"Right On! Break Beats And Grooves From The Atlantic And Warner Vaults 1967-1975" by VARIOUS ARTISTS - Volume 1 of 5 (September 1999 UK Warner.ESP - Warner/Atlantic/Reprise CD Compilation of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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70ts Soul, R'n'B, Funk, Jazz Fusion
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"...Got More Glide In My Stride And More Dip In My Hip..."

Sometime in the late Nineties, the UK branch of Warner Brothers seemed to suddenly get hip to the public's needs. And WEA did this at the exact moment they also sheepishly realised they'd an abundance of riches in their glorious back catalogue to meet those cravings. I recall the 3 sets of "Funk Drops", 3 more for Northern Soul in "After Hours", 2 for Philly in "Crème De La Creme", more Soul, Funk and Gospel rarities in "You Better Believe It" - and on it went. 

Which brings us to here. Your starter for ten was the very cool "Right On!" series of compilations that tapped the Funkier side of Jazz, Fusion and Rock albums issued on Atlantic, Atco, Cotillion, San Francisco, Reprise and of course Warner Bros between 1967 and 1975. So September 1999 through to August 2004 saw Five Volumes of "Right On!" in all with a 4CD mop-up 'Box Set' in-between for Volumes 1 to 3 that contained a fourth Bonus Disc of 6 Rare Tracks. 

Suddenly, underground names held in collector awe like Eugene McDaniels, David Axelrod and David Newman got pride of place and new recognition. And much to the joy of collectors/album fetishists alike, the "Right On!" series was also backed up by 2LP VINYL sets, all of which boasted a lone Bonus Track over their CD counterparts. 

Remastered - well annotated and compiled with some serious smarts by CHAS CHANDLER and STUART KIRKHAM – they quickly became a way for fans and cash-strapped curious-types of getting rare and largely forgotten Funk and Soul for a decent price (I diligently pickled up each as they appeared). Frankly all five volumes are filled with Mr. Cool and still relatively cheap too, so let's get busy with the starting gate...Volume 1...

UK released 27 September 1999 - "Right On! Break Beats And Grooves From The Atlantic And Warner Vaults 1967-1975" byVARIOUS ARTISTS on Warner.ESP  - Warner/Atlantic/Reprise 9548378052 (Barcode 095483780525) is a 17-Track CD/18-Track 2LP Compilation of Remasters that plays out as follows (67:23 minutes, CD):

1. For What It's Worth – CHER (from the June 1969 US LP "3614 Jackson Highway" on Atco SD 33-298 in Stereo – a Buffalo Springfield cover version, written by Stephen Stills)

2. General Confessional – THE ELECTRIC PRUNES (from the November 1968 US LP "Release Of An Oath" on Reprise RS 6316 in Stereo - Arranged and Written by DAVID AXELROD) 

3. Fat Mama - HERBIE HANCOCK (Instrumental from the December 1969 US LP "Fat Albert Rotunda" on Warner Brothers WS 1834 in Stereo - featuring Billy Butler and Eric Gale on Guitars with Joe Farrell and Joe Henderson on Saxophones)

4. Captain Buckles - DAVID NEWMAN (from the March 1971 US LP "Captain Buckles" on Cotillion SD 18002 - featuring Eric Gale on Guitar, Newman on Saxophones and Flute)

5. Headless Heroes - EUGENE McDANIELS (from the May 1971 US LP "Headless Heroes Of The Apocalypse" on Atlantic SD 8281 - Miroslav Vitous of Weather Report on Bass with Alphonse Mouzon on Drums)

6. The Shadow Of Your Smile - JACK McDUFF (from the February 1967 US LP "Tobacco Road" on Atlantic SD 1472 in Stereo)

7. Tighten Up - ARCHIE BELL & THE DRELLS (from the April 1968 US LP "Tighten Up" on Atlantic SC-8181 in Stereo)

8. Spinning Wheel – WADE MARCUS (from the 1971 US LP "A New Era" on Cotillion SD 9043 – a Blood, Sweat & Tears cover – featuring Eric Gale and Richard Tee on Guitars)

9. Bad Tune – EARTH, WIND & FIRE (from the March 1971 US Debut LP "Earth, Wind & Fire" on Warner Brothers WS 1905)

10. Mr. Cool – RASPUTIN'S STASH (from the September 1971 US LP "Rasputin's Stash" on Cotillion SD 9046 - Lead Vocals by Bruce Butler)

11. Don't Cha Hear Me Calling To Ya - JUNIOR MANCE (from the August 1970 US LP "With A Lotta Help From My Friends" on Atlantic SD 1562 - backing band is Chuck Rainey on Bass, Eric Gale on Guitar, Billy Cobham on Drums with Mance on Keyboards) 

12. Stepping Stones - JOHNNY HARRIS (from the 1970 UK LP "Movements" on Warner Brothers WS 3002)

13. Black Heat - ZIMBA KU (from the June 1975 US LP "Keep On Running" on Atlantic SD 18128) 

14. Soul Train - CHARLES WRIGHT (from the September 1972 US LP "Rhythm & Poetry" on Warner BS 2620) 

15. Get Out Of My Life Woman - GRASSELLA OLIPHANT (from the December 1967 US LP "The Grass Is Greener" on Atlantic SD 1494 in Stereo - Grant Green on Guitar, Harold Ousley and Clarke Terry on Horns with John Patton on Organ - song is Allen Toussaint cover)

16. Feeling Alright - LULU (from the January 1970 US LP "New Routes" on Atlantic SD 33-310 in Stereo - Dave Mason song, Traffic cover) 

17. Crosswind - BILLY COBHAM (from the March 1974 US LP "Crosswinds" on Atlantic SD 7300)

The big disappointment (which they would change as the Volumes progressed) is the virtually information-less gatefold slip of paper that masquerades as a booklet. You get the titles and the album names they came from but naught else really – no paragraphs on the songs – no photos of those LP sleeves you never see – Drummer Grassella Oliphant or the Junior Mance album. I know it is remastered but there is just no credit as to who did what or where - which in 1999 was sloppy to say the least. But – and I must emphasis this – the Audio is fantastic – and the track play really cool and at times completely revelatory. Focusing on music with 'breaks' - there are drums ahoy and they rattle and bash out of your speakers with real intent. To the music... 

The only real slip for me is the Wade Marcus cover of Blood, Sweat & Tear's "Spinning Wheel" that feels more Lounge Lizard than Black Heat (which is a damn shame). No such complaint for the fabulous agitator – smooth operator – they call me "Mr. Cool" – where the confident lead singer of Rasputin's Stash assures us that he fooled around with the President's old lady and then called her shady into the rhyming bargain (wowser). Genius pacing follow-up comes with the Piano-Funky instrumental "Don't Cha Hear Me Calling To Ya" where Junior Mance hums along to his own playing while a truly mean Bass, Guitar and Drum ensemble Funk the mother out of the groove. 

The Axelrod arranged "General Confessional" ambles along as one of those indefinable Funk instrumentals for most of its duration until the boys sing one line towards the end (title) and fade out. But its Soundtrack even Avant Garde vibe is brilliant – a 60ts Rock groove with its infectious rhythms nodding at Soul Boys. In some ways Joe Cocker gets the gong for best cover of Dave Mason's stunning Traffic song "Feeling Alright" – but our Lulu gives it a fair shake. The Johnny Harris "Movements" UK-only LP has a legend all to its own in Blighty – so incredibly sought after. And on it goes to the brilliant and dare we even say it 'commercial fusion' of Drummer Billy Cobham on his "Crosswinds" album – a cornerstone of many a young dude's hipster collection.  

"Right On!" is a brilliant little CD play and there are four more entries to look forward too (see below). 

"...I Got More Glide In My Stride And More Dip In My Hip..." - sang Bruce Butler of Rasputin's Stash as he stroked his ego in the impossibly sexy groove of "Mr. Cool"

Amen to that baby and I envy you the Right On journey...

RIGHT ON! 

CD and Vinyl 2LP Series by Warners UK 

A List of Releases

1. Right On! Break Beats And Grooves From The Atlantic And Warner Vaults 1967-1975 

CD, 17-Tracks: released 27 September 1999 UK on Warner.ESP Warner/Atlantic/Reprise 9548378052 (Barcode 095483780525)

VINYL, 18-Track 2LP-set: released September 1999 UK on Warner/Atlantic Reprise 9548-378041 (Barcode 95483780401) – Bonus is "North Carolina" by Les McCann, last track on Side 4 – playing time 9:20 minutes

2. Right On! Vol.2: More Break Beats And Grooves From The Atlantic And Warner Vaults 

CD, 19-Tracks: released Monday, 29 May 2000 UK on Warner/Atlantic/Reprise 9548384002 (Barcode 095483840021) 

VINYL, 20-Track 2LP-set: Warner/Atlantic/Reprise 9548-38401-1 (Barcode 095483840113) – Bonus is "Harlem Buck Dance Strut" by Les McCann, last track on Side 4 – playing time 5:55 minutes

3. Right On! Vol.3: More Break Beats And Grooves From The Atlantic And Warner Vaults 

CD, 18-Tracks: released Monday, 11 June 2001 on Warner Music UK 9548392072 (Barcode 095483920723) 

VINYL, 19-Track 2LP-set: Warner Music UK 9548392061 (Barcode 095483920617) – Bonus Track is "Can you Dig It?" by Herbie Mann, last track on Side 4 – 5:51 minutes

4. Right On! Vol.4: More Break Beats And Grooves From The Atlantic And Warner Vaults 

CD, 19-Tracks: 26 August 2002 UK Warner Strategic Marketing UK 0927-42567-2 (Barcode 809274256720)

VINYL, 20-Tracks 2LP set: Warner Strategic Marketing 9274-6388-1 - Bonus Track is "Respect Yourself" by Herbie Mann, last track on Side 4 – 6:50 minutes

5. Right On! Vol. 5 More Break Beats And Grooves From The Atlantic And Warner Vaults 

CD: 17-Tracks: 26 January 2004 UK Warner Strategic Marketing 5046691472 (Barcode 5050466914729)

VINYL, 18-Track 2LP-set: Warner Strategic Marketing 5046696401 (Barcode 5050466964014) – Bonus Track is "Schirokko" by Passport, last track on Side 4 – 5:44 minutes

6. Right On! Box Set: Break Beats And Grooves From The Atlantic And Warner Vaults 

2001 UK Warner Strategic Marketing 092 740477 2 (Barcode 809274047724) 

4CD 67-Track Box Set housed in Book Packaging containing CD Volumes 1, 2 and 3 of the Series (61 Tracks) with a further fourth Bonus CD of Six Tracks. Three of the six CD bonuses appeared only on the VINYL 2LP variants of Volumes 1 to 3 (Tracks 3, 4 and 6 below) – the other three are new to the series here. 

The six bonuses for the Box Set are (1) "People Say" by The Meters, (2) "Fried Okra" by The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, (3) "Can You Dig It?" by Herbie Mann, (4) "Harlem Buck Dance Strut" by Les McCann, (5) "People" by Graham Central Station and (6) "North Carolina" by Les McCann.