If You’ve Got It, Flaunt It (Part 1)
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Do What You Wanna
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Uhuru
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Album: Another Voyage (1969)

Ramsey Lewis is a bad-ass keys player and you’ve probably never heard of him. With 80 albums and three Grammy Awards to his credit, that’s a crying shame. Don’t feel guilty, though; he’s still touring, and you’ll be blown away by all the progressive music he’s given to the world.

I’m proud to say I have a bunch of Ramsey’s records. I’m trying to remember where I picked up this Crate Diggin’ gem, Another Voyage. I’m pretty sure it was the first Ramsey Lewis record I owned and that it was recommended to me by Cool Chris at San Francisco’s legendary Groove Merchant record store. Living around the block from one of the world’s foremost vinyl palaces wasn’t easy on my wallet. But I have no regrets.

Though the LP is credited to “The Ramsey Lewis Trio,” the other two cats deserve their props. Rhythm sections came and went, but at the time of Another Voyage, Ramsey was playing with some serious talent. Cleveland Eaton remains one of the jazz world’s most revered double bassists and was a member of The Ramsey Lewis Trio from 1966-1974. Maurice White joined Ramsey as his percussionist in 1966; Another Voyage was Maurice’s last album with Ramsey before he created a little outfit called Earth, Wind and Fire.

The Ramsey Lewis Trio helped bridge the gap between jazz and more popular black music genres such as funk and R&B. From a production standpoint, Another Voyage manages to balance experimentation and spontaneity, with an eclectic range of styles and a boast (on the lower-right corner of the LP cover) that it was “Recorded in Concept 12,” whatever that means (Internet, you were of no help).

“If You’ve Got It, Flaunt It (Part 1)” kicks off the record with a hard-driving jam, showcasing the ferocity of Ramsey’s piano chops. By the way: Part 2, which closes the record, is just as funky.

“Do What You Wanna” is a classic blues progression elevated by slinky electric piano and Cleveland’s virtuosic bass playing. The background laughter, hand claps, and catcalls contributes to the uplift.

While in his favorite Chicago drum shop, Maurice found a kalimba, which sounds kinda like a toy xylophone. To witness Maurice play the kalimba is akin to observing a teenager play a video game — spasmodic thumbs in a meditative trance. “Uhuru” marks the first time Maurice recorded with the kalimba, and — decades later — Earth, Wind and Fire concerts still feature Maurice freaking a kalimba interlude.

Go do yourself a favor and pick up some more of The Ramsey Lewis Trio. His consistency starts getting shaky after Sun Goddess, so stick to the pre-1975 releases.

Wishing On A Star
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Do Your Dance
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Album: In Full Bloom (1977)

About six months ago, the music world lost Norman Whitfield. Whitfield was one of the driving forces behind the Motown label, writing and producing a jaw-dropping litany of hits including “I Heard It Through The Grapevine,” “Papa Was A Rolling Stone,” “Smiling Faces Sometimes,” and “War (What Is It Good For).” After leaving Motown in the early 70s, Whitfield stole some of the label’s underused assets and started his own eponymous shingle.

Whitfield Records biggest success was the 1976 soundtrack album for Car Wash, with the title track, “I Can’t Get Next To You,” and “I’m Going Down” representing on the singles charts. Their follow-up record, In Full Bloom didn’t include a hit as infectious as “Car Wash,” but still produced a few memorable tracks.

Your high school girlfriend (or you) loved “Wishing On A Star”; if you’re a modern, liberated dude, you may have a soft spot for it too.

While Whitfield is primary thought of as a songwriter, “Do Your Dance” showcases his formidable production skills. It starts out as a high-energy disco/funk track, but as the track morphs in its final minutes, it feels like the birth of house music.

Whitfield fell onto tough financial times towards the end of his life, and was indicted for tax evasion in 2005. Why do so many musicians from the 50s and 60s have trouble finding an honest accountant?

The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker
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Slow Love
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If I Was Your Girlfriend
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Adore
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Album: Sign O’ The Times (1987)

Most casual Prince fans would peg Purple Rain as their favorite of his albums. But those that have followed Prince’s career would probably pick Sign O’ The Times, his double LP from 1987. I play this record all the time, and picking only a few tracks to share was challenging.

I was fortunate enough to see Prince on the Sign O’ The Times tour in 1988. My high school friend, Adrian, and I had spent the day in Manhattan and we were approaching Penn Station to take the train home to Long Island. A scalper approached us and offered us tickets to that night’s show for $60 each. We were typical broke high school students and bargained him down to $60 for both. Amazing seats, right on the floor. Here are my memories of the show: it was in the round, there was a basketball court on the stage, a huge pipe organ was lowered from the ceiling, Eric B. and Rakim was sitting close to us, and a car actually drove him on and off the stage (talk about extravagant!). Overall, it was among the best live performances I’ve ever seen.

Back to the record. As I wrote earlier, it’s chock full of 5-star classics, so I tried to pick ones that folks may not know as well. And just to be really OCD about it, I selected one song from each of its four sides.

First up is the bouncy “The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker,” a story-song about a dude with relationship problems who takes a bath with a waitress. Prince’s songwriting is adventurous, with tone and key changes that flow magically from one passage to the next. Apocryphally, Prince didn’t know anything about Dorothy Parker (the writer), he just liked the name.

The next selection is “Slow Love,” which has a great retro feel to it. Based on the title, it wouldn’t be surprising if this was another one of Prince’s dirty songs but it’s actually a sincere and romantic groover. Throughout the LP — but especially on this track — Prince deploys his horn section in counterpoint to the melody.

For sheer cojones, it’s hard to beat “If I Was Your Girlfriend,” where the purple one reimagines his relationship with his ex-lover as her female best friend. At first, it’s all about picking out clothes, washing her hair and such. But this being a Prince song, he/she soon begins to fantasize about hot girl-on-girl action. This song is hilarious yet deep, and I gotta believe Prince is in on both the joke and the novel concept he concocted.

The final selection may be the most straightforward love song Prince has ever written (“Love is 2 weak 2 define; Just what u mean 2 me”) though of course, Prince can’t help himself from bringing a touch of the profane to it (“In a word, U were sex; All of my cool attitude U took”). Vocally, Prince offers up his most expressive falsetto, swooping into his uppermost register with full command.

For reals, you should really just go out and purchase this one.

Gwen McCrae
All This Love That I’m Giving
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Album: Melody Of Life (1979)

Cassius
Feeling For You
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Album: 1999 (1999)

This time out on Musical Cousins, two tracks that will make you shake your booty. Spaced 20 years apart, Gwen McCrae’s disco-funk classic, “All This Love I’m Giving,” inspired the arch French duo Cassius to produce “Feeling For You,” a bouncy electro-house track from their underappreciated 1999 album. Two very different approaches to dance music, but don’t make me choose.

Gwen McCrae is one of those 70s soul divas who never quite penetrated the mainstream in the same manner as her contemporaries (e.g. Donna Summer, Diana Ross). Emerging from the shadow of her (allegedly) abusive ex-husband, George McCrae (responsible for the mid-70s hit “Rock Your Baby”), Gwen released a few mildly successful records before getting rediscovered in the UK and enterprising hip hop producers. She’s still at it, but has shifted her talents to gospel music.

Cassius started their career remixing tracks from French house progenitors Daft Punk and Air. 1999 was their debut album, and burned up the dance charts all over the planet. For the single “Feeling For You,” Cassius took a phrase from “All This Love That I’m Giving,” sped it up and looped it, and dropped layers of synthesizers and beats behind it. Sounds simple, but there’s a mathematical precision to how Cassius constructs their tracks, maximizing their danceability quotient.

People Say
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Just Kissed My Baby
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Africa
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Album: Rejuvenation (1974)

Though it’s not the most popular of The Meters’ records (I would guess it’s a tossup between Look-Ka Py Py and Fire On The Bayou), 1974′s Rejuvenation captures the transition from The Meters’ early, tight funk days to their later, jam-band incarnation.

Though The Meters haven’t released a studio album in the past 30 years, they continue to tour with some permutation of the original lineup. I’ve had the privilege of seeing them live on many occasions during the mid-1990s, and it is impossible not to seriously get down at a Meters show.

Though my perception of The Meters is rooted in their live performances, that’s a limited perspective, and there is no greater testament to this than the volumes of artists who have recorded with, covered, or sampled The Meters over the years: Paul McCartney, Labelle (The Meters were the studio band for “Lady Marmalade”), The Grateful Dead, A Tribe Called Quest, and many others.

“People Say” kicks off the album with a sweet guitar lick, then builds instrument by instrument until the groove is set. Lyrically, this track mines rare political territory, railing against the inequities of capitalist society. And you can dance to it!

“Just Kissed My Baby” feels like an outtake from The Meters 1969 influential Look-Ka Py Py LP. But unlike the stripped-down instrumental jams from that record, “Just Kissed My Baby” includes turned-on vocals from leader Art Neville. Zigaboo Modeliste — a true virtuoso on the drums — manages to concoct a beat that is simultaneously simple, complex and perfectly in the pocket. This track is a total 5-star classic.

The final selection, “Africa,” ends the record with some slinky cultural pride. The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Hollywood” is a cover version of this song, and it probably didn’t do them any favors that they changed the lyrics from Africa as the “motherland” to Hollywood as the “brotherland” — isn’t Africa the motherland for all humanity? I may be digging too deep on that one. Check out George Porter, Jr.’s acrobatic base line.