Deryl Barnett The Gospel Soul of the Saxophone and the Evangelist Temple Inspirational Youth Choir Savoy 1977

Deryl Barnett The Gospel Soul of the Saxophone and the Evangelist Temple Inspirational Youth Choir Savoy 1977 CAT# Savy 14428

Deryl Barnett is a native Kansas City saxophone player who grew up in the church as his father was a Reverend. This album was recorded live in KC and put out by the Savoy record label. Savoy is a rather diverse label and put out numerous quality gospel LPs as well as a host of jazz releases.

This album is centered around Barnett's soulful saxophone. It flirts with jazz, but he basically runs soulful lines throughout numerous gospel songs. The Evangelist Temple Inspirational Youth Choir takes a back seat to Barnett throughout the LP, but when they're featured, it's in the best parts of the album.

Appears this is really the only thing Barnett released. Although, who knows, maybe there are some locally pressed 45s and the like, but it does appear this LP is about it. Which is odd. You'd think releasing a saxophone LP on the Savoy label would lead to some other recordings, whether it be as a front man are part of a group, but the dude just dropped this LP and must have went onto to concentrate on God's work.

Danny Cox Feel So Good Casablanca 1974

Danny Cox Feel So Good Casablanca 1974 CAT# NBLP 7008

Danny Cox was a KC transplant, brought to the city after teaming up with Good Karma management in KC. His early work is primarily as a folk artist with a soulful voice and a steady acoustic guitar. This LP found him on the Casablanca label, known for their over the top production of both rock and disco artists.

For what could have turned into an absolute disaster, Cox turned in a decent album of some original tunes. Reviewing his past releases, you can sense that his label tipped the tracks into the soul/disco realm, but Cox isn't completely drowned out. There is still a sense of his roots throughout the album and some of the funk elements add to the LP.

It has become is best known LP as it had some promotion behind it and fit in well with it's times. It's a dance album and has a lot of groove. It wasn't enough of a success to continue on the Casablanca label, but it was a worthy attempt at finding a larger audience.

Hot Down In Chile

Oleta Adams Going On Record Private 1983

Oleta Adams Going On Record Private 1983 CAT #SRK13367

Oleta Adams was not a native to Kansas City as she spent her youth in/near Yakima, Washington. In the 1970's, she took her vocals to Los Angeles where she was reportedly met with failure. Per the advice of her signing coach, she moved to Kansas City in the 1980's and started to perform locally. Sounds like a shit idea, but amazingly, it worked.

While in KC, she self-financed two full length albums (one of which may be demo only), this being the one readily available. The LP was met with some local success, but did little to advance her career as a singer reaching outside of Kansas City. Going on Record is a well-done live LP recorded at the Music Hall in 1983. All but one of the tracks were written by Oleta and are fairly strong mid-80s soul. It'd fall into the modern soul and boogie scene, but the live recording keeps it from being anything someone would spin as a DJ. People want studio jams on the dance floor. Still, despite no slick studio production, the LP is an enjoyable listen showcasing a talented singer, pianist and songwriter.

The crazy part of Oleta's story is her eventual discovery and success. In 1985 she was discovered by Tears For Fears while performing as a singer and pianist in a hotel bar. Two years after seeing and meeting her, Tears For Fears invited her to perform on their album, The Seeds of Love. The song "Women in Chains" by Tears For Fears featured her in a duet (and Phil Collins on drums). It was a hit. She toured with Tears For Fears in 1990 as the opening act and a member of their stage group.

The success with Tears For Fears led her to a contract with Fontana. She had a fair amount of success as a solo artist throughout the early 90s. Becoming very successful in England and breaking into the U.S. with a Grammy nominated cover of Brenda Russell's "Get Here", which was a top 5 single in the early 90s. Of note, many of the songs featured here on Going on Record were later re-recorded for her major label albums.

Oleta Live with Tears For Fears

Various Artists Eccentric Soul: Smart's Palace Numero Group 2009

Various Artists Eccentric Soul: Smart's Palace Numero Group 2009 CAT# 27

This is a Numero compilation highlighting Wichita Kansas' Smart Brothers along with the artists that played with them at their Wichita, KS club.

The story is pretty surprising and not very well known. Wichita, Kansas soul scene is so obscure the 7"s that are connected to Smart's Palace aren't out of reach for collectors. If found, they bring in around $20, with maybe a few of the dance floor burners edging the $50 range.

The music here is raw. This isn't uptown soul, this isn't even roots driven Southern soul, soul sides. It's working class with tracks that range from the 60's into the 70's. The music changes with the decade and time they were recorded in, however, even the obvious 70s track never get smooth, the music stays raw. Each decade is well worth time on the comp, but if there is a winner, the basement sounds of the 60's sides are impossible to ignore.

As usual, the Numero Group compilation is complete with amazing liner notes telling the story and fantastic packaging. Highly recommended.

Smart's Palace

Bloodstone Natural High London 1972

Bloodstone Natural High London 1972 CAT# XPS 620

Per everyone else, this is Bloodstone's finest moment, the title track, "Natural High," put the band on the map. Unfortunately, the hit tune didn't open the floodgates for future chart toppers, everyone just kept playing the same song.

However, the Kansas City band's entire 70's output is on par with other soul acts. Polished sounds, sweet vocals and harmonies, and taking moments to get a little more funky than some of their contemporaries. This album is no different, definite highlights outside the hit song and some material that could have been more inspired.

The hit though, "Natural High," it is about as close to perfect you can get to in the 70's soul ballad arena. Beautiful harmonies and vocals, seductive backdrop, just an amazing love song.

Natural High

James Brown Live At the Garden King 1967

James Brown Live At the Garden King 1967 CAT# 1018

Have not wrote in this thing for ages...been busy and shit. So I figured the best artist to blog about is a guy who lived at or near KC for like 30 minutes per an obscure interview that was cited by the label, Numero Group.

This LP is pretty great, it's the soulful James Brown before he went straight funk. Odd thing about James Brown records, they are almost always beat to death. You find them, get excited, look at it and the vinyl is tore up and barely playable.

They were party records. You put on James Brown when you wanted to get down with friends. Which also meant you were probably tipping a few back with friends. Which means, especially when records weren't thought of as fetish items, people just took them right off the platter and probably laid them on stack of other played through records, no sleeve or inner. Just out there, getting torn up.

Here's the thing though, that all makes sense; party records. But, next time you're out digging, look at a popular Joni Mitchell album. It's also tore up. Odd, because unlike James Brown, Joni isn't for partying. I have this romantic notion that it is because some girl in the 70's got her heart broken and for comfort, just played the crap out of Joni Mitchell...but, Joni is not from KC, not even for 30 minutes like Brown, so I'm not going into how great she is.

Smoke Risin' J. Bridge Records 1976

Smoke Risin' J. Bridge Records 1976 CAT# 7544

This will likely be my top find of the year as I've been searching for this at a reasonable price for the past two years. Finding it for $1 at a Goodwill in Olathe, KS, that's perfect for my budget. I was searching through a pretty solid collection of beat up soul albums at the Goodwill flipping past some Earth, Wind & Fire I didn't need, some O'Jays had it been in better condition I wouldn't have minded owning, and some Donald Byrd LPs I did need despite a few scuffs. Then, this shows up, still in shrink and looking super-clean. There was a lady looking at the opposite side of the record bin and she looked up at me when I said out loud, "Oh man, I can't believe this is here!" I then had to explain myself somewhat embarrassed the rarity behind the record and that I've been trying to track this down for a couple years now. She didn't care much. She had a few Disney LPs and a Carperntars album in her stack, so naturally I said, "There's some really great Earth, Wind & Fire LPs in here if you need some."

This album is a throwback and when you put up to all things 1976, it's not surprising that the group didn't bust out of Kansas City. The LP is very rooted in the popular 60's and early 70's sound of Motown. It four male vocalists surrounded by lush strings, brass, and some modestly funky guitar, bass and drums. The primary songwriter was Elmer Overton (he also produced the record along with Les Mathews) and it's pretty clear Overton was heavily influenced by the likes of the Impressions and the Temptations. It's not disco enough for 1976 dance floors and wasn't funky enough to catch on to the live scenes.

However, despite the album being a few years too late, it sounds fucking great now. Overton's tunes recall the greatest bits of the Motown catalog and some of these tracks could burn down a Northern Soul dance floor and probably have. That kind of sentimental, uptempo, dance number that the likes of Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson perfected for Motown, Overton gets close. Even the over-the-top, drenched in string ballads work for this guy, mostly because of the falsetto and the rest of the vocals in Smoke have the talent to carry it out and make it interesting.

Also, the amount of energy that went into this release is impressive. There's a complete string, horn and reed section along with your standard band backing. So 4 male vocalists and an impressive 16 member studio cast. Not to mention, a full production team. This was put out on J. Bridge Records, which only put out one other release, a single from the same band. So it's a basically a private press and the money that was put into this release is probably what killed any chance of the label continuing. But man, what a way to go out...dare I say in a blaze (get it, Smoke?).

I'm So Glad You Came Along

James Brown Dead On Heavy Funk 74-76 Polydor 1985

James Brown Dead On Heavy Funk 74-76 Polydor 1985 CAT# 827439-1

If you haven't been reading, which, well, no one has been, I've mentioned a number of times how according to James Brown himself, he resided in KC for a year. After his childhood arrest, apparently he was shipped off to KC to live with his father who worked at possibly the AC Delco plant in North Olathe. Which, since it's James Brown, the Godfather of Funk, makes him local for the purposes of this blog.

This is a solid comp collecting 8 extended Brown funk workouts from the mid-70s. Since it's release in 1985, there's far better comps out there, but considering it's from the 80's, if you possibly find it, it might not be in terrible shape. The major highlight is "Hot (I Need to be Loved, Loved, Loved, Loved)" which features a guitar riff created by Carlos Alomar and is the same here as it was used in the song "Fame" by David Bowie.

One truth about the awesomeness of James Brown records, when you find them they are almost always beat to shit. They might have a bunch of needle marks, because people were dancing to these records, causing the needle to jump and come down hard. Or they're scratched severely because they were a favorite of DJs who were more focused about getting the next track on rather than properly putting the LP away. So, it usually got thrown into the crate, un-sleeved and then got other records stacked upon it. Or, and possibly worse, the grooves are just worn out. Groove wear fucking sucks. Distorts on highs and lows, always sounds like your needle is just running over salt...It's not surface noise, it's the grooves being worn out. This feature was usually do to a crappy record player or just playing the crap out of the record.

As far as groove wear, I'm going to go with the later. The records are just too damn good and enjoyable. People played the crap out of James Brown. If you see something minty in a used bin, it should be a guaranteed purchase.

James Brown Future Shock t-shirt ad
Hot (I Need To Be Loved, Loved, Loved, Loved)

Bloodstone I Need Time London 1974

Bloodstone I Need Time London 1974 CAT# APS647

After discussing a surprising find featuring the daughter of Bloodstone band member, Charles Love Jr., figured why not highlight another Bloodstone release.

I Need Time followed the Unreal album and for the most part, marches down the same path. Unfortunately, most Bloodstone's work seems to get overlooked. For example, All Music Guide gives this album a measly two albums despite stating it contains, "Some above average funk..." It then goes onto mention the album featured drummer Steve Ferone who would go onto play for Average White Band.

Despite the low marks, All Music is right about having some "above average funk." In fact, the band's output throughout the 70's features some real killers and this album is no different. I mean, they can't compete with the craziness of George Clinton's Funkadelic or his Parilament, but hey, Bloodstone was playing their own instruments. And while Bloodstone can't get as smooth as the Chi-Lites or the O'Jays, their vocal work is on the same level. This album included, the band's catalog is filled with high points and worth exploring.

Perhaps Bloodstone's greatest challenge was not being linked to a specific scene within the soul/funk genre. There wasn't a Kansas City presence on the major labels since jump blues, by the 70's, Bloodstone is really about it. They couldn't latch on to Philly Soul, Chicago Soul, or what was going on down South. You sense the group was grabbing from all scenes in attempt to carve out their niche, which is perhaps the reason they aren't more highly regarded historically.

That's Not How It Goes

Bill Freeman "Live Spiritbound" NIM Records 1977

Bill Freeman "Live Spiritbound" NIM Records 1977 CAT# 74-27

You'd think a 70's gospel album with a stock photo for a cover from 1977 would be awful, but Bill Freeman has soul.  The first track, "I Want to Be Ready/Everytime I Feel the Spirit" sounds like it was recorded in a basement, but man, crazy organ runs all throughout.  Just intense organ riffs with moog and synths thrown in, some of it distorted, it's an experience.  Based on the first track, Bill Freeman was filled with some sorta crazy God-love.

Then you flip to the back cover and Bill Freeman just looks crazy.  Something about his photo makes it look as if he's wearing make-up (maybe he is), it's kind of creepy.  He's also got some weird-ass fur vest, a saber-tooth necklace, and rings on his fingers.  He doesn't look scary, just crazy, but, maybe we can chalk most of it up to the late-70's.

The notes indicate the album was recorded live at the First Baptist Church of Kansas City, Kansas where Bill's father was the pastor.  It was released under the NMI lable out of Kansas City, which did release a handful of local releases, most of which are not religious but center around soul, funk and later disco.  Personally, my favorite part of the back notes is that Bill thanks the Ebony Club.  I have no idea what the Ebony Club of Kansas City was about, but it sounds awesome.

The remainder of the album (sorry, but not sorry for the pun) is a spirited affair.  While the first track features no vocals and is the "warm-up", the remainder are reworked gospel tunes.  The tracks are worth checking out for the moog running throughout along with some pretty great vocals.  I assume Freeman sings in a soulful falsetto, but there's a chorus with talented female singers and a male baritone that takes some front end work.  It's very motivated and again, the organ runs, synths and moog make it worth checking out.

E.L. Overton I Am Here For You b/w Angel Neco Records 1984

E.L. Overton I Am Here For You b/w Angel Neco Records 1984 CAT# NC 1001

This little 7" has a lot going on and there's a lot to say about it.  Most of it, I'd like to save for related releases, however, those releases are so rare I might not have the chance.  This is also extremely rare.  Currently this little private press piece of Kansas City soul is bringing in $200 to $300 in top condition.  Someone is asking close to $1000 for it on discogs.com.  There's a growing disco/boogie collectors market and this fits in on the tail end of the scene, it's decent, but I think most the value stems from it's perceived rarity.  Neco Records, was just E.L. Overton's custom label, so it's likely there was only between 500-1000 copies to begin with.

It also has the benefit of being produced and co-written by Keith Montgomery.  Keith Montgomery and fellow musician, Eugene Smiley started K City Records in the late 70's in Kansas City.  A third songwriter, Albert White, was part of the K City team as well.  The small outfit wrote and produced a number of songs with Kansas City soul musicians and cut a few records on their K City label.  Those 45s are well-regarded in the modern boogie genre and sought after for their obscurity.

Further, going back to the late-70's, there was a local vocal group called Smoke in Kansas City.  The group cut two 45s and a full-length LP.  The sound was pure 70's soul, sounds vintage compared to the K City stuff.  One of the group's songwriters, Elmer Overton, is in fact the E.L. Overton featured here.  I can't say there's a lot of information out there on the web stating the same, but collectors are a crafty bunch and I think they've figured it out, likely increasing the value for this 45 even more.

The track people are after, "I Am Here For You," is better than average production for a limited budget.  The beat, solid.  The background vocals, well done.  The feel and groove, better than average mid-80's boogie.  However, E.L. Overton's vocals just don't match.  He's bordering on a baritone and this production screams for somebody up near falsetto.  It detracts from an otherwise great track, I bet people would shit themselves to get a hold of an instrumental version of it.

The B-side, "Angel," doesn't need to exist.  Sappy, sentimental, same low-end vocals.  Just doesn't go anywhere and isn't by any means a  heart-stirring or heart-warming ballad; comes off more as a bad pick up attempt.  Production though, on point.

I Am Here For You

Bloodstone Unreal London 1973

Bloodstone Unreal London 1973 CAT# XPS634

Kansas City's Bloodstone is on point on this album.  Typically speaking, people really only spend time with their hit and album of the same, Natural High.  However, their material throughout the 70's is all worthwhile.

This album is pretty slick and smooth, definitely a 70's soul album.  The band is usually credited as bringing a bit of rock into the soul sound, but for the first side, not much of that is  found.  The title track, "Unreal" is a highlight and penned by Charles Love of the band.  Most the tunes here are in fact, penned by the group.  The album picks up the pace on the final track of Side 1, "Everybody Needs Love," which leads into a more uptempo Side 2.  The second side starts with the Beatles, "Something," and followed up with same smoothness but a lot more emphasis on the guitar, bass, and funk (see the song sequence of "Let Me Ride" into "The Traffic Cop," it's perfect).  They let loose a little more on Side 2 for sure and show the rock aspect to their music more clearly.

Overall, solid album and one of the band's best.  And...the cover.  It's got a rainbow with the band on horseback, if only they were mounting unicorns, it'd be perfect.

Let Me Ride
Unreal

Danny Cox Sunny Pioneer 1968

Danny Cox Sunny Pioneer 1968 CAT# W4RM-4559

Danny Cox was originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, but moved to Kansas City a year before recording this album for local coffee shop owner and manager, Stanley Plesser.  Years before, Cox released an album entitled At the Seven Cities.  That collection of tunes and shows what interested Plesser and ultimately got Cox to move to Kansas City.

Plesser is best known in Kansas City for managing the career of Brewer & Shipley.  Like Brewer & Shipely, he convinced Cox to make KC his home, to which he still remains.  Plesser is an interesting KC figure as he ran a coffee shop called, the Vanguard Coffee House, and was able to successfully manage touring acts from here in the heartland.  He was obviously very focused on the folk sound happening in the late 60s and early 70s, it's what you find on this LP.  He even gets credited as the albums producer and the album is on his label.

It's a promising album and begs the question why Cox couldn't find huge success with his soulful renditions of folk songs and originals.  He's got this amazing baritone with huge range and again, it's folk orientated, but with a ton a soul.  The song selection is fantastic to boot, Bobby Hebb's "Sunny" is pretty spectacular.  There's a an "everybody's doing it" Beatles cover, I guess by default.  But, Cox also takes on Dylan and Joni Mitchell.  Shel Silverstein's, "Hey Nellie Nellie," seems a bit odd, but it's obvious Cox and Plesser were hip dudes at the time and Silverstein is only weird if the only reference you have is children's poetry.

The production lacks a little focus, probably not Plesser's forte, but again, it's strange this version of Cox didn't catch on.  Years later, he found moderate success going full-on soul.  Instead of folk with soul tendencies, his major label albums were soul with folk tendencies (but, in their own regard, also worth seeking out).

Danny Cox Recent Live Performance

James Brown Hot Pants Parts 1, 2, & 3 People 1971

James Brown Hot Pants Parts 1, 2, & 3 People 1971 CAT#42-2501

James Brown lived in Kansas City for 30 minutes, or so he said once in some obscure interview...Is it true?  I don't know, but I keep picking up the 45s because they're awesome.  If James Brown brief KC residency is true, I'm 100% positive it isn't going to show up in the upcoming movie about his life.

Anyway, have you heard the song "Hot Pants"?  It's phenomenal.  It's available on a kajillion different Brown releases.  It's funky, sweaty, soul music.  He grunts, yelps and says "Hot Pants" over and over, there's some other words thrown in, but they aren't necessary. 

Hot Pants on Soul Train

Bloodstone Riddle of the Sphinx London 1974

Bloodstone Riddle of the Sphinx London 1974 CAT# PS654

This appears to be the most ambitious effort from Kansas City's Bloodstone.  It's an attempt at a concept album.  Like most concept albums, it falls apart quickly and just becomes apparent that the concept was only carried through in artwork and the song titles, there's no unraveling or storytelling here; just a solid soul LP with a few spoken word interludes.

They band was playing their own instruments and writing all their own tunes at this time.  They run the gambit in terms of styles.  The first three songs go from silky soul, to black rock, to straight funk.  These 70's Bloodstone albums were exclusively produced by Mike Vernon, who got a crisp sound and allowed for experimentation.  In terms of the black rock movement of the 70's these guys were one of the better groups, blending the Hendrix inspired riffs of Charles Love and Willis Draffen with the vocal style of 60's Motown.  If you think Funkadelic, that's a bit too heavy, Bloodstone only experiments in the style.  It ultimately owes it's greatest due to soul music and the rock moments are few and far between.

I love the plaintive vocals of "Just Learned to Walk" and it's awkward rock style.  "This World is Funky" is solid piece funk with great guitar work.  The rest of the album meanders between MOR 70's funk and and great vocal soul outings.  No doubt, these dudes had a great vocal approach, one of the best at their craft in that regard, "Wasted Time" best exemplifies that aspect of the band.  There are some other definite highlights like the silky smooth, "For the First Time," and the outstanding ballad, "Young Times Old Times."

The World Is Funky
Wasted Time

Marva Whitney Live and Lowdown at the Apollo King 1969

Marva Whitney Live and Lowdown at the Apollo King 1969 KS 1079

I never thought I'd own an original copy of this LP.  In fact, the reissue of this LP was on the short list to be purchased.  Nevertheless, I stumbled across an original copy with a beat up cover (but, hey, the vinyl is in VG+ condition).  Since I've spent a number of post gushing about Kansas City Soul Sister #1, Marva Whiteny, I thought I'd discuss the epic dig that brought this album to me.

First, I don't really eat lunch, I spend my lunch hour at thrift stores looking through LPs and various other things.  I don't have much of a disposable income so I rarely venture into anything other than thrift stores, but about a week ago I happened upon Vintage Stock on Shawnee Mission Parkway in Shawnee, KS.  If you haven't been to a Vintage Stock, it's not a great place to look for records, they are primarily focused on video games and DVDs.  Each store has a rack of used LPs, they don't give people much for the used albums and I don't think that people with a pile of old LPs would even know the stores existed and buy LPs.  I've found great stuff at their stores, usually because they had no idea what they were selling.  However, they don't grade LPs and usually over price albums by well known groups.

Anyway, the only reason I walked into the store was because I had to go to the nearby grocery store to buy some bagels for my kids' lunches.  I ventured in due to the proximity and looked at the 100 or so albums and was surprised to see an impressive Alice Cooper and Frank Zappa selection.  The Cooper was all the early stuff, you know, Alice Cooper when it was still a band with a singer named Vincent Furnier, and the Zappa was a virtually every Mother's album with the exception of the first.  They were all marked $6.99 and all the covers were beat to hell.  Had they been in good shape or just a $1, I may have rounded out my early Cooper catalog and may have picked up some Zappa despite that I'm not really a fan.  But, I left the store without making a purchase.

My dad however is a huge Zappa fan.  Or least he is right now.  I gave him a record player a year or ago and since then, he's been buying all sorts of albums.  Zappa is his current obsession.  So I called him on the way to the grocery store and said he needed to check out all this Zappa.  He asked, "What albums are there?"  I said, "I told you, everything but the first Mother's LP, I'm not kidding, it's pretty incredible that someone sold it all to Vintage Stock."  He said he'd check it out.

That was on a Wednesday and by the weekend my dad still hadn't checked the store out.  I don't know why but I kept bugging him about it.  I think I just wanted someone else to discuss the strangeness of a video game store bringing in a large Zappa collection, even with conditions issues, I thought it strange that someone would have took it there for trade-in or cash.

By Sunday, I had kind of gave up on my dad going.  However, I was cruising on Shawnee Mission Parkway with my youngest son hitting up my favorite thrift store and thought about it again.  I texted my dad, who surprisingly called me right away.  Immediately he started telling me how weird it was and asked if I had seen the stuff behind the counter.  I had not.  I asked what was behind the counter and my dad began to tell me a bunch of high priced reggae albums and jazz.  He also explained that the guy working there had made the purchase when a guy came in with a box of records and asked for a $100 even.  When the kid saw the Frank Zappa, he agreed and paid the guy what he wanted.

I hung up the phone and thought I should go check out the stuff behind the counter.  Again, I really don't have a disposable income for records, so chances are no purchase would be made as most behind the counter records at Vintage Stock are at least $20.  Since I was close, I went.  The records were still up on the counter and not back in the case from when my dad had been there and started looking through them.  $200 valued Big Youth reggae album, $100 to $200 valued Alice Coltrane and John Coltrane albums, Cro-Mags on ESP, and some other assorted rarities all for between $20 and $40.  This was interesting, but most of the covers were pretty tore up and there wasn't anything I had to have.  Further, due to condition and prices, there wasn't anything I would have felt comfortable trying to flip on eBay.

While I was there, I decided to look over the rack a second time.  I had thought it'd be the same stuff I saw the last time.  This is when shit got weird.  I started looking through the rack and freaking out.  Meters' albums for $10, more rare reggae for $10, free jazz, obscure jazz rock, there was no way one person should have owned this many rare records and treated them so poorly, the covers were tore up, but fuck, at these prices it was well worth it to pick up.  As I was putting together a pile, I texted an old friend, "Call me."  I continued looking and started seeing even better prices on more insanely rare albums.  Called my friend and got no answer.  Continued amassing a large pile of records to look through and check condition when I came across an original copy of Mara Whitney's Live and Lowdown at the Apollo.  Out loud, in front of my two year old son, a lady looking at clearance DVDS, and the store employees I loudly said, "Holy shit!"  Then I apologized and mumbled, "I really need this album, sorry."  $4.99 they had it priced, $4.99!  For an album that in VG shape you're going to spend over a $100 for the original item, this was a steal despite cover condition..

Carefully, I inspected the LP and it was so clean, just a few scuff marks from storage, nothing deep, nothing that would affect playback.  I carefully put the album on top of my pile and took a quick a photo, I sent this photo to my friend that I had been trying to reach.  After the photo sent, he called immediately.

I was stuttering I was so excited about all this when I said to him, "Dude, you need to get to KC, this is absurd."
"Where are you?" he replied.
"Vintage Stock on, on, on.  Uh.  You know, that place I hit up on lunch, Shawnee Mission."
"Oh, yeah, I'm actually in KC, what's there."
"That Marva Whitney album I sent you.  Rare reggae, Augustus Pablo, Jazz, Alice Coltran, John Coltrane, it's just stupid."
"Okay," he said.
"Dude, I think I could spend like $200 and be happy about it."  I said.
"Alright, I might go up there."

We hung up and continued the dig.  After finding this Marva Whitney LP, I wasn't too concerned about a whole lot, if I only walked away with just this, it'd still be an epic trip.  I gathered everything up and immediately started dropping out anything over $5.  I got some rare jazz-rock, funk type stuff I'd be happy with at reasonable prices.  Then grabbed every .99 album realizing that it had to be worth it just based on the collection I was looking at.  Tossing back the Meters, a King Tubby album, and the Augustus Pablo hurt quite a bit, but believe me, I'm perfectly happy with stack of albums I did buy for $20.

I got out of the store, put my kid in his car seat and lit a cigarette up outside the car (it was that intense) and called the old man.

"Dad, seriously, what did you get?  That was insane, that stuff was not out there when I told you to check it out."
"Uh, a few Zappa albums and some James Brown."
"You missed Marva Whitney, the stuff there was insane, you should have took some flyers on a few, you wouldn't have been upset.  That collection should not be there."

Finished that conversation and then my friend called me.

"Did you go?"  I asked.
"Well, what did you find?"  He asked.
I went through some of the titles and he said, "Okay, I'm going."  Later, I got a text from him saying simply, "Thanks."

Since then, a few others have been.  All of them asking whoever sent them, "How could you pass on this?!"  And each of us saying, "I had to stop at some point, I could have spent hundreds of dollars on rare albums with bad covers, but I had to cut it off at some point.  Don't worry about me I got good stuff."  We've even had debates on how such an amazing collection, with such amazing taste, ended up at a store that focuses on video games.  The best we have come up with was they were from someone's estate who passed or a storage locker buy out.  Just absurd to see and will likely be the most epic dig of 2014.

Marva's rendition of a classic, "Respect"

Marva Whitney It's My Thing Polydor/King 1970 (2012 Repress)

Marva Whitney It's My Thing Polydor/King 1969 (2011 Repress) CAT #PD 1062

One year ago today, Marva Whitney passed away.  She was Kansas City born and raised and started her career in KC.  She played the Kansas City scene, leading the group Tommy & the Derby's, did the Motown revue's and opened for touring artists when they passed through.  She was asked to tour with Bobby Bland and Little Richard, but turned both down opting to join the James Brown Revue as a featured vocalist as she thought it was the best move for her career.

It certainly was the best move, Brown did all he could do to make her successful as a part of his act.  During the shows, Marva Whitney would provide the audience a couple of songs while Brown rested.  He recorded her and provided her some of his best material.  There are singles cut for Federal and King while she hung with Brown.  There is also the above album, as well as live LP from the King years.  The title song of this LP, "It's My Thing (Part 1)" was released as the single, "It's My Thing (You Can't Tell Me Who To Sock It To)" and as a response to the Isley Brother's "It's Your Thing".  It represented her highest charting single.

While she never became a mainstream R&B artist, her time spent with James Brown kept her active and in front of large audiences.  The move to go with James Brown far exceeded anything she would get by backing Bobby Bland or Little Richard.  However, most say that this was among the most difficult times of her life.  When she moved back to Kansas City after her time with James Brown she told friends and family just how true the name "Hardest Working Man In Show Buisness" was.  Brown was known to work his artists relentlessly.  She had a child from her marriage to Kansas City soul singer, Harvey Whitney.  However, she was never able to spend time as a mother due to constant touring and recording.  Homesick, she left the Brown stable in 1970.

She would record some unsuccessful singles for the T-Neck label afterward.  Afterwards, she would marry Ellis Taylor, the owner and operator of Kansas City's Forte label and cut some sides.  After little success on the regional label, her recording career largely ended aside a few sporadic singles and one-off LPS.  She only briefly stopped performing and would later be a member of the J.B.'s All Stars which were a group of former Brown artists.  She didn't stop performing until 2010.

This LP represents her best work.  The material is top shelf and the players were the best in the business as they were Brown's backing band.  It is a compilation of mostly singles released for the King label, some of which we re-recorded for the LP, others that were not.  It's absurdly collectible due to it's scarcity and the fact that Whitney is one of the greatest female funk performers of all time.

The girl did not hold back, she's a screamer.  The band gets most of the attention by the collectors, the cuts have been heavily sampled throughout hip-hop, especially the track "Unwind Yourself."  But, Whitney gives these songs personality.  She's got to be the only women that could match Brown's delivery.  Further, she's got to be the only women allowed to shout out "Maceo!" when the groove needed to get deeper.  You're not going to find any ballads (well, there is "If You Love Me," but she screams that one out, too) or anything that would have played well to a white Motown crowd, this is brassy, funk, floor stompers meant for the live crowds.  There were plenty of noted soul diva's out there, but only a few funk divas like Whitney belting out tunes like this.

Unwind Yourself
It's My Thing (Live TV Performance)
You Got To Have a Job (Duet with James Brown)

Various Artists Eccentric Soul The Forte Label Numero Group 2013

Various Artists Eccentric Soul The Forte Label Numero Group 2013 Cat # 047

This is my favorite release of 2013.  The archivist label, Numero Group, has collected 28 tracks from the Kansas City soul label Forte and threw them onto a two LP set.  It's complete with an amazing and well researched booklet.

Kansas City has it's rich tradition for jazz and blues.  We even have claim to some nice indie-rock.  But as far as soul music, we never developed a famous sound.  The Forte label attempted to capture some of Kansas City's talent in terms of soul music.  Most the performers featured here were around town doing Motown style revues.  But, when the artist got the chance to do their own thing in a local studio on  a regional label, there are some amazing moments.

Now-a-days, these records are nearly impossible to locate.  They likely enjoyed forms of regional success and sold decent, the label stayed active from the mid-60's into the 70's, but the 45's seem to only be available on-line for high prices.  Collectors started gravitating to rare soul side in the 80's.  People wanted regional and unheard sides, the label's output is now blanketed into the term "Northern Soul," which is a reference to all night dance raves taking place in England, but today just means rare soul.

The most popular of these Forte artists is Kansas City, KS' Marva Whitney.  The collection features two selections from Forte output.  She sustained a fairly successful career after leaving Kansas City.  After Forte, she cut some sides for the famed Federal label.  Then, she was featured as a member of the James Brown touring show and recorded for King.  Her King singles and one studio LP are revered by funk collectors as the some of the dirtiest and raw funk recorded by a female.  In the 80's she found herself recording for number of other labels never catching on in one spot.  Her tracks on this collection are representative of her work, she belts out a song like no other, it's like you're being yelled at, and while the talent around her isn't anywhere near the level she had with King, her tunes here are still stunners.

The collection does showcase what could be termed a Kansas City soul style.  However, lots of obscure, regional soul sounds just as raw as what's featured here.  It's not as clean and crisp (and well, as white) as what Motown was doing.  It's not as earthy and blues oriented as what Stax was doing.  It's not as funky as James Brown, but tries awful hard to be.  The main purpose is to get people out to the dance floor, so it's up-tempo, sock-to-me style soul.  Shouters and screamers that would make you think of Sam & Dave or Dyke and the Blazers.  During the 70's the label did allow for more experimentation, Olathe, KS' Everyday People Life reach into prog-rock realms while trying to conjure a Sly & Family Stone feel.  There's also some Willie Mitchell/Al Green style slickness attempted, some of great, some of it only decent. Overall a highly recommended release filled with obscure, but amazing Kansas City musicians.

Marva Whitney Daddy Don't Know About Sugar Bears
The Fantasticks-Cry Night and Day

James Brown Maybe I'll Understand/I Love You King

James Brown Maybe I'll Understand/I Love You King CAT # K-12594

The sickness continues.  Just picked this up, because it fits the rules of my 7" collection in my warped, vinyl damaged mind.

It's obviously good, it's James Brown.  He didn't start to suck until the 80's and even then, he didn't suck as bad as other hanger-ons.

Here's Kansas City nugget, for you.  At Mr. Brown's funeral, Kansas City, KS born and raised singer, Marva Whitney was invited to be a singer.  Like Brown, she recorded for King.  More on her later, though.

James Brown Mother Popcorn Parts 1 & 2 King 1969

James Brown Mother Popcorn Parts 1 & 2 King 1969 CAT # 45-6245

Record collecting is a strange hobby.  It becomes addictive because it's so easy to do..  It's so easy that most collectors begin to overwhelm themselves in the amount of vinyl they pick up.  This is especially true when you're new to the hobby.  You just start buying stuff at places like Goodwill for a dollar just because it looks interesting or you've heard of the band (never mind liking the music) just as a way to continue and grow the collection.

For me, this was especially true of 45s.  The things are cheap and easy to find.  In any pile that you find at a thrift store or a garage sale, you're bound to find some gems.  I bought the crap out of them throughout college and beyond.  In fact, I was buying boxes full without ever looking at them first.  I mean, how could you resist a plastic bag full of 50 of them at a thrift store for a couple bucks?

First problem with this method is that you end up with a lot of crap.  Second problem is that these things were played a lot.  In jukeboxes, on crappy turntables, on radio stations, when you buy a 7" from the 60's there is a really good chance it will sound like shit and completely defeat the purpose of listening to music on vinyl.  Yet another problem is that there is nothing you can do with the loads of crap you have outside of just giving it away.  If it's beat up, common, or by an artist no one cares about, no one will buy it off you.  You're stuck with it until you find a way to sell in bulk at a garage sale or on Craigslist for a super cheap price, but, that also creates a problem because who wants to feel they're ripping the next guy off, right?  If you can't do that, they all go back to a thrift store or sit in your home collecting dust.

Much of my 45 collection gotten to the collecting dust point.  I had nowhere to put all these records and there was no need to own them.  So, I made a conscious decision to dump the 45 collection.  I mean, at this point I'm pretty grown up, I have a wife and kids.  I no longer had the energy to get up off my ass every 3 minutes to flip a side, so focusing on LPs made perfect sense.  I began selling the good stuff on eBay, made a bunch of money, bought LPS with money earned.  Then, I took the good stuff with minor condition issues and posted on Craigslist, "Will trade 45s for LPS."  That worked out okay, got a few bites and thinned the collection out a little more.  The decent stuff went to stores for trade value I used to buy more LPS.

At this point came regret.  I sold and traded some really cool stuff.  The amazing LPS I picked up along the way didn't seem so amazing anymore.  I'd also held onto some stuff that was still important to me, mostly the local stuff from bands I knew in my douche bag hipster days.  I knew I was never going to have it in me to sell off the first Get Up Kids 7", so a compromise was made to thin out the collection.  The only 7"s I would hold onto would be local.  Problem solved, right?  I got rid of everything but some R.E.M. 45s (couldn't do it, like that band too much) and retained locals.  The idea was, 7" collection is done, it's complete, not buying anymore.

Well, fuck if I don't buy the shit out of local 7"s.  I mean, once I gave myself an excuse.  However, I am more focused right now on scoring 45s than I was before, so that helps keep things in check.  That is until I read a quote James Brown, Godfather of Soul, in which he stated that he lived in Kansas City for a year while his father worked in Olathe, Kansas.  Apparently, he lived on Harrison Street in KCMO when he was between the ages of 14 and 15.  So, of course, the first James Brown 45 I see after reading that quote; I bought.

I've convinced myself that because James Brown lived in Kansas City for small amount of time it fits my collection.  I mean, I'm making fun of myself for doing it, that's how absurd record collecting can be.  I'm not buying James Brown because he's a local artist.  I'm just buying James Brown 45s because he's awesome and I want to own more vinyl.

Mother Popcorn