Jul 19, 2014

RhoDeo 1428 Grooves

Hello, as the worldfights over who to blame over the shot down airplane, one thing is clear to me, flying over territory where planes are downed is an insane way to save some money but hey upper management want their bonus... As to who did it well US says the rocket was launched from the freedomfighters side, Russians claim it was launched by the Ukranian army, the fact that Putin's plane was spotted (which looked somewhat like the downed Boeing) would certainly have exited those Ukranian thugs. Whole families fell towards their death, some possibly aware of free falling towards their deaths for minutes although such would be vehemently denied..100 people travelling to an Aids conference in Melbourne, never arrived as did no less then 80 children.  My guess is this nasty mess will cause much more heartaches before everything is settled.

These weeks it's all about "Soul Brother Number One," "the Godfather of Soul," "the Hardest Working Man in Show Business," "Mr. Dynamite" -- those are mighty titles, but no one can question that today's artist earned them more than any other performer. James was a guy who had self motivation written all over his back and front. And it came out of every pore of his music. The J.B.'s were the legendary supporting cast of musicians behind James Brown, earning a well-deserved reputation as the tightest, best-drilled instrumental ensemble in all of funk. The name J.B.'s is most often associated with three hornmen in particular -- saxophonists Maceo Parker, Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis, and trombonist Fred Wesley. One of the key sonic architects of funk, Maceo Parker first became a legend for his work with James Brown, whose impassioned shouts for a sax solo ("Maceo! Blow your horn!") would make Parker the Godfather of Soul's most famous sideman, though Parker would continue to enjoy a successful career long after leaving Brown's employ. ......N'joy

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One of the key sonic architects of funk, Maceo Parker first became a legend for his work with James Brown, whose impassioned shouts for a sax solo ("Maceo! Blow your horn!") would make Parker the Godfather of Soul's most famous sideman, though Parker would continue to enjoy a successful career long after leaving Brown's employ.

Maceo Parker was born on February 14, 1943 in Kinston, North Carolina. Parker's mother and father both had an appreciation for music and sang in their church's choir, but it was his uncle who had the strongest influence on the youngster's musical development. Parker's uncle led a local jazz and R&B band called the Blue Notes, and Maceo would sometime watch them rehearse; in time, Maceo would take up the saxophone, while his brothers Melvin and Kellis respectively learned to play the drums and trombone. Their uncle was impressed enough with the youngsters' abilities that he dubbed them "the Junior Blue Notes" and had them perform between sets at Blue Notes shows. The Parker brothers were seasoned professionals by the time they enrolled at North Carolina A&T, where they studied music. In 1963, Melvin Parker had graduated and was offered an audition with James Brown, who was looking for a new drummer; Melvin landed the gig, and when he asked if Brown could use a new sax player as well, Maceo was also offered a spot in the band.

Originally playing baritone sax, Maceo eventually switched over to tenor, and his style on the instrument was ideal for the band -- rich, rhythmic, and full of sharp, staccato lines that meshed with Brown's taut and funky sound. After lending an inspired solo to Brown's 1965 smash "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," Maceo became of the key members of Brown's recording and touring band, and his solos were an integral part of some of Brown's best-known songs, including "I Got You (I Feel Good)," "Mother Popcorn," "Sex Machine," and "Cold Sweat." However, Brown's well-documented reluctance to part with a dollar and firm hand over his sidemen led most of Brown's band to quit en masse in 1970; Maceo was one of the musicians who walked, and he soon formed his own group, Maceo & All the King's Men, with his brother Melvin on drums. Maceo & All the King's Men had released an album by the year was out, titled Doin' Their Own Thing, but despite the strength of their live show, they didn't fare as well as they had hoped commercially. In 1973, Maceo rejoined Brown's touring band, though he found time to cut a solo album, Us, in 1974. The following year saw another revolt sweep through the ranks of Brown's group, and Maceo, trombonist Fred Wesley, and bassist Bootsy Collins all jumped ship to work with George Clinton's various projects, including Parliament and Funkadelic.

By 1984, Clinton's Parliament-Funkadelic empire was in tatters, and Maceo signed back on with James Brown for another four years, though he appeared as a guest on several of Clinton's solo albums from this period, and when Clinton produced the Red Hot Chili Peppers' sophomore album, Freaky Styley, Maceo stopped by to contribute some trademark sax solos. In 1988, Keith Richards invited Maceo to perform on his debut solo album, Talk Is Cheap, and as hip-hop acts began recycling James Brown's potent grooves, Parker found himself in demand with contemporary acts such as Deee-Lite, Living Colour, and Material, all of whom brought him in to play on their sessions.

In 1990, Maceo Parker stepped out as a solo act, releasing a jazz-oriented album called Roots Revisited through Verve Records and hitting the road in support. With funk back in fashion, Parker found he had a ready audience for his new music, and another jazz-flavored set, Mo' Roots, appeared in 1991. Parker upped the funk factor on the 1992 live set Life on Planet Groove, which featured fellow James Brown alumni Fred Wesley and Pee Wee Ellis, and it documented the powerful show Maceo and his band were playing up to 150 nights a year. Through the 1990s, Parker released a steady stream of solo records and made guest appearances on albums by De La Soul and Brooklyn Funk Essentials, as well as less likely collaborations with 10,000 Maniacs and Bryan Ferry. In 1999, noted funk enthusiast Prince recruited Maceo to play on his album Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic, and he would be a regular contributor to Prince's studio projects over the next decade, as well as performing with his live ensemble. Alternative folk diva Ani DiFranco also persuaded Maceo to sit in with her, with the sax man contributing to the albums To the Teeth and Reveling: Reckoning. And in 1998, Maceo and his band were the opening act on a concert tour by the Dave Matthews Band; Maceo would often join in with the headliners, and one of the shows from that tour was belatedly released in 2001 as Live in Chicago 12.19.98 at the United Center.

In 2004, Parker's impressive live show was documented on film for the documentary My First Name Is Maceo, which featured interviews with Maceo discussing his life and music along with extensive footage of him and his group in full flight. In 2007, Parker performed a series of concerts in Europe with the German ensemble the WDR Big Band; highlights from the tour appeared on the album Roots & Grooves, including a set of tunes made famous by Ray Charles, one of Parker's early influences. And Parker paid homage to a handful of other R&B greats on another collaboration with the WDR Big Band, 2012's Soul Classics, with Maceo putting his stamp on classic numbers by Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Isaac Hayes, and his former employer James Brown.

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Altoist Maceo Parker has spent most of his career in R&B funk bands, most notably those led by James Brown, George Clinton, and Bootsy Collins. This CD gave him a chance to stretch out as a leader, and his soulful horn immediately brings to mind Hank Crawford and (to a lesser extent) Lou Donaldson. With a strong backup group that includes Pee Wee Ellis on tenor, trombonist Fred Wesley, and Don Pullen on organ, Parker enthusiastically plays over infectious grooves with just one funky departure ("In Time"). Roots Revisited is a throwback to the 1960s soul-jazz style and Maceo Parker gives one the impression that, if called upon, he could hold his own on a bebop date.



Maceo Parker - Roots Revisited  (flac 385mb)

01 Them That Got 3:57
02 Children's World 10:49
03 Better Get Hit In Yo' Soul 5:41
04 People Get Ready 5:55
05 Up And Down East Street 8:11
06 Over The Rainbow 4:14
07 Jumpin' The Blues 6:17
08 In Time 5:30
09 Them That Got (Alternative Master) 3:57
10 Funky Christmas 10:09

Maceo Parker - Roots Revisited  (ogg 153mb)

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The second Roots installment, Mo' Roots was cut minus Pullen and Collins, leaning a little more toward the instrumental soul side. Three fine originals in conjunction with covers of Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, Horace Silver, and Lionel Hampton. The former JB returned to prominence with this 1991 recording, his second for Verve. Buttressed by old cohorts Pee Wee Ellis on tenor and Fred Wesley on trombone, Parker's alto sounds displays tremendous, intense urgency without leaving the groove behind. The sophisticated funk includes strong elements of jazz and soul as Parker moves from Lionel Hampton and Horace Silver to Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, and Shep & the Limelites. Ray Charles' "Hallelujah, I Love Her So" and the traditional "Down by the Riverside" display his flair for gospel melodies. Parker combines thoughtful melodic passages with energetic wails, while the rhythm section, anchored by Larry Goldings' B-3, stays in the proverbial pocket. Mo' Roots was instrumental in introducing a new crop of young fans to instrumental funk.

Credits :
Maceo Paker : Alto saxophone
Fred Wesley : Trombone
Pee Wee Ellis : Tenor saxophone
Rodney Jones : Guitar
Larry Goldings : Hammond B-3 organ
Bill Stewart : Drums
Kym Mazelle : Vocals (FA FA FA)
Steve Williamson : Alto saxophone
Jimmy Madison : Drums (FA FA FA)




Maceo Parker - Mo' Roots  (flac 391mb)

01 Hallelujah I Love Her So 3:57
02 Chicken 8:17
03 Let's Get It On 7:43
04 Hamp's Boogie Woogie 6:12
05 Fa Fa Fa (The Sad Song) 4:48
06 Jack's Back 5:41
07 Sister Sadie 5:26
08 Daddy's Home 6:01
09 Down By The Riverside 6:33
10 Southwick 9:08

Maceo Parker - Mo' Roots   (ogg 153mb)

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A scorching album of funky grooves from Maceo Parker, assisted by the rest of the JB's on backing horns. The album was recorded in concert at a club called Stadtgarten in Cologne, Germany, and the crowd seems just as responsive in most ways as any Atlanta mob. Along with the JB horns, Vincent Henry accompanies on bass throughout the album/concert. The album starts out with an original Maceo composition, then moves into a pair from his old boss James Brown. After that, there's another Maceo number, a cover of "Addictive Love," a rendition of "Georgia on My Mind," and a composition undertaken by a veritable army of funk veterans. This is probably just about the best solo Maceo Parker album there is, at least until the release of Funkoverload. If you're a funk fan, or a soul-jazz fan, this album might just provide what you need. Maceo on his own always provides a nice collection of soul and funk, and this one is no exception.



Maceo Parker - Life On Planet Groove  (flac 554mb)

01 Shake Everything You've Got 16:15
02 Pass The Peas 11:12
03 I Got You (I Feel Good) (feat Kym Mazelle) 3:38
04 Got To Get U (feat Kym Mazelle) 6:56
05 Addictive Love 8:37
06 Children's World 6:07
07 Georgia On My Mind 7:12
08 Soul Power 92 14:13

Maceo Parker - Life On Planet Groove   (ogg 189mb)

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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Any chance of re-upping Maceo? Thanks in advance.