1971

musicology #578

mOareESSENTIALS #1

(Al Green – All Because)


Back in themusicologist saddle after attending and playing at the mOare music festival over the weekend. Quality music, good crowd, excellent hosts. Met some quality people..Hamish, Claire, Cath, Paul, Owen, Ashley, (to name a few)…musical highlight had to be Hamish and his daughter Emma performing together on stage. Brought a lump to my throat and a tear to my eye. Can only imagine how proud he was to share a stage with her.

What did I play? ESSENTIALS. Mainly Soul and Funk but I managed to slip some Studio 1 in there too !! Festivals can be a bit tricky for the DJ as he/she is not who the crowd come to hear but I really enjoyed this one so in honour of the event I’m going to lay a weeks worth of the cuts I spun..

The first song I played was this superb slice of Funk by ‘the Reverend’ Al Green. Released, (on Capitol), in 1971..produced by urban musicologist Willie Mitchell and almost certainly featuring one of the greatest drummers to have graced the stoll the legendary Al Jackson Jr….

Listen Tune..

musicology #546

Jamaica #26

(U Roy/Hopeton Lewis – Tom Drunk)

How does it go?…. ..”I’ve started…so I’ll finish”.

Up until the early 70’s, (in Jamaica), there were really no more than a handful of producers and musical styles to contend with, as far as the musicology is concerned), but as the 60’s rolled into the seventies wide ranging changes both musically and socially changed the game. First there was the music made for export to satisfy the English popular market, (loosely termed ‘Skinhead’), headed by, (among others), producers such as Lee Perry, Bunny Lee, Leslie Kong, Joe Gibbs, Rupie Edwards and then there was the Indigenous market that was at first dominated by the Sound System operators. It was in this arena that innovation flourished. That’s not to say that some of the producers mentioned, (especially Lee Perry and Bunny Lee), were not active in both arenas and let’s face it everyone wanted to make money but in truth it didn’t take long for the artists to realise that no matter how ‘popular’ their music was ‘up a foreign’ they still found themselves in the same position financially…..skint..(or for those among us whose dialects don’t recognise such terminology)..poor.

It was into this cauldron that the DeeJay took centre stage in tandem with the version or ‘Dub’, (both hugely influential on all urban music that followed), and the figure that stood tallest at the birth was none other than Ewart Beckford aka Hugh Roy. NO history of Jamaican music would be complete without him. Not the first or even, (in my opinion), the most eloquent but certainly the most important. Today’s cut is from 1971..produced by Duke Reid..Vocal by Hopeton Lewis.

musicology #540

Jamaica #20

(N Elliott & Noel Bailey – People Let Love Shine)

No rest for themusicologist as he moves, weaves, bobs, ducks, slips and slides his way out of one marrow trembler and into another one of my most cherished slices of ‘Sufferers’ but today it’s courtesy of Spanish Town producer Harry Mudie…The vocalists are N? Elliott and Noel Bailey..1971 cut on a Moodisc ‘Blank’

I’ll just let the cut speak..

musicology #510

CoversWeek2 #7

(Bill Withers – Let It Be)

Final day of the second instalment of the covers theme..yet again there’s too many to choose from so rather than waste precious time deliberating I’m just going to lay this cut on you. Yet another one from themusicologist’s memory banks..Bill Withers 1971 version of the Beatles song Let It Be. Highlighted from his first LP ‘Just As I am’. Produced, arranged and featuring ‘Booker T’ Jones as well as the combined talents of Stephen Stills, Jim Keltner, Bobbye Hall Porter and Al Jackson Jnr. Recorded and released on the Sussex label.

“When I find myself in times of trouble Brother Billy comes to me,
Speaking words of wisdom, Let It Be ohhh Let It Be..”

New theme starts tomorrow…

musicology #488

SoulBoy #7

(Donny Hathaway – Giving Up)

Slowwwwwwwwww toooooooooday. Was out on the tiles last night and didn’t ‘get me nut down’ until the break of dawn…QUALITY night though, (in a club beneath the Ritz)..good friends birthday bash. Saw a few faces that I haven’t seen in a while and met some new ones…All Good. So I’m just going to lay down the cut without further delay as I’m tired. This one is courtesy of the sublime Donny Edward Hathaway a troubled Cat who despite his trials and tribulations still delivered some of the finest Soul yet recorded.  Highlighted from his second LP ‘Donny Hathaway’ Released in 1971 on the Atco label, written by Van McCoy and featuring legendary musicians King Curtis, Al ‘The Human Timekeeper’ Jackson Jr, Phil Upchurch and Cornell Dupree.

musicology #314

Live&Direct #10

(Curtis Mayfield – Stone Junkie Live)

Penultimate cut of the current theme and then something new on Monday…not sure what it might be but as always I’ll let the music be the shepherd.

Today’s slice of the Live&Direct pie is courtesy of the man whose musicology ‘begat’ themusicologist with my earliest musical memories; brother Curtis Mayfield with a piece from the, what is today well known, set ‘Curtis Live’. Not sure how popular it was in 1971? with it’s militant message and hard hitting social commentary but as is always the case with Authenticity it spoke to me. I was no more than a babe in arms at the time but thanks especially to my Dad who was, (and still is), a BIG Curtis fan, the music and message of Curtis burned into my consciousness and has stayed there ever since. I have read somewhere that the experiences and messages learnt from the so called formative years are the ones that exert the most powerful influence on our character. If so then Curtis was, for me, one of my most valued ‘teachers’ (along with certain members of my family), and for that I am eternally greatful. So without further delay hold this, the second cut from his ‘Live’ set to have featured on themusicologist.

Recorded at New York’s ‘Bitter End’ in 1971 and featuring the combined talents of Craig McMullen, Joseph “Lucky” Scott, ‘Master’ Henry Gibson, Tyrone McCullen and of course Curtis Mayfield.

Don’t know about Elvis but for me ‘Curtis Lives’ and always will.

“Here’s something that I know everybody knows about,
I ain’t gonna point no fingers, I don’t want nobody to point no fingers,
But I, right on yeah…I think it’ll break it down…

Stone junkie, stone, stone junkie,
Stone junkie, stone, stone junkie,
Stone junkie, stone, stone junkie,
Stone junkie, stone, stone junkie,

Times have now arrived in this nation,
There’s now a people with a different relation,
Black and white, yellow, red and blue,
All in the same bag we know it’s true,

They just,
Stone junkies, stone, stone junkies,
Stone junkies, stone, stone junkies,

Don’t let your mind become offended miss Lady,
‘Cause you ain’t no better than our typical Sadie,
You just got money, you can spend out at will,
But when comes aches and pains, you still use the pill,

I don’t mean nothin’,
Stone junkie, stone, stone junkie now,
Stone junkie, stone, stone junkie one mo’,
Stone junkie, stone, stone junkie now,
Stone junkie, stone, stone junkie,

Stone junkie, stone, stone junkie,
Stone junkie, stone, stone junkie yall,
Stone junkie, stone, stone junkie now,
Stone junkie, stone, stone junkie,

I know everybody whose heart is still thumping, (he died)
I know everybody whose heart is still thumping,
Is drinking, shooting, snorting, smoking on something,

I feel like I fell in a hole, you know that hit home everywhere,

Now that might sound funky so I don’t mean to mislead,
So you can retract the thought of you on drugs or on weed
That ain’t my business you know what you do
I’m just singing for the majority of you

Should I say mister,
Stone junkie, stone, stone junkie,
Stone junkie, stone, stone junkie,
Stone junkie, stone, stone junkie,
Stone junkie, stone, stone junkie,

Please give my fellas a great big round of applause…”

musicology #306

Live&Direct #3

(Humble Pie – I Don’t Need No Doctor)

Excited to say that I have some real gems lined up for this theme…

Today it’s the turn of English Rock and Roll supergroup Humble Pie featuring one of the best vocalists to come out of these ‘green and pleasant lands’, original Mod icon, Stephen Peter Marriott…(a Cat who featured last year on the SixSixSix hall of fame).

Recorded at New Yorks famed Filmore East in 1971it was to prove the end of the road for Peter Frampton’s involvement in the band after becoming dissilusioned with Steve’s dominance, (the band was originally put together as a front for Frampton), so this is the band in all their glory covering a Ray Charles song penned by Nick Ashford, Valerie Simpson and Jo Armstead.

musicology #291

JamaicanVocalGroupAction #2

(The Heptones – One Love)

Today’s cut is from the mighty Heptones, (Leroy Sibbles, Barry Llewelyn and Earl Morgan). One of the top ranking Jamaican vocal groups throughout the sixties and seventies. Not only that but Leroy Sibbles, (as mentioned previously on themusicologist), was an important part of Coxsone Dodd’s Studio One production team as Bass player, Musical director and all round musicologist during it’s ‘Golden Age’  until his departure for Canada in 1973. With Jackie Mittoo and Leroy gone Studio 1 began to lose it’s edge until younger Cats like Sugar Minott took up the baton a few years later. This, (1971?), piece is a slice from them glorious, Golden days off the album Freedom Line

musicology #224

communication #2

(Al Green – How Can You Mend A Broken Heart)

sliding out of that beautiful piece of musicology from Sade into this next slice of the musicology pie, written by the brothers Gibb, (Barry and Robin), produced by the legendary Willie Mitchell and delivered, in spades, by the ‘Reverend’.

listen tune….

musicology #145

SpectrumOfLove #5

(Bobby Womack – That’s The Way I Feel About ‘Cha)

todays cut comes from one of themusicologists foundation artists who didn’t feature in the sixsixsix only because Curtis and Sam Cooke took the top two ‘Soul’ spots, but this cat runs them both all the way..

the album this is taken from, (I Can Understand It), played a BIG part in my ‘education’. I know it so well that the track order is part of my unconscious. I know every tune and almost every note and word on it…back to front. for me every cut is a winner and to choose one is almost impossible but I’m going with this one, first released on his ‘Communication album’ in 1971, as it may go some way to explaining my attitude to affairs of the heart, (especially as music has ALWAYS been my primary guide). I would have been about 5 years old when I first heard it and I have been listening to it ever since…

“ha, you know life is funny when you look at it,
everybody wants love but everybody’s afraid of love,
you know I’m a true believer of that,

if you get anything out of life,
you got to put up with the toils and strife

now listen…

your’e pushing my love a little bit too far,
I don’t think you know, I don’t think you know how blessed you are,
and your friend Annie Mae, tell you all she see,
have you ever thought she was trying to get close to me,

think it over, think it over girl, think it over,
look..thats the way I feel about ‘cha,
and if that’s being weak for you darling,
I dont mind, I dont mind, I dont mind, I don’t mind,
thats the way I feel about ‘cha, (wooohhh)
that’s the way I feel about ‘cha,

please, please, please answer love,
if it ever come knocking at your door,
’cause what’s out there knocking baby,
the world don’t give enough of, don’t give enough of

I know you been hurt, and so have others too,
but all you got to do is think about the changes,
in life have put them through,

lord have mercy, that’s just the way it is,

listen..
don’t take my love as a sign of weakness,
check into the situation girl, dig a little bit deeper,

that’s the way I feel about you yeah,
ohh that’s the way, (that’s the way I feel about ‘cha),
that’s the way I feel about cha (oohh lord)
thats the way, that’s the way, that’s the way I feel about you yeah,
that’s the way I feel about you, (I wanna testify this evening),
that’s the way I feel about ‘cha, (wooooohh)
that’s the way I feel about cha,
so if I’m weak for you I don’t mind,
that’s the way I feel about cha,
let me say it say it say it, say it, say it, say it,
that’s the way I feel about cha,”

musicology #88

sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #11

(Humble Pie Feat Steve Marriott – Strange Days)

penultimate piece of musicology magic from Mr Marriott and friends…can’t believe it’s gone so quick.

one of the many things I ‘love’ about the geezahh is his obvious dedication and commitment to communicating using the ‘universal language’. Not only as a vocalist or musician, (could, and did, play most of them), but also as a performer.

most people can sing, (some can play instruments), but what seperates the legends from the rest of us is how they deliver…Steve Marriott delivers as good as anyone and deserves to be ranked in the uppermost branches of the musical tree so that the sun can shine on him from morning to night..

hold this piece of 1971 Rock, Rhythm&Blues from one of the great English bands..Humble Pie .. telling it like it is…quality piece of musicology. a Glyn Jones/Humble Pie production..lyrics courtesy of Steve Marriott.