Funk my Soul

I came across a vinyl copy of this wonderful singer at my last visit to London and I couldn’t resist buying it, though I had the US version of it. Fabulous, absolutely fabulous. One of the greatest and most underestimated popular singers that this country’s produced.

A strong 70s set from Linda Lewis – her first for Arista, and a date that has her picking up a fuller style than before! The arrangements here are by Bert DeCoteaux, who brings in plenty of soul – and Linda’s working in modes that run from the simple, personal style of her Warner years to some of the more lush sounds you might expect at Arista – hints of club at points, but an even better dose of keyboards and strings that make the midtempo tracks especially great. The set was recorded in both London and New York.

This is a @320 vinyl rip of the original Arista LP including covers.

Tracks
A1 (Remember the Days of) The Old Schoolyard 3:11
A2 It’s in His Kiss 3:18
A3 This Time I’ll Be Sweeter 3:50
A4 Rock and Roller Coaster 3:16
A5 Not a Little Girl Anymore 4:12
B1 Love Where Are You Now 3:27
B2 My Grandaddy Could Reggae 3:20
B3 I Do My Best Impress 3:33
B4 May You Never 3:58
B5 Love, Love, Love 3:42

Review by Amy Hanson
The title says it all. No matter how well-loved Linda Lewis was during her days at Reprise, still the focus of both marketing and material was on the sheer youthful glee with which she attacked every performance. Her debut at Arista, however, was built around her determination that, at last, she was going to be treated like an adult, a vow that proved to have been fulfilled long before you reached the sultry, resolute title track. Packing more covers than any of her earlier albums, Not a Little Girl Anymore nevertheless emerges as Lewis’ most well-rounded and, perhaps, personal album yet. Cat Stevens‘ “(Remember the Days Of) The Old Schoolyard” a somewhat forced exercise in nostalgia in its writer’s hands, is here imbibed with a genuine sense of emotion and regret. However, there is no time for maudlin reflection as “It’s in His Kiss (Shoop Shoop Song)” a wily cover of the Betty Everett classic, simply erupts out of the song’s closing notes with a rambunctious passion that suggests kissing is only the first thing on Lewis’ mind. From there on, and to paraphrase one of the album’s other prime cuts, Lewis rollercoasters through a succession of moods and styles, ranging from the emotive soul of Gwen Guthrie’s “This Time I’ll Be Sweeter“to her own (stylistically, aptly titled) “My Grandaddy Could Reggae” a reminder of the versatility that past albums occasionally allowed to overwhelm content, but which here is balanced with delicate precision. And, as you approach the end, the gentle “I Do My Best to Impress” leaves the listener with one thought. You succeeded.

————————————————

UK front LP cover

This British artist is one of the most unique vocalists to come out of the 1970s, but so many people don’t even know who she is. Probably since her music is not only soul or R&B. And at times it’s pretty funky, in a groove-oriented way. But it’s not funk. So what does Linda Lewis do? I can’t even describe it myself, but rare-groovers like myself scramble for her hard-to-find albums.
Linda’s music is great stuff, but it’s her voice that makes the tunes both weird and wonderful. At one moment, Linda might sing in a “normal” husky lower register with the conviction of a worldly-wise woman. In the next stanza, she may switch to the voice of a breathy, nasal, pre-pubescent lil’ bit. It’s her high, multi-octave voice that many people compare to Minnie Riperton’s. I would compare the two ladies’ poetic lovelorn lyrics before I’d compare their voices, but like Minnie, Linda’s effortless vocals seem to bring the listener back to a time of innocence.

UK back LP cover

————————————————-

Biography from Soulwalking

Buy the vinyl and cd from Ebay

Rapidshare

Zshare

Enjoy her masterpiece “Lark” in our back pages here.

Bookmark this post to:

A Masterpiece..

..which I discovered thanks to the following comment on the post of his debut album here:

“I saw an interview recently where Allen Toussaint was asked to name a favorite song that he wrote for another artist. After naming a few he wrote for Irma Thomas & Lee Dorsey, he said ‘If I was to think of a song that I think the most of in my life, it wasn’t heard by anyone but me and the artist, and that was Lou Johnson, a song called “Transition”… it was on his album [1971’s With You In Mind], of course, but it wouldn’t be one that would be remembered or even heard by most. But that happens.’”

And then I realized I had this LP (lou’s 2nd and final) in my collection. I started played the album and  was amazed by the 8.18 “Transition” and the whole album.

Don’t miss this superb album from one of the best soul singer I have ever heard!!

This is a @320 vinyl rip of the original Stax/Volt LP including covers

Tracks
A1 There Were Times 3:21
A2 Transition 8:19
A3 The Loving Way 3:12
A4 Nearer 2:55
A5 The Beat 2:50
B1 Who Am I 3:57
B2 Frisco Here I Come 2:51
B3 Wrong Number 3:08
B4 Crazy About You 2:59
B5 Living Without You 4:00

Review by Soulmakossa

Produced by New-Orleans wizard Allen Toussaint, ‘With You in Mind’ was Lou Johnson’s last recording effort. And while it would have made sense for him to go bubblegum pop in a last attempt to break out into the big league, Johnson instead created an album that is nothing short of amazing. A ruthlessly creative, haunting, cynical LP, with music and vocals firmly rooted in the Southern Soul tradition, but augmented with a certain je ne sais quoi that makes it a dark, depressing masterpiece.
It aptly opens with the quirky “There Were Times“, a rollicking, gospelfide country church beater sweetened with the slightest amount of strings and backing vocals. Lou Johnson already sounds mighty despondent, here.
But it’s “Transition” that should have sky-rocketed ‘With You in Mind’ to legendary heights. An 8-minute + opus of longing, with Johnson belting out a distraught vocal that evokes visions of a lovesick man steadily going insane. The tune is divided in several musical segments, creating a musical soundscape that features sassy, fatback groove-filled episodes and wistful, lamenting, teary-eyed moments of quiet contemplation - the latter immersed in a dark, brooding stew of sitars, piano, plodding drums and far-off sounding brass. This is, in fact, the ‘A Day in the Life’ of Soul: a mind-expanding audiovisual trip sporting a crazy, Dantesque finale with off-key blasts of horns, that jangling sitar, Johnson’s other-worldly scatting and an acid-drenched orchestra working its way up to a climaxing crescendo.
It’s tough to follow a track as “Transition”, but the album remains steadfast in its addictive, dark quality. “The Loving Way” sounds a trifle more upbeat, with the happy, chirping backing vocals and its persistent groove, but Lou remains in a self-doubting, moody bag all the same. Even more so on the lilting, low-fi “Nearer“, which has Lou singing “…I hope I’m not a nuisance to you”. Beautiful chord progressions here and a devastatingly intense vocal.
Up next is the ominous, dangerous funk vibe of “The Beat“, a ferocious jam that starts off with a short monologue by Allen Toussaint and is infested with super catchy stops and starts. An irreverent track that smells of reclaiming ‘the beat’ for those who set it in motion. “It goes on and on”, Lou wails.
“Who Am I” is set to a strange, but ultra funky little groove, while the omnipresent piano and vibes clothe the song in a plaintive warmth. Check out Lou prolonging the ‘I’ in the title, again evoking the sound of “A Day in the Life”, and marvel over the sweaty gospelfide finale that just struts on.
The only single from this album, “Frisco Here I Come“, also is the most hard rocking. Featuring Duane Allman-styled guitar and a throbbing, deep in the pocket groove, Johnson’s gruffy vocal is especially on the money when that low-down, dirty, descending bass riff comes a’ thundering through.
Toussaint’s delicious piano plunkin’, engulfed by another greasy, gutbucket funk rhythm, opens the lamenting “Wrong Number“. Lou sounds both resolute and supremely cynical here, as if he’s single-handedly pushing the locomotive that propels the groove of this smokin’, sizzling slice of Southern funk. And then, out of nowhere, the rhythm slows down and transforms into a waltzing, delicate, lullabye-esque groove, with Lou adlibbing all the way through. Terrific…
The struttin’ continues on the lazy, relaxed, laidback funk of “Crazy About You“, sporting another ridiculously ingenious bridge. The infectious horn-infested finale needs to be heard to be believed.
Finally, there’s the downhome testifyin’ of “Living Without You“, with Johnson churning out one more pain-riddled vocal. The drums keep crashing on behind him, while angelic backing vocals and staccato strings create a wonderfully dreamy vibe that nevertheless remains desperate in its feel.
What’s more to say about this one… The album cover is spot on, as far as I’m concerned. ‘With You in Mind‘ is one of the darkest, most appealing, beautifully executed soundtracks on heartbreak, longing and despair I have ever heard.

————————————————————-

Biography

Extremely rare. Never released on CD. The only available vinyl copy is on Ebay for 50$. I hope someone finally put this amazing album back in print. There’s no video clip on You-tube. So enjoy Lou Johnson’s biggest hit,  Unsatisfied.

Rapidshare

Zshare

I’d like to thank Raphy who cleaned this vinyl rip perfectly.

Your comments are necessary if you wish this blog to go on. The purpose of this site is to spread Soul, Funk and related R’n'B genres. Without your participation and support, it is impossible to continue.

Bookmark this post to:

I think we all agree that Luther Vandross was one of the greatest singers in the area for the last 30 years with his smooth, versatile tenor voice. He was one of the most successful R&B artists of the 1980s and ’90s. But he was in the business from early 70’s and he gained  recognition as a background singer working for David Bowie, Stephanie Mills, Bette Midler, Judy Collins, Ben E. King, Average White Band, Chic, Carly Simon, Quincy Jones, Cat Stevens, Roberta Flack, Chaka Khan, The Spinners among many others, before he became an R&B star for the next two decades.

Before his breakthrough, Vandross was part of a singing quintet in the late ’70s, consisting former Shades of Jade members Anthony Hinton and Diane Sumler, Theresa V. Reed, and Christine Wiltshire, also called Luther, signed to Cotillion Records. Although the singles “It’s Good for the Soul”, “Funky Music (Is a Part of Me)”, and “The Second Time Around” were relatively successful, their two albums, the self-titled Luther (1976) and This Close to You (1977), didn’t sell enough to make the charts. Vandross bought back the rights to these albums after the record label dropped the group, preventing their later re-release.

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

Tracks
A1 Funky Music (Is A Part Of Me) 5:29
A2 The 2nd Time Around 6:25
A3 I’ll Get Along Fine 4:07
A4 Everybody Rejoice 3:2
B1 Emotion Eyes 5:58
B2 This Strange Feeling 4:44
B3 It’s Good For The Soul (Parts I And II) 8:42

This is an excellent album. Some of Luther’s best work. It didn’t receive the attention that it should have because of the Funk era being at an all time high and ballads being less listened too. In my opinion three songs on this album should have scored high on the R&B charts.

His first LP was released in June 1976 The eponymously titled LP,  “Luther” featured his first R&B chartings, “It’s Good For The Soul (#28), “Funky Music”/”The Second Time Around” (#34). In fact, David Bowie originally heard Luther working on “Funky Music” a few years prior & with Luther, restructured it into “Fascination”. Carlos Alomar, who had become David Bowie’s guitarist, invited him to attend a Bowie recording session at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia. He quickly became more than an observer, singing background vocals, serving as a vocal arranger, and co-writing the song “Fascination” with Bowie. The session resulted in the album Young Americans, released in March 1975, and Vandross also went on tour with Bowie in September 1974 as both backup singer and opening act. For their live shows, they were backed by a group that included Bernard Edwards & Nile Rodgers, who later became the architects of Chic.

Overall this debut album by the band led by the late soul legend Luther Vandross, is mid seventies style funky soul containing the very funky ‘It’s good for the soul‘, ‘Emotion Eyes‘ and ‘Funky Music is a part of me‘. A very rare chance to hear the roots of the master of smooth soul.

——————————————————–

Everything you have to know about legendary Luther Vandross here, including biography, singles - albums discography and awards.

It is very interesting to read an in person interview here,  conducted by David Nathan in New York City, in June1976, about the group, the album and much more.

Finally listen the killer “Funky Music” and check on Youtube David Bowie’s “Fascination”. You’ll see why..

Rapidshare

Zshare

Bookmark this post to:

Little Anthony and the Imperials had a string of r’n'b style hits on the End label in the late 50s. After several years absence, they resurfaced, and with the writing/producing talents of Teddy Randazzo, Anthony Gourdine and his Imperials created some of the most memorable, superbly crafted pop tunes of the rock era, several of which have become standards. “Goin’ Out Of My Head”, “Hurt So Bad” and “I Miss You So” represent some of the most polished landmark tunes to come out of the mid-60s.

By the time the listener gets to ‘Reflections”, a soulful tour de force takes shape. The songs, the orchestrations, the singers take you to Shangri la. All of the music is in STEREO too. This is some of the most beautiful music ever to come out of the 60’s. Teddy Randazzo made this world a much better place.

This is a @320 vinyl rip of the original Veep LP including covers

Tracks
A1. Don’t Tie Me Down 2.49
A2. My Love Is a Rainbow 2.40
A3. If I Remember to Forget 2.46
A4. Keep It Up 3.02
A5. Hold on to Someone 2.13
A6. Yesterday Has Gone 2.55
B1. Trick or Treat 2.32
B2. Lost in Love 3.03
B3. In the Mirrors of Your Mind 2.46
B4. I Love You 2.22
B5. Better off Without You 3.08
B6. Thousand Miles Away 2.32

Little Anthony & the Imperials were ten years into their history when they recorded this elegant, slightly trippy pop-soul classic under the guidance of writer/producer Teddy Randazzo, who co-authored all but one of the 12 songs here and did for this quartet more or less what Jimmy Webb did for The 5th Dimension during the same period. There’s nothing really psychedelic about the music here, despite its coming out in 1967 — rather, it’s a cheerful mixture of lyrical soul sounds and sunshine pop, with an understated elegance and gorgeous harmonies (and tastefully restrained horn and string parts, with the occasional flute) supporting the impassioned lead vocals by Little Anthony. The resulting album is one of the most beguilingly upbeat soul records of its period, a match and then some for anything coming out of Motown for accessibility. What’s more, it hasn’t lost an iota of appeal across the ensuing four decades — even the most straightforward song here, “Hold on to Someone,” which could have come from any part of their history, still sounds fresh, and the rest exudes a warm, lingering glow reflective of its era. Among the rest, “Yesterday Has Gone” is almost a soul analog to Spanky & Our Gang’s “Sunday Will Never Be the Same,” while “Trick or Treat”and “Lost in Love” call to mind The 5th Dimension doing just about anything well. It’s worth owning any way you can get it, on LP or CD.

Biography and Discography here

Buy their albums from ebay or amazon

Download link

Bookmark this post to:

A talent whose time on Earth was cut much too short, Linda Jones had a wild, deeply passionate style of singing that set her apart from her contemporaries.  “Hypnotized” was a toned-down performance that  hit in the late 1960s but it is the later work for Turbo that people search for.  Turbo released 3 Lp’s. This one after her tragic death. “Your Precious love” and “Not On the Outside” are some of the hardest-sung records you’ll ever hear and I can only imagine how she did them in concert.

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

Tracks
A1. Your Precious Love 4.38
A2. Don’t Go (I Can’t Bear To Be Alone) 3.17
A3. Behold 2.36
A4. Stay With Me Forever 3.34
B1. Not On The Outside 4.10
B2. Dancing In The Street 1.50
B3. Let It Be Me 3.49
B4. I Can’t Make It Αlone 3.32
B5. Doggin Me Around 5.03

..If  I was powerful enough to persuade my favourite act to appear at my 50th it would involve, I am afraid, resurrection. Linda Jones died 30 years ago. I looked in vain for some mention of this sad anniversary but found none. If you don’t know, Linda Jones’ “For Your Precious Love” is the greatest soul record ever made. I thought this was the case when I was 18 and have not changed my mind since. It still causes me severe emotional damage whenever I play it, which I do with worrying regularity. It has an intensity and an emotional depth like no other work of art I know. When, after a spoken section which will make all non-soul fans cringe, Jones launches into a crescendo of impassioned pleading she touches something so unfathomable and raw that its effects are literally overwhelming. It should come with government health warnings.. (Cancellor of Soul)

Fans overviews on Linda

If I remember clearly this song was either released after she died , I am not sure. But it was haunting because a lot of us could not believe she had died so young for she was one great soul singer who was putting out some monster songs that were great. One of my sisters loved all of Linda’s recordings and so did my mom. She was one singer that didn’t get her due but her recordings will live on.

Love to the ultimate power. real love, true love, the kind that will move you. This woman has experienced real true love. The kind of love till it hurts. Love ya Lin da J.

I Hate the way that R & B now stands for Rubbish & Bollox, I get so angry at the current crop of female singers being described as “Soul Divas” when they ain’t got no soul. This is real soul music, one of the greatest vocal performances of all time

The RAW EMOTIONS that this woman had in her voice, there hasn’t been one like her since. Although her body has been gone for awhile, her soul still remains with us on earth. You can’t tell me that when you here her sing that you don’t think of that special somebody. Hopefully you’re with them. If you’re not, then your heart has a hole in it, and you know what I’m talking about. Stop holding it in! Peace

OMG…This song right here!!!!! I was born in the 70’s, and I’m telling you no other song can compare to this. I used to call the radio station as a kid and request it all day. I song this for my husband in front of my mom and his family. I got sooo into the song and fell down on my knees…thats how much I was into it. I LOVE IT.

Download link

Bookmark this post to:

Linda Jones is a singer that could have and should have become one of the true greats. She had a steady stream of medium hits throughout the late 60s and early 70s to signal that superstardom may have been just around the corner.  Both Aretha and Gladys have made it clear that she was one of the greatest female artists they had heard.  And her live act was something that had to be experienced to believe. Here is her debut abum that includes her huge hit ‘Hypnotised’ and so much more. Believe me when I say, this girl can holler !

This is a @320 vinyl rip of the original Loma LP including covers.

Tracks
A1. Hypnotized 2:38
A2. I Can’t Stop Lovin’ My Baby 2:03
A3. Give My Love a Try 2:30
A4. You Can’t Take It 2:20
A5. What’ve I Done (To Make You Mad) 2:20
A6. I Can’t Stand It 2:20
B1. Things I’ve Been Through (Loving You) 3:10
B2. If Only (We Had Met Sooner) 2:38
B3. Make Me Surrender (Baby,Baby Please) 2:34
B4. Last Minute Miracle 2:31
B5. Seeing Is Believing 3:14

Review by Trakbuv

How do you start to write about something that ended virtually before it had begun.  Linda Jones: born 14 December 1944, died 14 March 1972, both in Newark, NJ.  Singing in public from the age of six, she was surrounded by a family that all performed in Church, sometimes referred to as ‘The Jones Singers’.  Later plucked from making pies in a factory, she greatly impressed the legendary songwriter/arranger George Kerr who promptly released ‘Take The Boy Out Of The Country’ in 1965 on Atco Records.  Several singles later, her unbridled assault of songs appeared to cut no ice with the public at large. George then had the inspired decision to give her ‘Hypnotised’.  An excerpt from an interview with George Kerr: “I remember when she recorded ‘Hypnotized’.  We were in the studio and she said ‘let’s run it down’.  She was really learning the song but I told the engineer to hit the record button. I got goose bumps on my arm when she sang that song.  It was one take, that was it.  She wanted to straighten it out because she had sung the word ‘hyp-mot-ized’ rather than ‘hypnotized’ but I wanted to keep it just the way it was and boy, did she curse me out.”

Amazing.  That single take - warts and all - provided one of the great singles of the sixties - released on Loma records in 1967, it is a charismatic mix of the playful tones of Barbara Mason and the crystal clear phrasings of Sam Cooke - this has all the hallmarks of a classic record - regardless of genre.  Let’s get George Kerr to take the story up: “I lost faith in the record, I couldn’t give it away”. Several months passed when he got a message to contact Jerry Ragovoy (head of Loma Records).  “The record you gave me is a hit.  The booking agency has been calling us every day asking if we can get Linda Jones to do some shows and we’re selling 15,000-20,000 copies of this record !” exclaimed Jerry.  George elaborates: “I was shocked.  I called Linda and she couldn’t believe it !  She started screaming and before I knew it, she and I were crying !”  The single peaked at no.4 in the Billboard Black Music charts and no.20 on the Pop charts.

The hit was followed by the pleading ‘What’ve I Done (To Make You Mad)’, peaking at no. 8 and 61 in the Black Music and Pop charts, respectively - again perfect foil for the unrestrained Linda Jones.  They decided to follow up with another gorgeous ballad in the form of ‘Give My Love a Try’ - this time glancing the Pop charts at no.93, but still making waves with the soul fraternity - reaching no.34 on the Black Music charts.  The supporting album is certainly no three track wonder, and showcases her vocal prowess in all its raw glory.  George Kerr again: “We only did three takes on the songs and I always ended up using the first one.  She was quite something, always so full of energy.  The best way to describe her performance in the studio is to say she was in love with the microphone, so at ease.  We would turn down the lights in the studio and just listen.  Linda did everything with no effort…”

Her spirited attack of tracks like ‘I can’t stop lovin’ my baby’, ‘I can’t stand it’ and particularly ‘You can’t take it’ are literally exhausting when fully appreciated.  ‘Seeing is believing’ is possibly the best example of the impassioned cauldron in her voice, a blend of all the greats - recalling Debbie Taylor and Lorraine Ellison, among others.  Also special mention for ‘If only (we had met sooner)’ to the modern soul/two-step cats out there.  This album is pure emotional heaven given the carefully arranged confines of George Kerr’s production - akin to watching a boxer throwing himself around a ring with only the ropes to contain that energy.

The lady was blessed with a unique thirst for singing, with George skillfully providing an overflowing cup.  And in capturing that energy in a single take, he allowed us to savour the awesome thunder of her live stage presence.  Sadly, she passed away shortly after completing one of her many captivating live shows.  She was only 27.

The George Kerr quotations were obtained from an article by David Nathan here.

You can also visit the Linda Jones MySpace site run by her daughter Terry here.

___________________________________________________________

Here is a record that Nikos has been trying to get for years now.  Never quite winning the bids and eventually costing several times that of the recent ‘Black Magic’ post. Nikos - with his impeccable taste and desire to bring us only the best - has delivered the goods once again.  I say all this to get people realise that there is a real dedication and passion behind the good ship FMS that extends beyond simply listing as many downloads that one can find on the net.  We have owned and lived with these records, and in a way, we can all join hands when we experience their wonder.  We were so touched by the wonderful response to the ‘Black Magic’ post - lots of genuine words of support, love for our music and friendship.  However, we appear to be back to the same loyal 30 or so people who comment on a regular basis - which of course we are very grateful for.  But what has happened to the remainder.  The amount of downloads hasn’t dramatically fallen to compensate for this.  In respect to this very special record, we would like to offer the link once again to those who wish to take a few seconds to leave a comment and an email address, and generally share the love.  I’m sure you will agree with me that it was definitely worth your while.

Bookmark this post to:

Lou Raws - 1966 - Soulin’

One of the best albums that Lou cut with the HB Barnum/David Axelrod team! The record’s not as funky, so much as it’s a wonderfully conceived batch of tunes that has Lou singing in that super-hip pop soul mode that blasted him onto the charts back in the old days. Side two features a killer batch of songs and monologues that run together - including “Old Man’s Memories”, about a guy sitting on a bench in Washington Park on the south side of Chicago, which then rolls into an amazing version of “It Was A Very Good Year”. Other tunes have a great mix of soul and jazz.

This is a @320 vinyl rip of the original Capitol LP including covers

Tracks
A1 A Whole Lotta Woman (2:37)
A2 Love Is A Hurtin’ Thing (2:15)
A3 So Hard To Laugh, So Easy To Cry (3:16)
A4 You’re The One (2:35)
A5 Don’t Explain (3:01)
A6 What Now My Love (3:56)
B1 Memory Lane (2:16)
B2 Old Man’s Memories (Monologue) (2:18)
B3 It Was A Very Good Year (2:51)
B4 Growing Old Gracefully (Monologue) (0:18)
B5 Old Folks (2:16)
B6 Autumn Leaves (2:37)
B7 On A Clear Day (You Can See Forever) (2:36)
B8 Breaking My Back (Instead Of Using My Mind) (2:23)

Review by Beverly Praiswater

My introduction to the voice of Lou Rawls was this very fine work. I was only in high school at the time, but my friend and I played this one over and over.

From the opening number “Whole Lotta Woman” you know that you are in for a swingin’ time. The ballad “Love Is a Hurtin’ Thing” and “Breakin’ My Back” were played on top 40 radio. (And with good reason.) “You’re The One” is a wild, soulful number. Lou’s “Don’t Explain” is one of the sassiest versions ever done! There is a little story as Lou sings “Memory Lane” and continues with a monologue followed by “It Was A Very Good Year”. Lou is very loose as he gives this song new definition and life. No one has ever sung “On A Clear Day” like this before or since. Instead of a ballad, Lou sings this song uptempo, but with conviction.

All of the songs on this LP were recorded flawlessly. The musicians on this work were very gifted as well as inspired. I only wish that they had been acknowledged in the liner notes as they deserved to be. They perfectly complete one of the best all-time greatest collection of songs.

If you are a Lou Rawls fan, this is a must for your collection. But if you love an excellent male “uptempo” jazz singer, this is a must for your collection as well. Get it before it is forever gone. You will want to play it over and over again “to satisfy your soul”.

Download link

———————————————————

Lou Raws - 1976 - All Things In Time

The merging of Philly International & the strong vocal Pipes of Lou Rawls were gold to my ears. Lou Rawls was a Great fit to Gamble & Huff’s Creative vision along with the other in house Philly songwriters & producers. So many tight jams that still sound so smooth. A great collection. You always know Lou’s voice anywhere.

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

Tracks
A1 You’re The One (5:20)
A2 You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine (4:28)
A3 Time (2:55)
A4 Groovy People (3:20)
A5 Need You Forever (4:38)
B1 From Now On (4:57)
B2 Pure Imagination (3:43)
B3 This Song Will Last Forever (5:08)
B4 Let’s Fall In Love All Over Again (4:02)

Shortly before Rawls signed with Philadelphia International, his career had stalled. After a mostly successful stint with Capitol Records, he later signed with MGM and had a big hit with “Natural Man” in 1971. But the hits didn’t keep coming and his 1975 Bell album, She’s Gone, barely made a dent. His 1976 signing with Philadelphia International recharged his career and he immediately became one of the label’s most successful acts. All Things in Time is his label debut. Rawls was one of the few acts on the label who could do great work with a variety of the producers and arrangers. The biggest track here was the bravado-filled “You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine.” With its subtle Latin rhythms and Rawls’ tongue-in-cheek intonations, the songs’ inherent nastiness was missed by legions of dancers. “Time” written by Jack Faith and Allan Felder has Rawls doing a pitch-perfect vocal that makes the song sound like a standard. On this album, Rawls also got a chance to do work with the quixotic Bunny Sigler. Both “Need You Forever” and “Frow Now On” have Sigler accentuating Rawls’ rougher edges. Unfortunately, all of the tracks aren’t great here. Despite Dexter Wansel’s imaginative arrangement, “Pure Imagination” could not be saved. All Things in Time does end on a great note. On “Let’s Fall in Love All Over Again,” a song previously done by Billy Paul and Nancy Wilson, Rawls’ take is arguably the best version. All Things in Time is not only one of Rawls’ best albums, it’s also one of the finest from Philadelphia International.

Download link

Bookmark this post to: