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LP
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SPELL 4005LP
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Spellbound Music present a reissue of Shirley Ellis's (The Nitty Gritty Girl) The Name Game, originally released in 1965. A mid 1960s rock n' soul smasher, Shirley Ellis and her songwriting team went for a colorful album here, combining hard hitting rock n' roll with a slightly softened garage flavor and lush soulful pop. It presents smooth, yet striking vocal melodies on nearly ecstatic rhythmic patterns. Dance songs are thrown in for the good measure, putting an emphasis on the groove that shake and rattle your funky bones. Shirley Ellis knows how to put words together and sing them in a way that fuels the rhythmic fire. The Name Game will certainly appeal to soul aficionados, but it goes deeper and further, melting down the borders to beat and rock n' roll. Despite the singer's age, this album feels fresh and youthful, which is owed to her timelessly elegant voice that shows class and style, even in the naughty moments. A fantastic gem for certain and a must have for fans of black '60s pop, soul, and rock n' roll.
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CD
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SPELL 4001CD
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Spellbound Music present a reissue of Dorothy Ashby's sixth album, The Fantastic Jazz Harp Of Dorothy Ashby, originally released in 1965. Ashby was a Detroit born jazz harpist who passed away in her early 50s in 1986. She left a rich legacy of music with The Fantastic Jazz Harp Of Dorothy Ashby being one of her milestones. The music is purely bright and swinging with a joyful mood. Dorothy Ashby is always there upfront while the brass section mostly fills the background with color. Typical for the ancient jazz, there are no vocals on this record but this only adds to the depth and intriguing atmosphere of the music. Ashby starts where Coltrane left the field of real song-oriented albums for his experimental efforts and she really pulls it off. The Fantastic Jazz Harp Of Dorothy Ashby is haunting but with a rather relaxed approach to this style. For the time it was released, this album was an utterly progressive effort and the pop sensibility of many tracks make it a great joy to spin. Jazz fans will dig it and open minded people who love the music of the '60s will also develop a fondness for this beauty.
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