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NEWSLETTER #127
Rhythm & Blues, Soul & Doo Wop
James Carr -> Maurice Williams
& The Zodiacs
| JAMES CARR | Kent KENCD 211 | You Got My Mind Messed Up | ● CD $18.98 |
| 24 tracks, 60 min, essential. Carr's been called, by those in
the know (yours truly included) as probably the best soul singer who ever
lived, even topping Otis! This set is a real treasure trove. The first half
reissues the original LP, Goldwax 3001 from 1967, gives most of those tracks
a new stereo mix, then adds a dozen bonus tracks. Eight of those tracks are
from Goldwax CD compilations or rare Japanese Vivid Sounds LPs, & four more
have never been issued, including a great version of The Rascals' Love Is
A Beautiful Thing, a tune called A Lucky Loser, & alternate takes
of Love Turned Her That Way & A Losing Game. And of course,
all the hits are here - Dark End Of the Street/ Pouring Water On A
Drowning Man, & the title track. (GM) |
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| ARTHUR CONLEY | Atlantic (Germany) 80768 | More Sweet Soul Music | ● CD $10.98 |
| Reissue of Atco 33-276 from 1968 in a handsome digipack format with reproduction of original cover and liner notes. 12 songs including Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da/ One Night Is All I Need/ Aunt Dora's LOve Soul Shack/ Something You Got/ Speak Her Name/ That Can't Be My Baby and others. | |||
| THE DUPREES | Varese Vintage 66361 | All-Time Greatest Hits | ● CD $13.98 |
| 18 tracks, 44 min, recommended "See the pyramids across the
Nile." One of the biggest groups of the early 60s doo wop revival, this
Italian-American group from Jersey City had their sound in an even earlier
era. Most of their hits were tunes from the 30s & 40s (My Own True Love
is actually Tara's Theme from "Gone With The Wind," which was heard
daily in the NYC metropolitan area as the theme for Million Dollar Movie,
with lyrics by Hal David). To give the tunes even more of a yesteryear
flavor, the arrangements were done in the Glenn Miller style (a clarinet
stuck in with the brass section) - arranger Fred Weismantel also worked for
the Miller band. Smooth lead vocals by Joey Canzano AKA Joey Vann. Most
Duprees reissues have concentrated solely on the Coed material (You Were
Made For Me/ You Heard Me/ My Own True Love). This one goes a little
further & includes three of their late 60s Heritage singles including You
Are My Special Angel, which was beaten out by The Vogues' version. (GM)
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| EDDIE & ERNIE | Kent CDKEND 214 | Lost Friends | ● CD $18.98 |
| 24 tracks, 67 min, highly recommended This great
soul-reissue label has included this disc in their new "Artistry In Soul"
series, showcasing what they feel are some of the best in known & unknown
greats. This is the 1st collection of this deep soul close-harmony duo,
sounding a bit like Sam & Dave if Sam was Sam Cooke! Both started in gospel
groups in the 50s, influenced by Cooke. Based in Phoenix & part of that
city's soul scene, led by Dyke & The Blazers, Eddie Campbell & Ernie Johnson
recorded there, in NY & LA as a duo (under Eddie & Ernie and The New
Bloods), solo, & as singers in The Phoenix Express. All these aspects are
covered here in tunes recorded 1963-72 on a variety of labels, including
sides produced by Juggy Murray & Richard Gottherer, & including a number of
never released tunes. The whole set is an obvious labor of love from
compiler Dave Godin! (GM) |
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| THE FIVE CROWNS | Collectables 7512 | The Rainbow & Old Town Recordings | ● CD $13.98 |
| 18 tracks from the early and mid 50s by this fine New York
that later became The Drifters. THE FIVE CROWNS: $19.50 Bus/ A Star/ Again/ Alone Again/ At The Fair/ Good Luck/ Good Luck Darling/ I Don't Have To Hunt No More/ Keep It A Secret/ Later Later Baby/ Lullabye Of The Bells/ My Story/ Oh Lovely One/ Ooh Wee Baby/ The Man On The Moon/ Who Can Be True/ Why Don't You Believe Me/ You Came To Me/ You Could Be My Love/ You Win Again/ You're My Inspiration |
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| THE FIVE SATINS | Collectables 7508 | The Original Master Tapes Collection, Volume 1 | ● CD $13.98 |
| 22 tracks, 54 mins, highly recommended Classic doo-wop from
this fabulous group from New Haven whose song in The Still Of The Night
is one of the most popular doo-wop ballads. First of two CDs presenting all
the recordings issued on Al Silver's Ember label between 1956 and 1960
including all the sessions the group recorded for the Standord label which
Ember bought after In The Still Of The Night started to make an
impact. Lik+e quite a few of the songs here Still was written by the
group's leader Fred Parriss who takes the lead on most of the songs here
including the superb follow-up Wonderful Girl plus Moonlight & I/
Weeping Willow/ Our Love Is Forever/ Baby Face/ Please Me Mine Tonight/
Again/ Sugar/ Shadows/ I've Lost/ I'll Be Seeing You and more. On the
lovely ballad All Mine the backing group didn't turn up so this is
presented acapella. Newly remastered by Little Walter Devenne this set
features notes by Victor Pearlin. (FS) THE FIVE SATINS: A Night To Remember/ Again/ All Mine/ Baby Face/ Candlelight/ I'll Be Seeing You/ I've Lost/ In The Still Of The Night/ Moonlight And I/ Oh Happy Day/ Our Love Is Forever/ Please Be Mine Tonight/ Rose Mary/ Shadows/ Skippity Doo/ Sugar/ The Jones Girl/ Weeping Willow/ When The Swallows Come Back To Capistrano/ When Your Love Comes Along/ Wishing Ring/ Wonderful Girl |
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| THE FIVE SATINS | Collectables 7509 | The Original Master Tapes Collection, Volume 2 | ● CD $13.98 |
| 23 more fine sides including several alternate takes of
tracks on volume 1. THE FIVE SATINS: A Million To One/ A Night Like This/ A Night To Remember (take 2)/ Candlelight/ I Got Time/ I'll Get Along/ Love With No Love In Return/ Love With No Love In Return (take 5)/ Our Anniversary/ Playmates/ Pretty Baby/ Pretty Baby/ Senorita Lolita/ Tell Me Dear/ That's Love/ The Time/ To The Aisle/ To The Aisle (take 5)/ Toni My Love/ When The Swallows Come Back To Capistrano (take 12)/ Wish I Had My Baby/ Wish I Had My Baby/ You Mut Be An Angel |
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| ETTA JAMES & THE ROOTS BAND | RCA 11633 | Burnin' Down The House | ● CD $17.98 |
| 12 tracks, 73 min, highly recommended. Wonderful live set,
with each tune giving the band & Etta time to stretch out. The band is
great, with her sons as the rhythm section, 2 guitars, the great Mike
Finnegan on organ & a 5 piece horn section! Recorded at the House Of Blues
12/01, the setlist includes some of Etta's classics including I'd Rather Go
Blind & All The Way Down, cover tunes that Etta's made her own
through the years ranging from Glenn Miller Orch's That's All, Kiki
Dee's Sugar On The Floor, & Steppenwolf's Born To Be Wild
(heard in a medley with I Just Want To Make Love To You) to Randy
Newman's You Can Leave Your Hat On, Ann Peeble's Come To Mama
& Mable Johns' Your Good Thing Is About To End. A highlight here is a
medley of 2 Al Green tunes, Love & Happiness & Take Me To The
River with My Funny Valentine. And no, the Talking Heads song
mentioned in the title is NOT on the disc! (GM) |
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| JESSE JAMES/ CLARENCE ASHE | Sounds Of Soul 1005 | Jesse James Meets Clarence Ashe | ● CD $17.98 |
| Two fine soul singers recorded in the 60s. 12 tracks by
James, 13 by Ashe. Some fine music but excessive use of digital noise
reduction makes for difficult listening. |
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| JOE LIGGINS & HIS HONEYDRIPPERS | Proper Pairs 117 | The Shuffle Boogie King | ● CD $12.98 |
| Although not as comprehensive as the ongoing Classics series
this two CD set is a fabulous collection featuring 50 tracks from the
outstanding pianist and bandleader recorded between 1945-50. Liggins' brand
of blues and jazz was an important step toward the development of R&B. It
includes many of his sides recorded for Leon Rene's Exclusive label as well
as his earliest Specialty sides and includes many of his early hits like
The Honeydripper/ Got A Right To Cry/ Blow Mr. Jackson/ Darktown Strutter's
Ball/ Pink Champagne and others. Includes booklet with extensive notes,
photos and discography. |
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| MIGHTY SAM MCCLAIN | Mighty Music 101 | One More Bridge To Cross | ● CD $14.98 |
| 13 tracks, 63 min, excellent. One of the true legends of 60s
Deep Soul continues on his comeback trail, even starting his own label to
get the new stuff out! With a crack band led by guitarist Chris Tofield +
The Mighty Horns. Sam talks about being on tour with his hero Bobby Blue
Bland & one thing from there was getting 2 tunes originally pitched to Bland
by Joe Hardin that Sam does here. All the other tunes are McClain originals
include both deep soul & funk - title tune + Are You Ready For Love/ Open
Up Heaven's Door/ Thought I Heard Your Voice (GM) |
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| LUCKY MILLINDER & HIS ORCHESTRA | Proper Pairs 115 | Apollo Jump | ● CD $12.98 |
| Two CD set with 48 tracks devoted to the recordings of this
important bandleader whose band became a proving ground for many great jazz,
blues and R&B instrumentalists and vocalists. Recorded between 1941 and 1951
these sessions include such great artists as Buster Bailey, Bill Doggett,
Panama Francis, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Dizzy Gillespie, Sam "The Man"
Taylor, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Wynonie Harris, Sir Charles Thompson,
Annisteen Allen, Bull Moose Jackson, Big John Greer, Tyree Glenn, Brother
John Sellers and many more. |
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| WILSON PICKETT | Collectables 6336 | The Exciting Wilson Pickett | ● CD $11.98 |
| 12 tracks, 31 min., recommended Previously reissued by
Rhino. There's more than a little James Brown in Wilson Pickett's reading
(shouting) of Chris Kenner's Land Of 1000 Dances, maybe that's why
it's such a great way to open an album. "Exciting", from 1966, is
consistently fine whether Wilson's busy savaging his pipes with
unintelligible grunts and screams or giving the ladies love advice. Atlantic
liked In The Midnight Hour so much it picked it up off his debut LP
and set it down on here. (I doubt that anyone complained.) The other hits,
634-5789/ Ninety-Nine And A Half (Won't Do), were both written with
Eddie Floyd and feature first class musical support from Isaac Hayes, Steve
Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Al Jackson, Wayne Jackson, Andrew Love, and
others in Memphis. The non-hits couldn't have missed by much. (JC) |
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| THE SWEET INSPIRATIONS | Spy 46004 | Sweets For My Sweet / Sweet Sweet Soul | ● CD $17.98 |
| Two Atlantic LPs from 1969 and 1970 by
this fine group. |
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| IRMA THOMAS | Mardi Gras 5014 | Soul Queen Of New Orleans | ● CD $9.98 |
| 9 tracks, 32 mins, highly recommended. In the case of Irma
Thomas the claim "Soul Queen" is no hyperbole - she is one of the all time
great soul singers as this reissue of her 1978 Maison De Soul LP clearly
shows. Produced by John Fred with a fine band of musicians Irma is featured
on new versions of some of her most famous songs like Breakaway/ Ruler Of
My Heart/ It's Raining and a wonderful 7 minute version of Wish
Someone Would Care with a lengthy and risqué spoken rap. There are also
fine versions of other songs like Alan Toussaint's Hittin' On Nothin',
the bluesy Hip Shakin' Mama, Kris Kristofferson's For The Good
TImes and others. A joy. (FS) |
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| THE TRENIERS | Kings Of Rhythm 222 | Rockin' With The Treniers | ● CD $17.98 |
| 27 tracks of these nightclub performers whom Ebony Magazine
characterized as "a well rehearsed riot". Stylistically, the Trenier
brothers and band are direct descendants of Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five.
They more than match Jordan in enthusiasm and humor, but lack his charisma
and warmth. The material her is mostly drawn from the 50s recordings for
OKeh and includes their only hit Go Go Go from 1951 plus Rockin'
Is OUr Bizness/ Hadacol That's All/ Rock A Beatin' Boogie/ Hi Yo Silver/
Rock & Roll Call/ Cool It Baby/ Holy Mackeral Andy/ Good Rockin' Tonight/
Sure Had A Wonderful Time Last Night/ You're Killing Me/ Bug Dance/ Drinkin'
Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee and others. |
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| THE TURBANS | Collectables 7511 | The Complete Herald Recordings, Vol. 1 | ● CD $13.98 |
| 18 tracks including When You Dance/ Sister Sookey/ I Am
Lonely/ Miss Thing/ I'm Nobody/ All Of My Heart/ Valley Of Love, etc.
THE TURBANS: All Of My Heart/ B.i.n.g.o./ Bye And Bye/ Bye And Bye/ Congratulations/ Farewell To Arms (take 1)/ Farewell To Arms (take 3)/ I Am Lonely/ I'll Always Watch Over You/ I'm Nobody's/ It Was A Night Like This/ Let Me Show You Around My Heart/ Miss Thing/ Sister Sookey/ The Wadda Do/ Valley Of Love/ When You Dance/ Zaki Sue |
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| GINO WASHINGTON | Norton CED 295 | Love Bandit | ● CD $14.98 |
| More great sides from this Detroit soul singer including
four previously unissued. |
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| THE WEST SIDE HORNS | Dialtone 007 | San Quilmas | ● CD $14.98 |
| 49 min, 11 tracks, recommended Three saxes, a trumpet, and a
four piece rhythm including a B-3, this long-lived band is headed by the
semi-legendary Rocky Morales, a longtime sidekick of Doug Sahm playing with
Doug since '59 & as a sometimes member of The Sir Douglas Quintet & The
Texas Tornados. The West Side Horns started in '69 & were named by Doug.
This loose aggregation play out on their own & have recorded with a
multitude of artists from their home base in San Antone. This is their first
"solo" recording & really cooks! There's some originals, a couple of Jimmy
Reed Covers, & a lot of covers of 60s soul-jazz, including Lou Donaldson's
Alligator Boogaloo, Donald Byrd's Funky Mama, Mal Waldron's
Blue Greens & Beans and Joe Zawinul's evergreen Mercy Mercy Mercy.
(GM) |
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| MAURICE WILLIAMS & THE ZODIACS | Collectables 7510 | The Original Master Tapes Collection | ● CD $13.98 |
| 23 tracks, 47 mins, highly recommended Quintessential
material by this Lancaster, South Carolina quartet. The group started as the
Junior Harmonizers gospel group and the Royal Charms, then, switching to
original material they signed with Excello as the Gladiolas (1956-57) before
changing their name to the Zodiacs and recording briefly for Cole and Selwyn
in 1960. This set picks up in late 1960 when the group signed to Al Silver's
Herald label with a change in personnel (Maurice Williams - lead, Henry
Gaston - tenor, Wiley Bennet - tenor, Chas Thomas - baritone, Albert Hill -
bass, and Little Willie Morrow - drums) and recorded some of their jumping-est
sides, many of which became regular "Beach" dance classics in the Carolinas.
Prime cuts include I Remember/ Do I/ Come Along/ Someday/ Little Mama/
Come And Get It/ It's Alright and, of course, the hypnotic bestseller
Stay. Essentially the same as Relic 7004 except this has two versions of
Come Along (45 rpm and LP versions) (OLN) |
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