Willie Hutch – 1969 – Soul Portrait

Main Review by soulmakossa

Rip, posting and additional info's by Nikos

What do you know about Willie Hutch ? "The Mack". Yeah. "Foxy Brown". Yeah. Two masterpieces, two soundtracks. But Willie also composed albums for himself, so to speak. "Soul Portrait" was his debut album, and, hot damn, it wasn't a foot set in the industry, it was a whole leg. 

Responsible for the music and the words of most of the album, Willie Hutch set the record straight in 1969. This incredible effort attracted the ears of Detroit label Motown on the L.A.-born singer. Indeed, after releasing two albums on RCA, Willie Hutch started writting for Motown superstars The Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson etc. And had the career we know.

Tracks
A1 Ain't Gonna Stop 3:08
A2 You Can't Miss Something That You Never Had 2:37
A3 A Love That's Worth Having 2:51
A4 Good to the Last Drop 3:03
A5 That's What I Call Lovin' You 1:56
B1 You Gotta Try 2:28
B2 Let Me Give You the Love You Need 2:35
B3 Lucky to Be Loved by You 2:52
B4 Keep on Doin' What You Do 2:17
B5 Your Love Keeps Liftin' Me Higher 2:31
B6 Do What You Wanna Do 3:09

Before Willie Hutch became a leading blaxploitation soundtrack giant ('The Mack', 'Foxy Brown'), he actually recorded some truly mindblowing Southern-styled soul in the late '60s and early '70s. 'Soul Portrait', his first of two LPs for RCA – and arguably the finest – just brims with brass-powered, gritty soul waxings that stand firmly on their own. It's totally original, with Hutch cooking up a tasty dish of Stax-flavoured grooves and a hint of Detroit gloss. "Ain't Gonna Stop" hits ya right on the head, a funky, mid-tempo floorshaker carried by a ferocious drum 'n' conga rhythm. Hutch's raspy, fatback vocal really comes to the fore here, with gorgeous female backing vocalists coo-ing behind him and layers of horns further filling up the groove with funkadelic goodness. Released on single, it inexplicably failed to chart. The bumping "You Can't Miss Something That You Never Had" incorporates a lot of the Motown-vibe that Hutch himself had been so responsible for creating. A great, rollicking bit of uptown soul full of 'country wisdom'.  The beautiful, minor-keyed "A Love That's Worth Having" is up next. A stylish, mid-tempo, brooding ballad drenched in sliding horn charts and featuring a few funky brothers kicking in some Stax-esque backing vocals.  
A nifty, twangy guitar lick propels the loping, horn-heavy head bobber "Good to the Last Drop", a track starring some of the LP's hardest breaks. "That's What I Call Lovin' You" is more traditional, although it does have a nice, gospelish piano in it and another wistful, contemplative vocal from Hutch. The Groove Express huffs on with the stupidly funky "You Gotta Try", a slab of southern fried nastiness that actually has a bit of that typical blaxpo-noise in there, especially with the blazing horns.

Hutch revisits Hitsville once more with the decidedly Motownish "Let Me Give You the Love You Need", which would have made a great Four Tops tune. Superb horns, snappy vocals and a thundering rhythm throughout. The vibe is equally 'uptown' on the bouncing "Lucky to Be Loved by You". Hutch's trademark gutbucket guitar stylings are all over the intensely groovy "Keep on Doin' What You Do", another smoldering funk-based fingersnapper that again has some embryonic elements of blaxpo in it. Incessant, fat, thumping work-out…
"Your Love Keeps Liftin' Me Higher" is not the legendary soul gem popularized by Jackie Wilson; instead, it's a Hutch original that sounds a bit more low-down and far less jubilant. It has the crashing drums, piles of brass and hard hitting congas, though, so it's all good.

Ending this super soul platter is the fast-paced, anthemic 'get up and dance' admonition of "Do What You Wanna Do". Lyrically name-checking about every then current dance fad around, Hutch goes for the true funk sentiment: just do what ya wanna do!

Amazing LP…

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Watsonian Institute – 1978 – Master Funk

Rip by Deema  Review by AMG

Posting and additional info's by Nikos

Released during the height of his laid-back space funk era, Johnny drops a batch of mostly instrumental numbers with himself providing guitar, fender rhodes, synths, clavinet & organ in that style we all know and love. This is the 1st of two albums that Johnny Guitar cut under the “Watsonian Institute” moniker for DJM Records in 78′ & 79′. Sadly, As times rapidly changed, So did his style on later albums after leaving the label on his solo projects.

Tracks
A1 The Institute 4:08
A2 Master Funk 4:40
A3 The Funk if I Know 4:00
A4 Lady Voo Doo 4:44
B1 De John's Delight 3:00
B2 Coming Around 4:00
B3 Virginia's Pretty Funky 4:55

John Watson, Jr. was born in Houston, Texas. His father John Sr. was a pianist, and taught his son the instrument. But young Watson was immediately attracted to the sound of the guitar, in particular the electric guitar as practiced by the “axe men” of Texas: T-Bone Walker and Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown. His grandfather, a preacher, was also musical. “My grandfather used to sing while he’d play guitar in church, man,” Watson reflected many years later. When Johnny was 11, his grandfather offered to give him a guitar if, and only if, the boy didn’t play any of the “devil’s music”–blues. Watson agreed, but “that was the first thing I did.” A musical prodigy, Watson played with Texas bluesmen Albert Collins and Johnny Copeland. His parents separated in 1950, when he was 15. His mother moved to Los Angeles, and took Johnny with her. In his new city, Watson won several local talent shows. This led to his employment, while still a teenager, with Jump blues style bands such as Chuck Higgins’s Mellotones and Amos Milburn. He worked as a vocalist, pianist, and guitarist. He quickly made a name for himself in the African-American juke joints of the West Coast, where he was billed as “Young John Watson” until 1954. That year, he saw the Sterling Hayden film “Johnny Guitar”, and a new stage name was born. He affected a swaggering, yet humorous personality, indulging a taste for flashy clothes and wild showmanship on stage. His “attacking” style of playing, without a plectrum, resulted in him often needing to change the strings on his guitar once or twice a show, because he “stressified on them” so much, as he put it.

In 1978, Johnny "Guitar" Watson's backup band decided to record a project as the Watsonian Institute. Master Funk is the only LP that was released under that name, and for all intents and purposes, this is very much a Johnny "Guitar" Watson album. In addition to doing all of the producing and arranging, the late singer/guitarist wrote most of the material and contributed his share of lead vocals. So not surprisingly, his stamp is all over Master Funk. The main difference between this record and the hit albums that Watson had been recording under his own name in the 1970s is the fact that this release has a stronger jazz influence. While 1976's Ain't That a Bitch, 1977's A Real Mother for Ya, and 1977's Funk Beyond the Call of Duty are funk/soul albums first and foremost, Master Funk is an album in which funk, soul, and soul-jazz live under the same roof. Instrumentals like "Dr. John's Delight" and "Coming Around" are in the soul-jazz vein, and the jazz influence is also present on some of the tunes that Watson sings on. Master Funk is generally decent, but it's uneven, and it's an album that simmers without really catching fire. This vinyl LP wasn't among Watson's big sellers of the 1970s and is far from essential, although it's a fairly interesting listen if you're among his truly hardcore fans.

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Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell – 1967 – United

Intro Review  by RDTEN1  Main Review by  seagull59

Rip, posting & additional info's by Nikos

Of the numerous 'duet' albums Marvin Gaye recorded (including two other sets with Tammi Terrell), 1967's "United" was probably the most consistent and enjoyable of the group.  Terrell was clearly the female partner with whom Gaye had the most chemistry and it showed throughout about two thirds of the album; the other third falling victim to Motown's typically lame efforts to attract a MOR white audience.  At least on record the decision to put the two together was almost magical.  Terrell didn't have the world's greatest voice, but she knew how to use her talents and she was a perfect partner for Gaye adding a sassy element to his cool, controlled performances.  Co-produced by Harvey Fuqua and Johnny Bristol, the two producers had the insight to recognize that Gaye and Terrell would be best suited by an upbeat, soul-oriented sound.  As a result they managed to keep Berry Gordy's affection for over-produced slop to a minimum.  To their credit, Gaye and Terrell even managed to salvage some of the lesser material – 'You Got What It Takes' – were actually listenable.  Unfortunately 'Somethin' Stupid' ('c'mon why would anyone even think about covering and Frank and Nancy Sinatra song?) and 'Sad Wedding' were simply too lame for anyone to save. 

So what were the highlights?  Clearly the three hit singles (including  two Ashford and Simpson numbers) that were spun off the parent LP:

- 1967's 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough' b/w 'Give a Little Love' (Tamla catalog number T-54149)
- 1967's 'Your Precious Love'  b/w 'Hold On My Darling' (Tamla catalog number T-54156)
- 1967's 'If I Could Build My World Around You'  b/w 'If This World Were Mine' (Tamla catalog number T-54161)

Almost as good were the  'Two Can Have a Party' (which was originally recorded as a Terrell solo side with Gaye subsequently adding his vocals), 'Little Ole Boy, Little Ole Girl' and 'Give Me a Little Love'.   Yeah it doesn't hit new heights in terms of creativity, but so what.  The pair's flirty relationship repeatedly came through making the album a pleasure to hear.  

A largely forgotten Motown classic …

Tracks
A1 Ain't No Mountain High Enough 2:28
A2 You Got What It Takes 2:54
A3 If I Could Build My World Around You   2:21
A4 Somethin' Stupid 2:39
A5 Your Precious Love 2:59
A6 Hold Me Oh My Darling 2:41
B1 Two Can Have a Party  2:15
B2 Little Ole Boy, Little Ole Girl 2:40
B3 If This World Were Mine 2:45
B4 Sad Wedding 2:45
B5 Give a Little Love 3:09
B6 Oh How I'd Miss You 2:50

As a recording artist Marvin Gaye had two, quite, separate, incarnations, both equally popular but not necessarily appealing to the same fan-base. After a string of hits, culminating in I Heard It Through The Grapevine, Gaye broke free and within a couple of years conquered the world anew with the ground-breaking What's Goin' On. From happy-go-lucky loafer to socio-political philosophiser is, of course, a disingenuous over-simplification, quite probably he had always been both.
How refreshing, then, to be able to suspend judgement (and belief) and take, at face value, his role as the happily domesticated other half to the delightfully perky Tammi Terrell. That these two chic city sophisticates never actually had a romantic attachment probably works to an advantage in so much as it frees us from the temptation to dig under the surface, there's no need, this is a fairy tale and nothing more, happy endings are virtually guaranteed.
All this could so easily have been a recipe for artistic disaster but the ingredients blend perfectly and, after all, Motown rarely failed to deliver a quality product. As far as the material is concerned, the new song-writing teams of Ashford/Simpson and Fuqua/Bristol are more suited than some of the writers on Gaye's previous albums but I like these duets in particular because of Gaye and Terrell's convincing rapport; she's a woman who knows her own mind and he's a man who has to tread carefully, this nervous tension almost lends an unintentional authenticity to their role playing, she taunts him and he laughs it off.

As you might expect, the album is full of uptempo love songs brimming with optimism and coming from a place where infidelity had not yet been invented. Ain't No Mountain High Enough is the obvious big hit opener but You Got What It Takes sets the tone for the album with its message of unconditional love – no matter that his purse is empty or that nature didn't give her such a beautiful face (!). Somethin' Stupid is the only downer on side one and seems a little out of place. Side two is stronger with a run of classics including the infectious Two Can Have A Party and the sensitive If This World Were Mine, a Gaye composition with a beautifully ornamented production. Two more high-lights are Sad Wedding and Give A Little Love where Gaye and Terrell's glorious harmonies exhibit a compelling simplicity.
All the elements of Motown's professionalism are brought to bear, they may have run a tight ship but no expense is spared regarding these arrangements. The fluid rhythm section drives everything, brass and string sections fill out the mix, there are jazzy flourishes on piano, crisply recorded guitars, shimmering organs and sparkling harpsichords all worked closely together but still loose enough to feel relaxed.

It's the perfect setting for two great performers who sound like they're enjoying every minute of it.

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Cecil Holmes Soulful Sounds – 1973 – Music For Soulful Lovers

Rip by Raphy Research & Review by Groovegirl

Posting and additional info's by Nikos

I have to admit that i was unfamiliar with the talented stunt man of cover creating, Mr Cecil Holmes. When Raphy sent me the rip so we can include it to the FMS family archive it wasn’t just another average record. Rare from top to bottom, when I first put me ears on it, it seemed that I was dealing with another exceptional record that has to be discovered. A true gem that needs some tender shining. For souls sake! Unfortunately there was no info or reviews on the tremendous web, so my beloved Groovegirl (who got also excited over the LP) undertook the difficult task to research this man of Prosperous soul in heart and review it with a wonderful write up as always.

But first of all here is Raphy with his own words :

" Hi friends of FMS,
It's been awhile since I post anything. Thank goodness we have dedicated family members to fill in the gap..
I am here pondering which album to post..You see, I've recorded about about 6 great lps but can't find the time
or the strength to upload and pen a review.
On the other hand, I truly don't want  to post an LP that is all over the blogosphere… It defeats the entire
 purpose in my judgement to spread a wide amount of great, sometime unusual and rare cuts to a hungry listenership.
To all who were concerned. I am physically OK, but emotionally a wreck. I have a lot of family issues I'm dealing
with. Sorry, I just can't concentrate to write a review. So one of our eloquent writer will pick up the slack…
I hope you enjoy my first offering for the year (is it? I'm not certain at all  lol!).. There is much more to come.

Love you friends,
Raphy
Big Up!@!"

Tracks
A1 Soulful Love 3:54     
A2 I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More Baby 4:50     
A3 Break Up To Make Up  4:03     
A4 You Are The Sunshine Of My Life 3:10     
A5 Neither One Of Us 4:08     
A6 Pillow Talk 3:54     
B1 Killing Me Softly With His Song 4:51     
B2 If You Don't Know Me By Now  3:27     
B3 Loving You Hurts So Bad 3:26     
B4 Call Me, Come Back Home 3:22     
B5 Stay With Me 2:59    

As they verbalise you can never truly judge a record by its cover. If that’s the case for starters we are twisting this concept around 360. The Cecile Holmes soulful sounds tempts us with optical clarity to become nasty smoothe funkers due to the titillating vinyl cover of Music for the soulful lovers. An astounding killer studio band that formed in time paradox with grotesque instrumental reworks of soul anthem themes, the kind that make you  run around wearing only ears and no pants. It’s not for a laugh. It’s arousing for the heart to listen to such honey dripping sounds. Let’s wisely formulate Mr.Holme’s path in the music industry to comprehend with what makes us all rashy and hypnotized on this featured vinyl lover memorabilia of the 70s.

The unparalleled maestro of covers (during the Buddah records era) started out as the Fi-Tones Quintet, a vocal R&B group in the early fifties, trying out their harmony riffs on the street corners and hallways of their inner city neighborhood ( Boy’s High School in Brooklyn,NYC). The group was first known as the Cavaliers Quartet and consisted of Leroy Ramsey, Cecil Holmes, Marlowe Murray and Ron Anderson. They caught attention of Tommy Robinson  a Harlem music entrepreneur who operated the small independent label Atlas. The Cavaliers Quintet actually recorded for Atlas and gained respectfully a  release in June of 1953(#1035-“You thrill me so”/”Dynaflow”). No sales and airplay went down the drain, forcing history to come to an abrupt ending. After personal changes, starts and stops, debate on style, the new vocal group Fi-Tones were born. (Marlowe Murray, Cecil Holmes, Ron Anderson, Gene Redd and Lloyd Davis).That was the boy story of the Fi-Tones Quintet ,five Brooklyn guys with superior way with a a ballad for two years in the mid fifties. “Foolish Dreams” on Relic included all Atlas tracks and unreleased sides just for info luck if anyone falls upon it, just grab it.

Summing up the pace of chances this fine young soul man Cecil Holmes turned into an executive at Buddah records as well as a recording artist himself. “Music for soulful lovers” as well as the first vinyl release “Black Motion Picture experience" were recorded and put in print during 73’ with a 7inch promo “Superfly” and an extra ep “Kung Fu/Soulful love” as the main course of The Cecil Holmes Soulful Sounds. The same year Cecil Holmes became a partner at Casablanca Records after the financing was secured by Warner Bros. Records and started the venutre with Larry Harris and Buck Reingold in LA. One of the first African Americans to hold the post Senior Vice President at a major label when he served as Sr. VP, the home of Village People, Donna Summer, Parliament/Funkadelic among others. Also he became one of the first African American executives to be given his own imprint label “Cecil Holmes Chocolate City” which launched the carriers of legendary Cameo. Later on he served as VP/A&R at CBS (Sony) Music working with Michael Jackson, New Kids on the Block and the late Marvin Gaye. Promoting the late West Coast Promotion rep Jheryl Busby (later Motown’s CEO) he was a man of power in history behind the scenes. In 1986 he did sign off the New Kids on the Block to their first record contract and was executive producer on their second album.

As we read on Billboard issue /12th June 1993 :“At Cameo parkway there where three of us to cover the whole country, whatever city we were in we would go to all the stations. I ended up knowing the pop guys and Neil Bogart new all the R&B guys”. “Cecile Holmes, was the guy who told me I should become a total record man says Eddie Pugh VP of R&B and progressive promotion for Colombia”. Read more for the details here.

“If you don't know history, it is as if you were born yesterday.” Now on a fresh start we can start criticizing the ear lust again. You all know how I get sentimental on the variety of details! Legendary year 1973, album duration 42:04, sweet soul and R&B. “Music for soulful lovers” is by no chance a collaboration of heroic idol composers such as Thom Bell, Michael Burton, Tony Camillo, Linda Creed, Charles Fox, Kenny Gamble, Norman Gimble, Leon Huff, Al Jackson Jr., Willie Mitchell, Sylvia Robinson, Mary Swayer, Jim Weatherly, Barry White and Stevie Wonder. Are you dizzy enough yet? I think I just fell off my chair, just writing about it all over again. Plus an extra 26 for music personnel. Reaching peak 47 on Billboard doesn’t say anything to me in a bad way.

An album coming straight from the love god just like good old Barry White. A knock off…..and im trying to be logically sensitive with the sexual definitions of sensuality coming out of my mouth. Arranger Cecil Holmes with lush, aggressiveness and passion charms us with Music for Soulful Lovers. The 70s for me have been the over top sexuality swing for soul. Sweeping aesthetic naughtiness approaches tolerant melodic filthiness. If this was a one night ear stand I would go for it baby, mind sweating out the details on every single note played and spoken to.

With kinky hot flush sultry on Holme’s vocals this is an accomplished heartbreaker heartlover album. An ubiquitous addiction with no morals this record was made for playing in the majority of houses making babies. Its mellow mood moves just makes your heart flutter. Can sexy music be love and can love be aroused just on sound sex? Really sometimes you can’t describe musical feelings into words. I could go on forever writing about the xxx part of Holme’s side as a composer trying to reach out the heroes of instrumental breaks , floor- fillers and toning out the unmistakable bass tones of drooling infinity to the weak hearted fools of cupid. Cecil Holmes as a veteran of any number of movie themed, big band cover record stays close to the  original albeit in a big band funky format. As in “Black Motion Picture Experience” which we should dig into it soon sometime (covers of piece Also Sprach Zarathustra,Bobby Womack,Peace,Curtis Mayfield,Issac Hayes,Marvin Gaye), it has one of the few themes from the movie Slaughter committed to vinyl and worth picking up. Soulful sounds don’t linger long but they manage to get through with shoowaps and doowaps. The Funk gets back into the means of respectful imagination . I suppose if anyone hadn’t heard the originals of “Call Me ,Come Back Home”-Al Green and legendary track “Im gonna love you just a little bit more baby”-Barry White ,he would say these versions (on Music for soulful lovers) were the originals! Just think that White produced the track in 1973 as of the rest of the covers and Holmes ahead of his time grasped it and made into his own cover anthems instantly.

“Let me take you into a world of fantasy,a world of love,of space,just relax and come with me…let me love you,let me hold you close,let me ease your troubled mind,let youserlf go and come with me….Cecil is gonna take good care of you baby,its gonna be so fine” ,this is the world of Soulful Love first tracked. You are saxed and shivered down. In depth of lush strings, effective horns and mutual promises the swelling crescendo just gets into an erotic trance. Im gonna love you just a little bit more baby connects you with classic Barry in its own seduction of a concert hall into one owns bedroom love shack. "Break up to make up " leads the "Pillow talk" to "Killing me softly with his song" a Roberta Flack old school smacking title to percolate on true undeniable adult naughtiness. Although Al Greens "Call Me" and  Stevie Wonders "You are the sunshine of my life" are a great performed adaptation to the originals you can truly say that there is no parody in aesthetics of orchestration. From a true “soulful lover” Cecile Holmes did know what he was doing when it came down to voice, soul and the love. A quite rare imprint on Budha records. So rare when I found out about the covers it was so intense and mindblowing, the friction of listening to an epic cover album lost in time! But there is a full lot of things going on behind scenes to say that nothing is left in it’s chance. A man of a great career, a great ear and a risker. The goodness always stands out. In the long run, you just got to have it.

For you and your lovers sake! Things will get oozy!

A rarity only in vinyl rip and on a vintage  1973 ampex case cassette on ebay never to have been reissued on cd. Enjoy!

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Let's all drop a line and at least say thanks to Raphy and Groovegirl for this increadible contribution. We also seek for your opinion about the album or this page! Enjoy!

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Bar-Kays – 1977 – Flying High On Your Love

Intro biography by Cherry Red  Records  Review by AMG

Rip, research, posting and additional info's by Nikos

Stax's top artist, Otis Redding chose the band to be his regular road musicians a decision that ended in tragedy on December 10th 1967 when Redding, King, Caldwell, Jones and Cunningham all perished when their private plane crashed. Only Ben Cauley survived and James Alexander had not boarded the flight.

Despite this tragedy Cauley and Alexander with Allen Jones helped reformed the group which culminated in their work with Isaac Hayes on the pioneering 1969 album, "Hot Buttered Soul”.

In 1971 the group hired their first lead vocalist Larry Dodson and his unique vocals and James Alexander's cranked to the max bass really was the new Bar-Kays, with no other pretensions than aiming straight for the dance floor with a series of funk workouts that set the template for many of the groups that followed during the late 70s.

If there was a sub-genre of funk called Southern Funk The Bar-Kays were the leaders and were one of the hottest acts around "Too Hot Too Stop” was perhaps their finest hour and the following years "Flying High On Your Love” confirmed their stature.

Tracks
A1 Shut the Funk Up 4:20
A2 Standing on the Outside 4:18
A3 Woman of the Night 3:50
A4 Whatever It Is 2:10
A5 Can't Keep My Hands Off You 3:20
B1 Let's Have Some Fun 6:05
B2 Attitudes 2:01
B3 You Can't Run Away 4:50
B4 Flying High on Your Love 3:50

The Age of Aquarius may have fallen out of fashion, but "what's your sign" was still the ultimate pickup line at the end of the 1970s. Disco novelty band the Floaters had counted on that with their brash mid-1977 "Float On," and the Bar-Kays, of course, couldn't resist a little good-humored stroke, especially if it carried commercial punch as well. So, for the November release of their second Mercury LP, Flying High on Your Love, the inner sleeve featured the band's photos — complete with star signs. Jokes aside, the Bar-Kays delivered a juicy set of funk movers accented by disco beats and augmented by ballads. It was a tremendous mix. "Shut the Funk Up" is an overlooked gem, lost as the band sublimated their sound in the 1980s. A near-perfect disco song punctuated by the funky horn triumvirate of Charles "Scoop" Allen, Harvey "Joe" Henderson, and Frank "Captain Disaster" Thompson and dominated by vocalist Larry "D" Dodson's call to "get on up or just shut the funk up," it's immediately apparent that disco never sounded so good — or so funky. "Woman of the Night" and "Let's Have Some Fun" follow suit, while stomping the disco beat down with some pretty heavy funk riffing. But, of course, that's why the Bar-Kays were, and remained, so successful. They were fully committed to their funk forbears while never taking their eyes off the shifting musical climate. Thus, they were able to make the leap from funk to disco in a way that almost no other bands could match. the Bar-Kays' late-'70s sounds, then, were not one or the other, but a seamless blend of both.

A fine mix and a glorious achievement.

Biography and discography on Wikipedia

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Bunny Sigler – 1974 – That’s How I’ll Be Loving You

Intro by  Cherry Red  Records Review by AMG

Rip, research, posting and additional info's by Nikos

Bunny Sigler is a songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist who has done a lot of work with the Gamble & Huff production team. He was one of the key players in establishing the "Philly Sound” in the early ‘70s. As well as being a successful solo artist he has also worked with the likes of Stephanie Mills, Patti LaBelle, Lou Rawls, Billy Paul, The O’Jays and even The Roots.

"That's How I'll Be Loving You" was his third album and it peaked at R&B #27. The album shows Bunny at his multi-instrumentalist best playing Guitar, Bass, Organ and Sitar to name a few. "Love Train" is a cover of the O’Jays R&B and Pop #1 hit from 1973 and reached R&B #28. Backing on this track comes courtesy of Instant Funk and the TNJs. "My Other Love" has been sampled by the likes of Notorious B.I.G.

"That's How I'll Be Loving You" is a must for all Soul and Funk fans out there!

Tracks
A1 Things Are Gonna Get Better 2:58     
A2 That's How Long I'll Be Loving You 2:51     
A3 I Lied 3:56     
A4 Picture Us 2:35     
A5 Love Train 7:06     
B1 Marianne 3:03     
B2 My Other Love 4:06     
B3 Your Love Is Good 2:55     
B4 What I'd Say 3:43     
B5 Somebody Free 4:19   

After co-writing hits for Joe Simon (the 1971 million-seller "Drowning in a Sea of Love") and the O'Jays ("Sunshine," "You Got Your Hooks in Me") among many others, singer/songwriter/producer Bunny Sigler was given the opportunity to record his debut album for Gamble & Huff's Philadelphia International Records. The result, That's How Long I'll Be Loving You, is one of the artist's most beloved albums with MFSB and Instant Funk in fine form. Several of the album's tracks can be found on a 1996 Sony Legacy CD The Best of Bunny Sigler: Sweeter Than the Berry and the 1998 Sony CD Bunny Sigler. "That's How Long I'll Be Loving You," along with Sigler's first single, the soft, sweet "Regina," is on the 1997 Sony CD set Philly Sound (1966-1976): Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff.

The brassy opener, "Things Are Gonna Get Better", bops along enwrapped by a jovial vocal by Sigler.The doo wop-flavored "Picture Us" has one of Sigler's most emotive vocals and soaring, angelic background vocals. Along the same lines is the richly arranged "That's How Long I'll Be Loving You " that says: "Till the stars fall from the sky/till babies no longer cry/that's how long I'll be loving you." Sigler's churchy ballad cover of the O'Jays' million-selling hit "Love Train" is absolutely beautiful, emphasizing the brotherly/sisterly love ethic of the song bolstered by Instant Funk and crisp harmonies by the TNJs. The steppers track "Your Love Is Good" opens with the popping sound of champagne being uncorked. Domestic disputes are given a rollicking, bluesy, brassy take on "I Lied"; listen for the mid-'70s gas shortage reference as the track fades. The gospel-ish ballad "Somebody Free" has the same heart-tugging appeal that Sigler evoked on "Always in the Wrong Place (At the Wrong Time)" from Let the Good Times Roll.

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You can also enjoy his 1975 "Keep Smillin'" LP on our back pages here

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100 Proof Aged In Soul – 1971 – Somebody’s Been Sleeping In My Bed

Intro biography by AMG  Main Review by RDTEN1 and AMG

Rip, research, posting and additional info's by Nikos

 

100 Proof (Aged in Soul) teamed Detroit area vocalists Steve Mancha (born Clyde Wilson), Eddie Holiday (Eddie Anderson), and Joe Stubbs (the brother of the Four Tops' Levi Stubbs and an alumnus of the Contours and the Falcons). The trio was assembled by the famed writing and producing team of Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland, who in 1967 left the Motown label to set up their own record companies, Invictus and Hot Wax; they signed 100 Proof to the latter, and in 1969 issued the group's debut single, "Too Many Cooks (Spoil the Soup)". The follow-up, "Somebody's Been Sleeping", cracked the pop Top Ten in the fall of 1970; boasting a gritty, earthy approach closer in spirit to Southern soul than the Motor City's trademark sound, the group issued a pair of LPs -Somebody's Been Sleeping in My Bed and the 1972 effort 100 Proof - but never again recaptured the commercial momentum of their first hit, finally dissolving in 1973. The 100 Proof (Aged in Soul) name was briefly resurrected, albeit with an all-new lineup, in 1977.

Tracks
A1 Somebody's Been Sleeping 4:11
A2 Love Is Sweeter (The Second Time Around) 3:32
A3 One Man's Leftovers (Is Another Man's Feast) 2:43
A4 I've Come to Save You 2:59
A5 Ain't That Lovin' You (For More Reasons Than One) 6:34
A6 Not Enough Love to Satisfy 3:23
B1 Age Ain't Nothing But a Number 2:52
B2 She's Not Just Another Woman 3:21
B3 Too Many Cooks (Spoil the Soup)  2:52
B4 I Can't Sit and Wait (Til Johnny Comes Marching Home) 3:06
B5 Backtrack 2:35

I've always wondered why these guys weren't major stars.  

Following their break-up with Motown, Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland formed their own Hot Wax label.  One of their first creative moves was to form 100 Proof Aged In Soul.  The group featured the talents of Eddie Holiday (aka Eddie Anderson), Steve Mancha (aka Clyde Wilson) and former Contours, Falcons, and Originals alumnist Joe Stubbs.  

Released in 1969, the trio debuted with the single 'Too Many Cooks (Spoil the Soup)' b/w 'Not Enough Love To Satisfy (Hot Wax catalog number HS-6904).  A minor hit (top-40 R&B and top-100 pop), the single was followed by nursery rhyme-ish 'Somebody's Been Sleeping In My Bed' b/w 'I've Come To Save You' (Hot Wax catalog number HS-7004).  The second single went top-10 pop and R&B, leading Hot Wax to eventually finance a supporting album.  

Boasting one of the year's oddest cover (see the picture to the left), the cleverly-titled "Somebody's Been Sleeping In My Bed" showcased the cream of Hot Wax's writing and production staff (Angelo Bond, Ronald Dunbar, General Johnson and Greg Perry) on a first rate selection of highly commercial, Motown-ish soul.  Boasting two top-notch lead vocalists in Mancha and Stubbs (the two sounded very similar to my ears), most of the 11 tracks had commercial potential.  First rate melodies with entertaining lyrics made tracks such as 'Not Enough Love To Satisfy', 'Age Ain't Nothing But a Number' and the tougher 'She's Not Just Another Woman' a sheer pleasure.  In fact the only track that didn't really click with me was Stubbs' extended make out ballad 'Ain't That Lovin' You (For More Reasons Than One)'.  The album included all four tracks off of the first two singles.  Elsewhere 'One Man's Leftover's (Is Another Man's Feast)' b/w 'If I Could See the Light In the Window' (Hot Wax catalog number HS-7009) was also released as a single.

100 Proof Aged In Soul — what a name! This Detroit group is classified as one-hit wonders since they only cracked the pop Top 40 once with the alarming "Somebody's Been Sleeping In My Bed." They did, however, have some R&B hits that didn't cross over. The original lineup included Steve Mancha (born Clyde Wilson), Joe Stubbs (Levi Stubbs' brother), and Eddie Holiday. Joe and Steve handle the leads; their voices are so similar that it takes a good ear and lots of listening to discern who's who. This LP is a cornucopia of soul. The title song finds a cheated lover discovering evidence of his woman's infidelity; written by General Johnson (Chairmen of the Board), Greg Perry and Angelo Bond, the song was their second release on the Hot Wax label. Joe Stubbs does a scintillating version of Luther Ingram's "Ain't That Lovin' You (For More Reason Than One)" that's better than the original; Stubbs can be heard persuading his date to stop by his place for some fun, and she does. Steve gets to lead "She's Not Just Another Woman," a lively tune with an odd jumping beat sung in testifying fashion. Ironically, this same recording hit by another Invictus/Hot Wax group called the Eighth Day — the same song, track and vocal; it was never released under the name 100 Proof Aged In Soul. "Too Many Cooks (Spoil the Soup)," their debut single, has a nice horn section that's complemented by a stinging rhythm section. None of the songs are fillers or stiffs; the titles are creative and the lyrics will make you chuckle. The album cover is strange: the front depicts a bird's nest holding one egg with a question mark stamped on it; the back cover depicts an empty nest with a bird lying outside flat on its back, dead. A picture of the group would have been appreciated more.

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William Bell – 1972 – Phases Of Reality

Rip and research by Mr.Moo

Intro Review  by RDTEN1  Main Review by Soulmakossa

Posting & additional info's by Nikos

Today, if most people recognize the name William Bell, its probably for his work as a writer ('Born Under a Bad Sign', 'You Don't Miss Your Water', etc.), rather than as a singer.  That's unfortunate since Bell's solo catalog is surprisingly strong.

1972's self-produced "Phases of Reality" is a perfect showcase for Bell's talents.  Propelled by Bell's likeable voice and  the cream of Muscle Shoals sessions talent, unlike many Stax LPs, this one's quite diverse.  Exemplified by the title track, 'Man In the Street' and several other songs, lyrically the album was certainly more activist than his earlier work. Normally that might boit be a good thing, but in this case most of the eight Bell-penned tracks featured something worth hearing – a neat melody, an interesting lyric, the title track stands as one of the earliest uses of a drum machine that we've heard.  Highlights include the percussive opener 'Save Me', 'Fifty Dollar Habit' (sporting a surprisingly blatant anti-drug lyric) and the reggae flavored 'Lonely for Your Love'.  Elsewhere Stax tapped 'Save Us' b/w 'If You Really Love Him' (Stax catalog STA-0128) as a single. 

One of my favorite Bell releases …

Tracks
A1 Save Us 3:17
A2 True Love Don't Come Easy 2:49
A3 Fifty Dollar Habit 3:33
A4 What I Don't Know Won't Hurt Me 3:44
B1 Phases of Reality 3:09
B2 If You Really Love Him 3:57
B3 Lonely for Your Love  2:45
B4 The Man In the Street 2:56

Soul singer William Bell, one of the earliest hitmakers for the legendary Stax label ("You Don't Miss Your Water", 1962), was a great writer as well as a performer, although his own recordings seem to get lost in the shuffle many a times.

The man who (co-)wrote wrote peerless classics such as "Born Under a Bad Sign" and a slew of songs for aces as Otis Redding and Carla Thomas, released high quality albums under his own name as well.

This particular one is my favorite: the cover is sheer brilliance, another fantastic artsy collage of early '70s (social) despair craftily painted in the sweet face of Bell himself.

Bell never was an avid 'protest singer', but on this album he got seriously righteous. Aside three gorgeous country-soul styled ballads and the reggae-esque "Lonely for Your Love", the other half of the record features some very intense funk based political songs.

"Save Us", written by Bell as far back as 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis, is a blasting piece of fiery funk, complete with congas and wah wah guitars, sporting an infectious yet almost desperate plea for reflection.

"Fifty Dollar Habit" is a eerie tale of drug addiction, set to a loping groove that features the clever use of the sitar. Truly one of Bell's most captivating compositions.

"Phases of Reality", the title-track, sounds unnervingly similar to Sly Stone's drughazed slurring on "Family Affair". This is no pun, though: the gloomy, almost sarcastic groove fits Bell's deliberately 'apathic-sounding' vocal here to a T. Crucial stuff, this one.

Finally, the LP closes with the straight up, soulful lament "The Man In the Street". A great funky tune dealing with that part of the population that always gets hit the hardest: the common man and woman.

Another overlooked gem in the Stax catalog… Essential.

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Timothy Wilson – 1978 – Timothy Wilson …and more

Research and review by Groovegirl

Rip, Posting & additional info's by Nikos

Howard Harrison “Timothy” Wilson born on 17th November 1943 in Salsbury Maryland. So much fuss around this name? Of course!. There is a reason for the best voices packed as exquisite aromas in small bottles (as the saying says) that are a rare gift to soul history. Back to classic modern soul basics. Rumor says that Pittsburgh has got something to do with this story, but it’s always nice to have a mist of unanswered facts down record memory lane. I always had this featured album by my ears during the re-issue on Expansion Records back in 2002. It’s just that I never tried to dig in the info. Weird but true. As Niko’s made me fall again for Timothy and reviewing him, I can’t seem to find any valuable extra juicy bio hints by his name on the internet. That’s how special he is. Although a huge pile of appreciated musical value stands strong and true aside him! You will understand the concept when we present his work before his first and only full issue LP fortunately for us on the respectful label H&L records (yes, I’m talking about Hugo Perreti and Luigi Creatore signing the Styilstics in the 1970s turning Avco into H&L records which now is parent label Amherst).

Tracks
A1 Sugarland Express 6:59     
A2 It's Love Baby 3:53     
A3 Keep It Up Don't Let It Go Down 4:59     
A4 Gotta Fall In Love Again 3:42     
B1 (Wear Your) Red Dress (Tight) 5:59     
B2 Follow Me 3:30     
B3 Who Babe 3:20     
B4 We Just Can't Help It 3:22

Bonus hidden singles of his career

Lets say that things started to rock when Pittsburgh’s disc jockey producer “The Daddio of the Raddio”, Porky Chedwick (aged now 94), the first white Dj who played black artist’s records for “white” teenaged audiences on the East Coast used to make an extreme fuss on tracks by Tiny Tim and the Hit’s and The Serenades. In 67-68’ you could fall upon “Baby, Baby Please” or “How I wish she were mine”. But until then Mr.Wilson’s single’s didn’t get much attention as they should have in the background. All that changes later on. Here is a bit of a huge history tip. I was surprised to see the “Bold and Beautiful” of things, projects that came before the one and only album Timoth Wilson made during 78’.

Join the dots together and make yourself a soulful picture, in every project Timothy Wilson has his name on participation. There are so many of them and then suddenly “Boom” an album. If I could interview him right now, my big Q would be why did he stop his career at such a sweet peak point!(?) At the age of 12 or even 13 he started joining these groups and the beat goes on.

Five Hits & a Miss (Norma Lee Trader, Timothy Wilson, Lionel Brown, Orlesto Smith, Thomas Price, William Collier): when Norma Lee Trader drops out the group to start a family, the group changes name.

 Tiny Tim & The Hits (Timothy Wilson, Lionel Brown, Orlesto Smith, Thomas Price, William Collier) After this 45’ the group splits and becomes The Diplomats and Timothy goes solo.

  • Roulette 4123: Wedding Bells/Doll Baby (1958)

The Serenades ( Timothy Wilson, Sidney Barnes, George Kerr, Howard Curry) Motown at last aside Barnes and Kerr.

  • Riverside 4549: Adios My Love/Two Lovers make one fool (1963)
  • Motown 1046: If your heart says yes/I’ll cry tomorrow (1963) Wilson lead vocals
  • V.I.P 25002: If your heart says yes/I’ll cry Tomorrow (1964) Kerr lead vocals

Timothy Wilson:

  • Veep 1213: Hey Girl Do You Love Me/ Come on Home (1965)
  • United Artists 861: Hey Girl, Do You Love me!/Come on Home (1965)
  • Veep 1223: Oh How I Wish She Were Mine/He Will Break Your Heart (1965)
  • Festival Acetate: Lovingly Yours/(?) (1965) written by Sydney Barnes and J.J. Jackson
    • Unissued at the time this was released in the U.K on a 1995 Goldmine Cd “A treasure chest of northern soul” GSCD75. After this review I just saw it standing on my shelf at home.! Sometimes you’ve got gems lying around and you can’t even see them.
  • Buddah19: Baby Baby Please/Got to find a new love (1967)
  • Buddah32: Say it again (say I love you)/Pictails (1968) [first stereo release on label]
  • Buddah47: Loving You/Pigtails (1968)
  • Buddah72: My Queen of Hearts/Just Another Guy (on a string) (1968)
  • Blue Rock4087: I wana know right now/love is like an itching in my heart (1969)
  • Blue Rock4090: Are you really happy/cross my heart (1969)
  • Sky Disc638: These are the things that make me know she’s gone/ta ta (1971) [backed by family circle]
  • Sky Disc643: Hiding in your heart/I must love you (1972) [backed by family circle]
  • H&L 2006: Sugarland Express / (Wear Your) Red Dress (Tight) (1978 12inch)

Roy Brown / Timothy Wilson  

 Excelsior 1011 – Boogie At Midnight / Oh How I Wish She Were Mine* – ? *Flip By Timothy Wilson.  

The Teenagers (members Timothy Wilson (lead), Herman Santiago (original member of Frankie Lymon's group), Jimmy Merchant (original member of Frankie Lymon's group) and Bobby Jay (a former member of The Laddins)) 

 

Lp's 

H&L Lp69034 – Timothy Wilson – 1978 

Now lets talk about Timothy Wilson love baby. Quite a rare cult item, a majestic soul album. This H & L release contains spinning soul for the crowd and for the eclectic ear. Something  more than half an hour [36:32”] of stereophonic soul beating the tenders of love to eternity. The story begins in the honey voice factory with “Sugarland express”. What a fantastic name for a song! It feels like you’re in candy funk land with a pinch of Salsoul style combined with the uptempo beats. Something is on the run here apart from the melody, but that’s how things evolved back in late 70s (lucky for us you couldn’t find this easy in the disco era).I bet you could come across it in a pile of records right now and just go through it for a kicking sample at once. Thing is Timothy rings some bells on teasing his words when singing to my ears. Strictly dancing at this point. Giorge Pettus and George David Weisse both composers on this album uplifted the true concept. You might remember Giorge Pettus as a vocalist that made it to urban contemporary stardom with two essential sets for MCA in the 80s and 90s. “Its love baby” is a classic 70’s soul tune when everything back then was purified and sanitized to the holy beat. The sweet Philly sound is written all over. The vibraphone, the quiet storm ,the rnb, the jazz structures all sum up to it. Well if you did have Lou Rawls on the other side of the bridge it’s too hard to compare the nasal touch of voice chords .Perhaps parts of Thom Bell and Dexter Wansel climb in the atmosphere of the record with the erotic sense coming out of the lyrics. Though you could throw in a touch of a Norman Harris’s feel,  straight out of Motown oasis on “(Wear Your) red dress( tonight)”. My favorite off the album is “Follow me”. A quite full and ripe tune with all eclectic elements oozing the sentimental ego together. It could be sung from Earth Wind and Fire or even by The emotions. A saxed up tune just how I like it. That unique Timothy Wilson pitch “crying” on some ending words throughout the song(s) make his style captivating. Quality control passed for  vocals, bass lines and soul twines. The stylistics on H&L sure made the evolution of things on the label, you can speak the language clearly on “Who babe”. “We just cant help it” is a true ending to my positive vibe on this rare vinyl reissue. Although it might not be the top of the tops due to rules of music industry for the soul masses its sure comes from the finest grapevine of pure lust and nostalgia from the Philly soul era. To me for a musical career such as Mr. Wilson’s, when things collaborate fine until the big bang you just cant overmake it. Timothy Wilson was not only a beautiful voice he was a chain reaction for things to come, down his path, his way, his participating label(s) and someone in the history of time always has to get the credits for a little misunderstanding the soulful way . A sacrifice that leaves behind a masterpiece for us to enjoy and cherish as with all the other rare findings in here.

Peace,love and cherry ripe moments written all over the two sides. Go for it. You’ll be born on another day.

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Jimmy Hughes – 1967 – Why Not Tonight?

Rip, research and review by Bac

Posting & additional info's by Nikos

'Why Not Tonight?' is a full-fledged Southern Soul masterpiece!

Seminal southern soul from Jimmy Hughes – a classic Fame production from the early days of the Muscle Shoals scene – and definitely the kind of work that set the tone for countless imitations to follow! Jimmy Hughes sounds even better here than in his first batch of recordings for Fame – more carefully composed, and a bit less rocking overall – really hitting that sublime spiritual undercurrent that defined the sound of southern soul for the 60s! Production is by the legendary Rick Hall – who wrote tunes on the record, along with Dan Penn, Linden Oldham, and even Hughes himself. There's not a bit of filler on the record, and all the tracks are great and titles include the hit "Neighbor Neighbor", plus "Why Not Tonight", "I Worship the Ground You Walk On"

Tracks
A1 Why Not Tonight 2:58
A2 I'm a Man of Action 2:13
A3 I Worship the Ground You Walk On 2:25
A4 Neighbor, Neighbor 2:36
A5 It Was Nice 2:35
B1 Slippin' Around With You 2:48
B2 Midnight Affair 2:27
B3 It's a Good Thing 2:24
B4 I'm the Loving Physician 2:19
B5 I Stand Accused 2:31

Jimmy Hughes is a very good example of the Muscle Shoals Area Sound: little-known, ambivalent and difficult to keep alive. But he has some different details that they characterize his sound. Hughes release a LP every two years and Why Not Tonight? is no exception. He begins with Steal Away (Vee Jay Records)  in 1965 and ends with Something Special (Volt)  in 1969. Three records with three different labels.

It’s an excellent work, there is not doubt on this, but let me be, in this case, a little pickier.

The record starts with the title track ; the song is good and a classic one, with a big Gospel influence, but to me, there are some less interesting details : the guitar is not very good and the sensation is that the song is too long.

"I’m a Man Of Action" is really a better song to me. Written by Jimmy Hughes himself, it has a perfect mix of an unusual drum pattern with and excellent R&B sound, a very interesting refreshing own style. It possesses an attractive « savoir-faire » that he repeats in the songs « Neighbor, Neighbor », « It Was Nice » and in a lesser extent, in « I’m The Loving Physician » ( the last two written again by the artist himself).

It’s here we find a more confortable Hughes, with less connections with the gospel sound and where he let go, showing us his best face. His songs are better sung, there’s more audacity, and the result is much more interesting.

It’s surely the treasure to discover in this album ; a not common mix and an unlimited quantity of resources to exploit.

Jimmy Hughes is an excellent songwriter. He defends his song with credibility, he sings with better predisposition and the result is awesome. It’s really less interesting when he tries to mix with the Gospel Sound (the Tom Dowd intervention would have improved the global result of the album for sure).

Hughes only recorded one more album after this one, and the sensation is that we lose the opportunity to enjoy more of one of the most interesting voices of the R&B and Soul. I’m sure he would have recorded excellent Lp’s if he had continued with this so little explored blend that he was the master, is clear in this record.

BIOGRAPHY

Hughes, a cousin of Percy Sledge, was born and raised in Leighton, Alabama, close to Muscle Shoals. He began singing in a gospel quartet, The Singing Clouds, while at high school. In 1962, he auditioned for record producer Rick Hall at his FAME Studios. Hall was impressed, and recorded Hughes on a song, "I'm Qualified", that Hall had co-written with Quin Ivy. The record was leased to the Guyden label in Philadelphia, but was not a hit. Hughes returned to his day job at a rubber factory, and began singing secular R&B songs in local clubs.

Early in 1964, he returned to Hall with a powerful ballad he had written, "Steal Away", partly based on the gospel song "Steal Away to Jesus", and recorded the song in one take, backed by the studio rhythm section of Terry Thompson, David Briggs, Norbert Putnam and Jerry Carrigan. Hall and his friend Dan Penn then promoted the record around radio stations in the South, and it rose to # 17 on the Billboard Hot 100. The record has been cited as "a prototype not only for subsequent great soul singers such as Johnnie Taylor and Al Green, but also would help define the signature Muscle Shoals sound. On the basis of Hughes record, Hall signed a national distribution deal with Vee-Jay Records for his FAME label. Hughes' follow-up record, "Try Me", reached # 65 on the Hot 100, and he recorded an album, Steal Away, released on the Vee-Jay label, which included the first songwriting collaborations between Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham. He also toured with Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, Bobby Womack and others.

Hughes' next few singles were unsuccessful, as Vee-Jay Records diverted their attention to The Beatles and The Four Seasons, and then folded. However, in 1966, after the success of Percy Sledge's "When a Man Loves a Woman", Hall negotiated a new deal for his label to be distributed by Atlantic Records. Hughes returned to the charts with "Neighbor, Neighbor" (# 65 pop, # 4 R&B), "I Worship the Ground You Walk On" (# 25 R&B), and "Why Not Tonight" (# 90 pop, # 5 R&B), before moving to the Atlantic label itself with "It Ain't What You Got" (# 43 R&B, 1968).

Early in 1968, Hughes moved to Stax Records, where his recordings were issued on the subsidiary Volt label. His first record for the label, "I Like Everything About You", reached # 21 on the R&B chart, but later records were less successful. At the time, Stax was undergoing a major reorganisation with new management and new artists. Although his records, including a 1969 album Something Special, were produced by label boss Al Bell, Hughes later stated that he felt like the "low man on the totem pole" at the label, and became frustrated by what he saw as a lack of promotion. He also tired of touring and being away from his family, and in 1970 gave up recording and performing. He retrained, and got a government job making parts for nuclear power plants in the Tennessee River Valley, in later years only singing as a member of the congregation of his local church in Leighton.

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You can also enjoy his 3nd final LP "Something Special" in our back pages here.

 

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