Happy Holidays

Here Comes Santa Claus

Inspired by finding this 45 the other day, soulpersuasion is back from the dead. Maybe I'll even put up some new mixes in 2015. For now, enjoy the ultimate outsider Xmas funk tune.

Henry Lee Roberts

 I got this 45 off a blind buy on ebay a while back (there was no soundclip or description, but with a title like "Space Jesus Atomic Judgement [Dissolved] it wasn't that surprising that this turned out to be something interesting). I would actually venture that it's the most captivating record I've ever stumbled across this way. I'm a definite fan of outsider electro soul/funk/boogie and this is pretty much shitting over almost everything else in the subgenre. Dark, apocalyptic-sounding analog synths. Weird, shifting time signatures. Topical (to 1985), ranting lyrics about the impending end of days when Halley's Comet finally arrives. There's a lot to love here. I would follow this man onto the tail of the comet.

Listen: Halley's Comet (Dissolved)  
Listen: Space Jesus Atomic Judgement (Dissolved)

Lee Storm - Tornado (Ozark)

I bought a couple large boxes of mostly 50s and 60s country 45s at the record fair the other day. What can I say, the price was right. A lot of country and hillybilly 45s on Decca and other big labels, and some of them are nice enough in their own right, even if that isn't one of my main areas of musical interest. But I was hoping to find something unique and I think this 45 definitely fits the bill. I love the thick, dark atmosphere of this tune. An internet search turned up absolutely nada on this, so figured I would share.


Listen: Tornado

Tumbling Down

All songs recorded from original pressing 45s, reissues and boots. So there.

Link: http://www.soulpersuasion.com/mixes/tumblingdown.mp3

Little Willie John - My Nerves (King)
Byrdie Green - Tremblin' (End)
Deane Hawley - Bossman (Dore)
Big Maybelle - That's A Pretty Good Love (Savoy)
Nick Waterhouse - I Can Only Give You Everything (Il Records)
Annie Laurie - Nobody's Gonna Hurt You (Deluxe)
The Fabulous Denos - Once I Had A Love (King)
Quinn Miller - The Sea Witch (Magnet)
The Satisfactions - The Angry Desert (Radiant)
Gino Washington - Puppet On A String (Ric-Tic)
Dimples & Jackson - Love Came Tumbling Down (Gardena)
Bobby Hamilton - How Come (Apt)
Ray Charles - Unchain My Heart (ABC)
The Knight Bros. - Love (Can't You Hear Me) (Checker)
Etta James - Mellow Fellow (Argo)

It Was Always There, I Just Didn't Know It

Ray Agee - Tin Pan Alley (Shirley)
Little Willie John - My Love-Is (King)
Lorez Alexandria - Baltimore Oriole (Argo)
Ronnie Love - Chills & Fever (Dot)
Electro-Tones - Ghost Train (J-B)
Van Robinson - I Wanna Know (Top Flight)
The Robins - Truble (Push)
Sonny Patterson - Troubles (Vault)
Delilah - A Worried Feelin (Shirley)
Preston Love - Cream Dream (United)
Tarheel Slim & Little Ann - Much Too Late (Fire)
Bobby Byrd - I'm Just A Nobody (Smash)
Little Willie John - My Nerves (King)
Paula Lamont - A Beatle Meets A Ladybug (Loadstone)
Marion Black - Who Knows (Capsoul)
Nella Dodds - You Don't Love Me Anymore (Wand)
Bobby Bland - Deep In My Soul (Duke)

Live Mix From The Grow Up Party

A few weeks ago I played a set at the Grow Up party in San Francisco, at Madrone (it was actually the last time they held the party there). Randy Ellis, one of the organizers of the night, was good enough to invite me to play, and he recorded the set and spent time EQ-ing and adjusting volume levels too. Other than that the mix is what you would have heard if you had been there. A good time was had by all.

http://www.divshare.com/download/14144674-767

The Mystery Of Bobby Wright

Blood Of An American
Everyone Should Have His Day

Few records that I've found over the years have inspired as much awe, curiousity and frustration on my part as this sublimely beautiful and utterly obscure folk-soul 45 from the Bronx.


The awe part is self-explanatory, or at least should be after you've listened to the mp3s and assuming your musical tastes are somewhat in sync with my own. The curiousity and frustration stem from not being able to place Bobby Wright's musical contribution in a fuller, more meaningful context. In other words, who was/is this guy, did he ever issue any other recordings, and is there unreleased material existing somewhere in a dark corner of this earthly plane.

If so, it absolutely needs to see the light of day, so here's to hoping anyone with some knowledge to share reads this blog and is kind enough to contact me (either by posting on the blog or via email at kidinquisitive@gmail.com). I know some people who run great record labels who would almost assuredly be interested in reissuing this music. For now I thought I'd share these sounds with the very tiny sliver of humanity that reads soulpersuasion.blogspot. Also, if anyone has a clean copy of this 45 to spare (I know, fat chance), I would love to be able to upgrade my copy someday.

My guess would be that this came out sometime in the early to mid-1970s. There's a little BMI stamp on the label but researching their database yielded nothing. And the trail pretty much ends there, as far as I know. I live in California so poking around the Bronx in search of clues has not been feasible, and anyway the trail is probably pretty cold by now.

I've been meaning to write something about this record for a long while, and finally decided to do so after sitting down today with my brand new copy of Willie Wright's Telling The Truth LP, expertly researched and reissued by the Numero Group record label. Besides sharing a last name, Bobby and Willie's music are similar enough in style and temperament that drawing a connection between the two seemed somewhat obvious. You can hear snippets of Willie Wright's music at the Numero Website.

Spinning at Grow Up At Madrone On Feb. 2

If you're in San Francisco come through! I'll be playing boogie, modern soul, disco, etc

Just A Lil' Mellow Something

Well, it's been a long, long hiatus for soulpersuasion, but I'm back now and hopefully will be posting mixes again on a more regular basis. To start off 2011, here's a little mix I did featuring some mellow 70s and 80s (and 10s!) soul gems. Nothing to shatter the world but great music nonetheless, and certainly in sync with the summery nautical theme represented in the photos. To listen just click on the post title, or right click to download.



Tracklist:

O'Conner - Too Sweet To Lose
Checkmates, Ltd - All Alone By The Telephone
The Moments - Sugar Sugar
Sonya Spence - Let Love Flow On
David Simmons - Hooked On You
The Natural Four - Count On Me
The Classic Sullivans - I Don't Want To Lose You
Kings Go Forth - High On Your Love
Lowrell - Mellow, Mellow Right On
Brief Encounter - Human
Lamont Dozier - Playing For Keeps
Debow Brothers - Genuine

The Cool Heat Of The Quiet Night

I've got a new mix up entitled "The Cool Heat Of The Quiet Night", which is being hosted at the excellent site www.lovefingers.org. Check it out!

Site Specific: More 45 Treats From The Bay Area

Here's a little follow up to my The Bay Is Deep mix from last year. Whether we're talking funk, northern soul, r&b, spiritual jazz, modern soul or vocal jazz (all of which this mix touches on), the Bay does it right (if not a little bit different).

Link: http://rapidshare.com/files/336345337/sitespecific.mp3

H. Andrews Congregation - Chitlin Circuit (Balance)
Lenny Williams - I Couldn't Find Nobody (Fantasy)
Carl Robinson & Kali - Front Row Seat (Sunset)
Roland Hayes - Africa The Beautiful (Reynolds)
Victor Green - How To Love A Woman (Big Vick)
Delilah - A Worried Feelin (Shirley)
9th Creation - Skin It Back (Clarama)
Coke Escovedo (feat. Linda Tillery) - Make It Sweet (Mercury)
Marlon - Cruisin (First Productions)
Jeanie Tracy - Making New Friends (Brown Door)
Skye - Ain't No Need (Anada)
Silk & Satin - You Got To Be The One (Hamilton)
Uptights Band - Mirrors Don't Ever Lie (Uptight)
Steve Parks - Still Thinking Of You (Reynolds)
Abraham Battat - Listen Baby (Magnum)

Heavy Days 2

Heavy Days 2

Track list:
Doris & Kelley – You Don’t Have To Worry
Buelah Palmer – I Cried Daddy Daddy
Chuck Armstrong –I’m A Lonely Man
Sly & The Family Stone – Underdog
Willie Gresham & The Free Food Ticket – I Cried Boo Hoo
Roger & The Human Body – Freedom
East St. Louis Gospelettes – Have A Talk With God
Headhunters – Don’t Kill Your Feelings
Harold – Shortage Of Love
Kenny James – Hell In New York City
Pin Points – Don’t Cry
Pookie Hudson – This Song Will Last Forever

Step Into The Night

Step Into The Night

Dirt In The Keytar

And now for a little peak into my boogie and modern soul collection, left-field style. Hats off to all the DJs who can mix flawlessly, because I sure can't. But anyway, I'm kind of happy with how this came out, minus a couple rough patches. To listen, just click on the title. Oh, and if the tracklist is a little too small to read, just click on it and it will make it a bit larger.

The Bay Is Deep

My home for the last half-dozen years, the Bay Area, produced a seemingly bottomless pool of amazing music in the 60s and 70s (and before and after of course, but that is the era this mix covers). I've already shared some of my favorite local sides on previous mixes (and sold piles of other great local records over the years - the downside to selling records for a living), but even picking out 20 or so tunes for this mix from my collection turned out to be a challenge. All records are original pressings except for the Inticers, which I used a reissue of, but I have owned that record in the past (twice!) so it's all good.

Without further ado, here it is: The Bay Is Deep

Tracklist:

Little Ronnie & The Chromatics- What A Day This Has Been (HLS)
Marvin Holmes - Early Bird (Salwa)
Wylie Trass & Soul Explosion - Since You Been Gone (Pashlo)
Camille La Vah - O Johnny (Wax)
Whispers - Great Day (Soul Clock)
The Natural Four - Going In Circles (ABC)
Burton & Company - Peaceful Coexistance (MoLove)
Soul Sensations - When I Had You, Baby (Music City)
Sonny Anderson & Prince Conley - Love & Laughter (Emerson)
Eugene Blacknell - The Trip (Boola Boola)
Dawn & Sunset - What It Is (DT&V)
Quintessents - Image Of A Man (Vibra)
The Right Kind - Why Do You Have To Lie (Galaxy)
Victor Green - Poincianna (Circle M)
Emmett Kennedy & The Burners - I Got It Real Bad (CLIMS)
The Magicians - Keep Your Hands Off My Baby (Villa)
The Inticers - Since You Left (reissue)
The Savonics - I Had A Girl (MTA)
Little Ronnie & The Chromatics - Speak What's On Your Mind (HLS)

Take Me To Paradise

A new year and time for a new mix. Here are some long-time favorites in a mostly late 60s northern soul style (most of these ended up being from the Bay Area and Chicago, though I didn't plan it that way - go figure). Click on the main title to listen (right click and "Save Link As" to download).

The Quintessents - Movin' On (Vibra)
Claude "Baby" Huey - Drifting (M.I.O.B.)
The Four Sonics Plus One - Tell Me You're Mine (Sepia)
The Invincibles - It's That Love Of Mine (WB)
Othello Robertson - So In Luv (Baby Luv)
Ethics - Look At Me Now (Vent)
The Ballads - I Can't See Your Love (Wee)
Bobby McNutt - I'm Gettin' Ready (Roulette)
Wilson Love - Funny Money (Natural Soul)
The Topics - Try A Little Love (Heavy Duty)
Royal Jesters - My Kind Of Woman (Optimum)
Bobby Sansom - Don't Leave (Sublime)
Cicero Blake - You're Gonna Be Sorry (Mar-V-Lus)
Billy McGregor - Mr. Shy (Flash)
Tenison Stephens - Where Would You Be (Aries)
The Brother's Two - Hoping (Jonah)
Brothers Of Soul - Come On Back (Boo)
The Cheers - Take Me To Paradise (Okeh)
Chi-Lites - The Twelfth Of Never (Brunswick)

Barely-Keepin'-The-Lights-On-Soul

Five recent 45 finds that have made my world a little brighter...


Kal feat. Mr. Tee - Whistle Song
Crudely recorded but super catchy Detroit modern soul with unorthodox vocal phrasing that seals the deal. And of course the whistling...



Page Three - The Love We Had
Knew about this 45 from the flipside, which appears on a well-regarded mix by the one Justin Torres. Pleasant surprise to learn that the flipside is high quality too.



Victor Green - How To Love A Woman Pt. 2
Wow. I love finding these ultra-low-rent local funk 45s. "Are you relaxed?"



Kansas City Melody-Aires - Don't Let It Be Too Late
I've been turning up tons of gospel 45s lately and this is one of the cooler ones. Funky gospel soul that starts(!)with a flute solo.


Love Co. Inc. - Fiesta
Scarcely known (if at all) instrumental winner out of Alabama. Kind of a blend of 70s style funk and early 80s boogie. The flip is a lovely modern tune...

PR_V_T_ M_ND G_RD_N

This mix takes more of a kitchen sink approach compared to the mixes I've posted previously. The common thread being that most of the songs used were self-released by the artists themselves, hence the name of the mix (Private Mind Garden, in case you had trouble filling in the blanks.) Also, I bought most of these on a recent trip to Texas for the Austin Record Convention, so this is kind of my way of processing some of the music that was consumed on that voyage. Much respect to Rich/Rockadelic and Dave at Friends Of Sounds, which is where most of these records came from. I don't think anyone will like every song on here (except me) and everyone should find at least something that moves them. If not, sorry for wasting your time.

The songs are recorded as individual tracks by the way, if anyone has trouble downloading just give me a holler. This hi-tech stuff is pretty new to me.
Part One
Part Two



Here's the tracklisting:
Part 1
Park Peters - The Silence Of The One O'Clock Hour
Pierre Akendengue - Ogowe
Band X - Picking Mushrooms With Rabbit
Stouder & Kline - Canada
Carrie Cleveland - Love Will Set You Free
Van Havel & Vaughn - September Song
Mark Thompson - Open Windows Empty Rooms (Reprise)
Twilight - Pains Of Love
Glenn Phillips - Guruvir

Part 2
Kim Holloway - If You Haven't Seen The Rain
(from the Ain't Got Time To Lose album, made by Oklahoma prisoners)
Guy Randle - Mercy
Park Peters - For Two
Band X - Afterthought
Eastham Band (Texas Prison Rodeo) - I Can't Get Over Losing You
Fred Rothert - Treasure Hunting
Juan De Granada - First Movement Of The Moonlight Sonata
Pin Points - Rainbow Smiles