Margie Makes An Impression

"Sweeter Tomorrow" (F. Briggs)
Margie Joseph, Volt, 1970

We can only hope. . . .

I can be a lazy HOTG researcher. Of course, since I only do it for my own amusement and to satisfy my curiosity, it’s not like I am actually slacking. Let’s just say that sometimes I don’t pursue leads; I let them pursue me. Take for example, Ms Margie Joseph.

I had known for years that she was a New Orleans-related vocalist of some note (actually, quite a few notes!); but she didn’t get my attention in the 1970’s; and I did not seek out any of her material until the mid-1990’s, when I ran across and purchased two CD compilations: The Atlantic Sessions/The Best of Margie Joseph on Ichiban Soul Classics, and a UK import reissue combining her two Volt albums, Margie Joseph Makes A New Impression and Phase II. Suddenly, I became a big fan. I went out and tracked down four of her Atlantic albums, plus a few singles, and started playing her stuff regularly on my old radio show.

Back in November, 2004, early in the days of this blog, I posted a track from her initial Atlantic album, Margie Joseph, produced by Arif Mardin in 1973 with backing by some fine session players who my friend, Roy (Hellhounds and Holyghosts), calls the New York Funk Brothers. Just recently, I ran across a couple of Margie’s Volt singles that appeared on her very first LP in 1971; and thought I’d share a side with you.

Produced by Freddy Briggs, a deep soul songwriter who composed our feature track, and recorded in Memphis with the Bar-Kays and “staff musicians” at Stax, and at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio with its great house rhythm section, Makes A New Impression has many complex and lushly orchestrated arrangements (such as her cover of “Stop In The Name of Love”, which was a hit single). Just four tunes on the album are more straightforward soul with some touches of funk, including “Sweeter Tomorrow”. This driving track has heavy hitting drums (with some tricked out pedal work at the end), propulsive bass, several guitars picking, choping and wailing, plus some horns added for additional body. I am going to take a wild stab and guess that the more earthy tracks like this were done in Muscle Shoals, since the album notes don’t specify. Just a hunch. Be that as it may, I think the song is one of the best for her voice on the entire album.

My probably too generalized criticism of the production work on Margie Joseph’s numerous LPs is that the arrangements on many of the songs were over the top; but that was what sold, I guess, as a number of those tunes charted. I much prefer the simpler, more gritty (less commercial) songs she tackled with her powerful, resonant voice, even if she did sing the other stuff quite well. But, I never claimed to have my finger on the erratic pulse of the music bidniz. That should be obvious.

To help you find out more about Margie Joseph, I’ve linked again to David Nathan’s overview of her career from his Ichiban liner notes. Her work is well worth discovering and exploring. You’ll be hearing more by her here, too, I’m sure.