Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Banda Black Rio - Maria Fumaça

Year : 2016/1977
Label : Mr Bongo/Atlantic
Genre : Jazz, Latin
Style : Jazz Funk, Disco, Boogie Funk, Samba

"Maria Fumaça" is probably one of the best Brazilian Jazz Funk album ever recorded, recommended by Gilles Peterson. The name of the band came from by the Black Rio funk movement of the late seventies. "Banda Black Rio" was formed in 1976 by saxophonist Oberdan Magalhães & trumpeter José Carlos Barroso ("Barrosinho"), both former members of the Abolição group who accompanied the pianist Dom Salvador from the late 1960s to the early 1970s. It features Jamil Joanes (eb), Claudio Stevenson (eg), Cristovao Bastos (key, arr), Lucio Silva (tb) and Luis Carlos Santos (ds), supported by The Percussionists Of Rio De Janeiro featuring Luna, Nenê, Wilson Canegal & Geraldo Bongô. Often compared to Kool & The Gang and Earth Wind & Fire, the band rather plays a sound close to The Headhunters style, the backing band of Herbie Hancock during the seventies, and includes some Brazilian music elements. In 1978, the band was recruited as backing band for Time Maia on "Tim Maia Disco Club" and recorded a live album with Caetano Veloso entitled "Bicho Bale Show". Titles includes the Samba Funk "Marai Fumaça", the killer song Mr. Funky Samba and the Brazilian classics "Casa Forte" of Edu Lobo and "Na Baixa Do Sapateiro" of Ary Barroso.

Saturday, February 18, 2017

Betty Davis - The Columbia Years 1968-1969


Year : 2016
Label : Light In The Attic
Genre : Jazz, Rock, Soul
Style : Jazz Rock, Funk/Soul

Betty "Davis" Marbry presents her recordings sessions for Columbia, during the 1968-1969 period featuring Miles Davis as arranger and Teo Macero as producer. The first six songs were recorded in 1969 at Columbia Studios, New York with the famous Jimi Hendrix musicians Billy Cox from Band of Gypsys) & Mitch Mitchell from Jimi Hendrix Experience, Harvey Brooks from Super Session and the giants of Jazz : Herbie Hancock, John McLaughlin, Larry Young and Wayne Shorter. The last three tracks were recorded in 1968 at Columbia Studios, Hollywood, with Hugh Masekela and featuring The Crusaders. Titles include unrealeased tracks, demos and alternate takes, written by Betty Davis except "Born On The Bayou" by John Forgety and  "Politician Man" by Jack Bruce.

MUSICIANS : Betty Davis - vocal - Billy Cox - drums - Mitch Mitchell & Harvey Brooks - bass - Herbie Hancock - keyboard - Larry Young - organ - John McLaughlin - guitar - Wayne Shorter & Wilton Felder - saxophone - Joe Sample - piano - Wayne Henderson - trombone

TRACKLIST : Hangin' Out (demo) - Politician Man (demo) - Down Home Girl (take 4) - Born On The Bayou (demo) - I'm Ready, Willing & Able (take 1) - I'm Ready, Willing & Able (take 9) - It's My Life (take 8) - Live, Love, Learn (take 12) - My Soul Is Tired - (take 9)


Friday, February 10, 2017

Lee Moses - Time And Place


Year : 2016/1971
Label : Future Days Recordings/Maple Records
Genre : Soul
Style : Funk, R&B

Lee Moses was a american R&B, Soul singer and guitarist from Atlanta. After a singles serie recorded for Musicor in the late sixties (whose the famous "Bad Girl" in 1967), Lee Moses released this unique album on Maple Record in 1971. This lost "Holy Grail" Soul record was unfortunately a commercial failure and was only first reissued in 2006. Recorded with his own backing group "The Deciples" featuring some members of The Ohio Players, "Time And Place" includes some heavy funk songs & beautiful tunes : "Got That Will", "Free At Last", "Hey Joe" and the magnificent version of the Flower Power hit "California Dreaming" from The Mamas & The Papas.
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