The Feel it Advent-ure 2021: Door 11

A car boot find from earlier in the year. This is only the second time I have found a record on the Amalgamated label. You can read about my previous Amalgamated find, from 11 years ago (almost to the day!), here. So this time I knew for sure what I was looking at – a reggae single from the golden age, my heart leapt, and I knew it was probably one that was worth a few bob. It was almost the last I came to a whole stack of mostly mundane 60s and 70s pop 45s, and it was the only reggae record in the stack. I wasn't the first to the booter but got the impression I was the first to look through this stack of singles. It seems albums are more of a draw for the diggers, especially at this particular booter, and you have to be more hard core to look through a whole stack of unpromising looking singles many of which were sleeveless. My dedication to the cause payed off. As you can see in the picture there are the usual condition issues that come with the territory, but who cares.

As was the case with many reggae and ska records from the 60s the lyrics are, shall we say, more than a little fruity. Sometimes the Jamaican patois needs some deciphering, but in this case we are soon left in no doubt about the Soul Sisters wishes. If you are easily offended I suggest you don't click play!

TheSoul Sisters – Wreck A Buddy 1969

(Apparently the title is patois for bang a body).

The Feel It Advent-ure 2021: Door 10

You may lose control of your limbs to this one. Be sure to push the kitchen table and chairs well off to one side :)

The Orlons - Not Me  1963

The Feel It Advent-ure 2021: Door 9

Here is a very recent addition to my collection: Al Greene using his real surname on a very early release of his - his third 45 to be precise. The label Hot Line Music Journal was based in Grand Rapids, Michigan where Al Greene lived for most of his teens. It was during this time that, according to his Wikipedia entry, Al was kicked out of the family home while in his teens, after his devoutly religious father caught him listening to Jackie Wilson!

The label HLMJ only released five singles as far as I can tell, two very obscure soul releases that I think preceded Al Greene's first three singles (the first of these - Back Up Train – was a hit and was credited to Al Greene and the Soulmates). These singles were released about a year before he met Willie Mitchell and joined the Hi Records roster. Willie dropped the e from the end of his name and, as we say, the rest is history.

I really like both sides of this 45.

Al Greene – A Lover's Hideaway 1968

Al Greene – I'll Be Good To You 1968

The Feel It Advent-ure 2021: Door 8

A recent charity shop pull tonight. Not a valuable record but a rare find inasmuch as I find hardly any reggae in chazzas beyond Ken Boothe and Judge Dread it seems. The label initially alerted me – Germain marked it out as reggae, but I wasn't sure how far back it went. Then I noticed the artist – Audrey Hall. I only knew her from 80s output and beyond, so then I wasn't expecting much as reggae output lost most of its appeal to me beyond about 1983. But it was only 49p so no need for procrastination.

Turns out the label was started by Donovon Germain in 1978, and Audrey Hall goes as far back as the 60s, starting out as a duo with Dandy Livingstone (every day's a school day!).

This single does date to the mid 80s – 1985 to be precise – the A side is pleasant enough but I am very taken by the B side. There are some pops and clicks but, hey it's a reggae single, of course there will be pops and clicks! 49p well spent, in any event.

Audrey Hall – Eight Little Notes 1985

The Feel It Advent-ure 2021: Door 7

Poetry? Monologue? Spoken word? Call it what you want but it packs a punch.

Wanda Robinson made one album in 1971 – Black Ivory – a spoken word tour de force from a strong black woman, with some wonderful backing tracks. Very much of its time. Perception released a follow up a year or two later with other tracks from that album's sessions. It was released without any involvement from Wanda as she had already left the music business, disillusioned. She changed her name to Laini Mataka and has subsequently had a number of books of poetry published.

This single was taken from that debut album which was named after the backing band on the album. 

Wanda Robinson – Final Hour 1971/2

The backing track of Final Hour is in fact Black Ivory's debut single Don't Turn Around (one of theirs I don't have, yet).

The Feel It Advent-ure 2021: Door 6

Feeling very tired tonight. Something mellow is in order.

I picked up three '50s UK Vogue Jazz EPs at a car boot earlier this year. All of them very nice and I am a sucker for the simple but striking Vogue label design, especially around a tri-centre.

The Chico Hamilton Quintet – The Wind 1956

 

The Feel it Advent-ure 2021: Door 5

It has taken me an awfully long time to catch up with her but I finally bought a couple of Miss LaVell 45s this year. Both looked pretty beat up but play remarkable well.

Here's one of them. A click at the beginning, but this adds to its charm I think. The track's arrangement gives it a really exotic feel and I love the soaring brass, and Miss LaVell's vocals top everything off wonderfully.

Miss LaVell – Run To You 1963

Lillia Lavell “Lavelle” White, to give her her real name, is still alive and is now 92 years young. Her recorded output runs to six singles on Duke between 1958 and 1965, and then three albums released between 1994 and 2003. Quite a gap! She has been writing and performing most of her life, and is still performing on the Texas Blues scene, though she says she's not just a blues singer, encompassing funk and soul too. She has an active Facebook page where I did read a very recent “get well” comment so I hope she is still doing OK.