My One and Only Hugh Masekela Sighting

Happy New Year folks, I'm restructuring here and realize I still owe you an old-school countdown. I didn't want my first post to be an obit but this is a true story I can't get out of my head. As you may know, jazz trumpeter and anti-Apartheid activist Hugh Masekela died at the age of 78. At this time, there is no direct cause but, like many musicians who have left us in recent, I'm happy for his contributions. 

However, I didn't realize some years ago how grateful I should've been to be in his presence or to celebrate what was a historic moment. 

Back in the early 90s, I was a big super-brat woman/baby who really didn't know if she was coming or going. One day, I woke up and decided that I was going to attend Job Corp in Downtown L.A. because it was free. 

It was not one of my best moments but on top of free job training, medical care and food (I didn't live there), I could go to events for free. Not long before dropping the program for good (I also worked a full-time job near LAX), I got an invite to see a newly-freed Nelson Mandela at the L.A.Coliseum. Didn't have to work that evening but me and about a half-dozen folks packed into some car and got pretty good seats. 

Once again, very fortunate to have not experienced the nosebleed section. Looking back, the concert was long. Very long. And back then, on top of drinking and partying, I ingested a lot of caffeine (and this was a couple of decades before energy drinks were a way of life) so I can remember being near tears because I had to coordinate how to get back home without risking my life. 

But in-between, I had a hoot explaining to my reformed gangbanger buddies why Paul Simon, Sting, and many others with pink toes were there to celebrate the South African hero. However, amusement turned into anxiety when Mr. Masekela went into a set that lasted more than an hour long. Sting and James Taylor's sets were less than 15 minutes and other notables (whom I don't remember) were restricted to maybe one song. 

Since then I have not seen so much love and unity for mankind displayed on a single stage. Gangsta rap was beginning to cross into the mainstream and the riots were less than two years away. My generation has few leaders, as many seem to care more about commerce instead of a solution to make things better.

The irony is that while gangsta rap is supposed to be about being a badass, I've yet to see any of its representatives take a real stand against a minor injustice...just abuse or battery against a woman. Anyway, I still have a thing about Soul Train reruns and ran across this rare episode with Mr. Masekela and fellow trumpeter Herb Alpert.
 

Wayback Wednesday Letter G

If you can ever get your hands on this album here, consider yourself one lucky sonofagun.

The reason why I say this is because this the album, alone, that would make her the Queen of Soul.  I never bought that "Empress" title and realize that another notable may not be in the best of health as I type.  That understood, I will never change my mind on how awesome this album is...the vocals, arrangements, everything.  So while there are many tracks to fall in love with (and I'm not a fan, btw), I'm going with the title track though I don't know where this performance took place.

My other choice is also not 100% personal.  Though I love Sly and the Family Stone, my knowledge of Larry Graham was limited until he opened for Prince back in 1997.  Let's just say I couldn't wait for the main attraction.  People ask me to this day if he sang his 1980 hit 'One in a Million' and I say no, it was like a Sly Stone concert with no Sly and a loud guitar.

However, there was this one song I couldn't get out of my head growing up.  Never knew who sang it and it was one of the few my mom hated (because she pretty much had a record store...we lived down the street from a VIP Records, btw).  So anyway, decades pass and one of the few times Soul Train was in reruns, I discovered some new ish (because hip-hop was dying, rock-rap wasn't far behind and neo-soul was starting to sound alike).  Anyway, I have a new respect for this man and hope they do an Unsung episode for his musical contributions.

The Final Throwback - Letter D

There's too much good stuff from which to choose right here, so I decided to go with a compilation.  If you haven't seen their Unsung episode, I recommend it highly.  A portion of their humble beginnings was also featured in the highly-praised 2017 movie Detroit.  Here is an interview that aired before the passing of founder Ron Banks.

Secondly, this track by the incomparable David Ruffin is pretty damn funky.  Most people (Gen-X and younger) remember Mr. Ruffin from the Temptations biopic but I remember seeing him perform this song on a Soul Train rerun a few years ago.  It's pretty memorable.

The Final WayBack Artists Letter A

I'm slowing this situation way down in the coming year. Kind of tired of posting obits and some blaxploitation flicks are so bad that I end up going to sleep midway.  Same applies to modern straight-to-DVD movies (though I had a couple of nice finds recently).  I wouldn't say I'm burnt out but distracted big time.  Plus I have other projects in need of completion.

So, what I'm doing in digging up the rare jams and I may stick in some audio from my personal collection.  Today and tomorrow, for the remainder of the year, I'm going down the alphabetical list.  Some songs you may remember in its original form and other probably sampled to pieces.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to this so stay tuned!

RIP Cuba Gooding Sr.

A truly underrated musician whose sound will live on for decades to come.  As lead singer of the Main Ingredient, his recognizable tenor made many Top 40 hits in the 1970's.  While nothing has been confirmed by officials, there's speculation that Gooding suffered a fatal overdose while behind the wheel.  Prayers to the Gooding family.

Wayback Weds...Making Up for Lost Time in 2015

Love Injection - Trussell




This right here was my rollerskating jam back in the day and I have it on my MP3 (yes, I still have most of my albums, too) today.  Heard it on an old episode of Soul Train recently and damn near lost my mind.

Don't know much about these people or where they are today but this rare groove just reminds me of simpler times.

Release Yourself - Aleem (a.k.a. that flyer party song from the early-mid 80s)


Now if you remember Dr. Dre when he DJ'ed at that itty bitty club on Avalon, south of El Segundo, or the flyer parties near USC...or you lived for KDAY on the AM dial...you have to remember this song.  Don't know what became of these people either but I thought it was a treat to have the full length. 

And if you really liked KDAY on the AM Dial...

The you know they were in the only station is L.A. that played this crazy remix of Humpty Dance by Digital Underground.

Way Back Weds High Inergy/Vintage Vid

I'm not into girl groups or women singers outside of Chaka Khan but everytime I see an old episode of Soul Train from the mid-to-late 70s, I get mad because these ladies did not get their due.  Maybe I was too young to remember but I really hope one day they will develop their own cult following since a reunion is not likely.

Since I think I did post the above in the past year, I decided to throw this in.

I was a fan of disco music as a kid, almost as much as blaxploitation films, and this is another one I cannot get out of my head.  Alton McClain and Destiny may have been a one-hit wonder but in the age of booty-poppin, autotune, bad hair weaves,and other stuff that brings on migraines, they would be very welcome.

RIP Bobby Blue Bland

The Original Soul Train?

Now, I'm not talking about when it was filmed in Chicago or taking away from Mr. Don Cornelius' legacy but there was someone else that came up with the dance show concept for Black folks because...Dick Clark wasn't hearing it back then.

Okay, let me reverse gears a little.

The Mitch Thomas Show was a local dance program based out of Philly.  It was also syndicated in the Delaware and surrounding areas.  Like Mr. Cornelius, he got his start in radio and eventually created something that most likely had more flavor than American Bandstand did back then.

His show would only last from 1955 to 1958 and never reached the West Coast or South,where it may have done well, but it was popular with black and white teens.

When I read about Thomas over the weekend, it reminded me of the movie Hairspray. My mom was the first person to tell me that Blacks were not allowed to dance on the show when it began.  However, according to her and her friends, this scene was typical if a person of color went to audition for Dick Clark and 'em.

Way Back Wednesdays: Andre Cymone + The Revolution Reunited

I was a diehard Prince fan from 1978 - 199? ...let's just say I didn't care for the TAFKAP period but I did go to a few concerts.  Anyway, my roommate and I always "fight" about whether Andre Cymone and P are the same person (despite having numerous coffee table books around the house w/early versions of Prince and the Revolution).  Bounce TV always plays the Soul Train repeats of Dance Electric (1985) by Andre Cymone but few know his first hit.

Now for you old skoolers that remember that the Revolution actually started with Dez Dickerson and Andre Cymone...here is something special for you.  A rehearsal featuring all the original male players of the Revolution.

Blaxploitation and Other Movie Classics on ThisTV in February

Though there is nothing on their homepage, ThisTV is doing a tribute to Black History Month by showing the following

Across 110th Street
Black Girl
Breakin
Five on the Black Hand Side
Glory
Halls of Anger
Hotel Rwanda
I'm Gonna Get You Sucka
Odds Against Tomorrow
The Organization
...and I'm pretty sure Sugar Hill (not Wesley an 'em) is in the lineup also.

So far, it looks good and if you have events you want to advertise for the month of February, hit me up!

Here's one that I hope to catch soon.  UPTIGHT came out in '68 with a very young Max Julien, Ruby Dee and other familiar faces.  Bounce TV would air this after midnight when my lights were out right before the holidays.  

Speaking of, what's up with those Soul Train reruns?  3 and 4 in the morning?  Think of us on the West Coast, PLEASE!