Spaced out soul

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i'm not looking for the effects & fuzz laden psych soul of the temptations or funkadelic, but more like the rhodes driven, mellow, airy soul of artists like John Lucien (who i've been on a big kick lately) and gil scott heron. sorta taking cues from spiritual jazz. other acts could be Andy Bey, Norman Connors later work, Leon Thomas (his less-jazz recordings), Shuggie Otis (sorta) and Terry Callier.

― jaxon (jaxon), Monday, 11 September 2006 18:10 (nineteen years ago)

The Undisputed Truth, maybe?

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Monday, 11 September 2006 18:14 (nineteen years ago)

I only have this album of theirs, but it sounds kinda like what you're looking for.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Monday, 11 September 2006 18:17 (nineteen years ago)

Eugene McDaniels...? you've probably already got his stuff, but GSH and he always go together in my mind.

― Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 11 September 2006 18:18 (nineteen years ago)

i shoulda listed the sound i'm not really looking for is the whitfield/temps/undisputed sound. that's the effects & distortion sound of psych soul to my ears. while it's pretty fucking great, i'm looking for something more loose and soft and airy.

and yes, i almost included Eugene McDaniels, but i forgot.

― jaxon (jaxon), Monday, 11 September 2006 18:22 (nineteen years ago)

There aren't too many whole albums that come to mind (the spiritual jazz bit is something of a wrench), though I suppose you already have the George Duke (Inner Source, Faces in Reflection, Feel, Liberated Fantasies, I Love the Blues, Aura Will Prevail, etc) and Roy Ayers albums (parts of just about every album). Ditto Les McCann -- "Seems So Long," etc.

The McDaniels albums are probably a little to in your face to qualify, no?

Kirk Degiorgio to thread.

― Andy_K (Andy_K), Monday, 11 September 2006 18:26 (nineteen years ago)

"too" in your face, ungh.

― Andy_K (Andy_K), Monday, 11 September 2006 18:27 (nineteen years ago)

oh man Less McCann is the greatest. seems a little raw-er than what jaxon has in mind, maybe? that gruff voice, for one thing. but relies heavily on the fender rhodes, and definitely has his mellow moments.

― Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 11 September 2006 18:34 (nineteen years ago)

MAYBE Azar Lawrence's People Moving (Rushen, Michael Stanton, Skip Scarborough, Jerry Peters on keys), parts of Charles Earland's '70s albums (esp. the stuff with Patrick Gleeson), the Phil Upchurch/Tennyson Stephens album on Kudu...

― Andy_K (Andy_K), Monday, 11 September 2006 18:38 (nineteen years ago)

Lonnie Smith...?

― Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 11 September 2006 18:43 (nineteen years ago)

if i could figure out that goddamned spaced out soul cut i've mentioned before on the dj premier comp 'primo's bakery' i could recommend that.

― gear (gear), Monday, 11 September 2006 18:46 (nineteen years ago)

This makes me think of Deniece Williams' This Is Niecy. Rhodes, electric bass, great dry 70s drum sounds, etc. And I'm sure you have the 70s Bill Withers and Roberta Flack stuff that comes to mind.

― Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 11 September 2006 18:48 (nineteen years ago)

I was thinking about the Williams album, too -- "Free" especially -- but, again, not too much of a spiritual jazz element to that.

The Ramp album?

If Patrice Rushen's "Before the Dawn" had vocals it would be ideal.

I have a feeling jaxon's going to come in and say, "Well, yeah -- of course I have all that."

― Andy_K (Andy_K), Monday, 11 September 2006 18:56 (nineteen years ago)

major xpost because i went to lunch - i don't have enough Duke. the few things i have or have heard are either straight Fusion (but good) or sappy 80s soul (not so good). i need to find the good mix.

love Ayers and he's a good choice for sure. the RAMP project he produced is amazing too.

i've never really listened to Les McCann. (who worked w/)McDaniels is a bit too in your face, but some of his tracks are what i'm looking for.

supposedly Degiorgio (who i don't know too much about) put out an album of spaced out soul with 70s soft rock vocals. i forget the name of the group. i heard a few songs and wasn't too impressed.

― jaxon (jaxon), Monday, 11 September 2006 19:20 (nineteen years ago)

don't focus too hard on the spiritual jazz aspect, that's just one side of it. i just really like the way they play the really open piano and rhodes.

the patrice rushen i've heard is sorta like duke. earlier stuff is fusion and later stuff r'n'b, but i think she's pretty rad. i should get more of it.

i've never heard Deniece Williams and will check her out.

i've also never listened to Roberta Flack because she always seems to be in the cheapo racks (maybe a reason i SHOULD check her out) and also because she seems to get lumped into this soft soul Dionne Warwick territory. i could be wrong.

― jaxon (jaxon), Monday, 11 September 2006 19:26 (nineteen years ago)

this: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:qfug6j4771e0 is one of my favorite live albums ever. probably a little greasier than what yr looking for in general, but some of the mellower cuts might fit the bill. Definitely top-quality rhodes work.

― Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 11 September 2006 19:26 (nineteen years ago)

how about stuff from the Detroit jazz scene of the 70's: The Tribe, Phil Ranelin, Marcus Belgrave...not to mention David Durrah...space oddities all...

― hank (hank s), Monday, 11 September 2006 19:29 (nineteen years ago)

Man I'm going to go get some more Roberta Flack records.

― Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 11 September 2006 19:33 (nineteen years ago)

oh, and a couple of albums named Time Capsule, one by Weldon Irvine (mid-70's), the other by Chris Bowden (mid-90's)...

also, try any of Richard Evans' 70's albums...especially if you're down with stuff on a Charles Stepney tip...

― hank (hank s), Monday, 11 September 2006 19:36 (nineteen years ago)

For a more mellow Les McCann, go for "Invitation to Openness" or "Layers". More?

Lonnie Liston Smith: Astral Traveling
John Klemmer: Waterfalls or Constant Throb if you like some edge, Touch or Arabesque if you are looking for a lighter touch
The Crusaders: Scratch
Hubert Laws: Rites of Spring and/or most of the 70's CTI Records output

Now, grain of salt time. I like a lot harder spaced-out soul, so I would go instead for Weather Report's "Sweetnighter" or "Mysterious Traveler", definitely keeping the McCann and Waterfalls, adding Larry Young's "Lawrence of Newrk" and probably adding "Dark Magus" by Miles. too. And Earland's Leaving the Planet might get a nod.

Hank is OTM with the Phil Ranelin "Vibes from the Tribe"!!!!

― J Arthur Rank (Quin Tillian), Monday, 11 September 2006 19:36 (nineteen years ago)

I have everything through Blue Lights in the Basement and love them all. Jaxon, I will sell them to you for $20 each -- would that make them more attractive? I'll take your money, buy my set back and an extra set to help out Jordan.

― Andy_K (Andy_K), Monday, 11 September 2006 19:39 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, Irvine -- "Feelin' Mellow," "I Love You," a couple songs off Spirit Man. I really wish he would've made a mellow song-based album around the time of Spirit Man.

― Andy_K (Andy_K), Monday, 11 September 2006 19:42 (nineteen years ago)

Three words: Grover Washington, Junior.

― J Arthur Rank (Quin Tillian), Monday, 11 September 2006 19:42 (nineteen years ago)

ha! I'd gladly pay you 20$ for those records.

especially if you're down with stuff on a Charles Stepney tip
do i like Charles Stepney? (that's me) Cadet & Cadet Concept s/d

i've got Spirit Man. i've always meant to get more. i also started the Weldon Irvine thread

― jaxon (jaxon), Monday, 11 September 2006 19:44 (nineteen years ago)

do people here think Ashley Beedle's Black Jazz Chronicles fits this bill?...I've never quite gotten into their Future Ju Ju album, but it purports to draw influence from many of the above...

― hank (hank s), Monday, 11 September 2006 19:45 (nineteen years ago)

I'll take your money, buy my set back and an extra set to help out Jordan.

Haha, awesome.

― Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 11 September 2006 19:49 (nineteen years ago)

apropos of nothing: Irvine totally looks like one of those undead mutants from The Omega Man on the cover of Spirit Man...

― hank (hank s), Monday, 11 September 2006 19:52 (nineteen years ago)

do i like Charles Stepney? (that's me)

Get This Is Niecy, then. It's basically a Stepney-era EW&F album with Williams doing the vocals.

― Andy_K (Andy_K), Monday, 11 September 2006 19:56 (nineteen years ago)

And read this:

http://www.georgeduke.com/1970s.html

― Andy_K (Andy_K), Monday, 11 September 2006 19:57 (nineteen years ago)

sweet, thanks. tons of stuff to look for. the only duke i have on that page is The Aura Will Prevail

― jaxon (jaxon), Monday, 11 September 2006 19:59 (nineteen years ago)

I've never heard 80% of what's been cited so far, but would Ramsey Lewis's Sun Goddess fit the bill?

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Monday, 11 September 2006 20:23 (nineteen years ago)

does anyone have an opinion on the Dee Dee Bridgewater album "Just Family"? it'd been on my list for a long time and i finally found it and listened to it in the store and put it back for some reason. i forget why now.

http://www.discocity.it/images/VARIOUSIMAG/AFROFUNKYDISCO/AFROFUNKY8/dee%20dee%20bridgewater%201977%20just%20family.jpg

― jaxon (jaxon), Monday, 11 September 2006 21:55 (nineteen years ago)

I have Afro Blue and the '76 self-titled one, but not this one. It has a Michael Franks song -- how bad could it be? (Amazing how the sleeve looks like a late '90s self-release.)

― Andy_K (Andy_K), Monday, 11 September 2006 22:01 (nineteen years ago)

check the don cherry for more jazzy. and i think baby huey could fit into this category at times, too.

― trees (treesessplode), Monday, 11 September 2006 22:23 (nineteen years ago)

It has a Michael Franks song -- how bad could it be?

funny, i finally took Sewards advice and listened to Franks' second album this morning. really digging it.

― jaxon (jaxon), Monday, 11 September 2006 22:24 (nineteen years ago)

hey jaxon i just got a gary bartz anthology. i know yer saying not to focus too much on that side but hey the andy bey tracks are sweet!

― alderman frank rossi (bulbs), Monday, 11 September 2006 22:30 (nineteen years ago)

has anyone heard penny goodwin? theres one track (too soon you're old) on a luv'n'haight comp i think you'd like jazon.

― alderman frank rossi (bulbs), Monday, 11 September 2006 22:38 (nineteen years ago)

I haven't gathered my thoughts enough to contribute to this yet (probably because I have nothing much worthwhile to add), but man, oh, man I love these threads. This is right up there with the Jazz goes Pop/Disco thread. Recommend on, next month's music allowance is waiting.

― matt2 (matt2), Monday, 11 September 2006 22:51 (nineteen years ago)

"In a Silent Way."

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Tuesday, 12 September 2006 03:47 (nineteen years ago)

you know, it's funny, but "spaced-out soul" was more or less the thesis of David Toop's Sugar And Poison compilation on Virgin back in the day...but I would not group any of the artists/songs on that comp with anything that has been mentioned thus far in this thread...and that's fine...

― hank (hank s), Tuesday, 12 September 2006 18:48 (nineteen years ago)

This may be an obvious one, but what about Marvin Gaye's "Here, My Dear"?

― Brooker Buckingham (Brooker B), Tuesday, 12 September 2006 21:08 (nineteen years ago)

"Gettin' down on a space bed."

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Tuesday, 12 September 2006 23:42 (nineteen years ago)

eight years pass...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46kJ4oYb4JU

― Heez, Tuesday, 14 July 2015 17:39 (ten years ago)

feeling this thread rn

― Heez, Tuesday, 14 July 2015 17:39 (ten years ago)

What about Mizzell Bros. productions? Does that fit the bill here?

― austinato (Austin), Wednesday, 15 July 2015 02:09 (ten years ago)