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Jo Armstead - (Artist Of The Week)


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12 hours ago, Douglaschip said:

Very talented lady - writer / singer always fantastic - personally I love a late night listen to:

Jo Armstead - 'Won't you join the band (on my caravan)' on Preacher Rose.

Adam.

Yes!!! ... it's a stunning deep soul track I posted on another thread recently so won't repost ... here's the link:

 

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Thanks for this OP that turns out to be of educative for me. Although I have always understood the importance of the composer, and loved to read her name in brackets under those explicit/univoqued titles. Yet never was I totally impressed by many of her actual singing recordings.

But 'stone good lover' evidently conquered me the first time I heard it. Those Mike Terry arrangements are class*****  Now I got to dig 'I who loves you so' ('I feel an urge' never did it for me really, sorry boys 😜), 'there's not too many left like him' is rather good and 'I got the vibes' is enjoyable.

So 4 tunes of her in my collection is not much for this none the less fantastic and prolific artist. A 5th is still missing that I know for a long time now; her 90's modern soul silky sleeper 'won't you join the band'. But I still wait and hope to get a cheaper copy than that those proposed on the net.

So I did NOT know that she is/was Deena Johnson... If I read it before I guess I did not take that for a reliable 'source'. Never got excited by her Simpson sides. Although 'the breaking point' was a record on my 'wants' at one time, this changed the day I got to hear Brad Lundy's version 😮.

But at least now I know that Deena is/was Jo. And I can link those records that I play and love to those/other's of her that I don't appreciate as much and picture a mental 'map' of the who's, where and what with a little story to tell to those who might care for if ever. Thanks a bunch Y'all ! 

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  • 4 months later...
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On 13/07/2020 at 04:52, DiscotechSoul said:

@Douglaschip @Soulstrutter do either of your copies of Jo Armstead - Won't You Join The Band have a sound defect causing one of the channels to drop out about 1-2 minutes in to the song?

On my copy of the 7", the right channel almost completely goes out for about 10-15 seconds. :(

thx

Mine's fine too - may be a bit of dirt in the grooves?

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  • 4 weeks later...
4 hours ago, Tlscapital said:

Anyone know the story behind this limited edition; who, where, when and  how many pressed ?

I believe that it's Jo Armstead's own label and these were released late 80s/early 90s from 70s recordings.  I'm guessing (from label) that these were limited edition runs so would again guess 300/500 ... but only a guess?  I'm only aware of this release and another on 12" (before?) 'In The Right Place/By A Twist Of Fate In The Right Place (Inst of A). She also released an album 'Red Hot' on the label which is available on CD on Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Red-Hot-Jo-Armstead/dp/B000CAGUTS.  Sound like a mix of 70s/80s recordings I Fell Asleep On The Job, He Moves Me and Stepping Stones are the highlights.

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On 01/03/2020 at 12:30, The Yank said:

According to an article in "Soul Survivor", Jo mentions Ruby Andrews "Casanova" and all of Garland Green's work with Jo

as being cut in Detroit. I think all the Armstead / Terry output was done in Detroit.

I agree.  At least, that's what I heard.  Interesting that Loleatta Holloway's version, although recorded in Atlanta, some ex Detroiters worked on it - Floyd Smith, and engineer Milan Bogden.

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7 hours ago, Ljblanken said:

Love this song - just noticed the writing credits...

 

 

I love Ashford and Simpson songs; but I love Ashford, Simpson & Armstead songs even more.  Ashford & Simpson were a little towards The Brill Building sound.  Jo added a more Jazzy & Bluesy feel that made the overall sound more full, rich, and deep.  That trio wrote several of my all-time favourite hits - many of which didn't hit it big on the pop charts because they were "too darned Soulful"!

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10 hours ago, Ljblanken said:

Love this song - just noticed the writing credits...

Lovely tune, credit merit (in regard of this topic) and musical 'tip' indeed.

For a record that I have always flipped over and never gave a listen to.

Hearing the fab writers team through. And even those singers sound "black".

I've been fooled ! I'll pick a copy next time I'll stumble on a cheap clean copy.

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On 20/08/2020 at 11:23, Tlscapital said:

Anyone know the story behind this limited edition; who, where, when and  how many pressed ?

550 copies were pressed in 1991 at Bill Smiths Customs Records Inc, California. They were done by JJA. 

Edited by Reforee
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Coincidentally just played the utterly superb 'A Stone Good Lover' at home.  Was reflecting how similar in feel / sound / production it is to Garland Green 'Girl I Love You'. Exact same drum / strings / horn sound and very similar structure / chord changes.😎 Recorded at the same session?

 

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11 minutes ago, Joesoap said:

Coincidentally just played the utterly superb 'A Stone Good Lover' at home.  Was reflecting how similar in feel / sound / production it is to Garland Green 'Girl I Love You'. Exact same drum / strings / horn sound and very similar structure / chord changes.😎 Recorded at the same session

On my current 'play' selection/pile next to my phono station they are one next to the other... 😜

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