VA - Los Angeles Soul: Kent-Modern's Black Music Legacy (2015)

The Bihari brothers, owners of Los Angeles’ Kent and Modern labels, knew their black music, signing artists of the calibre of Etta James, Jesse Belvin and Jimmy Witherspoon in the 50s. Their travels to New Orleans, Memphis and elsewhere saw them expand their horizons, recording acts in those locales or licensing in material for release. In the soul era the Other Brothers fromTexas, Jeanette Jones and Wally Cox from the Bay Area, and the Memphis-recorded Earl Wright fit that pattern.

Wally Cox’s group ballad ‘I Need A Love’ was scheduled to be issued in 1971 but didn’t make it to wax. Other group vocals include a hard-to-find update of Marvin & Johnny’s ‘Cherry Pie’ by Lord Charles & the Prophets, the Other Brothers’ ‘It’s Been A Long Time Baby’ and the exquisite harmonies of the Windjammers’ ‘All That Shines Is Not Gold’. Johnny Copeland’s ‘I Was Born To Love You’ is a mid-paced dancer omitted from his Kent CD, while Jeanette Jones gives a raunchy treatment to Ruby Winters’ ‘I Want Action’, which like the southern soul-influenced ‘Tear My Love Down’ by Wayne Boykin was never issued.

The Pace-Setters’ ‘Push On Jesse Jackson’, a combination of politics and harmony vocals over a psychofunk rhythm, is here in the full five minutes-plus vocal take for the first time. ‘You Saved Me From Destruction’ by Difosco (aka Dee Ervin/Big Dee Irwin) is another “out there” cut. Also from that late 60s experimental era for black music, the Robert Ramsey and Larry Sanders tracks are spacey numbers, both on CD for the first time. Willie Gauff’s ‘I Know She’s Gonna Leave’ on the other hand is so crazed and intense it’s taken 30 years to pluck up the courage to release it.

Other unissueds include a take on Mary Love’s ‘Move A Little Closer’ by jazz singer Millie Foster and Felice Taylor’s version of the Glories’ ‘Sing Me A Love Song’, which is all Diana Ross-inspired sensuality with a lush production. We end with ‘Your Gonna Miss Your Chance’, a rare gospel 45 from a Compton Baptist church. Maurine Williams’ haunting vocals produced goosebumps on this hard-bitten compiler.

TRACKLIST

01. Jeanette Jones - I Want Action
02. Difosco - You Saved Me From Destruction
03. Johnny Adams - No In-Between
04. Johnny Copeland - I Was Born To Love You
05. The Intentions - My Love She's Gone
06. Jimmy Bee - I Only Have Eyes For You
07. Lord Charles & The Prophets - Cherry Pie
08. Earl Wright - I Don't Know
09. Venetta Fields with The Ikettes - Give Me a Chance (Try Me)
10. Pat Hunt - You Are My First Love
11. Felice Taylor - Sing Me a Love Song
12. The Windjammers - All That Shines Is Not Gold
13. Wayne Boykin - Tear My Love Down
14. The Pacesetters - Push On Jesse Jackson (Extended version)
15. Willie Gauff & the Love Brothers - I Know She's Gonna Leave
16. Tommy Youngblood - Gone On Home
17. The Other Brothers - It's Been a Long Time Baby
18. Jackie Shane - You Are My Sunshine
19. Larry Sanders - You're My Girl
20. Millie Foster - Move a Little Closer
21. Ruth Davis - I Need Money
22. Robert Ramsey - Take a Look In Your Mind
23. Wally Cox - I Need a Love (I Need Your Love)
24. Maurine Williams & the Mount Olive 2nd B.C. Choir - Your Gonna Miss Your Chance