Blue Thumb Collection

Sylvester, Sylvester & the Hot Band | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 4, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Hip-O Select
• ASIN: B002ECN4OG
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #136,097 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Before disco, before "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)" and "You Are My Friend," 25-year-old Sylvester emerged from the underground scene in San Francisco with a longhaired rock band, recording two influential albums for Blue Thumb Records. Infused with a love of the blues, a deep emotional connection with Billie Holiday and a flair for flamboyance, the Sylvester and his Hot Band tackled with boundless energy a dizzying sampler of American music, from Neil Young to Ray Charles, from James Taylor to "My Country 'Tis Of Thee."

Now, Hip-oSelect.com presents The Blue Thumb Collection, which includes both albums Sylvester & the Hot Band (a.k.a. "Scratch My Flower") and Bazaar, adding two bonus tracks--featuring the Pointer Sisters--from a rare San Francisco sampler LP. All tracks are on CD for the first time.

"Sylvester's falsetto alone evoked a universe of timeless, idiosyncratic talents and influences," writes Brian Chin in the package's liner notes, which are graced by beautiful photos of the singer from the era and full reproductions of both LP jackets; additionally, the first LP came with a poster, whose image graces the cover of this new collection.

The Blue Thumb Collection offers intriguing insight to Sylvester, pre-Disco Diva. In addition to a nastily funky version of "Southern Man," the debut LP, produced by Ben Sidran, has left-field covers of Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" and the Coasters' Baby That Is Rock & Roll." Bazaar, which the band produced themselves, pumps up the jams even further, with heavy covers of James Taylor's "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" and Gram Pasrons' "She," alongside stylish originals "All That I Need" and "Friendship."

"The combination of smart, substantial cover material and the excellent band backup stands with the progressive Labelle and Isley Brothers albums of the time," Chin also writes. "Throughout Bazaar, the Hot Band distinguishes itself, if anything, even more than on the first album--at times balancing, and at times emphasizing, the inherent sexual threat of Sylvester's falsetto." Sylvester wanted nothing more than to be a star. Here's a rare 77 minutes of the first musical path he walked, believing at every step he'd get there.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Classic Sylvester, October 8, 2009

By 

Vashon Gardener (Vashon, WA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Blue Thumb Collection (Audio CD)

I am so thrilled to find these albums again after all these years, my vinyl copies had deteriorated before I got them digitized. As you might note these tracks are much more rock and blues based than his later stuff, these were done before the Two Tons of Fun / Weather Girls (Martha Wash & and the Isora Rhodes) joined him. I think this was also before Patrick Cowley joined him too. I love his later stuff, but this has a rawness and immediacy that really grabs me. I first saw Sylvester perform live with the Martha and Isora around 1975/76 at a club in Seattle called Shelly's Leg, I then started making frequent trips to San Francisco and some him a number of times there, most often at the Elephant Walk, every performance was electric.

These tracks come from two vinly albums with one bonus track not on the original albums:
1. Scratch My Flower - 1973 (the first 8 tracks)
Sylvester - Lead Vocals and Piano
James Q. Smith - Guitar, Background vocals and Harmonica
Kerry Hatch - Bass, Background Vocals and Keyboards
Travis Fullerton - Drums, Percussion and Background Vocals
Chris Mostert - Tenor Sax and Flute
Bobby Blood - Trumpet
Peter Mintun - Piano
2. Bazaar -- (tracks 9 thru 18)
I can't find my vinyl on this ....sorry
-- bonus -- "Why Was I Born"

Enjoy!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic Finally on CD!, August 14, 2009

By 

Ron Price (Nashville, TN) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Blue Thumb Collection (Audio CD)

Finally. Sylvester's classic LPS with Hot Band have been released on CD! Fabulous! I have been waiting for years for this. Sylvester is a music icon who was very talented and an awesome entertainer. He definitely in my opinion deserves more props in history. This CD showcases some of his early songs before he hit big with "(You Make Me Feel) Mighty Real". This is a must-have for every Sylvester fan!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for all the SYLVESTER fans, September 5, 2009

By 

G. Paul (belgium) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Blue Thumb Collection (Audio CD)

The first time i heard about Sylvester was with the release of "Step II".Since then I am a big fan of Sylvester.His death was very hard for me:after all he was an icon for me.There has never been before him (and after him)an artist with so much authenticity who could translate so much emotions in his singing.
I was always wondering if there is a "Step II",how did the "Step I" sounded like.Here is the answer :real RnB,GOSPEL Soul like only Sylvester James could sing it.Glad to be (finally) able to listen to these masterpieces,that stood the test of time.(Paul Ghysbrecht,Belgium,Europe)The Blue Thumb Collection