Exuma - Exuma I & Exuma II (1970)

Macfarlane Gregory Anthony "Exuma" McKay, was a Bahaman Junkanoo artist from Cat Island.  His music is about Obeah worship, demons, and the salvation of souls.  With his raw voice, sparse instrumentation, and powerful lyrics - this stuff is food for the soul.

"I came down on a lightning bolt 
Nine months in my Mama's belly.
When I was born, the midwife scream and shout,
I had fire crystals coming out of my mouth.
I'm Exuma, I'm the Obeah Man!"

This may be some of the trippiest and powerful music I own, so you know you're in for a treat.  Just check out his artwork...

Exuma I:

Exuma II:

Pete Rodriguez y Su Conjuto - I Like It Like That (1967)

I have spent the better part of the last two days cleaning my house.  Doing dishes, sweeping, mopping the floor, folding laundry, and scrubbing the bathtub.  It's not enjoyable work, but it is work made more enjoyable if you can listen to good tunes while your at it.  This right here is the perfect soundtrack to any type of tedious or unenviable task.

Puerto Rican pianist and vocalist Pete Rodriguez is called Mr. Boogaloo, and after listening to this album it's tough to argue with that. He leads his band, y Su Cunjunto, which the best I could find translates to "the overall", "the whole", or "the set", though a thoroughly danceable set of boogaloo and salsa workouts.  The title track, "I Like It Like That" is one of the most famous boogaloo songs ever, and has been covered a countless number of times.  But thats just the tip of the iceberg here.   Check out the singalong on "Micaela" or the killer horns on "Si Quires Bailar".  

Check the comments, get this album, and go get some work done.

Gary McFarland - The In Sound (1965)

I love me a good lounge album, and this album does not disappoint!  Los Angeles native Gary McFarland only played music for 12 years, yet collaborated with Bill Evans, Stan Getz, Anita O'Day, Johnny Hodges, Gerry Mulligan, and many other jazz legends of the day.  Rocking the vibraphone, McFarland has a sound like no other.  "The In Sound" finds McFarland teaming up with Hungarian pop-rock jazz guitarist Gábor Szabó for a classic lounge-pop sound.  Who knows where McFarland would have taken his jazz sound if his life hadn't been cut short, poisoned by a methadone spiked drink at the famous dockworkers union hangout, 55 Bar.

Flash and The Dynamics - The New York Sound (1971)

1971 has been our year around here.  This one, from Flash and the Dynamics, is all set to go for any Friday night dance party you may need to bump.  Unfortunately this is the only album from this incredible electric latin soul outfit from New York City.  With a boogaloo backbone, they ramp up the intensity with some killer guitar solos and dripping, soulful vocals.  Check out this quick sample and get on getting this album.  You will not regret it.  Once you've got it, take the song "Borinquen" for a lap or two.  Wow.

Red Hot Lover Tone - #1 Player (1995)

Excuse the bad nineties album cover.  Excuse the parental advisory sticker.   Excuse the fact that the first post on this "folk" blog is a hip-hop album.  Excuse all the superficial flaws and get down to the music.

This is Red Hot Lover Tone, a.k.a. Tone, a.k.a. Samuel Barnes' second album for select records, #1 Player.  Released in 1995 and featuring tracks produced by Diamond D, Buckwild, and Tone's own production team The Trackmasters; this is a really excellent, fun, easy-on-the-ears example of east coast hip-hop before east coast hip-hop realized it was cool.  Highlights include the John Paxson reference on "Bust a Manueva", the party-rocking chorus of "Damian's Hook" and an absolutely killer verse from a young Notorious B.I.G. on "4 My Peeps"

Unfortunately this would be the last album from Tone, though he and his partner Poke would go on to produce a slew of late nineties-earl 2000's mainstream pop and hip-hop hits.  Including Will Smith's Miami and Men in Black, as well as tracks for Nas, Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, even Michael Jackson.  You tube a vinyl version below, and check the comments if you are interested.