Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters
1,990 E-Pages of In-Depth Information
Over 260 Reviews from the discs themselves...
Featuring the 1970 US LP "A Gasssss" on Soul Records (USA)
And Tamla Motown Records (UK)
"...Groove Thang..."
And Tamla Motown Records (UK)
"...Groove Thang..."
The big sell here for Saxophone and Soul Instrumental fans is the official reissue (for the first time) of six Motown albums covering Jr. Walker's primo period at the Home of Young America – 1970 to 1976 - issued on Gordy's Soul Records label imprint Stateside and on Tamla Motown in the UK (one of them from 1974 only available in Blighty).
And it has to be said that SoulMusic Records of the UK (part of Cherry Red) has done a very sweet job with this 2019 reissue (and at an affordable price too). There's a walk-in wardrobe-full of detail to wade through, so let's have ourselves an all-star gas and groove thang (if you catch my drift)…
UK released Friday, 24 May 2019 - "Walk In The Night: The Motown 0s Studio Albums" by Jr. WALKER and THE ALL STARS on SoulMusic Records SMCR5183BX (Barcode 5013929088337) is a Clamshell Box Set featuring Six Albums Remastered onto 3CDs (with booklet) that plays out as follows:
Jr. WALKER and THE ALL STARS - SIX ALBUMS:
Disc 1 (74:43 minutes):
1. Do You See My Love (For You Growing) [Side 1]
2. And When I Die
3. I Was Made To Love Her
4. Carry Your Own Load
5. Shut Up, Don't Interrupt Me
6. Groove And Move
7. Holly Holy [Side 2]
8. Honey Come Back
9. Riding High On Love
10. Hey Jude
11. At A Saturday Matinee
Tracks 1 to 11 are his ninth album "A Gasssss" - released October 1970 in the USA on Soul Records SS 726 and November 1970 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 11167. Produced by JOHNNY BRISTOL - it peaked at No. 28 on the US R&B LP charts (none of Walker's albums charted in the UK top 50)
12. Way Back Home - Instrumental [Side 1]
13. Take Me Girl, I'm Ready
14. Feeling Alright
15. Right On Brothers And Sisters
16. Teach Them To Pray
17. Something [Side 2]
18. Psychedelic Shack
19. Pieces Of A Man
20. These Things Will Keep Me Loving You
Tracks 12 to 20 are his tenth album "Rainbow Funk" - released July 1971 in the USA on Soul Records SS 732L and February 1972 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 11198. Produced by JOHNNY BRISTOL - it peaked at No. 12 on the US R&B LP charts
Disc 2 (72:16 minutes):
1. Way Back Home - Vocal [Side 1]
2. I Don't Want To Do Wrong
3. Bristol's Way
4. Don't Blame The Children
5. Me And My Family
6. Groove Thang
7. Still Water Medley
8. Never Can Say Goodbye
9. Walk In The Night
10. Moody Junior
Tracks 1 to 10 are his eleventh album "Moody Jr." - released January 1972 in the USA on Soul Records SS 733L and August 1972 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 11211. Produced by JOHNNY BRISTOL - it peaked at No. 22 on the US R&B LP charts
11. I Ain't Going Nowhere [Side 1]
12. I Don't Need No Reason
13. It's Alright, Do What You Gotta Do
14. It's Too Late
15. Soul Clappin'
16. I Can See Clearly Now [Side 2]
17. Gimme That Beat (Part 1)
18. Gimme That Beat (Part 2)
19. Country Boy
20. Peace And Understanding (Is Hard To Find)
Tracks 11 to 20 are his twelfth album "Peace And Understanding Is Hard To Find" - released May 1973 in the USA on Soul Records S S38L and July 1973 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 11234 (it peaked at No. 47 on the US R&B LP charts)
Disc 3 (78:35 minutes):
1. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life [Side 1]
2. All In Love Is Fair
3. Killing Me Softly With This Song
4. My Love
5. Boogie Down [Side 2]
6. I Ain't That Easy To Lose
7. Dancin' Like They Do On Soul Train
8. Break Down And Sing
9. Until You Come Back To Me (That's What I Gonna Do)
Tracks 1 to 9 are his thirteenth album "Jr. Walker & The All Stars" - recorded in 1974, it was released July 1975 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 11274 (no US issue)
10. I'm So Glad [Side 1]
11. Why Can't We Be Lovers
12. You Ain't No Ordinary Woman
13. Just Can't Get Enough
14. Love (Keep Us Together) [Side 2]
15. I Need You Right Now
16. Probe Your Mind
17. Don't Lose What You Got (Trying To Get Back What You Had)
18. Hot Shot
Tracks 10 to 18 are his fourteenth album "Hot Shot" - released February 1976 in the USA on Soul Records S6-745S1 and March 1976 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 12018 (it peaked at No. 45 on the US R&B LP charts)
Jr. WALKER and THE ALL STARS - SINGLES:
1. Do You See My Love (For You Growing) [Edit] b/w Groove And Move
17 June 1970 US 7" single on Soul S 35073
25 September 1970 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 750
2. Holly Holy b/w Carry Your Own Load
24 November 1970 US 7" single on Soul S 35081 [A-side is a Neil Diamond cover]
21 September 1973 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 872
(UK single used the 1973 song "Peace And Understanding Is Hard To Find" as its B-side with the 1970 song on the A)
3. Take Me Girl, I'm Ready b/w Right On Brothers And Sisters
8 July 1971 US 7" single on Soul S 35084F
12 January 1973 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 840 with "I Don't Want To Do No Wrong" on the B-side
4. Way Back Home (Vocal) b/w Way Back Home (Instrumental)
4 November 1971 US 7" single on Soul S 35090F
1 June 1973 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 857 (some UK copies have "Country Boy" as an extra track on the B)
5. Walk In The Night b/w I Don't Want To Do No Wrong
29 February 1972 US 7" single on Soul S 35095F
21 July 1972 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 824
(UK issues have "Right On Brothers And Sisters" and "Gotta Hold On To This Feeling" as its B-sides
6. Groove Thang b/w Me And My Family
June 1972 US 7" single on Soul S 35097F
7. Gimme That Beat (Part 1) b/w Gimme That Beat (Part 2)
11 January 1973 US 7" single on Soul S 35104F
8. I Don't Need No Reason b/w Country Boy
1 May 1973 US 7" single on Soul S 35106F
9. Peace And Understanding Is Hard To Find b/w Soul Clappin'
3 July 1973 US 7" single on Soul S 35108F
(for UK issue of "Peace And Understanding..." see "Holly Holy" entry from 1970)
10. Don't Blame The Children b/w Soul Clappin'
1 February 1974 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 889
11. Gotta Hold On To This Feeling b/w I Ain't Going Nowhere
19 April 1974 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 894
12. Dancing Like They Do On Soul Train b/w I Ain't That Easy To Lose
9 May 1974 US 7" single on Soul S 35110F
13. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life b/w Until You Come Back (That's What I Gonna Do) - UNRELEASED
July 1974 US 7" single on Soul S 35114S - UNRELEASED
14. What Does It Take To Win Your Love b/w Country Boy
May 1975 US 7" single on Motown M 1352F
24 October 1980 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 962
(UK B-side is Take Me Girl, I'm Ready)
15. I'm So Glad b/w Soul Clappin'
5 January 1976 US 7" single on Soul S 35116F
23 April 1976 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 1027
(UK B-side was "Dancin' Like They Do On Soul Train"
16. You Ain't No Ordinary Woman b/w Hot Shot
27 May 1976 US 7" single on Soul S 35118F
17. I Ain't Going Nowhere b/w B1. What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)? B2. Take Me Girl, I'm Ready
6 May 1977 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 1070
18. Walk In The Night b/w I Need You Right Now
1 September 1978 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 1118
(B-side is Jr. Walker with Thelma Houston)
The card-sleeves cleverly double-up the albums so the CD cover features the front sleeves and A-sides of both LPs – the rear CD card sleeve has Side 2 of each and their rear album artwork. The 24-page booklet boasts seriously in-depth liner notes from SHARON DAVIS as well as page after page of 45 labels and foreign picture sleeves peppering the text. There are track-by-track credits that mention American 45 issues where relevant and other reissue credits. NICK ROBBINS of Ace Records fame handled the remasters and they sound great – very punchy – the rhythm sections kicking your speaker cones with bad intent. As this is a Studio Albums set, his first LP of the Seventies from May 1970 "…Live" is not included and although the single "What Does It Take To Win Your Love" is not in this box, I’ve included it because the B-side is. Let’s get to the music…
The multiple-times 's' Gas LP opens with a total winner "Do You See My Love (For You Growing)" penned by the mighty dancing duo of Johnny Bristol and Jacky Beavers - Juniors well-underrated lead vocal sending its joyous dancer groove to No. 3 on the US R&B charts (what you get here is the Stereo LP cut - the mono single version is only on "The Complete Motown Singles Volume 10: 1970" book pack from 2008). Not so sure about Neil Diamond's "Holly Holy" or The Beatles "Hey Jude" but his take on Laura Nyro's "And When I Die" shows a smart head. But my poison is the instrumental sax-strutter "Groove And Move" followed quickly by the old-time Motown do-do Northern Soul vibe of "Riding High On Love" (a co-write with Edwin Starr).
Penned by Wilton Felder of The Crusaders - the second LP's irrepressibly catchy "Way Back Home" turns in both Instrumental and Vocal form on this set - the first being closest to that Jazz-Funk sound we're used to - the ladies cleverly harmonizing all the way to the close with "...way back home..." refrains. Gladys Knight would have a hand in the lyrics to the vocal take of "Way Back Home" on the third LP in this set "Moody Jr.". You can so here why Tamla UK used "Take Me Girl, I'm Ready" on so many single-sides - its lovely shuffling rhythms and Walker vocal being like honey to Northern Soul bees. And once again the fabulous Dave Mason classic he did for Traffic "Feeling Alright" gets another cover though I'd personally reach for the wah-wah geetars of The Temps' "Psychedelic Shack" where Junior manics up the Funk pace to clever effect before his 'do your thang' vocal comes in.
Highlights for "Moody Jr." album include the 'I just can't help myself' girly smooch of "I Don't Want To Do No Wrong", the hard Funk pump behind "Groove Thang" and the almost Blaxploitation feel to "Walk In The Night" as it Barry White's its groovy posterior across your mind's movie screen. Walker once again upbeats his Soul to chart-winning effect with "I Ain't Going Nowhere" - a dancer with gravel vocals and his trademark saxophone dancing over the top. Carole King's magisterial "Tapestry" took 1971 by storm and its hardly surprising that many Soul and Rock acts leaped on the inherent Soulfulness inside one of its Grammy winners "It's Too Late" - Walker giving it a dirty shame vocal before he assures us there'll be good times once again for me and you. We get a wee bit JB with the two-part Funk of "Gimme That Beat" where he asks y’all to have a ball (ok junior) - but for my money the Willie Hutch tune "It's Alright, Do What you Gotta Do" is far better than the promise of musical greatness in the title song "Peace And Understanding…" The last two records simply deliver more of the same…
Not everything on here is Aretha or Marvin or Donny H magical – and Walker could be accused of hacking the same sound over and over again – but within these six long forgotten platters are nuggets I’ve so enjoyed rediscovering and that’s a tip-top recommendation in my patch…
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