“Get It While You Can – The Complete Legendary Verve Sessions” by HOWARD TATE (March 2007 USA Hip-O Select CD - Suha Gur Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 100s Of Others Is Available

In My SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on Amazon

SOUL, FUNK and JAZZ FUSION On CD

- Exceptional Remasters

Just Click Below To Purchase for £6.95

Thousands of E-Pages - All Details From Discs

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

"…Yes They Told Me To Watch Out For You…"

Some Soul singers garnish a reputation that borders on the hysterical – Luther Ingram, James Carr and even white boy Eddie Hinton spring to mind – and Macon Georgia’s Howard Tate is one of them. His album came into existence in 1967 – was reissued in 1969 with a slightly different track running order and then (like him) disappeared into virtual obscurity for nearly 30 years. But luckily for us – up steps Harvey Weinger at Hip-O Select who has saved the day and these fabulous torch-Soul sides for posterity. Here are the coiffured down-home details…

US released March 2007 as a numbered limited edition CD of 5000 – "Get It While You Can – The Complete Legendary Verve Sessions" by HOWARD TATE is on Hip-O Select B0002210-02 and its 29-tracks break down as follows (74:55 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 10 are his debut album “Get It While You Can” – it was released April 1967 on Verve V-5022 (Mono) and Verve V6-5022 (Stereo). The STEREO mix is used here (all the singles are the Mono variant).

1. Ain’t Nobody Home 2. Part-Time Love 3. Glad I Knew Better 4. How Blue Can You Get 5. Get It While You Can 6. Baby, I Love You 7. I Learned It All The Hard Way 8. Everyday Have The Blues 9. How Come My Bulldog Don’t Bark 10. Look At Granny Run Run

Tracks 11 and 12 are "Stop" and "Sweet Love Child" - two STEREO tracks that were added onto the February 1969 reissue LP on Verve Records V6-5072 (it also had different artwork which is on the first page of the booklet).

Tracks 13 and 14 are "Ain't Nobody Home" and "How Come My Bulldog Don't Bark" – the A&B sides of a June 1966 USA 7" single on Verve VK 10420 (Mono)

Tracks 15 and 16 are "Look At Granny Run Run" and "Half A Man" – the A&B sides of a December 1966 USA 7" single on Verve VK 10464 (Mono)

Tracks 17 and 18 are “Get It While You Can” and “Glad I Knew Better” – the A&B sides of a March 1967 USA 7” single on Verve VK 10496 (Mono)

Tracks 19 and 20 are "Baby, I Love You" and "How Blue Can You Get" – the A&B sides of a May 1967 USA 7" single on Verve VK 10525 (Mono)

Tracks 21 and 22 are "I Learned It All The Hard Way" and "Part-Time Love" – the A&B sides of an August 1967 USA 7" single on Verve VK 10567 (Mono)

Tracks 23 and 24 are "Stop" and "Shoot 'Em All Down" – the A&B sides of a December 1967 USA 7" single on Verve VK 10573 (Mono)

Tracks 25 and 26 are "Everyday I Have The Blues" and "Night Owl" – the A&B sides of a June 1968 7" single on Verve VK 10604 (Mono)

Tracks 27 and 28 are “Sweet Love Child” and “I’m Your Servant” – the A&B sides of a November 1968 USA 7” single on Verve VK 10625 (Mono)

(Bonus) Track 29 "Give Me Some Courage" is an alternate mix first issued in 1995 on the Mercury Chronicles CD set “Get It While You Can: The Legendary Sessions”. It is freshly mixed for this CD.

Hip-O Select have used a favorite remaster engineer of mine – SUHA GUR. He’s had his hand in many great Soul reissues (especially on the Motown front) and received unanimous praise for them all. The sound is fantastic – punchy, present and full of sock-it-to-em emotion. It’s housed in a three-way foldout card digipak and is numbered in Gold to 5000 on the rear. The 20-page booklet has contributions from long time fan Harvey Weinger and musical associate, mentor and album Producer Jerry Ragovoy. It also reproduces the original liner notes from both issues of the album and well as track-by-track annotation.  

Most white boys like me will know “Get It While You Can” and “Look At Granny Run Run” from Janis Joplin and Ry Cooder (both songs penned by the dynamic duo of Jerry Ragovoy and Mort Shuman). “Get It While You Can” got soul-rocked on Janis’ Joplin’s sublime “Pearl” album in 1971 while Ry Cooder did a furiously funny version of “Look At Granny Run Run” on his fabulous Americana “Bop Til You Drop” album in 1979. Even Mike Bloomfield, Al Kooper and Stephen Stills covered “Stop” on their wicked Blues Rock album “Super Session” in 1968.

I love the huge feel of the STEREO album – tracks like “Glad I Knew Better” sound just amazing – instruments and his aching Little Richardesque vocals leaping out of the speakers (lyrics from it title this review). Both “Stop” and “Sweet Love Child” added on in 1969 only made an already perfect album even better.

I have the “Howard Tate” album he made on Atlantic in 1972 on the "Atlantic Soul Legends" 20CD Mini Box Set issued in 2012 (see separate review) that is a cracker as well. Unfortunately this CD quickly sold out and in 2014 has built up a hefty price tag – but this is one of those occasions where spending the wedge is worth it.

Beautiful stuff and one of the reasons why Hip-O Select is held in such affection by Soul fans and collectors…

“Where’s There’s A Will There’s A Way – The ABC-Dunhill Recordings” by BOBBY WHITLOCK. A Review Of The 2013 Light In The Attic CD Reissue Which Remasters His First Two Vinyl Albums “Bobby Whitlock” (1972) and “Raw Velvet” (1973).

This review is part of my Series "SOUNDS GOOD: Exceptional CD Remasters 1970s Rock And Pop" Download Book available to buy on Amazon to either your PC or Mac (it will download the Kindle software to read the book for free to your toolbar). Click on the link below to go my Author's Page for this and other related publications:

                       http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00LQKMC6I

"…You're The Only One…"

These two albums used to fill out the racks of used record stores and just sit there. And even though the self-titled debut contained heavy hitters - like George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Klaus Voormann (of "Revolver" fame), Delaney & Bonnie Bramlett, Chris Wood of Traffic, Rick Vito (Bonnie Raitt's band, Bob Seger's band and Fleetwood Mac) and even The Edwin Hawkins Singers  - both were largely ignored by the buying public. Now at last top US reissue label Light In The Attic (using their Future Days Recordings imprint) has given them a newfound respect with a world-class CD reissue.

Released June 2013 - "Where’s There’s A Will There’s A Way: The ABC-Dunhill Recordings" by BOBBY WHITLOCK on Light In The Attic/Future Days Recordings FDR 602 (Barcode 82626853060226) offers 2LPs Remastered onto 1CD and breaks down as follows (70:29 minutes):

1. Where There’s A Will

2. Song For Paula

3. A Game Called Life

4. Country Life

5. A Day Without Jesus

6. Back In My Life Again

7. The Scenery Has Slowly Changed

8. I’d Rather Live The Straight Life

9. The Dreams Of A Hobo

10. Back Home In England

Tracks 1 to 10 is his debut album "Bobby Whitlock" issued March 1972 in the USA on ABC-Dunhill DSX 50121 and on CBS Records S 65109 in the UK.

11. Tell The Truth

12. Bustin’ My Ass

13. Write You A Letter

14. Ease Your Pain

15. If You Ever

16. Hello L.A., Bye Bye Birmingham

17. You Came Along

18. Think About It

19. Satisfied

20. Dearest I Wonder

21. Start All Over

Tracks 11 to 21 is his 2nd album "Raw Velvet" issued November 1972 in the USA on ABC-Dunhill DSX-50131 and in the UK in early 1973 on CBS Records S

65301.

Produced by Andy Johns and Bobby Whitlock - the debut was recorded in London's Olympic Studios and featured an impressive array of British based Rock musicians. George Harrison and Eric Clapton (guitars) join Bobby Keys on Saxophone (practically an honorary member of The Rolling Stones), Klaus Voormann on Bass with Jim Price on Trumpet and Trombone and Jim Gordon on Drums. That amazing line-up grace three - "Where There's A Will", "A Day Without Jesus" and "Back In My Life Again" while Clapton also plays beautiful solo guitar on the lovely ballad "The Scenery Has Slowly Changed".  In fact the softer songs are far better than the rather frantic rushed tunes that are just trying too hard and getting nowhere. Chris Wood of Traffic adds flute to the lovely acoustic "A Game Called Life" - for me a nugget on this rather patchy album (lyrics from it title this review).

The second album ups the amps on Side 1 in an attempt to capture the 'rawk' market. 
It opens with "Tell The Truth" - a co-write with Eric Clapton. The countrified cover of Hoyt Axton's "Ease Your Pain" and the almost gospel-rock of "Bustin' My Ass" feature The Edwin Hawkins Singers to great effect. "Hello L.A. Bye Bye Birmingham" features a co-write with Mac Davis and mean slide guitar from Clapton. Things mellow out with Side 2 where he often only employs acoustic guitars, a piano and the Los Angeles Symphony on strings. "You Came Along" is undeniably lovely and Rick Vito's lead playing on "Satisfied" is superb. It ends sounding like "Sun King" from The Beatles "Abbey Road" album with "Start All Over" - all swirling and prettily ethereal.

The remaster is properly great - incredible clarity and presence - even when the raucous ensemble threatens to engulf everything. And the exceptional 48-page booklet entitled "The Bobby Whitlock Story" is done with complete co-operation from the singer himself - photos from his private archives, publicity material, repros of the album labels, detailed track-by-track annotation including his own reminiscences on each song. A lot of work and passion went into this and it shows...

To sum up - neither album is undiscovered genius by any stretch of the imagination - but there's plenty of here worthy of reappraisal. And like Rodriguez, Jim Sullivan, Michael Chapman and The City (featuring Carole King) - once again Light In The Attic has given a voice to an artist who deserved better and should be re-heard.

Check this one out...

"The Complete Sussex And Columbia Albums" by BILL WITHERS - 1971, 1972, 1973 (Live Double), 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979 and 1985 Albums (November 2012 UK Sony Music/Legacy 9-CD Clamshell Box Set of Remasters in Bordered Mini LP Repro Artwork Card Sleeves) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 145 Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

MORE THAN A FEELING 

1976

Your All-Genres Guide To 

Exceptional CD Reissues & Remasters

Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs

Just Click Below To Purchase (No Cut and Paste Crap)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/MORE-THAN-FEELING-All-Guide-Exceptional-ebook/dp/B0BGT69MVZ?crid=1RTTPB6MEK9Y7&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.aCLqQD_0x4Xc4Kd7CEKllFnbfqhZ11PdMT_72etNzX9uk4_p_dYzE7ix7BD2qIIrl8-pAv90HElKfIB-_ZesIaS7TKJ-pDCFTgEP2k9aFX6a08GeBKgOKqyKHE6gcf0WacJEY4AKfVHlvo1EyZXb-psq6hf7c8WNvfvSSQUcNdP73WQfDavTWOHn5u81XeWCHJ47XMXWJqovt2Cx2c7BHgnvhCDYy23xFnpilpsAe90.T6uf-EhIxX_KJ8LfLu5E7Pk739m39vwP0A9sw0LfGno&dib_tag=se&keywords=more+than+a+feeling+mark&qid=1717663975&sprefix=more+than+a+feeling+mark%2Caps%2C78&sr=8-4&linkCode=ll1&tag=mabasreofcdbl-21&linkId=02abe7807076077061be2311e2d581b1&language=en_GB&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

"…A Lovely Day…"

Columbia have many world-class box sets in their "Complete Album Series" – but you'd have to say that this BILL WITHERS winner is just a little bit more special than most. And with a thoroughly deserved Grammy win under the belt - it’s time to review the great Soul Man’s legacy...

Released November 2012 in the UK and USA - "The Complete Sussex And Columbia Albums" by BILL WITHERS is a 9-CD Mini Box Set with a 40-page booklet on Sony Music/Legacy 88697894672 (Barcode 886978946720) and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (35:37 minutes)

1. Harlem [Side 1]

2. Ain't No Sunshine

3. Grandma's Hands

4. Sweet Wanomi

5. Everybody's Talkin'

6. Do It Good

7. Hope She'll Be Happier – [Side 2]

8. Let It Be Me

9. I'm Her Daddy

10. In My Heart

11. Moanin' And Groanin'

12. Better Off Dead

Tracks 1 to 12 are his debut album "Just As I Am" – released May 1971 on Sussex SXBS-7006 in the USA and A&M/Sussex AMLS 65002 in the UK.

Disc 2 (36:14 minutes):

1. Lonely Town, Lonely Street [Side 1]

2. Let Me In Your Life

3. Who Is He (And What Is He To You)?

4. Use Me

5. Lean On Me

6. Kissing My Love – [Side 2]

7. I Don't Know

8. Another Day To Run

9. I Don't Want You On My Mind

10. Take It All In And Check It All Out

Tracks 1 to 10 are his 2nd studio album "Still Bill" – released May 1972 on Sussex SXBS 7014 in the USA and A&M/Sussex AMLS 68107 in the UK

Disc 3 (77:09 Minutes):

1. Use Me (Live) [Side 1]

2. Friend Of Mine (Live)

3. Ain't No Sunshine (Live)

4. Grandma's Hands (Live)

5. World Keeps Going Around (Live) - [Side 2]

6. Let Me In Your Life (Live)

7. Better Off Dead (Live)

8. For My Friend (Live)

9. I Can't Write Left Handed (Live) - [Side 3]

10. Lean On Me (Live)

11. Lonely Town Lonely Street (Live)

12. Hope She'll Be Happier (Live)

13. Let Us Love (Live) – [Side 4]

14. Harlem/Cold Baloney (Live)

Tracks 1 to 13 are the live double album "Bill Withers Live At Carnegie Hall" – released April 1973 on Sussex SXBS 7025-2 in the USA and A&M/Sussex AMLD 3001 in the UK

Disc 4 (37:36 minutes):

1. You [Side 1]

2. The Same Love That Made Me Laugh

3. Stories

4. Green Grass

5. Ruby Lee

6. Heartbreak Road – [Side 2]

7. Can We Pretend

8. Liza

9. Make A Smile For Me

10. Railroad Man

Tracks 1 to 10 are his 3rd studio album "+ 'Justments" – released March 1974 on Sussex SRA 8032 in the USA and A&M/Sussex AMLH 68230 in the UK

Disc 5 (43:51 minutes):

1. I Wish You Well [Side 1]

2. The Best You Can

3. Make Love To Your Mind

4. I Love You Dawn

5. She's Lonely

6. Sometimes A Song – [Side 2]

7. Paint Your Pretty Picture

8. Family Table

9. Don't You Want To Stay?

10. Hello Like Before

Tracks 1 to 10 are his 4th studio album "Making Music" – released October 1975 on Columbia PC 33704 in the USA and CBS 69183 in the UK

Disc 6 (41:03 minutes):

1. Close To Me [Side 1]

2. Naked & Warm (Heaven! Oh! Heaven!)

3. Where Are You

4. Dreams

5. If I Didn't Mean You Well – [Side 2]

6. I'll Be With You

7. City Of The Angels

8. My Imagination

Tracks 1 to 8 are his 5th studio album "Naked & Warm" – released October 1976 on Columbia PC 34327 in the USA and December 1976 in the UK on CBS 81580

Disc 7 (38:26 minutes):

1. Lovely Day [Side 1]

2. I Want To Spend The Night

3. Lovely Night For Dancing

4. Then You Smile At Me

5. She Wants To (Get On Down)

6. It Ain't Because Of Me Baby

7. Tender Things

8. Wintertime

9. Let Me Be The One You Need

Tracks 1 to 9 are his 6th studio album "Menagerie" – released October 1977 on Columbia JC 34903 in the USA and January 1978 in the UK on CBS S CBS 82265

Disc 8 (39:03 minutes):

1. All Because Of You [Side 1]

2. Dedicated To You My Love

3. Don't It Make It Better

4. You Got The Stuff

5. Look To Each Other For Love

6. Love

7. Love Is

8. Memories Are That Way

Tracks 1 to 8 are his 7th studio album "'Bout Love" – released March 1979 in the USA on Columbia JC 35596 and in the UK on CBS S CBS 83176

Disc 9 (45:11 minutes):

1. Oh Yeah! [Side 1]

2. Something That Turns You On

3. Don't Make Me Wait

4. Heart In Your Life

5. Watching You Watching Me

6. We Could Be Sweet Lovers [Side 2]

7. You Just Can't Smile It Away

8. Steppin' Right Along

9. Whatever Happens

10. You Try To Find A Love

Tracks 1 to 10 are his 8th studio album "Watching You Watching Me" – released May 1985 in the USA on Columbia FC 39887

The attention to detail is pleasing - the first 4 discs sport the Sussex label as per the original vinyl albums while the following five have the red Columbia labels. "Still Bill" has its 'opening doors' front sleeve while the double "Live At Carnegie Hall" also has its original gatefold reproduced. Each card sleeve is now bordered in white but it looks and feels classy (even if the print is tiny). The chunky 40-page booklet doesn’t scrimp on detail either - track-by-track annotation with photos of the albums, rare music press adverts, liner notes by Michael Eric Dyson and even a letter from the great man himself at the beginning about his long musical journey.

But the big news for fans is the stunning new remastered sound carried out by a trio of engineers - MARK WILDER for 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9 with 1, 2 and 7 handled by JOSEPH M. PALMACCIO and 3 done by TOM RUFF. Original analogue master tapes have been used in all transfers and what a job they’ve done... Right from the opening acoustic strum of “Harlem” on his fabulous debut album “Just As I Am” and onto the gutsy pump of “Lonely Town, Lonely Street” which opens the equally brill follow up LP “Still Bill” - the sound quality is truly glorious throughout. Beautiful feel - space around the instruments - clarity - warm bass - not to over-trebled - it’s a top notch job done and makes you re-hear all those wonderful songs anew. 

And then you're hit by that other thing - the sheer wall-to-wall class of his songwriting - properly soulful tunes that etch their way into your heart and won't leave. And then there’s thrill number three - the stuff you haven't heard - the discoveries... "Better Off Dead" (a B-side to "Lean On Me" in the UK in August 1972) and "Do It Good" both off the debut - "Kissing My Love" and "Take It All In And Check It All Out" off the second studio album "Still Bill" - the lowdown yet super cool groove of "Ruby Lee" (covered by Joe Cocker on his "Sheffield Steel" album from 1982) and the beautiful "Hello Like Before" - both off the massively underrated "+ 'Justments" LP - all of it screams out to be reappraised and loved again.

Like 1972's "Donny Hathaway Live" LP - 1973's "Carnegie Hall" vinyl double has garnished a legendary reputation amongst soul aficionados. Intimate with his audience despite the venue size - a band cooking - songs that sway and groove. Five of its mainly mellow fourteen are exclusive - the impassioned love songs "Friend Of Mine" and "Let Us Love", the acoustic old-man weariness of "World Keeps Going Around", the aching anti-war song "I Can't Write Left-Handed" and "Cold Baloney" which is worked into a 14 minute encore with "Harlem". "Carnegie Hall" is a whole heap of magic and you can literally feel the audience filing it into their memory banks.

It's also pleasing to hear that even into the late Seventies and Eighties - he never lost his knack for a tune - the pretty "My Imagination" from "Naked & Warm",  the "trying to make us happy..." vibe to the finger-tapping "Look To Each For Love" from "'Bout Love" and the funky dancer "Steppin' Right Along" from "Watching You Watching Me". The only bum note (if you could call it that) is that Page 13 shows us the rare picture sleeve of the Christmas 1972 US 7" single for "The Gift Of Giving b/w Let Us Love" on Sussex SUX 247. To my knowledge its rare A-side has never been on CD anywhere in the world and unfortunately because this is an albums set - it isn't included here either (when there was room). And although the look is generic to this series by Columbia - I also think the outer box is a tad naff looking and the borders around each Mini LP Card Sleeve kind of sabotages the effect. And maybe even a disc of rarities. Other than those minor niggles - it's a feast and cheap too...

Somehow like equal giants Bobby Womack, Minnie Riperton and Donny Hathaway - Bill Withers has always been the underdog of Soul - never spoken about in the same awe-struck tones that are routinely given to Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye and Otis Redding. In my book he’s always been right up there with the best of them - a world class Soul Brother - and this ludicrously good mini CD box set is a way in for us mere mortals to that musical greatness...

"I loved that old lady..." - he says to the audience as he introduces "Grandma's Hands" on "Live At Carnegie Hall". Well - we feel the same about you mate. Beautiful and then some...