Posts Tagged Funk
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June 26, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Brad Mehldau: Finding Gabriel
Brad Mehldau Finding Gabriel Nonesuch I was so hooked on the early Meldhau work – mostly trio jazz and sometimes some solo piano. And then he toured NZ with his trio and it was…I dunno…it was just boring. It was just exactly as it was meant to be I suppose and yet I somehow wanted more. He won me back over with his extrapolations […]Archive
February 26, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
José James: Lean On Me
José James Lean On Me Blue Note (BLU) When he’s not making his own great (original) music José James is the guy you want covering you. His tribute album to Billie Holiday is a gold standard. And now he gives the Bill Withers catalogue his touch – this is more of a straight reading, a warm tribute, James’ voice close to Withers […]Archive
February 15, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Chaka Khan: Hello Happiness
Chaka Khan Hello Happiness Island Well, first up, it’s just excellent to hear from Chaka Khan again – her voice is one of the great things to have straddled funk, soul, gospel, blues, jazz, pop, rock and of course ultimately disco. She’s a legendary force. And despite live appearances, sometimes with reports that she can […]Archive
December 21, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Sweetman Podcast # 147: Tom Scott (Avantdale Bowling Club)
Welcome to episode 147 of Sweetman Podcast with support from our sponsors – T Leaf T, Yeastie Boys and La Petite Chocolat. Now – as well as the usual platforms (this site, soundcloud, iTunes/Apple) you can now get to Sweetman Podcast on Spotify – follow it there and have it saved in your Spotify library to access each new episode; or via Anchor/FM you can get […]Archive
July 10, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The 1001 Albums Challenge # 74: Chic – “C’est Chic”
I love Chic. I love Nile Rodgers. And yet I had never heard C’est Chic until just recently. I have listened to live albums and watched the recent DVDs and then way ahead of that I’ve had compilations and I regularly jam the key tracks, the big singles, the obvious stuff…but it’s weird that I’ve […]Archive
April 7, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The 1001 Albums Challenge # 49: War – “The World Is A Ghetto”
War – another band I really only know from compilations, from hearing at other people’s places, recommendations that I’ve never quite followed up on. But as with the previous entry in this series (The Temptations) this is so totally in my wheelhouse as to be a gross oversight not knowing it already – and I’m […]Archive
April 6, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Vulfpeck: Mr Finish Line
Vulfpeck Mr Finish Line Vulf Records Vulfpeck’s Hipster-Funk would be easy to dismiss were they not so damn good. Viral videos and the earlier EPs suggested fun and energy – and funk and soul too. Chops galore. A love of music, a sense of humour, just enough heart too. And maybe Mr Finish Line is […]Archive
April 3, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The 1001 Albums Challenge # 48: The Temptations – “All Directions”
I certainly do love The Temptations but I’d always kinda wondered how they went from the obvious Motown soul-pop of their early magic to a slightly harder-edged, psychedelic funk. Look, it was all great to me – but it didn’t flow well across compilations, and that’s really how I knew them. Then I got a […]Archive
March 18, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The 1001 Albums Challenge # 45: Hugh Masekela– “Home Is Where The Music Is”
Somewhat (sadly) timely to get to this album at this point. Just last month I was on an Australian radio station paying tribute to the great Hugh Masekela. I had a couple of his albums – but not this one. And had never heard this. It’s a terrific album – utterly joyous – just great […]Archive
March 6, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio: Close But No Cigar
Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio Close But No Cigar Colemine Records This Seattle-based trio of musicians (Lamarr on the organ, guitarist Jimmy James and drummer David McGraw) keep it greasy as they move through 60s and 70s-sounding funk, blues and groove soul-jazz amalgams. Yes, an easy, obvious reference point is Booker T & The M.G’s. And […]Archive
January 16, 2018 by Simon Sweetman