A Cracked Bell & A Cold Bear

I'm dedicating this post to the outstanding New Orleans drummer for Willie Tee, the Gaturs, and the New Orleans Project (who backed the Wild Magnolias on their first two albums), Mr. Lawrence Panna, Sr., who passed away on February 23, 2007. As his son said about him, "He was a tremendous drummer with an incredible zest for music playing, who also played with other groups like Oliver and the Rockettes and Louisiana Purchase. Outside of music he was a printer and a coach at St. Martin's Episcopal School in Metairie, LA for many years." Larry Panna added much to the musical tradition of his community and will be missed.


Willie Tee in New Orleans, May, 2007

"Liberty Bell" (Wilson Turbinton)
Willie Tee, from Anticipation, United Artists, 1976
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It's been two years since I first posted this one, and you can read more about it back there, or not. I'm way too sleep deprived to care. To my somewhat heat-addled, warped, and mildly hallucinogenic mind, Willie Tee's "Liberty Bell" is a perfect song to celebrate Independence Day. For those of you on another side of whatever major or minor pond separates us logistically, on July 4th in the US of A, we celebrate freedom, lack of oppression, and the human rights guaranteed in a constitution hashed out by the learned and illustrious fore-fathering founders of this nation over 200 odd (and getting more so all the time) years ago. If you fail to see the immense irony contained in that last sentence, you must not have been on this planet very long. For, in an intensely moronic effort to save our country from the Others, we have given up whatever tenuous grip we had on those rights and our sanity. Mr. Wilson Turbinton was originally spot on with his assessment of America in its bicentennial year; and he could have written this song yesterday, just as well. The only thing that maybe dates it is that he assumes there is hope of changing things. Seems we're much more cynical and indifferent (or in denial) these days, with our leaders perpetrating blatant malfeasance and rampant ineptitude on all fronts, with more opening up all the time. In the oft quoted words of one of America's great cartoon philosophers, Pogo Possum, "We have seen the enemy, and he is us." Uh, oh, I'm turning into Keith Olbermann here. Need a cold bear...I mean, beer. All I wanted to do was play some friggin' music - really. Anyway, what Willie said. . . and have yourself a funky Fourth, what's left of it.


A Reasonable Facsimile

"Cold Bear" (W. Turbinton, E. Charles, D. Charles, L. Clark, L. Pania[sic])
The Gaturs, ATCO orig #6870, 1971
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OK. Some holiday lagniappe for good measure. As I have pointed out before, some of the stuff by Willie Tee's funk outfit, the Gaturs, just exudes the hot, moist, funky, sweet-buzz-goin'-on summer vibe. It puts me right in that place year 'round. So, let's celebrate the recent kick-off of the sultry season here above the equator with a "Cold Bear", what the man in the intro to the song says he's in need of.

This is probably the Gaturs' best known side, as Atlantic picked up the original Gatur Records single for national release on ATCO in 1971. Not that it was heard much even then; but it has since gotten onto a bunch of CD comps*, including Funk Drops and the US counterpart, What It Is. As a matter of fact, this single is another reproduction/re-issue from the limited edition What It Is 45 box I've mentioned before. Not deep funk, "Cold Bear' has a great groove, but with a light touch, and moves along quite nicely. Tee's B-3 and Louis Clark's wah-wah guitar dance around each other, while Erving Charles' bass bobs and weaves in and amongst Larry Panna's tastefully broken-up drumming that stays in the pocket. Percolating congas, probably played by Uganda Roberts, add to the polyrhythmia. This is definitely one that should be pumping the speakers as you cruise the highways and by-ways and hang out all summer long.

*Of course, Tuff City/Funky Delicacies released an entire CD of issued and unissued Gaturs sides entitled Wasted; and there is one more Gaturs single and all of Willie Tee's Gatur Records material on the Night Train CD Teasin' You.

Willie Harper's Double Debut

My recent post on Eldridge Holmes' work for Alon Records brought to mind another under-recognized New Orleans singer who recorded for the label, Willie Harper. So, before we get back to some funk (at last), I thought I'd feature one of his best 45s.

As I've written elsewhere on HOTG, I first discovered Willie Harper and heard "New Kind Of Love" about 20 years ago on the Instant LP, Solid Gold. Later, I found the song and the B-side of this Alon single on a Northern Soul compilation from the UK and soon encountered a few more of Harper's recordings on a Japanese LP, Battle of Soul, that featured an assortment of released and unreleased tracks from several artists on the Sansu family of labels. Associated closely with Allen Toussaint productions throughout most of the 1960s, Harper never became a big name in New Orleans music, often working as a backing vocalist in the studio. But, obviously, Toussaint had faith in his talent, giving the singer numerous shots as a featured artist, too. But, out of more than a dozen singles* released with Harper as lead or co-vocalist over the decade, only a couple were even local hits. Despite his lack of substantial commercial success, his collaborations with Toussaint were often top quality work and always enjoyable, even on some of the less than stellar sides.

Alon 9000 is significant because it was both Harper's debut as a solo artist and the label's first release (for more background on Alon, see my recent post on Eldridge Holmes). Toussaint, who ran Alon for owner Joe Banashak, was in his pop mode of production and songwriting for this project and, to my ear, the results were good.



"New Kind Of Love" (S. Johnson)
Willie Harper, Alon 9000, 1961
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"New Kind Of Love", written by Earl King (under an alias, S[hirley] Johnson), is an infectious number that deserved to be even a bigger hit than it was. Though popular around the New Orleans area, it did not break out of the region for whatever reasons, perhaps due to having a rather old-fashioned style to it. At any rate, it definitely was not typical of the pop material coming out of the city at the time either. It's hard to believe the same guy who had just written and recorded the proto-funk of "Trick Bag" and "Come On" wrote this - just goes to show how truly versatile King was and why his tunes showed up on records by a variety of artists from the Dixie Cups to Jimi Hendrix over the years. Toussaint's lean, clean arrangement serves the song well, using just piano, drums, bass, and a few horns to get it across. To be honest, I have to subtract points for the background singers humming and oohing along almost to the point of distraction; but the song's still a minor gem, demanding repeat plays. Harper has that unpolished yet charming quality in his vocals, as did Lee Dorsey. who, of course, Toussaint would have much success with a few years on. So, you could even look at his recordings with Harper as a kind of unplanned preparation for that. Call it what you will, though, this one is some fine ear candy.



"But I Couldn't" (Naomi Neville)
Willie Harper, Alon 9000, 1961
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As much as I like "New Kind Of Love", I think I've come to prefer "But I Couldn't", penned by Toussaint as Naomi Neville. Rather than the light bounce of the A-side, the flip is rhythmically more interesting to me, the interplay of drums, keyboard and horns more complex. With the compelling kick (bass) drum driving the song, Toussaint does some change-ups on the piano, moving back and forth between a rolling Fats Domino feel and Bo Diddley style rock chording that he used on a number sides around this time, "Fortune Teller" by Benny Spellman being a prime example. The alternating styles and rhythms give "But I Couldn't" intensity during its brief run, making it seem to move faster and play harder than it actually does. Harper's vocal quality, which has a soulful blues vibe to it, seems a bit better fit here, too.

I'll try to get back back to Willie Harper at a later date; but I've got to tell you that I think this double debut record is still tops for pops. Also high on my list are his two known unreleased funk sides, which I have previously posted.

* Willie Harper Discography (as a lead or co-lead vocalist)
- Commercial Releases -

Who Will Be The One/She's Gone - The Del Royals- Minit 610 - 1960
Close To You/Got You On My Mind - The Del Royals - Minit 620 - 1961
Always Naggin'/I Fell In Love With You - The Del Royals - Minit 637 - 1961
New Kind Of Love/But I Couldn't - Alon 9000 - 1961
Power Of Love/Cloudy Weather - Alon 9003 - 1962
I'll Never Leave You/Cloudy Weather - Alon 9006 - 1962
Makin' Me Cry/She's Far Away - Alon 9011 - 1963
Grumblin' Fussin' Nag Nag/Kolank Kolank - The Man & Willie Harper -
Alon 9016 - 1964
You, You/Soda Pop - Sansu 451 - 1966
Here Comes The Hurt/Brown Eyed Doll - Sansu 453 - 1966
Omar Khayyam - The Rubaiyats (Harper with Toussaint) - Sansu 456 - 1967
I Don't Need No One/Baby Do Little - Willie & Allen (Harper & Toussaint) -
Sansu 464 - 1967
I Don't Need You Anymore/A Certain Girl - Tou-Sea 133- 1968

You can find some of Harper's Sansu sides on the CD compilation Get Low Down.

RIP Nellie Lutcher

Another one-of-a-kind Louisiana-born musician has passed on. Read about her here. Thanks to my wife (and Nancy with KPFT Houston) for supplying the link.

[6/17/2007] I've expanded my original blurb to include a couple of tunes from Ms Lutcher's prime recording time for Capitol:

"Lake Charles Boogie" (Nellie Lutcher)
Nellie Lutcher, Capitol 10110, 1947
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Nellie really radiates the 88's on this self-composed boogie-woogie about her hometown. The session backing band here was Irving Ashby, guitar; Willaim K. 'Billy' Hadnott, bass; and Sidney 'Big Sid' Catlett, drums. Recorded in Los Angeles, CA.

"Princess Poo-Poo-Ly Has Plenty Papaya" (Harry Owens)
Nellie Lutcher, Capitol 57-70026, 1950
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I'm always a sucker for a good novelty tune, especially when some harmless innuendo and/or double entendre is involved; and Nellie's take on this one is charmingly salacious, especially that line about holding the root. Anyway, she gives good 'n plenty papaya here. This was also cut in LA, CA as far as I remember (nearly back to breakfast) and had Hurley Ramey on guitar, Charles 'Truck' Parham, bass, and Alvin Burroughs drumming.

For a decent introduction to her recordings, try this. Or, for the the well-funded completists among you, there is the Bear Family box set. These ought to help you find out what made Nellie so hip.

Three Sides Of Eldridge Holmes

Here's how the planning process, or lack thereof, works around HOTG. My wife and I made a quick round trip drive to Memphis last weekend; and, listening to CDs on the way, "Pop, Popcorn Children" popped up on one of my comps. Though I'd heard it countless times, I was immediately juiced to do a feature on that great, supremely quirky track by Eldridge Homes (backed by none other than the Meters). This New Orleans vocalist is under-recognized, if not flat out overlooked, and, except for one record, worked exclusively with Allen Toussaint during his decade-long recording career. Since I haven't done a post on him for far too long, I decided to include a couple of his earlier sides as well.

For a comprehensive overview of Holmes' recordings, Larry Grogan's feature at the excellent Funky 16 Corners webzine cannot be beat. So, before you get off too far into the musical selections, I highly recommend you go there for background and insights on this gem of an artist, who, as Larry so rightly states, is way, way past due for a retrospective compilation of his own.
Until then, you can also hear several of his Alon, Sansu and Deesu sides on the Soul Club Jukebox.


"Begging For Your Love" (E. Holmes)
Eldridge Holmes, Alon 9010, 1963
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First up we have, "Begging for Your Love", which appeared on Eldridge Holmes' second of five Toussaint-produced singles for the Alon label. It does not appear that the singer had done any recording prior to signing with Alon; and I don't know how he initially came to Toussaint's attention. Also a talented songwriter who penned many of his own sides, Holmes wrote this catchy, distinctive little number which he and Toussaint steered well into pop waters, reflecting, as Grogan rightly points out, the British sound taking radio by storm back then. The harmonica as lead instrument certainly set the song apart from most of the New Orleans records of the day; but you can hear a bit of syncopated interaction in the kick drum and snare on the tune, too. On the flip side, "The Sooner Your Realize", written by the producer under his nome de plume, Naomi Neville, displayed a fine, if typical, mid-tempo Crescent City groove that really better showcased Holmes' vocal chops; but I chose his own composition for its unique flavor. If you want to hear why Holmes should be ranked among New Orleans top vocalists, approaching Johnny Adams territory, seek out his deep soul numbers.

Joe Banashak had started the Alon imprint around 1961 specifically for Allen Toussaint and his projects, following Toussaint's hit-making success working with the likes of Chris Kenner, Ernie K-Doe, Jessie Hill and Irma Thomas for Minit and Instant, also owned by Banashak. Other than Benny Spellman, none of the Alon artists were well known; but, I am sure it was hoped that the youthful Toussaint's touch would change that. Fate, of course, intervened, as Toussaint, who was in his early 20s, soon got a draft notice and was stationed at Fort Hood in Texas, curtailing his studio work for several years. The bulk of the Alon sessions for Eldridge Holmes and label-mates Spellman, Willie Harper, Skip Easterling, and others were probably recorded between 1961 and 1962, prior to Toussaint's January, 1963 induction, with a number of the sides being issued on singles while the producer/songwriter was away. Unfortunately, none generated any more than local interest at best. It was getting harder to compete with the onslaught of the British Invasion.


"Humpback" (A. Toussaint - E. Holmes)
Eldridge Holmes, Jet Set 1006, ca 1966
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Eldridge Holmes' first two post-Alon singles appeared on Jet Set, a short-lived Washington, DC label, during a transitional time for Toussaint, who had returned from the service in 1965 and quickly become dissatisfied with the status quo at Alon. Marshall Sehorn, who Toussaint had worked with briefly before on Lee Dorsey's Fury sides, approached him to produce another single for Dorsey, which resulted in "Ride Your Pony" b/w "The Kitty Cat Song", released nationally by Amy/Bell. "Pony" became a top ten r&b; hit and did well on the pop charts, too. As a result, Toussaint withdrew from Alon and with Sehorn quickly forged a new business partnership for production and recording, Sansu Enterprises. Dorsey would soon become their premier artist.

The duo decided to bring Holmes with them as an artist, too. I would guess that those sides he recorded in New Orleans came out on Jet Set because the new partners had yet to set up their own Tou-Sea, Deesu, and Sansu labels. "Humpback" b/w "I Like What You Do" was apparently Holmes second Jet Set release (their numbering was not consistent), probably in 1966. The wet-dream of many a songwriter, producer and label-owner was to have a hot record based on a current popular dance or a new dance that might start a national craze and an instant demand for your product. Making singles was always a short-term proposition and financial gamble dependent on the fickle whims of the young record listening and buying public. So, it is perfectly understandable why making flash-in-the-pan dance records was seen to be a risk worth taking; and the airwaves were full of them in the 1950s and 1960s - most of which of course failed to become the next big thing. "Humpback", though one of the commercial failures, is an excellent example of the process and also a good record, with Toussaint and Holmes cooking up a high energy groove that should have had dance floors filling with teenagers and young adults madly gyrating in fine Humpback fashion: be that a camel, Quasimodo the Bell Ringer, or a baleen whale, maybe - who knows. A step diagram didn't come with my 45. Anyway, it's still a rave-up that quickly establishes itself for a two minute calorie-burning run. Holmes' vocal is strong and spirited; but the songs' limited melody line doesn't give him much of an opportunity to shine. Still, I dig the way he keeps pronouncing it "hompback" all the way through. So cool.


"Pop, Popcorn Children" (Eldridge Holmes)
Eldridge Holmes, ATCO 6701, 1969
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Between 1966 and 1969, Sansu Enterprises generated nine more releases on Holmes: two on Sansu, four on Deesu, one on Pama and two on Decca. The Pama was a re-issue of a Sanu single, and one of the Deccas duplicated a Deesu. As fine as many of those sides were, nothing was happening for Holmes. But obviously Toussaint and Sehorn had still had faith in him, because they brought the singer to Atlanta to record sides backed by the Meters, who were there cutting their Look-Ka-Py Py LP for Josie at Mylon Lefevre's studio. Toussaint and Sehorn had to move session operations to Atlanta (and later Macon, GA) due to the closing of Cosimo Matassa's studio, the main recording facility in the Crescent City. Around that time, Toussaint was also producing Lefevre's Mylon album for Atlantic/Cotillion. So, this is probably how Sansu got Holmes' resulting 45, "Pop, Popcorn Children" b/w "Cheatin' Woman" issued on ATCO, another Atlantic subsidiary. It's too great a single to have totally tanked; but even the hot hands of the Meters for some reason could not get this onto the radio.

"Pop, Popcorn Children", another Holmes-penned dance song, is pretty much a one chord vamp with funk busting out all over it, plus two strange, nearly atonal interludes where the rhythm section pretty much drops out and the horns play a series of off-key notes in an off-kilter rhythm, the first time for two measures about one minute in, and then four measures the next, just after the two minute mark (Leo Nocentelli also adds some electric sitar on this one). While seeming at first disoriented and random, it is so well integrated into the piece that one knows Toussaint perfectly planned this arrangement. I had heard it many time before, but last weekend in the car my wife said it sounded like they were trying to musically mimic popcorn popping. That made sense. Sure it's a gimmick, but a rather bold one that in lesser hands could have just been an amorphous mess. Of course, Zig Modeliste's brilliant drumming throughout makes its own kind of funky popcorn. But combined with Holmes energetic, p-popping vocal, this is one damn fine, effervescent track that demands reciprocal motion from all within earshot. Although, at the time, few got the chance.

While I have this unusual track on several different CD collections, including last year's big What It Is box set, I didn't have it on 45 until that cool little offshoot What It Is singles limited edition vinyl set came out shortly after the CDs. Rhino did these re-mastered reproductions up right down to the label details (although the numbering differs) and sleeves; and, while not quite as cool as owning original issues, the price is right, when you consider how much you could pay for 25 minty vintage funk 45s. Plus, you get all the B-sides, most of which are not on the CD box. In the case of the Holmes ATCO single, that means "Cheatin' Woman", a must have not only for his intense vocal but for the Meters' rare sojourn with him into the blues.

Knowing The Barons By The Company They Kept

I first became aware of the Barons, a male New Orleans vocal group (a rare commodity on the city's recording scene in the mid to late 1960s), only when Funky Delicacies/Tuff City released a compilation CD on them around 1996. It was a revelation, with a number of sides especially catching my ear. I immediately started adding the tracks to my radio show playlists, and, over the years, have found a few nice copies of some of the singles, too. Actually, I don't dig the Barons as much for their vocal abilities as I do for who they worked with and the groovin' rhythm tracks they often sang over. The material they recorded, some of which members wrote or co-wrote, is often a bit odd or even unpolished sounding, yet still appealing for its energy and ambition. Since the Barons became associated with Wardell Quezergue's production company along the way, I thought I'd offer a three song feature this week. Two of them have a connection with the Big Q, and the other one has Eddie Bo all over it.

Not to be confused with several other outfits recording around the country in the 1950s and 1960s with the same name, the Barons who were based in the Crescent City came together around 1964 and included James Youngblood, the Savoy twins, Albert and Alvin, and Lloyd Shepard, who sang the falsetto leads. They had releases on an assortment of labels* with a number of impressive producers, but never really caught much of a break (could it have had something to do with unfortunate tailoring choices, I wonder). One of their earliest credited appearances on record was singing backup on Eddie Bo's "Gotta Have More" b/w "Come To Me" for Blue Jay. Again as vocal support, they backed Mike Watson on his lone single for the very obscure Etah label, produced by pianist/songwriter Ed Frank, and then had an Etah release of their own, again under Frank's direction, probably around 1965. Those ultra-rare singles today can trade for hundreds of dollars, but reaped no rewards at the time for the Barons. After a few years, the group came to the attention of hustler/promoter and some-time recording artist, Senator Jones, who was starting Shagg, one of the many small and often short-term labels he would run in New Orleans. "Kids Stuff", from their first Jones project, was a big local hit and got them attention and gigs around the area. Quezergue arranged and directed that session and probably had a hand in the next two singles which appeared on Jones' Mode label. But neither one of those hit pay-dirt, even though the second of them was leased to the Shout label for national distribution. Then, in 1970, Quezergue took a legendary busload of New Orleans vocalists, including the Barons, up to Malaco Studios in Jackson, Mississippi to record. But, it was two of their fellow travelers, King Floyd and Jean Knight, who got the brass ring when their records from the sessions, "Groove Me" and "Mr. Big Stuff", became national smashes. The Barons' two releases for Malaco's new Chimneyville label didn't get noticed. Around that period, the group changed personnel due to the loss of several original members, including the Savoy brothers, who were involved with songwriting and production assistance for Quezergue and his hit-makers. In various configurations, the Barons kept recording sporatically in the 1970s with a releases on Jones' Super Dome imprint (also leased to Alithia) and on John Fred's Sugarcane label in Baton Rouge, which are included on the CD compilation. Even though the CD notes say the group disbanded after that, I have found evidence of four other singles from the late 1970s or ealry 1980s credited to the group, one on Traci Borges' Sunshine Movement label (hear it at the In Dangerous Rhythm link below) and three on Gamma, which I think was another Senator Jones venture. Both Quezergue and James Youngblood are shown as co-writers on some of those sides.

*The (New Orleans) Barons - Incomplete Discography
"Gotta Have More"/"Come To Me" - Eddie Bo with the Barons - Blue Jay 154 - 1964
"I Dig Your Kind"/"Love Is A Losing Game" - Mike Watson - Etah 100 - ca 1965 (backing vocals)
"Clap Your Little Hands"/"I've Got A Feeling" - The Barons - Etah 102 - ca 1965
"Kids Stuff"/"As Sure As You're Born" - The Barons - Shagg 711 - 1968
"Are You Here To Stay"/"Love Is So Real" - The Barons - Mode 507 - late 1960s
"No More Baby Love"/"Society Don't Let Us Down" - The Barons - Mode 508 - late 1960s
"No More Baby Love"/"Society Don't Let Us Down" - The Barons - Shout 242 - ca 1970
"Making It Better"/Symphony Of Gratitude" - The Barons Ltd - Chimneyville 436 - 1970
"Love Power"/"Gypsy Read Your Cards For Me" - The Barons Ltd - Chimneyville 440 - 1971
"Some Kind of Fool"/"I'm So Lonely" - The Barrons (sic) - Super Dome 501 - ca 1973
"Some Kind of Fool"/"I'm So Lonely" - The Barrons (sic) - Alithia 6049 - 1973
"Got You Under My Skin"/"No More Tears" - The Barons - Sugarcane? - ca 1975
"Stay As Sweet As You Are" (unreleased Sugarcane (?) production by John Fred)
"Keep The Music Coming"/Same (Instrumental) - The Barons - Gamma 711 - early 1980s
"Lonely Afternoon, Part 1"/Part 2 - The Barons - Gamma 117 - early 1980s
"That's How Love Is"/"We Should Be Together" - The Barons - Gamma 1150 - early 1980s
"There's More Out There"/Same (Instrumental) - The Barons - Sunshine Movement 105 - ? (Thanks to Colin at In Dangerous Rhythm for this one - you can currently hear it there)



"Gotta Have More" (D. Johnson - E. Bocage - T. Terry)
Eddie Bo With the Barons, Blue Jay 154, 1964
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I don't think I'm venturing out on too thin a limb when I say this side is one of the best records Eddie Bo has made. The Barons singing backup is as good excuse as any to feature it; but admittedly it would still be a great track without them. It leads off with that nice little organ figure and the drums drop a fascinatingly quirky and syncopated pattern that continues under the verses - not funk, but not your standard issue soul groove either. Smokey Johnson comes to mind as the drummer, although that is pure speculation. I have found no mention the session players. Then there's that rhythmic build-up with the horns coming in before the vocal starts. Grabbing us from the get-go, Bo's masterful arrangement of his own well-crafted song does not let up. Admittedly, Eddie is not the consummate soul or pop singer; but the way he half sings/half talks his lyrics is just right, and so hip; and his enthusiasm, punctuated by those squeals, is infectious. Everybody on the cut is way into it. They absolutely nail the thing. I loved "Gotta Have More" the first time I heard it on the Barons CD comp, and still do - never get tired of it. And I really lucked up finding a mint copy of the 45 I could afford. . . .

This was the first known release on Bo's own Blue Jay label, which only lasted until 1965, issuing a total of five singles: four on Bo and one on Tommy Ridgley. The sides I've heard of those are all top quality work, "Our Love (Will Never Falter)" being another forgotten classic. Other than "Gotta Have More", I don't know that any of them are currently available on comps, either, which is a shame, as there are several I've yet to hear. For more information on Eddie Bo's work, don't forget to visit the superb discography at soulgeneration.



"Gypsy Read Your Cards For Me" (Maria Tynes, Wardell Quezergue, Joe Broussard)
The Barons, Ltd, Chimneyville 440, 1970
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So, as I said, the Barons were among the New Orleans singers that producer, arranger, and composer Quezergue took to Jackson, MS in 1970 to record at the newly built Malaco Studios. The others were King Floyd, Jean Knight, Joe Wilson, and Bonnie and Sheila, a duo. Each artist/group recorded vocals for two sides at those sessions. Quezergue and the Malaco studio band had cut the backing tracks the previous week. Playing on the sessions were what would become the regular house band for Malaco, James Stroud on drums, Jerry Puckett, guitar, and Vernie Robbins, bass, with Quezergue adding organ. As I recall, the horns were players from Quezergue's own New Orleans band. Backed financially by Elijah Walker, Big Q had sought out Malaco because of the closure of the main recording facility at home, Jazz City Studio, due to owner Cosimo Matassa's running afoul of the IRS, which seized all of his assets. In many ways it was a fortuitous choice, as Floyd and Knight scored substantial hits there, leading Quezergue to work very productively with Malaco over the next few years.

Perhaps to distinguish the Barons from others groups bearing that name, they were shown as the Barons, Ltd. when recording for Malaco. The songs they did at that first session, "Making It Better" and "Symphony Of Gratitude", became their initial Chimneyville release (#436), which came out right behind Floyd's "Groove Me". Those were the first two releases on Malaco's fledgling in-house label. Quezergue soon did a second session on them; and those two sides were their only other single for the label. Though both records were decent enough efforts by all concerned, Floyd's success seems to have completely overshadowed them; and the label's national distributor, Atlantic/Cotillion, could not or would not get anything going for the group.

While "Love Power", from the second single, is a linear, driving, nearly one chord funk vamp (which we'll hear at a later date), the flip side, "Gypsy Read Your Cards For Me", has more of an ambitious, old school structure and arrangement. Adding a unique feel to this tune is the well-executed Spanish-tinged intro/bridge that somewhat miraculously resolves into the funky groove of the verses with that fine pumping, staggered bass line. Almost cheesy, maybe; but I think Quezergue pulled a rabbit out of his hat on this one, showing off his production and arrangement abilities to good effect. He really created an engaging, effective showcase for the vocalists. Like Toussaint, he came into the studio totally prepared, with the entire arrangement planned out, first teaching the band their parts for the basic tracking. Then, before the vocalists were brought in, they were completely rehearsed on the ins and outs of each tune. No time was wasted in the studio experimenting, creating parts or doing "head" arrangements on the fly. As some who were there have said:

With all of those records, Wardell had every lick in his head before he came to the studio; every part, every nuance. He'd give you a little leeway, but not much — he knew the patterns he wanted the musicians to play and the accents; even the drum licks. And he rehearsed the vocalists as meticulously as he did the tracks. He didn't leave anything to chance. - Wolf Stephenson, co-founder of Malaco, in Mix, 11-1-2002

Wardell was a professor. Even before you got to the studio, you were rehearsed for the studio.That meant that your timing [was down], you were pronouncing the words correctly and [he] made sure that your expression and acting of the song was done properly. . . If he said it was good, clock it. It was good. He was a very unique person. It would be like a genius at work. He was amazing. He's low key, but he's amazing. - James Youngblood of the Barons, from Malaco Records: The Last Soul Company, CD box set.

A highly efficient approach for sure, under the direction of a brilliant, gifted gentleman; yet, it obviously took the great talents of all to reproduce what he had in his head and create appealing final products that had the potential not only to be hits, but sometimes absolute classics.



"Some Kind Of Fool" (JB, CW, RW, RK)
The Barrons, Super Dome 501, ca 1973
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The dates of some Barons' records are hard to nail down; but I think this Super Dome single came after the Chimneyville records tanked, based on dates I could dig up for a few other singles on this Senator Jones label. By accident or intent, the record is credited to The Barrons, which makes it tricky to search for online. That extra 'r' spelling was continued when the single was leased to the Alithia label to try to generate some more national action. As far as I can tell, neither side made any impact at all locally or farther afield. Jones' right hand man, Raymond Jones (a/k/a Ray J) is credited as arranger; and the producers are mysteriously dubbed Dollars & Cents. Still, I have a strong feeling that Quezergue was involved at some level. For one thing, the principal songwriter on the track was Joe Broussard, who was an important part of Quezergue's production team, which, in essence, operated out of Broussard's home in New Orleans. Of course, the writers credits on this 45 are ridiculous, just initials - don't think I've ever seen that before. I had to go to the BMI database to pull out the names: Joseph Broussard, Carrol Washington, Ralph Williams, and Richard Caiton (RK?). Also, I think this multi-layered arrangement is just too intricate and funky not to have the Big Q touch, credited or not.

And, hoo boy, the highly percussive "Some Kind Of Fool" has got da fonk in spades (some pun intended) from bottom to top, starting with pounding congas and push-pull drum action. Bass and guitar notes percolate off each other, while the horns are inserted for rhythmic emphasis. The only straightly played instrument is the piano, well back in the mix. As with many Senator Jones financed sessions, the audio quality is a bit off and the band somewhat ragged, probably because not enough time was allowed to get things totally right. But they are right enough for a cookin' track. The players are unknown, as is the venue. If it was too early to have been cut at the new Sea-Saint Studios, it possibly could have been done in Baton Rouge. Lots of questions remain on this one. I'll keep digging to see if I can uncover any more. But, of course, you need know nothing at all about it to be a fool for this groove.

The Staple Singers Get A Joyride

During Jazzfest, I was fortunate to see an all too short tribute to Wardell Quezergue held on a small stage within the racetrack grandstands. He and several of his musical associates from over the years spoke about his background, career and admirable character. Joining him onstage were Sam Henry, Jr. (his longtime keyboard accompanist and fellow composer/arranger), the Dixie Cups (with whom he has worked off and on since their inception), Irma Thomas, and Cosimo Matassa (who singlehandedly engineered most of the music recorded in New Orleans from the late 1940s to the late 1960s). Musician and writer Ben Sandmel was the moderator and played, as reference points, excerpts of several of the more well-known records WQ worked on. Even someone knowing nothing about Quezergue had to come out of that presentation feeling that he was an all around class act personally and professionally.

In preparing this post on a well-known "outside" group that came to New Orleans to record at Sea-Saint Studios, I spoke with Danny Jones, who was one of the Sea-Saint recording engineers on those sessions (he says he mainly worked the vocal tracks and mixed) and many others during the late 1970s and early 1980s. I know Danny from Memphis, where he lived for many years, although he is now in Houston. Back when I did radio, I interviewed him at length about his days at Sea-Saint and just got the surface scuffed up a bit. He's also the guy who introduced me to Allen Toussaint at a NARAS seminar in Memphis, for which I am ever grateful. Anyway, Danny discovered HOTG by accident one day last year, left an informative comment on the Ramsey Lewis post I had up at the time, and got reconnected through email. So, I hope to share more of his thoughts and memories when I can. I think what he told me a few days ago about working with Wardell neatly sums up the feeling I got from his other friends and co-workers at that tribute. Here's the way Danny put it:

Wardell.....what can I say? One of the nicest, easy going producer/arrangers I've ever worked with. Absolutely knew what he was going after and knew how to convey it to everyone. He was always in command, but ruled with a calm politeness. Wardell was always a gentleman, a very talented gentleman. Everyone had a great deal of respect for him. I knew if I was booked on a session with Wardell it would be good session because it always was! Wardell is one of the reasons I still miss New Orleans!

Thanks, Danny. And thanks to Jazzfest for their little teach-in. Now let's get on to the music.



"Show Off The Real You" (Wayne Douglas, Jr - Eddie Thomas)
The Staple Singers, from Hold On To Your Dream, 20th Century-Fox, 1981

I came across this album in a used vinyl shop in Memphis some years back and, as many times happens, almost passed it over; but when I turned the cover over to check the credits, the first thing I saw was "Arranged and Conducted By Wardell Quezergue". Sold American. Icing it were the players supporting the always soulful Staple Singers: Sam Henry, Jr, on keyboards; George Porter, Jr. , bass; Vincent Bruce ('Weasel') McDonald, guitar, Theodore Riley (sic- this is an error - it's really Teddy Royal!), guitar; Bernard ('Bunchie') Johnson, drums; and Kenneth ('Afro') Williams, percussion. Though I didn't realize it until later, the first three players on that list were members of Porter's post-Meters band, Joyride, who were enjoying popularity in and around New Orleans at the time, though, unfortunately, they would soon break up.

To me, Hold On to Your Dream was not the best fit or showcase for the Staples clan, but that's not really Quezergue's fault. It's the material - weighed down by too many not so great songs, some of which are lengthy ballads. It's certainly a few steps removed from their days with Stax and, later, working with Curtis Mayfield. And, although it was recorded in New Orleans, the producer geared it to be a slick commercial product for a general national market, allowing no telling clues in its sound or spirit as to where it was made. Still, Quezergue and band manage to bring some funk to the party. "Show Off The Real You", featuring the ever-appealing, earthy voice of Mavis Staples, has a groove that won't quit and shows how much Quezergue could accomplish with a simple, syncopated interplay of parts. It's not just where he puts the instruments, but also where he doesn't put them that make this little precision piece tick. The song is not much more than a few repeated riffs with some vague self-affirming lyrics on top; but Quezergue's arrangement and Mavis' vocal manage to make to make it enticingly more than the sum of parts and an enjoyable way to spend nearly four minutes of one's terrestrial existence. As with many such dance-oriented tracks of the disco and post-disco eras, the drums play it more or less straight; but the arrangment has the vocal and other instruments rhythmically and harmonically playing nicely off each other. Bunchie Johnson keeps the groove in the pocket and manages to get in some finessed licks, especially towards the fade; but this is really Porter's ride, as the entire song is built around that main moving bass riff he plays so well. [Note: Sam Henry told me that David Barrard played on some of the tracks on this album - but he is not credited in the liner notes, so I cannot verify that, or know which ones.]

I guess there are several reasons I picked this number. While it may have been just another day at the studio for the hardworking arranger, I think Quezergue's effective, uncluttered contributions show off well here. You'll note there are no horns on this track - and he's always good with them, too. But I just dig this cut a bit more more than the others that have horn charts. Then there's the Joyride factor. I don't think I have any other records that have Porter, Henry and McDonald together backing a non-New Orleans, major label group. This album definitely got lost in the Eighties shuffle and is not heard much. If you can find a copy cheap, it's worth getting for several of the performances, including two fairly funked up ones written by the great George Jackson. Oh, yeah, it's well-engineered,too! Gotta give some props to the men at the board, Danny Jones and Skip Godwin on this one.

Funky To A Fault

Back before funk music had a name, creative New Orleans drummers of the 1950s and early 1960s such as Earl Palmer, Hungry Williams, and Smokey Johnson (among others) incorporated elements of the strutting, syncopated Second Line street parade rhythmic patterns into their style of playing, mixing in elements of Caribbean or Latin at times, as well as other change-ups, and reshaped the landscape of 20th century drumming. Their approaches influenced other first rate drummers far and wide, including a succession of those employed by James Brown. Brown took those layered, poly-rhythmic concepts and used them to orchestrate his entire band to play his lean, mean groove machines, engendering an intense, new, wide-open school of music in the process. But, HOTG drummers were and still are direct, vital links to the deep cultural roots of the improvisational, complexly percussive, dance-oriented mode of musical expression we came to call funk.

Thus, I really couldn't do my multi-part feature on Wardell Quezergue without bringing up Joseph 'Smokey' Johnson. If you search HOTG for references to this outstanding drummer, you'll find many, as his grooves are the foundation of many a track I've posted; but, until now, I haven't focused on any of Smokey's recordings as featured astist. So, let's remedy that with two of his singles for the Nola label. Both are collaborations with producer/arranger Quezergue, who used him frequently on sessions. Several years earlier in 1961, Johnson and Quezergue had worked together on the session for Earl King's proto-funk classic, "Trick Bag", produced by Dave Bartholomew; and, around that time, Bartholomew also used Johnson for Snooks Eaglin's Imperial sessions. Soon thereafter, the drummer went with Quezergue, promoter Joe Jones, and several other New Orleans artists (including Johnny Adams and Earl King) to audition for Motown in Detroit, where they recorded numerous demo sessions. Earl King once remarked that at least part of the reason why they got in the door was Motown's fascination with Smokey Johnson, who could do more on a trap set by himself than any two of the label's session drummers. Although Barry Gordy ended up not signing any of the New Orleans artists, he wanted to keep Johnson on staff. So, Smokey stayed in Detroit for a couple of months, before deciding to return home; but his influence on the Motown sound was profound, as the other drummers studied his techniques, incorporating them into countless hit sessions. In 1963 and 1964, Bartholomew enlisted Johnson for his last two Imperial big band albums, giving him the spotlight on the tune, "Portrait Of A Drummer", from New Orleans House Party (which I've got to post some day). This was also the period when Nola Records was formed in New Orleans. Quezergue was a partner in the label as well as principal producer/arranger. It wasn't long before he gave his frequent session drummer some solo shots; and the two wound up writing and recording what has become a New Orleans standard.


"It Ain't My Fault PT 1" (Quezergue & Johnson)
Smokey Johnson, Nola 706, 1964

"It Ain't My Fault PT 2"

Those of you who appreciate a bit of subtlety should be especially drawn to "It Ain't My Fault", which does not have to hit anybody over the head with its beats to get them involved. Deftly arranged, it is a fascinating early example of both Johnson and Quezergue incorporating Second Line syncopation into pop music. The arranger's device of starting off with just the drummer's relaxed but intricate percussive work (plus somebody hitting what sounds like a glass bottle) quickly pulls us into the song, even before the simple musical hook, played by just the guitar and piano, ensnares us. George Davis runs the guitar riffs on the first side with that recognizable style made famous several years later on Robert Parker's "Barefootin'", yet another Quezergue production. On Part 2, the horn section kicks in; and a bobbing and weaving soprano sax (James Rivers?) joins the party. While the lighthearted, hard to resist "It Ain't My Fault" was enjoyed locally. it did not have a national impactat the time; but it set the stage for many more uniquely funked up grooves to follow, and over time has become a Mardi Gras favorite and a part of the brass band repertoire.


"I Can't Help It - Part I" (J. Johnson - W. Quezergue)
Smokey Johnson, Nola 720, 1966

"I Can't Help It - Part II"

Speaking of "Barefootin'", this funky two-sider was released just prior to Parker's Nola classic (#721). It's hard to say which was recorded first, because "Barefootin'" came out almost a year, I think, after it was recorded. But George Davis' agile, in the pocket guitar work again is easy to spot. "I Can't Help It" was the third of Johnson's six singles * on Nola, and is remarkably similar in style to "It Ain't My Fault". This time, it's the kick drum and tom-toms that carry the attack, rather than the lighter hi-hat work on the earlier number. The entire groove is kind of a backwards/inverted version of what he played on "Fault", having a herky-jerky, bouncing feel that, while interesting, seems less danceable. Still, it's great to hear a top notch drummer allowed to play around with the beat so freely on a pop release. That freedom to deconstruct and reassemble beats for new kinds of grooves became the hallmark of funk, which has no set patterns. Johnson's chops and versaility greatly influenced some of his young drumming students back in the day, such as Leo Morris (a/k/a Idris Muhammad) and future Meter, Joseph Modeliste (a/k/a Zigaboo). Hey, I'd have to say that funk is at least partly Smokey's fault! He just couldn't help but express the rhythms interwoven into the life and culture of his hometown.

* Smokey's Nola plus other 1960s sides and more are available on the Night Train/Tuff City CD or LP It Ain't My Fault. You can read a review of it here.

Having A Double Blast

I think both sides of this single, produced and arranged by Wardell Quezergue, deserve hearing, even though the featured singer is not from New Orleans, and may not have even recorded there. But he did have at least one other earlier connection to the city's music scene.



"Two Time One Is Two" (Frederick Knight - Aaron Varnell)
C. L. Blast, Crestown 1000, ca 1970

"Love Is Good" (Albert Savoy - Wardell Quezergue)
C. L. Blast, Crestown 1000, ca 1970

I've read that vocalist C. L. Blast was originally from Birmingham, Alabama, where he came into the world as Clarence Lewis, Jr. By 1954, he was in New York recording for Bobby Robinson's Red Robin label as Clarence 'Junior' Lewis, with one single issued in 1955. In 1960, he cut at least three more singles for Robinson's Fury label, using his given name on one and Little Junior Lewis for the other two. He also did some songwriting and possibly production/engineering work for Robinson's operations in that period. And therein lies the New Orleans link. He shares co-writer credit with Lee Dorsey and Robinson on Lee's first giant Fury hit, "Ya Ya" from 1961. I do not know the extent of their collaboration or exactly why Lewis' name is on the record, as Robinson claims that when he came to town to record Dorsey, they got together and wrote the song in a New Orleans bar. Interestingly, Lewis also has writing credits on some other major Fury/Fire tunes of the era, including Elmore James' blues classic, "The Sky Is Crying", Buster Brown's "Fannie Mae", and the Don Gardner/Dee Dee Ford raver, "I Need Your Lovin'". Once he separated from Robinson, Lewis recorded for Columbia, Scepter, and MGM in the first half of the decade. But his recording career did not make much noise, even though he was blessed with a strong, soulful voice.

Lewis reappeared in 1967 as C. L. Blast on a single released both on Stax and, for some reason, on its subsidiary, Hip, too; but his association with either of the Memphis, TN labels went no further. Those sides appeared on the Stax CD box set reissue series some years back and were my first introduction to the singer. Around 1970, Blast made a few records under the direction of Wardell Quezergue. As well as the sides I'm featuring, they were "Everybody Just Don't Know What Love Is" b/w "Got To Find Someone" * on Pelican and "What Can I Do" b/w "I'm In A Daze" ** for United Artists. Though all good soul records, none of them hit pay-dirt; and Blast kept moving through the rest of the Seventies and early Eighties, recording for the Clintone, Juana, Cotillion and Park Place labels, never getting the attention that his rich vocal talents deserved. From looking at his BMI songwriting credits, I believe that later in life he took up gospel music.

I first heard "Two Time One Is Two" and "Love Is Good" on the Funky Delicacies compilation, Wardell Quezergue's Funky Funky New Orleans and put them on my list. It took some searching, but I finally found this near mint siingle, which sounds a bit better than the vinyl source used on that CD. The Crestown imprint seems to have been a one-shot deal, as I can find no other listings for it. At the time, Quezergue was calling his operation Pelican Productions, which put out this 45 and had an associated label, Pelican Records, as well. Pelican released a few more singles, including the one by Blast mentioned earlier; but no commercial rewards were forthcoming from any of them.

The producer began to do a lot of work at and with the fledgling Malaco Studios in Jackson, MS in 1970, most notably bringing Jean Knight and King Floyd there to record and producing their first smash hits. I would guess that his main impetus for the change of venue out of New Orleans was the demise of Cosimo Matassa's Jazz City studio, which severely impacted sessions in the city for several years. I bring this up because I am not sure where Quezergue recorded C. L. Blast. From the general date of the recordings, l'd guess they are Malaco sessions. Although the arrangements are not as stripped down and genuinely funky as the early Floyd and Knight sessions, they are good examples of Quezergue going for a more uptown, orchestrated soul arrangement and Blast delivering the goods vocally. While you can hear some tinges of funk within these tracks, there is nothing about them that would overtly tip you to an HOTG connection; and this was likely Quezergue's goal, attempting to appeal to a wider, more mainstream soul audience. The fact that this single has languished for over 30 years in relative obscurity goes to show that he failed to achieve that objective. Still, he helped to make a damn fine record. The music business is littered with talented artists, good intentions, and great records that went absolutely nowhere. Luck of the draw. Let's just be glad some of them still turn up now and again for our time-shifted enjoyment.

* Also available on Wardell Quezergues's Funky Funky New Orleans.
** Available on Sixty Smokin' Soul Senders

See ya next week, after the next round of festing. . . .

A Pause for Festing.....

The sound you don't hear is me heading off for the first weekend of Jazzfest in New Orleans, leaving behind my posting duties until next week. I'll have another rare cut that invovled Wardell Quezergue then, followed by a second weekend at the festival, and several more gems in the WQ series after that.

Hope you'll be festing, too, if not in New Orleans, then somewhere. Me, I'm really ready for my softshell crab poboy and three solid days (and a couple of nights) of music overload and inspiration. Catch ya on the flip side.......

Quezergue Onstage and Behind The Scenes

From left, Quezergue, Sam Henry, Charlie Moore, Tony Owens, and unidentified band members at the 2007 French Quarter Festival

Going to the final day of the French Quarter Festival in New Orleans last weekend inspired me to do a series of posts on some more records that Wardell Quezergue had a hand in birthing. Sunday afternoon, I got to see the fine band that he put together for the festival and was directing from a chair on stage left. We got there after the start of the set; and they were cooking on a jazz/funk instrumental. When that ended, singer Tony Owens came to the stage and let loose with a string of outstanding vocal performances on some of the tunes that he had recorded back in the 1970s and some classic blues and soul. After that rare treat, Al Johnson got up and sang his local seasonal standard, "Carnival Time". He had us all thinking it was Mardi Gras again.Though obviously not in the best of health, Quezergue led the band with enthusiasm and class, impressing everybody with his arranging talents as expressed through his band of seasoned players. There on the riverside, I had another one of those overwhelming experiences, hearing New Orleans music directly from musicians who have given so much to their local culture and to the world, and are still at it - and all over it. There are those of you who know from experience what I'm talking about. For those who don't, you simply must hear New Orleans music live sometime. Recordings are, at best, artificial constructs only able to hint (if we're lucky) at the magic of a live performance. No matter how many you buy or listen to, you're still far removed from the real deal. Of course, many of the real deals are no longer with us; but its the ones still kickin' I'm talking about.

The sermon being over, let's kick off the musical portion of the service with something from late in Quezergue's association with Malaco Records in Jackson, Mississippi. The label really owes much of its existence to the talented artists and great songs he brought to the studio from New Orleans early on that helped them get off the ground with some substantial hits and quality production work that influence their musical direction for many years.



"E-Ni-Me-Ni-Mi-Ni-Mo" (Small-Quezergue-Royal)
Elliott Small, Malaco 1031, 1976
LISTEN

"E-Ni-Me-Ni-Mi-Ni-Mo (Part 2)"
LISTEN

Here's some fine mid-70's garden variety funk groove from Malaco Studios, deftly arranged by Wardell Quezergue. Musical similarities abound to the sound of the performer Quezergue had worked with the most at Malaco, King Floyd; and it certainly seems to be no accident. Floyd and Quezergue had a falling out one or two years prior to this and no longer worked together. As I have mentioned in previous posts on Floyd, Malaco was having increasing difficulty with the singer due to his erractic, demanding behavior - and lack of hits. The label seems to have wanted to make a King Floyd record without having to deal with the man himself, using the same arranger and musicians, their extremely proficient house band, with James Stroud on the drumming throne. The featured singer, Elliott Small (a/k/a Elliot Small) even affects some of Floyd's vocal mannerisms, too; but the unique harmonical solo on Part 2 is all his own. None of that helped get this record airplay and sales, though; and the effort became just another recording footnote, although one that you can shake your booty to. Could have been worse!

I don't really know why Small gets the producing credit for this one (see label). Maybe he came to Malaco with the concept already in mind, then co-wrote the tune with Quezergue and guitarist Teddy Royal for the session. Or maybe Small approached Quezergue first, since they had worked together before. In any case, I'm guessing the nursery rhyme lyrics were Small's doing, while Royal composed the backing track; and Quezergue finished up with the horn charts and general arrangement. That is based on my extensive talks with Royal and his discussions of how the arranger called on him to come up with melodies and basic grooves when they collaborated. I would also assume that Teddy is playing one of the guitar parts on the track. I'll have to ask him about that.

I must confess that in the year and a half since I posted Elliott Small's earlier, much different collaboration with Quezergue, "Girls Are Made For Lovin'" (note: audio re-activated while this post is hot), I haven't learned much more about the singer/songwriter, even after several phone conversations and meeting him. Shortly after that post, I was contacted by friends of Elliott who live outside of Baton Rogue and had taken him in after Katrina. They had found my piece on him and wanted me to know where he was. When he finally moved back to New Orleans, they gave me his cell phone number; and I talked to him several times. He confirmed that, as I had discovered in my research, for a number of years he has been one of the regular street performers in the French Quarter, where he goes by the name of 'Grandpa', playing harmonica and singing. At the time of Katrina, he was partnered with blues performer Stoney B; and they had played at least one gig at a music festival. But it seems they were separated by the storm. Anyway, Elliott was much more interested in me helping him try to get a gig than in talking about the past and his record-making days. So, I gave him the number of a guy I know who used to book blues acts and, I thought, might be able to help; but I don't think they ever connected. The last time I spoke with Elliott he was back performing on the street; and I introduced myself to him between songs, as he was playing tunes with two women outside Cafe Du Monde. I'm not sure he even knew who I was. Next time I see him though, I'm going to drop a goodly amount in the kitty and request "E-Ni-Me-Ni-Mi-Ni-Mo".

The A-side of this single, plus a number of other Quezergue productions can be heard on the box set Malaco retrospective The Last Soul Company.