It’s time to get up for the down stroke. Again.
In July 1974, the George Clinton-led funk group Parliament released their second studio album, Up For The Down Stroke.
The album marked the return of bassist and co-songwriter Bootsy Collins after a two-year hiatus, cementing his pivotal creative role in the group.
Released as a single, the title track reached No. 10 on Billboard’s R&B Singles chart, while the acclaimed album peaked at No. 17 on the R&B Albums chart.
In April 1975, Parliament released their third album, Chocolate City, maintaining the classic, Clinton-led lineup with Collins, Bernie Worrell, and Eddie Hazel. For Chocolate City, the group was also joined by the Brecker Brothers (Michael and Randy Brecker), vocalist Glenn Goins, and bassist Prakash John.
Propelled by Parliament’s signature up-tempo funk, and featuring vocal harmonies by doo-wop group The Parliaments, the “tribute to Washington, D.C.” (A.K.A. “Chocolate City”) earned rave reviews and reached No. 18 on Billboard’s R&B Albums chart.
To honor Parliament’s iconic funk influence, Urban Legends has collaborated with Feedfeed on a new co-branded Chocolate City-inspired recipe video co-hosted by acclaimed chef Roblé Ali and cookbook author/blogger/artist Jerrelle Guy.
Joining the conversation with Ali and Guy was Colleen Vincent of Black Food Folks and The James Beard Foundation, bringing her own vantage point of growing up in Brooklyn, her own chocolate city.
The company has reissued two classic Parliament albums on black vinyl and in limited special vinyl editions: Chocolate City (released June 21) and Up For The Down Stroke (released today).
Up For The Down Stroke is also available in a limited translucent red vinyl edition, while Chocolate City is also available in a limited picture disc vinyl edition.
Ali and Guy met up at Feedfeed’s Brooklyn studio to film their creation of some stunning Chocolate City-inspired desserts. In the engaging video, The two explore some of the legendary album’s complex themes, including the African diaspora and chocolate cities, the album’s influence on current music and their own music tastes, as well as music’s role in elevating the cooking/dining experience. Watch the video below:
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Chocolate City [black vinyl LP; ltd. edition picture disc vinyl LP]
Chocolate City (Side A)
Ride On (Side A)
Together (Side A)
Side Effects (Side A)
What Comes Funky (Side A)
Let Me Be (Side B)
If It Don’t Fit (Don’t Force It) (Side B)
I Misjudged You (Side B)
Big Footin’ (Side B)
Up For The Down Stroke [black vinyl LP; ltd. edition translucent red vinyl LP]
Up For The Down Stroke (Side A)
Testify (Side A)
The Goose (Side A)
I Can Move You (If You Let Me) (Side A)
I Just Got Back (From The Fantasy: Ahead Of Our Time In The Four Lands Of Elliot) (Side B)
All Goodies Are Gone (Side B)
Whatever Makes Baby Feel Good (Side B)
Presence Of A Brain (Side B)
With George Clinton announcing his retirement from touring late last year, these two reissues could not come at a better time.
Source: Urban Legends
