Funk my Soul

The Blossoms were one of the premium female backing vocal groups during the 60s and 70s and existed in many versions under many pseudonyms. Familiar artists that came and went include Edna Wright, Gloria Jones and Merry Clayton - the trio featured on this LP includes only one member of the original sextet, Fanita James - accompanied by Darlene Love and Jean King. Together they bring some of that chirpy feminity that graced the sixties, in particular the Phil Spector sound, and soak it up in a whole lot of soul. This was sadly their only long player, so savour their spirited scent as they invite you to their sweet garden of soul.

This is a 320 LP rip of the Lion Records original vinyl including covers.

Tracks
A1 Touchdown (2:15)
A2 It’s All Up To You (2:57)
A3 Cherish What Is Dear To You (2:25)
A4 Moody (2:40)
A5 Fire And Rain (3:45)
B1 Last Call For Love (2:20)
B2 Shockwave (2:15)
B3 Grandma’s Hands (3:33)
B4 Heartbreak (2:47)
B5 Just Remember (3:07)

Review by Trakbuv

Believe it or not, this is the only LP released by The Blossoms. The Blossoms were one of the greatest secrets of the 60/70s, backing artists from Elvis to Tom Jones, with a career stretching back as far as 1954 where they started out as the sextet, The Dreamers. Comprising of Fanita Barrett (later James), Gloria Jones, Jewel Cobbs, Pat Howard and twin sisters Annette and Nanette Williams, they formed at high school with a strong gospel routine. And although they garnered favourable support from radio DJ Johnny Otis and crooner Richard Berry, their activities were not so popular with the parents of Jewel and Pat who promptly had to leave the group. They recorded several creditable singles for Flair and RPM records accompanied by Richard Berry, including the delightful chirper ‘Daddy Daddy’ release in 1955 (which did include Jewel and Pat before their departure). They also surfaced as The Rollettes (minus Nanette) on Class Records, releasing the ever-so-sweet ‘More than you realise’ in ‘56. They then signed to Capitol Records whereupon one of the executives likened them to a bouquet on account of their different skin tones, and from that sprouted the name The Blossoms. Several singles ensued that unfortunately fell into forgettable pop fodder, although ‘He promised me’ is quite enigmatic.

In 1958, Nanette was planning to leave for motherhood when the band fortuitously met her replacement, one Darlene Wright (Darlene Love), performing at a friends’ wedding around the same time. Things now start to get a bit complicated with respect incarnations of the band. They released some cutesy pop numbers out on RCA as The Playgirls (’59-’60), and had a minor hit as The Co-Eds (on Challenge) in the catchy ‘Son in law’ (#79 US Pop in 1961). They were also becoming highly regarded session singers which kept the money rolling even if the hits weren’t so prolific. Their next hit was much more impressive, this time under the pseudonym of The Rebelettes. Duane Eddy provided the basis for the poptastic ‘Dance with the guitar man’ - a sure-fire fingersnapper that clicked all the way to #12 US Pop 1962. And just to mix it up even further, The Blossoms ACTUALLY recorded ‘He’s a rebel’, the huge smash that was credited to The Crystals in 1962. Gloria Jones left soon thereafter forcing the remaining duo to join up with Bobby Sheen as Bob B Soxx & the Blue Jeans. Yet another huge hit came tumbling in the form of ‘Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah’ (yes, the one and the same !) breaking into the top 10 US Pop. But still no hit for ‘The Blossoms’ !!

The Blossoms continued doing session work, now for the Philles label (where Darlene secured solo success), recruiting Merry Clayton or Edna Wright (Darlene’s sister) to make up the trio from time to time. In 1964, they finally recruited full-time member Jean King (an awesome singer in her own right - just check out her ‘Don’t say goodbye’ and ‘Something happens to me’ for soul heaven) and thus begun a love affair with the public as regulars on the TV Show, “Shindig !”. They then entered their most soulful tenure yet at Reprise Records, with excellent sides in the form of ‘Let your love shine’, ‘Good, good lovin’ and ‘That’s when the tears start’. Other glorious 45s that met with a lacklustre public reaction were the tremendous ‘Stoney End’ (Ode Records 1967, with Jean on lead), and the gorgeous ‘I ain’t got to love’ and the pleading ‘One step away’, both for Bell Records (1970). They then (re-)joined MGM and were assigned to their Lion Records subsidiary and given a moderate budget to record their first and only long player in 1972.

Even with three different sets of producers, there is still a reasonable continuity throughout, reminding me a little of the string-laden Holland-Dozier-Holland stuff coming out on their own label. However, the material is slightly patchy, and lacks an obvious single. For example, “It’s all up to you” - the initial single - is a insiduous swayer that oozes class, but was probably too subtle to catch the attention of the public. The cover versions here are also exceptional, with “Fire and rain” given a captivating bluesy treatment, and “Grandma’s Hands” is brilliant in its understated thunder - and together with the sombre “Just remember” - is that 3 tracks featuring 3 different leads ? The catchy “Cherish” (written by H-D-H) had apparently already been a hit for Freda Payne, which would have otherwise been an obvious choice 45. The remaining tracks are all commendable and worthy inclusions, providing an extremely satisfying album experience. However, without that unique and potent single to fanfare its existence, the LP suffered poor sales. Which is such a shame when you consider the calibre of these girls and the varying winds of fate on which they had been carried - yet these blossoms held their majesty through it all.

Darlene left The Blossoms in 1974 amidst personal problems and allegations of Jean’s drug abuse. Jean sadly passed away in 1983 from a heart attack. Fanita continued to keep The Blossoms alive, with Gloria Jones coming back to the fold in 2000. I believe that they have since retired.

An excellent biography of The Blossoms can be found here

—————————————

Never released on cd. Buy the vinyl from Groove Collector or Ebay.

Rapidshare

Zshare

Bookmark this post to:

Brenton Wood’s charmingly unpredictable phrasing and his infectious sense of good times made the smooth uptown soul of “The Oogum Boogum Song” and “Gimme Little Sign” into hits in 1967. Despite his skill as a pop-soul vocalist, Wood was never able to match such heights again, yet those two songs became genuine R&B classics of their era.

Getting it while the getting was good, Double Shot records issued this LP the same year they dropped Oogum Boogum. “Gimme  Little Sign,” which was also included on Oogum Boogum, exploded worldwide and “Baby You Got It” had the same potential. An organ is the most dominant instrument on these half-baked but likable tracks. The songs are bubblegum-ish lyrically and musically but are not nearly as inane as the idiocy Buddah records was releasing on Ohio Express, 1910 Fruitgum Company, and others; besides, you can’t help but admire Wood’s vocal aerobics (AMG).

This is a @320 vinyl rip of the original Double Shot Records LP including covers

Tracks
A1 Baby You Got It 2:00
A2 Me and You 2:40
A3 Ooh-La-Da-Dee 2:00
A4 Darlin’ 2:32
A5 Give It Up 2:10
A6 Catch You on the Rebound 2:12
B1 Gimme Little Sign 2:19
B2 Trouble 2:28
B3 Little Happy-Go-Lucky Girl 2:38
B4 Need You Girl 2:30
B5 Two Time Loser 2:00

Review by RDTEN1

In the wake of Brenton Wood’s significant chart successes with the singles ‘The Oogum Boogum Song’ and ‘Gimme Little Sign’ it was only natural that record label management would push for a rapid follow-up.  Wood’s second release within the last twelve months, “Baby You Got It” did little to tamper with the basic formula that made his earlier release such a pleasure.  Unfortunately, even though the album continued Wood’s collaboration with producers/writers Joe Hoveen and Hal Winn, the short turn-around and pressure for more material was apparent across the album’s dozen tracks.  At least to my ears, a couple of the songs sounded like unfinished demos (’Ooh-La-Da-De’), while other performances sounded dated as if they’d been pulled out of the tape archives (’Me and You’).  That wasn’t to imply the album was a waste. Much of the collection underscored Wood’s artistic strengths, including a playful voice that was instantly identifiable and a sense of enthusiasm that you seldom came across.  Exemplified by material like ”Baby You Got It’, ‘Give It Up’, and ‘Little Happy-Go-Lucky Girl’ the set offered up another attractive collection of Southern California-influenced pop-soul.  Unless you’ve heard it, the hybrid’s hard to accurate describe - too pop to be consider true soul, and too soul to be considered true pop - you’ll frequently see it referred to as ‘brown eyed soul’.  Elsewhere, featuring an autoharp solo (not your everyday soul instrumentation), ‘Catch You On The Rebound’ and the surprisingly bluesy ‘Trouble’ stood as personal favorites.

- Blessed with a great pop-soul melody and an instantly infectious chorus,  ‘Baby You Got It‘ was the album’s standout performance.  As good as anything on the debut album, it was easy to see why Double shot tapped it as the collection’s debut single.  Shame it wasn’t longer.
- Apparently meant as a tribute to his 1950s musical roots, ‘Me and You‘ was a period piece ballad.  While it was interesting to hear Wood employ a crystal clear falsetto and a spoken word segment, the song was simply too old fashioned for pop-soul fans
- Featuring a double tracked vocal, one channel showcasing Wood in an uncomfortable falsetto, ‘Ooh-La-Da-De‘ could have been another classic, but instead sounded stark, somewhat clumsy and incomplete.  To my ears it’s always sounded like an early demo.   Not nearly as smooth as some of the other tracks, but still worth hearing.
- Another ‘retro’ sounding, ‘Darlin” has a more distinctive late 1950s’ soul feel.  Kicked along by some Farfisa organ and a nice bass pattern, imagine a younger Solomon Burke with a Southern California background
- Offering up one of Wood’s trademarked, breezy pop-soul performances, ‘Give It Up‘ was clearly a throwaway track.  Musically there simply wasn’t a great deal to the song, the band finding a small groove and locking into it for two minutes while Wood vamped over the top, but his upbeat performance made it a winner.
- There was no denying that ‘Catch You On The Rebound‘ was little more than a reworked version of some of his earlier efforts.  That said, the harpsichord and flamenco guitar backing gave the song enough flavor to make it enjoyable.   Would have made a strong single.

- While there was no doubt it was a great song, the decision to include ‘Gimme Little Sign‘ was kind of a mystery since it was featured on the debut album.  Guess they needed to pad the album’s running time.
- Unlike anything else on the album and one of two tracks that wasn’t written by Hoveen and Winn, ‘Trouble‘ was a dark and disturbing blues number.  Featuring Farfisa organ and acoustic guitar, the initial impact was jarring (where was happy face Brenton Wood?), but the end result was one of the album’s most impressive performances.  Double shot came back to it as a single in 1968.
- The other ‘outside’ composition, ‘Little Happy-Go-Lucky Girl ‘ provided another performance highlight.  In spite of the title, this one offered up a somber, mid-tempo ballad with Wood using his best pleading voice to try to woe a reluctant woman.  Nice !!!
- For some reason the combination of Wood’s voice and acoustic guitar has always struck me as being very attractive.  In this case ‘Need You Girl‘ was a sweet, low-keyed ballad with a great and totally unexpected spacey organ break .
- ‘Reaching back for the same creative ingredients, ‘Two Time Loser‘ was another heartfelt, acoustic guitar powered ballad.  Even better than the earlier ‘Need You Girl’.
- Closing the album, ‘Goodnight Baby‘ was another song that sounded like an unfinished demo to my ears.  The song was nice enough with the lyric about a sleep walking girlfriend putting on a robe to come see him bringing a smile to my face, but would have been even better with a bit more production support.

————————————

Buy it from Badcatrecords or Ebay

Rapidshare

Zshare

Bookmark this post to:

Here’s one of the most sought after funk/soul albums ever made, contributed by Mr.Moo, with two fantastic crossover soul tunes in “Got to get over” & “Take me back”, a great cover of the classic Sam Cooke’s “A change is gonna come” and my personal fav “Life, Dreams, Death” - a funk rock cut with killer organ, psych vocals and early 70’s war vibe.

Dusty Groove : An excellent album of southern funk  - and darn rare, too! We know almost nothing about the Brothers, but they’re a 14 piece combo with a tight ensemble funk sound that clearly shows roots of both the Memphis and Muscle Shoals scenes where the album was recorded! There’s a lot of fuzzy guitar, almost in a Detroit Westbound mode - but the band’s also got a sweetly southern funk style, with lots of organ bubbling underneath the tracks, punctuated by some pretty tight drum work that really makes the best cuts groove nicely in a more righteous take on the Stax/Volt sound of the time. A really wild one - and the kind of record that makes your jaw drop when you realize that some lucky A&R guy was actually able to get an underground soul album released by a major label!

This is a @320 vinyl rip (supplied by Mr.Moo) of the reissue Capitol LP including covers.

Tracks
A1. Who’s For The Young? 3.03
A2. A Change Is Gonna Come 3.44
A3. Got To Get Over 2.54
A4. Hey Little Rich Boy 3.33
A5. Get Away 2.49
B1. Life, Dreams, Death 5.40
B2. Spoonful 3.33
B3. Take Me Back 2.10
B4. What We Need Is Harmony 2.48

This group of musicians and vocalist came to together in Memphis, Tennessee in 1968, with a unique live sound blending funk, soul, rock, funkadelic, and smooth vocals. The group was organized by John “Kousi” Harris from Pensacola, Fl., formerly of the group J Robinson and The Dynamics who recorded on the MALA label, and Jerry Jones a local Memphis Vocalist. Curtis Johnson, and brother Harold “Quake” Johnson had formerly been members of The Chips/ Astors, that recorded with Stax Records. The musicians had been playing locally with several groups, when John and Jerry had and idea to join these different talents to create a new sound. The group was self managed, with Curtis doing the booking and creating tours throughout Memphis night clubs, and on the Florida, and Alabama Gulf Coast. The group also travelled north to the Michigan area, but spent most of their time in the lower south east. In 1970, the group produced (with Fame Records) and recorded an album that was released on the Capitol Records label, “Who’s For the Young”. In 1972, the group disbanded, allowing some members of the group to join the “new” Bar-Kays, when the group was re-organized, following the death of Ottis Redding and all but 2 members of The “Original” Bar-Kays.

——————————————-

Taken from the back cover:

This is the real real thing. Real fine, funky, hard-driving, up-tempo, contemporary, own-home, nitty-gritty solid soul from Muscle Shoals and Memphis. If you wanted to give this sound a label, it would have to be one of those hyphenated ones – something like soul-pop-contemporary folk-rock. The basis is definitely country – cotton-row-feet country. But it’s also incredibly complex, sophisticated, right-now, urban-international. Organic. And original. And yet it sounds a bit like everything good you’ve ever heard. The Brothers Unlimited are not ordinary musicians – vocal and instrumental. They are twelve very specific guys who have worked together for the past year, playing on sessions at Fame Recording Studios in Memphis. They are very tight – personally and professionally – and working this way with their producer, they’ve developed a thing of their own that’s unique. The music is alive. It breathes and sweats. These are the sounds and the cries of youth – of empathetic everyones – today.

————————–

It’s been a legendary rarity for years and made its long-overdue CD debut in 2008 through Fallout Records. Buy a digital copy from Amazon or Ebay along with a lot of reissue LP’s. The only available original LP I came across is in Groove Collector.

Download link

Bookmark this post to:

FMS stuff would like to wish you and your families season greetings.

Open your heart to the Christmas spirit and enjoy a funky New Year.

This is our Christmas “present” to you

Holiday compilation featuring funky yuletide tunes by the Godfather Of Soul. At his superstar peak in the 1960s and early ’70s, Brown tried to appeal to several constituencies on his many LPs, and the Christmas market was not neglected. Indeed, for a while, he was on a regular schedule: this 17 track compilation includes selections from seasonal albums cut by J.B. in 1966, 1968, and 1970. Includes ‘Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto’, ‘Christmas In Heaven’ and ‘Please Come Home For Christmas’.

This is a CD rip of the 1995 Polydor compilation.

Tracks
1. Go Power At Christmas Time 3:12
2. Let’s Unite The Whole World At Christmas 2:44
3. Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto 3:03
4. Merry Christmas Baby 3:56
5. Let’s Make Christmas Mean Something This Year 6:31
6. Soulful Christmas 3:09
7. The Christmas Song 2:44
8. Sweet Little Baby Boy 5:17
9. Christmas Is Love 6:02
10. Please Come Home For Christmas 3:24
11. Santa Claus Is Definitely Here To Stay 4:24
12. Tit For Tat (Ain’t No Taking Back) 3:07
13. Santa Claus, Santa Claus 4:04
14. Merry Christmas, I Love You 2:33
15. Signs Of Christmas 4:39
16. Christmas In Heaven 2:56
17. Hey America 3:56

Recorded at the height of Mr. Superbad’s reign, this high-octane, 17-song set is guaranteed to give Santa Claus a soul transfusion - and put a little extra kick into that mistletoe kiss. While JB spends a fair amount of time pouring his heart out on inspired renditions of favorites such as “Merry Christmas Baby” and “Please Come Home,” he and his always-stellar band really shine on a spate of originals that takes Christmas from an idealized holiday and makes it real. They do so in ways that are fun (”Go Power at Christmas Time”) or with a dose of social consciousness (”Santa Claus Goes Straight to the Ghetto”), but the mere fact that Brown makes it all work–and makes it funky in the process–is a joy to behold. –David Sprague

———————————–

God, I love this album. Like some of my fellow reviewers, I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it at first, and didn’t play it too much for a time. However, on the second round, I got completely hooked. It has such a great blend of deep soul, as well as outright cheer, that it’s incredibly catchy. When I first started to “get” it, I was floored by the orchestration and musicality, and then, upon second glance, I was amazed by the messages James Brown puts across. Very eye-opening. Now, this is ALWAYS on the shuffler at my Christmas parties, and very often during summer picnics, too. It shouldn’t fall under any category - it’s completely playable year-round. I love it, love it, love it. Don’t know how to put it better!! (Danielle Bennignus) - Amazon Review.

——————————————–

This compilation could be the perfect way of remembering one of the 20th century’s most charismatic performers.
IF you want to hear something DIFFERENT than the most familiar Christmas songs, then this ALBUM WILL amaze YOU.

Download link

Bookmark this post to:

Here is a very obscure LP from the turn of the seventies - a reminder of the invention and freedom that Black music embraced during this period - the theatrical stylings of bands like Rotary Connection and the complex arrangements of Charles Stepney. Black Magic served as rhythm section to Sonny & Cher both on record and stage, and exude a spirited exhuberance, curling their youthful hands round a Friends Of Distinction ethos and injecting it with a concept-lead staged musical affair. This is really an amazing find, my friends.

This is a @320 vinyl rip (supplied by Nikos) of the original LP including covers.

Tracks

A1 Where Love Is (2.38)
A2 Mama Says (2.37)
A3 Black Bottom (2.38)
A4 Miss Jessie (3.15)
A5 Kimu (4.03)
A6 Aunt Adele (2.50)
B1 ‘Tater Man (2.50)
B2 Faces On A Bus (2:18)
B3 Vacant Lot (2.55)
B4 Pershing Square (2.57)
B5 Before It’s Done (2.59)
B6 Echoes Of Love (2:37)

Review by Trakbuv

Black Magic - certainly a new act to me. A fiesty sextet - 3 guys, 3 gals. Delving deeper into the individual talents on display unearthed an amazing pedigree to this forgotten outfit. Instantly familiar to me was Jerry Peters, the highly gifted producer, arranger, writer and keyboardist (check his solo LP ‘Blueprint for Discovery‘ from 1972) for the likes of Jerry Butler, Brainstorm and The Sylvers. From what I have gleened, Annesther pictured on the back cover may not be the same as the person pictured on the front sleeve - who is Marva Holliday.  Annester Davis (sometimes referred to as Anne Ester) worked on many soul and Jazz LPs as backing vox with the likes of Gene Harris and Phyllis Hyman. She also reunited with Jerry Peters on a jazz LP by Manfredo Fest (‘Manifestations’, 1979). Marva has a more detailed history (here). She had cut one solo single on GNP Crescendo (‘It’s written all over my face’) - which is apparently quite big on the Northern Soul circuit - prior to joining Black Magic. What she also brought was her lyrical prowess in helping to pen 3 of the songs on the album. Unfortunately she left the group just prior to the release of the album to have a child, hence the change in personnel between the two faces of the sleeve.

Jerry Peters, Greg Poree and his sister Anita are all over Friends of Distinction’s ‘Real Friends’ LP of the same year, including one of their biggest hits, ‘Love or let me be lonely’, one of the greatest songs ever written IMHO. Anita Poree also collaborated with Leonard Caston (of Caston & Majors fame) over at Motown, writing songs for the likes of Eddie Kendricks in particular (‘Keep on truckin’, ‘Girl you need a change of mind’, etc). Greg went on to become a session guitarist. I could not find any info on the remaining two members, bassist Wayne ‘Dark Gable’ Douglass and actress/model/singer Niggy d’Oberoff (the ‘Black Twiggy’).

Built around the mould of The 5th Dimension & The Friends of Distinction, with a theatrical concept styling that was so delicious around the beginning of the 70s, this is as much an experience as a collection of radio friendly plastic. They translocate us to the middle of the ghetto, unsurprisingly, with an exquisite mosaic of rhythms and sounds. Each track has it own character while piecing the parts of a larger jigsaw. We kick off in fine style with a sunny group harmony number ‘Where Love Is’, immediately confirming the link with The Friends Of Dimension, sorry, The 5th Distinction. Things become a little funky with the reminder that ‘Mama Says’ and you better take heed - sucker ! A very confident baritone lead and a very nice track. ‘Black Bottom’ is a little novelty number recalling a bygone era. And the rhythmically challenging ‘Miss Jessie’ carries a familiar woe and gives it an attitude that is refreshing. Very clever and accomplished. ‘Kimu’ is theatrical soliloquy that could only fit as part of the puzzle - and as such is a brave inclusion. ‘Aunt Adele’ is a vibrant tale of the wise tale teller - surely an inspiration for the album’s structure.

For me, Side Two is much more conventional as a listening experience and is far more instant and successful for it. It really is an awesome testimony of how this failed to ignite the hearts and minds of the record buying public in its day. Such a shame. We start with the glorious ‘Tater Man’, a very mature ode given a throbbing insistence of the invisible man working on the street. ‘Faces on a bus’ is absolutely gorgeous and again a familiar series of stories given an edge by its inspired structure. The concept behind ‘Vacant Block’ is brilliant - and another highlight. The front cover has the back of Anita displaying the word ‘Sex’ and the her brother’s foot ‘Strife’ in reference to a line in the song. Yeah - my eyesight really is that good !! ‘Pershing Square’ is a personal number for the band, and heralds the awaiting pinnacle of the platter. Saving the best for last !! ‘Before it’s done’ is the BOMB. Okay, some of the lyrics are a little twee, but overall well intentioned. Beautifully sung, beautifully captured - and probably my favourite. Vying for my attention though is the very next track, the strident and anthemic ‘Echoes of Love’. This is a fabulous way to end any listening experience - on a bold high note.

FMS is proud to bring this wonderful Black experience to a theatre near you - only those with a serious love of our music need enter. And enter you must.

—————————————————-

Question for a moment what would drive you to donate some of your leisure time to run a blog like FMS. For us, it is simple – to invite, share and educate as many people as possible to the awesome emotional ride of this wonderful music of ours. And in doing so, we hope to show respect for the original artists, most of whom never got the recognition they deserved when they offered up their hopes and dreams in the recording studio.

I guess, like all things in life, what starts out as a blessing can become taken for granted with time. However, I think we need to take a step back from time to time to remember what this is all about. And remind ourselves why blogs like ours exist, and continue to exist.

There is real danger right now of blogs shutting shop or going private – ours included - where a simple thank you may be all that is required to ensure its longevity. A simple thank you to demonstrate some acknowledgement of the effort to rip the original LP for your pleasure, and the care taken over our research and presentation – a simple thank you in honour of the original artists and their loved ones, who do read these pages – and a simple thank you to every one for ensuring this music never dies.

In recognition of this, we are offering ‘Black Magic – Where Love Is’ only to those who leave a comment. Try not to see this as some ego trip for our amusement, but as an opportunity to show solidarity behind our common musical love and recognition for all involved – including the artists. A simple thank you will suffice, but all comments are welcome, with the obvious exception of profanity.

So do not forget to leave a comment and fill in the box with your email (can be seen only by me) so i can send you the link.

———————————————————————-

To everybody who has left, and will continue to leave comments , we are very grateful for your support and hope you enjoy the LP as much as we have here at FMS. Just to remind everyone how importantly the original artists feature in all our hearts, and the fact that they do read your generous words of praise, here is a comment left by Marva Holiday of Black Magic :

Thanks for sharing this LP with the world. I’ve enjoyed reading some of the comments and will print them out for Anita (my lyric writing mentor and long time friend).
I sang lead on one song that did not make the album. (No complaints. I had a great time writing and singing background :-)— Here is some more info for you:
Niggy (the black Twiggy) is singing lead on the beautiful “Before It’s Done.” Jerry Peters is the male lead on Tater Man, Faces On The Bus, Kimu, etc. He is also playing the clavinet on Kimu. Greg Poree, of course, did all the guitar work and also played the banjo on Black Bottom.
Anta is singing the lead on Where Love Is. She and Niggy were actors and they are the two voices you hear at the end of Miss Jessie (the first song I ever wrote.thanks to Anita’s coaching :-).
Though I left the group, my voice remained on the album. I’m the one who says “It would be groovy to see things from another point of view sometime” before we launch into “Vacant Lot”. Anita and I are singing the “grow flowers in my hair” refrain.
I sometimes think of redoing one of these songs. Maybe one day. Thanks again.

Please feel free to come back with your impressions of the album so Marva and Anita can appreciate why we have such a high regard for them and their peers.

Bookmark this post to:

Quite a wonderful 70s soul album with full orchestra and a glorious, soaring vocal by Barbara. The tunes are lovely and make for repeated listening. Highly recommended.

This album was sent by a new contributor Zero who runs a wonderful blog (here), I suggest you should visit it. You’ll find a lot of great music.

Barbara Pennington’s compelling, raise-the-dead voice is a cross between Chaka Khan’s and Gladys Knight’s, and is always exciting. Credit Ian Levine for sticking with the Chicago native he discovered in the ’70s on a mission to the Windy City. Levine’s at his best when he works with Pennington who delivers on the title track, “All Time Loser,” “Can’t Help Being Guilty,” and her first United Kingdom hits: “Running in Another Direction” and “Twenty-Four Hours a Day.”

This is a @320 vinyl rip (supplied by Zero) of the original LP including covers.

Tracks
A1 Midnight Ride 4:47
A2 All Time Loser 6:33
A3 Trusted Friend 6:35
B1 Spend a Little Time With Me 6:15
B2 Can’t Help Being Guilty 5:30
B3 24 Hours a Day 3:22
B4 It’s so Hard Getting Over 4:05
B5 You Are the Music Within Me 3:31

In 1975, 22-year-old Englishman Ian Levine - already a successful Northern Soul DJ - wanted to start out as a producer and headed to Chicago to find some talented singers. Having worked with established soul group The Exciters, he held an audition and found three black singers he liked - Evelyn Thomas, L J Johnson and Barbara Pennington. He took them all to the studio in the summer of 1975, returned to England with the tapes and got them signed to 20th Century, Mercury and Island respectively. Barbara debuted with “Running in Another Direction” and went on a UK tour with Evelyn and L J to promote it but while her two colleagues had stronger promotion from their labels and both enjoyed Top 30 chart hits, Island wasn’t too supportive about Miss Pennington and the single sold a disappointing 5000 copies. After equally disappointing sales of the second single “…”, Levine went to the US and got her signed to United Artists. “24 Hours a Day” came out late 1976 and wasn’t geared towards the Northern Soul scene but rather to the rising disco market. The record with Barbara’s Chaka Khan-style vocals became a big hit on the American disco scene and remains one of Levine’s all-time favourites. Three more singles followed, all included in her first album Midnight Ride which was released 1978. Rather than being a disco record, this was a sophomore set of mellow soul.

Six years later, Levine sought her out again. He was now one of the leading producers of Hi-NRG, the electronic disco of the early 80s, and wanted to record with Barbara again. “All American Boy” who was “ready for action” and a “physical attraction” came out on Record Shack and became a big Hi-NRG hit and an obvious hit on the gay scene. Barbara herself, now residing in the UK, wasn’t too pleased with the record. She wasn’t into disco and rather wanted to do laid-back soul music instead. Consecuently, the intended follow-up single “Vanity” was instead given to Carol Jiani, and Barbara released “Way Down Deep in My Soul”, a mid-tempo soul track. It was, however, the next single “Fan the Flame” with doo-wop backing vocals and live brass which became a steady club and radio favourite and gave her a UK Top 40 hit. It was followed by “On a Crowded Street” which was equally popular, both tracks were taken from her 1985 album Out of the Darkest Night from which also the title track came out on single. By 1986, Levine had broken with Record Shack and formed his own Nightmare label, and “Don’t Stop the World” was the first single to come out on the label but it lacked the elegance of her previous singles and didn’t do well. Two more singles “There Are Brighter Days” and “I’ve Been a Bad Girl” followed over the next years but didn’t do that well either, and Barbara soon left show business for a 9-to-5 job by a phone company. The 90s saw increased interest in her works. “24 Hours a Day” was covered by DJ Nomad (aka Damon Rochefort) in 1992 and became a UK chart hit. Furthermore, Miami-based Hot Productions re-issued her two albums on CD with bonus tracks (including the previously unreleased “Vanity”) and also assembled a compilation, including her three Nightmare tracks.

————————————–

Buy the vinyl from Groove Collector or Discogs

Buy the CD from Amazon.

Discography and more on Soul Train.

——————————————-

Download link

Bookmark this post to:

An incredible bit of southern funk - the first landmark LP by Archie Bell & The Drells, and the first big burst of energy from the Texas scene of the 60s! The album’s incredible - with Archie up front on rough-hewn vocals, the band grooving in a mad tangle of guitar, bass, and drums, and some super-fierce horn work by the TSU Tornadoes! You’ve no doubt heard the band’s classic “Tighten Up (part 1)”, but this album also includes the incredible “part 2″ to the track - which takes the groove a million miles higher! (Dusty Groove).

Tracks
A1 Tighten Up (Part One) 3:10
A2 Tighten Up (Part Two) 2:52
A3 I Don’t Wanna Be a Playboy 3:00
A4 You’re Mine 2:46
A5 Knock on Wood 2:30
B1 Give Me Time 2:29
B2 In the Midnight Hour 2:27
B3 When You Left Heartache Began 2:36
B4 A Thousand Wonders 2:08
B5 A Soldier’s Prayer, 1967 2:54

Archie Bell formed his back-up singing group the Drells in 1966 with four local friends from Junior High School in Houston, TX. In 1967 Bell’s career got sidetracked when he was drafted and sent to Vietnam. While he was on leave back in the States in 67, he cut his most famous single Tighten Up, which became a #1 hit, selling almost three million copies. The single would later form the backbone of this LP, which also reached the RnB Top 20. Ironically, while Bell should have been basking in his fame, he was instead, recovering in a hospital in West Germany after being shot in the leg in Vietnam. He was only able to perform for short periods during leave and the Drells actually performed many times with a fill in, James Wise. The first time I heard the album I had to listen to it again. It opens up with Tighten Up (Part 1), but it’s a different mix than the one on the 45 that you hear on the radio all the time. This version starts off with an open bass line and seems a little slower. No matter which way it’s played though, it’s still a classic tune that has short drum break towards the beginning. The band also busts out with lively versions of Knock On Wood and In The Midnight Hour. I also like the cover artwork by Loring Eutemey who did a couple others for Atlantic that features a man and woman dancing in hip 60s gear.

Download link

————————————————————–

Official biography and other stories on Soul Patrol.

Buy the vinyl of the group on Groove Collector.

Buy both albums on CD on Amazon.

————————————————————–

A stormer from Archie Bell & The Drells - one of our favorite soul albums ever, and a masterpiece of mid-tempo soul! Archie Bell & The Drells sound amazing here - light years from the rougher funk of their earlier years, yet still with a groove that’s undeniable - an incredible meeting of soul music scenes handled by the young Gamble & Huff team - who not only produce most of the record, but also wrote most of the tracks on the set! The groove is lightly lilting, and totally on the money - a sound that’s incredible, and hard to describe in words — but which really grabs us from the get-go. All tracks are great, and totally fresh (Dusty Groove).

Tracks
A1 I Love My Baby 2.42
A2 Houston, Texas 2.41
A3 (There’s Gonna Be A) Showdown 2.44
A4 Giving up Dancing 2.22
A5 Girl You’re too Young 2.23
A6 Mama Didn’t Teach Me That Way 2.39
B1 Do the Hand Jive 2.27
B2 My Balloon’s Going Up 2.27
B3 Here I Go Again 2.15
B4 Go for What You Know 2.07
B5 Green Power 2.23
B6 Just a Little Closer 3.25

1968 saw Archie Bell and the Drell’s begin a partnership with producers/writers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff.  Over the next year the parties collaborated on a series of five singles:

- 1968’s ‘There’s Gonna Be A Showdown’ b/w ‘Go For What You Know’ (Atlantic catalog number 45-2583)# 21 pop; # 6 R&B
- 1969’s ‘I Love My Baby’ b/w ‘Just a Little Closer’ (Atlantic catalog number 45-2612) # 94 pop; # 40 R&B
- 1969’s ‘Girl, You’re Too Young’ b/w ‘Do the Hand Jive’ (Atlantic catalog number 45-2644)# 59 pop; # 13 R&B
- 1969’s ‘My Balloon’s Going Up’ b/w ‘Giving Up Dancing’ (Atlantic catalog number 45-2663) # 87 pop; # 36 R&B
- 1969’s ‘Here I Go Again’ b/w ‘A World Without Music’ (Atlantic catalog number 45-2693)

Perhaps realizing the group’s audience was rapidly dwindling, rather than finance new studio material, Atlantic management was apparently content to collect the singles (nine of the ten sides - the 1969 ‘B’ side A World Without Music” was missing in action) along with and three studio odds and ends, releasing the package as 1969’s “There’s Gonna Be a Showdown”.  In spite of it’s haphazard roots, the results were surprisingly impressive.  Responsible for most of the material, Gamble and Huff displayed a keen knack for crafting highly commercial material that was soulful, but also had a distinctive pop edge.  For their part Bell and the Drells (Willie Pernell, Mark Putney, and James Wise), seldom sounded as good turning in strong performances on all but the most routine numbers.

Even though the group’s singles continued to do well, the parent LP was a mediocre performer, peaking at # 163 on the pop charts.  While Bell and company continued to release 45s for Atlantic through 1971, this unfortunately marked their final studio LP for the label. The moved to Philadelphia International for 3 more albums between 1975-77.

Download link

Bookmark this post to: