Jay Mitchell - Another Time And Place

All Kapuncle Up (Instrumental)


JAY MITCHELL
Another Time And Place
197?

82.7 MB
256+ VBR LAME mp3
Vinyl rip & scans from Elite ERS 1027


If you're a regular reader of this blog you're probably at least somewhat familiar with the Floridian-inspired sounds of the funky Bahamas like T-Connection, The Beginning Of The End and maybe even Frank Penn's GBI stable thanks to last year's blazing Numero Group compilation Cult Cargo: Grand Bahama Goombay. On the latter, Mitchell was the centrepiece with his output making up 1/4 of the collection.

This Bahamanian behemoth of booty-shakin' beats and beautiful ballads is likely one of the best entertainers you've never heard of despite his huge following in the Caribbean and his stints with James Brown's band, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin and the Jackson clan. He was actually signed to ol' Joe, lived with the family for a while and released at least one 12" on the Jackson vanity label (Look Before You Leave).

Who knows just how well-known he would have been on a world-wide scale if he hadn't succumbed to homesickness a couple times and headed back to the Bahamas at those crucial crossroads in his career. He continues to pack 'em in five nights a week and his stature in the country is such that his was the voice tapped to sing at Anna Nicole Smith's Nassau funeral along with one of her favourite country music singers, Joe Nichols.

For a full rundown on this amazing performer (and Reiki master to boot!), check out his bio at the Musicians & Entertainers of Bahama website, head over to Mackey Media (run by T-Connection guitarist Dave Mackey) for a 15-minute radio interview with the man himself or click on the link below to read the full version of the article excerpted.


Excerpts from Musical Entertainer, Jay Mitchell
by Glenn C. Nairn originally published at What's On Bahamas in 2003.

One of his next career highlights came in 1967 when he visited one of New Providence‘s top nightclubs, The Cat and Fiddle, Nassau Street. There he impressed well-known businessman "Father Allen" (Olden Smith). Says he: "He (Father Allen) had a concert with Chuck Jackson and several other stateside artists…The Cat and Fiddle was jammed. But they (the performers) weren’t moving the people. I jumped on stage, grabbed the mike out of Chuck Jackson’s hand and started bugging. Everybody went crazy!

"Father Allen came and said, ‘Hey, young man, who are you?’ I said,’‘Jay Mitchell.’ He said, ‘I brought these people from all the way in the USA and they can’t move the people. And you jump up on the stage and drive those people crazy – I’m going to make you a star!" Indeed, Father Allen endeavoured to assist the young entertainer with his career by becoming his promoter and mentor.

Within that period, the young entertainer bowled over Aretha Franklin, "the Queen of Soul," when he did""I’m Black and I’m Proud" at a concert she headlined at the Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre. He accepted an invitation from her to perform at the Philharmonic in New York. At the Philharmonic, he met a number of other renown entertainers, including Sweet Inspiration, The Temptations, and The Four Tops. Although he enjoyed working with Franklin, he became homesick, as he missed his family.

Also, he wanted to return home because he felt his growth as an artist was in jeopardy; he feared he would sound like an impersonator of the artists whose songs he performed. "I was going to end up sounding like (a cross) between Arthur Conley, Ottis Redding, and James Brown – right between them, and I wasn’t going to be able to develop a style of my own. I always felt within me that I could use what is in me to bring out what I’ve learned from outside. So I wanted to join these (experiences) together and create my own. "Now when you hear my mouth, you know it’s me…See, I didn’t have that identity. I sounded so much like James Brown, and I did the Joe Tex show with the microphone and stuff. I was not pleased with myself – although everybody else was."

------------------------------------

About a year-and-a-half later he was back in Freeport, where he worked at a number of top local night spots, including Joker’s Wild, Rum Runners, The Sultan’s Tent, and his own nightclub, New Dimension...After a performance at The Sultan’s Tent, he was lauded by an associate of Michael Jackson’s father, Joe Jackson, an entertainment promoter. The associate, says Mitchell, was there with a group for some sort of celebrations.

He recalls that the associate told him he was certain Jackson would sign him on his label, as he was better than all seventeen of the persons whom Jackson was about to take on. Not taking the compliment seriously, Mitchell virtually ignored him. However, around that time, a Philadelphia promoter whom he had engaged submitted his recordings to Jackson who immediately signed him on.

Traveling to Los Angeles, he began a three-year stint under Jackson’s promotion, at which time he resided in the Jacksons’ home. Jackson and his family, including Michael, Jermaine, and their other siblings, treated him as if he were a part of the family. Reflecting on his memorable moments with the Jacksons, he recalls that Jackson once provided him with the opportunity to work with James Brown’s band, while Brown was incarcerated....And performed he did, stunning Bobby Bird the band’s director and others, especially because of his imitation of Brown’s famous dance.

Despite his success under Jackson’s direction, including the production of a CD "Jay Mitchell" produced by Jackson’s recording company (he has a number of other CDs, of which "Another Place and Time" and" "My Prayer" are perhaps the most popular), he again found himself wanting to leave the States. This time he wanted to leave because of intense media pressure; the media dogged him to ascertain the veracity of Latoya Jackson’s accusations against members of the Jackson clan.

Jay Mitchell +3 ca. mid-70s

Front L to R:
Dennis Peterson, Joey Williams, Mark "Scab"
Back L to R:
Simeon Rolle, Jay Mitchell, Steven Rolle

eBay review cached by popsike:

A brilliant funky Bahamas record by the same Jay Mitchell who did “Spirits of Fire – Goom Rock” “Deep Heat” and “Your Mama Your Daddy Again.” Features the 7-minute, ultra-punchy “Yellow Bird (Disco)” and “The World Keeps Turning Round.” Stupendous, funky & hard to find.


Tracks 1, 3
Jay Mitchell - Vocals, Synth, Strings, Backing Vocals
Mott - Guitar, Synth, Strings
Charles Bethel - Bass
Patrick Russell - Drums
Aurdley Russell - Guitar
Peter Francis - Piano
Andrew Brennen - Tenor Sax
Jarvas - Trumpet
Portia - Backing Vocals

Tracks 2,4,6
Jay Mitchell - Vocals, Piano, Synth, Backing Vocals
Dennis Peterson - Bass
Joey Williams - Guitar
Steve Rose - Drums
Andrew Brennen - Horns
Simon Rolle - Horns

Tracks 5,7,8
Jay Mitchell - Vocals, Piano, Synth, Horn Effect, Backing Vocals
Mott - Guitar, Synth, Horn Effect
Campbell (Savage) - Bass
Brian Russell - Drums


1 Yellow Bird (Disco)
2 The World Keep Turning Round
3 Another Time And Place
4 All Kapuncle Up (Instrumental)
5 Strangers To The Night Dew
6 Am Sorry You Have To Go
7 I Thank God
8 Bush Medicine

Discography
Can anyone out in the blogosphere help fill in these blanks? Any assistance with dates or other info on these sessions would be highly appreciated. If you've ripped any of these, we'd be grateful if you could share!



1972 Souvenir Of Freeport Bahamas
(Bahamas Ministry of Tourism)
incl. Tighter & Tighter and Mustang Sally



1974 Your Mama Your Daddy Again (GBI)
incl. Goombay Bump



1975 Impartiality (GBI)
incl. Funky Fever



197? Another Place And Time (Elite)



197? Spirits of Fire - Goom Rock (Freeport Sounds)



197? Deep Heat (JM)



198? Junka City (Junka Records)



1984 Junka Heat (Junka Records)


?
1990 Jay Mitchell (Gold Castle)



1999 Jay Is For Junkanoo (Mackey Media)



19?? Soft Touch (JM)



19?? Higher Ground (JM)



19?? Bahamian Roots (JM)

Don't count on easily finding a copy of this ultra-rare record in another time and place, Soundological recommends you grab it HERE and NOW.