Thursday, July 7, 2011

Belgian Hammond Genuis

ANDRE BRASSEUR-Holiday/The Kid U.S. Congress CG271 1967
Here's a strange one kids, a U.S. pressing by a two sided organ killer by Belgian master of the B-3 Andre Brasseur on Congress! Best known in DJ/soulie circles for the B-side to this record, "The Kid", Brasseur had a slew of groovy Hammond instrumentals on par in the funkiness of say, The Mohawks with enough kitsch to easily slot into the earthier and more danceable end of the "easy listening"/"music library" craze of the late 90's.

"Holiday" is my favorite track by him.  It's a mid tempo number with some very fluid B-3 action playing an infectious melody with enough sustain on it to recall Dave "Baby" Cortez on his best sides, yet not too way out to seem almost like "incidental" music from some forgotten 60's cult film.  "The Kid" has long been the darling of several Northern Soul DJ's and as usual I'm left scratching my head and wondering how the *uck this stands up alongside "Our Love Is In The Pocket" or "Sally Saying Something" but hey I don't decide these things, some old guys in Northern England do/did...The intro has a beat that's easily danceable but then the organ kicks in and it has sort of a Booker T. groove to it that's more muzak than funky to my ears (regardless, I dig muzaky sounds, and this tune too).

I've no idea if either of these tracks were reissued anywhere on CD, can anybody fill me in on this one?

Hear "Holiday":


Hear "The Kid":


2 comments:

Genghis Cohen said...

You can find "The Kid" on the "Twisted Wheel Story, one more time" CD Goldmine GSCD 112 and "Holiday" on "North of Watford, Volume 2, Rare pop and soul classics" Bestway KRLCD3. Hope this info is helpful.

Wilthomer said...

Cheers!