RIP Razor Sharp

Sad news. Joel "Razor Sharp" Johnson, keyboardist and longtime collaborator with Bootsy Collins , has passed away. You can find Johnson on Bootsy's earliest tracks as well as Bootsy's most recent CDs.

Playlist 10/20/2018

Let There Be Drums (Funk Drum & Percussion Showcase)

Funk has many unique qualities & techniques, but nothing stands out more in the hearts of its fans than the absolutely delicious drumming found in its best songs. While most funk is basically in 4/4 time, the drummers pop and slide and syncopate on their own clock, filling the spaces with pure history. Funk's beat hearkens back to Africa, and on down through the African-American slave era (with its frequent prohibitions against black people drumming in public), and then into the Jazz era. Funk brought the jazz line back to "popular" forms, adding a depth to the early 60's soul sound that feels new & fresh even its hoary ancestral glory. Although disco distinguished itself by stripping the drum line back down to a more metronomic feel (& an awful lot of high-hat), hip hop DJs (& electronic producers) always maintained a connection to funk rhythms, often sampling famous drum breaks or programming drum machines to match the older style. It's no accident that the earliest drum machines were popularly known as "funk boxes."

In this episode, Music on the One celebrates the genius musical talent of its drummers defining the sound. Even when a personnel list is not available, we still give respect to the power of the drum, which links us to history, culture, and identity. 

Have you hugged your local drummer today?


Let There Be Drums - Michael Viner's Incredible Bongo Band (Michael Viner, bongos; Hal Blaine, drums)

Move On Up - Curtis Mayfield (Master Henry Gibson, congas)
Soul Drums - Pretty Purdie (Bernard Purdie, drums)
Rock Steady - Aretha Franklin (Bernard Purdie, drums)
A Funky Song - Ripple (Brian Sherrer, drums)
Hihache - The Lafayette Afro Rock Band (Ernest "Donny" Donable, drums)
The Message - Cymande (Sam Kelly, drums; most of the band, percussion)

Yeah Yeah - Black Rock
Amen Brother - The Winstons (Gregory Sylvester "GC" Coleman, drums)
Do That Stuff - Parliament (Jerome "Bigfoot" Brailey or Bootsy Collins, drums)
Jelly Bread - Booker T & the MGs (Al Jackson, drums)
Love & Happiness - Al Green (Al Jackson, drums)

Joseph "Zigaboo" Modeliste, drummer extraordinaire, member of the Meters

Rigor Mortis - The Meters
Hey Pocky A Way - The Meters
Tippi-Toes - The Meters
Cissy Strut - The Meters  (Joseph "Zigaboo" Modeliste, drums)

Hook and Sling - Eddie Bo & The Soul Finders (James Black, drums)
Ashley's Roach Clip - The Soul Searchers (Kenneth Scoggins, drums, Lino Druitt, congas)
Power of Soul - Idris Muhammad (Idris Muhammad, drums, Ralph MacDonald, percussion)
Funky Drummer - James Brown (Clyde Stubblefield, drums)
It's A New Day - James Brown (Johnny Griggs, congas, either Clyde Stubblefield or Jabo Starks, drums)
Super Bad - James Brown (John "Jabo" Starks, drums)
Think (About It) - Lyn Collins, The Female Preacher (John "Jabo" Starks, drums)

Keep On Doin' - The Isley Brothers (George Moreland, drums)
There Was a Time - Dee Felice Trio (Emidio Dante DeFelice, drums)
Spreadin' Honey - The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band (James Gadson, drums)
Some Kind of Wonderful - Soul Brothers Six
Papa's Got a Brand New Bag - James Brown (Melvin Parker, drums)
Honky Tonk Popcorn - Bill Doggett (either Clyde Stubblefield or Jabo Starks)
Are You Ready? - Sly & The Family Stone (Greg Errico, drums)
You Better Think Twice (possibly Philippe Lehman, drums)
 Just Some More... Haaaaa-Sheeesh - JD & The Evil's Dynamite Band (possibly Philippe Lehman, drums)

Majestic Soul - Third Point

Playlist 10/13/2018

Samples and Sources (part one) —

(Not Just) Knee Deep - Funkadelic
Me Myself & I - De La Soul

Night of the Living Baseheads - Public Enemy
The Grunt pt 1 & 2 - The JBs
Buzzsaw - The Turtles
Call Me D-Nice - D-Nice
Go Ahead in the Rain - A Tribe Called Quest
Slide - Slave

Nautilus - Bob James
Daytona 500 - Ghostface Killah
Bait - Ultramagnetic MCs
Rocket in the Pocket - Cerrone
Holy Ghost - The Bar-Kays
Pump Up the Volume - M/A/R/R/S
Two Sisters of Mystery - Mandrill
By The Time I Get to Arizona - Public Enemy

Borough Check - Digable Planets
We Live in Brooklyn Baby - Roy Ayers' Ubiquity
I Wanta Do Something Freaky to You - Leon Haywood
Nuthin But a G Thang - Dr. Dre
It Was a Good Day - Ice Cube
Footsteps in the Dark - The Isley Brothers
Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So) - The Chi-Lite
Crazy in Love - Beyoncé

I Know You Got Soul - Bobby Byrd
I Know You Got Soul - Eric B & Rakim

[We'll probably do this again soon, so stick around for part two!]

Playlist 10/06/2016

Don't Throw Your Love in the Garbage Can - Vicki Anderson

Every Time He Comes Around - Minnie Riperton
Love Oh Love - Leroy Hutson
Funky President (People It's Bad) - James Brown
History Lesson/The World - Gil Scott-Heron

I'll Bet You - Funkadelic
Sagittarius Black - Timothy McNealy
Be Mine Tonight - Lloyd W. Williams
Daisy Lady - 7th Wonder
Cardova - The Meters
Pick Up the Pieces One by One - A.A.B.B.

Down Playlist
Get Up and Get Down - The Dramatics
Funk It Down - Caesar Frazier
Damper Down Popcorn - Calypso King & The Soul Investigators
Goin' Down - Allen Toussaint
Down Home Girl - The Coasters
Get Up to Get Down - Brass Construction

Up for the Down Stroke - Fred Wesley & The Horny Horns (feat. Maceo Parker)
Boogaloo Down Broadway - The Fantastic Johnny C
Shut 'Um Down - Gil Scott-Heron
Down and Out in New York City - James Brown
Getting Down for Xmas - Milly & Silly

Get Down with the Get Down - Melvin Sparks
The Breakdown pt 1 - Rufus Thomas

Rockit - Herbie Hancock

Playlist 09/29/2018

LP Cover for Excuse-O by Fela Kuti (1977, Coconut)

Mr. Grammaticology-lisationalism is the Boss - Fela Anikulapo Kuti & Afrika 70

How You Gonna Get Respect (When You Haven't Cut Your Process Yet) - Hank Ballard w/ the Dapps

LP cover for Ji by Junior (1982,  Mercury)

I Can't Help It - Junior
7 Rooms of Gloom - The Four Tops
Billy Jean - Michael Jackson
Cut Chemist Suite - Ozomatli

Guru

Trust Me - Guru's Jazzamatazz
Trust Me - Aged in Harmony

Late 1970's James Brown tracks
A Man Understands

LP Cover for Get Up Offa That Thing by James Brown (1976, Polydor)

Medley: Get Up Offa That Thing/Release the Pressure
I Refuse to Lose

LP Cover for The Original Disco Man by James Brown (1979, Polydor)

It's Too Funky In Here
Rapp Payback (Where Iz Moses?)

LP Cover for Take a Look at Those Cakes by James Brown (1978, Polydor)

For Goodness Sakes, Look at those Cakes
Eyesight
The Spank

LP Cover for Gloryhallastoopid, or Pin the Tail on the Funky
 by Parliament (1979, Casablanca)

The Big Bang Theory - Parliament

Playlist 09/22/2018

We Live in Brooklyn Baby - Roy Ayers

Roy Ayers in the studio

Sexy Dancer - Prince
Bumpin Bus Stop - Thunder & Lightning
The Funky Buzzard - James Bell & The Turner Brothers

The Isley Brothers' backing band (with Jimi Hendrix, left)

Move Over & Let Me Dance - The Isley Brothers (w/ Jimi Hendrix)

LP Cover for Show Album no. 1 by The Happy Dolls (1977, Solar)

Funky Stuff - The Happy Dolls
Seeds of Life - Harlem River Drive (feat. Eddie Palmieri & Jimmy Norman)

LP Cover for It's a New Day by The Skull Snaps (1973, GSF)

It's a New Day - The Skull Snaps
Rhyme Time People - Kool & The Gang

Inside cover to Innervisions by Stevie Wonder (1973, Tamla)

Don't You Worry Bout A Thing - Stevie Wonder
Get Down - Curtis Mayfield
Fish Head - Slim & The Soulful Saints
Kazi - Oneness of Juju

George (left) and Louis Johnson

Ain't We Funkin' Now - The Brothers Johnson

Full-Side Funk:
Ain't No Bout-a-Doubt It by Graham Central Station

Front LP Cover, Ain't No Bout-a-Doubt It by Graham Central Station (1975, WB)

Side 1

The Jam
Your Love
It's All Right
I Can't Stand the Rain

Rear LP Cover

I Got the Feeling - Sharon Jones
Beautiful Day - Spider Harrison

45 Cover for "Beautiful Daddy" by Ofo the Black Company (1972, Decca)

Beautiful Daddy - Ofo the Black Company
There Was a Time - Six Pack
Make It Good to Yourself - James Brown

LP Cover for Black Heat (1972, Atlantic)

Wanaoh - Black Heat

45 Label (B side) for "Yeah You're Right You Know You're Right" by The Gaturs (1972, Gatur)

Yeah You're Right, You Know You're Right - The Gaturs
"Simon Says" The Kingpin - Fishbone
Getting the Corners - The TSU Tornadoes

Darondo (born Willian Daron Pulliam)

Didn't I - Darondo

Playlist 09/01/2018

Walter "Junie" Morrison

Super J - Junie
In the Pocket - Boots
Why Not Start All Over Again - The Counts
Get Down with the Get Down - Melvin Sparks

LP Cover Cosmic Slop by Funkadelic (1973, Westbound)

March to the Witch's Castle - Funkadelic
The Goose pt 1 - Parliament
Humpin pt 1 & 2 - The Unstoppable S Robinson & His Marvelaires
Jungle Boogie - 24-7 Spyz

LP Cover for With a Lotta Help From My Friends by Junior Mance (1970, Atlantic)

Don't Cha Hear Me Calling to Ya - Junior Mance
Whole Lot Of Lovin' - Elsie Mae "TV Mama"

LP Cover for We the People by The Soul Searchers (1972, Sussex)

Full Side Funk - "We The People" by the Soul Searchers

We the People
Your Love is so Doggone Good
It's All in Your Mind
Soul to the People

Robert Lowe

Back to Funk - Robert Lowe
South Side Funk - Soul Seven
Mellow Mellow Right On - Lowrell
Mother Popcorn (live) - James Brown
Ball of Confusion - The Temptations
Ripplin' - Ripple

Double Cross - The Sugarman Three

LP Cover for Money Talks by The Bar-Kays (1978, Fantasy)

Monster - The Bar-Kays
Psyche - The Jimmy Castor Bunch

LP Cover for Be Nice to the People by Question Mark (1977, EMI)

Scram Out - Question Mark