"Mad Dogs & Englishmen: 35th Anniversary DELUXE EDITION" by JOE COCKER (2005 Universal/A&M 2CD Reissue - Suha Gur Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 500 Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

CLASSIC 1970s ROCK On CD - Exception 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)

"...Feelin' Alright..."

Absolutely everyone loved "Mad Dogs & Englishmen" - Joe Cocker's blistering live double-album released September 1970 on both sides of the pond (and everywhere else for that matter). It capturing lightning in a bottle - a humungous band at their lead-swinging freshest recorded across two venues and nights in March and April of that decade’s first year. A&M Records loved it (went to No. 2 in the USA and sold a million copies) - the public and press alike frenzy-fought for tickets to see the 43-piece extravaganza as it made its way across America until the final show on the 16th of May. Everybody loved it – everyone except Joe Cocker.

By the end of the tour the freshness and excitement was gone – and so was he. A massive ego-clash between him and Leon Russell had ripped the happy heart out of the merry band – and all that palatable joy in those first shows so evident on the 2LP set – had evaporated in a haze of drugs, recrimination and bitterness. Legend has it that the feud was so grim it wouldn't be discussed for decades on end. Worse - despite nationwide fame, adoration and a single in the American charts for the first time - Cocker had just under $900 in his pocket with his hard-won LP royalties' unavailable - years and years away. He wound up broke and bruised in California with an itch he needed to scratch. Joe later said it took him years to fully recover from the aftermath of that fateful tour...

None of this post-mortem however detracts from the reissue brilliance of this very cool '35th Anniversary Deluxe Edition' – Joe Cocker’s ground-breaking live double-album "Mad Dogs & Englishmen" finally given the stunning Remastered Audio its always deserved - quality presentation and some shockingly brill Previously Unreleased tracks alongside other B-side rarities. They even sort-of mimic that wonderful foldout many-leaved sleeve that came with original vinyl issues. Nice. Here are the muscular details...

UK released 24 October 2005 (18 October 2005 in the USA) - "Mad Dogs & Englishmen: 35th Anniversary DELUXE EDITION" by JOE COCKER on Universal/A&M 0602498860069 (Barcode 602498860069) is a 2CD Reissue and Remaster with Eight Previously Unreleased Tracks and other Rarities and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (57:23 minutes):
1. Honkey Tonk Women
2. She Came In Through The Bathroom Window
3. The Weight
4. Sticks And Stones
5. Bird On A Wire
6. Cry Me A River
7. Superstar - Performed by RITA COOLIDGE
8. Feelin' Alright
9. Something
10. Darling Be Home Soon
11. Let It Be - Performed by CLAUDIA LENNEAR
12. Further On Up The Road - Performed by DON PRESTON

Tracks 3, 9, 10 and 12 on Disc 1 are Previously Unreleased - all recorded Saturday, 28 March 1970 at the Fillmore East
Track 11 is the non-album 7" single B-side to "The Ballad Of Mad Dogs & Englishmen" released April 1971 in the USA on A&M 1253 (1st time on CD)

Disc 2 (79:30 minutes):
1. Let's Go Get Stoned
2. Space Captain
3. Hummingbird - Performed by LEON RUSSELL
4. Dixie Lullaby - Performed by LEON RUSSELL
5. The Letter
6. Delta Lady
7. Give Peace A Chance
8. Blue Medley: I'll Drown In My Own Tears/When Something Is Wrong With My Baby/I've Been Loving You Too Long
9. With A Little Help From My Friends
ENCORE:
10. Girl From The North Country
STUDIO SESSIONS for SINGLES:
11. Warm-Up Jam including Under My Thumb - Performed by LEON RUSSELL and THE SHELTER PEOPLE
12. The Letter (Studio Single Version) - Performed by JOE COCKER with LEON RUSSELL and THE SHELTER PEOPLE
13. Space Captain (Studio Single Version) - Performed by JOE COCKER with LEON RUSSELL and THE SHELTER PEOPLE
14. The Ballad Of Mad Dogs & Englishmen - Performed by LEON RUSSELL

Tracks 3, 4, 9 and 11 on Disc 2 are Previously Unreleased
Live Tracks 3 and 4 recorded Friday, 27 March 1970 at the Fillmore East - Track 9 recorded Saturday, 28 March 1970
Studio Track 11 recorded 17 March 1970 and 3 April 1970 at A&M and Gold Star Studios respectively
Tracks 12 and 13 are First Time STEREO Mix – released April 1970 in the USA on 7” single as A&M 1174 and June 1970 in the UK on Regal Zonophone RZ 3027. It was subsequently re-issued using the same catalogue number but replaced the studio versions with the 2LP live cuts.
All songs sung by JOE COCKER except where stated

Lovers of the original will immediately notice that Universal in their corporate wisdom have decided to place the songs across this 2CD reissue as they were recorded - arguing that it gives the gigs used better context (March 27 and 28th at The Fillmore East and April 17th at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium). Some have already commented on how much they love it - personally I'm not that keen. But if you do want to configure the US and UK 2LP set as originally released – use the following as your playlist:

Side 1:
1. Introduction
2. Honky Tonk Women (Track 1, Disc 1)
3. Introduction
4. Sticks And Stones (Track 4, Disc 1)
5. Cry Me A River (Track 6, Disc 1)
6. Bird On A Wire (Track 5, Disc 1)

Side 2:
1. Feelin' Alright (Track 8, Disc 1)
2. Superstar - Performed by RITA COODLIDGE  (Track 7, Disc 1)
3. Introduction
4. Let's Go Get Stoned (Track 1, Disc 2)

Side 3:
1. Blue Medley:
I'll Drown In My Own Tears
When Something Is Wrong With My Baby
I've Been Loving You Too Long (Track 8, Disc 2)
2. Introduction
3. Girl From The North Country (Track 10, Disc 2)
4. Give Peace A Chance (Track 7, Disc 2)

Side 4:
1. Introduction
2. She Came In Thru The Bathroom Window (Track 2, Disc 1)
3. Space Captain (Track 2, Disc 2)
4. The Letter (Track 5, Disc 2)
5. Delta Lady (Track 6, Disc 2)
The double-album "Mad Dogs & Englishmen" was released September 1970 in the USA on A&M Records SP-6002 and September 1970 in the UK on A&M Records AMLS 6002. Produced by DENNY CORDELL and LEON RUSSELL - it peaked at No. 2 on the US album charts and No. 16 in the UK.

THE BAND was:
JOE COCKER - Lead Vocals
LEON RUSSELL - Guitar and Piano
CHRIS STAINTON - Piano and Organ
DON PRESTON - Rhythm Guitar (Lead Vocals on "Further On Up The Road")
BOBBY KEYS - Tenor Saxophone
JIM PRICE - Trumpet
CARL RADLE - Bass
BOBBY TORRES - Conga
JIM KELTNER - Drums
JIM GORDON - Drums
CHUCK BLACKWELL - Drums and Percussion
THE CHOIR - Don Preston, Rita Coolidge, Claudia Lennear, Daniel Moore, Donna Weiss, Pamela Polland, Matthew Moore, Donna Washburn, Nicole Barclay and Bobby Jones

The four-way foldout card digipak has an info page attached to the rear and the 24-page booklet has new liner notes from JP BEAN of Sheffield along with random cartoons in-between the text. There’s a two-page colour photo for a massive Sunset Blvd. billboard advert using the ‘All Elements Of The Truth’ lines from the album sleeve. Niggles - "Cry Me A River" b/w "Give Peace A Chance" was issued as a 45 in the USA (A&M 1200, September 1970) and in the UK (Fly Records BUG 3, October 1970) and both came with different picture sleeves - but neither is featured here - so a trick missed there.

But all of that goes by the wall when you hear the amazing new Audio care of a team of two - HEATH CONDIOTTE who did the transfers while long-time Universal Engineer SUHA GUR did the mastering. It's like the record has been given renewed power - and at least four of those Previously Unreleased live tracks with Don Preston and Leon Russell are absolutely storming. Fans will also know that the fabulous pairing of the non-album tracks "The Letter" b/w "Space Captain" turned up on The Long Voyage Home Box and subsequent CDs as ‘Mono’ Singles Mixes. Here they’re given first-time STEREO versions and all I can say is WOW! Fans are going to chew these up...even if the "Space Captain" track has some weird echoes and spaces all of a sudden.

While I understand the thinking behind the line-up of the tracks on the DE – I quickly assembled the original double on my iTunes set up and I’d still maintain it’s a better edit and a far better listen. Opening with "Honky Tonk Women" and "Sticks And Stones" (The Rolling Stones and Ray Charles) – you’re immediately struck by the sheer power the Remaster has given the band who now seem to be occupying your living room with intent on doing some serious party damage to your carefully arranged Feng Shui. Julie London gets Funkified to a point where her signature tune "Cry Me A River" is unrecognisable – but it’s the Leonard Cohen bawler "Bird On A Wire" that moves – given a hugely Soulful take that ends Side 1 on a real high.

Dave Mason’s Traffic song "Feelin’ Alright" opens Side 2 with a elongated belter - while the Bonnie Bramlett/Leon Russell song "Superstar" is the first to feature a guest – this time Rita Coolidge. Rita's vocal range is similar to Karen Carpenter who would cover the song on their self-titled A&M album the following year (1971) – almost making it feel like The Carpenters owned the tune all along. Bobby Keys - the default Saxophonist for The Rolling Stones - requests, gets and is featured on the Ray Charles cry for a mental blitz "Let's Go Get Stoned". By now the band is simply cooking – the choir adding soulful backing vocals at choice points throughout the eight-minute work out.

But the 2LP literally goes up in live flames with the three-song Soul Medley that opens Side 3 – Brother Ray's Atlantic hit "I'll Drown In My Own Tears" - Sam & Dave's "When Something Is Wrong With My Baby" (written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter) and finally the Otis Redding Stax classic "I've Been Loving You Too Long" - all rolled into one powerhouse performance. Russell intros Bob Dylan's "Girl From The North Country" which he shares with Joe as that plays fast yet soulful. We get all 'church-on-Sunday' righteous with "Give Peace A Chance" - a Bonnie Bramlett and Leon Russell song that feels like The Staples Singers having a rave up with the Lord while James Brown conducts the funky choir. Side 4 introduces what many wanted to hear - Joe do The Beatles - the Abbey Road nugget "She Came In Thru The Bathroom Window". But even that crowd-pleaser is trumped by a lethal three-song finale that genuinely thrills as it builds - Matthew Moore's "Space Captain", The Box Tops' "The Letter" and the Leon Russell hit that practically broke Joe Cocker - "Delta Lady" – all sounding unbelievably good on this Remaster. What a winner...

I wasn't expecting the unreleased stuff to be as good as it is - but genuine standouts include Don Preston doing a truly fantastic rocking version of the old Blues classic "Further On Up The Road" while Russell delivers the goods on both "Hummingbird" and "Dixie Lullaby" and the near mine-minute "With A Little Help From My Friends" is a virtual tour-de-force.

Universal has done some dubious DE versions over the years and some nuggets too (check out Howlin Wolf, Whiskeytown, John Martyn to name but a few) - expanded editions that genuinely bring more to the feast. "Mad Dogs & Englishmen" is one of them.

"...Learning to live together..." Joe croaks on the brilliant "Space Captain". We're just learning to live without you mate. God bless wherever you may be...and thanks to all the players for such great memories...

"Stay Free" by ASHFORD and SIMPSON (2015 Big Break Records (BBR) 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with Four Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With Over 300 Others Is Available in my

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites
HIGHER GROUND

SOUL, FUNK and JAZZ FUSION - Exception CD Remasters  

Just Click Below To Purchase for £6.95

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

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

"...Finally Got To Me..."

Like many Soul and Funk fans I’ve been waiting for Big Break Records of the UK to have a proper go at the superb Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson catalogue on Warner Brothers Records having had to do with the Warner Bros 2CD set Rhino put out a few years back (2008). And here BBR comes with "Is It Still Good To Ya" from 1978 (see separate review) and this - “Stay Free” from 1979 – both Remastered and Expanded to perfection with a decent cache of cool bonus mixes. Found A Cure indeed - here are the details...

UK released 31 July 2015 (August 2015 in the USA) - "Stay Free" by ASHFORD & SIMPSON on Big Break Records CDBBRX 0325 (Barcode 5013929062535) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Version with 4 Bonus Tracks and plays out as follows (62:37 minutes).

1. Found A Cure

2. Stay Free

3. Dance Forever

4. Nobody Knows [Side 2]

5. Crazy

6. Finally Got To Me

7. Follow Your Heart

Tracks 1 to 7 are the album "Stay Free" – released September 1979 in the USA on Warner Brothers HS-3357 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56703

BONUS TRACKS:

8. Found A Cure (Single Version)

9. Nobody Knows (Single Version)

10. Stay Free (Mike Maurro Groove Mix)

11. Found A Cure (Single Version)

There’s a 16-page booklet with liner notes by a veteran of these releases CHRISTIAN JOHN WIKANE - along with photos of US Warner Brothers 45s and those sought after American Promo 12" singles ("Nobody Knows" on PRO-A-437 and "Found A Cure" on DWBS 8874). There are rare 7" pictures sleeves for "Found A Cure" (a huge Number 2 hit at the time) and "Nobody Knows" as well as in-the-studio shots and other quality publicity photos. The remaster is by BBR's own WAYNE A. DICKSON with additional work from the vastly experienced NICK ROBBINS (does tons of work for Ace and other labels). The audio is fabulous – full of power and the amazing Production values afforded the album in the first place. Fans are going to love those 7" single mixes after the extended workouts of the album versions...

While both the slick Bass and Piano Funk of "Found A Cure" and the mega dancefloor filler of "Nobody Knows" (what a tune and one that DJs still spin today) dominated the charts at the time (they reached No. 2 and 19 in July and December 1979 on the US R 'n' B singles charts) – album cuts like the brilliant strings and Soul-Funk of "Stay Free" and the pretty mid-tempo ballad of "Crazy" (played in bedrooms everywhere in 1979) will thrill fans of this criminally forgotten A&S album. I remember the LP built strongly on the good stuff from "Is It Still Good To Ya" record from the year previous - to a point where Ashford & Simpson seemed to be on every dancefloor everywhere at the end of that eventful decade. There's fabulous Audio too on another fave of mine – "Finally Got To Me" – beautifully handled and full of punch (I'd honestly forgotten how good this song is). The 7-track LP ends of the pretty "Follow Your Heart" – all swooning strings, rolling piano keys and breathy Valerie Simpson vocals.

The 7" single mix of "Found A Cure" runs to 3:47 minutes and comes as a punchy shock having been so used to the longer album version (all these years). The 3:51 minutes of "Nobody Knows" is the same. Another sweet surprise the 6:23 minute mix of "Stay Free" by ace mixer Mike Maurro who accentuates the slap bass lines and strings (very smartly done). As much as I know his revered reputation amongst Disco and Soul fans – I'm not so sure I'd want to wade through the 10:30 minutes of Tom Moulton's Remix of "Found A Cure" again – too much of a good thing methinks...

So there you have it. Great sound and tasty presentation – another winner from BBR and one that fans of this long-lasting Soul/Funk/R&B duo will need...

PS: Big Break Records (BBR) CD Remasters I’ve reviewed:

1. Send It – ASHFORD and SIMPSON (1977)

2. Is It Still Good To Ya – ASHFORD and SIMPSON (1978)

3. Stay Free – ASHFORD and SIMPSON (1979)

4. Central Heating – HEATWAVE (1977)

5. Hot Property - HEATWAVE (1979)

6. Candles - HEATWAVE (1980)

7. Turnin' On - HIGH INERGY (1977)

8. Harvest For The World - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1976)

9. Go For Your Guns - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1977)

10. In The Heart – KOOL & THE GANG (1983)

11. I Hope We Get To Love On Time - MARILYN McCOO & BILLY DAVIS (1976)

12. I Miss You [known as "Harold Melvin The Blue Notes" in the UK] - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1972)

13. Black & Blue - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1973)

14. Love Is The Message - MFSB (1973)

15. Universal Love – MFSB (1975)

16. All The Faces Of... - BUDDY MILES (1974)

17. For The First Time – STEPHANIE MILLS (1975)

18. I Can See Clearly Now - JOHNNY NASH (1972)

19. In Philadelphia - O'JAYS (1969)

20. Back Stabbers - O'JAYS (1972)

21. Ship Ahoy - O'JAYS (1973)

22. Down To Love Town – THE ORIGINALS (1977)

23. Ebony Woman - BILLY PAUL (1970 and 1973)

24. 360 Degrees Of Billy Paul - BILLY PAUL (1972)

25. War Of The Gods - BILLY PAUL (1973)

26. Platinum Hook – PLATINUM HOOK (1978)

27. Love For What It Is - ANITA POINTER (of The Pointer Sisters) (1987)

28. Live: Stompin’ At The Savoy – RUFUS and CHAKA KHAN (1983)

29. Summernights – SILVER CONVENTION (1977)

30. Smoked Sugar - SMOKED SUGAR (1975)

31. Spinners – SPINNERS (1973)

32. Soul Master – EDWIN STARR (1968)

33. Involved - EDWIN STARR (1971)

34. Switch - SWITCH (1978)

35. Watercolors – THE WATERS (1980)

36. Just As I Am - BILL WITHERS (1971)

37. Heartbeats – YARBROUGH & PEOPLES (1983)

"Is It Still Good To Ya" by ASHFORD & SIMPSON (2015 Big Break Records (BBR) 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with Seven Bonus Tracks) - 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)

"...The Debt Is Settled..." 

Like many Soul and Funk fans I’ve been waiting for Big Break Records of the UK to have a proper go at the superb Ashford & Simpson catalogue on Warner Brothers Records having had to do with the Warner Bros 2CD set Rhino put out a few years back (2008). And here BBR comes with "Is It Still Good To Ya" from 1978 and "Stay Free" from 1979 – both Remastered to perfection and with loads of cool bonuses. Here are squeeze me details...

UK released 31 July 2015 (August 2015 in the USA) - "Is It Still Good To Ya" by ASHFORD & SIMPSON on Big Break Records CDBBRX 0320 (Barcode 5013929062030) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with 7 Bonus Tracks and pans out as follows (70:50 minutes).

1. It Seems To Hang On

2. Is It Still Good To Ya

3. The Debt Is Settled

4. Ain't it A Shame

5. Get Up And Do Something [Side 2]

6. You Always Could

7. Flashback

8. As Long As It Holds You

Tracks 1 to 8 are the album "Is It Still Good To Ya" – released September 1978 in the USA on Warner Brothers BSK-3219 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56547

BONUS TRACKS:

9. It Seems To Hang On (12" Disco Mix)

10. Flashback (12" Disco Mix)

11. Is It Still Good To Ya (Alternate Mix)

12. The Debt Is Settled (Alternate Mix)

13. It Seems To Hang On (Mike Maurro Mix)

14. Flashback (Single Version)

15. It Seems To Hang On (Single Version)

There’s a 16-page booklet with liner notes by a veteran of these releases CHRISTIAN JOHN WIKANE - along with photos of US Warner Brothers 45s and those sought after American Promo 12" singles ("It Seems To Hang On" and "Flashback"). There’s even a photo spread of the US trade advert that accompanied the album's release in the USA. The remaster is by BBR’s own WAYNE A DICKSON with additional work from the vastly experienced NICK ROBBINS (does tons of work for Ace and other labels). The audio is fabulous – full of power and the amazing Production values afforded the album in the first place. And stepper fans are going to love those bonus 12" Disco Mixes that exchange for such huge money...

While both the smooth Funk of “It Seems To Hang On” and the dancefloor filler of “Is It Still Good To Ya” dominated the charts (Nos. 2 and 12 USA R’n’B) – album cuts like the brilliant Soul-Funk of “Get Up And Do Something’” and the warm sweet melody of “You Always Could” will send fans of thios largely forgotten album. Apart from the pseudo Teddy Pendergrass spoken-smooch of “Ain’t it A Shame” - the whole record is classy which wicked grooves like “As Long As It Holds You”. But what puts this CD reissue into another league is the killer extras - DJs will love the 7:00 minute Disco Remix of “It Seems To Hang On” and the 5:32 minutes of “Flashback” – even the 7” single mix of “It Seems To Hang On” at 3:39 minutes is an unexpected winner.

Great sound and tasty presentation – another winner from BBR and one that fans of this long-lasting Soul/Funk/R&B duo will need...

PS: Big Break Records (BBR) CD Remasters I’ve reviewed:

1. Send It – ASHFORD & SIMPSON (1977)

2. Is It Still Good To Ya – ASHFORD and SIMPSON (1978)

3. Stay Free – ASHFORD and SIMPSON (1979)

4. Central Heating – HEATWAVE (1977)

5. Hot Property - HEATWAVE (1979)

6. Candles - HEATWAVE (1980)

7. Turnin' On - HIGH INERGY (1977)

8. Harvest For The World - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1976)

9. Go For Your Guns - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1977)

10. In The Heart – KOOL & THE GANG (1983)

11. I Hope We Get To Love On Time - MARILYN McCOO & BILLY DAVIS (1976)

12. I Miss You [known as "Harold Melvin The Blue Notes" in the UK] - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1972)

13. Black & Blue - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1973)

14. Love Is The Message - MFSB (1973)

15. Universal Love – MFSB (1975)

16. All The Faces Of... - BUDDY MILES (1974)

17. For The First Time – STEPHANIE MILLS (1975)

18. I Can See Clearly Now - JOHNNY NASH (1972)

19. In Philadelphia - O'JAYS (1969)

20. Back Stabbers - O'JAYS (1972)

21. Ship Ahoy - O'JAYS (1973)

22. Down To Love Town – THE ORIGINALS (1977)

23. Ebony Woman - BILLY PAUL (1970 and 1973)

24. 360 Degrees Of Billy Paul - BILLY PAUL (1972)

25. War Of The Gods - BILLY PAUL (1973)

26. Platinum Hook – PLATINUM HOOK (1978)

27. Love For What It Is - ANITA POINTER (of The Pointer Sisters) (1987)

28. Live: Stompin’ At The Savoy – RUFUS and CHAKA KHAN (1983)

29. Summernights – SILVER CONVENTION (1977)

30. Smoked Sugar - SMOKED SUGAR (1975)

31. Spinners – SPINNERS (1973)

32. Soul Master – EDWIN STARR (1968)

33. Involved - EDWIN STARR (1971)

34. Switch - SWITCH (1978)

35. Watercolors – THE WATERS (1980)

36. Just As I Am - BILL WITHERS (1971)

37. Heartbeats – YARBROUGH & PEOPLES (1983)

"Send It" by ASHFORD & SIMPSON (2015 Big Break Records (BBR) 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with Four Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With Over 300 Others Is Available in my

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites
HIGHER GROUND

SOUL, FUNK and JAZZ FUSION - Exception CD Remasters  

Just Click Below To Purchase for £6.95

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

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

"...Take Me Up To The Top..." 

Big Break Records of the UK (known also as BBR) have been doing ASHFORD & SIMPSON fans the world over a solid for some time now - reissuing their voluminous Warner Brothers back catalogue onto superb CD Remasters - and all with quality audio, liner notes and rare Bonus Tracks. Here comes another - this time dealing with their American-only 1977 platter "Send It" - a quality album in their cannon of work. Here are the details...

UK released 28 August 2015 (September 2015 in the USA) - "Send It" by ASHFORD & SIMPSON on Big Break Records CDBBRX0315 (Barcode 5013929061538) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster with Four Bonus Tracks and plays out as follows (62:07 minutes):

1. By Way Of Love's Express

2. Let Love Use Me

3. Don't Cost You Nothing

4. Send It

5. Top Of The Stairs [Side 2]

6. Too Bad

7. Bourgie Bourgie (Instrumental)

8. I Waited Too Long

Tracks 1 to 8 are their album "Send It" - released September 1977 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS-3088. It peaked at No. 10 on the US R&B charts and No. 52 on the Pop charts (it was unreleased in the UK).

BONUS TRACKS:

9. Don't Cost You Nothing (12" Disco Mix)

10. Bourgie Bourgie (Joe Claussell's Classic Remix)

11. Send It (Single Version)

12. Don't Cost You Nothing (Single Version)

The 16-page booklet is the usual BBR plethora of American label repros ("Send It" on Warner Brothers WBS 8453 - "Don't Cost You Nothing" on Warner Brothers WBS 8514 and "By Way Of Love's Express" on Warner Brothers WBS 8571) - as well as photos of the hip couple and superbly detailed new liner notes by CHRISTIAN JOHN WIKANE alongside full reissue credits. The 'super' jewel case and see-through CD tray add a touch of reissue class - but the best news is the new Remaster by WAYNE A DICKSON and NICK ROBBINS - two very experienced transfer merchants. All the great Funk lines are in yer face - lovely Bass and Vocals - sweet sound filling your living room. A very nice job indeed...

Their albums always feature goodies amidst the lesser tunes – but "Send It" feels sweet all the way through both sides. It opens with an obvious single "By Way Of Love’s Express" where Nick Ashford tells his lady Valerie Simpson that a train is hurrying his love towards her (what a gent). Their ballads always felt a notch above syrup and the lovely "Let Love Use Me" is proof - a duet-vocal mid-tempo smoocher with strings. But that moment of lurve is roundly whomped by the fabulous dancefloor groove of "Don't Cost You Nothing" - a total Funk-Soul winner clocking in at just under five-minutes in its album form (the Bonus Tracks give us the 12" Disco Mix at 6:48 and the 7" single edit at a svelte 3:40 minutes). I can remember dancefloors filling to this great Piano-Funk groove as DJs spun those 12" singles with their Warner Brothers die-cut sleeves. Side 1 then ends on the album's other killer - the 'spread a little love' slowy "Send It" - a No. 15 R&B hit in August 1977.

Side 2 opens with the bopper "Top Of The Stairs" where our Nick has an urge he's hoping his woman will understand (take me up to the top and we'll get lost in the darkness). "Too Bad" is cool too but my poison is the sensual and slick instrumental "Bourgie Bourgie" - represented here twice by a Joe Claussell Remix in the Bonus Tracks. It ends on the tremulous vocals of "I Waited Too Long" where our hero laments his 'without love' situation and that he missed the last dance (self-inflicted misery pal). The Four Extras come as very cool icing on an already very tasty cake.

A top reissue from BBR once again - well done to all involved - and a must own for fans...

PS: Big Break Records (BBR) CD Remasters I’ve reviewed:

1. Send It – ASHFORD & SIMPSON (1977)

2. Is It Still Good To Ya – ASHFORD and SIMPSON (1978)

3. Stay Free – ASHFORD and SIMPSON (1979)

4. Central Heating – HEATWAVE (1977)

5. Hot Property - HEATWAVE (1979)

6. Candles - HEATWAVE (1980)

7. Turnin' On - HIGH INERGY (1977)

8. Harvest For The World - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1976)

9. Go For Your Guns - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1977)

10. In The Heart – KOOL & THE GANG (1983)

11. I Hope We Get To Love On Time - MARILYN McCOO & BILLY DAVIS (1976)

12. I Miss You [known as "Harold Melvin The Blue Notes" in the UK] - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1972)

13. Black & Blue - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1973)

14. Love Is The Message - MFSB (1973)

15. Universal Love – MFSB (1975)

16. All The Faces Of... - BUDDY MILES (1974)

17. For The First Time – STEPHANIE MILLS (1975)

18. I Can See Clearly Now - JOHNNY NASH (1972)

19. In Philadelphia - O'JAYS (1969)

20. Back Stabbers - O'JAYS (1972)

21. Ship Ahoy - O'JAYS (1973)

22. Down To Love Town – THE ORIGINALS (1977)

23. Ebony Woman - BILLY PAUL (1970 and 1973)

24. 360 Degrees Of Billy Paul - BILLY PAUL (1972)

25. War Of The Gods - BILLY PAUL (1973)

26. Platinum Hook – PLATINUM HOOK (1978)

27. Love For What It Is - ANITA POINTER (of The Pointer Sisters) (1987)

28. Live: Stompin’ At The Savoy – RUFUS and CHAKA KHAN (1983)

29. Summernights – SILVER CONVENTION (1977)

30. Smoked Sugar - SMOKED SUGAR (1975)

31. Spinners – SPINNERS (1973)

32. Soul Master – EDWIN STARR (1968)

33. Involved - EDWIN STARR (1971)

34. Switch - SWITCH (1978)

35. Watercolors – THE WATERS (1980)

36. Just As I Am - BILL WITHERS (1971)

37. Heartbeats – YARBROUGH & PEOPLES (1983)

-->

"Screamin' Jay Rocks [aka "Rocks]" by SCREAMIN' JAY HAWKINS (2008 Bear Family CD 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

BLUES, VOCAL GROUPS, RHYTHM 'n' BLUES and ROCK 'n' ROLL ON CD   

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)

"…I Put A Spell On You…"

I suppose if you were to nitpick - Screamin' Jay Hawkins never really 'rocks' (in the true sense of the word) on any of these 31 odes to lunacy, coffins and fragrant armpits - but he doesn't half put a grin on your face every time he opens his flamboyant and very unPC mouth. Lewd, crude and genuinely crackers in the frontal lobe area (he'd regularly expose his penis to old ladies in the audience on stage on a Saturday night and end up in jail on Sunday morning) - Screamin' Jay Hawkins was the real deal - the funniest shock-entertainer in Rock 'n' Roll's long pantheon of wild men and women. And this fabulous near eighty-minutes of musical mayhem is testament to his unhinged genius. Here are the degenerate and depraved details...

Released September 2008 in Germany - "Screamin’ Jay Rocks" by SCREAMIN' JAY HAWKINS is on Bear Family BCD 16687 AR (Barcode 4000127166876) and breaks down as follows (77:57 minutes):

1. Little Demon (1956, Okeh 4-7072, B-side of "I Put A Spell On You")

2. Baptize Me In Wine (1954, Timely 1004, A)

3. Not Anymore (1954, Timely 1004, B-side of "Baptize Me In Wine")

4. In My Front Room (unissued 1955 Mercury recording, first appeared on the 1990 2CD compilation "Spellbound! 1955-1974" on Bear Family BCD 15530)

5. This Is All (1955, Mercury 70549, A)

6. What That Is (unissued 1955 Mercury recording, first appeared on the 1990 2CD compilation "Spellbound! 1955-1974" on Bear Family BCD 15530)

7. (She Put The) Wamee (On Me) (1955, Mercury 70549, B-side of "This Is All")

8. Well I Tried (1955, Wing 90005, A)

9. Talk About Me (1955, Wing 90055, B-side of "Even Though")

10. Take Me Back (1956, Grand 135, A)

11. I Is (1956, Grand 135, B-side of "Take Me Back")

12. $10,000 Lincoln Continental (Take 2) (unissued 1955 Reco-Art Recording, first appeared on the 1991 CD compilation "From Grand To Gotham" on Interstate Music Ltd SJH CD 71829)

13. You Ain't Foolin' Me (unissued 1956 recording, first appeared on the 1991 CD compilation "At Home With Screamin' Jay Hawkins" on Acadia ACAM 8116)

14. Yellow Coat (first issued on the 1958 USA Mono LP "At Home With Screamin' Jay Hawkins" on Epic LN 3448)

15. I Put A Spell On You (1956, Okeh 4-7072, A - B-side is Track 1 "Little Demon")

16. Frenzy (1957, Okeh 4-7087, B-side to "Person To Person")

17. Alligator Wine (1958, Okeh 4-7101, A)

18. There's Something Wrong With You (1958, Okeh 4-7101, B-side to "Alligator Wine")

19. Person To Person (1957, Okeh 4-7087, A)

20. You Made Me Love You (1957, Okeh 4-7084, A)

21. Little Demon (Alternate Take) (unissued 1956 recording, first appeared on Disc 2 of the 4CD Box Set "Loud, Fast & Out Of Control: The Wild Sound Of 50's Rock" by Various Artists on Rhino R2 75704)

22. Armpit No. 6 (1958, Red Top 126, A)

23. Just Don't Care (1962, Enrica 1010, B-side of "I Hear Voices")

24. Strange (1964, Roulette 4579, B-side of "The Whammy")

25. The Whammy (1964, Roulette 4579, A)

26. Party Doll (unissued 1964 recording, first appeared on the 1997 CD compilation "Lotta Boppin' (And Plenty Scream' Too): Roulette Rock & Roll, Vol. 4" on Sequel NEM 921)

27. All Night (unissued 1966 Decca recording, first appeared on the 1990 2CD compilation "Spellbound! 1955-1974" on Bear Family BCD 15530)

28. Mountain Jive (unissued 1966 Decca recording, first appeared on the 1990 2CD compilation "Spellbound! 1955-1974" on Bear Family BCD 15530)

29. Do You Really Love Me (1969, Phillips 40645, B-side of "Constipation Blues")

30. Please Don't Leave Me (first issued on the USA LP "Because Is In Your Mind" on Phillips PHS 600-336 in 1970)

31. Knock-Kneed Nana (Take 7) (previously unissued 1958 Columbia recording - first issue here)

"Rocks" comes in a (three-flaps) foldout card digipak with a detachable oversized booklet offering fans a chunky 64-pages of stunningly detailed liner notes by long-time fan BILL MILLAR. The text is peppered with up-close and personal black and white stills from a gig at The Washington Hotel in Mayfair, London in January 1965 and then The Ram Jam Club in April 1966. You get reproductions of a great Ebony Magazine advert from 1957 with the "Spell-maker" (Dr. Scholl's sandals ahoy!) - publicity poses with his trademark skull 'n' crossbones stage get up and even 'labour' papers to enter the UK in February 1966. The Richard Weize and George White discography from 1952-1970 starts on Page 41 and doesn't finish until Page 62. The CD reflects the Okeh label for "I Put A Spell On You" and the single in its label bag is pictured beneath the see-through CD tray - as usual - a very tasty job done by BF.

It opens with the lesser-heard "Little Demon" - the anarchic B-side to his 1956 lifelong signature tune "I Put A Spell On You" (over 35 cover versions of it and counting). "Little Demon" has lyrics like "...done put pretty hair on grandma's bald head..." - nice. After two dullish early 1954 cuts - things pick up big time with the Fats Domino piano-rolling R'n'B of "In My Front Room" showcasing his great rasping voice. "This Is All" is the same - a breakneck vocal hovering over a slow-rolling brass-filled Rhythm 'n' Blues section which features Mickey Baker (prominently) on Guitar with Big Al Sears and Sam 'The Man' Taylor on Saxes.

He goes all Muddy Waters got my-Mojo-working on the blues "$10,000 Lincoln Continental" and he names all the garish colours of his wardrobe in "Yellow Coat" - witty Rock 'n' Roll and up there with anything Chuck Berry could write. The wonderful "I Put A Spell On You" still makes me giggle but even better is "There's Something Wrong With You" with its manic giggles and lines like "...roast baboon salad smothering in bubblegum...you ain't all there..." But the absolute bomb is "Armpit No. 6" about his woman's odours where he says "...she's stone from the sticks...with her own kind of perfume...armpit No. 6..." and then starts sniffing! "Just Don't Care" is brill Fifties boogie while "Strange" and "The Whammy" are full of his trademark manic voodoo rhythms and racy lyrics - what a blast!

If Screamin' Jay Hawkins didn't exist - you'd imagine God would have to invent him. He died in 2000 aged 70 with six wives behind him and approximately 33 children (I say approximately). And isn't that just 'so' Rock 'n' Roll...

PS: The "Rocks" Series by Bear Family features the following artists:

1. Chuck Berry [see REVIEW}

2. Pat Boone

3. Johnny Burnette [see REVIEW]

4. The Cadillacs [see REVIEW]

5. Eddie Cochran

6. Bobby Darin

7. Fats Domino

8. Connie Francis

9. Don Gibson

10. Glen Glenn

11. Bill Haley

12. Roy Hall

13. Slim Harpo [see REVIEW]

14. Dale Hawkins

15. Ronnie Hawkins

16. Screamin' Jay Hawkins [see REVIEW]

17. Wanda Jackson [see REVIEW]

18. Sonny James

19. Buddy Knox & Jimmy Bowen with the Rhythm Orchids

20. Sleepy LaBeef

21. Brenda Lee

22. Jerry Lee Lewis [see REVIEW]

23. Smiley Lewis [see REVIEW]

24. Little Richard

25. Bob Luman [see REVIEW]

26. Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers

27. Carl Mann

28. Amos Milburn [see REVIEW]

29. Ella Mae Morse [see REVIEW]

30. Ricky Nelson

31. Carl Perkins

32. Roy Orbison

33. Lloyd Price [see REVIEW]

34. Piano Red (aka Dr. Feelgood) [see REVIEW]

35. Charlie Rich [see REVIEW]

36. Jack Scott

37. Shirley & Lee

38. The Treniers

39. Big Joe Turner [see REVIEW]

40. Conway Twitty

41. Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps

42. Rusty York [see REVIEW]

The Bear Family "Rockin' Rollin'" Series features:

1. Johnny Horton

2. Marvin Rainwater

3. Marty Robbins Vol.1

4. Marty Robbins Vol.2

5. Marty Robbins Vol.3 

"The Singles Volume 1: The Federal Years 1956-1960" by JAMES BROWN featuring The Famous Flames and Bea Fords (September 2006 US Hip-O Select/Polydor 2CD Set - Suha Gur Remasters) - No. 1 in a Series of 11 - A Review by Mark Barry...

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

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

BLUES, VOCAL GROUPS, RHYTHM 'n' BLUES and ROCK 'n' ROLL ON CD   

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)

"…Please, Please, Please…" 

A million miles removed from his Sixties Soul and Seventies Funk - this gorgeously produced and presented 2CD set concentrates on the beginning - James Brown And His Famous Flames as a Rhythm 'n' Blues belter (his first 19 singles). Here are the drop-to-your-knees details...

US released 26 September 2006 - "The Singles Volume 1: The Federal Years 1956-1960" by JAMES BROWN is the first of 11 Volumes of double-CDs covering his entire singles output between 1956 and 1981. Hip-O Select/Polydor B0007029-02 (Barcode 602517000575) breaks down as follows (all entries are American singles unless otherwise stated):

Disc 1, 21 tracks, 53:41 minutes:

1. Please, Please, Please

2. Why Do You Do Me (tracks 1 and 2 are the A&B-sides of his debut 7" single on Federal 12258 released March 1956 - a USA R&B No.5)

3.I Don't Know

4. I Feel That Old Feeling Coming On (tracks 3 and 4 are the A&B-sides of Federal 11264 released June 1956)

5. No, No, No, No

6. Hold My Baby's Hand (tracks 5 and 6 are the A&B-sides of Federal 12277 released July 1956)

7. I Won't Plead No More

8. Chonnie-On-Chon (tracks 7 and 8 are the A&B-sides of Federal 12290 released October 1956)

9. Just Won't Do Right

10. Let's Make It (tracks 9 and 10 are the A&B-sides of Federal 12289 released January 1957)

11. Gonna Try

12. Can't Be The Same (tracks 11 and 12 are the A&B-sides of Federal 12292 released March 1957)

13. Message With The Blues

14. Love Or A Game (tracks 13 and 14 are the A&B-sides of Federal 12295 released May 1957)

15. You're Mine, You're Mine

16. I Walked Alone (tracks 15 and 16 are the A&B-sides of Federal 12300 released July 1957)

17. That Dood It

18. Baby Cries Over The Ocean (tracks 17 and 18 are the A&B-sides of Federal 12311 released November 1957)

19. Begging, Begging

20. That's When I Lost My Heart (tracks 19 and 20 are the A&B-sides of Federal 12316 released February 1958

21. Try Me (Demo Version)

[Notes: 1 to 12 credited to JAMES BROWN With The Famous Flames

13 and 14 credited to JAMES BROWN

Remainder credited to JAMES BROWN And The Famous Flames]

Disc 2, 20 Tracks, 51:51 minutes:

1. Try Me (I Need You)

2. Tell Me What I Did Wrong (tracks 1 and 2 are the A&B-sides of Federal 12337 released October 1958 - a USA R'&B No.1)

3. I Want You So Bad

4. There Must Be A Reason (tracks 3 and 4 are the A&B-sides of Federal 12348 released February 1959 - A USA R&B No.20)

5. I've Got To Change [Mono Version]

6. It Hurts To Tell You [Mono Version] (tracks 5 and 6 are the A&B-sides of Federal 12352 released April 1959)

7. I've Got To Change [Stereo Version]

8. It Hurts Me To Tell You [Stereo Version] (tracks 7 and 8 are the A&B-sides of Federal S-12352 released May 1959)

9. Double Bee

10. Bucket Head (tracks 9 and 10 are the A&B-sides of Federal 12360 released July 1959)

11. It Was You

12. Got To Cry (tracks 11 and 12 are the A&B-sides of Federal 12364 released August 1959)

13. Good Good Lovin'

14. Don't Let It Happen To Me (tracks 13 and 14 are A&B-sides of Federal 12361 released October 1959)

15. I'll Go Crazy

16. I Know It's True (tracks 15 and 16 are the A&B-sides on Federal 12369 released January 1960 - A USA R&B No. 15)

17. Think

18. You've Got The Power (tracks 17 and 18 are the A&B-sides of Federal 12370 released April 1960 - a USA R&B No. 7 - B-side No. 14 R&B)

19. This Old Heart

20. Wonder When You're Coming Home (tracks 19 and 20 are the A&B-sides of Federal 12378 released August 1960 - A USA R&B No. 20)

[Notes: all tracks are Mono except where stated, all tracks James Brown And The Famous Flames except "You've Got The Power" which is James Brown And The Famous Flames - Duet Vocals with Bea Ford]

The 28-page sepia-feel booklet is gorgeous - jam-packed with detail by fan/world authority and keeper of the famous flame - ALAN LEEDS. You get song-by-song histories, cool trade adverts and Federal singles pepper the text and there's a detailed Sessionography on the last pages. HAREY WEINGER and PAT LAWRENCE produced while SUHA GUR did the superlative remasters from original Mono Single mixes (except "Bucket Head" restored from 45). The audio is fantastic and I've sung this Engineer's skills before (Howard Tate, Eddie Kendricks, Grace Jones, Joe Cocker, Kool & The Gang, John Mayall, Cat Stevens, Cream - the Suha Gur list is long).

However - despite opening strongly with "Please, Please, Please" and its equally tasty B-side - you couldn't describe much of Disc 1 as 'classic' - it fact its plodding in places and downright uninspired in others. And outside of "Please, Please, Please", "Try Me (I Need You)" and "Think" - it's all too easy to see why much of it didn't chart or elicit interest from DJs. That's not to say there aren't gems in here like the groovy dancer "Tell Me What I Did Wrong" where Brown finally finds something of that legendary mojo. The STEREO VERSION of the "It Hurts To Tell You" single is an amazing entry - quite extraordinary sound and a genuine rarity. 

The "Try Me (Demo Version)" is dubbed off a 78" Acetate and sounds awful - a historical curio tagged onto the first 10 singles of his career on Disc 1. The largely instrumental "Bucket Head" is fun as is the boppin' "Good Good Lovin'" - one of his underground classics and a tune that should have charted. The pleader "I'll Go Crazy" is typical of his "if you leave me" type songs and I dig the Bluesy duet with Bea Ford on "You Got The Power" (the B-side to "Think"). Another cool tune is "You're Mine, You're Mine". The whole compilation is good rather than being great - but there is that audio and presentation...

Born in 1933 - passed in 2006 - James Brown changed the world of music forever - and so much for the better. The Godfather would hit his Soul stride with the arrival of the Swinging Sixties - but this is where that unbelievable career started to cook...