Songs of Summer, Vol. III

Dujii
Kool & The Gang
Kool Jazz
De-Lite Records : 1973
[Listen] [Buy]

Sneakers [Fifty-Four]
Sea Level
Sneakers [Fifty-Four] 12"
Capricorn : 1979
[Listen]

Walk in the Night
Grant Green
Live at the Lighthouse
Blue Note : 1972
[Listen] [Buy]

Well, shit. So many apologies, so little time. It's been a solid couple of weeks since I've shown my face around here, but with good reason. The move was a giant pile of ridiculous, and now that the dust is settling and every last box is unpacked, it's time to return to the business at hand, and that's the ungodly heat of the summertime, and the tunes that should make it a little more tolerable.

I'm only at part 3 of my series, but already the groove is well broken-in, and it's time to really sink into the pocket, with another trio of shimmering beauty that'll knock the socks off anyone and everyone.

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Simple enough to start; Kool and the Gang. Normally, people reach immediately for the slow, sexy, sweaty synth love-in that is "Summer Madness", not only because it has summer in the title, but because it drips with perspiration and really communicates the deadly heat, the feeling of being unable to move, immobilized by sweat, humidity and the blazing yellow sphere high above in the cloudless sky.

I prefer the chillier, but no less prolific, jazz groove of "Dujii".... listen as the unwavering beat lets a nasty horn arrangement and bass/organ interplay ride it into the sunshine. It's fresh, lively, and a whole lot of dance. Save "Summer Madness" for the bedroom or the poolside when the symbolism is more obvious, and take "Dujii" just about everywhere else until the temperatures drop below 70 at the end of the season.

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Where do we hit next? The straight-up, weird, oddly-groovy fusion of Sea Level. Take 3 former members of the Allman Brothers Band [Chuck Leavell, Lamar Williams and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson], give them a guitarist, and step back to watch what happens. Their music sounds exactly like it should for the time period, that late 70s vibe with that choppy guitar style, tight, bright drums and the godawful [for the most part] electric piano sound.

However, the tempo and the virtuosity of the players keep it from veering too far into bad territory. It's a well-honed sound, and with enough major chord turns [some of which come across a little too Eagles-esque for my liking, but I must calm down] to warrant summertime inclusion. Disco, rock, funk, and blues converge at the weirdest crossroads yet.

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Finally, a quick hitter from one of my favourites, Grant Green. He died young [ish], taking a lot of talent with him, and never really got as much of the spotlight as he perhaps deserved. There's just something about his slick playing style on the frets that always got my attention, and this live cut is no different.

The tempo is breakneck, the guitar-playing is gorgeous, and the energy is relentless. Try playing this next time you break out Project Gotham Racing, or when you pinch Daddy's midlife crisis car for a late-summer afternoon. Push the pedal to 70, press play on this track, and off you go.

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I'm off to the beach tomorrow, so the end of the week will come and go with little more from me. I think one of the others has it under control, but I'll be back tuesday with some tan, some rest and some perspective under my belt.

[And yes, these tunes will be part of the soundtrack.]