Voices Of East Harlem & Donny Hathaway Combined - Another To
Mark Barry at Reckless Records, Lon | UK | 03/30/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Remastered by tape maestro BILL INGLOT, the sound quality on this great CD reissue is typically SUPERB. And there's a lot on offer here too, so let's get to it.
Here's the breakdown:
Tracks 1 to 10 are the lone album by "The Voices Of East Harlem" released in late 1970 on Elektra Records. It's a sort of gospel/funk/righteous soul miss-mash and as original copies don't surface that much, Rhino's 2007 Remastered Expanded version is more than welcome - and a smart move from a smart re-issue label. With regard to rarity, I've seen the UK variant of this album in all honesty maybe twice in nearly 40 years of collecting - it's both genuinely hard-to-find and sought-after by soul collectors. Its catalogue number was Elektra 74080 in the USA with the Butterfly Label Design and EKS 74080 in the UK with the Red Label Design, both issues donning the luxury of a gatefold sleeve.
The original 10 track album is top-heavy with other people's songs - "Simple Song Of Freedom" is a Bobby Darin cover, "Proud Mary" a Creedence Clearwater Revival" song, "For What It's Worth" is the famous Buffalo Springfield track, while "Let It Be Me" is an Everly Brothers slow song all funked up. "Run Shaker Life" is a Richie Havens song that turned up on his 1969 2LP set "Richard P. Havens, 1983". Throw in two traditional songs in the shape of "No No No" and "Music In The Air" and that leaves only 3 original songs; "Right On Be Free" and "Gotta Be A Change" are penned by leading light in the Harlem area of New York, and founder of the group, singer CHUCK GRIFFIN. "Oh Yeah" is written by and features fantastic lead vocals from BERNICE COLE.
Two singles came off the album, but did no business; they were "Right On Be Free/Gotta Be A Change" (Elektra 210013) and "Oh Yeah/No No No" (Elektra 210018)
The remaster brings out the funky-as-fu** bass playing of Chuck Rainey while Richard Tee's organ permeates every track with a church/choir feel. But it's the assembled voices that dominate every song - and at times - just a little too much so. I would admit that these blasting righteous tunes may not be everybody's cup of Darjeeling, but for me, it's good - and the extras simply make it an essential purchase. The extras are:
Track 11. Oxford Town (A Bob Dylan cover)
Track 12. Sit Yourself Down (A Stephen Stills cover)
11 and 12 are the non-album A&B sides of their 3rd 7" single issue in mid 1971 on Elektra EKM 45753. The Dylan song first appeared of his 1963 masterpiece "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" and was a powerful protest song then - here it's typically funked up - heavy on the choppy 60's organ with Cynthia Sessions giving impassioned `right on' lead vocals. It was always a strong tune and this is a great version of it. The Stephen Stills track is from his 1970 debut album "Stephen Stills" and is a very clever choice of song in that the original had a very soulful, even churchy feel to it anyway - VOEH's version keeps to that feel and for me it's definitely one of the highlights here. (The beautifully handled male lead vocal for "Sit Yourself Down" is unknown - so come out wherever you are and claim the glory!)
Tracks 13 to 17 are all from the aborted second album sessions recorded in New York between June and September of 1971 with all songs produced and overseen by soul maestro DONNY HATHAWAY. All are previously unreleased and make their CD debut here - and what a find they are. It's clear that a truly superb 2nd album was in the making and it's criminal that it never made it off the blocks. Track 13 is first up, "Nation Time", a Gamble & Huff song penned in 1968 (made a hit later on by The Ebonys on their debut LP "The Ebonys" on Philadelphia International in 1973). It's an excellent funky tune - sort of Ike & Tina Turner guitar-driven righteous soul. "I Wanna Be Free" is a Richie Furay tune with all the right-on musical and lyrical credentials needed. "Hey Brother" contains a version of Hendrix's "Hey Joe" in there and is just superb. "Love Is the Answer" is possibly by Donny Hathaway, but the writer is credited as `unknown', while the last track on that session is a GORGEOUS SLOW SOUL BALLAD rendition of "Kind Woman". It's another Richie Furay song, but this time from his stay with Buffalo Springfield (on their second album "Last Time Around" from 1968).
The liner notes suggest that the house band for these sessions is that of Hathaway's live ensemble, PHIL UPCHURCH on Funky Guitar, WILLIE WEEKS on Bass and FRED WHITE on Drums - and they are superb. HATHAWAY fans will simply have to own these - I love that guy - what a loss he was to Soul Music.
Track 18. Angry (Tony Davillo cover)
Track 19. (We Are) New York Lightning (Tony Davillo cover)
18 and 19 are the non-album A&B sides of their 4th 7" single issued in late 1971 on Elektra EKM 45775. "Angry" features a duet vocal (male & female singers are unidentified) and is excellent - righteous and soulful in all the right ways. The B-side is a slower more soulful song - very nice - a superb extra to have. Both the A&B are written by session guitarist TONY DAVILLO who also worked with The Edwin Hawkins Singers.
Track 20. Run Shaker Life (Live) (Richie Havens cover)
Track 21. Soul To Soul (Live)
20 and 21 are exclusive to the Various Artists album called "Soul To Soul" issued in the USA on Atlantic in September 1971 (SD 7207). It was recorded in Ghana on 6 March 1971 at a live concert in the capitol city Accra put together to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the African country's independence from British rule. At times the group sound like `live' Santana circa `69/'70 - absolutely on fire and kicking! (For those interested, the DVD of the show was made available in 2004.)
To sum up - this is an exceptional release in any man's language - a rare and sought-after album complete with the A&B's of two ridiculously rare 7"'s and a wad of great previously unreleased material. Is it any wonder fans love Rhino as a label. Way to go boys!
PS: This release is part of Rhino's CLASSIC SOUL ALBUM - REMASTERED & EXPANDED Series. Most titles are first time onto CD and are rare soul LPs from the Warner/Atlantic vaults. Some other titles in the series are:
1. Ace Spectrum - Inner Spectrum (see REVIEW)
2. Blue Magic - "Blue Magic" (see REVIEW)
3. Donny Hathaway - "Come Back Charleston Blue O.S.T." (see REVIEW)
4. Leroy Hutson - "Paradise" (see REVIEW)
5. Ronn Matlock - "Love City" (see REVIEW)
6. Gwen McCrae - "Gwen McCrae"
7. Gwen McCrae - "On My Way"
8. Prince Phillip Mitchell - "Top Of The Line" (see REVIEW)
9. Prince Phillip Mitchell - "Make It Good" (see REVIEW)"
Track Listings (21) - Disc #1