A very recent purchase this, it only arrived on Wednesday,
but it’s one I needed to share with you ASAP.
Released by VEL records of Chicago in 1975, the two sides of
Lavon Lambeth’s 7”, Looking At Myself
and Talking To Her, are in fact
short extracts from longer tracks of the same name. Those two longer versions
make up the entire contents of his album Man
and His Awareness, issued that same year.
Over the piano tinkling of Vince Willis (aka Vincent Jerome
Willis), Lavon Emmett Lambeth – who studied for a BA in History at The University of Michigan in the late 1950s – invites you inside his deeply
troubled mind. Lavon is part poet, part self-help guru of seduction. Very much
in the style of Barry White, on this disc he bravely discusses how his sexual
shenanigans and physical prowess still leave him doubting his desirability,
something that he assumes many of his listeners can empathise with.
Very much the New Age man, in the same year that Man and His Awareness was issued, Lavon
also published a book (or booklet, more likely) called Man to Woman, Love and the Zodiac.
Lavon appears to have begun his songwriting career in 1969.
That year he and his friend, Chicago-based producer and arranger Nate Vincent,
wrote the songs Love is Where You Find
It, I’ll Always be Around, Remember
Me My Love, Help This Girl and Nothing
In This World – but I’m much more intrigued by a brace of songs he wrote
with Vince Willis the year before Looking
at Myself came out. In 1974 the pair came up with The Guy I’ve Always Wanted to Marry and So Much Love to Give. I’ve no idea if these songs were ever
recorded, but I’d be fascinated to find out if they were, and if the singer was
Lavon himself. It would put a whole different spin on today’s selection!
I’m afraid I can’t tell you much more about Lavon – he certainly
does not appear to have recorded or released anything outside of this one album
and its associated 7” – but, as always, if any of you know anything, please do
get in touch.
Enjoy!
Download Looking HERE
Download Talking HERE
Wondering if you ever found more information about Lavon. I discovered this post while searching for more information on him myself. He was sampled in a popular song (Eye of Whorus) by rapper 'Roc Marciano' and I enjoyed the poem very much (albeit, I fall victim to being inspired by relevant satires; American Psycho, Bonfire of The Vanities).
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to think about how much of art is lost to this void, self produced music from the 70s. How many more Lavon's were brushed into obscurity? Anyway, you're doing God's work -- keep it up!
I believe Lavon went on to work in Chicago as a freelance writer: he was penning news items for the Chicago Tribune in the early 1980s and I've found one column dated 1982, but that's all I have (so far!)
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