a w h o l e n e w t h i n g - pt.1

After radio disc jockey Sylvester Stewart adopted the name Sly and went on to evolve The Family Stone with other family members and friends, the music world perhaps, wasn't prepared for the unprecedented innovative musical magic and electrifying multiplicity that Sly & the Family Stone would bring to the established rock-n-roll mindset and culture of the late 1960's. The then music world, calling out for new creativity and new musical direction, was about to be given notice.

History shows, Sly arrived with The Family Stone on the charted commercial music scene in 1967 with the debut album "A Whole New Thing" giving, (in the least) the American music scene notice of a new creativity and a new direction in which music under the innovative influence of Sly and The Family Stone would from that moment on, evolve. Sly and The Family Stone would prove to be a creative force in global music by transcending boundaries on the inside and outside of "universal" music's thoughts and practices.

Sylvester Stewart from the beginning, was not about to take something old and give it a fresh new look or sound. Though, from the beginning, Sly and The Family Stone were all about creating a new look and with it a new sound. With a concocted fusion of Soul, Jazz and Rock, Sly and the Family Stone placed their hands around music’s throat and gentled squeezed it until the face of music turned "a-new-shade-of-funk".

Many of the musical arrangements to eventually come from Sly and The Family Stone would feature a prolific horn section sound. That horn sound would be as much a signature of Sly and The Family Stone, as would the synonymous relationship they were forging for themselves as innovative creators of a new genre’ of music fast-becoming known as “Funk”.

Song writer extraordinaire, Sly (like other song writers of the time) shared with the growing masses of funk listeners and followers, his wants and appreciation of humanity, writing songs laden with connotations and the idealism's of people, love and hope. However Sly was a man and a voice with a conscience as well. It was the social and political conscience of Sylvester Stewart that would lend itself to the innovative multiplicity of Sly and The Family Stone. Bringing the world into his music and giving back to the world part of his conscience through music, Sly found a conduit for speaking his mind.


The Essential Sly & the Family Stone - Disc 1
Epic/Legacy 2002

1. Underdog
2. I Cannot Make It
3. Dance to the Music
4. Are You Ready?
5. Fun
6. M'Lady
7. Life
8. Love City
9. Stand!
10. Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey
11. I Want to Take You Higher
12. Someboody's Watching You
13. Sing a Simple Song
14. Everyday People
15. You Can Make It If You Try
16. Hot Fun in the Summertime
17. Everybody is a Star
18. Thank you (Falettinme By Mice Elf Agin)

Official website: slystonemusic.com