New Breed R&B: Money Talks

BIS => 2025 09 05
1LP - KENT
2025

TRACKLIST
Side 1
01 Don't Try To Tell Me - Berna-Dean
02 This Mornin' - The Jesse Stone Singers
03 All Around The World - Vermettya Royster with James Brown's Band
04 What's On Your Mind - The Four Bars
05 Don't Look Now - Wilbur "Hi-Fi" White & King Kolax Band
06 Money Talks - Kenny Smith
07 Hey Little Girl Pt 1 - Roosevelt Lee
Side 2
01 Goin' Away Baby (Round Like An Apple) - Smokey Wilson
02 Hey Hey Baby - T-Bone Walker
03 I'm A Good Woman - The Afterglows
04 You Make Me Mad - Johnny Madara
05 Money Talks (Tell Me What I Say) - The Citations
06 Tell Me Why - Richard Berry
07 Mary Don't You Weep - The Delights

DESCRIPTION
New R&B discoveries continue to emerge and entertain the many followers of the New Breed musical cult; nobody finds more than the Kent connoisseurs.
Berna Dean’s two previously unheard recordings are by far her best. They were laid down at Cosimo Matassa’s New Orleans’ studios by GNP Crescendo but eschewed in favour of two relatively average sides. The great 50s R&B songwriter Jesse Stone provides a rocker for the much-admired Jimmy Breedlove and a super-catchy ‘This Morning’ for an unknown mixed vocal group that has a joyous gospel feel. Jesse also penned ‘Private Eye’, a classic early 60s story-song, for Buddy Wilkins which was issued on Al Sears’ Tri-Ess imprint.
The title track is used twice, on two very different Fraternity recordings. Kenny Smith’s version was issued in 1964 and has many followers, but the equally meritorious Coasters-inspired composition by the Citations is newly discovered. Win Menifee’s ‘I’m Runnin’ Around’ from the same Cincinnati label comes complete with a fascinating back-story.
There are three cover versions. Vermettya Royster’s ‘All Around The World’ is backed by James Brown’s 1961 band, while Roosevelt Lee 1970 update of the 1947-originated ‘Hey Little Girl’ funks the tune up a la Godfather of soul. The cover that will make the biggest noise is undoubtedly west coast band the Afterglows’ version of Barbara Lynn’s evergreen dancer ‘I’m A Good Woman’ – this is a future monster.
Golden Crest provides two fabulous male vocal group sides – the swinging ‘What’s On Your Mind’ by Eddie Daye’s Four Bars and the delightful harmonies of the appropriately-named, but unknown Delights ‘Mary Don’t You Weep’.
Blues still thrived into the 70s as Albert Washington’s mean and moody ‘Case Of The Blues’ proves. Smokey Wilson took the music into the late 70s with the storming ‘Goin’ Away Baby (Round Like An Apple)’, which benefits here from a 45-style edit. His Pioneer Club on 88th Street in South Central L A provides the atmospheric photo for this collection.
More early 60s movers come from Wilbur “Hi-Fi” White with ‘Don’t Look Now’, future hit songwriter Johnny Madara’s raucous ‘You Make Me Mad’ and Big Boy Groves ‘Bucket O’ Blood’ which brilliantly describes the kind of club these tracks would fit right into.
The LP version loses a few tracks, but so many collectors have strong preferences we’ve thrown the vinyl junkies a lifeline.