Not to be confused with the New York based group of the same name, this Odyssey were a small band out of California. The album is sought after for these two movers, especially the latin-tinged "Battened Ships" that was not released on 45. The Mowest label was handled by the West Coast office of Motown.
A Detroit legend on his only album, issued for Abc records in 1974. The name on the credits are the best of the Motor City soul scene (Lamont Dozier, Dennis Coffey, Davit T. Walker, etc.). The track list is fabulous so do not hesitate to search for an original copy or the recent reissue on CD thanks to Dusty Groove America. Richard ‘Popcorn’ Wylie passed away in 2008, aged 69.
What an exciting mix of a Modern Soul classic! The version on Seventy Seven is great but this one makes me crazy. Solid drum patterns, slap bass lines, horns and there you go, we are in heaven. A rare record to obtain on the original label. Eddie is the same artist a Shorty Billups.
The best term to describe Jimmy Norman's music is "powerful". With a long list of excellent 45s in his curriculum, the man played with Jimy Hendrix and wrote the lyrics of "Time Is On My Side". This double sider was issued in 1967. Beside the Northern Soul classic "I'm Leaving" the gritty "If You Love Her" stands on its own.
A 1967 record issued by Chess after being originally released on the indie label Starville. Hidden on the flip of a poppish uptempo number, this side is much better. Set at a pace good for the Popcorn scene, the song has great vocals and subtle hammond chords.
A legendary LP on the funk and soul scene, issued in 1981. Apparently Tony Fox was a taxi driver in New York, who financed the record himself. Both sides we have selected appeared also on a ridiculously rare 45 to promote the album, with slighty different versions. "Love" is a frantic funky affair, with tremendous bass lines.
This fantastic album was written and produced by Lamont Dozier on the independently distributed Wheel label. Other tracks worth a mention are the ballad "Love's Calling", with James Ingram on lead vocals, and the dancer "Wonder Love". Zingara was a Los Angeles based quartet.
A Motor City record with great vocals and sophisticated arrangements. Side one is more uptempo while the flip is built on a funky guitar that stands out with a jazzy solo in the middle of the song. Jimmy McCloud has another classy single on Corn.
Weis Records operated out of Chicago around 1968-1969 and was distributed by the Stax label. Maurice Jackson's "Forever" is a catchy midtempo, that has not received the attention it deserves (Irish Greg gave it a try at the Capitol Soul Club many years ago). Without doubt a quality tune.
Uptown, Down South! This is one of my favourite sounds from New Orleans and was produced by Allen Toussaint and Marshall Sehorn. Eldridge Holmes had a bunch of 45s for different labels like Alon, Jet Set, Sansu, Deesu, Decca, Atco, Brown Sugar and Kansu. From the opening guitar riff to the end, two minutes of pure magic.
