Just because the songs comprising the first volume of the Right On! series appeared on major labels Warner Bros. and Atlantic, doesn't mean you should expect the expected. Few of these recordings, all of which were subsequently sampled for latter-day hip-hop and dance tracks, have been the subject of contemporary reissues before now, and while their drum tracks, basslines, and the occasional horn break may be familiar, chances are you're hearing the originals for the first time. The fun of sets like this one is discovering a given beat, break, or sample, and experiencing that moment of recognition when music's past and present merge -- likewise, it's equally entertaining to imagine the creative process that results in artists as unlikely as
Cher ("For What It's Worth"),
Lulu ("Feelin' Alright"), and
the Electric Prunes ("General Confessional") reborn as gristle for the sampling mill. Other highlights include
Jack McDuff's "Shadow of Your Smile,"
Black Heat's "Zimba Ku," and
Billy Cobham's "Crosswind." ~ Jason Ankeny