Carl “Sherlock” Holmes - Investigation No.1 (Rare Soul-Funk 1974)

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Source: Japan 24-Bit Remaster

Carl “Sherlock” Holmes started gigging in the early sixties forming Carl Holmes & the Commanders with whom he recorded a full length album for Atlantic in 1962 entitled Twist Party At The Roundtable. Later on he recorded a couple of 45’s for the Parkway and Verve labels. 

In May of 1966 a pre-Experience Jimi Hendrix gigged with the group but never recorded with them. After a final 45 for the local Philly label Black Jack, the group disbanded and Carl formed the Sherlock Holmes Investigation a solid outfit backed by a strong rhythm section packed with congas, vibes, flute, organ and sax. Philly’s Sigma Sound Studio was the place they recorded their sole album and Curtis R. Staten’s CRS Records was the label that released it. 

This album has it all! Smokin funk breaks in Black Bag, Investigation, Get Down Philly Town, It Ain't Right and some syncopated latin-inspired jams in Modesa. All these coupled nicely by some fine mellow numbers in Close To You, Think It Over and Your Game . And all but one (Bacharach/David's Close To You) written by a guy named Len Woods, a remarkable songwriter, no doubt! 

After Tramp Records has released four songs of this album on two 45RPM singles recently, the entire Investigation No.1 album is now available on CD. It even comes with a bonus track which has been originally released on 45RPM single only.

A funky holy grail, one of the rarest of the rare, and the only album ever cut by funky guitarist Carl “Sherlock” Holmes! Carl’s work on the guitar is incredible fast riffing and jazzy, with a style that’s dirtier and messier than some of his 70s jazz funk contemporaries, but which also lays back on a few tracks so that Carl can deliver a sweetly soulful vocal. The album’s a real blend of styles, all handled pretty darn well  from the hard funk of “Black Bag” and “Investigation“, to the Latin jamming of “Modesa“, the fast grooving of “Get Down Philly Town“, and the mellow soul of “Think It Over” and “Your Game“. Great stuff.

This is a super rare soul/funk record where Carl tries to close “the gap between R&B, jazz and psychedelic rock by the creation of a sound that is funky, mellow, intricately soulful and explosive, yet uniquely disciplined in its complexity!

Well, well, well.. It’s time now for some to the dirtier side of funkiness grooves of the early seventies, painted with some to the mellower side soul touches of the same era. And it’s a fine little record from one of the less familiar names around, Philly guitarist and vocalist Carl “Sherlock” Holmes.

Carl started gigging in the early sixties forming Carl Holmes and The Commanders with whom he recorded a full length album for Atlantic in 1962 entitled «Twist Party At The Roundtable», and a couple of 45’s for Parkway and Verve later on. They even gigged with one Jimi Hendrix in 1966 but alas never recorded. After a final 45 for the local Philly label Black Jack, the group disbanded and Carl formed the Sherlock Holmes Investigation, a solid outfit backed by a strong rhythm section packed with congas, vibes, flute, organ and sax. 

Philly’s Sigma Sound Studio was the place they recorded their sole album and Custis R. Staten’s CRS Records was the label that released it. And here we are.

Smokin funk breaks in «Black Bag», «Investigation», «Get Down Philly Town», «It Ain’t Right» and some syncopated latin-inspired jams in «Modesa» all coming out of the legendary Philly studio?… Yeah, why not? Music is One, or isn’t it? Ouch. 

All these coupled nicely by some fine mellow numbers in «Close To You», «Think It Over» and «Your Game» . ouch again! And all but one (Bacarach/David’s «Close To You») written by a guy named Len Woods. A remarkable blend of styles, no doubt!

This is the first official re-issue of the sought-after "Investigation No.1" album. It comes with a bonus track which has been originally released on 45RPM single only. All songs have been digitally remastered to ensure the highest quality possible.

Personnel:
♦ Backing Vocals – Chubby Brown
♦ Bass – Chico Green, Jimmy Towns
♦ Drums – Charles Harris
♦ Flute – John Daves
♦ Guitar – Art Grant
♦ Piano – John Hammond (2)
♦ Producer – Curtis R. Staten
♦ Saxophone – Middy Middleton, Ray Wright, Cupit
♦ Written-By – Len Woods* (tracks: 01, 03 to 07)
♦ Recorded at Sigma Sound Studio Philadelphia, PA

01. Investigation 04.05
02. Close To You 05.07
03. Black Bag 03.20
04. Think Is Over 03.25
05. Modesa 04.59
06. Your Game 04.16
07. Get Down Philly Town 02.59
08. It Ain’t Wright 03.07

Bonus Track From CBS Single [CRS-000005]
09. The Pot's Hot 02.31

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