Entries from October 2007 ↓

I remember the first time I ever heard “Forget Me Nots.” I was at my girlfriend’s house after dance rehearsal, and she flipped on some video show. I was all, “Ooh, that’s got a bounce! Who is that?” My friend took a break from checking herself out in the full-length mirror and was all, “Oh, that’s Patrice Rushen. She’s a jaaaaaahhhhhzzzz artist.” And then Miss Thing flipped her hair, for real.

Please. Who even talks like that? The only thing that girl knew about jazz was her damn jazz hands in those corny-ass routines she practiced up in her bedroom. Hm.

But all bougie pretenses aside… old girl was right. Patrice Rushen didn’t just sing bouncy joints to heat up the roller rink; her jazz roots run deep.

Miss Rushen was a child prodigy on the piano; her parents even sent a three-year-old Patrice to USC music classes. After winning a competition at the prestigious Monterey Jazz Festival at 18, Miss Rushen went on to compose, arrange and record a grip of jazz albums. Her sound became progressively funkier until she finally gave into the forces and went boogie in the early ’80s. Her pure jazz fans were disappointed, but roller skating fans were rejoicing in the damn streets.

Patrice’s sound is smooth and funky, with an unmistakable bounce - the result of her years of classical training and impeccable instincts. Her songs have been flipped, covered and chopped to death by everybody with a turntable and an 808, and they sound just as fresh today as they did 25 years ago.

So now you can bust some Patrice for your snooty Miles-Davis-Coltrane friends and be all, “Oh, you don’t know any of Rushen’s work? Shaaaame.” And then ditch those snoozers and get with a real crew. Damn.

Patrice Rushen
Haw Right Now
Prelusion, 1974
Hot straight ahead jazz instrumental, crazy keys. Nice, full natural afro on the album’s cover, too.

Hang It Up
Patrice, 1977
You can hear Patrice’s sound start to get funkier here.

Haven’t You Heard
Pizzazz, 1979
Forget that churchy Kirk Franklin remake. This is the original, irresistible jammie.

Remind Me
Number One
Forget Me Nots
Straight from the Heart, 1982
This was Miss Rushen’s biggest selling album. “Number One” won a Grammy, and she scored monster hits on the R&B charts for “Remind Me” and “Forget Me Nots.” All straight classics, flipped by everyone from Mary J. Blige to George Michael.

I have always loved loved loved Nas, ever since the Illmatic days. From “NY State of Mind” to “Play On Playa,” I’ve been his straight up Stan.

But what has God’s Son done now? Is he seriously flipping Nipsey Emmer-Effin’ Russell on his new track? From the 1978 cinematic masterpiece The Wiz?

Just so I can be clear here: Nas, Nipsey, and a wistful tin man ballad… ALL IN ONE SONG. Is there there any doubt that not only is Nas a hip hop pioneer, but also a man of impeccable taste?

Nas
Surviving the Times
N*gga, 2007**
I love this so much I am crying right now.

Nipsey Russell
What Would I Do If I Could Feel?
OST, The Wiz, 1978
*Sigh.* Nipsey, if you could feel, you would surely come back from your grave and do a little soft shoe for Nas. He done you right.

Nipsey Russell
Slide Some Oil To Me/Now Watch Me Dance
OST, The Wiz, 1978
My favorite part of this is when the wooden chorus sings backup on the boards. Aww. Watching this makes me sad that Nipsey’s gone.

Quincy Jones
Poppy Girls
OST, The Wiz, 1978
Ooh, this was the nasty part! Sounds kind of like The O’Jays’ “For the Love of Money,” only dirtier, and with more cheeba cheeba. I didn’t realize this was a straight ’70s porn jammie until I was about 32.

Michael Jackson
You Can’t Win
12″, 1979
I know I already posted this a while back, but any disco joint with a floppy scarecrow and funked-up dancing crows deserves another listen. After the soundtrack came out, this song was so popular that MJ released a disco 12″. This is the kind of thing that makes me bitter that I wasn’t old enough for the clubs in the ’70s. A girl can dream…

**This is a rumored title. Def Jam says “hells naw,” but Nas’ PR crew confirms: “buhleedat.”

You already know who Edwin Starr is from that hippie “War” song he did way back in 1970. I heard that damn song so many times, I’m starting to think it was written by the government or The Gap or some shit.

It’s not that it’s such a horrible song - back in the day, it killed. The Temptations even recorded it for Psychedelic Shack, but they wanted to avoid controversy. So they were all, “Oh, give it to that new guy with the turtleneck. He looks like he marches for stuff.”

So Edwin Starr recorded the song, tore up the airwaves, sold some damn records, and promptly sent his career downhill. He’d had some successes in the years leading up that song, but after “War” he was pigeonholed as a protest singer, and never had another hit so big after that.

And it’s too bad, because Edwin could sang. His voice was so soulful, growling, and desperate, he could probably make “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” sound like “Hot Pants.”

Check some Edwin:

Edwin Starr
Twenty-Five Miles
25 Miles, 1969
Edwin’s first hit for the Motown label after they scooped him up with Ric-Tic. That walking sound is Starr and Hitsville, USA’s janitor marching their damn feet on a wooden board in the studio. Hunh!

There You Go
45, 1973
Another Motown hit. This song kills me every time. Sweet and smooth with crispy horns.

Easin’ In
Didn’t It Feel Good To Be Free
OST, Hell Up In Harlem, 1974
“Hell Up In Harlem” was to “Black Caesar” what “Teen Wolf Too” was to “Teen Wolf”: the wrecked sequel to a masterpiece. After James Brown wrote the soundtrack to “Black Caesar,” he turned down the opportunity to write for the sequel; I guess homegirl didn’t have time in his wig-brushing schedule or something.

So Edwin took on the project instead, and unfortunately, since “Hell” turned out to be a hot mess, the soundtrack got no love at all. Which is a damn crime! “Didn’t It Feel Good To Be Free” is a sweet, sunny piece that has Edwin using the melodic side of his voice, with a totally early ’70s motown feel. And it just takes one listen to “Easin’ In” to see the truth. That track is damn near perfect, with its crazy undulating bassline and fanga snaps. Mmm!

War
War and Peace, 1970
Oh, fine. Here you go. Take this and play it for your Iraq protest marches, or whatever it is that you people do.

VH1 Soul has declared October 6th through 8th “New Jack Swing Weekend!”

The stars are aligning, and somewhere Teddy Riley is smiling down from above. Okay, he’s not dead, but still.

I am telling you people, New Jack Swing is coming back. And when it gets here, you know I will be rocking the wire round flip-up glasses, one-pant-leg-up, overalls look. If you’re out in the club, you will know me by my high kicks on the dance floor.

CH-CH…CH-CH-CH!

Another Bad Creation
Playground
Coolin’ At The Playground Ya’ Know, 1991
Little homies should have named themselves “Another FRESH Creation!” They had everything: BBD sangin’ hooks, swingin’ beats at the playground, and they gotta break, ’cause they mother said “be home by dizzark!” By the way, I did not make up that album name.

L.L. Cool J
Jingling Baby
Walking with a Panther, 1989
This is an actual instructional song about how to do the damn thing. Ladies, get them door knockers out, ’cause we about to make ‘em jingle!

U.M.C.’s
Blue Cheese
Fruits of Nature, 1991
I have no idea what this song is about. Seriously. I can’t understand a word of it. CH-CH…

Kid N Play
Do the Kid N Play Kick Step
2 Hype, 1988
When it comes to the New jack Swing movement, this is the sacred dance, created by the high priests. You cannot have New Jack without Kid N Play, pure and simple.

U P D A T E !

Delicious has convinced me to post two of NJS’s basics. I had posted them before, but since that boy is sweet as a butterscotch biscuit, here they are:

Wrecks N Effect
New Jack Swing
12″, 1988
The original, the classic. Yes, T.R., is his name.

Bobby Brown
Don’t Be Cruel
Don’t Be Cruel, 1988
Probably the best known NJS song ever. If you want to be historically accurate, do the car-driving pantomime to this one. Not to be confused with smoking crack and living in your car - do not confuse the artist with his art.