Roburt

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).

That ones so obscure that it's only been reissued in the UK twice ..... on a 12" (Acid Jazz) in 1990 and on a 7" (Acid Jazz again) in 2006.

I know Choker registered lots of his later compositions/songs he published with Canadian based SOCAN, would they hold details of the current rights holders? In the US , many of Choker's later compositions are registered via BMI with this publisher .......... DOWNTOWN MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC DBA DOWNTOWN DMP SONGS 485 BROADWAY FL 3 NEW YORK, NY 10013-3071 JBARNES@DMPGROUP.COM Would they be able to assist the film makers ?

One old Tri-City related thread ...............

A message from Universal's Harry Weinger posted over on another forum ..... A serious question to anyone who can help. A feature film producer has reached out to me, as their company is planning to use one or two of Choker Campbell's post-Motown productions/compositions on TRI-CITY in a soon-to-be-released movie. They are looking for anyone connected with that label, or family, etc. While UMG doesn't own the masters, we would of course like to help in any matter connect them with the right people. If anyone can help me do that, well, we could start the new year off right. Peace! HW I know we have discussed the Tri-City stuff on here not too long back and maybe the likes of Paul Mooney will know the answer to this question.

This is quite old but it contains some decent facts on Al and quotes from a few people who knew him ...... https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/music/2013/11/01/remembering-d-c-soul-star-al-johnson/

Another CD containing Shiptown tracks ............... https://www.amazon.co.uk/That-Mine-Raw-Soul-Norfolk-Virginia/dp/B004MPAFRM/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1388571731&sr=1-1&keywords=barbara+stant

A wrist slashing pick from me .................. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKzC8S3SMUo

I got in touch with Lou about the Way Out / Numero project & this was what he had to say ........... I have spoken to Jon Kirby and they are in the packaging stage at this time and getting all the necessary insert information together for the booklet. So it seems that we can expect a comprehensive Way Out Records package in the very near future. Guess that will mean both vinyl (unissued & rare tracks on 45) & CD releases as part of the overall project. A bit about Jon Kirby here ............ https://uncannedmusic.com/post/41655701396

If you're into Cleveland / Ohio soul, this locally produced CD is about to escape ............... .......... don't have a full track listing yet ................. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_lklZMX7DQ

Derek, Numero (up there in Chicago) have been pulling together a Way Out project for about a year now. They have been using Lou Ragland as a consultant & (I believe) have gained access to a lot of old mastertapes of unissued tracks that have languished in a local recording studio for 40+ years. Not sure if their project is near to fruition yet, will ask Lou if he knows. The Saru label went through 2 phases of management / ownership. Lou R was involved with one of them, the O'Jays members with the other. Not sure if the O'Jays retained the rights to the stuff they worked on at the label.

Two of the songs that the African Beavers cut were penned by Wayman Glasco and one by Bill Cook ...... ....... I guess that's a good pointer to who ran the company that they cut their tracks for ............. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6erbSe2E8I

Another African Beavers cut ............... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8aqt1acb3U

Gwenn Records was a 1960's New York / New Jersey based label that released records by Buster Brown a while after the guy had enjoyed his big hit on Fire; "Fannie Mae". I would guess that the label was owned or run by the likes of Wayman Glasco & Bill Cook. Bill Cook had been around for a while as he had been Roy Hamilton's manager back in the mid 50's. I would say that he also acted as manager for Buster Brown and a later Gwenn Records group, the African Beavers. RCA licensed a few tracks by the African Beavers (from Gwenn) in 1965 and put out 2 45's by the group. These found a degree of favour at the time and since, their 1st RCA outing also escaping in Germany & the UK. It seems likely that the guys who formed the group had made a start while they were serving in the military, possibly at a base in Europe (Germany ?). However, I'd guess that their tracks were cut back in the New York area after they returned from a spell in service. The lead vocalist on their initial recordings is said to be Tony Fox / Larry Hale / Larry Cappel which could explain why their 45 ended up being licensed by RCA. A picture sleeve RCA 45 was put out but the photo of the group doesn't include Tony Fox (the "Love, Let Love, Be Loved" guy) in the line-up, so who the actual members were (apart from a James Mitchum / Mitcham) isn't known. Little is known about the group, their recordings or what became of them, though a concert they undertook on 1st July 1965 was advertised as being their first US appearance, so this does seem to back up the info about them being a foreign based GI based group as their 45 had already been issued by then. Anyone here know much about Gwenn Records, the African Beavers or Wayman Glasco ?? Did Waymon Glasco have a connection to mid 60's New York based Glasco Records (who Donald Height worked for). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAn5nsYNRRQ

A WEBB radio ad from summer 1965 that features Chuck Leonard .....

The New York radio DJ ............ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XnISJy0QD0