By BankHouseDave (195.93.50.9) on Friday, April 18, 2003 - 05:14 am: |
When Junior Walker arrived at Motown, most of his tracks were done with our friends the Funk Brothers. Anyone know what became of organist Vic Thomas, guitarist Willie Woods and drummer James Graves who played on the brilliant Soul Session album?
By BankHouseDave (195.93.50.9) on Friday, April 18, 2003 - 12:05 pm: |
Somebody must know something. Even I know something, but not about this.
By LTLFTC (12.210.76.205) on Friday, April 18, 2003 - 12:20 pm: |
Willie Woods was briefly involved with a small recording studio in Battle Creek, Mich around '73 or so. He passed away in '96 or'97.
Steve K
By Horse (159.53.32.46) on Friday, April 18, 2003 - 12:20 pm: |
I know about Chuck Taylor All Stars. Does That Help..?
By BankHouseDave (195.93.50.9) on Friday, April 18, 2003 - 12:29 pm: |
Thanks, Steve. That's one nugget of information. My cousin blames Soul Session for ruining his life, because he went out and bought a tenor horn right after he heard it.
Horse, I think those guys are involved in some kind of esoteric, little understood American ball game. I could be wrong.
By Eli (151.197.179.204) on Friday, April 18, 2003 - 02:03 pm: |
I'm a Yank and I dont get the hang of it!
Ask Vonnie, as she does!!!
By Horse (159.53.238.243) on Friday, April 18, 2003 - 02:15 pm: |
Eli,
Are you referring to the Chuck Taylor All Stars. If so, The old Converse brand gym shoe was the Chuck Taylor All Star model. Or commonly known as Chucks, either hi top or low tops. Black and white or all white colors. We used to put crazy color laces in them to be cool. What a bunch of no hoop playin' fools we were.
By Horse (159.53.238.243) on Friday, April 18, 2003 - 02:16 pm: |
I don't know if that was a Detroit thing or not.
By Scratcher (65.132.79.29) on Friday, April 18, 2003 - 02:24 pm: |
The tracks on Soul Session was cut by Junior Walker & the All Stars when they were with Harvey Records. The LP had a nice raw, earthy sound.
By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.42) on Friday, April 18, 2003 - 02:56 pm: |
One of the All Stars - Vic Thomas I think - was
killed in a car crash around '67.
The last I heard of James Graves was that he was
teaching drumming at a high school in Battle Creek. This would be late eighties - early nineties.
The touring All Stars in the seventies and eighties had a lot of people going through their ranks - Junior's son was the drummer for a long time.
By BankHouseDave (195.93.50.9) on Saturday, April 19, 2003 - 05:11 am: |
Thanks, Davie. If they never recorded again, that was a sad loss. Their approach was totally different from the Funks, more moody and bluesy, though, because they were such masters, the Funks brought elements of their style over into the Motown tracks. If memory serves, Vic Thomas was a reverend gentleman.
By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.42) on Saturday, April 19, 2003 - 09:29 am: |
I did a bit of checking it wasn't Vic who died in that crash as he turns up with some co-writing credits on the "Peace And Understanding .." album
in the seventies.
Looks like it was Willie Woods who died which
would explain why his writer credits dry up
after '67. It looks like the All Stars stopped
playing on their records after Willie's death
- probably the producers decided it was quicker
to use the Funks and then there's the wholesale change in sound of the group from "What Does It
Take" onward. Now that's a great record but I
still find its their earlier stuff I play the most. "How Sweet It Is" was the first record of
theirs I heard and I played it constantly -
all that party noise in the background - they just
sounded so much fun. And "Come See About Me" wipes
the floor with any other version .. suppose I'd
better take cover from irate Miss Ross fans :-)
By LTLFTC (12.210.76.205) on Saturday, April 19, 2003 - 09:46 am: |
Davie;
I'm 99% positive it was Willie Woods I met at a small 4-track studio in Battle Creek in 73-74. In fact , I also recall that when a local (Lansing Mich. based) sax player issued a cd just a few years ago (ca. '97-98), he dedicated it to Willie, who had recently died. I don't know if they played together or what. I'll try to remember the sax player's name and look into it
Steve K
By BankHouseDave (195.93.50.9) on Saturday, April 19, 2003 - 09:53 am: |
I agree with you entirely about How Sweet it is and Come See about me, Davie. The solo in the middle of the last named resonates somewhere deep in the soul. There was also the two part version of Money. Junior was unique and there was never any better party music.
Steve says Willie Woods was with us until '97 or thereabouts (see post above. Curiouser.
By Craig (64.12.97.7) on Saturday, April 19, 2003 - 10:01 am: |
The Funk Brothers played on Shotgun.
By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.42) on Saturday, April 19, 2003 - 01:11 pm: |
Steve,
You're probably right about Willie Woods - I
shouldn't have posted that comment before
1. having a pint of coffee to get my brain in gear
2. re-reading your post
3. checking to see if I could find definite details.
Here's an All Stars question - the cover of the
2CD singles collection that Motown issued in the
early nineties shows a five man group. Who's the
fifth member ? - every other photo I've seen of the original group shows a quartet. Come to think of it they seem to have rarely been photographed
- most of the album covers just show Junior.
Craig, you're right - I wonder what the real group
played on apart from the "Soul Session" album and the early Harvey singles.
By Kegtapper (64.24.81.151) on Saturday, April 19, 2003 - 03:18 pm: |
ummm CRAIG/ Dougie
SHOTGUN was played by the ALL STARS- I have the SHINDIG video (online-somewhere) if you wanted to take a peek.
The organist was distinctly different thatn Earl Van Dyke's sound.. Plus it was before Jr. Walker got his front tooth replaced.
By MEL&THEN SOME (212.159.49.10) on Saturday, April 19, 2003 - 03:41 pm: |
Kegtapper,
have sent numerous mail to you but all to no avail.
My apologies as my computer always seems to play up.
mel.
By Kegtapper (64.24.81.151) on Saturday, April 19, 2003 - 04:07 pm: |
MEL Do you use any other messengers? AOL or Paltalk???
Kegtapper1 on AIM (on now)
Kegtapper on Paltalk
By Scratcher (65.132.79.187) on Saturday, April 19, 2003 - 04:34 pm: |
Kegtapper, they mean the studio version of "Shotgun," which the Funk Brothers played on, not the All Stars, not some appearance they did on Shindig or Hullabaloo.
By Kegtapper (64.24.81.13) on Saturday, April 19, 2003 - 05:33 pm: |
OK..
Scratcher
EC Mayo
By Kegtapper (64.24.81.13) on Saturday, April 19, 2003 - 05:36 pm: |
I'm Wondering MEL-
Both Email Addresses are getting Mail from others
kegtapper@brew-meister.com
ecmayo@hypacia.com
I wonder Whats up?