Dusty Groove: The Vinyl Room

I think it's safe to say that if I could hang out with ANY production crew, it would be Organized Noize.

I mean, if this hypothetical and delusional question was based on craft alone, and if I was a wizard, I would stand behind J Dilla all day and night just to soak in the ambiance of Genius, but chances are that once I got there I would go into catatonic shock and be rendered speechless and wouldn't even be able to offer to run to the store for him (my treat, obviously) so we wouldn't even be able to talk about how "Find A Way" changed my world forever and still continues to absolutely destroy every molecule in my being OR about the bass line on "Dynamite" and how it is the Greatest. Bass. Line. Of. All. Time.

But that would be totally cool because honestly, I would be content just watching him push a fader up and down. So, good thing that would never happen.

However, if we are talking about a mind blowing musical education session + the most fun I could ever have with my clothes on, you would find me in Atlanta in the Dungeon with Sleepy, Rico and Ray.

Just started absorbing this little underrated gem from 1998. I adore OutKast and Goodie Mob, but what I reallllllllly love more than anything, is Sleepy Brown's voice. It's the audible equivalent of a time machine. It's almost as if Curtis Mayfield, late '70s Marvin Gaye and Leon Ware all melted their honeyed voices into a Crock Pot, and then let it simmer all day. And when it was time to enjoy it, Organized Noize added a pinch of synth, a dash of crisp drumming, a ton of lush orchestration and a generous sprinkling of dreamy wah-wah riffs and then served it to you while you reclined on a cloud.

His fantastic solo (and most recent, unfortunately) album, 2006's Mr. Brown which I listen to on extensive repeat all the time, is a culmination of sorts; it marries his soul and funk pedigree with the sonic hip-hop aesthetics of Stankonia. But this record, Noize's first solo creative outlet, The Vinyl Room, is pure unadulterated hot, buttered, soul, with only a tiny mix of Dungeon Family humor filled skits thrown in.

The trio, using the moniker Sleepy's Theme, pretty much reinterprets the silky falsettos of Curtis Mayfield (fun fact, Sleepy Brown worked on the legend's last album, 1996's New World Order) and the layered melodies of Barry White without any pastiche or derivative results. For those who think this kind of record is a '70s cliche or knockoff, you are a. wrong and b. clearly don't know much about the immaculate blueprint that our beloved soul and funk giants created. Yes, Gaye, Mayfield, White, Ware, Hayes and co. left behind an often imitated but never duplicated legacy. But, they also left behind an invaluable text book that if studied properly and diligently, can be reinterpreted, extrapolated and re-imagined to create shimmering and gorgeous results. And this album, much like Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite, is proof that some people do their fucking homework.

Three of my favorite tunes on the album after the jump.

"Still Smokin'":



"Private Party" (ignore the ridiculous homemade YouTube video):



"Simply Beautiful":

Chicago Soul Stories: The Notations

Great article by Dave Hoekstra in today's Sun-Times about Chicago soul men the Notations. Protégés of Curtis Mayfield, the group only released one self-titled album in 1973 (on Mayfield's Custom Records subsidiary, Gemigo) but they represent the unsung history of the city's relationship to soul music.

Most think of the blues and jazz when it comes to the Windy City, but the truth is, my hometown has produced more soul records than most give it credit for. Detroit, Memphis, L.A. and Philly housed the key players, but Chicago had tons of tiny labels, not to mention offices for many of the majors of the time.

Ken Shipley, who founded the Chicago based Numero Group in 2003 (the Numero Group is putting on the first Eccentric Soul Revue at the lovely Park West this Saturday; with Syl Johnson and the Notations headlining) puts it best: "Chicago has always gotten the short end of the stick as far as soul goes," he says.

"And Chicago produced more soul records than any other city in the country. Chicago goes blow to blow with Detroit in a heartbeat because we had more labels. Someone is doing a Ken Burns-type documentary on soul and they contacted us about licensing music. So I go, 'You guys coming to Chicago?' and they said they were skipping it. People think of Chess and the blues with Chicago. But every major record company had an office here. Brunswick [Tyrone Davis, Jackie Wilson, Gene Chandler] was here. OKeh [Major Lance, the great Walter Jackson]. Mercury [Jerry Butler]. King had an office here. And of course, Curtom, Vee-Jay and One-derful, the home of Otis Clay and Harold Burrage. It blows my mind people don't know more about Chicago's soul history."

The Notations offer a window to the soul [Chicago Sun-Times]

ECCENTRIC SOUL REVUE

WITH SYL JOHNSON, THE NOTATIONS, NATE EVANS, RENALDO DOMINO, THE KALDIRONS AND THE FINAL SOLUTION, BACKED BY THE UPTOWN SOUND

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Park West, 322 W. Armitage
Tickets: $22
Phone: (312) 559-1212;
ticketmaster.com;
numerogroup.com

Giving You Something You Can Feel

While flipping between shitty romantic comedies and turrrrrrible music videos that were devoted strictly to "love," I stumbled across this 1976 gem on BET: Sparkle. Starring Irene Cara (you know, of "Flashdance...What A Feeling" and "Fame" er, fame) in the title role, Sparkle is the story of the three Williams sisters (glamorous and bitchy Sister, demure and shy Sparkle and sassy and introspective Dolores) from Harlem who form a singing group, Sister and the Sisters, in 1958 with the encouragement of two neighborhood friends. Naturally, trials and tribulations ensue (racial inequality, drug use, abusive crime lord boyfriends by the name of Satin) and at the film's end, Sparkle is the only sister left standing (Sister ODs on cocaine and Dolores leaves Harlem to escape the ghetto and racial prejudice). She finally makes it and is performing at Carnegie Hall, opening for Brother Ray. The film, which is considered a cult classic (it inspired Dreamgirls and gave us this bomb ass En Vogue cover), could be just another Cinderella story, but, thanks to the genius of Curtis Mayfield, who created the film's amazing music, it's a fantastic slice of early 1960s R&B.

The movie's soundtrack was performed by none other than Aretha Franklin, who sings over the film's original score, replacing the vocals of Sparkle's stars. The gorgeous soundtrack gives us some of Aretha's most shimmering and lovely tunes like the classic "(Giving Him) Something He Can Feel," "Rock With Me," "Look Into Your Heart" and of course, "Sparkle." Only eight tracks deep, this soundtrack doesn't need any filler. It's flawless. If you haven't already heard it, please do. It's a real treat. I can't WAIT for the Whitney Houston backed remake to ruin everything: Jordin Sparks as Sparkle (Aaliyah was the first choice and actually would've been pretty good), Alicia Keys as Sister and Omarion (is this a goof?) as Stix, Sparkle's boyfriend and encouraging manager/mentor. Trife.