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Monday 8 March 2021

Anita Baker (for International Women's Day)


Into the 80s now, and as far as I'm concerned the obvious choice for the best female artist to emerge in this decade was Anita Baker.  Here's 'six of the best' - her top charting singles from the 80s.

1986 - Sweet Love


1986 - Caught Up In The Rapture Of You


1987 - Same Ole Love (365 Days A Year)


1987 - No One In The World

There's also an 'amateur' video of her perfroming this with an impromptu contribution by BeBe Winans in 2021.


1988 - Giving You The Best That I Got


1988 - Just Because



Gladys Knight (for International Women's Day)


Ok we've had female artists from 40s, 50s and 60s, now for the 70s and it's the turn of Gladys Knight, probably the best female singer on Motown who must regret not offering a better deal before she left for Buddah in 1973 where she had four consecutive Top 10 Pop hits and her only #1 with 'Midnight Train To Georgia'.

Here's three of her biggest hits recorded live in 2019 at the age of 75!

Neither On Of Us


Midnight Train To Georgia


Best Thing That Ever Happened



Nancy Wilson [1968] - Face It Girl, It's Over [Capitol #2136]


For me, Nancy Wilson is one of the classiest jazz singers, with such a distinctive voice and style who we lost in the same year as Aretha at the age of 81.  This is a live performance of one of her best songs which is the A side side of her Northern Soul classic 'The End Of Our Love'.

I've also added a live rendition of a standard she released in 1961 which she performs in her own inimitable way in 1994 and a full concert from 1987.


Nancy Wilson [1961] - Guess Who I Saw Today [Capitol #4647]

Now this is how to deliver a song! A spectacular performance in 1994.


Live @ Newport Jazz Festival 15 Aug 1987 - Full Concert

If you listen to nothing else on this concert, listen to her rendition of 'A Song For You' at 2:25.



Ella Fitzgerald [1959] - Summertime [HMV #7EG 8489]


Continuing the theme of International Women's Day, here's a classic performance of Gerswin's 'Summertime' sung live in Berlin in 1968 by 'The First Lady Of Song', Ella Fitzgerald.



Billie Holiday [1941] - God Bless The Child [Okeh #6270]


If you're wondering what's going on today, I am celebrating International Women's Day by featuring some legendary female artists of black music from the last century.  

This time it's the turn of Lady Day, Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan) with probably her best known song, originally recorded on the OKeh label in 1941 and another from 1946, both featured in the 1973 movie 'The Lady Sings The Blues' starring Diana Ross as Holiday.

Andra Day has just won a Golden Globe for Best Actress for her portrayal of Billie Holiday in the movie recently aired 'The United States vs. Billie Holiday'.


Billie Holiday [1946] - Good Morning Heartache [Decca #23676]



Aretha Franklin & Mariah Carey [1998] - Chain Of Fools [VH1 Divas]


As it's International Womens' Day it will be all female artists featured today, and this popped on my feed after doing the 'Respect' post, so why not? Here it is.



Aretha Franklin Biopic 'Respect' starring Jennifer Hudson


The Aretha Franklin biopic 'Respect' will star Jennifer Hudson as Aretha, chosen for the role by Aretha herself.  It was originally scheduled for release on 15 Jan 2021 and then delayed until Aug 13 2021 due to COVID19, but still hasn't been released.  I can't find any info on a new release date, so watch out for it.

View the official trailer below and watch JHud perform in front of Ms Franklin.



Jennifer Hudson [2021] - Ain’t No Mountain High Enough [Epic]


A new release on 5 Mar 2021 from Jenifer Hudson. On the face of it this 'should' be 'sensational', but I'm left feeling a bit underwhelmed. 

Undoubtedly JHud has a powerhouse set of pipes but will.i.am was involved in the production and I guess he has attempted to 'modernise' it and, to these ears at least, it sounds synthesised, flat and empty compared to Marvin & Tammi's 1967 original (compare for yourself below). I doubt any real musicians came anywhere near this recording. It's also been slowed down from 130BPM to the 'obligatory' 124BPM, I guess, so that it can be programmed by house DJ's!

Don't get me wrong, her vocal performance is good, although a bit subdued, I thought she could have 'let rip' a bit more, it's the 'contrived', synthesised backing track that spoils it for me.



Details
Format: Single
Media: Digital
Label: Epic
Cat No: None
Year: 2021
Key: 10A
BPM: 124
Value: £1


Mary Wilson [2021] - Why Can't We All Get Along [Universal]


To celebrate the life of Mary Wilson after her sad passing on 8 Feb 2021, Motown/Univeral are reissuing an expanded version of her debut, self-titled, solo album released in 1979, with 8 additional tracks.

It's due on 16 Apr 2021 but they've pre-released a previously unissued track, which sounds like it's a later, probably more recent recording, to promote the forthcoming album.


Details
Format: Album
Media: Digital
Label: Motown/Universal
Cat No: None
Year: 2021
Key: 4A
BPM: 60
Value: £1/£10.29


Humble Pie (& The Blackberries) [1973] - Black Coffee [A&M #AMS 7052]


Last week I posted up a track by Clydie King and in the write up mentioned that she was with The Blackberries, a sought after backing group, who supported Humble Pie among many others.  Well, at the weekend I saw a music programme on BBC Four which featured 'Black Coffee' by Humble Pie live on The Old Grey Whistle test from 1973 which had The Blackberries, who at that time consisted of (left to right) Billie Barnum (who is H.B. Barnum's sister and was also a member of The Apollas and replaced Sherlie Matthews on this live recording), Venetta Fields (who was a member of The Ikettes / Mirettes) and  Clydie King

The song was written (and recorded in 1972 on 'Feel Good') by Ike & Tina Turner and I was impressed at how soulful and blusey Steve Marriott's voice was on this track.  The whole chemistry of the performance is great so I thought I'd share it.  Take it for what it is (and consider the line 'my skin is white but my soul is black') but some nice vintage footage of The Blackberries.



Details
Format: Single
Media: 7"
Label: A&M
Cat No: AMS 7052
Year: 1973
Key: 8B
BPM: 73
Value: £4-£6