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Re: [ARSCLIST] July/August issue of Black Grooves

Aaron -- here's what I don't get. SOMEONE put up money to get those first-class musicians around her and use a decent (NYC?) studio. So ... who? At least from the samples on the website, including the two full-length MP3's one can download, the production sounds very good for that era and the playing is first class. Did she cash in all her connections in the scene and thus get an incredible value or was someone there with money to record but not money to promote?

-- Tom Fine

----- Original Message ----- From: "Aaron Levinson" <aaron.levinson@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, August 01, 2007 2:08 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] July/August issue of Black Grooves


Scott- Despite the amazing funakteer pedigree she was on a tiny label (Just Sunshine) and was in the mix when the giants were still roaming the earth, easy to be overlooked and poorly distributed. She was both unfortunately.

Scott Phillips wrote: 
Amazing ! I grew up in this time frame. HOW did I miss her..?? I'm
buying in as well.
-----Original Message-----
From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
[mailto:ARSCLIST@xxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Tom Fine
Sent: Wednesday, August 01, 2007 9:00 AM
To: ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] July/August issue of Black Grooves

Let me chime in, from listening to the generous samples and complete
MP3's on the website, the playing and production were top-drawer and my
overall conclusion was "Prince way before Prince, and with more, er,
testosterone!" Because Ms. Davis was pre-disco, she was not cursed with
synthesizers and electronic drums. Just pure analog shag-carpet funk.
She's no crooner, more a growler. Larry Graham's fingerprints are all
over the two reissued albums, so it's super-bad. Just ordered both
albums.

-- Tom Fine

----- Original Message -----
From: "Aaron Levinson" <aaron.levinson@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, August 01, 2007 9:38 AM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] July/August issue of Black Grooves



Indeed. Brenda does us all a great service and I must say I read every

single sentence of Black 
Grooves each and every month.
As far as Betty "Big Freak" Davis goes, I have been a fan for many

years. I own all of her albums 
and believe me they are not easy
to find. I searched far and wide for years to track them all down. The

fact that she is alive and
living in Pittsburgh, in the same state as your truly, was a bit of a

welcome shock. For anyone
who loves funk Betty is really a treasure. Please support the folks

behind this reissue campaign
and turn yourself on to some hip and very forward thinking music in

the process.

AA


Tom Fine wrote:

I just got a chance to read thru this. First of all, thanks to Brenda

for always posting an alert
for a new Black Grooves update.

Second, check out the article/bio about Betty Davis. Here's another

article:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7988212
And here is the reissue label's website:
http://lightintheattic.net/releases/bettydavis/

Wow, this is smokin' hard funk! This era was just before my youth, so

I missed all the more
obscure artists from that time like Betty Davis. I'm very much

enjoying the ability to discover
her for the first time now. Aaron Levinson, you gotta check this

lady out if you don't already
own the original vinyl!

-- Tom Fine

----- Original Message ----- From: "Nelson-Strauss, Brenda"

<bnelsons@xxxxxxxxxxx>

To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, July 24, 2007 3:09 PM
Subject: [ARSCLIST] July/August issue of Black Grooves


The July/August 2007 issue of Black Grooves has now been posted at
www.blackgrooves.org.

This month we're featuring two new books that belong on everyone's
shelves-the Gospel Discography 1943-1970 from Eyeball Productions,

and

Third Coast by Roni Sarig, the first in-depth examination of southern
hip hop. The 30th anniversary celebration of Tyscot Records continues
with a new DVD that chronicles the history of the label through
interviews and some great performance footage. There are several
fabulous reissues, including the complete recordings of Polk Miller &
the Old South Quartette, the iconic 1973 & 1974 albums by funk diva
Betty Davis, and Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson's masterpiece Kidney Stew

is

Fine. We're also taking a look at two of Koch's latest hip hop
offerings-the RZA's soundtrack to Afro Samurai and Hip Hop Lives, the
first collaboration between KRS-One and Marley Marl. Our reggae
contributor takes a look at Black Chiney's latest riddim' CD, while
providing an overview of this Jamaican dancehall style. And last but

not

least, we're highlighting new recordings by soul legend Howard Tate

and

the Pine Leaf Boys, a Louisiana-based quintet.

SAVE THE DATE: On August 1, PBS Great Performances will be

commemorating

the 50th anniversary and rebirth of America's preeminent soul music
label with Respect Yourself: the Stax Records Story. This new
documentary includes never-before-seen home movies by Stax artists;
outtakes of footage from the legendary 1972 WattStax concert; lost
performances by Otis Redding, Booker T. and the MGs, and Isaac Hayes;
and interviews with Isaac Hayes, Mavis Staples, Carla Thomas, Sam

Moore,

Booker T. Jones, members of the MGs, Al Bell, and Stax founder and
co-owner Jim Stewart. Details can be found on the PBS website
<http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/shows/stax/index.html> . The companion
website is set to launch this Wednesday, July 25.







Brenda Nelson-Strauss

Archives of African American Music and Culture

Indiana University

Smith Research Center, Suite 180

Bloomington, IN 47408

812-855-7530

bnelsons@xxxxxxxxxxx

www.indiana.edu/~aaamc

www.blackgrooves.org






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