THE STAPLE SINGERS - For What It's Worth / Are You Sure (Epic, 1970)

Nada mellor para empezar ben o ano que recuperar esta peza dos Buffalo Springfield na adaptación que fixeron os Staple Singers.

SIR MACK RICE - Love's A Mother Brother / Coal Man (Atco Records, 1969)

Vocalista de Detroit que formou parte dos Falcons, un deses grupos considerados seminais no desenvolvemento da música soul. A súa carreira como solista foi irregular aínda que unha das súas composicións, "Mustang Sally", foi todo un éxito na voz de Wilson Pickett.

VOUS DANSEZ? LE JERK (Music For Pleasure, 1972)

Que leva a un a pillar discos como este? A resposta é sinxela: a selección das versións e o prezo. Dos grupos e solistas participantes, os únicos relativamente coñecidos son o roqueiro Dick Rivers e os Cuff Links que fan unha gran adaptación dun tema de Ringo Starr. O resto das bandas son probablemente só nomes para o momento. A destacar os tres temas da Motown interpretados por Carême.

BARBARA MAURITZ - Music Box (Columbia, 1972)

"Say That You Love Me"

Una petición de Liliána Nagny que quiere escuchar este disco y además nos informa de la muerte de la cantante. El siguiente texto está extraído de la hoja de promo que acompañaba al Lp.

Barbara Mauritz is all too familiar with the dangers of stereotyping. Like Janis Joplin, she migrated from Texas to San Francisco at the height of the Bay area rock boom; as a result, she has been inaccurately cast in a Joplinesque bag by a number of cliche-bound observers. In her original San Francisco band, Lamb, she was constdntly experimenting with voried musical styles, but a sizeable portion of the Bay area musical audience always thought of Lamb in its original incarnation as a classicaIly-oriented folk group. 

With the release of this, her first Columbia album, which was recorded in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles,Barbara has proved that she is not one to be confined to a particular musical category. Or as she explains, "The important thmg is to record the best possible music, regardless of style."

The accompanying musicians are well equipped to handle this diversity of musical styles. Her producer, Tommy Kaye, has produced artists as disparate as Loudon Wainwright and The Shirelles, and has several gold records to his credit. Her arranger, musical leader, and keyboard man, Tom Salisbury, has played in country-westetrn, swing, and jazz bands, and has often worked with Van Morrison. 

"The "Music Box" theme is more than just a title, because this album has something for everyone. In the opening song, "Sit Yourself Down", Barbara's vocal control is immediately noticeable, as she brings new life to a great song. Also worth attention is Chris Michie's soaring guitar riff. "Drop Down Daddy" comes out as it implies-dropped down and funky. Dr. John's "He Knows What To Do For Me" is presented with a big band/bar type aura. The thing to listen for here, other than Barbara's soothing vocal, is Richard Davis' sliding, standup bass. "All The Love Of My Life is a Lnk Wray tune that highlights Barbara's country background. The interesting thing about "I'm Bound To Be", other than the fact that Barbara co-wrote it is that it was done live in the studio with virtually no overdubbing. 

Side two opens with Van Morrison's "I Will Be There", which is another big band number. Curiously enough, Tom Salisbury arranged both Barbara's and Van's versions. "Around And Around" is handled every bit as tough as a Chuck Berry classic should be. "Winter In The Valley" was written by Barbara in the winter of 71-72 and it features a very intricate 5-part string arrangement, that  was done by just two players. Next, upon the advice of Tommy Kaye, Barbara does one of the first and finest lnterpretations of Loudon Wainwright's "Say That You Love Me". The most lavishly produced track is "The Whale", which features approximately 30 people recorded live in our San Francisco studio. This wlll probably remain an unheard of feat for quite some time. "Music Box", the last tune on the album, is another Mauritz original. It's a beautifully simplistic tune that not only changes the musical mood, but also ties the entire concept of the package together.

While you're getting into the album, Barbara is taking care of a few otber projects. For instance, she and Earl Scruggs are doing the soundtrack for the Robert Radnitz/Mattel (the people who did "Sounder") production of "Where The' Lilies Bloom". She and her band are also preparing to tour; hopefully, at which point, you'll get to see her work-out in person. By the way, Barbara is a full-time mother, which should give you a clue as to how Joshua got his picture on the insert.  

JACK BONUS - Jack Bonus (Grunt, 1972)

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A pesar de que la portada y el nombre del artista no incitan a su escucha, he de decir que el único disco de Jack Bonus editado por el sello Grunt, áquel invento de la Jefferson Airplane para dar salida a sus cosas y a la de los coleguitas, tiene su punto. La mejor es sin duda "The Hobo Song" pero el resto no desmerecen. No hay mucha información sobre él, casi todo lo que se sabe del misterioso personaje está aquí: christianschou

JIMMIE RAYE "Mr. Soul Spectacular" - That'll Get It / It´s Written All Over Your Face (Moon Shot, 1969)

Unha peza de northern soul sesudo a cargo de "Mr. Soul Spectacular" que nós fixo felices a mín e a o finés que me pagou 100 euros por el. 

ARTHUR ALEXANDER - Cry Like A Baby / Glory Road (Sound Stage 7, 1969)

JOHNNY JOHNSON & HIS BANDWAGON Soul Survivor (Stateside-EMI, 1971)

"In The Bad Bad Old Days (Before You Loved Me)"

Orixinalmente coñecidos como The Bandwagon, este grupo americano formouse en 1967 con Artie Fullilove, Billy Bradley, Terry Lewis e Johnny Johnson como cantante. Editaron un LP e unha serie de sinxelos, dos que o seu maior éxito foi "Breakin' down the walls of heartache", que chegou ao número catro das listas británicas. En 1970 caen en mans de Tony Macaulay, un dos mellores compositores ingleses de música chicleteira dos 60, cuxos traballos máis coñecidos foron os que protagonizou con The Foundations.  "Soul Survivor" foi editado para aproveitar o éxito  dos seus últimos sinxelos "Sweet Inspiration" e "(Blame It) On The Pony Express" que ademáis son os temas estrelas dun album composto case na súa totalidade de versións dentro das que destaca, "In The Bad Bad Old Days (Before You Loved Me)" que ten case os mesmos arranxos que o propio Macauley fixera para os Foundations uns anos atrás. Morreu de cancro en 1979.

Máis Johnny Johnson

BAR-KEYS - No Puedes Sentarte / Bar-Kays Boogaloo (Atlantic, 1968)

"Bar-Kays Boogaloo"

"You Can't Sit Down" é unha adaptación dun tema de The Dovells do ano 1963 que resolven sin problema pero o interesante de novo aparece ao darlle a volta.

SEBASTIAN WILLIAMS & HIS SOUL MEN - The One You Can't Have / Shucks (Cotillon, 1969)

Otro curioso instrumental de orientación soul que me llamo la atención estos días. "Shucks" es en realidad una relectura de la cara A "The One You Can't Have", firmada por Isaac Hayes y Dave Lambert, en la que el papel de vocalista es ocupado por un guitarrista con cierta querencia por su nuevo pedal wah-wah. Del grupo no sé absolutamente nada. 

WILSON PICKETT - No Desprecies Mi Amor (Partes 1 y 2) (Atlantic, 1971)

""Don´t Knock My Love Part 2""

Unha compra desta mañá que se convertiu en agradable sorpresa cando escoitei este friki instrumental de soul funk sideral con certo toque sicodélico. ***

TYRONE DAVIS - A Woman Needs To Be Loved / Can I Change My Mind (Dakar, 1968)

"Can I Change My Mind"

Tyrone Fettson was born in a rural community twenty miles outside of Greenville, Mississippi. He moved with his father to Saginaw, Michigan, before relocating to Chicago in 1959. Working as a valet/chauffeur for blues singer Freddie King, he started singing in local clubs where he was discovered by record executive/musician Harold Burrage. His early records for small record labels in the city, billed as "Tyrone the Wonder Boy", failed to register. Successful Chicago record producer Carl Davis signed him in 1968 to a new label, Dakar Records that he was starting as part of a distribution deal with Atlantic, and suggested that he use the stage name Tyrone Davis. His first release, "A Woman Needs To Be Loved" was flipped when the b-side started to get radio attention. The song, "Can I Change My Mind" featured a change of vocal style for Davis with a softer, more pleading approach and tone. Wikipedia

SHORTY LONG - Here Comes The Judge / Sing What You Wanna (Tamla Motown, 1968)

"Sing What You Wanna"

Shorty Long entrou na  Motown no ano 63 pero non tivo demasiada fortuna malia que temas como "Devil With The Blue Dress On" (1964) tiñan verdadeiro potencial e de feito un par de anos despois sería un éxito por Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels. "Here comes The Judge" convertiríase no seu momento de gloria  aínda que eu prefiro a que vai no outro lado. Morreu afogado en Detroit en 1969.

SAMMY DAVIES JR - I´ve Gotta Be Me / Bein´ Natural Bein´ Me (Reprise, 1968)

"Bein´ Natural Bein´ Me"

"I've Gotta Be Me" é un tema intrascendente dun musical de Broadway chamado "Golden Rainbow" pero "Bein´ Natural Bein´ Me" nos presenta a un Sammy Davies desmelenado tentando adaptarse aos novos tempos. A canción aparecería ao ano seguinte formando parte do seu elepé "The Goin's Great"

COOL JERKS - Picture of Her Soul (CD EP, La Fábrica Magnética, 1993)

"Merry Christmas, Baby"

A verdade é que as primeiras gravacións dos Cool Jerks molaban e como proba esta estupenda adaptación do tema de Otis Redding que ía incluída no seu segundo Ep.

OTIS REDDING - Merry Christmas, Baby / White Christmas (Atco, 1968)

"Merry Christmas, Baby"

Malia que a miña paixón polo Nadal e as panxoliñas e case nula, aquí vai unha que me gusta especialmente.  

THE FUZZ I Love You For All Seasons - I Love You For All Seasons (Instrumental) (Columbia,1971)

" I Love You For All Seasons"

Buen nombre para un grupo, aunque las chavalas seguro que no estaban pensando en el pedal de distorsión cuando decidieron dejar de trabajar como The Passionettes. " I Love You For All Seasons", tema de soul romántico escrito por por su cantante solista Sheila Young, supuso su único logro artístico. Las otras dos chicas eran Barbara Gilliam y Val Williams.

ROCKY ROBERTS Rocky Roberts (Durium-Vergara, 1969)

"Can't Ask No More"

Born in Miami, spent some time in the U.S. navy, was a welter weight championship boxer and got his first musical cudo's with the Airedales, recording in the U.S. and in France. In the second half of the sixties he moved to Italy where he recorded most of his songs (as a solo artist) and he was a guest in every other popular TV music show. His American accent didn't stop him from having a great hit with "Stassero Mi Butto" or "Sono Tremendo" and he was well known for his energetic Italian language cover versions of Motown & Atlantic soul hits, live and on record.

ROCKY ROBERTS Y LOS AIREDALES T´ Bird - Hitch Hike (Barclay, 1965)

"Hitch Hike"

Un agasallo de Pedro, un fan zaragozano de Rocky Roberts. As notas tamén son súas.

Las dos canciones son versiones: "T´ Bird" había sido grabada por Teddy Raye, pionero del R&B británico, y "Hitch Hike" es el clásico de Marvin Gaye que ya había sido grabada por los Rolling Stones. Ambas son un prodigio de ritmo y funcionan como un reloj de precisión aunque tengo debilidad por "Hitch Hike".

Outros sinxelos de Rocky Roberts no 18 Rodas

ROCKY ROBERTS Sono Tremendo - Stasera Mi Butto (Durium, 1968)
 

ROCKY ROBERTS Ma Non Ti Lascio - Appassionatamente (Durium, 1969)
 

ROCKY ROBERTS Accidenti - I Know You´ll Come Running Back (Durium, 1970)

CARL CARLTON Everlasting Love (ABC, 1974)

"Former Temptations David Ruffin was a friend of Carlton. After listening to one of Ruffin's albums, Carlton got excited about one song, "Everlasting Love." Carlton wasn't aware that the song was previously a Top Ten hit for Robert Knight in 1967. In spite of the song's previous success, the first Carl Carlton single on ABC was "I Wanna Be Your Main Squeeze" with a low-key version of "Everlasting Love" on the flip. After given a more disco-friendly arrangement, "Everlasting Love," produced by Nashville's Papa Don Schroder (Bobby & James Purify's "I'm Your Puppet"), garnered Carlton his first Top Ten pop hit in 1974, peaking at number six and going to number 11 R&B. An album, Everlasting Love, produced by Bob Monaco (Rufus, Three Dog Night), was released and included two other singles, "Morning Noon and Night" and a cover of Rufus' "Smokin' Room," which gave Carlton his second pop hit".  Artigo completo en All Music Guide