Lamont Dozier's 'Love and Beauty'

[PeaceNHarmony]

Anyone familiar with this one? I just know the single WCWBL -

https://www.dustygroove.com/item/869732

[MIKEW-UK]

One of the all time great albums.....although issued in many different versions. Essential listening. I have purchased 6 copies from the initial vinyl offering to several cd formats. The title is completely misleading, as many of the cuts are actually Brian Holland vocals, and they are absolutely as good as Lamont's own superb performances.Shame Brian didn't get the credits he deserves, but I understand the album title was a decision he supported.

[Quinn]

Yes, this is an underrated soul album. The first half of the album consists of songs that Lamont Dozier completed before he decided to leave the label. The other half consists of songs Brian Holland recorded due to the fact that there wasn't enough Dozier material to make a full album. At the time this was released by invictus, Lamont Dozier was taking the industry by storm with his masterpieces "Out Here On My Own" and "Black Bach". The Hollands released this album to cash in on the popularity of their departed brother in song. Many folks liked the songs in this record than his better known albums. Even though a lot of lawsuits and dissention revolved around this record I'm glad that Lamont wanted to grow because we have a classic catalog of his stuff. "Love & Beauty" is not a bad place to start,it was only the beginning.

[snakepit]

I've got tickets to see Lamont on concert but the rumour is he is only performing his old songs to promote a new songbook album..i.e. none of his Invictus/ABC recordings.
That will upset a lot of fans.

[Quinn]

I've got tickets to see Lamont on concert but the rumour is he is only performing his old songs to promote a new songbook album..i.e. none of his Invictus/ABC recordings.
That will upset a lot of fans.

I think that's the album he recently recorded in Memphis at Royal studios. Gonna be interesting to see how this one goes,after all Smokey killed the "Timeless Love" album. I wouldn't expect anything original by Lamont to move mountains these days. As with Smokey, his best and most prolific days are behind him.

[snakepit]

I got the impression the concert will be Lamont singing songs he had written in the glory days of Motown. Those on the forum want his 70s solo recordings.
We'll have to wait and see.

[snakepit]

I've just watched a short video promoting this album and project.
From what I have read, I fear that he will not do his Invictus/ABC stuff.
Here in the UK, his audience will be, in the main, dedicated soul music fans.
They know his songwriting career at Motown, but would want to see and hear his solo recordings.
This could be a major letdown.
I hope not, but fear the worst.
Maybe the promoters can persuade him that the audience is not one who just about connects him with "Where did our love go" and "Baby love" etc.

[MIKEW-UK]

Larry, I believe your analysis is spot on. I feel Lamont has already pretty much been down this road before with his Reflections album, which was pretty basic performances of his Motown compositions. There was minimal orchestration or augmentation, and vocally Lamont didn't stretch. Very laid back and some might say pedestrian.

Commercially however this might be the right step for Lamont at this stage. Financially the outlay for an acoustic stripped down album will be peanuts as opposed to a full production album. His target audience will be non soul fans who will recognise the songs but not Lamont. The touring costs will be minimal.

For you and I, whilst fully aware of his gigantic contributions to Motown as composer / producer, there are only perhaps four vocal performances by Lamont which barely saw the light of day. His vocal performances at Invictus and ABC are what established as an astounding passionate vocalist in his own right. However, I guess he and Fred Mollin have seen the route that Mavis Staples, Bettye Lavette and others have gone down which has given them much higher profile, popularity and recognition at this stage of their careers.

So I'll continue to listen to his stellar performances on vinyl and CD, respect his work as an artist and a human being, and go to his London concert to see the man anticipating the anecdotes may be of more interest than the performances. I suspect a committed soul audience may not see what they were hoping for.

Greatful nevertheless just to see him in person. Saw him.in Stockport sing How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You.......was hoping for an Invictus or ABC track......

Finally his website never seems to be updated over the years. It has shown an album Amore for years, I actually wrote to see how I could purchase it but never got a response.

Cheers

[snakepit]

Hello Mike,
I think that you have got it right. No doubt he will be interviewed on BBC morning news, and the public will be introduced to the man who wrote all those hits etc etc.
I have tickets and will go but expect the situation as above.
But as you say we have the solo years to treasure.

[Motown4Ever518]

The Love and Beauty CD that sold out with the bonus tracks is a must have. In my CD library, I have this as the first Lamont Dozier solo piece. Brian Holland did a very credible job on the songs he sung lead on and having the extended versions make this 2 CD set well worth the price. I have to remember to get this for the commute to work tomorrow.

[MIKEW-UK]

My personal favourite of the Brian Holland tracks... I'm Gonna Hijack Ya, Kidnap Ya... extended version...

As you might expect from the album, incorrectly credited to Lamont when it's Brian who's doing the heavy lifting.

in today's world, politically incorrect for sure.... although I'm sure Brian meant this very respectfully!!!!

As the old cliche goes, this is pure burning funk burbling bass, guitar riff, keys, horns a blaring- who says HDH couldn't do funk at full strength? And surely Mckinley Jackson and the Politicians crew aka New York Port Authority etc etc are providing the bedrock on which the greasy vocals sit.

[snakepit]

My favourite
Brian's "I'm so glad"
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Un2apajWDgI

Did Eddie do any vocals at Invictus?

[MIKEW-UK]

My favourite
Brian's "I'm so glad"
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Un2apajWDgI

Did Eddie do any vocals at Invictus?

Larry, I feel confident in saying he did not. It has been very fully documented that after his Motown recordings, he chose never to record again. Sadly, as far as I'm concerned, because he had a beautiful voice.....

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G8hddOh6MHI

[snakepit]

Yes Mike, a shame he decided against singing.
When I first got a bootleg tape with "Suspicion" on, with no artists listed, I thought that it was Eddie on the vocal.
I wonder if did the demo for the Originals.

[snakepit]

Mike,
A promotion video regarding the tour has been issued.
100% reworking of his old songs...a major disappointment.

[MIKEW-UK]

Larry, I have seen it and chose not to comment. If McKinley Jackson was the arranger music director such an obvious winner........ but Fred Mollins........it's looking like a soul less middle of the road thing......having assiduously collected everything with Lamont's name on it including stuff like Future Flight and Zingara, this is a totally new direction .....best not say any more

[snakepit]

Understood.
The mention of Zingara made me sit up.
When I did a radio show for my local hospital , I did a A-Z artist feature.
Z proved a problem but I had a tune by said artist.
I did not know Lamont was involved.

[MIKEW-UK]

Lamont produced James Ingram on a lead, then needed a group for the album....so using side men Wali Ali, Tony Parker etc, he formed the group Zingara....studio group only
https://www.discogs.com/Zingara-Zingara/release/1026121

[snakepit]

Mike
The track I played was "Getting Down"
but I see that I have "Haunted House" and "Surrender" on my data base...these would be from tape swappers years ago.

[MIKEW-UK]

The James Ingram vocal on Love's Calling was actually credited on the single...see attached pic. The track is very good, to these ears somewhat reminiscent of the Glass House ballads of a few years earlier in structure and momentum...

[snakepit]

Mike
I like that tune....a bit later than my period.....Invictus, Black Back, Out here on my own, Right there, Bittersweet etc but this is nice.
Actually I've no doubt missed out on some LD stuff over the years

[MIKEW-UK]

Larry, try this

[MIKEW-UK]

and this

[snakepit]

Yes like that, I've heard it somewhere before...but I must hear "Larry's Theme" !!!!

[snakepit]

Now then ...I think I've got that Ben E King LP...I know the song..it's on one of my all time fave LP...California Sunset Right?

[MIKEW-UK]

Correct! The Originals did it on California Sunset. Fifty Years and Sweet Rhapsody were on both The Originals and Ben E King albums as well as Let Me Live In Your Life

[snakepit]

Yes I've got it.

[TomatoTom123]

I believe it was Mike who introduced me to that Zingara album, it’s great. My favourite tune is "I Surrender"



Let's get loose!

I shall check out those other Lamont related tracks you posted Mike as well!!

[TomatoTom123]

and this

Oooh that was a weird experience, I'm so used to The Originals' version, Ben's is slower and kinda jazzy

Also the video is called "Spoiled" but the song is "Let Me Live In Your Life", for anyone who was confused like me

[theboyfromxtown]

One of my favourite albums of all time.

[MIKEW-UK]

The direction of Lamont's new album......

https://mobile.twitter.com/SirCliffN...046982/video/1

[TomatoTom123]

The direction of Lamont's new album......

https://mobile.twitter.com/SirCliffN...046982/video/1

Hey Mike, this kinda seems similar to Lamont's previous album Reflections Of... doesn't it?

[MIKEW-UK]

Same direction of travel Tom, but even more away from the Lamont Dozier that SDF members would recognise. This appears to be an acoustic style duet album in a non soul dead centre MOR vein. Other than curiosity, I cannot see it appealing to Lamont's fanbase or those who know anything about Lamont. I think the producer has taken Lamont completely way from his history and 'reimagined' his profile into that of an unrecognised veteran songsmith with a catalogue of memorable songs for the kind of audience who attends Burt Bacharach concerts today. Nobody knows the business better than Lamont, and so it would have been his decision to depart from his previous approach and style, engage a MOR non soul producer, and create a tour and an album for middle England. Love Lamont, his fire, creativity and ingenuity, and total respect for all he has accomplished and he knows best where he wants to go and how to be recognised. I wish him every success with this project. Sadly, just not a piece of work which interests me, which I never ever thought I would say about any of Lamont's work.

[TomatoTom123]

Oh dear Mike that does not sound good! A shame. I do find it odd [[and quite frustrating!) that the focus is on Lamont as a songwriter, which of course he was, but there is much more to his career if you know what I mean.

I have never actually listened to Lamont's previous album, the Reflections one, what did you make of it Mike? Is it in the MOR vein that this upcoming one appears to be?

[TomatoTom123]

I found this single which I guess is from the upcoming album... it's not bad but I do find myself asking “why?”...

[MIKEW-UK]

Hi Tom, I found the Reflections album to be a somewhat restrained collection of Lamont composed Motown standards. I do listen to it from time to time, but it is not a favourite. Nevertheless it is Lamont, in control and responsible for the output, so I can feel his input and his intention.

Frankly, I simply fail to comprehend why Lamont ever thought hooking up with Fred Mollin was creatively a good thing. Now Fred may be a wonderful guy, fun and enthusiastic, and great to be around. But I fail to see anything in his background relevant to Lamont, to soul, r&b or the history and heritage of black music. What we have here is a collection of insipid, uninspired duets with totally inappropriate and irrelevant partners, performed with clichéd dull arrangements. I'm at a loss to understand why this ever seemed a good idea. Why didn't Lamont work with McKinley Jackson, with whom Lamont is musically and spiritually entwined? Delusionally, even I would have been better at keeping Lamont aligned with his musical heritage than letting this 'direction' see the light of day.
Lamont's work, whether ballads or uptempo, whether performed by himself or by others, has generally focussed on bringing energy, urgency, and feeling to the performance.
This collection of duds is neutered, bland, ill conceived and irrelevant. It might fleetingly allow Lamont a platform to appear on front of middle England, but at what cost to the support and respect that Lamont has from his legions of lifetime admirers. It seems to me to be more a Fred Mollin vanity project than about Lamont. Take a look at Fred's website to see how Fred feels about Fred.

Tom, you are so right to pose that single word question - "Why?" Having given this a great deal of time and thought, I can only surmise that the precise audience Fred Mollin had in mind for his project was......Fred's mum. Maybe she had never heard of Lamont Dozier so this was an acceptable way for her to listen to this, you know, 'stuff".
I'm really interested to hear other views on this, because yes, I might be delusional

Mike

[snakepit]

Hi Mike
You know how I feel about his latest move...and the up and coming show. Remarkably, I was in my local on Saturday watching the football, when a guy sat opposite mentioned that he had tickets to see Alexander O'Neal., with a free spare.
This guy is probably the least person I' d expect to attend such a show.
We got talking and I mentioned the LD concert and my fears....he knew who LD was!! Amazing.
The free ticket is mine if I want to go, but I fear Manchester town centre will be a war zone on Saturday night so I may pass on it.
BTW I did like Lamont's reworking of "It's the same old song" on Right There album.

[MIKEW-UK]

Hi Larry, I urge you to go see Alexander and report back, hopefully good stuff. I know Alexander and his wife moved to Manchester to live and I do feel he remains committed to the legacy of his music.

I wondered if I was overly harsh on Fred Mollin, but to be honest, words fail me on why this venture ever happened. It's not Fred per se, it's the complete emasculation of everything Lamont epitomises.

Yes I like the treatment of "It's the Same Old Song" on Right There, one of his finest albums, but just look at the wealth of talent on the credits for that track. As for what Lamont represents to me as a performer in his own right, well, I can't think of any better track to represent the afore-mentioned energy, urgency, and feeling that Lamont brings than the title track "Right There". It's a volcano with an eruption, and assuredly way too much for Fred's mum and her ilk to handle. It definitely would offend middle England and British breakfast TV. You can just hear them say, 'Don't want any of that, you know, stuff....can you just tone it down...... a lot?' I doubt Fred ever heard it.....

Yours breathlessly, Mike

[snakepit]

Any other night I would go, but the guy with tickets wants to watch the football in a pub, and the circumstances of the game, with a late kick off , means a lot of drunken aggressive people about.
I will report back if I go.

[MIKEW-UK]

Larry, Are you at London? PM me if you are...

[snakepit]

I'll let you know if I'm ever down there...don't get down too often now, used to visit on work trips quite a lot when I was working.

[MIKEW-UK]

Larry, I meant Lamont's London concert, which I am going to

[snakepit]

Mike
Sorry...read it incorrectly.
I'm at the Manchester show June 8th.

[snakepit]

Mike
I've had an email telling me that the Lamont Dozier concert in Manchester had been cancelled until February 2019.
I presume London will be cancelled too?

[MIKEW-UK]

Hi Larry, yep, got the email. I do wish Lamont a rapid return to good health and look forward to him coming next year. No doubt a lot of disappointed people who wish him well. I have copied the email content below so they can see Lamont's statement...

	This is not a booking confirmation. Thanks for purchasing tickets for Lamont Dozier. Sadly, due to medical advice, the forthcoming tour dates in June 2018 have been forced to be rescheduled for February 2019. Please note the rescheduled dates as follows:​ Venue Original Date Rescheduled Date Brighton, The Old Market 10 June 2018 13 February 2019 London, Union Chapel 14 June 2018 15 February 2019 London, Union Chapel 15 June 2018 16 February 2019 Birmingham, Town Hall 12 June 2018 18 February 2019 Bristol, St. Georges 11 June 2018 19 February 2019 Manchester, Dancehouse 8 June 2018 22 February 2019 Gateshead, The Sage 7 June 2018 23 February 2019 Your existing tickets remain valid for the rescheduled dates. Lamont has released the following statement: To my friends & fans – I regret that I have to postpone my trip to the UK and my performances this coming June due to medical advice. I was very much looking forward to being there with you all and giving you my best. Please accept my humblest apology, as I will work on getting my health back to where it needs to be and will look forward to seeing you at the rescheduled dates.

[wonder_woman]

Wishing Lamont Dozier the very best and hoping, praying he can make it to the UK next year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcEl45kBNL4