Rasputin's Stash -

Rasputin’s Stash was an American soul-funk band from Chicago that released a self-titled album on Cotillion in 1971, followed by The Devil Made Me Do It on Gemigo in 1974. Guitarist Martin Dumas Jr. and keyboardist Paul Coleman resurfaced in Crystal Winds.

Members: Paul Coleman (keyboards, vocals), Bruce Butler (bass, vocals), Ernest Frank Donaldson (drums, percussion), Martin L. Dumas Jr (lead guitar, rhythm guitar, vocals), Wardell Peel (brass), Vincent Willis (keyboards, vocals), James Whitfield (reeds), Norval Taylor (congas, percussion)

Background

Keyboardist and vocalist Paul Coleman began performing in late-1960s Chicago clubs with his band, the Fantastic Epics. After avoiding Vietnam service, he trained under an Army jazz musician. Between 1966 and 1969, the group issued four singles, including one backing Jimmy Burns, before the draft scattered the lineup. Coleman reassembled the band after his discharge. A club promoter suggested the new name Rasputin Stash, inspired by the mystic’s endurance—mirroring Coleman’s own mishaps, from thefts and riots to losing half his beard when fans rushed the stage during an opening for the Impressions.

Guitarist and vocalist Martin Dumas Jr., a seasoned session player, helped shape the eight-piece lineup with Chicago musicians: bassist and vocalist Bruce Butler, drummer and percussionist Ernest Frank Donaldson, keyboardist and vocalist Vincent Willis, trumpeter Wardell Peel, saxophonist and reeds player James Whitfield, and conga player Norval Harrison.

Signed to Cotillion in 1971—where a label misprint renamed them Rasputin’s Stash—the group recorded their debut at Criteria Studios in Miami. Departures followed the release, reducing the band to a quartet for their Gemigo label recordings. When Gemigo collapsed, Curtom took over, issuing singles under r-Stash and later Stash.

Rasputin’s Stash (1971)

Rasputin’s Stash released their self-titled debut album in September 1971 on Cotillion.

The tracks mix gritty funk with psychedelic edges and soul ballads. Horns lock with fuzz guitar on uptempo cuts. Strings underpin slower pieces.

Rasputin’s funk cuts dominate with tight rhythms and horn blasts. “Your Love Is Certified” opens with distorted guitars and loud drums over a buzzing riff. “Mr. Cool” slinks on organ drone and echoed vocals, boasting pimp tales with a hand-slap chorus. “Dookey Shoe” grinds slow on congas and bass, touting a nasty man’s appeal. Ballads like “Take Me On Back” layer harmonica and gospel piano. “You Better Think” dissolves into psych effects around a snaking guitar and education pleas.

A1. “Your Love Is Certified” (2:08) — Written and sung by Vincent Willis. Distorted guitars grind beneath heavy drums and tight horn accents as Willis delivers a straight-ahead declaration of affection.

A2. “I’d Like to Know You Better” (3:45) — Written/sung by Paul Coleman. Smooth sax leads into brisk horn exchanges and ghostly backing vocals, shaping a bridge that merges rhythm with restraint.

A3. “What’s On Your Mind” (2:45) — Written/sung by Martin Dumas Jr. Psychedelic noise vamps into quick horn bursts and conga patterns, the ensemble chanting over sharp keyboard strikes.

A4. “Take Me On Back” (3:45) — Written/sung by Willis. Harmonica wails across light guitar and string phrasing, pacing a country-tinged plea for return.

A5. “Mr. Cool” (3:28) — Written by Dumas Jr. and Willis; sung by Bruce Butler. Organ tones pulse beneath clipped guitar chords and layered brass as Butler recounts swaggering exploits with sly detachment.

B1. “You Better Think” (5:39) — Written by Dumas Jr.; sung by Dumas, Bruce Butler, and Paul Coleman. Trumpet blasts cut through rhythmic guitar and taut percussion in a call for awareness and action.

B2. “Freaks Prayer” (2:45) — Written/sung by Dumas Jr. Acoustic guitar threads through conga pulses in a meditative funk passage.

B3. “Dookey Shoe” (3:20) — Written/sung by Coleman, with vocals from Dumas Jr. Bass and percussion form a low, deliberate rhythm as Dumas voices Coleman’s sly, off-center narrative.

B4. “You Are My Flower” (4:40) — Written by Willis; sung by Dumas Jr. Piano and horns guide a midtempo reflection, framing affection through a poised floral image.

B5. “I Want to Say You’re Welcome” (2:12) — Written by Martin Dumas Jr. and Vincent Willis; sung by Bruce Butler and Paul Coleman. Tight funk rhythm and ensemble vocals drive an exuberant closing, mixing acid-soul tone with communal energy.

Sessions occurred at Criteria Studios in Miami with producers Howie Albert, Ron Albert, and Andy Pappas, and engineer Howie Albert.

Cotillion promoted Rasputin’s Stash with “What’s On Your Mind” b/w “Your Love Is Certified” in 1971. “Mr. Cool” followed as a promotional single.

The Devil Made Me Do It (1974)

Rasputin’s Stash released their second album, The Devil Made Me Do It, in 1974 on Gemigo. The quartet slimmed to bassist Bruce Butler, keyboardist Paul Coleman, drummer Ernest Frank Donaldson, and guitarist Martin Dumas Jr.

The tracks bridge vocal soul harmonies and self-contained funk with jazzy edges on uptempo pieces.

“Ooh Baby” slinks on vamp and harmonies. “The Devil Made Me Do It” rides smooth bass and piano in a stoned jazz sway. “Hit It and Pass It” struts James Brown-style with a warning close. “Middle Man” mixes Sly funk and jazz licks.

A1. “Ooh Baby” (3:00) — Written by Paul N. Coleman. A brief vamp opens into a slow, elastic rhythm where layered harmonies glide in a sultry sway.

A2. “I See Your Face” (4:19) — Written by Martin Dumas Jr. and Paul N. Coleman. A supple rhythm section supports a tender melody, rising through interwoven vocal lines that build smooth intensity.

A3. “The Devil Made Me Do It” (4:42) — Written by Joseph Scott. Bass lines glide beneath warm piano phrasing, shaping a hazy funk-jazz atmosphere that drifts with quiet motion.

A4. “Hit It and Pass It” (5:34) — Written by Bruce Butler, Ernest Frank Donaldson, Martin Dumas Jr., and Paul N. Coleman. The band locks into a taut funk rhythm, brass punches and shouted cues driving a strutting exchange of voices and warnings.

B1. “I Can Feel Your Jones” (4:11) — Written by Martin Dumas Jr. and Paul N. Coleman. A rolling vamp leads into a breezy dance rhythm, vocals blending fluidly across guitar accents and a steady pulse.

B2. “You’re So Special” (4:00) — Written by Paul N. Coleman. Piano and falsetto harmonies guide a soft, midtempo ballad with restrained emotional lift.

B3. “Middle Man” (2:48) — Written by Ernest Frank Donaldson. Tight rhythmic shifts and clipped chords shape a wiry funk piece edged with jazz inflection.

B4. “You’ve Opened My Mind” (2:58) — Written by Bruce Butler and Martin Dumas Jr. Orchestral keys and brass open in dramatic flourish before snapping into crisp, rhythmic funk.

B5. “Givin’ Way My Love” (3:11) — Written by Martin Dumas Jr. and Paul N. Coleman. Guitar and bass trade motion in a midtempo pattern that resolves the set with measured, soulful restraint.

Sessions occurred at an unlisted Chicago studio with producers Joseph Scott and the band.

Hidden Stash (recorded 1975)

In 2016, archivists Athens of the North issued Hidden Stash, a collection of unearthed Curtom tapes from two 1975 sessions.

1. “Love and Happiness” (8:15)
2. “Get Down” (3:32)
3. “Oo Girl” (3:45)
4. “Dance With Me” (3:31)
5. “Dark Moon” (5:00)
6. “Everybody’s a Masterpiece” (2:33)
7. “Sweet Vibe” (3:25)
8. “Party Lights” (3:11)
9. “Boogie” (3:27)
10. “Confusion” (5:03)
11. “Pick Up the Apple” (3:59)

Curtom released “Dance With Me” as r-Stash in 1977.

Stash (recorded 1976)

In 2019, archivists Family Groove issued Stash, an unearthed set of 1976 Curtom tapes.

1. “Strokin'” (4:12)
2. “Make Up Your Mind” (4:30)
3. “Tarantula” (5:23)
4. “TLC” (3:31)
5. “Anyway” (5:16)
6. “Children of the Lord” (3:29)
7. “Time” (2:58)
8. “Cool When You Don’t Know It” (2:46)
9. “Paradise” (5:11)
10. “You’ve Got to Face It” (5:07)
11. “You Are My Everything” (3:24)

Curtom released “Booty March” as Stash. Curtom’s transition from Warner to RSO ended the group’s tenure in 1978. After tours in New York and Chicago, they disbanded. Dumas and Coleman formed Crystal Winds, releasing First Flight in 1982.

Discography: