J. Blackfoot
J. Blackfoot
       
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J. Blackfoot
Former singer of The Soul Children from 1968-1978, which scored hits like "I'll Be The Other Woman", "Hearsay" and "Don't Take My Kindness For Weakness". He went solo in 1978 and scored a hit in the early 80s with "Taxi". Born John Colbert in 1947, Memphis, Tennessee,,.'J. Blackfoot' is a nickname Colbert picked up during his early years due to his habit of walking barefoot on the tarred sidewalks of Memphis.
Blackfoot spent six
months as lead singer with a new line-up of The Barkays (after
original members were killed with Otis Redding in a plane crash). Album Discography The Soul Children
1 I'll Understand
1 Bring It Here
1 I Want To Be Loved
1 I'll Be The Other
Woman
1 Highway
1 Head On Collision
1 Stir Up The Boogie, Part II
1 Give 'Em Love
1 Hold On, I'm Coming
1. Long Ride Home ***1/2 You could just as easily called this the new J. Blackfoot album because the throaty one sings lead on nearly all the tracks, often joined by Queen Ann Hines, Norman Wets , Cassandra Graham and a cameo by Toni Green. Both Blackfoot and West were part of the original Stax Records line up. Hines and Graham are standing in the roles of Anita Lewis and Shelbra Bennet. The foursome logged 11 charting singles on Billboard's R & B charts from 1968 to 1978, most notably "Hearsay" and "I'll Be The Other Woman", which both crossed over to the pop charts as well (at #44 and #36 respectively). Blackfoot (born John Colbert) hasn't lost any of his powerful rasp and fairly tears it up on the yearning ballads "Long Ride Home" and "Love You For Life" (featuring the dynamite Toni Green) and "More Than A Woman" Other than the strong live version of "The Sweeter He Is" the second half, beginning with the clumsy "Too Hot To Hold" is noticeably inferior. But not by much. This is a solid "Modern/Retro" whatever you-wanna-call-it Soul album. J. Blackfoot
1. Way of the City
*** Taking
a cue from Stevie Wonder's "Living For The City", Blackfoot's
first solo outing is a concept album about a young man going
west. The album covers basic street life themes with "Street
Girl", "One Of Those Parties", "Can You Hang" and "City Slicker"
which incorporates 80s rap into his mix. The opening track "Way
Of The City" is too close to Wonder's song for comfort!
Blackfoot's drifter is also from Mississippi too. Despite the
slightly dated production this remains one of Blackfoot's better
discs. He scored a Top 10 hit on R & B charts with the smooth,
soulful "Taxi".
1. The Girl Next
Door
1. Breaking The Monotony
*** Decent
follow up to "Physical Attraction" is a basic
Southern Soul platter with no frills (no strings, horns, tricks)
but still affected by 80s production sound. The title cut was
released as a 12 inch single and made an impact on the street if
not the charts. The album, however, peaked at #67 on Billboard's
R & B Albums chart.
1. After the Tone
**1/2 8
song debut for Basix Records is a mixed bag. The title track is
a good Memphis thumper- the kind Wilson Pickett used to throw
down. Blackfoot has the gritty voice to bring it home. He sounds
especially sexy on slow jams like "She's Only Human", "After The
Tone" and "Just One Lifetime", the latter being a duet with Anne
Swanigan-Hines. There's also some weak tracks from writers Homer
Banks and Lester Snell such as the clumsy "Comebacks Don't Come
Easy" and "That's How Lies Get Out".
1. Now Is the Time
*** Once
again that plastic 80s synth n' drum machine attack creeps up on
a few tracks but Blackfoot's gritty vocals and sinewy phrasing
save the day. The set takes a drive in Tyrone Davis country with
a slinky bedroom jam "Now Is The Time". But hits a pothole on
the bland "Until Then" with Lynn White. Things pick up again in
the love devotional "You Are My Glory". Elsewhere, "Losers
Weepers" is a smooth, midtempo number and the sparse "Summer
Lover" builds to a climax with a staccato of female backup
singers. The disc also features Memphis Horns saxman Andrew
Love.
1. Times Like This
** It's
telling that the best song here is an update of his smash "Taxi"
("Taxi '95") as Homer Banks, Lester Snell et al fail to deliver
truly remarkable songs. If it wasn't for Blackfoot's chops
there's be little to recommend about this record. Additionally
the pop ambitions of the production strip much of the soul away.
Things perk up on two funky cuts, "My Bed" and "Sweat" as the
remainder are mediocre contemporary soul snoozers.
1. Christmas Tree
1. You Can Make It
*** Memphis
all star Thomas Bingham, who played and wrote with Willie
Mitchell and Al Green during the Hi Records heyday, is on board
to co-write 8 songs (with Blackfoot himself), produce, play
guitar, arrange and mix. The steady rhythm on "You Can Make It"
sets the tone on this fine modern soul album. "Be That Way
Sometimes" percolates with a groove the Staple Singers would
love. "You're Mouth Wrote A Check" is a top shelf Southern Soul
headbobber and both "So Good" and "Stealing Love" turn up the
heat for the ladies,
1. Show Me
***This
tight collection had hit potential all over it. Hard-hitting
soul pop like "Show Me", "I'm Not Your Man" and "Put A Little
Something Down On It" are all polished, catchy gems that should
be saturating radio. Same goes for Rich Cason's terrific slow
churning "I'm Having An Affair". Blackfoot's vocals are smokier
than BBQ ribs on this cut. There's also some Zapp & Roger-style
funk via "Let's Ball", a splendid take on Gregory Abbott's smash
"Shake It Down" and Isaac Hayes & David Porter's "I'll
Understand", which Blackfoot previously cut with the Soul
Children.
1. Better to Have and Not Need
***Haphazard
song choices belie the title of this record. Compiled from
Blackfoot's 1991-1997 Basix Records material "At His
Best" contains correct choices like "Taxi '95", "Just
One Lifetime", "Love-A-Holic" and "You're My Heartbeat". BUT
there's several good songs missing ("My Bed", "Sweat") in place
of lesser moments ("Until Then") and that renders this
compilation inconsequential.
1. Same Place, Same Time
**** Another
likable showcase for Blackfoot's raspy soul stylings with songs
from a cavalcade of writers, including Thomas Bingham, Larry
Dodson and Quinn Golden. There's smooth contemporary soul (title
cut, "Special Kind Of lady", "Love On The Phone"), slick urban
dancers (Johnny Kemp's "Just Got Paid", Roger Troutman's "Your
Man Is Home Tonight"), hard Albert King-like soul blues ("I
Gotta Do What I Gotta Do"), Memphis soul ("Happy Blues"), make
out music ("In My Bedroom") & more. He even improves upon Johnny
Kemp's bouncy jam "Just Got Paid". Blackfoot can sing 'em all
well but I'm still waiting for the knockout soul record he still
has in him. This one's real close.
* the 2007 re-issue contains "I'm Just A Fool For You Pt. 2" with Sir Charles Jones and "Two Different People" with Ann Hines 1. It Ain't Over
till It's Over
***1/2 It
took 5 years
but the man with the raspy power in his throat is back to stake
his claim. Actually he was back on the charts last year dueting
with Archie Love on "Same Woman" (also appears here) but this is
his first LP since 2001's "Same Place Same Time". First
the good news: J. can still sang and the fabulous Bar Kays join
in on the hyperfunky "If It Don't Make Dollars". Plus the title
track, the first single, is vintage punchy, forceful J.
Blackfoot R & B with a typically potent vocal. Now the bad
news...actually there's no bad news. It's a pretty good record
but far from a knockout. Part of the problem is too many generic
ballads with that requisite, creepin' groove ("Man Made Over",
"I'm Just A Fool For You" with Lenny Williams) and banal lyrics
like "my head saying no but my heart won't let go/I'm just a
fool for you/Yes, it's true". They all sound the same. Forget
the pretty bedroom jams let's get J. doing some Deep Soul. Also,
a little mo' of that bubblin' bass, flirty female backups and
chang-a-lankin' guitar found on "If It Don't Make Dollars"
would've been the ticket. "It Ain't Over" sounds great
(produced by Larry Dodson) but is short on great songs. That
said, welcome back J. (note: "It
Ain't Over" was re-issued in 2007 with two extra tracks: "I'm
Just A Fool For You Part 2", a duet with Sir Charles Jones and a
duet with Ann Hines).
1. Meow
1. Longtime Comin' (feat. The Barkays)
digital only compilation
1. Loveaholic
1. Taxi (Live in Selma, Alabama) |
"The Soul Children" (Stax 1968)
"Best Of Two Worlds" (Stax 1971)
"Genesis" (Stax 1972)
"Friction" (Stax 1974)
"Finders Keepers" (Epic 1976)
"Where Is Your Woman Tonight?" (Epic 1977)
"Open Door Policy" (Stax 1978)
"Chronicle" (Stax 1979)
"Hold On I'm Coming" (Stax 1997)
The Soul Children "Still Standing" (JEA Music 2008)
"City Slicker" (Sound Town 1983)
"Physical Attraction" (Sound Town 1984)
"U-Turn" (Edge 1987)
"Loveaholic" (Basix 1991).jpg)
"Room Service" (Basix 1993)
"Reality" (Basix 1995)
"This Christmas" (Basix 1997)
"Stealing Love" (Basix 1997)
"Having An Affair" (Basix 1999)
"At His Best" (Basix 1999)
"Same Place Same Time" (Basix 2001)
"It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over" (JEA Music 2006,2007)
"Soles Of
My Shoes" (Locobop 2009)
"The Last Soul Singer" (Basix 2011)
"The Very Best Of" (JEA Music 2012)