1000 Giants Of Black Music

[stepping razor]

BULL AND THE MATADORS:
A Chicago funk outfit whose "The Funky Judge" was a hit for Toddlin` Town in 1968 but whose repetitive, Dyke & The Blazers approach soon palled.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - MAY 1974: - PART THREE
Black Music May 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 6

peace

[stepping razor]

BOBBY BYRD:
One of James Brown`s original Famous Flames, sang on all the early Brown hits, and toured extensively as part of his Revue. When the Flames disbanded Bobby stayed on cutting a string of occasionally successful JB produced singles.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - MAY 1974: - PART THREE
Black Music May 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 6

peace

[stepping razor]

ROY BROWN:
One of the most important exponents of post war city blues. His aggressive gospelly vocals accompanied by large, widly riffing bands took blues in a direction that eventually led to rock and roll. His many recordings for DeLuxe (reissued on King) are the exciting roots of rock and it`s a delight to see his return to touring and recording in the `70s after years of being shamefully ignored.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - MAY 1974: - PART THREE
Black Music May 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 6

peace

[stepping razor]

C AND THE SHELLS:
It was as the Sandpebbles that the raw wailing voices of this one time gospel group hit the soul world in 1967. Three of their Teddy Vann produced Calla discs were pop hits and big things were hoped for the group when Atlantic (Cotillion) signed them. But the hits stopped.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - MAY 1974: - PART THREE
Black Music May 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 6

peace

[stepping razor]

FANTASTIC JOHNNY C:
Had a near million seller in 1967 with an extraordinary mechanical-funk opus "Boogaloo Down Broadway" and for a year he and Phil. L. A. Of Soul Records reaped the rewards of catering to a dance-a-minute audience.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - MAY 1974: - PART THREE
Black Music May 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 6

peace

[stepping razor]

ROY C:
Roy Hammond leapt from relative obscurity of doowop team the Genies to the hit (twice over in Britain) "Shotgun Wedding". Roy`s over-reliance on Sam Cooke`s style and a rather unprofessional stage performance might have kept him a one-hit wonder but he returned triumphantly to the U.S. soul charts in the 70`s with hits on Alaga and, now, Mercury.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - MAY 1974: - PART THREE
Black Music May 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 6

peace

[stepping razor]

CADILLACS:
It was uptempo rockers rather than more typical soft doowop ballads which gained the Cadillacs national hit status in the 50`s. Their biggest hits (for Josie) were "Speedo" (1955) and "Peek-A-Boo" (1958), and from their varying line-ups stretching over the years emerged several names including Earl Carroll (the Coasters) and soulster J. R. Bailey.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - MAY 1974: - PART THREE
Black Music May 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 6

peace

[stepping razor]

CADETS:
In the mid fifties Modern/RPM Records dubbed this doowop team the Jacks (hitting nationally with the ballad "Why Don`t You Write Me"), and the Cadets (for covering other labels` R&B hits). And it was the latter`s version of the Jayhawks (later to become the Vibrations) "Stranded In The Jungle"--a hilarious rock and roll novelty--which brought a smash hit and rock and roll immortality to the Cadets.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - MAY 1974: - PART THREE
Black Music May 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 6

peace

[stepping razor]

SHIRLEY CAESAR:
Gospel star. Joined the Caravans in 1958 and became a firm favourite before leaving the group in 1967. Signed with Hob and became that label`s best selling artist. Shirley`s searing, testifying vocal apprroach is still tremendously popular.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - MAY 1974: - PART THREE
Black Music May 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 6

peace

[stepping razor]

RED CALLENDER:
Influential band leader through the `40s and `50s. His pounding bass has played behind a series of top rate jazzmen.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - MAY 1974: - PART THREE
Black Music May 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 6

peace