Thursday Throwback: Marvin Gaye Live in Oakland

On December 14, 1974 Marvin Gaye sang the National Anthem at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum before the Raiders beat the Dallas Cowboys 27-23 in front of a national television audience. Marvin donned his iconic red beanie in the Bay Area’s temperate 53-degree weather and blessed America with its self-affirming anthem. He looked at ease, but earlier that year, on the very same field, Marvin Gaye had confronted some of his biggest demons by returning to the national spotlight… live in Oakland, CA.

When Gaye’s frequent collaborator, Tammi Terrell, collapsed on stage in 1967, Marvin began suffering from stage fright. And when she died of a brain tumor two and a half years later, he refused to tour despite pressures from his label. But with money problems and the huge success of 1973’s Let’s Get It On, Gaye was forced to return to the stage. And so it was that on January 4, 1974 he treated 14,000 fans (paying as little as $5 for entry) at the Oakland Coliseum to a beautifully orchestrated 52-minute set.

Whatever fears he had weren’t apparent as he blessed those in attendance with a melancholy, soulful and sultry set of his more recent work (and a medley of his older hit tunes). A transcendent spirit swept over the Coliseum that night as Gaye not only remerged from the shadows, but also recorded a live album. Marvin Gaye Live! would go on take the #1 spot on the R&B charts and pique at #8 on the pop charts. It also birthed a slow-burning version of “Distant Lovers” that elicited Beatles-esque shrieks from the female fans in attendance. Thanks to that response, that rendition of “Distant Lovers” became a staple in Gaye’s repertoire until his death in 1984.

Download “Distant Lovers,” but do yourself a favor by purchasing the whole Marvin Gaye Live! album. It provides an amazing glimpse into the spirit of a troubled man with soaring gifts from above. Oakland knew he was back that night, and the rest of the world would soon be let in on the secret.

DL: Marvin Gaye: "Distant Lovers Reprise (Live in Oakland)"

Rest In Peace Marvelous Marvin Gaye. It’s still on.

Thursday Throwback: Christión: "Full Of Smoke"

15 years ago, a duo from Oakland, CA was the first act (not named Jay-Z) signed to Roc-a-Fella Records. If you’re racking your brain trying to remember which Beanie Sigel-ish rappers were bubbling in The Town in ’96, you’re on the wrong track. The infamous duo was an R&B act named Christión, comprised of brothers Allen Anthony and Kenny Ski. And so it was that in the same year Hov dropped Reasonable Doubt, Christión released their single “Full of Smoke”. They would go on to make music more explicitly for the ladies, but this, their first and biggest hit, was a hustler’s anthem.

“Full of Smoke” sounds like East Oakland’s answer to Sade’s “Smooth Operator,” and Roc-a-Fella painted that picture to perfection in the accompanying music video. With Dame Dash and a host of players taking in the scene, Allen Anthony’s smoky falsetto serenaded a throng of beautiful women with slick symphonic Box Chev soul. It was perfect.

And yet despite a couple other moderate hits (“Bring Back Your Love” and “I Wanna Get Next To You”), Christión failed to take root in the public’s consciousness. Bay Area rap favorites The Team did resurrect “Full of Smoke” for a little heard track on their Go Music mixtape, but we here at 38thnotes think Christión deserves to be heard by a new generation of Bay Area music fans.

DL: The Team: "Full of Smoke"

We reached out to Allen Anthony for this piece, and he informed us that he’s currently recording music down in Atlanta. So for those of you who’ve ever wondered what happened to Christión, allow us to present some new music from Mr. Anthony. I think you’ll like what you hear!

"SOMEBODY LIKE ME" by Allen Anthony.

Listen to more of Allen Anthony's new music HERE.

And for a trip down memory lane, check out Christión's videos for "Bring Back Your Love" and "I Wanna Get Next To You" after the jump

Thursday Throwback: Dru Down: "Can You Feel Me?" Music Video

Classic material from the OG with the shirley locks and the slick East Oakland mouthpiece. Apparently Dru Down is still out and about as his performance at last week's Soul Therapy  event would indicate– and yes, his old school hair-do is still in full effect. "Can You Feel Me" is a Bay Area staple, and hasn't seemed to lose a step over the years. Of course, "Pimp of the Year" will always be his most well known song, but this joint has always been a personal favorite. Enjoi

Thursday Throwback: E-40, 2Pac & Boots Riley: "Practice Looking Hard"

Enjoy the old school funk as Tupac and Boots Riley join the ballatician for the "Practice Lookin Hard" music video. The site of 40, Boots and Pac pulling out little princess mirrors to mug in is awesome, but of course, 40 also lends his sicwitit mouthpiece to the proceedings.

More contemporaneously, we also have the official concert edition of "Bitch" featuring Too $hort and an interview he did with DC and Big Von of KMEL back stage at this year's summer jam– an event he is said to have destroyed with a bevy of current hits and throwbacks, kinda like the videos in this post. Oh Bwah! See them after the jump.

Thursday Throwback: Conscious Daughters: "Fonky Expedition"

This week BET aired it's first original documentary. My Mic Sounds Nice: The Truth about Women in Hip-Hop featured some of the larger names from the '80s, '90s and now. Jean Grae, Yo-Yo (Who will be in Oakland this weekend for Oakland Pride), MC Lyte and many more discuss the lack of visibility of female emcees.

At one point there is a shout out to the Conscious Daughters. And while they didn't go into detail about this duo, it was nice to hear their name and see a quick image flash across the screen. Immediately, "Fonky Expedition" came to mind.  So summer. So hard. So Town. 

"Coming straight up out the O so you know..."

Thursday Throwback: Mac Mall: "Wide Open" Video

Over the years, Mac Mall's "Wide Open" has remained one of my all time favorite summer time records. Though, this wasn't the record that made Mall, it seems to be the record that he is most remembered for.

Given that his album Illegal Business? 2000 was released this decade, it might seem like an odd choice for a Thursday Throwback, but you have to admit there is something very classic sounding about it. I remember listening to KMEL back in middle school and being hella restless for those upper octave piano chords to finally drop in. And it's not because I took piano lessons back then. It's because, as soon as those chords hit, "Wide Open" immortalized itself as a summer time/pool party anthem, and who doesn't like summer?

"Now I aint tryna rush you, but a.s.a.p. /
Keep a mack on your mind and holler at me"

Thursday Throwback: Tupac Shakur in Poetic Justice

Last week I watched Poetic Justice for the first time in a while and figured it would be something appropriate to highlight for Throwback Thursday. The story follows Lucky (Tupac Shakur) and Justice (Janet Jackson) on a road trip from LA to Oakland with two other friends in a mail truck. The movie isn't overly complicated, but it strikes a meaningful chord nonetheless.

It's relevant to 38th Notes, not just because part of the movie  was shot in The Town, but more so because Pac is such an influential factor in hip-hop culture and Oakland lore.

In the flick it is apparent how much natural charisma Pac exudes. It's too easy for many to view him through a postive/conscious lens or a violent/gangsta lens, but neither do him justice. In reality Pac brings much more nuance and brilliance to the table. Though he was acting in Poetic Justice, there are certain intangibles that shine through from his real personality, much in the same way Denzel or Will Smith bring parts of their authentic selves to each role.

What shines through is lovable, intelligent and, at the same time, sad. That sadness of course stems from his early departure from a place that needed him so much. I would have loved to see the change he could have brought forth and the talent he would have cultivated if he had been able to stay with us a bit longer. Just as a frame of reference, Pac passed at the age of 25. Jay-Z didn't put out his first album till he was 26. So just marinate with the impact he could have had on the game and the world. It's truly crazy

Check out a couple dope interviews he did regarding Poetic Justice, celebrate his life and enjoi Throwback Thursday. Hello!

Thursday Throwback: The Luscious Three

Here is an old 70s gem I unearthed recently from the San Francisco girl group Luscious Three. Unfortunately this record was pressed on styrene which makes the high notes fuzzy, but "Take Me As I Am" is a dope cut regardless.

This is also the start of a reoccurring feature on 38th Notes- the Thursday Throwback. A lot of blogs scramble to stay up to date with the latest leaks and videos, but not enough look back at all the amazing tunes, trends and cultural institutions that have come before.

DL: "Take Me As I Am"- Luscious Three