Genre: soul
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: Sweet Soul Shakin'
Company: Minit
Catalog: LP-24016
Year: 1968
Country/State: Los Angeles, California
Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+
Comments: --
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 4290
Price: $150.00
Cost: $66.00
Charles Ingersoll and Bobby Sanders met in the early 1960s while attending Los Angeles Dorsey High School. Sharing a common interest in popular music, the two decided to form a vocal group, performing at parties, local dances and talent shows as The Extreems. T he Extreems they managed to record a couple of 45s for the LA based Dorey label, but broke up before they could enjoy any real recognition. Ingersoll and Sanders continued to work together, singing as members of The Blossoms, as well as working as sessions singers. Ingersoll even recorded a couple of solo sides under the moniker "Van Clayton". Unfortunately, whatever commercial progress the two were making was brought to a halt when in 1964 Sanders was drafted. Having completed his military service, in 1967 Sanders returned to L.A. where he decided to turn his attention to the business side of music. Deciding there was more money to be made in managing and producing he quickly recruiting Earl Carter, long time friend Ingersoll, James Moore and Ronald Preyer for The Young Hearts
Within a matter of months Sanders had the group signed to the small Canterbury label, where they released an instantly obscure 1967 45 'Little Togetherness' b/w 'Beginning of the End' (Canterbury catalog number 506). Dropped by Canterbury, the group recorded an equally rare 45 for Pick-a-Hit ('Oh I'll Never Be the Same' b/w 'Get Yourself Together' (Pick-a-Hit catalog number 102).
The group's luck began to change when they were picked up by Liberty Records' Minit subsidiary. Released as a single the Preyer's lead 'Oh I'll Never Be the Same' b/w 'Get Yourself Together' (Minit catalog number 32039) quickly hit the R&B charts. As was standard marketing procedure, Minit rushed the group back into the studio to record a supporting album. Produced by Sanders, 1968's "Sweet Soul Shakin'" featured a mixture of material lifted from their earlier singles ('Beginning of the End' and 'Get Yourself Together') and new studio numbers. Creatively none of the dozen tracks was a radical departure from late-1960s-styled soul groups - anyone into The Dells, The Dramatics, etc. would feel comfortable here. On the other hand, Sanders' production was excellent and the group had more than its share of talent with all four members handling lead vocals. Take these comments with a grain of salt, but perhaps due to the fact they were based in California, their sound was quite a but different from mid-1960s stuff coming out of Chicago, Detroit, or Memphis. Tracks like 'Sweet Soul Shakin'' and the harpsichord-propelled ballad 'Girls' were very upbeat and 'bright' (yeah, I know that's a weird way to describe a sound). To be honest, this stuff sounded like a precursor for late-1960s Philly groups like The Dramatics. Personal favorites include the title track (nice guitar courtesy of David T. Walker), the blazing 'Count Down (Here I Come)', 'Get Yourself Together' which sounded like it was ready made for a Robert Cray cover, and powered by Preyer's killer falsetto, one of the nicest peace-now tracks ever recorded 'Little Togetherness'. All-in-all a fantastic and overlooked slice of soul that should appeal to lots of folks.
Minit enjoyed a string of minor R&B hits from the album, including:
- 1968's 'Oh I'll Never Be the Same' b/w 'Get Yourself Together' (Minit catalog number 32039)
- 1968's 'I've Got Love for My Baby" b/w ''Takin' Care of Business (Minit catalog number 32049)
- 1969's 'Sweet Soul Shakin' b/w 'Girls' (Minit catalog number 32057)
- 1969's 'Misty' b/w 'Count Down' (Minit catalog number 32066)
The group toured
extensively, supporting a slew of Motown acts including The Miracles, The
Supremes and The Temptations, but simply never made much commercial headway.
"Sweet Soul Shakin'" track listing:
(side
1)
1.) Sweet Soul Shakin' (T. Turner - D. Cook) - 2:26
2.) Girls (J. Moore - Ronnie Preyer - Charles Ingersoll - Earl Carter) - 2:45
3.) Get Yourself Together (Bobby Sandersr) - 2:25
4.) The Beginning of the End (B. Page) - 3:45
5.) Can't Get Enough (O.K. Menson - Bobby Sanders) - 2:38
6.) Little
Togetherness (Bobby Sanders - J. Peters - W. Douglas) - 2:45
(side 2)
1.) I've Got Love for My Baby (J. Moore - Ronnie Preyer - Charles Ingersoll - Earl Carter) - 3:05
2.) Misty (E. Garner - J. Burke) - 3:05
3.) Count Down (Here I Come) (J. Peters - J. Flanagan - Bobby Sanders) - 3:30
4.) Oh, I'll Never Be the Same (Bobby Sanders - Anita Poree - C. Scarborough) -
5.) I Found a New Love (Bobby Sanders - J. Moore - R. Chesnuts) - 3:05
6.) Takin' Care of Business (Bobby Sanders - J. Flanagan) - 3:00