The late, great jazz drummer/composer Idris Muhammad had clubs, parties and discos jumpin’ with this bodacious dance-funk track back in the day. This cut hits you right in the bump zone and will have you breaking for the dance floor in record time. Wilbur Bascomb’s percolating bass line drives this kinetic groove, while Muhammad keeps things funky with his tight drumming. And there is no shortage of cowbell on this irresistible cut. Additionally, the track features a scorching solo from late guitarist Hiram Bullock. And the soulful vocals are provided by Frank Floyd, Kenny Williams and Zachary Sanders.
The song is the title track off Muhammad’s fifth studio album, which was released on Kudu Records in 1977. The collection was produced and arranged by David Matthews. The producer co-wrote “Turn This Mutha Out” with Tony Sarafino. The song climbed to #21 on the U.S. Billboard R&B singles chart. The elegantly smooth dance track “Could Heaven Ever Be Like This” is another single from the album that charted, peaking at #68 on the U.S. Billboard R&B singles chart and #76 on the Billboard Hot 100. And it shot to #2 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Play chart.
Idris Muhammad was born Leo Morris on November 13, 1939 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He began playing drums at the age eight and was performing with jazz bands by the time he was 16. The talented musician is recognized as one of the most innovative drummers in soul music and had worked with legendary music acts such as Sam Cooke, Jerry Butler, Sonny Stitt, Roberta Flack, George Benson, John Scofield, Grover Washington, Jr. and Curtis Mayfield. And he played on Fats Domino’s Rock ‘n’ Roll classic “Blueberry Hill” when he was just 16. Muhammad also worked extensively with jazz greats Lou Donaldson, Ahmad Jamal and Pharoah Sanders. Also, he was the house drummer at Prestige Records from 1970 through '72.
The famed drummer/composer was quite an eclectic artist. He took on a number of different styles during his long, distinguished musical career, including jazz, funk, R&B, soul, fusion, post-bop, soul-jazz, bebop, dance and jazz-funk. And he played on some of the best soul-jazz tracks ever recorded. In the 1960s, the musician changed his name to Idris Muhammad after converting to Islam. And in the ‘70s, he released a string of stellar albums that are now prized among funk, soul-jazz and R&B fans.
Muhammad’s music was introduced to a new generation via hip hop. A slew of celebrated hip-hop artists have sampled his music for their tracks, including Nas, Eminem, Drake, 2Pac, the Notorious B.I.G. and the Beastie Boys.
The legendary drummer died at the age of 74 on July 29, 2014, leaving behind a wealth of great music and performances. He’s remembered as one of the greatest soul-jazz drummers of all time.
Legendary R&B/funk/jazz band Earth, Wind & Fire were at the peak of their popularity and success when they released their eighth studio album All ‘N All in late November of 1977. They were probably the biggest African-American band in the world at the time, boasting legions of fans of all races and nationalities across the globe. However, the mega-talented outfit didn’t rest on their laurels and broke new sonic ground with this amazing collection. It’s a highly creative work but still very accessible to a wide audience.
The album is chock-full of musical gems and is extremely cohesive; all the songs complement one another, with one song flowing seamlessly to the next. The lead single, “Serpentine Fire,” is a rhythmic masterpiece—fusing funk, African, gospel, soul and Latin in one explosive package. The track has a really unique percussion-laden groove; and it boasts a monstrous bass line and a super-tight horn arrangement. Also, the dynamic intro sounds like the band is bursting out of a volcano. In short, this is massive RHINOCEROS FUNK. The song was a big hit, spending seven weeks atop the U.S. Billboard R&B singles chart and peaking at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The other big hit from the collection is the majestic, uplifting “Fantasy.” The song is superbly arranged and orchestrated, and Philip Bailey delivers a sterling lead vocal performance. It charted at #12 on the U.S. Billboard R&B singles chart and at #32 on the Billboard Hot 100. It’s one of Earth, Wind & Fire’s best-known tracks and still gets a lot of play on the radio.
The hyperkinetic “Magic Mind” is one of the band’s most underrated songs. It’s about striving to achieve your highest potential in all aspects of life, taking risks and not being afraid to fail—as well as not allowing the negativity in the world to consume you. The song’s title refers to how powerful the human mind is and the endless things you can accomplish if you fully utilize it. The potent, hard-driving groove boasts some incredible playing from the celebrated Phenix Horns; and Verdine White keeps things nice and funky with his impeccable bass work.
“I’ll Write A Song for You” is a gorgeous ballad that features an exquisite vocal performance from Bailey. This track illustrates what a truly gifted vocalist he is.
The urgent, high-energy “Jupiter” is about a wise and benevolent extraterrestrial who travels to Earth to spread a message of love and positivity. The band’s flawless musicianship elevates this supersonic groove to the stratosphere. The primitive-sounding “In the Marketplace” interlude is a great lead-in to “Jupiter.” It takes the listener from ancient times to high-velocity futuristic funk. And Maurice White provides some great Kalimba work on the interlude.
The powerful ballad “Be Ever Wonderful” showcases Maurice’s impressive vocal chops. Another track in which he shines on lead vocals is the luminous mellow jam “Love’s Holiday.” And it features a terrific guitar solo from Johnny Graham. “Love’s Holiday” is followed by the irresistible interlude “Brazilian Rhyme,” which has a marvelous vocal arrangement and some splendid bass work from Verdine. Even the interludes are first-rate on this album. This could stand on its own as a full song.
The band flexes its jazz muscles on the fusion-jazz instrumental “Runnin’.” The song features some dazzling keyboard work from Larry Dunn and excellent solos from saxophonist Don Myrick and trumpeter Michael Harris.
All ‘N All was produced solely by Maurice White, who also helped write the majority of the album’s tracks. It’s one of EWF’s most successful albums, both critically and commercially. The collection climbed to the summit of the U.S. Billboard R&B album chart, where it remained for nine weeks; and it peaked at #3 on the Billboard 200 pop album chart. It also charted in the top 20 in several other countries and made the top 10 in Canada and the Netherlands. The collection went triple platinum and was the best-selling R&B album of 1978. And it received high marks from music critics. Additionally, the album won a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group or Chorus; and “Runnin’” landed the band another Grammy for Best R&B Instrumental.
Earth, Wind & Fire outdid themselves with All ‘N All—one of the landmark albums of the late ‘70s and a jewel among the band’s acclaimed oeuvre.
Celebrated Jamaican rhythm section Sly & Robbie thrilled funk and reggae music lovers with their inventive 1987 album Rhythm Killers. In the 1980s, the talented musical duo began transitioning to a more electronic sound, a significant departure from the rootsy reggae of their earlier work. And this album captures them at the peak of their new sonic direction. The musicians utilized contemporary technology and electronic equipment for this record, including a Fairlight CMI synthesizer and electronic drums.
Rhythm Killers, released on Island Records, offers a terrific cross-genre stew of funk, reggae, hip-hop, rock, world beat and dancehall. The collection showcases drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare’s tremendous musical chops, which earned them the distinction of being one of the world’s greatest rhythm sections. The duo brought in Bill Laswell to produce the album. The bassist/producer is known for his experimental, avant-garde production work and was the ideal choice for this ambitious effort.
Probably the strongest track on Rhythm Killers is the irresistible “Boops (Here To Go).” The song is about a dude with no game who tries to buy the affections of the ladies, but instead gets played by them. It’s a really unique-sounding track, which effectively melds hip-hop, reggae and funk. Everything just clicks on this cut, and it immediately grabs your attention with its singular groove. And it features Jamaican reggae singer/rapper/toaster Shinehead, who serves up an inspired rap performance. Moreover, this track contains one of my favorite Star Trek puns: “Bass, the final frontier.” You just know you’re in for some heavy-duty, unalloyed funk with that line.
“Let’s Rock” is a high-octane funk/rock cut that features funk legend Bootsy Collins, who provides some nasty guitar work and a cool vocal performance. This track just smokes and has an urgency about it, and Sly & Robbie’s potent rhythms ably power this monster groove. Also, singers Bernard Fowler and P-Funk alumnus Gary “Mudbone” Cooper contribute some funkified vocals. And guitarist Pat Thrall delivers some wicked rock-tinged licks, while the dynamic strings further increase the track’s groove quotient.
"Rhythm Killer" is an infectious reggae/hip-hop track that boasts a dope bass line, a bomb-ass beat and a great descending string arrangement from Karl Berger. And Shinehead returns with some more tight bars.
The album also contains covers of two ‘70s R&B classics: the Ohio Players’ funk/dance smash “Fire” and the Pointer Sisters’ 1973 hit “Yes We Can Can.” Sly& Robbie’s cover of “Fire” is pretty solid but not as good as it could have been. They didn’t really bring anything new, unique, or interesting to their rendition, which is disappointing considering all the great talent involved in this project. It just makes you want to go listen to the original version. Their cover of “Yes We Can Can” is better but still not great. I would have preferred listening to some original Sly & Robbie tracks in place of these two rather uninspired covers.
The album’s final track, “Bank Job,” is one badass groove—boasting tight vocals, a sterling string arrangement and some killer bass work from Robbie. The track features the late Rammellzee, who was a highly influential graffiti, hip-hop and performance artist. This was an excellent song choice to close out the album.
With the exception of “Fire” and “Yes We Can Can,” Laswell, Sly and Robbie contributed to the writing of all the album's tracks. And Bootsy helped pen “Boops (Here To Go),” “Let’s Rock” and “Bank Job.” Also, Bootsy and Mudbone weren’t the only P-Funk alums who appeared on the album. P-Funk keyboard maestro Bernie Worrell brought his considerable skills to the mix. Some of the other notable musicians who played on the album included acclaimed saxophonist/flautist and composer Henry Threadgill; Senegalese percussionist and drummer Aïyb Dieng; jazz-fusion guitarist Nicky Skopelitis; and the late, great Cuban percussionist Daniel Ponce.
Upon its release, Rhythm Killers received mostly positive reviews from music critics and charted in the UK (#35), Sweden (#44), New Zealand (#12) and the Netherlands (#75). "Boops (Here To Go)" spent 11 weeks on the UK Singles chart, peaking at #12; and it charted at #22 on the U.S. Billboard Dance Club Play Singles chart. NME Magazine ranked Rhythm Killers at number 25 on its 1987 year-end best albums list. And "Boops (Here To Go)" ranked at number 18 on the magazine's best singles list.
On the whole, Rhythm Killers is a very strong effort and a must-have for Sly & Robbie fans, as well as funk and reggae aficionados. Although it’s a highly creative and experimental album, Sly & Robbie never lose sight of the FUNK, which is why it’s such a rewarding listening experience. It’s at once inventive, super-funky and accessible.
R&B/funk/jazz band Pleasure are widely known for their bass-driven funk classic “Glide.” The track is beloved by funk fans and bass players alike. However, the Portland, Oregon-bred band recorded a number of other stellar tracks that barely get any play these days. “Glide” kind of overshadows the rest of the band’s oeuvre, and that’s a shame because gems like “Space Is the Place Place” often get overlooked.
Not to be confused with avant-garde jazz innovator Sun Ra’s composition of the same title, Pleasure’s “Space Is the Place” is an infectiously funky groove. The track is brimming with funk and soul. And the musicianship is impeccable. Nathaniel Phillips’ bass work is smooth, fluid and very funky. Guitarist Douglas Lewis serves up some fretboard funkiness, including a smoldering solo. The cool vocal arrangement has some early Earth, Wind & Fire flavor, with lead singer Sherman Davis delivering a strong, soulful vocal performance. The late, great Bruce Carter works his rhythmic magic on the drums.
The song has a positive message about finding inner peace through mentally transporting yourself from the negativity in the world and discovering a new space: “In search of an outer groove/You don’t have to move /You’ll find a place.”
“Space Is The Place” is a track from Pleasure’s fifth album Future Now, released in 1979. The song was penned by Nathaniel Phillips and percussionist Bruce Smith. The album also contains the band’s biggest hit “Glide.” There are also several other strong cuts on this impressive collection.
The lineup for Pleasure, when they recorded Future Now, was the following: Nathaniel Phillips (bass, vocals); Bruce Carter (drums); Donald Hepburn (keyboards, vocals); Marlon “The Magician” McClain (guitar, backing vocals); Bruce Smith (percussion, backing vocals); Dennis Springer (tenor saxophone); Sherman Davis (lead vocals, backing vocals); Michael Hepburn (keyboards, vocals); and Tony Collins (trumpet, flugelhorn). And guitarist Douglas Lewis, who played on "Space Is The Place" and "Universal," would officially become a band member on Pleasure's next album Special Things (1980).
Malina Moye is one of the most dynamic rising artists on the music scene today. The talented guitar slinger has been blowing people away with her considerable fretboard prowess and prodigious skills as a live performer. Moye’s sound is a potent fusion of funk and rock. And in addition to her impressive guitar kills, the Cleveland, Ohio native is also an accomplished singer and songwriter.
In October of last year, Moye dropped her latest EP Rock & Roll Baby, which is a marvelous six-song collection of funk, rock and soul tracks. Its first single, “K-yotic,” features legendary funk master Bootsy Collins. The song is an irresistible slice of funk-rock, with Bootsy bringing his signature goofy charm to the mix. The song debuted at #5 on the Billboard Twitter 140 chart and at #11 on Billboard’s Hot Singles sales chart. And the album landed on Billboard’s Heat Seekers.
And in February, Moye released the EP’s second single, “Are You The One,” which is a superb R&B/rock ballad. Another great track is the ferocious funk-rocker “Run Free” in which she lets loose with some dazzling fretboard fireworks. Additionally, Rock & Roll Baby boasts a terrific cover of Jimi Hendrix’s song “Foxey Lady.” Moye delivers a blistering guitar performance on this rock classic.
And the musician recruited some top-notch talent for her record. Bass maven Rhonda Smith played on “K-yotic,” and studio ace Alex Al laid down the bottom for the hard-rockin’ cut “A Little Rough.” And famed P-Funk and James Brown drummer Frankie “Kash” Waddy played on “K-yotic.” He also appeared in the song’s video along with fellow P-Funk alum Bootsy.
Moye’s star has been steadily on the rise over the last several years. She has been getting love from tons of music fans across the globe, and a number of noted music publications have been showering her with praise. Guitar World Magazine lauded her as one of the “10 Female Guitarists You Should Know” and described Rock & Roll Baby as “insanely good.” And Billboard Magazine called Moye’s collaboration with Boosty “explosive” and wrote the following about her: “If Moye has her own way, she’ll usher in a revival of funk, rock, and R&B into mainstream music.” In January, Moye graced the cover of Gitar Plus magazine, which hailed her as the “Queen of Funk Rock.”
And addition to recording, Moye has been killing it on stage. She’s a charismatic live performer who knows how to captivate an audience. Her live performances are also marked by her unconventional playing style; she plays left-handed and strums upside down. The guitarist has a special custom-made Fender Stratocaster to fit her unique style of playing.
One of Moye’s notable concert outings was her participation in the Experience Hendrix Tour in 2012 and again in 2014, which paid tribute to the late guitar genius. As a performer on these tours, she had the opportunity to play alongside acclaimed axmen such as Buddy Guy, Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Eric Gales, Zakk Wylde and Robert Randolph. And Moye was the only female guitarist invited to perform at the 2012 tour.
She also performed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tribute concert for Chuck Berry that same year. And she had the privilege of performing “God Save the Queen” on guitar at the world-famous Goodwood Festival of Speed in honor of the Queen of England’s 60-year jubilee.
And in 2010, Moye performed a soul-stirring rendition of the National Anthem on guitar at the sold-out Vikings/Cowboys game in front of 65,000 people. She was the first African-American woman to play the National Anthem on electric guitar at a professional sporting event. And last year, she performed her track “A Little Rough” on The Arsenio Hall Show. Moreover, Moye has toured with several big-name artists, including Robin Thicke, Boyz II Men, Journey and Lyfe Jennings.
And in addition to being a great musician and performer, Moye is a successful entrepreneur. She founded her own record label in 2004 called WCE Records and released her critically acclaimed debut album, Diamonds & Guitars (2009), on the label. And she is the first African-American left-handed female guitar player to join Fender Guitars’ esteemed roster of endorsees, which includes Eric Clapton and John Mayer.
In 2013, Moye and her record label, WCE Records, signed a global distribution and marketing partnership deal with Brody Distribution Group, distributed by Red (A Division Of Sony Corporation). Her latest EP, Rock & Roll Baby, was released under this new partnership.
Moye is carving out her own niche in the music game with a winning combo of talent, style, drive and business acumen. The multitalented musician/entrepreneur is an exciting new voice on the scene and has no doubt inspired legions of girls and young women to consider a career in music—particularly as badass guitar slingers.
To learn more about Moye and to get tour dates and music release info, visit her website.
“You And I” by Rick James is the ultimate party jam. The track is crackling with energy, attitude and FUNK. And 37 years after its original release, it still gets me hyped and in a party mood whenever I hear it. It’s a stone-cold club banger. The dynamic, high-octane groove kicks you right in the sacroiliac. And the horns are on fire. This track makes me miss the days when many popular music acts had real horn players in their bands.
The explosive groove also boasts an irresistible, booty-shakin’ bass line, funky clavinet and wicked guitar licks; and axman Freddy Rapillo serves up a smooth, jazzy guitar solo. James brings his patented brash charm to his soulful vocal performance. Also, the female background singers help sweeten the groove. This is one of those tracks that sounds best turned all the way up—be it in your ride, the club or in your living room.
“You And I” was written and arranged by James. It was the first single from his double-platinum debut album Come Get It! (1978). The song spent two weeks atop the U.S. R&B singles chart and peaked at #13 on the pop charts; and it climbed to #3 on the U.S. dance chart. The album’s second single, “Mary Jane,” also performed well on the charts, reaching #3 on the U.S. R&B singles chart and #41 on the pop singles chart. The collection, which was released on Motown sub-label Gordy Records, made it to #3 on the U.S. R&B albums chart and #13 on the pop albums chart.
James wrote and composed all the songs on Come Get It!, except for "Mary Jane," which he co-wrote with keyboardist Billy Nunn. James co-produced the album with Motown producer and engineer Art Stewart. The Stone City Band lineup for Come Get It! was Billy Nunn (keyboards, background vocals), Freddy Rapillo (guitar), Andy Rapillo (bass), Bobby Nunn (keyboards, background vocals), Richard Shaw (bass, background vocals), Lorenzo Shaw (drums), Mike Caputy (drums), Sascha Rose (background vocals); Levi and Jackie Ruffin (background vocals), Vanessa Brooks Nunn (background vocals), and the horns were provided by Michael and Randy Brecker, sax and trumpet, respectively.
The album successfully launched James’ solo career, and it firmly put him on the map in the popular music scene. He went on to drop several more great funk and R&B hits, including the crossover smash “Super Freak.” Outside of the studio, James distinguished himself onstage as a charismatic and exciting live performer; and he eventually became one of the biggest names in the funk game. The late musician/performer was probably known just as much for his bad-boy persona as his music.
Prince and his new band 3RDEYEGIRL recently released a cover of the Christian song “What If.” The song was originally written and performed by Christian singer-songwriter Nichole Nordeman and is a single from her album Brave (2005). The Purple One and his talented all-female trio put their own musical spin on the song. Their rendition has a more dynamic, hard-edged rock flavor to it—with louder guitars—than the original. The cover is also more electronic-heavy. However, they kept all the lyrics from the original intact. Prince and 3RDEYEGIRL drummer Hannah Welton share lead vocals on the song. Nordeman has said that the song is about the “transforming love of Jesus.”
Prince premiered the song on a local radio station in Louisville, Kentucky, where he and 3RDEYEGIRL launched the U.S. leg of their Hit & Run tour on March 14 at the Louisville Palace. It was the first of four concerts at the venue. (More dates for the tour will be announced in the coming days.) And kicking off the tour in Louisville had a special meaning for Welton, who's a Louisville native. The other two members of 3RDEYEGIRL are Ida Nielsen (bass) and Donna Grantis (guitar).
It’s not really surprising that Prince has covered a Christian song. There has always been a religious element to his music, even during his wild-and-risqué gender-bending Purple Rain period. His melding of sex and spirituality in his music is one of the things that has made him such an intriguing and provocative artist.
Prince’s spirituality has become more pronounced since he converted to the Jehovah’s Witness faith in 2001. He’s a devout follower of the faith and has even done some door-to-door proselytizing in its name. That must have been a trip for those unsuspecting folks whose houses His Royal Badness visited.
Nordeman is a well-known American contemporary Christian music artist. She has won several Gospel Music Association Dove awards. She is currently on tour and has some dates lined up for April of this year.
