The self-titled 1972 disc from
Alice Clark
has more than stood the test of time, it is a sublime masterpiece of
R&B
/
pop
from the house of
Bob Shad
, the
jazz
producer who founded
Mainstream Records
, the original home for this superior project. Perhaps it isn't a coincidence that
Clark
's repertoire is exactly the kind of material
Janis Joplin
would pick up on in her days after
Big Brother & the Holding Company
, as this was also the first imprint that
Joplin & the Holding Company
recorded for professionally.
Jimmy Webb
's
"I Keep It Hid"
starts things off, one of the singles released from this original package and a nugget from another
soul
masterpiece,
Supremes Arranged and Produced by Jimmy Webb
, when
Webb
oversaw the post-
Diana Ross
girl group
the same year as this release. A rendition of
Fred Ebb
and
John Kander
's tune,
"Maybe This Time"
from the motion picture
Cabaret
, is included along with three compositions from
"Sunny"
author
Bobby Hebb
. The collection of material from
,
Ebb
, and
Hebb
is actually genius A&R because all of it is a perfect fit.
Northern soul
fans and
critics are aware of this hidden treasure, but the buildup in this review of all the magnificent trappings shouldn't overshadow the fact that
delivers the goods from start to finish. Some call it
acid jazz
, but truth be told, beyond the cult niches of
space age
bachelor pad
-- the base that keeps obscure gems such as this bubbling on a variety of radar screens -- this is some of the best
you've probably never heard. The trifecta of
songs include
"Don't You Care"
"Hard, Hard Promises,"
two titles
has yet to release on his own. The third is an up-tempo version of
"The Charms of the Arms of Love"
which concluded his 1970 album
Love Games
.
rips apart
"It Takes Too Long to Learn to Live Alone"
in wonderful fashion with tasteful guitar, chirping horns, and restrained vibraphone.
Juanita Fleming
"Never Did I Stop Loving You"
is just brilliant as the vocals take off into different dimensions inside and between the unique melody. The final track,
"Hey Girl,"
is not the famous
Carole King
Freddy Scott
hit -- it's a true find originally covered by
Donny Hathaway
and written by
Hathaway
's percussion player,
Earl DeRouen
. Here
changes it to
"Hey Boy"
in a lively,
-heavy jaunt which concludes the
Toshiba/EMI
version of this dynamite set of recordings that should have made
a superstar. ~ Joe Viglione