LEON HAYWOOD – A MELLOW KINDA FELLOW
Soul singer, producer and songwriter Leon Haywood passed away in his sleep on 5th April 2016. He was 74. Born, Otha Leon Haywood in Houston Texas on 11th February 1942, he listened to blues extensively as a child and was playing piano by the age of four. An accomplished pianist he played with a local Blues band and accompanied the likes of Guitar Slim.
In the early 60’s he moved to Los Angeles, where he continued playing with R&B/ Blues groups until he joined Sam Cooke’s band, with whom he remained until the latter’s death in 1964. By then he had already recorded his debut single, an instrumental entitled ‘Without A Love’ for a small independent label -Swingin Records. He also released two singles for Fantasy and another two for Imperial Records in 1964/ 65.
His first break came when he recorded his debut album for Fat Fish Records. The album ‘Soul Cargo’ dates from 1966 and is a mix of Soul and Jazz. Its title tune is a stomping groove in much the same vein as Ramsey Lewis’ ‘Wade In The Water. A year later, the same label released his classic ‘Baby Reconsider’, which remains a hugely popular tune on the Northern Soul scene. In 1967, Leon signed for Decca Records and released his first hit ‘It’s Got To Be Mellow’ from the album of the same name. At the same time, he played keyboards in bands like the Packers and Dyke And The Blazers.
Between 1967 and 1973, Haywood recorded singles for Atlantic and Capitol, but his second big break came when he signed for 20th Century Records. He released three albums for the label – ‘Back To Stay’, ‘Keep It In The Family’ and ‘Come And Get Yourself Some’. The latter spawned the hit ‘I Want’a Do Something Freaky To You’ with its wicked bass line and lush string arrangement. It was a song of its time (1975) and mixed Soul with Funk. Subsequently, the tune was sampled by the likes of Dr Dre and Snopp Dogg (‘Nuthin But A G Thang’), 50 Cents and Aaliyah. The album itself is a classic and includes several 2 Steppers of note.
A brief sojourn with Columbia produced one album ‘Intimate’ that included the Funk/ Soul opus ‘The Streets Will Love You To Death’ and a fine, if all too short re-working of ‘It’s Got To Be Mellow’. It is another wonderful Soul set, superbly arranged and recorded. Two Disco orientated sets followed shortly after: ‘Double My Pleasure’ and ‘Energy’ in the late 70’s. Both were on MCA Records. The former features a wicked funk tune ‘Fine And Healthy Thing’ that would not be out of place on an Ohio Players album.
Leon returned to 20th Century Records for ‘Naturally’ that included his biggest hit ‘If It Don’t Fit Don’t Force It’ which was also a UK Pop hit, his only top twenty success this side of the Atlantic. A proficient writer and producer, Haywood wrote and produced Carl Carlton’s smash ‘She’s A Bad Mama Jama’.
Leon revisited many of his hits on the 1983 set ‘It’s Me Again’ for Casablanca and once again for ‘Freaky Man’ in 1994 on his own Evejim label, but these sets were pale imitations of his glorious mid-seventies recordings. Both ‘Come And Get Yourself Some’ and ‘Intimate’ are gems and rank alongside albums by the likes of Leroy Hutson from that same era. And ‘Baby Reconsider’ is a classic.
Leon thank you for the great Soul. RIP.
