Soul Strut 100: #94 - Harlem River Drive

RAJRAJ tenacious local 7,782 Posts
edited February 2018 in The Soul Strut 100
I will slowly be unveiling the Top 100 Soul Strut Related Records as Voted by the Strutters Themselves.

#94 - Harlem River Drive



Please discuss your reactions to this record. The thread will be archived later here.
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  Comments


  • buttonbutton 1,475 Posts
    Palmieri is king

  • One of my favorites.

    We've seen all kinds of people... CRUUUUISE along the drive

    I got to jam with Jimmy Norman a few years back at the studio I used to intern at. Hell of a guy, RIP.

  • finelikewinefinelikewine "ONCE UPON A TIME, I HAD A VINYL." http://www.discogs.com/user/permabulker 1,416 Posts
    I made a spotify playlist for all the soul strut top 100 albums. Most were available on spotify, unfortunatly Bernard Wright is missing.
    I'll keep this list updated everytime a new entry is revealed.
    Here is the link:

    http://open.spotify.com/user/1121775350/playlist/54CR4Ce88uFkr6shaMHxVX

  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    The third album I have in this Soul Strut series so far. The crossroads of Latin music, jazz and funk, fully realized.

  • RAJRAJ tenacious local 7,782 Posts
    NEED.

  • pickwick33 said:
    The crossroads of Latin music, jazz and funk, fully realized.

    also, this is one of those few records you can play for almost anybody and they will get a kick out of it.

    what other stuff is jimmy norman on from that era besides hrd?

  • DustedDonDustedDon 830 Posts
    Never heard of it....

  • RAJRAJ tenacious local 7,782 Posts
    DustedDon said:
    Never heard of it....

    :micro:






  • PrimeCutsLtdPrimeCutsLtd jersey fresh 2,632 Posts
    I got a sweet glossy version of this for $4! Oh wait, it's a reissue. Great album!

  • DJ_EnkiDJ_Enki 6,473 Posts
    As I did with the Quartermain entry, I have a key 45 from this album ("Idle Hands"), but not the album itself. Love "Idle Hands" to death, though.

  • BreezBreez 1,706 Posts
    I found this record in NM condition back in '96 and had no clue what it was (I grabbed it for the cover and the $2 price). This LP got me open to the genius that is Palmieri. My ears have never been the same since.

    IMO, I'm surprised it's so low in the SS 100. Raj???

  • ketanketan Warmly booming riffs 3,155 Posts
    crabmongerfunk said:
    pickwick33 said:
    The crossroads of Latin music, jazz and funk, fully realized.

    also, this is one of those few records you can play for almost anybody and they will get a kick out of it.

    Agree with both of those sentiments.

    I found out about this album when the first Nu Yorica comp came out in 96 - I liked how across the board the style was. My friend was into the Bobbi Humphrey tune of the same name, so when we started a radio show together, we called it Harlem River Drive and would try to play one or the other tune each week as theme music.

    I moved to LA for school later on and did a show at USC and lamely (in retrospect) called it The Harlem River Drive-By. A friend made a beat based on the Palmieri tune (w/ lots of gunshots!) for the show theme...wish I had a copy of it handy to share in this thread...

    Breez said:
    IMO, I'm surprised it's so low in the SS 100.

    Agree, but then, I didn't get around to making a submission...sorry, Eddie P!

  • marumaru 1,450 Posts
    Love this album. Cover photo by Leonard Freed is fantastic.


  • I bought this from Mustafa and the armed gaurds at PCC in 95. I think it was $75.

    SPOILER ALERT! this song is NOT on the album:

  • pcmrpcmr 5,591 Posts
    love this album!
    one of my first set sale purchases

  • HorseleechHorseleech 3,830 Posts
    A wonderful album and really evocative of early 70s NYC.

    And the cover is amazing!

  • holmesholmes 3,532 Posts
    absolutely awesome LP, every home should have one, agree that it is the perfect blend of everything. i'll often play this in the background when visitors are over, everyone digs it.

  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts
    I bought the Scorpio reissue after hearing "Seeds of Life" on that Broasted not Fried comp that turned me on to a bunch of records circa 2001. since then found 2 different $10 original copies locally, the first one I kept for myself, the second one a few years later I passed off to my friend that was working at the store I found it in.

    I'm a huge fan of Jimmy Norman, I was sad that his recent passing went all but unnoticed outside of NYC, where he was a respected figure for many decades, still performing up until his death.

    I don't remember my voting (or if I even finished it) but I know I would have rated this LP very high on the list - I cringe to think of the 1-tracker breakbeat tepidity that will score higher.

  • SpacechoSpacecho 176 Posts
    Love this LP in fact i think i voted for it.

  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    maru said:
    Love this album. Cover photo by Leonard Freed is fantastic.


    This must have been a stock image used in several places. I've seen a print ad for a 1970s Santana LP that featured this same picture

  • esskayesskay 221 Posts
    I have presented/booked 2 Eddie P shows here in SD & he is a friend-will see him next in LA in August w/his 20 piece orchestra w/special guest Ruben Blades. When we were last together maybe 2 years ago here after their show in the hotel parking lot-got to ask him about this record. He mentioned there was at one point interest in doing a new/revised version of this record w/guests like Jill Scott, etc-guess it never came to fruition though. HRM w/o a doubt in my top 10 latin LPs of all time!

  • esskayesskay 221 Posts
    My bad = HRD.

  • Jonny_PaycheckJonny_Paycheck 17,825 Posts
    I love this album a lot and wonder why it's so low on the list

    Many great memories burning down garcia vegas with the crew and playing this record with the morning sun cascading through the blinds

    An introduction to uptown new york city

  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    I think people need to forget about the ranking for now. Everything below the Top 20 probably could have moved up or down the list with only a handful of votes.

  • LoopDreamsLoopDreams 1,195 Posts
    One of my top ten alltimes

  • DuderonomyDuderonomy Haut de la Garenne 7,789 Posts
    mannybolone said:
    I think people need to forget about the ranking for now.

    Considering how disparate the Strut's tastes are, just making the top 100 is good.
    I expect to see nothing I voted for.

  • Jonny_PaycheckJonny_Paycheck 17,825 Posts
    mannybolone said:
    I think people need to forget about the ranking for now. Everything below the Top 20 probably could have moved up or down the list with only a handful of votes.

    Sure. But that's the point of stratification, isn't it? And isn't it a worthy line of discussion to consider why something is ranked where it is?

    I wasn't part of the selection process so I have no reason to complain. It's just what comes to my mind, "shoulda been number 1 to me".

  • maru said:
    Love this album. Cover photo by Leonard Freed is fantastic.


    Indeed. I'm sure it's been jacked for countless club flyers over the years. Pure joy.

    Love this record...

  • JRootJRoot 861 Posts
    Jonny_Paycheck said:
    mannybolone said:
    I think people need to forget about the ranking for now. Everything below the Top 20 probably could have moved up or down the list with only a handful of votes.

    Sure. But that's the point of stratification, isn't it? And isn't it a worthy line of discussion to consider why something is ranked where it is?

    I wasn't part of the selection process so I have no reason to complain. It's just what comes to my mind, "shoulda been number 1 to me".

    The line of discussion is worthy. A person's individual "shoulda been number 1 to me" is completely subjective and individualized, whereas the rankings offered here are kind of a glimpse of the collective subjectivity of this space. Harlem River Drive makes the list, but it's near the bottom of the collective consciousness. That's interesting in itself.

    True confessions: I've never heard this record!

    Knowledge me gawds!
    JRoot

  • tripledoubletripledouble 7,636 Posts
    j, theres two harlemriverdrive live records which are also well worth checking out. excellent stuff and some great event mcs

    Jibaro!
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