"Right On Be Free" by THE VOICES OF EAST HARLEM (October 2007 Rhino 'Expanded & Remastered' CD Reissue - Bill Inglot Remaster) - A Review of their 1970 Debut LP on Elektra Records by Mark Barry...

"…Simple Song of Freedom…"

**** THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE 2007 RHINO REISSUE CD 

WITH 11 BONUS TRACKS ***

I've seen the UK variant of this album in all honesty maybe twice in nearly 45 years of collecting vinyl - it's both genuinely hard-to-find and sought-after by Soul collectors. "Right On Be Free" is a sort of Gospel-Funk Righteous-Soul miss-mash.

And as original vinyl copies don't surface that much - this October 2007 UK released ‘Expanded & Remastered’ CD version of "Right On Be Free" by THE VOICES OF EAST HARLEM on Rhino 8122-76435-2 (Barcode 081227643522) with a tasty 11 Bonus Tracks is more than welcome and a good move from a smart reissue label. And this reissue includes the outside talents of PHIL UPCHURCH, DONNY HATHAWAY and WILLIE WEEKS in the reissue stew. Here's the gritty urban breakdown:

1. Right On Be Free [Side 1]

2. Simple Song Of Freedom

3. Proud Mary

4. Music In The Air

5. Oh Yeah

6. For What It's Worth [Side 2]

7. Let It Be Me

8. No No No

9. Gotta Be A Change

10. Shaker Life

Tracks 1 to 10 are the lone album "Right On Be Free" by THE VOICES OF EAST HARLEM - released October 1970 in the USA on Elektra Records EKS-74080 (with the Butterfly Label Design) and Elektra EKS 74080 in the UK with the Red Label Design (later pressings are Elektra 2469 007) — both original issues donning the luxury of a gatefold sleeve.

BONUS TRACKS:

11. Oxford Town (A Bob Dylan cover)

12. Sit Yourself Down (A Stephen Stills cover)

Tracks 11 and 12 are the non-album A&B sides of their 3rd US 7" single issued in mid 1971 on Elektra EKM 45753. The Dylan song first appeared of his 1963 masterpiece "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" and was a powerful protest song then - here it's typically funked up - heavy on the choppy 60's organ with Cynthia Sessions giving impassioned lead vocals. “Oxford Town” was always a strong tune and this is a great version of it.  The Stephen Stills track is from his 1970 debut album "Stephen Stills" and is a very clever choice of song in that the original had a very soulful even churchy feel to it anyway. The TVOEH version keeps to that feel and for me it's definitely one of the highlights here. (The beautifully handled male lead vocal for "Sit Yourself Down" is unknown - so come out wherever you are and claim the glory).

13. Nation Time

14. I Wanna Be Free

15. Hey Brother

16. Love Is The Answer

17. Kind Woman

Tracks 13 to 17 are all from the aborted second album sessions recorded in New York between June and September of 1971 with all songs produced and overseen by soul maestro DONNY HATHAWAY. All are previously unreleased and make their CD debut here - and what a find they are. It's clear that a truly superb 2nd album was in the making and its criminal that it never made it off the blocks. "Nation Time” is a Gamble & Huff song penned in 1968 which was made a hit by THE EBONYS on their self-titled debut LP for Philadelphia International in 1973. It's an excellent funky tune - sort of Ike & Tina Turner guitar-driven righteous soul. "I Wanna Be Free" is a Richie Furay tune with all the right-on musical and lyrical credentials needed. "Hey Brother" contains a version of Hendrix's "Hey Joe" in there and is just superb. "Love Is The Answer" is possibly by Donny Hathaway but the writer is credited as ‘unknown’. “Kind Woman” is another Richie Furay song from his stay with Buffalo Springfield (on their second album "Last Time Around" from 1968) - TVOEH give it a gorgeous slow ballad working.

18. Angry (Tony Davillo cover)

19. (We Are) New York Lightning (Tony Davillo cover)

Tracks 18 and 19 are the non-album A&B sides of their 4th 7" single issued in late 1971 on Elektra EKM 45775. "Angry" features a duet vocal (male & female singers are unidentified) and is excellent - righteous and soulful in all the right ways. The B-side is a slower more soulful song - very nice - a superb extra to have. TONY DAVILLO wrote both the A&B – a session guitarist who also worked with The Edwin Hawkins Singers. 

20. Run Shaker Life (Live) (Richie Havens cover)

21. Soul To Soul (Live)

Tracks 20 and 21 are exclusive to the Various Artists album called "Soul To Soul" issued in the USA on Atlantic in September 1971 (SD 7207). It was recorded in Ghana on 6 March 1971 at a live concert in the capitol city Accra put together to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the African country's independence from British rule.  At times the group sound like 'live' Santana circa '69/'70 - absolutely on fire and kicking. (For those interested the DVD of the show was made available in 2004.)

The core 10-track album is top-heavy with other people's songs - "Simple Song Of Freedom" is a Bobby Darin cover, "Proud Mary" a Creedence Clearwater Revival song, "For What It's Worth" is the famous Buffalo Springfield track - while "Let It Be Me" is an Everly Brothers slow song all funked up. "Run Shaker Life" is a Richie Havens song that turned up on his 1969 2LP set "Richard P. Havens, 1989". Throw in two traditional songs in the shape of "No No No" and "Music In The Air" and that leaves only 3 original songs; "Right On Be Free" and "Gotta Be A Change" are penned by leading light in the Harlem area of New York, and founder of the group, singer CHUCK GRIFFIN. "Oh Yeah" is written by and features fantastic lead vocals from BERNICE COLE.

Two singles came off the album but did no business; they were "Right On Be Free” b/w “Gotta Be A Change" (Elektra 210013) and "Oh Yeah” b/w “No No No" (Elektra 210018)

Remastered by tape maestro BILL INGLOT - the sound quality on this great CD reissue is typically superb. The Remaster brings out the funky-as-fuck bass playing of Chuck Rainey - while Richard Tee's organ permeates every track with a church/choir feel. The liner notes suggest that the house band for these sessions is that of Hathaway's live ensemble, PHIL UPCHURCH on Funky Guitar, WILLIAM WEEKS on Bass and FRED WHITE on Drums - and they are superb. HATHAWAY fans will simply have to own these - I love that guy - what a loss he was to Soul Music.

But it's the assembled voices that dominate every song - and at times - just a little too much so. I would admit that these blasting righteous tunes may not be everybody's cup of Darjeeling - but for me they and the superb extras make it an essential purchase.

To sum up - this is an exceptional release in any man's language - a rare and sought-after album complete with the A&B's of two ridiculously rare 45s and a wad of great previously unreleased material. Is it any wonder fans love Rhino as a label. Way to go boys…

PS: This release is part of Rhino's "CLASSIC SOUL ALBUM - REMASTERED & EXPANDED" Series. Most titles are first time onto CD and are rare soul albums from the Warner/Atlantic/Cotillion/Elektra vaults. The other titles are:

1. Ace Spectrum - "Inner Spectrum" (see REVIEW)

2. Blue Magic - "Blue Magic" (see REVIEW)

3. Donny Hathaway - "Come Back Charleston Blue O.S.T." (see REVIEW)

4. Leroy Hutson - “Paradise" (see REVIEW)

5. Ronn Matlock - "Love City" (see REVIEW)

6. Gwen McCrae - "Gwen McCrae"

7. Gwen McCrae - "On My Way"

8. Prince Phillip Mitchell - "Top Of The Line” (see REVIEW)

9. Prince Philip Mitchell - "Make It Good” (see REVIEW)

PPS: Please note - the "Right On Be Free" album has been reissued since 2007 (in Japan at a budget price) but without the bonus tracks. Use the Barcode provided above to get the correct 2007 Rhino CD because the extras lift it up properly. Unfortunately it's been deleted years now, so prices will fluctuate up and down…mostly up...

"Darkness, Darkness" by PHIL UPCHURCH (March 2008 Japan-Only Universal/Geffen SHM-CD Remaster in a Jewel Case) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 100s Of Others Is Available in my

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(No Cut and Paste Crap)

"…Inner City Blues…"

Chicago-born session guitarist Phil Upchurch had put out two albums on Cadet Records - "Upchurch" in 1969 and "The Way I Feel" in 1970 - when he then signed to Tommy LiPuma's new label - Blue Thumb. "Darkness, Darkness" was his debut for that record label and is quite rightly considered by many to be a masterpiece of Jazz-Funk and Soul.

Produced by Phil Upchurch and Tommy LiPuma - it was originally issued as a 2LP set on Blue Thumb Records BTS 6005 in July 1972 in the USA and then subsequently on Island/Blue Thumb Records ILPS 9219 in the UK.

There are two variants of the Japanese CD. First up is a 27 June 2001 standard CD jewel case edition on MCA/Universal UICY-3308 (to locate it use Barcode 4988005272263). It is not a SHM-CD but was cut using the 'Rubidium Atomic Clock' Process and sounds beautiful too (I also have that issue). But what makes this 2008 reissue 'sing' is the new 24-bit remaster combined with the Super High Materials format on which it's pressed (a SHM-CD in industry lingo). The sound quality on this disc is superlative - a truly gorgeous Audio Transfer and a very real advert for what this 'best of the best' format can do. Here are the details for that issue...

Released 5 March 2008 in Japan – "Darkness, Darkness" by PHIL UPCHURCH on Universal/Geffen UICY-93418 (Barcode 4988005506979) also comes in a 5" Mini-LP card sleeve that reproduces the original gatefold artwork front and rear - and has an OBI (different to the 2001 issue) and outer cellophane protective wrap with the SHM-CD sticker. It breaks down as follows (67:06 minutes):

1. Darkness, Darkness [Youngbloods cover, Jesse Colin Young writer]

2. Fire & Rain [James Taylor cover]

3. What We Call The Blues [Phil Upchurch song]

4. Cold Sweat [James Brown cover]

5. Please Send Me Someone To Love [Percy Mayfield cover]

6. Inner City Blues [Marvin Gaye cover]

7. You've Got A Friend [James Taylor cover]

8. Love & Peace [Arthur Adams song]

9. Sweet Chariot [Traditional Song cover]

10. Sausalito Blues [Phil Upchurch song]

PHIL UPCHURCH - Lead Guitar

ARTHUR ADAMS - Rhythm Guitar

JOE SAMPLE of THE CRUSADERS - Keyboards on Tracks 1, 2

DONNY HATHAWAY - Keyboards on Tracks 3 and 10

BEN SIDRAN - Organ on Track 8

CHUCK RAINEY - Bass

HARVEY MASON - Drums On All [except DON SIMMONS on Track 4]

As you can see from the track list and musician credits above, it's heavy on cover versions of the time (the title track itself is written by Jesse Colin Young of The Youngbloods) and the sessions featured the cream of musicians in the field. It was also engineered by Bruce Botnick of Elektra Records production fames (The Doors, MC5 and Love).

Musically - if you were to give "Darkness, Darkness" a comparison - it's "Breezin'" by George Benson and "Free As The Wind" by The Crusaders (both from 1976) - only 5 years earlier. Each track is a jazz-guitar-driven instrumental with a very funky and soulful feel. The quality of songs is also uniformly excellent, even if "Fire & Rain" can sound at times a little like The Shadows doing a cheesy cover version. The two Upchurch originals are superb especially the slow BB King feel of "What We Call The Blues". The playing standard is exceptional - and the warmth of the remaster only accentuates that. It's a joy to listen to - it really is. The title track "Darkness, Darkness" was written by Jesse Colin Young of The Youngbloods and picked up before Upchurch had a go by English Rockers Mott The Hoople who did a cover of it on their "Brain Capers" LP on Island Records in 1971. You can so hear why both like it as a song - it swings and grooves. Other faves include a Jazz-mellow cover of the old Percy Mayfield classic "Please Send Me Someone To Love" and a neck-jerking Funk-guitar work out of Marvin Gaye's wonderful What's Going On album finisher "Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler)". Ben Sidran slinks about on the Organ for the Arthur Adams cover of "Love & Peace" – another fab groove and something that sounds 2016 and not 1971.

On the SHM-CD format "Darkness, Darkness" is presently a Japan-only release - and is already deleted, so it will therefore cost you to acquire it - but it's so worth it if you can. If you want a less pricey but equally worthy variant - there is also a May 2014 Higher Plane CD Reissue of the album out of the States on Higher Plane HIPE5502.2 (search Barcode 0639857550224 for that release).

Any guitar player who was the principal sideman to such soul luminaries as Jerry Butler and Curtis Mayfield has got to be up there. Superb stuff and big time recommended...

PS: His second LP for Blue Thumb - "Lovin' Feeling" from 1973 - was also reissued in 2008 on the SHM-CD format on Geffen UICY-93419. 

And at a budget level on the 'Chess Best Collection' Standard CD Series out of Japan - 1969's "The Way I Feel" and 1969's "Upchurch" (with Charles Stepney and Donny Hathaway) were both reissued 27 August 2014 on Universal/Cadet UICY-76555 and Universal/Cadet UICY-76556 (Barcodes 4988005840202 and 4988005840219 respectively). Unfortunately neither is reported to have been remastered and present only so-so sound...

"Upchurch" by PHIL UPCHURCH (August 2014 Japan-Only CD Reissue on Universal/Cadet as part of the 'Chess Best Collection' Series) - A Review by Mark Barry...

...Badly Mastered - Dubbed From Vinyl Most Likely...

I'm a huge Charles Stepney fan - the arranger, producer, songwriter and driving force behind the Cadet Records label - Chess's offshoot for Soul and more Avant Garde material.

I own the Japanese SHM-CD of Upchurch's meisterwerk "Darkness, Darkness" - a double-album from 1971 Remastered onto one CD. That disc is virtually Audiophile in its sound quality – a blast - unfortunately - not so here.

"Upchurch" is the album that preceded "Darkness, Darkness" - released Stateside mid 1969 on Cadet Records LPS-826 as a 10-Track LP in Stereo.

1. Black Gold [Side 1]

2. America

3. As You Said

4. You Wouldn't, You Couldn't Be True

5. Cross Town Traffic

6. Adam And Charlene [Side 2]

7. Spinning Wheel

8. Voodoo Chile

9. More And More

10. Midnight Chile

Uncharacteristically the normally solid 'Chess Best Collection' CD Reissue Series out of Japan is poorly represented here on this 2014 reissue. It's clear the album has been mastered from a clean record but you can still here the distorted edges of the notes - never more so than on the awful beginning of the Hendrix cover "Voodoo Chile" with scratches aplenty. And as other buyers have pointed out - someone has edited out the beginning of the epic "Black Gold" Side 1 opener - reducing the Charles Stepney penned track from 4:31 minutes on LP to 4:16 minutes on CD. And given that Stepney layered 36 players onto the track (strings and singers) - being a vinyl dub - it feels terribly cluttered and overly harsh too audio-wise. To the CD release itself...

Japan-only released 27 August 2014 on Universal/Cadet UICY-76556 (Barcode 4988005840219) - "Upchurch" by PHIL UPCHURCH is also budget priced (part of the Chess Best Collection series) so can be bought for about twelve quid including P&P in the right places (35:05 minutes). The gatefold slip of paper that acts as an inlay repro's the front and rear artwork of the original 1969 Cadet Records sleeve - but the gatefold Japanese inlay inside that is in Japanese-only and tells you bugger all – not even mastering credits. The musicians are listed and for me one of the big draws here is DONNY HATHAWAY on Piano and the James Mack Singers giving it those "Black Gold" backing vocals.

So the disc sounds good - very good in places - his own "You Wouldn't, You Couldn't Be True" and Upchurch's cool Flute and Guitar take on Blood, Sweat & Tears "Spinning Wheel" - a sexy Rock groove written by the band's vocalist David Clayton Thomas that was adapted by many Soul Artists who heard the potential in the song. But his cover of Hendrix's "Cross Town Traffic" sounds terrible - distorted and out of joint. "As You Said" (a Cream cover from "Wheels Of Fire" penned by Jack Bruce and Pete Brown) doesn't fare much better but Don Juan Mancha's "More And More" is excellent. 

For the price it's not a bad buy and there's no other CD on the market even in 2018. But we can only hope that someone like Hip-O Select or Cherry Red has a go at the Stepney output - Box Set and Individual Releases? For those who must have it - I'd advise a listen first if possible...