Various Artists - Backbeats: Jazzy Vibes (2010)

Disc number 20 in the Backbeats series of compilations. Despite the disc's subtitle - Soulful Jazz Licks From The 70s - there isn't much jazz here and the tracks aren't all from the '70s, but when the music's good, who cares? Several unfamiliar names are on this track list, which probably means I'll be down a few rabbit holes checking out back catalogs soon (which I suppose is the intent of a sampler such as this).

So if it's not jazz, what is it? Well, I'd allow the vague term "jazz crossover" but it's really a mixed bag of disco, fusion, funk, but mainly instrumental Philly soul music. Reminds me a lot of Blue Note's Blue Series (particularly the Capitol Rare: Funky Notes From The West Coast discs), which can't be a bad thing. Not coincidentally, some of the Blue Series discs and this Backbeats disc were both compiled by Dean Rudland. No personnel credits in the liner notes, so I'm forced to hunt those down on my own.

The compilation starts off enjoyable enough, but things really get cooking with a sublime cover of Killing Me Softly at track 7, followed by a smokin' Lionel Hampton cover of Them Changes. Then you get to 4 consecutive tracks originally on the appropriately named Groove Merchant label and things coast on the good groove for a while. One of those discs that rewards repeated listenings.

Tracks (16 tracks, 76 minutes):

1. Sneaky Return by Michael Pedicin, Jr.
   Taken from the album Michael Pedicin Jr. (1979, Phil. Intl.).
2. In Good Faith by Norman Harris.
   Taken from the album The Harris Machine (1980, Phil. Intl.).
3. Latin Spirit by Leon Huff.
   Taken from the album Here To Create Music (1980, Phil. Intl.).
4. Trade Winds by Lou Rawls.
   Taken from the album When You Hear Lou, You've Heard It All (1977, Phil. Intl.).
5. Latin Love (Let Me Know) by Dexter Wansel.
   Taken from the album Voyager (1978, Phil. Intl.).
6. Metamorphosis by MFSB.
   Taken from the album Mysteries Of The World (1980, Phil. Intl.).
7. Killing Me Softly by Hysear Don Walker.
   Taken from the album Complete Expressions (Vol. 2) (1973, Brunswick).
8. Them Changes by Lionel Hampton.
   Taken the from the album Them Changes (1972, Brunswick).
9. Out On The Coast by Larry Willis.
   Taken from the album Inner Crisis (1973, Groove Merchant).
10. Cisco Kid by Reuben Wilson.
    Taken from the album Cisco Kid (1973, Groove Merchant).
11. Red Beans by Jimmy McGriff.
    Taken from the album Red Beans (1976, Groove Merchant).
12. Like A Thief In The Night by Michael Longo.
    Taken from the album 900 Shares Of The Blues (1974, Groove Merchant).
13. What The World Is Coming To by Dexter Wansel.
    Taken from the album What The World Is Coming To (1977, Phil. Intl.)
14. Is It Something I Said by MFSB.
    Taken from the album MFSB, The Gamble-Huff Orchestra (1978, Phil. Intl.)
15. Killin' Time by Natural Essence.
    Taken from the album In Search Of Happiness (1973, Fantasy)
16. Give Me Your Love by Funk, Inc.
    Taken from the album Hangin' Out (1973, Prestige)

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Previously revisited for the blog:
Volume 31: Dance Floor Revolution (2013)
Volume 3: Philly Disco (2009)

Various Artists - Backbeats: Dance Floor Revolution (2013)

UK Import

Backbeats is a compilation series coming out of the UK on the Harmless label. Faithful readers know of my love for Rhino compilations, but they face some stiff competition from this series. This disc is subtitled "70s Modern Soul Stunners" and that's mostly true. The liner notes state that this album was "conceived and compiled with love" by legendary Northern Soul DJ Ian Dewhirst. Many of the tracks were originally released on the Buddah label. 23 tracks over almost 80 minutes, so hold on tight:

Tracks:

• Happy Feelin' - Earth, Wind & Fire (1975)
  Any '70s EW&F is good EW&F. Yeah, I'm feelin' happy.
• Once I've Been There - Norman Conners (1976, #16 R&B, #30 dance)
  Classic Philly soul/disco complete with disco strings, wah-wah guitar, and falsetto vocals from songwriter Phillip Mitchell.
• Her Mr Melody Maker - Johnnie Taylor (1978)
  This song is a waste of Taylor's wonderfully soulful voice. Still, it's a nice disco tune in the same vein as what Barry White was doing with the Love Unlimited Orchestra around the same time.
• Are You Ready For This - The Brothers (1974)
  A very danceable instrumental, heavy on the hi-hat. The Brothers were originally from Mauritius, but there's not even a hint of island sounds on this one.
• I Couldn't Believe It - David Ruffin & Eddie Kendricks (1987, #14 R&B, #48 AC)
  Former members of The Temptations singing a late '80s shuffle over a drum machine. Definitely of its time, it's a catchy song, just out of place on this disc.
• Love Don't Come No Stronger - Jeff Perry (aka Jeffree) (1975, #19 R&B)
  Another shuffle, this one slightly better than the previous track. Catchy chorus, but it's not driving me to the dance floor like the other tracks.
• Am I Cold, Am I Hot - Bill Harris (1975)
  A hidden gem! A great disco single with which I was previously unfamiliar. Written by Van McCoy (The Hustle), this is one of the highlights of this compilations.
• Keep On Trying - LTG Exchange (1974)
  While I can appreciate the attempts at incorporating all the rhythms and sounds of disco, funk, and salsa, the group just isn't talented enough to pull it off.
• What About My Love - Damaris (1983)
  This has a definite '80s sound to it and is a little slow to be included here, but I'll be doggone if it isn't one of the better songs here.
• I'm In Need Of Love - Lou Courtney (1974)
  A great funk tune that has just the right touch of disco. I wonder why I've never heard of Courtney before; he's got a spectacular voice.
• Make Me Believe In You - Patti Jo (1973)
  When I first heard this, I thought it sounded a lot like Curtis Mayfield's Superfly and then I looked to see who wrote this song. You guessed it: Mayfield. Still, I like Superfly, so this one's good, too.
• Talkin' 'bout Poor Folks Thinkin' 'bout My Folks - Lou Edwards & Today's People (1972)
  This one is more Stax-influenced R&B than any other song on the disc. I like it. Bonus points for including a record 4 apostrophes in the title.
• Didn't Say A Word - Patti Austin (1971)
  For an obscure b-side, this is awesome. I guess awesome obscure b-sides are what Northern Soul was all about. With a chord progression lifted straight from the James Bond theme, this sounds like a Supremes tune to me.
• This Time Around - S.O.U.L. (1973)
  Sort of a smooth cross between Al Green and Marvin Gaye. I was unfamiliar with this Cleveland-based group. According to the interwebs, S.O.U.L. stands for Sounds Of Unity and Love
• Lead Me On - Gwen McRae (1970, #32 R&B)
  This bluesy minor key song isn't doing much for me.
• I'm Hopelessly In Love With You - The Modulations (1975)
  If I had been married in 1975, this would have been the song played for the newlywed dance. Good stuff.
• Get Out Of My Life - Sharon McMahan (1973)
  How have I never heard of Sharon McMahan until now?!? Wow, what a voice! Another one of the disc's top tracks.
• You Made A Believer Out Of Me - Betty Lavette (1975)
  The rare disco tune that actually needs more hi-hat.
• Ripe For The Pickin' - The Trumains (1977)
  I like the groove of this one. Ignore the bizarre guitar solo and this is a good tune.
• Funny How We Changed Places - Debra Anderson (1974)
  Now we're back to full-on disco and I love it. We had a lot more flute solos in disco tunes, didn't we?
• Lady In Red - Ronnie Dyson (1975)
  I'm digging this one, too. Reminds me of Carl Carlton's version of Everlasting Love. I like the way the female background vocals play off Dyson's pleading lead and the atypical syncopated disco drum part.
• Can We Share It - Rick Shephard (1975)
  A run-of-the-mill disco track. Nothing horrible, nothing outstanding.
• Home Is Where The Heart Is - Bobby Womack (1976)
  All the goodness you'd expect from mid-70s Womack. Spoken word intro, breakdown section, and funky clavinet part. Perfect way to wrap up this joint.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Various Artists - Backbeats: Philly Disco (2009)

UK Import

Backbeats is a compilation series coming out of the UK on the Harmless label. This disc is subtitled "70s Dance Floor Anthems from the City of Brotherly Love" and was "conceived and compiled with love" by legendary Northern Soul DJ Ian Dewhirst. All tracks were originally released on Philadelphia International Records. Many of these tracks are the extended 12" mixes or the longer album cuts, so we've only got 12 tracks but the CD is almost 80 minutes long. Like most disco tracks, you're not listening for lyrical insights, you're listening because you wanna boogie.

Tracks:

• Let's Groove (Album Version) - Archie Bell & the Drells (#3 dance, #7 R&B, 1976)
  A great way to start off this dance party. This has a Kool & the Gang/Earth, Wind & Fire groove to it. Great bass work by Raymond Earl.
• Breaking And Entering (Album Version) - Dee Dee Sharp-Gamble (#1 dance, 1980)
  A fantastic dance groove with staccato horn punches and a funky, ascending bass line that wouldn't be out of place on MJ's Off The Wall album. The bass drum is "four on the floor" but everything else about this arrangement is syncopated. Also included is a breakdown section with synthesized siren noises.
• Only You (12" Mix) - Teddy Pendergrass (#29 dance, 1978)
  "You got you got you got what I need" are words familiar to anybody that grew up listening to Eddie Murphy's Delirious album and here's the song he got 'em from. There will never be another voice to rival Pendergrass, but what catches my ear on this one are the slick horn lines/sax solos.
• If You Wanna Go Back (Album Version) - Jean Carn (#18 dance, 1977)
  A familiar Gamble/Huff groove that's immediately recognizable, but there's not much to this one other than a catchy chorus.
• Don't Leave Me This Way (12" Mix) - Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes (did not chart, 1975)
  Bonus Pendergrass! While the Thelma Houston cover was the big pop hit in 1977, this is the original and it's got just as much energy and more soulfulness.  But when the material is this good, it doesn't matter who's doing it.  On this version, I'm digging the electric piano work and that bass line - man-oh-man that bass line.  All of this good stuff supports the pleading from Pendergrass (you can tell he really doesn't want to be left). At eleven minutes, this is the longest cut on the disc.
• I Love Music (12" Mix) - The O'Jays (#1 dance, #1 R&B, 1975)
  It's almost too much to take it all at once: all three O'Jays singing energetically, the string section soaring, and MFSB going to town on that Gamble/Huff vamp driven by smooth-as-silk hi-hat work. By the time the guitar solos come in, I'm already at overload. At that point, there's nothing to do but keep dancing.
• Summertime And I'm Feeling Mellow (Album Version) - MFSB (#14 dance, 1976)
  A driving tune with some great string and horn parts over a Latin beat. "It's summer! Come on out and dance!" Indeed.
• You Can't Hide From Yourself (Album Version) - Teddy Pendergrass (#7 dance, 1977)
  More soulfulness from Teddy. Nice bass line, but the Clavinet and horns steal the show for me.
• Jam Jam Jam (All Night Long) (Album Version) - People's Choice (did not chart, 1979)
  I imagine this one infectious song would work better in the clubs than on the radio. Reminds me a lot of the breakdown section of Disco Inferno. Ironic that a song titled All Night Long would be the shortest track on the disc, no?
• Was That All It Was (12" Mix) - Jean Carn (#22 dance, 1979)
  While I'd pick Don't Leave Me This Way as my favorite track on this disc, it faces stiff competition from this gem. I love the restrained verse's bass line and just as I'm grooving on that, the strings kick in and they kick it up a notch for the chorus. The horn and string arrangements are so perfect you hardly notice them (if that makes any sense). Carn has a spectacular voice and it's a crime that I never heard of her until recently.
• Bring The Family Back (12" Mix) - Billy Paul (did not chart, 1979)
  This one cops the chord changes and feel of Lou Rawl's You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine, adds some hand claps and strings, and preaches to us about the breakdown of the traditional family unit. The chorus is catchy as all get-out and saves an otherwise mediocre song. However, Billy Paul brings it strong like always.
• Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now (12" Mix) - McFadden & Whitehead (#10 dance, #1 R&B, 1979)
  I remember dancing to this one in the jr high gym. I can't find any fault with any of it: the great string part floating above a funky bass line played by Jimmy Williams backed up with vocals from The Sweethearts of Sigma. Immediately recognizable, immediately danceable, immediately classic. "Don't wanna stop, please don't make me stop!"

And now I'm completely spent from 80 minutes of dancing.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Previously revisited for the blog:
Dance Floor Revolution (2013)