Tuesday, June 21, 2005

Primitive Sound System at Maxwells - Mixed Tape Sessions - Tuesday June 21st - 9PM - 2AM

Hello Y'all,
I was all prepared to talk at length about the Jazz and Instrumental 45s I filled my box with for this weeks session. The discs range from the 50's to the 70's and include Blues, Soul Jazz, Hard Bop, R&B, Boogaloo and Boo-Ga-Loo (one for Jazz and Soul and one for Latin), Funk, Soul and Rock. I can go on at length why I prefer Instrumentals to Vocals but I will not at this time. Instead I decided to go through the little stack of 45s I snagged in JC this past weekend and became a perfect Father's Day gift. Driving around in hopes of getting my son to nap we stumbled across some of the finds I was hoping to begin to unearth in town. All the records were seemingly unplayed store stock and promo copies. By-the-way the price was as good as the haul and I couldn't be happier. Thanks Honey and thanks for napping Lil B.
- pat.

Primitive Sound System Mixed Tape Sessions and the continuing food stylings of el Diablo Every Tuesday! (9PM - 2AM)

Maxwell's
1039 Washington Street
Hoboken New Jersey
(201) 653-1703
Some very nicely priced Father's day finds that I'll be spinning into the mix:

Otis Redding - "Hard To Handle" b/w "Amen" (ATCO Records cat. 45-6592 (white label promo))
The piano intro and break are unmistakable. Most people unfortunately know this song from the Black Crowes and not from the original. Not that there is anything wrong with the Black Crowes but this is Otis Redding we are talking about. Redding's ability to genuinely Rock is what made him standout from his major label Soul brethren. Hard to handle packs a mean punch at a mid tempo and Redding's vocal double times the beat at points and feels as if it just may fall apart but who you kidding. This is tight and all done to great effect. If "Hard To Handle" isn't enough to win you over simply flip this and lose yourself in the most incredible version of "Amen" you may ever experience.

Archie Bell & The Drells - "There's Gonna Be A" SHOWDOWN b/w "Go For What You Know" (Atlantic cat. 45-2583 PLUG SIDE promo)
Archie Bell can always put a smile on my face. Showdown skips along at a hurried pace but is always in the pocket. When he said he could dance as good as he could walk he wasn't kidding. Weirdly I don't imagine Showdowns were ever this happy.

The following Latin sides are mostly from the late 70's and taken from some of the best Salsa LPs that period had to offer. The recording quality is noticeably approved over the 50's and 60's recordings I prefer, favor and veraciously collect. The better sound quality heightens some impressive soloing and of course entire bands that move effortlessly as one through tight as a duck's ass changes and at all times never waver from the groove keeping the dance floor moving. I will always and forever be awed by Latin music and those who play it.

Mongo Santamaria - "Happy As a Fat Rat In A Cheese Factory" b/w "Amanecer" (Vaya Records Inc. cat. V - 5131)
Mr. Santamaria why are you so ef'n good? Proof that there are more LPs in this world than you will ever here this is off a Mongo record I have never heard. "Happy..." is as funky as Mongo gets and if you are familiar with him you know he can get pretty funky. I know "Amanecer" from the Vaya hits package called "Mongo Mongo." It's a mellow Summer time groover that makes me wish it was almost sunset and I was kicking back in a lounge chair. You know...Loungin'.

Lou Perez - "Afro Hustle" b/w "De Todo Un Poco" (Tico cat. T-660)
I have probably sampled 1000 Lou Perez tracks over the years and have never been all that impressed. Well, other than a chorus of ladies singing "Afro Hustle" in a very Disco kind of way this track grooves pretty hard. Even the strings work as they punctuate the percussion and the groove in general. Nice one Lou, and welcome to my record boxes. Maybe I always knew he had it in him.

Fania All Stars - "Desafio" b/w "Foofer Soofer" (Fania cat. 764 (white label promo))
Where "Desafio" is best suited for a play on Lite FM "Woofer Soofer" is a bad ass Soul Jazz track played by the Fania All Stars who are best known for their sweaty dance floor Salsa grooves. I am not familiar with the LP "Delicate & Jumpy" but I hope there are more tracks like this on it than the sappy "Desafio." Tight, ensemble, funky Soul Jazz from a more than qualified source. I am digging this in a big way.

Orchestra Harlow - "La Raz Latina" b/w "Salsa Suite - Pt. 2" (Fania cat. 794)
A classic LP where Harlow and his crew explore the many sounds that make up the history of Latin Music and their own Nuyorican styles.

Pete Conde - "Sentimento" b/w "Pueblo Latino" (Fania cat. 759)
Hard Salsa in a classic mode. "Sentimento" benefits from the great sound quality as the piano and what I believe may be a tres intro the side sweetly yet with a clarity that fills every inch of space.

Orquesta Novel (Vocals: Willie Ellis & Marco Motroni) - "Monono" b/w "De Quien Tu Eres" (Fania cat. 774)
The slow bass and cymbal intro only lasts for a few seconds and sends chills up my spine. The vocals have a very story teller quality and the music goes from a bit corny to insanely good after the final chorus of the first part. Flutes and violins kick it very Pacheco and that's just OK for me. I dare anyone to sit still through the last half of this tune.

The Allegre All Stars - "Bobby ...Bajo Y Clarinete" b/w "Perdido" (Alegre Records cat. 4090)
This one has a very live sound not necessarily a live show recording but a live sound that you get from a Webster Hall type studio session. This band is one of the true masters of Latin music with a sound that is both confident yet relaxed. I can't decide which side to drop first.

Ismael Quintana - "Pierdes" b/w "No Es Preciso" (Vaya Records Inc. cat. 5134)
Horns open this moody vocal track and as it skips along mid tempo. About half way through the band jumps and chases the repeated chorus of "Pierdes, Pierdes." The piano takes a short solo before things take off again and are highlighted by screaming trumpet and trombones. A thing of beauty.

The Latin Brothers - "Te Encontre" b/w "Patrona De Los Reclusos" (Fuentes cat. 1616)
In an original Fuentes sleeve this is two sides of pure Latin groove. The Latin Brothers are a tight outfit if there ever was. I would say this is a vocal with instrumental accompaniment as I wouldn't want to say one stands out over the other. Trombones and trumpet duel over some sharp piano soloing and aggressive percussion.

Bill Withers - "Ruby Lee" b/w "Heartbreak Road" (Sussex Records cat. SR-629)

Anita Ward - "Ring My Bell" b/w "If I Could Feel That Old Feeling Again" (Juana cat. 3422)
I am doing a very close friends wedding in July. One of the few records I have seen EVERYONE dance to regardless of whose wedding it was was this song.

Issac Hayes - "Chocolate Chip" (Vocal and Instrumental) (Hot Buttered Soul Records / ABC Records cat. ABC-12118 (white label promo))

This is Chef's original Chocolate Salty Balls! I have to mention the HBS (Hot Buttered Soul Records) logo. Holy cow do designers suck now. The logo is simple and filled with attitude. A thin line drawing of Issac's bald head from his eyes up and a stylized "HBS" on his forehead like the Super Hero he is. "Shaft" like drums intro this familiar sounding groove for Mr. Hayes and the instrumental track doesn't sound much different from the vocal track but does give more presence to the horns, keys and percussion.

Funkadelic - "Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On" b/w "Jimmy's Got A Little Bit Of Bitch In Him" (Westbound Records cat. w 224)

Masekela - "The Boy's Doin' It" b/w "Excuse Me Please" (Casablanca cat. NB 848)
This is one of my favorite Hugh Masekela 45s. I am so happy to find a nice new clean copy.

2 Puertoricans A Blackman And A Dominican (Featuring Tonya Wynne) - "Do It Properly" Side 1: Special Hot 103 Mix - A Jose "Animal' Diaz Edit Side 2: Fierce Radio Mix - A Jose 'Chep" Nunez Edit (Grooveline cat. GRL 17A)

Again, something has to be said about the label design on this one. If the design wasn't so cool I might have passed this up because I do somewhat remember this song and I remember not being a big fan. The label is bright yellow with a ball of fire shooting across the top with "GROOVELINE" printed in the middle. The type and the fire ball have a nice scratchy hand drawn quality which gives it an older 60's feel. Obviously the band name has always stuck in my mind. Band names don't get more direct than that do they? In 1987 I was not a very big fan of much stuff like this which leads me to one of the things I am most drawn to about collecting music. Something you may have hated years ago can one day sound totally different to you and even become a new found genre to obsess over. I don't think I am going to become a big house music fan but this track sounds pretty fucking good to me now.

L.L. Cool J - "Rock The Bells" (Def Jam Recordings cat. 38-05840 (white label promo)
This is more of what I was still listening to in 1987. Late 80's Hip Hop still sounds so good to me to this day. L.L. Cool J is hard as hell!

Mantronix - "Ladies" b/w "Ladies Dub" (Sleeping Bag Records cat. 7-TLX-006 (white label promo))

Cameo - "Word Up!" b/w "Urban Warrior" (Atlanta Artists / PolyGram Records 884 933-7 picture sleeve)
I am guessing that this one will be hitting the decks at the wedding as well. "Wave your hands in the air like you don't care!" Hey, Word Up! Granny.