On June 13th, in 1973, we lost a 70s break beat creator, 50s R&B singer, doo wop innovator, tenor vocalist, former member of the gospel outfit-the Mount Lebanon Singers, Billy Ward & his Dominoes, and founder of the Drifters-Clyde (Lensley) McPhatter. He’s most known in the hip hop community his 1970 release on Decca Records-Why Can’t We Get Together. In true create diggin' fashion, the A-side is not the cut of choice. The B-side-Mixed Up Cup has the seminal drum break with the sound of water being poured into a cup at the end (1st video below). It’s been sampled by hundreds of producers and used on songs for artists like: A Tribe Called Quest, Big L, Mobb Deep, Nas, Common, Cypress Hill, Heltah Skeltah, M.O.P., Redman, Biggie, Sadat X, Large Professor, the Beatnuts, Akinyele and Statik Selektah. The break is one of the original classics dug up by Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash.
It serves as a b-boy, beat juggling and freestyle cipher staple. It was co-produced by soon to be MFSB guitarist-Norman Harris (The Norman Harris Machine-Philly Soul). McPhatter is originally from Hayti, North Carolina which is a post-Civil War independent Black community in Durham, NC started by Freedmen/tobacco workers. His father was a Baptist minister and had Clyde singing in the church choir at 5. He moved to New York City after he graduated high school (mid 40s) and started the Mount Lebanon Singers. By the end of the decade, he was moved away from gospel and started singing secular music-the new sound was called doo wop. He won Amateur Night at the Apollo and joined Billy Ward & the Dominoes (1950). He’s featured on their first recording-Sixty Minute Man (Federal Records, 1951). He was 39 when he passed.
| | |
On June 13th, in 1951, seminal Latin-rock musician, brother of Carlos Santana, singer, guitarist, former member of the Fania All-Stars, session musician, percussionist, songwriter, former member of Malo, solo recording artist and one half of the Santana Brothers-Jorge Santana (below: back row-c) was born in Autlan, Jalisco, Mexico. Jorge was the guitarist for Malo-a Latino funk/psychedelic/prog rock band from the late 60s. He started recording with the band in 1972. They’re commonly confused with El Chicano, War and Santana, of which his older brother Carlos was the bandleader. Shortly after Jorge started playing with Malo, Carlos was coming off his live set at Woodstock in 1969. Malo was patterned after Santana-to some extent, like the use of percussion, the rhythm section and Latin tinged beats.
The major difference was in the arrangements and Malo’s use of brass and woodwinds. Jorge's guitar style is different from his brother’s. He doesn't play a lot of notes/picking/runs, it's more funk oriented/rhythmic chords and transitions. To analogize through jazz: Santana is Charlie Parker and Jorge is Miles Davis. He recorded 4 LPs with Malo from 1972 to 1974. If you could only buy one of the four, get Dos or Evolution (both produced by David Rubinson). In 1974, Jorge joined the Fania All-Stars after he left Malo. He’s featured on their 1974 release-Latin Soul Rock. He toured and did session work during the mid 70s before releasing his self-titled debut LP in 1978. It contains some former members of Malo, who are also on his 1979 follow up-It’s All About Love. He’s 68 today.
| | |
On June 13th, in 1941, seminal 50s/60s soul songwriter, guitarist and band member of Smokey Robinson & the Miracles-Marv Tarplin (c) was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He’s most known for co-writing the 1965 hit song that got him inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame-The Tracks of My Tears (Tamla/Motown). Tarplin’s story about how he got to Motown is a very interesting one…he started out as the neighborhood friend of the Primettes-Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diana Ross. He played guitar for them while they sang at a lot of their gigs and during their practices. When they went to Motown to audition for Smokey Robinson, Tarplin was playing guitar for them while they sang.
Smokey took notice, had him hone his chops with the Primettes (soon to be the Supremes), and made him a member of the Miracles in 1958. His playing style can be categorized as single-sustained note riffs that are very melodic and funky. Curtis Mayfield’s style of play is similar to Tarplin’s. He and Smokey Robinson formed a strong bond that’s clearly evident in Tarplin’s tenure with the Miracles. He stayed with the group until Smokey went solo and then continued to work with him on his solo material. With that said, Tarplin was an elusive but important background figure. He’s only pictured on 3 of the Miracles’ LPs, and none of Smokey’s. He didn’t prefer the limelight. He was posthumously inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Miracles in 2012. He was 70 when he passed.
| | |
HONORABLE MENTION: On June 13th, in 1934, 60s R&B artist, percussionist, session musician and drummer for Motown’s in-house studio band-The Funk Brothers-Uriel Jones was born in Detroit, MI. He’s was hired by Motown as a replacement/backup for Benny Benjamin. As the label’s roster grew, Jones made more appearances, playing on songs like: Cloud Nine (the Temptations), Ain’t No Mountain High Enough (Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell), For Once in My Life (Little Stevie Wonder), I Heard it Through the Grapevine (Marvin Gaye) and I Second That Emotion (Smokey Robinson & the Miracles). He was 74 when he passed.
On June 13th, in 1940, multi-genre musician, singer, pianist, songwriter, producer, composer, collaborator with Sly Stone, forefather of the San Francisco Soul Sound, arranger and rock ‘n’ roll innovator-Bobby Freeman (Robert Thomas Freeman) was born in Almeda County, CA. He’s most known for his 1958 top ten hit-Do You Wanna Dance (Josie Records). It was covered by several artists. His other hit-C’mon & Swim (Autumn Records, 1964) was co-written/co-produced by Sly Stone of Sly & the Family Stone. Freeman was an early influence of Stone. He was 76 when he passed.
On June 13th, in 1995, alternative rock musician, singer, pianist, producer, flautist, songwriter, guitarist, arranger, harmonica player, composer and actress-Alanis Morissette released her third LP and first international release-Jagged Little Pill (Maverick/Reprise Records, 1995). The LP sold over 30 million copies and hosts hits like: You Oughta Know, All I Really Want, Ironic, Head Over Feet, Hand in My Pocket and You Learn. It served as a blueprint for the alternative rock sound that’s considered a branch of grunge rock. She won 5 Grammy Awards and the album was ranked #327 on Rolling Stones magazine’s list of the 500 Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Albums of All Time.
On June 13th, in 2015, Pro-Black 90s rapper-MC Supreme (DeWayne Lawrence Coleman) was killed in a car crash in Malibu, CA. He was hit by a drunk driver in a pickup truck while parked in his Honda Civic on the shoulder of the Pacific Coast Highway. MC Supreme was most known for the song and video-Black in America. It’s a featured on the West Coast compilation LP-We’re All in the Same Gang. He was part of the movement of pro-Black West Coast MCs like Paris, Def Jeff, Del, Kam, and the Lynch Mob. Rhyme Syndicate, NWA and Street Knowledge were behind a lot of the West Coast hip hop that was being produced during the late 80s and early 90s.
For more information on any musician or event reviewed in posts, or for additional information on The Wandering Eyes Blog overall, use the search bar and search the artist or event using keywords. It’s like a Google search for the site. A wide variety of information, covering several topics exists on this site going back to 2013 when it was created. PEACE