This latest batch from Funky Delicacies (Night Train Record’s sister label) appears to have been assembled from my 45 collection.
Like my collection, these funk anthologies feature some great sides and some un-inventive music in the mix. These CDs contain rare and unissued recordings, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are always entertaining.
Eddie Bo‘s Funky Funky New Orleans largely consists of material recorded by anists he produced between 1968 and 1971. For neighborhood labels like Fireball, Scram, Bo Sound and Gold Cup. Chuck Carbo starts things off with a slab of Seventh Ward funk, “Can I Be Your Squeeze” and “Take Care of Your Homework.” Normally a balladeer, Carbo’s delivery sounds a bit uncomfortable, but his smooth vocals blend well with the busy accompaniment, particularly on “Squeeze.” “Hip Drop” by the Explosions was a good neighborhood record with a neat New Orleans groove.
The same goes for “Humpty Dump” by the Vibrettes, which contains one of those Jimmy Nolan-inspired guitar rifts that made James Brown’s 1970s records hits. Bo’s tracks are all first rate, including the jaunty “Can You Handle It” and a personal favorite “Getting to the Middle.” The catchy instrumental “Disco Parry” actually features some splendid interplay between two unnamed guitarists. (I’d venture Walter Washington is one of them.) Of the three Scram Band instrumentals, “I’m In a Lovin’ Groove” is the most engaging, as it contains some hectic Ramsey Lewis inspired piano played by Bo and slam hammer drumming from Smokey Johnson.
Senator Jones’ Funky Funky New Orleans assembles material originally issued on JBs, Super Dome and Jenmark, a family of labels which were one of the very few outlets for New Orleans soul, disco, jazz and rhythm and blues in the 1970s. These labels were rlirected by the hard working Senator Jones, a hustling old school record man with the gift of gab and a gold Cadillac.
Ray J. (Raymond Jones), who also served as Senator’s arranger, contributes a frantic but solid cover of “Right Place Wrong Time.” His cooey duet with Norma Jean (not Norma Lee as the cover states) on “Everlasting Love” is rather marginal. Ray J. has a smooth voice, but it’s totally overpowered by his female counterpart, who shouts more than sings.
Another journeyman New Orleans artist presented here is Chuck Johnson, a.k.a. “Mr. Boss Man,” who had earlier recorded for Alon, Booker and Invicta. “In Flight” has a funky Malaco feel to it but it is a curious inclusion because Johnson was a vocalist and this track has no vocals. Also, when I interviewed Johnson in 1991, he was meticulous about listing the details of career and never mentioned recording for Jones.
Having not heard or the original single (if there was one) before, my guess is that this was B-side instrumental or possibly Johnson never got around to putting vocals on the track and it was never released. His duet with Hazell Branch on “Weak” (I recall this being on Modern originally) gets right down to business though and has a chunky beat with a hot sax player. Of the lesser known grooves, the best is “Dancing With My Love Bones” (not “Down To My Love Bones” as the track listings state) by Las Vegas Connection, a group that often played at Prout’s Alhambra, a club booked by Jones. In fact this post-disco performance is probably’ the best three minutes on the CD. If you like Narada Michael Walden, you’ll dig this track.
“Funky Penguin” by Dennis Lee & the Norables has a pleasant James Brown feel and period vocals concerning girls in hot pants, funky grooves and Afro brothers. “Back To the Bushes” by the Prolifics is a sax instrumental which is a nice blend of jazz and funk ala Hank Crawford. “Body Execution” by the Crescent City Lights is a straight up funk opus complete with a wah-wah guitar, a repetitive bass line, and piercing lyrics. “Let Me Feel Your Love” by Family Underground is more of the same but not quite as desperate. The Fanoms (sic) track “Get A Little Bit” is quite attractive and features a clever arrangement and a hot rhythm guitar track. Clearly the worst was saved for last as Senator Jones gets into the fray with “Sweet Thing.” Jones’ performance is so bad it’s worth a second listen just to believe what you heard the first time. (So were most of his previous singles.) His voice is as flat as Canal Street, he has no sense of rhythm, the lyrics are bizarre and the backing puzzling.
Jazzy Funky New Orleans takes the shotgun approach and presents instrumental tracks by familiar artists like Eddie Bo, James Booker, Willie T, Porgy Jones and Walter Washington. The set appropriately starts with Washington’s jazzy “Good and Juicy” which dates from 1981; the tune was often his set opener back in the days when he played behind the rotund go-go dancers Sunday mornings at Dorothy’s Medallion Lounge.
Porgy Jones’ three tracks are trumpet instrumentals that really don’t hold much interest unless you’re looking for back-ground music for your next martini party.
Alvin Thomas’ “The Roach” is a jazzy flute instrumental, while “The Streetcar” sounds like an out-take from a session by the group Chicago. Much better is the driving Memphis-style organ instrumental “Coffee Pot” by Bo Junior.
Recorded on Tail Gate, a label owned by liquor salesman Theus Bradden, “Little Bo” was in fact the late Sammy Berfect, who used an alias on this record to fool the church folks he normally played for. The two previously unreleased Booker tracks are also organ instrumentals and date from his Hammond B-3 days at Peacock Records in Houston.
If you’ve already got Booker’s Gonzo CD on Night Train, you’ll know to expect stripped down lounge/funk. The two Willie Tee tracks are vocals with piano-led accompaniment. Willie sounds pretty urgent on “Your Love, My Love Together,” while “Teasin’ You Again” was an interesting attempt to answer his hit. The other vocal on the set is the wild “Timber” which credits Eddie Bo and Candy Phillips.
However the vocalist here is Chris Kenner (surprise!). I’d guess Bo provides the backing as “Timber” has a slight ring of “Pass The Hatchet” to it. Kenner really gets into the tune though and does a great job. The track by the Electrostats is a yawner and the set doses with Ray’s “Lost Girlfriend,” a decent sax instrumental which probably features James Rivers.
Unfortunately these collections tend to frustrate the more serious collector of New Orleans music. There is limited information about the artists presented, session details are absent, the graphics are rather boring and there ate few vintage photos, all details which make reissues attractive.
While the covers announce the CDs contain unreleased material, there is no mention of which tracks they are. Issue numbers from the original singles would at have helped, as would period packaging.
That being said, the playing time on these collections is very generous and they present a wealth of rich and entertaining music that pretty much has been ignored until recently. If you are stricken with the New Orleans funk fever, you might be cured by one of these, and might even want all three.
