From the 1972 film of the same name, J.J. Johnson’s instrumental rendition of “Across 110th Street” is a Bboy Smash that features a wild Latin percussion section plus the cinematic soundtrack elements from Johnson’s full orchestra and at 0:38 seconds, the battle ensues:
Johnson was a prolific trombone player, as well as a composer and arranger, and the soundtrack to “Across 110th Street” was just one of his many accomplishments. Johnson worked with famed songwriter and musician Bobby Womack on the vocal title track, so check that out:
Some background on the title track “Across 110th Street” from Pop Matters:
Like its cinematic compatriots, Shaft (1971), Trouble Man (1972), and Car Wash (1976), Across 110th Street owes much of its notoriety to a memorable theme song. Written by Bobby Womack and J.J. Johnson and performed by Womack, “Across 110th Street” is a majestic soul-funk classic in its radio incarnation—perhaps appropriately, the film itself presents a more downbeat version over its opening credits—and one of the best of that era’s numerous musical chronicles of inner-city pain. (Womack’s single has since received further exposure from its somewhat incongruous use in Quentin Tarantino’s 1997 L.A. noir, Jackie Brown.)
And for a new-day Hip-hop reincarnation of “Across 110th Street”, check out RZA’s (@rza) “Walking Through the Darkness” with Wu-Tang Clan’s Tekitha (@tekitha1), from the Ghost Dog soundtrack:
