Soul Sisters Sights & Sounds of 1970'S African-American Underground - Some jive ass wasting my time

Soul Sisters is a bit of a mystery upon first listen. It claims to be music from X-rated African-American films produced in the San Francisco Bay Area in the '70s, 1972 to 1975 to be exact. Yet something just does not sit right with that explanation. Searching for information on the musicians involved turns up very little. Not surprising considering most people involved with blue movies used pseudonyms, but despite a few nods to the very loose, drunken jam qualities of the proto-Earth, Wind & Fire band that recorded Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, the recordings here are very clean, very stiff, and frankly some of the ambient keyboard work here could never have happened in the era these tracks are supposed to represent. By the time "Theme From 'Chocolate Cherry'" rolls up with its scratchy violin and minor chord sophistication (oh so clean), it's almost certain that this is a put-on, a "punk'd" for music nerds who fetishize reissue nostalgia. A quick check of the label of release, Black Beauty, reveals that it is also home to Mushroom, a group whose mix of rock, jazz, soul, and so on has made them favorites on the West Coast. And indeed, the playing on Soul Sisters, although stripped down by comparison, is remarkably consistent with that of the Mushroom team on its 2003 album Mad Dogs and San Franciscans. The last time someone tried to pull a fast one like this, it was the Desco label out of New York with the Daktaris, who had a far more accurate take on Afro-beat than this bunch of Soul Sisters have done with sleazy '70s soul. Still, with time the Daktaris became Antibalas and their Soul Explosion album became a revival classic. Chances are this will appeal to those familiar with Mushroom, but whether it makes it as a faux soundtrack collection, well, only time will tell. The booklet reprints vintage photos of African-American women in various states of undress; unfortunately, it's the only authentic part of Soul Sisters. ~ Wade Kergan

Not just another blaxploitation soundtrack compilation, this is a collection of music taken from 1970's X-rated African-American films and available for the first time anywhere. These X-rated films feature less "by the numbers" funk and more improvised g

Personnel: Billy White (drums).

Recording information: Wild Oaks Studios, Oakland, CA (03/1972-08/1975).

Category:

Music

Tags:

• soul sisters
• soul
• jazz.rock
• funk
• Soundtrack

[worotan]

You've earned your deerstalker hat with this description!

[dbzphish84]

sickest fucking jam ever

[MegaNorthMemphis]

Sad thing is that girl on the cover is (if living) is someone else great grandmother by now.

[jazzm]

Nuther 1 tacker for dem unfunky meehn the man

[MrLyttleG]

Excellentissimo !!!

[MrLyttleG]

Excellentissimooo !!!

[MrLyttleG]

Excellentissimooo !!!

[bacciabbraci]

thank you very much for your useful info'

[CYRAPHYM]

great description -J-Funk!

[Adonfffunk]

Thx for the story and this fucking post !

[barrylee55]

i am guessing this may be the late great MICHEAL BLOOMFIELD on guitar...?

[martin84125]

fantastic bio story there ,thanks Wade.