A major “find” for fans of rare Stax soul music…
Written in their Soul (The Stax Songwriter Demos) – Omnivore/Craft Recordings #CR00562 – 7 CD – ****1/2
(Artists include: The Staple Singers, Carla Thomas, William Bell, Eddie Floyd, Homer Banks, Bettye Crutcher, Booker T. and many more…)
There are “detectives” of historically significant music, whether it be iconic releases of jazz, country & western, folk, or in this case soul music from the 60s and 70s. These sleuths make it their mission to ferret out previously unreleased music that will whet the appetites of connoisseurs of their favorite genres of American music.
For over 30 years, three time Grammy winner, Cheryl Pawelski, has earned the distinction of being an ace music detective, crossing boundaries ranging from Wilco to Miles Davis. She has worked for Rhino, Concord, and Capitol Records. She currently helps run Omnivore Recordings.
Her latest fait accompli is a multi-decade long fascination with both the music, and songwriters of Stax Records, a Memphis based label that in the 60s and 70s, rivaled Detroit’s, Motown Records, with a grittier version of classic soul music. Stax was one of the few labels from that time period that had both white and black management working in tandem. It was a rare successful business model. at a highly charged time of racial discord, fostered by the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Initially working out of a former movie theater, Stax (their name taken by brother and sister, Jim STewart and Estelle AXton), ran their label in a building subdivided by curtains and sound panels. Using a crack team of instrumentalists such as the members of Memphis based Booker T & the MGs, and intuitive song writers like Isaac Hayes, David Porter, and Bettye Crutcher, the folks at Stax had the ability to combine the issues of the day along with soulful arrangements, utilizing horns and tight charts. They left “light” soul to Motown, and concentrated on more emotional, gritty soul music themes. With artists like Carla and Rufus Thomas, Eddie Floyd, and The Staples Singers, the label’s output was perfect for the tumultuous times.
Stax hit hard times in the mid 70s and lost all their master tapes pre-1968, to their distributor, Atlantic Records , who chopped up their catalog to other labels throughout the country. Their demos found their way to Randor Music Intl. Randor transferred their masters, unfortunately recorded in several different formats, all to digital audio tape.
Here is where Cheryl Pawelski stepped in to “save” the day. Pawelski, over 15 years, between other projects, listened to over 2000 hours of music on 1300 tapes. 665 demo songs were worth “keeping.” Cutting down to a manageable 146 tracks (140 never released before), Cheryl has helped put this labor of love onto 7 CDs. Titled, Written in Their Soul (The Stax Songwriter Demos), the collection is broken down into three categories.
The first three CDs cover demos by staff writers, that were made into future releases on the label. It is a glimpse into the the writers’ craft and provides a comparison to the production of the more polished finished Stax releases.
The fourth CD has demos by label songwriters that were later found on other labels. Here you’ll find titles like “634-5789.” “I’ve Got a Feeling,” and “Don’t Let the Love Light Leave.”
The final three CDs, are of course the least polished, as they have never been released. All were written by staff writers. Several stood out to me as worthy of label release. They include Eddie Floyd’s ” How Can I Win Your Love,” Bettye Crutcher’s “Do You Want Me to Lie to You,” and Shirley Brown’s version of “I Don’t Care Anymore,” (written by Crutcher).
Some of the staff writers will not be household names, but their output and fingers on the pulse of the day deserve honor. They include Homer Banks, Mack Rice, and William Bell. Bettye Crutcher demands mention, as at that time in a male dominated music business world, she persevered, and gained the respect of her fellow writers with her prodigious catalog of songs.
Also deserving accolades for this monumental project is the restoration and mastering done on all tracks by Michael Graves. Michael had to use a myriad of devices to remaster the variety of formats that were used to record these demos. He had to painstakingly use mini-disc, DAT, 1/4, 1/2, and 2 inch reel to reel. He certainly deserves Grammy consideration for his yeoman duty, as the acoustics on this set is excellent.
This incredible project is available with a 50 page hard bound book, with archival photos from the label’s archive, as well as liner notes from Stax executive, Deanie Parker, and Stax musical historian, Robert Gordon.
This is a must-have for fans of the label, who can gain insight into the craft of Stax songwriters. And a giant Bravo goes out to Omnivore’s Cheryl Pawelski, for her vision and perseverance to see this labor of love to its issuance.
—Jeff Krow
More Information through Craft Recordings
Written in their Soul
