Tunes For The Weekend - May 24th

[Rafter]

It's a little too smooth for me. I was hoping to pick up a couple of new soul reissues this weekend, but my local branch of HMV didn't stock them (I wasn't expecting them to anyway), and I didn't get time to visit my nearest soul specialist..

Salv, Since you mentioned Mathis a few posts ago,
I've been sampling some of his earlier Columbia LP's.....

"Open Fire, Two Guitars" is a very unique recording.

On this 1959 LP, Mathis dispenses with his usual orchestral accompaniment. Al Caiola and Tony Mattola play the two guitars that supplement Mathis' crooning, with an upright bass providing the album's only other instrument.

Producer Mitch Miller is often associated with gimmicky or novelty productions, but his work on Open Fire, Two Guitars is understated, emphasizing Mathis' voice over the relaxed counterpoint of the two guitars.

 

[pigeon toe]

All I've been listening to this weekend has been Rancid! I'm secretly a teenage punk boy.

 

[RIOT]

This weekend has pretty much been a Hank Williams jamboree for me – "Why Don't You Love Me", "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry", "My Heart Would Know", "Thanks A Lot" ....

 

[Salv]

I may not have found the CDs I wanted at home, but in New York I've bought some CDs from a Virgin Megastore:

Various Artists - The Soul Side Of The Street - The Hadley Murrell Story: 1964-1972 - Hadley Murrell (who I hadn't heard of before) was a Phoenix DJ who moonlighted as a record producer. I had two of the tracks on it - Eddie & Ernie's Turn Here on a 45, and The New Bloods Self Service on a compilation CD - so took a chance on the rest of it. Good funky, unpolished soul.

Bob & Gene - If This World Were Mine - mainly previously unreleased soul recorded in Buffalo NY in the late 60's/early 70's. The master tapes were dug up by a record collector, who managed to get in touch with the producer William Nunn, after buying the only recording actually released by Bob & Gene, a 45 of You Gave Me Love. The 45 label claimed it was from an upcoming album, which never appeared, until now. The masters were taken to Daptone in Brooklyn, who cleaned them up and have now issued them, more than three and a half decades after they were recorded.

Joe Bataan - Riot - a remastered reissue of a classic Fania album, with a great cover featuring Joe looking very relaxed in the middle of a rumble!

Various Artists -Strung Out - this is on a British reissue label - Grapevine - and I should have bought this ages ago. It features productions by Wardell Quezergue, a New Orleans based producer best known for hits by The Dixie Cups (Iko Iko), Robert Parker (Barefootin'), Jean Knight (Mr Big Stuff) and King Floyd (Groove Me). This CD is made up of tracks recorded in the early 70's at the Malaco studios in Jackson, MS. This is my absolute favourite type of music - Southern Soul at it's best.

 

[fourstarbanner]

I listened to the soundtrack from Anything Goes this weekend. I love me some Cole Porter!