THE 120th MIX FOR F.S.V.B

I hope Everybody had a Great Christmas as I did and After all the Fuss of last week, I'm now back to Normal, Post Wise. This Week, to calm things Down a bit, I have got a Nice Slow Jazz Mix by the Vertical Group, its called "Revelation" there are some Tracks on here  from some Jazz Greats including  Herbie Hancock, The Yellowjackets, Bobby Hutcherson and Michael Brecker!


Go to The Vertical Group's "let's mix Page" for more Great Mixes!



REVELATION from THE VERTICAL GROUP at Letsmix.com.


I will be back to Posting this coming Sunday, starting with a "Musical Post" Featuring a Great Soul Band from the 70's "REVELATION"

THE 119 th CHRISTMAS MIX FOR F.S.V.B

Here's the 119th Mix selection for F.S.V.B, Its been Mixed by George the DJ, its called "Soulful Christmas Mix Volume 2, there's some Classic Funk and Soul Christmas Music on here, including some Freddie Jackson, Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, Temptations, O'Jays and B.B King!

Press play button below or to Download go to WebPage  also to see Complete Track Listings!

CHRISTMAS 1983 AND MARLENA SHAW

As it Turned out, I only ever did 2 Trips Offshore, I cannot Remember why I Never did more, I was not Sacked, that's for sure, perhaps it was the thought of, in the New Year, you were going to have to have a Safety Certificate (I think that's what is was called) to Work Offshore!


These Safety Certificate's included being in a Capsule that was turned Upside Down in a Swimming Pool and you had to Prove you could get out Safely without any Panicking etc,  make's me Sea Sick just Thinking about it!


So this was one Good Reason not to Return Offshore!

I will always Remember after my First Trip Away, and (also my First Time away from Home) what Happened When I got back Home, it was around Mid-Morning, Nathan was still at School, so it was just Susan Natalie at Home, so I pressed the Door-Bell to Surprise, them both!

When she was a Toddler "Natalie" always seemed to have a "Red Nose" so when she ran to the Door , after I Pressed the Bell, she pressed Her Face against the  Frosted Glass Door to Look through it, and all I can Remember was seeing Her "Red Nose" Squashed against the Glass and Screaming out, Daddy! What a Welcome Home that was!


So my last Trip offshore was around Mid-December 1983, I was Due In-Shore about 1 Week before Christmas, this nearly did not work out like this.

I believe Christmas Eve that Year was on a Saturday and we were Due to Fly back Home on the Thursday which was the 22nd, well on the Tuesday a Thick Fog covered the Rig, and No Helicopter's were Flying In or Out!


This lasted for about 3 Days, Wednesday and Thursday came And went, Still Fog Everywhere, so our Flight was Cancelled, and there was Serious Talk about "the Fog not Lifting for Days"  which would have Meant Spending Christmas on the Rigs..................
What a Disaster that would have been!

But Luckily for us, late Friday Afternoon the "Fog Lifted" and I was Flown back to Home to the Heliport and about 3 Hours Later I was Home.........Just in Time For Christmas!!


I have Never Stepped on a Gas Platform/Rig ever Since!


==================================================

As for Music, back in 1966 Marlena Shaw Released Her Debut Single on the "Cadet Record Label" via Chess Records, it was called "Wade In The Water" it Turned out to be a "Northern Soul Classic" 

Marlena Shaw Co-Wrote the Track with Lee Magid, It was Produced by Billy Davis. Jazz Artist Ramsey Lewis had his own Instrumental Version Released, also on "Cadet Records"! 


Apparently the Song's Lyric's were originally used as a "Song of Freedom" to Instruct Slave's to Escape their Captive's! For more Info on this and some Great Dancing!

For a More In-Depth Story into the Lyrics and the Original Gospel Song, where "Wade In The Water " comes from, Check this Site Out.


Over the Years there has been many Different Versions by differing Artists, Check some of them out, at bottom of Post!

Checkout the Northern Soul Dancing!


Here's a Few Different Versions with the Original and Best First!

Download the Track Here!

THE 118th CHRISTMAS MIX FOR F.S.V.B

Here's the 118th Mix selection for F.S.V.B, Its been Mixed by George the DJ, its called "Soulful Christmas Mix Volume 1, there's some Classic Funk Soul and Rap Christmas Music on here, including some Eartha Kitt, James Brown, Donny Hathaway, Luther Vandross, Kurtis Blow, Clarence Carter and Run DMC!

Press play button below or to Download go to WebPage  also to see Complete Track Listings!

  CHECKOUT GEORGE'S WEBSITE.....JUNGLEMANN ENTERTAINMENT

            

FUNKY-SOUL-VINYLS CLASSIC SOUL AND FUNK ALBUMS OF THE 60's 70's and 80's # 12

In this Series of Posts, I will writing about a Particular Classic Soul/Funk Album from the 60's 70's and 80's

The one's that stand out in my Mind, as The Best Soul/Funk/Jazz/R&B Albums ever Released. All of them, I purchased on Vinyl many Years ago and also I have them on CD today.

You may have a Differing view (as we all do) on these Choices, but these are my Favorites!

Number 12...LOVE ON DELIVERY...THE REFLECTIONS

Back in 1975 Before the Internet and Living in a Small Town in Norfolk UK, the only way to Hear New Soul Music was on the Radio now and again, but mostly just the Commercial Stuff, so Most of the time, unless the Bands/Singer's were in the Charts, you just either Ordered an Album or Brought what they had!


Luckily around 1975 time, as Previously Mentioned on this Blog, we had a Great Record Shop opened Called "Airfield Tapes & Records 2" they used to have Plenty of Imported Soul /Funk Albums from the US! 


This is where I found this Album, what a Great Album, I knew Nothing of the Band back then and I don't know to much more now!

The Band were Formed in 1971 in Harlem New York and consisted of 4 Members : Herman Edwards, Josh Pridgen, Edward "Butch" Simmons and John Simmons 
(Simmons Died in March of 1989).


The Band were Discovered by Melba Moore Shortly afterwards, who then had them as her Backing Vocalist's for Her Tour in 1972.


This Album was Released on Capitol Records in 1975 and Produced by (amongst other's) JR Bailey, it was The Reflections only Album they ever Recorded. 



Apparently there was 4 Single Releases, all Reaching the R&B Charts in the US (Positions next to Single) also "Three Steps to True Love" made the US Billboard Chart @ Number 94, their only Pop Success!




Three Steps To True Love : June 1975 : Number 9
Love On Delivery : October 1975 : Number 58
Day After Day : February 1976 : Number 37
Gift Wrap My Love : December 1976 : Number 66


I said Apparently, the Reason for saying this is, "Gift Wrap My Love" was not on the Album, but it says on the Website where I found this Info, it was Backed with "She's My Summer Breeze" on the "B" Side, which was a "Reflections" Track....So you Make up your own Mind! 


Incidentally "She's My Summer Breeze" was very Popular Year's Later on the "Rare Groove Scene" in the UK.


My Favorite Tracks in order of Preference are Tracks: 6, 1, 2, 7, 5.


This Single (left) was a "B" side to Track "Three Steps To True Love"


1: Day after day (night after night) 4.36
2: Love on delivery (lod) 5.30
3: Now you're taken your love 5.40
4: Are you ready (here I am) 3.49
5: She's my summer breeze 4.23
6: All day all night (runnin' around) 3.31
7: One into one 4.15
8: Telephone lover 4.03
9:  How could we let the love get away 4.12
10: Three steps from true love 3.43   

DOWNLOAD THE ALBUM.

Does anybody Reading this Post, know of another Great Album I Purchased around the same time of 1975, It was a Self-Titled album by a Soul band Called "Revelation" on the RSO Record Label.

I believe there were 4 Members, one being "Arnold McCuller"

I have found his website, and found out Revelation Toured during the 70's with Acts like The Bee Gees (on the same record Label) Smokey Robinson, Isaac Hayes and Millie Jackson. I will keep searching!

THE 117TH MIX FOR F.S.V.B

Something a little Different this Week, there will be a Couple of Christmas Mixes over the next Couple of Weeks, but this Week I thought I would Post My Favorite All-Time Christmas Album! 



It was Originally Released in 1983 by the Greatest Soul Singer of All-Time "Al Green" and it was Called "The Christmas Album" It was then Released again some 3 Years later with a Different Title "White Christmas"  



In fact there has been a Few Different Versions of the Album, Released over the Years, some with Different Cover Shots and some with an addition of Different Tracks, but in the Main its the same Great 9 Tracks!


It was once Released on White Vinyl a few Years ago, it was once Paired with a Christmas Selection of Songs from Jackie Wilson. Whatever Version you have this Christmas Album, Al Green  still Sounds Great.

All the Songs on the Album are Seasonal Favorites, Apart my Favorite Track "What Christmas Means To Me" and that was Written by Moses Dillard / Sharon Michalsky / Chiquita Mullins & Claude Hill, this is a Great Track!


One of the Song Writer's Moses Dillard also Plays Guitar on the Album.


The only Downside to the Album, is it Plays for Less than 30 Minutes! probably wont get away with that these Days!


The Album was Recorded in 1983 at the American Music Studio, in Memphis Tennessee USA.

Personnel Included: Al Green (vocals); Moses Dillard, Thomas Bingham (guitar); Archie (strings); Jesse Butler (keyboards); Carl Marsh (synthesizer); Ray Griffin (bass); Steve Potts (drums); Linda Jones, Harvey Jones, Debra Carter (background vocals).
        White Christmas Track Listing

1. White Christmas
2. The Christmas Song
3. Winter Wonderland
4. I'll Be Home For Christmas
5. Jingle Bells
6. What Christmas Means To Me
7. Oh Holy Night
8. Silent Night
9. It Feels Like Christmas

DOWNLOAD THE ALBUM HERE

               
                      

RIG EMERGENCY CAPSULE and JERRY BUTLER

As I said in a Previous Post, one of the Worst things about being on a Gas Platform/Rig, was the Continual Noise of the Klaxon when the Main Alarm went off, and it went off Many Times!


I would say on Average it was about 5/6 Times Daily, and that's at any time, Mostly when you was not working, and nearly always in your time off!

But there one other thing that was as bad as this, and that was the Weekly Drill of getting into the Platforms Emergency Capsule, it was a Round Floating Covered Vessel (just like the 2 picture's on here) in case of any Onboard Emergencies!


I remember the First practice Very Well, It was Quite Scary, to say the least!


Me and About 20 Blokes had to get in each Vessel (these were Hanging over the side of the Gas Platform) you Sat around the Inside of the Vessel in a Circle, the Door was Shut, and we all had to go through what we would do, if there was an Emergency! 

If this was such an Emergency these Vessels would have been lowered slowly into the North Sea, and then you would have been floating around, until somebody came to  Rescue you!


What a Scary Thought, Thank God this Never Happened and in the End I only did 2 Trips Offshore, I don't think I was really Cut Out for this type of Work, Offshore I mean, not the Cooking. I Missed my Home Comforts Too Much!


==================================================

As for some Music, some 44 Years ago on Mercury Records "Jerry Butler" Released his Best Ever Selling and Successful Single "Only The Strong Survive" Produced by Gamble and Huff, this was about 3 Years before they Formed "Philadelphia International Records"


The Record was Written by Jerry Butler with Gamble & Huff and Taken from the Album "The Iceman Cometh" this was Jerry Butler's Nickname (The Iceman) given to him by a US DJ.

The Single Charted in the US at Number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and it Topped the Billboard Black Chart for 2 weeks in early 1969!


The Single was Certified Platinum.

Jerry Butler was the Original Lead Singer with the Impressions and nowadays for the Last 30 Years, He's been a Politician!


Have a More In-Depth Read Here @ Soul Excursions Blog!

THE 116TH MIX FOR F.S.V.B

Here's the 116th Mix selection for F.S.V.B, Its been Mixed by DJ Neil Bent, its called "Afrobeat Part 1 ", there's some Classic African Beats by Artists including: Manu Dibango, Fela Kuti.

Press play button below or to Download go to WebPage!