Laura Lee - Crumbs Off The Table

I will never forget the 1st time I copped this LP. I was infantile in my collecting and my understanding of soul and funk records. It's funny for me to remember back then. I was on my way to KALX,  U.C. Berkeley's radio station because I was getting my start in college radio at that same time.
About that time was when I discovered other things like Lyn Collin's 'Think (About It)'.
Thing is, they were both tunes that were decades old but, were experiencing a new birth by being sample by popular rap artists. Rob Base's sampling of Lyn Collins was playing out of every car that summer. EVERY damn car. It was crazy. While D-Nice's treatment of 'Crumbs' by Laura Lee wasn't as widely received it still justified my insatiable fever for getting to the 'roots' of the issue. My grand scheme would be to promote and  illuminate the 'real' artists. Well, over the years not much has changed in my agenda.

Modeled after her LP 'Women's Love Rights' Laura Lee was one of many soul sisters etching new territory for women in R&B and soul. Both with great feeling and depth, yet asserting a new power obtained by gains in the Women's movement. Ann Pebbles, Ann Sexton, and Laura Lee brought raspy rough vocals and tuff 'If You Can Beat me Rockin, You Can Have My Chair' attitudes. She spoke out to people and got personal within peoples relationships. On the curtails of Honey Cone's 'Want Ads' she brought us 'Women's Love Rights'...and in the footsteps of Freda Payne's 'Band Of Gold' she delivered 'Wedlock Is A Padlock'. Her message is basically loud and clear through her song titles. 'Her Picture Matches Mine', 'Love And Liberty', 'Rip Off', and 'I Don't Want Anything Old (But Money)'. The face of soul was changing and sultry soul sisters were changing the game.

Laura tried an impressive set of labels. With early releases on Ric-Tic and Chess, then onto Cotillion and her mainstay Hot Wax. She enjoyed most of her success at Hot Wax with singles 'Women’s Love Rights' and 'Rip Off' reaching the pop and R&B charts. Before her departure from Hot Wax she had a few more singles... 'If I'm Old Enough To Love (I'm Old Enough To Marry), 'Crumbs Off The Table' and the classic 'If You Can Beat Me Rockin' (You Can Have My Chair)'.  But, as amazing and brilliant as they were, they didn't chart as well as her earlier singles.


She laid low in the mid seventies but became active in the gospel genre again in the late seventies and early eighties. Gospel music was her original starting point and after a bout with cancer she devoted herself entirely to gospel music. It was rumored that she had a lengthy romantic relationship with Al Green and in 1983 they collaborated on 'Jesus Is The Light Of My Life' for the Myrrh label.  She also, much like Al Green became an ordained minister and continues to record and perform gospel music.

For me this is one of thee most bad ass sister funk tunes. It's empowering, yet entirely devoted. Wildly busty with incredible production and the breakdown is savage and completely legendary in the funk and soul world. This is top notch stuff here. So glad Laura Lee got her start and brought us to this incredibly funky place.

Laura Lee - Crumbs Off The Table

Erma Franklin - Can't See My Way

Speaking of soul sisters, time for the cream a la crop. She's cut from the cloth of the highest order, from the legendary Franklin family. Oldest sister of the bunch, her sister Carolyn Franklin, and Aretha Franklin, the first lady (of Chocolate City that is) she is Erma. You could say that these three sisters are the first ladies of soul. Erma's biggest claim to fame may have been "Piece Of My Heart" which was covered by Janis Joplin. But, the delights of this 1969 LP are endless. From her sweeping "Light My Fire", to the classic "Gotta Find Me A Lover (24 Hours A Day)".


"Can't See My Way" is straight haunted. It's a creeping, James Bond-ish, slick soul tune that has all the best qualities of the Brunswick Label sound. Crackling and crisp drums, fuzzed out guitar (that cuts like a knife), congas, piercing horns, and amazing production that shines throughout this whole album. This tune to me, is the absolute blazer on the album.

I can't think of a soul tune that combines the feel of psychedelic 'swingin' sixties and heavy funky soul better than this. Just look at that dress she's wearing on the cover. With the swingin' London inspired threads and Afro hair, it benchmarks a golden part of an era that I'm in love with. A combination of two worlds. This tune is also a long time favorite of mine, made it on a funk comp I put together (just like the last tune posted here) and sounds the best in stereo with headphones on. This is a much more common of an LP than her rare 1962 LP on Epic, but it is highly recommended soul stuff.


Erma Franklin - Can't See My Way

Vera Hamilton - But I Ain't No More

My friend, fellow aficionado, and avid collector Micheal Barnes just recently got this 45 and I was reminded what a great song it is. I surprised myself by remembering it word for word. I know it line by line from several years of playing it out. Not to mention hearing it at DJ Kittys notorious Wednesday nite at the ruby room. Many of us who went to that nite on a regular basis knew all the lyrics to this and many others. Like 'Foxy Girls In Oakland', by Rodger Collins, 'Garden Of Four Trees' by The Explosions, and 'So Much Trouble In My Mind' by Sir Joe Quarterman. Kitty used to hold the deep funk down every week.
I first met Michael at that very nite and soon learned of his KALX (UC Berkeley) radio show. Turns out Michael was deep as the earths core and played with us several times at the Soundboutique DJ nite at the Ivy Room. He was the first to put me on to James Black and the Whites, totally new to me at the time, and flip my head around several times like the exorcist on some mad soul and funk shit I had never heard. On his radio show I'd hear him play more new stuff like Gang of Four and the Slits. Again, all new to me, and again blowing my mind constantly with smokin' hot soul stuff. Such is the nature of good college radio shows. Something Both Michael and DJ Kitty are pros at.

Michael's moved down to LA and is still active in radio..
Check out his Radio Show on KPFA called Melting Pot.

And his audio blog of the same name.
http://www.meltingpotblog.com/

Thanks Michael for reminding me of this track and glad you got yours!! Cheers!

This Vera Hamilton track is complete soulful funk stomper and Vera a vocal power house. Vera can belt. And, the theme here is 'I ain't gon' take yo shit anymore' or rather 'I was your fool, but I ain't no more' Kind of a mid seventies 'Tyrone' if you will. Produced by Johnny Otis, it's also a certified Bay Area goodie. Real deal Sister Funk and a shining moment and example of the 70's and one of many reasons we love this era. Sisters and women in general started to assert themselves and we saw more and more songs like this that represented changes in the women's movement. Could also be credited to the activity here within the Bay Area at the time.
I had it on a mix CD of mine a long time ago, and sounds just as fresh and tasty to me as it did then. Incredible stuff here, wished I knew where Vera was now and if she made anything else as hot as this.
In 2002 BGP re-released this great song with another tune called "Spells And Incantations". I have not heard it. My copy is a promo and has "Aint No.." on both sides, stereo and mono. But, if any of you have the BGP version or can post the link..I'd like to hear her other material.




Vera Hamilton - But I Ain't No More