Lp The Dynamics First Landing 1969 Funk / Soul. COTILLION SD 9009

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First Landing Review by Andrew Hamilton

First Landing is a superb debut album by one of Detroit's most under-appreciated groups. The Dynamics cut these tracks in Memphis, TN, giving the album a deep soul sound. "The Ice Cream Song," written by former member Zerben R. Hicks, raced up the R&B charts and remains their most popular recording. A killer version of the Motown classic "Since I Lost You," punctuates these soulful selections; the gorgeous Ronnie Shannon ballad "What Would I Do" is impeccably done.

THE DYNAMICS

COTILLION SD 9009 - 1969

CONDITION:

The record has barely been played. The cover has some shelf wear. The front right cover has a small saw cut. The previous owner wrote their name 4 times. The inner sleeve is there. (See pics).

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Artist Biography

by Andrew Hamilton

First Landing

Isaac "Zeke" Harris, George White, Fred Baker, and Samuel Stevenson were the Dynamics. (Zerben R. Hicks also sang with them but left shortly after their first album release.) All Detroit natives, the group was managed by Ted White, who was married to the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin.Their first Cotillion release, the metaphoric "Ice Cream Song," did quite well on R&B charts. Following the lead of Atlantic recording Aretha in the South, White took the Dynamics to Memphis to record, which is why "Ice Cream Song" sounds like something the Mad Lads would have recorded at Stax. The Dynamics, however, were more versatile than the Mad Lads, and the material was better too. They had three lead voices, one being an outstanding falsetto. Chips Morman and Tommy Cogbill produced their early sides; the rhythm section consisted of Memphis stalwarts Reggie Young (guitar), Bobby Emmons (organ), Bobby Wood (piano), Mick Leach (bass), and Gene Chrisman (drums). They recorded two albums: First Landing on Cotillion and What a Shame on Black Gold.

The Dynamics were a Detroit quartet who did not record for the giant Motown hit factory. Instead, their manager, Ted White, Aretha Franklin's husband, moved the singers to Memphis, and as he did with Franklin he put a bunch of all-star, Memphis, studio musicians behind them. Visualize The Temptations recording at Atlantic or Stax instead of Motown and you'll understand the sound of this album. The group was smoother than most Memphis acts but grittier (thank goodness) than Gamble and Huff's Philly soul. The sessions produced twelve top notch songs with perfect background harmonies supporting three lead vocalists who alternate between falsetto on the ballads and R&B shouting on the uptempo and dance tunes.

The album was produced by Tommy Cogbill and Chips Moman who worked with Elvis Presley, Neil Diamond, Wilson Pickett, Waylon Jennings, and a whole lot more. It's obvious that the quartet was highly regarded and slated for the big time.

The album's best known tune, "Ice Cream Song" did well on the R&B charts but nothing else ever came close to matching it's success. The rave-up cover of Motown's "Since I Lost You" is a highlight as are "Dum-De-Dum" and "Ain't No Sun."

The Dynamics released a second album in 1973 but were never heard from again. That is unfortunate because they deserved to be stars. They could sing and harmonize with the best the genre had to offer.

Readers old enough to remember July 1969 may take note of the album cover and its title referencing the Apollo 11 Moon landing of that year.