Download or Listen to Moments – Sexy Mama from the All Platinum 45

Here we are back to midweek once again. Thanks to all who came out to Tasty Beats on Saturday night. It was indeed a blast. The Get Down! is on hiatus until further notice, the bar has some issues to work out. Until then, I will be searching for another permanent Friday night, which means I’ll be bouncing around a bit. That being said, I wanted to get into some New Jersey musicians, inspired by the crowd on Saturday night. I have stacks of today’s group’s records, but sadly have never reviewed one. Today they are going to shine. Here’s to the ladies from Saturday night, and here’s The Moments with “Sexy Mama” from All Platinum Records from 1973.

Formed in the l 60’s out in Washington, DC, the original members were Mark Greene, Eric Olfus, Sr., Richard Gross, and John Morgan. They released a side on the Era label in 1963 called “Walk Right In”. The members stayed in the band until 1969, when William Brown, Harry Ray, and AI Goodman came from a bunch of different bands to form like Voltron to perform as one of the smoothest Soul bands out of the Garden State. These bands they were in were the Vipers, The Uniques, the Broadways, Sounds of Soul, the Corvettes, and others. That’s some pretty good experience before morphing into The Moments. Signed to Stang, a subsidiary of Sylvia and Joe Robinson’s All Platinum label, the original members left a mark with “Love On a Two Way Street” (originally recorded by All Platinum artist Lezli Valentine). They also put out sides such as “Not On The Outside” and “My Confession of Love”. The new line up would produce hits such as this very side, “If I Didn’t Care”, “All I Have”, “Sho Nuff Boogie” (with Sylvia Robinson” and a collaboration on “Girls” with the Whatnots. Ray and Goodman took part in a lot of songwriting for All Platinum, and the back up band was Willie and the mighty Magnificents. That’s some good stuff right there. Eventually the Whatnots became Ray Goodman and Brown after moving to Polydor. Their biggest hit was “Special Lady” in 1980, and after deaths, line up changes and other assorted music biz hijinks, they continued on as RG&B, and eventually The Whatnots featuring Mark Greene would also emerge after Greene got the Whatnots name legally.

“Sexy Mama” is some sexy ass wall grinding music. These brothers are smooth folks, and if you don’t have any Barry White lying around, I’d suggest grabbing some Moments, because they will do in a pinch. These guys were definitely some talented cats, who had a great past in their own right, and went on to put out some of the smoooooothest Soul records East of the Mississippi. I’m wondering if there wasn’t a baby boom in the Tri State area during the late 60’s and early 70’s due to the Moments 45. There are tons of All Platinum records all over New Jersey. They must have been in every juke box from Philly to Newark to Patterson to NYC. Seriously. All I know is that I dig this record, and I hope you do too. Keep Diggin’

Check Out the Moments on the Soul Train Scramble!