CONCERT REVIEW - LONG BEACH FUNK FESTIVAL: Mandrill, Dawn Silva, Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, The Meters Experience w/Leo Nocentelli, Breakestra, Delta Nove, Danny Bedrosian & Secret Army, Slapbak, BabyStone, Fun JA LA (Emcee - Rickey Vincent )  West Coast funk is alive! This first Long Beach Funk Festival was the brainchild of Bobby Easton, guitarist for funk band Delta Nove. Here's what they did - they put up huge stages/bandstands on each end of Pine Avenue in downtown Long Beach - creating a musical streetscene for all the funk soldiers to enjoy.......and it was all free! There was never more than a 5 minute gap in music - while one band was playing - the next stage was being set up for the next group. IT WAS GENIUS!!! And then, who do you get to MC and keep the joint rolling, but none other than funk aficionado Professor Rickey Vincent from the Bay Area......one of the foremost funkoligists on planet earth! To keep everyone funked for 12 straight hours (12pm to 12am.), you gotta come strong with the line-up. Up first was a good friend of Foxy Sally Foxen (of course she was there - spreading her joy and funky knowledge as always.....gotta luv the ooooooothatgirl....): Fun JA LA - featuring Victor Orlando (Gap Band.) Sally had introduced me to Victor at a recent Mandrill Concert, and his band really got the party started with "Dance to the Music." Fun JA LA was indeed funk-for-all.....and it was ON. Rickey Vincent - "head to the other stage" (this goes on after each performance.) BabyStone - Sly's daughter, Novena Carmel, and her group hit the stage smoking! Those Sly genes were evident throughout her fast paced show, and of course she included papa Sly's "Sing a Simple Song." We got a chance to meet (and snap a pic) with Novena - and she said to pass a "keep the funk alive" note to all the SoulPatrollers. Slapbak - I know from talking to Bob, the Soul-Patrol.com nation is aware of Jara Harris and his tight-nit crew called Slapbak. They are SoCal/Long Beach faves, and brought the funk as usual. They had everybody moving during James B's "PayBack." Danny Bedrosian & Secret Army - Here is why you have to go out and listen to live music. I must admit I hadn't heard of Danny Bedrosian, but when I saw that Blackbyrd McKnight of P-Funk/Herbie Hancock fame was playing guitar with him - I knew the funk couldn't be faked. This Armenian dude tore that keyboard up. Danny often tours and plays with George Clinton and the rest of P-Funk, Delta Nove- I had seen Delta Nove before in Long Beach, so I knew what they could do. Bobby Easton said "you can't have a funk festival without playing a George Clinton/Funkadelic song" - they then launched into "If You Don't Like the Effects, Don't Produce the Cause." Nuff said! Breakestra - Of all the new groups and new music I heard at the festival - this group totally blew me away. They are a SoCal group headed by bassist/ guitarist/ keyboardist/cellist/singer Miles Tackett with a lot of the soul singing/shouting coming from Mixmaster Wolf. This band- just think of a melding of Otis Redding/James Brown/Fishbone/Red Hot Chi Peppers......all taught at the feet of Sun Ra? These guys don't stop playing throughout their set - one funk song morphs into the next funk riff...add a black female soul singer in Afrodyte. I can't describe how good these guys are! The Meters Experience with Leo Nocentelli - No funk festival would be complete without some Louisiana gumbo. Leo was the gumbo, playing the Meter's "Cissy Strut," "Fire on the Bayou" and "Hey Pocky-Way" - the crowd doing its own SoCal-line throughout the set. What a great guitarist...he was up there working hard! Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band - As dusk settled and it finally began to cool down - here comes Charles and his band, in matching white suits, marching on the stage to push the heat rite back up again. Charles was having a good time with "Till You Get Enuff" "Loveland" and closed with his anthem of "Express Yourself" - everybody singing all the lyrics. Dawn Silva - IT WON'T STOP....FUNK HAS A LIFE OF IT'S OWN!! Dawn jumps on stage, and who is in her band? The aforementioned Blackbyrd McKnight on one guitar; Gail Muldrow (from Graham Central Station fame) on another; Cynthia Robinson and Jerry Martini (Sly and the Family Stone) sitting on horns. They tore it up with P-Funk, Bride of Funkenstein, Little Sister jams. They closed with "Sing a Simple Song" and "Wanna Take You Higher" and we woke up all of Long Beach with "HIGHER" and peace signs in the air! Mandrill - Nobody is ready to go until they've squeezed the last bit of soul from their souls and we've heard "Ape is High" and "Hang Loose." Mandrill controlled and owned that stage and the crowd- and although drained - we funked out that last bit of movement that hadn't been used. Nearing midnight - it was like we finally CLIMAXED AS ONE. Damn that was a lot of funk. The musicians from the various bands knew this was something special - before and even after their respective sets, they were right there in the crowd enjoying the music. I got a chance to holler at Rickey Vincent, Blackbyrd McKnight, Gail Muldrow, Miles Tackett...I talked to Jerry Martini about Sly and Larry Graham....I told Bobby Easton thank you for bringing this to the people............. All for free. Bobby Easton - major props!!! You can't stop the funk - you can only hope to contain it! --Duane lance Filer SoCali --Bob Davis 609-351-0154 earthjuice@prodigy.net Concert Review: Mother Finest, Derek McKeith & Alyson Williams @ Fort Dupont Park, Washington DC August 15th One thing I will say about DC is that it really is "Chocolate City." I don't know of another place that so fully embraces BLACK MUSIC/CULTURE in it's entirety. All 360 degrees of it!!! (sorry NYC & Philly......LOL) And I am really glad that we apparently had so many folks from Soul-Patrol who felt compelled to submit a written review of the show. What does that say? Just try & tell the thousands of people who were out this past Saturday night in Ft Dupont Park, that "Rock n' Roll isn't BLACK MUSIC?" This review comes from our friend Skip Kelley.... ---------- On a clear and comfortable evening last Saturday night in the nation's capital, a memorable concert took place for those, including your very own Bob Davis, who have been part of the Black rock movement. The concert was headlined by Mother's Finest, carrying the Black rock torch for over 30 years, and also featuring Derek McKeith, the new Black rock talent. It was held at Fort Dupont Park, an outdoor summer concert area in a working class Black community in Southeast DC. The park draws huge festival style crowds for free concerts, where thousands of Black folks party like back in the day with whistles, tambourines and glowing lights everywhere. Earlier concerts this summer have featured such popular acts as the Original P, Blue Magic and Rose Royce. On a mid-August evening with unusually mild weather, the crowd seemed to be about ten thousand strong. If you wanted to find out whether Black folks can really get into some rock music, this was ground zero. Alyson Williams opened at sundown with a short set and then introduced Derek, causing a stir in the crowd when she compared him to Prince. After that hype, Derek came out crankin' his guitar on "Loving Love" and then kept rockin' with "Only You." The crowd was intrigued by this young brother playing some serious rock 'n soul, and I heard people asking "What's his name again?" He then lauched into his BETJ hit "Can't Get Enough", which he mixed with covers of the Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction" and Taste of Honey's "Boogie Oogie Oogie", just to emphasize his musical versatility. The crowd loved it and proceeded to get down and boogie just like the song says. He followed with "Teacher, Teacher", an ode to teenage lust for a hot teacher. He ended his set with a rockin' cover of the Jackson's "Heartbreak Hotel", using his vocal range and energetic dance moves to get the crowd moving and singing a full throated refrain of "Hearrrrrrtbreak Hotel!!!" Derek got much love as he exited the stage. The crowd was now warmed up for Mother's Finest and erupted when they hit the stage. Joyce Kennedy got a big ovation when she came out wearing a tight black leather outfit and her hair died blond and pulled up. When she sang her first note, you knew her powerhouse voice was in fine form. The band was as good as ever, performing their repertoire of funk rock and straight up rock 'n roll. Excitement built during an extended, kick ass version of "Don't Wanna Come Back", with Joyce leading a strong vocal hook. It continued with a "Give You All The Love (Inside of Me)", which allowed the band to stretch out instrumentally. Joyce got a tremendous reception when she slowed things down with the much covered slow jam classic "Love Changes", a major radio hit on the "Quiet Storm" back in the day. Lead male vocalist Glen Murdock then took over with an inspired "Mickey's Monkey", combining Smokey Robinson vocals with a serious rock 'n roll workout. This was followed by a solo from the original funk rock anthem "Who Knows" by Jimi Hendrix and the Band of Gypsys. Lead guitarist Gary Moore showed off his outstanding licks, much to the delight of the many Hendrix fans in the crowd. The show reached its peak with a strong performance of the funk rock classic "Baby Love." Joyce let it all hang out and the band cut loose with some powerful riffs, as thousands sang and danced as one to every note. The show closed with "Piece of the Rock", a straight up rock 'n roll jam that climaxed with band members jumping up and down to the beat. When it was over, everybody cheered heartily for Mother's Finest. Backstage after the concert, I saw many friends that I only see at really special concerts. We were buzzing about the tremendous rock show that we had just witnessed. I got a chance to meet Joyce, who came out of the trailer to greet fans like the true rock star that she is, but also down to earth at the same time. I also met actress Sheila Frazier, Derek's mom, who is still looking good by the way. I talked to Derek about how great it would be if he could tour as the opening act for Mother's Finest, because their audiences would certainly appreciate him. We also talked about how both of their audiences have been mostly white, and that this night was such a revelation because a large crowd of Black folks was really into their music. Maybe DC is unique because we've always been big fans of funk rock, showing mad love for Funkadelic and Mandrill mixing rock guitar with their funk. As I stated, this was a truly a memorable evening for Black rock. Let it be known that on this night, thousands of regular Black folks in the heart of Chocolate City were jammin' at a rock show, that they really got down to some rock music. And Mother's Finest and Derek McKeith were proud to wave their freak flags high, proclaiming that they were here to rock! --Bob Davis 609-351-0154 earthjuice@prodigy.net Commentary: 100 Days/100 Nights - The Future of Tha Funk (Barrack Obama & Sharon Jones)  Barrack Obama has now been the POTUS for "100 Days/100 Nights" and there are all types of assessments of his administration going on thought the media. I certainly don't want to presume that I have anything whatsoever to add to any of those assessments; however I would like to use this occasion to talk about the convergence of something that both Barrack Obama & Sharon Jones have in common that can be seen as a metaphor for some of what we might see in our musical futures. 100 Days/100 Nights is of course the name of the award winning 2008 release by Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings. This album was probably the FUNKIEST album to be accepted by the "mainstream" in a generation. One of the reasons for it's acceptance was clearly the presence of the Dap Kings on the multiple Grammy award winning 2007 album by Amy Winehouse called "Back to Black." So therefore 2008 represented the "coming out" year for BOTH Sharon Jones and for Barrack Obama and as far as I am concerned, the "face of funk" is now changed forever. Sharon Jones has been compared favorably with Lyn Collins and the Dap Kings have been compared favorably to the JB's. The idea that Sharon Jones is Black & the Dap Kings are white is a fact that hasn't been lost on the mass media who have covered the band over the past few years. Nor has it been lost on some of the Black critics who have said some less than kind things about this reality. As a funkateer, I have also had a dilemma with this reality and asked myself the question; "could it be that the funkiest band in the land are culture bandits?" I think that when discussing this topic, it becomes useful to view things thru the lens that Barrack Obama is providing for us in 2009 as opposed to the 1974 lens that I might be inclined to fall back on. That's where the "100 Days/100 Nights" idea comes in, simply because we have to understand that the "change we can believe in" and that change is something that we should be happy to embrace as fans of funk music as well. Commercial Funk music in the late 1960's thru about 1980 was a musical style, whose development (and ultimate extinction) that parallels the fate of the American Civil Rights Movement. When Ronald Reagan was elected President in 1980, one of his unspoken campaign promises was that he would put an end to the American Civil Rights Movement. Reagan kept his "unspoken promise" to the American people and the Civil Rights Movement effectively ended in the United States during the 1980's. Not surprisingly the era of commercially successful Funk music also came to an end at the same time. Of course Ronald Reagan's whole premise was that we didn't need a separate Civil Rights Movement anymore, since everyone was legally "equal." And in music, it was decided that we no longer needed a separate category called "Funk music" anymore, since "Funk music" (really the essence of Black music) was really a contained in most musical styles, and didn't need to be separate. And so it has remained, till now. As we look back on these past "100 Days/100 Nights", we have a "funky president" who appeared literally from nowhere, whose physical being is quite literally the definition of integration. And appearing almost as suddenly "the funkiest band in the land", who also physically looks like the very picture of what an integrated society should be. I think that back during the 2008 Democratic Convention in Denver, America took a good hard look at what they saw on TV and it liked what it saw. America patted itself on the back as it looked at the possibilities of becoming the society that it always knew that it could be. And it also looked at the multitude of problems & issues that it was facing and said to itself; "well we may not be able to fix everything, but isn't it about time that we honestly tried to fix this?" Of course Black folks are always both "first to the party and last to the party" (at the same time) said; "even though we aren't even sure that this guy is really Black, we will also jump on this train." And so what Ronald Reagan said in 1980, actually came true in 2008 and going forward, we now know that everything is going to be quite a bit different because of what has occurred in the past "100 Days/100 Nights." At the same time that all of this was occurring, during 2008 Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings became "the funkiest band in all the land." Hell ALL of the "hip young white kids", knew all about them. There were TV appearances, magazine articles, singles that were played on Pop, jazz, blues radio stations around the country. Sellout performances around the country & around the world. I mean this was the band who played on the album that won 5 Grammy awards. They played serious/hard core FUNK music that could make you dance and they were fronted by a woman who could make you cry with the power of her voice. And as usual, Black folks are the last one's to the party with respect to Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, much as they were with now President Obama and I think that I understand the reason why... Commentary continued here: http://www.soul-patrol.com/newsletter/2009/news2/sharonjones_dapkings.html --Bob Davis 609-351-0154 earthjuice@prodigy.net --Bob Davis 609-351-0154 earthjuice@prodigy.net LISTEN TO - CLASSIC HIP HOP @ RadioIO.com  TAKE A LISTEN FOR 1/2 HOUR, IT WILL MAKE YOU SMILE AND YOU WILL BE HOOKED------------------------------------ Classic HipHop @ RadioIO.com: http://www.radioio.com/channels/classic-hip-hop ||GREAT BLACK MUSIC || ||WALL-2-WALL-FUNK || ||70's, 80's, 90's HIP HOP|| ||ALWAYS SLAMMIN, || ||ALL THE TIME || Classic HipHop @ RadioIO.com: http://www.radioio.com/channels/classic-hip-hop ---------------------------------------- It's often said that "hindsight is 20/20" in the history of OUR music there is no clearer example of this in my mind than the era of Classic Hip Hop (roughly late 70's - early 90's). As I recall, many of us complained and asked the question; "WHAT HAPPENED TO THA FUNK?" In retrospect, instead of complaining all we really had to do was open our eyes (& ears) and look/listen to what was right in front of us. We were being presented with nothing short of "WALL-2-WALL- FUNK." This is something that is abundantly clear to my ears. It was however presented in a creative & unique manner, and that is what the objection was. We complained and asked, "where is the band?", we said things like "why don't those kids learn how to play instruments", or perhaps you said; "these aren't real musicians." We criticized these artists (unfairly) for doing exactly what we accused them of not doing. These artists studied the history of Black music in a way that few of us dare to and they came to the conclusion that they couldn't improve upon what was indeed the best music that had ever been created. They were smart enough to know that their job wasn't to reinvent what was the highest level of Black culture that had been achieved to that point. These artists didn't think that they could possibly create "better music" than James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, Grover Washington, P-Funk, etc. They knew that their mission was to do what the best jazz artists had always done and take what existed and improvise in order to preserve and extend that culture into the future. These artists were archaeologists of the best that Black culture had achieved. They are preservationists of the highest magnitude. They documented their findings on wax, instead of inside of a book, because they knew that would be the best way to influence the future. Fast forward to the year 2008, going into 2009 and as we set about our mission to preserve & extend the historical legacy of Black music & culture into what seems to be an uncertain future. Guess what generation of people seems to be most interested in being truly proactive in making certain that whatever that future may hold, is connected to the past in a most meaningful manner? Guess what generation our new President, who graduated for High School in 1980 belongs to? And if you can answer those questions correctly, now you know the reason why Chuck D has me on his radio show every month… Hey Love - King Sun D-Moet Queen Latifah - Wrath of my Madness Eric B. & Rakim - I Know you Got Soul Stetsasonic - A.F.R.I.C.A. [Norman Cook Remix][*] Lauryn Hill/Refrugee Camp all-Stars - The Sweetest Thing [Mahogany Mix] Jungle Brothers - Because I Got It Like That Public Enemy - Fight the Power MC Hammer - Turn This Mutha Out Heavy D & the Boyz - We Got Our Own Thang Whodini - I'm a Ho Digital Underground - Rhymin' on the Funk Ll Cool J - The Boomin' System Doug E Fresh - La Di Da Di Kurtis Blow - If I Ruled the World Big Daddy Kane - Set it Off U.T.F.O. - Bits and Pieces Fat Boys - Fat Boys Beastie Boys - Intergalactic Gil Scott-Heron - H2o Gate Blues Grandmaster Flash And Melle Mel - White Lines (Don't Don't Do it) Fearless Four - It's Magic Force M.D.'s - Itchin' For a Scratch Kool Moe Dee - How Ya Like Me Now The Real Roxanne - Romeo, Pt. 2 D-Nice - Call Me D-Nice Dr. Dre - Nuthin' But a G Thang De La Soul - Brain Washed Follower Fat Boys feat. the Beach Boys - Wipe Out Harlem World Crew - Let's Rock Gangstarr - Check the Technique Craig Mack - Flava in ya Ear Disco Dave - High Power Rap A Tribe Called Quest - Electric Relaxation Intelligent Hoodlum Black & Proud Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five - The Message Brand Nubian - Love Me Or Leave Me Alone Boogie Down Productions - Criminal Minded [Album Version] Cold Crush Brothers - Freestyling Kris Kross - Jump Donald Byrd/Guru - Loungin' Naughty By Nature - Hip Hop Hooray Easy Mo Bee - Blow Newcleus - Jam on it Crash Crew - On The Radio Ice Cube - It Was a Good Day Ice-T - High Rollers Onyx - Slam MC Lyte - Cha Cha Cha Eric B. & Rakim - I Ain't No Joke D.J. Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince - Summertime Treacherous Three - Feel the Heart Beat Doug Lazy - Let it Roll Public Enemy - 911 is a Joke Run-D.M.C. - Run's House Queen Latifah - Just Another Day Run Dmc - It's Like That Lord Finesse - Funky Technician Heavy D & the Boyz - The Overweight Lovers in the House Dana Dane - Cinderfella Dana Dane Ll Cool J - I'm Bad Doug E Fresh - The Original Human Beatbox MC Hammer - U Can't Touch this Epmd - Gold Digger Kurtis Blow - The Breaks Roxanne Shante - Roxanne's Revenge Spoonie Gee - Spoonin' Rap Fat Boys - Human Beat Box A Tribe Called Quest/Busta Rhymes - Oh my God [Remix] Salt-N-Pepa - Let's Talk About Sex Eric B & Rakim - Paid in Full Tag Team - Whoomp! (There It Is) : Club Mix Fearless Four - Fearless Freestyle De La Soul - Ghetto Thang (Ghetto Ximer) Tone Loc - Wild Thing Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five - Superappin Young MC - Bust A Move Boogie Boys - A Fly Girl Craig G/Marley Marl - Droppin' Science A Tribe Called Quest- Hot Sex Salt-N-Pepa Featuring En Vogue - Whatta Man (Video Remix) Blahzay Blahzay - Danger Sir Mix-A-Lot - Baby Got Back Doug E. Fresh - Just Havin' Fun Skee-Lo - I Wish Poor Righteous Teachers - Rock Dis Funky Joint Too Short - Gettin' it Cold Crush Brothers - Yvette [Live] Whodini - Freaks Come Out at Night ------------------------------------ Classic HipHop @ RadioIO.com: http://www.radioio.com/channels/classic-hip-hop 
TAKE A LISTEN FOR 1/2 HOUR, IT WILL MAKE YOU SMILE AND YOU WILL BE HOOKED --Bob Davis 609-351-0154 earthjuice@prodigy.net Album Review - Nikka Costa: Pebble To A Pearl  This is exactly the type of new music I enjoy getting. It's a total surprise that made my smile from the first moment I opened it. Ear to ear and end to end.What does it sound like??? ---It sounds like an imaginary session recorded all in one night, with Betty Davis on vocals, w/Stevie Wonder producing (circa 1969/1970) at the HI Records studio & Shuggie Otis playing all of the instruments (with lots of empty vodka bottles & "zig zag" packages on the floor) --More serious "vacuum tube music" for the "micro chip generation".... --It sounds like the album that Lenny Kravitz or Lauren Hill should make (but probably never will) --Seriously "dated" (no hip hop, no drum machines, real horns, real soul singing, nothing fake whatsoever) --It sounds like one of those late 1960's albums that nobody has ever heard of, and was never played on the radio that somebody like me will tell you that is the album that all of the cool people played at 2am in their "incense filled" dorm rooms back in the early 1970's. You will note in the press release they describe it as: "GENRE: R&B, BLUES, SOUL & STAX" (I wonder why they can't just use the term "FUNK"????????) --It may not get played on Black radio stations at all in 2008 --All of the "classic soul/funk" fans will say, "don't bother me with this, cuz I never heard of this artist before" --All of the cool "neo soul headz" will probably buy the album (but not admit they own a copy) --All of the "cool white kids" will have it on their iPod playlists I'll review it later (or maybe I just did?), in the meanwhile I have to figure out how I'm going to get away with playing all 13 songs from the album on Nu Soul @ RadioIO http://www.radioio.com/channels/nusoul (I am VERY happy that the STAX label is putting this one out) --Bob Davis For more info, check it out here: NEW RELEASE - Nikka Costa: Pebble To A Pearl NEW RELEASE - Maysa: Metamorphosis  Maysa - "Metamorphosis"(Black American Standard Music) http://www.soul-patrol.net/maysa.ram Random House Unabridged Dictionary: met-uh-mawr-fuh-sis; a profound change in form from one stage to the next in the life history of an organism It's a thing that I like to do every so many years (whether I need it or not). And I fully realize that I am not alone. Especially this year. The results of the recent US Presidential Election has caused not only the United States to "hit the reset button", but also many people that I know to tell me that they have decided to recommit themselves in not only their own personal search for excellence, but to also helping those around them to achieve their own personal journey's. In the liner notes of the album, Maysa says; "I am changing, re-arranging, my mind, body and soul, growing better, feeling stronger.....slowly, but surely, my metamorphosis has begun." Maysa has been for quite sometime, one of the best artists around......PERIOD. Everybody and their grandmother knows that for sure, however she never really seems to get the props that she deserves. Although she is perhaps known best as the once (and perhaps future?) lead singer of jazz/funk legends Incognito. for the past few years she has spent the past few years totally de-constructing & then re-constructing the now "underground" genre known as "classic soul" with a series of albums on the Shanchie label and also as a member of the musical collective known as "Soul Summit" touring the United States & the world dropping seeds of "classic soul" and watching them grow. The past few years have been filled with new releases by many different artists comprised of "classic r&b covers." These albums were coming so fast & furious at one point I just had to shut my mind off to them. Some of these albums have been great, some of them have outright sucked. However the albums by Maysa were far and away the best and in fact her versions of some of the songs rival & surpass some of the originals. I suppose that the easiest thing in the world for Maysa to do would have been to either return to Incognito or to perhaps do another album of "r&b covers?" Are you a person who is trying to hit your own personal "reset button" and perhaps needs a bit of encouragement, or maybe just a friendly & empathetic voice to lean on as you wrestle with the individual tasks involved in going down that road? Then Maysa's voice on the album "Metamorphosis" is exactly what you need to have playing inside of your head at this time in your life. Of course the music itself on the album "Metamorphosis" is incredible; it's a perfect blend of jazz, soul, funk, world, etc. It's like a great CTI album that you can play interrupted from start to finish and then want to play it for all of your friends who say they don't like jazz. It's the kind of album that you can play for "the jazz police" and even they would like it. Maysa seems to take her experience with both Incognito, her solo "classic r&b albums", combine them together, and then challenge herself to raise the anty to create something that is far greater than the sum of it's parts. I can understand just why she calls this album "Metamorphosis", it makes me smile in much the same way I smiled the very first time I heard Chaka Khan singing on a jazz album. It's almost as if Maysa rolled the dice and has created a brand new artist. A brand new artist who has made a descion to "go for the gold." Maysa incorporates all Black music styles on the album "Metamorphosis" that might seem to be daring on one hand, but on the other not only challenges herself, but also challenges us as listeners to finally give this lady the props she deserves. Go ahead & challenge yourselves and tell me what you think? http://www.soul-patrol.net/maysa.ram And if you are trying to figure out just how to hit your own personal "reset button" in this environment of "change" we find ourselves in, you might discover just the inspiration to do so, from a lady who just successfully hit her own personal "reset button..." --Bob Davis For more info, check it out here: Maysa: Metamorphosis Celebrating the Birthday of Jimi Hendrix and the 10th Anniversary of the Jimi Hendrix BLACK Experience Web Page  Most people are preparing to celebrate Thanksgiving over the next few days.However if you are a Jimi Hendrix fan (like I am), the four day Thanksgiving Day weekend is also a time each year to celebrate the birthday of the man who changed both our music & culture. I'll also be celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the launch of the world famous; Jimi Hendrix BLACK Experience website: http://www.soul-patrol.com/funk/jh.htm (the authoritative online source for all things Hendrix, from a Black American perspective) Seems crazy now, but the very existence of this web page generated thousands of emails to me, with about 1/2 of them praising me and the other half being "kkk style" hate mail condemning me to burn in hell. Many of these emails and their ensuing discussion played out in a public "flame war" that went on for about six months on a huge email listserv called "The Hey Joe Mailing List." I replied to every single public & private email that was sent to me. Many people wanted me to remove the webpage. --Some people thought that I shouldn't be writing anything at all about Jimi Hendrix, only white people were allowed to do that. --Some people thought that it was racist for me to even imply that Jimi Hendrix had anything whatsoever to do with Funk music or Black people. --Some people thought that my analysis of the Crash Landing album was racist. --And of course playing the ultra phunky/chitlin circuit era .wav file of "Drivin South" by Jimi Hendrix (w/Curtis Knight & the Squires), was "proof" that my analysis just might be right. One person who emailed said that "n**gers like you shouldn't be allowed on the internet." (it was a pretty big deal to play a .wav file on a web page back in those days. Anyhow, that's what caused all of the controversy to erupt. And the contoversey inspired me to write more about Jimi Hendrix. And more, And more, And more...Till I ended up with 23 web pages about Jimi Hendrix, his music, his cultural impact, and more.....LOL And just to show you how much things have changed since 1998 here on the internet, here is a recent email that I got relative to ther content on the Jimi Hendrix BLACK Experience website: Greetings, I've been going over Soul-Patrol's analysis of Jimi's work, and I'm really liking the ideas you're putting forth. It even inspired me to seek out the Alan Douglas albums. The idea of Hendrix morphing from rock star to funkateer is pretty neat. Not only that it also makes his latter-day recordings make more sense. They go from merely being "earthy R&B" (as some have called it) into something much more dynamic. Great stuff. I'm just sending this e-mail to let you know that some of the tracks on the 2000 box set really bolster your claims. Its alternate versions of "Izabella," "Room Full of Mirrors," "Earth Blues" and "Message to Love" are funk, as far as I'm concerned. Excellent backing vocals, exciting new rhythms, jagged but danceable guitar lines... truly great. Not only does the material show us a new facet of Jimi, but it also shows us how funky the man was. Keep up the great work! So in 2008, do I feel vindicated? Somewhat, but I am more excited about the fact that America has changed over the past 10 years quite a bit. Not only has it changed enough for a Black man to be elected President, but it has even changed enough to allow a Black man to actually write about Jimi Hendrix and be taken seriously. Today I can walk into most any gathering of Hendrix fans. Black or white. They all know me. They have all visited "The Jimi Hendrix BLACK Experience" website. And I am happy to report, that I am always welcome to participate... H*A*P*P*Y B*I*R*T*H*D*A*Y J*I*M*I H*E*N*D*R*I*X --Bob Davis 609-351-0154 earthjuice@prodigy.net CONCERT REVIEWS: SOUL-PATROL LIVE @ KESWICK THEATRE W/PHILADELPHIA FUNK/BLUES/JAZZ EXPLOSION: 8/19 - SMV: Stanley Clarke/Marcus Miller/Victor Wooten Show, LIVE @ 8pm 8/20 - Keb Mo/Robert Cray Show, LIVE @ 8pm 8/21 - Rick Braun/Richard Elliot Show, LIVE @ 8pm  This 3 day Black Music Extravaganza in Philadelphia @ beautiful/historic Keswick Theatre was a SMASHING SUCESS!!!Both the FUNK show (featuring SMV: STANLEY CLARKE/MARCUS MILLER/VICTOR WOOTEN ), and the BLUES show (featuring KEB MO/ROBERT CRAY) were S-E-L-L-O-U-T-S. And the JAZZ show (featuring R&R: RICK BRAUN/RICHARD ELLIOT) was close. I was in the house and along with David Brooks (Dr. Brookenstien) and Kevin Amos (The Funkoverlord), been manning the Soul-Patrol Booth, where we distributed information about Soul-Patrol.com, RadioIO.com, signing folks up to the Soul-Patrol Newsletter, distributing FREE copies of our (out of print) award winning compilation album "The Soul-Patrol Digital/Virtual Album 1.0" and most importantly engaging folks in a conversation about music/culture. It's always fun for me to meet some of the people who have been reading my commentaries for years in person and a lot of folks that have come up to the booth have told me how much they have enjoyed reading the Soul-Patrol Newsletter over the years. It has been a pleasure for me to meet these people and their families. One of the things that has made me smile over the past couple of days at the Keswick is that these crowds have been INTEGRATED (although I would like to see a few more of "mah people" at the Blues show.) And certainly that has been one aspect of the conversations that we have been having with folks. Certainly we will do more events like this at the Keswick and around the United States so stay tuned.... Thanks to the staff & management of the Keswick Theatre for allowing Soul-Patrol to be a part of their family. Click here to read the reviews of all 3 shows by our own Funkoverlord, Mr. Kevin Amos... --Bob Davis 609-351-0154 earthjuice@prodigy.net LISTEN TO: SOUL-PATROL/NU SOUL/CAMPAIGN 2008 (Featuring the following Artists: Barack Obama, Chuck D, Gerald Alston, Chip Shelton, Nadir, Rose Stone) (Nu Soul) 
http://www.soul-patrol.net/sp_2008campaign1.ramWhen is the last time you heard a Presidential contender quote Mr. Sylvester Stewart? Soul-Patrol doesn't endorse candidates, however last night I became inspired when I heard Senator Barack Obama actually quoting Sly and the Faimily Stone, during the speech that he made right after his stunning win in the 2008 North Carolina Democratic primary. Although Soul-Patrol doesn't endorse candidates, it does provide commentary on what's going on in the culture and this was certainly a historic moment. And if Senator McCain would like "equal time" all he need do is contact me and I will give it to him... http://www.soul-patrol.net/sp_2008campaign1.ram The use of classic Sly & the Family Stone lyrics during the speech by Senator Obama inspired me to create a broadcast of some NEW releases that we are featuring both here on Soul-Patrol and on Nu Soul @ RadioIO.com (www.radioio.com), that fit with the overall mood of the cultural phenomena surrounding the campaign of Senator Barrack Obama. http://www.soul-patrol.net/sp_2008campaign1.ram At the same time I want to provide an introduction (for some of you) of what the idea is behind the concept of NU SOUL. It's BRAND NEW BLACK MUSIC, produced for today's audiences that is steeped in the tradition of Black Music of the past (soul, funk, rap, blues, jazz, rock, etc), presented by the artist in a modern day context. In short it's what's missing from the so called Black music that is being rammed down out throats by the mass media. Here are the songs from the broadcast, performed by some of Soul-Patrol.com's core artists! FUNKY PRESIDENT Chuck D feat. Kyle Jason & the baNNed- Introducing the SLAMjamz Artist Revue (Tribb to JB) http://www.slamjamz.com or http://www.publicenemy.com A CHANGE IS GONNA COME Gerald Alston (Gerald Alston Sings Sam Cooke) http://www.gerald-alston.com MLK Chip Shelton/Peacetime (Imbued With Memories) http://www.chipshelton.com SLAVE Nadir/Distorted Soul (Distorted Soul 2.0) http://www.distortedsoul.com CAN YOU MAKE IT Rose Stone (Already Motivated) http://www.rosestoneuniverse.com LISTEN TO: SOUL-PATROL/NU SOUL/CAMPAIGN 2008 Featuring the following Artists: Barack Obama, Chuck D, Gerald Alston, Chip Shelton, Nadir, Rose Stone http://www.soul-patrol.net/sp_2008campaign1.ram And let me know what cha think???? --Bob Davis I'm NOW ready To Cast My Vote For........(Most Relevant Album of 2008) (Nadir - "Workin' for the Man" (The Phuture of Phunk)  Album Review - Nadir - "Workin' for the Man" (The Phuture of Phunk)At this point I haven't written an album review in about 3 months. It might not seem that way to you, but I haven't. The reason I haven't isn't because I haven't heard any good music. it's because I simply haven't felt like it. With everything that has been going on in my personal life combined with everything that has been going on in the world at large, spending even 5 minutes writing an album review has been pretty low on my list of priorities. Although I have been listening to a whole lotta good music during the "summer of my discontent", none of it has been: C-O-M-P-E-L-I-N-G (till now) Last night Nadir sent me his new album via email. For those of you who have been following the story, I have previously described Nadir as "Malcolm X With a Guitar." He was named as Soul-Patrol.com's BEST FUNK ARTIST OF 2005. At the date of this writing, Nadir is headed to the most unlikely location of St. Paul Mn. to cover the 2008 Republikkkan National Convention for his "side gig" @ MTV News. He is an artist for whom there is truly no musical genre that applies, except for FUNK. I have also described his music as "out of touch with the reality of today." That's because his music combines: SERIOUS RAW FUNK + A CALL TO SOCIETAL & PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY I am a fan of Nadir's music because it is un-yielding, un-compromising in it's "groove" and it's "politics." The listener is forced to confront their own personal comfort zone and simply put, you are.... FORCED TO SHAKE YOUR AZZ AND THINK ABOUT WEIGHTY ISSUES OF THE WORLD (at the same time) T-H-A-T-S C-O-M-P-E-L-I-N-G Right now we are at a special point in Amerikkkan history. It's the morning of August 30, 2008...(article continued here) H*A*P*P*Y F*A*T*H*E*R*S D*A*Y - NEW RELEASE - Munkeez Strikin Matchiz - Wreck It (Bo Diddley, Chuck D, Bernie Worrell, Scott Free)  I love this song.
I think that we will make this theOFFICIAL FATHERS DAY SONG OF SOUL-PATROL.COM: Munkeez Strikin Matchiz - "Wreck It" (Bo Diddley, Chuck D, Bernie Worrell, Scott Free) http://www.soul-patrol.net/wreckit.ram Check it out, it's one stone cold, sho nuff: GREAT BLACK MUSIC FROM THE ANCIENT TO THE FUTURE: http://www.soul-patrol.net/wreckit.ram Soon to be released on: www.slamjamz.com --Bob Davis Album Review: Norman Kelsey - A Talent For Lovers (Funk/Rock/Soul)  Norman Kelsey's album is what I would expect the "first Lenny Kravitz album" (see below) to sound like. It's full of better than average rock, soul, funk, pop songs. Simple 3 minute songs with hooks, that you can bop down the boardwalk to while you snap your finger. It's also got a few GREAT songs, that would be automatic hit records if they could be heard by the masses. And it shows a hell of a lot of potential for the artist himself to become a "universal fusion artist." It's the kind of an album that you can put on, leave on and think that you are listening to a Top 40 radio station from back in the day, playing a diverse set of music that somehow all "works together." The album as a whole reminds me of hanging out at the beach all summer and hearing great summer songs coming out of tiny transistor radios, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, that get played on BOTH the Black stations and the white stations. Buy this album now, it gets better and better with each listen, but wait till the summertime to play it for your friends, so that they can become hooked on this album, and not even realize why. Look for these songs playing as as "buzz cuts" on Nu Soul @ RadioIO.com --Bob Davis Album Review: Lenny Kravitz - It's Time For a Love Revolution (Boring Azz Pseudo Beatles/Soft Rock/Elevator Music)  If I told you that there are two songs out of fourteen tracks on an album that have any musical value whatsoever, would you pay $18.99 just to get those two songs during the great Amerikkkan recession of 2008? I would truly like to be able to start this review off by telling you that this album is the bomb, especially since my opinion has long been that Lenny Kravitz is the guy who is supposed to save Black music from itself. However I can't do that with any sense of responsibility for your pocketbook in these times of economic uncertainty.We all have at least one member of our family that is like Lenny Kravitz's music. We love them dearly, but they just won't do right. They lead their lives by "skating." They never actually end up on welfare, homeless or addicted to crack. They usually have a job, but not always. They usually take care of their children, but not always. Their phone is usually shut on, but not always. Every once in a blue moon, they do something great and they make us smile, because for a brief moment it looks like they are about to fully embrace the potential that we all knew that they would ever since we knew them as kids. And then just as quickly they turn around and revert to their by now predictable behavior. You know that they can do better, they just don't, and very possibly never will. The worst part is that YOU KNOW, that THEY KNOW, that THEY CAN DO BETTER, but choose not to for reasons that aren't clear. The easiest thing to do is to say nothing and let that family member continue to "skate", but you also know that if you say nothing it really isn't in anyone's best interest. Lenny Kravitz on paper is the perfect artist for this time in history. Musically he should represent quite literally the same type of "universal fusion" as Barack Obama represents politically. Unfortunately for Lenny he doesn't seem to be capable of creating a good album precisely at the moment in time that history demands that he does. As a music fan I am disappointed that Lenny has turned in a terrible album. However as a cultural commentator, I am even more disappointed that Lenny missed out on his chance to unify all of the people who potentially he can, thru his music. This was certainly his moment to do so. Perhaps this moment in time will come again? (but I doubt it).....(continued here) Check out Lenny Kravitz - It's Time For a Love Revolution at: Lenny Kravitz - It's Time For a Love Revolution Look for one of these songs to appear as "buzz cuts" on Nu Soul @ RadioIO.com --Bob Davis Album Review: Maceo Parker - Roots and Grooves (Jazz/Funk/Soul)  Do you like live albums? (I do). That's because I like going to concerts and this album is kinda like listening to a "dream concert." This album consists of a 2 CD set and it's really like two separate albums in one package. The first disc is a live set featuring Maceo leading a big band doing a super hellified, largely instrumental tribute to Ray Charles. The second disc is a live set featuring Maceo leading a big band doing a real greasy funk concert, that ends with a 17 minute long live version of "Pass The peas". I have no clue as to who could possibly not like this album. If you are a person reading this review it means that you are already pre-disposed to really digging this album. I can't imagine that you wouldn't like it. There aren't any surprises here, just like the title says, it's "roots and grooves", nothing more and nothing less. If you have any hint of a "glide to your stride", "bounce to your ounce", no matter how small you are going to be immediately transported to a place called "planet groove" as soon as you put this album into your CD player. And if you need more than TWO HOURS OF LIVE STANK AZZ GREAZY ROOTS & GROOVES in one sitting, then come and see me, because that means you are a funkateer in desperate need of medical attention. However if you are a country music fan, you might not want to listen to this album unless you want your hair to turn nappy.
Check out Maceo Parker - Roots and Groove at: Maceo Parker - Roots and Groove Look for these songs playing as as "buzz cuts" on Nu Soul @ RadioIO.com --Bob Davis Album Review: Rose Stone - "Already Motivated" (Soul/Funk)  For those of you, who were disappointed by the recent debacle at BB Kings in NYC last fall, can now understand just why Rose Stone declined to participate. That's cuz she had this gem of an album waiting for us. Rose Stone for those of you who may have forgotten or are too young to remember is in possession of one of the most glorious voices in the history of Black music. On songs like "Everybody is a Star", "Hot Fun in the Summertime", and others from the Sly & the Family Stone catalog, it was the voice of Rose Stone that carried the day. Fast forward to 2008, that voice is still there as is the message. In some ways this album is a perfect bookend to her brother Freddie Stone's 2002 solo album called "Everywhere You Are." Containing strong messages about personal behavior and it's impact on top of funky guitars, horns, drums and keyboards, along with a couple of nod's to the past of Sly & the Family Stone. This is a very tasty album of contemporary soul/funk.My favorite song on the album is called "Sooner or Later (Family Stone)", with Rose & Freddie Stone on lead vocals, backed up by Cynthia Robinson & Jerry Martini on horns, Rusty Allen on bass, Greg Enrico on drums plus Rose & Freddie on keyboard & guitar respectively. As you can see from that line up, this song just might be the closest we get to a real (unlike the fall/winter BB Kings debacle) Sly & the Family Stone reunion....(continued here) Look for these songs playing as as "buzz cuts" on Nu Soul @ RadioIO.com --Bob Davis PHILADELPHIA SOUL-PATROL EVENT: An Evening With VICTOR WOOTEN @ the Keswick Theater, April 1, 2008  I did not write this review, but I was at the concert.This was written by Soul-Patrol's Philly coordinator David Brooks (Dr. Brookenstien). One of the things about most concert reviews that I don't like is that very rarely is.... :::THE TRUTH EVER TOLD::: (that's because there are always "some people" who DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW THE TRUTH) And that is a shame, cuz if there is anyplace where THE TRUTH IS OBVIOUS FOR ALL TO SEE, it is AT A CONCERT Well I was there @ the Keswick and let me tell you something... DR. BROOKENSTIEN IS TELLIN YALL THE TRUTH ABOUT VICTA :::::and I am glad that I was there to bear witness to it::::: (and I am STILL in "recovery mode" myself, two days after the concert is over) --Bob Davis --------------------------------------------------- Review of VICTOR WOOTEN At The Keswick Theatre - Glenside, PA (4-1-08) ******************************************************** Okay, funk fans...here it goes.....a review from the Victor Wooten show at the Keswick Theatre in Glenside, PA (4/1/08)....please bear me as I may have momentary lapses of unconsciousness during this review.... UNDERSTAND THAT ABOUT 26 HOURS OR SO AGO, I WAS SUBJECTED TO THE MOST POTENT, POTENTIALLY LETHAL DRUG EVER KNOWN TO MAN.....NO, NOT HEROIN....NO, NOT PCP....NO, NOT CRACK......I'M TALKING ABOUT VICTOR WOOTEN AND HIS BAND OF VIRTUOSOS!!!! UNDERSTAND THAT I JUST WOKE UP ABOUT A HOUR AGO!! I'M TALKING ABOUT SOME BRAIN DAMAGE GOIN' ON HERE!! And as the Prince song (1999) goes, "I was dreamin' when I wrote this, forgive me if it goes astray!" At 7:45pm, the nearly sold-out theatre was exposed to musicians playing a terrifying blend of funk, jazz and world music, under the guidance of possibly the best bass virtuoso on this side of the galaxy, MR. VICTOR WOOTEN!! "Cambo" was the first song (a nasty funk-jazz tune) featuring violin riffs and chant vocals by Ali......the basswork of Victor was fast and in-your-face nasty-funky!!.....(click here for the rest of the review) Buddy Miles Passes 
I just spoke with his wife Sherelee. He passed at 10pm last night.
Sherelee wanted everyone to know that she was holding his hand when he passed.Buddy Miles career spans over 49 years including 70 albums, 6 World tours, Television specials, Charity events, TV commercials and Music Videos. Buddy has performed with the biggest names in music Stevie Wonder, Muddy Waters, Barry White, David Bowie, George Clinton and Bootsy Collins. Buddy Miles started in music at age 12 performing with his fathers band " The Bebops" and played for the jazz-influenced combo for several years before moving on to play for The Delfonics, The Ink Spots and Wilson Pickett. Buddy is a Co-founding father of fusion rock with the band Electric Flag. He also Co-founded the legendary Band of Gypsys, with Jimi Hendrix and Billy Cox. Buddy recorded the California Raisins commercial featuring claymation dancing raisins. It's the most successful commercial in television history! Buddy recorded and produced and performed in 3 more California Rasins albums. Buddy produced and performed in a series of commercials for Caribbean Kiss, Cadillac and Harley Davidson just to name a few. My Funk Flag is flying at half mast on this day...:( Listen to our two hour Buddy Miles Interview In Honor of Marlon Saunders for his Performance at the 2008 Academy Awards Listen To A Soul-Patrol.Net Exclusive, A Marlon Saunders Album Double Play. Featuring "A Groove So Deep (the live sessions)" + "Enter My Mind". That's right BOTH albums from this emerging soul music superstar in their entirety!!! Concert Review - Sly & the Family Stone(?) @ BB Kings in NYC (11/20/2007) ("At $100 for a ticket, I felt ripped off. A shame.")  This review of last night's Sly & the Family Stone(?) show @ BB Kings in NYC comes from our friend Randall Grass. Read it and weep... Hey, Bob, Just got back from the Sly & The Family Stone "show" and thought I'd file you a report while my memory was still fresh.... BB King's was packed to the gills (no surprise); the opening act, Ayo, performed gamely, just singing and playing acoustic guitar on her Corinne-Bailey-Rae-meets-Tracy-Chapman songs; 70% of the people ignored her and were talking...it really wasn't a fair showcase for her and truly she needed some backing musicians to deliver the nuances of her album After a moderate delay, Sly Stone began addressing the crowd via a remote microphone from offstage, not altogether audibly...and after a couple minutes walked onstage complete with Mohawk and white jump suit and wrap-around shades. He wasn't talking too directly into his mic and was at times kinda of mumbling.....but he spent the next few minutes bringing out the band members individually introducing them, including Jerry Martini and Rose's daughter Lisa ("remember Rose?") Sly said (crowd roars approval), "well, she's not here but her daughter is.). After several minutes of this with three or four band members yet to be introduced Sly said "well, we got two shows to do tonight so the rest of the band should just come out"--which they did, including Cynthia Robinson. Sly didn't even introduce her! ........(click here to read the rest of the review...) Up Close and Personal With Original P-Funk (In Baltimore 8/18/2007) ("I met Jesus once, I saw him walking down the street in Baltimore, eating a tunafish sandwich.." --Richard Pryor )  I had a wonderful day yesterday just plain hanging out in Baltimore with one of Soul-Patrol's oldest friends. Original P-Funk was one of the very first major artists to lend their support to Soul-Patrol back in the early days of the site. Of course for them much has changed over the course of the past 7 years. - Calvin Simon has left the group to become a solo artist in Gospel music. - Ray Davis has passed away So the "Original P" is now down to 2 members. - Grady Thomas - Fuzzy Haskins (and of course George Clinton now performs with a different set of band mates) For those of you who don't recall, the whole idea behind "Original P" was to form an aggregation composed of the ORIGINAL Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame vocalists from "1950's - 1970's Parliaments" (Grady, Fuzzy, Ray & Calvin) minus George and combine them with a new version of "Funkadelic", anchored by their kids (Geno Thomas - guitar & Derrick Davis - bass) plus other former members of "Funkadelic" from the past. continued...click here to read the entire story... TEAR THE ROOF OFF THE MOTHASUCKA (indeed) --Bob Davis earthjuice@prodigy.net Concert Review: Howard Hewett/Teena Marie @ the Dell East. Philly (6/17) Teena Marie Live Onstage@ the Dell East. Philly (6/17)  Going to a concert at the Dell East in Philly is always an uplifting experience for me. For me it's an activity that is somewhat akin to drinking "mother's milk" and rejuvenating my own spirit so that I can soar and become a better person. Some of the best concerts we have covered here on Soul-Patrol.com have taken place at the Dell East. One example on the site that I can point you towards is at the following link: http://www.soul-patrol.com/funk/man_con1.htm On this night instead of the almost biblical looking Mandrill the main attraction was going to be a small white woman named Teena Marie, who on the surface is the antithesis of of the Wilson Brothers. Teena Marie over the years has managed to become a "cult artist" within the Black community ever since she first burst on the scene in 1979 with the double sided hit: "I'm a Sucker For Your Love" & "Deja Vu (I've Been Here Before"). And in today's environment where on a daily basis we see new young white singers being artificially promoted as being "soul music artists", the accomplishment of Teena Marie and her astounding connection to Black America stands as the overwhelming example that these "wannabe soul artists" (ex: Joss Stone, Amy Winehouse, Justin Timberlake, etc.) should aspire to. Click here to read the rest of the review and learn what is truly.... ...."behind the groove." --Bob Davis earthjuice@prodigy.net Concert Review: Kyle Jason @ City Hall Park NYC (6/17/2007)  Returning to the scene of the crime....Both for myself and for Kyle Jason...A few of you might recall that I reviewed Kyle Jason's latest release entitled "Revolution Of The Cool". As a part of that review I said: "Kyle Jason is a throwback to the future of soul." I also said that "You see a long time ago the powers that be removed the designation called FUNK from the formats of radio stations and the bins of record stores. This was done in order to remove the concept of FUNK from our minds in order to restrict and control our thinking. It is however a "format" that fits in quite nicely here on Soul-Patrol so I think that you may hear some of this music here..." But if you had been just outside of the park this past Saturday afternoon, simply listening to the music and not inside watching, you would have sworn that James Brown, AWB & Tower of Power were inside of City Hall Park jamming. And for me that groove makes me think of the 1970's. However on this day it isn't 1977, it's 2007 and the cast of characters is far different. Probably 40 percent of the people inside of the park that day weren't even alive in 1977. We need Kyle Jason's version of THE REAL THING far more than he even knows..... Currently the world of independent soul music is plagued by mediocrity and a lack of truly compelling music. The best analogy I can give you is that much of Indy Soul in 2007 is like driving a 6 cylinder Oldsmobile, that needs a tune up. Already "underpowered" to begin with and even when you "floor the accelerator", it feels more like a "lawnmower engine". Kyle Jason's music feels like you are driving an 8 cylinder 440 cubic centimeter "duce & a quarter" (Buick Electra 225 for the uninitiated). If you "floor the accelerator", on a "duce & a quarter", you had better damn well know what you are doing because it is not a toy.... Click here to read the rest of the review..... --Bob Davis earthjuice@prodigy.net Album Review - Various Artists - "Interpretations: Celebrating the Music of EWF" (Nu Soul/Pop)  Question (CEO/Soul-Patrol.com): "hey man, I really dig your sound, why don't you include a few covers of some songs from the past that inspire you creatively, you might be able to get a few more people to check you out...?"Answer (Most Every Nu Soul Artist the Question has been Posed to): "man I got to do my own thang..." This is an outstanding album. It's one of the best "neo soul" albums ever released IMHO. It also speaks volumes about the commitment to quality that the newly reminted STAX record label (now under Concord) has towards Black music. In fact, had this album (or something like it) been released 5 years ago (in the wake of the commercial success of Erykah Badu & others) then in my opinion "Neo Soul" (both the term and the music) wouldn't be so frowned upon today.....(click here to read the rest of the review) --Bob Davis earthjuice@prodigy.net CD Review: King Curtis - "Live At Fillmore West (Deluxe Edition)" (Soul/Jazz/Funk/Gospel)  If you don't already own the album King Curtis - "Live At Fillmore West" in its original form, then pick it up. It's one of the "essential" albums that you should own if you are a Soul music fan. Now here is the kicker, I guess I never realized that one of the members of the King Curtis band for those concerts was the late Billy Preston and on one of the previously unreleased bonus tracks, Billy Preston GOES OFF and totally ASSASSINATES George Harrison's Top 40 hit making version of "My Sweet Lord". During the summer/06 if you were a person who happened to come to my house or happened to be trapped inside of a car with me, then you got to hear this song at least 3-4 times :) and you know what I'm talking about. Take my word for it, Billy Preston now OWNS this song. Forget about George Harrison's version. If this album was "essential" in it's original form, imagine what it must be now with the inclusion of Billy Preston's "My Sweet Lord"? You can also hear this song on Soul-Patrol.Net Radio's latest FUNK broadcast at the following link: http://www.soul-patrol.net/nt_funk4.ramIf you don't already own this album, it's really a "no brainer". If you already own it in it's original form then you will want to get this new release so that you will have the bonus cuts "Are you hungry??? Go ahead and get yourself a plate of "Grandmas' cooking...." --Bob Davis Concert Review: Jimi Hendrix Tribute (NYC 11/27/2006) - Jose Feliciano, Buddy Miles, Ghetto Fighters, Dave Honeyboy Edwards, Curtis Knights Squires, King Curtis Kingpins, Johnny Winter, Cornell Dupree, Chuck Rainey, George Bragg, Harry Jensen, Commander Cody, Larry Coryell, Lenny White, and Victor Bailey, David Kramer, Leon Hendrix, Burr Johnson Band, Ducks Chn Groove 
I didn't forget the 64th Birthday of Jimi Hendrix. In fact I celebrated it in GRAND STYLE on 11/27 in NYC at a local Times Square "tourist trap", filled to capacity @ the Jimi Hendrix Birthday Tribute Show.I keep telling myself that with all I have writen about Jimi Hendrix and his impact on my life, that I couldn't possibly have anything else to say. Yet here I find myself with more to say about the music of James Marshall Hendrix, an artist who only had one song that cracked the US Top 20 Pop Music Charts. And I know that before I even get started with this review, that I can't possibly do this event justice. It was indeed a mind blowing experience for me, musically, culturally and spiritually. I'm pleased to report that this show was a MONSTER wall to wall FIVE HOUR FUNK/ROCK/BLUES MUSIC SPECTACULAR.....(Click here to read the rest...) Concert Review: Reinventing Laura Nyro (NYC 12/9/06) 
The performance space of the "University of the Streets" is located in on the second floor of a tenement style walk up on E. 7th street in NYC's Lower East Side. The space features stadium style bench seating, creaky 50 year old hardwood floors, high ceilings, exposed pipes and no heat. I arrived late, right before the stat of the very first song, where I was warmly greeted by Soul-Patroller Rob Darnell. I walked inside I quickly found a seat next to our own Baron Keels. As I smiled and looked around, I half expected Lenny Bruce, Jack Keuroac, Alan Ginzburg and Manaryd G. Krebbs to walk in the door....lolInside of a space holding about 80 people, with every seat occupied ready and raring to hear the beautiful music of the "Ultimate FunkyWhitegirl" Ms. Laura Nyro, as performed by The Poetic Notion Chorus Band and Soloists directed by Rob Darnell....(Click here to read the rest...) CD Review: Paradise Freejahlove Supreme - "Jazz-Funk-Hip-HoPoetry" (Jazz/Funk/Spiritually Elevating Spoken Word/Like It Was Supposed To Be)  In some ways there isn't much to write about this new release called Jazz-Funk-Hip-HoPoetry by west coast artist Paradise Freejahlove Supreme, In most every way the title of this album speaks for itself. However I'm not going to stop there, because I belive that this album will ultimatly be of historic importance, so therefore it's important to connect a few dots from the past as we look towards the future. It is indeed one of the most compelling pieces of music that I have heard in the year 2006. You owe it to yourselves and your children to have a copy of it in your home.Those of you who are above a certain age will recall an album from the early 1970's entitled "Hustlers Convention" by spoken word artist "Lightning Rod" (of the Last Poets). "Hustlers Convention" the 1959 cautionary tale ("one" dies and "the other" does a 10 year stretch) of two hustlers named "Sport" and Spoon" which features jazz/funk background music from the pre disco Kool & the Gang, is one of the most effective and creative pieces of artistry that I have ever heard laid down on wax. "Hustlers Convention" is the very definition of what KRS-One called "edutainment", and is truly a soundtrack begging for a movie. As such "Hustlers Convention" the model for what hip hop should have become, but never attained. Fast Forward to 2006, Paradise Freejahlove Supreme, surely must have been exposed to "Hustlers Convention" because the album "Jazz-Funk-Hip-HoPoetry" contains many of the same elements. It's got a STANK NASTY Jazz/Funk (much like Kool & the Gang) "blackround" that will have you tapping your toes & bobbing your head the entire time you are listening. Now here is where it differs from "Hustlers Convention". Instead of telling us a fictional spoken word tale, Paradise Freejahlove Supreme delivers instead a series of essays, using the poetic form in a powerful way that compels you as a listener to pay attention. He manages to be "hardcore" without uttering a single profanity in delivering what is essentially a state of the union address on the world that we live in today. Paradise Freejahlove Supreme not only outlines the problems facing us, but also suggests positive action that can be taken on both an individual and collective basis to make life better. And because the music is so damn good, Paradise Freejahlove Supreme ends up taking you to school and you might not even realize it till he's done. If "Hustlers Convention" belongs in the movies, than "Jazz-Funk-Hip-HoPoetry" belongs on CNN. The coolest past about owning a copy of this album is that I can listen to it with my 13 year old daughter or any other younger person. It's got a "hard core" edge that sucks you into focusing on its positive and progressive message, not unlike a Trojan Horse. If any of this sounds like it might be of interest to you, I strongly urge you to get your copy as soon as possible. I doubt that the US Government is going to allow anything that entertains and educates younger people this much to remain available for very long... "A king wears his bling on the inside!" --Bob Davis  Listen To Soul-Patrol's BEST FUNK CD of 2005 NADIR/DISTORTED SOUL - Distorted Soul 2.0 The 2005 Funk Artist of the Year: Nadir - Distorted Soul 2.0 (Funk/Rock/Brain Food For the Neo/Organic Soul Generation) 
Distorted Soul 2.0 is coming from a point of view that is totally and out of step with what is happening today in the world of music. Distorted Soul 2.0 puts it in your face, right from the start, the first voice that you hear on the CD is that of Fannie Lou Hammer, followed more spoken word from word from the Civil Rights era in a song called "Prelude To Revolution". Then it rips into a mind blowing FUNK/ROCK groove that would have Lenny Kravitz peeing in his pants if he were to ever hear it, entitled "Slave" with the opening lyric that goes like this "I don't want to feel the pain anymore, and I don't wanna feel the whip across my spine"… Song #3 called "Daddy's Cane" is a great song in tribute to Black fathers and how hard they work. When is the last time we heard a song with that theme? Especially done to a serious Funk/Rock groove, with stellar vocals to boot, which even quotes "Cosmic Slop" in it's lyrics?? And that's how it starts… So who does Nadir remind me of???? LivingColour?, Lenny Kravitz with talent?, Prince on steroids?, George Clinton (back when he used to care?), Led Zepplin with a melanin injection (after a beating from the police?), The Last Poets (backed up by the Band of Gypsy's?), Bo Diddley freed of his shackles?, The Miles Davis Band (with Oscar Brown Jr. as their lead singer?), Malcolm X with a guitar? Click here and find out more about the BEST FUNK CD RELEASE OF 2005... CD Review: Johnny "Guitar" Watson - The Funk Anthology (Funk Beyond the Call of Duty) 
A few months ago I spent a little bit of time with one of our younger Funkateers here on Soul-Patrol at an event and we were discussion some trivial aspect of Parliament-Funkadelic and in the course of the conversation I remarked "Oh they got that from Johnny Guitar Watson. To which my young funky friend replied…."Who is Johnny Guitar Watson". Flabbergasted I replied…."you are kidding me right". ......Click here to read the rest of the review....--Bob Davis CD Review: The Best of James Brown, Vol. 3 James Brown & Friends (Stone Cold Funk)  The 1970's James Brown Organization at their peak, featuring prime cuts from James Brown, Marva Whitney, Lyn Collins, Bobby Byrd, and the JB's. Simply stated, this CD is an instant party in a box. Put it on for a room full of people, roll back the rug, move anything breakable out of the way and let the party begin... Now this is a good example of a MUST HAVE compilation that you won't have to pay an arm and a leg for. As I recall every single one of these songs were hits on the radio stations that used to exist down on the far right hand side of the dial. These are classic songs of the FUNK movement, which should have your booty shakin within seconds of when each song starts......Click here to read the rest of the review.... --Bob Davis  360 DEGREES OF FUNK - Brand New Funk: Dexter Wansel, Will Wheaton, Dean Francis, Sir Joe Quarterman/Free Soul, Cassius White,Slapbak, Paul Jackson Jr, Victor Wooten, Defunkt, Adriana Evans, Oktbrwrld, AfroFunk Experience, Stozo Da Clown, Bee Note (PatriceRushen/Slave)
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