New Record Reviews Thread

[motown67]

45 REVIEWS:

JOHNNY ADAMS
I Wish It Would Rain/You???re A Lady (Atlantic 72)
I bought this 45 because of the cover of I Wish It Would Rain. The tune starts off with an original string arrangement with a female chorus before Adams starts the familiar opening line ???Sunshine, blue skies, please go away.??? There are some other minor adjustments to the original, such as dragging out ???rain??? on the chorus, that allow Adams to give his own spin to this great tune. You???re A Lady is a more upbeat number, but not half as effective as the flipside.

FONTELLA BASS
Safe And Sound/You???ll Never Ever Know (Checker)
Safe And Sound is a Pop-Soul number that has a strong Rescue Me feel to parts of its melody and bass line, but there are also some congas. You???ll Never Ever Know is a slower RnB tune with a little Gospel feel to it.

ARCHIE BELL & THE DRELLS
Count The Ways/Dancing To Your Music (Glades 73)
Count The Ways starts off with a nice drum break before going into some Psych influenced Funk with echoing vocals and a nice bass line. The break and the drugged out vocals return again at the very end of the song. Dancing To Your Music on the other hand, is a light and melodic dance track that probably did well at discos.

WILLIAM BELL
A Penny For Your Thoughts/Til My Back Ain???t Got No Bone (Stax 71)
Both of these tunes come from Bell???s Wow album. It was recorded in Alabama at the Muscle Shoals Studios and produced by Al Bell. Both A Penny For Your Thoughts and Til My Back Ain???t Got No Bone follow the same formula, a slow pleading Southern Soul sound with female back-ups. There are also strings hovering just in the background. Both sides are a great example of what Stax was producing at the time.

EBONYS
It???s Forever/Sexy Ways (Philadelphia International 73)
This 45 comes from the Ebonys??? self-titled album, which featured song-writing and production by the Philly duo of Gamble and Huff, plus the musicianship of MFSB. First up is It???s Forever with its big build-up before some falsetto singing comes in that reminds me of the Chi-Lites at their best. Sexy Ways was produced by Thom Bell of Deflonics??? fame. It features a blaring baritone male singer with a little Sam & Dave feel to it. It???s not bad, but I really like the sweet side better.

ARETHA FRANKLIN
Day Dreaming/I???ve Been Loving You Too Long (Atlantic 72)
For whatever reason I???ve gotten 3 different copies of Aretha???s Young, Gifted, And Black LP, and on all three Day Dreaming has skipped. I guess it was a defective printing or something. For that reason I was happy to pick up a copy of the 45 to get a perfect recording of the song. The tune starts off with a little piano and a female chorus singing ???Day dreaming and I???m thinking of you??? in a high falsetto. After a little pause Aretha joins in with her smooth delivery about how she feels about her man. I???ve Been Loving You Too Long is one of those slow, Gospel heavy tunes that Aretha pulled off to great effect.

LEON HAYWOOD
Keep It In The Family/Long As There???s You (I Got Love) (20th Century 73)
Keep It In The Family comes from the album of the same name. The song has a bouncy rhythm led by the bass, accentuated by horns, that reminds me a bit of the Staple Singers. During the opening bridge the bass player even starts playing some chords to add to the melody. Long As There???s You is a contrast in styles as it???s a slow and brooding Soul tune.

LEON HAYWOOD
One Way Ticket To Love Land/There Ain???t Enough Hate Around To Make Me Turn Around (20th Century 72)
One Way Ticket To Love Land is a really catch Soul number that reminds me of the Stax sound with some horn stabs and a simple rhythm. There Ain???t Enough Hate is not as interesting, although the lyrics are about the changes America went through in the 1960s with a slow Gospel influenced rhythm.

IDES OF MARCH
Vehicle/Lead Me Home, Gently (Warner Brothers 70)
This 45 was a huge hit for Chicago???s Ides Of March. A whole new generation was recently reacquainted with it when it was used in a car commercial. Vehicle starts off with some loud swirling horns before the vocals come in that sound like Blood, Sweat & Tears. Lead Me Home, Gently is a forgettable ballad. That???s okay because the first side is so good you can overlook their failure to produce on the B-side.

INDEPENDENTS
Baby I???ve Been Missing You/Couldn???t Hear Nobody Say (Wand 73)
The Independents were a vocal Soul group out of Chicago that featured Rev. Jesse Jackson???s younger brother Chuck. They specialized in sweet Soul as epitomized by both sides of this 45. Baby I???ve Been Missing You cracked the top 10 with its vocal harmonies and orchestration. Couldn???t Hear Nobody Say is more of the same with a great string laden intro, although I prefer the flipside more.

CLAY TYSON
Moon Man (I Dentify 72)
There was a time when I picked up nearly every James Brown produced 45 that I could find. After I got the majority of them I moved on to other interests. I???ve still got my eye on a couple more and was happy to pick this single up recently. It features comedian Clay Tyson. This was the second of two records he did with Mr. Brown. The first one was with King in 1968 featuring Clay Tyson (Man On The Moon)/Clay Tyson (You Don???t Know What I Want) that had Tyson doing comedy routines over the I Can???t Touch Myself rhythm. Moon Man is a little different because it features Tyson rapping over some original music.

OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:

ELEVENTH HOUR
Hollywood Hot (20th Century 76)
Hollywood Hot was the Eleventh Hour???s one and only album. They get off to a strong start with Sock It To Me/It???s My Thing that has a great conga and handclap intro, and nice energy mixed with some group vocals that can get a little too commercial sounding. The best song is the title track that has a moody intro with some flute, a series of short drum breaks, and vocals that are harder hitting than the rest of the LP. It also doesn???t hurt that most of the second half of the song is instrumental either with plenty of percussion pushing it along. Almost as

good is Bumper To Bumper with its looping horn line and head nodding beat led by more percussion that fits the title. The rest of the album is not as interesting although some might like the last cut, You???ll Never Know Until You Try, as well, with its light melody and more heavy percussion.

FRIENDS OF DISTINCTION
Grazin (RCA 69)
Friends Of Distinction was right up there with the 5th Dimension in terms of poppy vocal Soul groups of the late-60s. Harry Elston and Floyd Butler, who got their start backing up Ray Charles, formed the group in LA in 1968. The group???s greatest claim to fame early on was that NFL Hall of Famer Jim Brown managed them and got them a deal with RCA. The group had immediate success with a cover of Hugh Masekela???s Grazing In The Grass, which was eventually included on Grazin. The group did a fine job adding lyrics to the original instrumental. There???s even a very short drum and percussion break in the middle. The rest of the album consists of tunes like a cover of I???ve Never Found A Girl (To Love Me Like You Do), and some nice mellow Soul tunes such as the lush I Really Hope You Do, (A) Sweet Young Think Like You, and Going In Circles with a great pensive build-up. All of that goodness disappears by the second side, which is sickeningly MOR. The one exception is a cover of the Beatles??? And I Love Him, which is given a sweet Soul treatment.

IKETTES
Gold & New (United Artists 74)
The Ikettes were actually the second set of female backup singers for Ike & Tina Turner, replacing the Artettes. If nothing else, they had a much better name. Beginning in the early 1960s they had a string of successful singles, but they were always an afterthought for Ike. This might be their only full length LP, but I???m not sure. Whatever the case, they come with a series of hard-hitting Soul covers such as Billy Preston???s Will It Go Round In Circles that???s given a rougher presentation than the original, Joe Tex???s I Gotcha, Peaches N Cream, and the Ike & Tina tunes Camel Walk and I???m Blue.

 

[pickwick33]

IKETTES
Gold & New (United Artists 74)
The Ikettes were actually the second set of female backup singers for Ike & Tina Turner, replacing the Artettes. If nothing else, they had a much better name. Beginning in the early 1960s they had a string of successful singles, but they were always an afterthought for Ike. This might be their only full length LP, but I???m not sure.

There was an earlier album on Modern in the sixties (later reissued on United -not to be confused with United Artists). It was titled The Ikettes Soul The Hits.

 

[motown67]

IKETTES
Gold & New (United Artists 74)
The Ikettes were actually the second set of female backup singers for Ike & Tina Turner, replacing the Artettes. If nothing else, they had a much better name. Beginning in the early 1960s they had a string of successful singles, but they were always an afterthought for Ike. This might be their only full length LP, but I???m not sure.

There was an earlier album on Modern in the sixties (later reissued on United -not to be confused with United Artists). It was titled The Ikettes Soul The Hits.
Thanks for the 411 as usual. I'll amend the review.

 

[motown67]

45 REVIEWS:

EDDIE KENDRICKS
Girl You Need A Change Of Mind (Part 1 & 2) (Tamla 72)
This single comes from Eddie Kendricks??? excellent album People Hold On. This might be the best song on what is an outstanding album. The song begins with the sing along chorus and Kendricks??? smooth delivery. About half way through the first side, the tune dramatically takes off led by some congas until an extended breakdown just builds and builds and builds off the drums and percussion. After that big crescendo, it comes back down for a long instrumental jam that just lets you enjoy the rhythm and melody.

BEN E. KING
Supernatural Thing ??? Part I & II (Atlantic 75)
This comes from one of King???s later albums of the same name. The song Supernatural Thing is a really slick mix of King???s soulful singing and some funky guitar work. To add to the effect are female vocals singing the chorus.

FREDDIE KING
Ain???t No Sunshine/I???d Rather Be Blind (Shelter 72)
This 45 caught my attention because of the Bill Withers??? cover. King was a Blues guitarist who dabbled in Funk mid-career. On Ain???t No Sunshine he pretty much sticks to the original at first with a little Blues guitar until he gets to the middle bridge where he adds his own little guitar solo. I???d Rather Be Blind is an electric Blues-Soul hybrid with the guitar work of the former, and the singing style of the latter.

FREDERICK KNIGHT
I???ve Been Lonely For So Long/Lean On Me (Stax 72)
I???ve Been Lonely For So Long was a big hit for Frederick Knight. It has a pleading feel to it from the opening guitar line to Knight???s high falsetto voice singing about how he misses his lady. It???s a great catchy Soul number. Lean On Me is more uplifting with a Gospel inflected chorus.

BARBARA MASON
Yes, I???m Ready/Keep Him (Arctic)
Yes, I???m Ready was one of Baraba Mason???s greatest hits, and a stone cold classic ballad. The chorus is near perfect with the call and response between the male and female back-up singers about how they???re ready, topped off by Mason saying she???s ready to fall in love. The rich orchestration with swirling strings just adds to the mood. Keep Him is a Pop-Soul tune with plenty of keys, but it???s hard to compare with the A-side.

MIRACLES
Do It Baby/I Wanna Be With You (Tamla 74)
After the departure of Smokey Robinson for a solo career, the Miracles were still able to produce some quality soul sides. First up is the sensual Do It Baby with a walking bass line that gives it a little edge, tempered by the slick vocal delivery, and the big chorus. I Wanna Be With You is a sweet ballad with a falsetto lead.

MOMENTS
Gotta Find A Way/Sweeter As The Days Go By (Stang 73)
Gotta Find A Way starts off with some background music and a skit about a person dreaming about getting on an airplane to go see their lover. That leads into a lush ballad with a high-pitched male lead singer. Sweeter As The Days Go By is a little more upbeat with a little Gospel feel to it, especially in the back-up singing and piano work in the background.

JACKIE MOORE
Precious Precious/Willpower (Atlantic)
Precious Precious and Willpower have a down home Soul feel to them. Both have prominent horn arrangements, which play against the laidback delivery of Ms. Moore. The best comparison is probably to the Stax sound. Together that makes for a great pair of songs on this 45.

NAT TURNER REBELLION
Tribute To A Slave/Plastic People (Delvaliant)
Tribute To A Slave starts off with some blaring horns before going into a laidback and funky rhythm tempered by some soulful group vocals. Plastic People is a subdued Soul number that eventually picks up with more brass work.

NATURAL FOUR
Love???s Society/Love That Really Counts (Curtom 74)
The Natural Four 45s I???ve listened to over the years have always been hit or miss. This single is a perfect example. Love That Really Counts is a bit of a flop as a mid-tempo Soul number. Much better is the flip, Love???s Society with its sophisticated arrangement of strings and piano, and the lead???s slick falsetto.

FRANKIE NEWSOME
My Lucky Day Part I & II (GWP)
My Lucky Day is a great upbeat Soul number, best heard on the dance floor. It???s got a catchy melody, female back-ups, and horn stabs during the chorus. In Part II there???s a really funky drum breakdown as well. Together they make for a great tune.

OHIO PLAYERS
Funky Worm/Paint Me (Westbound 73)
I???ve had several copies of this 45 over the years, but they???ve always been of the snap, crackle, pop variety. When I found a cheap and clean version recently, I had to pick it up. If you didn???t know, the Ohio Players were originally formed in Dayton, OH in 1959 as Robert Ward & The Untouchables. After a couple line-up and name changes, they became the Ohio Players in 1967. Funky Worm basically put the group on the map because it was their first #1 hit on the charts. When it comes down to it, the song is really a novelty tune in the long tradition of such tracks such as the Funky Chicken, Funky Grasshopper, etc. The vocals consist of a dialog between a fake granny and the main singing about a funky worm. The 45 version is sought after because it has a nice little drum break intro that???s not on the Pleasure LP. The cut was also Dr. Dre???s favorite flavor for at least a year or two since he used its keyboard line in various productions. Paint Me is more of a Soul track that sounds like it could???ve come from New Orleans with its melody and bouncy rhythm.

CANDI STATON
Heart On A String/I???m Just A Prisoner (Fame)
Heart On A String is another great slice of Southern Soul created by the heartfelt signing of Candi Staton, the studio musicians of Alabama???s Muscle Shoals who laid down a horn heavy rhythm track, and producer Rick Hall. I???m Just A Prisoner might even be better with its subdued beginning that gets a big lift from the brass before a little breakdown featuring Staton???s singing.

http://smg.pho

tobucket.com/albums/v215/motown67/Soul-Jazz-Funk-Rock-LP%20Covers/45s/th_Taylor-Johnnie---Just-The-.gif

JOHNNIE TAYLOR
Just The One I???ve Been Looking For/I Got To Love Somebody???s Baby (Stax)
Just The One I???ve Been Looking For is the kind of song that really defined the Stax sound. You have the rhythm section laying down a rich Southern Soul backing, the horns that were always a prominent part of the mix, and Taylor???s rich singing that at times reminds me of Sam Cooke. I Got To Love Somebody???s Baby on the other hand is a slow bluesy RnB number.

OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:

MILT JACKSON
Goodbye (CTI 73)
Goodbye was recorded in December 1972 and December 1973 with Milt Jackson on vibes, featuring Hubert Laws, plus Herbie Hancock, Cedar Walton, Ron Carter, Billy Cobham, Steve Gadd, and Freddie Hubbard. It was Jackson???s second record for CTI and one of many he did when away from his main group the Modern Jazz Quartet. Together they created a very mellow MOR and light Bop Jazz album that???s heard on tunes like Detour Ahead. Even when Jackson picks up the pace it???s still results in some light Bop such as the title cut and Opus De Funk.

JONESES
Keepin Up With The Joneses (Mercury 74)
The Joneses were from Baltimore, but recorded their debut album, Keepin Up With The Joneses in New York. They worked with some of the leading Jazz studio musicians of the city such as Richard Tee, Cornell Dupree, Wilbur Bascome, Ralph McDonald, and others. Most of the LP is mid-tempo vocal group Soul like the opening I Can???t See What You See In Me with its catchy melody, Hey Babe (Is The Getting Still Good?), which comes in two parts, the first with singing, and the second just instrumental, Baby Don???t Do It, and Please, Let Me Stay with their nice leads. The singing and arranging on Sugar Pie Guy Pt. 1 has a strong Barry White feel to it. On Pt. 2 they just stretch out the groove. On I Promise You they take it down a notch for a nice ballad.

 

[motown67]

45 REVIEWS:

PURPLE IMAGE
(Marching To...) A Different Drummer /Why (De-Lite)
(Marching To???) A Different Drummer and Why are nice catchy tunes with a strong Rock influence to them and strong group vocals. The latter also has horns. Together, they remind me a bit of a rougher version of Sly Stone???s work.

LP REVIEWS:

TAMI LYNN
Love Is Here And Now You???re Gone (Cotillion 72)
Love Is Here And Now You???re Gone is divided into two parts. The first side is one long brooding meditation on love that finally takes off with the last part That???s Understanding. It has a strong Southern Soul sound to it with a bouncy rhythm and plenty of horns, plus an extended musical part at the end. The second side has a bit of a mix of styles beginning with I???m Gonna Run Away From You that sounds like something from the mid to early-60s with strings and poppy girl back-ups. Then there???s A World You Left Behind You that has some of the same elements as That???s Understanding, but much better is the funky Soul of Mo Jo Hanna with a little Blues kick to it. To finish things off is the slow and easy One Night Of Sin.

TROY RAMEY AND THE SOUL SEARCHERS
Great Change (Nashboro)
Troy Ramey And The Soul Searchers was a seven piece male Gospel outfit who recorded Great Change in Atlanta. Each song has a very simple rhythm with a little guitar out in the lead to highlight the Searchers??? vocals, which have a deep baritone to them. Some of the backing tracks liberally borrow from popular Soul numbers of the time such as Time Is Winding Up that has hints of Motown in it. You also get some gut wrenching singing on tunes like Jesus Paid It Al, and slow and bluesy numbers like Lord, I???ve Done What You Told Me To Do. The best song is Serve Him that has a funky little bass line to it.

VARIOUS
Boy Meets Girl (Stax 69)
From what I understand, Boy Meets Girl was actually released as an album before the singles. Al Bell with help from Don Davis, Isaac Hayes and Booker T. Jones oversaw the sessions, which were recorded partly at the Muscle Shoals Studio. Together they released a double album with 22 tracks by William Bell, Johnnie Taylor, Eddie Floyd, Pervis and Marvis Staples, and Carla Thomas. First up is an upbeat ensemble piece called Soul-A-Lujah featuring all the artists with some incredibly catchy vocals. That energy continues with I Ain???t Particular with William Bell and Mavis Staples. They take it down just a notch with Just Keep On Loving Me, a duet between Johnnie Taylor and Mavis Staples. There???s also a great cover of I Thank You by William Bell and Mavis Staples with so much conga work that it completely transforms the song. Two other good covers are Piece Of My Heart by Eddie Floyd and Mavis Staples, and I???m Trying by Pervis Staples and Carla Thomas. Love???s Sweet Sensation featuring William Bell and Mavis Staples, and I Need You Woman with William Bell and Carla Thomas, switch things up a little bit because they sound almost like Motown tunes with their driving drum beats and strings in the background.

OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:

MILT JACKSON
Olinga (CTI 74)
Olinga was recorded with Cedar Walton, Ron Carter, Micky Rocker, Jimmy Heath and a full string compliment. It???s probably the best record Jackson made for CTI. It starts off with the title track that has a brief, but dramatic intro with some loud drums before going into a slow and pensive Jazz number that features Jackson on the vibes. That intro comes in and out throughout the song. Rerev and The Steel Bender are upbeat Jazz numbers. Much better are the Soul-Jazz of The Metal Melter and I???m Not So Sure with its funky beginning and drum break, both of which have catchy melodies.

 

[pickwick33]

LP REVIEWS:

TAMI LYNN
Love Is Here And Now You???re Gone (Cotillion 72)
Love Is Here And Now You???re Gone is divided into two parts. The first side is one long brooding meditation on love that finally takes off with the last part That???s Understanding. It has a strong Southern Soul sound to it with a bouncy rhythm and plenty of horns, plus an extended musical part at the end. The second side has a bit of a mix of styles beginning with I???m Gonna Run Away From You that sounds like something from the mid to early-60s with strings and poppy girl back-ups.

It actually was an older recording. The story goes that "Gonna Run Away" was reissued in the UK and became a hit, so it was then rereleased here in the States, even though it was quite dated by 1972 radio standards (though still good). This album was then built around it, even though "Gonna Run Away" does kinda stick out compared to the rest.

 

[motown67]

LP REVIEWS:

TAMI LYNN
Love Is Here And Now You???re Gone (Cotillion 72)
Love Is Here And Now You???re Gone is divided into two parts. The first side is one long brooding meditation on love that finally takes off with the last part That???s Understanding. It has a strong Southern Soul sound to it with a bouncy rhythm and plenty of horns, plus an extended musical part at the end. The second side has a bit of a mix of styles beginning with I???m Gonna Run Away From You that sounds like something from the mid to early-60s with strings and poppy girl back-ups.

It actually was an older recording. The story goes that "Gonna Run Away" was reissued in the UK and became a hit, so it was then rereleased here in the States, even though it was quite dated by 1972 radio standards (though still good). This album was then built around it, even though "Gonna Run Away" does kinda stick out compared to the rest.
Well that explains a lot, because when I heard that song I made a double take and asked, What is this tune doing on this album from 72?

 

[motown67]

45 REVIEWS:

CALVIN ARNOLD
Funky Way/Snatchin Back (Venture)
Funky Way is a great way to start off a 45 with its guitar led groove and slow and easy vocal delivery. Snatchin Back is more of an upbeat and energetic Soul number that would be great for the dance floor.

ESQUIRES
Ain???t Gonna Give It Up/Girls In The City (Lamarr)
Ain???t Gonna Give It Up is a great, moving Soul number that starts off with horns, builds up to the light chorus with plenty of ???la la las??? that are the hook. Girls In The City gets a little too cheesy and MOR for me with lyrics about how they can???t stop looking at girls in Chicago who dress in pink. I???ll gladly go back to the A-side on this 45.

FANTASTIC FOUR
As Long As I Live/To Share Your Love (Ric Tic)
As Long As I Live is a rich Soul number that reminds me a bit of the Temptations with its group vocals. The outfit loses me on To Share Your Love however, which comes off a bit sappy.

FANTASTIC FOUR
I???ve Got To Have You/Win Or Lose (I???m Going To Love You) (Ric Tic)
This is a real good Soul 45. I???ve Got To Have You is a richly orchestrated mid-tempo song with some catchy lyrics and subtle female back-ups. Win Or Lose (I???m Going To Love You) is more upbeat and has more of a groove to it.

JO ANN GARRETT
Just Say When/Thousand Miles Away (Chess)
Just Say When is an uplifting Soul number with strings and Garrett???s great singing. Thousand Miles Away is more of a love song with lots of strings that starts off mellow, but reaches a crescendo towards the end.

EDDIE KENDRICKS
Keep On Truckin (Part 1) (Tamla 73)
This 45 comes from Eddie Kendricks self-titled album. It???s a catchy dance track with hints of Stevie Wonder in the instrumentation and a sing along chorus. Half way through the first side it goes into an extended instrumental jam with a solo on the vibes before a breakdown with hand claps, congas and Kendricks??? singing. Unfortunately, this is a promo copy so I don???t get to enjoy Part 2.

JEAN KNIGHT
Rudy Blue/What One Man Won???t Do Another Man Will (Open 76)
Jean Knight is obviously best known for her huge hit Mr. Big Stuff. After a few follow up singles that all seemed to be based upon derivatives of her hit, she bounced around labels and ended up releasing this single on Open Records. Despite it being 1976, she still proved that she could deliver on Rudy Blue. Her vocals are rough and the music keeps your attention with its piano, horns and guitar work. Wouldn???t you know it though, but What One Man Won???t Do Another Man Will has hints of Mr. Big Stuff in its rhythms with plenty of horns and that familiar ???oh yeah??? from the back-up singers.

PAT LUNDY
Another Lovin Kind Of Feeling/I???m Your Special Fool (De Luxe)
Another Lovin Kind Of Feeling is a slow grooving little number with Pat Lundy???s strong soulful singing. On I???m Your Special Fool Lundy takes it up a notch with its loud horns, a walking bass line, and screaming back-up singers.

MEL AND TIM
I???m The One/Put An Extra Plus To Your Love (Bamboo 69)
I???m The One is a syrupy love tune that misses the mark for me. Put An Extra Plus To Your Love is the much better side, with a slick, yet funky rhythm track replete with strings, a big chorus, and some screaming vocals by the end.

ROCK
(Don???t Abuse) Your Faithful Love/(Charlie, Brother) We Got To Love One Another (Scorpio)
Despite the image that a name like The Rock might bring about, it turns out the group featured a female singer. (Don???t Abuse) Your Faithful Love is a sweet Soul number with some sweeping strings at the beginning before the vocals come in with a little swing to them locked to the backbeat. (Charlie, Brother) We Got To Love One Another has a Funk edge to it and group vocals on the chorus.

SAM & DAVE
Soul Sister, Brown Sugar/Come On In (Atlantic)
This was a 45 only release by the dynamic Stax duo of Sam & Dave. The single was produced and written by another great partnership, Isaac Hayes and David Porter. I actually first heard of the single years ago when it was sampled for M.O.P.???s big hit Ante Up. Soul Sister, Brown Sugar starts off with some blaring horns that formed the basis of the M.O.P. tune. It then goes into a fast paced rhythm with horns playing the call and response with Sam & Dave on the chorus. Come On In is more of a power ballad played at mid-tempo with more strong work by the brass section and bass.

TEMPREES
If I Could Say What???s On My Mind/My Baby Love (We Produce)
The Temprees were a vocal Soul group from Memphis. They had at least two albums, the Lovemen being the one this 45 comes from. If I Could Say What???s On My Mind is one of their sweet Soul ballads that the outfit was known for. My Baby Love flips the script by being a dance oriented number that again utilizes the Temprees??? strong singing talents.

OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:

MILT JACKSON
Sunflower (CTI 73)
The image of a sunflower might best describe the music contained within this record. First there???s Someone I Love that is a light and casual Jazz piece that gets a little frantic in the middle with the Herbie Hancock???s piano playing. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life? is in the same mood and range. The highlight of the album however, is a cover of People Make The World Go Round with Freddie Hubbard???s trumpet in the lead and Ron Carter and Billy Cobham locking down the rhythm into a tight groove in the middle when Jackson takes his solo on the vibes.

WILLIS JACKSON
Headed And Gutted (Muse 74)
Headed And Gutted is basically a one-tracker. That comes in the form of the title track that is a real nice, mid-tempo funky Jazz piece. It has a driving rhythm and Jackson???s soloing over the top. The rest of the album is more straight-ahead Jazz splitting between the sl

ow and mellow Blue Velvet and The Way We Were, and the more upbeat Miss Ann and Gator Whale.

WILLIS JACKSON
Willis Jackson Recording Session (Big Chance 72)
The infamous Paul Winley produced and released Willis Jackson Recording Session in 1972. The album opens up with a series of laidback, yet effective Soul-Jazz numbers in the form of Love Story and It???s Too Late. What really gets things going however is a cover of Ain???t No Sunshine with Jackson???s sax playing the lead and a nice drum break in the middle, followed by a version of What???s Going On with some real heavy percussion that gets louder in the mix as the song progresses, that gives the classic a new feel. There???s also Soul Train with its pointed guitar work, the funky and fast passed Don???t Knock My Love with horn stabs, and the bluesy Soul-Jazz of Heavy Makes You Happy (Sha-Na-Boom-Boom). After all that, they finish with I???d Like To Teach The World To Sing that was best known for being used in a Coke commercial. Of all things to end a record with, they had to pick that! To footnote the whole thing, this LP was probably the source for some of the Harlem Underground Band record that Winley also released.

 

[motown67]

45 REVIEWS:

KEN BOOTHE
(It???s The Way) That Nature Planned It/Sad And Lonely (Trojan 74)
(It???s The Way) That Nature Planned It is a great slice of Soul inspired Reggae with Boothe???s rich and deep vocals pushing along the song. The strong American influence is especially apparent on the chorus with the falsetto back-ups. Sad And Lonely has a more Reggae sound to it with its slower rhythm and delivery, but also features prominent horn work.

VIBRATIONS
Love In Them There Hills/Remember The Rain (Okeh)
The Vibrations teamed with the Gamble and Huff recording empire on this 45, with the duo producing and writing both sides. Love In Them There Hills is first with some heavy percussion giving it a strong Latin feel before the vocals come in turning it into a power Soul number. Remember The Rain on the other hand, is a ballad with a falsetto lead. It???s not bad, but this single is really all about the A-side.

OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:

CHECKMATES LTD.
Chessboard Corporation F/S/O (Rustic 74)
The Checkmates Ltd. were a long-time Soul act. By the time Chessboard Corporation F/S/O came out, they???d updated their sound to release their best album. That???s heard on the slick Funk of Louie The Piper with plenty of guitar work and hints of Sly Stone. Much better is the easy going (Ain???t A) Goddamned Thang Going On with its sing-along chorus, the swirling ???moody loop??? rhythm of the love song I Must Be Dreaming, the fast, Rock-based Street Of Dreams, plus the slow and funky Sexy Ways and Might Get Betta.

EDDIE FLOYD
Down To Earth (Stax 71)
Down To Earth was an attempt by Steve Cropper to mix Eddie Floyd???s soulful singing with a Blues-Rock backing with mixed results. That???s heard immediately on a cover of People Get Read with plenty of Rock guitar playing that temporarily mellows out during the versus. Oddly enough, it reminds me of Elvis, which points to some of the faults with this experiment. Many of numbers are like Linda Sue Dixon where Floyd sings about how ???LSD??? is an inspiration and gets him high, with a fiddle in the background. There are a few times when Floyd and Cropper are able to pull things off. Those are found on My Mind Was Messed Around At The Time with its horn stabs and call and response vocals, the slow and powerful Salvation, and Changing Love with its hints of Psychedelica.

 

[motown67]

A nice 4 day weekend gave me plenty of time to listen to and review records this week. Enjoy.

LP REVIEWS:

SANDRA ALEXANDER
Intimate Side Of (Uni)
Sandra Alexander was a Californian piano player and singer with a classical training from the University of the Pacific and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. On Intimate Side Of, she went for a mellow, subdued, and jazzy sound that reminds me a bit of Roberta Flack. That can be heard on Love Is Blue, In The Ghetto, Aquarius, and especially Yesterday, When I Was Young with its minimalist arrangement. Where she really gets a groove going is on a cover of It???s Your Thing with some conga work in the background.

INEZ ANDREWS
More Church In The Home (ABC Songbird 74)
Inez Andrews recorded this album with some well known Jazz and Blues session players such as Cash McCall and Richard Evans. She gets off to a good start with a Soul-Gospel tune called Songs Of Love with a big chorus. She then takes it down a notch for the balladic Lord I Love Thee with more group vocals, A Letter to God, which features some rough singing by Ms. Andrews, and You And Me. Things pick up again with Think Love that has a nice groove to it. On Headline News Inez again shows off her strong screeching vocals. She finishes things off like she started with A Brothers??? Prayer that mixes a Soul arrangement with Gospel vocals led by the guitar.

EAST ST. LOUIS GOSPELETTES
Movin On Up (Nashboro 80)
The East St. Louis Gospelettes were a long-standing Gospel group. First up is I???ve Got To Do It, which doesn???t really hit until half way through when they slow everything down and the female lead lets it rip. If I Had My Way is even better with its Soul arrangement and guitar work. There???s also the upbeat Carry Me Over and the slow number There Is No Seniority With God.

CLEOPHUS ROBINSON, JR.
Keep On Stepping (Nashboro 77)
Cleophus Robinson was a Southern Gospel singer and organist. Must of his tunes are slow and easy with the keyboard leading the rhythm such as the title cut. Where he really hits his stride is on Jesus Cares For You with its strong vamp creating a nice mix of Soul and Gospel. The second side consists of several instrumental tunes strung together into one single piece with just Robinson and his organ.

SWEET INSPIRATIONS
What The World Needs Now Is Love (Atlantic 68)
The Sweet Inspirations start of this album with a series of mellow numbers, none of which is anything to write home about, although they do highlight their strong group vocals. It???s not until Watch The One Who Brings You The News that things really get going with the strong horn play, some earthy singing by the lead vocalist and strong back-ups. The slow and gentle Am I Ever Gonna See My Baby Again that has a strong Gospel feel to it follows that. There???s also the upbeat Walk In My Shoes, the slow and funky I Could Leave You Alone with another Gospel chorus, and a good cover of That???s How Strong My Love Is.

OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:

BOBBY BRYANT
Earth Dance (World Pacific Jazz 69)
On this album, Bobby Bryant plays with a big band and the songs and sound reflect that large orchestration. Most of the songs sound like they come from movie or TV soundtracks, which can be a good thing. Earth Dance is a perfect example, sounding like a theme to a detective story in its mood and big horn section. There???s also a nice hand-clap/conga break there as well. Bryant???s cover of the Beatles??? While My Guitar Gently Weeps has a nice beginning with heavy fuzz guitar, but during the versus the big band sound falters in its delivery. Since I Left Home is much better with its swinging rhythm. Happiness Is A Warm Gun, another Beatles cover, has a nice melody to it as well. Of all things, Bryant decides to end the album with a cover of I Want To Testify, one of the earliest songs written by George Clinton when his group was a singing outfit, and they went by the name of the Parliaments. The song was actually a local hit in Detroit. If you like Gerald Wilson, you???ll like this album, as they have a similar big band sound.

RON CARTER
Yellow & Green (CTI 76)
Most of this album is straight Jazz, but Carter manages to get down on a couple tracks. Receipt, Please and Yellow & Green sound like sped up follow-ups to Carter???s earlier song, Blues Farm. Both are driven by Carter???s walking bass play. Interesting, yet not endearing.

CHI-LITES
Toby (Brunswick 74)
With Toby the Chi-Lites were still cranking out their signature lush Soul sound, but they weren???t hitting the charts like they were in the past. That doesn???t mean there isn???t good music here. The title cut features Eugene Record???s trademark falsetto voice and a rich arrangement that he helped create. You Got To Be The One is even better with its funky baritone chorus backed by congas. There Will Never Be Any Peace, That???s How Long, Happiness Is Your Middle Name, I Lied, and Getin On Outta Town are all good as well. Toby is not as famous of the Chi-Lites??? other releases, but a fine Soul album nonetheless.

AHMAD JAMAL
Ahmad Jamal 73 (20th Century 73)
Ahmad Jamal was a Pittsburgh piano player known for his melodic style of play. By 1973 he was recording with 20th Century and released this fine Soul-Jazz Fusion album with production and arranging help by fellow Chicago artist Richard Evans. First up is a cover of The World Is A Ghetto that has a slick, yet spacey feel to it with some female vocals half way through. It reminds me a bit of some CTI recordings. What follows are mostly low-key Soul-Jazz pieces such as Children Of The Night and Sustah Sustah. Things pick up a bit with a cover of Superstition where Jamal goes off on his keys. The best however, is saved for last in the form of Peace At Last, that has a bit of Funk in its playing.

AHMAD JAMAL
Awakening (Impulse 70)
Awakening is a mellow Jazz album that reminds me a bit of Ramsey Lewis without the Pop influences. That can be heard on every track from the opening title cut to songs like I Love Music, which is Jamal playing solo on the piano. The record was made famous back in the day when the likes of Pete Rock, Nas and Common sampled it several times. There???s actually not that much to write home about.

AHMAD JAMAL
Intervals (20th Century 80)
Intervals is a bit of a throwback album. Although recorded i

n 1980, most of the sounds emanating from it could???ve come from the late-1960s/early-1970s when Ahmad Jamal was in his heyday. That???s especially true of the opening You???re Welcome, Stop On By that sounds like Sun Goddess era Ramsey Lewis with Jamal playing runs on the piano with a strong bass line and plenty of keyboards. I also like the dramatic playing on The Tube that mellows out during the middle, but than picks up again at the end. Most of the rest of the record is Jamal???s patented melodic Jazz.

AHMAD JAMAL
Jamal Plays Jamal (20th Century 74)
In the early-1970s Ahmad Jamal switched labels to 20th Century and released some of his most soulful work. The real star of Jamal Plays Jamal however is bassist Jamil Nasser who steals the show on every song by not only being the anchor of the rhythm section, but by laying down some extremely funky lines. That all starts off with Eclipse that perfectly matches Jamal???s melodic Jazz piano style with the bass work of Nasser. The mellow and heavily orchestrated Pastures also starts off with an open bass line. The group picks up the pace with Dialogue that???s got some nice horn accents and Spanish Interlude where Jamal busts out with the fender Rhodes. Death & Resurrection is darker, while Swahililand has a long and dramatic beginning leading into another fine mix of the bass and piano. Conga player Azzedin Weston also plays a nice role on a couple tunes backing up Nasser???s bass. Richard Evans from Cadet had a hand to play in some of the arranging on the album as well.

AHMAD JAMAL
Jamalca (20th Century 74)
Jamalca starts off with a cover of Thom Bell???s Ghetto Child that sounds like the best of a CTI recording, or perhaps the worst depending upon your opinion of that label???s work. Jamal is able to lay down some fine playing on the electric keys during that song, but it can???t save it from its smooth version of Soul-Jazz. That sort of sets the stage for most of the record on tunes like a version of Foster Sylver???s Misdemeanor that has a swirling beginning, only to move towards MOR afterwards. Again, Jamal tries to save the tune with his playing, but it ultimately only provides a short interval in a lost cause. The one song that Jamal is able to pull off is Theme Bahamas where he keeps things relatively simple and gets to show off his fine playing on the acoustic piano. The one CTIesque tune that works is MASH Theme with the strong bass playing of Jamil Nasser.

 

[motown67]

LP REVIEWS:

CAROLYN FRANKLIN
Chain Reaction (RCA 70)
Carolyn was Aretha???s little sister. On Chain Reaction her producers had her mostly cover Pop hits of the time. Some of those fare better than others such as Put A Little Love In Your Heart. Where Carolyn really gets down is on the title cut with its strong horn line in the background creating a power Soul tune. The following You Really Didn???t Mean It has some brooding strings and slow groove, while I Ain???t Got To Love Nobody Else harkens back to her Gospel roots with its big chorus. There???s also the power ballad I Ain???t Got To Love Nobody Else.

BEN E. KING
Beginning Of It All (Mandala 72)
During the 1970s Ben E. King was struggling to keep up with the changes in music just like most artists that got an early start. On Beginning Of It All he puts forth an up and down performance with the best tunes being the love songs. The opening Take Me To The Pilot is the one exception as its a Gospel number with some nice back-up singing. The good ballads begin with Travellin Women with its dramatic intro of piano and horns, and White Moon and She Does It Right. The best of that ilk however is the heart felt title track with its strong female back up.

VALERIE SIMPSON
Valerie Simpson (Tamla 72)
Valerie Simpson was one half of the dynamic song-writing duo of Ashford and Simpson. Along the way to writing hits, they collaborated to record Valerie on her own. Most of the tunes are nice, mellow Soul. The ones that stand out are like Fix It Alright and Drink The Wine that start off slow and easy and then take off in the second half with Simpson???s singing. She also has some sweeping vocals on Benjie. The second side isn???t as composed as well with no track really standing out.

NICKY THOMAS
Tell It Like It Is (Trojan 72)
Tell It Like It Is was an English release on the Trojan label and was obviously aimed at that market. By the 1970s England was going for a lush, heavily orchestrated Soul-Pop-Reggae sound, and that???s heard throughout the entire first side beginning with the title track. That makes it all the more surprising when he busts out with a cover of James Brown???s Soul Power on the second side. The song is by far the best on the album and even captures some of the horn work of the original. The following I Can???t Stand It with its hard driving beat is also good. He finishes things off with a cover of the Chambers Brothers??? Love, Peace And Happiness that???s nothing special at first, but then has a great funky breakdown and second half with some strong singing.

OLD RECORD REVIEWS:

OSCAR BROWN, JR.
Movin On (Atlantic 72)
William Eaton arranged and conducted this record for Oscar Brown Jr. Eaton assembled some of the usual session men of the time to back up Brown with the likes of Cornell Dupree, Richard Tee, Bill Salter, Jimmy Johnson, Ralph MacDonald, Bernard Purdie, and David Newman. Brown actually talks his way through each song in a storytelling style, covering such as issues as urban legends and social commentary. He???s like a cross between Gil Scott-Heron and Lightnin Rod???s Hustler???s Convention. The best tracks are A Dime Away From A Hotdog with its slow and funky rhythm and lyrics about tough times living on the streets, and To Stay In Good With You where Brown gets to play off the singing of Jean Pace.

GARY BURTON
Throb (Atlantic 69)
Gary Burton was mostly known for his vibes playing, but he does a little piano playing on this record as well, as he gets down on a couple tracks. The brooding Henniger Flats is the first cut and has something of a Rock influence to it with the distorted guitar soloing of Jerry Hanh at the beginning and end, and Burton???s vibe playing in the middle. On Prime Time and Doin The Pig Burton picks things up with two upbeat numbers that have a little 60s swing to them. Some Echoes is mellow but has a funky bass line.

LOU DONALDSON
Sassy Soul Strut (Blue Note 73)
Sassy Soul Strut was recorded during a transitional period in Donaldson???s career. By this time he was dropping a lot of his earlier Blues leanings and began recording some pretty commercial sounding 70s music. One song that stands out is a cover of Sanford And Some Theme. City Country City takes a while to develop, but once you get to the heart of the tune it might have the best rhythm track on the entire LP with some funky playing. On the other hand a cover of Pillow Talk is pure cheese and Inner Space sounds like a CTI song. While not bad, Sassy Soul Strut is nothing like his late-60s work on Blue Note.

JAMES GANG
Rides Again (ABC 70)
The James Gang was a power Rock trio featuring Joe Walsh on guitar and vocals. It???s his work on the axe that starts off the best cut Funk #49. The title says it alone, it???s a Funk tinged Rock tune with plenty of strong playing by Walsh with a catchy hook. Right in the middle there???s a little drum and cowbell breakdown as well. The rest of the album isn???t half bad Rock either with instrumentals like Asshtonpark and vocal numbers such as Woman and There I Go Again.

 

[motown67]

45 REVIEWS:

SCOTTY/BONGO HERMAN
Skank In Bed/African Breakfast (Harry J)
Skank In Bed is a little different than your typical Jamaican DJ track. On most of those they had a DJ talking over the top of a rhythm track. Here, Scotty appears to have gone in the studio and recorded a hit song of the time, Breakfast In Bed featuring a sexy and smooth female vocalist, and done his toasting at the same time. That???s show in the middle where Scotty stops the track and calls out one of the musicians for not being able to play before the groove starts up again. The B-side is the same rhythm with some very loud percussion in place of the vocals.

LP REVIEWS:

INTRUDERS
Cowboys To Girls (Gamble)
The Intruders were one of the originators of the lush vocal Soul that would become a trademark of Philadelphia. Of course, being signed to Gamble and Huff???s record label didn???t hurt. This record was released after the huge success of their singles. Unfortunately that means that you have some great hits like the opening Cowboys To Girls with its horn play, swirling strings and catchy lyrics, Turn The Hands Of Time, and (Love Is Like A) Baseball Game. After that the record is almost all filler, with the only other passable track is the pensive Good For Me Girl that finishes things off.

MIRACLES
Renaissance (Tamla 73)
Albums like Renaissance proved that the Miracles could still produce even if their leader Smokey Robinson had gone solo. In fact, Smokey was never far away as he was the executive producer of the album, and the song writing talents of Leon Ware, Willie Hutch, and Larry Mizell, amongst others helped them out. Most of the tracks are lush slow Soul numbers such as If You???re Ever In The Neighborhood, I Wanna Be With You, Wigs And Lashes, Don???t Let It End (Til You Let It Begin), and Nowhere To Go. There are a few other tunes that are slick dance numbers such as What Is A Heart Good For and I Don???t Need No Reason with its great catchy chorus. There are some funky Soul numbers as well like Mr. Cool That Ain???t Cool, but they???re really at their best singing lush ballads like Loving You Is So Easy.

TEMPREES
3 (We Produce 74)
The Temprees were a three-piece vocal Soul outfit. On 3 they sound like a mix of the Isley Brother???s delivery with some of Barry White???s orchestration. Together that makes for a fine album. While they start off with a funky Soul tune in Mr. Cool That Ain???t Cool, the group???s bread and butter were the slow jams like Loving You Is So Easy and I Love, I Love. The second side is more of the same with You Make Me Feel So Good Baby and others.

TOMORROW???S CHILDREN
The Going???s Great With (London)
Pan Am co-sponsored this record so on the back cover you get 5 pictures of the band hanging out with a jet airliner and sitting at a bar at the airport! If that doesn???t catch your attention, the music contained on Going???s Great With certainly will. They start off with Get Together with a very deliberate beat and horns, followed by covers of the slick Soul tune It???s All In The Game and War that would give the original a run for its money. Bend Down with its call and response vocals and laidback sound finishes off the first side. The second side is just as good with You Keep Me Hanging On with a nice vocal breakdown, the melodic No Nola, and finishes off with Psychedelic Train.

OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:

BOB JAMES
One (CTI 74)
This was one of those beginning beat digger and sample collector records that everyone used to hunt down. Most copies must still be sitting in those people???s collections because I don???t see this record out in the field like I use to. Between this and James??? other well-known record Two, this is the superior product. First up is the haunting Valley Of The Shadows that has some strong keys playing by James and blaring horns at times in between moody interludes. At the very end though if falls off the deep end. Night On Bald Mountain has some interesting parts by James, but overall is a failure as a funky Jazz Fusion number with too many cheesy parts to make up for the good. Next is actually a good piece of mellow Soul-Jazz in Feel Like Making Love. The best tune however is the ending Nautilus as it???s the most consistent from beginning to end with the keys and drum intro that leads into the syncopated main verse with the guitar, and a nice breakdown in the middle.

RICK JAMES
Come Get It! (Gordy 78)
After playing for years on the Rock and Soul circuit in eastern Canada, New York, and England, Rick James finally made a hit solo career in the late 1970s. Borrowing heavily from the Parliamentfunkadelic sound he released Come Get It! his first full-length album. The opening Stone City Band, Hi is a perfect example of his sound with its catchy Funk beat and sing along chorus. Even better is the funky dance classic You And I with its female back-up singers. Be My Lady is much more lighter with a Pop edge, but still very effective. My favorite track however is Mary Jane the love song to drug use with its slow groove. James finishes things off with the power ballad Hollywood, and Stone City Band, Bye! a finale to the opening cut.

 

[motown67]

Went on a little vacation to celebrate the end of school and the official start of Summer break so didn't have that much time to review stuff this week. Here's what I did do. Enjoy.

45 REVIEWS:

LOYCE COTTON
Try It, You???ll Like It/Everybody Wants To Be The President (Aquarius)
Loyce Cotton recorded this 45 in Houston, Texas. First up is the grooving mid-tempo Try It, You???ll Like It with Ms. Cotton???s strong vocals over a funky Soul backing, and an organ solo in the middle. The flipside is a nice power ballad with political lyrics about how the president needs to take care of the people, all the people, whether they are rich and powerful or not.

OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:

RICK JAMES
Street Songs (Gordy 81)
It???s said that Rick James almost single handedly saved Motown from extinction in the late-1970s. In the 1980s he was still going strong with continued hits like Give It To Me Baby and Super Freak on Street Songs. Unfortunately, after those chart toppers, the album gets a little lean with the mid-tempo Ghetto Life the only other outstanding track.

AL JARREAU
Ain???t No Sunshine (Astan 84)
Jarreau Does Withers (Allegiance 84)
Lonely Town, Lonely Street (Koala 79)
Originally, I found a copy of Al Jarreau???s Jarreau Does Withers LP on the budget label Allegiance. I played it for O-Dub and he went out and topped me by not only finding the original 1979 release on Koala Lonely Town, Lonely Street, but also a picture disc released on Astan. As one can tell, this is a tribute album to Bill Withers. All together, Jarreau does 8 of Withers??? songs: Ain???t No Sunshine, Lean On Me, Use Me, Kissing My Love, Grandma???s Hands, You, Lonely Town, Lonely Street, and The Same Love That Made Me Laugh. All of them are well done, sticking to the original arrangements, and even comes with a drum breaks on Use Me and Kissing My Love.

VOICES OF WATTS
God Is What You Need (Birthright 76)
The Voices Of Watts was a Gospel group from Los Angeles, led by Reverend Billy Ray. God Is What You Need is a live album recorded at their church. The group was made up of a male and female lead and an all female chorus. The woman has a really strong voice, while the man???s flutters a lot trying to hold a note, which is no good for a Gospel outfit where you???re expected to put your heart and soul into every number. The group starts off with the mellow God Is What You Need that builds in intensity until half way through when they start the handclaps and things start really going. After that they can???t seem to keep it together either due to faltering vocals or bad recording until Water on the second side with its strong bass line, and the slow and powerful Changed My Way. The failure to consistently deliver, makes this a mediocre Gospel record overall.

 

[motown67]

Summer vacation = lots more time to listen & review records!


45 REVIEWS:

O.V. WRIGHT
Drowning On Dry Land/I???m Gonna Forget About You (Back Beat 72)
This is another strong 45 by O.V. Wright. He starts off with the slow and moody Drowning On Dry Land with some loud horn play at the beginning before Wright???s powerful singing comes in. I???m Gonna Forget About You sounds more like an earlier RnB tune.

LP REVIEWS:

ARCHIE BELL & THE DRELLS
I Can???t Stop Dancing (Atlantic 68)
I guess when you have a successful formula you stick with it until it flops. That appears to be the strategy that Archie Bell & The Drells took on I Can???t Stop Dancing. It was the follow up to their huge hit Tighten Up. Instead of coming up with something new, they instead tried to remake that song in different ways. Thus you get the title cut and Do The Choo Choo, written and produced by Gamble and Huff, that sound like take offs of their first chart topper. They???re actually not that bad, and those upbeat dance tunes are what dominate the album like Monkey Time, Do You Feel it? and Jammin In Houston, the last two being the best on the LP due to the frantic drumming laid down. The ballads I???ve Been Trying and Love Will Rain On You are also worth a listen.

WILLIAM BELL
Relating (Stax 73)
William Bell was one of Stax???s male crooners. That style is heard immediately on Lovin On Borrowed Time. Unfortunately, Bell stays in that mode for almost the entire album. One exception is the Southern Soul of I???ve Got To Go On Without You with its slow groove and patented Stax horns, and the power ballad You Don???t Want A Man, by far the best song with its opening melody and Bell???s singing.

MARGIE JOSEPH
Makes A New Impression (Volt 71)
This was Margie Joseph???s debut album with the Stax/Volt family. The recording sessions were split between the Memphis studios where she was backed by the Bar-Kays and Alabama where she recorded at Muscle Shoals. Makes A New Impression begins with a long spoken intro called Monologue: Women Talk that leads into a cover of Stop In The Name Of Love that???s re-arranged with a fast chorus, but slow versus that shows off Joseph???s singing. Half way through she breaks it down even more for a long dark and funky guitar led refrain. It might be one of the best songs she ever recorded over the course of her career. That leads well into the moody Punish Me, as well as the funky Soul of Sweeter Tomorrow and Temptation???s About to Take Your Love with more sharp guitar playing tempered by Joseph???s vocals.

FREDDIE KING
Texas Cannonball (Shelter 72)
Freddie King was a Blues guitarist that got a little funky late in his career. On Texas Cannonball however, he mostly stuck to electric Blues, which was his forte. He starts adding just the slightest hint of Funk on Big Legged Woman with its swinging backbeat, and the slow groove of You Was Wrong with its funky drum fills during a breakdown in the middle. The highlight of the album however is a cover of Ain???t No Sunshine with some nice guitar soloing added to the beginning and middle.

ASHFORD SIMPSON
Exposed (Tamla 71)
Ashford Simpson was one part of the dynamic song-writing duo of Ashford and Simpson. Along the way she recorded a few solo albums beginning with Motown and this record Exposed. The couple wrote all the songs on the album and the musicians were the label???s mainstays like James Jamerson, Dennis Coffey, etc. Ms. Simpson starts off Exposed with a Gospel influenced song called I Don???t Need No Help that is just her on the piano showing off her vocals skills. There???s also the funky Soul of Sinner Man (Don???t Let Him Catch You) and Can???t It Wait Until Tomorrow that starts off with Simpson shouting out demands before it mellows out just a little during the versus and then brings up it back up during a big Gospel like chorus. Plus there???s the nice mellow Soul of Now That There???s You, the Gospel number There Is A God, and the uplifting I Just Wanna Be There.

JOHNNIE TAYLOR
Super Taylor (Stax 74)
Johnnie Taylor had a long career as one of Stax???s top male singers. He gets off to a great start with the bass driven It???s September, and the mid tempo groove of Try Me Tonight. Unfortunately those are the best tunes on Super Taylor.

OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:

JAZZ CRUSADERS
Give Peace A Chance (Liberty 69)
This is the second to last record that the band recorded under as the Jazz Crusaders before dumping both their Jazz moniker and their label, World Pacific Jazz/Liberty Records. The record captures all the groups??? best features such as great covers like the Beatles??? Give Peace A Chance and Black Bird, an interesting Soul-Jazz rendition of B.B. King???s classic The Thrill Is Gone with a little Funk to it, and smooth originals like I Think It Was A Dream and Anita???s New Dance both of which begin with the strong bass work of Buster Williams. The rest of the album is Bop like the long and expansive Space Settlement.

JAZZ CRUSADERS
Lighthouse 68 (Pacific Jazz 68)
The Jazz Crusaders released two consecutive live albums from the famous Lighthouse Jazz club in southern California. This was the earlier of the two. Like the later Lighthouse 69 album, this features the band???s move towards Soul-Jazz. The opening Ooga-Boo-Ga-Loo is a good example with its light and catchy melody and drumming. Up next is a jazzy cover of the Beatles??? Eleanor Rigby. Never Had It So Good is another soulful number. Most of the songs, however, are light Bop and a little too mellow for my liking.

JAZZ CRUSADERS
Lighthouse 69 (World Pacific Jazz 69)
This was the second of two consecutive live albums recorded by the Jazz Crusaders at the famous Lighthouse Club in California. Half of Lighthouse 69 is light Bop such as Ruby P???Gonia, the other half however, is a mix of Soul, Jazz and Funk. That can be heard immediately on the opening Get Back. The two highlights are Willie & Laura Mae Jones with its strong rhythm, and a funky cover of It???s Your Thing with a nicely re-arranged introduction.

JAZZ CRUSADERS
Old Socks New Shoes (Chisa 70)
After recording several records for World Pacific Jazz/Liberty, the Jazz Crusaders released one record on Chisa, a subsidiary of Motown before becoming j

ust the Crusaders. While the band started out playing Bop, by the 1970s they were a full-fledged Soul-Jazz outfit covering popular hits of the time, while also recording original material as well. Even when they do other people???s music, they often times re-arrange parts of it to give it their own personal spin, such as on Sly Stone???s Thank You that takes off in a completely different direction half way through. The following tracks are a mix of the upbeat and grooving like Funny Shuffle and Jackson! that closes with a refrain from Sly Stone???s Everyday People, Hard Times, and the slower and soulful Why Do You Laugh At Me? the Beatles??? Golden Slumbers, and their original classic Way Back Home.

JAZZ CRUSADERS
Powerhouse (World Pacific Jazz 68)
Powerhouse was recorded right after the very successful Live At The Lighthouse 68 album. Most of Powerhouse is straight, melodic Jazz, half of which are covers like Promises, Promises and Hey Jude and originals such as Sting Ray and Cookie that has a drum break to it, that are light Soul-Jazz, making this album okay, but not great.

JAZZ CRUSADERS
Talk That Talk (World Pacific Jazz 66)
Talk That Talk was released right around when the Jazz Crusaders began moving towards more soulful compositions. For example, you get tunes like the melodic Walkin My Cat Named Dog, a cover of Uptight (Everything???s Alright), and finally Shadow Do, which is a solid Soul-Jazz piece. The rest is light Bop and Big Band tunes.

 

[motown67]

LP REVIEWS:

ASFHORD & SIMPSON
Gimme Something Real (Warner Brothers 73)
Ashford and Simpson went from hit making song writers, to Ashford???s solo singing career, to finally performing as a duet. Gimme Something Real was their first full-length album where they would sing together. The problem with their collaboration was that while Valerie Simpson had a strong, soaring voice, Nickolas Simpson???s was completely forgettable. That???s shown on the best cut Bend Me where Ashford starts off and is just blown away when Simpson joins in. The lack of a strong compliment to Simpson ruins the rest of the record for me.

SUPREMES & THE FOUR TOPS
Magnificent 7 (Motown 70)
Motown had a series of albums where they put together some of their biggest vocal groups together. On The Magnificent 7 they had the Four Tops and the Supremes collaborate. The two work well together trading off versus, and doing the chorus together as one such as on the grooving Knock On My Door, the fast paced A Taste Of Honey, and a slightly re-arranged version of Without The One You Love with plenty of extra percussion, even though Ms. Ross puts in an underwhelming performance. The major drawback of the rest of the record is that they soften up the songs for a wider audience. That destroys what could???ve been interesting tracks like Everyday People and River Deep, Mountain High.

YOUNGHEARTS
A Taste Of (20th Century 74)
The Younghearts were a three-piece vocal Soul outfit from Los Angeles. They got some pretty slick yet effective production on A Taste Of. Those are heard on the upbeat Wake Up And Start Standing, You???re Not Here With Me, We???ve Got Love (You Better Believe It), and a cover of Jr. Walker???s What Does It Take, all of which have a dance beat behind them. There are also the slow grooves and ballads like sweet sounding For The Rest Of My Life with its falsetto lead and We???re All God???s Children.

OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:

ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM
Adventurers OST (Symbolic 70)
The Adventurers soundtrack was the result of a large collaboration. Antonio Carlos Jobim got top billing for writing 7 of the 9 tracks, while Quincy Jones did production. Ray Brown and his orchestra conducted the songs and penned one as well. Jones, Brown, J.J. Johnson, Jimmy Jones and Tom Scott did the arranging. Eumir Deodato also got writing credit for one track. Jobim???s compositions are a mix of fast paced tunes like Polo Pony with plenty of percussion, and mood pieces such as Go Down Dying with the guitar in the lead and a flute and drum breakdown to end out the track, and the stripped down Fat Cat Strut. Coming And Going is a laidback Funk piece that has a woman making sexy groans and grunts throughout. It???s by far the best overall tune. People should also be aware that there are two versions of this soundtrack, and that this is the one that they should be looking for.

HAROLD JOHNSON
Wide Open (Revue)
Harold Johnson was a Jazz pianist. He begins with the mood piece Validiction that fluctuates between a mellow bass line and a more upbeat refrain with Johnson and the entire rhythm section. On Love Is Blue he enters into Soul-Jazz territory with a nice upbeat groove led by his impressive piano soloing. A bass heavy cover of Spinning Wheel that???s able to build on the original follows that. Just as good are Right On, Wide Open, Green Sleeves, and Soul Perception with more sharp playing by Johnson on the keys, plus the latter two have plenty of percussion to push them along. Everything is finished off with a rendition of Get Back.

 

[motown67]

Mostly 45 reviewed this week. Enjoy.

45 REVIEWS:

ALVIN & RICKEY
Shortnin Bread/Part II (Stang)
Alvin & Rickey were some kind of child Soul duo. Rickey is the lead and has a really high falsetto voice, while Alvin has a little more base to his teenage voice. The result isn???t half bad as they???re backed by a catchy Pop-oriented rhythm, and they sing a chorus that???s an adaptation of a nursery rhyme. Comparisons to the early Jackson 5 are easy to make. Part II is an instrumental version of the song.

MAXINE BROWN
I.O.U./Treat Me Like A Lady (AVCO 72)
I.O.U. is a big uplifting Soul tune with some Funk underpinnings that smoothes out during the versus to highlight Brown???s soaring voice. Treat Me Like A Lady moves more towards the funkier side of things, and again provides the perfect backdrop for Ms. Brown.

JOHN EDWARDS
Claim Jumpin/Messing Up A Good Thing (Aware 73)
John Edwards was an Atlanta singer. Claim Jumpin is a power Soul tune with a strong funky rhythm and female back-ups. Messing Up A Good Thing is a ballad.

ESQUIRES
And Get Away/Everybody???s Laughing (Bunky)
And Get Away is a great catchy Soul dance tune. I love the interplay between the singers on the chorus, and their harmony during the versus. The group finishes off with a power ballad.

RICHARD ???DIMPLES??? FIELDS
Ain???t That What You Said/You???re Sweeter Than Sweet (Dat Richfield Kat)
Both sides of this 45 are ballads, but while Ain???t That What You Said is a bit forgettable and too syrupy, You???re Sweeter Than Sweet is pretty good at creating a mood and delivering the goods, although I could???ve done without the talk over in the middle.

ETTA JAMES
Fire/You Got It (Cadet)
This single starts off with Fire, which was a Willie Dixon tune. The song has some strong horns at the beginning before James??? stronger vocals take over. You Got It was written by Don Covay and has a nice groove to it, again backed by horns and James??? excellent singing. Together this makes for a great double-sided 45.

DENISE LA SALLE
Making A Good Things Better/What It Takes To Get A Good Woman (That???s What It???s Gonna Take To Keep Her) (Westbound 73)
Making A Good Thing Better is a nice slow groove with some Blues in the rhythm track, and finds La Salle backed by a large chorus. What It Takes To Get A Good Woman is more of the same, but has a little more oomph to it.

DOROTHY MORRISON
John The Rabbit/Rain (Elektra)
Dorothy Morrison was a Pop and Gospel singer. John The Rabbit is a slow bluesy Soul number that has a nice backbeat to it that slowly builds in intensity in the middle before slowing down for the conclusion. Rain is a great upbeat Gospel number with a large chorus and some percussion to give it a more contemporary sound.

OLLIE NIGHTINGALE
It???s A Sad Thing/Standing On Your Promise (Memphis)
It???s A Sad Thing finds the perfect balance between Ms. Nightingale???s down home delivery and a funky Southern sounding rhythm track. Standing On Your Promise is a power ballad.

RALFI PAGAN
Make It With You/Stray Woman (Fania)
Besides producing hot Salsa dance tracks, many New York Latin groups also released some sweet Soul tunes as well. This 45 by Ralfi Pagan is a perfect example of the latter. Make It With You begins with a sweet harmony contrasted with some sharp distorted guitar playing before giving way to Pagan???s vocals on this ballad. Stray Woman is another ballad, but a little more upbeat.

BRENDA PATTERSON
Keep On Keepin On/West Window Song (Epic 70)
Keep On Keepin On was from an album of the same name. Ms. Patterson has a deep and rough voice backed by some funky rhythms on both tunes. Surprisingly, she appears to be a white rocker chick. This 45 perks my interest in what the rest of the record sounds like.

SOUL CHILDREN
Come Back Kind Of Love/I???ll Be The Other Woman (Stax 73)
Soul Children were a mixed male-female Southern Soul vocal outfit that recorded with Stax. Their talent is shown on Come Back Kind Of Love with its horn bursts and keys playing that lead the rhythm, and strong singing. I???ll Be The Other Woman is a nice power ballad.

SOUL CHILDREN
Love Is A Hurtin Thing/Poem On The School House Door??? (Stax 73)
Love Is A Hurtin Thing is a down home southern Soul tune with some string flourishes in the beginning before a husky female lead takes over. The flipside is a power ballad with a strong Gospel feel to it, especially with the big chorus backing up the lead.

MARY WELLS
Keep Me In Suspense/Such A Sweet Thing (ATCO)
Mary Wells is best known for her Motown recordings, but after her star fell there she continued to record for other labels, this being an example. Keep Me In Suspense has a really catchy, sing along chorus. Such A Sweet Thing sounds like a Motown track with its light and airy rhythm backed by strings.

OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:

J.J. JOHNSON FEATURING JOE SIMON & MILLIE JACKSON
Cleopatra Jones OST (Spring 73)
Cleopatra Jones was another 70s blaxploitation soundtrack starring Tamara Dobson and Bernie Casey. The music was composed and conducted by the famed J.J. Johnson. Joe Simon sang the Theme song and Millie Jackson also made two appearances. Simon???s song is actually a pretty good funky Soul number with a grooving rhythm with a strong bass line and wah wah guitar, while Jackson is a little underwhelming. Johnson???s instrumental numbers provide good moody pieces to set up scenes like Wrecking Yard and Desert Sunrise/Main Title Instrumental that have nice build ups, and Emdee with its light and mellow mood set by the keys playing, while also providing more fast paced numbers such as

Airport Flight with its loud horns and more use of the wah wah pedal. Go Chase Cleo, Wrap Up, and Theme From Cleopatra Jones/Instrumental are more of the same.

 

[motown67]

This marks the 6 year anniversary of doing reviews. Back in 2001 Oliver/O-Dub suggested that I write reviews for what was then the Crates e-mail list. Ever since then I've been posting up reviews almost every week. Thanks to Raj for setting up the reviews section as well. You can post your own comments and reviews there as well now and I think that's criminally under used.

45 REVIEWS:

PARLIAMENT
Little Ole Country Boy/Red Hot Mama (Invictus 71)
For whatever reason Invictus decided to release Little Ole Country Boy on two separate 45s by Parliament. The song can also be heard on the group???s Osmium album, while the B-side was only released on this single. Ruth Copeland, who was working with the band at that time, wrote Country Boy. It???s a crazy mix that starts off with some yodeling before going into some Country inflected twang. Red Hot Mama is heavy Rock with some growling vocals countered by the soulful and playful group vocals the lead into the chorus.

LP REVIEWS:

DELLS
Freedom Means (Cadet 71)
Charles Stepney and the Dells collaborated on many fine releases for Cadet. Unfortunately Freedom Means is not one of them. Too many of the songs go nowhere and are aimed at a MOR audience. Listening to the album makes me wonder what happened to the Dells that I know and love? This sounds like they got taken over by 5th Dimension or someone. The only time they capture some of their earlier glory is on the slow grooves of Melody Man and Freedom Theme with their rich melodies and singing, and the closing Freedom Theme.

IMPRESSIONS
It???s All Right (ABC-Paramount)
It???s All Right starts off with the great title cut with its horns leading into the perfect harmony of the Impressions singing the chorus. Two light numbers, Gypsy Woman with its sweet lead and Grow Closer Together, follow. Also good are Minstrel And Queen that has a little Doo Wop element to the vocal arrangements, I???m The One Who Loves You, and Sad, Sad Girl And Boy

GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS
Feelin Bluesy (Soul 68)
Gladys Knight & The Pips had a great run with Motown, and Feelin Bluesy is a good example of that time. They start off with the upbeat End Of Our Road. That style and Ms. Knight???s earthy delivery sets the stage for the following numbers like That???s The Way Love Is and Don???t You Miss Me A Little Bit Baby. The group also slows it down a bit for Don???t Let Her Take Your Love From Me, It Should Have Been Me, and Don???t Turn Me Away.

MARTHA REEVES & THE VANDELLAS
Ridin High (Gordy 68)
1968 was a difficult year for Martha Reeves & The Vandellas. That year Ms. Reeves got seriously sick and they weren???t making the charts like in previous years. They were still able to release Ridin High. It starts off with the hard hitting I Promise To Wait My Love. That???s followed by Honey Chile that has the strings and uplifting sound, which was a signature of Motown???s hits. Also good are the dance tracks Leave It In The Hands Of Love and Show Me The Way, and the moody Love Bug Leave My Heart Alone. After that however, the rest of the album is all filler, leaning heavily towards Pop covers like To Sir, With Love, and I Say A Little Prayer.

TRINIDAD TRIPOLI STEEL BAND
Hits Of The (American Variety)
Hits Of The Trinidad Tripoli Steel Band was released on American Variety out of Hollywood. Apparently the band was trying to break into the U.S. market as the liner notes on the back say that they had just finished touring with Liberace, and were in the middle of an 11 month tour of the States when the record was released. It???s actually a live recording with very good sound quality. They open up with Spinning Wheel that???s not half bad. The star moment however is a cover of Sissy Strut that catches the groove of the original. Besides that, the band plays a bunch of MOR standards like Raindrops Keep Fallin On My Head that are completely forgettable.

OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:

J.J. JOHNSON
Willie Dynamite OST (MCA 74)
Getting this record should go down in eBay folklore. I bought this from an eBay dealer who didn???t really sell records. One day I got a small package in the mail from the seller and inside I found a burned CD copy of the Willie Dynamite OST, and a little note saying that people don???t like to use vintage records anymore so the seller did me the favor of sending me a copy of the record on CD. Nothing else was said on the note, and I???d gotten no other notices via e-mail. I thought the seller had lost a nut and sent me a CD instead of the actual record. After a series of heated e-mails the guy got back to me and informed me that this was all a mix up. He had sent me the LP via UPS, and just wanted to send the CD to me as a complimentary item. Still, I thought to myself, why didn???t he tell me he was doing this and why send it in a separate package, one that was going to show up before the actual record? Anyway, despite all the drama I finally got my hands on the actual vinyl copy of the Willie Dynamite OST, which I???d been looking for quite some time. The soundtrack was composed and conducted by J.J. Johnson who worked on other similar movies like Cleopatra Jones. Like that release, Johnson did a great job capturing the mood of blaxploitation movies with tracks like the soulful Willie D featuring Martha Reeves on vocals that begins and ends the record. Reeves also appears on the mid-tempo Keep On Movin On, which is okay, but not as good. Johnson is also able to get funky on instrumentals such as Willie Chase that starts off very minimalist with plenty of percussion before the horns and big band step in. Willie Escapes is very similar, sans the big band though. Passion???s Dilemma, is more on a Soul-Jazz tip with plenty of keys playing. Parade Strut starts off with some open drums before some brass joins in that gives it a marching band type feel. It eventually turns into another funky Jazz number.

LAMONT JOHNSON
Sun, Moon and Stars (Mainstream 72)
This record has so much potential with the solid rhythms backed by percussion on many tracks. That foundation however, is ruined by LaMont Johnson???s choice of keyboard tones that sound like a little kid???s toy. For some reason he actually thought this was a good look as the liner notes point out his ingenuity and ???realism.??? Those ???innovations??? destroy what would otherwise be some very good Soul-Jazz. It???s only when other musicians such as during the horn and guitar solos on M???Baasa, that the songs can be enjoyed. Amazingly enough, Johnson actually pulls of a few songs where he doesn???t go crazy with the sounds, such as on Signifyin Gemini, a funky Jazz piece led by the guitar and bass. There???s also Medusa???s Meanderings, which is a good upbeat Jazz tune with a little Latin flavor to it thanks

to the conga playing. After those cuts, Sun, Moon and Stars gets into some much more traditional light Jazz.

LAURIE JOHNSON
Avengers OST (Starlog/Varese Sarabande 82)
When I was a kid my mom was a bit of an Anglophile thanks to PBS. One of the British shows she used to watch was the Avengers. This is a collection of songs by Laurie Johnson who did that show, plus The Professionals. While Emma Peel and John Steed bless the front and back cover, the songs are actually from the New Avengers. It turns out the music from The Professionals is better. While most of the songs from the New Avengers are orchestra pieces, the ones from The Professionals lean more towards funky Soul-Jazz. For example there are Sleuthing, On The Scent and In Pursuit, which are dark soundtrack pieces with the first developing very slowly with conga and horns. On The Scent is even better with its slick wah wah guitar playing. On Target ends the LP and sounds like something for a chase scene.

RUDOLPH JOHNSON
Second Coming (Black Jazz 73)
Black Jazz was known for its spiritual Jazz releases. Sax player Rudolph Johnson seemed to take that idea literally on the cover of Second Coming. On the front he???s sitting cross-legged with nothing on but a wrap around his waist, playing flute on some grass with clouds in the background. The music is actually pretty straight-forward Bop. Johnson gets down a bit on The Highest Pleasure with some strong drum playing by Douglas Sides matched by the piano work of Kirk Lightsey.

RUDOLPH JOHNSON
Spring Rain (Black Jazz 71)
Spring Rain is a pretty straight-forward Bop album with plenty of soloing by Johnson on his sax. One exception is the grooving Diswa with its head bobbing beat. There???s also Devon Jean, an upbeat RnB influenced Jazz song with some nice open drum fills

 

[motown67]

LP REVIEWS:

BYRON LEE AND THE DRAGONAIRES
Reggae Round The World (Dragon 73)
Bryon Lee And The Dragonaires were a longstanding Jamaican act led by their Chinese-Jamaican band leader. For most of Reggae Around The World, Lee goes for a Pop-Reggae sound that???s not that appealing, but at other moments he comes through. For instance there???s Breakfast In Bed with a female chorus that was a Jamaican favorite having been recorded several times by different artists. There???s also the light and upbeat instrumental Black On with Lee???s guitar in the lead, the melodic In The Mood and Your Love Is Amazing, and a cover of Back Stabbers.

LULU
New Routes (ATCO 70)
Lulu is best known as the singer who acted in and sang the title track to To Sir With Love. She had a Pop career before and after that, and on New Routes she traveled to America to record with the famed Muscle Shoals studio musicians in Alabama, and be produced by the power trio of Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd and Arif Mardin. The southern influences are heard immediately with her delivery on Marley Purt Drive that???s a Country-Rock tune with some horns. Where she really finds her stride however is on a cover of Feelin Alright where her raspy vocals providing the perfect compliment to the strong horn arrangement. She also does a good job on the Southern Soul of Dirty Old Man with more brass.

MIRACLES
Do It Baby (Motown 74)
Do It Baby is a good example of the fine work that the Miracles did after Smokey Robinson left the act. They open up with the slick title cut with its walking bass line. Many of the following tracks have that same mellow yet sophisticated groove to them such as Up Again, Where Are You Going To My Love, What Is A Heart Good For, and You Are Love. With such a strong array of songs it appeared that the Miracles were talented enough to survive the departure of Robinson.

OSCAR PERRY
I Think They???d Sell The Sunshine (Crazy Cajun 78)
Oscar Perry was a Blues-Soul singer and musician from Houston, Texas. In the 1970s he hooked up with Huey Meaux and released a series of singles and albums on his Crazy Cajun label. Although most of I Think They???d Sell The Sunshine consists of laidback pieces, Perry is still able to get down on numbers like the hard driving Watergate with a spoken chorus that plays off his light and high pitched singing during the versus. Even better is the Soul tune Right Here At Home that starts off with a drum break before going into Perry???s rich singing, backed by some female back-ups on the chorus. There???s also the slick sounding title cut with a little Funk to it, and the closing Why Do I Always Hurt The One I Love, a brooding love song with some great bass fills.

TEMPTATIONS
Meet The Temptations (Gordy 64)
Meet The Temptations was the group???s debut album produced by Barry Gordy and Smokey Robinson. Being so early in their career, the LP provides only a few hints at what they would become. The big hit off the record was The Way You Do The Things You Do that shows off all the singing skills of the group. After that the rest is almost all filler. The exceptions are the Pop-Soul of I Want A Love I Can See, and Just Let Me Know that has some of the vocal flourishes of their later work.

OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:

SYL JOHNSON
Back For A Taste Of Your Love (Hi 73)
Willie Mitchell created one of the most recognizable sounds in Soul with his label Hi Records. Amazingly enough, Mitchell used his engineering and producing magic to make Syl Johnson sound just like Al Green. You can hear that change right off the bat with the opening title cut. The rhythm tracks for that and I???m Yours are pretty upbeat. On I Let A Good Girl Go, Anyway The Wind Blows, and I Hate I Walked Away, Johnson gets into that slow groove which the Hi sound was best suited for, with its looping string arrangements highlighting the mood. He???s then picks it up just a little on the mid-tempo Feelin Frisky with some strong back-up singers and a driving bass line. Mitchell is even able to produce a funky track for Johnson on the closing The Love You Left Behind.

SYL JOHNSON
Diamond In The Rough (Hi 74)
Diamond In The Rough was the second album Syl Johnson recorded with Willie Mitchell???s Hi label. Like their first collaboration together, Mitchell made Johnson sound just like Al Green. That showed the power producers had over their artists, but it was not a bad turn of events for Johnson. He was able to record some fine tracks with Mitchell. On Diamond In The Rough those are separated between the fast ones like Stuck In Chicago, the slower Could I Be Falling In Love, and the mid-tempo Let Yourself Go, Don???t Do It, and Keeping Down Confusion. All of those have the trademark Hi sound with their rich rhythm tracks, horns and strings. The height of the collaboration between Johnson and Mitchell however, can be heard on the dark and moody I Hear The Love Chimes, by far the best track on the record.

SYL JOHNSON
Total Explosion (Hi 75)
Despite the late recording date, Chicago???s Syl Johnson and Memphis??? Willie Mitchell were still cranking out quality Soul in 1975. There???s the Grooving I Only Have Love and Take Me To The River with the horns providing just the right push to the rhythm. Bustin Up Or Bustin Out is a slow and bluesy number that features Syl on the harmonica, while on Steppin Out, Syl sings about confronting his woman about where she went. It Ain???t Easy and Bout To Make Me Leave Home are also good listens.

JONES, BOOGALOO JOE
No Way! (Prestige 71)
Ivan ???Boogaloo??? Joe Joones was a Jazz guitarist that worked with Grover Washington, Sonny Phillips, Butch Cornell, Jimmy Lewis and Bernard Purdie to record No Way! It gets off to a great start with the fast paced Soul-Jazz of the title cut with Jones playing some funky riffs on his Gibson followed by plenty of fine soloing. Sunshine Alley has a nice grooving rhythm to it, and the slightly Pop sounding If You Were Mine isn???t half bad either.

 

[motown67]

45 REVIEWS:

AL GREENE
Back Up Train/Don???t Leave Me (Hot Line Music Journal)
Listening to this 45 reminds one of the power of producers over their artists. This was Al Green???s 1st 45 released on the Hot Line label. They would both later appear on an album entitled Back Up Train. It has none of the sound that Green would become famous for when he hooked up with Willie Mitchell???s Hi label. Even the singing style doesn???t really appear to be the same. Back Up Train is a good slow grooving Soul tune however with strings highlighting the hurt that Green sings about. The flipside is more of an upbeat dance track, but I prefer the power ballad A-side more.

GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS
I Wish It Would Rain/It???s Summer (Soul 68)
Motown had many of their artists record songs multiple times as shown on this 7??? by Gladys Knight & The Pips. The A-side is a cover of the Temptations??? hit I Wish It Would Rain. Knight and the Pips are able to do it with style with a more powerful beat giving it a different groove from the original. It???s Summer is a power ballad with more fine singing by Ms. Knight.

OTIS & CARLA
Knock On Wood/Let Me Be Good To You (Stax)
Otis Redding was one of the greatest Soul singers of all time. Paired with Carla Thomas, the duo was unstoppable. Their power together is amply shown on a cover of Knock On Wood. It???s got the trademark Stax horns and a driving beat along with Redding???s and Thomas??? rough vocals that make this version even better than the original. Let Me Be Good To You is more of a laidback and melodic Soul number. This 45 comes from their album King & Queen

WILSON PICKETT
Engine Number 9/International Playboy (Atlantic)
Engine Number 9 was one of the funkiest pieces Wilson Pickett ever recorded. It starts off with a distinctive cowbell, drum and bass intro followed by some distorted Rock guitar before Pickett joins the fray. International Playboy is also a good power Soul tune with the brass section in the lead.

ALVIN ROBINSON
I???m Gonna Put Some Hurt On You/How Can I Get Over You (Blue Cat)
Alvin Robinson was a New Orleans Soul singer. He sounds very similar to other artists from the city of the time such as Lee Dorsey on I???m Gonna Put Some Hurt On You with its bouncy, piano led rhythm, and big sing along chorus. How Can I Get Over You is a screaming, bluesy ballad.

JOHNNIE TAYLOR
Free/Try Me Tonight (Stax 74)
This 45 comes from Johnnie Taylor???s Super Taylor album. Free is a slow grooving Soul tune with horns and the guitar playing a prominent part in the rhythm, but it???s really all about Taylor???s singing and some sexy female singers doing back-ups. Try Me Tonight is in a similar mode, but is more of a power ballad.

LP REVIEWS:

JIMMY CLIFF
Wonderful World, Beautiful People (A&M)
Jimmy Cliff had one of the sweetest voices in Reggae. He also benefited from working with Leslie Kong who created a rich backing usually with strings such as on Time Will Tell. An even better example of that sound is Many Rivers To Cross, which was made famous by its inclusion on the Harder They Come soundtrack. It highlights Cliff???s slow and soulful singing with an organ melody that reminds one of Gospel music. Cliff wasn???t afraid of politics either with Viet Nam where he tells the story of several letters home from the war that include one soldier telling his friends and family don???t worry he???d be home soon to a mother being told her son had been killed. I???m Gonna Use What I Got To Get What I Need starts off with some nice horn work and has a very strong drum track, while Hard Road Travel is carried by Cliff???s singing and his back-ups. The light and melodic Reggae continues with the title track.

FRIENDS OF DISTINCTION
Highly Distinct (RCA 69)
Friends Of Distinction and the 5th Dimension were the MOR Soul heavyweights of their time. On Highly you could hardly tell the two apart with the Pop arrangements and vocal style on songs like It???s Just A Game Love and covers such as Light My Fire that sound just like the 5th Dimension. I much prefer the group???s Grazin and Whatever albums to this one.

EDWIN STARR
Soul Master (Gordy 68)
Soul Master was Edwin Starr???s debut album for Motown. Before his song War, he hit the charts with the opening cut, Agent Double O Soul with its heavy bass line and simulated finger snaps. Unlike many Motown records, Soul Master isn???t all about the hits either. There???s some other quality Soul tunes like the heavy hitting I Am The Man For You Baby, Way Over There, and Time Is Passin By, as well as some conventional Motown sounding cuts like (S.O.S.) Stop Her On Sight and My Weakness Is You with that distinctive Motown beat to them. The slow grooving title cut is also good.

OLD RECORDS OUT THE CRATES:

GRAHAM CENTRAL STATION
Graham Central Station (Warner Brothers 74)
Larry Graham started the Graham Central Station after he was kicked out of the Family Stone. Unfortunately he never achieved the heights he reached working with Sly. There???s only one really good track on their self-titled debut and it???s a vocal only cut called We???ve Been Waiting. It shows off the group???s amazing vocal harmonies that were obviously influenced by the Family Stone. After that however, the songs are a bit of a disappointment. The rest are mid-tempo with plenty of Graham???s famous slap bass, but they don???t really go anywhere. It???s not until the second side that Graham is able to pen some catchy numbers beginning with Can You Handle It? with a big and bouncy rhythm track. The laidback People isn???t bad either and again shows the strong harmonizing of the group???s singers.

BOOGALOO JOE JONES
Right On Brother (Prestige 70)
Ivan ???Boogaloo??? Joe Jones recorded several albums for the Prestige label. On Right On Brother he was joined by Rusty Bryant, Charlie Earland, Jimmy Lewis, and Bernard Purdie. They start off with the melodic Right On that has a little funkiness to the rhythm. Then there???s the bluesy Things Ain???t What They Used To Be and then the fast Jazz of Poppin. On the second side there???s a decent cover of Someday We???ll Be Together followed by the upbeat Soul-Jazz of Brown Bag that has some James Brown to it.

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IVAN ???BOOGALOO JOE??? JONES
Snake Rhythm Rock (Prestige 73)
Snake Rhythm Rock was another record that Ivan Jones did with Prestige. This time he was helped by Rusty Bryant, Butch Cornell, Jimmy Lewis, and Grady Tate. Like his other albums, this one mixes Jazz, Blues, Funk and Soul. It begins with the funky stuff of Hoochie Coo Chicken. Next is the more laidback title cut, that???s still got a driving beat to it.

BOOGALOO JOE JONES
What It Is (Prestige)
What It Is was another in a series of records that guitarist Ivan Jones recorded with Prestige in the 1970s. Making up the rest of the band for the session were Butch Cornell, Grover Washington, Jimmy Lewis, Buddy Caldwell and Bernard Purdie. They start off with a nice cover of Ain???t No Sunshine that captures the slow and moody feel of the original. The other good track is the title cut with a little bounce to its rhythm and conga work by Caldwell in the background.

 

[Junior]

GRAHAM CENTRAL STATION
Graham Central Station (Warner Brothers 74)
Larry Graham started the Graham Central Station after he was kicked out of the Family Stone. Unfortunately he never achieved the heights he reached working with Sly. There???s only one really good track on their self-titled debut and it???s a vocal only cut called We???ve Been Waiting. It shows off the group???s amazing vocal harmonies that were obviously influenced by the Family Stone. After that however, the songs are a bit of a disappointment. The rest are mid-tempo with plenty of Graham???s famous slap bass, but they don???t really go anywhere. It???s not until the second side that Graham is able to pen some catchy numbers beginning with Can You Handle It? with a big and bouncy rhythm track. The laidback People isn???t bad either and again shows the strong harmonizing of the group???s singers.

Thanks as always for the reviews Motown. Kinda surprised you didn't like this album more - admittedly it's nowhere near the genius of the Family Stone at their peak but thought there were a couple of decent tracks on there - actually rather like their cover of It Ain't No Fun To Me - particularly the second half of the track.