FUNKY-SOUL-VINYLS CLASSIC SOUL AND FUNK ALBUMS OF THE 60's 70's and 80's # 11

In this Series of Posts, I will writing about a Particular Classic Soul/Funk Album from the 60's 70's and 80's

The one's that stand out in my Mind, as The Best Soul/Funk/Jazz/R&B Albums ever Released. All of them, I purchased on Vinyl many Years ago and also I have them on CD today.

You may have a Differing view (as we all do) on these Choices, but these are my Favorites!

Number 11......RAPTURE......ANITA BAKER

In my Opinion there are Quite a few Class Male Soul Singers, including Marvin Gaye, Luther Vandross, Bobby Womack, Curtis Mayfield, Frankie Beverly, Eugene Record, Ronald Isley, Freddie Jackson, Teddy Pendergrass and of course the Greatest of all Al Green, but in my Mind the Best Female Soul Artist by a Mile is Anita Baker!


People out there will say probably Aretha Franklin is the Best  and been going a lot longer than Anita Baker, but we all have our own Views.

Anita Baker's Second Solo Album "Rapture" was her Best Ever and in my Opinion the Best Ever Album by a Female Soul Singer.


It was Released in 1986 on the Elektra Record Label, and Produced by her Friend, Micheal J Powell, who incidentally was in the Band "Chapter 8" with Anita Baker Previously!


The "Rapture" Album did not have One Sub Standard Track on it, in fact , a Total of 5 out of the 8 Tracks were Released as Singles!


Track Listings as follows:
1  Sweet Love  4:26
2  You Bring Me Joy 4:24
3  Caught up in the Rapture 5:07
4  Been So Long 5:07
5  Mystery 4:56
6  No One in the World 4:10
7  Same Ole Love 4:05
8  Watch Your Step 4:54


The Single Releases are as Follows, with Chart Placings:


      SINGLE                    US POP       US R&B       UK POP         
Sweet Love                         8                    2                      13
Rapture                              37                  6                      51
Watch Your Step               0                   23                     0
Same Ole Love                 44                   8                    100
No One In The World     44                   5                      0

The First Single Release "Sweet Love" was Anita Baker's First Solo/Crossover Hit, and the Album went on to Sell more than 8 Million Copies, Worldwide and was Anita Baker's Best Selling Album of all Time.


The Album Charted at the following Positions:


US Billboard, Number 11, US R&B, Number 1, UK Pop, Number 13 and US Jazz Chart, number 24


The Album won Anita Baker plenty of Awards including 2 Grammy's!


The Best Track's on the Album are: Sweet Love, Rapture and my Favorite Same Ole Love, incidentally this Track is one of my All Time Top 10 Track's.


Anita Baker has only Ever Released 6 Studio Albums, Her 7th and Latest Album "21st Century Love" should have been Released over a Year ago, but to my Knowledge, it has had several Release Dates over the Last year, but as yet, still no Album!


Check this out, Anita Baker on an American show talking about her Forthcoming Album!


Get the Rapture Album: Here

THE 115TH MIX FOR F.S.V.B

Here's the 115th Mix selection for F.S.V.B, Its been Mixed by DJ Kumbi, its called "1980/1989 RnB Mix 11", there's some Classic 80's Soul and Dance on here, including: Loose Ends, Change, Jody Whatley, Teddy Pendergrass, and After 7!

Press play button below or to Download go to WebPage!

THE NORTH SEA and MEL & TIM

A Couple of more (Watery) Incidents that I clearly remember about Working on the Gas Platform back in November & December 1983, are as follows:


One of the Contractors who did something concerning the actual Drilling told me he went Fishing a Couple of times a Week and if He caught enough for me as well, would I cook the Fish for our Tea, one night!


I agreed and thought he was going to Catch it when He went back Onshore and then brought it back with him.


So a Couple of Days later, he said to me "are you ready to come Fishing, today" I thought what the Hell is he on about!

Anyway, he told me to Wear a Big Coat, Wrap up Warm and put my Hard Hat on and meet Him at a certain Place & Time,  during my Afternoon Time off, so I put my Big Coat on etc and met him where he said to!


To my Surprise he took me under this Metal trapdoor on the Main Gas Platform Floor and down all these Steps, where eventually after about 5 minutes walking, we were completely under the Platform about 500 Yards above the North Sea!


Then he said, "look over here" there to my Surprise was a  Fishing Line going down through the Metal Flooring into the North Sea, I was stunned, he was actually Fishing I could not Believe it, it was Blowing a Gale, as it was about 75% of the time, I was out there.  


Now I don't like Fishing, but that was an Experience, just being that Close to the Sea, you could actually Feel the Sea Spray on your Face!

He did Catch some Fish that Day,but I cant remember what they were, and I did Cook them for His Tea, that Night, What a Great Experience that was, one of my Highlights, on the Platform!   


Another Funny Incident that Happened to me, (but was not Funny at the time was) I wont explain it Fully as you can work it out for yourselves!


The Toilets on the Platform were as they are at Home, apart from the Water comes up from the North Sea and goes back there, so you did get a lot of "Sloshing Water" under your "Jack Jones" and when it rough it would tend to go everywhere (it was always Rough that time of year)!

Any way after about 3/4 Days on the Platform, I got a Bad Dose of "MonteZumas Revenge" and I found myself continually on the "Throne" for about 24 hours, and it was as usual Blowing a Gail outside, and Yes you Guessed it, all of a Sudden the Toilet made this "Almighty Gargling Sound and Whoosh" and I was Covered in it, and I am not Talking about the North Sea!


What an Experience, these were 2 of my Highlights!
==============================================

As for Music, in 1973 "Mel & Tim" had a Great Soul Single Release, "I May Not Be What You Want" taken from the 1972 Album "Starting All Over Again" it was on the "Stax" Record Label.

It was a Great Mid-Tempo Track from the Mississippi Duo "Mel Hardin & Tim McPherson, Probably Known Best for their Smash Hit "Backfield In Motion" from 1969 on the Bamboo Record Label!

Bamboo Records was Based in Chicago & Owned by the Soul Artist "Gene Chandler"

Download "I May Not Be What You Want" and other Great Stax Singles!

THE 114th MIX FOR F.S.V.B

Here's the 114th Mix for F.S.V.B, Its been Mixed by Dick G, its called "Brit Mix 2" there's some classic Brit Funk  Tracks on here, including Loose Ends, Central line,David Joseph, Delegation, 52nd Street and Paul Hardcastle!

Press play to listen or go to DixMix's  page for Full Track Listing and download.

FUNKY-SOUL-VINYLS CLASSIC SOUL AND FUNK ALBUMS OF THE 60's 70's and 80's # 10

In this Series of Posts, I will writing about a Particular Classic Soul/Funk Album from the 60's 70's and 80's

The one's that stand out in my Mind, as The Best Soul/Funk/Jazz/R&B Albums ever Released. All of them, I purchased on Vinyl many Years ago and also I have them on CD today.

You may have a Differing view (as we all do) on these Choices, but these are my Favorites!

Number 10......ZOOM ......THE COMMODORES

Released in 1977 (their 5th Album) this was in my Opinion the Best Commodores Album Ever Released, strangely it was not Entitled "Zoom" in the US, but Self-Titled "Commodores" 


It contained the Great Soul Ballad "Easy" and the Great Funk Anthem "Brickhouse" but my Favorite Track on the Album (and of The Commodores) was "Zoom" I would like £5 for every time I have Played that Track!

Its One of my Favorite Tracks of All-Time, it reached Number 38 on the UK Pop Chart, but for some strange Reason it was never Released as a single in the US.


The Album was Number One in the US R&B Chart for a Total of 8 Weeks, it also was the Commodores First Album to get into the US Pop Chart Top 5, Reaching Number 3.


The Two Singles Released from the Album were "Easy" this got to the Top of the US R&B Chart, Number 4 on the US Billboard Top 100, it also Charted on the Top 40 Pop Chart in the UK at Number 9.

The Second Single was "Brickhouse" it reached Number 5 in US R&B Chart and it Reached Number 32 on the UK Pop Chart.


The Album was Written and Co-Produced by The Commodores, along with James Carmichael for the Motown Record Label, Track Listings as Follows:

A1 Squeeze The Fruit

A2 Funny Feelings    
A3 Heaven Knows   
A4 Zoom      
B1 Won't You Come Dance With Me       
B2 Brick House      
B3 Funky Situation        
B4 Patch It Up     

B5 Easy
     

The Commodores were made up of 6 Members including Milan Williams, Walter Orange, Lionel Richie, Ronald LaPread, William King and Thomas McClary.


I Remember the Summer of '77, "Easy" was being Played continuously on the TV and Radio!


This was Probably the Last Commodores Album to Contain mainly Funk Tracks, after their Commercial Single Success around this period, Future Albums were made up with Mostly Ballads!


Download the Album Here!

Have a look at this Video, a Great Insight to all The Commodores and their Music!

THE 113th MIX FOR F.S.V.B

Here's the 113th Mix selection for F.S.V.B, Its been Mixed by Vinyl Escape, its called "Play It Again, Will You!, there's some Classic Old Soul from the 60's & 70's on here, including some The Delfonics,Four Tops, Bill Withers, The Impressions  and The Dramatics!

Go to WebPage  to see Complete Track Listings. 

Play It Again, Will You? by Vinyl Escape on Mixcloud

6 DUCKS and JOHNNY BRISTOL

Working on the Rigs was a bit of an Eye Opener (for somebody who had been used to their Home Comforts and Dry Land) I remember one Incident that Happened during either My First or Second Trip!


I used to Cook all the Meals for about 25 Blokes at any one time, so I had to (obviously) get most Foodstuffs ready in advance.


So I got a Maintenance Man to put a Big Padlock on the Food Chiller/Fridge Door, as I had been told by the Previous Chef,  that the Contractors I was looking after, were a Bunch of Animals! 

So one day, I thought  I would Cook about 6 Ducks for the next day and cook them Duck "A La Orange" for Dinner, after these were Cooked and Cooled off, they were put in the Chiller overnight (with the door Locked of course)!


The Kitchen area was left Unlocked at Night Times, for the Workers to get a Snack or Drink, I also used to leave a Tray of items in the Fridge, which were always Eaten by the next day!

Next Morning I went to Work, I could not believe what I saw, I put the Kitchen Lights on and there in front of me was the Big Chiller in the corner with both Doors hanging off!


Someone had been in the Kitchen during the Night before and took my Big Meat Cleaver out of the drawer and smashed off the Lock and both of the Fridge Doors, to get to the Food inside!

The 6 Cooked Ducks were all Half Eaten and all the Bones etc were thrown back into the Fridge, the previous Chef was right, these contractors were a bunch of Animals!


Of course Nobody ever owned up to Breaking into the Fridge or Eating the Ducks, but what did Happen was I Never Locked the Fridge at Night Times Anymore, nor did I ever leave them any more Treats (when I was off Duty) and I never  Cooked anything in Advance again, everything was Cooked and Served on the Day, and all Meals were Quick and Simple to Prepare (nothing to elaborate)!


==================================================

As for some  Music, in 1974 one of my Favorite All-Time Soul Tracks was released "Hang On In There Baby" by Songwriter, Producer and Singer "Johnny Bristol"


That was a Great Track, I remember this being played on the radio, the Year before I left School, it was taken from the Album of the same name, it turned out to be Johnny Bristol's Best Chart Placing Single and Album Ever!


The Single Charted in the US Pop Chart at Number 8, in the US R&B Chart at Number 2 and in the UK Pop Chart, it got to Number 3, the Albums Highest Placing was Number 7 in the US R&B Chart.


Johnny Bristol Re-recorded the Song in 1990 for Ian Levine's Record Label, have a look on the Page for a In- Depth Bio. incidentally, where the Video was Filmed, was in my Home Town! 

Johnny Bristol had a Great Voice, I'm Surprised He never Recorded more Albums than he did, only 6.


In the Mid Sixties he Worked for Motown as an In-House Writer and Producer, he Worked with some of the Top Acts at Motown, including Marvin Gaye, Junior Walker, Diana Ross and Smokey Robinson. 


Around 1973 he left Motown to work as a Producer for CBS, where He Worked with amongst others: Randy Crawford, Marlena Shaw, Tavares and even Tom Jones!  


Get The Album Here

THE 112th MIX FOR F.S.V.B

Here's the 112th Mix selection for F.S.V.B, Its been Mixed by George the DJ, its called "Cameo Vs Gap Band, there's some Classic Funk on here, by 2 of the Best Funk Bands, including Candy, Party Train, Word Up, Burn Rubber, Attack Me With Your Love and Oops Upside Your Head!

Press play button below or to Download press Kadoo and go to WebPage  to see Complete Track Listings!

Check out George's Page!