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By Larry, June 2, 2019 8:00 am

Emanuel Laskey

Listen/Download – Emanuel Laskey – I Need Somebody MP3

Greetings all.

I hope the new week finds you well.

Today’s selection is one of the pile of 45s that I picked up while DJing at the Keystone State Soul Weekender in 2018.

Emanuel Laskey was a journeyman soul singer who recorded for a variety of Detroit-based labels through the 1960s and 1970s, including Thelma, Westbound and Stag.

‘I Need Somebody’ was recorded for Thelma in 1964, with backing from the Fabulous Peps. The record charted locally on the R&B and Pop charts and had some regional R&B success elsewhere (thus the licensing and pressing of the 45 on the Pittsburgh, PA NPC label).

‘I Need Somebody’ is a remarkable piece of midtempo 60s soul, opening with an unusual, raw guitar figure (probably played by producer Don Davis, and I wonder if Eric Clapton heard it…) , backs by the vibes and organ. Laskey’s vocal, often veering into falsetto is perfection, and the arrangement manages to weave together the technical limitations of the session (the studio, not the musicians, who all turn in an excellent performance) into something really special.

The flipside, ‘Tomorrow’ is a sweet ballad with some nice piano.

Laskey is the kind of guy who had talent to spare, recorded some great records but is now known almost exclusively by hardcore soul fans.

That’s a shame.

I hope you dig the cut, and I will see you all next week.

Also, make sure to follow Funky16Corners on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Keep the faith

Larry

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By Larry, January 26, 2017 1:43 pm

The Isley Brothers

Listen/Download – Isley Brothers – Nowhere To Run MP3

Greetings all.

The end of the week is upon us, and I will remind you – as I always do – not to forget to dig into the Funky16Corners Radio Show, which drops each and every Friday with the best in soul, funk, 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 Stitcher or TuneIn, check it out on Mixcloud or gran yourself an MP3 right here at Funky16Corners.com.

I usually prep these posts weeks in advance, in an attempt to stockpile enough so that the chaos of normal life doesn’t intrude on the routine of the blog.

That said, the previous four posts were a reaction to the events of the last few months – culminating in the inauguration – and they all fell together in the space of a couple of hours last weekend.

The post you see before you today was written and assembled weeks ago, but manages to capture (at least in its title) a bit of the current, angst-ridden zeitgeist.

It comes to us courtesy of the mighty Isley Brothers.

I am in the habit of grabbing each and every original Tamla/Motown LP I find in the wild (not as common as you’d think) and I was very happy indeed when I found the record you see before you.

I was even happier when I discovered that the purchase would also scratch another itch, the one that concerns itself with Motown having their acts cover songs by other (Motown) acts.

This was a fairly common phenomenon, and the Isley Brothers take on Martha and the Vandella’s ‘Nowhere To Run’ is a killer.

The groovy thing is, that is is no mere retread. It is a different backing track than the Vandellas hit, slightly sparer with interesting guitar and piano touches, with the harmony backing vocals much more prominent in the mix, and a great wailing lead vocal.

While I don’t think that the Isley’s take on the song would have surpassed Martha and the Vandellas (in fact the Isleys version remained an LP-only cut), which has a uniquely clear, direct sound as well as Martha Reeves remarkable lead vocal, it is excellent.

If you can get your hands on a copy of the LP, do so, as there are a number of amazing tracks, including ‘Seek and You Shall Find’ which I consider something of a forgotten Motown classic.

I hope you dig the tune, that you can all hang on to the ride, and I’ll see you on Monday..

Keep the faith

Larry

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Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

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By Larry, January 17, 2017 12:24 pm

Lee Rogers

Listen/Download – Lee Rogers – Go Go Girl MP3

Greetings all.

I hope the middle of the week finds you well enough to get up outcha seat and dance, on account of what’s up.

Lee Rogers (nee Rogers Lee Caton) was a fairly prolific (on the 45RPM tip, anyway) Detroit soul singer with a catalog that stretched from the early 60s into the late 70s.

The tune I bring you today was released in 1966 on the D-Town label.

Rogers one and only hit had come the previous year when ‘I Want You To Have Everything’ made it into the R&B Top 20.

He never made another dent in the national charts, but the A-side of today’s selection, ‘I’m a Practical Guy’ was a regional hit in Detroit and the Great Lakes area in the summer of 1966.

Though that tune is a cracker, ‘Go Go Girl’ is the side for me.

Written by Detroit stalwarts Mike Hanks, Rudy Robinson and William Garrett, produced by Hanks and arranged by McKinley Jackson, ‘Go Go Girl’ is a hard-hitting dance floor stormer, with booming drums, solid guitar and bass and a horn section thar builds nicely.

Roger’s vocal moves between a smooth tenor and a reaching falsetto.

It’s not hard to imagine packed rooms of dancers, here in the US and over in the UK where Rogers’ 45s are sought after, getting down to this one.

‘Go Go Girl’ isn’t cheap, but it’s not going to put you in the poorhouse either, so if you dig it, and you want to make some people dance, go get yourself a copy for your playbox.

I hope you dig it, and I’ll see you tomorrow with something very special!

Keep the faith

Larry

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Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

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By Larry, June 26, 2014 4:22 pm

Theresa Lindsey

Listen/Download Theresa Lindsey – Daddy-O

Listen/Download Theresa Lindsey – I’ll Bet You

Greetings all

The weekend is looming, so I’ll remind you that the Funky16Corners Radio Show takes to the airwaves of the interwebs this and every Friday night at 9PM on Viva Radio. You can also partake in the soulfulness by subscribing to the show as a podcast in iTunes, or by grabbing an MP3 at the blog.

I’ve been wanting to drop today’s selection for a long time, but I wanted to wait until I was in the exactly right frame of mind.

A while back I was listening to Gail Smith’s most excellent ‘Work Your Soul’ podcast, when I encountered a song that shot right to all the soul-related pleasure centers of my brain. A quick glance at the playlist indicated that what I was digging was a tune called ‘Daddy-O’ by Theresa Lindsey.

Her name was already familiar as a Detroit-based singer who had recorded the original version of ‘I’ll Bet You’, which she co-wrote with George Clinton and Sidney Barnes (and was later recorded by Funkadelic, Billy Butler, Jean Carter and the Jackson Five).

What I discovered in short order (as soon as I set out in search of my own copy) was that ‘Daddy-O’ was the flipside of ‘I’ll Bet You’! Now I really had to get a copy!

Once I did (at what I would consider to be not too extreme an expense), I digimatized the 45 and played it over, and over and over again.

You see, ‘Daddy-O’ is one of the most sublime examples of the art form known as Detroit Soul that was ever created.

What you get here is a solid dancer’s beat, combined with a beautiful melody, a tight Detroit band and above all, the sexy, soulful delivery of Miss Theresa Lindsey.

This record is as close to perfect as it gets, my friends.

Opening with piano (the piano is really the heart of the band on this one), and then picking up with drums, vibes, bass and hand-claps, ‘Daddy-O’ is a showcase for Lindsey’s voice and the subtle backing vocals. There is no point where the essence of this record diverges from sublime wonderfulness, which makes it all the more surprising that it wasn’t a hit.

‘I’ll Bet You’ is taken at a brisk pace (much like the Billy Butler take from the following year) and features some tasty Dennis Coffey guitar licks.

Despite her obvious talents, Theresa Lindsey’s only chart success was a regional hit with her 1964 ‘Gotta Find a Way’ for the Correc-tone label.

Lindsey recorded a total of five singles, three for Correc-Tone, the one you see before you for Golden World, and then a UK-only release (recorded in New York) for the President label as ‘Terry Lindsey’.

Both sides of this 45 and some of her Correc-Tone recordings have been comped over the years, with both ‘Daddy-O’ and ‘I’ll Bet You’ currently available in iTunes (on a couple of shifty-looking comps).

That said, you can pull down the ones and zeros here, and bathe your ears in the goodness.

Have yourselves a great weekend, and I’ll see you all on Monday.

Keep the faith

Larry

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Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.

Also, make sure that you check out the links below to the Be The Match Foundation and POAC (click on the logos for more info).

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.