Patti Austin: The Complete Coral Recordings (1965-1967)

This compilation contains, for the very first time, the entire Coral recordings made by Patti Austin between 1965 and 1967, when she was merely in her mid-teens. Despite no less than ten singles issued by the label, there was no subsequent album. 'Panache', which includes in its definitions "style" and "swagger", certainly fits the bill for Patti's performances on this selection. Young as she was at the time, there is a surety in the vocals which belie her age - due no doubt to her having been a stage and television performer from the age of five - and the selection of material which, though perhaps not too much to the lady's taste nowadays, was indeed "the music of the time and in the upper class of that bracket". These recordings were made over six sessions, the initial results being the pairing of 'He's Good Enough for Me', a number cut by Mary Wells for 20th Century-Fox a few months earlier, and the girl group sound for 'Earl', while her final single coupled the storming 'You're Too Much a Part of Me' with the strong ballad-builder 'I'll Keep on Loving You'. In the interim, her voice matured noticeably and the difference between the first and last sessions is measurable. What we have here then is not just a collection of songs, but evidence of a young girl's growing up, though never less than confident - whether up-tempo or ballad, Patti sings the words like she means them. The British Northern Soul scene, noted for its 100-miles-an-hour-plus stompers, would be all the poorer without 'Someone's Gonna Cry', 'Take Away the Pain Stain' and '(I've Given) All My Love', while those who like things a little more sedate can revel in 'Leave a Little Love' and the lady's version of 'A Million to One', which would chart some six months later for the Five Stairsteps. There is also a tribute to her godmother, Dinah Washington, via a very "grow up" version of 'What a Difference a Day Makes' and even a nod towards the brassy sound of Stax on 'Got to Check It Out', written by the arranger on many of these tracks, Bert DeCoteaux. As for 'A Tisket a Tasket', Ella Fitzgerald's song gets the a makeover Motown-style ... and it works! So, take your time to enjoy this slice of soul music history. Taken from the original liner notes.

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