Soul With a Capital 'S'

[truestorytravis]

Does anyone listen to old school soul and funk? I'm really into RZA and Keb Darge's compilation "Kings of Funk" and I want to find some similar artists. I've been doing a little looking and some other folks I'm digging are Betty Davis, Etta James, The JBs in their many incarnations and Maceo Parker among others. As the thread title suggests, I'm into Tower of Power as well, so recs of artists who are similar to that vein of funk would be good too. And as a more specific request, does anyone know where I can get (i.e. download for free) a good copy of Archie Bell and The Drells' Tighten Up/I Can't Stop Dancing or James Brown's 1968 Say it Live and Loud?

[keagan]

good thread.

I've been listening to RAMP- Come into Knowledge quite abit recently.

Legendary record; a must if you're into A Tribe Called Quest. Which we all are.

[NESK]

easiest way to find people funk/soul that your gonna dig is go to the-breaks.com, look for a hip hop song you like the beat to, find the source material for the sample and download your face off.

this will double your music collection, if you actually buy records, prepare otbe broke as fuck.

[evisu 2000]

entire stax catalogue.

[GoodHustle]

You might already know about them but if not, then check out The Meters.

[truestorytravis]

i'm on the meters already. wilson picket is another good one on the soul side.

[airportlobbytx]

I think the SoulJazz comps are really good introductions to different cities' soul/funk scenes. The New Orleans one became really popular, but it's also quite good. I really love New Orleans soul - Lee Dorsey Ernie K-Doe, The Meters, Allen Toussaint, Betty Harris, etc.

Also, WFMU has a really amazing soul show. It's one hour, and the DJs spin 23 or 24 45s. They have all the old shows archived. It's pretty fucking wonderful:

http://www.wfmu.org/playlists/SV

Some of the recent shows are fund drives, fyi.

[mookey]

Check out the Eccentric Soul compilations. I've got volumes 1 & 7, both of which are just fabulous.

[truestorytravis]

i'm sad to see that this thread hasn't grown. oh well. i'm sure most of you are already very familiar with him, but i've just discovered the magic of otis redding. "dictionary of soul" and "the soul album" have been on repeat for about two weeks now. just amazing. i love the sound of these records--warm, round, mmmmmmmmn and that voice! i just love the reverb on otis's voice and the snare drum sound and placement make me giddy. anyone else want to shout for a classic artist?

[keagan]

I Do!

*Shout

Has anyone picked up Amnesty- Free your mind? It was released back in 06 on stones throw, but it was recorded in the 70's buy some no-names from Indianapolis and never released. And I guess PBW found it and released it.

And jesus fucking christ- Spinechillingly good record. It's very horn heavy and has some afrobeat elements in it. Gut wrenching vocals that talk about black power and activism. Bass and drums fit within each other like a fatass cock in a wet, creamy, engorged pussayyyyyyyyyyy.

pm me if you want a taste.

[homme.homme]

For a good timeline CD of soul through to breaks get at a cd called "history of Breaks" put out by an Aussie Label called fuzzy. I have the cd. If there is interest i might rip it and host it somewhere. Tracklist:

1.Think - Lyn Collins

2.Funky Drummer - James Brown

3.Shack Up - Banbarra

4.King Of The Beats - Mantronix

5.I Believe In Miracles - Jackson Sisters

6.Fools Gold - The Stone Roses

7.Theme From Shaft - Isaac Hayes

8.Me Myself And I - De La Soul

9.What Is Kahuna - Fc Kahuna

10.Cavern - Liquid Liquid

11.Hip Hop Be Bop - Man Parish

12.Ill Type Sound - Krafty Kuts

13.Confusion - New Order

14.Beyond This World - Jungle Brothers

15.Your Life - Konk

16.Live At The Capri - Deadly Avenger

17.Comma - Son Of A Cheeky Boy

18.Ride - Bt & Sasha

19.White Horse - Laidback

20.Erotic City - Prince & The Revolution

21.Funk Phenomena - Armand Van Helden

22.Papua New Guinea - Future Sound Of London

23.Between The Eyes - Soul Of Man

24.Ruffneck - Freestylers

25.Everybody Needs A 303 - Fatboy Slim

26.Electric Disco - Plump DJs

27.Coldrock - Laidback

28.Amped - Freq Nasty

29.On A Ragga Tip - Sl2

30.Juice - Arc En Ciel, The

31.Hip Hop Phenomenon - Tsunami One + Bt

32.Gate - Plump DJs, The

33.Gift - Way Out West, The

[Corbin Law]

i dont listen to much funk. but lately ive been listening to curtis mayfield move on up alot.

[cuddlysheep]

i did couple of years ago, got tired of it. but ill check out a library record or two, chapel,de wolfe,italian library stuff.. etc.

[cuddlysheep]

currently on my ipod playlist for music to jog with.

i dont listen to much funk. but lately ive been listening to curtis mayfield move on up alot.

[xcoldricex]

i love funk. one of my friends travelled around the world to check out the funk scenes... we even found some old funk bands in korea!

[keagan]

asians and funk. Excellent.

I've gotten like 8 pms for the Amnesty record;

http://www.mindfucker.com/mp3/freeyourmind.zip

if you like it, do yourself a favour and buy the lp's.

http://www.thegiantpeach.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=12897

Oh and the record starts with Can I Help You. You HAVE TO listen it in order or else it won't make as much as an impact on youuuuuuuuuu.

[Guest jmatsu]

any deep funk compiled by england's keb darge is the shit.

whoever mention library music know what's up.

here is a basic resource

blaxploitation.com

[truestorytravis]

I don't know if you all have heard, but Concord Music Group is reactivating Stax Records and re-releasing some material. I just went into a local record store and saw a bunch of compilations by artists like Rufus Thomas, Johnnie Taylor, The Staple Singers, etc. which were actually released under the Stax name and not as some Rhino/Atlantic thing. If anyone reading this is in Denver, this was a Independent Records on Colfax and most of them were on sale for about $6.

Also, just to back up jmatsu's comment, the library is indeed a great place to start. I live in a town of 5000 and my library has a sick collection. Not necessarily funk, but a well balanced library of classic and contemporary music. It's basically what brought me into my current state as a music listener. Thanks MPL.

[arem]

Library music is not music in the public library. Library records are royalty free collections of music organized by themes, that were put out for people to use in movies, TV, ads, etc. Typically the general public didn't have access to them, but places like recording studios, ad agencies and so on would buy them for use in their projects. When vinyl went out of use in the industry a lot of these things ended up in used record shops and eventually producers found that some of them have really great tracks. For example, the drums for the Beastie Boys "Shake Your Rump" came off a record called "The Big Beat 2" which was put out by KPM.

Nowadays libraries are highly sought after, especially the volumes that have known hot tracks. Look for labels like KPM, Chappel, Bruton, Music De Wolfe, etc.

If you get lucky you can find some cheap, but the good ones are well known by dealers and diggers and will run you into the hundreds. And don't just buy any library record you see, listen first or you'll end up with stacks of fake commercial jingles and orchestra music.

[evisu 2000]

http://www.zshare.net/download/222331764288fd/

[naturaljax]

you'll love this audio blog site thing whatever

http://www.earfuzz.com/

[jpgm]

i think i must have missed this thread somehow...

i'm on the meters already. wilson picket is another good one on the soul side.

been thrashing the meters 'anthology' lately, brilliant stuff.

I think the SoulJazz comps are really good introductions to different cities' soul/funk scenes.

every single record that soul jazz puts out is amazing, without fail.

there's not many labels that i will buy/download blindly, but SJ are one of them. currently listening to the 'dynamite' series and 'box of dub (dub step and future dub)'.

For a good timeline CD of soul through to breaks get at a cd called "history of Breaks" put out by an Aussie Label called fuzzy.

nice one dude.....there's some classic tunes on there. i remember when that came out a few years, fuzzy has grown a shitload since then.

any deep funk compiled by england's keb darge is the shit.

here is a basic resource

blaxploitation.com

word to keb darge, and cheers for the link dude.

[truestorytravis]

'Tis the season

The Staple Singers - The 25th Day of December

http://www.amazon.com/25th-Day-December-Staple-Singers/dp/B000UZ4G9G/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1198447173&sr=8-1

This is a great great Christmas album. Not a cheesy piece of throw-away garbage like many (most) Christmas collections. I'm also a fan of Elvis's X-mas songs.

[truestorytravis]

'Tis the season

The Staple Singers - The 25th Day of December

http://www.amazon.com/25th-Day-December-Staple-Singers/dp/B000UZ4G9G/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1198447173&sr=8-1

This is a great great Christmas album. Not a cheesy piece of throw-away garbage like many (most) Christmas collections. I'm also a fan of Elvis's X-mas songs.

[truestorytravis]

More fun.

Eddie Hinton - Cry and Moan

White, Mussel Shoals soul. Released in '91. He's on some Big O style scruffy blues worryin'. I usually prefer the rougher vibe of the early Stax stuff and in general I don't care for the way the '90s sounded, but the smooth feel of this record doesn't detract from the solid grooves and Hinton's scratchy delivery. Do it.

[thorough]

check out http://djbluewater.com/mixes.htm for some good compilations. mixes are just one track though.

here is the most recent compliation

http://djbluewater.com/BlueWater_--_Plus_One.mp3

nevermind the crude copy and paste.

Lefties Soul Connection - Mood Nix

The Sound Stylistics - Player's Theme

The Polyversal Souls - Muswelhill Run

Ray Frazier & The Shades Of Madness - I Who Have Nothing

SandpebbIes - Forget It

Inell Young - The Next Ball Game

Shelley Fisher - I'll Leave You Girl

Harvey & The Phenomenals - Soul & Sunshine

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - I'm Not Gonna Cry

Little Mary Staten - Steppin' Stone

Jean Wells - What Have I Got To Lose

Fifth Unit - Looking In The Breeze

Oliver Sain - St. Louis Breakdown

Duralcha - Ghetto Funk

Soul Runners - What Can I Say

Menahan Street Band & Charles Bradley - This World

Lovations - I Keep Singing

Jacqueline Jones - You Make My Life A Sunny Day

Soul Experience - I'm So Glad I Found You

Soul Majestics - I Done Told You Baby

[truestorytravis]

I just noticed arem's explanation of "library music." Thanks for the clarification.

I've been on Etta James: At Last. Hot stuff. Besides James's powerful voice, the strings that fill out the orchestration on these songs keep me coming back. The opening line of the title track makes me melt.