And your ears shall hear…

I was in a hurry and I had to get my kids back to the campsite so they could run around and have fun. Not many 9 and 11-year-olds want to record shop unless they’re buying something from Swift or Rodrigo. Regardless, here are the other pieces of my haul from our last trip to Benton Harbor’s 3 Pillars Music shop.

I had previously written about Stanley Turrentine’s Flipped, and in that same post I mentioned that I knabbed a mint CD copy of Robyn Hitchcock’s, Jewels for Sophia. which I had never previously heard.

Chet Baker’s Once Upon A Summertime was also another incredible find. It’s a little worse for wear, but the vinyl sounds really smooth for $8 and I’m loving this track called “ESP.” It is the ultimate late night jam. Throw it on the Fluance, grab a pint of beer from your kegerator and add in any other party favors you think you might need for this smooth player.

“Once Upon A Summertime” starts off with a quiet bass line, sultry horns, and a tickling of the ivories, which fade like the embers on a fire. Also of note is the album opener, “Tidal Breeze,” which has you feeling like you are sitting in a small jazz club, sipping on mezcal as smoke lingers around you. This is classic Chet, and I will pick up the CD version when I run into it. There are five songs on this record and no filler, truly.

Another gem I excavated was George Benson’s Erotic Moods, an album full of fiery funk, oozing sexuality, and worth every penny of the $5 that I paid for it. Album ender, “Sweet Taste Of Love,” is a sensual jaunt meant to be shared with someone who knows you deeper than any other (you make that call). But keep in mind, it’s got some moaning and groaning that you would hear blasting from a 2 Live Crew record like “Me So Horny.” So if the kids are around, keep it down, or you’ll have some “splainin to do!” On the contrary, though, it would be fun in the right situation, no doubt!

George’s touch on these songs, including “Erotic Moods,” “Loose Joints,” and “Fed Up” is a blues, funk hybrid. “Erotic Moods” begins the set with a bluesy affair that smacks of the hook from “A Taste Of Honey” where Janice Marie Johnson sings, “You took your love away from me, oh.” It’s a pretty instrumental with soulful guitar touches that he adds subtly, playing just a few simple, yet gorgeous notes.

Bordering jazz, the chicken picking on “Erotic Overture” will have you tapping your foot and you’ll dig the harmonica on the jam, “Smokin’ Cheeba-Cheeba.” You might remember the sample that Tone Loc once used for his similarly song titled “Cheeba Cheeba,” from the highly acclaimed Loc-ed After Dark record which included the rap hit “Wild Thing.” Benson comes right out and says, “I’m the hoochie coochie man,” and he’s not playing!

Erotic Moods is a sensual blues album that should be played after dark. He sets the mood for a glass of wine post dinner party, when most of your guests have left. I feel like I snagged a winner with this purchase and the Tone Loc connections was the proverbial cherry on top.

Check out 3 Pillars Music in Benton Harbor for all of your physical media needs. You may even find a nice guitar if you’re not careful.