The first-ever release of this full album of material by LC Cooke – the younger brother of the late Sam Cooke, but a hell of a singer in his own right! LC issued a few labels for Sam's SAR label in the early 60s, but this full set never saw the light of day – as it was scrapped after Sam's untimely early death – which makes this package the long-overdue release of the album at last! LC's style is a bit deeper than Sam's – still as well put-together, but with a bit less polish on the edges, and a lot more grit in the grooves – and the album mostly features production by Sam Cooke, over sessions from the early 60s – plus some final recordings done by LC with the Magnificent Montague. These 18 tracks are a great revelation – especially when taken together – and Peter Guaralnick wrote a great essay for the notes, which really ties the whole thing together. Titles include "Tell Me", "Take Me For What I Am", "The Lover", "Magic Words", "Sufferin", "Miss Sally", "Gonna Have A Good Time", "Do You Wanna Dance", "You're Working Out Your Bag", "Chalk Like", and "Put Me Down Easy". Dusty Groove
WILLIE HUTCH - IN TUNE
Willie
Hutch got his first big break writing, producing and arranging songs for the
5th Dimension, but when he penned the lyrics to the Jackson 5’s “I’ll Be
There;” Berry Gordy immediately hired him as a Motown writer, arranger and
producer. After co-writing songs for Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, the Miracles
and others, Hutch stepped into the spotlight as an artist in his own right for
Motown, becoming a go-to Blaxploitation film score composer (The Mack; Foxy
Brown) and scoring hits with “Brother’s Gonna Work It Out,” “Slick” and “Love
Power.” But in 1977, Willie joined fellow Motown producer Norman Whitfield’s
own Whitfield label, and the following year cut this disco/funk classic, which
married Whitfield’s trademark psychedelic soul sound to his own sharp
songwriting, with a bit of Barry White thrown into the mix. Long requested by
soul and disco fans across the globe, this record features the R&B chart
hits “All American Funkathon” and “Paradise,” and makes its worldwide CD debut
with this Real Gone release. Gene Sculatti’s liner notes explore Willie’s
distinguished career. ~ Real Gone
ULLANDA
McCULLOUGH - ULLANDA MCCULLOUGH / WATCHING YOU, WATCHING ME
One of
the most respected and active session singers of the mid-‘70s and early ‘80s,
Ullanda McCullough’s distinctive voice could be heard on numerous popular
jingles (including 1971’s Coca-Cola campaign, “I’d Like To Teach The World To
Sing”) as well as albums by Eddie Floyd, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Patti
Austin, Cissy Houston, Bionic Boogie, Carly Simon, Chic, Roberta Flack, Diana
Ross, the soundtrack for the movie The Wiz and Ashford & Simpson, with whom
she toured as a primary background vocalist during the late ‘70s. In 1979,
Ullanda recorded her first solo album (Love Zone) for Ocean/Ariola Records
before signing with Atlantic Records where she recorded two albums, a 1981
self-titled set and 1982’s Watching You, Watching Me. Ullanda
McCullough was written and produced in its entirety by Nick Ashford &
Valerie Simpson and includes the cut “Warm And Gentle Explosion,” which became
a popular rare groove track in the UK in the ‘90s along with other gems penned
by the famed pair such as “Bad Company” (with a single edit included here as a
bonus track), “Rumors,” “It’s You” and “You’re Gonna Wanna Come Back.” Key musicians included Simpson on piano,
guitarist Eric Gale, drummer Yogi Horton, keyboardist Philip Woo and
percussionist Ralph MacDonald. Watching
You, Watching Me was produced by renowned arranger/conductor and producer Bert
DeCoteaux and featured an all-star cast of famed players (such as keyboardist
Ray Chew, bassists Marcus Miller, Tinker Barfield and Wayne Brathwaite and
percussionist Sammy Figueroa) and the cream of New York’s session singers,
including Luther Vandross—who did the background vocal arrangements for four of
the album’s eight tracks—Tawatha Agee (of the band Mtume) and Brenda White, who
would go on to sing on albums by Vandross and tour with Aretha Franklin. Standout tracks include “Men Kiss And Tell,”
(originally recorded by Carrie Lucas), Ullanda’s own “What’s It All About” and
William Eaton’s compelling title track, covered in 1985 by Bill Withers. ~ Real Gone
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