MUSIC FROM MY LOFT

Billy Paul - The Whole Town's Talking

Billy Paul and that song 'Me and Mrs Jones', which has been covered by others but never ever bettered as it's his song, a bit like Frank Sinatra with 'My Way'. However when it comes to a piece of 'The Philly Sound' then this track is it for me. From the horns at the intro it just rocks along with the whole orchestra doing their thing and doing it well; the orchestra is probably MFSB. It's got a great driving beat and Billy Pauls' unique soulful vocals top it off. I love the female backing on this, yes this in my opinion is one of his best tracks but he did have quite a few hits in the 70's/80's. He's also got quite a few compilations currently available but the featured track is only on this one in the UK.





Phyllis Hyman - Deliver The Love

It's not quite a classic but it's a great uptempo soul cut, which you could say was early disco before the deluge of rubbish, which came after. Phyllis in her very early days and if I am not mistaken it's from her debut album. Produced by Larry Alexander and Sandy Torano, this is a well produced screamer, dripping with soul and emotion as only Ms Hyman can. The beat is a bit sparse in comparison to what will come in later years but its phylliss' vocal skills that make this song her own. I had the great pleasure in seeing her perform in the early 90's and she was superb. I have been a fan of hers since 'You Know How To Love me', in fact my very first website was set up in her honour. A great talent who's sadly missed but some of her best ever work was when she sang on 3 tracks on a McCoy Tyner album (which I might play in a future mix). There are so many compilations available of her now but 'Deliver The Love' is only available on this CD, which covers her early albums on Buddah Records.




The Fatback Band - Going To See My Baby

Now this does take me back to my youth oh so many years ago, going to late night illegal clubs (shabeens/blues) in the 70's or the sunday night disco we used to go to when still at school, in fact the only person over 18 was the Dj and doorman! This is funk from 1972 and it's got it all, that sloppy laidback beat, driving bass line and cowbell percussion, check that funky flute, hard not to like it. I love those crazy scat like vocals and I am suprised no one's actually sampled this or perhaps they have and I've missed it. In my books it's a funk classic. The Fatback Band went on to have some big hits with 'Bus Stop' and 'The Spanish Hustle'. The featured track and lots of their early funky stuff are available on this CD





The Jacksons - Blues Away

When the Jackson 5 left Motown they signed up with Huff and Gambles' Philadelphia International Records (PIR) and had a hit with 'Show You The Way To Go'. However on the 7" B side is this midtempo/2-step gem, which they love to death in the London area. I heard it in the early 90's despite having the album that it's on, since 1977! It's produced by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, the philly maestros, whilst Dexter Wansel did the arrangement. It's got that Philly sound but its the way it just grooves along and initially to my ear the rhythm sounds outta step but its not and damn its a real foot tapper. However it sounds much better on the 7" and I don't know why but its another Jackson gem. Yep that's crazy MJ on vocals of course when he was human. A great song, if you can get the 7" then do so, should be pretty cheap too, otherwise the 'The Jacksons' (their first album for PIR) CD has it on.




Eddie Kendricks - Shoeshine Boy

This is what I call a gem of a track, Eddie kendricks in full high pitched vocal (falsetto?) and boy does he sing it well. If 'Keep on Truckin' is all you know of Eddie Kendricks, then I suggest you get your hands on some of his Motown work, which is where he did his best performances. It's another laidback dancer of a track, with a very misleading intro, which does deceive before it kicks in with a glorious midtempo beat. Produced by Frank Wilson and Leonard Caston, this is a very classy song with excellent production. This is the Motown sound at it's best in the mid '70's, which was part of the new emrging black middle-class in the USA, pity it's no longer a fully functioning record company, instead Universal pimps out it's archives on a daily basis. As for Eddie Kendricks, well his drug problem gave him an early appointment with the grim reaper and poor Eddie would have ended up in a paupers grave, if other soul artists hadn't chipped in to give him a half decent send off. Anyway this greatest hits CD, is pretty good as it's got his essential hits.