by Marlon West (FB: marlon.west1 Twitter: @marlonw IG: stlmarlonwest Spotify: marlonwest)
Along with the passing of hip-hop artist and actor DMX, whose distinctively gruff voice and raw and thoughtful messages made him an icon, last week also marked the passing of bassist B.B. Dickerson, one of the co-founders of War.
Few bass lines can be said to define an entire West Coast vibe, though on tracks like “Low Rider,” “Cisco Kid,” “Why Can’t We Be Friends,” “Slippin’ Into Darkness”, and so many others. he did just that.
[spotifyplaybutton play=”spotify:playlist:1HeyhXqW5b7182PUkvo0W5″]
Arguably my favorite band, War freely melded soul, Latin, jazz, blues, reggae, and rock influences into a funky whole. War’s lyrics were often political in their music almost always had a sunny, laid-back vibe emblematic of their Southern California roots.
Starting as cover-band, this racially integrated collective scored their first hit, “Spill the Wine,” backing The Animals former frontman, Eric Burton. They would go on to become one of the most popular funk bands of all time.
Hope you enjoy this collection of their hits and deep cuts as well. Next week, I’ll celebrate “Jazz Appreciation Month” with a playlist of live jazz that I promised last week.
Until such time. Stay safe, sane, and kind.
-m-
