‘Diamond Joe’ Maryland RIP
‘Diamond Joe’ Maryland.
Listen/Download – Diamond Joe – Fair Play
Listen/Download – Diamond Joe – Gossip Gossip
Listen/Download – Diamond Joe – The ABC Song
Listen/Download – Diamond Joe – Look Way Back
Greetings all.
Those of you that have been here for a while might remember a time a few years back where there was a period of a couple of months where there seemed to be an obit posted here at least once a week.
I take no joy whatsoever in reporting the deaths of the musicians we revere, but considering the lack of respect many of these artists got during their lives, or are like to get after they pass, it seems only fair that we all stop and take a moment to remember them and the music they made.
A few days ago, I got an e-mail notification that someone had signed the Guest List at the Funky16Corners webzine.
The webzine has been around for a decade, and there’s lots of content there, from feature stories and discographies to simple 45 reviews, and it’s depth and longevity has turned it into a huge Google-net of sorts, in that it sends up results for all kinds of searches, some related, some not.
This has proven to be an interesting by-product, since lots of musicians and their families have gotten in contact with me via hitting the webzine.
Unfortunately, as is the case with all news, sometimes it’s good, and sometimes it’s bad.
When I went to collect the message, I was struck with an odd mix of sadness and excitement. Sad because it led to an obituary for one of my all-time favorite soul singers, and excitement because I had no inkling of his whereabouts, and at one time had heard that he was homeless.
That man was Joseph ‘Diamond Joe’ Maryland.
The world of 60s soul is filled with stories, many of which are short, bittersweet and ultimately incomplete.
Diamond Joe, a masterful singer and accomplished songwriter, who made two of my Top 10 soul 45s during his very short career, starred in such a story.
What little I’ve ever been able to find out about him has been by and large related to his recordings, made during a period that lasted less than a decade.
He was a New Orleans singer who recorded all of his work alongside the mighty Allen Toussaint, but like a few other artists in that orbit, also wrote some of his own material.
I probably first heard his amazing voice when I encountered his 1966 Sansu 45 ‘Gossip Gossip’ on an old Charly Records CD comp. It was an eye-opening experience in that it was clear from the very first time I heard it that ‘Gossip Gossip’ was one of the truly great soul 45s of the 60s.
What was also clear was that I had never heard the tune, nor its singer before, and as is always the case, its started me on a years-long search for the rest of his recordings.
The first sad marker in this saga was discovering that he had only recorded seven 45s in his short career.
I’ve been collecting obscure music for most of my life, and while a lot of it is good, some of it great, every once in a great while you discover a record that is absolutely brilliant. Diamond Joe recorded two of these records, and his reward was utter obscurity.
This is galling because, as it is with anything in life, when you find something that blows your mind, you’d naturally like to find more of it, and when that something begins and ends with just over a dozen songs, and then trails off into nothingness, it borders on infuriating.
Diamond Joe was, like Eldridge Holmes (who also worked almost exclusively with Toussaint) a singer of great talent, as adept with epic ballads as he was with rough edged, fast moving soul. He was possessed of a gruff baritone that could move from a growl to the most subtle whisper within the few minutes of music on a 45.
As tempting as it is to wonder why he wasn’t more successful, the point is ultimately moot. Whether it was because he was lost in a huge pool of talent in New Orleans (there are TONS of amazing New Orleans 45s that never got heard much outside of the region), or an even bigger pool nationally, or that he was just fated to create great records that few would hear (cruel fate, that), as far as I can tell be never recorded after his last Deesu 45 (both sides of which are included here today).
Until I saw the picture posted with his obit (seen above) I had no idea what he looked like.
The four tunes I post in his memory include both of my favorites, as well as a few other great ones to illustrate the breadth of his talent.
The earliest of these is 1963’s ‘Fair Play’, written by Earl King and Allen Orange. ‘Fair Play’ is an absolutely mid-bending record. In just over two minutes you get to hear Diamond Joe wrap his amazing voice around a heartbreaking melody, all contained within a stunning arrangement (how many soul records have you heard with autoharp??). No matter how many times I hear this one, it still haunts me.
‘Gossip Gossip’, from 1966 is one of those records that in a just world would have been a hit. Once again you combine a great arrangement (I believe that’s Toussaint’s speaking voice you hear at the beginning) that combines rough organ, chopping rhythm guitar and a majestic horn chart, all dwarfed by Diamond Joe’s powerful vocal.
The last two songs here are the two sides of Diamond Joe’s final 45, recorded for the Deesu label in (I believe) 1968.
‘The ABC Song’ and ‘Look Way Back’ were both written by the singer with one side funky and the other side a preaching ballad. He’s great in both styles/
I’d say you should head out there and pick yourself up some Diamond Joe, but as far as I can tell, nothing remains in print. His 45s are not easy to come by.
I hope you dig what you’re hearing today and my heart goes out to his family.
Peace
Larry
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Themocracy
This is truly sad news. I agree with your opinion of Diamond Joe’s records. May he rest in peace.
Such sad news…what a talent and every one of his tracks just overflows with that lovely New Orleans sound. His Hurry Back To Me is one of my all-time favourites.
Very sad news,but his music will be with us forever.
Larry, a great post – I enjoyed the music and the writing. Thanks for the introduction to Diamond Joe. Marie from “Catch That Train”
Thank you.
Thanks so much for this post on one of my favorite singers, too (Don’t Set Me Back is one of my faves…)
By coincidence I just found a couple of weeks ago that Mr Finewine has played both sides of the near-impossible-to-dig-up record Joe did for Instant, and you can still stream the shows they were on:
“Too Many Pots”:
https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/28125
“If I Say Goodbye”
https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/35792
Thans again–
Travis
I’ve been hunting for that Instant 45 for years (unsuccessfully).
Larry
So sad….and such a nice piece Larry.
*eye’s bug out at the links to “Too Many Pots”* So, that record does indeed exist. I just got through referring to it as “mythical”. Of course, Mr.Finewine owns a copy.
Larry, I just posted a few of the other Diamond Joe sides. Would it be ok if I add a link to them?
Ana
Link away!
L
Thanks Larry, that’s very kind of you. Before the weeks out I’ll probably add a few others.
https://desosquichante.blogspot.com/
Ana
Excellent. I also added you to the blogroll. Not sure why I didn’t have it there, but I do now.
L
Larry- Great stuff, always very informative. I know you post at 128 bit rate. Would it be possible to post the 45’s in mono 128 if they are in mono? It would increase the sound quality greatly, and it would be appreciated. It would be the same file size as well.
Diamond Joe, his Help Yourself song is outstanding, from high to low, from wisdom to craziness in about two minutes. Some people play this role singing, maybe Diamond Joe was what he sang, he believed in it? That maybe makes it all so outstanding, but also could lead to a life full of pain (i “believe” thats why so much gospel singers are still alive). There is not a week in my life when I’m not singing Help Yourself -in my head of course, otherwise i would be one of the best singers in the world- each week for about 15 years now. Then these other songs, what a treasures, thanks Larry for informing me, and what a loss his death is. I would have loved it to read about you meeting him, informing him about the people who know about his genius. That this was not to be leaves me feeling even more sad about it.
Great tribute. Thanks for making these sides available Larry. The B side to Gossip Gossip (It Doesn’t Matter Anymore) is also a fantastic tune with pretty unusual arrangements. It goes through very strange changes.
Not sure if his sides have been reissued but he certainly would deserve it!
Alejandro
As far as I know the only time any of his tracks were reissued was on the Sansu set that Sundazed put out and a few UK comps of Minit/Instant stuff, all of which are out of print.
L
I don’t think Diamond Joe wrote the ABC song. It’s just a funkified version of “‘A’ You’re Adorable”. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%27A%27_You%27re_Adorable) The lyrics are exactly the same.
So… There you go.
Peter
[…] Stomp a few weekends back. Only later did I see that Larry Grogan, a big Diamond Joe fan, had done a tribute to him at Funky 16 Corners back in early September, and ana-b at the Singing Bones put up some of his […]