2023 Funk / Soul Journal Vol. 1

Barretto - Eye of the Beholder. 1977 Atlantic. Found this for 50 cents at a thrift shop down in Pueblo about a month ago (Dec). Ray Barretto has released numerous titles (from 1961 to well into the 90s) in and around the Latin jazz genre. Eye of the Beholder is one of his best sellers, and critically one of his worst albums. If this is his worst, then I'm in for finding some great albums. I quite enjoyed this, a mellow, sunny, tropical, Latin groove album. Hints of disco and the like, but I was also reminded of Deodato in places. I think if the guitar had unleashed more I would have kept this. But not keeping the merely very good anymore. Definitely open to hearing more by Ray Barretto.

Antibalas - Talkatif. 2002 Ninja Tune (CD). Collection revisit (Nov). This was one of the first albums for me to pick up in the modern funk genre, more technically known as Afrobeat. Not long after came around Budos Band, also from Brooklyn, and I appreciated their variation of this sound at a higher level. In revisiting this title for the first time in 20 years, there's just not enough distinction for me to hold onto. A very good effort, but I have enough for the collection, so I'll let it go.

Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson - Secrets. 1978 Arista. GSH takes his righteous indignation to the bank and cashes in on his name. Underneath the poetry is a relatively benign album with few hooks. It was the late 70s good-times disco era, and violent street politics were on the outs. GSH seems content to put out whatever. And boring. Average on the whole. (Oct)

Patrice Rushen - Straight from the Heart. 1982 Elektra white label promo. Picked up super cheap at the Denver show (Oct). This is the third time I've been in possession of this album. It's one of those "instant seller" albums like Marty Robbins' Gunfighter Ballads and Minnie Riperton's Perfect Angel. Despite being a commodity that sold gobs of copy in its day, the demand remains very high. I decided I should hear it throughout this time just to see if it's something I want to hold onto, as this is definitely the best copy I've found to date. To my untrained ears, Disco is the genre I would tag it with. But there's a subgenre known as Boogie that it technically belongs to. This particular style is far more in demand, especially in the 45 world, and represent some of the most expensive items from the 80s (I kept a couple for myself). As for Straight from the Heart, I found it to be a pleasant listen but nothing grabbed me from an instrumentation or melodic perspective. Neat cover of the pretty Rushen with her hair made up like a chandelier.

*Bobbi Humphrey - Satin Doll. 1974 Blue Note. From the garage sale below (Aug), this is likely to be my favorite discovery from that. Wonderful jazz funk with Humphrey's flute leading the way. Has a seductive groove. 1974 seemed to be the perfect year for the style. The artists of the era had buffed out the rawer jazz elements (which I also like) but they hadn't yet introduced the slick disco that marred the later 70s works. This is the third Humphrey album for me to possess (one earlier, one later), and I enjoy them all.

Mtume - Juicy Fruit. 1983 Epic. Part of the same garage sale as the Faze-O (Aug). This album reminds me quite a bit of Prince without any of the psychedelic imagery or guitar. Very heavily synthesized dance tracks including reproduced handclaps. Boogie disco. Not my style of choice I'm afraid. Average for the genre I'd submit.

*Faze-O - Good Thang. 1978 She. This one came from a garage sale here in the Springs (Aug). Strange sale as it was almost entirely funk, soul, and jazz. Not a common selection in this part of the country. I was about an hour late, so who knows what goodies I missed, but glad someone left this title (and a few others I picked up) behind. This is the second Faze-O for me to find here, the other being the much more in demand debut. While that album enjoys critical acclaim, I prefer this one. I just presumed by looking at the sexy cover this would have been the Dayton, Ohio band's move to disco. If anything, they became more defiant here with the funk. As in heavy funk. Like a cross between Funkadelic, The Temptations, and same era Isley Brothers. Some occasional fuzz guitar, but mostly this is bottom heavy get-on-down music. If repetition is the key to learning, then you'll know every song well by the end. That's its only flaw - a lack of ideas. No less than a typical Neu! album though. I still have room in the collection for some hard funk, so this one stays.

Rick James / Stone City Band - Come Get It! 1978 Motown. Hard to believe now, but Buffalo's Rick James and Minneapolis' Prince pretty much played for the same funk / soul / psych market of the late 70s. One could argue that James was first to stardom ('Super Freak'), but later fell completely on his ass while Prince skyrocketed to fame and fortune. This isn't a bad album at all, though too tame for my ears. Not enough psych funk and too much soul crooning and disco. Nice thrift shop find. (Jul)

Matata - Wanna Do My Thing The Complete President Recordings. 2017 RPM. 2xCD. Includes the Kenyan group's two full albums Matata Air Fiesta (1972) and Independence (1974) plus eight bonus tracks all the way up to 1994. The music can simply be described as JB's styled hard hitting funk meets African music. Which is fine, especially the former, but it lacks any real highs and is fairly simplistic overall. Both albums are remarkably similar. (Jun)

Bobby Caldwell. 1978 Clouds. Estate sale find (Apr). This is the 3rd time for me to find this album here in the Springs within the last two years. The other two sold in less than a couple of days for really good money. Now unfortunately it appears Caldwell has passed away, adding even more to the total. I'm not an RIP seller, so this was just a timing coincidence. Rather than rush it to the sell bin I thought I should at least hear it. Has a stellar reputation in its field of music. And what is that field? They're calling it soul and yacht rock. The former yes, but I'd substitute disco over the yacht. Apparently there's a huge hit here called 'What You Won't Do For Love' which I barely recognize. Then again I didn't listen to soul or R n' B in the late 70s either. It's surprising to learn this album has the value it does, as it sold tons of copy in its day, and is a true commodity. But then again so are Led Zeppelin albums, but I just presumed Zep were far more known than Caldwell. Depends on your music circle I guess. For me I hear a typical sound of its era. I can completely understand its allure though, and if I had any foundation at all with the album, I probably would give it a huge nostalgic bump. I just don't have that. A time and placer for certain. 

Memphis Horns - Horns for Everything. 1972 Million. Nice recent thrift shop find (Jan), Memphis Horns were to the Stax label what MFSB were to Philadelphia International. Essentially they *are* the Memphis sound. The two main protagonists here are Wayne Jackson on horns and Andrew Love on winds. If you've heard any Isaac Hayes' albums (as but one example), then you'll recognize the sound here. Borderline easy listening with just enough funk to separate. Has a few cool instrumental mellow pieces too. Close to a keeper, but I'm going to let it sell. I've accumulated quite a bit of stuff like this in the last four years, and it's time to pare down.