21 Mar 2019
Johnnie Taylor – 1970 – One Step Beyond

Cut in the middle of Taylor’s late-’60s and early-’70s stay at Stax, One Step Beyond qualifies as one of the singer’s best LPs. Captured in his Southern soul prime, Taylor lets loose on fine mix of gospel-inspired ballads (“I Don’t Want to Lose You“), countrified mid-tempo burners (“Party Life“), and...
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13 Sep 2013
Johnnie Taylor – 1968 – Who’s Making Love

Main Review by Soulmakossa   Rip, Research, Posting and additional info’s by Nikos Full of all the Motown-cum-dirty south hallmarks you’d hope for, Who’s Making Love.. is one of soul’s great vocal turns. Equal parts James Brown and Ray Charles, Taylor was really one of the finest...
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27 Mar 2019
Ted Taylor – 1972 – Taylor Made

Oklahoma-born Ted Taylor, the man with the haunting, gospel-inspired falsetto voice, had come a long way before cutting this exuberantly funky LP in 1972. Having been a member of the Cadets (scoring a #4 R&B smash in 1956 with “Stranded In the Jungle“), Taylor had...
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15 Feb 2017
Tommy Tate ‎- 1981 – Tommy Tate and more

Review and Tribute by Red Kelly Here’s the truly sublime Tommy Tate. Known in Soul circles for years as something like ‘The Greatest Singer You’ve Never Heard’, or ‘America’s Best Kept Secret’, I figured it was time to check things out… Our story actually begins...
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24 Nov 2019
Harvey Scales – 1978 – Confidential Affair

Milwaukee native, Harvey Scales is very much an unsung Southern Soul hero, writing many famous Soul songs without the recognition he deserves. In fact, Harvey is part responsible for many of the late Johnnie Taylor’s major musical successes. Harvey co-wrote ‘Disco Lady‘, ‘Love Is Much Better in the...
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25 Aug 2019
Margie Joseph – 1971 – Phase II

Amazingly, Margie’s second and last LP for Stax failed to chart. For my money, as brilliant as ‘Margie Joseph Makes a New Impression‘ is – and brilliant IT IS – ‘Phase II’ actually surpasses its predecessor in coming up with beautifully orchestrated soul gems that...
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26 Jul 2019
Booker T. & Priscilla – 1972 – Home Grown

Priscilla Coolidge was an American recording artist and sister of singer Rita Coolidge. Between 1969 and 1979, she was married to Booker T. Jones, who produced Coolidge’s first solo album, 1970’s Gypsy Queen. Then the pair collaborated as a duo on three albums: 1971’s Booker T. & Priscilla; 1972’s Home Grown; and...
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