Thursday, 15 September 2011

Eddie Kendricks - Can I

Everything is just right about this song. The stripped-down production, that beautiful opening guitar solo - and Eddie's voice is just something else. This comes from his debut solo LP, released just a few months after his exit from The Temptations. The album was a commercial flop and to this day remains unfairly overshadowed by its 1972 follow-up, 'People...Hold On'.





Eddie Kendricks
from All By Myself (1971)

Monday, 12 September 2011

Tim Maia - O Descobridor Dos Sete Mares

This song's title translates as The Seven Seas of Rhye, although I'm pleased to say there is no discernible link to the Queen song of the same name.




Tim Maia

Sunday, 11 September 2011

Peter Jacques Band - Mighty Fine

The tragically short-lived duo of Petrus & Malavasi were responsible for some of the smoothest synth-funk jams of the early 80's; from their most commercially successful act, Change, through to lesser-known (yet highly revered) groups like High Fashion, the BB&Q Band and here, Italo-Disco pioneers, the Peter Jacques Band. You can hear the similarities in this number with one of my favourite Change tracks, 'Hold Tight', released the following year.




Peter Jacques Band
from Welcome Back (1980)




Monday, 23 May 2011

Sunday, 22 May 2011

The Gap Band - Not Guilty

The Stevie/Donny/Sly influence is pretty heavy, but so is the jam...




The Gap Band
from S/T (1977)


Sunday, 1 May 2011

Can - Sunday Jam




Can
from S/T (1978)

Saturday, 30 April 2011

Lost Gringos - Ohne Dich

Quality's not great on this one but that kinda adds to its charm.




Lost Gringos
from Nippon Samba (1982)


Tuesday, 26 April 2011

Donna Summer - Working The Midnight Shift

Incandescent - Giorgio Moroder at his best.




Donna Summer
from Once Upon A Time (1977)

Monday, 25 April 2011

Mazarati - Player's Ball

Post-bank-holiday kool-down.




Mazarati
from S/T (1986)



Saturday, 23 April 2011

Dino Terrell - You Can Do It (It's So Easy)

Big summertime rooftop jam with that unmistakable Leroy Burgess sound.




Dino Terrell
from You Can Do It 12" (1986)

Friday, 1 April 2011

Edwin Birdsong - Lollipop

"When I saw you on the scene, with your jelly bean fiend, I knew it was over."




Edwin Birdsong
from S/T (1978)


Wednesday, 30 March 2011

Todd Rundgren - Johnee Jingo

From one of Todd's most experimental albums, (quite a few to choose from). Love the build-up and E-mu overdubbing on this.




Todd Rundgren
from A Cappella (1985)

Tuesday, 29 March 2011

Homeboy & The C.O.L. - Funk Yourself To Death

Chicago's finest, Cecil 'Homeboy' Holden here, getting down in his Sunday best.




Homeboy & The C.O.L.
from S/T (1982)


Monday, 28 March 2011

Carrie Lucas - I Gotta Get Away From Your Love

The second single from her freshman album, Simply Carrie - one of the few records to have been released on the short-lived Soul Train label.

Sunday, 27 March 2011

Bonnie Raitt - Danger Heartbreak Dead Ahead

A bluesy Motown rework, taken from Bonnie's eponymous debut LP.




Bonnie Raitt
from S/T (1971)

Saturday, 26 March 2011

Fred Bongusto - Ore d'Amore (Over and Over)

A fantastic version of the Sinatra song, 'The World We Knew'.


Friday, 25 March 2011

Cartola - Pranto De Poeta

An all-star lineup here, including fellow carioca sambista, Nelson Cavaquino, drummer Wilson das Neves, and the great choro clarinetist, Abel Ferreira. Oh and what an album cover...




Cartola


Thursday, 24 March 2011

Donald Byrd - Think Twice

Much sampled by hip-hop heavyweights such as ATCQ, Main Source, and of course, Erykah Badu, this joint is a smooth jazz classic, mmm hmm.




Donald Byrd



Wednesday, 23 March 2011

Caesar Frazier - Till Another Day

Tom Moulton on the mix for this downtempo soul gem.




Caesar Frazier
from Another Life (1978)





Tuesday, 22 March 2011

Jun Togawa - Mushi No Onna

My favourite female vocalist of all time. And here's why: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uxpylXf5fQ&feature=related




Jun Togawa
from Tamahime Sama (1984)




Monday, 21 March 2011

Sunday, 20 March 2011

Bert Kaempfert - Brazilian Love Song

blue skies and sunshine.




Bert Kaempfert
from Tropical Sunrise (1977)

Friday, 18 March 2011

The B.B. & Q. Band - All Night Long (She's Got The Moves I Like)

Having pondered the possibility of there being more important things in life than inflicting my musical tastes on the general public, I'm pleased to say that logic prevailed, and Music To Milk By is officially back in business. All hail.

from All Night Long (1982)

Friday, 21 January 2011

Kurtis Blow - Throughout Your Years

Music to Milk By is 1 today! Have some Blow to celebrate...




Kurtis Blow
from S/T (1980)


Thursday, 20 January 2011

Adriano Celentano - Svalutation

As true today as it was back then, "siamo in crisi ma!"
Adriano Celentano
from Svalutation (1976)

Tuesday, 18 January 2011

Héctor Lavoe - Tanto Como Ayer

La Voz in full effect.




Héctor Lavoe
from De Ti Depende (1976)

Monday, 17 January 2011

Moacir Santos - Kathy

The tutor for such names as Baden Powell and Wilson das Neves, Moacir Santos was a musical virtuoso and genius. A master of the saxophone, piano, clarinet, trumpet, banjo, guitar and drums, he divided his time between teaching, conducting, composing and recording. This track comes from his classic 1974 Blue Note release, Saudade.




Moacir Santos
from Saudade (1974)


Saturday, 15 January 2011

Earth, Wind & Fire - Devotion





Earth, Wind & Fire
from Open Our Eyes (1974)

Friday, 14 January 2011

Miharu Koshi - L'Amour Toujours

This track was written by the Belgian group, Telex and produced by YMO's Haruomi Hosono. The sound reminds me of Dream Factory era Prince, although this was three years prior so very much ahead of its time.




Miharu Koshi
from Tutu (1983)

Thursday, 13 January 2011

Pleasure - Give It Up

Despite having an album cover that looks like a birthday card, this track has one of the slickest slap bass lines that I ever did hear.




Pleasure
from Give It Up (1982)

Wednesday, 12 January 2011

Daniele Pace - Vaffanculo

Some things can only be said in Italian...




Daniele Pace
from Vitamina C (1979)

Tuesday, 11 January 2011

Sanisah Huri - Gelisah

The seductive sounds of Malaysian singer Sanisah Huri. Achieving fame in the 60's with a string of hits as well as appearances in a number of Malay films, Huri has long since retired from world of show business and can now be found teaching the Qu'ran to children in Singapore. This song's title means 'nervous' and comes from one of her later albums, 1974's Senada Hati.




Sanisah Huri
from Senada Hati (1974)


Monday, 10 January 2011

Sunday, 9 January 2011

Happy End - Hisamezuki No Skech

One of Japan's most influential bands, featuring Haruomi Hosono (YMO) and the hugely underrated Shigeru Suzuki. This prime cut comes from their final studio album.




Happy End
from S/T (1973)

Saturday, 8 January 2011

Lô Borges - Tudo Que Voce Podia Ser

A jazzy, uptempo re-work of the song which first appeared on the 1972 classic, Clube Da Esquina.




Lô Borges
from A Via Láctea (1979)

Friday, 7 January 2011

Linda Williams - Elevate Our Minds

...And our asses will follow.




Linda Williams
from City Living (1979)

Thursday, 6 January 2011

Johnny Alf - Imenso Do Amor

Música Suave.




Johnny Alf
from Eu E A Brisa (1965)


Wednesday, 5 January 2011

Henry Mancini - Butterfly

Ever wonder how it might sound if Henry Mancini made a blaxploitation soundtrack?




Henry Mancini
from Symphonic Soul (1975)



Tuesday, 4 January 2011

Frank Chickens - Sake Ballad

a Happy 2011 to you all. Music is fully functioning once again, and so without further ado, here's a track to bring you back down to earth after the extended winter break - sobering stuff...




Frank Chickens
from We Are... (1984)