Billy Preston
The Best of Billy Preston: The Millennium Collection
A&M/Universal
Now, how cool is this motherfather? Well, he did play for Ray Charles, Little Richard, and Mahalia Jackson; and when The Beatles were on the verge of committing their circle jerk suicidal break-up, they called up this man to set aside the swords. Even though they made up to break up – and blame everything on Yoko – they did calm down long enough to lay down their funkiest song, “Get Back,” with Preston’s help.
Preston and his electric piano were pioneers of the funk. The “spacey” Afro-spangled brother had a happy-go-lucky church-inspired sound that put the spirit in ya. And this is one funk-stank good time. his music rings down from the rafters with the thunder of the Holy Ghost. “Will It Go Round In Circles,” “Nothing From Nothing,” the legendary “Outa-Space” (which was featured in Boogie Nights) and the slightly less stellar “Space Race” are funk classics. “Slaughter” ain’t about no jive-ass turkey. Everybody knows “You Are So Beautiful” (admittedly made famous by Joe Cocker). And for the full fire-and-brimstone, Mahalia-Jackson-fanning, glory-in-the-Spirit, gospel good time, “You’re So Unique” and the live version of “That’s the Way God Planned It” will have you thumping the Bible all the way to whichever chu’ch you desire – whether carnal or ethereal.
Universal Music: http://www.universalchronicles.com
