The Sounds of Oakland [2021] - Music From The Streets [Chumpchange Records]

The Sounds Of Oakland are musicians from the San Francisco Bay Area produced by Paul Tillman Smith which includes one of a my favourite male singers Freddie Hughes (who I did a full discography on last year and is now 78), along with his son Derrick. Each track has at least one featured vocalist.

A few of the 'bright lights' (personal taste) on the album include "Bright Lights" (feat. Derrick Hughes) which is essentially the same song as Lonnie Hewitt's "Is It Me" (Wee 1969), "Before You Know" (feat. Niecey "Living Single" Robinson), "Country Flower" (feat. Martin Luther) and "No Place" (feat. Derrick Hughes) which sounds quite a bit like Donny Hathaway's "The Ghetto" to these ears! 

Derrick Hughes' reworking of his fathers 1968 hit "Send My Baby Back" is almost unrecognisable to the original.

As is more often than not the case with Tillman Smith's productions, they include songs that have featured on Park Place albums and this one is no exception with ex Tower of Power front man Lennie Williams (another male vocalist's voice I've loved over the years) guesting on "Invisible Man".

A good portion of the album's 18 tracks is blues or bluesy southern soul, so if that's you're bag then this album may be for you. An interesting point is the appearance of Bobby Reed on two tracks. It's not the same Bobby Reed who recorded the double-sider modern soul classic on Bell in 1970.

Once again Spotify doesn't give the featured artists so click on album cover image to view complete track list.

Details

Rating:	8
Genre/Style:	Classic Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Chumpchange Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	01/10/2021
Value:	£7.99