Just got this 1970 LP reisue on Aurora CD and really pleasently surpirsed by it. One or two tracks are just tarted up 60s r'n'b that he would have been familiar with when Jimi Hendrix was his backing guitarist in 1965-6 but most of the 10 cuts are excellent freak-psych/rock with funky grooves and vocals. You can find 'Give You Plenty Lovin' for instance on youtube which is a 11-12 minute dirge-come-psych guitar wig out. The shorter songs, especially the last three are tight, bendy funk-psych dancers. I really like 'Lena' as well with its big up front drums.

I don't know if it' been remastered, but it's got plenty of oomph on the bottom end. A really enjoyable ride and something of an eye opener. You can find the entire 'Curtis Knight Zeus' LP on youtube (from 74) as well which is not bad but 'Village' is a real moment for him I think. He was a table tennis pro as well! There's a two pageliner insert also.

PM

Tracks he did with Hendrix like "Hush Now" and "Love Love" are great funky psych tunes so I'd be interested in hearing how this album measures up to that high standard.

Hi Omar,
It's kind of like those 67 era Hendrix recordings but with freakier drumming and vocalising. He and his band whoever they were - and they should take a bow -sound like they really mean it. As I said, there's one or two cuts that are pretty standard r'n'b that have just been grooved up a little to comply with the changing times, but the majority are great trips.

This is Knight's Chubby Checker - 'Chequred' album moment and it convinces. It's well worthy of its reissue, a pity there hasn't been more fanfare about it.

If you dig 'Love Love' and 'Hush Now' (as I do) you could probably consider most of this set as the logical progression from them without Hendrix's presence but with the similar groove and vibe. Norman Stone's psychedelic soul productions on the Temptations etc around this time may well have had an influence as well.

Paul

A couple of 45s from it were released in the UK, but the LP only came out originally in Holland and the US I think. It's a cool LP of psych tinged funky rock.

Yes, the title track was a 45 and that's a cool number. Surprised it hasn't made a compilation appearance like on La Beat Bespoke for instance.

PM

'Fancy meeting you here' also appeared on 45 in the UK, another great funky rocker with wild echo effects.

And here's the Italian only B side of 'Fancy Meeting You Here' 45 'Lost memory' from 1969. Cool stuff!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g-HYEHXHN8

PM

DON'T get the Dutch press. Apart from the worse different cover it is more soulfull. It is a different album then the US pressing. The US pressing is heavy psychedelic stuff, but the Dutch pressing has more a soul mix. They left out the long acid tracks. I never really liked the album untill I heard the US pressing.
You are right, this record deserves a wider audience as it is killer heavy acid stuff. Absolutely essential!!!

BTW The same counts for the Velvert Turner group. Also two different mixes exist on the US and the German pressing. The German pressing is the one to get.

bye

Feddo

Yes the Velvert Turner Group album is excellent. I like both mixes. Both mixes are available as a double CD in a gatefold card mini-LP sleeve. I bought a copy on UK Ebay for £5 not long ago, a seller semed to have multiple copies, and is well worth looking for.

I never knew the Curtis Knight album had a different mix for Dutch release. Looks like the CD comes from the US edition.
Paul

That long track 'Give You Plenty Lovin' is not on the Dutch pressing. Maybe the Dutch pressing is a compilation album? Not sure...

The Dutch pressing is on ebay now:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CURTIS-KNIGHT-Down-In-The-Village-1970-ACID-PSYCH-FUNK-SOUL-LP-unique-Dutch-pres-/370644934713

Great album and very solid. I own a copy of the original US Pressing which also came with the company issued innersleeve.

Hi Paul,its funny as i just received that Velvert Turner Group dbl cd the other week,im like you i enjoyed both versions,the soul version to my ears is still pretty acid like.

Yes indeed, I am just about to get the Chico Magnetic Band under the name of Freemont's Group - 'The Best of Jimi Hendrix' CD which was made as a Hendrix cash in at the time of his death or shortly after I think. However, it's not a slavish copy (how could it be with a guitarist like Hendrix!) it's very interpretive and regarded as one of the better records of its kind.

Paul

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Best-Of-Jimi-Hendrix/dp/B008H0ORI6/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1346999738&sr=1-1-fkmr0