Best Of Both Worlds: A Souled On New Artist Double Feature

One of the so-called perks of running Souled On has been receiving free CDs and other promotional material from artists, record labels, marketing companies, etc. Being a music lover, this was somewhat of a novelty at first, but then a couple of things started to go wrong.

First of all, there's often too great of a volume for one human being to process. It's not as if I have some sort of assistant, henchman, or weed carrier in my employ who I can pay to filter the content of my inbox for me. Either I sample the products myself, or they go untouched. As a result, I have an abundance of material that I'm planning to review...tomorrow.

Another issue I have is that 95% of the music sent my way just isn't suited to my taste. If you're trying to revitalize the polka movement, there must be a blog or website for you somewhere, but sorry---Souled On just ain't it. I know you think that you and your brothers make a stupendous kazoo quartet, but unfortunately, I just can't fathom spending 40 minutes of my life listening to Wally Wickety-Wack & The Three Blowhards (name changed to protect the innocent).

That said, every once in a while someone or something emerges from the wreckage that is my inbox and commands my full attention. Such was the case with both Donny Goines and Shelly Bhushan, two artists who have not received the respect and acclaim that they deserve...at least not yet.

Donny and Shelly are quite different in terms of musical style, but it's what they share in common that's won my admiration, friendship, and support. Both of them are talented beyond belief and work tirelessly to get their message out and their music heard. The recording industry is infamous for marginalizing true talent in favor of gimmicks and whatever most quickly lends itself to the almighty dollar. As music lovers, we often criticize this element, but fail to properly support the authentic artists in our midst because they're not in our face on BET fifteen times a day. Donny and Shelly may not be making millions from their art, but what they are doing for music is essentially priceless.

Take a moment out of your day to get to know them both and give their music a listen. Embrace the understanding that SoundScan numbers bear no importance when it comes to genuine artistry, and open your mind (as well as those big Dumbo ears that your mama gave ya)...Scholar


First up, Donny Goines, a Harlem MC who possesses the kind of skills that illustrate what is still possible for hip-hop in '07---intelligent rhymes and authenticity on the mic. I asked him to write a little something so that my readers could get to know him. Within an hour, my man had written this phenomenal piece to share with you. Talk about being inspired...

Starving Artist....

When I first heard this term growing up I really thought nothing of it. Like many cliches thrown around, I felt this was just some sort of tagline associated with musicians, painters, and the artsy crowds you see in Soho somewhere. Now sitting in those shoes, I feel quite differently.

When I first started, I remember watching the countless videos on BET/MTV and listening to the same artists in rotation on the radio. I saw the promotion they got on websites and blogs and they all seemed EXACTLY the same to me. They all looked like they were having a ball. Women, money, cars (which is all good cause I love all three haha) but I keep thinking to myself "Where is the great music at?". Eventually I just stopped watching and listening altogether but I just couldn't understand how some people were able to achieve these things unless they were actually paying someone (Big name producers, slot time/payola, publicists, etc.) or nepotism was involved (My cousin is T.I, my uncle is Jay Z, etc.). It just didn't seem logical to me.


Now here I am today, Donny Goines. The musician, the rapper, the hip hop artist. Pick one, its your choice. Im not a hustler, Im not a drug dealer that happens to rap, and Im not someone who is doing this as a hobby. This is my life. My cousin ain't an A&R, my daddy ain't rich and I damn sure don't have a budget or label behind me (shit I can hardly get in the studio to record, let alone anything else). Once I decided that music would be my career of choice Ive made alot of sacrifices. Like quitting my day job at a high end retail store making good money because "I needed more time to write and record". Abandoning my apartment in Westchester to move back into my mother's apartment in Harlem so "I could use the money I paid on rent to put towards my career", and giving up on partying, shopping, and hanging out because "I felt it was just a waste of money that I could use for studio time". I pawned all my jewelry, borrowed all I could, and spent all of my savings. Why do you ask? We'll get back to that part a little later.

A lot of people look at my myspace page, read the interviews, hear the music and automatically assume that I am doing "good". I must be right? How can I manage to do what Im doing if I wasn't? Let's start with the second word in the phrase. Artist. I'm not sure what your definition is, and I dont have a dictionary in my hand either but I assume it means a person who practices in the arts. The truth is tho', not many people out there get "PAID" to practice art until they become successful. This is why you have so many part time rappers and half ass rhymers out there because they can't sustain with just there craft alone. People like Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Picasso (I know Im drifting a bit but stay with me) and any other great artists in the past had to rely on "investors" (these days they're called record labels) to buy the supplies and tools needed for their work. Without those people you wouldn't have the Sistine Chapel, the Mona Lisa, or the Garçon à la Pipe (google it).


Now back to the first part. Starving. Alot of times, unless you have these "investors" you are not able to acquire the resources needed in order to compose your art and therefore you cant eat (if you're a true artist, your main source of income typically comes from the profits of your sold work)---sometimes literally, because if you were following where I was going with it, once you call yourself an artist that becomes your livelihood. A lot of real artists dont like to compromise their work or follow trends (even for a profit). They tend to feed off their own creativity and just perfect their craft until someone out there recognizes their talent and invests in them. I'm sure there were the "Party Like a Rockstar" or "insert the latest dance song here" types in those eras, but imagine what the Sistine Chapel would look like had Michelangelo painted it with pastels because that was the "in" color? Had Da Vinci painted Mona Lisa with her tits out because "sex sells" or Picasso putting weed in the boy's pipe because he wanted him to look more "gangsta". Where would the great works of art be then?

A Starving Artist. I now fully understand where the term derives from (in my own interpretation, yours may differ). True artists dont fold. They sacrifice because they believe in their work. They dont care about the naysayers and nonbelievers. They follow their hearts and use all the energy and resources at hand to share their work with the world. Sometimes I think It would be easier to write a whole bunch of dance songs or some down south shit because that's what's selling. So I won't be stuck in my mom's house. So I can buy a nice a outfit. So I can have my jewelry and cars back. But then reality sets in and I think to myself "What would people say about me in the next century?" They would say nothing. Because people only talk about TRUE artists as time passes and those who make it in the history books are then finally understood (in rap, you usually have to die or get locked up for this to happen). So if that means I have to be broke in the meantime, then so be it. I'll just have to be a starving artist until someone funds my Sistine Chapel....Donny


Download a couple of joints from the CD Donny just dropped (The Excerpt PG. 1):

"Do It For Hip-Hop"---Donny Goines (zShare)

"Do It For Hip-Hop"---Donny Goines (savefile)

"The Renaissance"---Donny Goines (zShare)

"The Renaissance"---Donny Goines (savefile)

My nomination for hip hop video of the year--"Do It For Hip-Hop":


If you appreciate Donny's admirable efforts to bring some much-needed credibility back into the hip-hop game, show the man some love over at his page on MySpace, where you can also purchase his phenomenal CD, The Excerpt PG. 1.


Now let's talk about Shelly Bhushan, a stunning and incredibly emotive singer/songwriter who just released her Picking Daisies CD on September 20th. Her music gracefully transcends the confines of any particular genre, blending a tapestry of various sounds that can only be described as breathtakingly unique. To help you become better acquainted with her, I asked the soulful vocalist to answer a few probing questions:

As a recording artist who's relatively new to many listeners, it's inevitable that fans, critics, and music writers are going to try to categorize your material. How would YOU describe your musical style?

Well, my goal had always been to fuse two musical styles I loved the most – songwriting skill – like what typical singer songwriter folks, but do it with soulful sounds…. It tends to be something that doesn't seem to ever coexist. They sometimes seem like such opposites, but I don't believe they are. I believe you can be soulful and not be trite, and/or be a singer/songwriter without being boring and "straight". So, that's what I had hoped to become and believe that maybe I've started assuming that role, I'm sure I still have a lot of work to do…. I'm not sure if that answers your question?

So far you've drawn comparisons to a fairly wide array of artists--Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Joss Stone, Alanis Morrisette and Bonnie Raitt just to name a few. Have any of these comparisons gotten on your nerves? Are there certain parallels you appreciate more than others?

Yeah, I guess they kinda do sometimes, because these post modern comparisons occur because people can't just take something for what it is, they need to put things in a box to feel comfortable with it, you know? But, I guess we all do it and we need it to understand what we are listening to, watching, etc. I don't mind getting compared to legends though, that's pretty sweet and unbelievably flattering, considering it's just me…you know?

Who were your greatest influences in deciding to pursue a career in music?

Well, I think life was the greatest influence in my musical career, not necessarily a "who". I have never lived my life without song and I was always saying – yeah, I'm going to be someone someday… and I found myself going to the same bars, same places every night – waiting for that " I was pumping gas at a gas station and this manager came up to me and told me he'd make me a star" moment… and I realized, that's never going to happen. I have to make my life happen, so I basically made a commitment to myself to do this

In addition to having a stunning vocal range, you're also a songwriter. Tell us a little about your creative process when it comes to writing music.

Songwriting has come in many different ways for me. I write a lot in my head, without the aid of instruments. There are times where I'll just be doing stuff and something pops into my head so I reach for a recorder or call my voicemail and start singing into the phone to remember ideas. Or sometimes, divinity will step in and I will just start writing lyrics and by the end, I'm like – wow that totally makes sense and is what I've been feeling. Other times, I write with my band. We'll go to rehearsal and just start jamming on stuff. Sometimes I'll have a melody or lyrics and we'll just go and start putting things together. Sometimes it's completely organic – like "Show Me A Sign"… one night, we just started vamping on a gospelish type riff and I just started singing what I was feeling. What the music was making me think of emotionally and within a couple of weeks, "Show Me A Sign" was born.

I love songwriting, it was never my first love or something that I found came natural to me, but now I can't imagine my life without it and I can't imagine not singing my own songs – although I love covering material. I've been thinking of covering a Chicago tune or a Donny Hathaway tune, but I guess I'm scared to cover Donny because he was just so amazing, it's hard for someone to do anything better then what he did. I've been in love with Daniel Johnston – amazing songwriter… I've been playing one of his tunes a lot on my guitar. I love hearing what other songwriters do and what their subject matter is. I love hearing how they phrase life. I believe songs are a lot like films – there are about 12ish fertile themes, they are just expressed in different ways.


You're currently residing in New York, but your hometown roots are in Texas. Has this geographical shift had an impact on your overall sound?

I don't know if NY has shaped my sound so much, although I know the people I have around me, my band – John Celentano, Ben Hoffstein and Harry Cordew have shaped my sound and influenced me so much and they are all from the East Coast. I do think that Texas has influenced me more then I ever imagined. I guess I never really thought that I picked up any of that Texas/Soul/Blues thing that's inherent to the lone star state, but it's in everything I do, whether I want it in there or not.

Your recent LP Picking Daisies has so many outstanding songs on it, I'd be hard-pressed to choose a favorite. What do you consider to be the best song on the album, and why?

Jeez, that's a tough one because I have so many personal favorites and of course my mind changes every day on what I love and hate…

I think it's a toss-up between "Picking Daisies" and "Beautiful Me". "Beautiful Me", because it's super honest. The very first time I played it in public I basically was blushing the entire time. It was the first time that I had ever talked about myself in terms of real honesty – admitting in public my flaws and what I thought of myself, it was really hard, so hard, while I was singing it, was like – "what am I doing? This is way too personal". Also, on the disc, I LOVE the arrangement and production of it, I think it sounds super!

"Picking Daisies" – well, I feel like it's an evolution of who I am at the most current time in my life. The song grooves, it's funky, upbeat and interesting and the metaphor means something to me – "Picking Daisies" is a metaphor about finding your "happy place" a la happy Gilmore, I guess.

When I was in the second grade, my English teacher asked us to write a paragraph on whether we'd rather be 2 or 20 and I chose 2 because I said something to the effect of: to be 2 would mean that I could sit in the sunflowers with the wind in my hair and never have a care in the world…which I guess is pretty deep for a 7 year old. And since then, when I am stressed, thinking about bad things, I think about me as a 2 year old in a field of sunflowers and I'm ok…. Daisies = Sunflowers, as sun flowers are hard to sing about…

I also love "Not to Me"- that's my personal favorite… but, you asked for 1 and I've given you 3!

You've released your debut LP on an independent label, which undoubtedly offered you a greater degree of creative control over the decision-making process. Would you ever consider signing a major label contract?

Um. I don't know, I guess so, if the terms were right. I just don't want to be one of those artists that gets a deal and then gets shelved. It happens so much and personally, I'd rather be unsigned and have the ability to play my music and sell it, etc then have someone running my life without my input, but yeah, if the terms were right, I'd consider it.

It seems as if you've toured endlessly in support of your music. Any amusing stories from life on the road?

Well, I would have to say, the funniest thing I experienced was when I was touring with the band I was with before I went solo. We were in some town and we were touring with a few other bands…and I was doing Laundry in the hotel we were staying in and one of the other guys in another band was doing laundry too…. And he basically picked up one of his dirty briefs and blew his nose in it and I was like –"I'm sorry, what just happened here?", it was disgusting. I know people do lots of things in the privacy of their own home, but that? That was pretty nasty.


Once your fame is well-established, what kinds of demands will you be making on your tour rider?

2 vegetable options, turkey burgers and no candy within my eyesight. Bottled water, and a working TV on the tour bus. Also, ac/heat that works on the bus.

Name 5 LPs you can't imagine leaving home without.

Right now, I'm obsessed with Chicago's IX, which was their greatest hits album in 1975, KT Tunstall's Eye Through a Telescope, Etta James "At Last", I have this collection of Aretha from Atlantic, it's a 4 disker that I LOVE, Donny Hathaway's Everything is Everything.

When they make a movie about your life, who should be cast as Shelly Bhushan?

Big Bird from Sesame Street . Just kidding. I have no idea.

If my broke-ass readers can only afford to buy one CD this month, why should it be Picking Daisies?

Well, I think if you are looking for dance beats, this is probably not your thing, but if you are looking for something that's heartfelt and honest, organic and real…then this is your disc. I think it has something for everyone on it. I'm so crappy at self promotion...

That's okay, Shelly---your music does an amazing job of speaking for itself:

"Beautiful Me"---Shelly Bhushan (zShare)

"Beautiful Me"---Shelly Bhushan (savefile)

"Not To Me"---Shelly Bhushan (zShare)

"Not To Me"---Shelly Bhushan (savefile)

Visit Shelly at her website or her MySpace page. Picking Daisies can be purchased via CD Baby.


Word From Your Moms:

"A beautiful thing never gives so much pain as does failing to hear and see it."---Michelangelo

A League Of Her Own...

Today's guest writer is Lily Kane, a fellow soul, funk, and hip hop enthusiast who is the one-woman-army behind the almighty soul psychadelicyde. She is an essential member of the Souled On family who I've respectfully supported since she first started blogging several months ago. While there aren't many female writers who cover the same territory that Lils does, don't be so foolish as to allow her gender to be a distraction. My girl's in "a league of her own" for a number of more qualifying reasons, most of which relate to her knowledge and impeccable taste in music. Welcome, soul sista...Scholar


Like all the guest bloggers before me, I’m honored to be part of the Souled On Music family. The idea of writing a guest post here was intimidating because it’s the best blog ever. But I hope you get something new from this… much love from your girl...

In college, I got an internship at a small re-issue label called Tuff City. Tuff City has an incredible catalog of funk, soul, blues, and New Orleans music. It’s divided into sub-labels by genre: Funky Delicacies; Soul-Tay-Shus; Night Train International; they’re all under the Tuff City umbrella. They also have some old hip hop under the label Ol’ Skool Flava, but I’m not crazy about it. (sorry Spoonie G)

I expected to be filing, typing, answering phones, etc. But soon, my assignment was to transfer the owners’ mountain of reel-to-reel tapes to Pro Tools. The owner, of the company and of those tapes, deserves another story which I will post on my blog soon. But despite everything, that was a really fun job, because I was basically swimming in old funk & soul tapes. Plus I was an intern, so I didn’t have any responsibility. So for my guest appearance, I decided to share some of those Tuff City finds:

Betty Davis- It’s Strange The Way Two People Change (zShare)

Betty Davis- It’s Strange The Way Two People Change (savefile)

Tuff City doesn’t have anything to do with Betty Davis, but I acquired this track during my first month on the job, transferring tapes. I don’t think it was ever released, so I don’t know the real name of the track, but it’s beautiful. It’s not her usual funked-up craziness; instead it’s a softer, sadder side of the "anti-diva." And not the weak kind of ballad that was on Crashin From Passion either.


Black Blood and the Chocolate Pickles with Valerian’s Voice – Mississippi Mud (zShare)

Black Blood and the Chocolate Pickles with Valerian’s Voice – Mississippi Mud (savefile)

(from Funky Funky Baton Rouge)

*This one is heavy and spooky, especially post-Katrina.


The Gaturs- Concentrate (zShare)

The Gaturs- Concentrate (savefile)

(from Wasted)

*Sampled on:

Puff Daddy- "Do You Know?" (zShare)

Puff Daddy- "Do You Know?" (savefile)

*Also sampled on Madlib's Mind Fusion Vol.2


The Enticers- Thief (zShare)

The Enticers- Thief (savefile)

(from New Orleans’ Funkiest Delicacies)


*Sampled on:

Mos Def- "Napolean Dynamite" (zShare)

Mos Def- "Napolean Dynamite" (savefile)


Hermon Hitson – A Dream I Had (I Love Her) (zShare)

Hermon Hitson – A Dream I Had (I Love Her) (savefile)

(from You Are Too Much For the Human Heart)

*I was hesitant to include this track because the chorus bothers me. The guitar is awful, and it almost ruins the song. But the verses are so soulful that they overpower the bad guitar riff.Anyway I wanted to include the song because Hermon is awesome; he’s just a great guy and he made my time at Tuff City more fun. I noticed that he played live recently at a Wax Poetics event, so I’m glad he’s getting some props now, so many years later.

Bonus Tracks:
Masters Of Soul - Sad Face (zShare)

Masters Of Soul - Sad Face (savefile)

(from Right On!)


The Unemployed- They Won’t Let Me (zShare)

The Unemployed- They Won’t Let Me (savefile)

(from New Orleans’ Funkiest Delicacies)

Reuben Bell- Superjock (zShare)

Reuben Bell- Superjock (savefile)

(from New Orleans’ Funkiest Delicacies)


Family Portrait- Natural Man (I Need) (zShare)

Family Portrait- Natural Man (I Need) (savefile)

(from Funky Funky New York)

Word from Lily’s Moms:

"Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition" --Timothy Leary

Spontaneous Simplicity

Consider this whole thing a figment of your collective imagination. I had intended to focus my time and energy this week on a few upcoming projects and posts, but I made a last-minute decision to throw a little "spontaneous simplicity" into the rotation. These are just some tracks that I've been listening to a lot over the past few days---searching for some sort of rhyme or reason in the mix will only serve to confuse you. No greater meaning than sending a little love from my boombox to yours...

"Wichita Lineman"---Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (zShare)

"Wichita Lineman"---Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (savefile)

The most soulful version of this song I've ever heard...

Dig deeper...


"I Love You, I Need You"---Otis Clay (zShare)

"I Love You, I Need You"---Otis Clay (savefile)

Baby...why do you keep hurtin' me this way?

Dig deeper...

Puff Puff Pass---Frank N Dank (zShare)

Puff Puff Pass---Frank N Dank (savefile)

I'm usually not feelin' these guys all that much, but Dilla's gotta be up in the sky somewhere...smiling.

Dig deeper...


"I've Got You, Man!"---The Sweet Vandals (zShare)

"I've Got You, Man!"---The Sweet Vandals (savefile)

How can you not love me for this one?

Dig deeper...

"Dub Cutting"---Nobody Beats The Beats (zShare)

"Dub Cutting"---Nobody Beats The Beats (savefile)

I get completely lost in the rhythm every single time...

Dig deeper...


"Nuclear War"---Sun Ra And His Outer Space Arkestra (zShare)

"Nuclear War"---Sun Ra And His Outer Space Arkestra (savefile)

Whether you think Sun Ra was a prophetic genius or a complete madman, this is just one of those tracks that every man, woman and soul child needs to hear at least once in a lifetime.

Dig deeper...

"Threat(100 dBs Remix)"---Jay-Z (zShare)

"Threat(100 dBs Remix)"---Jay-Z (savefile)


"Be Like Hov"---Jay-Z/DJ Suss One (zShare)

"Be Like Hov"---Jay-Z/DJ Suss One (savefile)

I really wanted to drop a couple of joints from American Gangster because I don't give a damn what anyone says---this is one of the best commercial LPs that's been released all year.

Since the RIAA is probably on a mad witch-hunt for anyone who dares to leak a track or two, I decided on a couple of less worrisome options. Just don't forget to cop AG on Tuesday...

And screw a review by some boring-ass newspaper/magazine journalist...why not check out Trav's take instead?

Supplemental Material:

Live footage of The Sweet Vandals:



Just in case you haven't seen Jay's new "Blue Magic" video yet. One of the album's weaker joints, but hell---what do you expect from the single?:


An excerpt from Brother From Another Planet about Sun Ra:


Word From Your Moms:

"It's AFTER the end of the world. Don't you know that yet?"

"The outer space beings are my brothers. They sent me here. They already know my music."

"But recently I began to feel that maybe I wouldn't be able to do what I want to do and need to do with American musicians, who are imprisoned behind these bars; music's got these bars and measures you know."

"The light of the future casts the shadows of tomorrow."

*All above quotes courtesy of Sun Ra

On Second Thought...Again

What it be like, soul children? I dug a little deeper into the crates this past week, and pulled out some phenomenal cover tracks that I unintentionally neglected when I posted some other secondhand songs a few weeks ago. Time to blow the dust off and give these grooves their rightful turn in the rotation...


"Hold On I'm Comin"---Erma Franklin (zShare)

"Hold On I'm Comin"---Erma Franklin (savefile)

*Written by Isaac Hayes/David Porter; Originally performed by Sam & Dave; Erma's rendition appeared on her Soul Sister LP (Brunswick, 1969), while her sister Aretha didn't release her cover of the tune until 1981.

Rumored song fact: While songwriter/producer David Porter was on the toilet, his songwriting partner Isaac Hayes yelled at him to hurry up so they could get back to work, being frustrated at the lack of progress they had made that day. Porter responded, "Hold on man, I'm coming." The immediately inspired Porter quickly finished his business and excitedly told Hayes that "Hold On, I'm Coming" would be a great title for a song.


"Give It Up Or Turn It Loose (Part 1&2)"---Marva Whitney/Osaka Monaurail (zShare)

"Give It Up Or Turn It Loose (Part 1&2)"---Marva Whitney/Osaka Monaurail (savefile)

*This song was written by Charles Bobbit (JB's personal manager), and originally released in 1969 by James Brown as the "Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose" single (b/w "I'll Lose My Mind"). That version appeared on the Ain't It Funky album, while Brown also recorded a second take w/ The J.B.'s for the Sex Machine double-LP (1970). Over five minutes long, this later recording used a substantially different instrumental arrangement, with an added organ riff and a rapid, ornate bassline, as well as different lyrics. A remix of this recording by Tim Rodgers appears on the 1986 compilation album In The Jungle Groove. The remixed version has been sampled extensively.

*Marva Whitney is, of course, one of James Brown's Original Funky Divas, aka Soulsister Number One, aka The First Lady Of Funk. When she toured Japan in 2006, she teamed up with the ultra-funky Osaka Monaurail, who acted as her backing band in the six cities that she played. After this brief stint ended, Whitney went back to the studio with the group and recorded her first solo LP in 36 years. The album, I Am What I Am, features a mixture of covers, originals, and instrumentals...a must-have recording for anyone who's a fan of her work.

"Fever"---Patti Drew (zShare)

"Fever"---Patti Drew (savefile)

*Written by Eddie Cooley and Otis Blackwell; first recorded by Little Willie John in 1956, but was popularized by Peggy Lee two years later.

*Numerous artists have remade this track over the years, including Elvis, King Curtis, Ben E. King, Madonna, Ray Charles & Natalie Cole, Buddy Guy, Marie Queenie Lyons, and many more. Patti Drew's take on the song is decidedly cooler than most...


"Purple Haze"---The String Quartet (zShare)

"Purple Haze"---The String Quartet (savefile)

*Written by Jimi Hendrix; first released as an audio single by The Jimi Hendrix Experience on March 17, 1967.

*Despite the fact that most of us will forever associate this song with drug usage (and more specifically, LSD), Hendrix claimed that it was inspired by a spiritual dream he once had. The working title for the track is said to have been "Purple Haze, Jesus Saves".

*The String Quartet Tribute albums are an eclectic series released on Vitamin Records. They feature a rotating cast of musicians who perform classical covers of material by a wide variety of artists. More than 200 of these projects have been released so far, paying homage to everyone from Marilyn Manson to Massive Attack. The Hendrix tribute undoubtedly has some lackluster moments, but their take on "Purple Haze" kinda kicks ass (albeit in its own peculiar way). For anyone who's completely mortified by orchestral Jimi, I offer this as my unapologetic, yet humble penance:



"When Something Is Wrong With My Baby"---Bobby Byrd (zShare)

"When Something Is Wrong With My Baby"---Bobby Byrd (savefile)

*Another track written by the Hayes/Porter songwriting duo that was originally recorded by Sam & Dave; first released on their Double Dynamite LP in 1966.


"Come Together"---Willie Bobo And The Bo-Gents (zShare)

"Come Together"---Willie Bobo And The Bo-Gents (savefile)

*Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney; originally released on The Beatles' Abbey Road LP in 1969. Bobo's instrumental version was released on Sussex in the early '70s, perfectly fusing Latin sounds with deep funk rhythms.

*Unlike "Purple Haze", "Come Together" actually did have something to do with LSD. Timothy Leary, the drug's most visible and noteworthy proponent, ran for Governer of California and asked John Lennon to write a song for his campaign. Leary's slogan was "Come Together, Join The Party", the original title of the famous Beatles track. The Acid King's political aspirations didn't get him very far, but his slogan inspired Lennon to pen one of the most celebrated tunes in popular music history.

*John Lennon was sued for stealing a line and guitar riff in "Come Together" from Chuck Berry's "You Can't Catch Me". It wasn't Berry who made the allegations, however. Rather, Lennon was sued by Morris Levy (founder of Roulette Records), a rather notorious music business mogul who claimed authorship and rights to quite a few songs that he actually stole from other artists. It would be laborious to highlight every detail, but Lennon ultimately agreed to record some songs that Levy owned in an attempt to settle the suit. Lennon was working with crazy-ass Phil Spector at the time, who apparently ran away with the session tapes for a while, adding even more insanity to the already dramatic sequence of events. More of the sordid details can be found here.


"Save Me"---Nina Simone (zShare)

"Save Me"---Nina Simone (savefile)

*Written by Aretha Franklin, King Curtis, and Carolyn Franklin; originally released on Aretha's I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You LP in 1967. Nina Simone's rendition came two years later, appearing on her LP, A Very Rare Evening.

Nina's first TV performance, covering "Love Me Or Leave Me", a song written by Walter Donaldson and Gus Kahn. The tune was first heard in the Broadway play Whoopee!, and the original recording became a fairly big hit for Ruth Etting in 1929. Doris Day and Lena Horne both recorded successful versions of the song in 1955, while Nina's version came about in 1958 on her debut album, Little Girl Blue. In 1966, Simone also included the track on her Let It All Out LP:


"Respect"---The Soul Survivors (zShare)

"Respect"---The Soul Survivors (savefile)

*Written by Otis Redding, and originally released by him on September 15, 1965.

*The Soul Survivors released some great blue-eyed soul tracks in the '60s, including their biggest hit, "Expressway To Your Heart" (from their LP of the same title, 1967). The album included some memorable covers, including their energetic rendition of "Respect". I'm pretty certain these guys are still touring, but I'm afraid that respirators, aging groupies, and shitloads of Viagra might somewhat cheapen the experience.


"Ain't No Sunshine (J Rocc Remix)"---Kashmere Stage Band (zShare)

"Ain't No Sunshine (J Rocc Remix)"---Kashmere Stage Band (savefile)

*Originally written by Bill Withers, appearing on his Just As I Am LP, 1971.

*The track was originally released as a B-side to Withers' song "Harlem", but DJs preferred it to the intended single. "Ain't No Sunshine" won the Grammy for best R&B song in 1972.

*The Kashmere Stage Band is actually a group of high school students who made some phenomenal music in the late '60s and early '70s. The school is in a predominantly black neighborhood in Houston, Texas, known as Kashmere Gardens. As legend has it, music teacher Conrad Johnson was inspired by seeing a live Otis Redding show, and decided to translate this style into the work he did with his highly talented student musicians. Thanks largely to Stones Throw records, the band has achieved quite a bit of recognition in recent years. J Rocc's bottom-heavy take on their cover is from a 12" collection of KSB remixes (released on Now Again in 2006).

One of the greatest covers of "Ain't No Sunshine", a jaw-dropping performance by blues legend Freddie King:


"Hard Times"---Baby Huey & the Babysitters (zShare)

"Hard Times"---Baby Huey & the Babysitters (savefile)

*Written by Curtis Mayfield

*It may be a bit questionable to call this a cover considering that Baby Huey actually recorded this song for The Baby Huey Story (Curtom, 1971) two years before Mayfield released the track himself on his Back To The World LP (Curtom, 1973). I say fuck it...life itself is imperfect. (Edit: see the comments section for info on the very first recording of this song by Gene Chandler, and a link to the mp3. Gratitude to the Stepfather Of Soul for helping me straighten this out)

*Baby Huey was introduced to Mayfield by Donny Hathaway in 1969. Mayfield promptly signed him to his Curtom label and penned a handful of tunes for the debut. Unfortunately, Huey tipped the scales at around 400 pounds, and his weight (coupled with a crippling heroin addiction) led to his untimely demise in 1970. His passing came before The Baby Huey Story was completely finished. The album was released in 1971 after edits and overdubs allowed for five vocal tracks and three instrumentals to be pieced together in a somewhat cohesive manner. Chaka Khan, wife of The Babysitters' bassist Hassan Khan, fronted the band for a short while after Huey's passing, but the group dissolved shortly thereafter.

*Many music critics/fans have promoted the idea that Huey's unique vocalizations often bordered on an embryonic style of rapping, particularly in his pre-Curtom live performances in the late '60s. Hip hop has undoubtedly played a vital role in keeping his lone record relevant through sampling, despite the fact that it was generally ignored at the time of its release. "Hard Times" alone has been sampled on joints by Ghostface Killah, A Tribe Called Quest, Black Moon, Alkaholiks, Ice Cube, Biz Markie, Naughty By Nature, Diamond D, Yaggfu Front, Saafir, People Under The Stairs, and more.

"Wild Horses"---Labelle (zShare)

"Wild Horses"---Labelle (savefile)

*Written by Mick Jagger/Keith Richards; recorded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama in 1969 by The Rolling Stones, and first released on their Sticky Fingers LP in 1971.

*Part of this tune was evidently written by Richards for his son Marlon, who was an infant at the time. Richards was apparently regretful about leaving his newborn child to go on tour. Jagger rewrote some of the lyrics, but the source of his inspiration has been somewhat disputed over the years. By some accounts, Mick's verses pertained to his relationship with Marianne Faithfull. She claimed that she told Jagger "wild horses couldn't drag me away" upon awakening from a drug-induced coma in 1969. Years later, Jerry Hall (Jagger's longtime girlfriend) claimed that "Wild Horses" was her most beloved Stones tune, despite the fact that Mick had written it for his wife Bianca.

*Labelle is the group that launched the career of lead vocalist Patti LaBelle. They recorded several records together in the early to mid-'70s, and have often reunited for various projects/performances since their split in 1976. A complete history can found here.

Supplemental Materials:


For my last covers post, I included a couple of Rolling Stones remixes as bonus mp3s. This time, I decided to feature some remakes of Radiohead's material. I have discussed my unabashed respect for the group in previous posts, and found that I was not alone in my admiration for their undeniable impact on contemporary music. Their material has been reworked in a variety of different ways, so understand that these selections are not even beginning to skim the surface...

Bonus mp3s (zShare only):

"Side B"---Greenhouse Effect vs. Radiohead
These Def Jukies out of Columbus, OH haven't always impressed me with their output, but I can't live without the flipside of the Greenhouse Effect vs. Radiohead 12". Ridiculously emo, but the lyrics fit perfectly with the fuzzy vibe of Radiohead's spaced-out melancholia.

"Paranoid Android (DJ Panzah Zandahz Remix)"---Radiohead
A phenomenal instrumental remix from the Me & This Army: Radiohead Mashup mixtape.

High And Dry---Bilal (Radiohead cover)
Despite their seemingly disparate musical styles, Bilal did an stellar job revisiting "High And Dry" for the Radiohead Remixed CD.

Word From Your Moms:

“The aim of every artist is to arrest motion, which is life, by artificial means and hold it fixed so that a hundred years later, when a stranger looks at it, it moves again since it is life.”---William Faulkner

The Importance Of Being A Candy Licker

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Souled On Samples XV

"The Magic Of Your Love" ---The Majestic Arrows (zShare)

"The Magic Of Your Love" ---The Majestic Arrows (savefile)

*Sampled on "The Show" by Madlib/Talib Kweli

Dig deeper...


"Under The Street Lamp"---Joe Bataan (zShare)

"Under The Street Lamp"---Joe Bataan (savefile)

*Sampled on "Play Your Cards Right" by Common

Dig deeper...


"Is It Because I'm Black?"---Syl Johnson (zShare)

"Is It Because I'm Black?"---Syl Johnson (savefile)

*Sampled on "Hollow Bones" by Wu-Tang Clan

Dig deeper...


"My Song" ---Labi Siffre (zShare)

"My Song"---Labi Siffre (savefile)

*Sampled on "I Wonder" by Kanye West

Dig deeper...


"Let The Dollar Circulate"---Billy Paul (zShare)

"Let The Dollar Circulate"---Billy Paul (savefile)

*Sampled on "Dollar" by Spacek, produced by J Dilla and "Dollars Circulate" by 9th Wonder

Dig deeper...

"Holy Are You"---The Electric Prunes w/ David Axelrod (zShare)

"Holy Are You"---The Electric Prunes w/ David Axelrod (savefile)

*Sampled on "Loop Digga" by Quasimoto (Madlib) and "Respect Mine" by Fat Joe

Dig deeper...


"You'd Better Believe It"---The Manhattans (zShare)

"You'd Better Believe It"---The Manhattans (savefile)

*Sampled on "Barbershop" by Ghostface Killah

Dig deeper...

"Word Called Love"---Brian & Brenda Russell (zShare)

"Word Called Love"---Brian & Brenda Russell (savefile)

*Sampled on "Some People Hate" by Jay-Z

Dig deeper...


"Mixed Up Cup"---Clyde McPhatter (zShare)

"Mixed Up Cup"---Clyde McPhatter (savefile)

*Sampled on "One Love" by Nas

Dig deeper...


"Chippin"---Melvin Van Peebles (zShare)

"Chippin"---Melvin Van Peebles (savefile)

*Sampled on "Life Is..." by Quasimoto (Madlib)

Dig deeper...

Supplemental Materials:

Nas' "One Love" video:


Labi Siffre performing live in 1972:


Lord Quas/Madlib's tribute to the history of hip hop-"Rappcats Pt. 3":


Bonus mp3s (zShare):

"The Show"---Madlib/Talib Kweli

"Play Your Cards Right"---Common/Bilal

"Thank You"---9th Wonder/D.O.X. & Dash
(A new joint from 9th Wonder's Dream Merchant 2, showcasing his ever-soulful production style)

"Dollar"---Spacek/J Dilla


For more sample goodness, check out some original song selections by Chris @ WYDU and Diddy Wah's feature on the soulful blues and gospel tunes that Moby borrowed for Play.

Word From Your Moms:

"For the introduction of a new kind of music must be shunned as imperiling the whole state; since styles of music are never disturbed without affecting the most important political institutions."---Plato

Bringing Genius To The Table...

Before we formally begin today's listening session, a note regarding the music you intend to download (for educational purposes only, of course). A lot of people have expressed opinions via comments and email regarding the best place to host mp3s. I'm still giving the matter some thought, but in truth, I'm never going to please all of you. Uncle Pee Wee likes Sharebee. Grandma prefers Megaupload. Auntie Peaches wants me to use divShare. I had to make an executive decision, so for the time being, it's savefile or zShare. Such will be the case until I change my schizophrenic mind. Feel free to bitch if you want, but I can't promise it will get you anywhere.

Alright then---now that the "official business" is out of the way, it's time to start shaking your collective rump...


"See And Don't See"---Marie Queenie Lyons (zShare)

"See And Don't See"---Marie Queenie Lyons (savefile)

Marie Queenie Lyons was a funky soul diva whose powerhouse vocals and raw emotive energy drew stylistic comparisons to many other outstanding female artists of her era, including Lyn Collins, Betty Davis, Marva Whitney, Vicki Anderson, and Ann Sexton. She only released one full-length album (Soul Fever, 1970) that wallowed in obscurity for a number of years alongside her ultra-rare 45s. In more recent years, her material has been reissued, sampled, and comped, allowing a wider audience to become familiar with her work.

"See And Don't See" is the first track on Soul Fever, and for me, the most memorable and immediately engaging. This heart-wrenching ode to the art of denial as a means of self-preservation contains some truly unforgettable lyrics, such as "If I ever face reality, I know that's gonna be the end of me" and "I must look beautiful standing here in the dark all by myself/ But the only way I can take it is pretend I'm someone else". Throw in a funky bassline, some seriously soulful belting, a "good God almighty" or two, and you have the makings of a certifiable classic.


"Ooh Ah Ee"---Vern Blair Debate (zShare)

"Ooh Ah Ee"---Vern Blair Debate (savefile)

Despite bearing a title that merely sounds like some phonetic gibberish, "Ooh Ah Ee" is a supertight funky instrumental from the underappreciated Vern Blair Debate. This track was on the flipside of their "Super Funk" 7-inch, but this little gem packs a powerful punch and more than maintains the energy and momentum generated by the A-side of the record. This single has been re-issued on vinyl and I'd strongly suggest digging until you find it. If all else fails, this joint is also included on Quantic Presents The World's Rarest Funk 45s, an excellent selection of forgotten grooves. "Super Funk" can be found on Stones Throw's Texas Funk 1968-1975: Black Gold From The Lone Star State compilation LP.


"Two Of A Kind"---Lord Luther & Counts (zShare)

"Two Of A Kind"---Lord Luther & Counts (savefile)

Once upon a time, there was a vocal quartet known as The 4 Deuces who formed in Salinas, California in the mid-5os. The members were army buddies who initially tried their hand at gospel, but eventually decided to experiment with an R&B/doo-wop style. Their lead singer Luther McDaniels wrote a tune called "W-P-L-J" that was about a popular concoction at the time, white port wine and lemon juice.

In search of a record deal, the group ultimately crossed paths with Roy Dobard, who owned Music City Records in Berkeley. They ended up recording "W-P-L-J" and a couple more sides ("The Goose Is Gone" and "Down It Went") for Dobard before they disbanded and went their seperate ways.

Although "W-P-L-J" was a relatively successful record (later covered by Frank Zappa), the group members didn't receive any of the royalties. The quartet even re-recorded the song as a commercial jingle for the Italian Swiss Colony wine company (who offered a yellow vinyl copy of the song with every bottle of their white port), but the group apparently didn't receive any monetary compensation from that venture either. As Luther McDaniels would later tell it, "My name was on (that song) with Dobard's, but he had registered it in his own name...I didn't get a cent from "W-P-L-J."

Luther McDaniels continued on his musical path after The 4 Deuces parted ways, recording for some independent labels in Cali, Imperial Records, and eventually for his own Lusan label. During this period, he morphed into Lord Luther, playing and recording with a variety of other soul, blues, gospel, and jazz musicians.

None of these ventures were particularly successful, but they certainly weren't without artistic merit. "Two Of A Kind" (credited to Lord Luther & Counts) is a lost soul treasure that he recorded on Lusan as the B-side to his rather obscure "Tough" vinyl 45.

This year, Lord Luther put out a retrospective of his work called Pure Soul Music that includes "W-L-P-J" and 14 other undiscovered gems. "Two Of A Kind" doesn't appear on the CD, but I'm hoping it will generate some well-deserved interest in Luther's material. You can purchase Pure Soul Music via CD Baby.


"Cold Hearted"---Blu & Exile w/ Miguel Jontel (zShare)

"Cold Hearted"---Blu & Exile w/ Miguel Jontel (savefile)

Despite being a fan of Blu's capabilities on the mic and Exile's deeply soulful production, I erroneously procrastinated about buying Below The Heavens (Sound in Color, 2007). It wasn't until my personal hip hop guru Travis suggested that it would probably suit my taste that I finally checked this out a few weeks ago. It turns out he was right on point---this will ultimately be one of my favorite records of the year. Although Below The Heavens is not without flaw, it's got a few truly outstanding joints and remains fairly consistent throughout the entire length of the LP. "Cold Hearted" is one of the tracks that's recently been on heaviest rotation at the crib.

If you like your rap music gritty and meaner than cat shit---well, this probably isn't for you. Otherwise, it's worth giving a spin. There's an insightful review of the album over at Hip Hop DX, so I don't feel a particular need to echo Shake's sentiments. Just be sure you don't sleep on this one.

The video for another gem on the LP, "Soul Amazin' (Steel Blazin')":



"Love Put Me On The Corner"---The Isley Brothers (zShare)

"Love Put Me On The Corner"---The Isley Brothers (savefile)

I just realized the other day that I've never really done a feature on The Isley Brothers, which is probably a bit strange considering the length of time that I've been running a soul and funk blog. I'm sure that there are two main reasons for my avoidance---their popularity coupled with their overwhelming abundance of material. I usually prefer to spotlight lesser-known artists, and then really, how the hell do you extract a single track from the discography of a group that's been around for half a century? Even subtracting the mostly insipid quiet storm era material, I was still left with an enormous selection of prospects.

As you can see, I ended up with somewhat of a leftfield choice, a relatively unassuming track from their Brother, Brother, Brother LP (1972). "Why this song ?", you may rightfully inquire. My formula was actually quite simplistic---I recently scored a very scratched vinyl copy of this album at one of my favorite digging sites for 99 cents. I often preview records this way because my ass is so old school that I still prefer this method to streaming music online. My boy Sonny has boxes of battered records that he sells for dirt cheap and if I like something a lot, I search for a cleaner copy.

I don't think Brother, Brother, Brother is going to top my list of LPs I need to upgrade in the immediate future, but it's still pretty wonderful. There are some worthwhile Carole King covers on the album and their own "Work To Do", which has been sampled and covered on countless occasions. Furthermore, the record marks a very transitional moment in The Isleys' career, a sort of musical purgatory if you will. Although Ernie, Marvin, and Chris had made previous appearances on other releases by the brothers, this was the record where they truly began to have a significant impact on the group's sound. This album was directly followed by 3+3 (T-Neck, 1973), their breakthrough LP that obviously marked the point in time when the trio officially became a sextet.

At any rate, the album's closing song, "Love Put Me On The Corner", has been very appealing to me as of late. I get stuck on this groove every time I play the album, and not just because it has a couple of deep scratches. It's a haunting track that is easily one of the group's finest ballads released during this time period. Dusty Groove describes the song as "a baroque soul symphony in itself", which perfectly expresses how lush and deeply moving this song truly is.

I would have ripped the track from my well-worn vinyl, but in the interests of preserving the quality of the audio, I decided against it. I would still urge you to try to find this LP on wax, as the overall sound is far superior in vinyl format.


"Mass Hysteria"---Lateef & Z-Trip w/ Chali 2na/ Crystal Timberlake (zShare)

"Mass Hysteria"---Lateef & Z-Trip w/ Chali 2na/ Crystal Timberlake (savefile)

Since we're already into the fourth quarter of musical releases in 2007, I've begun evaluating and reconsidering some of the year's greatest successes and failures. It's one of my favorite exercises in futility, since I've never actually bothered to write a year-in-review post. There are always plenty of those to go around, and it generally takes me a decade or two to make a final decison regarding an album's overall artistic merit anyway.

Perhaps that's why I didn't immediately embrace the Ahead Of The Curve mixtape, Lateef and Z-Trip's release from earlier this year. Clearly my ass is still lagging somewhere behind the curve, but I did take the time to revisit this CD just in case I had overlooked something.

Don't get me wrong---I can generally appreciate Lateef's slightly off-kilter rhyme patterns and Z-Trip is an undeniable force to be reckoned with on the tables when he's in his zone. Maybe I was just in a cranky mood the first time I listened to this, but I thought the project was an overall disappointment. Suffice it to say that I wanted to like Ahead Of The Curve quite a bit more than I actually did.

Like Dj Shadow and RJD2 before him, Z-Trip seems to have somewhat lost me with his newer material. I believe that every artist should progressively alter their style and sound, and fans who expect a continual repeat of an established trend tend to annoy me. That said, come on Z...is there a reason we must suffer a remix of E-40's "Tell Me When To Go"? And why would you do such a grave injustice to "Lady Don't Tek No" as to blend it with shitty beats and Slug rhyming like a fish out of water, creating the ultimate hyphy hybrid disaster?

These questions continue to perplex me, but I guess what I'm getting around to is that I've finally begun to digest at least half of the CD. I've been listening to it in the ride for a couple of weeks now and in all fairness, it has some exceptional moments like "Mass Hysteria". The bass on this joint knocks so loudly, it becomes pretty difficult to resist opening the door. Lateef and Chali 2na both showcase some impressive rapidfire verbal techniques on the joint, and their rhymes are nicely syncopated with the heavy pulsation of the music. In short, some funky fresh goodness with a futuristic lean.

My only complaint with this track is that I can't get Crystal Timberlake's slightly perturbing and overly repetitive hook out of my head. Shit's worse than crack, but it's still a thousand times better than having something like "hey bey bey" knocking around the corridors of my dome...

Word From Your Moms:

"I'm just a musical prostitute, my dear."---Freddie Mercury