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Simply put, The Essential Lou Rawls is the first of the many compilations tallying the output of this classy, unclassifiable singer that gets it all right. Rawls recorded for a number of labels during his four-decades-plus in the business, but his most important work was evenly split between two of them, Capitol, in the '60s, and Philadelphia International, in the late '70s. While other collections have tended to focus on one period or the other, or to spotlight one aspect of his wide-ranging canon, this two-disc, comprehensive collection covers the gamut. Because the release comes from Sony, which owns the Philly International catalog, it does emphasize that latter segment of Rawls' career perhaps just a tad disproportionately, but all of the most significant Capitol hits have been licensed and are generously represented, including "Dead End Street," "Love Is a Hurtin' Thing," and "Your Good Thing (Is About to End)." Of course, the key later tracks are accounted for, beginning with the set-opening "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine," a number two pop/number one R&B hit for him in 1976, and follow-up hits such as "Groovy People" and 1977's Top Ten "See You When I Git There." The compilers also made sure not to forget Rawls' 1971 Top 20 single for MGM, "A Natural Man." But The Essential Lou Rawls has plenty of space to go beyond the basic hits, and it makes its case for Rawls as one of the era's most endearing and unique vocalists by surveying his catalog and presenting his unmistakable baritone in a number of different settings. While always falling within the R&B/soul sphere, Rawls' sound was informed by and often touched upon jazz, gospel, pop, blues, and dance music; he even foreshadowed rap with spoken interludes long before a genre with that name existed. These 34 tracks, sequenced non-chronologically for a listening experience that is more satisfying than a strictly historical rundown would have been, acknowledge that diversity and present Lou Rawls' many faces in a way that leaves no doubt that he was one of the standout vocalists of his time.
© Jeff Tamarkin /TiVo
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Kenneth Gamble, Composer - Kenneth Gamble, Lyricist - Kenneth Gamble, Producer - Leon Huff, Composer - Leon Huff, Lyricist - Leon Huff, Producer - Lou Rawls, Performer
(P) 1976 Sony Music Entertainment
Kenneth Gamble, Composer - Kenneth Gamble, Lyricist - Kenneth Gamble, Producer - Leon Huff, Composer - Leon Huff, Lyricist - Leon Huff, Producer - Lou Rawls, Performer
(P) 1976 Assorted Music, Inc. d/b/a Philadelphia International Records.
Faith, Producer - GAMBLE, Producer - HUFF, Producer - K. Gamble, Composer - L. Huff, Composer - Lou Rawls, Performer - Martin, Producer - WANSEL, Producer
(P) 1977 Sony Music Entertainment
Jack Faith, Arranger - K. Gamble, Composer - K. Gamble, Lyricist - Kenneth Gamble, Producer - L. Huff, Composer - L. Huff, Lyricist - Leon A. Huff, Producer - Lou Rawls, Performer
(P) 1977 Assorted Music, Inc. d/b/a Philadelphia International Records
Bobby Martin, Arranger - K. Gamble, Composer - Kenneth Gamble, Producer - L. Huff, Composer - Leon A. Huff, Producer - Lou Rawls, Performer
(P) 1977 Assorted Music, Inc. d/b/a Philadelphia International Records
Cary Gilbert, Composer - Kenneth Gamble, Composer - Kenneth Gamble, Producer - Leon Huff, Composer - Leon Huff, Producer - Lou Rawls, Performer
(P) 1976 Assorted Music, Inc. d/b/a Philadelphia International Records.
Kenneth Gamble, Producer - Leon Huff, Producer - Lou Rawls, Performer - R.L. Martin, Composer
(P) 1976 Assorted Music, Inc. d/b/a Philadelphia International Records.
A. Felder, Composer - J. Faith, Composer - Kenneth Gamble, Producer - Leon Huff, Producer - Lou Rawls, Performer
(P) 1976 Assorted Music, Inc. d/b/a Philadelphia International Records.
Jack Faith, Arranger - K. Gamble, Composer - Kenneth Gamble, Producer - L. Huff, Composer - Leon A. Huff, Producer - Lou Rawls, Performer
(P) 1976 Sony Music Entertainment
Bobby Martin, Arranger - Bobby Martin, Producer - J. VAN HUESEN, Composer - Lou Rawls, Performer - S. COHN, Composer
(P) 1977 Assorted Music, Inc. d/b/a Philadelphia International Records
DISC 2
Jack Faith, Arranger - Jack Faith, Producer - Lou Rawls, Performer - Sherman Marshall, Composer - Sherman Marshall, Lyricist - Von Gray, Composer - Von Gray, Lyricist
(P) 1977 Sony Music Entertainment
Jack Faith, Arranger - K. Gamble, Composer - K. Gamble, Lyricist - Kenneth Gamble, Producer - L. Huff, Composer - L. Huff, Lyricist - Leon A. Huff, Producer - Lou Rawls, Performer
(P) 1977 Assorted Music, Inc. d/b/a Philadelphia International Records
K. Gamble, Composer - K. Gamble, Lyricist - Kenneth Gamble, Producer - L. Huff, Composer - L. Huff, Lyricist - Leon A. Huff, Producer - Lou Rawls, Performer
(P) 1977 Assorted Music, Inc. d/b/a Philadelphia International Records
Bobby Martin, Arranger - Bobby Martin, Producer - L. Phillips, Composer - L. Phillips, Lyricist - Lou Rawls, Performer - R. L. Martin, Composer - R. L. Martin, Lyricist
(P) 1977 Assorted Music, Inc. d/b/a Philadelphia International Records
Jack Faith, Arranger - Lou Rawls, Performer - M. BURTON, Composer - Phil Terry, Producer
(P) 1977 Assorted Music, Inc. d/b/a Philadelphia International Records
Jack Faith, Arranger - K. Gamble, Composer - K. Gamble, Lyricist - Kenneth Gamble, Producer - L. Huff, Composer - L. Huff, Lyricist - Leon A. Huff, Producer - Lou Rawls, Performer
(P) 1977 Assorted Music, Inc. d/b/a Philadelphia International Records
Jack Faith, Arranger - Kenneth Gamble, Composer - Kenneth Gamble, Lyricist - Kenneth Gamble, Producer - Leon Huff, Composer - Leon Huff, Lyricist - Leon Huff, Producer - Lou Rawls, Performer
(P) 1979 Assorted Music, Inc. d/b/a/ Philadelphia International Records
K. Gamble, Composer - Kenneth Gamble, Producer - L. Huff, Composer - Leon A. Huff, Producer - Lou Rawls, Performer
(P) 1980 Assorted Music, Inc. d/b/a Philadelphia International Records
A. Jones, Composer - H. BANKS, Composer - Kenneth Gamble, Producer - Leon A. Huff, Producer - Lou Rawls, Performer
(P) 1980 Assorted Music, Inc. d/b/a Philadelphia International Records
C. James, Composer - J. Robinson, Composer - L. Bell, Composer - Lou Rawls, Performer - Thom Bell, Composer - Thom Bell, Producer
(P) 1980 Assorted Music, Inc. d/b/a Philadelphia International Records
Gene Paul, Recording Engineer - I. Gordon, Composer - Joel Dorn, Producer - Leon Pendarvis, Arranger - Lou Rawls, Performer
(P) 1981 Assorted Music, Inc. d/b/a Philadelphia International Records
Bob Merritt, Recording Engineer - D. Hall, Composer - D. Hall, Lyricist - J. Oates, Composer - J. Oates, Lyricist - Lou Rawls, Performer - Norman Ratner, Producer - Sy Mitchell, Recording Engineer - Tom Sellers, Arranger
(P) 1974 Arista Records LLC
Kenneth Gamble, Composer - Kenneth Gamble, Lyricist - Kenneth Gamble, Producer - Leon A. Huff, Producer - Leon Huff, Composer - Leon Huff, Lyricist - Lou Rawls, Performer
(P) 1978 Assorted Music, Inc. d/b/a Philadelphia International Records
Album review
Simply put, The Essential Lou Rawls is the first of the many compilations tallying the output of this classy, unclassifiable singer that gets it all right. Rawls recorded for a number of labels during his four-decades-plus in the business, but his most important work was evenly split between two of them, Capitol, in the '60s, and Philadelphia International, in the late '70s. While other collections have tended to focus on one period or the other, or to spotlight one aspect of his wide-ranging canon, this two-disc, comprehensive collection covers the gamut. Because the release comes from Sony, which owns the Philly International catalog, it does emphasize that latter segment of Rawls' career perhaps just a tad disproportionately, but all of the most significant Capitol hits have been licensed and are generously represented, including "Dead End Street," "Love Is a Hurtin' Thing," and "Your Good Thing (Is About to End)." Of course, the key later tracks are accounted for, beginning with the set-opening "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine," a number two pop/number one R&B hit for him in 1976, and follow-up hits such as "Groovy People" and 1977's Top Ten "See You When I Git There." The compilers also made sure not to forget Rawls' 1971 Top 20 single for MGM, "A Natural Man." But The Essential Lou Rawls has plenty of space to go beyond the basic hits, and it makes its case for Rawls as one of the era's most endearing and unique vocalists by surveying his catalog and presenting his unmistakable baritone in a number of different settings. While always falling within the R&B/soul sphere, Rawls' sound was informed by and often touched upon jazz, gospel, pop, blues, and dance music; he even foreshadowed rap with spoken interludes long before a genre with that name existed. These 34 tracks, sequenced non-chronologically for a listening experience that is more satisfying than a strictly historical rundown would have been, acknowledge that diversity and present Lou Rawls' many faces in a way that leaves no doubt that he was one of the standout vocalists of his time.
© Jeff Tamarkin /TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 33 track(s)
- Total length: 02:13:59
- Main artists: Lou Rawls
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: P.I.R.
- Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B Soul
This compilation (P) 2007 Sony Music Entertainment
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