A Scent of Soul

Fantastic Johnny C – Boogaloo Down Broadway (1967)

“The Fantastic Johnny C was born Johnny Corley on April 28, 1943, in Greenwood, SC. He joined the armed services at an early age, leaving Brewer High in Greenwood before graduating to enlist. When his military duty ended, he moved to Norristown, PA, a small city 18 miles from Philadelphia, and found work as a heavy-equipment operator while becoming increasingly unable to resist the temptation to sing professionally. R&B producer Jesse James attended the same church as Corley and quickly spotted his talent. James made a career out of transforming gospel singers into secular performers; he discovered Cliff “the Horse” Nobles a short time later at the same church. James became Corley’s manager and wrote songs for him — one of them, “Boogaloo Down Broadway,” convinced Corley to give pop music a serious try. “Broadway” became a big hit, hitting number five on the R&B charts and number seven on the pop charts.” – Andrew Hamilton, ALL MUSIC GUIDE

 

The Family Vibes – La Vamp (1973)

I think it’s evident that the current season can influence your listening tastes. It’s autumn here in New England and I’m finding myself sitting back with a mug of tea and turning on slow, lazy, soulful grooves on a nightly basis. I think this piece echoes the gem that Pierre posted recently by Shuggie Otis. The Family Vibes were originally called Kings of Rhythm. They were Ike Turner’s original backing group (as seen on the album cover: Ike Turner Presents The Family Vibes). They put out a few albums under this name, but this is the one to pursue. There is another tune off of this album called, Garbage Man. It’s hilarious but also has some wet clavinet work as well as a boppin’ rhythm. I doubt if it gets posted here, but check it out on your own!

The Mighty Hannibal – Hymn No. 5 (1966)

A haunting piece that was once banned from the radio because of its anti-war sentiments. If you enjoyed the Billie Joe Becoat piece, a song that oozes soul, agony and reflection, then you will eat this up like a warm bowl of cinnamon oatmeal. A perfect piece for the autumn. Cheers.

Ofs Unlimited. Mystic. 1970′s

I can’t find much about Ofs Unlimited. They were on the Prix Label. You can find this on the Eccentric Soul release, The Prix Label 015. This low quality recording captures the pure fire of a young band making it happen; tearing up the horns and thrashing the bass. Check out their other super, heavy, funk track Mr Kidneys.

This is the real deal.

DJ Numark – Bad Luck Blues. 2004

The 2004 release by Jurassic 5 DJ, DJ Numark, Blendcrafters is a sophisticated blend of hip hop and African Americana. It Generally is reaching farther back in time than most DJ’s. This particular track is a skillful blend of rootsy blues and hip hop beats. This entire album is worth spending some time with. Enjoy.

Shuggie Otis – Sweet Thang 1974

Shuggie Otis, featured here a few months ago, began playing music professionally at the age of twelve. This track comes off his 1974 release, Inspiration Information. This slinky groove sneeks up on you. It’s a rare experience when southern backwoods slide blues guitar meets deftly plinky piano that sounds like it was dusted off and pulled out of a western saloon. Combine it up with a rock solid bass line and Shuggie’s signature high register to offer up a head bopping, hip moving track you’ll be thinking on days later. Listen to this one with head phones or the volume way up.

The Roots (feat. Joanna Newsom) – Right On (2010)

Off the new Roots album entitled, “How I Got Over” this tune has a nice blend of hip hop grit and sweet vocals. The contrast between the Roots beats and Joanna’s voice is rather mesmerizing. Get hip to the rest of the album, it’s stellar. As usual, the Roots know how to draw on other groups, genres and sounds to create their unique style. The Roots cross boundaries and make it work. Enjoy!