Blaxploitation: Volume Three - The Payback

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So, brothers and sisters - what have we got on Volume Three of this fine series of "soul, jazz and funk from the innercity"? As with much of Volume One and Volume Two, there is not much that is directly from the soundtrack of a Blaxploitation movie, but much that has come under the influence of that sub-genre. 

I will start with some of the most obvious examples of that.

Firstly, we are treated to Quincy Jones's delectable serving of TV theme funk with some jazzy breaks in Ironside, from the wheelchair-bound cop's show. Bob James's Westchester Lady is in the same vein, as too is Herbie Hancock's Watermelon Man, Johnny Hammond's organ and sax-driven groove Breakout and Booker T. & The Mgs' equally keyboard-funky Melting Pot. War's The World Is A Ghetto is cut from the same wide-lapelled, funky print cloth as well. Marvin Gaye's über-funky Trouble Man is from a Blaxploitation-style movie of the same name. William de Vaughn's wonderful, laid-back groove of Be Thankful For What You Got plays up the whole pimp image for all its worth. 

However, if you are tiring of the pressures of urban life and you wanna get yourself some good lovin, then we have saucy old Millie Jackson wanting to be your All The Way Lover, Teddy Pendergrass offering you some Love TKO, Isaac Hayes some Joy or Curtis Mayfield asking his lady to Give Me Your Love. All good "relax on that couch now baby" stuff. Add to that the sweet saxophone of Grover Washington Jr.'s take on Bill Withers' Ain't No Sunshine and your evening's seduction has its soundtrack. 

Want some issue-driven soul-funk to get you up and at 'em - well, try The Temptations' Ball Of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today), James Brown's piece of funky preaching in Public Enemy #1 or Bobby Womack's magnificently evocative urban tale of the drug-addled losers, pimps and hookers you find Across 110th Street. Or maybe go for the Isley Brothers' Do Your Thing, an early piece of funk-pop from the late sixties. 

Or is it full-on funky groove that is your bag? Get an earful of Creative Source's pumping, bassy interpretation of Bill Withers' Who Is He And What Is He To You? One of my favourites on the album, for sure. Funky as fuck as I am fond of saying. Or maybe you'll get down to Funkadelic's One Nation Under A Groove. Perhaps you just want to be entertained? Curtis Mayfield will ask you to Move On Up, The O'Jays will warn about those Backstabbers or Gil Scott-Heron will tunefully tell you about Lady Day & John Coltrane. 

Ever wondered where James Brown got the underlying riff on Hot (I Need To Be Loved, Loved, Loved) from? Yep - you got it in one - it's David Bowie's Fame, of course. Released after Fame, it is definitely The Godfather sampling The Thin White Duke. 

Have I left anything out? Oh yes, Isaac will smooch you some more on the late-night, smoky Ike's Mood (check out that killer brass) and Maynard Parker will work your ass, jazz-funk style with the short but lively Bad Montana. 

Like its two predecessors, this is chock full of top notch urban-influenced funky, jazzy soul with an overriding influence from the Blaxploitation movie sub-genre. 

Secondary, 3 of 5

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