Today's E is You, Gene

Eugene McDaniels, 70s revolutionary radical & all-around heavy cat, was once Gene McDaniels, mellow soul singer & #1 contender for the Black Scott Walker title. Here's a pair of doozies from the mid-60s Genester.

Gene McDaniels – The Facts of Life from Sometimes I'm Happy Sometimes I'm Blue LP, 

Liberty 7175, 1960.

&

Gene McDaniels – (There goes) The Forgotten Man single side B, Liberty F 55752, 1964.

Leap ahead to 1970: Here’s a Bible-toting, denim-clad McDaniels on the grainy, guerilla-styled cover shot for Outlaw accompanied by then-wife Ramona, outfitted in ammo-belt & Angela Davis afro, & a grim-faced feminist Susan James with a semi-automatic.  Like many other of us from that era, something BIG had happened to Eugene McDaniels between 1965 & 1970 that transformed him from Gene McDaniels to "Eugene McDaniels the Left Rev. Mc D". This is a back-to-the-country rock album in many places, but the funky soul shines through strongly, especially on tracks like "Reverend Lee". McDaniels recorded Outlaw with a rock/jazz band that featured legendary Miles Davis alum jazz bassist Ron Carter & ubiquitous 70s session guitarist Hugh McCracken. The group fleshed out the Rev's hippie-folk-funky dreams with smooth style. The band is largely responsible for the record’s pure cohesiveness, as they bring McDaniels disparate elements together into one of the most powerfully lasting statements of post-Aquarian Age culture.

"Under conditions of national emergency, like now, there are only two kinds of people – those who work for freedom and those who do not." -Mc D.

Eugene McDaniels – Outlaw, Atlantic SD 8259, 1970.

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Side One –

Outlaw

Sagittarius Red

Welfare City

Silent Majority

Love Letter to America

Side Two –

Unspoken Dreams of Light

Cherrystones

Reverend Lee

Black Boy

Outlaw's follow-up, 1971s Headless Heroes of the Apocalypse cover superimposes McDaniels' screaming face on a painting of a samurai battle scene. This release features a more jazz-inflected moodiness than Outlaw. While much of Outlaw was countrified blues, casually arranged, Headless Heroes is a much tougher, tighter, & more adventurous outing. With a distinctive two-bass attack supplied by the tag-team of prog hero Miroslav Vitous on acoustic & Gary King electric, HHotA is largely the work of seasoned jazzmen essaying early 70s funk.

Vice President Spiro Agnew allegedly called Atlantic to issue a verbal cease-&-desist order upon the release of Headless Heroes of the Apocalypse. Altantic pulled support for & finally sales of the album, though they cited "poor sales numbers".

Eugene McDaniels – Headless Heroes of the Apocalypse, Atlantic SD 8281, 1971.

Side One –

The Lord is Back

Jagger the Dagger

Lovin’ Man

Headless Heroes

Susan Jane

Side Two –

Freedom Death Dance

Supermarket Blues

The Parasite (for Buffy)

In 1975, Gene (once more) McDaniels released Natural Juices. Here McDaniels delivers his by-now perfected blend of Soul/Funk combined with his exceptional songwriting abilities.

Gene McDaniels – Natural Juices, Ode Records SP 77028, 1975.

Side 1 –

Feel like Makin' Love

Lady Fair

Natural Juices

Can't Get Enough of You

River

Side 2 –

Shell of a Man

Dream of You & Me

Waterfall

Honey Can You Know

The Perfect Dream

But just before he became a true Outlaw, McDaniels handled the vocal duties on my favorite Bobby Hutcherson release, Blue Notes's Now! from 1969. Here is that sometimes neglected gem. If you've come along this far with Eu/Gene, you should really enjoy this (I added some alternate takes as a bonus).

Bobby's band members: Bobby Hutcherson – vibraphone & marimba; Harold Land - tenor saxophone; Kenny Barron & George Cables – piano; Wally Richardson – guitar; Herbie Lewis & James Leary – bass; Joe Chambers & Eddie Marshall – drums; Candido Camero – congas; Gene McDaniels – vocals; Hilda Harris, Albertine M. Robinson, Christine Spencer, Eileen Gilbert, & Maeretha Stewart - backing vocals; Stanley Cowell – piano & electric piano; Manny Boyd - tenor & soprano saxophone; & Bobbye Hall Porter – percussion.

Bobby Hutcherson – Now!, Blue Note BST 84333, 1969.

Side One –

Slow Change
Hello to the Wind
Now!

Side Two –

The Creators
Black Heroes

+ bonus tracks –

Slow Change II
Now! II
Hello to the Wind (live)
Now! (reprise)

Enjoy,
NØ