Norwich's Modernist Night Out
Some general ramblings and musings when the fancy takes - well, it's easier than writing new web pages everytime! Plus it's a quicker way to add updates
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!
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…)
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
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
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 11h 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
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
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
"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?
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:
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
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
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!
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
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!)
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
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.
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?
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
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.
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!
