Funk my Soul

A sweet soul masterpiece.

If you like soulful harmony vocals, you won’t find a better album than this one! This is a stone cold group soul album, and the whole thing is a stunning bunch of cuts with beautiful George Kerr production, and incredible soaring harmonies.

Living so far away from America, my vinyl collection has become more extensive the last 5 years thanks to internet (mostly from ebay). I like and collect a lot of genres. My psych – prog section is important too. But the last few years I am fully dedicated to Soul and Funk. I am not a soul guru as a lot of you might believe. There’s many of you with more knowledge than me and I learn everyday…

I like sweet soul so much. I think it is obvious in my posts. I was after “introducing the whatnaus” for a few years. It was always getting high (70 to 120 $) and it was also very difficult to find a NM copy. I think I’ve seen only 3 pieces. Finally I won this one and was so happy but…. When it came to my hands it was visually Near Mind but had a background noise and a lot of scratches. I asked for help and I have to thank our regular visitor cafecafecafe who clean it perfectly and here it is ready for you to enjoy it.

This is a @320 vinyl rip of the original Stang Records including covers.

There’s an LP reissue only in Japan (P-Vine records – 1989) but never in America or Europe. Never released on CD.

Tracks:
A1 I Just Can’t Loose Your Love 3.42
A2 Tweedly Dum-Dum 3.07
A3 She’s Gone To Another 2.11
A4 What’s Left To Give (After Giving It All) 3.40
A5 Fall In Love All Over 2.27
A6 Just Can’t Leave Me Baby 3.08
B1 I’ll Erase Away Your Pain 3.15
B2 Please Make The Love Go Away 3.15
B3 Souling With The Whatnauts 1.55
B4 Dance To The Music 2.43
B5 Message From A Black Man 3.01

Introducing the Whatnauts is the kind of hard-to-find album that makes you pee in your pants when you uncover a copy withering away at some Goodwill, yard sale, or flea market. Scavenging for their recordings is what you had to do until the late ‘90s when no fewer than three CDs of the Whatnauts’ music finally hit the streets. Obscure beyond reason, the Whatnauts were comprised of Garnett Jones, Billy Herndon, Gerald “Chunky” Pinckney, and a guy identified only as Ray, who disappeared after this album. They were masterful purveyors of heartache-soul.

They were also producer George Kerr’s pet project. A short list of Kerr’s previous credits includes: the O’Jays’ (”Look Over Your Shoulder” and “I’m So Glad I Found You”), the Moments (”All I Have” and “Lucky Me”) and Linda Jones’s “Hypnotized.” He later produced the Skull Snaps’ acclaimed album on GSF Records.

Introducing the Whatnauts features the Baltimoreans’ first four singles (from 1969 to 1971) plus three other tracks, all recorded on Sylvia and Joe Robinson’s Stang label. This is wrist-slitting, throat-cutting, misery-loves-company music. The crawling “I’ll Erase Away Your Pain” (#14 R&B/1971) is the centerpiece, with lyrics like “Little girl, please stop your crying / Cause I’ll erase away your pain.”

Breaks in the pain come with “Message From a Blackman,” (their debut single on All Platinum/Stang’s subsidiary A&I Records) with its accompanying B-side “Dance To the Music,” and “Souling With the Whatnauts,” a frolicking instrumental. Those songs had many, who never saw the Whatnauts’s perform, believing that they were strictly a funk band. Radio DJ’s in the ’70s frequently used “Souling”—the B-side of their Stang debut “Please Make the Love Go Away,”—for bumper music.

But the LP’s main theme is pain, pain and more pain. Garnett wails like he’s being tortured on “What’s Left To Give (After Giving It All)”; you can’t help but empathize with him as he sob-sings Wesaline Kerr’s heartbreaking lyrics. As pitifully poignant is the stark, wistful “I Just Can’t Lose Your Love.” And “She’s Gone to Another” is the mother of pain; the 2:11 tear-jerker floats precariously on a gloomy rhythm bed topped by morose harmonies and a wretched lead vocal—it’s probably so short because Garnett broke down in the studio (if he didn’t, he sure sounds like he did). Songs like this make Introducing the Whatnauts a must hear for falsetto lovers and smooth harmony aficionados.

Since they didn’t write their own songs, studio skills and a hot live act were essential in getting others to craft material for them. Michael Watson (guitar), Curtis McTeer (bass) and Donald McCoy (drums) buoyed a sizzling Whatnauts’s band that was more advanced than All Platinum’s original house band. George Kerr used them in the studio on the Whatnauts’ and his own recordings (remember ‘3 Minutes 2 Hey Girl”); which is why the Whatnauts’ recordings are more polished than early tracks of their label mates, the Moments.

Of their three albums (and 10 singles) on Stang Records from 1970 to 1974, Introducing the Whatnauts is the creamiest. All three albums plus six bonus tracks, two versions of their number 25 R&B hit with the Moments, “Girls” (English and French), and a 1982 single “Help Is On the Way” that sold 90,000 copies are now available on The Definitive Whatnauts Collection on Deep Beats Records. For smaller doses of their unique heartfelt soul check out either of their two Collectables Records’s CDs: “Message From a Blackman” or “I’ll Erase Your Pain”.

Download link

Bookmark this post to:

Barbara Acklin is one of the great lost soul singers of the late ’60s/early ’70s. A pop-soul vocalist in the vein of Dionne Warwick or Brenda Holloway, Barbara Acklin is best known for her R&B/pop hit “Love Makes a Woman” from the summer of 1968 and the delicious Windy City soul gems ‘Please Sunrise Please’, ‘Come And See My Baby’, and ‘Be By My Side’, all included in this excellent debut album.

It wasn’t until she was five that the family moved to Chicago and she got her start singing in her local church. From there it was only a matter of time before she began performing in clubs. She had to enter the music industry from the backdoor being a secretary, but eventually got help from her cousin Monk Higgins and singer Jackie Wilson, who got her a record deal with Brunswick where she had much success hitting the charts with her singles.

This is a @320 Vinyl rip of the reissue Brunswick record including covers.

Tracks
A1 What the World Needs Now Is Love 2:28
A2 The Look of Love 2:26
A3 The Old Matchmaker 2:57
A4 Come and See Me Baby 2:57
A5 I’ve Got You Baby 2:18
A6 Love Makes a Woman 2:58
B1 Please Sunrise Please 2:54
B2 Your Sweet Loving 2:41
B3 Yes I See the Love (I Missed) 2:37
B4 To Sir With Love 2:27
B5 Be by My Side 2:36

Vocals With Orchestra produced by Carl Davis & Eugene Record

Arranged by Sonny Sanders - Directed by Willie Henderson

The reviews

1

Always classy and elegant, Barbara Acklin’s debut album, Love Makes a Woman could survive on the reputation of the title track alone. One of the premier recordings of writer/producer Carl Davis, “Love Makes a Woman” features the bright horns and relaxed rhythms that are hallmarks of his productions for the Brunswick label. Coupled with Acklin’s tense, confident delivery, the results are one of pop-soul’s true shining moments. Well-written originals here, like “Be By My Side” and “Come and See Me Baby,” more than stand up to covers from the Bacharach/David canon, making this one of the most solid soul debuts ever released.

2

Chicago soul diva Barbara Acklin’s first and finest LP for the Brunswick label. Love Makes a Woman immediately establishes the supple, sophisticated sound that separated Acklin from her grittier Windy City rivals. The buoyant title cut would prove her biggest hit, but she also proves herself a skilled interpreter of the Bacharach/David catalog via soulful renditions of the syrupy “What the World Needs Now” and the sultry “The Look of Love.” Also credit co-producers Eugene Record and Carl Davis for avoiding the studio overkill that plagues Acklin’s later Brunswick dates. The loping grooves and sinuous rhythms never distract from the potency of her vocals.

Career

As a teenager, she began singing in nightclubs while attending Dunbar Vocational High school. Upon graduation, she was hired as a secretary for local record label by her cousin, saxophonist Monk Higgins. Her first release was under the name Barbara Allen on his Special Agent label. Later, Higgins used Acklin as a background singer on his Chess Records sessions.

In 1966, Acklin began working as a receptionist for record producer Carl Davis at Brunswick Records. Always keeping in mind her goal of becoming a recording star, she persistently asked Davis to record her. Davis said that he would, but, in the meantime, he encouraged her to keep writing songs. Cornering Brunswick Records star Jackie Wilson, Acklin had him listen to a tune that she co-wrote with David Scott (formerly of The Exciters Band). Wilson liked it and passed it on to Davis. Released September 1966, the song, “Whispers (Gettin Louder)” went to number six R&B and number 11 on the Hot 100 in the fall of 1966. The song helped re-launch his career in the late 1960s. To return the favor, Wilson helped Acklin secure a recording contract with Brunswick. Acklin’s first chart success came from “Show Me the Way to Go,” a duet with Chandler, reaching number 30 R&B in the spring of 1968. In July 1968, Acklin had a hit of her own with the extremely catchy “Love Makes a Woman,” which went to number three R&B and number 15 on the Hot 100 in August 1968. The song also won a BMI Award.

Another Chandler/Acklin duet followed in October 1968. “From the Teacher to the Preacher” reached number 16 R&B and number 57 pop. Acklin’s next charting singles were “Just Ain’t No Love,” “Am I the Same Girl” (covered by Dusty Springfield, Swing Out Sister and The Manhattan Transfer), “I Did It,” “Lady Lady Lady,” and “I Call It Trouble.” In 1974, Acklin departed Brunswick for Capitol Records. Her first single, “Raindrops,” was a R&B hit in June of that year.

Prior to Brunswick releasing her “Am I the Same Girl”, they removed her voice from the track and replaced it with a piano and released as the instrumental track “Soulful Strut,” which became a massive hit for Young-Holt Unlimited. Unfortunately for Acklin, her release of the song did not get the promotion as “Soulful Strut” received. However, she was also proficient as a songwriter - in addition to “Whispers (Gettin’ Louder)” for Jackie Wilson, she co-wrote “Have You Seen Her” with her husband Eugene Record, who was also the lead singer of The Chi-Lites, as well as several of their other biggest hits: “Oh Girl”, “Stoned Out Of My Mind” and “Toby.” Barbara Acklin died from pneumonia on November 27 1998.

Wiki: Barbara Acklin Carl Davis

Download link

Bookmark this post to:

Here’s an album sooooooo rare!!!!. A collector’s item. But also a real gem.

Nashville-born/Cleveland-raised singer/songwriter Dorothy Kimberley Tolliver is an unsung Southern Soul heroine to many collectors of rare and antique R&B records. Blessed with a powerful and tremendously expressive set of pipes.

This is her first and rarest of her two albums.
I feel very proud and honoured that Mr. Moo share it with us through this blog.

I think that the regular visitors will know Mr. Moo through his past uploads in the cbox, and a lot of you are already members of his wonderful blog.
We were introduced to each other by Lafayette of 4BB and found out that we share a similar love for old school soul and funk music. Furthermore he is running a small private blog (What Da Funk) for about a year now, which focuses on seventies and eighties funk, soul, rap & disco. An exceptional blog full of great music, I suggest you should visit daily.

Mr. Moo explains : “ I found this one in a box with other (mostly scratchy) albums years ago, (almost literally) in a haystack near a home of an aunt of an old late friend. The album didn’t come with a sleeve, so I include a front and back cover I found on the internet. The quality of the vinyl is only average, but I did my best to make it soundable.”

And he did. Be sure you can find it only here cause the artist and record is so rare. Neither label promoted the pleasing LPs and both were deleted before most knew they existed.

‘Come & Get Me I’m Ready’ her 2nd album, now released on CD for the first time – thanks to the new US reissue label Reel Music, proves to be a genuine soul masterpiece.

This is a @256 vinyl rip of the original Fantasy Records album.

Tracks
A1. My Whole World Ended 5.11
A2. Give A Man An Inch 2.23
A3. What In This World’s Happening To Love 8.37
A4. He’s Still On My Mind 3.32
B1. Girl Talk With Parents 3.29
B2. The Letter 6.41
B3. Leaving On A Jet Plane 5.51
B4. If I Could Work A Miracle 3.35

Despite the fact that she never had a hit single in her lengthy career, those who know Kim Tolliver’s recordings will testify that her brand of emotional passion and power made her a premiere league singer. Her voice could project a sense of world-weariness and resignation like no other, making her ballads deep soul of the highest quality. And unlike many of her contemporaries she wrote some very fine songs, not just for herself but also for others, notably Margie Joseph in the early 70s.
Kim’s recordings started with the 1967 release of “In Return For Your Love”. Although released on Don Robey’s Houston based Sure Shot label the songs certainly weren’t cut in Texas, but most likely taped in Memphis or Nashville. The excellent deep ballad top side showed that Kim had matured into a powerful vocalist with a fine sense of dynamics
In 1968 she signed with Jack Taylor in New York, who issued four Kim Tolliver 45s on his Rojac label. With his superb series of recordings by Big Maybelle, Taylor had already demonstrated that he could bring out the best in a female artist, and the tracks he cut with Kim were further proof.
Kim was by now married to Freddy Briggs, a songwriter of no mean ability and the couple based themselves in Memphis and Cleveland, the first fruits of this Memphis connection being Kim’s releases on Superheavy and General American Records. The self-penned “How Long Can I Keep Hanging On” (Superheavy 301) was issued under the pseudonym “Big Ella”, possibly for contractual reasons. It was another of those emotionally wracked songs at which so excelled, as was the flip of the GAR release “Get Myself Together” which had a fine melody and the benefit of a tortured vocal performance.
Over the next couple of years Kim issued her two LPs. Briggs pressed up copies of the first set on their own Kimbrig label and titled it teasingly “Who’s Kimberley?” Fantasy picked it up the following year and issued it as “Passing Clouds” by Kimberley Briggs. Sadly the rather overproduced set vanished without trace. As did her second album, “Come And Get Me I’m Ready” which was issued in 1973 on Chess. This set was in a different league to the first effort, full of finely honed songs; although the production was again heavily orchestrated there were less of the soul/rock overtones that rather marred “Passing Clouds”. I think it was very significant that neither Fantasy nor Chess issued a 45 from the albums – were they both aimed at the rock market rather than a black audience?
After a dance orientated 45on Castro, Kim had a very fine 45 which was leased to Pathfinder. This was a truly excellent version of a country hit “Standing Room Only” on which Kim gave one of her very best vocal performances. It’s one of the very best country soul records cut in 70s – up there with the Candi Staton discs on Fame and Marion Love singles on Mercury. These singles are just the tip of the iceberg of Kim’s mid-70s recordings as enough material for another LP was cut but sadly never released. She issued – if that’s the word for pressing a couple of hundred copies – a piece of a live performance singing “If Loving You Is Wrong” at a venue in LA on her own “Revillot” label (try “Tolliver” backwards). This lengthy two-part version has a rap related to the one with which Millie Jackson scored so heavily.

It wasn’t until 1980 that Kim had one last shot at making a hit record. She reunited with Jack Taylor who had re-activated his Tay-Ster label and released two 12” singles with no success.

“Passing Clouds” - From John Ridley’s liner notes…

Tolliver and Briggs adopted a similar production approach to Kim’s own first album, which was cut in a variety of southern studios during 1971. Briggs couldn’t get Stax interested in it so he pressed up copies on their own Kimbrig label and titled it teasingly “Who’s Kimberley?” Fantasy picked it up the following year and issued it as “Passing Clouds” by Kimberley Briggs. On the set Kim tried a lengthy rap to the Box Tops hit “The Letter” and also did a big orchestra number on David Ruffin’s “My Whole World Ended”. She even essayed John Denver’s “Leaving On A Jet Plane” but the tracks that have stood the test of time best are the originals. “He’s Still On My Mind” is Kim at her desperate best and the tuneful “If I Could Work A Miracle” is first class as well. Marketing the album was a big problem. Fantasy was not known as a soul label and failed to issue a “taster” 45 from the set. Furthermore, the name on the front was an unfamiliar one and the anodyne skyscape on the cover did little to help sales. The LP disappeared without trace.

Wiki for: Kimberley Briggs, Freddy Briggs, Jack Taylor

Listen up Kim from her 2nd album

Get it here - original Mr.Moo link

http://rapidshare.com/files/122905284/Kimberley_Briggs__Passing_Clouds__1972__.rar.html

I would like to thank the amazing Mr. Moo for this contribution. Enjoy and show him some love and respect.

Bookmark this post to:

Luther Ingram’s Week continues with his rare debut on koko label, 2nd contribution from Groovy Emmanuel.

Luther, one of the greatest talents of his generation first got his start doing rougher, more fragile soul tunes but by the time of these 70s recordings, he’d really found his voice and hit a more confident, more sensuous style that could easily go head to head with Al Green or any of his southern soul contemporaries. There’s a key Stax connection to most of the material here, but the sound’s a bit different too thanks to the production efforts of Koko label head Johnny Baylor, who gives Ingram a sound that’s nicely apart from the pack.

This is a @320 vinyl rip of the original Koko Records inluding covers.

Tracks
A1. Ain’t That Loving You (For More Reasons Than One) 4.07
A2. You Were Made For Me 3.57
A3. Oh Baby, You Can Depend On Me 2.08
A4. My Honey And Me 3.15
A5. I’ll Just Call You Honey 2.51
A6. Since You Don’t Want Me 4.18
B1. Missing You 3.24
B2. I’ll Love You Until The End 3.43
B3. Be Good To Me Baby 4.11
B4. Pity For The Lonely 2.46
B5. To The Other Man 4.00
B6. Ghetto Train 3.46

Here is Groovy Emmanuel in his own words :

“Thanks a lot brothers for the quality of comments you posted here about Luther’s “(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want To Be Right”. And thank you Nikos for sharing our need to communicate!

Now we’re going for his first ever career album, “I’ve Been Here All The Time”. And what a great title to begin with, eh? So true! He’s been here all the time for sure, firstly by singing in a family gospel group, then by forming a secular vocal group along with his brothers (Luther was one of seven children, happy mom and dad!), they actually cut a 45″ produced by the likes of Ike Turner, and finally by starting a solo career in the early sixties by moving to the Big Apple, where he cut his own composition “You Never Miss Your Water”, which subsequently was drowned in some real deep waters, indeed!! He hit the bottom of the chart!!! But the man could write songs, and so on he did some background sessions there collaborating with Johnny Nash and the famed producers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. He even shared a room with a young Jimi Hendrix for a brief spell! Oohh, some cold N.Y. weather for a southern kid!

And then in 1968 he went back south and signed to Koko, where he finally hit the charts with “Pity For The Lonely” (the ever lasting sad sound of southern soul..) and his own “My Honey And Me” covered succesfully later by Stax’s Emotions. Luther’s third single “Ain’t That Loving You (For More Reasons Than One)”, originally sung by Johnny Taylor for Stax (yet again!) in 1967, became his first top 10 r’n'b hit!

And that is how we’ve come to the release of his first full album which includes a couple of further hit singles apart from these mentioned above.

Now, enjoy it brothers, this is a little piece of history, a small detail perhaps, but a tasty bit of spice in a great meal, and that is seventies soul music.”

Wiki for: Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and Johnny Baylor

Watch Luther’s sixth Koko single “I’ll Just Call You Honey”

Download link

Don’t forget to show some love and respect to Groovie Emmanuel, brothers.

Bookmark this post to:

This is Luther Ingram’s week brothers as you have requested it!

But first, let me say a few words how we’ve come here. I met Groovy Emmanuel through the comment section of this blog. His comments were of the most vital and interesting ever posted to this blog since its opening in May 2008, comments that, in my opinion, point out a deep knowledge of black music in general. Having an almost daily communication with him since then, Groovy Emmanuel suggested and I gladly agreed to send me some vinyl albums out of his collection so I can post them. And here we start with two of Luther Ingram’s Koko releases we’re going to post this week. First the 1972 classic “(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want To Be Right”. I also asked Groovy Emmanuel to look after the reviews, and here we go brothers with his own words…

This is a @320 vinyl rip of the original Koko record including covers.

Tracks
A1 (If Loving You Is Wrong)I Don’t Want To Be Right (3:32)
A2 I’ll Be Your Shelter (In Time Of Storm) (3:20)
A3 Always (4:25)
A4 Dying & Crying (3:48)
A5 Help Me Love (3:47)
B1 I’m Trying To Sing A Message To You (4:20)
B2 I Remember (3:20)
B3 I’ll Love You Until The End (5:21)
B4 Love Ain’t Gonna Run Me Away (5:05)
B5 I Can’t Stop (3:16)

“It is odd enough brothers, every time we think of Luther Ingram, Stax Records comes in mind somehow, even though Luther never recorded for the famous Memphis label. It is southern groove aura after all.

Luther was born a few miles from Memphis in Jackson Tennessee and after a long period bouncing around in various projects, he signed to tiny Koko Records based nearby Memphis. And thus got connected to Stax, after Koko made a deal for Stax distribution in 1969. There he hooked up with in-house songwriter Mack Rice (of ‘Mustang Sally’ fame) and in 1971 the duo penned one of the all time greatest soul anthems in Staple Singers’ ‘Respect Yourself’. In fact, Mack wrote the melody after a conversation he had with Luther, where Luther himself stated something along the line ‘black folk need to learn to respect themselves’. The track was recorded down route 72 Memphis at the Muscle Shoals studios in Alabama where several of Stax’s writers have already made the trek to 3614 Jackson Highway doing sessions for the label. One of the first songs produced there, was Homer Banks, Raymond Jackson and Carl Hampton’s (a fine Stax songwriting trio) gem ‘(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want To Be Right’. The song was to be cut by a newcomer to Stax young lady named Veda Brown, but unfortunately for Veda Stax chose not to release it (!) to the benefit of both Koko and Luther who recorded it shortly after and stormed his way to #1 r’n'b and #3 pop. Not a bad thing for Stax either, since it distributed it nationally. It proved so popular that Stax made sure it appeared in both the Wattstax movie documentary and accompanying soundtrack, even though Luther didn’t even perform at the LA Coliseum benefit concert, by arranging to record Luther singing on a soundstage before an appreciative audience (see video below).

To cut it short fellas, this is the second of Luther’s albums in Koko, named after the million seller single, recorded at Muscle Shoals and is fully packed with a number of excellent tracks and further hits in ‘I’ll Be Your Shelter (In Time Of Storm)’, ‘Always’ and the beautiful road song ‘Love Ain’t Gonna Run Me Away’.

This is for you music lovers around the world, an homage to this wonderful performer, the late Luther Ingram and a standing ovation to one of the biggest rhythm sections in r’n'b saga, the Muscle Shoals in house band. Respect.”

So, Big Up! Groovy Emmanuel and hope we have some more great posts, shortly.

Listen to If Loving You Is Wrong:

Download link

Bookmark this post to:

Rare 1975 original soundtrack LP with music for the comedy film composed by the legendary Curtis Mayfield (leader of the group impressions). The Staple Singers perform the the vocals! Film starred Sidney Poitier, Jimmy Walker, Bill Cosby, with Sidney Poitier as the director.

As Stax neared bankruptcy, the Staples signed with Curtis Mayfield’s Curtom label for this soundtrack album. The title track was a number-one hit and “New Orleans” reached number 70, returning the Staples to the upper echelons of the charts for the last time.

Produced & written by Curtis Mayfield, this is smooth, soulful and funky.

This is a @320 vinyl rip of the original Curtom record including covers.

Tracks
A1 Let’s Do It Again 4:53
A2 Funky Love 4:50
A3 A Whole Lot Of Love 3:53
A4 New Orleans 4:26
B1 I Want To Thank You 5:22
B2 Big Mac 6:05
B3 After Sex 6:45
B4 Chase 4:15

The Reviews

1

Probably the best record the Staple Singers ever cut during the 70s as it makes a genius move by taking their rich vocal style and laying it over some excellent tracks written by Curtis Mayfield! The record’s quite different than their usual Stax numbers, and has a Curtom groove that’s hip and funky in the best parts , arranged by Gil Askey and Rich Tufo in the same manner as Curtis’ work from the time. Includes the hit title cut “Let’s Do It Again”, plus other nice ones like “After Sex”, “Chase”, “Big Mac”, and “Funky Love”.

2

The longer album version of the title track “Let’s Do It Again” is worth the price alone. Two killer instrumental tracks, the smooth “After Sex” and the up tempo “Chase” round out an incredible set of Staple Singers vocals and Curtis Mayfield production.
The Staple Singers are very impressive especially on the title track. Pure soul, very inspired vocals. The soundtrack is an excellent addition to any music collection; especially of the 1970’s era.

Biography of The Staples Singers

Read about the movie

Listen Staple Singers do it again!

Download link

Bookmark this post to:

Leon’s Creation hail from San Fransisco, they released this album on the small Studio 10 label. I think some people have a misconception that this is a funk record, I would classify it more as psychedelic soul ala Sly and the Family Stone. This is a fantastic record that has simply slipped through the cracks. Why this hasn’t been reissued yet is beyond me. Definitely one worth seeking out in my opinion.

This is a @320 vinyl rip of the original Studio 10 label including covers.

Tracks
A1 This Is the Beginning 5:00
A2 Until You Were Gone 4:14
A3 Mirage 6:42
A4 Back Roads 4:27
B1 Confusion 3:08
B2 If I Had the Power 4:01
B3 Love 3:23
B4 Sightless 5:22

“Is it me, or has all the text on this record sleeve clearly been done with a felt tip pen? It isn’t even written straight! Some letters are darker than others where they’ve been ‘gone over’ too many times! The ham-fisted attempt at making the ‘T’ of ‘Creation’ into a crucifix! Man this is a great record sleeve. Jesus Freak concept, junior-school graphic design, and a brutally unflattering band photo. “Hey, yeah, you, Afro dude, you and the honky at the front with the crap goatee and awful sun glasses, why doncha try and look like you’re taking a dump or something, yeah, really strain, ok, great, yeah, looks good, lets get this shot and get the hell outta here so I can go to Rymans and pick up some more Crimson Red felt tip pens…” Perfect.

…and the music doesn’t disappoint…

A stomping set of Sly & The Family Stone-styled psyche-soul jams packed with brass, acid-rock guitar and coupla breaks, ‘In The Beginning’ got a private pressing in 1969 and never saw a proper release. This San Francisco outfit (Leon Patillo: keyboards, Jimmy Calhoun: bass, Barry Frost: percussion, Billy Gerst: trumpet, Lenny Goldsmith: keyboards, Gerry Peterson: reeds, Carol Stalling: violin, Orlando Stallings: guitar) deserved better, ‘cos on this evidence they really had something, easily the match of Tower Of Power, Buddy Miles or Ides Of March etc etc operating in a similar field at the time. I read a rumour someplace that Sly Stone actually shelved all their stuff when he bought out the label - Studio 10 - they were working with, and if that’s true and he did so ‘cos he sensed Leon’s Creation were competition, then his instincts were right. This is a really great LP, highly recommend for fans of This Sort Of Thing.

I dunno how many of these were pressed but it can’t have been many, and they certainly don’t appear on everyday so if you like the sound of Leon’s Creation, go here, and BUY NOW for at least $75″ (Notes from http://www.electricroulette.com/)

Wiki: Leon Patillo - Jimmy Calhoun - Barry Frost - Billy Gerst - Lenny Goldsmith - Gerry Peterson - Carol Stalling - Orlando Stallings

Listen here the killer track”Mirage“

Download link

Bookmark this post to: