Otis Clay - Soul Man Live in Japan LP rip

The first time I posted this it was the truncated CD Version, but now thanks to Unky Cliff I am able to offer the full original double LP with 22 extra minutes of goodness!

 One thing for damn sure - Otis Clay is best enjoyed live. He is one hell of a dynamic performer. Bullseye/Rounder saved so many of these guys from total obscurity, thank god for Scott Billington and the rest of them for doing this in time to catch a Johnny Adams, an Otis Clay or James Booker before it was too late. For me the 'Moment" here is Clay's tribute to old friend O.V. Wright with his cover of "A Nickle and a Nail".

"All of Otis Clay's albums are worth hearing, but this one--a 1983 concert recorded in Tokyo--is not only his masterpiece but one of the best live soul albums since the mid '60s heyday of the Stax/Volt Revue. Backed by an incredible band (mostly the guys who played on Al Green's hits), Clay roars through a set that includes a couple of Green tunes that he thoroughly makes his own. He also quotes Sam Cooke to fine effect on the gospel-ish "Precious Precious," and nearly convinces the audience that he's the second coming of Otis Redding. This is an essential album for any soul music collection."

Recorded live at Yubin Chokin Hall, Tokyo, Japan on October 22, 1983. Includes liner notes by Robert Pruter.

Personnel: Otis Clay (vocals); Mabon "Teenie" Hodges (guitar); Henri "Hank" Ford (tenor saxophone, background vocals); Paul Howard (trumpet, background vocals); Bill McFarland (trombone, background vocals); Charles Hodges (organ); Dedrick Blanchard (keyboards); Leroy Hodges (bass); Howard Grimes (drums).

Living Blues (1/92-2/92, p.51) - "...Clay still reigns as the Windy City's top soul man, as the reissued "Live In Japan" soulfully demonstrates..."

 "Thankfully, Otis Clay is an artist who refused to change with the times. When the R&B audience embraced disco and, later, urban contemporary, the hard-edged belter wisely stuck with the type of raw, unapologetic-ally Southern-sounding soul that put him on the map. Though he calls Chicago home, Clay's approach has always shouted "Memphis!" in no uncertain terms. A 41-year-old Clay was clearly very much in his prime when this magnificent live date was recorded in 1983. Sparing no passion on such treasures as "Holding on to a Dying Love" and Al Green's "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)," Clay illustrates why his small yet devoted following holds him in such high regard. One of the most pleasant surprises is the ballad "Love Don't Love Nobody." While the Spinners' excellent hit version boasted a sleek Philly soul production, Clay takes the gem straight to Memphis. " AMG

Terrance Simien - There is Room for Us All

This album has to stand as a landmark in Modern Zydeco. Until folks like Terrance, Beau Jacques, and Rosey Ledet came along, Zydeco was a music frozen in time. Of the older guard, only Buckwheat seemed to have any spirit of musical adventure, the rest played much the same as their fathers and grandfathers. That is wonderful for preserving traditional and regional styles but does little to maintain a living music.

When this album came out in 1993, it was a giant breath of fresh air, a traditional Zydeco man with his ears wide open to Reggae, Gospel, New Orleans Funk and even an occasional dash of Hip Hop. All these things go into his pot with his own fine band, a liberal sprinkling of guest musicians like The Funky Meters, and Simiens' glorious voice (a blend of Sam Cooke and Aaron Neville)  and what emerges is a savory gumbo indeed. HEY LA BAS!

 

"Terrance Simien (born September 3, 1965 in Mallet, Louisiana) is an American zydeco musician, vocalist and songwriter. He and his band won the Grammy Award for Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album for 2008.

Simien is an eighth generation Creole from one of the earliest Creole families documented to have settled in the Mallet area of St. Landry Parish. He was introduced to music via the piano at home, the Catholic Church choir, and in school band programs where he played trumpet.

While in his teens, he taught himself to play accordion and formed his first band Terrance Simien & The Mallet Playboys, and began to play the regional zydeco club and church hall circuit. In the early 1980s, Simien was a youth in his early 20's and one of only two (Sam Brothers was the other) emerging zydeco artists leading a band and performing their indigenous zydeco roots music. This was a pivotal time in zydeco music history since the pioneers of the genre were aging and the music was in jeopardy of dying off without the critical presence of emerging artists perpetuating the traditions.

Simien and his band have toured internationally, presenting over 7000 live performances in more than 40 countries, and released dozens of solo recordings and collaborations. He has shared studio and stage with the likes of Paul Simon, Dr. John, The Meters, Marcia Ball, Dave Matthews, Stevie Wonder, Robert Palmer and the roots rockers Los Lobos.

Simien has appeared on screen and contributed to the soundtracks of multiple movies, television films and commercials. He appears on the soundtrack of the Disney film, The Princess and the Frog set in the French Quarter of New Orleans, featuring authentic Louisiana music scored by Randy Newman. He has also contributed to the soundtracks of movies, such as, The Big Easy, Exit To Eden and A Murder Of Crows.

Simien and his business partner/wife, Cynthia, are active in Creole music education and advocacy. They created the "Creole for Kidz & The History of Zydeco" performing arts program, which provides informational performances to K-12 students, teachers and parents. Since it was created in 2001, Creole for Kidz has reached nearly 500,000 students, parents and teachers in more than 20 states, Mali, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Paraguay, Canada and Australia. The Simiens understand the importance of mentoring emerging artists and created MusicMatters, Inc., a non-profit for education and advocacy.

In 2007, the Simiens helped establish a new Grammy voting category, Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album. His group, Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience, were the first ensemble to win a Grammy in that same category in 2008. He is considered to be one of the most gifted vocalists, engaging performers and innovative recording artists in American roots music."

Wilson Pickett - It's Harder Now

When this album was recorded in 1998, it had been 17 long years since the Wicked One had been in the studio. It had been nearly as long since he had even had his own working band. He spent most of the time post 70's traveling around in soul shows playing the old hits with the 'house band' carried by the tour. Not much chance of doing anything new under those circumstances.

Enter multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer Jon Tiven and his talented wife Sally. Tiven was the guy who, in 1990, had found Arthur Alexander driving a school bus in Cleveland and made possible his short career resurgence; it seems to have since become Tiven's calling in life to find and record these folks and he is doing a hell of a job. "It's Harder Now" was both Pickett's triumphant return and, ultimately, his swan song. The album received 3 W.C. Handy awards and a Grammy nomination, Wilson was voted Male Artist of the Year, Comeback Artist of the Year, etc... I remember at the time eagerly awaiting the next chapter, but alas, it never came.

I have come to revere this album as one of the strongest final statements of any artist I can think of. A giant portion of what makes it so good is the writing and musicianship of Jon and Sally Tiven. Jon plays guitars, organ, piano, harmonica and saxophones, (whew!) produces, and writes, while Sally is the very funky bass player and frequent song collaborator. The music is exceptionally well played, like Muscle Shoals good, but it is the songs that make this one so special. Wilson's voice has moved to the bluesier side and there is a weight and gravel to his voice that was not there before. The songs fit him to a tee, oozing sex and bravado while acknowledging the passage of time, this is a mellowed Pickett as he makes clear on Soul Survivor and It's Harder Now. Other songs like What's Underneath That Dress and All About Sex, however, have a wicked sense of humor that is just irresistible. Had he been provided material this good in the prior decades, who knows?... If you don't have this one, DO NOT PASS ON IT! ALL KILLER!

Little Buster & The Soul Brothers - Right On Time!

"Little Buster (September 28, 1942 – May 11, 2006) was an American soul and blues musician. He was born sighted, but developed glaucoma at age of three. By the time his vision was completely gone, he was fluent on six instruments, including the guitar. Born in Hertford, North Carolina, he moved to Westbury, Long Island at age sixteen. His first professional gig was at the Brooklyn Paramount, where he was a back-up guitarist for Alan Freed's Rock and Roll shows. He also became a regular at Long Island clubs.

In 1961, Buster composed his first original song "Looking For a Home" while living in Glen Cove. First recorded on Josie/Jubilee after winning a talent contest at Harlem's Apollo Theater in 1964, Buster released "Looking For a Home". He recorded a series of singles there, including his biggest hit in 1968, Doc Pomus' "Young Boy Blues". Buster's last single with Josie was "City of Blues" / "Cry Me a River". His singles and several new compositions were compiled for the 1970 album, Looking For a Home that was finally released by the UK label Sequel in 1997.

Buster changed his focus, concentrating on live blues with his band, The Soul Brothers. Buster married his wife, Mary, in 1969.

In 1995, Buster recorded his Bullseye release, Right On Time. This release brought him worldwide exposure, with a W.C. Handy Award nomination, and a runner-up award for Living Blues magazine's Critics' Award. His 2000 CD Work Your Show opened up mass media exposure via CBS This Morning, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Late Show with David Letterman, on Dan Aykroyd's House of Blues Hour, international music festivals, and articles in Juke Blues, Backyard Blues and 20th Century Guitar magazines.

In 2000, Buster began his own label with friends Steve Kleinberg and Ayanna Hobson, where he released his final CD, Little Buster and the Soul Brothers, Live Volume One. His band consisted of himself on guitar and vocals, Jerry Harshaw on saxophone, Frank Anstiss on drums, Alan Levy on bass and Robert Schlesinger on keyboards. As Andy Breslau said in the liner notes for Right On Time,

    "Edward 'Little Buster' Forehand is a sublimely talented soul singer, a tough blues guitarist and a sure-handed songwriter with a knack for making rhythm and blues songs that evoke the classic 1960s sound. As one of New York's great undiscovered treasures, Buster has played the Long Island club circuit for over four decades."

During four decades many musicians honed their skills in Buster's band. These included Lee Vaughn on saxophone, Val and Cousin Brucie on bass guitar, Lionel Cordew on drums, Jonathan Kampner on drums, Eileen Murphy on drums (now with the Borinquen Blues Band), Chris Candida on drums, Ed Hoey on percussion, Gene Cordew on keyboards, Roast Beef Joe on keyboards, and guitarists Scott Ross, and Stevie Cochran.

In 2004, Little Buster suffered from a series of strokes. In May 2006, he died as a result of complications from those strokes and diabetes. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Long Island Blues Society in 2002 for his efforts on behalf of music. He was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2006."