Rare Earth-Ma (1973)

Rare Earth's sixth album was preceded by four excellent studio works and a sensational double live album, and became another of their great works thanks to a series of songs full of blues rock reminiscent of funk and soul. "Ma" was produced by one of the producers of the Motown label, Norman Whitfield, who in turn was co-author of some of the album's songs, which would provide it with the characteristic sound of the black bands of the legendary Detroit label. The line-up of Rare Earth for this new album was significantly different from that of their first works, said line-up was composed of Gil Bridges (saxophone, flute and vocals), Peter Hoorebelke (drums and vocals), Ray Monette (guitar and vocals), Mark Olson (keyboards and vocals), Pete Rivera (drums and vocals) and Mike Urso (bass and vocals). The seventeen-minute repetitive guitar riff on the psychedelic and sublime “Ma” is the high point of this album, a track that contrasts with the Zeppelin-like hard rock “Hum Along and Dance,” the soul-funk feel of “Big John is My Name,” and the experimental “Come With Me.” Although it did not have the same media or commercial impact as other previous works, “Ma” was considered one of the cult albums in the underground and over time became one of Rare Earth’s most popular albums.

Three Dog Night-Around the World with Three Dog Night (1973)

Although their musical genre isn't exactly the most prominent within rock music, Three Dog Night achieved massive success thanks to their unique way of interpreting music, a style whose merit and talent far surpassed that of hundreds of solo artists from other groups in the 1960s and 70s. They were the atypical multiracial group with three lead vocalists who reached the top of the charts with more than thirty hits, many of them covers of other artists. They are Danny Hutton, Cory Wells, and Chuck Negron. The style born from the union of these three singers could be described as a "vocal style," but doing so would bring to mind groups like Crosby, Stills & Nash and other famous ensembles known for their rich vocal harmonies. However, unlike all of them, Three Dog Night owes its overwhelming success to the voices of its three lead singers, thanks to their sophisticated vocals that spanned everything from rhythm and blues to mainstream rock, encompassing pop, funk, and soul, skillfully blending commercial appeal with class and musical refinement. Nevertheless, the group's sound was supported by four other excellent instrumentalists who joined the three leaders: guitarist Mike Allsup, bassist Joe Schermie, drummer Floyd Sneed, and keyboardist Jimmy Greenspoon. In 1971, Three Dog Night held the number one spot on the charts worldwide for several months with their impactful "Joy to the World", which was chosen as song of the year not only in the United States but also in some fifty countries around the globe. That song, along with others and their albums "It Ain't Easy" (1970), "Golden Bisquits" (1971), "Naturally" (1970), "Harmony" (1971), "Seven Separate Fools" (1972) or the spectacular live album "Around The World With Three Dog Night" (1973), is the result of a masterful career, with all their albums at the top of the charts and making them one of the best vocal groups that have ever existed.

Sunday Funnies-Benediction (1972)

Sunday Funnies, along with Rare Earth, were among the first all-white bands to sign with the predominantly Black Detroit-based Motown label. Formed in the 1960s, they gained some recognition after being taken under the wing of Andrew Loog Oldham, the Rolling Stones' producer and manager at the time. Their psychedelic style, influenced by soul and gospel, is clearly reflected in their two releases. The lineup consisted of Richard Mitchell (drums), Richard Fidge (vocals), Ron Aiken (guitar, bass, and vocals), and Richard Kosinski (keyboards and vocals). For a time, under Motown's wing, Sunday Funnies toured extensively, opening for Deep Purple, Fleetwood Mac, Savoy Brown, and the James Gang, earning a solid reputation as a live act. Following in the footsteps of the muscular soul rock, with its rich harmonies and funky rhythms, of their first album, in 1972 they released their second album, "Benediction", in which they achieved even better arrangements and more psychedelic musical atmospheres. The raspy voice of their lead singer, the distorted guitar, a thunderous bass, and a sharp keyboard drive the album's content, as heard in the funk track "Get Funk", the energetic "Double Grace", the reflective ballad "Two Halves of a Whole", the bluesy "Keep on Trucking", the gospel-infused "Power & The Glory", the poignant "The Pillow", and the reworked version of the Motown classic "Reach Out I'll Be There". By the time the album was released, Motown had already lost what little interest it had in the band, to the point of not even bothering to promote them properly. This fact, along with other issues, would lead the band to end its days some time later, lost in the immense darkness of the tunnel of time.

Earth, Wind & Fire-The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol1 (1978)

Earth, Wind & Fire managed to turn every song they composed into a true anthem for an entire generation, whether it was funk, rock, soul, disco, or R&B. They are also one of the most successful bands of all time, with nearly 100 million records sold and seventeen Grammy nominations, winning six and countless other accolades. In 1978, with only seven albums released, they launched the compilation "The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol 1", which became a massive success, selling over 6 million copies thanks to an impressive collection of great songs like "Got to Get You Into My Life", "Fantasy", "Love Music", "Getaway", "September", and "Sing a Song". The band continued to release work until 2014, reaping success after success such as the million-selling albums "I Am" (1979), "Faces" (1980), "Raise!" (1981) or "The Essential" (2002).

Barry White-Can´t Get Enough (1974)

Barry White was an undisputed genius of romantic soul. His cavernous, deep voice and orchestral arrangements brimming with funk, soul, and rhythm and blues are iconic, and his music remains timeless and admired by millions around the world. This singer, songwriter, and arranger crafted a sound adorned with rich instrumental harmonies and sensual, irresistible melodies. Born in 1944, he grew up in one of Los Angeles' most disadvantaged neighborhoods and, as a young man, found himself in serious trouble with the law. Over time, Barry White dedicated himself to teaching himself to play the piano, listening to classical music and practicing for many hours a day. A few years later, he began playing as a session musician in his city's burgeoning music scene. During those years, he also began working as a composer and arranger in various recording studios, something that would prove vital to his later solo career. In the 1970s, White formed his own band, the Love Unlimited Orchestra, with whom he released albums influenced by soul and funk music, featuring refined classical arrangements. His recording debut came in 1973 with the album "I've Got So Much to Give", which included his first major hit, "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More, Baby". His deep voice, along with his romantic lyrics, quickly propelled him to the top of the radio airwaves worldwide. Throughout the rest of the 1970s, he continued to release a dozen successful albums, such as "Stone Gon". "Can't Get Enough". and "Just Another Way to Say I Love You". which contained hit songs like "Just the Way You Are", "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me", "You're the First, the Last, My Everything", and the famous "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe". Although his fame gradually declined from the 1980s onward, he maintained his enormous popularity and great talent by regularly releasing albums that were well-received by the public, such as his 1994 album "The Icon Is Love", which brought him back to the heights of success. Throughout those years, Barry White earned numerous gold and platinum records and several Grammy Awards, and he is currently considered one of the greatest influences on countless contemporary R&B, soul, and funk artists.

The Next Morning-The Next Morning (1971)

The Next Morning was a short-lived American band founded in New York City by Trinidadian guitarist Scipio Sargeant, who had emigrated to the Big Apple in the late 1960s. Once settled in the city, he formed a close friendship with guitarist Bert Bailey, and together they decided to create a band in the style of the Jimi Hendrix Experience's hard rock and psychedelic, acid blues rock. To this end, they recruited drummer Herb Bailey, organist Earl Arthur, and singer Lou Phillips. After a series of concerts in various New York venues, the band garnered significant media attention and was signed to a subsidiary of Rhino Records. With the support of this label, they recorded their first and only album at Electric Lady Studios in New York City. The final result of this album is a clear example of Jimi Hendrix's tremendous influence on the band, who, driven by a dizzying and strident organ and fuzz guitars, left a repertoire full of psychedelic and hard rock sounds, with hints of funk and soul as demonstrated in the tracks "Jam Of Love", "Life Is Love", "The Next Morning", "Changes of the Mind" or "Back to the Stone".

Funkadelic-Maggot Brain (1971)

Together with Parliament, Funkadelic were the greatest exponents of the fusion between psychedelic rock, funk and soul, a fascinating synthesis that Jimi Hendrix would take to the creative peak and that musicians such as George Clinton exploited to unsuspected limits. Originally founded in 1964 by George Clinton with musicians from the Parliament band. His innovative concept was channeled through the two aforementioned bands.
While Parliament made a softer funk based on rhythm and blues and wind and string arrangements, Funkadelic practiced an experimental funk rock, with powerful guitars influenced by Jimi Hendrix with scratchy and raw sounds taken from the hard rock bands of Detroit.
"Maggot Brain" would be the title of his third and definitive album, published in 1971, an essential album in the history of psychedelic funk rock and that would decisively influence hundreds of later artists. Its star songs is precisely the one that gives the album its title, a ten-minute epic where its fantastic guitarist Eddie Hazel develops an impressive guitar solo, apparently under the effects of hallucinogens such as LSD. The rest of the album is not lagging behind and so are captivating songs like "Super Stupid", "Hit It And Quit It" or "Wars of Armageddon", this last one an amazing jam that closes this masterpiece of funk rock.

Ian Dury-New Boots And Panties!! (1977)

Ian Dury was a flamboyant character, raised during the first half of the 70s in London pus and later become one of the leading figures of the new bird, he has always been considered the perfect antithesis of the polio-looking rock star. not very reassuring and surrounded by unattractive collaborators.
Already in the early years of the decade with almost thirty years, he had formed his first band Kilburn and The High Roads, with which he became very popular on the London underworld circuit and its pubs. The trusted partner at the time for songwriting was the pianist Russel Hardy, who left the band just after the album "Handsome" released in 1974.
In 1975 the band disbanded following Ian giving concerts under the name of Ian Dury and The Kilburns, replacing Hardy with keyboardist Chaz Jankel. With the latter Ian had begun to prepare the expected return with a new album.
The album entitled "New Boots and Panties" would come out at the end of 1977, with little promotion by his record label Stiff Records, which, however, was no objection to selling a whopping more than 400 thousand copies, a true and unusual record for an album recorded in a week and with little commercial promotion.
Nicknamed from here as "The Godfather of punk" Ian Dury had little to do with punk philosophy, except for his disastrous clothing, but his absolutely positive message was the antithesis of any form of nihilism.
This and the next album, the also successful "Do It Yourself" contained an attractive and exciting jazz-funk style with irresistible arrangements where the songs "Sex and Drugs and rock'n'roll", "What a taste", stood out "Hit me With Your Rhythm Stick" or "Reasons to be Cheeful part 3".

Stevie Wonder-Songs In The Key Of Life (1976)

With "Songs In The Key Of Life" Stevie Wonder closed the trilogy started with "Innervisions" from 1973 and "Fulfillingness' First Finale" from 1974, undoubtedly one of his best creative stages and where he would begin to control his productions personally far from your label guidelines.
For this new job Wonder made his Motown record company wait two years before delivering the material for publication, the patience of the label's directors would be rewarded by the most ambitious and successful project that the musician had done up to that moment.
"Songs In The Key Of Life" was a double album thanks to the large number of songs that Stevie Wonder had composed during those two long years.
The album went straight to number one in the top 100, never before has an American artist accomplished such a feat, and spent 14 weeks at the top, in addition to obtaining three Grammy awards, for best album, best production and best vocal performance.
You only have to listen to the metal introduction of "Sir Duke" dedicated to Duke Ellington, to realize where the harmonies and musical resources of the funky singers of the following years come from, such as the Jackson Five or Earth Wind & Fire.
Stevie Wonder would achieve here the intrinsic quality of the songs and a new direction of great wealth in arrangements and instrumentation that his music possessed, with an outstanding album.

The Temptations-Masterpiece (1973)

In 1973 The Temptations published their album "Masterpiece" which would mean their last Top-ten under the Motown label and in which came the muscular song of the same title of the album of almost 14 minutes in length that would achieve an overwhelming success in that year.
The collaboration between producer Norman Whitfield and The Temptations would achieve its best results with this album, with a production that reaches the exacerbation.
Even the presumptuous title and cover of the album with the faces of the members of the band sculpted in the Mount Rushmore plan, gave an idea of ​​what the producer wanted to advance with all this.
"Masterpiece" is truly a masterpiece of progressive psychedelic soul, with millimeter arrangements, with different percussion, violins, voices and all kinds of instrumental ornaments.
Songs like the aforementioned "Masterpiece", an epic of sophisticated soul, with funk rhythms, wah-wah guitars and heartbreaking voices, or "The Plastic Man", with hurtful lyrics about the hypocrisy of modern times, make up a sensational album from one of the best soul bands of all time.

Earth, Wind & Fire-The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol1 (1978)

Earth Wind & Fire managed to turn any song they composed into an authentic anthem for a whole generation, whether it was funk, rock, soul, disco or R&B, as well as being one of the most successful bands of all time with close to the 100 million records sold, having been nominated seventeen times, obtaining six awards and endless other recognitions.
In 1978, with only seven albums published, the compilation "The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1" was launched, which would obtain an overwhelming success with more than 6 million copies sold, thanks to an impressive collection of big hits; "Got to Get You Into My Life", "Fantasy", "Love Music", "Getaway", "September" or "Sing a Song".
The band will continue publishing works until 2014, reaping success after success such as the best sellers albums "I Am" (1979), "Faces" (1980), "Raise!" (1981) or "The Essential" (2002).

Prince and the Revolution-Purple Rain (1984)

Prince was one of the artists who aroused the most admiration in the eighties, this multi-instrumentalist musician, played all instruments, sang and produced his own records, all without leaving his own studio in Minneapolis.
The son of a jazz pianist and a singer, he made his debut at the age of 20 with his album "For You", which without being a relevant album would begin to be considered and respected in the world of pop.
His subsequent albums get better repercussions and thus "Dirty Mind" (1980), "Controversy" (1981) and above all "1999" (1982), manage to position themselves among the avant-garde musicians of vigorous pop rock and soul of the eighties. .
In 1984 his sixth album "Purple Rain" appeared (the first that he would sign with his band The Revolution), the soundtrack of a movie of the same name, with a confusing history and autobiographical notes on the rise to stardom of a glamorous rock musician.
"Purple Rain" would definitely elevate Prince to the olympus of pop rock, in part due to his portentous track "Purple Rain" in which Prince himself performs a memorable guitar solo.
An album that would achieve astronomical sales of more than 20 million copies, in addition to winning a Grammy and an Oscar for the best soundtrack.

Average White Band-AWB (1974)

It was the year 1973 when a former component of Oblivion Express, Brian Auger's band decided to join other musicians, all passionate about soul and funk, to form a sextet they would call Average White Band, a somewhat humorous name for being all white and practicing eminently black music.

This musician was drummer Robbie Mcintosh, who together with guitarist Hamish Stuart, bassist Onnie McIntyre, and saxophonists Roger Ball and Malcolm Molly Duncan thus began a career that would soon bring them great successes on both sides of the Atlantic.

This Scottish group would choose for their presentation, the return to the stage of Eric Clapton after his tumultuous attics of the latter with drugs, acting as opening act for the legendary guitarist.

And soon after, their first album "Show Your Hand" (1973) would be published under the MCA label, which despite not entering the charts, confirmed the group's rise with a style that fused British rhythm & blues with soul.

A year later the group gets a contract with Atlantic Records, in part due to the mediation of Bruce McCaskill, manager of Eric Clapton at the time, who also directs them from now on.

"Average White Band" (1974), produced by Arif Mardin (responsible for the success of the great soul artists of the Atlantic) the second album of the group, would be the definitive accolade and a large commercial boom, managing to climb to first place in USA and No. 6 in the UK.

In this album the group showed a solid rock base fused with soul, blues and even pop elements, a style that was starting to have thousands of followers around the world thanks to fashion groups such as Sly Family Stone, Temptations or Kool and the Gang among other contemporaries.

The album contained great hits like "Pick up the pieces", "Nothing You can do" or "You got it".

But the misfortune would be fattened with the group shortly after, since that same year McIntosh would pass away due to an overdose of heroin.

But the group will go ahead and recruit another ex-Oblivion Express, Steve Ferrone with whom they publish "Cut the Cake" (1974) who, without reaching the success of the previous album, manage to stay at the top of the ranking with several hits such as "School boy Crush" or "If I Ever Lose This Heaven".

"Soul Searchin" (1976) would be the last great album of the band, which contained the hit "Queen of my Soul" and that would initiate the decline of the group, publishing works of less commercial impact, some of them of good invoice but far from their first albums.

Rare Earth-In Concert (1971)

Despite having a label with their name, Rare Earth were always strangers within Motown, a group of whites who made versions of classic black music with an added rock component. However, the records they made between 1969 and 1971 are authentic jewels of rock music and particularly, the album In Concert, the best live album released by the Motown label.
Many think that the two published versions of "Get Ready", a classic of Smokey Robinson, are recorded live, but the public that is heard in his second work was added later, on a recording made in studio. It is in In Concert where we can listen to Rare Earth totally live, in performances recorded in different parts of the United States, from Florida to New York. Perhaps the studio version is a little more complex and elaborate, but it is here where you can appreciate all the authenticity and all the know-how of one of the best bands of the early 1970s. It is an incredibly well recorded album and with musicians capable of improvising to unsuspected extremes on songs so many times covered as "What'd I Say" or "(I Know) I'm Losing You", "Get Ready", etc. The passage of time has not deprived this work of any of its virtues or of the freshness that it had at the time when it was played in discotheques around the world, and that is that good music is above fashion.

Jimi Hendrix-Band Of Gypsys (1970)

Recorded on the first day of January 1970, in Fillmore East, New York, this masterful direct of Jimi Hendrix does not have his usual band, the Experience, but is accompanied by Billy Cox on bass and Buddy Miles on drums.
Hendrix wanted to experience new sensations and expand his creativity, so he decided to try his luck with different musicians and published one of his most incendiary live records in the entire history of rock.
Considered by many to be the beginning of the funk movement, Hendrix effectively experiments with this type of music mixing it with blues, rhythm and blues and rock, in a repertoire of new songs that find on stage the best place to be expressed.
For posterity, "Machine Gun's" epic and anthological guitar solo remains, considered the best Hendrix ever did and one of the greatest played on the six-string instrument.
The subsequent posthumous editions in which some of the songs performed here appear show that they always sounded much better live than the originals in studio.

The Doobie Brothers-Minute By Minute (1978)

During their early career, The Doobie Brothers explored various styles and influences, including rock, R&B, southern rock, country, and folk, but above all, their sound was defined by powerful guitars, the common denominator of their unmistakable style. This was spearheaded by the duo of Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons, two formidable guitarists distinguished by their impetuous style, backed by an effective rhythm section. During this initial period, they produced successful albums of tremendous rock, such as "The Captain and Me" (1973) and "Stampede" (1975). After the latter, one of their key figures, Johnston, began to lose prominence to the new singer, Michael McDonald, who became a fundamental part of the band's stylistic shift towards a more commercial direction. From their very first album with the new singer, the band moved towards more sophisticated sounds, closely aligned with jazz and soul, with touches of funk. By then, the band's lineup was very different from its original early days. In addition to McDonald, guitarist Jeff "Skink" Baxter had joined, accompanying Simmons and Johnston. Like the singer, both came from Steely Dan. The new rhythm section consisted of drummer John Hartman and bassist Keith Knudsen. This new lineup released the brilliant "Takin' It To The Streets" (1976), which already contained the elements that would later make them even more successful, and which continued with the even more jazz-influenced "Livin' On The Fault Line" a year later. But it wasn't until 1978 with the monumental "Minute By Minute", on which Tom Johnston no longer participated, that The Doobie Brothers radically changed their style, adopting a sound completely infused with soul, funk, and rhythm and blues, where keyboards took center stage at the expense of guitars, resulting in a truly spectacular sound. Rich vocal harmonies, witty and sharp lyrics, and catchy melodies dominate most of the tracks, as demonstrated by the melodic and irresistible "What A Fool Believes", a number one hit on the charts, the jazzy "Minute By Minute", and the infectious "Open Your Eyes" and "How Do The Fools Survive". However, they didn't abandon their rock roots with the glorious "Don't Stop To Watch The Wheels", while the remaining tracks maintained a high standard, such as the instrumental country song "Streamer Lane Breakdown" and the festive "Dependin' On You". 

This radical change in style earned The Doobie Brothers their first number one album, a triple platinum record for its enormous sales, and three Grammy Awards.

Rubicon-Rubicon (1978)

Composed primarily of white musicians, Rubicon was one of the most renowned bands of a distinctly Black sound and style: funk rock. Formed in late 1970s California, the band was spearheaded by Jerry Martini, formerly of the legendary Sly & The Family Stone, who recruited Brad Gillis (guitar), Dennis Marcello (saxophone), Jack Blades (bass), Greg Eckler (drums), Johnny Colla (saxophone), and Jim Pugh (keyboards). Their self-titled debut album, "Rubicon", was released in 1978 and garnered significant chart success thanks to tracks like the ballad "I'm Gonna Take Care of Everything" and the powerful funk rock anthem "Vanilla Gorilla". This first release also featured other high-caliber tracks such as the powerful and exhilarating funk numbers "That's The Way Things Are", "And The Moon's Out Tonight" and "Cheatin' ", as well as the melodic rock song "Closely". The album's positive reception opened doors for them to participate in the second edition of the legendary "California Jam" festival, held in Ontario in mid-1978. A year later, with the addition of a new drummer (Kelly Keagy), they released their second and final album, "America Dreams", which continued their funk sound but with subtle melodic rock influences. Shortly after the release of "America Dreams", the band definitively dissolved, with some members (Blades, Gillis, and Keagy) joining the AOR band Night Ranger, while saxophonist Colla joined Huey Lewis and The News.