Local Chicago Soul
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Black Music Getting Intellectually Involved.
Recently, I found an interesting article in the August 22, 1970 issue of Billboard. Written by Jerry Butler, the piece (entitled “Black Music is Getting Intellectually Involved”) asserts that soul artists were on the road to creating music with greater artistic freedom (i.e. Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, Sly Stone, Marvin Gaye). This is something Jerry used his star…
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Windy City: Hey it’s (not) over.
First off, I LOVE this record. A little back story: “Hey, It’s Over” by Windy City is a record that came out in 1974 on local Innovation II records, later issued on Warner Bros. Produced by Willie “Mr. Brunswick”* Henderson and Arranged by James “The Soul Educator” Mack*, it has a great shuffly, brassy, breezy sound that fits…
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Nolan Chance and the Beach: i’ll never forget you.
(photos: Labor Day 1936 at 31st Street Beach, Chicago) found at bvikkivintage I love “I’ll Never Forget You” by Nolan Chance. Released here in Chicago in 1969, its creation was a collaboration between Curtis Mayfield, Donny Hathaway, and Leroy Hutson (arguably the patron saints of Chicago Soul for the decade that was to come). The song…
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Good Lovin… or else
This is a record that embodies Chicago Grit and Get Down. “Good Lovin” by the legendary Otis Clay is at once a love song and a warning. Take heed. Says he: “And if you walk out my life, I hope you fall and break your neck”. If that ain’t grit, I don’t know what is…. A favorite…
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Brighter Side of Darkness: a love note.
Below, “Love Jones” by Brighter Side of Darkness, performing on Soul Train. Don’t confuse this group with the Jackson Five, as they are aren’t a family act. They were just one in a rich history of Chicago-area based Kiddie Soul groups. The nucleus of the group came from Calumet High School here in Chicago, but 12…
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Gone Away: a one-two-three chicago-bred punch of soul
Performing below (in Ghana, circa 1971) is Roberta Flack. She is singing “Gone Away”… a cool, loping soul record from her album “Chapter Two”. This record was written by the one-two-three Chicago-bred punch of Leroy Hutson, Curtis Mayfield, and Donny Hathaway (before his own breakout single “The Ghetto”). “Gone Away” was also recorded by The Impressions and Lovelace Watkins (in…
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The Get Down: keep on singing
The Get Down is back! This Thursday, February 11, let’s celebrate what we love: feel good music! Soul, Funk, Disco, and Bluesy Groovers spun with love by yours truly (DJ Ayana). Expect a healthy helping of both rare and classic homegrown monsters, plus all the darkjive featured music you’ve come to love. Thursday, February 11 @ the…
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Woman of the Ghetto: marlena shaw dealing the cold truth
I just found a copy of “Woman of the Ghetto” by Marlena Shaw for 4 bucks! Killer Chicago single from 1969. The song has been sampled multiple times, among them: St. Germain sampled from “Woman of the Ghetto” from Live at Montreux used in “Rose Rouge” on Tourist (2000) 9th Wonder and Buckshot also sampled…
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The Nialations: lowrider soul, straight off record row.
Presented below is “I’ll Take you Just as You Come” by The Nialations released on Brunswick’s BRC label. Though it was released in 1973, it’s drenched in a honey-sweet feminine doo-wop sensibility that’s as at home in East L.A. as it is on the South Side of Chicago. The track is an Alonzo Tucker production, who was once a…
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