SYL JOHNSON / THE NUMERO GROUP
- Thread starter Cosmo
- Start date
I just wanted to throw this out there for general thought but I'm reading over the liners for the SJ box-set (which are staggering in their detail, even beyond expectation) and there's the claim made that "Is It Because I'm Black" "can rightly be called the first black concept album."
Much as I think this album is incredible, I gotta say; this just doesn't strike me as even being arguably true. After all, couldn't everything from "Brer Soul" by Melvin Van Peebles to Jimi's "Electric Ladyland", even Coltrane's "A Love Supreme" all be considered "concept albums" that precede Syl's LP?
Much as I think this album is incredible, I gotta say; this just doesn't strike me as even being arguably true. After all, couldn't everything from "Brer Soul" by Melvin Van Peebles to Jimi's "Electric Ladyland", even Coltrane's "A Love Supreme" all be considered "concept albums" that precede Syl's LP?
B
bull_ox
Guest
mannybolone said:I just wanted to throw this out there for general thought but I'm reading over the liners for the SJ box-set (which are staggering in their detail, even beyond expectation) and there's the claim made that "Is It Because I'm Black" "can rightly be called the first black concept album."
Much as I think this album is incredible, I gotta say; this just doesn't strike me as even being arguably true. After all, couldn't everything from "Brer Soul" by Melvin Van Peebles to Jimi's "Electric Ladyland", even Coltrane's "A Love Supreme" all be considered "concept albums" that precede Syl's LP?
Hm, you've got a point there. Could they have gotten away with the "first R&B concept album"?
Much as I think this album is incredible, I gotta say; this just doesn't strike me as even being arguably true. After all, couldn't everything from "Brer Soul" by Melvin Van Peebles to Jimi's "Electric Ladyland", even Coltrane's "A Love Supreme" all be considered "concept albums" that precede Syl's LP?
Hm, you've got a point there. Could they have gotten away with the "first R&B concept album"?
bull_ox said:mannybolone said:I just wanted to throw this out there for general thought but I'm reading over the liners for the SJ box-set (which are staggering in their detail, even beyond expectation) and there's the claim made that "Is It Because I'm Black" "can rightly be called the first black concept album."
Much as I think this album is incredible, I gotta say; this just doesn't strike me as even being arguably true. After all, couldn't everything from "Brer Soul" by Melvin Van Peebles to Jimi's "Electric Ladyland", even Coltrane's "A Love Supreme" all be considered "concept albums" that precede Syl's LP?
Hm, you've got a point there. Could they have gotten away with the "first R&B concept album"?
Yeah, I think you'd have a much stronger argument there. I'm wracking my head trying to think of other R&B concept albums that could have been around in 1969...
Much as I think this album is incredible, I gotta say; this just doesn't strike me as even being arguably true. After all, couldn't everything from "Brer Soul" by Melvin Van Peebles to Jimi's "Electric Ladyland", even Coltrane's "A Love Supreme" all be considered "concept albums" that precede Syl's LP?
Hm, you've got a point there. Could they have gotten away with the "first R&B concept album"?
Yeah, I think you'd have a much stronger argument there. I'm wracking my head trying to think of other R&B concept albums that could have been around in 1969...
We're using black in a more general sense here, leaning heavier on the political undercurrents running through soul and R&B. A lot of time was spent pondering and researching this concept, and no other album came even close in 1969.
For those wondering about the mysterious LP included in the preorder:
The initial pressing of Born Again Funk sides A/B has a minor defect. We weren't comfortable letting it out into the world, so we had a new batch pressed, set the bad ones off to the side, and then waited to figure out what to do with 1100 LPs. When the storage space started getting tight this summer with all the Ebirac records, we decided to insert them into the packages as a tease.
If you like A/B, you'll love the rest.
For those wondering about the mysterious LP included in the preorder:
The initial pressing of Born Again Funk sides A/B has a minor defect. We weren't comfortable letting it out into the world, so we had a new batch pressed, set the bad ones off to the side, and then waited to figure out what to do with 1100 LPs. When the storage space started getting tight this summer with all the Ebirac records, we decided to insert them into the packages as a tease.
If you like A/B, you'll love the rest.
TNG said:We're using black in a more general sense here, leaning heavier on the political undercurrents running through soul and R&B. A lot of time was spent pondering and researching this concept, and no other album came even close in 1969. .
Thanks for chiming in here.
As noted above, if the claim is that Syl's LP preceded any other explicitly political R&B album, I think there's a solid case to be made there and it certainly challenges the conventional wisdom that Gaye was the first to go there. But if we really are talking about 'black in a more general sense' (i.e. outside of R&B), then I think you'd have several contenders for a pre-1970, black concept album, including the three I noted above, plus the "Last Poets" debut album on Douglas 3 (1969). Again, none of these are ostensibly "soul" albums however (though, knowing Melvin Van Peebles, he'd argue "Brer Soul" was).
I'm just being nitpicky about this; not a big deal at all but the claim did jump out at me when I read it
Thanks for chiming in here.
As noted above, if the claim is that Syl's LP preceded any other explicitly political R&B album, I think there's a solid case to be made there and it certainly challenges the conventional wisdom that Gaye was the first to go there. But if we really are talking about 'black in a more general sense' (i.e. outside of R&B), then I think you'd have several contenders for a pre-1970, black concept album, including the three I noted above, plus the "Last Poets" debut album on Douglas 3 (1969). Again, none of these are ostensibly "soul" albums however (though, knowing Melvin Van Peebles, he'd argue "Brer Soul" was).
I'm just being nitpicky about this; not a big deal at all but the claim did jump out at me when I read it
mannybolone said:TNG said:We're using black in a more general sense here, leaning heavier on the political undercurrents running through soul and R&B. A lot of time was spent pondering and researching this concept, and no other album came even close in 1969. .
Thanks for chiming in here.
As noted above, if the claim is that Syl's LP preceded any other explicitly political R&B album, I think there's a solid case to be made there and it certainly challenges the conventional wisdom that Gaye was the first to go there. But if we really are talking about 'black in a more general sense' (i.e. outside of R&B), then I think you'd have several contenders for a pre-1970, black concept album, including the three I noted above, plus the "Last Poets" debut album on Douglas 3 (1969). Again, none of these are ostensibly "soul" albums however (though, knowing Melvin Van Peebles, he'd argue "Brer Soul" was).
I'm just being nitpicky about this; not a big deal at all but the claim did jump out at me when I read it
Lots of pre-1970s jazz entries--Max Roach's We Insist! Freedom Now Suite was released a decade earlier, for example. In fact, I recall reading that Marvin Gaye credited a number of jazz artists as his inspiration to do a conceptual song cycle in What's Going On.
Thanks for chiming in here.
As noted above, if the claim is that Syl's LP preceded any other explicitly political R&B album, I think there's a solid case to be made there and it certainly challenges the conventional wisdom that Gaye was the first to go there. But if we really are talking about 'black in a more general sense' (i.e. outside of R&B), then I think you'd have several contenders for a pre-1970, black concept album, including the three I noted above, plus the "Last Poets" debut album on Douglas 3 (1969). Again, none of these are ostensibly "soul" albums however (though, knowing Melvin Van Peebles, he'd argue "Brer Soul" was).
I'm just being nitpicky about this; not a big deal at all but the claim did jump out at me when I read it
Lots of pre-1970s jazz entries--Max Roach's We Insist! Freedom Now Suite was released a decade earlier, for example. In fact, I recall reading that Marvin Gaye credited a number of jazz artists as his inspiration to do a conceptual song cycle in What's Going On.
ok, so is there any consensus (and weblink) to where and which numero group joints i should take a splash on?
definitely feel i need to grab Syl and 24 karat...
what third release should i get to round out my order?
thanks, t
definitely feel i need to grab Syl and 24 karat...
what third release should i get to round out my order?
thanks, t
B
bull_ox
Guest
I just got the Pisces LP (which is all exclusive material AFAIK) and on the first 3 listens it was very cool and something I think you'd get down with, triple
ok...i was being kinda ignorant and just skimmed the thread at first....so i went back and reread all the recommendations.
pisces does sound like a winner. thanks bllox. and 24 karat and the syl. ima get my order on.
whats catherine howe allabout?
whats WEE like? soul? sweet? i saw that record once in a cleveland basement but it was off limits and headed to toronto.
pisces does sound like a winner. thanks bllox. and 24 karat and the syl. ima get my order on.
whats catherine howe allabout?
whats WEE like? soul? sweet? i saw that record once in a cleveland basement but it was off limits and headed to toronto.
ok apologies again for being so lazy. the numero website is pretty comprehensive even for a bonehead like me.
tripledouble said:ok...i was being kinda ignorant and just skimmed the thread at first....so i went back and reread all the recommendations.
pisces does sound like a winner. thanks bllox. and 24 karat and the syl. ima get my order on.
whats catherine howe allabout?
whats WEE like? soul? sweet? i saw that record once in a cleveland basement but it was off limits and headed to toronto.
Catherine Howe is great, dude. RIght up your alley. I lead off my "Still Good" mix with one of her songs.
By the way.
pisces does sound like a winner. thanks bllox. and 24 karat and the syl. ima get my order on.
whats catherine howe allabout?
whats WEE like? soul? sweet? i saw that record once in a cleveland basement but it was off limits and headed to toronto.
Catherine Howe is great, dude. RIght up your alley. I lead off my "Still Good" mix with one of her songs.
By the way.
cos, ima probably get to c.howe eventually. for now, im basking in the wonderful sounds of Pisces.
first side is off the fucking charts superb. second side a little spottier, but overall im thrilled. havent even begun to digest Syl and 24karat.
i didnt get the bonus Aside/bside insert, but i gotta say i felt like i placed my order and the box hit my doorstep hours later. obviously i dont have the firmest handle on time, but shipping/service was amazing.
and TNG presentation and packaging of their product is beyond expectations. dope
first side is off the fucking charts superb. second side a little spottier, but overall im thrilled. havent even begun to digest Syl and 24karat.
i didnt get the bonus Aside/bside insert, but i gotta say i felt like i placed my order and the box hit my doorstep hours later. obviously i dont have the firmest handle on time, but shipping/service was amazing.
and TNG presentation and packaging of their product is beyond expectations. dope
