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Roburt

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Everything posted by Roburt

  1. Roburt
    Conchitta, remind me again .......... where do I send the cheque ??
  2. Roburt
    Look, ain't seem our kid for ages, so I make mistakes AND ain't got no help from him or Willie Hutch .... otherwise Mart cuda been a Brother whos Gonna Work It Out before you get to add your silly comment. BTW seen Keith's sad news on Facebook :-(
  3. Roburt
    One thing about the jazz world (especially in the US) ..... the fans were / are a lot more loyal. FOR INSTANCE ............ long after Willie Tee stopped getting calls to perform his old soul numbers (except from the UK), he was kept busy working with his brother Earl Turbington on jazz club bookings (& they made some recordings together of a similar nature).
  4. Roburt
    No thank you, we don't want any talk of Herbie Mann (Memphis Underground) or the Crusaders (after all who did they work with ...apart from Bobby W, Altrina, Randy Crawford, etc), Cannonball Adderley, George Benson (Breezin), Idris Muhammad and their like on here !! As for all that Salsa stuff ........... stuff it.
  5. Roburt
    More information about "Dave Hamilton's Detroit Soul Vol 2 - CD Review"
    CD REVIEW – Dave Hamilton's Detroit Soul Volume 2 KENT The CD opens with “Party Time” by Chico & Buddy (of the Tokays but performing here as a duo). Even though this dates from 1970, it has the throwback sound of a mid 60's Sam & Dave call & response track. Fast and quite funky, the strong vocals really make this cut. A track that could successfully grace the decks at any late night soul party. The CD features quite a few numbers from Dave Hamilton himself and most are mainly instrumental dominated cuts that showcase Dave's guitar work. “When I Say Groove” and “Cracklin Bread” (vocal version) are both uptempo and have a psychedelic feel. However track 23 is something quite different. On this, “I'm Shooting High”, Dave tackles a classy vocal song which he takes at mid-tempo pace. He doesn't possess the best voice in the world but his performance makes this an effective floater of some renown. Little Ann exhibits her potent vocal style on a chugger; “I Gotta Have You -- alt take”. Productive use of a sax add to the bluesy feel of this number, a 5 star cut of some character. 1 Party Time - Chico & Buddy 2 When I Say Groove (Vocal) - Dave Hamilton 3 I Gotta Have You (Alt take) - Little Ann 23 I'm Shooting High (Vocal) - Dave Hamilton “Showdown” is again mid-tempo but this one is much more R&B slanted. The group here, Simon Barbee & the Barbabes (what a great name) warble away in fine style and really sound to be enjoying themselves in the studio. The “Fife Piper” style flute break only adds to the atmosphere on this gem. Heading uptempo again with O. C. Tolbert's “Love Bandit”. Another track that didn't originally escape from the tape vaults, though for the life of me I can't think why. From 74 we drift back to 72 with the Tokays taking on “A State of Mind”, a story song with great lyrics. The group's vocal performance stands comparison with the song's quality. Again, it makes you wonder just why this failed to make it onto vinyl in the 70's. “The Dreamer” features a classy rhythm track over which Felicia Johnson adds her powerful vocals. A supper club ballad outing that I can see having captivated the audience in the Driftwood or Phelps Lounge back in the day. Rita DuShay is another premium grade female singer and she tackles a song done in 1966 for Motown by Barbara McNair. Barbara was mainly a night club singer (+ actor) and Rita's take of “All I Need” also has that supper club feel. “My Sweet Baby” is 100% backing track and I much prefer the released version. As is, I find it somewhat lacking. 4 Showdown Part 1 - Simon Barbee & The Barbabes 5 The Love Bandit (Edit of CDBGPD 251) - O.C. Tolbert 6 (Marriage Is Only) A State Of Mind - The Tokays 7 The Dreamer - Felecia Johnson 8 All I Need (Steal Away Tonight) - Rita DuShay 9 My Sweet Baby (Instrumental) - JT's Rhythm Band Back once again to the ladies; Tobi Lark's Topper outing “Challenge My Love” is one you surely don't need my views on. Another returnee as O C Tolbert takes on “All I Want Is You”, which again is a well known number. Here we get the longer & later (1972) rap version. For me, whilst the 1967 released take has that 60's Detroit charm, this version from OC has much more guts to it. One for lovers of REAALLL soul. Yet more eminent vocal work is displayed on Presberry's majestic deep soul opus “Somebody Is Wrong”. Who was Presberry; maybe Buddy Lamp, maybe a Temptation, nobody knows ! It's back to doo-wop days on the Del-phis “It Takes Two”. One I'm sure that RobbK would love, especially with it's Motown links. More soul royalty pops up next; Carolyn Franklin. A very sparse demo recording by Aretha's sister helps demonstrate the vocal beauty she possessed. I would have loved them to have completed a full recording of this one. Dave Hamilton's illustrious guitar work opens up Anxiety's “Love Me Or Leave Me”. We then get a group vocal offering of the highest order on this worthy ballad. Their performance leans towards the sweet soul side of things but that's no criticism. I do wonder why this 1980 recording (made at GM studios) didn't get to lead the group towards major success. Perhaps the track was never fully finished as it has a 'live feel' to it that maybe was to be refined in final mixing. A cut of high value that lasts over three and a half minutes. Elayne Starr was better known as a songwriter but on this display (“Must Have Had Company”) she had the chops to make it in her own right as a singer. Ady thinks that the Morning After had been influenced by the Honey Cone's Hot Wax work. However they were not to follow their triumphant counterparts into the charts, or even onto record shop shelves. 10 Challenge My Love - Tobi Lark 11 All I Want Is You (Long rap version) - O.C. Tolbert 12 Somebody Is Wrong - Presberry 13 It Takes Two - The Del-Phis 14 I Guess I'll Go To Packin' - Carolyn Franklin 15 Love Me Or Leave Me - Anxiety 16 Must Have Had Company - Elayne Starr 17 Mister Fireman - The Morning After Next up; the Dynamics. This group enjoyed a long and sometimes commercially successful career path. We catch them here (1984) towards the end of their recording life, though the group is still in existence today. “Surely” allows them to demonstrate the many studio skills they had picked up down the years, the result being yet another classy cut. Little Stevie's “Moving On” is an uptempo gospel item of value that should even appeal to those that usually avoid religious outings. An uptempo late 60's blues number comes next and has that timeless feel of many blues recordings. A 2nd gospel offering from The Prophet & his disciples follows. This one deals with the issue of drugs and it speeds along like an express train. The reward of having the final cut on this release is awarded to Jimmy Scott and this guy can 'sang'. Though it dates from 1984 it has that classic throwback soul sound evidenced on many 'golden era' recordings. I can just imagine Jimmy, up on stage at the 20 Grand, singing this direct to a beautiful woman he had picked out in the crowded club. I'm sure he would have brought the house down had this scenario played out in the real world. 18 Surely - The Dynamics 19 Moving On - Little Stevie & The Sensational Reynolds Singers 20 Four O'Clock Blues - Glemie (Blue Boy) Derrell & The Detroit Dynamite Blues Boys - Guitar: Littl 21 You Fool, You Fool - The Prophet & His Disciples 22 Cracklin' Bread (With vocals) - Dave Hamilton 24 Remember Me - Jimmy Scott All in all then, this is a release of many highs and a few lows (depending on your particular taste). Some cuts must surely have been included just to keep the completists happy. But that said, there are more than enough top quality outings on display here to ensure the CD has distinction in abundance. Play it through a few times and many tracks on here will 'sink in' and have you hitting the 'repeat button' time & time again. John 'Roburt' Smith March 2016 Video trailer Track listing 01 Party Time - Chico & Buddy 02 When I Say Groove (Vocal) - Dave Hamilton 03 I Gotta Have You (Alt take) - Little Ann 04 Showdown Part 1 - Simon Barbee & The Barbabes 05 The Love Bandit (Edit of CDBGPD 251) - O.C. Tolbert 06 (Marriage Is Only) A State Of Mind - The Tokays 07 The Dreamer - Felecia Johnson 08 All I Need (Steal Away Tonight) - Rita DuShay 09 My Sweet Baby (Instrumental) - JT's Rhythm Band 10 Challenge My Love - Tobi Lark 11 All I Want Is You (Long rap version) - O.C. Tolbert 12 Somebody Is Wrong - Presberry 13 It Takes Two - The Del-Phis 14 I Guess I'll Go To Packin' - Carolyn Franklin 15 Love Me Or Leave Me - Anxiety 16 Must Have Had Company - Elayne Starr 17 Mister Fireman - The Morning After 18 Surely - The Dynamics 19 Moving On - Little Stevie & The Sensational Reynolds Singers 20 Four O'Clock Blues - Glemie (Blue Boy) Derrell & The Detroit Dynamite Blues Boys - Guitar: Littl 21 You Fool, You Fool - The Prophet & His Disciples 22 Cracklin' Bread (With vocals) - Dave Hamilton 23 I'm Shooting High (Vocal) - Dave Hamilton 24 Remember Me - Jimmy Scott More info via http://acerecords.co.uk/dave-hamiltons-detroit-soul-vol-2
  6. Roburt
    Latest addition to the fast flowing review section is a review of a fairly recent Kent Cd release Tap to view this Soul Source News/Article in full
  7. Roburt
    Seems that my old mate Gene Dozier worked with the group on their last 2 outings (both sides of their 2nd Gamble 45) -- he co-wrote the 2 songs. The group's leader was Eugene Williams by all accounts. Anyone have more info on Eugene & the other members (who's names are listed in the SHS book) ?
  8. Roburt
    BTW, this Gamble 45 was also released in Canada (on Apex). Anyone got a copy of the Canadian 45 that they could post up here ? One of their 1960 V-Tone 45s also escaped in Canada (on Reo), so this group were certainly favoured north of the border, which is something that puzzles me a bit ........... search the net & little or nothing seems to be available on the history / career of this fine group. The outfit was in existence for at least 9/10 years (if not more), they had 4 x 45 releases & yet they don't seem to have left any digital footprint. We really are losing '60's soul knowledge' at a worrying rate now.
  9. Roburt
    "I Need You So" shows off the Cruisers doo-wop heritage & will be a popular cut with the likes of RobbK (I'm sure). HOWEVER, I never play this side of the Gamble 45 COZ I love the 'Chicago soul' sounding tuva side ... "Take A Chance". Gamble & Huff were obviously trying to update the group's sound at the time (summer 67) and so laid down the more 'cutting edge' TAC with that in mind. It reminds me of the Artistics "I'm Gonna Miss You" (a Sept 66 release & the ender record from my 1st love niter venue).
  10. Roburt
    The above look like Boddie acetates .... Lou explained to me that he got his first ever experience in the control room (!?!?!) of a recording studio in the early 60's at Boddies. I have put the (!?!?!) in the above coz Boddies studio had been built in the garage to his house & was so rudimentary that there wasn't really what you could call a separate 'control room' in the place. But then some of the best 60's soul was cut in converted garages / sheds / basements. BTW, the above vids have 'disappeared'. Are they still up on Youtube ?
  11. Roburt
    Bits from Johnny Moore's obit (as published in the Independent) ............ Born in Selma, Alabama, in 1934, Johnny Moore moved to Cleveland when he was a teenager. After singing in the church choir, he made his name with the Hornets, a doo-wop and gospel group. When the Drifters came to town, the young Johnny introduced himself backstage, showed off his falsetto and was hired on the spot. He was first heard with the group on "Adorable", a single recorded in September 1955 under the supervision of Nesuhi Ertegun in Los Angeles. The song was a big hit and Atlantic soon released "Ruby Baby", a Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller composition culled from the same session. Backing Moore at the time were Gerhard Trasher (tenor), his brother Andrew (baritone) and Bill Pinkney (bass). Johnny became just about the stalwart vocalist with the group (in terms of longevity). Over the course of a 45-year career, the Drifters had many line-up changes but, though he never attained the fame of the founder Clyde McPhatter or the lead singer Ben E. King, Moore was one of the few regular members. Indeed, he was the frontman when the Drifters hit a purple patch with eight British Top 10 hits in the mid-Seventies. The reason I have posted the above is to give background to a discussion I was party to some years back (that links to another recent thread). I have interviewed Lou Ragland many times in the 25+ years I have known him. We were once in discussion about Lou's young days (his school years) and Lou related how he was inspired to get into the music biz by the successes of a near neighbour. I asked who the guy was & Lou says 'Johnny Moore of the Hornets'. Oh, the guy who went on to lead the Drifters for so many years, I say. No. he was lead with the Hornets was Lou's response ..... I explained that it was one & the same guy & that Johnny had lived in the UK for many years and had made a good life here. Lou had just assumed that the Hornets had 'gone cold' after the doo-wop era and that Johhny & the group had faded into obscurity. He never linked the guy he knew to the guy leading the Drifters at all .... BUT THEN ... Lou was off making his own way in the music world & had just lost track of Johnny coz he was so busy himself. .
  12. Roburt
    The Major made many great records, especially in the 60's. Back then, coz of his earlier successes (hit 45's), he was hooked up with the cream of the Chicago soul world (Curtis Mayfield, Carl Davis etc) .... so he couldn't really go wrong back then. As time passed, his releases didn't sell as well, the guys he worked with got real busy coz their careers were advancing and Major was shunted off onto the 'slow track'. A great pity coz he had a great voice. Major suffered when Carl Davis jumped ship from Okeh & went with Dakar. The Major went too, but Carl had bigger hits with newer artists on Dakar. Unfortunately, in the US, you were only as good as your last commercial hit. Go cold, selling wise, & the gigs started to dry up & less people returned your calls. I think Carl took his eye off the ball with regard to the Major. Here in the UK we're a bit more loyal to our 'musical legends' but then we hardly ever had the power to influence their career paths.
  13. Roburt
    When Lou was interviewed by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame guys ................. https://rockhall.com/blog/post/9395_cleveland-soul-interview-with-lou-ragland/
  14. Roburt
    Will do, Ian.
  15. Roburt
    I have spent most of tonight speaking on the phone with Lou Ragland in Las Vegas. Lou & I go all the way back to the Ric Tic Revue days. We met up @ the Ritz and hit it off as friends. I corresponded with him for some years & then started going over to Vegas to meet up with him & his family. We (the wife & I) would go to his group's shows in the local casinos & Lou would make it OK for me to take photos of the group performing (the use of cameras is usually banned in casinos for security purposes + to stop people being captured on film that weren't officially there). So we really built up a good relationship. I ran Lou's UK tour back in 1990, he & I ran the 1998 Soul Trip to Las Vegas for UK fans. He then got to perform @ the Prestatyn Weekender & I became his official UK agent (collecting his royalties, etc.). As time has passed, we have met up less (Lou is now 78 & I'm 67) plus I no longer make it across to Vegas (stopping short in Florida these days). But our bond is still strong & I thought (before it's too late) I would interrogate Lou about his days as a studio engineer (he was one of the first fully trained black recording studio engineers in the north east USA). So that's what I have been doing tonight. We talked for over an hour in the end AND I NOW have to write up my scribbles & make sense of all the technical info he gave me (types of tape deck, microphones, mixing desks, echo chambers, etc). Plus all the data on the artists involved, musicians, the A&R guy, Jim Brown, the promotions & marketing guy, the other studios used, visiting singers using 'his' studio, etc. When I have gotten everything typed up and have run it past Lou, I'll post the article up here ..... but as a taster I'll first post up a few old photos ......... 1/ Lou as a kid (early teenage years I'd guess). 2/ Lou with a friend in Cleveland. 3/ Lou (with guitar) -- a hip 19 yr old musician. ............... MORE TO FOLLOW .............
  16. Roburt
    I'd have to say their 60's UK albums Big 16 & Big 16 Vol.2 are my faves as they are 2 of the 1st soul LPs I bought (alongside the 1st two Sam & Dave Stax LPs). I have every Impressions album as they have always been my fave group PLUS the two Big 16s remind me of my youth AND getting into this great music. I was at night school at that time & would play the albums over & over in my bedroom as I did homework & studied. Great music, good times.
  17. Roburt
    So have I, plus a spare copy of a few volumes.
  18. Roburt
    Just about to hit the UK shops ........ 4 LP set -- Loma -- A Soul Music Love Affair Around 64 tracks from this 60's label that WB ran out of LA. Tracks licensed in from all over the US back then. SEE STORY ........ https://lightintheattic.net/releases/2324-loma-a-soul-music-love-affair-volume-one-something-s-burning-1964-68?ct=t(LITA_Newsletter_3_10_163_9_2016)&mc_cid=90a40bc863&mc_eid=1340ffe198 Haven't had time yet to check how these compare to the 1976 set ... This Is Loma (Volumes 1 to 7)
  19. Roburt
    So does "Harlem Shuffle" count as NS .... as many yunguns on here seem to class it more as 'Youth Club Soul'. It's classic soul to me as I spent my yuff dancin to it in Yorks / Lancs mod / soul clubs from mid 65 onwards.
  20. Roburt
    I agree with JOT, even many of the album covers displayed in the F&SC book have no detail at all on the actual records & their contents. Marvin Gaye's (& other) massive sellers do get some data about them included in the book but it's all the others we really need info on ......
  21. Roburt
    A fascinating chapter of her life / career was the long spell she was married to (& managed by) Andy Stroud. He would tour with her (he came to the UK in the 60's & maybe 70's as well). Of course they owned (& he ran) Ninandy Records. Nina 'discovered' the Swordsmen while gigging in Cleveland & they were signed to the couple's label. When Nina landed a deal with RCA, they took on some Ninandy artists, the Swordsmen being the main one. So the group had NS / AS connected releases from 67 (?) thru to 71. Any mention of Ninandy & the Swordsmen (Eddie Anderson & Ray Thompson) in this book ?
  22. Roburt
    A female on lead but it was before the STANG Moments signed with Stang. Possibility then that she was with the guys in 67 & they were backing her up. However, most members of the group came out of earlier outfits so I doubt that they were involved.
  23. Roburt
    Nina drew much criticism from the press down the years. The song "4 Women" that she wrote & performed really got them going at her ....... .... does it get a mention at all in this book ?
  24. Roburt
    Another car crash victim in 1962 ..........
  25. Roburt
    There must be 9 or more books about the complex Miss Simone. Just about all of them deal with her troubled life and strained relationships (both with partners & record companies), but there is no denying her musical genius. This book joins a 'crowded market' where older attempts to document her life are currently selling for just pence on-line & in 2nd hand book shops. I wish it well but will (for the present) stick with the 2 books on her I already own.


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