VA - Dave Hamilton's Detroit Dancers [1998-2006] (3 x CDs)

SOUL & FUNK

VA - Dave Hamilton's Detroit Dancers [1998-2006] (3 x CDs)

Dave Hamilton's Detroit Dancers compiles mostly obscure material to which the Detroit session guitarist contributed his funky, grooving licks, including sides from Hamilton himself, Little Ann, Tobi Lark, Priscilla Page, and JT Rhythm. Dave Hamilton was a producer, session musician, and songwriter on the Detroit soul scene starting in the 1960s. You can't really tell that from the liner notes, which basically say nothing about Hamilton's role in this music other than that the CD was compiled from his collection of tapes. It can be presumed, though, that Hamilton was involved in all of these records in some capacity, and he does have songwriter and production credits on some of the tracks. Most of them date from the mid- to late '60s, although some were done as late as the early '80s; some were unreleased demo-type tracks, and several came out on the Topper and TCB labels, indicating that Hamilton might have been involved with those companies.

Volume 1        Released by Kent and Ace in 1998, was the first CD collection to spotlight the musical genius of Dave Hamilton. While Hamilton only performs on a few of the songs himself, he produced everything and wrote most of the songs too. A veteran of the original Motown label, Dave Hamilton was also a versatile musician (piano, organ, vibes, guitar) who played on records by artists such as John Lee Hooker and Hank Ballard. To say this man is an underappreciated musical genius is an understatement. By all rights, he should be a legend, so talented he deserves a place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Listen to these songs - these absolutely superlative soul masterpieces - and prepare to be impressed. These particular tunes, recorded from 1965 to 1970 are only the tip of the musical iceberg of what Hamilton worked on and kept in his vaults. I won't rehash the entire roster of songs but suffice to say it's all great. Thankfully, album compiler Ady Croasdell and the music lovers at Kent Records, kept digging and unearthed some more outstanding material in successive years.

Volume 2         As was the case with several small Detroit-area soul labels of the time, it often sounds like a minor-league Motown (indeed, Hamilton played on some Motown sessions himself). Motown is a good model, but nonetheless, adhering to a role model does not, in fact almost always does not, mean the resultant product stands up to the prototype, and that's the case here. Sometimes the micro-model is obvious; Tobi Lark's "Challenge My Love" sounds a lot like a Mary Wells song, "Ain't That Groovy" (an instrumental by the Dave Hamilton Band) like a Marvin Gaye backing track, Dottie and Millie like an amalgam of the Marvelettes and early Supremes.

Volume 3         Adds a couple dozen more cuts to what's already available from that source, most of them previously unreleased, although a few are taken from rare singles. It's not easy to characterize what's here, since it's a grab bag of local soul with various approaches, most of it done in the 1960s. It's a varied, listenable assortment of tracks, usually with a pop-soul slant. Simon Barbee's "The Wind" is a nice, lush, sweet soul ballad, and Charmaine's "Send My Baby Back to Me" (which actually made it onto a 1964 single) is rather like early-'60s Motown girl group-influenced records by the likes of the Marvelettes and Mary Wells. It's one of the few songs here where everyone involved seems focused on creating a catchy commercial disc, instead of just throwing some ideas that are in line with commercial trends together to see what sticks. More idiosyncratic are Priscilla Page & Pepe the Poodle's "Throw the Poor Dog a Bone," with constant irritating dog barks, and the Tolbert Family Singers' "Ride the Gospel Train" (from the late 1980s), with exceptionally hoarse vocals by O.C. Tolbert.  (Amazon)

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Track lists

Vol. 1

01 Little Ann What Should I Do 2:18

02 Tobi Lark Happiness Is Here 2:41

03 Priscilla Page & Rony You Did 2:46

04 J.T. Rhythm My Sweet Baby 2:31

05 O.C. Tolbert I M Shooting High (I Reach For The Sky) 2:28

06 James Lately Love, Friends And Money 2:11

07 James Carpenter (Marriage Is Only) A State Of Mind 3:32

08 Gil Billingsley That's All She Wrote 3:12

09 Dave Hamilton The Deacons 3:46

10 Chico & Buddy You Won T Miss The Water 3:04

11 Barrino Brothers I'll Take My Flowers Right Now 2:48

12 Ebonettes Just A Mistake 3:11

13 Dave Hamilton Shoop Doop 2:03

14 Tobi Lark Sweep It Out In The Shed 2:47

15 Little Ann Lean Lanky Daddy 2:02

16 Ravins Your Love Is What I Want 2:07

17 Dave Hamilton Orchestra Who Are You Trying To Fool 2:07

18 Tobi Lark Talking 'bout Love 2:29

19 Priscilla Page I'm Pretending 2:33

20 Dottie & Millie Nothing In This World 2:25

21 O.c. Tolbert All I Want Is You 2:27

22 Little Ann Deep Shadows 2:28

23 Mark-keys Heavenly Thing 2:55

24 Dave Hamilton Blue Funk 2:36

Vol. 2

01 Danny Cobus Spoken Intro To The Two Of Us 0:22

02 Danny Cobus The Two Of Us 2:45

03 Little Ann Who Are You Trying To Fool 2:11

04 O.C. Tolbert You Got Me Turned Around 2:39

05 Tobi Lark Challenge My Love 2:56

06 Sue Ann Jones I Ll Give You My Love 3:00

07 Additions We Re In Love 2:56

08 Dave Hamilton Band Ain T That Groovy 2:37

09 Tokays Falling In Love 2:09

10 Dottie & Millie Talkin' About My Baby 2:24

11 Mark-keys My Sweet Baby 2:31

12 J.T. Rhythm I'm Going Back Home 2:09

13 Gil Billingsley I'm Me Just Me 4:09

14 Richard Coombs Tammie 2:35

15 O.C. Tolbert That S Enough 3:46

16 Barrino Brothers Just A Mistake 2:31

17 Little Ann One Way Street 2:25

18 Dave Hamilton Pisces Pace 2:20

19 Jackie Dee Who 3:03

20 Little Ann The Smile On Your Face 2:59

21 J.T. Rhythm All I Want Is You 3:26

22 O.C. Tolbert Give It To Glory 5:37

23 Ravins No One Can Take The Place Of You 3:00

24 James Lately Tears Running And Falling From My Eyes 2:24

25 O.C. Tolbert That S All She Wrote 3:07

Vol. 3

01 Additions Until The End Of Time 2:34

02 Little Ann What Should I Do 1:55

03 Little Ann Sweep It Out In The Shed 2:56

04 Simon Barbee The Wind 3:27

05 Chico & Buddy I Don't Know What You Got 3:11

06 O.C. Tolbert Along Came A Woman 3:01

07 Tobi Lark True True Love 2:33

08 Dave Hamilton Blue Vibes 2:11

09 Future Kind It Takes A Lot Of Living 2:03

10 Elayne Starr In The Morning (When I Rise) 4:15

11 Little Ann The Smile On Your Face 2:53

12 James Lately Love, Friends And Money 2:07

13 Charmaine Send My Baby Back To Me 2:41

14 Priscilla Page & Pepe The Poodle Throw Poor Dog A Bone 1:51

15 Dave Hamilton Band You Did (Instrumental) 2:45

16 J.T. Rhythm I Love The Way You Do 1:59

17 Barrino Brothers The Bad Things (You Said To Me) 2:22

18 Tolbert Family Singers Ride The Gospel Train 3:28

19 Chicago Pete Look Up And Smile 3:02

20 Ebonettes Side By Side Aka Just A Mistake 3:02

21 Little Ann Possession 3:06

22 O.C. Tolbert Goodness 2:45

23 Richard Coombs I Mean You Girl 2:41

24 Tokays Honest I Do 3:24

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