Keyboardist Herbie Hancock's remarkable career took a surprising turn with this funk album -- one of the first jazz albums to be certified gold. Hancock's already-storied career had included an extended tenure with Miles Davis as a member of both the classic quintet of the '60s and the trumpeter's groundbreaking electric dates. As a leader, the pianist had followed a similar course, cutting both outstanding acoustic dates (Maiden Voyage, Empyrean Isles) and experimental electric sessions (Sextant, Crossings).
Head Hunters, however, was something different: a stripped-down date featuring reedman Bennie Maupin as the only horn player, and a funk-oriented rhythm section made up of Paul Jackson, Harvey Mason, and Bill Summers. Hancock traded in his sophisticated piano performances and complex compositions for simple melodies, slow-burn funk grooves, and light electric keyboard splashes. The results, particularly on the tracks "Chameleon" and "Watermelon Man," had a profound impact on other musicians, although critics charged Hancock with playing to the galleries. But the album has stood the test of time -- something neither the wealth of Hancock's imitators nor his own subsequent albums in this vein have been able to do.
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings January 23, 2007
This woman is a much more sober, funkier crooner than the currently reigning neo-soul chanteuse, Amy Winehouse. She sounds a lot like a female James Brown. You can purchase her material from this month's featured category in the store.
An Amazon.com reviewer had the following to say:
Although singer Sharon Jones first began attracting attention during the late '90s, her smoky, soulful voice and blistering grooves harked back three decades earlier to the heyday of funk, evoking the music of James Brown protégés like Marva Whitney and Lynn Collins with uncanny precision; not surprising, given that the veteran Jones was well into her 40s by the time she began earning wide recognition. On their own independent Daptone label, the band has sold over 50,000 copies of their first two records (not to mention over 20K vinyl 7's) without any major label support or promotion. The Dap-Kings have been highly sought after, working with artist such as Amy Winehouse, Kanye West, Mark Ronson, Hank Schocklee, Kenny Dope, Lilly Allen, and Rhymefest.
The Budos Band December 7, 2007
Like the deadly scorpion of the album's cover, The Budos Band's second release, The Budos Band II, creeps stealthily over the hot desert sand. It is with unmistakable purpose that each beat of the music drives forth, one footstep of many to carry the Scorpion toward its meaning. With his tail arched high in readiness, he maneuvers patiently under the scorching desert sun and chooses his prey. He strikes without warning and with out remorse. The venom of his sting, true to its reason; his victim, ever-intoxicated. With its twenty-two legs, three horns, and hallucinogenic venom, The Budos Band (the unheralded emperors of Instrumental Staten Island Afro-Soul) continue to rule. The band commands their listeners to follow them on their second journey into the depths of their poisonous vision. While their debut album was itself heralded as a groundbreaking exploration of funk, afro-beat and soul music, few could predict that their second effort would not only match but surpass the realm of mind-expansion embodied on their first sessions. Through ten exciting new instrumentals recorded live at Daptone's House of Soul in Bushwick, Brooklyn, The Budos Band pours themes at once resonant and ethereal over Herculean rhythms. Standard Jewel Case.
Sugar's Boogaloo, was the Sugarman Three's debut album. Since it's initial release on Desco Records nearly ten years ago, it has grown to be a sought after classic among funk, soul, and organ-jazz enthusiasts. It's raw organ-driven grooves are exemplary of the early phase of a band that would become a staple on the scene and are the perfect backdrop for a summer barbecue or a late-night hang.
