KING CURTIS
''EVERYBODY'S TALKIN'''
1971
43:52
1 Groove Me
King Floyd III 3:46
2 You're the One
Sylvester "Sly Stone" Stewart 3:40
3 Honky Tonk
Billy Butler / Bill Doggett / Clifford Scott / Shep Shepard 4:55
4 Love the One You're With
Stephen Stills 3:59
5 If I Were a Carpenter
Tim Hardin 2:42
6 Everybody's Talkin'
Fred Neil 2:36
7 Ridin' Thumb
Jim Seals 3:16
8 Alexander's Ragtime Band
Irving Berlin 6:58
9 Central Park 4:03
10 Wet Funk (Low Down and Dirty) 4:50
11 Ridin' Thumb-Jam
Jim Seals 3:07
James Booker/Piano
Mervin Bronson/Bass
Garnett Brown/Horn
Billy Carter/Organ
Harold Cowart/Bass
Ronnie Cuber/Horn
Cornell Dupree/Guitar
Paul Griffin/Keyboards, Piano
Jack Hale/Horn
Roger Hopps/Horn
Wayne Jackson/Horn
Jerry Jemmott/Bass
King Curtis/Organ, Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor), Saxophone, Vocals
Bobby Lance/Vocal Arrangement
Trevor Lawrence/Percussion
Ed Logan/Horn
Andrew Love/Horn
Ray Lucas/Drums
Arif Mardin/Arranger
The Memphis Horns
Ron Miller/Guitar
Joe Newman Quartet/Horn
Jim O'Rourke/Guitar
Billy Preston/Organ
Bernard "Pretty" Purdie/Drums
Chuck Rainey/Bass
Kenneth "Spider Webb" Rice/Drums
Jimmy Smith/Organ
Marvin Stamm/Horn
Charles Sullivan/Horn
Richard Tee/Piano
Frank Wess/Horn
Ernie Wilkins/Horn Arrangements
Tubby Zeigler/Drums
REVIEW
by Brandon Burke
King Curtis employed a powerhouse lineup on Everybody's Talkin', including soul-jazz luminaries Bernard Purdie, Cornell Dupree, Billy Butler, Billy Preston, and the Memphis Horns. As can be expected, the tunes here are relatively indicative of the times and range from greasy Southern ballads to more funky material. Among the highlights are the slow, loping funk of "If I Were a Carpenter" (which sounds like any number of Pete Rock's mid-song interludes), the title track, and the near identical cover of King Floyd's "Groove Me." Best of all, though, is "Ridin' Thumb" which appears both in vocal and instrumental form. The vocal version begins the second side of the LP and is clearly the most worthy single on the album. The instrumental, on the other hand, bookends the set (as well as the side) and is very clearly the rest of the vocal take after Curtis switched from vocals to tenor sax. Seeing as the musicians were already well into the groove by the time the instrumental half of the tune kicks in, the argument can be made that "Ridin' Thumb-Jam" is the is the funkier of the two and a fine example of soul-jazz at its best. Recommended for fans of the genre.
BIOGRAPHY
by Bob Porter
King Curtis was the last of the great R&B tenor sax giants. He came to prominence in the mid-'50s as a session musician in New York, recording, at one time or another, for most East Coast R&B labels. A long association with Atlantic/Atco began in 1958, especially on recordings by the Coasters. He recorded singles for many small labels in the '50s -- his own Atco sessions (1958-1959), then Prestige/New Jazz and Prestige/TruSound for jazz and R&B albums (1960-1961). Curtis also had a number one R&B single with "Soul Twist" on Enjoy Records (1962). He was signed by Capitol (1963-1964), where he cut mostly singles, including "Soul Serenade." Returning to Atlantic in 1965, he remained there for the rest of his life. He had solid R&B single success with "Memphis Soul Stew" and "Ode to Billie Joe" (1967). Beginning in 1967, Curtis started to take a more active studio role at Atlantic, leading and contracting sessions for other artists, producing with Jerry Wexler, and later on his own. He also became the leader of Aretha Franklin's backing unit, the Kingpins. He compiled several albums of singles during this period. All aspects of his career were in full swing at the time he was murdered in 1971.
''EVERYBODY'S TALKIN'''
1971
43:52
1 Groove Me
King Floyd III 3:46
2 You're the One
Sylvester "Sly Stone" Stewart 3:40
3 Honky Tonk
Billy Butler / Bill Doggett / Clifford Scott / Shep Shepard 4:55
4 Love the One You're With
Stephen Stills 3:59
5 If I Were a Carpenter
Tim Hardin 2:42
6 Everybody's Talkin'
Fred Neil 2:36
7 Ridin' Thumb
Jim Seals 3:16
8 Alexander's Ragtime Band
Irving Berlin 6:58
9 Central Park 4:03
10 Wet Funk (Low Down and Dirty) 4:50
11 Ridin' Thumb-Jam
Jim Seals 3:07
James Booker/Piano
Mervin Bronson/Bass
Garnett Brown/Horn
Billy Carter/Organ
Harold Cowart/Bass
Ronnie Cuber/Horn
Cornell Dupree/Guitar
Paul Griffin/Keyboards, Piano
Jack Hale/Horn
Roger Hopps/Horn
Wayne Jackson/Horn
Jerry Jemmott/Bass
King Curtis/Organ, Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor), Saxophone, Vocals
Bobby Lance/Vocal Arrangement
Trevor Lawrence/Percussion
Ed Logan/Horn
Andrew Love/Horn
Ray Lucas/Drums
Arif Mardin/Arranger
The Memphis Horns
Ron Miller/Guitar
Joe Newman Quartet/Horn
Jim O'Rourke/Guitar
Billy Preston/Organ
Bernard "Pretty" Purdie/Drums
Chuck Rainey/Bass
Kenneth "Spider Webb" Rice/Drums
Jimmy Smith/Organ
Marvin Stamm/Horn
Charles Sullivan/Horn
Richard Tee/Piano
Frank Wess/Horn
Ernie Wilkins/Horn Arrangements
Tubby Zeigler/Drums
REVIEW
by Brandon Burke
King Curtis employed a powerhouse lineup on Everybody's Talkin', including soul-jazz luminaries Bernard Purdie, Cornell Dupree, Billy Butler, Billy Preston, and the Memphis Horns. As can be expected, the tunes here are relatively indicative of the times and range from greasy Southern ballads to more funky material. Among the highlights are the slow, loping funk of "If I Were a Carpenter" (which sounds like any number of Pete Rock's mid-song interludes), the title track, and the near identical cover of King Floyd's "Groove Me." Best of all, though, is "Ridin' Thumb" which appears both in vocal and instrumental form. The vocal version begins the second side of the LP and is clearly the most worthy single on the album. The instrumental, on the other hand, bookends the set (as well as the side) and is very clearly the rest of the vocal take after Curtis switched from vocals to tenor sax. Seeing as the musicians were already well into the groove by the time the instrumental half of the tune kicks in, the argument can be made that "Ridin' Thumb-Jam" is the is the funkier of the two and a fine example of soul-jazz at its best. Recommended for fans of the genre.
BIOGRAPHY
by Bob Porter
King Curtis was the last of the great R&B tenor sax giants. He came to prominence in the mid-'50s as a session musician in New York, recording, at one time or another, for most East Coast R&B labels. A long association with Atlantic/Atco began in 1958, especially on recordings by the Coasters. He recorded singles for many small labels in the '50s -- his own Atco sessions (1958-1959), then Prestige/New Jazz and Prestige/TruSound for jazz and R&B albums (1960-1961). Curtis also had a number one R&B single with "Soul Twist" on Enjoy Records (1962). He was signed by Capitol (1963-1964), where he cut mostly singles, including "Soul Serenade." Returning to Atlantic in 1965, he remained there for the rest of his life. He had solid R&B single success with "Memphis Soul Stew" and "Ode to Billie Joe" (1967). Beginning in 1967, Curtis started to take a more active studio role at Atlantic, leading and contracting sessions for other artists, producing with Jerry Wexler, and later on his own. He also became the leader of Aretha Franklin's backing unit, the Kingpins. He compiled several albums of singles during this period. All aspects of his career were in full swing at the time he was murdered in 1971.