Description
SoulMusic Records is very proud to present “A Beautiful Friendship: The Kudu Anthology, 1971-1976,” a 2-CD homage to the late, great Esther Phillips drawn from the most productive and successful period of her three-and-a-half decades-long career, the five years she spent with Kudu Records, an imprint of the legendary CTI label. •Highlights include Esther’s bitingly honest reading of Gil Scott-Heron’s ‘Home Is Where The Hatred Is’, which she considered one of the most challenging songs to record, given her own history with drug addiction. The track has been frequently sampled and remains one of the most amazing performances Esther gave on record. •Esther’s Kudu charted singles – from her 1975 globally successful disco-slanted revival of Dinah Washington’s ‘What A Diff’rence A Day Makes’ to covers of The Originals’ 1969 Motown hit, ‘Baby, I’m For Real’ and Eddie Floyd’s gender-switched ‘I’ve Never Found A Man (To Love Me Like You Do’) - are also featured. Two rare live recordings from a 1972 appearance at a CTI All-Stars concert at The Hollywood Bowl with five tracks from Esther’s classic 1973 “Black-Eyed Blues” LP, recorded with former members of King Crimson, are among other standouts. Extensive notes by Nathan include quotes from rock organist Tim Hinkley (who played on the album sessions) and from ‘70s interviews with Esther herself.