WAR – Funk/Jazz/Soul/Latin,
WAR – Funk/Jazz/Soul/Latin,
Soul-Patrol Declares…… WAR
Despite the disapointment I expressed earlier about the LACK OF ATTENDANCE from Black Americans for the Hendrix/Funkadelic show presented in NYC last week. (I mean sheesh, how much FUNKIER/BLACKER could the musical content possibly be????)
Nevertheless I continue to BELIVE IN MAH PEOPLE (despite all of the evidence to the contrary.) One of the reasons for my optimism about the year 2010 is that I think that this is going to be the year that BLACK AMERICANS FULLY EMBRACE THEIR OWN CULTURAL/HISTORICAL LEGACY!!!
I realize that is a tall order and that the track record for Black Americans doing this is piss poor at best.
So with that in mind I want to present the chance for Soul-Patrollers in NYC @ the City Winery (1/13 – 1/14) & Philadelphia @ the Keswick 1/15 (w/AWB) to come on out and support a band which embodies that same fusion of musical styles (ROCK + SOUL + JAZZ + BLUES + GOSPEL), more commonly known as FUNK MUSIC that Hendrix/Funkadelic did (albiet in a slightly more commercial form.) COME ON OUT AND SEE WAR LIVE NEXT WEEK IN EITHER CITY.
Now I realize that a few of you might say things like….Is this the ORIGINAL WAR? Where is LEE OSKAR? Will they be playing a 19 miniute long version of "GET DOWN?"
Trust me (I understand those questions.) However I think that we need to support OUR music/culture. We need to demonstrate to our children that Black culture is something that has a value which goes way beyond who happens to be President of the United States. AQnd that one of the things that has value is that somewhere in the years just preceeding 1970 and the years which followed, a group of BLACK AMERICANS (Hendrix, Sly Stone, James Brown, Miles Davis, Funkadelic, War, etc, separately & together applied their musical genius and created a musical style (ROCK + SOUL + JAZZ + BLUES + GOSPEL), more commonly known as FUNK MUSIC. That musical style continues to this day to dominate music (listen closely and you will hear FUNK everywhere)
So come out and celebrate the music of WAR in NYC @ the City Winery (1/13 & 1/14) or WAR in PHILADELPHIA @ the Keswick (1/15). Hopefully we can kick off 2010 and support the historical legacy of Black American Standard Music….
–Bob Davis
609-351-0154
earthjuice@prodigy.net
NYC: WAR in NYC @ the City Winery (1/13 & 1/14)
One of the most popular funk groups of the ’70s, WAR were also one of the most eclectic, freely melding soul, Latin, jazz, blues, reggae, and rock influences into an effortlessly funky whole. Although WARÂ’s lyrics were sometimes political in nature (in keeping with their racially integrated lineup), their music almost always had a sunny, laid-back vibe emblematic of their Southern California roots. WAR kept the groove loose, and they were given over to extended jamming — in fact, many of their studio songs were edited together out of longer improvisations. Even if the jams sometimes got indulgent, they demonstrated WARÂ’S truly group-minded approach: no one soloist or vocalist really stood above the others (even though all were clearly talented), and their grooving interplay placed WAR in the top echelon of funk ensembles
War
Tickets
Bar Stools $40.00
Reserved Tables $45.00
Reserved Best Tables $60.00
VIP Tables$60.00
Get more info at the following link:
PHILLY: WAR + AWB (12/26) ANGIE STONE + LEELA JAMES (2/10) @ the Keswick Theatre
PHILLY: WAR + AWB (12/26) ANGIE STONE + LEELA JAMES (2/10) @ the Keswick Theatre
Two great shows coming to the Keswick….(REAL DEAL…..FUNK & SOUL)
War & Average White Band
Fri., Jan. 15, 2010, 8 PM
A fabulous, funk-i-fied Friday with two legendary bands and their pioneering history of hits! $45 & $35
Angie Stone & Leela James
Wed., Feb. 10, 2010, 8:00 PM
Ignite the night with a double-dose of R&B/soul divas, as Stone tours behind her hot new album, Unexpected. $49.50 & $39.50
Get more info at the following link:
PHILLY: WAR + AWB (12/26) ANGIE STONE + LEELA JAMES (2/10) @ the Keswick Theatre
Funny thing happened while I was waiting to see Ohio Players in Concert last Saturday! I was ambushed by a old school California Funk/Jazz/R&B/Latin band called War. It was a scorching 102-105 degree day in Cali. I had my pop-up 10 x10 shade tent up. Ice chest was full of whatever, had my blanket, chairs, good friends and was ready for the day at the park. (Actually it was at the local city college) It was a nice crowd, kids, teenagers, families, mom’s, dads, old school pimp wannabee’s dressed for the part, you name it and it was represented. It reminded me of the good old days back in Pasadena when it was all fun, family and friends and all day concerts at the park. Back in the day we had what is now commonly referred to as "Real Music". I would go to the Rose Bowl for the Kool Jazz festival and see Stevie Wonder, Grover Washington, Andre Crouch, The Whispers, man it’s just too many to name. It was always like a big all-day family reunion event and they were Cheap, not like many of today’s shows for the younger generation. Crowded in buildings, people all cramped, no live bands, no sense of family, just drama at the shows. I am so happy to see the "Old School" performers are coming out of the woodwork to bring back "Real Music". It’s also great to see Black Unity/Family Unity/ Community Days in the park are coming back strong! Whets even better the young folk are going to the shows. It was about 5 pm and the announcer said are you ready for Lonnie Jordan and War and started rambling off some War tunes. I started having memories of the old days and started to smile. The group came on and started tuning up. Lonnie said ok yall let us get this right for yall as they continued to get it all together. It took about 5 minutes and he talked to us as they They did all the songs from back in the day… some I had forgotten about. I don’t remember the order of the set was I was just chillin and enjoying the vibes. Here is a list of some of the songs I remember. 1. Summer ( cause it’s summer, summer time is here, yes its summer my time The set was long but nobody cared, people were singing and dancing and having a good time. Somewhere into the show Lonnie said yall gonna be on the CD. He stated this was for a new War Live CD so naturally people got louder so they could be heard. He then said thing is.. do yall believe me? and laughed. But it was a long set considering they were not the headliners. And War put on a great show, actually they stole the show. The Ohio Players were up next.I’ll give a review of the Ohio Players after I see them in San Jose California July 22 2006 because I was not impressed with their performance. Maybe it was a bad day for them. People were mumbling as we left the concert.. but it always ended with, well for $10.00 bucks you can’t Mz Rissy |
As you know, I am definitely a fan of the group. My parents had lived in California during my early years, so since War was a Cali band, it was all I heard. It’s hard to say what hooked me, but I liked the fact that there could be a band with more than 4 people and it worked beautifully, like a family thing. You got congas, you got the keyboards and organs, the guitar, and of course Lee Oskar’s harmonica playing, they went out to be different. Even though Oskar is white, they never made that the groups focal point. He was one of the brothers, hair and all (j/k). I am always in a dispute with my favorite War album, but DELIVER THE WORD wins out in the end. "Gypsy Man" always ends up being a sad song for me, just listen to that solo by Oskar at the end. "H2 Overture", "Southern Part Of Texas"… yeah. Then there’s THE WORLD IS A GHETTO, another untouchable album. When these albums were recently released on CD, I was shocked that DELIVER THE WORD didn’t do as well as THE WORLD IS A GHETTO. Then of course you have songs like "Smile Happy", "Why Can’t We Be Friends", "Low Rider", "All Day Music", and the classic "Spill The Wine". To me, they seemed like the kind of band your dad would join during a good party, to jam until the early morning. I’m not sure they made a social impact, since huge groups were part of the norm in the 70’s. I know they made an impact on a lot of bands today, looking back at a music that was truly happy music. I think Sly & The Family Stone made more of an impact with their integrated band. Other than "Low Rider", War never made it to that pop level that Earth, Wind & Fire did, possibly why more people have sampled them in recent years And look at their name. They said themselves that when they came out, everybody had hippie dippie names, and they wanted attention. So they busted out with War, and the contradiction worked. It would be nice if someone could come with a tour package featuring War, Tower Of Power, P-Funk, and someone like Fishbone. Oh well -John Book |
War evolved from a Los Angeles band called The Creators. They were a r&b cover band created in 1962 by Howard Scott ( guitar & vocals) and Harold Brown (percussion & vocals), and included Lonnie Jordan (keyboards & vocals), B.B. Dickerson (bass & vocals) and Charles Miller (flute & saxophone). They broke up when Howard Scott was drafted and briefly reunited when Scott was discharged two years later. A new band called Night Shift was formed in 1968 by Scott, Brown, Jordan and Miller, and added new bassist Peter Rosen. B.B. Dickerson returned when Peter Rosen died of a drug overdose, and Papa Dee Allen (keyboards & vocals) also joined the band. They ended up becoming backup band for football player Deacon Jones in his brief musical career. The band was heard rehearsing by Jerry Goldstein, a producer and songwriter. He introduced them to Eric Burdon (formerly of The Animals), and would go on to produce with War. Burdon brought Lee Oskar (harmonica, percussion & vocals) to the band and toured with War in 1969. In 1970, "Eric Burdon Declares War" was released and went gold. The single "Spill The Wine" became a hit and went to #3 on the pop charts. War recorded two more albums with Burdon, "Black Man’s Burdon" and "Love Is All Around" which wasn’t released until 1976. In 1971 during the middle of a European tour, Eric Burdon quit touring claiming that he was burned out. War completed the tour without him to sell-out crowds, much to their delight. War permanently split with Burdon and signed a record deal with UA. In 1971, they released "All Day Music" and followed with albums "The World Is A Ghetto", "Deliver The Word", "War Live", and "Why Cant We Be Friends?" which made them a mainstay in the ’70"s. War had a unique sound, a combination of funk, r&b, gospel and latin jazz (not to mention the harmonica of Lee Oskar and saxophone of Charles Miller) that had wide appeal that crossed racial lines. Their music addressed the issues in many urban communities and also had positive messages which were inspirational to many. "All Day Music" was the first album that I heard by War. "Slippin’ Into Darkness" was my favorite with it’s hypnotic rhythm and vocals. It became their first hit on their own. " All Day Music " and "Nappy Head" were also popular among fans. War’s next album "The World Is A Ghetto" became a huge success. The title song painted a picture of despair and hope found in the inner city, and that "…peace and love are the cure…". It meant to me that problems that faced minorities in urban areas were global, and basically the same as those in many communities around the world (hunger, poverty, political oppression,etc.). "Four Cornered Room", "Beetles In The Bog" and "City, Country, City" were favorites with their blues, gospel and jazz feel to them. "The Cisco Kid" was a funky song aimed at its latino audience that made its way to black radio (as were "Low Rider" and "Cinco de Mayo"). The album "Deliver The Word" brought us "Me & Baby Brother .wav file 30 K", one of their funkiest songs, which was influenced by Sly & The Family Stone. "Deliver The Word" was a soulful ballad that is among my favorites. Their next album, "Why Can’t We Be Friends?" brought two hits. It produced their classic "Low Rider" , and the title song which questioned racial separatism and called for unity among the races. War went on to make more albums and hits including "Galaxy" and "Peace Sign" from their last album. — Jose Munoz WAR Selected Discography & Download
Eric Burdon & War : Eric Burdon Declares War – 1970 1. Dedication 2. Roll on Kirk 3. Tobacco Road 4. I Have a Dream 5. Tobacco Road 6. Spill the Wine 7. Birth 8. Mother Earth 9. Mr. Charlie 10. Danish Pastry 11.Mother Earth
Eric Burdon : Black-Man’s Burdon – 1971 1. Paint It Black Medley 2. Spirit 3. Beautiful New Born Child 4. Nights in White Satin I 5. Bird & The Squirrel 6. Nuts, Seeds & Life 7. Out of Nowhere 8. Nights in White Satin Ii 9. Sun/Moon 10. Pretty Colors 11. Gun 12. Jimbo 13. Bare Back Ride 14. Home Cookin’ 15. They Can’t Take Away Our Music
War: War -1971 1. Peace Sign 2. East L. A. 3. Wild Rodriquez 4. I’m the One (Who Understands) 5. Da Roof 6. Smuggler,the (The Light in the Window) 7. U B O.K. 8. Let Em Tell You 9. Smile for Me 10. What If 11. Angel 12. Homeless Hero
War : All Day Music – 1971 1.All Day Music</</b> 2. Get Down 3. That’s What Love Will Do 4. There Must Be a Reason 5. Nappy Head (Theme from Ghetto Man) 6.Baby Brother
War : Deliver the Word – 1973 1. H2 Overture 2. In Your Eyes 3. Gypsy Man 4. Me & Baby Brother .wav file 30 K 5. Deliver the Word 6. Southern Part Of Texas 7. Blisters
War : War Live – 1973 1. Introduction by E Rodney Jones of radio station WVON Chicago .wav file 15 K 2.Sun Oh Sun 3. The Cisco Kid 4.Slippin’ into Darkness 5. Slippin’ Part 2 6. All Day Music 7. Ballero 8. Lonely Feelin’ 9. Get Down
War : Why Can’t We Be Friends – 1975 1. Don’t Let No One Get You Down 2. Lotus Blossom 3.Heartbeat 4. Leroy’s Latin Lament (Medley) (I): Lonnie Dreams 5. Leroy’s Latin Lament (Medley) – (II): The Way We Feel 6. Leroy’s Latin Lament (Medley) – (III): La Fiesta 7. Leroy’s Latin Lament (Medley) – (IV): Lament 8. Smile Happy 9. So 10. Low Rider 11. In Mazatlan 12. Why Can’t We Be Friends
War : World Is a Ghetto -1972 1. Cisco Kid 2. Where Was You At 3. City, Country, City 4. Four Cornered Room 5. The World is a Ghetto 6. Beetles in the Bog
War : Greatest Hits -1976 1. All Day Music 2. Slippin’ into Darkness 3. World is a Ghetto 4. Cisco Kid 5. Gypsy Man 6. Me and Baby Brother 7. Southern Part of Texas 8. Why Can’t We Be Friends 9. Low Rider 10. Summer
Eric Burdon & War : Love Is All Around -1976 1. Love is All Around 2. Tobacco Road 3. Home Dream 4. Magic Mountain 5. Day in the Life 6. Black on Black in Black / Paint It Black
War : Galaxy – 1977 1. Galaxy 2. Baby Face (She Said Do Do Do Do) 3. Sweet Fighting Lady 4. Hey Senorita 5. Seven Tin Soldiers
War : Platinum Jazz – 1977 1. War Is Coming! War Is Coming 2. Slowly We Walk Together 3. Platinum Jazz 4. I Got You 5. L.A Sunshine 6. River Niger 7. H2 Overture 8. City-Country-City 9. Smile Happy 10. Deliver The Word / Nappy Head 11. Four Cornered Room
War : Youngblood (Soundtrack)- 1978 1. Youngblood (Livin’ In The Streets) 2. Sing A Happy Song 3. Keep On Doin’ 4. The Kingsmen Sign 5. Walking To War 6. This Funky Music Makes You Feel Good 7. Junk Yard 8. Super Dude 9. Youngblood & Sybil 10. Flying Machine (The Chase) 11. Searching For Youngblood & Rommel 12. Youngblood (Livin’ In The Streets)
War : Outlaw – 1982 1. You Got the Power 2. Outlaw 3. Jungle 4. Beware It’s a Jungle out There 5. Streets of Walls 6. Streets of Lights 7. Streets of Now 8. Just Because 9. Baby It’s Cold Outside 10. I’m About Somebody 11. Cinco De Mayo
War : Life (Is So Strange) – 1983 1. Life is So Strange 2. Happiness 3. W W Iii 4. Dawning of Night 5. Waiting at the Church 6. When the Nightmare Comes 7. Shakin’ It Down 8. Summer Dreams 9. U 2 10. Automatic Eyes 11. U 2 Part 2 12. U 2 Part 3
War : Best of War & More – 1991 1. Livin’ In The Red 2. Low Rider 3. Cisco Kid 4. Slippin’ into Darkness 5. Me and Baby Brother 6. Galaxy 7. Spill The Wine 8. All Day Music 9. Why Can’t We Be Friends 10. Summer 11. City, Country, City 12. Whose Cadillac Is That ? 13. Low Rider (Remix)
War : Peace Sign – 1994 1. Peace Sign 2. Smile for Me 3. East L.A. 4. Homeless Hero 5. U B O.K. 6. Let Me Tell You 7. What If 8. Roof 9. Angel 10. Wild Rodgriguez 11. Smuggler 12. I’m the One (Who Understands) 13. Africa
War: Anthology – 1994 1. Tobacco Road 2. Spill The Wine 3. They Can’t Take Away Our Music 4. Sun Oh Son 5. Lonely Feelin’ 6. All Day Music 7. Get Down 8. Slippin’ Into Darkness 9. The Cisco Kid 10. The World Is A Ghetto 11. City Country City 12. Where Was You At 13. Gypsy Man 14. Me And Baby Brother 15. Deliver The Word 16. Ballero 17. Why Can’t We Be Friends? 18. Low Rider 19. Don’t Let No One Get You Down 20. Summer 21. L.A. Sunshine 22. River Niger 23. Galaxy 24. Youngblood (Livin’ In The Streets) 25. This Funky Music Makes You Feel Good 26. The Music Band 27. Outlaw 28. You Got The Power 29. Cinco De Mayo 30. Life (Is So Strange) 31. Don’t Let No One Get You Down 32. Peace Sign |