Seven more sevens from Chicago’s Bastion of Soul: Chess Records. A collection of black music gems sourced from the iconic Chess, Checker, Cadet and Argo labels. Designed for dancing while satisfying your souls.
Replica UK Chess livery (black/silver and black/gold in a black and yellow label sleeve) in presentation box with 8-page leaflet featuring detailed notes by compiler and Northern Soul doyen Ady Croasdell.
From 1950 for a quarter of a century Chess records produced some of the very best black American music. Polish immigrant brothers Leonard and Phil Chess released jazz, blues, gospel, rhythm & blues, rock & roll and soul in all its wondrous styles. Their first release was by jazz giant Gene Ammons and their second by a true legend, Muddy Waters. ‘Rocket 88’ by Jackie Brenston –with Ike Turner’s band- in 1951 is frequently referred to as the first rock & roll record. Other world famous names to appear on the label and its subsidiaries include Howlin’ Wolf, Etta James, John Lee Hooker, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and The Dells. Checker was added to the company in 1952, Argo in 1956 and Cadet in 1965.
Situated in the south side of Chicago, Chess had a high percentage of local talent recording for the label. They did license-in from other cities but it was the local talent that the company grew and prospered on. For soul fans and Northern Soul fans in particular, the label was always at the top of the tree, producing hits like Rescue Me by Fontella Bass in 1965, Ramsey Lewis’ Wade In The Water in 1966 and Etta James Tell Mama in 1967. In the UK it was probably the third best known label after Motown and Stax/Atlantic and it was inevitable that when the “Old Soul” scene, that predated the Northern Soul phenomenon, began to look for new discoveries for the dancefloor, Chess would be at the forefront.
Following the success of volume I, Ady Croasdell has donned his compiler’s cape once more to highlight 14 more certified Chess floorfillers, some of which are making the vinyl debuts. My Square by Jackie Ross is one such side; a track recorded in 1965 that remained in the can until 2012, when it saw the light of day on CD. Ditto Talkin’, Dreamin’, Boastin’, recorded in 1964 by another of the foremost ladies of Chess, Sugar Pie DeSanto. Similarly, our opening number, Terry Callier’s You Were Just Foolin’ Me, was recorded in 1968 yet languished in the vaults until 30 years later, when it was issued on CD, while the alternative version of the infectious Must I Holler by Bahaman Jamo Thomas has never been waxed before.
Tracklisting:
Record One
A - Terry Callier – You Were Just Foolin’ Me (previously unreleased on vinyl)
B – Bobby McClure – You Got Me Baby
Record Two
A – Jo Ann Garrett – A Whole New plan
B – Jackie Ross – My Square (previously unreleased on vinyl)
Record Three
A – Sugar Pie DeSanto – Talkin’, Dreamin’, Boastin’ (previously unreleased on vinyl)
B – Denis LaSalle – A Love Reputation
Record Four
A – The Vashonettes – A Mighty Good Lover
B – Marlena Shaw – Let’s Wade in the Water
Record Five
A – Jamo Thomas – Must I Holler
B – The Chessmen – Why Can’t I Be Your Man
Record Six
A – Greg Perry – Head Over Heels (In Love)
B – The Gospel Classics – More Love, That’s What We Need
Record Seven
A - The Vibrations – Make it Last
B – Spooner’s Crowd – Two in the Morning
