One of the most underrated funk groups of all time is Mandrill from the early 70's. With funk classics such as Fencewalk and Hangloose, Mandrill was the real deal. What? You say you're not hip to Mandrill? Well shame on you! Check out the link for some audio clips of the double cd (pictured) titled Fencewalk - The Anthology. This double cd contains the best that this funky group has to offer.http://www.amazon.com/Fencewalk-Anthology-Mandrill/dp/B000001EIU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1242258768&sr=8-1
On a related note: Back in my early days in Pasadena I was in an original funk band called Stone Cold Sweat. We were an original funk band and rehearsed five days a week but seldom played any gigs. One day our manager brought Wolf Wilson from the funk group Mandrill by our rehearsal to hear our group. He liked what he heard and came back a second time with a tape recorder to record us. We recorded a few songs but the tape recorders speed was way too fast making us sound almost like The Chipmunks. We were not happy with the quality of the recordings so went and continued with our rehearsal completely ignoring the opportunity that was right in front of us. Who knows what could have been? We could have been an opening act for Mandrill! And then? Headlining arenas! and then? Smash hit after smash hit? I could be playing Old School Funk Festivals till the day I died. Oh well.........such is life I guess.
Check out this video of Mandrill in 1973 playing Get It All! Dig it!
And shame on you Saxoman for referring to the brilliance of MANDRILL in the past tense. Have you listened to their "Live at Montreux" DVD or CD? Or their Love Ballad CD, "Sunshine"? They are still smokin' after all these years. I hear they are going to be at the TanJazz Festival in Morocco in June and at the Anthology Club in San Diego in July! They are, and always will be, the Greatest Band Alive to me and many other fans! Thanks for the post.
ReplyDeleteYes I realize Mandrill is still going strong but I will have to check out this recent stuff you mention. Thanks for hipping me to this!
ReplyDeleteSaxoman, thanks for the Love. Send us your mailing address (info@mandrillis.com) and we will send you the MANDRILL "Montreux Live" DVD as well as our "Sunshine" Love Ballad CD to get you up to speed. Peace!
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