Gap Band [1982] - Outstanding [Total Experience #TEX 001 (UK) / TED 704 (US)]

Probably pretty well known to most soul connoisseurs, but what surprised me is that this never hit the UK Top 40. I thought it had, but even though it was #1 US R&B #24 Hot 100 it reached only #68 in UK so would never have been on TOTP or get much airplay, so probably got most exposure in clubs.  

It, therefore, occurred to me that there may be some, especially younger readers, who weren't old enough to attend clubs back then (or weren't even born!) who have yet to appreciate this gem. If you're in that category then you're in for a treat as I personally think that this is by far their best track - forget 'Oops Upside Your Head', adopted by the hand bag brigade, and join the grown ups 😉

Co-written by Charlie Wilson (who is still going strong - I posted his latest release featuring Smokey Robinson a week or so ago) with band members Lonnie Simmons (R.I.P. 6 Feb 2019) and Raymond Calhoun who later formed Sunfire with Rowland Smith and Reggie Lucas who released a dance floor classic 'Step In The Light'  (written by Reggie Lucas & James Mtume) that did absolutely nothing on any chart either here or across the pond!  ... criminal!.

UPDATE I have just received a comment from an 'indignant' reader stating that in fact it was Raymond James Calhoun alone who wrote this track.  I have since verified that on BMI, however, the US & UK 12" and UK 7" labels all credit the 3 above as writers.  Only the US 7" credits Calhoun alone, although they have mis-spelled his name as Raymond Cathound and the Dutch 7" release has R. Cathound! ... so what can I do except double-check with BMI for every item I post - which I simply do not have time nor intend to do, so please, by all means leave a comment if you think something is not accurate and I will investigate.

Here's 'Outstanding' in it's full unexpurgated 12" glory

I Found My Baby - Outstanding Part II?

This came off the Gap Band VI album and I think has the same vibe and feel as Outstanding - it could almost be part II

David Hudson [1987] - Let's Get Back Together / Just A Feelin' [Waylo #WAYLO 3008]

A terrific double-sider by David Hudson from 1987 to add the 80s Hidden Gems. On Willie Mitchell's Waylo label. 

David Hudson [1987] - Let's Get Back Together [Waylo #WAYLO 3008]

I've flipped the titles around above so as to start with the flip side 'Let's Get Back Together' which is a superb deep southern soul tune reminiscent of Al Green's - Let's Stay Together (perhaps it's an answer song?) which Hudson co- wrote with Willie Mitchell.

David Hudson [1987] - Just A Feelin' [Waylo #WAYLO 3008]

A good modern soul tune co-written by Willie Mitchell and Earl Randle.  A book could be written about Willie Mitchell's contribution to soul music so i won't even start, but Earl Randle is credited with around 200 songs. I assume at some point he must have been located in Chicago as he wrote many songs for Chicago based artists such as Syl Johnson, Natural Four, The Radiants and Nate Evans as well as southern soul artists such as Ann Peebles, Otis Clay, O.V. Wright, Willie Clayton, Denise LaSalle, Al Green, Jean Plum, Lynn White, Latimore and many others!  To give you a flavour some of the better known songs he wrote here are some of his gems: Nate Evans - Main Squeeze, Ann Peebles - I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down / If This Is Heaven, Jean Plum - Look At The Boy / Here I Go Again

Windy City [1980] - I Still Love You [Kelli-Arts #KA-4501/ KA-1981]

Still in the 80s vibe.  A superb deep soul ballad from the underrated and overlooked Windy City.  I'm not able to find any information on the group except the names of the 5 members Carl Winbush, Darryl Butler, Morris Butler, Raymond Bennett, Samuel Beasley. They don't even have a Wiki page!

No doubt (and no prizes for guessing) they originate from Chicago and released a solitary album 'Let Me Ride' on Chi Sound in 1977.  The album was recorded at Chicago Record Company and produced by Carl Davis and Otis Leavill with music director Sonny Sanders and arrangers James Mack and Tom Tom 84.  It has just been repressed on vinyl (2020) in UK by Demon and is also been reissued (for the 4th time!) on Japanese CD by P-Vine - an original on vinyl could set you back as much as £80. 

They released 2 45s prior to the album. Their first in 1974 on Innovation II / Warner Brothers If By Chance (Ballad that features on the album) / Hey It's Over (mid tempo modern soul 45 only) which is quite an in demand item selling for anything up to £75.

The next outing in 1975 on Innovation II was a superb Sam Dees song Good Guys Don't Always Win c/w We Party Heavy Up In Heah (45 only) an uptempo modern soul number.  This one also currently sells for between £40-£60.

This was followed in 1977 with 2 45s on Chi Sound. The first contained tracks taken from the album, Fool Or Your Man a pleasant, Sam Dees penned, modern soul dancer backed with the funky Gimme Some written by band member Raymond Bennett.  This is a cheapie (£5-£10) but well worth it for the Sam Dees track. 

The next 45 consisted of funky number Spank (45 only) and the title track from the album Let It Ride a smooth soulful ballad.

Then in 1980 comes the featured side 'I Still Love You' which was issued twice on Kelli-Arts, the first time with Let Me Ride on the flip and on the second issue it was the flip to Just For You.  The letter is in demand owing to it being a great double-sider as 'Just For You' is a nice mellow stepper and you'll have to shell out around £40-£50 for a copy as neither side is on the album (although I Still Love You is a bonus track on a digital reissue of the album). You need to make sure you get an issue and not promo as promo has Just For You on both sides.

It was 8 years later before another release materialised on a Chi Sound 12" 'Can You Feel It' (Vocal/Inst.) - a jazz flavoured stepper.

For completeness here's a track list for the album with links to album only tracks (not linked above).

Introduction: Windy City Theme (Modern Soul)

(So You Think) Somethin's Missin' (Funky Modern Soul)

Win Or Lose (Soulful Ballad/Stepper)

Gimme Some

Feeling Like I Don't Belong (Ballad)

Let Me Ride

Learnin' (Funky Modern Soul)

Good Guys Don't Always Win

Fool Or Your Man

I've Got Mine (Uptempo ModernSoul)

If By Chance

DJ Cassidy Classic 80s Mix

Staying with the 80s theme. Here's something interesting I've just come across (posted last month: Oct 2020). A 25 minute  'Zoom' video mix by DJ Cassidy which mixes 70s/80s classics and features the original artists PA/voicing over their songs via Zoom.  Enjoy!

Tracklist: (with links to full track and live performances where I can find them)

Philip Bailey & Verdine White (EWF) - That's The Way Of The World

Patrice Rushen - Remind Me

Siedah Garrett (Michael Jackson) - I Just Can't Stop Loving You

Deniece Williams - Cause You Love Me, Baby

Ray Parker Jr., Raydio - A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do)

Ricky Bell (New Edition) - Mr. Telephone Man

Bobby Brown - Every Little Step

Jeff Redd - You Called And Told Me

Meli'sa Morgan -  Fool's Paradise

Robert 'Kool' Bell & Khalis Bayan (Kool & The Gang) - Too Hot

Steve Arrington (Slave) - Watching You

Marcus Miler (Luther Vandross) - Never Too Much

Cheryl Lynn - Got To Be Real

Howard Hewett (Shalamar) - Second Time Around

Hamilton Bohannon Feat. Liz Lands [1980] - Baby I'm For Real [Mercury 76054]

Continuing the 'under the radar' 80s Hidden Gems theme, here's a well known Marvin Gaye penned song made famous by The Originals in 1969/70 but possibly not as well known is this version from Hamilton Bohannon from 'Music In The Air' album 1980 but also escaped on Mercury 45.

Elizabeth (Liz) Lands is credited as lead on 6 of the 8 tracks on the 'Music In The Air' album including this track. She also featured on the follow up album 'One Step Ahead' (on April My Love (Part 1)) in 1980 and was backing vocalist on much of 'Alive' in 1981 but most obvious on You're The One which is a nice jazzy swinger.

I can't just leave this post at that, so here's a little bit of information about Liz Lands.

Liz Lands' godmother was the extraordinary gospel singer Mahalia Jackson and, needless to say, her roots too were in gospel.  She had an incredible 5 octave vocal range.

Her very first release was an album on Mercury in 1959 'Untamed'. She was then signed to Motown by Berry Gordy, originally for his gospel imprint Divinity on which she released just one 45, and was then switched to Gordy for her next 3 singles in 1963 and 1964.  The first being We Shall Overcome on the flip side to Dr. Martin Luther King I Have A Dream speech (she was a member of SCLS (Southern Christian Leadership Conference)), followed by a tribute to the recently assassinated president JKF, the finally 'Midnight Johnny', which gets spins on UK's Northern Soul scene, had The Temptations on backing vocals.

She is also acclaimed for her backing vocals on Mary Wells' Oh Little Boy (What Did You Do To Me) which was on the B side to My Guy.

She then formed her own label T&L with husband Tommy Brown and released a further 5 singles in 1965. 

In 1967 she had a one-off release on One-derful (One Man's Poison with the superb Don't Shut Me Out on the flip).

Ian Levine sought her out in 1990 and released a Hi-NRG track called  Starting All Over Again on his Motorcity label (which I'm not familiar with and can find no clip - but suspect is not the best vehicle for her incredible vocal range?). I guess she probably did loads of other work with him. I know of at least 2 duets she did with Levine: Johnny Bristol - Someday We'll Be Together and Hang On In There Baby and covers of Edwin Starr's Headline News and Holland Dozier Holland's How Sweet It Is (not sure who first recorded this - probably Marvin Gaye in 1964?).

Here's an interview (her last) she held in Feb 2011 with Kehinde Akomolede-Thompson, two years before she died. At 14:40 she 'attacks' Ian Levine and claims she's owed hundreds  of thousands of dollars (16:50) - she only released one single on his Motorcity label and several other tracks that appeared on compilations, but I can't imagine a lot of money was made by Levine on these projects - certainly not enough to justify the amount she claims in royalties - but who knows?

I found this post on SoulfulDetroit listing all her recordings (have copied it in case it becomes unavailable). I've added links to tracks found:

Untamed! (1959)

1. Ol' Man River

2. Snow White Gown

3. Ku Ku Ba

4. Plain Gold Ring

5. Have A Child

6. From The Womb To The Tomb

7. Summertime .. I can't find this but I'd love to hear it ... anyone?

8. Friday The Thirteenth

9. Mr. Mountain

10. The Children

11. The Mighty One

12. Walk Softly Children

13. We Shall Overcome (1963)

14. Trouble In This Land

15. May What He Lived For Live

16. He's Got The Whole World In His Hands

17. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning

18. Oh Little Boy (w/MARY WELLS) (1964)

19. Midnight Johnny (w/The Temptations)

20. Keep Me (w/The Temptations)

21. I Wish You Love (1965)

22. One Man's Poison (1967)

23. Don't Shut Me Out

24. Come In The Room

25. Somebody Bigger Than You And I – duet with ?

26. Silent Night (Part 1) w/Paul Mitchell Trio

27. Silent Night (Part 2) w/Paul Mitchell Trio

1. Echo In The Background (Of My Broken Heart) (1968)

2. Qualify For My Love

3. Cotton Fields

4. Let It Be Me

5. Since I Met You Baby

6. Baby I'm For Real (w/Bohannon) (1980)

7. The Hammer (w/Bohannon)

8. Thoughts And Wishes (w/Bohannon) NB not sure if this is the same version as released on Music In The Air?

9. The Funk Walk (w/Bohannon)

10. The Funk Walk (Fast Version) w/Bohannon

11. April My Love (Part 1) w/Bohannon

13. You're The One (w/Bohannon)

14. Starting All Over Again (1990)

15. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)

16. Like A Raging Fire

17. Further Than Ever

18. Headline News

19. Walk The City Streets (w/MARY WELLS)

20. Hang On In There Baby (w/JOHNNY BRISTOL)

21. Someday We'll Be Together (w/JOHNNY BRISTOL)

22. Starting All Over Again (12")

Here's a few more not on the list as released after it was originally posted (in 2013).

On a 2013 Ace compilation: Finders Keepers: Motown Girls 1961-67 Is:

I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues

A couple of previously unreleased tracks on One-derful! which came out on Secret Stash compilation The One-derful! Collection in 2014

Seventh Hour

I'm Guilty

Presumably a previously unreleased Motown track from Oct 1964. It is on an Ace compilation CD from 2018: Baby I've Got It! More Motown Girls, written by Frank Wilson.

It's Crazy Baby

It is alleged that there is a lot more unreleased Liz Lands material in the Motown vaults including two live albums but apparently it is jazz/MOR material.