Lou Courtney – I Can Always Tell from the Riverside Records 45

Here’s the short midweek edition of Flea Market Funk for you people. First off, let me thank DJ Bluewater for the excellent guest mix. I have about 5 or 6 more up on deck, so keep tuned in, because Monday mornings will be the day for the next couple of months. Sometimes life gets in the way, real world moves have to be made, and well, these real world moves are decisions that one doesn’t necessarily want to make. Such is life. The music must go on. This particular side I have up to offer was one I picked up from The Old Man a while ago. It’s none other than Lou Courtney with “I Can Always Tell” on Riverside Records.

You all know the name, Courtney of “Hey Joyce” fame. That Shadow break from Brainfreeze. Well, the man had some other hits on a variety of different labels. He would release some stuff on Hurdy Gurdy, Riverside/Popside, and Verve among others. His journey as a Soul/ R & B, Funk and a more mellow Soul Jazz kind of singer keep Lou Courtney’s name on the lips and want lists of many a digger. I still haven’t found the elusive, rising priced “Hey Joyce” out in the field, but I have found about 10 copies of “Do The Thing”, and this very record, which at the moment, I haven’t stopped listening to. Besides being a Funk Brothers production (’nuff said) it’s a love song gone horribly wrong. Mister Courtney is no fool, he knows what the deal is. There is something intriguing about this side, and the piano and sax hook have reeled me. In fact, it’s one of the better Soul records I have gotten my hands on in quite a while. Sorry for the short post today kids, but I’ll make it up to you on Friday. Shout out to Havana Joe and the Stones Throw Crew who I will be doing some stuff with in the very near future. Keep Diggin’!

PS: Check Out my 20 Questions I answered over at the Beat Collector.