MELVIN DAVIS Find A Quiet Place (Wheel City)
The name of Melvin Davis has always gone hand in hand with great Detroit dance music and this outing is, for me at least, one of his finest hours. It has the lot, pace, vibrancy, excitement all mixed amongst a wonderful upbeat vocal. A truly infectious slice of Detroit delirium. Fantastic!
APPRECIATIONS I Can’t Hide It (Aware)
The Detroit connection with Mike Terry puts this great dancer firmly up there with any of his other
contributions. Once again, upbeat, uptempo with Mike’s vibrant sax break featuring half way through. Classic Northern Soul that you can’t help smiling to when flinging yourself around a dance-floor. There’s That Beat! There’s That Beat!
DEON JACKSON Ooh Baby (Carla)
Mr Jackson’s liaison’s with Ollie McLaughlin produced some of the more sublime midtempo records that nestle in people's collections and this particular side is my favourite. Have always loved it since the first time I heard it 35 years ago. A simple song delivered by a guy whose voice was like a metronome. Pitch perfect on
every note. Sheer quality from the opening bar until the final fade.
AL WILLIAMS I Am Nothing (LaBeat/Palmer)
Lou Beaty’s LPTs “LaBeat Production Team” combine to create a dancer that has and always will stand the test of time. The opening drum fill drags you to the dancefloor and Mr Williams keeps you there. ‘On the fours’ quality from beginning to end.
AL KENT The Way You’ve Been Acting Lately (Ric-Tic)
Finally, a record that inspired a generation of young music fans to become lifelong devotees of the Motor City’s golden era of soul music. A string laden, tortured vocal that pounds along, it leaves the listener almost breathless. The Funk Brothers in complete harmony. When young ears, a whole ocean away from Detroit heard this, the rest as they say… was history.
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