Customer Reviews

Leaving Me: Golden Classics

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...of what young love used to be like 'Uptown' in the 70's. These are Blue Lights in the Basement House Party Specials, especially the slow drag tunes "Leaving Me" and "Just As Long As You Need Me". As I remember in 1972-73 they used to be a huge success and evvybotty, and I do mean EVVYBOTTY, here loved them. I took my girlfriend--or rather, I was 'working' on making her my girlfriend--to see them in a concert here at Municipal Auditorium. I think the Pointers and the Temptations were on the same bill. I recall how smooth and professional their showmanship was, and that the girl in the group was Drop Dead Gorgeous. I know because we were standing in the audience right in front of the performers (so close we could see nose hairs if so inclined) and I was in the middle of some kinda pre-adult hormonal thing. When they broke into "Leaving Me", the house went wild! Anyhoo, Jackson and Yancey of the group went into urban gospel and R and Bee songwriting. Many of those tunes wound up as part of Natalie Cole's early repertoire.

But a caveat! My copy of this CD had serious remastering problems! It sounds as if the remixers, in taking a lot of the hiss from the masters, took too much out. The vocals here and there sound a little too clipped and one song "Just as Long As..." sounds so horrible that I am embarrassed for the original musicians and technicians who put it all together.

Overall, though, if you have been in the same quanta as I have, it will be a pleasure just to be able to have these great tunes in your collection. They are seldom played on the radio--even the so-called Ol' Skool, Adult R and Bee stations. And they hit that "Ah-Yeah!" spot in your heart.

DYNO-MITE IS ALL I CAN SAY. THIS IS VINTAGE SOUL AT IT BEST. WHAT I HAVE ALWAYS LIKED ABOUT THEIR MUSIC IS THAT TOUCH OF GOSPEL MIXED WITH R&B. THE LYRICS AND HARMONIES ARE TOUCHING, SOULFUL AND DOWNRIGHT BREATH TAKING. LOVE WORDS AT THEIR BEST IN THIS PRODUCTION. IT TOUCHES THE SOUL AND EPITOMIZES THAT GREAT HARMONIC TOUCH THAT IS MISSING IN TODAY'S MUSIC. A PRODUCT OF THE 70'S WHERE TALENT PLAYED OUT VERSUS THE LOOK AND SOUND PRODUCTION ENGINEERS DOING TODAY, ALTERING VARIATIONS TO MAKE THE VOICE SOUND AS THOUGH YOU ARE GREAT SINGERS. INSTRUMENTS BEING PLAYED WITH VERY FEW IMPEFECTIONS VERSUS SOUND MACHINE WITH PERFECT PROGRAMMED CHORDS. BUY THIS CD AND FIND OUT WHAT LOVE IS ABOUT AND CAN BE ABOUT IF YOU ARE ONE SEEKING THAT SPECIAL PERSON. A THUMBS UP ON THIS ONE. AFTER THE GROUP DISBANDED, CHARLES JACKSON AND MARVIN YANCY WROTE SONGS FOR VARIOUS R&B ARTISTS, MANY FOR MARVIN'S FUTURE WIFE, THE GREAT NATALIE COLE. CHARLES JACKSON ALSO RECORDED TWO LPS WHICH ARE GREAT TO HAVE IN YOUR COLLECTION. PEOPLE OFTEN FORGET THAT CHARLES (CHUCK) JACKSON IS THE HALF-BROTHER OF THE GREAT JESSE JACKSON. BUY AND ENJOY.

Growing up in the 60's and 70s offered enough of an opportunity to check out many soul artists both on and off Am radio. The Independents surfaced in both areas. This compilation does offer the majority of their hits, though it regrettably omits many of their deeper soul tunes. One reference would be their second Lp on Wand entitled "Chuck, Helen, Eric and Maurice". Tracks such as "In The Valley Of My World" incorporates hints of Friends of Distinction with its female vocals, swirling keyboard sound like Ruby and The Romantics and strong male vocals. Another bullet on this LP is "Show Me How" which kicks off with a pulsating bass line and a solid drum backbone. "One Woman Do Right Man" carries a diverse Sam and Dave essence mixed with Tyrone Davis. This track alone defines soul at one of its finest moments. Additionally the track "The Same Old Way" borrows (and quite well) the sound of Al Green which does not exist anywhere on this CD. It's top notch from start to finish. These 4 examples are somewhat against the grain of this CD which seems a bit wimpy in my honest opinion and lacks almost none of their killer tracks. Perhaps if you only need to have the syrupy hits then this CD may be for you but if you are seeking more gutsy soul and have an LP player, check out the LP "Chuck, Helen, Eric and Maurice" instead.