Remembering Marvin.
In my top 3 favorite artist/producers/writers of all time..Tomorrow is his born day. Thus, im not going to lay too heavy in it but I have to start heavy in it..There were many before him and after but there is only ONE Marvin Gaye.
He proved that an artist has a civil responsibility to produce music that inspires yet remain multidimensional . Backed by the iconic production team, the mighty Mizell Brothers (aka The Corporation) on this won. It is a travesy that this was not released as a single but a relief that they went into the vaults to unearth this masterpiece. #MGP
Happy Birthday to the Queen Of Soul Ms ARETHA FRANKLIN!!!
There are very FEW artist that can withstand fickle taste, corporate shift and changing trends yet somehow remain a centerpiece of artistic validity and a cornerstone of expression. Being one of the prominent voices of the Civil Rights Movement while conquering Jazz, Classic, Blues, Funk, R&B and co author of a blueprint what is now known as Soul Music. Not to mention, she is a very underrated pianist (she should cut an instrumental album like a long time ago..). If you are going to “bow down” to anyone..(lol)..Happy Birthday to the Queen of Soul Ms ARETHA FRANKLIN!!!
Happy 80th Birthday Mr QUINCY JONES!!
Unique74 Remembers ..LEROY “Sugarfoot” BONNER
Without him. I could not understand me. As a man 39 years later, I now understand why he penned “I Want To Be Free”. It was because of this cat, I learned how to play rhythm guitar..the coolest of the cool. Rest In Paradise Mr Leroy “Sugarfoot” Bonner
You will be forever loved.
Happy Birthday LINDA CREED!!
I have always been a sucker for great songwriting. There are few who can articulate abstract feelings and thoughts on a universal level while setting the tone in a commercial market as well as a creative one. She was the epitome of prolific…yet criminally unsung, serving as one of the great architects of the iconic PHILLY SOUND with her partner in crime, the great THOM BELL. In addtion to penning a plethora of hits that still stand to this day..Happy Birthday to the late great Ms. LINDA CREED!!
I finally met “The Bravest Man In The Universe”..Mr BOBBY WOMACK!!
The ICON himself Mr BOBBY WOMACK and yours truly choppin’ it up at Ameoba (Sunset)..Beyond EPIC moment..(He is too funny!!! He got some jokes!! ha ha!!) I kept thanking him for being that voice for a little brother who has gone through a lot and the hard working everyday man who’s voice is overlooked.
A very special THANK YOU to the staff at AMOEBA & my main man ERVIN ARANA for the photography!!
ORDER HIS NEW RELEASE “THE BRAVEST MAN IN THE UNIVERSE” on iTUNES TODAY!! http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/bravest-man-in-universe/id522068118
Happy Birthday Mr JAMES BROWN!!!
We love him..always will. He enhanced my life and musical foundation..period…Happy Birthday to the Author, Creator, Innovator of The FUNK…Mr JAMES BROWN
living for the funk: Sly and The Family Stone + Little Sister “Somebody’s Watching You”
pretty pretty pretty as a picture
witty witty witty as you can be
blind cause your eyes see only glitter
closed to the things that make you free
ever stop to think about a downfall
happens at the end of every line
just when you think you’ve pulled a fast one
happens to the foolish all the time
somebody’s watching you (4’xs)
games are to played with toys etcetera
love is to be made when you’re for real
ups and downs are caused by life in general
some are yours no matter how you feel
shady as a lady in a mustache
feelings camouflaged by groans and grins
secrets have a special way about them
moving to and fro among your friends
somebody’s watching you (4’xs)
live it up today if you want to
live it down tomorrow afternoon
sunday school don’t make you cool forever
neither does the silver of your spoon
the nicer the nice the higher the price
this is what you pay for what you need
the higher the price the nicer the nice
jealous people like to see you bleed
somebody’s watching you (4x’s and fades out)
Bonus*
Happy Birthday BOBBY WOMACK!!
(we have very close and mutual friends..somehow I know we will meet!!) HAPPY BIRTHDAY to an icon named BOBBY WOMACK!!!
Unique74 Remembers… Mr DON CORNELIUS…
I dont even know what to say or how to react..He was the reason why BLACK MUSIC and CULTURE yielded a diverse roster in style, sound, perspective and creative direction. No other television show celebrated Black (dont be afraid to say it with me African Americans..BLACK) expression on a diverse level the way SOUL TRAIN presented. Thus creating a lingering appeal that has lasted 40 yrs plus which helped set the tone for just about every Music outlet on an international scale..As a kid (I understood very clearly) and was proud to see people that looked like me and my family on television be represented with pride, dignity & style..”They” fought him tooth and nail in bringing such a vision that would not only give Black artists a fair shake in exposure in which the world would be privy to an AUTHENTIC experience in sound & style that is presented & celebrated by those very people..This Chi-town native carried the blueprint of his days at WVON which eventually became a audio visual outlet that not only changed the game but it changed minds..I would not dare to dream, create, raise the stakes if it were not for a visionary named DON CORNELIUS..(I was so very lucky to speak, meet and shake the man’s hand 3yrs ago..)..He was an institution..Rest In Paradise..
Unique74 Remembers…Mr Ralph MacDonald
He was of the elite in percussion players for eons in countless sessions, he had a very distinct style which set him apart. The Creed Taylor catalogue has his mark all over those sessions in addition to countless classics..im heartbroken..Rest Bro Ralph..Grover is waiting on you..
Happy Birthday NILE RODGERS!!!
Happy Birthday 2 Master Musician, Creator & Life long Inspiration! MR NILE RODGERS!!
Unique74 Remembers DICK GRIFFEY + SOLAR RECORDS
In the mid 70′s, Soul,Rhythm & Blues brandished slicker sounds & plush rhythms, thanks to the legendary Philly Sound of Gamble, Huff & Bell and Washington DC’s own Van Mccoy.
However, during this period there was a powerhouse in LA that was to be reckoned with in fusing Funk, R&B, Pop & Soul. Using a faithful recipe of some LA sunshine that gave light to many dancefloors with legendary productions by Baker-Harris-Young, Gene Page, Leon Sylvers, The Calloway Brothers, LA & Babyface, just to name a few. Dick Griffey’s SOLAR Records was the premier label for the Los Angeles Sound and its lifestyle. SOLAR was the baby of the Chicago-bred SOUL TRAIN when the longest running syndicated television show & the hippest trip moved to LA. Griffey was Talent Coordinator for this iconic television show that showcased African American culture & the apex for dance-fashion culture.
As a genuine music lover & life long participant of Black Music &
Dance Culture, I felt it was beyond fitting to pay homage to a pivotal figure in music that gave the west coast a face to the sound and highlighted the most talented artists,musicians and writers that created a sound that still stands to this day.
In honor of the late great Dick Griffey & the entire SOLAR Records legacy, here’s a Top 25 of my favorite songs from the label (including SOUL TRAIN Records which was the original conception of SOLAR)
When Funk & Soul were in question during the 80′s..SOLAR was the ONLY label that stayed concistent with national hits which crossed ovet to the POP market yet remained true to its soulful roots.
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The Hustle + Afro Years
Rainbow | The Soul Train Gang
Make It With You | The Whispers
One For The Money pts 1 & 2 | The Whispers
Soul Train Theme 75′ | The Soul Train Gang
Chocolate Girl | The Whispers
Uptown Festival | Shalamar
Jheri Curl + Jordache Jeans + Post Dashiki Years
Take That To The Bank | Shalamar
Girl | Shalamar
A Song For Donnie | The Whispers
And The Beat Goes On | The Whispers
Lady | The Whispers
All The Way Live | Lakeside
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California Curl + Reganomics Years
Second Time Around | Shalamar
I Owe You One | Shalamar
I Dont Want To Be A Freak (But I Cant Help Myself) | Dynasty
I’ve Just Begun To Love You | Dynasty
Show Me Where You’re Coming From | Carrie Lucas
In The Raw | The Whispers
Love Is Where You’ll Find It | The Whispers
Raid | Lakeside
Just My Luck | The Deele
Body Talk | The Deele
No Parking On The Dancefloor | Midnight Star
Slow Jam | Midnight Star
Deep Cover | Dr Dre ft Snoop Doggy Dogg
Bonus:
Save The Children | Bobby Womack
Sunbear | Self Titled
Jesse Jackson | Our Time Has Come
Unique74 Remembers…MARVIN ISLEY
The First Family of Funk, Rock and Soul produced one of the greatest (though criminally underrated) bass players ever..Rest In Paradise MARVIN ISLEY..
here’s a taste of Marvin Isley at his finest…
(yes when you hear that BASSLINE..you are listening to the man himself..)
(the original blueprint..)
The Isley Bros 70′s performances are VERY RARE on You Tube for some odd reason.. The Isley estate dont play man!! ..Enjoy while you can 
all about MAURICE WHITE | Unique74 | Props
Lately, i’ve been putting together final tracks for upcoming releases this summer. During that process, i’ve been wanting to incorporate elements outside of my “normal” recording process. I’ve been pondering the idea of playing rhythm guitar, I also have been overdubbing a lot of my own live drums just to explore new rhythms. During this past month I have been listening to a lot of early Chicago Funk-Soul (mainly Chess-Brunswick and other off beat labels). When I think of Chicago Soul, I cant help but think about my hero the great Maurice White. Besides being leader of the iconic funk-jazz-soul unit Earth Wind and Fire, he was a also a drummer on many of the sessions at Chess records (along with Morris Jennings). Countless sessions such as “Rescue Me”, “Sitting In The Park, “Grits Aint Grocery” (been wearing out Little Milton’s collection this week!) bear the back beat of Maurice White.
I just so happen to have a kalimba at the lab and I couldn’t help thinking about the story from my uncle (who is very close to Mr White) explaining to me how Mr White and the kalimba came about. According to his recollection, it was at a music store located in Chicago called “Frank’s” where Mr. White’s first encounter with the kalimba took place during the mid 60′s and he has been playing it ever since.
I remember seeing Mr White a couple of times during my early college days (he was always at my bank, amazing!!) and I always felt nervous in going up to shake his hand. But I waved at him, he waved back and my day was made just on that alone. There are very few like Mr. White that went through the various stages of growth and mastered the art of production and recording. There is a leadership quality (reflecting the work ethic of a Mr. White) that is lacking in today’s so-called “modern era” where there are very few artists who take risk and plentiful are willing to follow the depreciated sound pallet only to become flavor of the month. I write this in showing recognition and appreciation to one of my musical heroes who went against the grain and is a constant inspiration. Thank You Mr. White!
Unique74 Remembers… GENE PAGE | NARAS HONOR NOMINATION | PLEASE SUPPORT
When you ask the average person, who is GENE PAGE? Many will not have a clue. But if you ask any great musician or authentic music fan, there will be high praise. He truly was one of the major innovators of THE LOS ANGELES SOUND. Having arranged and produced many great artists such as Dobie Grey, Barry White, The Jackson 5, Pop, Soul and Country..Mr Page was truly a gem that set a platform of excellence and richness in sound that has yet to me matched to this day. I had the honor of doing a session at the legendary Sunset Sound in Hollywood and I just so happen to be sitting in the conductor’s chair. My Mentor and Hero, the great WAH WAH WATSON looked at me said “this chair is very special, this was the chair that belonged to Gene Page“. I’d never seen a room become so quiet in my life, it was like a spell had taken hold on all of us when his name was mentioned.
Mr Page has been recently considered for a NARAS Trustees Award in his honor. Please Support! He truly deserves it, for his work is a lifetime testimony of enrichment and excellence.
Learn More…
courtesy of STUBASS (Soulful Detroit)::
I was recently contacted via musician-producer David Paich informing us that a nomination has been submitted to NARAS in an effort to honor the late legendary arranger-producer Gene Page with a NARAS Trustees Award. Los Angeles based (via Detroit) and well respected musician-arranger Sylvester Rivers is leading this effort, which has been supported by a who’s who of music industry leaders, from David Foster, Dionne Warwick, Tom Scott, Bruce Miller, and many many more. I spoke with Sylvester yesterday, and offered my enthusiastic support for this most well deserved recognition for Gene Page.
http://www.sylvesterrivers.com
Gene Page, as many of you know, was the musical inspiration behind those beautiful arrangements for artists such as Barry White, Laura Brannigan, Michael Jackson, many Motown and Solar Records projects, along with an impressive list of top performers from the 60′s, 70′s and 80′s. In addition to his musical virtuosity, Gene was always willing to help his fellow musicians, and served as a mentor to many of todays contemporary producers and arrangers.
I would urge you all to take a few minutes and drop an e-mail to Jennifer Dugas at NARAS in support of this most well deserved recognition.
jennifer.dugas@grammy.com
The Night Is On My Mind: Bobby Womack | How Could You Break My Heart | Nobody Wants You When You’re Down & Out
Every now and then I get stuck on these Bobby Womack trips..this week i’ve been channeling him big time. I am confident we will meet in due time.. this track goes hard (the dialogue is priceless..lol)..
dammit where’s KC Hailey?!!
Barry White has a vamp that is very similiar to this track that he recorded around this same time (78-79). I gotta dig up and post it..I think its on the “Barry White :The Man” lp.
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Had to come with the double shotter for “The Poet”…I was literally RAISED on this next selection..this is a remake of an old ragtime blues classic..This is actually my FAVORITE in all of Bobby’s songs..The sessions with his rhythm section during this period (“PEACE” w/David Hood, Roger Hawkins, etc) were off the chain! Listen to that swing and grit! Priceless! A huge shout out to whoever mixed his sessions during the 70′s period..you always felt “the bottom” on all of Bobby’s tracks (observe how the string section “rises” in on the fade out!!).
