Larry Bell

Listen/Download – Larry Bell and the Soul Pack – Experienced MP3

Greetings all.

The end of the week is here, and so is the Funky16Corners Radio Show, which comes to you 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 device via the Stitcher and TuneIn apps, check it out on Mixcloud or grab an MP3 right here in Radio Show Archive at Funky16Corners.com

The 45 I bring you today is by Larry Bell, one of those artists that only recorded a few records in his career (in Larry Bell’s case, three singles between 1969 and 1978).

Bell, who appears to have been part of the Omaha, Nebraska music community (a surprisingly large and interesting hub including artists like Preston Love, Donald Harris of the Rhythm Machine, and Buddy Miles.

The record I bring you today was Bell’s first, recorded (as it seems all of his 45s were) in Los Angeles in 1969.

The A-side is a very cool, but oddly anachronistic version of Ray Charles’ ‘Mess Around’, but the flip, and the tune I bring you today is a very tasty, deep soul ballad called ‘Experienced’.

Opening with some very nice guitar (by Bell), ‘Experienced’ sounds like it could have come out of any of the great southern soul studios in Memphis, Atlanta, Muscle Shoals, Mississippi or Texas.

The backing (especially the horn chart) is very nice, and Bell’s vocal is excellent.

Perhaps, had the A-side had a more timely, radio friendly sound, ‘Experienced’ might be better remembered today.

Bell was inducted into the Omaha Black Music Hall of Fame, and passed away in 2004.

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

Keep the faith

Larry

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PS Head over to Iron Leg too.