Pumpkin [2023] - Take Me Back (feat. James 'Crab' Robinson) / U Drive Me Crazy (feat. Paris Ford) [Overlord Entertainment Group Inc Recordings]

There's a bit of  story to this one as last weekend Roger we were contacted asking if we knew a song being played on Solar Radio by Tony Monson. After scanning through a few of his podcasts (which are 3 hours long) we couldn't find the song being played so gave up. We were told that it featured James Robinson and that the artist name was thought to be Pumpkin.

It sounds very much like an 80s recording and the sleeve indicates 1984. The A side "Take Me Back" features James 'Crab' Robinson (written by Pumpkin and Robinson) whilst the B side "U Drive Me Crazy" features Paris Ford written by Ford. 

Ford is Robinson's cousin and was a member of BB&Q Band as well as The Whole Darn Family in the 70s and is the owner of Overlord Entertainment Group on which these tracks are released. Ford has played bass and toured with many artists including Oneness Of JuJu, Vickie Sue Robinson, Lonnie Liston Smith, Johnny Gill, Village People, Stacy Lattisaw, Evelyn Champagne King, Rick James and New Edition.

The artwork/labels suggest that it may be available on vinyl but we don't see any way to purchase vinyl from the website but both tracks are available as digital downloads from the website.

There's no way to embed/stream the tracks so visit the Paris Ford website for them.

Information on artists given on the website:

Pumpkin was Errol E. Bedward (21 Jan 1961 - 24 Aug 1990) a musician, percussionist, and band leader renowned for being the one behind many old school hip hop tracks for the Profile, Enjoy, and Tuff City record companies. He worked with several influential early hip-hop acts from 1979 to 1984, such as Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five Spoonie Gee, Treacherous Three, Funky Four, Grandmaster Caz, the Fearless Four, and Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde, and several more obscure names. 

His 1983 single "King of the Beat" was followed by one of his last productions, Pumpkin and the Profile All-Stars' "Here Comes the Beat" (Profile, 1984).

James 'Crab' Robinson was a member of Change recruited by Jacques Fred Petrus to replace Luther Vandross, owing to his ability to perform in a similar vocal style. He sang of three albums between 1981-83 and was also a solo artist signed to Tabu Records in 1987 where his one album was 'Guilty'. That album contained the popular track 'I Feel Like Going On'.

He sang guest lead vocals with artists including Norman Connors ('Stella' and 'Listen') and Lonnie Liston Smith ('Song For The Children and 'Love Is The Answer') as well as on albums by Lenny White, Jeff Lorber, Bob Baldwin and Mark Johnson on his outstanding track "Daydream" in 1995 (which we have featured previously and has reissued on 7" by Izipho Soul in 2020 NB there are some still available).

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Details

Rating:	7.7
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	80s Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital / 7" Vinyl
Label:	Overlord Entertainment Group Inc Recordings
Cat No:	None
Date:	08/2023
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	$2 / $TBC

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Tunnie Smith [2023] - Join Together / U And Me Together [Pass the Baton #SDE67]

Available to pre-order  now for release on is a vinyl 7" from Super Discos Edits new imprint Pass The Baton by Tunnie Smith consisting of two previously unreleased songs, "Join Together" NS "U And Me Together". A release date of mid Apr '23 has been given. 

In the early 70s Smith was a member of a group named The 13th Amendments who performed throughout Louisiana. He gained a recording deal with Rick Hall's Fame label and released his only single "Finders Aren't Always Keepers" / "Do That To Me" in 1973 which won national distribution on United Artists.

He left Fame to join Stax and recorded an album with David Porter scheduled for release around 1973/74 but through an unfortunate twist of fate Stax was beginning to have financial difficulties after it's distribution deal with CBS ending and the album was never released. The flip side of the new single  "U And Me Together" is a song intended for that album.

Tunnie returned to Louisiana and performed with a new band Sweet Music Orchestra. In 1983 he met Chicago producer and arranger George 'Paco' Patterson, a musical director who had worked with The Isley Brothers Wilson Pickett and many other well known artists. They formed a partnership and along with some top session musicians recorded some new songs. One of the songs was "Join Together" is from the same session as a previous Super Disco Edits release, "Dancing On Da Clouds"

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

SUPER DISCO EDITS · Tunnie Smith Join Together previously unissued 1984 soul

SUPER DISCO EDITS · Tunnie Smith U And Me Together unissued 1975 Soul

Details

Rating:	8.5
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Pass the Baton
Cat No:	SDE67
Date:	TBC 2023
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£12

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Clifton Dyson - Hypnotize v Ci Ci ‎ - (You Got Me) Hypnotized

Another post inspired by Mr. Van Den Bussche. He played Clifton Dyson last week and I then discovered that it was also covered a few years later (1984) on Creative Funk by Ci Ci. Dyson produced their version and Al Johnson arranged it.

Clifton Dyson is the younger brother of Ronnie Dyson and formed Dyson's Faces in the 70s who featured recently on the blog as two Dyson's Faces tracks were reissued on vinyl only last month. He was also a member of The Differences and wrote their crossover gem "Five Minutes".

He wrote and recorded "Hypnotize" on his first solo album "Slow Your Body Down" in 1981 featuring Debra Wilson on vocals. It's an album only track. The album was reissued on CD in 1996 in Japan by P-Vine and on vinyl in 2007 a reissue on After Hour. I'm guessing After Hour Records was his own label as only his songs were released on it. 

Note that the P-Vine CD reissue also contains and additional eight tracks and includes the Ci Ci version.

Gloria Jay / Sandra W. LeCounte [1977/1984] Know What You Want [Stage Productions #STM-1008-4 / SP5065]

The only recording by sixteen year old Gloria Jay (Gloria J. Jennings) released on Stage Productions in 1977. Stage Productions was a Chicago label owned by Willie Nance which only released half a dozen singles in the late 70s. It was reissued by Melodies International in 2017. Original copies now sell for between £200-£300.

"Know What You Want" was re-recorded in 1984 on Stage Productions by Sandra W. LeCounte which appears to be an extremely scarce record. UK rare soul dealer John Manship listed it in Feb 2021 and believes it to be a one-off (read the comments on the YT clip below).

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

Details

Rating:	8.8
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	Stage Productions
Cat No:	STM-1008-4 / SP5065
Date:	1977 / 1984
Value:	£100+ (approx.) / £??? never sold

Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes [1984] - I Really Love You [Philly World #7-99709]

A mid 80s rare groove track from Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes released long after Teddy P had left (in fact it was two years after his car crash which left him paralysed). The lead on this track is Gil Saunders who passed away recently aged 69 on 4 Feb 2021.

The version on their 1984 album, 'Talk It Up (Tell Everybody)', was a longer (5:14).

Details

Rating:	7.6
Genre/Style:	Rare Groove
Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	Philly World
Cat No:	7-99709
Year:	1984
Key:	2B
BPM:	84
Value:	£5-£15 (approx.)

Gloria Jay v Sandra W. LeCounte - Know What You Want

The last few days I've been trying to keep abreast of the best new releases, of which there have been many, so today I'm focusing on Modern Soul which hasn't had much of a look in lately. I've already posted a dozen or so. 

This post has been prompted by a recent post on Soul Source as a new version of this song, originally recorded in 1977 by Gloria Jay, by Sandra W. LeCounte (on Stage SP-5065) was unearthed a few years ago languishing deep in the collection of Paul Capon. It was 'believed' to be the only known copy at the time but at least one more has surfaced since. It was sent to John Manship to auction and thankfully John has uploaded it on YT for the world to hear.  This is the only listed release for both singers.

I've just noticed that there is another copy up for auction on Manship's site ending 3 Mar 2021 so it will be interesting to see what the end price is. It will be the usual battle of rarity over quality as Gloria Jays' sells for no more than £150-£200 and in my view is a superior version.

Gloria Jay [1977] - Know What You Want [Stage Productions #STM-1008-4]

Here's the better, known version which is some tune, a superb late 70s stepper. It was reissued in 2017 on Melodies International. You can read about how Gloria Jay (Jennings) came to make the record on Melodies website. It also appears that there are still copies available for £10.

The flipside is 'I'm Gonna Make It' which doesn't 'make' it for me.

Sandra W. LeCounte [1984] - Know What You Want [Stage #SP-5065]

The flip side is also 'I'm Gonna Make It' which is pretty 'standard' mid 80s dirge.

Ike Noble - Your Love - 4 different versions

A bit of a diversion from new releases. A wonderful modern soul tune from Ike Noble which has several 'slightly' different versions.

Ike Noble [1978] - Your Love [Chanson #CH-1177]

The first was released on a 45 on Chanson.  It's a bit more of a sparse version without the female backing or the full strings and is only 3:48 long.

Ike Noble [1980] - Fresh Start [Connowil #005039X]

It then came out in 1980 on his very rare 'Fresh Start' album 4:49 and got a shorther 45 release on Connowil 3:55. This version is a bit 'deeper'.

Ike Noble [1980] - Your Love [Connowil # CON.-10742]

A shorter version (3:55) than the album version released as a single.

Ike Noble [1987] - Lonely People [Timeless #TRLP 100]

A re-recorded version for his 1984 album 'Angie' later in 1987 some of the tracks were reissued on 'Lonely People' released in UK and Germany.

Manhattan Transfer [1984] - Mystery [Atlantic #7-89695]

Manhattan Transfer have always been a bit of a 'guilty pleasure' from first hearing their music in the mid/late 70s. They did a few Motown covers which is probably what made me first notice them; Four Tops/Kim Weston 'Helpless' (which was the release before their UK #1 hit with Chanson D'amour in 1976),  'Where Did Our Love Go' and quite a bland cover of The Ad Libs' The Boy From New York City.

In the mid 70s there was a movement that emulated the 30s/40s jazz-swing band era typified by Dr Buzzard's Original Savannah Band created by Stony & Thomas Browder (aka August Darnell aka Kid Creole). Manhattan Transfer also fell in this category with much of their material at the time especially Chanson D'amour.

The featured track is a song written by Rod Temperton and recorded by Anita Baker on her classic 1986 album Rapture. Manhattan Transfer released it on their 1983 album 'Bodies And Souls' and then as a single in 1984. It just missed the US Hot 100 (#103) but made #6 on US Adult conteporary chart, but did nothing anywhere else, so is possibly not particularly well known. This recording sits firmly within the 'Yacht Soul' category.