Classic Instrumental Jams

[funkyone71]

Not sure if I posted this before but this is an article I did on classic instrumental jams. Hope you enjoy.

http://soultrain.com/2015/03/30/classic-instrumental-jams/

[splanky]

All stellar material,,

[ralpht]

Hey Funky,
How could you leave out Bill Dogget's Honky Tonk? Bands in Detroit were judged on how well that song was played. If you couldn't cut Honky Tonk, you weren't ready to play with the big dogs.

[soulster]

I remember that you posted this some time ago. Last year? Anyway, I truly miss instrumentals. I hate to say it, but I think the popularity of hip-hop and love ballads killed them in the mid-80s. The last ones I can recall came out in 1985, and they weren't even R&B! Those were "St. Elmo's Fire [[Man In Motion )" by John Parr, and "19" by Paul Hardcastle. I think there was one in the early 90s by Yngwie Malmsteen, but I don't remember it.

[nabob]

This song is dated as hell and it's disco. At the time of its popularity, I was on an extended assignment in Honolulu. Everybody in the office was under thirty, with the exception of the managing partners. The office cubs would go dancing most nights after work. This song was one of the favorites.

https://youtu.be/4MFbn8EbB4k

Has a moratorium been imposed on inserting videos?

[roger]

The late '80s/early '90s House and Acid-House scenes in Britain were largely built around instrumentals and semi-instrumentals, some of which became major hits in The U.K. and other parts of Europe. I can't think of any that were run-away hits in The U.S., even though most of them were recorded in America.

Here is one from 1991 .....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSkr53xfFwg

Roger

[alexstassi]

With the Love Unlimited Orchestra I always preferred Satin Soul over Loves Theme.... ... other inst... Machine Gun - Commodores, Donny Hathaway - Valdez in the country [[even George Bensons version)

Nice article, particularly love Herbie Hancock's Chameleon in its full entirety and Herb Alperts Rise

[dennis_coffey]

Hey Ralph. I was playing at the Twenty Grand back in the day. I sat next to Bill Dogget at the bar and told him how important his songs were to us in our music careers . He thanked me and bought me a drink. That was a great moment in my life.

[soulster]

Has a moratorium been imposed on inserting videos?

No, but i'm glad people don't post so many of them these days. Not only is there nothing more boring than a thread with a bunch of videos in it, but they stifle real discussion.

In my opinion, nothing kills a thread faster than a long series of videos.

[jack020]

Some more:
K-Jee & Philadelphia Freedom by MFSB
My Sweet Summer Suite by Love Unlimited Orchestra
Cosmic Wind - Mike Theodore Orchestra
Magic Bird Of Fire - Salsoul Orchestra
Life On Mars - Dexter Wansel
Lansana's Priestess - Donald Byrd
Chase - Giorgio Moroder

[ralpht]

Hey Dennis,
Funny you posted on this. When I wrote my post, I meant to add, Ask Dennis Coffey about this. He will agree.

[alanh]

Jack - for me it has to the the original version of 'K-jee' by The Nite-Liters!, but yes it's a great instrumental.

I love instrumentals. I'll add:
'Grazing In The Grass' by Hugh Masekela
'Viva Tirado' by El Chicano
'There Are Many Stops Along the Way' by Joe Sample
'Spring High' by Ramsey Lewis
and going back -
'6x6' by Earl Van Dyke
'Last Night' by The Markeys
'The Champion Pt1' by Willie Mitchell
'You Can't Sit Down' by Phil Upchurch

[alanh]

.....and the rather obscure and now hard to find 'Mr Penguin Pt2' by Lunar Funk. A fantastic groove!

[daddyacey]

CLASSICS................Lets go back........................................>
King Heroin--- James Brown /Fred Wesley
Watermelon Man-- Mongo Santamaria
Time is Tight--- Booker T and M.G.s
Outta Space-- Billy Preston
The In Crowd-- Ramsey Lewis
Soulful Strut--- Young Holt Unlimited
Funky Man ---- Kool and The Gang
Hi Jack--- Herbie Man
Listen Here!!---- Eddie Harris
Country Preacher--- Cannonball Adderly

[jboy88]

Hip-Hug-Her- Booker T. & the MGs
Soul Twist- King Curtis
Soul Finger- Bar-Kays
Cleo's Mood-Jr. Walker & the All-stars
Chicken Strut- Meters
Sexy-MFSB
Space Race- Billy Preston

[daddyacey]

Keep On Dancin--- Alvin Cash
Funky Four Corners---- Jerry O
Funky Eight Corner-----Willie and The Mighty Magnificents

[Sotosound]

"Zone" by Rhythm Makers does it for me.

Basic, gritty funk.

[timmyfunk]

A Joyful Process-Funkadelic
Loose Booty-Parliament
Atmosphere-Funkadelic
Maggot Brain-[[original and full band version)-Funkadelic.
The Big Bang Theory-Parliament
Glory-Material

[Jerry Oz]

A Joyful Process-Funkadelic
Loose Booty-Parliament
Atmosphere-Funkadelic
Maggot Brain-[[original and full band version)-Funkadelic.
The Big Bang Theory-Parliament
Glory-Material
"The Big Bang Theory" was blasted for months in my senior year of high school. Great jam.

[soulster]

CLASSICS................Lets go back........................................>
King Heroin--- James Brown /Fred Wesley
Watermelon Man-- Mongo Santamaria
Time is Tight--- Booker T and M.G.s
Outta Space-- Billy Preston
The In Crowd-- Ramsey Lewis
Soulful Strut--- Young Holt Unlimited
Funky Man ---- Kool and The Gang
Hi Jack--- Herbie Man
Listen Here!!---- Eddie Harris
Country Preacher--- Cannonball Adderly

Perfect! Great list!

[Jerry Oz]

I was at the grocery store this evening when 'Soulful Strut' played over the speaker. I love that cut.

[Cosmic Truth]

I don't now if this could be called a classic instrumental, as it isn't a particularly well know track, but I absolutely love this one Dexter Wansel Time Is The Teacher


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZwZHOLfGTk

[daddyacey]

I forgot to add------------
James Brown's -- Night Train

[manny]

Hi, Cosmic Truth

I also thinks that Dexter Wansel have some great instrumentals [[some well known as "Life On Mars") but I have some rare tracks by him I likes a lot from the time they were published: "A Million Miles Of The Ground"; "Theme From The Planets" and one credited as "MFSB feat. dexter Wansel", "When Your Love Is Gone" from the LP "Philadelphia Freedom"; and almost the entire MFSB set "Mysteries Of The World" on wich Wansel is omnipresent.

Some other great instrumental I can't stop to hear:

- MFSB "Bitter Sweet"
- Blackbyrds "Future Children Future Hopes"
- People's Choice "Opus - de - Funk"
- Leon Huff "No Greater Love"
- Deodato "Adam's Hotel"
- Luis Gasca "Visions"
- Donald Byrd "Veronica"
- Salsoul Orchestra "Alpha Centauri"
- Michael pedicin, Jr. "Soncere"
- Chick Corea "Nite Sprite"

To name only a few...

[Cosmic Truth]

Hi, Cosmic Truth

I also thinks that Dexter Wansel have some great instrumentals [[some well known as "Life On Mars") but I have some rare tracks by him I likes a lot from the time they were published: "A Million Miles Of The Ground"; "Theme From The Planets" and one credited as "MFSB feat. dexter Wansel", "When Your Love Is Gone" from the LP "Philadelphia Freedom"; and almost the entire MFSB set "Mysteries Of The World" on wich Wansel is omnipresent.

Some other great instrumental I can't stop to hear:

- MFSB "Bitter Sweet"
- Blackbyrds "Future Children Future Hopes"
- People's Choice "Opus - de - Funk"
- Leon Huff "No Greater Love"
- Deodato "Adam's Hotel"
- Luis Gasca "Visions"
- Donald Byrd "Veronica"
- Salsoul Orchestra "Alpha Centauri"
- Michael pedicin, Jr. "Soncere"
- Chick Corea "Nite Sprite"

To name only a few...

Dexter Wansel is a tremendous artist. I actually bought the Voyager album when I was young, just for the funk track All Night Long. It was only when I bought a double CD of his best tracks that I discovered Time Is The Teacher. I didn't have a clue about quality music when I was younger.

I first heard Life On Mars when I bought the CD. As you said, it's. absolutely outstanding.

Here's another instrumental track of his. It was the B sides of one of his singles. I can't remember which one exactly, but I reckon it was either Disco Lights, or It's Been Cool.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sw6Mev3HRwY

[manny]

Hi again, Cosmic Truth

I purchased "Life On Mars" album when I was aged 18 years old, around 1980 [[the album is from 1976) and during years and years this was my only album by Dexter. Only have had some other tracks from other albums in two P.I.R. compilations from VV. AA. on vynil [["First Light Of The Morning", "Disco Lights",...) and more "recently" [[around 2005) I purchased the two reeditions on CD by Edsel records "two in one", the four original PIR albums in 2 CD's [[Life On Mars, What The World's Coming To, Voyager & Time Is Sleepin Away,...). Many good jazzy and funky tracks, some mellow moments,.. but my absolute favorite continues to be the first album, all the tracks! One of my favorite Jazzy Philly Soul opus! [[jointly with Monk Montgomery's "Reallity").

Some other jams:

- Monk Montgomery "Bump da bump"
- Isaac Hayes "Ellie's Love Theme"
- Richard Tee "Us"
- Stanley Clarke & George Duke "Put It On The Line"
- Bob James "One Mint's Julep"
- Isaac Hayes Movement "After Five"
- Booker T & The MG's "Soul Limbo"
- herbie hancock "Just Around The Corner"
- MFSB "TLC [[Tender Lovin' Care)"
- Crusaders "Time Bomb"
- Crusaders "Allucinate"
- O'Donnel Levy "Bad Bad Symba"
- People's Choice "Mickey D's"
- The O'Jays, the instrumental version of 1987's "Don't Take Your Love Away"

Cheers to all!

[daddyacey]

Leon Huff------I Ain't Jivin , I'm Jammin
Ashford and Simpson--- Bourgie Bourgie
Pieces of A Dream--- Mt Airy Groove
Kool & The Gang--- Open Sesame

[[And I can not leave out the "Hip-Hop National Anthem" :cool:)
The Incredible Bongo Band---- APACHE

[Cosmic Truth]

Hi again, Cosmic Truth

I purchased "Life On Mars" album when I was aged 18 years old, around 1980 [[the album is from 1976) and during years and years this was my only album by Dexter. Only have had some other tracks from other albums in two P.I.R. compilations from VV. AA. on vynil [["First Light Of The Morning", "Disco Lights",...) and more "recently" [[around 2005) I purchased the two reeditions on CD by Edsel records "two in one", the four original PIR albums in 2 CD's [[Life On Mars, What The World's Coming To, Voyager & Time Is Sleepin Away,...). Many good jazzy and funky tracks, some mellow moments,.. but my absolute favorite continues to be the first album, all the tracks! One of my favorite Jazzy Philly Soul opus! [[jointly with Monk Montgomery's "Reallity").

Some other jams:

- Monk Montgomery "Bump da bump"
- Isaac Hayes "Ellie's Love Theme"
- Richard Tee "Us"
- Stanley Clarke & George Duke "Put It On The Line"
- Bob James "One Mint's Julep"
- Isaac Hayes Movement "After Five"
- Booker T & The MG's "Soul Limbo"
- herbie hancock "Just Around The Corner"
- MFSB "TLC [[Tender Lovin' Care)"
- Crusaders "Time Bomb"
- Crusaders "Allucinate"
- O'Donnel Levy "Bad Bad Symba"
- People's Choice "Mickey D's"
- The O'Jays, the instrumental version of 1987's "Don't Take Your Love Away"

Cheers to all!

Your post reminded me of this absolute classic from the Crusaders.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW8jN8237Yg

[manny]

Nice memories, Cosmic Truth!

In fact, "Chain Reaction" and "Souther Comfort" were the two favorite albums of mine by The Crusadrers. These years, mid 70's they makes a beautiful fusion of jazz-soul-rock, were the years of the "classic" formation [[Sample, Felder, Hooper, carlton and the great trombonist Wayne henderson!). previously to the album I purchased the abc single "Stomp & Buck Dance" w/b "Double Bubble" and I remember I was hungry because in the cover art appears a stick on wich can read "Súper para discotecas" and, here in Spain and specially in the 70's, "disco2 was a very respective qualification and I think THIS IS NOT DISCO, this is as many soul and fusion from the 70's, only "danceable R&B you can also heard" or "for heard R&B you can also dance to". After "Those Southern Knights" [[with another favorite of mine, "Serenity") and with the departure of Carlton and Henderson I lost interest in The Crusaders. Also purchased "Street Life", "Raphsody & Blues" and "Standing Tall" but their music seems to me too much in the "smooth jazz" mould...

Cheers to all

P.D.: some other instrumental jams:

"People Makes The World Go Round" - CTI All-Stars Live
"Solar funk" - Travis Biggs
"Deep" - Ritchie Rome

[daddyacey]

Curtis Mayfield's-----Claudine Theme

[chidrummer]

Ramsey Lewis - People Make the World Go Round
w/EWF - Sun Goddess
Stanley Clarke - Lopsy Lu
David Sanborn - Spooky
The Crusaders - Put It Where You Want It
Spyro Gyra - Freetime; Catching The Sun
Weather Report - A Remark You Made
AWB - Pick Up the Pieces

Here's a rare live version of Lopsy Lu. Clarke is only 25 here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDPq1uq5Gxo

[arr&bee]

Something in g-james brown...the overture-the miracles...hey mr.dj-booby moore and the rhythm aces...i don't need no reason-jr.walker and the allstars.