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Various - Psych-Funk 101 (1968-1975)

Recommended by us on 16th September 2009

Psych-Funk 101 (1968-1975) by Various

5...according to our on Wed 16 Sep, 2009.

Psych-Funk 101 (1968-1975) is the debut release from World Psychedelic Funk Classics and presents itself as 'a global psychedelic funk curriculum', complete with a 'course description' and 'supplemental listening' in its copious notes (found either on the handsome gatefold sleeve of the vinyl or the 36-page booklet of the CD). The title may be a little misleading since some tracks contain funk and some contain psych with a geniune melding of the two not always apparent, but nonetheless this is chock full of amazing and eye-opening stuff. The only names I was previously familiar with were Ethiopian jazz legend Mulatu Astatke (who doesn't quite reach his usual heights here) and French Zeuhl dudes Eskaton (who do) but I'll certainly be investigating the others further, particularly Turkey's Husnu Ozkartal Oskestrasi and Italy's Armando Sciassia whose bassy grooves pretty much blew me away. Hopefully there are many more of these to come..

Funky fuzzy psychedelic tracks from 60s and 70s Nigeria, Iran, Turkey, Russia, South Korean and other exotic countries. Rare and previously unreleased tracks restored and remastered, many from the original master tapes. Detailed liner notes with rare photos, ephemera and full annotation and band histories. CD in digipak with 36 page booklet. ‘Psych-Funk 101 – A Global Psychedelic Funk Curriculum’ introduces students to the global phenomenon of psychedelic funk music, and covers the “golden years” of the movement, from approximately 1967 until 1980. This compilation does not focus on American and British bands. Rather it focuses on the bands throughout the Global Village that were influenced by the innovation of American and British bands – that many times one upped the heroes they sought to emulate. This compilation focuses on bands influenced by James Brown, The Meters, Sly and The Family Stone, Booker T and The MGs and The Bar Kays and unsung rhythmic forces such as drummers Bernard Purdie, Idris Muhammad, Earl Palmer, bassists such Carol Kaye and Jimmy Lewis. It focuses on bands who took that energy and combined it with the flair of psychedelic-rock musicians such as Jimi Hendrix and Cream – as well as pop-rock acts taken by the experimental side of psychedelia such as The Beatles. But these bands added their own, unique cultural flourishes. The result is mind-bending. Think about it for a second – what musical forces were greater than that of funk and psychedelic music in the late 60s and early 70s? These forces, combined by bands happy to incorporate folk music and improvisational elements from other musical forms, lead to an amazing body of work still being unearthed by researchers the world over – and still capable of inspiring new investigations into shapes of rhythm.

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