Roots Archives Forum

Hi Fadel

According to Stax Story Boxset liner notes Al Bell had begun to produce the Staple Singers himself and was conducting all of their rhythm sessions in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.
"I'll Take You There" being one of the tracks he produced and conducted the rhythm to.

hi
yes you are right
al bell was their producer
come to think of it
the staple singers came to senegal in 1979 or 1978.i remember having seen them invited on a tv program that aired every friday evening around 6pm,hosted by a couple of haitian poets who were and are still living in senegal.they were back then refugees:jacqueline and lucien lemoine.the program was called"la voix des poetes"(the voice of the poets in english).
oh i love aalso"come go with me"which cover features in the trojan sisters boxset
kindest regards
fadel

Hi Fadel

The implication was that it was Al Bell who was responsible for using the "Liquidator" bassline. He was conducting all of the rhythm sessions.

so
in this regard it is clear that harry ja all stars were the originators.i really don't know whether they manage to secure copyright clearance and pay their jamaican collegues their due royalties
fadel

Just read this in a gem of a book called "Jah Music" by Sebastian Clarke. Long out of print, I believe. This is the 1981 reprint of book published in 1980! (Incidentally, I must thank Rootsman for giving me the heads up on this classic tome after he spied it in a 2nd hand bookshop on his manor!).

This is quoted from the book, which is itself quoting from an article in Melody Maker by Richard Williams called "Black Gold Of Jamaica".

"Chris Blackwell became the manager of the Spencer Davis Group....and achieved international success with them...with "Keep On Running" and "Gimme Some Loving".

There is a story about the origins of the latter record. Blackwell had heard Homer Banks' version of "Lot of Love" and got an idea that a song by the Spencer Davis Group using the same bass line could be a hit, and Stevie Winwood wrote the song from that concept.

Three years later Stax, the company that Banks was signed to, used the bass line from the Trojan hit, "The Liquidator" by Harry J and the All Stars to write an international smash, "I'll Take You There" by the Staples."

So Homer Banks appears to be the link.

by the way
did you know tha'keep on running'which also help to put the spencer davis group on the map was penned was penned by late and fellow island records act jackie edwards.
"jah music"by trinidadian-born sebastian clarke is a landmark and a guide to understanding reggae music
fadel

yes, Jackie Edwards recorded his version too.

The passage I quoted actually says "Keep On Running" (composed by Jackie Edwards)..", but as the story related to "Gimme Some Loving" I left that part out.