"Hard To Explain: More Shattered Dreams - Funky Blues 1968-1984" by VARIOUS ARTISTS (2015 Ace/Beat Goes Public CD Compilation (BGP) - Duncan Cowell Remasters)

“...Gimme Some Of Yours...”

Back in my pre-Heart Attack and Vine days of 2011 – I excitedly reviewed the first Volume of “Shattered Dreams – Funky Blues 1967-1984” on Ace’s Beat Goes Public Label (BGP) and duly raved about its many charms and butt-wobbling eblutions. Well take me up the back passage with Shergar’s love truncheon but the crafty buggers have only gone and put out Volume 2 (no shame that lot) and it’s another star in a reasonably priced car. Here are the necessary toiletries...

UK released June 2015 – “Hard To Explain: More Shattered Dreams – Funky Blues 1968-1984” on Ace/Beat Goes Public CDBGPD 285 (Barcode 029667528528) pans out as follows (63:08 minutes):

1. The Creeper – FREDDY ROBINSON (from the 1979 LP “Blue Monday: The Stax Blues Masters Vol.2” on Stax 3015)

2. Gimme Some Of Yours (I’ll Give You Some Of Mine) – ARTIE WHITE (1970 USA 7” single on Gamma 11112, A)

3. You Upset Me Baby – LARRY DAVIS (1968 USA 7” single on Pisces 8114)

4. Walk On – FINIS TASBY (1977 LP Big Town 1009)

5. Getting Down With You – OBREY WILSON (2014, Previously Unreleased Bastille Productions Recording)

6. It’s Hard To Explain – RAY AGEE (1972 USA 7” single on Romark RK-118, A)

7. Don’t Down Me People Part 1 – MEMPHIS SOUL (2014 USA 7” single Numero 027, A - 70s Recording from Phoenix, Arizona and not Memphis)

8. Lovemaker – LOWELL FULSOM (1978 USA LP “Lovemaker” on Big Town 1008)

9. Cold Sweat – ALBERT KING (1969 USA 7” single on Stax 0069, A)

10. I Want You – SMOKEY WILSON (2014, Previously Unreleased Modern Recording)

11. I Don’t Understand It – ICE WATER SLIM & THE FOURTH FLOOR 9174 USA 7” single on Hawk Sound HS 1001, A)

12. Go Go Train – SMOKEY WILSON (1976 USA 7” single on Big Town BT-711, A)

13. He Made You Mine – BID DADDY RUCKER featured with The Johnny Otis Show (1972 USA 7” single on Hawk Sound H-101,B-side)

14. Fine Something Else To Do – FINIS TASBY (1984 UK LP “Blues Mechanic” on Ace Records CH 122)

15. Getting’ Down With The Game – ADOLH JACOBS (1972 USA 7” single on Romark RK-117, B-side of “Do It”)

16. I Finally Got You – JIMMY McCRACKLIN (1972 USA LP “Yesterday Is Gone” on Stax STS 2047)

17. Them Love Blues – EARL WRIGHT (1969 USA 7” single on Virgo 101, A)

18. Hey Little Girl – TOMMY YOUNGBLOOD (1970 USA 7” single on Kent 4516, A” and on the “The Soul Of Tommy Youngblood” Kent LP)

19. Sister Rose –SHAKEY JAKE HARRIS (1974 USA 7” single on Grenade GR 1004, A)

20. It’s Real (Part 1) – JIMMY ROBINS (1968 USA 7” single on Kent 487, A)

Tracks 1, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11 to 14, 16 and 18 to 20 are STEREO

Tracks 2, 3, 4, 7 10, 15 and 17 are MONO

The 16-page booklet has detailed and (deeply) affectionate liner notes from genre lover and expert DEAN RUDLAND – picturing along the way those rare American 45 labels like Romark, Hawk Sound, Big Town and Grenade. There’s colour photos of Lowell Fulsom (looking dapper with his guitar and a white suit), Albert King thrilling the crowds live at WattStax and a black and white snap of Jon Kincaid & Smokey Wilson live at the Pioneer Club in Los Angeles in November 1980. At the end there’s a two-page interview with Phillippe Rault about songwriter and singer OBREY WILSON and Rault’s recordings with him in New Orleans from 1975 through to the early Eighties. It’s the usual classy affair from Ace.

NICK ROBBINS at Sound Mastering has handled the Transfers and Remasters – and there’s loads of Funky oomph and punch in these recordings - even the Mono cuts like “Gimme Some Of Yours (I’ll Give You Some Of Mine)” and the wildly brilliant “Don’t Down Me People – Part 1” punch way above their weight.

It opens with a belter from a 1979 Stax LP I used to own and treasure called “Blue Monday: The Stax Blues Masters Vol.2” which primarily featured Previously Unreleased Funky Blues cuts from that great label. Ace Records have smartly chosen Freddy Robinson’s infectious “The Creeper” to kick off proceedings in all its groovy Stereo glory. We dip aurally to Mono for the excellent “Gimme Some Of Yours” from Artie White but the Larry Davis cover of B.B. King’s classic “You Upset Me Baby” is a funk-version that doesn’t really work. Sounding stylistically similar to BB – guitarist Finis Tasby gives us a mid-tempo shuffle on “Walk On” - but things get infinitely better and Sly Stone/Millie Jackson biting Funky with Obrey Wilson on the nasty and lyrically loaded “Getting Down With You” where he assures his lady his love is “doggone hard” (which is very reassuring you have to say).

Organ Blues gets a lovely outing with “It’s Hard To Explain” by Roy Agee – a very cool groove similar to Albert King on Stax with strings. One of the compilation highlights is the mysterious group Memphis Soul giving it some Hendrix Guitar/James Brown’s JBs backing on the fabulous “Don’t Down Me People” – a stunning groove that Funks along in a Bluesy Rock way and just won’t quit (I wish they’d included Part 2). It’s cleverly followed by the title track to a long forgotten Lowell Fulsom album “Lovemaker”. Johnny Otis had a hand in the writing of “He Made You Mine” along with Ervin “Big Daddy” Rucker – probably the most straight up Blues cut on here. Some tracks like “Them Love Blues” and “It’s Real” try hard but don’t really excite while others like the sly hook for “I Finally Got You” from Jimmy McCracklin and the wicked guitar-boogie of “Sister Rose” (is alright with me) by Shakey Jake Harris are growers that will be on one of my home compilations real soon.

A more-than-worthy compliment volume to 2011’s “Shattered Dreams” (pictured above) – Volume 2 is making me groove the more I listen to it. And when it comes to Funky Blues I likes that a whole lot...

“Shattered Dreams – Funky Blues 1967-1978” by VARIOUS ARTISTS. A Review Of The Ace/Beat Goes Public (BGP) CD Compilation.

This review is part of my "SOUNDS GOOD: Exceptional CD Remasters Soul, Funk & Jazz Fusion" Download Book available to buy on Amazon to either your PC or Mac (it will download the Kindle software to read the book for free to your toolbar). Click on the link below to go my Author's Page for this and other related publications:

                       http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00LQKMC6I

"…They’re Socking It To Me…Everywhere I Go…"

"Shattered Dreams – Funky Blues 1967-1978" is the latest release on Ace Records label imprint Beat Goes Public (also known as BGP) and typically it’s an absolute belter. I had a feeling it would be good, and it is. Here’s the details first…

Released 28 March 2011, Ace/Beat Goes Public CDBGP 229 breaks down as follows (73:26 minutes):

1. Shake ‘Em Up – SLIM GREEN (from the 1971 USA LP “Stone Down Blues” on Kent KST 549)
2. It Took A Long Time – FINIS TASBY (1977 Big Town label recording, exclusive to this compilation)
3. Bad Understanding – AL KING (Previously Unreleased until the 2010 CD compilation “Together: The Complete Kent And Modern Recordings” by Al King and Arthur K Adams on Ace CDCHD 1292)
4. Mellow Together - LOWELL FULSON (USA 7” single on Kent 489, B-side of “Blues Pain”, 1968)
5. Country Girl – THE JOHNNY OTIS SHOW (USA 7” single on Kent 506, A-side, 1969)
6. That’s What Love Will Make You Do – LITTLE MILTON (USA 7” single on Stax STA-0111, 1971)
7. Your Love Is Good Enough For Me – ICEWATER SLIM (USA LP on Hawk Sound 1002, 1974)
8. Playing On Me – ALBERT KING (USA 7” single on Stax 0166, 1973)
9. You Shattered My Dreams – SMOKEY WILSON (USA 7” single on Big Town 725, Non-Album Track, 1978)
10. The Whole World’s Down On You – LARRY DAVIS [Previously Unreleased]
11. Cloudy Day – FINIS TASBY 1977 (Big Town label recording, exclusive to this compilation)
12. I’m Not The Best – BUDDY GUY (USA 7” single on Vanguard 35080, B-side of “Fever”, 1968)
13. Comin’ At Ya Baby Part 2 – THE JOHNNY OTIS SHOW [Previously Unreleased]
14. Eli’s Pork Chop – LITTLE SONNY (From the 1972 USA LP “New King Of The Blues Harmonica” on Enterprise ENS 1005)
15. Gimme Some Of Your Lovin’ – ARTHUR K ADAMS (USA 7” single on Modern 1034, 1967)
16. Welcome Home – LOWELL FULSON (Previously Unreleased until the 2001 CD compilation “Black Nights: The Early Kent Sessions” on Ace CDCHD 831)
17. No Matter What The Cost May Be – ALBERT WASHINGTON (from the 1973 USA LP “Sad And Lonely” on Eastbound EB 9007)
18. High Time – SMOKEY WILSON [Previously Unreleased Big Town Recording]
19. You Got Me Movin’ – BIG DADDY RUCKER [Previously Unreleased]
20. Good Feeling – FREDDY ROBINSON (Previously Unreleased until the 1999 CD compilation “Bluesology” on Ace CDCHD 728)
21. Tough Competition – RAY AGEE [Previously Unreleased]

It’s been mastered by NICK ROBBINS at Sound Mastering in London and each track is superbly rendered especially the Seventies stuff which has a full and ballsy sound. The 12-page booklet has knowledgeable and informative liner notes by DEAN RUDLAND with 7” singles and colour photos of some artists featured.

Proceedings open very nicely with “Shake ‘Em Up” – a Guitar Slim 'chugger' boasting an incessant backbeat overlaid with spoken lyrics – it makes you want to boogie and it’s not surprising that it’s a huge hit on the dancefloors of UK clubs. It’s followed by a rediscovery - the unlikely sounding FINIS TASBY - a Texan Bluesman who comes over as a funky Albert King on a Meters tip. “It Took A Long Time” is a fantastically good cut (the second on here is an equally cool harmonica funker called “Cloudy Day”). His self-titled album was supposed to come out on Big Town Records in 1977 (even has a catalogue number) but I’ve never seen one (the company apparently went bust before it was issued). Both tracks are exclusive on CD to this comp – and what finds they are…

There follows two brassy Blues numbers by Al King and Lowell Fulson, which are very good, but even better is “Country Girl” by Johnny Otis. It sounds like a Blues reworking of “Tramp” by Otis Redding and features the 19-year genius Shuggie Otis providing the tasty guitar solo on his father’s cut. The double-whammy of Little Milton’s 1971 track “That’s What Love Will Make You Do” on Stax and Icewater Slim’s “Your Love Is Good Enough For Me” from 1974 sum up this great compilation – funky Blues tunes that are practically irresistible – top Seventies production values too.

The six-minute slow blues of “You Shattered My Dreams” by Smokey Wilson sounds a little like Elvin Bishop’s “Fooled Around And Fell In Love” from 1976 on Capricorn but with more brass and piano. The bass and guitar on the Previously Unreleased “High Time” by Smokey Wilson has production chops so good, you’d swear it was a Niles Rodgers and Bernard Edwards session – very funky and very cool.
Page 6 of the booklet pictures a nattily dressed Freddy Robinson whose “Good Feeling” is a standout track on here – and again previously unreleased until Ace put it out in 1999 on their “Bluesology” compilation. It all ends on a genuine high – the hard-grooving “Tough Competition” by another lesser-known name - Ray Agee. It sounds not unlike a Shuggie Otis outtake and is just brilliant - how has this gem remained in the can until now (lyrics above)?

Niggles - although the booklet’s good, I would have liked more of it – and the detailed track list I provided above, I had to dig out myself. The back inlay gives an original vinyl catalogue number and year, but not what ‘album’ the track is from. The 7” is the same – is it an A or a B? I also think the front artwork doesn’t do this release any favours because in a crowded marketplace, it would be a real shame to see this cool little reissue go unnoticed.

To sum up – “Shattered Dreams” does exactly what it says on the tin – it gives you Funky Blues from 1967 to 1978 - and I’ve been playing it to death since I got my grubby hands on it a few days ago.

Lustier than a Knickerbocker Glory in Wimpy and tighter than a nun’s knickers in the Vatican (both endangered species) - you need this Funky Blues nutrition in your life.

I’m off now to buy a Banana Boat - while I still can…