Brook Benton Brook Benton Today

Here is a record I think I got on discount for $3.20.  That really does not matter as I would have bought it straight at $4.  It had a good amount of songs on it that I liked.  

Born Benjamin Franklin Peay, in Lugoff, South Carolina in 1931, the young future artist grew up singing in church choirs and performed in several gospel groups before moving into R&B.  He started first with the group The Sandmen and then went solo, changing his name to Brook Benton.  After a stint writing songs for such performers as Nat King Cole, Benton found his own success with “It’s Just A Matter of Time”, which went to #3 on the charts and sold over a million copies.  He had a series of hits (many of which he wrote or co-wrote) in throughout the 50’s and early 60’s.  His sound fit right in to the moment when Rock and Roll was starting to take shape out of Rhythm and Blues ( I think in the three plus years I have been doing this blog, this is the first time I spelled rhythm right off the bat).  Benton died of pneumonia (two days in a row) complicated by spinal meningitis in 1988.  He was 56.

This record, released by Atlantic subsidiary Cotillion in 1970 was part of Benton’s comeback as chart success began to come more elusive in the late 60’s.  Driven by the hit single “Rainy Night In Georgia” which went to #4 on the pop charts/ #1 on RnB, the album was Benton’s highest charting, going to #27.  Pretty good album. Benton has a rich, deep, distinct voice which he controls marvelously on all ten tracks.  This record also features Cornell Dupree on guitar ( along with Jimmy O’Rourke), The Sweat Inspirations on back up vocals, and with vocal obbligatos (important vocal contributions for laymen), gospel great and Whitney’s mom, Cissy Houston.

I liked a lot of this record including the “Rainy Night” (which I would have posted had it not been such a massive hit for Benton), ” A Little Bit of Soap”, “I’ve Got To Be Me”, “Desertion”, and “Life Has Its Ups and Downs”.  However, it is Benton’s version of “My Way” that makes the cut today.  I also went with “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” as I frequently post this song on this blog. A bit more subdued than other versions but still powerful.  You can hear the gospel roots in his sound on this record for sure.

Satisfactory.

The Mar Keys- Last Night 45

2015_115-mar-keysFor reasons that will become clear in October, I had to add two additional posts to this month so here is the first of two Sunday posts.  Maybe someone famous will die next week and I won’t have to do another Sunday post. I will keep my fingers crossed.  This 45 was 20 cents.  The only thing it really cost me was my dignity as I had to rifle thru stacks of beat up 45s.  It should also be noted that there is a crack in my 45.As you know I do not like writing long posts on Saturday, you should assume (and rightly so) that I like writing even less on Sunday. So I am keeping this brief.mar-keys1_large

But as for this week, here is a 45 from the Mar Keys, who were the house band of Stax Records.  Starting life as The Royal Spades, the all white band eventually became integrated in the studio.  Certain members would morph into Booker T and the MG’s (and to a lesser extent, The Blues Brothers).  From that time on, recordings with horns were generally credited to the Mar Keys while those without went to Booker T.stax-recording

Although the lineup varied, key members include Booker T Jones, Packy Axton, Steve Cropper, Duck Dunn, Al Jackson, Gilbert Caple, Wayne Jackson, Floyd Newman, and Andrew Love.  After 1964, Isaac Hayes joined this illustrious crew.mar-keys2_large

In addition to backing many famous artists on the Stax label, the Mar Keys made their own recordings.  The first and most famous one was this single, “Last Night” which went to # 3 in the US and earned a Gold record.

From that 45, here is the B side “Night Before”.

 

 

 

Booker T and the MG’s- The Booker T Set

DSCN2401This was $5.00 and came from the Infinity Record Show.booker-t-the-mgs-4e084a4244f78

Again,  due to the new job, I am going to shoot thru this.  Also, you should know by now that I like keep Saturday short.maxresdefault

 

This was the 9th album from the Stax house band, Booker T and the MG’s. Released in 1969, this also featured the classic lineup of Book T Jones, Steve Cropper, Donald “Duck” Dunn, and Al Jackson Jr. Jackson would die in 1975, being shot in the back by an intruder in his home. Dunn would pass in 2012 after playing his fifth double bill with Cropper in Tokyo. Both Jones and Cropper are active and tour.

Facilitate your own Damn Learning today with the band’s Wiki Page

 

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This is a great album with tons of highpoints including “Lady Madonna”, “The Horse”, “Light My Fire”, “Sing a Simple Song” and “It’s Your Thing”. Basically, it would be easier to list what isn’t good on this album.booker-t-and-the-mgs

For a sample, I went with the band’s take on “Mrs Robinson” and “Michelle”. These were my two favorite tunes.932c449e

Top Rated album. Happy Saturday.

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King Curtis- Live at Fillmore West

DSCN1140This was a dollar.  I have heard a couple songs on this so I knew it was a good album.1106200

King Curtis, born in Fort Worth, was a musical genius and a legend of saxophone.  Starting with Lionel Hampton’s band, he began his career playing jazz.  He would move to New York in 1952 to become a session musician.  He realized the future of music (or at least the money) was in rhythm and blues and later rock and roll.  Thus, he started moving towards that direction. His best known work is on the Coasters’ “Yakety Yak”.  Curtis worked with Buddy Holly, Wilson Pickett, Don Covay, Bobby Darin, Andy Williams, John Lennon and Duane Allman among others.king-curtis-john-lennon

He also led the Kingsmen, a band of session musicians who backed up Aretha Franklin among others. The Kingsmen opened for the Beatles at Shea Stadium in 1965.  Curtis would die a week after this album’s release in 1971.  He was stabbed by a drug dealer at the age of 37. Biographers note a drug dealer, not his drug dealer. Atlantic Records closed their offices on the day of his funeral . He would be inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.

The Kingsmen backing up Esther Phillips in 1966.  In the back, it is King Curtis, Cornell Dupree, and some other guitarist who would later leave the band for England.
The Kingsmen backing up Esther Phillips in 1966. In the back, it is King Curtis, Cornell Dupree, and some other guitarist who would later leave the band for England.

Hall of Fame Bio

This album was recorded in March of 1971 where the Kingsmen were opening for as well as backing Aretha Franklin.  The album not only showcases King’s sax but also the playing of the Kingmen who at this recording included Cornell Dupree on guitar, the Memphis Horns, and on keyboards, one of the dozen people to hold claim to the fifth Beatle moniker, Billy Preston (although the fifth Beatle title is as exclusive as Al-Qaeda #2).  The songs showcase a mix of 1960’s rock and RnB.  “Memphis Soul”, “A Whiter Shade of Pale”, “Whole Lotta Love”, and “Ode to Billie Joe” illustrate this.  There are some slower soulful numbers as well.DSCN1141

 

I went with Buddy Miles’ classic “Changes” because it has extended solos by Curtis, Preston, and Dupree as well as a driving horn section by the Memphis Horns.

This is a Top Rated album for me.  Enjoy the weekend.