Omnivoire Recordings: Get Right - The Ru-Jac Records Story, Volume Two: 1964-1966 - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Get Right - The Ru_Jac Records Story, Volume Two: 1964-1966 and it's really super. Opening with Brenda Jones on It Must Be Love, we hear classic R&B with solid vocals and tight horn backing. On So Alone, Jones takes strong command of this super melody and orchestration. What More (Can Anyone Want) has a simple 60's Latin influence and strong vocal harmonies from Shirley of the Soul Sisters and Brother. Butch Cornell's Trio stretches out on a jazz fusioned instrumental, Goose Pimples. With super lead organ and tight bass/drum rhythm, this is great. Another more laid back instrumental by Cornell, Here 'Tis Now, has a great groove again allowing Cornell to ride high on organ. Excellent! Arthur Conley shows real authority on the demo for Whole Lotta Woman backed by piano. This is a terrific soul track. Shuffle track, Get Right is a great showcase for Bobby Sax & His House Keepers. With solid sax lead and light fingered electric guitar soloing over a walking bass line, super groove. Super saxy, Soul At Last, also by Bobby Sax is raspy and hot smoking blues. Very nice. Winfield Parker's demo, I Love You Just The Same shows the ultra expressive vocals of Parker, backed only with simple guitar rhythm. Raw and soulful. The Mask Man & The Cap-Tans set up Chicken Wings, a cool dance tune with pumped up sax and cool organ work over a snappy rhythm. Wrapping the release is another demo from Arthur Conley, Hiding Out In Blue Shadows, with only piano accompaniment and backing vocal. This is a strong closer for a really cool release. 

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Sweet Soul Music - Arthur Conley

Arthur Lee Conley (January 4, 1946 – November 17, 2003) was an American soul singer, best known for the 1967 hit "Sweet Soul Music" Conley was born in McIntosh County, Georgia, U.S., and grew up in Atlanta. He first recorded in 1959 as the lead singer of Arthur & the Corvets. With this group, he released three singles in 1963 and 1964 ("Poor Girl", "I Believe", and "Flossie Mae") on the Atlanta based record label, National Recording Company. In 1964, he moved to a new label (Baltimore's Ru-Jac Records) and released "I'm a Lonely Stranger". When Otis Redding heard this, he asked Conley to record a new version, which was released on Redding's own fledgling label Jotis Records, as only its second release. Conley met Redding in 1967. Together they re-wrote the Sam Cooke song "Yeah Man" into "Sweet Soul Music", which, at Redding's insistence, was released on the Atco-distributed label Fame Records, and was recorded at FAME studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. It proved to be a massive hit, going to the number two position on the U.S. charts and the Top Ten across much of Europe. "Sweet Soul Music" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. After several years of singles in the early 1970s, he relocated to England in 1975, and spent several years in Belgium, settling in Amsterdam, Netherlands in spring 1977. At the beginning of 1980 he had some major performances as Lee Roberts and the Sweaters in the Ganzenhoef, Paradiso, De Melkweg and the Concertgebouw, and was highly successful. At the end of 1980 he moved to the Dutch village of Ruurlo legally changing his name to Lee Roberts (his middle name and his mother's maiden name). He promoted new music via his Art-Con Productions company. Amongst the bands he promoted was the heavy metal band Shockwave from The Hague. A live performance on January 8, 1980, featuring Lee Roberts & the Sweaters, was released as an album entitled Soulin' in 1988. Conley died from intestinal cancer in Ruurlo, Netherlands aged 57 in November 2003. He was buried in Vorden. If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

Sweet Soul Music - Arthur Conley

Arthur Lee Conley (January 4, 1946 – November 17, 2003) was an American soul singer, best known for the 1967 hit "Sweet Soul Music"
Conley was born in McIntosh County, Georgia, U.S., and grew up in Atlanta. He first recorded in 1959 as the lead singer of Arthur & the Corvets. With this group, he released three singles in 1963 and 1964 ("Poor Girl", "I Believe", and "Flossie Mae") on the Atlanta based record label, National Recording Company.

In 1964, he moved to a new label (Baltimore's Ru-Jac Records) and released "I'm a Lonely Stranger". When Otis Redding heard this, he asked Conley to record a new version, which was released on Redding's own fledgling label Jotis Records, as only its second release. Conley met Redding in 1967, but after this meeting Redding took Conley under his care, and taught him the finer points of the music industry.[citation needed] Together they re-wrote the Sam Cooke song "Yeah Man" into "Sweet Soul Music", which, at Redding's insistence, was released on the Atco-distributed label Fame Records, and was recorded at FAME studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. It proved to be a massive hit, going to the number two position on the U.S. charts and the Top Ten across much of Europe. "Sweet Soul Music" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.

After several years of singles in the early 1970s, he relocated to England in 1975, and spent several years in Belgium, then settled in Amsterdam, Netherlands in spring 1977. In the beginning of 1980 he had some major performances as Lee Roberts and the Sweaters in the Ganzenhoef, Paradiso, De Melkweg and the Concertgebouw, and was highly successful. At the end of 1980 he moved to the Dutch village of Ruurlo and legally changed his name to Lee Roberts (his middle name and his mother's maiden name). There he occupied himself with promoting new music by means of his Art-Con Productions company. Amongst the bands he promoted was the heavy metal band Shockwave from the Hague. Arthur was also active as a designer of specialized tapestries and furniture.

A live performance on January 8, 1980, featuring Lee Roberts & the Sweaters, was released as an album entitled Soulin' in 1988.

Arthur Conley died after a long battle with intestinal cancer in Ruurlo, Netherlands at the age of 57 in November 2003.
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