U.S. Soul/R&B;/Jazz/Blues 45's For May

1. IRMA AND THE FASCINATORS-"Lost Love" U.S. Scepter 12100 1965

Kicking off with some gritty guitar this mid tempo soul tune has some smokey lead vocals that lead into horns and call and response backing vocals. There's something rough and ready about it all that adds to it's charm.

https://youtu.be/AmvYc3Cwc-4

2. THE CRAMPTON SISTERS-"Baby Baby" U.S. ABC 45-10853 1966

With an odd intro of woodwinds/brass this tune combines a Motown style delivery with vocals that recall 60's girl group sounds like The Shangri La's or The Chiffons. It's interesting because it's an almost off kilter mix owing to the two styles that come off as oil and water but somehow it works, but just barely.

https://youtu.be/lQuhbxy6T-M

3. THE HUEYS-"You Ain't No Hippie" U.S. Instant 3289 1968

Huey "Piano" Smith re-invents himself as The Hueys in this scathing social commentary about fake long hairs ("you ain't no hippie cause your head is bald, you have no education and you talk like a fool..") on top of a funky groove delivered rapid fire with lyrics that are both catchy and compelling. 

https://youtu.be/xqD_-OFD59M

4. DEAN JONES-"Women (Ska-Da-La-De-Da)" U.S. Valiant 6055 1964

Here's an odd one by 60's Disney actor Dean Jones that despite the title is not remotely ska. The vocals are incredibly powerful with Jone's baritone crooning over a groove that melodically resembles "Watermelon Man". It's incredibly hip with a heavy nod to Mel Torme. Sadly it'll cost you several hundred dollars, which is why I don't have one....

https://youtu.be/6RtggE3DS7c

5. THE SOUL BROTHERS-"Keep It Up" U.S. Blue Cat BC 107 1965

Starting with some doo-wop style falsetto vocals this Lieber and Stoller number (they produced it as well) is 100% high class thanks to the arrangement and delivery (the mournful horn solo could easily come straight off of a Walker Brothers cover of a Jerry Butler side). There's a cool Latin back beat to it all as well which adds to it's mystique.

https://youtu.be/ie230jeLWWY

6. BILLIE POOL with THE JUNIOR MANCE TRIO-"Them Blues" U.S. Riverside RF-4559 1963

This incredible 45 comes care of female vocalist Billie Pool who rocks the house with help of the jazz combo The Junior Mance Trio who lay down a jazzy but distinctly r&b groove behind her blues shouting. Killer! 

https://youtu.be/H8F7u_Ivicc

7. ANN COLE -"Got My Mo-Jo Working" U.S. Baton 237 1957

"I Got My Mojo Working" blends  blues jump sounds with early rock n roll and a dash of doo wop. It's also the very first airing of the song written by Red Foster (Muddy Waters cut it simultaneously) and though not too dissimilar in it's tempo to Muddy's reading it is far superior in my book owing to it's vast array of genres blended within.

https://youtu.be/sP0crYPCHV0

8. JIMMY CLANTON-"Cindy" U.S. Ace ACE 8007 1963

US 50's teen idol Jimmy Clanton is best known for his 1958 smash "Just A Dream". By 1963 the hits were long gone but he cut this enchanting Mel Torme influenced twister that remains his most collectible side with it's uptempo groove.

https://youtu.be/SYv79Dtkktk

9. THE ROY MERIWETHER TRIO-"The Seventh Son" U.S. Columbia 4-44211 1967

This funky little version of Willie Dixon's "The Seventh Son" is a piano driven gas with jazzy tinges and Latin percussion on top of a pure Ramsey Lewis style groove with gruff scat improvisation during the piano solo. 

https://youtu.be/duZfTH1yArs

10. SYLVIA ROBBINS-"Don't Let Your Eyes Get Bigger Than Your Heart" U.S. Sue 805 1964

This scorching '64 Sue side has some incredibly sophisticated brass crossed with organ and lead vocals that remind me of Lesley Gore (Sylvia was one half of the duo Mickey & Sylvia and went solo when Mickey Baker relocated to Europe). 

https://youtu.be/Yr_a0EF8Ifk

Cat Stevens "A Bad Night"

 

CAT STEVENS-A Bad Night/The Laughing Apple US Deram 45-DEM-85015 1967

Despite fame in the 1970's Cat Stevens 60's output went completely unnoticed in the U.S. Deram issued both of his LP's here and the label put out five of his nine British singles. "A Bad Night" was his fourth Deram single in both the U.S and U.K. It was released over there in July of 1967 and issued here in June.

"A Bad Night" starts out somber and suddenly kicks it up a notch with an almost fast samba feel but with sharp as hell strings and everything but the kitchen sink (care of Art Greenslade). It's not his best Deram single but certainly not his worst either.

Cat flanked by Jimi Hendrix, Gary Walker and Englebert Wotisface

The B-side, "The Laughing Apple", is probably among the latter. Lyrically it's awful. The orchestration is top notch (Alan Tew this time) but the track just does nothing for me.

Both sides are available as bonus tracks a the CD reissue of his second and final Deram album "New Masters". 

Hear "A Bad Night" :

https://youtu.be/YnTDSztjhd0

Hear "The Laughing Apple":

https://youtu.be/HwLshG3K6XY

U.S. Soul/R&B;/Jazz/Blues 45's For April

1. BEVERLY MCKAY-"No No, I Can't Help You" U.S. Sue 45-127 1965

This soulful ballad has some bite to it. The guitars have an edge to them and the bluesy/smoky vocal delivery is absolutely smoldering. I don't know anything about Beverely McKay but after hearing her voice on this I want to know and hear more!

https://youtu.be/pybHelV1vqk

2. THE LOVETTES-"Little Miss Soul" U.S. Carnival CAR-518 1966

This mid tempo number is monstrous with Northern soulies (the strings in the first 10 seconds should be a clue why). With prerequisite call and response vocals this four piece girl group from Jersey City, New Jersey is powerful and the back beat is extremely catchy!

https://youtu.be/4qpf6awhSFs

3. THE EXCITERS-"A Little Bit Of Soap" U.S Bang B-515 1966

By 1966 The Exciters visits to the hit parade had long since ceased but they rang in 1966 with a new label and this soulful, moody cover of The Jarmels Bert Berns penned (under the pseudonym of Bert Russell) hit. The tempo differs very little from the original but the production and arrangement are top notch.

https://youtu.be/ZDC5BnpoRgg

4. PERRY AND THE HARMONICS-"Do The Monkey With James" U.S. Mercury 72476 1965

This number about James Bond starts off with a laid back "vocalist" doing a hipster monologue not unlike Dr. Horse in the epic "Jack That Cat Was Clean" before it kicks into a thoroughly funky but enjoyable organ/sax mod jazz groove! Mega expensive if you're lucky enough to find a copy.

https://youtu.be/ayog5wxRsbY

5. THE VOLCANOS-"Gotta Be A False Alarm" U.S. Harthon VOL-138 1966

Philly soul legends The Volcanos are best known for their collectible sides on Arctic before jumping ship to cut equally collectible sides for the Harthon label in 1966  where they unleashed this tough number that's offset by the strange use of a clarinet giving it a strange Klezmer feel.

https://youtu.be/giBueaKseY0

6. JONAH JONES-"Work Song" U.S. Capitol 4944 1963

This jazzy instrumental take on "Work Song" features the vocals of The Jubilee Four creating a sound reminiscent of the Jordanaires, organ by Dick Hyman and Jonah Jones on trumpet. It's laid back and that's where it's impeccably understated cool comes in.

https://youtu.be/3hIGWwhpbX4

7. AL BROWN AND HIS TUNETOPPERS-"It's True About Love" U.S. Amy 806 1960

Al Brown's vocals right off the bat remind me a lot of Mel Torme but the musical delivery reminds me of something less jazz as they have an almost gritty feel to the horns at times, a perfectly melding of jazz and r&b which sat times also reminds me of Mark Murphy.

https://youtu.be/dRaNQKK8-3k

8. DEREK MARTIN-"If You Go" U.S. Sue 143 1966

Derek Martin, best know for his storming 1963 classic "Daddy Rolling Stone" on Crackerjack, had a string of 45's after on Mercury before this one off release on Sue. "If You Go" was the flip of the ballad "Count To Ten", and is far superior with it's cheezy organ led backing. 

https://youtu.be/cIpAvcvWdo8

9. MICKEY LEE LANE-"She Don't Want To" U.S. Swan 4252 1966

Everyone of course is familiar with Mickey's monster "Hey Sah-Lo-Ney" (as covered by The Action), this was his next single after that on Swan that's equally powerful in my book. It's always reminded me of a grittier Len Barry number but it builds in both the backing and the vocal intensity with this almost trippy crescendo. 

https://youtu.be/MW9t80zAGpI

10. BIG DADDY SIMPSON-"Give Me Back My Ring" U.S. M-Pac! 7226 1965

Delivered at a pace that's not dissimilar to  "Hi High Sneakers", "Give Me Back My Ring" also reminds me of something Inez and Charlie Foxx would have done but with a gravely male lead vocalist that's full on gut bucket blues creating an interesting mix!

https://youtu.be/w8dV7kSVTzs

Scott Walker-Joanna

 

SCOTT WALKER-Joanna/Always Coming Back To You US Smash S-2168 1968

Scott Walker's post Walker Brothers solo career was, for a time fairly well represented in the U.S. (his first three albums were released here).  Today's post was his first solo single after leaving the Walkers that was issued here in the States (the label had previously pressed two Walker's tracks as a solo 45 which we discussed here). 

"Joanna" was Scott's second post Walker's 45 in Britain issued as Phillips BF 1662 in April 1968. The U.S. release came in June, his American outlet probably balked at the idea of his solo debut "Jackie" with it's use of the word "ass" . "Joanna"is a curious track as Scott had not recorded anything by the hit writing machine of Tony Hatch/Jackie Trent before. I almost wish he hadn't as it is, without a doubt, my least favorite song of all of his 60's output. It's lush orchestration does nothing to save it from being one big stinking heap of M.O.R adult contemporary feces.  Mediocre is almost too good of a way of describing it. Clearly they ate it up across the pond because it wound up being his highest charting solo single (#7).

The flip, "Always Coming Back To You", is a Scott original. It's baroque harpsichord plays along with some moody organ before giving way to some lush orchestration that reminds me of something from The Moody Blues "Days Of Future Passed" (of some coincidence the A side was orchestrated by Peter Knight who was responsible for said Moody's album but this was conducted by Reg Guest). Lyrically AND musically it would not at all be out of place on either of Scott's first two solo albums and would have made a far stronger A side, to my ears anyway. 

Hear "Joanna":

https://youtu.be/wUSmO1ttMvY

Hear "Always Coming Back To You":

https://youtu.be/cmnxtBAVLF8

U.S. Soul/R&B;/Jazz/Blues 45's For March

1. JIMMY McCRACKLIN-"Set Six" U.S. Imperial 66067 1964

Here's an interesting one, a funky little organ instrumental that's reminiscent of Dave "Baby" Cortez. I'm not terribly familiar with a lot of Jimmy McCracklin's material so it struck me as odd that he did an organ instrumental!

https://youtu.be/BdVdbipQaeU

2. FRANKIE BEVERLY AND THE BUTLERS-"Because of My Heart" U.S. Fairmont F-1017 1967

I LOVE this one! It's uptempo and backed by an incredible mix of sax/call and response vocals that create an incredibly danceable groove that sticks in your brain.

https://youtu.be/wlM2cmaBBS0

3. JACKIE BRENSTEN-"Trouble Up The Road" U.S. Sue 736 1961

Much like The Dual's "Stick Shift" this number features some raunchy gut bucket guitar, it's not a rock n' roll number but a catchy r&b number written and arranged by Ike Turner. Curiously the artist, Jackie Brenston, has his name misspelled on the labels on this one. 

https://youtu.be/1M7pDqkZ9_E

4. THE FIESTAS-"The Party's Over" U.S. Old Town 1140 1963

This r&b belter features a high octane groove that comes off like Fats Domino on a handful of purple hearts! A rip roaring party record if ever there was one!

https://youtu.be/VbV40tjkGSc

5. WILLIAM BELL-"Monkeying Around" U.S. Stax S-141 1963

File under "songs that Georgie Fame taught us". Though I will have to say that Georgie's cover far surpasses the original it's still an incredible record thanks to the Memphis horns and boilerplate Stax production. Oddly it was consigned to the flip of the mediorce "I'll Show You", Bell's sixth single for the label.

https://youtu.be/-3z6X9F4nbI

6. RAFUL NEAL-"Blues On The Moon" U.S. Whit 6901 1969

Don't let the 1969 date scare you like it did me, this number is a standard uptempo blues instrumental workout centered on some harp blowing and a funky backing. 

https://youtu.be/IdR7LYX2rIY

7. THE HEADLINERS-"Voodoo Plan" U.S. V.I.P. 25026 1965

This number is obviously from a blue eyed soul combo, with a Bo Diddley style beat and it's squeaky clean Ivy League frat rock vocals it proves to be an interesting combination. There's a bizarre soprano saxophone solo that sounds like it was thrown on as an afterthought. Truly odd!

https://youtu.be/lMPIzOmtdRE

8. THE YOUNG FOLK-"Lonely Girl" U.S. Mar-V-Lus 6017 1967

This Motown-ish groover has some sophomoric lead vocals that are on occasion a bit grating but has an interesting tempo that's worth a listen.

https://youtu.be/2YS3Bc0jrN8

9. TYREE GLENN JR. AND THE FABULOUS IMPERIALS-"Hold My Hand" U.S. Sue 109 1964

With some strong brass and a swampy groove this r&b belter is tough, raunchy and full on powerful! Lyrically it gets a bit repetitive (the only words seem to be "hold my hand just a little bit longer" over and over again) but it's infectious thanks to it's solid backing.

https://youtu.be/OShkHC1ixQE

10. BILLY ABBOTT & THE JEWELS-"Groovy Baby" U.S. Parkway P-874 1963

This slow tempo doo-wop-ish number seems lost between the street corner and sophisticated r&b, but to me it somehow works, just barely though....

https://youtu.be/ze0NG5P-1jo