A rare Tamla Motown LP ...

[keith_hughes]

I'd be interested to know if anyone has a copy of this, which I've just stumbled across almost by accident ...

https://www.discogs.com/Letta-Mbulu-Ill-Never-Be-The-Same-Mosadi/release/4102423

[["Tamala" is a typo on the site - it's a legit LP. And the date is wrong, should be 1973.)

The Schwann Catalog lists an album with this title as Chisa CS809 - not released. It would have been the last Chisa LP under the Motown distribution deal ... I would guess the company was losing patience with Mr Masakela at this point, and thought the record wasn't worth issuing in the US.

A couple of the tracks appear on the released Letta Chisa LP [[CS805), and Motown Tape Cards exist for a lot of the remainder.

There's more info here, including label scans -

https://soulsafari.wordpress.com/2015/10/21/township-soul-boogie-vol-13-letta-mbulu-ill-never-be-the-same-mosadi-tamla-motown/

This site seems to think the album is pretty rare ...

[fatmaninthethirdrow]

I'd be interested to know if anyone has a copy of this, which I've just stumbled across almost by accident ...

https://www.discogs.com/Letta-Mbulu-Ill-Never-Be-The-Same-Mosadi/release/4102423

[["Tamala" is a typo on the site - it's a legit LP. And the date is wrong, should be 1973.)

The Schwann Catalog lists an album with this title as Chisa CS809 - not released. It would have been the last Chisa LP under the Motown distribution deal ... I would guess the company was losing patience with Mr Masakela at this point, and thought the record wasn't worth issuing in the US.

A couple of the tracks appear on the released Letta Chisa LP [[CS805), and Motown Tape Cards exist for a lot of the remainder.

There's more info here, including label scans -

https://soulsafari.wordpress.com/2015/10/21/township-soul-boogie-vol-13-letta-mbulu-ill-never-be-the-same-mosadi-tamla-motown/

This site seems to think the album is pretty rare ...


Well that second link also plays the complete album!!

[motownjohnny]

Keith,

My guess is that this album may have been released in South Africa only.

You're right, this I assume would have been her second album release on the Chisa label, owned by Hugh Masakela, and for a short time distributed by Motown, but the info I have gives the title of her second album as "Mosadi" with a catalogue no. of CS-808 rather than 809, unless of course that is a different album!

The two tracks you refer to from her earlier album "Letta" released in September 1970 were "I Won't Weep No More" and "You Touched Me" released as a single - cat no. 8012 in March 1971.

[keith_hughes]

Thanks FatMan and Johnny.

This guy http://www.dougpayne.com/lmd.htm#LETTA seems to have the whole thing down. He says "Mosadi" was the projected Chisa LP title, and "I'll Never Be The Same" the SA album title.

I'm enjoying the SA album, particularly the title track.

[mysterysinger]

Take a look here for some information and photos of the album....
http://electricjive.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/lost-letta-mbulu-album-ill-never-be.html

Can you confirm whether "Now We May Begin" is the same song as by Randy Crawford?

[keith_hughes]

Thanks, mysterysinger.

The songs are different. Letta's was written by Joe Sample of the Crusaders, and Randy's is her own.

[mysterysinger]

Thanks, mysterysinger.

The songs are different. Letta's was written by Joe Sample of the Crusaders, and Randy's is her own.

Hi Keith - Joe Sample? Then it's the same song. In fact Randy's whole album "Now We May Begin" was produced by The Crusaders. It's a marvellous piece of work and I would recommend it.

As regards Letta she has a nice voice but I've not heard much of her work. Very prolific and well connected by all accounts.

[keith_hughes]

Of course you're right! Sloppy research. I googled "Now We May Begin Randy Crawford" and saw this:

Randy Crawford - Now We May Begin [[Vinyl, LP, Album) at Discogs
https://www.discogs.com/Randy-Crawford-Now-We-May-Begin/release/1655115
Rating: 3.8 - ‎10 votes - ‎US$0.87 - ‎In stock
Warner Bros. Records ‎– BSK 3421. ... Guitar [Solo], Soloist – David T. WalkerWritten-By – Randy Crawford. ... Recorded at Wizard Recording Studios and Hollywood Sound Recorders in Los Angeles.

and just read the "Written by Randy Crawford" and didn't click the link! My apologies.