Genre > Soul, R&B, Funk

Mastered Impeccably By Joe Reagoso From The Original Atlantic Records Tapes

Aretha Franklin will be forever known as The Queen Of Soul and one of the original classic soul pioneers like Ray Charles, Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett who had a knack of mastering funk grooves drenched in gospel, soul, rock and pop.

Aretha Franklin created some of the greatest sides ever for Atlantic, where she spent almost two decades creating some of the most masterful and beautiful soul music ever waxed.

In 1969, Aretha was honored with her first greatest hits collection by our good friends at Atlantic Records simply titled Aretha’s Gold. This stunning array of her biggest #1’s and other smash hit singles, most of them featuring Duane Allman, Arif Mardin, Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd, Roger Hawkins, Spooner Oldham and Jimmy Johnson, dominated the top of the soul and pop charts for over a year. Her songs and soulful delivery on these hits truly illustrate how important her force was then and still is today, over four decades since!

Aretha was important in bridging all types of rhythm and blues music to a much wider audience, churning out not only soul smashes but pop masterpieces. Most of her biggest hits have been covered by many artists over the years as well. Jam packed with the original Atlantic recordings of solid senders like her classics Chain of Fools, See Saw, Baby, I Love You and of course Respect, Aretha’s Gold is virtually an encyclopedia of SOUL!

Even more soul and pop classics abound as you’ll hear her scream and shout with the best of the blues with Dr. Feelgood, one of her most beautiful ballads with (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, and her soulful touch on Burt Bacharach’s classic I Say a Little Prayer. This #1 charting 1969 LP hasn’t been available on vinyl for many decades... that is until now!

Friday Music is very proud to announce for the first time ever the stunning 180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl release of Aretha’s Gold. Mastered from the original Atlantic Records tapes by Joe Reagoso at Friday Music Studios and Capitol Mastering in Hollywood, these classic tracks truly reach sonic heights in the audiophile vinyl domain. We have also included the original artwork elements by Haig Adishian, the classic photo of Aretha Franklin by James J. Kreigsman, as well as the original back cover studio session photo collage not seen in LP cover form in years!

The soul lives on here at the Friday Music label, and as with our recent original pioneering soul albums from Ray Charles, Solomon Burke, Wilson Pickett and others, we feel this stunning Aretha Franklin 180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl will be a much anticipated and welcomed release to all the soul, funk and rock audiophile vinyl fans. R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

This 'live' nightclub date with a jazz trio, revealed to be a faked on the Columbia compilations that have since come out, is nonetheless a great LP, maybe the best single Columbia LP from Aretha. John Hammond discovered her and just wanted great music, but the label couldn't decide if she was a show tune singer, jazz or R&B and never figured out she was all of the above and deserved her own category. This is the most jazzy Aretha ever and if she'd wanted to concentrate on this one area of her talent, she would still be ruling it. Worth the buy just for the track “Without The One You Love”.

-J. Ellis

Musicians:

• Aretha Franklin (vocal, piano)
• Kenny Burrell (guitar)
• Teddy Harris (piano)
• James 'Beans' Richardson (bass)
• Hindel Butts (drums)

About Pure Pleasure

At the beginning of the 90s, in the early days of audiophile vinyl re-releases, the situation was fairly straightforward. Companies such as DCC, Mobile Fidelity, Classic Records and, of course, Pure Pleasure all maintained a mutual, unwritten ethical code: we would only use analogue tapes to manufacture records.

During the course of the present vinyl hype, many others have jumped on the bandwagon in the hope of securing a corner of the market. Very often they are not so ethical and use every imaginable source to master from: CDs, LPs, digital files, MP3s – or employed existent tools from the 80s and 90s for manufacturing.

A digital delay is gladly used when cutting a lacquer disc because tape machines with an analogue delay have become quite rare and are therefore expensive. When cutting the lacquer, the audio signal is delayed by one LP revolution against the signal, which controls the cutter head, and for this a digital delay is very often employed. Of course, the resultant sound signal is completely digital and thus only as good as this delay.

We should like to emphasize that Pure Pleasure Records on principle only uses the original master tape as the basis for the entirely analogue cutting of lacquer discs. In addition, the pressing tool is newly manufactured as a matter of principle.

We only employ existing tools for manufacturing if an improved result is not forthcoming, e.g. the title Elvis Is Back, which was mastered by Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray, or several titles from our Philips Classics series, which in any case Willem Makkee cut from the original masters at the Emil Berliner Studios in the 90s. It goes without saying that we only used the mother and that new tools were made for our production.

To put it in a nutshell: we can ensure you that our releases are free from any kind of digital effects and that the lacquer discs are newly cut.

Mastered from the Original Master Tapes and Pressed at RTI: Breathtaking Sonics on Mobile Fidelity 180g 45RPM 2LP of Aretha's Gold Get to the Heart of Franklin's Range, Emotions, Expressiveness

Aretha Franklin made her Hall of Fame reputation at Atlantic Records between 1967-1968. This astonishing two-year period witnessed the singer score nine Top 10 hits and define soul music, a era chronicled on Aretha's Gold. Pairing with producer Jerry Wexler and a flawless Muscle Shoals studio band, Franklin unleashed bolder sides of her artistry kept under wraps during her tenure at Columbia. The rest is history – a history that, until now, has never been in heard in true audiophile sound. And if there's any voice you want to experience to the most realistic extent, it's that of the vocalist Rolling Stone crowned the Greatest Singer of All Time.

Mastered from the original master tapes and pressed at RTI, Mobile Fidelity's 180g 45RPM 2LP of Aretha's Gold presents Franklin's most seminal early Atlantic songs with reference-standard sonics. Finally, hear the full range of the Queen of Soul's depth, reach, and expressiveness. Complementing her timeless classics with tremendous dynamics, restored balances, and stunning clarity, this collectible analog set sheds new light on Franklin's power and technique, honesty and confidence, enunciation and directness.

Hear why Franklin is even better than you likely think or remember. You just haven't been able to hear the Detroit native on a format that mirrors exactly what went down in the studios when she recorded songs that, to this day, remain the bar by which all other singers are measured. The same goes for Franklin's backing band, known as the Swampers, whose instrumental savvy, feel, and textures are so unique, the group is credited with creating its own style: The Muscle Shoals Sound. On this vinyl edition of Aretha's Gold, experience every picked guitar note, brushed snare, and fluid bass line. Seldom has a band and vocalist ever made a more formidable, memorable, and emotional combination.

The evidence plays out across these 14 songs, each a soul landmark, each unforgettable thanks to Franklin's impassioned performances and empowering attitude. The Sweet Impressions (Franklin's backing vocalists) and sweeping string arrangements bolster the foundation, but the material belongs to Franklin. A veritable hit parade, the track listing on Aretha's Gold reads like a dictionary of soul.

"I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Loved You)," "Respect," "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman," "Chain of Fools," "Since You've Been Gone (Sweet Sweet Baby)," "Think," "The House That Jack Built," "I Say a Little Prayer," "Baby I Love You": All Top 10 hits. Plus five more tunes, including a riveting cover of Sam Cooke's "You Send Me," that charted.

You know the songs by heart. You know the voice by memory. But you've never quite known them so intimately. Aretha's Gold on Mobile Fidelity gives the Queen the royal treatment she deserves.

This title is not eligible for discount.

A BRAND NEW ME features Franklin's instantly recognizable voice woven together with new orchestral arrangements. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra recorded the music at Abbey Road Studios in London, with brand new backing vocals led by Grammy®-winning singer Patti Austin.

The result is another timeless record that retains the soul, groove, and gospel power of Franklin's revered talent. Among the standout tracks are newly re-imagined versions of classics like the Billboard #1 R&B hits "Respect," "Think," "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)," and "Angel."

This Speakers Corner LP was remastered using pure analogue components only, from the master tapes through to the cutting head. All royalties and mechanical rights have been paid.

Musicians:
Aretha Franklin(vocals, electric piano)
Quentin Jackson, Tyree Glenn (trombone)
Al Sears (tenor saxophone)
Ray Bryant (piano)
Lord Westbrook, Skeeter Best (guitar)
Milt Hinton, Bill Lee (bass)
Belton Evans, Sticks Evans, Osie Johnson (drums)

About Speakers Corner

At the beginning of the 90s, in the early days of audiophile vinyl re-releases, the situation was fairly straightforward. Companies such as DCC, Mobile Fidelity, Classic Records and, of course, Speakers Corner all maintained a mutual, unwritten ethical code: we would only use analogue tapes to manufacture records.

During the course of the present vinyl hype, many others have jumped on the bandwagon in the hope of securing a corner of the market. Very often they are not so ethical and use every imaginable source to master from: CDs, LPs, digital files, MP3s – or employed existant tools from the 80s and 90s for manufacturing.

A digital delay is gladly used when cutting a lacquer disc because tape machines with an analogue delay have become quite rare and are therefore expensive. When cutting the lacquer, the audio signal is delayed by one LP revolution against the signal, which controls the cutter head, and for this a digital delay is very often employed. Of course, the resultant sound signal is completely digital and thus only as good as this delay.

We should like to emphasise that Speakers Corner Records on principle only uses the original master tape as the basis for the entirely analogue cutting of lacquer discs. In addition, the pressing tool is newly manufactured as a matter of principle. We have one digital recording in our catalogue (Alan Parsons / Eye In The Sky“), but even in this particular case we used the analogue tapes for cutting.

We only employ existing tools for manufacturing if an improved result is not forthcoming, e.g. the title Elvis Is Back, which was mastered by Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray, or several titles from our Philips Classics series, which in any case Willem Makkee cut from the original masters at the Emil Berliner Studios in the 90s. It goes without saying that we only used the mother and that new tools were made for our production.

To put it in a nutshell: we can ensure you that our releases are free from any kind of digital effects – excluding the exception above – and that the lacquer discs are newly cut.

Lady Soul is an album by Aretha Franklin, released in 1968. The album was her second R&B chart-topper, the follow-up to "Aretha Arrives" and included some of her biggest hit singles, "Chain of Fools" (#2 Pop), and (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman (#8 Pop), and "(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone" (#5 Pop). It eventually sold over a million copies in the United States alone. The album was reissued on Rhino Records in a deluxe edition in 1995.

Lady Soul peaked at #1, #2 and #3 on Billboard's Black Albums, Pop Albums and Jazz Albums charts respectively. The single "Ain't No Way" (B-Side of "Since You've Been Gone (Sweet, Sweet, Baby)") peaked at #9 on the Black Singles chart, and #16 on the Pop Singles chart.

Franklin Named Best Singer in History by Rolling Stone: This is Her Debut! Originally released in 1967, this is Aretha Franklin's first album for Atlantic and possibly the greatest debut in the history of soul music. This soul landmark contains one of the truly seminal singles ever in "Respect," two killer tracks recorded at Fame Studio in Muscle Shoals ("Never Loved A Man the Way I Love You" and "Do Right Woman-Do Right Man"), puts lots of other great hard soul groovers. A masterpiece from start to finish!

But even more sensational was Aretha Franklin’s guest appearance at the Fillmore West, the legendary concert hall in San Francisco, which closed down shortly afterwards. Everyone knew who was going to perform, and yet everything was quite different on these three nights in the spring of 1971: her usual show band was left behind in Detroit and she appeared with King Curtis And The Kingpins – one of the most impressive bands around – accompanied by the trailblazers Cornel Dupree (g) and Bernard Purdie (dr). The Memphis Horns, a fantastic horn section, blast away in the background, their keen as a razor backings rising up to soaring heights. From Billy Preston’s fingertips on the organ flows an aura of spiritual energy and Ray Charles, who by chance (but how fortuitous!) was among the audience also got his appearance in the telling title "Spirit In The Dark". No words need be lost about the queen on the cover. For without the superb albums of the late Sixties, Aretha Franklin would never have become the USA’s first sister of soul nor would she have appeared in the Fillmore West.

Musicians:
Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles (vocals, electric piano)
King Curtis (tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone)
Billy Preston (organ)
Truman Thomas (Electric Piano)
Cornell Dupree (guitar)
Jerry Jemmot (bass)
Bernard Purdie (drums)
Pancho Morales (conga)

Recording: February 1975 live at Fillmore West, San Francisco, by Ray Thompson
Production: Jerry Wexler and Arif Mardin

About Speakers Corner

At the beginning of the 90s, in the early days of audiophile vinyl re-releases, the situation was fairly straightforward. Companies such as DCC, Mobile Fidelity, Classic Records and, of course, Speakers Corner all maintained a mutual, unwritten ethical code: we would only use analogue tapes to manufacture records.

During the course of the present vinyl hype, many others have jumped on the bandwagon in the hope of securing a corner of the market. Very often they are not so ethical and use every imaginable source to master from: CDs, LPs, digital files, MP3s – or employed existant tools from the 80s and 90s for manufacturing.

A digital delay is gladly used when cutting a lacquer disc because tape machines with an analogue delay have become quite rare and are therefore expensive. When cutting the lacquer, the audio signal is delayed by one LP revolution against the signal, which controls the cutter head, and for this a digital delay is very often employed. Of course, the resultant sound signal is completely digital and thus only as good as this delay.

We should like to emphasise that Speakers Corner Records on principle only uses the original master tape as the basis for the entirely analogue cutting of lacquer discs. In addition, the pressing tool is newly manufactured as a matter of principle. We have one digital recording in our catalogue (Alan Parsons / Eye In The Sky“), but even in this particular case we used the analogue tapes for cutting.

We only employ existing tools for manufacturing if an improved result is not forthcoming, e.g. the title Elvis Is Back, which was mastered by Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray, or several titles from our Philips Classics series, which in any case Willem Makkee cut from the original masters at the Emil Berliner Studios in the 90s. It goes without saying that we only used the mother and that new tools were made for our production.

To put it in a nutshell: we can ensure you that our releases are free from any kind of digital effects – excluding the exception above – and that the lacquer discs are newly cut.

These recordings were made before Aretha Franklin was honoured with such names as 'Lady Soul' or 'Soul Sister No. 1'. That the young, talented singer already possessed one of the most outstanding voices was confirmed by the great Dinah Washington who stated concisely but decisively: "The girl has got soul."

The present tribute album was recorded just a few months after Washington’s death and presents her most important and successful numbers, sung by her 23-year-old successor, who obviously feels quite comfortable when treading in the great singer’s footsteps. In "Unforgettable", a laid-back number with a string background, Aretha captivates the listener with her ever-changing vocal colouring and gospel-like ballad feeling. In the second number, "Cold, Cold Heart", there is already evidence of a shimmering, subliminal blues nuance which is shot through with pointed harp phrases and the 'sucking' sound of the Hammond organ. While an old-fashioned bluesy style supported by a powerful bigband is characteristic of "Evil Gal Blues", unconventional arrangements using obbligato trombone ("Don’t Say You’re Sorry Again") are also found in this fascinating and highly varied line-up of numbers. Now, more than 40 years after its release, this album pays tribute to two unforgettable interpreters of black music.

Musicians:

• Aretha Franklin (piano, vocals)
• Buddy Lucas (harmonica, tenor saxophone)
• Ernie Royal (trumpet)
• Bob Asher
• Teddy Charles (vibraphone)
• Ernie Hayes (organ, piano)
• Paul Griffin (organ)
• George Duvivier (bass)
• Gary Chester (drums)

Recording: August 1964 in New York
Production: Robert Mersey

About Speakers Corner

At the beginning of the 90s, in the early days of audiophile vinyl re-releases, the situation was fairly straightforward. Companies such as DCC, Mobile Fidelity, Classic Records and, of course, Speakers Corner all maintained a mutual, unwritten ethical code: we would only use analogue tapes to manufacture records.

During the course of the present vinyl hype, many others have jumped on the bandwagon in the hope of securing a corner of the market. Very often they are not so ethical and use every imaginable source to master from: CDs, LPs, digital files, MP3s – or employed existant tools from the 80s and 90s for manufacturing.

A digital delay is gladly used when cutting a lacquer disc because tape machines with an analogue delay have become quite rare and are therefore expensive. When cutting the lacquer, the audio signal is delayed by one LP revolution against the signal, which controls the cutter head, and for this a digital delay is very often employed. Of course, the resultant sound signal is completely digital and thus only as good as this delay.

We should like to emphasise that Speakers Corner Records on principle only uses the original master tape as the basis for the entirely analogue cutting of lacquer discs. In addition, the pressing tool is newly manufactured as a matter of principle. We have one digital recording in our catalogue (Alan Parsons / Eye In The Sky“), but even in this particular case we used the analogue tapes for cutting.

We only employ existing tools for manufacturing if an improved result is not forthcoming, e.g. the title Elvis Is Back, which was mastered by Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray, or several titles from our Philips Classics series, which in any case Willem Makkee cut from the original masters at the Emil Berliner Studios in the 90s. It goes without saying that we only used the mother and that new tools were made for our production.

To put it in a nutshell: we can ensure you that our releases are free from any kind of digital effects – excluding the exception above – and that the lacquer discs are newly cut.