THE 168th MIX FOR F.S.V.B

Here's the 168th Mix Selection for F.S.V.B, it Called "Brand New Day" and contains Various Soul Artists and Bands, Its been Mixed by EJ Flavors, and it Features some Great Tracks by   amongst others: Cameo, Donald Byrd, Earth Wind and Fire, The Sylvers,Brainstorm,Sun,Anita Baker and Vanessa Williams amongst others!

For a Full Track Listing and Download from EJ

Go Here or go to my 4 Shared Page,Press Below!

Related articles

• THE 167th MIX FOR F.S.V.B
• TH4 164th MIX FOR F.S.V.B
• THE 165th MIX FOR F.S.V.B
• THE 163rd MIX FOR F.S.V.B
• THE 161st MIX FOR F.S.V.B
• THE 162nd MIX FOR F.S.V.B

WHO'S THE GREATEST FUNK BASS PLAYER # 3 LARRY GRAHAM

In this Series of Posts, I will Writing about the Artist's who are in My "Who's the Greatest Funk Bass Player" Poll. 

The Poll is over to the Right of the Blog, it has been Running for a Few Week's, so if You haven't already Voted, Please do so!

In these Post's, I will write a few Facts, Figures, Stats and Interesting Stuff on the Artist in Question, I will also include a Playlist of their Greatest Songs.

I will Write a Post on Each Artist, One Every Other Week! 

ARTIST NUMBER 3..............LARRY GRAHAM 

This Week's Bass Player is my Second Favorite Player of All-Time...Larry Graham, not only a Great Bass Player of Funk Record's but he also Recorded One of the All-Time Great Soul Ballads!  

Larry Graham Jr was Born on the 14th August 1946, in Beaumont Texas USA, He is a Musician, Songwriter and Record Producer, as well as Playing the Bass, he Plays the Keyboards, and also a Great Singer!

He Moved to California when he was 3 Years Old, to be Raised by his GrandMother, as his Mother was an  Piano Player in a Band, who were Touring the World!

Not to long later he was Moved again with his Family to Hawaii, again a few Years Later, he was Re-United with his Mother and they Moved to Oakland, California.

In 1961 he Joined his Mother in her Band, she was also Teaching him how to Sing, in the Early Days, Larry Graham used to Cover Ballads, by the Likes of Billy Eckstein and Tony Bennett. 

He Joined Sly and the Family Stone, after a Request from Sly Stone in 1966!

The First Album (on Epic Records) from Sly and the Family Stone was Released in 1967, and Called "A Whole New Thing" it was Not a Big Seller!

It was the Following Year on 27th April 1968 that Sly and the Family Stone had their Break Through Album, it was called "Dance To The Music" and the Title Track was a Hit in the USA, both Pop and R&B Charts!

Larry Graham Featured on a Total Of 5 Albums with Sly and the Family Stone, before Leaving in late 1972!

The following Year of '73, Larry Graham was Producing an Album for a Band named "Hot Chocolate" (Not the English Band) he was asked to Join the Band and they had a Name Change to "Graham Central Station" 

GCS Released their Debut Album in 1974, it was Called "Graham Central Station" the Album reached the Top 20 on the US R&B Chart!

Larry Graham and GCS went on to Release a Total Of 7 Albums up until 1979, before Larry Graham Decided to go Solo and put GCS on the Back Burner for a Few Years!

By 1980 Larry Graham Released his First Solo Album, on Warner Brother Records, it was entitled "One in a Million You" it was a big Hit in the US, Reaching Number 1 on the R&B Chart and Number 9 on the Hot 100 Chart!

The Biggest Single on the Album was the Great "Sam Dees" Track, "One in a Million You" it Reached Number 1 on the US R&B Chart and Number 9 on the US Pop 100 Chart.

This is One of my Favorite All-Time Tracks!

Larry Graham went on to Release a further 4 Albums on Warner Brothers Records.

By the Early 1990's he was back Touring with Graham Central Station.

In 1998 GCS Released their First Album in 10 Years, on NPG Record Label (New Power Generation), which was Owned By Prince, who also Co-Produced with Larry Graham.

Larry Graham and GCS are still Recording, with their Latest Album being Released in September of this Year entitled "Raise Up" again Featuring "Prince" a Great Comeback Album!

Larry Graham describes his Bass playing as Thumpin' and Pluckin' check out these Great Videos, on how to Play the Bass, and the Great Record "One in a MillionYou"







A few Great Tracks from Larry Graham and GCS.



Related articles

• Who's the Greatest Funk Bass Player!
• Who's the Greatest Funk Bass Player #1 Bootsy Collins
• Who's the Greatest Funk Bass Player #2 Mark Adams
• Album Review: Larry Graham & Graham Central Station "Raise Up"
• Larry Graham & Graham Central Station: Raise Up (Review)
• THE 162nd MIX FOR F.S.V.B

THE 167th MIX FOR F.S.V.B

Here's the 167th Mix Selection for F.S.V.B, it Called "Love Seasons" and contains Various Soul Artists & Bands, Its been Mixed by EJ Flavors, and it Features some Great Tracks, including amongst others: Sharon Brown, BB&Q Band, Angela Bofill, Brainstorm, Liz Hogue, Skyy & Rene & Angela amongst others!

For a Full Track Listing and Download 
Go Here or go to my Kadoo Page, Press Below!

Related articles

• TH4 164th MIX FOR F.S.V.B
• THE 162nd MIX FOR F.S.V.B
• THE 161st MIX FOR F.S.V.B
• THE 159th MIX FOR F.S.V.B
• Who's the Greatest Funk Bass Player!
• Who's the Greatest Funk Bass Player #1 Bootsy Collins

THE TAKEAWAY OPENING and MTUME

We got the Keys to the Takeaway Shop in October 1987, soon after me and Susan started to Clean the Place from Top to Bottom, it was more of a Mess outback than I thought it was!

Every day after the Kids went off to School , we went down the Shop for more Cleaning, I'm not too sure but I think we took about 2/3 Weeks to thoroughly Clean it, we couldn't spend to much Money on the Shop, because I Needed that for all the Ingredients, Meat and Food etc etc.

After the Shop was Ready and all food stuffs brought, I then Started   doing some Homemade Pies etc, I had Planned to Make most things Myself, but in all the Rush, I ended buying some things, with the Idea to do more Home made Cooking after the Opening! 

We had a load of Flyer's Made up by a Printer in the Area, and by this time I had thought of a Name for the Takeaway, as my Father (now Diseased) had Helped with the Shop, I decided to Call the Shop "G.C's Takeaway" that was my Father Initials "George Charles"

So around Mid November of 1987, I Finally Opened the Takeaway, the First Session was a Night Time I believe, I was out Front of Takeaway doing the Food and Serving, Susan was out the Back, Keeping Everything Else Under Control!

As it turned out, My Mother, Never Helped at all, she Never did anything, in Hindsight, it would have been Easier if She had Helped, in some sort of Way!   

Anyway the First Night went O.K, I Remember I didn't make a Mint, but all I wanted at that Stage, was to Make enough to Keep the Takeaway Ticking Over!

I Remember I soon got into a Routine, I used to Work between 12 pm and 2 pm and 6 pm and 10 pm, on Week Days and A bit Longer on a Saturday and Half Day on Thursday and Day Off on Sunday, and when Lunch-Times were Slow, I would be Making all the Food Stuffs for later, Susan and the Kids used to come to the Shop a Few Times During the Week, but Always came down on a Saturday Night when it got Busier.  

I Remember Susan Used to Peel Fresh Potatoes for Chips, but this was too Time Consuming, so I ended up Buying a Fresh Bag of Ready Cut Chips, from a Seller Named "Westrup" in Great Yarmouth and he Used to Delivery most days, I Remember they were £6 per bag!

So after a Couple of Weeks of being Opened things were Going Alright, Money and Coping Wise, and with the Christmas Trade coming up in a Few Weeks time, things were Looking Great!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As for some Music, a Band I see in Concert back in 1984 was Mtume, see this Post for that, I Remember the Concert was Great, and One of their Better Tracks, that had been released a Couple of Years earlier was "Juicy Fruit"

The Track was taken from their 4th Album of the Same Name and it was on the Epic Record Label, they eventually Released a Total of  6 Albums.

The Single Turned out to be their Biggest Ever Hit, Reaching Number 1 on the US R&B Chart and Number 45 on the US Hot 100 Chart!

The Album Reached Number 3 on US R&B Chart and Number 26 on US Pop Chart!

The 2 Vocalist in Mtume were Band Founder James Mtume and Tawatha Agee.

James Mtume went on to Write Numerous Tracks for other Artists and Bands.




Related articles

• TAKEAWAY and WILL DOWNING
• THE FUNERAL and RAYDIO
• SERIOUS HEART PROBLEMS and ELECTRO MUSIC
• TH4 164th MIX FOR F.S.V.B
• Who's the Greatest Funk Bass Player!
• THE 163rd MIX FOR F.S.V.B

THE 166th MIX FOR F.S.V.B

Here's the 166th Mix Selection for F.S.V.B, it contains Various Funk Bands, Its been Mixed by EJ Flavors, and it Contains some Great Tracks, including amongst others: Slave, Ohio Players, Parliament, James Brown, Gap Band and Rick James amongst others!

For a Full Track Listing and Download Go Here

Related articles

• TH4 164th MIX FOR F.S.V.B
• THE 158th MIX FOR F.S.V.B
• THE 163rd MIX FOR F.S.V.B
• THE 161st MIX FOR F.S.V.B
• Who's the Greatest Funk Bass Player!
• Who's the Greatest Funk Bass Player #1 Bootsy Collins