Shepp is for losers.

OK. Shepp certainly isn't for losers. My knowledge of Archie Shepp's musical output is limited to three albums: Attica Blues, The Cry of My People, and For Losers. The first two albums in that list, as I understand it, are slightly better known among soul and jazz fans (for possibly very different reasons). Those albums feature music that reminds me of Eugene McDaniels Outlaw-type work, which is a big compliment as I think that record (as well as Headless Heroes of the Apocalypse) are fabulous combinations of social commentary, soul music, and jazz.

Anyway, For Losers was an album that came my way somewhat serendipitously. Just as I had purchased the previously mentioned albums, I found an old used copy (that looks like a bootleg) at a used book/record store. I wasn't really sure what to expect, but I thought why not pick it up.

It's great. I recommend it. It isn't terribly easy to find in vinyl or CD form these days, but if you see it grab it. But, before you do, make sure you like Attica Blues and The Cry of My People, because this album is very similar from my perspective. There are free jazz parts on the disc, but there is also that fusion of soul and jazz that is absolutely spectacular. The funkiest cut on the album is "Stick 'Em Up," a song unlike anything on the rest of the album, featuring a cast of characters worth mentioning.

Thanks to this great resource I can tell you the following. The voice you hear on the track will probably seem the most familiar, especially when you hear a little yodeling comin' at ya--that's none other than Leon Thomas, with Tasha Thomas and the lovely Doris Troy backing him up. Wilton Felder, Beaver Harris, Mel Brown, and Andrew Bey also play lay some funk down on this track (bass, drums, organ, and piano, respectively). This track was recorded in 1968 in Los Angeles, during a session where some material for Shepp's Kwanza was also recorded. The track, however, was not released on For Losers until 1971. The song "Stick 'Em Up" doesn't really sound like an Archie Shepp song, but it sounds like a funky track that deserves some attention. Please give it some! Enjoy.

Archie Shepp - Stick 'Em Up (1968, released in 1971)