"…Simple Song Of Freedom…"
**** THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE
2007 RHINO REISSUE CD
WITH 11 BONUS TRACKS ***
I've seen the UK variant of
this album in all honesty maybe twice in nearly 45 years of collecting vinyl -
it's both genuinely hard-to-find and sought-after by Soul collectors.
"Right On Be Free" is a sort of Gospel-Funk Righteous-Soul miss-mash.
And as original vinyl copies
don't surface that much - this October 2007 UK released ‘Expanded &
Remastered’ CD version of "Right On Be Free" by THE VOICES OF EAST HARLEM on
Rhino 8122-76435-2 (Barcode 081227643522) with a tasty 11 Bonus Tracks is more
than welcome and a good move from a smart reissue label. And this reissue
includes the outside talents of PHIL UPCHURCH, DONNY HATHAWAY and WILLIE WEEKS
in the reissue stew. Here's the gritty urban breakdown:
1. Right On Be Free
2. Simple Song Of Freedom
3. Proud Mary
4. Music In The Air
5. Oh Yeah
6. For What It's Worth
7. Let It Be Me
8. No No No
9. Gotta Be A Change
10. Shaker Life
Tracks 1 to 10 are the lone
album "Right On Be Free" by THE VOICES OF EAST HARLEM - released
October 1970 in the USA on Elektra Records EKS-74080 (with the Butterfly Label
Design) and Elektra EKS 74080 in the UK with the Red Label Design (later
pressings are Elektra 2469 007) — both original issues donning the luxury of a
gatefold sleeve.
BONUS TRACKS:
11. Oxford Town (A Bob Dylan
cover)
12. Sit Yourself Down (A
Stephen Stills cover)
Tracks 11 and 12 are the
non-album A&B sides of their 3rd US 7" single issued in mid 1971 on
Elektra EKM 45753. The Dylan song first appeared of his 1963 masterpiece
"The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" and was a powerful protest song then -
here it's typically funked up - heavy on the choppy 60's organ with Cynthia
Sessions giving impassioned lead vocals. “Oxford Town” was always a strong tune
and this is a great version of it. The
Stephen Stills track is from his 1970 debut album "Stephen Stills"
and is a very clever choice of song in that the original had a very soulful
even churchy feel to it anyway. The TVOEH version keeps to that feel and for me
it's definitely one of the highlights here. (The beautifully handled male lead
vocal for "Sit Yourself Down" is unknown - so come out wherever you
are and claim the glory).
13. Nation Time
14. I Wanna Be Free
15. Hey Brother
16. Love Is The Answer
17. Kind Woman
Tracks 13 to 17 are all from
the aborted second album sessions recorded in New York between June and
September of 1971 with all songs produced and overseen by soul maestro DONNY
HATHAWAY. All are previously unreleased and make their CD debut here - and what
a find they are. It's clear that a truly superb 2nd album was in the making and
its criminal that it never made it off the blocks. "Nation Time” is a
Gamble & Huff song penned in 1968 which was made a hit by THE EBONYS on
their self-titled debut LP for Philadelphia International in 1973. It's an
excellent funky tune - sort of Ike & Tina Turner guitar-driven righteous
soul. "I Wanna Be Free" is a Richie Furay tune with all the right-on
musical and lyrical credentials needed. "Hey Brother" contains a
version of Hendrix's "Hey Joe" in there and is just superb.
"Love Is The Answer" is possibly by Donny Hathaway but the writer is
credited as ‘unknown’. “Kind Woman” is another Richie Furay song from his stay
with Buffalo Springfield (on their second album "Last Time Around"
from 1968) - TVOEH give it a gorgeous slow ballad working.
18. Angry (Tony Davillo
cover)
19. (We Are) New York
Lightning (Tony Davillo cover)
Tracks 18 and 19 are the
non-album A&B sides of their 4th 7" single issued in late 1971 on
Elektra EKM 45775. "Angry" features a duet vocal (male & female
singers are unidentified) and is excellent - righteous and soulful in all the
right ways. The B-side is a slower more soulful song - very nice - a superb
extra to have. TONY DAVILLO wrote both the A&B – a session guitarist who
also worked with The Edwin Hawkins Singers.
20. Run Shaker Life (Live)
(Richie Havens cover)
21. Soul To Soul (Live)
Tracks 20 and 21 are exclusive
to the Various Artists album called "Soul To Soul" issued in the USA
on Atlantic in September 1971 (SD 7207). It was recorded in Ghana on 6 March
1971 at a live concert in the capitol city Accra put together to celebrate the
14th anniversary of the African country's independence from British rule. At times the group sound like 'live' Santana
circa '69/'70 - absolutely on fire and kicking. (For those interested the DVD
of the show was made available in 2004.)
The core 10-track album is
top-heavy with other people's songs - "Simple Song Of Freedom" is a
Bobby Darin cover, "Proud Mary" a Creedence Clearwater Revival song,
"For What It's Worth" is the famous Buffalo Springfield track - while
"Let It Be Me" is an Everly Brothers slow song all funked up. "Run
Shaker Life" is a Richie Havens song that turned up on his 1969 2LP set
"Richard P. Havens, 1989". Throw in two traditional songs in the
shape of "No No No" and "Music In The Air" and that leaves
only 3 original songs; "Right On Be Free" and "Gotta Be A
Change" are penned by leading light in the Harlem area of New York, and
founder of the group, singer CHUCK GRIFFIN. "Oh Yeah" is written by
and features fantastic lead vocals from BERNICE COLE.
Two singles came off the
album but did no business; they were "Right On Be Free” b/w “Gotta Be A
Change" (Elektra 210013) and "Oh Yeah” b/w “No No No" (Elektra
210018)
Remastered by tape maestro
BILL INGLOT - the sound quality on this great CD reissue is typically superb.
The Remaster brings out the funky-as-fuck bass playing of Chuck Rainey - while
Richard Tee's organ permeates every track with a church/choir feel. The liner
notes suggest that the house band for these sessions is that of Hathaway's live
ensemble, PHIL UPCHURCH on Funky Guitar, WILLIAM WEEKS on Bass and FRED WHITE
on Drums - and they are superb. HATHAWAY fans will simply have to own these - I
love that guy - what a loss he was to Soul Music.
But it's the assembled voices
that dominate every song - and at times - just a little too much so. I would
admit that these blasting righteous tunes may not be everybody's cup of
Darjeeling - but for me they and the superb extras make it an essential
purchase.
To sum up - this is an
exceptional release in any man's language - a rare and sought-after album complete
with the A&B's of two ridiculously rare 45s and a wad of great previously
unreleased material. Is it any wonder fans love Rhino as a label. Way to go
boys…
PS: This release is part of
Rhino's "CLASSIC SOUL ALBUM - REMASTERED & EXPANDED" Series. Most
titles are first time onto CD and are rare soul albums from the
Warner/Atlantic/Cotillion/Elektra vaults. The other titles are:
1. Ace Spectrum - "Inner
Spectrum" (see REVIEW)
2. Blue Magic - "Blue
Magic" (see REVIEW)
3. Donny Hathaway -
"Come Back Charleston Blue O.S.T." (see REVIEW)
4. Leroy Hutson -
“Paradise" (see REVIEW)
5. Ronn Matlock - "Love
City" (see REVIEW)
6. Gwen McCrae - "Gwen
McCrae"
7. Gwen McCrae - "On My
Way"
8. Prince Phillip Mitchell -
"Top Of The Line” (see REVIEW)
9. Prince Philip Mitchell -
"Make It Good” (see REVIEW)
PPS:
PLEASE NOTE - the ROBF album has been reissued since 2007 (in Japan
at a budget price) 'without' the bonus tracks - use the Barcode provided above
to get the correct 2007 Rhino CD. Unfortunately it's been deleted years now so
prices will fluctuate up and down…mostly up...
