Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Funky Blues Tuesday

Buddy Conner - Half Way Loving

Today's "Tuesday Is Blues Day" feature is this tasty piece of blues-based funk which saw release on Fantasy's Early Bird label, a subsidiary of the under-heralded Galaxy imprint. Fortunately, the fine folks at Ace Records in the UK have started to dive into the Fantasy/Galaxy catalogue and have put out four great comps of material. (The sale of Fantasy Records, which includes the post-1968 Stax catalogue, to Concord Records may preclude further reissues by Ace of Galaxy and Stax material. Hopefully, Concord will keep the reissue flame alive, either on their own or with a company like Ace or, as the rumor mill has it, pop star and Memphis native Justin Timberlake, who reportedly has designs on buying Stax Records. I emphasize that the latter is only a rumor.)

I don't know anything about Buddy Connor, and the only recordings of his I have heard are today's selection and the Northern Soul-oriented "When You're Alone"; I do know, however, that "Half Way Loving" is a true cooker. Over some hard drums, heavy organ and solid horns, Connor sings the blues with gusto. You can't help but get down to this!

(EDITOR'S NOTE - While my podcast is still in development, check out Halfbreedhalf's "Love Uprising" set, full of nice '70s stuff!)

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