Harvey Scales & The Seven Sounds [2023] - Welcome Home b/w Trackdown [Numero Group #NUM4408]

More digital reissues today from Numero Group. We have actually featured Harvey Scales and both these songs ("Welcome Home" / "Trackdown") previously as we did a "Harvey Scales - Best Of" in Apr 2020, although it appears that many of the YouTube videos we used at the time have now been removed, so will have to revisit.

"Welcome Home" was recorded by late great Walter Jackson on Okeh in 1965 (and again with a longer version in 1976 on "Feeling Good") credited to C. (Chip) Taylor (real name James Wesley Voight, son of actor Jon Voight, who, if you didn't already know is the father of Angelina Jolie), yet the Scales single credits it to Jackson. A few others have covered the song including Garnet Mimms, Frank Dell, P.P. Arnold (one time member of the Ikettes), Dusty Springfield and Taylor recorded it himself on "Hit Man" in 1996. 

Scales stamps his own mark on the song which starts off as a deep soul ballad and then towards the end at 4:10 turns into a frantic funky dancer, so don't be lulled into thinking that as you've heard other versions that it will be more or less the same.

The flip, "Trackdown", is a thumping Northern Soul dancer written by Scales and Magic Touch label owner Lenny LaCour. The record was originally released on LaCour's Magic Touch in 1969 and now fetches high prices (c£300).

Scales' finest moment, commercially at least, was writing Johnnie Taylor's #1 hit "Disco Lady" in 1976. He was from Milwaukee and began working with the Moorer's who later formed The Esquires. He died in 2019 aged 78, although his given birthdate is 1940 on Discogs and 1942 on Wiki.

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

NOTE there is a longer version HERE but the uploader has not enabled embedding

Details

Rating:	8.5
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Northern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Numero Group
Cat No:	NUM4408
Date:	25/05/2023
Key/BPM:	6B/77 / 3B/118
Price:	£1.79

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Harvey Scales & The Seven Sounds [2022] - Get Down / Love-Itis [Numero Group #5747]

A Numero Group digital reissue of two sides by Harvey Scales & The Seven Sounds released on Magic Touch in 1967.

The group was formed in Milwaukee in 1961 by Harvey Scales and  Albert Vance.  In addition to Vance who was bassist and bandleader, The Seven Sounds were Rudolph Jacobs (guitar), Bill Stonewall (drums), with a horn section of Monnie Smith (trumpet), Bill Purtie (bari sax),  Ray Armstead (tenor sax) and Mel Taylor (tenor sax). They released around a dozen singles under this name between 1962-72, and some as The Seven Seas, with Scales himself releasing several more billed as a solo artist, so whether or not the group was still backing him I don't know. 

Scales & Vance's biggest claim to fame is for writing Johnnie Taylor's 1976 #1 hit "Disco Lady" which was the very first platinum selling record in RIAA history. Scales was also a member of The Esquires ("Get On Up" fame) for a short period who also originated in Milwaukee, initially based around the Moorer family Betty, Gilbert, Alvis and Perry, before relocating to Chicago where they went to audition for Curtis Mayfield but ended up with signing to Bill 'Bunky' Sheppard's Bunky Records (which succeeded Constellation after it closed down in 1966) and hit with their first single "Get On Up" in 1967 (#3 R&B / #11 Hot 100).

The single "Get Down" / "Love-Itis" was their only hit reaching #32 R&B. "Love-Itis" was covered by The J Geils Band in 1975.

Scales is possibly best known in modern soul circles for his album only track "Universal Love" (co-written with Melvin Griffin) from his 1978 "Confidential Affair" album on Casablanca also recorded as a single the same year by Z.Z. Hill on Columbia.

Details

Rating:	7.8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Northern Soul / 60s soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Numero Group
Cat No:	5747
Date:	01/11/2022
Key/BPM:	8B/112 / 3A/152
Price:	£1.79

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Harvey Scales - The Best Of ...

Today I hopefully present some tracks from Harvey Scales (& The Seven Sounds) that you're not that familiar with.  There are certainly a few new to me, and what a nice surprise.

Harvey Scales co-wrote the #1 hit Disco Lady for Johnnie Taylor in 1976 and it is claimed that it was the very first certified platinum record.

He died on 11th Feb 2019 aged 78 Obituary

More info at Soul Walking

Discography at Soulfulkindamusic

Live footage from 2012 performing Disco Lady.

Harvey Scales [1969] - Welcome Home [Magic Touch MT 2077]

A track posted a few days ago by Frank Dell with Walter Jackson's original. Well here's another 'improvised' version by Harvey Scales on Magic Touch from 1969.  Curiously the label credits Walter Jackson as writer when in fact it was Chip Taylor aka James Wesley Voight (Jon Voight's younger brother who is the father of Angelina Jolie).

A nice alternate/improvised take on Walter Jackson's deep soul class which kicks in as a funky dancer at around 4:20.  There must be a demand for either this side or the flip as it sells for 175-£200 and the only one currently listed for sale on Discogs has a price tag on $750 (£607).

Magic Touch was a Milwaukee label founded by Lenny LaCour.

Harvey Scales [1969] - Trackdown [Magic Touch MT 2077]

Raw R&B/Funky/Garage(ish)

Harvey Scales & The Seven Sounds [1963] - Glamour Girl [Cucu J-1135]

Flis is (On The Street Of) New York City early 60s doo-wop/r&b dancer

Harvey Scales & The Seven Sounds [1966] - I Want To Apologize [Cucu J-1271]

Killer Deep Soul

Flip side is Independency

Harvey Scales & The 7 Sounds [1967] - Love-Itis [Magic Touch 2007]

Northern Soul R&B in Stax/Atlantic style

Flip side is Get Down (R&B/Funk)

Live footage at Brooklyn Soul Festival 2010 performing Love-Itis

Harvey Scales & The 7 Sounds [1968] - I Can't Cry No More [Magic Touch 16001]

This is the flip - the A side is Broadway Freeze

Harvey Scales & Seven Sounds [1969] - (It's Too Good) Too Good To Be True [Magic Touch 2069]

Northern Soul

Flip side Love Is A Gas (But How Sweet It Is)

Harvey Scales & Seven Sounds [1969] - Don't You Ever Let It End [Magic Touch 2072]

Superb Deep Soul group harmony

The Seven Sounds [1969] - The Sound Of Soul [Magic Touch 2072]

Northern Soul Instrumental

No label scan available

Harvey Scales [1974] - I'll Run To Your Side [Cadet Concept C/C 7030]

A lovely mellow / deep soul ballad.

Flip side is (Leave It For) The Trashman - a funk tune

Harvey Scales [1979] - I Get Off On You [Casablanca NBLP 7164]

Mellow modern soul ballad/stepper from the 1979 album Hot Foot  (A Funque Dizco Opera) which also got a 45 release.  The sound clip is the longer album version.

Harvey Scales [1990] - Are You Still In Love [Kashgold GD 004]

Killer Deep Soul /Quiet Storm from 1990.

Harvey Scales [1991] - Spend The Nite Forever [Earthtone 508014X]

No release date for this one but most of the other listed releases are from 1991  He released another 45 and an album (All In A Night's Work) on the label in 1991 which included this 45 so perhaps it's also 1991?  There are only these release on label so would guess that it was his own label.

Harvey Scales [1991] - Single Girls [Earthtone 508014X]

Harvey Scales [1991] - All In A Night's Work [Earthtone ET02]