Record Review: Home Schooled
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Kids say the darndest things ... in soul tunes? Home Schooled: the ABCs of Kid Soul is one of the latest (and greatest) compilations from The Numero Group. This album boasts a quirky amalgamation of rarely-noted funk bands, like the “Manchild Singers” and “Jr. & His Soulettes.” Ever heard either of them? Neither have I — but I’m pretty sure you can catch their drift. In the vein of many other Motown hits of the era, these babe balladeers promise to do anything for love, like “carry your books and lunch pack to school.” Indeed, these precocious singers swagger in much the same style as other Soul greats like James Brown or Stevie Wonder, but their prepubescent vocal registers belie their musical prowess. So if you thought the world of sugary-sweet kid soul was limited to Jackson 5 or the Osmonds, consider widening your repertoire and try this album on for size.
The Original "Step By Step" member Johnnie Gee on ABC Kids Soul
Johnnie Gee story is the stuff of which legends are made.
It is a saga that began in America's heartland at age 13 in Milwaukee Wisconsin, where Johnnie Gee was born on September 29th, 1959 to Elgie and D.W Gee, into a family of seven brothers and sisters.
When Mama Gee, herself a blues lover, noticed her sons' growing interest in music and performing, she devoted herself to the careful development of their nascent talents.
Through hard work and dedication, Johnnie, Dewitt, Jerome, these three brothers and other friends became the hottest band in the Midwest, "The Exclusive 'Step By Step' Band".
The group began performing professionally in and around Milwaukee and Chicago in 1969; later that year, the siblings took their polished song-and-dance act to New York's famed Brunswick Records, the home of Jackie Wilsom, The Chilites, Bohannon, Tyrone Davis, Shalamar, Eugene Records, Decca Records, Chess Records and many more that started record labels worldwide.
Any way 'The Step By Step Band', turned the place out, winning over Nat Tarnopol and a label contract with Brunswick Records.
The staff reaction was welcoming , the founder of the New York-based Brunswick Records, Nat Tarnopol, then the most successful rhythm and blues label around.
Captivated by what they saw and heard, Nat signed the group immediately.
Thus began one of the most successful runs by a recording group in soul, pop, rhythm and blues music history out of the Midwest.
The brand new release of "Home Schooled: "The ABC's Of Kid Soul", by Numero Records features one of Johnnie Gee & "Step By Step" bands single: Time After Time, to find out more about Johnnie Gee then and now, visit www.myspace.com/johnniegee
You also can go to Brunswick Records web site and read the history of Brunswick and see or original LP listed on page 5 (At the bottom).
The ABC;s Of Kids Soul (Original Artist)
Hello,
Johnnie Gee here, thought you might want to know more
about the 70's Kids from Milwaukee, WI
please visit my web site at www.myspace.com/johnniegee
for a total trip down Soul memory lane...
Johnnie Gee also is singing "Time After Time" on the new LP
released from the Numero Group:
Home Schooled:
The ABC's Of Kids Soul
It is a saga that began in America’s heartland at age 13 in Milwaukee Wisconsin, where Johnnie Gee was born on September 29th, 1959 to Elgie and D.W Gee, into a family of seven brothers and sisters. At age nine Johnnie Gee and his other two brothers twelve, and sixteen were the founders of the powerful kid group “Step By Step”.
After recording several dubs/demos in Wisconsin, The Exclusive “Step By Step” band began performing shows around the state, the band later went on to sign with the popular labels like “Platinum Records”, and after 2 years the band caught te eye of the famous labels.
One of the first record labels in Wisconsin “Cuca Records” owned by James Kirchstein, who produced LP’s and singles from 1959 until the early 1970s.
Johnnie Gee has promoted his career for over 38 years and still has a strong presence among his fans. At age nine, Johnnie recorded his first single with Step By Step; by age 13 he was already earning his own living as an entertainer. After 37 years with, Platinum Records, Brunswick Records, Cuca Records and Sidetraxx Records Johnnie Gee has brought back the classic early sounds of the Step By Step band.
Now that Johnnie Gee is all grown up now, and reserve these classic song form the famous 70’s rea, he has put together an LP with several un-heard songs recorded at the early ages of nine thru thirdteen. The new release on shelves now, Home Schooled “The ABC’s Of Kids Soul” released by Numero Records this year in November 2007, has opened up a new collectors line of classic 70’s Soul, Disco and funk. The new release from Johnnie Gee’s label, Sidetraxx Records titled: “Step By Step” Rare 70’s Kids Soul LP, capture the sounds of “Blues”, “Funk”, “Soul”, “Pop” and more are on sle now, capture the magic of yesteryear by perserving your copy of this classic release now!
This CD is one of the few items I know of that document this phenomenon. Unfortunately, while it can be admired for being adventurous enough to find the most obscure examples of the genre, these songs and artists do not represent the best of their kind as a whole.
Share those 70's moments now by getting a copy now!
Get the CD It’s only $20.00, MP3 LP only
$18.99, and single downloads are $2.00 each.
Track Listing:
1) 1). Salt – N Pepper - Step By Step band
2). People - Step By Step band
3). Salt – N - Pepper - Step By Step band
4). Cool Days - Step By Step band
5). I’m Glad – Step By Step band
6). Come This Way To Love – Step By Step band
7). Beggin You To Stay – Step By Step band
8). Never Let You Go – Step By Step band
9). She’s Gone – Step By Step band
10). I Always Wanted To Be In The Band
All songs recorded with Brunswick Records/Cuca Records
and masterted by: Sidetraxx Rec.