Hit the Road Stax

Previously when discussing the Atlantic CD box set I made mention of the NME tape of the early 80s which showcased the Stax / Volt revue. I had every intention of digging out said tape, scanning it in and posting here. Unfortunately I can't put my hands on right now. However I did web trawl and found a site which had done something similar not only for that tape, but also all the other early NME cassettes and had added videos of the tracklisting The Stax / Volt one is here.

At about this time a school friend of mine let me loose on what I think was his older brother's record collection, or at least the 60s part of it. Bearing in mind at that time I'd really only just come across Tamla and Stax this was a veritable treasure trove. Luckily I was able to borrow a few at a time, tape them and play the hell out my faves virtually on a continuous loop. One of those was this beauty, which I really ought to play more:

Those little nuggets of black Atlantic labels opened up a whole new sound to me. Being unsure of my way in all things mod at an early age it took me a while to appreciate soul. Perhaps in my mind "soul" had become synonymous with "disco", and that was a definite no go area! It's thanks in part to these borrowed classics and cassettes like this that my ears were opened up to "a whole new plan" (that gem would come MANY years later!). It's time to play homage to those underplayed, undervalued tracks which I became perhaps just a bit TOO familiar with and which have been left languishing unloved at the back of the collection

Aah, memories. All together now..."1, 2, 3"

PS -  I really would recommend the rest of the blog detailing those cassettes. At the time of getting e.g. the Ace Case I thought some of the tunes sounded a bit too "rockin'". Who knew that in 30 years some of those sort of sounds would epitomise a new found interest in early RnB. Good Rockin' Daddy indeed, and on that note it's time to hit, git n split

Atlantic Soul Legends - 20 CD box set

"Legend" is a over used and often misapplied. There, I've said it. However in this case I believe it's wholly appropriate. Not only to the Atlantic label itself, responsible as it is for a whole raft of jazz, blues, RnB, soul and even later rock, but to the names on this set of CDs themselves. Cast your eyes down some of these:

• Ray Charles
• Booke T & the MGs
• Otis Redding
• Aretha Franklin
• Sam & Dave
• Rufus Thomas

etc., etc. etc. I well recall playing the legendary (that word again) "This Is Soul" reissue in the early 80s as a young Mod wondering what this soul stuff was all about. At a similar time the NME also released a cassette (!!) of the Stax / Volt revue of around 67 / 68 which also blew me away. I was hooked from then on.

So now we have hot of the press a box set containing 20 CDs of single album releases from some of these influential luminaries:



Apparently lovingly remastered in replica sleeves and pseudo-DJ box packaging this looks great. Add in some quality later soul from the likes of Donny Hathaway and raw hammond funk from Clarence Wheeler and the Enforcers (I've been known to drop "Right On" many a time) plus for the first time on CD the seminal early 70s soul LP from Sam Dees "The Show Must Go On" and this has been compiled by people in the know. Chances are you'll have many of these tunes, even the albums, in various guises - but this looks a classy put together selection with collectors in mind. At About £1-50 per CD what's not to like?

Kent Records - 30 years young

I'm probably not the only one of my generation for whom Kent opened up a world of rare 6Ts and Northern Soul (and 70s!), from "For Dancers Only" through to "Mecca Magic" and beyond Kent have given me untold hours of musical pleasure. So the following release on the 30th anniversary of that seminal first release is scheduled for later in October - entitled Kent 30:

As is customary with Kent releases there will be a selection of ultra rare / never released alongside some quality tunes which will probably now be classified as oldies. It includes evergreen faves such as "The Magic Touch" and "It's Torture". Some of my personal faves are Chuck Jackson "Millionaire", Johnny Maestro "Steppin' Out" and O C Tolbert "Shootin High". This looks to be, a bit like the purple vinyl of Kent 50 many moons ago, a quality summary of what's gone before in the annals of Kent Records

Cheers Mr Croasdell (and others) for introducing me to some top notch music over the years, both by way of your releases and when I used to frequent the 100 Club. From those days in the late 80s / early 90s here's another one of my face mid tempo tunes but done by Lou Johnson rather than Roy Hamilton, also on this CD - enjoy:

Connecting with us

Chances are if you're reading this you're already aware of All Our Yesterdays and how to find us. But if by any chance you're not, we've been running 60s mod soul / RnB / beat / hammond type events in Norwich (UK) since November 1994. We're currently based in the "underbelly" (cellar bar) at the Rumsey Wells pub every two months.

Apart from this blog we have a web page (which I hope to overhaul in the not too distant future), a Facebook page and new Google+ page (still being developed). Please drop by to say "hello", whether in person or virtually

So you can run from us, but you can't hide

Modernist t-shirts down under

Whilst casually browsing Google+ I came across this site offering designs of an Australian t-shirt company (Google+ page), some of which look pretty good. See for example the Maximum RnB, if you don't mind paying 18 quid for a tee (plus postage and maybe import tax presumably). I've not seen the quality myself but some of the designs look pretty neat and are a bit different from the usual fare available online - stand out from the crowd!

Other "mod" related designs are available too. I'd be interested to hear if anyone's used this site and what the quality, delivery etc is like

Dawn of Northern Soul

I just picked up a link to this forthcoming CD from Outta Sight entitled The Dawn of Northern Soul due for release at the end of October. Looking through some of the write up and track listing this is more in the vein of the quality Kent CDs featuring RnB and early soul rather than four to the floor Motown-esque of some CDs. I wasn't there but I'm not sure how many of these tunes wold have featured at Wigan (but maybe the Twisted Wheel?)

What we have here is more early RnB, dare I say post Rock n Roll style gaining favour over the recent  decade and certainly featuring a whole lot more on Steve and my playlists. Here is that listing:

1. Big Maybelle - I've Got A Feeling

2. Danny Owens - You're A Little Too Late

3. Grover Mitchell - That's A Good Idea

4. Marie Knight - To Be Loved By You

5. Varetta Dillard - That's Why I Cry

6. Sherri Taylor & "Singin'" Sammy Ward - Oh Lover

7. H B Barnum - How Many More Times

8. The Wanderers - Somebody Else's Sweetheart

9. Lula Reed - Puddentane

10. Barrett Strong - Misery

11. Little Jimmy Griffin - If Things Don't Change

12. Terry Timmons - Got Nobody To Love

13. Billy Gales - I'm Hurting

14. Freddie Gorman - Just For You

15. Jeanette "Baby" Washington - Let Love Go By

16. Jackie Brenston with Ike Turner's Orchestra - You Ain't The One

17. Charlie Baker - You Crack Me Up

18. Betty James - I'm A Little Mixed Up

19. Willie Wright & The Sparklers With Jesse Anderson - I'm Gonna Leave You Baby And I'm Goin' Away To Stay

20. Buddy Ace - This Little Love Of Mine

21. Betty O'Brien - She'll Be Gone

22. Maximilian - The Snake

23. Ernie K - Doe - A Certain Girl

24. Joe Tex - Boys Will Be Boys

25. Sidney Barnes - Wait

26. Goria Lynne - You Don't Have To Be A Tower Of Strength

I've loved "A Certain Girl" for decades since first hearing it on an LP I borrowed from Forest Hill library in London in the early 80s as my exploration of soul began to expand. The LP was Ooh Poo Pa Do Early 60s Soul 60-65. Also on there was the mighty Leon Hayward "She's With Her Other Love", which I eventually got on a white Imperial! That really must feature in my sets again:

Happy hunting and if anyone gets the CD and fancies posting a review please do so. I also see there was a previous CD in a similar vein The Age of Northern Soul which includes Laverne Baker and Jimmy Ricks "You're The Boss" - worth the admission fee alone!

'Cos the modern girls are here...

Local shop Mod One is producing a calendar to raise funds for a local young girl in need of care and specialist treatment. They have a new Facebook page dedicated to taking pre-orders / sponsorship and general support. Featuring local mods / scooterists please lend it your support

https://www.facebook.com/TheModErnGirlsCalendarPreOrderPage

So in the meantime here are the Modern Boys...

Revising layout

It's been a very long while since we've updated this. I hope to start adding new content soon an am just playing around with the new look and feel of Blogger to make it look a bit better. It should also be mobile -enabled (woo hoo!)

Thanks

Phil

Diggin' in the crates

As I said last time with a relaunched night and reduced reliance on all those CDs burnt from singles, abums and downloads it's time to revamp the singles box. Never easy despite only having four hours to fill between the two of us. I'm trying to resist the temptation to go for the middle sized box (about 200 singles) and keep to the small (?) one of about 100. That has however meant a great opportunity to riffle through old boxes and spin tunes I'd forgotten I had or which have been left neglected for 10+ years. Plus with not having a huge dancefloor and able to concentrate on a wide range of esoteric sounds pretty much anything goes (although I'll resist the temptation do half an hour of southern deep soul wailers...)

So in no particular order a quick guide to what's found it's way back into the box (before I revamp it yet again to fit in further rediscoveries):

Don Covay - 40 Days, 40 Nights - brought in in favour of the more well known See Saw and another fave of mine Iron Out The Rough Spots - fairly typical southern inspired pounder on Atlantic

Georgie Fame - El Bandido and No Thanks - well, why not quite frankly? Examples of tunes I copied to CD to thin out the box and then rarely played. No it may be time to resurrect

Temptations - I Couldn't Cry If I Wanted To - I love the Temps vocal style and this mid tempo clip clopper does it for me (flip side on Gordy of (I Know) I'm Losing You)

Miracles - I Can Take A Hint - another early style shuffler with great harmonies

Johnny Nash - (I'm So) Glad You're My Baby - lovely mid tempo on MGM which I bought maybe over ten years' ago and remember playing at a soul / Northern night and cleared the floor. Not the first time I misjudged an oldies crowd not really wanting something a bit below 95 mph. Oh well, still love this

Jimmy Witherspoon - My Baby Quit Me - not one for the floor but a lovely cross over of blues and soul with a gravelly voice

Esther Phillips - While It Lasted - a few beats up from Just Say Goodbye but still smashing vocals

Mongo Santamaria - I Can't Get Next To You - the Motown cover which isn't Cloud Nine! Both equally great but this deserves it's time in the limelight after having played C9 over much

Roy Lee Johnson - Boogaloo #3 and Eddie Wilson - Shing A Ling Stroll - two from the early days of AOY and these sometimes bemused the scooterists - low down and dirty boogaloo

Little Ann - Who Are You Trying To Fool - the second I think of two Kent reissues by Little Ann - I used to play the mid tempo What Should I Do and honestly couldn't remember this at all - it's a bit rougher and the sort of low down sound a basement venue deserves. It can't quite decide whether to be Etta James or Marie Knight but no worse for that

D C Ramblers - Hangin In There - another forgotten single whch I've just seen listed for 20 quid (!) on Keynote - Willie Mitchell style pounding horns / sax and guitar - got to be worth a play

That's volume 1 - further posts to follow no doubt as the box gets resorted

Getting back to our roots

So after nearly 19 years at The Waterfront (November 1994 saw our first night) we've moved on to pastures new. Crowds were down and the club wanted bigger numbers and went for cheesy pop and dropped us plus Martin's soul night and the ska night. Never mind.

We've got ourselves a relaunch night at The Rumsey Wells in the centre of Norwich, down in the basement on Saturday 9th October. I've always liked downstairs venues as you feel like entering a world only you know about, making a particular effort to navigate the stairs in the dark. Once downstairs the venue has a small bar and various seating areas / snugs, a sound system and a small dance floor (no backflips here!) - but it feels right from the art on the walls, ceiling height and general look. Hopefully it will be a success and they'll have us back!

It's also prompted a re-evaluation of what I carry in terms of music. Without a huge dancefloor and the passing semi interested night club punters we can go back to basics without trying to please those who really want a 60s night rather than what we offer. I've spoiled myself with masses of CDRs of burnt singles and album tracks over recent years and neglected vinyl which doesn't even get out of the house these days. So I've been working my way through too long neglected record boxes to unearth some tracks I'd forgotten I had or haven't played out (or in!) for years. I even treated myself to a box set of awesome early RnB:

I want to try to spin tunes I've not played for a while and focus back on my loves of soul, RnB and play some more latin and hammond given an opportunity. A downstairs venue to me cries out for downright dirty tracks.

Hopefully our regulars and previous attendees will come on down.

The details:

Saturday 9th October 8 to 12

FREE

That way madness lies...

So I've just cleared some clutter and can access my LPs easily for the first time in a few years. All of a sudden (Jeanette Williams - track 15 Kent LP 007 "Floorshakers") I can find things I've long forgotten or didn't realise I had (like Dusty Springfield's "Where Am I Going" LP from 1967 on Phillips) and can digitise pretty much what I want - given time. Then I recall a how load of boxes of old cassettes and the possibilities are endless, but slightly daunting. Out of the blue someone has found a link to this blog as they've been after a title to a track on an old tape from 1988 they bought at a CCI mod rally (Asterix Goes Latin). So i find my copy, it still plays and think "digitise this" and phew! what a track listing.

So do I start the equivalent of ainting the Forth Bridge or let bygones be bygones? I came across six C90s of my fave parts of Pete Young's "Soul Cellar" on Capital Radio from the early / mid 80s and that brought back memories. I now hav much of hat was on there but the temptation to burn them as single 45 minute slabs of my history is getting powerful. Hmm? Any views?

Artist	Title	Album	Length
P Rodriguez	Oh That's Nice	Asterix Goes Latin	02:36
H Sanz	Heart Full Of Soul	Asterix Goes Latin	03:45
T Mack	Hey Gypsy Woman	Asterix Goes Latin	02:03
Latinaires	Camel Walk	Asterix Goes Latin	02:37
Ray Barretto	Right On	Asterix Goes Latin	02:27
P Terrace	No No No	Asterix Goes Latin	03:01
King Nando	Mama's Girl	Asterix Goes Latin	02:15
Hector Rivera	Shingaling Baby	Asterix Goes Latin	02:55
Willie Rosario	Watusi Boogaloo	Asterix Goes Latin	02:45
W Rodriguez	What You Want	Asterix Goes Latin	02:28
Ray Barretto	Midnight Boogaloo	Asterix Goes Latin	02:06
Tony Middleton	Return To Spanish Harlem	Asterix Goes Latin	02:19
Willie Rosario	Wobbly Blues	Asterix Goes Latin	02:35
P Rodriguez	I Like It	Asterix Goes Latin	02:24
P Serrano	Latin Soul Pt.1	Asterix Goes Latin	02:33
Caper Brothers	Ain't Gonna Write	Asterix Goes Latin	02:21
Mongo Santamaria	There's A Mountain	Asterix Goes Latin	02:28
El Gran	Shake It Baby	Asterix Goes Latin	02:38
Charlie Palmieri	Bugalu	Asterix Goes Latin	02:20
Joe Cuba	Push Push Push	Asterix Goes Latin	02:04
Ray Barretto	New York Soul	Asterix Goes Latin	02:31
Orchestra Kool	Boogaloo Baby	Asterix Goes Latin	05:48

Todays soundtrack to my gym session...

An hour of quality rhythm and soul and two blasts from The Clash to finish off!:

Charles Sheffield It's Your Voodoo Working 01:51
Larry Davis I've Been Hurt So Many Times 03:12
Jimmy Hughes It Ain't What You Got 02:07
Josephine Taylor I'm Gone 02:30
Grover Mitchell That's A Good Idea 02:19
Vernon Garrett Shine It On 02:17
La Brenda Ben The Chaperone 02:55
Sally Stanley I'll Have To Let You Go 02:29
Jo Ann Garrett You Can't Come In (Big Bad Wolf) 02:47
Little Milton Grits Ain't Groceries 02:38
Bob Kaylin Tie Me Tight 02:14
Bobby Bennett Big In New York 02:26
Eddie King and Mary B Mae Are You Pushed To Love 01:58
Joe Simon I Gotta Lot Of Lovin' 02:30
Miracles Father Dear 02:35
Mack Rice Baby I'm Coming Home 02:12
John Wesley You're Gonna Miss Me 02:15
Vernon Harell and Little Gigi Baby Don'tcha Worry 02:45
Ray Charles Hide Nor Hair 03:07
Ty Hunter Orphan Boy 02:45
Little Bob and the Lollipops Are You Ever Coming Home 02:09
Barbara Lynn I'm A Good Woman 02:16
Miss Lavell Stolen Love 02:11
Valls You'll Never Cherish A Love So True 03:00
Lula Reed Walk On By Me 02:31
Freddie King One Hundred Years 02:20
Bud Harper Let Me Love You 02:22

...and then "Safe European Home" and "Tommy Gun" off "Give ' Em Enough Rope" just by way of a contrast

Spoilt Broth - 4th July

The latest from the spoilt broth collective hits Nrwich on Saturday 4th July - all the details on the flyer. The venue has passed me by but details here.

Podcasts here

Another CDR - just for TJB

Tim just posted he had a load of the old comps I did (and so he has). Infact I was inspired to do one aimed at what then were his fave style of tracks, at least he was nice enough to say they were. On the back of the Fatboy Slim single I let my imagination run riot again and came up with "Jazz Soul Brother". But it did what it said on the tin pretty much:

Check the old style flyer as well...





Freddie Hubbard - Return of the Prodigal Son
Clarence Wheeler & the Enforcers - Right On
The Clique - Wormin’
Oscar Brown Jr - Mr Kicks
Jackie Lee - The Duck
Linda Jones - My Heart Needs A Break
Soul Shakers - I’m Getting Weaker
Ray Redmond - Ain’t That Terrible
Billy Preston - Greazee Pt 2
James Taylor Quartet - Blow Up
Sugar Pie DeSanto - Do The Whoopee
Aztecs - Damelo Baby
Ray Barretto - New York Soul
Monguito Santamaria - Juicy
Ivan “Boogaloo” Joe Jones - Black Whip
Young Disciples - Move On (Lynch Mob Beats)
Terry Callier - Look At Me Now
Etta James - Mellow Fellow
James Brown - Shhhhhhh! (For A Little While)
Jimmy Smith - Mission Impossible
Jack Constanzo & Gerry Woo - Green Onions
Montego Joe - Fat Man
Ray Barretto - Right On

What we have here is a mix of latin / boogaloo / soul and one slightly left field modern (ish) tune from the Young Disciples, whch is basically some rather groovy hammond organ and flute looped over some tasty beats. In my mind the best thing to come out of Talkin' Loud with one great album "Road To Freedom"

Anyway, this CDR kicks off with some well tasty jazz and rumbles straight into one of my favourite funk / soul / hammond work outs from Clarence Wheeler. I have to play this again soon! Then into The Clique, which I picked up from an early Acid Jazz "Totally Wired" album. I assume this is the same 80s revival JTQ-influenced band? Sounds great anyway.

"Permit me to introduce myself, my name is Mr Kicks, I dwell in a dark dominion down by the River Styx" - oh yes. Vocal jazz at its finger clickin' darkest - epitome of cool. But a pig to dance to!

Via a quick Mirwood classic and back into another couple of tracks from the aforementioned Loma compilations from the previous post. I'm a sucker for OTT soul with a big build up and crescendo, especially well the vocals are as good as Linda Jones. This doesn't disappoint. Add in the Soul Shakers and Ray Redmond (which again I really ought to play again - boogaloo meets soul meets shingaling in a whole mess of dance chaos!)

By way of hammond mayhem from Billy Preston and JTQ at their simplest and finest before they got, to my mind, a bit heavy and Led Zep fixated, we get to some serious club soul from smokey basement clubs - see also the Etta James

Time for some latin and what on earth are the Aztecs talking about? But some great latin boogaloo swiftly followed by ne of my all time fave latin soul numbers "New York Soul" - 'scuse me whilst I have a quick slide across the carpet. Then from when I had a phase of buying some Venezualen (I think) Fania imports comes Monquito Santamaria geting juicy all over the place throwing pips and fruit peel all over the dance floor.

Sampled or covered at the time by I can't recall who comes Boogaloo Joe Jones rather excellent "Black Whip" and the YDs and then into more low down gritty 60s club soul pausing to take in Terry Caller's masterpiece (well, one of them!). This oozes class - just look at him now. Etta James could be singing about suited and booted Mods and Mr Brown throws organ riffs and mad mumbling all over the shop, taken froma German Mojo Dancefloor Jazz compilation (volume 2 I think). Next up my hero "god on a hammond organ" taken from a reissue 12" which i think also had "House of Bamboo" on as well - picked up second hand far too many years ago now

Then I rounded off with more crazy latin - sucker for a cover version of well known classics just to mess with the heads of audiences expecting Booker T, a really tasty "Fat Man" taken from a latin jazz comp possibly on BGP (red and green sleeve I think - must get into my record shelves more frequently!) - and then the second track entilted Right On to finish and what a beauty.

OK - having just skimmed through these I must dig a few out for another outing soon. I like some latin and remember hearing my first slbs of it in Bournemouth in 1988 at a Mod rally. I still want Tony Middleton "Return To Spanish Harlem" but will have to make do with a tape entitled Asterix Goes Latin from that period hawked around the mod rallies for my copy! I'm not sure the price of a copy back then was helped by Mr Midleton being collectable for "To The Ends Of The Earth" as well. Apparently the flip (not that I'll ever see it now!) is on the BGP comp. Just seen it offered for 200 quid!!! Certainly won't be seeing it now!

Anyway, I've just enjoyed the last hour listening to these tunes for the first time in ages and writing drivel - enjoy!

Early Personal CDRs

A few years after we started in November 1994 I splashed out on what was then cutting edge technology (sort of) in the shape of my first hi fi separates including a CDR recorder / burner. This was maybe 1997 (?) and well before the now ubiquitous nature of PC CDR / DVD drives. I wanted to burn CDs of singles and album tracks and in those days it was like the old days of cassette recorders - cue up, press record and hope you (a) don't cut the start of the track off or (b) have three seconds blank at the start of a track. There was also the added complication that the CD didn't always want to record and I'd get a 30 second blank. In those days CDR discs were maybe three quid or you could splash out maybe £8 for a re-recordable CD-RW, burn onto that (erasing errors first) and then copying from CD to CD-R. Not for me then select tunes online, download and burn in maybe 30 minutes total from start to finish. There was no such thing as volume levelling, editing of crackles and hisses or cross fading.

I was quite pleased with my first effort, imaginatively entitled "AOY The CDR Pt.1" and represents what I was playing then from a mix of single, LP / compilation and the odd CD:

Mike Cotton Sound - Harlem Shuffle
Sly - Buttermilk Pt 1
Brother Jack McDuff - Let My People Go
The Brand - I’m A Lover Not A Fighter
Thane Russell - Security
The Action - Hey Sha-lo-ney
Hayward Lee - Oogaloo
Fabulous Peps - So Fine
Little Caesar - Everybody Dance Now
Jimmy McGriff - The Worm
Monk Higgins - Watermelon Man
The Betterdays - Don’t Want That
Sonic Invasion - Go Out And Get Her
? & the Mysterians - Got To
Buddy McKnight - Everytime Pt 2
Andre Williams - Do The Popcorn
Eddie Wilson - Shing-a-ling Stroll
Little Mac - In The Midnight Hour
Billy Hawks - Oh Baby I Believe I’m Losing You
Georgie Fame - Somebody Stole My Thunder
The Birds - Say Those Magic Words
Mike & Ike - Ya Ya
Brian Auger - Black Cat
Jimmy Smith - Stay Loose
Rhinoceros - Apricot Brandy
Barry “Barefoot” Beefus - Barefoot Beefus
John Mayall - Crocodile Walk

Quite a mix of genres but I loved the lot (still do) and infact most of these languish unplayed now although Georgie Fame and The Action still get an airing. I particularly lve the Beefus which I have on very quietly cut "This Is Loma Volume 2 or 4 (?)" LP - infact I have the set of I think seven comps in this series. Anyway...

Around the same time I received / swapped comps and this one I found lurking on my MP3 player in the gym last week:

Booker T and the MGs - Plum Nellie
Caretakers - East Side Story
Bob and Ray - Air Travel
Julian Covey - Sweet Bacon
Clarence Carter - Snatching It Back
Wimple Winch - Save My Soul
Baby Washington - Think About The Good Times
Woggles - My Baby Like To Boogaloo
Joe Tex - You're Right Ray Charles
Music Machine - 96 Tears
Patti Drew - Fever
Johnny Taylor - Who's Making Love
Ike and Tina Turner - Ya Ya
Deep Purple - Hush
Mongo Santamaria - Sweet Tater Pie
Ray Charles - I Chose To Sing The Blues
Apostolic Intervention - Tell Me Have You Ever Seen Me
Johnny Jones and the King Casuals - Soul Poppin'
Elmore James - Shake Your Moneymaker
Etta James - Do I Make Myself Clear
Dee Clark - My Little Girl In The High School Sweater
Jackie Ivory - Do It To Death
France Gall - Der Computer No.3
Honeybus - Tender Are The Ashes
Perry and the Harmonics - Do The Monkey With James
Tina Britt - Sookie Sookie
Cyril Davies' All Stars - Someday baby
Lavern baker and Jimmy Ricks - You're The Boss

Interesting mix of the outstanding and the slightly bizzare. Loved the MGs "Plum Nellie" and am ashamed to say that even after listening to soul in various guises for nearly 30 years don't recall having heard this. I assume it's the same as the Small faces, although I've seen it attributed to both Marriott / Lane and Cropper / Dunn etc and I've seen (not yet heard) a similar titled track by Jimmy Smith

Circular Soul

Martin from Circular Sounds Records runs the third Saturday alternate months to us (even months) playing clssic northern and motown. His next date is Friday 19th June:



In addition he's starting up a series of soul and related free nights on Saturdays at "Comfortably Numb" (or Facebook) just down the road from his shop in St Benedicts St. This Saturday sees funk, RnB and Southern soul and is free from 8 til 12:



The hope is that this will run on 2nd Saturday every month, but there are contact details available if you want updates direct from Martin.

He also has on 27th June a night of Motown, Northern and RnB, to be repeated on 25th July and 29th August:



It also looks like he's planning a blues and deep soul night and a jazz / 70s soul night - TBC

When Martha met Irma

Over the last few months I've been introduced to two quite outstanding slabs of female soul of which I was previously blissfully unaware.

First up was Martha Bass (yep, Fontella's mum) "Since I've Been Born Again". I've not seen this on original vinyl but would guess probably Checker or Cadet as I've seen something else by her on Ebay on that group of labels. It is on the Soul Jazz Soul Gospel Vol.2, where you can hear a 60 second blast, which was about all I heard when I first came across it. It ws on a "6 on 6" set on the Craig Charles' Funk and Soul Show on 6 Music probably autumn 2008. Listeners send in six top tunes of theirs and he plays (played as I think he's stopped that part now) snippets of each tune back to back. Now I don't regularly listen to the show, sometimes when cooking the tea. I'm not a huge funk fan and get a bit bored of funk by numbers (just as I'm sure some people think all Motown, Northen etc sounds a bit samey as well I guess). Having said that I've owned Eddie Bo's "Hook and Sling" and Luther Ingrams' "Puttin' Game Down" (on KoKo! - and yes it is the "Baby Don't You Weep" man!) on 7 inch for maybe 20 years , so I don't what you call hate it! Anyway, there's nearly always a little gem thrown in there even f I'm only listening for half an hour. This is all hand clappin', foot stompin' gospel at a great dance tempo. Surely too earthy for the gospel sentiments? I can't find it on any other albums and can't vouch for the rest of the album so still searching.

Then by another quirk of fate I caught a smal part of the final Radio 2 Saturday show hosted by Martin Freeman and Liza Tarbuck before Jonathon Ross completed his three moth ban around january 2009. Mr Freeman has form in compiling a Motown CD as well as citing mod influences (Independent in 2005 - article now taken off line and see also Modculture). They alternated records and bang came on Irma Thomas "Hittin On Nothin" which I'm ashamed to say I'd not heard before - flip side of "Ruler Of My Heart" and enned by Allen Toussaint - see here for example. This is available on a CD called We Sing The Blues / New Orleans Our Home Town, which is also on download at Napster and iTunes I believe (legally) for about seven quid. Great early RnB soul, right for "now" I'd say. You can see from the playlist that on that day listeners got some real treats (Terry Callier, Etta James, Staple Singers, JB...) - remember when Radio 2 was the MOR station? Either I'm getting old or people of my age and background are getting their hands on the knobs. Well worth tracking this down and as a legal and cheap download probably no excuse not to?

Soul band in Gorleston

Just received this although I'm away unfortunately...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The 45's - 8-Piece Live Soul Band (tracks by sam and dave, the four tops, otis redding, stevie wonder, the temptations, wilson pickett, james brown, curtis mayfield, kool and the gang and many more...)

There will also be a DJ

The Ocean Rooms, Pier Gardens, Gorleston

Doors open at 8pm

Tickets cost £5 and all profits go to charity - beach radios 'help an east coast child' appeal

If you want any more info, or if anyone is interested in tickets, then check out the website at www.thefortyfives.co.uk

Friday 15th May 2009

This was the second of our new Friday dates after having spent just over 14 years on Saturdays. Numbers were up a bit from March but our last Saturday before the switch in January had also been very quiet. Not sure if this is a result of the new day or numbers at clubs being down more generally. We certainly seem to have encountered a new set of people we've not come across before so in a way it's almost like trying to rebuild the club again whilst relying on a small group of faithful followers. You know who are and your support really is very much appreciated. You may even lure me out from behind the decks for a boogie again!

Having said that this Friday most of the newer crowd cottoned on to what we're about quickly and were happy with a diet of soul plus some old classics. It also meant we dug out a few oldies which fall into the "overplayed but underplayed" category as Steve calls them - those tracks you've known for years so never play but actually sound really great once in a while as you've in reality not played them for a long time. So this time we included Marvin Gaye's "Ain't That Peculiar", Anthony and the Imperials' "Better Use Your Head" and The Impressions' "You've Been Cheating". Do they sound good after a while or what? OK so no prizes for super rarity or anything but frankly who cares?

So onwards and upwards to the next night in July. If anyone reads this please feel free to come along and help us keep going in our 15th year. You know it makes sense.

The Animals (and friends)

I first saw the current incarnation of the Animals (see here) on 3rd October 2008 (I remember as it was my birthday) up at the Blakeney Harbour Room, an unlikely bastion of RnB perhaps? I was not a huge fan, having heard mainly the "obvious" and slightly poppy sounds but live, in this formation did they play some dirty RnB? You bet! Plus special guest for the second half was Spencer Davis...very nice.

So on to the Maddermarket Theatre on Thursday 2nd April which was an even weirder venue. Anyway, getting there the front desk was selling some Animals CDs (old and new material) plus a couple of Zoot Money Cds. I asked how on earth was a relatively obscure (compared to the Animals anyway) artist on sale? Only 'cos he was guesting on keyboards all night. What an unexpected treat. The "usual" keyboard player (Mickey Gallagher - post Alan Price) was on tour with the Blockheads! Don't this guys ever retire? No Eric Burden obviously but the lead vocals of Pete Barton are pretty fine in my opinion and had a real raw energy.

So onto the set. Kicking off with "Baby Let Me Take You Home" and interspersing the Animals crowd pleasers with a great selection of RnB classics and a couple of soul numbers (and not just the obvious - Ray Charles "I Believe To My Soul" anyone?) - pick the bones out of (my fave of the night) "Road Runner" (Chuck Berry / Bo Diddley), John Lee Hooker "Dimples" and a great version of "Boom Boom" with lead guitar and Zoot's keyboards duelling (my second fave of the night), Dale Hawkins' "Suzy-Q" plus others which now escape me. Shame this was a seated venue and Zoot's only featured track was "Big Timer Operator" (no "Uncle Willie" unfortunately).

Well worth a look and it transpires last year they had Steve Cropper as ther guest! What a gig that would have been. I think they are in Wells Next The Sea in Augus this year...

Just a quick postcript - they ended with "We Gotta Get Out Of This Place" and how it was the US forces nunber 1 for three years during Vietnam plus the obligatory (but great version of) "House of the Rising Sun"