A wonderful recent find, Faith Pillow wove a deep blend of folk, jazz, and soul into a vibrant sound that could proudly stand next to the best of Joan Armatrading and Phoebe Snow. She released one album, a well-recorded live set in her adopted home of Chicago. The whole album is solid, with some great stand-outs, including the funky "Shady Lady" and "Winston," as well as the Joni Mitchell-esque "Sanity." The album closes with the track I picked here: a real left-field take on the Beatles' "Blackbird." With its Afro-based percussion, sparse, funky bass, gospel backing vocals, jazzy dynamics, folky sensitivity, and Pillow's strong, soulful vocals, it encapsulates everything that made the late Ms. Pillow's work so good. Sadly lost to the sands of time...
Track of the Day: "Vamonos," Elkin & Nelson (1974) →
Funky Soul-Folk from the Spanish duo, Elkin & Nelson (looking kinda glam-Romantic on the cover of their 1974 album). The groove just gets deeper and deeper as they jam it out, almost mantra-like, and then the drums kick in. Got this one on repeat throughout the morning.