{"id":6359,"date":"2016-04-14T09:26:57","date_gmt":"2016-04-14T14:26:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/funky16corners.com\/?p=6359"},"modified":"2016-04-14T09:26:57","modified_gmt":"2016-04-14T14:26:57","slug":"leon-haywood-at-the-organ-1962-1968","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/funky16corners.com\/?p=6359","title":{"rendered":"Leon Haywood at the Organ – 1962-1968"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Big Jay McNeely and Band \u2013 The Squat (Swingin\u2019)
\nBig Jay McNeely and Band \u2013 Without a Love (Swingin\u2019)
\nLeon Haywood \u2013 The Fat Fish (Fat Fish)
\nLeon Haywood \u2013 A River\u2019s Invitation (Convoy)
\nLeon Haywood \u2013 Soul Cargo (Fat Fish)
\nLeon and the Burners \u2013 Whiplash (Josie)
\nLeon and the Burners \u2013 Crack Up (Josie)
\nThe Packers \u2013 Hole In the Wall (Pure Soul Music)
\nThe Packers \u2013 Go Head On (Pure Soul Music)
\nThe Hideaways \u2013 Hide Out (Mirwood)
\nLeon Haywood \u2013 Soul On (Imperial)
\nLeon Haywood \u2013 Cornbread and Buttermilk (Imperial)
\nLeon Haywood \u2013 1-2-3 (Imperial)
\nThe Soul Machine \u2013 Bag of Goodies (Pzazz)
\nThe Soul Machine \u2013 Twitchy Feet (Pzazz
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Listen\/Download – Funky16Corners Presents: Leon Haywood at the Organ 1962-1968 MP3<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Greetings all.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The end of the week is here, and so is the Funky16Corners Radio Show<\/strong>, dropping 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 online via the TuneIn app or Mixcloud, or grab an MP3 right here at the blog.<\/p>\n

News came down the pike last week that the great Leon Haywood<\/strong> had passed away at the age of 74.<\/p>\n

Fans of 60s and 70s soul would have been familiar with vocal hits like \u2018It\u2019s GotTo Be Mellow\u2019, \u2018Mellow Moonlight\u2019 or \u2018I Want’a Do Something Freaky To You\u2019.<\/p>\n

However, as I discovered \u2013 quite by accident, years ago \u2013 Leon Haywood was not only a smooth singer, but a Hammond wrangler of the first order.<\/p>\n

Turning\u00a0over a few of his Decca and Imperial 45s revealed organ instrumentals, and then delving deep into the mystery behind that recording of the Packers<\/strong>\u2019 \u2018Hole In the Wall\u2019, it was gradually revealed that in addition to a great singing voice, Haywood was just as comfortable on the keys.<\/p>\n

He recorded on organ and piano frequently through the 1960s, often as a backing musician, or under a group alias, and then pretty much abandoned the sideline as he got more popular in the 70s.<\/p>\n

I\u00a0had this mix simmering\u00a0long before he passed away, but as soon as I heard he was gone, I moved it to the front burner.<\/p>\n

Born in Texas, he moved to California in the early 60s where he hooked up with the band of R&B saxophonist Big Jay McNeely,<\/strong> with whom he made his first records as an organist. I\u2019ve included both sides of one of his 1962 McNeely 45s, both tunes co-written by Haywood. \u2018The Squat\u2019 and \u2018Without a Love\u2019 both feature Haywood using a wide open, slightly distorted\/overmodulated organ sound in a heavily reverbed production. \u2018The Squat\u2019 is a wild R&B dancer, with it\u2019s flipside working a more sedate, bluesy side of the street.<\/p>\n

The next few songs fall into the window of 1965-1966, and I wouldn\u2019t be surprised if they weren\u2019t in exact chronological order.<\/p>\n

Haywood recorded a full album for the LA label Fat Fish in 1966, which included a few vocal numbers (but did not include his big Northern Soul number \u2018Baby Reconsider\u2019 which was on a later Fat Fish 45), as well as a grip of piano and organ instrumentals. I\u2019ve included three tracks from this album, including the tunes \u2018Fat Fish\u2019, \u2018Soul Cargo\u2019 and his swinging cover of Percy Mayfield\u2019s<\/strong> \u2018A River\u2019s Invitation\u2019, which appeared on the album as well as a Convoy 45 (where I first heard it).<\/p>\n

Next up is both sides of a 45 that I had for at least 15 years before I realized it was Haywood, by Leon and the Burners.<\/strong> \u2018Whiplash\u2019 \u2013 which uses a similar organ sound to the McNeely 45 \u2013 owes a debt to Alvin Cash\u2019s<\/strong> \u2018Twine Time\u2019. The flipside, \u2018Crack Up\u2019 has a lean, Memphis sound to it.<\/p>\n

The next two sides see Leon Haywood walking into the midst of the one of the most interesting musical mysteries of the classic soul era. The Packers \u2018Hole In The Wall\u2019 was a Top 5 R&B\/Top 40 Pop hit in the Fall of 1965. The session was put together by LA DJ the Magnificent Montague<\/strong>, and included most of Booker T and the MGs<\/strong> (minus Duck Dunn<\/strong>) who were in LA recording with Bobby Darin<\/strong>, saxophonist Packy Axton<\/strong> of the Mar-Keys,<\/strong> and none other than Leon Haywood on organ (Booker T on piano) and Earl Grant<\/strong> on bass.<\/p>\n

All would have been clear enough had this been the only record the Packers did, but Axton went on (with a variety of other players) to record a bunch of \u201cPackers\u201d records over the next few years, as well as both sides of the \u2018Hole In the Wall\u2019 45 being issued in the US and the UK as two differently named songs by someone named Joe S. Maxey<\/strong> (more here<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Complicating matters even more, is the fact that Nat Nathan<\/strong>, sometimes with Haywood (sometimes without) would also record a bunch of \u2018Hole In the Wall\u2019-esque 45s (you can see the roots of the Packers \u201csound\u201d in Haywood\u2019s Fat Fish sides), including \u2018Hide Out\u2019 by the Hideaways<\/strong> on the LA Mirwood label.<\/p>\n

As I mentioned earlier, Haywood included organ and piano instrumentals on his Decca LP \u2018It\u2019s Got To be Mellow\u2019 and on the B-sides of his Decca and Imperial 45s. Included here are the originals \u2018Soul On\u2019 (45 only) and \u2018Cornbread and Buttermilk\u2019 (from the LP) and the 45-only cover of Len Barry\u2019s<\/strong> \u20181-2-3\u2019.<\/p>\n

The last two tracks in this mix are the two sides of a great, funky 1968 Hammond 45 that I was after for years, only bagging a copy late last year. The Soul Machine\u2019s<\/strong> \u2018Twitchie Feet\u2019 b\/w \u2018Bag of Goodies\u2019 (recently covered by the Incredible Say Whats<\/strong>) were played, produced and written by Haywood, during his time with the LA-based Pzazz label (where he also recorded with Little Janice<\/strong>).<\/p>\n

Now, I have no doubt whatsoever that there are gaps in this mix, especially where Haywood\u2019s work as a sideman, or pseudonymous bandleader are concerned. I have a few 45s that I suspect are his handiwork, but no hard evidence to go on. If any of you have any records to add to the list, please let me know.<\/p>\n

Haywood spent time between his 60s and 70s hits working in the studio, backing people like Shuggie Otis.<\/strong> He also started his own Evejim label, and worked as a producer.<\/p>\n

He was a talented performer, and will be missed.<\/p>\n

I hope you dig the mix, and I\u2019ll see you all on Monday.<\/p>\n

Keep the faith<\/strong><\/p>\n

Larry<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Example\"<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong> \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

____________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n

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

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Big Jay McNeely and Band \u2013 The Squat (Swingin\u2019) Big Jay McNeely and Band \u2013 Without a Love (Swingin\u2019) Leon Haywood \u2013 The Fat Fish (Fat Fish) Leon Haywood \u2013 A River\u2019s Invitation (Convoy) Leon Haywood \u2013 Soul Cargo (Fat Fish) Leon and the Burners \u2013 Whiplash (Josie) Leon and the Burners \u2013 Crack Up […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[58,11,17,14,68,66,121,69,64,12,18,13],"tags":[163,166,27,173,164],"class_list":["post-6359","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cover-songs","category-funk","category-funk-45","category-funky16corners","category-hammond-grooves","category-instrumental","category-mod-soul","category-original-versions","category-rb","category-soul","category-soul-45","category-soul-jazz","tag-funk","tag-funky16corners","tag-hammond-organ","tag-rb","tag-soul"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pMKgo-1Ez","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/funky16corners.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6359","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/funky16corners.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/funky16corners.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/funky16corners.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/funky16corners.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6359"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/funky16corners.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6359\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6366,"href":"https:\/\/funky16corners.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6359\/revisions\/6366"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/funky16corners.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6359"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/funky16corners.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6359"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/funky16corners.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6359"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}