Today is Eddie Hazel’s birthday. Now watch one of the greatest live performances to which you shall ever bear witness.

Seriously, THIS is as good as it gets. Thirteen minutes of vintage Funkadelic, running through a medley of I Got A Thing, What Is Soul, I Just Want To Testify, I Was Made To Love Her, Friday Night August 14th, Music For My Mother which degenerates into a full blown Psychedelic Gospel and includes nods to The Right Time and It’s Your Thing, while George in the throws of the holy ghost and some seriously heavy blotter writhes on the ground, whistling and speaking in tongues. Yep, it’s that kinda show. I dunno how a band can be this loose and tight at the same time.

 

 

R.I.P. Denise Matthews, aka Vanity

The titular 1982 sole LP from Vanity 6 is an absolute classic of it’s era. Written and produced by Prince, who also released his double LP 1999 the same year and was on an unparalleled hot streak creatively speaking, the album is filled with party funk every bit worthy of his genius. Seriously, there is not a bum cut on the record, and most of them have made their way into DJ sets of mine over the years.

Check out the below posted performance, LP, and this article on Prince’s tribute to Vanity at a show last night, which also has the only clip I could find of the unreleased Vanity 6 master jam, Vibrator, featuring Prince in a comedic sketch, in line with his vocal appearance on If A Girl Answers (Don’t Hang Up) from the Vanity LP.

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&ie=UTF-8&rct=j#q=vanity+vibrator+prince

 

 

 

 

Watch The Weird World of Blowfly documentary

Isaac Hayes playing piano as Blowfly performs Shitting On The Dock of The Bay…need I say more?

Song of The Day: Clarence Reid -Heaven Will Welcome You

You’ve gotta be kidding me… Clarence Reid, aka Blowfly, has died of cancer

I’m going to do a post on the Clarence Reid material later, for now let’s have a good last laugh in the weird, and so un-PC, world of Blowfly.

 

R.I.P. to basketball’s Clown Prince, Meadowlark Lemon

I would like to take this moment to thank Meadowlark for the many fond memories of childhood that he helped to provide.

Songs of The Day: Tommy McGee -We Ought To Be Together, and Make Sure

I’m a total sucker for that falsetto, those strings, the keys, and that GROOVE! Sweet Soul vibes abound.

http://www.numerogroup.com/products/tommy-mcgee-positive-negative

Bill Withers first single was produced by synth pioneer, Mort Garson

The 1967 Lotus Records 45 A-side, Three Nights And A Morning, is a manic, outta control version of what was to become Withers future single, in a much less frenzied fashion, Harlem. The B-side, What’ll I Do, turns the Irving Berlin ballad, into an uptempo gospel mover, in an impressively different adaptation of that standard.

Can’t believe I’d never heard this. Thanks, Trunkworthy!

http://www.trunkworthy.com/the-lost-bill-withers-go-go-soul-freakout-you-need-to-hear/

 

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings celebrate the Festival of Lights with video for “8 Days (of Hanukkah)” — watch

As I was pouring through music for a non-traditional Holiday mix the other day, I was totally bummed by the lack of Hanukkah related material. Thanks to Miss Jones and The Dap-Kings for recognizing the need and freaking the funk.

Source: Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings celebrate the Festival of Lights with video for “8 Days (of Hanukkah)” — watch

The definitive tome on the Sun Ra galaxy, Omniverse – Sun Ra, expanded and republished!

Originally published in 1994, with a $100 price tag (which has risen dramatically since, on internet auction sites), Omniverse is the quintessential reference guide for anyone interested in navigating the oft confusing spaceways of Sun Ra’s interstellar influence. The chronological discography alone, should be worth the price of admission. Available in the US, any day now,  via http://www.forcedexposure.com/home.html , though not currently listed.

http://artyardrecords.co.uk/shop/