The Nu'rons [2022] - The Philly Soul Sessions [Emandolynn Music Co. Inc]

The Nu'rons from Salem, NJ, have been performing together for over 40 years releasing a few singles in the early 70s including the rare northern soul tunes "All My Life" and "Disco Hustle".

This EP "The Philly Soul Sessions" is a collection of the first professional recorded music from them with Philadelphia producer/writer Manny Campbell of Emandolynn Music.

They are a family group consisting of two sets of brothers and cousins Daryl Howard and Raymond Gibson (Daryl’s mother registered him under his father’s surname of Howard and Raymond under her maiden name of Gibson) together with Otho and Charles Bateman. They started at a young age (10/11) with another Gibson brother, Rudolph, as The Gospel 5. Rudolph left the group owing to illness and Daryl and Charles performed with a group called The Devotions before forming The Nu'rons.

The group started doing shows in New Jersey and Philadelphia managed initially by Arctic's Jimmy Bishop (Duo Dynamic Productions) and later WDAS radio DJ Georgie Woods (who's wife Gilda owned Dion and Top & Bottom labels). Georgie introduced them to Manny Campbell, who they auditioned "I’m A Loner" for at his and partner Charles Bowen’s Emandolynn studio in Chester P.A. 

The audition was successful and Manny and Charles took the group to the Sigma Sound Studios with Tom Bell and the TSOP musicians to record "All My Life" and "I’m A Loner" which was released on the Nu-Ron label in April 1970.

Their next single "Disco Hustle" / "Can’t Do Enough Girl" was recorded at the Sound Room Studio in Upper Darby PA in 1971 and released on Stage-Art as The Nu'rons & Co.

Both singles failed commercially except locally but years later "All My Life" was unearthed on the UK rare soul scene and with the change in styles, with more funky tunes getting aired, "Disco Hustle" also gained spins. Both sides were reissued by Soul Junction in Feb 2018.

The flip to "All My Life", "I'm A Loner", is a sweet soul song which I would imagine is (or would be) popular with the lowriders, with the funky/crossover flip to "Disco Hustle", "Can't Do Enough  Girl" well overdue some spins. 

They travelled the country performing and opening for some big artists including Gladys Night & The Pips, Kool & The Gang, The Spinners, Patti Labelle, Blue Magic and they continue to perform to this day but as a trio as Raymond Gibson passed away in 2005.

All four sides of their two 70s singles are included in the compilation along with an unreleased demo "I Can See The Love". However, whilst the main DSP's seem to have only a five track EP, there is an extended Bonus Edition available on Bandcamp which includes instrumentals of "All Of My Life" and "I'm A Loner", a demo version of "I'm A Loner" along with another two unreleased demos. Also, I believe, that the version of "All My Life" on the Bonus Edition is a new mix by Tom Moulton.

Credits on the Emanuel Campbell/Charles Bowen produced/arranged EP/album include Philly heavyweights Thom Bell (keyboards), Earl Young (drums) MFSB/Don Renaldo & The Salsoul  Orchestra (strings). The new unreleased mix/master was done by legendary mixing engineer Tom Moulton and mastered by Peter Humphries of Masterworks.

If you're interested in hearing more from The Nu'rons they released an album of new material "For Always" in 2014.

Info on The Nu'rons courtesy of Dave Welding (Soul Junction)

Details

Rating:	8.5
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Northern Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Emandolynn Music Co. Inc.
Cat No:	None
Date:	22/10/2022
Price:	$10 (Bonus Edition) / £4.95 (DSPs)

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