"7 City Legacy" Documentary Premiers Saturday October 8th in Norfolk.

SoundLOY Productions will be premiering the documentary film "7 City Legacy" this Saturday at the historic Attucks Theatre in Norfolk. The film is a survey of the rich R&B legacy of Virginia's Tidewater region. The premier is open to the public and free to all with a pre-film reception at 7PM and a mixer after the documentary. More information is available here. Hope to see you there!

Degree Of Freedom "Please Tell Me Why / Vegetable Soup" (DCI)

As best we can figure, scientists and mathematicians use "degrees of freedom" to assign value to variables in chemistry, physics and statistics. We continue to be stumped when it comes to finding answers about the group who recorded under this name at Richmond's Alpha Audio in 1976. On their solitary release, Degree Of Freedom diligently work two sides of an equation: one an epic sweet soul ballad with exquisitely woven harmonies, the other, a remarkably nimble instrumental funk workout. Two seemingly incongruent sides with a common denominator: precision. It all makes sense. What doesn't add up is how little is known about the talent responsible for this outstanding double-sider. Can anyone out there help us solve the puzzle?

Degree Of Freedom "Please Tell Me Why"

Degree Of Freedom "Vegetable Soup"

Ray T. Jones on PBS this Thursday!

We just received word from filmmaker
Shanika Smiley that her recent piece on our friend Ray T. Jones will be featured on the April 28th edition of
Virginia Currents. The episode will debut on Richmond's PBS affiliate WCVE this Thursday at 8 PM. If you can't catch the local broadcast or want to watch it again, archived video should soon be available at the Community Idea Stations official website.

A truly fascinating story. Congratulations, Ray!

Lenis Is Back!!!

Virginia Soul legend Lenis Guess makes his triumphant return to
Dig Deeper January 22nd at Southpaw in Brooklyn NY. Those who saw Lenis back in June 2009 (his first NYC show in over 20 years) can attest to how amazing he was. This month's Dig Deeper promises to be just as awesome. Come see a true master at work!

Funky Virginia will once again be represented by the Scorpio Brothers, spinning classic Soul 45's Commonwealth style, along with Dig Deeper residents DJ Honky & Mr. Robinson. A good time is sure to be had by all. Don't miss it!

Buy your tickets here!

Stone Love and Symbolics Split 45 OUT NOW on PLUT!

Our friends over at Plut records have out done themselves this time. On this two sided monster, not only do you get the the previously unreleased "A Taste Of Your Love" by the Symbolics (with backing from Shake), but also the impossibly rare "Stone Spanada" by Stone Love (originally released on the Lofton label). Both tracks were recorded in the 70's at Brockington & Guess Studio on 35th Street in Norfolk. The first few orders get the limited red vinyl versions!

Listen to some sound samples below!

Shipping for the 45 is $3.00 US and $6.00 world

Ray T. Jones "That Norfolk Sound" (Wee-Too!)

By the mid 60's, as the U.S. dramatically ramped up its involvement in the Vietnam Conflict, Philadelphia native U.S. Navy Seaman E3 Raymond Thomas Jones, was assigned to duty in Norfolk, VA. In February of 1967, Jones's ship, the USS Barney, was deployed to the combat zone off the coast of Vietnam. The ship would return to Norfolk seven months later.

Like many black sailors stationed in Hampton Roads, Ray found himself drawn to Church Street, the nucleus of African American nightlife in a still heavily segregated Southern city. He spent much of his precious off-duty time taking in live shows at legendary spots like The Eureka Lodge, The Enterprise, and The Plaza Hotel. This vibrant scene had a lasting impact on him.

Ray was just starting a family when he came to Norfolk. In a lot of ways the new life he and his wife Vennel had embarked upon seemed a world away from the North Philly neighborhood where they both grew up. With Ray at sea for as long as nine months at a time, and not much of a support system in place for navy families at the time, the young marriage was under strain. One day Ray came home to an empty apartment to find that Vennel had left him, taking their son Ray Jr. with her. As the split stretched on, Ray was moved to write about the situation, forming what would become the lyrics to his first song. "Cause You're Coming Home" tells the story of heartbreak and separation, but also hope, reconciliation and his wife's eventual return. While back home in Philadelphia visiting family, Ray showed the song to his brother Paul, himself an established bassist who had recorded and toured extensively with Freda Payne, Bo Diddley, Garnet Mimms, Jean Wells, The Coasters and The Platters among others. Paul helped Ray with the arrangement, got some musicians together, and booked time at the legendary Virtue Recording Studio on Broad Street. The resulting 1969 recording captures a young Ray Jones delivering a touchingly personal ballad. The tape would remain safely tucked away and unreleased for the next six years.

Ray T. Jones "Cause You're Coming Home"

Jones's military duty continued throughout the seventies. While serving as First Class Fire Control Technician on the Destroyer USS C.V. Ricketts, he facilitated classes and seminars for fellow personnel regarding race relations. In addition, Ray started singing in the ship's band. The racially integrated group performed at a number of USO functions throughout Europe with a repertoire that ran the gamut from R&B to Rock to Country & Western and everything in between. Ray was becoming a fan of all these types of music, and was incorporating different elements of them into his own emerging style. He was particularly enamored with the story telling nature of Country music. An idea started to form. Why not take his favorite parts of the Country sound and combine them with his Soul roots? The band began working with the "Country Soul" concept.

Back on Church Street, at the corner of East Brambleton, Queen's Lounge was probably the hottest club in town. Norfolk heavyweights The House Rockers were packing them in as the resident band upstairs at Queen's Top Side. In addition to the nightly House Rockers gigs, amateur nights were put on by the club. Adventurous souls would give it their best shot fronting the band and braving the usually merciless audience. After being back in town for a while on shore duty, Ray Jones decided to take the stage, no doubt bolstered by his Navy buddies. He put his USO experience to work, and won the crowd over. It probably didn't hurt that he had packed the place with his fellow servicemen ahead of time.

It took a few more strong showings from Ray to convince the club owner to grant him his own 30 minute slot for a set of popular R&B covers backed by the House Rockers. In order to capitalize on the opportunity, Ray sought out his neighbor, former House Rockers front man Sebastian Williams. He paid Williams $50 out of his own pocket to make a guest appearance during his set. Ray started promoting the show and creating a buzz. Sure enough, on the night of the gig Sebastian showed up at Queen's dressed to the nines. "Ladies and Gentlemen... Sebastian Williams!!!", Ray announced as his special guest stepped up to the microphone. The band launched into a smoking version of Wilson Pickett's "634-5789", and Sebastian proceeded to blow the roof off the place. When he was done with his one song, Seb mater-of-factly turned and exited into the Church Street night. Probably the best $50 Ray ever spent!

Word got around, not only about Sebastian's exploits, but the up and coming Ray T. Jones. Noah Biggs of Shiptown Records took Ray under his wing, acting as a mentor and manager. As much as his naval duties would allow, Ray began doing shows around the region at venues including the Moton Theatre in Newport News, supporting the likes of Barbara Stant and General Johnson.
With guidance and encouragement from Mr. Biggs and even a little coaching from the legendary Frank Guida, Jones decided to start his own label. In 1975, Ray used his connection with bassist Maurice Glass to enlist the mighty 35th Street Gang (AKA: Raw Soul) to back him on a recording date at Lenis Guess Studio. The first single from the self-produced session, "That Norfolk Sound" was paired with his earlier recording of "Cause You're Coming Home" and released on the newly launched Wee-Too. Ray decided to use his family's Philadelphia address on the label.

Ray T. Jones "That Norfolk Sound"

"That Norfolk Sound" is a gritty ode to the sometimes seedy, always exciting Church Street scene. Jones deftly fuses his diverse influences into a unique mixture of sustained psychedelic fuzz and folky acoustic guitar anchored by a stripped down funk rhythm section. Ray's delicate, almost mournful vocal takes us on a tour through a darker side of the seaport city, down Granby Street and even to a rowdy Country/Western bar to see "fists flying in the night". "Come on down to Norfolk and get some ghetto in your life".

"Are We Ready? Are We Together?" The follow up single came in '76. "Beat The Knees" is probably the record Ray Jones is best known for. It was born out of a vamp that Ray and the 35th Street Gang came up with on the spot in the studio. The hard hitting drums of Grover "Groove" Everett and Maurice Glass's beefy bass line lay the foundation for this deadly groove. Irresistible Fender Rhodes keyboard adds a whole other dimension of hip. The guy named Leroy that Ray raps about was actually a shipmate who was quite the ladies' man. You can use your imagination as to what "beating those knees" signifies. Turns out, last Ray heard, "do-it-do-it man" Leroy had become a man of the church, a preacher. These days he's hitting his knees to pray.

Ray T. Jones "Beat The Knees"


The flipside, "Take Me Back To Norfolk Town", with it's twangy slide guitar and tale of longing, sees Ray's vision of Country Soul fully realized. The song is simultaneously a love letter to his woman and the city he calls home. Out at sea, the sailor "left a lot of love, a lot heartache in Norfolk town". Not only does he miss his family, he craves "the smell and the taste of Virginia ham / the taste, the flavor of fresh steamed clams!" "There's no place like that Norfolk town."

Ray T. Jones "Take Me Back To Norfolk Town"

With two records under his belt, Jones approached Norfolk's WAVY with a proposal for a half hour TV special showcasing his Country Soul music. In December of '76 the project was green-lighted. That winter an outdoor show was filmed on a makeshift stage in a lot right next to the old Bishop Grace House of Prayer (AKA: Sweet Daddy G's) at the corner of Princess Anne and Church Street. The show, entitled "That Norfolk Sound", featured live footage of Ray Jones along with Navy bandmates Jerry Potter, Ron Morin (guitar), Mike Terlouw(Keyboards), Robin White (bass), Art Swimp (drums) and Dennis Eaves. The finished program also included interview footage and aired locally on Channel 10 in the Summer of 1977.

Ray had plans to follow this up with a full length LP entitled (what else) "That Norfolk Sound". He shopped the idea around and even struck an informal distribution agreement with Frank Guida, but a deployment to the Mediterranean put the project on hold. In the ensuing years, Ray's military service and growing family took priority over an entertainment career, although he never really fully gave up on his music. In fact, in the later part of the eighties Ray made a little bit of a comeback, re-releasing "Take Me Back to Norfolk Town" b/w "Cause You're Coming Home" on a Wee-Too 45.

After hitting the Cash 5 Lotto for $100,000 in 1995, Ray bought a house in Virginia Beach where he currently lives with his wife of 25 years Judy. A proud father of seven and grandfather of 14, Ray is retired from the U.S. Navy after 30 years of service, having risen to the rank of Master Chief.

Right now Ray is preparing to re-release his classic Wee-Too 45's. Also in the works is an album (on vinyl!), "I'm Going Back To Norfolk", which will contain unreleased tracks, including ones he cut with his Navy bandmates back in the 70's. Ray continues to write and record songs as Ray "2 Beers" Jones (a nickname he got in the Navy). These days his sound draws a lot more from the Country side of the Country Soul equation. You can get a sampling of what he's been up to on his myspace page. Ray also plans to eventually release a collection of his recent Country flavored material.

We would like to thank Mr. Jones for his enthusiasm, generosity and all the great stories (way too many to fit into this piece!), as well as the amazing photos and, of course, the music. Stay tuned for news on Ray's upcoming releases. We'll have them for you here at Funky Virginia as soon as they drop.

Walking Down Church Street & Outside of The Norfolk Scope

Review of "That Norfolk Sound" from Soundings Magazine

Article from Surface Magazine

Sponsorship Letter for TV Special

Approval Letter from WAVY TV

Letter to Frank Guida

Promotional Letter for Album

Promotional Letter for Third Wee-Too Single

Set List for late 70's Show at T-Bird Lounge on Church Street (Near Lenis Guess Studio on 35th St)

Late 70's Show Flyer

A Tribute To Sir Guy

This summer we were were greatly saddened to learn of the death of a true giant in Virginia Soul music. Clarence "Sir Guy" Barron, passed away June 15, 2010 at his home in Aiken, South Carolina.

Mr. Barron got his start in the Berkley section of Norfolk with a group called The Visions. Clarence, better known as Guy, stood out not only because of his amazing voice and dynamic stage moves, but the striking figure cut by his tall, lanky frame and perfectly processed hair. In 1967 Sir Guy went out on his own and made a splash with his first record, "The Frog" b/w "Broke Down And Cried", on Frank Guida's S.P.Q.R. label. A strong regional hit, both sides were redone as "The Frisky Frog" and "I Cried" for George Perkins' D.P.G. imprint. The years that followed brought some genuine masterpieces from "My Sweet Baby" to "Let Home Cross Your Mind" to "I Need You Baby" and, of course, the one Sir Guy remains best known for, "Funky Virginia". An undisputed anthem around these parts, it's been suggested by more than a few that if there were any justice "Funky Virginia" would be the Old Dominion's official song. One thing's for sure, this record still packs dance floors not only here, but around the world, some forty plus years after its release. Surely one of the Commonwealth's finest exports.

Sir Guy will continue to live on in the hearts of friends and loved ones, the memories of those fortunate enough to have seen one of his legendary performances, and, of course, the wonderful, yet all too brief, recorded legacy he left us all. The impact these records have had on us here at "Funky Virginia" is obviously immeasurable. We just hope to do right by the name.

Sir Guy & The Rocking Cavaliers "Funky Virginia"

Sir Guy "I Cried"

Special thanks to our friend Kevin Coombe of D.C. Soul Recordings for the great picture of Sir Guy. Also a big thank you to Ol' Virginia Soul's Brent Hosier for his help with this story and many others.

Barbara Stant @ Dig Deeper June 26th!

It's been some four and a half decades since Barbara Stant's last New York performance. Back then, Barbara was just starting out as part of a teen girl group making the trek to the Big Apple from Norfolk. After a career that includes sharing the stage with the likes of Al Green, Barbara Mason, Joe Simon and the Isley Brothers, June 26th's
Dig Deeper marks the long overdue return of a Soul legend. Ms. Stant will be delivering her classic Shiptown sides including "My Mind Holds On To Yesterday", "Shadow In Your Footsteps" and "I'm Going To Outfit You Baby" with support from the fantastic Solid Set (who did an incredible job behind Lenis Guess a year ago). Needless to say, this will be a very special night. Don't miss this opportunity to witness a rare appearance by one of the absolute greatest singers to ever come out of Virginia!

Willie Brown "I Think I'll Fall In Love" (Tri-Som) "Love That Stranger" (Tri-It)

The first half of the 1970's saw Norfolk record mogul Leroy Little on a bit of a roll. Having just inked a national deal with King Records for his Tri-Us label and it's most successful artist Little Royal, Mr. Little continued to deliver a steady stream of singles on a local level with his Tri-It and Tri-Som imprints. These sister labels lacked the wide spread distribution of Tri-Us, which is a shame because there were a number of outstanding releases between the two that deserved more attention than they received initially.

One interesting example of a Tri-It single that refused to go away quietly is Sebastian's "Living In Depression". It's essentially Little Royal & The Swingmasters' finely honed (and previously released) funk instrumental "Razor Blade" plus overdubbed vocals courtesy of the legendary Sebastian Williams (and Leroy's son Keith at the controls in the studio). "Depression" was released on three different labels in 1975, Tri-It and Pesante out of Norfolk, as well as New York's Brown Dog. Despite these efforts it never achieved the success of the original instrumental version, which held the coveted flipside of Little Royal's biggest commercial success "Jealous".

This brings us to another Swingmasters 45, "Boogie on Down", released a year earlier in 1974 on Guess Records. In this case it would appear that it was the Swingmasters record that added overdubs to a pre-existing track. "I Think I'll Fall In Love" by Willie Brown on Tri-Som, is a killer funky soul tune utilizing the exact same backing track as "Boogie On Down". For all intents and purposes the instrumental B-Side of "I Think I'll Fall In Love" is "Boogie On Down" minus the boisterous band banter and some tastefully placed piano.
In contrast to "Living In Depression", Willie Brown's "I Think I'll Fall in Love" has a more natural flow, no doubt helped by the song's more manageable pace. Despite Sebastain's valiant effort, his vocals on "Depression" almost have the quality of being in competition with the backing track, seeming somewhat rushed in spots, and every now and then even drowned out by the music. "I Think I'll Fall In Love" feels more like a song intended to have lyrics. Interestingly, the Willie Brown record makes no mention of The Swingmasters, not even on the instrumental flip. While "Boogie On Down" credits Leroy Little as the sole songwriter with no mention of Garfield Williams and Leroy Tuna, the team credited with writing "I Think I'll Fall In Love". Was Leroy Tuna a pseudonym for Leroy Little? Yet another interesting mystery to be solved.

Willie Brown cut one more single for Leroy Little, this time on Tri-It. Recorded at Brockington & Guess Studio in Norfolk with backing from the mighty Raw Soul, the top side, "Get Out And Get It", is no doubt as solidly funky as you'd expect, but it's the atmospheric B-Side that's most striking.

"Love That Stranger" does indeed sound like it's from some far off place, perhaps not even of this world. At the center of this unusual arrangement is a cavernous organ sound embellished with shimmering vibraphone effects. Intricate yet soulful jazz guitar drifts in and out as subtly funky drums serve as the anchor. Brown echoes himself on double tracked vocals, including a fragile falsetto that levitates above it all, as he pleads for forgiveness after being away from home too long.

Despite there being no backing band credited on "Love That Stranger", it's a pretty safe bet that Reno Renaldie's cleverly named outfit The Reno Expedition holds that honor. In fact, the Expedition's only single, the instrumental "Ain't Nothing But A Party" (also on Tri-it) almost sounds like a pitched-up run through of "Stranger". Well, at least the organ and drums do, conjuring images of some frenzied shindig at the local roller rink.

Willie Brown "I Think I'll Fall In Love"

Willie Brown "Love That Stranger"

The Reno Expedition "Ain't Nothing But A Party"

***Please check out the Ol' Virginia Soul: Encore! CD for "Living In Depression" as well as Brent Hosier's touching tribute to the late, great Sebastian "Plut" Williams, a true gentleman and a giant of Virginia Soul, loved and missed by many.

Lil Walter and The Average Black & White Band "Funk Train" (Column B)

In 1959, a fifteen year old Walter Williams cut a pair of duets with his sister Lola for Richmond's legendary Nu Kat label. The record, "No Mercy" b/w "Broken Heart", was Walter's first as a featured artist, but he had already made a name for himself as leader of Lil Walter's Band, the backing combo credited on most of Nu Kat's early releases.
Five years later, The Walter Williams Show unleashed the super raw two-sider "Hootenanny Stomp" b/w "The Cat" for Turn-Tage, one of a handful of small labels under the auspices of Joe Turnage's Church Hill Records, Richmond's primary black owned record store.
"Lil" Walter Williams remained a fixture on the city's ultra competitive Soul scene, becoming one of its best known band leaders. His band worked extensively with the superb vocal group The Bonnevilles, to the point where they were commonly billed as Lil Walter & The Bonnevilles. The Bonnevilles would go on to record for Now Records in D.C. (sans Lil Walter) backed by fellow Richmonders Zeke & The Soul Setters.
It would be some ten years until Lil Walter's third single saw the light of day. Recorded in 1975 at Alpha Audio, "Funk Train" dramatically illustrates how much things had changed since Walter got his start way back in the 50's. It also shows the development of an artist who was able to adapt and stay very relevant. Despite being a sage veteran at this point, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that Walter was still a young man in his early 30's.
The cleverly dubbed "Average Black & White Band" was indeed an integrated outfit but we would argue that these guys were a least a cut above average. "Funk Train" chugs along propelled by some super tight drums (especially the cymbal work!) and Lil Walter's own thunderous bass line. The horn section locks in and keeps everything on point, but it's a white keyboard whiz known simply as "Sweat" who steals the show.
The flip "Everyday Life" offers a nice change of pace with a classy deep ballad. We again refer you to Sir Shambling's wonderful Deep Soul Heaven for a listen.
In an unusual development, "Funk Train" was later renamed "Do The Rope 'Pee' Dope" and white stickers displaying the new title were placed on the labels of remaining copies of the record. One can only assume the change paid homage to Heavyweight Champ Muhammad Ali, who famously employed the "rope-a-dope" strategy in legendary bouts against George Foreman and Joe Frazier in the mid 70's. Whether this move translated into more record sales is anyone's guess.
Special thanks to Brent Hosier for his invaluable information on Lil Walter Williams. Without him this entry wouldn't have been possible. Please check out Brent's outstanding Ol' Virginia Soul Part 1 CD for more information on Mr. Joe Turnage, Turn-Tage Records and much, much more!

Lil Walter and The Average Black & White Band "Funk Train"

Unreleased Barbara Stant & Raw Soul 45 Available Now!

Our dear friend Brent Hosier, the guy behind the outstanding "Ol' Viginia Soul" series and head honcho of Plut Records has done it again! Hot off the presses comes a previously unreleased gem from the First Lady of Virginia Soul, Norfolk's own Barbara Stant! More powerful than a locomotive, "Superman" is heroic Sister Funk from 1972 written and produced by Lenis Guess. MS. Stant is at the top of her game on this one, with super-human backing from Raw Soul, who also contribute the aptly titled flip, "Just Walk Funky". How these two tracks remained in the vaults for some 37 years is beyond us, but now's your chance to get them both on one killer 45!
Another high quality release mastered from the original reels, for optimal sonic impact. As always, quantities are limited, so grab 'em while you can, and support a great Virginia label! And remember "It ain't a boot...if it's on Plut!"

$5.00 each (Shipping $3 in the US and $6 for the rest of the world). Listen to the sound samples below!
Raw Soul featuring Barbara Stant "Superman"
Raw Soul "Just Walk Funky"

SOLD OUT!

Wilson Willams "(I Can't Get Over) Losing You" Tri-Us

As is the case with most of his Southern Soul brethren, the influence of the church is undeniable in the early work of Wilson Williams. The most sought-after of his two releases for Noah Biggs' How Big label, "I Got A Whole Lot To Be Thankful For" is a devastating Deep Soul ballad so true to these gospel roots it sounds as though he just got off the pulpit and walked straight into the recording studio.

Continuing in this distinctly Southern vein, the Lenis Guess produced "Losing You" was released on the Tri-Us label. Best known for successful outings by Washington D.C. native Little Royal (Torrance) & The Swingmasters, Tri-Us was the flagship of Leroy Little's family of labels which included Tri-It and Tri-Som. In addition to owning the Waxy Maxy record shop on 35th Street in Norfolk, Little was well established in the music business, having done extensive promotions work for larger labels like Atlantic. He utilized his many connections within the industry to secure wide distribution deals, explaining why Nashville and Houston addresses can be found on many of his labels. In fact, most of the Little Royal releases, including his lone album "Jealous", were distributed through the King/Starday empire.

On this, one of the harder to find singles on Tri-Us, Wilson Williams turns in a powerful performance, beautifully complimented by a small chorus of ascending female vocals, mournful piano and soaring organ, all building on a haunting melody. Strongly juxtaposed with this gorgeous ballad is its flip, the provocatively titled "He's A Mother", a wah wah-infused stoner funk track with devilishly breathy vocals drifting in and out. The best of both worlds on one 45!

Besides writing most of his own material (in many cases along with his brother Garfield), Wilson Williams also penned some notable sides for Shiptown artists including Barbara Stant, as well as contributing vocals to The Positive Sounds. By 1978 he signed with ABC Records and had a string of quality singles with an updated Modern sound, including "Faith Will Bring It Home", and even a full album "Up The Downstairs". More recently he has worked on projects with his other brother Jerry Williams Jr., who of course is the legendary Swamp Dogg. To this day Wilson is still performing, most recently touring with a new line up of the Platters.

Wilson Williams "(I Can't Get Over) Losing You"

Wilson Williams "He's A Mother""

WDJ-The Prince Of Soul "Funky Loving" (Gent's YGB Records)

Since Funk's inception, the influence of James Brown has been inescapable. In fact, J.B. is widely acknowledged as the genre's originator. With millions of records sold, legendarily mind-blowing live shows and a relentless touring schedule, it's indisputable that Mr. Brown was indeed the king, and pretty much the personification of the style. It only makes sense that the countless acts that sprang up during Funk's golden era bore quite a striking resemblance to Soul Brother #1.

Virginia definitely had more than it's share of hopefuls doing their best James Brown. A prime example of this phenomenon is a 45 on the Gent's YGB label out of Norfolk by WDJ- The Prince of Soul. "Funky Loving" is so dead on it you'd swear you just stumbled upon some great lost track by The Godfather himself. The only major difference is the sexy female backing vocals utilized on the Prince of Soul's take.

On the flip, we find WDJ (W.D. Jordan) showing some range with a achingly heartfelt ballad "Invitation To Love". We highly recommended Sir Shambling's fantastic site for a listen to this and many more lost deep soul gems.

Special thanks to our friend Kevin Coombe of D.C. Soul Recordings for the WDJ photo!

WDJ-The Prince Of Soul "Funky Loving"

Hot Lungs "I Cried One Million Tears" (Pe Pe)

Frank Guida sure had a knack for making music that sounded like nothing else anybody had ever heard before. Drawing heavily from seemingly disparate influences including Afro-Caribean rhythms, classical, gritty R'n'B, and the melodies of his Italian-American upbringing, Guida's compositions had an exotic quality that was alien to top 40 airwaves of the time.
His production style was dense, compressed and very loud, recorded with meters planted firmly in the red, and mastered super "hot", resulting in a delightful distortion that gave everything an electrifying live edge. Get a small but enthusiastic audience to come into the studio to clap their hands and raise a ruckus while the tape is rolling, and you've got a party... and a hit record. It was a sound that leapt from the speakers, and stood out ingeniously on AM radio. The drive to be different served Guida well, as his trademark "Norfolk Sound" routinely held lofty positions on the national charts (including two #1's) throughout the first part of the 60's.
But for every hit Frank Guida had over the years, there were a host of obscure recordings equally as captivating, and in many instances even more unusual. Case in point: the work of a singer known as Hot Lungs. We're not positive if Guida came up with this attention grabbing stage name a la Gary U.S. Bonds or Jimmy Soul, but one thing's for sure, it's definitely fitting.
Our pal Don Harrison, who interviewed Frank Guida in depth and wrote a fantastic article for 64 Magazine in 2001, shed much light on Hot Lungs since this entry was first published. According to Don: "Hot Lungs was none other than Jimmy Moore, who had been singing on Guida recordings since the early '60's, when he was the lead singer for the Sheiks. He also cut two great 45s for Guida on SPQR and Legrand under his own name. 'Church Street Sally' on SPQR is a particular favorite". It's also speculated that Moore was the uncredited lead vocalist on the novelty record "Spanish Cooking" by Chaos Incorporated (S.P.Q.R. 1005). Jimmy's alter ego Hot Lungs had two more singles, "Take Me Back To Virginia Beach" for the Got It label (named for Frank's record store, Frankie's Got It), and "I Cried One Million Tears" the only record we're aware of on Pe Pe. Jimmy Moore did, however, return to cut two singles for Joe Riley the first on the obscure Seagull imprint, the latter on the more familiar Pesante label.
"I Cried One Million Tears" is not so much a reworking, but a total deconstruction of the early Gary U.S. Bonds B-Side "One Million Tears". Whereas Bonds's 1961 reading is a plaintive ballad, Hot Lungs unleashes a throat-shredding howl worthy of his moniker. The whole thing is a weird amalgam of hard driving acid rock and funk. Besides the "double tracked" vocals and overall raucous "live" quality, this one bears little resemblance to the sound that made Guida famous. Nonetheless, the song still possesses the genre bending uniqueness that made so many of Guida's recordings interesting if not great, and very difficult to pigeonhole.
This record illustrates how radically things had changed since the dawn of the 60's. The Norfolk Sound hit machine had slowed considerably, at least on a national level, with the onslaught of the British Invasion. Ironically enough, many of these bands were influenced by Frank Guida's classic recordings. Regardless, Frank generally viewed these new acts and their sound with disdain. In fact, legend has it that in the early 60's Guida received a demo by The Beatles (then unknown stateside). Independent labels like VJ and Tollie jumped at the chance, Guida flatly declined. No doubt a huge business blunder, but a decision he steadfastly stood by until the day he died.
But that was Frank Guida, a guy with a strong vision, who wasn't afraid to (colorfully) express his opinions one way or the other. Although a record like "I Cried One Million Tears" seems odd, it makes perfect sense coming from a character like Frank. It's yet another compelling moment hidden away in the prolific, widely varied and wonderfully strange output of a man who was successful at a business in which he broke so many of the rules. A man who no matter how many gold records he had, still seemed to relish throwing the more than occasional curve to keep us all guessing.

Many thanks to Don Harrison for his invaluable information and all the support!

Hot Lungs "I Cried One Million Tears"

Lenis Guess Entertains The People @ Dig Deeper

Decked out in a sharp white three piece suit with red shirt and white tie, Lenis Guess took the stage at Brooklyn's Five Spot with a nice fresh peach in hand. He slowly savored a few bites of said peach, musing over how hard it is to find a nice fresh one in New York, then placed it in a ziploc bag, slowly removed his wrap around red shades, and confidently launched into "For All You've Been". Lenis told the crowd it was the first time he had ever performed the song on stage. There he was, some forty plus years after the release of that first solo record, just getting around to singing it in front of a live audience. Pretty hard to believe, considering it's one of his greatest songs, but then again it was pretty fitting for such a special night.
It had been a couple decades since Lenis last performed in New York, but you wouldn't have known it from the show he put on at June's Dig Deeper. Some people just seem to be born entertainers, with a charisma, a presence, that never really fades away. This is Mr. Guess to a tee. He's still got it!
Lenis worked the crowd like a pro, his voice still in remarkably fine form, as he moved through a killer selection of his classic 60's tracks. Highlights included "Working For My Baby", "Thank Goodness Gotta Good Woman", and of course, "Just Ask Me", the show closer. The aptly named Solid Set did an amazing job supplying the musical backing. Guitarist and band leader Damon, took some good-natured ribbing between songs from Lenis, who affectionately referred to him as "the greatest guitar player in the world" and the bespectacled bass player, whose name escaped Lenis, as "Buddy Holly".
After a perfect set of about forty five minutes or so, Lenis finished things off with a blazing encore of "Why, Why, Why'd She Leave Me?" (a crowd favorite!) and then left the stage to the cheers of a packed room.
As the place buzzed in the wake of what could only be described as a phenomenal performance, Lenis came back out in a mustard colored button down shirt and gray slacks and unassumingly walked through the club. Drawing no attention to himself, he quietly slipped out onto Myrtle Avenue. It was an almost Clark Kent like transformation, but not too surprising from a class act like Mr. Guess. A true gentleman, who's probably seen it all in his distinguished career, he let his music speak for him.
We're just glad we could have been there to see a legend work his magic. When we first started finding the name Lenis Guess on so many of these great Virginia records we were turning up, we never in our wildest dreams thought we'd see him perform live someday. It was almost surreal to actually be witnessing it, and there were definitely some emotional moments. It was truly something we'll never forget.

Thanks to Nicole Lang Key and Kimberlee Fuller for the photos. And thanks to Lenis Guess for bringing it!

Lenis Guess "Why, Why, Why'd She Leave Me ?" (S.P.Q.R.)

To get you ready for the Lenis Guess show at Dig Deeper this Saturday, we bring you an overlooked cut from his great S.P.Q.R. run.

In the playfully dramatic intro Lenis strains to hold back the tears, then a slight pause, some hard nasty drums kick in, the band gets down to business, and Mr. Guess tells us what's on his mind, with equal parts sorrow and righteous indignation. A soulful piece of rock solid funk that chugs along with forcefully melodic horns and and a catchy as hell chorus that anybody could chant along to immediately. Too bad this one fades out just as the soul clapping gets going.

So many classics to pull from. We can't wait to see Lenis this weekend. This is going to be an amazing show. Whatever you do, don't miss it!

Special thanks to our friend Kevin Coombe of D.C. Soul Recordings for the great photo of Lenis!

Lenis Guess "Why, Why, Why'd She Leave Me ?"

Lenis Guess @ Dip Deeper (NYC) Saturday June 27th!!!

Fresh off his triumphant performance at the prestigious Prestatyn Soul Weekender in the UK, Virginia Soul legend Lenis Guess will be doing his first New York show in decades this month at Dig Deeper. This promises to be a very special night, and we are honored and excited to be spinning some funky Virginia 45's during the festivities along with hosts Mr. Robinson and DJ Honky.
Mr. Guess takes the stage around midnight backed by the super tight Solid Set, to perform his classic 60's material including the bona fide killer "Just Ask Me".
Mark your calendars now: Saturday June 27th 10PM at The Five Spot in Brooklyn. For more info and to purchase tickets in advance, please visit our pals over at Dig Deeper. See you there!

Dig Deeper NYC with Lee Fields!

Although not a Virginia native, Mr. Fields recorded many of his greatest songs in the Commonwealth. Our friends over at Dig Deeper are having him over to lay down a set of super heavy funk and soul at the Five Spot. If you live in the NYC area, this is a show not to miss. Also just announced will be the one and only Lenis Guess for June!

Star Material "Give Me Some Play / I Need You" (Sprite)

In the 70's, the Commonwealth was well represented on the charts and radio dials with such acts as Mass Production, Poison, Trussle, Ujima (Later Anglo Saxon Brown and Silk) and smaller groups like Standing Room Only, Starfire, and Star Material. Star Material was a Richmond group produced by Tyrone Thomas of Virginia powerhouse The Whole Darn Family and Richmond record mogul supreme August Moon. This lone single on the Sprite label is not rare by any means, but is a good representation of the Virginia sound during the late 70's. Members of the band continue to perform, including vocalist Jimmy "Slim" Smith who is part of the Richmond's NYCE

Star Material "I Need You"

Belva & The Randolph Bros. "Happy Fool" (Randolph Bros. Productions)

The Star City's own Randolph Bros. return, this time adding a sister to the mix. Belva's unique vocals on the super catchy "Happy Fool" immediately draw you in with a delivery that's somehow innocent yet knowing. Ultimately, it becomes clear that she's not as blissfully ignorant as the title might lead us to believe. The rhythm section falls into lock step behind a crisp guitar line, as the horns deftly augment the tight arrangement with percussive melody. Then out of nowhere comes this blast of fuzz, as if the Deep Purple tour bus made a quick detour through the studio on the way to the Roanoke Civic Center. Truly out of left field, but, hey, it works!

Belva & The Randolph Bros. "Happy Fool"