"Horn Rock & Funky Guitar Grooves 1968-1974" by VARIOUS (26 July 2019 Ace/BGP CD Compilation - Nick Robbins Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Toe Hold..."

I love a compilation like this - clever choices - great sound - discoveries. I'll even forgive the rather uninspiring artwork because those sexy bearded men with non-arthritic knees and disturbingly alluring butt wiggles over at Ace Records (using their Beat Goes Public label imprint) have only gone and done my nut it again.

This is a wickedly good single CD vaults-trawl that even sports an unissued nugget from Texan Donnie Brooks very much in the early Blood, Sweat & Tears vs. Chicago vein and a no-one knows-nothing-about recording from Frank Slay’s Claridge Records that deserves its day in the sun. There's a lot of Soulful Rock and horny horns to wade through here, so let's get at it my Funkalicious admirers...

UK released 26 July 2019 - "Horn Rock & Funky Grooves 1968-1974" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Ace Records/BGP CDBGPD 311 (Barcode 029667094825) is a 17-Track CD Compilation of Remasters that plays out as follows (66:01 minutes):

1. Buddy's Advice - PAUL BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND (fifth studio album "Keep On Moving" from October 1969 (USA) on Elektra EKS 74053 - Buzzy Feiten song)

2. Toe Hold - AL KOOPER (from his debut solo album "I Stand Alone" from February 1969 on Columbia CS 9718)

3. It's Been A Long Time Coming - DELANEY & BONNIE (May 1968 US 7" single on Stax STA-0003, later issued on their debut album "Home" released August 1969 on Stax STS-2026 (USA) and March 1970 (UK) on Stax SXATS 1029)

4. Understanding - COLD BLOOD [featuring Lydia Pense] (from their December 1970 second album "Sisyphus" on Atlantic/San Francisco SD 205)

5. One Fine Morning (LP Version) - LIGHTHOUSE (fourth studio album "One Fine Morning" released July 1971 (USA) on Evolution Records 3007 and October 1971 (UK) on Vertigo 6342 010)

6. Roller Coaster - BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS (September 1973 US 7" single on Columbia 4-45937, A-side - also on the August 1973 sixth US LP "No Sweat" on Columbia KC 32180 and CBS Records 65275 (UK))

7. Clever Girl - TOWER OF POWER (from their May 1973 US Debut LP "Tower Of Power" on Warner Brothers BS 2681)

8. Blow Your Mind - DONNIE BROOKS (Previously Unissued 1970 Recording, 2019)

9. Run Back To Mama - CHASE [featuring Bill Chase] (from their April 1974 third album "Pure Music" on Epic KE 32572)

10. Tuane - HAMMER (from their November 1970 debut album "Hammer" on Atlantic/San Francisco SD 203)

11. Somebody Oughta' Turn Your Head Around - CRYSTAL MANSION (from their August 1972 US LP "Crystal Mansion" on Rare Earth R 540L)

12. Clown (Part 1) - THE FLOCK (September 1969 edited into two parts FRENCH 7” single on CBS 6965 (A-side is 3:15 minutes) – also part of the full "Clown" track on their debut album "The Flock" issued September 1969 in the USA on Columbia Records CS 9911 (Stereo) and April 1970 in the UK on CBS Records S 63733)

13. Gypsy Boy II - TOBIAS WOOD HENDERSON (from the 1971 album "Blue Stone" on Pulsar Records 10605)

14. Shoes - BLACK MAGIC (Previously Unissued Claridge Records recording, 2019)

15. Make Your Move - THE ELECTRIC FLAG (from the 1974 LP "The Band Kept Playing" on Atlantic SD 18112)

16. Boomp, Boomp, Chomp - THE SONS (from their November 1969 second album on Capitol Records SKAO-332 called "The Sons" – The Sons Of Champlin (featuring Bill Champlin) now credited as The Sons)

17. Aunt Marie - AMERICAN SOUND LTD (1968 US 7" single on Pearce 5841, A-side)

The 20-page booklet features track-by-track info on the 17 cuts by noted writer and Soul/Funk expert DEAN RUDLAND. As ever his knowledge comes shining through and does his level-headed appraisal - the text peppered with shots of album sleeves you rarely ever lay eyes on (Butterfield, Tower Of Power and Lighthouse getting a colour page each) and a couple of tasty US 45s on Stax and Columbia (Delaney & Bonnie and Al Kooper). Audio is care of Ace's long-standing sound-man NICK ROBBINS and given that 95% of it comes from major labels - each track is ballsy and full - proper power when the brass comes brandy-glass rattling into your living room.

Written & Arranged by Buzzy Feiten and Produced by songsmith and all-round catalyst Jerry Ragovoy - the track selection opens strongly with "Buddy's Advice" - Paul Butterfield smart enough to know that the Blues-Rock medium was already too limiting by 1969 - so for album number five, he Funks it up and Soul sympathiser Ragovoy delivers the audio wallop. You're then nailed with a Stateside threesome - ex Blood, Sweat & Tears Al Kooper, Eric Clapton, George Harrison and Leon Russell pals Delaney & Bonnie Bramlett and the truly fantastic Cold Blood sporting the gutteral layrinx of Lydia Pense - a woman who might worry Janis Joplin, Maggie Bell and Elkie Brooks (in that order). Kooper's cover of the Isaac Hayes and David Porter penned "Toe Hold" (previously done by Sam & Dave, Johnnie Taylor and Sharon Tandy) is a smart choice. The backing band that can swing is Dylan's "Blonde On Blonde" troupe, the arrangements are by Jazz Trumpeter Don Ellis (cutting a rug over on Charles Taylor's CTI Records at the same time) and backing vocalists The Blossoms giving it the girl power the Soulful cut needs. Cold Blood have always been a lust of mine - their cover of Donny Hathaway's "Valdez In The Country" surely a contender for Volume 2.

Lighthouse even got their fourth album "One Fine Morning" a Blighty release on Vertigo Records in October 1971 hoping to mimic their home country Canadian success of No. 2 (on GRT Records) and a more modest No. 80 on the US LP charts (Evolution Records). But probably because the black-and-white swirl record company was perceived as a 'difficult' Prog Rock label - nobody fell for their Fusion Rock (time to change that).

The compilation then cleverly goes past the usual choices for Blood, Sweat & Tears (their first three albums, the second and third of which peaked at No. 1 in America) and instead opts for a tune when the public had effectively stopped liking them - the cool "Roller Coaster". Coupled with the fab Tower Of Power and a Keith Olsen produced session in 1970 for Donnie Brooks - things continue well with Bill Chase's "Run Back To Mama" - the ex Maynard Ferguson trumpeter and his band sounding like they’ve been gargling old-school B, S & T. platters for breakfast.

Neither of the Hammer or Crystal Mansion cuts actually feature funky horns, but are guitar-driven monsters that 'feel' like they do. The first I heard of the brilliant scatted "Tuane" track was on Disc 2 of Rhino's fabulous 4CD Box Set "What It Is!" - a 2006 deep dive into Atlantic's vaults and associated labels looking for Rare Grooves. The song was supposed to have lyrics but band member Johnny De just scatted along with the backing track and they realised it was a winner sans words. The Crystal Mansion cut has the feel of a Rock Band that deep down wants to be the Average White Band or Mother's Finest when they grow up and their chandeliers drop.  And on it goes to a French single edit by The Flock and a Funk 45 most people will never see on Pearce Records 5841 (out on Kansas) by the cool sounding American Sound Ltd telling you about a hip relative to the sound of manic brass punctuations.

American Rock gets back to its soulful roots...the blurb on the rear inlay to CDBGPD 311 states. And I’d like to thank Ace for reminding us of that and being a credit to the reissuing community. Recommended...

"I'm Not Talkin' - The Song Stylings Of Mose Allison 1957-71" by MOSE ALLISON (October Ace/2016 BGP CD Compilation of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Swingin' Machine..."

Like myself (and so many others I suspect) - I became aware of the mighty American Jazz swinger Mose Allison via England's Modfather Georgie Fame.

In fact in a 2016 interview, Fame admits that in 1964 an introduction by a musician friend to one of Allison's imported US Hard Bop LPs, Georgie initially nicked Moses' scat vocal styles/cadences to such a point that it was hard at times to tell the two apart! Only three songs into this uber-groovy UK CD compilation brought to us hipsters by those cool types over at Ace Records on their Beat Goes Public imprint label (BGP) - and you can so hear how true that is. Lifetime fan Georgie boy was (you have to say) always on the style money – seventh son of a seventh son indeed – he knew the one.

Culling tracks from Allison albums on Prestige (Fifties) and Columbia, Epic and Atlantic (Sixties and Seventies) - you get 18 cuts in glorious Stereo and 6 in pin-sharp Mono - Allison on Piano and Vocals throughout. Let's get to the Swingin' Machine...

UK released Friday, 28 October 2016 (4 November 2016 in the USA) - "I'm Not Talkin' - The Song Stylings Of MOSE ALLISON 1957-1971" by MOSE ALLISON on Ace/Beat Goes Public (BGP) CDBGPD 304 (Barcode 029667077828) is a 24-Track CD Compilation of Remasters that plays out as follows (61:32 minutes):

1. I'm Not Talkin' (from the 1964 US LP "The Word From Mose" on Atlantic SD 1424 in Stereo)

2. Parchman Flying (from the 1958 US LP "Young Man Mose" on Prestige PRLP 7121 in Mono)

3. Foolkiller (from the 1964 US LP "The Word From Mose" on Atlantic SD 1424 in Stereo)

4. If You Only Knew (from the 1971 US LP "Western Man" on Atlantic SD 1584 in Stereo)

5. Baby, Please Don't Go (from the 1960 US LP "Transfiguration Of Hiram Brown" on Columbia CS 8240 in Stereo)

6. The Seventh Son (from the 1958 US LP "Creek Bank" on Prestige PRLP 7152 in Mono)

7. I'm Smashed (from the 1970 US LP "...Hello There, Universe" on Atlantic SD 1550 in Stereo)

8. Wild Man On The Loose (from the 1966 US LP "Wild Man On The Loose" on Atlantic SD 1456 in Stereo)

9. If You're Goin' To The City (from the 1963 US LP "Swingin' Machine" on Atlantic SD 1398 in Stereo)

10. Everybody Cryin' Mercy (from the 1968 US LP "I've Been Doin' Some Thinkin'" on Atlantic SD 1511 in Stereo)

11. I Love The Life I Live (from the 1960 US LP "I Love The Life I Live" on Columbia CS 8365 in Stereo)

12. Young Man's Blues (from the 1957 US LP "Back Country Suite For Piano, Bass And Drums" on Prestige PRLP 7091 in Mono)

13. Back On The Corner (from the 1962 US LP "Takes To The Hills" on Epic BA 17031 in Stereo)

14. You Can Count On Me To Do My Part (from the 1966 US LP "Wild Man On The Loose" on Atlantic SD 1456 in Stereo)

15. Lost Mind (from the 1958 US LP "Young Man Mose" on Prestige PRLP 7121 in Mono)

16. Eyesight To The Blind (from the 1959 US LP "Autumn Song" on Prestige PRLP 7189 in Mono)

17. Your Mind Is On Vacation (from the 1962 US LP "I Don't Worry About A Thing" on Atlantic SD 1389 in Stereo)

18. Jus Like Livin' (from the 1968 US LP "I've Been Doin' Some Thinkin'" on Atlantic SD 1511 in Stereo)

19. If You Live (from the 1958 US LP "Creek Bank" on Prestige PRLP 7152 in Mono)

20. V-8 Ford Blues (from the 1962 US LP "Takes To The Hills" on Epic BA 17031 in Stereo)

21. Your Molecular Structure (from the 1968 US LP "I've Been Doin' Some Thinkin'" on Atlantic SD 1511 in Stereo)

22. Hello There, Universe (from the 1970 US LP "...Hello There, Universe" on Atlantic SD 1550 in Stereo)

23. Western Man (from the 1971 US LP "Western Man" on Atlantic SD 1584 in Stereo)

24. Swingin' Machine (from the 1963 US LP "Swingin' Machine" on Atlantic SD 1398 in Stereo)

Track 11 by The Mose Allison Trio, all other tracks by Mose Allison

Tracks 1, 3 to 5, 7 to 11, 13, 14 and 17, 18 and 20 to 24 are in STEREO - Tracks 2, 6, 12, 15, 16 and 19 are in MONO

Compiled and Annotated by long-time Ace Records associate DEAN RUDLAND - the 16-page booklet features informative liner notes and all those oh-so cool 50ts and 60ts album covers - Mose sat in a wicker chair for "Young Man Mose" and our Al looking a bit more man-about-town and with-it for "The Word From Mose" - a 1964 album that contains two of his most popular tunes in Blighty - "I'm Not Talkin'" and "Foolkiller" - covered by The Yardbirds and Brian Auger & The Trinity. Those rare Esquire Records British EPs for "Back Country Suite" and "Mose Allison" are pictured as are label repros for American 7" singles you never see either like "Parchman Farm" (Prestige PR 295) and "The Seventh Son" (Prestige 150). Very tasty...

DUNCAN COWELL has done the Audio Mastering and all sounds tickety-boo (as you would expect from labels like Prestige, Columbia and Atlantic).

I’ve always loved his suave covers of the Joe Williams, Willie Dixon and Sonny Boy Williamson Blues and R&B classics "Baby Please Don't Go", "The Seventh Son" and "Eyesight To The Blind" - and the way he makes the witty lyrics sound like he penned them all along. He also gives Percy Mayfield a whirl on his version of "Lost Mind", but just in case you’re thinking he can’t cut a laugh himself – try out the sexy "Your Molecular Structure" or the deprecating "Wild Man On The Loose" or sly jabbing in "Your Mind Is On Vacation". Even in the early Seventies when he was wearing Afghans, tie-dye shirts and beads – he still managed to feel hip and swinging on cuts like "Hello There, Universe" and "I'm Smashed".

For sure his style of vocals and almost tripping-over-itself deadpan delivery may not be to everyone’s tastes, but if ever a CD compilation was an ample advertisement for why so many thought Mose Allison so influential and worthy of worship – them "I'm Not Talkin'" is it. Yeah baby and nice job done...

"The Fame Singles Volume 2 – 1970-73" by CLARENCE CARTER (October 2013 Ace/Kent Soul CD Compilation of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 100s Of Others Is Available in my

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"...If Samson Had Kept His Head..."

I love Clarence Carter to pieces – have done for decades - his 60ts Soul was the utter business - and in 2018 still is. But this second CD volume from Ace Records of the UK of Carter’s 7” singles for Fame Records will test even the most ardent fan - because like him or not - there is some truly awful crap on here. Let’s get details out of the way first...

UK released 28 Oct 2013 - “The Fame Singles Volume 2 – 1970-73” by CLARENCE CARTER on Ace/Kent Soul CDKEND 407 (Barcode 029667240727) is a 22-Track CD Compilation of New Remasters and plays out as follows (65:17 minutes):

1. Patches [Mono]

2. Say It One More Time [Mono]

3. It’s All In Your Mind

4. Till I Can’t Take It Anymore

5. The Court Room

6. Getting The Bills (But No Merchandise) [Mono]

7. Slipped, Tripped And Fell In Love

8. I Hate To Love And Run

9. Scratch My Back (And Mumble In My Ear)

10. I’m The One

11. If You Can’t Beat ‘Em

12. Lonesomest Lonesome

13. Back In Your Arms [Mono]

14. Holdin’ Out (On My Baby)

15. Put On Your Shoes And Walk

16. I Found Somebody New [Mono]

17. Mother-In-Law

18. Sixty Minute Man [Mono]

19. I’m The Midnight Special [Mono]

20. I’ve Got Another Woman [Mono]

21. Love’s Trying To Come To You [Mono]

22. Heartbreak Woman [Mono]

Collectors will note that many of these American 45s were issued in MONO – so they are making their CD debut here. But for me the compilation doesn't really pick up until nearly 9 tracks in when "I Have To Love And Run" on Atlantic 2818 comes to save the day. The duet with CANDI STATON on "If You Can't Beat Us" is not bad either (lyrics above). But then we get schlock like "Lonesomest Lonesome" where he literally uses "crying into my cornflakes" as lyrics. Oh dear...

The booklet with liner notes by DEAN RUDLAND is the usual classy presentation from Ace and the sound quality of the remaster by NICK ROBBINS is superlative - I just wish the listen was as joyful as Volume 1 - instead of being a chore.

Unless you're a fan of his 1970's fall from grace - I'd look for the first 3 albums from 1968 and 1969 instead. "This Is" (Amazon reference B008PVDA2G), "Dynamic" (B008PVDA5S) and "Testifyin'" (B008PVD8SM) have all been reissued in Japan under the "Atlantic 1000: Best R&B Collection" series. They're 2012 DSD remasters and chock full of quality Sixties Soul in stunning sound quality (see my three reviews for Joe Turner to get a list) and retailing at under eight quid in most cases - they're absolute bargains. There's also Volume 1 of this which is an altogether better listen (see my review).

One to avoid I'm afraid because there is so much better elsewhere...

"The Revolution Will Not Be Televised...Plus" by GIL SCOTT-HERON (2017 Ace Records/Beat Goes Public (BGP) 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster with Nine Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 100s Of Others Is Available in my

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"...Ghetto Blaster..."

For most British music fans - GIL SCOTT-HERON and his fabulous Jazz-Funk-Poetry and Social-Consciousness-Soul became a physical vinyl reality with this December 1974 US compilation LP. An amalgam of eight tracks from his second and third US studio releases on Bob Thiele's Flying Dutchman Records ("Pieces Of A Man" from December 1971 and "Free Will" from August 1972) - it also came with three newly mixed Scat Intros thrown in. Hell the 11-song record was even belatedly released June 1975 in Blighty on RCA Records - named of course after his most famous and controversial song - "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised".

For their June 2017 UK CD Reissue and Remaster – Ace Records' Beat Goes Public label (BGP) has decided to bolster up the original 11-track compilation with Nine Bonus Tracks from the first three platters - making CDBGPD 305 a very tasty purchase indeed. Here are the Lady Days, John Coltranes and Whiteys On The Moon...

UK released Friday, 30 June 2017 (7 July 2017 in the USA) - "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised...Plus" by GIL-SCOTT HERON on Ace Records/Beat Goes Public CDBGPD 305 (Barcode 029667077927) offers the 11-Track US LP with Nine Bonus Tracks added on and plays out as follows (63:44 minutes):

1. The Revolution Will Not Be Televised [Side 1]

2. Sex Education: Ghetto Style

3. The Get Out Of The Ghetto Blues

4. No Knock [without intro]

5. Lady Day And John Coltrane

6. Pieces Of A Man

7. Home Is Where The Hatred Is [Side 2]

8. Brother [without intro]

9. Save The Children

10. Whitey On The Moon [without intro]

11. Did You Hear What They Said?

Tracks 1 to 11 are the US-based compilation "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" - released December 1974 in the USA on Flying Dutchman Records BDL1-0613 and June 1975 in the UK on RCA Records SF 8428 (US copies came in a gatefold sleeve - UK copies were single covers).

Tracks 1, 5, 6, 7 and 9 are from his 2nd US album "Pieces Of A Man" - released December 1971 on Flying Dutchman Records FD 10143

Tracks 2, 3 and 11 are from his 3rd US album "Free Will" - released August 1972 on Flying Dutchman Records FD 10153

Tracks 4, 8 and 10 are newly-mixed and edited 1974 creations

BONUS TRACKS: 

12. When You Are Who You Are

13. I Think I'll Call It Morning

14. Or Down You

15. Free Will

16. The Middle Of Your Day

17. Speed Kills

18. Paint It Black

19. Who'll Pay Reparation On My Soul?

20. The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

Tracks 12, 13 and 14 are from his second US LP "Pieces Of A Man" - released December 1971 on Flying Dutchman Records FD 10143

Tracks 15, 16 and 17 are from his 3rd US LP "Free Will" - released August 1972 on Flying Dutchman Records FD 10153

Tracks 18, 19 and 20 are from his US debut LP "Small Talk At 125th And Lenox" - released January/February 1971 on Flying Dutchman Records FDS-131 (recorded live in 1970)

The 16-page booklet pictures rare American 45s – the Side 1 and Side 2 labels of the US original Flying Dutchman LP as well as providing full colour plates of the three albums this CD reissue takes from. DEAN RUDLAND provides the info – entertaining and insightful as ever – while long-standing Audio Engineer NICK ROBBINS provides the beautiful Remasters. The sound on this reissue is wonderful.

It's easy to hear why Brits fell head over heels for Scott-Heron when you listen to the whole compilation - eight of his best tracks mixed in with three rapped intros that feel like they could always have been there. The way the songs run - it feels like a major album release in the same vein as say Marvin's "What's Going On" or Mayfield's "Curtis" or Donny Hathaway's "Extension Of A Man" or even Stevie's "Innervisions" - the overall listen is just fantastic. And you have to say that the Remaster is just gorgeous – kicking with power and detail. You hear Purdie’s drums – everything. Just check out the superlatively concise guitar solo by Burt Jones on the get-it song "When You Are Who You Are" complimented throughout by Hubert Laws on Saxophone. That’s followed by crystal clear Brian Jackson piano on "I Think I'll Call It Morning" held up by sweet Bass plucks from Ron Carter – gorgeous stuff and joyful music too. This LP worked too because not everything is a rant against the white oppressors - songs like "Sex Education: Ghetto Style" is funny - "Brother" is cutting when it comes to his own colour's shortcomings and both "The Get Out Of The Ghetto" and "Save The Children" songs feel sexy and soulful in that Marvin way.

Back when the second album "Pieces Of A Man" was issued in August 1972 in the USA and credited as Gil Scott-Heron with Pretty Purdie and The Playboys (Drummer Bernard Purdie) – Flying Dutchman tried "Lady Day And John Coltrane" as a lead off US 7” single with "Save The Children" on the flipside (FD 26015) – both tracks on this compilation of course. Because the "Pieces Of A Man" album was delayed until 1973 – the British 45 on Philips 6073 705 didn’t arrive until April 1973 and had the first bonus track on this CD as its B-side - "When You Are Who You Are". It’s modest Record Collector Price Guide price of under a tenner doesn’t reflect the difficulty you would have of locating a copy (I’ve never actually seen one). The other US 45 represented on here is his 1971 debut - "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" b/w "Home Is Where The Hatred Is" on Flying Dutchman FD 26011 (again credited to Gil Scott-Heron with Pretty Purdie and The Playboys). That B-side is one of the albums other gems – drugs at home instead of family and love – Gil’s lyrics hard-hitting, real and humane – like the whole album.

The CD then cleverly lines up nine more from the three LPs - the Bonus cuts themselves feeling like another overlooked album nugget. By the time you get to the spoken poem "Paint It Black" and you're in love with the man. The first LP only had a few music tracks on it (see my separate review for "Small Talk At 125th And Lenox") and "Who'll Pay Reparation On My Soul?" was one of them - the White House reading out platitudes to beleaguered ghetto families from cue cards. And it ends with his 'first version' of "The Revolution Will Not To Be Televised" where he raps his poem to a Tabla beat - the crowd stunned as he speaks of stolen TVs and pigs shooting innocent bystanders and black people in the street looking for a brighter tomorrow...  

"...A rat done bit my sister Nell...and whitey's on the moon..." - Gil sings on his most famous song - raging against ghetto poverty while NASA spends billions back in a time when the word billions was truly a gargantuan amount.

A truly superlative reissue of a huge Soul-Funk-Jazz album from that golden Seventies period – "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised". And not for the first time has Ace Records of the UK pulled off an absolute winner. 

Put this high on your shopping list and hope Gil returns in spirit form to guide us for when man goes to Mars for a few quid more than billions...