General crook til then

[MIKEW-UK]

Always disappointed that General Crook didn't get the breaks to really get in the mainstream.... here's a new track to me, recorded before his Wand tracks, but with his signature all over it...... and that Chicago sound....

[MIKEW-UK]

Another rare track General Crook was involved with - not clear if he was the vocalist fronting the band Romeo - information is inconclusive..... he is credited with mastering the track - backing vocalists are The Chilites

[MIKEW-UK]

General Crook producing The 5 Wagers

[MIKEW-UK]

And The Chilites on a General Crook composition...... at its peak the Chicago sound was absolutely equal to anything coming out of Detroit, Philadelphia, Memphis, East and West Coast, and in many instances superior......

[tamla617]

You've hit the heights with that lot Mike. to my embrassment I've never heard of or maybe forgotten General Crook. Definately not the 5 wagers. 1974?Great stuff. That Romeo version of ooh Baby,baby is sublime. Just goes to show with all the stuff I've listened to,bought and read about there are probably the same amount again I've never heard of. Really enjoyed those tracks. Thanks,its all about the songs and not the other stuff that sometime takes attention away from the most important bit, its whats in the grooves that count.
How often do you hear anything about the Montclairs? Similar to a couple of those. paula records bad quality aside, they're mind blowing at their best. Cheers!

Nearly forgot the Varga/Petty girls on the Romeo track,Bomber art. Ace!

[MIKEW-UK]

Hi Russ,
Here's a favourite - focus on that Chicago bubbling bass - probably Louis Satterfield, trombonist and bass player who played in the horn section of Earth Wind and Fire and taught Verdine White bass. He also played the bass on Fontella Bass's Rescue Me. I digress - General Crook had it all.... writing, arranging, producing, keyboards etc etc., fashion sense - see LP cover pic! Would you like the album?

[MIKEW-UK]

[MIKEW-UK]

[MIKEW-UK]

As a footnote, General Crook worked closely with Benjamin Wright who arranged the 5 Wagers track.... look at what Benjamin Wright achieved and is still contributing today with Justin Timberlake for example....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Wright_[[composer)

[roger]

That FIVE WAGERS track turned up on a couple of Goldmine "Modern Soul" CDs back in the 1990s Tamla617 ..

To my mind GENERAL CROOK is a bit like an obscure equivalent of TYRONE DAVIS and this is the only 45 I've ever owned by him .....

Roger

[mr_june]

I remember "Gimme Some" by the General.