Alvin Robinson

Listen/Download – Alvin Robinson – Fever MP3

Greetings all.

The end of the week is upon us, and so then is the Funky16Corners Radio Show, which drops as a podcast each and every Friday with the best in funk, soul, jazz and rare groove, all on original vinyl. You can subscribe to the show as a podcast in iTunes, listen on your mobile devuice via the TuneIn app, check it out on Mixcloud or grab an MP3 right here at Funky16Corners.com.

If you stop by here or the podcast on the reg, you have surely witnessed me raving about the mighty voice of Alvin Robinson.

Robinson, a singer/guitarist from New Orleans, who traveled to NY with Joe Jones, where he met up with Leiber and Stoller.

With Leiber and Stoller at the helm, Robinson made a string of brilliant 45s for the Red Bird, Blue Cat and Tiger labels between 1964 and 1966.

First among these was his original recording of one of L&S’s greatest songs, the mighty ‘Down Home Girl’.

The flipside of that 1964 disc, was his version of the  Davenport/Cooley standard made famous by Little Willie John, ‘Fever’.

Aided by an arrangement by Stoller (with production by both L&S), Robinson lays into the song with a skillful, emotional touch that should have cemented his reputation as one of the great singers of the classic soul era, instead of the footnote he is to most people.

The band is fairly standard, but Stoller drops in vibes accents throughout the tune that add an air of mystery to the proceedings.

Robinson alternates between beautiful subtlety and his trademark growl, making this one of the highlights of his all-too-brief catalog.

Following his time with L&S, Robinson made a few more 45s in New York, before joining the New Orleans exodus to the West Coast (following Harold Battiste, Mac Rebennack, Jesse Hill and King Floyd) where he would make some excellent records for the Pulsar label, and continue working as a studio guitarist into the 70s. He eventually returned to New Orleans, and passed away in 1989, only 51 years old.

He was a mighty singer, and all of his work is highly recommended.

I hope you dig it, and I’ll see you all on Monday.

Keep the faith

Larry

 

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PS Head over to Iron Leg too.