JOB APPLICATION and ANITA BAKER

The Time was now around September of 1988, and Two Things were Happening in our Life, Firstly I had the Bankruptcy Hearing to Sort Out and I was Looking for a New Job!

I had a Choice of 2 Different Jobs I would have Preferred to get at that Time, One was a Chef or the other was a Butcher, the Kids were 10 and 8 Years Old, so I Needed if Possible to get a Day Time Job, so it was Looking Likely I was going to go back into Butchery!

As for the Bankruptcy, Everything was just about Sorted out, apart from the  Money, I had to Pay to go Bankrupt, I think at that Time it was £100, which I did Eventually find, Cant Remember how I got this, but I did!

So One Late Septembers Day I had to go to Norwich for the Bankruptcy Hearing, One thing I do Recall is, I was Not Suppose to have a Car, so I went to Norwich Early and Parked Near the City Centre and had to Walk to the Building in Chapel Field Road, which was about 15 Minutes Away, I Cant Really Remember too much of what happened, all I can Recall is being Told what I can do and what I Cant do Financially, for about the Next 7 Years! 

After about 2 Hours of Listening to all that, I was on the way Home to see Susan and the Kids, as was Very Glad that all the Stuff was Over!

But as it Turned Out, that Day was the Start of a lot of Financial cr@p We were going to Suffer over the Next Few Years!

On the Job Front, I was Very Lucky, because the Local County Council were Advertising for a Cooks Job, about 10 Minutes from where we Lived, so I Phoned up for All the Details, and was Told all about the Job over the Phone, it Sounded Great, 8am to 3pm, 5 Week Days a Week!

This was the Ideal Job for me, I had Never had a Chefs Job Before where I got all Nights and Bank Holidays Off, so I asked the Centre Manager to Send me an Application Form. 

But there was only a Couple of Draw-Backs with this Job, I could see, and they were, I was going to be a called a Cook instead of a Chef, that was No Problem and Secondly they had Never had a Male Cook before, they had always been Female, so it was going to be Difficult in getting in there, in the First Place! 

=======================================================
Now for Some Music, Around Late 1988, The Best Female Soul Singer “Anita Baker” Released her 3rd Solo Album to Date, on the Elektra Record Label, it was called “Giving You The Best I Got” 

The Album Reached Number One on both Pop and R&B Charts in the US and it also Charted in the Uk at Number 9!

The Second Single Release from the Album was a Great Track called “Just Because” what a Great Track this was, it Reached Number 1 on the R&B Chart and Number 14 on the “Hot 100” Chart.

The Song was Written by Alex Brown, Sammy McKinney and Michael O’Hara and Produced by Michael J Powell, he was the Founder Member of “Chapter 8” who Anita Baker had Sung with a Few Years Earlier!

             

“Just Because Lyrics”

When I think about how much I’m loving you
No limitations, no set of regimented rules
I’m amazed how much this love has touched my life
And the commitment that we share is a welcome sacrifice

This must be, sweet fatal attraction
My life-long date with destiny
Love this strong, it just brings out the passion
I never knew was here in me

I love you just because
I love you just because
Just because I do, my darlin’

Emotions more than words can help me say
I love you, baby, just because you’re you
Just because you’re you

You’re a diamond in my mind. a treasure found
A precious gem to me. you’re so nice to have around
I’m so glad I took the path that led to this
And it’s amazin’ loving you, I’m doin’ things
I never thought I’d do

I don’t know, there ain’t no explanation
Of why I’m sharin’ love at last this way
I won’t try to work out all my reasons
I’II use these words to simply say

I love you just because
I love you just because
Just because I do, my darlin’
Emotions more than words can help me say
I love you, baby, just because you’re you

I love you just because
I love you just because
Just because I do, my darlin’
Emotions more than words can help me say
I love you, baby.

Could it be that there’s more to this than meets the eye
Maybe that’s the reason why
All I know is when I’m in your arms it feels all right
I’II hold you tight and I come alive

I love you just because
I love you just because
Just because I do, my darlin’
Emotions more than words can help me say
I love you, baby, just because you’re you

[til fade]

Amazon.co.uk Widgets

CHRISTMAS 1987 and DONALD BYRD

It was now Christmas Time 1987, I had been in the Takeaway for about a Month, and things were Really Picking up now, I was getting really Busy around the Weekend and the other Nights were Fine to!

I Remember some Weekends actually Running out of Cod, and I never Actually got the time to do as much Home Baking as I wanted to do, Lasagne‘s, Curry’s, Pie’s etc etc.

One Particular thing I had Noticed, was when I was thinking of taking the Lease on, I would go to the Shop to see the Couple who ran it, and they always had a Bloke in the Small Restaurant, having his Evening Meal, I was introduced to him by the Couple Running it, and he said “I come here every night for my Tea and will Continue when you take over” 

This at the time, I thought would be Very Handy, just to get me going on the Trade Front, But Guess what, I Never saw Him Again, after I took over, this was when I had my First Bad Feeling’s about the Takeaway!

English: The Takeaway logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This Bloke was obviously a Mate of theirs, and they were giving Him Free Meal every night , Just to Fool Me into Thinking they had a Good Restaurant Trade.

Anyway as I said things were going OK and Ticking along Nicely, so I just thought Myself, I can do this (Run this Business), as things at that Time were going Great!

By this time, I had stop Selling Things from the Mobile Shop, and putting Everything into the Takeaway, we Never made that Much Money, just enough to keep the Shop Ticking Over, and for me , that was Fine for Now, but later would be Different!

I was Glad when the Christmas Holidays came, I was Happy to have a Break, I finished for about a Week, I can Remember, so I was looking forward to Returning in the New Year, and Building up the Trade for Myself, Susan and the Kids, for Us to have a Better Life!

Just thought I would give a Special Mention to the Couple who I Took over the Lease from, they were Named Braddock, His Name was “Billy” and I Cannot Remember Her’s, but they Turned Out to be the Biggest Pair of Lying Bullshitting Tw@ts, I have ever had the Mis-Fortune to Meet, more of this Later! 

========================================================
Now for some Music, Back in 1981, The Great Jazz Trumpeter of the Middle 50’s, Donald Byrd Released his Second Album for Elektra Records, it was Entitled “Love Byrd” the Album also Featured his Band “125th Street NYC”

And Taken from that Album was the Single, Written by William Duckett, “Love Has Come Around” it was Produced by the Great Isaac Hayes.

What a Great Track this was, the 12 in being Nearly 8 minutes in Length, I Remember having the 7 and the 12 in Vinyl.

The Track Reached Number 15 on the US R&B Chart, Number 4 on the US Dance Chart, but it Never made the Hot 100.





Here’s a Great Mix by Combolito

Check out a bit more on Donald Bryd Here!

Related articles

• THE TAKEAWAY OPENING and MTUME
• TAKEAWAY KEYS and TERRY CALLIER
• TAKEAWAY and WILL DOWNING
• THE FUNERAL and RAYDIO
• Who’s the Greatest Funk Bass Player #2 Mark Adams
• Who’s the Greatest Funk Bass Player #1 Bootsy Collins

TAKEAWAY KEYS and TERRY CALLIER

The time was now around September of 1987, I had found a Takeaway Shop to Rent, it also had a Small Restaurant and Sold Burgers, Fish, Pizza’s, Homemade Pies, Chips etc etc.

As I said Previously we Checked the Place out During Opening Times and it seemed a Fairly Busy Place, we also had the Shop Books to Look at, for all the Incomings and Outgoings etc, we had these for about a Week.

I had an Accountant look at the Books and he said he thought Everything Looked Ok, but I Remember at the time, Susan’s Father, who was a Businessman, with about 4/5 Betting Shops (so he knew what he was Talking about) said “he thought the Shop was a White Elephant” and a Waste of Time, Energy and Money!

But Unfortunately for Myself, I did not Listen to my Father-in-Law, 
because I had the Chance of a Lifetime to Start a New Business (for Myself and Family) and I only Listened to my Mother, who kept Saying to me “Your Father wanted you to have your Own Business”

So I Stupidly took the Help my Mother was Providing (with Cash) and Signed the Dotted Line to take over the Takeaway Shop! 

The Couple who Ran the Takeaway before me, were a Married Couple from Great Yarmouth, they Lived Near the St.Georges Park in the Centre of Town, I’m Trying to Remember their Names, His Name was Billy, but I cant Remember Her Name or their Surname, but I will Remember Sooner or Later!

The Reasons for Naming them will become Clear in a Few Post’s Time, I have Never Seen them Since that Time, we had the Takeaway, but I would Love to Meet them, Just to tell them what I think of them Now (and Back then) and about all the Crap they caused us to Suffer!  

I think it was about October of 1987 that I Finally got the Keys to the Takeaway Shop, but as it Turned Out, this was only the Start of Loads of Trouble and Heartache for Me Susan and Our Kids, while Running this Takeaway Shop!

====================================================================

Now for some Music, this Week saw the Death of another Great Singer “Terry Callier” over his Career he Released 16 Albums, and one of my Favorites was “Fire on Ice” which was Released in 1978.

This was his 5th Album, and it was on the Elektra Record Label, it contained some Great Tracks including: Be a Believer, Holdin’ On (To Your Love), Butterfly, Disco in the Sky and the Great African Violet, but the Track I’m going to Feature is “Martin St. Martin”

This Track was a Tribute to “Martin Luther King” and Written by Terry Callier and Larry Wade and Produced by Richard Evans.

Terry Callier Made some Great Music during his Life, I have put a Few Examples Below!

Also this Coming Wednesday’s Mix will be a Tribute Mix to Terry Callier, Mixed by Michael Ruetten.

Amazon.co.uk Widgets
Related articles

• R.I.P. Terry Callier
• Terry Callier has joined the Golden Circle
• Jazz singer Terry Callier dies
• Jazz Star Terry Callier Dies
• R.I.P. Terry Callier
• Acid Jazz and the great hunt for Terry Callier

FUNKY-SOUL-VINYLS CLASSIC SOUL AND FUNK ALBUMS OF THE 60’s 70’s and 80’s # 11

In this Series of Posts, I will writing about a Particular Classic Soul/Funk Album from the 60’s 70’s and 80’s

The one’s that stand out in my Mind, as The Best Soul/Funk/Jazz/R&B Albums ever Released. All of them, I purchased on Vinyl many Years ago and also I have them on CD today.

You may have a Differing view (as we all do) on these Choices, but these are my Favorites!

Number 11……RAPTURE……ANITA BAKER

In my Opinion there are Quite a few Class Male Soul Singers, including Marvin Gaye, Luther Vandross, Bobby Womack, Curtis Mayfield, Frankie Beverly, Eugene Record, Ronald Isley, Freddie Jackson, Teddy Pendergrass and of course the Greatest of all Al Green, but in my Mind the Best Female Soul Artist by a Mile is Anita Baker!


People out there will say probably Aretha Franklin is the Best  and been going a lot longer than Anita Baker, but we all have our own Views.

Anita Baker’s Second Solo Album “Rapture” was her Best Ever and in my Opinion the Best Ever Album by a Female Soul Singer.


It was Released in 1986 on the Elektra Record Label, and Produced by her Friend, Micheal J Powell, who incidentally was in the Band “Chapter 8” with Anita Baker Previously!


The “Rapture” Album did not have One Sub Standard Track on it, in fact , a Total of 5 out of the 8 Tracks were Released as Singles!


Track Listings as follows:
1  Sweet Love  4:26
2  You Bring Me Joy 4:24
3  Caught up in the Rapture 5:07
4  Been So Long 5:07
5  Mystery 4:56
6  No One in the World 4:10
7  Same Ole Love 4:05
8  Watch Your Step 4:54


The Single Releases are as Follows, with Chart Placings:


      SINGLE                    US POP       US R&B       UK POP         
Sweet Love                         8                    2                      13
Rapture                              37                  6                      51
Watch Your Step               0                   23                     0
Same Ole Love                 44                   8                    100
No One In The World     44                   5                      0

The First Single Release “Sweet Love” was Anita Baker’s First Solo/Crossover Hit, and the Album went on to Sell more than 8 Million Copies, Worldwide and was Anita Baker’s Best Selling Album of all Time.


The Album Charted at the following Positions:


US Billboard, Number 11, US R&B, Number 1, UK Pop, Number 13 and US Jazz Chart, number 24


The Album won Anita Baker plenty of Awards including 2 Grammy’s!


The Best Track’s on the Album are: Sweet Love, Rapture and my Favorite Same Ole Love, incidentally this Track is one of my All Time Top 10 Track’s.


Anita Baker has only Ever Released 6 Studio Albums, Her 7th and Latest Album “21st Century Love” should have been Released over a Year ago, but to my Knowledge, it has had several Release Dates over the Last year, but as yet, still no Album!


Check this out, Anita Baker on an American show talking about her Forthcoming Album!


Get the Rapture Album: Here

http://files.podsnack.com/iframe/embed.html?hash=39dd31842d02281f8a518cd6a1416408&wmode=window&bgcolor=FFFFFF&t=1322506711
http://ws.amazon.co.uk/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=GB&ID=V20070822%2FGB%2Ffunkysoulviny-21%2F8010%2Fe5bd9c24-8427-461a-8852-804237a4fefe&Operation=GetDisplayTemplate <A HREF=”http://ws.amazon.co.uk/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=GB&ID=V20070822%2FGB%2Ffunkysoulviny-21%2F8010%2Fe5bd9c24-8427-461a-8852-804237a4fefe&Operation=NoScript”>Amazon.co.uk Widgets</A>

To view this music player you need to have Flash Player 9 or newer installed and JavaScript enabled. PodSnack allows you to build a <a href=”http://www.podsnack.com/” title=”PodSnack – Custom flash mp3 players for websites”>flash audio player</a> for your website.