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What's good on the Arhoolie label

SoulificSoulific 103 Posts
edited May 2006 in Strut Central
So I bought the Sam Brothers 5 s/t the other day and have been surprised to hear some straight funk. All the Arhoolie lps I've checked out have been blues, zydeco and some jazz. I know they've had alot of different musical styles in their release history but now I wonder if there are more lps to look for when it comes to funk, soul, rare groove etc.Peace,Sebastian

  Comments

  • holmesholmes 3,532 Posts
    I dunno about the soul/funk/rare groove stuff but as a rule keep away from the zydeco/jazz & grab any of their blues stuff because I haven't found one I dislike yet.
  • karlophonekarlophone 1,697 Posts
    Sam Bros 5 is, i think, a very rare exception to the rule. 99.99% folk/blues/old-time as far as ive ever found. Awesome label in general.
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    So I bought the Sam Brothers 5 s/t the other day and have been surprised to hear some straight funk. All the Arhoolie lps I've checked out have been blues, zydeco and some jazz. I know they've had alot of different musical styles in their release history but now I wonder if there are more lps to look for when it comes to funk, soul, rare groove etc.

    Peace,
    Sebastian

    So the question is what is funky? Because as far as I'm concerned the blues, zydeco and jazz stuff on Arhoolie is good to great.

    Pick up the Earl Hooker lps. Blues with a nod to funk. Rev Louis Overstreet lp should never be passed up, raw Pentacostal gospel storefront insanity.
  • pookeyblowpookeyblow 406 Posts
    So I bought the Sam Brothers 5 s/t the other day and have been surprised to hear some straight funk.

    Only one funk song on that lp! and thats the insane cover version of Le Freak! Deep disco killer! The rest is blues and zydeco!

    I just bought a Sam Brothers 45 on eBay and it's on the Blues Unlimited label. I know that Blues Unlimited released other disco styled 45s like that Cut Back thing.. have anyone heard this one? The description said that it was a funky disco track with chants etc.

    "J.A.M. is a funky instro backbeat GROOVE punctuated with spoken calls (almost a proto-rap!), plus lots of organ, pounding percussion and a heavy undercurrent of phase-shift wah-wah. Tons of BREAKS and SAMPLES!"

    ?
  • parsecparsec 5,087 Posts
    Cliff Carlisle for that yodeler funk.
  • DJFerrariDJFerrari 2,411 Posts
    Dave Alexander - The Rattler. Decent blues record from a Bay Area via New Orleans artist. The best part about this record is that the liner notes is a veritable who's who of bay area soul and funk musicians. Dude played with everyone.
  • Rob_SevierRob_Sevier 150 Posts
    There is a "rare groove" type of piece on the Arhoolie subsidiary Change. It's the Jerry Hahn Quintet LP "Ara Be-In". I don't particularly rate it, but there's some nice moments with Jack DeJohnette on drums. Overall, it has a sort-of watered-down Eastern vibe to it. With a paste-on cover, it actually looks like an Arhoolie title too.


    Other than that, Arhoolie did a good job with the west coast free jazz scene, releasing excellent LPs from Smiley Winters and Sonny Simmons as well as artsy oddities such as the Luna "Space Swell" LP and the NOW Creative Arts Ensemble. For fans of Sonny Simmons who just had to hear more.
  • nrichnrich 932 Posts
    Is it me or has interest in that Sam Bros record increased like 5000% recently?
    Selling time
  • pookeyblowpookeyblow 406 Posts
    word
  • bull_oxbull_ox 5,056 Posts
    Is it me or has interest in that Sam Bros record increased like 5000% recently?
    Selling time

    Why? I know the cut was on that Party Keller comp but that was a while back.

    And a by-the-numbers cover of Le Freak just can't be exciting, regardless of whether a bluegrass band is performing it or not... novelty value does not trump listenability in this case.
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