1000 Day Album Challenge (#28) Dennis Coffey & The Detroit Guitar Band: Evolution (1971) [28.01.24]
gonna keep this funk thing goin’ for at least one more day. in the late sixties Dennis Coffey was a member of Motown’s legendary house band, The Funk Brothers. anyone familiar with Cloud Nine, Ball of Confusion or Psychedelic Shack by The Temptations has heard Dennis Coffey’s guitar. his first album outside of the fold was Hair and Thangs (1969) credited to the Dennis Coffey Trio.
Evolution was his second albumI likely bought this when I lived in San Francisco in the early 1990s. if not then I’m sure I bought it when living in Philly in the mid- to late-90s. for some time I had been on the look out for it because of the track, Scorpio. the extended drum break just over a minute into the song will be recognized by anyone with even a passing interest in 80s and 90s Hip Hop. it has been sampled hundreds of times (https://www.whosampled.com/Dennis-Coffey/Scorpio/sampled/).
Scorpio is one of the breaks that form the very foundation of Hip Hop. it was being cut, scratched and extended long before Sugarhill Gang recorded Rapper’s Delight (1979) and before anyone knew what a sampler was. if this wasn’t in your box as an early Hip Hop DJ then you were probably letting the crowd down.
I’m sorry to say that this is a one side album, but what a side it is. as I check it out to write this it’s quite obvious why I don’t recognize any of the titles on side two – I never listened to them. I’m sure I would check them out from time to time and then quickly realize, “okay, flip it back over.” okay so maybe the first track, Impressions Of is worth your time, but that’s it.
for me, the other can’t miss tune is the cover of Led Zeppelin’s Whole Lotta Love. I’d put it up against Tina Turner’s mid-70s version. Tina’s take probably gets the nod but not by much. I’m also a fan of the side one closer, Garden of the Moon. it’s more of contemplative laid back groove.
at a minimum everyone needs to check out Scorpio. if you don’t know it you are missing out on an essential piece of music history. it’s also a wicked party record for anyone who wants to move the crowd.
#1000DayAlbumChallenge #DennisCoffey #Evolution #Scorpio #TheFunkBrothers
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