JSngry Posted February 12, 2006 Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 Or not. But DAMN! http://funky16corners.tripod.com/5_alvin_robinson.htm God bless you, Harold! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted February 12, 2006 Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 Or not. But DAMN! http://funky16corners.tripod.com/5_alvin_robinson.htm God bless you, Harold! I think so too. I got "Something you got" when it came out here andthought it was great. But when "Fever" and "Down home girl" came out, I simply couldn't believe it! Only one other of Alvin's singles came out here; "Whatever you had, you ain't got it no more", which I thought was as good as "Down home girl". Looking out those singles just now, I found I've bloody well LOST "Whatever you had"! Aaaarghhhh! I must have got it mixed up with a pile of my daughter's 45s which I chucked out when we moved! Alvin also appeared on Dr John's LP "Tango Palace", just playing guitar and doing background vocals on "Something you got" - a bit of a waste in my view. Larry has some interesting stuff on his site. MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harold_Z Posted February 12, 2006 Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 I knew you'd dig that ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted February 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 "How Can I Get Over You" & "Let Me Down Easy" are like unfiltered Atlantic-era Ray Charles gospel-ish ballads, and I say that w/o a trace of irony. Unbelievably raw and soulful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted February 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 I knew you'd dig that ! Man, you don't know how much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stereojack Posted February 12, 2006 Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 Thanks for the link. I saw Alvin Robinson with Dr John back in the 1970's, and have managed to gather many of the singles he put out on various labels over the years. One of the best unknown New Orleans guys! Charly released a nice LP of his Tiger/Red Bird/Blue Cat stuff back in the 1980's - "Shine On" (Charly 1181). Don't know if it ever made it to CD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted February 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 No, it hasn't. I've been looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted February 12, 2006 Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 Harold made me a fan as well! I immediately thought of Ray Charles when I first heard this stuff. . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted February 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 On the slow tunes, yeah. I thought I was listening to a Ray cut with the vocal tape slowed down. Figured that was the only way that anybody could draw that much out of a song. But no, that was Alvin au natural. I can honestly say I've never heard anything quite like it. Ray always had different levels going on in amy one number, even the most raw and gut-wrenching. This cat doesn't have those layers, he just wrings you dry with the shortest distance between two points. A two minute and some change ballad can literally devastate you. At least it did me... And then he's got that Chis Kenner-ish drawn out drawl on the funky stuff, but the way he does it is damn near unduplicable. Again, I can honestly say I've never heard anything quite like it. The Coasters did "Down Home Girl", and it was dandy, but the way Alvin does it is something else altogether. It's no longer a Lieber/Stoller tune, it's a freakin' maifesto every bit as powerful as "Say It Loud". It's not just in a zone, it's in a zone of it's own making, and that is something else altogether! Alvin Robinson would seem to be a prime candidate for rediscovery amongst the Dusty Groove Deep Soul crowd. When will somebody from England (seems like that's where most of the good "obscure soul" retrospectives come from) step up and do the honors? I'll buy a copy of a well-done, complete compilation yesterday, and I'd pimp it to everybody I know, and a few hundred I don't. There's different types of greatness, to be sure, but by the standards of at least a few of them, Alvin Robinson must be considered GREAT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stereojack Posted February 12, 2006 Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 There's different types of greatness, to be sure, but by the standards of at least a few of them, Alvin Robinson must be considered GREAT. I agree completely. It's the Ray Charles-esque testifying vocals and the funky New Orleans feel that makes him so special! And he can play some git-tar too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted February 12, 2006 Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 On the slow tunes, yeah. I thought I was listening to a Ray cut with the vocal tape slowed down. Figured that was the only way that anybody could draw that much out of a song. But no, that was Alvin au natural. I can honestly say I've never heard anything quite like it. Ray always had different levels going on in amy one number, even the most raw and gut-wrenching. This cat doesn't have those layers, he just wrings you dry with the shortest distance between two points. A two minute and some change ballad can literally devastate you. At least it did me... And then he's got that Chis Kenner-ish drawn out drawl on the funky stuff, but the way he does it is damn near unduplicable. Again, I can honestly say I've never heard anything quite like it. The Coasters did "Down Home Girl", and it was dandy, but the way Alvin does it is something else altogether. It's no longer a Lieber/Stoller tune, it's a freakin' maifesto every bit as powerful as "Say It Loud". It's not just in a zone, it's in a zone of it's own making, and that is something else altogether! Alvin Robinson would seem to be a prime candidate for rediscovery amongst the Dusty Groove Deep Soul crowd. When will somebody from England (seems like that's where most of the good "obscure soul" retrospectives come from) step up and do the honors? I'll buy a copy of a well-done, complete compilation yesterday, and I'd pimp it to everybody I know, and a few hundred I don't. There's different types of greatness, to be sure, but by the standards of at least a few of them, Alvin Robinson must be considered GREAT. OK - since I've lost one of my Alvin Robinson 45s, I've e-mailed the licensing manager at Ace, with this link. If nothing happens, don't blame me. If something comes out - a stereo copy of Jackie Ivory's "Soul Discovery" would be nice. MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Gray Posted February 12, 2006 Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 I don't think ACE will be reissuing any RedBird/BlueCat material. In England , this currently seems to be in the hands of Snapper (the record lable previously known as Charly). They recently issued a 3-CD set of this material including about 5-6 Alvin Robinson tracks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted February 12, 2006 Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 I don't think ACE will be reissuing any RedBird/BlueCat material. In England , this currently seems to be in the hands of Snapper (the record lable previously known as Charly). They recently issued a 3-CD set of this material including about 5-6 Alvin Robinson tracks. Ah, there you are then. Ace like New Orleans stuff but, if someone else has Red Bird... MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted February 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 (edited) Then I would hope that they would do an Alvin Robinson set! I'd like to hear that stuff on the Joe Jones Records label. Edited February 13, 2006 by JSngry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harold_Z Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 Man...I'm glad to have a bunch of Alvin 45's and and a cdr from a friend (Kevin Kiley) that is also from 45's for the one's I didn't have. I think that's the best sound I'm going to get, although I wuld buy any reissue that comes down the pike. In the past few years I've become a big fan of those old beat to shit 7" 45s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalo Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 Alvin Robinson was the shit, indeed. I have the Rhino three LP series A History of New Orleans R&B which includes his "Down Home Girl" and "Something You've Got," which are among the greatest cuts on a superbly assembled anthology. I would love to hear more. So sign me up for that set if it ever appears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harold_Z Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 (edited) A bit off topic, but it seems we've got a bunch of R&B freaks here... The Coasters did "Let's Go Get Stoned" prior to R.C. 's record. I don't know what label...I have no info at all and there is nothing on AMG ...Does any one have this or know anything about this or if it ever reappeared on any kind of reissue ? I distinctly remember hearing this ONCE on the radio on either WNJR AM or WWRL AM before Ray's record was out. C'mon..you can just hear the Coaster's doing it ! Right ?? I'm positive. Edited February 13, 2006 by Harold_Z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul secor Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 (edited) I thought that Charly had released Alvin Robinson's Red Bird sides on CD, but when I looked on the shelf it wasn't there, and I realized they hadn't. (They did do a Chris Kenner CD and a Jesse Hill CD, and I guess I wrongly assumed they had done one on Alvin Robinson as well.) Glad I still have my Charly LP. Time to put it on the box and give it a relisten. Ace has released 10 AFO produced Alvin Robinson sides on 3 compilation CDs - Gumbo Stew, More Gumbo Stew, and Still Spicey Gumbo Stew - Original AFO New Orleans R&B. While we're talking about Alvin Robinson, I'd like to give one of his relative contemporaries, Jesse Hill, a quick mention. His Charly CD, Y'All Ready Now? ... Plus, is an amazing recording. Jesse's modus operandus seems to have been to show up at the studio with some riffs and minimal lyrics (tho good riffs and good minimal lyrics), have Allen Toussaint put together arrangements, and let it all happen. And it did happen - his big hit, "Ooh Poo Pah Doo" is merely the tip of the iceberg. There was plenty of other great music, even if it didn't make the charts. The CD includes some bits of studio jiving by Mr. Hill, including at least one good belch, and to my tastes, is one of the great classic N.O. r&b collections of all time. (Good liner notes by Neil Slaven, too.) Edited February 13, 2006 by paul secor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul secor Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 Just remembered - The Coasters did a version of "Down Home Girl" on a Date 45 - produced by Leiber and Stoller. The flip, "Soul Pad" contains the only reference to Thelonious Monk I've ever come across on an r&b record. I still recall driving in my car in Buffalo, N.Y., hearing "Soul Pad" on the radio, making a beeline for a record store in the Black area of the city, and picking up that 45. This is a great thread! It's brought back memories and has given me some renewed inspiration to listen to Alvin Robinson again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalo Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 I thought that Charly had released Alvin Robinson's Red Bird sides on CD, but when I looked on the shelf it wasn't there, and I realized they hadn't. (They did do a Chris Kenner CD and a Jesse Hill CD, and I guess I wrongly assumed they had done one on Alvin Robinson as well.) Glad I still have my Charly LP. Time to put it on the box and give it a relisten. Ace has released 10 AFO produced Alvin Robinson sides on 3 compilation CDs - Gumbo Stew, More Gumbo Stew, and Still Spicey Gumbo Stew - Original AFO New Orleans R&B. While we're talking about Alvin Robinson, I'd like to give one of his relative contemporaries, Jesse Hill, a quick mention. His Charly CD, Y'All Ready Now? ... Plus, is an amazing recording. Jesse's modus operandus seems to have been to show up at the studio with some riffs and minimal lyrics (tho good riffs and good minimal lyrics), have Allen Toussaint put together arrangements, and let it all happen. And it did happen - his big hit, "Ooh Poo Pah Doo" is merely the tip of the iceberg. There was plenty of other great music, even if it didn't make the charts. The CD includes some bits of studio jiving by Mr. Hill, including at least one good belch, and to my tastes, is one of the great classic N.O. r&b collections of all time. (Good liner notes by Neil Slaven, too.) I have the Charly Jesse Hill on LP and can attest that it's a killer. I love 1950s-60s R&B ( the 5 Royales are one of my all-time favorite groups in any genre) and the New Orleans stuff really hits the spot for me. I've been a fan of Chris Kenner ever since my sixth grade teacher brought in his 45 of "I Like It Like That" for the class's delectation, circa 1973. Good to know that so many of you dig this stuff too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Gray Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 I have this on CD and also have all these Alvin Robinsons on singles. Red Bird Sound volume 2 Unfortunately, as you can see, it is no longer available. Were there more than 8 tracks on Red Bird/Blue Cat? What were the titles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 (edited) Then I would hope that they would do an Alvin Robinson set! I'd like to hear that stuff on the Joe Jones Records label. "Whatever you had, you ain't got it no more" was on Joe Jones and, yes, you would like to hear it. So would I - it's the one I lost. Classic title. Wasn't Joe Jones the guy who had a hit with "You talk too much", which was Idris Muhammad's first recording? I didn't know he'd turned to producing records. MG Edited February 13, 2006 by The Magnificent Goldberg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stereojack Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 Were there more than 8 tracks on Red Bird/Blue Cat? What were the titles? The Charly LP contains the same eight tracks that are on the Red Bird compilation. Apparently that's all there is. It also contains ten tracks recorded for Imperial, six of them originally unreleased. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noj Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 Must find. Must order. Must have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted February 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 Were there more than 8 tracks on Red Bird/Blue Cat? What were the titles? The Charly LP contains the same eight tracks that are on the Red Bird compilation. Apparently that's all there is. It also contains ten tracks recorded for Imperial, six of them originally unreleased. There's also at least one single on Atco (the superb "Let Me Down Easy"), as well as the aforementioned Joe Jones Records release(s?). And yes, I believe that it is the same Joe Jones who did "You Talk Too Much". Not a massive amount of material, but enough for a really, really nice CD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_forumlogo.png.a607ef20a6e0c299ab2aa6443aa1f32e.png)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.