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NEWSLETTER #128
Rhythm & Blues, Soul & Doo Wop
Arthur Conley
-> Spencer Wiggins
| ARTHUR CONLEY |
Atlantic (Germany) 80284 |
Sweet Soul Music |
● CD $10.98 |
10 tracks, highly recommended. Reissue of the 1967 classic.
Conley was Otis Redding's protege - besides co-writing the classic title
tune (based on Sam Cooke's Yeah Man), he put out Conley's first
singles on his short lived Jotis label. The first sides are here - I'm A
Lonely Stranger/ Who's Foolin' Who/ Take Me (Just As I Am)/ I Can't Stop (No
No No). Interestingly enough, there are no cover tunes on this one, with
8 of the 10 written by Conley and/ or Otis, and the remaining 2 co-written
by Dan Penn. (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.
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| FATS DOMINO |
Proper Pairs 120 |
Rockin' On Rampart |
● CD $12.98 |
Two CD set, 46 tracks, 111 mins recommended
The first disc
of this two CD features both sides of Fats's first 13 singles. If you
already have Ace 597 ($16.98) or the Bear Family box set (BCD 15541 -
$159.98) then you already have them but if not this is a great way to pick
up Fats's earliest recordings at a reasonable price. This is classic early
New Orleans R&B and blues with great vocals and piano from Fats and superb
backup from his all star band. The second CD features 20 of Fats's most
famous songs performed live at various venues and times which are apparently
unknown but sound like they are from the 60s or 70s. Fats and his band
manage to recreate the sound of their hit recordings pretty accurately
though it's not quite the same as having the original studio recordings
(unless you were there, of course). Live songs include Please Don't Leave
Me/ I'm In Love Again/ Blue Monday/ Whole Lotta Lovin'/ When the Saints Go
Marchin' In/ I Want To Walk You Home, etc. Includes 16 page booklet with
notes, photos & discography. (FS)
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| THE
EBON-KNIGHTS/ THE METRONOMES |
Dipper 216 |
I'm Confessing |
● CD $18.98 |
20 tracks from the late 50s/ early 60s from two black groups
performing in a polished pop style with only touches of R&B. Mostly pop
standards along with some other material - First
Date/ Only, Only You/ I'm
Confessing/ Georgia/ Lover Come Back To Me/ Falling In Love/ That's The Way
The Ball Bounces/ Embraceable You, etc.
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| DON
"SUGARCANE" HARRIS |
Acadia 8024 |
Sugarcane |
● CD $15.98 |
Reissue of 1970 album from singer and violinist Don
"Sugarcane" Harris. Produced by Johnny Otis and featuring Shuggie Otis on
guitar the, all but one co-composed by Harris, touch on funk, rock, blues,
jazz and even a bit of classical with lots of great violin playing. The
blues Don't You Think I've Paid Enough is particularly fine.
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| OSCAR MCLOLLIE |
Ace CDCHM 879 |
Hey! Lollie Lollie |
● CD $13.98 |
18 track collection of rocking R&B including some previously
unissued instrumental tracks and alternate takes.
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| BOBBY PATTERSON |
Sundazed 11105 |
Soul Is My Music |
● CD $17.98 |
Two CD set featuring 40 sides by this fine Texas soul singer
recorded for the Jetstar label in Houston between 1965 and 1970 accompanied
by his band The Mustangs. This set includes all his issued sides including
his only hit for the label T.C.B. Or T.Y.A. plus nine previously
unissued tracks. 8 page fold out booklet features extensive notes by Bill
Dahl based on a recent interview with Patterson.
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| LOU PRIDE |
Severn 017 |
Words Of Caution |
● CD $15.98 |
12 tracks, 48 mins, highly recommended
A real treat - a
contemporary soul album which recaptures the feel of classic Stax or Hi
recordings of the 70s. Chicago born Pride is a superb singer with a big rich
and very expressive voice. He has several previous albums out which I
haven't heard but based on this one I want to check them out. He is backed
by a superb band with a fine horn section. The material, much of it
co-written by Pride, is varied and ranges from the throbbing rhythmic
Don't Blame The Man to an exquisite deep soul rendition of Delbert
McClinton's ballad You Were Never Mine. (FS)
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| RED PRYSOCK |
AVI CD 5012 |
The Best Of Red Prysock |
● CD $15.98 |
24 tracks, 63 min., recommended
We've turned up some copies
of this fine out of print album. If a sax solo wasn't mandatory in 1950's
rock and roll songs, it might as well have been. Wilbert Red Prysock
had something to do with that, as he honked his way through more that a few
of Alan Freed's rock and roll shows, sharing the bill with Fats Domino, Joe
Turner, The Moonglows, The Harptones, The Drifters, The Clovers, and others.
This disc collects 2 doz. of the best singles and LP tracks from Red's
Mercury/Wing waxings, including Paquino Walk/ Little Jamie/ Hand Clappin'/
Fruit Boots/ Rock And Roll Party, and other opportunities for RP to
shred the air with his horn. (Note: Red Prysock's Red Robin material is
available on Relic Records CD "Bobby's Boogie".) (JC)
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| THE SWEET INSPIRATIONS |
Spy 46004 |
Sweets For My Sweet / Sweet Sweet Soul |
● CD $17.98 |
21 tracks, highly recommended
Reissue of two Atlantic LPs
from 1969 and 1970. A fabulous collection of deep soul featuring the vocal
charms of this great quartet - Emily "Cissy" Houston, Estelle Brown, Sylvia
Shemwell & Myrna Smith. Most of them started as gospel singers and it shows
in their wonderful expressive vocals. They appeared as vocal backup on
hundreds of recordings cut for Atlantic and other labels though they only
had moderate success under their own name. "Sweet For My Sweet" was recorded
in New York with the Muscle Shoals session group and includes the title tune
(a fine cover of the Drifters hit), But You Know I Love You/ It's Not
Easy/ Don't Go/ Every Day Will Be Like A Holiday/ Crying In The Rain and
others. "Sweet Sweet Soul" from 1970 was produced in Philadelphia by Ugene
Dozier for Gamble-Huff Productions and has a bit more of an uptown sound. It
opens with the fiery Shut Up!! and also includes two Can Play The
Game/ (Gotta Find) A Brand New Lover, Parts 1 & 2/ / Them Boys and
others. Booklet has informative notes by British soul expert David Nathan.
(FS)
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| SPENCER WIGGINS |
Vivid Sound VGCD 003 |
Soul City U.S.A. |
● CD $17.98 |
Reissue of Japanese CD featuring 21 tracks recorded for
Goldwax by this fine deep soul singer. Includes Soul City U.S.A./ Take
Me/ That's How Much I Love You/ Once In A While/ Love Works That Way/ The
Power Of A Woman/ I Never LOved A Woman/ Cry To Me/ Anything You Do Is
Alright, etc.
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