Today's Pick: Junior Parker The Outside Man
Do you ever just wake up some days with a strong desire to get a little bit funky? I do. It can be soul jazz or some funk, or any of the associated R&B-based genres that have been making people feel better since the 60s. Early Earth, Wind & Fire or Kool and the Gang. George Clinton's Parliament, Funkadelic, or P-Funk. Sly. Curtis Mayfield or Donny Hathaway. With vocals, without vocals. There are so many ways to get in the groove.

I have long been a big fan of late 60s and early 70s soul and funk records, and have spent the last few decades trying to amass a nice collection of such LPs that immediately put a smile on my face and added spring in my step. There are a ton of compilation albums out there that provide a taste of artists and songs you would likely never have otherwise come across. I also have friends who specialize in these genres and love getting recommendations for funky soul classics for times you just want to turn down the lights down and literally get down.

A few years ago, I stumbled upon a fun record that you probably do not have on your LP shelves. I was unfamiliar with the name Junior Parker, but quickly learned about his history as a great blues/soul singer. He possessed one of those rare voices – so smooth and mellow – you just keep wanting to hear. Throughout the 50s and early 60s, he enjoyed hits under the name Little Junior Parker. Look him up.

Later, as times changed, and listening tastes shifted, Mr. Parker got a bit lost, just like many of the era's blues singers. The latter were being signed by large labels and releasing albums of songs from said labels' roster to increase publishing royalties for A-list artists. It always seemed to me that creative control was not in the artists' hands, but in those of the A&R guys.

At the time, very few of these LPs had commercial staying power. Soon, however, hip DJs began uncovering these outstanding soul/funk sides and spinning them in their sets. Because the labels never pressed many of these LPs (due to lack of sales), not to mention the collectability created by the DJ community, many classic soul/funk LPs now fetch high prices on the aftermarket. Today, albums by artists such as Baby Huey, King Floyd, Eugene McDaniels, Charles Kynard, Idris Muhammad, Charles Earland, and many other standouts are extremely desirable. And all are worthy of your time and money.

Just like those from Junior Parker. When Capitol Records signed him, it was not really sure what to do with him. His first album for the imprint, The Outside Man, a soul/R&B effort designed to cross over into the mainstream, didn't quite live up to commercial expectations. But 50 years later, it comes across as endlessly fun and super soulful. It also contains one of my all-time favorite Beatles covers.

In 1971, The Outside Man was taken over by Groove Merchant, a label better known for selling funkier platters than Capitol. The cover of the original Capitol pressing looks completely blah – no surprise the record stiffed in 1970. Yet when Groove Merchant assumed control, it did three things: Changed the title from The Outside Man to Love Ain't Nothin' But a Business Goin' On; re-sequenced the track listing for improved flow; and gave it a new, flashier cover that probably caught the eye of in-the-know buyers.

In either guise, the album delivers. Side A is filled with fun and funny songs, like "The Outside Man," a song that tries to warn the listener of the perils of not being an attentive lover. Gorgeous soul classics like "Darling Depend on Me" feature Parker's smooth-as-silk vocals accompanied by strings, organ, and guitar. And "Love Ain't Nothin' But a Business Goin' On" stays true to the title – and discusses how keeping your bank account filled will also keep your partner fulfilled. As for that incredible Beatles cover? It is George Harrison's "Taxman," so different and unique, it took me a minute to recognize it. Parker's rendition gets to the song's meaning straightaway while Harrison's upbeat, poppier version only hints at it.

The flip side continues the winning streak with a couple of fantastic love songs and one love-gone-wrong track, as well as a few interesting albeit misguided Lennon/McCartney numbers: "Lady Madonna" and a strange, oddly chosen, slightly psychedelic "Tomorrow Never Knows." But tunes like "I Wonder Where Our Love Has Gone" represent classic soul, where string arrangements and Parker's silky voice harken to the sounds of the early 60s. And "Just to Hold My Hand" boasts an irresistible walking bass line and crunchy 'n funky guitar licks. If you're looking for something you've never heard, something that's pure fun, now might be the right time to set the mood and have a listen.

I own a few copies of each pressing, and tonight, I played a Capitol original. The sound is great on both versions, but I give the original the nod for its pressing quality and quieter surfaces. The Groove Merchant LP has a better running order and cover art. Most importantly, the album reminds me there is so much fantastic music out there waiting to be discovered and uncovered. If you want to share some lesser-known titles like The Outside Man, I'd love to hear from you. Please feel free to post your recommendations below. And have a soulful and funky evening, everybody!