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Yes, I know those sounds. I played in bands that covered Motown and Stax/Volt/Atlantic/Hi for many years. Philly sound was more background music to early adolescence than an active interest for me, especially when the blues guitar bug bit me around age 15. As a kid, I bought Stevie Wonder, J5, and EW&F records, but mostly I listened to this music on the radio.
Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop
In college (early 80s), I wound up in a (mostly) Motown cover band, and I knew all the songs without even having to figure them out. They were just there in my lizard brain from top 40 endless repetition.
Nowadays, I'd say Stevie, Martha and the Vandellas, and Al Green are faves. Also love Temps, Smokey, Marvin. Never particularly cared for the Supremes or the 4 Tops. Love Sam and Dave, Curtis Mayfield, Sly, JB, PFunk yada yada.
JohnLast edited by John A.; 10-04-2020 at 09:59 PM.
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10-04-2020 05:02 PM
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Huge fan of Stevie and Marvin, but my softest spot is for the girl groups.
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Thank you Mark! I was getting to Stax.
Stax music was born from Southern grit. Or was that Southern grits? You better settle in because this story truly is nothing but remarkable.
Stax began with owners Jim Stewart, a licensed pharmacist, and his sister Ms. Estelle Axton. Originally known as Satellite records they renamed the company by settling on two letters from their last names. Stax was born.
But wait a second, what’s interesting is Satellite created Country and Rockabilly music out of a garage, reflecting the tastes of Stewart, himself a fiddle player.
Well, as the story goes, in 1958 Estelle mortgaged her home for all of $2500 to begin an investment in the recording company. Did I mention southern grit? And for the remainder of the Stax story I refer you to the wiki page which is a must read if you’re a music fan. There’s absolutely nothing like it for it’s a rags to riches story that returns back to rags again. I own two hardback books and a dvd on the Stax years. They’re truly one of my favorite recording companies, and not just because of their story but because of the musicians.
Stax Records - Wikipedia
But there’s a story about a song by the great Otis Redding who while in Monterey came on the stage at 1 in the morning and brought fans to their feet. There’s not much that can be said about him that hasn’t already been said. And Otis personified everything that Stax was.
Last edited by 2bornot2bop; 10-04-2020 at 07:14 PM.
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Hi 2B. Nice thread!!! Don´t know where this took place. But fortunately it was registered. Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop
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Speaking of Stax. One whose name was synonymous with Stax was Issac Hayes. Hayes was a musical icon. Man, what a 12 year run he had producing beautiful music. Hayes is known for his richly written tunes, as well as some of the longest musical sides ever recorded. I think one of his recordings was 20 minutes. For 1 song. Very long tunes were a trademark of Hayes. He was like John Coltrane solos. Each had so much to say they couldn’t stop. The Isaac Hayes Movement, and Hot buttered soul were his beginning albums. The latter was exceptional, especially when he went off with a 15 minute rendition of a Glenn Campbell tune, By the time I get to Phoenix, that brought it down to what Hayes would say “soulsville.” But in 1971 Hayes agreed to do a soundtrack to a blaxploitation film called Shaft the question was, could he pull it off? I must say, I’d never been as impressed with him until he wrote 4 sides for that soundtrack each as complimentary and moving as the next. I own several Shaft albums on vinyl, and another on cd. As for Shaft? Hayes won the Academy award for the best original song of 1971. He later won 2 Grammys for Shaft later that year. He was given a 3rd Grammy for his album Black Moses written in 1972? He’s honored by the rock n roll hall of fame. Hayes, after an illustrious career in music began an acting career! What the? Who does that? Hayes did, and he actually succeeded in it. There’s nothing I can say about Hayes especially for someone who began from a very modest beginning. Hayes was truly a self made man. Here’s his Cafe Regio from that soundtrack Shaft.
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Cropper and Dunn in action
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They still sound good after how many years? Originally Posted by gcb
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A little more on Sam. Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop
He grew up in S. Philly and was very close to the Heath brothers, studied w Jimmy, and Tootie is still his best friend today. My favorite trumpeter Lee Morgan was in Sam's first band when they were teenagers....think about that for a minute!
He knew all the great jazz musicians in Philly back in the day. A big perk of being in Sam's band is I get to hear cool stories about all these cats.
Like the time he and his friends went to see Bird when they were kids and he asked Sam to hold his alto. Sam said they teased him for yrs because he was literally shaking in his boots.
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I love me some Isaac Hayes. Here’s his significant albums excluding his Joy album.
It was Joy that got me through boot camp. I wore out that cassette writing home letters of being homesick really. But what was I missing? I was scrubbing toilets clean with a toothbrush. But I had the last laugh, for I was the only one in my entire company who got orders to none other but Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and aboard the USS Ponchatoula AO148! Those toothbrushes were soon a memory for Waikiki held many wonders to behold. Hey, I even met Wilt Chamberlain while strolling down the strip!
Last edited by 2bornot2bop; 10-25-2020 at 10:37 PM.
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Ha! See what I mean? That story is priceless! The Heath Bros, Lee Morgan, Charlie Parker!!!! Sam was livin the life and he knew it! Okay, after that tidbit you’re honorable Prez of this and all threads on this forum for no one can touch how close you are to some serious history! Philadelphia. I’ve always thought of it as a second home even though I was only there a few years. But it’s where I became a man. And where I was exposed to some of the best life has to offer! Originally Posted by wintermoon
A little more on Sam.
He grew up in S. Philly and was very close to the Heath brothers, studied w Jimmy, and Tootie is still his best friend today. My favorite trumpeter Lee Morgan was in Sam's first band when they were teenagers....think about that for a minute!
He knew all the great jazz musicians in Philly back in the day. A big perk of being in Sam's band is I get to hear cool stories about all these cats.
Like the time he and his friends went to see Bird when they were kids and he asked Sam to hold his alto. Sam said they teased him for yrs because he was literally shaking in his boots.
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Fully agree. Stax’s Booker T. & the M.G.'s Green Onions album was released in October 1962, 58 years ago and still sounds fresh. Personnel was Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Lewis Steinberg and Al Jackson Jr. Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop
The live presentation apparently took place in 2003. Donald Dunne passed in 2012.
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I keep returning to these recordings not driven by memories but in search of ideas and because they still sound good to me.
A week ago was listening to Blues Brothers Flip, Flop and Fly. An example of how Jazz influence is there in Dunn’s bassline can be heard from 2:34 backing Lou Marini's solo:
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recorded in Philly
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I am 66 years old and have lived in Boston,LA,NYC,Nashville,London,KC,and Im from Little Rock,Ar. My first drummer when I started was named Ted Seibs. John Scofield usually mentions him in most interveiws about his start in jazz as they were roomates and playing partners starting out. Ted was also a good vibes player and had his vibes in their apt.next to Berklee. Gary Burton used to like to come over to their apt. a couple of hours and play with them and Chip Jackson on bass, instead of fighting Boston rush hour traffic. Ted played with Gary Burton group sometimes and taught at Berklee some. I remember before I moved to Boston when I was twenty hearing Ted say there some strong new guitar players coming up named John Scofield and Pat Matheny. Ted took me to fancy hotel where Carmen Mccrae was singing and jammed with the piano and bass player with Carmens group and was accompanied by a new guitar phenom named Pat Matheny. I remember they played 4 0n 6 by Wes and Pat played the exact solo first chorus and then improvised his own. I met Jaco at Poohs Pub in Kenmore Square and I asked him about Wayne Cochrane and he told me cajuns were called coon ass. ha ha People playing pool right behind Pat during ballads really pissed him off! They were working on Bright Size Life. Ted referred me to Mick Goodrick who was an awesome teacher! Later I realized how little I knew about music and decided to go to Berklee. I remember BillFrissells junior recital. Ive been playing 56 years and have lived in the major music centers is how Ive come by my experiences with well known players. Recording with Wayne Jackson took place in Nashville where I lived about 8 years total. I was once booked to play at Shea Stadium with Charlie Rich but the promoter ran off with the money! The bass player in that group was Michael Rhodes who has been playing for Joe Bonamassa the last several years. I lived in KC MO for 13 years and got to playa lot of organ trio music,which I really love. Steve Cardness came over to my house once and was fun to play with! I have a video on YT called Steve Burchfield Live Flamenco Blues Im just another teacher and student who wants to share and learn from others! I love this site mostly ha ha Best Wishs to my peers! Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop
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[QUOTE=Stringswinger;1065909]My family is from Philly (My great Grandparents migrated there at the beginning of the 20th Century) and I was born there and lived there till I was 10 years old.
I love The Don Patterson record with Pat Martino with cut Whistle While You Work!
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Maybe different members can submit their versions Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop
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Here's one of my favorites . . . as Don Cornelius would say . . . . the mighty, mighty Manhattans!
Play live . . . Marinero
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And, then there's brother Al Green . . . Play live . . . Marinero
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And, then the hit song that every working band in Chicago in the late 60's/70's played at least once a night.
Play live . . . Marinero
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On Motown, the Supremes were the main female act, but the others did more for me. Diana is just too, I don't know, like a princess on a pedestal for me.
Gladys Knight, Martha and the Vandellas, Kim Weston -- there's something more real about them that just gets me going in a way Diana never did. Kim just kills me every time I hear this:
John
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And, then there's Detroit's Blue-Eyed Soul Brother--Mitch Ryder! Play live . . . Marinero
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Another Stax legend
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In 1973 Philadelphia has another group backed by the house MFSB band that had a Billboard top 10 hit called Sideshow. They had good harmonies with a very solid lead singer. Norman Harris creates an album that had 4 exceptionally good songs. It was there best effort and Sideshow was played and played to death on an radio.
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Hey 2B...Great thread!
Not sure if it was mentioned previously, but if I recall correctly, MFSB stood for Mother, Father, Sister, Brother.
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In 1977 there was a female group that had an album to top the charts. Out of Chicago they were assisted by EWF in writing a Grammy winning album called Rejoice. Number 1 on the Billboard charts here’s Don’t ask my neighbor.
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Denice Williams, a female singer with a golden voice, backed again by the great Maurice White and EWF was from Gary, Indiana. Here was another Grammy winning artist who ended up with 4 of them. She sang one song with the great Johnny Mathis that went ultra gold and received countless airplay. Here’s the title soundtrack to the album Free.
And as a Grammy winning follow up album in 1978 here’s Denice and Johnny. You’ll surely recognize it.
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Grant Green, What is This Thing
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