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I'm afraid that I know about the Promises, other than this is obviously a Chicago record.
This track was also cut in a far more famous (and equally sublime manner) by Chicago's mighty Chi-Lites; while The Promises don't quite have the vocal chops of the Chi-Lites, the record is incredibly charming in its performance. There's something about the harmonies that conveys a charming naiveity that lends itself beautifully to the song.
Before his ascent to mass stardom in Wings, and after his initial taste of success with the Moody Blues (Laine was replaced by Justin Hayward in 1966), Denny Laine showed off his songwriting talents to an incredible level on this single released at the height of the flower power era. Laine also proved his r&b chops when his reading of Bessie Banks' "Go Now" became the first Moody Blues hit single, and that influence is apparent on this track, with an added dash of psychedelia.
Jessie Hill unleashed some furious New Orleans r&b heat on this number that was the follow up release to his massive Mardi Gras staple hit "Ooh Poo Pah Doo". While "Ooh" is a fantastic, transcendent track, this is the one that just knocks my socks off. 100 miles per hour, and oozing the type of funky scent that only those who have been to NOLA can understand.
One would be completely forgiven in thinking that this record was cut by Curtis Mayfield & The Impression, or at the very least a Chicago group.
It's neither; The Larks (aka The Meadowlarks, led by Texan transplant Don Julian) were a Los Angeles based group, who had been active since the 50's. This record was a massive hit on the r&b charts (much deserved, as it's one of those records that just makes you feel great, whether or not you're dancing the jerk).
While there are a massive number of L.A soul records, L.A never had that elusive "defining sound" that allows for easy aural ID. L.A records tend to ape the styles of other sounds and add a bit of west coast sunshine to the mix.
With the massive population of folks coming to the sunshine, it's no surprise that L.A was home to many talented musicians and singers, most of whom are forgotten by all but us dedicated.
Vernon Harrell, from New York, found his biggest success (at least in the long term) as writer of Chuck Wood's immortal "Seven Days Too Long"; a stellar classic tune long favored by the northern soul crowd.
Harrell did release some fine records on his own as lead singer, as we hear here on this lovely and sweet side. The quality of this tune is so high that one would think it would have become a standard, and it's driven home by Harrell's beautiful voice.
Sounding quite similar to Gabor Szabo's "Gypsy Queen", Washington DC's Fabulous Shalimars are UNLEASHED on this track which is 2:16 of pure HEAT!
The flip side is a sweet soul track that may be a bit repetitive and feel like it needs to go SOMEWHERE but it completely wins me over anyhow with its charm.
My friend (and super DJ) Eric Colin (Chicago, IL) hipped me to this amazing record which manages to be moody and magnificent yet bubbling and effervescent.
Probably a New York City studio concoction, I reckon.
In lesser hands than The Isley Brothers (with young Jimi Hendrix on guitar, no less) this track could have been a very pedestrian number that was downright forgettable. The song itself isn't much of anything, but in a way it's the precursor of James Brown's funk revolution that was brought on my the following year's "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag"; a rhythmic musical jam with lyrics that are more shouted/ chanted than sang. And other than JB himself, there was simply no one better at shouts than The Isleys, as they had been showing off since "Shout" back in 1959.
Plus, Hendrix plays some incredible, DRIVING guitar throughout; the definition of soulful, loose and fluid.
A prime example of funky, sassy girl group soul provided by this Los Angeles group. The members of the Apollas were all southern ladies relocated to the west coast, and this record drips with southern heat.
What else can be said, other than the fact this this record is PURE DYNAMITE!!!
This song just flat out COOKS, in a very sexy, slow burning style.
Tamiko Jones started her career in the early 60's singing jazz while still a teenager (many of her early records were billed simply as Timiko, then eventually Tamiko). Her career allowed her to work with artists such as Herbie Mann and Solomon Burke (who she produced).
By the time this record was cut, the jazz was gone (other than remnants in her excellent vocal phrasing and pitch) and replaced by some seriously funky soul. Eventually a few years later she scored a big disco hit "Can't Live without Your Love".
When I first found bought and listened to this record, I was wishing that the harmonica wasn't wailing through the majority of the cut, as it tends to distract from everything else happening. A little bit of harp goes a long way! Regardless, the excellent song shines through, highlighted by some fantastic vocals from the ladies. Or perhaps it's just one lady (Dorothy Moore) overdubbing the harmonies (which is what it sounds like to this listener).
A fantastic cut that may not grab you on first listen, but well worth giving another chance.
This is one that I thought I featured in the first year of the blog, but an email from a reader asking about it made me look back in the archives and I noticed it's never been posted! This definitely needed to be rectified, as this record is truly the pitome of the type of jazz sounds that were adopted as the soundtrack to the original mod movement in early sixties England, and a hell of a swinging record to boot!
Jimmy Smith was truly the king of the jazz organ; a pianist since he was a child, in his early 20's (c1953) Jimmy purchased a Hammond B3 organ, rented a warehouse space to practice and emerged a full year later with his whole new thing perfected. What a story, right?
Admittedly, my interest in jazz runs shallow ( I *am* a 45 fanatic afterall, and long improvisation doesn't bode well at 3 minutes per side) but the way Smith always made his music move and groove makes him stand out as someone I can truly dig.
Recorded towards the end of their long and (interesting) career, this track from New Mexico's Fireballs has quickly become one of my favorite blue eyed soul tracks as of late. It's one of those records that I've had for ages and didn't think a whole lot about it until recently; now I can't stop listening to it!
The Fireballs initial claim to fame was working with producer Norman Petty in overdubbing instrumental backing onto dozens of Buddy Holly recordings, released posthumously. Taking not only Buddy's acoustic demos and also some of his early (country/bluegrass) material, Petty & The Fireballs "updated" and "completed' those recordings (which is a discussion in itself). Controversy aside, the Fireballs were a fine group of musicians, led by super cool (musically and personally- I met him a few years back) guitarist George Tomsco.
The Fireballs scored a massive hit earlier in the year with 'Bottle Of Wine", and it seems as though they were grasping stylistically to come up with another hit. This one wasn't a hit, but it sure is excellent. While I have major problems with Norman Petty's handling of Buddy Holly's career and finances, there is no denying that the man was a genius in the studio; his recordings are always punchy, clear and sublime.
Looking for a record that makes it feel good to be alive? This one just might fit the bill; it does for me! An excellent, rollicking groove and superb vocals- how can anyone NOT love it???
A few months back I featured another record from Guys And Dolls from a few years later; not sure if this group is the same (while I assume they are, both being from Chicago). I still don't know anything about the group. Thanks to Robert Pruter's excellent book "Chicago Soul", at least we know that Mellow Records was active from '66-'67.
This is one of those records that hypnotizes from the opening bars; an absolutely perfect soul record, driven by the stomping beat, spiced with brilliant horns, and rocketed into outer space by the incredible vocal performance.
Louise Murray started out in a female doo wop group called The Hearts in 50's New York City; eventually, members of the Hearts ended up as The Jaynetts for the mythical "Sally Go Round The Roses" session in 1963. The Jaynetts name itself had been used with different lineups (including Baby Washington) since the '50's as well.
Legend has it that producer Abner Spector holed up in the studio for days to cut "Sally", and there were as many as 20 voices heard on the final cut, one of which belonged to Louise Murray!
Louise Murray still performs (with her husband) as a duet (referencing her old group) The Two Hearts.
This record sounds far more Chicago to me than Detroit (if I didn't know the pedigree and someone told me it was a VJ records release I'd believe it in a heartbeat). However, it was recorded in the period of Motor City experimentation just before Motown found the absolute winning formula that drove them to the massively successful 1964-67 period.
I've seen "Just Be Yourself" described (negatively) as MOR, but with the depth and power of LaBrenda's voice, this track is certainly on the soul side of pop soul, not to mention the fact that it really swings underneath the strings. Plus, the sentiment behind the lyrics is especially touching, and her delivery just really hits me in the heart.
The flip side is interesting in that it's almost awkward in its stomp, but ultimately succeeds by the time LaBrenda unleashes those "Turn Me Loose" lines with ferocity! Plus, extra points are given for her lyrical mention of going to a (Gordy label mates) Contours concert.
LaBrenda Ben (probably a pseudonym) released two singles for Motown/ Gordy, then seemingly left the music business. This is the second and last one; another brilliant, unheralded voice. In this day and age of singers that rely on pitch correcting software and instant stardom via TV contests and manufactured groups, when I think of the amount of truly talented and unique vocalists that are forgotten to history it reminds me of why I have spent four years of sharing this music with the world via this website. It's the real thing; something the world could desperately use more of these days.
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Seemingly the only release from this group. Given that the producers are Richard Parker and Sonny Sanders I am assuming that they were based out of Chicago (which the sound certainly backs up).
The song itself is a gorgeous salute to one of the most maligned figures in all relationships- the mother-in-law/ girlfriend's mother. A very classy and heartfelt.record!
From Dallas Texas, Willie Hutch(inson) moved to Los Angeles shortly after high school and (while not a household name) had a very successful career.
Around 1967, Willie began working with hit makers The 5th Dimension, and also found some of his original tunes covered by Motown artists (including the massive hit "I'll Be There" by the Jackson Five). In the 70's, Willie's name was attached to the soundtracks of some classic blaxploitation films, "The Mack" being the most famous of the bunch.
This excellent single was released under his own name right around the time he was in the early stages of his songwriting career, and finds him in excellent, powerful voice with some fabulous musical backing behind him.
Josephine Taylor hails from Evanston, IL (a university suburb just north of Chicago) and she cut a handful of singles between 1966-69, and sadly hasn't been heard from since (although there are rumors that she occasionally sings gospel in public in Chicago).
This single, her final release, is just staggering! "Is It Worth A Chance" is pure fire, typical of the best Syl Johnson productions. The b-side is a gorgeous ballad; both sides showcase the remarkable voice of this woman who left behind precious few incredible records.
This is possibly the most mysterious record I have ever featured on this site!
One fact that is almost a given with records is that, in the run out groove/ dead wax area, there's a matrix number that is the record's identification. These numbers, which almost always apply to the mastering catalog system, can be very helpful in both dating a record and also differentiating fakes from the real thing. This record has NO matrix number, which I have never seen before. Not only THAT, but there is no songwriter and no publisher listed on the label! Very, very strange! The song is a re-working of the 1961 Dee Clark hit, but I REALLY dig this uptempo version far better. How they got away without listing the writer and publisher just boggles my mind!
The one name that *is* listed is producer Mel Friedman; Mel was most certainly based in St Louis, MO. Mel's claim to fame was behind the boards for Bob Kuban & The In-Men's classic "The Cheater', which was a big hit right around the time this record was released (luckily there's at least a catalog number present on the label).
I would say almost certainly that this is not the same Profiles that were based in Detroit.
Pearl Woods biggest claim to fame is writing the massive "Something's Got A Hold On Me", as cut by Etta James (she also penned "Poverty", recorded by Bobby Bland).
This track, the top side of which is also self-penned, finds the South Carolina native had a fantastic, sexy and powerful voice of her own. The flip side is a stellar cover of the Doc Pomus written Ray Charles classic "Lonely Avenue".
Pearl recorded a small handful of singles up until 1965, and one more in 1970. She seems to have vanished from the music business at that point, leaving a VERY impressive cache behind.
While it's relatively well known that Charlie Rich cut some of the greatest blue-eyed, red-necked soul records of the sixties, it seems that the r&b sides cut by Carl Perkins are relatively unknown. A pity, as this track still retains Carl's country/ rockabilly roots but put it into the then-modern framework of a record that could easily be played at the local a-go-go. Artists who got their start in the fifties were getting lost in the shuffle of the musical changes of the sixties, and some had more success than others in adapting (just as it took Elvis until 1968 to "get with it", and when he did he cut some of his greatest records).
Just DIG that Hammond organ grooving alongside Carl's guitar pickin'; a mighty fine example of musical integration!
Singer Jesse James was transplanted from Arkansas to right here in the bay area when he was a child, thanks to his father finding work as a fisherman. In his early 20's Jesse (real last name McClelland) adopted the stage name Jesse James and became a working musician, and also cut some sides with the help of Sylvester Stewart (aka Sly Stone).
This excellent ballad shows off his deep southern vocal roots that are seemingly straight out of the church, with a brilliant arrangement as well.
Notice the sticker on the label from "The Hosea"; from what I can gather, "The Hosea" was a west coast radio promotion man, hired by labels to get their records played on the radio. I've found other records locally with similar stickers.
This great record is out of St Louis, MO, and that's about all I know!
St Louis producer Oliver Sain's name is on the label, which is one of those magic names that almost guarantees a record to be interesting, if not BRILLIANT in the case of this one. Thanks to an online database of radio surveys, I found that this record charted locally in St Louis in early '67.
The Soul Blenders had a few later releases, and they seem to be an offshoot of a group called The Tabs that I know very little about. Something else to investigate!
Morphing into the psychedelic bag from vocal groups (The Four Chaps, The Townsmen & The Fenways) in the Happenings/ Four Seasons mode, The Racket Squad were basically straight out of the Pittsburg, Pennsylvania suburbs. The Four Chaps worked for a time as backing singers on TV's "Shindig!" in 1964-65.
Everything gels together on this track; the group's r&b influences match perfectly with their own brand of psychedelic exploitation for a 3 minute blast with superhuman drumming and a groove that predates the hypnotic sound of German bands such as Can and Neu, all matched with excellent lyrics that provide an even more cynical alternative to "Pleasant Valley Sunday".
An absolute BLOWOUT of a record, and seemingly the only release by Jeanette White.
The intro to this record lays out the thick fuzz tone guitar and some taps from the drummer (which immediately establishes its cool factor), only to explode in a stomping four-on-the-floor belter when the drums kick in and Jeanette begins her celebration of all things music (specifically soul) while the record just keeps building up steam like an out of control locomotive.
Being as Los Angeles musician/ producer/ arranger Jack Eskew is listed as the arranger (and it was also reissued on LA based A&M records) I think it's safe to say this is an L.A record. Also, the west coast delta matrix number in the dead wax puts the pressing date as July 1969.
Starting around mid-1967, many Detroit soul records took on an ethereal sound that veers on sinister sounding but still retain the Motown beat, albeit in a less manic fashion.
The brothers Of Soul were a vocal trio made up of Robert Eaton, Richard Knight and Fred Bridges (who takes the lead here). Eaton and Knight's harmonies are absolutely other worldly, and Bridges' lead is gritty but in absolute control. The trio went on releasing a few more records under this name, but also shared their songwriting talents with other artists, and worked steadily as backing vocalists (aminly for Holland-Dozier-Holland's post-Motown productions)
This was the debut release on Columbus, OH's Capsoul record label; a label which documented the soul scene in Columbus from 1970 until 1975 and releasing some gorgeous singles along the way. The output of Capsoul was brilliantly collected together on one of Numero Group's "Eccentric Soul" collections. For what it's worth, one of the very first Daily 45 postings was the Capsoul release "You're My Desire" by The Four Mints.
This record was also Marion Black's debut as not only performer and writer. Working as a head waiter, Marion approached Capsoul founder Bill Moss with this tune, and allegedly it was this song that inspired Moss to start the label. Easy to believe, as this track is an incredibly powerful melding of soul, blues and gospel and it's one of those songs that, with better promotion and perhaps less raw production, could have been a massive hit. However, the raw production makes it a MASSIVE hit in these parts.
