Jazz Dispensary label gets funky
Two new vinyl titles are have just been reissued as part of Jazz Dispensary’s Top Shelf Series, and they come with a generous helping of funk. The 3 Pieces’ ‘Vibes Of Truth,’ the lost 70’s jazz-funk crossover classic off Fantasy Records, and Funk, Inc.’s raw and funky, 1971 self-titled debut album originally on Prestige Records. This will be the first time in over 20 years these releases will be made available on vinyl.
The 3 Pieces were composed of Lincoln Ross on the keys, Jerry Wilder on bass and vocals and Andre Richardson handling percussion. The group were brought to Fantasy Records in the early 1970s by trumpeter and producer extraordinaire, Donald Byrd, who at the time was enjoying great success with his productions for the Blackbyrds. Ross, the multiinstrumentalist leader of The 3 Pieces was also a former student of Byrd’s and allowed the forward-thinking jazz impresario to helm his group’s debut effort.
Although The 3 Pieces failed to repeat the commercial success of the Blackbyrds, they created one astounding album that encapsulates the best of multiple genres. From silky-smooth R&B, to politically conscious jazz-funk grooves, ‘Vibes of Truth’ has it all. Long sought-after by collectors for the three club friendly tunes within its grooves, “Backed Up Against The Wall,” “Concrete Jungle” and “I Need You Girl,” this lost classic from the Fantasy catalog represents the very best of the mid-70’s jazz-funk crossover sound.
Funk, Inc. was founded in 1969 in Indianapolis, Ind. by Bobby Watley, Eugene Barr, Steve Weakley, Jimmy Munford and Cecil Hunt. During the 1970s they were signed to Prestige Records after their demo tape made it to the desk of producer Bob Porter. Despite their collaborations with legendary producers Rudy Van Gelder and David Axelrod during their five-album run with the label, jazz critics at the time hated the idea of combining jazz with funk and soul and gave their records negative reviews.
Time has been much kinder, proving that their material is some of the most infectious, captivating and hard-swinging music ever committed to tape. Funk, Inc. realized that jazz didn’t have to be extremely intellectual to be worthwhile, and its mission, which they succeeded mightily in carrying out, was to hook R&B fans with knockout grooves but expose them to the improvisational freedom of jazz.
The self-titled debut from Funk, Inc. comes out of the gate swinging with the eight-minute organ groovea-thon, “Kool Is Back” and never lets up. Recorded by Van Gelder, this unparalleled set in the soul-jazz canon recalls classic 60s Blue Note sounds but with added grit, guts and groove
that combines the deeppocket, hypnotic moments of The Meters. Unvarnished, raw, and unabashedly funky, ‘Funk, Inc.’ is a relentlessly infectious record dripping with charm that remains worthy of exploration by anyone with passing interest in the primal power of blues, soul, jazz, or funk.
As with all Top Shelf releases, both albums have been remastered from the original analog tapes, pressed on 180-gram audiophile-quality vinyl at Quality Record Pressings, and housed in faithfully reproduced, old-school style replica jackets. Each LP will have a limited-edition worldwide run of 1,000 copies, complete with a Jazz Dispensary “Authorized Dealer” window cling. The titles will also be available at streaming outlets, mastered for iTunes, and in hires digital.
The album-centric program by Jazz Dispensary, which is focused on reintroducing rare and previously unavailable titles, will offer a total of eight releases in 2017, including forthcoming reissues by Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers, Azar Lawrence and more to be announced.