Can anyone give me a little backround on the early 70's Chicago soul group The Notations? Pandora played at me the slow groove "I'm Still Here". Never heard it before and it's a nice song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttpaP9_lyZg
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Can anyone give me a little backround on the early 70's Chicago soul group The Notations? Pandora played at me the slow groove "I'm Still Here". Never heard it before and it's a nice song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttpaP9_lyZg
Attachment 11986Quote:
Originally Posted by Doug-Morgan
Hi Doug,
Too bad you didn't ask this question while Chicago Soul group expert, Bob Abrahamian, was still with us. As many of you know, he unfortunately passed on a while back. I lost a friend, and we all lost a great resource on Chicago Soul Music. A second bit of bad luck is that The Notations are one of the very few well-known Chicago groups that he DIDN'T interview, on his fabulous website, "Sitting In The Park".
A third bit of bad luck is that I, myself, don't know a lot about this group, as I left Chicago for good, in summer 1972, to move to Europe, and was really only there part time from 1966-72 [[and I really didn't pay much attention to any music but Jazz after 1969 or so).
What I DO remember about The Notations is that their members were: Clifford Curry [[NOT the Memphis, "She Shot a Hole in My Soul" guy, but Chicago's brother of Helen Curry). He was their main creative member, writing or co-writing most of their songs Other members were: Bobby Thomas, Lasalle Matthews and Jimmy Stroud [[1969-1973). In 1973, Walter Jones replaced the latter.
They recorded for Tad Records in 1969, Twilight Records [[Syl Johnson's label) from 1971-73, C.R.A. Records [[A subsidiary of Chicago's Cash Records also related to Chicago's Harlem records [[owned by Gene Cash)) with some previously unreleased masters released in 2014 on a rejuvenated Cash Records [[all recorded in 1973), and Gemigo Records [[distributed by Curtom) in 1974-75. They had only 2 Top 30 R&B/Soul chart hits: "I'm Still Here" [[Twinight 141) and "It Only Hurts For A Little While"[[Gemigo 103). I also like their version of Curtis Mayfield's "I've Been Trying"[[Twinight 152), and the flip of "I'm Still Here" [[Clifford Curry's "I Can't Stop").
Clifford Curry was also a member of another group in the late '60s. Unfortunately, I can't remember which. Too bad Don Montgomerie is also no longer around SDF anymore. He knew some of the group members.
I only have two tracks by The Notations from a 70's funky compilation: "Lonely people" and "Super people"; the second sounds as a Curtis Mayfield production, the rhythm structure reminds me "Mother's Sons" from Curti's "Got To Find Away" album.
Attachment 11989Quote:
Originally Posted by manny
Yes that was a Curtom production on Gemigo Records. Both were released in 1974.
Thank you. Every so often Pandora throws me a ringer like this, and it's good to have somewhere I can turn for information.
Also check out "At The Crossroads" That should have been a hit also but you know how funny the industry is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R33ZRA0g9eM
Interview with Clifford Curry re The Notations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNuNB0bxPOs
Notations HQ playlist.... their album on Gemigo ....first track is one of their very best, IMO...... belts along! [[written and produced by Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancy of The Independents, which also included Helen Curry, sister of Clifford Curry).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-o8QTDRRBmo