The mission of The Department of Afro-American Research Arts and Culture to identify the global significance of the creative contributions pioneered by an international diaspora of Blackness
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Friday, December 12, 2008

William Goldstein - The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings (1976)



1. Signifyin' on the Diamond (Main Title)
2. Leon in High Gear
3. Bean Ball Blues
4. Polka Dot Jitterbug
5. All Stars On Parade
6. With Love From Sally Potter
7. The Band of Detergents Boogie
8. The Bing Long Song 'Steal on Home' (vocals by Thelma Houston)
9. Baseball Magic
10. Enter the Goons
11. The Amazing Esquire Joe Catch
12. 'Steal on Home' (Reprise)
13. Razzle Dazzle (Vocal by Thelma Houston)
14. Buenos Knockers
15. If You Cut Me Who's Gonna Pay Right Field
16. Razzle Dazzle (Instrumental)
17. Bye Bye Rainbow Blues
18. No Ball Four's for Leon
19. The Mighty Midget (Razzle Dazzle Reprise)
20. Esquire Joe Major Leaguer
21. The Bingo Long Medley (End Title)

Credits:
Abe Most
Saxophone
Alton Hendrickson
Banjo
Harvey Mason, Sr.
Drums
Jerry Williams
Percussion
John Best
Trumpet
Paul Smith
Piano
Red Callender
Bass, Tuba
Teddy Buckner
Trumpet
Thelma Houston
Vocals
Tommy Tedesco
Guitar
William Goldstein
Composer, Producer

We could use a review for this soundtrack. And until we have a proper one Funkback who's given it a listen can tell us that it's all Boogie Woogie, Ragtime, footstompin', barnstormin' music from the prohibition era that's the stage for the movie. Thelma Houston does two magnificient vocal performances but other than that it's all instrumental. There's no dialogue in it at all. Here's a piece from williamgoldstein.com
William Goldstein: The Motown Years
Berry Gordy "discovered" William Goldstein in 1975. At the time Goldstein had written the theme for the ABC Morning show AM America. Mr. Gordy heard this theme every morning and after a few months asked the head of Motown's creative department Suzanne dePasse to find Goldstein and have him produce a record version of his memorable theme. Ms. dePasse found Goldstein visiting Los Angeles in the spring of '75 and the label entered into a "singles deal", where Goldstein would produce a record version of the AM America theme and two other sides. Goldstein returned to New York and went to work. At that time he was also finishing a commission for a Bicentennial work, CELEBRATION OVERTURE 1776-1976, which was to be performed by the National Symphony Orchestra in May of 1976.

In July he sent three masters back to dePasse in Los Angeles. In early August dePasse called Goldstein and asked, "are you ready to be a star?" Goldstein demurred,"what do you mean?" "Well", said dePasse, "Berry (Gordy) and I listened to the AM America track, terrific. Then we listened to the "B" side Southern Comfort, nice groove, then we heard the third side "Dreams of a Young Girl", .....it blew us away!"

A few weeks later Goldstein was on his way to Los Angeles under contract to Motown as a recording artist, record producer, composer and arranger, and a promise to open the doors to Hollywood. The promises were kept. During this period Goldstein wrote for & produced Smokey Robinson, Thelma Houston, Jermaine Jackson, Syreeta Wright, Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis and Dionne Warwick. He had a hit as a disco artist, Midnight Rhapsody.

Motown, under the guidance of Ms. dePasse, introduced Goldstein to Universal and MGM where he scored such films as The Bingo Long Travelling All Stars & Motor Kings with Billy Dee Williams, James Earl Jones, and Richard Pryor and Norman Is That You? with Red Foxx & Pearl Bailey.

In addition to scoring these films, he wrote songs for them as well. For Bingo Long he wrote Razzle Dazzle with lyricist Ron Miller. Also with Miller he wrote Old Fashioned Man, which was heard in Norman Is That You?, and was recorded by Smokey Robinson.

It was a very interesting and rewarding time.........

Thanks Soulcontrollah

Movie Review
The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings (1976)

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Jerry Peters and Jerry Butler - Melinda (1972)



1. Speak Truth to the People (Frankie's Theme)
2. Melinda Title Theme (Instrumental)
3. Part III (Instrumental)
4. Tank's Theme
5. Love Is
6. Melinda Latino (Instrumental)
7. I Can't Let You Go (Instrumental)
8. The Blues: Dope Pusher's Theme (Instrumental)
9. Music for Tank's Boat (Instrumental)
10. Melinda Reprise

Blaxploitation.com
Solid funky soul soundtrack from Jerry Butler and Jerry Peters to the above average 1972 blaxploitation movie Melinda (directed by Hugh A. Robertson). A good mix of vocal ballads, funky soul, a bit of sitar, some cracking mid-tempo funk instrumentals and even a bit of blues - all well arranged with the nice use of brass and string accompaniments and some damn fine beats. This is a proper soundtrack reissue - not just a load of noise from the audio track of a DVD. "some great funk keyboard work and a classic seven-minute funk jam theme. The sound is small-group funk, with a loose, raw edge and Fender Rhodes high in the mix"

Melinda (1972)



















Starring:



Storyline
Blaxploitation superstars Calvin Lockhart, Rosalind Cash, Vonetta McGee and Jim Kelly take on the mob in this super-charged, action-packed thriller. When Melinda Lewis (McGee) is found brutally murdered in his L.A. apartment, smooth-talking disk jockey Frankie J. Parker (Lockhart) turns sleuth to clear his name. Chased and attacked by junkies, dealers and thugs, Frankie soon learns Melinda is the ex-mistress of a Chicago mobster and has evidence the gangster wants back. Enlisting the aid of a jealous ex-flame (Cash) and a karate master from the hood (Kelly, in his screen debut), Frankie sets out to track down the mob boss who framed him and avenge Melinda's death. 


Link to soundtrack review
Jerry Peters and Jerry Butler - Melinda (1972)

The Black Gestapo (1975)


















Starring:


Storyline
General Ahmed (Rod Perry, TV's S.W.A.T.) has started an inner-city People's Army to try and relieve the misery of the citizens of Watts. When the locals are put under increasing pressure by Mafia thugs, Ahmed's second-in-command Colonel Kojah (Charlie Robinson, TV's Night Court, Sugar Hill) asks for permission to start a protection squad to take more direct action. Ahmed fears this protection squad will just turn into a vigilante mob, and his prediction soon proves correct. Will Ahmed be able to wrest control back from the power-mad Kojah, or will he be the mob's next victim?

Link to soundtrack review
Allan Alper - The Back Gestapo (1975)