VA - The 1974 Black Caucus Concert (Vinyl-FLAC)

VA - The 1974 Black Caucus Concert (Vinyl-FLAC)

1st Annual Benefit For the Congressional Black Caucas 1974
Artists: Kool & The Gang, Curtis Mayfield, Gladys Knight & the Pips, War, Jimmy Witherspoon
Title: The 1975 Black Caucus Concert
Year of Release: 1975
Recorded: 1974
Genre: Funk, Soul, R&B, Blues
Format: Vinyl > FLAC


In January 1969 newly elected African American representatives of the 77th U.S. Congress joined six incumbents to form the "Democratic Select Committee". In 1971 the Committee was renamed the Congressional Black Caucus.

In 1974 someone had the great idea of holding concerts and dinners featuring Kool and the Gang, Curtis Mayfield, Gladys Knight and The Pips, War, and Jimmy Witherspoon to raise money for the caucus' activities and this album features excerpts from those events in September.

This is a great funky album capturing everyone at the top of their game. After a series of crowd "Amen!"s for the artists, Kool and the Gang kick off with a thirteen minute version of the jazzy instrumental "Wild and Peaceful" the title track from their 1973 album.

Curtis Mayfield comes in with a version of "Give Me Your Love" from "Superfly". The announcer tells us he'd just released the album "Sweet Exorcist". It's great to hear Mayfield live in this mid-70s period - as good as his 1971 live album is, this 1974 band is tight.

Gladys Knight tells us that she and the Pips had just completed the soundtrack for the film "Claudine" with Mayfield, and they launch into a version of that albums's funkiest track "On and On" written by Mayfield.

War opens side two with a pounding sixteen minute take on their latin-funk-rock hit "Gypsy Man" from their '73 album "Deliver The Word" which rises and falls within it's dynamic. War members Howard Johnson and Lonnie Jordan produced this album along with Jerry Goldstein.

Bluesman Jimmy Witherspoon completes the proceedings with an intimate version of "Goin' Down Slow" with a sudden breakout guitar solo from Robben Ford.


Track List:
1. Wild and Peaceful - Kool & The Gang (13:13)
2. Give Me Your Love - Curtis Mayfield (6:20)
3. On and On - Gladys Knight And The Pips (3.40)
4. Gypsy Man - War (16:10)
5. Goin' Down Slow - Jimmy Witherspoon (6.25)

Tracks 1, 2, 4 recorded at Capitol Centre, Largo, Maryland , September 25th, 1974
Tracks 3, 5 recorded at Black Caucus Dinner at Washington Hilton September 27, 1974