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LEON THOMAS - The Leon Thomas Album

When I mentioned Leon Thomas as a huge influence on "Starsailor"-era Tim Buckley, the ever-dimming light bulb flickered in my head: why hadn't I ever featured the man here? Well... I still don't have an answer for that, but I can rectify the situation. Anyway here's what I said to save you the arduous task of scrolling down a coupla posts:

I’m gonna hazard a guess that Buckley had been listening intently to Leon Thomas– particularly his work with Pharaoh Sanders on “Karma.” He liberally borrows Thomas’ conventional-croon-to-absurd-yodel on several tracks...

Even though I was tossing that off somewhat subconsciously, after listening again for the first time in eons to this 1970 LP, his second as leader, I can't believe how damn right I was (not pattin' my damn self on the back, I'm genuinely surprised). The resemblance is uncanny-- keep in mind that Leon's yodel ain't nothin' like what you'd hear in Kentucky Mountain Music from the likes of say, (the rather amazing) Roscoe Holcomb. In fact, here's a quote from the man himself on how he began the use of his vocal trademark; apparently, it was the result of being owed some money:

"I'd been trying to reach this cat for ages with no luck. I was at home and thought 'I'm gonna make this cat pick up the phone'--mentally. I began my yoga exercises and got to the head stand. With one intake of breath, I planned to walk to the phone upside down, dial his number, and make him answer with this mental projection. As I crossed the threshhold of the bedroom, I transcended. I was one place and my body was another. I dropped to the floor, right on my face and my teeth went into my bottom lip. There was blood everywhere.... So I couldn't do my own show with Pharoah. I had eight stitches in my mouth. I couldn't do anything. Pharaoh came by to see me [and he said] you can't pull out. I couldn't smile. I could hardly open my mouth...but I went along anyhow. I got up on the stage and when it came time for me to scat, this sound just came out. It shocked me. I didn't know where it was coming from. I realised it was me and I realised that the ancestors had arrived. Pharoah, standing beside me on stage just raised his eyebrows at me. The ancestors had given me what we call throat articulation and they said to me 'You will sing like this with your mouth CLOSED.' And that was the first time it presented itself to me, in a church. My God! Thank you....It surprises me, it does everything of its own volition. I call it Soularfone. The pygmies call it Umbo Weti....This voice is not me, my voice is ancient. This person you see before you is controlled by ego but my voice is egoless."

Umm.. yeah. Anyway, some of the heaviest hitters of the time lend their services to this opus: drummers Roy Haynes and Billy Cobham (or Kabam! as I like to call him), trumpeter Ernie Royal and saxmen Billy Harper and James Spaulding (who also handles some flute-puffin'). The first three cuts are brief, R&B-infected romps, the standout being an ass-shakin' take on Milt Jackson's Immortal "Bag's Groove." Pleasant enough, but I get me the feelin' that SLN readers will crave the 18-minute "Pharaoh's Tune (The Journey)" where Thomas invites you to saddle up yer camel and take a transcendental journey through the desert (of your mind? Of Egypt? I dunno). Harper and Spaulding trade lines that sound like an approximation of the snake charmer's pungi while Cobham punishes a set o' tablas like they spit on his granny. Thomas' golden throat flutters around on top of it all-- sometimes it's difficult to tell where his invocations end and the horns begin. Being an atheist, you won't catch me using the term "spiritual" very often, but for an accurate description of this piece, no other term seems to suffice.

Project yourself into the comments.


BLACK MERDA - The Folks from Mother's Mixer

If yer a fan of Jimi, Sly, Eddie Hazel/Funkadelic etc., and ya wanna amass a decent collection of knockoffs of so-called "psychedelic soul," the road can get really bumpy. So many of the critically-lauded LP's of the era have more in common with the pseudo-spiritual wank of Santana than "There's a Riot Goin' On." The majority of the relatively "obscure" stuff is available only as high-priced imports, and, in my experience at least, usually ends up beside Mandrill and Purple Image in the trade pile. Well, accuse me of hubris if you must, but here at SLN we like to think we help make the journey a lil' more smooth for y'all-- cuz Black Merda is different; they actually deliver the goods.

Formed in the mid-60's in DEEE-troit by brothers/axeslingers Anthony & Charles Hawkins, their lineup was rounded out by vocalist/bassist Veesee L. Veasey and drummer Tyrone Hite. Originally called the Fabulous Impacts, they provided backing for Motown legends like Edwin Starr (Anthony Hawkins plays guitar on "Agent Double O Soul") and the Spinners. They fell under the spell of Hendrix's "Are You Experienced?," and Black Merda was born-- inking a deal with Chicago's mythic Chess Records.

Their self-titled first album (included in its entirety here) actually predates "Riot"-era Sly by a year (1970)-- amazing when you consider that alla the devices he's been given credit for are already in place: the wakajawaka guitar riffs, doo-wop/gospel-inspired backing vox (lotsa UNNHHH's and OOOOH's) and the social-consciousness of the lyrics, which provide a gritty picture of urban life. The production is a bit on the thin side, but that doesn't diminish the power of shoulda-been hit singles like "Cynthy-Ruth" and the excellent anti-Vietnam rant, "I Don't Want to Die." Their sophomore slab, released on Janus two years later (and also included here in full), has all of the trappings P-Funk would ride to fame-- including their wardrobes-- complete with wide-brimmed fedoras and multi-colored furry jackets (muppet killers!). The production is more professional and fulla punch, and the songwriting is excellent. Most importantly though, their music is never bogged down in soulless jams that aimlessly wander into the free-funk abyss.

Get thine ass to thee comments.