Tag Archives: California Soul

Marlena Shaw: The Spice Of Life

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In November 1969, “Cadet” label released “The Spice of Life”, the second Marlena Shaw studio album. It was recorded February – July 1969, at “Ter Mar Studios” in Chicago, Illinois, and was produced by Richard Evans and Charles Stepney.

Personnel:

  • Marlena Shaw – vocal
  • Richard Evans – arrangements
  • Charles Stepney – arrangements
  • Stu Black – engineer
  • Dave Purple – engineer
  • Jerry Griffin – design
  • Bob Crawford – photography
  • Bobby Miller – album supervision
  • Loonis McGlohon – liner notes
  • Ken Druker – executive producer

Track listing:

  1. Woman of the Ghetto – Bobby Miller, Marlena Shaw, Richard Evans
  2. Call it Stormy Monday – T-Bone Walker
  3. Where Can I Go? – Leo Fuld, Sigment Berland, Sonny Miller
  4. I’m Satisfied – Morris Dollison
  5. I Wish I Knew (How It Would Feel To Be Free) – Billy Taylor, Dick Dallas
  6. Liberation Conversation – Bobby Miller, Marlena Shaw
  7. California Soul – Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
  8. Go Away Little Boy – Gerry Goffin, Carole King
  9. Looking Through the Eyes of Love – Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil
  10. Anyone Can Move a Mountain – Johnny Marks

Edwin Starr: War & Peace

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On August 7, 1970, “Motown” label released “War & Peace”, the second Edwin Starr studio album. It was recorded in 1970, and was produced by Edwin Star, Johnny Bristol, Harvey Fuqua, Henry Cosby, Norman Whitfield and Ivy Joe Hunter.

Personnel:

  • Edwin Starr – vocal
  • David De Pitte, Henry Cosby, Paul Riser, Wade Marcus, Willie Shorter – arrangements
  • Curtis McNair – art direction, design
  • Jim Hendin – photography
  • Tom Schlesinger – graphic supervision

Track listing:

  1. War – Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong
  2. Running Back and Forth – Richard “Popcorn” Wylie, Edwin Starr
  3. Adios Senorita – Sylvia Moy, Henry Cosby
  4. All Around the World – Tina Turner
  5. I Can’t Escape Your Memory – Ivy Hunter, Jack Alan Goga
  6. At Last (I Found Love) – Elgie Stover, Anna Gordy Gaye, Marvin Gaye
  7. I Just Wanted to Cry – Johnny Bristol, Edwin Starr
  8. Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head – Burt Bacharach, Hal David
  9. Time – Richard “Popcorn” Wylie, Edwin Starr
  10. California Soul – Nick Ashford, Valerie Simpson
  11. I Can’t Replace My Old Love – Harvey Fugua, Arthur Scott, Vernon Williams
  12. She Should Have Been Home – Johnny Bristol, Doris McNeil

The Miracles: Four In Blue

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On November 3, 1969, “Motown” label released “Four in Blue”, album by The Miracles. It was recorded in 1969, at “Hitsville USA” in Detroit, and was produced by Smokey Robinson.

Personnel:

  • Smokey Robinson – lead vocals
  • Claudette Robinson – backing vocals
  • Pete Moore – backing vocals
  • Bobby Rogers – backing vocals
  • Ronnie White – backing vocals
  • Marv Tarplin – guitar

Track listing:

  1. You Send Me (With Your Good Lovin’) – Al Cleveland, Terry “Buzzy” Johnson, Smokey Robinson
  2. Dreams Dreams – Smokey Robinson, Al Cleveland
  3. Tomorrow Is Another Day – Deke Richards, Beatrice Verdi
  4. Hey Jude – John Lennon, Paul McCartney
  5. California Soul – Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
  6. A Legend in Its Own Time – Smokey Robinson
  7. You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ – Barry Mann, Phil Spector, Cynthia Weil
  8. We Can Make It We Can – Nikolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
  9. When Nobody Cares – Smokey Robinson
  10. Don’t Say You Love Me – Richard Morris
  11. Wish I Knew – Debbie Dean, Deke Richards
  12. My World Is Empty Without You – Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland

The Undis Puted Truth: Same

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In July 1971, “Gordy” label released the self-titled, debut Undisputed Truth (The) studio album. It was recorded in 1971, and was produced by Norman Whitfield.

Personnel:

  • Joe “Pep” Harris – lead vocal
  • Billie Rae Calvin – lead and backing vocals
  • Brenda Joyce Evans – lead and backing vocals
  • Paul Riser – arrangements
  • Dave Van DePitte – arrangements, conductor
  • Curtis McNair – art direction
  • Norman Whitfield – design concept 
  • Jim Hendin – photography
  • Jay Butler – liner notes
  • Scottie Regen – liner notes

Track listing;

  1. You Got The Love I Need – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield
  2. Save My Love for A Rainy Day – Norman Whitfield, Roger Penzabene
  3. California Soul – Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
  4. Aquarius – Galt MacDermot, Gerome Ragni, James Rado
  5. Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World is Today) – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield
  6. Smiling Faces Sometimes – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield
  7. We’ve Got a Way Out Love – Holland-Dozier-Holland
  8. Since I’ve Lost You – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield
  9. Ain’t No Sun Since You’ve Been Gone – Cornelius Grant, Norman Whitfield, Sylvia Moy
  10. I Heard It Through the Grapevine – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield
  11. Like a Rolling Stone – Bob Dylan 

5th Dimensions: Stoned Soul Picnic

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In August 1968, “Soul City” label released “Stoned Soul Picnic”, the third  5th Dimension album. It was recorded March – June 1968, at “United/Western Recorders” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Bones Howe.

Personnel:

  • Billy Davis, Jr. – vocals
  • Florence LaRue – vocals
  • Marilyn McCoo – vocals
  • Lamonte McLemore – vocals
  • Ron Townson – vocals
  • Mike Deasy- acoustic and electric guitar
  • Tommy Tedesco- acoustic and electric guitar
  • Larry Bunker- marimba, bells, vibraphone, temple blocks, percussion
  • Larry Knechtel, Jimmy Rowles- piano, organ, keyboard
  • Ray Pohlman- guitar, “super-twang” bass
  • Joe Osborn- bass
  • Hal Blaine- drums, percussion
  • The Sid Sharp Strings – string Section
  • The Bill Holman Brass – horn Section
  • Bill Hilman – horns and strings arrangements
  • Bob Alcivar – vocal arrangements
  • Bones Howe – music arrangements
  • Ray Pohlman – music arrangements
  • Captain Nemo (Michael Shields), Bones Howe, Alex Kazanegras, Phil Ramone, Joe Sidore, Sol Weiss, Winston Wong, Mary Wood – engineer
  • Elliot Federman – mastering
  • Arlessa Barnes, Glenn Delgado, Christina DeSimone, Robin Diamond, Karyn Friedland, Felicia Gearhart, Marc Gordon, Laura Gregory, Jeremy Holiday, Robin Manning, Brooke Nochomson, Ed Osborne, Larry Parra, Dana Renert, Steve Strauss – project coordinator
  • Mandana Eidgah – product manager
  • Bones Howe, Tom Tierney, Russ Wapensky – production assistant
  • Hal Blaine – orchestra manager
  • René DeKnight – music director
  • Ray Pohlman – vocals coach
  • Johnny Rivers – realization
  • Woody Woodward – art direction
  • Wayne Kimbell – design
  • Rob Santos – photography
  • Mike Ragogna – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. Sweet Blindness – Laura Nyro
  2. It’ll Never Be the Same Again – Jeff Comanor
  3. The Sailboat Song – Jeff Comanor
  4. It’s a Great Life – Denny McReynolds, Karen O’Hara
  5. Stoned Soul Picnic – Laura Nyro
  6. California Soul – Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
  7. Lovin’ Stew – Jules Alexander, Jeff Comanor
  8. Broken Wing Bird – Bob Alcivar, Kellie McKinney
  9. Good News – Dick Addrisi, Don Addrisi
  10. Bobbie’s Blues (Who Do You Think of?) – Jeff Comanor
  11. The Eleventh Song (What a Groovy Day!) – Jimmy Webb