Smooth Sailing: Folk Funk & Funky Chill

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Joan Smalls Instagram
The sub-genre is officially called folk funk, but I think soulful folk is a better description, because there are just a few snippets of funk in this music style. As the 1960s melted into the ’70s in a colourful swirl of musical possibility, bands and singer-songwriters were experimenting with newfound freedoms. The psychedelic era had brought about many changes and much political upheaval in its wake. Discrete genres became fluid. Many acts fused different sounds together. Rock would meet jazz. Soul was mixed with psychedelia. In this fertile environment the somewhat vague yet highly prized form of folk funk emerged. Names that are synonymous with the genre are Bill Withers, Minnie Riperton and more recently the wonderful Kadhja Bonet. Her album Child Queen will be released June 8, 2018.
Aside from also being an awesome pro wrestler name, “Shadow Captain” is one of several songs that David Crosby wrote after waking up in the middle of the night. Kind of makes you wonder if he wrote this in the middle of the day if it would be just called “Captain.”
(Hello Loser)

The track by The Clean-Hands Group is from the brand new compilation album Club Meduse selected by Beachfreaks Records co-founder Charles Bals, out on Spacetalk May 28, 2018:
For Club Meduse, Bals was inspired by countless magic childhood summers spent playing amongst the rocks, beaches and warm seas of the Cote D’Azur. The compilation, then, is a soundtrack to the greatest soft-focus, sunlit teenage summer holiday you’ve never had, with a gaggle of forgotten musicians and overlooked artists for company.
(Bandcamp)

Enjoy this new Smooth Sailing trip!

Tracklist:

D-Influence Feat. Julie Anna Evans – Dreams (2002)
Joel Sarakula – Coney Island Getaway (2018)
Susana Estrada – ¡Gózame Ya! (1981)
The Clean-Hands Group ‎– Night Fly (1984)
Carly Simon – Tranquillo (Melt My Heart) (1978)
Marvin Gaye – After The Dance [Instrumental] (1976)
Rio Combo – Summer Samba (So Nice) (2005)
Serge Gainsbourg & Brigitte Bardot – Bonnie & Clyde (1968)
Kadhja Bonet – Mother Maybe (2018)
Kali Uchis, Tyler, The Creator & Bootsy Collins – After The Storm (2018)
The Isley Brothers – Highways Of My Life (1973)
Andy Santospogo – Living In Clover (2017)
Kacey Musgraves – Lonely Weekend (2018)
Furns – Life Is Easy (2018)
Sharon Musgrave – Blue Nile [Quiet Storm Remix] (2017)
Jonathan Jeremiah – Good Day (2018)
Minnie Riperton – Seeing You This Way (1974)
Gordon Lightfoot – Now And Then (1975)
Everything But The Girl – Troubled Mind (1994)
Greg Guidry – Goin’ Down (1982)
The Imperials – Closer Than Ever (1980)
Crosby, Stills & Nash ‎– Shadow Captain (1977)

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