Finally Together - The Ru-Jac Records Story, Volume Three 1966-1967 - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the third in a series, The RU-JAC Records Story, Volume Three  1966-1967, and it's deep soul. Opening with five tracks by Rita Doryse, a super vocalist, I am particularly attracted by When I'm Alone, a soulful blues number with horns and arpegiated guitr chords. Another of these tracks, Born To Be Loved is all R&B with a snappy rhythm and period backing vocals. Nice set. Kitty Lane sets up with a funky, It's Love I Need, her voice thick and rich with tight horn punctuation and solid bottom. Soulful, Sweetheart, is one of my favorites on the release with Lane reapply pouring on the soul. Excellent! The Feeling Is Gone is a real nice blues number with excellent vocals and really nice guitar work. This track is worth the price of admission alone! High energy, Searching is a hot potato with a driving bass line, solid vocals and punctuating horns. Sad that the artist is unknown. Gene & Eddie contribute 2 tracks and my favorite is I Would Cry with an excellent soul feel. Vocals are tops and guitar accents set the track off against the heavy horns. Very nice. There is another dose of Winfield Parker on this release and his vocals are sweet as ever including a demo. The Shyndells' Lightning (Part 1), one of two instrumental contributions to the release is a powerful 60's instrumental rocker with flamboyant sax and drums. Very cool! Another uncredited track, Never Never Leave Me is a real cool track that stands solidly on it's own with smooth soulful vocals backed by easy guitar and organ. Two dance tracks by Leon Gibson  have great rhythm and dance stimulating vocals.  Wrapping the release are two tracks by The Caressors, with full blended vocals horns and compact rhythms. This is another great release from Omnivore presenting some solid gems back to light. 

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Changes - The Ru-Jac Records Story, Volume Four: 1967 - 1980 - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Changes, The Ru-Jac Records Story, Volume Four: 1967-1980 and it's quite good. Opening with stirring R&B track, She's So Pretty by Winfield Parker, this release is off to a hot start... think Ike and Tina meets Wilson Pickett! You Don't Fool Me by Gene and Eddie has a chugging bass line and punchy horns backing a cool vocal duel. Delving into rich soul, Fred Martin Review sings I'm The One (That Loves You), with it's spoken lines and rich melodies, enriched coral harmonies. Very nice. Another nice soul track, Take Me Back Again, by Martin really explores that defines the 60's soul sound. Changes Part I by Saturday is a classic with a lumbering blues pace. One of my favorites on the release. Martin explores a more funky sound on Sugar with a dominant bass line, sassy sax work and James Brown like drums. Hot! Another of my Martin favorites is When I'm Alone, a gripping soul track with excellent vocals and horn punctuation. The Dynamic Corvettes lay down funky, Keep Off The Grass, with horns and a slick guitar solo. Francine Long sings soulful ballad, Days May Come, Days May Go, a solid radio track with a super melody. Willie Mason with the Freddie Martin Review really kick up the tempo on I Loved You Once, and with it's early Temptations like track but different presentation, really hits a groove. Jimmy Dotson & Rhythm By Inner Light Band wrap the release with excellent vocals and polish on  Think Of Me As Your Soldier, a super soul track with warm sax soloing and rich backing vocals and To Be Your Lover, a lighter pop track.

This is a super walk through 60's R&B and soul.

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Omnivore reissue of Ru-Jac catalog continues: 'Gene & Eddie with Sir Joe at Ru-Jac'

OMNIVORE’S REISSUE OF RU-JAC RECORDS CATALOG  CONTINUES WITH TRUE ENOUGH: GENE & EDDIE WITH SIR JOE AT RU-JAC  Gene & Eddie and Sir Joe were stars of Baltimore soul and R&B label. Compilation, out September 2, available on CD, digital and blue vinyl. BALTIMORE, Md. — Omnivore Recordings continues its restoration and reissue of the mid-’60s Baltimore-based R&B/soul label Ru-Jac Records with True Enough: Gene & Eddie With Sir Joe at Ru-Jac, the first-ever compilation of single sides by Washington D.C.’s sensational soul duo Gene & Eddie. Also included are the rare sides by Sir Joe, otherwise known as Joe Quarterman, producer/songwriter/artist, who produced and wrote many of the Gene & Eddie sides for Ru-Jac. The compilation is scheduled for September 2, 2016 release on CD, blue vinyl LP (with download card) and digital. Emerging from the very active East Coast ’60s soul scene, Gene, Eddie and Joe had been in bands and recording from the early part of the decade. They formed, or joined, regional acts with names like The Nightcaps, The Knights, Don Downing, The El Corols and The Maidens, sharing stages with bigger, national artists such as Major Lance, Garnet Mimms, Joe Simon, The Soul Children, and The Emotions. For all their ambitions, wider, national success never found them, and with only one local chart hit to their name, “It’s So Hard,” they eventually all called it quits to pursue other endeavors. However, these restored tracks give us a window onto a time when East Coast doo-wop met the soul explosion and got a little funky as it headed into the early ’70s.  Featuring rare photos and extensive liner notes, this is the definitive musical history of Gene & Eddie and Sir Joe Quarterman — True Enough! Omnivore’s Ru-Jac reissue initiative launched with the March 25 release of Mr. Clean: Winfield Parker at Ru-Jac. Track listing: 1. I Would Cry 2. I Tell You 3. Nobody Beats My Love (Sir Joe) 4. If You Give Up Your Love (Sir Joe) 5. You Don’t Fool Me 6. Let Me Go Easy 7. It’s So Hard 8. Sweet Little Girl 9. Let Me Go Easy (Alternate Version) 10. She’s True Enough 11. Baby, I’d Drop Every Thing (Sir Joe) 12. Every Day (I’ll Be Needing You) (Sir Joe) 13. It’s No Sin 14. You’ve Got To Love Me Sometimes 15. Darling I Love You 16. Why Do You Hurt Me Bonus Tracks: 17. It’s So Hard  (Eddie & Gene and the Nightcaps) 18. Check You Later (Eddie & Gene and the Nightcaps) 19. A Guy For You* (Sir Joe) 20. You Don’t Fool Me (Stereo Mix)* 21. Let Me Go Easy (Stereo Mix)* *Previously unissued LP consists of tracks 1-16 with download card of entire CD program