The Chi-Lites get political on the ferocious funk/soul protest anthem "(For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People," released in 1971. The Chi-Lites were generally known for their classic romantic ballads like "Have You Seen Her?" and "Oh Girl," but on this track the group goes ham and blasts the system and the greedy fat cats and crooked politicians who run it.
The track points out the huge imbalance in the distribution of the nation's wealth where you have many people living below the poverty line while a select few get the the bulk of the wealth. The song demands a stronger voice among all American citizens, including minorities and the disadvantaged. The treacherous groove and the Chi-Lites' soulful, angry vocals give the socially conscious track a sense of power and urgency.
The song is the title track from the Chi-Lite's third album (1971) and was written by lead vocalist Eugene Record. The song had a strong showing on the charts. It climbed to #4 on the R&B charts and #26 on the Billboard Hot 100, and it charted at #32 on the UK Singles Chart.
The album itself also did extremely well. It peaked at #3 on the R&B charts and #12 on the pop charts. The collection also featured the smash "Have You Seen Her?," which topped the R&B charts and reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was largely written and produced by Eugene Record. Also, "(For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People" was featured on the soundtrack to the 1995 film Panther.
A slew of big-name musical acts will descend upon Pensacola Beach, Florida for the 3rd Annual DeLuna Fest come September. The three-day festival will be held on September 21-23 at Pensacola Beach. The artists will perform on four stages (two directly on the Pensacola Beach sand). The event will offer an eclectic mix of musical styles and a truly impressive lineup of top-name artists and bands.
Some of the performers scheduled to take the stage at the festival include Jimmy Cliff, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Florence and the Machine, Dwight Yoakam, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Bad Brains, Ben Folds Five, Zac Brown Band and DJ Jazzy Jeff, among many others. Sounds like it's going to be one helluva beach party.
DeLuna Fest made its debut in 2010 as a revival of America's original beach party nearly 500 years ago. The festival pays homage to the landing of Spanish Conquistador Don Tristan de Luna on what we now know as Pensacola Beach, Florida in 1559. Upon landing, de Luna and his crew threw the ultimate beach party. DeLuna Fest also marks Pensacola's countdown to its 500-year anniversary.
The inaugural De Luna Fest in 2010 had a great lineup of performers that included Stone Temple Pilots, Willie Nelson, Bush, Daughtry and Better Than Ezra.
For more info about DeLuna 2012, check out their website.
"Fried Neckbones and Some Home Fries" is a dope track by the late, great Latin jazz percussionist Willie Bobo. The song's haunting, mysterious groove is a killer. The first time I heard the song was when I was watching a scene from Peter Berg's pitch-black comedy Very Bad Things some years back. And I was floored by the track. It sounded incredible and stayed with me after I had finished watching the movie. So I had to find out who recorded it.
Bobo was born William Correa on February 28, 1934 and grew up in Spanish Harlem in New York City, NY. He began playing bongos at 14, and only a year later, he was performing with the King of Mambo Pérez Prado. At this time, he was also studying with legendary Cuban percussionist Mongo Santamaria, while also serving as his translator. At 19, Bobo joined Latin jazz great Tito Puente for a four-year stint.
Pioneering jazz pianist and composer Mary Lou Williams gave the famed percussionist the moniker "Bobo" when they recorded together in the early '50s. During his distinguished career, Bobo played in a variety of styles, including Latin jazz, Afro-Cuban Jazz, Latin soul, Salsa, Latin folk, world fusion and boogaloo. He was highly skilled on several percussion instruments and had performed with jazz giants such as Miles Davis, Cannonball Adderley, Herbie Hancock, Wes Montgomery and Chico Hamilton.
"Fried Neckbones and Some Home Fries" was written by Bobo and trumpeter/cornetist Melvin Lastie. The track was featured on Bobo's album Uno, Dos, Tres 1-2-3, which was released in 1966. Santana performed a cool live cover of the track at Woodstock in 1969. Bobo died at only 49 from cancer on September 15, 1983.
Snoop Dogg and the Black Keys are among the scheduled artists to perform at the inaugural Catalpa Music Festival. The festival will take place on July 28-29 on Randalls Island in New York City. The festival will run from 1:00 pm to 11:00 pm each day. According to their website, the organizers of Catalpa are "striving to be a pioneering New York festival, unique in its programming, atmosphere and aesthetic." The festival will stress on-site artistry, interactive experiences and experimentation in the musical performances.
The 40 scheduled performers at the event will represent a diverse array of musical genres, including blues, rock, hip-hop, electronic, reggae and indie.
In addition to Snoop and the Black Keys, some of the other scheduled performers include Cold War Kids, TV On The Radio, Matt and Kim, Zola Jesus, Felix da Housecat, Dirty Heads, the Big Pink and Fort Atlantic, among many others.
To learn more about the festival and ticket info, visit their website
I was checking out acid jazz pioneers The Brand New Heavies' 1997 cover of '70s dance track "You Can Do It," which was originally recorded by Al Hudson and The Partners in 1979. The Heavies effectively channel some vintage '70s magic on this infectious cover. It really sounds like they could have recorded this back in the party-'til-you-drop "Me Decade."
I really dig the vocal arrangements on The Heavies' rendition. Their voices flow so well together and are at once smooth and extremely soulful. And the groove is tight, with great horn lines, phat bass and some funky guitar licks. And the keyboard part that's played throughout the song keeps things percolating. It kind of reminds me of the main keyboard part on Kool & the Gang's hit "Ladies' Night" or Chocolate Milk's "Girl Callin'." "You Can Do It" is one of those tracks that makes you want to sing along because it's just so damn catchy.
The Brand New Heavies are an acid jazz and funk band that was formed in 1985 by drummer/keyboardist Jan Kincaid, guitarist Simon Bartholonew and bassist/keyboardist Andrew Levy. The three musicians were former schoolmates in the London suburb of Ealing. The three shared a mutual love for classic American soul and funk music from the 1970s. The trio was originally an instrumental act and went by the name Brother International and later added a horn section.
The group changed their name to the Brand New Heavies after signing their first record deal. As the Brand New Heavies, the group gained a cult following in the London club circuit. The group became pivotal figures in the burgeoning acid jazz scene in the UK during the late '80s and early '90s. (Acid Jazz is a beat-heavy genre that fuses elements of jazz, funk and hip hop.) Vocalist Jay Ella Ruth eventually joined the group as its lead singer.
Ruth's tenure with the Heavies was short-lived. She was only with the band during 1990. She was succeeded by American singer N'Dea Davenport, who spent four years with the band. The Atlanta-born singer rejoined the Heavies in 2005 and is still with them.
"You Can Do It" is from the group's album Shelter, released in 1997. Grammy-winning and twice Oscar-nominated singer/songwriter Siedah Garrett was the lead singer of the Heavies at this time. She had joined the band in 1996 as Davenport's replacement. In addition to her lead-singing duties, Garrett contributed to the writing of six of the album's tracks, including the hit song "Sometimes." Garrett left the group in '98 to concentrate on her own songwriting.
Garrett was replaced by Carleen Anderson as the group's lead singer. Anderson is the daughter of soul singer Vicki Anderson, who is best known for being a part of James Brown's revue during the '60s and early '70s. Carleen is also the stepdaughter of the late, great Bobby Byrd, who was James Brown's long-running right-hand man as well as founder and original member of the Famous Flames.
Anderson left the group in 2000. Following Anderson's departure, the Heavies had two other lead singers (Sy Smith and Nicole Russo) before they reunited with Davenport in 2005.
Keyboard master and P-Funk alum Bernie Worrell and his orchestra will be headlining the 4th Annual Local & Legend Music Festival next Saturday on June 23. The concert will take place at Unionville Vineyards in Ringoes, New Jersey.
The annual festival is an affiliate of World Of Originality, Inc., which is a not-for-profit corporation. The festival is an event that the entire family can enjoy and will have wine tasting, local vendors and great food. And the festival will also feature a terrific lineup of musical talent.
In addition to the Bernie Worrell Orchestra, some of the others artists and bands scheduled to perform at the event include Larry Marshall, CC Coletti Band, Jessi Teich, Ten Foot Tall, The Almighty Terribles and Coral Maze.
Proceeds from the festival will go to providing scholarships for students in the Music and the Performing Arts as well as PALS, a Music Therapy Program
For more info about the festival, go to their website.
Years before Gangsta rap blew up in the early '90s, James Brown was releasing gangsta cuts like "The Boss," "Papa Don't Take No Mess" and "The Payback." I guess you could say that James was the ultimate OG. The smooth funk groove on "The Boss" has so much swagger that it can make even the most funkless and uncool among us feel like Miles Davis for a minute.
"The Boss" is from the Godfather of Soul's soundtrack for the 1973 blaxploitation film Black Caesar starring Fred Williamson. The film is about the rise and fall of a powerful Harlem crime boss. It's no Shaft or Super Fly, but it's a decent flick and better than many other similar films of the genre.
Some of the song's lyrics seem like they could be about James himself. He was always a boss. I like how he defiantly blurts out, "Told you so!" during the bridge. It's like he's taunting all those who said he'd never get over and doubted the power of his funk. The groove is just so chill, and the bass line is a killer. Also, the horn arrangement by Fred Wesley is stone-cold.
With its gangsta themes and swaggering funk, it's not surprising that hip-hop artists picked up on this track. Gangsta rap pioneer Ice-T famously sampled it for his 1990 single "You Played Yourself." "The Boss" has been sampled on 133 songs, per WhoSampled.com. It was written by James Brown, Fred Wesley and Charles Bobbit.
