Hey there! Thanks for checking out this latest edition of the KGMJ! Lots of stuff happening now that spring is in full bloom. Concerts, club gigs, music series - you name it! Before we dive into the posting, I just want to thank all of those who have read the KGMJ and posted your feedback via Facebook, Twitter, emails and phone calls. Greatly appreciate any and all input!
CLAUDETTE ROBINSON (THE MIRACLES) First of all, I must thank my dear friend and comrade Dillon Fred Gorman for making this happen (his late father, Freddie Gorman, was the man who brought us classics such as “Please Mr. Postman”, “Just Like Romeo & Juliet” and co-founded the Originals of “Baby I’m For Real”/”The Bells”). As many of you know, MOTOWN - THE MUSICAL is running on Broadway here in NYC and has been packing in the house at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater. Prior to its official launch, many Motown folks (correction - a LOT of Motown folks!) were here for the previews so when Dillon called me up so we could meet and catch up, I took the offer (BTW - I haven’t seen the show yet and I’ve heard great things so far about the musical). I walked into Valerie Simpson’s Sugah Bar Restaurant where I saw Dillon, his mother, many of Mr. Gordy’s executives from back in the day, Montez Payton (the son of the Four Tops’ co-founder, the late Lawrence Payton) and THIS legend was at the table! Claudette Rogers Robinson co-founded the Miracles in 1957 with Warren “Pete” Moore, Bobby Rogers, Ronnie White, guitarist Marv Tauplin and then-husband Smokey Robinson. Mrs. Robinson recorded and toured with the group until 1965, when she left the road to have a family with Smokey (she still sang on the their recording sessions). After children Berry and Tamla was born, Claudette raised the kids while Smokey embarked on a solo career when he wasn’t at the Motown office (he was the label’s corporate vice-president). Smokey and Claudette were husband and wife until 1987, when the two divorced.
What can be said about Mrs. Robinson? (Pictured here with Smokey, Pete, Bobby and Ronnie in 1971). First of all, she has a great set of pipes as evidenced by the recordings she made with the Miracles. In fact, there are many sides that feature Claudette on lead vocals. Second, she is absolutely stunning! A radiant smile with a warm personality to match. Claudette has seen her share of the good, bad and otherwise in the music biz and I hope that someday she will write a book about her life’s work.
As many of you know, I’ve been a Motown fan ever since I can remember thanks to my elder siblings (they had the records!). To finally meet a legend such as Claudette Robinson was indeed an honor and a privilege. A moment that will always be treasured.
Thanks again to Ms. Claudette Robinson, Dillon Fred Gorman (left) Montez Payton (right), Mrs. Gorman and the many folks there who made this moment a night to remember. Check out Claudette taking lead on this rare Miracles single released on the Tamla label in 1960, "After All" (Video that accompanied this tune assembled by fellow Soulful Detroit Forum colleague, Shelly "SoleMann" King. Color photos courtesy of Dillon Fred Gorman. Black and white photo courtesy of Johnson Publications).
SESSIONS @ STUDIO 58 TV
Launched by music entrepreneur Elliott James, this Sunday night series of live, acoustic soul/R&B shows in the Brick City (uh, Newark NJ, that is!) have brought the best performances from today’s great independent acts. So far, artists such as Angela Johnson, Elijah Bland and Grammy Award winner Gordon Chambers have graced the Sessions @ Studio 58 TV stage. The performances are streamed live on the Internet with video clips posted after the shows. We caught up with series founder/producer Elliott James to discuss Sessions @ Studio 58 TV, the artists who appeared and those will be there in the future. Click the link and check out this SOULFUL CONVERSATION with Elliott! http://www.mixcloud.com/musicmankevin/a-soulful-conversation-with-elliott-james-sessions-studio-58-tv/ A SOULFUL CONVERSATION WITH BRUCE HAWES
Composer, arranger, producer, engineer. These are just a few of the many hats worn by the great Bruce Hawes. Based in Philadelphia for several years until he relocated to Florida, Bruce co-wrote many hits such as the Spinners’ classics “Sadie” and “Games People Play (They Just Can’t Stop It)”. Bruce learned from the best - his music teachers in school - and worked with music’s finest (Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, Thom Bell). He’s also worked alongside artists such as the late jazz violinist, Noel Pointer. Currently, Bruce is putting the finishing touches on his autobiography that will also serve as a great how-to book on how to succeed in this business of music. Click the link and enjoy our SOULFUL CONVERSATION with Mr. Hawes! http://www.mixcloud.com/musicmankevin/a-soulful-conversation-with-bruce-hawes/
A SOULFUL CONVERSATION WITH WAYNE JACKSON (THE MEMPHIS HORNS)
Fifty-two years ago, a teenage Wayne Jackson co-wrote and blew his funky horn with the Mar-Keys on the Top 5 pop/soul smash, “Last Night”. From there, the adventure began for this legend - cutting tracks as a session man and Mar-Keys member for Stax Records, working alongside legends from Otis Redding to Sam & Dave, touring Europe and then the Monterey Pop Festival, forming the Memphis Horns with sax great Andrew Love, jetting between Memphis and other major cities for gigs, goin’ Country in Nashville with Marty Robbins, leading the horn section on Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer” all the way to earning the Lifetime Achievement Grammy with his lifelong friend Mr. Love (pictured here, circa 1968).
Mr. Jackson has a three-volume set of memoirs (In My Wildest Dreams - Take 1, 2 & 3) that he and his wife Amy have published (and yes, his story DOES warrant three books!!). We caught up with Wayne recently for this SOULFUL CONVERSATION (click the link and enjoy!) http://www.mixcloud.com/musicmankevin/a-soulful-conversation-with-wayne-jackson-memphis-horns/ SPRING INTO REISSUES! Here are two new CD reissues now available, each with liner notes penned by yours truly.
FREDA PAYNE "SUPERNATURAL HIGH", released in 1978, was the sophomore Capitol album by the femme fatale who brought us the hit classics "Band Of Gold", "Bring The Boys Home" as well as "Deeper & Deeper". As she indicated in the interview for the liner notes, Ms. Payne enjoyed cutting this release for it allowed her to venture into rousing disco ("Happy Days Are Here Again/Happy Music"), ballads ("Just The Thought Of You And Me Together - Supernatural High") and R&B/soul - all produced by Skip Scarborough. The liner notes feature great insights from both Freda and sister Scherrie Payne (who penned "Storybook Romance" for the album and later recorded it with Susaye Greene on Motown). Click the link and check out one of the tunes from this fine album. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3ygcwQds94
G.C. CAMERON “LOVE SONGS AND OTHER TRAGEDIES” was the first ever Motown long-player (released in 1974) from Mr. Cameron after his tenure with the Spinners (“It’s A Shame”) and a bunch of solo singles on the Mowest subsidiary. Chock full of great tunes written and/or produced by Stevie Wonder, Willie Hutch as well as the Muscle Shoals’ production team of Terry Woodford and Clayton Ivey, the album was indeed tailor-made to show off G.C.’s versatility. The liners feature quotes and commentary from interviews with G.C., Terry Woodford, composer/producer Pam Sawyer, Motown engineer Bob Olhsson as well as input from Deke Richards of The Corporation prior to his passing a few weeks ago. The CD contains the original album plus G.C.'s Mowest singles from 1972-74. Click the link for a taste from the disc. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9ni_umo-c0 These reissues are courtesy of SoulMusic Records - co-owners are the legendary David Nathan (the British Ambassador of Soul from Blues & Soul Magazine fame) and longtime record executive Michael Lewis. THAT’S ALL FOLKS! Thanks again for checking out the KGMJ as we enter into the month of May! Look out for more music reports to come (lots of stuff happening soon!) and by all means any feedback is greatly appreciated. Take care and be well!
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
KGMJ - APRIL 2, 2013 Hey folks! Had to take some time off from the blog so I could handle some other business. Some exciting things happening soon and I will let y’all know as matters are finalized. We lost some mighty big legends in the past few weeks - The Temptations’ Damon Harris and Richard Street, Spinners lead singer Bobbie Smith, producer/engineer extraordinaire Phil Ramone and the following gentleman whom I had the honor of meeting many years ago when I participated in the Soulful Detroit Forum webpage. Read on about him….. REMEMBERING DEKE RICHARDS
His name should be familiar to anyone who bought a Jackson 5 single or album between 1969 and 1973, among the many achievements he had while at Motown Records. DEKE RICHARDS was the captain of the production team known as The Corporation - four men brought together by label founder Berry Gordy to create songs for the five young brothers from Gary, Indiana. Deke - along with Fonce Mizell, Freddie Perren and Mr. Gordy - hit it out of the music biz ballpark when they scored three consecutive #1 hits for the J-5. “I Want You Back”, “ABC” and “The Love You Save” as well as the Top 10 smashes, “Mama’s Pearl” and “Sugar Daddy”. They also co-authored several album tracks that remain fan favorites - “I Found That Girl”, “Can I See You In The Morning”, “I Will Find A Way”, “She’s Good” and the non-album b-side, “I’m So Happy” (“Sugar Daddy” was the a-side). Deke Richards - who passed away last week after battling esophageal cancer at the age of 68 - accomplished much while at Motown, besides working with the Jackson 5. Born Dennis Lussier in California, Berry Gordy hired him in 1966 as one of many folks to work at the label’s west coast office (which became the company’s headquarters in 1972). Yet, Deke wasn’t confined to Los Angeles - when Motown needed to come up with a hit for Diana Ross & the Supremes in 1968, Deke (along with colleague Frank Wilson) flew in to the label’s base of operations in Detroit to participate in a brainstorming session at the Ponchetrain Hotel with R. Dean Taylor, Pam Sawyer and Mr. Gordy himself. A couple of days later, Taylor, Sawyer, Wilson and Richards came up with the demo of “Love Child”. After handing the tape to BG, here’s what happened next, in Deke’s own words (courtesy of the Soulful Detroit Forum)….. “When I arrived at the mansion. Berry was playing the tape, singing some melodies, etc. He told me he how much he liked the guitar licks and wanted to hear more of them. ‘Well ‘, I said, ‘did you decide on a progression you like the best?’ ‘Let's just play around with them for a bit. Plug in your guitar’, he said. So we went over the different changes, moving things around, etc….We used pretty simple chords, so it was easy for Berry to actually learn the progressions, and play along on the piano. I helped just feeding him the chords verbally, till he was comfortable. When we finally stuck with the composite progression we both seemed to like the best, we gave it a try together. It felt right and the order of the chords went together fine. We sang some melodies back and forth. Then, I played the tape we had made at the Ponchetrain earlier. ‘OK‘, I said, ‘Now see if you like this.‘ When it came to one of the sections we had decided to use, I played more of the 'Duane Eddy-ish' guitar licks at the changes. 'Great‘, he shouted. ‘That's it!‘ Well, THAT did it. (Berry) was definitely hyped up and ready to roll. ‘Call (the writers) and tell them to get over to the hotel RIGHT NOW!’ I got on the phone and passed on the word. I reached Frank in his room. I could hear the TV in the background. I said, ‘You sound like you're kicking back. Well, get your shoes on, It's time to go back to work. I'm here with BG at the mansion. He wants us to meet at the Ponchetrain now. We're going for the kill!’" And did they ever. “Love Child” became a #1 hit for Diana, Mary and Cindy in 1968. Deke went on to produce Chris Clark’s second album, “C.C. Rides Again” which was scheduled for release on a “progressive rock” Motown subsidiary, Weed Records (no, this is not a joke!). Then came the formation of The Corporation which spearheaded the successful run for the Jackson 5. In addition, Deke ran the boards for Diana Ross’ sophomore solo disc, ‘Everything Is Everything” (he felt that the label rushed into doing her second album too soon after the first solo release) as well as Sammy Davis Jr.’s sole Motown disc, “Something For Everyone” (which earned a thumbs up from Sammy, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin - long story there!). If I were to pick a favorite among the many tunes Deke and the Corporation had created, it’s “Maybe Tomorrow” - the title track of the Jackson 5’s fifth Motown album. Released as the follow-up to the smash, “Never Can Say Goodbye”, the song “Maybe Tomorrow” reflected the J-5’s admiration and respect for Philly soul, especially the works of the Delfonics and producer/composer/arranger Thom Bell. Deke admitted to me in a couple of direct conversations that colleague Freddie Perren’s piano licks (especially the intro of “I Want You Back”) were inspired by the keyboard work of Leon Huff. After cutting three tunes from the Delfonics catalogue - “Can You Remember”, “La-La Means I Love You” and “Ready Or Not, Here I Come” - The Corporation created a great song that captured the essence of those classics. The last time I had spoken with Deke was last August, when I needed quotes for the G.C. Cameron liner notes I authored for the reissue of his album, “Love Songs And Other Tragedies” (The Corporation produced his single, “I’m Gonna Get You”). Although Deke wasn’t feeling well, he did contribute information I needed to complete the writing assignment and said, “I wish we had more time to work with folks such as G.C. Cameron as well as Martha Reeves & the Vandellas (their 1971 single, “Bless You”, was another production by The Corporation). But you know we had five other priorities, and their names were Michael, Marlon, Jermaine, Tito and Jackie!” Even with his illness, Deke’s humor and way with words was shining through.
Deke Richards joined his colleagues Fonce Mizell (left) and Freddie Perren (right) in the land above the clouds. To all of them, thank you for making a hell of a contribution to music. You will never be forgotten.
Click the link and enjoy the Jackson 5's "Maybe Tomorrow", composed and produced by The Corporation, arranged by Gene Page.
SOULFUL CONVERSATIONS A Detroit recording studio owner/Motown executive, a composer of great lyrics and a jazz pianist beyond compare are the focus of this new round of SOULFUL CONVERSATIONS. Listen and enjoy!
RALPH TERRANA Founder of the Motor City’s Terra-Shirma Studios, RALPH TERRANA shares his recollections of having pop music folks such as the MC5 cut their controversial classic “Kick Out The Jams” and Isaac Hayes’ “Hot Buttered Soul” platinum album at his facility. He went on to become Motown’s Studio Manager in Detroit during the 1970s and produced acts such as The Power Of Zeus as well as the duo Stoney and Meatloaf. Click the link and enjoy the interview!
VINNIE BARRETT All you gotta do is mention three songs - “Sideshow”, “Just Don’t Want To Be Lonely” and “Love Won’t Let Me Wait”. Composer/lyricist VINNIE BARRETT talks about her move from our nation’s capitol to the City of Brotherly Love, which resulted in writing hit songs that sold millions of records, many of these tunes she co-authored with the equally great Bobby Eli (pictured here with Vinnie, circa 1975).
She even hints as to who and what inspired her to pen the lyrics for “Love Won’t Let Me Wait” (hmmmm….). Listen in and enjoy!
ALEX BUGNON During the late 1980s and through the 1990s, keyboardist ALEX BUGNON ruled the contemporary jazz scene with his mix of modern sounds and traditional piano work. His albums were best-sellers and he continues to make great music today. Alex’s upcoming album carries on the theme of his recent effort, where he honors the sounds of acoustic jazz that was popular in the 1960s. He also talks about his uncle, the late jazz legend Dr. Donald Byrd, and announces an upcoming tribute to Dr. Byrd that will take place in Harlem within the next few weeks. Click the link for our conversation.
http://www.mixcloud.com/musicmankevin/a-soulful-conversation-with-alex-bugnon/ A FINAL NOTE…. The passing of Deke Richards was yet another reminder for this blogger as to why I do what I do - which is to help music folks get their stories documented and told so that they will always be remembered. At the same time, Deke did just that over ten years ago when he posted his many adventures with The Sound Of Young America. If you want to know more about the works that Deke, Fonce, Freddie, Berry Gordy and others at Motown had created during the time period of 1968 and 1973, click onto the link - http://soulfuldetroit.com/archives/3838/1748.html?1042799727 , page down to where you see his name and read on. There’s a lot of great tidbits and information he shared, enough to write a book, indeed. Thanks for checking out the blog and I’ll catch up with y’all later!! Best regards always, Kevin
