No current dates…

As at June 2016 we’ve left our previous home at The Rumsey Wells and are looking at future options. Numbers were down and there were lots of other things happening so we’re seeing what to do next. Thanks to all those who continue to support us and we hope to be back.

Soul, Latin, Boogaloo!

Courtesy of the ever informative Modernist Society comes a Wall Street Journal article on a 2014 /15 film on the short lived Latin Soul boom. A quick search found me the web page of the film itself and at first I thought, looks good but US only release. However it does look like a UK version is available here. I’d be interested to hear if anyone has seen this. The artist roster looks good anyway.

Whilst searching I also found this list of suggested Latin Soul LPs.

From one source or another I’m lucky to have just five of these on vinyl. Go grab yourself some bugalu!

Time limited bargain vinyl

Many moons ago Edsel and Demon produced some great vinyl reissues. I have some old Lamont Dozier LPs knocking around somewhere. Anyway, just picked up that until 31st March 2016 there are some vinyl bargains to be had.

First up how about what seems to be a reissue of the reissue of a never issued Action LP. If that makes any sense:

At just £8-99 plus postage this looks a bargain. I played through some of these today for the first time in years and amongst the obvious “go to” tunes heard this afresh.

If that wasn’t enough, double LP of The Creation for £12-99 too

Other items of possible interest include The Northern Soul Film with 14 7” singles and The Beat “I Just Can’t Stop It” and their 13 singles in a collection. Fill your boots (loafers, brogues…)

Spotify playlist

OK, so here's an attempt to showcase an hour of the type of music we've played over the years at AOY. Not that reflective necessarily of what we play now, but some old faves still in there. Plus an attempt to get my head round (a) using Spotify and (b) publishing a playlist. Not sure if you need an account or to be signed in to play this, but here goes...

These tracks are inspired by two CDRs I made myself from the earlier years

A trio of Tamla

For no reason other than I came across these when looking at resorting my record boxes (still), here are three of my fave female Motown sides:

Brenda Holloway - Just Look What You've Done - all dramatic intro and urgency and then a solid dance beat - still love this

From there i was put in mind of this lovely tune from the Velvelettes. Right from the first finger clicks this is a hand clapping Northern floor filler.As with the Brenda Holloway I lo ve its dramatic buold up and a grfeat chord change mid way through

Last and by no means least one I know Steve used to like too - enjoy

Lurking at the back of the boxes

They could be contenders – the first 35

Digging through the crates and you pull out some forgotten gems every now and then. Going back into the box reserved usually for the unplayable at All Our Yesterdays (79 revival and 2 Tone, ska, 70s soul, chicken in a basket Motown, serious oldies) I pulled out 35 possibilities to go into the box for maybe the first time and others for rehabilitation and placed back into the fold. Seriously, it'as like getting a whole new record collection. So in no particular order here goes (cue Tony Blackburn chart countdown music...)

Gilbert Sextet – Yes I Will (Tico)

After a slow semi spoken we're into straight ahead staccato boogaloo style Latin. From the period when I started buying Latin 45s around late 80s to early 90s. Quality. This looks destined to go into the box

Spidels – Like A Bee (Chavis)

Early 80s as I got into this thing called soul and then “Northern” I bought compilation tapes advertised in the back of “Black Echoes”. This was I believe on that first compilation C90 tape and I need to air this again. Clip clopper with great harmonising vocals

Gwen Owens – Just Say You're Wanted (Velqo reissue?)

Full on stormer needing little introduction but left unloved in the back of the reserve box for a long time

Cindy Scott – I Love You Baby / In Your Spare Time (Wright Sounds reissue)

Lovely double header on pressing of probably dubious repute. Pretty sure one, if not both, featured on a Kent LP. “I Love You Baby” very Motown-esque – think Velvelettes maybe. The other side more poop soul (Supremes anyoine!!?)

O'Jays – The Choice (Bell)

I picked up a compilation of Bell tunes mid-90s with this on. Understated intro and then early style Northern at just above miod tempo – all dramatic phrasing and underlying harmonies

O'Jays – Looky Looky (Neptune)

Much more uptempo than the above track with an almost doo wop / RnR intro followed by typical powerful harmonies. Massively upliofting

Woody Guenther – Bang Dancin' Time (Shout)

I bought this blind from the States maybe mid to late 90s. Slightly funky back beat with a boogaloo feel over the top. I confess to knowing diddly about the band or song, but noi worse for that

Shalimars – Stop And Take A Look At Yourself (OOTP reissue)

Female group Northern stomper – depending on my mood I either love or hate these sorts of tune. Right now takes me back to when I went to dos regularly and this infectious clip clop filled floors

Bill Black's Combo – Turn On Your Lovelight (Hi)

Take a great southern soul tune, make it instrumental and then get low down and dirty with some serious Memphis / Hi label funk and wow!

People's Choice – I Likes To Do It / Cliff Nobles – The Horse (Jamie Golden Hits)

When I first got this the manic “Horse” side would have done it for me. Still nice but I wrote against People's Choice on the sleeve “Laid back funky instrumental” and that about says it all. Full of basement club expectation and tinkling organ and moaning vocal. Naughty

Manhattans – Baby I Need You (Carnival)

Completely for got I had this. Slow expectant build up all nice harmony and dramatic phrasing. It does remind me a bit of some of the slower tunes on the Shrine compilations. Probably a bit too mellow to play out but real nice

Betty Harris – I'm Evil Tonight (Sansu)

Another 45 I forgot I had. That's criminal! In the same bag for me as Esther Phillips “While It Lasted”. Deep femme vocals, dramatic strings and a steady builder. AS possible new end of nighter

Chuck Jackson & Maxine Brown – Baby Take Me / Something You Got (Wand DJ)

Two fine tunes from two of my fave vocalists on a great label. What more is there to say,except I'd forgotten quite how nasty the flip side is – reminiscent of the early Ike & Tina duets

Willie Bobo – Evil Ways (Verve)

Smooth laid back vocal version of this latin jazz groover

Hesitations – Push A Little Harder (Kapp reissue)

Dodgy pressings incorporated – this is the flip to the stomper “I'm No Built That Way”. My sleeve note says “gritty rhythm n soul”. Maybe not that gritty but nice.all the same – a bit like the Impressions meet the O'Jays

Lou Bond – Ooh, You Cheater / What Have I Done (Fontana promo)

Another do I love it or hate it? No idea when I bought this. “What have I done” is all husky  whispering soul whilst “Ooh, You Cheater” is a bit of a builder about mid tempo

Eddy G Giles – Soul Feeling Pts 1 & 2 (Murco)

Down home southern style deep funk. Is this the same as Eddie Giles “Losing Boy”? Laid back and damn funky

Warren Covington – Watusi Joe (Decca promo)

Another one from the long forgotten pile. Bit of weird instrumental and sounds like what it is apparently, a soundtrack to “I'll Take Sweden”. No, I've not heard of it either

Vibrations – Soul A Go Go (Okeh demo)

Uptempo four to floor mayhem. Probably better suited to Northern night?

Chuck Jackson – The Man In You (Motown)

Usually listed under the “Girls, Girls, Girls” A side – this is far better and less poppy

Esquires – And Get Away (Bunky)

I went through a bit of a phase when I went mad for vocal group harmonies like this and especially the Artistics (“I'm Gonna Miss You” still ranks as one of my all time favourites). This is lighht and uplifting

Eddie Cano – Slip Slip (Dunhill promo)

Nice staccato jazz with a latin flavour underpinned by some nice work on the piano and double bass – all smokey atmosphere

James Coit – Black Power (Phoof)

Classic oldie

Soul Clan – Soul Meeting (Atlantic)

A meeting of Atlantic “greats” having fun (Arthur Conley, Solomon Burke, Joe Tex, Ben E King, Don Covay) – nice

Chuck Jackson – I've Got To Be Strong (Wand)

Another from my fave vocalist

De-lites – Lover (Grapevine)

Classic dancefloor oldie

Felice Taylor – I Feel Love Comin' On (President)

I usually pack “I Can Feel Your Love”, but this was the first of these two IO heard maybe 30 years ago. Time to swap them over in the boxes I think

Lorraine Ellison – I've Got My Baby Back (Warner Brothers)

Mid tempo female harmonies – nice but perhaps again not quite the beat for AOY?

Casinos – I Still Love You (President)

I have a feeling this may have featured on the same C90 cassette as the Spidels (and also spawned my love of Dreamlovers “Bless Your Soul”). This hasn't had a spin for many a long year. Opens with almost Mexican trumpet and then straight into heartfelt wailing soul

Chuck Jackson – Beg Me (Pye International)

Another from my fave...

Eddie Daye – Guess Who Loves You / Jimmy Armstrong – Mystery (Horace's)

Double dynamite from when Shrine was taking the dance floors by storm and “Mr Kent” set up his own branch label to release gems like these. They sound a bit over produced and throw the kitchen sink at them at times with lots going on, buit still give me tingles as I recall the days when these tunes ruled supreme as the “ultimate rare label”

Fabulous Impact – Baby Baby I Want You (Kent 6 T6)

The 11^h anniversary 100 Club freebie single – big production, swirling strings and obligatory breaks

Ral Donner – Don't Let It Slip Away (Inferno)

From the days I bought “sale packs” to build the collection and could get anything in the post. On lurid green vinyl I'm not sure if this has lain in the back of my box for a freason i.e. it's crap!! Or isit actually pretty good? I can't decide. Dancefloor fodder most definitely and a bit Tom Jones – actually, it's going back in the box!!

Jackie Day – Naughty Boy (Soul Spin reiissue)

OK “Before It's Too Late” is the last track on Side 1 of “For Dancers Only” and left an indelible soul stain on my heart ever after. “Get To Steppin” is also awesome but I don't have it on vinyl. This is a bit reminiscent of that with similar breaks and is from my days (nights) at places like Lowestoft Pier All Nighters late 80s / early 90s

Esquires – My Sweet Baby (Action)

More group harmonies

...and that's without looking at some other boxes. Only problem as ever is of course finding tracks to take out to fit these into the box.

I've not posted YouTube links - feel free to source those yourself. The only link I will give is to this ultra cool piece from Eddie Cano which is an absolute "yes" to going back in the box

Get a Heavy Soul...

The Heavy Soul fanzine has been on my radar a while but I'd never got round to getting a copy. Until that was I saw the review in the latest Modernist Society blog posting. Sounded like it had some interesting articles plus a CD all for a fiver plus postage (and of course associated with Rowed Out Records). I was not disappointed.

Quite deliberately, apart from the glossy front and back covers, Adam has given this a feel of the old 80s "cut and paste" 'zines. Anyone who produced flyers and the like back then will recall typing text, photocopying images and record sleeves and literally pasting them on to A4 paper and then copying into one page (after usually having to "tipex" round the shadows caused by photocopying the pieces stuck on the page). DIY it certainly was. So the fanzine has a basic structure but also benefits from having items stuck in the middle of pages as if to take up some blank space, and all the better to my mind for that feel. The photos and images aren't, as the web site says, like a "Sunday Times supplement". It looks like a labour of love.

So, content...

Features on the CCI reunion, The Moons, DC Fontana, Secret Affair - plus lists of new releases and reissues all in one handy location There are obviously ongoing articles on top 100 mod bands (how to start an argument in an empty room there I think), old gig reviews (this time a hairy Loafers gig from the late 80s) as well as updates on singles seen on eBay and releases on Acid Jazz, current vinyl on the turntable and of course the free 20 track CD taken from 45s only including Prince Buster, Harmonica Fats, Howlin Wolf, Orlons, Joe Bataan, Magnetics - worth the admission fee alone I'd say

Finally thanks Adam for bringing Timo Lassy to my attention, from the Five Corners Quintet: