Messengers Incorporated "Soulful Proclamation" 1970 US ultra rare Psych Soul Funk
full spotify
https://open.spotify.com/album/0IntmLpbp1gDkTD1NzPYqvfull bandcamp
https://jazzmanholygrailseries.bandcamp.com/album/soulful-proclamation
Ultra-hip funk from Oklahoma’s Messengers Incorporated – a group who come across with a sound that’s every bit as righteous and heavy as you might guess from the cover! Instrumentation is heavy on bass, guitar, and organ – and topped with some great saxophone work too – all in a sound that’s draws plenty of inspiration from righteous jazz of the early 70s, but which focuses the sound into a more funk-based approach overall. Vocalists shift throughout – and include singers Barbara and Charles Burton, later of Burton Inc – who help give the record as much of a soul-based punch alongside the jazzy instrumentation of the combo! The whole thing’s a real heavy hitter – the kind of album that could have soared large, had it gotten wider release back in the day…~
In the ‘70s radio stations were a powerful force across the whole of the US, and anyone with a transistor radio had access all kinds of music. Live music was another matter altogether, and unless you found yourself in a major city your nights out were limited to what the local talent had to offer. This was especially so with soul and funk acts, as mainstream rock and pop was where the money was. So for small time Oklahoma soul bands such as husband and wife Charles and Barbara Burton’s groups Messengers Inc - and later Burton Inc - times were tough. However, like many purveyors of soul, tough times were no match for those with determination, persistence and a story to tell. Many artists scraped enough money together to make a 45 or two on their own label; but the Burtons took this to another level - they got themselves organised and released their own full length LPs.
With these two albums we tell the story of the Burtons and their contribution to 1970s Midwest funk and soul. Their dreams and desires, struggles and setbacks are all set out in our extensive liner notes, complete with previously unseen photos of the bands. But above all here are two albums chock full of good music - Messengers Inc from 1972 with heavy funk & deep soul, Burton Inc from 1976 with soulful disco and boogie, including the rare title track dancefloor favourite 'LA will Make You Pay’….~
Great LP. Impossible to find the original and it sells for upwards of $1000 if you can. Very well created reissue from Jazzman UK, sounds great on a fairly high end system….~
Features the singers Barbara Burton, Charles Burton, Sonny Morrison, Mauruce Love. With Maurice Howard on drums, James Bucky Young on bass ad Morric McCraven on sax….~
Credits
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Morris McCraven, Sonny Morrison
Bass – James “Bucky” Young*
Congas – Charles Atkinson (2)
Drums – Maurice Howard
Guitar – Charles Burton
Organ – Maurice Love
Performer [Sound Effects] – Jim Ford (2)
Vocals – Barbara Burton (2), Charles Burton, Maurice Love, Sonny Morrison
Tracklist
A1 Soulful Proclamation
A2 Frequency Response
A3 Ain’t No Mountain (High Enough)
A4 He Ain’t Heavy (He’s My Brother)
A5 Twenty Four Hours A Day
B1 If I'Da Club
B2 Eleanor Rigby
B3 Rebecca
B4 Just Can’t Run Away
B5 Rejoice