RAY CHARLES A Portrait of Ray (ABC/Tangerine) A Portrait of Ray gets off to a real slow and melancholy start with Never Saw Naw. That mood continues on for almost the entire album until I Won???t Leave jumps off of the record. It???s got a big horn line and some real funkiness to its rhythm, which is tempered by Charles??? down home singing. The slick sounding A Sweet Young Thing Like You with some fine female back-ups follows that. For a laugh you can listen to Understanding that mostly features Charles??? talking through the track saying that ???Understanding is the best thing in the world.??? Then in the middle he warns that if he caught his woman cheating though, he would get an axe and chop her head off! He finishes off with a good cover of Eleanor Rigby with some strings.
GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS I Feel A Song (Buddah 74) In 1974 Gladys Knight & The Pips switched over from Motown to Buddah Records. There was a definite drop off in song writing quality after the move. On I Feel A Song, the group is burdened with too many slow and sappy numbers like a cover of The Way We Were. Only occasionally does Knight and the Pips break out of that role on tunes like I Feel A Song (In My Heart) that has a slight edge to it with Knight???s usually strong singing, Better You with a little funkiness to it, and Don???t Burn Down The Bridge that starts off with a big string flourish before the bass takes over turning the song into a catchy mid-tempo number.
GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS I Heard It Through The Grapevine (Pickwick 75) This is another Pickwick collection of Gladys Knight???s previously released material. This time it focuses upon her time with Motown. The record is a good compilation of this time period with sophisticated Soul numbers like Everybody Needs Love with its shy delivery, strings and finger snaps, the ballad You Don???t Love Me No More, the power Soul of Ain???t No Sun Since You???ve Been Gone, and the lush Take Me In Your Arms And Love Me with an orchestrated bridge. My favorite happens to be the title track that proved Knight and company could take a Motown classic and make it into their own.
TOOTS AND THE MAYTALS Live (Mango 80) Toots And The Maytals were always one of my favorite Reggae groups because of Toots??? rough, yet soulful singing. This live album comes from a show in England at the Hammersmith Palais. In their performance, the group was trying to tap into that 2-Tone/Ska revival that was big in the U.K. at the time. That explains the upbeat and keyboard led version of Pressure Drop. The new tempo doesn???t fit the song well and the solos in the middle are just dreadful. That same annoying keyboard tone is used on Monkey Man. It???s just a shame that they slaughtered two classics with that treatment. Luckily the whole performance isn???t all like that. The group gets back to a more traditional arrangement on Sweet ???N??? Dandy and the easy going Get Up, Stand Up. They really catch fire on the second side however with an extended version 54-45, That???s My Number with Toots??? ode to James Brown in the middle where he asks the band to give it to him one time, two times, etc. Here Toots gets the audience involved as well. Time Tough is the last cut and is just as good showing that while the group was trying to keep up with trends, their roots were still strong.
GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS If I Were Your Woman (Soul 71) If I Were Your Woman was one of Gladys Knight???s great hits. It???s a slow yet powerful number with strings and a sing-along chorus. That pretty much sets the stage for a number of power ballads like One Step Away that follow. There are also some good covers like an upbeat Feelin Alright, a slow and groovy Let It Be, and a spot on version of Everybody Is A Star.
PERSUADERS Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me (ATCO 74) The Persauders had a huge hit in 1972 with Thin Line Between Love And Hate. They released two records after that with this being the second of those. Unfortunately, Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me pales in comparison to their earlier work. There is the long and moody We???re Just Trying To Make It with some strings to add sophistication, and some more upbeat number like Somebody???s Got To Do Something and Hold On (Just A Little Bit Longer), but none of those really have any staying power.
JERRY BUTLER Soul Goes On (Mercury) The Soul Goes On starts off with one of my favorite Jerry Butler tunes, Never Give You Up, which also appeared on his Ice Man Cometh album. The song has a great arrangement with horns and a sing along chorus. Yes, My Goodness, Yes has much of the same feel, but a more soulful approach than the former, which was obviously aimed at the charts. The rest of the album is covers with the best being Sam Cooke???s Chain Gang, Ain???t That Good News and A Change Is Gonna Come, and Otis Redding???s Sittin On The Dock Of The Bay, Respect, and These Arms Of Mine. All of them are slightly re-arranged from the originals to give Butler his own take on each.
GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS Imagination (Buddah 73) Imagination was Gladys Knight and the Pips??? greatest seller for their new label Buddah. It contains their most lasting hit Midnight Train To Georgia, which opens up the album. The song mixes a sing-along chorus with a strong mid-tempo rhythm led by the bass that walks it way throughout the tune. The album is far from a one-hit wonder however with the powerful I???ve Got To Use My Imagination following with its pounding beat. The easy going Window Raisin Granny with a heavy Blues guitar to it rounds things off.
GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS Knight Time (Soul 74) Knight Time was Gladys Knight and the Pips??? last release for Motown. They???d already switched over to Buddah and had a huge hit with Midnight Train To Georgia. That didn???t mean Barry Gordy didn???t want to stop making money off of them. The album contains material that was recorded back in the early 1970s, and showed what Knight and company were capable of. They start off with the upbeat How Can You Say That Ain???t Love that has congas just faintly in the background to push it along. Somebody Stole The Sunshine follows, which has a harder edge to its Soul. In a similar mood is It???s All Over But The Shoutin??? with a Gospel influenced chorus. The group gets back to the groove with Your Heartaches I Can Surely Heal that has a little Rock influence to its guitar playing. Finally, there???s the power ballad Master Of My Mind, the funky Billy, Come On Back As Quick As You Can, and It Takes A Whole Lot Of Human Feeling with its prominent bass line.
MIGHTY JOE YOUNG Blues With A Touch Of Soul (Delmark) Joe Young was a guitarist from Milwaukee who made his name in the famous Chicago Blues scene. Like many of his compatriots he was born in the South, but then his family moved North for a better life and opportunity. Blues With A Touch Of Soul is a mix of nice and easy electric Blues like I Walked All Night and more upbeat numbers aimed at the dance floor like Why, Baby? In the middle of all that Young hits the listeners with Every Man Needs A Woman. The tune has a nice and catchy swing to it accentuated by the drums and bass, that reminds me a bit of Lowell Fulsom???s work. Clocking in at over eight minutes, you really get to enjoy the groove of the song.
That Etta James thread made me pull out this James 45 and write a review about it. Great single.
45 REVIEWS:[/b]
ETTA JAMES Fire/You Got It (Cadet) Fire is a Willie Dixon tune, but I don???t think the Bluesman had any idea what Rick Hall and his crew in Alabama were going to do with it when they re-arranged it for Etta James. The song features some blaring horns and Ms. James??? always powerful voice matching the brass note for note. It???s a great, hard-edged Soul number. You Got It isn???t as powerful, but it???s still a great tune, again, with some strong horn play and a nice groove to it.
SALTY PEPPERS La La Time ??? Part I & II (Capitol) The Salty Peppers were the original incarnation of Earth, Wind and Fire. They released at least two 7???s including La La Time. The tune is a great, light and upbeat Funk instrumental with some la-la-la vocals, hence the name. There???s a lot of RnB influences as well, especially during the sax solo at the end of Part I.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS Everybody Needs Love (Soul 67) Everybody Needs Love was Gladys Knight and the Pips??? first album for Motown. They scored two big hits off of it. First, is the title cut that???s a slow Pop-Soul number similar to Mary Wells with finger snaps and some orchestration. Even better is a cover of I Heard It Through The Grapevine that would Marvin Gaye a run for his money. After that you get uplifting love tunes like Since I???ve Lost You that starts off mellow before building up half way through, the harder edged You Don???t Love Me No More and Ain???t No Sun Since You???ve Been Gone, plus the lush Take Me In Your Arms And Love Me with some harpsichord.
GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS Neither One Of Us (Soul 73) Nether One Of Us was one of Gladys Knight and the Pips??? more consistent albums for Motown. It starts off with the title cut and It???s Gotta Be That Way, which are both ballads. This Child Needs Its Father is next about a man walking out on his family. Then it hits with one of my favorite numbers by Gladys and company, a cover of Bill Withers??? classic Who Is She (And What Is She To You) with a drum break intro. There are also the mid tempo And This Is Love with its moody edge, Daddy Could Swear, I Declare with its catchy vocal interplay between Gladys and the Pips, Can???t Give It Up No More that???s the best of the power ballads on the LP, and finally the easy going Don???t It Make You Feel Guilty.
GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS Nitty Gritty (Soul 69) This album by Gladys Knight And The Pips is really all about the covers. The standouts are the opening Cloud Nine, (I Know) I???m Losing You and Nitty Gritty that all showed Knight and the Pips could take a song that was already a hit for a Motown act and make it their own. They also do a version of the lesser known Ain???t No Sun Since You???ve Been Gone, getting a nice and funky arrangement. Also good are the mid-tempo groove of Runnin??? Out, Keep An Eye and Got Myself A Good Man that have that familiar Motown melody to them, and the short but lush It???s Summer.
GLADYS NIGHT AND THE PIPS WITH GUESTS FUNKY JUNCTION Especially For You (Stereo Gold Award) Stereo Gold Award was a major budget label of England. Especially For You is a good example of their output. Most of the album is very early RnB tunes from Gladys Knight And The Pips when they first got started. The last song on each side however is by a group calling itself the Funky Junction. In fact, they were studio musicians that were put together by Leo Muller. The first is called Talkin Trash, a slow mix of Funk and Rock led by the bass with plenty of fuzz. The other, Road???s End, is better with a faster pace and a drum break in the middle. Both tunes are also found on Purple Fox???s Tribute To Jimi Hendrix LP.
NINA SIMONE Here Comes the Sun (RCA 71) On this album Ms. Simone recorded a number of popular hits of the day. She starts off with the title track where he rough voice does justice to the tune. That???s followed by nice easygoing versions of O-O-H Child with some congas in the background and Mr. Bojangles. That laid back feel continues throughout the rest of the record.
JEAN KNIGHT Mr. Big Stuff (Stax 71) Jean Knight was a one hit wonder, but what a hit she had. Originally from New Orleans, Knight made her musical mark in Mississippi where Mr. Big Stuff was recorded at the Malaco Studios. Everyone should know the song with its catchy rhythm, horn line and sing along chorus. It???s one of my female Soul tunes. Ms. Knight wasn???t finished though. She also comes through with some slow numbers like A Little Bit of Something (Is Better Than All of Nothing) that has a little Blues tint to it, as well as more upbeat numbers like Don???t Talk About Jody and Call Me Your Fool (If You Want To), and mid-tempo ones like Take Him (You Can Have My Man) with its nice groove. By the way, anyone know if that???s Rance Allen on the front cover?
ELLEN MCILWAINE The Real (Kot???ai 75) Ellen McIlwaine was a folk singer who put out three really good albums. Most of the tunes on The Real are just her playing an acoustic guitar hooked up to an amp singing over the top. She catches a real groove on the opening cover of Stevie Wonder???s Higher Ground. After that there???s a version of Born Under A Bad Sign that has a nice laidback feel to it as well.
ESQUIRES You Say/State Fair (Bunky) The Esquires are one of my favorite vocal Soul outfits. They put out some really good and consistent 45s. You Say is a perfect example with a fast paced beat and the lead falsetto backed up by the rest of the group. State Fair is more on the Pop side with its harmonies and lyrical content.
WATTS 103RD ST. RHYTHM BAND Spreadin Honey/Charley (Keymen) This is a two sided instrumental 45 by the Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band. The best tune is Spreadin Honey with its guitar and bass playing off the piano that creates a really catchy rhythm with a nice hand clap breakdown in the middle. The flip Charley has a little bit of a Latin Jazz twinge to it.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
FUZZ Val ??? Barbara - Sheila (Calla) The Fuzz was a three-piece female vocal outfit. Their album gets off to an inauspicious start with a long talking intro called I Think I Got The Making Of A True Love Affair (Prelude) that leads into the actual song, that is nothing but Pop syrupiness in a bad way. That sequence of talking intro leading to the song plays throughout the entire first side. It???s not until I???m So Glad that the group shows that they may have something else up their sleeves besides bubble gum tunes, but even then, it???s still in that Pop style. Even when they???re able to put together a decent tune like the slow drag All About Love or the light Search Your Mind, it???s really not something that???s memorable overall. The one stand out track is the single I Love You For All Seasons with its falsetto lead, rich orchestration and sweet Soul melodies that finally hit all the buttons. That tune is worth a listen or two, while the rest of the album is lacking.
SONNY KOMPANEK TRIO Easter Pie (PCI) Sonny Kompanek worked with a trio, but on Easter Pie he also worked with flute and bass player Gordy Johnson to make a quartet. From the bios on the back, it seems like all the players were music majors, three of which graduated from Eastman School of Music in New York state. They start with a Fusion track called Prophyry. What you want to listen to however is the funky little Soul-Jazz piece Don???t You See? that closes out the first side.
KOOL AND THE GANG Kool and the Gang (De-Lite 69) Years ago I came across a guy at a local flea market who used to own a record store and was selling all of his leftover stock. He had some simply amazing albums for sale at dirt cheap prices. Kool and the Gang???s debut was among them. If you haven???t heard this album, you should. That???s very easy nowadays as it has been re-issued. This was Kool and the Gang at its rawest form. They come with some amazing Funk instrumentals like the title cut and Let The Music Take Your Mind that make you just want to jump out of your seat and onto the dance with its big horn line and driving beat. There???s the slower Give It Up as well with several drum breaks, and the more breezy Kool Back Again and the second part, The Gangs Back Again. The band knew more than one trick however, as shown on the laidback Breeze & Soul with a very nice drum break towards the beginning, and the Soul-Dance groove of Chocolate Buttermilk that has a little jazzy tint to its solos.
BRENDA & THE TABULATIONS Scuse Uz Y???all/A Child No One Wanted (Top And Bottom) Van McCoy and Gilda Woods produced both sides of this 45. Their act, Brenda & The Tabulations open up with Scuse Uz Y???all, which is a Funk instrumental with Brenda and the group humming and singing melodies over the top. That proves to be a winning combination for me. A Child No One Wanted is a Soul number with a light, airy and Pop-Rock feel to it.
DESMOND DEKKER It Mek/My Precious Love (Supreme) Desmond Dekker was one of Jamaica???s early singing stars and had a huge international hit with Israelites that built off of 007 (Shanty Town) that had been a success in both Jamaica and England beforehand. He eventually moved to Britain where Reggae was experiencing much cross over success in the 1970s. It Mek has Dekker???s trademark sound with a catchy chorus and light melody. Released in 1969 the song did well in both his home country and what would become his adopted one across the Atlantic. My Precious Love is a ballad that sounds just like an American RnB tune, which was always a large influence upon the Caribbean nation.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
KOOL AND THE GANG Best Of (De-Lite 71) Today, when you think of a compilation, you usually think of previous released recordings. Back in the day however, that wasn???t always true. There are several examples of comps that include one or two tracks that had not been available before. Kool And The Gang???s Best Of is one of those with the track The Penguin that did not appear before. It also contains Kool It (Here Comes the Fuzz) that was a 45 only release. The Penguin has a fast paced bass line that carries it along, while Kool It has a nice brass refrain. Most of the other tracks are from Kool & The Gang???s first self-titled album such as Let The Music Take Your Mind with its catchy horn line and sing-along chorus, the easy going Chocolate Buttermilk, the funky dance tracks Kool & The Gang and Kools Back Again, plus Give It Up. Of course, you can???t go wrong with any of these songs, the remainder being the up-tempo Pneumonia and Gangs Back Again, the live Who???s Gonna Take The Weight, the melodic Give It Up, and Funky Man that reminds me just a little bit of Funky Worm with its old man talk over like Funky Worm has its old woman.
KOOL AND THE GANG The Force (De-Lite 77) The Force was released in between Kool And The Gang playing that late-70s Funk style that was popular with groups like Slave and their more commercial Celebration period. In that vein you have tunes like A Place In Space with lots of slap bass, and some Parliamentfunkadelic like effects laden vocals. The best song by far is Mighty Mighty High with its group vocals and a little kiddy sounding bridge that again evokes the influence of George Clinton and company. Still, there are some much better releases of this style of Funk out there than The Force for people to check for.
KOOL AND THE GANG Good Times (De-Lite 72) Good Times is one of the few inconsistent early Kool And The Gang records. You get their usual bouncy Funk tunes like the opening title track with some rolling horn arrangements and a sung chorus by bassist ???Kool??? Bell, the equally fast paced Making Merry Music and Rated X, and the mellower North, South, East West. However Bell overstretched himself trying to sing ballads on Wild Is Love and Father, Father, which are just horrible.
MICHAEL LONGO Funkia (Groove Merchant) Mike Longo???s Funkia was produced by Sonny Lester for the Groove Merchant label. Ron Carter also played on the record supporting Longo???s piano work. He gets off to a decent start with some upbeat Jazz numbers like Dizzy Gillespie???s Ole??? For The Gypsies and Less McCann???s Samia. The title cut is a kind of brooding Soul-Jazz number with a light bridge in the middle. Really, though, this record is nothing to write home about.
I'm watching way too much NBA b-ball right now to listen to records, so only one review this week. Things will be thin for a while until the Finals are over.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
KOOL AND THE GANG Jazz (De-Lite 74) Jazz was another 70s compilation of Kool And The Gang???s work that was meant to show that they were more than just a catchy Funk band. The problem was that???s not why people bought their records or went to their shows. Nevertheless, the majority of the songs are slow and mellow numbers like I Remember John W. Coltrane and Sombrero Sam. What really gets the album moving however are numbers like Dujii and Breeze & Soul that sound like the best Soul-Jazz tunes any real Jazz group could come up with. For added measure, they included the steady Funk of North, East, South, West, by far the best track. On the other hand, they also included Wild Is Love where bassist ???Kool??? Bell thought he was a crooner capable of belting out a love ballad. What a disaster that was!
I'm a day late than usual this time. I got really busy this week with essays and tests and then essays, along with helping my own kid out with his homework so I actually had time to listen to music and not watch basketball. Enjoy.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
KOOL AND THE GANG Light Of Worlds (De-Lite 74) Lifht Of Worlds was one of my early Kool And The Gang favorites because of the tune Summer Madness. The song got sampled like crazy back in the day and has a really cool and laidback groove to its Soul-Jazz like arrangement with Rick West playing the main melody on the keys. Besides that, the record also features some funky instrumentals like Street Corner Symphony with the group???s big brass section being led by the thumping bass. There???s also the vocal number Fruitman Rhyme ??? Tyme People that???s not half bad.
KOOL AND THE GANG Live At P.J.???s (De-Lite 72) Live At P.J.???s had to be one of the most popular records to sample back in the day because of the open drums contained on the track N.T. The album itself was a live recording from P.J.???s in Hollywood, California from 1971. The songs are a mix of Funk and jazzy numbers. You have N.T. with its bouncy rhythm and fat bass bottom. The horns are playing right over the top pushing it along, and of course, there???s its drum break. The Soul-Jazz sound Ricksonata is next. On the second side there???s a nice cover of Ike???s Mood, plus Duijii another fine Soul-Jazz piece with a light and airy feel to it.
PILGRIM JUBILEE SINGERS Don???t Let Him Down (Peacock 73) The Pilgrim Jubilee Singers were a male Gospel group. Most of the record consists of the singers playing with what sounds like a small quartet. They start off with Don???t Let Him Down that has a real nice guitar intro before going into a bouncy little religious number with a very stiff beat. Even better is the soulful ballad No Time To Lose and the slow jams Trouble In The Streets, A Great Tragedy, It Isn???t Safe Anymore, and especially Don???t Turn Back and Two Sides Of Life. Just listening to those songs you could mistake Don???t Let Him Down for a straight Soul album.
REDD HOLT UNLIMITED Other Side Of The Moon (Paula 75) Isaac ???Redd??? Holt was a long time studio musician that originally made a name for himself playing alongside Ramsey Lewis. Afterwards, he and bassist Eldee Young formed the Young-Holt Unlimited band. Here we find Holt playing with his own band the Redd Holt Unlimited. Most of the songs are covers such as the opening I Shot The Sheriff that gives the Bob Marley tune a nice funky American interpretation. Better yet is a cover of the Miracles??? Do It Baby with its strong bass line. All the songs feature keyboardist Eugene Curry playing the major melodies. The rest of the tracks however are uninspiring Fusion.
KOOL AND THE GANG Live At The Sex Machine (De-Lite 71) Of Kool And The Gang???s two live albums from this time period, Live At The Sex Machine is the superior. While Live At P.J.???s tends towards Soul-Jazz numbers, Live At The Sex Machine is heavier on the Funk. That???s heard on the opening What Would The World Be Like Without Music/Let The Music Take Your Mind Medley with its blaring horns that were a trademark of the group. That flows directly into Isaac Hayes??? arrangement of Walk On By. The light and upbeat Chocolate Buttermilk, a cover of the Delfonics??? Trying To Make A Fool Of Me, and the extremely catchy Who???s Gonna Take The Weight follow. The second side is just as good with the fast-paced Pneumonia opening things up with its frantic horn line. The side is finished off with I Want To Take You Higher with a drum solo at the end, and another infections instrumental Funky Man.
GENE CHANDLER Situation (Mercury 70) Gene Chandler is best known for his 1962 Doo Wop classic Duke Of Earl. His career was much longer than that one song. Chandler was a mainstay of the Chicago Soul scene, and Situation was one of his more successful albums because of the hit Groovy Situation. The tune has the perfect balance between Pop sensibilities with its sing along chorus and a heavy under pinning with the bass player really getting down in the background. He continues on with a series of other good Soul-Pop tunes such as Simply Call It Love with some orchestration, and a cover of Ray Charles??? Hallelujah, I Love Her So.
MARVIN GAYE Marvin Gaye And His Girls (Tamla 69) This album collects together Marvin Gaye???s recordings with Tammi Terrell, Mary Wells and Kim Weston. There are four tracks with each female artist. The songs with Wells are a little too mellow. It Takes Two with Weston finally kicks things off with its fast pace. The best songs by far are the ones with Terrell. Those include the slow jam Your Precious Love, one of my favorite duets, the catchy Good Lovin Ain???t Easy To Come By, the harder edged Little Ole Girl, Little Ole Boy, and I Can???t Help But Love You.
LABELLE Moon Shadow (Warner Brothers 72) Moon Shadow was Labelle???s second album. They start off with a cover of the Who???s Won???t Get Fooled Again that???s not half bad. There???s also a good power ballad Ain???t It Sad It???s All Over, the more upbeat Peace With Yourself, and the melodic title cut, which is the best of the lot.
LP REVIEWS:/b1b,121b,121b,121b,121LANCASTER KIWANIS STEEL BAND b,121Olympic Steel ???76 (Lancaster Kiwanis Steel Band 76)b,121The Lancaster Kiwanis Steel Band was a 38 piece Steel Band made up of teenagers from Eastern Canada. The highlight of their career seemed to be performing in front of Queen Elizabeth, at the Montreal Olympic Games, and recording two LPs, this being their second, on their own private label. There are ten tracks in all on Olympic Steel ???76 consisting mostly of MOR standards such as Limbo Rock, The Girl From Ipanema, and By The Time I Get To Phoenix. The reason the album caught my attention however, is their cover of the Meters??? Sissy Strut on the second side. The track is helped by the fact that they had a regular drummer leading the beat behind the steel drums. The combination is a strong one as the youngsters are able to catch the groove well. b,121b,121b,121b,121DENISE LASALLEb,121On The Loose (Westbound 73)b,121Denise LaSalle still performs today, mostly doing the Blues circuit. In The early 70s she released a couple records on the Westbound label that were pretty good. She recorded On The Loose in Memphis, and it has that deep southern Soul sound to it beginning with A Man Size Job that also contains a strong hint of the Blues. That groove continues with the slow jam Breaking Up Somebody???s Home, and the lighter What Am I Doing Wrong and I???m Satisfied. She takes it up a notch with the slightly funky, but again Bluesy Breaking Up Somebody???s Home that has a Gospel revival like intro, and the moody Your Man And Your Best Friend. There???s also a decent cover of Lean On Me. b,121b,121b,121b,121DANA ROSS & THE SUPREMESb,121Let The Sunshine In (Motown 69)b,121Let The Sunshine In was one of the last records Diana Ross did with the Supremes before going solo. They start off with the Pop-Soul of The Composer, a nice light and airy track. After that they lay down a couple covers beginning with an okay version of Sly Stone???s Everyday People that fails to catch the exuberance of the original. They pick it up with Jerry Butler???s Hey Western Union Man, and then really hit their stride with What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted that???s just as good as the original. Even better is the original, No Matter What Sign You Are with a little funkiness to it despite the strings and orchestration in the background. For some reason, on the second side the group???s songwriters mostly dropped the ball. The only exception is Discover Me (And You???ll Discover Love) a good, mid-tempo Soul tune with more strings.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]b,121b,121b,121b,121DENISE LASALLEb,121Trapped By A Thing Called Love (Westbound 72)b,121Denise LaSalle was a great Soul songstress. She wrote most of her own material and had that deep southern sound, often recording in Memphis. Trapped By A Thing Called Love is a perfect example of her work starting off with the title track that???s a mid-tempo number with the horns and back-up singers pushing her along. She keeps on working that groove on the following No Run And Tell That, Hung Up, Strung Out, Do Me Right, the slower Heartbreaker Of The Year and The Deeper I Go (The Better It Gets), and the hard hitting Good Goody Getter. The top cut however is a great cover of If You Should Loose Me where she???s really at her soulful best. b,121b,121b,121b,121DIANA ROSS AND THE SUPREMESb,121Reflections (Tamla-Motown 68)b,121This is a British pressing of the Supremes??? classic Reflections album. The title cut, which starts off the record, is one of the group???s all time best. The song has a great melody, and that catchy Motown rhythm to it. This is no one hit wonder however. There???s also I???m Gonna Make It (I Will Wait For You) that has a nice edge to it, the uplifting Forever Came Today, and the lush sounding I Can???t Make It Alone with a dark bridge that counterbalances the rest of the tune. The real standout track however, after Reflections, is the slow and moody Bah-Bah-Bah that just has this great groove to it.
LP REVIEWS:/b1b,121b,121img src="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v215/motown67/Soul-Jazz-Funk-Rock-LP Covers/C-E/th_Charles-Ray---A-Message-Fr.gif"1b,121b,121RAY CHARLESb,121A Message From The People (ABC/Tangerine)b,121Ray Charles recorded A Message From The People with his longtime friend Quincy Jones. Charles gets off to a great start with a completely re-arranged and soulful version of Lift Every Voice And Sing.1Two mellower numbers, Seems Like I Gotta Do Wrong and Heaven Help Us All, follow that. Charles brings it all around with Hey Mister that???s a little bit Soul, and a little bit Blues. It reminds me a bit of Rufus Thomas. There???s also the light and upbeat What Have They Done To My Song Ma, and the slow and funky Every Saturday Night. Ray ends it all off with a great, great rendition of America The Beautiful. b,121b,121img src="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v215/motown67/Soul-Jazz-Funk-Rock-LP Covers/L-N/th_Last-Poets---Last-Poets.gif"1b,121b,121LAST POETSb,121Last Poets (Douglas 70)b,121This was one of the records I found in my mom???s collection when I first really got into the record game. The Last Poets were a famous spoken word group from New York that went through several line-up changes and divisions over the years. This was their first and most famous release. It provided a plethora of samples for groups back in the day, plus captures a specific time period in American history when the Black Power movement was at its zenith in U.S. cities. All of the tunes feature the group going through their political and social pieces about black life over some strong conga and percussion work. One of the most famous cuts is Niggers Are Scared Of Revolution where the group explains that blacks always go through changes with their clothes, their hair, their relationships, but when it comes to real change like revolution, they are too intimidated to act. My favorite part is where they say blacks love f*cking, and blacks get fucked with all the time, but when it comes to revolution they say ???F*ck revolution!??? I also like New York, New York with its plodding beat, and the harder Black Wish. b,121b,121img src="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v215/motown67/Soul-Jazz-Funk-Rock-LP Covers/L-N/th_Last-Poets---Chastisment.gif"1b,121b,121LAST POETSb,121Chastisment (Blue Thumb 73)b,121Chastisment was different from the other Last Poets albums because a full Jazz band was backing them up, along with their usual percussion work. You hear that immediately on Tribute To Obabi with its bouncy rhythm and strong bass line. The song is also a departure because it has some women doing an African style call and response for vocals, with no poems. Jazzoetry is laid down over a mellow, yet swinging Jazz tune, and Bird???s Word is very similar, but I like it better because of the lyrics about Jazz greats. b,121b,121 img src="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v215/motown67/Soul-Jazz-Funk-Rock-LP Covers/S-U/th_Supremes---More-Hits-By.gif"1b,121b,121SUPREMESb,121More Hits By The Supremes (Motown 65)b,121More Hits By was the Supremes??? fifth album. Their debut, Meet The Supremes didn???t go anywhere, while the second, Where Did Our Love Go, put them on the musical map. After that however, they released two cover albums, A Bit Of Liverpool featuring mostly Beatles??? numbers with a few other Mersey beat tunes, and We Remember Sam Cooke. More Hits came with all originals and delivered with songs like Nothing But Heartaches and Stop! In The Name Of Love that have that classic Motown sound.1Besides the classics, there???s also the catchy Honey Boy.b,121b,121img src="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v215/motown67/Soul-Jazz-Funk-Rock-LP Covers/S-U/th_Supremes---Where-Did-Our-Lo.gif"1b,121b,121SUPREMESb,121Where Did Our Love Go (Motown 64)b,121Where Did Our Love Go was the Supremes??? second album, and was responsible for breaking them into the big time. It contains two of their earliest hits, which were the title track, Baby Love, and Come See About Me, all three having that Pop-Soul sound that took them to the top of the charts. The songs in between aren???t bad either like the upbeat Run, Run, Run with its frantic piano line, and When The Love Light Starts Shining Through His Eyes. The second side however, while not bad, doesn???t really have any one track that stands out.1Still, that first side is worth the price of this record.
b,121Transition is a pretty slick Soul album. Barbara Mason wrote all the tunes and Philaelphian guitarist Norman Harris led her rhythm section. That can be heard on tracks like The Devil Is Busy and People Don???t Believe. The problem is not a single one of those tunes stands out.1
b,121
b,121
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font class="post"1b,121b,121Very true. I like this album, but when I went looking for ab,121song to play on the radio from it, it went something likeb,121b,121 1. img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ehh.gif" alt="" 21b,1212. img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ehh.gif" alt="" 21b,1213. img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ehh.gif" alt="" 21b,1214. img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ehh.gif" alt="" 21b,1215. img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ehh.gif" alt="" 21b,1216. img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ehh.gif" alt="" 21b,1217. img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ehh.gif" alt="" 21
This is actually the second time I've owned this record. I bought it years ago, didn't think it was that great, but not bad, sold it, then bought it years later. Didn't change my mind.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]b,121b,121img src="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v215/motown67/Soul-Jazz-Funk-Rock-LP Covers/O-R/th_Ryder-Mitch---Detroit-Memp.gif"1b,121b,121MITCH RYDERb,121Detroit-Memphis Experiment (Dot 69)b,121The Detroit-Memphis Experiment was a collaboration between Mitch Ryder, the leader of Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, and Booker T. & The M.G.???s. Steve Cropper in fact, not only played on the album, but also produced it. It???s not bad. That combination is best on the rough Soul tunes like Liberty, Eenie Meenie Minie Moe, Wear And Tear On My Heart, and Meat that remind me a little of Rufus Thomas at times. They really find their stride however on a cover of Direct Me. Perhaps the best track however is Raise Your Hand that really hits on all cylinders with the horns, the beat, and Ryder???s singing. Also interesting is Boredom that sounds nothing like anything else on the record with its Caribbean influences. b,121b,121img src="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v215/motown67/Soul-Jazz-Funk-Rock-LP Covers/S-U/th_Supremes---Cream-Of-The-Cro.gif"1b,121b,121SUPREMESb,121Cream Of The Crop (Motown 69)b,121Cream Of The Crop starts off with one of my all time favorite Supremes??? tunes, Someday We???ll Be Together. It just personifies the Motown sound with its catchiness. Also good are the upbeat Can???t You See It???s Me and You Gave Me Love, a cover of Hey Jude, the orchestrated slow jam The Young Folks, which surprisingly is a political song about the 60s protest movements, something you wouldn???t expect from the group, and the uplifting Shadows Of Society. Together they make for a very enjoyable Soul album.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]b,121b,121b,121b,121GLASS HOUSEb,121Inside The Glass House (Invictus 71) b,121Glass House was a four piece, male-female vocal Soul outfit. They were signed to Holland-Dozier-Holland???s Invictus label and released two albums. This was their debut. The group starts off with two sweet Soul numbers, Look What We???ve Done To Love and You Ain???t Living Unless You???re Loving. The group doesn???t find its stride however until the mid-tempo groove of I Surrendered. Even better is the extremely catch If It Ain???t Love (It Don???t Matter) with its sign along chorus. That???s followed by the hard hitting Hotel with a little Rock edge to it, Touch Me Jesus, that obviously has a strong Gospel influence, the upbeat Heaven Is There To Guide Us, and finally a version of Crumbs Off the Table. That second side is obviously the highlight of the record. b,121b,121b,121b,121LAST POETSb,121This Is Madness (Doulgas)b,121This Is Madness is much like the Last Poets??? debut, self-titled album. You have the group laying down their social commentary, Black Power messages over some grooving percussion. That???s heard on tracks like the opening True Blues. The rest of the record proceeds in exactly that same fashion, with White Man???s Got A God Complex another good one, but that opening cut is really the standout.
LP REVIEWS:/b1b,121b,121img src="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v215/motown67/Soul-Jazz-Funk-Rock-LP Covers/L-N/th_Last-James---Hair.gif"1b,121b,121JAMES LASTb,121Hair (Polydor 69)b,121James Last was a famous, or should I say infamous, easy listening bandleader from Germany. Picking up on the popularity of the musical Hair, Last decided to release his own version of the soundtrack. You have all the basic hair songs like Aquarius, Let The Sunshine In, and Hare Krishna. Last does a straightforward job on each track. Good Morning Starshine starts off well with a slow and Moody Soul-Jazz feel to it, but looses that groove in the middle, only to find it again for the end. Walking In Space is very similar with some nice parts. Otherwise the record is completely forgettable. b,121b,121img src="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v215/motown67/Soul-Jazz-Funk-Rock-LP Covers/S-U/th_Sound-Experience---Dont-Fi.gif"1b,121b,121SOUND EXPERIENCEb,121Don???t Fight The Feeling (Soulville 74)b, 21I first heard about Sound Experience through a 45 on Soulville. I later found their live album Live At Glenn Mills Reform School For Boys that has some rip roaring Funk on it. This record came out before that one and has a more restrained feel to it. That begins with Your Love Belongs To Me, a soulful Funk number. There are also some smoother Soul cuts like Can I Be Your Lover. Finally, there???s Devil With The Bust that is a mid-tempo Funk song with a nice drum break in the middle. Unfortunately, after those, many of the songs are pretty non-descript.
LP REVIEWS:/b1b,121b,121img src="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v215/motown67/Soul-Jazz-Funk-Rock-LP Covers/L-N/th_lastjames-voodooparty.jpg"1b, 21b, 21JAMES LASTb, 21Voodoo-Party (Polydor 71)b,121If there was ever a reason for you to look for a James Last album, this is probably the one you would want to find. On Voodoo-Party Last and company break out with a series of covers done moderately to good. For example, there???s Sing A Simple Song that is slower than the original, but adds some percussion that makes it decent. Heyah Masse-Ga is another big percussion and horn jam that???s not bad either. The best track however is a version of Inner City Blues with nice group vocals.
LP REVIES[/b]b, 21b, 21b, 21b, 21LOLEATA HOLLOWAYb, 21Loleatta (Aware 73)b, 21Loleatta Holloway starts off this album on a real mellow tip with the Jazzy The Man I Love, a George Gershwin cover. She then completely changes pace with the hard hitting and upbeat Remember Me. Our Love is better than those two however, with its soulful singing and great back-ups over a slow and easy rhythm. That???s followed by a competent cover of Gene Chandler???s Can I Change My Mind. The second side is just as good with tunes like So Can I with its light orchestration, the fast-paced Mother Of Shame, the light Love Woke Me Up, and the best track, the funky Only A Fool.b, 21b, 21b, 21b, 21JANIS JOPLINb, 21Pearl (Columbia 71)b, 21Pearl was Janis Joplin???s second solo album after leaving Big Brother And The Holding Company. The record was released posthumously after her death. I rather prefer her Big Brother days. The record starts off with a drum break before going into the hard-hitting and soulful Rock Or Move Over. That Soul edge comes out again on the slow Cry Baby and Get It While You Can. On the second side Joplin ventures off into Byrds??? territory with the Country-Rock of Me & Bobby McGee and Mercedes Benz. Overall though, nothing really stands out. b, 21b, 21b, 21b, 21YUSEF LATEEFb, 21Gentle Giant (Atlantic 72)b, 21Yusef Lateef recorded Gentle Giant with the likes of Ray Bryant, Kenny Barron, Sam Jones, Juumba Heath, Eric Gale, Chuck Rainey, and others. Like his later Hush N Thunder LP, Gentle Giant was a departure for Lateef as he ventured into Soul-Jazz. The best songs are the ones by Kenny Barron such as Nubian Lady with its dark and moody backbeat contrasted with the light flute playing of Lateef, and Jungle Plum. There???s a spaced out cover of Hey Jude that grows slowly but surely in volume until it crescendos right before the end at just over 9 minutes. African Song starts off very slow and mellow, but then turns into a solid mid-tempo Soul-Jazz tune. Queen Of The Night is also good.b, 21b, 21b, 21b, 21YUSEF LATEEFb, 21Hush ???N??? Thunder (Atlantic 73)b, 21Yusef Lateef was known for his light and subtle flute playing. That style is highlighted on this album, but Lateef also get a little frisky as well. He starts off on that first tip with Come Sunday before taking off into a nice soulful Funk beat. After that is the mellow sound of The Hump. The last track Destination Paradise is a very dark and moody piece that has an interesting beginning with bass by Gordine Edwards and keys by Kenny Barron that could be looped up. b, 21b, 21b, 21b, 21HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTESb, 21Wake Up Everybody (Philadelphia International 75)b, 21Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes were a staple of the Philly Soul scene, and this was one of their classic albums with its title track. The record benefits from the sturdy production of Gamble and Huff, and the writing prowess of Whitehead, McFadden, and Carrstarphen on most of the tunes. Wake Up Everybody is a perfect example with its light and uplifting sound. That groove continues with Keep On Lovin You with some rough singing balanced out by the smooth back-up work. There???s also the slow and sultry You Know How To Make Me Feel So Good that features Sharon Paige. There???s another hit on here as well, Don???t Leave Me This Way with its subdued rhythm that eventually picks up and bursts open the tune into a dance track, only to go back down and then rise again.
Comments
RAY CHARLES
A Portrait of Ray (ABC/Tangerine)
A Portrait of Ray gets off to a real slow and melancholy start with Never Saw Naw. That mood continues on for almost the entire album until I Won???t Leave jumps off of the record. It???s got a big horn line and some real funkiness to its rhythm, which is tempered by Charles??? down home singing. The slick sounding A Sweet Young Thing Like You with some fine female back-ups follows that. For a laugh you can listen to Understanding that mostly features Charles??? talking through the track saying that ???Understanding is the best thing in the world.??? Then in the middle he warns that if he caught his woman cheating though, he would get an axe and chop her head off! He finishes off with a good cover of Eleanor Rigby with some strings.
GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS
I Feel A Song (Buddah 74)
In 1974 Gladys Knight & The Pips switched over from Motown to Buddah Records. There was a definite drop off in song writing quality after the move. On I Feel A Song, the group is burdened with too many slow and sappy numbers like a cover of The Way We Were. Only occasionally does Knight and the Pips break out of that role on tunes like I Feel A Song (In My Heart) that has a slight edge to it with Knight???s usually strong singing, Better You with a little funkiness to it, and Don???t Burn Down The Bridge that starts off with a big string flourish before the bass takes over turning the song into a catchy mid-tempo number.
GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS
I Heard It Through The Grapevine (Pickwick 75)
This is another Pickwick collection of Gladys Knight???s previously released material. This time it focuses upon her time with Motown. The record is a good compilation of this time period with sophisticated Soul numbers like Everybody Needs Love with its shy delivery, strings and finger snaps, the ballad You Don???t Love Me No More, the power Soul of Ain???t No Sun Since You???ve Been Gone, and the lush Take Me In Your Arms And Love Me with an orchestrated bridge. My favorite happens to be the title track that proved Knight and company could take a Motown classic and make it into their own.
TOOTS AND THE MAYTALS
Live (Mango 80)
Toots And The Maytals were always one of my favorite Reggae groups because of Toots??? rough, yet soulful singing. This live album comes from a show in England at the Hammersmith Palais. In their performance, the group was trying to tap into that 2-Tone/Ska revival that was big in the U.K. at the time. That explains the upbeat and keyboard led version of Pressure Drop. The new tempo doesn???t fit the song well and the solos in the middle are just dreadful. That same annoying keyboard tone is used on Monkey Man. It???s just a shame that they slaughtered two classics with that treatment. Luckily the whole performance isn???t all like that. The group gets back to a more traditional arrangement on Sweet ???N??? Dandy and the easy going Get Up, Stand Up. They really catch fire on the second side however with an extended version 54-45, That???s My Number with Toots??? ode to James Brown in the middle where he asks the band to give it to him one time, two times, etc. Here Toots gets the audience involved as well. Time Tough is the last cut and is just as good showing that while the group was trying to keep up with trends, their roots were still strong.
GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS
If I Were Your Woman (Soul 71)
If I Were Your Woman was one of Gladys Knight???s great hits. It???s a slow yet powerful number with strings and a sing-along chorus. That pretty much sets the stage for a number of power ballads like One Step Away that follow. There are also some good covers like an upbeat Feelin Alright, a slow and groovy Let It Be, and a spot on version of Everybody Is A Star.
PERSUADERS
Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me (ATCO 74)
The Persauders had a huge hit in 1972 with Thin Line Between Love And Hate. They released two records after that with this being the second of those. Unfortunately, Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me pales in comparison to their earlier work. There is the long and moody We???re Just Trying To Make It with some strings to add sophistication, and some more upbeat number like Somebody???s Got To Do Something and Hold On (Just A Little Bit Longer), but none of those really have any staying power.
JERRY BUTLER
Soul Goes On (Mercury)
The Soul Goes On starts off with one of my favorite Jerry Butler tunes, Never Give You Up, which also appeared on his Ice Man Cometh album. The song has a great arrangement with horns and a sing along chorus. Yes, My Goodness, Yes has much of the same feel, but a more soulful approach than the former, which was obviously aimed at the charts. The rest of the album is covers with the best being Sam Cooke???s Chain Gang, Ain???t That Good News and A Change Is Gonna Come, and Otis Redding???s Sittin On The Dock Of The Bay, Respect, and These Arms Of Mine. All of them are slightly re-arranged from the originals to give Butler his own take on each.
GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS
Imagination (Buddah 73)
Imagination was Gladys Knight and the Pips??? greatest seller for their new label Buddah. It contains their most lasting hit Midnight Train To Georgia, which opens up the album. The song mixes a sing-along chorus with a strong mid-tempo rhythm led by the bass that walks it way throughout the tune. The album is far from a one-hit wonder however with the powerful I???ve Got To Use My Imagination following with its pounding beat. The easy going Window Raisin Granny with a heavy Blues guitar to it rounds things off.
GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS
Knight Time (Soul 74)
Knight Time was Gladys Knight and the Pips??? last release for Motown. They???d already switched over to Buddah and had a huge hit with Midnight Train To Georgia. That didn???t mean Barry Gordy didn???t want to stop making money off of them. The album contains material that was recorded back in the early 1970s, and showed what Knight and company were capable of. They start off with the upbeat How Can You Say That Ain???t Love that has congas just faintly in the background to push it along. Somebody Stole The Sunshine follows, which has a harder edge to its Soul. In a similar mood is It???s All Over But The Shoutin??? with a Gospel influenced chorus. The group gets back to the groove with Your Heartaches I Can Surely Heal that has a little Rock influence to its guitar playing. Finally, there???s the power ballad Master Of My Mind, the funky Billy, Come On Back As Quick As You Can, and It Takes A Whole Lot Of Human Feeling with its prominent bass line.
MIGHTY JOE YOUNG
Blues With A Touch Of Soul (Delmark)
Joe Young was a guitarist from Milwaukee who made his name in the famous Chicago Blues scene. Like many of his compatriots he was born in the South, but then his family moved North for a better life and opportunity. Blues With A Touch Of Soul is a mix of nice and easy electric Blues like I Walked All Night and more upbeat numbers aimed at the dance floor like Why, Baby? In the middle of all that Young hits the listeners with Every Man Needs A Woman. The tune has a nice and catchy swing to it accentuated by the drums and bass, that reminds me a bit of Lowell Fulsom???s work. Clocking in at over eight minutes, you really get to enjoy the groove of the song.
45 REVIEWS:[/b]
ETTA JAMES
Fire/You Got It (Cadet)
Fire is a Willie Dixon tune, but I don???t think the Bluesman had any idea what Rick Hall and his crew in Alabama were going to do with it when they re-arranged it for Etta James. The song features some blaring horns and Ms. James??? always powerful voice matching the brass note for note. It???s a great, hard-edged Soul number. You Got It isn???t as powerful, but it???s still a great tune, again, with some strong horn play and a nice groove to it.
SALTY PEPPERS
La La Time ??? Part I & II (Capitol)
The Salty Peppers were the original incarnation of Earth, Wind and Fire. They released at least two 7???s including La La Time. The tune is a great, light and upbeat Funk instrumental with some la-la-la vocals, hence the name. There???s a lot of RnB influences as well, especially during the sax solo at the end of Part I.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS
Everybody Needs Love (Soul 67)
Everybody Needs Love was Gladys Knight and the Pips??? first album for Motown. They scored two big hits off of it. First, is the title cut that???s a slow Pop-Soul number similar to Mary Wells with finger snaps and some orchestration. Even better is a cover of I Heard It Through The Grapevine that would Marvin Gaye a run for his money. After that you get uplifting love tunes like Since I???ve Lost You that starts off mellow before building up half way through, the harder edged You Don???t Love Me No More and Ain???t No Sun Since You???ve Been Gone, plus the lush Take Me In Your Arms And Love Me with some harpsichord.
GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS
Neither One Of Us (Soul 73)
Nether One Of Us was one of Gladys Knight and the Pips??? more consistent albums for Motown. It starts off with the title cut and It???s Gotta Be That Way, which are both ballads. This Child Needs Its Father is next about a man walking out on his family. Then it hits with one of my favorite numbers by Gladys and company, a cover of Bill Withers??? classic Who Is She (And What Is She To You) with a drum break intro. There are also the mid tempo And This Is Love with its moody edge, Daddy Could Swear, I Declare with its catchy vocal interplay between Gladys and the Pips, Can???t Give It Up No More that???s the best of the power ballads on the LP, and finally the easy going Don???t It Make You Feel Guilty.
GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS
Nitty Gritty (Soul 69)
This album by Gladys Knight And The Pips is really all about the covers. The standouts are the opening Cloud Nine, (I Know) I???m Losing You and Nitty Gritty that all showed Knight and the Pips could take a song that was already a hit for a Motown act and make it their own. They also do a version of the lesser known Ain???t No Sun Since You???ve Been Gone, getting a nice and funky arrangement. Also good are the mid-tempo groove of Runnin??? Out, Keep An Eye and Got Myself A Good Man that have that familiar Motown melody to them, and the short but lush It???s Summer.
GLADYS NIGHT AND THE PIPS WITH GUESTS FUNKY JUNCTION
Especially For You (Stereo Gold Award)
Stereo Gold Award was a major budget label of England. Especially For You is a good example of their output. Most of the album is very early RnB tunes from Gladys Knight And The Pips when they first got started. The last song on each side however is by a group calling itself the Funky Junction. In fact, they were studio musicians that were put together by Leo Muller. The first is called Talkin Trash, a slow mix of Funk and Rock led by the bass with plenty of fuzz. The other, Road???s End, is better with a faster pace and a drum break in the middle. Both tunes are also found on Purple Fox???s Tribute To Jimi Hendrix LP.
NINA SIMONE
Here Comes the Sun (RCA 71)
On this album Ms. Simone recorded a number of popular hits of the day. She starts off with the title track where he rough voice does justice to the tune. That???s followed by nice easygoing versions of O-O-H Child with some congas in the background and Mr. Bojangles. That laid back feel continues throughout the rest of the record.
JEAN KNIGHT
Mr. Big Stuff (Stax 71)
Jean Knight was a one hit wonder, but what a hit she had. Originally from New Orleans, Knight made her musical mark in Mississippi where Mr. Big Stuff was recorded at the Malaco Studios. Everyone should know the song with its catchy rhythm, horn line and sing along chorus. It???s one of my female Soul tunes. Ms. Knight wasn???t finished though. She also comes through with some slow numbers like A Little Bit of Something (Is Better Than All of Nothing) that has a little Blues tint to it, as well as more upbeat numbers like Don???t Talk About Jody and Call Me Your Fool (If You Want To), and mid-tempo ones like Take Him (You Can Have My Man) with its nice groove. By the way, anyone know if that???s Rance Allen on the front cover?
ELLEN MCILWAINE
The Real (Kot???ai 75)
Ellen McIlwaine was a folk singer who put out three really good albums. Most of the tunes on The Real are just her playing an acoustic guitar hooked up to an amp singing over the top. She catches a real groove on the opening cover of Stevie Wonder???s Higher Ground. After that there???s a version of Born Under A Bad Sign that has a nice laidback feel to it as well.
ESQUIRES
You Say/State Fair (Bunky)
The Esquires are one of my favorite vocal Soul outfits. They put out some really good and consistent 45s. You Say is a perfect example with a fast paced beat and the lead falsetto backed up by the rest of the group. State Fair is more on the Pop side with its harmonies and lyrical content.
WATTS 103RD ST. RHYTHM BAND
Spreadin Honey/Charley (Keymen)
This is a two sided instrumental 45 by the Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band. The best tune is Spreadin Honey with its guitar and bass playing off the piano that creates a really catchy rhythm with a nice hand clap breakdown in the middle. The flip Charley has a little bit of a Latin Jazz twinge to it.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
FUZZ
Val ??? Barbara - Sheila (Calla)
The Fuzz was a three-piece female vocal outfit. Their album gets off to an inauspicious start with a long talking intro called I Think I Got The Making Of A True Love Affair (Prelude) that leads into the actual song, that is nothing but Pop syrupiness in a bad way. That sequence of talking intro leading to the song plays throughout the entire first side. It???s not until I???m So Glad that the group shows that they may have something else up their sleeves besides bubble gum tunes, but even then, it???s still in that Pop style. Even when they???re able to put together a decent tune like the slow drag All About Love or the light Search Your Mind, it???s really not something that???s memorable overall. The one stand out track is the single I Love You For All Seasons with its falsetto lead, rich orchestration and sweet Soul melodies that finally hit all the buttons. That tune is worth a listen or two, while the rest of the album is lacking.
SONNY KOMPANEK TRIO
Easter Pie (PCI)
Sonny Kompanek worked with a trio, but on Easter Pie he also worked with flute and bass player Gordy Johnson to make a quartet. From the bios on the back, it seems like all the players were music majors, three of which graduated from Eastman School of Music in New York state. They start with a Fusion track called Prophyry. What you want to listen to however is the funky little Soul-Jazz piece Don???t You See? that closes out the first side.
KOOL AND THE GANG
Kool and the Gang (De-Lite 69)
Years ago I came across a guy at a local flea market who used to own a record store and was selling all of his leftover stock. He had some simply amazing albums for sale at dirt cheap prices. Kool and the Gang???s debut was among them. If you haven???t heard this album, you should. That???s very easy nowadays as it has been re-issued. This was Kool and the Gang at its rawest form. They come with some amazing Funk instrumentals like the title cut and Let The Music Take Your Mind that make you just want to jump out of your seat and onto the dance with its big horn line and driving beat. There???s the slower Give It Up as well with several drum breaks, and the more breezy Kool Back Again and the second part, The Gangs Back Again. The band knew more than one trick however, as shown on the laidback Breeze & Soul with a very nice drum break towards the beginning, and the Soul-Dance groove of Chocolate Buttermilk that has a little jazzy tint to its solos.
BRENDA & THE TABULATIONS
Scuse Uz Y???all/A Child No One Wanted (Top And Bottom)
Van McCoy and Gilda Woods produced both sides of this 45. Their act, Brenda & The Tabulations open up with Scuse Uz Y???all, which is a Funk instrumental with Brenda and the group humming and singing melodies over the top. That proves to be a winning combination for me. A Child No One Wanted is a Soul number with a light, airy and Pop-Rock feel to it.
DESMOND DEKKER
It Mek/My Precious Love (Supreme)
Desmond Dekker was one of Jamaica???s early singing stars and had a huge international hit with Israelites that built off of 007 (Shanty Town) that had been a success in both Jamaica and England beforehand. He eventually moved to Britain where Reggae was experiencing much cross over success in the 1970s. It Mek has Dekker???s trademark sound with a catchy chorus and light melody. Released in 1969 the song did well in both his home country and what would become his adopted one across the Atlantic. My Precious Love is a ballad that sounds just like an American RnB tune, which was always a large influence upon the Caribbean nation.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
KOOL AND THE GANG
Best Of (De-Lite 71)
Today, when you think of a compilation, you usually think of previous released recordings. Back in the day however, that wasn???t always true. There are several examples of comps that include one or two tracks that had not been available before. Kool And The Gang???s Best Of is one of those with the track The Penguin that did not appear before. It also contains Kool It (Here Comes the Fuzz) that was a 45 only release. The Penguin has a fast paced bass line that carries it along, while Kool It has a nice brass refrain. Most of the other tracks are from Kool & The Gang???s first self-titled album such as Let The Music Take Your Mind with its catchy horn line and sing-along chorus, the easy going Chocolate Buttermilk, the funky dance tracks Kool & The Gang and Kools Back Again, plus Give It Up. Of course, you can???t go wrong with any of these songs, the remainder being the up-tempo Pneumonia and Gangs Back Again, the live Who???s Gonna Take The Weight, the melodic Give It Up, and Funky Man that reminds me just a little bit of Funky Worm with its old man talk over like Funky Worm has its old woman.
KOOL AND THE GANG
The Force (De-Lite 77)
The Force was released in between Kool And The Gang playing that late-70s Funk style that was popular with groups like Slave and their more commercial Celebration period. In that vein you have tunes like A Place In Space with lots of slap bass, and some Parliamentfunkadelic like effects laden vocals. The best song by far is Mighty Mighty High with its group vocals and a little kiddy sounding bridge that again evokes the influence of George Clinton and company. Still, there are some much better releases of this style of Funk out there than The Force for people to check for.
KOOL AND THE GANG
Good Times (De-Lite 72)
Good Times is one of the few inconsistent early Kool And The Gang records. You get their usual bouncy Funk tunes like the opening title track with some rolling horn arrangements and a sung chorus by bassist ???Kool??? Bell, the equally fast paced Making Merry Music and Rated X, and the mellower North, South, East West. However Bell overstretched himself trying to sing ballads on Wild Is Love and Father, Father, which are just horrible.
MICHAEL LONGO
Funkia (Groove Merchant)
Mike Longo???s Funkia was produced by Sonny Lester for the Groove Merchant label. Ron Carter also played on the record supporting Longo???s piano work. He gets off to a decent start with some upbeat Jazz numbers like Dizzy Gillespie???s Ole??? For The Gypsies and Less McCann???s Samia. The title cut is a kind of brooding Soul-Jazz number with a light bridge in the middle. Really, though, this record is nothing to write home about.
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
KOOL AND THE GANG
Jazz (De-Lite 74)
Jazz was another 70s compilation of Kool And The Gang???s work that was meant to show that they were more than just a catchy Funk band. The problem was that???s not why people bought their records or went to their shows. Nevertheless, the majority of the songs are slow and mellow numbers like I Remember John W. Coltrane and Sombrero Sam. What really gets the album moving however are numbers like Dujii and Breeze & Soul that sound like the best Soul-Jazz tunes any real Jazz group could come up with. For added measure, they included the steady Funk of North, East, South, West, by far the best track. On the other hand, they also included Wild Is Love where bassist ???Kool??? Bell thought he was a crooner capable of belting out a love ballad. What a disaster that was!
LP REVIEWS:[/b]
KOOL AND THE GANG
Light Of Worlds (De-Lite 74)
Lifht Of Worlds was one of my early Kool And The Gang favorites because of the tune Summer Madness. The song got sampled like crazy back in the day and has a really cool and laidback groove to its Soul-Jazz like arrangement with Rick West playing the main melody on the keys. Besides that, the record also features some funky instrumentals like Street Corner Symphony with the group???s big brass section being led by the thumping bass. There???s also the vocal number Fruitman Rhyme ??? Tyme People that???s not half bad.
KOOL AND THE GANG
Live At P.J.???s (De-Lite 72)
Live At P.J.???s had to be one of the most popular records to sample back in the day because of the open drums contained on the track N.T. The album itself was a live recording from P.J.???s in Hollywood, California from 1971. The songs are a mix of Funk and jazzy numbers. You have N.T. with its bouncy rhythm and fat bass bottom. The horns are playing right over the top pushing it along, and of course, there???s its drum break. The Soul-Jazz sound Ricksonata is next. On the second side there???s a nice cover of Ike???s Mood, plus Duijii another fine Soul-Jazz piece with a light and airy feel to it.
PILGRIM JUBILEE SINGERS
Don???t Let Him Down (Peacock 73)
The Pilgrim Jubilee Singers were a male Gospel group. Most of the record consists of the singers playing with what sounds like a small quartet. They start off with Don???t Let Him Down that has a real nice guitar intro before going into a bouncy little religious number with a very stiff beat. Even better is the soulful ballad No Time To Lose and the slow jams Trouble In The Streets, A Great Tragedy, It Isn???t Safe Anymore, and especially Don???t Turn Back and Two Sides Of Life. Just listening to those songs you could mistake Don???t Let Him Down for a straight Soul album.
REDD HOLT UNLIMITED
Other Side Of The Moon (Paula 75)
Isaac ???Redd??? Holt was a long time studio musician that originally made a name for himself playing alongside Ramsey Lewis. Afterwards, he and bassist Eldee Young formed the Young-Holt Unlimited band. Here we find Holt playing with his own band the Redd Holt Unlimited. Most of the songs are covers such as the opening I Shot The Sheriff that gives the Bob Marley tune a nice funky American interpretation. Better yet is a cover of the Miracles??? Do It Baby with its strong bass line. All the songs feature keyboardist Eugene Curry playing the major melodies. The rest of the tracks however are uninspiring Fusion.
KOOL AND THE GANG
Live At The Sex Machine (De-Lite 71)
Of Kool And The Gang???s two live albums from this time period, Live At The Sex Machine is the superior. While Live At P.J.???s tends towards Soul-Jazz numbers, Live At The Sex Machine is heavier on the Funk. That???s heard on the opening What Would The World Be Like Without Music/Let The Music Take Your Mind Medley with its blaring horns that were a trademark of the group. That flows directly into Isaac Hayes??? arrangement of Walk On By. The light and upbeat Chocolate Buttermilk, a cover of the Delfonics??? Trying To Make A Fool Of Me, and the extremely catchy Who???s Gonna Take The Weight follow. The second side is just as good with the fast-paced Pneumonia opening things up with its frantic horn line. The side is finished off with I Want To Take You Higher with a drum solo at the end, and another infections instrumental Funky Man.
GENE CHANDLER
Situation (Mercury 70)
Gene Chandler is best known for his 1962 Doo Wop classic Duke Of Earl. His career was much longer than that one song. Chandler was a mainstay of the Chicago Soul scene, and Situation was one of his more successful albums because of the hit Groovy Situation. The tune has the perfect balance between Pop sensibilities with its sing along chorus and a heavy under pinning with the bass player really getting down in the background. He continues on with a series of other good Soul-Pop tunes such as Simply Call It Love with some orchestration, and a cover of Ray Charles??? Hallelujah, I Love Her So.
MARVIN GAYE
Marvin Gaye And His Girls (Tamla 69)
This album collects together Marvin Gaye???s recordings with Tammi Terrell, Mary Wells and Kim Weston. There are four tracks with each female artist. The songs with Wells are a little too mellow. It Takes Two with Weston finally kicks things off with its fast pace. The best songs by far are the ones with Terrell. Those include the slow jam Your Precious Love, one of my favorite duets, the catchy Good Lovin Ain???t Easy To Come By, the harder edged Little Ole Girl, Little Ole Boy, and I Can???t Help But Love You.
LABELLE
Moon Shadow (Warner Brothers 72)
Moon Shadow was Labelle???s second album. They start off with a cover of the Who???s Won???t Get Fooled Again that???s not half bad. There???s also a good power ballad Ain???t It Sad It???s All Over, the more upbeat Peace With Yourself, and the melodic title cut, which is the best of the lot.