Tuesday, March 15, 2005

Primitive Sound System Mixed Tape Tuesday March 15 at Maxwell's

Hello Y'all,
After spinning through the dark allies and seedy hotels of Crime Jazz last week I figured I might as well keep the soundtracks coming. The 70's produced some of the finest movies Hollywood had to offer and the music was nothing less than stellar. These soundtracks were not vehicles to sell some half ass should-a-been one hit wonders like todays ANNOYING soundtracks but highly conceptualized, composed works performed by the eras top musicians, arrangers and composers. A favorite genre of my from the period are the action films and the music that accompanied them can be summed up simply and to the point - Baad Asssss!

In most cases I am going to play cuts I don't usually play. It's so easy to fall into that trap. The best thing about these LPs is that there is something for everyone and there are usually more than one "best cut" on each one.

Primitive Sound System and the continuing food stylings of el Diablo Every Tuesday! (9PM - 2AM)
Maxwell's
1039 Washington Street
Hoboken New Jersey
(201) 653-1703

I have got way too many records this week. I have some great themes on 45 but this genre is all about the LPs and the fantastic cover art. For those who care, all but two of these are original copies and sound amazing. Most of these have been re-issued and are still available on vinyl.

I have stuffed the backpack to its limit with the following:
Willie Hutch - The Mack
Willie Hutch - Foxy Brown
Edwin Starr - Hell Up In Harlem
Jimmy Cliff - The Harder They Come
Jerry Butler - Joe
Grant Green - The Final Comedown
Herbie Hancock - Death Wish
Herbie Hancock - The Spook Who Sat By The Door - I tried to track this down forever and then heard that this LP was only given out at the premier as a promotional item. Thank God for the re-issue.
Solomon Burke - Cool Breeze
Joe Simon and Millie Jackson - Cleopatra Jones
James Brown - Black Caesar
James Brown - Slaughter's Big Rip Off
Dennis Coffey and Luchi de Jesus - Black Belt Jones
Jeff Wayne Space Shuttle - Themes From Star Trek and Planet Of The Apes - "Ape's Shuffle" This is the Lalo Schifrin composed track from "The Planet of The Apes" TV series.
Soul Ecstasy - I am pretty sure this is a fake soundtrack but it is pretty great.
Lalo Schifrin - Enter The Dragon
Lalo Schifrin - Bullitt CHOICE: "Hotel Daniels" or "On The Way From San Mateo"
Lalo Schifirn - Sudden Impact This LP was an unexpected find. I bought it for $1 and was so blown away to find that it included songs from the original Dirty Harry films. "Dirty Harry Creed" is worth the price of admission - "Do you feel lucky Punk...well, do ya?"
Mike Jackson and the Soul Providers - The Revenge of Mister Mopoji - This is 100% a fake soundtrack and it is incerdible. Philip (Pure, Desco, Soul Fire) told me they included the track "The Chicken (Catch It!) for realism. As he said every soundtrack has one dud and in the action film genre it is usually the music played during the scene with the hicks in it.
Curtis Mayfield - Short Eyes
Curtis Mayfield - Superfly
Monk Higgins and Barbara Mason - Sheba Baby CHOICE: "Who The Hell Is That" and "Heavy Shot" or "The Hoods"
Issac Hayes - Shaft
Issac Hayes - Tough Guys CHOICE: "Red Rooster" or "Buns A Pleanty"
Issac Hayes - Truck Turner CHOICE: "Breakthrough" or "Hospital Shootout"
Marvin Gaye - Trouble Man - I don't think soundtracks get much better than this. This will be the LP I play through start to finish while I take my break.
Barry White - Together Brother CHOICE: "You Gotta Case"
Quincy Jones - Smackwater Jack - This great comp contains the full version of Hicky Burr as well as the theme from Ironside and the theme from The Anderson Tapes.
J.J. Johnson - Willie Dynamite CHOICE: "Willie Escapes" This is the organ driven version of "Willie Chase"
Booker T and the MGs - Up Tight CHOICE: "Run Tank Run"

The following have great versions of some favorites:
Bernard Purdie - "Shaft" from the Prestige release of the same name.
Sammy Davis Jr. - Now - "John Shaft" If you don't own this there is something wrong with you. This is the same LP that contains Sammy's reading of "The Candy Man" from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
Louis Jordan - One Sided Love then Sakatumi - "Bullitt" Yes, Louis Jordan doing the theme from Bullitt. When I bought this from the Jazz Record Center Fred asked me "are you sure? Have you heard it?" It may not be a traditional Jazz record but this has some pretty cool funky Jazz and R&B tunes. The cover is pretty crazy too.