THE EIGHT MINUTES - HERE'S SOME DANCES

Made up of the teenage/ preteen siblings of the Goggins (Ricky, Hank & Ronald) and Sudduth (Hedda, David, Wendell) families plus friends Juwanna Glover and Carl Monroe, Chicago's Eight Minutes waxed what is perhaps my favorite so-called "kiddie soul" track after being discovered by their neighbor Doris Jones. This record was recorded twice; once as their debut (after changing their name from The Soul Impacts to The Eight Minutes) and again a year later (in a stronger performance).


The group played all of the instruments on the records they cut for Jay Pee Records between 68-69 (I have another that I'm bound to feature at some point). This type of thing seems unfathomable today, especially when one takes into account that a few of their records did well in Chicago.

The group was eventually signed to Perception Records, who released an LP and a few more singles from the group; however, they were replaced with studio musicians for the recordings. A pity, as a major part of the charm of this record is the performance. The drumming may veer on unsteady at points, but DAMN does it groove!

Numero Group featured this on their excellent Home Schooled: The ABC's Of Kid Soul comp from a few years back. As with every other soul compilation from Numero, I recommend you BUY it immediately.

from 1968...

THE EIGHT MINUTES - HERE'S SOME DANCES

PERCY MAYFIELD - LONG AS YOU'RE MINE

Born in 1920, the career of Percy Mayfield was almost completely derailed in 1952 when the man was severely injured in a serious automobile accident (two years after his big hit, the self-penned "Please Send Me Someone to Love", which deservedly became a standard of the genre and beyond).

Percy grew up in both Louisiana and Texas, but settled as a young adult in Los Angeles where his career in music began in the early '40's. Post-accident, Percy mostly made a name for himself as a songwriter, and in the early 60's began a very fruitful relationship with Ray Charles, which resulted not only in Ray recording several of his songs (including "Hit The Road Jack" and "Hide Nor Hair") but also a contract with Ray's Tangerine label.

On this incredible track, Percy lends his smooth vocal stylings to an uptempo r&b stormer with a fantastic, sophisticated horn arrangement that all but shouts out RAY CHARLES (who I would guess produced this record). Add to that a drummer that is seemingly intent on destroying his snare drum, and a guitar break starting at 1:42 that sounds as if the guitarist has a vendetta against his instrument and we're left with one hot record!

from 1967...

PERCY MAYFIELD - LONG AS YOU'RE MINE

BABY WASHINGTON - STANDING ON THE PIER

I would never discount not only the incredible vocal performance from Justine "Baby" Washington (as usual), her beautifully poetic lyrics about love and longing which incorporates the old parables of sailors returning home BUT what makes this record EXTRA extraordinary to me is the absolute freakout organ performance that makes this track downright FREAKY.

Producer (and Sue Record label owner) Juggy Murray was a master of creating a vibe with his records, and along with arranger Sammy Lowe and these excellent, unknown New York City studio musicians capture the tale of the lyrics in such a way that almost makes me feel as though I'm drowning in the grooves.

You have been warned. You're gonna get sucked in to the tide.

from 1964...

BABY WASHINGTON - STANDING ON THE PIER

POSSE - TAKE SOMEBODY LIKE YOU

While much of the '60's 45 RPM magic had left the Motown family by the early '70's, there were still a great number of cool singles released that never achieved the type of chart success that the label was having consistently through the golden years.

Posse were a group that were taken under the wing of Temptation Eddie Kendricks, who also produces the track. I really dig how the track updates the '60's Motown sound for the early '70's (with congas and a slightly funkier backbeat) but still retains the type of joyous feeling found on the great Motown records.

Posse released at least one more 45 on Janus records, then seem to have disappeared.

from 1971...

POSSE - TAKE SOMEBODY LIKE YOU

THE HEPTONES - LOVE WON'T COME EASY

Love for The Impressions was widespread in 1960's Jamaica, and the model of a three-man harmony group was just as prevalent on the island during the era as it was in the United States (The Wailers being another famous example).

Formed in 1965 by Leroy Sibbles, Earl Morgan and Barry Llewellyn (initially as The Hep Ones), the group was quickly spotted by producer/ talent scout Clement Dodd (Mr Coxsone) which began a very prolific career for the group, in all of their beautiful harmonic glory.

I love the music of the rocksteady era (especially the way it turned the beat of American soul music inside out), and while the majority of my collection tends to be on more modern compilations I occasionally snag some of these old gems on 45 which I always love to present here. To me, this track is as fine a representation of this great group as any- the track has an otherworldly, ethereal quality which is one of my favorite aspects of the sound.

from 1967...

THE HEPTONES - LOVE WON'T COME EASY

LEZLI VALENTINE - I WON'T DO ANYTHING

This record is downright HAUNTING. A lone acoustic guitar picks out the intro and sets the mood, which leads into the brilliant song and arrangement. Lezli Valentine (a founding member of The Jaynetts), turns in such a gorgeous, restrained performance, and is backed by a heavenly group of ladies (or is it Lezli overdubbed?) on backing vocals.

This record sounds like the soundtrack from a dream, and I can't get enough of it. It's so subtle that the depth of what's happening can easily be overlooked through its hypnotic power.

from 1968...

LEZLI VALENTINE - I WON'T DO ANYTHING

MICKEY AND THE SOUL GENERATION - IRON LEG

A burst of fuzz tone laced feedback leads into one of the grooviest, organ driven early funk instrumentals all the while the horn section strives for some sense of normalcy while the bass player lays down some of the rudest thumping known to wax ensuring this side never goes slick. And they do all of this is less than two and a half minutes. I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E!

Mickey and the Soul Generation were a group from San Antonio, TX.

from 1969...

MICKEY AND THE SOUL GENERATION - IRON LEG

LITTLE RICHARD - SOUL TRAIN

You don't need a ticket just GET ON BOARD.

Even though Little Richard's career never recovered commercially after his abrupt departure from the music business in 1957, the man cut some of the hottest wax of his career during the 1966-1968 period (including the incredible "I Need Love").

The Chicago session features the Jackie Wilson/ Brunswick records house band (that later became Syl Johnson's Pieces Of Peace) scorching away, Richard testifying (and laying out a fabulous signature WOO at the end), driven steadily by the bubbling bass of Bernard Reed, and produced by the great Carl Davis. What a team, what a record!

from 1968...

LITTLE RICHARD - SOUL TRAIN

SHIRLEY WAHLS - WHY AM I CRYING

I can't BELIEVE what Shirley Wahls does with her voice at :57 into this track, repeats again before each chorus, then completely blows the roof off during the outro. What an incredible vocal range!

Shirley spent most of her career singing and recording gospel records, Shirley moved to Arkansas to Chicago around 1966 and cut a handful of secular sides of which this was the first.

from 1967...

SHIRLEY WAHLS - WHY AM I CRYING

JIMMY CHURCH - RIGHT ON TOP

Nashville's Jimmy Church released only five singles, but he has spent his entire life in music, and remains active to day leading a band that specializes in wedding entertainment.

The harmonies here have a sound that is quite reminiscent of the Impressions, but the rougher edge of the music and Jimmy's lead vocal make for a far more unique sound. More "on top of the beat" and faster than we usually hear in southern soul, and really great!

from 1966...

JIMMY CHURCH - RIGHT ON TOP


the b-side is a great ballad that we get to see Jimmy performing on "The !!! Beat".

FREDDIE SCOTT - GIRL I LOVE YOU

First off, I have to mention that this track has some of the coolest stops and dramatic pauses that I can think of on record; one of which shows the incredible power and control which Freddie Scott had over his voice.

Freddie's career (as not only a singer but a songwriter as well) began in the fifties, until the military draft pulled him out of music for a few years. He returned to the United States as a civilian and got a foot in the door at the Brill Building in New York City. After working as a writer and producer for a few years, the Colpix label tried to reshape him into a pop crooner, and they had a hit with "Hey Girl" in 1963. It wasn't until legendary producer Bert berns took on Freddie that his true potential was reached.

After Bert Berns tragic passing, Freddie was without a label (he recorded for Berns' Shout! record label for three years). A few sides on a tiny label was followed up by an LP and this single for ABC records; although this track showed that the voice was still there (in one of his finest performances), ABC didn't have any success with Scott. Freddie released two singles after this, then left the business of being a recording artist and wrote commercial jingles and got into acting.

from 1970...

FREDDIE SCOTT - GIRL I LOVE YOU