“boss_soul”
Barry White, Felice Taylor, Viola Wills and Johnny Wyatt
Boss Soul : The Genius of Barry White
Del-Fi
This record showcases Barry’s earlier work as a performer, writer, engineer, and A&R man with Del-Fi’s Bronco and Mustang record labels. These labels were created by Bob Keane, who brought Sam Cooke into R&B back in 1957. After later success with several rock bands, including the Bobby Fuller Four, Keane created these labels specifically to get back into the soul music segment that at this time (1966), was totally dominated by Berry Gordy’s Motown. While there is a Diana Ross soundalike in Felice Taylor, and a definite Motown influence, the feel of several of these songs is more akin to what might have come out of New Orleans’ Cosima Mataso’s Studios had Jim Garrison and Interstate 10 not dealt a death knell to a seedy area of the city that was so rich in talent and flavor. True to the Barry White tradition, the theme is still “Love.” However, this is not the standard “WD-40 for Panties” fare that a lot of people associate White with. White definitely had an ear for sounds and talent, as evidenced by this collection. Del-Fi Records, P.O. Box 69188, Los Angeles, CA 90069; http://www.del-fi.com
