Bill Nelson

The Police' stripped-down the funk behind their 'Voices In My Head' Police again, with more 'Voices' of what they're funkin' for:

Also from '79: Andre Crouch with Jay Graydon ('Peg'), Michael Omartian, and David Hungate (Toto) -- much like EW&F and Steely Dan's 'FM'. Check how the band takes it out after the sax solo at 3:13 This contemporary gospel might get me de-frocked by the Soul Pope

During the search among assorted books, magazines, and records, once-forgotten characters and 'persons of interest' can pop up unexpectedly. Such side-tracking has its rewards -- if you've got the time to spare.

Uno mas Manuelle, por favor... both from 1996 album

Sergio George arranged Manuelle's salsa moderna with jazz modulations.

'Pops' Popwell in 1972 with the Rascals:

Doris Duke and 'Congratulations Baby, 1969 recorded in Macon, GA. (19-year-old Robert 'Pops' Popwell is bassist.) Tina Turner had a problem with her man in 1969.

Two from 1973, both fueled by Bob Babbitt's bass:

This track's bass line goes out to thread-starter Soul Pope:

Boston's Prince Charles and 'City Life' (1984), check out his bio below the clip. Cold Blood - 'Baby I Love You' (1973) the tune builds to full-on funk.

Walter 'Junie' Morrison in 1975 after leaving Ohio Players. (Serious jam with horns kicks in at 2:40 mins.)

Prince Charles & the City Beat Band (1982) 'Don't Fake the Funk' Charles Alexander is currently professor of Music Production & Engineering at Berklee in Boston. Dayton - The Sound of Music (1983)

Skull Snaps perform 'I'm Your Pimp' (1973) And this crate-digger's classic by Lafayette Afro Rock Band: An extended single by United 8, 'Getting Uptown (to Get Down)'

In 1972, Tower of Power put Dusty's sultry voice "Cleo's back" (and ending with "Cleo's here.") It was one of TOP's two tracks on 'Lights Out: San Francisco', a various artists 2-LP collection on Blue Thumb. Warner Bros. subsequently insisted that the name 'Tower of Power' removed from the cover, first by label paste-over existing copies and then permanently from future releases.

Mann's 'Stone Flute' (1970) may be his answer to Miles' 'Silent Way'. With Ron Carter, and regulars Sharrock, Miroslav, and Roy Ayers and cellos and violins. It's spacey, not beat-driven with radio hit potential.

My nephew saw pianist Pascal Le Boeuf in Nashville recently. I said, "Pascal Le WHO? Check out this 6 min. clip of his trio:

Having contributed a correct entry to the TTK Challenge -- Mr. Stonewall should receive a prize item from the TTK library.

When Nesuhi Ertegun handed him the lead sheet weeks after Herbie Mann had recorded it, Torme wasn't happy about recording it. Nesuhi pressed him, "It's great! You could do a terrific vocal on this one. We would like to do a single with you before we try an LP." In his autobio 'It Wasn't All Velvet', Torme continues. 'It was a minor blues tune with trite repetitious lyrics and an 'answer' pattern sung by The Cookies, a girl trio. Can this be happening?, I thought. I mean, come on. The Ertegun brothers? World's greatest jazz fans? What have I gotten myself into?" 'Comin' Home Baby' went to #36 on the Billboard November '62 pop chart. Torme's recording was nominated for Best Rhythm & Blues Performance at the 1963 Grammy's.

By the time I finally counted 'em up, there were 11 Capitol Peggy Lee LPs on the shelf. I mean, when you find such nice copies with those Capitol rainbow labels, how can you resist?

Jubilee pressings will be either styrene or shit-grade recycled vinyl with surface blisters and artifacts. In my 50 years as collector and dealer, I avoid Jubilee LPs for the sake of my customers.

When Tony Williams broke from MIles to launch Lifetime, his first mistake was hiring Miles' late-40's buddy Monte Kay as manager. At this time, Monte had been managing Flip Wilson and would be producer of The Flip Wilson Show on NBC-TV in 1970. In Melody Maker (January 15, 1972), John McLaughlin had this to say about Lifetime's state of affairs: "Everything except the music was incredibly bad; management, economics, administration, organization... incredibly bad."

Lewis' next TSA 'pat-down' will confirm our suspicions.

If it was 'Guys and Animals' the dude would less likely sweat out subsequent charges in court.

I've been digging the recent 'Middle Eastern Rock' CD of Berberian (Verve, via Modern Harmonic). As Johnny Carson would've said, "That's some wild, wild stuff!"

Martha Raye's take on Garland perfectly captured Judy's vibrato, as circulated in Raye's capacious mouth.