All posts by Mick

Jesse James

“If a man ever loved a woman (Baby I love you)”/ “I don’t want a divided love”

Label: Soul Junction Records – Catalog: SJ544 – Release Date: Monday 12th July 2021 Format: 7”

Jesse James returns with the follow up to his hugely acclaimed previous release “(The Girl In) Clinton Park” SJ543. Once again, it’s another previously unissued recording found and taken from the same 1971 Searra Sound Studio session tape as “Clinton Park”. The title of this latest offering is “IF a Man Ever Loved A Woman (Baby I Love You)” which is a splendid cover version of a song previously recorded by Dallas, Texas recording artist Bobby Patterson.

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North Broad Street (NBS) #5 is two previously unissued tracks brought to you from two reels NBS where very lucky to receive from Cali with 4 wonderful tracks.

The year was 1982 in Detroit, where at this small studio used by many artists, as the studio time was cheaper than a few of the others, Mr Ruffin laid these tracks down, NBS where told, in one afternoon. After listening to the original reels, NBS felt there needed to be a few tweaks here and there, so off they went to Glasgow where Colin (Law) and John (Buckley) and Greg Kane, their magician of an engineer, went to work. Eventually they emerged into the Glasgow night with two very cool tracks that they feel are going totally light the dance floors up. Colin said “it is an absolute honour to once again add to our Detroit renaissance series with another iconic artist. To know that it’s never been heard or brought out in any format before is very exciting for us and a must and hopefully for you as well.”

Don Brown –07/06/21

Back in the day there were many artists whose music never made it to the mainstream but deserve to be noted. These groups produced some of the best music of the day, however, they were never able to sign with a major record label. Everyone knows about the major groups who climbed the charts from Motown, Stax, Buddha, and other major labels. There were quite a few whose music was played on “local” R&B radio stations but never reached the national scene. Many of these artists received more recognition in Europe than was afforded them here in the USA. Although a couple were signed with the major labels, they were never “marketed”. In fact, there were even a few from right here in Boston, Massachusetts…… Those I will get to later.

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The Originals

MD Records
‘Young train” / “Young Ideas” (MD Records)

Released in 1973 on a Motown Promotional only release to support the Mayoral election campaign of Coleman Young. The Originals consisted of C.P.Spencer, F.Gorman, W.Gaines and H.Dixon were known as Motown’s best kept secret and never really had the success they should have. In the third of the series, we move to 1973 Detroit. But to really appreciate the story of this release we first need to step back to 1969 when Richard Austin ran for Mayor of Detroit. This was a turning point for the city although Richard Austin was defeated at the general election it was becoming clear that the populace of Detroit wanted change.

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After the release of the charts hitter “Don’t Need Your Love” earlier this year it’s now time to follow up with the last two songs out of the reel to reel tape recorded by The Words at Talun & Trc Studios in Indianapolis in 1982. I feel I really need to explain what went on with the original recordings though. Please be patient and ber with me.

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Southern And Deep Soul From Louisiana

Label: Kent Catalog: – CDKEND 501 – Release Date: 28th May 2021 – Format: CD

South-West Louisiana is rightly famous for its homegrown music, Cajun, and its black Creole cousin, Zydeco. There is a romanticism to the area with its exotically named towns and a feeling that it has been cut off from the world. Yet, however much it may seem removed from America, it is still a part of it. Since the birth of the car, Route 90 and then the Interstate 10 have connected New Orleans, Louisiana and Houston, Texas, running straight through the region, opening it up to the world. The local industry that grew up to record the indigenous music was perfectly placed to document local versions of country, blues, funk, soul and pop, as musicians and live bands came through to play in the most important towns.

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Joe Adams

It was around 1999 and a stack of Del-Val and related studio reels lay in Joe Stevenson’s basement gathering dust and at the same time slowly deteriorating with the possibility of being lost forever. Looking back now I am so glad someone had the foresight to transfer them onto DAT tapes before they were damaged beyond all hope. Some of the tracks were then used for a “Best of Del-Val” CD release around 2000 by the guys at Philly Archives. This was a blessing in disguise as a few years later all the masters were lost to a huge flood in Joe’s basement destroying them beyond any repair.

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J.D’S TIME MACHINE

‘Never enough you’/’Hopes up’

Label: Izipho Soul Records – Catalog: ZP46 – Release Date: 28th May 2021 – Format: 7’

J.D’S TIME MACHINE PRESENTS: JEFF RAMSEY feat. CLEVELAND P. JONES

UP Soul singer and educator Jeff Ramsey sadly passed away in February 2020, we feel the time is right to release this tribute record. Two tremendous, but lesser known collaborations with James Day; one with the immense Cleveland P. Jones, receive the 45 treatment!

Various Artists (Vietnam Soul)

Label: Kent – Catalog: CDKEND 474 – Release Date: 28th May 2021 – Format: CD

This month sees the release of the last in Kent’s trilogy spotlighting black America’s involvement in the Vietnam war. It’s been a long wait but we feel that the 23 tracks here more than uphold the high standard of its predecessors – “A Soldier’s Sad Story” (CDKEND 226) and “Does Anybody Know I’m Here” (CDKEND 245).

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