Little Willie John - Nineteen Sixty Six: The David Axelrod & HB Barnum Sessions
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CD Details
Artist: Little Willie JohnEdition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown)
Format: Import
CD Release Date: 2008-11-07
Music Label: Kent Records UK
Soundtracks:
- Country Girl AKA Home At Last (Take 8)
- Suffering With The Blues (Take 4)
- I Had A Dream AKA Just A Dream (Take 7)
- Never Let Me Go (Take 4)
- If I Loved You (Take 2)
- (I Need) Someone (Take 12)
- Welcome To The Club (Take 8)
- Early In The Morning (Take 8)
- In The Dark (Take 1)
- Crying Over You (Take 2)
- You Are My Sunshine (Take 3)
- Country Girl AKA Home At Last (Alt Take)
- Suffering With The Blues (Alt Take)
- I Had A Dream AKA Just A Dream (Alt Take)
- Endless Sleep
- Never Let Me Go (Alt Take)
- Welcome To The Club (Alt Take)
- Early In The Morning (Alt Take)
- In The Dark (Alt Take)
- Crying Over You (Alt Take)
Music reviews of Nineteen Sixty Six: The David Axelrod & HB Barnum Sessions
Music Review: Awesome reissue
Rating: 5 Stars
"It was one of the best things that I ever did. The only person who didn't like it was Lou Rawls - I told him don't worry, I can [produce] both of you..."
David Axelrod - July 2008
When 27-year-old Willie Edgar John was imprisoned in October 1964 for the fatal stabbing of a man who was coming on to his date, it was widely acknowledged that he might never record again. Despite his work for King Records and a compilation of singles, John did not have enough material to sustain a chart profile and therefore was considered somewhat forgettable.
The sessions that were captured here for Capitol Records present an attempt at recapturing the glory days of Little Willie John's career. With hits like "Fever," "Talk To Me, Talk To Me," and "I Need Your Love So Bad" it was imperative that Little Willie John could be an equal with the artists arriving from Motown. Time was of the essence due to his incarceration and the hope was there that the conviction would be overturned from the life sentence murder charge. Capitol producer, David Axelrod and his collaborator H.B. Barnum supervised these sessions.
Beginning on February 19, 1966, three sessions were held to record the forthcoming album. Session musicians were used to record those times including bassist Carol Kaye, Les Buie, saxophonist Clifford Scott and drummer Earl Palmer. Recording sessions proved to go smoothly with Little Willie John performing definitive versions of his classics such as "Suffering With The Blues" "I Had A Dream." Little Willie John performed "Endless Sleep" previously recorded by Jody Reynolds in 1958 and gave it the full Little WIllie John treatment as well. "Endless Sleep" was initially deleted from the album because it did not flow with the rest of the tracks but is included here. On the track, "Endless Sleep" John performs the song as a scat and in the process made up his version after several takes.
The sessions went extremely well and produced several other key tracks including "If I Loved You" "Never Let Me Go" and a northern soul styled track, "(I Need) Someone." These definitely were the some of the best tracks that Willie John had ever recorded and the deadline for his court appeal was arriving quickly. John's appeal was denied and he was sent back to the Santa Rita Rehabilitation Facility in Pleasanton, California before he was transferred to Walla Walla Penitentiary in Washington State where he would remain until he died of pneumonia on May 26, 1968.
After Willie John's death, King Records and Capitol Records got into a dispute regarding John's recordings; both claiming they had the rights to these particular sessions. Not wanting a protracted legal battle, Capitol Records consigned these recordings to their vaults where they have sat for 40 years until the urging of recording artist and R&B collector Billy Vera began urging Ace Records for their release. Hopefully this is not the end of the reissue campaign for Little Willie John as his voice deserves better recognition that will elevate his status to the greats.
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Description of Nineteen Sixty Six: The David Axelrod & HB Barnum Sessions
One of the great lost albums of the 60s finally gets a worldwide CD premiere! Some of the classiest and best mid 60s soul-blues ever committed to tape has remained unheard until now.Recorded for Capitol in early 1966 while Little Willie John was awaiting final sentencing for manslaughter, the album was mired in a raft of contractual arguments and was put on ice once it became clear that Willie was going to have to serve a prison term and wouldnt be able to promote it.
This CD contains everything that Willie cut for Capitol and is enhanced by a selection of stereo mixes and alternate versions from the sessions.
Arranged and produced by two music legends, HB Barnum and David Axelrod, it features the cream of the mid-60s L.A. session musician scene and is topped off by one of the greatest soul voices. This is a listening experience that no true soul fan will want to miss. And if you dont believe us, ask Richard Hawley who was enthusing about it during its mastering processas he mastered his own new album in the studio next door!
Mojo magazine is doing a major feature including an interview with David Axelrod.
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