b. August 17th, 1935 in Rome (Georgia)
d. October 23rd, 1998 in Colombus (Ohio)
THE BLUES TOWN STORY vol.2
Wolf
1963
Fils d'Helen et Jerry Washington, il joue à 5 ans sur la guitare de son oncle puis, dix ans plus tard, se fabrique son propre instrument. A la mort de son père (il n'a que 9 ans), il est contraint de travailler pour aider sa mère. A la fin des années 40, la famille déménage à Newport (Kentucky) où Albert chante le Gospel. Il fait d'ailleurs partie du groupe The Gospelaires of Dayton puis fondera, un peu plus tard, les Washington Singers. Installé à Cincinnati (Ohio) depuis le milieu des années 50, il devient l'artiste maison du club Vet's Inn (sur Eastern Avenue) pendant 16 années. Dans ce recueil proposé par Wolf, on trouve le premier simple d'Albert Washington pour le label Finch (repris par Blues Town) : "You're gonna miss me" et "Ramble", deux excellents titres.
Son of Helen and Jerry Washington, he played at the age of five on his uncle's guitar, and ten years later he made his own instrument. At the death of his father (he is only 9 years old), he is forced to work to help his mother. In the late 1940's, the family moved in Newport (Kentucky) where Albert sang Gospel. He is also part of the band The Gospelaires of Dayton and then founded, a little later, the Washington Singers. Settled in Cincinnati, Ohio since the mid-1950's, he became the house artist of the Vet's Inn Club (on Eastern Avenue) for 16 years. In this Wolf collection, we find the first single of Albert Washington for the Finch label (reissued by Blues Town) : "You're gonna miss me" and "Ramble", two excellent titles.
BLUES AND SOUL MAN
Ace
January 1967 - 1972
Dès 1962, Albert Washington devient un des artistes majeurs sur la scène de Cincinnati. Il enregistre notamment pour le label Fraternity, dirigé par Harry Carlson, une série de titres dans une veine entre Soul sudiste et Gospel (production d'Harry Carlson et Ray Allen). Sur ce CD est compilé une bonne partie de cette remarquable production. Albert y est parfois accompagné du guitariste Lonnie Mack. Il montre à quel point, il est un superbe chanteur à la voix claire et passionnée. On peut retenir "Doggin' me around", "Jealous woman", "Tellin' all your friends", "Woman love", "Bring it on up". Mais aussi les faces les plus blues comme "Turn on the bright lights", "I'm gonna pour me a drink" et surtout l'intense "Hold me baby". En mai 1970, grâce à Harry Carlson - devenu entretemps son manager - il signe un contrat avec la firme King et grave quinze morceaux. Cependant, ces titres sont restés inédits et nul ne sait s'il s'agit vraiment de matériel original ou s'il s'agit de rééditions du matériel Fraternity.
Since 1962, Albert Washington became one of the major artists of the Cincinnati stage. He recorded for the Fraternity label, managed by Harry Carlson, a series of tracks in a Southern Soul - Gospel vein (production by Harry Carlson and Ray Allen). On this CD is compiled a good part of this remarkable production. Albert is sometimes accompanied by guitarist Lonnie Mack. He shows just how much he is a superb singer with a clear and passionate voice. We can point out "Doggin' me around", "Jealous woman", "Tellin' all your friends", "Woman love", "Bring it on up". But also the most blues sides like "Turn on the bright lights", "I'm gonna pour me a drink" and especially the intense "Hold me baby". In may 1970, thanks to Harry Carlson - who became his manager in the meantime - he signed a contract with King imprint and engraved fifteen songs. However, these titles have remained unissued and no one knows if they are really original material or if they are reissues of Fraternity material.
DIAMONDS IN ROUGH
P-Vine
1972
Dans cette anthologie japonaise rassemblant des titres pour de petits labels (M in the streets, L&W, Rye), on trouve cinq morceaux d'Albert Washington (dont deux étaient déjà parus dans "Blues and soul man") parmi lesquels "Go on and help yourself".
In this japanese anthology gathering songs for small labels (M in the streets, L&W, Rye), there are five tracks by Albert Washington (two of which have already appeared in "Blues and soul man") including "Go on and help yourself".
SAD AND LONELY
Eastbound
Westbound
1973
Grâce à son nouveau manager Roosevelt Lee, Albert signe un contrat d'enregistrement avec le label Eastbound. Gravé à Memphis aux studios TMI, cet album mêle efficacement Soul et Funk avec un peu de Blues. Vocalement influencé par James Brown et Otis Redding, il livre quelques titres remarquables comme "No matter what the cost may be", "You're messing up my mind", "Wings of a dove", "Mischievous ways", "If I lose your love". Malheureusement, les musiciens restent inconnus à ce jour (exceptés les Memphis Horns). Production de Bernie Mendelson.
Thanks to his new manager Roosevelt Lee, Albert signs a recording contract with the label Eastbound. Engraved in Memphis at TMI studios, this album effectively mixes Soul and Funk with a bit of Blues. Vocally influenced by James Brown and Otis Redding, he delivers some remarkable titles such as "No matter what the cost may be", "You're messing up my mind", "Wings of a dove", "Mischievous ways", "If I lose your love". Unfortunately, the musicians remain unknown to this day (except the Memphis Horns). Production by Bernie Mendelson.
STEP IT UP AND GO
Iris
May 1992
Après des années d'absence discographique, Albert trouva enfin l'opportunité de graver un album complet. Produit par Bob Devere et Nick Prout, il est parfaitement accompagné par de superbes sidemen (Kevin Barry, Bruce Katz, Gordon "Sax" Beadle). Albert compose l'ensemble de la tracklist (à l'exception d'un seul titre) et offre des moments très forts : "Step it up and go", "Hold on to a good woman", "Hard days", "Leave them drugs alone" et le magnifique "You're too late".
After years of discographical absence, Albert finally found the opportunity to cut a complete album. Produced by Bob Devere and Nick Prout, he is perfectly accompanied by superb sidemen (Kevin Barry, Bruce Katz, Gordon "Sax" Beadle). Albert composes the whole tracklist (except for one track) and offers very strong moments : "Step it up and go", "Hold on to a good woman", "Hard days", "Leave them drugs alone" and the magnificent "You're too late".
A BRIGHTER DAY
Iris
October 1993
Très inspiré au chant et à la guitare, Albert Washington est remarquablement supporté, sur ses propres compositions, par un groupe compact : Bross Townsend (piano), Bobby Forrester (orgue), Harvey Brooks (basse), Richard Crooks (batterie) et les cuivres Tom Malone et Willie Bridges. Ce superbe disque de Soul-Blues est également très bien produit par Bob Devere et Nick Prout. Les pépites sont nombreuses dans ce programme intense : "A brighter day", "I just can't stay away from you", "The day before we were married", "You're gonna lose the best man you ever had", "I walked a long way", "Don't drink and drive" et l'autobiographique "Keep on singing the blues". Ce dernier disque est assurément son meilleur.
Inspired on singing and guitar, Albert Washington is remarkably supported, on his own compositions, by a compact backing band : Bross Townsend (piano), Bobby Forrester (organ), Harvey Brooks (bass), Richard Crooks (drums) and horn blowers Tom Malone and Willie Bridges. This superb Soul-Blues record is also very well produced by Bob Devere and Nick Prout. The gems are numerous in this intense program : "A brighter day", "I just can't stay away from you", "The day before we were married", "You're gonna lose the best man you ever had", "I walked a long way", "Don't drink and drive" and the autobiographical "Keep on singing the blues". This last record is certainly his best.