Coffy Is Still The Color

I watched Coffy on IFC last night and I felt the urge to repost this with some new tracks....

A blaxploitation masterpiece on par with Curtis Mayfield's Superfly and Isaac Hayes' Shaft, Roy Ayers' soundtrack for the 1973 Pam Grier vehicle Coffy remains one of the most intriguing and evocative film scores of its era or any other. Ayers' signature vibes create atmospheres and textures quite distinct from your average blaxploitation effort, embracing both heavy, tripped-out funk and vividly nuanced soul-jazz . The vocal numbers are no less impressive, in particular the rapturous opening cut, Coffy Is the Color. Richly cinematic grooves, as inventive and cohesive as any of Ayers' vintage Ubiquity LPs. Check It Out!

Roy Ayers: King's Last Ride


Roy Ayers: Escape


Roy Ayers: Exotic Dance

A Honey of a Video

Check out Badu's latest. There are a ton of tributes here. See if you can identify them all....

Freedom Is Just Around The Corner

Linda Tillery: Freedom Time

The spiritual opening does not prepare you for the funk that is about to come. Uplifting lyrics look to a positive future attainable only with hard work and sacrifice. This track opens the killer 2002 compilation from Luv N' Haight California Soul.

James Carr: Freedom Train

Classic soul horns along with a gospel organ lay down the foundation on this 1969 single from the troubled James Carr. Pick up The Complete Goldwax Singles for this track along with 27 other gems.

The Isley Brothers: Freedom

This infectious ode to independence is hammered home by a piercing horn section. Find it on The Isley's 1970 release Get Into Something, an album that's worth checking out for the cover art alone.

Cameroon Soul

Manu Dibango: Ceddo End Title


Here's a track that came on my radio last night while driving through a vicious ice storm and I just had to share it. Originally taken from Musique Du Film Ceddo the soundtrack from the 1976 Senegalese film Ceddo it is performed by Cameroon's most famous jazz artist Manu Dibango. The other worldly marimba along with the funky guitar create a groove that cannot be denied. If your lucky enough to find the original soundtrack please share, otherwise you can find this track on the tremendous Luaka Bop compilation Love's a Real Thing.

The Soul of Good Fellas Pt. 2

The Crystals: Then He Kissed Me

Here's the monster hit from 1963 from one of the best known and most loved of all the girl groups. Produced by Phil Spector, it reached number 2 on the UK charts becoming one of the most popular American tunes in England.

The Marvelettes: Playboy

This early 60's track was a moderate hit for this Motown act who were still riding the crest of their smash Please Mr. Postman.

The Chantels: Look In My Eyes

One of the very first girl groups, the Chantels are best-known for their 1957 hit Maybe on End Records. In 1961, the Chantels signed with Carlton Records, where they had a minor hit with Look in My Eyes. Carlton dropped the group the following year.

The Soul of Good Fellas Pt. 1

First of all let me apologize for the rather long break since my last post. A couple of illnesses and a ton of work forced me to put the blog on the back burner, but as we approach our one year anniversary at Buffalo West Music I hope to get back into the swing of things. So here we go.

Along with a passion for music, I also have a passion for movies and when music and movies come together to successfully set moods, define characters and further storytelling it can truly be a magical thing. Now I'm not talking about Moulin Rouge or (ugh) Dreamgirls, I'm talking Superfly, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, The Big Lebowski, Rushmore and the like. But to me the master of utilizing popular music in a film is Martin Scorsese starting with Mean Streets but perfected with Good Fellas. The available soundtrack covers a mere fraction of the nearly fifty tracks featured in the film ranging from doo wop to opera to blues to rock. But this is a soul blog so here are a few of the more soulful tracks that will take you right back to each specific scene in the life of Henry Hill...and if you haven't seen Good Fellas than you're not alright, Spider!

The Cleftones: Can't We Be Sweethearts

Five high school buddies from Queens formed the Cleftones i n1955. This single which was released in 1956 on the Gee label never attracted much national attention. The Cleftones reached their peak in 1961 with their version of the standard Heart & Soul but they broke up just three years later.

Otis Williams & The Charms: Hearts Of Stone

This 1954 track released on the Rockin' label was on the top of the R&B charts for nearly 10 weeks.

The Moonglows: Sincerely

This Harvey Fuqua led group were among the most important R&B groups of the 50's. This is displayed all too well on this great 1954 Chess side.

Happy New Year

Here's a heartfelt although belated happy new year to all of you from Buffalo West. All the best for 2008 and thank you for your support throughout the past year. Take it Lightnin'!

Lightnin' Hopkins: Happy New Year