"Love City" by RONN MATLOCK (October 2007 Rhino 'Classic Soul Album - Expanded and Remastered' CD Reissue Of His Superb 1979 US Soul Album On Cotillion Records) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...We're Not Going To A Place...We're Going To A State Of Mind…"

Originally released 1979 on Cotillion Records in the USA only (Cotillion is an Atlantic subsidiary) - Ronn Matlock's lone Soul album is the very definition of those overused words "forgotten masterpiece". I’ve loved this superb record to distraction for decades and what an utter blast it is to finally have my grubby mitts on the CD (and sounding so damn good too).

Originally produced by the legendary MICHAEL STOKES - all eight songs are Ronn Matlock originals with this 2007 CD reissue offers us two rare single sides as bonuses. BILL INGLOT – one of Rhino's top tape maestros has handled the remaster and the result is wonderful – warm and funky – full of presence and not too amped up for the sake of it (proud to call him a friend on Facebook). 

Released October 2007 on CD in the UK - "Love City" by RONN MATLOCK on Rhino 8122-76431-2 (Barcode 081227643126) is part of Rhino's CLASSIC SOUL ALBUM - REMASTERED & EXPANDED Series of CD reissues and breaks down as follows:

1. Let Me Dance [Side 1]

2. Love City

3. I Can’t Forget About You

4. Feeling Something

5. Back Street [Side 2]

6. Take Me To The Top (Of Your Mountain)

7. You Got The Best Of Me

8. Working Man

Tracks 1 to 8 are the album "Love City" released August 1979 in the USA on Cotillion SD 5213

BONUS TRACKS:

9. Let Me Dance (Mono Single Version)

10. You Got The Best Of Me (Mono Single version) – Tracks 9 and 10 are the A&B-sides of a September 1979 USA 7" single on Cotillion 45002

Stylistically think CHIC meets TEDDY PENDERGRASS meets EARTH, WIND & FIRE meets BROOK BENTON meets orchestral BARRY WHITE - but even better! Then there's Matlock’s lovely tonal silky voice - sweet as a nut. If you want real convincing - check out a 25-second snippet on iTunes of "Love City" (lyrics above) – or "Back Street" for irresistible funky floor fillers and "I Can't Forget About You" and "Take Me To The Top (Of Your Mountain)" for that slinky bedroom shagpad moment. None of it has dated and every track is a real find for lovers of funky soul, disco and rare groove.

"Love City" is an absolute peach of an album - and as it never received an official UK release - it's been a hugely collectable and expensive 'piece' on this side of the pond for nearly 30 years now. Yet another top job done by Rhino and a cleverly chosen title for CD reissue – check this baby out as soon as possible…

PS: This release is part of Rhino's 2007 CD Reissue Series CLASSIC SOUL ALBUM - REMASTERED & EXPANDED. Most titles are first time onto CD and are rare soul albums from the Warner/Atlantic/Cotillion/Elektra vaults.

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. Gwen McCrae - "Gwen McCrae"

6. Gwen McCrae - "On My Way"

7. Prince Phillip Mitchell - "Top Of The Line” (see REVIEW)

8. Prince Philip Mitchell - "Make It Good” (see REVIEW)

9. The Voices Of East Harlem -"Right On Be Free" (see REVIEW)

"The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions" by JELLYBREAD (including 'only' their 1970 Debut Album "First Slice") (2008 Sony/Blue Horizon CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Want You By My Side..."

Taking their name from a 1963 Stax 7" single by Booker T & The MG's – England's Blues Rock combo JELLYBREAD was...

PETE WINGFIELD on Piano and Vocals

PAUL BUTLER on Guitar

JOHN BEST on Bass

CHRIS WATERS on Drums

JELLYBREAD did 3 albums and 6 singles for the cult UK blues label - which throws up an unintentional glitch in this CD's claim to be "The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions" - it isn't.

What this 15 September 2008 UK released 24-track reissue covers is only the first album and 3 of the 7" singles that surrounded it. The anomaly lies in distribution rights - then and now. "65 Parkway", their 2nd album, came out in 1971 on Blue Horizon 2431 002, while their 3rd and last album "Back To The Beginning Again" followed in 1972 on Blue Horizon 2931 004. Unfortunately their issue and distribution was handled by the Polydor group at the time - and still is. Therefore those albums and the other three singles are out of the scope of this Sony/CBS release. They may be issued at some point in the future by Universal - but that remains to be seen. However there are plenty of other goodies on this unassuming little nugget that more than compensate...

UK released September 2008 – “The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions” by JELLYBREAD on Sony/Blue Horizon 88697192182 (Barcode 886971921823) is a CD Remaster and plays out as follows (78:51 minutes):

1. River’s Invitation

2. I Pity The Fool

3. Never Say No

4. Chairman Mao’s Boogaloo

5. Evening

6. I’ve Got To Forget You

7. Boogie Sandwich

8. Rusty Blade

9. No Brag Just Facts (Pts. 1 & 2)

10. No One Else

11. Don’t Pay Them No Mind

Tracks 1 to 11 make up the album "First Slice" issued early 1970 on Blue Horizon S 7-63853 in the UK and Blue Horizon BH 4801 in the USA

(Tracks 2 and 10 off the album, "Chairman Mao's Boogaloo" b/w "No One Else", were issued as their first UK 7" single on Blue Horizon 57-3162 in late September 1969. The A is a piano-driven instrumental; both tracks are Butler/Wingfield originals)

Tracks 12 and 13 are "Comment" b/w "Funky Wasp", which was their 2nd UK 7" single on Blue Horizon 57-3169 issued in January 1970 - both songs are non-album. "Comment" is a Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band cover version, an obscure B-side to the "Must Be Your Thing" 7" single from 1969 on US Warner Brothers; the B-side to "Comment" is a rocking original, a New Orleans styled instrumental peppered with superb piano playing by Pete Wingfield.

Tracks 14 and 15 are "Rockin' Pneumonia & The Boogie Woogie Flu" b/w "Readin' The Meters", which was their 3rd UK 7" single on Blue Horizon 57-374 issued in April 1970 - and again both songs are non-album. The A is a cover of the 1957 Huey Smith classic while the B is a funky wah-wah guitar instrumental written by the whole band

Tracks 16 and 17 are "Old Man Hank" b/w "Faded Grace", which was their 4th UK 7" single issued 4 December 1970 on Blue Horizon 57-3180 - again, both tracks were non-album at the time (Butler and Wingfield originals) and are more pop than blues.

Then comes a genuine treat for blues collectors....

Tracks 18 to 22 are five of the six songs issued on their privately pressed mini-LP "Jellybread", issued March 1969 on Liphook Records LIPHOOK 1. Due to time restraints on this CD, the Royce Swain song "Evening" has been left off (their excellent re-recording of it is Track 5 on the album anyway). Featuring covers of Jimmy Roger's "That's Alright", Don Robey's "Don't Want No Woman", Roosevelt Syke's "Drivin' Wheel", Percy Mayfield's "Never Say No" and Sonny Boy Williamson's "Sugar Mama" - 99 copies only were pressed up and given a stamped handmade sleeve. It was sold at gigs and in specialist shops and used as a showcase for the band. Impossible to find (I've never seen one) and with a £100+ rarity value, its inclusion here is a genuine bonus for collectors of rare blues. Their superb cover of Percy Mayfield's "Never Say No" is actually ballsier than the re-recorded version on the album for my money and given the rocking bluesy nature of the other recordings - it's easy to see why BH signed them.

The original tapes are remastered to the usual SUPERB standard by DUNCAN COWELL at Sound Mastering, the detailed 12-page booklet has a stylish and informative essay on the group by label boss MIKE VERNON, all of it supplemented with advert reproductions, band photos, the record sleeves, session details etc. Finally, a tasty card wrap covers the outside jewel case - and even the tracks are typeset on the cover as the album in the left column, and the bonuses in the right - so you can see where the natural break is - all of it typical of the excellence that has surrounded every BH release to date.

Highlights include a slow and brassy version of Bobby Bland's 1961 Duke Records classic "I Pity The Fool" and the epic seven-minute "Evening" which could have been a moody Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac classic in the hands of someone else (Gary Moore did a wonderfully slow and evocative cover of it on his excellent "Close As You Get" album from last year).

Which brings me to another anomaly as I listen to the excellent slow blues of "No One Else" - from my days as Mail-Order/Rarities Manager in Reckless Records in both their Islington and Soho branches, I recall Jellybread not being held in the highest regard by BH collectors anywhere. It isn't that the album is awful; it's just perceived as a little dull and lifeless - white boys doing lackluster versions of black man's blues. I think this superb release may well change that - because like the Christine Perfect album and CD reissue in this series (see separate review), this is essentially a 3-star album pushed up to a bona-fide 4-star release by its genuinely excellent bonus tracks and quality audio presentation.

There's excellent stuff on this reissue and I hope it will lead to a reappraisal of this forgotten but rather cool and funky British blues band...

PS: see also separate reviews for TOP TOPHAM, GORDON SMITH and KEY LARGO - other "Complete" CDs in this series



PPS: Pete Wingfield (pictured above) had a sizeable solo hit in June 1975 on Island Records with "Eighteen With A Bullet" (see review for his "Island Years" CD)

"The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions" (including the "Long Overdue" LP) by GORDON SMITH (2008 Sony/Blue Horizon CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Having A Good Time..."

Once in a very blue moon - a CD comes along that grabs you by the short and curlies and blows your tiny gin-sozzled mind. Gordon Smith's "The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions" is that album. What a blast – and there’s so much of it too. Here are the finite Acoustic Blues…

UK released September 2008 – "The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions" by GORDOM SMITH on Sony/Blue Horizon 88697359852 (Barcode 886973598528) is a CD Remaster and breaks down as follows (76:07 minutes):

1. Diving Duck Blues [Sleepy John Estes cover]

2. Highway 51 [Tommy McClenman cover]

3. One Dime Blues [Blind Lemon Jefferson cover]

4. Having A Good Time [Gordon Smith song - instrumental]

5. Instrumental No. 2 [Gordon Smith song]

6. Walking Blues [Robert Johnson cover/Muddy Waters Arrangement]

7. Rolling And Tumbling  [Traditional Blues cover]

8. I Been Down So Long [J.B. Lenoir cover]

9. Instrumental No. 4 [Gordon Smith song]

10. Pearlie Blues [Traditional Blues cover]

11. The Woman Down The Hall [Gordon Smith song]

12. Big Road Blues [Gordon Smith song]

13. Instrumental No. 3 [Gordon Smith song]

14. Worried Life Blues [Sleepy John Estes cover]

Tracks 1 to 14 are his lone album "Long Overdue" LP issued on the cult UK label Blue Horizon Records 7-63211 in March 1969. It's an incredibly hard-to-find acoustic blues rarity clocking in at over £100 - if you can actually locate one. It reputedly sold over 4000 copies on release but in the near 20 years that I've been dealing with rare records - I've never actually seen one. So it's reissue is welcome and a huge plus for blues fans everywhere.

BONUS TRACKS:

15. Nobody’s Fault But Mine [Blind Willie Johnson cover] – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

16. One Dime Blues (Take 1) [Blind Lemon Jefferson cover] – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

17. Instrumental No. 2 (Take 1) [Gordon Smith song] – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

18. Walking Blues (Alternate Mono Version) [Robert Johnson cover] – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

19. Rollin’ & Tumblin’ (Alternate Mono Version) [Traditional Blues cover] – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

20. Walking Blues (Electric Version, Take 1) [Robert Johnson cover] – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

21. Pearlie Blues (Alternate Mono Version) [Traditional Blues cover] – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

22. I’m So Glad (Take 1) [Skip James cover] – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

23. Instrumental No.1 (Take 3) [Gordon Smith cover] – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

24. When You Got A Good Friend [Robert Johnson cover] – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

25. I’m So Glad (Take 2) [Skip James cover]– PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

26. Too Long

27. Funk Pedal – tracks 26 and 27 are his lone 7" single on Blue Horizon Records 57-3156 issued in July 1969 (both are non-album tracks) and again the 7” single is impossibly rare - itself upwards to £20 to find a mint copy in it's distinctive Blue Horizon label bag. The A-side is a Mississippi Sheiks cover while the B-side is an instrumental cover of a Robert Johnson song. 

28. I’m Sitting On Top Of The World (Mono) [Robert Johnson cover] – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

Tracks 15 through to 25 and 28 are all previously unreleased. Some were from his aborted 2nd album and all are being made available here for the first time anywhere. All are studio quality finished versions.

The original analogue master tapes have been used, mastered by SEAN LYNCH at Torch Music - the sound is SUPERB - clear, warm and punchy. There is hiss on some of the quieter tracks like "Instrumental No. 4" but it's not enough to detract.

The detailed 12-page booklet has a really informative and enthusiastic essay by the label founder MIKE VERNON which stylishly mixes the personal with the factual - making for a really great read. There are promo photos from the Blue Horizon archives of Gordon with his guitar, the A & B-sides and label bags of obscure 7” singles along with the rare album sleeve are pictured too. There's a concert poster showing that he supported Muddy Waters on tour in the UK and a very detailed track-by-track session breakdown. All of it is contained by a card wrap on the outside - which gives the release a classy and eventful look. 

Several tracks contain guests: the opener, a cover of Sleepy John Estes' "Diving Duck Blues" has PETER GREEN on Harmonica (he plays a blinder) while PETER HALL adds lovely rolling piano blues to the instrumental "Having A Good Time". Another label mate DUSTER BENNETT compliments Smith's stunning acoustic blues with his Harmonica work on the Robert Johnson cover of "Walking Blues". Fans of that early FLEETWOOD MAC sound will flip for the version of J.B. Lenoir's "I Been Down So Long" which has both JOHN McVIE and MICK FLEETWOOD on it. Their rhythm section work perfectly compliments this really cool blues shuffle.

However, the album mostly highlights the beautifully deft guitar work of the 20-year old lad from Tyne & Wear. Many tracks are guitar and vocals only. It sounds like Robert Johnson transported from the 30's to the 60's and 5 of the tunes are his own compositions - pretty impressive stuff really. His voice sounds a little like Danny Kirwan of Fleetwood Mac, but it's his guitar playing that impresses most - especially on the acoustic guitar with a bottleneck squeaking up and down the frets. If you want a good taster of what to expect - try to access the Traditional Blues air of "Pearlie Blues" if possible - wonderfully evocative of the Delta that has so obviously entranced him -body and soul.

I love acoustic blues - especially a really good string bender. And what you get here is a cracking great album full of it - a wad of tasty outtakes that you'll play again rather than just listen to once and leave there - and all of it wrapped up in Grade A packaging. Brill!

Investigate this superb GORDON SMITH CD soonest. An exemplary reissue - and hats off to all the good people involved - keeping the blues flame alive…