Now-Again Records

The Lightmen – Free As You Wanna Be

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Stereo:

A:
1. Creative Music (2:28)
2. Free As You Wanna Be (8:32)
3. High Pockets (5:15)

B:
1. Talk Visit (4:34)
2. May ’67 (4:36)
3. # 109 Psychosomatic (5:35)
4. Luke 23:32 – 49 (3:08)

Mono:

C:
1. Creative Music (Mono) (2:28)
2. Free As You Wanna Be (Mono) (8:31)
3. High Pockets (Mono) (5:14)

D:
1. Talk Visit (Mono) (4:36)
2. May ’67 (Mono) (4:33)
3. #109 Psychosomatic (Mono) (5:36)
4. Luke 23:32 – 49 (Mono) (3:08)

This anthology produced by Eothen Alapatt. Associate production by Mark Taylor. Liner notes by Lance Scott Walker and Eothen Alapatt, with a contribution by Flash Parks.

Tape and vinyl transfers, restoration and remastering by Dave Cooley for Elysian Masters, Los Angeles, USA. Select tape transfers by Len Horowitz for History of Recorded Sound, Los Angeles, USA.
Lacquered by Chris Potter at Electric Mastering, London, UK.

Art Direction by Errol Richardson.

Licensed courtesy Bubbha Thomas.

2LP, CD, Digital. 2017. NA 5150. Part of the Bubbha Thomas & The Lightmen Creative Music: The Complete Works anthology.

Bubbha Thomas/The Lightmen

Born in Houston’s fourth ward, Bubbha Thomas attended Booker T. Washington Senior High School where he served as a captain of the school band’s drum section – under the direction of one Conrad O. Johnson, who later gained fame as leader of the aforementioned Kashmere High School Stage Band. He earned a scholarship to Wiley College where he became captain of the school’s band and founded his own jazz outfit, The Lightmen. Before graduating with a BA in music, Bubbha led his band to the Newport Jazz Festival and released a spiritual debut on Houston based Judnell Records (home of The Chocolate Glass, for anyone keeping score) entitled “Free As You Wanna Be.”

1971 saw the release of his second album, “Fancy Pants,” an album that first demonstrated that the young Bubbha understood the funk movement (with the song “Ashie”). After releasing a few more 45s on Judnell (including the incredible “Wench”), he formed his own imprint, Lightin’ Records, and pursued his recording dreams from there. In 1972, he released what many consider his masterpiece – “Energy Control Center – ” the album that contained the backbeat-grounded “Phantom” which Egon compiled on The “Funky 16 Corners” in 2001. In 1975, now recording under the name Bubbha Thomas and The Lightmen, he released his altogether funkiest album, “Country Fried Chicken.” Thomas continued releasing albums into the 1980s, and he records on the Lightin’ label to this day.

Bubbha Thomas & The Lightmen – Country Fried Chicken

Tracklist:

Side A
A1. Country Fried Chicken
A2. All In Love Is Fair
A3. Survival Song

Side B
B1. Herbs (Of Life)
B2. Famous Last Words
B3. Sweet Ray

Produced by Bubbha Thomas, Virgil Solomon and Marsha Frazier.
Reissue produced by Egon.

LP released in conjunction with Traffic Entertainment Group. CD released in conjunction with P-Vine.

LP 2005. CD 2007. NA5049.

The Lightmen Plus One – Energy Control Center

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Revolutionary, spiritual jazz from Houston, the definitive, expanded reissue with previously unreleased tracks – the third in a series of four reissues of drummer and bandleader Bubbha Thomas’s lauded catalog.

Tracklist:

Side A
A1. Wench
A2. Blues For Curtis
A3. Cold Bair
A4. Energy Control Center

Side B
B1. Leo
B2. Jupiter’s Child
B3. The Phantom

Produced by Bubbha Thomas, Virgil Solomon and Marsha Frazier.
Reissue produced by Egon.

LP released in conjunction with Traffic Entertainment Group. CD released in conjunction with P-Vine.

LP 2005. CD 2007. NA5048.