THE CHI-LITES - 24 HOURS OF SADNESS

Sometimes it surprises me that I haven't featured more of the Chi-Lites on this blog.

Thanks to David Marsh's mostly excellent 1000 best 45's book, I was hipped to the Chi-Lites in my teen years, and thanks to that book and Sunday "dusties" radio in Chicago I learned that the Chi-Lites were perhaps the greatest soul group of the early 70's, releasing a string of brilliant singles featuring the incredible writing of group leader Eugene Record.

Although this was around the time bass player extraordinaire Bernard Reed left the Brunswick family (the genius bassist best known for the Soulful Strut/ Am I The Same Girl track, it sure sounds like him playing on this beautiful track.

from 1970...

THE CHI-LITES - 24 HOURS OF SADNESS

ORTHEA BARNES - TAKE MY HEART AND SOUL

I'm gonna do my best to keep up with posting, but as I am out on tour I will keep the text entries brief.

This is a divine Detroit single from a singer who may be filed under "never had a hit but deserved one"

from 1968...

ORTHEA BARNES - TAKE MY HEART AND SOUL

THE STEPSTONES - LEAVE US ALONE

Sorry for the rather incomplete entry here, but I'm out of town have a lousy web connection and I've never researched this record before. So I present to you an excellent Detroit record- some have said that this is David Ruffin moonlighting away from Motown on this cut; wouldn't surprise me.

Web sources say 1966, but sounds a bit later to me. All in all, an excellent, driving record with a spooky feel!

THE STEPSTONES - LEAVE US ALONE

JJ BARNES - SO CALLED FRIENDS

Even though "LeBaron" is listed as this record's producer, the production screams of George Clinton; and no surprise, either as he brought this one back a year later, revamped it a little bit and renamed it "Friday Night August 14" on Funkadelic's second album.

Here we find JJ putting the lyric through one hell of a workout, wrenching the song to the bone. I also would not be surprised if it's the Funkadelic band providing backing here. Sure sounds like them!

from 1969...

JJ BARNES - SO CALLED FRIENDS

BILL DEAL & THE RHONDELS - I'VE GOT MY NEEDS

This track has been stuck in my head for ages; one of those records that plants itself in the brain and doesn't let up.

From Virginia Beach- right in the heart of the beach music region- came Bill Deal & The Rhondles. Combining blue eyed soul, beach music and (as heard in this cut) a bit of British Invasion sounds all rolled up into a group that has been active up to Bill Deal's death in 2003 and beyond.

from 1969...

BILL DEAL & THE RHONDELS - I'VE GOT MY NEEDS

JEAN KNIGHT - DOGGIN' AROUND

I love the stripped down, raw production on this record with its wild lead organ. This is one of Jean's early sides which was produced by Huey Meaux; after her run of singles in the mid sixties, Jean went to work as a baker until the opportunity to cut 'Mr Big Stuff" presented itself, giving her a much deserved smash hit that crossed over to the pop top ten.

This song has that great 3 AM session feel, and Jean's vocals are top notch; dig her phrasing and incredible pitch!

from 1965...

JEAN KNIGHT - DOGGIN' AROUND

LOS SHAKERS - ROMPAN TODO

Mere words cannot stress how much I love this band from Uruguay. I recommend that everybody buys their first three albums (reissued on CD with bonus tracks- Los Shakers, Shakers For You, and La Conferencia Secreta Del Toto's Bar, which is quite simply one of the 20 finest rock albums of the sixties).

While they may seem on the surface as mere Beatle copycats, Los Shakers were actually able to deliver the goods, on the same level creatively with the Bealtes (yes, I said it). Their songs had strong melodies, incredible harmony work and sublime instrumentation.

On this first release from the group, Merseybeat is filtered through South American heat for an infectious side that will stick with you, and stick with you some more. And then continue running through your head.

Note, this is a different version than was heard on the Nuggets II box set; In 1966, Los Shakers recorded another excellent album for New York's Audio Fidelity label, which included a remade Rompan Todo (titled 'Break It All" on that LP). Both versions are spectacular.

from 1965...

LOS SHAKERS - ROMPAN TODO

THE MASQUERADERS - I"M JUST AN AVERAGE GUY

This incredible deep soul cut is from a group that the term "journeymen" could describe incredibly well; leaving their homes in Dallas, TX with the drive to make it in Detroit, the group released a few sides and then moved on to Memphis. In Memphis, the group hooked up with Chips Moman's American Studios/ productions and not only cut some sides on their own but worked as session singers for the likes of Wilson Pickett and The Box Tops.

Perhaps I over-romanticize these things sometimes, but to my ears they way these fellas sing this track shows the hard work and determination that they put into their career that never yielded the kind of success they deserved. So deep, so real. Add to this Tommy Cogbill's excellent production and this is such a fine example of music from the heart.

There is an excellent in-depth article about the group here (with excellent interviews):
http://www.soulexpress.net/masqueraders_story.htm

from 1968...

THE MASQUERADERS - I"M JUST AN AVERAGE GUY

LEE ROGERS - LOVE CAN REALLY HURT YOU DEEP

From the "Prince Of Detroit" (he was given this name YEARS before Prince of Minneapolis was signed to Warner Brothers), this excellent song, with it's steady, propulsive but relaxed beat reminds me a bit of the Memphis sound infiltrating Detroit.
Not to mention Lee's always excellent vocal delivery which OOZES attitude.

from 1966...

LEE ROGERS - LOVE CAN REALLY HURT YOU DEEP

THE SAPPHIRES - THE SLOW FIZZ

This is one of those records that are simply top shelf. It's that level where music simply doesn't get any better than this! Quite possibly the finest creation of legendary New Jersey songwriters Lori Burton and Pam Sawyer.

Sadly, this was the final single by Philadelphia's Sapphires (certainly no strangers to this blog), and it completely failed to chart. However, as with so many oodles of records was re-discovered by the English and became a northern soul floor filler. And for damn good reason.

from 1966...

THE SAPPHIRES - THE SLOW FIZZ

THE KITTENS - IT'S GOTTA BE LOVE

Signed while still in high school by brilliant arranger/ producer Johnny Pate (ABC Paramount's Chicago a&r man), The Kittens were a Chicago group whose talent far outweighed their commercial success. None of their records (they also cut a few sides for Chess) ever sold or got any airplay to speak of. This is certainly justified by how long it took me to find a copy of this record; it hardly EVER turns up, and is in my opinion far rarer than records that sell for ten times what this one does!

The girls had a perfect vocal blend, and Pate's arrangement is top notch.

from 1965...

THE KITTENS - IT'S GOTTA BE LOVE