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Funky 45's
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Raising The Roof!! |
10 Classic Grooves by
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In the world of 1960’s Hammond organ grooves, the tune ‘No More Water In The Well’ by Odell Brown and the Organizers looms large. Long a favorite of funk and soul collectors, that 45 is one of that groups best. However the group’s catalogue goes a lot deeper than that. Between 1966 and 1970 Odell Brown (with and without the Organizers) recorded a series of excellent albums for Chicago’s Cadet records. Along with some of Cadets best producers and arrangers (including the brilliant Richard Evans), Brown and his band laid down some of the most sophisticated and exciting soul jazz of the day. Formed initially in 1961, when the members were students at Tennessee State A&M University, the group broke up (after Brown was drafted) and reformed in Chicago in 1966. Featuring Odell Brown on organ, Artee ‘Duke’ Payne on tenor sax, alto sax and flute, Tommy Purvis on tenor sax, Curtis Prince on drums and Master Henry Gibson on congas (supplemented by numerous Chess/Cadet session players like Phil Upchurch), the group laid down three LP’s, and three 45’s (one non-LP), with Brown doing one solo album for Cadet after their dissolution. Unlike many organ-led bands of the day, Brown and the Organizers stayed away from greasy, blues-based jams, working instead in a jazzier mode. This was in large part due to the playing of Payne, who added a sharp, Coltrane-influenced ‘inside/outside’ feel to his playing. One of the group’s trademarks is the unison playing of Payne and Purvis. In fact, the saxes are as important (sometimes more so) to the group’s sound than Brown’s organ. This is not to say that Brown isn’t often the focus of their sound. In an era where many of the key organists had a gritty, heavy sound, Brown used a combination of stops to create a slightly smoother but no less exciting sound. He was also the Organizer’s main original composer, with Payne, Purvis and Prince making contributions as well. The group went on to win the 1968 Billboard jazz award before breaking up. In 1970 Odell Brown recorded the ‘Odell Brown Plays Otis Redding’ LP. He also recorded at least one other LP for Paula in the mid-70’s (which I haven’t heard). In 1980, Brown co-wrote Marvin Gaye’s Grammy-winning hit ‘Sexual Healing’. Unfortunately, the late 80’s and 90’s found Brown homeless and suffering from depression. With the help of a Veterans Administration program, he has regained his health, has built a recording studio and is playing again. I’ve chosen ten of Brown’s best recordings (with and without the Organizers): 1. Odell Brown & The Organizers - No More Water In The Well – Might as well start with a killer. This cover of the Temptations tune (which appears on ‘Ducky’) is by far the most popular of Brown’s discs with the funk and soul collectors, and for good reason. Highlighted by a memorable dual-sax riff , ‘No More Water in the Well’ also has a bubbling funky rhythm track, making it one of the group’s more danceable 45’s. It features a great solo by Brown, and that unforgettable Richard Evans production.2. Odell Brown & The Organizers - Think About It – The flip-side of the group’s non-LP 45, ‘Think About It’ is one of Brown’s funkiest compositions, with the drums fairly high in the mix, and some great inside/outside playing by Artee Duke Payne. Once again Brown takes a prominent solo. 3. Odell Brown & The Organizers - Raising The Roof – The title track from their first LP is a great introduction to the group’s sound. The introduction by the dual saxes of Payne and Purvis, followed by Curtis Prince’s hard-charging drums lead into a soulful solo by Brown. The saxes come back to restate the them, followed by shorter, but interesting solo by Brown. Definitely one of Brown’s more memorable compositions 4. Odell Brown - Hard To Handle – The best track from the ‘Odell Brown Plays Otis Redding’ LP. His first post-Organizers recording sees Brown as the main focus with some very funky drumming and a great production by Gene Barge. 5. Odell Brown & The Organizers - Mas Que Nada – A fantastic soul jazz cum bossa workout on the Jorge Ben tune popularized by Sergio Mendes and Brasil 66. One of the highlights of the Mellow Yellow LP, the tune features extended solos by Payne and Purvis and lots of handclaps and soul shouts throughout. The 7+ minutes of the recording allow for a long solo by Brown. 6. Odell Brown & The Organizers - The Weight – The a-side of the non-lp 45, this cover of the tune from the Band’s ‘Music from Big Pink’ LP, retains much of the feel of the original, with Brown contributing some ‘churchy’ organ. There are backup singers on the chorus, and a wild fuzzed out guitar solo. 7. Brass Fever featuring Odell Brown - Back At The Chicken Shack – At first listen the overall feel here is one of stylish, MOR, but the band, largely made up of session musicians hits a nice groove. Then, out of the blue comes a smoking Hammond solo by none other than our hero Odell Brown. It’s interesting to compare his playing to Jimmy Smith’s original (Brown comes out on top). I’d be interested in hearing the full version of the tune (clocking in at over 7 minutes) on the Brass Fever LP. 8. Odell Brown & The Organizers – Tough Tip – This is one of the better sax features from the ‘Ducky’ LP. Payne manages to rough things up a bit with an aggressive tenor solo that goes just enough to the ‘outside’ to keep things interesting. The band comes back in at 2:05 with Payne taking one last short solo toward the end of the track. 9. Odell Brown & The Organizers – Anna - A cover of the 1950’s mambo hit by Silvana Mangano, ‘Anna’s sentimental melody does not make for the most soulful track by Odell Brown & The Organizers. It is however an organ tour de force by Brown. He solos for most of the track’s 3 minutes, and once again. Richard Evans’ production is amazing. 10. Odell Brown & The Organizers – Ducky – This is one of the harder edged tracks in the band’s catalogue. Brown comes across with pair of fantastic solos, and Prince and Gibson keep the beat going strong. Very danceable |
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