May 2009 Blog Posts (12)

Ripple

(GRC 1973)



Funk-inspired rock (or maybe that's the other way around) out of Michigan. Ripple rips some classics here, including the soulful "I Don't Know What It Is, But It Sure Is Funky" that many will recognize for it's "oh la, oh la, eh" vocal interplay at the intro. "Get Off" kicks the tempo into a higher gear with a heated instrumental that's a… Continue

Added by Edie Antoinette on May 31, 2009 at 5:30pm — 5 Comments

Edie Antoinette's Choice..♪♫♪

Jeff Bradshaw



Ahh, yes! What a breath of fresh air this CD is! For starters, it's about time a trombone (bone) soloist steps from behind the back to the front, to take this instrument to new directions. And that's just what Jeff Bradshaw does on his debuting CD, "Bone Deep." From the intro teaser and skits, to collaborations with Jill Scott, Glenn Lewis, and the incredible Bilal, this CD sings from beginning to end. My favorite cuts are "Lookin" and the…
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Added by Edie Antoinette on May 27, 2009 at 9:00am — No Comments

The Force MD's 2009 and The Next Generation

Before i begin this blog, i would like to pay my respect to 2 members of the group that are no longer with us, May They Rest In Everlasting Peace...



Charles 'Mercury' Nelson (Dec. 19, 1964 - Mar. 9, 1995)





Antoine "T.C.D." Lundy (February 3, 1964 - January 21, 1998)







This was my favorite group in High School and throughout the early 1990's and it's good to see… Continue

Added by Shelley "SoleMann" King on May 25, 2009 at 6:02pm — 1 Comment

Jay R...The Filipino Prince of Soul



Gaudencio "Jay R" Sillona III (born February 1, 1981) is a Filipino singer, actor and model. He sings, hosts and dances in the afternoon show called SOP. Usually singing with fellow singer Philippine R&B princess, Kyla. He is dubbed as the "Prince of Soul".



Gaudencio A. Sillona III, popularly known as Jay R, was born and raised in Los Angeles, California on February 1, 1981. He was 2nd year college, taking up Computer Engineering,… Continue

Added by Shelley "SoleMann" King on May 20, 2009 at 3:41pm — 4 Comments

SWAN'S LIFE

The sun is in its coolness as it retreats,

Illuminating ever so delicately behind the lines of the end of the ocean.

I often wonder where does it go for that short season when it's out of my life

Leaving me in the nightseason by myself.

But I don't mind, for the night season is quiet, .. comforting...

Bringing peace to the raging thunderstorm within my soul, saying, peace...be still.

And I am.

I am the peace,

I am the quiet

I am the calm after the… Continue

Added by Mista on May 4, 2009 at 1:44pm — No Comments

BEGINNINGS OF LOVE

It is the essence of my being

The nucleus of my heart

The reason I push when I can't.

Manifestation is needed quickly,

Speedily,

Yesterday...

Lest I perish slowly.

Ill repair is not inevitable, only essential.

Creations of the environment shows that everything is everything.

Selah on that.

It's like watching the magnolia trees waltz and hypnotizethe sparrows with dance

And sweet perfume, singing love songs in their ears.

How… Continue

Added by Mista on May 4, 2009 at 1:42pm — No Comments

MARIPOSA

As within, so without. Selah....

Tropical depressions imminent,

catered to hot rains, known as my tears.

No time for long stories...

springtime is around my corner, prematurely,

coming early because she heard, and became upset

that winter ravaged my barren lands,

And denied life to my hypothermic soul.

Erratic became my vision

when I spotted you,fluttering with sunrays

as your spotlights

around my earth,

brave and unafraid you come… Continue

Added by Mista on May 4, 2009 at 1:41pm — No Comments

MAKIN SENS....

I want you to tell me if this makes Sens....



I believe that cream have the most unforgettable taste, ranging in areas from the northern and southern poles, meeting at the waist, where it is extremely hot......I think I need a fan.



But not yet, I'm enjoyin' the atmosphere, gettin' used to the temps pretty quick,



Even in the daylight, when I look up, I see two stars in the distance, not bright, but had a glazed over look...maybe it was my eyesight.



I… Continue

Added by Mista on May 4, 2009 at 1:40pm — No Comments

BLACK LACE

Don't know what time it was,

You called, I came.

Cold turkey was the deal before that happened....

That's why rehab is still in business

Cause of folks like me and you

Not stickin' to.

But we committed a breach of contract,

Just because I saw the wavy lines

And the intricate designs

Of some black lace that I got you.

And the black lace be callin' me,

Where you been, we been tryin to reach you,...

That's why I got voicemail.

We sit… Continue

Added by Mista on May 4, 2009 at 1:38pm — No Comments

YOU MUST BE CRAZY.....

Didn't think you had that kind of right,

but audacity became your boss,

puttin' out the hit to send for me,

expectin' the blindfold to overshadow my windows.

You just stepped into a darkroom.

Unfamiliarality has just become your territory,

with me hiding in the bushes...

laughin at you,

because you about to eat the cheese,

placed on the trigger happy victor with dried blood spots,

but you'll be satisfied,...

only in your spirit… Continue

Added by Mista on May 4, 2009 at 1:36pm — No Comments

Air And Simple Gifts-From Our Creator



Performed By Itzhak Perlman and Yo-Yo…
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Added by Edie Antoinette on May 2, 2009 at 2:00pm — 2 Comments

Calling You

jevetta steele 02.jpg

Man...here I am up since 3AM. Hasn't happened to

me in ages--not since Jean…
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Added by Edie Antoinette on May 1, 2009 at 12:30am — 2 Comments

Introspection

Entr'acte

  1. play Norman Brown — Night Drive
  2. play Norman Brown — Feeling
  3. play Norman Brown — Still
  4. play Miles Davis — miles 1
  5. play miles 2
  6. play miles 3
  7. play miles 4
  8. play miles 5
  9. play Marvin Gaye — I Met A Little Girl
  10. play Santana — 01 Singing Winds, Crying Beasts
  11. play Santana — 02 Black Magic Woman-Gypsy Queen
  12. play Mongo — 02. Afro Blue



The history of the Butlers/Raw Soul is dense, but for all of us music nerds, that's normal. It is not totally clear what year the Butlers actually formed but they released their first single in 1963 on Liberty Records. That single was "She Tried To Kiss Me" and another single followed on Guyden entitled "Lovable Girl." After the Guyden single the Butlers took a break not recording another record until the single "Laugh, Laugh, Laugh" was released on the Phila label in 1966. The group also backed Charles Earland and Jean Wells on one Phila single ("I Know She Loves Me"). 


As you might be noticing, the Butlers were doing a fair amount of recording but not achieving much success. The group's recordings sold regionally but never had the promotion to make an impact on the national scene. After the single with Phila, the Butlers moved to the Fairmount label (part of the Cameo-Parkway family) and released a handful of singles, some being reissued singles of the past. The Butlers were with Fairmount for 1966-67 and then moved to Sassy Records. Sassy released the group's greatest single (in my opinion) "Love (Your Pain Goes Deep)" b/w "If That's What You Wanted." A copy of that 45 sold for just under $500 last summer on eBay. Even though that isn't that much in the world of record collecting--it's still a hefty sum. The Butlers released another single on Sassy ("She's Gone" b/w "Love Is Good") that appears to be even 
harder to come by then the "Love (Your Pain Goes Deep)" single.

 

The true history become a bit blurred here as the AMG biography states that the Butlers last record was released on C.R.S. in 1974 (". However, between 1971 and that single, Frankie Beverly formed a group called Raw Soul and released a number of singles. Some of the songs recorded by Beverly during this period are "While I'm Alone," "Open Up Your Heart," (both on the Gregor label) and "Color Blind." "Color Blind" was released by the Eldorado label and rerecorded by Maze. Beverly's big break came when Marvin Gaye asked Raw Soul to back him on a tour. Gaye helped Beverly/Raw Soul get a contract at Capitol. Beverly decided to take the group in a different direction, a name change occurred, and Maze was created. 

The above isn't the most complete history of Beverly but hopefully someone will know a way to get in touch with the man or his management because a comprehensive pre-Maze history needs to be done on Frankie Beverly (his real name is Howard, by the way). Below you'll find every Frankie Beverly (pre-Maze) song available to me right now ("Color Blind" will be up soon). 

If you have a song that is not included below, shoot it over to funkinsoulman (at) yahoo.com and it will go up in the next Frankie Beverly post (later this week--highlighting Maze). Also, if you have any more information please share your knowledge. The Butlers material has been comp-ed sporadically (usually imports) but the entire Maze catalog has been reissued and is available. 

Enjoy.  "She Kissed Me" (Fairmount, 1966 or 1967) 
 
 "I Want To Feel I'm Wanted" (not sure which label or year) "Laugh, Laugh, Laugh" (Phila, 1966) "Because Of My Heart" (Fairmount, 1966 or 1967)
   
 "Love (Your Pain Goes Deep)" (Sassy, 1967)
   
 "If That's What You Wanted" (Sassy, 1967)
 



Frankie Beverly is one of those cats that has lasting power. He started in the music business doing a tour with doo wop group the Silhouettes and then formed his own group called the Blenders. The Blenders never recorded a single, Beverly wouldn't appear on wax until forming the Butlers a few years later. Along with Beverly, the Butlers included Jack "Sonny" Nicholson, Joe Collins, John Fitch, and Talmadge Conway.

Beverly would later enjoy great success fronting Maze and Conway would become a
well-known penning Double Exposure's
"Ten Percent" and the Intruders' "Memories Are Here To Stay." 
 While Maze is a phenomenal group, Beverly's work before that group will always stand out as his best (imo).

The Butlers produced tunes that most Northern Soul fans would kill for and Raw Soul gave the funksters something to pursue. If, by chance, you know of a way to get in touch with Frankie Beverly or his management, please drop me an e-mail. It would be absolutely great to do an interview with him about his pre-Maze work. He's still playing out, most recently doing a New Year's Eve show in Atlanta.
:: Funkinsoulman ::

Power...Through Simplicity ♪♫♪

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