A Soulful Tale

[GordonS]

Mods - please move if in wrong section.

It was suggested I should post up about this new double CD which came out last Monday in the States. I'm suprised no-one had already posted but can't seem to find owt about it.

Anyway it comprises one CD of ex Motown artists recording Philly songs and a CD of Philly artists recording Motown. No Jerry Butler alas - he could have been on both, and Jean Carne is classed as Philly.

Thanks to Harry on WFM who played Jean & Bunny's version of Fire & Desire last Tuesday which put me onto it - straight on the phone to Diana to find out more then a bit of surfing.

Website for the project is https://www.soulfultale.com/

or direct to https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mofsab for the CD

My copy should arrive in the next few days so I'll post up a quick review when it comes.

Gordon

[Guest mel brat]

No Jerry Butler alas....

What a pity PIR didn't make more of Debra Henry (lead singer with Anglo-Saxon Brown/Silk) who, if I remember correctly, duetted with Jerry Butler on one of his PIR albums...

[Guest Carl Dixon]

I would just like to say I have my copy and baseball hat in the post yesterday! I was also lucky to have another special delivery earlier this week too. I am playing the CD's when I get chance. I do not have a CD player in my car, so rely on being home to listen.

I have my favourites and keep playing certain tracks. One in particular was 'Just my imagination'/Ted Mills. This version is very good with some slight deviations away from the original. This whole project has had to contend with the 'original' version being of excellent quality and a very high standard, which must have been difficult. It just proves how high the standard of music was in those days back in the 1960's and 1970's. However, the surprises for me were numerous. Two in particular - 'Ain't no stopping us now' and 'Got to give it up'. These have never been my favourites, but I find these two version are better than the originals! I know that sounds strange, but I like the energy and arrangements better this time around. Another surprise was George Clinton. I think he does a blinding job of his two solo recordings, having done gritty sexy renditions of both these classics (Love won't let me wait' and 'Expressway to your heart'. Also 'For the love of Money' by Ollie Woodson, I think this is a great version too. Bobby Taylor oozes soul for his tracks as well. TSOP is a great version. It is much softer than the two versions I know, with dynamics that I like. Again, we all seem to compare with the original pedigree, which is affecting reviews.

All in all I think this is a great idea and production. It must have been a nightmare to organise and get the producers, musician and artists together and perform already existing evergreens. We must thank the executive producers of this project for not only doing all this but for seeing the potential that could be realised. I am sure the knock on effect will only be positive.

Harrys interview on WFM was fantastic. Great radio!

Edited January 25, 2007 by Carl Dixon

[FrankM]

Fraser Dunn played a couple of tracks from the CD's last week. The play list is here

Soulful Allsorts play list

but due to problems with a distribution board (solved by "wiggling it") the first fifty minutes of the show were recorded as silence. You can with most media player fast forward to 50 mins in and enjoy the rest of the music.

I'll try and persaude him to play a few more tracks on Saturday on Subcity Radio

between 2 and 4pm.

[Guest Carl Dixon]

I think the more this product is played the better. To invest in this must have been a daunting affair, when most of the soul material produced today is nothing like the songs and structure that we are used to. However, the roster of producers, musicians and artists should excite most, but I am surprised there has been hardly any comments. Clearly it does not come under Rare & Northern Soul, as it is new, but surley knowing musicians like Uriel Jones, Bob Babbit, Ray Monette and Joe Hunter on the sessions would have raised an eyebrow or two. Maybe that's all it did! Those musicians alone must have played on hundreds on 1960's Detroit recordings. Babbit played on many of the Philly Detroit Spinners tracks too, if I am not mistaken. Bearing in mind this project was specifically aimed at a market that has been ignored by record companies in recent years, being over 50 years of age and having the disposable income to afford the material and maybe buy the DVD when it eventually comes out. That said, there seems to be positive comments from younger soul fans here and there to, so hopefully the nerve being struck, we can enjoy this and hopefully more recordings in the future. There is a suggestion the next productions may well be new songs as well. Hopefully, the next thing will be new artists singing quality soul with melody and beat etc, without the filth I witness these days. Maybe this project is still too new to discuss trivia and those countless questions that gather momentum over the years, but I am sure it will.

If there any broadcasters reading this, Phil Hurtt, the CEO of Soul Renaissance records, is very approachable regarding the project and can easily be perrsuaded to appear on programming via ISDN/telephone and give great stories and comments about it. Just email via www.soulfultale.com or send me a message. Harry on WFM had the time of his life interviewing the writer of 'Both ends against the middle' and never even mentioned that!

Edited January 26, 2007 by Carl Dixon