BETTY WRIGHT Slip And Do It/I Think I Better Think About it (Alston 76) Slip And Do It is a tough sounding Funk tune with a head nodding beat and Wright???s strong vocals. I Think I Better Think About It is more of a slow and slick Soul piece.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
VAN MCCOY AND THE SOUL CITY SYMPHONY Love Is The Answer (AVCO 74) I always associate Van McCoy with Disco, but he released a couple albums before that sound really took over. Love Is The Answer was one of those, but still shows his devotion to dance tunes. That???s displayed in this mostly instrumental record with its arranging featuring plenty of strings and orchestration. You hear that immediately with the opening Love Is The Answer, the slow jam Touch Me In The Morning, and even in his cover of Back Stabber that does away with the hard-hitting chorus and replaces it with an emaciated one. Things don???t really come together until African Symphony that starts off with some open percussion. Things pick up a little more with Boogie Down with its piano melody. The best cut is the last, entitled Funky Feet that keeps the rhythm section down to the minimum, and has a nice breakdown in the middle with just the keys and percussion.
MIRETTES In The Midnight Hour (Revue 68) This was the Mirettes first album. They start off with a little Motown feel with Take Me For A Little While that sounds like something the Supremes were doing at the time with a light dance beat to it. Better is the upbeat I???m A Whole New Thing and the slowed down and re-arranged cover of The Good Ship Lollipop. They finish things off with their first hit, a cover of In The Midnight Hour, which is by far the best cut of them all. Overall, this is a little underwhelming. Their second album is much, much better.
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IMPRESSIONS Never Ending (ABC-Paramount 64) Never Ending was the Impression???s third album and suffers from a lack of consistency. Too many times the group covers cabaret songs like Satin Doll that are just too sappy to take. Even most of their Soul songs aren???t that impressive. However there are two exceptional standouts that save the record completely from the dustbin. Those are Girl You Don???t Know Me with a little catchy hitch to the rhythm, and the classic I???m So Proud, a slow jam that fully highlights the groups??? powerful vocals.
SWAMP DOGG Total Destruction To Your Mind (Canyon 70) Swamp Dogg was a longtime soul and RnB singer from Georgia. His voice and style seems heavily influenced by another son of Georgia, Otis Redding. Of Course, the Dogg, never reaches the intensity and power of Redding. Like a Redding album, however, Swamp Dogg provides a mix of upbeat Soul numbers like the title cut, mixed in with some slow jams like Synthetic World. The best overall song is Sal-A-Faster with its driving beat.
FUNKADELIC You And Your Folks, Me And My Folks/Funky Dollar Bill (Westbound 71) This 45 combines two great Funkadelic songs before they were released on two separate LPs, Free Your Mind and Maggot Brain. Funky Dollar Bill combines that sick Black Rock that the band was famous for with a catchy sing along chorus. You And Your Folks, Me And My Folks is a slower, moodier piece that pounds away.
LAVELL KAMMA AND HIS AFRO SOUL REVIEW Soft Soul/I Know Where It???s At (Tupelo Sound) This is a 45 that I???d heard long ago on a mix CD and forgotten about. Soft Soul is the reason to check for it, as it???s a quality, mid-tempo Funk tune based around the bass and some horn flourishes. I Know Where It???s At sounds more like a Southern Soul tune and is also a good listen with some guitar and horn work at the beginning before Kamma???s rough vocals come in again. This is a very nice two sided 45 to look for.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
MARTHA REEVES & THE VANDELLAS Black Magic (Gordy 72) After Martha Reeves recorded some of Motown???s biggest hits in the mid-1960s she fell on hard times as she became a drug addict. Black Magic was recorded the year that her group would break up. It???s got the usual mix of Motown style dance tracks like Your Love Makes It All Worthwhile and Bless You. The real highlights however are a cover of the Beatles??? Something, the rougher edged Tear It On Down, I???ve Given You The Best Years Of My Life that has a strong Gospel influence to it, the lush Soul of Anyone Who Had A Heart, and Hope I Don???t Get My Heart Broke that has a down home feel to it.
IRENE REID The World Needs What I Need (Polydor 71) Irene Reid was a Jazz singer who stretched out her style a bit on The World Needs What I Need. She opens up mostly singing standards such as Moon Dance and My Way, but she does such a good job with her delivery on them that you can???t help but give them a listen. She also throws in a version of Son Of A Preacher Man. On the second side she brings in the Blues with The World Needs What I Need. Reid really puts it all together with the funky Psychdelic Soul of Hey World, Let Love In.
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IMPRESSIONS People Get Ready (ABC-Paramount 65) Of the Impressions??? early ABC-Paramount LPs, this one might be their best. It???s definitely got the most impressive array of songs. They mix up the speeds and emotions with upbeat numbers like Woman???s Got Soul and We???re In Love that contrast with the slow jams like Emotions and Sometimes I Wonder, and the lighter numbers such as Just Another Dance and I???ve Found That I???ve Lost. The title track of course, is a stone cold classic worth the price of the record alone. It is truly one of the greatest Soul tunes I???ve ever heard. There???s also their other big hit You Must Believe Me that is another great Impressions??? song.
IMPRESSIONS Preacher Man (Curtom 73) Preacher Man sounds like no other Impressions??? record. It was recorded right after lead singer Leroy Hutson quit the group to go solo leaving Impressions??? stalwarts Sam Gooden and Fred Cash to record the album alone. They, along with producer and arranger Richard Tufo created a truly memorable selection of songs. The record captures the funky Soul feeling of the 70s that was being created by people like Curtis Mayfield and Isaac Hayes, with a little Marvin Gaye thrown in there for good measure. That???s heard on the opening instrumental What It Is with lots of percussion, the title track that has music straight out of the Superfly soundtrack with vocals that sound a bit like Gaye???s, and Find The Way and Thin Line that feature more percussion and heavy orchestration, finished off with the powerful Color Us All Gray (I???m Lost).
ICE MAN???S BAND Introducing (Mercury 72) The Ice Man???s Band was Jerry Butler???s back-up band. They lay down a great collection of instrumental covers starting off with I Wanna Be Where You Are with the organ holding down the melody. There???s also a laid back version of Come Together, the funky It???s Down To That, and Butler???s own Never Gonna Give You Up with some females singing the chorus. The best cut by far however, is the classic People Make The World Go Round.
MARVELETTES Return Of (Tamla 70) The Marvelettes were one of Motown???s early female-group success stories. They had such hits as Please Mr. Postman, Playboy, Beachwood 4-5789, and Don???t Mess With Bill. By the early 1970s they disbanded having not hit the charts for a while. Return Of was their very last release. Originally, this record was going to be a coming out party for lead singer Wanda Young as a solo performer, but Barry Gordy later changed the concept to a Marvelettes album. Smokey Robinson did producing with Wade Marcus sharing arrangement work. The ladies start off with some lush Soul on So I Can Love You, That???s How Heartaches Are Made, and Uptown. There are also some tunes with a slight edge to them such as Marionette. The group really comes through on the second side when they get away from your typical Motown arrangements on tunes such as the slow and moody After All and Our Lips Just Seem To Rhyme Everytime. There???s also the upbeat Fading Away and the closing I???ll Be In Trouble with some percussion in the background.
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IMPRESSIONS Ridin High (ABC-Paramount 66) The Impressions had an impressive line of early releases and Ridin High is one of them. It gets off to a great start with a nearly flawless first half featuring Mayfield???s falsetto lead and light but uplifting tracks such as the title cut, No One Else, Gotta Get Away, I Need To Belong To Someone, Right On Time, and I Need A Love. The second side is just as good with the bluesy Too Slow, followed by a mix of pleading love songs and moody pieces such as Man???s Temptation and That???s What Mama Say, Let It Be Me, and I???m A Tellin You.
VERNON GARRETT We The People Of The Ghetto/You Blew My Mind (Watts U.S.A.) This is a great two sided 45 starting off with the power Funk tune We The People Of the Ghetto. The song has a stripped down rhythm section and some horns that for the most part are just pushing forward that rhythm. You Blew My Mind is even better as a funky Soul tune with a great walking bass line that would be great for the dance-floor.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
FONTELLA BASS ???New??? Look (Checker 65) Fontella Bass was made famous by her big hit Rescue Me, which is the centerpiece of this, her debut album. Bass got her start in Gospel with her mother and grandmother being famous church singers in their own right. She quickly moved over to RnB when she was a teenager playing with Little Milton and Oliver Sain. Eventually she got a solo deal with Chess. The ???New??? Look is actually mostly standards such as Our Day Will Come and You???ve Lost That Lovin Feelin. Eventually she gets some good songs like the light Oh No, Not My Baby, the bluesy I???m A Woman, and I Know with its poppy-RnB sound. Of course, there???s also Rescue Me, which is an all time Soul classic with its swinging beat and sing along chorus.
MARGIE JOSEPH Margie Joseph (Atlantic 73) Years ago I skimmed through this record, but then forgot about it. Since I???ve been back into Soul so much lately I thought it was about time to pick it up. Margie Joseph was a southern girl who recorded for a variety of labels included Stax before she landed at Atlantic. There she worked with famed arranger and producer Arif Mardin. On her self-titled LP she also had the help of Cornell Dupree, Hugh McCracken, Richard Tee, Ralph MacDonald and Bernard Purdie. Together they have some nice moments such as the funky Soul of I Been Down with a jazzy bridge in the middle, How Do You Spell Love (according to Ms. Joseph it???s ???M-O-N-E-Y???), and You Better Know It, which is even better. There???s also the catchy mid-tempo Touch Your Woman. She finishes things off with the slow and moody I???d Rather Go Blind.
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IMPRESSIONS This Is My Country (Curtom 68) On This Is My Country the Impressions presented a variety of styles. There???s the socially conscious lyrics and Chicago groove of They Don???t Know with some subtle horn and string work, the poppy Soul of Stay Close To Me, the Rock influenced Love???s Happening, the lush sounding Gone Away and You Want Somebody Else, the sweet ballad So Unusual, the grooving Fool For You with its loud brass section, and finally the title cut to finish things off on a high note. This is probably why Impressions fans consider this one of their best pieces of work.
IMPRESSIONS Times Have Changed (Curtom 72) Times Have Changed was the first Impressions??? album after the departure of Curtis Mayfield. Leroy Hutson, who would eventually leave as well for a solo career, took his place. Mayfield???s presence was still felt throughout the record as he largely wrote it. That???s heard immediately on Stop The War, which is against the Vietnam War with plenty of wah wah guitar, that actually works better as a concept than an actual tune. Better is a cover of Inner City Blues. There???s also the fast paced Soul of Our Love Goes On And On, the smoothed out Potent Love, the catchy I Need To Belong Someone that liberally borrows from People Get Ready, and the slow jam This Loves For Real.
RIPPLE BLAST SINGERS AND BAND Rhythm And Blues Hits Of 68 (Power) The Ripple Blast Singers And Band was a group of studio musicians that would release at least one record a year covering the latest hits. This version has so many good covers that I couldn???t pass it up. Each is done exactly like the original, which was the point of the compilation. There???s Sly Stone???s Dance To The Music, Aretha???s House That Jack Built, James Brown???s Say It Loud ??? I???m Black And I???m Proud, Archie Bells??? Tighten Up, finished off with Stoned Soul Picnic. Overall, this is a very nice record from a generic band.
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IMPRESSIONS Three The Hard Way OST (Curtom 74) Three The Hard Way was a blaxploitation film featuring Jim Brown, Fred Williamson and Jim Kelly. The soundtrack is pretty good, probably because the Impressions were involved. The best tracks are the Soul tunes Make A Resolution, which is like the theme song of how Brown???s, Williamson???s and Kelly???s characters jointed together, That???s What Love Will Do with some laidback orchestration, and the upbeat Something???s Mighty, Mighty Wrong. There???s also On The Move that Pete Rock made famous by sampling, with its haunting intro before some jazzy male-female group vocals. Three The Hard Way (Chase & Theme) finishes things off with its fast paced beginning that mellows out when the Impressions??? singing comes in.
IMPRESSIONS We???re A Winner (ABC 68) We???re A Winner is one of my favorite Impressions??? tunes. It???s a perfect example of their sound with the uplifting lyrics and mood that it creates, backed by a great rhythm track with some powerful drumming and strings. In my book, you can???t do much better than that song. After that you have a series of styles from the mellow Doo Wop influenced Let Me Tell The World, to the sweetness of I???m Getting Ready, Little Brown Boy, and I Loved And I Lost, to the more upbeat Nothing Can Stop Me.
DUSTY SPRINGFIELD See Al Her Faces (Philips 72) I heard about this LP through a CD swap via the Vinyl Vulture site. The reason why I hunted down a copy for myself is a great cover of Crumbs Off The Table with some searing Rock guitar in the background and some screeching horns. It really does justice to the song. The rest of the record is a bit of a mixed bag with some Bossa pieces like Come For A Dream and laid back numbers such as Let Me Down Easy. However there are the lush Soul of Girls Can???t Do What The Guys Do and Willie & Laura Mae Jones that has a down home Southern feel to it.
SUPREMES Supremes Produced And Arranged By Jimmy Webb (Motown 72) This was one of the Supremes??? post-Diana Ross releases. As the title implies, they were under the direction of producer Jimmy Webb for this album. That addition didn???t seem to make up for the loss here. Most of the music is overproduced and orchestrated Soul tunes that sound like they could come from a musical or cabaret rather than the Motown studios. The Supremes were capable of some good music during this period in their career, this just doesn???t happen to be one of them.
TEMPTATIONS Live! (Gordy 67) The Temptations??? Live! album captures them at their best, belting out their hits in front of an audience at the Upper Deck Club. First there???s a fast-paced medley consisting of Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue), The Girl???s Alright With Me, I???ll Be In Trouble and I Want A Love I Can See. That???s followed by My Girl, Beauty Is Only Skin Deep, and Ain???t To Proud To Beg. The second side is even better after a slow start with a cover of Old Man River, they take off again with Get Ready, the laid back Fading Away, My Baby with a little breakdown in the middle, the Doo Wop flavored You???ll Lose A Precious Love, all finished off with an extended version of Don???t Look Back with plenty of screaming ladies in the crowd.
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IMPRESSIONS Young Mods??? Forgotten Story (Curtom 69) Yong Mods??? Forgotten Story is one of the Impressions??? best albums. It has the great uplifting Soul of the title cut and Seven Years with its piano bridge, the social commentary of Choice of Colors, the subtle The Girl I Find, Love???s Miracle, Jealous Man, and Soulful Love. They finish off strong with one of their best songs as well, the powerful Mighty Mighty (Spade & Whitey). On this album, the group really could do no wrong.
JIRO INAGAKI & CHUCK RAINEY RHYTHM SECTION Blockbuster (Eastworld 78) I???m always interested in Japanese jazz records from the 70s. Some of them like Teruo Nakamura and Ryo Kawasaki made some really nice, funky Fusion records. Those two came to the U.S. to make a name for themselves. On this record, Jiro Inagaki brought Americans to Japan to record. This record combines Jiro Inagaki and his Japanese horn and vocal group with Chuck Rainey and his American rhythm section. Most of the songs are Jazz Fusion but there are some real standouts here. First off is Theme From ???Starsky & Hutch???, a good song already, but this version features a twangy guitar solo, followed by a bass and conga breakdown, topped off by a long drum and conga break. Blockbuster is also a fast-paced Fusion tune with some nice conga and drum work, while Elocution is more of a Soul-Jazz piece with some Fusion elements. Some might also like the slick UFO with another bass and conga breakdown.
HONEY CONE Sweet Replies (Hot Wax 71) The three ladies known as Honey Cone released a trio of albums in a very short period of time at the beginning of the 1970s. Sweet Replies was the most successful because it included their biggest hit, Want Ads. It happens to be the opening number, and what a great way to start off a record. Musically, the song is upbeat and damn catchy. Lyrically, the chorus seems assertive of the singers??? womanhood as they proclaim that they will look for a new man, while the versus are about heartbreak and being cheated on. Also worth a listen are the hard hitting Are You man Enough, Are You Strong Enough with some percussion in the background, When Will It End with a driving drum beat, Feeling???s Gone with its Gospel feel, the funky Sunday Morning People, the hard hitting Deaf, Blind, Paralyzed, plus Heart Won???t Let Me with its Motown inspired rhythm. Wants Ads alone would be reason enough to pick up this LP, but the rest is pretty solid as well.
WOJCIECH SKOWRONSKI Blues & Rock (Muza) Like a lot of music, O-Dub originally turned me onto this record. Wojciech Skowronski was a Polish keyboardist who recorded for the famous Muza label. Blues & Rock starts off with the title track that has a Jazz base with a little Latin influenced percussion in the background and Skowronski???s skat singing over the top. Half way through the song devolves into a series of percussion heavy breakdowns that add a little funky element. The rest of the record is a little bit of a mixed bag and not half as interesting as that one tune.
IKE & TINA TURNER Live In Paris (United Artists 71) Live In Paris was recorded in that city???s Olympia Theater at the beginning of 1971. Although the group plays nothing but covers, it was the performance that counted when it came to Ike & Tina. They always seemed to deliver. After a short intro the group gets down to business with 3 songs featuring the Ikettes. First is a slowed down and funky version of You Got Me Hummin. That???s followed by Everyday People and Shake A Tail Feather that kicks into overdrive half way through. Miss Turner joins the fray with a medley of Gimme Some Loving/Sweet Soul Music with all the energy she and the band can muster. You can just visualize her and the Ikettes doing their dance moves during the blaring horn section at the end. Things take a temporary break with Son Of A Preacher Man. Of course, there???s Proud Mary with Tina???s trademark rough and easy intro. That pattern of toning it down and then ratcheting it back up continues with A Love Like Yours Don???t Come Knocking Everyday, Respect, Honky Tonk Women, I???ve Been Loving You Too Long, and I Want To Take You Higher. Overall, this is an excellent live performance caught on vinyl.
UPSETTERS FEATURING JIMMY WESS We Remember Otis (ABC 69) The Upsetters were a group out of Baltimore that dedicated this album to the late great Otis Redding as the title implies. They get right down to business with a medley featuring Sweet Soul Music, Respect, Satisfaction and Shake, which sets the groove perfectly for the record. That???s followed by other Otis??? hits such as I Can???t Turn You Loose, (Sittin On The) Dock Of The Bay, and the lesser-known Don???t Mess With Cupid. Not all of the songs are ones by Redding however. There???s the slow jam Always In The Wrong Place, the instrumental The Memphis Sound that???s a take off of the Mar-Keys, and a cover of the Bar-Kays??? Grab This Thing to finish things off.
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LUTHER INGRAM I???ve Been Here All The Time (Koko 72) Luther Ingram is one of my favorite Soul singers. Even though he had a big hit with If Loving You Is Wrong I Don???t Want To Be Right, I???ve always felt that he was a bit over looked. Luther Ingram was originally from Tennessee and when he signed with the Koko label he found his greatest success. His heart wrenching balladic style is heard immediately on Ain???t That Loving You (For More Reasons Than One) with its strong horn work. That???s followed by another slow jam in You Were Made For Me. Even better is the grooving Missing You, Be Good To Me Baby with its powerful rhythm section, and Pity For The Lonely with its catchy piano line that pushes the song along.
LUTHER INGRAM (If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don???t Want To Be Right (Koko 72) This was the album that put Luther Ingram on the charts. The title track is one of those great love songs that just make you sing along with Ingram???s emotional delivery. After that there???s the laidback I???ll Be Your Shelter (In Time Of Storm) and Help Me Love, plus the more upbeat I Remember that are also worth a listen, but the real gem is that opening hit tune.
INSTANT FUNK Instant Funk (Salsoul 79) Instant Funk had an instant hit on their hands with I Got My Mind Made Up (You Can Get It Girl) that was the feature of their self-titled release on Salsoul. The tune has sing-along lyrics, and great percussive backing that???s often featured in breaks that are part of the infectious dance beat. The rest of the songs tend towards Disco tunes like Crying and You Say You Want Me To Stay that have some more breaks, and Don???t You Wanna Party, all of which feature some pounding rhythms. There???s also Dark Vader with its obvious Star Wars inspired title, but sounds more like a Funkadelic tune from their mothership period.
BILL CODAY I???m Back To Collect/Jury Of Love (Cra Jon) I???m Back To Collect has a chugging rhythm and rough vocals by Coday to make for a funky mix. Jury Of Love is a nice, slow bluesy number.
INTRUDERS Cowboys To Girls/Turn The Hands Of Time (Gamble 68) I recently busted out with a Greatest Hits album of the Intruders and realized that my copy of this 45 was trashed. Luckily I found a minty OG one at a local store. Everyone probably knows the tune Cowboys To Girls as it was a huge hit and can still be heard on oldies stations to this day. The song is a perfect example of the early Gamble and Huff Soul sound with some slick strings and sing-along chorus. Turn The Hands Of Time has a strong Motown influence with its Pop-Soul sound.
SYL JOHNSON I Only Have Love/Come On Home (Hi 75) I Only Have Love is from Syl Johnson???s Total Explosion album, while Come On Home is a 45 only release. That first song is a nice upbeat tune with a bluesy kind of tone to it. Come On Home on the other hand, is a slow and gut wrenching ballad. Both have that distinctive Hi sound that Willie Mitchell created in his studio.
JEAN WELLS Have A Little Mercy/With My Love And What You???ve Got (Calla) Have A Little Mercy is the star of this 45. It starts off with a solo guitar before Ms. Wells??? pleading vocals join in to make this a real power Soul number. It gets even better when the horns join in and the drummer starts pounding on his snare. That first side is nothing to take away from the flip, which is an upbeat and catchy dance number.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
HONEY CONE Soulful Tapestry (Hot Wax 72) Soulful Tapestry is the third album by Honey Cone that I picked up. They get off to a hot start with some upbeat Soul tunes such as Don???t Count Your Chickens (Before They Hatch) and Stick-Ups. Probably for sales reasons, they also included their big hit Want Ads that came out the year before on both 45 and another album, but I can???t hate because I love the tune. After that they tone it down for some pleading love songs like Who???s It Gonna Be and How Does It Feel. If I had to choose between their records, I???d pick their two 1971 albums because they have more heat than Soulful Tapestry.
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ISLEY BROTHERS 3 + 3 Featuring: That Lady (T-Neck 73) The Isley Brothers??? 3 + 3 will always be remembered for the opening hit song That Lady with its searing guitar licks and slick group vocals over a fast beat, plus there???s that breakdown in the middle with percussion to top things off. It really is a classic. After that great start however, the record seriously falls off with too many mellow tunes. The two exceptions are You Walk Your Way with its a nice melody, as well as Summer Breeze with more guitar work by Ernie Isley.
INEZ & CHARLIE FOXX (1-2-3-4-5-6-7) Count The Days/A Stranger I Don???t Know (Wish It Was You) (Dynamo) Count The Days is a really catchy, mid-tempo Soul tune with Inez???s brother Charlie counting down the numbers during the chorus, while sister Inez gets some call and response by the girl back-ups during the versus. The flip is more of a pop tune with Charlie singing, and it???s not half as interesting.
GLASS HOUSE Bad Bill Of Goods/Crumbs Off The Table (Invictus 69) Glass House were four ladies, including Freda Payne???s sister Scherrie, who were signed to Holland-Dozier-Holland???s Invictus label. This 45 actually became the first big hit on the fledgling label. Crumbs Off The Table was the chart buster with a guitar intro, later joined by the horns, that leads into a funky Soul tune. The song is good, but I think Laura Lee did a better job with it later on. Bad Bill Of Goods has a more pensive feel to it.
INTRUDERS Together/Up And Down The Ladder (Gamble) Together is an uplifting Soul number pushed along by the horns and the Intruders??? group vocals. Up And Down The Ladder is more upbeat and more of a dance tune with a strong hint of Motown in it, but still a good listen.
SYL JOHNSON I Want To Take You Home (To See My Mama) (Hi 74) This 45 comes from Syl Johnson???s Diamond In The Rough LP. The song is upbeat Soul, but a little too light and poppy for my tastes.
TECHNIQUES My Girl/Love Is Not A Gamble (Treasure Isle) The Techniques were one of Jamaica???s great vocal groups that got their start during the Rock Steady era and continued on into the Reggae period. On this 45 they were backed up by studio musicians extraordinaire Tommy McCook and the Supersonics. First up is My Girl that features the group???s strong group vocals over a Rock Steady beat led by the high notes of the organ. Love Is Not A Gamble is more of the same with the Techniques??? sweet vocal harmonizing.
O.V. WRIGHT A Nickel And A Nail/Pledging My Love (Back Beat) A Nickel And A Nail is a great southern Soul tune with a pleading, soul wrenching mood to it, similar to the Hi sound, all accentuated by O.V. Wright???s singing. Pledging My Love is a slow RnB love song.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
OUTLAW BLUES BAND Outlaw Blues Band (Blues Way 69) Tobacco Road starts things off with a nice rhythm tack, some strong guitar work, and a little breakdown where the band gets a little loose and frisky. Next is a Blues tune with the great satirical title of Tried To Be A Good Boy (But I???m Worse Than A Nazi), followed by the fast paced How Bad Love Can Be and I???ve Got To Have Peace On My Mind where they get a little Psychedelic. The rest of the album isn???t that hot, but the first side is very listenable from beginning to end.
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ISLEY BROTHERS Between The Sheets (T-Neck 83) Everyone should know about this LP as the title track was a huge hit, and was later sampled several times for some very popular Hip Hop tunes. Everything is great about it from its catchy beat to the light falsetto singing. Unfortunately, after that great song, there are slim pickings consisting mostly of slow jams. The two exceptions are Ballad For The Fallen Soldier with plenty of Rock tinged guitar that was heard on the group???s 70s releases, and Slow Down Children, a nice, mid-tempo modern Soul number.
JEAN WELLS Have A Little Mercy/With My Love And What You???ve Got (Calla) Have A Little Mercy is the star of this 45. It starts off with a solo guitar before Ms. Wells??? pleading vocals join in to make this a real power Soul number. It gets even better when the horns join in and the drummer starts pounding on his snare. That first side is nothing to take away from the flip, which is an upbeat and catchy dance number.
My fave part of this is that swelling organ grind that backs up Ms. Wells during the verses. Ann Sexton later had a pretty good version on the 77 label, but Jean Wells' original is the one to get.
I'm still on X-Mas break so I had plenty of time to listen to records this week. And just in time for some of these records. The Fela record has been sitting on my shelf since 2004!?!?! Enjoy.
45 REVIEWS:[/b]
HONEY & THE BEES Help Me (Get Over My Used To Be Lover)/We Got To Stay Together (Josie) Help Me is a light and upbeat Soul tune that reminds me of the Motown sound. We Got To Stay Together is a lush love song.
SYL JOHNSON Annie Got Hot Pants Power Pt 1 & 2 (Twinight 71) I love the title of this track. Musically, it???s a funky Soul number with some horns and Johnson???s usual strong singing. The flip is an instrumental version of the song.
SYL JOHNSON Anyone But You/I???m Yours (Hi 74) This 45 comes from Syl Johnson???s Back For A Taste Of Your Love album. It saw him embracing the Hi sound, and coming off sounding like Al Green with the Willie Mitchell production. Both songs are upbeat numbers. They???re solid, but nothing to write home about.
SYL JOHNSON Everybody Needs Love/That???s Why (Twinight 72) Everybody Needs Love is an excellent Soul tune featuring some nice and subtle orchestration, and Syl Johnson???s usual strong vocalizing about the panacea of love. That???s Why begins with a big build up that liberally takes from 100 Proof Aged In Soul???s Somebody???s Been Sleeping In My Bed that came out 2 years earlier, before going into a decent upbeat dance tune. Everybody is definitely the star of this single.
ELSIE MAE Do You Really Want To Rescue Me Part 1 & 2 (King 66) Elsie Mae was one of the lesser-known members of James Brown???s Revue. In 1966 she released this 45 with its strong rhythm track and blaring horns during the lead up to the chorus, only to be countered by some light piano work afterwards. That makes for a great combination, and another fine addition to the many James Brown affiliated acts.
BETTY WRIGHT Is It You Girl/Crying In My Sleep (Alston 72) Is It You Girl is a great number by Betty Wright. It???s got a bouncy rhythm with Wright???s usual strong vocal delivery. Think of it as a tougher version of Clean Up Woman. Crying In My Sleep is a big Gospel influenced number about Betty losing her man.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
FELA RANSOME KUTI AND THE AFRICA 70 Shakara (Editions Makossa 74) This is an American release of Shakara that was originally released in Nigeria in 1972. The first thing that catches your attention about the record is the cover shot. It has three groups of well-endowed, bare-chested women. The first forms the outline of Africa, while the other two make up the number 70, which was the name of Fela???s backing group at the time. Like many of Fela Kuti???s records, this one only has two songs, in this case, Lady and Sakara Oloje. Both are laidback expansive Afrobeat tunes that Kuti was famous for. The latter has a little jazzy edge to it with the keyboard play and horn solos, while the former has some nice group vocals towards the end.
STOVALL SISTERS Stovall Sisters (Reprise 71) The Stovall Sisters were a Gospel trio consisting of Lillian, Netta and Joyce Stovall. They got their start as little kids as God???s Little Wonders and later the Valley Wonders. When they grew up they moved to Oakland, CA and began singing secular music for a short while, before returning to the Church as the Stovall Sisters when they released this album. Their musical director also happened to be Philip Bailey, who would later join Earth Wind & Fire. The Sisters get off to a scorching start with Hang On In There that begins with some open drums before taking off into a straight Funk tune with some interplay between the guitar and organ. When the ladies join in, they take it over the top. I Come To Praise Him has a similar funky edge to it, and even features a little percussion breakdown in the middle. After that the sisters fluctuate between Soul tunes like Yes To The Lord, and more traditional Gospel arrangements such as Spirit In The Sky and So Good, along with some fusion of the two styles on The World Is In A Change. Together, these tracks make for a very good LP.
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ISLEY BROTHERS Brother, Brother, Brother (T Neck 72) Brother, Brother, Brother has an odd mix of songs. First up, they tried to go for a soft sound with a lot of ballads, Carole King covers, and acoustic guitars. I can???t say that was a successful mix except on Put A Little Love In Your Heart. It takes a while, but the group finally gets back on track with the funky Work To Do and Lay Away with some congas in the background. On the second side there???s the slow, moody and expansive cover of It???s Too Late that stretches out for over 10 minutes. It???s got plenty of acoustic piano, backed by organ that reminds me of what Isaac Hayes was doing with similar songs at the time.
ISLEY BROTHERS Brothers: Isley (T Neck 69) The Isley Brothers found the Funk with It???s Your Thing and were heavily into it by the time they released Brothers: Isley. That sound is heard throughout the album on tunes like I Turned You On that???s locked into the groove and ends with the Isley???s singing ???Sock it to me!??? That???s followed by Vacuum Cleaner where Ron Isley sings about how his love is like a vacuum cleaner of all things. Believe me, the music is a lot better than those lyrics. Was It Good To You? is in a similar vein. While The Blacker The Berrie, My Little Girl, and Holding On have more of an RnB/Soul feel to them, but are just as good.
ISLEY BROTHERS Get Into Something (T Neck 70) Get Into Something saw the Isley Brothers firmly entrenched in their new funky Soul sound with tunes like the upbeat title track that builds in intensity as it progresses, topped off by a drum break before everything slows down and finally ends. It really is a great start to a record. Freedom takes the opposite approach, starting off slow and then building up with the horns pushing it along. Even better is Take Inventory that seems low key, but actually carries a little funky punch to it. They take it back up a notch with Keep On Doin. After that great start, the second side is a letdown. There???s Girls Will Be Girls that sounds almost like a joke song that features some of the vocal stylings of earlier RnB acts like the Coasters, and the slow lov
e songs I Need You So, I Got Find Me One, and Beautiful. The band tries to get back on track with If He Can You Can, but suffers from effects on the vocals that just destroy the vibe in my book. The last track is Bless Your Heart, which is just a take off of It???s Your Thing and suffers from the imitation. It???s still a worthwhile record for the first side alone.
TOUSSAINT MCCALL Nothing Takes The Place Of You/Shimmy (Ronn 67) This is a great two sided 45 by the Louisiana native Toussaint McCall. It includes his greatest hit, Nothing Takes The Place Of You. It???s a classic slow love tune with piano and organ all highlighting McCall???s pleading voice, which hangs onto the end of each line. You listen to that side and think to yourself, well cool, there???s probably just filler on the flip. Turn this puppy over however, and you get Shimmy. This is a great pre-Funk instrumental with plenty of organ and a strong beat on the drums.
DIAMOND JOE Gossip Gossip/It Doesn???t Matter Anymore (Sansu) Diamond Joe was one of many fine artists coming out of New Orleans. This 45 was written and arranged by Allen Toussaint and was part of the mighty Sehorn-Toussaint music empire. First up is Gossip Gossip that has a nice slow groove to it with some fine singing by Joe with the horns coming in to accentuate the chorus. It Doesn???t Matter Anymore is much more upbeat and reminds me a bit of Lee Dorsey. Together they make for a fine 45.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
MARGIE JOSEPH Sweet Surrender (Atlantic 74) Sweet Surrender was Margie Joseph???s second album for Atlantic after coming over from Volt. She starts off with the sensuous Come Lay Some Lovin On Me. After that nice start she does a succession of slow love tunes like Come With Me where you can hear why so many critics said she was the next Aretha as she has a very similar tone in her voice. Things don???t pick up again until the final cut on the first side however, To Know You Is To Love You, which has a nice laidback Soul feel to it with a little hint of funkiness. Unfortunately it???s those mellow numbers that tend to dominate almost the entire album.
FREDERICK KNIGHT I???ve Been Lonely So Long (Stax 73) Frederick Knight was one of the many crooning Soul singers that signed to Stax. The title cut is a perfect example of his style with its light and catchy air led by Knight???s singing and the guitar. Trouble is in a similar vein. On the other hand, Friend and Lean On Me show a down home southern Soul feel to them, while Take Me On Home Witcha and I Let My Change Go By are more upbeat numbers. There???s also Your Love???s All Over Me and Pick Um Up, Put Um Down that get a little funky, especially the former track that has a little James Brown in it. Knight is even able to add his how style to the Motown song Someday We???ll Be Together that ends the album. The funky numbers are an added bonus, but it???s really the Soul of the record that holds its value.
EDWIN STARR War & Peace (Gordy 70) Edwin Starr made it big first with the Golden World label out of Detroit, before rival Motown bought out both the record company and his contract. At Motown he was assigned to the Gordy label and continued on making hits. Of course, the big cut of this album was the rousing title track with its shouting chorus of ???War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing!??? After that Starr lays down some really nice upbeat Soul numbers that range from the lushness of Running Back And Forth and At Last (I Found A Love), to tunes with a little more edge to them such as Adios Senorita and All Around The World. There???s also Time, which almost reaches the intensity of War. Starr also gets a little jazzy with his rendition of California Soul.
STANLEY TURRENTINE Flipped (Canyon) This is a record that I???ve often passed on many times. Stanley???s picture on the cover in a suite, top hat and cane didn???t really catch my attention. However I heard a cut off the record on a CD mix and had to change my mind and hunt a copy down. When I started listening to the record I began to have regrets because it???s smooth, elevator style Jazz at first. On the second side he shows some hints of Soul-Jazz on songs like I???m The One and I Only Get This Feeling. The one moment where he???s able to put everything together is on Flipped Out, the final track that was written by Monk Higgins, who also happened to co-arrange the entire record. The song has a laidback feel, with a bit of a dark mood to it with Turrentine???s sax playing loud in the mix countered by the work of the piano and strings. Along with Turrentine, Paul Humphrey, King Errison, Fred Robinson, Wilton Felder and Victor Feldman also participated.
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ISLEY BROTHERS Givin It Back (T Neck 71) On Givin It Back the Isleys were again in an experimental mood, trying to find a balance between their RnB and Soul roots and their new Funk and Rock influences. That???s seen immediately by the fact that the three lead brothers are on the front and back holding acoustic guitars. The album consists entirely of Rock covers beginning with Neil Young???s Ohio, which is about the shooting of anti-Vietnam war protests by the National Guard that flows right into Jimi Hendrix???s Machine Gun. Both are played to great effect. James Taylor???s Fire And Rain is even better with a dark and moody beginning and end. During the rest of the tune, it has a much lighter feel to it, which is continued on the following tune, Bob Dylan???s Lay Lady Lay with plenty of acoustic guitar. They start the second side with a blast covering War???s Spill The Wine. The brothers are even able to add a little Funk to Steven Stills??? Nothing To Do But Today. The record has a strong finish with Love The One You???re With.
ISLEY BROTHERS Go For Your Guns (T Neck 77) By 1977 the Isley???s were sounding like most Funk acts of the time with plenty of pop bass on almost every song. That didn???t mean they couldn???t still deliver. On Go For Your Guns that occurs on their classic slow jam Footsteps In The Dark, which harkens back to their earlier Soul roots. Of course, the brothers also had that Rock influence in them, which is heard on Climbin Up The Ladder that starts off with a solo by younger sibling Ernie Isley.
ISLEY BROTHERS Heat Is On (T Neck 75) The Heat Is on highlights just how far the Isley Brothers had progressed. Originally, they were a family Gospel outfit that eventually forged a tight Rock-Soul-Funk fusion. You can hear that immediately on tunes like Fight The Power (Part 1 & 2) with its driving beat, while The Heat Is On (Part 1 & 2) shows more of a Parliamentfunkadelic influence with the heavy keyboards. Of course, they always had time for those slow jams as well such as For The Love Of You (Part 1 & 2) and Make Me Say It Again Girl.
CANDI STATON Candi Staton (Fame 72) Candi Staton???s self-titled album was the last in her trio of releases with Rich Hall???s famous Muscle Shoals Studio in Alabama and the Fame label. She gets off to a fantastic start with Do It In The Name Of Love that sounds like a funked up Staples Sisters??? tune with plenty of horns. I???ll Drop Everything And Come Running is in a similar vein. The upbeat mood and strong horn work continues on Blackmail. There???s also the more moody Darling You???re All That I Had that picks up during the chorus with more brass, the down home sounding Wanted: Lover with some strong female back-ups, and the funky Soul of The Best Thing You Ever Had.
SHIRLEY AND COMPANY Shame Shame Shame (Vibration 75) Shirley And Company had a big hit in 1975 with the title cut and single Shame Shame Shame. I first heard the song in a bowling alley of all places. I tracked down the 45, and then found the LP in a local shop. I???d actually seen it before, but was put off by the hand-drawn picture of Shirley and Nixon on the cover. It turns out that the album isn???t half bad. First is her hit that has a great Southern Soul groove to it. Label owner Sylvia Robinson was given writing credits for the tune. There???s also a cheap take off called Cry, Cry, Cry, which is just Shame slowed down with new lyrics, and an instrumental version of that and Shame, with a drum break intro, as well. Then there are four slow tunes, Another Tear Will Fall that has a little Reggae feel to it, I Guess Things Have To Change with its catchy melody, I Gotta Get Next To You where Shirley tries to get sexy, and Keep On Rolling On
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ISLEY BROTHERS Isleys Live (T Neck 73) Isleys Live is a double LP of live recordings from 1969, 1971 and 1972. The brothers get off to a great uplifting start with Work To Do. Also on the upbeat groove are Lay Away and Love The One You???re With. On the Funk tip they play the classic It???s Your Thing and Pop That Thang. There???s also a slowed down version of It???s Too Late that includes a Ray Charles impression and a guitar solo tribute to Jimi Hendrix, who played with the Isley???s early on in his career, by Ernie Isley who was a famed guitarist in his own right. The covers Lay Lady Lay and Ohio are also slow and easy with the latter having another searing guitar solo by brother Ernie.
ISLEY BROTHERS It???s Our Thing (T Neck 69) It???s Our Thing introduced the listening public to the Isley Brothers??? new sound. Having left a less than stellar contract with Motown, the brothers returned home to re-start their own T Neck label, named for their hometown in New Jersey, and blasted people with their powerful Funk-Soul sound. With tunes like I Know Who You Been Socking It To, Give The Women What They Want that borrows heavily from James Brown???s Cold Sweat, the Rock tinged Somebody Been Messin, the RnB-Funk of I Must Be Losing My Touch and Don???t Give It Away, the soulful He???s Got Your Love based around a strong guitar line, and of course the infections It???s Your Thing, it seemed like the Isley???s could do no wrong. There???s also the slow groove of Save Me with a splash of Gospel and Feel Like The World to enjoy.
BAR-KAYS Dance, Dance, Dance/Memphis At Sunrise (Instrumental) (Volt 72) This 45 comes from the Bar-Kays??? Do You See What I See? album. Dance, Dance, Dance is a blaring Funk tune that has a heavy Sly Stone influence to it with its singing and overall groove. It???s good nonetheless. Memphis At Sunrise starts off very moody before a jazzy bridge leads into some tempered Funk led by the guitar. Together this makes for a fine double-sided 45 release.
GLORIA BOUSCHELL Don???t Make Me Get Another Man/Hold On (Mercury) This is a fine two-sided Soul release by Gloria Bouschell with production by Gene Chandler. First up is the funky Don???t Make Me Get Another Man. With a title like that how could Ms. Bouschell go wrong? Hold On is a Curtis Mayfield tune, given a power Soul treatment by Gloria Bouschell. It reminds me a bit of Etta James.
CHARLY & THE BOURBON FAMILY Acapulco Gold/Boogachi (Poplandia) This 45 comes out of Portugal. I can???t remember where I heard about it, but the reason why I wanted to find a copy was Boogachi, which is a cover of the Meters??? Look Ka Py Py with vocals. Unfortunately it???s those same vocals that tend to wreck a perfectly good cover of the tune. Acapulco Gold is a slower number with a little Blues-Rock feel to it.
BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS/UPSETTERS Small Axe/Down The Road (Upsetter) When I think of some truly soulful Bob Marley numbers this is one of the first to come to mind. There???s the simple rhythm with some muted horns in the background before Marley???s singing comes in with some beautiful back-ups by the Wailers. The flip is some early dub by The Upsetters. Lee Perry produced both sides as well.
SHIRLEY (AND COMPANY) Shame, Shame, Shame (VIBRATION 74) Shame, Shame, Shame was a big hit for Shirley And Company. She recorded it for Sylvia Robinson???s Vibration label. She also got credit for writing the song as well. It???s got a great upbeat groove with a little Southern feel to it due to Shirley???s New Orleans roots, that???s great for the dance floor as well as to just sing along too. It???s easy to understand how it was such a hit at the time. The flipside is an instrumental version that is just as good.
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ISLEY BROTHERS Live It Up (T Neck 74) Live It Up is actually a bit underwhelming. It starts with the title track that has an opening drum break, but that and the following tunes such as Brown Eyed Girl, don???t catch my attention. I???m not saying that they???re bad, but compared to the Isley???s other work, they just don???t compare. In fact, the only song on the first side worth a listen is Need A Little Taste Of Love that has a light and upbeat mood to it. The second side follows the same pattern until Ain???t I Been Good To You (Part I and II) that has a moody start before letting loose with some Funk power only to return to that pensive beginning.
JACKSON 5 ABC (Motown 70) ABC was the Jackson 5???s second album and a huge, huge success for the brothers. It???s easy to see why as its chock full of Pop Soul hits such as The Love You Save, ABC, as well as some covers like (Come Round Here) I???m The One You Need. There are also some lesser-known numbers such as the slow jams One More Chance, 2-4-6-8, and Don???t Know Why I Love You. All of that comes on the first side however. The second side isn???t consistent, the only standout being a cover of Funkadelic???s I???ll Bet You.
BRIGHTER SIDE OF DARKNESS Love Jones (20th Century 73) My Girlfriend was listening to Love Jones at her work one day and I realized that I didn???t own the song on vinyl. Not only that, but I???d heard the song plenty of times before, but never took the time to even find out who the artist was. That was quickly rectified. Brighter Side Of Darkness was a four-piece Soul vocal outfit from Chicago. The group???s lead singer, Darryl Lamont was only 12 when they recorded this album, with other members still in High School. The title track is by far their biggest hit with plenty of spoken word parts, but I actually don???t think it???s the best song. The standouts are the sweet Soul of I???m A Loser, Something To Remember You By, and I???m The Guy. Love Jones and Just A Little Bit also make a repeat appearance on the second side in instrumental form, and there???s also the funky Soul number Just A Little Bit.
DELLS Love Is Blue (Cadet 69) By 1969 the Dells had perfected their craft and established themselves as one of the premier vocal Soul outfits out of Chicago. Their vibrant sound is heard immediately on the powerful Love Is Blue with its innocent, MOR beginning that takes off with some pleading vocals and a powerful arrangement. One of their slow jam classics Oh What A Night, a remake of their own hit from 1956, with plenty of Doo Wop back-ups, and a nice version of Dock Of The Bay with some frantic drum work follow that. There???s also the heart wrenching A Little Understanding and the more swinging One Mint Julep. Cadet mainstay Charles Stepney was responsible for all the excellent arranging and re-arranging of classics here. The second side contains more covers, but none of them stand out like those on the 1st, although Wichita Lineman/By The Time I Get To Phoenix isn???t half bad.
FREEDOM SOUNDS FEATURING WAYNE HENDERSON People Get Ready (Atlantic 67) People Get Ready was an early Soul-Jazz album featuring Wayne Henderson of the Jazz Crusaders. Half of the record is covers. Some are played straightforward such as the Otis Redding tunes Respect and Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song), while others have some re-arranging like the best of the lot, People Get Ready. The rest are originals such as the fast-paced and expansive Soul-Jazz number Cucamonga with plenty of horn work and some Latin percussion. There???s also the lighter Things Go Better, Brother John Henry, and Orbital Velocity with more Latin influences.
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JACKSON 5 Dancing Machine (Motown 74) Dancing Machine is best known for the title track. It also happens to be the most consistent tune on the album as well with its patented dance groove. There???s also I Am Love that has a slow start, but builds up in intensity before finally taking off half way through. The upbeat The Life Of The Party with some percussion in the background isn???t half bad either.
JACKSON 5 Diana Ross Presents (Motown 69) This was the Jackson 5???s debut album. It???s probably their rawest release, and one of my favorites. They start off with the Zip A Dee Doo Dah with some Gospel influences in the group vocals, but also some funky moments. That sets a pattern for subsequent songs like Nobody with Pop arrangements, but some rough edges tempered by the soulful singing of Michael and his brothers on back-ups. The biggest hit of course was I Want You Back.
JACKSON 5 Get It Together (Motown 73) Get It Together is a bit of a letdown. The song compositions, although written by the likes of Norman Whitfield and Holland-Dozier-Holland, simply don???t have the catchiness of their other releases. You have tunes like the title cut with its heavy rhythm aimed at the dance floor, but lacking the hooks of their pervious work. There???s also the harder edged Mama I Gotta Brand New Thing (Don???t Say No) that starts off with acoustic guitar and contains some Temptations??? like group vocals, and You Need Love Like I Do (Don???t You?) that are worth a listen. The one standout cut is Dancing Machine, which of course was a big hit and finishes off an otherwise underwhelming album for the Jackson???s.
I messed up when I posted this and forgot the second half of the review some I'm reposting the entire thing.
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
JACKSON 5 Diana Ross Presents (Motown 69) This was the Jackson 5???s debut album. It???s probably their rawest release, and one of my favorites. They start off with the Zip A Dee Doo Dah with some Gospel influences in the group vocals, but also some funky moments. That sets a pattern for subsequent songs like Nobody with Pop arrangements, but some rough edges tempered by the soulful singing of Michael and his brothers on back-ups. The biggest hit of course was I Want You Back. The second side continues in a similar fashion with the RnB ballad Who???s Loving You and the harder hitting Chained, plus a cover of (I Know) I???m Losing You. There???s also a cover of Sly Stone???s Stand, but the brothers aren???t able to really pull off the vocals.
DELLS Musical Menu (Cadet 69) The Dells start off with some of their patented sweet Soul with Always Together, followed by the dance number Hallways Of My Mind that???s got some conga work going on in the background on Musical Menu. The rest of the album is a little uneven however. At times they miss the mark such as on Believe Me that has a pounding beat, but MOR vocals. The group doesn???t really hit its stride until I Want My Momma with its funky beginning featuring some pounding drums and wah wah guitar that contrast with the soulful singing. There???s also the swinging Hallelujah Baby and the power Soul of Make Sure (You Have Someone Who Loves You), and more sweetness with I Can???t Do Enough.
WOLFMOON Wolfmoon (Fungus 73) Swamp Dogg worked with a lot of artists, but Wolfmoon might have been one of his best. The first thing that catches your attention about the record is the cover with Wolfmoon done up like a wizard holding the world in his hands. Musically the record is solid from beginning to end with some nice southern sounding Soul. There???s the upbeat Cloak Of My Many Colors, the slowed down If He Walked Today with a deep bass line, and the down home feel of My Kinda People, If I Had A Hammer, and God Bless. There???s also a great cover of People Get Ready with an original intro with plenty more bass, that returns at the end where the band really stretches it out. Overall, this is a very solid LP to look out for.
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JACKSON 5 Goin Back To Indiana (Motown 71) Goin Back To Indiana was the soundtrack to a TV special featuring the Jackson 5 along with comedians such as Bill Cosby and sports stars like Rosey Grier, Elvin Hayes, and Bill Russell. The record starts off with a little introduction by Bill Cosby with a laugh track. That leads directly into one of the Jackson???s early hits I Want You Back with its perfect mix of Pop and Soul. There???s another Cosby skit before the slow jam Maybe Tomorrow. The second side is even better as it???s a live recording from Indiana. The sound is a bit noisy, but the brothers deliver some energetic and powerful performances beginning with Sly Stone???s Stand and I Want To Take You Higher, followed by the slower Feelin Alright and the instrumental Walk On, that flows into The Love You Save.
JACKSON 5 Lookin Through The Window (Motown 72) Although Lookin Through The Window didn???t include any huge hits for the Jackson???s it???s a very solid record. Its divided into three types of songs, first there???s the slowed down version of Ain???t Nothing Like The Real Thing, followed by the title cut that has a similar vibe. Then there are the Soul-Pop numbers like Don???t Let Your Baby Catch You and E-Ne-Me-Ne-Mi-Ne-Moe (The Choise Is Yours To Pull). Finally there???s the slow love tunes such as If I Have To Move A Mountain.
DELLS Hallelujah Baby/I Can Sing A Rainbow/Love Is Blue (Cadet) This is a strong 2-sided 45 by the Dells. First is Hallelujah Baby that appeared on their Musical Menu album. It???s a nice, uplifting Soul tune. The real highlight however is I Can Sing A Rainbow/Love Is Blue from their Love Is Blue album with its mellow beginning before some accents and the singing just takes off to another level. It???s a great, great song.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
SPIRIT Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus (Epic 70) Spirit was a Rock group out of Los Angeles. This looks to be one of their more far out records with all of the psychedelic imagery on the gatefold cover. Musically however, the record is pretty straightforward 60s Rock. The one exception is Mr. Skin with its high-pitched vocal intro and chunky rhythm track that instantly catches your attention. Other than that, there???s the slow jam When I Touch You, but it???s all really about Mr. Skin.
VARIOUS Motortown Revue Live (Motown 69) This was one of those records that I???d seen plenty of times, but never thought about. That was until a suggestion on Soulstrut led me to finally pick it up. It???s a live show of the Motown Revue from 1969 featuring the Originals, Blinky, Bobby Taylor, the Temptations, Gladys Knight & The Pips, and Stevie Wonder. The Originals are up first with a pretty good version of Sing A Simple Song. Blinky and Bobby Taylor follow, belting out versions of I Can???t Turn You Loose and Who???s Making Love respectively, finished off by The Temptations giving a flawless performance of Cloud Nine. The second side is just as good with Gladys Night & The Pips??? version of I Wish It Would Rain and I Heard It Through The Grapevine. Finally, Stevie Wonder finishes things off with For Once In My Life, Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day and Uptight.
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FRED & THE NEW JB???S Breakin Bread (People 74) The JB???s were about as solid a group as you could find in the early 1970s. Breakin Bread has their classic sound interspersed with short intros by Fred Wesley talking about the tracks. You???ve got great jams like the title cut and Little Boy Black with their talk overs and group vocals, I Wanna Get Down, the more upbeat Rice N Ribs on the first side, followed by Rockin Funky Watergate, and Funky Music Is My Style. Makin Love on the other hand has a slicker more dance-oriented sound than the other selections. Finally, there???s Step Child which is fast paced Jazz piece with plenty of horn solos, which after all, was Fred Wesley???s first and true love even after all those years playing the Funk with the Godfather Mr. James Brown.
J.B.???S Damn Right I Am Somebody (People 74) Damn Right saw the J.B.???s at the height of their career. It starts off with James Brown talking about ???Are you somebody???? before the horns and bass lead into the guitar heavy rhythm and the great solos by the J.B.s on the title track. That???s followed by Blow Your Head with its signature keys playing and funky drum beat. Some skat singing begins the fast paced I???m Paying Taxes, What Am I Buyin that all breaks down at the end for that same singing at the beginning. They slow it down next with Same Beat, Part 1 that has a speech by Rev. Jesse Jackson in the middle about being somebody. If You Don???t Get It The First Time, Back Up & Try It Again, Parrty has a similar groove to it. Unfortunately the album ends on the wrong foot with the MOR Make Me What You Want Me To Be, Going To Get A Thrill that features Hank Ballard being drowned out by a bad mix with the keys up to high, and an instrumental version of Marvin Gaye???s You Sure Love To Ball that misses the mark. Still, that little let down at the end cannot mess with the heavy duty Funk created with the preceding tracks.
J.B.???S Doing It To Death (People 73) Doing It To Death starts off with one of the greatest intros talking about the J.B.???s as the ???eighth wonder of the world!??? After that start the band goes into one of their best jams of all time, Doing It To Death ??? Part 1 & 2 with James Brown pushing the song along and calling out players to do their solos. Next is the more laidback More Peas, a follow up to their big hit Pass The Pea with a nice bass and finger snap break down at the end that was a famous sample way back when. The second side is just as good with La Di Da La Di Day, the jazzier Sucker, and finally, You Can Have Watergate Just Gimme Some Bucks And I???ll Be Straight. All of these tracks are pure fire.
DELLS Hallelujah Baby/I Can Sing A Rainbow/Love Is Blue (Cadet) This is a strong 2-sided 45 by the Dells. First is Hallelujah Baby that appeared on their Musical Menu album. It???s a nice, uplifting Soul tune. The real highlight however is I Can Sing A Rainbow/Love Is Blue from their Love Is Blue album with its mellow beginning before some accents and the singing just takes off to another level. It???s a great, great song.[/b]
Love this song. It always gets me when I listen to it.
DELLS Hallelujah Baby/I Can Sing A Rainbow/Love Is Blue (Cadet) This is a strong 2-sided 45 by the Dells. First is Hallelujah Baby that appeared on their Musical Menu album. It???s a nice, uplifting Soul tune. The real highlight however is I Can Sing A Rainbow/Love Is Blue from their Love Is Blue album with its mellow beginning before some accents and the singing just takes off to another level. It???s a great, great song.[/b]
Love this song. It always gets me when I listen to it.
This is exxactly the type of sound that I'm feeling right now. The Dells were also an under appreciated group for me. I think I had 2 of their records previously, but hadn't really listened to them for years. Now I'm tracking down a bunch of their releases.
T.S.U. Toronados Play The Music Toronados/Flight Too Many (Volt 70) This is a fine double-sided 45. First up is Play The Music Toronados, a melodious and soulful instrumental led by the guitar that has a woman???s voice talk through the title a couple times during the number. Next is Flight Too Many, which is a powerful Funk tune with male singing.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
PATTERSON SINGERS Patterson Singers (ATCO 72) The Patterson Singers started out as a five-piece Gospel outfit. On their self-titled album they went for a secular sound. The group used their background however in their deep, soulful singing and emotion they put into each tune. The songs are split between the slow and uplifting My World Tumbles Down, Love Is Color Blind, Throw A Farewell Kiss, where the lead female vocalist does a good Aretha impression, A Letter Full Of Tears, Working Together, and That???s Understanding, to the more upbeat How Can You Say That Ain???t Love, It Was Almost Something, I Wanna Be Free, and Your Love Is Something Else Again. Together this mix made for a really good Soul release.
SLAVE Just A Touch Of Love (Cotillion 79) The title track to Just A Touch Of Love is a fine, catchy slab of Modern Soul with some group female vocals that have a decidedly Parliamentfunkadelic sound to them, a grooving beat, and a bass and drum breakdown towards the end. After that there are some tunes like Are You Ready For Love? and Funky Lady (Foxy Lady) that are decent, but the record is really all about that opening cut.
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J.B.???S Food For Thought (People 72) Food For Thought was the J.B.???s first official record, and it might be their very best. It starts off with one of their greatest songs, Pass The Peas, with its infectious horn line. That???s followed by an unstoppable parade of funky instrumentals in a similar fashion such as Gimme Some More, the fast-paced To My Brother, Hot Pants Road, These Are The JB???s, the blaring The Grunt, Escap-Ism Part 1 & 2 with James Brown urging the band along and then busting out with an organ solo in the middle, the soulful Wine Spot, and the slow and moody Theme From King Heroin. As usual, there???s also a jazzy tune in the form of Blessed Blackness that starts off the second side.
J.B.???S Funky Good Times: The Anthology Volume Two (Polydor 1995) I originally bought this compilation when it initially came out in the mid-1990s. It was my first real introduction to the J.B.???s. I???d known about tunes like Pass The Peas and Doing It To Death, but it was through this comp. that I found out about their entire repertoire, that later led me to find the originals. This, the second of the two double albums not only contains the J.B.???s in their most well known manifestions, i.e. The J.B.???s, Fred Wesley & The J.B.???s, and Maceo And The Macks, but also tunes that they did under names of The First Family and the Last Word, plus the theme song to James Brown???s TV show Future Shock. First up is the moving and grooving Gimme Some More from a previously unreleased live recording at the Apollo Theater in 1974. That???s followed by all 3 parts of the slow and easy Same Beat from the 45 that includes snippets from Rev. Jesse Jackson???s famous speech about ???Being Somebody??? in the middle. The Funk just continues on with If You Don???t Get It The First Time, Back Up And Try It Again, Party, Damn Right I Am Somebody, I???m Payin Taxes, What Am I Buyin, Soul Power ???74, , Breakin Bread, Rockin Funky Watergate, Cross The Tracks (We Better Go Back), All Aboard The Soul Funky Train, (It???s Not The Express) It???s The J.B.???s Monaurail, Future Shock (Dance Your Pants Off) TV show theme, and Everybody Wanna Get Funky One More Time. There???s also Keep On Bumpin Before You Give Out Of Gas from a Last Word 45, and Control (People Go Where We Send You Part 1) that was recorded as The First Family for another single. Together they make for a fine compilation of the J.B.???s outstanding work with James Brown.
KRIS PETERSON/SOUL RHYTHM BAND Mama???s Little Baby (Is A Big Girl Now)/Instrumental (Capitol) Mama???s Little Baby is a grooving Funk number with some powerful female vocals and congas just hovering in the background. It???s got one of those rhythms sure to make a dance floor move. The B-side is an instrumental version of the song with the keys taking the place of the singing. You can really hear the percussion on that side as well.
ROSE WILLIAMS , GEORGE CLINTON, AND THE FUNKADELICS Whatever Make My Baby Feel Good/Instrumental (Funkadelic) This is one of the lesser-known Funkadelic projects. It features the singing of Rose Williams backed by George Clinton and the boys. It???s a nice little Soul number that sounds a bit like what the Parliaments were doing at the same time except with short outbursts of distorted guitar to let people know about Funkadelics??? presence.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
CLEA BRADFORD Her Point Of View (Cadet 68) I went looking for a 45 by Clea Bradford and found her record instead one day on a short road trip. Ms. Bradford was from St. Louis and recorded her album for Cadet with the assistance of Richard Evans. The 45 I was looking for contained the funky little Soul number My Love???s A Monster. That???s the opening cut on the album. It???s a fine piece, but the album reveals that Ms. Bradford was a Jazz singer first and foremost. The rest of her album is Jazz standards such as Summertime and other MOR pieces. I???d cop the 45 instead.
DELLS Mighty Mighty Dells (Cadet 74) If you only heard the opening of Mighty Mighty Dells you might mistake it for a Barry White album. The first cut, Bring Back The Love Of Yesterday, has a deep baritone signing over a sensual, string laden arrangement. That derivative beginning isn???t a good sign for this album. By 1974 the Dells were beginning to lose some of their edge. Perhaps that was due to the absence of arranger extraordinaire Charles Stepney who helped shape much of their sound in the late-1960s/early-1970s. Instead of their steady diet of sweet Soul mixed in with some power numbers you get a hodge-podge of styles that mostly miss their mark such as the listless Funk-Soul number Learning To Love You Was Easy and sappy covers like The Way We Were. Still, the group does have its moments, like the slow and catchy Bonified Fool, the moody Be For Real With Me, and the sweetness of Nothing Can Stop Me.
RONNIE MCNEIR Ronnie McNeir (RCA 72) Ronnie McNeir was a southern Soul singer with a refined sound. That???s heard immediately on cuts like Extra, Extra, Gone Away, and the power ballad You Better Make Sure. He also has a series of talking pieces where he???s spitting game to his woman over some lush arrangements. Overall though, his compositions aren???t catchy enough to keep my attention.
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J.B.???S Hustle With Speed (People 75) The J.B.???s were still chugging along in 1975 producing their tried and true Funk instrumentals. That???s heard throughout the album on tracks like the grooving (It???s Not The Express) It???s The J.B.???s Monaurail with James and the boys singing the chorus at the end, Here We Come, Here We Go, Here We Are that that has a jazzier arrangement with some congas, Rock guitar and keyboard play over the top, the bouncy All Aboard The Soul Funky Train, and the moody Transmograpfication. The second side is just as good with an adaptation of Sly Stone???s Thank You For Letting Me Be Myself And You Be Yours with James Brown doing the singing, followed by the slick Funk of Taurus, Aires & Leo, a tune about the Zodiac that seemed to be an obligatory topic for so many records in the 1970s, finished off with Things & Do.
J.B???S INTERNATIONALS Jam II Disco Fever (Polydor 78) The title to this album foreshadows the musical direction James and the J.B.???s were going. Likewise, all seven songs include the word Disco. Not only that, but by 1978 Fred Wesley, Maceo Parker, and much of the horn section had left to join George Clinton and the Parliamentfunkadelic monster as the Horny Horns. Thus, most of the tunes are heavy on the rhythm and keyboards with very little horn work that was the mainstay of the original J.B.???s work. About the only track that???s enjoyable for me is Soul Of The Disco with male-female vocals talking about going down to the Disco of all things, yet it still has a rhythm track that???s halfway decent.
JACKSON 5 Maybe Tomorrow (Motown 71) Maybe Tomorrow might be the Jackson???s best release. It has a variety of styles including the moody title cut, the ballad She???s Good, the slow and easy Never Can Say Goodbye. Of course, there???s also plenty of their trademark upbeat and Pop oriented Soul such as The Wall, Honey Chile, I Will Find A Way, My Little Baby with a little fuzz guitar and some great harmonizing, topped off by It???s Great To Be here. Not only that, but their song writing team, The Corporation, also let the brothers stretch it out a little bit with the Psyche oriented (We???ve Got) Blue Skies. This is definitely their strongest album from beginning to end.
GENE CHANDLER I Won???t Need You/No Peace No Satisfaction (Checker) I Won???t Need You is an uplifting Soul number with some female back-ups supporting Chandler???s smooth delivery. No Peace, No Satisfaction has a little harder edge to it within the Soul genre with more female singers and a little percussion to the rhythm track. Together they make for a fine 45 by Gene Chandler.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
REV. JULIUS CHEEKS Legend Lives On (Savoy 81) I found out about this record from a web article about Soulful Gospel releases. Rev. Cheeks released several records during his musical career, but this was his last before he passed away. The record was recorded live in Miami with various Church groups including the Northern-Aires, the Walker Ensemble, The Shinning Light Choir, and the Homestead Air Force Base Choir. They start off with a real church stomper on At The Gat I Know with Cheeks delivering some of the raspiest vocals put to wax. There???s also the heart wrenching The Lord???s Side that picks up with the chorus joining in half way through that features Larry Walker on vocals, and the hand clapping Fix me Lord with Jerri James Ross as the lead. The real treat however is (If Serving God Is Wrong) I Don???t Want To Be Right (If Loving You Is Wrong, I Don???t??? Want To Be Right), sung by George McAllister, that is an obvious take off of the Luther Ingram hit. The song captures the emotional impact of the original taken to new heights with the addition of a chorus. The record finishes with I???ve Got It Right Now where they try to bring the house down with another fast paced number.
JUNIOR WELLS You???re Tuff Enough (Blue Rock) Junior Wells was a bluesman who wanted to get down and funky with You???re Tuff Enough. He recorded a slew of upbeat Soul-Funk numbers featuring some Blues guitar, loud horns, and a harmonica coming in and out with the likes of You???re Tuff Enough, It???s All Soul, That???ll Hold Me, Sweet Darling Think It Over, Up In Heah, You Ought To Quit That, and the instrumental Junior???s Groove. Gonna Cramp Your Style and Messing With The Kid are more of a Blues-Soul fusion, and of course there???s some straight electric Blues like Where Did I Go Wrong?
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JACKSON 5 Third Album (Motown 70) The Jackson???s Third Album was one of their best. The stage is set immediately with the big slow jam hit I???ll Be There. A cover of the Delfonics??? Ready Or Not (Here I Come) that does justice to the original is next. Can I See You In The Morning has a little spacey feel to it with some strings in the intro, while How Funky Is Your Chicken and Mama???s Pearl are some of their patented Pop oriented Soul with some strong group vocals. Finally there???s Reach In, which is a moodier piece, and Smokey Robinson???s The Love I Saw In You Was Just A Mirage.
J.J. JACKSON Dilemma (Perception 70) From the liner notes on the back of the album, it appears that J. J. Jackson was facing a dilemma in his career when this came out. Jackson had started off as a Jazz arranger before moving to England for a solo career in Soul. He started off with a bang with It???s Alright, but then never had much success after that. Not only that, but the music scene was changing as well with Rock, Psyche and Funk taking center stage. It was at this moment, at the crossroads of his career, that he released Dilemma. The music shows that he was attempting to keep up with the times with tunes like Indian Thing that has a heavy Rock influence to it with some percussion in the background, a slow and moody rhythm, and the guitar out in the lead. While he misses the mark with the 5th Dimensionesque MOR track Does Anybody Really Know What Time it Is?, he does better with Let The Sunshine In, that is so dramatically re-arranged that you can???t even tell what song it is until you see the title. Jackson turns it into a power Soul tune with his singing hitting just the right tone. It???s not until half way through the track after journeying through a Jazz bridge and some percussion breakdowns, that the familiar chorus and melody of the original finally makes an appearance. Help Me Get To My Grits has a down home electric Blues feel to it touched with a little Soul horn arrangement, capped off with Jackson???s rough sounding vocals. Go Find Yourself A Woman is in a similar vein. Who Knows is a subdued Funk instrumental with horns and percussion, while No Sad Songs finishes things off with its soulful delivery.
BUZZIE Stone Soul Booster (Gordy 70) Thanks to a recent thread on Soulstrut I found out about Buzzie. I doubt that I would have otherwise, as he was one of the lesser-known acts signed to Motown. This was their one and only release for Gordy. I???m not sure why they didn???t have more because Stone Soul Booster is a fine slice of funky Soul with strong group vocals, some blaring horns, and a strong beat.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
THELMA HOUSTON Thelma Houston (Mowest 72) Thelma Houston was a California based Soul singer who signed to Motown???s Mowest division. She started off singing in the church and that???s heard throughout the record with a fine mix of the religious and secular. The church influenced songs predominate in the beginning with big choruses, a gospel delivery and religious lyrics such as What If that takes off with Houston???s singing and horns during the chorus. There???s also Me And Bobby McGee that starts off with acoustic guitar before going into a Gospel arrangement. There Is A God is a Gospel-Soul number with another strong backing, and Ms. Houston really takes off with Do Something About It with some fuzz guitar, percussion pushing the rhythm along, and a big female chorus behind her. Black California, Blackberries, which is a graphic description of slavery, and I Thought You Loved finish off the album showing that Thelma could also sing secular Soul tunes as well. Together they make a fine combination on this record.
INTRUDERS Save The Children (Gamble 73) By 1973 the Intruders??? were losing some of their gusto. Save The Children starts off with three decent slow jams like the title cut and Mother And Child Reunion, but none of them stand out that much. The group doesn???t really connect until the last tune on the fist side, To Be Happy Is The Real Thing that has a nice catchy melody to it. Of course, it appears that they are able to save face with the next side that opens with their big hit I???ll Always Love My Mama. Unfortunately, the Intruders go out like they came in. Bit of a disappointment, because they were really on point earlier in their career.
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J.J. JACKSON Greatest Little Soul Band In The Land (Congress 67) Greatest Little Soul Band In The Land was released the year after J.J. Jackson???s big hit It???s Alright. On this record it appears that Jackson was experimenting with a variety of styles. That???s heard on the opening Tobacco Road that has a fuzzed out beginning, and then a Blues influenced Big Band arrangement. Then there???s the slow and brooding Tenement Halls that has a jazzy, horn filled bridge in the middle after a drum break. That contrasts with the upbeat Soul instrumental Something For My People, and the heartfelt In The Same Old Way. The second side is just as good with the power Soul of Fat, Black, and Together, which was poking fun at Jackson???s large mass, and another instrumental in the form of Win, Lose, Or Draw with plenty of brass.
MARGIE JOSEPH Phase II (Volt) On Phase II Margie Joseph went for a slow and easy sound. That???s heard on tracks like That Other Woman Got My Man & Gone and My World Is Empty Without You that also have little Gospel flourishes to them as well. The best example however is Didn???t Have To Tell Me with some slick strings and horns backing up Ms. Joseph???s fine singing. Together they give the tune a little Funk. The record ends on an upbeat note with Takin All The Love I Can that borrows from the Motown dance sound.
WHISPERS Bingo (Janus 74) The Whispers were an outstanding California vocal Soul outfit. On Bingo they delivered a couple heaters, namely the rich Soul of A Mother For My Children that has a little orchestration in the background. There???s also some sweet Soul as well on Someone???s Waiting and What More Can A Girl Ask For. The title track isn???t half bad either, being an upbeat number with an eye towards the dance floor.
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MELVIN JACKSON Funky Skull (Limelight) I found this record in a dollar bin one summer in the suburbs of Chicago. It???s by far one of my best dollar finds. Melvin Jackson was from Chicago and the bassist for Eddie Harris??? band. Here he takes a page out of Harris??? book by hooking up his acoustic, stand-up bass to an amp and some effects. Jackson???s mix of the funky and experimental can be heard immediately on the title track with its James Brown-like rhythm track and Jackson???s solo over it sounding like a moog. Ma, She???s Makin Eyes At Me is less than one minute long but is oh so good. First it starts off with a deep sounding drum break, which is joined by Jackson???s bass for a nice slow groover. Bold And Black picks up the pace again for another funky track. It???s not until the end of the first side with Dance Of The Dervish and Everybody Loves My Baby that Jackson plays some Jazz and it???s on the Free and Spiritual tip. He gets right back to the flow of things though on the second side with Cold Duck Time ??? Parts 1 & 2 that has a nice swinging Soul beat to it. Funky Doo is more of a Soul-Jazz track that begins with a regular sounding bass that???s followed by a cowbell and then Jackson overdubbed his bass with effects over it. It???s also the only track that has some singing on it. Finally, Silver Cycles has a spacey sound to the bass and a mellow vibe, but is still a good listen. Overall this is an excellent LP.
MICHAEL JACKSON Ben (Motown 72) This record went with the movie Ben about a crazed kid who loved rats and used them to get revenge against the world that didn???t understand him. Despite that movie plot, Michael Jackson scored a huge hit with the ballad title track about Ben finding a friend, not mentioning that it was a rat. The real treat on the record however, is a cover of People Make The World Go Round with some nice back-up singers. Also worth a listen is the stripped down Pop tune We???ve Got A Good Thing Going and the more upbeat love song Everybody???s Somebody???s Fool.
MARVELETTES In Full Bloom (Tamla 69) In Full Bloom was released right towards the end of the Marvelettes??? career. They had some big and early hits for Motown, but then faded from the charts although they kept on recording for the Detroit label. Their fall from grace is apparent throughout most of the first side of the record. While none of the tunes is bad, few of them stand out, showing that Motown was probably forwarding their best tunes to other acts at the time and letting the ladies flounder. Still, they do come through on a few tracks such as the lush That???s How Heartaches Are Made, At Last I See Love As It Really Is with its Motown beat, The moody Rainy Morning, the light Pop of Love Silent, Love Deep, and the best cut, Everybody Knows (But You) with a little funky edge to it.
ROBERTO ROENA Y SU APOLLO SOUND Roberto Roena Y Su Apollo Sound (Fania) Roberto Roena released at least ten records all with the same title which makes telling one from another pretty hard sometimes. Most of this record is upbeat Salsa that he was known for. The reason I picked it up however was a hot version of Sing A Simple Song with some Latin percussion pushing it along. It gives this well-known standard a little original flair. There are a couple other covers as well such as Dock Of The Bay (with a Spanish title El Pato De la Bahia) and Spinning Wheel that are good, but really this record is all about the Sly Stone cover.
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JOE BATAAN Sweet Soul (Fania) Joe Bataan wasn???t joking when he named this record Sweet Soul. Most of the songs are slow Doo-Wop influenced Soul numbers like This Boy with some lush strings and female back-ups. There???s more like that with Please Mr. Sun, You???re Driving Me Right Out Of My Mind, and That???s The Way God Planned It, but Bataan really hits his stride with the beautiful Cry. Then he changes it up with the swinging I???m Satisfied with some fuzz guitar, and Johnny???s No Good with its Latin percussion and a Temptation???s style male chorus.
CABLES Baby Why/Be A Man (Studio 1) Baby Why is a sweet, sweet Rock Steady number showing the heavy influence American Soul acts had on Jamaica. The number features a chugging rhythm and fine singing by the lead with falsetto back-ups. The flipside isn???t as well known, and lacks the catchiness of the plug side, but is still a decent number.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
BETTY EVERETT There???ll Come A Time (Uni 69) There???ll Come A Time is a fine Soul release by Betty Everett. For most of the record it seems like she can???t miss with tunes like the laidback You???re Falling In Love, the upbeat I Need A Change, the slow and orchestrated Maybe, and the light Pop of1900 Yesterday and Sugar. Even better are the fast paced Better Than Tomorrow and Take Me that has a little Funk edge to it due to the powerful drumming, the Gospel influenced Hold On written by Curtis Mayfield, and Is there A Chance For Me that has a brooding feeling behind its proto-Funk sound. Many of these tunes also feature string work and some sophisticated arranging as well.
PIONEERS Pusher Man (Pioneer) Early on the Pioneers were known for their sweet vocal harmonies and Pop-Reggae sound, especially after they moved to the U.K. from Jamaica. By the time Pusher Man came out, and it???s to be noted that there are two separate albums by the group under this title, they were playing more straight ahead Roots music. Still, their vocals are able to carry through and even sometimes the music meets their talent. That???s heard on tracks like But Them Shut and Ghetto with a simple rhythm and strong group vocals. Pusher Man is a catchy number, while Move With The Time is the most straight-forward Reggae number.
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MICHAEL JACKSON Got To Be There (Motown 71) Got To Be There was one of the better early solo releases by Michael Jackson. That???s helped by the fact that he gets right down to business by opening with a cover of Ain???t No Sunshine. The song has the trademark open drum break, but then Michael adds a long voice over to give it his own little flare. That???s followed by one of those classic Pop-Soul numbers that the Jackson???s were famous for in I Wanna Be Where You Are. There are also the ballad Got To Be There and the pop number Love Is Here And Now You???re Gone that were big hits, plus the slow and moody Maria (You Were The Only One).
DELFONICS Alive & Kicking (Philly Groove 74) By 1974 the Delfonics weren???t kicking out the hits like they were earlier in their career, mostly due to the absence of Thom Bell who played such a large role in shaping their sound. However, Alive & Kicking showed that they were still fully capable of delivering that lush Philly Soul groove. Most of the record consists of slow and richly orchestrated numbers like Lying To Myself, Think It Over, Seventeen (And In Love), I Don???t Want To Make You Wait, Can???t Go On Living, and Start All Over Again. There???s also the mid-tempo First Thing On My Mind and the more upbeat I Told You So that was aimed at the dance floor. The best song by far is the extremely catchy Hey Baby. The album definitely captures some of the group???s earlier flare.
GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS Standing Ovation (Soul 71) Gladys Knight & The Pips has always been one of my favorite Soul groups. They had great success throughout their career over various labels. Standing Ovation was released during their Motown years. As usual the group comes with a variety of sounds from the pleading Make Me The Woman That You Go Home To, the uplifting Can You Give Me Love With A Guarantee and Fire And Rain, the powerful yet lushly orchestrated Master Of My Mind, the grooving It Takes A Whole Lotta Man For A Woman Like Me, the funky Soul of If You Gonna Leave (Just Leave), and the upbeat No One Could Love You More. There???s also a pretty good cover of He Ain???t Heavy, He???s My Brother/Bridge Over Troubled Water that has a mellow beginning, but builds in intensity with some great walking bass work in the bridge. Of course, Ms. Knight???s strong singing and the excellent back-ups of the Pips anchor the album.
SUPREMES Right On (Motown 70) Right On was the first post-Diana Ross release by the Supremes. Thanks to some great arranging by the likes of H.B. Barnum and Wade Marcus to just name two and Motown???s patented production, the Supremes showed that they could survive the loss of a Soul Diva and still reach the charts. The mix of strong vocals and catchy song writing carries them through the record with songs like the sing-along Pop-Soul of Up The Ladder To The Roof and I Got Hurt (Trying To Be The Only Girl In Your Life), the slightly harder sounding Then We Can Try Again, Wait A Minute Before You Leave Me, Baby Baby, and Take A Closer Look At Me, plus the slow groove of Everybody???s Got The Right To Love.
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MICHAEL JACKSON Off The Wall (Epic 79) I know a lot of people think that Thriller was Michael Jackson???s best solo effort, but to me it???s all about Off The Wall. You get such classics as the dance tune Don???t Stop Til You Get Enough, Working Day And Night, and the title track Off The Wall with its walking bass. There???s also the smooth Rock With You, and the lush I Can???t Help It. Of course Quincy Jones also has to be mentioned as a major reason why this record was so successful.
MICHAEL JACKSON Thriller (Epic 82) Thriller is obviously Michael Jackson???s most famous record, and for good reason. Here he continues on with the success and sound that he created with Quincy Jones on Off The Wall. You get the dance tunes Wanna Be Starting Somethin with the great breakdown in the middle, Baby Be Mine, P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) that might have some perverse implications now given Jackson???s recent run ins with the law, and the slow jam The Girl Is Mine, which would???ve been great if it wasn???t a duet with Paul McCartney! Much better is the overlooked The Lady In My Life. Of course the record also contains three of Jackson???s biggest hits, the title cut with Vincent Price???s voice over throughout the second half, the Rock guitar playing of Eddie Van Halen on Beat It, and my personal favorite of the trio, Billy Jean.
Just finished up Spring Break so I had a lot of time to listen and review records. Enjoy.
45 REVIEWS:[/b]
RANCE ALLEN GROUP Ain???t No Need Of Crying/If I Could Make The World Better (Truth 74) The Rance Allen Group was a Gospel outfit that recorded for Stax???s subsidiary Truth. Ain???t No Need Of Crying is a mellow ballad with some nice falsetto singing. If I Could Make The World Better is a more upbeat Gospel-Soul number.
MERRY CLAYTON Oh No, Not My Baby/Suspicious Minds (Ode 72) This 45 came after Merry Clayton???s two LP releases on Ode. Oh No, Not My Baby is a pleading, yet ultimately uplifting Soul number. The flipside is a cover of Suspicious Minds that was made famous by Elvis. Clayton basically sticks to Presley???s version with a hard driving beat on the snare with some congas coming in eventually.
TYRONE DAIVS Turn Back The Hands Of Time/I Keep Coming Back (Dakar 70) Turn Back The Hands Of Time comes from the album of the same name. It???s a bouncy, uplifting Soul tune with a sing along chorus. I Keep Coming Back is a sweet Soul ballad with Davis screeching out at times the love for his woman.
EBONYS Do It/Determination (Philadelphia International) The Ebonys were a vocal Soul group from Southern New Jersey who were signed by Gamble and Huff???s Philadelphia International label and recorded with MFSB. Do It is a hard hitting slow jam with some Rock influenced guitar, plus keys and congas that eventually give way to the melodic vocals of the Ebonys. Determination is another good Soul cut with more strong singing, especially on the chorus.
BETTY EVERETT Just A Matter Of Time Till You???re Gone/Danger (Fantasy 73) This single comes from Betty Everetty???s Love Rhymes album that was produced by Willie Mitchell, Charles Chalmers, David Axelrod and Johnny Guitar Waston for Fantasy Records. Both of these tracks were done by the duo of Mitchell and Chalmers. Just A Matter Of Time Till You???re Gone has that classic Hi sound to it with its slow rhythm and overall mood. It could???ve easily been a track for Al Green or Syl Johnson. Danger is a non-album cut, and has a little more of a groove to it, while maintaining Mitchell???s trademark production qualities.
GLASS HOUSE If It Ain???t Love (It Don???t Matter)/Touch Me Jesus (Invictus 69) Glass House was a two male two female group put together by Invictus label owners Holldan, Dozier, Holland. This 45 comes from their album Inside The Glass House. If It Ain???t Love (It Don???t Matter) is an uplifting Soul number with the vocals being traded back and forth between a female and male lead. Touch Me Jesus, is obviously a religious tune, with the same vitality and energy as the A-side and a nice breakdown in the middle.
INTRUDERS (Love Is Like A) Baseball Game/Friends No More (Gamble 68) The Intruders hit pay dirt with their big hit Cowboys To Girls. The single led to an album, which this 45 came from. (Love Is Like A) Baseball Game is one of those sweet Pop-Soul numbers the group was famous for featuring some lush arranging and production by Philadelphia sensations Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. Friends No More is a ballad with some Doo Wop influences.
KING FLOYD Can You Dig It?/Learning To Forget You (Dial 74) After New Orleans native King Floyd made a big hit with Groove Me for the Malaco subsidiary Chimneyville, he bounced around to several different labels including this 1974 release on Dial. Can You Dig It? is a mellow Soul tune that despite some nice horn stabs, is a bit underwhelming. Learning To Forget You is the side to check for. It puts King Floyd???s crooning vocals to best use with its lyrics about a broken heart.
CANDI STATON Do It In The Name Of Love/The Thanks I Get For Loving You (Fame 72) Candi Staton recorded her first three albums for Rick Hall at Muscle Shoals Studios in Alabama for the Fame label. This 45 comes from her self-titled record. It gets off to a great start with the grooving Southern Soul of Do It In The Name Of Love. It reminds me of some of the Staple Singers??? best work. The Thanks I Get For Loving You is more subdued, but still delivers with its strings and female back-ups cooing Candi along.
CANDI STATON Evidence/Sweet Feeling (Fame 69) Evidence has a little bouncy rhythm to it pushed along by Staton???s powerful singing, blaring horns, a strong female chorus, and the melody played on the keys. Sweet Feeling is a slower number that has a down home Southern feel to it, mixed in with a little Blues as well.
CANDI STATON Lovin You, Lovin Me/You Don???t Love Me No More (Fame 72) This 45 came from Candi Staton???s self-titled album. If you didn???t know the artist, you could mistake Lovin You, Love Me for a country song with the intonation in Staton???s singing and her delivery. You Don???t Love Me No More is much better with a rich arrangement of horns and lyrics about a broken heart creating an empathetic mood on this Soul number.
O.V. WRIGHT Ace Of Spade/Afflicted (Back Beat) O.V. Wright put out some fine Soul sides on the Back Beat label and this is a perfect example. Ace Of Spade is a rousing number anchored by the horns and Wright???s fine, deep vocals. Afflicted is a slow and bluesy ballad.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
JORGE BEN Africa Brasil (Philips 76) A local store recently had a big sale of Latin and Brazilian music. In that batch came this Brazilian press of Jorge Ben???s Africa Brasil. Ben gets right down to business with the catchy groove of Ponta De Lanca Africano that picks up with female back-ups and a nice breakdown in the middle. On Hermes Trismegisto Escreveu Ben gets a little funky led by his guitar playing. The Soul and Funk influences continue on the mid-tempo O Filosofo, Meus Filhos, Meu Tesouro, and A Historia De Jorge, while on O Plebeu he highlights his melodic side. Taj Mahal is more of a Brazilian dance track, which contrasts with the slow jams Xica Da Silva and Camisa To Da Gavea. All of the tunes are prefect for the dance floor
as well.
FANIA ALL STARS Vol. 2 ???Live??? At The Red Garter (Fania 72) Fania put out several albums by their ???All Stars.??? This one featured Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, Ricardo Ray, Ray Barretto, Joe Bataan, Willie Colon, Johnny Pacheco, Monguita Santamaria, Bobby Valentin, among many others, recorded at the Red Garter Club in Greenwich Village, New York. The majority of the tunes are Salsa like Son Cuero Y Boogaloo with a big percussion breakdown in the middle, while a little Boogaloo slips in with Richie???s Bag that???s led by the piano. The reason I picked it up however was the slow grooving ballad If This World Were Mine with, I think, Joe Bataan and an unknown female singer belting out the vocals. There???s also the slick 60s Soul instrumental Red Garter Strut on the first side that???s worth a listen.
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
SOLOMON BURKE Back To My Roots (Chess 76) Back To My Roots has an inauspicious beginning with an average Soul tune called Burning For Your Love followed by a bad Disco one, i.e. Night And Day. It makes you wonder what two mainstays such as Burke and Chess were thinking when they released the album. It???s not until Everybody???s Got To Cry Sometime that Burke gets to show some real emotion with his singing on a slow jam with some Gospel like female back-ups. Really though the record is a bit of disappointment because it never quite delivers the goods. The best cut is Over And Over (Hugging And Loving) that is another slow number, but this time more like Barry White with strong sexual overtones. There???s also a drum break intro to I???m Going Back To My Roots, an OK fast paced Soul song.
EBONYS Ebonys (Philadelphia International 73) The Ebonys were from NJ and recorded this, their debut LP, in nearby Philadelphia. They got their start in Camden as a four piece vocal Soul outfit. After getting a Top 10 R&B single with You???re The Reason Why in 1971, Leon Huff signed them to Philadelphia International, where they got the full Philly treatment with Gamble and Huff writing all but one of their songs and having MFSB backing them up. That combination works best on the power ballads like It???s Forever and You???re The Reason Why, which was arranged by Thom Bell, who helped shape the Delfonics into a powerhouse, and the expansive Life In The Country and I???ll Try that sound like the Chi-Lites with a falsetto lead. There are some more upbeat numbers with the best being I Believe that was inspired by the Civil Rights and Black Power movement with its chorus crying out ???What time is it? Nation time!???
MILT JACKSON Milt Jackson And The Hip String Quartet (Verve 68) You take a look at this album, and you???re not sure what to think at first. You have Milt Jackson on the vibes with some strings, hmmm? Could there be anything worth listening to or just some really mellow jazz on the E-Z side. Milt Jackson, of course, was a member of the famous Modern Jazz Quartet, and some of his solo work features some pretty good Soul-Jazz, which is what you have here. You Got To Pay When The Deal Goes Down is a case in point, with a really catchy melody and a slow but grooving rhythm, which sounds even better sped up to 45 rpm. A Little Too Much is another notable track with a swinging bass line by Bob Cranshaw. That???s followed by Bags And Strings, which starts off with a rocking little drum break by Grady Tate. The song also has a short vibes, strings and drums bridge/breakdown that gets a little funky. Ron Carter, Cedar Walton, James Moody and Hubert Laws also appear on here.
MILT JACKSON WITH THE RAY BROWN BIG BAND Memphis Jackson (Impulse/ABC 70) Milt Jackson made a name for himself as a member of the Modern Jazz Quartet before he started making solo albums as well. According to the liner notes, Jackson and bassist Ray Brown would get together during the summers and play and record together. On Memphis Jackson the two went for a Soul-Jazz sound. That???s heard on Uh-Huh, an upbeat big band jam. One Mint Julep (One Way) features a nice bass line by Brown accentuated by horn stabs that eventually leads into Jackson???s vibes playing. Oh Happy Day starts off very subdued before the horns start blaring away and the rhythm picks up, while Braddock Breakdown has a real 60s swing to it. Memphis Junction and Enchanted Lady are two mellow Soul-Jazz numbers, while Queen Mother Stomp has the same pace, but gets a little funky thanks to more great playing by Brown on the bass. The album finishes on a jazzier note with One Mint Julep (The Other Way) and Picking Up The Vibrations.
JOHNNY ADAMS I Wish It Would Rain/You???re A Lady (Atlantic 72) I bought this 45 because of the cover of I Wish It Would Rain. The tune starts off with an original string arrangement with a female chorus before Adams starts the familiar opening line ???Sunshine, blue skies, please go away.??? There are some other minor adjustments to the original, such as dragging out ???rain??? on the chorus, that allow Adams to give his own spin to this great tune. You???re A Lady is a more upbeat number, but not half as effective as the flipside.
FONTELLA BASS Safe And Sound/You???ll Never Ever Know (Checker) Safe And Sound is a Pop-Soul number that has a strong Rescue Me feel to parts of its melody and bass line, but there are also some congas. You???ll Never Ever Know is a slower RnB tune with a little Gospel feel to it.
ARCHIE BELL & THE DRELLS Count The Ways/Dancing To Your Music (Glades 73) Count The Ways starts off with a nice drum break before going into some Psych influenced Funk with echoing vocals and a nice bass line. The break and the drugged out vocals return again at the very end of the song. Dancing To Your Music on the other hand, is a light and melodic dance track that probably did well at discos.
WILLIAM BELL A Penny For Your Thoughts/Til My Back Ain???t Got No Bone (Stax 71) Both of these tunes come from Bell???s Wow album. It was recorded in Alabama at the Muscle Shoals Studios and produced by Al Bell. Both A Penny For Your Thoughts and Til My Back Ain???t Got No Bone follow the same formula, a slow pleading Southern Soul sound with female back-ups. There are also strings hovering just in the background. Both sides are a great example of what Stax was producing at the time.
EBONYS It???s Forever/Sexy Ways (Philadelphia International 73) This 45 comes from the Ebonys??? self-titled album, which featured song-writing and production by the Philly duo of Gamble and Huff, plus the musicianship of MFSB. First up is It???s Forever with its big build-up before some falsetto singing comes in that reminds me of the Chi-Lites at their best. Sexy Ways was produced by Thom Bell of Deflonics??? fame. It features a blaring baritone male singer with a little Sam & Dave feel to it. It???s not bad, but I really like the sweet side better.
ARETHA FRANKLIN Day Dreaming/I???ve Been Loving You Too Long (Atlantic 72) For whatever reason I???ve gotten 3 different copies of Aretha???s Young, Gifted, And Black LP, and on all three Day Dreaming has skipped. I guess it was a defective printing or something. For that reason I was happy to pick up a copy of the 45 to get a perfect recording of the song. The tune starts off with a little piano and a female chorus singing ???Day dreaming and I???m thinking of you??? in a high falsetto. After a little pause Aretha joins in with her smooth delivery about how she feels about her man. I???ve Been Loving You Too Long is one of those slow, Gospel heavy tunes that Aretha pulled off to great effect.
LEON HAYWOOD Keep It In The Family/Long As There???s You (I Got Love) (20th Century 73) Keep It In The Family comes from the album of the same name. The song has a bouncy rhythm led by the bass, accentuated by horns, that reminds me a bit of the Staple Singers. During the opening bridge the bass player even starts playing some chords to add to the melody. Long As There???s You is a contrast in styles as it???s a slow and brooding Soul tune.
LEON HAYWOOD One Way Ticket To Love Land/There Ain???t Enough Hate Around To Make Me Turn Around (20th Century 72) One Way Ticket To Love Land is a really catch Soul number that reminds me of the Stax sound with some horn stabs and a simple rhythm. There Ain???t Enough Hate is not as interesting, although the lyrics are about the changes America went through in the 1960s with a slow Gospel influenced rhythm.
IDES OF MARCH Vehicle/Lead Me Home, Gently (Warner Brothers 70) This 45 was a huge hit for Chicago???s Ides Of March. A whole new generation was recently reacquainted with it when it was used in a car commercial. Vehicle starts off with some loud swirling horns before the vocals come in that sound like Blood, Sweat & Tears. Lead Me Home, Gently is a forgettable ballad. That???s okay because the first side is so good you can overlook their failure to produce on the B-side.
INDEPENDENTS Baby I???ve Been Missing You/Couldn???t Hear Nobody Say (Wand 73) The Independents were a vocal Soul group out of Chicago that featured Rev. Jesse Jackson???s younger brother Chuck. They specialized in sweet Soul as epitomized by both sides of this 45. Baby I???ve Been Missing You cracked the top 10 with its vocal harmonies and orchestration. Couldn???t Hear Nobody Say is more of the same with a great string laden intro, although I prefer the flipside more.
CLAY TYSON Moon Man (I Dentify 72) There was a time when I picked up nearly every James Brown produced 45 that I could find. After I got the majority of them I moved on to other interests. I???ve still got my eye on a couple more and was happy to pick this single up recently. It features comedian Clay Tyson. This was the second of two records he did with Mr. Brown. The first one was with King in 1968 featuring Clay Tyson (Man On The Moon)/Clay Tyson (You Don???t Know What I Want) that had Tyson doing comedy routines over the I Can???t Touch Myself rhythm. Moon Man is a little different because it features Tyson rapping over some original music.
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
ELEVENTH HOUR Hollywood Hot (20th Century 76) Hollywood Hot was the Eleventh Hour???s one and only album. They get off to a strong start with Sock It To Me/It???s My Thing that has a great conga and handclap intro, and nice energy mixed with some group vocals that can get a little too commercial sounding. The best song is the title track that has a moody intro with some flute, a series of short drum breaks, and vocals that are harder hitting than the rest of the LP. It also doesn???t hurt that most of the second half of the song is instrumental either with plenty of percussion pushing it along. Almost as
good is Bumper To Bumper with its looping horn line and head nodding beat led by more percussion that fits the title. The rest of the album is not as interesting although some might like the last cut, You???ll Never Know Until You Try, as well, with its light melody and more heavy percussion.
FRIENDS OF DISTINCTION Grazin (RCA 69) Friends Of Distinction was right up there with the 5th Dimension in terms of poppy vocal Soul groups of the late-60s. Harry Elston and Floyd Butler, who got their start backing up Ray Charles, formed the group in LA in 1968. The group???s greatest claim to fame early on was that NFL Hall of Famer Jim Brown managed them and got them a deal with RCA. The group had immediate success with a cover of Hugh Masekela???s Grazing In The Grass, which was eventually included on Grazin. The group did a fine job adding lyrics to the original instrumental. There???s even a very short drum and percussion break in the middle. The rest of the album consists of tunes like a cover of I???ve Never Found A Girl (To Love Me Like You Do), and some nice mellow Soul tunes such as the lush I Really Hope You Do, (A) Sweet Young Think Like You, and Going In Circles with a great pensive build-up. All of that goodness disappears by the second side, which is sickeningly MOR. The one exception is a cover of the Beatles??? And I Love Him, which is given a sweet Soul treatment.
IKETTES Gold & New (United Artists 74) The Ikettes were actually the second set of female backup singers for Ike & Tina Turner, replacing the Artettes. If nothing else, they had a much better name. Beginning in the early 1960s they had a string of successful singles, but they were always an afterthought for Ike. This might be their only full length LP, but I???m not sure. Whatever the case, they come with a series of hard-hitting Soul covers such as Billy Preston???s Will It Go Round In Circles that???s given a rougher presentation than the original, Joe Tex???s I Gotcha, Peaches N Cream, and the Ike & Tina tunes Camel Walk and I???m Blue.
Comments
BETTY WRIGHT
Slip And Do It/I Think I Better Think About it (Alston 76)
Slip And Do It is a tough sounding Funk tune with a head nodding beat and Wright???s strong vocals. I Think I Better Think About It is more of a slow and slick Soul piece.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
VAN MCCOY AND THE SOUL CITY SYMPHONY
Love Is The Answer (AVCO 74)
I always associate Van McCoy with Disco, but he released a couple albums before that sound really took over. Love Is The Answer was one of those, but still shows his devotion to dance tunes. That???s displayed in this mostly instrumental record with its arranging featuring plenty of strings and orchestration. You hear that immediately with the opening Love Is The Answer, the slow jam Touch Me In The Morning, and even in his cover of Back Stabber that does away with the hard-hitting chorus and replaces it with an emaciated one. Things don???t really come together until African Symphony that starts off with some open percussion. Things pick up a little more with Boogie Down with its piano melody. The best cut is the last, entitled Funky Feet that keeps the rhythm section down to the minimum, and has a nice breakdown in the middle with just the keys and percussion.
MIRETTES
In The Midnight Hour (Revue 68)
This was the Mirettes first album. They start off with a little Motown feel with Take Me For A Little While that sounds like something the Supremes were doing at the time with a light dance beat to it. Better is the upbeat I???m A Whole New Thing and the slowed down and re-arranged cover of The Good Ship Lollipop. They finish things off with their first hit, a cover of In The Midnight Hour, which is by far the best cut of them all. Overall, this is a little underwhelming. Their second album is much, much better.
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
IMPRESSIONS
Never Ending (ABC-Paramount 64)
Never Ending was the Impression???s third album and suffers from a lack of consistency. Too many times the group covers cabaret songs like Satin Doll that are just too sappy to take. Even most of their Soul songs aren???t that impressive. However there are two exceptional standouts that save the record completely from the dustbin. Those are Girl You Don???t Know Me with a little catchy hitch to the rhythm, and the classic I???m So Proud, a slow jam that fully highlights the groups??? powerful vocals.
SWAMP DOGG
Total Destruction To Your Mind (Canyon 70)
Swamp Dogg was a longtime soul and RnB singer from Georgia. His voice and style seems heavily influenced by another son of Georgia, Otis Redding. Of Course, the Dogg, never reaches the intensity and power of Redding. Like a Redding album, however, Swamp Dogg provides a mix of upbeat Soul numbers like the title cut, mixed in with some slow jams like Synthetic World. The best overall song is Sal-A-Faster with its driving beat.
FUNKADELIC
You And Your Folks, Me And My Folks/Funky Dollar Bill (Westbound 71)
This 45 combines two great Funkadelic songs before they were released on two separate LPs, Free Your Mind and Maggot Brain. Funky Dollar Bill combines that sick Black Rock that the band was famous for with a catchy sing along chorus. You And Your Folks, Me And My Folks is a slower, moodier piece that pounds away.
LAVELL KAMMA AND HIS AFRO SOUL REVIEW
Soft Soul/I Know Where It???s At (Tupelo Sound)
This is a 45 that I???d heard long ago on a mix CD and forgotten about. Soft Soul is the reason to check for it, as it???s a quality, mid-tempo Funk tune based around the bass and some horn flourishes. I Know Where It???s At sounds more like a Southern Soul tune and is also a good listen with some guitar and horn work at the beginning before Kamma???s rough vocals come in again. This is a very nice two sided 45 to look for.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
MARTHA REEVES & THE VANDELLAS
Black Magic (Gordy 72)
After Martha Reeves recorded some of Motown???s biggest hits in the mid-1960s she fell on hard times as she became a drug addict. Black Magic was recorded the year that her group would break up. It???s got the usual mix of Motown style dance tracks like Your Love Makes It All Worthwhile and Bless You. The real highlights however are a cover of the Beatles??? Something, the rougher edged Tear It On Down, I???ve Given You The Best Years Of My Life that has a strong Gospel influence to it, the lush Soul of Anyone Who Had A Heart, and Hope I Don???t Get My Heart Broke that has a down home feel to it.
IRENE REID
The World Needs What I Need (Polydor 71)
Irene Reid was a Jazz singer who stretched out her style a bit on The World Needs What I Need. She opens up mostly singing standards such as Moon Dance and My Way, but she does such a good job with her delivery on them that you can???t help but give them a listen. She also throws in a version of Son Of A Preacher Man. On the second side she brings in the Blues with The World Needs What I Need. Reid really puts it all together with the funky Psychdelic Soul of Hey World, Let Love In.
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
IMPRESSIONS
People Get Ready (ABC-Paramount 65)
Of the Impressions??? early ABC-Paramount LPs, this one might be their best. It???s definitely got the most impressive array of songs. They mix up the speeds and emotions with upbeat numbers like Woman???s Got Soul and We???re In Love that contrast with the slow jams like Emotions and Sometimes I Wonder, and the lighter numbers such as Just Another Dance and I???ve Found That I???ve Lost. The title track of course, is a stone cold classic worth the price of the record alone. It is truly one of the greatest Soul tunes I???ve ever heard. There???s also their other big hit You Must Believe Me that is another great Impressions??? song.
IMPRESSIONS
Preacher Man (Curtom 73)
Preacher Man sounds like no other Impressions??? record. It was recorded right after lead singer Leroy Hutson quit the group to go solo leaving Impressions??? stalwarts Sam Gooden and Fred Cash to record the album alone. They, along with producer and arranger Richard Tufo created a truly memorable selection of songs. The record captures the funky Soul feeling of the 70s that was being created by people like Curtis Mayfield and Isaac Hayes, with a little Marvin Gaye thrown in there for good measure. That???s heard on the opening instrumental What It Is with lots of percussion, the title track that has music straight out of the Superfly soundtrack with vocals that sound a bit like Gaye???s, and Find The Way and Thin Line that feature more percussion and heavy orchestration, finished off with the powerful Color Us All Gray (I???m Lost).
ICE MAN???S BAND
Introducing (Mercury 72)
The Ice Man???s Band was Jerry Butler???s back-up band. They lay down a great collection of instrumental covers starting off with I Wanna Be Where You Are with the organ holding down the melody. There???s also a laid back version of Come Together, the funky It???s Down To That, and Butler???s own Never Gonna Give You Up with some females singing the chorus. The best cut by far however, is the classic People Make The World Go Round.
MARVELETTES
Return Of (Tamla 70)
The Marvelettes were one of Motown???s early female-group success stories. They had such hits as Please Mr. Postman, Playboy, Beachwood 4-5789, and Don???t Mess With Bill. By the early 1970s they disbanded having not hit the charts for a while. Return Of was their very last release. Originally, this record was going to be a coming out party for lead singer Wanda Young as a solo performer, but Barry Gordy later changed the concept to a Marvelettes album. Smokey Robinson did producing with Wade Marcus sharing arrangement work. The ladies start off with some lush Soul on So I Can Love You, That???s How Heartaches Are Made, and Uptown. There are also some tunes with a slight edge to them such as Marionette. The group really comes through on the second side when they get away from your typical Motown arrangements on tunes such as the slow and moody After All and Our Lips Just Seem To Rhyme Everytime. There???s also the upbeat Fading Away and the closing I???ll Be In Trouble with some percussion in the background.
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
IMPRESSIONS
Ridin High (ABC-Paramount 66)
The Impressions had an impressive line of early releases and Ridin High is one of them. It gets off to a great start with a nearly flawless first half featuring Mayfield???s falsetto lead and light but uplifting tracks such as the title cut, No One Else, Gotta Get Away, I Need To Belong To Someone, Right On Time, and I Need A Love. The second side is just as good with the bluesy Too Slow, followed by a mix of pleading love songs and moody pieces such as Man???s Temptation and That???s What Mama Say, Let It Be Me, and I???m A Tellin You.
VERNON GARRETT
We The People Of The Ghetto/You Blew My Mind (Watts U.S.A.)
This is a great two sided 45 starting off with the power Funk tune We The People Of the Ghetto. The song has a stripped down rhythm section and some horns that for the most part are just pushing forward that rhythm. You Blew My Mind is even better as a funky Soul tune with a great walking bass line that would be great for the dance-floor.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
FONTELLA BASS
???New??? Look (Checker 65)
Fontella Bass was made famous by her big hit Rescue Me, which is the centerpiece of this, her debut album. Bass got her start in Gospel with her mother and grandmother being famous church singers in their own right. She quickly moved over to RnB when she was a teenager playing with Little Milton and Oliver Sain. Eventually she got a solo deal with Chess. The ???New??? Look is actually mostly standards such as Our Day Will Come and You???ve Lost That Lovin Feelin. Eventually she gets some good songs like the light Oh No, Not My Baby, the bluesy I???m A Woman, and I Know with its poppy-RnB sound. Of course, there???s also Rescue Me, which is an all time Soul classic with its swinging beat and sing along chorus.
MARGIE JOSEPH
Margie Joseph (Atlantic 73)
Years ago I skimmed through this record, but then forgot about it. Since I???ve been back into Soul so much lately I thought it was about time to pick it up. Margie Joseph was a southern girl who recorded for a variety of labels included Stax before she landed at Atlantic. There she worked with famed arranger and producer Arif Mardin. On her self-titled LP she also had the help of Cornell Dupree, Hugh McCracken, Richard Tee, Ralph MacDonald and Bernard Purdie. Together they have some nice moments such as the funky Soul of I Been Down with a jazzy bridge in the middle, How Do You Spell Love (according to Ms. Joseph it???s ???M-O-N-E-Y???), and You Better Know It, which is even better. There???s also the catchy mid-tempo Touch Your Woman. She finishes things off with the slow and moody I???d Rather Go Blind.
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
IMPRESSIONS
This Is My Country (Curtom 68)
On This Is My Country the Impressions presented a variety of styles. There???s the socially conscious lyrics and Chicago groove of They Don???t Know with some subtle horn and string work, the poppy Soul of Stay Close To Me, the Rock influenced Love???s Happening, the lush sounding Gone Away and You Want Somebody Else, the sweet ballad So Unusual, the grooving Fool For You with its loud brass section, and finally the title cut to finish things off on a high note. This is probably why Impressions fans consider this one of their best pieces of work.
IMPRESSIONS
Times Have Changed (Curtom 72)
Times Have Changed was the first Impressions??? album after the departure of Curtis Mayfield. Leroy Hutson, who would eventually leave as well for a solo career, took his place. Mayfield???s presence was still felt throughout the record as he largely wrote it. That???s heard immediately on Stop The War, which is against the Vietnam War with plenty of wah wah guitar, that actually works better as a concept than an actual tune. Better is a cover of Inner City Blues. There???s also the fast paced Soul of Our Love Goes On And On, the smoothed out Potent Love, the catchy I Need To Belong Someone that liberally borrows from People Get Ready, and the slow jam This Loves For Real.
RIPPLE BLAST SINGERS AND BAND
Rhythm And Blues Hits Of 68 (Power)
The Ripple Blast Singers And Band was a group of studio musicians that would release at least one record a year covering the latest hits. This version has so many good covers that I couldn???t pass it up. Each is done exactly like the original, which was the point of the compilation. There???s Sly Stone???s Dance To The Music, Aretha???s House That Jack Built, James Brown???s Say It Loud ??? I???m Black And I???m Proud, Archie Bells??? Tighten Up, finished off with Stoned Soul Picnic. Overall, this is a very nice record from a generic band.
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
IMPRESSIONS
Three The Hard Way OST (Curtom 74)
Three The Hard Way was a blaxploitation film featuring Jim Brown, Fred Williamson and Jim Kelly. The soundtrack is pretty good, probably because the Impressions were involved. The best tracks are the Soul tunes Make A Resolution, which is like the theme song of how Brown???s, Williamson???s and Kelly???s characters jointed together, That???s What Love Will Do with some laidback orchestration, and the upbeat Something???s Mighty, Mighty Wrong. There???s also On The Move that Pete Rock made famous by sampling, with its haunting intro before some jazzy male-female group vocals. Three The Hard Way (Chase & Theme) finishes things off with its fast paced beginning that mellows out when the Impressions??? singing comes in.
IMPRESSIONS
We???re A Winner (ABC 68)
We???re A Winner is one of my favorite Impressions??? tunes. It???s a perfect example of their sound with the uplifting lyrics and mood that it creates, backed by a great rhythm track with some powerful drumming and strings. In my book, you can???t do much better than that song. After that you have a series of styles from the mellow Doo Wop influenced Let Me Tell The World, to the sweetness of I???m Getting Ready, Little Brown Boy, and I Loved And I Lost, to the more upbeat Nothing Can Stop Me.
DUSTY SPRINGFIELD
See Al Her Faces (Philips 72)
I heard about this LP through a CD swap via the Vinyl Vulture site. The reason why I hunted down a copy for myself is a great cover of Crumbs Off The Table with some searing Rock guitar in the background and some screeching horns. It really does justice to the song. The rest of the record is a bit of a mixed bag with some Bossa pieces like Come For A Dream and laid back numbers such as Let Me Down Easy. However there are the lush Soul of Girls Can???t Do What The Guys Do and Willie & Laura Mae Jones that has a down home Southern feel to it.
SUPREMES
Supremes Produced And Arranged By Jimmy Webb (Motown 72)
This was one of the Supremes??? post-Diana Ross releases. As the title implies, they were under the direction of producer Jimmy Webb for this album. That addition didn???t seem to make up for the loss here. Most of the music is overproduced and orchestrated Soul tunes that sound like they could come from a musical or cabaret rather than the Motown studios. The Supremes were capable of some good music during this period in their career, this just doesn???t happen to be one of them.
TEMPTATIONS
Live! (Gordy 67)
The Temptations??? Live! album captures them at their best, belting out their hits in front of an audience at the Upper Deck Club. First there???s a fast-paced medley consisting of Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue), The Girl???s Alright With Me, I???ll Be In Trouble and I Want A Love I Can See. That???s followed by My Girl, Beauty Is Only Skin Deep, and Ain???t To Proud To Beg. The second side is even better after a slow start with a cover of Old Man River, they take off again with Get Ready, the laid back Fading Away, My Baby with a little breakdown in the middle, the Doo Wop flavored You???ll Lose A Precious Love, all finished off with an extended version of Don???t Look Back with plenty of screaming ladies in the crowd.
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
IMPRESSIONS
Young Mods??? Forgotten Story (Curtom 69)
Yong Mods??? Forgotten Story is one of the Impressions??? best albums. It has the great uplifting Soul of the title cut and Seven Years with its piano bridge, the social commentary of Choice of Colors, the subtle The Girl I Find, Love???s Miracle, Jealous Man, and Soulful Love. They finish off strong with one of their best songs as well, the powerful Mighty Mighty (Spade & Whitey). On this album, the group really could do no wrong.
JIRO INAGAKI & CHUCK RAINEY RHYTHM SECTION
Blockbuster (Eastworld 78)
I???m always interested in Japanese jazz records from the 70s. Some of them like Teruo Nakamura and Ryo Kawasaki made some really nice, funky Fusion records. Those two came to the U.S. to make a name for themselves. On this record, Jiro Inagaki brought Americans to Japan to record. This record combines Jiro Inagaki and his Japanese horn and vocal group with Chuck Rainey and his American rhythm section. Most of the songs are Jazz Fusion but there are some real standouts here. First off is Theme From ???Starsky & Hutch???, a good song already, but this version features a twangy guitar solo, followed by a bass and conga breakdown, topped off by a long drum and conga break. Blockbuster is also a fast-paced Fusion tune with some nice conga and drum work, while Elocution is more of a Soul-Jazz piece with some Fusion elements. Some might also like the slick UFO with another bass and conga breakdown.
HONEY CONE
Sweet Replies (Hot Wax 71)
The three ladies known as Honey Cone released a trio of albums in a very short period of time at the beginning of the 1970s. Sweet Replies was the most successful because it included their biggest hit, Want Ads. It happens to be the opening number, and what a great way to start off a record. Musically, the song is upbeat and damn catchy. Lyrically, the chorus seems assertive of the singers??? womanhood as they proclaim that they will look for a new man, while the versus are about heartbreak and being cheated on. Also worth a listen are the hard hitting Are You man Enough, Are You Strong Enough with some percussion in the background, When Will It End with a driving drum beat, Feeling???s Gone with its Gospel feel, the funky Sunday Morning People, the hard hitting Deaf, Blind, Paralyzed, plus Heart Won???t Let Me with its Motown inspired rhythm. Wants Ads alone would be reason enough to pick up this LP, but the rest is pretty solid as well.
WOJCIECH SKOWRONSKI
Blues & Rock (Muza)
Like a lot of music, O-Dub originally turned me onto this record. Wojciech Skowronski was a Polish keyboardist who recorded for the famous Muza label. Blues & Rock starts off with the title track that has a Jazz base with a little Latin influenced percussion in the background and Skowronski???s skat singing over the top. Half way through the song devolves into a series of percussion heavy breakdowns that add a little funky element. The rest of the record is a little bit of a mixed bag and not half as interesting as that one tune.
IKE & TINA TURNER
Live In Paris (United Artists 71)
Live In Paris was recorded in that city???s Olympia Theater at the beginning of 1971. Although the group plays nothing but covers, it was the performance that counted when it came to Ike & Tina. They always seemed to deliver. After a short intro the group gets down to business with 3 songs featuring the Ikettes. First is a slowed down and funky version of You Got Me Hummin. That???s followed by Everyday People and Shake A Tail Feather that kicks into overdrive half way through. Miss Turner joins the fray with a medley of Gimme Some Loving/Sweet Soul Music with all the energy she and the band can muster. You can just visualize her and the Ikettes doing their dance moves during the blaring horn section at the end. Things take a temporary break with Son Of A Preacher Man. Of course, there???s Proud Mary with Tina???s trademark rough and easy intro. That pattern of toning it down and then ratcheting it back up continues with A Love Like Yours Don???t Come Knocking Everyday, Respect, Honky Tonk Women, I???ve Been Loving You Too Long, and I Want To Take You Higher. Overall, this is an excellent live performance caught on vinyl.
UPSETTERS FEATURING JIMMY WESS
We Remember Otis (ABC 69)
The Upsetters were a group out of Baltimore that dedicated this album to the late great Otis Redding as the title implies. They get right down to business with a medley featuring Sweet Soul Music, Respect, Satisfaction and Shake, which sets the groove perfectly for the record. That???s followed by other Otis??? hits such as I Can???t Turn You Loose, (Sittin On The) Dock Of The Bay, and the lesser-known Don???t Mess With Cupid. Not all of the songs are ones by Redding however. There???s the slow jam Always In The Wrong Place, the instrumental The Memphis Sound that???s a take off of the Mar-Keys, and a cover of the Bar-Kays??? Grab This Thing to finish things off.
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES[/b]
LUTHER INGRAM
I???ve Been Here All The Time (Koko 72)
Luther Ingram is one of my favorite Soul singers. Even though he had a big hit with If Loving You Is Wrong I Don???t Want To Be Right, I???ve always felt that he was a bit over looked. Luther Ingram was originally from Tennessee and when he signed with the Koko label he found his greatest success. His heart wrenching balladic style is heard immediately on Ain???t That Loving You (For More Reasons Than One) with its strong horn work. That???s followed by another slow jam in You Were Made For Me. Even better is the grooving Missing You, Be Good To Me Baby with its powerful rhythm section, and Pity For The Lonely with its catchy piano line that pushes the song along.
LUTHER INGRAM
(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don???t Want To Be Right (Koko 72)
This was the album that put Luther Ingram on the charts. The title track is one of those great love songs that just make you sing along with Ingram???s emotional delivery. After that there???s the laidback I???ll Be Your Shelter (In Time Of Storm) and Help Me Love, plus the more upbeat I Remember that are also worth a listen, but the real gem is that opening hit tune.
INSTANT FUNK
Instant Funk (Salsoul 79)
Instant Funk had an instant hit on their hands with I Got My Mind Made Up (You Can Get It Girl) that was the feature of their self-titled release on Salsoul. The tune has sing-along lyrics, and great percussive backing that???s often featured in breaks that are part of the infectious dance beat. The rest of the songs tend towards Disco tunes like Crying and You Say You Want Me To Stay that have some more breaks, and Don???t You Wanna Party, all of which feature some pounding rhythms. There???s also Dark Vader with its obvious Star Wars inspired title, but sounds more like a Funkadelic tune from their mothership period.
BILL CODAY
I???m Back To Collect/Jury Of Love (Cra Jon)
I???m Back To Collect has a chugging rhythm and rough vocals by Coday to make for a funky mix. Jury Of Love is a nice, slow bluesy number.
INTRUDERS
Cowboys To Girls/Turn The Hands Of Time (Gamble 68)
I recently busted out with a Greatest Hits album of the Intruders and realized that my copy of this 45 was trashed. Luckily I found a minty OG one at a local store. Everyone probably knows the tune Cowboys To Girls as it was a huge hit and can still be heard on oldies stations to this day. The song is a perfect example of the early Gamble and Huff Soul sound with some slick strings and sing-along chorus. Turn The Hands Of Time has a strong Motown influence with its Pop-Soul sound.
SYL JOHNSON
I Only Have Love/Come On Home (Hi 75)
I Only Have Love is from Syl Johnson???s Total Explosion album, while Come On Home is a 45 only release. That first song is a nice upbeat tune with a bluesy kind of tone to it. Come On Home on the other hand, is a slow and gut wrenching ballad. Both have that distinctive Hi sound that Willie Mitchell created in his studio.
JEAN WELLS
Have A Little Mercy/With My Love And What You???ve Got (Calla)
Have A Little Mercy is the star of this 45. It starts off with a solo guitar before Ms. Wells??? pleading vocals join in to make this a real power Soul number. It gets even better when the horns join in and the drummer starts pounding on his snare. That first side is nothing to take away from the flip, which is an upbeat and catchy dance number.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
HONEY CONE
Soulful Tapestry (Hot Wax 72)
Soulful Tapestry is the third album by Honey Cone that I picked up. They get off to a hot start with some upbeat Soul tunes such as Don???t Count Your Chickens (Before They Hatch) and Stick-Ups. Probably for sales reasons, they also included their big hit Want Ads that came out the year before on both 45 and another album, but I can???t hate because I love the tune. After that they tone it down for some pleading love songs like Who???s It Gonna Be and How Does It Feel. If I had to choose between their records, I???d pick their two 1971 albums because they have more heat than Soulful Tapestry.
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
ISLEY BROTHERS
3 + 3 Featuring: That Lady (T-Neck 73)
The Isley Brothers??? 3 + 3 will always be remembered for the opening hit song That Lady with its searing guitar licks and slick group vocals over a fast beat, plus there???s that breakdown in the middle with percussion to top things off. It really is a classic. After that great start however, the record seriously falls off with too many mellow tunes. The two exceptions are You Walk Your Way with its a nice melody, as well as Summer Breeze with more guitar work by Ernie Isley.
INEZ & CHARLIE FOXX
(1-2-3-4-5-6-7) Count The Days/A Stranger I Don???t Know (Wish It Was You) (Dynamo)
Count The Days is a really catchy, mid-tempo Soul tune with Inez???s brother Charlie counting down the numbers during the chorus, while sister Inez gets some call and response by the girl back-ups during the versus. The flip is more of a pop tune with Charlie singing, and it???s not half as interesting.
GLASS HOUSE
Bad Bill Of Goods/Crumbs Off The Table (Invictus 69)
Glass House were four ladies, including Freda Payne???s sister Scherrie, who were signed to Holland-Dozier-Holland???s Invictus label. This 45 actually became the first big hit on the fledgling label. Crumbs Off The Table was the chart buster with a guitar intro, later joined by the horns, that leads into a funky Soul tune. The song is good, but I think Laura Lee did a better job with it later on. Bad Bill Of Goods has a more pensive feel to it.
INTRUDERS
Together/Up And Down The Ladder (Gamble)
Together is an uplifting Soul number pushed along by the horns and the Intruders??? group vocals. Up And Down The Ladder is more upbeat and more of a dance tune with a strong hint of Motown in it, but still a good listen.
SYL JOHNSON
I Want To Take You Home (To See My Mama) (Hi 74)
This 45 comes from Syl Johnson???s Diamond In The Rough LP. The song is upbeat Soul, but a little too light and poppy for my tastes.
TECHNIQUES
My Girl/Love Is Not A Gamble (Treasure Isle)
The Techniques were one of Jamaica???s great vocal groups that got their start during the Rock Steady era and continued on into the Reggae period. On this 45 they were backed up by studio musicians extraordinaire Tommy McCook and the Supersonics. First up is My Girl that features the group???s strong group vocals over a Rock Steady beat led by the high notes of the organ. Love Is Not A Gamble is more of the same with the Techniques??? sweet vocal harmonizing.
O.V. WRIGHT
A Nickel And A Nail/Pledging My Love (Back Beat)
A Nickel And A Nail is a great southern Soul tune with a pleading, soul wrenching mood to it, similar to the Hi sound, all accentuated by O.V. Wright???s singing. Pledging My Love is a slow RnB love song.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
OUTLAW BLUES BAND
Outlaw Blues Band (Blues Way 69)
Tobacco Road starts things off with a nice rhythm tack, some strong guitar work, and a little breakdown where the band gets a little loose and frisky. Next is a Blues tune with the great satirical title of Tried To Be A Good Boy (But I???m Worse Than A Nazi), followed by the fast paced How Bad Love Can Be and I???ve Got To Have Peace On My Mind where they get a little Psychedelic. The rest of the album isn???t that hot, but the first side is very listenable from beginning to end.
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
ISLEY BROTHERS
Between The Sheets (T-Neck 83)
Everyone should know about this LP as the title track was a huge hit, and was later sampled several times for some very popular Hip Hop tunes. Everything is great about it from its catchy beat to the light falsetto singing. Unfortunately, after that great song, there are slim pickings consisting mostly of slow jams. The two exceptions are Ballad For The Fallen Soldier with plenty of Rock tinged guitar that was heard on the group???s 70s releases, and Slow Down Children, a nice, mid-tempo modern Soul number.
My fave part of this is that swelling organ grind that backs up Ms. Wells during the verses. Ann Sexton later had a pretty good version on the 77 label, but Jean Wells' original is the one to get.
45 REVIEWS:[/b]
HONEY & THE BEES
Help Me (Get Over My Used To Be Lover)/We Got To Stay Together (Josie)
Help Me is a light and upbeat Soul tune that reminds me of the Motown sound. We Got To Stay Together is a lush love song.
SYL JOHNSON
Annie Got Hot Pants Power Pt 1 & 2 (Twinight 71)
I love the title of this track. Musically, it???s a funky Soul number with some horns and Johnson???s usual strong singing. The flip is an instrumental version of the song.
SYL JOHNSON
Anyone But You/I???m Yours (Hi 74)
This 45 comes from Syl Johnson???s Back For A Taste Of Your Love album. It saw him embracing the Hi sound, and coming off sounding like Al Green with the Willie Mitchell production. Both songs are upbeat numbers. They???re solid, but nothing to write home about.
SYL JOHNSON
Everybody Needs Love/That???s Why (Twinight 72)
Everybody Needs Love is an excellent Soul tune featuring some nice and subtle orchestration, and Syl Johnson???s usual strong vocalizing about the panacea of love. That???s Why begins with a big build up that liberally takes from 100 Proof Aged In Soul???s Somebody???s Been Sleeping In My Bed that came out 2 years earlier, before going into a decent upbeat dance tune. Everybody is definitely the star of this single.
ELSIE MAE
Do You Really Want To Rescue Me Part 1 & 2 (King 66)
Elsie Mae was one of the lesser-known members of James Brown???s Revue. In 1966 she released this 45 with its strong rhythm track and blaring horns during the lead up to the chorus, only to be countered by some light piano work afterwards. That makes for a great combination, and another fine addition to the many James Brown affiliated acts.
BETTY WRIGHT
Is It You Girl/Crying In My Sleep (Alston 72)
Is It You Girl is a great number by Betty Wright. It???s got a bouncy rhythm with Wright???s usual strong vocal delivery. Think of it as a tougher version of Clean Up Woman. Crying In My Sleep is a big Gospel influenced number about Betty losing her man.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
FELA RANSOME KUTI AND THE AFRICA 70
Shakara (Editions Makossa 74)
This is an American release of Shakara that was originally released in Nigeria in 1972. The first thing that catches your attention about the record is the cover shot. It has three groups of well-endowed, bare-chested women. The first forms the outline of Africa, while the other two make up the number 70, which was the name of Fela???s backing group at the time. Like many of Fela Kuti???s records, this one only has two songs, in this case, Lady and Sakara Oloje. Both are laidback expansive Afrobeat tunes that Kuti was famous for. The latter has a little jazzy edge to it with the keyboard play and horn solos, while the former has some nice group vocals towards the end.
STOVALL SISTERS
Stovall Sisters (Reprise 71)
The Stovall Sisters were a Gospel trio consisting of Lillian, Netta and Joyce Stovall. They got their start as little kids as God???s Little Wonders and later the Valley Wonders. When they grew up they moved to Oakland, CA and began singing secular music for a short while, before returning to the Church as the Stovall Sisters when they released this album. Their musical director also happened to be Philip Bailey, who would later join Earth Wind & Fire. The Sisters get off to a scorching start with Hang On In There that begins with some open drums before taking off into a straight Funk tune with some interplay between the guitar and organ. When the ladies join in, they take it over the top. I Come To Praise Him has a similar funky edge to it, and even features a little percussion breakdown in the middle. After that the sisters fluctuate between Soul tunes like Yes To The Lord, and more traditional Gospel arrangements such as Spirit In The Sky and So Good, along with some fusion of the two styles on The World Is In A Change. Together, these tracks make for a very good LP.
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
ISLEY BROTHERS
Brother, Brother, Brother (T Neck 72)
Brother, Brother, Brother has an odd mix of songs. First up, they tried to go for a soft sound with a lot of ballads, Carole King covers, and acoustic guitars. I can???t say that was a successful mix except on Put A Little Love In Your Heart. It takes a while, but the group finally gets back on track with the funky Work To Do and Lay Away with some congas in the background. On the second side there???s the slow, moody and expansive cover of It???s Too Late that stretches out for over 10 minutes. It???s got plenty of acoustic piano, backed by organ that reminds me of what Isaac Hayes was doing with similar songs at the time.
ISLEY BROTHERS
Brothers: Isley (T Neck 69)
The Isley Brothers found the Funk with It???s Your Thing and were heavily into it by the time they released Brothers: Isley. That sound is heard throughout the album on tunes like I Turned You On that???s locked into the groove and ends with the Isley???s singing ???Sock it to me!??? That???s followed by Vacuum Cleaner where Ron Isley sings about how his love is like a vacuum cleaner of all things. Believe me, the music is a lot better than those lyrics. Was It Good To You? is in a similar vein. While The Blacker The Berrie, My Little Girl, and Holding On have more of an RnB/Soul feel to them, but are just as good.
ISLEY BROTHERS
Get Into Something (T Neck 70)
Get Into Something saw the Isley Brothers firmly entrenched in their new funky Soul sound with tunes like the upbeat title track that builds in intensity as it progresses, topped off by a drum break before everything slows down and finally ends. It really is a great start to a record. Freedom takes the opposite approach, starting off slow and then building up with the horns pushing it along. Even better is Take Inventory that seems low key, but actually carries a little funky punch to it. They take it back up a notch with Keep On Doin. After that great start, the second side is a letdown. There???s Girls Will Be Girls that sounds almost like a joke song that features some of the vocal stylings of earlier RnB acts like the Coasters, and the slow lov e songs I Need You So, I Got Find Me One, and Beautiful. The band tries to get back on track with If He Can You Can, but suffers from effects on the vocals that just destroy the vibe in my book. The last track is Bless Your Heart, which is just a take off of It???s Your Thing and suffers from the imitation. It???s still a worthwhile record for the first side alone.
TOUSSAINT MCCALL
Nothing Takes The Place Of You/Shimmy (Ronn 67)
This is a great two sided 45 by the Louisiana native Toussaint McCall. It includes his greatest hit, Nothing Takes The Place Of You. It???s a classic slow love tune with piano and organ all highlighting McCall???s pleading voice, which hangs onto the end of each line. You listen to that side and think to yourself, well cool, there???s probably just filler on the flip. Turn this puppy over however, and you get Shimmy. This is a great pre-Funk instrumental with plenty of organ and a strong beat on the drums.
DIAMOND JOE
Gossip Gossip/It Doesn???t Matter Anymore (Sansu)
Diamond Joe was one of many fine artists coming out of New Orleans. This 45 was written and arranged by Allen Toussaint and was part of the mighty Sehorn-Toussaint music empire. First up is Gossip Gossip that has a nice slow groove to it with some fine singing by Joe with the horns coming in to accentuate the chorus. It Doesn???t Matter Anymore is much more upbeat and reminds me a bit of Lee Dorsey. Together they make for a fine 45.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
MARGIE JOSEPH
Sweet Surrender (Atlantic 74)
Sweet Surrender was Margie Joseph???s second album for Atlantic after coming over from Volt. She starts off with the sensuous Come Lay Some Lovin On Me. After that nice start she does a succession of slow love tunes like Come With Me where you can hear why so many critics said she was the next Aretha as she has a very similar tone in her voice. Things don???t pick up again until the final cut on the first side however, To Know You Is To Love You, which has a nice laidback Soul feel to it with a little hint of funkiness. Unfortunately it???s those mellow numbers that tend to dominate almost the entire album.
FREDERICK KNIGHT
I???ve Been Lonely So Long (Stax 73)
Frederick Knight was one of the many crooning Soul singers that signed to Stax. The title cut is a perfect example of his style with its light and catchy air led by Knight???s singing and the guitar. Trouble is in a similar vein. On the other hand, Friend and Lean On Me show a down home southern Soul feel to them, while Take Me On Home Witcha and I Let My Change Go By are more upbeat numbers. There???s also Your Love???s All Over Me and Pick Um Up, Put Um Down that get a little funky, especially the former track that has a little James Brown in it. Knight is even able to add his how style to the Motown song Someday We???ll Be Together that ends the album. The funky numbers are an added bonus, but it???s really the Soul of the record that holds its value.
EDWIN STARR
War & Peace (Gordy 70)
Edwin Starr made it big first with the Golden World label out of Detroit, before rival Motown bought out both the record company and his contract. At Motown he was assigned to the Gordy label and continued on making hits. Of course, the big cut of this album was the rousing title track with its shouting chorus of ???War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing!??? After that Starr lays down some really nice upbeat Soul numbers that range from the lushness of Running Back And Forth and At Last (I Found A Love), to tunes with a little more edge to them such as Adios Senorita and All Around The World. There???s also Time, which almost reaches the intensity of War. Starr also gets a little jazzy with his rendition of California Soul.
STANLEY TURRENTINE
Flipped (Canyon)
This is a record that I???ve often passed on many times. Stanley???s picture on the cover in a suite, top hat and cane didn???t really catch my attention. However I heard a cut off the record on a CD mix and had to change my mind and hunt a copy down. When I started listening to the record I began to have regrets because it???s smooth, elevator style Jazz at first. On the second side he shows some hints of Soul-Jazz on songs like I???m The One and I Only Get This Feeling. The one moment where he???s able to put everything together is on Flipped Out, the final track that was written by Monk Higgins, who also happened to co-arrange the entire record. The song has a laidback feel, with a bit of a dark mood to it with Turrentine???s sax playing loud in the mix countered by the work of the piano and strings. Along with Turrentine, Paul Humphrey, King Errison, Fred Robinson, Wilton Felder and Victor Feldman also participated.
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
ISLEY BROTHERS
Givin It Back (T Neck 71)
On Givin It Back the Isleys were again in an experimental mood, trying to find a balance between their RnB and Soul roots and their new Funk and Rock influences. That???s seen immediately by the fact that the three lead brothers are on the front and back holding acoustic guitars. The album consists entirely of Rock covers beginning with Neil Young???s Ohio, which is about the shooting of anti-Vietnam war protests by the National Guard that flows right into Jimi Hendrix???s Machine Gun. Both are played to great effect. James Taylor???s Fire And Rain is even better with a dark and moody beginning and end. During the rest of the tune, it has a much lighter feel to it, which is continued on the following tune, Bob Dylan???s Lay Lady Lay with plenty of acoustic guitar. They start the second side with a blast covering War???s Spill The Wine. The brothers are even able to add a little Funk to Steven Stills??? Nothing To Do But Today. The record has a strong finish with Love The One You???re With.
ISLEY BROTHERS
Go For Your Guns (T Neck 77)
By 1977 the Isley???s were sounding like most Funk acts of the time with plenty of pop bass on almost every song. That didn???t mean they couldn???t still deliver. On Go For Your Guns that occurs on their classic slow jam Footsteps In The Dark, which harkens back to their earlier Soul roots. Of course, the brothers also had that Rock influence in them, which is heard on Climbin Up The Ladder that starts off with a solo by younger sibling Ernie Isley.
ISLEY BROTHERS
Heat Is On (T Neck 75)
The Heat Is on highlights just how far the Isley Brothers had progressed. Originally, they were a family Gospel outfit that eventually forged a tight Rock-Soul-Funk fusion. You can hear that immediately on tunes like Fight The Power (Part 1 & 2) with its driving beat, while The Heat Is On (Part 1 & 2) shows more of a Parliamentfunkadelic influence with the heavy keyboards. Of course, they always had time for those slow jams as well such as For The Love Of You (Part 1 & 2) and Make Me Say It Again Girl.
CANDI STATON
Candi Staton (Fame 72)
Candi Staton???s self-titled album was the last in her trio of releases with Rich Hall???s famous Muscle Shoals Studio in Alabama and the Fame label. She gets off to a fantastic start with Do It In The Name Of Love that sounds like a funked up Staples Sisters??? tune with plenty of horns. I???ll Drop Everything And Come Running is in a similar vein. The upbeat mood and strong horn work continues on Blackmail. There???s also the more moody Darling You???re All That I Had that picks up during the chorus with more brass, the down home sounding Wanted: Lover with some strong female back-ups, and the funky Soul of The Best Thing You Ever Had.
SHIRLEY AND COMPANY
Shame Shame Shame (Vibration 75)
Shirley And Company had a big hit in 1975 with the title cut and single Shame Shame Shame. I first heard the song in a bowling alley of all places. I tracked down the 45, and then found the LP in a local shop. I???d actually seen it before, but was put off by the hand-drawn picture of Shirley and Nixon on the cover. It turns out that the album isn???t half bad. First is her hit that has a great Southern Soul groove to it. Label owner Sylvia Robinson was given writing credits for the tune. There???s also a cheap take off called Cry, Cry, Cry, which is just Shame slowed down with new lyrics, and an instrumental version of that and Shame, with a drum break intro, as well. Then there are four slow tunes, Another Tear Will Fall that has a little Reggae feel to it, I Guess Things Have To Change with its catchy melody, I Gotta Get Next To You where Shirley tries to get sexy, and Keep On Rolling On
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
ISLEY BROTHERS
Isleys Live (T Neck 73)
Isleys Live is a double LP of live recordings from 1969, 1971 and 1972. The brothers get off to a great uplifting start with Work To Do. Also on the upbeat groove are Lay Away and Love The One You???re With. On the Funk tip they play the classic It???s Your Thing and Pop That Thang. There???s also a slowed down version of It???s Too Late that includes a Ray Charles impression and a guitar solo tribute to Jimi Hendrix, who played with the Isley???s early on in his career, by Ernie Isley who was a famed guitarist in his own right. The covers Lay Lady Lay and Ohio are also slow and easy with the latter having another searing guitar solo by brother Ernie.
ISLEY BROTHERS
It???s Our Thing (T Neck 69)
It???s Our Thing introduced the listening public to the Isley Brothers??? new sound. Having left a less than stellar contract with Motown, the brothers returned home to re-start their own T Neck label, named for their hometown in New Jersey, and blasted people with their powerful Funk-Soul sound. With tunes like I Know Who You Been Socking It To, Give The Women What They Want that borrows heavily from James Brown???s Cold Sweat, the Rock tinged Somebody Been Messin, the RnB-Funk of I Must Be Losing My Touch and Don???t Give It Away, the soulful He???s Got Your Love based around a strong guitar line, and of course the infections It???s Your Thing, it seemed like the Isley???s could do no wrong. There???s also the slow groove of Save Me with a splash of Gospel and Feel Like The World to enjoy.
BAR-KAYS
Dance, Dance, Dance/Memphis At Sunrise (Instrumental) (Volt 72)
This 45 comes from the Bar-Kays??? Do You See What I See? album. Dance, Dance, Dance is a blaring Funk tune that has a heavy Sly Stone influence to it with its singing and overall groove. It???s good nonetheless. Memphis At Sunrise starts off very moody before a jazzy bridge leads into some tempered Funk led by the guitar. Together this makes for a fine double-sided 45 release.
GLORIA BOUSCHELL
Don???t Make Me Get Another Man/Hold On (Mercury)
This is a fine two-sided Soul release by Gloria Bouschell with production by Gene Chandler. First up is the funky Don???t Make Me Get Another Man. With a title like that how could Ms. Bouschell go wrong? Hold On is a Curtis Mayfield tune, given a power Soul treatment by Gloria Bouschell. It reminds me a bit of Etta James.
CHARLY & THE BOURBON FAMILY
Acapulco Gold/Boogachi (Poplandia)
This 45 comes out of Portugal. I can???t remember where I heard about it, but the reason why I wanted to find a copy was Boogachi, which is a cover of the Meters??? Look Ka Py Py with vocals. Unfortunately it???s those same vocals that tend to wreck a perfectly good cover of the tune. Acapulco Gold is a slower number with a little Blues-Rock feel to it.
BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS/UPSETTERS
Small Axe/Down The Road (Upsetter)
When I think of some truly soulful Bob Marley numbers this is one of the first to come to mind. There???s the simple rhythm with some muted horns in the background before Marley???s singing comes in with some beautiful back-ups by the Wailers. The flip is some early dub by The Upsetters. Lee Perry produced both sides as well.
SHIRLEY (AND COMPANY)
Shame, Shame, Shame (VIBRATION 74)
Shame, Shame, Shame was a big hit for Shirley And Company. She recorded it for Sylvia Robinson???s Vibration label. She also got credit for writing the song as well. It???s got a great upbeat groove with a little Southern feel to it due to Shirley???s New Orleans roots, that???s great for the dance floor as well as to just sing along too. It???s easy to understand how it was such a hit at the time. The flipside is an instrumental version that is just as good.
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
ISLEY BROTHERS
Live It Up (T Neck 74)
Live It Up is actually a bit underwhelming. It starts with the title track that has an opening drum break, but that and the following tunes such as Brown Eyed Girl, don???t catch my attention. I???m not saying that they???re bad, but compared to the Isley???s other work, they just don???t compare. In fact, the only song on the first side worth a listen is Need A Little Taste Of Love that has a light and upbeat mood to it. The second side follows the same pattern until Ain???t I Been Good To You (Part I and II) that has a moody start before letting loose with some Funk power only to return to that pensive beginning.
JACKSON 5
ABC (Motown 70)
ABC was the Jackson 5???s second album and a huge, huge success for the brothers. It???s easy to see why as its chock full of Pop Soul hits such as The Love You Save, ABC, as well as some covers like (Come Round Here) I???m The One You Need. There are also some lesser-known numbers such as the slow jams One More Chance, 2-4-6-8, and Don???t Know Why I Love You. All of that comes on the first side however. The second side isn???t consistent, the only standout being a cover of Funkadelic???s I???ll Bet You.
BRIGHTER SIDE OF DARKNESS
Love Jones (20th Century 73)
My Girlfriend was listening to Love Jones at her work one day and I realized that I didn???t own the song on vinyl. Not only that, but I???d heard the song plenty of times before, but never took the time to even find out who the artist was. That was quickly rectified. Brighter Side Of Darkness was a four-piece Soul vocal outfit from Chicago. The group???s lead singer, Darryl Lamont was only 12 when they recorded this album, with other members still in High School. The title track is by far their biggest hit with plenty of spoken word parts, but I actually don???t think it???s the best song. The standouts are the sweet Soul of I???m A Loser, Something To Remember You By, and I???m The Guy. Love Jones and Just A Little Bit also make a repeat appearance on the second side in instrumental form, and there???s also the funky Soul number Just A Little Bit.
DELLS
Love Is Blue (Cadet 69)
By 1969 the Dells had perfected their craft and established themselves as one of the premier vocal Soul outfits out of Chicago. Their vibrant sound is heard immediately on the powerful Love Is Blue with its innocent, MOR beginning that takes off with some pleading vocals and a powerful arrangement. One of their slow jam classics Oh What A Night, a remake of their own hit from 1956, with plenty of Doo Wop back-ups, and a nice version of Dock Of The Bay with some frantic drum work follow that. There???s also the heart wrenching A Little Understanding and the more swinging One Mint Julep. Cadet mainstay Charles Stepney was responsible for all the excellent arranging and re-arranging of classics here. The second side contains more covers, but none of them stand out like those on the 1st, although Wichita Lineman/By The Time I Get To Phoenix isn???t half bad.
FREEDOM SOUNDS FEATURING WAYNE HENDERSON
People Get Ready (Atlantic 67)
People Get Ready was an early Soul-Jazz album featuring Wayne Henderson of the Jazz Crusaders. Half of the record is covers. Some are played straightforward such as the Otis Redding tunes Respect and Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song), while others have some re-arranging like the best of the lot, People Get Ready. The rest are originals such as the fast-paced and expansive Soul-Jazz number Cucamonga with plenty of horn work and some Latin percussion. There???s also the lighter Things Go Better, Brother John Henry, and Orbital Velocity with more Latin influences.
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
JACKSON 5
Dancing Machine (Motown 74)
Dancing Machine is best known for the title track. It also happens to be the most consistent tune on the album as well with its patented dance groove. There???s also I Am Love that has a slow start, but builds up in intensity before finally taking off half way through. The upbeat The Life Of The Party with some percussion in the background isn???t half bad either.
JACKSON 5
Diana Ross Presents (Motown 69)
This was the Jackson 5???s debut album. It???s probably their rawest release, and one of my favorites. They start off with the Zip A Dee Doo Dah with some Gospel influences in the group vocals, but also some funky moments. That sets a pattern for subsequent songs like Nobody with Pop arrangements, but some rough edges tempered by the soulful singing of Michael and his brothers on back-ups. The biggest hit of course was I Want You Back.
JACKSON 5
Get It Together (Motown 73)
Get It Together is a bit of a letdown. The song compositions, although written by the likes of Norman Whitfield and Holland-Dozier-Holland, simply don???t have the catchiness of their other releases. You have tunes like the title cut with its heavy rhythm aimed at the dance floor, but lacking the hooks of their pervious work. There???s also the harder edged Mama I Gotta Brand New Thing (Don???t Say No) that starts off with acoustic guitar and contains some Temptations??? like group vocals, and You Need Love Like I Do (Don???t You?) that are worth a listen. The one standout cut is Dancing Machine, which of course was a big hit and finishes off an otherwise underwhelming album for the Jackson???s.
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
JACKSON 5
Diana Ross Presents (Motown 69)
This was the Jackson 5???s debut album. It???s probably their rawest release, and one of my favorites. They start off with the Zip A Dee Doo Dah with some Gospel influences in the group vocals, but also some funky moments. That sets a pattern for subsequent songs like Nobody with Pop arrangements, but some rough edges tempered by the soulful singing of Michael and his brothers on back-ups. The biggest hit of course was I Want You Back. The second side continues in a similar fashion with the RnB ballad Who???s Loving You and the harder hitting Chained, plus a cover of (I Know) I???m Losing You. There???s also a cover of Sly Stone???s Stand, but the brothers aren???t able to really pull off the vocals.
DELLS
Musical Menu (Cadet 69)
The Dells start off with some of their patented sweet Soul with Always Together, followed by the dance number Hallways Of My Mind that???s got some conga work going on in the background on Musical Menu. The rest of the album is a little uneven however. At times they miss the mark such as on Believe Me that has a pounding beat, but MOR vocals. The group doesn???t really hit its stride until I Want My Momma with its funky beginning featuring some pounding drums and wah wah guitar that contrast with the soulful singing. There???s also the swinging Hallelujah Baby and the power Soul of Make Sure (You Have Someone Who Loves You), and more sweetness with I Can???t Do Enough.
WOLFMOON
Wolfmoon (Fungus 73)
Swamp Dogg worked with a lot of artists, but Wolfmoon might have been one of his best. The first thing that catches your attention about the record is the cover with Wolfmoon done up like a wizard holding the world in his hands. Musically the record is solid from beginning to end with some nice southern sounding Soul. There???s the upbeat Cloak Of My Many Colors, the slowed down If He Walked Today with a deep bass line, and the down home feel of My Kinda People, If I Had A Hammer, and God Bless. There???s also a great cover of People Get Ready with an original intro with plenty more bass, that returns at the end where the band really stretches it out. Overall, this is a very solid LP to look out for.
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
JACKSON 5
Goin Back To Indiana (Motown 71)
Goin Back To Indiana was the soundtrack to a TV special featuring the Jackson 5 along with comedians such as Bill Cosby and sports stars like Rosey Grier, Elvin Hayes, and Bill Russell. The record starts off with a little introduction by Bill Cosby with a laugh track. That leads directly into one of the Jackson???s early hits I Want You Back with its perfect mix of Pop and Soul. There???s another Cosby skit before the slow jam Maybe Tomorrow. The second side is even better as it???s a live recording from Indiana. The sound is a bit noisy, but the brothers deliver some energetic and powerful performances beginning with Sly Stone???s Stand and I Want To Take You Higher, followed by the slower Feelin Alright and the instrumental Walk On, that flows into The Love You Save.
JACKSON 5
Lookin Through The Window (Motown 72)
Although Lookin Through The Window didn???t include any huge hits for the Jackson???s it???s a very solid record. Its divided into three types of songs, first there???s the slowed down version of Ain???t Nothing Like The Real Thing, followed by the title cut that has a similar vibe. Then there are the Soul-Pop numbers like Don???t Let Your Baby Catch You and E-Ne-Me-Ne-Mi-Ne-Moe (The Choise Is Yours To Pull). Finally there???s the slow love tunes such as If I Have To Move A Mountain.
DELLS
Hallelujah Baby/I Can Sing A Rainbow/Love Is Blue (Cadet)
This is a strong 2-sided 45 by the Dells. First is Hallelujah Baby that appeared on their Musical Menu album. It???s a nice, uplifting Soul tune. The real highlight however is I Can Sing A Rainbow/Love Is Blue from their Love Is Blue album with its mellow beginning before some accents and the singing just takes off to another level. It???s a great, great song.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
SPIRIT
Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus (Epic 70)
Spirit was a Rock group out of Los Angeles. This looks to be one of their more far out records with all of the psychedelic imagery on the gatefold cover. Musically however, the record is pretty straightforward 60s Rock. The one exception is Mr. Skin with its high-pitched vocal intro and chunky rhythm track that instantly catches your attention. Other than that, there???s the slow jam When I Touch You, but it???s all really about Mr. Skin.
VARIOUS
Motortown Revue Live (Motown 69)
This was one of those records that I???d seen plenty of times, but never thought about. That was until a suggestion on Soulstrut led me to finally pick it up. It???s a live show of the Motown Revue from 1969 featuring the Originals, Blinky, Bobby Taylor, the Temptations, Gladys Knight & The Pips, and Stevie Wonder. The Originals are up first with a pretty good version of Sing A Simple Song. Blinky and Bobby Taylor follow, belting out versions of I Can???t Turn You Loose and Who???s Making Love respectively, finished off by The Temptations giving a flawless performance of Cloud Nine. The second side is just as good with Gladys Night & The Pips??? version of I Wish It Would Rain and I Heard It Through The Grapevine. Finally, Stevie Wonder finishes things off with For Once In My Life, Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day and Uptight.
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
FRED & THE NEW JB???S
Breakin Bread (People 74)
The JB???s were about as solid a group as you could find in the early 1970s. Breakin Bread has their classic sound interspersed with short intros by Fred Wesley talking about the tracks. You???ve got great jams like the title cut and Little Boy Black with their talk overs and group vocals, I Wanna Get Down, the more upbeat Rice N Ribs on the first side, followed by Rockin Funky Watergate, and Funky Music Is My Style. Makin Love on the other hand has a slicker more dance-oriented sound than the other selections. Finally, there???s Step Child which is fast paced Jazz piece with plenty of horn solos, which after all, was Fred Wesley???s first and true love even after all those years playing the Funk with the Godfather Mr. James Brown.
J.B.???S
Damn Right I Am Somebody (People 74)
Damn Right saw the J.B.???s at the height of their career. It starts off with James Brown talking about ???Are you somebody???? before the horns and bass lead into the guitar heavy rhythm and the great solos by the J.B.s on the title track. That???s followed by Blow Your Head with its signature keys playing and funky drum beat. Some skat singing begins the fast paced I???m Paying Taxes, What Am I Buyin that all breaks down at the end for that same singing at the beginning. They slow it down next with Same Beat, Part 1 that has a speech by Rev. Jesse Jackson in the middle about being somebody. If You Don???t Get It The First Time, Back Up & Try It Again, Parrty has a similar groove to it. Unfortunately the album ends on the wrong foot with the MOR Make Me What You Want Me To Be, Going To Get A Thrill that features Hank Ballard being drowned out by a bad mix with the keys up to high, and an instrumental version of Marvin Gaye???s You Sure Love To Ball that misses the mark. Still, that little let down at the end cannot mess with the heavy duty Funk created with the preceding tracks.
J.B.???S
Doing It To Death (People 73)
Doing It To Death starts off with one of the greatest intros talking about the J.B.???s as the ???eighth wonder of the world!??? After that start the band goes into one of their best jams of all time, Doing It To Death ??? Part 1 & 2 with James Brown pushing the song along and calling out players to do their solos. Next is the more laidback More Peas, a follow up to their big hit Pass The Pea with a nice bass and finger snap break down at the end that was a famous sample way back when. The second side is just as good with La Di Da La Di Day, the jazzier Sucker, and finally, You Can Have Watergate Just Gimme Some Bucks And I???ll Be Straight. All of these tracks are pure fire.
This is exxactly the type of sound that I'm feeling right now. The Dells were also an under appreciated group for me. I think I had 2 of their records previously, but hadn't really listened to them for years. Now I'm tracking down a bunch of their releases.
T.S.U. Toronados
Play The Music Toronados/Flight Too Many (Volt 70)
This is a fine double-sided 45. First up is Play The Music Toronados, a melodious and soulful instrumental led by the guitar that has a woman???s voice talk through the title a couple times during the number. Next is Flight Too Many, which is a powerful Funk tune with male singing.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
PATTERSON SINGERS
Patterson Singers (ATCO 72)
The Patterson Singers started out as a five-piece Gospel outfit. On their self-titled album they went for a secular sound. The group used their background however in their deep, soulful singing and emotion they put into each tune. The songs are split between the slow and uplifting My World Tumbles Down, Love Is Color Blind, Throw A Farewell Kiss, where the lead female vocalist does a good Aretha impression, A Letter Full Of Tears, Working Together, and That???s Understanding, to the more upbeat How Can You Say That Ain???t Love, It Was Almost Something, I Wanna Be Free, and Your Love Is Something Else Again. Together this mix made for a really good Soul release.
SLAVE
Just A Touch Of Love (Cotillion 79)
The title track to Just A Touch Of Love is a fine, catchy slab of Modern Soul with some group female vocals that have a decidedly Parliamentfunkadelic sound to them, a grooving beat, and a bass and drum breakdown towards the end. After that there are some tunes like Are You Ready For Love? and Funky Lady (Foxy Lady) that are decent, but the record is really all about that opening cut.
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
J.B.???S
Food For Thought (People 72)
Food For Thought was the J.B.???s first official record, and it might be their very best. It starts off with one of their greatest songs, Pass The Peas, with its infectious horn line. That???s followed by an unstoppable parade of funky instrumentals in a similar fashion such as Gimme Some More, the fast-paced To My Brother, Hot Pants Road, These Are The JB???s, the blaring The Grunt, Escap-Ism Part 1 & 2 with James Brown urging the band along and then busting out with an organ solo in the middle, the soulful Wine Spot, and the slow and moody Theme From King Heroin. As usual, there???s also a jazzy tune in the form of Blessed Blackness that starts off the second side.
J.B.???S
Funky Good Times: The Anthology Volume Two (Polydor 1995)
I originally bought this compilation when it initially came out in the mid-1990s. It was my first real introduction to the J.B.???s. I???d known about tunes like Pass The Peas and Doing It To Death, but it was through this comp. that I found out about their entire repertoire, that later led me to find the originals. This, the second of the two double albums not only contains the J.B.???s in their most well known manifestions, i.e. The J.B.???s, Fred Wesley & The J.B.???s, and Maceo And The Macks, but also tunes that they did under names of The First Family and the Last Word, plus the theme song to James Brown???s TV show Future Shock. First up is the moving and grooving Gimme Some More from a previously unreleased live recording at the Apollo Theater in 1974. That???s followed by all 3 parts of the slow and easy Same Beat from the 45 that includes snippets from Rev. Jesse Jackson???s famous speech about ???Being Somebody??? in the middle. The Funk just continues on with If You Don???t Get It The First Time, Back Up And Try It Again, Party, Damn Right I Am Somebody, I???m Payin Taxes, What Am I Buyin, Soul Power ???74, , Breakin Bread, Rockin Funky Watergate, Cross The Tracks (We Better Go Back), All Aboard The Soul Funky Train, (It???s Not The Express) It???s The J.B.???s Monaurail, Future Shock (Dance Your Pants Off) TV show theme, and Everybody Wanna Get Funky One More Time. There???s also Keep On Bumpin Before You Give Out Of Gas from a Last Word 45, and Control (People Go Where We Send You Part 1) that was recorded as The First Family for another single. Together they make for a fine compilation of the J.B.???s outstanding work with James Brown.
KRIS PETERSON/SOUL RHYTHM BAND
Mama???s Little Baby (Is A Big Girl Now)/Instrumental (Capitol)
Mama???s Little Baby is a grooving Funk number with some powerful female vocals and congas just hovering in the background. It???s got one of those rhythms sure to make a dance floor move. The B-side is an instrumental version of the song with the keys taking the place of the singing. You can really hear the percussion on that side as well.
ROSE WILLIAMS , GEORGE CLINTON, AND THE FUNKADELICS
Whatever Make My Baby Feel Good/Instrumental (Funkadelic)
This is one of the lesser-known Funkadelic projects. It features the singing of Rose Williams backed by George Clinton and the boys. It???s a nice little Soul number that sounds a bit like what the Parliaments were doing at the same time except with short outbursts of distorted guitar to let people know about Funkadelics??? presence.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
CLEA BRADFORD
Her Point Of View (Cadet 68)
I went looking for a 45 by Clea Bradford and found her record instead one day on a short road trip. Ms. Bradford was from St. Louis and recorded her album for Cadet with the assistance of Richard Evans. The 45 I was looking for contained the funky little Soul number My Love???s A Monster. That???s the opening cut on the album. It???s a fine piece, but the album reveals that Ms. Bradford was a Jazz singer first and foremost. The rest of her album is Jazz standards such as Summertime and other MOR pieces. I???d cop the 45 instead.
DELLS
Mighty Mighty Dells (Cadet 74)
If you only heard the opening of Mighty Mighty Dells you might mistake it for a Barry White album. The first cut, Bring Back The Love Of Yesterday, has a deep baritone signing over a sensual, string laden arrangement. That derivative beginning isn???t a good sign for this album. By 1974 the Dells were beginning to lose some of their edge. Perhaps that was due to the absence of arranger extraordinaire Charles Stepney who helped shape much of their sound in the late-1960s/early-1970s. Instead of their steady diet of sweet Soul mixed in with some power numbers you get a hodge-podge of styles that mostly miss their mark such as the listless Funk-Soul number Learning To Love You Was Easy and sappy covers like The Way We Were. Still, the group does have its moments, like the slow and catchy Bonified Fool, the moody Be For Real With Me, and the sweetness of Nothing Can Stop Me.
RONNIE MCNEIR
Ronnie McNeir (RCA 72)
Ronnie McNeir was a southern Soul singer with a refined sound. That???s heard immediately on cuts like Extra, Extra, Gone Away, and the power ballad You Better Make Sure. He also has a series of talking pieces where he???s spitting game to his woman over some lush arrangements. Overall though, his compositions aren???t catchy enough to keep my attention.
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
J.B.???S
Hustle With Speed (People 75)
The J.B.???s were still chugging along in 1975 producing their tried and true Funk instrumentals. That???s heard throughout the album on tracks like the grooving (It???s Not The Express) It???s The J.B.???s Monaurail with James and the boys singing the chorus at the end, Here We Come, Here We Go, Here We Are that that has a jazzier arrangement with some congas, Rock guitar and keyboard play over the top, the bouncy All Aboard The Soul Funky Train, and the moody Transmograpfication. The second side is just as good with an adaptation of Sly Stone???s Thank You For Letting Me Be Myself And You Be Yours with James Brown doing the singing, followed by the slick Funk of Taurus, Aires & Leo, a tune about the Zodiac that seemed to be an obligatory topic for so many records in the 1970s, finished off with Things & Do.
J.B???S INTERNATIONALS
Jam II Disco Fever (Polydor 78)
The title to this album foreshadows the musical direction James and the J.B.???s were going. Likewise, all seven songs include the word Disco. Not only that, but by 1978 Fred Wesley, Maceo Parker, and much of the horn section had left to join George Clinton and the Parliamentfunkadelic monster as the Horny Horns. Thus, most of the tunes are heavy on the rhythm and keyboards with very little horn work that was the mainstay of the original J.B.???s work. About the only track that???s enjoyable for me is Soul Of The Disco with male-female vocals talking about going down to the Disco of all things, yet it still has a rhythm track that???s halfway decent.
JACKSON 5
Maybe Tomorrow (Motown 71)
Maybe Tomorrow might be the Jackson???s best release. It has a variety of styles including the moody title cut, the ballad She???s Good, the slow and easy Never Can Say Goodbye. Of course, there???s also plenty of their trademark upbeat and Pop oriented Soul such as The Wall, Honey Chile, I Will Find A Way, My Little Baby with a little fuzz guitar and some great harmonizing, topped off by It???s Great To Be here. Not only that, but their song writing team, The Corporation, also let the brothers stretch it out a little bit with the Psyche oriented (We???ve Got) Blue Skies. This is definitely their strongest album from beginning to end.
GENE CHANDLER
I Won???t Need You/No Peace No Satisfaction (Checker)
I Won???t Need You is an uplifting Soul number with some female back-ups supporting Chandler???s smooth delivery. No Peace, No Satisfaction has a little harder edge to it within the Soul genre with more female singers and a little percussion to the rhythm track. Together they make for a fine 45 by Gene Chandler.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
REV. JULIUS CHEEKS
Legend Lives On (Savoy 81)
I found out about this record from a web article about Soulful Gospel releases. Rev. Cheeks released several records during his musical career, but this was his last before he passed away. The record was recorded live in Miami with various Church groups including the Northern-Aires, the Walker Ensemble, The Shinning Light Choir, and the Homestead Air Force Base Choir. They start off with a real church stomper on At The Gat I Know with Cheeks delivering some of the raspiest vocals put to wax. There???s also the heart wrenching The Lord???s Side that picks up with the chorus joining in half way through that features Larry Walker on vocals, and the hand clapping Fix me Lord with Jerri James Ross as the lead. The real treat however is (If Serving God Is Wrong) I Don???t Want To Be Right (If Loving You Is Wrong, I Don???t??? Want To Be Right), sung by George McAllister, that is an obvious take off of the Luther Ingram hit. The song captures the emotional impact of the original taken to new heights with the addition of a chorus. The record finishes with I???ve Got It Right Now where they try to bring the house down with another fast paced number.
JUNIOR WELLS
You???re Tuff Enough (Blue Rock)
Junior Wells was a bluesman who wanted to get down and funky with You???re Tuff Enough. He recorded a slew of upbeat Soul-Funk numbers featuring some Blues guitar, loud horns, and a harmonica coming in and out with the likes of You???re Tuff Enough, It???s All Soul, That???ll Hold Me, Sweet Darling Think It Over, Up In Heah, You Ought To Quit That, and the instrumental Junior???s Groove. Gonna Cramp Your Style and Messing With The Kid are more of a Blues-Soul fusion, and of course there???s some straight electric Blues like Where Did I Go Wrong?
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
JACKSON 5
Third Album (Motown 70)
The Jackson???s Third Album was one of their best. The stage is set immediately with the big slow jam hit I???ll Be There. A cover of the Delfonics??? Ready Or Not (Here I Come) that does justice to the original is next. Can I See You In The Morning has a little spacey feel to it with some strings in the intro, while How Funky Is Your Chicken and Mama???s Pearl are some of their patented Pop oriented Soul with some strong group vocals. Finally there???s Reach In, which is a moodier piece, and Smokey Robinson???s The Love I Saw In You Was Just A Mirage.
J.J. JACKSON
Dilemma (Perception 70)
From the liner notes on the back of the album, it appears that J. J. Jackson was facing a dilemma in his career when this came out. Jackson had started off as a Jazz arranger before moving to England for a solo career in Soul. He started off with a bang with It???s Alright, but then never had much success after that. Not only that, but the music scene was changing as well with Rock, Psyche and Funk taking center stage. It was at this moment, at the crossroads of his career, that he released Dilemma. The music shows that he was attempting to keep up with the times with tunes like Indian Thing that has a heavy Rock influence to it with some percussion in the background, a slow and moody rhythm, and the guitar out in the lead. While he misses the mark with the 5th Dimensionesque MOR track Does Anybody Really Know What Time it Is?, he does better with Let The Sunshine In, that is so dramatically re-arranged that you can???t even tell what song it is until you see the title. Jackson turns it into a power Soul tune with his singing hitting just the right tone. It???s not until half way through the track after journeying through a Jazz bridge and some percussion breakdowns, that the familiar chorus and melody of the original finally makes an appearance. Help Me Get To My Grits has a down home electric Blues feel to it touched with a little Soul horn arrangement, capped off with Jackson???s rough sounding vocals. Go Find Yourself A Woman is in a similar vein. Who Knows is a subdued Funk instrumental with horns and percussion, while No Sad Songs finishes things off with its soulful delivery.
BUZZIE
Stone Soul Booster (Gordy 70)
Thanks to a recent thread on Soulstrut I found out about Buzzie. I doubt that I would have otherwise, as he was one of the lesser-known acts signed to Motown. This was their one and only release for Gordy. I???m not sure why they didn???t have more because Stone Soul Booster is a fine slice of funky Soul with strong group vocals, some blaring horns, and a strong beat.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
THELMA HOUSTON
Thelma Houston (Mowest 72)
Thelma Houston was a California based Soul singer who signed to Motown???s Mowest division. She started off singing in the church and that???s heard throughout the record with a fine mix of the religious and secular. The church influenced songs predominate in the beginning with big choruses, a gospel delivery and religious lyrics such as What If that takes off with Houston???s singing and horns during the chorus. There???s also Me And Bobby McGee that starts off with acoustic guitar before going into a Gospel arrangement. There Is A God is a Gospel-Soul number with another strong backing, and Ms. Houston really takes off with Do Something About It with some fuzz guitar, percussion pushing the rhythm along, and a big female chorus behind her. Black California, Blackberries, which is a graphic description of slavery, and I Thought You Loved finish off the album showing that Thelma could also sing secular Soul tunes as well. Together they make a fine combination on this record.
INTRUDERS
Save The Children (Gamble 73)
By 1973 the Intruders??? were losing some of their gusto. Save The Children starts off with three decent slow jams like the title cut and Mother And Child Reunion, but none of them stand out that much. The group doesn???t really connect until the last tune on the fist side, To Be Happy Is The Real Thing that has a nice catchy melody to it. Of course, it appears that they are able to save face with the next side that opens with their big hit I???ll Always Love My Mama. Unfortunately, the Intruders go out like they came in. Bit of a disappointment, because they were really on point earlier in their career.
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
J.J. JACKSON
Greatest Little Soul Band In The Land (Congress 67)
Greatest Little Soul Band In The Land was released the year after J.J. Jackson???s big hit It???s Alright. On this record it appears that Jackson was experimenting with a variety of styles. That???s heard on the opening Tobacco Road that has a fuzzed out beginning, and then a Blues influenced Big Band arrangement. Then there???s the slow and brooding Tenement Halls that has a jazzy, horn filled bridge in the middle after a drum break. That contrasts with the upbeat Soul instrumental Something For My People, and the heartfelt In The Same Old Way. The second side is just as good with the power Soul of Fat, Black, and Together, which was poking fun at Jackson???s large mass, and another instrumental in the form of Win, Lose, Or Draw with plenty of brass.
MARGIE JOSEPH
Phase II (Volt)
On Phase II Margie Joseph went for a slow and easy sound. That???s heard on tracks like That Other Woman Got My Man & Gone and My World Is Empty Without You that also have little Gospel flourishes to them as well. The best example however is Didn???t Have To Tell Me with some slick strings and horns backing up Ms. Joseph???s fine singing. Together they give the tune a little Funk. The record ends on an upbeat note with Takin All The Love I Can that borrows from the Motown dance sound.
WHISPERS
Bingo (Janus 74)
The Whispers were an outstanding California vocal Soul outfit. On Bingo they delivered a couple heaters, namely the rich Soul of A Mother For My Children that has a little orchestration in the background. There???s also some sweet Soul as well on Someone???s Waiting and What More Can A Girl Ask For. The title track isn???t half bad either, being an upbeat number with an eye towards the dance floor.
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
MELVIN JACKSON
Funky Skull (Limelight)
I found this record in a dollar bin one summer in the suburbs of Chicago. It???s by far one of my best dollar finds. Melvin Jackson was from Chicago and the bassist for Eddie Harris??? band. Here he takes a page out of Harris??? book by hooking up his acoustic, stand-up bass to an amp and some effects. Jackson???s mix of the funky and experimental can be heard immediately on the title track with its James Brown-like rhythm track and Jackson???s solo over it sounding like a moog. Ma, She???s Makin Eyes At Me is less than one minute long but is oh so good. First it starts off with a deep sounding drum break, which is joined by Jackson???s bass for a nice slow groover. Bold And Black picks up the pace again for another funky track. It???s not until the end of the first side with Dance Of The Dervish and Everybody Loves My Baby that Jackson plays some Jazz and it???s on the Free and Spiritual tip. He gets right back to the flow of things though on the second side with Cold Duck Time ??? Parts 1 & 2 that has a nice swinging Soul beat to it. Funky Doo is more of a Soul-Jazz track that begins with a regular sounding bass that???s followed by a cowbell and then Jackson overdubbed his bass with effects over it. It???s also the only track that has some singing on it. Finally, Silver Cycles has a spacey sound to the bass and a mellow vibe, but is still a good listen. Overall this is an excellent LP.
MICHAEL JACKSON
Ben (Motown 72)
This record went with the movie Ben about a crazed kid who loved rats and used them to get revenge against the world that didn???t understand him. Despite that movie plot, Michael Jackson scored a huge hit with the ballad title track about Ben finding a friend, not mentioning that it was a rat. The real treat on the record however, is a cover of People Make The World Go Round with some nice back-up singers. Also worth a listen is the stripped down Pop tune We???ve Got A Good Thing Going and the more upbeat love song Everybody???s Somebody???s Fool.
MARVELETTES
In Full Bloom (Tamla 69)
In Full Bloom was released right towards the end of the Marvelettes??? career. They had some big and early hits for Motown, but then faded from the charts although they kept on recording for the Detroit label. Their fall from grace is apparent throughout most of the first side of the record. While none of the tunes is bad, few of them stand out, showing that Motown was probably forwarding their best tunes to other acts at the time and letting the ladies flounder. Still, they do come through on a few tracks such as the lush That???s How Heartaches Are Made, At Last I See Love As It Really Is with its Motown beat, The moody Rainy Morning, the light Pop of Love Silent, Love Deep, and the best cut, Everybody Knows (But You) with a little funky edge to it.
ROBERTO ROENA Y SU APOLLO SOUND
Roberto Roena Y Su Apollo Sound (Fania)
Roberto Roena released at least ten records all with the same title which makes telling one from another pretty hard sometimes. Most of this record is upbeat Salsa that he was known for. The reason I picked it up however was a hot version of Sing A Simple Song with some Latin percussion pushing it along. It gives this well-known standard a little original flair. There are a couple other covers as well such as Dock Of The Bay (with a Spanish title El Pato De la Bahia) and Spinning Wheel that are good, but really this record is all about the Sly Stone cover.
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
JOE BATAAN
Sweet Soul (Fania)
Joe Bataan wasn???t joking when he named this record Sweet Soul. Most of the songs are slow Doo-Wop influenced Soul numbers like This Boy with some lush strings and female back-ups. There???s more like that with Please Mr. Sun, You???re Driving Me Right Out Of My Mind, and That???s The Way God Planned It, but Bataan really hits his stride with the beautiful Cry. Then he changes it up with the swinging I???m Satisfied with some fuzz guitar, and Johnny???s No Good with its Latin percussion and a Temptation???s style male chorus.
CABLES
Baby Why/Be A Man (Studio 1)
Baby Why is a sweet, sweet Rock Steady number showing the heavy influence American Soul acts had on Jamaica. The number features a chugging rhythm and fine singing by the lead with falsetto back-ups. The flipside isn???t as well known, and lacks the catchiness of the plug side, but is still a decent number.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
BETTY EVERETT
There???ll Come A Time (Uni 69)
There???ll Come A Time is a fine Soul release by Betty Everett. For most of the record it seems like she can???t miss with tunes like the laidback You???re Falling In Love, the upbeat I Need A Change, the slow and orchestrated Maybe, and the light Pop of1900 Yesterday and Sugar. Even better are the fast paced Better Than Tomorrow and Take Me that has a little Funk edge to it due to the powerful drumming, the Gospel influenced Hold On written by Curtis Mayfield, and Is there A Chance For Me that has a brooding feeling behind its proto-Funk sound. Many of these tunes also feature string work and some sophisticated arranging as well.
PIONEERS
Pusher Man (Pioneer)
Early on the Pioneers were known for their sweet vocal harmonies and Pop-Reggae sound, especially after they moved to the U.K. from Jamaica. By the time Pusher Man came out, and it???s to be noted that there are two separate albums by the group under this title, they were playing more straight ahead Roots music. Still, their vocals are able to carry through and even sometimes the music meets their talent. That???s heard on tracks like But Them Shut and Ghetto with a simple rhythm and strong group vocals. Pusher Man is a catchy number, while Move With The Time is the most straight-forward Reggae number.
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
MICHAEL JACKSON
Got To Be There (Motown 71)
Got To Be There was one of the better early solo releases by Michael Jackson. That???s helped by the fact that he gets right down to business by opening with a cover of Ain???t No Sunshine. The song has the trademark open drum break, but then Michael adds a long voice over to give it his own little flare. That???s followed by one of those classic Pop-Soul numbers that the Jackson???s were famous for in I Wanna Be Where You Are. There are also the ballad Got To Be There and the pop number Love Is Here And Now You???re Gone that were big hits, plus the slow and moody Maria (You Were The Only One).
DELFONICS
Alive & Kicking (Philly Groove 74)
By 1974 the Delfonics weren???t kicking out the hits like they were earlier in their career, mostly due to the absence of Thom Bell who played such a large role in shaping their sound. However, Alive & Kicking showed that they were still fully capable of delivering that lush Philly Soul groove. Most of the record consists of slow and richly orchestrated numbers like Lying To Myself, Think It Over, Seventeen (And In Love), I Don???t Want To Make You Wait, Can???t Go On Living, and Start All Over Again. There???s also the mid-tempo First Thing On My Mind and the more upbeat I Told You So that was aimed at the dance floor. The best song by far is the extremely catchy Hey Baby. The album definitely captures some of the group???s earlier flare.
GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS
Standing Ovation (Soul 71)
Gladys Knight & The Pips has always been one of my favorite Soul groups. They had great success throughout their career over various labels. Standing Ovation was released during their Motown years. As usual the group comes with a variety of sounds from the pleading Make Me The Woman That You Go Home To, the uplifting Can You Give Me Love With A Guarantee and Fire And Rain, the powerful yet lushly orchestrated Master Of My Mind, the grooving It Takes A Whole Lotta Man For A Woman Like Me, the funky Soul of If You Gonna Leave (Just Leave), and the upbeat No One Could Love You More. There???s also a pretty good cover of He Ain???t Heavy, He???s My Brother/Bridge Over Troubled Water that has a mellow beginning, but builds in intensity with some great walking bass work in the bridge. Of course, Ms. Knight???s strong singing and the excellent back-ups of the Pips anchor the album.
SUPREMES
Right On (Motown 70)
Right On was the first post-Diana Ross release by the Supremes. Thanks to some great arranging by the likes of H.B. Barnum and Wade Marcus to just name two and Motown???s patented production, the Supremes showed that they could survive the loss of a Soul Diva and still reach the charts. The mix of strong vocals and catchy song writing carries them through the record with songs like the sing-along Pop-Soul of Up The Ladder To The Roof and I Got Hurt (Trying To Be The Only Girl In Your Life), the slightly harder sounding Then We Can Try Again, Wait A Minute Before You Leave Me, Baby Baby, and Take A Closer Look At Me, plus the slow groove of Everybody???s Got The Right To Love.
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
MICHAEL JACKSON
Off The Wall (Epic 79)
I know a lot of people think that Thriller was Michael Jackson???s best solo effort, but to me it???s all about Off The Wall. You get such classics as the dance tune Don???t Stop Til You Get Enough, Working Day And Night, and the title track Off The Wall with its walking bass. There???s also the smooth Rock With You, and the lush I Can???t Help It. Of course Quincy Jones also has to be mentioned as a major reason why this record was so successful.
MICHAEL JACKSON
Thriller (Epic 82)
Thriller is obviously Michael Jackson???s most famous record, and for good reason. Here he continues on with the success and sound that he created with Quincy Jones on Off The Wall. You get the dance tunes Wanna Be Starting Somethin with the great breakdown in the middle, Baby Be Mine, P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) that might have some perverse implications now given Jackson???s recent run ins with the law, and the slow jam The Girl Is Mine, which would???ve been great if it wasn???t a duet with Paul McCartney! Much better is the overlooked The Lady In My Life. Of course the record also contains three of Jackson???s biggest hits, the title cut with Vincent Price???s voice over throughout the second half, the Rock guitar playing of Eddie Van Halen on Beat It, and my personal favorite of the trio, Billy Jean.
45 REVIEWS:[/b]
RANCE ALLEN GROUP
Ain???t No Need Of Crying/If I Could Make The World Better (Truth 74)
The Rance Allen Group was a Gospel outfit that recorded for Stax???s subsidiary Truth. Ain???t No Need Of Crying is a mellow ballad with some nice falsetto singing. If I Could Make The World Better is a more upbeat Gospel-Soul number.
MERRY CLAYTON
Oh No, Not My Baby/Suspicious Minds (Ode 72)
This 45 came after Merry Clayton???s two LP releases on Ode. Oh No, Not My Baby is a pleading, yet ultimately uplifting Soul number. The flipside is a cover of Suspicious Minds that was made famous by Elvis. Clayton basically sticks to Presley???s version with a hard driving beat on the snare with some congas coming in eventually.
TYRONE DAIVS
Turn Back The Hands Of Time/I Keep Coming Back (Dakar 70)
Turn Back The Hands Of Time comes from the album of the same name. It???s a bouncy, uplifting Soul tune with a sing along chorus. I Keep Coming Back is a sweet Soul ballad with Davis screeching out at times the love for his woman.
EBONYS
Do It/Determination (Philadelphia International)
The Ebonys were a vocal Soul group from Southern New Jersey who were signed by Gamble and Huff???s Philadelphia International label and recorded with MFSB. Do It is a hard hitting slow jam with some Rock influenced guitar, plus keys and congas that eventually give way to the melodic vocals of the Ebonys. Determination is another good Soul cut with more strong singing, especially on the chorus.
BETTY EVERETT
Just A Matter Of Time Till You???re Gone/Danger (Fantasy 73)
This single comes from Betty Everetty???s Love Rhymes album that was produced by Willie Mitchell, Charles Chalmers, David Axelrod and Johnny Guitar Waston for Fantasy Records. Both of these tracks were done by the duo of Mitchell and Chalmers. Just A Matter Of Time Till You???re Gone has that classic Hi sound to it with its slow rhythm and overall mood. It could???ve easily been a track for Al Green or Syl Johnson. Danger is a non-album cut, and has a little more of a groove to it, while maintaining Mitchell???s trademark production qualities.
GLASS HOUSE
If It Ain???t Love (It Don???t Matter)/Touch Me Jesus (Invictus 69)
Glass House was a two male two female group put together by Invictus label owners Holldan, Dozier, Holland. This 45 comes from their album Inside The Glass House. If It Ain???t Love (It Don???t Matter) is an uplifting Soul number with the vocals being traded back and forth between a female and male lead. Touch Me Jesus, is obviously a religious tune, with the same vitality and energy as the A-side and a nice breakdown in the middle.
INTRUDERS
(Love Is Like A) Baseball Game/Friends No More (Gamble 68)
The Intruders hit pay dirt with their big hit Cowboys To Girls. The single led to an album, which this 45 came from. (Love Is Like A) Baseball Game is one of those sweet Pop-Soul numbers the group was famous for featuring some lush arranging and production by Philadelphia sensations Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. Friends No More is a ballad with some Doo Wop influences.
KING FLOYD
Can You Dig It?/Learning To Forget You (Dial 74)
After New Orleans native King Floyd made a big hit with Groove Me for the Malaco subsidiary Chimneyville, he bounced around to several different labels including this 1974 release on Dial. Can You Dig It? is a mellow Soul tune that despite some nice horn stabs, is a bit underwhelming. Learning To Forget You is the side to check for. It puts King Floyd???s crooning vocals to best use with its lyrics about a broken heart.
CANDI STATON
Do It In The Name Of Love/The Thanks I Get For Loving You (Fame 72)
Candi Staton recorded her first three albums for Rick Hall at Muscle Shoals Studios in Alabama for the Fame label. This 45 comes from her self-titled record. It gets off to a great start with the grooving Southern Soul of Do It In The Name Of Love. It reminds me of some of the Staple Singers??? best work. The Thanks I Get For Loving You is more subdued, but still delivers with its strings and female back-ups cooing Candi along.
CANDI STATON
Evidence/Sweet Feeling (Fame 69)
Evidence has a little bouncy rhythm to it pushed along by Staton???s powerful singing, blaring horns, a strong female chorus, and the melody played on the keys. Sweet Feeling is a slower number that has a down home Southern feel to it, mixed in with a little Blues as well.
CANDI STATON
Lovin You, Lovin Me/You Don???t Love Me No More (Fame 72)
This 45 came from Candi Staton???s self-titled album. If you didn???t know the artist, you could mistake Lovin You, Love Me for a country song with the intonation in Staton???s singing and her delivery. You Don???t Love Me No More is much better with a rich arrangement of horns and lyrics about a broken heart creating an empathetic mood on this Soul number.
O.V. WRIGHT
Ace Of Spade/Afflicted (Back Beat)
O.V. Wright put out some fine Soul sides on the Back Beat label and this is a perfect example. Ace Of Spade is a rousing number anchored by the horns and Wright???s fine, deep vocals. Afflicted is a slow and bluesy ballad.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
JORGE BEN
Africa Brasil (Philips 76)
A local store recently had a big sale of Latin and Brazilian music. In that batch came this Brazilian press of Jorge Ben???s Africa Brasil. Ben gets right down to business with the catchy groove of Ponta De Lanca Africano that picks up with female back-ups and a nice breakdown in the middle. On Hermes Trismegisto Escreveu Ben gets a little funky led by his guitar playing. The Soul and Funk influences continue on the mid-tempo O Filosofo, Meus Filhos, Meu Tesouro, and A Historia De Jorge, while on O Plebeu he highlights his melodic side. Taj Mahal is more of a Brazilian dance track, which contrasts with the slow jams Xica Da Silva and Camisa To Da Gavea. All of the tunes are prefect for the dance floor as well.
FANIA ALL STARS
Vol. 2 ???Live??? At The Red Garter (Fania 72)
Fania put out several albums by their ???All Stars.??? This one featured Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, Ricardo Ray, Ray Barretto, Joe Bataan, Willie Colon, Johnny Pacheco, Monguita Santamaria, Bobby Valentin, among many others, recorded at the Red Garter Club in Greenwich Village, New York. The majority of the tunes are Salsa like Son Cuero Y Boogaloo with a big percussion breakdown in the middle, while a little Boogaloo slips in with Richie???s Bag that???s led by the piano. The reason I picked it up however was the slow grooving ballad If This World Were Mine with, I think, Joe Bataan and an unknown female singer belting out the vocals. There???s also the slick 60s Soul instrumental Red Garter Strut on the first side that???s worth a listen.
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
SOLOMON BURKE
Back To My Roots (Chess 76)
Back To My Roots has an inauspicious beginning with an average Soul tune called Burning For Your Love followed by a bad Disco one, i.e. Night And Day. It makes you wonder what two mainstays such as Burke and Chess were thinking when they released the album. It???s not until Everybody???s Got To Cry Sometime that Burke gets to show some real emotion with his singing on a slow jam with some Gospel like female back-ups. Really though the record is a bit of disappointment because it never quite delivers the goods. The best cut is Over And Over (Hugging And Loving) that is another slow number, but this time more like Barry White with strong sexual overtones. There???s also a drum break intro to I???m Going Back To My Roots, an OK fast paced Soul song.
EBONYS
Ebonys (Philadelphia International 73)
The Ebonys were from NJ and recorded this, their debut LP, in nearby Philadelphia. They got their start in Camden as a four piece vocal Soul outfit. After getting a Top 10 R&B single with You???re The Reason Why in 1971, Leon Huff signed them to Philadelphia International, where they got the full Philly treatment with Gamble and Huff writing all but one of their songs and having MFSB backing them up. That combination works best on the power ballads like It???s Forever and You???re The Reason Why, which was arranged by Thom Bell, who helped shape the Delfonics into a powerhouse, and the expansive Life In The Country and I???ll Try that sound like the Chi-Lites with a falsetto lead. There are some more upbeat numbers with the best being I Believe that was inspired by the Civil Rights and Black Power movement with its chorus crying out ???What time is it? Nation time!???
MILT JACKSON
Milt Jackson And The Hip String Quartet (Verve 68)
You take a look at this album, and you???re not sure what to think at first. You have Milt Jackson on the vibes with some strings, hmmm? Could there be anything worth listening to or just some really mellow jazz on the E-Z side. Milt Jackson, of course, was a member of the famous Modern Jazz Quartet, and some of his solo work features some pretty good Soul-Jazz, which is what you have here. You Got To Pay When The Deal Goes Down is a case in point, with a really catchy melody and a slow but grooving rhythm, which sounds even better sped up to 45 rpm. A Little Too Much is another notable track with a swinging bass line by Bob Cranshaw. That???s followed by Bags And Strings, which starts off with a rocking little drum break by Grady Tate. The song also has a short vibes, strings and drums bridge/breakdown that gets a little funky. Ron Carter, Cedar Walton, James Moody and Hubert Laws also appear on here.
MILT JACKSON WITH THE RAY BROWN BIG BAND
Memphis Jackson (Impulse/ABC 70)
Milt Jackson made a name for himself as a member of the Modern Jazz Quartet before he started making solo albums as well. According to the liner notes, Jackson and bassist Ray Brown would get together during the summers and play and record together. On Memphis Jackson the two went for a Soul-Jazz sound. That???s heard on Uh-Huh, an upbeat big band jam. One Mint Julep (One Way) features a nice bass line by Brown accentuated by horn stabs that eventually leads into Jackson???s vibes playing. Oh Happy Day starts off very subdued before the horns start blaring away and the rhythm picks up, while Braddock Breakdown has a real 60s swing to it. Memphis Junction and Enchanted Lady are two mellow Soul-Jazz numbers, while Queen Mother Stomp has the same pace, but gets a little funky thanks to more great playing by Brown on the bass. The album finishes on a jazzier note with One Mint Julep (The Other Way) and Picking Up The Vibrations.
JOHNNY ADAMS
I Wish It Would Rain/You???re A Lady (Atlantic 72)
I bought this 45 because of the cover of I Wish It Would Rain. The tune starts off with an original string arrangement with a female chorus before Adams starts the familiar opening line ???Sunshine, blue skies, please go away.??? There are some other minor adjustments to the original, such as dragging out ???rain??? on the chorus, that allow Adams to give his own spin to this great tune. You???re A Lady is a more upbeat number, but not half as effective as the flipside.
FONTELLA BASS
Safe And Sound/You???ll Never Ever Know (Checker)
Safe And Sound is a Pop-Soul number that has a strong Rescue Me feel to parts of its melody and bass line, but there are also some congas. You???ll Never Ever Know is a slower RnB tune with a little Gospel feel to it.
ARCHIE BELL & THE DRELLS
Count The Ways/Dancing To Your Music (Glades 73)
Count The Ways starts off with a nice drum break before going into some Psych influenced Funk with echoing vocals and a nice bass line. The break and the drugged out vocals return again at the very end of the song. Dancing To Your Music on the other hand, is a light and melodic dance track that probably did well at discos.
WILLIAM BELL
A Penny For Your Thoughts/Til My Back Ain???t Got No Bone (Stax 71)
Both of these tunes come from Bell???s Wow album. It was recorded in Alabama at the Muscle Shoals Studios and produced by Al Bell. Both A Penny For Your Thoughts and Til My Back Ain???t Got No Bone follow the same formula, a slow pleading Southern Soul sound with female back-ups. There are also strings hovering just in the background. Both sides are a great example of what Stax was producing at the time.
EBONYS
It???s Forever/Sexy Ways (Philadelphia International 73)
This 45 comes from the Ebonys??? self-titled album, which featured song-writing and production by the Philly duo of Gamble and Huff, plus the musicianship of MFSB. First up is It???s Forever with its big build-up before some falsetto singing comes in that reminds me of the Chi-Lites at their best. Sexy Ways was produced by Thom Bell of Deflonics??? fame. It features a blaring baritone male singer with a little Sam & Dave feel to it. It???s not bad, but I really like the sweet side better.
ARETHA FRANKLIN
Day Dreaming/I???ve Been Loving You Too Long (Atlantic 72)
For whatever reason I???ve gotten 3 different copies of Aretha???s Young, Gifted, And Black LP, and on all three Day Dreaming has skipped. I guess it was a defective printing or something. For that reason I was happy to pick up a copy of the 45 to get a perfect recording of the song. The tune starts off with a little piano and a female chorus singing ???Day dreaming and I???m thinking of you??? in a high falsetto. After a little pause Aretha joins in with her smooth delivery about how she feels about her man. I???ve Been Loving You Too Long is one of those slow, Gospel heavy tunes that Aretha pulled off to great effect.
LEON HAYWOOD
Keep It In The Family/Long As There???s You (I Got Love) (20th Century 73)
Keep It In The Family comes from the album of the same name. The song has a bouncy rhythm led by the bass, accentuated by horns, that reminds me a bit of the Staple Singers. During the opening bridge the bass player even starts playing some chords to add to the melody. Long As There???s You is a contrast in styles as it???s a slow and brooding Soul tune.
LEON HAYWOOD
One Way Ticket To Love Land/There Ain???t Enough Hate Around To Make Me Turn Around (20th Century 72)
One Way Ticket To Love Land is a really catch Soul number that reminds me of the Stax sound with some horn stabs and a simple rhythm. There Ain???t Enough Hate is not as interesting, although the lyrics are about the changes America went through in the 1960s with a slow Gospel influenced rhythm.
IDES OF MARCH
Vehicle/Lead Me Home, Gently (Warner Brothers 70)
This 45 was a huge hit for Chicago???s Ides Of March. A whole new generation was recently reacquainted with it when it was used in a car commercial. Vehicle starts off with some loud swirling horns before the vocals come in that sound like Blood, Sweat & Tears. Lead Me Home, Gently is a forgettable ballad. That???s okay because the first side is so good you can overlook their failure to produce on the B-side.
INDEPENDENTS
Baby I???ve Been Missing You/Couldn???t Hear Nobody Say (Wand 73)
The Independents were a vocal Soul group out of Chicago that featured Rev. Jesse Jackson???s younger brother Chuck. They specialized in sweet Soul as epitomized by both sides of this 45. Baby I???ve Been Missing You cracked the top 10 with its vocal harmonies and orchestration. Couldn???t Hear Nobody Say is more of the same with a great string laden intro, although I prefer the flipside more.
CLAY TYSON
Moon Man (I Dentify 72)
There was a time when I picked up nearly every James Brown produced 45 that I could find. After I got the majority of them I moved on to other interests. I???ve still got my eye on a couple more and was happy to pick this single up recently. It features comedian Clay Tyson. This was the second of two records he did with Mr. Brown. The first one was with King in 1968 featuring Clay Tyson (Man On The Moon)/Clay Tyson (You Don???t Know What I Want) that had Tyson doing comedy routines over the I Can???t Touch Myself rhythm. Moon Man is a little different because it features Tyson rapping over some original music.
OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:[/b]
ELEVENTH HOUR
Hollywood Hot (20th Century 76)
Hollywood Hot was the Eleventh Hour???s one and only album. They get off to a strong start with Sock It To Me/It???s My Thing that has a great conga and handclap intro, and nice energy mixed with some group vocals that can get a little too commercial sounding. The best song is the title track that has a moody intro with some flute, a series of short drum breaks, and vocals that are harder hitting than the rest of the LP. It also doesn???t hurt that most of the second half of the song is instrumental either with plenty of percussion pushing it along. Almost as good is Bumper To Bumper with its looping horn line and head nodding beat led by more percussion that fits the title. The rest of the album is not as interesting although some might like the last cut, You???ll Never Know Until You Try, as well, with its light melody and more heavy percussion.
FRIENDS OF DISTINCTION
Grazin (RCA 69)
Friends Of Distinction was right up there with the 5th Dimension in terms of poppy vocal Soul groups of the late-60s. Harry Elston and Floyd Butler, who got their start backing up Ray Charles, formed the group in LA in 1968. The group???s greatest claim to fame early on was that NFL Hall of Famer Jim Brown managed them and got them a deal with RCA. The group had immediate success with a cover of Hugh Masekela???s Grazing In The Grass, which was eventually included on Grazin. The group did a fine job adding lyrics to the original instrumental. There???s even a very short drum and percussion break in the middle. The rest of the album consists of tunes like a cover of I???ve Never Found A Girl (To Love Me Like You Do), and some nice mellow Soul tunes such as the lush I Really Hope You Do, (A) Sweet Young Think Like You, and Going In Circles with a great pensive build-up. All of that goodness disappears by the second side, which is sickeningly MOR. The one exception is a cover of the Beatles??? And I Love Him, which is given a sweet Soul treatment.
IKETTES
Gold & New (United Artists 74)
The Ikettes were actually the second set of female backup singers for Ike & Tina Turner, replacing the Artettes. If nothing else, they had a much better name. Beginning in the early 1960s they had a string of successful singles, but they were always an afterthought for Ike. This might be their only full length LP, but I???m not sure. Whatever the case, they come with a series of hard-hitting Soul covers such as Billy Preston???s Will It Go Round In Circles that???s given a rougher presentation than the original, Joe Tex???s I Gotcha, Peaches N Cream, and the Ike & Tina tunes Camel Walk and I???m Blue.