John Nathan Bowie began his recording career as a member of the Philadelphians, who released 45s on Campus, Cameo and Guyden labels. A talented singer, songwriter and producer, “Big John” produced artists like the Del Cords, The Dogs and others for the Impala / Delsey / Mr. Genius and Treasure labels. John recorded four songs for Merben records during the 60s, with two being released as a single: Merben 503 - You're Gonna Miss A Good Thing, Baby / At The End Of The Day. The two other tracks, Help Me Pretty Baby / Bad Luck, survived on the only known copy of a Merben acetate, recorded at Virtue Studios in Philly."
From Dave Louis Brown, head of Funkadelphia records and author of the upcoming book on the History of Philadelphia R&B
1963 - My Love, My Love / Cleo's Theme (My Love, My Love) [Guyden 2093] #
# As Big John & The Philadelphians. Cleo's Theme is instrumental of A side by Vince Montana Orch.
A post on Soul Source from Henry 'Smitty' Smith in Jan 2008: "Concerning John Bowie. He was lead singer for The Philadelphians; a Philly R&B group of the late fifties and sixties. The Philadelphians used to rehearse at The Community Center located at 10th and Thompson Sts. of The Cambria Hgts. projects. In 1962, I met Big John and members of The Philadelphians at the center. I had a R&B group called The Premieres from The Richard Allen Projects near The Cambria Hgts Projects. Members of The Philadelphians were Big John as lead, Frank Gordon as bass, Sam as second tenor, and Eddie as first tenor. I don't remember the name of the baritone singer.They recorded for Campus Records, Cameo-Parkway and Jamie-Guyden with such recordings as Dear, The Love I Lost, I Missed Her, Coming Home To You, The Vow, Church Bells and My Love- My Love. The Premieres were a new group starting out and they helped us a lot to win a local talent show at The B&R club. We won a chance to record at a Jamie Record Studio on Girard Ave where we recorded "Devil Woman b/w Don't Leave Me". However, our manager then took the tapes of the recording to New York and we never saw him again. Disillusioned, the group disbanded and I went on to sing bass for The Informers (If You Love Me and Baby Set Me Free on J-Rude and Blackjack labels). After returning home from the military in 1973 I ran into Frank Gordon at a movie theater where he told me that The Philadelphians had split up and John was doing some production and solo work. Big John had did some work with The Delchords out of Harrisburg, Pa. This group was the origin of The Magnificent Men (Peace Of Mind). There also was some word that Big John did some production work with The Three Degrees. Big John later went on to be Little John Bowie on Merben label. I read an article by David Brown from Philly Archives/ Funkadelphia Records written for Scoop newspaper in Philly that Big John had died from a robbery attempt at a gas station where he worked. This article was dated in the 1998 and had the approximate date of death about 1985. As for the other members, according to David Brown, they may all have passed. He didn't know their names. In talking with him I gave him the names I remembered. I hope this info is helpful. I am currently singin bass with a group called Quiet Storm. We sing R&B/Soul from the fifties, sixties and seventies. Perhaps you will hear of us soon. Take Care. Kamau Akiba ( formerly Henry "Smitty" Smith )"
Now this is where is gets confusing! There was a group in Philly called The Del-Cords who also recorded as The Dogs which I believe is the name they used for instrumental tracks. The Dogs - Soul Step is an instrumental that was played on Northern Soul scene by Richard Searling late 70s. A Treasure label reissue late 80s/early 90s with Soul Step by The Dogs and I'm So Sorry by The Delcords (misspelled) which is the vocal to Soul Step. Both tracks were written by John Bowie (Soul Step was co-written with Fran Williamson). Bowie 'may' also have been in the group.
Soul Step was originally issued on Treasure in 1967 as flip side to Don't Try To Help Me (a garage tune also written by John Bowie) on Treasure 001.
The Del-Cords later merged with The Endells from Harrisburg to become The Magnificent Men. Discography Little John Bowie 1967 - Go Go Annie / My Love, My Love [Phil-L.A Of Soul 307] John Bowie
1967 You're Gonna Miss A Good Thing (Baby) / At The End Of The Day [Merben MR0503] 1968 - A Fool I Would Be / I Never Felt So Lonely [Chante 808] Unreleased
1967 - Help Me Pretty Baby / Bad Luck [Merben Unreleased] 196? - Do Your Own Thing [Bud Ross Productions Vol. 1 Philly Archives 2016] John Bowie definitely had some connection with The Del-Cords/The Dogs but I don't know for sure whether he recorded with them. The Del-Cords/Del-Chords 1964 - Everybody's Gotta Lose Someday /Your Mommy Lied To Daddy [Impala 215] 1965 - Everybody's Gotta Lose Someday /Your Mommy Lied To Daddy [Mr. Genius MG-401]
1967 - Won't You Let Me Know / Just A Little Misunderstanding [UP 2012]
The Dogs
1967 - Don't Try To Help Me / Soul Step [Treasure 001]
1967 - I'm So Sorry / Soul Step [Treasure 001]
John Bowie [1967] At The End Of The Day [Merben MR0503]
Superb deep crossover.
John Bowie [1967] You're Gonna Miss A Good Thing (Baby) [Merben MR0503]
Northern Soul classic
John Bowie [1967] You're Gonna Miss A Good Thing (Baby) [Merben MR0503]
Demo Version
John Bowie [1967] - Help Me Pretty Baby (Demo) [Merben Unreleased]
Little John Bowie [1967] - Go Go Annie [Phil-L.A Of Soul 307]
Little John Bowie [1967] - My Love, My Love [Phil-L.A Of Soul 307]
Northern Soul / Popcorn
A song written by Bob Finiz and recorded by Big John & The Philadelphians on Guyden in 1963 (It may be the same recording put out as LJB). Bob Finiz wrote many songs including Mose Smith's - Girl Across The Street, Village Callers - When You're Gone and others for Brenda & The Tabulations Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles and Loving Spoonful.
John Bowie [1968] - I Never Felt So Lonely [Chante 808]
Release date not listed so I've guessed 1968 as 202 was 1966 and 909 was 1968, but it sounds earlier than 1968 to my ears. It has a popcorn feel to it so may have been a song written earlier as this is the B side. A side is A Fool I Would Be - no label scans or sound clips available.
John Bowie [2016] - Do Your Own Thing [Philly Archives prev unreleased]
A previously unreleased track on Bud Ross Productions Vol. 1 CD released on Philly Archives 2016. If you like this track then there's another version of the track by Synard Smythe (an artist I've never come across before) on the same compilation.
This compilation is similar but not identical to The Northern Soul of Philadelphia Vol. 3 put out by Goldmine Soul Supply in 2002 with some tracks removed with different (presumably previously unreleased) tracks. Dave Louis Brown head of Funkadelphia records had a hand in both compilations. Funkadelphia seem to be releasing a lot of previously unreleased material in recent years. The John Bowie unreleased tracks above for example.
The Del-Cords [1964] - Everybody's Gotta Lose Someday [Impala 215]
The Del-Cords were an interracial group from Philadelphia who later merged with The Endells from Harrisburg to become the Magnificent Men around 1966.
I'm not entirely sure that John Bowie was with The Del-Cords but he wrote both sides of their only other known 45 and is 'alleged' to have been on the record so I've included this 45 by them.
Also released on Mr. Genius in 1965 as The Del-Chords.
Soul group harmony
The Del-Cords [1964] - Your Mommy Lied To Daddy [Impala 215]
Also released on Mr. Genius in 1965 as The Del-Chords.
Soul group harmony
The Dogs [1967] - Don't Try To Help Me [Treasure 001]
A garage tune written by John Bowie
The Dogs [1967] - Soul Step [Treasure 001]
Northern Soul Instrumental co-written by John Bowie and Fran Wiliaimson who owned the Impala label.
The Del-Chord [1967] - I'm So Sorry [Treasure 001]
Northern Soul and previously unreleased vocal to Soul Step written by John Bowie. It is claimed that Bowie sang on this track and that he appears on the picture sleeve but I'm not sure that is John Bowie on sleeve.
This was legally reissued late 80s / early 90s.
The Del-Cords [1967] - Won't You Let Me Know [UP 2012]
Just to confuse things further there is a 45 by The Del-Cords from Harrisburg on Up records. Discogs states NOT to be confused with group from York PA but it's too much of a coincidence that they merged with The Endells from Harrisburg so I've included it in case they are the same group as they do sound similar - there's certainly some blue-eyes in there.
Soul harmony
The Del-Cords [1967] - Just A Little Misunderstanding [UP 2012]
Northern Soul - Blue-eyed
This is an inferior cover of The Contours Northern Soul classic. The lead singer is straining badly on the vocals. Click link to compare with the original.
Don Gardner is best known on UK soul scene for his super rare 1969 recording on Sedgrick 'Cheatin' Kind' which was a big sound on the Northern Soul Scene.
Gardner hailed from Philadelphia and was born 1931 and died 2018 aged 87. He started recording in 1949. He formed the Sonotones which included Richard 'Groove' Holme who was replaced by Dee Dee Ford when he left in 1960.
He had his biggest hit with in 1962 with Dee Dee Ford - I Need Your Lovin' which reached #20 Billboard Hot 100 and #4 R&B. They had 2 further moderate hits together the same year with Glory Of Love #75 (which had previously recorded solo in 1960) and Don't You Worry #66.
It was 11 years later in 1973 before he troubled the charts again with another duet, this time with Baby (Jeanette) Washington, Forever which reached #30 in R&B but didn't make Hot 100.
Their partnership ended in 1964 and Gardner continued releasing solo 45s for the remainder of the 60s on various labels. In 1972 he teamed up with Baby Washington and released a 45 followed by an album the following year which spawned another 2 45s and as far as I can tell that was the end of his recording career although he continued working as a jazz musician (he was a drummer). According to Wiki he was a guest artist on Patrick Stanfield Jones' A Heart Is An Open Road album in 2010 which I have confirmed from LastFM:
"For the past 5 years, Patrick has been working on his latest project with veteran jazz percussionist/drummer Don Gardner, honing and developing his writing and arranging skills even more."
Don Gardner [1967] - Prove It [Sack 4362] Northern Soul 'Stroller' Flip side is Ain't Gonna Let You Get Me Down (above) Also recorded by Mary Wheeler on Calla 111
Don Gardner [1967] - Tighten Up Your Love Bone [Cedric 3002/3003]
This tracks was released twice on Cedic 3002 in 1967 and 3003 Iin1971
Don Gardner [1967] - Is It Really Love [Cedric 3002/3003]
Northern Soul / Crossover.
I actually prefer this side as more soulful.
Don Gardner [1969] - Cheatin' Kind [Sedrick 3001] Mega rare 4/5 figure sum Northern Soul classic on Sedgrick. Only 2 listed on Popsike 2011 £6,394 and 2014 £7,087
Written and produced by James Vanleer who owned Sedgrick, Cedric, Sac and Golden Ears labels in Chicago. He also wrote a lot of material for Jackie Ross and Southside Movement in particular.
This is considered a classic by many on the scene probably owing more to it's rarity that quality as it's not over-exposed like many of the classics due to it's scarcity.
Don Gardner [1969] - Your Love Is Driving Me Crazy [Mr. G 824] Now this is right up my street - mellow, soulful crossover. I much prefer this track to Cheatin' Kind and would still have £9,950 of my ten grand to buy another 199 quality £50 tunes with like Is This Really Love (above)! Written by Morris Bailey a highly regarded musician from Philadelphia who was a member of Crystal Clear (Stay With Me) Flip side is late 60s funky soul There Ain't Gonna Be No Loving
Baby Washington & Don Gardner [1972] - Baby Let Me Get Close To You [Master Five M.F. 901]
The first thing to comment on today is last night's BBC Panorama programme. If you haven't watched it yet then watch it on iPlayer. The essence of the programme was the findings of Exercise Cygnus which was a study of preparedness for a flu-like pandemic originating in east asia in Oct. 2016 which the government deemed 'too terrifying' to be made public'. Daily Telegraph, The Guardian. A group of doctors are now pursuing a judicial review under the Freedom Of Information Act to force the government to disclose the findings.
The programme concluded that there was insufficient PPE (personal protection equipment) especially gowns, eye protection, swabs and body bags which the government knew about in 2016 yet did not to act on the findings.
What struck me most (and is systematic of this government) is their use of statistics to try and blind the public i.e. stating that a billion items of PPE have been delivered. What does that actually mean? Well the programme exposed it e.g. a pair of gloves for example were counted as 2 items - does that mean each individual swab was counted as one item? Just like the recent flight to Turkey to collect PPE where they stated something like 80 tons of equipment - what does that actually mean? Other recent examples include their election pledge on providing 50,000 more nurses which turned out to be more like 31,000 new nurses as they claimed they would try to prevent 19,000 leaving and building 40 new hospitals which was actually funding for 6 hospitals to upgrade!
One of the most disturbing things in the programme was that a UK manufacturer of material to make gowns had applied to government to provide it and has been ignored and now that material is being exported to US, yet UK government claims that there is a worldwide shortage.
The shortage of swabs may explain why there has been a lack of testing. It will be interesting to see on Thursday how they 'massage' the target of 100,000 tests per day. I very much suspect that they will claim that we have the capacity for close to 100,000 which will also explain the sudden rush in recent days to provide access to testing online - so that they can claim more tests being requested.
I'm sorry if this sounds cynical but you must 'listen' what these politicians 'actually' say. They don't necessarily lie but the way things are phrased is very revealing. Matt Hancock will claim that 100,000 test was a 'goal' and that he didn't actually commit to there being that number available.
Every time a difficult question is asked they have obviously been briefed to just respond with 'we are following the science'.
Just take a look at the latest stats and it is evident that the UK is highly likely to be the worst affected country in the world. Yes world, as, whilst US has more that 6 times the number of cases, their death rate is less than half of UK's. 5.6% v 13.4% - the global average is currently 6.89%
I stated earlier this week that UK is 1 or 2 days ahead of Italy's trajectory. Italy took 12 days to rise from 100,000 (101,739 30 Mar) cases to 150,000 (152,171 11 Apr), UK took 10 days 103,093 (16 Apr) 152,840 (26 Apr) and UK is almost 1,000 cases ahead of where Italy was one day later. In terms of deaths Italy had 19,468 11 Mar UK has 20,732 26 Apr. The UK has not seen fewer than 4,000 new cases per day since 7 Apr or less than 3,000 since 30 Mar. The no. of new cases is almost exactly the same as it was 1 Apr (4,324 1 Apr v 4,309 26 Apr) nearly a month later. To look at it another way, two weeks after lockdown (23 Mar) you would expect new cases to decline, yet since 8 Apr there have been more than 4,000 new cases per day.
What still concerns me is that UK is the only country in the world not reporting the number of recovered cases. I monitor the active cases charts which show total cases less deaths and recovered cases and indicates whether the active cases are increasing or reducing. From this you can ascertain whether the peak has been reached which in the case of all other EU countries reported it has. Germany now has almost half of the active cases it had on 6 Apr (52.3%). Without these figures we will never know how the UK is progressing.
US
US - over 1 million cases 1,010,507, almost 300,000 (298,004) of these in New York.
It was beyond belief when I saw images of beaches in southern california packed with people and especially 4 guys playing hand ball and high-fiving. California is the 5th worst affected state with currently 'only' 45,157 cases so perhaps these people think that because NY has 300k they have somehow avoided it. NY taking it for the team? It will be interesting to see what the figure is in 10 days - I suspect it will be 100,000 or more given the relaxed attitude to social distancing.
