Various Artists –  Jetstar Records: the Soul Sides [Clear Vinyl] – New LP

The first ever compilation of the deep ‘60s soul from Jetstar, including Alder Ray Mathis’ Northern Soul stepper “Take Me Baby”! Featuring previously unissued tracks from former NFL star and civil rights icon Abner Haynes, Beamon Young and more, plus rare cuts from Bobby Patterson hitting vinyl for the first time! Pressed on clear vinyl!

The story behind Jetstar Soul – not quite what you’re expecting

Jetstar Records: The Soul Sides brings together a mix of released and previously unissued tracks acquired by the Jetstar label, and a selection of superb sides by singer, songwriter, producer and former DJ, Dallas Soul Brother Number One Bobby Patterson.

It’s not difficult to get the impression that Jetstar was a kind of boutique label for Patterson. “Back in the early 60s,” Patterson has said, “I met John H. Abdnor Jr. He said, ‘I’m going to get my daddy to open up a record company.’ He developed Jetstar for me.”

John H. Abdnor Sr., the ambitious Fort Worth insurance man who founded Jetstar, was a forceful character, a man who worked his way up the ladder his own way, to become, as John Durrill of Patterson’s Jetstar labelmates The Five Americans described him, “influential, wealthy, and tough. He was a Colonel Tom Parker kind of guy who did it his way, a very decisive man. Hard to understand. But he was able to make connections. No one messed with us. He would always stand up for the group, but he was standing up for himself too.”

Abdnor Sr. also had ambitions for Jetstar to be a player in the world of soul, as the stories behind the sides gathered here demonstrate.

Represented here on four tracks, Alder Ray Mathis – she also went by Alder Ray Black and Alder Ray – started out on Los Angeles’ Liberty Records. For that label she recorded the rollicking, Spectorish, “A Little Love (Will Go A Long Way)” backed with “Cause I Love Him.”

Brass heavy, mid-tempo “Take Me Baby” has a definite Fame feel to it. “What About Me” is previously unissued and a real find. Once again, it’s loaded with brass and chicken scratch rhythm behind Alder Ray’s full-throated voice and a nifty organ hook. The other previously unissued track, “I Don’t Need But One Man” is more bluesy.

Three sides by Dallas Texans football legend and sometime sax player Abner Haynes are the real oddities here. Born in Denton, Texas in 1937, Haynes is a cousin of Sly Stone. The three tracks here were recorded in 1965 at Creative Sound Studios, around the time Haynes joined the Denver Broncos. Haynes plays sax.

The Strings and female backing singers on the previously unissued Beamon Young tracks give them a retro-for-even-then feel for mid-’60s soul. – “Beautiful Day” is a warm ballad and “I Want A Lover,” is an upbeat number with a resemblance to Bobby Darin’s “Dream Lover.”

Bobby Patterson is lionized by the Northern Soul scene and has played to worshipful audiences at events all over the UK. Ever modest, he said this “surprised me to death. They know more about me than I do. But it was a pleasant surprise.”

Trust us, this LP is a pleasant surprise too! It’s filled with floor fillers for sure!

INCLUDES:

Take Me Baby - Alder Ray Mathis • What’s Your Problem, Baby - Bobby Patterson • I’ll Be There - Abner Haynes • I Want A Lover - Beamon Young • You Can Tell I’m In Love - Bobby Patterson • What About Me - Alder Ray Mathis • Hot Cha - Abner Haynes • I Want To Get Married - Alder Ray Mathis • Sock Some Lovin’ At Me - Bobby Patterson • What Love Has Joined Together - Abner Haynes • Beautiful Day - Beamon Young • I Don’t Need But One Man - Alder Ray Mathis • If A Man Ever Loved A Woman (Baby I Love You) - Bobby Patterson • Let It Be Me - Abner Haynes • Turn Back The Hands Of Time - The Mustangs