Parliament Funkadelic: One Nation Under A Groove (2006)

Starring:

• George Clinton
• Bootsy Collins
• Rick James
• Garry Shider
• Ice Cube
• Dawn Silva

Spanning half a century, the history of Parliament Funkadelic is as varied in its musical stylings as in the rotating cast of musicians that have graced Parliament, Funkadelic and the collective P-Funk stage. From their early days as a literal barbershop quintet to the rise and fall—and rise again—of the famed Mothership, P-Funk’s five decades and counting also reflect larger changes in fashion, funk and more.

This film profiles George Clinton, the mastermind behind the band Parliament Funkadelic. It reveals how Clinton expressed the cultural alienation of young African Americans, creating an alternate universe of "aliens" that brought the redemptive power of funk to a world sorely in need of a new point of view.

Parliament Funkadelic......

If there was a secret recipe to create the funkiest all-time band I'd combine ingredients of Motown James Brown enlightened righteousness with a doo wop sound the experience of Hendrix dipped in acid-tripped Catfish deep-fried Bootsy marinated in emancipated Blackness. "On the one" soul toasted on a Hazel P-Nut roll dropped in a hard rock to steam the Stone Bern(in) out of control! This was the dream Plainfield, Oakland, Seattle, and Cleveland assembled the team...... Mr. Wone

Various Artists – Pimps, Players & Private Eyes (1991)

musicdawn.ru
Compilation album featuring songs from ’70s blaxploitation movies. It features ten funky songs from such cult cinematic “masterpieces” as Trouble Man, The Mack and Foxy Brown. The songs are performed by soul legends like The Impressions, The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Issac Hayes, Curtis Mayfield and Willie Hutch. This was one of the first blaxploitation Audio CD compilations – released in 1991 and was produced by famous rapper Ice-T. The release was dedicated to the recovery of Curtis Mayfield (he became paralyzed from the neck down when a lighting rig fell on top of him at a concert in Brooklyn, NY, On August 14, 1990).
Tracks
1. Across 110th Street – Bobby Womack/Peace [Across 110th Street]
2. Make A Resolution – The Impressions [Three The Hard Way]
3. Are You Man Enough – Four Tops [Shaft In Africa]
4. Trouble Man – Marvin Gaye [Trouble Man]
5. Theme From ‘Shaft’ – Isaac Hayes [Shaft]
6. Love Doctor – Millie Jackson [Cleopatra Jones]
7. I Choose You – Willie Hutch [The Mack]
8. Blowin’ Your Mind – O.C. Smith [Shaft's Big Score]
9. Theme Of Foxy Brown – Willie Hutch [Foxy Brown]
10. Pusherman – Curtis Mayfield [Superfly]

Various Artists
Album: Pimps, Players & Private Eyes
Label : Sire Records # 9 26624-2
Release Date: 1991
Genre: Funk, Soul, Blaxploitation


Funkbacks comment
Thanks to MusicDawn for this find of a representative of the spirit of this blog. Ice-T most definatley knows his Robert Beck aka Iceberg Slim check Soul on Ice if You doubt me. If this album had dropped in '95 instead of '91 it could easily had beed the soundtrack to this:

Link to Documentary review
Ice-T - Kiss My Baadassss his Guide to Blaxploitation Cinema (1994)

Save The Children (1973)

Starring:

• The Jackson 5
• Marvin Gaye
• The O'Jays
• Zulema
• Gladys Knight & The Pips
• Bill Withers
• Isaac Hayes

This post is why Blaxploitation Pride exists. We know the genre is a lost one. It's revered but was not preserved. Pride is a necessity but in excess quickly becomes a sin. Pride is an element of cultural identity that has been washed away in today's world. One can never receive enough excessive imagery of Black pride if you love what you see and hear on BP. Of course, the history was rich well before the 70's, truth be told.

I learned plenty from filmmaker Jamaa Fanaka regarding the power of moving pictures and Save The Children is the prototypical example of that power. All of the enthusiasts and loyalists of the genre ask "What about Save The Children? Does that exist? Has anyone seen it?" I say that's a 'double entendre', I, too, wonder if it exists and I also ask is there an actual interest to literally "Save The Children"?

From a documentary to an actuality, this post can be metaphor for those priceless lost tapes, uncovered footage, pride, the power of film to the question of whether or not does anybody care to "save" anything be it "blaxploitation", children, or simply making quality film with dignity, meaning and that which is revolutionary in scope.

Save The Children does exist as a tangible treasure for our viewing pleasure but is non-existent in the sense the world may not bear witness to that power ever. It may be a DVD rip of a VHS rip but even still, it's a historical artifact. Stan Lathan, director of this documentary, speaks about in his experience in an interview here What's interesting is there is no talk of where the film is today or if there is a possibility of a DVD release.

Classics like The Mack, When We Were Kings, Wattstax, Soul Power and Black Rodeo were directed by Michael Campus, Leon Gast, Mel Stuart, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte and Jeff Kanew respectively. These white men all speak on their commentaries and interviews of how either it was hell to get the film made, hell to get it released in the theater, and some years later, hell to retain the film and transfer it to DVD. They saved their children, regardless.

As beautiful and as powerful as these productions are, the necessity to present these experiences to next generations was made possible by men not even from the culture. Save The Children is not talked about as being released anytime soon, if at all.

Stan Lathan formed a media group with one of the richest Black men in the world, Russell Simmons and through HBO the successful Def franchise was born. Save The Children remains stillborn. Def Comedy versus a Def Tragedy. Brother Self-Science, Funkback, the BP familyhood and I see how imperative it is not only to "Save" that which is not left to be saved, but to preserve the antiquity and edify these "children" into adulthood so they can pass on the preciousness to generations beyond.

By the way, wait 'til you see this pretty baby........

Review to Save The Children soundtrack

Note: The credits online list STC as a 123 minute documentary. This is a tad under one hour consisting mainly of the musical performances.

Art Ensemble Of Chicago – Les Stances A Sophie OST [Nessa] ‘1970 + Bonus Videos From The Movie

Blaxploitation.com
This quite extraordinary cosmic jazz score was recorded in France by Lester Bowie and Art Ensemble of Chicago in July 1970. The album features vocals by the excellent singer Fontella Bass, who also plays piano. As you might expect from the name of the group, this is advanced (and for the most part, very experimental and free) jazz, so won’t appeal to all. The sheer power and audacity of the music stills holds the listener spellbound during many of the tracks, the best of which is the stunning ‘Theme de Yoyo’. Very hard to find on original vinyl, this album has since been reissued and the best track was also showcased on a Universal Sounds compilation a few years back. Don’t miss it if you’re open-minded and like a leftfield approach to your music.
Art Ensemble Of Chicago
Les Stances A Sophie OST
Label : Nessa # N-4
Recordered: 1970
Genre: Soundtrack, Jazz-funk, Free Jazz, Avant-Garde Jazz

Tracks

1. Theme de Yo-Yo – 9:10
2. Theme de Celine – 3:04
3. Variations Sur un Theme de Monteverdi I – 3:02
4. Variations Sur un Theme de Monteverdi II – 1:50
5. Proverbes I – 2:38
6. Theme Amour Universal – 3:51
7. Theme Libre – 8:49
8. Proverbes II – 1:22

Group members
Lester Bowie – Percussion, Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Joseph Jarman – Flute, Percussion, Saxophone, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor)
Roscoe Mitchell – Clarinet, Flute, Percussion, Clarinet (Bass), Saxophone, Sax (Alto), Sax (Bass), Sax (Soprano)
Malachi Favors – Bass, Percussion, Bass (Electric), Bass (Acoustic)
Fontella Bass – Piano, Tambourine, Vocals
Famoudou Don Moye – Drums

And as a little blaxy bonus – MusicDawn has added a couple of episodes from the movie, plus an interview with Joseph Jarman.


A huge thanx to MusicDawn for this great piece of Blaxploitation history!

I actually had the fortune of meeting Mr. Lester Bowie way back in '95, before his passing, for a brief interview when they were playing my hometown in the north of Sweden. They were as fun to watch as they are interesting to listen to.
/Funkback

Link to movie review
Moshe Mizrahi - Les Stances A Sophie (1970)