In 1969, after three years as Soul Sister #1 to James Brown's touring entourage, Marva Whitney came home to Kansas City, putting Ellis Taylor's Forte label back at full fighting strength. She'd calmed aching crowds the day after MLK's death, and she'd lived the life, despite its rigors--to pour out her pain and exuberance on Forte sides including "I've Lived The Life" and "Daddy Don't Know About Sugar Bear," which made national rounds in 1972.
By then, Forte had already done more than deliver Marvelous Marva to market. Taylor worked overtime at KPRS to bring the world The Rayons, who'd stroll their girl group harmonies past Chicago's RCA studios on "Baby Be Good." In '68, The Four Darlings sauntered in with smoky-voiced soul operatics on the demanding "Give Me Love." Progressing in the middle '70s, Everyday People got "Super Black" on Forte's pine-green label. Still powering forward some 13 years on, Forte redawned with the 1980s, essaying disco funk with Sharon Revoal's "Reaching for Our Star."
Numero 047 Eccentric Soul: The Forte Label charts Kansas City yeoman's work, the Carpets and the Derbys, dapper clothiers mysteriously murdered, and marriages made and broken. In 28 LP tracks, plus a trove of promo headshots and every-hued label scans detailing all iterations of Forte's logo in print, this 16th Eccentric Soul sojourn hands over vivid floor shakers and lost dance craze records alike--though what moves "The Hen" required remains anyone's guess.
A1 -Gene Williams (7) Don't Let Your Love Fade Away
A2 -Lee Harris (17) I Am Gonna Get Your Thing
A3 -Tear Drops I'm Gonna Get You
A4 -Louis Chachere The Hen Part 1
A5 -Fantasticks, The Cry Night And Day
A6 -Marva W. Taylor I've Lived The Life
A7 -Fabulous Rhythm Makers, The Mini, Mini Afro Twist
B1 -Tony Ashley I'll Never Be Satisfied
B2 -Rayons, The You Confuse Me Baby
B3 -Four Darlings Baby Your Love Is Amazing
B4 -Lee Harris (17) Lookin' Good
B5 -Marva Whitney Daddy Don't Know About Sugar Bear
B6 -Gene Williams (7) Whatever You Do (Do It Good)
B7 -Everyday People Is It Really That Bad
C1 -Rayons, The Baby Be Good
C2 -Tony Ashley All Along I've Loved You
C3 -Lee Harris (17) I've Got To Have Somebody's Love
C4 -Everyday People Super Black
C5 -James Whitney With Fun In My Life
C6 -Sharon Revoal Reaching For Our Star
C7 -Marva W. Taylor Nothing I'd Rather Be
D1 -Four Darlings, The Give Me Love
D2 -Unknown Artist Dearest Lover
D3 -Fantasticks, The Live And Let Live
D4 -Fabulous Rhythm Makers, The Ya Gotta Be Doing It
D5 -Lee Harris (17) Skate, Boogaloo And Karate Too
D6 -Tears Drops Don't Fade Away
D7 -Marva Whitney And Ellis Taylor (2) We Need More (But Somebody Gotta Sacrifice)
