Rocking & Rolling (part 1)

Today, on this glorious 30th of June, 2007, we celebrate Rock & Roll - its variations, its niches, its infinate glory and splendor. In the past months since my last update (sorry about that), I've gone digging in Seattle with Jake One, rummaged a few garages, and digested a new addendum to my collection - all of my brother's old records (he moved too - to North Carolina).

We start off with a fantastic record that I found just outside of Seattle. The record is called FACE THE MUSIC (1972), and it's by the obscure (to me, at least) Jazz-Rock band, SOD. "California" is bassist and vocalist, "Highme" Devers is on drums and vocals, Michael Green plays a myriad of percussion, and Rick Kellis is on sax, percussion and vocals. They're joined by Pat "Chico" Murphy on Congas and "Dirty" Don Phillips on guitar.

Allured by the album cover, I picked it up, listened to the first 8 or 9 seconds of A1 and walked straight to the counter to buy (I did not pay the $24.00 as the sticker might otherwise imply). I have since spent hours with this record and am at a loss when listening to it. It is some of the funkiest, vampiest, live shit I've ever heard. It reminds me a little bit of War, a little bit of Sly, a little bit of Spruce (my uncle's New England-based band circa 1974 - more on that later).

Like many great random finds, the tracklisting on the sleeve does not match that of the a- and b-side labels, but the labels are accurate in portraying what is actually included in this recording. In addition to the tracklisting on the sleeve there is a little paper insert inside the sleeve. Let's continue reading, shall we? After peeling through the "thank you"s, the engineering credits and the song lyrics, there's this one little line. What's that say? I must not be reading it right. Oh. Produced by.... David Axelrod??!?! Well I'll be. No wonder. This does sound exactly like the fruits of mr. oft-psych jazz-funk-rock fuser's labor. It all makes sense now.

To be perfectly honest, this record could supply enough samples to fill a discography of beatmakers who still sample in hip hop. I have wet dreams (well, not really) about what Jake One, The Are or Madlib might do with this record. It's guitar and horn heavy riffs and abundant instrumental breaks are just too good to be true. There is such a great dynamic relationship between the rhythm section and the brass that you'd swear this is the way bands should have always been arranged. What if Led Zeppelin had a trumpet ensemble for FOUR or if The Stones had a tuba and sax dueling throughout SOME GIRLS? Of course, neither of these hypotheticals should really exist, but I trust that you get my point.

Perhaps the only negative thing that you could say about this record is that... erm. I don't know, man. Seriously, this is a brilliant record. The songs are amazing, the performances and arrangements solid, and the sound impecable. Even if I'd paid the full price as listed for this one, I feel I would have had made the right choice. If you find it, buy it. If you find two, put one aside for me. I could always use doubles.