Finally Together: The Ru-Jac Records Story, Vol. 3: 1966¿1967

Overview

Never the most prolific of independent soul/R&B labels, Ru-Jac slowed considerably in 1966, largely due to co-owner Rufus E. Mitchell being consumed with other projects. This is the point where Finally Together, the third volume of Omnivore's four-part Ru-Jac Records Story, picks up. If 1966 was slow, 1967 proved to be a prolific year for the Balitmore-based imprint, both in terms of 45s that made it into the stores and the recordings that wound up tucked away in the vaults. Finally Together unveils these 45s and the unreleased material, spending a fair amount of its 25 tracks on demos from Winfield Parker -- one of the label's mainstays -- and cuts from unknown artists. Throughout the disc, it's possible to hear the times shifting -- the rhythms get a little grittier, the soul gets a little churchy -- but there are also evident remnants of the early part of the '60s: Rita Dorsey specializes in supper-club soul, while the Shyndells gin up a teenage sock hop on their instrumentals, Leon Gibson cranks out some good-time R&B, and Sir Joe flirts with the uptown Motown sound. If Finally Together can sometimes feel a bit ragged and unfinished -- a result of all the demos and uncredited musicians -- that's a feature, not a bug. Maybe Ru-Jac had a hard time scoring a hit or even creating a cohesive identity, but the fun in listening to Finally Together is hearing them attempt to do those very things. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	02/02/2018
Label:	Omnivore
UPC:	0816651013142
Rank:	228130

Tracks

1. Wait Til Then  - Wesley Aydlett  - Rita Dorsey  - Rufus Mitchell  -  Shyndells Band
2. When I'm Alone  - Wesley Aydlett  - Rita Dorsey  - Frederick Robinson  -  Shyndells Band
3. Please Let Me Love You  -  Bob Craig Combo  - Rita Dorsey  - Rita Doryse  - Rufus Mitchell
4. Goodie Goodie  -  Bob Craig Combo  - Lew Brown  - Buddy DeSylva  - Rita Dorsey  - Rita Doryse  - Ray Henderson
5. Born to Be Loved  - Rita Dorsey  - Rita Doryse
6. It's Love I Need  - Alphonso Higdon  - Kitty Lane
7. Sweetheart  - Alphonso Higdon  - Kitty Lane
8. The Feeling Is Gone  - Kitty Lane
9. Finally Together
10. Searching
11. Go Away Playgirl [Take 5]  - Arthur Conley  - Rufus Mitchell  - Winfield Parker
12. I Would Cry  -  Gene & Eddie  - Joe Quarterman
13. I Tell You  -  Gene & Eddie  - Joe Quarterman
14. Sweet Little Girl  - Arthur Conley  - Rufus Mitchell
15. Sweet Little Girl  - Arthur Conley  - Rufus Mitchell  - Winfield Parker  -  Shyndells Band
16. My Love [Demo With Background Vocals]  - Wesley Aydlett  - Rufus Mitchell  - Winfield Parker
17. She's My Girl [Demo]  - Winfield Parker
18. Lightning, Pt. 1  -  Shyndells Band
19. Ooby Gooby  -  Shyndells Band
20. Never Never Leave Me
21. Do the Roller  - Leon Gibson
22. Working Hard  - Leon Gibson
23. Nobody Beats My Love  - Joe Quarterman  -  Sir Joe
24. I Can't Stay Away  - George Charles Brown  -  Caressors  - Rufus Mitchell
25. Who Can It Be  - George Charles Brown  -  Caressors  - Rufus Mitchell

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Winfield Parker   Primary Artist
Sir Joe   Primary Artist
The Shyndells Band   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Gene & Eddie   Primary Artist
Leon Gibson   Primary Artist
The Bob Craig Combo   Primary Artist
Rita Dorsey   Primary Artist
Rita Doryse   Primary Artist
Kitty Lane   Primary Artist
Caressors   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Buddy DeSylva   Composer
Arthur Conley   Composer
Matty Malneck   Composer
Winfield Parker   Composer,Producer
Glenn Schwartz   Licensing
Lee Lodyga   Project Assistant
Michael Graves   Mastering,Restoration
Sir Joe Quarterman   Composer
Alphonso Higdon   Composer
Dorothy Stefanski   Editorial
Dutch Cramblitt   Project Assistant
Kevin Coombe   Liner Notes,Compilation Producer
Sir Joe   Composer
Brad Rosenberger   Project Assistant
Joy Graves   Project Assistant
De Sylva Brown Henderson   Composer
The Shyndells Band   Composer,Musician
Wesley Aydlett   Composer
Rufus Mitchell   Composer
Frederick Robinson   Composer
Gene & Eddie   Composer
Leon Gibson   Composer
The Bob Craig Combo   Composer
Rita Doryse   Composer
George Charles Brown   Composer
Cheryl Pawelski   Compilation Producer
Greg Allen   Design,Art Direction
Lew Brown   Composer
Johnny Mercer   Composer
Kitty Lane   Composer
Peter Case   Composer
Ray Henderson   Composer
Caressors   Composer
Leon Russell   Composer