VARIOUS ARTISTS:
Soul Christmas
Original release:
LP: Atco SD-33-269 (1968)
Other releases:
LP: Atlantic (Germany) ATL 40175 (1968)
'The Original Soul Christmas'
CD: Rhino Records R2 71788 (1994)
| 1. | Back Door Santa (Clarence Carter) | |
| 2. | The Christmas Song (King Curtis) | |
| 3. | White Christmas (Otis Redding) | |
| 4. | I'll Make Everyday Christmas (For My Woman) (Joe Tex) | |
| 5. | Silver Bells (Booker T. & The MG's) | |
| 6. | Gee Whiz, It's Christmas (Carla Thomas) | |
| 7. | Merry Christmas Baby (Otis Redding) | |
| 8. | Presents For Christmas (Solomon Burke) | |
| 9. | Jingle Bells (Booker T. & The MG's) | |
| 10. | Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday (William Bell) | |
| 11. | What Are You Doing New Year's Eve (King Curtis) | |
| 12. | All I Want For Christmas Is You (Carla Thomas) (CD only) | |
| 13. | Christmas Time (Ray Charles) (CD only) | |
| 14. |
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (Booker T. & The MG's) (CD only) |
In various discography's and also on the CD release of
this album is mentioned that Duane Allman plays guitar on the two King Curtis
tracks, but on "The Christmas Song" no guitar can be heard.
These two tracks were recorded at Atlantic Recording Studios, New York City on
October 23, 1968 and this album was released on November 8, 1968.
The two King Curtis tracks were also released as a 7" single on November 25,
1968.
Both tracks were produced by Tom Dowd.
This information is from:
https://www.jazzdisco.org/atlantic-records/discography-1968/
| King Curtis And The Kingpins | ||
| unknown (flute, piano, celeste, guitar, electric bass, drums, strings) King Curtis (tenor sax) Duane Allman (guitar) | ||
| NYC, October 23, 1968 | ||
| 15484 | The Christmas Song | Atco 6630, SD 33-269 |
| 15485 | What Are You Doing New Year's Eve | - |
| * Atco SD 33-269 Various Artists - Soul Christmas | ||
|
* Atco 6630 King Curtis - The Christmas Song / What Are You Doing New Year's Eve |
||
Duane Allman became a session player at Rick Hall's 'Fame Recording Studios' in
Muscle Shoals, AL in September 1968. After the recording of Wilson Pickett's 'Hey
Jude' on November 27, 1968, Rick Hall contacted Jerry Wexler of Atlantic
Records, who would release the single 'Hey Jude' in December 1968. For Duane
Allman this resulted in an invitation to take part in the Aretha Franklin
recording sessions at the Atlantic Recording Studios in New York on January 8, 9
& 10, 1969.
It was Jerry Wexler who draw Tom Dowd's attention to Duane Allman.
Update February
8, 2015:
Tom Dowd told Walter Vanderbeken:
"I first heard Duane when Rick Hall brought up the Pickett tapes to
Atlantic, but I didn't get to meet him before we cut Aretha [January
1969]. I may be credited as producer on "Hey Jude", but I only did the
New York overdubs, I was never there for the session. I got credits for
Arthur Conley's album, but half of that was done at American in Memphis. I
was there for that, but to my recollection the album was finished at Fame by
Jackie Avery - if memory serves me right. Again, I don't remember being
there. Now these 2 King Curtis tracks, don't know in the world how my name
got in there. It doesn't sound like any way I'd produce, it doesn't sound
like the Atlantic Studios, and it doesn't sound like Duane Allman. This
sounds like Capitol Studios to me, so it might be somebody like Eric Gale or
Cornell Dupree. I can only guess somebody made a wrong entree in the books."
On page 10 of the
booklet of the album 'Duane Allman - An Anthology' (1972)
is also mentioned
that the first time Tom Dowd and Duane Allman worked
together was at the
Aretha Franklin recording sessions in January 1969.
Therefore it is impossible that Duane Allman played on the two King Curtis tracks on the 'Soul Christmas' album.
45 rpm single releases:
King Curtis: The Christmas Song / What Are You Doing New Year's Eve (Atco
SD-45-6630, November 25, 1968). Duane Allman doesn't play on these tracks.