By Galactus (68.168.202.35) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 08:25 am:

Anyone know what on Earth has happened to this great, forgotten album? Most of you probably know this was the O'Jays debut album on the Imperial label. Came out in 1965 I believe.

This is pre-Philly soul O'Jays......but the record is great. I know because my dad had a copy. He bought it on vinyl when it came out and it was common to hear this album being played in the house when I was a kid......very, very good soul music.

"Break Down and Let it All Out"
"Lonely Drifter"
"Girl, You've Done it Again"
"Time Is On My Side" (the superior version IMO)
"The Storm Is Over"

Those are among the highlights I remember from that record. Of course it also contained "Lipstick Traces." Why doesn't someone relese this great album on CD???

One of the most irritating things about being a soul fan is the lack of material readily available on CD. Of all the out of print records I can think of , THIS is the one I want the most. Has anyone heard anything that might give me some hope it will be released soon?

By Galactus (207.144.253.114) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 11:17 am:

bump

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 11:25 am:

Galactus:
I have that album as well and it is very good. There is not one piece of filler in the LP. And I do like their version of "Time Is On My Side" as well as Irma Thomas'.

The Imperial catalog is owned by EMI-Capitol Records, which has a reissue label called The Right Stuff - Tom Cartright heads the division. I would write to them and tell 'em they should reissue this album or an anthology of O'Jays material from their Imperial years.

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Ritchie (62.254.0.32) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 11:27 am:

Hi Galactus/Kevin

I'm in full agreement with you regarding the O'Jays and their pre-Philly Imperial material. It's long overdue for a serious CD release :o(

I have most of it on vinyl, and CD issues have sadly not been forthcoming. The closest was a Dutch compilation, (on the slightly-suspect "Black Tulip" label) which I eagerly snapped up when I spotted it on a catalogue. Sadly, it's been mastered from vinyl, and noise-reduced to near-oblivion. A year or so back, I remastered my own compilation, so until EMI do the right thing by the group, I'll have to stick with that. It's rather sad that so many no-hit obscurities of lesser importance are granted CD retrospectives, yet a name act like the O'Jays go unrepresented - don't you think?

By Galactus (207.144.253.114) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 11:52 am:

Yeah, it's crazy. Really angers me to no end.

Thanks Kevin. Writing to them might be a good idea. The Right Stuff has been a pretty good label for other old material.....they have good sound (though they could use an editor for their liner notes!). They did a great job with the Bobby Womack stuff, the Philly International stuff and Al Green's old titles.

Anyway, just seems to me with some of the stuff that makes it onto CD these days, "Comin' Through" deserves a spot on the shelf as well. An Imperial compilation would be OK......but I would really prefer the album itself.....complete with the cover artwork featuring that flower "comin' through" the rocks!! Original liner notes, coupled with new liner notes, would be in order as well!!

By Ritchie (62.254.0.32) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 11:59 am:

My O'Jays compilation (FWIW)

1. LIPSTICK TRACES
2. HOLD ON
3. TODAY AND TOMORROW
4. YOU�RE ON TOP
5. NO TIME FOR YOU
6. I CRIED MY LAST TEAR
7. HOW DOES IT FEEL
8. DOTTED LINE
9. IT WON�T HURT
10. THINK IT OVER BABY
11. CRACK UP LAUGHING
12. LONELY DRIFTER
13. MY DEAREST BELOVED
14. YOU�RE THE ONE
15. RENTED TUXEDO
16. LET IT ALL OUT
17. STAND IN FOR LOVE
18. THE STORM IS OVER
19. OH, HOW YOU HURT ME
20. I�M GONNA MAKE IT
21. A BLOWING WIND
22. STAND TALL
23. WORKING ON YOUR CASE

The O'Jays
Release / Recording details

1. IMPERIAL 66102, 1965
2. B-side of 23
3. Recorded 1963, unissued until 1985
4. IMPERIAL 66037, 1964
5. IMPERIAL 66177, 1966
6. IMPERIAL 66121, 1965
7. LITTLE STAR 124 1963, reissued on IMPERIAL 5942
8. Recorded 1963, unissued until 1985
9. B-side of IMPERIAL 66145, I'LL NEVER LET YOU GO, 1965
10. B-side of 1
11. B-side of 7
12. IMPERIAL 5976, 1963
13. B-side of IMPERIAL 66025, I'LL NEVER STOP LOVING YOU, 1964
14. IMPERIAL 66131, 1965
15. Recorded 1963, unissued until 1985
16. B-side of 14
17. IMPERIAL 66197, 1966
18. B-side of 22
19. IMPERIAL 66076, 1964
20. IMPERIAL LP-12290, 1965
21. B-side of 5
22. IMPERIAL 66007, 1963
23. MINIT 32015, 1967

Thanks to Dave Rimmer for discographical information

By Galactus (207.144.253.114) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 12:07 pm:

Wow.....that's great. I forgot about "I'm going to make it" and "Think It Over Baby." Man, that's good stuff. Haven't heard it in years. I remember it had a great late 60s sound........music was kind of ahead of it's time, IMO.

FYI......I e-mailed The Right Stuff with my request. Don't know if it helped, but it couldn't hurt I guess.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 12:29 pm:

Galactus:
I'll write to Tom Cartwright also regarding the O'Jays.

Richie:
Great list of tunes. Looks like you did EMI's job for them.

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By WaltB (205.188.209.109) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 04:49 pm:

I already have two different cds which contain all of their Imperial and Minit sides. However, I'm on my way to work and won't be able to post the info until 6:30 am.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 04:51 pm:

WaltB:
We'll be waiting with bated breath...
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Ritchie (62.254.0.32) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 05:02 pm:

Sounds like two CDs I've never tracked down, then, and I've looked EVERYWHERE

By Galactus (207.144.253.114) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 05:37 pm:

I'm waiting with bated breath myself. Imports? I've had no luck there either. sigh....

By Tony B. (212.56.114.168) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 07:11 pm:

EMI released an LP in 1985 on the resurrected Stateside label in the UK called Working On Your Case. Here's the All Music Guide review of this album, which was re-issued on CD last year without any extras or re-mastering by the sound of it. It's a shame they didn't go back to the original master tapes (if they're still around). The sound quality is not bad, but technology has moved on in 17 years. Not mentioned in the review is that Stand In For Love is a live recording and quite different from the original 45 version. EMI Japan brought out a couple of CDs with additional / alternative tracks.

By Ritchie (62.254.0.32) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 07:17 pm:

The Live cut of Stand In 4 Love isn't a patch on the original studio version. In the liner notes to the Stateside LP, there was no mention of its being Live, so I wonder if they used the wrong master by mistake..?

By Tony B. (212.56.114.168) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 08:28 pm:

I don't know whether they used the wrong master or just decided to use something different and not mention it - which happens too much for my liking.

I grabbed some of the tracks off this Stateside CD and had a look at them with Cool Edit. Apart from track one, all the others I grabbed are in mono. When I did a vocal cut on these, instead of getting nothing I got a lot of good old clicks and crackle but no music. It sounds very much like the CD was dubbed from disc.

By Soul Sister (65.43.167.42) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 11:17 pm:

The CD I have with the 1st. album has a photo of all 5 original O'Jays on it, unlike the 33 which had a flower coming up thru a crack in the cement ground. My fave has always been the original "Stand-In For Love", and of all the great tunes they recorded, it still is.

By WaltB (205.188.209.109) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 07:03 am:

I have two O'Jays Collections one the aforementioned one on Stateside (16 tracks) which has the live version of "Stand In For Love." That collection is called "Working on Your Case" and also includes "Let It All Out." The other one is called "The Ultimate O'Jays Collection - The Early Years (28 tracks). This one includes the studio version of "Stand In for Love" but omits "Let It All Out" also, it includes "I'll Be Sweeter Tomorrow" (which could have been left off as it is available elsewhere and wasn't on Imperial or Minit) and it is issued on Black Tulip label. Both cd's have the same picture with the five original O'Jays. The Black Tulip version is harder to find and the Stateside version is available through Amazon.com.

By WaltB (205.188.209.109) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 07:44 am:

Track List "The Ultimate O'Jays Collection"

1. Lonely Drifter
2. Crack up Laughing
3. Whip It On Me, Baby
4. You're On Top
5. Time is On My Side
6. The Storm is Over
7. I Cried My Last Tear
8. Miracles
9. Lipstick Traces
10. Today and Tomorrow
11. Dotted line
12. Hold On
13. A Blowing Wind
14. Can't Take It
15. How Does It Feel
16. No More Time For You
17. Stand In For Love (Studio Version)
18. Oh, How You've Hurt Me
19. You're The One
20. Working On Your Case
21. Friday Night
22. Think It Over Baby
23. A Rented Tuxedo
24. Stand Tall
25. I'm Gonna Make It
26. Girl Machine
27. It Won't Hurt
28. I'll Be Sweeter Tomorrow

Track List "Working On Your Case"

1. Lipstick Traces (On A Cigarette)
2. How Does It Feel
3. You're The One
4. Rented Tuxedo
5. Let It All Out
6. You're On Top
7. No Time For You
8. My Dearest Beloved
9. Working On Your Case
10. Hold On
11. Lonely Drifter
12. Today And Tomorrrow
13. The Storm Is Over
14. Stand In For Love (Live Version)
15. Dotted Line
16. Stand Tall

By Soul Sister (65.43.167.42) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 08:05 am:

Walt;
You are right, I have one with a yellow background on the cover of jacket, the other with a red background.
S.S.

By Galactus (68.171.125.217) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 08:59 am:

Thanks Walt B.

Guess I'll have to try to track those down. Man, they really need to remaster and repackage this great material though.

By Ritchie (62.254.0.34) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 09:17 am:

Ah... The first is the Black Tulip CD that I referred to above (probably a bootleg), whose sound quality leaves much to be desired. There is far too much noise reduction used and as a result, the tracks all sound dead and lifeless. These tracks ROCK, but you'd never know it from listening to this CD! The second is the CD reissue of the Stateside album as already mentioned. I guess the search goes on :o(

By WaltB (64.12.97.7) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 01:14 pm:

Soul Sister: i also have one with a red background which is the same picture, however the material on that one comes from the period when the O'Jays were on Bell Records which was after Imperial & Minit but before Neptune & Philly Int'l.

By Soul Sister (65.43.167.42) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 05:42 pm:

Walt;
Yea, the "Back On Top" album, my fave overall!
I was referring to the same photo on both!
S.S.

By RD (65.150.229.185) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 05:50 pm:

People who only know the O'Jays from their Philadelphia International years on are missing out on some great recordings that were huge soul hits in Cleveland that they recorded in the sixties first as a quintet than a quartet.

By dvdmike (68.72.174.100) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 06:23 pm:

I used to have the "Comin' Through" LP. It wasn't a new album per se, but a collection of singles ala "Meet The Temptations". The singles released between 1965 and 1965 were produced in part by H.B. Barnum, Tommy LiPuma and Joe Saraceno. The arrangers were Barnum, Harold Battiste and Nick DeCaro. Most of the tracks were cut at United Recording Studios in Hollywood on Sunset. The complex that housed United and Western Recorders was later occupied by Oceanway Recording and Bernie Grundman's Mastering Lab. It's been a while since I've been to L.A., so I don't know what's there now.

By dvdmike (68.72.174.100) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 06:24 pm:

Oops, I meant the singles were released between 1963 and 1965. Sorry for the typo.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 07:06 pm:

RD:
Could you name some of the songs the O'Jays cut while in Ohio & what label(s)they were on. I've seen a CD on the Collectables label that show the group as a quintet but the track listing contains songs from their Bell Records period. From what I understand, the O'Jays were known as the Mascots and then the Triumphs before Eddie O'Jay christened them with his last name.

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Ritchie (62.254.0.34) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 07:17 pm:

KING 5377
Story Of My Heart
Do The Wiggle - 1960


KING 5435
Lonely Rain
That's The Way I Feel - 1960

As The Mascots

By RD (65.150.229.100) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 07:22 pm:

Kevgo, you misunderstood my post. The O'Jays did record in Cleveland for Saru and various labels that they ran from time to time but that's not what I was referring to. When I said their recordings where huge in Cleveland...and Akron and Canton I was referring to their Imperial, Minit and Bell sides when they were a quintet then a quartet. One Imperial side was cut in Cleveland, that would be "Pretty Words." Could be some others but I don't know for sure. Their producer H. B. Barnum spent a lot of time here and in Detroit arranging for HDH during this period. From the sound, however, you can tell most of their Imperial/Minit stuff was cut in L.A. and the Bell stuff in New York. But some tracks like "I'll Never Forget You" were cut in Detroit.

Shatter Man, La De Da, Now He's Home, Just To Be With You were all cut in Cleveland. They were a quartet at this time. Many of their Cleveland cut recordings never came out including their rendition of "I Remember You," which came out by the Ponderosa Twins Plus One but not them.

By Soul Sister (65.43.167.42) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 07:27 pm:

RD;
I love LaDeDa & Just To Be With You!!
S.S.

By RD (65.150.229.100) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 07:37 pm:

"Just To Be With You" was recorded by the O'Jays, the Elements and Bobby Dukes. All the versions were good but Bobby Dukes and the Elements are the best. Calla Records picked up Dukes' version for "mass" distribution. The versions by the O'Jays and the Elements were B-sides.

By dvdmike (68.72.174.100) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 09:14 pm:

STAND IN FOR LOVE
Recorded at Way Out Studios, Cleveland on January 27, 1966

WORKING ON YOUR CASE
HOLD ON
Recorded at Way Out Studios, Cleveland on January 4, 1967

By RD (65.150.229.100) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 09:21 pm:

Thanks DVD Mike, I knew about "Working On Your Case" and "Hold On" but wasn't sure about "Stand In For Love." "Working on Your Case" was also recorded (demo) but never released by the Intertains. Larry Hancock was the lead singer of the Intertains and co-wrote the song with O'Jays' Bobby Massey. Hancock is also Ed Levert's cousin. When the Intertains did the song live it had more verses than the O'Jays' release.

By Galactus (207.144.253.114) on Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 11:28 am:

The "Working On Your Case" CD looks OK....but it's missing so many of my favorites from that "Comin' Through" LP.

I may hold out awhile longer. I just can't believe this stuff will be ignored forever. Well......at least I hope not.

By RD (65.150.228.178) on Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 11:51 am:

Galactus, Girl You Done It Again is titled "Oh How You Hurt Me" and features the late William Powell on lead. It was very popular in Cleveland's African American community but like most of their Imperial/Minit sides got zero airplay on the city's pop/rock stations.

Kevgo, the Cleveland label the O'Jays recorded on was Saru Records. Some of their Cleveland made recordings also appeared on H.B. Barnum's Little Star Records. They also recorded on King Records in Cincinnati and Dayco Records in Detroit. As previously mentioned some of their Imperial/Minit sides were also cut in Cleveland.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 11:55 am:

RD:
Thanks for the 411.
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By RD (65.150.228.178) on Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 12:05 pm:

Kevgo, the O'Jays also started a couple of small labels in Cleveland and produced local artists for those labels and labels outside of Cleveland but never had much success. All the groups they recorded sounded like them. They were trying to do what "G" (Gerald Levert) accomplished later.

By Galactus (207.144.253.114) on Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 12:56 pm:

RD:

"Oh How You Hurt Me" is great (thanks for correcting me on the title). I wondered who was hitting those high notes.....figured it might be Powell. The later O'Jays missed his harmonies quite a bit, IMO.

You might be surprised to know that my pop walked around the house hummin' and singing "Oh How You Hurt Me" quite often when I was a kid. As did I! And this is South Carolina I'm talking about here, but we were into it ....."Lonely Drifter" was very, very popular among the beach music fans down here. I still say those Imperial songs were way ahead of their time and are very unjustly overlooked. Great music.

I have to give my dad a lot of credit. He liked the O'Jays before the O'Jays were popular. I guess I acquired a lot of his tastes and took them a few steps further......

By MEL&THEN SOME (81.174.193.108) on Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 01:56 pm:

What a superb group the O'Jays
have always been.
One of the very first 45s that I owned by them was the stompin' and fast as hell
'Looky,Looky(Look at me girl)'
on Neptune records(no.31)and when I spin it today cant believe just how fast it is.

Then theres the ultimate track as mentioned above by Galactus of 'Lonely Drifter' on Imperial records (cant remember the number as its in my boxes)but what a soulful sound(andthensome)

Then of course being on the rare/northern soul scene theres the 'Working on your case'on Minit records(no.32015)yet as with everything they have done
MASTERFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Has anyone heard the album track of there version of Williams and Watsons'2 For the price of 1'
but retitled '4 for the price of 1'
it really has the crowd rockin'

Regards
mel.

By Ritchie (62.254.0.34) on Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 02:03 pm:

Their cut of the W&W tune is on the Sundazed CD compilation of their Bell sides, in full stereo and thankfully without the godawful fake audience noises.

By soultwine (195.93.50.10) on Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 05:44 pm:

If anyone ever asks a record company for reissued music don't forget to tell them ALL of what they have in the vault and that it should come out otherwise they often leave off the track(s) you want.It's been far too long already for most of this music so don't give them an excuse to screw up.
Please then also ask for the O'Jays Detroit tracks like "I'll never forget you" & "I'll never let you go" .
Phil

By WaltB (152.163.252.68) on Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 07:14 pm:

Maybe we should all e-mail Capitol Records and request in it's entirety cleaned up and remastered all of the Imperial & Minit tracks(enclose a list of the tracks) that we talked about here! I know I don't mind doing it myself.

By RD (65.150.229.162) on Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 07:34 pm:

"You're On Top" came out first (or was recorded first)by a group called the Untouchables (not the Ohio Untouchables who evolved into the Ohio Players, another group altogether). I had never heard the Untouchables' original, which was written by two of its members, until a rare record oldie station played it years ago. The O'Jays version is identical, as is the flip side "Lovely Dee," which was also the flip of the Untoucables' original. Somebody at Imperial did a cover job.

The Ultimate O'Jays collection omits a few choice Imperial sides and includes a couple of others that should have been omitted. Left out are "Pretty Words," "Lovely Dee," "I'll Never Forget You" and "My Dearest Beloved."

I still have most of the O'Jays singles on 45, well worn and played 45s.

By Galactus (207.144.253.114) on Thursday, August 07, 2003 - 11:33 am:

Capitol has been slow over the years when it comes to their r&b oldies catalog. They have the rights to all of the old Minnie Riperton CDs.......but good luck finding them except by way of imports. Ditto their Tavares albums.

Thankfully, they finally got out Frankie Beverly and Maze's stuff on those nicely done two-fers on their "Right Stuff" label. They've done the same with some Teddy Pendergrass and PI O'Jays.

Kinda frustrating that they continue to ignore the O'Jays early sides.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Thursday, August 07, 2003 - 11:49 am:

Galactus:
Capitol did issue a double CD anthology of Minnie's work ranging from her "Andrea Davis" period through Rotary Connection into her solo years. But you are right - if Capitol could strike a deal with Tabu Records to reissue the SOS Band & Alexander O'Neal's albums (no offense, I like those artists as well) Minnie's "Perfect Angel" among others is long overdue.

There was a Tavares collection issued in 1996 called "It Only Takes A Minute: A Lifetime With Tavares" issued under EMI's Heart of Soul banner. This CD contained quite a few album tracks from their early and later works and only two hits - "It Only Takes A Minute" and "Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel" (album versions of both tunes). Sadly this CD is out of print.

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Galactus (207.144.253.114) on Thursday, August 07, 2003 - 01:00 pm:

Kev:

I like the SOS Band and Alexander O'Neal too......O'Neal was a bit of a throwback. I don't care as much for his uptempo stuff like "Fake", but his mellow tunes are great.....good work by Jam and Lewis. The duet with Cherelle "Saturday Love" is a favorite of mine, too.

SOS Band is one of those groups from that transition period.....I like their early stuff as well as their Jam/Lewis material.......I guess "Weekend Girl" is my favorite track by them. I have greatest hits CDs for both O'Neal and SOS Band put out by Tabu.

I must've missed that Tavares collection. I do have an earlier single CD issue by Capitol with most of their best stuff on it, though. I wish they'd get the individual albums out......but this is true of a lot of soul artists.

I did pick up "Petals"........the Riperton collection you're referring to. I must say it was very well done and it satisfied my craving for more Riperton music for now. The "Perfect Angel" album I have on CD......but I had to get it as a Japanese import. The "Adventures in Paradise" album is also available as a Japan import, but I haven't gotten around to getting that one yet.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Thursday, August 07, 2003 - 01:47 pm:

Galactus:
FYI - MCA/Varese Sarabande reissued Minnie's first solo album "Come To My Garden" album on CD last year.
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Tony B. (212.56.114.168) on Thursday, August 07, 2003 - 02:56 pm:

Further to my earlier point about playing around with some of the tracks on the Working On Your Case CD on Stateside, here are three short mp3 clips of No Time For You, one of my favourite O'Jays songs from their Imperial days. (I do like The Commands' version as well.)

One of the clips is simply the song grabbed off the CD, truncated and converted to mp3. Another is an averaged version, (L+R)/2 -> L,R. The other is a vocal cut, L-R -> L,R. (I'm not saying which is which at the moment.)

The Choice (geddit?)
If you have some time, please have a listen and tell me which you think sounds the best. (But if you choose the vocal cut see a doctor immediately!)

NoTime1.mp3 | NoTime2.mp3 | NoTime3.mp3

The vocal cut is interesting (well I think so anyway) because it should be all zeroes for a digital mono source.

By Galactus (207.144.253.114) on Thursday, August 07, 2003 - 03:43 pm:

Kev:
Thanks for the info. I had seen earlier (and cheaper, incomplete looking) versions of "Come Into My Garden," but avoided them because of bad reviews I read about their quality.

This sounds like the real deal, though.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Thursday, August 07, 2003 - 06:13 pm:

Galactus:
Check this out...
http://www.varesesarabande.com/details.asp?pid=302%2D066%2D311%2D2
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By RD (65.150.229.125) on Thursday, August 07, 2003 - 10:11 pm:

Don, that email doesn't work.

By Galactus (207.144.253.114) on Friday, August 08, 2003 - 10:48 am:

Kev:

Thanks again. The Varese Sarabande stuff always is top notch. I have their Gene Chandler: Nothing Can Stop me compilation....(lots of Mayfield-penned stuff)....and it's a great CD....t

I had absolutely no idea the Ramsey Lewis Trio with Maurice White provided the background music on this album. Well, you learn something new every day! One more reason to get this one....

I'd like to get that Joe Tex CD they've made too........

What's the story behind the Varese Sarabande name? I thought it was an odd lable when it first appeared.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Friday, August 08, 2003 - 12:39 pm:

Galactus:
Varese built its reputation on releasing soundtracks and movie scores. When Cary Mansfield became VP of Catalog in the early 1990s, they entered the field of oldies reissues.

The Gene Chandler collection they compiled is very good and covers most if not all of the labels he recorded for.

Ramsey & Maurice were interviewed in the liner notes for Minnie's "Petals" collection and talked about the "Come To My Garden" session. BTW - Minnie sang on Ramsey Lewis' 1968 album "Maiden Voyage" (Maurice on drums), which was arranged by Charles Stepney (who also arranged & produced the Come To My Garden album).
The "Maiden Voyage" album is available on CD by MCA/GRP Records.

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Galactus (68.168.201.70) on Saturday, August 09, 2003 - 08:59 am:

Good info, Kev. I have the "Petals" collection but somehow failed to notice Maurice in the credits. Interesting......

Is "Maiden Voyage" related in some way to Herbie Hancock's classic Blue Note album of the same name? A remake of that tune perhaps? That's one of the better classic jazz CDs I own.

I'd love to see VB get the rights to some more stuff ......they do an excellent job.

Someone else doing a great job recently is Warner Brothers with their Spy label......picked up the Staple Singers' "Lets Do It Again" and their Candi Staton two-fer......both well done. Good to see more and more labels digging into their r&b vaults. Now if we can just get Capitol to dig up that Imperial O'Jays stuff!!