Betty Davis
Nasty Gal

THE REVIEW

Betty Davis, the sultry and lush embodiment of the dirtiest funk, is mainly known for being Miles Davis's second wife and, according to the genius himself, a great influence in his exploration of rock sounds (especially Hendrix), which later formed the foundation for the masterpiece "Bitches Brew".

With "Nasty Gal", dated 1975, Betty brought to the stage the instrumental representation of the Dionysian spirit, the musical personification of the orgiastic and vital impulse that makes funk the greatest sonic metaphor for the dirtiest, uninhibited, and carnal sexuality. "Nasty Gal" can be summed up in a few words as a purely material, dirty and exciting album, full of explicit references to the greatness of the sexual act, as an atavistic call to the animal origins of man. This is evident from the lyrics, true orgasmic gargles, and the instrumental parts, dominated by deep and bouncing bass and hysterical, violent, and dirty guitar riffs. The duets with Fred Mills in "Nasty Gal" and "Talkin Trash" open the album, immediately showing Davis's intention, with her gritty and schizophrenic voice, to involve the listener in a ménage à trois with the two performers, through rapid and pressing rhythms and lyrics that wink at blaxploitation, echoing stereotypes that would not look out of place in a '70s porn film made by African Americans. Davis ventures into purely soul sounds in the ballad "You And I", written by Miles Davis and orchestrated by Gil Evans. In tracks like "Dedicated To The Press", "Shut Off The Light", and "Gettin Kicked Off, Havin Fun", she seems to revel, in her vocal hints, in being the true "whore" of funk. Her energy seems eternal, and she proudly displays it in "F.U.N.K.": a brutal manifesto of the genre, where Betty spells out her musical creed, with the provocative intent of reminding the world that Funk means dirty, but above all authentic and pure. The piece closes with the rhythmic enumeration of the great artists who laid the foundations of the genre, including Hendrix, who is often cited in the guitar parts throughout the album, with simplicity and seductive cunning. The atmospheric "The Lone Ranger" wraps it all up: a sublime slow blues-inspired carpet on which Davis purrs with a husky voice, wholly summarizing her essence as a great interpreter of the orgasmic sounds of funk.

"Nasty Gal" places itself, unequivocally, among the masterpieces of funk: a real slice of black music, that plants its roots in Afro tribalism and makes the vital and carnal impulse, of dirty and essential rock, its reason for being. An album to surrender to without rationality, just to give a good kick in the ass to the Apollonian spirit.