Buddy Miles - A Message To The People (1971)

Buddy Miles (1947 - 2008) was one of the greatest Rock musicians to ever live. Not only did he famously play drums in Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys in the final years of Jimi's life, but he played just about everything else on his own solo albums - on this particular one, he is responsible for: lead vocals, drums, lead guitar, organ, and background vocals. A true visionary. With his combed-out Afro and his skills on the drums (not to mention every other aspect of music), Buddy Miles was kind of the original ?uestlove.

Oh! And he did the lead vocals for the California Raisins!

Also, look at that damn album artwork!! Abdul Mati painted it, along with many of the greatest album covers of all time - such as Miles Davis' Bitches Brew  for instance. 

Anyway, the most important thing of course is the music, and it is worthy of every ounce of curiosity that artwork inspires. Simultaneously funky, powerful, soulful, and totally rocking, this is music of a certain quality that just isn't heard anymore. Here is my favorite song on the record (and one which balances all these elements in a way that gives me chills every time), "The Segment":

If that doesn't do it for you, I don't know what to say. Maybe one more taste of this album art will help.

ENJOY

Johnnie Wilder, Jr. - "My Goal" (1990)

Johnnie Wilder, Jr. (1949-2006) was once the lead vocalist of the great Funk/Soul group Heatwave. They were famous for hits such as "Boogie Nights" and "Always and Forever." They also claimed the great Rod Temperton as a member, who is famous for writing every good song ever, including most of Michael Jackson's Off The Wall and Thriller albums. 

In 1979, tragedy struck in the form of a dump truck, which hit Johnnie's car, paralyzing him from the neck down. He continued recording with Heatwave for a while, and eventually went solo and recorded this excellent A Capella Gospel album, along with another called One More Day a few years later.

The songs on My Goal are poppy and soulful, demonstrating Johnnie Wilder, Jr.'s history in secular music. The vocal arrangements sound almost like a funkier version of The Beach Boys, with bouncing vocal bass lines and Johnnie's smooth falsetto floating gracefully above every composition.

Unfortunately, my 50 cent bargain copy is plagued with all those tell-tale vinyl hisses and crackles, which I did my best to clean up. I couldn't use a noise cancelling tool without effecting the wide range of frequencies in these arrangements, and therefore destroying what makes the music so great. I did my best to get rid of most of the big pops and clicks, but otherwise, the audio is presented as-is. Hey, there's always Amazon.

HERE.