Your destination for all things funky. Curated and written by DJ Blue Funk: record collector, music aficionado, and DJ. Highlighting jazz, funk, soul, disco, hip hop, electronic, reggae, world music, rock, and everything in between.
I just uploaded a new mix called "We Got To Have Peace" and you can listen to it here or by clicking on the photo above. I put a lot of thought and care into this one, so I felt like explaining some of my thoughts about it below. Feel free to read or just move on to the tunes, either way, I think what I am trying to convey should be pretty straightforward and clear.
I must admit, I've stopped following politics closely. The sheer amount of news is overwhelming and it seems like if one unbelievable event occurs, the next day something even more unbelievable happens. With the 2016 elections, I think many people believe a new low has been reached, but as I dig back into my records from the 70s and think back to history, I know that things have always been pretty bad for those without money, power, or social status. I suppose people felt like some sort of progress was made, but I think we are quick to forget that this is a country where the civil rights act was passed just over 50 years ago, and women's voting rights have existed just shy of 100 years.
Still, the division, rage, and political situation of the world today (come on now, the world is so much larger than the United States!) is frustrating. Countries keep pouring money into armies to fight wars; we ignore the crisis that our planet is facing, putting profits and convenience above the very planet that we live in; people are still dying from starvation; the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer. We try to pat ourselves on the backs by giving Western countries titles such as "first world countries," "advanced," "civilized," but what good is being all that, if it still leaves people starving and on the streets? How civilized are we, if we cannot look another person in the eye and recognize them as a fellow human being? Not much, I believe.
So what does any of this have to do with a blog dedicated to records & music? A lot, actually. Much of the music that I like and listen to has been birthed from sociopolitical struggles, from the pleas of Marvin Gaye, to the raucous shouts of Fela Kuti, to the poetry of Gil Scott-Heron, to the intergalactic vibes of P-Funk, to the inception of Hip-Hop, music has been central to the history of social commentary. Especially with the rise of the MC, tracing its roots to toasting in Jamaica, street poetry in Harlem, way back to the griots and prophets of West Africa, politics and music have been forged together and have become inseparable.
Now, these conditions and messages are not always in the forefront. Sometimes the healing power of music can do more for a person than one would imagine. You can't protest 24/7, you can't watch the news 24/7, if we don't take a moment to enjoy what we have in life, then we will end up drained and spent. As Audre Lorde said, self-care can be a political act. The official motto of the Zulu nation is "peace, unity, love, and having fun" which I think captures what music can do in a succinct manner.
While there is much background to be mined and I could go on, let me get back to the music and how this all connects. I've been wanting to do a mix with a theme of peace & unity for a long time now, primarily inspired by "Let's make peace & stop the war" by Funk Inc, "We know we have to live together" by Eugene Blacknell, & "Why can't we live together" by Timmy Thomas. So with my latest upload I decided to put the message in the forefront. It's great to enjoy the great music that has come out of hardships, but it's also important to recognize where it is coming from and take some of those issues to heart. I think this is part of what it means to be a responsible listener of music in this day and age (in addition to actually buying & supporting artists, especially independent ones).
I've culled 33 songs from my vinyl & digital collection featuring both new & old music from the likes of Gil Scott-Heron, Sharon Jones, Charles Bradley, Lee Fields, Stevie Wonder, Kool & The Gang, Cameo, Roy Ayers, The US, Bohannon, Darondo, Sir Joe Quarterman, Zara McFarlane, the aforementioned songs, and many many more... But I felt that no song was worthier to name this mix after than the uplifting, vibrant soul classic "We Got To Have Peace" by the one and only Curtis Mayfield. This is really the message that I want to convey: until we stop killing each other & learn to live together, what good is progress? Why do we keep highlighting our differences and respond with fear? We KNOW we have to live together, so why can't we live together?
We got to have peace.
All these songs that were recorded over 40 years ago still ring so true today. I hope that the songs that were recorded today won't ring true 40 years from now, but I think they probably will. Progress is slow, change is hard to come by, but some strides ARE being made. Large scale thinking can sometimes be really daunting though, so I think it's apt to ask ourselves the question that Orgone asks in the last tune of the mix: "When all is said and done, are we still loving each other?"
And I will sign off with this quote from Donny Hathaway:
"Take it from me, someday, we'll all be free."
Peace, unity, love & having fun,
Chris aka DJ Blue Funk
Last Friday I had the wonderful opportunity to play a 2.5 hour vinyl set at Barely Brothers Records located in Saint Paul, MN. I went in the day before to dig through their used vinyl & figure out what tunes I wanted to play. In the process I found many old favorites & new tunes that I wanted to share.
I started things off with some smoother jazz funk from the likes of Victor Feldman, Ramsey Lewis, Art Farmer & Brian Auger and then moved things up with some jazzy hip hop from Big L, CSC Funk Band and the like.
From there I picked up the tempo and started playing more funk and soul, peppering in samples and some hip-hop from Young MC, Ugly Duckling, and Roots Manuva.
Then I took a short detour into electornica & jazz with a Mr. Scruff remix of Herbie Hancock and a Saint Germaine classic "So Flute," which was particularly well received.
After this I changed up the pace again with a pair of spoken word pieces "When the Revolution Comes" by the Last Poets into "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised." It was a great honor being able to play a tune by my hero & inspiration Gil Scott-Heron and the song that inspired it back to back for a live audience.
The latter half of the set I played a lot of rare grooves, afro-sounds, and disco, from the likes of Haze, Julius Brockington, Wood, Brass & Steel, Joe Thomas, Willie Bobo, Lafayette Afro Rock Band, Peter King, and Orgone. I was particularly thrilled at the chance to play a cut from Orgone from a promo copy of their upcoming album "Undercover Mixtape Vol. 1" (Pre-Order it here). I had been losing my mind to their cover of the Gwen McCrae classic "All This Love I'm Giving," so it was a particular thrill & joy to play this live.
Losing my mind to Orgone's furious synth funk
All and all it was a fabulous evening, and to top it all off I got a gift card to the store. I decided to grab a few of the more memorable records from my set.
Haze - Self Titled
Glorious, raw, uncut funk from the hometown of the Purple One. Many years before Prince's arrival on the scene, there was a brewing funk & soul scene in Minneapolis & Saint Paul and Haze is a fine example of the musicianship & energy of the scene. Notable also is that Sonny Knight (RIP) joined the group for their second album.
Packed tight with solid grooves, I chose to play A3 "Waiting For The Moment" which has a bugged-out, killer clavinet solo that will knock your socks off. I'm looking forward to digging further into the sounds on this album in the near future!
Deep Street Soul - Come Alive!
This is UK soul/funk group Deep Street Soul's latest 2016 release. I haven't actually gotten a chance to listen to this yet, but I did get to play a song from their first album when I DJ'd.
I really dig Freestyle Records and their first record, and I try to stay caught up on the modern soul scene, so this seemed like an obvious purchase for me at $7.19! I look forward to hearing more of their grooves soon.
Julius Brockington - Sophisticated Funk This one has been on my radar for quite sometime. I've been familiar with Julius Brockington by way of "This Feeling (Freedom)" which was sampled by Jurassic 5 for "Freedom." While I wasn't as familiar with the material on this album, I've had "Do Your Thing" in my YouTube playlist for almost a year now. It's a chilling, grooving, funked-out cover of an Isaac Hayes piece that appears on the Shaft soundtrack.
Well what I was not aware of was that beyond the funky intro riffs, there was much more hidden within this 8 minute opus. I finished my set with this cut and just let the grooves cook as I started packing up my gear. About 5 minutes in is a drum solo, where the drummer just gives you one breakbeat after another. It really goes to show how important it is to take in the whole song and how a song you thought you knew can still blow your mind. I'm glad I got a chance to play the full 8 minutes and score it as a souvenir from this great experience.
If you'd like to dig a little deeper or want to see what else I'm up to, give me a follow at the links below. Thanks for reading & keep on grooving. Until next time, DJ Blue Funk.
It's been quite some time since I last posted, but I am hoping to start posting more regularly. I will be chronicling my digging trips and sharing some of my discoveries, with links to the music, if possible.
For my first digging trip this year, I went to the always wonderful & well-stocked, Mill City Sound in Hopkins, MN. Milly City is a great record store that has been expanding shelf space & inventory constantly, buying collections from across the country and putting some truly great records out for sale. One of the main reasons I love Mill City so much is their incredible basement section of 45s. There are boxes on boxes of 7 inches that I still have yet to be able to get through their entire stock, but I always find some great 45s and a lot of them are in terrific shape. Last year on record store day I cleaned up on James Brown and Kool & The Gang 45s, all in excellent condition for 3-5 dollars a piece.
Here are my finds from my trip on January 6, 2018:
Chaka Khan - I'm Every Woman b/w A Woman In A Man's World (7", picture sleeve)
No introduction is really needed for this absolute soul classic; remixed by the likes of Frankie Knuckles and influential on the early house scene is soul diva Chaka Khan's hit single "I'm Every Woman." I always love it when I find a 45 in great shape with the picture sleeve, so this was a no brainer for me at $2.99. What I was not familiar with was the cut on side B, "A Woman In A Man's World," which is also a fantastic groove with incredible, uplifting vocals. Chaka will continue to inspire & move, making this a great addition to my record bag!
"A Woman In A Man's World"
James Brown - Sex Machine b/w The Popcorn (7")
Another tune that needs no introduction is the classic "Sex Machine" by James Brown. Quite scandalous at the time of its release, but admired for its raw groove, sheer energy & unforgettable chant of "Get up, get on up," this was another song that I wanted to add to my arsenal. The release date on this particular 45 is unknown, but my best guess is that it is a reissue of some sort that came out in the 70s. The flip is the instrumental work-out, "The Popcorn," a classic JB-groove, if you'd ask me!
Ever since I got a copy of the 1975 version of sex machine and was incredibly disappointed with the result, I've wanted the proper version, so this was a great find for me, although I hope to track down the 45 with both parts 1 & 2 in the future.
Latimore - Let Me Live The Life I Love b/w It Ain't Where You Been (7")
I have been familiar with Latimore for a while now, through the incredible "Out to Get'cha." I figured with such a broad catalog, it would be worth my time to dig in a bit more, so I picked up a few 45s and gave them a listen... I can say that I was mighty pleased that I did!
This 45 is fantastic, as both tracks drip with soul. The keys are COLD and Latimore's voice rides the groove with ease. While I enjoyed both cuts, side B was the real winner for me, building and building with some funky clavinet work to boot. A lower tempo song that is somehow both raw & smooth. Take a listen below:
"It Ain't Where You Been"
Chi-Lites - Are You My Woman (Tell Me So) b/w Troubles A' Comin'
I have been after this song for a while, as it has pretty much everything a funk/soul DJ/collector could want. Drum break? check. Blazing horns sampled by a big-name artist? check. Vocal breakdown and harmonizing so funky it will melt your face off? checkity-check-check-check! Not a rare tune by any means, but an absolute belter, sampled by Beyonce in the soulful hip-hop collab with Jay-Z "Crazy in Love." In addition to the great dance factor, this was a joint I wanted just so I could school some people on sampling and blow a few minds. I'm always looking for ways to get people into soul/funk music from the 70s and many times samples can be a good gateway, it sure was for me!
On Side B, the Chi-Lites break it down on a more conscious tip with "Troubles A' Comin'" which is another great, slower cut that speaks straight to the soul. With a great piano line & a clear gospel influence, it's a great track to mellow out to.
"Are You My Woman (Tell Me So)"
Delegation - Oh Honey b/w Let Me Take You To The Sun (7")
Now, I am not a big sucker for slow, love songs, but after hearing this song sampled by Brothers Like Outlaw and on BADBADNOTGOOD's incredible Late Night Tales mixtape, I was more than sold. This song has just enough groove and mellow, and avoids the schmaltziness of many ballads. This cut is quite soothing and relaxing, which you need sometimes, whether it be when you're tired from a night of grooving or if you're going through a rough patch in life. The intro key-line will grab you and soon you'll be head-bobbing and singing along. Side B was a more uptempo cut, but it sounded a bit overproduced, so for me, the winner here was most definitely "Oh Honey."
"Oh Honey"
Pieces Of A Dream - Please Don't Do This To Me b/w Mt. Airy Groove (7")
Here is another example of why it's a good idea to flip over a record and listen to side B. Pieces of a Dream, a band discovered and produced by Grover Washington Jr., recorded a string of albums through the 80s to today. I must say I am not super familiar with the group's discography, but I have been familiar with Mt. Airy Groove for some time. Mt. Airy Groove has been sampled by Grandmaster Flash, DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist, Leaders of the New School, Force M.D.'s, Geto Boys, and was even remixed as a "rap version" by Grover Washington and Pieces of a Dream themselves. The track combines a breakbeat with jazzier instrumentation, and a scratch-like sound that pulses throughout the track. Another classic breakbeat joint for my record bag!
"Mt. Airy Groove"
Herbie Hancock - Chameleon b/w Autodrive (7")
I am hard pressed to pick a "favorite" artist, but one that influenced me greatly and has a special place in my heart is Herbie Hancock. His albums "Thrust" & "Head Hunters" opened my eyes to a whole new world of jazz, funk, and dance music, so it was with much excitement that I grabbed this 7". Although I already have the album on vinyl and fitting a 15 minute opus onto a 7" is not really going to do the original justice, my interest was piqued, I wanted to see what part of the song they put on the 45, plus this would give me a short version that I could play in sets more easily than the full album cut. The flip "Autodrive" is another favorite of mine. It's a less obvious cut from the "Future Shock" album which contained the massive b-boy hit "Rockit" and an electronic re-working of the title track originally by Curtis Mayfield. Autodrive doesn't have any scratching on it, but it does have an acoustic piano solo over a electro-groove, making it both an interesting & danceable track. It sounded like they lopped off the ending, but most of the solo remains intact, thank goodness!
Roy Ayers - Hey Uh-What You Say Come On b/w You and Me My Love (7")
Continuing on the jazz-funk tip, I found this 45 by the one and only Roy Ayers. I am always on the hunt for tracks by Roy Ayers and am happy to finally get a 45 by him that is in decent shape! This one is great because it has 2 great tracks from the classic LP - Everybody Loves The Sunshine. Side B is the same as the album version and a groovy, jazz funk track, with sparing vocals, smooth keys and a tight bottom end. Side A is interesting because it sounds as if the 45 version is a slightly different edit from the album version. There is no synths over the intro drum break, which comes in heavy after the intro chant of "Hey, uh! what you say, come on!" A Perfect track to get the energy going, making it another a great addition to my bag.
Listen to the album version of "Hey Uh-What You Say Come On"
Nite-Liters - Cherish Every Precious Moment b/w I've Got Dreams to Remember (7")
The Nite-Liters were an instrumental funk outfit that released a string of classic albums in the early 70s. They later joined with vocalists to form New Birth, which also released some great material in the mid 70s. I found another single by them 2 years ago containing the funk workout that is "Afro-Strut," so I was pleased to add this one to my collection. Both sides are great, but side B is the real winner for me, as the group gets down & gritty with a song about heartbreak and nightmares, reworking an Oddis Redding joint to maximum funkiness. The drums, blues-inspired guitar and bass-line interlock seamlessly, and when the vocals fade out there is a killer guitar solo that comes in along with handclaps. A song about bad dreams never felt this good.
"I've Got Dreams To Remember"
Tower of Power - Down To The Nightclub b/w What Happened To The World That Day (7")
Here's another classic funk offering from the Oakland funk band Tower of Power. I had the pleasure of seeing them up-close and live in 2016 at the Dakota Jazz Club in Minnesota and my love for them has kept increasing since. This band has it all, one of the tightest horn sections, a jaw-dropping rhythm section, and great vocalists.
This single is from their 1972 album "Bump City," and offers a classic Tower of Power pairing of a uptempo funk workout & a mellower groove on the flip. While I mainly got this single for "Down to the Nightclub," which packs a solid-funk-punch to the gut in just over two and half minutes, side B is also incredible. As far as love songs go, this is just the way I like 'em: smooth and mellow, but with a groove. This song is sure to put you in a breezy mood & put a smile on your face, and then towards the end the horns come in, adding the perfect finishing touch on an already sublime tune. Truly a master of their craft, the band celebrated their 50th anniversary last year. Thanks for keeping the funk alive!
"What Happened To The World That Day"
Dennis Coffey - Honky Tonk b/w El Tigre (7") & Getting It On b/wRide, Sally, Ride (7")
To finish off this treasure trove of 45s, I picked up 2 45s by the incredible Dennis Coffey. I became familiar with Dennis Coffey many years ago through the b-boy & funk classic "Scorpio" which has been sampled and covered to death (my current fave being the Bacao Steel & Rhythm Band's version). Coffey added his signature wah-wah guitar to numerous productions in the late 60s & early 70s, with his most famous probably being the Temptations' "Cloud Nine."
I have yet to find Scorpio on 45, but with such a prolific, funky output, it was a no-brainer to pick up both of these 45s, heavy on the funk with nasty guitar riffs and fat, fat drums. "Honky Tonk" is a bit more cheesy as he started to incorporate more disco elements into his production, but El Tigre carries on the funk torch beautifully. Getting It On b/w Ride, Sally, Ride, is clearly the winner here however, with blazing guitar funk dripping on both sides, "Ride, Sally..." is reminiscent of "Scorpio," while "Getting It On" fuses funk with a heavy rock guitar, bringing Coffey's playing front and center.
Listen to "Ride, Sally, Ride"
Aaaand, that's a wrap! I hope you enjoyed the tunes & stay tuned for my next blog post... In the meantime, I always share links to tunes I'm digging on my DJ page on facebook and upload some of my discoveries as mixes to mixcloud, so if you're intrigued & want to dig deeper, find me/follow me on the links below... Thanks for reading & keep on grooving ~ DJ Blue Funk.
I must admit, I've stopped following politics closely. The sheer amount of news is overwhelming and it seems like if one unbelievable event occurs, the next day something even more unbelievable happens. With the 2016 elections, I think many people believe a new low has been reached, but as I dig back into my records from the 70s and think back to history, I know that things have always been pretty bad for those without money, power, or social status. I suppose people felt like some sort of progress was made, but I think we are quick to forget that this is a country where the civil rights act was passed just over 50 years ago, and women's voting rights have existed just shy of 100 years.
Still, the division, rage, and political situation of the world today (come on now, the world is so much larger than the United States!) is frustrating. Countries keep pouring money into armies to fight wars; we ignore the crisis that our planet is facing, putting profits and convenience above the very planet that we live in; people are still dying from starvation; the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer. We try to pat ourselves on the backs by giving Western countries titles such as "first world countries," "advanced," "civilized," but what good is being all that, if it still leaves people starving and on the streets? How civilized are we, if we cannot look another person in the eye and recognize them as a fellow human being? Not much, I believe.
Now, these conditions and messages are not always in the forefront. Sometimes the healing power of music can do more for a person than one would imagine. You can't protest 24/7, you can't watch the news 24/7, if we don't take a moment to enjoy what we have in life, then we will end up drained and spent. As Audre Lorde said, self-care can be a political act. The official motto of the Zulu nation is "peace, unity, love, and having fun" which I think captures what music can do in a succinct manner.
While there is much background to be mined and I could go on, let me get back to the music and how this all connects. I've been wanting to do a mix with a theme of peace & unity for a long time now, primarily inspired by "Let's make peace & stop the war" by Funk Inc, "We know we have to live together" by Eugene Blacknell, & "Why can't we live together" by Timmy Thomas. So with my latest upload I decided to put the message in the forefront. It's great to enjoy the great music that has come out of hardships, but it's also important to recognize where it is coming from and take some of those issues to heart. I think this is part of what it means to be a responsible listener of music in this day and age (in addition to actually buying & supporting artists, especially independent ones).
I've culled 33 songs from my vinyl & digital collection featuring both new & old music from the likes of Gil Scott-Heron, Sharon Jones, Charles Bradley, Lee Fields, Stevie Wonder, Kool & The Gang, Cameo, Roy Ayers, The US, Bohannon, Darondo, Sir Joe Quarterman, Zara McFarlane, the aforementioned songs, and many many more... But I felt that no song was worthier to name this mix after than the uplifting, vibrant soul classic "We Got To Have Peace" by the one and only Curtis Mayfield. This is really the message that I want to convey: until we stop killing each other & learn to live together, what good is progress? Why do we keep highlighting our differences and respond with fear? We KNOW we have to live together, so why can't we live together?
