1514 Oliver Avenue (Basement)

by Mind & Matter

Overview

Released by Numero prior to the more comprehensive various-artists package Purple Snow: Forecasting the Minneapolis Sound, 1514 Oliver Avenue (Basement) documents 1977 home-recording sessions by Mind & Matter. Led by teenaged songwriter, arranger, and keyboardist James "Jimmy Jam" Harris -- just before he moved on to Flyte Tyme, and then the Time, and then the production of dozens of hits with partner Terry Lewis -- the band was fronted by a quartet of vocalists backed by seven instrumentalists, three of whom played keyboards. Heavily inspired by Philly soul -- not just artists on Philadelphia International, but vocal groups like Blue Magic as well -- the band rolls through an album's worth of material that is solid at best and charmingly raw and over-ambitious at worst. Harris' funky Clavinet is prominent, but the bountiful group harmonies are central, designed for wooing women on songs like "No One Can Do It to Me Baby," "My Love Is Like a Fire," and "When You're Touching Me." Somewhere between Harris' stated influences and keyboard-heavy low-budget soul made by, say, Ronnie McNeir and Patrick Adams, this is a delight for anyone with a serious interest in underground soul and Harris' incredible career. Jon Kirby's typically in-depth notes are printed on the back side of a gig-poster replication. ~ Andy Kellman

Product Details

Release Date:	10/22/2013
Label:	Numero Group
UPC:	0825764505024
Rank:	112244

Tracks

1. No One Else Can Do It to Me Baby
2. Wonder of It All
3. My Love Is Like a Fire
4. I Don't Know Why (I Love You Like I Do)
5. Disco Child
6. When You're Touching Me
7. Would Be Mine
8. Virgin Lady
9. Now That I Don't Have You

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Mind & Matter   Primary Artist
Lawrence Brown   Baritone (Vocal)
Troy Williams   Saxophone
Jon Kirby   Compiled
Barry Dillard   Percussion
Everett "Jawanza" Pettiford   Tenor (Vocal)
Gary McGray   Fender Rhodes
Glenny "Ittiim" Hardge   Alto (Vocals)
Rodney Clark   Guitar
Turhan Bey   Falsetto,Tenor (Vocal)
Don Turner   Drums
James Harris III   Clarinet,Fender Rhodes,Roland Synthesizer
Joe Ray   Bass

Technical Credits

Joe Kirby   Liner Notes
Greg Helgeson   Cover Photo
Jon Kirby   Research,Reissue Producer
Maria Rice   Mastering Assistant
Leland Meiner   Design
Marlin Possehl   Engineer
Ken Shipley   Reissue Producer
Rob Sevier   Reissue Producer
Jeff Lipton   Mastering