- Artist: The Spinners
- Rating:
- Release Date: 2000
- Type: Compilation (best of)
- Genre: Rhythm & Blues
Review
Despite a misleading title, this 25-song documentary of Tri-Phi tracks is a long-overdue treasure. Harvey Fuqua (ex-Moonglow) ran Tri-Phi, Harvey, HPC, and later Anna Records with Gwen & Anna Gordy before merging with Motown. This is really a various-artists collection that also features tracks by the Five Quails, the Challengers, and Loe & Joe.The Spinners do ten tracks alone and three credited as Harvey & the Spinners, all of which are rooted in '50s doo wop. Incorporating Fuqua's acclaimed blow-harmony, the Spinners crooned deliciously on "That's What Girls Are Made For," "Love (I'm So Glad) I Found You)," and "She Don't Love Me." However, mid- and up-tempo tunes à la "Sud Buster," "I Got Your Water Boiling," "Itching For My Baby," and "Heebie Jeebies" dominate the selections. As Harvey & the Spinners, they crank out two R&B numbers ("Come on and Answer Me," "Whistling About You") and the whimsical "She Loves Me So." The latter, along with "Too Young, Too Much, Too Soon," was originally credited as Bobby Smith & the Spinners.
The five tracks by the Five Quails are real treats. Finding the original 45's by this excellent quintet from Cleveland, OH, is a mission impossible. To have them all here and digitally remastered on CD is about as good as it gets. Led by Harold Sudbury's marvelous tenor, they get off on "Been a Long Time," which features the late Curtis Robinson's low bass growls and Junior Walker's tenor sax blowing sweetly in the background. "Never Felt Like This Before" is a pleasant tune driven by a mid-tempo Latin beat. "Get to School on Time" is reminiscent of the Coasters' "Charlie Brown, with Walker's sax blurting off riffs, the Quails singing the lyrics in unison, and the bass singer doing a thing of his own; this is an infectious record that should have been a hit. "I Thought" and "My Love" are two fine ballads, especially the latter which merges the sound of the Moonglows eloquently with the Quails' distinct shadings. "Over the Hump" is a classic R&B jump tune.
The Challengers aka the Challengers III featuring Ann Bogan display their impressive wares on four tunes including the incredible "Honey, Honey, Honey" aka "Honey Three Times." It was a popular R&B hit in Cleveland, Detroit, and a few other locales but never broke big. What a shame. It starts with a deafening note from Bogan, a sweet-soulful rhythm track with a guitar playing some sparse but tasteful licks, and church-choir backing vocals. Top that off with a recitation from Bogan near the end and you've got a soul masterpiece. Its follow up "Stay" is nearly as good. It starts with a stuttering bass beat followed by a crack vocal from Bogan and heartfelt backing vocals from the Challengers. "Everyday" is up-tempo with "hey hey" chants by the Challengers. Harvey Fuqua experiments with the Clevelanders' sound on "I Hear an Echo," which features mysterious instrumentation, an odd arrangement, and an outstanding vocal by Bogan that brings it all together.
Fuqua solos on "Memories of You," a ballad with an acoustic guitar strumming behind his romantic lead. Loe & Joe (Lorrie Rudolph and Joe Murphy) accompanied by the Spinners do "That's How I Am Without You," a typical R&B jump tune similar to what Don Gardner & Dee Dee Ford were doing.
While musically pleasing, it's an aesthetic disaster. There are no liner notes, songwriting credits, or pictures of the Five Quails, The Challengers, Harvey Fuqua, or Loe & Joe. Two pictures of the Spinners with two different fifth members are included, but the others should have been too. Hopefully, this is the beginning of more compilations of Tri-Phi tracks. ~ Andrew Hamilton, All Music Guide
