Now Playing: #2

 

During the 70's and 80's, Chess Records reissued a good portion of their blues, soul and R&B catalogue. Most of these records are fairly easy to come by, but a few remain elusive, though not impossible to find. One of those that shows up less than others in collectors markets is Sugar Pie DeSanto's collection, "Down In The Basement." 

DeSanto, in some ways, led the same path as her childhood friend Etta James, only Etta took it to greater heights. Every track on "Down In The Basement" is a killer. I have had a copy for sale for weeks now, which puzzles me, since it took me months to track down a copy for myself. I gave it a spin yesterday and it did not disappoint.

Last week, a few of you noticed that I was listening to the Japanese collection "Exciting The Who." That record was one of four recent reissues replicating The Who's early Japanese records. "I'm A Boy," "Sell Out" and "My Generation" were also released. My copy of "My Generation" arrived yesterday and in a few words, my mind was blown. Apparently, the original Japanese version of "My Generation" used fake stereo. This new edition fixes that by using true stereo mixes and let me tell you, I cannot believe what I have been missing all these years. Listening to this record was a revelation. The records in this series aren't cheap, but they are very limited. So, if you are even a bit interested, act fast. I guarantee, if you are a fan of this record, your mind will be blown, as well.

One of my very favorite collections finally gets a vinyl release this week. Irma Thomas' Lost Cotillion Album, "Full Time Woman" has just been released in both blue vinyl and a very limited "creamsicle" color, exclusively at Louisiana Music Factory. 

These 70's tracks remained unreleased for years, some recorded in Miami, some in Philly at Sigma Sound and some in Jackson, Mississippi. Irma Thomas' most famous sides have a very obvious New Orleans vibe, thanks to the amazing players, as well as the presence of songwriter and all around genius Allen Toussaint. But the tracks on this collection show a very different side of Thomas. A good number of these songs took me by surprise the first time I heard them. This is southern soul at its finest.

 

 

 

Only 300 copies were pressed for the Louisiana Music Factory, so if you'd like to get one of these beauties, click this link right here.