I think Foley’s CD was one of the first Columbus albums I ever got - probably a gift from my brother. There’s no doubt that my brother was instrumental in me hearing a broad spectrum of Columbus music. I was playing in clubs in what was then known as the "tie-dye rock" niche centered around the South Heidelberg, but he was on top of the larger scene. Foley is legendary in Columbus - he played with Miles and P-Funk. And his album 7 Years Ago serves as a sprawling tribute to Miles Davis.
Foley
7 Years Ago...Directions In Smart-Alec Music
MoJazz - 374637001-2
1993
Foley’s always been a somewhat enigmatic figure to me. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him play live - maybe with P-Funk? In researching this post, it’s pretty clear he’s elusive. He doesn’t seem to like being photographed and he’s anti social media. He often performs with his hood up and sunglasses on. And yet he surely has one of the most impressive resumes of any Columbus-based musician. There’s a great interview on The Last Miles where he provides his thoughts about the importance of mystique among many other topics, including an extremely honest take on his stint with Miles.
Joseph McCreary, Jr. was born in Columbus and started playing in bands when he was 12. The story of his break is surely one of the craziest I’ve ever heard. He had a friend who'd met Miles' bassist at the time, Marcus Miller, and had his phone number. Foley cold called him, had a great conversation and Miller told him to send a tape. Miles heard the tape, called Foley and he was in the band. Miles was looking for a guitarist, but Foley had been experimenting with his tone and developing what eventually would be called “lead bass.” He started touring in May 1987 and remained until Miles passed away in 1991.
Everything from the take on “Directions In Music,” to the date on the newspaper-style cover are nods to Miles Davis. According to Steve McKeever’s liner notes, Foley was rolling tape when his mother came in and let him know Miles had passed. The emotion of the moment was preserved as the track September 28th, 1991.
Released on Motown's shortlived MoJazz label, 7 Years Ago is an intense listen which defies categorization and can be exhausting at times. Its topics are heavy and very relevant almost 30 years later. A lot is going on here - musically, lyrically, thematically. A lot of P-Funk musicians, including George Clinton, appear throughout. Columbus stalwart Jim Maneri appears on a couple tracks. The single, If It’s Positive, is a rumination on the impact of AIDS and includes a rap from Speech of Arrested Development.
Like so many Columbus musicians, Foley took advantage of The Recording Workshop down in Chillicothe to record some songs. One of those tracks, The Senate (on which Foley played all the instruments), ended up on a flexi disc in the December 1988 Guitar Player Magazine. And the 7 Years Ago CD Bonus cut? The Recording Workshop session of The Senate. This is an album that rewards repeat listens.
In addition to Miles, Foley has toured and/or recorded with Prince, George Clinton, Sly Stone, Lenny White, Macy Gray, and more. He moved to Dallas around 2011 but he remains one of Columbus’ most pedigreed, if elusive, musicians.
Tracklist
1 Preface
Voice – George Clinton
Written-By – Foley, G. Clinton
2 Cum 'Round (Parts I & II)
Bass [Solo] – Byron Miller
Featuring – Belita Woods
Guitar [Wah-wah] – Andre Foxx
Keyboards [Solo] – Larry Dunn
Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals – Belita Woods
Performer [Additional Hoot Nanny] – Foley
3 Ain't No Class (N Da Middle)
Brass – Bennie Cowan, Greg Boyer, Greg Thomas
Rap – Foley, George Clinton, Speech
Rap [Additional Rap] – May May
Voice – Aerle Taree
Written-By [Raps Written By] – Foley, George Clinton, Speech
4 R U Gonna B
Alto Saxophone – Kenny Garrett
Backing Vocals – Foley, Garry Shider, Lige Curry, Stokley Williams, The Steeles
Featuring – Belita Woods
Lead Vocals – Belita Woods
5 Count Da Shit Off (Interlude)
6 Better Not Die (N Amerika Being Black)
Rap – J. L. Mc
Backing Vocals – The Steeles
Rap, Written-By [Rap Written By] – Speech
Synthesizer [Moog Solo & Duet] – Larry Dunn
Voice – Aerle Taree
Arranged By [Strings] – Larry Dunn
Bass [Lead] – Foley
Conductor – Eddie Del Barrio
Engineer – Andrew Berliner
Piano – Deron Johnson
9 Luv Mi Not (Interlude)
10 Love Is...Strange
Alto Saxophone – Kenny Garrett
Backing Vocals – Belita Woods, Garry Shider, Lynn Davis, Lynn Mabry, The Steeles
Bass [Lead Solo] – Foley
11 He Said, She Said
12 Tell Miss Thang
Alto Saxophone – Kenny Garrett
Backing Vocals – Belita Woods, Garry Shider, Lige Curry, Lynn Davis, Lynn Mabry, The Steeles
Featuring – Belita Woods
Lead Vocals – Belita Woods
13 Little Davis
Piano – Deron Johnson
Tenor Saxophone – Gary Thomas
14 Who Did What?
15 Black Dog
Bass, Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Vocals – Foley
Drums – Michael Bland
Guitar [1st Solo] – Dewayne "Blackbird" McKnight
Guitar [2nd Solo] – Michael Hampton
Guitar [3rd Solo] – Keith Staten
Written-By – J. Page, J. Baldwin, R. Plant
16 ..........We Did What!!!!
17 Date Rape (Remix) 40 Solos & A Mule
Alto Saxophone – Kenny Garrett
Bass [Lead Bass Solo] – Foley
Drums – Blaine Emerson
Keyboards [1st Keyboard Solo] – Deron Johnson
Keyboards [2nd Keyboard Solo] – Larry Dunn
Keyboards, Piano – Jim Maneri
18 The Godfather (Interlude)
Bass [Lead & Electric Bass] – Foley
Drums – Blaine Emerson
Keyboards, Piano [Acoustic Piano] – Jim Maneri
19 Dreams On Da Floor
Alto Saxophone – Kenny Garrett
Backing Vocals – Lynn Davis, Selandra WrightVoice – Sister Souljah
20 Closing
Voice – George Clinton
20 Set N It Strait
22 The Senate (CD Bonus Cut)
Drums, Bass, Keyboards, Piano, Bass [Lead Bass] – Foley
Companies, etc.
Copyright (c) – Motown Record Company, L.P.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Motown Record Company, L.P.
Manufactured By – Motown Record Company, L.C.
Marketed By – Motown Record Company, L.P.
Recorded At – Crystal Sound
Recorded At – Soundcastle
Recorded At – Paisley Park Studios
Recorded At – TRW
Published By – Foley's Music
Published By – Exoskeletal Music
Published By – Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Published By – Arrested Development Music
Published By – EMI Blackwood Music Inc.
Published By – May Boogie Music
Published By – AACI Songs
Published By – Superhype Publishing Inc.
Credits
Art Direction, Design – Jonathan Clark (5)
Engineer – Tommy*
Engineer [Assistant Engineer] – Bret Newman, Gary Meals, Kevin Davis, Lisa Michaels, Marc Psfaffler, Ray Hahnfeldt, Steve Durkee
Executive-Producer – Steve McKeever
Liner Notes – Steve McKeever
Mixed By – Foley, Tommy*
Photography By – Darius Anthony
Producer, Written-By, Arranged By, Performer – Foley
Project Manager [A&R Manager/Project Superman] – Bruce Walker (3)
Recorded By [The Steeles' Background Vocals Recorded By] – Tom Tucker, Jr.* (tracks: 4, 7, 10, 12)
