Had a brilliant chat on the phone with Al Johnson of the Unifics and he told me that a UK publication once published, in his opinion, the most extensive discography of his work. Can anyone tell me what mag that was and where I can get a couple of copies? I'd like one and Al doesn't even have one for himself, so I'd like to accommodate him if I can.

If anyone's got some questions and input about Al and/or the Unifics, please feel free to speak up. I'm putting together a project and want to make it as comprehensive as possible.

Thanks!

Jason

Had a brilliant chat on the phone with Al Johnson of the Unifics and he told me that a UK publication once published, in his opinion, the most extensive discography of his work. Can anyone tell me what mag that was and where I can get a couple of copies? I'd like one and Al doesn't even have one for himself, so I'd like to accommodate him if I can.

If anyone's got some questions and input about Al and/or the Unifics, please feel free to speak up. I'm putting together a project and want to make it as comprehensive as possible.

Thanks!

Jason

Hello Jason , think it was Voices from the shadows mag .You could try their website .Best ,Eddie

Looked for "Voices From the Shadows" but couldn't find a web site or back issues on eBay. I found a reference to an article on Soulwalking.co.uk but that's about it.

Michael Stokes, Al Johnson...sounds like my cup of tea for sure. Either way, I'd like to get my hands on some of these issues. Is the mag still in print or long since defunkt? I've heard of it, but have never seen one.

Back to work on my mag and Dave Moore's...There's That Beat!

-Jas

Try this for 'Voices'

www.soulrecordsforsale.co.uk

Swifty

EXCELLENT...been looking around the site.

THANKS SWIFTY!

-Jas

PS. Also-thank you John Reed for offering scans!

Jas,

Did Al remember meeting us a couple of years ago? Good luck with the project, I know it's been an ambition of yours for a while.

Yes Dave-Tom Fauntleroy remembers meeting you and Bev in NJ for the SoulTrip weekend. These guys are great and it's a shame that they didn't get to perform. They would have gained some new fans for sure.

I also want to thank John Reed for sending me a scan of the Al Johnson discography from Voices From the Shadows magazine. I'd like to get two copies of that mag so I can have one and send one to Al himself. It's the one with Jesse James on the cover.

I found a few things missing from that discography like a later Terry Huff single, an obscure duet from 1973 and an LP called Symba from 1982. If anyone's got some info on some of Al's more obscure projects, let me know.

I'm also after high resolution 300DPI JPEG scans of the Jay Player record on Bevnik and the 45 by Seville "Show Me the Way" (what a great track). Send to: jazzyjas@bellsouth.net

Any Unifics foreign issues/demos as well as US white demos on Kapp, trade ads, etc. are also welcome.

It's all going to find its way onto the pages of a future issue of There's That Beat! so any help would be appreciated. I'd also like to invite all Soul Sourcers to speak up if they have any questions for Al and the Unifics.

Dave and Bev and I get the magazine out there into circulation, but it's really a collaboration of Soul fans all over the World-that means all of you as well.

Thanks for the continued support!

-Jason

I found a few things missing from that discography like a later Terry Huff single, an obscure duet from 1973 and an LP called Symba from 1982. If anyone's got some info on some of Al's more obscure projects, let me know.

I´ve got the Symba LP, so if you want any more info on that I´ll gladly help. May have an mp3 of a track that I ripped of that album, can post that as a refo-soul clip.

The group Symba was from Washington DC and consisted of eight members featuring lead vocalists Gerald Hollan and Cheryl Hawkin. In 1980 they released the album Body Bait and a couple of 45s on Venture Records. Al Johnson was the arranger. BTW, the record cover features a black woman + a white woman + a lion!

Best,

Melismo

Edited August 15, 200816 yr by djmelismo

Thanks for the information and the clips. Just bought the Symba LP a few days ago. I'm also onto the other stuff you mentioned. Gonna do my best to put all the pieces of the puzzle together!

Thanks again!

-Jas

If anyone's got some info on some of Al's more obscure projects, let me know...

I used to have a record on BURT by Al Johnson - "Sittin' Around"/"Soul Time" BURT 4001 many moons ago, but it's long gone unfortunately (big money now, needless to say). By the way, "School Of The Groove"/cw. "Saved By The Bell" from his brilliant Columbia album came out on a 12" (CBS) in France! and I have "I've Got My Second Wind" on US 12".

I also agree that the Seville record is totally ace!

Edited August 16, 200816 yr by mel brat

Ahh right. The one on Burt is a different Al Johnson. There's also a wicked Al Johnson record on South Camp that is fantastic but I believe it's a different guy as well. I'll be sure to get that clarified, but both records came out during the time the Unifics were putting things out. One or both records might be by the famous Al "Carnival Time" Johnson from New Orleans. Might be three of these guys!

Yes-I've seen that French 12" and I'm definitely looking to get one, as well as the US white label 12". "School of the Groove" is tremendous when you hear it out loud in a club. I played it once back in Baltimore. You should have heard it...

-Jas

Ahh right. The one on Burt is a different Al Johnson. There's also a wicked Al Johnson record on South Camp that is fantastic but I believe it's a different guy as well. I'll be sure to get that clarified, but both records came out during the time the Unifics were putting things out. One or both records might be by the famous Al "Carnival Time" Johnson from New Orleans. Might be three of these guys!

Yes-I've seen that French 12" and I'm definitely looking to get one, as well as the US white label 12". "School of the Groove" is tremendous when you hear it out loud in a club. I played it once back in Baltimore. You should have heard it...

-Jas

The Al Johnson on South Camp is not the "Carnival Time" guy, for sure. He (Carnival Time) confirmed that to me some years ago. And 'South Camp's not "your" Al Johnson, either. Dunno how the 'Burt' Al might fit into this, as I haven't heard the record...

BTW "your" Al was actually in the UK in the UK a couple of years ago, working as Lloyd Price's bandleader!

Well that would make sense because neither the Burt or the South Camp releases sound like anything that the Carnival Time Al Johnson would do. That thing on South Camp is dynamite, though.

Yes, Al Johnson told me that he was working as a bandleader for a review that involved Jerry Butler, Gene Chandler and Lloyd.

Seems he's always got some sort of musical project on the boil.

-Jas

I have ther South Camp 45, do you need any scans or do you already have them. Love Waits For No One is a great track, I think its already on Refosoul but can do soundclips also if you need them.

Here´s the Al Johnson entry of Toby Walker´s "Soul Walking" site. I am fully aware that these are very basic facts, so you are bound to know all of this by heart, but it´s easy to cut and paste and this is for everyone to read. Toby Walker´s site is brilliant, but sometimes I´ve spotted factual mistakes in some of the artist bios, hopefully not in this one?!

al johnson

b. Alfred Orlando Johnson, Washington, U.S.A.

Al Johnson began his career as lead singer with

The Unifics

in the mid '60's.

In 1968 the group recorded 'Sittin' ln The Court Of Love' for the Kapp label.

Singles 'It's A Groovy World' (1969) and 'Got To Get To You' (1970) were released before they switched to the Fountain label for 'Dawn Of A New Day' in 1971.

In 1978, Al became part of a group called Positive Change, who released one album on Fortress Records, including 'This Is Where I'll Be (Till You Return)'.

Also i

n 1978, AI recorded his debut solo album 'Peaceful' for the Marina label (including his original version of 'I've Got My Second Wind'), following which he played keyboards on

Bobby Thurston's

'You Got What It Takes' and The Main Attraction, and with Gayle Adams on 'Stretchin Out'.

The following year he teamed up with

Norman Connors

to be lead vocalist on the song 'Your Love' for Norman's album 'Invitation'.

In 1980, Norman produced AI's CBS album 'Back For More' which included the duet with

Jean Carne

'I'm Back For More' and a new version of 'I've Got My Second Wind'.

The same year AI sang lead on 'I Don't Need Nobody Else' from a further

Norman Connors

album 'Take It To The Limit'.

AI co-produced tracks with

The Whispers

on their album 'Love For Love' (1983), sang lead with CJ's Uptown Crew ('Forever On My Mind'), released by Washington Hit Makers in 1990, worked as arranger for

Tata Vega

,

Bloodstone

,

Evelyn King

,

Peabo Bryson

and

Roberta Flack

, while also writing 'We Have Love For You' for

Deniece Wilillams

and 'Trust Me' for

Jean Carn

.

In 1998, after an eighteen year break from solo recording, Johnson returned with the highly regarded, 'My Heart Is An Open Book' for the Committee Records label.

Albums:

Peaceful (Marina 1978)

Back For More (CBS 1980)

My Heart Is An Open Book (Committee Records 1998)

+ MY OWN ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:

The album by Positive Change is very rare in its original format, but has been reissued on vinyl. Very low volume on that recording, but otherwise great sound.

"Back For More" was reissued in CD format by the Japanese division of the record company. Not sure, but don´t think "Peaceful" got a CD reissue?!

I think the day he stopped performing in black face was the day he sold out!

">

Ahh right. The one on Burt is a different Al Johnson...

-Jas

Glad to hear it's a different 'Al' in a way, 'cos I just played a clip of it on JM's site and I'm not overly mad on it !... ) I like the Tata Vega album very much too. Didn't he and Tata perform a duet on there? Must dig it out for another listen.

Al's Columbia album absolutely blew me away in 1980, and I'm a big fan of Jean Carn(e) too. Colin Curtis played "Back For More" quite a lot at Rafter's in Manchester I recall.

Edited August 17, 200816 yr by mel brat

That Symba track is beautiful too. Right up my street.

Edited August 17, 200816 yr by mel brat

I like the Tata Vega album very much too. Didn't he and Tata perform a duet on there? Must dig it out for another listen.

Al Johnson has been involved in many of Tata Vega´s albums. On Givin´ All My Love he is responsible for some of the tracks, however, he is NOT the duet partner on "(I´ve Got My) Second Wind", where instead the male vocals are handled by another great singer - G.C. Cameron! He has also arranged and conducted Tata Vega albums such as Full Speed Ahead, Totally Tata and Try My Love. Sometimes he is credited as Alfred O. Johnson.

Cheers,

Melismo

That Symba track is beautiful too. Right up my street.

Cheers. I´ve received a couple of PMs about the Symba LP from people who want to know if the rest of the LP is that good.

Here´s my review track by track:

SYMBA - BODY BAIT (Venture, 1980)

Side A

Body Bait (largely instrumenal disco track, not essential to me)

Hey You (really nice soul track, also issued as a 45, and rightly so)

You Know I Need You (disco-funk, a bit too catchy for my liking)

Go Away Sad Memory (a slowie, doesn´t do much for me I´m afraid, just bores me)

Side B

Hold On (a nice danceable soul tune with some funk and jazz influences too, released as a 45 - good choice)

Can I Get To Know You (the track posted as a Refo-Soul Clip. Timeless soul ballad - love it!!!!)

Want My Love (soul-disco, a large portion of the song is made up of a disco-drum break)

Time´ll Getcha (funk, ok if you like funk in other words)

So for me "Can I Get To Know You", "Hey You" and "Hold On" are the ones worth having.

Hope this helps.

Best,

Melismo

"Back For More" was reissued in CD format by the Japanese division of the record company. Not sure, but don´t think "Peaceful" got a CD reissue?!

''Peaceful'' did get a Jap CD release 2004 P-VINE

''Peaceful'' did get a Jap CD release 2004 P-VINE

Thanks for confirming. "Peaceful" is one of those soul albums that quite a few "beginners" have failed to spot, because there´s no telling from the front cover that it´s "black music", you have to turn the album around to see the pic of Al Johnson...

I believe that many of the Japanese reissues were put out in limited quantities and since long deleted fetching large sums of money on the Bay and elsewhere.

Peaceful got a second CD release in the past few years with a mini hard LP cover. Back in 1999 or thereabouts, there was a short lived CD reissue of both LPs on one disc. You never see that.

My Symba LP should drop on my doorstep tomorrow. Looking forward to listening to it.

-Jas

I`ve got a copy of "Symba-Hold on-Venture" on a 45 somewhere,if you need a scan

of it i`ll dig it out for you.

Dave f...............

Yes-I'll take a scan of that 45 for sure!

send to: jazzyjas@bellsouth.net

Thanks!

-Jason

By the way, "School Of The Groove"/cw. "Saved By The Bell" from his brilliant Columbia album came out on a 12" (CBS) in France!

Not only a 12" - I also have it on French CBS 7" 45!

Sean

Heres the French picture sleeve 45

Cheers Paul

Edited August 18, 200816 yr by soul shrews

Excellent! Thanks very much!

-J.

Jason,

just listened to the Damion & Denita LP (Rocket/MCA, 1980), which includes the tracks "Being Alone" and "Where Were We", written and arranged by Al Johnson. I guess you have these tracks already or you want me to post them? The Damion & Denita is kind of obscure, but of course very cheap and easy to find. BTW, Denita is Denita James from Hodges, James, & Smith. But who´s Damion? At first I thought it was Damon Harris, but it can´t be of course?!

Regards

Melismo

I suspected who the "Denita" was but I can ask Al himself who Damion is. I'd like to hear the music, so if you could post it, that would be great. I'm going to have to pick that record up, but label scans would also be nice.

By the way, the Symba LP turned up yesterday and it definitely does not disappoint. There are loads of great tracks on it and the arrangements by Al are top notch of course. Side 2 is especially good.

I also dug out my Bloodstone "Don't Stop" LP on Motown from 1978 that Al worked on. That LP is mostly ballads, but there's a really nice track called "Just Want to Get the Feel of it" that might appeal to modern soul fans. If it weren't so long, it would probably work on the dancefloor.

-Jas

The Al Johnson 45 on Marina is also in transit.

I suspected who the "Denita" was but I can ask Al himself who Damion is. I'd like to hear the music, so if you could post it, that would be great. I'm going to have to pick that record up, but label scans would also be nice.

Jas, sorry unable to do label scan (maybe someone else can help with that?), but posted the two Al Johnson tunes as Refo-soul clips above. I´m a collector of LPs and I just may have some other things of interest. Just let me know if there is anything in particular that you would like to hear or want more info about, chances are I have many of those Al Johnson items in my collection and would be more than happy to oblige.

BTW, I live in Sweden and the Damion & Denita LP used to be very easy to find over here. Loads of cut-outs in circulation and could be obtained extremely cheap. Not that common today though. Those deleted cut-outs were "stolen", nah ""rescued" from the US "trash bins" and shipped to Sweden en masse by two brothers! Those cut-outs, including the Damion & Denita one, are not that easy to find anymore, it has sort of dried up.

One of those much-talked-about cut-outs was the very first Luther Vandross LP that he did with the group Luther. There used to be many copies in Sweden, but as time went by most of them were sold to serious record collectors in certain other countries who were prepared to pay a considerable amount of money for that elusive item which turned up at many junk shops and flea markets over here. That one along with most other interesting cut-outs (Dramatics, Rasputin Stash, Betty Wright etc.) has also dried up unfortunately.

Hey, pass my regards to Al Johnson please. I´m a big fan of his work!!!

All the best

Melismo

Well folks, I'm deep in the thick of putting the Al Johnson story together and just a handful of images are proving elusive.

If anybody has:

1. Show Me the Way-Seville-Kayo-VERY IMPORTANT

2. CJ's Uptown Crew ('Forever On My Mind')-Washington Hit Makers-1990

3. Damion and Denita-MCA-LP cover preferrably and 45 label (if it's Al's work)

4. Love Is the Answer by Jay Player-Bevnik-VERY IMPORTANT

5. Back For More-Columbia-WHITE DEMO ONLY

6. 45 label for "School of the Groove"

7. Symba 45-Venture-Calling Dave Fleming

8. Positive Change-proper label scans

I would love to get high resolution scans/digital images as JPEG files of all those records. Feel free to e-mail the files to: jazzyjas@bellsouth.net

Credit will be given in the next issue and a complimentary copy to those who supply me with final images. Also, if there are any serious AL Johnson fans with oddball items that might be overlooked, feel free to speak up. I just did a comprehensive story about the Unifics and I'm also looking to do Al up big style.

Thanks in advance Soul Sourcers!

-Jason

Well folks, I'm deep in the thick of putting the Al Johnson story together and just a handful of images are proving elusive.

If anybody has:

1. Show Me the Way-Seville-Kayo-VERY IMPORTANT

2. CJ's Uptown Crew ('Forever On My Mind')-Washington Hit Makers-1990

3. Damion and Denita-MCA-LP cover preferrably and 45 label (if it's Al's work)

4. Love Is the Answer by Jay Player-Bevnik-VERY IMPORTANT

5. Back For More-Columbia-WHITE DEMO ONLY

6. 45 label for "School of the Groove"

7. Symba 45-Venture-Calling Dave Fleming

8. Positive Change-proper label scans

I would love to get high resolution scans/digital images as JPEG files of all those records. Feel free to e-mail the files to: jazzyjas@bellsouth.net

Credit will be given in the next issue and a complimentary copy to those who supply me with final images. Also, if there are any serious AL Johnson fans with oddball items that might be overlooked, feel free to speak up. I just did a comprehensive story about the Unifics and I'm also looking to do Al up big style.

Thanks in advance Soul Sourcers!

-Jason

i think his name is on the impact 45 on full scale but I don't have the 45. I have the mystique 45 on washington hit makers, I can see if his name is on that. Did you contact Kevin of dcsoulrecordings.com?

That's a good idea. I'll have a look around the DC Soul recordings web site.

SEVILLE-Got the scan now! Thank you Gareth Donovan!

-J.

Al Johnson from Washington was in the UK in late 1992 because he visited us at the Ardent Music office.

I remember the date because Bill Clinton was running for president. We all sat around the piano and were singing the current hit "End Of The Road" which we dedicated to the outgoing president George Bush Sr.

I can't remember what Al was actually doing in the UK at that time but a friend of mine called Shaun Reed was looking after him and driving him around. He was probably music director for someone's tour or something ...could it have been a Washington Hitmakers tour???

Anyway, Al's a nice bloke and I always think of him when I hear "End Of The Road".

Edited October 23, 200816 yr by Paul

The Burt record was from detroit I think. Blue label, have it somewhere. Probably also have the Venture stuff too as I did an article on the label in Shades of Soul a while back.

That's a different Al Johnson on the Burt 45, and Paul-I'll give Al your regards and ask him about his trip across to the UK.

-J.

Missing bits that I'm still tying to source scans for. I've got several web scans from this lot, but I'm trying to get some high res JPEGs scanned at 300DPI.

1975-BEST OF BOTH WORLDS-CALLA-LP and Singles

1978-POSITIVE CHANGE LP-FORTRESS

1979-ALLAN HARRIS AND PERPETUAL MOTION-JUST LET ME KNOW-EXACT CHANGE 12"

1979? EASY LIVIN' /COME WHAT MAY-DREAM MACHINE

1980-DAMION & DENITA-ROCKET RECORD COMPANY LP

1982-GAYLE ADAMS-LOVE FEVER LP+BABY I NEED YOUR LOVING

1982-RAY SLYY-HEY YOU-SALSOUL 12"

1983?-CI CI-OFF THE WALL-Q.S.

1984-CI CI-YOU'VE GOT ME HYPNOTIZED-CREATIVE FUNK 12"

1988-CLIFTON DYSON AND RICK WEBB-I CAN'T LET YOU GO-WASHINGTON HIT MAKERS 12"

1988-RICK WEBB-IT'S RAINING OUTSIDE-WASHINGTON HIT MAKERS SINGLE

1988-IMPACT LP-WE'RE HERE TO PARTY-FULL SCALE + "I'M HERE" SINGLE

1988-TYRONE BURWELL-SWEET SEXY THING/MEMORIES-TAD/CREATIVE FUNK 12"

Any help would be appreciated. My e-mail address is: jazzyjas@bellsouth.net

Thanks in advance!

-Jason

Missing bits that I'm still tying to source scans for. I've got several web scans from this lot, but I'm trying to get some high res JPEGs scanned at 300DPI.

1975-BEST OF BOTH WORLDS-CALLA-LP and Singles

1978-POSITIVE CHANGE LP-FORTRESS

1979-ALLAN HARRIS AND PERPETUAL MOTION-JUST LET ME KNOW-EXACT CHANGE 12"

1979? EASY LIVIN' /COME WHAT MAY-DREAM MACHINE

1980-DAMION & DENITA-ROCKET RECORD COMPANY LP

1982-GAYLE ADAMS-LOVE FEVER LP+BABY I NEED YOUR LOVING

1982-RAY SLYY-HEY YOU-SALSOUL 12"

1983?-CI CI-OFF THE WALL-Q.S.

1984-CI CI-YOU'VE GOT ME HYPNOTIZED-CREATIVE FUNK 12"

1988-CLIFTON DYSON AND RICK WEBB-I CAN'T LET YOU GO-WASHINGTON HIT MAKERS 12"

1988-RICK WEBB-IT'S RAINING OUTSIDE-WASHINGTON HIT MAKERS SINGLE

1988-IMPACT LP-WE'RE HERE TO PARTY-FULL SCALE + "I'M HERE" SINGLE

1988-TYRONE BURWELL-SWEET SEXY THING/MEMORIES-TAD/CREATIVE FUNK 12"

Any help would be appreciated. My e-mail address is: jazzyjas@bellsouth.net

Thanks in advance!

-Jason

Jason,

I have the Brazilian issue 45 of the Hesitations "Born free" with pic sleeve. Will sort out a scan of sleeve & label tomorrow.

Derek

Hey Derek,

Al was in the Unifics and not the Hesitations, but I'll take those images anyway because we're putting together a feature about foreign versions of Soul records. It sounds like a really nice item and we'd love it for our archives. I can imagine us using something like that in TTB.

Thanks!

-Jason

Hey Derek,

Al was in the Unifics and not the Hesitations, but I'll take those images anyway because we're putting together a feature about foreign versions of Soul records. It sounds like a really nice item and we'd love it for our archives. I can imagine us using something like that in TTB.

Thanks!

-Jason

Of course he was ! Just finished a week of night shifts hence my brain is semi-detached.

Pretty sure i have some more brazilian 45s in the garage will dig them out. Also have a NZ issue of Etta Cameron "I gotta feeling" if that's any use to you?

Derek

Oh man! Missed a really big one here!

LOVE'S TRYING TO GET A HOLD OF ME-TAVASCO-RAMPART

Need a nice high-res scan of this record label is anybody's got one. Both sides if possible, but definitely the good side.

300DPI JPEG to: jazzyjas@bellsouth.net

Thanks!

-J.

Al Johnson from Washington was in the UK in late 1992 because he visited us at the Ardent Music office.

I remember the date because Bill Clinton was running for president. We all sat around the piano and were singing the current hit "End Of The Road" which we dedicated to the outgoing president George Bush Sr.

I can't remember what Al was actually doing in the UK at that time but a friend of mine called Shaun Reed was looking after him and driving him around. He was probably music director for someone's tour or something ...could it have been a Washington Hitmakers tour???

Anyway, Al's a nice bloke and I always think of him when I hear "End Of The Road".

Paul

Al Johnson was appearing at the Southport Weekender that year on the saturday evening (actually 1.15am Sunday ) as I got most of my A.J stuff signed dated 7th nov 92, along with a couple of programmes.

Great days and great unsung SOUL singers we got to see over those early years

Dave Halsall

Thanks for that info Dave. Will see about getting that trip mentioned in the article. In the meantime, do you have a picture of Al from that event?

If so, I'd love to use it in the article.

Let me know.

Thanks!

-Jason

Spoke with Al today and he sure remembers meeting up with Paul Mooney and going to that Southport Weekender. If anyone has any programmes, pics of Al from that event, I'd be most appreciative!

Also-still looking for a high res scan of the awesome Tavasco 45. We talked a little about that session today. I'd love to show a nice crisp scan of it.

Thanks!

-Jason

Spoke with Al Johnson today. He let me know that there were a few discrepancies in the discography.

He said that Ray Slyy on Salsoul (a production that credits "Al Johnson/Frankie Beverly") is not him. He also said that the record by LeRoy on Dream Machine is not him.

But one that needs to be added is Lloyd Price's "Nominee" LP on Old Worlde records. Anyone have that LP?

Let me know.

Thanks!

-J.