Tragar Story In Stomp & Stammer Magazine

The Stepfather Of Soul tipped me to an article in the latest Stomp & Stammer featuring fellow blogger Brian Poust from Georgia Soul and his part in Numero Uno's Eccentric Soul Tragar And Note Labels:

Too Beautiful To Be Gone
New Compilation Uncovers Atlanta’s Lost Soul
Written by Gretchen LaBudde

From the perspective of an ATL that rules the 21st century R&B and hip hop charts, it seems odd that no ’60s era soul label thrived in a civil rights center like the City Too Busy To Hate. Just don’t blame Jesse Jones for not laying it all on the line.

The helmsman for the Tragar and Note labels pumped out at least 40 sides between 1968 and 1978. At best, they made regional ripples and eventually landed in dusty obscurity. That is, until Atlanta DJ Brian Poust – creator of georgiasoul.com – discovered the labels and, with help from Chicago's Numero Group, compiled them into a double-CD set, the most recent release in Numero’s Eccentric Soul series.

This first stab at exploring Atlanta’s most prolific soul label exposes not only the songs – the 32 pages of mice-type liner notes detail a neglected history about struggling to score a hit record in a recording scene that required the infrastructure be built from the ground up. The comp also raises questions about why a homegrown soul scene didn’t take hold in a city known for its viable black business community as well as for its tolerance toward civil rights.

“I’m very gratified that this compilation is out because it tells the truth about Jesse Jones and what I did in the record industry in Atlanta,” offers Jones from his home in Los Angeles.

Read more

Lil Soul Brothers Detroit In 60s

Lil Soul Bros 1

Ali Ollie Woodson Hospitalised

Just picked up the news from Ali's site:

Ali Ollie Woodson has been hospitalized. He is on the mend and doing very well and will back in action very soon.

Ali would like to take this time to wish his fans and friends a very Merry Christmas and a happy and properous new Year and the happiest of holiday seasons.

Some of the fans have requested to send cards/donations to Ali. In lieu of flowers of gift baskets, cards or donations maybe sent to:

Ali Woodson
c/o Hi C Management
7375 SE 12th Circle
Ocala, FL 34480

Ali appreciates all of the well-wishes and prayers. Please continue to keep Ali Woodson and his family in your prayers.

My thoughts are with him!!

Soul Inn 3/1/09

Get details on http://soulinn.de/soulinn/

Chuck Jackson Feature On Oxford American

The toothy man playing the sandbag ashtray—that, Chuck Jackson might conceivably have predicted. But the kettle drum? No. The monster-movie background vocals? Hardly. The tuba? No; no one expects a tuba.

It’s 1962. Chuck Jackson—a tall, slim, regally handsome young man in a crisp, optic-white shirt and dark suit—climbs into a car outside his apartment on 58th Street and tells his driver to take him to 54th, between Eighth and Broadway. He’s on his way to a session at Bell Sound Studios, a few blocks from the Brill Building: the Camelot-era pinnacle of the pop-music world.

Read more

Bobby Martin Presents Various Artists

You can pick up a new CD featuring tracks by Friends Of Distinction, Jean Terrell, Little Dooley etc - all produced by the legendary Bobby Martin at CD Baby:

Bobby Martin, artist, arranger and producer, has become a major force in the music industry.His contributions to the success of The Sound Of Philadelphia is legendary.
As an artist, Bobby Martin's success is that of Philadelphia's "MFSB", "B" as in Bobby and the sound that made him a Grammy Award Winner and recipient of many gold records.

Once again, his Philadelphia family of musicians provides the basis for the new Bobby Martin project.

The Friends Of Distinction -Rolling Stone called their music "Something Priceless" but the public paid the price and gave Gold record status to The Friends Of Distinction, Floyd Butler and Harry Elston for such hits as "Grazin' In The Grass", "Goin' In Circles" and "Love or Let Me Be Lonely" and an international audience came to know them through their highly acclaimed television, concert and club appearances all over the world.

Jean Terrell, the dynamic vocalist who as lead singer carried the famed "Supremes" through seven major hit singles before motherhood brought about a hiatus, returns to the recording world and the public eye, still a supreme talent, with an exciting new future and recording career through producer Bobby Martin.

A Bobby Martin discovery, Drake Frye is a new artist at the neginning of an important recording career. In addition to the two songs he sings on this CD, Drake is the writer of "I Hear Love Drummin' A Beat" and "Captain Of A Sinking Ship".
His extensive background in writing, arranging and record production, as well as performing, makes him a most exciting artist.

Little Dooley is a wonderful singer. He did a great job on both of these songs. He always connects with his audience.

For this release, Bobby Martin sought out the Legendary Mixer, Tom Moulton and asked him to remix and re-master these incredible recordings. Tom jumped at the opportunity to work with one of the masters and what you hear is the result of a labor of love and respect for the music.

O.V. Wright - Giant Of Southern Soul

You now read Ray Eillis's excellent article on O.V. Wright originally published in Juke Blues on line here:

O.V.Wright Giant Of Southern Soul

Daptone - Soul Reviver

Check out this feature in the NY Times on Daptone:

By SAKI KNAFO

Published: December 5, 2008

In the early 1990s, while the cool kids in the New York University dorms were listening to Nirvana and Pavement and P. J. Harvey, Gabriel Roth, a Jewish teenager from California, sat in his dorm room, night after night, listening to one obscure James Brown record after another. He listened to “Dooley’s Junkyard Dogs,” a 45 that Brown cut in honor of a college-football team. He listened to Brown’s esoteric rock version of “Talkin’ Loud and Sayin’ Nothing.” He listened to “Gettin’ Down to It,” a collaboration between Brown and, as Roth puts it, “these white jazz guys — but it was really actually a cool record.” Mostly he listened to “Hot Pants,” an album that largely consisted of just one chord. It was like “some kind of strange calculus,” Roth told me recently. “Everybody playing one little note or one little beat. But the whole thing worked together.” Roth and a friend would sit in his dorm room and listen to “Hot Pants” for hours on end. They’d listen to one side of the album several times in a row, and then they’d turn it over and listen to the other side.”

Read more

William Bell Feature On Soul Express

Heikki Suosalo has let me know of his new feature on William Bell on Soul Express. Check it out here:

William Bell Pt 1 1956-1970

William Bell Part 2 1970-2008

I Love Detroit December 2008

My old mate Rob Moss has his latest installment of I Love Detroit over on Soul Source:

The Chinese zodiac 2008 is the Year of the Rat. It is supposed to be a time for hard work, activity and renewal. A time to begin a new job, get married or start new enterprises. What a load of tosh. In reality, the only good thing to have happened this year, that even slightly resembles these predictions, is the election of Barack Obama - and that has occurred in an atmosphere of financial instability, political insecurity and social erosion. The eventual release of the beautiful Gloria Shannon record deserves a mention too – but that’s it.

The UK rare soul scene, once so vibrant and creative, has degenerated into an almost exclusively ‘oldies’ culture promoted by corporate pirates, hucksters and sanctimonious parasites. And the ranks of those innovative souls who actually created the music we love, not to be confused with those delusional windbags who claim to have ‘discovered’ it for us, has been devastated by death and sickness. The great, the good and the golden have all passed on this year, and Detroit has been badly affected.

In the past few months Pervis Jackson of the Spinners, Levi Stubbs, Norman Whitfield, Nathaniel Mayer, Joseph Pruitt of the Fantastic Four, Richard Wylie and Mike Terry have all been taken from us. For me, the loss of Mike Terry was the cruellest blow. I first met Mike in 1993. I had spoken to him by phone at his home in New Jersey but visited him in Detroit, when he moved back the same year. From the outset, he was friendly, warm, kind and helpful. With his late wife Liz, we spent many hours reminiscing about the old days at Motown and all the other Detroit studios he had worked at. It was only later that I began to realise how extensive his session work actually was. He spoke about Philly sessions with Jimmy Bishop and Jesse James, flying to New York to record, Chicago recordings on a variety of mainly Chess/Checker label artists, his sessions as a top-flight arranger throughout the country, the Pied Piper production company and the scores of songs he had written. As time went on it transpired that he had played on records like ‘Ain’t nothing but a house party’, ‘The horse’, ‘Here I go again’, ‘Mr. Big Shot’, ‘Girl across the street’ and scores of others.

Read more

New Ovations CD On Kent

The second CD from the Ovations on Ace/Kent's Sounds Of Memphis series is due out early next year:

The Ovations were the definitive Memphis vocal group and, with their Sam Cooke-influenced lead singer, they carved a swathe through the Memphis music business of the 1960s and 70s. Their Goldwax singles are loved and cherished by collectors and southern soul fans but until now their hugely sought-after LPs – recorded in the 1972and 1973 for Sounds Of Memphis respectively have never been reissued.

The first, "Hooked On A Feeling", is an exquisite slice of vocal harmony, as producer Dan Greer guides the group through ten selections that show off all of their talents: from the uptempo storming grooves of 'One In A Million's to the lush vocal interplay of 'Touching Me'. All this is served up by an incredibly tight
Memphis band featuring, amongst others, the Hi Rhythm section.

1973's "Having A Party" sees Louis harmonising with Dan Greer and George Jackson and scoring the biggest hit of his career with Sam Cooke's title track. It is also a sublime collection of tunes that include some fantastic Dan Greer originals and an amazing version of the tune of the moment, 'A Change Is Gonna Come'.

As part of our ongoing XL/Sounds Of Memphis series, this CD features extensive sleeve notes and original illustrations. A perfect addition to anyone's collection of Memphis music or harmony vocal groups.

1. HOOKED ON A FEELING
2. I CAN'T BE SATISFIED
3. ONE IN A MILLION
4. TAKE IT FROM ONE WHO KNOWS
5. Medley: WERE YOU THERE?/TOUCH THE HEM OF HIS GARMENT
6. SO NICE TO BE LOVED BY YOU
7. TOUCHING ME
8. DON'T BREAK YOUR PROMISE
9. MR RIVER
10. YOU'LL NEVER KNOW
11. HAVING A PARTY
12. YOUR LOVE IS LIKE A SONG TO ME
13. BORN ON A BACK STREET
14. MY NEST IS STILL WARM (MY BIRD IS GONE)
15. YOU SEND ME
16. UNDER THE BANANA TREE
17. DON'T LOOK BACK
18. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S OVER
19. A CHANGE IS GONNA COME

The Soul Of Spanish Harlem

Tony Middleton

Another mouth watering CD from the Ace/Kent peeps out on BGP in the New Year:

The mid-to-late 60s produced an explosion of Latin soul, emanating a few blocks east of Harlem's Apollo Theater in East or Spanish Harlem. This compilation features the sweet harmony sounds of artists from the area - including Joe Bataan, Ralphi Pagan, the Lebron Brothers and a host of unknowns who recorded for labels such as Fania, Cotique and Speed. It also includes rare 45s by Parrish and 125th StreetCandy Store.

It gathers up some of the rarest and most sought after recordings of the era, including three-figure singles by Frankie Nieves, Tony Middleton and Harvey Averne which are collected by dancers, as well as Olivieri and Ralphi and the Latin Lovers which are sought-after by vocal group fans. Other tracks come from very rare and hard-to-find LPs such as 'El Solitario' by King Nando and 'Blackout' by Monguito Santamaria. We include two previously unreleased tracks - one by Ray Jay and the Eastsiders which will have the soul boys baying for more and one by the Nitty Sextette, a Latin super-group that included Tito Puente and Jimmy Sabater.

The booklet features a wealth of rare or previously unseen memorabilia and photographs from the labels and artists. The sleeve notes are built on a series of in-depth interviews with several of the key players. They tell the story of a unique and very brief period in the history of Latin music in America. A story with the sweetest of soundtracks.

1. Ain't No Big Thing - RALFI PAGAN
2. True Love - THE TERRIBLE FRANKIE NIEVES
3. Heaven (Is Not For Everyone) - TITO RAMOS
4. Central Park - THE HARVEY AVERNE DOZEN
5. Crying Time - MONGUITO SANTAMARIA
6. Don't Be Afraid - THE LEBRON BROTHERS ORCHESTRA
7. That's How Rumours Start - JOEY PASTRANO
8. On Old Broadway – 107TH STREET STICKBALL TEAM
9. Same Old Sad Song - RAY JAY & THE EASTSIDERS
10. Reflections Of My Life – 125TH STREET CANDY STORE
11. Your Smile - PARRISH
12. Some Lonely Heart - RONNIE MARKS
13. There's No Other Girl - OLIVIERI
14. Maria, Maria - KING NANDO
15. Already Satisfied - TONY MIDDLETON & BOBBY MATOS
16. I'll Never Let You Go - THE LAT-TEENS
17. Nitty Boo Boo - THE NITTY SEXTETTE
18. I'm Gonna Leave You - RUSSELL COHEN & THE NEW YORKERS
19. Lonely Has Been My Day - RALPHIE & THE LATIN LOVERS
20. Ordinary Guy - JOE BATAAN

The Very Best Of Jay & The Techniques

Rick Levy Management
rick@ricklevy.com
www.ricklevy.com
PROUDLY ANNOUNCES the UPCOMING
first ever INTERNATIONAL RELEASE

The VERY BEST of
JAY & THE TECHNIQUES feat. JAY PROCTOR
releasing JAN 28 RPM records (UK)

Fantastic touring act..classic soul Apples Peaches Pumpkin Pie, Keep The Ball Rollin
plus tributes to Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Temps, Tops, Motown, Philly, Memphis

Looking for international dates..clubs, casinos, concerts, cruise ships

RICK LEVY
904 806 0817
904 460 1225 land line
rick@ricklevy.com

Osaka Monaurail Amen Brother

New album out from the guys - check out all the usual places to buy!!

Fufu Stew No. 11… For The Holidaze

My old blogger mate Vincent from Fufu Stew has dropped ma Christmas cracker in the shape of a mix for the festive season:

Fufu Stew No. 11… For The Holidaze

01 Sleigh Ride-Rick Holmstrom
02 Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer-The Temptations
03 Jingle Bells-Booker T. & The MGs
04 Santa Claus-Sonny Boy Williamson
05 My Favourite Things-The Supremes
06 The Little Drummer Boy-Salsoul Orchestra
07 Soulful Christmas-James Brown
08 Silent Night-Rotary Connection
09 Back Door Santa-Clarence Carter
10 Christmas Present Blues-Jimmy Reed
11 Go Power At Christmas Time-James Brown
12 White Christmas-Otis Redding
13 Sam’s Christmas Blues-Anson Funderburgh & The Rocket
14 Peace At Least-Rotary Connection
15 God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen-Sweetwater
16 Who Took The Merry Out Of Christmas-Staple Singers
17 Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto-James Brown
18 Lonesome Christmas (Part 1)-Lowell Fulson
19 Stone Soul Christmas-Binky Griptite & the Dee-Kay’s (bonus track)
20 Santa’s Got Bag Of Soul-Soul Saints Orchestra (bonus track)
21 Merry Christmas Baby-James Brown (bonus track)
22This Christmas-Donny Hathaway

John Lee Hooker Jr. Secures Grammy Nomination!

After performing in front of sold out crowds in Europe, Turkey and Russia "superhero" blues man, John Lee Hooker, Jr., son of the late blues legend, John Lee Hooker, returned to the states just in time to receive news of his Grammy nomination, for his third CD release "All Odds Against Me." This is the second Grammy nomination for Hooker, Jr. who is nominated in the Best Traditional Blues Album category.

John Lee Hooker Jr. broke new blues ground with the enhanced CD that also includes the animated video release "Blues Ain't Nothin' But A Pimp". The video animation, created by Frenchman Laurent Mercier at the Callicore Animation Studios in Paris, has been embraced by hip hop audiences worldwide and has successfully served to bridge the generation gap between the two musical genres. Carrying his blues legacy into the 21st century, John Lee Hooker, Jr. has enjoyed a landmark year in his career. With all odds against him, he has overcome drugs, alcohol, divorce, incarceration, and near death to bring the world the music harbored deep within his soul. "I am humbled and extremely grateful to be acknowledged at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards with this nomination," declares John Lee Hooker, Jr. "The blues is an integral component of American culture, and I am blessed to be able to share this beautiful gift with the world."

To experience John Lee Hooker, Jr.'s animated video, "Blues Ain't Nothin' But a Pimp" go to www.JohnLeeHookerJr.com now!

Tommy Hunt Only Human - My Soulful Life

Tommy Hunt's autobiography is now available. Here's a review from my old friend Eddie Hubbard:

To Soul music lovers the world over , we often only see a very small part of the life's led by our heroes and heroines , via their recordings, or when we cheer them from the stage in a live performance .I feel that we often forget that these artists, like us , have a human side to them , far removed from the glitter and adoration heaped upon them by us , and the uphill struggle it took them to become a star name in the first place .

Tommy Hunt is now a household name to most Soul music fans throughout the UK and beyond ,via his live performances at Wigan Casino in the 70's and his multitude of great recordings such as " Never love a robin " , " Words can never tell it "[ Dynamo ] , " I'll make you happy " [ Capitol ] and " I don't want to lose you " [Atlantic ] , but it wasn't always like this ........On December 1st his autobiography " Only Human - My Soulful life " written with Jan Warburton , is released through Bankhouse books , and tells in his own words, how he rose through humble beginnings in Pittsburgh USA to become a member of the world famous " Doo - Wop " group The Flamingos ,later signing for Florence Greenberg's Scepter /Wand set up, and having a massive hit with " Human " . Having his follow up record upstaged by Dusty Springfield ,working with Burt Bacharach/ Hal David, Luther Dixon and many more, live appearances at New York's Apollo theatre , with some great tales of his time spent rubbing shoulders with other famous Soul stars , like Marvin Gaye ,James Brown , The Shirelles and many more , the desperation of prison , drugs , and his saving grace ,the UK's Northern Soul scene , plus the ultimate honour of being inducted into the " Rock and Roll hall of Fame".

Having read the first five chapters of this book in advance , I can confirm that this is a compelling read , and having recently chatted at length with Tommy during the recent" Soul in the sun" weekend in Lanzarote, I can also assure potential readers , that he tells one hell of a story , with wonderful recall ,warmth and humour , which has whetted my appetite to read the rest of his life story in full . An essential purchase , just in time for Christmas !! .

Eddie Hubbard [ November 2008 ]

This book is available through Tommy's website, all good book shops, plus online at:

www.bankhousebooks.com

www.amazon.com

www.amazon.co.uk

Wilson Pickett TV Commercial Circa 1973

This is from the commercial break of a Chicago roller derby programme Wilson Pickett doesn't come on until 15 seconds in. Great stuff!!!!

Marvin Gaye & Tina Turner On Shindig

They look good together!

People Soul Video Compilation

The Dark End Of The Street forum sent me a link to a great compilation video of 70s and 80s soul on a French website.

Check it out here:

http://www.wat.tv/video/people-soul-14ndh_14ndi_.html

What is driving me crazy is the Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes feature of them singing Bad Luck - I cannot find it on YouTube???? Love to see the entire performance!

Renaldo Domino Sincere 45

Great to see this getting released - check out Dusty Groove for copies:

Wonderful sweet soul from the amazing Renaldo Domino -- an artist who always sounds great to our ears! Both of these tracks are previously unreleased -- for some reason that still remains a mystery, given the strength of the work -- and they really continue the genius that Domino laid out during his work for Twinight. "I'll Get You Back" is a slow-stepping number with some really wicked guitar alongside the vocals -- and "Two Years" is a bit more upbeat, with a groove that's almost shagging, but a bit more Northern. Dusty Groove

The above release comes on top of the news that Renaldo will be appearing in the Numero Uno's Eccentric Soul Revue next year in Chicago plus Numero Uno have also reissued a number of his 45s on their revived imprint. You can hear Renaldo being interviewed on the Sitting In The Park radio show.

The Numero Group’s Eccentric Soul Revue 4/4/09

From Lunar Rotation to standing ovation, or, how The Numero Group took Twinight from twilight and put it back on the stage.

Our 2006 compilation Eccentric Soul: Twinight’s Lunar Rotation was the product of over two years of cold calls and random door knocks on the south side of Chicago. In the process we turned up dozens of DJs, promoters, backing musicians, managers, and performers that had circled the Twinight label’s bowl on their way out to the sea of forgotten 45s. We found them, we interviewed them, and we paid them, but it seemed that these dusty relics required something more than a check and a commemorative 2CD set. They wanted their due.

The idea of a live soul revue had been kicked around at many an office meeting, but the logistical nightmare of flights, hotels, and rehearsals always kept it on the whiteboard. In the end location made everything possible. Twinight was in our backyard, and its artists were in the garage.

On April 4th 2009, The Numero Group’s Eccentric Soul Revue will make its debut at Chicago’s Park West Theater. And while Syl Johnson, the Notations, and Nate Evans perform regularly around the world, Renaldo Domino, the Kaldirons, and the Final Solution haven’t been on stage in over 30 years. In true revue fashion, we’ve hired Chicago’s stalwart Uptown Sound to back the entire performance and expanded their tight rhythm section to include horns, backing vocalists, and strings. The show will be preceded by an interactive slideshow of Chicago soul memorabilia and a DJ set from The Numero Group, followed by an autograph and photo line.

You can buy tickets for a mere $22 on our website with no service charges now, or wait until Ticketbastard puts them on sale on January 2nd and tacks on an additional 8-10 dollars in “convenience” fees. Either way, this is the must see Chicago soul event of the year, possibly the decade. Tickets purchased from our site will be held at will call and can be picked up at the show.

See you there.

Best of the Beat January 31 HOB Line up

Once again, OffBeat celebrates the best in Louisiana music.

Once again, OffBeat will take over the House of Blues for our Best of the Beat, which this year takes place January 31. The evening starts at 6 p.m. with food in the dining room from some of New Orleans’ finest restaurants including Theo’s Pizza, the Flaming Torch, Mat & Naddie’s, Tomatillo’s, the Hookah Café, the Praline Connection, Aurora Catering, Hubig’s Pies, Whole Foods Market, the Joint, Juan’s Flying Burrito, and Slice. Then music starts in the Main Room at 7:30 with the New Orleans Bingo! Show and at 7:45 in the Parish with the city’s newest Latin soul combo, Los Po-Boy-Citos with guest Derek Huston. Over the course of the evening, we’ll pay tribute to our Lifetime Achievement honorees: Antoinette K-Doe, Maggie Warwick, Donald Harrison and Cherice Harrison-Nelson, Harold Battiste, and the Wild Magnolias’ Bo Dollis. This year, we’ll also award our first posthumous Lifetime Achievement in Music Award to the late James Booker, who passed away 25 years ago last November.

While the Lifetime Achievement honorees loom large at the Best of the Beat, both events are first and foremost opportunities to recognize excellence in Louisiana music, and as always, we need your help making these decisions. Who released the Album of the Year? Who’s the Artist of the Year? The Emerging Artist of the Year? In a year that saw excellent albums from Irma Thomas, David Egan, Sonny Landreth, Kenny Neal and Eric Lindell, what’s the Best Blues Album? As our feature “A Very Good Year” demonstrates, there are a lot of fine performers and performances to choose from.

Music Line Up

The Main Room

7:30: The New Orleans Bingo! Show

8:30: The Awards Presentation

9:15: Tribute to Bo Dollis with the Wild Magnolias, Bo Dollis, Jr., Monk Boudreaux and Donald Harrison

10:15: Little Freddie King

11:15: Tribute to James Booker with Jon Cleary, Joe Krown, John “Papa” Gros, Tom McDermott and Josh Paxton

12:15: Trombone Shorty and Orleans Ave.

The Parish

7:45: Los Po-Boy-Citos with Derek Huston

9:30: The Lost Bayou Ramblers

10:30: The Happy Talk Band

11:30: Rotary Downs

Ponderosa Stomp April 28 & 29 2009

The line-up for Ponderosa Stomp 8 has been announced here.

The following artists are on the bill:

Wanda Jackson, Roddy Jackson, Alton Lott, Carl Mann, Johnny Powers, Jack Earls, Dale Hawkins, James Burton, Dan Penn And Bobby Emmons, Howard Tate, Otis Clay, The Hi Rhythm Section, The Remains, Question Mark And The Mysterians, The Legendary Stardust Cowboy, Bobby Patterson, Wiley And The Checkmates, The Bo-Keys, Lil Buck Senegal And The Top Cats Featuring Stanley "Buckwheat Zydeco" Dural, Dennis Coffey, Robert Parker, Jivin Gene, Ray Sharpe, Long John Hunter, Texas Johnny Brown, Little Joe Washington, James Blood Ulmer Trio, L.C. Ulmer, Little Willie Littlefield, Lil Greenwood, Jerry McCain, Kenny And The Kasuals, Classie Ballou, Deke Dickerson And The Eccofonics, Roy Loney And Cyril Jordan Of The Flamin Groovies Backed By The A-Bones et Lazy Lester !

Eddie Bo Selling 2 Pianos!

If these pianos could talk, they would share with you the stories they've garnered from the energies of past recording sessions and the people who visited The Old Firehouse Studio in Uptown New Orleans. They would tell you tell you stories about the good times that Eddie
and his friends had while recording his latest CDs.

The energies absorbed in these pianos from the music experiences at The Old Firehouse make for a prized possession--and wonderful conversation piece. Their beauty is only lagniappe.

Eddie is selling two studio pianos:

1) Black lacquer Grand with Bench SKG-500S -- Kohler & Company - est. 1896 Eddie's Studio Piano at The Old Firehouse on Toledano Street in New Orleans, LA. This is the piano he used during the recording of his latest CDs.

2) Marbury Grand Piano with bench - B429 - by Sohmer & Company of New York Each piano will be autographed by Eddie Bo.

For more information on pricing, call Veronica (504) 269-4408 or Karen (337) 288-5546 to purchase.

Sir Shambling Deep Soul Heaven Updates

John Ridley has sent me the following message:

Hello,

A quick note to let you know I've added some new pages to my website. The artists involved are Vic & Joe and Kenny Wells with New York 45s, the gravel voiced Bobby Boseman (Gashead) who came from Texas, Frank Tenella from Mississippi and Kenny Springs who recorded in Nashville. There are the usual label shots and soundclips.

You can find the full artist list here

http://www.sirshambling.com/general/artistlist.htm

Best wishes,

John

Threadhead Records

John Boutte & Paul Sanchez in LA

The Dark End Of The Street forum tipped me to an exciting new project in New Orleans led by Threadhead Records:

It was noon on May 1st, 2007. Paul Sanchez and John Boutté, two well-known New Orleans musicians, played together as a duo for the first time. It was an acoustic set at a private, outdoor charitable event for the Threadheads, fans of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, on a Tuesday afternoon between Fest weekends.

The set was magical in so many ways that it prompted only one question. When would the two of them put out a CD together? Paul’s succinct response, with his sweet smile, was, “Well, that would take money.”

And thus began Threadhead Records, an unprecedented non-profit record company formed out of the love for New Orleans and its music.

Each CD project is funded by the fans themselves and is paid back by the musicians with an additional 10% charitable return to the New Orleans Musicians Clinic. The musicians own their own work; Threadhead Records does not sign artists, nor are we involved in creative decisions or ownership of songs. We exist solely to help musicians get their CDs made. No more, no less.

Threadhead Records is a way for Louisiana-based musicians to continue to produce the music they crave to create and, in return, gives their fans the music they crave to hear.

It’s a truly wonderful partnership

Check out the Threadhead website for more details

Leroy Hutson Interview On WRIR

If you missed the show you can listen again here:

Leroy Hutson on WRIR

STAX Music Academy Isaac Hayes Musical Tribute 18/12/08

STAX Academy is hosting a tribute to Isaac Hayes

December 18, 2008 @ 7:00 PM

Guest Artists are...

Dave Hollister (two time grammy winner & former leader of Blackstreet)

Kirk Whalum (Multi-Grammy Winner & Platinum Artist)

Terreigh Barnett (New Vision/EMI Recording Artist)

Original Isaac Hayes musicians & The Memphis Symphony Orchestra

Germantown Performing Arts Center (GPAC)

1801 Exeter Road, Germantown, TN

Tickets: $10.00

For more information please call 901.942.7627 or email

vee@theshowbeginshere.com

Al Bell New Website

Picked up this feature on the above from Jazz News:

LITTLE ROCK, AR and CHARLESTON, SC - Former Stax Records owner and Motown president Al Bell, a legend in the evolution of American music, has announced the launch of a new company, Al Bell Presents, LLC. The centerpiece of this new venture is a full-service website and the first of several Internet music channels, Al Bell Presents American Soul Music, both of which were built by Charleston, SC-based American Media Services-Interactive.

Mr. Bell notes that both the website and online radio station were launched as works in progress so that the consumer, the recorded music industry, entertainment industry, and businesses in general would know what he is doing. Bell insists that, during these changing times, he wishes to create an entity that can be “of service" to many.

The Al Bell Presents website is designed to function as an interactive Internet portal that offers users a variety of elements designed to “entertain, engage, excite, inform and educate." Within these parameters it serves as a fully integrated online experience that will be scalable and constantly updated in order to provide its audience the most up-to-date content possible.

Similarly, Al Bell Presents American Soul Music features musical selections hand-picked and programmed by Mr. Bell, including over two thousand classic tracks from Stax, Motown, Philadelphia International, and other record labels' catalogs. Mr. Bell has committed his expert ear and sense of radio formatics to develop this channel into the quintessential online listening experience for all fans of Soul, R&B, Blues, Gospel, Jazz, Neo-Hip-Hop, Neo-Rap, and Neo-Soul. In addition to the music, the channel will feature Al Bell's personal observations about the artists, the emotions, the history, and the heritage.

Both the online channel and the website can be experienced at:

http://www.albellpresents.com/

Read more on Jazz News

Sweet Divines + Howard Tate + Eli Reed LIVE in NYC

J. B. Flatt has been in touch about the great gig above:

Hey Friends,

A heads up for those in the NYC area next week:

The Sweet Divines, NYC's finest female soul vocal quartet, are making their Joe's Pub debut on Thursday, December 18th. After a full set from the Divines, the legendary Howard Tate is going to do us the great honor of performing a short set with the band.

Distinguished SS list member Eli "Paperboy" Reed will make an onstage cameo and will also DJ before the show, along with the excellent DJ Honeydripper (Nydia of Daptone).

This show is probably the holiday season's best kept secret, but we'd like to change that. Some recent Howard Tate appearances in NYC have been tragically under-attended. Let's reverse that trend!

Please spread the word, and do so with confidence. Howard is in great voice and will be singing his best Verve and Atlantic material. The Divines & Co. are a top notch backing band (if we may say so), having backed Maxine Brown, Baby Washington, Eula Cooper, Tami Lynn, and Harvey Scales to some very appreciative audiences this year. Eli Reed will bring the magic fresh from his triumphant UK tour. And if you haven't seen the Sweet Divines do their show...whatcha waiting for?

Advance tickets are $15 and make great virtual stocking stuffers. You can get them here:

Tickets

New Orleans Jazz Fest Lineup 2009

The official programme for 2009 is out here:

2009 Jazz Fest

Includes - Aretha Franklin, Earth, Wind & Fire, The O'Jays and Erykah Badu. Plus Nevilles, Allen Toussaint, Robert Cray, Etta James, Mavis Staples, Solomon Burke, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, The Whispers, Chuck Brown, Rance Allen... Plus tribute to Mahalia Jackson with Irma Thomas and Mavis Staples. Also there is a revue called Dew Drop Inn Revisited with Deacon John, Wanda Rouzan, Eddie Bo, Allen Toussaint, Robert Parker and Al "Carnival Time" Johnson with Meter Men (Zig, George et Leo)...

Solomon Burke New Song

Just picked up a message from Solomon Burke about a new song you can hear on his MySpace:

Happy Holidays to you! I know this is a tough year for all of us, but just remember that we are all in this together. I posted a new song "Looking for a Job" for your enjoyment. It was recorded in 2000 but I have never released it. I hope it brings us all new jobs and prosperity for 2009. May God richly bless and keep you! Solomon

Funk For Sinners

Cies over at Just Moving On Blog has posted a fine podcast called Funk For Sinners:

After reading and listening to Kevin Kiley's "Soul For Sinners" at Sir Shambling over and over again I got the idea of putting together a "Funk For Sinners" podcast as a kind of companion volume to "Soul For Sinners". Kevin chose 20 of the most soulful gospel songs out of the SongBird/Peacock/ABC stable with a maximum of 3 songs by a single artist. I've selected 20 of the funkiest gospel songs out of the same catalogue with a maximum of 3 by a single artist.
As the people of the Numerogroup in the liner notes of "Good God. A Gospel Funk Hymnal" wrote 'Gospel Funk is a genre in the same way that deep soul or acid folk are, created by collectors and enthusiasts as a way to define a subsection of another genre'.

In the 1970's there wasn't an artist who considered himself a 'gospel funketeer'. From the mid- to late seventies many a gospel artist tried to get his message across in the then 'current' sound as they and their predecessors had done in the past. And the 'current' sound was Funk in the second half of the seventies. The sound that was getting the feet moving on Saturday Night at the nightclubs was getting the same feet moving on Sunday Morning at the local church.

You can download and/or subscribe to the podcasts: here

Flamingo Mod Club 14/2/09

Night Train 16/12/08

New Daptone Records Podcast

I have received news from Daptone records of their new podcast:

We have had a great reaction to our podcast so we've switched our podcast information in order to allow unlimited downloads. Those who have already subscribed will have re-subscribe. Sorry for the inconvenience, it'll stay put this, promise! Happy Holidays!

“Soul Santa” by Jared Boxx

Download podcast here

Jared Boxx is the co-owner of Big City Records, one of NYC’s top used vinyl record stores specializing in Jazz, Soul, Latin, Funk, Hip Hop, 45’s & LP’s, also carrying various new releases. Read more here

Big City Records 521 East 12th Street New York, NY 10009 (212) 539-0208 12pm-8pm Everyday

You can hear Jared & Friends spin at:

The Lost & Found (Every Tuesday @ Savalas, 10pm - 3am, Brooklyn, NY)
Bumpshop (along w/Mr. Fine Wine, Chairman Mao & David Griffiths)

Tracklisting:

1. Jing Jing A Ling ~ Honey and the Bees (Chess) 2. Merry Christmas, Baby ~ Otis Redding (Atco) 3. This Christmas ~ Donny Hathaway (Atco) 4. Stevie Wonder Drop (Motown) 5. Snowflakes ~ Betty Lloyd (Thomas) 6. What Do The Lonely Do At Christmas? ~ The Emotions (Volt) 7. The Gift of Giving ~ Bill Withers (Sussex) 8. Eddie Kendricks drop (Motown) 9. Soul Santa ~ Funk Machine (Creative Funk) 10. Silent Night Chant ~ Rotary Connection (Cadet Concept) 11. Christmas in Vietnam ~ Private Charles Bowen (Rojac) 12. Let’s Make This Christmas mean Something This Year ~ James Brown (King) 13. Without The One You Love ~ The O’Jays (Neptune) 14. Gwendolyn Berry (The Sisters Love) Drop 15. Let’s Get It Together This Christmas ~ Harvey Averne Band (Fania) 16. Gee Whiz, It’s Christmas ~ Carla Thomas (Atlantic) 17. Back Door Santa ~ Clarence Carter (Atlantic) 18. I Wanna Spend Christmas With You ~ Lowell Fulsom (Kent) 19. Mr. Santa Claus (Bring Me My Baby) ~ Nathaniel Mayer (Munster) 20. It’s That Time of the Year ~ The Manhattans (Starfire) 21. Santa’s Got A Bag of Soul ~ The Soul Saints Orch. (Jazzman) 22. Pull My Sled ~ Raindeer Runners (Soul Fire) 23. Merry Christmas Baby ~ Charles Brown & Johnny Moore’s 3 Blazers (Hollywood) 24. Smokey Robinson Drop

Special thanks from Soul Santa to:

The original artists who brought this holiday cheer, “The Honeydripper” Nydia & Daptone deers, Bad Santa MX Greens, Young Chris & Betty White, Big Game Hunter Asaf Segal, Big City Records family, Rip Lay for the artwork, friends from Tuesday’s Lost & Found sessions, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2009. It’s all about the gift of giving like Bill Withers says, so please try to give more than you receive this season, Soul Santa’s got an eye on you!

-JBX

Harvey Scales @ Dig Deeper

Mike Terry RIP

It has been a hard year to bear due to the loss of so many of my soul heroes. The death of Mike Terry is another blow to all lovers of Detroit music. If you watch the above video you realise the important contribution made by Mike Terry to the Detroit sound. Please try and search out There's That Beat to see what Mike had to say about his music.

You can also read Rob Moss's article on Mike Terry featured on Soul Source.



Thanks Mike for all the great music!!!!!

Florence Ballard Interviews On Youtube

Check out the above and more on Youtube

This is only a few minutes of 8 hours of interviews of Florence Ballard by author Peter Benjaminson who has written a new book on Flo released in 2008 entitled "The Lost Supreme: The Life of Dreamgirl Florence Ballard" which is heavily based on the interviews he recorded with her in 1975 only a few months before her untimely passing.

Eula Cooper @ Dig Deeper 22/11/08

I've had the following exciting news through:

We're pleased to announce that this month's Dig Deeper on Saturday, November 22, will feature Atlanta, Georgia soul star Eula Cooper in her very first performance in NYC EVER, and first solo performance anywhere in over a decade, this time backed by the Sweet Divines and the Divine Soul Rhythm Band (whom several of you saw smoke behind Harvey Scales last month).

Advance will call tickets are $10 (tickets will be $15 at the door if we have not sold out), and may be purchased here:

http://www.ticketalternative.com/Events/2795.aspx

Hope to see you there...

Cheers,
- honky and pomonkey

I wish I could be there!!! Here's the lady on one of my faves by her:

Eula Cooper Beggars Can't Be Choosey Note

Dynamites Album Kaboom Out January 2009

Dynamites With Charles Walker @ Jazz cafe 13/11/08

It Happened in Hitsville

Check out this article on Motown in Vanity Fair by Lisa Robinson:

After half a century, and several shelves of books about the revolutionary music label, Motown’s story is still obscured by rumors and misconceptions. Founder Berry Gordy Jr. joins a groundbreaking chorus—Smokey Robinson, Martha Reeves, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Suzanne de Passe, and other legends—to give an oral history of the Detroit hitmaking machine, the cultural and racial breakthroughs it inspired, and life at “Hitsville,” as well as a true account of Gordy’s relationship with Diana Ross and the rise of the Supremes.

Read more

Gloria Jones & Billy Butler On The Right Track Soul Show

Harry & Diana with Gloria Jones

If you missed the shows then you can listen again on the website:

Harry & Diana
The Right Track Soul Show
Salford City Radio 94.4 fm
Sunday nights 8.00 pm - 10.00 pm
www.salfordcityradio.org
email: righttrack@salfordcityradio.org
http://www.therighttrack.org.uk
Skype: 0161 408 0757

James Booker: New Orleans Piano Wizard; 25 Years Gone

Here's personal look at James Booker by Sal Nunziato:

The name James Booker means very little in most parts of the world. In New Orleans, and to a great number of musicians, mainly piano players, the name James Booker is holy. Not bad for someone who was once called "the best black, gay, junkie piano player who ever lived."

In New Orleans, it seems as if everyone has a James Booker story. One story is that district attorney Harry Connick Sr. promised to keep Booker out of jail in exchange for a series of piano tutorials for his son Harry Jr. I'm sure it wasn't quite that simple, but it's a great story.
Read more

Blowfly on French TV

An old friend Frederic Adrian recently tipped me to a feature on Blowfly on French TV:

Blowfly On Arte's Tracks

Frederic saysHis "interview" for cultural TV channel Arte's Tracks has become a staple in the story of french TV....!!!!

Ardent Studios Donate Historic Console to Memphis' STAX Museum

Pictured at Memphis' Stax Museum are curator Carol Drake and

Ardent Studios' founder John Fry.

I picked up this feature from Broadcast Newsroom:

John Fry, founder of Memphis renowned Ardent Studios, has donated the historic recording console which was used for many years in his studios, often shaping the sound of countless Stax Records hits during a period when Ardent worked closely with the Stax label and recording studios.

The console was made by Memphis company Auditronics, owned by Welton Jetton and Steve Sage. Auditronics had supplied smaller consoles to both Ardent and Stax in 1966. The donated console was fabricated from amplifiers and equalizers made by Spectrasonics of Odgen, Utah.

The 20-input, 8-output console was installed at Ardent's location on National St. in 1969 and moved to Ardent's present location on Madison Ave. where it served in Studio B until 1985. Auditronics also supplied Stax with an identical console for their A Studio in 1970.

When the modest Capitol Theater was transformed into Stax Records in 1959, it began launching the careers of artists such as Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, the Staple Singers, Luther Ingram, Albert King, the Bar-Kays, Booker T. & the MG's, Johnnie Taylor, Rufus and Carla Thomas, and dozens of others whose influence remains vital in the music of today.

Today, the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, located at the original site of Stax Records, has more than 2,000 exhibits, videos, stage costumes, photographs, instruments used to record the Stax sound, including items such as Phalon Jones' saxophone that was retrieved from a lake intact after the fatal crash of Otis Redding and the Bar-Kays; Otis Redding's favorite brown suede jacket; Albert King's famous purple Flying V guitar; Tina Turner's gold sequined stage dress and Ike Turner silver lame suit and Fender guitar; the organ used by Booker T. Jones to record Green Onions; and Isaac Hayes' restored, peacock-blue 1972 Superfly Cadillac El Dorado complete with television, refrigerator, and gold trim. In the Hall of Records approximately 800 45 rpm single records and 300 LPs are on display.

Visitors can stand on the exact spot where much of the great Stax music was made, in the recreation of Stax's legendary Studio A, now including the legendary console from Ardent Studios which is identical to the one formerly housed at Stax.

Songs recorded on the Ardent console now at the Stax Museum includeHayes' "Hot Buttered Soul," The Staple Singers' "The Staple Swingers,"Best of Sam & Dave, Led Zeppelin III, James Taylor's "Mudslide Slimand the Blue Horizon," Big Star's "#1 Record" and "Radio City," ZZ Tops' "Fandango" and "Tejas," the Bar-Kay's "Too Hot to Stop," and hundreds of other recordings which define the sound and songs of a generation.

Eli Reed & The True Loves on Jools Holland/BBC2

I've had a message through from Eli:

We'll be on Jools Holland this week. Tomorrow night (Tuesday) at 10:00
PM London Time live and then repeated Friday night at 11:00 PM. Check
it out!

You can watch on the Net via BBC IPlayer.

There's That Beat 9

The new edition of the There' That Beat is due out soon. Here's the blurb on Issue 9:

Unfortunately this issue starts by paying tribute to four of the soul world’s most iconic figures who in the space of a couple of months threw off their mortal coils and passed on. All four of them will need no lengthy introduction to readers of this particular magazine as I’ll guarantee their names are of the household variety as far as readers are concerned. It was felt that their contribution to the music was of such significance that their passing should be recorded within our pages and the legacy of their lives can be found here as we remember, Norman Whitfield, Richard “Popcorn” Wylie, Levi Stubbs and Andrew “Mike” Terry. Gone, but certainly never forgotten.

The Unifics are a group that doesn’t get a lot of dancefloor action, but just put a needle to any one of their records and you’ve got quality soul harmony. Jason takes a look at the entire career of the Unifics past and present, as well as an entire feature about the solo projects of their lead singer, Al Johnson. This is the first time their careers have been documented in great detail.

Lou Johnson is an artist at the top of many soul fans’ list of singers they would love to see perform live. We hope that can happen but until it does, Pete Burns delivers the story of this remarkable vocalist from his early days as a youngster in Brooklyn, NY right through his days working with giants Burt Bacharach and Hal David, his first appearances in Britain on the TV show Ready Steady Go and brings us up to date with Lou’s discography.

The European Soul scene has flourished in the past decade or so producing many events that continue to grow in stature. Lots of soul 45s were released in Continental Europe, many of them in beautifully crafted picture sleeves. We thought it time that we showed this segment of the soul record collecting World in all its glory. There are some great pic sleeves featured and some of the releases beg the questions How? Why? For instance how did Leroy Taylor’s wonderful (but commercially disastrous), Oh Linda end up with a fantastic picture sleeve that could be purchased in Spain for a few pasetas? It’s a fascinating slice of the collectors world that TTB will be returning to, in order to expand the series to include many other countries releases to add to the Spanish and French ones contained in this first look at the subject. This piece was intended to include the Motown releases of the era also but, to make room for the tribute to our four departed heroes it was decided to feature the Motown releases in the next issue.

Our Philadelphia resident Hitsviller Mr. Weldon A McDougall III reports on the latest additions to the city’s Walk of Fame inductees that include a number of “our” favourite people, some of whom have featured within these pages already. Weldon has a habit of getting his camera right at the center of any action and we appreciate him taking the time to contribute.

The 4th Hitsville Soul Weekender took place in Spain in September and we record the frivolities as well as report on some of the music and 45s that saw their spotlight on the club’s Technics this year.

Pick up a copy direct from There's That Beat

GNARLS BARKLEY - WHO'S GONNA SAVE MY SOUL LIVE ON ABBEY ROAD

Just been tipped to this by my mate Nick Sands!!

The Revelations featuring Tré Williams

I picked up the message below from Southern Soul:

How's it going everyone?! My name is Bob and I'm new to the group. I'm an A&R/record
producer in NY and huge fan of Southern Soul Music in general.

I was hoping to put you guys up on a band I'm developing called "The Revelations feat. Tre Williams". This is a new band based in Brooklyn NY whose sound is pretty heavily influenced by late-60s to mid-70s. The front man, Tre Williams, is a native of Daytona FL and the second singer is from South Carolina.

We're going for a sound built on the classic soul music but with a modern edge.

Let me know what you think, I'd love to know what you guys think...

Check out the video above then drop over to their MySpace:

"Deep Soul": The Revelations' debut EP will be available on iTunes and other digital download services on November 18th 2008
Welcome to The Revelations featuring Tré Williams (Decision Records/Traffic Entertainment). Here, there are no teenage whines, no auto tune, no samples: nothing but pure, unadulterated soul sung by a red dirt artist with the vocal chops of yesterday’s soul legends and played by a band with passion and talent. The Revelations featuring Tré Williams represents a renewed dawning in soul music, one that marries the concrete jungle grit of the streets with the midnight blues of the rural South. The rawness of Stax and propulsive drive of Motown has been re-imagined for contemporary listeners needing relief from timeless problems. Far from a historical artifact straining to use yesterday’s sound as tomorrow’s gimmick, the songs painstakingly crafted on the Revelations’ debut project, Deep Soul, are born from the pain, frustrations and experience of soul men struggling to give expression to their lives and loves through song. To cull the level of unabashed honesty present on these tunes requires a return to one’s roots to give them the proper weight, meaning and, most importantly, a resonance for the world.
Read more

Soul on the Air #10: WVON, January 29, 1966

Drop over to The Stepfather Of Soul site for clips of Lucky Cordell and Ed Cook on Radio WVON from 1966.

You can find out more about Lucky Cordell and other African-American media personalities over on a very interesting site called History Makers.