Jesse James / Yvonne Baker

“Don’t Forget That I Love You”  / “I Need Love” 

Label: North Broad St Records
Catalogue Number: NBS009BL
Release Date: January 2024
Format: 7’

I suspect a number of people have been thinking that it has been all quiet on the East of Scotland front with NBS lately, but most won’t be surprised to hear that the guys gave been beavering away in the background on various deals and the processes needed to set these in flight. And now the guys are delighted to reveal the next track, a release of what looks like the songwriter’s demo of the Intentions – Don’t Forget That I Love You by none other than famed Philly producer and songwriter Jesse James. This was sourced via legendary record collector and member of the Intentions Dennis Brennan, who was very keen to see what is likely the original cut made available. Colin already had a long and fruitful relationship with Dennis over the years of buying records resulting in a strong friendship, so Dennis was keen to do business with the guys.  Unfortunately during the negotiations Dennis became ill and the guys at NBS pushed through the negotiations and contracts as quick as possible to aid Dennis in his treatment, an immense expense in the USA. Sadly, Dennis did not survive to see the release, but he would have been very happy to see the realisation of his wish to see it out there. 

Jesse James himself is a bit of an enigma in the US, having disappeared from Philly and looking like become a recluse some 10 years ago, even when in Philly he became a bit reticent of publicity, possibly due to some bad feeling over his main hit record. This means outside brief mentions in the 2 excellent Philly books there is little detailed information on him. He was traced by that well known soul sleuth Andy Rix around 2000, who provided the picture here, still working away in his studio but primarily making gospel music and with little interest in his secular past. An all too familiar story it appears these days. However, he had still been successful enough to survive all these years in his own studio.

To the wider world he is famous, relatively, for that lolloping instrumental The Horse on the iconic Phil LA Soul label, released by Cliff Nobles & Co and selling around 2 million copies initially. However, for the more determined rare soul bod it was James’s unreleased version of the flip that really created interest, his great vocal on Love Is All Right plus a much more strident arrangement made this the side to die for. Although it has had a few UK reissues, it’s still rightly associated as another Acetate discovery by John Anderson and sold to mighty Butch the UK’s leading rare soul DJ.  Although James is more known as a producer and one of the leading lights in the emerging Philly Sound of the late 60’s this release shows he was a very talented vocalist, with great mellifluous tones.

 He did release a few singles on himself, a great beat ballad on Lawn sounding similar in approach to the NBS release, and nice without being outstanding releases on Match and Buddah, the latter credited to the James gang, his set of studio musicians he often worked with. His vocal talents were good, and all releases are written and produced by James implying he was confident in his talent, but also that he enjoyed full control and reaping the full rewards from his work. A shrewd move in the cutthroat world that was the 60’s and 70’s music world.

James’s initial model was to book acts for some studio time at the famed Virtue studios using their in-house musicians which off course were the soon to be backbone of the MFSB orchestra and Philly International, all at the time jobbing musicians within Frank Virtue’s studio, explaining the quality of music coming out from there during that period. I have assumed that the NBS release was recorded at this time, and this would explain its great arrangement. According to various sources he met John Corley and Cliff Nobles in his church, recent migrants to the City of Love, managing to convince them to convert from the gospel world to the secular world, and converting John to become Fantastic Johnny C. He set to work with both, having a major hit with Johnny C first. Nobles having been involved in a group back in Alabama had his first solo release with James, the northern stormer Your Love Is Getting Stronger on the Philly J-V label but later released nationally on Atlantic as was his second 45 with James. Given rarity of both I assume neither were major sellers but thankfully it didn’t put James off. They leased some sessions to Phil-La and it was one of these sessions where Nobles version of Love Is Alright was recorded, to be released as aa 45. The label had asked for a flip side, which James had suggested just to use the backing track, obviously confident in the top side making it. He left to the guys in the studio under the arrangement of Bobby Martin and they came up with the repetitive but addictive rhythm track that was The Horse, allegedly with neither James nor vocalist Nobles even present.  Further luck, or karma, happened when after the Love is Alright side had gathered little attention, a Florida DJ flipped the track and the Horse took off, becoming a massive hit and a massive earner.  It was ironically, if indirectly, to help create some of the greatest music of the 70s as the musicians involved became aggrieved at the lack of credit, and more importantly any extra financial reward, deciding to move to work with Gamble and Huff almost exclusively and setting the foundations of the burgeoning Philly Sound. So indirectly we can also thank Jesse James for his unwitting part in the success of Philadelphia International! 

James used the windfall from the release to ultimately create his own studio, Future Gold Studios, und with his own record labels and publishing company he may not have courted publicity, but it sounds like he had done his homework on how to get on in business.  He continued to work with Noble and Corley, releasing a number of records on the Phil-LA label, but he also wrote for others such as Ike and Tina Turner, and worked with other outside talents such as Mike Terry till the mid 70’s, including some great work on the Brothers of Love. At this point the soul output starts to go a little cold. The Horse has continued to be rerecorded until relatively recent times, and I think it is safe to assume it has been a consistent earner. As said previously he was still producing in his own studio at the start of this century, and it looks like he had continued to work on in the background for many years after his hits dried up. 

Now we can bring him back into the spotlight with what I consider as one of his greatest songs as he wanted it to be heard, highlighting what might have been if he used this great vocal talent more regularly. The only thing left to do is buy this release now, and then listen in awe, wondering if there are any more unreleased tracks out there by the unique multi- talented Philly giant that is Jesse James. We can but dream

Thanks to Andy Rix and David Louis of Philadelphia for their guidance. 
Information primarily sourced from Tony Cummings seminal TSOP book

James O’Connor