If you had a chance to turn back the hands of time & sit in on a recording session in a music studio,

which session would it be?

Year would also be interesting, but appreciate that would be difficult to give in many cases.

No need to limit it to one choice either.

the recording of Songs in the key of life

If I had the chance there would be so many

For me it would have to be - Darrow Fletcher aged 15 in 1966 - recording on his Step fathers label - Jacklyn - named after Darrow's sister - recording "What have I got now".

Word's fail me......

Karen

FAR TO MANY TO MENTION BUT PERHAPS THE POET [WOMACK],SOME OF THAT LOVELY INVICTUS STUFF ALSO OR MAYBE THE LOVE AND BUEATY LP.

GOOD THREAD.

BAZ A.

James Carr - Dark End Of The Street , (late 60's?)

not the greatest soul song, but one of them, not my favourite all time record but one of them, but just an amazing heart rending tortuous moment in time from a man with an amazing talent but like so many in that position a tortured soul. And from what little I have read of the man probably done in one take. I think it would be a life affirming experience.

It puts all the arguments around what is soul into oblivion this is soul, and proof that even what initially can appear as the most bleak art can be soul lifting and make you happy.

And being greedy Aretha Franklin - Respect, partly because she is the no. one for me, partly because you can tell she sings it because she means it and partly because I think it would be another life affirming experience but one that would fill me full of hope, something it looks like we are all losing when you read other threads.

What a great thought on a so far crap day!

Cheers

Jock

If I had the chance there would be so many

For me it would have to be - Darrow Fletcher aged 15 in 1966 - recording on his Step fathers label - Jacklyn - named after Darrow's sister - recording "What have I got now".

Word's fail me......

Karen

or anything by him really. God I made a prat of myself last year at Cleethorpes when I met him...queued up twice for autographs for myself and Karl Rhodes(think he was too embarrassed to do it himself)..I obviously wasn't...there's photographic evidence of me with him and Carl Carlton somewhere on this site..What a plonker, they say you should never meet your heroes

If it was Just one session

Marvin Gaye Whats Going On

For openers I'd like to sit in on Otis Reddings's audition at Stax. Him singing 'These arms of mine' to Booker T's piano accompaniment.

If it was Just one session

Marvin Gaye Whats Going On

Great call.....and i'm wrestling with myself over this one....can we have one vocal and one instrumental

It would have to be The Dells 'Make Sure' and Earl Van Dyke and the Funk Brothers 'All for You'....but if you're being REALLY brutal - I'll prune it down to the Dells... I'm already setting the dials on my time machine.... Jo

or anything by him really. God I made a prat of myself last year at Cleethorpes when I met him...queued up twice for autographs for myself and Karl Rhodes(think he was too embarrassed to do it himself)..I obviously wasn't...there's photographic evidence of me with him and Carl Carlton somewhere on this site..What a plonker, they say you should never meet your heroes

Reduced me to tear's when he sang live at Cleethorpe's...having read his life story - like most of us full of ups n downs but there was something about his life - as is about Marvin Gaye that provoke great passion and sensitivity in their recording's - reflecting great emotion..

Karen

Great call.....and i'm wrestling with myself over this one....can we have one vocal and one instrumental

It would have to be The Dells 'Make Sure' and Earl Van Dyke and the Funk Brothers 'All for You'....but if you're being REALLY brutal - I'll prune it down to the Dells... I'm already setting the dials on my time machine.... Jo

ANY DELLS SESSION, OR MARVIN....SMOKEY AND THE MIRACLES 'WAY OVER THERE' ALL THAT BURGEONING TALENT WOW ! PARLIAMENTS 'DON'T BE SORE AT ME' .....DARRELL BANKS 'OPEN THE DOOR TO YOUR HEART' ....EARLY PERCY SLEDGE..'OUT LEFT-FIELD, MAN LOVES A WOMAN, HEART OF A CHILD ETC'....SAM COOKE ' A CHANGE IS GONNA COME' VOLCANOS ! EARLY JERRY BUTLER, IMPRESSIONS....VANDELLAS BACKING MARVIN IN 'THE SNAKEPIT' AKA STUDIO 1 HITTSVILLE 'STUBBORN KINDA FELLOW ETC '...ANY GENE CHANDLER OR JACKIE WILSON !!!!!!!! EDWIN STARR AT 'RIC-TIC' PAT LEWIS AT 'GOLDEN WORLD' CANDI STATON RECORDING 'FOR YOU' AT CAPITOL , SAM FLETCHER 'FRIDAY NIGHT' ON TOLLIE !

ANY DELLS SESSION, OR MARVIN....SMOKEY AND THE MIRACLES 'WAY OVER THERE' ALL THAT BURGEONING TALENT WOW ! PARLIAMENTS 'DON'T BE SORE AT ME' .....DARRELL BANKS 'OPEN THE DOOR TO YOUR HEART' ....EARLY PERCY SLEDGE..'OUT LEFT-FIELD, MAN LOVES A WOMAN, HEART OF A CHILD ETC'....SAM COOKE ' A CHANGE IS GONNA COME' VOLCANOS ! EARLY JERRY BUTLER, IMPRESSIONS....VANDELLAS BACKING MARVIN IN 'THE SNAKEPIT' AKA STUDIO 1 HITTSVILLE 'STUBBORN KINDA FELLOW ETC '...ANY GENE CHANDLER OR JACKIE WILSON !!!!!!!! EDWIN STARR AT 'RIC-TIC' PAT LEWIS AT 'GOLDEN WORLD' CANDI STATON RECORDING 'FOR YOU' AT CAPITOL , SAM FLETCHER 'FRIDAY NIGHT' ON TOLLIE !

Think You've covered everything there Chris

A CHANGE IS GONNA COME SAM COOKE!!!!!! made me cry when i was 15, 38 years on it still does!!! awesome

Edited May 11, 200718 yr by ezzie brown

ANY DELLS SESSION, OR MARVIN....SMOKEY AND THE MIRACLES 'WAY OVER THERE' ALL THAT BURGEONING TALENT WOW ! PARLIAMENTS 'DON'T BE SORE AT ME' .....DARRELL BANKS 'OPEN THE DOOR TO YOUR HEART' ....EARLY PERCY SLEDGE..'OUT LEFT-FIELD, MAN LOVES A WOMAN, HEART OF A CHILD ETC'....SAM COOKE ' A CHANGE IS GONNA COME' VOLCANOS ! EARLY JERRY BUTLER, IMPRESSIONS....VANDELLAS BACKING MARVIN IN 'THE SNAKEPIT' AKA STUDIO 1 HITTSVILLE 'STUBBORN KINDA FELLOW ETC '...ANY GENE CHANDLER OR JACKIE WILSON !!!!!!!! EDWIN STARR AT 'RIC-TIC' PAT LEWIS AT 'GOLDEN WORLD' CANDI STATON RECORDING 'FOR YOU' AT CAPITOL , SAM FLETCHER 'FRIDAY NIGHT' ON TOLLIE !

wow!! both of us said sam cooke within 3 minutes of each other!!!! we better get engaged!!! [i hadnt seen your post till i had put mine on!]

Edited May 11, 200718 yr by ezzie brown

OH LORDEY JUST HAVE TO ADD THIS ONE

JAMES BROWN-GEORGIA ON MY MIND-KING [HE HITS NOTES ON THIS TRACK WHICH JUST BLEW YOU AWAY,SINGING ABOUT HIS HOME ]

BAZ A

A CHANGE IS GONNA COME SAM COOKE!!!!!! made me cry when i was 15, 38 years on it still does!!! awesome

Totally. Totally totally !!!

It has to be this song. More than a song it seems to sum up and represent the struggle of the American Civil Rights movement in the 60s

The infamous session when Sam Cooke coughed and had to do his one and only double take.....

also......The recording sessions for "What Color is love" by Terry Callier.....to see the genius of Charles Stepney at first hand.

The infamous session when Sam Cooke coughed and had to do his one and only double take.....

The recording session for Ray Charles "Georgia" as portrayed in the film Ray would be great to see.

The recording sessions for "What Color is love" by Terry Callier (Cadet).....to see the genius of Charles Stepney at first hand.

Blimey there's loads.....

Edited May 11, 200718 yr by Richard Bergman

A CHANGE IS GONNA COME SAM COOKE!!!!!! made me cry when i was 15, 38 years on it still does!!! awesome

Gotta agree with this just awesome

EDDIE PARKER - I'M GONE !!!!

So many - Marvin Gaye as already mentioned would have probably been one of my top 2 - would loved to have been present when - Little Ann - recorded - What should I do....

Barons Of Soul - recording - You need love - now that's something else...

Karen

Im really getting into Little Anthony, so for me anything by himself, Hurt so bad, would of been some experience, or anything by Jackie wilson, top voice for me.

or any soul artist from the 60s. could you imagine just being sitting and watching any of these artists, mmmmmmmmm

There are so many, but any of these would do me:

Ray Charles' Atlantic session for "Mess Around" where Ray wasn't quite getting the groove and Ahmet Ertegun sings the whole song for him, brilliantly (have this on bootleg CDR). In fact, to have been at any of Bro. Ray's Atlantic sessions would have been both pleasure and privilege.

Charlie Parker's "Parker's Mood" session for Savoy - the embodiment of musical genius. I've held the original acetate, which is as close as anyone still alive will ever get to being there.

James Brown's "Cold Sweat" session - just so I could say I was there the day that funk was invented.

Little Richard's "Keep A Knockin'" session at a Washington DC radio station in 1957 - the most exciting recording I have ever heard, and still my all time favourite record, 49 years after I first heard it.

Lorraine Ellison's "Stay With Me" session - because I've always wondered if it was as contrived and 'phoney' as it has always sounded to me

...but if I had to pick just one session above all, It would probably be James Carr's "Dark End Of The Street" session. One song, caught in just two takes and a few overdubs, providing perfection in every way.

Edited May 11, 200718 yr by TONY ROUNCE

To the ends of the earth,not by Englbert Humperdink or Nat King Cole either.....

Anita Baker's "No more tears" session which according to the lady herself as told to Richard Searling, was done on one take only - absolutely amazing.

Also to understand the complexities of group harmony and how it all dovetails together, the sessions that produced the Platters "Smoke gets in your eyes" - perfection.

A CHANGE IS GONNA COME SAM COOKE!!!!!! made me cry when i was 15, 38 years on it still does!!! awesome

Goose bumps - every time.

It'd have to be the September Jones/Billy Sha Rae sessions of Coming Home/Do It.

To hear all that orchestration on such a massive scale must have been something. The backing sounds like an irresistable force over the speakers when cranked up loud, imagine hearing it live with not one machine/computer in sight??

The thought just blows me away.......

Trying not to be obvious, but cant think of a better one.

When Rufus Lumley recorded stronger than me.

I'd want to ask him how he could create such a powerful record when all his other stuff (I'm Standing included) is toilet.

Other than that, I'd have liked to have been in the Motown Studios on the night Detroit burned in the riots, or When Marvin and Tammi were recording together, just to see if I could feel the electricity.

Trying not to be obvious, but cant think of a better one.

When Rufus Lumley recorded stronger than me.

I'd want to ask him how he could create such a powerful record when all his other stuff (I'm Standing included) is toilet.

Other than that, I'd have liked to have been in the Motown Studios on the night Detroit burned in the riots, or When Marvin and Tammi were recording together, just to see if I could feel the electricity.

Agree - would have been an awesome experience - not many people have that kinda connection or chemistry - to watch them perform together - you sensed there was no-one else in the world but them Ok I'm getting all romantic, but hey I'm a woman I'm aloud.

Karen

its interesting to see the choices so far are full of heart breaking ballad things full of meaning, which confirms my thoughts over the years that most soul folk are so nice and listening to these awesome lyrics makes them even more so!!! you old softies!!!!!!!!!!

Where do you start?

Ray Pollard doing 'The Drifter'

Roy Hamilton doing 'Let the Music Play'

Wilson Pickett doing 'In the Midnight Hour' or 'Land of 1000 Dances'

The Masqueraders doing 'Please Take Me Back'

I would also have liked to have been present at the recording of George Lemons 'Fascinating Girl' - but only for the purpose of stealing the microphones.

Edited May 11, 200718 yr by sweeney

Not striclty on the soul radar but a truly exceptional album

Little Jimmy Scott "Falling in Love Is Wonderful "(1963) ...

To the ends of the earth,not by Englbert Humperdink or Nat King Cole either.....

Nat King Coles version is wonderful....

1. Gene Toones "What More Do You Want" (As much to witness that drummer, playing like Animal from the Muppets, as the vocal).

2. Sam Williams "Love Slipped Through My Fingers"

3. Eddie Whitehead "Just Your Fool"

4. Johnnie Mae Matthews "I Have No Choice"

5. The Cautions "No Other Way" (Sounds like they had such a blast cutting this!)

6. Tolbert "I Got It"

Sorry, I may have slipped past the limit of 'one only'.

Neil Jones

Big Maybelle's "Oh Lord, what are you doing to me" or "Don't pass me by", Linda Jones' "I just can't live my life" and -- so I could admire the efforts of the session band and then ask the group manager to mail me on a box of copies -- the Mello Souls' "We can make it".

Nat King Coles version is wonderful....

...and considerably better than T. Middleton's

Just thought of another session that I'd like to have 'sat in' on - "Paralysed" by the Legendary Stardust Cowboy. Well, who wouldn't?

A great topic, Colin. I've often imagined myself in the studio on the magical day that Gayle Adams wrapped her golden tonsils around Baby I Need Your Loving...

I would also have liked to have been present at the recording of George Lemons 'Fascinating Girl' - but only for the purpose of stealing the microphones.

Pure genius... we could start another thread - 'Stealing the Mikes' LOL. Jo

Also to understand the complexities of group harmony and how it all dovetails together, the sessions that produced the Platters "Smoke gets in your eyes" - perfection.

Now if you're going to have that, I'll have to have the Flamingos 'I only have eyes for you'.....makes me shiver every time i hear it I don't know if I could sit quietly in the corner of the studio tho'.... Jo

A great topic, Colin. I've often imagined myself in the studio on the magical day that Gayle Adams wrapped her golden tonsils around Baby I Need Your Loving...

Now that post made me smile.

Ok here's one for you, Marvin Gaye during his Belgium stint.

A God given voice with bucketloads of talent, hoovering up huge amounts of coke, throwing tantrums left right & centre and still producing some quality soul.

Those would have been some amazing sessions. Sitting in on them & trying to make some sense of it all, is what I'd like to have done.

Pure genius... we could start another thread - 'Stealing the Mikes' LOL. Jo

or how about 'Stealing The Tapes' - I'd start with 'Make Sure'

Now that post made me smile.

Ok here's one for you, Marvin Gaye during his Belgium stint.

A God given voice with bucketloads of talent, hoovering up huge amounts of coke, throwing tantrums left right & centre and still producing some quality soul.

Those would have been some amazing sessions. Sitting in on them & trying to make some sense of it all, is what I'd like to have done.

Some good choices but a couple i would have liked to have seen are

1.The Hesitations doing the Soul Superman LP

2.The Caverliers Do What You Want on Shrine (absolutly mental)

3.Smith Brothers Betterway and Payback.

God theres so many.

At least i got to see The Dells at Toke a few years back which was awsome.

Steve

Now that post made me smile.

Ok here's one for you, Marvin Gaye during his Belgium stint.

A God given voice with bucketloads of talent, hoovering up huge amounts of coke, throwing tantrums left right & centre and still producing some quality soul.

Those would have been some amazing sessions. Sitting in on them & trying to make some sense of it all, is what I'd like to have done.

It would have been fantastic to witness the apparently effortless talent of Marvin Gaye at first hand.

I wouldn't like to have been the producer or record company A&R bod however!

The list is endless - gotta give a mention to Ronnie Walker - after hearing him sing live at Wolverhampton, can only imagine being there all those years ago....

Karen

If you had a chance to turn back the hands of time & sit in on a recording session in a music studio,

which session would it be?

Year would also be interesting, but appreciate that would be difficult to give in many cases.

Eddie Parker " Love You Baby "

Malc Burton

For me it would be Curtis Mayfield recording the album 'Curtis'.

Especially the sessions for We The People Who Are Darker Than Blue and Move On Up.

Any session involving The Four Tops.

Bet there was some laughing and fooling around from Levi Stubbs.

I smile whenever I see that man smile.

KTF.

Drew.

...and considerably better than T. Middleton's

Just thought of another session that I'd like to have 'sat in' on - "Paralysed" by the Legendary Stardust Cowboy. Well, who wouldn't?

Certainly argree re Tony Middleton.....

Re: Paralysed....possibly the greatest unintelligible snarls and growls ever commited to vinyl.....love it.

Edited May 11, 200718 yr by Richard Bergman

any mid 60s session at stax,golden world or motowns a-studio by any artist would have been just brill,sneaking out of the golden world studios with a different take of im spellbound,tamiko jones,under my arm...just bliss... ...soulie55

Harthon Studios - don't matter what recording