Irene Reid – Dirty Old Man

I’m a day late with my update this week as I was in Amsterdam over the weekend enjoying the Kings Day celebrations (their first king since 1890!!) so didn’t arrive back to good old Belfast until late yesterday. Alas tiredness amongst other things meant that I had to postpone this week’s post by a day (though I’m sure you will all have managed to struggle through Monday without hearing something from my collection!!)

Some of you may already be aware of Irene Reid, but I’m guessing that, that’s probably more down to her recording career as a jazz artist rather than someone you’d associate with such a funky sound. Well this track shows that Reid was versatile enough to sing bluesy funk as well as jazz, I’m guessing her background as a gospel singer in her younger days no doubt shaped her ability to belt out a soul record that rates with the best of them.

This song was originally released back in 1967 but like many other sought after funk & soul 45s, was reissued a few years back on the “Soulelujah” label – a collaboration between indie label “Culture of Soul” and a popular club night in the Boston area called (fittingly) Soulelujah.

I can’t remember exactly when I first came across this track but I was hooked almost immediately upon hearing it. It has that cool sister funk vibe that you know we love here on Gazfunk and it sounds even better when played loud at a club. Plus, it’s a great name for a song!