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By Larry, June 2, 2019 8:00 am

Emanuel Laskey

Listen/Download – Emanuel Laskey – I Need Somebody MP3

Greetings all.

I hope the new week finds you well.

Today’s selection is one of the pile of 45s that I picked up while DJing at the Keystone State Soul Weekender in 2018.

Emanuel Laskey was a journeyman soul singer who recorded for a variety of Detroit-based labels through the 1960s and 1970s, including Thelma, Westbound and Stag.

‘I Need Somebody’ was recorded for Thelma in 1964, with backing from the Fabulous Peps. The record charted locally on the R&B and Pop charts and had some regional R&B success elsewhere (thus the licensing and pressing of the 45 on the Pittsburgh, PA NPC label).

‘I Need Somebody’ is a remarkable piece of midtempo 60s soul, opening with an unusual, raw guitar figure (probably played by producer Don Davis, and I wonder if Eric Clapton heard it…) , backs by the vibes and organ. Laskey’s vocal, often veering into falsetto is perfection, and the arrangement manages to weave together the technical limitations of the session (the studio, not the musicians, who all turn in an excellent performance) into something really special.

The flipside, ‘Tomorrow’ is a sweet ballad with some nice piano.

Laskey is the kind of guy who had talent to spare, recorded some great records but is now known almost exclusively by hardcore soul fans.

That’s a shame.

I hope you dig the cut, and I will see you all next week.

Also, make sure to follow Funky16Corners on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Keep the faith

Larry

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If you dig what we do here or over at Funky16Corners, please consider clicking on the Patreon link and throwing something into the yearly operating budget! Do it and we’ll send you some groovy Funky16Corners Radio Network (and related) stickers!

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By Larry, September 3, 2017 11:14 am

Funky16Corners Soul Party A Go Go

Andre Williams – Soul Party A Go Go (Avin)
Bob Kuban Explosion – Jerkin’ Time (USA)
Kip Anderson – A Knife and a Fork (Checker)
Citations – Chicago (Mercury)
Eddie Bo – Shake Rock and Soul (Cinderella)
Oliver Sain – Jerk Loose (Checker)
Magnificent Malochi – Mama Your Daddy’s Come Home (Brunswick)
Larry Johnson – Mercy (Zorro)
Soupy Sales – Nitty Gritty (ABC/Paramount)
Alvin Cash and the Crawlers – The Barracuda (Mar V Lus)
Chuck Berry – Back To Memphis (Mercury)
Billy Preston – Hey Brother (Capitol)
Johnny Daye – I Need You (Stax)
Billy Graham and the Escalators – Ooh Poo Pah Doo (Atlantic)
The Foundations – Jerkin the Dog (Uni)
Howard Roberts – Florence of Arabia (Capitol)
Howard Tate – Stop (Verve)
Joe Simon – Come On and Get It (SS7)
Johnny Maestro and the Crests – Come See Me (Parkway)
Tender Joe Richardson – I Ain’t Going For That (Hot Biscuit)
Jackie Wilson – Hold On I’m Coming (Brunswick)
Ronnie Milsap – Ain’t No Soul (In These Old Shoes) (Scepter)
Objectives – Love Went Away (Jewel)
Fats Domino – If You Don’t Know What Love Is (ABC/Paramount)
Other Brothers – Hole In the Wall (Modern)
Russell Evans and the Nighthawks – Send Me Some Cornbread (Atco)

Listen/Download – Funky16Corners Soul Party A Go Go 117MB Mixed MP3

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Greetings all.

Welcome to Part Eleven of the Funky16Corners 2017 Allnighter/Pledge Drive aka The Summer of Soul!

This week we have the traditional closing mix of the festivities from your’s truly.

I got things started this year with a selection of Northern Soul, and I’m closing things out with a mix of dance floor movers, party starters, soul jazz and Hammond groovers.

The fundraising aspect of the 2017 Summer of Soul hasn’t been all that encouraging.

Whether it was the change in format, the switch to Patreon, or just a general lack of interest, I can’t really say, but if you were waiting for an appropriate time to toss something into the mix, now would be it.

So dig the sounds, and make sure to click on the Patreon button to help keep the lights on here at Funky16Corners! Fundraising up to this point has not been very encouraging, so please do what you can. It is as always greatly appreciated.

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The fundraiser will also take a slightly different form this year, moving to Patreon (click here or on the logo below to go to the Funky16Corners page) , where you will be able to spread your contributions out over the entire year (i.e. if you pledge 12 bucks, it doles it out a dollar a month over the course of a year), which will help cover the ongoing server/broadcast/hardware expenses. This year has seen the upgrade of a couple of crucial pieces of equipment, and any help you fine people can provide will keep the machinery moving here at Funky16Corners central.

So please dig deep so we can continue to do the same!

In addition to all the broadcasts and the blogging all of the Funky16Corners and Iron Leg mix archives will continue.

As I have mentioned recently, the changes to the general format here are as thus – The concentration of the operation will continue its shift to podcasting/radio, with the Funky16Corners Radio Show originating every week as a live broadcast, Thursday nights at 9PM Eastern on MIXLR, and will continue to be posted as a downloadable podcast every Friday, and broadcast in the UK on Cruising Radio.

The Iron Leg Radio Show will also move to a monthly live broadcast (day to be determined) also on MIXLR and will continue to be broadcast on Cruising Radio in the UK.

Don’t forget, my weekly radio show for WFMU’s Give the Drummer Radio, Testify! is on the air live, every Wednesday night from 10-12. If you dig Funky16Corners and/or Iron Leg I think you’ll dig it. So tune in when you get a chance!
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So, download and dig the mix, keep digging the radio shows, and we’ll be back next week with another groovy mix.

Also, make sure to follow Funky16Corners on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Keep the faith

Larry

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PS Head over to Iron Leg when you have a minute!. <

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By Larry, January 26, 2017 1:43 pm

The Isley Brothers

Listen/Download – Isley Brothers – Nowhere To Run MP3

Greetings all.

The end of the week is upon us, and I will remind you – as I always do – not to forget to dig into the Funky16Corners Radio Show, which drops each and every Friday with the best in soul, funk, jazz and rare groove, all on original vinyl.

You can subscribe to the show as a podcast in iTunes, listen on your mobile device via Stitcher or TuneIn, check it out on Mixcloud or gran yourself an MP3 right here at Funky16Corners.com.

I usually prep these posts weeks in advance, in an attempt to stockpile enough so that the chaos of normal life doesn’t intrude on the routine of the blog.

That said, the previous four posts were a reaction to the events of the last few months – culminating in the inauguration – and they all fell together in the space of a couple of hours last weekend.

The post you see before you today was written and assembled weeks ago, but manages to capture (at least in its title) a bit of the current, angst-ridden zeitgeist.

It comes to us courtesy of the mighty Isley Brothers.

I am in the habit of grabbing each and every original Tamla/Motown LP I find in the wild (not as common as you’d think) and I was very happy indeed when I found the record you see before you.

I was even happier when I discovered that the purchase would also scratch another itch, the one that concerns itself with Motown having their acts cover songs by other (Motown) acts.

This was a fairly common phenomenon, and the Isley Brothers take on Martha and the Vandella’s ‘Nowhere To Run’ is a killer.

The groovy thing is, that is is no mere retread. It is a different backing track than the Vandellas hit, slightly sparer with interesting guitar and piano touches, with the harmony backing vocals much more prominent in the mix, and a great wailing lead vocal.

While I don’t think that the Isley’s take on the song would have surpassed Martha and the Vandellas (in fact the Isleys version remained an LP-only cut), which has a uniquely clear, direct sound as well as Martha Reeves remarkable lead vocal, it is excellent.

If you can get your hands on a copy of the LP, do so, as there are a number of amazing tracks, including ‘Seek and You Shall Find’ which I consider something of a forgotten Motown classic.

I hope you dig the tune, that you can all hang on to the ride, and I’ll see you on Monday..

Keep the faith

Larry

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Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

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By Larry, January 17, 2017 12:24 pm

Lee Rogers

Listen/Download – Lee Rogers – Go Go Girl MP3

Greetings all.

I hope the middle of the week finds you well enough to get up outcha seat and dance, on account of what’s up.

Lee Rogers (nee Rogers Lee Caton) was a fairly prolific (on the 45RPM tip, anyway) Detroit soul singer with a catalog that stretched from the early 60s into the late 70s.

The tune I bring you today was released in 1966 on the D-Town label.

Rogers one and only hit had come the previous year when ‘I Want You To Have Everything’ made it into the R&B Top 20.

He never made another dent in the national charts, but the A-side of today’s selection, ‘I’m a Practical Guy’ was a regional hit in Detroit and the Great Lakes area in the summer of 1966.

Though that tune is a cracker, ‘Go Go Girl’ is the side for me.

Written by Detroit stalwarts Mike Hanks, Rudy Robinson and William Garrett, produced by Hanks and arranged by McKinley Jackson, ‘Go Go Girl’ is a hard-hitting dance floor stormer, with booming drums, solid guitar and bass and a horn section thar builds nicely.

Roger’s vocal moves between a smooth tenor and a reaching falsetto.

It’s not hard to imagine packed rooms of dancers, here in the US and over in the UK where Rogers’ 45s are sought after, getting down to this one.

‘Go Go Girl’ isn’t cheap, but it’s not going to put you in the poorhouse either, so if you dig it, and you want to make some people dance, go get yourself a copy for your playbox.

I hope you dig it, and I’ll see you tomorrow with something very special!

Keep the faith

Larry

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Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

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By Larry, January 3, 2017 11:56 am

Original artwork by Tim Smith

Mighty Hannibal – Jerkin’ the Dog (Shurfine)
Andre Williams – Rib Tips (Avin)
Andre Williams – Cadillac Jack (Checker)
Bunker Hill – Hide and Go Seek (Intermission)
Jon Thomas – Hot Tip (Mercury)

Nathaniel Mayer and the Fabulous Twilights – Village of Love (Fortune)
Dr Ross – Cat Squirrel (Fortune)
Arthur Griswold – Pretty Mama Blues (Fortune)
Dave Hamilton and his Peppers – The Beatle Walk (Fortune)

Sparkletones – Black Slacks (ABC-Paramount)
Carl Holmes and the Commanders – Mashed Potatoees Pt1 (Atlantic)
Duals – Oozy Groove (Infinity)
Kipper and the Exciters – Drum Twist (Torch)
Marvelle and the Blue Mats – A Dance Called the Motion (Dynamic Sound)

Bobby Parker – Watch Your Step (V-Tone)
Rivingtons – Papa Ooo Mow Mow (Liberty)
Turtles – Buzz Saw (White Whale)
Eskew Reeder – Green Door (Minit)
Magnificent Malochi – Mama Your Daddy’s Come Home (Brunswick)

Listen/Download – Funky16Corners Pays Tribute to Billy Miller from the WFMU Rock and Soul Ichiban Stream 1/1/17 MP3

Greetings all.

What you see before you today is a downloadable version of a radio show I put together for the WFMU Rock and Soul Ichiban Stream, which ran this past Sunday, January 1, 2017.

The grand poobah of the WFMU/Ichiban, Debbie D asked me to participate in a five hour long birthday tribute to the great Billy Miller, who passed away this past November.

As explained in a post I wrote just after he died, Billy and his wife Miriam Linna were a huge influence on my own musical and pop cultural sensibilities starting in the early 80s via their mighty zine Kicks and later through their work with their label Norton Records.

Norton/Kicks were devoted to plumbing the depths of musical history and paying overdue tribute to some of the wildest, largely unsung artists ever to make records, in garage punk, rockabilly, R&B, soul, surf and beat.

When Debbie asked me to put together a portion of the birthday tribute, I wanted to assemble a collection that reflected the vibe that Billy and Miriam put out into the world and its effect on my own work at Funky16Corners and Iron Leg.

This hour-long set includes plenty of soul and R&B, but also some stuff you wouldn’t normally hear at Funky16Corners, including some rockabilly, and early rock instros.

I think it all fits together well, and I hope you dig it.

So pull down the ones and zeros, and I’ll see you all on Friday.

Keep the faith

Larry

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Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

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By Larry, December 1, 2016 11:29 am

Cody Black

Listen/Download – Cody Black – Stop Trying To Do What You See Your Neighbor Do MP3

Greetings all.

The end of the week is nigh, and so then is the Funky16Corners Radio Show, which drops each and every Friday (on iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher, Mixcloud and Funky16Corners.com) with the best in funk, soul, jazz and rare groove, all on original vinyl.

We end the week with a later side from one of those singers beloved by the Detroit aficionados on the UK soul scene (yet barely here in the US).

Cody Black came up in Ohio (not far from King Records) , but did the bulk of his recording for a variety of Detroit labels from 1961 into the mid-70s.

His work is of a consistently high quality, yet he never really had more than regional success (in and around Detroit) until he was discovered by the Soulies in the UK.

Today’s selection ‘Stop Trying To Do What You See Your Neighbor Do’ was released in 1970 on Capitol, produced by Ted White (the former Mr Aretha Franklin) and co-written by Black and Tony Johnson (of Tony and Tyrone).

‘Stop Trying…’ was recorded in the Motor City yet has many of the hallmarks of Southern soul from around the same time.

The relaxed, yet slightly funky beat, the piano, bass and guitar are all very cool, and the female backing singers drop in at all the right times.

Black has a cool, slightly raspy and very flexible voice.

The flipside, ‘Ain’t No Love Like Your Love’ has more of a gospel flavor to it (so much so that I wouldn’t be surprised if it was a reworking of an actual gospel song).

He recorded a series of singles with White’s Stone’Roc outfit in 1969 and 1970, and doesn’t seem to have entered the studio again until the late 70s.

Black’s 45s from this era are fairly cheap and easy to find, unlike his earlier Northern sides, many of which are very rare, and very, very expensive.

I hope you dig the cut, and I’ll see you all on Monday.

Keep the faith

Larry

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Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

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By Larry, July 3, 2016 11:22 am

Sir Mack Rice

Listen/Download – Sir Mack Rice – Mustang Sally MP3

Listen/Download – Sir Mack Rice – I Gotta Have My Baby’s Love MP3

Listen/Download – Sir Mack Rice – Love Sickness MP3

Greetings all.

As I said on Friday (yes, we’re bookending the weekend with obits) the giants of classic soul are falling at an alarming rate, and we were reminded of this last week with the passing of the mighty Sir Mack Rice.

Born Bonny Rice in Mississippi in 1933, by the 1950s he had relocated to Detroit where he would join one of the most important early soul groups, the Falcons, which would be home to singers like Wilson Pickett, Eddie Floyd, and Joe Stubbs (brother of Levi and an unsung hero of Motor City soul).

Rice is best remembered to the general public today as the author of ‘Mustang Sally’, one of the most ubiquitous of all classic 1960s soul tunes, via the hit by Wilson Pickett, and then its revival on the wedding circuit in the cover by the Commitments.

Rice was unusual in that the importance of his career is split pretty evenly between his work as a singer and songwriter.

He made a number of excellent 45s over the years for Blue Rock, Stax, Atco, Capitol and Truth, as well as writing songs for artists like the Staple Singers (Respect Yourself), Rufus Thomas (Breakdown, Funky Penguin) and others.

Rice had a smooth, tenor voice with a Southern twang, and considering the excellence of his songs, should have been a much bigger deal in his day. Sadly he only had two R&B hits in his career, Mustang Sally in 1965 and Coal Man in 1969.

The tracks I bring you today are my faves by Rice. I would have been remiss were I not to begin with the original (and little heard these days) version of Mustang Sally.

Produced by no less a light than Andre Williams, Rice’s version is very cool, yet it’s easy to see how Pickett’s incomparable, powerful voice grabbed the attention of the public.

The next two tracks are both sides of Rice’s second Stax 45 (and the last in his first stint with the label), ‘I Gotta Have My Baby’s Love’ and ‘Love Sickness’.

Yet another entry in the “how was this not a hit’ sweepstakes, I first encountered ‘I Gotta Have My Baby’s Love’ tucked away on an old Jerry Blavat comp from the 60s (the Geater had excellent taste). It’s a fast moving bit of classic Stax, co-written by Sir Mack and Booker T and the MGs. It features some blazing horns, remarkably heavy drums and great piano.

The flipside, ‘Love Sickness’ finds it self closer to mid-tempo, and features a very groovy chorus and some interesting chord changes.

Sir Mack Rice, despite that fact that his work is best known to soul collectors, was an important part of the machinery of 60s soul.

He will be missed.

See you all on Wednesday.

Keep the faith

Larry

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Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

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By Larry, June 28, 2016 11:12 am

McKinley Jackson

Listen/Download – McKinley Jackson and the Politicians – Love Machine Pt1 MP3

Listen/Download – McKinley Jackson and the Politicians – Love Machine Pt2 MP3

Greetings all.

I’d like to start by thanking everyone that participated in the Funky16Corners 2016 Allnighter/Pledge Drive, either as a donor or selector. Your generosity continues to inspire me, and helps the podcast, blog and archives up and running.

The drawing for the M-Tet 45 will be announced on Friday.

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The world of funk and soul is filled with stars, but they wouldn’t be anything without the studio bands that provided the foundation for much of their music.

Groups like the Funk Brothers (Motown and many smaller Detroit labels), the Philly rhythm section/MFSB who can be heard on just about everything that came out of Philadelphia for a decade, the Chess/Cadet house band, and today’s artists, McKinley Jackson and the Politicians.

Jackson had been a Detroit trombone player and arranger (working on records for folks like Lee Rogers, the Fabulous Peps, Ortheia Barnes and Gloria Taylor) who followed Holland/Dozier/Holland when they went left Motown to form Invictus/Hotwax, eventually leading the house band for those labels (the Politicians).

Jackson and the Politicians recorded and album for Hotwax in 1971 and went on to have a minor R&B hit with the fuzz-guitar led ‘Free Your Mind’.

Though the Politicians were mainly and instrumental outfit, they brought in songwriter, producer and Invictus/Hotwax A&R man Ron Dunbar on vocals for part one of today’s selection ‘Love Machine’.

Unlike most of their album, which is composed of fairly hard edged funk, ‘Love Machine’ is pure early 70s soul with a style that was aimed (however unsuccessfully) at the charts.

‘Love Machine’ was actually the first single released by the Politicians, and I’m surprised that it wasn’t a hit. It’s a great song, with plenty of hooks and a great vocal by Dunbar, and the instrumental take (which also appeared as the B-side to ‘Free Your Mind’) on the flipside is cool as well.

Their album is outstanding (and expensive) funk and well worth tracking down.

I hope you dig the sounds and I’ll see you all on Friday.

Keep the faith

Larry

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Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

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By Larry, June 19, 2016 11:25 am

Larry Grogan – Kings

Artistics – So Much Love In My Heart (Okeh)
Millionaires – A Rather Hip Shing (Philips)
Volcanos- You’re Number One (Arctic)
Sims Twins – A Losing Battle (Omen)
Spirit of St Louis – Wait Until Tomorrow (Philips)
Eddie Purrell – The Spoiler (Volt)
The Spellbinders – A Little On the Blue Side (Columbia)
Bobby Bland – Shoes (Duke)
Bull and the Matadors – Move With the Groove (Toddlin’ Town)
Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers – It’s Growing (Gordy)
Billy Leonard – Tell Me Do You Love Me (Fairmount)
George Guess – No Matter What (Pearl Harbor)
Olympics – Baby Do the Philly Dog (Mirwood)
Benny Gordon and the Soul Brothers – I’m Gonna Give Her All the Love I Got (Wand)
Marketts – Stirrin’ Up Some Soul (WB)
Trade Martin – Moanin’ (RCA)
Bobby Newton – Do the Whip (Mercury)
The Groovers – I Got To Go Now (Up On the Floor) (Groovy)

Listen/Download – Larry Grogan – Kings 103MB Mixed MP3

Greetings all 

Welcome back to the Funky16Corners 2016, Allnighter/Pledge Drive.

Today I give you the final mix of this year’s Allnighter, the complementary/second half of this years mix from yours truly, ‘Kings’.

This is an hour of the finest male soul 45s – all dancers – from the classic era. You get soul from Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Los Angeles, St Louis, Memphis and Houston, all with the sounds to put some pep in your step.

Make sure to spin this one with the ‘Queens’ mix posted on 6/5 for the full effect.

I want to thank all the selectors that participated this year for putting together these great mixes, as well as everyone that donated.

If you haven’t donated, please click on the Paypal link and drop something in the bucket to help cover the 2016 operating costs.

Don’t forget to click that Paypal button and donate, and we’ll be back later in the week with some more of the soul and funk goodness you’ve come to expect from Funky16Corners!

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Your donations help to keep Funky16Corners up and running, with the blog, Funky16Corners Radio Show podcast and hundreds of hours of archived mixes.

Everyone that donates will get the new 2016 Funky16Corners badge and bumpersticker, with which you can adorn the garment and flat surface of your choosing.

Also, everyone that donates will be entered into a drawing to win a copy of the new 45 by the M-Tet!

So pull down the ones and zeros, dig deep and Keep the Faith!

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Keep the faith

Larry

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Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

Comments (1)

By Larry, June 5, 2016 11:33 am

Funky16Corners Presents: Queens
Vicki Gomez – Boys Are a Dime a Dozen (ABC/Paramount)
Rita and the Tiaras – Gone With the Wind Is My Love (Dore)
Apollas – Mr Creator (WB)
Clara Ward – The Right Track (Verve)
Gloria Jones – Heartbeat Pt1 (Uptown)
Sandy Wynns – Love Belongs To Everyone (Champion)
Tina Britt – The Real Thing (Eastern)
Brenda Lee – Dancing In the Street (Decca)
Candy and the Kisses – Keep On Searching (Scepter)
Dorothy Berry – Shindig City (Planetary)
Marie Queenie Lyons – Drown In My Own Tears (Deluxe)
Mirettes – Now That I Found You Baby (Mirwood)
Bobbettes – Tighten Up Your Own Home (Mayhew)
Funky Sisters – Soul Woman (Aurora)
Ella Fitzgerald – These Boots Are Made For Walkin’ (Salle)
Sari and the Shalimars – No Reason To Doubt My Love (Veep)
Judy Clay – Sister Pitiful (Atlantic)
Lesley Gore – Take Good Care (Of My Heart) (Mercury)
Barry St John – Cry Like a Baby (GRT)

Listen/Download – Funky16Corners Presents: Queens 86MB Mixed MP3

Greetings all and welcome to the 2016 Funky16Corners Allnighter/Pledge Drive!

This is the time of year where I and some of the finest selectors I know create some brand new mixes and post them here in the hope that you will all show your appreciation by clicking on the Paypal link and tossing something into the hat to help cover our yearly operating budget. This is the 10th Anniversary of the Pledge Drive and the 6th year of the Allnighter format.

This year’s line-up includes mixes from Asbury Park 45 sessions alums DJ Prestige, DJ Prime Mundo, DJ Bluewater, Vincent the Soul Chef, my man in the UK Ben Gibson, Tarik Thornton, HeavySoulBrutha Dave B, Chris Lujan of the M-Tet and the Dirty Dirty Podcast, DJ RP of Funkdefy Ohio and yours truly book-ending the whole thing.

The mixes this year are uniformly excellent, with sounds ranging from funk 45s, to Northern Soul, sweet soul, reggae, modern funk instros, soul jazz and everything in between.

We’ll be posting a mix each weekday for the next few weeks.

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Your donations help to keep Funky16Corners up and running, with the blog, Funky16Corners Radio Show podcast and hundreds of hours of archived mixes.

Everyone that donates will get the new 2016 Funky16Corners badge and bumper sticker, with which you can adorn the garment and flat surface of your choosing.

So pull down the ones and zeros, dig deep and Keep the Faith!

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We’re going to get things started (and eventually finished) with a two-part mix by yours truly, entitled Queens & Kings. These are each an hour long and feature an hour of danceable soul, first by the ladies, and then by the fellas.
I’ve picked up a lot of outstanding stuff in the past year, including some of my personal Northern Soul grails, a couple of unexpected things (from people you wouldn’t expect, naturally) and lots of other groovy sounds!

So dig it, and we’ll be back tomorrow with DJ Prime Mundo!

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Keep the faith

Larry

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Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

Comments (0)

By Larry, May 17, 2016 11:04 am

Edwin Starr

Listen/Download – Edwin Starr – Back Street MP3

Listen/Download – Edwin Starr – Back Street (Inst) MP3

Greetings all.

Though the mighty Edwin Starr is best known to the general public for his Motown-era hits like ‘War’ and ’25 Miles’, the soulies will tell you that his greatest days were recording for the mighty Detroit soul powerhouse Ric-Tic between 1965 and 1967.

Ric-Tic, run by Joanne Bratton and Ed Wingate, released some of the finest Motor City soul of the classic era, with sides by Starr, Gino Washington, JJ Barnes, Rose Batiste, the Fantastic Four, Al Kent and many more.

Edwin Starr’s Ric-Tic sides are consistently excellent, and ‘Back Street’ is one of the best of the lot.

Written by Starr and LeBaron Taylor (both under other names) ‘Back Street’ is a fast moving number with a big following among the Northern Soul crowd.

The arrangement, featuring drums, percussion, handclaps and a prominent rhythm piano is pushed along by horn stabs and female backing vocals.

Starr’s vocal is, of course, top notch. He was one of the finest male voices working in Detroit during the classic era.

I’m also including the groovy instrumental take from the b-side, which has also been known to be spun for dancers of distinction.

I hope you dig the sounds, and I’ll see you all on Friday.

Keep the faith

Larry

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Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

Comments (0)

By Larry, March 24, 2016 11:49 am

Funky16Corners Presents Go Go Shoes – Mix for Night Train Radio Show
The La Salles – La La La La La (VIP)
Jimmie Preacher Ellis and the Odd Fellows – (C’Mon) Let’s Dance to the Drum Beat (Kris)
Tina Britt – The Real Thing (Eastern)
Johnny Jay and the Gangbusters – Gangbusters Blues (Josie)
Gene Waiters – Shake and Shingaling Pt2 (Fairmount)
Cannibal and the Headhunters – Shotgun (Date)
Dottie Cambridge – He’s About a Mover (MGM)
Gravities (Bobby Newton’s Band) – Do the Whip (Instrumental Version) (Mercury)
Lonnie Youngblood – Go Go Shoes (Fairmount)
Ronnie Rae and the Dynamics – Funky Shuffle (RJR)
Soul Continentals – Bowlegs (Sound Stage Seven)
Big Maybelle – 96 Tears (Rojac)

Listen/Download – Funky16Corners Presents: Go Go Shoes MP3

Greetings all.

A while back Steve and Paul of the Night Train radio show (92.3 Sheffield Live in the UK) asked if I’d put together a guest mix for their show.

That mix airs this Thursday, (3/24 11pm GST/ 7pm EST), and you can pick yourselves up a download right here at the blog.

The Night Train guys requested a tight half hour, and that’s what you get, with soul, R&B and Northern sides mixed together for your dancing (and listening) pleasure.

These are all (with a few exceptions) fairly new additions to the Funky16Corners crates, so aside from a play or two in the podcast, they haven’t appeared here before.

So tune into the Night Train, pull down the ones and zeros, and have yourselves a great weekend.

I’ll see you all on Monday.

Keep the faith

Larry

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Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.