soulpope

Excellent ensemble and performances ....

Sad and beautiful ....

Some mighty fine Harold Land solo work here ....

Syl Johnson "Main Squeeze" (Hi Records H-78517) .... a very late Hi Records release at the sundown of Southern Soul documents Syl Johnson`s strength with downtempo material on this excellent ballad co-written with songsmith Earl Randle .... compares favorably with the version from Nate Evans (Twinight TW-156) from 1972 - but that`s a different story ....

So here we go with some prime Syl Johnson @Hi Studios, Memphis .... the superb title track (standing for an unintended allegory of Johnson`s treatment at Hi) gives Johnson the chance to shine and the horn arrangements are spot on .... the harder hitting songs were so perfect for both Syl Johnson and Otis Clay, but the smooth downtempo material was strictly taylor made for Al Green`s voice ....

Beautiful presentation by Numero for sure .... amassing all his pre-Hi recordings this material documents Syl Johnson as a more than capable singer with a strong(er)urgency in his delivery - probably capitalizing on the fact the here he felt/was treated like a (coming) star - Twinight (!!) .... later at Hi Records he was always somehow lagging behind Al Green`s success story ....

Essential Max Roach on EmArcy ....

Classic Eddie Palmieri ....

Johnny Copeland nearly outsings James Carr here .... I said nearly ....

Found this interesting article http://destination-out.com/?p=491 regarding the magnificent french bassplayer Francois Rabbath. Actually this photography caught my attention : Infos about this collaboration - anyone .... ?

Ella Fitzgerald ‎"Sings The George And Ira Gershwin Song Book" (Verve France)

Some more voices "lost in the shadows" .... : Sonny Green „I`m Just Your Man“ (MHR MH-223) 1974 Bobby & Clyde „My Day Is Coming“ (Blue Candle 1495) 1972

Earlier today .... : Pep Brown „Is It All Over“ (Polydor 14176) 1973 Pep Brown „Are You Leavin Me/Think About The Children“ (Lava 1002) 1971 Pep Brown „I`m The One Who Needs You“ (Polydor PD-14204) 1973 .... another tremendous southern soul singer who didn`t make the breakthrough - listening to these superb 45`s recorded either at Macon, Georgia or Muscle Shoals Studios and produced by Aland Walden (brother of former Otis Redding manager Phil Walden) quality was not an issue for sure ....

(IMO) a supeb effort and - benath the two releases with Tone Jansa on Timelss mentioned here earlier today - "must have" Woody Shaw ....