Jess Roden - S/T

Jess Roden - S/T

Little Sammy Gaha - Heavy Head

Little Sammy Gaha was an expatriate Australian singer who used Paris as a home base for recording and touring Europe throughout the early-to-mid seventies. Although not French, he cut a string of singles, including the romping ruckus that is “Heavy Head” in Paris, so I consider him a kindred spirit and outsider joker in this pack of Frankish Rock tribes. This altogether hairy vocalist was given to strange promotional gag shots in ripped T-shirts, short pants offset with clashing women’s leggings and blue platform shoes. Hahahahaha... Li’l Sammy’s even licking an all-day sucker on the sleeve of this demented 45. With a guttural vocal alternating between Louis Armstrong and a laryngitis-afflicted Wolfman Jack as they both beat the flames off the seat of their respective pants, his delivery is pricelessly demented. The backing music to “Heavy Head” combines Ten Years After’s Utopian Woodstock descending riff from the quick parts of “I’d Love To Change The World” that keep charging over a stampede of drums accompanied by the most waka-jawaka-ing I’ve heard within any song outside of “Papa Was A Rolling Stone.” And since it’s a fairly long track, it gives L.S.G. the space to explore the multitude of ways he can beat his heavy head, describing its condition in a hundred ways until he comes to the conclusion: “Don’t worry if it comes off! / You can get another one! / It’s allllllllright!!” Yeah, he’s gotta head full of ideas driving him insane, running roughshod AND gettin’ trampled in the process, hahahaha...Gaha truly broke out of the box and decided to just spazz it out on the B-side for kicks.

I took this review by music_emporium off the discogs page for this release because it pretty much nails it.

Little Sammy Gaha - Heavy Head

Roy Johnson And The Outlaws - Forgive Me Baby

Great funky lo-fi soul jam from Roy Johnson and the Outlaws. I have no idea who Mr. Johnson was/is, nor anything about his Outlaws, but i reckon he fashioned himself a James Brown wanna be.... Heh. I love this tune and slight ineptness and lo-fi sound. Dudes with some drinks and just jamming it out hard. This is one of the first 45's i picked up years ago when i started to think out of the box of record collecting and picking up things i knew nothing about but looked cool. I think i paid a dollar at a thrifty store. Score.

Roy Johnson And The Outlaws - Forgive Me Baby

Solomon Burke - Maggie's Farm

Funky soul version of Dylan's Maggie's farm from 1965 by Solomon Burke. Lets see how long this lasts....

Solomon Burke - Maggie's farm

White Chocolate - Midnight Flight

Groovy, under the radar, slightly funky hard rock/psych from 1973. Apparently these guys used to back the likes of Buddy Miles and Arthur Lee.

White Chocolate - Midnight Flight

Rhoda Scott - I-Yi-Yi-Yi Pt.1 & Pt. 2

Great ripping R&B rockers that move and kick much ass. Great lo-fi live sound. Groovy.

Rhoda Scott - I-Yi-Yi-Yi Pt. 1

Rhoda Scott I-Yi-Yi-Yi Pt. 2

Woody Herman - Freedom Jazz Dance

I always thought that Woody Herman was sorta lame. I'm not really a big band jazz guy so i didn't think much of this 45 when i found it but this is some seriously Unexpected Funkiness.

Woody Herman - Freedom Jazz Dance

The Charmaines - Keep On Seachin ' / Smile

To those out there that think social media is a total waste of time, let me present this 45 to you. While I agree a lot of social media is a dump for the self absorbed, occasionally it can have positive results. In this case, it provided me with this 45 on the cheap, from a relative stranger, a person who I follow on instagram. I knew nothing about this 45 (and still don't) but the person who i follow (not gonna mention any names unless dude tell me otherwise and is cool with it) posted this 45 w/ a sound clip saying he picked up 2 copies on the cheap. i made a low offer half kidding and he upped it by a slight margin. A couple of days later and it showed up in my mail box. Sweet. Just goes to show that there are still cool folks out there in the world. Now enjoy this great soulful funky 45 from 1969 on the Minit Record label by The Charmaines. Cheers!
dd

The Charmaines - Keep On Searchin'

The Charmaines - Smile

Shirley Caeser - Stand The Storm

I'm not the biggest gospel fan in the world but i just picked this album up on the cheap and this track rocks in a funky, soulful & rocking sort of way. It would have really been great if there was killer fuzz solo in the middle or end. Still pretty cool. Sounds like something Tina Turner or Merry Clayton would have done.

Shirley Caeser - Stand The Storm

The Exceptions - Pancho's Villa

The Exceptions - Pancho's Villa

Young Holt Unlimited ‎- Wah Wah Man

Funky & fuzzy wah wah and talk box jam from 1971. Right up my alley. Not rare or anything just a great tune i dig a bunch... I'm sure a million people have heard it but if you haven't dig in, it's groovy baby. I'm not extremely well versed in Young Holt Unlimited's catalog so if anyone has more recommendations along these lines feel free to let me know what to search out. They have a pretty vast catalog.... I've said this before and i'll say this again, i do NOT claim to be an expert on music ( i know a few things... ) and i do this blog for fun and for me to search out info on records i come across and have collected. I'm not trying to post rare or unheard gems because I'm a bottom feeder when it comes to collecting really... And almost everything is out there already. I just like music and collecting records is fun and helps keep me out of trouble.... I do appreciate the few people that swing by every so often and leave comments. Please do so more often!

That being said, here's the wiki lowdown on Young Holt Unlimited:

Young-Holt Unlimited (also known as Young-Holt Trio), were an U.S. soul and jazz instrumental musical ensemble from Chicago, Illinois.
Drummer Isaac "Red" Holt and bassist Eldee Young, formerly members of Ramsey Lewis' jazz trio, formed a new outfit called the Young-Holt Trio with pianist Don Walker in 1966. They met with modest success, including the minor hit with "Wack-Wack", which charted at number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 1968, the group renamed itself Young-Holt Unlimited, and replaced Walker with Ken Chaney. Under their new name, the group scored a number three Hot 100 hit with "Soulful Strut," the backing instrumental track from Barbara Acklin's "Am I the Same Girl." "Soulful Strut" sold a million copies with the gold record awarded by the RIAA in January 1969, less than 3 months after the track's release.[1] Unfortunately, follow-up releases failed to match "Soulful Strut"'s commercial success, and the group had disbanded by 1974, with Young and Holt continuing to play in Chicago small bands.
Young died of a heart attack on February 12, 2007 in Bangkok, Thailand, at the age of 71.

Holt was believed still to be active as of early July 2011

Young Holt Unlimited - Wah Wah Man

Giants - Fried Neckbones And Home Fries

Some funky latin rock from Giants on the LA Records label. It's from 1980 and sounds a bit like older Santana. Pretty cool w/ a vibes solo and some fuzzy guitar.
Giants - Fried Neckbones And Home Fries

The Neighborhood - Why Can't You See - Calling All Girls

I've been sick in bed since Thanksgiving so i will make this brief. I Can't find anything about this group. I can't find a year it was put out or anything. "Why Can't You See" sounds sorta stuck between the mid/ late 60's and early 70's w/ a sorta poppy rock vibe. Sorta bubblegum, but a pretty good little tune. The "WOOO's" sound a bit doo-woppy. Like Frankie Valli or some shit.... both sides have good keys in the background and horns. Kinda hard to put my finger on it. And the flip sounds like a totally different group. It's a sorta slow rolling funky soul instrumental with lots of horns on this one. Anyone have any insight on this???

The Neighborhood - Why Can't You See

The Neighborhood - Calling All Girls

The Chevelles - The Gallop

Another well played flea market find. The Chevelles doing The Gallop on the Flaming Arrow record label from 1968. It's a funky little intrumental with a grooving bass line and funky horns. Not bad for 25 cents...

The Chevelles - The Gallop

The Brothers Three - Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out Pt 1 & Pt II

Three Isley Brothers getting funking heavy....

The Brothers Three - Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out Pt 1

The Brothers Three - Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out Pt II

Sir Mack Rice - Dark Skinned Woman - Part 1 & Part 2

This record makes me feel good. And not just because the tunes are great but because this was a gift from a friend that came just at the right time. I hadn't been feeling to well starting last wed. night and on through the weekend. I wound up going to the hospital Monday night with what i found out was acute appendicitis. With in a few hours i was in the operating room. A quick night at the hospital and return home to a new package sent from a record friend who has been more generous through the years with vinyl than i can ever re-pay him back. So i know i've gone on rants before about record ass-wipes and how many unscrupulous record jerks there out out there but for everyone of those there seems to be more "good guys" than bad. This is from one of them. The good guys.

Thanks brother!

As for Sir Mack Rice and this track:

Mack Rice (born Bonnie Rice, November 10, 1933, Clarksdale, Mississippi), is an American songwriter, whose compositions have been performed by many well-known artists, including The Staple Singers, Ike and Tina Turner, Albert King, Johnnie Taylor, Shirley Brown, Rufus Thomas, Etta James, Billy Eckstine, Eddie Floyd, Buddy Guy, The Rascals, Wilson Pickett, Albert Collins, Busta Rhymes, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Otis Clay and The Blues Brothers (in Blues Brothers 2000).
Some of his better-known songs include "Respect Yourself", "Betcha Can't Kiss Me (Just One Time)", "Cheaper to Keep Her", "Cadillac Assembly Line", "Money Talks", "Cold Women With Warm Hearts", "Do the Funky Penguin, Pt. 1", "It Sho Ain't Me", "Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin'", among others. His best known composition and only hit as a solo performer is "Mustang Sally."
Rice began his work in the R&B field in the 1950s based in Detroit, performing with the Five Scalders in 1956 and with the Falcons (fellow band members included Eddie Floyd, Wilson Pickett and Joe Stubbs) from 1957 to 1963. He performed as a solo vocalist in the years to follow, but his biggest successes were as songwriter for other artists on labels like Stax and others in the 1960s and following decades. He began his solo vocalist career at Stax in 1967, recording on Atco Records beginning in 1968. Rice is one of the few musicians whose career touched both Motown and Stax Records.
In 1992, backed by the soul band The Dynatones, Rice released his first solo album, "Right Now" on Blue Suit Records. On it he reprises a number of his hit songs along with a mixture of new tunes.
Rice lives in the Detroit area, and is still performing.

The tune from 1975 but it right at the year when funk started turning disco but it's still funky enough to stay clear of the disco ready for the dancefloor production or corniness of later years disco syrup....


Cheers!
dd


Sir Mack Rice - Dark Skinned Woman - Part 1

Sir Mack Rice - Dark Skinned Woman - Part 2

Funkhouse Express - Get Into Funky Music

Another funky flea market find here with Funkhouse Express doing Get Into Funky Music from 1975. Its a little laid back disco/funk jam that just slides along with a smooth groove. It's not stone mint but i aint complaining for a buck.

Funkhouse Express - Get Into Funky Music

Bill Stone - Try It You'll Like It

Some funky soul for your Monday morning. I am hoping to get back to some more regular posts. And i've had this one on the back burner for some time, so here it is now. Not much i could find out about this 45 on Right Road Records & written by Bill Stone & Sam Sunshine, so if you have the 411 please feel free to drop it.
I hope to see you all around again soon. 'Till then enjoy the soul & thanks to those you have been playing my mix guessing games. I appreciate you all stopping by!

Bill Stone - Try It You'll Like It

The Virginia's Employment Commission (Hire Through) - John Fuzz

First post in a few weeks due to life being crazy and Hurricane Sandy.... Any way just gonna jump right into the music w/ this little funky R&B 45. This here sounds a bit like a little more funky version of "The Coasters" I could not find much about this 45 except from what i lifted below from the great "FUNKY VIRGINA" blog.

Enjoy.

"John Fuzz" is rockin' R'n'B that could be straight outta the early 60's. Opening with the theme from "Dragnet", "John Fuzz" lays out the misadventures of a sad sack cop who gets hit in the head with a mustard jar while trying to break up a domestic dispute, slips on a banana peel while walking his beat, and ends up in the hospital with a busted jaw after trying to recover a stolen car. Then in the final verse there's a slight change of heart as the cop's tormentors sort of take pity on the poor underpaid officer, a nice enough guy who never complains, even when he saved that kid stuck in a pipe. "He's alright!", they declare. Gee, thanks!

"John Fuzz" is more in line with the "novelty" tag applied to many of Guida's records. Apparently, Frank must have believed in this odd ball ditty on some level, because he waited another two years to re-release it (not an uncharacteristic move) as the debut of his New Faces '69 label. This time around "Fuzz" was preposterously credited to The Virginia's Employment Commission with the parenthetical tag "Hire Through". Is there any way the actual state agency known as the Virginia Employment Commission signed off on this? Seems unfathomable, but Mr. Guida could be very persuasive, and it was the late 60's.

The Virginia's Employment Commission (Hire Through)- John Fuzz

Gene "Bowlegs" Miller - Frankenstein Walk

When i was about 5 or 6 i was way into horror movies and comic books. i begged my mom to buy me this plastic 6 foot glow in the dark Frankenstein from the back of a comic. I was so psyched when it finally came and immediately hung it up on the back of my bedroom door. Well later that night when it was bed time i had this 6 foot glow in the dark monster staring at me while i was trying to sleep. i ran out of the room and went and slept with mom....

Now some years later i wish i still had that stupid thing and i've tried to find one and they go for like a hundred bucks.... fuck that shit. But if someone has one for a dollar i'll buy it from you..... heh....

anyway, Happy Halloween!



Gene "Bowlegs" Miller - Frankenstein Walk