SHOCK G, PHILIP GLASS & MAXWELL
A week in posting and watching in music
Shock G (Gregory Edward Jacobs) of Digital Underground died at 57 years old. August 25 was his born day. I knew I had a long interview with him about P-Funk’s influence on his music and worldview from Finding the Funk. All I could run down so far in digging through old hard drives is about thirty minutes of the talk from my B roll camera. I will endeavor to find the much longer A camera footage, but I thought this conversation captured his unique POV on life and music. The conversation was recorded at his home in Los Angeles.
In recording my Follow the Sound series, I’ve been struck about much of old NYC musical life happened tight groupings of clubs, studios and apartments. I had an office on Broadway off Bleecker Street in the ‘00s and had no idea how much of the city’s music culture was a short walk away. This video looks at Looking Glass Studio on Broadway, between Bleecker and Houston, where the towering composer Philip Glass owned a studio for 17 years.
Of all the artists I’ve known over the years very few have become as good a friend as Maxwell. That we both grew up in the same part of Brooklyn is one connection. But we also share a deep appreciation for R&B music and the magic of soul singing. Since his mid-90s debut ‘Urban Hang Suite,’ Max has been one of the most consistent artists in a tradition that isn’t as central to black creativity as it once was. His recent Tiny Desk performance, as well as his cover of Al Green’s “Simply Beautiful,” are affirmations of is respect for the black vocal tradition and the celebraton of the joy a fine singer and a live band can create. His back on tour soon with some great opening acts. Catch him if you can.
By the way my born day is this weekend. As a present to my subscribers I’ll be posting a long video interview with one of funk’s greatest musicaisn and characters — Bootsy Collins. It’s a real cool way to end the summer season and for me celebrate another trip around this increasingly hot sun.