||||Bold Soul Brother

Occasionally I feel the need to produce a mix, sometimes for friends or colleagues, sometimes for other blogs.

If you have listened to any of my other mixes; this might be a bit of an eye-opener; as it’s completely different. In essence this demonstrates the range of my musical tastes (from classic Northern Soul – which you’ll find in this issue; to Deep Funk – as heard in other mixes). This mix demonstrates for me, where it all began, imagine a 17 year old into music big time, when mainstream music was either Punk, Ska (Coventry revival), Mod (revival), Brit Pop (the first time round) or (late) disco. Whilst I’d never been a great dancer, I’d always loved music that made me want to dance (and enjoyed watching the local talent shuffle around). I fervently collected the entire catalogue of 2-Tone and The Jam, but by far my biggest interest was from what the Mod revival introduced to this scooter riding youngster…. northern soul and what a musical revelation that was for me.

What you hear in this mix was put together for a colleague (directly onto CD) and as such I was “just grabbing” and paying no particular attention to BPM or mixing for dancing; I was literally just grabbing old favourites. We start with Laura Greene’s “Moonlight Music and You” (one of a few tracks in the mix given public attention a few years back thanks to a certain “fried chicken’s” advertising campaign); I then bombard you with some great classics  and end, perhaps appropriately, with Jimmy Radcliffe’s “Long After Tonight Is All Over” (the cue to grab a slow dance, your coat and bag, and your lift home). It’s also a guest mix on “the hook and sling” blog.

Most are original issues, some are re-issues, a few (including Chavez) are bootleg (with Chavez I thought for a day or two that I’d stumbled on an original, until Manship confirmed from my delta number that it was a bootleg; still worthy of a good price – but not close to the original). The Frank Wilson you hear is taken from the re-issue on Soul, but I also have a much earlier re-issue in my collection (sadly I don’t own one of the two Soul originals – if I did I wouldn’t have the burden of debt!)

If you’re about to settle back and listen to this mix it’s close to 80 minutes; so do settle down with a beer, or roll a fat one (if that’s your thing), lean back and enjoy.

Keep the faith.

Laura Green – Moonlight Music And You – RCA – 9164
Yvonne Baker – You Didn’t Say A Word – Parkway – 140
Freddie Chavez – They’ll Never Know Why – Look – 5010
Andre Brasseur – The Kid – Congress – 271
Lee Roye – Tears – MCA – 378
Bobby Hebb – Love, Love, Love – Philips – 40400
Chuck Jackson – Hand It Over – Wand – 169
Barbara Acklin – Love Makes A Woman – Brunswick – 55379
Leslie Uggams – Love Is A Good Foundation – Sonday – 6006
Len Barry – It’s That Time Of The Year – Decca – 31969
Jackie Lee – I’ll Do Anything – Soul Fox – 1001
Dena Barnes – If You Ever Walk Out Of My Life – Inferno – 2002
Chuck Jackson – Good Things Come To Those Who Wait – Wand – 1105
Frank Wilson – Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) – Soul – 35019
Vikki Baines – Country Girl – Parkway – 966
Rose Batiste – Come Back In A Hurry – Revilot – 206
Chuck Jackson -These Chains Of Love (Are Breaking Me Down) – Wand – 1129
Ronnie Milsap – Ain’t No Soul (Left In These Old Shoes) – Scepter – 12161
Leroy Taylor – Oh Linda – Brunswick – 55345
The Beach Girls – Skiing In The Snow – Dynovox – 202
The TSU Toronadoes – I Still Love You – Volt – 4030
Cliff Nobles & Co. – Switch It On – Phil La Soul – 324
Bobby Garrett – I Can’t Get Away – Mirwood – 5508
Jackie Wilson – Soul Galore – Brunswick – 55290
Adams Apples – Don’t Take It Out Of This World – Brunswick – 55330
Al Wilson – Help Me – Wand – 1135
Stemmons Express – Woman, Love Thief – Karma – 201
Fred Hughes – Baby Boy – Brunswick – 55419
Harold Melvin – Get Out (And Let Me Cry) – Landa – 703
Chuck Jackson – Any Day Now – Wand – 122
Jimmy Radcliffe – Long After Tonight Is All Over – Musicor – 104