R.J.'s Latest Arrival

Artist: R.J.'s Latest Arrival

LP: R.J.'s Latest Arrival

Song: "Swing Low"

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Song: "Baby I'm Sorry"

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The guy's name is R.J. who owns and operates Daybreak Records over in Fremont. The store has a 'New Arrivals' section for LPs they've just put out for sale, but I've always thought the section ought to be called "R.J.'s Latest Arrivals."

 

[ R.J.'s Latest Arrival ]

The Family Vibes

Artist: The Family Vibes

LP: Confined to Soul
Song: "Garbage Man"

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Here's a little something for a funky Friday, coming at you from all the way back in 1973. The Family Vibes are reportedly Ike Turner's backing band, which I suppose is why he is presenting them to us. Thank you. I love this "Garbage Man" track, in which a neighborhood garbage man woos his lady by offering to grant her an unlimited number of treasures that he has gleaned from his work. 

I remember reading about a documentary someone made a few years ago in New Zealand or someplace like that, and it was all about garbage men. They even choreographed a musical number in which all the men sang and danced as they collected the city's refuse. But now that I've typed that out, I wonder if I actually read about this film, or if maybe it was just something that happened in one of my dreams.

I feel like people in society generally look down their noses at garbage men (like, they wouldn't want their daughter or son to date them). But I've run into quite a few garbage men in the North Seattle neighborhood alleyways while delivering mail, and they're generally a friendly bunch, and rather fit too from lifting loads of everyone's discarded shit all day long! The recycling and yard waste fellows are generally an attractive set as well. And who knows? Maybe one day one of them could become a famous artist!

[The Family Vibes ]

Ike & Tina Turner

Artist: Ike & Tina Turner

LP: 7" single 
Song: "Sexy Ida (Part 1)"

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Song: "Sexy Ida (Part 2)"

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It's Gay Pride weekend in Seattle. This past Thursday Scarecrow Video sponsored screenings of rare queer film footage from the 1970s at a joint called Substation just down the street from where I live in Ballard. Along with "Always On Sunday" (a parody of the similarly-titled Jules Dassin film about a flouncy floozy played by Melina Mercouri) and "What Really Happened to Baby Jane" (a send-up of you-know-what), there was '70s footage of drag queens putting on a show! We saw Phyllis Diller, Judy Garland, Pearl Bailey, and Ethel Merman, to name a few. Best of all was Tina Turner, with her three Ikettes on 'backing vocal' duties. It was fabulous! 

In fact, earlier that same day after learning how to drive one of these down in Federal Way, I picked up this 1974 French release of Ike & Tina's "Sexy Ida" at Rat City Records in White Center. You can read about Ike & Tina here.

[ Tina Turner: born November 26, 1939 ]
[ Ike Turner: November 5, 1931 — December 12, 2007 ] 

[ Rat City Records — White Center, WA ]

Charly and the Bourbon Family

Artist: Charly and the Bourbon Family

LP: 7" single

Song: "Boogachi"

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According to Larry at the Funky16Corners blog, this dance-inducing b-side ditty from Charly and the Bourbon Family is a cover of "Look-Ka Py Py" by The Meters. And after giving The Meters' song a quick spin on YouTube, I'd say they're right. This is one of the records I found when I was in Barcelona back in August.

[ Charly and the Bourbon Family ]

7th Wonder

Artist: 7th Wonder

LP: Thunder

Song: "The Tilt"
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A friend and colleague from work left on vacation to the Middle East this week. She'll be stopping by Egypt to see The Great Pyramid of Giza—the only one of The Seven Ancient Wonders of the World still in existence today! According to Wikipedia, The Great Giza Pyramid is actually Ancient Wonder #2 though, and not the 7th one as this 1980 funk LP would have us believe. 

With all the other six Wonders wiped off the face of the planet (earthquakes, you know), it makes sense from a tourism standpoint to assemble a new list of Wonders that people can actually still visit to buy t-shirts, key chains, and other souvenirs. In November of 2006, USA Today and Good Morning America did just that, unveiling a revised list of Seven Wonders selected by a panel of six judges, with an Eighth Wonder tacked on a while later based on viewer feedback. Inspired, I've thrown together my own list of things that make me Wonder. The group photo from the back of this LP ended up at number five.

[ 7th Wonder ]

Black Heat

Artist: Black Heat

LP: No Time To Burn

Song: "M & M's"
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Black Heat's second album, from 1974, is one of the super groovy things I re-discovered in my own collection while doing a little autumn LP housecleaning today to make some extra room. M & M's...mmmm. I've always loved chocolate! There's not very much info about the under-appreciated funk band Black Heat here.

 
[ Black Heat ]

Baby Brother

Artist: Baby Brother

LP: 7" single

Song: "You Make My Warm Spot Hot"
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It's practically September in Seattle, but golly my warm spot was hot all day! Parking spot, I mean. At work. That's what we're talking about here, right? My parking spot? All the shady ones were taken! There's scant information on Baby Brother here. How could this song have failed to chart? What is wrong with you people!? I found my copy at Redhill Records in Helsinki in the springtime.

Faze-O

Artist: Faze-O

LP: Good Thang

Song: "Funky Lady"
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It's my birthday! I'm gonna' put on my milk-chocolate silk shorts and go get me some ice cream!

[ Faze-O in full bloom ]

Larry Graham

Artist: Larry Graham

LP: Sooner Or Later

Song: "Hold Up Your Hand"
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As I was sorting through my records this week, I figured I would probably get rid of this 1982 Larry Graham LP. For one thing, it's pink. And tropical. Also, Larry looks like he wants to be Magnum PI, which I figured couldn't be a good thing. And even though he was with Sly and the Family Stone and fronted Graham Central Station, 1982 is at the cusp of when lots of formerly mind-blowing artists started releasing stuff that just wasn't quite as good as before. What a fool was I. Larry may look like a browner Tom Selleck here, admittedly, but he's still got it, in spades. "Hold Up Your Hand" is my song of the month. Maybe even two months. What a voice! Larry plays all instruments here and throws in a dynamite harmonica solo to boot. Turn it up. 

So taken am I with Larry's third solo LP, I've just sent off a check for $131.50 for a personally autographed photo of Larry, a beautiful full color poster, two satin tour jackets (one red, one black), a unisex t-shirt and a Larry Graham natural canvas tote bag with contrasting print. And Larry hardly charges anything for shipping!