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...) Album Review: Soulive - "No Place Like Soul" (Soul/Funk/Jazz)  The press that accompanied the release of the new album Soulive - "No Place Like Soul", made a direct comparison between the legendary STAX house band known as Booker T & the MG's and Soulive. I'm listening to the NEW Soulive album (No Place Like Soul) as I am typing. At first blush it's pretty good. Most of it sounds a bit like a cross between "Booger T" and AWB (sans horns) w/vocals. There is one instrumental cut that sounds like a cross between of "Booger T" and Stevie Ray Vaughn that I really liked. There is also a nice "Hendrix style" slow jam (similar to "Angel"). All of this music sounds derivative to me. By that I mean that it's all clearly influenced by certain artists that Soulive obviously admires. Here is a listing of the vibe that each song created for me: 1. Waterfall ("Booger T"), 2. Don't Tell Me (Sly/Stevie/Zapp), 3. Mary (Wilson Pickett), 4. Comfort (AWB), 5. Callin'(Reggae Groove), 6. Outrage (Stevie Ray), 7. Morning Light (JB's), 8. Never Know (Living Colour), 9. Yeah Yeah (Gap Band), 10. If This World Was a Song (Reggae Groove), 11. One of Those Days (Stevie Ray), 12. Bubble (Led Zeppelin), 13. Kim (Jimi Hendrix) Taken collectively, these various "vibes" in some ways can be interpreted as something of a suggested direction for the newly revitalized STAX record label, given that Soulive - "No Place Like Soul" is their very first new release. Now I realize that some of you may have a certain "stereotype" of STAX in your mind, based on the popular mythology that surrounds the record label largely created by the Blues Brothers movie. I would suggest to you that the original STAX record label itself was never as simple as portrayed and that it actually had several different personalities as it evolved over time from the early 1960's thru the 1970's. STAX is stereotyped as being "Southern Soul" probably so that it could be positioned as a mirror image of Motown (ie: "northern"). The reality is that while STAX was indeed "Southern Soul", it was also Funk, Blues, Slow Jams, Rock n' Roll, Gospel, Comedy and more. It was the total Black experience and was a true reflection of the diversity of that experience. STAX was never a singular thing, just like Black Americans and their music are not a single thing. I realize that this causes "problems" for people who like their history tied up into a nice little bow. However that was the reality of STAX back then and I for one am glad to see them continuing in that vein today as opposed to falling into the easy stereotypes. Booker T & the MG's was a classic r&b/rock & roll band that could play anything that you threw at them. And I would suggest to you that Soulive is also a classic r&b/rock & roll band that could play anything that you throw at them as well. And as such this album represents a near perfect execution of that concept and is fitting beginning for the next chapter in the history of the STAX record label. Needless to say, this album is highly recommended. Find out more about Soulive at: http://www.soulive.com 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 LIVE THREAD - THE IMUS BRU HA HA (This Honky's Nuts)  NYC radio legend Don Imus has certainly genrated quite a storm with his "shock jock" commentary about the Rutgers University Woman's Basketball Program, hasn't he? Well Soul-Patrollers have been talking about both the historical roots as well as the future ramifications of the usage of language as impacts our cuture. There are certainly lots of issues/contridictions here with respect to "free speech", radio advertising, what is acceptable language in 2007 and even Don Imus's logtime/historical support for R&B and Blues legends on his radio show over the years. Certainly there are also implications for all of this as it impacts Black music, since historically it has been the language of Black music that drives the language of American popular culture(click here to read the the live Imus thread on Soul-Patrol.com) --Bob Davis earthjuice@prodigy.net Album Review - James Brown - "50th Anniversary Collection" (Black American Standard Music - Funk, Slow Jams, Jazz, Blues, Rock, Soul, Gospel, Afrikan Mysticism)  If you are a Black music fan, this new release is absolutely an essential Compact Disk for you to own!- That's right, if you are a casual or a hardcore James Brown fan, it doesn't matter, this CD is essential. - That's right, even if you have brought all of the James Brown CD's that have come out over the past 20 years, this CD is essential. - That's right, even if you are a hip hop fan And if you aren't a James Brown fan, you are going to quickly discover that you are, but you just didn't know it. That's because on James Brown - "50th Anniversary Collection", James Brown is presented on CD as he has never been presented before... He's presented as a "radio singles artist". And that is all good as far as I'm concerned because that is how I was first introduced to James Brown....(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 Album Review: Soulive - "No Place Like Soul" (Soul/Funk/Jazz) The press that accompanied the release of the new album Soulive - "No Place Like Soul", made a direct comparison between the legendary STAX house band known as Booker T & the MG's and Soulive. I'm listening to the NEW Soulive album (No Place Like Soul) as I am typing. At first blush it's pretty good. Most of it sounds a bit like a cross between "Booger T" and AWB (sans horns) w/vocals. There is one instrumental cut that sounds like a cross between of "Booger T" and Stevie Ray Vaughn that I really liked. There is also a nice "Hendrix style" slow jam (similar to "Angel"). All of this music sounds derivative to me. By that I mean that it's all clearly influenced by certain artists that Soulive obviously admires. Here is a listing of the vibe that each song created for me: 1. Waterfall ("Booger T"), 2. Don't Tell Me (Sly/Stevie/Zapp), 3. Mary (Wilson Pickett), 4. Comfort (AWB), 5. Callin'(Reggae Groove), 6. Outrage (Stevie Ray), 7. Morning Light (JB's), 8. Never Know (Living Colour), 9. Yeah Yeah (Gap Band), 10. If This World Was a Song (Reggae Groove), 11. One of Those Days (Stevie Ray), 12. Bubble (Led Zeppelin), 13. Kim (Jimi Hendrix) Taken collectively, these various "vibes" in some ways can be interpreted as something of a suggested direction for the newly revitalized STAX record label, given that Soulive - "No Place Like Soul" is their very first new release. Now I realize that some of you may have a certain "stereotype" of STAX in your mind, based on the popular mythology that surrounds the record label largely created by the Blues Brothers movie. I would suggest to you that the original STAX record label itself was never as simple as portrayed and that it actually had several different personalities as it evolved over time from the early 1960's thru the 1970's. STAX is stereotyped as being "Southern Soul" probably so that it could be positioned as a mirror image of Motown (ie: "northern"). The reality is that while STAX was indeed "Southern Soul", it was also Funk, Blues, Slow Jams, Rock n' Roll, Gospel, Comedy and more. It was the total Black experience and was a true reflection of the diversity of that experience. STAX was never a singular thing, just like Black Americans and their music are not a single thing. I realize that this causes "problems" for people who like their history tied up into a nice little bow. However that was the reality of STAX back then and I for one am glad to see them continuing in that vein today as opposed to falling into the easy stereotypes. Booker T & the MG's was a classic r&b/rock & roll band that could play anything that you threw at them. And I would suggest to you that Soulive is also a classic r&b/rock & roll band that could play anything that you throw at them as well. And as such this album represents a near perfect execution of that concept and is fitting beginning for the next chapter in the history of the STAX record label. Needless to say, this album is highly recommended. Find out more about Soulive at: http://www.soulive.com A Gift From The Legendary FATBACK BAND (Some FREE MUSIC)  We have two downloads just for you. The first is a "Summertime Funk" EP. The second is an EP of Fatback grooves that you can play with, remix, or add to. Just don't forget to give us a little credit. Download both to make your summer a little funkier! -Bill Curtis Go to the Fatback Band Download Page and grab some FREE music and bring just a little mo' FUNK into your lives. It will make you a better person... --Bill "Fatback" Curtis Check Out Some Fatback Band Video (Watch, Listen & Learn) Prince Gave a History Lesson @ the 2007 Super Bowl  I just got thru watching the video of Prince's performance @ the Super Bowl. (I missed the game). And I think that he was doing the same thing that he did at the 2004 RRHOF Inductions.Here is what I said about that performance, taken from an old Newsletter. First read what I wrote then about Prince's performance at the 2004 RRHOF Inductions. Then read what I thought about the Super Bowl performance and how the two are linked. Prince Burns Down The Waldorf Astoria @ 2004 Rock n' Roll Hall Of Fame Inductions Hey Yall, I just got back from the RRHOF induction ceremonies at the Waldorf in Manhattan, and Prince did a mini concert that burned thru the hallowed ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria hotel like a gonorrhea epidemic inside of a convent. I watched Lenny Kraviz sitting there if full "rock star posture', and I'd be willing to bet that by the time Prince was thru, Kravitz was under his chair, quivering in the full knowledge that he will NEVER ON THE BEST DAY OF HIS LIFE match the intensity of what Prince displayed for all of the 'industry rock music establishment' who have been trying to hype the creatively unsuccessful career of Lenny Kravitz with their money machine for the past 10 years :) In one fell swoop, just in case anyone in that 'lilly white audience' forgot that Rock n' Roll music was invented by African Americans, Prince reminded them of that during his incendiary set. NP: 'MY NAME IS PRINCE, AND I AM FUNKEE... --(guess who) NP: 'BABY I'M A STAR... --(guess who) --Bob Davis earthjuice@prodigy.net Prince used the grand stage of the Super Bowl to make a HUGE point. He was in "teaching mode": That's why during the Super Bowl performance he paid homage to Ike Turner (the brotha with the FIRST Rock n' Roll Record) and Jimi Hendrix (the brotha who RE-INVENTED Rock n' Roll). And that's why he played that Foo Fighters song. - It's Black History Month - Two Black coaches - I'm the baddest Rock n' Roller that most of you will EVER see in your entire lives & I'm a Black man Prince has a sense of history. He knows what the deal is. He even used the Florida A&M University (FAMU) Marching Band as his "horn section". For most of the people who watch it either in person or on TV, that was the greatest Rock n' Roll performance that they have ever or will ever seen. He had the crowd in the palm of their hands. When they showed the overhead shot of the illuminated "purple symbol" inside of a dark stadium, he created an powerful icon that will last in the minds of EVERYONE who witnessed it either in person or on TV.  They will NEVER forget what they saw and heard at halftime. They will NEVER forget Prince. It was his way of spitting on the "myth of Elvis Presley inventing Rock n' Roll". And he gave a huge kiss to every other Black man who ever played Rock n' Roll. Cuz he just showed EVERYBODY where Rock n' Roll came from. He did it during Black History Month. And he did it in a "nice way" (w/style & class) They could LIE and say "it never happened". (but they would be lying to themselves) He's got an amazing sense of history. He also understands how to utilize the power of the mass media. He understands that for most Americans, what actually happened doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is what's on TV. So not only did he give perhaps the greatest Rock n Roll performance that most of the 85 million people will EVER see in their lives. He also did something that Black folks don't usually do. (he documented it) He also just wrote his own obituary. (what do you think that they are going to show when he passes from this earth?) NP: "Sign O' The Times" -- O(+> --Bob Davis earthjuice@prodigy.net CD Review: What It Is! Funky Soul And Rare Grooves STANK FUNK: decomposing corpses, maggots and rotting garbage, stinky athletes corn chips feet  um,um,um. Feelin something at the back of your throat? Wanna gag? GOOD!!!!!! I wanted the stank-o-meter of your souls to be in the right place for what I got for you.You see a little while ago I heard around these parts about a 4-piece CD entitled Funky Soul and Rare Grooves by the good folks over at Rhino. Here we have the music that quietly shaped my life. As a young musician I had many influences in the late sixties to and through the mid-seventies. However those were my most formative and influenced years. This compilation represents a little bit of everything in the birthing of that genre of music we call Funk. In the way of a brief sketch I'll say that after the gospel and blues and jazz (swing, bop etc.) came R&B. Y'all know what I'm talkin about too. That music that would form the bedrock for almost all popular music today. Whether pop, soul, funk, fusion, or rock you had to have Rhythm and Blues first. We know that folk like Ray Charles, Louis Jordan, Richard Penniman, Ruth Brown, Ike Turner, Etta James and Bo Diddley were some of the original purveyors of this music. So we have here the first experimentation with something new and not exactly down center of what came before it. Walk with me then as we highlight the evolution of Funk as presented on Funky Soul and Rare Grooves.....(Click here to read the rest...) 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...) Concert Review: Michael Henderson @ NXNW in Philadelphia (11/25/2006) (11/2006) 
Mike took the stage (with bass in hand) at the SOLD OUT Germantown/Philadelphia nightspot known as "North by Northwest". He started right off with some STANK NASTY Miles Davis/Sun Ra type inspired instrumental tracks just to warm things up. Michael Henderson is one of the baddest bass players in the history of our music. The way he opened up the show served as a reminder of that simple fact.Then he put his bass down adjusted the microphone, because it was now time to give this upscale/buppie audience what they had come out on a Thanksgiving weekend. These people weren't interested in the bass playing virtuosity of Michael Henderson. They weren't interested in hearing stories about being a member of the Miles Davis, Aretha Franklin, and Stevie Wonder's band. ....(Click here to read the rest...) --Bob Davis 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 CD Review: Don Byron - "Do The Boomerang (The Music of Junior Walker)" (Supersonic Jazz/Supersonic Funk)  Do you like cover songs? I do. Today it seems to be a major trend with seemingly every new album that comes down the pike consisting of cover songs. Most times these type of covers are an attempt to tug just a little bit at our feelings of nostalgia for the original and that's what makes us feel good about hearing an old favorite once again. Let me now take this moment in time to re-introduce you all to Mr. Don Byron. Don Byron is an artist that likes to do "covers" also, but his covers are different than the type of covers that we are most familiar with. Most artists who do covers attempt to duplicate the original. The rest try to put their own personal stamp on the original. Don Byron is the only artist I am aware of who goes beyond either one of these concepts. You see when listening to his music, it feels very much like he is attempting to "obliterate" the original. He doesn't always succeed, but the attempt to do so makes you smile and think to yourself "damn he almost did it, he's a badd MF for even daring to try" (not unlike a pole vaulter who is attempting to break the world record). On the last album that we reviewed by Don Byron on Soul-Patrol called "Nu Blaxsplotation" he covers Mandrill's Fencewalk, Mango Meat and Haglo. Not even the nastiest/meanest funk bands attempt to cover Mandrill and certainly none think that they could possibly do Mandrill's songs better than Mandrill. Soul-Patrol named "Nu Blaxsplotation" as the top album of the year and one of the top albums released in the decade of the 1990's. On his latest release Don Byron attempts to rip a new "a-hole" into not only the music of Junior Walker and the All Stars, but also James Brown. For example as I am typing this, I am listening to Don Byron's cover version of James Brown's "There It Is" and I keep hitting the repeat button because it's so amazing. I do the same on the covers he does of the Jr Walker songs like "Shotgun", Road Runner" and others. Does he "obliterate" the originals??? I'm scared to say.... But I am willing to say that we need more artists like Don Byron in Black music, who are willing to challenge "the best of the best". We are currently lacking in artists who have the guts to attempt to do this (hence we have come to accept things like "smooth jazz", "gangsta rap", etc. as being "normal", when in fact they are an insult to our intelligence and demeaning to our culture). Click here to continue.... --Bob Davis CONCERT REVIEWS - HIL ST. SOUL Philly (8/19), Annapolis (8/22)  We had a chance to check out Hil St. Soul at her shows in Philadelphia and Annapolis. The long awaited return of Hil St. Soul to these shores happened and Soul-Patrol was there to review the shows.Click here to check out the reviews from both cities....... --Bob Davis earthjuice@prodigy.net  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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