You Ain`t Hip - Don Blackman



IM BAAAAAAAAACK!!!! LOL!! Sorry it took so long for me to do another post. I just been lazy lol. I gotta 1st thank all of you who responded to my last blog, I appreciate that. Now its time to bring back that funk!!!! I pulled this track from one of my all time favorite funk albums by a cat named Don Blackman. The song is titled You Ain't Hip, from his 1982 LP Blackman. Don has played with several great artists like the late great Weldon Irvine RIP. and Parliament. Once again, I thank all of you for supporting me and what I do here.

BIO:
Pianist/singer/writer Don Blackman, born 1953 in Queens, NY, grew up surrounded by jazz influences; a cousin was McCoy Tyner's friend and saxophonist Charles McPherson -- a Charlie Parker disciple -- was Blackman's neighbor. Blackman played with McPherson's group in 1968 alongside Sam Jones and Louis Hayes when he was 15 years old.

He switched to electric piano and toured with Parliarment/Funkadellic in the early '70s. He later became an original member of Lenny White's Twennynine ("Peanut Butter"), a key piece in Jamaica Queens' '70s' jazz-funk explosion. A deal with GRP/Arista birthed the solo LP Don Blackman (1982), a good set saddled by poor promotion.

His extensive resumé includes Kurtis Blow sessions and singing "Haboglabotrin" on Bernard Wright's 'Nard album. A fixture in New York studios, he has worked on sessions for a long list of artists including Nagee, David Sanborn, and Roy Ayers. And his composition "Live to Kick It" graced Tu-Pac's R U Still Down (Remember Me) release. ~ Andrew Hamilton, All Music Guide

What is perfect? How does Man define perfection? If it simply means flawless then, is the concept of perfection limited to Man's phenomenological beliefs? If so, why can't we as human beings believe that we are perfect entities? What moron came up with the idea that no man is perfect? If we were really created in the image and likeness of this so called God, what does that say about him? Or, is it our poor judgement and ability to reason that makes us imperfect and not so much our physicality? If we are not perfect then, nothing we have ever created is perfect. Man strives for perfection in all things,even themselves. We design and redesign our creations because we either see flaws, or areas where our creations can be improved. If you believe in evolution, then you believe that nature has throughout the "billions" of years done the same with Earth, and that mutation and natural selection has done the same with both humans and animals. 2 questions that should be posed are, if we do take evolution into consideration, should nature be judged by the same standards of perfection? also, is it our imperfections that make us human beings?. I could go deeper than this, but I will leave it up to you all to take this to a higher level. I will say this in closing: I believe that Man's idea of perfection is merely a figment of imagination. Also, if we believe that we are not perfect in any way then, who are we to decide what perfect is? The fact of the matter is, an imperfect mind with limited understanding conceived the concept of perfection. This means that what Man see's as perfect will in reality, ALWAYS be flawed.

New-Found Truths - Catalyst

Well, here it is guys!! They call themselves Catalyst. I was turned on to this band back in 99/2000 by my art teacher Mr. Palmer. As a matter of fact Palmer introduced me to this genre of music. Catalyst was one of the first fusion bands I had heard at the time while I was heavy into gangsta rap. Although the Blackbyrds are my #1 Jazz/fusion band, I feel like the Catalyst are among the very best when it comes to this genre. I was lucky to even find a bio on these cats! Check it out and enjoy the sounds........

Biography

People living anywhere other than Southeastern Pennsylvania, Jersey, or New York in the '70s missed the Catalyst experience. Catalyst, a four-man jazz combo from Philadelphia, played a gourmet of avant-garde, contemporary bop, soul, and classical that preceded the big fusion explosion. The originals were Eddie Green (keyboards, vocals), Sherman Ferguson (drums, percussion, marimba), Odean Pope (sax, flute, oboe), and Al Johnson (bass). Tyrone Brown replaced Johnson after Catalyst's debut album on Muse Records, 1972's Catalyst.

Producer Skip Drinkwater discovered them playing at the Aqua Lounge in West Philly; this resulted in a contract with Muse Records, with Drinkwater producing. Green was a disciple of the Bud Powell school of playing, and was instructed on chord changes by Powell's brother, Richard. Pope was tutored by Ray Bryant, Benny Golson, and others; strains of John Coltrane are revealed when the aggressive sax player expands. Ferguson was a bop drummer whose effortless tempo changes and impeccable timing kept Catalyst tight. Johnson, who joined Weather Report after Catalyst's first album, was self-taught, but influenced by classical music.

They rehearsed hard and inspired each other to play better. Jazz clubs in Philly were plentiful in the '70s, which may account for the group's lack of trips outside the region; though the true culprit is Muse, who never gave them any tour support. A second album, Perception, was issued in 1972 on Cobblestone Records, it featured some brilliant avant-garde work that won the hearts of jazz purists and increased their cult following. This was a creative period -- the recording deal was fresh, and they were eager to please and apply their best licks to their stimulating original material.

In 1974, the guys returned to Muse for the Unity album, a fusion masterpiece that for many is more pleasing than better-known recordings from the era by Weather Report and Return to Forever. Billy Hart and Mawandish accompany Catalyst on this spacey, illuminating set. A final album, 1975's After a Tear and a Smile, differed from the ones before it; the group never made the same album (style-wise) twice.

Four sterling efforts with no significant sales made them leery of the recording business. They put a lot of time into the albums; they weren't jam sessions, but carefully thought out, rehearsed studio executions that Muse kept shelved as if they were contaminated. Disgusted and unable to get any lucrative jobs, the fellows separated in 1976.

Green played with Pat Martino, and accompanied many of Philadelphia International Records' biggest acts, including Billy Paul, MFSB, and the Three Degrees live; he also taught music at a settlement school. Pope and Brown joined Max Roach for an open-end gig. Pope was also an integral member of the acclaimed Saxophone Choir. Johnson left early to play with Weather Report, and Sherman Ferguson has bopped around with Pharoah Sanders, Kenny Burrell, Bud Shank, and others.

The acquiring of the Muse catalog by 32 Jazz has rekindled an interest in Catalyst and introduced them to new fans who missed them the first time around. First out the box was Groove Jammy: Rare Groove Classics From the Muse Catalog in 1998, a compilation CD that features Catalyst and other Muse artists. The release created a spark and fans demanded more of the quartet, resulting in The Funkiest Band You Never Heard in 1999, a two-disc CD containing all four of Catalysts' '70s albums. ~ Andrew Hamilton, All Music Guide

Representative Songs:
"Ain't It the Truth," "Uzuri," "Celestial Bodies"

Representative Albums:
Funkiest Band You Never Heard, Unity, A Tear and a Smile

Similar Artists:
The Fourth Way, Dreams, Return to Forever, The Eleventh House

Performed Songs By:
Eddie Green, Sherman Ferguson

MOVE - LS MOVEMENT BAND

Ahh yes, another ULTRA RARE EXCLUSIVE from ya boy Old School C. This post was made possible by Mguaden of YouTube. That cat is a HEAVY crate digger!! He made me wait a looooong time for this jammy jam but it was worth it. Now im bringing it to you 1st here on Imeem. Not much is known about this group. My attempts at getting background information have come up short. The L.S. Movement Band only released 1 12" to my knowledge back in 1982 under the RCA label. Move was written by L. Smith and produced by Beau Ray Fleming and Byron Byrd for Royal Gentlemen Productions. If anyone out there has more background information on the L.S. Movement Band, please dont hesitate to leave it in the comments. Once again, thank all of you who support what I do here on Imeem, I do this for all yall. I tell people all the time, I dont need a VIP account to do what ive been doin here for almost 3 years now. You guys keep me motivated to do this and I thank you. Imeem Juke Box can try their best to imitate me, but they will never duplicate me remember that!! There is only 1 Old School C.

Physical Attraction - Brass Construction

Now, I didnt know Brass Construction was doin it this funky in the 80s. Brass Construction was known in the 70s for hits like Movin' and Get Up To Get Down. Vocalist/instrumentalist Randy Muller was at the helm of two pivotal East Coast funk and disco aggregations in the '70s and '80s. One was Brass Construction; the other was Skyy. Muller, a vocalist and instrumentalist who doubled on keyboards and flute, organized the band with drummer Larry Payton, trumpeters Wayne Parris and Morris Price, lead guitarist Joe Arthur, vocalist/conga player Sandy Billups, saxophonists Michael Grudge and Jesse Ward, and bassist Wade Williamston. Their 1975 debut, produced by Jeff Lane, went platinum and contained two dancefloor anthems in "Moving" and "Changin." Brass Construction II, III, IV, and V mined the same territory, though only the single "Ha Cha Cha (Funktion)" in 1977 and "L-O-V-E-U" in 1978 came close to attaining similar commercial heights. They recorded for United Artists until 1980, then moved to Liberty and recorded for them until 1983. Muller became their producer in the early '80s, and he shifted their emphasis into a heavily synthesized direction. They continued on Capitol from 1983 to 1985, but couldn't regain their past momentum. The group's vintage hits were remixed and reissued internationally by EMI's Syncopate label in the late '80s, and Brass Construction reappeared on England's charts in 1988. This info was taken from answers.com. Id also like to point out that Randy Muller also produced hits on Salsoul Records:Skyy and Cameron. He arranged B.T. Express' million-selling 1975 number one R&B/number four pop hit "Express" .

FEEL LIKE DANCIN - UNKNOWN RARE FUNK

Im back with anotha poplock classic sent to me by the infamous DJ Boogie Kat. The identity of this artist is a mystery which is making it very difficult right now to get background information and dates. Feel Like Dancin' contains a sped up sample of Grand Master Flash's 1982 rap classic The Message. If anyone out their can tell me who did this track id be very greatful. As always thank all of you who support these posts. Credit for this song goes out to the big homie DJ Boogie Kat of Boogie Kat Productions.

Tight Money - Reuben Wilson & The Cost Of Living


IM BAAAAAAAAAAACK !!!! LOL. Imeem thinks their little Juke Box can measure up to the funk im bringin' lol!!! NEVER!! Imeem can never EVER !! do what I do. This is my 1st post of 2009 and im coming strong as ever with this rare gem by Reuben Wilson. The song is called tight money. Now, the reason I chose this song is because we are living in a time where everyone is just trying to eat and make away for their family. Its a sad time for this country right now with the economic crisis goin on. My purpose of this post is not to keep you guys down but to remind you to GET DOWN!!!. I know we can all relate to this song but we cant forget that things will get better. I hope you guys enjoy this post and never forget, it was music that brought us here together. Thank all of you who have supported me and these posts for the 2 years that I have been a member here. I do this for ALL the old school fans across the globe!!!!

Reuben Wilson was one of many soul-jazz organists to emerge in the late '60s, but he was one of only a handful of new organists from that era to be signed to Blue Note. By that point in the label's history, most of their artists were concentrating on accessible soul-jazz, and while he occasionally strayed outside of the conventions of the genre, Wilson more or less followed their rule. Between 1968 and 1971, he recorded five sessions for the label. None of his records received much acknowledgment at the time, but they were later rediscovered by a new generation of soul-jazz fans, becoming collector's items within acid jazz and soul-jazz revivalist circles.

One of my all time favorite West Coast jams by possibly the top West Coast producer to date, DJ Battlecat A.k.A BC Powda.Kevin Gilliam, better known by his stage name Battlecat, is a hip-hop producer from Los Angeles, California. He is best known for producing artists such as Snoop Dogg, Kurupt, and Tha Eastsidaz and along with a number of other West Coast rappers. His aesthetic is a progression from the early-'90s G-Funk sound pioneered by Dr. Dre, characterized by fat synth bass lines and soulful keys. He is also the concert DJ for Snoop Dogg.Cali Iz Active is an album by Tha Dogg Pound and is also the name of the album's title track and lead single. It was released through Koch and Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle Records on June 27, 2006. It was leaked on the Internet on June 19, 2006. The reason that this song is such a favorite of mines is because it contains elements of another old school jam by Royal Cash entitled Radio Activity. Radio Activity was a poplock classic that came out back in 1983. You all should look up that track! Anyways, as always thank you for all your support and friend requests, you guys make this possible.

Kool Kyle The Starchild - Do You Like That Funky Beat (Ahh Beat Beat)_1980-front cover
This funky rap tune is very rare and out of print. I was lucky to get my crummy hands on it from a fellow collecter on myspace. Do You Like That Funky beat was released on Enjoy Records back in 1980 and was produced by Bobby Robinson, a prominent African American independent record producer in New York. Bobby Robinson had established several highly successful record labels and produced numerous records that sold in the millions.

Enjoy Records was a record label owned and operated by Bobby Robinson from the late 1950s through the mid-1980s, and was run out of his record shop at 125th Street and 8th Ave. in Harlem. Starting with rock & roll and R & B, the label went on to record some of hip-hop's early hits.

I wish I could have found more info on Kool Kyle The Starchild but, there is none available. I hope you guys dig this funky rap like I do, its a dusty classic!!!

Capt. Crunch & The Funky Bunch - Gigolo Groove 1981 Side 1

Capt. Crunch & The Funky Bunch - Gigolo Groove 1981 Side 2

Well, here's an EXTREMELY RARE 12" single from the Rappers Rapp Disco Co. label. Its entitled The Gigolo Groove. I had been on a madman hunt for this song and finally found a collector who had it. This track has been the hardest one to come by than all the other singles I have. The Gigolo Groove was released in 1981 by the group Capt. Rapp & Disco Daddy. There were 2 versions of this track. The other was done by Capt. Crunch & The Funky Bunch off of the same label. The Gigolo Groove has elements of Rick James's 1981 hit Give It To Me Baby. I really hope you guys enjoy this rare dusty, I have been playin the hell out of it myself lol!

RAPPERS RAPP DISCO CO.

The Rappers Rapp Disco Record Co., also known as Rappers Rapp Records, was based in Hollywood, California and founded in 1981 by New York Transplant Duffy Hooks III.Rap label. After the labels first releases "The Gigolo Groove" by Captain Crunch & the Funky Bunch and "The Gigolo Rapp" by Disco Daddy & Captain Rapp. Duffy held auditions in Hollywood Ca. for a 6 member act modeled after New York's Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five. After an open casting call in Los Angeles, Duffy had narrowed it down to the six finalest's. The Rappers Rap Group consisted of five of L.A's top rappers and one white DJ / rapper from Taft California. There first release was "Rappers Rapp Theme" in 1982. One year later Rich Cason puplished "Year 2001 Boogie" on Rappers Rapp. With this record the style changed from the typical old school rap to a electronic wave sound with vocoders and rap. Rich Cason had a mayor influence on the following releases "Magic Mike Theme" and "Radio Activity Rapp" which was adapted by Royalcash´s "Radioactivity". In 1986 the rapper K-Rock G and Cool "Cito" Bee known as the Brother Surpreme released the West Coast Classic "We can´t be held back" on the Rappers Rapp Label.