Preston Love

Feelin' some home cookin' tonight so here's some funk straight from my home state. Preston Love's Omaha BAR-B-Q is 9 tracks of pure instrumental funk to satisfy any furl's taste buds. Love was raised in North Omaha before moving to LA and recording this rare album on Kent with Shuggie Otis in '69. He went on to be the west coast bandleader and saxophone session musician for Motown Records recording with everyone from the Temptations to the Four Tops. You can't talk about Nebraska music unless you're speaking of Mr. Love. This is by far one of my favorite album covers and tracklists of all time. Here's the tracklist, album and the groove "Cool Ade" for a feeler.

1. Chicken Gumbo
2. Chili Mac
3. Cream Dream
4. Neck Bones
5. Cool Ade
6. Omaha Bar-B-Que
7. Hoe Cakes And Sorghum
8. Shuggie's Chittlin' Blues (Shuggie's Boogie)
9. Pot Likker


Omaha B-B-Q

Big Bird

Eddie Floyd's Stax classic "Big Bird" from '68 is a overlooked gem within Eddie's and even Stax's extensive collection. Floyd wrote this song in a London airport while waiting to return to the States for Otis Redding's funeral in late '67. The driving beat and passion within "Big Bird" has been covered and sampled a number of times, and not to say I'm a huge fan of covers, I just can't get enough of that driving beat originally played by Booker T. Jones. So over the years I've dug up a collection of the artists who did the song justice, but first here's the original if you've never heard it:

Here's a great cover by Rosetta Hightower, the powerful ex-lead singer of one of Philly's finest girl groups The Orlons from the early 60s. She recorded this after moving to England, it has more of a rock, somewhat Temptations psychedelic sound to it. Check it...

Next is a funky sloppy instrumental cover by The Presidents titled "Which Way" from the early 70s. Good shit here, these D.C. furls do it right but not too tight...

Last but not least is Tav Falco's Panther Burns with "Gentleman in Black" off their album Disappearing Angels from '96. Of course this in one of their later albums, they use the "Big Bird" riff for this dark, slow rockabilly track. Tav Falco is responsible for helping artists such as Charlie Feathers, Jesse Mae Hemphill and R.L. Burnside into the spotlight. Check them out if you haven't already...

The Budos Band

Here's the '05 debut self-titled album of Staten-Island's The Budos Band, the 10-piece Afro-beat soul instrumental outfit of Daptone Records. The band refers to their style as "Afro-soul" due to the undercurrents of Ethiopian soul mixed with some sweet 60s stuff sprinkled on top. Due to the older horns and instruments they use this album could of been made in the 60s due to its lo-fi sound. In other words this is very original shit and it is jammin'- I just picked up tickets to their show on Sept. 3rd in Portland, so I suggest you do the same if you're around. Highlights include "Up From The South" and "Sing A Simple Song" which is a cover of the Noble Nights. Budos' second album Budos Band II is equally as good if not better, I'll be posting it eventually along with their new album Budos Band III which is dropping on August 10th...
Ghost Walk

Dorothy Ashby

While we're on the instrumental tip, here's the smooth harpist Dorothy Ashby with Afro-Harping from '68. Get some class and relax to this...
Soul Vibrations

Mystic Moods

Mystic Moods Orchestra released this blazing hot groove "Cosmic Sea" in 1973. The orchestra's creator Brad Miller, an alleged perfectionist and audiophile, created this crisp funky groove with synths leading into some serious strings. While most of their work encompassed orchestral pop and environmental sounds, it goes to show you never know when you're going to come along some funk in the strangest places.

El Michels Affair

It's already Furltracks 100th post today, thanks to everyone out there following this blog and contributing music- it has been an enjoyable experience. In celebration, here's the deep funk instrumental album Sounding Out The City from the El Michels Affair. Released in '05 on Truth and Soul Records, this album stands alone in replicating funk grooves from the late 60's and early 70's leaving all other funk revival albums obsolete. El Micheals Affair created this album using non-updated instruments and a cheap lo-fi studio quality to keep away from the obviously technologically induced funk revival bands which are in abundance these days. This combined with an original use of latin and jazz-funk touches equals the unique sound of this album. From the opening track "Detroit Twice" to the ending cover of Isaac Hayes' "Hung Up On My Baby" this album is a great listen all the way through, keeping non-repetitive and fresh with the tracks only each lasting 3-4 minutes a piece. In other words, it's a great sunny day soundtrack- throw it on at your next BBQ. These furls are also responsible for the album that I posted a couple months back Enter the 37th Chamber which came out last year. Check it out if you haven't already.
Musings To Myself

The Ventures

One of the best instrumental albums around, the '64 space-surf classic by the Ventures called The Ventures In Space. Hard to pick my favorites, so here's five grooves you'll surely like. Just also learned these natives of Tacoma, Washington are the biggest selling instrumental band of all time with over 100 million records sold. This is no surprise considering their major influences on rock n' roll over the years. Here's the order: "Penetration," "Out of Limits," "He Never Came Back," "Solar Race," and the "Fourth Dimension." Thanks to the Wyld Chyld for introducing this album to me, it's now my favorite Ventures release. Enjoy.

Soul Runners/Bad Lieutenant

Just watched this film recently, liked it so much I had to add it to my post. Werner Herzog's Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans is one whacked-out masterpiece that has received the furl seal of approval. Nicolas Cage fully redeems himself by playing the role of a compulsive gambling crackhead lieutenant within the New Orleans police force. Everything from clever dialogue to gratuitous drug use are staples in this film, along with stylish shots of New Orleans landscape and Eva Mendes as a prostitute or "pross." This was a major departure for the famous German director (He did Grizzly Man and Fitzcarraldo) which is why I was so intrigued. Don't want to give to much away, just watch it. Also check out this nice groove by the Soul Runners titled "Grits n' Cornbread."

The Sound Experience

Here's a nice groove to get your weekend started, "Blow Your Mind" by the Sound Experience. This funky instrumental has all the best attributes- a opening fuzzed-out guitar and of course some nasty horns. I don't have a date on this one, but I'm guessing early 70's.

The Mohawks

Going to take it back today with some old classic organ funk by the Mohawks. This track "The Champ" from '68 is one of the most used samples in hip-hop. Artists who have used this sample include EPMD, Eric B. and Rakim, De La, Shadow, and Big Daddy Kane. The opening blaring organ has been used in so many tracks, but the whole track is extremely funky and a great dance track to get the party movin'. This version is off vinyl so it keeps that great poppy, fuzzy sound.

Junior Mance

Pianist Junior Mance from '66 titled "I Believe to My Soul." Smooth out to this.
http://www.mediafire.com/?uzzzonwclyt

El Michels Affair

El Michels Affair is an instrumental funk band on Truth and Soul Records, they are also the shit. This album dedicated to the beats of the RZA in live band format is titled Enter the 37th Chamber, of course a play off Wu-Tang's classic debut album Enter the Wu-Tang(36 Chambers) back in 1993. These furls pay homage to many of RZA's best beats, including my favorites on this album, "C.R.E.A.M," "Shimmy Shimmy Ya," "Mystery of Chessboxin'," and "Protect Your Neck." These four tracks do the best job of bringing that gritty Wu-Tang sound back with horns and heavy bass guitar.
http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=396c2748091a7bc00c814df2efeadc50e3d4faa864d7c613b878de785cc0f59e

The DT6

Back like crack with some more funk for dat ass. DT6 is the house band for Starla Records out of Glasgow, Scotland. You wouldn't think of Scotland as being a hot bed for some nasty funk, it goes to show that funk can originate in the least likely of places. This track "The Baden Persuader" sounds like the soundtrack for Knight Rider with heavy Eastern influences, coupled with some hard-hitting horns and organ. I can't stop listening to this, it's been on repeat in the Shark for a while now- it gets me going every time I listen to it. I'm also throwing in another track titled "Don't Doubt Me" that was just recently released. A great funk instrumental in its own right, but it's hard to top the Persuader. Enjoy.

Gobble Gobble

Tryptophan has kicked in, so I'll keep this post short. When I was cooking earlier today, I was listening so some old surf and funk 45's. I've included two tracks, a great spacey surf joint titled "Interplanetaire" by the Les Talismans and a killer funk instrumental "A Day In the Life" by Chocolate Snow. Hope everyone had a good turkey day, don't shit your pants.

http://www.divshare.com/download/9511876-987

Church.

It's Sunday and time for church, that is the church of football. Since the Bears are playing like shit this year, I've decided to relive past NFL glory with today's post. The following Sam Spence classics of NFL Films is the best way to ring in any given Sunday, the perfect soundtrack for gridiron greatness. These tracks take me back to watching slow-motion highlights on NFL Films behind the voice of John Facenda, or as some like to call him "The Voice of God." These orchestral masterpieces bleed football, but also may interest all of you who could care less about the game. If you don't like Spence, I've tossed in Lionel Richie's "Easy Like a Sunday Morning," which warrants no further explanations. Bear Down Chicago Bears!
http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=396c2748091a7bc00c814df2efeadc50dd9b46d172db1e1f416b94653a3044fd

Orgone

Usually funk revival is a slippery slope, but the Ubiquity and Daptone labels have been holding it down for the genre- the album by Orgone on Ubiquity titled The Killion Floor is a perfect example of some cats that don't play when it comes to bringing back the old school funk. This track "Sophisticated Honky" contains a dope funk riff with some major horns. Check it out.
http://www.mediafire.com/?mjt1hm2dmzg

The Turtles?

I was at a random house party three or four years ago, when this 45 was played. It was an amazing piece of fuzzy, surfy, funky organ, 60's garage that I had never heard before. Very curious, I asked the guy spinning who it was, and he replied, "The Turtles." I replied, "You mean, the "So Happy Together" Turtles?" I thought he was completely full of shit and just being a prick, so I left it at that. I randomly came across the track while online earlier, and sure as shit it was the Turtles. Apparently they were a bunch of funky wasted surf cats before their eventual lameness, this track "Buzz Saw" rips and jumps off the vinyl- play it real loud.
http://www.mediafire.com/?mniyoittk2m