Song:Omar Khayyam
Album:Funky New Orleans: Nola Soul Explosion
You might think that with a song title like Omar Khayyam and and a group name like The Rubaiyats that this must be obscure funk and soul from the Middle East. You are right about the obscure part. But this is a one off single by legendary New Orleans producer and songwriter Allen Toussaint. Toussaint was in the US Army from 1963-65. After his discharge, He started Sansu Enterprises with Marshall Sehorn. His biggest success at the time was Lee Dorsey with hits like Workin' In the Coal Mine and Holy Cow. Toussaint was never one to rest on his laurels. He was always looking for that next big hit. Willie Harper was a background singer for Toussaint. He was a member of the doo wop group The Del-Royals. They released a couple of singles for Toussaint in 1961. Harper also recorded solo for Toussaint. The best known of those singles was Soda Pop in 1966. Harper never scored a hit. Toussaint recorded with Harper as Willie & Allen. They released the 1967 single I Don't Need No One. He followed this in 1968 with the single Tomorrow by The Rubaiyats also with Harper. The B side Omar Khayyam has proven to be more popular than the A side on the Northern Soul circuit in England. You can get Omar Khayyam on this various artists budget CD from Fuel 2000. The Sansu house band was Art Neville and the Sounds with Art Neville on keyboards, Leo Nocentelli on guitar, George Porter on bass and Zigaboo Modaliste on drums. They became The Meters in 1969. So this is a very obscure single by soul legends. Here's a video for Omar Khayyam by The Rubaiyats.
No comments:
Post a Comment