Following on from previous Festival Records compilations including ‘Heavy Soul’, ‘Cosmic Country’ and ‘A Different Kind of Blues’, compilers Dean Rudland (of BGP/Kent/Ace Records fame) and Tony Harlow present two new superbly curated collections, ‘Running The Voodoo Down – Explorations in PsychRockFunkSoulJzz 1967-80’ and ‘Dodgy Bossa (and Silly Sambas)’
‘Running The Voodoo Down’ looks at a time when African-American music was exploring myriad new directions against a backdrop of incredible and explosive social change and features the likes of FUNKADELIC, JAMES BROWN, MILES DAVIS, LIGHTNING ROD & JIMI HENDRIX, KEITH JARRETT, BUDDY MILES, THE METERS, THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS, SWAMP DOGG, JAMES ‘BLOOD’ ULMER and SLY & THE FAMILY STONE. Whilst not a lot of this music was commercially successful at the time, its importance and its influence on subsequent generations of artists – both black and white – has continued to grow over the years. To quote Harlow’s extensive liner notes:
“This is the sound of Musical Revolution. Social Revolution was in the air and musicians jumped with the times. Working around the funky ground built by Mr Brown, The Big Four – Miles, Clinton, Jimi and Sly – set about recreating a new psychrockfunksouljazz explosion. As they played a new generation of explorers was set in motion and as sure as fireballs off the sun they splintered in many directions.”
‘Dodgy Bossa (and Silly Sambas)’ takes its cue from the term ‘Dodgy Bossa’, originated by cool UK DJ duo and the pioneers of the early ‘90s Acid Jazz scene, Chris Bangs and Gilles Peterson. Whilst ‘Dodgy’ is perhaps a misnomer, the term was used to cover the music of the period when authentic Brazilian sounds crossed over to mainstream American audiences in the ‘60s. As Rudland says in his entertaining and informative liner notes –“Whichever way you looked at it these records possessed a killer beat that you couldn’t help but dance to. If they also hinted at a certain kind of mid-Twentieth Century jet-set kitsch, so be it.” The collection includes SERGIO MENDES & BRASIL '66, HERBIE MANN, ASTRUD GILBERTO, ELVIS PRESLEY, DIZZY GILLESPIE, QUINCY JONES, ARETHA FRANKLIN, LOU RAWLS, DORIS TROY and others.
‘Running The Voodoo Down’ is released as both a single CD and deluxe double LP as well as download. The physical formats feature elaborate and absolutely mind-blowing original artwork. The beautifully packaged ‘Dodgy Bossa (and Silly Sambas)’ is released as both a single CD and download release only.
‘RUNNING THE VOODOO DOWN - EXPLORATIONS IN PSYCHROCKFUNKSOULJAZZ 1967-80’ and ‘DODGY BOSSA (and SILLY SAMBAS)’ are available for pre-order now, and are both released JULY 29 on Festival Records through Warner Music Australia.
TRACKLISTINGS
‘Running The Voodoo Down –
Explorations in PsychRockFunkSoulJazz 1967-80’ 2CD
CD1
1. James Brown … Talkin’ Loud And Saying Nothin’ (Pt. 1 & Pt. 2)
2. Funkadelic … Red Hot Mama
3. Fugi … Mary Don’t Take Me On No
4. Eugene Mc Daniels … Cherrystones
5. The Isley Brothers … Ohio / Machine Gun
6. The Chambers Brothers … Time Has Come Today
7. Swamp Dogg … Total Destruction To Your Mind
8. Keith Jarrett … Have A Real Time
9. William S. Fischer … Patience Is Virtue
10. Miles Davis … Willie Nelson (Take 3)
11. Warlock … Thrills Of Love
12. The Meters … Liar
CD2
1. Eddie Hazel … California Dreamin’
2. Buddy Miles … Down By The River
3. The Undisputed Truth … Like A Rolling Stone
4. Lightnin’ Rod & Jimi Hendrix … Doriella du Fontaine
5. James ‘Blood’ Ulmer – Jazz Is The Teacher
6. Pure Hell – I Feel Bad
7. Funkadelic – Maggot Brain
8. The Headhunters – If You’ve Got It, You’ll Get It
9. Don Cherry – Brown Rice
10. Santana – In A Silent Way (Live)
11. Sly & The Family Stone – Thank You For Talkin’ To Me, Africa (Album Version)
‘Running The Voodoo Down –
Explorations in PsychRockFunkSoulJazz 1967-80’ 2LP
Side One
1. James Brown - Talkin' Loud And Saying Nothin' (Pt. 1 & Pt. 2)
2. Funkadelic - Red Hot Mama
3. Fugi - Mary Don't Take Me On No Bad Trip
4. Eugene Mc Daniels - Cherrystones
5. William S. Fischer - Patience Is Virtue
Side Two
1. Miles Davis - Willie Nelson (take 3)
2. Warlock - Thrills Of Love
3. The Meters - Liar
4. Buddy Miles - Down By The River
Side Three
1. Eddie Hazel - California Dreamin'
2. The Undisputed Truth - Like A Rolling Stone
3. Sly & The Family Stone - Thank You For Talkin' To Me, Africa
Side Four
1. Lightnin' Rod & Jimi Hendrix - Doriella du Fontaine
2. Funkadelic - Maggot Brain
3. Santana - In A Silent Way (Live)
‘Dodgy Bossa (and Silly Sambas)’ CD
1. Quincy Jones - Soul Bossa Nova
2. Marcos Valle - Crickets Sing for Anamaria
3. Astrud Gilberto - (Take me to) Aruanda
4. Elvis Presley & the Jordanaires - Bossa Nova Baby
5. Dizzy Gillespie - Mas Que Nada (Pow, Pow, Pow)
6. Lou Rawls - The Girl from Ipanema
7. Lonnie Sattin - Caravan
8. Nancy Ames - Carcara (Album Version)
9. Herbie Mann & Gilberto Joao & Antonio Carlos Jobim - Bim Bom
10. Walter Wanderley - Batucada Surgiu
11. Jon Hendricks - Jive Samba
12. Jon Lucien - Who Will Buy?
13. Aretha Franklin - Don't Let Me Lose This Dream
14. Marian McPartland - Coming Home Baby
15. Tippie & the Clovers - The Bossa Nova (My Heart Said)
16. Corduroy - Something in My Eye
17. Duke Pearson - Stormy
18. Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Day Tripper
19. Doris Troy - Bossa Nova Blues
20. Herbie Mann - Carnival