Funk

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Song of The Day – The Meters – “Come Together”

 

The Meters (album)
The Meters (album) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My trivia question on George Harrison’s cover version of “Got My Mind Set On You” set me to thinking.  Hmmm, George, Beatles, great songs, covers.  Made me want to hear a Beatles song, but not by the Beatles, and not a cover that was well-known.  I settled on one of my favourite songs by them, “Come Together” and remembered this version done by The Meters.  These guys were a New Orleans funk band that were together in the 60’s and 70’s.  They did not have much mainstream success but were held in high regard by many in the know.  They backed up a lot of people, names like Dr. John and Robert Palmer.  This cover has a great edge to it, as edgy as the original I would venture.  As a special add-on, Ii have also included an all time funk classic.  Enjoy.

Come Together

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Cissy Strut

 

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Remembering Andrew Love

Get Up & Dance (The Memphis Horns album)

Get Up & Dance (The Memphis Horns album) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

April 12 saw the passing of sax player Andrew Love.  He died of complications from Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 71.  Andrew was an artist that we have all heard at one point in our life.  He and trumpet player Wayne Jackson did session work at (anything that had horns in it was him)  Records.  They played on recordings by Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes and Sam and Dave among others.  Wayne and Andrew formed The Memphis Horns and began freelancing for sessions.  In this period they recorded with Elvis Presley, Neil Diamond, Al Green, U2 and Dusty Springfield.  They also hooked up on tours by the Doobie Brothers, Jimmy Buffet and Robert Cray.

This video is part interview (with Ann Peebles).

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This is a great live performance of Satisfaction by Otis Redding, with the Memphis Horns supplying the brass.

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As a unit, The Memphis Horns released 9 albums, mostly in the 1970’s..  As one could expect, they specialized in a funk sound.  The group received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2012 Grammys.  Here is a sample of their work.

 

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