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Exact matches: 1
1
Dan Greer —
Beale Street Soul Man – The Sounds Of Memphis Sessions – 22 Lost Southern Soul Masterpieces From The Renowned Writer, Producer & Artist ... CD 
Kent (UK), Early 70s. New Copy ... $11.99 18.99
The first-ever tribute to this overlooked genius of southern soul – a set that brings together the rare early 70s singles from Dan Greer, plus a huge amount of unreleased work as well! Dan recorded these cuts for the Sounds Of Memphis label, in a style that really shows the changes in southern soul taking place at the time – that rich move forward you'd hear in the music of Sam Dees, Jimmy Lewis, and other key contemporaries who, along with Greer, really helped shake free of some of the 60s cliches of the genre – and stepped forth strongly with a sense of pride and power that's really amazing! The music's definitely got a Memphis vibe, but also echoes a bit of Nashville and Jackson soul as well – and Greer's slight lyrical twang is a really great fit for the slight bite in the way he puts his songs together. Titles include "Hook Line & Singer", "Shell Of A Man", "Thanks To You Girl", "How Does It Feel", "Bless You", "Voodoo Woman", "Share", "So Good To Be Young", "Any Moment Now", "Natural Reaction", "Only The Beginning", and "I'm A Lucky Guy". CD
Close matches: 1
2
Minits —
Follow Your Heart – The Sound Of Memphis Recordings ... CD Sounds Of Memphis/
Beautiful female soul from The Minits – a three piece group that recorded just a few singles for the the Sounds Of Memphis label – with a dozen great songs pulled together for this excellent compilation from Kent UK, many of which were never issued before now! Ultimately, there were far too few female soul stars coming out of Memphis with popularity anywhere near the levels of the male stars, and fewer still on labels other than Stax or Hi – and the dozen tracks here make a very strong case for The Minits, who should have busted out hugely. The set is light on ballads and skews towards dancefloor ready rhythms and pop soul of the best kind, with genuine soul! It includes their great Sounds Of Memphis singles and several tracks that were left in the vaults and only recently discovered. Titles include "Lover Boy", "Still A Part Of Me", "Last Mile Of The Way", "Pullin'", "Natural Reaction", "If You Don't Like My Apples (Don't Shake The Tree)", "Follow Your Heart" and more. CD
Possible matches: 26
3
George Jackson —
George Jackson In Memphis ... LP 
Ace/
A stunning collection of work from the great George Jackson – a real 70s powerhouse in southern soul, but an artist who didn't always get the chance to shine as much as he should! One reason for that was that Jackson only issued singles during the decade – work here collected from labels that include Chess, MGM, and Sounds Of Memphis – superbly-written tunes that really show off George's skills as a songwriter – at a level that also had Jackson's talents so in demand by others, he didn't always get the chance to issue records on his own. As you'd guess from the title, the work here was all recorded in Memphis – with wonderful vocals by George, and that strong Memphis style backing of soulful guitars, horns, sweet keys, rollicking drums and insistent bass lines. Titles include "Things Are Getting Better", "Let's Live For Ourselves", "If You Never See Me", "Dear Abby", "I Don't Need You No More", "Talking About The Love I Have For You", "How Can I Get Next To You", "If You Never See Me", and "Walking The City Streets". LP, Vinyl record album
4
Various —
Soul Of Designer Records (4CD box set) ... CD Designer/
A tremendous legacy in gospel music during the 60s – a crucially important indie from the Memphis scene – and one who recorded really great groups from around the country! Designer were helping shape the sound of modern gospel at the same time as Chess, Savoy, and some of the bigger labels – and doing their work with a similar ear towards some of the more soulful sounds of the secular world – particularly in the way the harmonies and sound of group vocals came together! And despite their name – designer – which might make you think in terms of throwaway fashion – the label has a really classic sound and a rock-solid approach, which makes this overstuffed 4CD set a treasure trove for anyone interested in these key years in gospel music. The set features 101 tracks, in a very cool LP-sized sleeve, complete with an oversized booklet filled with notes and photos – and the collection features work by Foster Brothers, Gospel Songbirds, Twilight Singers, Melody Kings Of Greenwood MS, The Jubilee Hummingbirds, Jackson Trumpeteers, Little Willie Patterson & The Famous South Land Singers, The Shaw Singers, Sister Carrie Daniel, and many many more! CD
5
Various —
Soul Of The Memphis Boys ... CD Ace (UK), Late 60s/
Deep soul from the glory days of the Memphis scene – not the better-known work recorded at Stax, but material from the smaller American Sound Studio – a new game in town during the late 60s, and a place that forged it's very own legacy in Memphis music! American recorded a variety of styles – a bit like Muscle Shoals – but this collection not only focuses most strongly on the soul music cut at the studios, but also work by "The Memphis Boys" – the superb in-house session group that included top-shelf talents like Reggie Young and Tommy Cogbill on guitar, Bobby Emmons on keyboards, and Chips Moman at the head of the group. The great Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham also did plenty of work for American – on material that was issued on a variety of labels – Atlantic, Cameo, Bell, Sound Stage 7, Smash, and others – all collected here with a deep set of notes that really gets at the special vibe going down at American. Titles include "Burning Fire" by Arthur Conley, "Someone To Take Your Place" by Bobby Marchan, "I Don't Want To Have To Wait" by James & Bobby Purify, "Ain't That True Love" by Oscar Toney Jr, "There's A Heartbreak Somewhere" by Roscoe Shelton, "Comin To Bring You Some Soul" by Sam Baker, "It Ain't Fair" by Ben E King, "Don't Take Your Love" by The Blossoms, "So Much Love" by Dusty Springfield, "Broadway Walk" by Bobby Womack, "Holdin On" by Jerry Lee Lewis, and "On The Other Side" by Lee Jones & The Sounds Of Soul. CD
6
Various —
South Texas Rhythm & Soul Revue Vol 2 – From The Vaults Of Crazy Cajun Records ... CD Kent (UK), Late 60s/
The great state of Texas turned out plenty of soul records in the 60s – and some of the best of them came from the hands of Huey P Meux – the legendary talent who's responsible for all the work on this set! Huey was also known as the Crazy Cajun – also the name of a label on which some of these cuts appeared – and his work shares a bit of the deeper, swampier sounds you might expect from Louisiana soul of the time, mixed with the rich bluesy currents that Texas had been turning out since the postwar years! The result is some stellar music that never fully got its due back in the day – tracks that maybe had a bit of regional fame, but never hit as big as sounds from Memphis or Muscle Shoals, which makes this collection such a great discovery – rare tracks by Texas artists, and other talents who were pulled down near the Houston scene for these recordings – all presented in a set of well-chosen tracks with some mighty nice notes. Titles include "Too Good To Be True" by The Traits, "Half A Man" by Charles Berry, "The Bad Times Make The Good Times" by Warren Storm, "T'Ain't It The Truth" by Jean Knight, "Strange Love" by Eugene Gamble, "All About Love" by Big Sam, "I'm Losing You" by Henry Moore, "Total Disaster" by Lee Maye, "At Your Wedding" by Jackie Paine, "You're Losing Me" by Jo Jo Benson, "Spunky Onions" by Johnny Adams, and "The Pleasures Of My Woman" by Rocky Gil & The Bishops. CD
7
Various —
Stone Crush – Memphis Modern Soul 1977 to 1987 ... CD Light In The Attic, Late 70s/
A look at Memphis soul music that goes way beyond any Stax, Goldwax, or Atlantic Records collections you might own – partly because all of the tracks here are from a time in the city when all those other labels had stopped recording! Memphis is usually remembered for a 60s/
8
Various —
Memphis 70 – The City's Funk & Soul In The Decade After Otis 1968 to 1977 ... CD BGP (UK), Late 60s/
A mind-expanding look at Memphis soul – one that gets way past common cliches about the city and its music! There's a heavy dose of funk in the mix on most numbers here – a gritty, fuzzy approach to the music that seems slightly borrowed from the Detroit scene at the end of the 60s – then mixed with some rougher, rootsier southern soul styles too! But other tracks take on a more sophisticated sound too – some of the righteous elements that hit Stax in the post-1968 period, especially as Isaac Hayes and David Porter were working on their own great solo work. Yet unlike Hayes and Porter, most of the artists here are much lesser-known – singers and groups who never charted big, but who got the chance to record for Memphis labels like XL, Stax, Select-O-Hits, and Sounds Of Memphis. CD features 20 tracks in all – and titles include "Dig It" by The Optimistics, "Mississippi Mud" by Smithsonian, "Two Paces Ahead Of Love" by Willie Walker, "Pullin" by The Minits, "It's Bump Time" by Gene Bowlegs Miller, "Blackrock Yeah Yeah" by Blackrock, "Keep The Faith" by Mel & Tim, "Watch Dog (alt)" by Barbara & The Browns, "Come What May" by John Gary Williams, "Strange Things" by Art Jerry Miller, "Shake" by The Ovations, "Tip Toeing" by Alvin Cash, "The Way Of Me" by Hannon, "Take A Giant Step" by LaCleve Milon, "Papa Killed A Chicken" by Willie Toliver, and "Don't Boom Boom" by Lillian Hale. CD
9
Various —
Stone Crush – Memphis Modern Soul 1977 to 1987 ... LP Light In The Attic, Late 70s/
A look at Memphis soul music that goes way beyond any Stax, Goldwax, or Atlantic Records collections you might own – partly because all of the tracks here are from a time in the city when all those other labels had stopped recording! Memphis is usually remembered for a 60s/
10
Volt/
Amazing work from the new version of The Bar-Kays – a group who reformed to become a combo as heavy as any of the best funky groups from Detroit, LA, or New York at the time! There's a style here that's a sweet Memphis distillation of ideas bubbling under in music by Sly Stone, Funkadelic, and others – taken to new territory here by a group that was already steeped in 60s soul instrumental sounds! The cuts show a great ear for simple hooks and playful instrumental twists and turns – still with a bit of the trumpet used on Bar-Kays work of the past, but more in a groove that lets the guitar step out nicely with psychedelic soul undercurrents! Tracks include "In The Hole", "Funky Thang", "Grab This Thing", "Street Walker", "Humpin", and "Don't Stop Dancing To The Music (parts 1 & 2)". LP, Vinyl record album
11
Chuck Berry —
Toronto Rock & Roll Revival 1969 ... CD Sunset Blvd, 1969. New Copy ... $16.99 17.99
A searing live set from Chuck Berry – one that's way better than the "rock and roll revival" in the title! In 1969, Chuck was still completely on fire – after making some albums for Mercury that were filled with expansive guitar lines and really great sounds – and about to move back to Chess, where he'd experiment with funk too! Here, Berry stretches out in a live setting with all these wicked long guitar solos – of a sort that you'd be hard-pressed to find on earlier records – almost like he's showing the Hendrix generation that he was there first! Sure, most of the tunes are familiar – but the versions here are very different – and titles include "Wee Wee Hours", "Memphis Tennessee", "Maybellene", "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man", "Rock & Roll Music", "School Day", "Johnny B Good/
12
Enterprise/
Excellent heavy funk from Stax! Black Nasty were one of the heaviest groups on the label – with a rock-solid guitar-based groove that went even farther than the Bar-Kays, who were no slouch in the guitar department themselves! The grooves are all slow to midtempo, with the band coming down hard on the downbeats, jamming away in a style that sounds more like heavy Detroit Westbound than sweetly soulful Memphis. Most all cuts have vocals – sung in a shouting style by the band that works well with the tripped-out hooks of the songs. This was the only album the band ever cut, but it's become a fast favorite among those who like their funk raw. Tracks include "We're Doin Our Thing", "Rushin Sea", "Booger The Hooker", "Black Nasty Boogie", "Nasty Soul", and "Getting Funky Round Here". LP, Vinyl record album
13
Electraphonic, 2011. Used ... $9.99
The great second album from The Bo-Keys – the stellar Memphis combo that's a mix of younger players and veteran session musicians from of the vaunted Hi Records scene of the classic era – who deliver a straight up knockout with Got To Get Back! We dug the group's earlier work, but this one really raises the bar. It's not so much a throwback to the late 60s and 70s golden era of Memphis and other points southern soul as it is a modern statement on the sounds longevity – committed with the purest authenticity. There's funky and smouldering soul instrumentals and vocal numbers with an incredible lineup of guests – including the great Otis Clay, plus Percy Wiggins, William Bell and Charlie Musselwhite. They work equally great in a number of modes, too. Titles include "Hi Roller", "Jack And Ginger", "Sundown On Beale", "90 Days Same As Cash", "Cauley Flower", "Got To Get Back (To My Baby)" with Otis Clay, "Weak Spot" with William Bell, "Catch This Teardrop" with Percy Wiggins and more. CD
(Out of print.)
14
Stax, 1960s. New Copy ... $11.99 12.98
It's like a dream come true! This CD contains 25 tracks of unreleased Booker T & The MGs material, cut during their classic years at Stax during the 60s, but never issued until the release of this CD! The tracks on the CD are all cover versions of other 60s tunes – "hip hits", if you will – but the group does as great a job as always with the material, taking each tune and investing it with a keen Memphis soul groove, thanks to Steve Cropper's raunchy guitar and Booker T's excellent organ! Titles include "Baby, Scratch My Back", "I Was Made To Love Her", "Day Tripper", "On A Saturday Night", "Spoonful", "Soul Man", "Downtown", "The Letter", and "Raunchy". Sounds like filler material – but it's great stuff by this classic instrumental group! CD
(This album also issued in the UK as Play the Hip Hits.)
15
Al Green —
Love Ritual – Rare & Previously Unreleased 1968 to 1976 ... CD Hi Records/
A selection of earlier Al Green numbers issued originally at the end of the 70s – with new mixing by Willie Mitchell, who'd produced all the original sides. Titles include "Love Ritual", which is a nice groover with some congas in the mix giving the whole thing an earthier thump under the trademark 70s Hi Records sound – and ultimately, upon revisiting this compilation, Mitchell does a pretty great job of filtering Al's wandering muse at this point through the trademark sounds of Memphis and Hi Records! plus "Glory Glory", "Let It Shine", "Keep Me Cryin", "Oh Me Oh My", "I Tried To Tell Myself", and "Smile A Little Bit More". CD
16
Stax, 1971. New Copy Gatefold (reissue)... $22.99 24.98
One of the most fantastic soundtracks of the 70s – and maybe even of all time – thanks to a non-stop blast of insane styles and grooves – all quite different than other blacksploitation records of the time! For this, his masterpiece film, Melvin Van Peebles composed a non-stop collage of crazy sounds and funky jams, played by himself and a very young Earth, Wind, & Fire – then pasted together in a pastiche of music, dialogue, and sound effects that serve as an audio document of the film! If you've ever seen the movie – and even if you haven't – you'll find that the soundtrack works as a 40 minute version of the film, shifting back and forth with a loose narrative progression. Of course, the real appeal is the funky music – and you'll hear more than enough of that on tracks like "Sweetback's Theme", "Hoppin John", "Come On Fee", and "Sweetback Getting it Uptight". LP, Vinyl record album
(A really beautiful pressing – 180 gram vinyl, cut at Ardent Studios in Memphis – in a heavy gatefold cover with new notes too!)
17
Innovative Leisure, 2021. New Copy ... $13.99 14.99
Nick Waterhouse has always had a commitment to classic-styled sounds in his music – and here, he seems to hit that mark even more than before – recording in Memphis with a nicely deep tone that blends together vintage elements of soul and pop, served up with these rich backings that somehow feel like they were lifted off an old school 45 from one of the great labels in the city back in the day! Nick wrote all the tunes himself, but the orchestrations and overall instrumentation add as much to the set as his vocals – as does the well-styled production, which was done by Waterhouse and Paul Butler. There's a lot of cuts here that are almost in a popcorn soul mode – with a nice slinky groove – and titles include "Medicine", "The Spanish Look", "Place Names", "Minor Time", "Fugitive Lover", "Silver Bracelet", and "To Tell". CD
18
Numero, Mid 60s. New Copy ... $7.99 19.99
The birth of Miami soul, and a beautifully done document of the rare Deep City label – home to Willie Clarke, Clarence Reid, and Betty Wright in the years before Alston and TK Records! Way before Miami soul started cracking the charts at the start of the 70s, Deep City was already putting the best parts in place – working with a tight roster of artists and an equally tight in-house band that rose from the ranks of Florida A&M's Marching 100 band – razor-sharp instrumentalists who helped forge a groove worthy to rival the sounds of Memphis, Muscle Shoals, and even the best of Detroit at the time – given that some of the work here has a much sweeter soul sound than other 60s southern soul. As usual, the Numero team have done an incredible job with the package – pulling out rare photos, personal stories, and just the right amount of information to breathe new life into the Deep City label and help it live anew. CD features 17 tracks in all – including "Paralyzed" and "Good Lovin" by Betty Wright, "Am I A Good Man" by Them Two, "Someone To Fulfill My Needs" and "I Love You Baby" by The Moovers, "I Am Controlled By Your Love" and "Willing & Able" by Helene Smith, "Good Thing (part 1)" by Frank Williams & The Rocketeers, "It's My Baby" and "The Upset" by Paul Kelly, and "Stay Away From My Johnny" by Freda Gray & The Rocketeers. CD
19
Numero, Early 70s. New Copy ... $7.99 18.99
A glorious batch of unearthed soul and funk from the early 70s central Ohio scene – the storming singles of Prix label – culled from ultra rare 45s plus previous unreleased gems! Prix was the imprint started to release work captured at Columbus's Harmonic Sounds studios commercially – pummeling funk, uptempo harmony soul, some heavy organ groovers and beyond – work by the Royal Esquires, Eddie Ray, Joe King, Marion Black and others. Most of the tracks were cut in the first few years of the 70s – at a time when when central Ohio was producing soul and funk as mighty as the bigger midwestern cities of Detroit, Memphis and Chicago – standing just as tall even if it didn't get over as well in the marketplace! 19 tracks in all – 11 of which were issued as Prix 45s in the early 70s, plus 8 more tracks that were never officially released – culled from finished masters, demos and other studio material that was only recently discovered! Titles include "Wait A Minute", "You Got Me" and more by Eddie Ray, "Mystic" and "Mister Kidneys" by OFS Unlimited, "Speak On Up" and "Your My Everything" by Joe King, "Ain't Gonna Run" by Royal Esquires, "Listen Black Brother" by Marion Black, "Melon Jelly" by Soul Ensemble, "I'm Gonna Gitcha" by Chip Willis & Double Exposure and more, plus 4 "extended play" bonus tracks by Eddie Ray, Harmonic Sounds Band and Penny & The Quarters. CD
20
Charles Packy Axton & Others —
Late Late Party ... CD Light In The Attic, Late 60s. Used ... Temporarily Out Of Stock
One of the greatest and most historically important compilations ever put together by our friends at Light In The Attic – the first ever (!!!) anthology devoted to Stax sax great Charles "Packy" Axton! Packy was a founding member of the Mar-Keys and a cat who played with the best of them – Steve Cropper, Booker T, Teenie Hodges, Donald "Duck" Dunn and many more – all of whom can be heard on this mindblowing set of benchmark vocal and instrumental singles from the mid 60s – truly the blueprint material for the great Stax and all around Memphis soul to come! It features singles cut for labels such as USA, Bar, Hollywood and Pure Soul – soul/
21
Brooklyn Allstars —
Walk Tall ... LP Jewel, 1973. Very Good+ ... Temporarily Out Of Stock
A great gospel group with a really strong deep soul sound – one that comes from some tremendously full harmonies by the male members of this hip quintet! The group may get their name from Brooklyn, but the sound here is much more in the southern soul mode of the Jewel label on which the album was issue – a rolling, rootsy groove that sounds like something coming out of Memphis in the 60s. The group pay tribute to their secular contemporaries with a remake of the Luther Ingram hit – done as "If Loving God Is Wrong (I Don't Want To Be Right)" – and other tunes include "God Specializes", "Trying To Get Home", "Once A Day", "Serving The Lord", "On The Battlefield", and "Soldier's Prayer". LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a cut corner and some aging.)
22
Isaac Hayes —
Juicy Fruit (Disco Freak) ... CD ABC/
Hardly the disco set you might guess from the title – and instead, a surprisingly soulful gem from the post-Stax years of Isaac Hayes! There's certainly a bit of uptempo grooving in the mix – but, as on Ike's Polydor years, the approach is still handled with the deeper sounds that Hayes first forged over at Stax – a way of putting together the groove that's almost like a mini-symphony in soul – still quite complex, even when aimed at the dancefloor! But not all cuts are groovers, too – as there's some key mellow moments on the record that really help balance things out, and which we really like a lot – those slow-stepping, mature masculine numbers that always marked Hayes as one of the hippest talents of his generation. There's some key Memphis help on the record from The Movement – who handle rhythm and horns – and titles include "Let's Don't Ever Blow Our Thing", "Lady of The Night", "The Storm Is Over", "Juicy Fruit", "Thank You Love", and "Music To Make Love By". CD
(Mark through barcode.)
23
Hidehiko Matsumoto —
This Is Blues ... LP Columbia (Japan), Mid 60s. Very Good+ Gatefold ... Temporarily Out Of Stock
A classic cooker from Hidehiko "Sleepy" Matsumoto – one of Japan's greatest reedmen of the 60s! Matsumoto sounds wonderful here in a cool small combo setting – blowing deep-toned tenor alongside guitar and plenty of Hammond organ – definitely in the bluesy territory promised in the title, but with a groovy sort of 60s swing as well! The album's got the same sort of soulful charm you might find in dates like this by American ex-pats working in the European scene – an approach that's not entirely the same as you'd hear on an American session on Prestige or Riverside, with a slight difference that really makes the record stand out. Matsumoto's horn is wonderful throughout – filled with classic soulful tones – and titles include "Broken Promises", "Mittemacht Blues", "Ame No Blues", "Night Fall", "The Touch", "Blues De Memphis", "Wakare No Blues", and "Champs Elysees". LP, Vinyl record album
(Heavy yellow label pressing, in textured gatefold cover – with obi!)
24
Various —
Eccentric Soul – The Prix Label ... LP Numero, Early 70s. New Copy 2LP Gatefold ... Temporarily Out Of Stock
A glorious batch of unearthed soul and funk from the early 70s central Ohio scene – the storming singles of Prix label – culled from ultra rare 45s plus previous unreleased gems! Prix was the imprint started to release work captured at Columbus's Harmonic Sounds studios commercially – pummeling funk, uptempo harmony soul, some heavy organ groovers and beyond – work by the Royal Esquires, Eddie Ray, Joe King, Marion Black and others. Most of the tracks were cut in the first few years of the 70s – at a time when when central Ohio was producing soul and funk as mighty as the bigger midwestern cities of Detroit, Memphis and Chicago – standing just as tall even if it didn't get over as well in the marketplace! Some tracks were issued as Prix 45s in the early 70s, and others were never officially released – culled from finished masters, demos and other studio material that was only recently discovered! Titles include "Wait A Minute", "You Got Me" and more by Eddie Ray, "Mystic" and "Mister Kidneys" by OFS Unlimited, "Speak On Up" and "Your My Everything" by Joe King, "Ain't Gonna Run" by Royal Esquires, "Listen Black Brother" by Marion Black, "Melon Jelly" by Soul Ensemble, "I'm Gonna Gitcha" by Chip Willis & Double Exposure and more. LP has 2 bonus cuts – 21 tracks in all! LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Eccentric Soul – The Prix Label ... CD 7.99(Limited to 2000 copies.)
25
NRBQ —
All Hopped Up (with bonus tracks) ... CD Red Rooster/
An overlooked charmer from NRBQ – a set that was issued on a smaller label than their Columbia material, but which also has the group really hitting their stride with a nicely focused sound! All the many roots of the past are still in place, but there's also this lean quality and great ear for a melody that seems almost like a lost link between the Memphis scene at Ardent, and the bigger waves of southern underground sounds to come from Athens and beyond! At some level, the record's also maybe a more back to basics effort than they ever recorded before – almost resetting the group to re-emerge with a strength that would last for years. Titles include "Ridin In My Car", "It Feels Good", "Cecilia", "Call Him Off Rogers", "Doctor's Wind", "Queen Talk", "Still In School", "That's Alright", "Things To You", "Help Me Somebody", and "I Got A Rocket In My Pocket". Bonus tracks include "Do The Bump", "Chicken Hearted", "She's Got To Know", and "Start It Over". CD
(Penmark through barcode.)
26
Nick Waterhouse —
Promenade Blue ... LP Innovative Leisure, 2021. New Copy ... Out Of Stock
Nick Waterhouse has always had a commitment to classic-styled sounds in his music – and here, he seems to hit that mark even more than before – recording in Memphis with a nicely deep tone that blends together vintage elements of soul and pop, served up with these rich backings that somehow feel like they were lifted off an old school 45 from one of the great labels in the city back in the day! Nick wrote all the tunes himself, but the orchestrations and overall instrumentation add as much to the set as his vocals – as does the well-styled production, which was done by Waterhouse and Paul Butler. There's a lot of cuts here that are almost in a popcorn soul mode – with a nice slinky groove – and titles include "Medicine", "The Spanish Look", "Place Names", "Minor Time", "Fugitive Lover", "Silver Bracelet", and "To Tell". LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Promenade Blue ... CD 13.9927
Various —
Greetings From Tennessee – The Volunteer State ... CD Bear Family (Germany), Late 40s/
A hefty helping of songs about the state of Tennessee – served up here in a great mix of postwar country and early rock and roll – maybe no surprise, given that the state is home to both Memphis and Nashville! Some tunes here are familiar classics, others are more obscure – and they're brought together in a great mix of sounds that's very much in keeping with the style we love on other compilations from the Bear Family label. 25 tracks in all – and titles include "Tennessee Flat Top Box" by Johnny Cash, "Tennessee Whiskey" by David Allen Coe, "Tennessee Blues" by Tex Ritter, "Tennessee Two Step" by Joe Maphis, "Tennessee Local" by Tennessee Ernie Ford, "FOB Tennessee" by Kenny Roberts, "Tennessee Rag" by Country All Stars, "Tennessee Saturday Night" by Ernest Tubb, "Tennessee Jive" by Johnny Horton, "Tennessee Boogie" by Zeb Turner, "Tennessee Toddy" by Marty Robbins, and "I'm Goin Back To Tennessee" by Jimmie Logsdon. CD
28
Various —
This Is Fame – 1964 to 1968 ... CD Fame/
Classic sounds from one of the coolest labels and studios in southern soul – the mighty Fame, which was to Muscle Shoals what Stax was to Memphis – especially at the time of these mid 60s recordings! Like Stax, Fame was an indie with a strong ear to the ground – and was able to pull together some incredible talent for its in-house roster – really strong songwriters, and session musicians who went on to become the stuff of legends – very different than the slicker cats on the coast, and instead some really dedicated young players who forever helped change the sound of soul in the 60s! Because of the core collection of talent at Fame, and the strength of its leader and producer Rick Hall, there's a really unified vibe to this material, even though the singers in the lead are always different – as were the labels that originally released some of this material. Leave it up to Ace Records to pull all the best bits together, and also give us the wonderful story behind the Muscle Shoals scene – on titles that include "Fortune Teller" by The Del-Rays, "I Can't Stop" by Arthur Conley, "It Tears Me Up" by James Barnett, "Feed The Flame" by Billy Young, Take Me Just As I Am" by Dan Penn, "Hi Heel Sneakers" by Jimmy Hughes, "Slippin Around With You" by Art Freeman, "That Kind Of Lovin" by Otis Clay, "Don't Make Me Hate Loving You" by Jeanie Greene, "Back In Your Arms" by George Jackson, "Thread The Needle" by Clarence Carter, "You Really Know How To Hurt A Guy" by Ralph Soul Jackson, "Long Ago" by Ben & Spence, "Keep On Talking" by James Barnett, "Come On Home" by Herman Moore, "Almost Persuaded" by June Conquest, "Wish You Didn't Have To Go" by Spooner & The Spoons, "I Worship The Ground You Walk On" by Jimmy Hughes, "A Piece Of My Heart" by Art Freeman, and "Blind Can't See" by Richard Earl & The Corvettes. CD
Partial matches: 1
29
New Mastersounds —
Be Yourself (with bonus download) ... LP King Underground, 2003. New Copy (reissue)... Out Of Stock
A warm return to funky form for the New Mastersounds – working here in an instant-classic groove that recalls the glory days of the Memphis scene! The group's instrumental sound is supported by some extremely burning work on Hammond – sweet and soulful licks that remind us a lot of the sound of Booker T in the late 60s, backed up by some guitar work that shifts easily from uptight and scratchy, to superdope and mellow. The album changes things up nicely from track to track, going for grooves that blend in a lot of different modes, and which show the group to be really expanding their format. Titles include "Better Off Dead", "Six Underground", "Barca", "You've Had It All", "This Ain't Work", "Idle Time", "Your Love Is Mine", "RTA", "Coming Down", and "Be Yourself". LP, Vinyl record album
(First time on vinyl! Includes download.)
