December 17, 2015
John Holt 1947 - 2014
This just sounds especially good this morning.
John Holt's beautiful, " Lovers rock " reggae cover of the Isley Brother's soul classic.
I decided to mix and post two different 45 sides of the same tune here by him. Both from 1975.
The vocal side (Impact! label) leads into a "dub/instrumental" version side (Clintones label).
October 23, 2015
A 2011 UK press - Outta Sight/CAT label
First press original Cat label from 1971This fantastic group soul 45 has been a mystery to me (and many others I'm sure) for many years.
Originally released in 1971, it was consequently pressed three more times, with different flip sides in the early 70s.
Northern soul, crossover soul, group sweet soul...
It now stands out as an obscure, overlooked, lost soul beauty, pressed on Henry Stone's Cat label out of Miami, Florida.
Producer, promoter, talent scout, label owner, distributor, and music mogul Henry Stone (1921-2014) is not only a legend in the development of the "Miami sound" and Florida soul, but soul music period.
Starting in 1948, he founded many R&B/Soul labels including; Chart, Dade, Alston, Cat, Glades, T. K., Drive, Dash, Marlin to name a few.
Who was/is 'Purple Mundi' ?
Still don't know. It has been documented that the 1973 third press flip, 'Man From The Sky' was in fact by soul singer Betty Wright and her many talented siblings, including her brother Charles Wright aka "Carlos Wright"...
(Note: not the same 'Express Yourself' 103rd Street Rhythm Band...Charles)
From what I could find, Jeannette, Phillip, Milton, Charles, and Betty Wright all or partially sang backup on 'Stop Hurting Me Baby'.
But my biggest question has still not been answered...
Who was the lead vocal/singer on 'Stop Hurting me Baby'?
Is this Milton Wright? Don't think so...I've listened carefully to Milton Wright's recordings and it doesn't sound like him...
Lead vocal could also be James Knight. From 1970 to 1978, James Knight & the Butlers recorded four 45 rpm singles, also on the Cat label. Does sound a lot like him. Just don't know for sure.
This recording is superb in its' production and arrangement. To my ears, really a perfect performance by a soul singer few soul sides achieve.
Perhaps others agree. In October 2015 a first press 1971 Cat label 45 sold for $1293.
This record has really been impossible to find. But the 'Outta Sight' record label in the U.K. has reissued the original recording with the 1973 flip.
July 3, 2015
Jazz Swing Orchestra/vocal ~ 1938
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" The California Songbird " ... Ivie Anderson !
A swinging LP track taken from the 1973 Columbia double LP, ' Duke Ellington Presents Ivie Anderson '
All the songs pressed on this double LP are the original recordings from 1932 to 1940, and all feature Ivie Anderson on vocals.
' Swingtime In Honolulu ' also features some great solos by Johnny Hodges - alto soprano sax
Barney Bigard - clarinet, tenor sax
Rex Stewart - cornet
and the Duke - piano
Born in Gilroy, California in 1904, Ivie sang and toured with the Duke Ellington Orchestra from about 1931 to 1942.
a newspaper ad from 1939 - the St Louis Star-Times
78 rpm!
A first press from 1938 - Brunswick label
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" The California Songbird " ... Ivie Anderson !
A swinging LP track taken from the 1973 Columbia double LP, ' Duke Ellington Presents Ivie Anderson '
All the songs pressed on this double LP are the original recordings from 1932 to 1940, and all feature Ivie Anderson on vocals.
' Swingtime In Honolulu ' also features some great solos by Johnny Hodges - alto soprano sax
Barney Bigard - clarinet, tenor sax
Rex Stewart - cornet
and the Duke - piano
Born in Gilroy, California in 1904, Ivie sang and toured with the Duke Ellington Orchestra from about 1931 to 1942.
a newspaper ad from 1939 - the St Louis Star-Times
A first press from 1938 - Brunswick label
October 16, 2014
"Groovin' In The Morning, Groovin' At Night, Right On! Right On! Let's Have Some Fun!"
Funky soul-pop for kids?
Can't find the singers' names on this 45.
It's quite possible they were/are siblings, and are the Jones family from Chicago (?). It's also possible soul-funk singers, Frankie Newsome and or Jodi Gales may, or may not have, been involved with this recording. Just don't know for sure.
Music by The Joneses with the Mod Singers, a couple of other Savern label 45s.
Songwriter, Zono Sago (real name, Allan Williams) was an arranger, producer, drummer, and singer. Zono wrote and produced many soul sides for different artists and labels, including some sides for the Savern label.
August 2, 2014
The challenge with collecting 45 rpm records is usually the condition. Many of these got played one too many times, thrown around at parties, or played in jukeboxes over and over. I've found this 45 a couple of times, but it always sounds beat up...Pressed on styrene instead of vinyl (vinyl sounds better-to my ears anyhow ) this copy sounds OK, but not perfect.
Always loved this song. Love the production, arrangement and songwriting especially.
Is she really on a ship, with her "captain" giving her advice over the ship speakers, or is " her ship " her own body, her own self?
Or maybe it's just her conscience telling her the truth about her decisions while she travels and floats along on the ship...
It's beautiful, moody, and happy all at the same time.
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