Gloria Lynne – If You Don’t Get It Yourself from the Up Front Records Lp Gloria Lynne

This particular record was something I was able to get in a pile from the feeding frenzy at the spot one early Saturday morning. The Meatball was digging through piles of 70’s lite Rock shit while the guy selling was pulling records out of his AMC Gremlin. I reached out to get a James Brown 12″ and he started to puff his feathers out a bit. “That’s mine”, he quipped. Fair play old Super Mario, I’ll take the Jazz records and of course this cut from Gloria Lynne. Here’s “If You Don’t Get It Yourself” from the Up Front Records Lp.

Gloria Alleyne was born in New York City in 1931. She grew up in Harlem, and after 5 years of vocal training, would go on the win an amateur night at the World Famous Apollo Theater. She was discovered by band leader, composer and A & R man for Everest Records, Raymond Scott. Not only a soloist, she released records with The Enchanters (Della Simpson, Pearl Brice, Frances Kelly) and the Dell Tones (Della Simpson, Sherry Gary, Frances Kelly as well). She would go on and release records on Everest, Fontana, Ember , Mercury and Impulse, in a variety of genres which range from straight up Jazz to Soul to R & B. Her signature song was 1964’s “I Wish You Love” on the Everest label. Throughout her career she’s perform with people like Ray Charles Billy Eckstein and more. In her later career, a career rich with the Jazz genre, she’d work with cats like Quincy Jones and Herbie Hancock. She would co-write Hancock’s classic “Watermelon Man”. Lynne is a great example of of a singer who was not just great in one genre, but could adapt and be successful in several. Singers like Marlena Shaw and Della Reese, who could crank out some Soul among their Pop and Jazz pieces. Lynne has won many awards and was has been recognized not only by her peers, but the public as a legend.

“If You Don’t Get It Yourself” is a some great Funky Soul. It’s got a slight tinge of Blues guitar, but the beat is really solid. Lynne trades vocals with the guitar and has some great Sister help on the chorus. This was put out on the Up Front Record label out of Linden, NJ. Another New Jersey scorcher! I don’t know too much about the label, although I believe it to be some sort of a reissue label from the 70s. I do have a Bobby Hutcherson on the same label. It says Up Front is a division of Springboard Records, but to this date I can not turn anything up on that label as well. If anyone has any information to share with me, please feel free to hit me up. Have a great weekend. Keep Diggin’!