George and Gwen McCrae - The Rub

This tune brings back a lot of memories for me. Back sometime ago one of the DJ nights I did was called Sunday School. It wasn't 'school' in the sense that we were trying to 'school' folks, or that we were wearing out any terms like 'don't sleep' or crate diggin phrase-ology like that. But, more that we were on the tip of being devoted in the sense that it was like a religion to us. That we 'wanted' to learn. I gathered some of my favorite DJ's at the time, picked out some bands and did a variety of things musically and genre wise with the night. This was between our famed night at the Ivy under the same name as this blog, and the ultimate demise of said such club. It was the last ride. In fact we started the Sunday School sessions knowing that the club was going to close. I remember we had new wave bands with hip hop bands, and rock groups with salsa funk bands all with DJ's playing reggae, rare groove, disco and boogie. You can see now why it was called Sunday School. We were out to learn whatever could by throwing it all in the mix. And, again it was an extension of the similarly themed Sound Boutique night. One of the cats at Sunday school turned me Onto this track. Such a great tune. One of my favorite local hip hop acts The Coup sampled this tune. It's interesting all the things going on with the Occupy movement, and proud to say Oakland seems to continually be a championing area for OWS. Boots Reilly of The Coup is majorly active within Occupy Oakland and I'm hearing a lot about hip hops involvement in OWS. It's good to hear and I'm glad to see the popularity of conscious rap making a possible larger scale comeback. This is taking into perspective that the 'concious' part or rap has all but disappeared. It's definitely time for hip hop to make a come back. And, I welcome it with open arms. On the slight condition it be good again. :) I hope it IS on the return. Or perhaps that's too ambitious, maybe we should call it a final stand. If it is indeed the case, I may just listen to it again.

What I'm hearing in the new stuff I do like. And, I'm hearing a lot. We just bought a used car late last year and haven't modified the stereo set up, so we're stuck with only radio. That's both good and bad. Good because there's stations like KPFA And UC Berkeley's KALX here. But, bad cause I'm a guy who will constantly update the iPod with the hot songs of the week (all the shit I'm fiendy for, but haven't acquired yet) and I can't bump them in the car. Oh well. But, again this has been good. Because the news on KPFA is excellent. And, updates of OO and OWS are both exciting and depressing depending on any given day, but essential nonetheless.

So, here at Sound Boutique we present another sampled track, but moreover an essential rare groove and underplayed funk track from two of my favorite CAT label recording artists. Always happy to expose originals as they make a huge pile of stock here at the Sound Boutique. Our deadstock originals NWT - New with the tags on.

George and Gwen McCrae - The Rub

Vera Hamilton - But I Ain't No More

My friend, fellow aficionado, and avid collector Micheal Barnes just recently got this 45 and I was reminded what a great song it is. I surprised myself by remembering it word for word. I know it line by line from several years of playing it out. Not to mention hearing it at DJ Kittys notorious Wednesday nite at the ruby room. Many of us who went to that nite on a regular basis knew all the lyrics to this and many others. Like 'Foxy Girls In Oakland', by Rodger Collins, 'Garden Of Four Trees' by The Explosions, and 'So Much Trouble In My Mind' by Sir Joe Quarterman. Kitty used to hold the deep funk down every week.
I first met Michael at that very nite and soon learned of his KALX (UC Berkeley) radio show. Turns out Michael was deep as the earths core and played with us several times at the Soundboutique DJ nite at the Ivy Room. He was the first to put me on to James Black and the Whites, totally new to me at the time, and flip my head around several times like the exorcist on some mad soul and funk shit I had never heard. On his radio show I'd hear him play more new stuff like Gang of Four and the Slits. Again, all new to me, and again blowing my mind constantly with smokin' hot soul stuff. Such is the nature of good college radio shows. Something Both Michael and DJ Kitty are pros at.

Michael's moved down to LA and is still active in radio..
Check out his Radio Show on KPFA called Melting Pot.

And his audio blog of the same name.
http://www.meltingpotblog.com/

Thanks Michael for reminding me of this track and glad you got yours!! Cheers!

This Vera Hamilton track is complete soulful funk stomper and Vera a vocal power house. Vera can belt. And, the theme here is 'I ain't gon' take yo shit anymore' or rather 'I was your fool, but I ain't no more' Kind of a mid seventies 'Tyrone' if you will. Produced by Johnny Otis, it's also a certified Bay Area goodie. Real deal Sister Funk and a shining moment and example of the 70's and one of many reasons we love this era. Sisters and women in general started to assert themselves and we saw more and more songs like this that represented changes in the women's movement. Could also be credited to the activity here within the Bay Area at the time.
I had it on a mix CD of mine a long time ago, and sounds just as fresh and tasty to me as it did then. Incredible stuff here, wished I knew where Vera was now and if she made anything else as hot as this.
In 2002 BGP re-released this great song with another tune called "Spells And Incantations". I have not heard it. My copy is a promo and has "Aint No.." on both sides, stereo and mono. But, if any of you have the BGP version or can post the link..I'd like to hear her other material.




Vera Hamilton - But I Ain't No More