If You Like Funk: Check Out Vulfpeck

I recommend Soul Vaccination Live By TOP as their best live album to own. A bit compressed dynamically (the heavy hand of Vlado Meller in Mastering) but very punchy and a great performance by Brent Carter (vocals) with just incredible energy from the entire crew. You are in row 5 with this recording. Live and in Living Colour is second best live - not as energetic perhaps a bit wistful or more “soul” leaning - only 5 tracks - though it has an amazing 23 minute Knock yourself out jam - a legendary performance - where Chester Thompson literally goes nuts! - not so close miked (1976) - row 20.

Glad you enjoy Cleary's Go-Go Juice, when yr ready for more of the same, chk out Occapella!  As far as Santa Fe & FCH goes, I also felt The Answer to be uneven.  The one before that; When The Curtain Goes Up, is a better record IMO.  You can hear tunes from this (and probably the majority of what's being recommended!) on YouTube!  As far as TOP goes, Back To Oakland is their peak record.  I was so into the band at this time, I saw them a bunch of times with the original line up!  Too bad there isn't a live record from these days featuring Lenny Williams, the band was truly on fire in every way!  In the mid 70's during their 'Ain't Nothing Stopping Us Now' tour, me and a gal pal went to see them at My Fathers Place, a club in NY.  Between sets the band came out to the bar and my friend met trumpeter Greg Adams.  Long story short, they've been happily married ever since!  Adams has been playing with his band; East Bay Soul, for yrs now.  I'll admit to not really digging this band, a little too soft & commercial for my tastes, and I think the bar being set SO high might have something to do with it.  But you might wanna chk 'em out!

….for giggles you should check out bass virtuoso, and a true Fonk Monsta in his own right, Marcus Miller’s version of What Is Hip from his record; Marcus. It’s an amazing performance but it also slams the point home about what a groundbreaking bassist/musician Francis Rocco Prestia is as thru most of the tune, Marcus is simply playing Rocco’s amazing licks!

@chazro Awesome backstory! My son plays the bass and Marcus Miller is one of his idols. I bought him "Afrodeeza" on LP for Christmas a few years back. At the time I could only find it for sale outside the US. That, I thought, was tragic. Pretty cool album though. There is a guy who should have more vinyl in his catalog.  

I agree with chazro about TOP’s peak record. Back To Oakland is a great record; but I think that peak record status needs to be shared with Urban Renewal. Maybe putting too fine a point on things since they were both recorded the same year (1974), but if forced to choose, I might choose UR as the one...maybe.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UrxRJ9HlfZk

Lenny Picket is a very unusual musician and very erudite individual. Aside from his obvious talents as a great funk tenor player, one much lesser known creative side of his is that he is also a very accomplished modern composer who has written many chamber and orchestral works including an opera.

Great story, chazro, btw.