Results for “motown”

Chuck Jackson sadly passed away on 16th February, we look back at his career.

2014

We continued exploring Bob Thiele’s fascinating Flying Dutchman label, putting out Gil Scott-Heron’s second and third albums on CD and vinyl. Those records were as important as Marvin Gaye’s and Curtis Mayfield’s in the new wave of black awareness and commentary emerged in the US in the early 70s. Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong may not be the names that immediately spring to mind when talking about this surge of black politically inspired music but the albums they made for Flying Dutchman were, in their own way, part of this new movement. Ellington’s album was a live celebration of a century of inspirational black figures. Armstrong’s was a celebration of the jazz pioneer himself, including ‘Give Peace A Chance’ and a re-cut of ‘What A Wonderful World’ - which Thiele co-wrote.

(For the Ace History Year-by-Year click here).

Leonard Chess started with the Macomba Lounge, the Bihari brothers started with a Los Angeles eaterie and Ted Carroll began with a market stall decorated with Elvis Presley wallpaper. Each would go on to form record empires that would help change the face of popular music. 

They say that character is destiny, so, make of it what you will, but I don't seem to have had 'adventures' in the field of black American music, so much as 'magic moments'. I remember my first-ever encounter with a recording artist was when I was still an early teen, and I also remember it to this day since it also taught me a lesson in life. When it was first issued, I had gone potty on Dee Dee Sharp's Mashed Potato Time, and, when she came to do a short promotional tour, to the mockery of my mates, I decided to miss the first part of the show and wait at the back entrance of the theatre to catch a glimpse of her in person. Eventually my patience paid off, and she arrived (with her mother, as it turned out), and I shyly introduced myself. She couldn't have been sweeter, warmer or friendlier, and before we parted, she bent over and gave me a big kiss on the cheek! I blushed to my very bones!

1993

Harold Battiste’s productions ran the gamut from ‘I Got You Babe’ by Sonny and Cher to Dr John’s “Gris Gris” LP. It was the latter aspect of Battiste’s talents that he brought to the label we licensed his New Orleans-based AFO (All For One) Records. This was deep, deep Crescent City, with early and many previously unreleased sides from Mac Rebennack, Dr John, Prince La La, Nookie Boy and soul chanteuse Tammi Lynn. The series title, “Gumbo Stew”, was as apt as could be. We also issued a jazz piano album by Ellis Marsalis, father of Wynton.