Review: Blues and Soul Magazine

by Bill Buckley

Ask any real soul fan to name their favourite musical cities and I'll bet that Detroit and Philadelphia will top the poll. This isn't the place to describe their contribution to soul's evolution ( we don't have enough space!) suffice to say that it was only a matter of time before the musical luminaries of Motown and Philly came together to celebrate each other's wonderful music – and that's exactly what this wonderful double collection does. "A Soulful Tale Of Two Cities" sees the stars of Motown tackle songs from the city of Brotherly Love while Philly icons take on the best of Detroit's back catalogue. Detroit artists number Ali Woodson, the Velvelettes, Carolyn Crawford, Bobby Taylor, Kim Weston, George Clinton, Lamont Dozier and Freda Payne while their musicians include Funk Brothers Bob Babbitt, Joe Hunter and Uriel Jones. The Philly contingent numbers Jean Carne, Carla Benson, Kathy Sledge, Major Harris, Bunny Sigler, Barbara Mason, Blue Magic's Ted Mills, Stylistic Russell Thompkins, Delfonic William Hart and MFSB-ers Bobby Eli, Vince Montana, T Conway and Charles Collins. If I then tell you that the featured songs include "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing", "Just My Imagination", "Ooh Baby Baby", "Ain't No Stopping Us Now", "Me And Mrs. Jones", "Love Won't Let Me wait" and "Close The Door", it's clear that a review is fundamentally redundant. The music (30 big cuts by the way) speaks for itself. We'll all find personal favourites – mine include album co-ordinator Phil Hurtt's take on "The Girls Alright With Me", Barbara Mason's visit to "My Baby Loves Me" and Bobby Taylor's version of "Sadie" where he sounds uncannily like Philippe Wynne. But don't get me wrong, this isn't an exercise in karaoke soul – it's all fresh and vital… witness Bunny Sigler and Jean carne's searing version of Rick James's "Fire And Rain" to hear what I mean. In honesty though any cut will prove that the music and artists of Philadelphia and Detroit can still deliver soul as passionate and committed as they did back in the day. 5 out of 5

Review: Soul Express Magazine

by Barry Towler

I had wind of this project back last summer and was very, very intrigued by it. I did not know that this was to be a tribute album from Philly to Motown and Vice-versa. All I knew was that Phil Hurtt was amassing a mighty amount of talent for an amazing project. That was enough for me. Well, here it is. Some may dismiss this as "Shanachie-style thinking" but please don't imagine for a minute that is anything so mundane. This is a historical recording, no more, no less. Hurtt maintains that the inspiration for this was divine. I won't dispute that, nor will I deny that amassing such talents together as Jean Carne, Bunny Sigler, Kathy Sledge, Phil Hurtt, Ted Mills, Major Harris, Jimmy Ellis, Will Hart, Russell Thompkins Jr, Ali "Ollie" Woodson, Freda Payne, Lamont Dozier, The Velvelettes, Carolyn Crawford, George Clinton, Bobby Taylor and Kim Weston to record as notthing short of heavenly. It is immensely gratifying to hear these great, great artists sounding as good in 2007 as they did in the 60s and 70s. What's more magical is the fact that the surviving members of MFSB and The Funk Brothers wade in to lend musical support. You cannot beat real instruments being played by real musicians.

Disc One is where "Philly does Motown. There are a number of really, truly classy moments here but what does detract a shade is that there are no strings. If only Paul Riser or Larry Gold were on hand to bolster proceedings, then this would have been taken to a much higher plane. Bunny Sigler's version of "Ain't Nothin' Like The Real Thing" is magical. The man is in his sixties but his voice has not aged one iota. This is almost gospel-like, and this splendidly matches the reverential tone that the track has. When Bunny sings, like Meli'sa Morgan recently, you know that this is a person who knows what he's singing is true, and in this soulless age carries more clout. Many cover versions are just words set to music. Bunny's soul-wrenching rendition tears up the song into his own image. If this song isn't heavenly and devine then I really don't know what is. The real Philly flavour hits us hard with the beautiful rendition of Stevie Wonder's "Knocks Me Off My Feet". Russell Thompkins Jr sings this in a lower, more natural register and allows his baritone free reign near the end of the track. The Philly guitar that merrily strums along does the version justice.

Bunny Sigler joins forces with Jean Carne for the Rick James / Teena Marie collaboration "Fire And Desire". Again, these two giants re-weave the song with their own unique thread, yet managing to stay faithfulo to the original arrangement. In all seriousness, Rick James could have written this with Bunny Sigler in mind. Bunny does an amazing job on here. This sensitive, sympathetic version can do nothing but win applause. I had wondered what had happened to Ted Mills since the fragmentation of Blue Magic, but my answer that here he was laying down a truly magnificent version of the classic Norman Whitfield song "Just My Imagination". The musical arrangement is sympathetic yet allows Ted to improvise his soaring falsetto in a way that wasn't afforded when Eddie Kendricks worked his own magic with it. We get a real taste of Philly with Will Hart on "Just Ask The Lonely". All we are missing are the soaring strings. Will still sounds fresh, and I feel that this style suits him a lot better than the recent material he did with The Delfonics for Volt.

Ali "Ollie" Woodson will always be a favourite of mine, and since he left the Temptations I have yeasrned for more material from the man. Just one solo CD and a few guest spots here and there just ain't good enough! His interpretations of "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" and "For The Love Of Money" are bouyant and jaunty and one can tell that the man is having a ball. Check the funky guitar on the latter! Bobby Eli having a hand in there I have no doubt! Freda Payne sounds great on the cover of "Betcha By Golly Wow" and sounds very similar to the late, great Phyllis Hyman when she lets herslf go. The backing singers are magnificent – and considering they are made up by Pree, Carolyn Crawford, Gabrielle Hurtt and Pat Lewis I should not have been surprised. The Spinners' "One Of A Kind Love Affair" is given a great reading from The Velvelettes and has a great sound that is what they deem "PhilaTroit" - somewhere between Philly and Motown. Production comes from the legendary Clay McMurray, Bunny Sigler, Bobby Eli and Phil Hurtt. Add the musicians Bob Babbitt on bass, Uriel Jones and Spider Webb on drums, Robert Jones on keys and Treaty Womack on congas its not surprising we have such an eclectic fusion.

One of the real surprises for me was to hear George Clinton singing "Love Won't Let Me Wait". His voice may be a little more fragile now but the frailty may be more by design than anything else in keeping with the beautiful lush arrangement. This is a far cry from his work with Parliament! Theo Primas is the guest Saxophonist, and he really makes a great track rather greater for his presence. He really is enjoying himself on the cover of the 1966 hit "Expressway To Your Heart". This colourful character was a good choice to cover this song. Having heard what a wild bunch the Soul Survivors were in the studio it was a great choice! With the racy, happy "Love Train" Bobby Taylor still has the magic, and Messrs Sigler and Hurtt are dead ringers for the O'Jays! My love and admiration towards Lamont Dozier knows no boundaries and his cut of Teddy P's "Close The Door" is SUPERB. This is a song that makes the whole 2-CD set worth the $29.99 price tag on CD Baby alone. The genius sounds as great now as ever. Its so warming to hear so many legends sounding artistically undiminished today.

As I said, this is recorded history. Especially since I learned that this is the final work of Joe Hunter, an original member of the Funk Brothers. He passed away last friday, and as far as I know this is the last project he worked on. You can hear him on the Motown disc, especially on the intro to George Clinton's "love won't let me wait". This is an unique project and I am so pleased that so many legends were able to come together to do this. My only gripes are that I wish that strings had been available, and that we had more definitive Philly and Motown sounds. But who am I to judge those who were the pioneers of the genres?! Essential.
http://www.soulexpress.net/soulfultale.htm

Where to buy

You can find it in the following stores:

Chicago:
Dusty Groove

Detroit:
Damon's Records
Street Corner Music (Beverly HIlls)

London:
Soul Brother Records

Philadelphia:
City Sounds
Sound of Market
Sound of Upper Darby (Upper Darby)
Voices and Visions

San Francisco:
Medium Rare Music

Online:
CD Baby
2 Funky Records (UK)
Amazon
Buy Soul
Calamel.jp (Japan)
CD Masterpiece (UK)
iTunes
L-Committee Records (Japan)
Soul Express
Soul Music Store
Soul Town (Finland)

Pass it on!

Airplay!

Update on Airplay!


The CD can currently be heard on the following radio stations:

In the U.S.:
KISS FM 98.7 - Birmingham, AL
KUVO FM 89.3 - Denver, CO
WNJC AM 1360 - Deptford, NJ (Philadelphia)
WGLS FM 89.7 - Rowan University Radio
WDAS FM 105.3 - Philadelphia, PA
WURD AM 900 - Philadelphia, PA
WSSD FM 88.1 - Chicago, IL

Internationally:
Smooth FM 102.2 - London, UK
Smooth FM 100.4 - Manchester, UK
WFM 97.2 - Manchester, UK

Online:
Honeysoulmusic.com (Texas)
Projectvibe.net
The Soulswede Show (RadioKissFM.net)
Soul-Patrol.net
The Classic Soul Network
i104 - Radio Indie (Los Angeles)

DJs:
If you're a DJ playing the CD in a club, let us know!

Remember, if you, or a station you listen to, are playing tracks from A Soulful Tale of Two Cities, please let us know. We know there are more than this and we're working to get more and even more airplay, but we need your help.
CALL YOUR LOCAL STATION AND REQUEST TODAY!!

Joe Hunter, Original Funk Brother, dead at 79

It was a sad day for Motown fans today as three-time Grammy winner Joe Hunter of the Funk Brothers was found dead in his Detroit apartment. He was 79.

While the cause of death was unknown at press time, he was diabetic, and his son said it appeared he was trying to take some medicine when he died. Hunter, whose jovial personality and snappy dress sense delighted his fans, had just returned on Sunday from a European tour with fellow Funk Brother Jack Ashford.

Born in Jackson, Tenn., Hunter moved to Detroit just before his 12th birthday, although he never lost his Southern accent or charm. He was a raw, rootsy piano player who started out in the 1950s backing up acts such as Jackie Wilson and Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, but he could play jazz or Professor Longhair and Fats Domino-style New Orleans piano as well.

Hunter was Berry Gordy Jr.'s first hire, to back up acts such as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles on piano in the late '50s, as Gordy mustered a staff for what would become Motown Records. Hunter also served as Motown's first bandleader in those very early days.

His soulful, bluesy piano is the first thing you hear on the Marvin Gaye song "Pride and Joy."

That piano work was an integral part of such songs as Martha and the Vandellas' "Heat Wave" and "Come and Get These Memories," but after Motown left Detroit in 1972, like many musicians, Hunter took what gigs he could.

"He was like a father to me and a buddy," said A.J. Sparks, who became alarmed when he hadn't heard from Hunter since his return from Europe. Sparks called Hunter's son, Joe Hunter Jr., who went in with Detroit police and found his father. "Please tell people that we need their prayers," Hunter Jr. said.

"He will be welcomed in heaven," said fellow Funk Brother Bob Babbitt.

"I just called his name today," a stunned Martha Reeves said today.

"Joe was one of a kind," said Bert Dearing, owner of Bert's in the Marketplace and Bert's on Broadway. Hunter not only played his clubs, but Bert's in the Marketplace was a favorite hangout.

"If I couldn't find any other musicians, he was always willing to come and do a one-man show. He'd play blues, jazz he worked all my clubs."

Dearing said there will be a gathering of musicians, fans and friends for Hunter at Bert's in the Marketplace after funeral arrangements are set.

Bruce Resnikoff, president of Universal Music Enterprises, the parent label of Motown, issued a statement: "Joe Hunter's piano and stellar leadership helped birth the 'Motown Sound.' You can't miss Joe's piano on those great early hits. The first of the Funk Brothers, his terrific riffs and easy-going musicianship will live forever."

The glamour of Motown wore off quickly for Hunter after the '60s. When Philadelphia musician/historian Allan Slutsky set out to find all the Funk Brothers in the 1980s, he found Hunter playing for tips at the Troy Marriott. Hotel guests had no idea who he was.

"Joe was kind of a throwback character, an English country gentleman in an R&B blues body," said Slutsky, whose book and film "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" chronicled the Funk Brothers' saga.

"He would come off with that backwoods thing, talking about corn likker and stuff, but then he would quote Shakespeare," Slutsky added.

After the documentary film "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" was released in 2002, the Funk Brothers' soundtrack album won two Grammys in 2003. In 2004, Hunter and the Funks were awarded with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys, and the group toured for several years.

Hunter's life wasn't all about rhythm and blues and Motown. He was a longtime supporter of the late Mother Waddles. His son confirmed that up to the end of his life, Hunter was on-call to go anywhere to play for the Mother Waddles mission.

While the Funk Brothers had splintered into several different groups in recent years, Hunter and his colleagues, who played in Motown's Studio A at 2648 W. Grand Blvd. in Detroit, would never again be nameless players, the musical engine behind all the hits.

"It makes me really happy that I got to see Joe get his place in the sun and get a little bit of his dream," said Slutsky. "In the beginning of the movie, he said when the dust settled (from Motown), it was all over for him. That proved to be wrong. He got his dream in the last part of his life."

In addition to his son, Hunter is survived by a daughter, Michelle, and three grandchildren.

~Susan Whitall, Detroit News