Saturday 6-Pack: #2

Here is the "Saturday 6-Pack" Volume 2, where I put together a week's worth of musical obsessions into one mini-set for your listening pleasure.

THE SONGS

I WISH YOU WOULD- BILLY BOY ARNOLD

A favorite of just about every white boy blues player who matters, as well as some who don't, Billy Boy Arnold's "I Wish You Would" always eluded me. I've listened to The Yardbirds hundreds of times. Same with David Bowie's version. But it took years before I got a hold of the original. Now, it's all I want to hear.

DON'T BURST MY BUBBLE- THE SMALL FACES

2:21 worth of complete and utter sweat and soul from Steve, Ian, Kenny and Ronnie.

COLOR ME TRUE- SLY & THE FAMILY STONE

There is so much more to Sly & The Family than the dozen hits we are all familiar with. This track took me by surprise, like so many do in this age of iPod shuffle. The groove won't let up. It even gets into a bit of Chambers Brothers territory on the refrain. And speaking of the refrain, I just love what the drums are doing.

TRICK OR TREAT- OTIS REDDING

Another song from the repertoire of my old band The Cool Jerks, this not so popular Otis Redding tune sounded pretty damn good on a live performance we did back in 2008, I had to bring myself back to Earth with the Otis original. No one sings like Otis.

YOU DID ME WRONG- JOHNNY SAYLES

There is an "unofficial" collection in limited availability of this Chicago soul screamer  called "The Johnny Sayles Story." If you choose to grab it HERE,  my feeling is by track 10, you will find yourself mesmerized, as each song seems to outdo the previous. This is as raw as it gets.

CRYSTAL BALL- PRINCE

Back before Larry Graham got a hold of Prince and did a Eugene Landy on his tiny little ass, Prince could do anything. And during that run from 1980-1990, the man was untouchable. There's too much to say about his music, and how I had been obsessed with all of it. I think a Prince piece is on the horizon. For now, we have this epic.

My friend Bill just turned me on to a fan-made remaster of the now legendary 1987 release, "Sign O'The Times." Some demented philanthropist took the time to somehow remaster the record, from which source I don't know, and resequence it to include a few other tunes that were recorded around the same time. Whoever this guy is, he did a spectacular job. One of these added tracks is "Crystal Ball." Now you may be familiar with the tune from the "Dream Factory" sessions, or from the "Crystal Ball" box itself, but listening to it in this new context, simply stated, blew my mind.

This song unfolds beautifully, with a barebones opening groove and trance-like delivery that becomes more and more powerful as it takes shape, climaxing with some of Prince's finest guitar playing AND drumming.Yes, Prince on the drums. You need to hear it to believe it.


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