#8 Fry His Ass - Skerik’s Syncopated Taint - by profyousion
Friday, January 23rd, 2009profyousion’s video review fry-his-ass
husky
This is another funky, greasy, new jazz jam…woooo!
“Fry His Ass” off the” Husky” album 2006 by skerik’s syncopated taint septet. Unfortunately, it’s an album only selection on itunes
The phrasing alternates between mellow, then fierce… back and forth continuously to a climax that sounds as if the fellas just played themselves out.
If Thelonius Monk did the horn arrangement and they were played by Roland Kirk, it might sound like this. Screamin’ horn harmonies slightly off key, yet the drummer keepin’ the funk “in the pocket”, even the clarinet gets some dap on this.
Seemingly, the prevailing view amongst todays’ musical pundits is”gone are the days of jazz rooted in gospel and blues. The “Nu Jazz” is rooted in funk and hip-hop”. Funk has an underrated influence on a great deal of popular music in general, and hip-hop with its’ syncopated beat and phrasing is a subset of funk!
#7 Funky Goldman - Soil & “Pimp” Sessions - by profyousion
Saturday, January 10th, 2009profyousion’s video review funky-goldman
pimpoint
I got hip to these cats maybe about 6 months ago while listening to internet radio, and I had to know who they were.
The jam I heard was called “Funky Goldman”, the groove of which reminded me of some old time ballroom jams that might have been played at the club back in the day. It has a Herbie Hancock-like synth “vocal” over some mean, yet laid back slick sax riffs.
This cut is off their 3rd album “Pimpoint”, a somewhat intriguing title.
You can imagine my surprise when I found out these cats were japanese!
Now I’m really intrigued. What do these cats know about pimps?
Evidently, these guys came about through the japanese dj club scene as an add on live jam session in between dj sets. Due to the strength of their sets, they eventually usurped the djs and their brand of alternative jazz became the main draw.
Here’s a YouTube video of a club set
They started out with just two cats, Shacho the “agitator”and Tabu Zombie(trumpet). Shacho seems to be the spirit of the group as he hypes the crowd and encourages involvement through the use of a megaphone!
As they increased in popularity, other members were added. Motoharu (sax), Josei (keyboards), Akita Goldman (double bass) and Midorin (drums).
The sheer energy and tempo of their music drew attention most notably from Gilles Peterson, a noted dj, record label owner and host of radio 1, a leading radio station in the uk, where he’s known for his eclectic playlist. He signed them up on his Brownswood label and has been instrumental in helping them gain exposure through various club dates and music festivals.
#6 Doin’ It To Death - Fred Wesley & the JBs - by profyousion
Thursday, January 8th, 2009profyousion’s video review doin-it-to-death
funky good time: the anthology
From the opening guitar groove, the tone is set to have “A Funky Good Time” by all involved, musicians and listeners.
The beat is infectious, and draws you into what sounds like a live studio session, or someones’ house party!
While a kid in the 60’s,I got turned onto him by way of a cameo appearance in the movie”Ski Party”, in which he sang “I Feel Good”. Back then, black artists were rarely seen on tv, so it was a kind of event.
Even though James was on the tube, he still seemed like a regular neighborhood cat.
Time passed, and my musical tastes evolved, and became more “sophisticated”, and he kind of faded into my musical background.
He was never the greatest lyricist, but his style of raw funk is something I could never abandon completely.
James, the ultimate frontman, has always had the ability to re-invent himself and his act, and the band assembled for this track was the slickest to date, with a slammin’ trombone solo, which stands the test of time.
Liner Notes from Nation Master Encyclopedia
“Doing It to Death” (also known as “Gonna Have a Funky Good Time”) is a funk song recorded by James Brown and The J.B.’s. It was released as a single in 1973 and was a #1 R&B hit. Although the song has a lead vocal by Brown (who also wrote the tune and the lyrics), the recording is credited to “Fred Wesley & The J.B.’s.” It was the first J.B.’s recording to feature saxophonist Maceo Parker, who had returned to work with Brown again after attempting a career as a bandleader. The most renowned of James Browns many backing bands (previously, the Famous Flames and the James Brown Band), the J.B.s provided musical support for the legendary singer and bandleader for the first half of the 70s.
Fred Wesley (born 1943) is an American jazz and funk trombonist. … A saxophonist is a musician who plays the saxophone. … Maceo Parker (born February 14, 1943) is a noted African American funk and soul jazz saxophone player, best known for his contributions to James Browns distinct sound. …
Unusually for a James Brown song, the actual words “doing it to death” appear nowhere in “Doing It to Death”’s lyrics, which feature the hook “we’re gonna have a funky good time.” The title came from a figure of speech used by Fred Wesley.
A 10-minute, two-part version of “Doing It to Death” was included on a J.B.’s album of the same name. The complete, unedited 13-minute original recording of the song was first issued on the 1995 J.B.’s compilation Funky Good Time: The Anthology.
“Doing It to Death” cover
Single by Fred Wesley & The J.B.’s
from the album Doing It to Death
A-side(s) “Doing It to Death”
B-side(s) “Everybody Got Soul”
Released April 1973
Format 7″
Recorded January 29, 1973, at International Studios, Augusta, GA
Genre Funk
Label People
…
Writer(s) James Brown
Producer(s) James Brown
Peak chart positions
* #1 R&B
* #22 Pop
profyousion’s video review doin-it-to-death
Hit it! How you feelin’ brother? (Feelin’ good!)
You’re feelin’ good
You play so much bone, brother
How you feelin’, man? (I feel alright!)
I won’t call your name
I don’t want no people to know you’re in here
How you feelin’, fellas? (Alright!)
Now jam! Sure gettin’ down looka here… ah!
We’re gonna have a funk good time…x4
We gotta take you higher
Huh! Alright!
We gotta take you higher, huh!
Brothers! Now I want everybody to blow
About two choruses
And then I’m gonna wave you in
I wanna get the fella
With the little horn over there
Fred’s gonna take us higher, take us higher
Fred, Fred, Fred!
trombone solo
You know what, when I hear a groove
Like this groove, oh!
I say, I got to get higher
Yeah baby, yeah, yeah
Look a’here
When someone’s got a groove like this
You know, you know, no!
I need to grit, gotta grit
Gonna eat, gotta eat
Need to grit, gotta grit, no breath
You know, brothers
I’m gettin’ ready to wave y’all in
You know what
I feel so down, I need to get down
In order for me to get down
I got to get in D.
In order for me to get down, I got to get in D.
Need to get in D., dog for D.
Down D., funky D., shakin’ D.,down D.
Oh! Huh! Ha ha!
Get on down!
Look a’here, look at that
What we gotta do
Gotta have a funk good time…
Oh, yeah
I didn’t know you were singin’, Fred
Don’t moan so much
Buddy, don’t moan so much
We gotta take you higher
Wait a minute!
Know who you say that was over there
(Man, you’re lookin’ better)
(I know I’ve seen him somewhere)
Is that Maceo?
Personnel
* James Brown - lead vocal
with Fred Wesley & The J.B.’s:
* Fred Wesley - trombone
* Darryl “Hasaan” Jamison - trumpet
* Jerone “Jasaan” Sanford - trumpet
* Ike Oakley - trumpet
* Maceo Parker - alto saxophone
* St. Clair Pinckney - tenor saxophone
* Eldee Williams - tenor saxophone
* Jimmy Nolen - guitar
* Hearlon “Cheese” Martin - guitar
* Fred Thomas - bass
* John “Jabo” Starks - drums
Jimmy Nolen (April 3, 1934 - December 18 1983) is an American guitarist known for his distinctive chicken scratch rhythm guitar playing in James Browns bands. … John Jabo Starks is an American funk and blues drummer. …
