Get Off Your Ass and JAM with The Rolling ILX Funk Listening Club: New Selections Weekly! Updated Mondays and Fridays! All ILXors and Lurkers Welcome!

Maybe, i traded a week with tannenbaum so i could get a jazz bonus. what can you trade? ;)

31/5 - funksclovetu
7/6 - Seandalai Funkify
14/6 - moka Funka
21/6 - Abbott The Bricklayer
28/6 - The Rev Funkenstein
5/7 - pfunkboy
12/7 - Turangalila Funkapus
19/7 - mbison the texan funkateer
26/7 - Shakey Mo Funkier
2/8 - Tom "Funkybutt" D
9/8 - Von Bootee!

Some World Cup 82 Panini stickers

You needed 3 months to give you time to select albums!

Not here I didn't

You can have a bonus album next week if you give us your thoughts on the 3 i just posted

Haven't I done that before?

FunKlata will join the back of the queue and take a week in August, please. Just need to decide which three Jamiroquai albums to pick first.

Any thoughts yet on Small Club?

31/5 - funksclovetu
7/6 - Seandalai Funkify
14/6 - moka Funka
21/6 - Abbott The Bricklayer
28/6 - The Rev Funkenstein
5/7 - pfunkboy
12/7 - Turangalila Funkapus
19/7 - mbison the texan funkateer
26/7 - Shakey Mo Funkier
2/8 - Tom "Funkybutt" D
9/8 - Von Bootee!
16/8 - Polomint City FunKlata
23/8 - pfunkboy

Tom do you have these albums?

You shared them with us before, Watercooler, don't you remember?

oh that was years ago. How am I meant to remember that. You got any comments on them? To tempt readers here into checking them out?

I sent them to shakey at the same time iirc

I think they're all definitely worth grabbing! No doubt about that! Haven't heard them in a a while, Mutiny one my favourite I think.

Mutiny is a high point of pfunk in general. Even george says he wished he could have released it and the whole thing is dissing him!
Quazar is very good but one can only imagine how great it could have been if Glenn Goin's hadn't died before it was finished.
Sweat Band is one of the best things Bootsy did and it deserves to be better known.

And I got all 3 of these on vinyl in the late 90s. Bloody hard to find.

yeah think I prefer Sweat Band out of all of these - its got one or two duds but otherwise its prime late period P-Funk, everything is very rubbery and plastic and bouncy

and bootsy

Any thoughts yet on Small Club?

forks ready to post your picks?
31/5 - funksclovetu
7/6 - Seandalai Funkify
14/6 - moka Funka
21/6 - Abbott The Bricklayer
28/6 - The Rev Funkenstein
5/7 - pfunkboy
12/7 - Turangalila Funkapus
19/7 - mbison the texan funkateer
26/7 - Shakey Mo Funkier
2/8 - Tom "Funkybutt" D
9/8 - Von Bootee!
16/8 - Polomint City FunKlata
23/8 - pfunkboy

forgot!
Let me see here...

hehe, that's why I posted the reminder a bit early cuz a lot of people have been forgetting on some of the clubs.

I'm posting now then. Hope this isn't too rudimentary for folks.

#1: Infectious Grooves - The Plague That Makes Your Booty Move... It's the Infectious Grooves (1991)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fc/Infectious_the_plague.jpg
AMG review: Mike Muir's Infectious Grooves side project allowed him to relax and display his fun, non-political side, and also provided Suicidal Tendencies bassist Robert Trujillo an opportunity to turn loose his formidable funk chops. The resulting debut album, The Plague That Makes Your Booty Move...It's the Infectious Grooves, mixes hyperactive Chili Pepper funk with traditional metal (including an appearance by Ozzy Osbourne on "Therapy") and Suicidal's skatepunk thrash. The Plague That Makes Your Booty Move was an unabashed good-time party record, with songs like "You Lie...And Yo Breath Stank" and between-song sketches featuring a jive-talking, funk-singing reptile named Sarsippius. Not as schizophrenically eclectic as Faith No More, nor as arty as Jane's Addiction, the Grooves' funk-metal is good-humored and full of attitude, without seeming smug or macho; their output was fairly consistent and similar, although this album contains mild MTV hits like "Punk It Up" and is therefore the best first purchase.
Recommended Tracks: You Lie and Yo Breath Stank, Stop Funk'n With My Head, Punk It Up, Monster Skank

#2: George Clinton and P-Funk All Stars: The Awesome Power of A Fully Operational Mothership (1996)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a0/MP_Clinton-TAPOAFOM.jpg
AMG review:The Awesome Power of a Fully Operational Mothership is the first George Clinton album to show signs of a Dr. Dre G-funk influence. Where his previous album, Hey Man, Smell My Finger, was pretty much nothing but standard P-funk, Awesome Power slows the beat down just like Dre does on The Chronic. The difference is, Dre actually works those grooves into songs where Clinton just lets the funk meander. He doesn't even try to write songs -- he operates under the belief that ceaseless jamming and randomly interjected vocals constitues a good groove. And it does, when given the right source material and musicians. On Awesome Power, Clinton has neither. The musicians may have all played with various incarnations of Parliament, but they sound tired and bored on the album -- there isn't a single instant when they latch on to a good groove. And what that means is this: On Awesome Power, George Clinton sounds more out of touch with contemporary funk and R&B than he ever has.
Recommended Tracks: Hard as Steel, Underground Angel, If Anybody Gets Funked Up (It's Gonna Be You), Sloppy Seconds

#3: Cameo - Cardiac Arrest (1977)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/48/Cameo-ca.jpg
AMG review: In 1977, one of funk's most promising debuts came from Cameo, whose first album, Cardiac Arrest, made it crystal clear that Larry Blackmon's outfit was a force to be reckoned with. If you were into hard, tough funk in 1977, it was impossible not to be excited by Cameo's debut. This excellent LP contains a romantic soul ballad ("Stay By My Side") as well as the original version of "Find My Way," which is the sort of smooth yet funky disco-soul that groups like the Trammps and Double Exposure were known for in the late '70s. But for the most part, this is an album of aggressive, unapologetically gritty funk. On classics like "Rigor Mortis," "Funk, Funk," and "Post Mortem," one can pinpoint Cameo's influences -- namely, Parliament/Funkadelic, the Ohio Players, and the Bar-Kays. But at the same time, these gems demonstrate that even in 1977, Cameo had a recognizable sound of its own. And ultimately, Cameo would become quite influential itself. For funk lovers, Cardiac Arrest is essential listening. Period.
Recommended Tracks: Post Mortem, Funk Funk, Rigor Mortis

FWIW, I think that review of TAPOAFOM is horseshit; this album has some serious jams on it.

Cameo album is awesome.The Awesome Power of A Fully Operational Mothership was clintons last great album, dunno what that amg review is on about, lol. It's like a lost Funkadelic album (im guessing the reviewer prefers Parliament). Not heard the infectious grooves album, though I may have seen a vid or too from it back then.
hah xpost

the clinton album is very popular amongst the fans. I can rip the cd if it cant be found.

god, i'm so far behind all these listening clubs. only managed to hear Junie this week (really great!) and now pfunk posts 3 more on friday and its monday already!

Some truly great one-liners on TAPOAFOM
"no itsy bitsy pee wee penis type of pecker poker pusher evah penetratin' the puss-AY"
"unh unh funky let your nuts hang low sweet stereo society's couch wreck quit trippin cuz you ain't even dippin your head to the funk but you wanna get high?"

cardiac arrest appears to be the only Cameo album not on Spotify, but please look for it elsewhere, you wont be disappointed.

None of these albums are on Spotify it seems

i'm a knock that down tear it up / i'm a knock that down tear it up/ i'm a gonna get with it / i know you know just what I mean
I'm a knock that down tear it up/ gonna knock it down trash it up / and when i do it / Ahma stick to it like hot grits on al green

So many albums - I haven't even gotten to last Friday's bonuses yet!

just think of the fun that awaits you!

man I haven't listened to that Infectious Grooves album since it came out, honestly have some trepidation about relistening to it - what can I say, at the time it seemed like funk-metal (a la Jane's, RATM, Anthrax, etc.) seemed like it might be a good idea. but that isn't how it turned out...

also gotta express some reservations about TAPOAFOM, which was a disappointment to me after Dope Dogs. the production's thinner than I like, and the hooks just aren't there. there's maybe a smattering of worthwhile moments, but the sprawl is just too much, it's unfocused.

That Cameo album is an absolute classic, probably my second favourite album of theirs after Word up.

If anyone really gets into it it's actually being re-released as a double with their second album on 21st June. Most of their album from 77-83 are almost impossible to get on CD.

Oh will need to look out for that, cheers!

no funk bonus until theres more chat on those albums! Did the infectious grooves put everyone off or is it because of a lack of spotify/links?

Lack of time in my case, matey - I'm forever playing catch-up. Yesterday was for James Brown's Hell. Wonderful stuff, even if it's pretty much The Payback with gongs. The more I listen, the less I understand those who equate JB with all evil - this stuff seems plenty tuneful to me.

Spotify links definitely help me get through everything - means I can listen at work too.

@pfunkboy: I may not be online on Monday, so can I send you my picks beforehand?

you can post them now if you like, or anytime sat or sunday, no worries, whatever suits you

Are you posting them today?

Here we go...

1. Fatback - Hot Box

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61UxFLcixSL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Spotify

AMG review (which I think undersells the album, if only because the best tracks are serious jams):

In 1980, the carefully studio-crafted combination of funk and disco Fatback had been developing on their last few albums paid off with Hot Box, an album that spawned some serious R&B chart hits. The big hit from this long-player was "Gotta Get My Hands on Some (Money)," a song driven by a rock-solid synthesizer bassline and a freewheeling, Parliament-like rap about the singer's need to score some cash to keep his head above water. It further spices up its funky stew with an array of vocal-harmony hooks and squiggly, ear-catching synthesizer flourishes to create one of Fatback's finest hits. The album's other notable success was "Backstrokin'," a tune that layered plenty of saucy double entendres over a combination of elongated synthesizer lines and staccato horns. Sadly, the rest of the album never quite captures the infectious yet carefully controlled energy of these hits: the title track works hard but never builds up the head of steam that would make it come to life and "Come and Get the Love" sports a lovely group harmony hook but suffers from humdrum lyrics that lack a fresh take on its very traditional subject. The song that gets closest to the arresting quality of the singles is "Love Spell," which triumphs over its uninteresting rap-styled lead vocal thanks to a doubled group vocal/synthesizer hook that digs deep into the listener's consciousness and takes hold. Overall, Hot Box is a solid listen for Fatback fans but those interested in the album's hits would probably be better off picking up a copy of The Fattest of Fatback.

2. Bobbi Humphrey - Blacks and Blues

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/4152CRY3QKL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Spotify

AMG review:

Bobbi Humphrey scored her biggest hit with her third album Blacks and Blues, an utterly delightful jazz-funk classic that helped make her a sensation at Montreux. If it sounds a lot like Donald Byrd's post-Black Byrd output, it's no accident; brothers Larry and Fonce Mizell have their fingerprints all over the album, and as on their work with Byrd, Larry handles all the composing and most of the arranging and production duties. It certainly helps that the Mizells were hitting on all cylinders at this point in their careers, but Humphrey is the true star of the show; she actually grabs a good deal more solo space than Byrd did on his Mizell collaborations, and she claims a good deal of responsibility for the album's light, airy charm. Her playing is indebted to Herbie Mann and, especially, Hubert Laws, but she has a more exclusive affinity for R&B and pop than even those two fusion-minded players, which is why she excels in this setting. Mizell is at the peak of his arranging powers, constructing dense grooves with lots of vintage synths, wah-wah guitars, and rhythmic interplay. Whether the funk runs hot or cool, Humphrey floats over the top with a near-inexhaustible supply of melodic ideas. She also makes her vocal debut on the album's two ballads, "Just a Love Child" and "Baby's Gone"; her voice is girlish but stronger than the genre standard, even the backing vocals by the Mizells and keyboardist Fred Perren. Overall, the album's cumulative effect is like a soft summer breeze, perfect for beaches, barbecues, and cruising with the top down.

3. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou - Echos Hypnotiques

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51uNtaYXDGL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Spotify

Disclaimer: Ok, this isn't a pure 100% or even 50% funk album, but I figure it shakes things up a bit more than if I posted a Bootsy album or something. And it's unarguably 100% funky.

Condensed blurb from Analog Africa:

Four years in the making, Analog Africa finally presents the second volume of Africa's funkiest band, the mythical
Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou.

What had started as a children entertainment group became one of the greatest bands of their era. Volume One was a collection of amazing LO-Fi recordings produced for various labels around Benin. Volume Two showcases superbly recorded tracks, courtesy of the EMI studios in Lagos, one of the best studios in the region. All tracks here were recorded for the mighty Albarika Store label and its enigmatic producer, Adissa Seidou.

During the period presented here - 1969 to 1979 - the mighty Orchestra was without any doubt one of Africa's most innovative group. Capable of playing any style of music, the band moved from Traditional Vodoun Rhythms to Funk, Salsa or Afro-beat seamlessly and quickly became the powerhouse of Benin's music scene, backing most of Africa's stars touring the country such as Manu Dibango, Ernesto Djedje, Bella Bellow as well as supporting an array of local composers such as Honore Avolonto, Antoine Dougbé and Danialou Sagbohan.

Enjoy!

I dont know this fatback album, but i have several fatback band/fatback cds from before that album, one of which shall be my bonus pick this week!

Oh and the bobbi humpfrey album is pretty good too. dunno this last album!

lol at the typo
Bobbi Humphrey

its monday and time to listen to these new picks

Fatback album on now, not that dissimilar to man with the band era. I prefer the earlier fatback band stuff but this isnt bad at all.

until the ballad came on

I definitely prefer the earlier fatback band stuff.

anyone else around?

I'm back now! About the Fatback album, the only track I don't like is the very last one. They were definitely more of a singles band though.