CELLARFUL OF SOUL
Whilst the rest of the world is preoccupied with watching the ‘suits’ give out endless gongs to plastic soul queens, PAUL RITCHIE takes a peak at the real deal
First up are sassy California gals THE APOLLAS who started out as a Gospel trio but were eventually persuaded to go pop. In Leola Jiles, the group
had a singer with some almighty pipes who could really belt ’em out with gusto. Absolutely Right! (Kent) collects the songs Leola and mainstay Ella Jamerson recorded for Tiger, Loma and Warner Brothers. With songs penned by Ashford- Simpson-Armstead, the group cut some eye-catching sounds including the blustery ‘Mr Creator’ and the heavenly ‘Just Can’t Get Enough Of You’. The echo-drenched, doom-laden thunderous ballad, ‘I‘ve Got So Used To Loving You’ is the pick of the bunch. At their peak, they opened for The Monkees on their first US tour and in the early ’70s, Leola auditioned for a vacancy in The Supremes, only for the deal to be scuppered by her manager. The girls tell their own story in the excellent liner notes which are also stuffed with many beautiful candid shots of the group in their prime.
For someone who never sang in church, Florida born PAUL KELLY had a preacher-like touch with his calmly becoming vocal that could command any congregation, shades of a
mellower Solomon Burke or a lucid Luther Ingram. Hot Runnin’ Soul: The Singles 1965-71 (Kent) chronologically maps out the singer-cum songwriters journey from Florida to Muscle Shoals. His early singles for Dial, including the popular dancer, ‘Chills And Fever’, had some nice rough-hewn edges but Kelly really came into his own as a songwriter on material such as the testifying ‘Stealing In The Name Of The Lord’ (written for and eventually turned down by Sam & Dave) or the repenting ‘Nine Out Of Ten Times’. As time went by his voice became richer and the material had more substance. ‘The Day After Forever’ and ‘Sailing’ are exquisite churchy, country-tinged southern soul ballads whilst his final couple of singles suggested a funkier and fluid direction.
For someone who had no big ambition for going into the music business EDDIE HOLLAND certainly left his mark as part of the classic songwriting threesome Holland-Dozier-Holland. His
early career as a singer is gathered together for the first time on the two disc It Moves Me: The Complete Recordings 1958-1964 (Ace). Holland was there from the birth of Motown – his ‘Merry-Go-Round’ single was one of the first releases on Berry Gordy’s Tamla label in 1959. His best-known and most rousing number was the beat group favourite, ‘Leaving Here’. What a
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shame then that he didn’t do more in this up- tempo vein. Apart from a handful of choice picks, nothing compares to the monsters the HDH team penned for other Motown artists. The early bouncy, finger-snapping ‘Little Miss Ruby’ has its charms and the unreleased ‘Pretty Little Angel Face’ has that trademark Motown stomp but elsewhere, underwhelming old fashioned ballads recall boring afternoons spent at your grandparents when you’d rather be out on yer Raleigh Chopper with yer mates.
I feel like I’ve gone beyond the call of duty to become fully acquainted with BGP Presents Jazz Funk (BGP) but perseverance pays some dividends. This Marmite-like collection demands repeat
listening to figure out the complex schizoid rhythms that are not your usual meat and two veg. On the plus side, there is the straight-ahead funk of The Blackbyrds and Spider’s Webb, recalling Chic and Parliament respectively; the heavy experimental wig outs from Johnny Hammond and Charles Earland; the carnival vibes from Paulinho Da Costa and the chilled out soul of The 3 Pieces. The rest however is a challenge, depending on your disposition for oodles of slap bass tomfoolery, jazz flute and sax solos.
For the more sartorial minded, the Mod Jazz label is a more inviting calling card. Mod Jazz Forever (Kent) is the seventh in this slick and stylish series for the more
Eddie Holland: leaving here as soon as he can get down
discerning type. These are the kind of records the cool kids carried under their arms, huddled in coffee bar corners, sipping cappuccinos, discussing Jack McDuff licks and Blue Note cover designs. The Hammond organ head rush of The Nightbeats’ ‘Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf Pt 2’ is so mod it hurts; so knowingly suave, hip and aloof. Feverish Hammond grooves dominate including a previously unreleased instrumental cover of Donovan’s ‘Sunshine Superman’. From the cool (Byrdie Green, Tobi Lark) to the kitsch (Jesse Davis, Clint Stacy) the Mod Jazz series continues to endure and entice dapper hipsters to a hush-hush soundtrack of late night silk-cut grooves.
This leads us nicely onto one of the heroes of mod jazz. Hammond organist BILL DOGGETT was a veteran by the time he cut the funky, breakbeat heavy Honky
Tonk Popcorn (BGP) in ’69. With its colourful psychedelic cover the album is perhaps best known for featuring the James Brown-produced single, ‘Honky Tonk Popcorn’, and its flip, a funky update
of his ’50s instrumental hit, ‘Honky Tonk’. The sound is a group effort: Doggett’s soulful organ lines are the glue for the bubbly bass, chicken- scratch guitar, funky drumming and punchy horns to hang onto. A blistering cover of Edwin Starr’s ‘Twenty Five Miles’ and the single ‘Mad’ are amongst the highlights. This re-issue is augmented with six tasty bonus tracks.
Finally, Eccentric Soul: A Red Black Green Production (Numero Group) takes the plunge into the obscure early ’70s Washington DC soul scene. The indie productions of R Jose Williams were
harmony drenched, hazy laid back soul. Much of the music featured has the same languid vibe save for a few exceptions. The sweet ‘I’m Not Ready For Love’ by Promise is girl group candy with a Jackson Five beat propelled by a funky wah-wah guitar; the street sound of ‘Summer In The Park’ by East Coast Connection brings the funk to the party. Elsewhere, love is a recurring theme. Skip Mahoney “needs your love”, the Exceptions say “it must be love” and Father’s Children “really, really love you”. Meanwhile, Dyson’s Faces’ ‘We’re Two Fools In Love’ threatens to climax as it builds and builds into a sunny crescendo of harmony.
Hold on a minute, the editor is telling me my time is up. So, with a finger directed at the “suits”, there’s only enough time for me to say, adios amigos and keep the faith. Until next time!
www.acerecords.com www.numerogroup.com
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