Everything posted by slimharpo
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The Jazz Scene: The Beginnings of Soul.
Further to the two articles I've previously posted about the early Blues & Soul Magazine I've dug out my copy of the Jazz Scene Magazine from August 1962, I was a sprightly 15 year old at that time. It cost me one shilling and sixpence! I bought it because Ray Charles was on the cover. I've recently re-read the Alexis Korner article ‘Tin Pan Alleleujah’ and I thought it was interesting because he was clearly trying to come up with a word for the fusion of Gospel & R&B that became known as ‘Soul’ and came up with ‘Gospop’! Thankfully it didn't last and ‘Soul’ stuck! I think the article is a good example of how the birth of Soul was being delivered in the media. I was buying Record Mirror at the time and Norman Jopling in particular was championing the ‘new sound’ in the mainstream press and highlighting artists such as The Isley Bros & James Brown in his articles. Record Mirror used to have an annual poll of favourite artists and the winners of the Best Female Group in 1962/3 was The Miracles! At least people were listening to their records. Anyway I hope you enjoy reading about the early beginnings of this scene we love so much. Cheers, John
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News: The Jazz Scene: The Beginnings of Soul.
The Jazz Scene: The Beginnings of Soul. View full article
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Dave Godin: More Blues & Soul. The Readers Choice
For the second article highlighting Dave Godin's Column from Blues & Soul, the scans feature the readers choice. The first scan is from Issue 44, 1970. As you will see Dave Godin asked readers to send in their favourite sounds. I remember one or two names, I get a mention I am at the top of Column 2 "John Evans from Colwyn Bay" picking a Ben E King flip side which is probably still my favourite track today! You will notice a couple of paragraphs below my name check is Derek Howe from That Beating Rhythm! Also fascinating is the mention of the alleged Motown/Mafia connection which obviously must have concerned a few people at the time. The following two scans are the 'We Get Letters' column from issue 49, December 1970. You will see the names of a few stalwarts of the scene, some of whom are Soul Source members, do you get a name check?
- News: Dave Godin: More Blues & Soul. The Readers Choice
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Dave Godin: A Bit of Blues And A Lot Of Soul
Blues & Soul Article Preparing For Visit To Wheel plus Soul Fans Name Checks...are you mentioned? Here are scans for the B&S issue 48, December 1970 where DG announces his plans to visit The Wheel, interestingly there were concerns about it being closed down then! I will post up the report on the actual visit soon. Blues & Soul Report Dave Godin Visit To Twisted Wheel & Pictures My latest Public Service Post! B&S number 50. The iconic report of DG's visit to The Wheel. If anyone recognises themselves in the pics or recognises others who are still into Soul Music, perhaps they could post their info on here + anyone who was there but is not in the pics? Later on I will post up issues where DG gives name checks to those who wrote into him about soul records, maybe you are in there?! Blues & Soul 1975 Dave Godin Column 'Northern Soul Is Dead' Shock This DG B&S column is in issue #170 September 1975. Reading it again reminded me how disappointing his columns could be sometimes, especially when he went on a rant about something. Commercialisation insofar as ‘dumbing down’ the essence of Soul music was a relevant topic but could have been adequately covered in 2/3 paragraphs IMO. However, I was particularly interested in his scathing review of the re-release of Lorraine Ellison’s ‘Stay With Me’ which he describes as artificial, fraudulent & insincere, an opinion he formed when it was first released. He goes on to say in his view it is a ‘cunningly calculated exercise in plastics emotion’ He also wonders ‘how much calculated conniving went into its creation’ and that L.E. was ‘probably putty in the hands of her producers’ phew! He then goes on to compare it with ‘True Deep Soul’ such as Piece Of My Heart, Erma Franklin and Soul numbers sung by artists like Irma Thomas. What surprises me is that DG doesn’t seem to know or ignores the fact that Piece Of My Heart and many of the great Irma Thomas songs e.g. Time Is On My Side were written and often produced by the same writer/producer as Stay With Me, Jerry Ragavoy. J.R. also created great Deep Soul with Garnet Mimms & Howard Tate and many others. This column was written about 8 years after the song came out and Jerry Ragavoy was pretty well known by then yet he isn’t mentioned in the review as maybe having a lapse in taste in DG’s view. I happen to think he was wrong by the way but obviously he was entitled to his opinion but maybe he did not know as much as he thought or he was guilty of shoddy research. No surprise he gives 5 stars to his employer’s Contempo album release! Comments anyone?
- News: Dave Godin: A Bit of Blues And A Lot Of Soul
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Duck Dunn Rip
I was lucky enough to see him in The Otis Redding show tour in Liverpool '67. I love picking out his bass when listening to my Memphis tracks, always distinctive and innovative.