One For The Reggae Boys - Anyone Tell Me More About - Ken Lazarus & The Soulites - I Heard It Thru The Grapevine - Federal

[Steve Plumb]

One for the Reggae boys - Anyone tell me more about - Ken Lazarus & the soulites - I heard it thru the grapevine - Federal

A friend of mine has this and wants to know a bit more about it

It's a pretty neat version (imho) and I assume it's Jamaican and from the 60's but don't know much else?

If someone could do the old 'Antiques Roadshow' thing and give me some more info on it...........and of course finish it with a current price

Thanks in advance

Cheers

Steve

[Guest trickbag]

can be heard at WE FUNK SHOW 585 if

your interested.Ken Lazarus' fantastic Jamaican take on a Marvin Gaye classic.

ricky.

[Steve Plumb]

Well I know what it sounds like but I wanted more info on it if anyone has any?

Cheers

Steve

[dthedrug]

_{HI AL KEN was a typical middle of the road entertainer, singing in Hotels and Clubs, in the MONTEGO BAY area, he is best known for singing RUDE SONGS, loads of 'pussy cocky pum pum, type records, never as good as BUSTERS ALL STARS though, best record by far is his version of 'the RECORD' DAVE}

[Roburt]

Another good track from him .......

.....AND as it says ...... Ken Lazarus is probably best known for his work as a lead singer in Byron Lee's Dragonaires band. In the early 60s the band toured extensively in the Caribbean which made Ken Lazarus a popular singer on the island.

[Roburt]

AND OF COURSE . Byron Lee & the Dragonaires were marketed by Atlantic in the US (& UK) as the Ska Kings ....

... of "Jamaican Ska" fame . and this ........Memphis goes reggae .....

[Roburt]

Tuva side of that 45 ..........

[Roburt]

Their biggie .... a big allnighter play in the mid 60's .....

[Roburt]

Later on Byron Lee went back to Memphis ......

I think Ken Lazarus had left him by then though.

[p0stscript]

to quote from https://www.trojanrecords.com/news/2011/02/byron-lee

"Early in 1969, Byron launched Dynamic Sounds Recordings" unfortunately nothing on the site about Ken Lazarus.

[Steve Plumb]

Thanks for the info chaps - looks like he did a few covers of Soul tunes over the years?

Anyone know anything more about the Federal 45 though?

Looks like it's Jamaican only then?

Cheers

Steve

[phillyDaveG]

Yes, he's the same Lazarus who did the soul LP on Midsong Int. in 77. He cut a few tracks on Federal (mainly soul remakes) in the late 6ts, I believe this one comes from 68. Last 2 on Ebay sold for less than $5.

[Steve Plumb]

Nice one Dave

Didn't know he was the same Lazarus!

Cheers

Steve

[dthedrug]

HI ALL Yes I forgot to mention the SKA KINGS, and although nice on US ATLANTIC,

If you are an old MOD? this is the copy to own, this is my own copy, a bit tatty, but very rare, on par with FATS DOMINO 'It keeps rainin' as to rareity, so very rare, DAVES TIP, NEVER LEAVE IT, IF YOU SEE ONE FOR SALE? DAVE.

[Roburt]

I've got the Ska Kings UK Atlantic LP .. somewhere here (don't think I've come across it in a couple of years though, but it's here somewhere) !!!

The UK album is EVEN RARER than the UK 45 (promo or otherwise).

BTW, Ken Lazarus was featured vocalist on "Soul Time", the Byron Lee & Dragonaires US 45 issued out of Tamiami Station in Miami. This came out on the BRA label that was owned by a couple of 'Islanders' who had relocated to Miami. BRA had a subsiduary label (PAL) and it was on this label that the Jerry Williams produced tracks by (Ohio connected) female cross-dresser Jerri /Jerry Jones were released. After her earlier spells based in Ohio cities (including Cleveland where she was befriended by Kim Tolliver), Jerri spent the later years in the 60's in Miami before moving to Jamaica to cut reggae tracks in the 70's.

[Pete S]

Ska kings lp came out twice on uk ATlantic with two different sleeve designs, orig is plum label with dancers on the cover

[Roburt]

Ska kings lp came out twice on uk ATlantic with two different sleeve designs, orig is plum label with dancers on the cover

YEP, that's the one I've got (the original).

Used to also have a UK Atlantic issue 45 but that went when the mortgage outstripped the wages many moons back.

Edited May 26, 2012 by Roburt