Moving and grooving right along here at Secret Stash Records HQ the Twin Cities Funk & Soul All-Stars have begun rehearsals and we thought we’d give you a little sneak peek. We’ve moved out our office chairs to make room for extra funkiness in the make-shift practice space to get the tunes down right and tight for the big release show in September.
our friend, the excellent photographer Ben Clark snapped some sweet pics for us as well.
Everyone is super pumped to play this music again and all the liner notes and packaging are looking incredible for the big record to be released next month. We have more big news for you next week that we know will blow your minds as much as it is ours. We can’t wait to let you know just how funky it’s going to get around here.
Just in from our friends at Burlesque of North America here’s a sneak preview of the limited edition screen printed jackets for the upcoming reissue of Pazy and the Black Hippies Wa Ho Ha.
Soon to be die-cut and hand assembled this pre-sale only pressing on green vinyl are almost sold out.
Place your order for the limited edition vinyl and order a limited run of the special Pazy and the Black Hippies t-shirt. Once they are gone they are gone!
It’s finally time to break the news here at Secret Stash Records about something we’ve been working on for nearly a year. We have been freaking out about finally being able to unveil the cover and give you the lowdown on our biggest release to date!
Tuesday, September 25 marks the official release of Twin Cities Funk & Soul: Lost R&B Grooves from Minneapolis/St. Paul 1964-1979, a 2xLP/CD Compilation of sweet-soul and raw funk from a long line of singers and musicians that defined Twin Cities funkiness pre-Prince.
Twin Cities Funk and Soul: Lost R&B Grooves from Minneapolis/Saint Paul 1964-1979 is the first of its kind and uncovers the music that laid the ground work for the “Minneapolis Sound”. The soulful voices of Maurice McKinnies, Wanda Davis and Jackie Harris, who’s singles have been long sought after on the collector’s market, are gathered in one place along with breakworthy R&B and psychedelic funk from Twin Cities bands including Prophets of Peace, Willie and the Bumblebees and The Lewis Connection. Plus the sweet soul of Wee Willie Walker, The Valdons and Dave Brady and the Stars make for an incredible package of music and original photos from that era.
To celebrate on Saturday, September 22, we will be hosting an album release party at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis featuring the Twin Cities Funk & Soul All-Stars. Amazingly we’ve got Willie Walker, Maurice Jacox, members of Prophets of Peace, Willie and the Bees, Band of Thieves, The Exciters, The Champions and for the first time in decades, Wanda Davis and the reunited Valdons all on one stage! This promises to be a landmark event for deep soul enthusiasts and Minnesota music fans.
On Record Store Day (4/21/12) we are going release a hand numbered 250 unit 45 rpm pressing of Rufus Lunley’s “Minneap’lis, Minnesota” / Jackie Harris’ “Do It, To It.” This release will only be available at The Electric Fetus in Minneapolis. See below to learn a bit more about these tracks and hear samples.
This track was recorded in a bowling alley in Detroit in ’68. At the end of the song you can hear the background vocalists singing “We Got The Pennant,” an attempt to make a hit song based on the possibility of the Twins winning the Pennant that year (which didn’t happen). Perhaps this track is just what Mauer and the boys need this year?
This track was licensed from the estate of Rufus Lumley. It’s been a pleasure working with Rufus’ family. It’s clear that beyond leaving a musical legacy that is still celebrated by Northern Soul collectors the world over, he was also an incredible family man.
-It should be noted that although Lumley lived in many towns during the course of his life, he never resided in the Twin Cities.
SIDE B “Do It, To It” by Jackie Harris Jackie Harris ran what is believed to be the first ever black owned label in the Twin Cities, Black and Proud Records. They only put out a small handful of singles, including this one performed by Harris himself. Running this label was not Jackie’s full time job. He was a radio DJ at KUXL as well. He went on to own a couple radio stations, a night club, and a newspaper. Harris is still alive and well and has been very helpful in our research for the Twin Cities funk, soul, and R&B compilation. This track was licensed directly from Jackie Harris (who now goes by Jack).
Typically NPR does not chose old music for their Song of the Day. However, today seems to be the exception to the rule. The (somewhat tragic) story behind Mickey Murray’s People Are Together seems to have broken that barrier as it is today’s Song of the Day.
MICKEY MURRAY – PEOPLE ARE TOGETHER PRE-ORDER
On January 17, 2012 we are releasing our first ever American Funk/Soul reissue! The first 250 copies of People Are Together by Mickey Murray will include a bonus, limited edition, hand numbered 45. This 45 contains tracks recorded at the same sessions as People Are Together, but was not released until two years later. The only way to purchase the limited edition version of People Are Together with bonus 45 is through our website. We sold out all 250 copies of our last pre-order special, so make sure you act fast. When they’re gone, they’re gone!
Originally pressed by King’s Federal Records imprint in 1970, People Are Together by Mickey Murray is truly a lost gem. King knew that they were going to lose James Brown and didn’t have the capital to sign another act of Brown’s stature, so they decided to build another star. King groomed Mickey Murray to be their next James Brown. Unfortunately, several important things happened that prevented this. The title track, and first radio single, from Mickey Murray’s People Are Together LP was racially progressive and controversial for its time and place, so much so that DJs throughout the south refused to play it for fear of losing their jobs. At the same time, King had been sold to new owners with little interest in supporting front line releases with tours or extensive promotions. As a result, King put the album aside. According to Mickey, the album may not have formally been released.
We are proud to present the first ever reissue of this incredible record in any format. Each track has been carefully remastered from the original master tapes. We have worked closely with Mickey Murray to help tell his story with a gatefold jacket containing never before seen photos and extensive liner notes. As always, each unit is hand numbered, comes in a resalable dust bag, and includes a free download of the entire LP.Click HERE to pre-order the limited edition version with bonus 7″.
Check out the video below to hear a sample from the bonus 45:
