The Positive Sounds [1971] - I Almost Blew My Mind / You're The One I Need [Numero Group/Shiptown #203,229 203,230]

Numero Group has digitally reissued two rare sweet soul sides by The Positive Sounds on 6 Apr 2021, originally released on Shiptown in 1971 that sells for around £250 on original vinyl.

Shiptown (and sister label How Big) was a recording studio and label based in Norfolk, Virginia owned by Noah Biggs based in his Nimrod record store. The main artist on the label was Barbara Stant (nee Holmes) who was also a member of The Idets, and appeared on about half of the 16 or so releases. The Soul Duo (Ida Sands and Joe Webster) accounted for another three of the releases.

The Positive Sounds were formed in 1962 from a high school jazz band, initially called The Sounds whose members were James Carver, (alto saxophone), George Miller (trombone), Hugh Williamson (Tenor saxophone), Eric Turner (bass guitar), and Charles Amos Hunter, (drums). 

In 1967 the group grew to nine members with the additon of Sidney Buffalow (trumpet), Michael Harris (guitar), Michael Robinson (guitar), and Alex Boyd (lead vocals).

Their first recording (around 1971) on Shiptown was 'I Almost Blew My Mind' / 'You're The One I Need' which included Wilson Williams, who released a couple of singles on sister label How Big, on vocals (I did a full discography on him last December). Both sides were written by group member Charles Hunter. Shortly afterwards, in 1972, they would become the house band at Harlem's Apollo theatre managed by Ruth Brown who was Michael Robinson's aunt (and also the aunt of rapper Rakim (aka William Michael Griffin of Eric B & Rakim fame).

They also released another two funky singles, 'The Creeper' / 'The Whole World Is Out To Lunch' on Chelsea in 1973 and 'I'm Fired Up (I Can't Get Enough)' in 1975 on Mighty Mo, both of which, interestingly, were published by Ken Williams' A-DISH-A-TUNES and produced by J.R. Bailey, Ken Williams, Mel Kent & Jerome Gasper (a smaller world than we think) who I featured a few days ago.

Details

Rating:	8.4 / 8.3
Genre/Style:	Lowrider
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital/7"
Label:	Numero Group / Shiptown
Cat No:	None / 203,229 203,230
Year:	06/04/2021 / 1971
Key:	6A / 3A
BPM:	67 / 65
Value:	£1 / £250