Sounds of the City Experience - Sounds of the City Experience - LP (1976) Tiger Lily - CD (2013) Jazzman - Rare Soul/Funk (FLAC)

SOTCE hail from The Bronx, New York City. They recorded just one fantastic album as part of infamous tax-dodging label Tiger Lily Records, ran by Morris Levy founder of Roulette records. The label was never intended to make a profit. Tiger Lily's modus operandi was to acquire demo tapes from artists and then release them without the artists consent and sometimes without even the artist's knowledge. This album is a holy grail for collectors around the world not just beacause of its scarceness but the quality of the entire album is exquisite soul and way ahead of its time. Their name captured exactly what it says on the tin, the sound of  the Bronx in 1970s, everyday hustle and bustle, sweetness and struggle. The album encapsulates everything about the sound of late 1960s US soul, early 1970s modern soul, funk, and instead of the handfuls of copies most releases on the Tiger Lily label originally received, would likely have been a success had it been afforded an actual proper release with a record major. Although most of the vocal duties are undertaken by women, the cover is misleading as they were not a girl vocal group at all, but rather a well drilled, mostly all male band that had been together for a few years before Levy came along. They previously had recording under the artist name Flypaper, with at least three of the tracks previously released on 45,s under that name on their own label Sounds Of The City, being included on this album. When they cut the deal, they had enough music recorded to fill an album, and according to band leader Mario E. Sprouse, they knew exactly what they were signing-up to, intending to use the album as a 'calling card' to get gigs and hopefully attract further interest from genuine labels. Alas, that wasn't to be. The album itself opens with its Blaxploitation soundtrack opus "Getting Down", possibly a classic of its time, full of choppy rhythm guitars, screeching horns, and drums to match. The rest of the album does feature further ear-catching vocals and arrangements, matched with decent musicianship throughout, making for faultless, really tight, grooves. Northern jock Colin Curtis brought this to my attention at one of the legendary gigs at the Blackpool mecca Highland Room where so many classics were laid bare for all to enjoy. Some fabulous uptempo tracks are featured with some uncompromising funk that makes this album a "must have" for all lovers of top class soul. Given the history of the group and the label's 'usage' for the record, the self produced/financed recording session, as others of it's type, often gets a messy production, but overall the sound is very good, and thanks to Gerald Short of Jazzman Records, even received a clean digitally restoration from the original master tapes here for you all to enjoy. A true soul classic that has everything,Northern,Funk,Blaxploitation+ 3 unreleased tracks not on the LP...no info at all about the female quintet or band members?

AMM

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