.jpg)
https://link.amazon/B073hE4mG
70ts Soul, R 'n' B, Funk, Jazz Fusion
Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters
Bit of an odd one. Solomon Burke is usually associated with his early 1960's Atlantic sides, where his guttural torch-song vocals are akin to Otis Redding at his expressive best - genuine, moving and heartfelt – and like Otis - Burke was considered then to be the real deal.
But this release concentrates on something entirely different to those glory days - two long-forgotten and little known albums Burke cut for Chess Records USA – "Music To Make Love By" in 1975 and "Back To My Roots" in 1976 (as well as 2 Bonus Tracks on top). Unfortunately it's easy to understand why they're forgotten when you hear some of the tracks - but more of that later. As the booklet doesn't exactly tell you what's what - let's get into the nitty gritty…
UK released 19 June 2006 - "The Chess Collection" by SOLOMON BURKE on Chess Original Remasters 983 229-5 (Barcode 602498322956) offers 2LPs and 1 Bonus Track Remastered onto 1 CD and Plays out as follows:
2. Let Me Wrap My Arms Around You
3. Come Rain Or Come Shine
4. You And Your Baby Blues
5. All The Way
6. Thanks I Needed That
7. Everlasting Love
8. Midnight And You
9. Music To Make Love By (Part 2)
11. Night And Day
12. Everybody's Got To Cry Sometime
13. I'm Going Back To My Roots
14. Precious Flower
15. The Do Right Song
16. Life Has Its Ups And Downs
17. Over And Over (Loving And Hugging)
18. I'll Never Stop Loving You
19. I'm Leaving on That Late, Late Train - non-album B-side to the US-only 7" single "You & Your Baby Blues" released February 1975 on Chess 2159 (the A is on "Music To Make Love By")
20. Love's Passage - non-album B-side to the US-only 7" single "I'm Going Back To My Roots" released December 1976 on Chess 3003. The B is on stock copies only; the demo has a repeat of the A-side. The A is on "Back To My Roots".
The good news is that the sound quality is superb, remastered by GARY MOORE at Universal Studios – warm and clear – great work done with the tapes.
The bad news is the material. This is Solomon Burke re-inventing himself as a loverman like Marvin Gaye, Teddy Pendergrass and Barry White – and at times, the results are not just bad – they’re laughable. His covers of Ray Charles' classic "Come Rain Or Shine" and his disco take on Cole Porter standard "Night & Day" are both awful. It gets worse with the Barry White heavy-breathing that begins "You & Your Baby Blues" (his last chart entry in Feb 1975 on the USA R&B charts) with lyrics like "...you make it hard for me baby…" The same crap starts "All The Way" with breathy spoken statements like "...That was beautiful baby... God I wish I could love you like this all the time...24 hours a day…" Ye Gads.
It’s not all pseudo of course. "Thanks I Needed That" has great brass and rhythm similar to the Chi-Lites at their funky sexy best – very cool. Then there's the slinkiest track on the 1st album, "Midnight And You" which actually works – very Barry White as his grooviest.
Highlights on the 2nd album include the bluesy/harmonica driven "Everybody's Got To Cry Sometime", the AWB guitar funk of "Precious Flower" and the Rufus slow groove of "Over And Over (Hugging And Loving)". And for fans there is a genuinely fantastic bonus in "I'm Leaving On That Late, Late Train" – a great soul song lost on the B-side of a USA-only 7" – its inclusion here is a genuine find.
So a mixed bag then - half dire, half good – but still worthy of your interest for those sporadic gems here and there. Licensed from Universal Spain - Elemental Music of the UK has reissued "Music To Make Love By" in a card repro gatefold sleeve with an inner in 2016 (probably using the same Gary Moore Remaster) – but frankly it's cheaper to get it here and with all that quality extra stuff too...
