Search - Various Artists :: Shaft in Africa (Spkg)

Shaft in Africa (Spkg)
Various Artists
Shaft in Africa (Spkg)
Genres: Pop, R&B, Soundtracks
 
The way the film was billed was "The Brother Man In The Motherland." And that may be about as much as you really need to know about the plot of Shaft In Africa, the movie. This was the third and final outing for Richard Ro...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Various Artists
Title: Shaft in Africa (Spkg)
Members Wishing: 1
Total Copies: 0
Label: Hip-O Select
Original Release Date: 1/1/1973
Re-Release Date: 8/1/2006
Album Type: Soundtrack
Genres: Pop, R&B, Soundtracks
Styles: Funk, Soul
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 602498807361

Synopsis

Product Description
The way the film was billed was "The Brother Man In The Motherland." And that may be about as much as you really need to know about the plot of Shaft In Africa, the movie. This was the third and final outing for Richard Roundtree as the blaxploitation hero John Shaft, and the beginning of a 27-year hiatus for the character, who returned in 2000 with Samuel L. Jackson in the title role (although Roundtree made an appearance as "Uncle John" Shaft in that film).


Score composer Johnny Pate had had some small chart success back in 1958 with his Johnny Pate Quintet's "Swinging Shepherd Blues," which grazed the Top 20 of the R&B charts. Pate also collaborated with the Impressions (as arranger) for a string of hits in the early Sixties, which led to an A&R gig at ABC-Paramount.



The signature tune from the movie, "Are You Man Enough," was performed by the Four Tops, who had recently exited their long-term relationship with Motown and had signed to ABC. It captures the flavor of the film magnificently, with classic blaxploitation lyrics such as "Are you man enough/Big and bad enough/Are you gonna let 'em shoot you down?" Two minutes and twelve seconds of pop perfection, that.
 

CD Reviews

Are You Man Enough?
Dee Sharp | Long Beach, CA United States | 02/08/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)

"One of the toughest soundtracks to come from the early '70s' Black action cinema movement. The core of the soundtrack is The Tops' "Are You Man Enough"; here, Levi isn't beggin' for her to come back, but for you to come correct. The magnificent Johnny Pate fleshes out the album with his score, with the opening track "You Can't Even Walk In The Park" one of the most blistering jazz funk soundtrack cuts around.



The mini-LP jacket is a nice reminder of why we bought records - the feel of the jacket in your hands, the artwork, slipping the inner sleeve out, putting the record on, and getting lost in the album for about 40 minutes. Right on, right on.



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