Saturday, July 29, 2006

Chicago Soul Writer's Block Solutions

Major Lance - Follow The Leader

I apologize for not doing part of the "Soul Blues" series today, but I'm just a little too tired to look stuff up and give a good write-up of my next planned selection for that series. Fortunately, there is always a good solution to any problem, and today that solution is Major Lance.

Major Lance's string of '60s R&B smashes (some of which, most notably "The Monkey Time," did well in the pop market as well) for OKeh would cement the Chicago soul singe in the annals of fame, but many of his subsequent recordings of the later '60s and the '70s for Dakar, Volt, Curtom and other labels are definitely worth checking out. I was hipped to this tasty Dakar 45 by Brian Phillips, who included it on the most recent episode of his "The Electrophonic Sounds" show (click the "Rockin' Radio" link at the right and check out this great show), and while joining Phillips at a recent record fair I was able to score a copy. The Brunswick/Dakar sound is in full flower here, and Lance rides the surging groove well. Thanks Brian!

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