And here we come to an end of the 1970s in the Any Major Soul series. There are two mixes covering ’80s soul HERE and HERE. Still, the years 1980/81 and possibly 1982/83 were good enough to yield any major mixes; I’ve not thought about later years.

It’s tempting to dismiss the soul music produced in the disco era. I think this mix shows that it was still a golden era for soul, if not of quite the incredible standards a few years earlier when there was the happy confluence of the influences exerted by the likes of Philly, Motown, Hi, Muscle Shoals, Atlantic, and the Chicago scene.

If I was asked which of these tracks in this mix I’d take with me to a desert island, I would be hard pressed to choose between Bill Withers’ Love Is and Minnie Riperton’s Never Existed Before. I think the latter would win. Released after her death from cancer, Minnie’s vocals are equally cute and sexy (nobody has done cute and sexy as well as Minnie did). It’s not the best-known track from the Minnie LP, but it is my favourite Riperton song.

Several of the songs here are touched by disco golddust. The Gary Toms Empire are perhaps more disco than soul. Former Motown writers Ashford & Simpson certainly were in their disco groove, and You Know How To Love Me by Phyllis Hyman (another wonderful soul singer who died too young, in 1995, the same year Bobby DeBarge, featured in the bonus tracks, died) is the sort of mid-tempo song one can dance or chill to.

Cheryl Lynn is better remembered for one of the great dance tracks, Got To Be Real. The track featured here, You’re The One, comes from the same eponymous 1978 album, one of the few ballads on the LP on which the 21-year-old Lynn delivered a fine, octave-traversing vocal performance. Signed by CBS on strength of her winning performance on the TV talent programme The Gong Show, Cheryl Lynn was a prodigious session singer too. It’s her soaring voice on Toto’s excellent Georgy Porgy, and she also backed Lenny Williams, whom we encounter in the bonus tracks.

Peabo Bryson does not have a good reputation among soul fans (with that name, it’s surprising he ever enjoyed any credibility), while Natalie Cole’s soul credentials have taken a knock with her endeavours to become her father. Don’t let such perceptions worry you as you hear their excellent jazzy cover of Bobby Caldwell’s What You Won’t Do For Love.

Jean Carn (later rendered as Carne, for “numerological” reasons) sang with Duke Ellington’s orchestra just before his death. Through her stint as a regular on US TV shows she was picked up by Gamble & Huff for their Philadelphia International Records label.

The Jones Girls also found success with Gamble & Huff, via two soul legends. The Chicago sisters were first mentored by Curtis Mayfield, through whom they got to work with Aretha Franklin. It was as a support act for Diana Ross that the Jones Girls — Shirley, Brenda and Valerie — came to Gamble & Huff’s attention. Besides releasing their own albums, they also provided backing vocals for the PIR roster.

Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson was cited by Jimi Hendrix as a major influence. He might also have been nicknamed “Organ”, for he played keyboard for Herb Alpert during the 1960s, reuniting with Alpert for his 1979 hit Rise [EDIT: Apparently he didn't. See comments]. Before that, the man known as “Elvis’ private guitar player” had toured with Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson. Here he gets seriously funky, providing one of the few instances of snoring released on vinyl. Another legend, Wilson Pickett, made a brief comeback fusing the funk with old school soul, creating a sound which Tom Jones has tried to emulate for years, but never coming near his ambition.

The “Pops” in the title of the penultimate track is, of course, Berry Gordy, paid tribute here by four of the greatest stars in music history. I’d not have included it was it not for this year being Motown’s 50th birthday.

.

TRACKLISTING
1. Gary Toms Empire – Welcome To Harlem
2. Ashford & Simpson – It Seems To Hang On
3. Jean Carn – Don’t Let It Get To Your Head
4. Bill Withers – Love Is
5. Rufus and Chaka Khan – Stay
6. Cheryl Lynn - You’re The One
7. Denise LaSalle - A Miracle You And Me
8. Neville Brothers - Washable Ink
9. Minnie Riperton - Never Existed Before
10. Natalie Cole & Peabo Bryson – What You Won’t Do For Love
11. Phyllis Hyman – You Know How To Love Me
12. The Jones Girls – You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else
13. Johnny Guitar Watson – It’s A Damn Shame
14. Wilson Pickett – Lay Me Like You Hate Me
15. The Whispers - Let’s Go All The Way
16. D Ross, M Gaye, S Robinson, S Wonder – Pops, We Love You
17. Roberta Flack – And The Feeling’s Good

DOWNLOAD

.

At one point I thought of making this a two-part mix, because a bunch of longer numbers would fit on the mix, which I have kept, as always, to standard CD-R length. Instead, here are a few bonus tracks.

These include Betty Wright’s live recording of the song about losing her virginity, Lenny William’s fantastically overwrought lament of lost love (“…and then I played my records till I didn’t want to hear them no more), Mtume’s The Closer I Get To You which was a hit for Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack written by James Mtume and Reggie Lucas, the O’Jay’s tribute to a dog, Kandidate’s proto ’80s soul sound, a track by Motown artists Switch who included two older DeBarge brothers, and more.

Lenny Williams – Because I Love You.mp3
Heatwave – Mind Blowing Decisions.mp3
Betty Wright – Tonight Is The Night.mp3
Ray Goodman Brown – Inside Of You.mp3
Brenda Russell – So Good, So Right.mp3
Switch – I Call Your Name.mp3
Mtume – The Closer I Get To You.mp3
The O‘Jays – Brandy.mp3
Kandidate – I Don’t Wanna Lose You.mp3
Rick James – You And I.mp3

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More ’70s Soul
More Mixes

Hva har Ole Paus, Dagblad-journalist Terje Mosnes, hiphopgruppa Fugees, Inger Lise Rypdal og Arne Bendiksen til felles? 1996s store slager, «Killing Me Softly», er et hett stikkord her. Jakten på den norske versjonen av sommerens store slager førte meg ut på en reise i norsk popmusikk.

Mandag var jeg vikar på popquizlaget Dads på Horgan’s, og sannelig stakk vi ikke av med seieren med et knepent halvt poeng. Premieren var en runde øl, samt Fugees’ monsterslager “Killing Me Softly” på cd-singel. Det minnet meg på min jakt etter de norske oversettelsene av låta i VG sommeren 1996. En jakt som førte meg fra Kjetil Rolness og Arne Bendiksen til Inger Lise Rypdal og Ole Paus.

____________________

Hiphopgruppa Fugees er blitt allemannseie på diskoteker fra Beitostølen til Kuala Lumpur. Noe har skjedd, og «Killing Me Softly» har skylden. Ung spirrevipp som jeg er, hadde jeg ikke hørt «Killing Me Softly» før Fugees dukket opp med sin versjon. Men jeg forsto det slik at dette var en ny versjon av en gammel «schlager» med Roberta Flack som vokalist. Originalversjonen ble spilt inn av Lori Lieberman i 1971, mens Flack fikk en hit med sin versjon i 1973. Men ryktene begynte å gå om en norsk versjon . .

Spor 1: Cola og pizza…
På sommerens Quart-festival spilte gruppa Penthouse Playboys, som har gjort suksess med ironiske versjoner av norske slagere. En bekjent av meg begynte da å snakke om en låt han hadde hørt i sine unge dager. «Cola, softis og pizza» gikk refrenget, og melodien var pur «killingmesoftly». Hvem som sang, hadde han ingen anelse om, men mente det var en genial versjon. Min jakt var i gang

Spor 2: Ironisk popmusiker
Hvis noen kunne kjenne til denne norske versjonen på Quartfestivalen, måtte det være Kjetil Rolness, vokalist i Penthouse Playboys og tilhenger av gammel og avdanket norsk popmusikk. Vi klarte å spore ham opp (i pissoaret faktisk), men dessverre kjente han ikke til denne norske popperlen. Han ble riktignok svært interessert, så jeg lovet å fortsette jakten . . (2009-kommentar: Ikke lenge etter denne saken dukket Penthouse Playboys opp med sin versjon av “Sangen han sang var min egen”).

Spor 3: Arne Bendiksen
Norsk popmusikk personlig er Arne Bendiksen, han måtte kjenne til innspillingen vi var på jakt etter.

– Cola, softis og pizza? sier Arne Bendiksen noe forundret.

Han kan ikke huske noen slik versjon av sangen, men har selv vært med på å spille inn ikke mindre enn fire versjoner av Roberta Flacks udødelige låt.

– Jorun Høiland spilte inn sangen på svensk allerede i 1973, og Kari Neegaard (nå: Kari Diesen) oversatte teksten til norsk kort etter. Jeg var med på å spille inn «Sangen han sang var min egen» først med Bendik Singers, så med Ellen Nikolaysen og deretter Inger Lise Rypdal.

– Låta er rett og slett kjempebra, mener Arne Bendiksen

Spor 4: Tekstoversetter nr. 1

Ny telefon, til Kari Diesen.

– Cola, softis og pizza? undrer Kari Diesen.

– Det har jeg aldri hørt om. Lauryn Hill i Fugees synger fint, men Roberta Flacks versjon går rett inn. Jeg tok oversettelsen på alvor, jeg prøvde å beholde den spesielle stemningen. Jeg husker at Ellen Nikolaysen sang inn min versjon.

Spor 5: Kurt Bakkemoen
Mine eldre VG-kolleger kjenner til «Killing Me Softly» fra før Fugees dukket opp. Av kollega Kurt Bakkemoen fikk jeg en samleplate: Fine norske låter 1. Her finnes «Sangen han sang var min egen», spilt inn i 1973, sunget av Ellen Nikolaysen og med tekst av Terje Mosnes?!? Mysteriet tetner til

Spor 6: Tekstoversetter nr. 2
– Hva er dette for noe, Mosnes, kulturjournalist i Dagbladet?

– Det var et rent oppdrag, men jeg husker det var en flott vise med en flott tekst, forteller Mosnes.

Selv husker han ikke at han har oversatt teksten før jeg minner ham om det.

– Men hvem skrev du teksten for? Kari Diesen hevder at hun skrev for Ellen Nikolaysen.

– Jeg husker ikke hvem jeg skrev for, men det kan jo kanskje ha vært Inger Lise Rypdal

Spor 7: Inger Lise Rypdal
– Det var en helt topp sang, husker Inger Lise Rypdal.

Hun husker heller ikke hvem som skrev den norske teksten, men mener sangen kom ut på hennes plate Kontakt.

– Før var det mye mer vanlig å skrive norske tekster til utenlandske låter. Det var vanskelig å finne fine nok norske sanger

– Cola, softis og pizza?

– Nei, det sang jeg ikke

Spor 8: NRKs musikkguruer
Grammofonarkivet i NRK hjelper en stakkars journalist å komme nærmere mysteriets løsning

– Cola, softis og pizza?

– Ja, det stemmer. Anne-Karine Strøm sang inn sangen «Siv & Vivi» rundt 1980, hvor hennes daværende mann Ole Paus hadde skrevet teksten. Refrenget gikk «cola, softis og pizza», får vi opplyst fra NRK

BINGO! Paus neste.

Spor 9: Ole Paus
– Hva?! sier han.

Etter hvert går det et lys opp for Paus, men han kan hverken huske teksten eller innspillingen.

– Jeg laget den vel tidlig på 1980-tallet, men jeg har ingen anelse om hvor den kan fås tak i. Jeg har ikke noe spesielt forhold til originalsangen heller, men jeg husker at Roberta Flack sang fryktelig surt. Det er i og for seg en grei sang.

Men hvis noen av våre lesere kjenner til en innspilt versjon av Ole Paus’ «Cola, softis og pizza», så nøl ikke med å ta kontakt.

Oppfølgersak: Mysteriet oppklart
VG leter etter forhistorien til sommerens store slager, «Killing Me Softly». Ole Paus’versjon av årets store slager «Killing Me Softly» har nå kommet til rette, etter god innsats fra VGs lesere.

En frisk telefonstorm førte til at vi kom til bunns i mysteriet om de norske versjonene av 1973s og 1996s store sommerslager, «Killing Me Softly», med henholdsvis Roberta Flack og Fugees bak mikrofonene.

John Dagfinn Bæverfjord fra Nordmøre var en av de mange som ringte VG og fortalte hvilken plate Paus’ versjon fantes på. Platen heter Jeg tror folk er blitt spenna gærne, er fra 1980, og er et samarbeid mellom Ole Paus, Anne-Karine Strøm, Rolv Wesenlund og Harald Heide-Steen jr. Som sang nummer ni finner vi «Siv og Vivi» med refrenget «cola, softis og pizza».

Overraskelsen blir stor når det viser seg at versene går i ren discotakt, mens refrenget er i samme melodi som sangen vi alle etter hvert kjenner. Paus norske oversettelse forteller den grumme historien om discobertene Siv og Vivi, som liker å sjekke opp kjekkaser med fine biler på byens diskoteker. Den henrivende unge damen Siv går hen og blir gravid. Og det hele ender tragisk med at doktor Werner ikke finner et barn i Sivs mage, men bare cola, softis og pizza.

Fra våre oppvakte lesere får vi også opplyst at danske Shu-bi-dua på 1970-tallet gjorde stor suksess med sin «Kylling med softice». Refrenget gikk som følger: «Kylling med softice og pølser / Det er min favorite meny». Så klart med melodien til «Killing Me Softly»

Bonus 1: Nostalgi og heftige rytmer
Melodien vekker nostalgi hos lytteren, mens rytmene oppdaterer melodien for 1990-tallet. Det er hemmeligheten bak Fugees’ suksess.

– Sangen klarer å appellere til flere generasjoner samtidig. For ungdommen er det rytmen som er viktigst, og jeg tror ikke originalversjonen hadde slått an i dag, sier Stan Hawkins.

Han er førsteamanuensis i musikkvitenskap på Universitetet i Oslo, og populærmusikk er hans spesialområde.

«Killing Me Softly» er blitt så suksessfull fordi den klarer å kombinere dagens rytmer og produksjonsteknologi med en gammel melodi som vekker nostalgiske følelser hos lytteren, mener Hawkins

Bonus 2: Tekstene

”Sangen han sang var min egen”
(C. Fox / N. Gimbel /T. Mosnes)

Han var en ukjent sanger
Han bare kom en kveld
Og som så mange ganger
Var jeg for meg selv
Jeg ville gjerne glemme
Men da han sang forsto jeg…

(Refreng)
Sangen han sang var min egen
Teksten var tatt fra mitt liv
Sangen han sang var min egen
Alle detaljer i mitt liv
Ga han til alle
Og mitt liv

Alt som har hendt meg i mitt liv
Det var som om han visste
Som om han kjente meg
Han sang om alt det triste
Som skilte meg fra deg
Jeg hvisket: «La meg være»
«Og la meg gå jeg ber deg»

(Refreng)

En sang om ord som sårer
Om løfter som jeg fikk
Og gjennom mine tårer
Fanget jeg hans blikk
Jeg ville snakke med ham
Men han så bort og smilte

(Refreng)

”Siv og Vivi”
(C. Fox / N. Gimbel / O. Paus)

Jeg er Vivi, jeg er Siv
Diskotek er hele vårt liv
Vi jobber i butikken
En times tid om formiddagen
Uuuuuuu
Når dagen er slutt
Er vi fri igjen
Kvelden er åpen
Hva med den?
Ut på diskotek
Der treffer vi menn
Av det rette slaget
Når vi så treffer en kar
Sjekker vi først hva slags bil han har
Hvis den er OK, er saken klar
Det klør i magen . .

Oh baby . . .

Etter . .

(Refreng)
Cola og softis og pizza
Cola og softis og pizza
Cola og softis og pizza
Cola og softis og pizza
Cola og softis og pizza
Cola og softis
Og pizza

I fjor høst på denne tiden
Var det Siv ble kvalm
Og fikk vondt i siden
Doktoren sa at hun var gravid
Han het dr. Werner
Uuuuuuu
Da flyttet Siv og Vivi i hop
Og Siv og Vivi delte bo
Og Siv og Vivi visste begge to
Godt hvem faren er
Så kom fødselen, på med fjøra
Ned på klinikken og opp med døra
Da ble dr. Werner heit om øra
Det va’kke noe barn der

Oh baby . .

Det var bare . . .

Cola og softis og pizza
Cola og softis og pizza
Osv.

#181  Roberta Flack > Killing Me Softly With His Song
Trots ett antal olika versioner och inspelningar genom åren är det ingen som toppar Roberta Flacks version från 1973. En modern soulklassiker som många förknippar med The Fugees hip hop-version från 1996. Originalet skrevs för övrigt 1971 av en Lori Lieberman.

Morris ‘MO’ Pleasure

April Sims A and E Radio

or

click here to listen to interview.

April Sims and Vincent Versher (sitting in for Christopher ‘Poetry Man’ Fields) welcome keyboardist and musical director for band in the movie ‘This Is It’ to April Sims A and E Radio.

A little bit more about Mo Pleasure

Join April Sims and Vincent Versher (sitting in for Christopher ‘Poetry Man’ Fields) as they welcome MO Pleasure to April Sims A and E Radio Show. MO shares his experiences with Michael Jackson, Janet Janet and countless other celebrities in the music world as well as his upcoming cd project and more. (click links above to listen to the interview)

A little bit about MO Pleasure

Known affectionately as Mo Pleasure, this renowned multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer, began playing acoustic piano at the age of four and by his early teens already mastered several instruments including bass, trumpet, guitar, drums and violin.

Upon receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from University of Connecticut, Mo began his professional music career playing bass with Ray Charles. He then began working as a session musician, backing some of the most accomplished talents in Jazz and R&B including George Duke, Natalie Cole, Dianne Reeves, Jonathan Butler, Rachelle Ferrell, Michael McDonald, Oleta Adams, Roberta Flack, Marcus Miller and Frankie Beverly and Maze, to name a few.

From 1989 through 1992, Mo was both keyboardist and musical director with saxophonist Najee, pianist Alex Bugnon, and vocalists Philip Bailey, Patti Austin and Jon Lucien. In 1993, he became a member of the legendary group Earth, Wind & Fire, and ascended to become the band’s musical director in 1994. Mo was featured playing keyboards, trumpet and guitar with Janet Jackson’s 2001 “All For You” tour and played keyboards and trumpet with Boney James’ 2004 “Pure” tour. As a principal member of the group Devoted Spirits, Mo was featured playing keyboards for Jimi Hendrix’s 60th Birthday Celebration and the 2004 “Power of Soul: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix” tour. Mo most recently toured with Roberta Flack and Rachelle Ferrell.

In addition to performing at worldwide jazz festivals including Montreux, North Sea, St. Lucia, Cancun, and Montreal, Mo has been a featured concert pianist, performing Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” with the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra and for the Boston Ballet.

There are many Television and Video performances to Mo’s credit, including Ray Charles BBC Special, Mad TV, BET on Jazz, VH1, The Tonight Show, Earth, Wind & Fire documentary Shining Stars and HBO Special – Janet Jackson in Hawaii. His movie soundtrack credits include Talkin’ featured in the Disney movie “Three Men and a Little Lady” and the EWF single “Cruisin,” featured in Spike Lee’s “Get On The Bus.”

Two of Mo’s CDs were released independently in Spring 2005. Devoted Spirits’ “Tribute to Earth, Wind & Fire” and Audio Caviar “Transoceanic.” Audio Caviar is a collaboration featuring Mo on piano, bass, trumpet and flugelhorn, Ralph Johnson on drums and Denmark guitarist Steen Kyed.

Mo’s first offering as a solo artist, Elements of Pleasure, was released in 2006. The release earned him a devoted worldwide following and established him as a producer and multi-instrumentalist with singular talent. Scheduled for release in late 2008, Mo’s second solo effort, Mo’Elements of Pleasure, expands upon his first project. The lyrical movement of the piano, the soulful sounds of the trumpet and flugelhorn and the funky rhythm of the bass are the elements that touch the heart, mind and soul. The music is a combined collaboration of instrumental funk and soulful vocals, reminiscent of his many musical influences. Demonstrating the respect and cache he has garnered in his illustrious career, the album is chockfull of special guests including Tony Terry, Maysa, Ali Woodson, Philip Bailey, Maxayn and Bobby Ricketts.

Posted by: April Sims (http://www.wearegreaterthani.com)

Roberta Flack’s first album. While it contains the hit “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” the entire album is required listening.

This is a vinyl rip. It is exactly how it should be heard. The image above pays homage to the sound. And, yes, I do have this on vinyl and it sounds just as sweet.

Try

Info

Her second album. Filled with the same passion as the first. A treasure that often gets lost in the midst of her “popular” works.

Try

Info

Roberta Flack, photographed by Robinson in the January 1, 1970 Vogue

This is the first post in a monthly series focusing on some lesser-known Condé Nast contributors.

Seeing an ad for the upcoming exhibit “Who Shot Rock & Roll?” at the Brooklyn Museum got me thinking about the photographer Jack Robinson. Robinson was a Mississippi native who had established a reputation as a leading New York fashion photographer by the late 1950s. He began working with famed New York Times fashion editor Carrie Donovan in the mid 1960s, and, when Donovan moved to Vogue, she brought Robinson along. Vogue editor Diana Vreeland liked him personally and artistically and frequently sent him assignments for one of the magazine’s new monthly features, “Vogue’s Own Boutique.” Many of the assignments were portraits of the leading pop musicians of the day, several of which can also be seen in the exhibit at the Brooklyn. The singer/songwriter craze dominated the pop music landscape at the time, and Robinson captured many of the greats – Elton John, Carly Simon, James Taylor, and Leonard Cohen, to name a few.

Joni Mitchell, photographed by Robinson in the February 1, 1969 Vogue

Tim Buckley, poet, composer, musician, and father of Jeff Buckley, photographed by Robinson in the January 1, 1969 Vogue

Iggy Pop, photographed by Robinson in the August 1, 1970 Vogue

Leonard Cohen, poet, novelist, composer, and musician, photographed by Robinson in the November 1, 1967 Vogue

Elton John, photographed by Robinson in the January 1, 1971 Vogue

Carly Simon, photographed by Robinson in the September 1, 1971 Vogue

The Kinks, photographed by Robinson in the April 15, 1970 Vogue

Tina Turner, photographed by Robinson in the January 15, 1970 Vogue

Contact sheet of outtakes of James Taylor, photographed by Robinson for the August 1, 1969 Vogue

Robinson’s personal and professional story, like that of many of his contemporaries, took a tragic turn in the early ’70s. By 1974, he was living in Memphis, battling alcoholism and done with photography altogether. A longer bio and hundreds of his photographs can be seen online at the Robinson Archive.

“That’s a wonderful thing, because one of the primary qualities of a good performance is honesty. “

Michael Jackson and Roberta Flack – When We Grow Up

Roberta Flack – Mr Magic 1972

Roberta Flack – The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

Roberta Flack-Killing Me Softly With His Song

roberta flack suzanne

Roberta Flack- Gone Away

Roberta Flack and Peabo Bryson – The Closer I Get To You

ROBERTA FLACK – BACK TOGETHER AGAIN

Roberta Flack: Lovin you is such an easy thing to do

You Are The Love Of My Life – George Benson & Roberta Flack

Roberta Flack MEDLEY OF HITS LIVE 70’s soul R&B

Love (Always Commands) – Roberta Flack

Roberta Flack -Imagine-

Roberta Flack – Compared To What

“Once you’re successful with a certain kind of music, it’s hard not to have faith in it as a means to stay successful.”

Background Articles and Videos

Roberta Flack

“…Roberta Flack (born February 10, 1937) is an American singer, songwriter and musician who is notable for jazz, soul, R&B and folk music. Flack is best known for singles such as “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”, “Killing Me Softly with His Song”, and “Feel Like Makin’ Love”, as well as “Where Is the Love” and “The Closer I Get to You”, two of her many duets with Donny Hathaway. “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” won the 1973 Grammy Record of the Year and “Killing Me Softly with His Song” won the same award at the Grammy Awards of 1974. She and U2 are the only artists to win the award in back-to-back years. …”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberta_Flack

Roberta Flack Web Site

http://www.robertaflack.com/

Joel Dorn – talks about Roberta Flack & Clint Eastwood

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Extension of a Man, Donny Edward Hathaway’s sixth album, came out while I was in my second year of college. This is my favorite of his output, and it also includes his oft-recorded instrumental, “Valdez in the Country,” “Love, Love, Love,” Danny O’Keefe’s (remember him?) “Magdalena,” (about an evil woman, yeah right), and Al Kooper’s “I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know.” It was also his final solo album; his later recordings were all duets with Roberta Flack or recompilations.

That arresting, mostly instrumental cut, “I Love The Lord, He Heard My Cry,” segues gently into this piece. “Someday We’ll All Be Free” is the kind of song that makes you stop whatever you are doing and listen. You can’t diss yourself when you hear these lyrics in that voice. Whenever I wanted to feel good, and when I was feeling down, I put this song on the record player, followed by Aretha’s rendition of “Young, Gifted and Black.” The lyrics of “Someday We’ll All Be Free” are by Edward Howard.

Hang onto the world as it spins, around.
Just don’t let the spin get you down.
Things are moving fast.
Hold on tight and you will last.
Keep your self-respect your manly pride.
Get yourself in gear,
Keep your stride.
Never mind your fears.
Brighter days will soon be here.
Take it from me someday we’ll all be free
Keep on walking tall, hold you head up high.
Lay your dreams right up to the sky.
Sing your greatest song.
And you’ll keep, going, going on.
Just wait and see someday we’ll all be free.
Take it from me, someday we’ll all be free.
Take it from me someday we’ll all be free.
Take it from me, take it from me, take it from me.

From Wikipedia:

During the best part of his career, Hathaway began to suffer from severe bouts of depression. It was found that he was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and was known to have taken up to 14 pills two to three times per day to control this disease. This condition wreaked havoc on his life and required several hospitalizations.

The effects of Hathaway’s melancholia also drove a wedge into Flack and Hathaway’s friendship; they did not reconcile for several years, and did not release additional music until the 1978 release of “The Closer I Get To You”. The single became a popular and R&B hit, and Flack and Hathaway resumed studio recording to compose a second album of duets thereafter.

It is generally assumed that Donny Hathaway jumped to his death from a fifteenth-floor window at the Essex House, across the street from Central Park in New York City in early January 1979. He landed on a second-floor ledge, and then the body rolled off onto the sidewalk in front of the hotel. He had just completed a day’s work with Flack, and had shared a late dinner with Howard. Hathaway was not abusing substances or drinking and was in good spirits during the entire studio session.

Perhaps he was putting on, planning his escape just like Phyllis Hyman. She too suffered from depression, along with bipolar disorder, alcoholism, weight gain, and other maladies. But some don’t think that Donny jumped, but was pushed.

Lalah Hathaway is his eldest of three daughters. She has carved out an impressive career for herself since the 1990s. Kenya is one of the back-up singers for American Idol.

Enjoy.

First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

The first time ever I saw your face
I thought the sun rose in your eyes
And the moon and stars were the gifts you gave
To the dark and the empty skies, my love,
To the dark and the empty skies.

The first time ever I kissed your mouth
And felt your heart beat close to mine
Like the trembling heart of a captive bird
That was there at my command, my love
That was there at my command.

And the first time ever I lay with you
I felt your heart so close to mine
And I knew our joy would fill the earth
And last till the end of time my love
It would last till the end of time my love

The first time ever I saw your face, your face,
your face, your face

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

Roberta Flack

The movie “Shelter” edited to the song by Roberta Flack The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. Trevor Wright and Brad Rowe

The movie “Shelter” edited to the song by Roberta Flack The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.

Roberta Flack – The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

Roberta Flack – The First Time Ever… – 1972

Roberta Flack – The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

The definitive version of First Time Ever I Saw Your Face – Roberta Flack 1972

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face – Roberta Flack

The first time ever I saw your face
I thought the sun rose in your eyes
And the moon and stars were the gifts you gave
To the dark and the empty skies, my love,
To the dark and the empty skies.

The first time ever I kissed your mouth
And felt your heart beat close to mine
Like the trembling heart of a captive bird
That was there at my command, my love
That was there at my command.

And the first time ever I lay with you
I felt your heart so close to mine
And I knew our joy would fill the earth
And last till the end of time my love
It would last till the end of time my love

The first time ever I saw your face, your face,
your face, your face

Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson…”Scream”-an electric,brother/sister duo,oozing of greatness

Brandy and Monica…”The Boy Is Mine”-straight classic. Two of R&B’s young diva’s holding down the nineties

Usher and Alicia Keys … “My Boo”- two young R&B superstars giving it up…

BeBe and CeCe Winans…”Addictive Love”… smooth,silky,beautiful,powerful and passionate vocals from one of gospels best duo’s

Celine Dion and R. Kelly … “I’m Your Angel” -sang and delivered by two of the music industry’s extremely talented

Zhane…”DJ play that song”-cute,soul party gem

Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell…”Ain’t nothin’ like the real thang”-true ear candy by Motown’s greatest duo

Hall and Oats…”I can’t go for that”-it was a crap shoot to pick a song from these two. Sooo many greats

\

Luther Vandross and Beyonce… “The Closer I Get To You” – Beautiful rendition of a classic

Rick James and Teena Marie…”Fire and Desire”-need I say more? One of the funkiest duo’s I know of…

Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney”Ebony and Ivory”-a clever, inspirational song by two legends

Ashford and Simpson…”Solid as Rock”-powerful writing,singing,performance duo

Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole…”Unforgettable”-a dreamy version between father and daughter of an ‘unforgettable’  ballad

Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald… “What a fool believes”-a fabulous live version of a classic song with two of music greats

K-Ci and JoJo… “All My Life”-gorgeous song sang with conviction of the heart

Lionel Richie and Diana Ross…”Endless Love”-timeless ballad with the delivery of two unique,veteran artists

Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey…”When you believe”- beautiful women with beautiful voices

Olivia Newton John and John Travolta…”You’re the one that I want”-fun,spunky, it defined a generation

Erroll Garner

“Misty” – The Erroll Garner Trio

This Erroll Garner composition has of course taken on alife of it’s own beyond the world of jazz as the song that was the centre piece for the Clint Eastwood film “Play Misty For Me”

Despite this celebrity it should be remembered that the song was already regarded as a jazz standard and that Garner was without doubt a very distinctive pianist with a unique style unlike anyone else.

As for the film, released in 1971, it was of course directed by Clint Eastwood who plays David “Dave” Garver, a KRML radio disc jockey who becomes the target of Evelyn Draper, an obsessed female fan, played by Jessica Walter. Donna Millsplays his re-acquainted girlfriend, Tobie Williams. The title comes from Draper’s habit of phoning in to Garver’s radio show and asking him to play “Misty”.

The film paved the way for later stalker films such as Fatal Attraction, particularly those with a female antagonist, and also those where the villain appeared to have died prematurely. It is also notable for its use of location shooting, mostly in the area of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, where Eastwood has long made his home, and where he was elected Mayor in 1986. Additional scenes were shot at the Monterey Jazz Festival in September 1970, featuring jazz greats Johnny Otis, Cannonball Adderley, and future Weather Report founder Joe Zawinul.

The film features a romantic montage backed by Roberta Flack’s recording of “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.”

“First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” – Roberta Flack.

To buy the music of Roberta Flack click HERE

To buy the DVD click HERE

Roberta Flack-Killing Me Softly With His Song

Strumming my pain with his fingers,
Singing my life with his words,
Killing me softly with his song,
Killing me softly with his song,
Telling my whole life with his words,
Killing me softly, with his song.

I heard he sang a good song.
I heard he had a style.
And so I came to see him,
To listen for a while.
And there he was, this young boy,
A stranger to my eyes.

Strumming my pain with his fingers,
Singing my life with his words,
Killing me softly with his song,
Killing me softly with his song,
Telling my whole life with his words,
Killing me softly, with his song.

I felt all flushed with fever,
Embarrassed by the crowd.
I felt he found my letters,
And read each one out loud.
I prayed that he would finish,
But he just kept right on.

Strumming my pain with his fingers,
Singing my life with his words,
Killing me softly with his song,
Killing me softly with his song,
Telling my whole life with his words,
Killing me softly, with his song.

He sang as if he knew me
In all my dark despair.
And then he looked right through me
As if I wasn’t there.
And he just kept on singing,
Singing clear and strong.

Strumming my pain with his fingers,
Singing my life with his words,
Killing me softly with his song,
Killing me softly with his song,
Telling my whole life with his words,
Killing me softly, with his song.

MATÁNDOME SUAVEMENTE CON SU CANCIÓN

Removiendo mi dolor con sus dedos
cantando mi vida con sus palabras,
matándome suavemente con su canción,
matándome suavemente con su canción,
Contando toda mi vida con sus palabras,
matándome suavemente con su canción.

Me dijeron que cantaba una buena canción.
que la cantaba con estilo,
así que vine a ver y escucharle un rato.
Y ahí estaba él, como un joven niño,
un extraño a mis ojos.

Removiendo mi dolor con sus dedos
cantando mi vida con sus palabras,
matándome suavemente con su canción,
matándome suavemente con su canción,
Contando toda mi vida con sus palabras,
matándome suavemente con su canción.

Me sonrojé tanto hasta sentir fiebre,
avergonzada entre el público,
parecía haber encontrado mis cartas
y que las leía en voz alta.
Pedía a Dios que acabara por fin,
pero él seguía con ello.

Removiendo mi dolor con sus dedos
cantando mi vida con sus palabras,
matándome suavemente con su canción,
matándome suavemente con su canción,
Contando toda mi vida con sus palabras,
matándome suavemente con su canción.

Cantaba como si me conociera
en todas mis penurias.
Y luego miró justo a través mío
como si yo no estuviera presente.
Y continuó cantando
cantando claro y fuerte.

Removiendo mi dolor con sus dedos
cantando mi vida con sus palabras,
matándome suavemente con su canción,
matándome suavemente con su canción,
Contando toda mi vida con sus palabras,
matándome suavemente con su canción.

Someone whom I trust, dearly, shared a song with me a few weeks ago. The song was “Be Real Black for Me” by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway. If you’ve heard this song, you already know how genuine and sincere the lyrics are. But Flack and Hathaway deliver it magically. I had never heard this song before except in Scarface’s sampling of it in “My Block.”

I was happy to learn there was an entire CD of Flack and Hathaway duets, so I bought it with the quickness.  There’s so much variety in it, a devastatingly bluesy treatment of I (Who Have Nothing), originally by Ben E. King, an almost taunting rendition of You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling, originally by the Righteous Brothers, a song from their church roots, Come Ye Disconsolate, and piano solo, Mood.  The self-titled Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway is probably the best purchase I’ve made all year and it hasn’t gotten old yet. I play it every morning like kneeling for a prayer. I walk differently, speak differently all day because of it. I play it when my son and I are driving home. He especially likes to sing the grand finish of Be Real Black for Me in his strongest, most joyful 2 year-old voice. I love it when he chimes in to duet with me.

*LISTEN TO AUDIO OF HammondCast Early Edition KYOU Radio, STAN GETZ “Darn That Dream” in tribute to Ertegun Brothers Ahmet & Neshui, also SYLVIA SYMS “Skylark” backed up by BOBBY SHORT and PHIL COLLINS solo “In The Air Tonight” JON at piano “Witchcraft” & “Misty” Vintage ‘Blues Hour’ on NYC Street, Jon’s band at Birdland “BBQ Lily” in Hamburg, Studio Jam and HORACE SILVER “Liberated Brother”, Jon’s group “Girl From Ipanema”

http://www.kyouradio.com/media/mpeg-2007122507331198596792.mp3

*WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:

*WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:

http://ia341037.us.archive.org/1/items/JonHammondAhmetErtegunEulogyToMyBrotherNesuhi/AhmetErtegunEulogyToNesuhi_512kb.mp4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiEHOvVqAqw

From Jon Hammond N.Y., NY: I was honored to be invited to be with friends, family and Atlantic Records WEA and so many Musicians on this day in 1989 in Lincoln Center. I arrived with Bernard Purdie long-time Atlantic recording artist and we sat together amongst the Musicians, in concert were Modern Jazz Quartet, Roberta Flack, Phil Collins, Manhattan Transfer, Ron Carter, Sylvia Simms and at end after Ahmet’s eulogy George Wein played a piano blues with Claude Nobbs on harmonica. Cocktail reception followed, it was somber but warm and joyful at the same time. Now Ahmet has passed RIP, he was always nice to me so I pass this on in their memory.
Sincerely,
Jon Hammond
© www.HammondCast.com
*Ahmet Ertegun was “one of the most significant figures in the modern recording industry” who “co-founded Atlantic Records in 1947 with partner Herb Abramson. Atlantic was at the forefront of great independent labels that sprang up in the late Forties, challenging the primacy of the major labels of the time (RCA, Columbia and Decca) by discovering, developing and nurturing new talent. Under the guiding hand of Ertegun – the son of a career diplomat and a lifelong jazz and blues aficionado – Atlantic became the nation’s premier rhythm & blues label in a few short years. The label’s artist roster in the Fifties reads like an honor roll of R&B talent: Ruth Brown, Big Joe Turner, Ray Charles, LaVern Baker, the Drifters, the Coasters, the Clovers, and many more. During this period, Ertegun produced or coproduced the vast majority of records released on Atlantic. He even wrote songs for Atlantic artists in the early days using the pseudonym “Nugetre” (Ertegun spelled backwards). Though he was less directly involved as a producer, Ertegun continued at the helm of Atlantic in the Sixties and Seventies as the company conquered the realms of soul and rock, from Aretha Franklin to Led Zeppelin, with phenomenal success. Ertegun serves as chairman of Atlantic Records to this day. At the tenth annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Dinner in 1995, it was announced that the museum’s main exhibition hall would be named after Ertegun.” (quote from Museum)

Nesuhi Ertegun “spent most of his lifetime working at Atlantic Records and associated labels. He joined Atlantic in 1956, nine years after its founding by his brother Ahmet and Herb Abramson. Nesuhi initially developed Atlantic’s album department and built up the label’s extensive catalog of jazz long-players. The list of jazz artists he produced at Atlantic over the years reads like a who’s who: John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Ornette Coleman, the Modern Jazz Quartet and more. Nesuhi also became involved with the label’s rhythm & blues and rock and roll roster as well, producing several hit records for Ray Charles, the Drifters, Bobby Darin and Roberta Flack. The son of a Turkish diplomat, Nesuhi acquired his taste for black music while growing up in Washington D.C., where he and Ahmet would frequent the Howard Theater and scour the community for records by their favorite musicians. In 1944, he moved to Los Angeles to run the Jazzman Record Shop. While there he created his own label, Crescent Records (later Jazzman), on which he recorded the likes of Kid Ory and Jelly Roll Morton. Nesuhi also served as editor of Record Changer magazine and taught the first accredited course in jazz offered in the U.S., at UCLA. In addition to founding the jazz division at Atlantic, Nesuhi later went on to spearhead the label’s international operations, expanding the business and opening up new markets overseas. After the merger of the Warner Brothers, Elektra and Atlantic labels in 1971, he headed WEA International. He later oversaw the special projects division of Warner Communications and launched East/West, a Atlantic-distributed label, in 1988.” (quote from Museum)

ASCAP Network Behind The Beat with Jon Hammond “LATE RENT”

Elmar Lemes photo of Jon Hammond playing XK-3 organ at Local 802 Monday Night Jazz Session sponsored by Jazz Foundation of America

Jon Hammond MySpace

HammondCast

ASCAP Network Behind The Beat “NDR SESSIONS Projekt”

Jon Hammond is an endorsed artist of Hammond Suzuki USA

Ahmet Ertegun, Atlantic Records, Funky Jazz, HammondCast, John Coltrane, Jon Hammond, KYOU Radio, Nesuhi, Phil Collins, Rhythm and Blues, Roberta Flack, Ron Carter, B3, XK-3c, Accordion, Local 802 Musicians Union

*LISTEN TO AUDIO OF HammondCast Early Edition KYOU Radio, STAN GETZ “Darn That Dream” in tribute to Ertegun Brothers Ahmet & Neshui, also SYLVIA SYMS “Skylark” backed up by BOBBY SHORT and PHIL COLLINS solo “In The Air Tonight” JON at piano “Witchcraft” & “Misty” Vintage ‘Blues Hour’ on NYC Street, Jon’s band at Birdland “BBQ Lily” in Hamburg, Studio Jam and HORACE SILVER “Liberated Brother”, Jon’s group “Girl From Ipanema”

http://www.kyouradio.com/media/mpeg-2007122507331198596792.mp3

*WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:

*WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:

http://ia341037.us.archive.org/1/items/JonHammondAhmetErtegunEulogyToMyBrotherNesuhi/AhmetErtegunEulogyToNesuhi_512kb.mp4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiEHOvVqAqw

From Jon Hammond N.Y., NY: I was honored to be invited to be with friends, family and Atlantic Records WEA and so many Musicians on this day in 1989 in Lincoln Center. I arrived with Bernard Purdie long-time Atlantic recording artist and we sat together amongst the Musicians, in concert were Modern Jazz Quartet, Roberta Flack, Phil Collins, Manhattan Transfer, Ron Carter, Sylvia Simms and at end after Ahmet’s eulogy George Wein played a piano blues with Claude Nobbs on harmonica. Cocktail reception followed, it was somber but warm and joyful at the same time. Now Ahmet has passed RIP, he was always nice to me so I pass this on in their memory.
Sincerely,
Jon Hammond
© www.HammondCast.com
*Ahmet Ertegun was “one of the most significant figures in the modern recording industry” who “co-founded Atlantic Records in 1947 with partner Herb Abramson. Atlantic was at the forefront of great independent labels that sprang up in the late Forties, challenging the primacy of the major labels of the time (RCA, Columbia and Decca) by discovering, developing and nurturing new talent. Under the guiding hand of Ertegun – the son of a career diplomat and a lifelong jazz and blues aficionado – Atlantic became the nation’s premier rhythm & blues label in a few short years. The label’s artist roster in the Fifties reads like an honor roll of R&B talent: Ruth Brown, Big Joe Turner, Ray Charles, LaVern Baker, the Drifters, the Coasters, the Clovers, and many more. During this period, Ertegun produced or coproduced the vast majority of records released on Atlantic. He even wrote songs for Atlantic artists in the early days using the pseudonym “Nugetre” (Ertegun spelled backwards). Though he was less directly involved as a producer, Ertegun continued at the helm of Atlantic in the Sixties and Seventies as the company conquered the realms of soul and rock, from Aretha Franklin to Led Zeppelin, with phenomenal success. Ertegun serves as chairman of Atlantic Records to this day. At the tenth annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Dinner in 1995, it was announced that the museum’s main exhibition hall would be named after Ertegun.” (quote from Museum)

Nesuhi Ertegun “spent most of his lifetime working at Atlantic Records and associated labels. He joined Atlantic in 1956, nine years after its founding by his brother Ahmet and Herb Abramson. Nesuhi initially developed Atlantic’s album department and built up the label’s extensive catalog of jazz long-players. The list of jazz artists he produced at Atlantic over the years reads like a who’s who: John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Ornette Coleman, the Modern Jazz Quartet and more. Nesuhi also became involved with the label’s rhythm & blues and rock and roll roster as well, producing several hit records for Ray Charles, the Drifters, Bobby Darin and Roberta Flack. The son of a Turkish diplomat, Nesuhi acquired his taste for black music while growing up in Washington D.C., where he and Ahmet would frequent the Howard Theater and scour the community for records by their favorite musicians. In 1944, he moved to Los Angeles to run the Jazzman Record Shop. While there he created his own label, Crescent Records (later Jazzman), on which he recorded the likes of Kid Ory and Jelly Roll Morton. Nesuhi also served as editor of Record Changer magazine and taught the first accredited course in jazz offered in the U.S., at UCLA. In addition to founding the jazz division at Atlantic, Nesuhi later went on to spearhead the label’s international operations, expanding the business and opening up new markets overseas. After the merger of the Warner Brothers, Elektra and Atlantic labels in 1971, he headed WEA International. He later oversaw the special projects division of Warner Communications and launched East/West, a Atlantic-distributed label, in 1988.” (quote from Museum)

ASCAP Network Behind The Beat with Jon Hammond “LATE RENT”

Elmar Lemes photo of Jon Hammond playing XK-3 organ at Local 802 Monday Night Jazz Session sponsored by Jazz Foundation of America

Jon Hammond MySpace

HammondCast

ASCAP Network Behind The Beat “NDR SESSIONS Projekt”

Jon Hammond is an endorsed artist of Hammond Suzuki USA

Ahmet Ertegun, Atlantic Records, Funky Jazz, HammondCast, John Coltrane, Jon Hammond, KYOU Radio, Nesuhi, Phil Collins, Rhythm and Blues, Roberta Flack, Ron Carter, B3, XK-3c, Accordion, Local 802 Musicians Union

Chart Position: 5

• Written by Ralph McDonald and Robert Salter
• Originally intended for Fifth Dimension
• Won best performance-group Grammy award
• Flack and Hathaway were classmates in High School in Asheville NC
• Produced by Joel Dorn and Arif Marden
• Later recorded by Betty Wright (1975), Helen Reddy (1972), Stephanie Mills and Robert Brookins (1988) and Jessi and Trina (1995)

In between my report of the intense August in Berlin, and the discovery of the beautiful Casa delle Letterature yesterday in Rome, I could not refrain from posting on this movie, Videocracy, which is currently not being advertised in Italy. So basically, it doesn’t exist. At least for that portion of Italians who sip in the reality as distorted and manucured from 90% of the media.

This is not a film. Take it as a description of a medical condition. A cancer spreading in the country since 30 years. Some sort of Gomorrah-light.

Back in Italy the first alarming news were the fears that even Rai3 (maybe the only State TV still daring to report on the reality of facts) could fall in the hands of the videocrat. This is because in Italy journalists are not killed, like Anna Politkovskaya. They’re killed softly. With takeovers. With laws, limitations. Or just scandals, ostracism and oblivion.

Who knows if we will be able to see new material from Report, one of the last fortresses of reportage? A Facebook page has been set up to support Milena Gabanelli, the reporter whose investigations are now under threat. A new law would withdraw RAI TV’s legal fees coverage for journalists and force reporters to cover personally any legal fees of any trials they could incur into while doing their investigations.

Colin Crouch says Italy entered fully in the post-democratic era. He says he doesn’t know how to call it, but it’s not democracy anymore. There are traces left of democracy, but it’s a thin crust. Its filling is videocracy, flavoured and addictive like bad pet food.

PS

the program ’s official website runs painfully slow. “Engineered by rainet”? or should we rather say, boycotted?

REPORT SENZA COPERTURA LEGALE. RUFFIN SI SCHIERA PER SALVARE IL PROGRAMMA

Il primo affondo lo aveva sferrato Giulio Tremonti, presentando un esposto per la puntata di Report del 5 aprile dedicata alla social card, nel corso della quale, secondo il ministro, erano stati lesi “i principi di completezza, correttezza e obiettività” dell’informazione. Tesi bocciata dall’Agcom che ha archiviato la denuncia del titolare del dicastero dell’economia sostenendo che “non si rilevano sconfinamenti del diritto di critica”, poiché “la tecnica informativa tipica di Report è stata ritenuta legittima dal Tribunale civile di Roma”. La seconda tappa dell’operazione silenzio spetterebbe ora alla stessa Rai, che – secondo il tam tam che circola in rete in queste ore – per bocca del direttore generale Masi avrebbe annunciato di non garantire più ai giornalisti della fortunata trasmissione di RaiTre condotta da Milena Gabanelli la copertura legale. Il che equivarrebbe a una chiusura quasi certa: gli inviati della trasmissione, da sempre attivi nel denunciare le illegalità e i soprusi che ci circondano, dovrebbero provvedere di tasca propria alle spese legali cui, da bravi reporter, vanno continuamente incontro.

Di qui il lancio di una petizione subito diffusa su numerosi siti tra cui Facebook, per bloccare l’iniziativa della tv di Stato.

I giornalisti di Report dedicano la propria esistenza a ricerche scrupolose: viaggiano in lungo e in largo per arrivare alla verità e rivelarla al pubblico a casa. Scoprono traffici loschi e furti che spesso avvengono sotto i nostri occhi. Smascherano impostori, sfruttatori e tutto questo per offrire un servizio alla gente.

La Rai, invece, pur dovendo ancora risolvere la questione della direzione di Raitre ancora vacante, o anche quella di Annozero, programma minacciato di doppia conduzione “equa” (Santoro affiancato da un collega di destra) in nome della par condicio, avrebbe deciso di affrontare salomonicamente la questione, mettendo la popolare trasmissione nelle condizioni di chiudere.

Dopo il caso, si schiera con Report il direttore di Rai tre  Paolo Ruffini: “Report è un programma dell’azienda, è un buon esempio di giornalismo sano e utile. Credo che la Rai l’assistenza legale gliela debba dare”.   A questa squadra di freelance la Rai ha garantito copertura legale per anni e su richiesta della rete. Su questo tema c’è una questione che è stata sollevata, nonostante il parere contrario della rete. La mia opinione è che Report è un patrimonio e quindi è utlile all’azienda”.

Be Real Black

(after Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway)

Let the brief cool of fall,

pour like milk from the mouth

of a hand-made antique,

grow pretty as a lily

worthy of your pauses.

Let all that is black, continuous,

unchanged, magical,

sprinkle like a hush,

surrender to dizziness

whenever your lips part crookedly

casting my back’s arch,

setting me straight like teeth

perfecting organs for speech.

- Melanie Henderson

Hey all you Music lovers out there!

What do The Jazz Crusaders, India.Arie, Wyclef Jean, Amy Grant, CECE Winans, Roberta Flack, Donnie McClurkin, and Jon Secada have in common? They are all performing, showing their videos, interviewing and/or appearing on the all new multi-cultural music television show, Yhur Music TV coming your way this season!

The 1/2 hour show airs Monday through Saturday at Noon* starting September 5th on Dish Network’s Colours TV Channel 9407 or 9396; as well as via various Cable Affiliates – find the channel in your area here

Additionally, the interactive show plays the music YOU want to hear – it’s “Yhur Music Yhur Way”. The once a week Indie music show on Wednesdays* also provides an outlet for Independent artists to get their music video aired on national television! Tune in to find out how to enter your video!

You can get weekly show updates & correspond with us on Twitter, Facebook and mySpace

Tune into Yhur Music TV* on….
Mondays – Yhur WORLD Music TV
Tuesdays – Yhur JAZZ, R&B, SOUL Music TV
Wednesdays – Yhur INDIE ARTISTS Music TV
Thursdays – Yhur GOSPEL Music TV
Fridays – Yhur LATIN Music TV
Saturdays – Yhur HIP HOP Music TV

• Airtime & genre specific show days are subject to change

I was delighted to see a comment from Jerry Plunk, lead singer and drummer of the Flying Embers, thanking me for including the group’s Westbound #9 in the Any Major Soul 1970/71 mix (and a comment from Jerry Lawson from the Persuasions, appreciating the inclusion of his group’s version of He Ain’t Heavy/You’ve Got A Friend in The Originals Vol. 30). I hope that this series of ’70s soul mixes will create some interest in acts and songs that are not as widely remembered as they ought to be. So this compilation excludes the most obvious picks for the years 1972/73, and includes what I hope are a few great new discoveries, or indeed re-discoveries. As before, it was a struggle to keep the mix down to the standard CD-R length.

As I was playing this collection, my wife heard Jermaine Jackson’s Daddy’s Home. She remembered that in her youth, this song and Earth, Wind & Fire’s Reasons (both by then a few years old) were the clarion call for young guys to ask the girls of their desire for a slow dance. Invariable, according to Any Major Wife With A Big Heart, the hapless girls who’d accept the invitation would feel something hard pressing against their stomachs; sometimes they’d have to fend off slobbering teen boys’ mouths. If they succeeded in their horny designs, the song the boys should have played while making love is Donny Hathaway & Roberta Flack’s Be Real Black For Me (sampled to good effect by Scarface for the excellent My Block);

The era under review saw the rise of Philadelphia’s soul scene. The O’Jays, Billy Paul, Three Degrees and Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes fell victim to the not-too-obvious rule, but represented here are still a number of exponents of Philly Soul, such as the Delfonics, Futures, Intruders (“She’s choice Grade A beef”!!!) , First Choice, Trammps and soul veteran Joe Simon, an early member of the Gamble & Huff stable.

Denise Lasalle may be better remembered for her disappointing 1985 hit Don’t Mess With My Tutu. Far better to get to know her through her gorgeous self-penned Trapped By A Thing Called Love produced by Memphis soul legend Willie Mitchell, who also produced Al Green in his soul prime, including the second cut on the Let’s Stay Together album, represented here. Sandwiched between the Mitchell-produced tracks is Barbara Jean English’s So Many Ways To Die, which is a bit of a showstopper, I think. Listen to the lyrics!. And talking of lyrics, check out the Free Movement: she tells him tearfully that she’s splitting for another guy; he tells her to calm down because he’s had an affair as well. A dirty, clean split.

Bloodstone supported Al Green on a UK tour before releasing their 1973 debut single and album, both titled Natural High. Their drummer, Steve Ferrone, later joined the Average White Band, which did a very good cover of the Isley Brothers’ Work To Do.

Terry Callier was a friend of Curtis Mayfield’s in the Chicago scene who fused his soul music with folk. He later recorded with Paul Weller and Beth Orton. He should receive credit also for this entirely agreeable cover art. Keep your game UP-tight, Terry.

Bobby Womack’s Harry Hippie, by the way, is named after his brother Harry, who a few years later died in a traffic accident.

TRACKLISTING
1. Joe Simon – Step By Step
2. The Trammps - Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart
3. First Choice – Smarty Pants
4. The Isley Brothers – Work To Do
5. Cymande - The Message
6. Al Wilson – Show And Tell
7. Denise Lasalle – Trapped By A Thing Called Love
8. Barbara Jean English – So Many Ways To Die
9. Al Green – La-La For You
10. Jermaine Jackson – Daddy’s Home
11. Ronnie Dyson – When You Get Right Down To It
12. The Delfonics – Think It Over
13. Free Movement – I’ve Found Someone Of My Own
14. The Futures – Love Is Here
15. Donny Hathaway & Roberta Flack – Be Real Black For Me
16. The Four Tops – Nature Planned It
17. Bobby Womack – Harry Hippie
18. The Intruders – She’s A Winner
19. Terry Callier - Ordinary Joe
20. Bloodstone – Natural High
21. Don Downing – Lonely Days, Lonely Nights
22. Jimmy Helms – Gonna Make You An Offer You Can’t Refuse
23. Gladys Knight & The Pips – It’s Gotta Be That Way

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As in the previous instalment, here is an overflow of four tracks I was particularly sorry to exclude from the mix. Mayfield’s lilting yet urgent No Thing On Me is, in my view, the highlight of the Superfly soundtrack (“Sho’ is funky…that I ain’t no junkie”). Pillow Talk delivers on its sex-on-disc promise, and then some (cue after Be Real Black For Me). The World Is A Ghetto was War’s contribution to the sound of inner city discontent, by a genre hopping band. I’ve posted I’m Doing Fine Now before. Had I not done so, it would have been on the mix.

Curtis Mayfield – No Thing On Me.mp3
Sylvia – Pillow Talk.mp3
War – The World Is A Ghetto.mp3
New York City – I’m Doing Fine Now.mp3

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