My favourite month

If you’re a regular visitor here you will have noticed my posts have become a little less frequent of late. The fact is lately my life has been so full of general stuff there has been little time left for indulging my passion for vinyl gazing. And looking at the next few weeks there would appear to be plenty more stuff around the corner. I’m not complaining, it’s mostly good stuff: a holiday, long weekends with friends, my job taking me away from home (but with the partial novelty of that being in another country, and working with colleagues I know and respect, that qualifies as a good thing). Then later this month our daughter is off to University so the logistics surrounding that will take up some more time (she has always been a bit of a home bird and it’s going to be very strange not having her around).

This week I had intended to put up a post a couple of days ago but a not so good thing has been consuming all my spare time. My son had been saving up for a fancy new HDTV to "improve his gaming experience". It arrived this week and we have spent just about all our spare time ever since trying to understand the myriad of connection options and picture settings involved in setting it up to a) work at all with his Xbox360, and b) get the picture to look at least as good as our three year old standard no nonsense TV in the lounge. We are gradually winning the battle but it really shouldn’t be this difficult. A case of technology going too far too quick I think, and I can’t help thinking that we’ve been suckered by the hype of the whole HD bandwagon.

I digress, but I needed to get that off my chest. Back to the point I was intending to make at the beginning of this post. It’s not unusual to see a blogger announce a hiatus, and I’ve stumbled across a few who have recently. Whether you go on one or have one I’m not sure. I’m also not sure how long a break in posts has to be before it constitutes a hiatus. I have no intention of taking a break, but just to warn you that posts may continue to be somewhat sporadic over the next few weeks. I’m sure my gaps won’t qualify as a hiatus per se, but let’s just say their infrequency may qualify as a hiatus from the normal beat of things around here.
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I have been reminded that I was going to put up the instrumental version of The Royal Rasses side that I posted a while back. It’s up now.
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That’s the end of the public announcements, now, as they say, on with the show…

September is my favourite month. In the UK we are often graced with calm, sunny and dry weather in September, and it is usually pleasantly warm. There is a beautifully serene feel to the month: a stillness in the air, a mellow almost washed-out quality to the light. The late afternoon shadows seem that bit longer. The sound of a distant motorbike seems muted. The trees and hedgerows are starting to display their autumn wonder. Nature will soon be locking down as the days draw in. I always find myself in reflective mood, there is the feeling of another chapter ending. I love it.

So far this September looks like living up to all my expectations, and after the shocking summer we have had that’s a blessing. It seems that in the excitement of its early appearance in April, rather like an athlete who hadn’t done enough pre-season training, summer tore a muscle and was banished to the treatment table. From May to August summer hardly made an appearance, and only now in September does it appear to be returning for an elegant swansong.

As a Chelsea fan the initials JT mean only one thing to me nowadays – captain fantastic John Terry. Back in the seventies though, indeed before Mr. Terry was even a twinkle in his parent’s eyes, the initials JT for me meant Johnnie Taylor. Here are three tracks from his seventies days. They all graced the Billboard soul charts during September. The lyrics may allude to stormy times but each track possesses a beautifully restrained feel that fits so well with my impression of September. And what do you know? One is even called "It’s September".

Johnnie Taylor – It’s September 1974
Johnnie Taylor – Cheaper To Keep Her 1973
Johnnie Taylor – Stop Doggin’ Me 1972

Buy the Johnnie Taylor Chronicle

Sand between my toes and Shelly in my inbox

Well, here I am, fresh from a chilled out family holiday in sunny Crete. Actually fresh probably isn’t the right word as we are all still adjusting from a sleepness night caused by the 4am pick up from the hotel for the airport. In a few days when I’m back on track I may treat (if that’s the right word!) you to a few musings from said holiday. Then again I may not as not a lot happened, which is as it should be really, it was a holiday after all.

This post represents something of a radical departure from the norm here at Feel It. In my chilled out, quasi zombie state I feel I’m not yet ready to resume normal service and rummage through the vinyl collection, record and scan, research and link. Today you are getting something brand new AND not available on vinyl. Gosh, I’m feeling a bit light headed just thinking about it! :)

Shelly Bhushan dropped me an email while I was away saying she had happened upon this blog and thought I might like to listen to her new CD. Shelly hails from Texas and is making her way in NYC as a singer/songwriter. She has assembled a tight group of musicians around her and just released her first full album length CD “Picking Daisies”. The sound they produce has elements of soul, funk, and rock but is overall genre defying. You can listen to generous snippets from all the tracks here, and a few full tracks on her myspace page. What I have heard so far sounds good to me.

It’s interesting to compare Shelly’s debut album with that of Jean Carn’s, which I featured in my previous entry. Jean’s album was released in 1976 by which time the music scene was very much dominated by the big record companies. Jean had the might of Philadelphia International behind her – heavyweight songwriters, producers and arrangers, and no small amount of marketing muscle. The music on the album itself was lavish and polished. Contrast that with Shelly’s debut. The digital world we live in now is proving liberating for up and coming new musicians wanting to reach a wider audience. Shelly’s foray into the musical world would appear to be largely self publicised, through the Internet and her live shows in NYC. She writes her own songs, the band I believe are the producers and arrangers, and her recordings have an almost live feel to them. Although Shelly’s sound is undoubtedly contemporary her way to market and the production values remind me of a time before the ‘corporate’ 70s – the 60s - when many local and independent record companies existed (in the USA at least), operating on a shoestring. In the 60s local meant a city or State in America, in the 21st Century it seems local means a far flung bunch of like minded music nuts like me sat at a computer (not forgetting of course, in Shelly’s case, her loyal followers on the NYC live circuit). What goes round comes round?

Shelly, I wish you all the best and hope you achieve everything you want to in your musical career.

I’ve ripped a track from Shelly’s myspace page to put up here (hope you don’t mind Shelly) but as mentioned follow the links above to hear more of her work and buy her album.

Shelly Bhushan – Beautiful Me 2007

I can hear the waves gently lapping…

The weather has shown an improvement recently in our neck of the woods but we (as in the family) had already given up hope of a summer in the UK and booked a holiday in the sun a few weeks ago. We will be jetting off to, hopefully, guaranteed sun and warmth in a few days time so things will be a bit quiet around here for a couple of weeks.

In an attempt to fill the void I have put three tracks up today. All three come form Jean Carn’s eponymous 1976 debut album on PIR. Jean was born Sarah Jean Perkins and became Jean Carn when she married the Jazz pianist Doug Carn. Later in her career she added an ‘e’ to her surname although I’m not sure why. By this time I think her and Doug and parted company so maybe this was the reason.


Since her first solo album Jean has always been a favourite of mine, even though I admit some of her more affected jazz tinged vocals do leave me a bit cold sometimes. But if Jean’s vocal turns aren’t exactly to your taste at all times just listen to those Philly arrangements. In 1976 the Philly crew were turning on the sophistication big time.

“You Are All I Need” is the lead track here, and I think it’s stunning. It came to mind initially as the title was a good fit for a post I was considering doing surrounding bubblegum cards of all things. But then I had a sudden flash of memory and the title seemed no longer appropriate – what am I on about? I’ll tell you some other time, and when I have hopefully confirmed my memory wasn’t playing tricks on me.

But anyway, once “You Are All I Need” was spinning around in my head it needed to be posted. On playing it again for the first time in a while is suddenly struck me that the intro is reminiscent of, although predates, MFSB’s “Mysteries Of The World”. That’ll be Dexter Wansel at the controls.

“You Are All I Need” was the B side of “If You Wanna Go Back” which was Jean Carn’s second UK single. That makes it a real quality double header. I’ve put the album track up here because you get an extra minute or so.

And for good measure I’ve included another track form the album a McFadden/Whitehead/Life/Huff penned, Bobby Martin arranged number. The Philly guns were really blazing on this album.








Right, now where are my sunglasses?, Factor 20 OK? Do these trunks still fit?…

Jean Carn – You Are All I Need 1976
Jean Carn – If You Wanna Go Back (1976
Jean Carn – Don’t You Know Love When You See It 1976

Randomizing

I hope you'll forgive me (of course you will), the inclination to spend time putting together a post has deserted me over the last few days. In truth when not in work I’ve been busy taking advantage of the sunshine that has finally visited these shores. If you are from the UK I know you will understand.

Enjoyed a very laid back weekend. The whole family whiled away a pleasant couple of hours in a local wine bar on Saturday. Our children are now in more advanced teenage years and going out as a family is becoming a rare event. We sort of all ended up in the same place after separate local appointments. The impromptu gatherings are often the best. The olds shared a bottle of wine and some feta and olives while the kids (I’ll still call them that) had Smoothies and played Jenga. Quite like old times. Then our daughter drove us all home with our son sat in front and the two of us sat in the back and in fact you realise how fast they are growing up.

Sunday, here, could be described as the only genuine summer’s day we have had so far this year – sunny AND hot (now it’s back to an Autumnal feel). Sat in the garden and did very little. The soundtrack to part of this day was Benji B in The Basement on BBC Radio1Xtra. It has to be the best two hours of music I’ve listened to on the radio in a very long time. The show is available on listen again until the weekend, you need to hear this show.

Here is a random bit of vinyl to go with my random scribblings, a group that needs no introduction I’m sure – which is perfect because in truth I’m feeling too laid back and lazy to write anything about it.

I’ll let the music speak for itself (sorry about the pops at the beginning).

Kool And The Gang – Light Of Worlds 1974

Buy Light Of Worlds

Unconventional reggae

This is a desperate attempt to kick start the summer here in the UK. For two days running now there has been a strange orange ball in the sky – yes the sun is out! - so I’ve quickly thrown some reggae on the turntable and turned the volume UP. This act is akin to throwing some more kindling on the fire in an attempt to keep it going or, in the case of this damp squib of a UK summer, to get it to burst into life and WARM UP!

In their relatively brief existence The Royal Rasses served up their own brand of reggae. The Rasses were led by Prince Lincoln Thompson who had been active on the reggae scene since the 60s, including on and off collaborations with Cedric Myton of Congos fame, who was probably singing backing vocals on “Unconventional People”. Their sound was a sweetly unique blend of roots, lover’s rock, a hint of soul, and a dash of disco, and featured Prince Lincoln’s soaring and swooping falsetto voice. The arrangements, instrumentation, and lyrics appeared to make them more than just another reggae band and took them into crossover territory. This was the late 70s and the mighty Bob Marley had crossed over big time. Could Prince Lincoln Thompson and his Rasses be the next Marley? Signed to London based Ballistic Records their first album “Humanity” and the 12” singles they spawned - “Unconventional People” and “San Salvador”/”Old Time Friends” - received a fair amount of marketing push. But to no avail. The Rasses continued for a handful of albums in a somewhat unconventional reggae style, and also remained underground. Marley proved to by very much his own phenomenon. In the end, perhaps, The Rasses fell between two (even three) stools, too sweet for the roots audience, not sweet enough for the lover’s rock audience, and as for the previously traditional (staid?) pop/rock white audience after gorging on Marley and his Wailers that proved to be all they ever needed at the reggae table.

The B side of this 12” is an instrumental version (that’s a dub then? Well it’s called a rhythm not a dub, and in true Royal Rasses style it is in truth a bit sweeter than a dub). I will put this up instead of the A side in a while.

I think “Humanity” was issued on a CD in 2001 but can’t find it for sale anywhere at the moment. You can find some of the later albums on CD, for example “True Experience”.

The Royal Rasses – Unconventional People 1978
The Royal Rasses – Unconventional Rhythm 1978

Secret agents double-E soul

Eddie & Ernie – who? If the name is unfamiliar, and, moreover, you hail from the UK and are of a certain age, the chances are a lesser known 70s comedy double act would spring to mind; perhaps one that had never broken out of the working men’s club circuit. After all, we had the sublime Morecambe & Wise (Eric & Ernie) and the ridiculous(ly unfunny) Little & Large (Syd & Eddie) back then. So were Eddie & Ernie some desperate whippersnappers trying to follow in those comedy giants (well, at least Eric & Ernie were) footsteps? Or perhaps, after Eric Morecambe’s tragically early death, did Ernie Wise suggest to Eddie Large that Syd was a wet blanket, and wasn’t it time he ditched him in favour of working with a more accomplished straight man?

Of course you would be way off beam if any of those thoughts ran through your mind. Because, in fact, Eddie & Ernie can probably lay claim to being one of soul music’s best kept secrets. William Edgar Campbell and Ernest Johnson formed as a duo in the early 60s and their first release was credited as Ernie & Eddie. During the remainder of the 60s and into early 70s they released around 20 singles on various labels, most notably Eastern and Revue. Some of the releases were the same sides released on different labels. For example “Time Waits For No One”, their only real hit in its Eastern incarnation, had three separate releases, as did “Found A Love, Where It's At / Self Service”. They also released a few singles as solo artists and recorded as The New Bloods and The Sliding Doors in that time. Most of their output can truly be held up as classic examples of high quality soul music. Eddie & Ernie’s voices were beautifully matched, and their strongest songs came over as an effortlessly perfect mix of sweet and deep soul styles, boasting understated but catchy arrangements. Furthermore they seemed equally at home with both uptempo and slow numbers.

It was only a few years ago that I first became aware of their existence. I’m a bit vague now on the exact circumstances. I think I just stumbled across one of their singles whilst trawling eBay one evening (as you do) – Eddie & Ernie? that’s a vaguely amusing name, cue thoughts of Morecambe & Wise etc (see above), let’s find out a bit more about them, you know how it goes I’m sure.

I think it was subsequent to this that I learnt that the late great DJ John Peel had no less than three Eddie & Ernie singles in his now much talked about “special box”. Only two other acts had greater representation in that box – Charlie Feathers with five singles, and The White Stripes/Jack White with no less than twelve singles nestling in the hallowed collection, which must surely have been the result of a then current fixation of Peel’s. It’s funny, many people think that Peel was purely a champion for everything independent, alternative and "out there" at the outer edges of rock music, but of course his love of music extended much wider and he clearly loved and played plenty of soul music, much of it of the deep variety, and lots of reggae too. In fact, of 142 records in the “special box”, by my reckoning there were no less than 17 out and out soul/r&b records in there, which is a sizeable percentage. Eddie & Ernie’s “I’m Gonna Always Love You” (the B side of “Outcast”) was one of those records and it was actually played on UK television – it was one of those “yes!” moments for me - featured in a program about the box broadcast a year or so ago (if memory serves me correctly it was played over footage of Peel’s wedding to Shiela “The Pig” – was it actually played at their wedding, or was it chosen simply as an appropriate record for that point in the program? – can’t remember). How did Peel first come across Eddie & Ernie, I wonder? Were they a recent discovery for him also, or had he been in on the secret for a long time? The latter I suspect. I seem to remember reading somewhere that he was a lover of deep southern soul and was acquainted with John Anderson at the legendary Soul Bowl record outlet, certainly they both resided in East Anglia, and probably that’s where he picked up a lot of his soul singles.

Finally, in recent years, the secret that was Eddie & Ernie is getting out of the bag. First the late Dave Godin featured a number of their tracks on his Deep Soul Treasures series of CD’s, and then in 2002, together with the folks at Ace Records, finally issued a CD made up entirely of their material including some previously unreleased. You can read more about how that CD finally came to be issued here and buy “Lost Friends” here.

I’m featuring here three Eddie & Ernie singles I’ve picked up recently, two of which happen to correspond (not the same copies you understand!) to ones that were found in John Peel’s box.

I’m glad I’m in on the secret, you get in on it too.

Eddie & Ernie – I’m Going For Myself 1965
Eddie & Ernie – Outcast 1965
Eddie & Ernie – Time Waits For No One 1964

Javan Dawn

Where did that week go? I’m finding it difficult to find enough time to put much together here right now. This post is therefore going to be short but, I hope you will agree, has a sweet end.

I’m decorating my son’s bedroom at the moment. I always play CDs when I’m decorating and as a result each room for me ends up with a permanent association to a particular selection of music. Going back a few years now, our bedroom is linked to Blur’s 13 and old John Peel program mix tapes. A couple of years ago our daughter’s bedroom got the treatment to a vinyl selection (the turntable was in close proximity at the time) including Peoples Choice “We Got The Rhythm”, various Earth, Wind & Fire albums, and Gil Scott Heron. Last year it was the lounge’s turn and lots of Reggae, Joan Osborne’s “Relish”, and Stevie Wonder’s “Innervisions” spring to mind.

Last time I decorated my son’s bedroom I was left with the lasting impression of Miles Davis' “Kind Of Blue”. As it happens kind of blue is the colour theme this time round for Ben’s room. As I slap on the Javan Dawn (a sort of deep turquoise – coincidentally very similar to the colour of the paint I had on my bedroom wall as a teenager) so far it’s been The Bees “Octopus”, Bjork’s “Vespertine”, The Be Good Tanyas “Hello Love”, and some of my mix CDs. And Terry Callier’s “Holdin’ On” was on one of those mix CDs yesterday and I thought that would be a good track to drop on here.

In an interview Terry did a few years ago he said this track was deemed too political for airplay! – oh dear, the roots of PC.

“Holdin’ On” is from the 1978 album “Fire On Ice” which was reissued on CD a few years ago and you could buy it here.

Terry Callier – Holding On (To Your Love) 1978