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REEL 78001CD
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"A classic album from an unsung heroine of soul. Kim Tolliver is a name that has been unfairly lost to the annals of music history. For much of the 1960s she became renowned among R&B music circles for her dramatic, Southern-fried ballads, and emotionally heavy renditions of classic blues and soul songs, as well as for her songwriting prowess, having penned numerous singles for fellow soul singer Margie Joseph. From 1967 all the way to 1981 she cut single after single for Northern Soul treasure trove labels like Castro Records, Rojac Records, Tay-Ster, and many more, but throughout her long and illustrious career only ever recorded two studio full-lengths. Her first studio album, 1971's Passing Clouds (Released under the moniker Kimberley Briggs) passed by with little fanfare, but it was 1973's Come And Get Me I'm Ready that made her a name in deep soul. Though the album was also commercially unsuccessful, it reached great critical acclaim for its complex melodies, solid arrangements, and premium grade soul songwriting from Tolliver, and her then husband Fred Briggs, a fellow singer/songwriter. The album drew heavily from the classic Memphis sound, with big brass, and high-energy balladeering, all made cohesive by Tolliver's commanding vocal presence. Though Tolliver would eventually leave the music business, and eventually succumb to Alzheimer's in 2007, her unsung legacy remains in choice cuts like 'The Other Side Of Town', 'The Way He Used To', and her own take on Gwen McCrae's 'I'm Losing The Feeling'."
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CD
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RO 155CD
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"Despite recording albums for Chess and Fantasy, most of her singles output was on the smallest of indie labels with little or no promotion despite some incredible releases. Probably her best 45s were recorded for Rojac and Tay-Ster Records, owned by legendary Harlem entrepreneur Jack Taylor, who was also responsible for guiding Big Maybelle's career in the '60s. Kim's style epitomizes deep and southern soul singing at its finest. She can wring every last ounce of emotion out of any lyric, as her performances on 'Where Were You' and 'I'll Try To Do Better' may more than amply prove. She's not afraid to belt it out on up-tempo numbers such as '(You're Trying To) Copy My Stuff where you just know she's going to beat the s**t of any woman who tries to take her man. This is the first time any of these Rojac and Tay-Ster singles have been released on CD. Great music deserves the appropriate presentation, and this retrospect is beautifully packaged in a limited edition casebook with great memorabilia and new liner notes."
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