A Blow for Me, a Toot to You

by Fred Wesley & the Horny Horns, Fred Wesley

Overview

In the 1990s, former James Brown sidemen Fred Wesley and Maceo Parker concentrated on instrumental jazz. But back in the late '70s they were both part of George Clinton's empire and focused on P-Funk. Having been in Brown's employ, trombonist Wesley and saxman Parker were obvious choices for Clinton's various projects. The Godfather of Soul was a major influence on Clinton and gave Wesley and Parker a first-class education in funk and soul that served them well when they hooked up with Clinton. In 1977, Clinton and Bootsy Collins produced A Blow for Me, A Toot for You, the debut album by Fred Wesley & the Horny Horns -- a group that boasted Wesley on trombone, Parker on tenor and alto sax, and Rick Gardner and Richard "Kush" Griffith on trumpet. Clinton and Collins did a lot of the writing, and not surprisingly, much of this vinyl LP is pure P-Funk. The album gets off to a gritty start with a remake of Parliament's "Up for the Down Stroke," and the Parliament influence is equally strong on "Between Two Sheets." As for the instrumentals, "Four Play" blends funk and jazz, while Wesley's moody "Peace Fugue" isn't unlike something you would have heard on a CTI recording in the 1970s. "Peace Fugue," in fact, is the least Clinton-sounding thing on the LP. A Blow for Me, A Toot for You isn't in a class with Parliament's The Mothership Connection, Collins' Ahh...The Name is Bootsy, Baby! or Funkadelic's One Nation Under a Groove, but it's a generally likable, if uneven, record that die-hard P-Funk collectors should be aware of. [This edition of the album adds two bonus remixes (of the title track and "Four Play") and a brief audio interview with George Clinton.] ~ Alex Henderson

Product Details

Release Date:	01/14/2022
Label:	Aim / Aim Records
UPC:	0752211600226

Tracks

1. Up For the Down Stroke
2. A Blow For Me a Toot to You
3. When in Doubt Vamp
4. Between Two Sheets
5. Four Play
6. Peace Fugue
7. Up For the Down Stroke
8. Four Play
9. We Came to Funk Ya
10. Half a Man
11. Say Blow by Blow Backwards
12. Mr Melody Man
13. Just Like You
14. Circular Motion

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Fred Wesley & the Horny Horns   Primary Artist
Fred Wesley   Primary Artist,Trombone,Vocals (Background)
The Horny Horns   Primary Artist
Maceo Parker   Primary Artist,Sax (Alto),Sax (Tenor),Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
The J.B.'s   Primary Artist
Phelps "Catfish" Collins   Guitar,Vocals (Background)
Lynn Mabry   Vocals (Background)
Dawn Silva   Vocals (Background)
Randy Crawford   Vocals (Background)
Rick Gardner   Trumpet,Vocals (Background)
The Brecker Brothers   Horn
George Clinton   Vocals (Background)
Frankie "Kash" Waddy   Drums
Glen Goins   Guitar
Garry Shider   Guitar
Jerome Brailey   Drums
Richard "Kush" Griffith   Trumpet,Vocals (Background)
Michael Hampton   Guitar
Robert "P-Nut" Johnson   Vocals (Background)
Richard "Kush" Griffeth   Trumpet,Vocals (Background)
Taka Khan   Vocals (Background)
Bernie Worrell   Keyboards,Synthesizer,Vocals (Background)
Bootsy Collins   Bass,Drums,Guitar,Vocals (Background)
Gary "Mudbone" Cooper   Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Maceo Parker   Composer
Jim Callon   Engineer
Jim Vitti   Engineer
Mike E. Clark   Remixing
George Clinton   Composer,Producer
Glen Goins   Composer
Garry Shider   Composer
William Collins   Composer,Producer
Bernie Worrell   Composer
Bootsy Collins   Composer,Producer
Fred Wesley   Composer,Performer
Fred Wesley & the Horny Horns   Performer