Sugar Pie DeSanto: Down In The Basement-1988 Chess Compilation 12" Record
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Description
1988 Chess Compilation Release of Composer/Blues and R & B Vocalist Sugar Pie DeSanto Entitled Down in the Basement, Special Thanks to Sugar Pie DeSanto, Arrangements by Charles Handy, Orchestra Arranged and Conducted by Riley Hampton, Compiled & Coordinated by Andy McKaie, Liner Notes by David Nathan - "Born Umpeylia Marcema Balinton, this artist was given her stage name as well as her recording debut by rhythm and blues ubermensch Johnny Otis. He dubbed her "Little Miss Sugar Pie" in 1955, and not because she had a sweet tooth or liked to bake. "While we were in the studio he named me Sugar Pie," DeSanto recalled in an interview, "Because I was so little. I wore a size three shoe and I weighed about 85 pounds. I was very tiny." She's a half-pint in size, true, but in talent or voice assuredly not. Although typecast as a blues singer, she also takes care of business on the soul end of things and is a convincing jazz vocal stylist as well. That would be enough to gain most singers a reasonable slice of glory, but DeSanto also happens to be a hilarious comedienne, a show-stopping dancer, and a superb and highly original songwriter whose compositions have been cut by Fontella Bass, Billy Stewart, Little Milton, Bobby McClure, Minnie Riperton, Jesse James, the Dells, and the Whispers. Otis discovered her performing at the Ellis Theater, the venue which she feels was sort of a birthing ground for her musical style. Otis dropped by one of the venue's regular talent shows only to observe DeSanto walking off with first prize. He promptly offered her a contract to come to Los Angeles to cut her first record ever. From the late '50s onward she performed regularly at rhythm & blues havens such as the Apollo in New York, the Regal in Chicago, and the Howard in Washington, D.C. At the Apollo she made quite an impression on the so-called "Godfather of Soul," James Brown, leading to her becoming his opening act for two years. In 1964, DeSanto was the only female performer on a touring American Folk Blues Festival bill with a lineup that would make a blues fan soak the concert program with drool, including Willie Dixon, Sleepy John Estes, Clifton James, Sunnyland Slim, Hubert Sumlin, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Sonny Boy Williamson II, also known as Rice Miller. She has written some 100 songs and prefers to perform her own material. On a series of four excellent compact discs on the Jasman label, only two songs are not written by her. Classic Sugar Pie, released in 1997, was the first full-length live recording by this artist whose on-stage workout has always totally bypassed her record releases in terms of creativity and intensity. This recording reveals that advancing age isn't stopping her from continuing to expand her talent base: she branches out into country & western." - "Saucy, bluesy, mid-'60s R&B with a soulful edge, the excellent collection Down in the Basement: The Chess Years features her 1960 Top Ten hit "I Want to Know" and a pair of duets with Etta James, "In the Basement" and "Do I Make Myself Clear." - Stunning Personnel for the Various Lineups Include the Amazing Sugar Pie DeSanto on Vocals, Pee Wee Kingsley or Gerald Sims on Guitar, the Great Etta James on Vocals, Leonard "Baby Doo" Caston on Organ, Louis Satterfield on Bass, the Brilliant Maurice White or Joe Hudson on Drums and the Great Etta James Duetting on Vocals! - Selections on Side 1 Are in the Basement Part One(With Etta James), I Want to Know, Mama Didn't Raise no Fool, Maybe You'll Be There & Do I Make Myself Clear? - Tracks for Side 2 Consist of Can't Let You Go, Soulful Dress, Going Back Where to Where I Belong, She's Got Everything and Slip-In Mules - Used Copy, Cover Very Good++, Record Mint- - Stereo Recording, Product Code CH-9275 - California Residents Add 9.75% Sales Tax - International S & H Extra -
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