IGNORED OBSCURED RESTORED

Back in the early 70s there was this cat from Berkeley/Oakland whose music sounded like a psychedelic Al Green. He went by the name of Darondo. He was a colorful character that drove a white Rolls Royce and wore lots of custom jewelry. His music has been mostly forgotten except by soul music connoisseurs.

But in recent years he has undergone a mini revival. A 2011 release called Listen To My Song – The Music City Sessions (and available on Spotify) compiled 16 songs so a new audience could discover his talent. His best known song, “Didn’t I”, has been used on several soundtracks including a season 1 episode of Breaking Bad.

But I really like another one of his songs better, so today’s SotW is “The Wolf.”

“The Wolf” is slow burner that has this irresistibly funky groove. It could go on for hours and I would never tire of it. It’s a very simple arrangement with a funk guitar riff, a spooky bass line and a solid beat.

Unfortunately, just as he was finding a new, younger audience, Darondo died earlier this year. At least he lived long enough to see that the music he made was still valued over 40 years later.

Enjoy… until next week.