Barbara Acklin, "Am I the Same Girl?" (Brunswick 7", 1968)
The Young-Holt Trio replaced Acklin's vocal with piano and managed to sneak it out as "Soulful Strut" first, but accept no substitutes. Pure shimmering soul magic from the moment the backing vocals enter.
Roy Brown, "Slow Down Little Eva" (Imperial 7", 1963)
More cowbell! Maximum R&B. Thank you, Brent Goodsell.
The Caprells, "Close Your Eyes" (Bano 7", 1970)
A skittering soul/funk hunter/seeker not entirely unlike Duke Ellington's "Caravan," with doo-wop embellishments and a nigh unto barbershop denouement.
Lena Horne and Gabor Szabo, "Rocky Raccoon" (Buddah 7", 1970; also released on a Skye LP/7")
African American jazz singer + Hungarian American jazz guitarist + Liverpudlian English country and western song = people inevitably ask about it, so ... rumored to feature Bernard "Pretty" Purdie on drums (his "Soul Drums" breakbeat underpins Beck's "Devil's Haircut").
Etta James, "Seven Day Fool" (Argo 7", 1961)
The rhythm section pounds, the chanteuse belts, violinists arpeggiate, and riot grrls realize just who at least one their collective grandmothers must have been. My favorite moment here is when Ms. James momentarily finds herself having to chase the R&B monstrosity she's set in motion, just barely catching her breath in time for the last chorus.
Johnny and The Expressions, "Boys and Girls Together" (Josie 7", 1967)
This is what I imagine coming on like gangbusters sounds like, all horns, bass, kick drum and falsettos.
The Kelly Brothers, "Crystal Blue Persuasion" (Excello 7", 1970)
Turn-of-the-decade smoove southern soul cover of the Tommy James bubblegum ballad, with a show-stopping vocal break. Crystalline, sky blue and persuasive, indeed.
Henry Lumpkin, "Soul is Taking Over" (Buddah 7", 1968)
Damn straight. And it's doing it with a clap track.
Marlena Shaw, "Let's Wade in the Water" (Cadet 7", 1966)
I've gone through too many copies and to too much expense NOT to list this one. Effortlessly cool jazz vocals (ex-Count Basie Orchestra, first female artist signed to Blue Note) over effortlessly cool soul backing. The Ramsey Lewis version on eleven. Where the shoe leather hits the talcum.
U.S. Warren and The Genghis Pea, "Hard Headed Woman" (Chytowns 7", 196?)
Someone once even called me at work to ask about this one on behalf of an interested drum 'n' bass kid. Skittering snare, pedal bass, insane guitar breaks, and the finest second verse ever pressed to vinyl:
You wanna give me driving lessons
Teach me how to drive a car
But you ain't ever had a driver's license
Can't even ride a bike
"Sacrifices rhyme to complaining accurately," as Andy Noble puts it.
Plus a prediction ...
Della Reese, "It Was a Very Good Year" (ABC 7", 1967)
"Touched by an Angel" + Frank Sinatra = Eartha Kitt + crazy.
And then there's all the stuff our guest DJs spin as well, from doo-wop and Hammond jazz and beach music to
boogaloo and Northern soul and deep funk, but ...
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
