NEWSLETTER #146
Rhythm & Blues,
Soul & Doo-Wop
Ruth McFadden -> Johnny "Guitar" Watson
RUTH MCFADDEN |
Black Tulip 2638686 |
Darling, Listen To The Words Of This Song |
● CD $17.98 |
20 tracks from the mid 50s to 60s by this fine R&B singer
who had a minor hit with the title song. Also includes Teenage Blues/ Two
In Love/ Since My Baby's Been Gone/ If You Hadn't Gone Away/ It Could Be
Sweet Again/At The Crossroads/ He Hurt Me Again/ You Must Come In At The
Door/ Stop Playing That Song, etc.
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CLYDE
MCPHATTER & THE DRIFTERS |
Collector's Choice 817 |
Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters |
● CD $12.98 |
The debut album by the Clyde McPhatter-fronted Drifters was
originally released in 1956, after McPhatter had already left the group, and
was re-issued by Atlantic in 1958. Basically the album was a collection of
all the singles the group had recorded with McPhatter on lead vocals,
including classics like Money Honey and Such a Night. This
album has been released on CD before, but if you don't own it already,
Collectors' Choice has done a fine job of re-packaging it.
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MICKEY & SYLVIA |
Rainbow 7002 |
Love Is Strange |
● CD $17.98 |
Mickey and Sylvia were one-hit wonders with 1957's Love
Is Strange, but Mickey Baker was actually one of the great guitar
players of rhythm & blues and early rock n' roll, and with his partner (and
second guitarist) Sylvia Robinson, created some of the most engaging R&B of
the 50's and early 60's. This collection ranges from their earliest
recordings in 1955 through to recordings made when the duo reunited in the
mid/ late 60s - Love Is Strange/ Se De Boom Run Dun/ I'm So Glad/ No Good
Lover/ Love Is A Treasure/ Where Is My Honey/ This Is My Story, etc. -
31 tracks in all.
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THE RIVINGTONS |
Shout 35 |
Papa Oom Mow Mow - Rockin' R&B And Boss
Ballads |
● CD $17.98 |
23 tracks, highly recommended
23 tracks recorded for Liberty in 1962 and 1963 whose members had a
distinguished doo-wop career as members of The Sharps and other groups
dating back to 1954 but it took the much covered novelty Papa OOm Mow Mow.
Subsequent singles featured similar novelties like Mama Oom Mow Mow
and The Bird's The Word but as many of their flipsides reveal they
were also superb ballad singers in doo-wop/deep soul vein, usually featuring
expressive leads by Al Frazier on gorgeous performances like Deep Water/
My Reward and Waiting. This CD features their entire output - all
the singles plus tracks from their only LP which included distinctive covers
of Long Tall Sally/ Unchain My Heart/ You Are My Sunshine (based on
the Ray Charles arrangement)/Slippin' And Slidin' as well as some
original songs. 12 page booklet has informative notes by Clive Richardson as
well as a singles discography listing all singles involving group members
between 1p54 and 1982. (FS)
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SWAMP DOGG |
S.D.E.G. 1955 |
Resurrection |
● CD $15.98 |
15 tracks, 78 min., recommended
Jerry "Swamp Dogg" Williams has a bad attitude and doesn't mind sharing. Bad
as in pissed off about politics, racism, war, and other stuff worth being
pissed off about. He's also a talented soul singer and songwriter. Smart
too. And he has no use for political correctness. His latest effort pulls no
punches. For example, the cover shows Mr. Dogg nailed Jesus-like on a cross,
wearing boxer shorts made of an American flag and a hat that bears the words
"Witness Protection Program." Above his head is a sign reading "Program
Failure"; in the background a rifle is stuck bayonet first into the ground,
an army helmet hanging on the business end. For example, one song is called
They Crowned An Idiot King. Another song is called In Time Of War
Who Wins and another America Is Bleeding. You get the picture.
The title track is a 12-minute opus that uses the ideas of crucifixion and
resurrection as metaphors for the African-American experience in America. In
anyone else's hands, the idea (the whole album) would no doubt come off as a
didactic, unpleasantly heavy-handed mess. But Williams knows what he's doing
and never loses his sense of humor. With so many musicians (and Americans in
general) in a Caligari-like sleep in terms of political speech, it's nice to
hear someone stay awake and call it as he sees it. You may see with
different eyes, but Williams will give you something to think about while
you're looking through his. So while he has a bad attitude, he's earned it.
But he's also an optimist and, arguably, a patriot. He writes a pretty good
love song, too. An ambitious album from a man with big plans. Don't bet
against him. (JC)
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JOHNNIE TAYLOR |
Stax 8628 |
Live At The Summit Club |
● CD $11.98 |
10 Tracks, 64 min., recommended
One of the greatest soul singers at Stax (or anywhere), Johnnie Taylor
seemed incapable of making a bad record. This show, recorded live at the
Summit Club in Los Angeles in 1972 for possible use in the Wattstax film, is
no exception. Booklet noter Lee Hildebrand chronicles some of the show's
troubles and missteps, any yet for all of it, Taylor still burns down the
house. The band may be off now and then, the backup singers may seem a bit
tenuous here and there, but Taylor's performance absorbs it all and
effortlessly transforms it into energy. Songs include two versions of the
Jimmy Hughes hit Steal Away, Little Bluebird, Take Care Of
Your Homework, I Don't Wanna Lose You, Stop Doggin' Me,
Hello Sundown, Who's Making Love, and Jody's Got Your Girl And
Gone. Only the latter made it into the Wattstax film, the other tracks
are previously unreleased in their complete form, although three show up
elsewhere in edited versions. Put it on the short list of great live soul
albums. (JC)
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ALLEN TOUSSAINT |
Varese 66832 |
Allen Toussaint |
● CD $13.98 |
12 tracks, highly recommended
Reissue of 1971 Sceptre album with two bonus cuts. This album is considered
by many to be the best solo album by this brilliantly talented singer,
songwriter, pianist, producer. Accompanied by a solid band including top New
Orleans and Los Angeles session musicians he performs five songs and does
seven instrumental cuts - all but two Toussaint compositions. The
instrumental Number Nine is previously unissued in the USA and
instrumental Poor Folks is issued here for the first time. Also
includes From A Whsiper To A Scream/ Sweet Touch Of Love/ Working In The
Coal Mine/ Pickles/ Either, etc. Includes new notes by Billy Vera. (FS)
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Ace CDCHD 601 |
The Heart Of Southern Soul - Volume 2: No
Brags-Just Facts |
● CD $18.98 |
Back in print. Superb collection of southern soul,
originally issued on AVI/ Excello 3019 featuring 24 tracks of deep soul
drawn from the vaults of Excello and affiliated Sims, A-Bet & Renegade
labels including two unissued songs and two unissued alternate takes.
KIP ANDERSON: Letter From My Darling/ Watch You Work It
Out/ You'll Lose A Good Thing/ LATTIMORE BROWN: I Will/ CHUCK & MARIANN:
Let's Walk Down The Street Together/ DEE & DON: I Can't Stand It/ THE
EXOTICS: Let Me Be A Part Of You/ Let's Try To Build A Love Affair/ THE
KELLY BROTHERS: My Love Grows Stronger/ EUGENE KEMP: No Pity In The City/
STACY LANE: Funky Little Train/ Lifetime Of A Man/ No Brags Just Facts/
LUCILLE MATHIS: Am I Asking Too Much/ I Don't Want To Go Through Life (Being
A Fool)/ JOHNNY TRUITT: Don't Let Me Be A Cryin' Man/ I'm Through With You/
THE WALLACE BROTHERS: Those Precious Words/ JERRY WASHINGTON: Right Here Is
Where You Belong/ TINY WATKINS: Forbidden Fruit/ Way Cross Town/ LEE WEBBER:
Seventh Son/ MARVA WHITNEY: Here I Am/ PERCY WIGGINS: Look What I've Done
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Ace CDCHD 1163 |
Hands Off! |
● CD $18.98 |
Fine collection of female blues and R&B vocalists recorded
for Modern and RPM. There are five tracks by the great veteran blues singer
Helen Humes from 1951 including four previously unissued alternate takes.
The rest are all from the 1954/55 and includes sides by Donna Hightower,
Dolly Cooper, Linda Peters and Zola Taylor (first recordings from vocalist
who subsequently joined The Platters and was on their early hit recordings).
DOLLY COOPER: Ay La Bah/ Down So Long (take 3)/ Every Day
And Every Night/ My Man (Aka He May Be Your Man)/ Teenage Prayer/ Teenage
Wedding Bells/ DONNA HIGHTOWER: Bob-O-Link/ Cool Daddy Cool/ Dog Gone It/
Hands Off/ He's My Baby/ I Ain't Gonna Tell/ Love Me Again/ Right Now/ Since
You/ HELEN HUMES: Hey Hey Baby/ I Ain't In The Mood/ Living My Life My Way/
Take My Love/ The Laziest Gal In Town/ LINDA PETERS: Central 1609/ If I Had
Listened/ One More Chance/ Ooh Daddy/ You Won't Trouble Me No More/ ZOLA
TAYLOR: Make Love To Me/ Oh My Dear
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Ace CDCHD 1164 |
Zell's Girls |
● CD $18.98 |
28 track collection of rare girl group, R&B, doo-wop and
soul sides recorded for Harlem based producer Zell Sanders between 1955 and
1970 and released on the J&S, Zell's, Baton and Dice labels.
THE CLICKETTES: To Be A Part Of You/ NEICE DEZEL: It
Doesn't Matter/ Last night/ THE ENDEAVORS: I Got The Feeling/ Suffering With
My Heart/ THE HEARTS: All My Love Belongs To You/ Disappointed Bride/ Going
Home to Stay/ No Turning Back For Me/ Talk About Him Girlie/ Your Little
Toy/ THE JAYNETTS: Cry Behind The Daisies/ Extra Extra Read All About It/ I
Wanted To Be Free/ Peepin' In And Out The Windows/ Vangie Don't You Cry/
Where Are You Tonite/ THE KADAKS: Don't Want No Teasing/ Look Up To The Sky/
TAFFIE LEE: Stay Away From My Baby/ MISS JOHNNIE: Over The Mountain Across
The Sea/ THE PRE-TEENS: Pass It On/ What Makes Me Love You Like I Do/ ADA
RAY: Give Our Love A Chance/ Oh Come Back Baby/ JOHNNIE RICHARDSON:
Everynight The Same Time/ RITA ZELL: I Don't Understand You No More/ THE
ZELL: Need You To Hold Me
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
BGP CDPGPD 186 |
Golden State Funk |
● CD $18.98 |
20 tracks, 62 min., very highly recommended
Mining the metaphoric vaults of Golden State Recorders for its late
1960s-early 1970s output, this collection stands out from the recent flood
of regional funk compilations by virtue of the fact that it's so damn good.
The subtitle is "Impossibly Rare Funk From The Bay Area." Half the tracks
are previously unissued and thus impossibly rare. Of the other half, most
are indeed extremely tough to find 45s. One such is the true funk classic
Are You Together For The New Day? by The Love Experience, reason enough
to pick this up. Not only does the song work up a powerful sweat, but how
many funk classics use the word "altruist" ? Sadly, that's the only Love
Experience cut, a pair of previously unreleased songs by the obscure 87th
Off Broadway do much to relieve the pain, as does the frenzied instrumental
House Party by Wally Cox & The Natives. Other little-known wonders
include Jeanette Jones' I'm Glad I Got Over You & You'd Be Good
For Me, a couple from Spooky & The Cosmic Flowers (including one
fittingly short number where Spooky sings the praises of the mini skirt), an
instrumental from Marvin Holmes & The Uptights, and more. Ramona King's
Super Chicken , which employs the phrase "toe lickin' good" manages to
be funky and funny, no small trick. And what Bay Area funk compilation would
be complete without a song about Vida Blue? The one here comes courtesy of
Jimmy Bee. (JC)
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Blue Label 49742 |
The Rich Records Story |
● CD $16.98 |
22 tracks, 54 min., recommended
Before Nashville disc jockey "John R" Richbourg started the Sound Stage 7
label, he created the Rich label, which boasted no hits but several
interesting performances. The 6 cuts of Bobby Hebb are pre-Sunny and show
off his country leanings, covering Night Train To Memphis, a Roy
Acuff-associated number. Interestingly, four of Hebb's cuts feature the
great New Orleans pianist James Booker and a young Mac "Dr. John" Rebbenack
on guitar! Hebb's pop tendencies surface now and again, but the Rich tracks
do have some grit. He does his best Ray Charles on Cherry, and his
best is pretty good. Also worth hearing is Lattimore Brown, who went on to
record some fine soul records with Richboug on his other labels. (And none
of his 6 tracks are duplicated on the recent AIM release, which is well
worth picking up.) Detroiter J.J. Barnes first record (Won't You Let Me
Know) is here too (one side of it anyway), having been released
initially on the Kable label and quickly leased by Richbourg. Motown trivia
buffs should know that the background singers on Barnes' track are The Del-Phis,
who later called themselves Martha Reeves & the Vandellas. And the Cornell
Blakely song I Got That Feeling features the much-praised Funk
Brothers. The 3 Jimmy Church pieces went unissued at the time but deserve to
have been radio favorites. The few cuts that represent Richbourg's own
attempt at becoming a music sensation can be avoided without any sense of
loss. (He merely talks his way through the songs, a tradition that William
Shatner would later perfect on his excellent "Has Been" album.) Enough cool
stuff here to make it worthwhile, although not uniformly wonderful. (JC)
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Blue Label 49792 |
The Rogana Story - Hossman's Blues |
● CD $16.98 |
24 tracks, 62 mins, highly recommended
Fine collection of soul and blues recorded by legendary DJ William "Hoss"
Allen for his Rogana production company and subsequently leased to other
companies like Excello, Jewel, Stardust and others. Some sessions were held
in Nashville with the great Johnny Jones & The Imperials as the house band
and other sessions were held at the famed Fame studios in Muscle Shoals,
Alabama - usually with the great Muscle Shoals house band. Most of these
performances are appearing on CD for the first time and fine performances
they are too. Artists include Sam Baker, Jimmy Stuart (one time trumpet play
for B.B. King with some fine harmonica based blues including an instrumental
duet with Scotty Moore), Dottie Clark, Art Grayson (terrific deep soul), The
Beat Boys (actually Johnny Jones & The Imperial Seven with three fine
instrumentals including the strange Strung Out which features country
steel guitar great playing through a Leslie speaker to get an organ sounds),
Rodge Martin (more fine deep soul including the gorgeous Two Women),
Lucille Mathis, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown (the obscure but very fine
have You Ever Been Mistreated), Johnny Copeland and others including a
remarkable spoken word (with music) track by Hoss Allen himself channeling
Dr. Martin Luther King on He Went To The Mountain Top. Sound quality
at times is dodgy but music is mostly excellent. (FS)
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Bonanza 501 |
A Doo-Wop Trasure Chest Filled With 30 Super
Rare Sides |
● CD $17.98 |
In spite of the plethora of doo-wop reissues this new series
includes many titles making their first appearance on CD.
KENNY BEAU & THE WHIRLWINDS: You're The Right One/ THE
BLUE CHIPS: Deep Freeze/ FRED BRIDGES: It Must Be Love/ SONNY BROOKS:
Sweetheart Darling/ THE CAROUSELS: Fading Away/ Solitude/ THE CLOUDS: All I
Do Is Worry/ THE DUNDEES: Never/ THE DYNAMICS: No One But You/ FANNIE & THE
VARCELLS: The Guy/ THE FASCINATIONS: If I Had Your Love/ Since You Went
Away/ THE GLIDERS: School Days/ THE INVADERS: Paradise/ SUSAN MADDOX: I'm
Not Alone/ THE RADIANTS: Ra Cha Cha/ DAN RODGERS: I'll Be Lost Without You/
BUDDY ROGERS & HI LITERS: Ding Dong/ THE ROSEBUDS: Hurry Baby/ STEPHAN ROSO:
Please Be My Love/ THE SEDATES: Girl Of Mine/ THE SENTIMENTALS: Wedding In
September/ THE SHY TONES: Annette/ LC STEELS: Always I Have Loved You/ I
Always Will Love You/ THE SWANS: In The Morning/ THE TRI TONES: Teardrops/
TOMMY TUCKER & THE LULLABYES: You Belong To Me/ THE VIBRAHARPS: Cozy With
Rosie/ FLOYD WHITE: Hey Theresa
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Bonanza 502 |
A Doo-Wop Trasure Chest Filled With 30 More
Super Rare |
● CD $17.98 |
Another 30 fine doo-wop rarities - about 2/3 of them new to
CD.
THE ALLADINS: Gee/ Then/ THE BLUE ANGELS: Deserie/ MIKE
DONOTO & TRI DELS: Summertime Love/ THE DUMONTS: She's My Love/ THE
FASCINATIONS: I'm Gonna Cry/ THE FOUR JEWELS: All That's Good/ THE GENOS:
Wishful Thinking/ RUEBEN GRUNDY: Every Word/ LEE HARRISON & THE KOUNTS: Mine
Alone/ THE INVICTAS: Lest You Forget/ Over The Wall/ LITTLE D & THE
DELIGHTERS: A Love Do Fine/ Oh My Darling/ SUSAN MADDOX: I'm Not Alone/ THE
MADISON BROTHERS: Baby Don't/ Give Me Your Heart/ LARRY MEADOWS: Phyllis/
JIMMY MOORE & THE PEACOCKS: I Want You To Know/ THE PETITES: Beating Of My
Heart/ SHERRY RAY: Say Little Star/ LYNN ROBERTS & THE PHANTOMS: I'll Be
Around/ THE SHY TONES: White Bucks/ THE STORY TELLERS: Hey Baby/ THE SWANS:
Believe In Me/ THE TEEN DREAMS: The Time/ THE TONETTERS: Uh Oh/ THE TONETTES:
He Love Me He Love Me Not/ THE TUNES: The Lie/ THE VEL AIRES: Forever Always
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Bonanza 503 |
A Doo-Wop Trasure Chest Filled With Even 30
More Super |
● CD $17.98 |
Yes even 30 more doo-wop rarities - many new to CD though
some tracks have a rather muffled sound quality.
ARTHUR & THE COVERTS: Darling I Love You/ TONY BAXTER: How
Long/ JAMES BRUCE & THE DEL CATOS: Sweet Sixteen/ DUANE CALVERT: Somewhere
Somehow/ THE CAROUSELS: I've Cried Enough/ BOBBY CHASE: Missing Someone/
JOHNNY CHRISTMAS & THE DYNAMICS: Soft Lips/ THE DAYLIGHTERS: I Love The Life
I Live/ MIKE DONOTO & TRI DELS: Dora/ THE DUNDEES: Evil One/ THE ENSENADAS:
Love I Beg Of You/ On And On/ THE FIVE CHORDS: I Need Your Loving/ KENNY,
FRANK & RAY: If You Love Me/ Why Was I Born/ THE MARK SEVEN: Wasting My
Life/ CONNIE MCGILL & THE VISIONS: I'm So Happy I Found You/ LARRY MEADOWS:
We're Through/ JIMMY MOORE & THE PEACOCKS: Tender Love/ ROSE MORRIS & THE
DAYLIGHTERS: It's No Secret/ THE NORVELLS: As I Walk Alone/ LYNN ROBERTS &
THE PHANTOMS: Miss You Tonight/ ROSEMARY & THE ROSEBUDS: What Did I Mean To
You/ JIMMY ROYSTERS: They May Not Like Me/ THE SEQUENCE: Nite Owl/ THE SHAR
MELS: I'd Love To Be Loved/ THE SHY TONES: Bandstand Rock/ RAY SMITH & THE
HI LITES: Love You So Much/ THE TEEN DREAMS: Why Why/ SAMMY WARD & THE ALLEY
KATS: Begging For Love
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Bonanza 504 |
A Doo-Wop Trasure Chest Filled With Now Even
30 More Su |
● CD $17.98 |
Another 30 impossibly rare sides.
SONNY ACE & THE DEL SHARPS: If My Teardrops Could Talk/
THE BARBEES: The Wind/ THE BILLBOARDS: With All My Heart/ THE BLUE CHIPS:
Wishing Well/ TIM BOYD & THE ESQUIRES: My Dearest My Darling/ GEORGE BRYAN:
I Love Only You/ LARRY BURN & THE WANS: Back To School/ LARRY BURN & WAGS:
Ain't No Big Thing/ THE CATALINAS: Hey Little Girl/ THE CHEVIES: I Love That
Girl So/ THE CRYSTAL CHORDS: When In The World/ THE GLEAMS: Bad Boy/ ARTIE
GOLDEN: Dear Mary/ FLOYD HENDERSON: Tenderly/ THE HEPTONES: Annabell/ THE
HI-LITES: Please Believe I Love You/ JOHNNY & THE JACKS: Baby I Love You So/
THE LOVERS: Someone/ GEORGE MANTIS: Teen Angel/ THE NOTEMAKERS: It Hurts To
Wonder/ THE PARRISH TWINS: My Lover Is Gone/ WALT PERCY & THE TRACERS:
Wishing/ THE RESONICS: Split Personality/ THE ROYAL DRIFTERS: Little Linda/
FRED SANDERS: Another Fool In Love/ THE SINNERS: Could This Be Love/ THE TRU
TONES: Darling I'm Sorry/ THE WEBS: Do I Have A Chance/ Let Me Take You
Home/ MARTY WILSON & LOVER BOYS: Carol Ann
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Bonanza 505 |
A Doo-Wop Trasure Chest Filled With
Surprisingly Even 3 |
● CD $17.98 |
Another 30 super rare doo-wop sides - many making their
first appearance on CD.
THE AQUARIANS: Janice/ THE BALLADS: I Hope I Never Fall In
Love/ THE BLENDERS: I Asked For Your Hand/ THE CHARTERS: My Rose/ THE
CHEVIES: Come On And Love Me/ THE CRYSTAL CHORDS: Be Mine Again/ THE
CRYSTALAIRES: Nobody Nowhere/ LANCE CURTIS & UNIQUES: Sympathy/ THE
DESSONAIRES: One Love/ DOLLY & THE DEANS: The Happiest Years/ THE GLEAMS:
Give Me A Chance/ ARTIE GOLDEN: The Night Is Young/ HERMAN GRIFFIN &
MELLODEES: Hurry Up And Marry Me/ THE HEPTONES: I'm So In Love Tonight/ THE
HI C'S: Just How It Is/ THE HI LITES: Sweet And Lovely/ THE HOLLAND QUINTET:
Right Time For Love/ THE LEVETTES: I'll Try Again/ Papa Do Run/ THE
MONTCLAIRES: Lisa/ JAMES MOORE & THE PRETENDERS: To Be Loved (forever)/ THE
PARRISH TWINS: All Alone/ THE PENTAGONS: Forever Yours/ THE TEE KINGS: The
Greatest Wish/ THE TONETTES: Please Don't Go/ DAN VALENTINE: Being Together/
THE VELTONES: I Want To Know/ THE VISCAYNES: Heavenly Angel/ IONA WADE & THE
BILLBOARDS: I Love You Baby/ MARTY WILSON & LOVER BOYS: Mindy
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Boulevard 1014Z |
The R&B Years 1955, Volume 2 |
● CD $19.98 |
Two CD set with 50 tracks featuring some of the best and
most popular blues and R&B recordings of 1955 - about half of them making
the R&B charts. Includes classic recordings by Ray Charles, B.B. King, The
Jacks, Joe Turner, Billy Emerson, Eddie Taylor, Rollee McGill, Chuck Berry,
Dolly Cooper, The El Dorados, Fats Domino, Sonny Boy Williamson, Chuck
Higgins, Junior Parker, Roy Gaines, Priscilla Bowman with Jay McShann's
Orch., Little Richard, Billy Bland, Anita Tucker, Hal Singers, Willie Mabon
and lots more. Excellent sound and informative notes by Roy Bainton.
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Chicago 60290 |
Doo-Wops From Chicago |
● CD $17.98 |
28 tracks, highly recommended
A particularly nice collection of 50s black doo-wop from the Windy City.
Chicago is, of course, America's greatest blues city so not surprisingly a
number of these tracks have a strong blues feel to them and Cloudy
Weather by The Eagleaires and Who's Been RIding My Mule by The
NObles are pretty much straight blues. A number of other tracks have nice
bluesy guitar solos which leads me to wonder who the backing musicians on
these recordings are. There are also fine sides by The Debonaires, Mixers,
Sheooards, Clouds, Rip Chords, Daffodils and more. A couple of tracks have
the dreaded digital noise reduction artifacts but most of it sounds fine.
(FS)
THE CLOUDS: I Do/ Rock and Roll Boogie/ THE DAFFODILS:
Walk/ Wine/ THE DEBONAIRES: Cracker Jack Daddy/ Lanky Linda/ Mother's Son/
Say A Prayer For Me/ THE EAGLAIRES: Cloudy Weather/ Number One Baby/ THE
FOSTER BROTHERS: I Said She Wouldn't Do/ Pretty Fickle Woman/ Revenge/ Tell
Me Who/ THE MARVELLOS: Calypso Mama/ You're the Dream/ THE MIXERS: Casanova/
Johnny's Got a Girlfriend/ Love and Kisses/ You Said You're Leaving/ THE
NOBLES: Do You Love Me/ Who's Been Riding My Mule/ THE RIP CHORDS: I Love
You the Most/ Let's Do the Razzle Dazzle/ THE SHEPPARDS: Cool Mambo/ Love/
WALLY WILSON: If You Don't Love Me/ The Hunt
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
CRCD 101 |
The Best Of Caddy Records |
● CD $17.98 |
26 tracks recorded for Los Angeles based label in mid/ late
50s. Doo-wop & R&B it includes sides by The Twilighters, Dots (a fine female
group), Johnny Flamingo, Bobby Pierce, Chuck Higgins (R&B instrumentals),
The Lonely Guys (including their fine updating of the pop ballad The Way
You Look Tonight), Shades Of Rhythm, Jack & Jill (two tracks including
the hot rocker Party Time with great guitar), Frankie Day (a Fats
Domino impersonater) and The Techniques (a group that sounds like The Champs
on the Mexican flavored instrumental El Corrido and do a nice bluesy
Tom And Jerry with harmonica).
FRANKIE DAY: I Don't Care/ THE DOTS: Good Luck To You/
Heartsick and Lonely/ I Confess/ I Lost You/ I Wish/ Johnny/ JOHNNY
FLAMINGO: Is It A Dream/ Make Me A Present of You/ So Long/ Teenage Theme/
You're Mine/ CHUCK HIGGINS: Flip Top Box/ Roller Coaster/ The Blacksmith
Blues/ JACK AND JILL: No One To Talk To/ Party Time/ THE LONELEY GUYS: The
Way You Look Tonight/ THE LONELY GUYS: Moonflight/ BOBBY PIERCE: 100 Years
From Today/ THE SHADES OF RHYTHM: Bubble Gum/ Gumbo/ THE TECHNIQUES: El
Corrido/ Tom and Jerry/ THE TWILIGHTERS: Eternally/ I Believe
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Crystal Ball 1078 |
DooWop Radio, Vol. 1 |
● CD $16.98 |
Subtitled "A Tribute To The DJ's Past & Present Who Helped
Keep The Music Alive For The Past 50 Years" this CD features several dee-jay
jingles and photos of dee-jays in the booklet. The rest of the set is an
enjoyable collection of doo-wop - most of it sounds like it comes from the
70s. It includes 21 tracks on CD for the first time, 11 of them previously
unreleased. Includes sides by Kenny Vance, The Elegants, Georgia Harris &
The Hitones (two unreleased demos), The Eternals, Sountrac, The Lixingtons
aka The Camelots, The Newports, Milton Love & The Solitaires, Classic
Sounds, The Emotions, etc.
14 CARET SOUL: Bobby Jay Jingle/ NICKY ADDEO & THE NITE
OWLS: My One and Only Love/ BOBBY & THE DISCOUNTS W NICK ADDEO: Doreen/
BRUCE & THE HEATBREAKERS: Bring Back Those Oldies/ SAMMY CANTOS: That Girl
Is Driving Me Crazy/ CLASSIC SOUNDS: Girl of My Dreams (Acap.)/ THE
CLUSTERS: Till Then/ THE CROSSTONES: Stuart Weiss Jingle/ THE DEL CARLOS:
Baby Sister/ THE DEMESSIOS: That's the Way It Goes/ THE ELEGANTS: Rama Lama
Ding Dong/ THE EMOTIONS: Echo/ THE ETERNALS: Bobby Emmons Jingle/ THE
EXPLORERS: This Is the Beginning of Forever/ FRANKIE & THE FASHIONS: Where
Did the Music Go/ GERRY AND THE GENS: I Remember/ GEORGIA HARRIS & HITONES:
Come On and Kess Me Now/ Say You'll Be Mine/ THE HOLIDAYS: Recess In Heaven/
THE LEXINGTONS AKA CAMELOTS: Love Sickness/ MILTON LOVE & SOLATAIRES: The
Angels Sang/ THE NEWPORTS: Kathleen/ Mickey B Jingle/ THE OVATIONS: Ronnie I
Jingle/ THE PARAMONTS: Diddy Boppers/ THE ROOMATES: Happiness/ SOUNTRAC: The
Angels Listened In/ KENNY VANCE: Don K. Reed Jingle/ Sweet on Me
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Crystal Ball 1079 |
DooWop Radio, Vol. 2 |
● CD $16.98 |
The second volume include more dee-jay jingles plus 24
tracks making their first appearance on CD - 14 previously unissued.
Includes sides by The Paramounts, The Visuals, Billy & The Essentials, The
Legends Of Doo Wop (you'd never know that this is a German group by
listening to them), Milton Love & The Solitaires, The West Side Boys,
Starlight, The Nite Kings, The REgals, Bruce & The Heartbreaks, etc.
NICKY ADDEO & THE NITE OWLS: Again/ THE BEL-ANGELS: Ronnie
I Jingle/ BILLY & THE ESSENTIALS: Our Rendezvous/ BRUCE & THE HEARTBRAKES:
Stuttering/ THE CROSSTONES: Dave the Rave Jingle/ Dianna Jingle/ Joanne/ THE
EARLS: Johnny Z Jingle/ THE ELITES: Libaray of Love/ GERRY & THE GEMS: In
the Still of the Night/ GEORGIA HARRIS & THE HI-TONES: Time To Rock/ LEGENDS
OF DOO WOP: I'm Nobody/ MILTON LOVE & THE SOLITAIRES: I Wonder Why/ THE
MOORES: Mr. Lee Jingle/ THE NEWPORTS: Gloria/ Hushabye My Love (Acap.)/ Rich
Rosen Jingle/ THE NITE KINGS: You Beat Me to the Punch/ THE PARAMONTS: If
You're My True Love/ THE REGALS: Isabell Angelina/ THE ROMANTICS: I Want a
Girl/ STARLIGHT: Don K Reed Jingle/ Mickey B Jingle/ STREET CORNER SOCIETY:
Ronnie I Pizza Pie Jingle/ JACKIE T & THE RHYTHM JESTERS: The Ballad of Don
K Reed/ BOBBY THOMAS' ORIOLES: I Like It Like That/ THE VISUALS: Murray the
K Jingle/ Submarine Race/ THE WEST SIDE BOYS FEAT. FRANK LAFARO: Starlight,
Starbright/ BRIAN WILSON BAND: Jerry Blavat Jingle
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Crystal Ball 1084 |
Rarest Of The Rare, Vol. 15 |
● CD $17.98 |
Fine collection of 26 vocal group rarities which appear to
range from the 40s through the 60s - 85% of them new to CD. Includes sides
by THe Cosmic Rays, Donald Amaker, Freddy Owens, The Souvenirs, The Sherrys,
The Bachelors, The Bill Johnson Quartet, The Caravans, The Bridgetts (the
terrific intense and bluesy Down On My Knees), Ralph Robles (a great
cover The Chantels Maybe), Lynn Britt, The Nobleaires (a gospel song
done doo-wop style), Hannah Lee, The Big Three Trio and others.
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Grapevine Soul 3034 |
Macon Soul Soup |
● CD $19.98 |
22 tracks of Southern soul from late 60s and early 70s
recorded for the obscure Macon, Georgia labels Jar-Val and Stone labels.
THOMAS BAILEY & THE FLINTSTONES BAND: Flintstone Shuffle/
I Need You (Most of All)/ JIMMY BRASWELL: This Time It's Got to Be for Real/
Time Waits for No Man/ MATT BROWN: Baby I'm a Want You/ Every Day (I Love
You Just a Little Bit More)/ Sweet Thing/ Thank You Baby/ JIMMY BRYANT: I
Want to Hold You/ My Little Girl/ NANCY BUTTS: I Can't Love But One Man at a
Time/ I've Been Blind Too Long/ I've Been Blind Too Long (Instrumental)/
Letter Full of Tears/ Only One Love/ Too Many Yesterdays/ THE FLINTSTONES:
Flintstones/ Ruby/ RONNIE MILLER: I Owe You Love/ Listen to the Music/ ALICE
ROZIER & LITTLE JOE: I Love You/ I'm Gonna Hold on to You
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Grapevine Soul 3035 |
Kelley's Soul Heroes |
● CD $19.98 |
25 fine soul sides from the 70s produced in Detroit and New
York by Ernest Kelley who had previously worked for Atlantic and Motown. A
mix of uptown sweet and deep soul. Includes two
previously unissued sides.
AL & RAY: I Should Have Gone/ CAROL ANDERSON: Tomorrow Is
Not A Promise/ BETTY BIBBS: I Want Some Satisfaction/ Story Of My Life, The/
CHARLES & IVORY: My Little Baby/ WILLIE COLLINS: Two Lives/ THE
COMBINATIONS: (Too Long) I've Been Waiting/ THE DYNAMICS: We Found Love/ You
Can Make It If You Try/ DEE EDWARDS: (I Can) Deal With That/ BILLY HAMBRIC:
I Gotta Find That Girl/ MIKE JEMISON: Spread Love/ You'll Never Get My Love/
CLETUS MARLAND: Every Now And Then/ I Wish That You Were Here/ You're Gonna
Miss Me/ CLOE MARTIN: What Do You See In Her/ Winter Is Much Too Long/
PERFECT TOUCH: Merry Go Round/ SANDRA RICHARDSON: Stay Here With Me/ SOLID
SOLUTION: Think About It Girl/ SOLID STATE: Right In Your Own Back Yard/
ERNEST SPARKS: I'll Be Glad/ BARRETT STRONG: You Make Me Feel The Way I Do/
SAMMY TAYLOR: I Need A True Love
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Kent CDKEND 281 |
For Connoisseurs Only, Vol. 3 |
● CD $18.98 |
Third volume of soul rarities recorded in the 60s and early
70s for the Moedrn & Kent labels. This volume has 24 tracks - five of them
previously unissued.
FRANK ARMSTRONG & THE STINGERS: Feel Like I Want To
Holler/ JOHNNY COPELAND: You Must Believe In Yourself/ JACKIE DAY: If I'd
Lose You/ THE FOUR TEES: I Could Never Love Another/ VERNON GARRETT: I'm
Guilty/ WILLIE GAUFF & THE LOVE BROTHERS: I Know She's Gonna Leave/ WILLIE
HEADEN: I Wanna Know/ THE IKETTES: Don't Feel Sorry For Me/ AL KING: My Name
Is Misery/ FREEMAN KING: Working For The Woman/ LITTLE HENRY & THE
SHAMROCKS: The Ta Ta Song/ MARY LOVE: I've Gotta Get You Back/ JIMMY
MCCRACKLIN: This Life Of Mine/ LEON PETERSON: Baby Baby Baby/ MARVIN
PHILLIPS & SPINNERS: That Righteous Feeling/ JEB STUART: Can't Count The
Days/ FELICE TAYLOR: Good Luck Aka New Love/ GENE TAYLOR: Cut Me Loose/
TERRY & THE TYRANTS: Love Me To Death/ BILLY WATKINS: Beverly/ BOBBY WHITE:
It's A Great Life/ ESTHER WILLIAMS: It's Ok/ THE WIND JAMMERS: Poor Sad
Child Pt 1/ TOMMY YOUNGBLOOD: Back In The Saddle
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Mictlan 2004 |
Chicano Soul - Texas Group Treasures, Volume
1 |
● CD $16.98 |
20 rarities, 1963-1970 - The Volumes, Dukes, Fats & The All
Stars, Steve Jordan, Sal de Leon & The Centenniels, Johnny & The Sinceres,
The Heartbreakers, Rocky Gil & The Bishops, Carlos Landin & The Rondels,
Paul Rios & The Rivieras, etc.
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Numero 013 |
Eccentric Soul - Twinight's Lunar Rotation |
● CD $28.98 |
2 CDs, 40 tracks, 1 hour 50 min., very highly recommended
If you thought Chicago's Twilight/Twinight label was all about Syl Johnson,
you were right. And you were wrong. Yes, of the 55 singles issued by
Twinight between 1967-1972, only 8 made the charts, and 7 of those bear Syl
Johnson's name, as the booklet noters note. But as this excellent
compilation proves, Twinight had talent that ran soul deep. These 40 tracks
(no Syl here) sport a high percentage of better-than-average soul with a
reasonable sprinkling of outright great. Include the Notations optimistic
gem A New Day among the cuts no soul fan should go without. In it
they recommend "shooting pool" as a possible remedy for racially motivated
violence between "black and white." Other praise-worthy songs include George
McGregor & The Bronzettes' Temptation Is Hard To Fight, The Radiants
post-Chess, Smokey-esque effort My Sunshine Girl, and the
Perfections' almost-perfect Which One Am I. The Dynamic Tints,
Krystal Generation, Renaldo Domino, Velma Perkins, Kaldirons, Elvin Spencer,
Mistiques, Chuck & Mac, and others also offer consistently cool Windy City
soul worth telling your friends about. The 32-page booklet is half
well-written, informative notes and half rare photos. Class job all the way.
[One minor gripe: Track lists appear only on the tray card (not in the
booklet), which is inconvenient, and the small brown-on-brown print is
squint inducing.] (JC)
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Proper BOX 129 |
The Cosimo Matassa Story |
● CD $26.98 |
4 CDs, 120 Tracks, highly recommended
Cosimo Matassa was the studio owner/engineer of J&M studios in New Orleans,
a location where many of the prime R&B records were cut in the Crescent
City. The folks at Proper Records have once again put together an impeccable
sounding, tastefully packaged, and well annotated box set spotlighting the
host of musicians that benefited from Matassa's talents and vision at one of
his four recording studios. The music herein is unbeatable; how can anyone
go wrong with sides by Fats Domino, Smiley Lewis, Little Richard, and Lloyd
Price, the kings of New Orleans R&B in the 50's. As great as those four
titans are, some of the best moments come from lesser lights like Shirley &
Lee, The Barons, and the Hawketts. Not a moment is wasted over the four CDs,
and this is one of the best box sets I've heard this year. (GMC)
LEE ALLEN: Rockin' At Cosimo's/ THE BARONS: Boom Boom/
Eternally Yours/ DAVE BARTHOLOMEW: Country Gal/ My Ding-A-Ling/ Stormy
Weather/ Teejim/ Tra-La-La/ Who Drank My Beer While I Was In The Rear/ JIMMY
BEASLEY: Don't Feel Sorry For Me/ Little Coquette/ THE BEES: I Want to Be
Loved/ Toy Bell/ EDGAR BLANCHARD: Stepping High/ EDDIE BO: I'm Wise
(Slippin' And Slidin')/ BOO BREEDING: Country Woman/ Low And Lonesome/ ROY
'BALDHEAD' BYRD (PROFESSOR LONGHAIR): Rockin' With Fes/ BOBBY CHARLES: On
Bended Knee/ See You Later Alligator/ Take It Easy, Greasy/ DAVE COLLINS &
THE SCRUBBS: Bluesy Me/ PEE WEE CRAYTON: Every Dog Has His Day/ Runnin'
Wild/ You Know Yeah/ FATS DOMINO: Don't Blame It On Me/ I'm In Love Again/
Little School Girl/ My Blue Heaven/ Reeling And Rocking/ THE DUKES: Cotton
Picking Hands/ Teardrop Eyes/ WERLY FAIRBURN: All The Time/ I'm A Fool About
Your Love/ FATS & DAVE: Cat Music/ Jump Children/ LOWELL FULSON: Don't Leave
Me Baby/ CLARENCE GARLOW: New Bon Ton Roulay/ GUITAR SLIM: The Things That I
Used To Do/ Well, I Done Got Over It/ THE HAWKETTS: Mardi Gras Mambo/ Your
Time's Up/ THE HAWKS: Candy Girl/ Give It Up/ I-Yi/ It's Too Late Now/
Nobody But You/ CLARENCE 'FROGMAN' HENRY: Ain't Got No Home/ I'm A Country
Boy/ WILLIE JOHNSON: Say Baby/ That Night/ ERNEST KADOR (ERNIE K-DOE): Do
Baby Do/ THE KIDDS: Drunk Drunk Drunk/ EARL KING: Those Lonely, Lonely
Feelings/ You Can Fly High/ THE KINGS: 'Til I Say Well Done/ SMILEY LEWIS:
Blue Monday/ Don't Jive Me/ Down Yonder (We Go Ballin')/ I Hear You
Knocking/ Real Gone Lover/ Shame Shame Shame/ LI'L MILLETT & HIS CREOLES:
Rich Woman/ LITTLE BO: Baby/ So Glad/ LITTLE LEO: Handwriting On The Wall/
What's It All About?/ LITTLE MR. MIDNIGHT: Four O'Clock Blues/ Got A Brand
New Baby/ LITTLE RICHARD: Heebie Jeebies/ I'm Just A Lonely Guy/ Long Tall
Sally/ Ready Teddy/ Rip It Up/ Slippin' And Slidin'/ The Girl Can't Help It/
Tutti Frutti/ FAT MAN MATTHEWS: I'm Thankful/ BOBBY MITCHELL: No No No/ Try
Rock'n'Roll/ Baby's Gone/ Sister Lucy/ ROY MONTRELL: (Everytime I Hear) That
Mellow Saxophone/ Oooh-Wow/ BIG BOY MYLES & THE SHA-WEEZ: Hickory Dickory
Dock/ Just To Hold My Hand/ That Girl I Married/ Who's Been Fooling You?/
ART NEVILLE: Back Home To Me/ Oooh-Wee Baby/ THE PELICANS: Ain't Gonna Do
It/ LLOYD PRICE: Chee Koo Baby/ Lawdy Miss Clawdy/ Rock'n'Roll Dance/
PROFESSOR LONGHAIR: Tipitina/ THE ROYAL KINGS: Bouncin' The Boogie/ Teachin'
And Preachin'/ SLIM SAUNDERS: Let's Have Some Fun (Honey)/ THE SHA-WEEZ:
Early Sunday Morning/ SHIRLEY & LEE: Baby/ Feel So Good/ I Feel Good/ I'm
Gone/ Let The Good Times Roll/ Sweethearts/ HUEY PIANO SMITH & HIS RHYTHM
ACES: Everybody's Whalin'/ Little Liza Jane/ THE SPIDERS: 21 (3x7=21)/ I
Didn't Want to Do It/ That's Enough/ You're The One/ SUGAR BOY & HIS CANE
CUTTERS: Jock-A-Mo/ T-BONE WALKER: Got No Use For You/ Long Distance Blues/
JAMES WAYNE: Agreeable Woman/ Two Faced Woman/ WEE WILLIE WAYNE: I Remember/
Travelin' Mood/ CHARLES WILLIAMS: So Glad You're Mine/ BERNIE WILLIAMS & THE
BARONS: Why Fool Yourself
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Sony-BMG (UK) 106822 |
The Northern Soul Story, Vol. 1 - The
Twisted Wheel |
● CD $11.98 |
25 Tracks, 64 mins, highly recommended
Here is yet another collection of obscure mid 60's R&B that most Americans
have never heard of, but was huge in the clubs of Northern England in the
same time frame. The Twisted Wheel was a celebrated club in Manchester that
spotlighted this music non-stop from 1963 to 1971, and this edition of a
four volume series--which spotlights the clubs that popularized scene--pays
tribute to The Twisted Wheel's most popular hits. Smokin' tracks by the
likes of James Carr, Shirley Ellis, Lee Dorsey, and Major Lance are
treasures worth owning, but the coolness of songs from a young Al Green and
latter day Shirelles (here billed as Shirley & the Shirelles) is a pleasant
surprise. The only "hit" I recognize here is James & Bobby Purify's Shake
A Tail Feather, but it doesn't matter; I dug everything on this CD and
loved reading the track-by-track liner notes. (GMC)
THE BANDWAGON: Breakin' Down The Walls Of Heartache/ BOB
BRADY & THE CON-CHORDS: Everybody's Going To The Love/ BILLY BUTLER: Right
Track/ JAMES CARR: That's What I Want To Know/ CLIFFORD CURRY: I Can't Get A
Hold Of Myself/ MOSES & JOSHUA DILLARD: My Elusive Dreams/ LEE DORSEY: Ride
Your Pony/ SHIRLEY ELLIS: Soul Time/ AL GREEN & THE SOUL MATES: Don't Leave
Me/ BUNKER HILL: Hide And Go Seek/ THE INCREDIBLES: There's Nothing Else To
Say/ LOU JOHNSON: Magic Potion/ BOB KUBAN & THE IN-MEN: The Cheater/ MAJOR
LANCE: Ain't No Soul (Left In These Old Shoes)/ It's The Beat/ LITTLE
RICHARD: A Little Bit Of Something/ PEACHES & HERB: I Need Your Love So
Desperately/ JAMES & BOBBY PURIFY: Let Love Come Between Us/ Shake A Tail
Feather/ SANDI SHELDON: You're Gonna Make Me Love You/ SHIRLEY & THE
SHIRELLES: Look What You've Done To My Heart/ THE SPELLBINDERS: Help Me (Get
Myself Back Together Again)/ OSCAR TONEY JR: No Sad Songs/ THE VIBRATIONS:
Cause You're Mine/ LARRY WILLIAMS & JOHNNY WATSON: A Quitter Never Wins
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Sony-BMG (UK) 106852 |
The Northern Soul Story, Vol. 2 - The Golden
Torch |
● CD $11.98 |
25 tracks, 65 mins, highly recommended
The second volume in Sony's Northern Soul series picks up where the first
volume left off: the Golden Torch club in Stoke-On-Trent, England became
Northern Soul's mecca in 1972 after Manchester's Twisted Wheel closed the
year before. The songs featured herein are mostly in the same vein as the
previous edition: a 60's mix of Motown knock-offs, Sweet Soul obscurities by
capable vocalists (Lou Johnson, Major Lance, Little Richard, Robert Knight,
Roy Hamilton), the occasional non-hit from a one-hit wonder (the Exciters),
and some hot instrumentals from the early 70's (K-Jee by the Nite-Liters,
for example). Also like Vol. 1, the liner notes are impeccable, the sound
quality excellent (except for Free For All (Winner Takes All) by
Phillip Mitchell, which sounds like it was taken off vinyl), and the
packaging classy. (GMC)
GEORGE CARROW: Angel Baby (Don't You Ever Leave Me)/ THE
CARSTAIRS: He Who Picks A Rose/ THE CAVALIERS: Hold On To My Baby/ THE
EXCITERS: Blowing Up My Mind/ THE GLORIES: I Worship You Baby/ ROY HAMILTON:
Crackin' Up Over You/ LOU JOHNSON: Unsatisfied/ WILLIE KENDRICK: Change Your
Ways/ ROBERT KNIGHT: Love On A Mountain Top/ MAJOR LANCE: Investigate/ You
Don't Want Me No More/ LITTLE RICHARD: I Don't Want To Discuss It/ THE
LORELEI: S.T.O.P./ BOBBI LYNN: Earthquake/ PHILLIP MITCHELL: Free For All
(Winner Takes All)/ JOHNNY MOORE: Walk Like A Man/ THE NITE-LITERS: K-Jee/
THE OVATIONS: They Say/ THE SWEET THINGS: I'm In A World Of Trouble/ THE
TRAMMPS: Scrub Board/ THE TRIUMPHS: I'm Coming To Your Rescue/ THE
VIBRATIONS: Gonna Get Along Without You Now/ THE VIRGINIA WOLVES: Stay/ HERB
WARD: Honest To Goodness/ LARRY WILLIAMS & JOHNNY WATSON: Too Late
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Sony-BMG (UK) 106862 |
The Northern Soul Story, Vol. 3 - Blackpool
Mecca |
● CD $11.98 |
25 tracks, 75 mins, highly recommended
Volume Three in the Northern Soul series moves the party from the Golden
Torch to Saturday nights at the Highland Rooms at Blackpool Mecca. While
half the records are still rooted in the mid-to-late 60's, this volume
represents the first (and only) serious helping of the rare gems of the
early-to-mid 70's. Consequently, there's more "name" performers present;
some from their early days (a young Patti Austin shines on Didn't Say a
Word), while others are captured in their prime (Earth, Wind & Fire, the
Trammps). As always, though, it's the lesser-knowns that steal the show:
Shane Martin, Morris Chestnutt, Susan Barrett, Lorraine Chandler, and Lynn
Randell are few of the who-are-they highlights. Since the 70's have been
breached, there's more of a disco element creeping into the songs, but
that's part of the set's charm and one of the things that made Northern Soul
what it was back then. (GMC)
AQUARIAN DREAM: Phoenix/ PATTI AUSTIN: Didn't Say A Word/
SUSAN BARRETT: What's It Gonna Be/ THE BROTHERS: Are You Ready For This/
LORRAINE CHANDLER: I Can't Hold On/ MORRIS CHESTNUT: Too Darn Soulful/ LOU
COURTNEY: Trying To Find My Woman/ LEE DAVID: Temptation Is Calling My Name/
EARTH, WIND & FIRE: Happy Feelin'/ LOU EDWARDS & TODAY'S PEOPLE: Talkin'
'Bout Poor Folks Thinkin' 'Bout My Folks/ LAURA GREENE: Moonlight, Music &
You/ ROBERT KNIGHT: Branded/ BOBBY LESTER: Hang Up Your Hang-Ups/ THE
M.V.P.'S: Turnin' My Heartbeat Up/ SHANE MARTIN: I Need You/ VAN MCCOY: Soul
Improvisations Pts 1 & 2/ TONY MIDDLETON: Paris Blues/ THE PHILLY DEVOTIONS:
I Just Can't Say Goodbye/ LOU RAGLAND: I Travel Alone/ LYNN RANDELL:
Stranger In My Arms/ THE TRAMMPS: Hold Back The Night/ THE UPTIGHTS: Shy
Guy/ T. D. VALENTINE: Love Trap/ THE VAN DYKES: Save My Love For A Rainy
Day/ BERNIE WILLIAMS: Ever Again
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Sony-BMG (UK) 106872 |
The Northern Soul Story, Vol. 4 - Wigan
Casino |
● CD $11.98 |
25 tracks, 65 mins, highly recommended
The final volume in this excellent series is the most diverse of all four:
artists that I would never have considered "Northern Soul" make appearances
(Paul Anka, Taj Mahal, Billy Joel Royal, Spiral Staircase) and all fit in
seamlessly with the other more typical tracks. The songs here were played at
the former Empress Ballroom (re-christened Wigan Casino), which opened in
1973 and helped fill the void left by the closure of the Twisted Wheel.
60's-centric with a couple tunes from the early 70's, Vol. 4 offers some of
the tastiest morsels of the entire series with guaranteed floor-fillers like
Dana Valery's You Don't Know Where Your Interest Lies, Panic
by Reparata & the Delrons, Sweet Music by Christopher Cerf, and
I'm Where It's At by the Jades to name a few. It might be my
imagination, but it seems like the tunes lean more to the pop side of the
fence; whatever, it doesn't take away from the sheer pleasure these songs
elicit from my groove center. A perfect conclusion to a fantastic set of CDs
that's worth owning many times over. (GMC)
NANCY AMES: I Don't Want To Talk About It/ PAUL ANKA: I
Can't Help Loving You/ BEVERLY ANN: You've Got Your Mind On Other Things/
OTIS BLACKWELL: It's All Over Me/ CHRISTOPHER CERF: Sweet Music/ THE
CHARMAINES: Eternally/ DEAN COURTNEY: I'll Always Need You/ DEREK & RAY:
Interplay/ JIMMY FRASER: Of Hopes & Dreams & Tombstones/ JUDY FREEMAN &
BLACKROCK: Hold On/ GERRI GRANGER: I Go To Pieces (Everytime)/ THE JADES:
I’m Where It's At/ TOBI LEGEND: Time Will Pass You By/ SUE LYNN: Don't Pity
Me/ TAJ MAHAL: (Ain't That) A Lot Of Love/ MICHAEL & RAYMOND: Man Without A
Woman/ DON RAY: Born A Loser/ REPARATA & THE DELRONS: Panic/ BILLY JOE
ROYAL: Hearts Desire/ THE SEVEN SOULS: I Still Love You/ RICK SHEPPARD: Can
We Share It/ SPIRAL STAIRCASE: More Today Than Yesterday/ HONEY TOWNSEND:
The World Again/ DANA VALERY: You Don't Know Where Your Interest Lies/ PERCY
WIGGINS: It Didn't Take Much (For Me To Fall In Love)
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Soul World 102 |
The Northern Soul Of Sue |
● CD $17.98 |
26 Tracks, 67 mins, recommended
Sue Records was a New York label that operated from 1957 to 1970; Northern
Soul is a term Brits coined to differentiate the type of soul music played
in northern British clubs from that played in south of England clubs.
Although Northern Soul tended to be up tempo soul music recorded mostly in
Chicago and Detroit during the early and mid 60`s, this compilation
spotlights the hot Big Apple sides released by Sue during the same time
frame from artists both forgotten (except by collectors) and well-known.
Early hits by Ike & Tina Turner, Barbara George, and Inez Fox are the draw,
but cuts by Billy Prophet, The Poets, Sandra Phillips, Eddie & Ernie, and
Baby Washington are just as groovy and satisfying. Some of the tracks veer
into Motown-sound-a-like territory, but there's enough originality here to
make the set a worthy purchase. (GMC)
BLACK IVORY: You Turned My Whole World Around/ THE
CARSTAIRS: Girl Have Pity/ CHOCOLATE SYRUP: Stop Your Crying/ CYNTHIA & THE
IMAGINATIONS: There's Something The Matter/ THE EMANONS: One Heart/ FIRST
CLASS: What About Me/ THE FIVE WAGERS: Come And Ask Me/ THE FOUR MINTS: Do
You Really Love Me/ THE FUTURES: (Love Lives On A) Windy Hill/ THE
INTENTIONS: Don't Forget That I Love You/ THE JONESES: Baby (There's Nothing
I Can Do)/ THE LOVE COMMITTEE: Heaven Only Knows/ GARNETT MIMMS & THE
ENCHANTERS: Until You Were Gone/ THE MOMENTS: Best Thing For Me/ THE
MONTCLAIRS: All I Really Care About Is You/ NEW YORK CITY: Make Me Twice The
Man/ THE NOTATIONS: At The Crossroads/ THE PLAYERS: Why Did I Lie/ SHO-NUFF:
Don't Be Lonely/ THE WHAT NAUTS: Let Me Be That Special One
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Soul Time 102 |
Soul Vocal Group Delights, Vol. 2 |
● CD $16.98 |
Not new but not listed before. 20 soul vocal group
recordings from the 60s and 70s - many making their first appearance on CD.
Includes tracks by New York City, The Four Mints, Love Committee, The
Notations, The What Nauts, First Class, Chocolate Syrup, The Futures, Black
Ivory, Sho-Nuff and more. Good sound, minimal packaging.
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Soulworld 103 |
Ric-Tic Relics, Vol. 1 |
● CD $17.98 |
28 tracks, 76 min., essential
Ric-Tic Records, owned by Ed Wingate, who also owned the Golden World and
Wingate imprints, competed head to head with Motown in the early days.
Motown's house musicians would moonlight at Ric-Tic increasing the quality
level of that label's releases and causing Berry Gordy to be concerned
enough to forbid his players to work there, a fine being the penalty for
disobediance. Finally, Gordy bought the label and did next to nothing to
promote any of the artists, whom he apparently saw as unwanted competition
for pre-existing Motown talent. These days, Ric-Tic has gained legendary
status because of the high quality of its releases and the scarcity of
available records. This release offers a generous 28 cuts, most issued on CD
for the first time. Edwin Starr, who did go on to success at Motown with the
remarkable War (despite its receiving almost no promotion), stood
tall at Ric-Tic, with his classic Agent OO-Soul and Stop Her On
Sight receiving a great deal of airplay. Future soul star Laura Lee had
one single on Ric-Tic, the A-side To Win Your Heart included here
with the flip presumably slated for volume 2. Other Ric-Tic talent
represented here includes The Fantastic Four (who had a little-promoted LP
on Motown imprint Soul), Freddie Gorman, Rose Batiste, Flaming Embers, Andre
Williams, Al Kent, Willie "G," The San Remo Golden Strings, and the great
J.J. Barnes. If you could find the 45 rpms, they'd set you back many
hundreds of dollars. Lucky you don't have to. (JC)
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Soul World 104 |
Ric-Tic Relics, Vol. II |
● CD $17.98 |
28 tracks, 76 min., highly recommended/ essential
The second helping of soul sides from Detroit's legendary Ric-Tic label
opens with the flip sides of Freddie Gorman's releases (#101 & 102) on that
label, just as volume 1 kicked off with the other sides. (The playlist
follows the release order.) And for continuity, the third cut is the
instrumental version of Edwin Starr's classic spy number Agent OO-Soul,
whereas the earlier release gave the vocal version. And so it goes through
much of the disc, volume II providing the missing flip of each track on
volume one. The rarest side on the label is the reworking of Edwin Starr's
Stop Her On Sight (S.O.S.) done for a local deejay, titled Scott's
On Swingers (S.O.S.) which was issued in minute quantities as a local
promotional item, and, thankfully, is included here. The play list pattern
breaks occasionally, as when the other side (So I Will) of Laura
Lee's sole Ric-Tic 45 rpm fails to appear despite the appearance of To
Win Your Heart on vol. 1. A sad truth. Likewise, this release ends with
one side of Little Ann's only Ric-Tic release, but the flip was not on
vol.1. But there are still enough sides out there for a volume III, and soul
fans must live in hope. Since neither side of Ric-Tic 100 (Geno Wahsington's
Gino Is A Coward b/w Puppet On A String has shown up yet, and
since it isn't particularly rare, a third release seems likely. This album
(and its fellow) is currently the only way to get this important and
wonderful music, and because it is offered by a small label, don't expect it
to stay in print forever. (JC)
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Soul World 105 |
The Northern Soul Of Tangerine |
● CD $17.98 |
27 tracks, 68 mins, recommended
Tangerine Records was started by Ray Charles in 1963, and he owned it for
ten years until it was sold to ABC Records, who had previously been
distributor for the label. The label's released were all an R&B mixture of
well known names like Ike & Tina Turner, Louis Jordan, Percy Mayfield, and
the Ohio Players, and obscure artists such as Vala-Quons, Visitors, Douglas
Gibson, and Brandi Alexander. Soul World has brought us another collection
of Northern Soul gems, this time from the Tangerine roster, and there are
some very tasty morsels here indeed. Sound quality is good, not great, and
there's very little information about these tracks; this is a case where the
music is supposed to speak for itself, and it does. Ike and Tina are
predictably exciting on Dust My Broom, the Visitors light a fire with
What About Me, and Vala-Quons with Mike Akopoff (!) get clever on
Window Shopping On Girl's Avenue. For the Northern Soul fan, this is a
worthy purchase. (GMC)
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Soul 1000 |
Soulful Thangs, Vol. 1 |
● CD $17.98 |
Not new but not listed before. A collection of 22 rare sweet
and Northern sides. Includes Masterplan, 21st Century, Mike & The Censations,
Chapter One, Sly, Slick & Wicked, Timothy Wilson, Bloodstone, The
Manhattans, The Lovelites, The Performers, The Constellations, etc.
|
VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Sounds Of Yester Year 737 |
The Real Sound Of R&B And Boogie Woogie |
● CD $12.98 |
Fine collection of R&B and boogie woogie from the 40s - some
of it from familiar names along with some obscurities. Some tracks are from
live performances. Includes Four Joes & A Jane (a great version of
Caldonia), The Ray McKinley Quartet, Lionel Hampton band, Joan benson,
The Four Blazes, The Jesse Price Quartet, Count Basie, Mary Lou Williams,
Meade Lux Lewis, Harry "The Hipster" Gison and others. Excellent sound.
|
VARIOUS ARTISTS |
South Side Kingdom 005 |
South Side Soul, Vol. 5 |
● CD $17.98 |
26 tracks from the smoother, more romantic side of soul
featuring a mix of well known names and obscurities. Includes Carla Thomas,
Rocky Brown & The Impacts, The Passionettes, Lee Fields & The Expressions,
The Informers, William Bell, The Impressions, Dells, Sensations, Stylettes,
Persuaders, Delroy Wilson, Herb Johnson and others.
|
VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Stax 30203 |
Stax 50th Anniversary Celebration |
● CD $18.98 |
2 CDs, 50 tracks, 2 hours, 33 min., highly recommended
If you already own the three Complete Stax Singles box sets (28 CDs!) or the
4-CD box set "The Stax Story", you may safely pass on this. But if you want
a wonderful 2-disc overview of Stax's greatest spins (1961-72), this will
hit the spot nicely. Tracks include Gee Whiz by Carla Thomas,
Respect by Otis Redding, I'll Take You There by The Staple
Singers, Mr. Big Stuff by Jean Knight, Knock On Wood by Eddie
Floyd, Theme From Shaft by Issac Hayes, and many others. The closest
thing to an obscure song here is probably Linda Lyndell's Volt single
What A Man, which stalled at #50 on the R&B charts and never got over
Pop-wise. Booklet notes (52-pages) by noted Stax expert Rob Bowman, great
photos (especially if you want one of Issac Hayes with his shirt off--damn
right), and a 1960s style-3D finger snap logo on the box cover for that
animated soul effect you've been craving. (JC)
THE ASTORS: Candy/ THE BAR-KAYS: Son Of Shaft/ THE
BAR-KEYS: Soul Finger/ WILLIAM BELL: I Forgot To Be Your Lover/ You Don't
Miss Your Water/ Private Number/ BOOKER T. & THE MGS: Green Onions/ Soul
Limbo/ Time Is Tight/ SHIRLEY BROWN: Woman To Woman/ THE DRAMATICS: In The
Rain/ Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get/ THE EMOTIONS: So I Can Love You/ EDDIE
FLOYD: I've Never Found A Girl (to Love Me Like You Do)/ Knock On Wood/
ISAAC HAYES: Never Can Say Goodbye/ Theme From Shaft/ Walk On By/ MABLE
JOHN: Your Good Thing (is About To End)/ ALBERT KING: Born Under A Bad Sign/
FREDERICK KNIGHT: I've Been Lonely For So Long/ JEAN KNIGHT: Mr. Big Stuff/
LITTLE MILTON: That's What Love Will Make You Do/ LINDA LYNDELL: What A Man/
THE MAD LADS: I Want Someone/ THE MAR-KEYS: Last Night/ MEL & TIM: Starting
All Over Again/ OLLIE & THE NIGHTINGALES: I Got A Sure Thing/ OTIS & CARLA:
Tramp/ OTIS REDDING: (sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay/ I've Been Loving You
Too Long (to Stop Now)/ Respect/ SAM & DAVE: Hold On I'm Comin'/ Soul Man/
You Don't Know Like I Know/ SOUL CHILDREN: Hearsay/ I'll Be The Other Woman/
THE STAPLE SINGERS: I'll Take You There/ If You're Ready (come Go With Me)/
Respect Yourself/ JOHNNIE TAYLOR: Cheaper To Keep Her/ Jody's Got Your Girl
And Gone/ Who's Making Love/ THE TEMPREES: Dedicated To The One I Love/
CARLA THOMAS: B-a-b-y/ Gee Whiz (look At His Eyes)/ I Like What You're Doing
(to Me)/ Let Me Be Good To You/ RUFUS THOMAS: Do The Funky Chicken/ Walking
The Dog
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BABY WASHINGTON |
Stateside 474 447-2 |
I've Got A Feeling - The Best Of |
● CD $13.98 |
Fine collection of 28 sides by this excellent soul singer
recorded for Sue and Veep between 1963 and 1969 including her biggest hits
That's How Heartaches Are Made and Only Those In LOve and her
entire Veep album "With You In Mind" featuring her renditions of pop, R&B
and jazz classics I'm On The Outside Looking In/ All Around The World/
People Sure Act Funny/ Get A Hold Of Yourself/ At Last/ Hurt So Bad,
etc.
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JOHNNY
"GUITAR" WATSON |
Ace CDCHD 1180 |
Untouchable - The Classics 1959-1966
Recordings |
● CD $18.98 |
27 tracks, highly recommended Fine collection of sides by
this versatile performer after he left RPM in 1958. Unfortunately it doesn't
include his great sides for Keen and Goth but does include all his sides
recorded for King recorded between 1961 and 1963 along with sides for labels
like Class, Arvee, Escort, Jowat, Highland and Magnum. By this time was
expanding his repertoire beyond blues to include R&B, soul, pop ballads with
strings and even a version of Hank Williams' Cold Cold Heart done as
a soul song! But whatever he sang it came out pure Johnny "Guitar" Watson -
drenched with soul. Although only a handful of these tracks feature his
dynamic guitar work there are some great performances here like The Eagle
Is Back/ Cuttin In/ Gangster Of Love/ Those Lonely, Lonely Nights and
others. (FS)
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