Roburt

There's a ANNETTE SNELL related gala being staged @ the Newport Hotel in Sunny Isles, Miami on 21st April. Hopefully it will be well supported & help generate cash for this scholarship fund ............ It's fitting that this venue should have been chosen to host the event as back in 1969 & thru the 70's, it featured lots of soul acts in it's night club .......

Used to do niters in the mid to late 60's with my mate Tom (Mojo, Nite Owl, Wheel, etc.) ... got him back into soul about 10 years back & he started to attend Prestatyn & Cleggy Weekenders. One day the postie asked him to take in a parcel of records for his neighbour. Takes them round & asks what type of 45's they were ... SOUL he says ... he'd only moved in next door to Rob Wigley (who I'd been mates with for over 30 years). .

Most present day US black singers have no idea about their heritage .... mention Chuck Jackson, Howard Tate, Lorraine Ellison, Jimmy Hughes, Lee Dorsey, Linda Jones, Garnett Mimms, Barbara Randolf, Walter Jackson, Steve Mancha, J J Barnes and they have no idea at all who / what you're talkin about. It's almost the same as back in the 60's when the Stones said they'd only go on TV shows with Howling Wolf and no US TV employee knew who / what Howling Wolf was.

He'd been about for a good while by 65 (& had his only UK 45 released back in June 1960). "Hold On Baby" was released (on a Red Bird EP) in France back in the day. A big ensemble show performing in Baltimore back in 59 ...

His old wife ...

A few goodies on Fontana (a Mercury / Phillips label) ...

The Astors on the James Brown Revue show @ the Howard Theatre in DC in July 65 ...

That LOST & FOUND CD was great, but that was 20 years ago ... AND .. it's a bit of an expensive item these days ... PLUS .. there are loads more great tracks Phillips / Mercury tracks that didn't escape originally on Blue Rock.

The output of most 60's / 70's record labels has now been well covered by the reissue companies .. HOWEVER ... I find that there's lots of soul stuff on Mercury and it's subs (Limelight, Smash, Blue Rock) that doesn't seem to be available on LP or CD these days. Just as an example, Otis Leavill had about 14 released cuts out on Mercury labels (& no doubt there were a few more that didn't escape the vaults) .. yet I don't think the majority of these tracks have enjoyed a new life on CD ... wonder why ?? AND there are lots more soul acts on the label who's output deserves renewed attention .. OTIS LEAVILL: Even ignoring the more obvious choices, he made some brilliant cuts in classic Chicago style ...

From that summer, some Verve 45's follow the numbering system ... ... ..... ..... 100175, 100364 the Chantels), 101038, etc. WHILST OTHERS (mixed in among those above) have this numbering system .. 66VK299, 66VK325, 66VK260 (the Ambers), 66VK304 ... No idea why they had 2 systems running at the same time BUT I don't think one was for in-house stuff & one for licensed in stuff .... the Chantels is a Horace Ott arranged Howard Fowles production and follows one system, whilst the Ambers (also a Horace Ott arr / Howard Fowles production) follows the other. Don't think this had a local issue ahead of Verve & even unsure it's a 'licensed-in' production. Of course, MGM was part of the same set up as Verve & also used very similar numbering systems ... IN FACT ... just to confuse things ... The Charades MGM 45 (Key To My Happiness) has one side numbered 100481, with tuva side being 66XY482 ... so I don't think it could even be down to record studio utilised or mastering / pressing plant used.

I've seen quite a few of these clips too, they're good ... the show was on US TV in the mid 70's ... so '60's only' fans could be disappointed ..

Will they get their royalties in the post ??

As much as I love his 70's stuff, it would have to be a 60's cut ... Love A GoGo, Uptight, I Want My Baby Back, Ain't That Askin For Trouble or Angel Baby I guess.

JIMMY “WIZ” WISNER…The longtime arranger, composer and pianist –who was involved with so many soul tracks – died yesterday (March 14th) at the age of 86. Not much up on the net about it yet, but I expect some will be posted up over the next few hours.

By all accounts, Alvin was responsible for getting Shorty Long's music career started. It seems Alvin taught Shorty how to play the guitar & gave him encouragement that helped him land gigs at the Old Stables club in Birmingham (late 50's). Again how & where this happened now seems to be lost in the mist of time. Back then, Alvin was in NOla, while Shorty was in Birmingham and the cities are almost 350 miles apart.

I don't recall this being played here back in the 60's (am I wrong ?) ... Dr. John -- The Point (wonder if Alvin is mixed up in there on guitar) ...

Another quote from Dr. John that's on-line ... this was in the early 70's but he was talking about his time in New Orleans record studios at the end of the 50's & into the 60's ... I recorded some single records for Ace around '59, some of them was released. Then I recorded an album for AFO Records, that was Jimmy Battiste and Melvin Lastie's company, I was like the first white act on an all black company. "At the time I was workin' with Battiste and Melvin and those guys, it was a part of their company. But by being an artist, I was tryin' to help them keep their company, their artists, which consisted of Barbara George – she had that 'I Know' record – Prince La-La, who had that 'She Put the Hurt On Me', and there was a few others. There was quite a few artists that they had you know, Tammi Lynn was one of them. Like she was one of the best artists they ever had that they could never get off the ground. "Same with Willie Tee (who had a minor hit with 'Teasin' You'). Willie Tee still has a band in New Aw-lens. He had some good records but they never did get that action. He since then has cut a big band album with H.B.Barnum in L.A. but nothin' happened with it. But I mean, these are artists that just because they don't have a hit Top 40 record, that don't take nothin' away from 'em. And that was it. In the mid-'60's, as Minit was bought out by L.A. based Imperial, as the Lasties and Battistes headed for Los Angeles, the era of New Orleans as a recording center had come to an end. He left New Orleans towards the end of 64, and Tammi Lynn, Earl King + WillieTee were already well know to him before then. As Mac worked a lot with Harold Battiste (AFO), he must have played on Willie Tee's first 3 single releases. Maybe even on "Teasin You", as that was through Earl King. Tammi's first record was also on AFO, so he'd have played on those tracks too. The AFO studio group (ALL FOR ONE) was just about the same set of musicians that Allen Toussaint used on all the Minit / Imperial tracks cut in NOla ... The Minit Men 1960-63 -- Lee Allen, tenor; Red Tyler, bari; Allen Toussaint, piano (replacing Mac who played piano in the AFO band); Roy Montrell or Snooks Eaglin, guitar; Chuck Badie, bass; John Boudreaux, drums. These guys would have played on Alvin's Imperial tracks. After Mac had arrived in LA, he played on loads of pop cuts (Sonny & Cher, etc) plus soul stuff from the Valentinos, Olympics, Sims Twins, Billy Preston & more.

JOY was part of the President / Jay Boy set-up (their discount label). So, it shouldn't be a surprise that these NS comp 'KEEP THE FAITH' LP's (featuring many cuts already put out on Jay Boy) would have been put together & released by the company.

I know DG hated the way the Stones ripped off Irma Thomas songs ... meaning she had little or no profile herself in the UK. Much of their early success was based on them taking ownership of songs like "Time Is On My Side" & "Pain In My Heart" (adapted from "Ruler Of My Heart"). They built their reputation on such songs. For a guy who was passionate about soul music getting it's proper recognition here in the UK and who had Irma up there as just about his fave act, the Stones getting plaudits for their rip-offs must have been very galling. BY THE WAY (linking to another current thread), the Stones also ripped off Alvin Robinson's "Down Home Girl" in similar fashion (their version being completely naff & a total wishy-washy insipid copy).

Alvin / Al / Shine continued to work with Dr. John (after the Zu Zu Band & Pulsar Records) and was in Dr. John's Gumbo band, the outfit that cut the tracks on his big selling GUMBO LP. Before (& after) the sessions that resulted in that album (which incidently also featured Tami Lynn on vocals), Dr. John & his live band toured the UK. Alvin didn't come along on either of those UK tours, I don't know whether this was coz he had bad memories of his 66 UK tour of if he just didn't want to tour all over at those times (1970 & 72).

Yep, the guys involved with the Zu Zu Blues Band project hooked up again & (via Mercury) got Pulsar Records going in LA. Of course, one of the 1st acts they cut was Alvin (in 69, after his Atco released 45 tracks had been put out). The Pulsar 45 was also released as by Shine (Al's nickname). Guess that's why (the nickname) his UK comp LP was titled 'SHINE ON'. Anyone know if the UK LP sleeve notes make mention of events on the UK tour ?

They weren't really mod types, just 'run of the mill' young Brits trying to break into the music biz. The shot above (& others taken the same day on Bognor Regis stn) were done by them & their manager. They'd decided on the style of dress as most of their work was backing up US soul acts or playing UK R&B clubs. So looking like mods was good for the image (as was playing covers of current soul hits at the time).

Yep, more & more old stuff from newspapers & music mags is getting digitised & put online ... it's just taking so long for much of the stuff that interests us to turn up. That ad for the Granby Halls is great ......... Another gem of info that's out hiding on the net is this Alvin Robinson tit-bit ........... Alvin was from NO, la (New Orleans) and was a respected studio guitarist chasing sessions for himself as the featured artist (this was late 50's / early 60's). He wasn't too successful but was eventually signed to Imperial and enjoyed 3 x 45 releases on Imperial in 61/62 (before he moved to NY). Back then, he would hook up with all the other NO based musicians to play gigs / sessions (Alan Toussaint & his group of guys + Mac Rebennack / Dr.John). After his NY stint was over, Alvin moved to LA in early 66 and hooked up with other old NO guys there. Dr John got him involved with a bunch of NOla guys in the studio. This resulted in cuts attributed to The Zu Zu Blues Band (others were shopped around as by Jessie Hill and the Poopettes). The group members were :- Ike Williams, trumpet; Tank Jernigan, tenor sax; Mac Rebennack, piano; Alvin Robinson, guitar; Al Frazier, bass; John Boudreaux, drums; Jessie Hill, percussion and vocals. This band did some gigs,and then recorded. They cut a whole album of stuff but could only get A & M to put out a 45 (Scepter-Wand took some of the other cuts but didn’t put them out). The band broke up & some of the members went back to LA studio session work, hiring themselves out to anyone who wanted a NOla funk sound. So, Alvin was on cuts laid down in LA in early 66 (just as a guitarist) but only 2 (?) of these escaped the vaults. These formed A &M 45 # 790 by the Zu Zu Blues Band -- "Zu Zu Man / Side Show" ... these sides got UK soul club plays and the A side was booted with a PART 2 version on the tuvaside. Alvin's NY based manager had released existing tracks on his own label (see scan on 1st post) in April 66 which Strike had put out in the UK, so no doubt, Alvin focused on that after the Zu Zu Blues Band project didn't really work out. Preparations for his UK tour (discussions between Joe Jones & Roy Tempest must have taken place around August 66) and as a result, Alvin flew over here in September 66. No doubt he had a few days rehearsing with the Noblemen in London. As a long time US studio session guitar player, more used to working with NOla funkers, I just wonder what he made of the UK beat group guys selected to back him up.

I find it frustrating that there is much more documented info on the UK backing group (the Noblemen / Motivation) involved with these tours than there is about the soul acts they backed up ... but then, I guess their members are still around to ask - though why no one seems to have asked them about the US acts they supported or their impressions of the clubs (Gliderdrome, Wheel, Mojo, Tiles, Marqee, etc) I can't think ... SO FRUSTRATING ... A pic from 66 of the Noblemen ...

Everyone on here has slightly different interests ... as I reach my 70's, I am getting overly nostalgic & keep looking back to the 60's through rose coloured glasses. I like to read of old clubs I attended or knew about ... about old soul records I knew / owned back then ... BUT .. my main interest is in details on soul acts. I like to research artist bio's & find out some of the many curious events that they endured down the years of their career ... the missed opportunities (at least 3 male singers on the 60's Balto soul claim it was they that was 1st asked by Otis Redding to travel down to Memphis to cut "Sweet Soul Music") ... the rip offs (managers running off with their gig money or record company advance) .... the double dealing (a beautiful female singer who had to sleep with an agent to get a try out with Stevie Wonder's Wonderlove backing singers) .. ETC ETC. I get really frustrated that the vast majority of such data is just about totally lost to us now (the singer having passed away or lost his memory, the venues closed & demolished, the old TV video tape lost / thrown away or taped over, the recording master tapes of unissued soul rotted away before anyone got the chance to listen to them) ... BUT lots of info relating to US soul acts is difficult to get coz US media largely ignored them & their exploits till the end of the 60's and so, the detail was never really documented in the 1st place. I can (sort of) understand that ... why would a US music TV show host know who / what The Stones were on about when told they'd only appear on his show if they had Howling Wolf with them. WHAT REALLY GETS MY GOAT THOUGH is the vast amount of lost knowledge of the exploits of US soul artists here in the UK. AS AN EXAMPLE .... take the case of Alvin Robinson ... maybe he didn't have any big pop hits but he was a mainstream artist who had years of success (in later years, in even toured the US as part of Dr. John's live band ... but little or nobody sat him down & asked him about his career in detail) ... Alvin had his first UK 45 release in 1964 (Pye International), this was followed by "Fever" on Red Bird later that same year. Jump forward to summer 66 and he had a high profile release on the UK indie STRIKE RECORDS ... so by September 66 he had established a decent profile with UK soul fans. I guess his US manager (Joe Jones) came to a deal with the guys at STRIKE and a UK tour was organised. This ran for a number of weeks and featured a good few major shows at top venues ... HOWEVER ... most of the info on that tour now seems totally lost to us ... Never mind, what Alvin made of the UK, the clubs he played, the British band that backed him up, the food, the travel arrangements, the digs, the soul fans he met here, ETC. All I've been able to establish is that he arrived here in September 66 and Roy Tempest selected the Noblemen (Motivation) to back him up on his dates (they had just backed up the Vibrations & Edwin Starr on similar UK gigs & would follow on by doing the same job behind the Coasters here). Included in the gigs the ensemble played were shows in Boston (the Gliderdrome), Birmingham (2 nights at the Cedar Club) and a show at Newcastle University (in early November). But just about everything else about his time in the UK now seems to be gone for good. ..... Did he do a London show ? Did he get a reception from Strike Records, was he provided with copies of his newish UK 45 to hand out as promo items, were any press / radio interviews organised for him, do any photos exist of him in the UK (performing or otherwise) ... NO IDEA AT ALL !!! SUCH IS LIFE I GUESS.