‘Striptease’ Bumps, Grinds Way to Your Heart

*** VARIOUS ARTISTS

“Take It Off!: Striptease Classics”

Rhino

Want to perk up your grandfather? Play him some of the songs from this raucous collection and he may start reminiscing about the strip-clubs of his old military years.

Compiled from two Ann Corio “How to Strip for Your Husband” albums from the ‘60s, this album captures the best elements of the brassy music strippers used in the days before lap dances and pole acrobatics.

Starting with David Rose & His Orchestra’s famous “The Stripper,” the compilation gets more laid-back as it proceeds, but it always adheres to three essential musical elements: squealing horns, taut snare drum breaks and loud, grand flourishes. The smoldering “Lament,” the forthright “Walkin’ and Strippin’,” the gentle “Perfume and Pink Chiffon” and a sophisticated “Lullaby of Birdland” prove just how versatile Sonny Lester’s Orchestra was.

While too many of the songs sound alike, “Take It Off!” remains an interesting listen. It’s cocktail-lounge swing, but even that sometimes has its charms. More than music to strip by, they play good music to listen to.

*** 1/2 ROY AYERS “The Best of Roy Ayers” Polydor

When people discuss the most heavily sampled ‘70s soul artists, the names James Brown, George Clinton and Roger Troutman invariably pop up. But another name--as this excellent hits compilation reminds us--should be added to that list: Roy Ayers.

This multi-instrumentalist and singer, backed by his versatile group Ubiquity, created soulful grooves that everyone from Pete Rock and Digable Planets to A Tribe Called Quest and Mary J. Blige have recycled to great effect.

Jazz, soul, funk, Latin rock--all these labels apply to Ayers’ music, but none fully encapsulates it. One listen to “Everybody Loves the Sunshine,” “Searching” or “Mystic Voyage” not only provides new appreciation for the rap songs that appropriated snippets of the tracks, but also makes you realize just how far ahead of his time Ayers was. The touted D’Angelo and Maxwell are trying to re-create trends he started in the ‘70s, and a great part of England’s acid jazz movement is founded on these “rare grooves” records.

“The Best of Roy Ayers” is a unique record that simultaneously represents the eclectic past and limitless future of soul music and is a must for any serious hip-hop fan.

*** TEENA MARIE “Lovergirl: The Teena Marie Story” Epic/Legacy

Santa Monica native Teena Marie (a.k.a. Mary Christine Brockert) is one of the rare white R&B; singers to be accepted as a full-fledged soul sista.

Her classic turns in Rick James’ “Fire and Desire” and in many of the songs collected on “Lovergirl” are vibrant reminders of why this singer, composer and producer has remained an urban favorite for almost 20 years. “Oo La La La,” one of Marie’s signature tracks from the ‘80s, has such a sturdy, melodic foundation that it’s little wonder the Fugees were able to so easily update it for their own “Fugee-La.”

But it’s such little-known gems as the easygoing “Stop the World” and the sensitive “Shadow Boxing” that reinforce Marie’s prodigious voice with thematic depth. The up-tempo “Lovergirl,” the best of the collected tracks, still represents the culmination of her sound. Everything about it, from her long guitar solo to her sassy vocal delivery, gives the song a spice and verve that haven’t waned a bit.

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).