KRIS RECORDS - Los Angeles Showcase of Soul

KRIS Records

Mel Alexander started out as a doo wop singer with the Arrows in New Orleans in the mid-50s and then took the group to Los Angeles in 1956 where they recorded under various names. Mel also had a solo release on Fats Washington's Movin' label and eventually produced there, notably with Little Joe Blue. He was soon plugging records for the label and working as a DJ himself under the alias Big Daddy Kane.

His business interests already included a publishing firm and distribution company with offices on Pico Boulevard, LA's 'record row', and his next move was to form his own record label.

Kris started around 1964 with sporadic releases that were competent yet unremarkable. It wasn't until the fifth release that the quality began to show. This was due to the discovery of a remarkably talented singer called Lee Harvey (who made the modest claim to have taught Sam Cooke everything he knew about singing) and the promotion of James Carmichael from an instrumentalist with the LA Untouchables to being Mel's arranger on most of Kris' mid-60s sessions. Carmichael went on to have huge success producing at Motown in the 70s with the Commodores, Miracles and Lionel Ritchie and also at Atlantic with the Pointer Sisters and Atlantic Starr, but it was at Kris where his talents first emerged.

Lee Harvey, aka Lee Jones, cut at least five excellent singles for Kris: "Only True Love" is a Detroit influenced mid-tempo number that probably shows his vocal command off to its best effect, though the ballad What Is It is equally well-sung.

Most of the other acts are local Los Angeles artists who attempted one or two shots at fame, but only left exquisite 45s for soul archaeologists to ponder-on years later.

Mel's blues recordings have run parallel with his more soulful sides throughout the label's life and we will investigate these more deeply on a forthcoming Ace CD. Kris is still active today and Mel has lost none of his enthusiasm, confidently predicting a big hit for this retrospective view of his label's first thirty years. There's no doubt it deserves acclaim if only because it reflects Mel's own virtues, honesty, integrity and harmony. Like him it's packed full of soul.

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Artists

Cookie Jackson

"What a marvelous entertainer! It was a pleasure to see her perform because she could move from one category to another without giving her musicians any problems. Check out the soul in "Reason I'm Singing The Blues" then you'll appreciate her "Need Of Love". First class lady with a first rate product."
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- Mel Alexander

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Lee Harvey (Lee Jones)

"This man could have been one of the greatest singers alive with a break or two. He had a smooth stylistic approach to music in the vein of the late great Sam Cooke. As a matter of fact when he, I, and Sam would come in contact with each other, we would playfully remind Sam of who taught him to sing that style. I would never make a comment because of the unknown factor, but I do know that Lee Harvey (or Lee Jones, the other name he chose) was a heck of an artist."

- Mel Alexander

Nadine A

Nadine has a long and rich musical and theatrical career having sung with the likes of Lou Rawls, Bobby Bland, James Brown and even Liberace. Born Adean Foreman in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Nadine joined a well known group called "The Handicappers" after moving to Los Angeles, with whom she sang with for fourteen years. The song "Hey Baby" (where Nadine and an unnamed male vocalist are doing their courting in the recording studio) comes from her 1990 Kris Records single.

The LA Untouchables

"Frank and James Foster were two brothers who played local gigs in the early 60's around the Los Angeles area and became very popular among the Jet Set. For that reason they were named The LA Untouchables. Their music director was a fantastic keyboard player who became arranger for me and worked on this project on "This Time Has Come" and "Money Man". James Carmichael was to go on to arrange and produce Lionel Ritchie and The Commodores"

- Mel Alexander

The Del-Reys

"These guys were exceptional because they were not only exceptional singers, but exceptional musicians. Ray Jackson turned out to be a super arranger; James Wesley Smith, bass and vocalist on "Walk Proud" turned out to be a very capable entertainment attorney. The vocals of Wayne Ferris gave the girls weak knees when they heard him sing "Don't You Know". A winner."

- Mel Alexander

Pure Ice

"Live And Let Live" by Pure Ice was cut in a Staple Singers style and is an extremely catchy number. Group members Terry Evans and Bobby King were well respected session vocalists who regularly sang with Ry Cooder and occasionally Bruce Springsteen. The demands of their main job may have prevented them getting fully behind the Kris single as it definitely had hit potential.

This album

also features

music from

* Ty Karim *

* The Hill Sisters *

* Fay Cooper *

* B.B. Carter *

* Freddie Tate *

* Jimmy "Preacher" Ellis *

* Frank Foster *

* Shades of Silk *

The Dynamic Duo

"An unlikely pairing because of their stature, Joe being extremely short and Herman being just the opposite, proved to be great talents. Before we recorded "Turkey Trot", I watched in absolute amazement the way the duo performed the dance, it left me in awe. Remember that was before camcorders were in existence, or the record would have been a hit on the live dance performance alone. Lil' Joe's smooth vocal came out on "Only True Love". Worth it's weight in gold."

- Mel Alexander

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Tracks

1. Lee Jones - I'm Gonna Make It (Up To You)
2. Ty Karim - Lighten Up Baby
3. The Hill Sisters - My Lover
4. Lee Harvey - Only True Love
5. The L.A. Untouchables - Money Man
6. Lee Jones - What Is It? (That You Are Afraid Of)
7. The Del-Reys - Don't You Know
8. The Hill Sisters - Oh My Love, Sweet Love
9. Cookie Jackson - The Reason I'm Singing (The Blues)
10. Fay Cooper - Don't Hang Yourself (Talk Too Much)
11. Pure Ice - Live And Let Live
12. Nadine A - Hey Baby
13. B.B. Carter - Cool It Baby
14. The Del-Reys - Walk Proud
15. Lee Harvey - Prove It
16. B.B. Carter - My Lover
17. Lee Harvey & The LA Untouchables - My Assurance
18. Frank Foster & The LA Untouchables - The Time Has Come
19. Freddie Tate - Little Girl Of Mine
20. Jimmy Preacher Ellis - You
21. Shades Of Silk - I Fly Away (Caged Bird)
22. The Dynamic Duo - Only True Love
23. Lee Jones - I Got To See My Baby Part 1
24. Cookie Jackson - Need Of Love

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CD Review from Soul Scene

Another one label focus from Kent. I say one label because all the tracks on the CD are taken from Mel Alexander's group of labels Kris, Car-A-Mel, Space, and New Breed. Running from the mid Sixties through to 1994 all the tracks are Soul music of a very high quality, although the Blues tinge is present on several tracks. Whilst the obvious standout backs is Ty Karim's 'Lighten Up Baby' there are several other tracks which I didn't know before which are all just as likely to go on the dancefloors of the Northern Soul scene, what's more some of the Seventies tracks, in particular the first Cookie Jackson track. And doesn't the Pure Ice track remind you of the Staple Singers? Of the later tracks Nadine A is the best by far, and I could see this being big in the various Modern rooms on the go at the moment. Overall though, this was a CD, and group of labels which apart from the obvious tracks, I knew nothing. I'm glad now that I know considerably more thanks to the 24 tracks on the CD, and Ady Croasdell's usual copious and informative liner notes. Another winner from Kent, put this on your 'Must Buy Soon' list, it's well worth the money if you like Soul music.

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