The first volume of this Ace Records series, compiling some overlooked and obscure collisions of soul, funk, disco, and jazz from the late '60s and 1970s, is actually not as good as the second installment. Still, hats off are in order for getting a relatively solid and sonically consistent anthology of this genre together, though a few of the outings are standard-issue '70s funk-soul-jazz fusion.
Isaac Hayes (with his cover of "Use Me") is the most famous artist, the lineup being tilted toward some of the finer moments of funk-soul journeymen like Caesar Frazier and
Ripple. Some left-field highlights, though, are
Tammi Lynn's previously unreleased interpretation of "Light My Fire," embellished by some mighty suggestive groans;
Cal Tjader's truly peculiar take on
the Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter," with some space-age electronics and wah-wah guitars; and
Dave Hamilton's previously unissued, soundtrack-quality eerie "Marriage Is a State of Vibes," with its lean funk strut. Veterans of the '50s rock and R&B scene make unexpected updates into the psychedelic soul era on
Preston Love's "Chili Mac" and
Preston Epps' "Afro-Mania," while
the Sonny Constanzo Big Band's "New Beginning" sounds in places like a TV pit orchestra suddenly getting a whole lotta soul. [This U.K. import is not available for sale in North America.]
