Jack Ashford's story is about how a Philadelphia jazz man ended up in Detroit, playing on hundreds of the greatest R&B recordings ever made.  The percussionist's unforgettable work with Motown's Funk Brothers has been oft-chronicled, but on a recent compilation, Ace Records' Kent imprint has turned its attention to Ashford's producing and songwriting work away from Hitsville, USA between the years of 1968 and 1977.  Just Productions features 24 sizzling slices of ultra-rare Detroit soul (including six previously unreleased tracks) crafted by Ashford's company of the same name for the city's various independent labels.  Some of the company's productions appeared on their own Sepia, Triple B, and Ashford labels, while others were licensed to the likes of Jay-Walking, Buddah, Spectrum, Premium Stuff and Inter Soul. Northern soul-style stompers, ballads and instrumentals all were among Just's output.

Just Productions followed Pied Piper Productions, Ashford's co-venture with fellow Funk Brother/saxophonist Mike Terry (already spotlighted by Kent on two collections).  Ashford teamed up with Shelley Haims and Andrew Harris in 1967, the same year of Pied Piper's final releases on RCA and Kapp.  But soon Haims was off to California, and by mid-1968, Harris' small labels had shuttered.  Ashford was left to carry the Just Productions banner, frequently in tandem with Lorraine Chandler, the multitalented singer, songwriter and producer.  At first, a number of Pied Piper's songs and backing tracks were recycled by Just, including the first single by one of the production company's stars, Eddie Parker.  This collection's opening track, "I'm Gone," features the backing track of The Hesitations' Kapp-issued "That's What Love Is," reworked by Ashford and Chandler in torrid fashion for a 45 on the tiny Awake label.  The gritty-voiced Parker appears four times in all on this set including on the frenetic, uptempo dancer "Love You Baby," the inaugural release on the Ashford label in 1969.  With its female background vocals, full-throated lead and nonstop Detroit rhythm, it's a whirlwind of sound - like Motown on speed.

Also in 1969, Ashford launched Sepia Records, also represented on Just Productions by Al Gardner, and The Four Sonics - Plus One.  Gardner's "Sweet Baby" began life as a track for The Cavaliers before Ashford and Chandler restyled it with new instrumentation as a smooth yet funky workout with insinuating brass and nonstop percussion.  Pianist Johnny Griffith, another Motown alumnus, was one of the first to appear on Ashford's Triple B label, launched later in '69.  Griffith had recorded his own LP for Motown's Workshop Jazz label in 1963; for Triple B, he led the hard-driving instrumental groove "Do It" which like Billy Sha-Rae's Triple B single "Let's Do It Again" paved the way for Detroit's funkier sounds to come in the 1970s.

Happily, compiler Ady Croasdell's liner note essay tells the Just story in straightforward fashion; one needs a scorecard to keep up with all of Ashford's labels and various enterprises!  But the consistent factor among these songs is the high quality of musicianship.  Though Just didn't have the remarkable Motown songwriting stable, it did have top-notch players, all performing at an equally high level.  That shines through on these recordings.  Ashford himself headlines 1975's "Do the Choo-Choo," which makes its premiere here.  The same year, he produced and arranged "After You Give Your All (What Else is There to Give)," which exists at the crossroads between Motown-style soul and disco, for the girl group Softouch on Barney Ales' Prodigal label.  Motown great Paul Riser brought his magic touch arranging a handful of songs here including Ashford's imploring "I'll Fly to Your Open Arms" (1977) and two sides for The Smith Brothers: the driving, string-powered "Payback's a Drag" and its B-side, the bouncy "There Can Be a Better Way" (1974).  Both sides became Wigan Casino favorites.

Eventually, Jack Ashford headed west as most of his Motown compatriots had.  His final release was 1978's Blackjack soundtrack, not represented on this set. Norman Whitfield gave Ashford a spot at his Whitfield Records label through 1981; after that, Ashford relocated to Memphis and, for a time, left the music industry.  Happily, the acclaimed documentary Standing in the Shadows of Motown gave Ashford and his fellow Funk Brothers a richly-deserved moment in the sun that has lasted to this day.  In 2013, Ashford even played on Elton John's album The Diving Board.

Kent promises a second volume of Just Productions; in the meantime, this collection (newly remastered from the original tapes by Nick Robbins) of smoking Detroit soul is a diverse and often fascinating assembly of rare R&B sounds from one of the undisputed music capitals of the world.  Just Productions is available now at the links below!

Various Artists, Jack Ashford: Just Productions (Kent CDKEND 447, 2016) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1. I'm Gone - Eddie Parker (Awake 502, 1968)
2. Sweet Baby - Al Gardner (Sepia 2, 1969)
3. Do It (Instrumental) - Johnny Griffith acc. by Billy Sha-Rae's Band (Triple B 0003, 1970)
4. Let's Do It Again - Billy Sha-Rae (Triple B 0004, 1970)
5. Where Are You - The Four Sonics (Triple B 0002, 1970)
6. Love You Baby - Eddie Parker acc. by Billy Sha-Rae's Soul Congress Band (Ashford 1, 1970)
7. Stay Here with Me - Sandra Richardson (Inter/Soul 103, 1974)
8. Payback's a Drag - The Smith Brothers (Soul Dimension 5102, 1974)
9. Body Chains (Vocal Version) - Eddie Parker (rec. 1975, previously unreleased)
10. I'll Fly to Your Open Arms - Jack Ashford (Magic Disc LP MD 116, 1977)
11. After You Give Your All (What Else is There to Give) - Softouch (Prodigal 618, 1975)
12. There Can Be a Better Way - The Smith Brothers (Soul Dimension 5102, 1974)
13. Crying Clown - Billy Sha-Rae (Spectrum 114, 1971)
14. Don't Take Your Love - The Magnificents (MAM Magnificent 802, 1976)
15. But If You Must Go - Eddie Parker (MAM Miko 803, 1976)
16. Don't Leave Me Baby - Ray Gant and the Arabian Knights (Jay-Walking 014, 1972)
17. I Can't Stand It - Al Gardner (Sepia 2, 1969)
18. Tell Me You're Mine - The Four Sonics - Plus One (Sepia 1, 1969)
19. I Need Your Love (To Satisfy My Soul) - Lee Rogers (Premium Stuff 11, 1969)
20. Do the Choo-Choo (Vocal Version) - Jack Ashford and the Sound of New Detroit (rec. 1975, previously unreleased)
21. Did She Do it to You - Ray Gant and Unknown Female (previously unreleased)
22. The Ring - Sandra Richardson (alternate of Buddah 260, previously unreleased)
23. Don't Worry - The Smith Brothers (previously unreleased)
24. Deserted Garden - Sandra Richardson (previously unreleased)

All tracks mono except Tracks 7-8, 10-12, 14, 20, 22 stereo