Darondo

Ladies' man, bon vivant, former pimp (maybe), and come-back soul musician, Darondo can give Al Green a run for his money any day. Recently rediscovered and put on Gilles Peterson's Gilles Peterson Digs America, Darondo is seeing an uptick in his musical career. This NPR article gives a brief bio and, more importantly, access to his transcendental single Didn't I. His recent shows were backed by Nino Moschella's band. Very hot. Good thing he didn't have to count on his public access TV show to make money.

Watch Darondo's opening number at Bumbershoot 2008

Playlist for November 26th

The Loco-Motion - Little Eva
Will You Love Me Tomorrow - The Shirelles
night Time is the Right Time - Ray Charles
At Last - Etta James
Respect - Aretha Franklin
Papa's Got a Brand New Bag - James Brown
Heard it Through the Grapevine - Marvin Gaye
Rescue Me - Fontella Bass
Build Me Up Buttercup - The Foundations
It's the Same Old Song - Four Tops
Beggin' - Frankie Vallie and the Four Seasons
Proud Mary - Ike and Tina Turner
This Old Heart of Mine - The Isley Brothers
ABC - The Jackson 5
Get on the Good Foot - James Brown
Papa was a Rollin' Stone - The Temptations
Shotgun - Jr. Walker and the All-Stars
Blue Monday - Fats Domino
Dancing in the Street - Martha and the Vandellas
Please Mr. Postman - The Marvelettes
Shop Around - The Miracles
The Ghetto - Donny Hathaway
Tramp - Otis Redding
Soul Man - Sam & Dave
The Tears of a Clown - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
Slave - Rolling Stones
Baby Love - The Supremes
Uptight (Everything's Alright) - Stevie Wonder
I Can't Get Next to You - The Tempations
In the Midnight Hour - Wilson Pickett
Midnight Train to Georgia - Gladys Knight and the Pips
Son of a Preacher Man - Dusty Springfield
Green Onions - Booker T & The MG's
Heatwave - Martha and the Vandellas
I'm Movin' On - Ike and Tina Turner
Twenty-five Miles - Edwin Starr
Give me Just a Little More Time - Chairmen of the Board
Young & Holtful - Young Holt Unlimited
Love and Happiness - Al Green
Let's Get it On - Marvin Gaye

Little Eva

Known for her hit The Loco-Motion, Little Eva is a case study in being in the right place at the right time. In 1962, Eva Boyd moved to Brooklyn to stay with some family. There she met members of an after-school group named the Cookies. When one of the girls couldn't get out of class, Eva would fill in for her on stage.

Looking to earn more money, she began babysitting for the songwriting duo of Gerry Goffin and Carole King. Carole and Gerry had written a song for Dee Dee Sharp (Warning: may cause eyes to catch on fire. Here is a better one)Upon hearing Eva sing, they decided to record a demo with Carole singing backup. Music producer Don Kirshner liked it as is and a smash hit was born.

Some say that Eva's crazy dance moves inspired the song in the first place. Little Eva certainly did inspire another song written by King and Goffin. After learning that Eva's boyfriend regularly beat her, she told them it was a sign that he truly loved her. It inspired the song He hit me (and it felt like a kiss) that was recorded by The Crystals under the guidance of Phil Spector. The song was a flop due to the creepy nature of the lyrics. A recent cover of the song by Grizzly Bear does, in my opinion, a better job of interpreting the song.

Little Eva did a bit of recording with the Cookies, who eventually had a few hits of their own, but never had another success like she did with the Loco-Motion. She passed away in 2003.

Legendary Motown bassist James Jamerson

Jamerson terrified bassists all over the world. Read this great bio on James Jamerson, the man who played a masterful bass on hits like Stevie Wonder's I was made to love her.

Playlist for November 19

Build me up buttercup - The Foundations
It's the same old song - The Four Tops
Mr. Big Stuff - Jean Knight
The old one, two - Ramp
Ain't no stoppin' us now - McFadden & Whitehead
Let's groove - Earth, Wind, and Fire
That kind of man - The Heavy
Take care of business - Nina Simone (Pilooski remix)
Ain't got no time to waste - Mixmag (gotta look this one up!)
V neck sweater - Greyboy Allstars
Signed, sealed, delivered I'm your's - Stevie Wonder
Big bird - Eddie Floyd
Invisible man - Nicole Willis and the Soul Investigators
One way street - James Taylor Quartet
Pushin' On - Quantic Soul Orchestra (featuring Alice Russell)
Thunder chicken - Mighty Imperials
How long do I have to wait for you - Sharon Jones and the Dap-kings (Tiklah remix)
After laughter (comes tears) - Wendy Rene
The first cut is the deepest - PP Arnold
Night time is the right time - Ray Charles
Got to give it up (part 1) - Marvin Gaye
Gotta clean up the world (part 1) - Funky Music Machine
Make the road by walking - Menahan Street Band
Reach out (I'll be there) - the Mark-Keys
Sweet soul music - Arthur Conley
Love man - Otis Redding
Sock it to 'em, J.B. - Rex Garvin & The Mighty Cravers
First I look at the purse - The Contours
I'm blue (the gong gong song) - The Ikettes
Since I met you baby - Ivory Joe Hunter
Beechwood 4-5789 - The Marvelettes
Dancing in the street - Martha and the Vandellas
Ain't to proud to beg - The Temptations
Money (that's what I want) - Barrett Strong
Do you love me (like you say you do) -Lee Fields and the Expressions
Valerie - Marc Ronson (featuring Amy Winehouse)
Ethanopium - Dengue Fever
If I can't have you - Etta James and Harvey Fuqua
I believe to my soul - Donny Hathaway

Playlist for November 12th

Let's Get it On - Marvin Gaye
I heard it through the grapevine - Gladys Knight and the Pips
You beat me to the punch - Mary Wells
Rehab - Amy Winehouse
I believe to my soul - Donny Hathaway
I've got a woman - Ray Charles
How long do I have to wait for you ? Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings (Ticklah remix)
Reggae merengue - Tommy McCook and the Supersonics
People gonna talk - James Hunter
Higher ground - Ellen McIlwaine
Honey - Erykah Badu
Discotheque dancing - Chris Joss
Respect - Aretha Franklin
Stranded in your love - Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings (Cool Calm Pete - Sweet Nothing remix)
What does it take (to win your love) - Junior Walker and the All Stars
Invisible man - Nicole Willis and the Soul Investigators
The tracks of my tears - The Miracles
Ever little bit hurts - Brenda Holloway
Didn't I - Darondo
Ethanopium - Dengue Fever
Deixa pra la - Bronx River Parkway
C.R.E.A.M - El Michels Affair
Budos rising - The Budos Band
That kind of man - The HEavy
Across 110th Street - Bobby Womack
Superstition - Stevie Wonder
Tell mama - Etta James
You're not all that - The Herbaliser featuring Jessica Darling
Respect Yourself - The Staple Singers
I'm movin' on - Ike and Tina Turner
Satisfaction - Otis Redding
I'm a midnight mover - Wilson Pickett
Here I am (come and take me) - Al Green
Souful Strut - Young-Holt Unlimited
Baby I need your loving - The Four Tops

Playlist from November 6

Respect - Aretha Franklin
Funky Stuff - Kool and the Gang
Funky for you - Deadbeats
The "in" crowd - The Ramsey Lewis Trio
Ain't there something money can't buy - Young-Holt Unlimited
First I look at the purse - The Contours
Astawesalehu - Lemma Demissew
He hit me - Grizzly Bear
The loco-motion - Little Eva
Open the door to you heart - Darrell Banks
Tell mama - Etta James
So glad - The Evil D's
Gopher - Yma Sumac
Movin' on - Ray Camacho
Are you man enough - Four Tops
Raise your hand - Eddie Floyd
Love and happiness - Al Green
Mr. Pitiful - Otis Redding
Every little bit hurts - Brenda Holloway
Back to black - Amy Winehouse
Don't give up on me - Solomon Burke
My momma and my poppa - Darondo
Respect yourself - The Staple Singers
Pride and joy - Marvin Gaye
It's a man's, man's, man's world - James Brown
Mercy - Duffy
Do you love me (like you say you do) = Lee Field and the Expressions
Reach out (I'll be there) - The Mar-Keys
This old heart of mine (is weak for you) - The Isley Brothers
I second that emotion - Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
Sugar - Stevie Wonder
You can't hurry love - The Supremes
Love endeavor - Alice Smith
The love you save - The Jackson 5
I don't know why I love you - David Porter
Out in the Streets - The Shangri-Las
Get Ready - The Temptations