Geno Washington & the Ram Jam Band - "Shake a Tail Feather Baby!" (Piccadilly, 1967)

Not to be confused with the Detroit igneous shouter Gino Washington, this Geno was not bad at all - even though my personal fave of the two, is the one with an "i" on his name. Geno Washington was an American Air Force GI, stationed in England during the period of the big R&B Boom! Clever enough to understood this, got involved with the growing day by day culture of the Mods and became the frontman of a well oiled machine under the name of the Ram Jam Band. His musical background had a healthy dose of Little Richard, Wilson Pickett and Don Covay and even though his voice was not something special to be remembered of, his energy and especially on stage, made him win with his own sword a secure place among this period's pantheon.
Geno with the Ram Jam early on scored a hit on Piccadilly in 1966 with the "Water" and even though never entered the highest positions of the charts, made some more appearances in there through the years that followed. Arguably their best were at concerts cause they had the skills to easily pack a place and make the sharp dressed crowd to sweat their suits. Of the last clause's truth -  people today usually stands (when it comes for recorded material) on their first two live records (" Hand Clappin' Foot Stompin' Funky-Butt...Live!" & "Hipsters, Flipsters, Finger-Poppin' Daddies!") but... the heretic lunatic of this space prefers their only (?) studio recorded long play, for a presentation. "Shake A Tail Feather Baby!" had it all! A great front sleeve and a good dose of Memphis Soul execution-ed in its RAWER and FUNKIER  instances! With Stax in mind ("Raise Your Hand," "Knock on Wood", "Who's Foolin' Who") or rock n' roll ("Bonie Moronie"), Geno and the Ram Jam delivered a classic of gritty vocals, wailin' saxes with pounding drums and phunky strings. The keywords on this, should be "Energy" and "Vitality". Perhaps, the best ever approach of the Stax sound, outside America.
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Phunky Butt!