Rick Holmes - Remember To Remember - 1981 (Produced By Roy Ayers)

Rick Holmes' Remember To Remember is a 12" that's near and dear to us because it was the inspiration for our Skoolwerk Apparel tee-shirt line that we launched this year to honor soul pioneers and jazz innovators of yesterday, today and tomorrow. With Skoolwerk Apparel we seek to "Remember To Remember to never forget."

This classic 12" released on Gold Mink Records was produced by soul/jazz/funk Vibraphonist/Producer Roy Ayers and narrated by an early 80's Los Angeles radio jazz DJ/Personality by the name of Rick Holmes.

Remember To Remember is one of the most memorable, endearing and historical "roll calls" on wax and honors prominent musicians, singers, activists, politicians, educators, actors and athletes that have made strong contributions to mankind. Recorded in 1981, Remember To Remember was only issued as a 12" and ended up disappearing until it resurfaced in the late 90's on select CD compilations and Roy Ayers collections.

Other memorable and worth owning Rick Holmes narration projects include the 1974 Cannonball Adderley LP Love, Sex and Zodiac and the 1972 Nat Adderley Sextet LP Soul Zodiac .



PASS THE INFORMATION, EXTEND THE KNOWLEDGE.

Maynard Ferguson - Mister Mellow - 1977

Conquistador, the 1977 album by trumpeter Maynard Ferguson was one that attracted quite a bit of criticism and certainly didn't earn him any new fans. Most found it hard to take Ferguson seriously and wrote him off as a serious jazz musician. Not that there was a shortage of quality musicians on the record, rather the quality of material that was recorded seemed to be the problem for most. But for rare groovers, crate diggers and DJs there was one tune from this album that could always find a home on rare groove playlists worldwide. Mister Mellow is a moody, guitar driven 70's jazz groove featuring George Benson on guitar. I'd say the beauty of digging for rare grooves is always finding gems like Mister Mellow on an album that had been written off as forgettable.

Maynard Ferguson
Conquistador
(Columbia) 1977
Noted Personnel: Bob James, George Benson, Eric Gale, Ralph McDonald
Availability: Vinyl, CD


Side A:
Gonna Fly Now (Theme From Rocky)
Mister Mellow
Theme From Star Trek

Side B:
Conquistador
Soar Like An Eagle
The Fly

Listen to Mister Mellow

Change - Miracles - 1981

Change was an Italian-American Disco/R&B group formed in Bologna, Italy in 1979 by the creative genius of businessman and executive producer Jacques Fred Petrus (1948–1987) and Mauro Malavasi (1958-). They were heavily influenced by legendary disco band Chic. The band's debut album, The Glow Of Love, was released in 1980 and featured lead vocals by a then unknown singer Luther Vandross. Change exposed Luther's voice to mainstream and eventually led to a successful solo career starting in 1981.

The follow-up album, Miracles, featured the hits Paradise, Hold Tight, and Heaven Of My Life, which, combined, spent 6 weeks at the number one spot in 1981 on Billboard's Disco chart. Due to contractual differences, Luther refused to sing lead on any of the album's tracks and was only featured on backing vocals on selected songs.

Change
Miracles
(Wea) 1981
Availability: Vinyl,
Miracles/Change Of Heart double re-issue CD

Side A:
Paradise
Hold Tight
Your Move
Stop For Love

Side B:
On Top
Heaven Of My Life
Miracles






Listen to Heaven Of My Life

Billy Ocean - Nights (Feel Like Getting Down) - 1981

The song Nights (Feel Like Getting Down) is a sublime early 80's club groover from Billy Ocean. Ocean failed to delivered another groover since this classic in 1981. His career went totally pop and then he disappeared from the mainstream. Thankfully, there's this gem of a Rare Groove that, in our opinion, was his best!

Billy Ocean
Nights (Feel Like Getting Down)
(Epic) 1981
Availability: Vinyl

Side A:
Are You Ready
Don't Say Stop
Whatever Turns You On
Another Day Won't Matter

Side B:
Nights (Feel Like Getting Down)
Who's Gonna Rock You
Stay The Night
Everlasting Love
Taking Chances

Listen to Nights (Feel Like Getting Down)

Positive Force - We Got The Funk - 1980

Positive Force was an eight-piece funk/soul band consisting of six males and two females founded on Pennsylvania and signed to Sugarhill Records. Positive Force's most-successful performance was an uncredited party ambience performance on the Sugarhill Gang's Rapper's Delight. However, success under their name eluded them; their debut single, We Got the Funk (1979), flopped in the States but became a small-ish club hit in the United Kingdom.

Sugarhill issued an album, Positive Force, in 1980 along with a second single, Especially for You. Again, nothing sales-wise in the States, but they enjoyed a little cult following in the U.K. and appeared on the Top of the Pops television show -- their first and only taste of stardom. We Got the Funk made a second appearance on the U.K. charts as part of a medley from Calibre Cuts; the occasion marked their last chart showing.

Positive Force
Positive Force
(Sugar Hill Records) 1980
Availability: Vinyl

Side A:
Especially For You
People Get On Up
You're Welcome

Side B:
Today It Snowed
We Got The Funk
Tell Me What You See



Listen to We Got The Funk

Foster Sylvers - Misdemeanor - 1973

This vinyl only gem is the solo debut from eleven year-old Foster Sylvers of the famous 70's R&B/Dance group The Sylvers. Misdemeanor was a top Ten R&B/Top 25 pop hit in 1973 and was written by brother Leon Sylvers III. The hit single has been sampled over the years by hip hop artists The D.O.C. for It's Funky Enough, Shyne for That's Gangsta, Big Daddy Kane for Get Bizzy, Masta Ace for Don't F*** Around and several others.

Foster Sylvers
Misdemeanor
(Pride) 1973
Availability: Vinyl

Side A:
Misdemeanor
Big Things Come In Small Packages
I'm Your Puppet
Mockingbird
I'll Get You In The End

Side B:
Hey Little Girl
Happy Face
Swooperman
More Love
Only My Love Is True
Lullabye / Uncle Albert





Listen to Misdemeanor

Sugarhill Gang - Passion Play - 1980

Sugarhill Gang is the self titled debut album by influential rap group, The Sugarhill Gang. The album was released in 1980 for Sugarhill Records and was produced by Sylvia Robinson. The single "Rapper's Delight" was a #36 hit on the US pop chart and a #4 hit on the R&B chart. Although "Rapper's Delight" was the only charting single, the album also included the minor hit, "Rapper's Reprise". A Rare Groove B-side gem, entitled "Passion Play" was re:introduced to U.S. Markets via a compilation series released by the UK record label BBE. The rare groove landed on the 2001 Strange Games and Funky Things compilation mixed by Brooklyn-based DJ Spinna.

Sugarhill Gang
Sugarhill Gang
(Sugarhill Records) 1980
Availability: Vinyl, Import CD, Amazon mp3

Side A:
Here I Am
Rapper's Reprise (Jam-Jam)
Bad News

Side B:
Sugarhill Groove
Passion Play
Rapper's Delight

Listen to Passion Play

Samuel Jonathan Johnson - My Music - 1978

This very fine but totally under the radar vinyl release by Samuel Jonathan Johnson was released in 1978. It wasn't until 2001 that the distinct rare groove title track My Music was discovered, sampled and introduced to the world of hip hop via a couple of hott hip hop songs by Jadakiss We Gonna Make It and Ras Kass Home Sweet Home, both produced by The Alchemist. Samuel Johnathan Johnson is also the father of West Coast-based Independent Soul Artist Yolanda Johnson.


Samuel Jonathan Johnson
My Music
(Columbia Records) 1978
Availability: Vinyl

Side A:
My Music
What The World Needs Now Is Love
Sweet Love
Because I Love You
It Ain't Easy

Side B:
You
Just Us
Yesterdays and Tomorrow
Thank You Mother Dear
Reason For The Reason


Listen to My Music

Bobby Lyle - New Warrior - 1978

"New Warrior, reflect on the past, acknowledge the present and move forward with faith, helping to create tomorrow - that your song may be both a balm to a troubled world, and an inspiration to future warriors who will inherit your legacy."


Bobby Lyle
New Warrior
(Capitol Records) 1978
Noted Personnel: Angela Lisa Winbush, Harvey Mason, Sunship, Wayne Henderson, Augie Johnson
Availability: Vinyl

Side A:
Good Inside
New Warrior
Believe
Interlude
Apocalypse

Side B:
Groove (Ain't No Doubt About It)
Inner Space
Star Traveller
Missing Your Love
What Is This Thing Called Love


Listen to Good Inside

The History Of The Most Important 6-Sec Drum Loop

This fascinating, brilliant 20-minute video narrates the history of the "Amen Break," a six-second drum sample from the b-side of a chart-topping single from 1969. This sample was used extensively in early hiphop and sample-based music, and became the basis for drum-and-bass and jungle music -- a six-second clip that spawned several entire subcultures. Nate Harrison's 2004 video is a meditation on the ownership of culture, the nature of art and creativity, and the history of a remarkable music clip.

Classic RecordBreakin' Slipmats

Well, it's only right that we feature these brand new fashionable Record Breakin' slipmats on the OTV Slickvinyl Blogspot. We love vinyl and so do the good fellas at Record Breakin' Music, the Philadelphia-based indie record label. They love vinyl so much that they have designed these fashionable Record Breakin' slipmats to help you look as good as you spin. Patterned after the French fashion house of Louis Vuitton or LV for short, the slipmats are sold in pairs to fit 12-inch turntables. Visit Record Breakin' Music to purchase a pair of classic Record Breakin' slipmates for just $15.00 (USD) and while you're there check out the selection of Record Breakin' releases from some of the most cutting edge emerging and established artists in music today.

Ndugu and The Chocolate Jam Co. - Do I Make You Feel Better? - 1980

Ndugu & The Chocolate Jam Co.
Do I Make You Feel Better?
(Epic) 1980
Noted Personnel: Producer, Lead Vocals - Leon Ndugu Chancler (below)
Lead, Background Vocals - Gwen Evans , Josie James , Maxine "Maxi" Anderson*
Availability: Vinyl, 2001 Japanese Re-issue CD

Side A:
Shadow Dancing
Come Into My Life Again
Send You My Love
Take Some Time

Side B:
Give Your Love
Space Connection
Make You Feel Better (Parts 1 And 2)
A Chance With You
Jungle Journey
Love Anew (What You Feel Inside)



Listen to Take Some Time