THE BEST FUNK/SOUL COMPILATIONS BY "VARIOUS ARTISTS"

I know, I know—it's tempting to always put on Mothership Connection and anything by George Clinton.  But I'm telling you, if you like Funk/Soul music, the compilations are the way to go.  Back in the day, I was skeptical about any "Various Artists" records.  I was an album purist and you would be hard pressed to ever find me listening to a Greatest Hits album, let alone a compilation serving up selections by many bands.  Now, my perspective is a little different.

Here's the thing.  There's so much music that never found a wide audience.  It doesn't mean it wasn't any good—in fact, a lot of it is wonderful.  A band's lack of commercial success could be attributed to a variety of reasons. It could be bad timing.   The label could have went bankrupt.  Maybe the A&R who signed the band retired and the new guy doesn't like the music.  Maybe the radio programmer doesn't like the way the label head wears his tie.  You know what I'm saying? 

Anyway, there are some labels that specialize in compiling some of the best B-sides, rarities and misses onto one record.  Listening to these records is often a sureal experience.  You have to hear this music 

California Funk 

Cold Heat 

Strange Breaks And Mr. Thing

Strange Breaks And Mr. Thing II

Truth And Soul Presents: Cinematic Soul

Best Of Perception And Today's Records

SINGLES GOING STEADY: "RUNAWAY" BY DEL SHANNON

"Runaway" by Del Shannon

One could make the argument that before The Beatles released Rubber Soul in 1965, Del Shannon's 1961 number one hit "Runaway" was the rock song to beat.  Why? In 1961 you weren't hearing such pessimistic and cynical songs on the radio.  If it was Rock & Roll, you pretty much sang love songs and only love songs.  Since "Runaway" is about losing love, it was absolutely ahead of it's time.  It was also innovative sonically.  Take the eerie organ solo, for instance.  It's dissonance and unpredictable twists and turns made it a very risky move for the time—and it probably influenced The Doors' Ray Manzarek.  In less than two minutes and twenty seconds, "Runaway" has three very distinct and equally melodic sections, which probably made fellow songwriter's jaws drop—for an entire month.  For four weeks, the song peaked at the highest position on the charts and in 2004, "Runaway" was included as #466 in Rolling Stone Magazine's list of 500 greatest songs of all time.  

"Runaway" by Del Shannon

I also believe "Runaway" was a partial melodic inspiration for the Bob Dylan favorite "One More Cup Of Coffee."

"One More Cup Of Coffee" by Bob Dylan

MY FIVE FAVORITE SEEDS FOR SPOTIFY RADIO (OR PANDORA)

Personally, I'm a bigger fan of Spotify Radio than Pandora.  With the former, I feel like it knows which elements made me choose the seed and isn't simply finding related music.  That's just my opinion, but if you haven't tried Spotify radio, most people I speak to prefer it, as well.  

With that said, here are My Five Favorite Seeds For Spotify Radio.  No order.  

5. "Matrix" by Dizzy Gillespie 

Electric Dizzy Gillespie, which can just as easily be filed under Funk/Soul as it can under Jazz.  "Matrix" appears on a terrific "Various Artist" rarities compilation called The Best of Perception & Today's Records—which, I totally reccommend, by the way.  That's part of what I love about this seed.   The vast majority of the time when I want to listen to Funk/Soul, I'm not going to be interested in hearing Parliament/ Funkadelic or Isaac Hayes.  If I want to hear those guys, I'll just put one of their records on.  The "Matrix" seed will often select from other Funk/Soul rarities compilations and your bound to hear some music that pretty much NOBODY has ever heard before.  That that gives you some hipster credibility is irrelevant.  I've STARRED a lot of these songs, because the music is that good.  If you love Funk/Soul and Jazz Fusion, I promise that you can't go wrong with choosing "Matrix" by Dizzy Gillespie as a seed.

4. "Band On The Run" by Paul McCartney/Wings 

You won't just hear McCartney and Wings, but terrific hits from some of the best artists of the 60s/70s.  Much like theClassic Vinyl Station on Sirius XM Radio.  

3. "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" by Neil Young

This is kind of like the "Band On The Run" station, but you'll get a lot more stand-out harmony and folk music with this one.  That means plenty of CSNY, Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and early James Taylor. 

2. "Mr. Blue" By The Fleetwoods

Putting this station on guarantees some great Doo-Wop, R&B and Early Rock & Roll of the late 50s and early 60s.  Also, since this was more of a singles period than an album period, you'll get a lot of rarities by artists that only had  two or three hits.  "Mr. Blue" is the quintessential relaxing Doo-Wop hit, so it's good for late night reading.

1. "All Blues" by Miles Davis

You'll hear plenty of Classic Jazz on this station taken from some of the best albums ever released.  Don't be surprised if you hear some familiar numbers from  Giant Steps, Mingus-Ah Um  and  The Sidewinder.