Guest Contributor – Larry Grogan

I mentioned in one of my posts a few weeks back that I had lined up a number of people from the funk and soul world to feature as guest contributors on the blog every once in a while. Well I’m pleased to announce our first contributor – Mr Larry Grogan.

For those of you who don’t know him (but really should), Larry is the man behind the Funky16Corners blog (www.funky16corners.com) which has been bringing funk and soul to all corners of the globe since 2004 and is regarded as one of – if not the foremost blog for soul and funk music on the world wide web.

So when I decided that I was gonna run the guest feature, there was only one man to kick-start it off. Over to you Larry…

Greetings all.                                                                                                                  A while back Gary asked me if I’d contribute a little something, so I dipped into the crates and pulled out an old fave.

If you’re not already hip to the Peddlers, let me introduce (them).
Composed of Roy Phillips (organ/piano). Trevor Morais (drums) and Tab Martin (bass) were formed in the UK in the early 60s. They started out as a kind of fusion of jazz and R&B, akin to the early, swinging Georgie Fame sound.

They recorded a number of outstanding albums and hit the UK singles charts three times between 1965 and 1970.
Though I mentioned Georgie Fame as a kind of stylistic touchstone, the Peddlers were in a bag all their own. They were on the whole much jazzier, and eventually dabbled in a kind of light funk that wouldn’t be out of place on one of the better KPM library discs (some of their earlier efforts were produced by Keith Mansfield).
Their ‘Suite London’ album is sought ought by crate diggers and is a masterpiece of atmospheric pop/jazz.
The tune I bring you today is the b-side of a 1972 (non-LP) 45 by the group entitled ‘Nothing Sacred’.
The tune is a bit of easygoing funk, with Roy Phillips working it out on both organ and electric piano.
It is a very groovy number indeed, oddly enough described by the guy that sold it to me as ‘porno funk’. I’m not sure I’d go that far – it seems a little too lighthearted for adult action – but it is redolent of a kind of early 70s, swinging bachelor vibe.
I hope you dig it.
Larry