Taste of Honey

No words today. Just listen to the two ladies jam.

Evelyn Champagne King

A friend and I were at restaurant yesterday when this 1982 video by R&B singer Evelyn "Champagne" King came on. We were transfixed for a second or two over the 80s-style "high tech" graphics of the vid. "Looks like they were just figuring things out, weren't they?" my friend said.

Ms King was 22 in this video, and was already a vet on the disco/R&B music scene. "I'm in Love" was #1 on the R&B charts back in '82. That fonky synth bass and catchy hook bear the mark of singer/producer Kashif, who made jams for darn near everybody during this period, including Howard Johnson ("So Fine"--now there's a old school jam you don't hear anymore) and Soul Closet reader Melba Moore--not to mention himself.

As for Ms King, she's just shy of 50 now and is still around.

Oh, and the nickname "Champagne"? Supposedly its a riff on her childhood nickname "Bubbles."

"Boss [Derogative Racial Term]"

Honestly, we forgot about this movie. But with the never-ending debate over the propriety of using the n-word, it's striking to find a 34-year-old movie that not only uses it in the the title---and, liberally thoughout the screenplay---but also in the theme song. Fred Williamson plays the title role. Literally. "Boss [Derogative Racial Term]" is his name in the movie.

Released in 1975, "Boss [Derogative Racial Term]" is a western starring Williamson and his frequent co-star and blaxploitation fixture D'Urville Martin as bounty hunters who appoint themselves sheriffs of a white town. Warning: The movie trailer above is not for the easily offended.

How many films used the n-word in the title, you wonder? At least 17, according to imdb.com and Williamson starred in three of them, including "The Legend of [N-word] Charley," from 1972 starring Williamson and its 1973 sequel, "The Soul of [N-word] Charley".
The there is "The Six Thousand Dollar [N-word] from 1979 about a bionic Brother.

The olden days of film gave us such titles as "Tossing a [N-word] in a Blanket" from 1898; "The Laughing [N-word]" from 1907; "The [N-word] in the Woodpile"---you could have guessed that one was coming---from 1904; "Ten Little [N-word] Boys," from 1912; and "The [N-word]" from 1915.

Who Remembers Captain Sky?

We re-open the Soul Closet with a quick nod to a forgotten Chicago-born funkateer, Captain Sky. As I write this entry, I'm looking at a copy of his 1979 LP "Pop Goes the Captain," which, with its cosmic motif and funky cartoon art, looks like a George Clinton joint. Sounds like one too...

Born Daryl L. Cameron, Captain Sky had a few R&B hits in the late '70s and early "80s, including "Wonder Worm" from 1979 and "Station Break" from 1981.

Click on the above video and check out the Captain doing his thing on "Soul Train."

Byron Stingily

We all turn into our parents, sooner or later--denouncing the day's music and hailing the music of "our day" as being better.

But in this case, I am right. Exhibit A: Byron Stingily's 1996 jam "Get Up," which still sounds good 13 years later.

Billy Stewart Sings "Summertime"

Of all the versions of the classic "Summertime," this 1965 bid by Billy Stewart is--by far--the most amazing. Stewart was a vocalist for Chicago's Chess Records who had a couple of soul hits the year before with "Sitting in the Park" and "I Do Love You." Then he struck gold with "Summertime." Sadly, a car accident claimed the life of this great singer in 1970. He was only 33.

Backed by Chess's all-powerful session musicians---the track's drummer is Maurice White, who late became frontman/guiding light of Earth Wind & Fire--the 300lb Stewart stutters, trills and double-clutches his way through the song, then ends it with a display of vocal pyrotechnics the likes of which have been rarely captured on wax (or CD, mp3, wma...) since.

Dig it.

Pointer Sisters

The Pointer Sisters--a talented bunch--had a string of hits in the 1980s, beginning with "Jump" and other video-ready tunes. Me? I always preferred the Pointer Sisters v.1 of the early 1970s. This was back before music videos, and when everybody had a variety show or a talk show--Carol Burnett, Mike Douglas, Dinah Shore...and at some point in the show, they'd say, "Ladies and Gentlemen: The Pointer Sisters."

...and these four (or three, if June Pointer couldn't make it) sisters would come out and just sing. Their dress was vaguely reminiscent of the 1940s, and so were the songs, but yet they were as funky and contemporary as all-get out.

Mama and Daddy would come in from the next room because black folks were so rarely on tv then, you had to yell out. "Can you turn that up?" they'd say.

Yes,we can (can).

Paging Mos Def?

I posted a 1970 clip of Jesse Jackson on "Sesame Street" and noted the resemblance between the then-young Rev and actor Will Smith. Well, today my vinyl record collection reveals a uncanny resemblance between jazz bassist Ron Carter and Mos Def. Talk to me...y'all know I'm right.

Jesse Jackson on "Sesame Street"

The Reverend, from a 1970 episode of "Sesame Street" that I fondly remember from my childhood. Dig the young Rev. Jackson. Looking at it now, two things come to mind: it's hard to deny the impact and beauty of this moment, and Will Smith, do I have a role for you, Brother.

And while we're here at Sesame Street, check out this clip featuring En Vogue. Back when there were four in the group, and I was crushin' on all of them. Especially Cindy Herron.

The Warriors

A scene from Walter Hill's 1979 classic "The Warriors."

"House of Payne" vs "Amos n Andy."

Forgive me for allowing the 21st century to intrude a bit into the Soul Closet today. I did a mild rant on my Facebook page, expressing my disdain for "Tyler Perry's House of Payne." I think "House of Payne" is pandering, embarrassing, mediocre and unfunny.

A few of the folks who commented on my FB page compared "House of Payne" to "Amos n Andy," and I presume they meant the black-cast television show of the 1950s, rather than the radio show which featured white guys doing stereotypical black voices. The radio show had a long run, but the "Amos n Andy" tv show was run off the air--quick--by the NAACP and others for its depictions of scheming and shiftless Negroes.

I saw an episode of "A & A" on a bootlegged VHS when I was in college in the 1980s. I expected to be outraged, and--dare I say it--I laughed. I can see why it was banned though: Who wants to see Ralph Bunche holding court on NBC News, only to flip the dial and see Kingfish's scheming azz, talking in "dese" and "dos". So I present above a clip "Amos n Andy" and below, "House of Payne." Maybe the NAACP can do that thing one more time.

Kool & the Gang

Kool & the Gang's 1982 jam, "Big Fun."

Stars & Stripes (and Plaid) Forever

I've been thinking about adding a new feature to the Soul Closet: class pictures. So I decided to prime the pump with my own. Here is Mrs. Hudson's 1st grade class, James Madison Elementary School, Chicago IL, 1971. See if you can pick me out.

School picture photography is lost art. My kids go to great schools, yet they bring home drab, washed-out looking photos printed on the cheapest of paper. But look at this picture bursting with color--befitting such a funky era.

The Bill Cosby Show

For years, I'd been telling my kids Bill Cosby had a sitcom that predated the 1980s "Cosby Show." My recollection of it was sparse: Cosby's character was a high school teacher named Chet Kincaid; the show was funny, and there was an episode in which he drove his girlfriend to the dance in a garbage truck.

Oh yeah, one more thing. Cosby "sang" what has to be the funkiest theme song (written by Quincy Jones) in the history of television. When the first season of the series, which premiered in 1969 and ran for two seasons came to DVD in 2006, I snapped it up and screened it for the kids and we dug it. Especially the theme and opening title.

Melba Moore, Cleavon Little & Charles Gordone

I got a friend request from Melba Moore today on Facebook. Turns out it was actually her. We've always had great love for Ms. Moore. As I accepted the request, I was reminded of this 1970 Ebony cover that I have featuring Moore, Cleavon Little and Charles Gordone. And Melba is wearing that dress, baby.

A talented trio. Moore and Little won Tonys in 1970 for their roles in Purlie; Gordone won the 1970 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play No Place to be Somebody.

Funkin for Jamaica

All rise: Tom Browne's 1980 jam "Funkin for Jamaica." Among the personnel: Tom Browne on the horn, the great Marcus Miller gets funky on the bass, and Toni Smith (who co-wrote the tune) gives Chaka Khan a serious run for her money on vocals.

Whaddaya Know...the Revolution WAS Televised!

..how else to explain this astounding find: James Brown singing "Say it Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud)" in a room full of white folks in 1968, and they're clapping and smiling and singing the chorus with him!

You were bad, Godfather. Superbad.

(The show was "Playboy After Dark" by the way.

Baubles, Dangles & Beads?

Sure, they look all funky and hip, but I wonder: Who wore these things, outside of that overly stern woman on the Mothers Board? See there, that girl on the left? Every Friday, she begged her mother and father to go to Kresge's and buy her a pair of these glasses. Then in March, 1970 the parents relented. The girl wore them to school Monday and was feeling pretty good. Then she saw her manless and lonely Home Ec teacher (the woman on the right, actually) wearing a pair just like these. And by Tuesday, the girl on the left had put them in the bottom of her jewelry box, where they were forgotten forever.

Janet Jackson

The Soul Closet opens this week with two videos from Janet Jackson. What strikes me most as I views these: How much modern pop divas still perform the moves Janet did 20 years ago.

Did I just say "20 years ago"? I feel old now. Gotta take a Geritol. Go head and watch the vids. I need to take my nap.

Lola Falana on "The Muppet Show."

Frankly, I miss them both.