True Enough: Gene & Eddie with Sir Joe at Ru-Jac

by Gene & Eddie

Overview

Gene & Eddie were a journeyman R&B act from Silver Springs, Maryland who enjoyed some regional success in the mid-'60s to early '70s as a churchier and more polished alternative to Sam & Dave. For a time, they were partnered with a white R&B showband called the Nightcaps, and as one of the few integrated soul acts of the day, they landed a handful of upscale gigs that eluded their peers, including an appearance at a party at the White House. (Washington, D.C. was one of their biggest markets at the time.) Post-Nightcaps, Gene & Eddie teamed with Joe Quarterman, a songwriter, arranger, and producer who ran the independent Ru-Jac Records label when he wasn't busy performing under the name Sir Joe. Gene & Eddie cut six singles for Ru-Jac, but only one, "It's So Hard" b/w "Sweet Little Girl," gained any sort of traction, and then only as a regional hit. However, the obscurists on the British Northern soul scene would in time discover Gene & Eddie, and they helped make a few of their previously forgotten sides collector's items. The American archival label Omnivore Recordings has finally given Gene & Eddie's material the reissue treatment, and True Enough: Gene & Eddie with Sir Joe at Ru-Jac collects the material they cut for Ru-Jac between 1967 and 1971, along with a few extras. In addition to their 12 Ru-Jac sides, True Enough includes a 1965 single Gene & Eddie cut with the Nightcaps, as well as a few of Quarterman's tracks as Sir Joe. Quarterman actually turns out to be the secret star of this collection. Gene & Eddie were solid performers, with good harmonies and dynamic interaction, but Quarterman's contributions shine brightest. These singles were clearly cut on a limited budget, but the studio sound is impressive, and his arrangements sound full-bodied and imaginative. True Enough is good fun for collectors of vintage soul rarities, and Omnivore has clearly assembled the album with care. ~ Mark Deming

Product Details

Release Date:	09/02/2016
Label:	Omnivore
UPC:	0816651012947

Tracks

1. I Would Cry
2. I Tell You
3. Nobody Beats My Love
4. If You Give Up Your Love
5. You Don't Fool Me
6. Let Me Go Easy
7. It's So Hard
8. Sweet Little Girl
9. Let Me Go Easy [Alternate Version]
10. She's True Enough
11. Baby, I'd Drop Every Thing
12. Every Day (I'll Be Needing You)
13. It's No Sin
14. You've Got to Love Me Sometimes
15. Darling I Love You
16. Why Do You Hurt Me
17. It's So Hard
18. Check You Later
19. A Guy for You
20. You Don't Fool Me [Stereo Mix]
21. Let Me Go Easy [Stereo Mix]

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Gene & Eddie   Primary Artist
Sir Joe   Primary Artist
Sir Joe Quarterman   Primary Artist
The Nightcaps   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Brian Kehew   Mixing,Tape Transfer
Eddie Best   Composer
Paul Johns   Arranger
Lee Lodyga   Project Assistant
Michael Graves   Mastering,Restoration
Sir Joe Quarterman   Arranger,Composer
Bryan George   Project Assistant
Dorothy Stefanski   Editorial
Josh Grier   Project Assistant
Dutch Cramblitt   Project Assistant
Kevin Coombe   Liner Notes,Compilation Producer
Sjoerd Wijdoogen   Composer
Sir Joe   Composer
Scott Johnson   Project Assistant
Brad Rosenberger   Project Assistant
Joy Graves   Transfers
Rufus Mitchell   Composer
Susan Tapper   Project Assistant
Gene & Eddie   Composer
Eugene Dorsett   Composer
Rich-Sislen   Arranger
Daye   Composer
Arthur Conley   Composer
Greg Allen   Art Direction,Design
Saylor   Composer
Cheryl Pawelski   Compilation Producer