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"...Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky..."
Sometime in the late Nineties, the UK branch of Warner Brothers (or WEA to us in the know) 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 – the superlative "Right On!" series of compilations (on CD and 2LP VINYL Sets) that tapped the Funkier side of Jazz, Fusion and Rock albums issued on Atlantic, Atco, Cotillion, San Francisco, Reprise, Alston 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, David Newman, Funk Factory, Black Heat, Young-Holt Unlimited, Memphis Horns, Shirley Scott, The Beginning of The End, Claudia Lennear (lyrics from her song titles this review), Keith Jarrett and loads more 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 counterpart (see Discography below).
Remastered and compiled with serious smarts by CHAS CHANDLER and STUART KIRKHAM (Comp Producer Florence Halfon) – these comps quickly became a way for cash-strapped fans and other genre-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 in 2025 (at least the first three are) - so let's get busy with a highlight in the series - Door Number Three...to the details...
UK released 11 June 2001 - "Right On! Vol. 3 More Break Beats And Grooves From The Atlantic And Warner Vaults" on Warner/ESP 9548392072 (Barcode 095483920723) is a 18-Track CD/19-Track 2LP compilation of Remasters that plays out as follows (71:33 minutes - CD):
1. Moment Of Pain – EARTH, WIND & FIRE (from the March 1971 US Debut LP "Earth, Wind & Fire" on Warner Brothers WS 1905)
2. Wah Wah Man – YOUNG-HOLT UNLIMITED (from their seventh album "Born Again" released October 1971 in the USA on Cotillion SD 18004 – featuring Bassist Eldee Young, Drummer Isaac "Redd" Holt with ex-Ramsey Lewis Keyboardists Bobby Lyle and Kenneth Chaney – Guests include Donny and Eulalah Hathaway on Backing Vocals)
3. Goin' Down – ALLEN TOUSSAINT (from his second album "Life, Love And Faith" released July 1972 in the USA on Reprise Records MS 2060 – backing band is The Meters)
4. Jan Jan – THE FABULOUS COUNTS (from the August 1969 US Debut LP "Jan Jan" on Cotillion SD 9011 in Stereo – written by Keyboardist Mose Davis of the bands Moses (1978) and Free Spirit (2003) – The Fabulous Counts aka The Counts also included Guitarist Leroy Emmanuel)
5. Mama Soul – SOUL SURVIVORS (from their second studio album "Take Another Look" released January 1969 in the USA on Atco SD 33-277 in Stereo – while much of the album was produced by Gamble & Huff - this song was Produced by Rick Hall of Fame Studios, the Muscle Shoals Southern Soul Sound)
6. Nuki Suki – LITTLE RICHARD (from the studio album "The Second Coming" released September 1972 in the USA on Reprise RS 2107)
7. When She Made Me Promise – THE BEGINNING OF THE END (from the November 1971 US LP "Funky Nassau" on Alston SD 33-379 in Stereo)
8. You Should've Listened – BLACK HEAT (from the March 1974 US Second LP "No Time To Burn" on Atlantic SD 7294 – written by Guitarist Bradley Owens)
9. Messie Bessie – SHIRLEY SCOTT (from the February 1970 US LP "Something" on Atlantic SD 1561 in Stereo – Shirley Scott on Keyboards with Guests Eric Gale and Billy Butler on Guitars, Charles Rainey on Bass with Ralph McDonald and Jimmy Johnson on Percussion and Drums)
10. Bumpin' On Young Street – YOUNG-HOLT UNLIMITED (from the February 1973 US LP "Oh Girl" on Atlantic SD 1634 – a Bobby Lyle song featuring Bassist Eldee Young, Drummer Isaac "Redd" Holt with ex-Ramsey Lewis Keyboardists Bobby Lyle and Kenneth Chaney)
11. It's Love – THE YOUNG RASCALS (from the July 1967 US Third Studio LP "Groovin'" on Atlantic SD 8148 in Stereo – Lead Vocalist Felix Cavalieri with Atlantic Records Guest Hubert Laws on Flute)
12. Funky Canyon – PHIL MOORE JR. (from his third US LP "Right On" released July 1969 on Atlantic SD 1530 in Stereo – written by Organist Phil Moore III – Guests Also Included Guitarist Steve Khan, Keyboards from Clarence McDonald with Bass and Drums by Wilton Felder and Nesbert "Stix" Hooper of the (then) Jazz Crusaders - later as The Crusaders)
13. Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky - CLAUDIA LENNEAR (from her US Debut LP "Phew!" released January 1973 on Warner Brothers BS 2654 – an Allen Toussaint song (one of five on her album) featuring (amongst others) Arthur Adams and Marlin Greene on Guitars, Spooner Oldham on Electric Piano, Harold Battiste, Jr and Gene Cipriano on Saxophones with Allen Toussaint on Backing Vocals)
14. Soul Bowl – MEMPHIS HORNS (from the US Debut LP "Memphis Horns" released February 1970 on Cotillion SD 9014 in Stereo – features Saxophonist and Producer Andrew Love, Saxophonist Floyd Newman, Trumpeter, Trombonist and Producer Wayne Jackson, Guitarist Charlie Freeman and Keyboards from Don Chandler)
15. Shiloh – DAVID NEWMAN (from his third US LP "The Many Facets Of David Newman" released July 1969 on Atlantic SD 1524 in Stereo – features David Newman on Flute, Joe Zawinul (later with Weather Report) on Piano with Richard Davis on Bass and Bruno Carr on Drums)
16. Let Me Fix It – BROOK BENTON (from the US LP "Home Style" released August 1970 on Cotillion SD 9028 in Stereo – Written and Sung by Brook Benton with Backing Vocals from Cissy Houston and The Sweet Inspirations, Rhythm Section by The Dixie Flyers, Saxophone from King Curtis and Production by Arif Mardin)
17. Mortgage On My Soul (Wah-Wah) – KEITH JARRETT (from his studio album "Birth" released May 1972 on Atlantic SD 1612 in Stereo – recorded July 1971 - LP featuring Keith Jarrett on Keyboards and Saxophone with guests Charlie Haden on Bass and Dewey Redman on Tenor Saxophone)
18. Angela, My Sister – RICHARD EVANS (from the US LP "Dealing With Hard Times" released February 1972 on Atlantic SD 1604 in Stereo – Richard Evans plays Bass, Arranges and Produces with guests Phil Upchurch on Guitar, Odell Brown on Organ and Leonard Druss on Flute)
The gatefold slip of paper that masquerades as a booklet offers very basic Discography info on the inner two-page spread with a single-page rear set of liner notes from the compilers. You get no photos of those funky and rare LP sleeves – no musician credits - Cissy Houston and The Sweet Inspirations guesting with Brook Benton, Allen Toussaint and Arthur Adams with Claudea Lennear, members of The Crusaders with Phil Moore Jr., Joe Zawinul of Weather Report with David Newman, The Meters of New Orleans with Allen Toussaint and so on (my notes provide those details after each entry).
But "Right On! Vol. 3…" hammers where it matters – the Audio is fantastic even if like the first and second volumes from 1999 and 2000 - there are no mastering credits anywhere on this CD. The Funk is most deaf-in-ite-ly in the ascendancy here so when you play this beast the music hits you with unapologetic breaks - Drums and Saxophones and Bass Lines getting high-ya - rattling out of your speakers like a show-off Reggae Stack in Notting Hill. Now - to the actual content...
Not surprising to any Funk nut, all three Volumes dig into the Earth, Wind & Fire debut LPs catalogue on Warner Brothers Records before they signed with Columbia for a world-beating run of winners and success. "Moment Of Pain" is more blatantly 70ts Funk – a fabulous opener from EWF. Bassist Eldee Young, Drummer Isaac "Redd" Holt and ex-Ramsey Lewis Keyboardists Bobby Lyle and Kenneth Chaney made up the super-cool Young-Holt Unlimited – so their Flanged Guitar and Vocal "Wah Wah" is both Rhythm Sexy and Fun. Proper New Orleans genius and underground hero Allen Toussaint gets down with The Meters on his choice-cut "Goin' Down" (see my separate review for the must-have Raven Records compilation from August 2015 called "Toussaint: The Real Thing 1970-1975" that gathers up three LPs onto 2CDs including the one used here "Life, Love And Faith").
While The Fabulous Counts do the butt-wiggling business with their LP title track "Jan Jan" – Northern Soul Dancers are liable to bust a nut let alone a blood vessel for the wickedly good "Mama Soul" by The Soul Survivors – a classy Soul-Funk obscurity from early 1969 that deserves to be bloody huge. Little could hold back the-beauty-on-duty – 50ts Rock and Roller Little Richard getting seriously boot-tay with right-now people on his fantastic Grooveathon tune "Nuki Suki" (the full 5:28 minute LP version) – the band given the chance to stretch out and let rip like The Meters and The JBs are competing for Funky trophies as the Boss James Brown looks on with a stop-watch (gimme some).
Was not expecting The Beginning Of The End Santana-like instrumental "When She Made Me Promise" to be so good even if it is (fair warning) not exactly an audiophile recording marvel (cracking inclusion though). Next up is blasting Audio Goodness in the Brass and Flutes warning song from Black Heat (father told me when I was young) – where you can so hear why this band and the LP with "You Should've Listened" on it are so sought after. The hairy-chested man in a lift organ-cool instrumental "Messie Bessie" by Shirley Scott also features equally cool licks from guitarists Eric Gale and Billy Butler (check out her fab groovy cover version of The Isley Brothers' late 60ts killer "It's Your Thing" on Volume 2 of this series). Drum breaks and Bass plucks ahoy on the mucho-sampled Funk vs. Lounge Music Young-Holt Unlimited cut "Bumpin' On Young Street" – another day at the office work out for them – but what a gem and clever compilation inclusion.
The groovin' slightly Psych-period Young Rascals with Felix Cavalieri singing lead - rope in the Flute talents of Hubert Laws to weird and hipster up "It's Love" and it works. But better for me is the brilliant vibes-groover "Funky Canyon" by Phil Moore Jr. that includes fantastic guests who make all the difference including Guitarist Steve Khan, Keyboards from Clarence McDonald with Bass and Drums by Wilton Felder and Nesbert "Stix" Hooper of The Crusaders. If the last two were off topic a tad, the drop-dead gorgeous Claudia Lennear (said to the be the inspiration behind "Brown Sugar" by The Rolling Stones) absolutely hammers it good with her "Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky" aided and ably abetted by songwriter and New Orleans legend Allen Toussaint and the guitar chops of Arthur Adams as well as a whole host of other Funky luminaries.
Final run of five includes brilliance from the Memphis Horns – their "Soul Bowl" being the kind of instrumental that sweaty DJs would bite your hand off for. I prefer to start the David Newman flute-driven groover "Shiloh" at 1:00 minute exactly to avoid the unnecessary Rotary Connection-ish lead-in (I know people go mad for this almost Native American Indian Chant vs. Fusion Funk Fest). Fun and old-school class exude from the Arif Mardin produced Brook Benton track – "Let Me Fix It" being his timber-voiced crooner attempt at getting down with the street – and succeeding (Cissy Houston and The Sweet Sensations join in on Duet and backing Vocals while Mike Utley of The Dixie Flyers provides the fantastic groovy organ). In all honesty, I can do without the final two but I know some who love the strangulated Keith Jarrett and the strange Richard Evans entries. So, to sum up, like its two cheapish predecessors (covering 1967 to 1975) - "Right On! Volume 3…" is another brilliant little CD play that will make you want to own the whole series (see list below accurate to January 2025).
In the late Sixties and especially into the first half of the Seventies - across the pond Funk, Soul, Latin, Jazz and Fusion was at its fabulous inventive best. And on Volume 3 of this series – you can so hear why - because at about 3:50 minutes into the Young-Holt Unlimited instrumental "Bumpin' On Young Street" (Track 10) – the keyboards and complimentary band enter such a sexy groove – it may in fact need to be patented and bottled for future posterity.
"Right On!" indeed...
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) - 67:23 minutes
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) - 69:30 minutes
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
CD, 19-Tracks: released Monday, 29 May 2000 UK on Warner/Atlantic/Reprise 9548384002 (Barcode 095483840021) - 69:30 minutes
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) - 71:33 minutes
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
CD, 18-Tracks: released Monday, 11 June 2001 on Warner Music UK 9548392072 (Barcode 095483920723) - 71:33 minutes
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
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
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.
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.
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.
Three of the six Book Set CD Bonuses appeared only on the VINYL 2LP variants of Volumes 1 to 3 (Tracks 3, 4 and 6) – the other three (Tracks 1, 2 and 5) are new to the series here and do not appear on the CD variants of Volumes 4 and 5.
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