Kim Tolliver is an obscure name on the rosters of soul greats, but she shouldn't be. In addition to her absolutely riveting voice, she was a fine songwriter in her own right and, in association with husband Fred Briggs, she placed a number of songs with Margie Joseph on a pair of Stax/Volt LPs. Tolliver released just two albums, and only one under that name (she had worked previously for Fantasy as Kimberley Briggs). Recorded for Chess in 1973, Come and Get Me, I'm Ready is a classic deep soul tour-de-force, free of any crossover soul cliches that were really bogging down other artists at the time. Tolliver and Briggs cut part of the album in Cleveland and Memphis, with the biggest bit in Miami, and the horns were cut at the label studio in Chicago. Produced by Briggs, who also served as co-arranger with John A. Brinson, this is a stellar collection of deep soul tracks with a bent toward midtempo searing ballads. The songs are sophisticated and rooted in the Memphis tradition, with echoes of the TK and Detroit modes of the time. But the melodies are as complex as the arrangements are back-to-basics. Standout cuts include the title track, an uptempo soul stomper with big horns, backing vocals, and Tolliver in a fierce growl. But the real measure of a great soul singer is the way she or he treats a ballad. And Kim Tolliver was second to none in this department, as evidenced by ‘The Way He Used To,’ the opening wronged-woman cheating ballad ‘The Other Side of Town,’ the beautiful ‘She Don't Know You (Like I Do),’ and the killer reading of Willie Hale's Gwen McCrae hit, ‘I'm Losing the Feeling.’ I also included here 10 bonus tracks recorded between 1968 and 1981, some of which were issued as singles and became regional hits at the time. Kim Tolliver sadly passed away in 2007 without ever receiving the recognition she so truly deserved. http://www.myreelmusic.com/, http://www.dustygroove.com/, http://www.answers.com/aa
This video of the song 'I Don't Know What Foot to Dance On' (1975) includes some nice pics of Kim Tolliver:
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5 comentarios:
Have just listened for the first time..... thanks this is really singing.
David
I am down to track 7 and still going. She has a GREAT voice! She could have made it big with the right exposure. thanks!
Hi... I'm a big fan of your site, but it would be great if you post this as VINYL rip rather than taking it from the CD I reissued on my label. That way, people can hear the music but support us by buying the CD which was done from tape. Thanks for your help. Best wishes, Paul, Reel Music.
No problem, Reel Music. At your request, I have removed the download link.
Hey, you should totally re-post all of the bonus material by Kim Tolliver (all those non-album singles one can't find anywhere).
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