Melting Pot (Booker T album)
Encyclopedia
Melting Pot is a 1971 studio album recorded by Booker T. & the MG's for Stax Records
. It is the last album to feature the group's classic lineup of Jones, Cropper, Dunn, and Jackson, and featured longer jam-oriented songs for the first time on an MG's album.
had become estranged from Stax, as he protested the changing atmosphere under the leadership of executive Al Bell
. Jones left Memphis, Tennessee
, where Stax was headquartered, and moved to California
. Guitarist Steve Cropper
had gone weary of the new Stax atmosphere as well, and opened his own studio in Memphis, spending less and less time at the Stax studio. Melting Pot was recorded in New York City
, between MG's gigs, as Jones refused to record in Memphis and wanted the band to create a different sound for the new album.
The album's title track was edited down to single release, and issued by Stax as a 45 in spring 1971. "Melting Pot" peaked at number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100
in the United States
, and at number 16 on the Billboard Black Singles
chart.
, Steve Cropper
, Donald "Duck" Dunn, and Al Jackson, Jr. except "Kinda Easy Like", by Jones, Cropper, Jackson, and Lewis Steinberg.
Stax Records
Stax Records is an American record label, originally based in Memphis, Tennessee.Founded in 1957 as Satellite Records, the name Stax Records was adopted in 1961. The label was a major factor in the creation of the Southern soul and Memphis soul music styles, also releasing gospel, funk, jazz, and...
. It is the last album to feature the group's classic lineup of Jones, Cropper, Dunn, and Jackson, and featured longer jam-oriented songs for the first time on an MG's album.
Background
By 1970, band leader Booker T. JonesBooker T. Jones
Booker T. Jones is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, record producer and arranger, best known as the frontman of the band Booker T. and the MGs. He has also worked in the studios with many well-known artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, earning him a Grammy Award for lifetime...
had become estranged from Stax, as he protested the changing atmosphere under the leadership of executive Al Bell
Al Bell
Al Bell is an American record producer, songwriter, and record executive. Bell is best known as one of the key figures behind and a co-owner of Memphis, Tennessee-based Stax Records during the latter half of the label's nineteen-year existence...
. Jones left Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, where Stax was headquartered, and moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Guitarist Steve Cropper
Steve Cropper
Steve Cropper , also known as Steve "The Colonel" Cropper, is an American guitarist, songwriter and record producer. He is best known as the guitarist of the Stax Records house band, Booker T...
had gone weary of the new Stax atmosphere as well, and opened his own studio in Memphis, spending less and less time at the Stax studio. Melting Pot was recorded in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, between MG's gigs, as Jones refused to record in Memphis and wanted the band to create a different sound for the new album.
The album's title track was edited down to single release, and issued by Stax as a 45 in spring 1971. "Melting Pot" peaked at number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and at number 16 on the Billboard Black Singles
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart.
Track listing
All songs written by Booker T. JonesBooker T. Jones
Booker T. Jones is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, record producer and arranger, best known as the frontman of the band Booker T. and the MGs. He has also worked in the studios with many well-known artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, earning him a Grammy Award for lifetime...
, Steve Cropper
Steve Cropper
Steve Cropper , also known as Steve "The Colonel" Cropper, is an American guitarist, songwriter and record producer. He is best known as the guitarist of the Stax Records house band, Booker T...
, Donald "Duck" Dunn, and Al Jackson, Jr. except "Kinda Easy Like", by Jones, Cropper, Jackson, and Lewis Steinberg.
- "Melting Pot" - 8:15
- "Back Home" - 4:40
- "Chicken Pox" - 3:26
- "Fuquawi" - 3:40
- "Kinda Easy Like" - 8:43
- "Hi Ride" - 2:36
- "L.A. Jazz Song" - 4:18
- "Sunny Monday" - 4:35
Personnel
- Booker T. JonesBooker T. JonesBooker T. Jones is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, record producer and arranger, best known as the frontman of the band Booker T. and the MGs. He has also worked in the studios with many well-known artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, earning him a Grammy Award for lifetime...
- keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Steve CropperSteve CropperSteve Cropper , also known as Steve "The Colonel" Cropper, is an American guitarist, songwriter and record producer. He is best known as the guitarist of the Stax Records house band, Booker T...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Donald "Duck" Dunn - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Al Jackson, Jr. - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- The Pepper Singers - background vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
Production credits
- Recording engineers - Ron Capone, Gordon Rudd, Rik Pekkonen, Shelly YakusShelly YakusShelly Yakus is considered as one of the best engineers and mixers in the music industry. Formerly chief engineer and vice president of A&M Records, Yakus' engineering work has help sell in excess of one hundred million records, equaling over one billion dollars in sales...
, Jay MessinaJay MessinaJay Messina is an American audio engineer, mastering and mixing engineer and music producer. He started out recording sessions for legendary arranger Don Ellion and quickly promoted to A&R Recording. He later moved to the Record Plant when it opened in 1968...
, Steve Cropper - Remix engineer - Steve Cropper
- Cover photogapher - George Rodriguez
- Art director - The Graffiteria/Stan Hochstadt
- Art supervisor - Herb Kole, Larry Shaw
Charts
| Year | Album | Chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US R&B Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
Jazz Albums | ||
| 1971 | Melting Pot | 43 | 2 | 5 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US R&B Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
US Dance |
||
| 1971 | "Melting Pot" | 45 | 21 | — |
Samples
- "Melting Pot"
- "Another Victory"" by Big Daddy KaneBig Daddy KaneAntonio Hardy better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is an American rapper who started his career in 1986 as a member of the rap group the Juice Crew. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential and skilled MC's in Hip Hop...
on his It's A Big Daddy ThingIt's a Big Daddy ThingIt's a Big Daddy Thing is the second full-length album by American rapper Big Daddy Kane. It was released on September 15, 1989.To date, it is his most successful effort commercially, certified gold by RIAA....
album
- "Another Victory"" by Big Daddy Kane
- "Chicken Pox"
- "Silence of the Lambs"" by Showbiz And A.G.Showbiz and A.G.Showbiz and A.G. are an American hip hop duo from The Bronx, New York City. Showbiz is a producer and A.G. is a rapper. The two debuted on Lord Finesse's Funky Technician album in 1990. Show and A.G...
on their Runaway SlaveRunaway SlaveRunaway Slave is the debut album from Hip Hop duo Showbiz and A.G., members of legendary New York crew D.I.T.C..-Album information:The effort was a highly praised underground release, but didn't sell strong numbers...
album
- "Silence of the Lambs"" by Showbiz And A.G.