Roburt

Two more on the label. Guess the Little David one just about confirms that he was the guitar player in Jimmy Oliver's Soul Twisters .......... Seems that the releases that state 'Brooklyn 16' in the label address must have been a 2nd series of releases that came after the 1962/63 singles.

Valentine Adams "I Found A Love" Yep, I have that track on an old bootleg CD ('Lost Deep Soul Treasures Vol.1') Seems from the details on the label that it may even have been cut at the club ............. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_uQJn1M5gQ What's her other track ("I Need Someone") like ?

I'll make a start on them Ian ......... I HURT ON THE OTHER SIDE, SINCE I FELL OFF MY RIDE, SHE WAS REAL REAL WIDE, GONE BLIND, NEED A GUIDE, can't make out the rest on first hearing.

I'm certain Jimmy Oliver never had any actual involvement with this UK recording of his 1958 hit song .......... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiwHpIo-3rQ

Got to agree. I got my mint promo copy about 15 years back from a shop in Oxford for about a fiver (or less).

Their dad named them that coz they were his kids and were all different heights. So when they lined up in age order they resembled a short flight of 5 stairs. Seem to recall Cubie was the youngest & joined the group after it was formed; hence 5 Stairsteps & Cubie. Can't see what's daft or unfathomable about choosing that as their name.

Unless she had 2 French Motown 45 releases with the same piccy sleeve, I've got that somewhere. ............ I'll have to look it out sometime. It's a good 70's funky soul tune BUT I can see why NS-ers would hate it.

The songs included on the Sue LP by Jimmy Oliver & his Soul Twisters were no doubt the tracks that the group played at the 521 Club at that time (summer / fall 1965). Apart from a couple of original numbers & the Righteous Bros hit, it seems that Motown songs were the big faves in Brooklyn at that time ..........

How the building that housed the 521 Club looks today. It's now a Popeyes Chicken Restaurant, the Franklin St Subway Stn is across the road from the building.

A bit more about that area of Brooklyn back in the 60's ........

Bob, any idea what some of the late 60's releases on 521 Records were ?? The club itself operated from the late 50's through to the late 70's, I'd imagine that the R&B 45's on the label would date from the early 60's. The building that housed the club still exists and is now a fast food restaurant ......... see below .......... ........ MORE INFO ........... Jimmy Oliver & his Soul Twisters were the club's resident band from 1961 to around 1967. They are most likely the group referred to as the 521 Club Band on Paul Walters 45 but he was still hanging out at the club after they left around 1967. Eb Davis & the Soul Groovers were the house band from 1967 through 1978/79. Their main members were Johhny Barnett (bass and vocals) Glenn Quick (drums. went off to play with Isaac Hayes) Little Max Thomas (tenor sax. went off with Wilson Pickett). Charles Williams (trumpet). Stanley Burrell (guitar). Jimmy Hayward (tenor sax). Kim Paluna (guitar, went with Isaac Hayes) and Hayman Kent (piano and organ). The artists in those days were often booked into a venue without a band because most of the venues had house bands that supported all the acts appearing there. Eb & the Soul Groovers were well thought of and were booked to back up some artists on tour (Wilson Picket, Isaac Hayes, Millie Jackson, etc.). When they went off to tour, a replacement band would hold down their duties at the club until they returned. The club was a venue where music biz guys would hang out & network. It was 'standing room only' in the place if 300 people were in. Lots of this info came direct from Eb Davis (who's now a European based blues singer). He tells me that Paul Walters was the MC at the club for quite a few years when they were the house band (so 1967 onwards). Eb & the Soul Groovers did not do anything with the 521 label themselves because very small labels like 521 had a very hard time trying to compete and usually could not do anything for the artists 45's after they had released them. A guy by the name of Bobby "Madhouse" Smith was a regular performer from time to time at the 521 Club and other local venues. When I chatted with Eb, he certainly still had many fond memories of his time as leader of the 521 Club's house band. I have also been told ... "You have to remember that area of Brooklyn was a hub of activity. Not only did you have the 521 club, but you had a bar/lounge that sat right in the middle of Fulton St, between Franklin and Bedford. You had another bar and lounge that sat on the corner of Spencer and Fulton, between Franklin and Bedford. Then you had a big bar on the corner of Bedford and Fulton. Not to mention the Riverland Lounge on the corner of Brevoort Place and Bedford, right across the street from the Brevoort Theatre".

Old age is getting the better of me Robb. Where I meant to type Jimmy Oliver, I put the more familiar name of Jimmy Norman instead. Guess it's all downhill (gray matter wise) for me from here. BTW, Jimmy Oliver has 56 songs registered with BMI and his only regular writing buddy seems to have been Clyde McPhatter. I guess those joint compositions would have been cut by the Drifters or Clyde himself but that still leaves a lot of other songs that Jimmy wrote (and someone recorded) out there somewhere.

What are all the other releases on 521 ?? Can you list them please. .... AND .... who are the guys involved on those tracks (producer, arranger, writers, etc.)

A Beverly McKay track that Jimmy Oliver worked on ......... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pybHelV1vqk

Another guy who performed with Jimmy Oliver's Band at the 521 Club in Brooklyn was Kenny Hamber .... a bit of info on this ..... Kenny Hamber's dad lived just around the corner from the 521 Club which was located on the corner of Fulton Street and Franklin Ave (1134 Fulton in Brooklyn). By 1962, the club was one of the hottest venues to feature live acts in the borough and so Kenny made sure he dropped in at the place. The club featured live acts on such a regular basis that it had its own house band; Jimmy Oliver & his Soul Twisters. It had opened in the late 1950's, had a maximum capacity of 250 to 300 and would be in existence for around 20 years. The place was owned / run by a number's runner; Eugene Goldston. Recording artists who hung out / performed at the club down the years included the likes of Jerry Lawson (of the Persuasions), the Shufflers, Paul Osher, Little Johhny Taylor, Otis Redding, Lew Kirton, the Invitations, Millie Jackson and Sterling Harrison (today the building that housed the club is still standing and is a Popeyes Chicken fast food restaurant). In all, Jimmy Oliver & his Soul Twisters were the club's house band from 1961 to 1967. Their residency at the venue helped them land a recording deal with Sue Records ('Hits Au-Go-Go' LP; 1965). When they moved on, Eb Davis & the Soul Groovers took over their roll as house band for about the next ten years. Soon after Kenny started visiting the 521 Club, he entered and won one of their talent shows. After this, he hooked up with Jimmy Oliver and they became friends. A local subway station platform (above ground in that area) overlooked the 521 Club and I'm told that kids (too young to get into the club) would stand on the platform to look into the venue to try to see the artists on stage.

Jimmy Oliver worked on numerous recording projects in the 60's, usually as an arranger (though I guess his band provided the backing track for the vocalists on a number of sessions).

Kenny Ballard turned out a number of fine tracks during his recording career but not too much seems to be known about his performing career. As he was New York based this seems a bit strange to me BUT I guess he operated a bit below the radar back then playing mainly chitlin club venues.

As the Sir Shambling web site is currently being mentioned in another topic, thought I'd post this up to see if it solicited any extra info on some New York based guys. John (Sir Shambling) has posted up pages on Little David .... https://www.sirshambling.com/artists_2012/D/little_david_1/index.php ......... AND ALSO .............. ....... on Kenny Ballard ...... https://www.sirshambling.com/artists_2012/B/kenny_ballard/index.php The Little David page has some info on the 521 Club & label (as does the Paul Walters page) and it also features a photo of Little David (Smith) and George Williams. From this, I'd guess that both Little David and George Williams (who would go on to be a mainstay in the Fatback Band) were both in the 521 Club Band (otherwise known as the Jimmy Oliver Band or Orchestra). Jimmy Oliver was a major player on the New York club & recording scene through from the mid 50's to the late 60's and worked with the likes of the Drifters, Bobby Hendricks, Eddie & Ernie, Sandra Philliips, Beverly McKay (& a bit later the Village Soul Choir). George Williams had also been on the NY music scene through much of the 60's, being in Kenny Ballard's backing band, the Fabulous Soul Brothers for a time. So it seems that all these guys must have known each other & others who they came into contact with during those times (J J Jackson, Sidney Barnes, etc.). Anyone here know of any more musical connections between this group of singers, musicians ??

Sir Shambings web site is a very powerful resource. It's so well put together and as it mainly deals with classy but obscure singers, presents info that is difficult to find anywhere else. Because it looks so good, it solicits contacts from people (family, friends, associates) that actually know some of the subjects featured on it's numerous fascinating pages. Thus additional facts about many of the obscure singers who have their own pages are brought to light & John posts it up to spread the knowledge. Guess little extra will be forthcoming about Merle now but I guess we may get a photo at some time as family members have been in contact with John.

Under both his recording names, this guy worked with a NJ / Philly based doctor, Harry Moffitt. Moffitt was quite involved in the music biz and also cut tracks on the likes of Billy Harner, David Morris (Jr) and others. The Quick Brown Fox 45 on Roulette also escaped in France. ........ AN OBIT on Harry Moffitt ......... HARRY J. MOFFITT -- M.D., 71, of Ship Bottom NJ, passed away on November 24, 2013. Harry was born and raised in Philadelphia and graduated from St. Joseph's University and Temple University School of Medicine, completing his residency at Eastern Psychiatry. He practiced for many years in the Philadelphia area, more recently in NJ, but his true love was his family and music. Harry was an avid music collector who wrote, produced and recorded music. He most recently was WVLT's radio host, JT Johnny. Dr. Moffitt was predeceased by his brothers, Richard and Craig. He is survived by his wife of 26 years, Arleen Moffitt; sons, Phil (Cathy), Jerry (Katie), Chris (Sue); 6 grandchildren; brother, Brian (Lynn); sisters; Lynn Procopio and Lisa Boyd (Steve).

I'm sure I have a copy of that UK 7" somewhere, I'll have to look it out. A lot of soul collectors in the mid to late 70's weren't buying the UK versions of releases and so no doubt it woun't be about in huge numbers (though there are currently quite a few copies on discogs at under £3).

Wasn't this only available on 7" in the UK ? I seem to recall the US Cotillion 45 release (of "Welcome To Our World") featuring "Just A Song" as it's B side. Did the US 12" single did have this on it's B side ? .... maybe not. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZv26FljO9U

....... SEE HERE .............. https://deadlinedetroit.com/articles/7796/a_detroit_dance_called_the_jit_is_subject_of_new_documentary#.UshzwPRdWMF

The upcoming soul train cruise ............ https://www.soultraincruise.com/ Sails from Fort Lauderdale, just down the road from where we are staying .... .... AND ..... it features a great line-up of top soul acts ............ ..... but unfortunately we will be heading back to the UK before the cruise ends.

If we're gonna recommend stuff like Howeefeel that has major input from the Davis Brothers, then I'd nominate a couple of cuts from Davis Import as well (Avi: late 70's / early 80's).