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"...Groove Thang..."
The big sell here for
Saxophone and Soul Instrumental fans is the official reissue (for the first
time) of six Motown albums covering Jr. Walker's primo period at the Home of
Young America – 1970 to 1976 - issued on Gordy's Soul Records label imprint
Stateside and on Tamla Motown in the UK (one of them from 1974 only available
in Blighty).
And it has to be said that
SoulMusic Records of the UK (part of Cherry Red) has done a very sweet job with
this 2019 reissue (and at an affordable price too). There's a walk-in
wardrobe-full of detail to wade through, so let's have ourselves an all-star
gas and groove thang (if you catch my drift)…
UK released Friday, 24 May
2019 - "Walk In The Night: The Motown 0s Studio Albums" by Jr. WALKER
and THE ALL STARS on SoulMusic Records SMCR5183BX (Barcode 5013929088337) is a
Clamshell Box Set featuring Six Albums Remastered onto 3CDs (with booklet) that
plays out as follows:
Jr. WALKER and THE ALL STARS - SIX ALBUMS:
Disc 1 (74:43 minutes):
1. Do You See My Love (For
You Growing) [Side 1]
2. And When I Die
3. I Was Made To Love Her
4. Carry Your Own Load
5. Shut Up, Don't Interrupt
Me
6. Groove And Move
7. Holly Holy [Side 2]
8. Honey Come Back
9. Riding High On Love
10. Hey Jude
11. At A Saturday Matinee
Tracks 1 to 11 are his ninth
album "A Gasssss" - released October 1970 in the USA on Soul Records
SS 726 and November 1970 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 11167. Produced by
JOHNNY BRISTOL - it peaked at No. 28 on the US R&B LP charts (none of
Walker's albums charted in the UK top 50)
12. Way Back Home -
Instrumental [Side 1]
13. Take Me Girl, I'm Ready
14. Feeling Alright
15. Right On Brothers And
Sisters
16. Teach Them To Pray
17. Something [Side 2]
18. Psychedelic Shack
19. Pieces Of A Man
20. These Things Will Keep Me
Loving You
Tracks 12 to 20 are his tenth
album "Rainbow Funk" - released July 1971 in the USA on Soul Records
SS 732L and February 1972 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 11198. Produced by
JOHNNY BRISTOL - it peaked at No. 12 on the US R&B LP charts
Disc 2 (72:16 minutes):
1. Way Back Home - Vocal
[Side 1]
2. I Don't Want To Do Wrong
3. Bristol's Way
4. Don't Blame The Children
5. Me And My Family
6. Groove Thang
7. Still Water Medley
8. Never Can Say Goodbye
9. Walk In The Night
10. Moody Junior
Tracks 1 to 10 are his
eleventh album "Moody Jr." - released January 1972 in the USA on Soul
Records SS 733L and August 1972 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 11211. Produced
by JOHNNY BRISTOL - it peaked at No. 22 on the US R&B LP charts
11. I Ain't Going Nowhere
[Side 1]
12. I Don't Need No Reason
13. It's Alright, Do What You
Gotta Do
14. It's Too Late
15. Soul Clappin'
16. I Can See Clearly Now
[Side 2]
17. Gimme That Beat (Part 1)
18. Gimme That Beat (Part 2)
19. Country Boy
20. Peace And Understanding
(Is Hard To Find)
Tracks 11 to 20 are his
twelfth album "Peace And Understanding Is Hard To Find" - released
May 1973 in the USA on Soul Records S S38L and July 1973 in the UK on Tamla
Motown STML 11234 (it peaked at No. 47 on the US R&B LP charts)
Disc 3 (78:35 minutes):
1. You Are The Sunshine Of My
Life [Side 1]
2. All In Love Is Fair
3. Killing Me Softly With
This Song
4. My Love
5. Boogie Down [Side 2]
6. I Ain't That Easy To Lose
7. Dancin' Like They Do On
Soul Train
8. Break Down And Sing
9. Until You Come Back To Me
(That's What I Gonna Do)
Tracks 1 to 9 are his
thirteenth album "Jr. Walker & The All Stars" - recorded in 1974,
it was released July 1975 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 11274 (no US issue)
10. I'm So Glad [Side 1]
11. Why Can't We Be Lovers
12. You Ain't No Ordinary
Woman
13. Just Can't Get Enough
14. Love (Keep Us Together)
[Side 2]
15. I Need You Right Now
16. Probe Your Mind
17. Don't Lose What You Got
(Trying To Get Back What You Had)
18. Hot Shot
Tracks 10 to 18 are his
fourteenth album "Hot Shot" - released February 1976 in the USA on
Soul Records S6-745S1 and March 1976 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 12018 (it
peaked at No. 45 on the US R&B LP charts)
Jr. WALKER and THE ALL STARS - SINGLES:
1. Do You See My Love (For
You Growing) [Edit] b/w Groove And Move
17 June 1970 US 7"
single on Soul S 35073
25 September 1970 UK 7"
single on Tamla Motown TMG 750
2. Holly Holy b/w Carry Your
Own Load
24 November 1970 US 7"
single on Soul S 35081 [A-side is a Neil Diamond cover]
21 September 1973 UK 7"
single on Tamla Motown TMG 872
(UK single used the 1973 song
"Peace And Understanding Is Hard To Find" as its B-side with the 1970
song on the A)
3. Take Me Girl, I'm Ready
b/w Right On Brothers And Sisters
8 July 1971 US 7" single
on Soul S 35084F
12 January 1973 UK 7"
single on Tamla Motown TMG 840 with "I Don't Want To Do No Wrong" on
the B-side
4. Way Back Home (Vocal) b/w
Way Back Home (Instrumental)
4 November 1971 US 7"
single on Soul S 35090F
1 June 1973 UK 7" single
on Tamla Motown TMG 857 (some UK copies have "Country Boy" as an
extra track on the B)
5. Walk In The Night b/w I
Don't Want To Do No Wrong
29 February 1972 US 7"
single on Soul S 35095F
21 July 1972 UK 7"
single on Tamla Motown TMG 824
(UK issues have "Right
On Brothers And Sisters" and "Gotta Hold On To This Feeling" as
its B-sides
6. Groove Thang b/w Me And My
Family
June 1972 US 7" single
on Soul S 35097F
7. Gimme That Beat (Part 1)
b/w Gimme That Beat (Part 2)
11 January 1973 US 7"
single on Soul S 35104F
8. I Don't Need No Reason b/w
Country Boy
1 May 1973 US 7" single
on Soul S 35106F
9. Peace And Understanding Is
Hard To Find b/w Soul Clappin'
3 July 1973 US 7" single
on Soul S 35108F
(for UK issue of "Peace
And Understanding..." see "Holly Holy" entry from 1970)
10. Don't Blame The Children
b/w Soul Clappin'
1 February 1974 UK 7"
single on Tamla Motown TMG 889
11. Gotta Hold On To This
Feeling b/w I Ain't Going Nowhere
19 April 1974 UK 7"
single on Tamla Motown TMG 894
12. Dancing Like They Do On
Soul Train b/w I Ain't That Easy To Lose
9 May 1974 US 7" single
on Soul S 35110F
13. You Are The Sunshine Of
My Life b/w Until You Come Back (That's What I Gonna Do) - UNRELEASED
July 1974 US 7" single
on Soul S 35114S - UNRELEASED
14. What Does It Take To Win
Your Love b/w Country Boy
May 1975 US 7" single on
Motown M 1352F
24 October 1980 UK 7"
single on Tamla Motown TMG 962
(UK B-side is Take Me Girl,
I'm Ready)
15. I'm So Glad b/w Soul
Clappin'
5 January 1976 US 7"
single on Soul S 35116F
23 April 1976 UK 7"
single on Tamla Motown TMG 1027
(UK B-side was "Dancin'
Like They Do On Soul Train"
16. You Ain't No Ordinary
Woman b/w Hot Shot
27 May 1976 US 7" single
on Soul S 35118F
17. I Ain't Going Nowhere b/w
B1. What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)? B2. Take Me Girl, I'm Ready
6 May 1977 UK 7" single
on Tamla Motown TMG 1070
18. Walk In The Night b/w I
Need You Right Now
1 September 1978 UK 7"
single on Tamla Motown TMG 1118
(B-side is Jr. Walker with
Thelma Houston)
The card-sleeves cleverly
double-up the albums so the CD cover features the front sleeves and A-sides of
both LPs – the rear CD card sleeve has Side 2 of each and their rear album
artwork. The 24-page booklet boasts seriously in-depth liner notes from SHARON
DAVIS as well as page after page of 45 labels and foreign picture sleeves
peppering the text. There are track-by-track credits that mention American 45
issues where relevant and other reissue credits. NICK ROBBINS of Ace Records
fame handled the remasters and they sound great – very punchy – the rhythm
sections kicking your speaker cones with bad intent. As this is a Studio Albums
set, his first LP of the Seventies from May 1970 "…Live" is not
included and although the single "What Does It Take To Win Your Love"
is not in this box, I’ve included it because the B-side is. Let’s get to the
music…
The multiple-times 's' Gas LP
opens with a total winner "Do You See My Love (For You Growing)"
penned by the mighty dancing duo of Johnny Bristol and Jacky Beavers - Juniors
well-underrated lead vocal sending its joyous dancer groove to No. 3 on the US
R&B charts (what you get here is the Stereo LP cut - the mono single
version is only on "The Complete Motown Singles Volume 10: 1970" book
pack from 2008). Not so sure about Neil Diamond's "Holly Holy" or The
Beatles "Hey Jude" but his take on Laura Nyro's "And When I Die"
shows a smart head. But my poison is the instrumental sax-strutter "Groove
And Move" followed quickly by the old-time Motown do-do Northern Soul vibe
of "Riding High On Love" (a
co-write with Edwin Starr).
Penned by Wilton Felder of
The Crusaders - the second LP's irrepressibly catchy "Way Back Home"
turns in both Instrumental and Vocal form on this set - the first being closest
to that Jazz-Funk sound we're used to - the ladies cleverly harmonizing all the
way to the close with "...way back home..." refrains. Gladys Knight
would have a hand in the lyrics to the vocal take of "Way Back Home" on
the third LP in this set "Moody Jr.". You can so here why Tamla UK
used "Take Me Girl, I'm Ready" on so many single-sides - its lovely
shuffling rhythms and Walker vocal being like honey to Northern Soul bees. And
once again the fabulous Dave Mason classic he did for Traffic "Feeling
Alright" gets another cover though I'd personally reach for the wah-wah
geetars of The Temps' "Psychedelic Shack" where Junior manics up the
Funk pace to clever effect before his 'do your thang' vocal comes in.
Highlights for "Moody
Jr." album include the 'I just can't help myself' girly smooch of "I
Don't Want To Do No Wrong", the hard Funk pump behind "Groove
Thang" and the almost Blaxploitation feel to "Walk In The Night"
as it Barry White's its groovy posterior across your mind's movie screen.
Walker once again upbeats his Soul to chart-winning effect with "I Ain't
Going Nowhere" - a dancer with gravel vocals and his trademark saxophone
dancing over the top. Carole King's magisterial "Tapestry" took 1971
by storm and its hardly surprising that many Soul and Rock acts leaped on the
inherent Soulfulness inside one of its Grammy winners "It's Too Late"
- Walker giving it a dirty shame vocal before he assures us there'll be good
times once again for me and you. We get a wee bit JB with the two-part Funk of "Gimme
That Beat" where he asks y’all to have a ball (ok junior) - but for my
money the Willie Hutch tune "It's Alright, Do What you Gotta Do" is
far better than the promise of musical greatness in the title song "Peace
And Understanding…" The last two records simply deliver more of the same…
Not everything on here is Aretha
or Marvin or Donny H magical – and Walker could be accused of hacking the same
sound over and over again – but within these six long forgotten platters are
nuggets I’ve so enjoyed rediscovering and that’s a tip-top recommendation in my
patch…
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