Exposed - The Multi-track Sessions Mixed By Steve Levine Millie Jackson

£12.56

Genre:
Southern Soul
Label:
Southbound
Format:
CD
Catalogue Id:
CDSEWD 164

This product is also available in these versions:
Exposed - The Multi-track Sessions Mixed By Steve Levine (MP3), MP3 (£7.99)
Exposed - The Multi-track Sessions Mixed By Steve Levine, LP (£20.13)

Millie Jackson Spring sides exposed as fantastic recordings of great songs, played by remarkable musicians and sung by a truly amazing singer. Remixed by Steve Levine to bring them into the sharpest focus.

I first met Steve Levine at PPL, where we are both on the board, and found he was a huge Millie Jackson fan. So a plan was hatched to investigate the Millie Jackson multi-track tapes to see if something new and fresh might be made of them. It took a while but eventually we transferred all available analogue tapes to digital and shipped a large drive full of music to Steve’s studio in Liverpool. Much unravelling took place and gradually a potential track listing evolved.

In choosing the repertoire we went for a mixture of dancers and grooves, both of which showcased Millie’s fantastic vocals. Sometimes I wonder if her social/sexual political narrative songs and raps have overshadowed the fact that she is a remarkable soul singer, truly one of the greats.

The bedrock was there with really fine recordings in state-of-the-art studios by some of the finest musicians available in the 70s. Not least of which were the Swampers down in Muscle Shoals with David Hood, Roger Hawkins, Barry Beckett and Jimmy Johnson as the backbone, while background vocals were regularly handled by Brandye and the Moments.

Often the tracks were cut at Muscle Shoals Studio lending the material a solid groove, and sweeteners were added later in New York, Philly or Detroit using great arrangers such as David Van DePitte, well known for his work at Motown, and the ubiquitous Mike Lewis.

With such fabulous source material it just needed a great producer/engineer with a sympathetic ear and a passion for the music to turn the tracks into something fresh and new sounding using the undoubted advantages of digital technology that allows soundstages and editing that would not have been possible at the time. Steve’s background in pop to rock to soul and back again and his work on the BBC2 programme the Record Producers made him an ideal person to take the music to different places.

These are by no means in the style of the contemporary remix, which use small elements of the original, making a new track and floating the vocal over the top. Everything on “Exposed” was played on the original tracks and why would you want to add anything when the standard of musicianship is so high?

“Exposed” is an apt title as these mixes open out the sound so you can hear the individual instrumentation more clearly. The tracks are also extended, taking advantage of some of those great grooves, looping them and adding a new dynamic. This is most apparent on ‘I Cry’ with the dramatic, ethereal almost Portishead intro adding even more drama to a little known but superb social commentary song from Millie. The swirling reverb on ‘If Loving You Is Wrong (I Don’t Want To Be Right)’ heightens what is one of the most conflicted disturbing lyrics in soul music. Check the keyboards driving ‘My Man, A Sweet Man’ in a whole new way and the subtle dance groove of the steamy duet with Isaac Hayes on ‘Sweet Music, Soft Lights And You’.

There is no intention here to compete with the original versions but to respectfully produce alternative versions not possible at the time, bringing them closer to a more contemporary audio experience in a digital age with an analogue heart.

ROGER ARMSTRONG

Share

Track listing

Show

Side 1

  • 01 Preview I Cry (Remix)

  • 02 Preview If Loving You Is Wrong (I Don't Want To Be Right) (Remix)

  • 03 Preview It Hurts So Good (Remix)

  • 04 Preview Sweet Music, Soft Lights And You (Remix)

  • 05 Preview Kiss You All Over (Remix)

  • 06 Preview Go Out And Get Some (Remix)

  • 07 Preview Bad Risk (Remix)

  • 08 Preview Help Yourself (Remix)

  • 09 Preview House For Sale (Remix)

  • 10 Preview I'll Continue To Love You (Remix)

  • 11 Preview My Man, A Sweet Man (Remix)

  • 12 Preview Never Change Lovers In The Middle Of The Night (Remix)

Delivery & Returns

Show

We offer free P&P to UK addresses. For all other territories packaging is free and postage is charged on a weight basis.

We use Royal Mail First Class for UK deliveries and standard Air Mail for all other territories, very large orders will usually be sent via parcelforce. You may cancel your order at any time prior to your order being dispatched by emailing us at orders@acerecords.com ensuring that you quote your name, address and order reference number or by telephoning +44 (0) 208 453 1311 between 9am and 5pm GMT/BST, Monday to Friday. Please note: As music downloads are dispatched immediately after purchase, there is no possibility of cancelling these orders.

In the event that any products supplied to you by us are damaged or defective, we agree to replace or repair the damaged or defective products or refund the amount you paid for such goods (including postage & packaging) providing you notify us (either via post at or e-mail: orders@acerecords.com ) and return the goods within 28 days of purchase. Physical goods should be sent back to us in the same condition you received them to: “Returns” Ace Records, Such Close, Letchworth Garden City SG6 1JF, United Kingdom. Music downloads should be returned to us via the e-mail address above including a copy of your notification.

You have the right to cancel your order within seven days of purchase, or seven days of receipt of the goods (whichever is the longer). If you choose to cancel your order, full payment will be returned to you. Returned items should be sent to: “Returns” c/o Ace Records, Such Close, Letchworth Garden City SG6 1JF, United Kingdom. Music downloads should be returned to us via the email address: orders@acerecords.com including a copy of your notice of cancellation and order number.

Customer reviews

Show

Related products

Customers who bought this item also bought