January 23, 2017

Dennis Coffey Grooves on “Hot Coffey in the D”

His previously unreleased 1968 album is sometimes wild and freaky, sometimes smooth and soothing.


Dennis Coffey
Hot Coffey in the D
Resonance
 

Courtesey of conqueroo

Guitarist Dennis Coffey was a member of Motown’s elite team of session musicians, playing on hits like the Temptations’ “Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World Is Today)” and Edwin Starr’s “War,” as well as enjoying a top-ten smash under his own name with the high-energy 1971 instrumental “Scorpio.” Recorded in 1968 at a Detroit club, the previously unreleased Hot Coffey in the D finds the virtuoso pumping out sultry soul-jazz as part of a smoldering trio that also features Lyman Woodard on funky Hammond B-3 organ and ace drummer Melvin Davis. Sometimes wild and freaky, sometimes smooth and soothing, this enticing set includes extended takes on “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” (seven minutes) and “The Look of Love” (12 minutes) that find soulful new wrinkles in these tasteful standards, along with the psychedelic original “Fuzz.” Diverse and satisfying, Hot Coffey works fine as superior background music but also rewards close listening.

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WHO DOESN’T LOVE A POSITIVE STORY—OR TWO?

“Great journalism really does make a difference in this world: it can even save kids.”

That’s what a civil rights lawyer wrote to Julia Lurie, the day after her major investigation into a psychiatric hospital chain that uses foster children as “cash cows” published, letting her know he was using her findings that same day in a hearing to keep a child out of one of the facilities we investigated.

That’s awesome. As is the fact that Julia, who spent a full year reporting this challenging story, promptly heard from a Senate committee that will use her work in their own investigation of Universal Health Services. There’s no doubt her revelations will continue to have a big impact in the months and years to come.

Like another story about Mother Jones’ real-world impact.

This one, a multiyear investigation, published in 2021, exposed conditions in sugar work camps in the Dominican Republic owned by Central Romana—the conglomerate behind brands like C&H and Domino, whose product ends up in our Hershey bars and other sweets. A year ago, the Biden administration banned sugar imports from Central Romana. And just recently, we learned of a previously undisclosed investigation from the Department of Homeland Security, looking into working conditions at Central Romana. How big of a deal is this?

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