New 45 - Soul Junction SJ559 - The Scott Brothers / Judson Moore & The Al-Tog Staff

Press Release: The Scott Brothers “My Sweet Polly” (Previously Unissued)/Judson Moore & The Al-Tog Staff “Everybody Push & Pull” (Previously Unissued Studio Version) SJ559

Release Date:  Monday January 27th 2024

Once again Soul Junction have dipped back into the Scot-Tees Capri master tapes to bring to you two previously unissued tracks, the late 60’s dancer “My Sweet Polly” performed by The Scott Brothers coupled with a previously unheard studio version of Judson Moore’s popular crossover dancer “Everybody Push & Pull”.

The Scott Brothers began as a vocal quartet formed during 1958 under the performing name of the “Elpeccios” after a subsequent name change to the ‘Masquerades’ they were discovered while singing in a North Side Club during 1960 by Don Talty. Talty as the owner of the Formal Record label signed the group up and recorded two 45’s on them. Further 45’s appeared on the Boyd and Joyce labels before in late 1963 the group made the decision to quit as a vocal only ensemble and learn to play some instrument’s thus becoming the ‘Scott Brothers Band’. The Scotts went through many changes of personnel (including other family members) and names changes, The Scott Bros Orchestra, Scott Brothers World and Howard Scott & The World Band. Another family connected ensemble was Scotty & The Rib Tips led by brother Kenneth “Buddy” Scott husband of Irene Scott. The ‘Irene’ in question being ‘Irene’ of ‘Irene And The Scotts’ of “I’m Stuck On My Baby/Why Do You Treat Me Like You Do” (Smash Records) fame. Irene later recorded the excellent solo outing “Everyday Worries/Your No Good” for the Leaner Brothers Midas label. The late Buddy and Irene’s son ‘Hollywood’ himself a talented musician featured in many of the Scott family’s later ensembles but he too has recently passed. As a mainstay of the Chicago club scene for many, many years, family loyalty always came first with the Scott’s, even while performing as part of Chicago legend Tyrone Davis’s Band they wore their distinctive black silk “Scotts Brothers World jackets with Tyrone Davis’s name relegated to the back.

During 1968 Howard Scott (sometimes credited as Sephus Scott) formed Capri Records which operated as a recording and production company not just for themselves but for other local independent artists. Acting as songwriters and music publishers in their own right, as Scot-Tees Publishing Co, BMI. Howards writing credits can be found on Sly Johnson’s “Do You Know What Love Is” (Special Agent) and “I’ve Got To Get Over” TMP-Ting) the latter brought Howard into contact with respected arranger Johnny Camerson whose arrangements can be found on several Capri productions including Cam Cameron’s “They Say/I’m A Lonely Man”. One of the Scott’s own vocal outings “We Like Girls/Magic Wand” gained a release on the local Zachron label which was owned by John Zachary and Johnny Cameron.  Another Howard Scott production of note is “I Won’t Stop To Cry” for Twinight Records recorded by the artist ‘Stormy’ a.k.a John Colley who later, with two former members of the C.O.D’s (Kellmac Records) Carl Washington and Robert Lewis became the group  ‘The Lost Family” who recorded the Scott/Capri co-productions “Blow My Mind/Pretty Face” for International Music Bag and Innovation II labels respectively. Scot-Tees writing and publishing credits can also be found on Garland Green’s third Revue single “Ain’t That Good Enough”.

Howard Scott always believed in sharing the credit for productions with his fellow musicians who were collectively referred to as the ‘Al-Tog staff’ (although often thought of in the past as an abbreviation of a single person’s name, Al-Tog was in fact an abbreviation of the word ‘Altogether’ which Howard Scott used to encourage and create a sense of togetherness within the Capri Productions studio). The mainstays of the Al-Tog Staff were an exceptionally talented horn section of Bill McFarland, Claude Williams, Johnny Jackson and a drummer Ira Gates, who together complimented the Scott family guitarists. Al-Tog Staff arrangements and songwriting credits can be found throughout the Capri catalogue of works with no finer example being the Soul Majestics excellent double sider “I Done Told You Baby/Missing You” released on the Scott’s appropriately named Al-Tog and Chicago Music Bag labels respectively.   

The Scott’s also become heavily involved with the Leaner Brothers, the respected owners of One-derful, Mar-V-Lus and M-Pac group of record labels etc and the Va-Pac Music Publishing Company. George Leaner later chose to retire from the One-derful label to concentrate on the publishing side of the business with his brother Ernest and his son Tony Leaner then concentrating on a new record label, Toddlin’ Town. The Toddlin’ Town label is littered with many of the Scott’s productions and writing credit’s, examples being, Alvin’s Cash’s “Keep On Dancing” (later covered by The Commodores on Atlantic Records), the ‘Toddlin’ Town Sounds’ “The Dud”,  the powerhouse instrumental “They All Came Back” backed with “Hunk OF Funk” recorded by the Scott Brothers Orchestra  and the early 70’s midtempo vocal outing “Top Of The Mountain(Part1 & 2)”credited as just the Scott Brothers.

Returning to the aforementioned “Irene And The Scotts “I’m Stuck On My Baby” which was one of two releases that the Scotts recorded for the Mercury subsidiary Smash label. The second being The Scott Brothers (this time without Irene) recording the excellent mid-tempo “My Day Has Come” backed with the funk dancer “Got To Get A Groove”. Both Smash 45 releases were recorded using some of Detriot’s finest session Arrangers Mike Theodore and Dennis Coffey and Motown bassist Bob Babbit. The performers line up on “My Day Has Come” was Charles Scott (drums), Howard and Tommy Scott (bass guitarists), Walter Scott (rhythm guitar) and bass vocalist Ike Hickman. 

The above, mentioned productions are only a small part of the Scot-Tees/Capri Records story with plenty more to acknowledge. While playing through numerous tape reels a few previously unissued productions came to light, from one of their earliest recording sessions came the soon to be released “My Sweet Polly”. A simple, yet catchy little song performed by Howard Scott, with the Sweet Polly in question being none other than a former girlfriend of Howard’s from Rockford Illinois, belated fame for Howard’s former main squeeze has finally arrived!

Judson Moore was born in Forrest City, Arkansas. Following his graduation from Lincoln Senior High School he entered military service in the United States Air Force. Following his honorable discharge from the service he met and married his wife Barbara and together they had one daughter. It was around this time that Judson’s interest in performing as a singer grew. During this initial period of performing in several Chicago Night Clubs Judson was introduced to the Scott Brothers who invited him to join their Capri Productions company. While with the Scotts, he had two 45 releases, the self- penned songs “Everybody Push & Pull/Confidence” released on the Capri label and the A.C. Carson penned “Lisa/Groovy Thing” which appeared on another Scot-Tees label imprint Chicago Music Bag. Judson’s records gained a fairly good following throughout the Midwest with Chicago’s WVON radio station presenter Herb Kent ‘The Cool Gent’ being a great supporter of Judson’s records.

“Everybody Push And Pull” is a joyous dance instruction song thought to have been influenced by Rufus Thomas’s hit of the day “Do The Push And Pull”.  this featured version of “Everybody Push And Pull” is a previously unissued studio version with vocal accompaniment by the Al-Tog Staff. Judson is still residing in a Care Home in the Northside of Chicago.

Words By: David Welding

Acknowledgements to:  Howard Scott, Bill McFarland, Johnny Coleman & Lee Moore.

For further information e-mail:   sales@souljunctionrecords.co.uk

or visit the website for more details https://www.souljunctionrecords.co.uk/SJ559.html

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