VARIOUS - ERA RECORDS NORTHERN SOUL

Herb Newman’s Era Label was well established in Los Angeles by the time the soul era (pun intended) came about. With over 150 singles behind him by the time our musical story starts in 1962, Herb was a record label veteran.

He only occasionally dabbled in black music, probably by chance as opposed to design, he was more at home with straight pop records. His biggest hit by a black singer was Jewel Akens ‘The Birds And The Bees’ which was total pop but came out of a notable session by the accomplished soul group the Turn Arounds whose two great Era numbers feature here along with the full story of that hit. Akens could sing soul as well as pop though and a great late 60s stomper, written and produced by Eddie Daniels, has been unearthed and debuts here. Herb Newman actually had a notable future soul star in his ranks when the young Brenda Holloway recorded ‘I Ain’t Gonna Take You Back’ for his Catch subsidiary in 1964.

Another future soul chartmaker was Jimmy Lewis who just had the one Era release arranged by Northern Soul hero James Carmichael. Jesse Davis ‘Gonna Hang On In There’ was a rare soulful departure for the nightclub singer protégé of Frank Sinatra but the Sherlie Matthews composition still sounds awesome when blasted out of the speakers at Northern gatherings. Wigan and elsewhere favourites are provided by Othello Robertson ‘So In Luv’, Billy Watkins ‘The Ice Man’ and there are alternate versions of both ‘A Slice Of The Pie’ and ‘Meet Me At Midnight’ arguably better than their Jewel Akens and Cindy Lynn originals.

Further previously unissued manna comes from the HB Barnum arranged ‘Dance With Me’ by Billy Watkins and excellent alternate readings of ‘Stand There Mountain’ and ‘The Blue Shadow’ by ex- vocal group singer Vince Howard that Herb Newman had cut on pop acts previously. There are Popcorn classics from the very colourful Bruce Cloud (check out the sleevenotes on him!) and the glamorous Carol Connors, while both sides of Steve Flanagan’s Stafford monster ‘I’ve Arrived’ sound great alongside Melvin Boyd’s killer version of ‘Exit Loneliness, Enter Love’. Let’s throw in a previously uncharted Brenda Holloway duet by the Lovemates and we think we’ve got a deal.- Ace Records

1. The Ice Man – Billy Watkins
2. So In Luv – Othello Robertson
3. I’ve Arrived – Steve Flanagan
4. Meet Me At Midnight – Bruce Cloud
5. Ain’t Nothin’ Shakin’ – The Turn Arounds
6. What Can I Do Now – Jimmy Lewis
7. Exit Loneliness Enter Love – Melvin Boyd
8. My Book – Bruce Cloud
9. I Wanna Know – Carol Connors
10. Boomerang – The Lovemates
11. The Blue Shadow – Vince Howard
12. Echoes In The Night – Tommy Moseley
13. I Get A Feeling – The Soul-Mates
14. Run Away And Hide – The Turn Arounds
15. I Need To Be Loved So Bad – Steve Flanagan
16. Gonna Hang On In There Girl – Jesse Davis
17. Your Good Lovin’ – Jewel Akens
18. Dance With Me – Billy Watkins
19. Sir Galahad – The Elites
20. A Slice Of The Pie – Bernie Byrd
21. You And Yours – The Composers
22. I Ain’t Gonna Take You Back – Brenda Holloway & The Carrolls
23. Stand There Mountain – Vince Howard
24. Come On Home – Othello Robertson