On Second Thought: The Shaken Up And Spun Out Over You Edition (Part II)

"Rebel To The Grain"---Blue Sky Black Death (LimeLinx)
"Rebel To The Grain"---Blue Sky Black Death (YSI)

*This track features original source material previously sampled on classic joints by the almighty Wu-Tang Clan . "The Way We Were/Try To Remember" by Gladys Knight & The Pips, Wendy Rene's "After Laughter (Comes Tears)", and "Is It Because I'm Black?" by Syl Johnson are a few examples of what's in the mix.

*Blue Sky Black Death, a Cali-based production duo consisting of Kingston and Young God, initially leaked "Rebel To The Grain" and "Slapbox With Jesus" in June 2007. Both tracks are firmly rooted in the early Wu-Tang aesthetic, but the Bay Area beatsmiths were remarkably innovative in their approach to revisiting the contents of RZA's bottomless crates.

*Currently, the joints are still pending official release as a limited 7" on Mush Records

*Blue Sky Black Death has a history of dropping beats for several Wu affiliates, including Holocaust, Sunz Of Man, Hell Razah, Shabazz the Disciple, and Prodigal Sunn.

Outside of the Clan circle, the duo has also worked (both independently and collectively) with many other stalwarts of the hip hop underground, such as Jean Grae, Jus Allah, Ill Bill, Ras Kass, Pep Love, Sabac Red, Chief Kamachi, Crooked I, Wise Intelligent, Awol One, A-Plus, and Mikah 9.

*Critically acclaimed for their masterful blending of samples with live instrumentation, the duo has received an enthusiastic nod from the likes of XLR8R, RapReviews.com, Allmusic, and PopMatters, in addition to earning a spot on URB's 'Next 100' list.

*Stay tuned to BSBD via MySpace


"Heart"---Cool Calm Pete (LimeLinx)
"Heart"---Cool Calm Pete (YSI)

*Released on the internets at the end of May, "Heart" was offered as a free and legal download courtesy of Def Jux Records. CCP fans remain hopeful that this digital-only single could trumpet the imminent release of the MC's long-awaited sophomore LP, Leonard Z.

*Once again, this joint was up for consideration as part of a Souled On Samples segment, but the fact that Pete engages and interacts with Nina Simone's vocals on the cut marginally qualifies it as a call and response/half-baked remake thing that's a little fuzzy in terms of categorization.

At any rate, I just mentioned several weeks ago that I'm skeptical about artists interpolating/sampling/chopping/emulating/shitting all over Nina Simone's work. Although CCP's hypnotically lazy wordplay doesn't match the caliber of Ohene's Nina Simone project on an intellectual level, I'm still thoroughly diggin' the rhymesayer's idiosyncratic approach to her material~ in.a.weird.way.

*If you aren't up on this crazy gifted MC/producer from Queens, NY, you should definitely check out Lost and the Loosies EP, as well as his work with the underground outfit Babbletron. Extra credit granted to my fellow geeks who elect to dig even deeper...

Souled On Sample:
*Stencil by Sinero

"Peace Of Mind"---Nina Simone (LimeLinx)
"Peace Of Mind"---Nina Simone (YSI)

*Sampled on "Heart" by Cool Calm Pete

*Written by Nick Woods and arranged by Horace Ott, Nina's rendition of this song first appeared on her 'Nuff Said! LP. It was also released as a B-side to the "Do What You Gotta Do" single in 1968 (RCA Victor 47-9602) and appears on several miscellaneous anthologies of her material.

*"Peace Of Mind", as well as the majority of the other tracks on Nuff Said!, was recorded at the Westbury Music Fair on April 7, 1968. From both a personal and historical perspective, this was undoubtedly one of Nina's most poignant and essential performances of all time. The show was held three days after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., and her entire program that night was dedicated to his memory.

A very vocal and active participant in the civil rights movement, Simone made the following observation in her memoirs (I Put A Spell On You: The Autobiography Of Nina Simone):

"For a while people walked around in a kind of daze and I wept along with them, but I couldn't understand why they were surprised by Martin's assassination: we'd already lost Malcolm, Medgar Evers, Emmett Till, and hundreds, thousands of others down through our history. What happened on the 4th of April was no freak tragedy, it was the traditional white American tactic for getting rid of the black leaders it couldn't suppress in any other way. A desperate act by a country with nowhere to hide anymore. Stupid, too, because the thing that died along with Martin in Memphis that day was non-violence, we all knew that. It was a time for bitterness- almost funny if it hadn't been so sad."

*Three Dog Night also released a partial cover, "Intro Poem: Mistakes And Illusions/Peace Of Mind" on their 1971 Harmony LP.

The verdict? A valiant effort on the part of the popular American rock band, but you know...nothing surpasses Nina.


"A Change Is Going To Come"---Baby Huey (LimeLinx)
"A Change Is Going To Come"---Baby Huey (YSI)

(I initially posted this track in 2006, but the link is fucked and it definitely bears repeating)

*Written by Sam Cooke; first recorded by Cooke in December of 1963 at RCA's studio in Los Angeles. The song was released the following year, both as a single and on the Ain't That Good News LP.

*Cooke's inspiration for penning the classic tune was derived from a confluence of internal struggles and trying life experiences. As an artist and entertainer with broad commercial appeal, Cooke was perpetually tormented by the difficulty of balancing his personal convictions with the probability that taking a firm stance on racial issues would alienate his white audience. He aspired to writing more meaningful material than the light-hearted, bleached out, radio-friendly fare that sustained his popularity~ he became fully enthralled with the potency of protest songs such as Bob Dylan's "Blowin' In The Wind" (which Cooke honored with an outstanding cover).


The year that he wrote "A Change Is Gonna Come", Cooke and his bandmates made an attempt to register at a motel in Shreveport, Louisiana. Unbeknownst to them, they had entered a whites-only establishment, and the entourage was peremptorily arrested on a bullshit charge of disturbing the peace. This brush with the law was a particularly dehumanizing experience for Cooke, but it was certainly not an isolated incident. The singer suffered endless racial indignities throughout his lifetime and career, including being assaulted by police in Birmingham for drinking from a whites-only water fountain.

Cooke's impassioned lyrics bear a burdened sense of hopefulness that is undeniably rooted in the culmination of these painful and cataclysmic events. Having also endured the loss of his 18-month-old son earlier that same year, the strain and wearied optimism he struggled with is perfectly encapsulated in the lamentation/reconciliation of the final verse: "There have been times that I thought I couldn't last for long/but now I think I'm able to carry on/It's been a long time coming, but I know a change is gonna come."

*Nearly a year after Cooke recorded the track, he was fatally shot at a hotel in Los Angeles. "A Change Is Gonna Come" was released as a single two weeks later, rapidly climbing the charts and gaining historical significance as the soul man's distinctly memorable farewell.

*An enlightening interview with Peter Guralnick, author of Dream Boogie: The Triumph of Sam Cooke, is posted at Jerry Jazz Musician for those who wish to dig deeper.

*"A Change Is Gonna Come" was ranked at #12 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time.

*The song has inspired an absolutely insane number of cover versions~ the most thorough list I know of can be found here. I'm only familiar with about half of the remakes cited, but Baby Huey's rendition is easily my favorite interpretation amongst those I've heard.

To briefly run down the history, I'll quote...ahem...myself:

Baby Huey's version appeared on his only album, The Baby Huey Story: The Living Legend. The LP was released on Curtis Mayfield's Curtom label in 1971, but unfortunately, Huey had passed away months prior to this, following a drug-related heart attack in a Chicago hotel room. Afterwards, The Baby Sitters briefly attempted to continue their career by replacing Huey with a teenage girl named Chaka Khan. The rest, of course, is soul history...

*The moral of the story is this: if you ever decide to record a version of this song, you should probably stay the fuck outta Holiday Inn for a long minute, son...


"I'm Through Trying To Prove My Love To You"---Millie Jackson (LimeLinx)
"I'm Through Trying To Prove My Love To You"---Millie Jackson (YSI)

*Written by Bobby Womack; originally appeared on his 1973 Facts Of Life LP

*Millie Jackson's exceptional cover appeared on her 1974 LP, Caught Up.

*Concept albums have always been somewhat of a rarity amongst soul/R&B artists, which is part of what makes Caught Up such a thoroughly engaging and essential masterpiece of the genre. Jackson's signature mistress schtick and occasionally bizarre album covers often led to her being misunderstood, underappreciated...laughable even...but if you fail to see any artistic value in her work, chances are you've missed the the boat.

The 'other woman' is perhaps one of the least respected and most reviled archetypes in all of modern society, and yet, most of us have slept with her or been her at some point in our heavily veiled, secret past. Truth be told, love triangles are every bit as essential to the story of human relationships as monogamy could ever hope to be. The problem with approaching this subject with a degree of honesty is that it somehow disrupts our fairy tale projection of love's imaginary ideal, and we simply can't live happily ever after if some other bitch is standing in the way. Right???

The genius of Millie is that she sort of had this all figured out before many of us were ready to hear it~ perhaps that's why she so often comes across as callous and unapologetic when singing or rapping about her scandalous little trysts. Society's outward indignance towards outside relationships and extramarital affairs clearly fails to apply when we're gettin' our own freaky on behind closed doors.

Caught Up is a dichotomous soul opera that explores the mistress' viewpoint on the A-side, and the wife's perspective on the flip. "I'm Through Trying To Prove My Love To You" is, for me, the indisputable centerpiece of the latter. Jackson's trademark ad libs reconstruct the Womack original, depicting a married woman who's grown tired of her husband's lyin', cheatin' ways. Not only has she finally gathered the strength to get the fuck outta Dodge, we discover that she has her own little piece of ass on the side. Niiiiccceee. While it still doesn't qualify as a feminist anthem, it certainly has more backbone than all those "i'mma stand by my man, even if he feeds me ALPO" songs that many of her female contemporaries were releasing at the time.

*If you can dig where Millie's comin' from, go deeper


"Wichita Lineman"---New Apocalypse (LimeLinx)
"Wichita Lineman"---New Apocalypse (YSI)

*Written by Jimmy Webb in 1968 for Glen Campbell, who released the song that same year. Campbells' version peaked at #3 on the pop charts, managing to hang out in the Billboard Top 100 for a total of 15 weeks. The single also made waves on the country and adult contemporary charts, and was certified gold in January of 1969.

*Not only did Rolling Stone rank it at #192 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time, but Blender magazine gave it a nod as one of the best songs ever as well. Their well-researched feature on the track details quite a bit of the backstory behind the song.

*Other covers of the song have been rendered by Young-Holt Unlimited, R.E.M., Dennis Brown, Ray Charles, The Fatback Band, Charlie Byrd, Cassandra Wilson, O.C. Smith, Johnny Cash, The Meters, Kool & The Gang, Sammy Davis Jr., and more. The worst rendition of all time? That dubious distinction likely belongs to Jim Nabors, aka Gomer Pyle. I mean...arrrgghhhh...what the fuck was he thinking?

*New Apocalyse's funky/jazzy remake of the track was released in 1967 on their Stainless Soul LP. A tight instrumental outfit that's often compared to The Meters, New Apocalypse had a short-lived contract with MTA Records. Famed recording engineer George Massenburg worked with the musicians to achieve their impeccable sound, but their material was regrettably overlooked.

Michael Meros, who played piano/organ with the group, went on to have a relatively successful career in music. Although he worked with well-known artists such as Leon Russell and Ringo Starr, his most memorable stint was as the Beach Boys' touring keyboardist from 1979 through 2000.

I've always hoped to come across this obscure album on one of my digging expeditions, but the stars haven't aligned themselves in my favor yet. Nevertheless, one of the soul children recently came through with a digital copy, and for the moment, just having it in my iPod will suffice (gracias David).

Stainless Soul is a rarity to begin with, but it's become increasingly elusive as DJs and collectors spread the word about how truly break-tastic it is. Their cover of "Get Out Of My Life Woman" has been sampled at least a zillion times, and the album is frequently sought after on the strength of that track alone. While I'm clearly not against digging specifically for original source material, anyone who's fortunate enough to cop this LP should definitely hang on every note that the rest of the album has to offer.

My favorite track on Stainless Soul is frequently interchangeable, but their take on "Wichita Lineman" has become an essential staple of my 3am insomniac grooves. This is no small feat considering that I'm not a huge fan of the original, nor most of the other interpretations I've heard (however, Smokey Robinson's graceful rendition is another noteworthy exception).

New Apocalypse's take starts out leaning a bit towards the sluggish side, but the excitement progressively builds until it has you by the throat, and you're caught up in the rapture, Anita Baker style (minus the charismatic vocal "calisthenics", of course). Good stuff, kids...good stuff.


"Dakari (Nicolay Remix)"---The Last Poets feat. Keith Murray (LimeLinx)
"Dakari (Nicolay Remix)"---The Last Poets feat. Keith Murray (YSI)

*The second installment in producer Nicolay's Off The Shelf series speaks volumes as to why I'm so hyped about the master beatsmith's recent decision to clear out his vault. His incredible "Dakari" remix dropped right on time as far as I'm concerned...nevermind that it spent the better part of five years accumulating dust.

It's always somewhat baffling when material of this magnitude gets held in reserve, but Nicolay posted a relatively straightforward breakdown on the delay:

Things don't always work out as you would hope, and the reasons why usually have little to do with music, and all the more with the people "behind the scenes", as the following example illustrates. Of course, not everyone in the music industry is a shark, but it certainly is my personal experience that the good people are exceptions that prove the rule.

At the end of 2004, I was contacted by a fairly well-known indie hip-hop label's A&R (Artist & Repertoire) director (who shall remain anonymous). The guy was working on a new project with legendary group The Last Poets, and he wanted to see if I could remix a song called "Dakari" track that also featured Keith Murray. The remix was intended for a 12" single to promote the album, and would potentially even be included on the album as they were not too thrilled about the beat that was used for the original track. Eager to expand both my range and my resume, I thought it would be a good opportunity for me to reach a new audience, and we came to an agreement that worked for all parties involved. I finished the remix in January of 2005.

To make a long story short, the A&R guy never held up his end of the agreement, and never made good on the agreed compensation, using every excuse known to man before falling off the map and abandoning the entire project. And so the remix never came out. Until today! Big up to The Last Poets (Umar Bin Hassan + Abiodun Oyewole) and Keith Murray. Enjoy, and thanks for listening, Nicolay

Be sure to catch up on any episodes of Off The Shelf you may have missed (especially his tribute to Bob James), and stay tuned for future installments at nicolaymusic.com.


"My Adidas (Nomadic Remix)"---Run-DMC (LimeLinx)
"My Adidas (Nomadic Remix)"---Run-DMC (YSI)

*"My Adidas" was the first single from Run-DMC's 1986 Raising Hell LP (b/w "Peter Piper"). It was written by Joseph Simmons and Darryl McDaniels; produced by Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin.

*While it didn't achieve the crossover appeal of "Walk This Way", anyone who knows shit about hip hop can explain why "My Adidas" is not only a classic, but a phenomenon. Not to be inhospitable, but you may not belong here if you've never heard this joint.

*DMC elucidates the song's origins:

*In the pre-NWA days, Ice Cube and Dr Dre had a regional hit with a parody of this song called "My Penis". It's crazy to ponder how the evolution of gangsta rap may have been altered if these guys had become the Weird Al Yankovics of hip hop...

*Please don't ask what prompted me to throw this in the mix today~ just feelin' this again for some reason. Nomadic's remix of "My Adidas" is from his 2006 Back To The Beat project...which makes it a throwback inside of a throwback, or something equally confounding that my brain can't quite decipher.

Anyway, I liked the majority of Nomadic's spins on old school hip hop classics, in part because he didn't aim to upstage the originals~ that's treacherous ground when you're remixing the likes of Run-DMC, Audio Two, Eric B and Rakim, The Beastie Boys, Grandmaster Flash, etc. His concept was grounded in simply paying a respectful homage to the music of his youth, and I can definitely get down with the laidback, soulful vibe he bestowed upon most of these tracks. The beat on his "My Adidas" remix samples "Give Me One Good Reason Why" by the Soul Children, and...what the hell...here you go:

FUNDAMENTAL SUPPLEMENTAL/SOULED ON SAMPLE:

"Give Me One Good Reason Why"---Soul Children (LimeLinx)
"Give Me One Good Reason Why"---Soul Children (YSI)

*More free Nomadic tracks and info via MySpace and Latchkey Recordings


"Shook Hands In Brooklyn"---Minty Fresh Beats (LimeLinx)
"Shook Hands In Brooklyn"---Minty Fresh Beats (YSI)

"Reckoner Encore (Instrumental)"---Jaydiohead (LimeLinx)
"Reckoner Encore (Instrumental)"---Jaydiohead (YSI)

*"Shook Hands In Brooklyn" is a mix containing lyrical elements from "My Downfall" by Notorious B.I.G. ; The "Reckoner Encore" instrumental samples "Reckoner" from Radiohead's In Rainbows LP.

*DJ/producer Max Tannone has as many aliases as Madlib or Doom, but I promise you that he's entirely worth the trouble. Many of his earliest tracks were credited to Minty Fresh Beats, but apparently he had to surrender that moniker for legal reasons. His most celebrated project to date was Jaydiohead, a highly acclaimed collection of Jay-Z vs. Radiohead mash-ups.

As you know, I try to incorporate Jay and Radiohead into a lot of my posts...sideways if necessary. Remarkably, I never did a feature on the project because I included a couple of the tracks in my Insomniac's Tribute To Radiohead mix. Despite the fact that I employed a rather subtle approach to giving Jaydiohead a shout, I was essentially on the same page with every hipster fuck on the interwebs who thought this could be the Second Coming of The Grey Album, or whatever...

Not long ago, I received 5 more tracks from Max called Jaydiohead: The Encore. To be honest, I wondered if this addendum was really necessary~ either too much of a good thing or grasping at straws to elongate the proverbial 15 minutes of fame. While I'm still not as in love with these as the first set he released, I've been listening to the instrumental versions on repeat. I never thought the day would come, but I'm...at least temporarily...a bit bored by hearing Jay's lyrics mashed and rehashed into infinity. The beats, however, are all kinds of lovely.

I went back and downloaded all of Tannone's work, and "Shook Hands In Brooklyn" emerged as a paragon of his abilities. Arguably, I could be just as fatigued by hearing Biggie mashed and rehashed once again, but dammit...this is dope.

*Stay up on the artist formerly known as Minty Fresh Beats via MySpace and Jaydiohead.com. Free downloads, hotdogs, kittens, party hats, and yeah...pretty much whatever you want.

Word From Your Moms:

"In order to rise from its own ashes, a phoenix first must burn."

"The only lasting truth is change."

~Both quotes by Octavia Butler; all due respect to esg

On Second Thought: The Shaken Up And Spun Out Over You Edition (Part I)

Heeeeeyyyy soul kids~ how ya feelin' out there?

Been a long time

I shouldn't have left you

without a dope beat to step to...

However, let's not waste time dwelling on my lackadaisical fuckery...

Instead, please allow me to serve you with another outstanding volume of covers, remixes, mashes, and interpolations. As usual, I chose an eclectic variety of selections, so I have faith that most of you will discover something that causes a little commotion in your soul. I decided to split this edition into two parts because I wanted to share too many tracks for them all to fit within a single post. If all goes as planned, you shouldn't have to wait an eternity between updates this time around~ part two is already in the making.

Several people have asked me why I didn't post a tribute to Michael Jackson, perhaps because I'm one of the few writers/music lovers who hasn't entered the conversation on his untimely passing. With very few exceptions, I prefer to cover music, artists, and subject matter that's been forgotten or overlooked by popular culture and mainstream media outlets. Television, radio, and the internets have been saturated with coverage of MJ's life and death, and as a result, I found it somewhat impossible to add anything relevant to the incessant conversation that has been taking place across the global grapevine.

In the interests of reluctantly throwing in my depreciated two cents, I will tell you that I grew up listening to the Jackson 5, and every solo album that Michael released into the late '80s stays on heavy rotation in my household. However...no disrespect whatsoever...but I began to grieve the loss of my childhood hero long before June 25th. There's a vaguely discernable point at which I honestly lost my feeling of connection to him as an artist~ however this wasn't abandonment so much as a concerted effort to protect and preserve the man's iconic status in my memory bank. For those of you who are fixated on the Michael who was little more than a tabloid freak show, I would suggest that you press rewind and concentrate on celebrating his immense contributions to the past, present, and future of music history. (This strategy may also prevent you from ruminating on why Invincible was such a shitty album...)

We've reached a point in time when many of soul music's most legendary artists are rapidly departing from Earth, but rather than cultivating a virtual graveyard, my energy remains focused on emphasizing their greatness and sustaining the immortality of their monumental creations. May all of our beloved superstars continue to prosper and harvest in the imaginations of the living...

Towards that end, I decided to kick this session off with a cover of a song that MJ made famous~ an inspired take on "I Wanna Be Where You Are" rendered by The Roots and Erykah Badu.

Put ya lighters up, kids...Scholar


"I Wanna Be Where You Are"---Erykah Badu/The Roots (LimeLinx)
"I Wanna Be Where You Are"---Erykah Badu/The Roots (YSI)

*Written by Leon Ware and Arthur "T-Boy" Ross, Diana Ross' younger brother. The song marked the duo's first songwriting collaboration, and was written specifically for Michael Jackson. The track was released on MJ's Got To Be There LP and was issued as a Motown 45 on May 2, 1972.

*MJ's original version was recorded at Hitsville West In Los Angeles, and featured production by Hal Davis. Ross and Ware provided the background hollers, while the instrumentation is credited to an assortment of local musicians.

*This was Jackson's third Top 40 hit of his early solo career. The track reached #16 on the Billboard charts and #2 on the R&B charts.

*A video of Jackson performing the song on American Bandstand in July 1972:


*The song has been covered by Marvin Gaye, Willie Hutch, Leon Thomas, Zulema, O'Donel Levy, Ronnie Dyson, and more. Although Leon Ware co-wrote the track, he delayed releasing his own take on the song until 2001.

*Erykah Badu and The Roots appeared on Jimmy Fallon's show to pay tribute to MJ, but most of the good stuff happened before the taping began and during the commercial breaks. Erykah takes ownership of the track despite remaining somewhat true to the original, and the legendary Roots crew tears it up as usual.

**FUNDAMENTAL SUPPLEMENTAL


"Wanna Be"---The Fugees (LimeLinx)
"Wanna Be"---The Fugees (YSI)

The Fugees leaked their own interpolation of the track a few years back~ easily one of the illest interpretations I've ever heard. Damn Lauryn~ can you please come back from batshit crazy??? We really miss you...


"I Put A Spell On You"---Demon Fuzz (LimeLinx)
"I Put A Spell On You"---Demon Fuzz (YSI)

*Written and originally recorded by Screamin' Jay Hawkins (w/ the Leroy Kirkland Orchestra); the track was issued as a 7" on Okeh Records and appeared on the At Home With Screamin' Jay Hawkins LP in 1958.


*While "I Put A Spell On You" was reportedly intended to be a refined blues ballad lamenting a lost love, the final product was anything but subdued. Hawkins screams, groans, and gurgles on the track like an unrestrained wild man whose heartache is both palpable and primitive. He later accounted for this dramatic change in tone by explaining that the producer "brought in ribs and chicken and got everybody drunk, and we came out with this weird version. I don't even remember making the record."

Although some sources state that Hawkins had actually recorded a more sedate rendition several years prior, there doesn't appear to be any definitive evidence to justify that claim. What is certain, however, is that the Okeh original was edited to override the song's initial ban from the airwaves. The alternate version allowed the song to sell over a million copies and crack the Top 40; no small feat for a track that had once been shunned due to its "cannibalistic sounds" and overtly sexual grunting noises.

Hawkins' newly found success ultimately led to his professional affiliation with famed DJ and radio personality Alan Freed. Hawkins had always been somewhat more flamboyant and ostentatious than the prototypical bluesman, but Freed soon had a bugged-out brainstorm that would forever alter the course of Jay's career. He imagined that if Hawkins developed an outlandish persona to match the eerie vibe of his popular recording, his live act was destined to garner quite a bit of attention. Freed had such confidence in the potential of this idea that he offered Jay a $300 bonus to pop out of a coffin at the beginning of one of his performances. The gimmick paid off, and Hawkins' outrageous onstage antics would come to include a number of voodoo stage props, including rubber snakes and a cigarette-smoking skull named "Henry".


The whole madman schtick was brilliant to the extent that it profoundly influenced later purveyors of "shock rock"such as Alice Cooper, Warren Zevon, Ted Nugent, Black Sabbath, Marilyn Manson, and even George Clinton. The downside of Hawkins' grossly exaggerated peculiarities and wildly theatrical live performances was that the emphasis predictably shifted away from the purity of his artistic potential. Like it or not, most snobby music elitists are reluctant to admit their fondness for the kooky guy in witch doctor regalia who sang his deranged heart out on jams like "Constipation Blues".

*In addition to the indelible mark he made on music history, Hawkins fortified his notoriety by fathering a whole shitload of unclaimed children. The deadbeat dad estimated that he had approximately 57 children in various parts of the world, although he only remained in close contact with one~ a puppeteer from Cleveland named Irene. At one point there was actually a website that sought to unite anyone who thought he might be their daddy. In 2001, the year following Hawkins' death, a fraction of his offspring gathered in Los Angeles for an event that was tauted as Screamin' Jay's Illegitimate Family Reunion. Accordingly, there's little doubt that the man's legacy will live on...and on...and on...

*Nina Simone was the first major recording artist to cover "I Put A Spell On You", although her interpretation was decidedly less maniacal than the original. Artists as diverse as Creedence Clearwater Revival, Arthur Brown, Bryan Ferry, Marilyn Manson, Bonnie Tyler, Nick Cave, Manfred Mann, The Animals, Joe Cocker, Fever Tree, Queen Latifah, and The Eels have subsequently put their own spin on the classic tune.

*Demon Fuzz has never been given their proper due in popular culture, but they certainly amassed a substantial cult following during and in the aftermath of their all-too-brief, 18-month musical career. The past decade has certainly seen a marked rise in their popularity, as record collectors, DJs and producers have become increasingly enamored with their material.

The group's inception is generally traced back to Paddy Corea, who reportedly conceived of the idea to blend a multi-genre mélange of musical styles while on an extended sojourn in Africa. Due in part to Corea's panoramic worldview, Demon Fuzz's sound is a large-scale synthesis of latin grooves, soul, funk, jazz, reggae, rock, calypso, highlife, the blues, Ethiopian church music, ska, etc. You name it and they likely experimented or were in some way influenced by it.


The London-based collective's music has been likened to Cymande, Sly & The Family Stone, Mandrill, Santana, and Funkadelic, but a simplistic comparative analysis is no substitute for actually listening to their material. Many writers are quick to describe recording artists as "unique", but these guys were legitimately innovative, if for no other reason than their deviation from many of the usual trappings of guitar-oriented popular music. Demon Fuzz were far more focused on exploring the infinite possibilities of rhythm and percussion, and their unorthodox time signatures and elaborate arrangements further added to the progressive vibe of their recordings.

The group's stirring rendition of "I Put A Spell On You" was originally issued as one of three bonus joints on an EP released alongside their five-song Afreaka LP (Janus 1970). The EP has long been somewhat of an obscurity, but those who are primarily seeking convenience should check out the remastered version (Castle 2005), which includes all 8 tracks. Diehard fans will also want to seek out the Roots & Offshoots collection, which has also been reissued on CD (Paco Media Inc 2006).


"Impossible"---Diz Gibran (LimeLinx)
"Impossible"---Diz Gibran (YSI)

*Contains an interpolation of Feist's "Intuition" (written by Leslie Feist) from her 2007 LP, The Reminder.

*"Impossible" by Diz Gibran appears on Crooks & Castles Presents: Soon You'll Understand, an ill collaboration between the Los Angeles-based MC and Moonshine, a producer hailing from Queens, New York.

*Some of you may be questioning why I didn't save this for the Souled On Samples series. Essentially it's because "Impossible" can't even be accurately described as sample-heavy~ Moonshine wisely allowed the Feist song to breathe and play out for a minute at the beginning of the track with very little technical interference. This approach is effective in that the plaintive mood of the original song is fully preserved, while Gibran's reflective lyricism graciously complements the track's already engaging atmosphere.

*Several months ago, Gibran told Vibe Magazine that he intends to work diligently towards "reshaping the perception of the West Coast". The up-and-coming MC views this transformation as being far bigger than hip hop~ he is of the mindset that this "renaissance" encompasses multiple aspects of style, culture, and creativity. Striving to modify the generic gangsta stereotype that's long plagued the Left Coast, Gibran is steadily making good on his promise to be a positive force in the expansion of the New West.


"Going In Circles"---Wayne McGhie & The Sounds Of Joy (LimeLinx)
"Going In Circles"---Wayne McGhie & The Sounds Of Joy (YSI)

*Written by Jerry Peters and Anita Poree; the song originally appeared on The Friends Of Distinction's 1969 Grazin′ LP. It peaked at #15 on the U.S. Pop chart, and #3 on the R&B chart.

*While Isaac Hayes released what I consider to be the definitive version on his Black Moses LP, the song has also been covered by artists such as Esther Phillips, Luther Vandross, and The Gap Band.

*Wayne McGhie & The Sounds Of Joy's self-titled debut is widely regarded as the first Canadian funk album, although the group expertly infused elements of soul, jazz, reggae, and R&B into their sound as well.

Shortly after the Kingston-born Jo Jo Bennett relocated to Toronto in 1967, he began performing regularly at the West Indian Federation Club. When asked to assemble a house band, Bennett requested that several Jamaican musicians join him, and Wayne McGhie left his home in Montego Bay to answer his call. The WIF club eventually became a popular hotspot, and McGhie triumphantly emerged as a highly sought-after singer/songwriter. During this time McGhie became acquainted with the legendary Jackie Mittoo, as well as many other artists who were affiliated with the "Motown of reggae", otherwise known as the famed Studio One label.

In the winter of 1969, McGhie assembled many of his affiliates and friends to begin work on the Sounds Of Joy album. The collective of musicians worked on their material during off-hours at Art Snider's Sound Canada Recording Centre, and McGhie forged a seemingly solid distribution deal with the Birchmount label.

The record was released the following year, but it fared rather poorly in terms of sales, due in large part to the fact that Birchmount neglected to promote the album. Months later, a fire at the label's pressing plant destroyed the remaining copies of the LP, and somewhat predictably, the record was never reprinted.

McGhie continued recording one-off projects for Studio One and his friend Jackie Mittoo, but by the end of the decade he had literally disappeared from the music scene. Evidently, the talented musician suffered from a severe chemical imbalance that resulted in him being homeless and out-of-touch with all of his friends and previous industry contacts.

In the mid-90s, a record dealer stumbled across the Sounds Of Joy album and sold it to Prince Be (of PM Dawn) for $300. Word spread quickly amongst crate diggers, and original copies of the record began raking in as much as $500. Pete Rock, Q-Tip, Buck 65, Mr. Supreme, and DJ Sureshot were amongst the bevy of hip hop producers who would eventually come to champion the long lost LP.

Light In The Attic Records embarked on a mission to contact the elusive McGhie, and in 2004 they discovered that he was living with his sister in Toronto. Their meeting ultimately led to the LP being reissued, both on compact disc and 180 gram vinyl.

While the funky drum breaks are worth the price of admission alone, the covers and original material on the album qualify this as one of the nicest LPs you've probably never heard.


"Just Ain't Gonna Work Out (Astronote Remix)"---Mayer Hawthorne (LimeLinx)
"Just Ain't Gonna Work Out (Astronote Remix)"---Mayer Hawthorne (YSI)

Mayer Hawthorne may look like that dude you want to do your taxes, but there's a reason why conventional wisdom preaches that appearances can be deceiving. I don't know how well the man flips digits, but I'm certain that his ultimate strength lies in his extraordinarily soulful falsetto...

*This lovely joint (described as Smokey meets J Dilla) was Mayer Hawthorne and The County's debut single. Released by Stones Throw as a heart-shaped 7-inch (STH7028), the 2008 track premiered on Gilles Peterson's show on BBC Radio 1. The 45, backed with "When I Said Goodbye”, was limited to a mere 1000 copies. Hawthorne wrote, recorded, sang and played on both tracks.

*Peanut Butter Wolf says that Hawthorne is the only artist he's signed on the strength of only two songs.

*Although he's since relocated to Cali, Hawthorne grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, just outside of Detroit. He reports being heavily influenced by the Motown sound, while drawing additional inspiration from Curtis Mayfield, Barry White, Smokey Robinson, Leroy Hutson, and Isaac Hayes.

*The crooner's debut full-length, A Strange Arrangement, is slated to hit the streets on October 6, 2009.

*Astronote is a DJ/producer/remixologist from Paris, France who has steadily been building his resume since 2004. His first drop was his killer spin on The Black Album, and he's been holding steady ever since. His most renowned project to date is Bigger & Better : The Notorious Remixes, hosted by Talib Kweli.


"All For The Best"---Thom Yorke (LimeLinx)
"All For The Best"---Thom Yorke (YSI)

*Written by Marc Mulcahy, ex-frontman for Miracle Legion; "All For The Best" appears on the group's Surprise, Surprise, Surprise LP (Rough Trade, 2000).

*This cover just hit the internets a few days ago (shout out to 2Dopeboyz)~ it's one of 21 tracks that will appear on the upcoming LP, Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy. Ciao is a tribute album being released to provide support for Mulcahy, whose wife's sudden death last year has left the musician to raise their three-year-old twins alone.

Clearly there's a charitable intention behind the project, but even if you're an evil-hearted bastard, the stellar line-up should persuade you to consider purchasing the LP when it's released in September. Yorke's fellow contributors include The National, Dinosaur Jr., Frank Black, Michael Stipe, Mercury Rev, Vic Chesnutt, and many more.

FUNDAMENTAL SUPPLEMENTAL:


"Ceremony"---Radiohead (LimeLinx)
"Ceremony"---Radiohead (YSI)

*Written by Joy Division's Ian Curtis (alongside Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, and Stephen Forest), "Ceremony" was penned while the band was still called Joy Division. Following Curtis' suicide, the group reincarnated itself, and "Ceremony" (b/w "In A Lonely Place") was released as the first single under the New Order moniker. For the revamped NO version, guitarist Bernard Sumner took over the lead vocals, allegedly using a graphic equalizer to transcribe Curtis' lyrics from their rehearsal tapes.

Later that same year, New Order went back into the studio to record a second take, featuring Gillian Gilbert on guitar just before she formally joined the band. There are numerous differences between the two renditions New Order released, but to simplify the discrepancies, the earlier take was far more heavily influenced by Joy Division's signature bleak soundscapes than the latter.

There are also two known Joy Division versions of the song~ one is a live recording that appears on Still, while the other was included on their Heart and Soul four-disc box set. Unfortunately, in both cases, Curtis' lyrics are only partially comprehensible/audible.

*Xiu Xiu, The Morning Benders, The Echoing Green, and Galaxie 500 are amongst the many bands who have taken turns reinventing the track.

*Radiohead performed their stellar cover for their Thumbs Down webcast on November 9, 2007:


Word From Your Moms:

“The theme is the theme of humiliation, which is the square root of sin, as opposed to the freedom from humiliation, and love, which is the square root of wonderful.”

“The mind is like a richly woven tapestry in which the colors are distilled from the experiences of the senses, and the design drawn from the convolutions of the intellect.”

“It is a curious emotion, this certain homesickness I have in mind. With Americans, it is a national trait, as native to us as the roller-coaster or the jukebox. It is no simple longing for the home town or country of our birth. The emotion is Janus-faced: we are torn between a nostalgia for the familiar and an urge for the foreign and strange. As often as not, we are homesick most for the places we have never known.”

~Above quotes by Carson McCullers

It Ain't No Use In Jivin'; Some Souls Need Revivin'...

"A Song For You"---Merry Clayton (LimeLinx)
"A Song For You"---Merry Clayton (YSI)

~Appears on the Merry Clayton LP (Ode 1971)

Although "A Song For You" was written and originally recorded by singer/songwriter/musician Leon Russell, most soul fans tend to enthusiastically agree that the definitive version was rendered by none other than the late, great Donny Hathaway. While the lyrics themselves are undoubtedly imbued with a degree of poignancy, it was Hathaway's deeply affecting take on the song that arguably blessed it with such a palpable sense of sincerity and longing. His impassioned delivery epitomizes the very essence of what makes soul music so moving and evocative~ unless you have sociopathic tendencies, it's virtually impossible not to absorb and fully empathize with his pain.

Now that I've lavished Hathaway's rendition with such high praise, you may rightfully be wondering what in hell would possess me to post an alternative cover of the song. For one thing, of the 30+ versions of this song I've heard, Merry Clayton's take is easily amongst my favorites once you control for the daunting Hathaway Effect. I sincerely dig the way Aretha, The Temptations, and Ray Charles interpreted the song, but Clayton's enormous vocal talent is too often criminally overlooked, which keeps me perpetually inspired to champion her sound. I featured her stellar rendition of Neil Young's "Southern Man" quite some time ago, and while it arguably surpasses "A Song For You" in terms of overall quality, she has the chops to transform nearly everything she touches into a quasi-religious experience.

It also may be of interest that Clayton was actually the first artist to release a cover of "A Song For You". She and Hathaway both released their versions in 1971, a year that also saw covers issued by Bill Medley, Helen Reddy, and Andy Williams. Oddly enough, only Williams garnered any measurable commercial success with the tune, peaking at #82 on the Billboard charts. I've never been a big fan of the popular crooner's work, but evidently that makes me uncivilized~ old people think he's dope and Ronald Reagan once declared his voice a national treasure. I'm certain there has to be a Time-Life retrospective of his material floating around on eBay, so...you know...get busy, son.

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"D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune)"---Jay-Z (LimeLinx)
"D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune)"---Jay-Z (YSI)

Souled On Sample:

"In The Space"---Janko Nilovic & Dave Sucky (LimeLinx)
"In The Space"---Janko Nilovic & Dave Sucky (YSI)

Only in the rapidly cycling age of the internets would a track that leaked 2 1/2 weeks ago be considered old school, but for all intents and purposes, "D.O.A." has already been thoroughly vetted. Not only has it already undergone intense scrutiny by the armchair army, it's also spawned an impassioned response from the community of artists who utilize Auto-Tune. I'm sure that most of you have heard this already, but it's all good. You probably missed this if...say...you just recently escaped the clutches of an extremist cult that forced you to marry your cousin, punished you for refusing to drink the kool-aid, and banned access to all forms of media (with the possible exception of Channel 18).

Jay declaring a moratorium on Auto-Tune doesn't particularly bother me, because I would bet my meager life savings on the fact that "T-Painin'" (formerly known as the Cher Effect) will go down in history as one of the tackiest trends to ever infiltrate popular music. There's no doubt that a handful of artists have used it imaginatively and effectively, but for the most part, the novelty has progressively worn off with every irritating instance of creative abuse. Perhaps my bitterness is biased because I'm positive that I deserve credit for inventing this shit in the early '80s~ I nearly ripped my face off once while singing an MC Hammer song into the back of my Auntie Peaches' metal blade 12 volt fan.

Much as I'm down with Hov , I gave up hoping a long time ago that he would drop something as lyrically impressive as his rhymes on Reasonable Doubt, or even The Black Album. That said, he flips some clever lines on this joint, and I don't think I'll be mad if the final version of Blueprint 3 contains material of this caliber.

I also included the song that producer No I.D. sampled on the cut~ a track from a dusty library record called Psyc Impressions. I'm kinda scratching my head at all the people who are going bananas over the production on this song. Don't kill me~ I'm a No I.D. fan from way back, and I give him an A+ for being an industrious crate digger. The entire record is full of creative possibilities that heretofore have been overlooked and I give him mad props for having the foresight to unearth it. My only issue is that it's so faithful to the original that it comes across as more derivative than imaginative.

All in all, this is a pretty good look for Hov, with the added bonus that wifey isn't all up in the cut singing some of that oh oh ooh oh oh ooh oh oh ooh oh oh oh shit...


"Can't Buy Soul"---Hebrew Rogers (LimeLinx)
"Can't Buy Soul"---Hebrew Rogers (YSI)

Funky Music Machine is one of the illest funk compilations ever released on the Soul Patrol label. I know that many purists prefer to search for the original 45s, but since that's not always probable or practical, I'm never ashamed to cop a set of killer funk and soul grooves.

One of the obvious standouts on this particular collection is "Can't Buy Soul" by Hebrew Rogers. First released on the Original Sound label in 1973, the track was penned by the multi-talented Preston Epps. While Rogers remains a bit of an enigma, Epps is an accomplished percussionist who settled in Southern California after his tour of duty during the Korean War. While stationed in Okinawa he learned to play a number of different instruments, most notably the bongos. After being signed to Original Sounds Epps released "Bongo Rock" in 1959~ a hit single that climbed to #14 on the Billboard charts and was later covered by The Incredible Bongo Band. Epps subsequently released a full-length LP, and tried to mirror this early success with other bongo-themed joints such as "Bongo Bongo Bongo", "Bootlace Bongo", "Flamenco Bongo", "Bongo Boogie", "Mr. Bongo", "Bongo Shuffle", "Bongo in the Congo", "Bongo Rocket", etc. Perhaps it was bongo overkill, because none of these records touched the popularity or impact made by his first single, but Epps continued to work as a session musician and was a fixture on the SoCal club scene well into the 1990s. At any rate, I was impressed to learn that Epps wrote this extraordinary deep funk classic, and I'm also quite grateful that he avoided lacing the title with any of his standard bongoisms.

The Funky Music Machine compilation is becoming increasingly difficult to find through major retailers, but this particular gem is still available as the B-side to Deloris Ealy & The Roadrunners Band's "It's About Time I Made A Change" on Deep Groove Sounds, and was also compiled on BGP Records' SuperFunk Is Back- Rare And Classic Funk 1968-1977 LP in 2007. The latter has a bit more filler material than Funky Music Machine in my opinion, but it boasts a number of hard-to-find and previously unissued recordings that unquestionably inflate its overall worth.


"Words Of Wisdom (They Don't Know)"---Sam Sever and the Raiders of the Lost Art (LimeLinx)
"Words Of Wisdom (They Don't Know)"---Sam Sever and the Raiders of the Lost Art (YSI)

Although relatively few heads recognize Sam Sever's name these days, the NY-based producer has worked with a myriad of artists, including The Beastie Boys, Tricky Tee, Run-DMC, Oran 'Juice' Jones, Tashan, Ms. Melodie, Nikki D, Sham & The Professor, and A.D.O.R.

Although many hip hop elders still highly regard his early 90's hip-hop group with Bosco Money, Downtown Science, Sever (aka Sam Citrin) is perhaps most widely recognized for his affiliation with 3rd Bass. Having worked with both MC Serch and Pete Nice on their respective demos, he suggested that the two rival MCs work together, which ultimately lead to the group's formation. 3rd Bass scored a contract with Def Jam, and Sever stayed on board to produce a great deal of their material.

"Words Of Wisdom (They Don't Know)" was released by Sever on a Mo Wax 12" in 1995. What's That Sound? featured an ill side and a chill side, and this dope little throwback joint was one of three tracks featured on the latter. According to Can I Bring My Gat?, the spoken word on the track is courtesy of one of The Last Poets. This joint may be 14 years old, but its commentary on the recording industry couldn't be more relevant: “Record company is the pimp, artist is the ho, the stage is the corner, and the audience is the trick.” Word.

Dig deeper...


"The Truth Shall Make You Free"---King Hannibal (LimeLinx)
"The Truth Shall Make You Free"---King Hannibal (YSI)

*From the Truth LP (Aware, 1973)

King Hannibal starts off "The Truth Shall Make You Free" with a big wailing echo: "I wanna talk to all you addicts out there...that's got yourself a great big jones...and you done tried...the methadone...and you just can't leave that herion alone...I wonder...have you tried Jeeeee-zussssss." Those few lines speak volumes about a man who is perhaps one of the most interesting characters in all of soul music's history.

Born James Shaw, Hannibal started singing doo-wop in his hometown of Atlanta, GA. By 1954 he was singing with the Overalls, a group that included two future members of the Pips, Edward Patten and Merald "Bubba" Knight. He soon moved to LA and stepped out as a solo artist, releasing material on various labels as Jimmy Shaw, Hannibal, and the Mighty Hannibal.

By the mid-60s, Hannibal was beginning to fully realize his artistic potential. His vocal abilities were progessively more impressive, and he had developed a distinctive persona that involved his trademark turbans and an indescribably hypnotic stage presence. Upon returning to Atlanta, he signed with Shurfine Records and released two sides that were amongst the finest of his musical career, "Jerkin' The Dog" and "Hymn No. 5". Originally issued in 1966, "Hymn No. 5" became Hannibal's most commercially successful single, peaking at #21 on the R&B charts. Vividly depicting the horrors of the Vietnam War, the anti-establishment anthem was both radical and visionary in the sense that it preceded most of the protest music that would later be released. Despite the fact that many radio stations refused to play it, the record sold more than 3,000 copies in Columbus, Georgia alone, presumably because many of the soldiers stationed at Fort Benning could relate to the song's powerful sentiments.

Although this defining moment could have launched Hannibal into superstardom, the charismatic vocalist was spending more of his time pimping than performing, in addition to being consumed by a crippling heroin addiction. His gradual descent into hell-on-earth would be further punctuated by a stint a jail for tax evasion.

These trials and tribulations ultimately lead to Hannibal's re-emergence in the '70s as a reformed man with a newly signed contract with Aware Records. King Hannibal, as he was now calling himself, had officially traded heroin for Jesus, and he was enthusiastic about sharing the recipe for his triumphance with anyone who would listen. Understanding a bit of the backstory makes "The Truth Shall Set You Free" more than an in-your-face anti-drug anthem; it's the tale of a man whose life crumbled under his excesses until he found the strength to rise above his struggles and put himself back in the game. I'm not much for hyper-religiosity, but I can certainly appreciate the man's resilience, and besides...it's a funky-ass cut. (If you dig this, you might wanna check out his slight variation on this same theme, aptly titled "God's The Only Cure For The Crack". Seriously, cousin...)

Hannibal languished in obscurity for much of the '80s and '90s, but his career was jump-started when some of his music was featured in the film Velvet Goldmine. The artist is now blind and living in the Bronx, but he's still hustlin' CDs out of his apartment, and returned to Atlanta in 2007 for the proclamation of Mighty Hannibal Day.

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"Fly Crow"---Tha Connection (LimeLinx)
"Fly Crow"---Tha Connection (YSI)

I think I may have mentioned this before, but Tha Connection's Trapeze was one of my favorite hip hop releases last year. Although 2009 is far from over, I feel confident in saying that their latest LP, The Love Royale, is likely to achieve the same elevated status this year when all is said and done.

Critical analysis/deconstruction isn't really my forte~ if I like something I like it, and I usually don't feel like bustin' out my thesaurus to justify whatever wild claims I'm making about a song or album on any given day (how fuckin' gangsta and anti-blogger of me). Consequently, I'll keep this relatively simple...What makes these guys so ill is their instinct for blending the soulful and the gritty. Their press release for The Love Royale vividly depicts their style as "pure nostalgic soul sounding vibes as sharp as blade winds".

If you had asked me in '93 what soulful hip hop sounded like, I would have probably referenced Gang Starr, Wu-Tang or Mobb Deep. RZA, Premier and Havoc were masterful at flipping some lovely old records, but those guys also knew how to keep it grimy. It would be ludicrous to blame the regression exclusively on Kanye's "chimpmunk soul" period, but that's roughly the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back. Soulful hip hop got saddled with an oversized pink backpack and it hasn't quite managed to regain its integrity, composure, or credibility ever since.

In any case, I have much respect for Tha Connection in the sense that their music is an authentic throwback to the raw soul and jazz-infused bleakness of the golden era's east coast vibe. Don't jump on this expecting the caliber of The Infamous or 36 Chambers, but appreciate what is undoubtedly a positive step towards reclaiming a long lost art. MCs SmooVth and Hus don't spit the wittiest rhymes I've ever heard, but they're ingenious at creating the sort of moody atmosphere that characterized a grip of venerable hip hop classics. .

I've been listening to this album for a couple of months now, and I keep getting stuck on different tracks that I'll play on repeat until I step to the next one. I just started diggin' "Fly Crow", but you'll wanna cop the whole album so you can check out other dope joints such as "Royale", "Dum Dum Dum", "Let's Go", "Fool In Love", "Get Live", and the revamped version of "Take It Higher".

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"When It's Over"---Don Varner (LimeLinx)
"When It's Over"---Don Varner (YSI)

Although I'm guessing that many of you haven't heard of Don Varner, the raspy-voiced soul vocalist performed or shared the stage with the likes of Ray Charles, Billy Preston, Sam Cooke, and Jackie Wilson, just to name a few. Primarily issuing his singles on a string of obscure labels during the '60s and '70s, Varner recorded most of his material at Quin Ivy's studio in Muscle Shoals.

While the singer became somewhat legendary on the Northern Soul scene, his records enjoyed considerably less success in the States as compared to the UK. It's nearly impossible to justify why his talents were so underappreciated, but Varner is one of many accomplished artists who simply didn't receive the proper marketing and distribution to garner significant acclaim. In addition to his impressive baritone voice, Varner was also a prolific songwriter who stockpiled an abundance of original material in his vault.

The first proper collection of the artist's works, including previously unissued tracks, was released by RPM Records in the UK in 2005. Sadly, Varner passed away in 2002 and wasn't able to fully enjoy the rekindled interest in his material that was sparked at the turn of the millenium. His widow is fully committed to keeping the spirit of his music alive, and she was instrumental in laying the groundwork that led to the posthumous release of Finally Got Over!

Varner's tracks have appeared on various compilations, but I'd definitely recommend purchasing this excellent CD reissue of his recordings. "When It's Over" (an R&B twist on the same basic theme Cat Stevens explored on "Wild World" IMO) is merely one of 23 solid cuts from a man who epitomized the very heart of Southern soul music.

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"See It All"---Fink (LimeLinx)
"See It All"---Fink (YSI)

*Appears on Sort Of A Revolution (Ninja Tune, 2009)

I'm thoroughly bored with writing in paragraph format, but I do want to share this one last song from Fink's captivating Sort Of A Revolution LP. A few random and potentially poorly organized facts:

*Born Fin Greenall, Fink was raised in Bristol in a musical household~ his father was a folk artist and his mother was a music manager. He started off his own career in the industry as a DJ and club promoter.

*Fink was the first traditional singer/songwriter to be on Ninja Tune's roster.

*He has worked in various capacities with artists such as Amy Winehouse, Nitin Sawhney, Zero 7, and Bonobo. His Sort Of A Revolution LP contains material he collaborated on with John Legend.

*Fink has drawn comparisons to artist such as Massive Attack, JJ Cale, Nick Drake, Nick Cave, Jeff Buckley, and John Martyn.

*His Sort Of A Revolution LP was preceded by Fresh Produce, Biscuits For Breakfast, and Distance And Time

*I didn't listen to Sort Of A Revolution very much at first, but one day not too long ago its brilliance just sort of crept up on me. In my experience it's often the albums that finally dawn on me after repeated listens that ultimately have the greatest replay value. "See It All" was the track that was coming out of the speakers when I experienced my little "holy fuck" moment...

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Word From Your Moms:

"I am gonna write poems til i die and when i have gotten outta this body i am gonna hang round in the wind and knock over everybody who got their feet on the ground."---Ntozake Shange

How We Ever Gonna Get Up If That's How We Get Down?

How ya feelin' out there, soul children?

Hopefully things are starting to heat up in your part of the world, and there's nothing more potent than some scorching hot music to fan the flames. Whatever it is that may be ailing you, don't let it keep you down~ just sweat it out, kids. Like my grandmama used to always say, sometimes you gotta blaze up if you wanna stay lifted.

Be easy, fam...Scholar

"Funky Hi-Life"---CK Mann & Carousel 7 (LimeLinx)
"Funky Hi-Life"---CK Mann & Carousel 7 (YSI)

CK Mann (aka Charles Kofi Amankwaa Mann) is a renowned Ghanaian musician whose profound impact on the evolution of highlife music has made him a beloved and highly influential artist not only in West Africa, but in many other parts of the world as well.

A self-taught guitarist, Mann's illustrious career began in the 1960s, when he joined Moses Kweku Oppong's band Kakaiku. Once he had fully established himself as an artist, he struck out on his own to form the Carousel 7 , swiftly garnering success with a mega-hit called "Edina Brenya".

I won't torture you by rambling on about the complex history of highlife~ I'm pretty sure that a good many of you snitches are content in believing that the Black Eyed Peas constitute "world music" (although seriously, having an appreciation for "lovely lady lumps" doesn't necessarily make you sophisticated, playa). It's still important to note, however, that highlife music's relevance and viability was greatly threatened in the early '70s by the increasing popularity of the funk and disco movement. It was at this critical juncture that Mann began to innovatively fuse core elements of osode (a music sung by Ghanaian fishermen in the west of the country) and highlife with heavy, funkdafied basslines, effectively saving the genre from extinction.

One of the best records to emerge from this stylistic fusion was undoubtedly "Funky Hi-Life". Originally dubbed "Asafo Beson", this irresistible groove first appeared as the intro to a 1975 album-long party LP. The handclaps, footstomps, and vocals harmonies are reminiscent of highlife's origins, while the thunderous bass and whirling organs gave the track a more contemporary vibe that was favored by the younger generation.

This has long been one of my favorite summer records. Hopefully it will have a similar effect on all of you and get you hoppin' around on your feet and shit. If you've been sprawled out on your couch all winter, it's probably a good time to burn off some of that excess baby fat anyway, children...


"On And On (Deep Focus Remix)"---Erykah Badu (LimeLinx)
"On And On (Deep Focus Remix)"---Erykah Badu (YSI)

Deep Focus (aka Robin Andrews) is an unsigned producer from the UK who is extraordinarily masterful at creating lush electronic soundscapes. In addition to reworking tracks from a variety of genres, he's also dropped quite a few of his own beats on MySpace and his YouTube channel (be sure to check out his joint "Heavy Metal"). While his music is loosely categorized as drum & bass, the majority of his compositions bear a chilled out, relaxed vibe that you won't need copious amounts of amphetamines to appreciate. This reworking of Erykah's classic should serve as a proper introduction...


"Strange Fruit"---Ohene ft. Greg Soundz (LimeLinx)
"Strange Fruit"---Ohene ft. Greg Soundz (YSI)

As strongly as I believe that reinventing, remixing, and reimagining soul music is crucial in maintaining its relevance to coming generations, I get more than a little nervous when anyone tries to fuck around with Nina Simone. My reverence for her artistry runs deeper than I could possibly explain with words, and hacking away at her material to produce lame rap joints or shitty dance tracks is nothing short of blasphemy in my opinion. Consequently, the odds were greatly stacked against me appreciating...let alone endorsing...Ohene's magnificent tribute to the High Priestess of Soul.

What makes this project so outstanding is that Ohene is capable of channeling the same revolutionary spirit that made Nina one of the most impassioned, engaging, and socially conscious artists of all time. Dividing time between his homes in Philadelphia and Ghana, West Africa, this young griot's insightful storytelling and uncanny wisdom are undoubtedly rooted in his unique global perspective. Almost every line he utters is worthy of quotation, introspection and profound meditation, which has led to his work being analyzed and deconstructed in several university classrooms around the United States.

Although it may be challenging for Ohene to survive a climate where meaningful lyricism is progressively falling from grace, his music and message will undoubtedly have a strong and lasting impact on anyone who's willing to openly listen. His tribute to Nina Simone scratches the surface of his capabilities, but he's got several other releases you may want to look into as well. Be sure to cop his new free mixtape, The O Files, via Hip Hop Linguistics.

Dig deeper... (Ohene's MySpace)


"My Love Will Never Die"---Johnny Jenkins (LimeLinx)
"My Love Will Never Die"---Johnny Jenkins (YSI)

Johnny Edward Jenkins was born in 1939 in a rural area east of Macon called Swift Creek. His love for music was nurtured by the country and R&B music he heard playing on the radio, and at age 9, the self-taught guitarist built himself a crude version of the instrument with a cigar box and rubber bands that he played left-handed and upside down. His first performances were held at a gas station nearby, where he honed his skills while attempting to hustle the locals for tip money. After his sister bought him a real six-string, Jenkins grew to be quite a flashy guitar player, and his ostentatious and acrobatic antics had a seminal influence on a young Jimi Hendrix, who was profoundly affected when he saw him perform.

Despite Jenkins' own prodigious talents, the musician is perhaps best known for his somewhat rocky relationship with Otis Redding. After seeing Redding perform at a talent show, Jenkins invited the vocalist to join forces with his blues group, The Pinetoppers. By most accounts, Redding was primarily cast in the uneviable role of running errands and acting as the group's chauffeur.

However, the tides began to turn in Redding's favor when The Pinetoppers were invited to record an album in 1962 for Stax Records in Memphis. The sessions were reportedly disastrous and ended sooner than expected, but history was made when Otis asked if he could use the remainder of their studio time to sing some of his own selections. "These Arms Of Mine" was one of the tracks Redding recorded at that time, featuring Jenkins on guitar and Steve Cropper on piano. The song would, of course, become Otis' breakthrough single, and he alone was subsequently offered a recording contract.

It's often said that Jenkins was invited to join Redding's band, but declined the offer due to an intense fear of flying. However, Jenkins was known to occasionally make unkind remarks about the soul singer, including that he was "hell to get along with" and a bully.

Jenkins recorded a solo LP called Ton-Ton Macoute in 1970, accompanied by Duane Allman and other members of The Allman Brothers Band. Although the album was well received by critics, Jenkins grew weary of the trappings of the music industry and didn't release another solo record until Blessed Blues in 1996. He released two subsequent LPs in the new millenium, Handle With Care and All in Good Time, before dying of a stroke in the summer of 2006.

To be honest, I never checked out any of Jenkins' releases from the second phase of his career, but Ton-Ton Macoute remains a permanent staple at the core of my music collection. His cover of Dr. John's "Walk On Gilded Splinters" is easily the album's masterpiece, and the only reason I didn't offer it at this juncture is because I'm planning to feature it for an episode of a themed post in the near future. "My Love Will Never Die" more than holds its own, however, as a soulful, bluesy ballad that strikes right at the heart of Jenkin's inimitable flamboyance and enviable musical dexterity.

Dig deeper...


"Days Of Fire"---Nitin Sawhney ft. Natty (LimeLinx)
"Days Of Fire"---Nitin Sawhney ft. Natty (YSI)

Soul children in the UK are likely already well-versed in the versatile and creative talents of Nitin Sawhney, but for my peoples in the U.S., the genre-bending artist is still far from being a household name. It's difficult to observe an economy of expression when describing Sawhney's numerous achievements, but suffice it to say that this award-winning musician has garnered much worldwide acclaim as a multi-instrumentalist, DJ, songwriter, composer, and producer. Having worked with artists such as Paul McCartney, Sting, Jeff Beck, Brian Eno, and Sinead O’Connor, Sawhney has managed to not only establish himself with his growing fanbase, but also with many of the music industry's most high profile celebrities.

His most recent offering, the 2008 London Undersound LP, has largely met with praise and commendation, although the album has also been panned by a handful of the armchair critic elite. Inspired by the bombings of 7/7 and eventual shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, the recounting of these tragic events understandably resonates rather deeply with many listeners. The undertaking of this stirring subject matter has, in fact, sparked a bit of controversy that's led to a array of unyielding opinions. Perhaps nowhere is this divergence of sentiment more evident than on the album's opening track "Days Of Fire", sung by Natty, who witnessed the 7/7 bus bombing and was in the Stockwell tube station at the time of the De Menezes killing. Here are a few examples that illustrate the dissenting public viewpoint on the track:

"Opening with hip-hop vocals by DJ Natty over folksy guitars and background samples that mimic half-heard train announcements, 'Days Of Fire' is the kind of first track that makes you both want to smack Sawhney for being so clever and bow down before the fact that he is, as he deftly mixes English and international influences in achingly modern protest songs for the 21st century."~ Music OMH

"Sadly, I can think of no worse start to an album than 'Days of Fire'. Featuring reggae-soulster, Natty, the track describes how Natty got caught up in events on the day Charles de Menezes was fatally shot in Stockwell. Where to begin? Perhaps the general inaccuracies of the story, or maybe just the plain, abhorrent insensitivity of using a tragic murder and miscarriage of justice to bolster your personal point-of-view. The plainest thing that comes to light is the complete selfishness of Londoners; there is no art in a smug exploitation of art masquerading as moral explanation."~ Drowned In Sound

"Natty's opening commentary on the shooting is impassioned but his Marley-lite voice can't convey the true horror."~ the BBC

"Starting with 'Days of Fire', reggae singer Natty speaks of somber realizations about how the citizens of the capital, and himself personally, have been affected by 7/7 and other disasters. The lyrics of the songs describes how things changed after the terror attacks. Natty sounds honest as he progresses with his description - one of the best on the album."~ Radioandmusic.com

"Natty’s gravelly delivery is strained in places, hinting desperation, to a deeper, lower approach, sounding somewhat detached and desensitised. In other places, he jaunts along as he talks us through his actions and his frame of mind throughout. Instrumentally simplistic and repetitive in its acoustic arrangement with only Natty traversing verbally, it only serves to effectively heighten his emotional state in his vocal tonal changes thus being extremely lyrically aware."~ DIY

There you have it, kids. Since there's a fair amount of geographic distance between myself and these dreadful events, I couldn't possibly weigh in on the intricacies of the song's merits in any meaningful way~ my goal, as always, is merely to provoke thought and emotion on the part of my readers. As a fan of Sawhney's work, I would implore you to explore his discography, but as far as how you receive it...well, that part's up to you.

Dig deeper...


"Love Is Pretty"---The Lovelites (LimeLinx)
"Love Is Pretty"---The Lovelites (YSI)

The Chicago-based Lovelites' foray into music began when three high school girls~ Patti Hamilton, her sister Rozena Petty, and Barbara Peterman~ joined forces in the 1960s. In 1968 Peterman left and was replaced by Ardell McDaniel, a year before the group scored a fairly impressive hit with "How Can I Tell My Mom & Dad". The song's lyrics seem to imply the theme of teenage pregnancy, a subject still widely considered as taboo at the time of the record's release.

On the strength of this one single, the vocalists were afforded the opportunity to found their own label, Lovelite Records, in 1970. The group endured further line-up changes and enjoyed success on the R&B charts with "My Conscience" in 1971, but by 1973 their label had folded and the members had gone their separate ways.

The Lovelite Years compilation passes over a few gems from their canon of works, but for the most part, it's a fairly solid retrospective. "Love Is Pretty" is so endearing, you can't help but embrace its syrupy optimism. Released as the flip side of the "Bumpy Road Ahead" single, the song's sentimental flavor is bound to satisfy your cravings for something sweet with absolutely no worries about tooth decay.

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"Where Is My Boy?"---Faultline ft. Chris Martin (LimeLinx)
"Where Is My Boy?"---Faultline ft. Chris Martin (YSI)

Faultline is the moniker for DJ/producer David Kosten, an electronic musician whose affinity for synthesizers was cultivated after he burst a lung while playing clarinet for the National Youth Orchestra. This experimentation with new sounds ultimately led to the release of his Closer Colder LP in 1999, followed by Your Love Means Everything in 2002. The latter album was re-issued a couple of years later by Capitol/EMI, bearing a slightly revamped tracklisting.

Your Love Means Everything is a magnetically charming LP, imbued with a quiet melodrama and fragile ambience that allows for a thoroughly intimate listening experience. While the album boasts a number of accomplished guest vocalists, the main selling point is undoubtedly its spellbinding synthesis of gripping emotion and musical innovation.

I only find myself skipping through a couple of tracks on the album, but only one stays on repeat~ Chris Martin's profoundly haunting tale of lost innocence known as "Where Is My Boy?". This song, as well as the title track, were recorded by Martin before Coldplay became the worldwide juggernaut that it is today, and perhaps that's part of why it sounds so plaintive and honest. It must become exceedingly difficult to convey heartbreak and desperation when you're filthy rich, playing at packed arenas, and choosing baby names from the fruits and vegetables category...but what the fuck do I know?

Kosten apparently has nothing but positive regard for the Coldplay frontman: "With Chris, it wasn't a huge leap to imagine major success happening. So it feels good to be right, but more to the point I’m really happy with what he did on the record – it still stands up."

Martin apparently doesn't share these same warm and fuzzy sentiments about the collaboration. He's been quoted as saying that he's doesn't like "Where Is My Boy?" and is embarrassed by his performance on it. He obviously has a right to his opinion, but then I'm also entitled to think he sounded far better before he plummeted into such shameless douchebaggery. Just joking, kids...settle down.


"Shook (Sigur Rós vs. Mobb Deep)"---Emancipator (LimeLinx)
"Shook (Sigur Rós vs. Mobb Deep)"---Emancipator (YSI)

This mash-up was first released about 100 years ago (okay...maybe more like three), but for some inexplicable reason, it's been spreading across the internets like wildfire for the past couple of months. Which really makes me wonder, kinda like swine flu~ what's the pig deal all of a sudden? (Awwwwwww snap...that was cheap)

I first came across this bizarre phenomenon while checkin' to see if Emancipator had dropped any new projects or remixes lately. My query elicited an extraordinary abundance of search results for blogs and websites that were featuring this timeworn mix, and since I was at work (the only respectable place on Earth to kill time), I was actually bored enough to count how many times this track had been featured since April. I think I stopped at about 253, when I finally buckled under the glare of my boss' freaky evil eye.

What made this whole exercise in monkey-see monkey-do especially weird was that a large number of these posts were prefaced by a desperate-to-be-the-popular-kid disclaimer, such as: I know I'm late to the party, but I hope that you still believe in the weak-ass powers of my uber-geek hipsterdom and blahhh blahhh gurgle boo hoo blahhh.

Ugh.

Accordingly, there are a few life lessons to be learned here, children:

1) 99.9% of people are actually just sheeple in disguise.

2) Never apologize for being late to a party. If you have the right swagger, you can pimp limp into that bitch 40 years after it's over, and still look mad fly doin' it. Those jive turkies who had their mommies drop them off early might be supermad that you're superbad, but screw it...

3) Emancipator truly is an amazing talent~ it's not his fault that 253 of his fans are silly fucks. 254 if you rightfully include me in the mix...

Dig deeper... (Emancipator's MySpace)


"Get Down (Nick James Remix)"---Nas (LimeLinx)
"Get Down (Nick James Remix)"---Nas (YSI)

One of my most highly anticipated upcoming releases won't get any of the fanfare showered on mediocre major label artists, but it's destined to be one of the hottest efforts to drop this summer. Oakland producer Nick James is in the process of wrapping up his John Coltrane Project, a collection of instrumentals featuring samples of the jazz legend's finest material. Himself the son of an avant-garde jazz musician, James' production is heavily influenced by many of the genre's most accomplished artists, including Miles Davis, Archie Shepp, Ahmad Jamal, and McCoy Tyner. Combine those sensibilities with a penchant for Prince, Outkast, Talib Kweli, Jimi Hendrix, Madlib, Nina Simone, Pete Rock, Al Green, and J Dilla, and you have a production wizard who's drawing from the best possible pool of musical influences to craft his supreme beats.

This Nas redux is just one example of James' limitless artistic capabilities. Keep up with him via MySpace and The Free Experience: A Subsidiary of Nick James Music where you can freely download his remix projects, as well as some of the original material he's sampled on them.

Word From Your Moms:

"If there is a transmigration of souls then I am not yet on the bottom rung. My life is a hesitation before birth."

"Anyone who cannot come to terms with his life while he is alive needs one hand to ward off a little his despair over his fate... but with his other hand he can note down what he sees among the ruins."

"We all have wings, but they have not been of any avail to us and if we could tear them off, we would do so."

~All above quotes by Franz Kafka