Rediscovering Cold Blood

Yep, Lydia had a great voice. I have two or three of their LPs.

amazing how much really good music there is out there that I have not heard - thanks!

Now you’re talking! Lydia and Cold Blood could really bring it. The opening to “I just want to make love to you” has to be the coolest intro I’ve ever heard. While Janis was great, I preferred Lydia’s voice which had a touch more “smooth” and “richness”. Another under the radar singer from the 70’s who could blow your face off and melt your heart at the same time was Joyce Kennedy (Baby Jean) of Mother’s Finest. What an eclectic group they were. Rock drums and guitar combined with funk bass and keyboards coupled with soaring – raw – soulful vocals. They were too hard-rock for black radio and had too much “flava” for white radio. No band I’ve ever heard played and sang with as much musical power as MF. Probably not an Audiogoner favorite:)

Big Cold Blood fan here although I wouldn't compare Lydia Pense to Janis Joplin. I never thought Janis (bless her heart) had such a great voice whereas Lydia....

Rummaging thru a used CD store a few yrs ago I came across a NEW (2005) Cold Blood recording called 'Transfusion'. Amazingly enough, Lydia STILL sounds great! As does the band. If you dig the sound of LP & Cold Blood I strongly recommend:

Sons of Champlin - 'Hip Li'l Dreams' Found this at the same shop! Also recorded in 2005 by a band that I hadn't heard since the '70's. Featuring founder Bill Champlin, one of the last great (IMO)blue-eyed soul-brothers.

Santa Fe & The Fat City Horns - 'When The Curtain Goes Up'. Great music by one of the best kept secrets in music!!

If ya can't get your goove thang goin' with these records it's 'cause you ain't got a groove thang!!;)

Eleet, which Mother's Finest disc do you recommend? Thanks for the suggestions, Chazro.

eleet-
Mother's Finest is great. They were a big part of the soundtrack to my youth growing up in Atlanta. They still play around town from time to time. My favorites are the self titled Mother's Finest, Another Mother Further, and the live album. They have a greatest hits that is a decent collection. You are right as far as how the band suffered from radio and the labels having a hard time pigeon holing them into a genre.The bottom line is that Mother's Finest makes soulful rock and roll that is fun party music.

Thanks for sharing Maxnewid. I think you’re on the mark with your CD suggestions; although, I would throw “Mother Factor” in the mix as well. Also, the first CD “Mothers Finest” is only available as a double release paired with their “other” first-release album and the sound quality is pretty sub-par. For starters, I would recommend the best-of titled “Very Best Of: Not Yer Mother's Funk”. It has a good selection, as far as best-of’s are concerned, and has acceptable sound quality….of course, any MF on LP will sound MUCH better.

Chazro – Thanks also for your suggestions. I’m familiar with Bill Champlin from his early days in the SF area and, of course, his time with Chicago. Good to know he’s still going strong – a very talented singer and songwriter. However, the Santa Fe & The Fat City Horns are new to me. My ears have been stuck mainly in Jazz the last seven years or so. These cats are pretty good. I read TOP gave them a seal of approval so a definite thumbs-up from me. As far as Mother’s finest is concerned, the best way to find out what they’re about is to follow the youtube link below.

If it doesn’t work (or is not allowed), then enter the following in the youtube search: Mother's Finest - Give You All The Love - Live 77

Just to prep you, MF music doesn’t have the smoothness of groups like the Santa Fe & The Fat City Horns and the Sons of Champlin; they play “in your face hard-rock funk”. As such, they’re not everybody’s cup of tea. But, like them or not, I think you’ll be able to appreciate their uniqueness as well as the prodigious voice of Joyce Kennedy.

Mother’s Finest

Since Cold Blood was popular before my time, I was first introduced to them from the "Fillmore: Last Days" 2-disc cd about 20 years ago. I originally bought the cd for the Santana, Malo and Quicksilver Messenger Service tracks, but discovered many other gems including Cold Blood. I recommend this recording not for it's sound quality but for the great performers that many other gen-xers are unfamiliar with.

Chazro - In addition to Transfusion, there is also Live Blood from 2008, it's a good one also.

I had the luck to follow Cold Blood from the streets of Palo Alto to being the headliner at Filmore and Winterland back in the day. I've also seen them a few times in recent years and they still put it out.

Thx for the head's up, I'll be on the lookout!

Huge fan! "I'm a Good Woman" was on the set list of one of the bands I played in during the 70's.

Another big Cold Blood fan here, since high school in the early '70s. My favorite album has always been their first, so much so that I have two copies on vinyl and 2 copies on CD.

Chazro, I picked up Santa Fe and the Fat City Horns, "When the Curtain Goes up" on your recommendation. Hell yeah!

They are a smokin' unit, ain't they!? Their prior record is 'Live' and is killa also, allowing more room for soloing. The story behind this band is that they're made up primarily of pro musicians playing the strip in Vegas. They've 'held court' at a club on Monday nights for yrs(very much in the tradition of certain Monday night Big Bands in NYC). The shows are a very hot ticket with guests sitting in frequently. Haven't been to Vegas in a while BUT when I get there, I know I'll be checking 'em out!