Funk on Life

Off the Wall was a massive success, spawning four Top Ten hits (two of them number ones), but nothing could have prepared Michael Jackson for Thriller. Nobody could have prepared anybody for the success of Thriller, since the magnitude of its success was simply unimaginable – an album that sold 40 million copies in its initial chart run, with seven of its nine tracks reaching the Top Ten (for the record, the terrific "Baby Be Mine" and the pretty good ballad "The Lady in My Life" are not like the others). This was a record that had something for everybody, building on the basic blueprint of Off the Wall by adding harder funk, hard rock, softer ballads, and smoother soul – expanding the approach to have something for every audience.

Having made several changes in their business and musical efforts in 1972, Grand Funk Railroad made even more extensive ones in 1973, beginning with their name, which was officially truncated to "Grand Funk." And keyboardist Craig Frost, credited as a sideman on Phoenix, the previous album, was now a full-fledged bandmember, filling out the musical arrangements. The most notable change, however, came with the hiring of Todd Rundgren to produce the band's eighth album. Rundgren, a pop/rock artist in his own right, was also known for his producing abilities, and he gave Grand Funk exactly what they were looking for: We're an American Band sounded nothing like its muddy, plodding predecessors.

The daughter of the popular late R&B singer Donny, husky voiced Lalah Hathaway is the perfect foil for Joe Sample's compelling notion that The Song Lives On. Finding a happy medium between the graceful straight-ahead jazz trio vibe of his Invitation album and the plucky pop energy of Spellbound, Sample provides Hathaway on seven of the 11 tunes with a showcase for her sultry approach.His and Bill Shnee's production approach is generally sparse, not much more than piano and bass, enhanced on occasion by Fender Rhodes and the occasional smoky input of Kirk Whalum. Sample doesn't seem to mind playing second fiddle most of the time, his trademark mix of dark chords and dancing, optimistic improvisations forming harmony lines behind her; often, though, his itchiness to step higher into the mix comes clear and he breaks into extended upbeat improvisations. On a cover of his Crusaders hit "Street Life," Hathaway turns the title into a mantra and Sample echoes her sentiments with sharp, percussive reiterations of the song's main melody. Then Hathaway stops and Michael Thompson steps in with some edgy electric guitar lines.

Tom Scott - Rural Still Life (1968) {2015 Japan Impulse! Classics 50 Series UCCI-9279}
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© 1968, 2015 Impulse! / Verve / Universal Music Japan | UCCI-9279 | LP AS-9171
Jazz / Jazz Funk / Crossover Jazz / Saxophone

A fantastic early album fromTom Scott – cut when he was still a teenager, and a record that combines some sonic adventurousness with hard bop leaning sounds! Scott, especially on his early albums, is one heck of a reed player, and can get as funky as the best of them. This LP includes a massive breakbeat track called "Rural Still Life #26", plus a lot of other nice ones that mix jazz, funk, and grooviness – which may have made it a hard sell at the time, but the blend of the bold and the more easygoing sounds is pretty sweet today. Scott's quartet includes Mike Lang on keyboards, Chuck Damanico on bass, and John Guerin on drums. Titles "Freak In", "Juss Messin' Around", and "With Respect To Coltrane". A great one, and don't pass it up!

Having made several changes in their business and musical efforts in 1972, Grand Funk Railroad made even more extensive ones in 1973, beginning with their name, which was officially truncated to "Grand Funk." And keyboardist Craig Frost, credited as a sideman on Phoenix, the previous album, was now a full-fledged bandmember, filling out the musical arrangements. The most notable change, however, came with the hiring of Todd Rundgren to produce the band's eighth album. Rundgren, a pop/rock artist in his own right, was also known for his producing abilities, and he gave Grand Funk exactly what they were looking for: We're an American Band sounded nothing like its muddy, plodding predecessors. Sonically, the record was sharp and detailed and the band's playing was far tighter and more accomplished…

The hardest working man in show business brings down the House Of Blues with a live concert event in Las Vegas. James Brown's influential music, uninhibited style and energetic stage presence are captured like never before. Generations of fans rejoice as the undisputed 'Godfather Of Soul' takes his diverse audience on a journey through five decades of chart-topping hits. This disc also features an on-camera interview with the producers and a bonus performance by Tomi Rae.

Having made several changes in their business and musical efforts in 1972, Grand Funk Railroad made even more extensive ones in 1973, beginning with their name, which was officially truncated to "Grand Funk." And keyboardist Craig Frost, credited as a sideman on Phoenix, the previous album, was now a full-fledged bandmember, filling out the musical arrangements…

German Funk, Rare Groove and 1970s Disco music (e.g. the highly regarded Munich scene around Italian producer Giorgio Moroder) have been widely recognized and featured on numerous reissues and compilations. However, the Boogie-ish post-disco side of German music history until now has remained relatively undiscovered. One of the reasons might be that a broader national scene in Germany (unlike the UK for example) never existed. Even though tracks by US bands such as Dazz or Midnight Star were popular in discotheks in Germany around that time, bigger labels showed little interest in promoting German groups playing this new style of Disco Funk that brought in electronic musical instruments and often lacked the iconic "four-on-the-floor" beat.