"Syreeta/Stevie Wonder Presents Syreeta" by SYREETA [featuring STEVIE WONDER] (2004 Hip-O Select CD Reissue with an Ellen Fitton Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Walking In The Rain…"

Numbered to 5000 and released on Hip-O Select's own website in June 2004 and then given a Stateside commercial release that same year - this limited edition CD has long since been deleted and has acquired a bit of a hefty price-tag ever since.

US released June 2004 – "Syreeta/Stevie Wonder Presents Syreeta" by SYRETTA [featuring STEVIE WONDER] on Motown/Hip-O Select B0002543-02 offers up the first two of six LPs Syreeta Wright recorded for Motown in the Seventies and breaks down as follows (78:07 minutes):

1. I Love Every Little Thing About You

2. Black Maybe

3. Keep Him Like He Is

4. Happiness

5. She’s Leaving Home

6. What Love Has Joined Together

7. How Many Days

8. Baby Don’t You Let Me Lose This

9. To Know You Is To Love You

Tracks 1 to 9 are her debut album "Syreeta" released June 1972 in the USA on MoWest MW-113L and November 1972 in the UK on MoWest MWS 7001

[Tracks 1, 2, 4 and 7 are written by Stevie Wonder with 3, 8 and 9 co-written with Syreeta Wright. Tracks 5 and 6 are covers of The Beatles "She's Leaving Home" and The Temptations "What Love Has Joined Together" (written by Smokey Robinson)]

10. I’m Goin’ Left

11. Spinnin’ And Spinnin’

12. Your Kiss Is Sweet

13. Come And Get This Stuff

14. Heavy Day

15. Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers

16. Just A Little Piece Of You

17. Waitin’ For The Postman

18. When Your daddy’s Not Around

19. I Wanna Be By Your Side

20. Universal Sound Of The World (Your Kiss Is Sweet)

Tracks 10 to 20 are her 2nd LP "Stevie Wonder Presents Syreeta" released June 1974 in the USA on Motown M6-808S1 and September 1974 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 11268 [Tracks 13, 15, 17, 18 and 19 are written by Stevie Wonder with 10, 11, 12, 14, 16 and 20 co-written with Syreeta Wright]

The gatefold card digipak is numbered in gold on the rear (a limited edition of 5000 worldwide) and features the artwork to "Syreeta" on the front cover with the rear sleeve of to the original LP pictured beneath the see-through tray on the inside. The 16-page booklet has the 2nd album artwork complete too with detailed recording and reissue credits and an essay on the releases by British Soul aficionado DAVID NATHAN (with contributions from Syreeta herself - sadly in the year before she died).

The sound quality is truly BEAUTIFUL - remastered from the first generation tapes by one of Universal's top engineers - ELLEN FITTON. She did all 12 of the extraordinary "Motown Complete Singles" Box Sets (Volumes 1 to 11B) as well as many, many other releases from Motown artists. I've created a TAG above for both her work and Hip-O Select releases worth noting - it gives you a pictorial display (I've reviewed a large number of them).

Married to Syreeta since 1970, both albums heavily featured Stevie Wonder's mercurial involvement in production, song contribution and playing - and both are so much the better for it (this was his 1972 to 1974 run-of-genius period - "Music Of My Mind", "Talking Book", "Innervisions" and "Fulfillingness' First Finale"). So it's also not surprising to find that his production values on these two records matched that of the highly produced "Innervisons" say - all swirling synths and funky beats with that wonderful Seventies feel. Ace guitarist BUZZY FENTON played on "Syreeta" while MINNIE RIPERTON sang backing vocals on "Stevie Wonder Presents Syreeta".

Both albums were critically acclaimed at the time, but the public didn't take to either in earnest giving them modest positions of 38 and 53 on the USA R'n'B album charts. Which is strange because the lead off single from "Syreeta" was its strongest track - an edit of "To Know You Is To Love You". It's the albums only duet vocal between Stevie and her and was released Stateside on MoWest 5021 in July 1972. Its sound quality here is a real highlight. The cover of the Sgt. Peppers classic “She’s Leaving Home” features a treated vocal by Stevie cleverly wrapped around layered backing vocals from her. Another goody on the debut is "I Love Every Little Thing About You" which Stevie had released on "Music Of My Mind" in March 1972 - but her later version is equally good - and very suited to her sweet vocals.

It's not all genius of course - the 2nd LP sports some dreadfully saccharine tracks like "Your Kiss Is Sweet" and "Waitin' For The Postman" (which features GC Cameron on duet lead vocals). But it redeems itself big time on the heartfelt "Cause We Ended As Lovers" (lyrics above) - a track I've loved for years and came to in a roundabout way. Jeff Beck did a stunning instrumental cover version of it on his brilliant 1975 "Blow By Blow" album - and I backtracked to find the lovely original. Another track where the romance and music do combine so sweetly is "Just A Little Piece Of You" - a bit of a forgotten Soul gem really.

To sum up - this is a lovely reissue with gorgeous sound quality - and while it's not all Godlike in terms of songs - the good stuff is well worth seeking out - even if it costs...

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“Street Corner Talking/Hellbound Train” by SAVOY BROWN (September 2006 Beat Goes On Reissue - 2LPs Remastered Onto 1CD) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…I'm Going Down The Road…You Won't See Me Again…"

UK released September 2006 - "Street Corner Talking/Hellbound Train" by SAVOY BROWN on Beat Goes On BGOCD 717 (Barcode 5017261207173) gives you two rare Decca/Parrot Records LPs Remastered onto one CD - "Street Corner Talking" from 1971 and "Hellbound Train" from 1972. And its hairy-assed bottom-wiggling boogie breaks down as follows (76:38 minutes):

1. Tell Mama

2. Let It Rock

3. I Can’t Get Next To You

4. Time Does Tell

5. Street Corner Talking [Side 2]

6. All I Can Do

7. Wang Dang Doodle

Tracks 1 to 7 are the album "Street Corner Talking" issued on Decca TXS 104 in the UK and on Parrot PAS 71047 in the USA in September 1971

8. Doin’ Fine

9. Lost And Lonely Child

10. I’ll Make Everything Alright

11. Troubled By These Days And Times

12. If I Could See An End [Side 2]

13. It’ll Make You Happy

14. Hellbound Train

Tracks 8 to 14 are the album "Hellbound Train" issued on Decca TXS 107 in the UK and on Parrot XPAS 71052 in the USA in February 1972

The cartoon on the outer gatefold sleeve of "Street Corner Talking" is partially reproduced in the 12-page booklet - as are the band photos on the inner gatefold - and the black and white "Hellbound Train" cartoon on the inner gatefold of the LP is fully reproduced as a 2-page spread on the center pages also. There's very good liner notes by JOHN O'REGAN on the band history and the making of the two albums (they charted in the USA at 75 and 34 respectively on the back of the Blues boom).

The sound quality is great - really clear and ballsy (it doesn't say who did what). But the remaster of “Street Corner Talking” gives full reign to the Lead Guitar of Kim Simmonds on tracks like "Tell Mama" where the band sounds not unlike Juicy Lucy meets Ten Years After meets The Allman Brothers...a combination that will appeal to many who like their boogie with a slice of Blues in it. The covers of The Temptations "I Can't Get Next To You" and Koko Taylor's "Wang Dang Doodle" (written by Willie Dixon) are very well done too - suitably funk-rocked up. Tracks like “Tell Mama”, “Time Does Tell” and “Street Corner Talking” are all Kim Simmonds originals whilst “Let It Rock” and “All I Can Do” are co-written by Simmonds with Paul Raymond.

Produced by the legendary NEIL SLAVEN and Engineered by ROY THOMAS BAKER - 1972’s “Hellbound Train” (despite its title) gets a bit more contemplative and even soulful on tracks like "Lost And Lonely Child" and "Troubled By These Days And Times". I particularly like the organ-driven funk of "It'll Make You Happy" and the nine minutes of "Hellbound Train" (lyrics above) which sounds almost like an American Gypsy or Atlanta Rhythm Section tune - with Dave Bidwell's drumming and Paul Raymond's keyboards slinking through the entire number - it's very good indeed. And once again Simmonds dominates in the writing – “Lost And Lonely Child”, “I’ll Make Everything Alright” and “It’ll Make You Happy” being his own whilst the others are co-writes with Keyboard Player Paul Raymond and Bassist Andy Silvester. Singer Dave walker also has a great set of lungs on him…

The original vinyl versions of these albums in the UK are extremely hard to find now and expensive as well - so this is a welcome CD reissue. 

Never quite as commercially winning as say Ten Years After nor as visible as Wishbone Ash or as hip as Chicken Shack – Savoy Brown have nonetheless always been a cult amongst Blues-Rock fans. And on the strength of this rather cool little CD reissue – you can easily hear why…

“Dream Of A Lifetime 1953-1959” by THE FLAMINGOS. A Review Of The 2010 Jasmine Label 2CD Compilation.

"…My Love Must Be A Kind Of Blind Love…I Can’t See Anyone But You…"

Offering up a generous 50-tracks, this 2CD set covers a large part of the 45" single output for the American Doo Wop/Vocal group The Flamingos on the Chance, Parrot, Checker and End labels between 1953 and 1959.

Released in the UK/Europe in March 2010, here's a breakdown of Jasmine JASCD 554...

Disc: 1
1. SOME DAY SOMEWAY
2. IF I CAN'T HAVE YOU
3. HURRY HOME BABY
4. THAT'S MY DESIRE
5. GOLDEN TEARDROPS
6. CARRIED A WAY
7. PLAN FOR LOVE
8. YOU AIN'T READY
9. CROSS OVER THE BRIDGE
10. LISTEN TO MY PLEA
11. BLUES IN A LETTER
12. JUMP CHILDREN
13. SEPTEMBER SONG
14. DREAM OF A LIFETIME
15. ON MY MERRY WAY
16. GET WITH IT
17. I REALLY DON'T WANT TO KNOW
18. I'M YOURS
19. KO KO MO
20. IF I COULD LOVE YOU
21. I FOUND A NEW BABY
22. THAT'S MY BABY (CHICK A BOOM)
23. WHEN
24. I WANT TO LOVE YOU
25. PLEASE COME BACK HOME

Disc: 2
1. NEED YOUR LOVE
2. I'LL BE HOME
3. A KISS FROM YOUR LIPS
4. GET WITH IT
5. SHILLY DILLY
6. THE VOW
7. JUST FOR A KICK
8. WOULD I BE CRYING (IF I WERE LYING TO YOU)
9. DREAM OF A LIFETIME
10. WHISPERING STARS
11. I'LL BE HOME
12. CHICKIE UM BAH
13. CRY
14. STOLEN LOVE
15. NOBODY'S LOVE
16. WHEN
17. THE LADDER OF LOVE
18. LOVERS NEVER SAY GOODBYE
19. THAT LOVE IS YOU
20. BUT NOT FOR ME
21. I SHED A TEAR AT YOUR WEDDING
22. LOVE WALKED IN
23. AT THE PROM
24. GOODNIGHT SWEETHEART
25. I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU

Disc 1 (70:19 minutes):
1 and 2 are Chance 1133 (March 1953)
3 and 4 are Chance 1140 (June 1953)
5 and 6 are Chance 1145 (September 1953)
7 and 8 are Chance 1149 (October 1953)
9 and 10 are Chance 1154 (March 1954)
11 and 12 are Chance 1162 (October 1954)
13 is on “The Moonglows Meet The Flamingos On The Dusty Road To Hits”, 1962 USA LP on Vee Jay LP-1052
14 and 15 are Parrot 808 (August 1954)
16 and 17 are Parrot 811 (December 1954)
18 and 19 are Parrot 812 (January 1955)
20 and 21 are on “The Flamingos”, 1976 USA LP on Chess ACRR-702
22 and 23 are Checker 815 (April 1955)
24 and 25 are Checker 821 (July 1955)

Disc 2 (69:06 minutes):
1 and 2 are Checker 830 (January 1956)
3 and 4 are Checker 837 (April 1956)
5 and 6 are Checker 846 (August 1956)
7 and 8 are Checker 853 (November 1956)
9 and 10 are Checker 915 ((January 1959)
11 is PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
12 is from “The Flamingos”, 1959 USA LP on End Records LP-1433
13 is PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED (recorded 28 March 1956)
14 and 15 are from “Chess Rock & Rhythm Series – The Flamingos”, 1984 USA LP on Chess CH-9177
16 is a PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED Alternate Take of “When”
17 is the A-side of Decca 30335 (May 1957)
18 and 19 are End 1035 (October 1958)
20 and 21 are End 1040 (February 1959)
22 and 23 are End 1044 (March 1959)
24 and 25 are End 1046 (April 1959)
[Notes: 20, 22, 24 and 25 are in STEREO]

The compilation and annotation have been put together by BOB FISHER (small liner notes in the fold-out inlay) with the CD Mastering done by TALL ORDER of the UK. Of their 40 or so 7” singles, this budget-priced set offers you up nearly 75% of them in rough sequential order.

Hailing from Chicago, The Flamingos have long been considered by collectors as ‘the’ class act of Doo Wop and Harmony Vocals. Their slow atmosphere-drenched ballads practically defined dancefloor smooching in the Fifties. And they had a dizzying array of great Lead vocalists throughout – Sollie McElroy, Johnny Carter, Tommy Hunt, Paul Wilson and Nate Wilson.

Their cherished End label albums have been on CD in the States for years, but this rather nicely lined-up 2CD set concentrates on what you heard on the Radio during the period – their superb singles.
And given the vintage, the sound varies from very good (the early Chance label stuff) to superb (the Nate Nelson lead vocals of “I Only Have Eyes For You” in glorious Stereo – lyrics above).

So - lots of tracks, very good sound and at six quid for a 2CD set - it's cheap too. Until Bear Family does a more comprehensive box set one day covering their entire output - this is a rather lovely release to be getting on with.

Recommended.

PS: Jasmine have also done a May 2010 2CD set for "The Five Keys" – see separate review

"Come On And See Me: The Complete Solo Collection" by TAMMI TERRELL [feat Marvin Gaye] (2010 Motown/Hip-O Select 2CD Compilation of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Memory Chest…" 

Motown released a 52-track 2CD compilation called "The Complete Duets" by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell back in 2001. A full nine-years later and on the 40th anniversary of her untimely death in 1970 - we finally get the Tammi Terrell solo material. And like its predecessor (and indeed herself) it's a thing of beauty - it really is.

"Come And See Me: The Complete Solo Collection" contains 50 tracks across 2CDs and was originally released on Hip-O's own website and then commercially to the USA in the same month - October 2010 - and now has a belated UK release in December 2010. There's a lot on here, so let's get to the details...

"Come And See Me: The Complete Solo Collection" by TAMMI TERRELL on Motown/Hip-O Select B0014792-02 (Barcode 602527499475) breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (72:49 minutes):

1. If You See Bill

2. It’s Mines (tracks 1 and 2 are her 1961 debut USA 7" single on Scepter 1224)

3. Voice Of Experience

4. I Wancha To Be Sure (tracks 3 and 4 are her 2nd single on Wand 123 from 1962)

5. Sinner’s Devotion

6. Make The Night A Little Longer

7. Big John (tracks 5, 6 and 7 are from the album "The Early Show" on Wand WDS 682 in 1967. Tracks 1 to 4 are also on the album - Side 2 of the LP has Chuck Jackson recordings)

8. I Cried

9. If You Don’t Think (tracks 8 and 9 are a USA 7" single on Try Me Records 28001 from 1963 - both sides written and produced by James Brown)

10. If I Would Marry You

11. This Time Tomorrow

12. I’ve Got Nothing To Say But Goodbye

13. I Can’t Hold It On Anymore

14. If I Would Marry You [Duet Version with Jimmy Radcliffe] (Tracks 10 to 14 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED, 10 and 11 are Stereo versions. Tracks were originally issued as a Mono single on Checker 1072 in 1964)

15. I Can’t Believe You Love Me

16. That’s What Boys Are Made For

17. Come On And See Me

18. What A Good Man He Is

19. Tears At The End Of A Love Affair

20. This Old Heart Of Mine (Is Weak For You)

21. He’s The One I Love

22. Can’t Stop Now (Love Is Calling)

23. Just Too Much To Hope For

24. Hold Me Oh My Darling

25. I Can’t Go On Without You

Tracks 15 to 25 are the Stereo version of her debut LP "Irresistible" issued on Motown MS652 in January 1969 in the USA and on Tamla Motown STML 11103 in May 1969 in the UK

26. Baby Don’t Cha Worry

27. There Are Things (tracks 26 and 27 are Stereo versions of 2 Non-LP tracks which first appeared on the 1991 Motown CD for "Irresistible")

1 to 14 credited to TAMMY MONTGOMERY - all others to TAMMI TERRELL

Disc 2 (64:57 minutes):

1. Ain’t No Mountain High Enough (Mono, from "The Complete Duets" 2CDs, 2001)

2. All I Do Is Think About You (from "A Cellarful Of Motown", 2CDs, 2003)

3. Slow Down (from "The Essential Collection", CD, 2001)

4. I Gotta Find A Way To get You Back (from the Various Artists compilation "The Complete Motown Anthology", 2CDs, 1997)

5. Oh How I’d Miss You (Mono, from "The Complete Duets" 2CD set, 2001)

6. Lone, Lonely Town (from the UK-only compilation "Tamla Motown Connoisseurs", CD, 2001)

7. You Ain’t Livin' 'Till You’re Lovin'

8. Give In, You Just Can’t Win

9. When Love Comes Knocking At Your Heart

10. Memory Chest

11. That’s How It Is (Since You’ve Been Gone)

12. More, More, More (tracks 7 to 12 first appeared on "The Complete Duets" 2CD set from 2001 but in MONO only - 7 to 12 here are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED STEREO versions)

13. Two Can Have A Party (from the UK-only Various Artists compilation "This Is Northern Soul Vol.2", 2CDs, 1998)

14. My Heart (from the UK-only Various Artists 2CD "A Cellarful Of Motown, Vol.2", 2CDs, 2005)

15. Don’t Let Me Be Lonely (from the UK-only Various Artists 2CD "A Cellarful Of Motown, Vol.4", 2CDs, 2010)

16. Kissing In The Shadows

17. Beware Of A Stranger

18. It’s Been A Long Time Happenin’ (tracks 16 to 18 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED 1966, 1967 and 1967 recordings)

19. Almost Like Being In Love (Live)

20. Stage Dialogue With Emcee Scott Regan

21. I Can’t Believe You Love Me (Live)

22. Medley: What A Difference A Day Makes/Runnin’ Out Of Fools/Tell Me The Truth/Baby Love (Live)

23. Come On And See Me (Live) (tracks 19 to 23 are "Live At The Roostertail", Detroit, Michigan on 19 September 1966 and are all PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED Mono Recordings)

The packaging is gorgeous - a 3-way foldout card digipak which sports truly lovely colour photos of her - while the exceptionally well put-together 36-page oversized booklet has a detailed retrospective of her life by African-American cultural expert DAPHNE BROOKS. There's a track-by-track breakdown, promo shots of Tammi with Marvin, album artwork and full colour plates of the gorgeous Thomasina Winifred Montgormery that literally make you double-take (the one on Page 28 in particular is a strong contender for the most beautiful woman in the world).

The sound quality is great - clean and vibrant. The first generation tapes have been handled with real class by one of Universal's top engineers - ELLEN FITTON. I've raved about her work before - she did all 12 of "The Complete Motown Singles" box sets and many other great Motown releases for Hip-O Select. I've created a TAG (see above) for both - one for her remasters and the other for Hip-O Select releases worth noting.

Some would argue that Tammi's solo material is good rather than great - the Motown machine giving her song after song that was workmanlike but never quite magic. Perhaps she needed the catalyst of a partner, because it wasn't until she dueted with Marvin that the real sparks started to fly. There was just something about them - their youth, their affection for each other, their combined voices - absolutely thrilling stuff. However, there are real solo gems on here too - the new STEREO versions of 7 to 12 on Disc 2 are 'so' good - "Memory Chest" (lyrics above) and "That's How It is (Since You've Been Gone)" in particular. And the "Roostertail" stuff shows how cool she was and that she could cut it live.

There is a poignancy to this release - because I suspect like most ardent Motown fans, I still find it shocking that she was taken away from us at only 24 in March 1970 - it seems so cruel - and just when things were about to start cooking for her. She was also in Marvin's thoughts as he wrote his Soul masterpiece "What's Going On" - and when you think of the incalculable influence of that album across the decades...

To sum up - as a complimentary issue to the "Duets" double CD of 2001 - "Come On And See Me" is pretty much faultless. A really lovely reissue for a really classy lady…