||||Bold Soul Brother

1619 BAB - World

I make mention of this in last Sunday’s post and thought I’d drop it in on its own. 1619 BAB (Bad Ass Band). I can find very little information on the band themselves, but I do know that this tune was recorded in 1973 and initially released on Brown Sugar (BS2003); before getting wider distribution with Chess later the same year (CH2147).

The group released an album on TSG (TSG801) in 1976 (or 77); simply titled “1619 Bad Ass Band”; which was re-released in 1978 on Graham International (GIR1980). Band members were Khalid Adbul Shalid (aka K. Lee Khalid?), Karl Harris, J. Silverman & ? Harris. World is credited to Karl Harris.

Mine is a promo copy of the second issue. World has, in my humble opinion, one of the best intros ever… it’s a sound that is instantly recognisable; strings and guitar lead us to the first shout of “World…”. Flip the vinyl for “For Your Love”, a fast funky bad-ass tune.

1619 BAB - World

Having just published Christopher CoShea’s ‘Blackbird Singing Acappella”; I found myself (unusually) with an hour or so spare, so took the opportunity to grab a few tunes and lay down a mix.

This is an eclectic mix of some of my more recent acquisitions, starting with First Choice and ‘Gonna Keep On Lovin Him‘; which is the flip of ‘Armed And Extremely Dangerous’ (which for reasons unknown – even to me – I pulled from the box during my recent search for Beware Of The Stranger); it has stayed out of its rightful place on the shelving (waiting for me to put it away) and, whilst rummaging through the tunes for today’s mix, I remembered I had liked the flip (hope you do too!). Released on Philly Groove Records (issue #175); it was recorded i n1973 and is just shy of 3 minutes of female vocal heaven. Next up is King Davis House Rockers, with ‘We All Make Mistakes Sometimes‘; which as far as I can tell is their only release on Verve (issue #10492); recorded in New York on February 13th, 1967, this tune is also a flip (to ‘Baby You Satisfy Me’). A male vocal and strings ballad that sits nicely on the ear on a Sunday morning. Following King Davis is another recent acquisition; something I have been coveting for many years, sadly not the Brown Sugar issue, but the second issue. 1619 BAB (Bad Ass Band) with ‘World‘ comes to you from the Chess issue (issue #2147, promo).  We leap to 1973 with this one; before stepping back a couple of years… Contributors Of Soul bring us ‘I Don’t Know‘ (see later for the flip).  Issued on New Miss records (issue #123): I can find no information about this tune, or the band, other than it’s from 1970 or 71 and was recorded in New York.

Contributors of Soul

The credits attribute the tune to ‘C Boyd & G Dickerson’… anyone any information? Next up is Johnny Guitar Watson and ‘Tarzan‘; am I alone in my reverence of this late, great, blues/funk player? I see very little Watson posted on vinyl-funkaliscious blogs… anyone who can pose with his own mother for the cover of their LP (titled ‘A Real Mother For Ya’) deserves so much more. Following in the footsteps of the late Mr Watson is Beres Hamilton with ‘Do This World A Favour‘; a mellow crossover nothern tune, which would not be out of place on any disco dance floor. An infectious tune; the version I bring you is a re-issue (the 33rpm, long version from the flip) on Joe Gibbs records (issue #9216); this is often available at the £5-£10 mark. Originally only available on LP (Just A Man, 1979). Next is more from the crossover/disco end of my tunes; Gene Page with ‘Satin Soul‘; a gentle string and guitar led instrumental. Primarily renowned for his work arranging Barry White’s sounds, I’m sure you’ll agree this 1974 issue on Atlantic (issue #3247) earns its place on the shelving.

All Points Bulletin Band

A Slight increase in tempo and change of direction next with All Points Bulletin Band and ‘Sexy Ways, Pretty Legs, part 1‘. Another band I can find little information on, they released a handful of singles on Little City Records from the mid 1970s (this one was issued in 1975 and is a promo of issue #10102). All Points are closely followed by Jerry McCain and ‘Funky Down Easy‘; Jerry was better known for his blues work, and his amusing lyrics, but this is a cracking blues/funk crossover found on the flip of (the highly amusing) ‘Welfare Cadilac Blues’. This tune was released in 1970 on Royal American records (issue ’4).

Reverting back to the Contributors of Soul this time with ‘Look What You Done For Me‘ see above for issue details. This is another crossover nothern tune; plenty of horns and anguished vocals…

The next tune might be a bit of a surprise for most, certainly was for me when I first heard it. Another re-issue, this time on Soul Intention (issue #004); it’s The Four Tops with ‘Love Enough To Care‘. I bring you the long (LP) version from the flip of the re-issue. This might not be everyone’s cup of tea; but for me it’s the epiphany of a Sunday mix. Close on the heels of the Tops, is Pulse another re-issue (Steet Soul, issue #5) with ‘Sunshine‘, an up-beat tune extolling the virtues of love.. “who can make me smile in the wink of any eye, oh baby, it’s you girl!”. Next up is the last of today’s re-issues (another Street Soul, issue #4) TK Murray brings us another crossover tune, ‘Brown Sugar‘, another song perfect for a Sunday; TK again extols the virtues of having someone to love.

Pulse

Wrapping up the mix are four original tunes, the last from LP. A Different Bag starts the final four with ‘Let’s Put It Together‘ a , released in 1976 on Bag records (issue #1001) I think this is a prime example of how eclectic my musical tastes are, whilst describing myself as a Soul/Funk fan, this embraces all aspects (R&B, Soul, Motown, Stax, Funk, Jazz-Funk, Northern, Crossover & Disco). Nu Sound Express Ltd are next with ‘Ain’t It Good Enough‘ ,issued on Silver Dollar records (issue #152), in 1970. I have a soft spot for any tune where people seem to be enjoying themselves, and these guys sure seem to be; coupled with the wicked horn and guitar, a winner – keen ears will detect the sample included in DJ Shadow and Cut Chemists Brainfreeze (a mix which sent so many of us scurrying for the record shops to unearth the tunes). Last of the 45′s dropped in today’s mix is an Eddie Bo tune, Oliver Morgan brings us ‘The La La Man Pt 2‘ I had intended to play part1, but tune was mixing in before I realised the error… released on Seven B (issue #7007), issued in 1966, this is a classic example of the talent that we knew and loved as Edwin Bocage. RIP Mr Bo.

Finally, a version of a tune that I have loved since I first heard it on the radio as a pre-pubescent spotty, skinny, kid. It’s Isaac Hayes and ‘Shaft II‘ taken from LP, this was released in 1978 and is clearly influenced by the emergence of disco.

Hope you enjoy the tunes.

Regular visitors will recognise the name Christopher CoShea  Campbell; he’s cropped up in a couple of previous posts; specifically he narrated the Eddie & Ernie post and I dropped his cover of Standing At The Crossroads into part 4 of my “Funk, Jazz, Disco?” mixes.

For non-regular visitors, Christopher CoShea Campbell is the son of the late Eddie Campbell (of Eddie & Ernie fame); but a talented musician in his own right.

For some time Christopher CoShea and I have been discussing the dropping of another of his tunes (this time an original composition) into another Bootsy (Collins) influenced mix. However, despite my Bootsy collection continuing to expand I am finding less and less time to be able to stand at the decks mixing. So, after some more discussion we agreed it would be cool to just drop this tune on you all … as a world exclusive!

In his own words I’ll let Christopher CoShea tell you about the song and his upcoming album:

“This is an original track from my upcoming solo funk rock album which will consist of 14 original songs, including my cover of Eddie and Ernie’s song Standing at the Crossroads.

“The guitar heavy album which is written and produced by me, and I’m playing all of the instruments, is an amalgam of influences that ranges from Hendrix, Parliament-Funkadelic, early Prince, Bootsy to Zeppelin & Bowie. But also along with the musicality are pop hooks and radio friendliness.”