Spinnable Treats

The Coup

ShoYoAss
The Coup
Pick a Bigger Weapon
Rhymesayers Entertainment : 2006
[Listen] [Buy]

Golden Lady
Ronnie Foster
On the Avenue
Blue Note : 1974
[Listen] Out of Print right now, I believe

Devotion
Charizma and PB Wolf
Big Shots
Stones Throw : 2003
[Listen] [Buy]

Another day, another post, another trio of tracks I've been spinning a lot lately. They work so damn well, any way you slice it, and so I lavish them upon you below.

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First up, The Coup, a band I love a lot. Socially-aware, funky hip-hop from the west coast [pick up Steal This Album and work forward from there]. This track from their latest offering is almost a no-brainer; deep, deep groove from the get-go that doesn't relent. It's booty-shaking funk that could have easily come out of Prince's or P-Funk's catalog, full of synth, swagger, and crisp production.

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Next: the fantastic Ronnie Foster. The keyboardist/organist put out several albums in the early 70s that didn't gain him a huge following at the time, but for those of us raised in the acid-jazz era, going back and discovering him is like Christmas all over again. Up-tempo, tight grooves presented at break-neck, speaker-breaking speed.

This track, Foster's interpretation of the Stevie Wonder song, works great thrown in the middle of a live mix; its energy catches you unawares at first, and then you run with it. The shuffle beat, the skittish bass line, and the sweet brass lines thrown in around Foster's organ playing all add up to a perfect break. His solo is perfect, and his backing band doesn't let him down. Throw this on whenever you think the party is tiring, and they should soon perk back up. It might be too "smooth jazz" for some of you, but trust me -- it's worth the pick-up.

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Finally, to wrap it up; a lazy, funky cut from Charizma and PB Wolf. I think I've probably posted this track in the past, but having dusted it off a couple of weeks ago at our big FmGT housewarming, it has shot right back to the top of my playlist again. Charizma's [nee Charles Hicks] life and career were cut woefully short when he was killed during a mugging back in 1993, but we must be thankful for what we have, which in this case is a great, neat, jazzy album collaboration between him and PB Wolf.

Charizma's rapping is sweet, and Wolf's samples and breaks are as good as ever. This track has the deep beat to throw it in anywhere on a mix, not to mention that friendly tempo. Well worth getting to know and love as much as I do.

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More tomorrow, I hope, including finally getting into that Midnight Snacks series, with a deeper look into Sly and the Family Stone.

JT.