A FRIEND OF MINE
Lester L. Carter | PHILA , PA | 07/07/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Hear ye! Hear ye! I've found him. Surprised to find this disc on Amazon. I've been collecting singles on Brooks O'dell for years. To find a complete disc on the man is a true find. He and I discuss his music all the time. He tells me about the rough times with record labels and how he finally gave up. But, he's stil around and he's doing well. Every now and then he'll do a set with a local combo. But, he stays mainly with old jazz standards. I'm still waiting for him to sing some of his own tunes.
Just know, Brooks O'Dell is alive and well."
Probably Deserved A Better Fate, Career-Wise
Lester L. Carter | 05/24/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Very little is known about this R&B vocalist from Philadelphia. Even his date of birth seems to be a mystery. It's said he once was the lead vocal for two groups calling themselves The Commanders and The Majestics, but information on them is as hard to come by as it is for Mr. O'Dell.
There are, however, three undeniable facts which perhaps goes some way towards explaining his lack of commercial success (one minor hit in late 1963), despite having a voice that is considered by many to be the equal of his contemporary Soul/R&B artists at the time. First and foremost was the timing of his only hit, Watch Your Step, which reached # 58 Billboard Pop Hot 100 in December 1963/January 1964 b/w Walk On By (both of which are here, incidentally). By the time it was making its debut on the charts, Billboard had suspended the R&B listings, a situation that would last right through to the end of 1964. Only much later did they assign the Pop chart results to the R&B listings for "historical" purposes, but you have to think that that initial hit would have scored much higher on at least the R&B charts had they been in effect.
That goes for subsequent releases as well, but by then he was also bucking the initial waves of the British Invasion, and once the likes of The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Dave Clark Five, et al had established themselves, there was little room for anyone else on the Pop charts throughout 1964 and most of 1965. He also never really got established with a major label, which also worked against him to some degree (the lone hit was on Gold 214). Among other failed singles here - the contents are a mix of single releases and those culled from an LP done for Jerry "Swamp Dogg" Williams in the first part of the 1970s - are I'm Your Man (Gold 216), Walkin' In The Shadows Of Love (Bell 612), You Better Make Up Your Mind (Bell 618), and Predicament # 1 (Mankind 12000).
As you might expect from a British distributor (it seems Kent and Ace are associated), the sound quality is excellent and the liner notes comprehensive, providing what sketchy details are known about his life and career, mixed with vintage photographs and poster/record reproductions.
Give a listen to a man whom you would probably know a lot more about today had he come along at a different time and been able to latch onto a major label with proper promotional capabilities."
Super Soul Serenade!
rollo | usa | 05/12/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Brooks O'Dell is a real throwback to the 60's. I saw him perform at the Regal Theater in the 60's and I never forgot what a wonderful performer he was. I'm Your Man may be the closest O'Dell ever came to having a major hit but most of his recordings were high quality productions from the Brill Building in New York City. The Drinkard Singers (Cissy Houston, Dee Dee Warwick etc.) are singing in the background. There is a sonic and stylistic similarity to Chuck Jackson and Freddie Scott but the music is excellent and the remastering is splendid."
Track Listings (26) - Disc #1