THE ORIGINAL MASTERS-DISCO VOLUME 8.
THE ORIGINAL MASTERS-DISCO VOLUME 8.
As many regular readers of this blog will realize, I’m constantly on the lookout for new music to tell you about. With the lack of new releases from both the major and independent record companies, I’m having to dig even deeper looking for new music. That’s meant I’ve been checking out imports, looking at what overseas record labels have been releasing. Recently I’ve been looking at American and Japanese labels, including Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd’s back-catalogue. The latest label I’ve discovered are Miami bases Milestone Records, who have been releasing music since 2007. From looking at their back-catalogue they’ve been specializing in releasing compilations, including electronic music, funk, soul, Afrobeat, Brazilian music and disco. One of Milestone Records’ first releases, and one of their longest running compilation series is their The Original Masters-Disco series, which started back in 2007. In May 2012, Milestone Records’ released The Original Masters-Disco Volume 8, which features ten tracks, from of Tee Cee, Calender, Pam Todd and Love Exchange, Caress, Vincent Montana Jr. and Paradise Express. After I’ve told you about some of the music The Original Masters-Disco Volume 8, I’ll tell you whether this a compilation to add to your collection.
The track that opens The Original Masters-Disco Volume 8, is Tee Cee’s Ecstasy, released in 1978 on DJM Records. Arranged and produced by Trevor Rabin, a series of crackles give way to faux-sensual groans before thunderous drums, rocky guitars and keyboards are combined with dancing strings which sound slightly harsh. Blazing horns join the arrangement, as the pounding, funky rhythm section, join the rocky guitars, blazing horns and cascading strings, while the vocal, becomes a series of groans and moans. This gives the track a slightly comedic, low-rent sound and somewhat detracts from what is a decent track. Even though I’m not a fan of rock guitars on disco tracks, here it works, adding to the dramatic arrangement. However, I wouldn’t have chosen this track to open the compilation as better tracks await.
Calender were a New Jersey funk band and Hypertension is their best known track. It was released in 1975, and was on their 1976 album It’s A Monster. I’d describe this track as proto-funk. A pulsating, pounding rhythm section create the track’s pulse, while guitars and synths combine before rasping horns and sweeping strings enter. When the vocal enters, it reminiscent of Sly Stone. Indeed, Calender with their fusion of funk, soul and disco, sound as if they’ve been influenced by Sly and The Family Stone. As the vocal drops out, the strings, horns and rhythm section take charge and when the vocal returns, the Sly and The Family Stone is even more noticeable. Having said that, Hypertension is an irresistibly, funky timeless track and thirty-six years still sounds great.
The quality continues with Pam Todd and Love Exchange’s Let’s Get Together which was a track from the 1977 album Let’s Get Together. It was arranged, produced and written by Greg Carmichael, and grabs your attention from the opening bars. A pounding rhythm section, percussion and tight, sweet, harmonies, give way to an impassioned vocal, as braying horns, sweeping, swirling strings quiver and shiver. Soon, the drama builds with the piano leading the arrangement, while guitars are panned, strings dancing and the pounding rhythm section creating the track’s heartbeat. There’s a real innovative, sound to this track, where drama and hooks are in plentiful supply.
Cory Davy’s Green Light was released as a single in 1979, on New York International Records and was also on the album Cory and Me. It isn’t the most comfortable track to listen to, with Its stuttering start. When after thirty-seconds the synths and bass enter, you begin to relax. Then when swathes of guitars enter, things take a turn for the worse. Percussion is added while the track reveals a funky side. Then when a punchy vocal is added, things improve slightly, and this continues later, when a blazing saxophone solo and chiming guitars punctuate the arrangement. However, I almost struggle to the end of this ten-minute track, where elements of funk, rock, disco and boogie are fused. Maybe if the track was more focussed, rather than a melting pot of influences, this would’ve helped make it a better track. Sadly, it isn’t anywhere near as good as the previous two tracks.
When you hear the first few bars of Caress’ Catch the Rhythm, you’re struck by the track’s contemporary sound. It’s hard to believe that it was released in 1979 on Warner Bros. The arrangement is the opposite of the previous one. Everything makes sense and flows along, each part of the arrangement moves you along to the next and there’s a pay off. Gradually, parts drop in, starting with the rhythm section and percussion, before the strings and piano join the mix. This gives the track a timeless, proto-house sound. Even rock-tinged guitars work when they’re added, adding drama and energy. Over eleven-minutes you’re taken on a majestic musical journey. Lush strings dance, as a sprinkling of percussion is added, while the piano and guitars toy with each other. All the time, the rhythm section create the arrangement’s pulsating heartbeat. When this is all combined, the result is one of the highlights of The Original Masters-Disco Volume 8.
Ahzz released New York Movin’ in 1981, on the Land of Hits label. Although post-disco in date, and more towards boogie replacing disco, this is a sumptuous slice of disco, albeit with elements of boogie. Drums pound, combining with handclaps and percussion, before chiming guitars, funky bass and sweeping, swirling strings combine. It’s impossible to resist this track’s charms and it’s infectiously catchy. The rhythm section drive the track along, while the guitars and quivering strings play their part in the track’s sound and success, as eight of the best minutes of The Original Masters-Disco Volume 8 unfolds, sweeping you along and allowing you revel in its delights and charms.
Bob A Rela released their only album Bob A Rela in 1979. One of the four tracks was Spend The Night. The album was produced George Lagios and Pat Deserio with a team of session musicians. While the track has something of a space-age sound as it opens, that’s just a curve ball. Thunderous drums and percussion combine as the track opens at breakneck speed. Funky guitars and bass join the mix, before sassy, punchy vocals are delivered urgently. Synths are used, but work well, as the drama builds, and the track reveals its funky secrets. Having built the drama and energy up, an instrumental break is added, where just the drums and percussion combine. Then you’re anticipating Bob A Rela kicking loose. This they do gradually, using swathes of dark synths and blazing horns before the vocal drops back in and we head to the finish and what’s been a dramatic, fusion of glorious funk, disco and electronic music.
Sea Level’s Fifty Four has a very sound, with jazz-fusion and disco uniting. Confused? Don’t be. This was a track, from their 1978 album On the Edge. There’s more than a hint of The Crusaders during this track, where you hear a tight, really talented group of musicians combining elements of jazz, funk, rock and disco. It’s a really irresistible combination, with Sea Level’s rhythm section producing the track’s dance-floor friendly, pounding heartbeat, while rocky guitars are contrasted by melodic keyboards and percussion. Although very different from most of the tracks on The Original Masters-Disco Volume 8 it’s up their with the very best.
Vincent Montana Jr. left The Salsoul Orchestra in 1978 after a dispute over royalties, and signed to Atlantic Records. His first album on Atlantic was Goody Goody, which featured Bio Rhythms, a track that shows Vince innovating and producing a quite different sound to the music he produced on Salsoul. He combines a rolls of pounding drums with percussion and his vibes before building the arrangement up. Vince drops in a bass, then synths and keyboards. They all help him to build the drama and energy of the track. It’s as if every instrument has been chosen with the utmost care and as a result, the arrangement fits together perfectly, like a musical jigsaw. Sadly, Vince never enjoyed the same commercial success post-Salsoul and Salsoul was a poorer place without him. Having said that, post-Salsoul, Vince continued to innovate and create some stunning, cutting-edge music, like Bio Rhythms.
Paradise Express’ Dance closes The Original Masters-Disco Volume 8. Dance was a track from their 1978 album Paradise Express and is a a track that ends the compilation on a high. Here, disco and funk combine, with the track reminding me of Dan Hartman. Herb Jimmerson’s vocal has a similar sound and the track has a Dan Hartman influence. WIth a driving, funky rhythm section, handclaps and Chic influenced guitars, Herb’s sultry, whispering vocal enters, before backing vocalists join him. They add punchy, soaring harmonies, while the funky rhythm section and keyboards, are then joined by blazing horns and sweeping, swirling strings. Together they accompany Herb, as his teasing, sensuous vocal is combined with a storming, funky arrangement that you just can’t resist. it’s the perfect way to close The Original Masters-Disco Volume 8.
Having started The Original Masters-Disco Volume 8 with a disappointing track in Tee Cee’s Ecstasy, thankfully things quickly improved. From there Calender’s Hypertension and Pam Todd and Love Exchange’s Let’s Get Together made up for the disappointing start, and was a hint of what was still to come. Sadly, things took a disappointing turn on Cory Davy’s Green Light, but improved greatly on Caress’ Catch the Rhythm, which was the polar opposite of the previous track. After that, the final four tracks on The Original Masters-Disco Volume 8 were quality all the way. Ahzz’s New York Movin’ started this quartet, before Sea Level’s Fifty Four was very different, with jazz-fusion and disco uniting seamlessly. Then came Vince Montana Jr. with a track from his first post-Salsoul album Goody Goody, where Vince showed he was still an innovator, creating quality dance-floor friendly music. Closing The Original Masters-Disco Volume 8 was Paradise Express’ Dance, which closed the compilation on a high. Overall, eight of the ten tracks on The Original Masters-Disco Volume 8 really work and there are some hidden gems from the disco era.
However, there are two things I must point out. During a couple of tracks, the sound quality wasn’t the best, especially on the opening track. Whether that’s due to a couple of tracks being remastered from vinyl, or just badly stored master tapes, it’s not clear. While the album cover states each track is remastered, there’s no indication of what from. The other disappointment is the lack of sleeve-notes. As I opened the CD booklet expecting lengthy, detailed notes about each track, all I found were two blank pages. Although these are mid-price albums, I’d expect better than that. So should you buy The Original Masters-Disco Volume 8? I’d say that with eight of the ten tracks real hidden gems from the disco era, I’d recommend you do so, then like me explore more of The Original Masters-Disco series. Standout Tracks: Pam Todd and Love Exchange’s Let’s Get Together, Caress Catch the Rhythm, Vincent Montana Jr. Bio Rhythms and Paradise Express Dance.
THE ORIGINAL MASTERS-DISCO VOLUME 8.
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FAC. DANCE 02.
FAC. DANCE 02.
Of the many compilations released in 2011, one of the most eclectic and compelling collections of music was on Fac. Dance 01, a double-album featuring twenty-four tracks from the much missed Factory Records’ back-catalogue. Given how much I’d enjoyed Fac. Dance 01, I’ve been looking forward to reviewing this compilation. Indeed, I would’ve done so earlier, but circumstances unhelpfully intervened. Now somewhat belatedly, I can tell you about Fac. Dance 02, which Strut Records released on 3rd September 2012. For anyone new to Factory Records, the its predecessor Fac. Dance 01 and Fac. Dance 02 are the perfect introduction to one of the most innovative and influential independent record labels ever. Among the artists signed to Factory Records were legendary groups like New Order, Happy Mondays and Joy Division, while groups like A Certain Ratio, The Durutti Column, Quando Quango, Section 25 and 52nd Street are among Factory’s hidden gems. Will Fac. Dance 02 match the quality of Fac. Dance 01. That’s what I’ll tell you, after I’ve picked my highlights of Fac. Dance 02.
Factory Records were founded and based in Manchester between1978-1992, and were one of the most most influential and innovative British labels of the past forty years. Not only did the released some of the most cutting-edge music of that time, and it wouldn’t be exaggerating to say that, Factory’s influence spread much wider, influencing independent labels worldwide. During this period, Factory Records were a cutting-edge label, fearlessly treading where neither majors nor other independent labels would tread. Often, commercial considerations took a back-seat to artistic merit of music. As a result, Factory won kudos for their leftfield and sometimes cutting-edge releases, which sadly, didn’t sell in great numbers.
Sometimes, it wasn’t just music Factory Records were involved in. They opened the legendary Hacienda nightclub in Manchester, which initially, wasn’t a success. Then when Acid House exploded, then The Hacienda became one of the world’s best know clubs. Factory also ventured into owning their own clothes shop, bar, restaurant and even the short-lived hairdressers adjacent to The Hacienda. At one time, Factory decided to even venture into the world of independent films. All this diversification was only possible because of one of the label’s co-owners.
What allowed Factory Records to open all these different business, was New Order, who were co-owners of the label helped bankroll Factory. Much of the everyday running of the business was left to Anthony H. Wilson, who was at Factory’s helm. during the label’s fourteen year history. Apart from music, what helped Factory stand out from the crowd was design. Design was key to Factory Records philosophy, so Peter Saville’s designs adorning their record covers, resulting in many of their record covers resembling a mini work of art. All these things influenced other labels, labels who’d been inspired by Factory or learnt from their mistakes. After fourteen years which resembled an emotionally-charged roller-coaster journey, Factory Records became insolvent and was declared bankrupt. Now twenty years later, Factory Records is still a much loved and much missed label, remembered by many music fans who will relive their by listening to compilations like Fac. Dance 02.
DISC 1.
Several of the artists that feature on Disc One of Fac. Dance 02 featured on Fac. Dance 01. This includes Section 25, Quando Quango, Shark Vegas, The Durutti Column, X-O-Dus and A Certain Ratio. There are also tracks from Thick Pigeon, Sir Horatio, Fadela and Minny Pops and ESG, who didn’t feature on Fac. Dance 01. Their inclusion, especially ESG track are welcome inclusion. These twelve tracks are an eclectic selection of the innovative and influential music Factory released during its fourteen year history. Given the quality of music on Disc One of Fac. Dance 02, choosing the highlights isn’t going to be easy, but here goes.
My first choice is the track which opens Disc One of Fac. Dance 02, A Certain Ratio’s The Fox. It was a track from their second album To Each, released in April 1981. This was the followup album to 1980s The Graveyard and The Ballroom. Unlike their debut album, A Certain Ratio recorded their second album in New York, with producer Martin Hannet. The studio that wasn’t as well equipped as Strawberry Studios, where Martin Hannet was based, and gave To Each a different sound to The Graveyard and The Ballroom. Having said that, the track still is an innovative and influential sounding track, where post punk and funk unite as one.
ESG had the honor of becoming the first American group to sign to Factory Records. They were the four Scroggins sisters from the South Bronx, whose fusion of art-funk and sensuous, minimalist sound won over many people, including Ed Bahlman, owner of New York’s 99 Records. They supported A Certain Ratio at Danceteria and so impressed was Anthony H. Wilson, he signed them to Factory. With Martin Hannet producing, they recorded three tracks, one of which was Moody. In his inimitable style, Anthony H. Wilson described ESG as P.I.L. meets Motown on the wrong side of the Triborough Bridge.” Released in 1981, on the You’re No Good Ep, this was ESG’s only Factory release, as they signed to 99 Records. It’s a tantalizing taster and a case of what if? What would’ve happened to ESG on Factory Records? Would they have become a much bigger success than they were on 99 Records?
One of my favorite tracks from Fac. Dance 01 was the underrated X-O-Dus’ See Them-A-Come, so I’m pleased to their track Society feature on Fac. Dance 02. Formed in Manchester in 1975 by Wesley and Leddy Ricketts, in 1975X-O-Dus’ style of reggae had a harder edge and was much more political than other similar bands. Having been gigging for five years before they recorded Society in 1980, X-O-Dus were a tight and professional group, who deserved commercial success. Anyone whose heard their music will realize this. Sadly, that wasn’t to be the case, because when X-O-Dus started recording an album for Factory, slow progress and money problems lead to the band breaking up. To me, Society is a poignant reminder of what might have been.
Of all the Factory bands, one of my favorites has always been the hugely underrated Durutti Column, featuring the multitalented Vini Reilly. Over the years, I’ve bought many of Durutti Column’s albums so I’m pleased to see Self Portrait on Fac. Dance 02. Self Portrait released in 1980 on the Factory Quartet EP is a slightly dark, expirimental sonic soundscape that draws you and captivates you. It gradually reveals its charms and delights and benefits from A Certain Ratio’s drummer Donald Johnson providing the track’s heartbeat. Sadly, too soon it’s over, leaving wanting you wanting to hear more of The Durutti Column’s music. For anyone wanting to hear more of their music, then the Four Factory Records box set is a good starting point.
Section 25 were very much one of Factory Records’ innovators and to some extent, a group ahead of their time. Two of their songs featured on Fac. Dance 02 only Sakura features here. They joined Factory in 1979, with Rob Gretton and Joy Division taking an interest in their career. Sakura was a track from their 1982 EP The Beast which draws upon a fusion of influences. Post-punk, punk, rock and even Krautrock are all thrown into the melting pot and stirred by the three members of Section 25. Listen carefully and you’ll hear a real P.I.L. influence on Sakura, a track that doesn’t sound thirty-two years old.
Although I’ve only reviewed five of the tracks on Disc One of Fac. Dance 02, I could’ve mentioned many more tracks. After all, with quality tracks like Shark Vegas’ You Hurt Me, Thick Pigeon’s Babcock and Wilcox and Sir Horatio’s Sommadub, I was almost spoiled for choice. The twelve tracks show just how wide Factory Records cast their net when looking for new artists. Whether it was post-punk, art-funk, reggae or new wave, then there’s something for everyone on Disc One of Fac. Dance 02. While many of the artists, including ESG and X-O-Dus only released a few releases, Section 25, Durutti Column and A Certain Ration were some of Factory’s best known and in Durutti Column’s case, one of their longest serving and most successful artists, releasing five albums for Factory. Will the artists on Disc Two of Dac. Dance 02 include Factory veterans, or some of the lesser known names?
DISC 2.
Like Disc One of Fac. Dance 02, Disc Two features twelve tracks that are a mixture of familiar faces and newcomers to the Fac. Dance series. Among the familiar faces are Quando Quango, 52nd Street, Royal Family and The Poor and Swamp Children. The newcomers include The Wake, Anna Domino, Surprize, Nyam Nyam and Biting Tongues. These artists all played their part in Factory Records’ rich historym between 1978-1992. However, will the quality of music on Disc Two of Fac. Dance 02, match that on Disc One? That’s what I’ll tell you, when I tell you about the highlights of Disc Two of Fac Dance.
Softly Saying Goodbye was released by The Swamp Children in September 1982, two years after signing to Factory Records. Like many other Factory groups, The Swamp Children’s music was a fusion of musical genres. Although there’s a post-punk influence and sound to their music, you can hear elements of funk, jazz and jazz-funk, even Latin music. Sometimes, there’s even a Liz Fraser sound and quality to Ann Quigley’s vocals. Sadly, The Swamp Children only released one album Too Hot, released in 1981 and in 1982, released the Taste What’s Rhythm EP also on Factory Benelux, which features the compelling Softly Saying Goodbye.
While Quando Quango only released one album on Factory, 1985s Pigs and Battleships, they released their debut single So Exciting in 1982. The version of So Exciting included on Fac. Dance 02 is the twelve-inch version, which features producer Howard Johnson adding some funky slap bass to Quando Quango’s fusion of electronica, new-wave, funk and dance music. It’s a compelling mixture of genres and influences from the Anglo-European group lead by Mike Pickering, yes that Mike Pickering who went on to form M People. Listening to this track and it’s hard to believe that it’s the same Mike Pickering in both groups.
For Factory officianados, Anna Domino released one of Factory’s best albums of 1986, Anna Domino. Although only licensed from Le Discques De Crepuscule, it’s to Factory’s credit that they spotted the potential in Anna Domino. Take That is a song that reveals a very different side after its bright bouncy opening, where synths, percussion and the rhythm section combine. Soon the listener is taken on a journey where the Canadian singer-songwriter reveals her hurt and heartache, so much so that the pain is almost tangible. It’s an emotive and revealing journey, one that’s alos irresistible and quite beautiful. That’s why it’s the best track on Fac. Dance 02.
The Wake way not have been Factory Records biggest ever acts, but it features Bobby Gillespie’s as a…bassist. He was only a member of The Wake, for a short while, during which time they released their debut single Host. Like many Factory groups, The Wake’s music is a fusion of influences, taking in reggae, dub and perfect Postcard pop. Recorded in March 1983, and released in October 1983, Host was the group’s first single for Factory Benulux. It was in 1982 The Wake first signed to Factory Records, after being asked by Rob Gretton, one of Factory’s founders. Although The Wake were short-lived, it was taste of what was to come, when Bobby Gillespie left to concentrate on The Jesus and Mary Chain and later, formed Primal Scream, before strutting his way through countless genre crossing albums.
The last track I’ve chosen from Disc Two of Fac. Dance 02 just so happens to be the last track on Disc Two, Ad Infinitum’s Telstar. Lindsay Reade decided to write lyrics for Joe Meeke’s classic instrumental Telstar. Having written the lyrics, Lindsay was helped by a number of Manchester’s music community to record the track. Then tragedy struck, when Joe Meek’s publishers wouldn’t clear the track. It was only when the track was changed quite drastically that the track was cleared for release. This saw Lindsay’s vocal sung through a vocoder so the lyrics were really hard to hear and the track given something of a makeover. Only then was the track allowed to be released and gives Telstar a totally new dance-floor friendly sound, that even today still works well.
Like Disc One of Fac. Dance 02, Disc Two is a compelling and fascinating reminder of the eclectic nature of Factory Records’ music. It’s music that you can’t second guess and can’t pigeonhole. Much of the music on both discs crosses and fuses musical genres and influences and reflects the music the artists were influenced by. For anyone yet to discover Factory Records’ music, then Fac. Dance 01 and Fac. Dance 02 are the perfect introduction to the label’s music. I’d also recommend two books that will help your journey through Factory’s music, Peter Hook’s How Not To Run A Club Properly and James Nice’s Shadowplayers. These books detail Factory Records roller-coaster fourteen year history, plus many of the backstories of the behind the scenes capers and hijinks. Most of all, both books detail the musicians and personnel at Factory who were responsible for releasing so much influential and innovative music. Having had to wait some time to hear this music, the music on Fac. Dance 02 was well worth the wait and Strut Records have picked up where they left of with Fac. Dance 01, a compelling and eclectic collection of quality music that’s like Factory Records, influential and innovative. Standout Tracks: A Certain Ratio The Fox. Durutti Column Self Portrait, The Swamp Children Softly Saying Goodbye and Anna Domino Take That.
FAC. DANCE 02.
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BEHIND CLOSED DOORS: WHEN COUNTRY MEETS SOUL.
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS: WHEN COUNTRY MEETS SOUL.
Compilers it seems, are always looking for new ideas for the compilations, that will make their particular compilation standout from the sometimes overcrowded compilation market. Record companies big and small, sometimes perceive compilations as shooting fish in a barrel, an easy way to make quick buck. Having said that, there have been lovingly compiled quality compilations being released this year. So far, this year, some of the best compilations have included Al Kent’s The Best of Disco Demands, Johnny D Presents Disco Jamms Volume 1, Private Wax and Philadelphia Classics-The Tom Moulton Remixes. These compilations represent the creme de la creme of the compilations market. For every compilation of this quality, there are far too many inferior compilations. Sadly, this year has been a particularly poor year for quality compilations. Many of the ideas or themes for compilations are tenuous, sounding as if they’ve been compiled by Alan Partridge.
Now, with the music industry being forced to reinvent itself, you’d expect record companies, especially major labels, with access to huge back-catalogue’s really making an effort to release compilations with a “wow factor.” Unfortunately that not happening. That’s being left to smaller, independent labels to do so. So with the compilation market not enjoying its finest hour, the music industry trying to reinvent itself and record companies on an extended summer break, finding quality releases isn’t easy. So when I came across Behind Closed Doors: When Country Meets Soul a couple of weeks ago, I was hoping my search for a quality compilation was over. Would Behind Closed Doors: When Country Meets Soul join the top table of compilations or join the ever-increasing list of also-rans and inferior compilations?
For the past fifty years, country music has influenced soul music and soul singers. Many soul singers grew up listening to soul music, which would later influence and help shape their careers. Later, they’d go on to pay homage to how country music influenced their early lives. To understand this, you’ve got to go back to the fifties and early sixties. Many soul singers, especially Southern Soul singers grew up in the southern states, listening so to a soundtrack of the country music coming out of Nashville, Memphis and Muscle Shoals on the local radio station. Back then, country music was one of the most popular genres, with singers like Hank Williams, George Jones, Webb Pierce, Jerry Lee Lewis, Merle Haggard and Patsy Cline some of the biggest names in country music. Each of singers were influencing the next generation, including a new generation of soul singers. Indeed, Ray Charles was something of a trendsetter, releasing his album Modern Sounds In Country and Western Volumes 1 and 2 albums in 1962 on ABC-Paramount. These albums struck a chord, reaching numbers one and two in the US Billboard 200 Charts. After that, the crossover between country and soul became much more popular during the sixties and seventies. As a result, record companies have often released compilations of how country music influenced soul music. Let’s make no mistake, this isn’t a new idea, far from it. So with similar compilations having been released, Behind Closed Doors: When Country Meets Soul isn’t a new idea. However, does the music on Behind Closed Doors: When Country Meets Soul separate this compilation from the rest?
Among the twenty-three tracks on Behind Closed Doors: When Country Meets Soul are some familiar faces, including some greats of the fifties, sixties and seventies soul music. This includes Southern Soul stars Al Green, Ann Peebles and Candi Staton, who are joined by Arthur Alexander, Percy Sledge, Cookie Jackson, Little Milton, ZZ Hill, Joe Simon and Bettye Carter. Each of these singers cover what’s referred to as a “100% authentic country songs.” Among the highlights are Al Green’s compelling cover of Hank Williams’ I’m So Lonesome I Could Die, Brook Benton’s emotional interpretation of Jerry Lee Lewis’ She Even Woke Me Up To Say Goodbye and James Carr’s heartfelt take on Mel Tillis’ Life Turned Her That Way. Moses and Joshua Dillard’s take on the Curly Putnam and Billy Sherrill penned My Elusive Dreams, which was originally recorded by Tammy Wynette and David Houston is quite irresistible. While these four tracks are some of the highlights of Behind Closed Doors: When Country Meets Soul, it’s not just male soul singers who are responsible for the some of the highlights of Behind Closed Doors: When Country Meets Soul. Indeed three Southern belles are responsible for a trio of the compilation’s best tracks.
On Behind Closed Doors: Country Meets Soul, Southern belles like Candi Staton and Ann Peebles are responsible for two of the compilation’s highlights. Candi breathes new life and meaning into Patsy Cline’s He Called Me Baby. This was a track from Candi’s Stand By Your Man album. Ann Peebles’ interpretation of (You Keep Me) Hanging On was a track from her album I Can’t Stand The Rain. Her interpretation of the song is a mixture of emotion, heartache and hope, and demonstrates just how talented a vocalist Ann Peebles truly is. Bettye Swann take on the Hank Cochran penned Don’t Touch Me, is emotion, heartache and hurt personified.
Among the other highlights of Behind Closed Doors: Country Meets Soul are Aaron Neville’s version of The Grand Tour, originally recorded by George Jones. Aaron’s version is quite unlike the original, but incredibly soulful and heartfelt. Along with Solomon Burke’s He’ll Have To Go, Percy Sledge’s Take Time To Know Her Don’t Touch Me and Clarence Carter’s Set Me Free, these three tracks are among the best soulful covers of country tracks. Some tracks good as they are, just don’t compare favorably to the originals.
Tony Border’s Gentle On My Mind was written and recorded by John Hartford who won two Grammy’s for the track. I was made famous by Glen Campbell in 1968.
and Tony’s version is nowhere as good as the original. Similarly, Good as Little Milton’s version of Charlie Rich’s Behind Closed Door is, I much prefer Charlie’s version. Then there are a trio of tracks that just don’t work and are among the disappointments of Behind Closed Doors: Country Meets Soul.
Like all compilations, some tracks on Behind Closed Doors: Country Meets Soul disappoint. Millie Jackson’s version of Merle Haggard’s If You’re Not Back In Love By Monday is slightly disappointing, although this is an alternate vocal version. Similarly, The Limelites’ version of Before the Teardrop Falls, is just too sweet, slick and smooth, and isn’t anywhere near as good as Freddy Fender heartfelt version. Joe Tex’s version of Skip A Rope leaves me cold, and I much prefer Henson Cargill’s 1967 version. These three tracks to me are the low-points of Behind Closed Doors: Country Meets Soul and personally, I wouldn’t have included them on the compilation.
So, having told you about Behind Closed Doors: Country Meets Soul, would I recommend you buy the compilation? Well, I’ve mixed feelings about it. Many of the artists included on the compilation are quite predictable, especially artists like Al Green, Ann Peebles, Candi Staton, Solomon Burke, Percy Sledge and James Carr. Similarly, some of these songs are hardly hard to find, and are available elsewhere. That’s why I wonder whether this compilation is aimed at occasional compilation buyers, as it’s hardly a collection of hard to find hidden gems? The idea of country music’s influence on soul is hardly a eureka moment, in terms originality. Getting onto the music, yes, there’s some great music on Behind Closed Doors: Country Meets Soul, albeit with a few disappointments. Okay the good tracks outnumber the disappointments, but add in the predictable tracks and its a close run thing. Separating the fact that this “concept” isn’t original, with the standard of the music, I’d say the overall standard music on Behind Closed Doors: Country Meets Soul means it’s worth buying the compilation. For many lovers of soul music, they’ll have many of the tracks on either the original albums or other compilations, I know I have. Maybe the compilers should’ve dug deeper, but in doing so, they’d have missed the occasional compilation buyer, who seeing a few familiar names, buys the compilation on spec. What I would say though, is Behind Closed Doors: Country Meets Soul is a decent primer for anyone wanting an introduction to country music’s influence on soul music. For the more serious soul fan, then I’d think that they’ll have many of the tracks on Behind Closed Doors: Country Meets Soul and the compilation won’t appeal to them.
Maybe the compilers should’ve tried harder when coming up with a theme for Behind Closed Doors: Country Meets Soul. In such a saturated compilation market, in especially economically trouble times, people will be picking and choosing what compilations to buy. When a compilation offers very little in the way of new and compelling music they’ll look elsewhere. Sadly, good as Behind Closed Doors: Country Meets Soul is, it certainly won’t be finding its way into my list of best compilations of 2012. Standout Tracks: Ann Peebles (You Keep Me) Hanging On, Al Green I’m So Lonesome I Could Die, James Carr Life Turned Her That Way and Candi Staton He Called Me Baby.
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS: WHEN COUNTRY MEETS SOUL.
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M.F.S.B.-THE GAMBLE AND HUFF ORCHESTRA.
M.F.S.B.-THE GAMBLE AND HUFF ORCHESTRA.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been charting the rise of Salsoul Records and then the changes in personnel that ensued from 1978 onwards. The story of Salsoul Records wouldn’t have happened without Philadelphia International Records and Gamble and Huff. M.F.S.B. were Philadelphia International Records legendary house-band, and in 1975 after members of M.F.S.B. were involved in a dispute with Gamble and Huff over money. When the dispute couldn’t be resolved, many members of M.F.S.B. quit, deciding to head less than one-hundred miles away to New York, where they became The Salsoul Orchestra. This left behind a very different M.F.S.B., with many musicians that played on albums like Philly Soul classics like Billy Paul’s 360 Degrees of Billy Paul, The O’Jays Backstabbers, Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes’ Black and Blue and M.F.S.B.’s Love Is the Message had left M.F.S.B. While this might of proved fatal for many labels, Philadelphia International Records continued to release many classic albums. However, losing the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section, vibes virtuoso Vince Montana Jr, guitarist Bobby “Electronic” Eli, percussionist Larry Washington and keyboard players Bunny Sigler and Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey left a void. While Philadelphia International Records continued to release many classic and successful albums, M.F.S.B. released further studio albums, including 1978s The Gamble and Huff Orchestra. This was M.F.S.B.’s sixth album and the follow up to 1976s Summertime, which was the first album by M.F.S.B. since the change in M.F.S.B.’s lineup. Would The Gamble and Huff Orchestra be an album match the quality of classic M.F.S.B. albums like Love Is the Message and Philadelphia Freedom? That’s what I’ll tell you, after I’ve told you about the background to The Gamble and Huff Orchestra.
For M.F.S.B.’s sixth studio album The Gamble and Huff Orchestra, it was very much a team-effort, with various songwriters and songwriting partnerships contributing the eight tracks. Gamble and Huff only contributed two tracks, and one of them, Use Ta Be My Guy was a cover of a track originally recorded by The O’Jays. The other tracks was The Way I Feel Tonight. Another cover version was Billie Calvin’s Wishing On A Star, originally recorded by Rose Royce. Dennis Harris, M.F.S.B. guitarist, wrote Redwood Beach, while Dexter Wansel and Cynthia Biggs cowrote Dance With Me Tonight. Joseph Jefferson and Philadelphia International arranger John L. Usry Jr. cowrote To Be In Love, while Leroy Bell and Casey James cowrote Let’s Party Down and with Thom Bell, cowrote Is It Something I Said. These tracks would be recorded at two studios, Philly’s Sigma Sound Studios and Seattle’s Kaye Smith Studios.
Of the eight tracks on The Gamble and Huff Orchestra, only Let’s Party Down and Is It Something I Said were recorded at Kaye Smith Studios in Seattle. The other six tracks were recorded in the familiar surroundings of Philly’s Sigma Sound Studios. With many of M.F.S.B. now finding even further success as The Salsoul Orchestra, the new lineup was very different from the early days, when albums like Love Is the Message and Philadelphia Freedom were recorded. Among the musicians that featured in this lineup of M.F.S.B. were guitarists James Herb Smith, Dennis Harris, Anthony Bell and Leroy Bell who also added percussion and backing vocals. Dexter Wansel added keyboards, while the legendary trio of backing vocalists Yvette Benton, Carla Benson and Barbara Ingram know as the Sweethearts of Sigma were familiar faces at Philadelphia International. Incidentally, they also featured on the Salsoul recordings. More familiar faces could be found among the arrangers and producers who worked on M.F.S.B.’s sixth album The Gamble and Huff Orchestra.
The producers who worked on The Gamble and Huff Orchestra included Gamble and Huff who produced The Way I Feel Tonight, while Joseph Jefferson and John L. Usry Jr. produced two tracks. Jack Faith arranged two tracks and produced Wishing On A Star. Anthony Bell arranged Let’s Party Down, which his brother Thom Bell produced. Thom Bell also arranged and produced Is It Something I Said, which was recorded in Seattle. Dennis Harris who wrote Redwood Beach, arranged and produced the track. With The Gamble and Huff Orchestra recorded, what would prove to be M.F.S.B.’s penultimate album would be released in 1978.
On the release of M.F.S.B. sixth album, The Gamble and Huff Orchestra failed to chart. Given how M.F.S.B.’s sound had changed, hoping to compete with The Salsoul Orchestra, which comprised many former M.F.S.B. legends, this must have hurt everyone at Philadelphia International Records. At least Used Ta Be My Guy reached a lowly number ninety-four in the US R&B Charts. However, given how M.F.S.B.’s sound had been changed to fit the growing love of all things disco, was this a mistake and should’ve M.F.S.B. have stuck to what they did best, fusing soul, funk and jazz seamlessly and peerlessly. That’s what I’ll tell you, after I’ve told you about the music on M.F.S.B. 1978 album The Gamble and Huff Orchestra.
Opening The Gamble and Huff Orchestra is Dance with Me Tonight written by Cynthia Biggs and Dexter Wansel, who arranged and produced the track. As the track opens, it could only be one band M.F.S.B. With a pounding, funky rhythm section, flourishes of quivering strings, keyboards and blazing horns combining, M.F.S.B. kick loose. While M.F.S.B. combine their combination of soul and funk, the track heads in the direction of disco. Graceful strings, rasping horns, Dexter Wansel’s keyboards and an uber-funky rhythm section provide a pulsating, funk-laden heartbeat. In the space of five-minutes, M.F.S.B. seamlessly fuse funk, soul, jazz and disco like only they can.
To Be in Love was written and produced by Joseph Jefferson and John L. Usry Jr. who arranged the track. When a flourish of piano opens the track, your hopes are high. As a Latin-tinged rhythm section, punchy backing vocals and cascading strings combine, things are still looking good. When keyboards are introduced they don’t quite work, but the braying horns rescue the situation and M.F.S.B. spring a surprise. Suddenly, you think you’re listening to The Salsoul Orchestra, when the Sweethearts of Sigma add sensuous, sultry backing vocals. If you think The Salsoul Orchestra, circa Nice ‘N’ Nasty you’re on the right lines. This is M.F.S.B.’s take on disco. Everything works, with the blazing horns, woodwind, dancing strings and the Sweethearts of Sigma’s vocal, showing that anything The Salsoul Orchestra can do, so can M.F.S.B. Mind you, by 1978 Salsoul featured many of M.F.S.B.’s legends and so was more M.F.S.B. than M.F.S.B.
Let’s Party Down sees the Bell brothers take charge of arranging and producing the track. Anthony is arranger and Thom producer. They combine elements of disco with funk and soulful vocals. There’s a slightly space-age sound to the synths and keyboards, with what sounds like a Moog Bass synth providing part of the track’s funky backdrop. While sometimes, synths from this era can sound slightly dated, this isn’t the case here. Add Bill Lamb’s sweeping, soulful vocals plus the lush strings, percussion and blazing horns and the result is a funky slice of dance-floor friendly music, where Philadelphia International had one firmly fixed on the ever increasing popularity of disco. If Gamble and Huff really wanted to conquer the increasingly popular disco market, maybe they should’ve hired The Salsoul Orchestra?
Wishing on a Star sees Jack Faith take over the production chair, resulting in one of the best tracks on The Gamble and Huff Orchestra. His arrangement sees a jazz-tinged, chiming guitar solo accompany a subtle rhythm section, melodic keyboards and the Sweethearts of Sigma’s tender, elegant harmonies. When the vocals drop out, a clarinet solo fills the gap, before the lushest of cascading strings and growling horns combine to create one of the most traditional M.F.S.B. sounding tracks. Later, M.F.S.B. threaten to kick loose, as they toy with you, as they add a sprinkling of funk to the jazzy sound. That this is one of the highlights of The Gamble and Huff Orchestra is no surprise, after all, Jack Faith, one of the most talented arrangers and producers at Philadelphia International was responsible for this track and its success.
Use Ta Be My Guy was written by Gamble and Huff and is a cover of a track made famous by The O’Jays. The Sweethearts of Sigma take charge of the vocal, as Joseph Jefferson and John L. Usry Jr. produce it. With a jazzy guitar, punchy harmonies from the Sweethearts of Sigma combined with a dance-floor friendly beat, the track reveals its secrets. Bursts of pounding drums and blazing horns punctuate the arrangement, while strings sweep and swirl and the tender harmonies add beauty to the drama of the horns and drums. A rasping horn solo is key to track’s sound and success, while the keyboards, rhythm section and cascading strings see M.F.S.B. fuse jazz, funk, soulful harmonies and disco beautifully and seamlessly, all in the space of five minutes.
Gamble and Huff’s only produced The Way I Feel Today, which they cowrote. Jack Faith arranges the tracks, which is another of the highlights of The Gamble and Huff Orchestra. The Sweethearts of Sigma add wistful and sometimes joyful vocals, while the arrangement is more jazz than funk. A standup bass, helps give the track a slightly moody, thoughtful old-fashioned jazzy sound, as do bursts of rasping horns and the Sweethearts of Sigma’s tender harmonies. The coup de grace is the swathes of lush strings that sweep and swirl. They’re just the icing on Gamble and Huff’s delicious, jazzy cake.
Is it Something I Said is one of two tracks that were recorded at Seattle. Given that Sigma Sound Studios was familiar territory for Philadelphia International and part of the Philly Sound, this seems a strange move. Thom Bell arranges and produces the track, where the funky rhythm section, combine with swathes of dancing strings, growling horns and keyboards. This works really well, but for some reason Thom thought that allowing a poor man’s James Brown to holler “Is it Something I Said” occasionally would add to the track? Obviously it doesn’t and is something of an unwelcome intrusion. Thankfully it doesn’t happen too often and doesn’t spoil what’s a dramatic and funky track.
Closing The Gamble and Huff Orchestra is Reedwood Beach written, arranged and produced by M.F.S.B. guitarist Dennis Harris. It’s a track where jazz and funk are combined, with jazzy guitar, piano and drums combining, before cascading strings and rasping horns combine. M.F.S.B. play their part in moving the track from a quite beautiful, laid-back sounding track, before injecting woodwind, blazing horns and bursts of horns as M.F.S.B. threaten to kick loose. They never do, instead toy and tease you, and in the process, create a quite beautiful track to close The Gamble and Huff Orchestra.
The Gamble and Huff Orchestra was M.F.S.B.’s fifth album and first since 1976s Summertime. It would also prove to be the penultimate M.F.S.B. album. While music had changed much since their debut album M.F.S.B. in 1972. So too had M.F.S.B.’s personnel and on The Gamble and Huff Orchestra, their music. Although many of the tracks on The Gamble and Huff Orchestra were M.F.S.B.’s familiar fusion of funk, jazz and soul, some of the track’s were designed to help Gamble and Huff and Philadelphia International Records to conquer the increasingly popular disco market in 1978. This is somewhat ironic, given that Gamble and Huff with the help of the other multitalented personnel at Philadelphia International Records had been creating quality and timeless dance music since 1972. What they didn’t do, was go chasing popular musical trends. Somewhat ironically, disco had only another year to live, before it nearly died in July 1979, on Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park in Chicago. However, on The Gamble and Huff Orchestra, Gamble and Huff spread their bets, by not solely concentrating on one musical genre. Instead, there was the usual mixture of funk, soul, jazz and dance-floor friendly music, including disco. These eight tracks ranged from beautiful, wistful and melancholy jazz and soulful, to dramatic, pulsating and uber-funky.
Although the classic lineup of M.F.S.B. had headed to New York and became The Salsoul Orchestra in 1975, Philly still had more than its fair share of talented musicians. These musicians became in some respects, M.F.S.B. Mk. 2 and for many people, M.F.S.B.’s music is best described as two periods 1972-1975 and the classic lineup and M.F.S.B. Mk. 2, the post-1975 lineup. While many legendary musicians left M.F.S.B. in 1975, it was still a hugely talented lineup of musicians, backing vocalists, the Sweethearts of Sigma, plys some talented songwriters, arrangers and producers. They all played their part in making The Gamble and Huff Orchestra a really enjoyable album which mostly has aged well. While it’s maybe not a classic album like Love Is the Message or Philadelphia Freedom, but it’s one of the best albums from M.F.S.B. Mk. 2, along with Summertime, M.F.S.B.’s fourth album released in 1976. Standout Tracks: Wishing on a Star, Use Ta Be My Guy, The Way I Feel Today and Redwood Beach.
M.F.S.B.-THE GAMBLE AND HUFF ORCHESTRA.
SAM COOKE-THE RCA ALBUMS COLLECTION.
SAM COOKE-THE RCA ALBUMS COLLECTION.
With record companies on what seems like an extended summer break, it gives me the opportunity to look back at albums I’ve overlooked or not had time to review when they were released. Now as someone whose something of a self-confessed music addict, who can’t go more than two days without my fix of new music, you can imagine the amount of albums that I own. Truly, over the years I’ve bought and been given thousands upon thousands of albums. Often, the amount of albums that come my way mean I can’t review everything. So when there’s a lull in the amount of new releases, this allows me catch up on albums that I meant to review but never got round to. However, it’s not just albums I buy, but box sets. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always loved box sets and over the years, built up quite a collection. 2012 has been a good year for box sets, with Harmless Records’ ten-disc Magnus Opus Philadelphia International Records-The 40th Anniversary Box Set, plus their four-disc Philadelphia International Classics-The Tom Moulton Remixes. Then there’s been the recent P&P Hits, Hits, Hits and Freedom Sounds released by Trojan Records, plus the intriguing Great British Albums box set which was released recently. Last year was just as good, with the Screamadelica box set one of the best box sets of 2011, while there were welcome release of box sets from Nina Simone and the eight-disc box Sam Cooke box set Sam Cooke-The RCA Albums Collection, which I’ll now tell you about.
For many people, the music of Otis Redding, Aretha Frankin, Al Green, Motown and Sam Cooke were their introduction to soul music. These artists will be what started them on a lifelong love-affair with all things soul music. Much as I like each of these artists and labels like Atlantic Records, Hi Records and Motown, I’ve always loved the music of Philadelphia International Records. Nothing else comes close. Having said that I appreciate and enjoy all types of soul music, including the music of Sam Cooke. For too long, Sam Cooke’s music had been unavailable, with just the usual collection of hastily compiled compilations available. So when I saw that Sam Cooke-The RCA Albums Collection, I decided it was time to replace my old vinyl copies with this eight-disc box set. However, what did I find in the eight-disc Sam Cooke-The RCA Albums Collection and has Sam’s music stood the test of time?
COOKE’S TOUR.
Sam Cooke-The RCA Albums Collection features seven studio albums that Sam Cooke released between April 1960 and September 1963. This box set starts in 1960, with Cooke’s Tour, released in April 1960, which you could loosely call an early concept album, with Sam singing about some of the cities of the world. This is very much a mixed bag, or what I’d call the good, the bad and the ugly. Far Away Places which opens Cooke’s Tour works, as do South of the Border, Bali Ha’i and Sweet Leilani. These tracks are the highlights of Cooke’s Tour. After that, things go astray.
Apart from these tracks, the rest of Cooke’s Tour are an ill advised collection of tracks. Truly, they haven’t stood the test of of time well. Listening to Under Paris Skies, The Coffee Song, Jamaica Farewell and Arrivederci, Roma (Goodbye To Rome) these tracks just sound of there time. However, the absolute low-points of Cooke’s Tours are the Hawaiian-tinged Sweet Leilani and Japanese Farewell Song.
Sadly, Cook’s Tour is an album that back in 1960, would’ve sounded very different, but fifty years later, it’s showing its age. Although Sam’s voice has the rich quality you’d expect, many of the songs on Cooke’s Tour do him no favors. Hopefully things will improve during the rest of Sam Cooke-The RCA Albums Collection.
COOKE’S TOUR.
HITS OF THE 50s.
Hits of the 50s was released in August 1960 and sees Sam Cooke revisit some of the popular songs of the fifties. This sees the entrance of Sam Cooke crooner, delivering familiar tracks like Mona Lisa, The Great Pretender, Unchained Melody, The Song From Moulin Rouge and I’m Walking Behind You. Again there very much a mixed bag of tracks, that sound from another era. It’s the type of music you’d hear on easy listening radio stations in the late sixties, early seventies. Having said that, there are some highlights, including Hey There, Too Young and Unchained Melody. Sam’s version of Too Young brings new life to the song, and on Unchained Melody he slows the song way down, delivering the track in a way that brings out the song’s subtleties, nuances and beauty. The jazz-tinged Cry allows you to experience that glorious, rich voice at its very best.
Overall, Hits of the 50s is much better that Cooke’s Tour and has stood the test of time much better. Sam’s voice is suited to many of the tracks on Hits of the 50s, although there are a few tracks that just don’t work, including The Wayward Wind which never gets going, and Venus where despite Sam’s best efforts, just doesn’t work. However, at least the good tracks outnumber the bad tracks on Hits of the 50s, unlike Cooke’s Tour.
HITS OF THE 50s.
SWING LOW.
When Swing Low was originally released in March 1961, it was originally entitled Sam Cooke. Sadly, Swing Low has more in common with Cooke’s Tour than Hits of the 50s. Apart from the classic Chain Gang, which is Sam Cooke at his very best, much of Swing Low is filler. Tracks like Grandfather’s Clock, Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair are two of the worst tracks on the box set. They really belong to another age, and haven’t stood the test of time. The strange things is, many other albums from other artists have stood the test of time, but not Swing Low. Of the other tracks on Swing Low, I’m Just A Country Boy, Long, Long Ago, You Belong To Me and Goin’ Home do something to rescue the situation just.
Truly, Swing Low isn’t Sam Cooke at his finest. Maybe if I’d been around in 1961, I’d be writing a different review, but fifty-one years later, it’s a different story. For anyone looking to buy a Sam Cooke studio album, sadly Swing Low wouldn’t my recommendation.
SWING LOW.
MY KIND OF BLUES.
By the time Sam Cooke released My Kind of Blues in October 1961, he was beginning to hit his stride. This is a much better collection of songs. Opening with the jazz-tinged Don’t Get Around Much Anymore, Sam is accompanied by a small tight band and horn section. They really lift things, as Sam kicks loose. Soon, he drops the tempo on Little Girl Blue, before delivering a heartfelt, slow and spacious version of Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out. From there, Out In The Cold Again and But Not For Me sees the quality continue, with Sam delivering some of his best vocals on the box set so far.
My only quibble and criticism is that some of the tracks have similar arrangements, with the blazing horns opening the track and rasping their way through the track. Having said that, they add to the bluesy sound and feel, and this is so much better than Cooke’s tour or Swing Low.
Since I Met You Baby sees Sam at his best, while his cover of Big Joe Turner’s Trouble In Mind manages to come across as soulful and bluesy. A combination of Sam’s soulful vocal and the bluesy horns combine beautifully. There’s no real disappointing tracks on My Kind of Blues and is something of a coming of age album for Sam Cooke. He seemed to find the sound that suited him and the songs on My Kind of Blues fit Sam like a glove. My Kind of Blues is my favorite Sam Cooke album from Sam Cooke-The RCA Albums Collection and is Sam Cooke at his very best.
MY KIND OF BLUES.
TWISTIN’ THE NIGHT AWAY.
After the consistent quality of what was a classic Sam Cooke album, My Kind of Blues, Twistin’ The Night Away released in April 1962 sees a return to the mixed bag of Cooke’s Tour and Swing Low. It seems that having had a hit with Twisting The Night Away, someone came up with the bright idea to write a several variations on the them. Hence Twisting In The Kitchen With Dinah, Twisting In The Old Town Tonight and Camptown Twist. Sadly, these tracks are nothing like as good as the original and just don’t work. Maybe fifty years ago these songs sounded great, but not any more. Their addition wasn’t big and wasn’t clever. Staying on the theme of all things twisting, Sam covers The Twist, but it’s nothing like the original. So with twisting tracks taking up five tracks, are the other seven tracks on Twistin’ The Night Away any better?
Apart from Somebody’s Gonna Miss Me and the impassioned pleas of Sam on Somebody Have Mercy and Soothe Me, the highlights of Twistin’ The Night Away are few and far between. The bluesy Movin’ And A Groovin’ is a song that’s obviously been influenced by the twisting songs, and is derivative in nature. Obviously, Twistin’ The Night Away is one of Sam Cooke’s best known tracks, but apart from it and three other tracks, Twistin’ The Night Away isn’t vintage Sam Cooke. Indeed far from it. Indeed,Twistin’ The Night Away seems a backward step from Sam Cooke after My Kind of Blues. Thankfully, things would improve for Sam Cooke in 1963.
TWISTIN’ THE NIGHT AWAY.
MR. SOUL.
Sam Cooke released two more albums in 1963, with Mr. Soul the first of them. Here, Sam finds the form he showed on My Kind of Blues, delivering twelve soulful tracks, where that velvet voice tantalizes you. From I Wish You Love, though Chains Of Love, Chains Of Love, the sumptuous Smoke Rings and the bluesy All The Way, this makes listening to all the inferior tracks on Cooke’s Tour, Swing Low and Twistin’ The Night Away worthwhile. It’s as if Sam’s been working up to Mr. Soul.
Unfortunately, things go slightly awry on Send Me Some Lovin,’ which isn’t as good as the other tracks. After that, quivering, shivering strings give way to the piano and an impassioned and peerless version of Cry Me A River. Driftin’ Blues sees Sam return to the bluesy sound of My Kind of Blues, with For Sentimental Reasons (I Love You), Nothing Can Change This Love and Little Girl continuing to take Mr. Soul in the same bluesy, soulful direction. Closing Mr. Soul is These Foolish Things, which close this classic album. Along with My Kind of Blues, Mr. Soul is vintage Sam Cooke and makes enduring Cooke’s Tour, Swing Low and Twistin’ the Night Away worthwhile.
MR. SOUL.
NIGHT BEAT.
Night Beat is the final Sam Cooke studio album, released in August 1963. Like many of the albums in the Sam Cooke-The RCA Albums Collection, Night Beat features twelve tracks from Sam Cooke. Nobody Knows The Trouble I’ve Seen gets Night Beat of to a dramatic, impassioned opening, before Sam lays bare his soul on Lost And Lookin.’ Mean Old World fuses the bluesy sound of My Kind of Blues with country soul and even gospel music. By now you realize that many of Sam Cooke’s previous albums were leading up to albums like Mr. Soul and Night Beat
Mean Old World fuses the bluesy sound of My Kind of Blues with country soul and even gospel music. The bluesy sound continues on Please Don’t Drive Me Away, where Sam pleas and begs, delivering one of most emotive and heartfelt vocals. On the piano lead Get Yourself Another Fool, Sam’s vocal is a mixture of sadness and heartbreak, but results in one of his best vocals. You can’t fail to be moved by his vocal, and the same can be said of Trouble Blues and Fool’s Paradise, where Sam makes each track his own. Much of the music on Night Beat has a similar style, except two tracks.
Little Red Rooster sees Sam Cooke kick loose, while his band create a bluesy backdrop for his vocal. He returns to this sound on Shake, Rattle And Roll, which closes Night Beat. Of all the tracks on Night Beat, this track absolutely swings..and then some. This is the perfect way to close Night Beat, which is the last of Sam Cooke’s studio albums included in Sam Cooke-The RCA Albums Collection. For Sam Cooke’s fans, Night Beat is Sam at his very best. Night Beat almost seems a fitting finale Sam Cooke-The RCA Albums Collection. However, there’s the still the live album to come, One Night Stand! Live At the Harlem Club.
NIGHT BEAT.
ONE NIGHT STAND-LIVE AT THE HARLEM CLUB.
Although this concert was recorded back in January 1963, One Night Stand-Live At the Harlem Cub was never officially released until twenty-two years later in June 1985. Maybe the reason it wasn’t released before 1985 is that the sound quality is pretty poor. Sam seems to be forcing his vocals on some tracks, as if trying far too hard to win the audience over. As a result, the songs lose their subtlety, nuances and beauty. Having said that, he delivers a string of classics. This includes Chain Gang, Cupid, Twistin’ The Night Away and closes with the joyous Having A Party.
Why the record company decided to include One Night Stand-Live At the Harlem Cub is something of a puzzle? Given how poor the sound quality is and that it’s hardly a vintage performance from Sam Cooke, why didn’t the include another studio album. Surely Ain’t That Good News, the final studio album released in Sam’s lifetime would’ve been a better choice? For me, One Night Stand-Live At the Harlem Club is a slightly disappointing way to close Sam Cooke-The RCA Albums Collection.
ONE NIGHT STAND-LIVE AT THE HARLEM CLUB.
For anyone wondering whether I’d recommend they buy Sam Cooke-The RCA Albums Collection, I’d say that if you do, don’t expect eight classic albums. In reality, I’d only consider My Kind of Blues, Mr.Soul and Night Beat as classic albums, with My Kind of Blues something of a hidden gem in Sam Cooke’s back-catalogue. Of the other four studio albums, Hits of the 50s is what I’d call the best of the rest. It’s far from the standard of My Kind of Blues, Mr.Soul and Night Beat, but contains some tracks where Sam Cooke makes the song his own and gives a tantalizing glimpse of what’s still to come. That leaves the other three studio albums, with Cooke’s Tour, Swing Low and Twistin’ The Night Away very much a mixed bag, with very little to commend them. During this trio of albums, there are occasions when Sam’s talent shines through and we hear Sam Cooke at his best. Sadly, the other album in the Sam Cooke-The RCA Albums Collection is one that’s quite forgettable, due to the poor quality of the recording and Sam Cooke sounding like he’s trying too hard to win his audience over.
So, would I buy Sam Cooke-The RCA Albums Collection again? I think given I would. Although Cooke’s Tour, Swing Low and Twistin’ The Night Away are very much mixed bags, they show Sam Cooke developing and growing as a singer. This is the case on One Night Stand-Live At the Harlem Club which despite it’s pretty awful sound quality, you can hear Sam trying too hard. The upside of Sam Cooke-The RCA Albums Collection is the three classic Sam Cooke albums My Kind of Blues, Mr. Soul and Night Beat. Given how good these three albums are and how reasonably priced Sam Cooke-The RCA Albums Collection is then, even if you find the other albums mixed bags, then it’ll still be cheaper than buying My Kind of Blues, Mr. Soul and Night Beat separately. Anyway, My Kind of Blues, Mr. Soul and Night Beat alone are three classic albums from one of the legends of soul music Sam Cooke.
SAM COOKE-THE RCA ALBUMS COLLECTION.
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THE FOUNTAIN MUSIC AND PLAZA IN CROWD COLLECTION.
THE FOUNTAIN MUSIC AND PLAZA IN CROWD COLLECTION.
Recently I wrote a feature on two of Electronic Dance Music’s most ambitious and innovative labels, Japan’s Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd. Although Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd were only founded in June 2008 by Shinji Tokida, they’ve been releasing innovative and groundbreaking music since then. They’ve put many UK, European and American labels to shame, with the amount of quality music they’ve been releasing in the past four years. During that time, both Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd have released over twenty CD albums and over one-hundred digital releases and built up an international following. For anyone yet to hear the music of Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd, label President Shinji Tokida, has decided to release a series of limited edition “collections,” which will prove the perfect introduction to both labels music. There is The Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd Collection an eleven CD collection which I’ll review here and two five CD collections, which are available from Fountain Music’s website. So, for anyone yet to discover the music of Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd, I’ll give you an overview of the eleven disc The Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd Collection, which features some artists I’ve previously reviewed and enthused about, plus a few new faces. The eleven disc Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd Collection features albums like Shin Nishimura’s Mash, TEMMA-Teje’s Midget Lamps In the Dark and Satoshi Fumi’s Colours, plus albums by Dave Angel, DJ Yellow, Popnoname, Sans Soleil and Genevieve and Takaaki Tsuchiya. These albums range from some of Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd’s earliest releases, through to their most recent release. After I’ve briefly told you about each album, I’ll tell you whether you invest in The Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd Collection.
DJ YELLOW AND ASTRID SURYANTO-THE INTERMISSION.
DJ Yellow and Astrid Suryanto’s Intermission was one of Fountain Music’s earliest releases, released back in 2008. Intermission was a collaboration between French house and electro producer DJ Yellow and Indonesian singer, singer and producer Astrid Suryanto. It’s a glorious journey through house and electro, with elements of techno on Light On Me and To The Top. Joining DJ Yellow and Astrid on The Intermission are King Britt who features on Night in Tranzylvania. To me, Intermission’s success is the combination of talented personnel, especially Astrid’s vocals.
Astrid’s hauntingly beautiful vocals key to Intermission’s success. Her vocals help set the mood of the track. Some of her best vocals are on the joyous and irresistible In Your Voice, To The Top especially on To The Top, the moody Alone and is hauntingly beautiful on To The Top. Add to that the combination of synths and drums from DJ Yellow that provide the backdrop for Astrid’s vocals and the scene is set for The Intermission to be a mood changing sixty-nine minute musical roller-coaster.
Sadly, The Intermission was the only collaboration between DJ Yellow and Astrid Suryanto. However, given how good The Intermission is, it would be difficult to top The Intermission. Of the eleven discs in The Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd Collection, Intermission is one of my favorites. It’s a glorious journey through house, electro and techno, which changes your mood, ranging from makes you think, feel sad and make you want to dance for joy. Take my advice and buy a copy of DJ Yellow and Astrid Suryanto’s The Intermission…now.
DJ YELLOW AND ASTRID SURYANTO-THE INTERMISSION.
SANS SOLEIL AND GENEVIEVE-SIMPLE MACHINE.
Sans Soleil and Genevieve’s Simple Machine was released by Fountain Music in 2009. Simple Machine was Sans Soleil’s fourth album, and the followup to 2007s Boreal. Simple Machine was a collaboration between two mainstays of Toronto’s music scene. Michael Trommer is a producers who describes his work as experimental, while vocalist Genevieve Marentette originally trained as jazz singer. She’s was a feature of the Detroit music scene for many years, but is now based in Toronto and her versatility sees her singing jazz, Latin and soul music. On Simple Machine, Michael and Genevieve’s talents are put to good use.
Simple Machine is one of these albums that makes an impression straight away. From the opening track, Bike which mixes Detroit techno with Genevieve’s ethereal vocal the combined talents of Sans Soleil and Genevieve is apparent. Bike mixes techno and ambient music, while Bulb is a slow burner, featuring a whispered vocal from Genevieve set against a pounding beats and synths. Gradually, Bulb reveals its secrets over seven compelling minutes. Lorax V1 bubbles along, with synths and crunchy beats and Genevieve’s fragile vocal floating above the arrangement. Like other tracks Star Nibbler reveals the innovative side of Michael Trommer, as a pounding techno track unfolds, while melodic synths and sound effects punctuate the arrangement. Lover`s Endgame which closes Simple Machine shows the experimental side to Michael Trommer, as he incorporates elements of techno, ambient music and house music while referencing electronic pioneers like Kraftwerk. It’s a compelling and fascinating end to Simple Machine.
For anyone whose either a fan of techno, ambient music or just Electronic Dance Music, then Simple Machine by Sans Soleil and Genevieve, which to me is an absolute hidden gem of an album. I for one, will be checking out more of Sans Soleil and Genevieve’s solo work and so should you, after you’ve heard Simple Machine.
SANS SOLEIL AND GENEVIEVE-SIMPLE MACHINE.
BEAUTIA.
Beuatia was one of Fountain Music’s first compilations, released back in 2009. It’s an eleven track compilation, compiled by Fountain Music President Shinji Tokida. For anyone wanting an introduction to Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd, then this is what you’ve been looking for. The eleven tracks on Beautia are some of the earliest releases on Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd. This includes tracks from Small Town Girls, DJ Yellow, Hiroshi Watanabe, Dave Angel, Sans Soleil, Popnoname, D. Soul and Synethesys. Truly, Shinji Tokida has chosen well for the eleven tracks that feature on Beautia.
Small Town Girls’ Don’t Dance Just Yet opens Beautia and is a track the grabs your attention from the get-go. It toys with you, teasing you before revealing its secrets. Like the albums by DJ Yellow and Astrid Suryanto and Sans Soleil and Genevieve, Small Town Girls’ Don’t Dance Just Yet features a glorious vocal, set amidst a swathes of synths and crunchy beats. Having gotten Beautia of to a storming start, DJ Yellow’s Melody For H is a ten-minute Magnus Opus which draws you in and then takes you on a joyous musical adventure. Then comes Hiroshi Watanabe’s melodic A New Place For Your Heart where elements of techno and house are combined to create drama and beauty in equal measures. London born techno producer Dave Angel’s Ghost Train is another of Beautia’s highlights, proving that UK producers can create techno that’s capable of rivalling the techno coming out of New York, Detroit and Chicago.
Among the many other highlights of Beautia is Spring Breeze by Dublee is a bubbling slice of minimal techno. It’s one of my favorite tracks on Beautia and I’d like to hear much more of Yusuke Sakurai’s music. Sans Soleil and Genevieve’s Lover’s Endgame is another welcome addition, as is Popnoname’s melodic, moody and dramatic techno track Storm. Synethesys’ Sunday Afternoon is the final track on Beautia, where techno and ambient music are fused, creating a thoughtful and beautiful track.
For newcomers to the music of Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd, the music on Beautia are the perfect introduction to both labels. Beautia features eleven track that demonstrate just some of the hugely talented and innovative artists that have played their part in Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd’s history. Compiler Shinji Tokida has chosen the tracks on Beautia well, and Beautia is a very much a voyage of discovery, where you’ll hear some new music from some innovative and imaganitive music.
BEAUTIA.
POPNONAME-SURROUNDED BY MARS.
Popnoname which is the production vehicle for Cologne based producer Jens-Uwe Beyer, first release for Fountain Music was their 2009 Save the World single. A year later in 2010, Popnoname released Surrounded By Mars on Plaza In Crowd. Surrounded By Mars was a remix album, where remixers remixed the eight tracks on Popnonames’ 2009 album Surrounded By Weather, which had been released on the Italic label.
The remixes on Surrounded By Mars brought new life and meaning into the eight tracks that featured on Surrounded By Weather. These tracks are a combination of techno, house and ambient music. Of the twelve tracks on Surrounded By Mars, the Storm Picious Remix is a fusion of elements techno, house and ambient music, with even a touch of dub thrown in for good measure. On 2012 Pinto Remix there’s more of a house and techno sound and feel, while the Perspective Geiger & Deepulse Remix starts off something of a slow burner, but once it gets going, is an eight-minute journey where elements of techno, house and ambient music are combined seamlessly. Love Deeper Than Love Remix sweeps you along in its midst and with its combination of crunchy beats and swathes of synths, The Smallest Part Ambient Remix brings Surrounded By Mars to a meandering, laid-back and beautiful close. It’s a track that would be a welcome inclusion on any ambient or chill-out compilation and is one of the real highlights of Surrounded By Mars.
Given how much I enjoyed Popnoname’s Surrounded By Mars, I’ll very definitely be investigating Popnoname’s music further. Sometimes, remix albums don’t work, but Surrounded By Mars does. It breathes new life and meaning into the original tracks and comparing and contrasting the original tracks on Surrounded By Weather is an interesting exercise. For anyone yet to discover Popnoname’s music, then Surrounded By Mars is a good starting point for your journey.
POPNONAME-SURROUNDED BY MARS.
DJ YELLOW-ALIENATION.
The only artist who has two discs in The Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd Collection is DJ Yellow, whose 2010 album Alienation for Fountain Music is his second contribution to the collection. Given how good DJ Yellow’s and Astrid Suryanto’s Intermission was, the bar has been set high. Will DJ Yellow’s Alienation match the quality of Intermission?
There are nine tracks on DJ Yellow’s Alienation, including Dubfire’s Dubstep Re-edit of 1st Step. Alienation opens with the moody, haunting DJ Yellow’s Kontrolling Your Mindz. With its myriad of haunting vocal, melodic percussion and dark, moody synths, it’s a compelling way to open Alienation. DJ Yellow builds up the drama and you’re wondering which way the track is heading. Instead, DJ Yellow just teases you with a moody, elegiac musical journey that gets Alienation off to a compelling start.
On There Are Some Jedi, DJ Yellow’s techno roots come into play, with a pulsating track, that continues on the dramatic You Think Too Much, where you’re swept along amidst crunchy, galloping beats and old-school synths. This Is It is another of the highlights of Alienation, with the track featuring pounding beats, swathes of synths and percussion that drive the track along. Lost sees a change in sound, with a much more minimalist sound. No More Enemies sees DJ Yellow change the sound again, but this results in one of the most compelling and fascinating tracks on Alienation. Closing Alienation is one of the highlights of the album Melody For H. It’s a track that has a joyous sound where techno and house unite. Just stabs and washes of synths combine with pounding beats, as DJ Yellow seems determined to end Alienation on a high. This he does, creating a track that would sound great in clubs anywhere.
While I’d earlier wondered whether DJ Yellow’s Alienation would match the quality of his collaboration with Astrid Suryanto on Intermission, I can honestly say that that’s the case. Having said that, Alienation is very different, given that there are no vocals on the album. In a way, that allowed DJ Yellow to create an album that’s a compelling combination of techno and house, melodic, uplifting and dance-floor friendly.
DJ YELLOW-ALIENATION.
TAKAAKI TSUCHIYA-CONNECT VIA LOVE BRIDGE.
Takaaki Tsuchiya released his debut album Connect Via Love Bridge in 2011 on Fountain Music. On Connect Via Love Bridge, Takaaki is joined Genevieve Marenette whose responsible for the melodies and is guest vocalist on Stream and Connected. Among the other guest artists on Connect Via Love Bridge are Loud One, 4/4 Kicks Kiss, Popnoname and Kasumi. Together, Takaaki Tsuchiya and these guest artists created eleven slices of uplifting house music.
Genevieve adds her ethereal vocals to the intriguing and wistful Stream, before joining Takaaki on the pounding 4/4 of Connected, which is a dramatic combination of tech and deep house. Smile is aptly titled, because as soon as you hear this uplifting and joyous hands in the air track, you’ll Smile. When Disorder opens, you immediately think of sixties and seventies spy movie soundtracks, given the track’s moody, broody sound. Gradually, the track reveals its subtleties and secrets, with pounding beats, percussion, synths and whistles punctuating the track. Truly, it’s hard to resist this tracks charms.
One of the real highlights of Connect Via Love Bridge is Luv In Space, where 4/4 Kicks Kiss add sensuous, breathy vocals. They combine perfectly with the crispy beats that drive the track along at breakneck speed, along with stabs and swathes of synths. Another of Connect Via Love Bridge’s standout tracks is Super Light, which features Kasumi’s vocal. Listen carefully, and you’ll hear a slight French Touch influence to the track’s melody. Although the thunderous beats provide the track’s pounding heartbeat, it’s Kasumi’s vocal that make this such an outstanding tracks.
For a debut album, Takaaki Tsuchiya’s Connect Via Love Bridge is a really accomplished album. Although Takaaki is obviously a talented musician and producer, what makes this such a good album, is the artists who collaborate with Takaaki on Connect Via Love Bridge, especially the vocalists. Genevieve, 4/4 Kicks Kiss and Kasumi’s vocals play an important part in Connect Via Love Bridge sound and success. Of all the house albums I’ve heard over the past few years, Connect Via Love Bridge is right up there with the best and proves that there are still talented producers out there producing new and innovative quality music.
TAKAAKI TSUCHIYA-CONNECT VIA LOVE BRIDGE.
DAVE ANGEL-FRAME BY FRAME
New and innovative quality music is the perfect description of what Dave Angel has been doing all his career. Dave is a London based techno producer and founder of Rotation Records whose been making music since the nineties. In 2011, Dave Angel released Frame By Frame for Fountain Music, which is a combination of techno and tech house. On Frame By Frame, Dave is responsible for ten of the eleven tracks and collaborates with Japanese producer Ken Ishii on Type E. Trying to pick just a few of the highlights of Frame By Frame isn’t easy, but here goes.
The Hunt opens Frame By Frame and a glorious slice of techno, that has you licking your lips with anticipation at what’s still to come. Atlantis has a much more downtempo sound, although the beats still pound. Melodic synths sit in the background, their warm sound omnipresent. Then Dave unleashes a fusion of beats, synths and bursts of vocals that draw you in. You could say it’s Game On, which is the next track on Frame By Frame. It has much in common with Atlantis, and sees the track heading in the direction of tech house, with elements of techno still present. From there On Point and Drop Top see the quality continuing, as Dave Angel does what he’s been doing for three decades, producing quality techno. Jet Stream and Counter Wave sees more of Dave Angel’s unique brand of techno, with elements of tech house added for good measure. One of my favorite tracks is Scots Warrior’s, which chunters along, with crunchy drumbeats, percussion and swathes of synths escaping from the mix. You can imagine this being played in a dark, cavernous club and bringing the house down.
Of all the albums in The Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd Collection, Dave Angel’s Frame By Frame is one of the best albums. It’s of the standard you’d expect from Dave Angel, who now is something of a veteran of the techno scene. Given that Dave’s about to record another album for Fountain Music, I can’t wait to hear more from Dave Angel, given how good Frame By Frame is. Techno and tech house fans everywhere, Frame By Frame is an album that belongs in your collection.
DAVE ANGEL-FRAME BY FRAME
CENTURY GROOVE INNOVATION VOLUME 1-MIXED BY HIROSHI WATANBE.
Century Groove Innovation Volume 1-Mixed By Hiroshi Watanabe demonstrates just how eclectic a selection of albums The Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd Collection is. It sees Hiroshi Watanabe seamlessly mix his way seamlessly through a mammoth twenty-five tracks. Demonstrating how DJ-ing is fast changing, Hiroshi Watanabe mixed Century Groove Innovation Volume 1 not on traditional turntables, but using Traktor Pro X2, Kontrol X1, Audio 6 and his trusty MacBook Pro. Not only is his mixing seamless, but his selection of music is peerless. During his twenty-five mix set, he introduces us to some familiar faces from Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd’s roster. However, who are these familiar faces?
During Hiroshi Watanabe’s twenty-five track mix Century Groove Innovation Volume 1, he mixes tracks from Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd’s roster. This includes Synethesys’ Hope which gets the mix of to an infectiously catchy and dramatic start. From there, the mix includes TEMMA-Teje’s Run, Foog and TEMMA-Teje’s Dumb, DJ Yellow’s Tranzylvania, Dave Angel And Ken Ishii’s Type E and Sans Soleil’s Moulinex. Two Fountain music artists collaborate on Cherry Breaks, which is remixed by DJ Sodeyama Remix. They are Popnoname and Hiroshi Watanabe and their contribution is one of the highlights of Century Groove Innovation Volume 1. So too is Dublee melodic and irresistible Escape.
Although I’ve only mentioned what are just a few of the highlights of Century Groove Innovation Volume 1, there’s many more delights to discover on Hiroshi Watanabe’s mix. The twenty-five track musical journey that is Century Groove Innovation Volume 1, Hiroshi Watanabe seamlessly mixes various genres of electronic music, including techno and tech house. During that twenty-five mix, you’ll discover many artists you’ve never heard of before, along with a few familiar friends, so enjoy the voyage of discover that is Century Groove Innovation Volume 1-Mixed By Hiroshi Watanabe.
CENTURY GROOVE INNOVATION VOLUME 1-MIXED BY HIROSHI WATANBE.
TEMMA TEJE-MIDGET LAMPS IN THE DARK.
One of the first albums that alerted me to Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd’s music was TEMMA-Teje Midget Lamps In the Dark, released earlier in 2012. Although TEMMA-Teje is just twenty-one, he’s packed a lot into his nascent musical career so far. Starting at just aged thirteen, he was writing songs and by aged sixteen, performing twice a week with for his band. Then his career progressed in different directions.
Inspired by the music of Underworld, TEMMA-Teje started making music on his laptop. Having put his music on My Space, people all over the world, discovered his music. This lead to a career as remixer, remixing tracks by Dave Angel and Ken Ishii, Thopa, Hiroshi Wantanbe, Dublee and Sasaki Hiroka. These remixes have been critically acclaimed by his peers, as has his original work.
So far, TEMMA-Teje has released three E.P.s, plus collaborating with Foog on an E.P, Dumb. His career as a remixer and artist runs parallel to a career as one of the hottest DJs in Tokyo, spinning his own brand of urban groove. Somehow, TEMME Teje has found time to record his debut album, Midget Lamps In the Dark, which was released on July 2012 on Plaza In Crowd. On Midget Lamps In the Dark, TEMMA-Teje’s fuses a variety of genres, with everything from folk, pop and rock to ambient, techno and house playing its part in the album’s sound.
TEEMA-Teje’s debut album Midget Lamps In the Dark is a intriguing series of eight compelling and mesmerizing soundscapes. During the album TEMMA-Teje fuses a variety of musical genres and influences. Everything from folk, pop and rock to ambient, techno and house plays its part in the album’s sound. During the album, TEMMA-Teje journey’s through darkness and light on tracke like Littleorc, Suici, Orb and Fail. On some tracks, the darkness descends, with the sound becoming moody and broody, sometimes, even menacing. Other times, the darkness lifts, with the light shining through, and the music becoming quite different. This is what makes Midget Lamps In the Dark such a compelling, intriguing and accomplished suite of soundscapes. What makes Midget Lamps In the Dark even more remarkable, is that this is his debut album and TEMMA-Teje is only twenty-one years old. If TEMMA-Teje is able to create such an accomplished album as Midget Lamps In the Dark, aged just twenty-one, then what will the a bright future awaits him, not just as an artist, but as a remixer and DJ. Once you’ve heard Midget Lamps In the Dark, I’m sure you’ll agree.
TEMMA TEJE-MIDGET LAMPS IN THE DARK.
SHIN NISHIMURA-MASH.
Since his 2005 debut album Star Light, Japanese Techno producer Shin Nishimura has released four albums plus two albums of remixes. His latest album Mash, which was released in May 2012 on the Plaza In Crowd label. Mash is the follow-up to his previous studio album Q’hey and Shin’s 2007 album Planetary Alliance. However, between 2007 and 2012, Shin has been busy, releasing two remix albums Identity Politics and Identity Politics Part 2, while releasing a series of EP’s. Shin describes Mash as an innovative techno album that contains “UK Beats and hard grooves. This if anything was something of an understatement, when I reviewed Mash earlier this year. Since then, Shin Nishimura’s Mash has become one of my favorite albums of 2012. However, why was that?
Shin Nishimura’s Mash is an ambitious, innovative and highly accomplished album of techno. His claim that Shin is an innovative album, with “UK beats” pointing towards the future direction techno is heading, was indeed a bold statement. However, Mash is an innovative album of techno music from a hugely experienced techno producer. In total, there are twelve tracks on Mash, the eleven that make up the album, plus a bonus track Frustration-No Nukes. Using a variety of influences, Shin came up with an album that’s compelling, intriguing and contains an eclectic and consistently high quality of techno. From the opening bars of Unity, until the closing notes of Acid Eye Shin never strays from his mission statement to create, innovate and demonstrate the direction he thinks techno is heading in the future. On tracks like Earl’s Court, Milden Hall, Mash Monster and Knightsbridge Shin shows the way techno is heading and I for one like his vision. Mid he’s had plenty of time to think about this, given it’s five years since his last album, Planetary Alliance was released.
Given the quality of music on Mash, let’s hope that it’s not another five years until Shin Nishimura’s next album. For anyone who loves techno music, then Mash is an album to look out for. On it’s released in May 2012 it allowed everyone to hear Shin Nishimura’s manifesto for the future direction of techno. The future of techno is bright with talented producers like Shin Nishimura releasing music of the quality of Mash.
SHIN NISHIMURA-MASH.
SATOSHI FUMI-COLOURS.
I’ve kept my favorite release from The Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd Collection until last, Satoshi Fumi’s Colours, which was released by Fountain Music in July 2012. Behind the album, is fascinating backstory, about the genesis of Satoshi Fumi’s musical career, when he discovered house music in the mid-nineties. It was the house music coming out of Detroit, Chicago and New York that first interested Satoshi. Having discovered dance music, Satoshi embarked upon a life long love of dance music, which lead to a career as a DJ and producer. He started collecting synthesizers and building a home studio. From there, he began making his own music, experimenting with sounds a variety of musical genres. Over time, Satoshi developed his own unique and unmistakable sound, fusing various genres, from techno, Acid House, click, tech house and deep house. Since then, Satoshi Fumi hs become a prolific producer, releasing his debut album Sweet Sensation in 2008. Four years later, Satoshi Fumi released his second album Colours, which surpassed everything he’d previously released.
Although there’s been a gap of four years between Satoshi Fumi’s debut album Sweet Sensation and the followup Colours, it’s been well worth the wait. The eleven tracks prove just how imaginative, inventive and innovative a producer Satoshi Fumi truly is. On Colours, Satoshi journeys through a variety of musical genres, including Acid House, ambient music and deep house, before visiting jazzy house tech house and techno. It’s a compelling musical journey, with each track blessed with its own unique sound. Given how high the standard of music is, choosing some of the highlights isn’t easy, but includes Light and Breez, Metropolitan, Myth You and Su My Lee. These tracks range from bold and dramatic, moody and broody, right through light and melodic and even encompassing wistful, melancholy and beautiful. That’s how wide the range of Colours in Satoshi Fumi’s palette is. Satoshi uses his palette well, creating an accomplished musical canvas, where layers of sounds are merged majestically creating what is, one of the most eclectic and best albums of 2012 and the real highlight of The Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd Collection.
SATOSHI FUMI-COLOURS.
Having received the eleven disc Magus Opus that is The Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd Collection, and the last week or so listening to each album, I was hugely impressed by the consistently high standard of each album. This is to the credit of Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd President Shinji Tokida, whose also in charge of A&R for both labels. He seems to have the uncanny knack of discovering really talented artists and producers, and helping them to fulfill their dream of releasing an album. Shinji Tokida clearly has the talent and ability to discover new artists, plus reinvigorate other artists’ careers. His enthusiasm is truly infectious, and Shinji Tokida and his music on his two labels, Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd deserve truly deserves a much wider audience. All too often, record companies, especially major labels, don’t spend enough time or money looking and finding new artists. A&R is the lifeblood of music industry, and by neglecting A&R and continuing to churn out a mind-numbingly tedious series of reissues of dinosaurs from the sixties and seventies, major labels do themselves no favors. Instead, it’s left to smaller labels like Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd to discover and nourish new talent. Not only do they discover and nourish new talent, but they risk the scarcest of resources…capital. These smaller companies put their money where their mouthes are, taking a chances albums like DJ Yellow and Astrid Suryanto’s Intermission, Sans Soleil and Genevieve’s Simple Machine, Takaaki Tsuchiya’s Connect Via Love Bridge, EMMA-Teje’s Midget Lamps In the Dark, Shin Nishimura’s Mash and Satoshi Fumi’s Colours. It’s too Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd President Shinji Tokida’s credit that he’s taken a chance and signed and released these albums. Each of these albums you can discover and enjoy, on the luxurious, Magus Opus that is The Fountain Music and Plaza In Crowd Collection, which is available via Fountain Music’s website, along with the five disc collections.
THE FOUNTAIN MUSIC AND PLAZA IN CROWD COLLECTION.
INNER LIFE-INNER LIFE I.
INNER LIFE-INNER LIFE I.
In the last few articles I’ve written about Salsoul Records, I’ve mentioned how from 1978 onwards, things were changing at Salsoul. The Salsoul Orchestra played a huge part in Salsoul’s success. They were much more than musicians, with many of its members songwriters, arrangers and producers. This included the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section, Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey and Vince Montana Jr. So when Vince Montana Jr. left Salsoul in 1978 after a dispute with the Cayre’s over royalties, Salsoul lost one of its most creative members. When Baker, Harris, Young weren’t playing as big roles at Salsoul: “the times they were a-changing.” Some of their replacements weren’t musicians, including remixer Tom Mouton, while producers like Thor Baldursson recorded tracks in Munich Germany. As the personnel started to change, so did The Salsoul Orchestra. By 1978, Ron Baker and Earl Young were no longer regular features in The Salsoul Orchestra and Vince Montana Jr. had now signed to Atlantic Records.
Then in July 1979, the musical landscape changed even more, after the Disco Sucks movement tried to destroy disco. Suddenly, disco sucked and record companies weren’t interested in disco. Disco artists and disco albums were now deeply unpopular. For a disco label like Salsoul, this was disastrous. However, Salsoul managed to survive the disco backlash, doing so by adapting and signing new artists and new producers. One of these new signings was Inner Life, a studio based project formed by Patrick Adams and Greg Carmichael, that featured Jocelyn Brown’s vocals. Inner Life had enjoyed a huge hit in 1979 with I’m Caught Up (In A One Night Love Affair), which they followed up with I Want To Give You Me. After that release, Greg Carmichael took Inner Life to Salsoul and they agreed a two-year deal. In July 1981, Inner Life released their first Salsoul album Inner Life I. How would Inner Life I differ from the earlier Salsoul sound? That’s what I’ll tell you after I’ve told you about the background to Inner Life I.
When disco producer Patrick Adams and singer Jocelyn Brown met by chance, it was a fortuitous meeting. Patrick was looking for a vocalist for a project he was working on, Musique. Jocelyn sang the lead vocal on Musique’s two tracks The Bush and Keep On Jumpin.’ When The Bush and Keep On Jumpin’ were released as a double-A-side on Prelude, it reached number one in the US Dance Charts in 1978. The two tracks were then released as singles, and gave Musique two hits in the US R&B Charts. After the success of Musique, Patrick Adams hooked up with Greg Carmichael to form a new studio-based group Inner Life.
After the success of Musique, Inner Life were signed by Prelude. Inner Life featured Jocelyn Brown’s vocals and their first single I’m Caught Up (In A One Night Love Affair) reached number twenty-two in the US R&B Charts in 1979. This was followed up with I Want To Give You Me, and then Inner Life’s debut album I’m Caught Up (In A One Night Love Affair). This proved to be Inner Life’s only album released on Prelude. Greg Carmichael decided to take Inner Life to disco’s greatest label Salsoul. Salsoul and Greg Carmichael agreed a two-year deal. So now signed to Salsoul, Inner Life would set about recording their new album Inner Life I, which showed how times were changing at Salsoul.
For Inner Life’s second album six tracks were chosen, with Jocelyn Brown contributing It’s You and Pay Girl, while Stan Lucas a friend of Greg and Patrick wrote (Knock Out) Let’s Go Another Round and Live It Up. Greg Carmichael wrote what would become an Inner Life classic, Make It Last Forever. Good as Make It Last Forever was, Inner Life’s version of Ashford and Simpson’s Ain’t No Mountain High Enough would go on to become a post-disco Salsoul classic. Unlike so many Salsoul albums, recording didn’t take place at Sigma Sound Studios, with Inner Life preferring familiar surroundings.
Inner Life I was recorded at three studios, Blank Tape Studios, Right Track Recording and Nola Recording Studios. Jocelyn Brown sang lead vocals, while Carol Sylvan, Dennis Collins, La Rita Gaskins and Jocelyn added backing vocals. Production was shared between Patrick Adams, Greg Carmichael, Stan Lucas and Jocelyn Brown. Greg and Jocelyn arranged and produced It’s You and Pay Girl. Patrick and Greg arranged and produced the two best known tracks Ain’t No Mountain High Enough and Make It Last Forever, while Greg and Stan Lucas arranged and produced the other two tracks. Showing how the musical landscape was changing, each of the six tracks were remixed. Tee Scott remixed three tracks, Larry Levan two tracks and John Morales one track. With Inner Life I recorded, the album was released in July 1981.
When Inner Life I was released in July 1981, it failed to chart. However, two of the singles proved successful. Ain’t No Mountain High Enough reached number twenty in the US Dance Charts. (Knock Out) Let’s Go Another Round was the second single released from Inner Life I, but failed to chart. Then when Make It Last Forever was released as a single in 1982, it reached number fifteen in the US Dance Charts. Although Inner Life I wasn’t a huge commercial success, it contained two Inner Life classics, as you’ll realize when I tell you about the music on Inner Life I.
Opening Inner Life I is It’s You, written by Jocelyn Brown and produced by Greg Carmichael and Jocelyn. It’s just Jocelyn’s impassioned vocal accompanied by a piano as the track opens. She displays a wide vocal range and controls her voice perfectly. After ninety-seconds, a thoughtful rhythm section joins the piano as the track reveals its secrets and beauty. The understated arrangement grows in power and drama, matching the emotion, power and passion in Jocelyn’s vocal. When soulful backing vocalists join Jocelyn, a moving, powerful and quite beautiful song takes shape. It allows you to hear a very different side to Jocelyn Brown, one I’d like to hear much more of.
Like many of the tracks released by Salsoul Ain’t No Mountain High Enough has a real timeless sound. It’s hard to believe that it was originally released back in August 1981. This sees a timeless sounding arrangement and a stunning vocal from Jocelyn Brown combined. Her vocal is diva-esque, as she delivers Ashford and Simpson’s lyrics. Produced by Patrick Adams and Greg Carmichael, it’s a track that after a subtle, hesitant start, where drums, percussion and then Jocelyn’s vocal combine. Then. the track literally bursts into life. Drums pound, strings swirl, percussion, keyboards and chiming guitars combine before Jocelyn’s powerful, emotive vocal enters. After that, the track just gets so much better. Handclaps and bursts of backing vocalists join the arrangement, combining power and drama. The result is without doubt, one the highlights of Inner Life I, given its uplifting, joyous and energetic sound.
Pay Girl written by Jocelyn Brown has a really funky sound from the get-go. Just a pounding, slap bass, piano, drums and handclaps accompany Jocelyn’s sassy, feisty vocal. Tight, soaring harmonies accompany Jocelyn’s vocal, as the arrangement swings along. It doesn’t take long to realize just how talented a vocalist Jocelyn really is. She’s another of the long line of Salsoul’s divas, following Loleatta Holloway, Rochellle Fleming and Carol Williams. Later, when Jocelyn’s vocals drops out, a prolonged break sees percussion, piano, handclaps and the pounding rhythm section take charge. Sadly, when a synth makes an unwelcome appearance, things go slightly awry. Why that was included I’ve no idea, but it detracts from the track. Things get back on track when the backing vocals and Jocelyn return, but that synth makes another unwelcome appearance. Apart from that, this a good track, that could’ve been a great track.
(Knock Out) Let’s Go Another Round was written by Stan Lucas and arranged and produced by Stan and Greg Carmichael. It’s a boogie track, with Greg Carmichael’s influence all over it. The introduction sounds like a cousin of Ain’t No Mountain High Enough. That similarity is only brief, and quickly, the track takes on its own identity. Percussion, a funky rhythm section, swathes of synths and handclaps combine to create a catchy backdrop, even before Jocelyn’s powerful vocal enters. Her vocal struts in, sassy and full of confidence, with the banks of keyboards and synths accompanying the rhythm section that provide the track’s funky heartbeat. After two minutes, Inner Life tease you relentlessly when the vocal drops out. Synths and keyboards take centre-stage, before Jocelyn’s vocal returns. This pattern continues, so you sit back and enjoy the ride. Over seven minutes, an irresistible track unfolds, which Jocelyn Brown key to the track’s sound and success.
From the opening bars of Live It Up you’re hooked. Instantly, the track grabs your attention. Inner Life’s rhythm section, keyboards and of course Jocelyn’s joyous, sassy vocal combine to take you on a four minute whistle-stop musical roller coaster. During that time, Jocelyn unleashes a powerful vocal accompanied by tight, equally joyous, soaring harmonies. Meanwhile the banks of keyboards and synths, pounding rhythm section, percussion and sizzling guitars provide the perfect accompaniment to another peerless vocal from Jocelyn Brown. Truly, I defy anyone not to succumb to charms and delights of this hook-laden track, which proves that into eighties Salsoul were still releasing groundbreaking dance music.
Patrick Adams and Greg Carmichael cowrote Make It Last Forever which closes Inner Life I. Since then, the track became not just an Inner life classic, but a Salsoul classic. This is a seven-minute Magnus Opus, with swathes of cascading strings, joined by the rhythm section and percussion. Then Jocelyn’s vocal heartfelt, impassioned enters, with tight, soulful harmonies accompanying her. Her vocal and the way the strings are used are key to the track. They’re the perfect accompaniment to Jocelyn’s vocal, and are augmented by the rhythm section, keyboards and percussion. As Jocelyn sings “Make It Last Forever,” so good is the tracks, that you wish it would last forever. Of the post-disco era, this is a Salsoul classic.
While the Disco Sucks movement tried to destroy disco in July 1979, they didn’t destroy disco’s greatest label Salsoul. Instead, Salsoul evolved and the music it released changed. Greg Carmichael and Patrick Adams went on to play important roles in the Salsoul’s future. Inner Life was their way into Salsoul, and in Inner Life I, they proved just how talented they were as songwriters, arrangers, producers and musicians. Although they couldn’t replace legends like Vince Montana Jr. or the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section, four men who played huge parts in Salsoul’s success story, they brought new ideas and much needed talent to the label. For their Salsoul debut, Inner Life I, the album featured two stonewall Salsoul classics and Ain’t No Mountain High Enough and Make It Last Forever. The album also introduced Jocelyn Brown’s vocal prowess to a much wider audience. Jocelyn’s part in Inner Life I’s success can’t be underestimated. She made each of the songs her own, bringing life and meaning into them. Sometimes, she took the song by the scruff of the neck and made it work. With the combined talents of Patrick Adams, Greg Carmichael and Stan Lucas collaborating on Inner Life I, it’s neither a surprise nor a happy accident that the album was a success. With John Morales, Tee Scott and Larry Levan mixing the tracks on Inner Life I, this meant that the tracks were dance-floor friendly. Many of these tracks have has stood the test of time, especially Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, (Knock Out) Let’s Go Another Round, Live It Up Make It Last Forever. It’s You, written by Jocelyn Brown was the perfect track to open the album, and is a real slow burner, that takes its time to reveal its charms and delights. Apart from Pay Girl, which could’ve been a great track, but ends up just a good track, due to the unwelcome intrusion of a rogue synth, Inner Life I is one of my favorite post-disco albums from Salsoul. While Inner Life I may not have been Salsoul’s most successful album, it certainly has stood the test time and features Jocelyn Brown and Inner Life at their very best. Standout Tracks: It’s You, Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, Live It Up and Make It Last Forever.
INNER LIFE-INNER LIFE I.
DOUBLE EXPOSURE-FOURPLAY.
DOUBLE EXPOSURE-FOURPLAY.
Before changing their name to Double Exposure, the Philadelphia quartet of James Williams, Joseph Harris, Charles Whittington and Leonard “Butch” Davis were known as United Image. The group had formed back in the sixties, whilst the four members of United Image were still in high school. Through their lifelong friendship with legendary Philadelphia guitarist, songwriter, arranger and producer Norman Harris, of the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section Double Exposure signed to Salsoul Records. Double Exposure’s career at Salsoul started with their 1976 album Ten Percent, which was recorded at Philly’s Sigma Sound Studios and became one of Salsoul’s most commercially successful albums. The singles released from Ten Percent, the title-track Ten Percent, Everyman and My Love Is Free became Salsoul classics and firmly established Double Exposure as one of Salsoul’s rising stars. After the success of Ten Percent, Double Exposure set about recording their second album for Salsoul, Fourplay, which would be released in 1978. By the time recording of Fourplay got underway things were starting to change at Salsoul, with people leaving The Salsoul Orchestra who’d so successfully accompanied Double Exposure on Ten Percent. One of the people leaving was Vince Montana Jr. after a dispute with the Cayre’s over royalties. Over the next few years Salsoul would become a very different label, with many of the classic lineup of The Salsoul Orchestra leaving. They were more than musicians though, with many of them songwriters, arrangers and producers. These changes meant Fourplay features a very different lineup of The Salsoul Orchestra. There was no Ron Baker on bass, Earl Young on drums or Vince Montana Jr. on vibes. How would thee changes affect Double Exposure’s second album Fourplay?
It had been two years since Tenpercent had been released, but there was a good reason for the gap between albums. Double Exposure had found alleged discrepancies regarding their bookings and management expenses. Salsoul didn’t want to start recording another until album until the problems were resolved. So the momentum Double Exposure built up after the success of Tenpercent wasn’t built upon. Eventually, the problems were resolved, Double Exposure were able to get back to doing what they were good at, making music.
With the problems regarding discrepancies in their bookings and management expenses resolved, Double Exposure started work on their second album. For Double Exposure’s second album Fourplay many of Philly’s greatest songwriters, musicians, arrangers and producers would play their part in the album. One of them was Norman Harris, of the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section and guitarist for M.F.S.B. and The Salsoul Orchestra. Norman was also a successful songwriter, arranger and producer. He cowrote and produced two tracks on Fourplay. These were I Declare War which he cowrote with James Hendricks and Mikki Farra, while Norman cowrote Newsy Neighbour with Alan Felder. Ronnie Tyson and Eddie Moore cowrote Handy Man and Falling In Love, while Bunny Sigler wrote Why Do I Have To Leave. Bruce Gray wrote cowrote Perfect Love and wrote There Is No Reason. The eight tracks that featured on Fourplay would be recorded at Philly’s Sigma Sound Studios, with a quite different lineup of The Salsoul Orchestra.
Accompanying Double Exposure at Sigma Sound Studios were The Salsoul Orchestra which didn’t feature Ron Baker on bass, Earl Young on drums or Vince Montana Jr. on vibes. The rhythm section comprised bassists Jimmy Williams and Raymond Earl, drummers Scotty Miller and Keith Benson, while the guitarists included Norman Harris, Bobby “Electronic” Eli, T.J. Tindall and Edward Moore. Larry Washington and James Walker played congas, while Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey, Bunny Sigler, Bruce Hawkes, Bruce Gray and Cotton Kent played keyboards. Don Renaldo took charge of the strings and horns, while The Sweethearts of Sigma Evette Benton, Carla Benson and Barbara Ingram were now called The Philadelphia Angels. The eight tracks on Fourplay were arranged and produced by some familiar Philly faces. Norman Harris, Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey, Ron Tyson produced two tracks apiece while Bunny Sigler and Bruce Hawkes both produced tracks. With Fourplay ready for release in 1978, would it match the success of Tenpercent?
When Fourplay was released in 1978 it failed to chart. Worse was to come when none of the singles released from Fourplay charted. One of these singles was the Norman Harris produced Newsy Neighbours. Fourplay had failed to replicate the success of Tenpercent. Why was that, and did Fourplay deserve to fare better commercially than it actually did? That’s what I’ll tell you, when after I’ve told you about the music on Fourplay.
Fourplay opens with I Declare War arranged by Leon Mitchell and produced by Norman Harris. The track has a dramatic, uptempo sound and grabs your attention from the opening bars. A pounding rhythm section drives the tracks along while searing guitars and cascading strings combine. As the bass and drums anchors the track, providing its pulsating heartbeat, Jimmy Williams unleashes a vocal that’s a mixture of power and passion. His vocal is accompanied by the tightest of soulful harmonies. Not only do the strings add a contrasting sound, but they add to the drama of the funky rhythm section, sizzling guitars and keyboards. It’s one of these tracks that longer it progresses, the more the drama increases and the better the song gets. Key to the track are Double Exposure’s vocals and harmonies, The Salsoul Orchestra’s performance and Norman Harris’ production. Together, they get Fourplay off to the perfect start.
Handy Man is another uptempo tracks, which Eddie Moore cowrote with Ron Tyson, who produced the track. It’s a track not short of hooks and features some of the peerless harmonies. The rhythm section, blazing horns and keyboards combine with Double Exposure’s close, cascading harmonies. Jimmy Williams makes the track his own, delivering the vocal with a sassy, swagger. He’s accompanied by joyous, soaring harmonies, as The Salsoul Orchestra produce one of their best performances on Fourplay. Again, the pounding bass helps anchor the track, while Norman Harris jazz-tinged guitar combines with flourishes of piano and a myriad of rasping horns and sweeping strings. The result is a joyful, hook-laden song that’s truly irresistible.
Bunny Sigler wrote and produced Why Do I Have To Leave, which features a trademark Jack Faith arrangement. The tempo is dropped way down, with a sultry saxophone combining with a slow, thoughtful rhythm section and sweeping, swirling strings. As horns rasp, Jimmy delivers a heartfelt, impassioned vocal, while a dramatic rhythm section, emotive Hammond organ and tight harmonies accompany him. Rasping horns and piano add to the drama and emotion, while Jimmy lays bare his soul. He delivers a gut-wrenching, heartfelt vocal, as The Salsoul Orchestra combine drama, emotion and beauty, while fusing soul and jazz seamlessly.
Falling In Love produced by Ron Tyson and arranged by Jack Faith closes Side One of Fourplay. There’s a real Philly Sound to the track, which is another irresistible, uptempo track. After The Salsoul Orchestra tease you, pounding drums see the track burst into life. Double Exposure add heartfelt harmonies while strings cascade, horns rasp and the rhythm section add the track’s pounding heartbeat. Jimmy Williams’ emotive, heartfelt delivery is accompanied by soaring harmonies, while a glorious arrangement unfolds. With the combination of the rhythm section, dancing strings and blazing horns, Double Exposure bring Side One of Fourplay to dramatic, impassioned and irresistible close.
Newsy Neighbours originally recorded by First Choice on Philly Groove Records opens Side Two of Fourplay. It was written by Alan Felder and Norman Harris, who arranged and produced the track. The track literally bursts into life with The Salsoul Orchestra in full flight. Lush strings dance with delight, as the rhythm section provide the track’s pounding, dramatic heartbeat accompanied by a piano, guitars and rasping horns. Jimmy Williams’ delivery is a powerful, sassy vamp with cascading harmonies accompany him. Meanwhile, The Salsoul Orchestra have brought their A-game, playing their part in what is a six minute musical roller-coaster, that you must climb on board at least once.
Perfect Lover sees Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey taking charge of the producer’s chair for the first of two consecutive tracks. It’s another ballad, where swathes of the lushest strings, Norman Harris’ chiming guitar, the rhythm section and blazing horns set the scene for Jimmy’s vocal. He embarks on one his most heartfelt, impassioned and emotional vocals. Both the arrangement and harmonies compliment his vocal. Ron’s uses strings to tug at the heartstrings and the rhythm section to create a dramatic backdrop. When Jimmy Williams vocal is added to the arrangement, that really is the icing on a very beautiful, more-ish cake that you’ll want more than one slice of.
There Is No Reason sees arranger and producer Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey take Double Exposure in the direction of funk. It’s by far the funkiest track on Fourplay. From the get-go, it’s funky with a capital F. A jazz-tinged piano gives way to the funk-laden rhythm section, growling horns and piano as Jimmy delivers a throaty, sassy vocal. The harmonies are louder and punchier, while The Salsoul Orchestra provide the funkiest of backdrops for Jimmy growling, feisty vocal. Although it’s very definitely the rhythm section and horns driving the track along, the piano lends a helping hand. Ron uses the piano during jazzy breakdowns, before letting the funky arrangement explode. This is something of a masterstroke and you anticipate and relish these breakdowns then the explosion of funky music that follows.
Closing Fourplay is There’s Something Missing, a ballad arranged and produced by Bruce Hawkes. With the rhythm section, braying horns and shimmering, quivering strings combining to create a dynamic, dramatic backdrop for Double Exposure’s vocals. They’re tender and heartfelt, with equally subtle, heartfelt harmonies. The arrangement unfolds in waves, resulting in a combination of beauty and drama. With the growling horns, cascading strings, searlng guitars and piano combining with Jimmy Williams’ impassioned vocal, it’s a beautiful combination and the perfect way to close Fourplay.
Although Double Exposure’s second album Fourplay wasn’t a commercial success, there’s nothing whatsoever wrong with the music on Fourplay. From the opening bars of I Declare War until the closing notes of There’s Something Missing Double Exposure combine a compelling collection of uptempo dance tracks and ballads. Truly, while there isn’t a bad track on Fourplay, there aren’t any hits like Ten Percent, Everyman and My Love Is Free. Even though the standard of music is still high on Fourplay, the two year gap between albums didn’t help Double Exposure. By 1978, they’d become the forgotten men of Salsoul. This meant people weren’t anticipating Double Exposure’s second album. Once Double Exposure resolved the problem regarding the financial discrepancies, they discovered things had changed at Salsoul.
Sadly, things and people had changed at Salsoul in the two years since Double Exposure released Tenpercent. So when Double Exposure returned to the Sigma Sound Studios, Salsoul Records was changing. People had left Salsoul, including Vince Montana Jr, and neither Ron Baker nor Earl Young played on Fourplay. Losing three key musicians was quite a loss for Double Exposure. Even without this trio, Fourplay featured some fantastic music. Of the eight tracks on Fourplay, Handy Man, Falling In Love and Newsy Neighbours are irresistible, hook-laden dance tracks, while Why Do I Have To Leave, Perfect Lover and There’s Something Missing are gut-wrenching heartfelt ballads. With music as good as this, then it’s no wonder that thirty-four years later, Fourplay, Double Exposure’s second album has a timeless sound. While it might not be the classic album that Double Exposure’s debut album Tenpercent was, Fourplay is a still a thoroughly enjoyable, musical journey with Double Exposure as your tour guide. Standout Tracks: Handy Man, Why Do I Have To Leave, Falling In Love and Newsy Neighbours.
DOUBLE EXPOSURE-FOURPLAY.
FIRST CHOICE-HOLD YOUR HORSES.
FIRST CHOICE-HOLD YOUR HORSES.
By the time First Choice signed to Gold Mind Records in 1976, they’d already released three albums since forming in Philadelphia 1972. First Choice would go on to release three albums for Gold Mind Records, a subsidiary of Salsoul Records. Their first release was 1977s Delusions, which contained two tracks that would become synonymous with First Choice and become true disco classics. These tracks were Doctor Love and Let No Man Put Asunder. Doctor Love reached number forty-one in the US Billboard 100 and number twenty-three in the US R&B Charts, giving First Choice their most successful single since 1973s Armed and Extremely Dangerous. Buoyed by the success of Delusions, First Choice and producer Norman Harris, the man who had guided their career since 1972 headed Philly’s Sigma Sound Studios to record the followup to Delusions, Hold Your Horses. However, things were changing at Salsoul, Gold Mind’s parent company, with new arrangers and producers joining the company. Would this mean a change in First Choice’s sound and fortunes when Hold Your Horses was released? Before I tell what happened, I’ll tell you about First Choice’s career
First Choice started their career as The Debronettes when they were just fifteen years old. The original lineup of lead singer Rochelle Fleming, Annette Guest and Joyce Jones breakthrough came when they auditioned for Georgie Woods a DJ at Philadelphia’s WDAS radio station. Georgie was so impressed he contacted Stan Watson, who owned Philly Groove Records. He liked The Debronettes so much, he signed them straight away. However, the only thing he didn’t like was their name, so The Debronettes became First Choice. Stan Watson then sent First Choice into the studio with the man who’d guide their career, writing and producing many of their greatest songs…Norman Harris.
Norman Harris was the guitarist in the legendary Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section, who in 1972, were part of Philadelphia International Records’ house-band M.F.S.B. Norman’s first session with First Choice saw them record This Is the House Where Love Died. Although the single wasn’t a commercial success upon its release on Philly Groove Records, it gave First Choice a minor hit when leased to the Sceptre/Wand Label. The next single First Choice released would give the group their first and biggest hit single.
Armed and Extremely Dangerous was First Choice’s second single, and reached number twenty-eight in the US Billboard 100 and number eleven in the US R&B Charts in 1973. First Choice’s debut album was also called Armed and Extremely Dangerous. It reached number 184 in the US Billboard 200 and number fifty-five in the US R&B Charts. After the success of Armed and Extremely Dangerous, First Choice and producer Norman Harris would begin work on their second album.
The Player was First Choice’s second album and was released in 1974. On The Player was another First Choice classic, The Player (Part 1). It reached number seventy in the Us Billboard 100 and reached number seven in the US R&B Charts. When The Player was released, it reached number 143 in the US Billboard 200 and number thirty-six in the US R&B Charts. The success of The Player lead to First Choice signing to a new record label, Warner Bros.
Having signed to Warner Bros, First Choice only released one album for their new label. The album was 1976s So Let Us Entertain You. It failed to match the success of their two previous albums, reaching number 204 in the US Billboard 200 and number fifty-three in the US R&B Charts. After the release of So Let Us Entertain You, First Choice signed to another record label Gold Mind Records, a subsidiary of Salsoul Records.
Although Gold Mind Records was a subsidiary of Salsoul, it was run by Norman Harris, the man who’d written and produced so much of First Choice’s music. The Cayre’s who owned Salsoul, thought that if Norman Harris had his own label, he’d work even harder. Norman Harris’ production vehicle was The Harris Machine, which have him access to some of Philadelphia’s best songwriters, musicians, arrangers and producers. He’d used many of these songwriters, musicians, arrangers and producers on the various albums he’d worked on, including First Choice’s and their Gold Mine debut Delusions. Sadly, Joyce Jones, an original member of First Choice left the group, and was replaced by Ursula Herring, who’d previously sang backing vocals for the group.
Delusions was released in 1977, and contained two tracks that would become synonymous with First Choice, becoming disco classics. These tracks were Doctor Love and Let No Man Put Asunder. Doctor Love reached number forty-one in the US Billboard 100 and number twenty-three in the US R&B Charts, becoming heir most successful single since Armed and Extremely Dangerous. On the release of Delusions, it reached number 103 in the US Billboard 200. This meant Delusions was First Choice’s most successful album.
After the success of Delusions, First Choice set about recording the followup album Hold Your Horses. However, things were changing at Salsoul. Whereas Delusions saw Norman Harris, Ron Baker, Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey and Baker, Harris, Young producing tracks, it seemed Philly’s finest were being replaced by the new guard at Salsoul. This included Tom Moulton and Thor Baldursson who’d produce four of the albums six tracks in Munich, Germany, where Giorgio Moroder was one of the most successful Euro Disco producers. Given how successful Delusions had been, the decision to change things around so much seems strange. However, the departure of Vince Montana Jr. over dispute over royalties had affected Salsoul. Sadly, First Choice’s mentor Norman Harris only wrote one track for Hold Your Horses. Mind you, it was the best track on Hold Your Horses…Double Cross.
The six tracks that would feature on Hold Your Horses included Double Cross, written by Norman Harris and Ron Tyson, with Norman arranging and producing the track. Let Me Down Easy was written by Andrew Smith and David Jordan, while McKinley Jackson and Melvin Steals cowrote Love Thang. Great Expectations was written by British songwriter Peter Belotte. Hold Your Horses, the title-track, was co-written by Frank Ricotti, Kathleen Poppy, Les Hurdle and Peter Gosling. The two tracks were co-written by Thor Baldursson. These tracks would be recorded two studios, two continents apart.
Of the six tracks that comprise Hold Your Horses, Only Love Thang and Double Cross were completely recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philly. However, all the vocals and horns were recorded at Sigma Sound Studios. The rhythm and string sections of the other four tracks were recorded in Music Land Studios, Munich. Considering that the greatest rhythm section of the seventies, Baker, Harris, Young were based in Philly, this seemed an unnecessary journey. Given how good Baker, Harris, Young were, you’d expect something outstanding to be the result of Tom Moulton and Thor Baldursson’s journey. Would that be the case when Hold Your Horses was released in 1979.
On the release of Hold Your Horses in 1979, the album didn’t fare as well as Delusions in the US Billboard 200. It only reached number 135 and number fifty-eight in the US R&B Charts. The title-track Hold Your Horses reached number seventy-three in the US R&B Charts. Double Cross, arranged and produced by Norman Harris reached number 104 in the US Billboard 100 and number sixty in the US R&B Charts. Overall, Hold Your Horses’ commercial success must have left First Choice with mixed feelings. Granted it hadn’t fared as well in the US Billboard 200 as Delusions, but had reached number fifty-eight in the US R&B Charts. However, had the changes in producers affected the music on Hold Your Horses? That’s what I’ll tell you, after I’ve told you about the music on Hold Your Horses.
Opening Hold Your Horses is Let Me Down Easy, the first of the Tom Moulton and Thor Baldursson productions, which Andrew Smith and David Jordan cowrote. By 1979, Tom Moulton had established his reputation as one of the best remixers of the seventies and had moved into production. Pounding drums are placed at the heart of the arrangement, as percussion and John Davis’ rasping saxophone solo combine before Rochelle Fleming’s vocal enters. It’s heartfelt and impassioned soaring above the arrangement, while Annette Guest and Ursula Herring add tight, dramatic harmonies. The arrangement flows along, before thunderous drums are unleashed, replacing the lush strings from the Munich Philharmonics. When they drop out, the piano, rhythm section and strings combine, as John Davis unleashes a blazing saxophone solo. When all this is combined with First Choice’s vocals, it’s an impressive opening track from that’s both soulful and dance-floor friendly.
There’s a real Spanish sound to Good Morning Midnight, as the track begins to reveal its secrets. Percussion, bass and acoustic guitars combine, before a distant horn adds to the Spanish influence. When First Choice’s soulful vocals sweep in, the arrangement takes on a punchy sound. Bursts of rasping horn punctuate the arrangement, while sweeping, swirling strings are crucial to the track’s sound. They’re combined with the rhythm section as waves of tight harmonies are unleashed. By now elements of Euro Disco are combined with Philly Soul, funk and traditional Spanish music. Although It’s very different from the previous track, and unlike anything on Delusions, it’s catchy and shows another side to First Choice’s music.
Straight away, there’s a Euro Disco influence on Great Expectations. Later in the track elements of disco and Philly Soul are fused by arranger and producer Thor Baldursson. Drummer Keith Forsey and bassist Les Hurdle provide the track’s pulsating, pounding heartbeat. They help create a dramatic, moody sound, but sometimes, Thor’s arrangement briefly, sounds crowded, before swathes of dancing strings, growling horns and a piano join the mix. When Rochelle’s vocal enters, it’s sassy and sensuous, while Annette and Ursula add cooing harmonies. Thor Baldursson’s arrangement unfolds in dramatic waves, with cascading strings and braying horns accompanying First Choice’s joyous harmonies. They’re key to the sound and success of what is the best track on Side One of Hold Your Horses and joyous, uplifting slice of disco.
The title-track Hold Your Horses opens Side Two of Hold Your Horses. It’s the last in the quartet of tracks partly recorded in Munich. With thunderous drums galloping along the arrangement, percussion and quivering strings join the mix, before the rest of the rhythm section enter. Then come First Choice delivering some of their best vocals on the album. When Rochelle’s lead vocal enters, her vocal is sultry and powerful. Annette and Ursula add dramatic, soaring harmonies while the best arrangement of the first four tracks unfolds. Apart from a piano panned hard left, the mix is well balanced. Tom Moulton mixed and arranged the track, and his combination of a pounding rhythm section, quivering strings and blazing horns results in a masterpiece of modern production, that over thirty years later, still has a timeless sound. Mind you, with First Choice at their very best, he couldn’t go wrong.
Love Thang sees some of Philly’s finest musicians accompany First Choice, with McKinley Jackson arranging and producing the track. The rhythm section features guitarist Norman Baker, drummer Keith Benson and bassist Jimmy Williams. Add in guitarists T.J. Tindall and Bobby “Electronic” Eli and Don Renaldo’s strings and you can’t go wrong. From the opening bars, you realize that something special is about to unfold. With a pounding, punchy rhythm section, shimmering strings and percussion combining First Choice add sweet and sassy vocals. With handclaps accompanying them, the track swings along, with Rochelle strutting her way through the track. Horns rasp, strings sweep and swirl, while the rhythm section produce the track’s funky heartbeat. Together they play their part in what is one of the real highlights of the album. It’s an eight minute Magnus Opus that’s got made in Philadelphia stamped right through it.
Closing Hold Your Horses is Double Cross, written by Ron Tyson and Norman Harris, who arranged and produced the track. The same band that featured on Love Thang play their part on what’s the highlight of Hold Your Horses. A funky rhythm section with Jimmy Williams’ bass anchoring the track, combines with lush cascading strings and guitars before Rochelle steps forward to produce her best vocal on the album. Her vocal is heartfelt, dramatic and fiery, full of frustration and regret. Annette and Ursula to their bit, adding tight, soaring harmonies that compliment Rochelle’s vocal. Meanwhile, a classic Norman Harris arrangement unfolds. He uses Don Renaldo’s grand, quivering strings, growling horns and the funky rhythm section to reflect the drama, passion and emotion in Rochelle’s vocal. This is a masterstroke, working brilliantly and resulting in the best track on Hold Your Horses. It’s the perfect way to close Hold Your Horses, and was the perfect reminder to the Cayre’s of Norman Harris’ considerable talents.
Much had changed since First Choice signed to Gold Mind Records and as a result, it was a very different lineup of arrangers, producers, musicians and songwriters who collaborated with First Choice on Hold Your Horses. Whereas Norman Harris had guided First Choice since their debut album Armed and Extremely Dangerous, things had changed since Delusions, First Choice’s Gold Mind Records’ debut album. Delusions had been and remained First Choice’s most successful album and saw Norman Harris, Ron Baker, Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey and Baker, Harris, Young producing tracks. By the time First Choice came to record their second album for Gold Mind Records, it seemed Philly’s finest were being replaced by the new guard at Salsoul. In came Tom Moulton and Thor Baldursson, who produced four of tracks on Hold Your Horses.
A change in producer meant a change in sound. Tom Moulton and Thor Baldursson chose to record parts of these four tracks in Music Land Studios in Munich, where Giorgio Moroder recorded his albums with Donna Summer and The Three Degrees. This lead to a Euro Disco influence on these tracks. Although the quality of music doesn’t suffer, the music is different from that on Delusions. Of the four tracks recorded in Munich, Hold Your Horses, mixed and produced by Tom Moulton is easily the best track.That’s why it was chosen as one of the singles released from Hold Your Horses. Of the other three tracks, Great Expectations’ is dramatic and unfolds in waves, but sometimes, sounds slightly crowded. Having said that, the track is the highlight of Side One, while Good Morning Midnight, with its Spanish influence is a track that’s production works..just.
Ironically, the two best tracks on Hold Your Horses are the two recorded in Philadelphia by Philadelphia musicians. Love Thang with that glorious bass line from Jimmy Williams and Double Cross arranged and produced by Norman Harris have since become First Choice favorites. Since the release of Hold Your Horses, they’ve also become favorites of remixers and compilation compilers. Double Cross’ sound has most in common with the music on Delusions, which to me, was First Choice’s best release for Gold Mind Records. I just wonder whether the same personnel that wrote, arranged, produced and played on Delusions had worked on Hold Your Horses, what the album would’ve sounded like? Would First Choice have built on the success of Delusions and become an even bigger commercial success than they were. Much as I’ve always liked Hold Your Horses, with many of the tracks having a timeless sound, and featuring some stunning vocals from First Choice, Delusions, produced by some of Philly finest, will forever remain my favorite First Choice album. That’s why for anyone looking to discover the magical music of First Choice, I’d recommend that they start with Delusions and then Hold Your Horses. These two albums will allow you to hear First Choice, Salsoul’s greatest ever female group at their very best. Standout Tracks: Let Me Down Easy, Hold Your Horses, Love Thang and Double Cross.
FIRST CHOICE-HOLD YOUR HORSES.
LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY-QUEEN OF THE NIGHT.
LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY-QUEEN OF THE NIGHT.
Having signed Loleatta Holloway to Gold Mind Records in 1976, Loleatta’s producer and mentor Norman Harris set about giving Loleatta a makeover. He started transforming the Southern Soul singer in the a disco diva on her debut album Loleatta. After her Sasloul debut Loleatta was released, Loleatta Holloway’s makeover to disco diva and the Undisputed Queen of Salsoul was underway. On Loleatta’s second album Queen of The Night, Loleatta’s transformation would be completed. Soon, Loleatta Holloway would be one disco’s greatest divas. However, Norman Harris’ role in Loleata’s makeover shouldn’t be underestimated. He transformed Loleatta Holloway from a Southern Soul singer, not just to the disco diva that can be heard on the four albums Loleatta released for Salsoul, but the the real Queen of Disco. Along with some of the greatest musicians of the seventies, Norman Harris set about transforming Loleatta’s career on 1977s Loleatta, her first album for Salsoul. Having started this transformation from Southern Soul singer to the undisputed Queen of Salsoul, on 1977s Loleatta, Loleatta Holloway and her mentor at Salsoul, Norman Harris set about recording the followup album Queen of The Night. Together, Loleatta and Norman Harris would complete Loleatta’s transformation, resulting in her becoming the undisputed Queen of Disco after Queen of The Night was released in 1978. Before I tell you about the music on Queen of The Night, I’ll tell you about how Norman Harris, with the help of everyone at Salsoul, completed Loleatta’s transformation to disco diva and ultimately, the rightful heir to disco’s crown.
After the success of the singles released from Loleatta, especially Hit and Run which would sell over 300,000 copies when remixed by Walter Gibbons, Loleatta and her mentor at Salsoul set about recording the followup Queen of The Night. For Queen of The Night, eight tracks were chosen. Norman Harris cowrote two tracks, Catch Me On the Rebound and Good, Good Feeling with Ron Tyson, who also cowrote Two Sides To Every Story with Edward Moore. Bunny Sigler wrote two tracks, I May Not Be There When You Want Me (But I’m Right On Time) and Only You, which he produced and adds guest vocals on. The other three tracks were written by non-Salsoul personnel, and included cover versions of Bobby Womack’s I’m In Love and Joe Brooks classic You Light Up My Life. These tracks would be recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia and New York, with The Salsoul Orchestra accompanying Loleatta.
By the time Loleatta came to record Queen of The Night, she was accompanied by many of the classic lineup of The Salsoul Orchestra. Sadly, one man was absent, vibes virtuoso Vince Montana Jr. He’d split with The Salsoul Orchestra, after a dispute about money. While Vince played a hugely important part in The Salsoul Orchestra’s sound, three other men played an equally important part ,the legendary Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section. Among the other familiar faces were guitarist T.J. Tindall, bassist Jimmy Williams and drummer Scotty Miller, along with percussionist and conga player Larry Washington and keyboard players Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey and Bunny Sigler. Adding backing vocals were the Sweethearts of Sigma, Barbara Ingram, Evette Benton and Carla Benson. It seemed things were changing at Salsoul, with people leaving and new faces joining the label. This included some new faces, who’d play a part in the production of Queen of The Night.
Norman Harris, who’d played such an important part on Loleatta, produced four of the tracks on Queen of The Night. Bunny Sigler and Ron Tyson, who both played an important role in the sound and success of Loleatta both produced tracks. They were all familiar Salsoul faces. So was Jack Faith, who arranged three tracks on Queen of The Night. Floyd Smith and Arthur Jenkins produced the Bobby Womack penned I’m In Love. The other track You Light Up My Life was mixed and produced by Tom Moulton. This was one of Tom Moulton’s first production jobs for Salsoul. He’d later go on to play an influential role, as would Thor Baldursson who arranged You Light Up My Life. Times were indeed changing at Salsoul. Hopefully this wouldn’t affect the success of Loleatta Holloway’s second album for Salsoul Queen of The Night?
When Queen of The Night was released in 1978, the album failed to chart. Two of the singles fared much better, one of them giving Loleatta Holloway her biggest chart hit single. Catch Me On the Rebound reaching number sixteen in the US Dance Charts. I May Not Be There When You Want Me (But I’m Right On Time) was then released as a single, but failed to chart. Then when Only You, featuring Bunny Sigler was released as a single, it reached number eighty-seven in the US Billboard 100 and number eleven in the US R&B Charts. While things were changing at Salsoul, so was Loleatta Holloway and on Queen of The Night, her transformation from Southern Soul singer to disco diva was complete, as you’ll realize when I tell you about the music on Queen of The Night.
Opening Queen of The Night is Catch Me on the Rebound, arranged and produced by Norman Harris, who cowrote the track with Ron Tyson. The track literally bursts into life, with the chugging Baker, Harris, Young rhythm combining with blazing horns and sweeping, swirling strings. When Loleatta’s vocal enters, it’s a mixture of power, passion and sassiness. Norman Harris arrangement is peerless, combining a backdrop that has made in Philly stamped all over it, with Loleatta’s sassy vamp. Her vocal soars above the arrangement, feisty and fiery. She starts off Queen of The Night where she left off on Loleatta. As the strings cascade, horns growl and flourishes of keyboards, the Sweethearts of Sigma add equally powerful, impassioned harmonies. All the time, Earl Young’s drums, Ron Baker’s bass and Norman Harris guitar provide the track’s pounding dynamic heartbeat. By the end of this classic track, Loleatta, transformation to disco diva by Norman Harris is complete.
Only You gave Loleatta her most successful single in the US Billboard 100 and US R&B Charts. She returns to her soulful roots, with Bunny Sigler joining her on vocal. It’s a very different track from the previous track, bristling with chemistry between Loleatta and Bunny. Just a piano, the lushest of strings and a sprinkling of percussion combine with Norman Harris jazz-tinged guitar. With a burst of Earl Young’s drums, Loleatta kicks loose. Her vocal is soulful and heartfelt, with Bunny matching her every step of the way. The Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section and braying horns provide the track’s dramatic sound, while lush strings add to the emotion and beauty thanks to Jack Faith’s arrangement. For over six minutes, Loleatta and Bunny give a quite beautiful, romantic and soulful masterclass, while Loleatta shows she wasn’t going to forget her soulful roots in a hurry.
Good, Good Feeling is another of the uptempo, dance tracks on Queen of The Night. It’s the second track that Ron Tyson and Norman Harris, who produced the track cowrote. This is a track that would prove influential to a new generation of house producers and has such a timeless sound, that it’s hard to believe it was recorded over thirty years ago. With a punchy, driving Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section, strings dance while horns rasp and Loleatta embarks upon one of her trademark vamps. Her vocal is a mixture of controlled power and raw emotion, as the Sweethearts of Sigma add tight, testifying harmonies. They’re harmonies are crucial to the track’s sound and without them, Loleatta’s impassioned vocal wouldn’t be as effective. Norman Harris jazz-tinged guitar is contrasted by rocky guitars, as The Salsoul Orchestra give a peerless performance, as if spurred on by the energetic and dynamic performance of Loleatta and of the Sweethearts of Sigma.
Mama Won’t, Papa Won’t produced by Norman Harris closes Side One of Queen of the Night. It’s another track that could only have been produced in Philly. With its combination of sweeping, swirling strings, growling horns, pounding Baker, Harris Young rhythm section and percussion from Larry Washington, Loleatta produces another gut wrenching vocal. Her vocal’s full of hurt, emotion and frustration while the Sweethearts of Sigma add soaring harmonies. Ron Baker’s bass and Earl Young’s drums provide the tracks pounding, pulsating heartbeat, as Loleatta unleashes one of her most emotive, powerful vocals. Tracks like this prove just why Loleatta Holloway is the true and rightful heir to disco’s crown, someone whose music we “Never Can Say Goodbye” to.
Side Two of Queen of The Night opens with another of the singles, I May Not Be There When You Want Me (But I’m Right On Time). It was written by Bunny Sigler, arranged by Jack Faith and produced by Norman Harris. Tom Moulton was given the job of mixing the track. Here Loleatta’s vocal is a mixture gospel, Southern Soul and disco. These three genres meet head on, with Jack Faith’s arrangement having a real Philly influence. The track bursts into life, sweeping you along atop the cascading strings, blazing horns and pounding piano and rhythm section. Loleatta testifies her way through the track with the Sweethearts of Sigma adding equally impressive and powerful soaring harmonies. When the glorious combination of strings, horns and the Baker, Harris Young rhythm section is added to the fusion of gospel, Southern Soul and disco this is a hugely powerful and moving piece of music, and quite definitely, an underrated track from Loleatta’s back-catalogue.
You Light Up My Life is a cover of the Joe Brooks standard, with Tom Moulton mixing and producing a track which Thor Baldursson arranged. The track is slowed way down, maybe too much even, and given a real Southern Soul and bluesy makeover by Tom and Thor. Tom Moulton places the piano at the track, gradually building the track up. He drops in the rhythm section, Hammond organ as Loleatta throws herself headlong into the track. She delivers the ballad with a mixture of power, passion and emotion, while slow, lush strings and the Sweethearts of Sigma accompany her, adding gloriously soulful harmonies. With the Sweethearts of Sigma’s help Loleatta transforms an old standard, bringing out the beauty and emotion of the track’s lyrics.
Two Sides To Every Story sees ex-Temptation Ron Tyson take over the producer’s chair, while Jack Faith arranges the track. It’s an uptempo dance track, with Loleatta delivering the lyrics in a way that makes you believe she’d lived them. The Salsoul Orchestra kick loose, producing the perfect backdrop for Loleatta. As the track opens, the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section combine with cascading strings, blazing horns and piano. Loleatta’s vocal is full of anger and frustration with the Sweethearts of Sigma adding punchy, soaring backing vocals, that are crucial to the track’s success. Later, a sultry saxophone solo is added at just the right time, and towards the end of the track, Loleatta embarks on an angry, fiery vamp, at her wandering husband. That’s just the finishing touch to a track that shows Loleatta at her sassy, vampish best.
Closing Queen of The Night is a cover of the Bobby Womack penned I’m In Love, produced by Floyd Smith and Gordon Edwards. Of all the Bobby Womack tracks that could’ve been chosen, this is perfect for Loelatta. It allows her to showcase her considerable vocal talents. The arrangement is quite different, much looser and more spacious. Here lush strings, growling horns and piano accompany the rhythm section, who leave space for Loleatta’s joyous vocal. Backing vocalists accompany Loleatta, as her vocal grows in power and joy, while horns punctuate the arrangement effectively. Although quite different from other tracks on Queen of The Night, it demonstrates Loleatta Holloway’s versatility and ability to interpret a track in such a way that she makes it her own.
Queen of The Night sees Loleatta Holloway picking up where she left off on Loleatta. Queen of The Night bursts into life with a true classic from Loleatta’s back-catalogue, Catch Me on the Rebound. From there, Loleatta variously combines power, passion and her feisty sassiness with emotion, beauty and gut wrenching soulfulness. She continues this throughout the other seven tracks on Queen of The Night. Loleatta makes tracks like Good, Good Feeling, Mama Won’t, Papa Won’t and I May Not Be There When You Want Me (But I’m Right On Time) her own. These tracks were produced by Norman Harris, Loleatta’s mentor. Norman seemed to bring out the best in Loleatta, spurring her on to greater heights. During these tracks, Norman combines Loleatta’s soulful roots with disco. Only You sees Loleatta joined by another Salsoul stalwart, Bunny Sigler, and together, they create a track bristling with chemistry. On Queen of The Night, Loleatta is introduced to Tom Moulton who produced and mixes You Light Up My Life and mixes I May Not Be There When You Want Me (But I’m Right On Time). This is the start of a changing of the guard at Salsoul Records. Tom was joined by Thor Baldursson, who arranged You Light Up My Life. While both men would go on to play bigger roles at Salsoul, Vince Montana Jr. had left Salsoul over a dispute with royalties. Vince signed a contract with Atlantic Records in 1978, and given how important a role he played at Salsoul, was sorely missed. Even The Salsoul Orchestra were changing, with new faces joining the lineup. Thankfully, with musicians like the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section, percussionist Larry Washington, guitarist T.J. Tindall and of course, the Sweethearts of Sigma all featuring on Queen of The Night, these changes didn’t affect the quality of music. Along with her mentor Norman Harris, who guided her through this transformation, Loleatta Holloway became one of biggest stars of Salsoul Records. After the release of Queen of The Night, Loleatta Holloway’s transformation from Southern Soul singer to the Undisputed Queen of Salsoul, and in my opinion, the true and rightful heir to disco’s crown was complete. Disco had a new crown and the new Queen of Disco and was Loleatta Holloway, Queen of The Night. Standout Tracks: Catch Me On the Rebound, Good, Good Feeling, Mama Won’t, Papa Won’t and I May Not Be There When You Want Me (But I’m Right On Time).
LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY-QUEEN OF THE NIGHT.
LUTHER VANDROSS-GIVE ME THE REASON.
LUTHER VANDROSS-GIVE ME THE REASON.
There aren’t many singers that go from singing backing vocals to releasing a string of gold and platinum albums. While that might sound like the stuff of fiction, that’s what happened to Luther Vandross. During the late seventies, Luther was singing backing vocals for Chic, while no doubt studying Niles Rogers and Bernard Edwards production secrets. This would help him in years to come. By the time Luther Vandross headed to the studio to record his fifth album Give Me the Reason in 1986, he’d become one of the most successful soul singers of the first half of the eighties. His four previous albums been either certified platinum of double-platinum in America. He’d also become a successful and well-respected producer, producing artists like Aretha Franklin and successfully rejuvenating her flagging career. Luther Vandross had come a long way in a short space of time. Would Luther Vandross’ run of successful albums continue when he released Give Me the Reason in September 1986?
Luther Vandross’ run of commercially successful started with his 1981 debut album Never Too Much. It reached number nineteen in the US Billboard 200 and number one in the US R&B Charts, and was certified double-platinum in America. Having taken America by storm, Luther’s debut album only reached number forty-one in the UK. However, his second album would see him conquer the UK.
When Forever, For Always, For Love was released in 1982, it built on the success of Never Too Much. It reached number twenty in the US Billboard 200 and number one in the US R&B Charts, and was certified platinum. Over the Atlantic in the UK, Forever, For Always, For Love reached number twenty-three, resulting in the album being certified silver. Having conquered the US and the UK, Luther’s third album wouldn’t prove as popular as his first two albums.
1983s Busy Body was Luther’s least successful album, reaching number thirty-two in the US Billboard 200 and number one in the US R&B Charts. It was still certified platinum in the US, while it only reached number forty-two in the UK. Luther’s fourth album The Night I Fell In Love would prove to be a return to form
The Night I Fell In Love was released in 1984, and was a very much a return to form from Luther Vandross. Not only did The Night I Fell In Love reach reached number nineteen in the US Billboard 200 and number one in the US R&B Charts, but was certified double-platinum. Over in the UK, The Night I Fell In Love failed to chart, regardless of its success in the UK. With Luther Vandross now one of the most successful soul singers of the eighties, could things get any better for Luther when he released Give Me the Reason in 1986?
For Luther Vandross’ fifth album Give Me the Reason, the album comprised nine tracks. Luther cowrote six tracks on Give Me the Reason and wrote two tracks. These two tracks were So Amazing and Because It’s Really Love. Of the six tracks Luther cowrote, three of them were with Marcus Miller, two with Nad Adderley Jr. and There’s Nothing Better Than Love with Skip Anderson. The other track on Give Me the Reason was a cover of Bacharach and David’s Anyone Who Had A Heart. These nine tracks were recorded at three studios with a tight, talented band.
Give Me the Reason was recorded at AIR Studios Monsterrat, New York’s Minot Sound and Westlake Recording Studios in Hollywood. Accompanying Luther Vandross were a rhythm section of drummer Yogi Horton, bassist Marcus Miller and guitarist Pul Jackson Jr, Doc Powell and Ira Siegel. Percussionist and conga player Paulinho Da Costa joined Jason Miles on synths and backing vocalists Cissy Houston, Fonzi Thornton and Cheryl Lynn. Gregory Hines duetted with Luther on There’s Nothing Better Than Love. Arranging horns and strings was Paul Riser, while Luther arranged and produced Give Me the Reason. With the nine tracks that comprise Give Me the Reason recorded, Give Me the Reason was released in September 1986. Would Give Me the Reason match or better the success of Luther Vandross’ four previous albums?
Before Give Me the Reason was released in September 1986, the title-track was released as a single, reaching number fifty-seven in the US Billboard 100 and number three in the US R&B Charts. When Give Me the Reason was released it reached number fourteen in the US Billboard 200 and number one in the US R&B Charts. In the UK, Give Me the Reason became Luther’s most successful album, reaching number three and was certified double-platinum. Stop To Love was then released as a single, reaching number fifteen in the US R&B Charts and number one in the US R&B Charts. There’s Nothing Better Than Love then reached number fifty in the US R&B Charts and number one in the US R&B Charts. The fourth single released from Give Me the Reason was I Really Didn’t Mean It, which reached number six in the US R&B Charts. So Amazing was the final single released from the album, stalling at a lowly number ninety-four in the US R&B Charts. Give Me the Reason was Luther’s most successful album and featured two number one US R&B singles. However, why was Give Me the Reason such a successful album? That’s what I’ll tell you, once I’ve told you about the music on Give Me the Reason.
Opening Give Me the Reason is Stop To Love, written by Luther and Nat Adderley Jr. Straight away, the arrangement has a real eighties sound. Like many eighties arrangements, it hasn’t exactly aged well. The crisp drums and synths have a synthetic sound. In other ways it’s effective, providing the track with a punchy heartbeat that drives the track along. When Luther’s heartfelt vocal enters, it’s accompanied by guitars, percussion, strings and stabs of keyboards. By now things are improving. Then when the dramatic, punchy and uplifting harmonies accompany Luther’s impassioned vocal, things get a whole lot better. These testifying backing vocalists seem to drive him to greater heights. Although the track hasn’t aged well, you can’t fault the passion and emotion in Luther’s vocal.
See Me is a slower track, one that slowly reveals its subtleties and surprises. Even though the drums are similar on this track, they work well and don’t overpower the rest of the mix. A funky slap bass, guitars and keyboards combine to create a spacious, laid-back arrangement. Luther’s vocal is tinged with sadness and emotion, as the arrangement flows along. Bursts of guitar, dramatic stabs and flourishes of piano accompany Luther, while tender, cooing backing vocalists augment Luther’s vocal. Throughout the track, the piano and bass are at the heart of the arrangement’s sound and success. The longer the track progresses, the better it gets, with this track featuring one of Luther’s most heartfelt vocals on Give Me the Reason.
Gave It Up (When I Fell In Love) bursts dramatically into life. It’s an uptempo track, with an irresistible, hook-laden sound. Eighties sounding drums crack, while a funky bass, synths and blazing horns combine. Luther’s vocal is a combination of power and sassiness and together with backing vocalists are crucial to the track’s sound, ensures the track swings. Without the backing vocalists, the track wouldn’t be half as good. Just when you think things can’t get any better, rasping saxophone solo manages to do so. After a percussive break, the horns, piano and backing vocalists combine with Luther, taking the track to it’s hook-laden and swinging ending.
Of the five singles released from Give Me the Reason, So Amazing was final single and least successful single. To me, its the most beautiful track on Give Me the Reason and features one of Luther’s most emotive, heartfelt vocals. The slow cascading arrangement sees the piano, lush strings and percussion combine with a slow, subtle rhythm section. Adding the finishing touch to this beautiful love song are tender and equally heartfelt harmonies. They play their part in what is a classic track from Luther Vandross.
Closing Side One of Give Me The Reason is the title-track Give Me The Reason. It was a track from the soundtrack to the movie Ruthless People. It’s very different from the previous track. Chalk and Cheese spring to mind. The pounding rhythm section and synths combine with Luther’s soaring vocal. His vocal is a mixture of power and anger, while bursts of rocky guitars, keyboards and tight, punchy harmonies add to the track’s dramatic sound. Unlike the previous track, which has a timeless sound, this track is very much of its day. You could almost date it within a year or two by its sound. Having said that, it’s still a good track, with a dramatic sound, where Luther and his band fuse elements of soul, funk, rock and eighties electronic music.
There’s Nothing Better Than Love opens Side Two of Give Me The Reason. Here, Luther duets with Gregory Hines and their voices work well together. They’re accompanied by a slow arrangement, that grows in power and drama. It’s just piano, percussion and the rhythm section that accompany the vocals. They sit well together and combining and complimenting each other. Luther and Gregory bring out the subtleties, nuances and beauty in the lyrics.
When I Really Didn’t Mean It opens, I was wondering if I was listening to same album. The drums and percussion that open the track have an Acid House sound. I keep expecting Luther to sing “Acieed.” This is a quicker track, one for the dance-floor. When Luther’s vocal enters, it’s full of sadness and regret, at what he said. His vocal has echo added, which the rhythm section and synths are augmented by backing vocalists. They add tight, sweeping harmonies, while Luther’s echo drenched vocal is a mixture of sorrow and hope, hope that all will be forgiven. Like several other tracks, this track has a real eighties sound, but one that works.
I always think Luther’s at his best singing ballads and Because It’s Really Love sees Luther what he does so well. This is one of his most impassioned and sincere performances. Like other tracks on Give Me the Reason, the arrangement is slow, spacious and allows Luther vocal to take centre-stage. Just the slow rhythm section, synths, percussion and lush strings combine. Backing vocals add tender harmonies, before the drums help the track move through the gears. Luther’s vocal grows in power and passion, as another beautiful bedroom ballad from Luther unfolds. For over six-minutes, Luther has you spellbound and mesmerised, as he gives one of his best performances on Give Me the Reason.
Luther closes Give Me the Reason with a cover of Bacharach and David’s Anyone Who Had A Heart. Of all the Bacharach and David songs he could’ve chosen, he made a strange choice, choosing a song more suited to a female vocalist. However, he pulls it off. He slows the song way down, combining the rhythm section, percussion, a sultry saxophone solo and melodic keyboards. His deliver is slow, quite dramatic and leaving space within the song. This is effective, bringing new life and meaning to the track and is a lovely way to close Give Me the Reason.
By the time Luther Vandross released his fifth album Give Me the Reason, he’d become an accomplished and experienced performer and producer. He’d matured as a songwriter and singer, and was able to bring out the subtleties and nuances in a song. Songs like See Me, So Amazing, Because It’s Really Love and Bacharach and David’s Anyone Who Had A Heart are examples of this. To me, Luther Vandross is at his best singing ballads. One of the ballads I wasn’t sure about when I first bought Give Me the Reason, was Luther’s cover of Bacharach and David’s Anyone Who Had A Heart. I was wondering how he’d approach the song? Having heard many cover versions of the track, many of which didn’t work, I wasn’t sure this was the right Bacharach and David song for Luther. I needn’t have worried, as Luther’s interpretation of the track brought new life and meaning to the track, bringing out the songs subtleties, nuances and beauty.
While Luther was at his best on the ballads on Give Me the Reason, some of the quicker tracks haven’t aged as well. They’re very much a mixed bag. I Gave It Up (When I Fell In Love) is the best of the uptempo songs on Give Me the Reason, while I Really Didn’t Mean It works well after an unexpected opening. During that track, you’ll hear another side to Luther Vandross. Stop To Love has a quite eighties sound, but is saved by Luther’s impassioned vocal. The title-track Give Me The Reason is another track with an eighties sound, where Luther and his band fuse musical genres. Of all the tracks on Side One, this is the that hasn’t aged well.
Overall, Give Me the Reason, like the previous Luther Vandross album I reviewed Never Too Much, is another of Luther’s best albums. For anyone looking for an introduction to Luther Vandross’ music, these are two of his best albums. Mind you, between 1981 when Luther released Never Too Much and his final albums in 2003 Dance With My Father, Luther Vandross didn’t release many bad albums. Each album was either certified gold, platinum or double-platinum in the US. This meant Luther Vandross was one of the most successful artists of that era, and Give Me the Reason shows just why. With its combination of bedroom ballads and dance-floor friendly tracks, Give Me the Reason is Luther Vandross doing what he does best and what made him one of the biggest and most successful soul singers of that time. Standout Tracks: See Me, So Amazing, Because It’s Really Love and Anyone Who Had A Heart.
LUTHER VANDROSS-GIVE ME THE REASON.
FREEDOM SOUNDS.
FREEDOM SOUNDS.
With Jamaica celebrating the fiftieth anniversary since it gained independence from Britain, record companies big and small have been celebrating this landmark anniversary. Their way of celebrating Jamaican independence is by releasing a multitude of compilations and box sets. With so many compilations hitting the market at the one time, anyone considering buying just one compilation will be confused by so much choice. So, for anyone thinking of buying just one compilation or box set I’d spent some time looking through each of the contenders. During the last couple of weeks I’ve searched high and low, immersing myself in these releases and chosen what I consider to be one of the best of these releases. My choice is Freedom Sounds, a five-disc box set, featuring 108 remastered tracks, fifty of which, have never been released before. As well as a the five discs, there’s an in-depth and informative fifty-two page booklet filled with photographs of the people and places that shaped Jamaican music. Trojan Records statement that Freedom Sounds is quite rightly described as “a celebration of Jamaican music.” Each of the five discs that comprise Freedom Sounds are have a “theme,” ranging from Freedom Sounds, Jamaican Hits, Pioneers, Innovators and Forgotten Treasures. If you choose to register your copy of Freedom Sounds, you unlock “bonus content.” Doing so, only unlocks ten further tracks. Even without these ten tracks, the other five discs feature much of the music which shaped Jamaican music. You’ll realize this when I tell you about the five discs on Freedom Sounds.
DISC ONE.
Disc One of Freedom sounds is entitled Freedom Sounds, and features seventeen “Sounds of Freedom,” from some of the biggest names in Jamaican music. These tracks range from protest songs, to songs about unity and liberation. This includes seventeen tracks from Bob Marley and The Wailers, The Heptones, Burning Spear, Culture, and Judy Mowatt. These tracks are produced by such luminaries as Lee “Scratch” Perry, Sonia Potinger and Augustus Pablo, under the guise of Horace Swaby.
Of these seventeen tracks, several of them standout, including Bob Marley and The Wailers’ Rainbow released in 1968 and The Heptones’ cover of the Bob Dylan penned I Shall Be Released. Burning Spear’s Shout It Out, produced by Winston Rodney, and Third World’s Freedom Sound are two other highlights of Disc One. Overall, the majority of the seventeen tracks on Disc One of Freedom Sounds have stood the test of time. They’re an interesting, eclectic and sometimes compelling selection of “Freedom Sounds.”
DISC TWO.
Even someone with just has a passing interest in reggae will know many of the twenty-three tracks that feature on Disc Two of Freedom Sounds. Entitled Jamaican Hits, Disc Two is like a who’s who Jamaican music. This includes Desmond Dekker and The Aces 007 (Shanty Town) and Poor Me (Israelites), Toots and The Mayals 54 46 That’s My Number, Burning Spear’s Marcus Garvey and Junior Murvin’s Police and Thieves, which The Clash later covered. There’s also tracks from Bob Marley and The Wailers, Dennis Brown, Derrick Morgan, Marcia Griffin and Culture.
Sometimes the choice of music heads towards populist, featuring tracks like Gregory Isaacs’ Night Nurse, Jimmy Cliff’s The Harder They Come and Althea and Donna’s Uptown Top Rankin, whose inclusion I could’ve very definitely have lived without. The two most recent tracks on Disc Two are Chaka Demus and Pliers’ Murder She Wrote released in 1992, and Beenie Man’s Slam, released in 1995. Why the compiler decided to Include Beenie Man’s Slam is beyond me? I could’ve thought of several other tracks worthy of inclusion before Slam.
That the most recent Jamaican hit on Freedom Sound was in 1995, must be something that worries Jamaican musicians and producers. Having released innovative and groundbreaking music during the sixties, seventies and eighties, it seems that maybe Jamaican music lost its way after that? Given how good much of the music of these three decades were, Jamaica can boast a rich and varied musical history. Many of these Jamaican Hits feature on Disc Two of Freedom Sounds, and are among some of its biggest and best-known songs.
DISC THREE.
It seems that the compilers of Freedom Sounds were struggling for themes when they got to Discs Three and Four. Disc Three is entitled Pioneers, while Disc Four is entitled Innovators. Confused? So was I. Especially when much of the music on Discs three and four was similar, ranging from Ska, Rocksteady and early reggae tracks. The musicians that feature on Discs Three Four and are pioneers of Ska, Rocksteady and early reggae, rather than pioneers of reggae in the wider sense. When it comes to the Pioneers theme of Disc Three, I was thinking along the lines Bob Marley, Lee Scratch Perry, King Tubby, Sly and Robbie. To me, these are pioneers of Jamaican music, musicians who will forever be perceived as shaping and defining Jamaican music. To me, these are just a few of the pioneers of Jamaican music that spring to mind. Similarly, you could argue that Bob Marley, Lee Scratch Perry, King Tubby, Sly and Robbie were all Innovators, in the true sense of the world. Rather than get bogged down in phonetics, I’ll tell you about the music on Discs Three and Four?
Among the Pioneers to feature on Disc Three, are Errol Brown, Ernest Raglin, The Uniques, The Gladiators, Bob Marley and The Wailers, Richard Ace and Phyllis Dillon. Many of the tracks range from 1968-1971, during a time that Jamaican music was evolving and just before reggae crossed over into mainstream music with Bob Marley and The Wailers. There’s also tracks from Don Drummond and The Skalites, Clancy Eccles and Niney and Big Youth. These tracks provide a snapshot of reggae as the music was evolving.
Five of the twenty-three tracks haven’t been released before, so will be of interest to reggae completists. Unreleased tracks can either be hidden gems or unreleased for a reason…that they weren’t particularly good. Thankfully, while the unreleased tracks aren’t quite hidden gems, some are worthy of inclusion. Surely rather than focus on releasing previously unreleased tracks, the compiler could’ve focused on some of the real gems of the Trojan back-catalogue?
Having said that, there’s some great music on Disc Three, with The Sensations’ I Was Born A Loser, Ken Boothe’s Love and Unity and Nicky Thomas Love of the Common People three of the highlights of Disc Three. However, I would suggest that there’s no way that several artists on the disc can ever be described as Pioneers. Will the artists that feature on Disc Four be worthy of being described as innovators?
DISC FOUR.
While I was critical of some of the “Pioneers” of Disc Three, many of the artists that are referred to as Innovators on Disc Four are worthy of that accolade. Toots and The Mayals, Barrington Levy and Augustus Pablo are three true Innovators of Jamaican music. So too are some of the producers of tracks on Disc Four.
Edward “Bunny” Lee produced Johnny Clark and King Tubby’s None Shall Escape the Judgement, while Lee “Scratch” Perry produced Bunny “Rugs” Clarke produced Big May. Warwick Lyn and Joe Boyd produced Toots and The Mayals’ Treating Me So Bad, one of the highlights of Disc Four. Another of Jamaica’s most talented producers was Ossie Hibbert who produced Horace Andy’s Sea of Love.
One of the real gems on Disc Four is Pat Kelly’s I’m So Proud, a compelling cover version of Curtis Mayfield’s song. The Paragons Man Next Door, released in 1981, was produced by Sly and Robbie, and demonstrates just why they were in such demand as producers. King Jammy is another of Jamaica’s legendary producers, and on Disc Four, produced Johnny Osbourne’s Rock and Come On (Yah). Overall, Disc Four features some of Innovators of Jamaican music, both artists and producers. My only quibble is the inclusion of Luciano’s Never Give Up My Pride, released in 1995. All I can say is why?
DISC FIVE.
By Disc Five, I’m beginning to think that the compilers of Freedom Sounds have exhausted their themes. Why? Well, they’ve decided to use the catch-all of Forgotten Treasures. This comes across as an excuse just to pick a selection of tracks with no real theme running through the disc. Surely, a better idea would’ve been to include another disc of Jamaican Hits or even better, a disc of some glorious dub reggae? However, maybe a disc of dub reggae may not have been palatable for the casual reggae buyer? Instead, Disc Five features twenty-six Forgotten Treasures. Will they really be Forgotten Treasures or best forgotten?
There are twenty-six Forgotten Treasure on Disc Five, with the compilers digging deep into Trojan’s back-catalogue. Sadly, they didn’t dig deep enough. What raised my suspicions were when I noticed several alternate versions or cover versions of old soul track. From past experiences, this can prove disappointing. This was the case here. On Disc Five are alternate versions Austin Faithful’s I’m In A Rocking Good Mood and The Techniques Traveling Man. Neither of these tracks are what I’d call Forgotten Treasures, nor is Tommy McCook and The Specialists cover version of (Ode To) Billy Joe. As for Toots and The Mayals cover of Otis Redding’s Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song), it really is a sad song and best forgotten. The extended version of Max Romeo and Prince Jazzbo shouldn’t have been extended and I wonder at its inclusion on Freedom Sounds.
Of the rest of the tracks, they’re very much a mixed bag in terms of quality. Tracks by The Slickers, Ska Campbell, The Prophets, The Ethiopians and Trevor and The Maytones didn’t disappoint, but the rest of the tracks reminded me of a well-known Clint Eastwood film, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. It’s just a pity that the compilers weren’t more imaginative when thinking of a theme for Disc Five. Sadly, they could’ve made more use of Disc Five and Freedom Sounds really would’ve been “a celebration of Jamaican music.”
Given how important a role Jamaican music has had on other musical genres, it’s no surprise that so many compilations and box sets were released to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Jamaican independence. Sadly, some these releases were of these releases lacked in quality. Indeed, some came across as nothing more than a commercial attempt to cash in on a historically important event. At least Freedom Sounds features some quality music, which is representative of Jamaican musical history. Having said that, it’s not without faults. Disc Two which featured twenty-three Jamaican Hits was sometimes predictable, and far too populist. The inclusion of Gregory Isaacs’ Night Nurse, Jimmy Cliff’s The Harder They Come and Althea and Donna’s Uptown Top Rankin is proof of this. In Discs Three and Four the compilers seemed to be struggling for themes, with Pioneers and Innovators almost a duplication of themes. While some of the artists who were deemed worthy of being Pioneers and Innovators surprising, so were some of the omissions. Having said that, given how many box sets Trojan have released over the years, maybe this was an attempt to come up with something new, different and controversial. By the time we got to Disc Five, Freedom Sounds had been an enjoyable journey through Jamaican music, albeit one with a few strange and I’d say debatable inclusions. Then came Disc Five and its twenty-six Forgotten Treasures. Maybe they’re best described as a few forgotten treasures with the rest best forgotten. To me, Disc Five was very much a mixed musical bag, ranging from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Surely better use could’ve been made of Disc Five, as a disc full of Forgotten Treasures was a disappointing end to what had been an otherwise enjoyable “a celebration of Jamaican music.” However, considering the five-disc box set that is Freedom Sounds retails for under £30, €40 or $50, then even with the disappointing disc of Forgotten Treasures, it’s good value for money. For anyone wanting to buy one of the many compilations that celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of Jamaican Independence, then Freedom Sounds won’t disappoint.
FREEDOM SOUNDS.
http://soundcloud.com/trojan-records-official/freedom-sounds-megamix
http://soundcloud.com/trojan-records-official/freedom-sounds-megamix-disc-2
http://soundcloud.com/trojan-records-official/freedom-sounds-megamix-disc-3
http://soundcloud.com/trojan-records-official/freedom-sounds-megamix-disc
http://soundcloud.com/trojan-records-official/freedom-sounds
DEXTER WANSEL-VOYAGER.
DEXTER WANSEL-VOYAGER.
For any label, losing many members of their house-band, plus some of their best songwriters, arrangers and producers could’ve proved fatal. This is what happened at Philadelphia International Records in 1975. Many of M.F.S.B. were locked in a dispute with Gamble and Huff over money. When the dispute couldn’t be resolved many of M.F.S.B, plus some of Philadelphia International Records’ top arrangers, producers and musicians headed to New York, becoming The Salsoul Orchestra. This left a huge void, a void that needed filled. One of the men to do so was Dexter Wansel. Soon, Dexter would become Gamble and Huff’s top arrangers and producers. He’d also form a successful songwriting partnership with Cynthia Biggs, and played keyboards and synths on many of Philadelphia International’s post 1975 releases. Soon, Gamble and Huff realized just how talented Dexter Wansel was and in 1976, signed him as a solo artist. He would go on to release four innovative and groundbreaking albums. These albums were quite unlike anything else Philadelphia International Records was releasing and as a result, divided opinion. His debut album was 1976s the groundbreaking Life On Mars which reached number forty-four in the US R&B Charts. 1977s What the World Coming To reached number 168 in the US Billboard 200 and number forty-five in the US R&B Charts. A year later, in 1978 Dexter released Voyager, his third solo album. Voyager saw Dexter Wansel continue his innovative and imaginative journey, where he fuses funk, Philly soul and jazz-funk. Would Voyager see Dexter Wansel make his commercial breakthrough or would he continue to be Philadelphia International Records’ nearly man?
For his third album Voyager, Dexter wrote two tracks, I Just Want To Love You and Time Is the Teacher. He cowrote four of other five tracks, Solutions and I’m In Love with his regular songwriting partner Cynthia Biggs. Dexter cowrote All Night Long with Derrick Graves, who wrote and arranged Latin Love(Let Me Know). Together with Dexter and Derrick cowrote the title-track Voyager with Steve Goldstein, Herb Smith, Lemuel Harper, Billy Johnson and George Howard. While Dexter produced the seven tracks on Voyager, and arranged four tracks and arranged All Night Long with George Howard and Jack Faith arranged I’m In Love. The seven tracks that comprise Voyager would be recorded at Philly’s Sigma Sound Studios.
Dexter Wansel sang lead vocals and played Fender Rhodes and electric piano on Voyager. He was accompanied by M.F.S.B. Mk 2. By 1978, it was a very different, almost unrecognizable lineup of M.F.S.B. Gone were the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section, replaced by bassist Derrick Graves, guitarist Herb Smith and drummer Billy Johnson, who also added temple bells. Steve Gold played Baldwin grand piano and Mini Moog, and George Howard tenor and soprano saxophones. Among the familiar faces were conga player Larry Washington and Don Renaldo’s strings and horns. Adding backing vocals were Terri Wells and legendary backing vocalists the Sweethearts, Barbara Ingram, Evette Benton and Carla Benson.
Before Voyager was released in 1978, All Night Long was released as a single, but failed to chart. Things improved when Voyager reached number 139 in the US Billboard 200 and number thirty-seven in the US R&B Charts. The Dexter Wansel and Cynthia Biggs penned Solutions was then released as a single, reaching number eighty-seven in the US R&B Charts. Voyager proved to be Dexter’s most successful album, but why was that? That’s what I’ll tell you, after I’ve told you about the music on Voyager?
Opening Voyager is the lead single All Night Long, which Dexter and Derrick Graves cowrote. On its release as a single, It failed to chart. Stabs of squelchy and buzzing synths open the track, before exploding when the driving rhythm section enter. They’re joined by blazing horns, cascading strings and keyboards. Soon, the track heads in the direction of funk. Dexter’s vocal is a sassy growl, as a pounding, funky bass and guitars join the myriad of horns, strings and banks of synths and keyboards. Tender, gentle backing vocals accompany Dexter’s vocal. Later, Herb Smith lays down one of the best guitar solos on Voyager, as this uptempo slice of catchy 21st Century funk unfolds.
Solutions is the first of two Dexter Wansel and Cynthia Biggs penned tracks, and was the second single released from Voyager. Dexter’s innovative side comes to the fore as he replicates the crackling sound of a radio being tuned before the track reveals its secrets. The arrangement sees Dexter impassioned vocal, accompanied by a bass synth while a myriad of synths and keyboards fill out the arrangement. As the arrangement meanders along, the track’s social message is interspersed with snippets of radio news. They detail worlds ills, while Dexter sings about Solutions. On the face of it, it’s a pleasant enough song, with a radio-friendly sound, but listen carefully and to quote The O’Jays there’s a “Message In The Music.”
The title-track Voyager sees Dexter take the album in the direction of jazz-fusion. This eight-minute track has a tougher, harder sound than much of Dexter’s music, with the track heading in the direction Mahavishnu Orchestra. When the track opens, it’s bold, dramatic and even grandiose. It’s the rhythm section that drive the track along, with a pounding, slap bass, searing guitars and drums combining. Bouncy, melodic keyboards and growling, rasping horns combine, as Dexter and his band showcase their considerable talents. Jazz, funk and rock music are combined, as a dramatic, and sometimes, space age sounding track reveals its secrets and subtleties. Sometimes, you wonder what direction the track is heading? By the end of the track, you can only marvel at the combined talents of the band, and realise that Dexter Wansel, was seeking to innovate, explore and push the musical boundaries.
I Just Want To Love You is one of two tracks Dexter wrote, and sees a return to the funk of All Night Young. The track sounds like something Prince was producing a decade later and being called an innovator. Maybe Dexter was ahead of his time? He certainly influenced a generation of artists including Andre Cymone and Prince. As drums pound relentlessly, swathes of synths and keyboards combine with Dexter’s vocal, which sounds uncannily like Prince’s. Later, in the track, Dexter’s vocal grows in power and passion, becoming a sassy vamp. The finishing touch is a searing, sizzling guitar solo, which weaves its way across the arrangement, an arrangement that like Dexter, was way ahead of its time.
Time Is The Teacher sees another change in style, with the track heading in the direction of jazz, with diversions into jazz funk and smooth jazz. Key to the track’s sound and success is George Howard’s saxophone, that veers between tenderm, subtle and thoughtful to powerful and dramatic. It’s accompanied by lush strings, percussion, keyboards and sometimes, an uber funky rhythm section. During the track, Dexter fuses everything from rocky guitars, plus elements of jazz funk, smooth jazz and classical music. In doing so, Dexter and M.F.S.B. create one of the best tracks on Voyager.
Derrick Graves wrote and arranged Latin Love (Let Me Know). From the get-go, the track is best described as space-age funk. M.F.S.B.’s rhythm section, including bassist Derrick Graves and guitarist Herb Smith are key to the track’s sound. Billy Johnson’s drums provide the track’s heartbeat, while Derrick’s bass playing is spacious and funky and Herb’s guitar playing dynamic, energetic and rock-tinged. Banks of synths and keyboards are joined by bursts of punchy, blazing horns, but it’s three men that prove crucial in the tracks’s success, Herb Smith, Derrick Graves and Dexter Wansel. They’re key to the track’s space-age, funky sound.
Closing Voyager is I’m In Love which Dexter cowrote with Cynthia Biggs. It’s the most Philly sounding track on Voyager, with Cynthia Biggs’ piano accompanying Dexter’s emotive, impassioned vocal. The Sweethearts of Sigma add tight, heartfelt harmonies, while the lushest of strings, rasping horns and a thoughtful rhythm section combine to create a beautiful backdrop. Ironically, what is the most Philly sounding track on Voyager, is also the best one, and is the perfect way to close Voyager.
Voyager, Dexter Wansel’s third albums sees Dexter flitting between, and fusing a variety of musical genres over seven tracks. From the opening track, All Night Long, with its 21st Century funky sound, which he revisits on Latin Love (Let Me Know), Dexter heads towards a tougher jazz-fusion sound on the title-track Voyager. In between there’s the radio-friendly sound of Solutions, while on I Just Want To Love You, Dexter creates a template for artists like Prince and Andre Cymone. This track demonstrates how innovative and imaginative Dexter Wansel was as an artist, and how far ahead of his time he was. Of the other two tracks, Time Is The Teacher sees Dexter fuse smooth jazz and jazz funk, while I’m In Love, which closes Voyager, is the only Philly sounding track on Voyager. Given how eclectic Voyager is, that could also be part of the album’s problem.
Like Forest Gump’s box of chocolates, you never knew what was coming next on a Dexter Wansel album. It could be anything from Philly Soul, jazz-fusion, smooth jazz or funk. That was the case on Voyager. Whereas most of Philadelphia International Records’ other releases could be categorized, you couldn’t pigeonhole Dexter’s music. After all, what would you refer to it as? It’s neither funk, nor soul, or even jazz. Indeed, Dexter’s four albums for Philadelphia International Records were quite unlike anything else on the label. Maybe it would’ve been better if Gamble and Huff had released the albums on a subsidiary label, like other labels did? By releasing Dexter’s music on Philadelphia International Records, it maybe confused people. They were used to Philadelphia International releasing soul and funk music, but Dexter’s music was very different to the labels other releases.
Another problem with Voyager’s eclectic nature means it doesn’t come across as a cohesive album. The constant change in style of music sometimes jars, even though most of the tracks work. Apart from Solutions, which comes across as somewhat lightweight, even with “The Message In the Music” the other six tracks work. The other six tracks on Voyager demonstrate that Dexter Wansel was innovative, imaginative and way ahead of his time. Sadly, people neither understood nor appreciated his music in the late seventies. It was only when a new generation of music lovers and producers discovered Dexter Wansel’s albums, including Voyager, that people realized just how talented Dexter was and that he was something of musical visionary, whose talents were under-appreciated. Sadly, by then Dexter Wansel had retired from music, and albums like Voyager were a reminder of a musical visionary way ahead of his time. Standout Tracks: All Night Long, Voyager, Latin Love (Let Me Know) and I’m In Love.
DEXTER WANSEL-VOYAGER.
M.F.S.B.-PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM.
M.F.S.B.-PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM.
Often, when I’m either writing about Philadelphia International Records or Salsoul Records, I mention M.F.S.B. Philadelphia International Records’ legendary house-band. M.F.S.B.’s role in the Philly Sound can’t be underestimated. They played on literally every album the influenced and shaped what became known as the Philly Sound. Whether it was working with Thom Bell on albums by The Delfonics or The Detroit Spinners, or with Gamble and Huff’s on albums by The O’Jays, Billy Paul, Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes and The Three Degrees, M.F.S.B. played on each of these albums. By 1975, many of the original members of M.F.S.B. were locked in a dispute with Gamble and Huff over money. When no agreement could be reached M.F.S.B. headed to New York, taking their considerable talents to Salsoul Records, where they became The Salsoul Orchestra. As a result, Gamble and Huff lost some of the most talented musicians of the seventies. This included the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section, who provided M.F.S.B.’s heartbeat, guitarist Bobby “Electronic” Eli, vibes virtuoso Vince Montana Jr, violinist Don Renaldo, percussionist Larry Washington and keyboard player Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey. There’s no doubt that Philadelphia International Records were affected by the loss of such hugely talented musicians. Granted, a number of talented musicians filled their shoes, but really, some of these talented musicians were irreplaceable. Ironically, many of the musicians that became The Salsoul Orchestra flourished. It was as if their talents were unleashed. Baker, Harris, Young, Bobby “Electronic” Eli, Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey and Vince Montana Jr. all went on to become songwriters, arrangers and producers at Salsoul. Gamble and Huff’s loss was Salsoul’s gain. However, before many of M.F.S.B. headed to the Big Apple, they played on one last M.F.S.B. album, Philadelphia Freedom. Would M.F.S.B. leave Philadelphia International Records on a high?
For M.F.S.B.’ last hurrah for Philadelphia International Records Philadelphia Freedom Gamble and Huff only contributed three tracks, South Philly, Brothers and Sisters and The Zip. Leon Huff contributed one further track, Ferry Avenue cowrote he cowrote with McFadden and Whitehead. The title-track Philadelphia Freedom, was a cover of a track Elton John and Bernie Taupin cowrote. Roland Chambers penned, arranged and produced the unmistakable Get Down With the Philly Sound, while Dexter Wansel wrote When Your Love Is Gone and Morning Tears. These tracks and three others, would be recorded at Philly’s Sigma Sound Studios, familiar territory for M.F.S.B., as they’d recorded not just the Gamble and Huff sessions there, but Thom Bell’s sessions as well. When many of M.F.S.B. left Philadelphia International Records to become The Salsoul Orchestra, they’d return to Sigma Sound Studios to record many of Salsoul’s classic albums. Before that, they’d record the eleven tracks that would become Philadelphia Freedom.
The recording sessions for Philadelphia Freedom proved to be the last appearance of the original and best lineup of M.F.S.B. Playing on Philadelphia Freedom were all the M.F.S.B. greats. Providing the album’s heartbeat were the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section, along with guitarists Bobby “Electronic” Eli and Roland Chambers. Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey and Leon Huff played keyboards, Larry Washington percussion and Vince Montana Jr. vibes. Violinist Don Renaldo was part of the string section, while alto saxophonist Zach Zachery plays an important part in Philadelphia Freedom’s sound. McFadden and Whitehead added backing vocals along with the Sweethearts of Sigma, Barbara Ingram, Evette Benton and Carla Benson.
Like many Philadelphia International Records albums, a variety of arrangers and producers worked on Philadelphia Freedom. Of the eleven tracks on Philadelphia Freedom, Gamble and Huff only produced three of the tracks, and co-produced The Zip with Jack Faith. Jack Faith, along with Bobby Martin were two of Philadelphia International best arrangers. Jack Faith only arranged and produced Smile Happy and co-produced The Zip with Gamble and Huff. Bobby Martin arranged and produced Brothers and Sisters, while arranging Ferry Avenue. Dexter Wansel, another of Philadelphia International’s most talented arranged and produced two tracks and produced one other track. With Philadelphia Freedom the last album to feature the original lineup of M.F.S.B. recorded, the album would be released in June 1976. By then, many of the original lineup of M.F.S.B. would’ve signed for Salsoul Records and become The Salsoul Orchestra. Would their last hurrah for Philadelphia International Records, Philadelphia Freedom prove to be a commercial success?
Before Philadelphia Freedom was released in June 1976, The Zip was released as a single in 1975. It reached number ninety-one in the US Billboard 100, number seventy-two in the US R&B Charts and number three in the US Disco Singles charts. Get Down With the Philly Sound was then released as a single, reaching number ten in the US Disco Singles charts and number eleven in the US Club Play Singles charts. Ferry Avenue then reached number five in the US Disco Singles charts. When Philadelphia Freedom was released in June 1976, it reached number thirty-nine in the US Billboard 200, number fourteen in the US R&B Charts. The original lineup of M.F.S.B.’s album for Philadelphia International Records, Philadelphia Freedom had had a resounding success. From their new home in New York, where they were now The Salsoul Orchestra, the former members of M.F.S.B. must have smiled with satisfaction. Even more satisfying was the success The Salsoul Orchestra was now enjoying. However, why was Philadelphia Freedom such a success? That’s what I’ll now tell you when, I tell you about the music on Philadelphia Freedom.
Opening Philadelphia Freedom is Zac’s Fanfare No 2, where a roll of Earl Young’s drums, bursts of blazing horns and dramatically and enthusiastically, a musical equivalent of a fairground barker announces “ladies and gentlemen Gamble and Huff proudly present M.F.S.B.” With that the horn and rhythm section build and build the drama, leaving you anticipating the ten tracks still to come.
Straight away, M.F.S.B. set the bar high with Get Down With The Philly Sound, written, arranged and produced by M.F.S.B. guitarist Roland Chambers. Here you get the chance to witness M.F.S.B. in full flight. It’s a joy to behold. With the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section providing the track’s heartbeat, searing funky guitar, growling, braying horns and percussion combine. While Zach Zachary lays down a peerless, scintillating alto-saxophone solo, Earl Young’s pounding drums drive the track along, while Ron Baker’s bass matches him note for note. They play their part in the track big, bold and hugely impressive sound, fusing elements of soul, funk and jazz with a disco beat. So impressive are M.F.S.B. in full flow, you wonder why Gamble and Huff allowed such talented musicians to walk away from Philadelphia International Records?
Philadelphia Freedom was written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin and was a hit for Elton John in 1975. It was recorded in Philly with members of M.F.S.B. playing on the track. Here, M.F.S.B. reinterpret the track, with Gamble and Huff producing it and Dexter Wansel arranging the track. Flourishes of sweeping, swirling strings, the rhythm section and rasping horns combine. While Zach Zachary lays down a subtle alto-saxophone solo, Norman Harris’ guitar chimes, while backing vocalists including the Sweethearts of Sigma’s harmonies drift in and out. While the alto-saxophone is central to the track’s sound and success, Baker, Harris, Young produce a funky, backdrop. Later, Norman Harris takes centre-stage, adding a jazz-tinged solo accompanied by beautiful harmonies from the Sweethearts of Sigma. This is just the finishing touch to the track, which brings new life and meaning to track, adding soul and a disco beat.
South Philly was penned and produced by Gamble and Huff and arranged by Tony Bell. It’s a slower track, with a beautiful wistful sound. Again, the Zach Zachary’s tender, emotive alto-saxophone solo is accompanied by the lushest of strings, melodic keyboards and beautiful harmonies from the Sweethearts of Sigma. As the track progresses, M.F.S.B. kick loose, the mass of horns and strings play a bigger role in track, while the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section produce the track’s melancholy, heartbeat. Although very different from the previous tracks, it’s a very beautiful track, one with a wistful, thoughtful sound.
Often, I think McFadden and Whitehead don’t get the credit they deserve for their part in the Philadelphia International Records’ success story. The cowrote Ferry Avenue with Leon Huff. There’s another change in style, with the track taking as its reference points, jazz and soul. Keyboards, rasping horns and lush strings, while the rhythm section drive the track along. Zach Zachary’s alto-saxophone is key to the sound, while flourishes of piano, punchy horns and the lushest of sweeping string combine. The result is a track that’s flamboyant and dramatic, and could’ve only been produced by two men Gamble and Huff, in one city, Philadelphia with one band…M.F.S.B.
For just under a minute, Interlude sees M.F.S.B. enter a time-machine and are transported back in time, becoming an old style big band. They carry this of with aplomb and ease, as comfortable playing as a big band, as they are playing soul, funk or disco.
When Your Love Is Gone is one of two tracks Dexter Wansel wrote, arranged and produced. From the opening bars, it could only have been Dexter that wrote, arranged and produced the track. It has his name written large all over it. The reason for this is the synths that open the track, and are used throughout the track. However, Dexter uses them well and they work within the arrangement. A pounding rhythm section, percussion, blazing horns and cascading strings accompany his banks of synths. This results in what’s best describes as a space-age funky sound. Dexter uses them to build and add to the drama of the track.
Morning Tears is the second of the Dexter Wansel tracks. Again, he wrote, arranged and produced the track. This is very different, and a much better track. He sacrifices the synths, allowing Zach Zachary’s alto-saxophone to sit centre-stage while swathes of lush strings envelop his saxophone. The Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section fuse soul and funk, while keyboards, bursts of rasping horns and flourishes of strings combine. After Zach Zachary takes the track in the direction of jazz, the rest of M.F.S.B. take charge of the track, as they fuse soul, funk and jazz. When Zach reenters, he and M.F.S.B. drive this epic track along to its impressive and dramatic crescendo.
When Brothers And Sisters begins, straight away, you can tell this is a Bobby Martin arrangement and production. Bobby was a hugely talented arranger and producer, who later, would forge a successful production career, working with groups like L.T.D. Keyboards, the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section and percussion combine before dancing strings and growling horns enter. They’re joined by the Sweethearts of Sigma who add punchy harmonies. As their harmonies drop out, M.F.S.B. kick loose, with strings sweeping and swirling, while horns rasp and blaze. Providing the track’s pulsating heartbeat are Earl Young’s drums, Ron Baker’s bass and Norman Harris’ chiming guitar. By now, M.F.S.B. with a little help from the Sweethearts of Sigma are in full flow, spreading hooks and joy in equal measures.
Ron Baker’s moody, broody bas is joined by an acoustic guitar and percussion as Smile Happy begins to share its secrets. Keyboards and rasping horns are then joined by lush strings as a thoughtful, melancholy sounding track reveals its hidden charms and inner beauty. It’s a gradual process, one that can’t be rushed and must be savored. Jack Faith, another of Philadelphia International Records best arrangers, arranged and produced the track, and does a masterful job. The result a thoughtful, melancholy and sometimes moody sounding soundscape, where drama and beauty are also present.
Closing Philadelphia Freedom are The Zip written by Gamble and Huff, who produced the track with Jack Faith. Bursts of blazing horns, sweeping swirling and shimmering strings are combined with a funky, driving Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section. The Sweethearts of Sigma add tight sweet and soulful harmonies. Chiming guitars, pounding drums, quivering cascading strings and growling horns combine with flourishes of flamboyant piano as M.F.S.B. end Philadelphia Freedom on a funky and soulful high, before waving goodbye to Philadelphia International Records and saying hello Salsoul. What a way to go.
The original and best lineup of M.F.S.B.’s final hurrah for Philadelphia International Records Philadelphia Freedom saw them leaving on a majestic, musical high. During the eleven tracks that comprise Philadelphia Freedom, M.F.S.B are in full flight, fusing funk, soul, jazz and disco seamlessly. They never missed a beat during the eleven tracks, with the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section providing Philadelphia Freedom’s heartbeat. Along with musicians of the standard of guitarist Bobby “Electronic” Eli, keyboard player Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey, percussionist Larry Washington, vibes virtuoso Vince Montana Jr. vibes and violinist Don Renaldo M.F.S.B. demonstrated just why they were the greatest house-band of the seventies. By the time Philadelphia Freedom was released in June 1976, many of the original lineup of M.F.S.B. had left Philadelphia International Records after a dispute with Gamble and Huff over money. Their destination was New York and Salsoul Records, where they became The Salsoul Orchestra, and went on to releases numerous albums as The Salsoul Orchestra, while accompanying Loleatta Holloway, First Choice, Double Exposure and many more. These musicians went on to make Salsoul the greatest label in disco’s era. They played their part of the success story of two of the greatest labels in music, Philadelphia International Records and Salsoul Records. When M.F.S.B. released their next album Summertime, it was a very different lineup of M.F.S.B. Although M.F.S.B. Mk 2 went on to release further albums and accompany the label’s roster of artists, the original lineup of M.F.S.B. was the best and most successful, releasing classic albums like Love Is the Message, M.F.S.B. and Philadelphia Freedom, where you’ll hear M.F.S.B. in full flight, a sound that truly, is a majestic experience and a joy to behold. Standout Tracks: Get Down With The Philly Sound, South Philly, Ferry Avenue and Brothers And Sisters.
M.F.S.B.-PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM.
SAM RECORDS EXTENDED PLAY-MIXED BY JACQUES RENAULT.
SAM RECORDS EXTENDED PLAY-MIXED BY JACQUES RENAULT.
Sometimes, I wonder whether the music industry sets out to take advantage of loyal fans. Too often, the same albums are constantly rereleased, usually under the premise of remastering the album or celebrating the twentieth or thirtieth anniversary of its release. Come Christmas, Greatest Hits and Best of compilations are churned out. Even if the nearest the artist or band has come to a hit is number thirty in the US AOR charts in 1976, record companies feel the need to celebrate this and unfortunately, share this with us…at a price. Then there’s compilations, which I always categorize as the good, the bad and the ugly. Now I enjoy compilations, and often, have discovered some fantastic music on compilations. However, sometimes, the same music can be found the same compilations, albeit with different titles and on different labels. This can be really frustrating, especially if you did what I what I did recently. I’d been looking at the forthcoming releases, seeing whether there was anything interesting being released. It was then that I came across an album that looked interesting. The details were sketchy, there was neither a track listing, nor even photo of the album cover. All it said was SAM Records Extended Play. So I did some digging about and came across an album of the same name released a few years ago. Maybe it was a reissue of that compilation? As I didn’t have a copy, I took a chance and bought it. You can imagine my horror this morning when I discovered that this compilation was one that had recently been released earlier this month on a different label. What I’d bought was SAM Records Extended Play-Mixed By Jacques Renault, released by Nervous Records. Unfortunately, this was the same mix that featured on Disc Two of Mixology-SAM Records Extended Play.
Mixology-SAM Records Extended Play, was the second instalment in Harmless’ excellent Mixology series, which was released on 20th August 2012. It’s a double album, with Disc One featuring eleven reedits and remixes, plus another two on Disc Two and a thirteen-track mix by Jacques Renault, the same mix that features on Disc Two of Mixology-SAM Records Extended Play. Now I wasn’t best pleased about this and if I’d seen the track listing before I bought the album, I’d have realized it was the same album. Looking at SAM Records Extended Play-Mixed By Jacques Renault, it has been released by Nervous Records, a US label. Even the photo of Jacques on both albums is the same. Now this is the first time I’ve come across two labels releasing the same albums, or at least part of the same release a week apart. Having bought SAM Records Extended Play-Mixed By Jacques Renault, I thought I might as well review the album, just to ensure this is indeed the same mix? Given the track listing on SAM Records Extended Play-Mixed By Jacques Renault is the exact same as on Mixology-SAM Records Extended Play-Mixed By Jacques Renault, I was pretty sure that this was the same mix. Was that the case? That’s what I’ll find out by telling you about the highlights of SAM Records Extended Play-Mixed By Jacques Renault.
The track that opens SAM Records Extended Play-Mixed By Jacques Renault, is one of SAM Records’ biggest hits, Vicki D’s This Beat Is Mine. Released in 1981, this gave Vicki D a worldwide hit. Pounding drums, percussion and whispered vocals combine as the track starts to reveal its secrets and surprises. A mixture of yelps, handclaps, rhythm section and keyboards combine before Vicki unleashes a sassy, vampish vocal. Sometimes, her vocal is swathed in echo, while the rhythm section add funk and keyboards give the track its boogie sound. For nearly eight minutes, Vicki D’s vocal is at the heart of the track’s success, as producers Gary R. Turnier and Andre Booth fuse funk, disco and boogie. In doing so, they create a track that’s dramatic and catchy, classic dance track.
One of SAM Records’ biggest acts in the label’s early days were John Davis and The Monster Orchestra. They released Up Jumped the Devil in 1977. The version chosen is the 6th Borough Project’s Jumped Up Jam, where the track’s extended to nearly nine minutes. The Monster Orchestra featured M.F.S.B.’s Bobby Eli, percussionist Larry Washington and Don Renaldo’s Strings and Horns, plus the Sweethearts of Sigma backing vocalists. Percussion, rhythm section and guitars combine, before John’s dramatic vocal enters. Not only do the Sweethearts of Sigma add punchy, soulful backing vocals, but share the lead vocal. Later, Don Renaldo’s Strings and Horns play an important part in the track’s bold, dramatic sound. Strings sweep and swirl, while horns rasp and growl. With percussion, pounding rhythm section and a proliferation of percussion combining, one of the highlights of the compilation reveals its drama and majestic sound.
Gary’s Gang released their most successful single Keep On Dancing in 1979. The version chosen is Todd Terje’s Remix. Pounding drums, percussion and swathes of keyboards are combined as the introduction is extended. Todd Terje teases and tantalizes, unleashing a seemingly never ending groove that has you spellbound. You’re swept along atop layer upon layer of keyboards and synths, while a pulsating, punchy beat ushers in the vocal. Even the vocal is used to tease the listener. The same line is repeated, becoming part of the track’s hypnotic and timeless sound, which now includes bursts of whistles, synths and a myriad of percussion. Here, Todd Terje gives the track a complete makeover. However, he had a good starting point with the original track. The result of his remix is a track that has an uplifting, joyous and contemporary sound. It’s hard to believe it’s over thirty years old.
Convertion’s only release for SAM Records was Let’s Do It, released in 1980. From Convertion, the Universal Robot Band and Logg were born. Produced by Greg Carmichael, the track features Leroy Burgess’ lead vocal and virtuoso keyboard skills. His vocal is almost rapped, while his keyboards are central the track’s sound and success. Percussion, rhythm section and then backing vocalists sweep in. They add tight, soulful harmonies, before the keyboards, percussion and rhythm section head for a prolonged breakdown, where delay adds to the drama of the track. During this innovative, percussive heavy track, the keyboards have an Italian Piano House sound. Sam Weiss’ failure to agree a longer deal for Convertion would prove costly. They signed to Salsoul, becoming Logg, who’d enjoy much more commercial success on disco’s premier label…Salsoul.
K.I.D. released Don’t Stop in 1981. The version chosen is the Runaway Remix. From the opening bars, you can hear how dance music had changed since 1979, and the Disco Suck’s backlash. Gone are the lush strings of disco, with a much more electronic sound replacing it. Keyboards, synths and crunchy beats combine, while punchy backing vocals and an almost haunting, sinister vocal soars above the arrangement. Marauding drums and stabs of synths replace the vocal, before it reenters, displaying a different type of soulfulness. Although many people would criticize tracks like this as soulless, to me that isn’t case. Instead the track has a compelling, hypnotic and electronic soulfulness, which thirty-one years later, has aged well.
Mike and Brenda Sutton were originally signed to Motown, but would release three singles for SAM Records. Don’t Let Go of Me (Grip My Hips and Move Me) was their biggest single. Clinton Houlker’s edit of the track features here, and transforms the track with a 21st Century edit. Although I’m far from a fan of edits, I like this one. Pounding drums, squelchy synths and crashing, flying cymbals are combined before the vocal is unleashed. Bursts of the punchy, dramatic vocal are added, as the drama builds. Swathes of synths cascade, as drums crack and pound, testing the tolerance of your speakers. The vocal is a mixture of sass, drama and power. Clinton repeats parts of the vocal, using it to tease the listener mercilessly. He then deploys filters to add to the drama. Having locked into a groove, Clinton exploits it fully and quite masterfully, resulting in new life and meaning being brought into an old track.
It’s as if the best track on SAM Records Extended Play-Mixed By Jacques Renault has been kept until last. John Davis and The Monster Orchestra’s version of the Ashford and Simpson classic Bourgie, Bourgie. This one of the real classics from the SAM Records’ back-catalogue and is one of three tracks from John Davis and The Monster Orchestra. The Catz and Dogz Remix is very different from the original. It’s as if the remixers throw a series of never-ending series of curveballs. They’ve deconstructed, then reconstructed the original, resulting in a spacious, dramatic track, where snippets of the track are unleashed. Bursts of the rhythm section, vocals, percussion and keyboards escape from the arrangement, allowing you to hear snapshots of the original. Then crunchy drums, echoey keyboards and bewitching vocals join the mix. They play their part in what’s best described as an atmospheric, alluring ambient exploration of the original, with elements of broken beat added for good measure. Although described as a remix, so different from the original, it’s more like a reproduction, and something new and quite leftfield.
Having wondered whether SAM Records Extended Play-Mixed By Jacques Renault released by Nervous Records and Harmless Records Mixology series Mixology-SAM Records Extended Play are identical musical twins, who were separated at birth, that sadly, seems to be the case. Much as I really enjoyed SAM Records Extended Play-Mixed By Jacques Renault, that this is the case, is something of a disappointment. Having said that, Jacques a hugely talented DJ, whose mixing is smooth and seamless. Jacques Renault lays down a seamless, peerless mix of the thirteen tracks. Her mixing is smooth, never missing a beat and seamlessly weaving the thirteen tracks into a majestic musical tapestry. The thirteen tracks she mixes are innovative, creative and inventive. Now this is indeed high praise from me, as I’m someone whose not a fan of reedits and sometimes, not overly impressed for what now passes for remixes. Why I hear you ask?
Reedits and remixes, can bring a new twist and new life to familiar and classic tracks. However, reedits aren’t something that I’m a huge fan of. They can be very much a hit and miss affair. Sadly, every wannabe DJ wants to reedit tracks and is being encouraged to do so. Usually, these reedits are just cut and paste jobs, with effects and filters added. Even supposedly experienced DJs who think reedits are a shortcut to doing remixes, lack the required creativity and talent. Why these poor deluded fools even decide to upload their remixes is beyond me? They should have their copies of Soundforge confiscated and made to sit on the naughty step for miscreant DJ whose egos outweighs their talents. So, as someone whose heard way too many third rate reedits, and often thinks of reedits as a poor man’s remix, I can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed the reedits on SAM Records Extended Play. They were innovative, creative and inventive, breathing new life and meaning to much loved tracks.
Similarly, the remixes are innovative, creative and inventive, none more so than Todd Terje’s remix of Gary’s Gang Keep On Dancing and the Runaway Remix of K.I.D’s Don’t Stop. One of the most compelling and imaginative remixes is The Catz and Dogz Remix of John Davis and The Monster Orchestra’s Bourgie, Bourgie. During the track, it’s impossible to second-guess where the remixers are taking the track. You certainly weren’t expecting what Catz and Dogz come up with. You’re taken an a fascinating journey, where surprises aplenty are in-store.
So having told you about SAM Records Extended Play-Mixed By Jacques Renault, and having previously told you about Mixology-SAM Records Extended Play, my advice is buy Mixology-SAM Records Extended Play, as it’s a double-album featuring the thirteen tracks and Jacques Renault’s seamless mix. Just don’t make my mistake and end up with two copies of Jacques Renault’s mix. Whether you buy Mixology-SAM Records Extended Play or SAM Records Extended Play-Mixed By Jacques Renault, it’s an opportunity to revisit and rediscover one of the most important, influential and innovative labels in the long and illustrious history of dance music. Standout Tracks: John Davis and The Monster Orchestra’s Jumped the Devil, Gary’s Gang Keep On Dancing, Convertion’s Let’s Do It and K.I.D’s Don’t Stop.
SAM RECORDS EXTENDED PLAY-MIXED BY JACQUES RENAULT.
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JACKIE MOORE-WITH YOUR LOVE.
JACKIE MOORE-WITH YOUR LOVE.
It was during the recording sessions for Jackie Moore’s 1973 album Sweet Charlie Babe that Jackie first met Philly guitarist and producer Bobby Eli. In 1973, Bobby was a member of M.F.S.B., Philadelphia International Records’ legendary house band. Two years later, after a dispute over money, Bobby Eli and other members of M.F.S.B. Bobby Eli left Philadelphia International Records in 1975, The Salsoul Orchestra. This saw Bobby Eli become a member of two of the greatest house-bands in musical history. By 1978, when Jackie Moore signed to Columbia, Bobby Eli had forged a successful career as a producer. Among the groups Bobby had produced were Blue Magic, Major Harris and Brenda and The Tabulations. So, it was no surprise that Jackie specified that Bobby Eli produced her Columbia debut, I’m On My Way. While I’m On My Way reached number forty-five in the US R&B Charts in 1979, it featured This Time Baby, which gave Jackie Moore a number one single in the Club Play Charts. Since then, This Time Baby has become a stonewall disco classic, and become synonymous with Jackie Moore. A year later, in 1980, Jackie Moore would release her second album for Columbia, With Your Love. Again, Bobby Eli produced the album, but since I’m On My Way was released, the musical landscape had changed drastically. Disco was no longer as popular. Suddenly, disco sucked and disco artists were something of a hot potato. How would this affect Jackie Moore’s fourth album and second album for Columbia With Your Love?
For Jackie’s post-disco album, eight tracks were chosen. Producer Bobby Eli cowrote four of the tracks, three with Jeffrey Prusan. Bobby also cowrote Love Won’t Let Me Wait with Vinnie Barrett, which saw Jackie sing a duet with Winifred “Blue” Lovett of The Manhattans. Of the other tracks, Holland, Dozier, Holland cowrote Helpless, William Neal and Diane Bernstein penned Just To Be With You (I Would Be In Heaven) and Brad Shapiro and Wilson Pickett Jr. contributed Don’t Know My Love. These tracks would be recorded at the Sigma Sound Studios in New York and Philadelphia, along with some of Philly’s most talented musicians.
Joining Jackie Moore and producer Bobby Eli were some of Philly’s greatest musicians. This includes guitarists Dennis Harris, T.J. Tindall, drummer Keith Benson and bassist Jimmy Williams. Then there was Lenny Pakula and Cotton Kent on keyboards, percussionist Larry Washington and Don Renaldo and The Philadelphia Horns and Strings. Adding backing vocals were the legendary Sweethearts of Sigma, Barbara Ingram, Evette Benton and Carla Benson.These musicians and backing vocalists recorded the eight tracks at Sigma Sound Studios in New York and Philadelphia. Once the eight tracks that comprise With Your Love were recorded, the album was released in 1980.
On the release of Jackie Moore’s second album for Columbia, With Your Love in 1980, the album failed to match the success of I’m On My Way. Nor did the singles match the success of This Time Baby. Sadly, this lead to Jackie Moore being dropped by Columbia. This wasn’t unusual for the time. Whereas previously, labels would’ve given an artist another chance to redeem themselves, not now, not since disco’s demise. Similarly, soul and funk wass decreasing popularity, labels were dropping disco, soul and funk artists whose music wasn’t selling in the same quantities as before. Jackie Moore sadly, was a victim of the times. However, if With Your Love had been released a couple of years earlier, would it have been a commercial success? That’s what I’ll tell, after I’ve told you about the music on With Your Love.
Opening With Your Love is Helpless penned by Holland, Dozier and Holland. It’s an uptempo dance track that literally bursts into life. The rhythm section, guitars and percussion drive the arrangement along, while Don Renaldo and The Philadelphia Horns and Strings are at the heart of the track’s sound. Jackie’s vocal is a mixture of power and emotion, while the Sweethearts of Sigma accompany her. Strings sweep and swirl, while horns rasp as Jackie’s vocal is soulful, reminiscent of a late sixties, early seventies sound. Key to the track’s sound and success is the interplay between Jackie and the soaring, Sweethearts of Sigma. Holland, Dozier and Holland’s name is written all over this hook-laden track, while Bobby Eli’s production is a mixture of emotion and drama.
As Just To Be With You (I Would Be In Heaven) begins, straight away, Jackie has your attention. Her powerful, voice soars high above Bobby Eli’s arrangement, while tight dramatic and soulful Sweethearts of Sigma augment her vocal. The punchy, funky rhythm section, keyboards, lush cascading strings and bursts of blazing horns accompany Jackie as she delivers an impassioned, diva-seque vocal. She strides through the track, delivering one of her best vocals on With Your Love, with the Sweethearts of Sigma playing an important part in the track’s sound. Bobby Eli’s multi-talented band also play a crucial part in the track’s success, especially Don Renaldo and The Philadelphia Horns and Strings, plus the rhythm section of drummer Keith Benson, Jimmy Williams and Dennis Harris provide the track’s heartbeat. Their contribution plus Jackie Moore’s diva-esque performance make this one of the album’s highlights.
On Love Won’t Let Me Wait, Winifred “Blue” Lovett The Manhattans’ join Jackie on a track written by Bobbie Eli and Vinnie Barrett. Woodwind, Larry Washington’s percussion, Lenny Pakula’s keyboards and sensual saxophone solo gives way to Winifred’s deep, sultry vocal. Then Jackie’s heartfelt, needy vocal enters with the Sweethearts of Sigma reflecting the heartache and desire in her vocal. Meanwhile, Bobby Eli’s arrangement perfectly compliments Jackie’s vocal. He keeps the tempo slow, combining lush strings, keyboards, a thoughtful rhythm section and the Sweethearts of Sigma. His coup de grace is a beautiful saxophone solo that adds to the emotion, beauty and heartache of the track.
Walk Away From Love is the first of a trio of tracks which Bobby Eli and Jeffrey Prusan cowrote. It’s another uptempo dance track, which occasionally sounds like a close relation of This Time Baby. After that, you’re swept away above lush sweeping, swirling strings, while a pounding rhythm section and rasping horns combine with Jackie’s sassy, confident vocal. The Sweethearts of Sigma add some of their best harmonies. They’re tight, punchy and soar above the arrangement, in time with the strings. Jackie and the whole band seem to raise their game and this results in a glorious sounding track, one that if it had been released a couple of years earlier, would’ve filled many a dance-floor.
Take A Stand is another of the Bobby Eli and Jeffrey Prusan penned tracks. Jimmy Williams funky bass opens the track, before a myriad of cascading strings, funky rhythm section and growling horns combine with Jackie’s powerful, feisty vocal. The Sweethearts of Sigma tight harmonies sweep in, while the pounding rhythm section provides the track’s funky heartbeat. As Jackie’s vocal is carried along amidst the strings, backing vocals and rasping horns, she delivers a powerful, swaggering vocal that’s brimming with confidence. Bobby Eli’s arrangement sees him fuse Philly Soul with elements of disco and funk, and in doing so, provide the perfect backdrop for Jackie Moore’s swaggering vocal.
The tempo drops on the title-track With Your Love, the last of the trio of Bobby Eli and Jeffrey Prusan compositions. It allows Jackie to return to her soulful roots, and demonstrate just how good she is at delivering a ballads. With a piano, slow rhythm section, weeping guitars and the Sweethearts of Sigma accompanying Jackie’s tender, heartfelt vocal. Her vocal is full of regret and resignation, while strings flourishes of harp add to the emotion and bursts of electric guitars add drama. While this is quite different to the other tracks on With Your Love, it demonstrates another side of Jackie Moore, where she breathes life meaning and emotion into a track.
Don’t Knock My Love sees a return to the uptempo style of music that prevalent on the first six tracks. Bobby Eli’s band kick loose. The rhythm section and guitars drive the track along, while Don Renaldo and The Philadelphia Horns and Strings, and Larry Washington’s percussion combine. Strings dance, quivering and shimmering, while horns rasp and blaze. Jackie struts her way through the track, like a disc diva, while the Sweethearts of Sigma surpass themselves. Their harmonies are tight, dramatic and punch, soaring soulfully above the arrangement, the perfect accompaniment for Jackie. Sometimes, they almost steal the show, as horns rasp and strings swirl. So good is this track, that it’s almost worth buying With Your Love to hear it. It would’ve been the perfect track to close the album. After all, it’s better to leave an audience wanting more?
Closing With Your Love is a medley of two tracks You Needed Me and I Honestly Love You. After the last blistering track, this descent into AOR is somewhat unexpected. However, with the rhythm section playing slowly, while lush strings and gospel tinged backing vocals from the Sweethearts of Sigma Jackie delivers a heartfelt vocal full of emotion and sincerity. As the track progresses, Bobby Eli builds the drama. He uses the rhythm section, weeping guitars, lush strings and keyboards to do so. Jackie puts her heart and soul into the track, delivering it with a mixture of power, emotion and drama, ably assisted by the Sweethearts of Sigma. This results in a quite beautiful and emotional way to end With Your Love.
Jackie Moore’s second and final album for Columbia With Your Love is one of these albums that had the misfortune to be released at the wrong time. Released in 1980, a year after the Disco Sucks backlash, With Your Love was released to an apathetic audience for disco, soul and funk albums. That meant that this hidden gem of an album failed to find the audience it deserved. While her previous album, 1979s I’m On My Way had been a commercial success reaching number forty-five in the US R&B Charts in 1979, and featured This Time Baby, which gave Jackie Moore a number one single in the Club Play Charts, With Your Love failed commercially. Given the quality of Bobby Eli’s production, plus the performance from his multi-talented band and legendary backing vocalists the Sweethearts of Sigma, With Your Love deserved to be a commercial success. Sadly, all too often, quality music isn’t a commercial success, for many different reasons. After this, Jackie Moore was dropped by Columbia, and since then has continued to perform regularly. In the thirty-two years since With Your Love’s release, its charms, subtleties and hook-laden sound has gradually found a wider audience.
For anyone whose looking to discover With Your Love, a word of warning. With Your Love is available on CD, but the sound quality isn’t the best. Listen carefully, and you can hear crackle and hiss on several tracks. This makes me surmise that rather than the original master tapes being used, this CD was mastered from vinyl. So, if like me you’re something of an audiophile, this CD isn’t for you. Best just look out for a good quality vinyl copy. All too often, I’m coming across reissue record companies who aren’t using the original master tapes. This was a practice I thought was gradually disappearing. Sadly, this isn’t the case. So, for anyone wanting to hear Jackie Moore’s second and final album for Columbia, take my advice, and look out for a good quality vinyl copy of I’m On My Way. Then you can revel in the Philly drenched sound of Jackie Moore on the eight tracks of With Your Love. Standout Tracks: As Just To Be With You (I Would Be In Heaven), Walk Away From Love, Take A Stand and Don’t Knock My Love.
JACKIE MOORE-WITH YOUR LOVE.
GO GO GET DOWN-COMPILED BY JOEY NEGRO.
GO GO GET DOWN-COMPILED BY JOEY NEGRO.
Usually, at this time of year, the compilation market is at its most buoyant, with record labels releasing some of their best compilations of the year. This year things have been unusually quiet, with quality compilations being the exception rather than the rule. Apart from a few independent labels, who consistently release quality innovative and interesting compilations, the compilations market is something of a cultural desert. For me, this has been hugely disappointing. Part of the problem is major labels who have access to some fantastic back-catalogues available, seem to ignore compilations, meaning we’re denied access to some music that deserves a wider audience. Instead, major labels prefer to release albums by the “usual suspects.” By the usual suspects, I mean all those washed up sixties and seventies acts whose music seems to be released every other year. Sadly, record labels release this music to a salivating, sniveling mainstream music press, who trot out yet another fawning article about these releases. With major labels ignoring the quality compilation market there missing commercial opportunities. For example, I’ve been looking for a decent Go Go compilation, but never could find one. After the recent death of the Godfather of Go Go, Chuck Brown in May 2012, and a resurgence of interest in Go Go afterwards, I’d have thought there would be a market for a quality Go Go compilation? Sadly, that wasn’t the case. Then a couple of weeks ago, I came across Go Go Get Down-Compiled By Joey Negro, double-album featuring twenty-four tracks. Was my search for a quality go go compilation over? That’s what I’ll tell you, when I tell you about the highlights of Go Go Get Down-Compiled By Joey Negro.
Go Go Get Down-Compiled By Joey Negro is a double album featuring twenty-four tracks. This compilation was compiled by Joey Negro, and was released by ZR Records on 30th July 2012. The compilation features lengthy and detailed sleeve-notes from Sean P, whose an authority on Go Go. Given Sean P has been a collector and connoisseur of Go Go since 1981, he’s well qualified to comment. My only problem with the sleeve-notes were they weren’t in chronological order and the track-listings weren’t particularly detailed. It would’ve been helpful to know what label released each track and when.
Many of the tracks on Go Go Get Down-Compiled By Joey Negro are extremely rare tracks, released on small local labels. They’ve been long-forgotten by all but the most diehard collectors and of course, those who released the tracks. While many of the tracks are little known gems, there’s a track from the Godfather of Go Go, Chuck Brown and The Soul Searchers, Back It On Up. Given his untimely death in May 2012, and that he coined the term Go Go, this is a fitting tribute to a hugely talented musician, who sadly, doesn’t get the credit he deserves. However, there’s much more to Go Go Get Down-Compiled By Joey Negro than just that one track by Chuck Brown and The Soul Searchers, as you’ll realize when I tell you about the music on Go Go Get Down-Compiled By Joey Negro.
DISC ONE.
Disc One of Go Go Get Down-Compiled By Joey Negro has twelve tracks, from artists that include Little Benny and The Masters, Chuck Brown and The Soul Searchers, Donald Banks, Osiris, Familiar Faces, The Backlash and Jackie Boy & Natures Creation. These include tracks from little known artists, released on small regional labels that weren’t huge commercial successes, but found a small loyal following. Since their release, these releases have become extremely collectable and as a result, extremely valuable. Sourcing these tracks has been something of a labor or love for Joey Negro, and to save fans of Go Go the time and expense of finding these tracks, has collected them on Disc One of Go Go Get Down-Compiled By Joey Negro. However, what will be the highlights of Disc One of Go Go Get Down-Compiled By Joey Negro?
Little Benny & The Masters released Who Comes To Boogie in 1985 on the Jem-Rose label. When the track reached number thirty-five in the US R&B Charts in February 1985, Elektra picked the track up. With a new remix, the tracks was released nationwide. Who Comes To Boogie is the perfect track to open the compilation, with punchy, growling horns, a pounding rhythm section and percussion accompanying Anthony “Little Benny” Harley’s rapped vocal. Bursts of synths and tight, sweeping backing vocalists accompany the vocal, while some glorious horns and a punchy rhythm section are at the heart of the track’s sound and success. They play their part in making this one of the real highlights of Go Go Get Down-Compiled By Joey Negro, by a long chalk.
It would almost be remiss of me not to mention Chuck Brown and The Soul Searchers’ Back It Up, released in 1982 on the Featherbed label. Chuck later recorded the tracks Sho’ Yuh Right (Back-It On Up) in 1985. For anyone wanting to hear the Godfather of Go Go Chuck Brown, then this tough, tantalizing funky track is a good place to start. With The Soul Searchers producing a uber-funky backdrop, Chuck is like a joyous cheerleader, driving the track along. His vocal style is reminiscent of James Brown, the Godfather of Funk. Meanwhile swathes of synths and handclaps accompany the funky-laden rhythm section, percussion and blazing horns. Backing vocalists respond to Chuck’s call, as the James Brown influence increases. While both men were Godfathers of their chosen genres, they both released some gloriously funky music..and then some.
Rare Essence released Body Moves, their debut single in 1981 on Groove Records. The tracks was produced by none other than Chuck Brown and recorded at Philadelphia’s Sigma Sound Studios, where all the Gamble and Huff, Thom Bell and Salsoul albums were recorded. Drums pound while percussion, crashing cymbals and synths combine. Slowly, the track reveals its secrets, when synths and a pulsating bass line join the mix. The vocal is delivered urgently, as elements of seventies soul and funk is combined witg early eighties synth and rap. There’s everything you could want on a Go Go track and more. Rasping horns, handclaps, a tight, funky rhythm section, keyboards and of course the vocal. They all play their part in making this an irresistible sounding track.
Jackie Boy and Natures Creation Dab Wet’s This Groove Is Made For Funkin’ is my final choice from Disc One. This near nine-minute epic was hidden away on the B-side of Freak Unique, a single they released on Washington’s Capitol Hill Records. Joey Negro deserves credit for unearthing this gem of a track. It’s a track that represents everything that’s good about Go Go. Just synths and the rhythm section that accompany the bravado-laden introduction. Bursts of growling horns and backing vocalists accompany Jackie Boy’s sassy vocal. This track demonstrates how to use synths successfully in a track like this. They’re key to the sound, along with frenzied horns, backing vocals and of course Jackie Boy’s vampish vocal. For nearly nine majestic minutes, you’re transported back to early eighties Washington, when Go Go was King.
Although I’ve only mentioned four of the tracks from Disc One of Go Go Get Down-Compiled By Joey Negro, there’s much more to Disc One than four tracks. Tracks like Donald Banks’ Status Quo, Expression’s Release Disco, Static Disruptors’ DC Groove and Am-FM’s You Are The One deserve mentioning. Each of these tracks are good examples of Go Go in its various guises. When you hear some of the tracks on Go Go Get Down-Compiled By Joey Negro, you wonder why they never found a much wider audience? Two tracks in particular, Chuck Brown and The Soul Searchers’ Back It Up and Jackie Boy and Natures Creation Dab Wet’s This Groove Is Made For Funkin’ prove this point. Considerin Jackie Boy and Natures Creation Dab Wet’s This Groove Is Made For Funkin’ was only a B-side, you wonder what the A-side was like, given how good the B-side is? Only two tracks on Disc One disappointed, EU’s Rock Yer Butt and Osris’ War (On The Bull Shit). To me, they lacked the quality of the other tracks on Disc One. However, most of the music on Disc One of Go Go Get Down-Compiled By Joey Negro are good examples of Go Go, will that be the case on Disc Two?
DISC TWO.
On Disc Two of Go Go Get Down-Compiled By Joey Negro there are another twelve tracks unearthed by Joey. This includes tracks from Davis Pinckney Project, Trouble Funk, Code Red, Class Band, The Soul Searchers, CJ’s Uptown Crew and Jim Bennett & His Bumpin’ Crew. My only quibble about Disc Two is the inclusion of two more tracks from EU. Surely given how many other artists could’ve been included, and whose music have found a wider audience, was it really necessary to include three tracks from the same artist? Like the twelve tracks on Disc One, many of these tracks are really rare and would cost you a King’s fortune to buy, even it was possible to find them. Having said that these tracks are rare, sometimes, rarity doesn’t equate to quality. So, will rarity equate to quality on Disc Two of Go Go Get Down-Compiled By Joey Negro?
Trouble Funk were a Washington Go Go group who released four studio albums during the eighties. They’re one of the most successful groups on the compilation, who built up a loyal following in both the US and UK. Get Down With Your Get Down is the perfect introduction to their music. The track has a tough, funky sound thanks to the rhythm section, swathes of eighties synths and percussion. Like other tracks, the vocal is delivered in an aggressive, rapped style. This contrasts with the melodic, hugely funky backdrop from what are a talented group of musicians. You only need to listen to the track once to realize that, especially Trouble Funk’s rhythm section and guitars. As a result, this is one of the highlights of Disc Two and a perfect example of Washington Go Go.
Anyone who likes Cameo, especially their early music will be drawn to Code Red’s Virginia Gone Go-Go. If you think of Cameo’s 1978 hit Insane, then you get the picture. The track literally bursts into life, with a myriad of percussion, keyboards, and growling horns combining, with punchy backing vocalists. Straight away, you realize that these are seriously talented musicians, as they combine elements of jazz, funk and soul. Later, you hear one of the best bass lines on the whole compilation, plucked and slapped, and playing a part on my favorite track on Disc Two. This is another of these tracks that makes you wonder why a group as talented as Code Red never made a commercial breakthrough?
CJ’s Uptown Crew reveal a quite different sound on Satisfaction Guaranteed. Their music lacks the aggression of other tracks on Go Go Get Down-Compiled By Joey Negro. Like Code Red, CJ’s Uptown Crew demonstrate a really talented group of musicians, capable of producing a slick, polished fusion of elements of jazz, funk and soul. Blazing horns open the track, while percussion and section rhythm combine with CJ’s vocal. Quickly, a really melodic, hook-laden track unfolds. Key to this are the vocal, punchy horns and rhythm section that provides the track’s heartbeat. It’s quite unlike other tracks on the compilation, and might not suit Go Go purists, but I love this track, so much that it’s six of the best minutes of Go Go Get Down-Compiled By Joey Negro.
The last track I’ve chosen from Disc Two of Go Go Get Down-Compiled By Joey Negro is Bump and Roll (Give Up The Funk) by Jim Bennett and His Bumpin’ Crew. This has a much tougher, edgier sound to tracks like Code Red and CJ’s Uptown Crew. Released in 1987, it’s sound is more for Go Go purists than these two tracks. With its aggressive, rapped vocal, banks of synths and pounding rhythm section, it’s a track that you could only date to the eighties. There’s a hip hop influence to the track, especially with the vocal. I really like the slapped bass line and some of the synths on the track, and they play their part in making this a catchy, memorable track.
While I’ve only mentioned four the twelve tracks on Disc Two of Go Go Get Down-Compiled By Joey Negro, these four tracks demonstrate just how rich and varied Go Go’s history is. Different types of music are referred to as Go Go and the tracks by Trouble Funk, Code Red, CJ’s Uptown Crew and Jim Bennett and His Bumpin’ Crew show the different sides to Go Go. There’s more to Disc Two than a mere four tracks, with several other tracks deserving a mention. This includes The Soul Searchers’ brilliant Boogie Up The Nation and Class Band’s horn driven Welcome To The Go-Go. Like Disc One, a couple of tracks let Disc Two down. Ovation’s Boogie Groove (You Got To Do It) is one of the rarest tracks on Go Get Down Compiled By Joey Negro, but sadly here, rarity doesn’t equate with quality. Sadly, Dr Skunk Funk’s Skunk Funk Go-Go which is the newest track on the compilation disappoints too. Released in 2004, the track sounds like a Go Go tribute act. It just isn’t as good as many of the other tracks and is disappointing way to close Go Go Get Down-Compiled By Joey Negro. My only other quibble was why include two further tracks by EU feature on Disc Two? Apart from this, Disc Two of Go Go Get Down-Compiled By Joey Negro contains an eclectic selection of music, all of which is referred to as Go Go.
Reading the sleeve-notes to Go Go Get Down-Compiled By Joey Negro, this compilation was very much a labor of love for Joey Negro. He deserves credit for showcasing such a wide spectrum of artists who played their part in Go Go’s rich and eclectic history. For too long, Go Go has been an overlooked genre of music, ignored by record companies big and small. Thankfully, Joey Negro’s rectified this with a quality compilation of Go Go, Go Go Get Down-Compiled By Joey Negro. While the definitive Go Go compilation has still to be released, this compilation will suffice until then. Of the twenty-four tracks on Go Go Get Down-Compiled By Joey Negro, I’d say that eighteen of the tracks really work. That’s a pretty good average, and for anyone looking for an introduction to Go Go, then Go Go Get Down-Compiled By Joey Negro is a good place to start and will introduce you to some of Go Go royalty. Standout Tracks: Chuck Brown and The Soul Searchers Back It Up, Rare Essence Body Moves, Code Red Virginia Gone Go-Go and CJ’s Uptown Crew Satisfaction Guaranteed.
GO GO GET DOWN-COMPILED BY JOEY NEGRO.
JERRY BUTLER-NOTHING SAYS I LOVE YOU LIKE I DO.
JERRY BUTLER-NOTHING SAYS I LOVE YOU LIKE I DO.
When Jerry Butler signed to Philadelphia International Records in 1978, it was a homecoming of sorts. Seven years previously, in 1971, Gamble and Huff and Jerry Butler ended what had been a fruitful working relationship. Now seven years later, the three men were older and wiser. Much had changed, and much water had passed under their bridges since then. With Gamble and Huff keen to add to Philadelphia International Records’ roster of artists, and Jerry Butler without a record contract, it seemed the musical gods were sending subtle messages that now, was the time to reconvene their musical partnership. So, Jerry Butler was signed to Philadelphia International Records, work began on his debut album for the label, Nothing Says I Love You Like I Do. Would the reunited Gamble, Huff and Butler’s first collaboration Nothing Says I Love You Like I Do prove a commercial success? After all, music had changed in the intervening seven years.
For Jerry Butler’s first album for Philadelphia International Records, Nothing Says I Love You Like I Do, Gamble and Huff and Jerry Butler cowrote seven of the album’s eight tracks. The other track, I’m Glad To Be Back, saw Jerry collaborate with Philadelphia International arranger Jack Faith and Joseph Jefferson, who’d penned so many of The Detroit Spinners’ biggest hits. These eight tracks would be recorded at Philly’s Sigma Sound Studios, where all of Gamble and Huff’s Philadelphia International Records’ albums were recorded.
At Sigma Sound Studios, Jerry Butler was accompanied by M.F.S.B. This was M.F.S.B. Mk.2, with the many of the original members of M.F.S.B. leaving Philadelphia International in 1975, after a dispute over money. So, M.F.S.B. Mk.2 included a rhythm section of included drummer Quinton Joseph, bassist James Williams and guitarists Roland Chambers, Dennis Harris and Bobby “Electronic” Eli. Percussionist David Cruse was joined by Leon Huff on keyboards and Don Renaldo’s Swinging Strings and Horns. The Sweethearts of Sigma backing vocalists, Carla Benson, Barbara Ingram and Evette Benton would play an important part in Nothing Says I Love You Like I Do’s sound. Arranging the tracks were John L. Usry Jr., who arranged the Gamble, Huff and Butler songs and Jack Faith who arranged and cowrote I’m Glad To Be Back. With the eight tracks on Nothing Says I Love You Like I Do recorded, would Jerry Butler’s collaboration with Gamble and Huff prove to a successful one?
Before the release of Nothing Says I Love You Like I Do in 1978, (I’m Just Thinking About) Cooling Out was released as a single. Although it reached number fourteen in the US R&B Charts, a single of that quality deserved a much higher chart placing. Then when Nothing Says I Love You Like I Do was released, it reached number 160 in the US Billboard 200 and number forty-two in the US R&B Charts. Again, this must have been frustrating for everyone concerned, but none more so for Gamble and Huff and of course, Jerry Butler. When the title-track Nothing Says I Love You Like I Love You was released as a single, it reached a disappointing number eighty-six in the US R&B Charts. While (I’m Just Thinking About) Cooling Out had given Jerry a top twenty US R&B single, Nothing Says I Love You Like I Do deserved to fare much better commercially, given the quality of music on the album, which I’ll now tell you about.
Nothing Says I Love You Like I Do opens with (I’m Just Thinking About) Cooling Out and straight away, you realize why this track was chosen as the lead single. This is the first of the seven tracks Jerry cowrote with Gamble and Huff. A combination of melodic keyboards, pounding rhythm section, guitars and lush cascading strings join rasping horns and tight, punchy backing vocals from the Sweethearts of Sigma. Their joyous soaring vocals give way to Jerry’s emotive, vocal. His vocal grows in power and emotion, while M.F.S.B. combine disco and soul. Strings shimmer and shiver, while bursts of blazing horns and a pounding bass anchors the arrangement. Key to the track are the Sweethearts of Sigma, whose interplay with Jerry is vital to the track’s uplifting, joyous and hook laden sound. It’s a glorious way to open Nothing Says I Love You Like I Do, especially with Leon Huff showboating on keyboards as the track heads towards its dramatic ending.
Let’s Make Love sees Jerry show that when it comes to bedroom ballads, that Teddy Pendergrass wasn’t the only artist on Philadelphia International capable delivering them with aplomb. He goes on to give a sensuous masterclass in bedroom balladry. From the opening bars, when strings quiver, and keyboards and the rhythm section enter, Jerry rolls back the years. Growling horns match the power and passion in Jerry’s needy vocal. Strings sweep and swirl, their lush sound contrasted by the horns and bass line. The finishing touch are the Sweethearts of Sigma, tender, beautiful harmonies. Together with jazz-tinged guitars, flourishes of piano and keyboards, M.F.S.B. mix drama and beauty, providing a suitable backdrop for Jerry’s impassioned, needy vocal.
The tempo drops on Sad Eyes, where Jerry’s delivers a heartfelt, wistful vocal against John L. Usry Jr.’s understated arrangement. A melancholy horn solo is joined by slow, sad strings before congas, keyboards and a subtle rhythm section accompany Jerry’s heartfelt vocal. Bursts of rasping horns punctuate the arrangement, before a beautiful saxophone drifts in and out. All to soon, it’s gone, but Jerry’s emotive, sincere vocal is the perfect replacement as he delivers one of his best vocals on Nothing Says I Love You Like I Do.
Mighty Good People sees a change of style on the track that closes Side One of Nothing Says I Love You Like. It’s an uptempo track, with a punchy, jaunty arrangement. It allows Jerry and M.F.S.B. to kick loose. Jerry’s vocal is stronger, but just as full of feeling and impassioned. He vamps his way through the track, while strings sweep and sweep, horns rasp and the rhythm section provide the track’s pulsating heartbeat. Flourishes of keyboards, punchy horns and cascading strings combine as Jerry gives another vocal masterclass, against a backdrop where Philly Soul and funk unite. Again, the Sweethearts of Sigma play an important part in the track’s sound and success, adding tight, tender and soaring harmonies, that are the perfect foil for Jerry’s power and passion.
I’m Glad To Be Back which seems to perfectly articulate Jerry’s feelings at being reunited with Gamble and Huff on Philadelphia International Records. It’s a jazz-tinged ballad, which sounds quite unlike anything that’s gone before. The reason for this is that Jerry cowrote the track with Jack Faith and Joseph Jefferson. Jack Faith arranges the track, while Jerry’s vocal is quite different. His vocal is slow and full of sincerity. Meanwhile, a pounding bass anchors the track, while M.F.S.B. take the track in the direction of jazz, combining blazing horns, keyboards and the rhythm section, as strings sweep. While this is a quite different sounding track, it shows another side of Jerry “The Iceman” Butler and his music, one I’d liked to have heard more of.
The second singles was the title-track Nothing Says I Love You Like I Love You, which features a pleading, heartfelt vocal from Jerry. With the tempo dropped way down, Leon Huff’s keyboards open the track, before Jerry’s vocal soars, a mixture of emotion and power. Strings sweep in, while drums pound and guitars are joined by the Sweethearts of Sigma. Their vocals are tight, impassioned and heartfelt, and a perfect accompaniment for Jerry’s moving, and soulful vocal. Meanwhile, the arrangement veers between an understated and dramatic sound, as this near seven minute Magnus Opus reveals its secrets, subtleties and not inconsiderable beauty. You only need to listen to this track once to realize it should’ve been a huge hit.
Like several tracks, Dream World opens with Leon Huff’s melodic keyboards, before pounding drums, swathes of lush strings and then Jerry’s tender vocal enters. It doesn’t take long to realize that this is another quality track from the Gamble, Huff and Butler songwriting team. Soon, John L. Usry Jr.’s arrangement grows, as he makes good use of the cascading strings, blazing horns and M.F.S.B.’s rhythm section. As the track progresses, Jerry’s vocal grows in power and passion, demonstrating that in the seven years since Gamble and Huff lasted with Jerry, he’d lost none of his talent to bring a song to life.
Are You Lonely Tonight closes Nothing Says I Love You Like I Love You Like I Do, Jerry Butler’s debut album for Philadelphia International Records. This is another of the album’s bedroom ballads, something Jerry does so well. While keyboards and the rhythm section open the track, swathes of the lushest strings and harmonies from the Sweethearts of Sigma accompany Jerry’s vocal. Their harmonies are crucial to the track’s emotive sound. Meanwhile, Jerry’s vocal is laden with emotion, sadness and regret. Bursts of punchy horns, jazz-tinged guitars, soaring harmonies and dramatic drums combine as the arrangement floats wistfully along, while a heartbroken Jerry delivers a vocal that’s needy and full of loneliness and longing. It’s the perfect track to close Nothing Says I Love You Like I Love You, and leaves you wanting to hear much more of Jerry Butler.
It seems almost unjust and tragic that Jerry Butler’s debut album for Philadelphia International Records’ Nothing Says I Love You Like I Love You Like I Do wasn’t a much bigger success. With music of the quality of the eight tracks on Nothing Says I Love You Like I Love You, that the album only reached number 160 in the US Billboard 200 and number forty-two in the US R&B Charts must have surprised and disappointed everyone involved in the project. Part of the problem was that by 1978, when Nothing Says I Love You Like I Love You Like I Do was released, albums by soul singers like Jerry Butler and Bobby Womack were no longer selling in such huge quantities. Music had changed, with disco now King. Even that would change in summer 1979, when the Disco Sucks movement tried to kill disco. However, given disco’s popularity in 1978, I’d have thought (I’m Just Thinking About) Cooling Out would’ve proved more popular than it did, reaching just number fourteen in the US R&B Charts. As regular readers of this blog will have realized, all too often, some fantastic albums are overlooked when they’re released. They remain hidden gems, known and loved only by a few people. Although Nothing Says I Love You Like I Love You Like I Do charted upon its release, it remains for far too long, an hidden gem in Philadelphia International Records’ back-catalogue, that deserves to be heard by many more people. After Nothing Says I Love You Like I Love You Like I Do, Jerry Butler only released one more album for Philadelphia International Records The Best Love. When it wasn’t a commercial success, Jerry waited until his contract with Philadelphia International Records expired and retired. His decision to retire was music’s loss. Thankfully, the two albums Jerry recorded for Philadelphia International Records, Nothing Says I Love You Like I Love You Like I Do and The Best Love, contain some fantastic music. It seems that although Gamble and Huff and Jerry Butler had spent seven years apart, the second coming of Jerry Butler resulted in Nothing Says I Love You Like I Love You Like I Do, which although not Jerry’s biggest commercial success, contains Jerry Butler at his very best. Standout Tracks: (I’m Just Thinking About) Cooling Out, Sad Eyes, Mighty Good People and Are You Lonely Tonight.
JERRY BUTLER-NOTHING SAYS I LOVE YOU LIKE I DO.
IDRISSA SISSOKO-LOPILOPILO.
IDRISSA SISSOKO-LOPILOPOLO.
There are few people in music that work as hard as Boddhi Satva does, that I can say with a degree of certainty. Not only is he one of the hardest working men in music, but successfully juggles a variety of roles. Boddhi Satva is a DJ, recording artist, producer and owns his own record company Offering Recordings, for which he’s also the A&R man. So far, 2012 has been a busy and successful year for Boddhi Satva. 2012 started with Boddhi releasing Invocation In March, one of the most powerful, moving and beautiful albums of the year. He then followed this up with Invocation Instrumentals, which revealed a quite different and fascinating side to the songs on Invocation. As if 2012 hadn’t been a busy enough year having released two albums, and touring and continuing to DJ extensively, somehow, Boddhi found time to produce Sage Monk’s recent album Heartache Allegory, which was released by Offering Records as a free digital download. Like Invocation and Invocation Instrumentals, Heartache Allegory was an extremely powerful and emotional musical journey, a musical journey that was beautiful, uplifting and inspirational. Another of Boddhi’s roles in that of A&R man for Offering Recordings. It was whilst Boddhi Satva was carrying out this roles that Boddhi discovered Idrissa Sissoko in Mali. Having come across Idrissa Sissoko purely by chance, Idrissa played Boddhi just a few songs. Instantly, Boddhi realized just how talented Idrissa Sissoko is, and before the sun had set, Idrissa had signed his first recording contract. Since then, Idrissa Sissoko has recorded his debut album Lopilopilo, which will be released in September 2012 by Offering Recordings. Before I tell you about the music on Idrissa Sissoko’s debut album Lopilopilo, I’ll tell you about Idrissa Sissoko.
Idrissa Sissoko is a singer and poet, who was born in Kaye, Mali. His musical style has been influenced by the Griot bards. Griot bards much more that master storytellers, they’re hailed as historians, poets and musicians. Griot bards combine wit and satire with their knowledge of politics and history. This tradition in Mali stretches back to the fourteenth century, and can be found in other parts of West Africa. However, when Idrissa was younger, he left Mali, and headed to another part of Africa, Libya, in Northern Africa.
When Idrissa Sissoko arrived in Libya, it was to troubled times. Khaddafi was persecuting musicians, burning musical instruments. As musicians were persecuted, Idrissa had to endure both verbal and physical aggression. After a few years, Idrissa headed home to Mali. It was lucky he decided to do so, because in Mali he met the man who’d give him his first record contract…Boddhi Satva.
Neither Idrissa Sissoko nor Boddhi Satva went looking for each other in Mail. Instead, fate intervened. Boddhi came across Idrissa by chance. Idrissa played Boddhi a few songs and before the sun set that night in Mali, Idrissa Sissoko was had had signed his first recording contract. However, who is Idrissa Sissoko and what does he stand for?
The best way to describe Idrissa Sissoko is a man whose both charismatic and passionate. He uses his music share his vision and observations about Africa in a way that’s honest and innovative. Idrissa is something of a visionary and spokesperson for all of Africa and its diaspora. Neither defeat nor compromise are words in Idrissa’s vocabulary as he speaks of Africa and his hopes for the future and his fears about the poverty, violence and economic that blights Africa’s poorer regions. Sometimes, Idrissa uses humor as a means to get across the message he wants to share with the wider world. This humor can be heard in Idrissa’s music, along with passion, emotion and honesty on the six tracks on Lopillopilo.
Having recorded his debut album Lopillopilo, which will be released by Offering Recordings in September 2012, Wari was chosen as the lead single. Wari was released to critical acclaim earlier this year. Since then, people everywhere have been anticipating the release of Idrissa Sissoko’s debut album Lopillopilo, which I’ll now tell you about.
Opening Lopillopilo is the lead slngle Wari, which like the other tracks on Lopillopilo was written, arranged and produced by Idrissa Sissoko. It’s just Idrissa playing acoustic guitar that opens the track, before his impassioned, heartfelt vocal enters. This is a powerful and compelling combination, with Idrissa not just singing lead vocal, but harmonizing too. His vocal isn’t just emotive and impassioned, but soulful and deeply moving. You feel he’s chosen each word with the utmost care and attention, and as he delivers these lyrics believes in and means every word he sings.
On Dibi Idrissa’s fingers nimbly weave up and down the fretboards, as he plays a wistful, somewhat melancholy acoustic guitar solo. His vocal is full of emotion, as it grows in power. With just his trusty acoustic guitar accompanying him, Idrissa delivers one of his most fervent vocals, full of sincerity and intensity.
Lettre de Tripoli sees Idrissa draw upon his time and experiences in Libya, where he spent a few tumultuous years. Although it’s just Idrissa and his acoustic guitar that feature on this track, you can sense the pain and heartache that he endured during his time in Libya. As a musician, he was persecuted and had to endure physical and verbal assaults. All the hurt, pain and humiliation literally just pours out of Idrissa. It’s certainly powerful and dramatic, as he combines humor with anger and frustration. I hope for Idrissa in sharing his experiences, it was cathartic and cleansing too.
With just his acoustic guitar accompanying him as Lopilopilo begins, Idrissa effectively uses it to build up the drama. After a flourish of his guitar, he unleashes a loud guffaw then shares the subtleties and secrets of this song. As his vocal grows in power and passion, he delivers the lyrics with feeling and charisma. Although it’s just Idrissa accompanied by his guitar, this proves a powerful combination, especially Idrissa’s mixture of charisma and emotion, which proves uplifting and inspirational.
When Bassirou Sissoko opens with Idrissa passionately plucking his guitar, you sense the intensity and passion that’s about to be unleashed. Just by the effort and emotion Idrissa puts into playing his guitar, somehow, you realize that Idrissa’s vocal will be a heartfelt fusion of feelings, fervor and frustration. He doesn’t disappoint, delivering a dramatic, feisty vocal, where heartache and hope rise to the surface. As if overwhelmed and spent at having given so much of himself, his guitar then takes centre-stage. Idrissa’s playing is like his vocal, a mixture of power and passion that proves almost as powerful as his vocal.
Closing Lopilopilo is Yiri, where Idrissa plays with a similar power and intensity as the previous track. It’s as if he has so much to say and share, and so little time to do so. He’s so keen to get his message across that this comes out in his playing. His vocal is wholehearted and fervid, with the lyrics delivered, quickly with an urgency and intensity. This is what makes this track such a compelling and powerful one, one that’s also heartfelt and soulful.
Boddhi Satva’s chance encounter with Idrissa Sissoko truly was a fortuitous one. If it hadn’t taken place, then we’d never had the chance to experience Idrissa Sissoko’s music, the music that features on Lopilopilo. The music on Lopilopilo is best described as emotive, powerful, passionate and intense, but also, moving and soulful. It’s music that’s for the heart and the soul, music that’s cathartic, music that soothes and cleanses the soul. All these are similar qualities to the music on Boddhi Satva’s invocation and Invocation Instrumentals, and on Sage Monk’s Heartache Allegory. To this trio of stunning albums, you can add Idrissa Sissoko’s debut album Lopilopilo. This is a new type of soul music, one for the 21st Century, music where two cultures are united through music. Although Lopilopilo is only six tracks long, plus three remixes, it’s an incredibly intense, powerful and moving musical journey, that once you’ve experienced it, will want to relive and experience again. You’ll get the chance to embark on, and experience firsthand, this intense, powerful and moving musical journey, that is Idrissa Sissoko’s debut album Lopilopilo, which will be released by Offering Recordings in September 2012. Standout Tracks: Wari, Dibi, Lettre de Tripoli and Yiri.
IDRISSA SISSOKO-LOPILOPOLO.
CHARO AND THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA-CUCHI-CUCHI.
CHARO AND THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA-CUCHI-CUCHI.
Having been discovered by bandleader Xavier Cugat Maria del Rosario Mercedes Pilar Martinez Molina Baeza, or Charo as she became, went on to become one of the highest paid performers in America during the early seventies. Reputedly, actress, singer and guitarist Charo was paid as much as Rat Pack members Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin or Sammy Davis Jr. Charo made her debut on American television on The Today Show, before becoming a regular on shows like The Love Boat, The Mike Douglas Show and a variety of chat shows. It was during this time that Charo’s catchphrase cuchi cuchi was first heard. By 1976, Charo signed to Salsoul Records and would release her debut album Cuchi-Cuchi. Cuchi Cuchi was a collaboration with the legendary Salsoul Orchestra and the first of three albums Charo recorded for Salsoul. Ole Ole was then released in 1978 with Dancing With Charo following in 1981. However, the album that launched Charo’s career was Cuch–Cuchi by Charo and The Salsoul Orchestra, which features The Salsoul Orchestra at the peak of their powers.
By the time Charo signed to Salsoul, she’d established herself as a talented singer and flamenco guitarist. For her debut she couldn’t have picked a better label than Salsoul, as some of the most talented songwriters, arrangers, producers and musicians called Salsoul home. This included Vince Montana Jr., who’d write two of the tracks on Cuchi-Cuchi and cowrote three other tracks. The two tracks Vince Montana Jr, wrote would become synonymous with Charo, Dance A Little Bit Closer and You’re Just the Right Size. Vince cowrote More of You and Only You (Can Make My Life Worthwhile) with Ronnie James and the title-track Cuchi-Cuchi with Ronnie Walker. The other five tracks were cover versions, including a cover of the Rolling Stone’s Let’s Spend the Night Together and Speedy Gonzales, originally recorded by Pat Boone. Charo and The Salsoul Orchestra would transform these tracks at Philadelphia’s Sigma Sound Studios.
When Charo and The Salsoul Orchestra headed to Philly’s Sigma Sound Studios, it was with some of the Americas best musicians. This included drummer Earl Young of Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section, bassist Michael “Sugar Bear” Foreman and guitarists Bobby “Electronic” Eli and T.J. Tindall. Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey and Cotton Kent played keyboards and Bill O’Brian played synths. Vibes supremo Vince Montana Jr, also played tympani, chimes, bells, vibraharp and marimba, while Larry Washington and Crusher Bennet played congas, timbales and bongos. Among the woodwind section was Jack Faith, playing flute and piccolo, while violist Don Renaldo was part of the string section. Adding backing vocals were the legendary Sweethearts of Sigma, Carla Benson, Barbara Ingram and Evette Benton. Arranging, conducting and producing Cuchi-Cuchi was Vince Montana Jr. Given how multi-talented the personnel accompanying Charo on Cuchi-Cuchi, would the album be a commercial success?
On the release of Charo and The Salsoul Orchestra’s Cuchi-Cuchi, the album reached number 100 in the US Billboard 200. Dance A Little Bit Closer was released as a single, reaching number eighteen in the US Dance Charts and number forty-four in the UK and in the process, becoming something of a Salsoul classic. However, what are the rest of the songs on Cuchi-Cuchi like? That’s what I’ll now tell you, when I tell you about the music on Cuchi-Cuchi.
Cuchi-Cuchi opens with one of the songs that have become synonymous with Charo’s time on Salsoul. Drums pound, before keyboards, a pounding bass line, lush strings and growling horns signal the arrival of Charo’s breathy vocal. She’s accompanied by blazing horns, vibes and swathes of lush strings that glide elegantly into the arrangement. Earl Young’s drums provide the track’s heartbeat, while backing vocalists accompany Charo. Later, her vocal becomes much more flamboyant, as disco and Latin music are fused seamlessly. By the end of this irresistible track, you realize a little Charo will brighten up your life.
On Let’s Spend the Night Together, Charo and The Salsoul Orchestra transform the old Rolling Stones track into something very different. There’s an easy listening feel to the arrangement, with congas, rasping horns and the rhythm section combining with Charo’s slow, sultry vocal. The Sweethearts of Sigma add tender backing vocals, as Latin percussion, jazz-tinged guitars and the lushest of strings combine. Earl Young’s drums add bursts of drama, as a myriad of Latin percussion is added to the arrangement. As easy listening and Latin music unite, and The Salsoul Orchestra are transformed into a lounge band, Charo’s delivers a breathless, sultry and needy vocal, that makes the track.
Borriquito see Charo and The Salsoul Orchestra combine flamenco and disco. As strings sweep and swirl, horns growl and the rhythm section provide the track’s Latin heartbeat, percussion and backing vocalists accompany Charo. She delivers an enthusiastic and rousing vocal in her native Spanish. This is uplifting and catchy, and something of a curveball after the previous two tracks.
More of You is one of two tracks Vince Montana Jr. and Ronnie James cowrote. It sees Cuchi-Cuchi head back to more familiar territory. The tempo is slower as strings cascade, while guitars, bongos, congas and a punchy rhythm section combine with rasping horns. Charo’s vocal is sassy and emotive, with the Sweethearts of Sigma adding tight, soulful harmonies. Meanwhile, a pounding rhythm section, swathes of quivering strings and braying horns provide the backdrop for Charo. This is a much better track than Borriquito, with Charo and The Salsoul Orchestra combining to create one of Cuchi-Cuchi’s highlights.
El Reloj (The Clock) sees Charo deliver a heartfelt, impassioned vocal, against a dramatic, string-drenched backdrop from The Salsoul Orchestra. Charo’s vocal is tinged with sadness and regret, at the thought of being parted from the man she loves. Providing the perfect backdrop, The Salsoul Orchestra combine percussion, piano and congas with the rhythm section, rasping horns and strings. This emotive arrangement works beautifully with Charo’s heartfelt, impassioned and emotive vocal on this moving, melancholy ballad.
Speedy Gonzales was previously recorded by Pat Boone, but not this way. Charo and The Salsoul Orchestra combine vibes and percussion with a punchy, pounding rhythm section. Together, they make the track swing, adding flourishes of dancing strings and soaring backing vocalists that are just the finishing touches to the Vince Montana Jr.‘s arrangement. Although this is just a throwaway slice of bubblegum pop, you can’t help but enjoy it, and anyway, it puts a smile on your face.
So good was Chora’s catchphrase, they named it twice and Vince Montana Jr. and Ronnie Walker wrote a song named after it, Cutchi-Cutchi. Earl Young’s pounding drums open the track, before strings sweep and swirl, horns growl and Spanish guitars combine. Chora’s dramatic, punchy vocal is joined by woodwind, percussion and tight, soaring harmonies from the Sweethearts of Sigma. By now The Salsoul Orchestra is in full flight, mixing disco, funk and Latin music. It’s an impressive sight and sound, with Charo’s vocal drifting in and out of the track, as horns blaze and strings cascade. Key to the track’s success is Vince Montana Jr,‘s arrangement and The Salsoul Orchestra’s performance.
Cookie Jar is another track that’s best described as throwaway bubblegum pop. The lyrics are probably the weakest track on Cuchi-Cuchi, but the track is saved by The Salsoul Orchestra’s performance. They provide a backdrop where strings dance, horns rasp and growl, while the pounding rhythm section and cooing harmonies from the Sweethearts of Sigma accompany Charo sultry, vampish vocal.
You’re Just the Right Size was written, arranged and produced by Vince Montana Jr. and gets the album back on track. Charo is at her sultry, sensuous best, accompanied the pounding, dramatic rhythm section, growling horns and lush strings. Soon, The Salsoul Orchestra have klcked loose and are in full flight, showing why they were the best house-band of the seventies. The bass anchors the track, as swathes of the lushest strings, keyboards and blazing horns provide the backdrop to Charo’s sensual, sultry vamp. This results in one of Charo’s best ever Salsoul recordings.
Closing Cuchi-Cuchi is Only You (Can Make My Life Worthwhile), written by Vince Monatan Jr, and Ronnie Walker. Layers of sad strings sweep and swirl, while congas, bongos and percussion combine with the dramatic rhythm section and Charo’s emotive, heartfelt vocal. As strings quiver and shiver, bursts of blazing horns, Spanish guitars and the Sweethearts of Sigma accompany what is Charo’s most moving and emotive vocals. It’s the perfect way to end Cuchi-Cuchi, where drama, emotion and beauty combine.
Cuchi-Cuchi, with its combination of disco, easy listening and Latin music, is an album that’s one that’s guaranteed to brighten your life. The Salsoul Orchestra don’t disappoint, weren’t in the habit of recording bad albums. Hearing The Salsoul Orchestra in full flight, like you do on Cuchi-Cuchi is a joy to behold. With their combination of the tightest of rhythm sections, blazing horns, lush dancing strings, Vince Montana Jr.’s vibes and guitarists like Bobby “Electronic” Eli T.J. Tindall you get the chance to hear the greatest house-band of the disco era. Add to this the Sweethearts of Sigma accompanying Charo and it’s no wonder that Cuchi-Cuchi is such an enjoyable album. Having said that, Cuchi-Cuchi will never be seen as a Salsoul classic. It’s a good album, but not a great album. Among the highlights of Cuchi-Cuchi are Dance A Little Closer, More of You, Cutchi-Cutchi, You’re Just the Right Size and the beautiful Only You (Can Make My Life Worthwhile) which closes Cuchi-Cuchi. After Cuchi-Cuchi Charo would release other albums, but Cuchi-Cuchi was the highlight of her career and features two songs that would become synonymous with Charo Dance A Little Closer and You’re Just the Right Size. For anyone who hasn’t heard Charo and The Salsoul Orchestra’s Cuchi-Cuchi, then it’s an album that’s quite different from much of the music Salsoul were releasing at this time, but is an album that contains some great music. Take my advice, Cuchi-Cuchi and a little Charo will brighten up your life. Standout Tracks: Dance A Little Closer, More of You, Cutchi-Cutchi and You’re Just the Right Size.
CHARO AND THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA-CUCHI-CUCHI.
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