FULL TIME WORK AGAIN and JEFF LORBER

As I said in Previous Post, I was Working about 2 or 3 Nights Per Week, when I First Started my New Job at “King’s Casino” but that soon Changed to more Nights, and then I remember going into Work one Night and was Told the “Second Chef” had Left!


This Worked out right for me, as they took on a New Second Chef and I was asked by “Peter” to do more Shifts, this I Accepted!


The New Second Chef was a chap by the Name of “Steve Green” he had Previously Worked with the Head Chef “Peter”at a Hotel in nearby “Norwich”


So I was back Working as a Full Time Chef within about 3/4 Months of Finishing on the Rigs!


I knew my “Wife” Susan never liked me Working Nights, but I was a “Chef” and didn’t have too much Choice (but to Work Night’s)!

I suppose when I Look back to our Earlier Lives nearly 30 Years ago, concerning our Marriage and “Our Kids” I should have tried some other Sort of Work (so I could have been Home, more in the Evening’s), but all I had been was a Chef and a Butcher, and I had Worked at Most of the Butcher’s in Town (there was only about 3/4 different Companies).


By this time, around early Summertime in 1984, me and Susan had been Married 6 Year’s and “Nathan” was nearly 6 Year’s Old and “Natalie” was 4 Year’s old.

Back to Work, the New Chef “Steve” was a Decent Bloke and I got on Well with Him, his only trouble was He followed the Local Football Team “Norwich City” and I also remember he did not go Much on Soul Music!


Anyway Working with them 2 Chefs was Great, I cannot remember too many Disagreements with Either of them, although they did
Talk about “each other” a fair bit to me, as they were Like an Old “Married Couple” having known each other (and worked together) for a Few Year’s!


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 As for Some Music, back in late 1985, Keyboardist Jeff Lorber had His Biggest Album (to Date) it was Produced by David Frank and Mic Murphy Aka “The System” it was Entitled “Step By Step”

Step by Step was a Best track on the Album and was Sung by New York Session Singer” Audrey Wheeler and it Reached Number 31 in the US R&B Charts!


The Track was Written by Jeff Lorber and Anita Pointer of the Pointer Sisters and it was on the “Arista” Record Label in the US and on the “Club” label in the UK.

Checkout this Great Track!

http://grooveshark.com/widget.swf

Here’s a Great Extended Dance Mix by Ray K


https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F3920726&show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=ff092c   
Step By Step – Jeff Lorber (ray Ks Extended Dance Mix) ray K by rayk  Checkout more of Ray K’s Mixes!
                    http://ws.amazon.co.uk/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=GB&ID=V20070822%2FGB%2Ffunkysoulviny-21%2F8003%2Febfb7a65-869e-4397-89ee-796b3955d090&Operation=GetDisplayTemplate <A HREF=”http://ws.amazon.co.uk/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=GB&ID=V20070822%2FGB%2Ffunkysoulviny-21%2F8003%2Febfb7a65-869e-4397-89ee-796b3955d090&Operation=NoScript”>Amazon.co.uk Widgets</A>

COBHOLM and ZAPP

Trying to remember things that happened around this period is, I must admit is “Getting Harder” I believe I finally moved to the Cobholm Branch of the Co-op Butchery’s, around the October/ November time in 1982.


I was still using my Bike to get to Work, but it only took about 20 minutes to get there, which was a lot better than more than an Hour to Caister!


It turned out, there were about 3 Full-Time Women and about 3 Part-Time Women, who worked there, there was also a Shop-Manager, but I cant remember his Name, but I got on with him Great!

As I said previously, I was on my own in the Butchery Section, which was Great, but I had to do everything myself, Cutting & Displaying the Meat, serving the Customers, taking the Money, keeping the Book work up to date, Keeping my Section Clean & Tidy, but as I said, it was great being on my own!


As for our Home life, we were coming up to our First Christmas in our New House, which we had now been in just under 1 Year, we had moved into the previous January.


The House was alright, but the Area & the Neighbours were not that great, and little did we know then, we were going to spent another 11 Years in this House, apart from a 3 Month period around 1986 (3.5 years later), when we Moved to Norwich, which is about 20 Miles away!

As for the Music, a Great Album which was to be Released in a few months time in 1983, was 3 by Zapp, led by Roger Troutman, this was to be their 3rd Release out of 6 Studio Abums!


They had some Great Music Released up until Roger Troutman’s un-timely Death in 1999, along with his brother Larry (Band Member and Manager).


 This Album had some Classics including “Heartbreaker” I Can Make You Dance and my 2 favorites “Play Some Blues” and Tut Tut (Jazz).
PLAY TRACKS BELOW OR TO DOWNLOAD, PRESS KADOO

http://www.divshare.com/flash/audio_embed?data=YTo2OntzOjU6ImFwaUlkIjtzOjE6IjMiO3M6NjoiZmlsZUlkIjtzOjg6IjE1MTA0NTk1IjtzOjQ6ImNvZGUiO3M6MTI6IjE1MTA0NTk1LTJiOSI7czo2OiJ1c2VySWQiO3M6NzoiMjA1MDQ4MiI7czoxMjoiZXh0ZXJuYWxDYWxsIjtpOjE7czo0OiJ0aW1lIjtpOjEzMDgxMzU4MTE7fQ==&autoplay=default
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FOR A MORE IN-DEPTH STORY ABOUT ZAPP AND TO DOWNLOAD ALL THE ALBUMS VISIT HERE. INCLUDING BOTH GREATEST HITS COMPILATIONS!

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>JOB APPLICATION AND THE TEMPTATIONS

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Around February 1982 I was trying to get back into Work, I had wrote to Butcheries and Hotels, I didn’t really know whether to stick to Butcher’s Shop, for the Easier Hours or go back to being a Chef!


As it turned out, one of the Hotels (The Sandringham) I had wrote to, (that was Re-Opening after a Period of being Closed) had a Head Chef who used to be my Teacher/Chef at College about 3 Years earlier, a Chap by the Name of “Brian Thompson” so I had a  great chance of getting the Job.


I went for the Interview, it was, as I said Re-Opening with a New Owner and a Complete Re-Furbishment, plus all new Menus etc, and we were going to have an Open Plan Kitchen, that was un-heard of back then!


It was going to be Different Working there, because it was about 3/4 Months away from Re-Opening, so I would not be Cheffing/Cooking straight away, I was going to be  Helping putting the finishing touches to the Kitchen and I was going to be Helping getting the Hotel ready for the Opening!  


The Interview as I remember went well, so I just had to wait for a Letter, to see if I had the Job.


As for Music around this period, in April of 1982, the Temptations got back together for the “Reunion” Album and Tour!


Included in the Line-up were:

• Dennis Edwards: vocals
• Glenn Leonard: vocals
• Richard Street: vocals
• Melvin Franklin: vocals
• Otis Williams: vocals
• Eddie Kendricks: vocals
• David Ruffin: vocals
• 
  
• With help from the following:

• Rick James: vocals, producer
• Paulinho Da Costa: percussion
• Mary Jane Girls: background vocals

The Best and Biggest Hit Track on the Album by far was “Standing On The Top” Written, Produced and Performed on, by Rick James, it was Really a Rick James Track, Featuring The Temptations!

All them Great Voices on one Track!
Download the “Reunion ” Album

WELCOME TO THE 80’S…..Life & Music

I remember that was the First Christmas and New Year, I hadn’t had to Work! that was one of the better things that came from working as a Butcher!

As I said in previous posts, I was working on how to move Shops or start working as a Relief Butcher (going around all shops in my area when they were short of workers) but nothing was going to happen right now, so I had to get on with where I was already working.

Checkout the photos both taken around the same period, I’m with Nathan in our back Garden, note the weeds! and the other was taken at the mother in laws with Susan in the background, at a B.B.Q!

I must admit, I cant remember too much of what happened around this time, so I think from now on I will start mixing my Personal Story with some Musical advents of the same time period!

One such advent happened late on 1979 to early 1980, the First Rap Record was released, it was by The Sugarhill Gang and was called “Rapper’s Delight” to this day its still one of the Best Rap Records and probably the Sugarhill Gang’s Best Track ever!

Another Great Track from around this period was by Drummer/Singer/Writer/Producer Narada Michael Walden, it was called “I Shoulda Loved Ya” the track was taken from his1979 Album called “The Dance Of Life”

NEW JOB, NEW HOUSE!!!

I have tried hard to think of the correct dates and times around this period, but I cannot remember, firstly did we move House first or was it my new Job first! and what month did this happen!

I guessing this, but I think I changed Jobs first, which would have been around September / October of 1979, and we moved around middle to late October 1979!

But whatever the facts were, it was a busy time, not forgetting as well Susan was Pregnant!

I was working as a Butcher for Dewhurst’s, which included getting meat ready to sell and serving Customer’s!

I say “getting meat ready to sell” in my case as I was the new chap in the Shop, a couple of my main jobs were getting the Mince ready and cutting up Chicken’s into portion’s, not too taxing, as specially as I had been a Chef for about 5 years, so cutting up Meat and the Cuts of meat were quite easy!

Cutting up Steak and the better cuts of meat was down to the ” more experienced Butcher’s”, who worked in the Shop, I always found this a bit ridiculous, as I had probably cut and cooked more Meat/Joints/Steaks than most of the other workers put together!

I got on with most of the worker’s and actually eventually lived next door to one of them, about a year or to later!

I didnt like the Manager that much, a Chap called “Ernie” cant remember his last name though, I dont think he liked it because I did’nt need too much Teaching, because of my previous Job!

When we eventually moved from our One Room Accomodation to our rented Three Bedroomed House, It was Great, all that space!

We had permission to Decorate anywhere we liked, which eventually we did, from top to bottom!

Every Friday night I had to go to the Landlord’s House (it was only 5 minutes away) and pay the Rent, a grand total of £7.00 per week, but over 30 year’s ago, that was quite alot out of my wages!

See picture above, I went back to our first House (pictures are of front & back of house), it still looks the same, we actually past it at least 4 times a week, its about 2 miles from where we live now!

BUTCHER, BAKER ??????????

Around September of 1979, I had a choice of several different Jobs to go to , as I was leaving the Hotel where I had worked for nearly 3 years, I had several different Interviews at Bakeries & Butcheries around my local Town!

The Wages as a Butcher or Baker were virtually around the same, but a butcher worked more sensible hours, ie 8 till 5, where as a Baker would start around 2 am in the morning, but be finished by about 9am, but with Kids, that was’nt a Job for me!

So I had a choice of 2 different Butchers Shops, incidentally both of them have now Ceased Trading, but back then they were the 2 biggest Butchers in the UK, Dewhurst’s & Baxter’s.

I chose Dewhurst’s, but their nearest shop was about 4/5 miles from where we were living!

But as Luck would have it, around this same period we were offered a Private Rented Property in the next Town to us, which was the same Town as where the Shop was for my new Employer’s, so everything worked out O.K!

Incidentally, we got the Rented Property through the Housing Oficer I mentioned in a previous Blog Entry, so we were very Grateful to Her!

In those days, Private Rent was not a common thing, it was either, you had a Mortgage or you had a Council House & paid a Rent!

These days it round to other way, most people are in Private Rented Properties & paying well over the odds for the Pleasure!

Obviously we didnt get our new place that easily, we had to go to see the Landlord & his Wife, their were a few rules etc, plus we had to get a couple of References, but these came from the Housing Officer & Person in charge (our Friend) from our shared Accomodation House but the main thing was they liked us & Nathan, & after a short while, we were told we could move in!

So for the first time in our Married Life (over 1 year) we were going to be Living in a House together, & more importantly, on our own!

BABY, HOUSE and JOB!

By about July /August 1979 Three Major things were happening in our Life!

Baby, House & Job!

Firstly Susan was Pregnant, the baby was due March 1980, Nathan was’nt quite one yet, so two small Babies together , anyway the new Baby was planned!

Our One Bedroomed place in a shared House, was alright but as you can imagine, very cramped, but as I said in previous post we got on well with a couple of different people, one being the unofficial Person in Charge of the House, Shirley was her name, the other Person was the Head Council Woman in Charge of our House, a Woman by the name of Phyllis Flaxman, who I mentioned her in a previous Post!

Now Mrs Flaxman had said she had a Landlady Friend who was soon having a Property empty, & would we be interested in a Move!

Of course we said “Yes” to her, and now just had to wait for news on the possible move!

The Third about to happen was concerning my Job, I had just found out I had Passed my Catering Exams, I had taken them about May / June earlier that year!

In the Exams I took to become a Fully Qualfied Chef, you had Three Levels of Pass,

1. Distinction 2. Credit 3. Pass

I got a “PASS”…………………. so not the Best Brains!

But I could Handle working under Pressure in a Hot Steamy Kitchen as good as most, & thats what really mattered, A person can have as many Qualifications as he wants, but when it comes to the Nitty Gritty of Hard Work in a under pressure situation of a Hot Kitchen, can he handle it!

& the answer in most cases was……………. “NO”

So with the Passing of my Final Exams, We had to make our Minds up what was I going to do for a Job!

I definately knew I was finishing with being a Chef, seems strange after doing 4 Years at College on day release from Work and 1 year when at School (at college) that I finally passed all my Exams and the first I do when finally being a Qualfied Chef, was Leave the Trade!

But when I started 5 years previous I was a single man, now I was Married with a Kid & one on the way, Cooking was not a Married Man’s Job!

Too many Long Hours and too many differing Split Shifts!

So I decided to either try to become a Butcher or a Baker, so I set about writing off loads of letters to different Butcher’s & Bakery’s in my Home Town!