"Cheryl Lynn" by CHERYL LYNN - A Review Of Her 1978 Album - Now Remastered And Expanded On CD by Soul Music Records In 2014...

“…Got To Be Real…”  - Cheryl Lynn by CHERYL LYNN (2014 Soul Music CD Remaster)

A clever reissue this.

The self-titled “Cheryl Lynn” album came out Stateside in November 1978 on Columbia JC 35486 and promptly climbed the R&B Charts to Number 5 (it was on CBS Records S CBS 83145 in the UK). It did so on the back of the monster hit “Got To Be Real” – sampled by so many and used in umpteen films as well as being a “Sex & The City” TV regular and catwalk staple. Co-written by Lynn with David Paich and David Foster of Toto – it’s a dancefloor killer that stills slays them in the aisles to this day. To hear it in this superb sound quality is a real blast.  Here are the details…

UK released August 2014 on Soul Music Records SMCR 5122 (Barcode 5013929082236 – Tracks 1 to 9 make up the original LP “Cheryl Lynn” with Tracks 10 to 13 being bonuses.

10. “Got To be Real” (US 7” Single Edit – 3:45 minutes)

11. “Star Love” (US Single Edit – 6:08 minutes)

12. “Star Love” (USA Promo-Only 12” Single Edit – 4:14 minutes)

13. “You Saved My Day” (USA Promo-Only 12” Version – 5:32 minutes)

The 16-page colour booklet has superbly detailed liner notes by A. Scott Galloway that includes contributions and recollections by singer-songwriter Cheryl Lynn, songwriter and Keyboard player David Paich and the Drummer on the sessions - James Gadson. There’s original artwork, 7” singles from around the world and Repro’s of those desirable 12” White label Promos on Columbia. The sound quality is fabulous – beautifully remastered by ALAN WILSON from licensed Sony master tapes.

The ballads are pretty – “Come In From The Rain” written by Carole Bayer Sager and Melissa Manchester and the lovely album finisher “Daybreak (Storybook Children)” – a firm fan favourite. You get in-your-face production values on fast dancers like “Give My Love To You” (a co-write with Ray Parker Jr.) and the mid-tempo “You’re The One” – while “You Saved My Day” was put out on Columbia in 1979 extending the album’s lifespan into a new year.

“Cheryl Lynn” is a joyous Soul LP with cracking tunes and her great voice in full flow and is quietly remembered with real affection. Now in 2014 it has a quality reissue with top class sound.

Soul Music Records are to be praised for reissuing it in such style…

"SOUNDS GOOD: Exceptional CD Remasters - SOUL, FUNK and JAZZ FUSION" - A New Download Book Of Over 240 In-Depth Reviews (Over 2000 E-Pages) by Mark Barry

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And it’s yours to buy and digitally fondle for only $6.99 or £4.99 on Amazon. And what’s more my handsome but illiterate music lovers - with over 2100 e-pages – it’s worth every crooked Nickel and saggy Euro. Why you can practically smell the Talcum Powder and James Brown sock drawer from here…

Love and lubricants to you all – Mark “Gotta Dance” Barry.

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Here is a link to my Amazon Author Page where you can buy the above and view other genre titles in the SOUNDS GOOD series...

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"Never My Love: The Anthology" by DONNY HATHAWAY (2013 Rhino 4CD Box Set Which Features 2CDs Of Previously Unreleased Material) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

SOUL, FUNK and JAZZ FUSION - Exception CD Remasters  

Just Click Below To Purchase for £3.95

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

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"…Sack Full Of Dreams…" 

Back in 2010 - I reviewed the first ever multi-disc Box Set on the wonderful American Soul Artist DONNY HATHAWAY. It was issued by Rhino France and called "Someday We'll All Be Free" (see detailed review) - and even though it had great newly remastered sound quality - its liner notes were in French - not a lot of good to anyone outside of Paris. 

Well at last - along comes an English-language Box Set in late 2013 - a superb 4CD 'companion' piece to "Someday We'll All Be Free" that boasts two whole discs of exclusive previously unreleased material. Here are the 'everything is everything' details...

UK released November 2013 - "Never My Love: The Anthology" by DONNY HATHAWAY on Atco/Rhino 8122796543 (Barcode 081227965433) is a 58-track 4CD DigiBook Box Set of Remasters that breaks down as follows...

Disc 1 - Favourites (79:10 minutes):

1. I Thank You Baby

2. Just Another Reason

Tracks 1 and 2 are a 1969 USA 7" single on Curtom CR-1935 credited to JUNE & DONNIE.  It was reissued in 1972 as "I Thank You" on Curtom CR-1971 - re-credited to JUNE CONQUEST and DONNY HATHAWAY

3. The Ghetto Part 1

4. The Ghetto Part 2

Tracks 3 and 4 are a 1969 USA 7" single on Atco 45-6719 (the album version is one long track - the single edits are unique)

5. Thank You Master (For My Soul) - a 1970 A-side Promo-Only Edit on the USA 7" single Atco 45-6759. The album version is 5:47 minutes - the edit here is 3:26 minutes.

6. Voices Inside (Everything Is Everything)

7. Tryin' Times

8. To Be Young, Gifted & Black

9. I Believe To My Soul

Tracks 6 to 9 are taken from his debut LP "Everything Is Everything" released October 1970 in the USA on Atco SD 33-332 and 1971 in the UK on Atco 2465 019

10. This Christmas - the A-side to a non-album 7" single issued November 1970 in the USA on Atco 45-6799

11. A Song For You - the A-side of a 1971 USA 7" single on Atco 45-6828

12. Magnificent Sanctuary Band - the B-side of "Take A Love Song" - a 1971 USA 7" single on Atco 45-6817 (new to CD in Mono)

13. Giving Up - the non-album A-side of an USA 7" single issued 1972 on Atco 45-6884

14. Come Back Charleston Boy

15. Little Ghetto Boy (Studio Version)

Tracks 14 and 15 both from his June 1972 Soundtrack album "Come Back Charleston Blue" on Atco SD-7010. Track 14 credited to DONNY HATHAWAY with MARGIE JOSEPH

16. Valdez In the Country

20. Love, Love, Love

21. Someday We'll All Be Free

Tracks 16, 20 and 21 taken from his 5th album "Extension Of A Man" released July 1973 in the USA on Atco SD-7029

17. I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know

18. Lord Help Me

Tracks 17 and 18 are the A&B-sides on a 1972 USA 7" single on Atco 45-6903

19. Come Little Children - a non-album A-side to a 1973 USA 7" single on Atco 45-6951

22. You Were Meant For Me - a non-album A-side to a 1978 USA 7" single on Atco 7092

[DISC 1: Tracks 1, 2, 10, 11, 12, 17 and 18 are MONO - all others STEREO]

Disc 2 - Unreleased Studio Recordings (70:00 minutes):

1. Never My Love (November 1973)

2. A Lot Of Soul (November 1973)

3. Let's Groove (January 1974)

4. Latin Time (1974)

5. Tally Rand (February 1975)

6. Memory Of Our Love (1974)

7. Sunshine Over Showers (December 1975)

8. After The Dance Is Done (September 1978)

9. Don't Turn Away (1968)

10. Always The Same (Recording Date Unknown)

11. Brown Eyed Lady (1974 Instrumental)

12. The Sands Of Time And Change (Recording Date Unknown)

13. Zyxygy Concerto (aka "Life, Parts 1-4") (October 1973)

Disc 3 - Live At The Bitter End, 1971 All Previously Unreleased (77:28 minutes):

1. What's Going On

2. Sack Full Of Dreams

3. Little Ghetto Boy

4. You've Got A Friend

5. Voices Inside (Everything Is Everything)

6. He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother

7. Jealous Guy

8. I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know

9. Hey Girl

10. The Ghetto

THE BAND: Donny Hathaway on Keyboards, Cornell Dupree and Mike Howard on Guitars, Willie Weeks on Bass, Fred White on Drums and Earl DeRouen on Conga

Disc 4 - Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway Duets (62:45 minutes):

1. I (Who Have Nothing)

2. You've Got A Friend 

3. Baby I Love You 

4. Be real Black For Me

5. You've Lost That Loving Feeling 

6. For All We Know

7. Where Is The Love

8. When Love Has Grown

9. Come Ye Disconsolate 

10. Mood

Tracks 1 to 10 are the 1972 album "Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway" issued in the USA on Atlantic SD-7216

11. The Closer I Get To You from the Roberta Flack album "Blue Lights In The Basement" - issued 1977 in the USA on Atlantic SD-19149

12. You Are My Heaven

13. Back Together Again

Tracks 12 and 13 are from "Roberta Flack featuring Donny Hathaway" - issued 1979 in the USA on Atlantic SD-16013

The 28-page booklet has fantastically detailed liner notes by noted Blues & Soul Writer CHARLES WARING with a proper break down on each disc (could have done with more photos though). Long-time Rhino Engineer BILL INGLOT did the Tape Research and CHARLES BENSON the remastering and the sound is superb. These are not audiophile recordings - so there's hiss on many songs - but the remasters let them breath and the clarity is wonderful.

Eagle-eyed fans will notice from the listing about that there's only 4 tracks from his 10-song debut LP "Everything Is Everything", none at all from his 2nd album "Donny Hathaway" and only 3 from 1973's fabulous "Extension Of A Man" album (his last proper studio outing). The stunning "Live" set from 1972 is absent entirely - replaced obviously by the Previously Unreleased Concert on Disc 3. There were also 5 previously unreleased studio cuts and two live songs on the "Someday We'll All Be Free" Box - none of which are on here either. As that French box set contains `all' those albums and a smattering of the "Come Back Charleston Blue" Soundtrack in remastered form - throwing out that 2010 4CD set isn't an option just yet.

What is cool about "Never My Love: The Anthology" is to finally get those non-album 7" single versions - most of which have never appeared on compilations prior to this. But the real prize has to be Disc 3 and 4 - 13 Previously Unissued Studio cuts and a full 10-track gig circa his classic "Live" album from 1972 (one of my favourite Soul albums ever). As fans will know from 1974 right through to 1978 (before he tragically took his own life in January 1979 by jumping out of a hotel window) - represent the wilderness years for Hathaway - plagued as he was with inner personal demons and a creative crunch. To find a stash of unreleased recordings mostly from that time frame is little short of astonishing. Also - the "Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway" duet album from 1972 hasn't been remastered since 1995 - so a 2013 upgrade was long overdue as well.

The unreleased studio tracks on Disc 2 are a very mixed bag alternating between the sublime and the dismissible. Fans may ask why Rhino decided to call this entire compilation after an unreleased song - because the Disc 2 opener "Never My Love" is beautiful - a gorgeous love song and a true find. Where has this been all these years? The countrified "A Lot Of Soul" is unfortunately awful Hicksville and the vaudeville "Let's Groove" not much better. "Latin Time" is an interesting six-minute funky instrumental that feels like a run-through towards something to be completed at a later stage and "Tally Rand" the same. After a slew of mediocre outtakes "Memory Of Our Love" comes as a refreshing `song'. But then we get to the other gem on here "Sunshine Over Showers" - another languid ballad sung as only he could. "After The Dance Is Through" is a horrid fast-paced Disco song. It's followed by a brass-blasting 1968 outtake called "Don't Turn Away" that’s more gritty Stax than mellow Atlantic - it's excellent. "Always The Same" is another uptempo brass belter with a late Sixties Motown feel. You're then hit with two gorgeous slow instrumentals - "Brown Eyed Lady" and "The Sands Of Time And Change" - both clearly going to make great ballads had he gotten round to filling them with words. It ends with the entirely instrumental melancholy of "Zyxygy Concerto" or "Life Parts 1 to 4" – a Strings and Soul monster sounding to me like the opening track "I Love The Lord, He Heard My Cry (Parts I & II)" on "Extension Of A Man" - but in full form. A long-lost Soundtrack of sorts - it lasts a huge 20 minutes plus and is monumentally good.

The live gig features a slowed down "What's Going On" and the lovely Grady Tate song "Sack Full Of Dreams" and his cover of John Lennon's "Jealous Guy". When he gets into "Voices Inside (Everything is Everything)" the show ignites - it's a stunning 16-minute band funky workout like the 12-minute version of "The Ghetto" - what a wow!

In the annals of Soul there are giants - Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Otis Redding and for me there's always been the curtailed genius of Donny Hathaway. What a legacy he left and what a loss. Be with the angels you beautiful spirit...

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"Brunswick Top 40 R&B Singles 1966 – 1975" by VARIOUS ARTISTS (July 2006 Brunswick USA 2CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

SOUL, FUNK and JAZZ FUSION - Exception CD Remasters  

Just Click Below To Purchase for £3.95

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

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

"…Lifting Me Higher…"

While Motown, Stax and Atlantic usually steal all the plaudits for supplying us with quality Sixties and Seventies Soul music – here comes a blindingly great 2CD compilation putting a case for that other wildly underrated slugger of a label – Brunswick Records. And trimmed of any fat on either disc - what a corker this superbly put together compilation is…

USA released July 2006 - "Brunswick Top 40 R&B Singles 1966-1975" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Brunswick 33016 (Barcode 646953301629) is a 2CD set of Remasters and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (60:23 minutes):

1. (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher – JACKIE WILSON (August 1967, Brunswick 55336)

2. Wack Wack – THE YOUNG HOLT TRIO (December 1966, Brunswick 55305)

3. Can I Change My Mind – TYRONE DAVIS (December 1968, Dakar 602)

4. I’m Gonna Miss You – THE ARTISTICS (December 1966, Brunswick 55301)

5. Follow The Leader – MAJOR LANCE (July 1969, Dakar 608)

6. Have You Seen Her – THE CHI-LITES (October 1971, Brunswick 55462)

7. Am I The Same Girl – BARBARA ACKLIN (March 1969, Brunswick 55399 A)

8. I Had It All The Time – TYRONE DAVIS (March 1972, Dakar 4501)

9. (I Can Feel Those Vibrations) This Love Is Real – JACKIE WILSON (December 1970, Brunswick 55443)

10. Wait A Minute – THE LOST GENERATION (November 1970, Brunswick 55441)

11. Are You My Woman (Tell Me So) – THE CHI-LITES (December 1970, Brunswick 55442)

12. Just Ain’t No Love – BARBARA ACKLIN (December 1968, Brunswick 55388)

13. Love Uprising – OTIS LEAVILL (September 1970, Dakar 620)

14. A Letter To Myself – THE CHI-LITES (February 1973, Brunswick 55491)

15. For Your Precious Love – JACKIE WILSON and COUNT BASIE (March 1968, Brunswick 55365)

16. The Girl Don’t Care – GENE CHANDLER (March 1967, Brunswick 55312)

17. The Coldest Days Of My Life (Edit) – THE CHI-LITES (July 1972, Brunswick 55478)

18. Without You In My Life – TYRONE DAVIS (March 1973, Dakar 4519)

19. Gotta Find Me A Lover (24 Hours A Day) – ERMA FRANKLIN (April 1969, Brunswick 55403)

20. Think Twice – LaVERN BAKER and JACKIE WILSON (January 1966, Brunswick 55287)

Disc 2 (61:48 minutes):

1. Oh Girl – THE CHI-LITES (March 1972, Brunswick 55471)

2. The Sly, Slick & The Wicked – THE LOST GENERATION (June 1970, Brunswick 55436)

3. I Love You – OTIS LEAVILL (November 1969, Dakar 614)

4. Baby Boy – FRED HUGHES (December 1969, Brunswick 55419)

5. Love Makes A Woman – BARBARA ACKLIN (July 1968, Brunswick 55379)

6. Turn Back The Hands Of Time – TYRONE DAVIS (March 1970, Dakar 616)

7. Soulful Strut – THE YOUNG-HOLT UNLIMITED (December 1968, Brunswick 55391)

8. Whispers (Getting Louder) – JACKIE WILSON (October 1966, Brunswick 55300)

9. There Was A Time – GENE CHANDLER (September 1968, Brunswick 55383)

10. (For God’s Sake) Give More Power To The People – THE CHI-LITES (April 1971, Brunswick 55450)

11. I Get The Sweetest Feeling – JACKIE WILSON (July 1968, Brunswick 55381)

12. Girl I Need You – THE ARTISTICS (April 1967, Brunswick 55315)

13. After You – BARBARA ACKLIN (November 1969, Brunswick 55421)

14. Turning Point – TYRONE DAVIS (December 1975, Dakar 4550)

15. Talking The Teenage Language – THE LOST GENERATION (July 1971, Brunswick 55453)

16. Stoned Out Of My Mind – THE CHI-LITES (July 1973, Brunswick 55500)

17. There It Is – TYRONE DAVIS (July 1973, Dakar 4523)

18. You Got Me Walking – JACKIE WILSON (February 1972, Brunswick 55467)

19. The Funky Chicken (Part 1) – WILLIE HENDERSON (February 1970, Brunswick 55429)

20. From The Teacher To The Preacher – GENE CHANDLER and BARBARA ACKLIN (December 1968, Brunswick 55387)

Listening to these two CDs – you’re struck by two things – the incredible hit ratio Brunswick had (great song after great song) – and the stunning sound quality. Engineer BRUCE SWEDIEN cut his producing chops at Brunswick (5 times a Grammy winner and nominated 13 times) and later went on to be instrumental with Quincy Jones in Michael Jackson’s epoch making “Thriller” in 1982. Man did Swedien do a good job back in the day.

The remastering here is fabulous. Stuff like the lesser-heard “Talking The Teenage Language” by The Lost Generation sounds just huge – and not in a way that drowns you out either. Every track is enhanced by his magic touch - the warmth of Eugene Record’s melodies for the Chi-Lites, the sheer class of Barbara Acklin’s voice (never mind her song-writing talent) and the expert framing of that dynamic duo of Brunswick Soul Men - Tyrone Davis and Jackie Wilson.

Sample fiends will know the brass backing of Gene Chandler’s “There Was A Time” and the same goes for “Am I The Same Girl” by Barbara Acklin which is simply the instrumental “Soulful Strut” by The Young-Holt Unlimited with lyrics added – both are Sixties Soul genius and have turned up in countless movie soundtracks as a way to lift the mood skywards.

Forgotten classics and undiscovered nuggets include the fabulously upbeat “I Love You” – it was written by the dynamic trio of Barbara Acklin, Eugene Record (of The Chi-Lites) and Carl Davis and it sounds like a Marvin Gaye outtake but sung in that unique falsetto Otis Leavill was able to reach.  Another is a dancing belter - “Baby Boy” by Fred Hughes - which features an irresistibly hooky brass backing track as it chugs along. “Turning Point” by Tyrone Davis sounds out of time in 1975 but it’s none the less brilliant for it (it recently showed up on the Godlike Bear Family’s “Sweet Soul Music: 1975” compilation – see 15 separate reviews for 1961 right through to 1975). And there are so many more…

Talk about a deuce that fell from a marked deck – “Brunswick Top 40 R&B Singles 1966-1975” is the kind of compilation that shouldn’t have slipped through the reissue cracks and yet somehow it has. Well I’d argue you should notice this one.

Take a punt Soul Lovers – you’ll be lifted up so much higher when you do…

PS: This review is dedicated to Eugene Record who died aged 64 in 2005 from cancer – thanks for the memories and the wonderful musical legacy...