Mark Anderson and Des Parker's MD Records have three new vinyl releases
available. The first to post is a reissue of a 1968 Jock Mitchell
single.
Arnold Jake Mitchell (aka Jock Mitchell) was born in 1944 in Tampa, FL, and started his career aged 13 singing
with Skyliners and later as Little Jake & The Blenders. He toured with
the likes of James Brown, Jackie Wilson, Sam Cooke and Bobby 'Blue' Bland
and was mentored by B.B.King. His first recording "Darling Darling Baby" was
on Chess in 1957 allegedly on the same master tape as Chuck Berry.
After he completed college in Florida in 1964 he moved north and performed
at the Apollo Theatre in NYC a year later. He recorded a single on Philly's
Newtown label ("Turn On Your Lovelight" / "You Can Make It If You Try") in 1964 followed by a couple of singles on Harry Balk's Impact label in
Detroit including his Northern Soul classic "Not A Chance In A Million". in 1967-68.
Later he setup his own label Golden Hit Productions on which he recorded
these two sides. "Free At Last" was the first released credited to James
Barnes (J.J. Barnes) & The Agents but it is believed that it was
actually Jock and not J.J. Barnes singing (listen closely to both versions
and I think you'll agree that the voice is identical!). Note that "No Mad
Woman" is a typo and should have been "Nomad Woman".
The Agents were Jock Mitchell, Frank Washington (who quit the group just
before the release), Bernard 'Bernie' Simmons and Charles 'Chuck'
Kemp.
He recorded another single on Cha-Joc which was registered to Gainesville,
FL. date unknown but was affiliated to Golden Hit so probably late
60s.
Jock is still performing today in Florida as Little Jake and the Soul
Searchers and is now approaching his 78th birthday.
| Rating: | 8 |
| Explicit: | N |
| Genre/Style: | 60s Soul |
| Format: | Single |
| Media: | 7" Vinyl |
| Label: | MD Records |
| Cat No: | MDJW 004 |
| Date: | 21/06/2022 (1968) |
| Key/BPM: | N/A |
| Price: | £15 |
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This is an underrated singer. And yet he made some good singles on Detroit. I think you're right: we don't recognize J.J. Barnes' voice.
ReplyDeleteYves