Arthur Lee Reeves
b. December 25th, 1943 in Medon (Tennessee)
WHERE SOUTHERN SOUL BEGAN vol.1&2
History of Soul
FROM NEW ORLEANS TO CHICAGO VIA MEMPHIS
The Blue Label
1962
Il chante d'abord à l'église puis apprend la guitare à l'adolescence avec sa mère. Ensuite, Arthur monte une formation de Gospel - The Gospel Travelers - qui connait un succès régional puis tourne avec le chanteur Gene Allison. Entre 1959 et 1964, il devient un musicien renommé sur la scène de Dallas. Au début des années 60, il propose ses premiers titres en studio pour les labels Jamie (avec le producteur Al Klein), Duchess ("I'll be your friends") et surtout Valdot (dirigé par Ted Jarrett). Pour ce dernier label, Arthur grave "Tend to your business" et le magnifique "The same thing" dans lequel on remarque déjà sa superbe guitare.
He first sings in church and then learns guitar as a teenager with his mother. Then Arthur forms a Gospel group - The Gospel Travelers - which is a regional hit then tours with singer Gene Allison. Between 1959 and 1964, he became a renowned musician on the Dallas scene. In the early 60's, he released his first studio tracks for Jamie (with producer Al Klein), Duchess ("I'll be your friends") and especially Valdot (directed by Ted Jarrett) labels. For this last one, Arthur cuts "Tend to your business" and the magnificent "The same thing" in which we already notice his superb guitar.
THE COMPLETE MODERN & KENT RECORDINGS
Ace
1967 - 1968
En 1964, Arthur Adams s'installe à Los Angeles et collabore notamment avec les frères Bihari sur les labels Kent et Modern. Il y délivre une production entre Blues et Soul où brillent souvent sa guitare incisive et sa voix puissante. Plusieurs morceaux remarquables voient le jour comme "She drives me out of my mind" (issu du téléfilm "The outsider"), "I need you", "I'm lonely for you", "Let your hair down", "Gimme some of your lovin'", "Is that you". En parrallèle de son travail en leader, Arthur s'impose également comme un musicien de studio très demandé.
In 1964, Arthur Adams moved to Los Angeles and collaborated with the Bihari brothers on Kent and Modern labels. He delivers a production between Blues and Soul where his incisive guitar and his powerful voice are often shining. Several remarkable pieces come out as "She drives me out of my mind" (from the TV movie "The Outsider"), "I need you", "I'm lonely for you", "Let your hair down", "Gimme some of your lovin'", "Is that you". In parallel of his work as a leader, Arthur is also a sought-after studio musician.
THE COMPLETE MOTOWN RECORDINGS vol.9, 10 & 11A
Hip-O
1969 - 1971
Arthur enregistre plusieurs titres pour le label Chisa (dirigé par Hugh Masekela et appartenant à Motown). Son style s'oriente vers une Soul cuivrée avec les excellents "It's private tonight", "Let's make some love", "Mornin' train", "Can't wait to see you".
Arthur records several titles for the Chisa label (led by Hugh Masekela and owned by Motown). His style is oriented towards brassy Soul with the excellent "It's private tonight", "Let's make some love", "Mornin' train", "Can't wait to see you".
IT'S PRIVATE TONIGHT
Blue Thumb
July - August 1972
Ce premier LP, co-produit par Tommy Lipuma et Arthur Adams, parait sur le label Blue Thumb de Bob Krasnow. Derrière Arthur, on trouve un superbe groupe composé de Phil Upchurch, Wilton Felder, Joe Sample, Paul Humphrey mais aussi ensemble de cordes et de cuivres bien arrangés par Dave Blumberg. Musicien et compositeur doué, Arthur Adams donne une coloration Soul et même Funk (l'instrumental "Get on the ground") à sa musique. Plusieurs titres remarquables méritent une écoute attentive : "I'm going home", "You hit the nail on the head", "Go on and do that", "I can't believe my eyes", "It's private tonight".
This first LP, co-produced by Tommy Lipuma and Arthur Adams, is issued on Bob Krasnow's Blue Thumb label. Behind Arthur, we find a superb group composed of Phil Upchurch, Wilton Felder, Joe Sample, Paul Humphrey but also strings and horns ensemble arranged by Dave Blumberg. Gifted musician and composer, Arthur Adams gives a Soul and even Funk coloration (the instrumental "Get on the ground") to his music. Several remarkable titles deserve a careful listening : "I'm going home", "You hit the nail on the head", "Go on and do that", "I can't believe my eyes", "It's private tonight".
HOME BREW
Fantasy
January - April 1975
Même orientation Soul-Funk avec musiciens chevronnés (Joe Sample, Styx Hooper, Oscar Brashear, George Bohanon, Ronnie Laws) et production à la hauteur de Wayne Henderson. Il fait la part belle aux cuivres (toujours placés en avant) parfois au détriment de la guitare d'Arthur Adams (toujours compositeur de la plupart des pistes). "Home brew", "The blues", "That's the way you move", "Keep on dancing", "Chicago sidewalk" figurent parmi les meilleurs moments de ce disque.
Same Soul-Funk direction with experienced musicians (Joe Sample, Styx Hooper, Oscar Brashear, George Bohanon, Ronnie Laws) and nice production of Wayne Henderson. He gives place to horns section (always placed in front) sometimes to the detriment of the guitar of Arthur Adams (always composer of most tracks). "Home brew", "The blues", "That's the way you move", "Keep on dancing", "Chicago sidewalk" are among the highlights of this album.
MIDNIGHT SERENADE
Fantasy
Early 1977
Toujours avec le producteur Wayne Henderson dans une veine Soul-Funk avec des intonations Disco (cuivres, synthétiseur, choristes). Les arrangements sont assez lourds. "When I'm away from you", "I'm in like with you" dans lesquels on entend un peu la guitare d'Arthur me semble être les meilleurs pistes.
Always with producer Wayne Henderson in a Soul-Funk vein with Disco intonations (horns, synthesizer, backing vocals). The arrangements are quite heavy. "When I'm away from you", "I'm in like with you" in which we hear a little Arthur's guitar seems to me to be the best tracks.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE MY LADY
A&M
1979
Ici les titres sont noyés sous une profusion d'arrangements lourds produits par Stewart Levine et Rik Pekkonen. On peut éventuellement retenir "Put your hand in mine". Un disque bien loin de ses meilleurs réussites Soul et Blues.
Here all titles are drowned under a profusion of heavy arrangements produced by Stewart Levine and Rik Pekkonen. We can possibly retain "Put your hand in mine". A record well far from his best Soul and Blues achievements.
BACK ON TRACK
Blind Pig
1999
Après une longue absence, il revient au Blues dans le courant des années 80-90 se focalisant sur le travail de sideman. Arthur participe notamment à un disque de B.B. King ("There's always one more time") et devient le chef d'orchestre du groupe du B.B. King's Blues Club de Los Angeles. Cet album symbolise le retour d'Arthur Adams sur le devant de la scène. Il produit l'album lui-même et s'offre deux sympathiques duos avec B.B. King ("Get you next to me", "The long haul"). Toujours excellent chanteur et guitariste au jeu tranchant influencé par B.B. King, Arthur propose d'excellents moments tels que "Why does she think she is", "You really got it going on", "Honda Betty". Un disque Soul-Blues bien produit au son dense.
After a long absence, he returned to Blues during the 80's-90's focusing on his sideman activity. Arthur participates to a B.B. King record ("There's always one more time") and becomes the bandleader of B.B. King's Blues Club houseband in Los Angeles. This album symbolizes the return of Arthur Adams to the front of the stage. He produced the album himself and offered two nice duets with B.B. King ("Get you next to me", "The long haul"). Always excellent singer and guitarist with sharp playing influenced by B.B. King, Arthur offers excellent moments such as "Why does she think she is", "You really got it going on", "Honda Betty". A Soul-Blues record well produced with dense sound.
SOUL OF THE BLUES
PM
2004
Comme le titre l'indique, la musique d'Arthur Adams emprunte autant au Blues qu'à la Soul. Sa belle voix et son jeu de guitare élégant illuminent cet excellent programme chaleureux et cuivré. Les morceaux - tous originaux - sont écrits par Arthur Adams et Will Jennings (ils sont aussi les deux producteurs). La plupart d'entre eux s'avèrent très aboutis : "Twenty years gone", "Good night in the city", "Soul of the blues", "Lovin' you big time", "Thumbs up", "I like the party life".
As the title suggests, Arthur Adams' music borrows as much from Blues as from Soul. His beautiful voice and his elegant guitar playing illuminate this excellent warm and brassy program. The tracks - all original - are written by Arthur Adams and Will Jennings (they are also the two producers). Most of them turn out very achieved : "Twenty years gone", "Good night in the city", "Soul of the blues", "Lovin' you big time", "Thumbs up", "I like the party life".
STOMP THE FLOOR
Delta Groove
2009
Arthur Adams a co-produit l'album avec Lou Castro et composé la totalité des morceaux de cet album paru chez Delta Groove. Il donne une place de choix aux belles ballades Soul comme "Nature of the beast", "Thrive on your vibe" et "You are invited". On peut retenir également "You can't win for losing" et "Don't let the door hit you".
Arthur Adams is co-producer with Lou Castro and composed all the tracks of this album released by Delta Groove. He gives a place of choice to the beautiful soul ballads like "Nature of the beast", "Thrive on your vibe" and "You are invited". We can also remember "You can't win for losing" and "Don't let the door hit you".
LOOK WHAT THE BLUES HAS DONE FOR ME
Cleopatra
2017
Sur ce double CD, il y a le premier disque contenant un nouvel album original tandis que le second est une compilation de ses meilleurs titres. Toujours au meilleur de sa forme, Arthur se montre impérial à la guitare et au chant : "You pullin' my leg", "Look what the blues has done for me", "Lowdown and dirty", "Elevator ride", "If you let me love you".
On this double CD, there is the first disc containing a new original album while the second is a compilation of his best titles. Always in his best form, Arthur is imperial on guitar and vocals : "You pullin' my leg", "Look what the blues has done for me", "Lowdown and dirty", "Elevator ride", "If you let me love you ".
HERE TO MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD
Cleopatra
2019
Pour ce second album pour Cleopatra, Arthur co-produit avec le claviériste Hense Powell et assure la composition de la plupart des titres. Le programme est inégal parfois un peu plat mais comporte tout de même de remarquables morceaux comme le funky "Tear the house down", le blues cuivré "Gonna make some money" mais aussi les sympathiques "Full of fire", "Pretty lady", "By myself", "A little dab will do ya".
For this second album for Cleopatra, Arthur co-produced with keyboardist Hense Powell and composed most of the tracks. The program is uneven sometimes a little flat but still has some remarkable songs like the funky "Tear the house down", the brassy blues "Gonna make some money" but also the nice "Full of fire", "Pretty lady", "By myself", "A little dab will do ya".
KICK UP SOME DUST
Cleopatra
2023
Désormais octogénaire, Arthur Adams se montre toujours à l'aise au chant et à la guitare (dans un style proche de B.B. King). Dans ce nouvel album pour Cleopatra, il creuse son habituel sillon Soul-Blues avec des titres convaincants ("Starving for your love", l'instrumental "Kick up some dust", "University of hard knocks") et s'ouvre même à d'autres sonorités avec "Fly with me to paradise" et "Cool as a cucumber".
Now in his eighties, Arthur Adams is still at ease on vocals and guitar (in a style reminiscent of B.B. King). On this new album for Cleopatra, he digs his usual Soul-Blues groove with convincing tracks (“Starving for your love”, the instrumental “Kick up some dust”, “University of hard knocks”) and even opens up to other with “Fly with me to paradise” and “Cool as a cucumber”.