
- FUNK, SOUL, JAZZ, HIP HOP, DUB AND MOST THINGS IN BETWEEN.....
By Brian Coleman
The ever-forward thinking Blue Note label has released and re-released
several gems recently, all of which are worth checking out. And as an added
plus, they're even available on vinyl, if you can track them down. First off
is the monumental release of a smokin' live date from 1970 by the funkiest
and most under-appreciated jazz organist of the '60s and '70s, LONNIE SMITH.
A frequent resident of Jazz Bargain Bins across the country, Dr. Smith (as
he is now known) produced over a dozen albums as a leader and countless
others since he appeared on the scene with George Benson's band in the
mid-1960s, with another important stint with Lou Donaldson. "Live At Club
Mozambique" is Lonnie Smith at his best, and God only knows why it sat in
those vaults all this time. Documented in May of 1970 in Detroit, Smith
leads his group (with regulars Ronnie Cuber, Joe Dukes and Dave Hubbard;
George Benson also plays a rare sideman gig on the six-string) through 8
raging grooves, with covers of James Brown's "I Can't Stand It" and Sly
Stone's "I Want To Thank You (Falletin Me Be Mice Elf)" aside five Smith
originals and one additional cover for good measure. Considering the
funkiness and significance of this double LP set, I'd have to vote this one
as the best funk release of 1995 thus far. Also check out his classic,
oft-sampled and long out-of-print "Drives" LP, which Blue Note has also
reissued recently.
I suppose someone at the label spent some serious time in the dust-covered
vaults, as even more unreleased beauties see the light of day in "The Lost
Grooves." Almost equal in importance and all-out grooviness to "Live At Club
Mozambique," "The Lost Grooves" is another Blue Note 2 LP set with astounding
revelations. Included in this milestone are not one but TWO unreleased live
tracks from GRANT GREEN's seminal funk classic "Alive!" concert at the Club
Cadillac in Newark, NJ (including an amazing version of "It's Your Thing");
two LOU DONALDSON outtakes ("The Scorpion" and "Brother Soul"); a REUBEN
WILSON cover of the galloping R&B throwdown "Hold On, I'm Comin'"; STANLEY
TURRENTINE's "Spooky" and "You Want Me To Stop Loving You"; a JOHN PATTON
alternate take of "Village Lee"; and, as a jewel in the crown, LONNIE SMITH's
"Dancin' In An Easy Groove," which was too long to include on his OTHER live
funk fest, "Move Your Hand" from 1970! God knows what else they've got down
there, but I'm praying they spend some more time in the room from whence
these came!
Also in this batch are reissues DONALD BYRD's funky soul-infused "Kofi" and
LOU DONALDSON's "Everything I Play Is Funky," plus several more releases that
will pop up in future columns.
A '90s successor to the legacy of the aforementioned groove kings can be seen
in a trio of beatnik types from San Francisco's ever-expanding microcosm of
jazz brilliance named the BROUN FELLINIS, who have been mowing down crowds on
the West coast for years. More than just pure groove juice, though, there's
some Gil Scott-Heron and Rahsaan Roland Kirk in this mix as well. Their new
release "Aphrokubist Improvisations Vol. 9" (Moonshine) from earlier this
year represents their well-traveled rep with pride. Moving from brass-driven
cool jazz to avant-leaning conscious raps, the Fellinis, unlike many of their
peers in the Acid Jazz Marketing Sweepstakes, understand the jazz idiom and
don't try to push into territory they can't handle. The result is an album
that's enjoyable in several genres (not as easy to do as it sounds), and
shows what De La Soul and The Poor Righteous Teachers would have sounded like
if they were a jazz outfit that met at Berklee but didn't go to class very
often. And I mean that in only the best way. (Moonshine Music / 8525 Santa
Monica Blvd. / West Hollywood, CA 90069 / EMAIL - Feedback@moonshine.com)
Another jazz-hop album of the highest order is STEVE COLEMAN & METRICS' "A
Tale of 3 Cities" (RCA/Novus), one of two releases this year by the Grand
Poobah of Brooklyn's M-Base clan. Continuing his stellar output of the last
several years, "A Tale Of 3 Cities" makes it clear that Mr. Coleman is at the
head of the hip-hop jazz combo game, light years ahead of dilettantes such as
the much-hyped Guru. The reason being: Coleman lives in both the hip-hop
and jazz communities, while Guru and other players merely think that jazz is
"pretty phat." Case closed. Don't get me wrong, I love Guru as a rapper.
I'd just rather not see him turn into the Fab Five Freddy (read: limited
talent, lots of hype) of the Jazz-Hop world. The album is a great mix of
strong, known players (Gene Lake, Ravi Coltrane) and unknown but powerful
instrumentalists and rappers (the exception being the Roots' Black Thought,
who guests on "Slow Burn") - of particular note are Utasi, Sub-Zero, Shahliek
and Kokayi, all of who are some of the freshest rappers heard in awhile. All
parties involved come together as a strong and cohesive unit to produce a mix
that's heavier on the boom/bap side but is linked and controlled by Coleman's
ever-present alto sax, which darts about from back-to-foreground, drawing the
listener's attention to it every time he jumps in. I certainly hope that
"Jazzmatazz 2" is this good, but I won't hold my breath. (Write to M-Base:
PO Box 114 / Allentown, PA 18105-0114)
A surprisingly good platter comes from Brooklyn's MAD LION, via the island of
Jamaica and the production genius of KRS-ONE. The album "Real Ting"
(Weeded/Nervous), hot on the heels of his 1994 street-smash 12" "Take It
Easy," is a textbook lesson on beats and rhymes so minimal that they hurt.
Sparse, low and incredibly hard-hitting, Mad Lion's vocal growl and his
backing tracks are the same, and they fill an LP of strong tracks. Whereas
most hip-hop/dancehall pairings add raggamuffin vocals on a track or two for
an interesting twist, "Real Ting" is the most effectively integrated and
accomplished fusion of the two powerful American and Jamaican street forms in
recent memory. Mad Lion raps on typical (if not somewhat tired) '90s B-Boy
fare, including an amusing and tender love ballad in honor of his gun of
choice ("Nine On My Mind"), but the originality of his vocals paired with
KRS-ONE's genius production makes this the LP to beat so far in '95. Plus,
Nervous, who put out Black Moon's brilliant 1994 debut, is one of the best
indie hip-hop and dance labels out there, so do the right thing and support
them before they get bought by Time-Warner or some other evil empire.
(Weeded/Nervous: 1501 Broadway, Ste. 314B / New York, NY 10036 / Fax
212-730-7210)
Other Notable Releases To Cruise The Crates For:
Last but not least, there are three impressive recent releases by the pride
of Cambridge, HeartBeat Records, in the form of great new albums by three of
reggae's greatest vocalists. MICHAEL ROSE, DENNIS BROWN and BURNING SPEAR
(WINSTON RODNEY) all have 1995 albums on the label and tours by all three are
presently taking place or eminent. Particularly welcome are the returns of
Rose and Spear, whose vocal prowess has been missed for several years. Check
'em out. (Heart Beat/Rounder: One Camp Street / Cambridge, MA 02140). Also
of note are several classic Cold Chillin' 12" re-releases: BIZ MARKIE
"Vapors," Juice Crew All Stars "Juice Crew All Stars," KOOL G RAPP & DJ
POLO's "I'm Fly"/"It's A Demo" and ROXANNE SHANTE's "Have A Nice Day." Most
should be available at finer dance and hip-hop stores in town, so check them
out. I'm sure more are on the way, so get the decks set, shined and ready to
go.
Brian Coleman can be contacted at "BriSkiC@AOL.Com"