Wood, Brass & Steel: "Wood, Brass & Steel"

Yeah, it’s a stupid title.  I mean, how much more literal could they be?  But this is another one that I stumbled upon recently for dirt-cheap, and I knew it had some legendary jams on it, so yoink!  Part of this group is comprised of the same musicians who would go on to become the legendary house band for Sugar Hill Records, of “Rapper’s Delight”/early hip-hop fame, including guitarist Skip McDonald and bassist Doug Wimbish, later of Living Colour.  Some of the songs get a bit clubby/disco-ish at times, which isn’t my favorite style, but joints like “Theme Song” and the cover of Ronnie Laws’ soul-jazz-funk monster “Always There” stomp many of the group’s contemporaries with ridiculous, FONK-AY power.  Not an easy one to come across, but very tasty.