Ebony Rhythm Funk Campaign - "Hows your wife" - EMI int 513 (1975) For some reason EMI decided to go for the US flip "Oh baby" - which may be more commercial, it isn't anything like as soulful as this side. Almost a two stepper, this is a nice song, the lead vocalist singingto another guy, asking him about the guy's wife and child (as the title suggests!) who the singer used to be involved with, but she got herself married whilst he was away in the forces. Released on IR Innovation II in the States (9159), in Billboard's R&B chart for 9 weeks but only peaking at #68

Ghetto Children - "I just gotta find someone to love me" - CBS 1450 (1973) Lovely, almost Detroit Spinners-ish sounding lead vocals with a nice ballad, you'll either love it or hate it! Arranger Vince Montana's name in the credits shows the Philly connection. Flip "Rat-a-tat-tat-tat" - almost chanted all through the song is nothing special - not to me anyway! This is the same group as on the later Roulette 45 from '75 "Don't take your sweet love away" / "It's not easy to say goodbye"

Candi Staton - "Suspicious minds" - Sugarhill 112(1982) Done almost 'disco style' - but a passable version of the song popular on the UK soul scene by Cissy Houston & not forgetting Dee Dee Warwick's great version on Atco of course! Candi with a track record of some great recordings at Fame in the late 60's / early 70's before she went on to hit the jackpot at Warner Bros with "Young hearts run free" Her voice alone makes this worth a listen all the same!

Tata Vega - "You better watch out" - Motown TMG 1219 (1980) Probably a better known song by Gwen Owens on Casablanca,  this was originally the b side to a dire disco version of "You keep me hanging on" - the Supremes song. EMI decided to  re promote this side, which whilst much better than the A side is done with an annoying (to me) reggae-ish riff, which if perhaps it had been replaced with strings would have made it a much  better version. Incidently, the LP this appears on "Giving all my love" is worth  picking up for two cracking tracks: "Love your neighbor" - also on a 45 & a lovely duet with GC Cameron on Al Johnson's "I've got my second wind". There's also the old Russ Winstanley Wigan spin "Abandoned" - nuff said!!

Female group version of the Bobby Womack song - done quite well with a good, almost gritty lead singer, complete with orchestra, strings etc - well worth a listen if you haven't heard it! The flip side "Good man" is an ok version of one by the Bobbettes on RCA I believe. Strangely the US release of this was on Mayhew - made and distributed by Bearback records with a Bearback number (MBB 532) Even more strange is the fact that this UK release, along with  the one by Limmie & Family Cookin' were given a Bearback label - but were made and distributed by Pye records, not Ember who sent out the press release & in fact released at least 2 more Bearback records on Ember itself! - Does anyone  know why?
Limmie & Family Cookin' - "I can stop" - EMBS 354 (1977)Yes the old "You can do magic" / "A walkin' miracle" group – with a fairly lightweight pop / soul song - with a riff coming out of the Isley Brothers "This old heart of mine".  Not particularly outstanding - but ok. The ballad flip "Only a movie" came out in the States as a  separate Bareback release - if it wasn't for Limmie, the lead  vocalist's twee voice, this might have been a decent song,  - shame!

Bobby Hutton - "Loving you, needing you, loving you, wanting you" - ABC 11441 (1974) The "Lend a hand", "Come see what's left of me" etc. man with a lovely mid tempo song, which has got a bit of a collectors 'buzz' on it over recent years. Sounding very much like something Lamont Dozier was doing at the time, but with Reggie Dozier and McKinley Jackson as writers and producers it's hardly surprising!  - Wonderful stuff!! The flip side "Watch where you're going" isn't on the demo unfortunately.