RSD 2021 DROP 1. Available online from 6pm Sat June 12
£20
LP
500 pressed on black vinyl. In New York, the shape of African-American music was changing in 1970. Funk was now the thing. Groups like the Isley Brothers and Kool & The Gang were leading the charge and almost everyone was following, as can be heard on most of the tracks here. The structure of the music business was altering as well. Prominent independent record labels like Veep, Diamond and Amy that had featured strongly in previous LPs in this series, had already closed their doors, while other large concerns such as Musicor, Jubilee, Kapp and Shout were on their last legs. But despite this we’ve still been able to find 17 stunning soul songs to populate this album. And while funky rhythms predominate there is still room for mainstream soul, sweet soul and group harmonies to savour. Singers move from the rightly celebrated such as Garnett Mimms and Marva Whitney to the obscure Lee Jackson and Beverly Hammonds. But all of them demonstrate the power and prestige of Big Apple music at its best.
SIDE ONE. 1. Marva Whitney – Giving Up On Love 2. Swordsmen – Sho-Be-Do-Di-Da 3. Lee Jackson – Ordinary People 4. Jay Morton – Alligator Strut 5. Jive Fyve – You Showed Me The Light Of Love 6. Honey & Bees – Make Love Love To Me 7. Rudy Mockabee – Piece Of My Heart 8. Garnet Mimms – Get It While You Can.
SIDE TWO. 1. Geraldine Hunt – Never Ever Leave Me 2. Honey & Bees – Please Have Mercy Baby 3. Frankie Newsome – Don’t Mess With My Lovemaker 4. Marva Whitney – This Is My Quest 5. Beverly Hammonds – I Wish It Would Rain 6. Bobby Reed – If I Don’t Love You 7. Vic Marcel – A Sinners’ Prayer 8. Hoagy Lands & Lillie Fields – Beautiful Music 9. Vandals – I’m Gonna Wait For You –