Bill Withers – Ain’t No Sunshine (Live 1972)

To exorcise the Anti Funk, here’s some extraordinary groovy Bill Withers.

Sly Stone Comeback?

Sly Stone is preparing for a comeback, now that is interesting news. For the pas 30 years or so, he was off the chart -presumably because of heavy drug abuse. Vanity Fair was given the privilege of exchanging some words with the original funk master (first interview in 25 years):

“Can I see your eyes, Sly?”

“Yeah,” he says, pulling down his sunglasses, revealing healthily white whites and a remarkably unlined face—the same face from Woodstock, Cavett, and the cover of Fresh. It really is Sly Stone.

Not sure about that comeback. Will it happen? Do we need it? Anyway, until it happens, Dance To the Music:

Sly & The Family Stone – Dance To The Music (1968)

Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On / What’s Happening Brother (live in 1973)

Truly unique live footage of Marvin Gaye performing What’s Going On / What’s Happening Brother in 1973 with the original Funk Brothers lineup. This is an excerpt from the recently released DVD of some of Gaye’s greatest live performances on TV and film, Real Thing: In Performance 1964-1981. This live performance comes from the long out-of-circulation 1973 film, ‘Save The Children’ with James Jamerson Jr. on bass.

This is actually the first time I see any footage of Jamerson, my favorite bass player of all time. And even better: in a live performance. Very exciting. Watch how he just uses his right-hand index finger (which earned its own moniker, ‘The Hook’) to play all these complex and melodic lines (starting at approximately 1.23).