(Stax Remasters)

www.concordmusicgroup.com

The Concord Music Group's Stax Remasters series is cherry-picking selected classic releases from Stax/Volt Records' huge back catalogue and reissuing them in deluxe packages with extra tracks, additional liner notes, etc. With huge amounts of all due respect to Motown, Atlantic, Philadelphia International, King, Imperial, Hi and other labels that were releasing classic soul, R&B, gospel and blues titles in the 1960s and ‘70s, the Memphis-based Stax Records holds a uniquely essential place in the music and the Memphis lore of the time. They had plenty of hits, but nothing like Motown, and while their distribution deal with Atlantic got their titles into the record stores coast to coast in the early to late ‘60s, they remained a familial, Memphis-based organization. Largely artist run, blessed with a top-shelf roster of acts and with a wealth of in-house producers/arrangers/musicians and engineers, and having arguably the best in-house band in the country (Booker T and the MG's) and their precursor (The Mar-Keys), Stax was the right label at the right place at the right time. 

Stax Remasters has three genuine classics in these titles, all three of which launched Top 10 hits. Originally released in 1971, The Dramatics' Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get is simply one of the greatest soul records of the era. A five piece vocal group from Detroit, The Dramatics' Whatcha See...is a collaboration between the band and producer and songwriter Tony Hestor, who wrote all the material, including the slinky Top 10 title track and the deeply atmospheric hit "In The Rain." The Dramatics specialized in full, five voice group dynamics, each track a marvel of interlocking harmonies and leads. The quality of the material is incredibly high, especially the slow and sexy bomb-shell "Hot Pants in the Summertime," with vocal lines from basso profundo to falsetto that have to be heard to be believed. How is it that Quentin Tarantino hasn't found a way to work this into one of his films yet? Much credit has to be given to Tony Hestor for both his material the terrific arrangements and production, with lovely orchestral flourishes sweetening some fabulous grooves. The reissue features a generous, high quality ten extra tracks, including the hits "Fell For You" and "Hey You! Get off of My Mountain," and topical ringers like "Jim, What's Wrong With Him" and "The Devil is Dope" that are as good as anything on Whatcha See...  Anyone who has any interest at all in early ‘70s soul really needs this in their collection. 

Shirley Brown's 1974 debut CD is a primer in classy, deep soul, Memphis variety. It features "Woman to Woman" which hit #1 on the R&B chart, a notable and inevitable feat for anyone's debut.  Grounded by the MG's rhythm section of Al Jackson Jr. on drums and Donald "Duck" Dunn on bass, Brown works her way through ten examples of catchy, moving, deeply soulful R&B. The Memphis Horns, piano player Marvell Thomas (son of Rufus Thomas), guitar player Bobby Manuel and organ player Lester Snell fill out her crackerjack band. The slow burner "Passion" and the gospel-tinged "I've Got to Go On Without You" are other highlights. Five extra tracks include fine, energetic versions of Otis Redding's "Respect," Aretha Franklin's "Rock Steady" and Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered." 

The veteran singer and legendary showman Rufus Thomas was something of the court jester of Stax. He and his daughter Carla scored the first ever-hit for the precursor to Stax, Satellite Records, "Cause I Love You" way back in 1960. 1970's Do The Funky Chicken was his return to recording after some down time, and he doesn't seem to have missed a beat. The exuberant Thomas is in top form on the title track, gets into a sexy groove for "Sixty Minute Man," drops in for a meal on "Soul Food" and funks up a storm on some great additional tracks like "Funky Mississippi" and "Funky Me." His album is loaded with great players from the Stax axis, and the whole thing is a joyful, funky party from start to finish. 

Stax Remasters is a classy series, with superb, 24-bit remastering, great cover art, excellent liner notes and a general, over-all feeling of love and respect for the material and acts. I can't wait to see what they come out with next. 

DOWNLOAD: The Dramatics: "Get Up and Get Down," "In The Rain," " Whatcha See is Whatcha Get," " Hot Pants in the Summertime," "Jim, What's Wrong With Him," "Fell For You." Shirley Brown: "Woman to Woman," "Passion," "It Ain't No Fun,"  "I've Got to Go On Without You," "Ain't No Way." Rufus Thomas: "Do The Funky Chicken," "Sixty Minute Man," "Funky Mississippi," "So Hard to Get Along With," "Funky Me." CARL HANNI