Funkways Series 3: Lucky Mystery Now Orchestra - "Fireball" 7" [FUNK / BLUES] Wax Thématique #14

 J.A.S Ricci Quartette - "These Eternal Verities"

"a  loose-limbed and jazzily-funky workout, Fireball which casually blazes its flute-led way along the ‘road less travelled’ of a three beat time structure...and a more contemplative number on the flip featuring a smouldering organ turn from none other than Delvon Lamarr!"
-Monkeyboxing.com

WXTM-014
Part 3 of the Funkways Series 
Release Date: 01/06/2023
Written by Joel Ricci
Mastered by Doug Krebs
Project Manager: Nathan Womack
Art, Design, and layout by Small Studio
Digital Download included
Includes Exclusive Download of Funkways Flute-Funk Favorites Volumes 1+2

Liner Notes:

Fireball (Side A)
Lucky Mystery Now Orchestra's newest single is a hypnotic jazz funk that has been built upon the spiritual form of three beats rather than four. Based on the number 6 (divisible by three) if you count the eighth notes, 3, if you count the quarter notes. Of course this isn’t the first 3 beat-based funk tune, but most funk, especially as designed by Black American Funk Architects such as James Brown, Sly and Parliament-Funkadelic is based on the number four, with the “one” being the most important beat - as well it should be. Four is the number of the Square, the Cube, the House, The Earth, and The Body, as well as the four elements, seasons, etc. In fact, There is simultaneously a hidden four inside the tune as the melody is an eight bar (divisible by four) passage that repeats. Plus another 8 bar outro and an additional 8 bar drum/guitar break. Going back to the mention of James Brown et al. it is important to note that early soul and R&B ballads were often built upon the 12/8 time signature (divisible by both 3 and 4) and that one of the most defining aspects of funk (in the opinion of the composer) is the antediluvian and African clave of “3 against 4” or 3 beats being outlined especially by the snare and guitar, while simultaneously the bass instruments and horns follow along the track of the four beat. The 3 is found over and over again inside and against the four of black music throughout history, the 'swing' of jazz, for example. Therefore, FIREBALL is offered here as a conspicuous rendering of the natural loping and universally established three pulse that will, in Ricci's fresh and refreshing way, beguile and bewitch your listeners and dancers.

 These Eternal Verities (Side B)
Hot on the heels of his latest J.A.S.RICCI QUARTETTE release on Golden Rules Soul out of Germany [CAT #], Ricci offers up the b-side to end all b-sides bringing together world-class funk soul artist Delvon LaMarr as well as his current drummer Julian McDonough plus Polyrhythmics founder and transcendental guitar-man, himself, Ben Bloom. The session was recorded by Trombonist and long-time Lucky Brown collaborator Mars Lindgren and was recorded live in a wood-floored living room in the York District of Bellingham sometime in 2006. During the global lockdown, Ricci took the CD rough mix, transferred it back to cassette, then composed a new melody with his flute over the bluesy track. Listen for the whistle of Delvon's brilliantly nostalgic synth echoing off the walls of the living room.

J.A.S. Ricci Quartette is:
Ben Bloom - guitar
Delvon LaMarr - organ/key bass/synth
Joel Ricci - flute
Julian MacDonough - drums
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Recorded and mixed by Mars Lindgren at Casa Candela
Additional overdubbing by Joel Ricci at The Scavenge Patch
Mastered by Doug Krebs