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Ease myself back in with a docu...This is one of the better documentarys done to explain the UK Northern Soul Scene. As a Long time collector,and patron of the many clubs i,ve visited on the scene, i must point out a few of the inaccuracies mentioned on this docu...Firstly Wigan Casino,s golden years were from 1973 when it opened till 1977. Take it from someone who was there it went into decline from 1978 till it closed in 1981...The footage of wigan was filmed in the last 3 years of its life.sadly there is no footage inside the club from the golden years..and no interviews with anybody from the golden era which does not give the viewer a true picture of the scene in its heyday...Then you had to fight to get onto the dance floor it was packed..literally,and the lights were NEVER on in any northern venue,this was shown in the footage for the TV companys filming for the "this is England" an earlier documentary that was intergrated into this later documentary,and sadly the main genuine fans are not represented in the interviews just the folk who discovered the venue in its latter years...to be fair their love of the music and scene is evident... It does highlight the highs and lows of the scene and a good insight to the mechanisms of what it was all about. the great music,friendships made between people from all over the UK....Keep on Burning tells the fascinating story of the world's most enduring underground music movement, Northern Soul! ..Featuring interviews with key DJ's, journalists and promoters, including soul radio pioneer Tony Blackburn, this documentary was filmed on location at Manchester's iconic Twisted Wheel and London's 100 Club.as well as Wigan Casino in its latter years. Wigan Casino DJ Russ Winstanley and Soul music journalist Tony Cummings recount the artists, records and stories which have made Northern Soul a way of life for its aficionados, this their opinions and not a totally true and unbiased opinion. With contributions from record label executives' Tim Brown (Goldmine), Ady Croasdell (Kent), Dave McAleer (Pye/RCA) and Neil Rushton (Inferno), Keep on Burning reveals a unique insight into the music phenomenon that came of age in the clubs of Northern England in the mid-seventies. Featuring archive Northern Soul performances and never before seen performances from a lot of great artists...Also Granada's 1977 TV documentary "This is England" with an exclusive interview and commentary by its BAFTA award winning director Tony Palmer, which has been acknowledged as doing the scene more harm than good being portrayed by the makers who didnt have a clue what it was all about and did a great injustice back in the day!...And the pop group who cashed in on remakes of great records to make a quick Buck!...Keep On Burning is the ultimate story of those who decided to Keep The Faith....And some of us still are...Its in the Blood For good!..You make up your own mind about the scene...Enjoy!...HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Back in the day,unknown groups wanting to hit the big time in the Soul world thought that sticking with a winning formula would at least get them a foot in the door ? The Drifters are obvious contenders with their strong NYC influence and the Miracles soundalikes tend to copy Smokey's lead. There are noticeable influences from the Temptations, though I'm sure most of the groups copied their looks and footwork. However the most influential group of them all has to be Curtis Mayfield's Impressions, particularly in their mid 60s heyday. The records may have originated from any part of the US, not just that swingin' Chicago stronghold. If we analyse the music too much we could find a case against all of the selections on Impressed, if only because they aren't the Impressions, but some of them get damned close so why knock it ? Now to the tracks, the Players He'll Be Back(album posted yesterday), a beautiful ballad concerning a lost love in Vietnam, is one of the better known tracks, having been a fair sized R&B hit on its 1966 release. Less well known, but arguably as good, is the Pacesetters What About Me, Baby.....released on the same Minit label two years later. By then the bandwagon had moved on and although the song is of comparable quality it made no impact whatsoever. On the plus side however it has saved a small musical gem for our appreciation years on. The Astors' Just Enough To Hurt Me is a great song, one of those tracks you go back to re-playing. The next track the Enjoyables' 'Bout My Baby was dog rare until it was summoned up from Capitol's tape vaults to see the light of day for the first time since 1964. It's as fine a finger clicker as you could wish to come across on a CD.many long time soul favourites are here,from the Climates, Poets, Saints, Falcons, Dontells, Brilliants and Sonics. If you don't know the tracks by the Presidents, Expressions, Voice Masters, Realistics, or any others then you're in for a treat! Apart from supplying excellent sleevenotes Peter Burns helped guide the whole project with suggestions for and against inclusion to have the co-operation of one of the world's foremost Impressions experts was invaluable to kent. The project is a worthy tribute to the Impressions IMHO.
In life some artists only ever record 1 Gem of an album in their careers & sink without trace. So is the case of The Players. To say this album is good does it no justice whatsoever,IMHO its BRILLIANT!...beyond words! the Players weren’t really a group at all. They were strictly a
studio concoction of singers from other groups … well, mostly from one
other group.The lead singer was Herbert Butler, and he was joined by four members
of the Dells, Chuck Barksdale, Johnny Carter, Vern Allison, and Mickey
McGill. They got together in a studio in Chicago in 1966 and cut a
record called “He’ll Be Back,” which was released by Minit Records. The
sweet, sad ballad was a hit on the R&B chart but didn’t manage a
crossover to the Pop chart. Still, it was a big enough record to send
the Players out on the road to tour, and since there were no real
Players, and the Dells were busy with their own career, Otha Lee Givins
and Tony Lee Johnson joined Butler to perform the song live. The brain trust at Minit knew that it was important to follow up the
success of the single with an album, so they rushed one out with the two
new members accompanying Butler on most of the album tracks. The Vietnam war was raging on and is not forgotten by the artists.The story
that began with “He’ll Be Back” had a happy ending that was depicted in
the second Players single, “I’m Glad You Waited,” in 1966. The only Dell
that sang on that one was the bass vocalist Chuck Barksdale, and Joe
Brackenridge was added to the touring unit. The Players released Two more singles for Minit in 1967, but neither
“That’s the Way,” or “Get Right” found any chart success and the short,
sweet career of the Players was over, leaving only two modest hit
records, and the beautiful first tenor voice of Herbert Butler as a
memory...But also this fantastic slab of soul!...thanks to Yves for the nudge!
Led by drummer/arranger Chris Hills, the Players Association was an obscure late-'70s, early-'80s outfit that specialized in a jazz influenced style of Soul/Disco/Funk. The New York band never catered to jazz's hardcore, its main focus was disco funk with jazz overtones, although the Association occasionally detoured into instrumental jazz pop and quiet storm, they did top notch covers of some Soul hits. The Association never became well known, and different players guested on every album. Major jazz musicians appeared on Their albums, here are a few of the cream of the East/West coast that appeared on the 5 albums - Bob Berg, Bob Mover, Chris Hills, Danny Weiss, David Earle Johnson, David Sanborn, Herb Bushler, James Mtume, Joe Farrell, Jon Faddis, Karl Ratzer, Michael Brecker, Mike Mandel, Pat Rebillot, Ray Mantilla, Steve Khan, Tom Harrell, & Wilbur Bascomb. Their recordings received very little radio airplay however, they did enjoy an underground following among Danceclubs especially in the UK & EU. The Players Association signed with Vanguard in 1977, and the band recorded five albums before calling it quits in 1981.This was their debut album.
The Players were a jazz fusion band led by famed pianist/composer Hiromasa Suzuki, a predecessor to his Colgen Band. The band was often described as the Japanese Weather Report and boy were they spot on as the band is immensely funky. Post Galaxy they would go on to record five more studio albums, plus a live album ending their run in 1985. The band would count bassist Akira Okazawa, saxophonist Mabumi Yamaguchi, guitarist Tsunehide Matsuki and drummer Yuichi Togashiki as its core members. All of whom would collate extensive discographies of their own in a staggering number of classics beyond just jazz music.Hiromasa “Colgen” Suzuki certainly needs little to no introduction to fans of j-jazz fusion being one of the most well known Japanese jazzmen you will encounter as you first dive into Japanese jazz history.On Galaxy, the band combines tight jazz funk grooves on superbly arranged compositions by Suzuki to create an epic fusion odyssey. Overlaid with fantastic Moog synth action, in the pocket drum/percussion work with lush strings and triumphant horns. The elements of tight fusion are also tastefully interlaced through the genetics of this album. Especially apparent on “Kaleidoscope”’s killer guitar riffs and solo by Matsuki.
Funk Queen Betty Davis changed the landscape for female artists in
America. She 'was the first', as former husband Miles Davis said.
'Madonna before Madonna, Prince before Prince'. An aspiring songwriter from a small steel
town, Betty arrived on the 70s scene to break boundaries for women with
her daring personality, iconic fashion and outrageous funk music. She
befriended Jimi Hendrix and Sly Stone, wrote songs for the Chambers
Brothers and the Commodores, and married Miles – startlingly turning him
from jazz to funk on the album she named 'Bitches Brew'. She then,
despite being banned and boycotted, went on to become the first black
woman to perform, write and manage herself. Betty was a feminist pioneer, inspiring
and intimidating in a manner like no woman before. Then suddenly - she
just vanished. Betty Mabry Davis is a global icon whose mysterious life
story has until now, never been told. Creatively blending documentary
and animation, this movie traces the path of Betty’s life, how she grew
from humble upbringings to become a fully self-realized black female
pioneer the world failed to understand or appreciate, revealing the
mystery of her 35-year disappearance and her battle with mental illness
and poverty. After years of trying, the elusive Betty finally allowed
the film-makers to creatively tell her story based on their
conversations.....Link Good For 7 Days Only
This was the album that put Charlie on the map here in the UK via the dance floor. Many guys i know got into him through this album and started to dig for his other recordings back to his Be-Bop days.
The Taster!
Tracks & Line Up Below (FLAC)
Lead Vocals, Keyboards, Percussion – Charles Earland Backing Vocals – Skyy Bass, Backing Vocals – Gregory Spotswood Congas – Alfredo Rios, Jr. Drums, Backing Vocals – Daryle Moss Guitar, Backing Vocals – Clifford Richmond Lead Guitar – Anibal "Butch" Sierra Percussion – Lenny A. Gibbs Rhythm Guitar – Solomon Roberts Jr. Strings – Irving Spice's Strings Written-By – Charles Earland,Randy Muller Producer – Charles Earland, Randy Muller
Over the course of the last five years,
the Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio have established themselves as the world's
premier funky organ trio. The organ trio, along with founder and manager
Amy Novo, continues to devise the perfect blend of raw, passionate
music and engaging industry practices. Through a firm partnership with
label Colemine Records, the trio has garnered Billboard charting albums,
sold out shows, tens of thousands of albums sold, and millions of
streams. Lofty accomplishments for an instrumental organ trio, that finds them
tighter than ever, and continuing to push funky instrumental music to a
new generation of fans. I posted their 2021 "i told you so" album on the old blog.This is their latest effort apart from the live album released at the same period that i may post up at some stage,we,ll see. Delvon Lamarr plays like John Patton, and Lamarr and his crew go into Beast Mode every time out. and this is a burner, just like the other two released. Cold as Weiss (Colemine Records) doesn’t dick around with the soul-funk-jazz formula of maximal instrumental party music straight out of the Mad Men era, it’s just adding more of that same sweetness. With the drummer being called out right in the album title, I’m naturally going to put an extra ear on what Dan Weiss is laying down here. In particular, there are some really good groovin’ on “Get Da Steppin’,” “Slip ‘N’ Slide” and “Keep On Keepin’ On” but there’s so much more to like about Cold as Weiss. DLO3 can draw in people who might usually stay away from instrumental music with hooks and hummable lead lines that makes the need for a singer entirely dispensable. On “Pull Your Pants Up,” Delvon Lamarr’s organ lines mimic the cadence of sassy singing and “I Wanna Be Where You Are” has a Burt Bacharach type of melody that Dionne Warwick could have sung. Not only can this trio groove and make good melodies, these guys can flat out play. On “Don’t Worry ‘Bout What I Do” Jimmy James ripped open some nasty licks in his solo. “Big TT’s Blues” is a straight up blues and Lamarr and guitarist Jimmy James display way more than a passing knowledge of the great music form. “Uncertainty” has that gospel-tinged early-’70s Southern soul vibe with James providing the lyrical lines this time. “Slip ‘N’ Slide” is a happy hallelujah tune with a bit of that Big Easy RnB flavor. James’ chicken scratching on “This Is Who I Is” is next level and then he launches into psychedelic-era wailing that’s about as good as acid jazz guitar gets....like my great friend Yves,i cant get enough of these guys,such a great retro groove! I have all their albums,but like everything on here its getting the time to post up the music i have as their,s 1000,s in the Queue!...Its a case of so much music and so little time!
Fred Biggs is mainly known to collectors for a deep soul classic "Sound Off" now fetching big bucks. He recorded another 45 on congress. This was his only album recorded under the alias of Coldwater Stone for his own personal reasons. Its a prime slice of 1970’s soul from this talented Singer,Writer,producer. He,s, produced and written for the Dells, Margie Joseph, the Goodies and Johnny Taylor among others,so he was well respected in the business.On release of this album he was married to Kim Tolliver,("i dont know what foot to dance on" Northern fans know this gem) Originally released in 1973, the album was recorded at sessions in Cleveland's Agency Sound Studio, Muscle Shoals,Alabama, and Miami's Criteria Studios. The evidence of some of the locations is reflected in his songs.Apart from that very little is known about this lost talent & info is sparse to say the least. The cover could.nt have done sales any good as its weird to say the least...The man stays away from dance tunes and sticks to real soul,a brave move but perhaps too costly to him!
Charles Earland was born in Philadelphia in 1941 and learned to play the saxophone in high school. He played tenor with Jimmy McGriff at the age of 17 and in 1960 formed his first group. He started playing the organ after playing with Pat Martino, and joined Lou Donaldson's band from 1968 to 1969. The group that he led from 1970, including Grover Washington, Jr., was successful, and he eventually started playing soprano saxophone and synthesizer. His hard, simmering grooves earned him the nickname "The Mighty Burner". In 1978, Earland hit th & Northern e UK Jazz/Funk club scenes with a track recorded on Mercury Records called "Let The Music Play" ("Perceptions) Album Posting Tomorrow), written by Randy Muller from the funk group Brass Construction. The record was in the U.S. charts for five weeks and reached number 46 in the UK Singles Chart. With Earland's playing on synthesizer, the track also has an uncredited female vocalist. He had several moderate Billboard R&B chart hits in the mid-1970s and early 1980s on Mercury and later Columbia Records. Charles recorded 40 Plus albums in his career ranging from Be-Bop to Jazz Funk/Fusion on Prestige,Rare Bird,Mercury,Muse,Columbia,Milestone to name just a few. Earland traveled extensively from 1988 until his death in 1999, performing throughout the U.S. and abroad. One of the highlights of his latter years was playing at the Berlin Jazz Festival in 1994. Among the musicians that performed with him at the Berlin Jazz Festival was the Alabama-born Chicago resident, Zimbabu Hamilton on the drums.Earland died in Kansas City, Missouri,1999.Bur,t what a legacy he left behind and he could play those keys!..A Jazz/Funk Icon!
AMM
The Taster!
Tracks & Line Up Below This Cover (FLAC)
Better Text below This Sleeve
Tracks & Line Up
01 - Cornbread
Alto Saxophone – George Young Arranged By [Rhythm And Horns Arranged By] – Darryl Thompson Bass [Fender Bass] – Marcus Miller Drums – Buddy Williams Guitar – Rodney Jones Lead Guitar – Darryl Thompson Organ – Charles Earland Percussion – Rubens Bassini Piano – Derek Smith Tenor Saxophone – Michael Brecker Trumpet – Randy Brecker Written-By – D.A. Thompson
02 - Take Me To Heaven
Acoustic Guitar – Jay Berliner Arranged By – Wade Marcus Bass [Fender Bass] – Marcus Miller Drums – Buddy Williams Electric Guitar – Jeff Mironov Flute, Alto Saxophone – Eddie Daniels French Horn – Brooks Tillotson, James Buffington, Tony Miranda Organ – Charles Earland Percussion – Rubens Bassini Piano – Patrick Rebillot Trombone – Allan Raph, David Bargeron, Bob Alexander, Urbie Green Vocals – Alex Brown Written-By – A. Brown, M. Higgins Written-By [Uncredited] – Kevin Moore
03 - Good Question
Arranged By [Horns Arranged By] – Marcus Miller, Weldon Irvine Arranged By [Rhythm Arranged By] – Weldon Irvine Backing Vocals [Background Vocals] – Debbie McDuffie, Hilda Harris, Yolanda McCullough Bass [Fender Bass], Clavinet – Marcus Miller Drums – Yogi Horton Flute, Tenor Saxophone – Eddie Daniels Guitar – Doc Powell Organ – Charles Earland Percussion – Rubens Bassini Piano – Weldon Irvine Synthesizer [Moog Synthesizer] – Donald Triggs Synthesizer [Oberheim Synthesizer] – Bernard Wright Trombone – Urbie Green Trumpet – Victor Paz, Wynton Marsalis Written-By – W. Irvine
04 - I Will Never Tell
Alto Saxophone – Frank Wess Arranged By [Rhythm And Horns Arranged By] – Tom Washington Arranged By [Vocals Arranged By] – Sheryl Kendrick Backing Vocals [Background Vocals] – Debbie McDuffie, Hilda Harris, Yolanda McCullough, Yvonne Lewis Bass – Marcus Miller Drums – Buddy Williams Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Organ [Hammond Organ], Synthesizer [Arp String Ensemble] – Charles Earland Guitar – Doc Powell, Melvin 'Sparks' HassanLead Vocals – Sheryl Kendrick Percussion – Rubens Bassini Tenor Saxophone – Harold Vick Trombone – Urbie Green Trumpet – Victor Paz Written-By – C. Earland, S. Kendrick
05 - Zee Funkin' Space
Alto Saxophone – Frank Wess Arranged By [Rhythm And Horns Arranged By] – Tom Washington Arranged By [Vocals Arranged By] – Sheryl Kendrick Backing Vocals [Background Vocals] – Debbie McDuffie, Hilda Harris, Yolanda McCullough, Yvonne Lewis Bass – Marcus Miller Drums – Buddy Williams Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Organ [Hammond Organ], Synthesizer [Arp String Ensemble] – Charles Earland Guitar – Doc Powell, Melvin 'Sparks' Hassan Percussion – Rubens Bassini Tenor Saxophone [Lead Tenor Saxophone] – Harold Vick Trombone – Urbie Green Trumpet – Victor Paz Written-By – C. Earland, S. Kendrick, T. Washington 06 - It's The Woman In You
Alto Saxophone – George Young Arranged By [Rhythm And Horns Arranged By] – Darryl Thompson Arranged By [Strings Arranged By] – Wade Marcus Arranged By [Vocals Arranged By] – Sheryl Kendrick, Weldon Irvine Backing Vocals [Background Vocals] – Debbie McDuffie, Yolanda McCullough, Yvonne Lewis Bass [Fender Bass] – Marcus Miller Drums – Buddy Williams Guitar – Darryl Thompson, Rodney Jones Lead Vocals – Phil Ballau Organ – Charles Earland Percussion – Rubens Bassini Piano – James Batton Tenor Saxophone – Michael Brecker Trumpet – Randy Brecker Written-By – D. Thompson, J. Batton
07 - Coming To You Live
Alto Saxophone – Frank Wess Arranged By [Rhythm And Horns Arranged By] – Tom Washington Arranged By [Vocals Arranged By] – Sheryl Kendrick Backing Vocals [Background Vocals] – Debbie McDuffie, Hilda Harris, Yolanda McCullough, Yvonne Lewis Bass – Marcus Miller Drums – Buddy Williams Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Organ [Hammond Organ], Synthesizer [Arp String Ensemble] – Charles Earland Guitar – Doc Powell, Melvin 'Sparks' Hassan Percussion – Rubens Bassini Tenor Saxophone – Harold Vick Trombone – Urbie Green Trumpet – Victor Paz Written-By – C. Earland, S. Kendrick
08 - Spend The Night With Me
Arranged By [Horns Arranged By] – Marcus Miller Arranged By [Rhythm Arranged By] – Weldon Irvine Backing Vocals [Background Vocals] – Debbie McDuffie, Hilda Harris, Yolanda McCullough Bass [Fender Bass], Clavinet – Marcus Miller Drums – Yogi Horton Flute, Tenor Saxophone – Eddie Daniels Guitar – Doc Powell Organ – Charles Earland Percussion – Rubens Bassini Piano – Weldon Irvine Synthesizer [Moog Synthesizer] – Donald Triggs Synthesizer [Oberheim Synthesizer] – Bernard Wright Trombone – Urbie Green Trumpet – Victor Paz, Wynton Marsalis Written-By – D. Blockmon, M. Miller, W. Irvine
Ace’s well established Songwriter Series doesn’t wander into the realms of soul as often as some might wish, but to remedy that they intend to in the future,so i,m told, with more salutes to great black American writers of the past 40 years, particularly those whose work excites collectors simply on the strength of their name under a title. This is an unquestionably strong collection of classics written or co-written by soul hero “Prince” Phillip Mitchell. Brilliant performer & Writer!...The songs here mostly chose themselves, through their popularity with record buyers or the acclaim afforded them by collectors and dancers on the Northern and Modern/Crossover scenes. ‘I Don’t Do This’, ‘Come Through Me’, Corey Blake, & the title track. As with other CDs in the series, one shouldn’t always expect the obvious version of any song. Instead of hearing Phillip himself sing ‘Free For All’, for example, you will hear Mel & Tim. And instead of hearing Mel & Tim sing ‘Starting All Over Again’, you will hear Johnnie Taylor. John Edwards’ sensational ‘Cold Hearted Woman’ is here so that we can hear Phillip singing ‘Little Things’. Katie Love’s original of ‘It Hurts So Good’ takes precedence over Millie Jackson’s version because, well, it’s the original. And we can then feature Millie’s underrated ‘Leftovers’. Nothing wrong with any of this, there are no losers in this game. I shouldn’t need explain any part of this CD. Check out that track listing, it speaks for itself. It’s very rare that you will hear so many great songs, one after another, sung by so many great voices. The only real problem you might have with this collection is deciding which track you like best. All Superb slabs of SOUL!
Back in 1970 Mercury decided to bring together 2 of their hottest soul performers in the hope of hitting it big time. This is one of the best duet albums in soul to come out of Chicago where it was cut.
This is the abridged version of the 5xCD set that was released in 1994. The temptations need no introduction from me,but here,s a very brief history about the group..The Temptations were noted for their smooth harmonies and intricate choreography. Recording primarily for Motown Records, they were among the most popular performers of soul music in the 1960s and ’70s. The principal members of the group were Otis Williams (original name Otis Miles; b. October 30, 1941, Texarkana, Texas, U.S.), Paul Williams (b. July 2, 1939, Birmingham, Alabama—d. August 17, 1973, Detroit, Michigan), Melvin Franklin (byname of David Melvin English; b. October 12, 1942, Montgomery, Alabama—d. February 23, 1995, Los Angeles, California), Eddie Kendricks (byname of Edward James Kendrick; b. December 17, 1939, Union Springs, Alabama—d. October 5, 1992, Birmingham), David Ruffin (byname of Davis Eli Ruffin; b. January 18, 1941, Meridian, Mississippi—d. June 1, 1991, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), and Dennis Edwards (b. February 3, 1943, Fairfield, Alabama—d. February 1, 2018, Chicago, Illinois). Originally called the Elgins, the Temptations were formed in 1961 from the coupling of two vocal groups based in Detroit...The Primes, originally from Alabama, and the Distants. That same year they signed with Motown. After a slow start with the addition of Ruffin and largely under the direction of songwriter-producers Smokey Robinson and Norman Whitfield the Temptations turned out a string of romantic hits, beginning with “The Way You Do the Things You Do” (1964) and including “My Girl”(1964), “Get Ready” (1966), “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” (1966), and “I Wish It Would Rain” (1967). Bass Franklin, baritone Otis Williams, and occasional lead Paul Williams provided complex harmonies, and the two regular lead singers, Ruffin and Kendricks, strikingly complemented each other. Ruffin had a remarkable sandpaper baritone and Kendricks a soaring tenor. Paragons of sleek fashion and practitioners of athletic choreography (provided by Paul Williams and Motown’s house choreographer, Cholly Atkins), the “Temps” epitomized sophisticated cool. In the late 1960s they shifted to a more funk-oriented sound and to more socially conscious material when Whitfield became the group’s producer and principal songwriter (along with partner Barrett Strong). Influenced by psychedelic rock and with Edwards replacing Ruffin (who had been fired and embarked on a solo career), the Temptations produced hits such as “Cloud Nine” (1968), “Runaway Child, Running Wild” (1969), “Psychedelic Shack” (1970), “Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World Is Today)” (1970), and the Grammy Award-winning “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” (1972). In 1968–69 they were paired with Diana Ross and the Supremes for two television specials and recordings that included “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me” (1968) and “I’ll Try Something New” (1969). In 1971 Kendricks left to pursue a solo career, notable for “Keep On Truckin’ ” (1973) a world wide hit. Beginning in the mid-1970s, the Temptations changed personnel frequently Otis Williams was the only constant and produced occasional hits. They continued performing and recording into the 21st century but never regained the form that had earned them induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. The group was honoured with a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy in 2013...What can you add but LEGENDS! with nearly 60 albums and nearly 300 singles Phew!..The album says it all ,some nice rare licks for you to enjoy!
Not seen this around for a long,long time. My friend Gmortars a massive fan as am i of the man who is a Northern Soul legend!..here,s a brief history on the man..Gene Chandler was born Eugene Drake Dixon on July 6, 1937, in Chicago, Illinois. He had one brother, Richard Dixon, a member of the Dukays, R&B group. Before graduating from Englewood High School in Chicago in 1955, Chandler formed the doo-wop vocal group, the Gaytones. In 1957, however, he joined his brother 5 uncle and became the lead singer of the Dukays. Months later he was drafted into the United States Army and stationed in Germany until his honorable discharge in 1960. Upon being released from the Army, Chandler immediately returned to the Dukays, and in 1961, Nat Records, which had signed the group, released “Nite Owl.” Also, in 1961 Chandler along with Bernice Williams, and Earl Edwards wrote “Duke of Earl.” For reasons unknown, they were unable to record the song and Vee-Jay Records, after hearing it, offered a contract only to Chandler. He recorded it and Vee-Jay released it in 1962. The song raced to the top of the Billboard charts and sold a million copies in two months. With his new-found fame Chandler was featured in the 1963 film, "Don’t Knock the Twist", singing “Duke of Earl.” Despite his success as a solo artist, Chandler remained with the Dukays and they again in 1963 released “Nite Owl.” It peaked at #73 on Billboard Hot 100 chart that same year. Chandler left Vee-Jay, and in 1964, he had a Top 20 pop hit which Curtis Mayfield produced called “Just Be True,” and a Top 20 pop hit in 1965, “Nothing Can Stop Me.” In 1969 both on constellation, Chandler bought Bamboo Records and Mr. Chand Records. He then released the soul hit, “Backfield in Motion,” which became a million-selling hit for Mel & Tim, reaching #10 on the pop chart.In 1970, Chandler’s “Duke of Earl” received a gold disc awarded by the Recording Industry Association of America (R.I.A.A) and was awarded The National Association of Television and Radio Announcers “Producer of the Year.”.he recorded a few albums & 45,s for Brunswick (also with barbara Acklin),& Checker prior to teaming up with Jerry Butler for the album Gene and Jerry - "One on One" on the Mercury label. In 1973, Chandler guest-starred with Curtis Mayfield and Butler on the album Curtis in Chicago.During the height of the Disco era in 1979, Chandler was named executive vice president at Chi-SoundRecords and released a series of songs on the label that became hits in the United Kingdom, including “Get Down” that peaked at # 53 in the United States,as well as more releasing 4 albums on the label.Chandler released, "Your Love Looks Good to Me", a full-length album on the Fast-fire label in 1985,as well as a couple of albums on Black Tiger.In 1997 Chandler was inducted as a Pioneer Award honoree into the Rhythm and Blues Foundation Hall of Fame. In 2002, Chandler’s “Duke Of Earl” was inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame. At the age of 68 in 2005, Chandler teamed with Jerry Butler, Ben E. King and Lloyd Price as the 4 Kings of Rhythm & Blues and toured throughout the United States. In 2016, Gene Chandler was inducted into the R&B Music Hall of Fame. A Chicago street was named in his honor because of his musical and philanthropic contributions. Chandler continues to be an influential music icon at 84. To me one of the Greatest! 16 albums and countless comps but nothing from Kent which is unusual?... Northern soul God with so many 45,s /album tracks played on the scene..without a doubt a true....LEGEND!
GQ came from the Bronx area of new York and were first formed in 1968 as a quartet called Sabu & the Survivors, with "Sabu" being a moniker of member Keith Crier. The group then evolved in the 1970s as The Rhythm Makers, playing primarily Jazz Funk music. The Rhythm Makers were composed of Emanuel Rahiem LeBlanc (Writer,lead vocals and rhythm guitar & The brains behind the band)), Keith "Sabu" Crier (bass and vocals), Herb Lane (keyboards and vocals) and Kenny Banks (drums and vocals). The group released one album, "Soul on Your Side" in 1976 on the De-Lite Records subsidiary Vigor Records, from which the group had one major international dancefloor hit, "Zone". At the time that Kenny Banks was replaced by Paul Service in 1978, the group's manager suggested that the group name be changed to "GQ", which stood for "good quality". The group signed with Arista Records.GQ became quite successful playing music representative of the period's Soul/Funk/Disco influenced sound. They had several highly ranked singles in multiple markets (US Pop, US R&B. Their biggest hit was 1979's "Disco Nights (Rock-Freak)", a single from their debut album Disco Nights, which reached #1 (for two weeks) on the R&B singles chart, #3 on the Hot Dance Club Play and #12 on the Billboard Hot 100. It sold over one million copies in the US alone. The track also peaked at #42 in the UK Singles Chart. It was a reworked version of the Rhythm Makers title-track to Soul on Your Side. The follow-up Billy Stewart remake, "I Do Love You", was also successful, reaching #20 on the Billboard Hot 100. Drummer Paul Service fractured his wrist in a car accident in 1980. On the cover of the third and final album by the group, Face to Face, Service is noticeably absent. The band ultimately replaced him with drummer Steve "Beatz" Adorno, who performed with GQ from 1980 to 2010. They scored heavily on the northern soul scene with some great tracks!..Having both the LP & CD its a no brainer to post up the CD for those Xtra Tracks. A brilliant band that delivered the goods!
