Various Artists - Lamp Records - It Glowed Like The Sun The Story Of Naptown's Motown 1969-1972 (Now-Again, 2019) - Rare Soul/Funk/Gospel

For those of you who dont know anything about the Midwest, “Naptown” is a nickname created by local jazz musicians back in the day to describe the sometimes sleepy city of Indianapolis. Bringing some old Naptown soul and funk to light, the anthology LAMP Records: It Glowed Like the Sun: The Story of Naptown’s Motown offers an overview of the city’s fabled record label, little known outside of hardcore soul collectors. Now, current and former Indianapolis natives can reminisce while the rest of the world can finally hear the soulful sounds that sprung from Naptown during the years 1969-1972. In the 1930’s and early ’40s, Naptown was known as the capitol of jazz in the Midwest. During this period, Indiana Avenue was the Broadway of Black Indianapolis. Stretching from New York Street northwest to the old City Hospital near the White River, Indiana Avenue was the center of black business and cultural life. Some of the era’s greatest jazz musicians and singers came to perform at the many clubs lining the Avenue, including Wes Montgomery, Freddie Hubbard and Earl Walker.
By the 1960s it was assumed by many around the nation that the Indianapolis music scene had died along with its clubs during the first stages of gentrification around the Indiana Avenue district. But Naptown had a successful black middle class that was thriving despite the institutionalized racism faced by many on their jobs, and they were still involved in the local music scene. During the rise of soul and emergence of funk in the ‘60s and early ‘70s, Naptown’s black community invested in clubs and record stores as patrons. Many also decided to record their own talents with the visionary founder of LAMP records, Herb Miller.  Herb Miller signed local acts such as the Vanguards, the label’s only charting group whose songs “Somebody Please” and “The Thought of Losing Your Love” hit the Billboard R&B Hot 100. While a few of LAMP’s artist gained some small measure of success, the label primarily catered to people who worked 9-to-5 jobs five days a week in middle class, Black America. Their focus was not on gaining fame as national recording artists; they were everyday people from the neighborhood who just wanted to cut a record.Among those signed to LAMP was Pam Tanner and the Pearls. There were not many female acts on the label, but the Pearls were a strong creative group that made their mark in 1970 with the single “Can I Call You Baby” and “Shooting High.” Although this record did not get national airplay, it which quickly became a regional favorite on the WTLC radio station. Perhaps best known due to recent reissues, the Ebony Rhythm Band served as LAMP Records’ house band and were they featured on the Vanguards and the Pearls releases. The group recorded many different songs for LAMP, including their own tunes such as “Soul Heart Transplant.”  The Ebony Rhythm Band left LAMP to tour the country and moved their home base to California, eventually changing their name to Ebony Rhythm Funk Campaign and taking singer Pam Tanner along for the ride. They were later signed by both Uni Records and Chi-Sound, but to Indianapolis natives, they will forever be known as a hometown success story. Herb Miller served a critical role in the city’s burgeoning soul and funk scene, providing not only financial backing, but acting as a one-stop, record-making shop for artists that had, to that point, been doing it all themselves. He’s the Berry Gordy you’ve never heard of.” Lamp Records was a special place for Indianapolis locals and acted as the bridge for Naptown musicians who followed in the ‘80s and ‘90s such as Manchild, a band that would birth the stardom of music legend Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds. Highly recommended!

AMM

 

                                                                        The Taster!

 

Tracks

CD 1
01. Words of Wisdom - Truth Revue - You Made Me Everything
02. P.H.D.'s - It Swells My Desire
03. Tony Black & Revolution Compared to What - Huh
04. Montiques - Fool Am I
05. Pearls - Can I Call You Baby
06. Embers - I'm Only Human
07. Moonlighters -  Just Like She Said She Would
08. Words of Wisdom - Truth Revue - Do You Understand Me Now
09. Pearls - Shooting High
10. Montiques - Take Another Look
11. Moonlighters - More Than I Can Stand
12. P.H.D.'s - The Way It Used to Be
13. Indy's - Another Weekend
14. Indys - Come See About Her
15. Funder Cooper - I've Got to Get Around
16. Funder Cooper - I Didn't Know (Don't Shoot Me)
17. Embers - I'm Only Human (Instrumental)
CD 2
01. Ebony Rhythm Band - Intro
02. Fabulous Souls - Take Me
03. Moonlighters - Right On Brother
04. Moonlighters - Lonely Baby
05. Ebony Rhythm Band - Interlude
06. Ebony Rhythm Band - Drugs Ain't Cool
07. Squidd - Mystic Confusion
08. Squidd - High on the Hill
09. Ebony Rhythm Band - Soul Heart Transplant
10. Amnesty - Everybody Who Wants to Be Free
11. Diplomatics - Hum-Bug
12. Revolution Compared to What - Go to Work
13. Ebony Rhythm Band - Outro
CD 3
01. Vanguards - Somebody Please
02. Vanguards - Woman Come Home
03. Vanguards - It's Too Late for Love
04. Vanguards - Girl Go Away (It's Wrong to Love Two)
05. Vanguards - The Ground that You're Walking On (Is Mighty Shakey)
06. Vanguards - Before You Take Another Step Girl
07. Vanguards - Man Without Knowledge
08. Vanguards - The Thought of Losing Your Love
09. Vanguards - I Can't Use You Girl
10. Vanguards - Falling Out Of Love
11. Vanguards - Gott'a Have Love
12. Vanguards - Good Times Bad Times (Stereo)
13. Vanguards - You're Breaking My Heart
13. Vanguards - Good Times Bad Times (Mono)
15. Vanguards - All the Women I've Wanted
16. Vanguards - Blue Star Rising
CD 4
01. Mighty Indiana Travelers - Anywhere in Glory
02. Mighty Indiana Travelers - Then They Will Know
03. Mighty Indiana Travelers - I'll Be Satisfied
04. Mighty Indiana Travelers - See the Lord
05. Mighty Indiana Travelers - Rock Me Jesus
06. Mighty Indiana Travelers - Did You Stop To Pray
07. Mighty Indiana Travelers - Jesus Is with Me
08. Mighty Indiana Travelers - Let's Go Home
09. Mighty Indiana Travelers - Since My Soul's Been Saved
10. Mighty Indiana Travelers - I Found a New Home