Gene Townsel -- There's No Use In Hiding

If you are looking for one of those albums with virtually no filler material, go get Gene Townsel's 1978 release Time Wounds All Heels, originally on the Dobre label. The album is also available as a digitally  remastered CD (Essential Media Group, 2011).

According to amazon's bio, Gene Townsel " has appeared on stages around the world from Acapulco to Tokyo and has taught generations of up-coming vocalists as a vocal coach and arranged scores for countless artists. His rare 70s R&B album "Time Wounds All Heels", has over the decades become a collectors item in the US and Europe, and has spawned a re-release of a single from the album in England - with the full original album finally seeing the light of day in the digital domain in the US. Featured on the album are 4 original Townsel compositions including "Time Wounds All Heals," plus soulful renditions of two obscure Bill Withers tunes. All selections newly remastered."

Enjoy!

LimeLinx

Soultaker's Treasure Chest - 10-30-2011

Posted By Soultaker

Hope everyone is doing fine.  Been a hectic weekend with the unexpected snowstorm we had here in New Jersey.  I mean the last time I checked, it was still  Fall and it's a day before Halloween.  I don't mind winter, but it's a little early to be digging out the snow shovels.  

Since I didn't do much on the outside this weekend, it gave me a chance to play some records; something I haven't done as much as I would like to lately.  So time to brew up some hot tea with a few shots of Hennessy in it and play some tunes.

ENJOY

1. Mighty Mighty – Baby Huey – Curtom
2. I’ll Be Your Shelter(In Time Of Storm) – Luther Ingram - Koko
3. Half A Man – Howard Tate – Verve
4. (Hey, You and You and You and You) I’ve Lived The Life  - M-W-T Express(Marva Whitney) - Forte
5. I Was Made To Love Her – Jackie Wilson & Count Basie – Brunswick
6. This Girl – Cookin’ On 3 Burners Feat. Kylie Auldist – Freestyle
7. I Keep On Lovin’ You – ZZ Hill – United Artist
8. Didn’t We – Carla Thomas  - Stax
9. Slip Away – Hank Ballard - King

LIMELINX LINK

Eddie Kirkland and The Italian American Blues Band -- Burnin' Love

Eddie Kirkland was born August 16, 1923 in Jamaica, raised in Alabama. Also known as the "Gypsy of the Blues" due to his heavy touring, he played with the blues greats.  Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Honeyboy Edwards, and Ruth Brown for example. 

Until his death on February 27, 2011 he regularly toured the U.S. and Europe, wrote and recorded albums. 

Today's song is taken from his 1995 album The Devil and Other Blues Demons (Trix). This is an album you should definitely check out, if you like your blues electric and unadulterated.

Enjoy!

LimeLinx

... And you all know I love this tune.

LazyD Edit: Z. Z. Hill -- Everybody Has To Cry

Every now and then I come across an edit I absolutely love. And this ZZ Hill edit is one of them. You'll find more of Lazy's edits on his blog, Close To The Edit or here.

Enjoy!

Rayfield Reid and; The Magnificents -- Treat You Right

There's not much info available on  Rayfield Reid and The Magnificents -- but there's a reissue of the group's only album available.  Two titles from this LP, Dynamite Party and today's pick,Treat You Right, were also released as a single.

Enjoy!

LimeLinx

Bobby McClure -- You Bring Out The Love In Me

The way it looks, Bobby McClure has released singles only. His first two releases (1965) for the Checkers label were duets with Fontella Bass. Today's pick is a release from 1975 for Island Records, a British label. The label was founded by Chris Blackwell in 1959  in Jamaica.  You'll find a quite interesting article about Island Records here.

Enjoy!

LimeLinx

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufQQUdeCaec

Also check out this clip of Bobby McClure singing the JT classic "Just Because." He's doing a fantastic job ... Amazing, how some artists keep their voices fresh and clean over the years. And the guitar solo sure makes this old Raggedy quite happy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_tffdNWvIU&feature=related

WRAG San Antonio: Radio Raggedy ...

Here I am -- owning my own radio station now: WRAG San Antonio, TX -- Radio Raggedy. Of course the programs are available only to SOUNDS  OF  THE  SOUL followers. They know if it's from Raggedy, it's only the best. Never ever like the rest! Free to you -- and lots of fun for me.

... presents Easy Sunday songs:

Honey Dove -- Lee Fields feat. The Expressions (My World, Truth and Soul Records )

I'll Do It For You -- Toussaint McCall (Nothing Takes The Place Of You, Fuel Records)

And My Heart Sang -- Brenda and The Tabulations (Top and Bottom Records, 1970)

My World -- Sam Dees (Lost Deep Soul Treasures Vol.4)

Ain't It Good -- United Eight

Always -- Tommy Tate (I´m So Satisfied (Complete Ko Ko Recordings)

All Because Of You -- Tee Fletcher (Eccentric Soul, Eccentric Soul: The Tragar & Note Labels)

Next Time I See You -- Greg Perry (One For The Road, Soubr)

Enjoy!

LimeLinx

Zip

Charles Farren -- A Girl Like You

Darned, the week is almost over, and I didn't make time to post ... It's a shame because I consider every week the compressed version of my life; and it's just wrong to let busyness keep you from doing what you love most.

Today's song is one of those tunes that got me hooked the first time ever I heard it. Charles Farren delivers a truly great soul blues ballad. His voice, gritty and intense ranges from baritone through falsetto -- with adorable ease. And the music! Just listen to this arrangement.

 Enjoy!

LimeLinx

Have a very happy Friday everyone!

New CD by L.J. Reynolds

Just to let you know: L. J. Reynolds -- yes, the L. J. Reynolds of the Dramatics has a very nice CD out. Go and take a listen here.

Bertha Tillman -- I Wish

I found this track on a great compilation CD, Huggy Boy Presents, which, judged by the cover, doesn't look like much of a find. But you'll find some amazing songs on this CD.

Bertha Tillman, of whom I haven't heard up to now, apparently has released only two singles, I Wish and Oh My Angel. If I interpret Bertha Tillman's Discogs discography correctly, Oh My Angel, was the flip side of James and Bobby Purify'sI'm Your Puppet. Looks kind of weird, but see for yourself.

Enjoy!

What Raggedy Needs Now: More Ruff ...

My main song by my main man David Ruffin: Always Another Song To Sing. And that is the truth, nothing but the truth.

Today's song is from ZZ Hill's 1975 album Keep On Lovin' You (United Artists Records.) It was first released in 1974 as a single b/w Friendship Only Goes So Far which I would love to hear. The music arrangement, especially horns and guitar, is right after my taste.

Funny enough, Discogs shows the album assigned to the Funk/Soul genre. I would have added the Blues label, too. The other track from the album, I consider great is Who Ever's Thrilling You Is Killing Me, an Allan Toussaint composition.

This truly versatile artist left us way too soon. RIP Z.Z.

Enjoy!

LimeLinx

And here's the YouTube clip of Who Ever's Thrilling You ... the other favorite of mine on this album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPc8zKjXxZU

Blues on Thursday: Junior Kimbrough -- Work Me

Enjoy!

LimeLinx

Junior Kimbrough is one of the artists I discovered only recently -- and, without a doubt, I am happy I did. His music, in my opinion, the missing link between Delta Blues and Chicago Blues.

Unfortunately, Junior Kimbrough released his first album by the time he was already 62 years old. He died five years later of heart failure. (Find a nice bio and discography here.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lm06GowX3gU

The Dynamics -- What A Shame

Enjoy!

LimeLinx  (link fixed)

Detroit natives Isaac "Zeke" Harris, George White, Fred Baker, and Samuel Stevenson were the Dynamics. Another group member, Zerben Hicks, left soon after the group's first album, First Landing, was released in 1969. Their manager was then Aretha Franklin husband, Ted White.

Ice Cream, their second release for Cotillion in 1969, made it into the charts, but that was about all the success they had. Altogether, they released four singles for the label. They had three lead voices, including a great falsetto singer.

Other labels they were recording for were  ARC, Bethlehem, Big Top, Black Gold, Brainstorm, Capri, Cindy, Delta, Do-Kay-Lo, Do-Re-Mi, Dynamic, Dynamic Sound, Em Jay, Herald, Impala, Imperial, Li Ban, Loma, Mala, RCA, R J, Seafair Bolo, Steel City, Top Ten, USA, Warner and Wingate. Looks like they did some extreme label hopping. Their first 7 " single  Misery b/w I'm The Man was released in 1963 on the Big Top Records label.First

The Dynamics released 3 albums:

First Landing (Cotillion Records, 1969) ,What a Shame (Black Gold Records, 1973.) Most tracks on this record arranged by Paul Riser, and First Landing  (HackTone Records, 2007) - reissue

  

Reclaiming The Magic ...

Hubby and I were watching an old movie last night: Shawshank Redemption. The movie stars Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins and is about a young banker, Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), who is falsely convicted of having murdered his wife and her lover. The movie deals among other things  with Andy's -- and his co-prisoners -- experience with prison life.

 I won't write a review here, but there was one scene where  Andy abuses his hard (and smartly) earned privileges when he plays a beautiful female duet of a Mozart composition over the prison intercom.

The moment the inmates hear the almost angelic tune, they drop whatever they do and listen to the music. The beauty both of the voices and the music seems so out of place in an environment dominated by barbarousness and  corruption. Completely enchanted and oblivious of their harsh surroundings, the prisoners experience for a short while what the rest of the world takes for granted; for a moment, they reclaim a treasure they left outside the prison walls. They caught a glimpse of the magic of music.

I had planned a post on the magic of a while ago -- before I saw the movie -- and had completely forgotten about it. So, that magic moment in the movie had me dig it out and finally get it done.

Playlist:

The Gaslight -- It's Just Like Magic (Polydor 1975)

Willie Hutch --  The Magic Of Love (Season For Love, RCA 1970)

Greg Perry -- Love Is Magic (One For The Road, Casablanca 1975)

Lou Johnson -- This Magic Moment (Sweet Southern Soul, Water 2004)

*** 

Enjoy!

LimeLinx

zip

Prince Phillip Mitchell -- Highlight Of My Life

Every day deserves to be a fun day!  (Attributed to Raggedy)

Prince Phillipp Mitchell was born in Louisville, Kentucky on June 27, 1944.

His career began in the late 50's when he sang with The Premiers and The Checkmates.

While he had composed hit records for Mel and Tim, Millie Jackson, Joe Simon and Norman Connors, he never was successful as a singer himself. No wonder he retired from the business in the late 70's. I don't think it was a coincidence either that he did so at the height of the disco era. Many a serious musician decided not to follow the direction music took after those two decades of incredible creativity, the 60's and 70's, had come to an end.

The list of  recordings on which he receives credit as composer or arranger is quite impressive too: Bobby Womack, Cissy Houston, William Bell, Walker Bros., Archie Bell and the Drells, just to name a handful. So, without a doubt, Phillip Mitchell left his mark on numerous tunes that are considered classics of R&B and soul.

He recorded for Hi Records, Atlantic, Shout, Event, and in late 80's, he returned from his self-imposed exile to record two albums for Ichiban.

Like so many artists that came before him and followed him, he is hopelessly underrated.

Enjoy!

LimeLinx

Previous post on Prince Phillip Mitchell.

***

Album Discography (Discogs):

Make It Good (Atlantic, 1978)

Top Of The Line (Atlantic, 1979)

Devastation (Ichiban, 1986)

Loner (Ichiban, 1991)

Audioblog Special -- Covered By The Tops ...

This post was inspired -- once again -- by my good friend DC. Many thanks go out to him for his support. He suggested that I do a special on songs The Four Tops have covered. Of course, there are way too many such recordings -- and all of them are great. It was quite difficult to chose only a handful of covers I thought were not only done well but also in the best of Tops quality.

The Tops truly belong up there with the best male groups of all time; they never settled for second best performances, and that clearly shows in their material.

Below is a clip of an early Four Tops performance that, in my opinion, encapsulates the phenomenon Four Tops: charisma, talent, and enthusiasm .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HQEhuylZmg

And here's my choice of cover versions the Four Tops left their mark upon:

Honey (I Miss You)

Little Green Apples

Echoes Of My Mind / Everybody's Talking

If I Had A Hammer

Eleanor Rigby

Elusive Butterfly

***

Enjoy!

LimeLinx

zip

Bobby Goldsboro, Honey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59BZxgohr9g

Roger Miller, Little Green Apples

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8hVnKrLuyw

Harry Nilsson, Echoes of My Mind/Ever'ybody's Talking (from Midnight Cowboy)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dz6GzKWiIAs
Now,

The Weavers, If I Had A Hammer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSUsyzUFcKs

The Beatles, Eleanor Rigby

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Q8vl8wFm7g&feature=related

Bob Lind, Elusive Butterfly

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6727qgmRbY

Whew! Now, I hope you all are thoroughly educated.

Reggae Sunday

Wishing everyone a very happy Sunday. I, for my part, couldn't be any happier -- fall is here to stay; it's raining, and the temperatures have dropped to a very pleasant level.

Playlist:

Alcatraz -- Count Machuki

Dat -- Hanley Banton

Fire Fire (Flames) --Flora Adams

Knowledge is Power -- The Ethiopians

Enjoy

Limelinx

zip

Alright! This one is for us ladies, girls, women who still remember the time when the sparks were flying and 'em little devils were stirring inside us at the sight of a guy that caught our attention ... I mean way, way back in the day, of course.

The queen of Reggae, Marcia Griffiths, is one of my all time favorite female singers. I just like her straightforward way of delivery; no over-singing, no over-dramatizing, no girly oohs and such -- but all woman. Listen to her telling the story. She's painting such a convincing picture of what is happening in front of her, you almost feel like watching the scene yourself.

Here's Marcia's take on the Curtis Mayfield classic Gypsy Woman, the song he  composed for the Impressions in 1964.

Enjoy!

LimeLinx

Linda Jones -- If Only (We Had Met Sooner)

Although this gifted singer had only 28 years to live, she left her unmistakeable mark on many soul singers who came after her. The way of spreading a  syllable over several notes, using a technique called melisma, became her trademark. And

Linda Jones (Jan. 14, 1944 - March 14, 1972). At the age of six, she joined her family's gospel group, the Jones Singers, and in 1963 she released her first record,Lonely Teardrops, as Linda Lane for Cub Records. Success eluded her until she signed up with Loma Records in 1967 where she released her biggest hit,Hypnotized.

Unfortunately, she was not able to enjoy her breakthrough; she died way too young of complications from diabetes.

Enjoy!

LimeLinx

Northern Soul Special

Playlist

Little Richard -- Get Down With It

The Profiles -- Take A Giant Step

Donnie Elbert --What Can I Do

The Artistics -- This Heart Of Mine

The Vonns -- So Many Days

Vernon Garrett -- Shine It On

Cody Black -- Mr.Blue

Falcons -- I'm A Fool (I Must Love You)

The Four Tops -- There's Something About You Baby

Homer Banks -- Ain't That A Lot of Love

Enjoy!

LimeLinx

zip