Free Pass #1: Bobby Caldwell

Being a certifiable record-nerd there are many occasions when I sit, stand, smoke around with like-minded individuals. One of the more frequent sessions takes place on the back porch area of my all-time favorite bar in Brooklyn, or anywhere for that matter, Black Betty, where the night's DJ and I can shoot the shit, talk about records for from the din of the sound system. The other night i was back there with DJ Greg Caz of Brazilian Beat Brooklyn fame and I don't know how we got to talking about this, but what I remember is this concept of "Free Pass" - all credit to Greg for this idea. Basically, the "Free Pass" means that an otherwise fair-skinned singer/musician gets respect from Black fans as if this individual were actually Black themselves. The names thrown out that night were Hall & Oates, Michael McDonald, Michael Franks and even Kenny Loggins. This is not say that these artists' entire body of work is exempted from ridicule by the R&B crowd, but maybe for a few songs or an album, they get a "Free Pass."

I already discussed one such artist in the early days of Soul Spectrum, when I profiled Heatwave leading man and Quincy Jones prodigy, Rod Temperton. I like the "Free Pass" concept and I'm gonna make an amendment and allow some artists to only receive a "Day Pass", while others get more leeway with with a "Free Pass."

Today we're gonna start with Bobby Caldwell, who's a classic example of a "Free Pass", though he might only qualify for the "Day Pass" . . . I'm still figuring this guy out and he may indeed have more to offer than this sublime tune off of his debut album, released in 1978 on the T.K. subsidiary, Clouds label. Word just in . . . evidently he's got another gem on his second album, Cat in the Hat, called "Open Your Eyes." I'll have to track it down and post it here soon to see if Bobby gets more than a "Day Pass" . . . until then the jury is out.

Bobby Caldwell - What You Won't Do For Love
This track is just a perfect slice of smooth soul and stands up on its own in addition to its credentials in the sample-game: Aaliyah, Guru, Kool G Rap, Master P and Tupac. Most white R&B singers reveal their true melatonin deficiency in their vocal delivery in very subtle ways, but Bobby is an exception to the rule along with Michael McDonald and maybe Darryl Hall, but we'll get to these guys later . . .

When the Party's Over . . .

I've never DJed a bar or club outside of New York City, so I don't know if the same thing happens to an average party come 3:00am when the bar is still open, but the party momentum has waned, leaving much of the crowd too drunk or tired to dance. I can imagine that if last call is at 1:30am, that's when the party would normally be at its livliest as it was with the second installment of "The Rio Deal" that went down last Saturday night, with special guest selectors DJ Rios and Deepak Chopra. The bar is new and this party is new so I'm still trying to figure out who the crowd is and what moves them, but just as the early hours of a DJ gig are for the DJ to play what she/he likes, the last handful of songs are for the DJ to slowly fade into the night and get some much needed zzzzzzzzzzs.

The tracks I've selected here are some of my favorite chill out songs to play in the waning hours of a party. They're not devoid of energy or funkiness, but they all acknowledge the inevitable ending of a good night. Funnily, they're all Southern Soul and Funk numbers originating from Florida and New Orleans.

Little Beaver - Party Down, part 1
This track is one of my favorites with its early use of a drum machine and his slinky and sexy guitar lines. O-Dub over at Soul Sides uploaded some scans from a 1970s black culture magazine that has a feature about Little Beaver among others (Betty Davis & Donna Summer). You can download it here. The album that this track is pulled from is wonderfully mellow and a great listen even if most of the songs sound like reinterpretations of "Party Down."

Rocky Mizell & Sugarock - Take It Easy Babe
I can't even remember where I got this single. I can't claim to have the album pictured to the left - hell, I didn't even know there was an album until I was scouring the interwebs for a ANY picture having to do with Rocky Mizell. I'm gonna go out on a limb and suggest that this Brother Mizell is NOT of the same stock as the more famous Fonce, Larry and the lesser-known third Mizell, Rodney. This Mizell who performed on this song and the super-rare album with his band "Sugarock," was a leser-known figure in the Miami funk camp centered around T.K. records. He was also a member of the band "Miami" which also recorded for T.K. If anyone knows anything more about Mr. Rocky Mizell, lemme know . . . I simply love this track. It speaks to the moment in the party when everyone is feeling good and just sort of sitting back and enjoying the scene. Easy like VERY early Sunday morning . . .

Allen Toussaint - When the Party's Over
I believe this is my first post on Allen Toussaint, which is strange seeing as I'm a huge fan of this man who shares my first name and last initial. This track is pulled from his best known album, "Southern Nights." The song is strangely not the last song on the album; that coveted spot was given to any even more appropriate closer, "Cruel Way To Go Down." This one kinda speaks for itself. Pack up your records, make sure you don't forget your needles and head home 'til next party . . .