VA - Rare Blues & Soul From Nashville The 1960s [2009]

R&B

VA - Rare Blues & Soul From Nashville The 1960s [2009]

According to the liner note excerpt on the back of this set, other than New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, Nashville, TN, had more functioning independent record labels than any other city in the United States during the 1940s, '50s, and '60s. There are performances by 13 unique artists on this 23-track collection, ranging from the straight-up polished Southern soul and blues of Sam Baker, whose voice resembles a young Smokey Robinson with more grit (his three tracks here, “Slow Down Baby,” “He’ll Be Sorry,” and “You Better Check What You Got,” are among the album’s finest), to the raw harmonica roadhouse blues of the Mighty Men and the strolling rhythm & blues of Roscoe Shelton in an alternate unissued version of “Yesterday’s Mistake.” There are killer cuts by Dee Brown, whose “Bad Habit” is a revue-type soul cut that, once heard, can never be forgotten. Lee Gaines has two classic soul-blues numbers thanks to his wondrous falsetto. The shimmering doo wop soul of Dottie Clark’s “Since I Fell for You” wouldn’t have been amiss on Chess Records, while the strutting groove in Gene Allison’s beautiful tenor on “Walking in the Park” is full of drama and pathos. Eddie James’ “Reap What You Sow” is a crooning ballad, with killer hand percussion giving the tune an exotic edge. Bobby Lindsey’s ”Sugar Booger Baby” is an early example of Nashville-styled funk & roll. Contrast this with the early-'60s Ike Turner-influenced groove in Levert Allison’s “Can You Handle It.” Rodge Martin really tugs at the heartstrings in “When She Touches Me,” backed by a killer greasy session band. The early doo wop vocalizing of Luvenia Lewis fuels two strong numbers here: the ballad “Not Strong Enough” and the uptempo rhythm & blues jump called “Let Me Me Be the One.” The liner notes by Fred James are truly informative historically and culturally, and the sound mastering is top-notch as well. The booklet is presented beautifully with photos and annotated discographical information, making this a necessary purchase for any fan of Southern soul. (AMG review by Thom Jurek)

This collection will help you to get an idea what it was like during the golden era of Nashville Blues and Soul Music. They just don't make records like this anymore, but thankfully we can still hear them... and they sure sound good. 

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Track list

01 Sam Baker - Slow Down Baby 3:08

02 Sam Baker - He'll Be Sorry 2:04

03 Sam Baker - You'd Better Check What You Got 3:04

04 Mighty Men - No Way Out 2:24

05 Mighty Men - I Had a Dream 2:55

06 Mighty Men - You Too Much 2:20

07 Mighty Men - Somethin' Else 2:34

08 Mighty Men - Don't Stop Now 1:39

09 Rudy Greene - Oh Baby 2:09

10 Earl Gaines - Let Me Down Easy 2:20

11 Earl Gaines - Show Me Something 2:08

12 Dee Brown - Bad Habit 3:04

13 Dee Brown - Heap of People 4:46

14 Eddie James - Reap What You Sow 2:31

15 Gene Allison - Walking in the Park 2:22

16 Bobby Lindsey - Sugar Booger Baby 2:15

17 Levert Allison - Can You Handle It 1:54

18 Levert Allison - The Shape I'm In 2:26

19 Levert Allison - You Made a World 2:39

20 Rodge Martin - When She Touches Me 2:48

21 Rodge Martin - Close My Eyes 2:01

22 Luvenia Lewis - Let Me Be the One 1:51

23 Luvenia Lewis - Not Strong Enough 2:05

24 Dottie Clark - Since I Fell for You 3:17

25 Roscoe Shelton - Yesterday's Mistake 2:38

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