Various Artists "Birth Of Soul: Los Angeles Special" [[Kent UK) 2/5/2021

[Motown Eddie]

Description
Ace has very strong links with Los Angeles labels – from their original licensors Modern to 50s labels such as Combo, Flash and Flip and 60s soul imprints Mirwood and Money were also acquired; as were Dore and Era, who had notable soul singles in their broad canons.

These labels provide a variety of tracks on this early 60s compilation. The recent licensing of George Semper’s music provides the Mandarins’ big city soul collectors’ item ‘That Other Guy’, as well as a previously unissued vocal group version of his popular song ‘You Better Watch Out Girl’ by the Imperialites. Gary Paxton’s large and mixed stash of tapes included a goldmine of black music gems from soul’s first stirrings. Another brilliant white songwriter-producer who loved black music was George Motola and his recordings of the Vows, Chesterfields and Sylvester Stewart are highlights.

H.B. Barnum has always been a major player in the city, his Little Star label was prolific in this period and we have included a duet of his two biggest solo stars Dorothy Berry & Jimmy Norman. Other great LA names such as Arthur Wright, Bobby Day, Hal Davis and Ed Cobb are also involved. Kent Harris’ in-demand Phillips Sisters 45 ‘Let Me Be Your Little Dog’ features as does another R&B gem – Hank Graham’s first production ‘Sneaking And Cheating’ by Esko Wallace.

The world-renowned Spector sound is represented by the great Darlene Love, whose Jack Nitzsche-arranged and produced demo is up there with her best released work from the Gold Star studios. Future Motown star Brenda Holloway’s duet with Robert Jackson as the Soul-Mates shows her nascent talent and young Sylvester “Sly” Stewart had a glittering career ahead of him. Tina Turner did OK too; her performance with Ike on ‘Lose My Cool’ is superb and still under-the-radar.

There are five previously unissued numbers including a Sam Cooke-style ballad from Billy Watkins cut at Modern, and Don Wyatt’s captivating beat ballad ‘But What About My Broken Heart’. Kent could have done a box set of the great music that came out of Los Angeles during the early 60s and these are just two dozen fascinating examples of how that city’s soul sound came about…

Tracklist
1. But What About My Broken Heart - Don Wyatt
2. Trouble - The Chesterfields
3. Everybody's Got A Lover But Me - Richard Berry
4. You Better Watch Out Girl - The Imperialites
5. How About Me? - Billy Watkins
6. With These Hands [[Alt vocal) - The Wonders
7. I Had A Dream - The Composers
8. I Want A Boyfriend [[Girlfriend) - The Soul-Mates
9. Lose My Cool - Ike & Tina Turner
10. Let Me Be Your Little Dog - The Phillips Sisters
11. Whirlwind [[Edit) - The Rev-Lons
12. Let Him Walk Away - Darlene Love
13. Have You Heard - The Vows
14. Help Me - The Classicals & The Rockets Band
15. Young Lover - Wilks & Wilkerson
16. Let's Go Home - Vic Granton
17. That Other Guy - The Mandarins featuring Jimmy Hayes
18. Mama Told Me - Ray & Bob
19. Help Me With My Broken Heart - Sylvester Stewart
20. The Things That You Used To Do - Ike Turner & Dee Dee Johnson
21. Sneaking And Cheating - Esko Wallace
22. I'm With You All The Way - Dorothy Berry & Jimmy Norman
23. My Pillow - The Numbers
24. Don't Leave Me Baby - Joe Lover & The Gaylads Band
Amazon USA
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QDR22YW/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon UK
Available for pre-order soon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08QDR22YW/?tag=imwan-21

[Bluebrock]

Description
Ace has very strong links with Los Angeles labels – from their original licensors Modern to 50s labels such as Combo, Flash and Flip and 60s soul imprints Mirwood and Money were also acquired; as were Dore and Era, who had notable soul singles in their broad canons.

These labels provide a variety of tracks on this early 60s compilation. The recent licensing of George Semper’s music provides the Mandarins’ big city soul collectors’ item ‘That Other Guy’, as well as a previously unissued vocal group version of his popular song ‘You Better Watch Out Girl’ by the Imperialites. Gary Paxton’s large and mixed stash of tapes included a goldmine of black music gems from soul’s first stirrings. Another brilliant white songwriter-producer who loved black music was George Motola and his recordings of the Vows, Chesterfields and Sylvester Stewart are highlights.

H.B. Barnum has always been a major player in the city, his Little Star label was prolific in this period and we have included a duet of his two biggest solo stars Dorothy Berry & Jimmy Norman. Other great LA names such as Arthur Wright, Bobby Day, Hal Davis and Ed Cobb are also involved. Kent Harris’ in-demand Phillips Sisters 45 ‘Let Me Be Your Little Dog’ features as does another R&B gem – Hank Graham’s first production ‘Sneaking And Cheating’ by Esko Wallace.

The world-renowned Spector sound is represented by the great Darlene Love, whose Jack Nitzsche-arranged and produced demo is up there with her best released work from the Gold Star studios. Future Motown star Brenda Holloway’s duet with Robert Jackson as the Soul-Mates shows her nascent talent and young Sylvester “Sly” Stewart had a glittering career ahead of him. Tina Turner did OK too; her performance with Ike on ‘Lose My Cool’ is superb and still under-the-radar.

There are five previously unissued numbers including a Sam Cooke-style ballad from Billy Watkins cut at Modern, and Don Wyatt’s captivating beat ballad ‘But What About My Broken Heart’. Kent could have done a box set of the great music that came out of Los Angeles during the early 60s and these are just two dozen fascinating examples of how that city’s soul sound came about…

Tracklist
1. But What About My Broken Heart - Don Wyatt
2. Trouble - The Chesterfields
3. Everybody's Got A Lover But Me - Richard Berry
4. You Better Watch Out Girl - The Imperialites
5. How About Me? - Billy Watkins
6. With These Hands [[Alt vocal) - The Wonders
7. I Had A Dream - The Composers
8. I Want A Boyfriend [[Girlfriend) - The Soul-Mates
9. Lose My Cool - Ike & Tina Turner
10. Let Me Be Your Little Dog - The Phillips Sisters
11. Whirlwind [[Edit) - The Rev-Lons
12. Let Him Walk Away - Darlene Love
13. Have You Heard - The Vows
14. Help Me - The Classicals & The Rockets Band
15. Young Lover - Wilks & Wilkerson
16. Let's Go Home - Vic Granton
17. That Other Guy - The Mandarins featuring Jimmy Hayes
18. Mama Told Me - Ray & Bob
19. Help Me With My Broken Heart - Sylvester Stewart
20. The Things That You Used To Do - Ike Turner & Dee Dee Johnson
21. Sneaking And Cheating - Esko Wallace
22. I'm With You All The Way - Dorothy Berry & Jimmy Norman
23. My Pillow - The Numbers
24. Don't Leave Me Baby - Joe Lover & The Gaylads Band
Amazon USA
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QDR22YW/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon UK
Available for pre-order soon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08QDR22YW/?tag=imwan-21

Another essential Kent compilaton. They never let us down.

[robb_k]

WOW!!!! What a lot of rare almost unknown cuts. The only cuts that even made the radio were The Vows and The Pillows. The fact that I only have 5 of those 45s, and have only ever seen those 5 tells you how very obscure they are. It will be interesting to hear all of them.

[daviddesper]

Since I have never heard of the vast majority of these artists, I will not be interested in this release, but I am excited nevertheless to hear that the CD era will continue on in to 2021.

[Bluebrock]

Since I have never heard of the vast majority of these artists, I will not be interested in this release, but I am excited nevertheless to hear that the CD era will continue on in to 2021.

Neither have i David, but it will not prevent me from purchasing it. I am rather optimistic about the chances of discovering some hitherto unknown gem.
Without the support of the public the CD era will not continue. Expressing admiration and excitement from afar will not ensure these releases continue.
We currently have around eight projected releases for 2021 that will only see the light of day if the current releases are supported.

[robb_k]

Just to demonstrate that this CD has a lot of good songs on it, and that most of you would like it, I will upload some of the songs, and when they are unavailable to me because of never being released, I will upload a similar song by that singer or group, so you all can get an idea of how they sounded.

The Chesterfields previously were The Pentagons, and before that, they were The Shields [[the version without Jesse Belvin). Here's their CD cut:

[robb_k]

Here's Richard Berry's "Everybody's Got A Lover But Me":

[robb_k]

Here's The Wilks & Wilkerson cut:

[robb_k]

Here's The Sylvester [[Sly) Stewart CD cut:

[robb_k]

Unfortunately, the Ike [[Turner) & Dee Dee [[Delores) Johnson cut is not on You-Tube[[was probably unreleased. So here's a released song by them from the same recording session:

[robb_k]

Attachment 18477
Here's the Darlene Love cut from The CD:

[robb_k]

Attachment 18477
Unfortunately, The Phillips Sister's cut wasn't available [[maybe unreleased). So here's another from that session:

[robb_k]

Attachment 18477
Here's The Joe Lover CD cut:

[robb_k]

Attachment 18477
Here's The Soul-Mates' [[Brenda Holloway & Hal Davis) CD cut:

[robb_k]

Attachment 18477
Unfortunately, Don Wyatt's cut was unavailable. So here's a "beat ballad" by him in a similar vein - so you can get an idea of his style:

[robb_k]

Attachment 18477
Unfortunately, The Imperialites' cut wasn't available. So here's their big hit for you to get an idea how they sounded. I have no idea if the CD cut is in a similar style:

[robb_k]

Attachment 18477
Here's The Wonders' original released cut [[the CD has an alternate - probably even better - vocal:

[robb_k]

Attachment 18477
Here's The Mandarins' CD cut:

[robb_k]

Attachment 18477
Here's The Rev-Lons' CD cut:

[robb_k]

Attachment 18477
Unfortunately, Billy Watkins' CD cut wasn't available - probably unreleased. So here's my favourite song by him. You Northern Soul fans all know "The Ice-Man" by him. So, I'm guessing that his cut on this CD will be memorable:

[robb_k]

Attachment 18477
Here's the only hit [[2-sided-albeit regional to just California) on the CD. By The Vows, when they worked for George Motola before signing with Motown:

[robb_k]

Attachment 18477
here's The Numbers' CD cut, one of the only other cuts on this CD to chart [[albeit only locally):

[robb_k]

Attachment 18477
Esko Wallace had such a beautifully rich voice that can really be heard on his ballads or sweet mid-tempo songs. Not so well on this bluesy song. But it's good, too. Here's the CD cut:

[robb_k]

Attachment 18477
Here's The Composers CD cut:

[robb_k]

Attachment 18477
Here's Dorothy Berry's and Jimmy Norman's CD cut:

[robb_k]

Attachment 18477
You all know what Ike & Tina Turner sound like, and I think their cut on this CD was unreleased. I don't have access to the Ray & Bob cut, although, I think I have the record [[I'm not with my records now). It turns out I have a lot more of them than I thought [[11). I hope you enjoy them and buy the CD.